Blend this cheerful Verde Kale Smoothie beverage to kick-start your morning. The ginger adds zing to the greens and herbs, while apples offer natural sweetness. The TABLE crew liked it so much we joked about adding vodka later in the day. Porqué no?
If you think salads are just for summer, feast your eyes on this winter recipe, Winter Chicories Salad with Persimmons and Avocado. Combine crisp leaves from the chicory family—escarole, frisée, Belgian endive, speckled Castel franco radicchio, and red radicchio in both head and Treviso spear varieties.
Nestled among the greens are chunks of avocado, pomegranate arils, sliced beets, pepitas, and show-stopping orange persimmons. The Fuyu variety, squat and round, can be eaten crisp or soft like an apricot. You may also find Hachiya persimmons, which must ripen to custardy softness to eliminate their astringency. They’re great for scooping with a spoon, though they won’t hold shape in a salad.
This recipe can brighten the coldest day. Assemble it with a mix of leaves from the chicory family. A sweet-savory miso dressing ties the flavors together beautifully.
Think fresh-from-the-garden greens and you may think summer. But spare a thought—and a place on your plate—for some winter greens recipes. Not only are cold-weather greens like cavolo nero, escarole, and endive stunning to look at, they’re also versatile workhorses in the kitchen. Cheryl Alters Jamison takes us on a tour.
Greens with Character
My late husband had a sports car in a color called “British racing green,” so beloved in the U.K. that it’s sometimes simply termed BRG. It’s not a single Pantone shade, but a range of striking greens. I couldn’t help but think about those hues while assembling this gorgeous mix of winter greens.
Summer may offer a kaleidoscope of vegetables, but it doesn’t have the corner on beauty. Winter produce holds its own stunning array of possibilities—and many of them should make summer green with envy.
Kale comes in a mix of colors and degrees of curliness. I’m especially partial to cavolo nero, or lacinato kale, the rough-textured, long, slim variety in deep forest green. The chard family offers varieties with stoplight-colored stems, while tangy mustard greens and collard greens shine simply cooked with a bit of pork. They can also add color and nutrients to dishes as diverse as scones and blended drinks.
If you thought green salads were a summer fling, feast your eyes on this winter mix of chicories—escarole, endives, and radicchios in varying colors and shapes. I’ll race you into the kitchen.
Winter’s Palette of Greens in Cheryl Alters Jamison’s Recipes
I’ve made versions of this vegetable-rich soup for most of my life, but never had a formal Winter Green recipe until today. Feel free to use more prosciutto, fewer carrots, or even a lonely celery stalk. I often add ditalini or another small pasta. If you have it, a chunk of rind from a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano adds subtle umami to the broth.
The fine mince of the sofrito melts into the soup, giving it complexity. One constant for me is the rough-textured cavolo nero—the star in the dish I first ate in Tuscany decades ago. Cavolo nero is now much easier to find in farmers’ markets and well-stocked produce sections.
This minestrone makes a flavorful base for ribollita, the hearty Tuscan dish in which soup is re-boiled with torn bread to create a savory bread pudding. Whether soup or ribollita, it’s perfection when you crave vegetables or simply need a warm hug in a bowl.
Rainbow chard, with its colorful stems, shines in this open-faced version of Greek spanakopita. You can also use other chard or a mix of chard, mustard greens, or kale. I chose salted butter to “paint” the filo dough because it enhances the flavor of the crust.
The walnuts, layered between the sheets of pastry, add texture and a nutty richness. On the side, I added an optional saffron aioli—a quick, nontraditional sauce that acts like a ray of sunshine when dolloped over slices of the pie.
These scones make a bright breakfast bread, but they also pair beautifully with a bowl of soup later in the day. The cornmeal adds texture, while buttermilk brings tang. Mustard greens lend little bursts of flavor balanced by slightly salty pecorino cheese. A smear of sweet butter is welcome, though not necessary—the scones are moist enough on their own.
Blend this cheerful emerald beverage to kick-start your morning. The ginger adds zing to the greens and herbs, while apples offer natural sweetness. The TABLE crew liked it so much we joked about adding vodka later in the day. Porqué no?
If you think salads are just for summer, feast your eyes on this winter winter green recipe. Combine crisp leaves from the chicory family—escarole, frisée, Belgian endive, speckled Castelfranco radicchio, and red radicchio in both head and Treviso spear varieties.
Nestled among the greens are chunks of avocado, pomegranate arils, sliced beets, pepitas, and show-stopping orange persimmons. The Fuyu variety, squat and round, can be eaten crisp or soft like an apricot. You may also find Hachiya persimmons, which must ripen to custardy softness to eliminate their astringency. They’re great for scooping with a spoon, though they won’t hold shape in a salad.
A sweet-savory miso dressing ties the flavors together beautifully.
Recipes and Story by Cheryl Alters Jamison Styling by Keith Recker Photography by Tira Howard
A dynamic exhibition merges printmaking, photography, and ceramics to explore identity, time, and evolution.Cara and Diego Romero: Tales of Futures Past showcases the work of photographer Cara Romero (Chemehuevi) and potter Diego Romero (Cochiti Pueblo). The married artists engage in an artistic dialogue between their mediums in this traveling show organized by the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa. The Albuquerque presentation also includes additional works from New Mexico museums.
A Visionary Collaboration for Cara and Diego Romero’s Tales of Futures Past
The exhibition features 35 works — including 16 of Cara’s photographs, 15 pottery pieces by Diego, and several collaborations. Together, the Romeros examine the complexities and ongoing evolution of Indigenous identity. Their works fuse elements of popular culture, ancestral tradition, and the supernatural to create protagonists empowered by their Indigeneity. These figures move through changing worlds, rewriting historical narratives and challenging viewers to rethink time, heritage, and belonging.
“There’s great humor and sarcasm in this serious show,” says William Gassaway, Assistant Curator of Art at the Albuquerque Museum. “It’s not a solemn show. These are powerful ideas about rewriting history, advocating environmental consciousness, and celebrating Indigeneity. Yet it disarms with humor and lush color. It’s a visual delight and an intellectual deep dive.”
According to Gassaway, these themes are not new to New Mexico or the museum. “Cara’s work especially emphasizes Indigenous futurism, while Diego comments on the ludicrous conspiracy theories surrounding the ancient Maya and alien influences,” he notes. “We hope visitors will feel comfortable moving through time — backward to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, through the present, and into an imagined, hopeful future.” Check out Cara and Diego Romero: Tales of Futures Past today!
Cara and Diego Romero: Tales of Futures Past is organized by the Figge Art Museum, Davenport, Iowa.This exhibition is made possible in part through the generous support of the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation.
There’s never been a moment when there hasn’t been a community table at Cafe Pasqual’s in New Mexico. We’re capturing how this gathering space embodies the ethos of the restaurant — from the ingredients it sources to the way staff treat guests with warmth and care. We take a seat at the community table and meet some of the regulars.
The Origins of the Community Table at Cafe Pasqual’s in New Mexico
Katharine Kagel – executive chef and owner of Cafe Pasqual’s – knew a central “big” table would work almost fifty years ago when she first opened the restaurant. She’d seen it, experienced it, at a restaurant she frequented when she lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Besides, the building on the corner of Water and Don Gaspar may have been a Texaco gas station in the early 1900s, but it’s been home to restaurants since 1923. Earlier inhabitants sported prosaic names like Liberty Café, K.C. Waffle House (whose sign outside read: “Here food is served at its best. Great Atmosphere. Excellent Service”), Mayflower Café, Golden Temple of Conscious Cookery, and Pogo’s.
Hospitality is in the bones of this spot, and nothing is more hospitable than the community table.
A Table with History
In a touch of serendipity, the community table and the whole building in which it sits both date back to 1905. In normal worlds you’d call that a coincidence, but at Cafe Pasqual’s it feels more like kismet. Kagel explains that the table seats eight in a perfect circle but in day-to-day life with the leaves in, “It can seat ten happily, eleven, or twelve slightly unhappily,” Kagel laughs.
The Power of Shared Meals
Granted, it’s not for everyone — the idea of sitting with a group of strangers and sharing a meal. But watch the people who declined an invitation to sit at the community table, and you might see them change their minds as they watch the laughter, sharing of food, and eureka moments of discovered shared histories, mutual friends, and even hometowns.
Strangers who wouldn’t think of making eye contact on a busy city street are suddenly exchanging forkfuls of griddled corn cakes and calabacitas in exchange for a bite of Oaxacan tamales, with a third chiming in that yes, the Hall of Fame egg salad sandwich merits the moniker.
The Regulars
And when some of the faithful community table diners – people who make Pasqual’s and the big table their second home – gathered for lunch, the laughter and stories flowed as freely as the coffee and iced tea. Regulars like Sheryl Magnuson, who travels to Santa Fe once a week from her home in Albuquerque for breakfast at Cafe Pasqual’s, admit that the ritual means something special. “I’ve had just about everything (on the menu). I think about it on the drive here.” And as soon as she walks in the door, they’re already making her mocha super-hot, just the way she likes it.
Or Rita and Scott Hemmig, who moved here in 2015. When I ask Scott if they moved here because of Cafe Pasqual’s, he says laughing, “Hell yes!” After countless meals they still remember what they ate the first time: Rita had the griddled polenta and chorizo and Scott had the huevos barbacoa.
Familiar Faces and Favorite Orders
Augustine Sanchez – you’ll recognize him by his picture-perfect mustache, stylish hat, and a Cafe Pasqual’s bandana tied jauntily around his neck – likes the grilled bison burger. Bill Fisher, on the other hand, admits that he ate the Blue Lady Chicken Enchiladas for nineteen days running. He says the kitchen kept track, wondering when he’d finally order something else. Mary Emerling and Reg Jackson date their courting days to Cafe Pasqual’s. They’re community table regulars and say Kagel saw the sparks and created romantic opportunities for them at a nearby booth.
A Place for Connection
There’s something liberating about dining at the community table—a license to be freer and more lively. Perhaps it’s no wonder that at least two couples met at the big table and went on to name their firstborn sons Pasqual. Kagel still has the baby snaps they sent. She figures they’re in their forties now and hopes one day they’ll walk in and say, “I got named after your restaurant.”
The Staff’s Perspective
It’s not just the guests who have a soft spot for the community table either – it’s the staff who duck and dive in tight quarters to refill water glasses, take an order for a slice of bittersweet chocolate pecan pie, or package up some Mexican wedding cookies to go. Roblair Richter has been with Pasqual’s for over 20 years and sometimes takes a spot at the community table for a much-needed breather and bite to eat once he’s finished work. One time he sat down next to a young woman visiting Santa Fe from Uganda. They talked for a long time, swapped numbers, and have been pen pals for over five years. Despite the time difference and thousands of miles between them, they text nearly every day.
While community table newbies may be reluctant to take the plunge, Richter says they’re invariably happy they did. “‘I’m not sure I really want to sit there,’ they’ll say, but when they do, they end up talking to people and they go, ‘Oh my god, it was the best experience I’ve had.’”
The Heart of Cafe Pasqual’s
A friend of Kagel’s whom she met in Kyoto, Japan once visited and spent an entire day sitting at the community table. At the end of lunch service, Kagel emerged from the kitchen to hear her friend announce that Cafe Pasqual’s wasn’t a restaurant. Kagel gazed down at her food-splattered apron. “Okay, if it’s not a restaurant, what is it?” Kagel asked. “She said, ‘It’s a sanctuary.’”
And if Cafe Pasqual’s is a sanctuary – which I believe it is – then the community table is both its geographic center and spiritual heart. A welcome place for anyone wanting rest, food, and above all, welcome.
Story by Julia Platt Leonard Photography by Tira Howard Shot on location at Cafe Pasqual’s
A gorgeous solstice table set by Hayward Simoneaux with artisanal wares from his Truchas boutique, Eight Million Gods.
Winter often gets a bad rap. Yet in New Mexico, it’s a glorious mash-up of fluffy snowflakes, azure skies, fragrant burning piñon logs, and golden sunlight. When the shortest day of the year approaches, people around the world celebrate the Winter Solstice. Among them was a group of friends who gathered at Eight Million Gods in Truchas to honor ancient traditions and create new ones of their own.
Mr. Simoneaux himself.
Finding Warmth in Truchas
New Mexicans get off relatively easy in winter. However, around 4:45 p.m., it can feel as if an iron door slams shut, locking out the light. The dark and cold linger too long until the sun returns. Still, just when the season might start to wear you down, preparations for the Winter Solstice begin. The celebration of the longest night of the year signals hope for brighter days to come.
Cornbread brushed with hot honey butter.
This is where we found a merry group of eight friends. They included a dance instructor, a practicing Buddhist psychologist, a lawyer, a retired art consultant, and a specialty retail shop owner. They gathered at Eight Million Gods, an international folk art store in Truchas owned by Hayward Simoneaux. For two decades, he was the visionary behind the beloved Todos Santos Chocolates and Confections in Santa Fe.
A Feast for the Longest Night
Details of the wonderful table set by Hayward Simoneaux at Eight Million Gods.
They swapped stories, shared jokes, and drew strength from one another over a hearty winter stew. The meal featured slow-cooked chipotle chile-beef with pinto beans, green beans, corn, and tomatoes. Guests dressed up their bowls with sliced radishes, cotija cheese, and other toppings. To complete the meal, there was warm cornbread brushed with hot honey butter. For drinks, everyone enjoyed a chilled mulled wine spritzer.
Dessert carried its own meaning. Hayward treated the group to an apricot and chocolate-filled yule log cake—a nod to one of the oldest Winter Solstice customs from Scandinavia. Once a sacred log soaked in wine and herbs, it was decorated with ivy, holly, or pinecones and burned over several days. The longer it burned, the more good fortune it was said to bring.
Just when you think the darkest season might break your spirit, mark the Winter Solstice’s promise of lighter and brighter days to come with candlelight, friends…and a feast!
Global Traditions, Shared Light
Meanwhile, as this group gathered in Truchas, others celebrated around the world—many through food. In Asian Winter Solstice traditions, for instance, sweet treats often take center stage. South China and Taiwan enjoy Tangyuan, soft glutinous rice balls, while Northern China celebrates Tongzhi with dumplings. Meaning “winter arrival” in Mandarin, Tongzhi marks the peak of yin (darkness) and the return of yang (light).
A winter stew of slow-cooked chipotle chile-beef with pinto beans, green beans, corn, and tomatoes.
In Iran and other Persian-speaking countries, communities celebrate Shab-e Yalda, or “night of rebirth.” Believed to be the peak of evil, the longest night inspires people to stay awake by fireside and candlelight. They recite poetry from The Divan of Hafez, a revered 14th-century collection. Common foods include pomegranates, whose seeds symbolize dawn’s glow, and dried fruits and nuts that provide warmth and strength through the cold.
Likewise, in Japan, some people take hot baths infused with yuzu citrus to prevent illness and attract good fortune. Across the world, pilgrims visit the ancient solar sites of Newgrange in Ireland and Stonehenge in England to witness the solstice sunrise. At the same time, Mayan spiritual leaders in Central America perform sound baths, chanting circles, and blessings.
Even in North America, gatherings have evolved to include candlelight vigils or bonfires. In New Mexico, Pueblo communities mark the sun’s return with dances, storytelling, and prayer sticks. Others reflect and set intentions while walking along farolito-lit streets dotted with glowing piñon towers.
Light in Every Culture
Regardless of origin, all these traditions share a belief—rooted in ancient, earth-based faiths—that honoring the Winter Solstice helps guide us out of darkness. Fittingly, Eight Million Gods made the perfect host for such a gathering. Hayward chose the store’s name from the Japanese Shinto religion, which teaches that gods—or positive forces—exist in everything.
As guests wandered through the space, meaning radiated from every item. Latin American silver Milagros (miracles) promised hope. Vintage Indian kantha quilts, sewn from recycled saris, seemed to whisper stories of their pasts. A Hopi Heheya Kachina offered fertility and rain, while a “Brahma the Creator” mask symbolized divine power and sacred knowledge.
A Celebration of Spirit and Art
“What better way to come out of hibernation,” Hayward said, “than a festive meal with friends?” The evening’s blend of décor, table setting, and food reflected Eight Million Gods’ curated collection of art, clothing, and home goods from diverse cultures and traditions.
Finally, as the night came to a close, Hayward smiled and said, “We cap it all off by opening the ultimate shared party favor—a handmade Surprise Ball brimming with hidden gifts!”
The Sun Returns
Thanks to early civilizations’ spiritual, architectural, and agricultural devotion to the sun, humanity continues to share soulful Winter Solstice traditions today. From the Egyptians’ worship of Ra to the Mayan solar pyramids, Babylonian astronomy, and the stone temples of Newgrange and Stonehenge, the story of light unites us all.
In the end, only the almighty sun could inspire such a worldwide celebration of renewal.
Story by Cullen Curtiss Photography by Tira Howard Food by Julia Platt Leonard Shot on location at Eight Million Gods, @eightmilliongods
Is art a form of spiritual expression, a mode of social commentary, or a path of personal expression? Ponder all of the above at these must-see New Mexico gallery shows this winter.
In this expressive group show, cultures, experiences, and ideas are woven together through the language of clothing. Garments become symbols, asking us to consider how what we wear can act as protest, embody resilience, and unify collective voices. A bold display of pride in the face of censorship, this exhibition brings together multiple artists whose stories intertwine to create a shared narrative of strength and resistance.
A large group exhibition highlights ten diverse artists, each bringing their own unique vision to the gallery. The show spans a wide range of art forms such as glass, fiber, leather, and more. This year’s feature artist is ceramicist Laura McIndoo, whose work embraces bold textures and vibrant colors. Through her innovative use of glaze and surface, McIndoo explores the dynamic relationship between light, form, and color, transforming functional ceramics into expressive works of art.
203 Gallery, November 8, 2025 – January 31, Opening reception November 8th, 4-6pm
Explore abstract artist Beatrice Mandelman’s vibrant and expressive paintings and collages which come directly from her estate. The artist, who died in 1998, was a member of the Taos Moderns. Intertwined in shapes and colors, these layered pieces are from Mandelman’s “Sun Series.”
Santa Fe
Nicolas Otero-Nuestra Señora de San Jaun de Los Lagos
Santero artists Nicolas Otero and Gustavo Victor Goler celebrate the enduring beauty of traditional Spanish art with their newest bultos and retablos. Crafted with hand-carved panels, natural pigments, and intricate detail, these works transform sacred themes into vibrant expressions of devotion, bridging centuries of artistry with a contemporary sensibility.
Obscura Gallery, November 22 – January 17, Open House Saturday, November 29, 2-5pm
Obscura returns with its third annual photography exhibition, “One-of-a-Kind III” which brings together striking works by Susan Burnstine, Lou Peralta, and many more. This curated selection showcases unique perspectives and artistic voices, with all pieces priced under $1,500, making it a dream come true for both art collectors and photography enthusiasts.
Using distressed photographs of abandoned spaces, Noh explores themes of trauma and separation from one’s culture. These reconstructed images—burnt, torn, and stitched—represent the process of recovery. Her works create a space in which she examines, transforms, and ultimately reclaims her mind and body.
Sometimes necessity is truly the mother of invention. When award-winning pastry chef Rebecca Freeman of Coyote Café and Santacafé found out her husband had celiac disease, she was devastated. “As a pastry chef, I love sharing my creations with the people around me. He now couldn’t eat half of my desserts, so I began searching out desserts that were naturally gluten free.” She came up with this Gluten-Free Maple Budino so that he – and everyone else – could have a pie-free holiday. Serve with a scoop of sorbet and a tuile, if you’re so inclined. “This Maple Budino with cranberries and pecan crumble tastes like all the Thanksgiving desserts rolled into one.” After a bite – okay, we polished it all off – we agree one hundred percent.
This gluten-free Maple Budino by pastry chef Rebecca Freeman of Coyote Café layers creamy maple custard with tart cranberries and buttery pecan crumble for a dessert that tastes like Thanksgiving in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
½ cup maple syrup
¾ cup milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Maple Poached Cranberries:
1 lb fresh cranberries
1 cup maple syrup
For The Ginger Mascarpone:
½ cup mascarpone
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp vanilla extract
For The Pecan Crumble:
2 cups almond flour
½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Place the maple syrup in saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the maple syrup to a light caramel.
Carefully whisk in milk and heavy cream. Bring this mixture to a simmer.
Whisk whole egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch together in a mixing bowl.
Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture to temper the egg mixture. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a simmer while whisking, until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and salt.
Pour into 4 serving bowls. Let cool to room temperature, refrigerating until thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours.
For the Maple Poached Cranberries:
Combine cranberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan. On the lowest heat possible cook the mixture for 20 minutes, making sure to not to overheat, so the cranberries do not burst.
These can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
For the Ginger Mascarpone:
Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl and reserve until needed.
For The Pecan Crumble:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine all ingredients together until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into 20 pieces.
Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes or until golden brown. These cookies keep for a week in a sealed container at room temperature.
Blitz the cookies to form a rough crumble topping for the maple budino.
Recipe by Rebecca Freeman, Coyote Café Story and Styling by Julia Platt Leonard Photography by Tira Howard
Santa Fe Biscochito Company’s artisanal cookies will sweeten your day.
A Cookie for Every Season at Santa Fe Biscochito Company
’Tis the season for biscochitos, a traditional holiday cookie of northern New Mexico. However, biscochito buffs will be thrilled to know that the official state cookie of New Mexico is always in season at Santa Fe Biscochito Company, where the handcrafted cookies are delightfully crisp and brimming with the flavor of both whole and crushed anise.
“It’s such a humble cookie,” says owner and baker Richard Perea, a Santa Fe native who knows the deep significance these cookies carry for generations of New Mexicans who bake them for weddings, anniversaries, and other events. Moreover, he adds, “It’s special to different people in different ways. It’s not the ingredients. It’s the way it makes you feel. It reminds me of my childhood.”
Finding the Perfect Recipe
Perea grew up helping his grandmother make tortillas, which she would sell to local businesses. Because her recipe repertoire didn’t include biscochitos, Perea had to experiment to find a perfect version that worked for him. Therefore, he began to test batch after batch. “I tried to reinvent the biscochito, with red wine, sangria, orange zest,” he says, laughing. “I tested and tested and shared with friends.”
Ultimately, a simple recipe won out — a combination of eggs, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, whole and crushed anise, brandy, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and lard. Yes, lard, because it’s long been an essential ingredient to the cookie’s flaky texture and rich flavor.
Located in downtown Santa Fe in the former Primo Cigar Company building, the Santa Fe Biscochito Company offers a trio of biscochito varieties: traditional with cinnamon and sugar; dusted with green chile powder; and dusted with red chile powder. Additionally, each cookie is shaped in 3-inch squares and stamped with a Zia symbol — perhaps as a nod to Perea’s skill as a silversmith and jewelry designer. (The traditional version is also available in a circular shape.)
The Biscochito, Reinvented
Perea has taken the biscochito to new heights with his invention of the Biscookie. It’s a tantalizing ice cream sandwich made with two biscochitos and a generous scoop of small-batch ice cream such as Java Chip, Chingon Piñon, and — for serious biscochito fans — Biscochito ice cream flecked with biscochito bits. As a result, what was once a humble cookie has become a full-fledged dessert experience.
The Santa Fe Biscochito Company also serves breakfast burritos, bagel sandwiches, and coffee drinks. Meanwhile, the sweet, living room-style space is great for relaxing and savoring every blissful biscochito bite. Moreover, if you need a holiday gift to go, the cookies are available in festive packages that you’ll want to gift to yourself. Try “Little Biscuits” of Joy at Santa Fe Biscochito Company today!
Craving a biscochito right this second? Make a batch in the meantime using our various Holiday Bake-Off recipes to hold over your hunger.
Whether you love it or loathe it, the New Year holiday is an opportunity for a fresh start and to gather close friends and family together. And if the menu celebrates foods that are believed to augur good luck, then surely the year is off to a fortuitous start.
Jessie Baca and Marijke Uleman.
A Dinner Party with a Good Luck Menu for the New Year
New Year’s is polarizing. Embraced by some, eschewed by others, it’s a day and night that perhaps carries more weight than a single twenty-four-hour period should – the weight of what was and what will be…the desire for new beginnings and letting go of the past. Cultures around the world have grappled with this duality and set intentions for the future through traditions, not least of which are the foods we eat to create good fortune, whether that’s health, happiness, or our financial wellbeing.
When tasked to create a meal rich in good luck foods from around the world, Marijke Uleman was in her element. The Dutch-born, Santa Fe-based chef has traveled widely and embraces not only her own cultural roots but that of her wife, Mexican-born Erika Bautista.
Left: Preparing tamales. Right: A colorful tablescape at The Ridge.
Building a Sacred Space
The setting was The Ridge, a territorial-style hacienda tucked into an idyllic spot in the high desert foothills of Santa Fe. The space is filled with courtyards, decks, portals, patios, and a warming firepit – it’s the ideal spot to welcome winter sunlight and set eyes as well as appetites on the new year.
It’s a one-of-a-kind location that proprietor Irene Hofmann has filled with art and love – a perfectly appointed 8,000 square foot space available for stays of 8-12 people in the main house and poolside casita. Not to mention, Hofmann has launched Desert Sabbatical to make the location available for people in the arts, for gatherings, workshops, professional development, or simply for quiet moments of reflection and renewal. Hofmann’s goal is to create an environment that’s peaceful, welcoming, as well as a tonic from the chaos of modern life. “That’s why we imagine every corner of this house as a retreat,” she says.
The group toasts the New Year.
Embracing Creativity in the Menu
For such a unique experience, Uleman created an equally unique menu that draws on her uncanny ability to see flavors and imagine combinations before she ever picks up a chef’s knife or wooden spoon.
“This is my canvas,” she says of the food she cooks, “so when I have the paints and colors of the ingredients in front of me, that’s when it all starts to come together.” Like all of the meals she creates, this was a one-off. “Because each dinner and meal is a sense of place and time, it will never be the same again,” she says.
Left: Jessie Baca fills glasses for the arriving guests. Right: Marijke Uleman shares the menu with guests.
The jumping-off point for this New Year’s luncheon was thinking about cultures and connections as well as what good luck means. “I started thinking about my friends – who would I seat around a table and what kind of cultural connections do they have?”
A delicious Grapefruit Chai Masala “Mimosa.”
Cheers-ing to Good Fortune
To kick-start the festivities, Uleman welcomed guests with a riff on a classic mimosa, minus the alcohol and using grapefruit instead of orange juice. “In many cultures around the world, citrus fruits are symbols of good luck and prosperity,” Uleman says. The alcohol-free drink was a nod to the fact that many people – including Uleman – cut out alcohol in January.
Helping out was Jessie Baca – artist, stylist, and creative powerhouse behind Mexi-Modern – who works on many events hosted by Uleman’s food experience company, Cocoon. The two work in perfect harmony, transforming each dish into work of art. A seemingly simple plate of pickled baby carrots then emerged from the kitchen looking like glistening gems. Served with lentils – their coin shape denoting financial wealth as well as security – smoked labneh, and a sourdough cracker – the dish was the perfect combination of creaminess, sharpness, sweetness, and crunch.
Left: Lentils, Pickled Carrots, Smoked Labneh, and Sourdough Cracker. Right: Sweet Potato Waffle with Roasted Fennel, Dill, and Citrus Curd.
Golden foods like a citrus curd paired with sweet potato waffles and cornbread croutons that topped a black-eyed pea salad (a Southern United States New Year’s must) were nods to gold as well as financial well-being in the new year.
As guests passed a platter filled with pink-hued tamales – their rosy color thanks to Jamaica flowers (hibiscus) – the talk then turned to favorite New Year’s traditions.
Taking in the Future
Jenn Molinari traded in the glitz and glamor of New Year’s parties for a sunrise visit to the Grand Canyon with three girlfriends. “I want to carry forward starting the day with the sunrise at some beautiful, nature spot with people I love,” she says. Nelly Joy Irakoze is also keeping it simple – ditching detailed plans for the New Year and focusing on the moment instead. “I’m just trusting the process of each day, you know, just moving through each day,” she says.
Marja Martin, Erika Bautista, as well as Sean Ham.
For restauranteur Marja Martin, the ideal New Year’s would be simple and also decadent. “I would like to be at home with a bottle of champagne to myself – really good champagne – and a tin of caviar and something like caviar on potato chips.” For Hofmann, a night in with her husband and a feast – perhaps a raw bar with snow crab, oysters, as well as other crustaceans – is the ideal New Year’s celebration.
Uleman then finished the meal off with oliebollen – a treasured new year’s treat in the Netherlands. These deep-fried balls of dough, dusted with sugar, symbolize a sweet start to the new year. Guests gathered around the fire pit, enjoying the last of the winter sun, and nibbling another oliebollen before heading out to start the new year in earnest – warmed by good food and company—and filled with the sense of good luck that comes from both. Perhaps Erika Bautista captured it best when she said, “It’s a moment of gathering together and staring your year right by having those that you love around you.”
Left: Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Cornbread Croutons as well as an Orange Citrus Vinaigrette. Right: Oliebollen.
The Good Luck Menu for the New Year
Make your own good luck meal for the New Year with the following recipes!
Story by Julia Platt Leonard Food by Marijke Uleman, Cocoon Photography by Tira Howard Styling by Jessie Baca Shot on location at The Ridge Guest House and Retreat
