Food guide for foodies
FOOD
PHOTOS BY WES NAMAN
Well-known Albuquerque food writer Andrea Feucht was asked by Globe Pequot Press to detail the top three dining destinations in the state. The resulting book is Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos, an informative and resourceful guide to all things culinary in the Land of Enchantment.
Food guide for foodies Albuquerque food scribe, Andrea Feucht, writes a handy guide to the culinary offerings in the Duke City, Santa Fe, Taos and more BY JUSTIN GOODRUM
N
ew Mexico has a rich tradition of culinary delights that draws locals and tourists alike, not to mention effusive praise for having the most diverse food selection in the country. Some New Mexicans may know of the best unknown eateries, but most would love an official resource. There’s no better candidate than freelance food writer Andrea Feucht, who has taken her passion for local cuisine to write the Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. For those new to the area, or natives looking for new places to eat, this handbook manages to be a jack of all trades. While its initial goal lies in listing the top restaurants in each city, Feucht manages to include every aspect characteristic of New Mexican food, from traditional customs to recipes. Right in the introduction, the reader gets a crash course into what makes the region’s food so unique, with brief descriptions of red and green chile, Tex-Mex versus New Mexican food, and local farming partnerships with restaurants.
When describing the genesis of the book, Feucht said publishers of the Food Lovers’ Guide books approached her to write about the top three culinary cities in New Mexico. It was perfect timing, as she had a desire and ambition to write an updated food guide. “They actually approached me, pretty much in that same time frame, and they were like, ‘We want to add to this series that we have, the Food Guide Series. And we want to do a New Mexico one, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos in that
8 LOCAL iQ
BOOK
Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos THE BEST RESTAURANTS, MARKETS & LOCAL CULINARY OFFERINGS BY ANDREA FEUCHT
Paperback, 350pp 2013, Globe Pequot Press
$14.95 ISBN 13: 978-0-7627-8155-3
order,’” Feucht explained in a recent interview with Local iQ. Each city gets broken down into five different sections; top eateries, or “Foodie Faves;” classic restaurants called “Landmarks;” specialized establishments known for chile, called “All Chile, All the Time;” “Specialty Stores, Markets & Producers;” and “Learn to Cook.” Instead of embarking on the daunting task of visiting every restaurant, Feucht relied on personal experiences and her friends’ recommendations on best undiscovered places to grab something to eat.
“I have a lot of friends in Santa Fe and around the state, who, if I kinda poked them a little bit, I can easily find out what the new awesome thing going on in town is, even if I’m not there,” said Feucht. Perhaps the biggest strength of the guide is the multiple background stories of popular food hot spots. Feucht has formed relationships with the owners of many restaurants and allows the readers to gain access to specific details about the origin stories of Flying Star Cafe, The Frontier Restaurant and other local favorites. For those looking for a little adventure, the book includes
| ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | OCTOBER 18-31, 2012
four road trip sections that range from the three cities of the title and provide a layout for potential sightseeing tours. These range from tasting the best green chile cheeseburgers in the state to touring the best Southern New Mexican restaurants. One of the sections features Feucht sharing a love for her favorite restaurant, the Curious Kumquat, located in Silver City. Santa Fe has the distinction of being the state’s capital, but in Feucht’s opinion leads the charge in creating new culinary trends. She claims Santa Fe’s diversity allows talented chefs and food experts to create a special and original dining experience. A Santa Fe native herself, Feucht believes the city’s most popular restaurants are so successful they are rapidly expanding to Albuquerque and beyond. But the author claims the most important trend to originate in “The City Different” is the local farmer/restaurant relationship. She hopes the agreement transitions from a fad to a mainstay in every New Mexican city. “Santa Fe tends to be a little bit ahead of the curve relative to Albuquerque with dining trends. For better or worse, farming-to-restaurant is kind of a trend. I don’t feel like it should be a trend, I think it should be they way you do things most of the time,” said Feucht. Towards the end of the book, readers can find 13 distinct recipes which are restaurant staples and are accessible for beginners or expert cooks. It took little convincing for the state’s elite chefs to contribute their tools of the trade, but they were willing when they learned of Feucht’s project. For anyone who has a remote interest in New Mexican dining, the New Mexican edition of the Food Lovers’ Guide series is a quick read and works best as a reference book for finding the perfect restaurant for any occasion.
PHOTOS BY WES NAMAN
Well-known Albuquerque food writer Andrea Feucht was asked by Globe Pequot Press to detail the top three dining destinations in the state. The resulting book is Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos, an informative and resourceful guide to all things culinary in the Land of Enchantment.
Food guide for foodies Albuquerque food scribe, Andrea Feucht, writes a handy guide to the culinary offerings in the Duke City, Santa Fe, Taos and more BY JUSTIN GOODRUM
N
ew Mexico has a rich tradition of culinary delights that draws locals and tourists alike, not to mention effusive praise for having the most diverse food selection in the country. Some New Mexicans may know of the best unknown eateries, but most would love an official resource. There’s no better candidate than freelance food writer Andrea Feucht, who has taken her passion for local cuisine to write the Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings. For those new to the area, or natives looking for new places to eat, this handbook manages to be a jack of all trades. While its initial goal lies in listing the top restaurants in each city, Feucht manages to include every aspect characteristic of New Mexican food, from traditional customs to recipes. Right in the introduction, the reader gets a crash course into what makes the region’s food so unique, with brief descriptions of red and green chile, Tex-Mex versus New Mexican food, and local farming partnerships with restaurants.
When describing the genesis of the book, Feucht said publishers of the Food Lovers’ Guide books approached her to write about the top three culinary cities in New Mexico. It was perfect timing, as she had a desire and ambition to write an updated food guide. “They actually approached me, pretty much in that same time frame, and they were like, ‘We want to add to this series that we have, the Food Guide Series. And we want to do a New Mexico one, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos in that
8 LOCAL iQ
BOOK
Food Lovers’ Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque & Taos THE BEST RESTAURANTS, MARKETS & LOCAL CULINARY OFFERINGS BY ANDREA FEUCHT
Paperback, 350pp 2013, Globe Pequot Press
$14.95 ISBN 13: 978-0-7627-8155-3
order,’” Feucht explained in a recent interview with Local iQ. Each city gets broken down into five different sections; top eateries, or “Foodie Faves;” classic restaurants called “Landmarks;” specialized establishments known for chile, called “All Chile, All the Time;” “Specialty Stores, Markets & Producers;” and “Learn to Cook.” Instead of embarking on the daunting task of visiting every restaurant, Feucht relied on personal experiences and her friends’ recommendations on best undiscovered places to grab something to eat.
“I have a lot of friends in Santa Fe and around the state, who, if I kinda poked them a little bit, I can easily find out what the new awesome thing going on in town is, even if I’m not there,” said Feucht. Perhaps the biggest strength of the guide is the multiple background stories of popular food hot spots. Feucht has formed relationships with the owners of many restaurants and allows the readers to gain access to specific details about the origin stories of Flying Star Cafe, The Frontier Restaurant and other local favorites. For those looking for a little adventure, the book includes
| ALBUQUERQUE’S INTELLIGENT ALTERNATIVE | OCTOBER 18-31, 2012
four road trip sections that range from the three cities of the title and provide a layout for potential sightseeing tours. These range from tasting the best green chile cheeseburgers in the state to touring the best Southern New Mexican restaurants. One of the sections features Feucht sharing a love for her favorite restaurant, the Curious Kumquat, located in Silver City. Santa Fe has the distinction of being the state’s capital, but in Feucht’s opinion leads the charge in creating new culinary trends. She claims Santa Fe’s diversity allows talented chefs and food experts to create a special and original dining experience. A Santa Fe native herself, Feucht believes the city’s most popular restaurants are so successful they are rapidly expanding to Albuquerque and beyond. But the author claims the most important trend to originate in “The City Different” is the local farmer/restaurant relationship. She hopes the agreement transitions from a fad to a mainstay in every New Mexican city. “Santa Fe tends to be a little bit ahead of the curve relative to Albuquerque with dining trends. For better or worse, farming-to-restaurant is kind of a trend. I don’t feel like it should be a trend, I think it should be they way you do things most of the time,” said Feucht. Towards the end of the book, readers can find 13 distinct recipes which are restaurant staples and are accessible for beginners or expert cooks. It took little convincing for the state’s elite chefs to contribute their tools of the trade, but they were willing when they learned of Feucht’s project. For anyone who has a remote interest in New Mexican dining, the New Mexican edition of the Food Lovers’ Guide series is a quick read and works best as a reference book for finding the perfect restaurant for any occasion.
