Viva Epicurea!

In Cows We Trust

Seen on a T-shirt in the Farmers Diner in Barre, VT

As for butter versus margarine, I trust cows more than chemists.
-Joan Gussow

I get that.  More on the Farmers Diner after I post tonight for Independent America.

Tupelo Honey & Sweet Potato Pancakes

Hanson: Let’s leave by 7am.

Me:  Ok – great plan!

The alarm went off at 5:30 and perhaps for the first time in his life my husband had no clue what the annoying sound was.  He’s a bounce-out-of-bed type.  I’m… a recovering snoozer.

No matter our style, we both woke up to a disaster of a room to pack up.  Three days of work had rendered #324 into something I can only describe as a kennel (without the stench) meets messy closet meets network crash site.  Miles’ accoutrement overlapped with our bags which overlapped with our computers which were hooked up to a labyrinth of wires and cables plus our three cameras and corresponding charges, a printer…. You get the picture.  I can only assume what you’re thinking – this is supposed to be a road trip!  And so it is.

Fireflies & Hoecakes

I have a new favorite something special and no, it is not food related.  It's a specific time of day here in the American South.  At dusk,  the sun sinks and takes the afternoon's heat with it, leaving us with a slightly muggy and warm invitation to the evening.  And at dusk, the twinkle of fireflies catches our eye just when we least expect them.  A flash here - and then nothing.  Another twinkle, this one lasts for a while longer, and we can almost make out where he's going next. They don't seem to be going anywhere in particular.  They don't bite or sting.  They don't smell or buzz.  They just twinkle, look for love and bring smiles to our faces. 

A Little Slice of Texas Heaven

(click photos to enlarge)

Thank goodness for Road Rule #1 which prohibits us from taking the Interstate.  Without it we would have missed out on Riley's Bar-B-Q in Blanco, Texas.   We are taking state highway 281 to San Antonio from Austin to interview author Naomi Shahib Nye about her latest book "Going Going."  By 2:30 pm we realize that we haven't eaten since a pastry breakfast and coffee at Jo's and we're hungry.

In Blanco, about 30 minutes from San Antonio, we pull into a quaint antique store/deli only to find out the kitchen is closed.  A very apologetic and nice woman inside tells us to try Riley's just down the road. We find Riley's easily and our first step inside tells our noses that it's a very good find.  The thick and rich scent of slow cooked barbecue permeates the air and inspires a new and sharper hunger.

Red or Green? I'll Take Both

Truth be told - we're in Austin, TX.  It's just taking me a while to update Viva Epicurea!  The food scene has been wonderful here... but for now, here's a wee taste of Santa Fe.

Red or Green Salsa? It seems to be a daily choice here in Santa Fe. Luckily for someone like me who hasn't figured out which she likes best, to answer "both" is perfectly acceptable.  I have been looking forward to savoring Southwest cuisine in the Southwest since we started this trip. Hot smoky chili infused sauces & chili con carne, fry bread, fresh salsas and delicate corn tortillas are pleasing temptations.

We arrive at the quaint Silver Saddle motel around dinner time.  The traditional adobe style elevates the motel's status to "cutie pie."  It's located on busy Cerillos Road across from a strip club.  Rooms are small but clean.  Some care has been taken in décor and the bathtub/shower is tiled with regional flair.  And it's perfect for two reasons:  It fits our budget and Miles is welcome.

I can't wait to sink my teeth into dinner.  We decide to follow up on a recommendation that comes from my childhood girlfriend Golden, who's following our journey from Maple Valley, Washington.  A colleague of hers suggested we try the Santa Fe Baking Company Café & she kindly passed the word on to us.  We haven't had much time to research dinner so this recommendation from afar is welcome.  Still at the Silver Saddle, Hanson quickly uses a dial up connection to search for local hotspots.  Bingo – The Santa Fe Baking Company Café is on the list.  Now we have two reasons to go there. We arrive at the restaurant just before closing – fortunately we're allowed to order.  Hanson immediately settles on the special written on the chalk board "Charbroiled Steak Tacos"  I find what looks like a "super menu" and find it's all local cuisine.  Breakfast on one side (available all day) and Southwestern selections, smoothies and desserts on the other.    I order something, I can't remember what, until the Frito Pie catches my eye.  Frito Pie?  I can't swing through town and not order the Frito Pie, especially when "our secret chili con carne" is one of the listed ingredients.  The guy behind the counter agrees, Frito Pie is something of a house specialty.  A few minutes later, we're busy uploading a posting and following up on e-mail on the restaurants free WiFi.  But when Frito Pie arrives, so does my appetite.  From bottom to top, layered in a deep bowl are: frito chips, the secret house chili con carne (medium but lasting heat, smoky & meaty), avocado, lettuce, shredded cheese, tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.   Hanson's juicy tacos are filled with marinated thin sliced steak, salsa, and tomatoes & shredded cheese.  We can hardly finish dinner and it only cost us less than $13.  Sure it's a few dollars more than Taco Time/Bell but it's worlds better.

The next morning we check out the free breakfast at the Silver Saddle. Cowboy coffee and toasted bagels sound good but now that we know our local hotspot serves breakfast too, we hightail it back up Cerillos to Cordova and Santa Fe Backing Co. Café where we settle on a Huevos Rancheros for me and a Ham Breakfast Burrito for Hanson. I have a soft spot in my heart/palate for the huevos dish.  I remember eating them somewhat frequently as a kid.  I've had Huevos Rancheros a few different ways but this may very well be my favorite so far – with the exception of my Mother's of course.

Santa Fe Baking Company's version is black beans, red and green salsa, fried eggs, melted cheese on top of soft corn tortillas & served with a lightly fried flour tortilla on the side – in case I have any leftovers to scoop up.  Of course, I do.  This is one of the meals I don't want to end.  The cheese is scant so it's relatively healthy too.  Huevos Rancheros is a fabulous energy dish – this one keeps me going until dinner.  Hanson's Ham Breakfast Burrito seemed at first a boring choice.  Then I tasted it.  Nothing boring about the beans, chilis, healthy dose of cheese & ham wrapped up in softened flour tortilla.  If I had had the appetite I would have inhaled them both.  I so wish I lived near the Santa Fe Baking Co. Café!  It's the kind of place where a visitor can enjoy simple yet fresh and excellent food and feel like a local at the same time.

Culinary Round-Up

I'm taking a quick wireless breather from IA & thought I would do a quick update on some of the meals we've enjoyed so far.  Of course, we're days beyond what follows below but hopefully I'll get caught up soon.

Our rule about only eating at Mom & Pop or independent establishments is one I am happy to obey. In fact, I'm downright thrilled. Searching out the best food a town or region has to offer is most often a most rewarding challenge. While we haven't been eating at four star or high-end restaurants (this is a documentary on a budget after all) we've had some good to superb meals - nearly all of them unique experiences.

NEVADA
I'll began in Nevada and two diners recommended to us by local residents. The first is in Eureka.  By the time we arrive in this small town of, it appears the sidewalks have already rolled up for the night. The sun is setting on the mountains and a historic sign "Highway 50, The Loneliest Road" is making me feel a little lonely.

Maybe it's the closed General Store with its peeling paint that makes me feel lonely. It's not a bad lonely feeling - simply recognition that we're a long ways from just about anywhere. 

I admire the dusk light, just past the golden hour and turn my sights on DJ's Diner.  A couple in a jeep has just picked up some takeout.  A police officer pulls in, we soon learn he's picking up dinner as well.  They ask us what we're doing.  They approve & tell us DJ's is great.

Inside we tuck into a booth and check out the menu.  Burgers, corn dogs, chicken strips, fries & shakes.   Annoying me asks what I usually ask "what's the best or most favorite dish on this menu, I'm only in town for one night, what should I have?!"  The answer tonight from our young (I'm guessing high school) but serious waitress is the double bacon cheeseburger and the breaded fries.  Yep, breaded fries.  We're game!  While we wait we spy a banner in the corner featuring DJ's Diner and a large SYSCO logo.  In the corner we see SYSCO cleaning products and napkins.  I don't ask but assume much of the food comes from SYSCO as well.  Unfortunately, it makes sense out here.  Eureka is isolated. The nearest major shopping area is about 90 minutes away.  At least DJ's is independent. Our breaded fries arrive and you know what?  They're great!

Hanson has opted for the double bacon cheeseburger while I'm now starring at the single.  It's fresher & better than anything I could get at Burger King or Wendy's but still I implement my ½ rule, meaning I only eat about half of my meal.  I have a very limited wardrobe on this journey and I have to fit into it for the duration.

Lunch the next day finds us in Pioche, NV, another tiny town (pop. 800) rich with history.  Our video downloaded last month profiles Ed who owns the only general store in town and who is more than a little bugged that locals buy ice for their chests and a bit of gas before driving two hours to Wal-Mart for a grocery & shopping excursion. I don't blame him. 

The Silver Café on the main street is another diner.  This one is packed though with both people that appear to be passing through and locals. The menu is similar to DJ's but today the answer to my usual question is the daily special: shredded beef enchiladas.  Our waitress informs us it's so good she's taking it home for lunch.  Our orders arrive on cheery fiesta-like red plates. The enchiladas have a kick, the beans & rice are good – I'm sated.  The ½ rule is implemented. We say goodbye to Nevada's small towns and hit Las Vegas.  If you've been following along you know that except for an excellent comfort meal at Eliseevsky, (voted best ethnic restaurant in Las Vegas) our stay was blighted by one gastronomic gong show after another.

ARIZONA We finally hit Route 66 and enjoy our first meal on this historic byway at a well known and historic in-its-own-right diner:  Mr. D's Route 66 Diner.  Mr. D's is profiled in most tour books and has been featured by many a TV-news show.  We pull in for the same reason everyone else does.  We want to sample a piece of American cultural & culinary history where it's been sampled by countless travelers for decades. Mr. D's does not disappoint.  From the neon and bright colors outside, the checkered floor, upholstered stools at the Formica and stainless steel counter to the house-made root-beer; Mr. D's is a throwback to another era.

We're back in diner-land so we make the most of it with a burger, a BLT and of course root-beer.  I don't normally order soda but our waitress says it's really good. She's right, and somehow, I get two re-fills while I'm sitting there.  Not overly sweet the sarsaparilla comes through and is actually refreshing.  We watch as vehicle after vehicle pulls into the parking lot.  Some folks are here for a full meal while  others pop in for an ice cream shake and to snap a photo.

"It's like this all the time, busy busy" our harried but kindly waitress says as she does about five different things at once – including reprimanding her short order cook.

The nutty Snow-Cap Drive In in Seligman is our next stop.  I've written about the Delgadillo family in a recent post but I'll mention the Chorizo Breakfast Burrito again because I really liked it.  What I don't mention in that post is that the burrito kept me going most of the day.  We don't eat again until late in the afternoon. Flagstaff does not get a fair shake, from a culinary perspective.  We do enjoy a quick lunch at Pesto Brothers Piazza.  It's our first fix of fresh baby greens in quite a while.  Our full day of shooting limits our dinner selection so we grab a slice of pizza – somewhere – at about 9 p.m. Leaving Flagstaff we stop at a health food store and pick up lunch for the road.  Dinner in Mexican Hat, Utah is easier to come by than accommodations.  More about that in this post.

UTAH Fry Bread with Honey.  Yum.

COLORADO Our first morning in Colorado is after a grueling night drive which ended at suite in the Ute Casino & Hotel.  We skip breakfast and arrive in Mancos a little after lunch.  Mancos is a quaint little place, a green oasis near the Mesa Verde.  It's Sunday and a few places are closed, down a side street we spy the Absolute Bakery and sneak in before they shut down for the afternoon too. A few minutes later I tackle a massive order of Huevos Rancheros, different from what I grew up eating.  This version is layers of salsa, black beans, guacamole, scrambled eggs between two fried flour tortillas and topped with melted cheese and green chili sauce.  Hanson looks like the dainty eater between us (we know better) and enjoys a quiche with toast.  I never got to the quiche, I could barely get through a third of my Huevos.  I liked this version of a childhood favorite but I miss the runny eggs and general chaos on my plate I remember from years ago.

Ah… Durango.  What a great town!  As you likely know we spend a good deal of time at Magpies Newsstand Café enjoying Tom's (the owner) company, good coffee and of course high-speed internet on the patio. One day for lunch we try Nini's Taqueria, near the train station.  At an employee's recommendation I order the Fish Tacos (haddock marinated in lime and spices topped with spicy slaw, cheese and very hot mango habanero salsa in blue corn tortillas.) Hanson goes for the burrito - which weighs in at about a pound and a half!  Both are fresh and incredibly filling.  It takes me about one bite to realize that I've ordered the hottest salsa on the menu.  I survive but my lips feel kind of burned and funny.  I keep eating, it's that tasty. Nini's runs as efficiently as a formula restaurant & something about the interior, the signs I think, look chain-ish.  But it's 100% Mom & Pop. Incidentally, Nini's is located next to the Starbucks which is brewing a local controversy.  Owner Andy Snow (who arrives at 6am to chop tomatoes) tells us that being next to such a recognizable store/logo is very good for his business.  Despite that fact, he doesn't patronize Starbucks and he sends his inquiring customers to the local coffee houses down the road. We choose Ken & Sue's for dinner because of their salad choices. It may sound funny to opt for salad yet again but we're not getting our usual dose of greens or vegetables. We're, ok, I'm craving them  To Hanson's dismay and my delight, I order a side of Sweet Potato Smash.. We pick a table by the window so we can keep an eye or Miles or rather, so he can keep his penetrating gaze on us.  A glass of La Crema Pinot Noir relaxes us and we dig into our healthy yet savory  salads. Another long day behind us.