It’s late morning, and Eduardo Rodriguez and I are sharing a booth in a sun-splashed corner of Zacatlán (317 Aztec St. his Mexican-Southwestern restaurant on Aztec Street in Santa Fe The chef and restaurateur tells me his hometown lined with pinkish-orange buildings that acquire an enchanting glow just before nightfall “People in Zacatecas feel a kinship with Santa Fe,” Rodriguez says but also excited having recently returned from a trip to Mexico from which his mind is swimming with new culinary ideas “I tried an amazing miel de maguey (agave syrup) in Oaxaca,” he says Rodriguez has always felt comfortable in the kitchen He remembers watching his abuela stirring gigantic pots of mole “there was always an important meal to cook because there was always something or someone to celebrate.”  When Rodriguez moved to Santa Fe as a teenager in 1994 he was following in the footsteps of his two big brothers “There was so much energy there,” Rodriguez says and people were calling [Coyoté Cafe chef] Mark Miller the padre of Southwestern cooking.”  Rodriguez got his start washing dishes at Geronimo the young dishwasher was promoted to the line cutting vegetables and filleting fish; by the end of his 13-year tenure at Geronimo The two chefs moved from Geronimo to Coyote Café in 2008 working side by side until DiStefano died unexpectedly in 2016 “There was chaos when Eric died,” Rodriguez recalls and stepped into the position of executive chef.”  Rodriguez found himself yearning to open a restaurant of his own “During my 13 years at Coyote Café and in the 13 years at Geronimo before that,” he explains “lots of people believed in me and encouraged me to do my own thing.”  and I knew that,” he says of launching a restaurant during a pandemic 16th-century Spanish conquistadors who tried to make their new environs as European as possible these places were traversed by groups of Indigenous people Relying on the land for sustenance engenders a lifelong reverence for it “My mother lives here in Santa Fe now,” Rodriguez says she still scans the ground for edible plants She’ll point out things that other people don’t even notice ‘you can eat that,’ or ‘don’t eat that.’”  Rodriguez approaches cooking with the same passion for finding and sharing good things Though he’s planning to tweak a couple menu items at Zacatlán he knows better than to shake it up too much “I’m more interested in refining the recipes that people come here to eat,” he says During a trip to the Yucatán several years ago he watched a man preparing ceviche with impressive speed “He filleted the fish beautifully,” he says “but then discarded the carcass once he got the meat out.”  “My abuela used all of the animal when she cooked Rodriguez’s red snapper is shaped into a curved canoe-like vessel—fins and all—lightly fried then stuffed with crab and saffron risotto Technique and creativity similarly shine in Rodriguez’s Robin Egg dessert molded chocolate shell on a bed of crumbled biscochitos and chocolate mousse gelled mango “yolk” rests on puffy coconut cream “egg whites.” It’s over the top “When you go to a vegan restaurant,” he says you don’t order food that you can easily cook at home.” Iris Fitzpatrick has called Santa Fe home since 1998 she worked at Apple Hat Bistro and Espiritu and was director of the former Mark White Fine Art gallery in the mid-2010s The pueblo’s located just over two hours almost directly north of Puebla city in a region known for abundant rainfall — good for growing apples Eighteen different varieties of apples grow in the orchards surrounding Zacatlán so it’s perhaps not a surprise that Zacatlán is famous in Mexico for its apple wine who arrived in the pueblo in 1777 and soon afterward began planting apple orchards “They knew how to make wine in Spain since forever,” said Germán Morales Viveros a descendant of Cabrera’s and the eighth generation of his family to run La Primavera Vinos y Licores which opened in 1920 and is the oldest operating wine and liquor producer in Zacatlán Apple harvest in Zacatlán typically starts in mid-July and goes until the beginning of August the harvest was delayed a lot because the climate has changed,” Morales said and this affects the growth and maturation of the fruit.”  Morales makes the apple wine in a small building that also houses the Museo del Vino (Wine Museum) La Primavera uses 25 tonnes of apples each year to make its wine and we mix them to give the wine a special flavor.” The apples are first ground up and pressed to extract the juice where it’s left to ferment for one to two weeks “The fermentation is all-natural,” said Morales We seal the barrels well so no air gets in and so the juice does not turn to vinegar.”  the wine — which comes out red and slightly sweet — is finally ready so I can’t say that the wine had hints of eucalyptus or cut grass with undertones of old leather (actual terms used to describe wine) a hard cider immensely popular in Mexico but which I find too sweet Morales learned the craft by working alongside his father who passed along secrets for making the wine in the family for over 200 years “I learned the whole process — from using the grinder and the press to knowing when the wine is ready It is necessary to taste the wine because [each time] it is never going to be the same We make adjustments so that there are not many differences [in taste].” Morales has seen many changes over the years:  there was an apple that ripened in the middle of June And although Zacatlán wines continue to be popular Morales expressed concern about the industry’s future “Many orchards have been lost because they have not been replanted,” he explained “Young people do not want to work in the fields ‘I do not want to dirty my hands in the orchard The other part of Morales’ business is making licores (liquors) from five other fruits There’s one made with coffee (my favorite) and two cremas (cream liquors) “Cremas are made because people demand it,” said Morales There are photographs and antique wine-making machines on display but it’s also where the wines are still made it’s possible to taste (and purchase) the wines and licores Zacatlán, a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town), also has plenty to do not related to wine. In town, there’s the Clock Museum a lovely Zócalo (main square) featuring a floral clock and a colonial-era Franciscan monastery that was built in 1562 and now houses the municipal cultural center and a library A short walk from the Zócalo is an overlook offering some beautiful views of the valley below by artists commissioned by the municipality And not far away from town, you can also check out Cascadas Tulimán (Tulimán Falls) an ecotourism site in Potrero De Quetzalapa Here you can can traverse a suspension bridge do zip-lining or just walk around and see the gorgeous waterfalls Also nearby is Chignahuapan one of Mexico’s “Christmas towns” famous for its Christmas ornament artisan factories It’s also known for its thermal baths Worth visiting year-round but especially now the town’s factories make beautiful Christmas ornaments that are created from hand-blown glass and painted individually You can buy them downtown at this time of year or take a tour of one of the factories like the Castillo de la Esfera Then relax from all the walking around with a massage sauna or a nice soak at one of Chignahuapan’s many thermal waters resorts where you can pay a day rate to pamper yourself there are also plenty of restaurants and coffee shops to linger at in between the sightseeing ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Aztec Street eatery Zacatlán is more than worth the splurge Can you believe the pork belly carnitas with strawberry rhubarb tamal was a starter dish? Full disclosure? We went kind of nutty at Zacatlán (317 Aztec St. and so rarely do I get the chance to just go full-tilt that when a dining companion and I made up our minds to sample as many items as we could I felt a form of culinary freedom more generally reserved for the rich For a brief and shining evening I eschewed my normal propensity for mid-priced burritos or drive-thru tacos and entered an era of indulgence And while I most certainly understand such occasions are rare Somebody give Zacatlán chef and owner Eduardo Rodriguez a James Beard Award or something; somebody tell him I love him The temptation to return gnawed on me in the way only a truly fine dining establishment can I’d pop in for brunch from time to time to enjoy the world-class service and ambiance (which is a little weird as the Aztec Street location once housed a coffee shop in which I whiled away many high and/or drunk hours as a young wastrel) I can finally say I’ve had dinner at Zacatlán Though its menu wound up a little more pricy than I can usually swing one of the more creative and innovative chefs working in Santa Fe right now We began the evening with a special dish of chilled raw oysters topped with sliced scallops and served with a spicy accoutrement similar to a minimal pico de gallo ($26 for six) and I overheard numerous fellow diners espousing the dish’s excellence I struggled with the squishier aspects of this one This came much to the delight of my companion who buckled down and gnoshed as many as possible on their own I was a little more focused on our other starters anyway: a burrata salad with cherry heirloom tomatoes plus the dreamy pork belly carnitas with a strawberry rhubarb tamal and frise and apple salad served over a date-based mole ($22) is it too early to call something the dish of a lifetime Rodriguez’s knack for the creative was on full display here The exterior crisp/internal tenderness of the pork belly mingled so brilliantly with the subtly sweet notes of strawberry and dates—it tasted like the strangest combination of home and abject newness Dates seem to be appearing on more local menus these days and this is good news for us all—perhaps we can get beyond the idea that they’re an old-person fruit that exists for digestive purposes and little else this dish ranked among the most ingenious I’ve seen on a Santa Fe menu; it could easily have served as a main course was as fresh as they come and a veritable cacophony of flavors and textures You want a firm cherry tomato; you want a burrata that practically spills across the plate; the salty bite of the prosciutto added just the right savory notes we kept the pork train rolling with cochinita pibil another mole dish with a tamal de olla (a traditionally pan-cooked number) and escabeche most likely created with the very pork that stars in the item This one came with a number of house made tortillas and quickly became an assemble-your-own-taco affair I hadn’t thought Rodriguez could outdo the pork belly but the more substantial cut of meat eaten in tandem with the darker more traditional mole kicked off one of those restaurant moments I’ll surely elicit for years to come in arguments about who ate the best thing where A subtle dusting of Chihuahua cheese offered tangier notes as well a fine counterpoint to the earthy mole flavors I’m honestly salivating right now just writing about it My companion selected the lamb shank barbacoa served with herby green rice the sauce’s complexity highlighted the rich lamb well and while you wouldn’t think refried black beans could stand out in any particular way Despite having consumed more than enough for the evening splitting a brioche bread pudding tamal with saffron and sweet corn ice cream ($10) as well as a simpler dish of churros with cajeta and strawberries Those in search of a less obvious or even less sweet dessert would do well to think of the bread pudding Its flavorful ice cream topper seems odd at first but grows on you particularly with the included gooey cajeta You want a churro to be warm and almost squishy inside but crispy and almost grainy on the outside the whole meal delivered in a way that somehow lived up to our outrageous expectations Everything at Zacatlán shone brighter than seems possible in retrospect from the post-dinner coffee and pitch-perfect service from our waiter Karla (whom I’m naming because she was just so damn on top of things) It’s hard for me to suggest more expensive meals as a man with very few chances to try them myself When it comes to chef Rodriguez and Zacatlán (which was a Beard semi-finalist in 2022 for best new restaurant) SFR Culture Editor Alex De Vore has written about the Santa Fe culture scene for over a decade and won awards for doing so He's pretty tired of Americana and still hopes new punk bands might happen plates one of his specialty enchiladas cochinita pibil Thursday as the restaurant ramps up for lunch The James Beard Awards recently announced Rodriguez is a finalist for its Best Chef Southwest honor A plate of Chef Eduardo Rodriguez’s specialty enchiladas cochinita pibil covered in tomatillo Hoja Santa Sauce The James Beard Awards recently announced Rodriguez Chef Eduardo Rodriguez last week at his Zacatlán restaurant in Santa Fe The James Beard Awards recently announced Rodriguez is up for Best Chef Southwest Rodriguez calls his food a “south Mexico” style with influences from his travels to other Mexican states such as Yucatán Email notifications are only sent once a day Eduardo Rodriguez remembers the early days when food started calling his name where he is from and where his family owned a farm “They were cutting all the squash blossoms They were cutting and preparing the food there in the field,” he recalls “But when [my grandmother] was making it with all those herbs is no longer eating that “weird food,” as he now jokingly calls it Nor is he cooking it at his Santa Fe eatery which features a fine dining flair with the plates representing edible art USA Today named Zacatlán a Top 10 new restaurant in the country in 2021 Condé Nast Traveler called Rodriguez’s restaurant “one of the hottest tickets in town.” The food website Eater named it among the 23 essential restaurants in Santa Fe it was named a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards for Best New Restaurant But the latest recognition may be Rodriguez’s biggest yet he was named among the finalists for Best Chef Southwest in the James Beard Awards an honor last won by Sazón chef Fernando Olea and Mark Kiffin of The Compound and Mark Miller of Coyote Cafe “It’s in my soul,” Rodriguez says of cooking where are you going?’ ‘To the restaurant.’ But it’s my love; it’s in my veins.” Rodriguez remembers spending a lot of time with his grandmother a traditional Mexican sauce similar to New Mexico’s red chile in style though not in taste Eduardo Rodriguez said he felt the kitchen calling “when I saw him in the kitchen with all the line cooks and the chefs and all that energy.” Rodriguez worked for a couple of months washing dishes at Coyote Cafe and moved to Santa Fe full time and began his ascent in the city’s culinary world and that led to cutting meats and vegetables and eventually being mentored by the late Eric DiStefano he saw me and [said] ‘I think you want to learn more,’ ” Rodriguez recalled I don’t want to be washing dishes all the time I want to just learn from you and every single guy in the kitchen.’ ” when DiStefano purchased Coyote Cafe with Quinn Stephenson Rodriguez joined his mentor at the restaurant and worked his way up to executive chef after DiStefano died Rodriguez still yearned for something of his own And during the year that was the start of the coronavirus pandemic At Zacatlán — which roughly means “the land where the grass grows high” in Nahuatl and pays homage to both Rodriguez’s hometown and the city in Puebla Mexico — he makes a variety of Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes That includes foods like moles and chiles rellenos It also includes lamb shank barbacoa and fried red snapper He says he fillets the snapper and puts the meat and calabacitas back into the fish’s frame after it’s fried formerly of Coyote Cafe before Rodriguez began working under DiStefano called Rodriguez and his restaurant “amazing.” who first met Rodriguez back when they both worked at Geronimo said Rodriguez’s compelling traits include his work ethic and his clear vision for what he wants to bring to the table “You’ve got to be a little crazy and a lot passionate to be in this industry,” said Stephenson “And I think when he named his restaurant Zacatlán he had a really clear vision of what he wanted to do You can be a great chef and be well-rounded but he’s trying to accomplish something that has an identity typically takes formal training at culinary schools That’s something he doesn’t have but doesn’t necessarily crave It’s his passion for cooking and the friends he’s made at other restaurants A certificate is just an afterthought at this point “It’s better to have a passion than to have a paper,” he said His next step includes taking over the TerraCotta Wine Bistro with his brother Jose like a developer talking about the buildings they’ve built or plan to build or like a doctor talking about the lives they’ve saved or will in the future He speaks of the long hours it takes to achieve a goal That’s something he wants to continue doing Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session and follow New Mexico politics throughout the year A guide to outdoors opportunities and profiles on peoples' connections with places Receive the latest episode of "Conversations Different" in your inbox every Tuesday.  Taking the temperature of New Mexico's environmental issues local prep sports and more every Wednesday Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account And the Feria de la Manzana apple fair is the absolute best time of year to visit It coincides with the apple harvest in Puebla which typically begins in the end of July and lasts until around the end of August The fair made news this year due to a planned addition to the schedule of bullfights which ended up being canceled after residents protested But the apple festival — the most important annual event in Zacatlán — is about celebrating Puebla’s harvest with numerous stands filled with apples and other related products a long tent located just off the zócalo housed farmers showcasing their apples and vendors a variety of other products Also under the tent were stands packed with delicious foods and desserts made with apples a traditional puff pastry with a whole apple inside walnuts or raisins,” vendor Angeles Moreno Ramírez explained The medium-sweet Rayada variety is the apple of choice for these pastries Judith Rojas Cruz of Panaderia Betos bakery was selling small apple pies apple muffins and the pueblo’s famous pan de Zacatlán at an adjacent stand “There are burras and pan almohada.” She uses different doughs for them and the tops of the burras are sprinkled with sesame seeds Jeanete Pérez Hernández was tempting fairgoers with various apple desserts: cheesecake “All of these use Rayada apples because they are more acidic and juicier Walking through the fair and around Zacatlán’s streets can work up a thirst and one stand offered a traditional way to quench it: pulque a traditional fermented Mexican alcoholic beverage “More than 50% of the land in Zacatlán is used to grow agave to make pulque,” Rafael Amador Marquéz told me He’s part of a fourth generation of pulque makers at Rancho Tepemayuca he was offering plain pulque and a number of curados made with pulque and fruit or other flavors “Coco is my favorite,” said Francisco Arias who had stopped by for a drink Amador also sold something that’s relatively new: distilled pulque “It takes 10 liters of pulque to make one liter of distilled,” he said the pulque is fermented for three months in French oak barrels “More time yields more alcohol,” he said simply Amador also offers a tour called La Ruta del Pulque that takes people to visit agave growers and shows them how pulque is made Walking through the fair works up an appetite the best way to satisfy your hunger is with one of Puebla’s most famous dishes: chiles en nogada a poblano chile stuffed with 11 ingredients It’s smothered in a salsa made with walnuts and topped with parsley and pomegranate seeds “The season for chile en nogada is July 1 to the end of September,” said Mari Luz Martínez Barrios which Martínez prefers because of their consistency Although she kindly demonstrated the process for making her chiles en nogada you would not know how to make it because you do not have all the flavorings.” But despite all the tasty food and beverages here who along with her husband Jesús Garrido León owns Bella Vista farm She stood with her children behind a wooden stand holding their three types of apples for sale: Rayada and that can be used for juices and salads,” she said “Rayada is acidic and is used for baking and breads and Delicia is medium; it is used for wines and sidra (hard cider) Here it is good for growing apples because it is humid,” she explained Their farm has been in the family for five generations and she and her husband plan to pass it on to their children “I want to continue [growing apples] because it is enjoyable to be in nature,” said their son Jesús Enrique Garnido Ortega Daughter Anete Garnido Ortega plans to learn how to make sidra (hard cider) may be challenged in the years to come: although the family had a good harvest this year climate change has been affecting the apples Luciano Cabrera Luna — whose 15-hectare farm (38 acres) in the nearby pueblo of Jicolapa was one of the largest ones attending the fair — also attributes changes she’s noticed in her apples to climate change “The fruit doesn’t develop adequately,” she said but now there is less rain and the apples are smaller.” but they didn’t even grow due to a lack of rain carrying buckets of water to them.”  They have to plant new trees every year there are plenty of freshly harvested apples still available in Zacatlán You can find apple stands lining the main road leading into town and a dozen pickup trucks laden with apples park near the corner of Francisco Cosio and Hermanegido Galeana streets And if you need more of an excuse than apples to make the drive Zacatlán is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos and worth a trip any time of year: visit the clock museum a 16th-century church and ex-convent and a beautiful zócalo ringed with shops an ecotourism site with a beautiful waterfall and scenery and paths Chef Mark Kiffin of The Compound is shown with a Berkshire Pork Belly at his restaurant on Tuesday Zacatlán chef Eduardo Rodriguez and The Compound were finalists for top awards announced Monday Zacatlán chef Eduardo Rodriguez won’t be coming home with a James Beard award; nor will The Compound was beat out for Best Chef Southwest by Rene Andrade who heads the restaurant Bacanora in Phoenix Steve Riley of Mesa Provisions in Albuquerque was also a finalist for the coveted award in a field of restaurant finalists spread across Texas The prestigious James Beard Awards were hosted Monday evening at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The event was streamed live on eater.com a digital news site focused on food and dining he would have joined a list of James Beard Best Chef winners from New Mexico that include Kiffin Sazón’s Fernando Olea and Mark Miller of Coyote Cafe with Kiffin winning in 2005 and Miller in 1996 Zacatlán was named a semifinalist in 2022 for Best New Restaurant which Kiffin has helmed for more than two decades recently achieved the AAA Four Diamond rating a finalist in the Outstanding Bakery category Mark Kiffin’s Compound and Zacatlán’s Eduardo Rodriguez among 2024 James Beard Award finalists today’s announcement whittles down New Mexico’s nominees to four I woke up early this morning and it felt like too many good things were happening,” Rodriguez tells SFR adding that the nomination is technically the second for Zacatlán I guess I’ll have to get someone to explain to me the rules but I think the next step is going to Chicago.” amount to a waiting game with this year’s crop of winners slated to be announced at a special ceremony with the James Beard Foundation in Chicago this June The award announcement isn’t the only recent bit of big news for Rodriguez who tells SFR he and his brother José just signed the lease to take over the TerraCotta Wine Bistro on Johnson Street “We’re working on that together,” he explains “and it’s going to be a completely different menu from Zacatlán—picture it like more American Rodriguez adds that he and his brother will keep the restaurant’s name having picked up numerous nominations over the years and a win for Best Chef: Southwest in 2005 five years after he bought and took over The Compound from original owners Will and Barbara Houghton—who opened the restaurant in 1966 so it’s huge and we’re beyond thrilled,” Kiffin says “This category is…it’s not just about the restaurant—I mean but it’s also how you take care of your staff your service within that community; it’s all the hard work.” I’m still here every day we’re open—but I want to say we’re grounded by the locals but we’re a tiny town and the locals are so important to me Santa Fe’s restaurants have a long history with the James Beard Awards including multiple nominations for Restaurant Martín’s Martín Rios over the years plus a win for Best Chef: Southwest going to Sazón’s Fernando Olea in 2022 Zacatlán, Puebla draws thousands of tourists annually for its apple harvest events and for the murals that adorn several streets and buildings But should you find yourself in this Magical Town one attraction in Zacatlán that doesn’t get as much attention but is worth checking out is the Museo de la Relojería (The Clock Museum) which calls itself “a completely interactive museum,” where you can touch devices that are hundreds of years old and watch the manufacturing of clocks done by people who have dedicated their lives to creating devices of beauty that are also functional Humans have been trying to accurately measure time for thousands of years Examples of these devices — both actual and reproductions — may be seen at this museum founder of Relojes Centenario (Centenary Clocks) the first manufacturer of monumental clocks in Latin America is located on the second floor of the Relojes Centenario building Visitors first pass through the area where clocks are made (there will be more about the company later) El Hombre y la Medición del Tiempo (Man and the Measurement of Time) occupies one wall of the stairwell leading to the museum A portrait of Alberto is at the top center of the mural and he’s surrounded by important people and events in his life and below are 12 figures that represent his children When you enter the first room it gets a bit more interesting one of humanity’s earliest methods for quantifying and measuring time used by the Egyptians as early as 1500 B.C and other civilizations like the Babylonians The museum has at least 33 different types of sundials on display including vertical and horizontal examples You can also see how water clocks worked here they were an improvement over sundials for timekeeping since they didn’t depend on the sun but instead on a constant flow of water from or into a container The walls and cases are also jammed with examples of the many other devices humanity has used and continues to use In one corner of the museum is one particularly important clock to Zacatlán Olvera born on a farm outside Zacatlán in 1882 became fascinated with clocks when he repaired a broken one in his family’s home called the Reloj Piloto (Prototype Clock) in 1909 and finished it three years later he decided to make his first monumental clock That clock was installed in the Santiago Apostol church in Chignahuapan The name Centenario was chosen to honor the 100th anniversary of the end of the Mexican War of Independence the company has built over 2,000 monumental clocks as well as government and office buildings is the floral clock located in Zacatlán’s zócalo The clock has two separate faces controlled by the same mechanism and plays nine different melodies A melody is played only four times a day—at 6 a.m. — and different ones are played at different times of the year The company built another floral clock that’s located in Mexico City’s Parque Hundido (Sunken Park) which is in the Benito Juárez neighborhood At 78 square meters (840 square feet) it’s one of the world’s largest people may tour the factory that makes monumental clocks About a dozen men dressed in what look like blue lab coats work intently at their benches “This factory has 35 employees in total,” said Oscar Hernández we make and assemble mechanical and electromechanical clocks.” Mechanical clocks are powered by a weight or mainspring while electromechanical clocks are powered by electricity or an electromagnet The people who work at Relojes Centenario are dedicated to clockmaking and the majority have worked there for decades “I entered when I was 22 years old,” he said with a hint of pride in his voice He happily showed off a clock that he made on his own “I made and assembled all the pieces for this clock,” he explained Zacatlán keeps brunch and beyond brilliantly concise Having not seen my dear friend Benji for some time “Available for a brunchy/lunchy thing tomorrow?” we were scouring downtown for parking near Aztec Street where relatively new (I said “relatively”) eatery Zacatlán (317 Aztec St. Zacatlán’s owner/chef Eduardo Rodriguez has non-brunch menus inspired by the Southwest as well as his homeland of Zacatlán items like the fish tacos)—but this was Sunday we even felt a little off ordering chips and guacamole ($10) as a starter but upon receiving hot chips so fresh they seemed to have been made right when we ordered them and guacamole so wonderfully textured between creamy and chunky the decision paid for itself a hundred times over That’s not even getting into the white tablecloth dining room and friendly staff that was attentive but never hovered For an old-school Santa Fean such as myself dining in the location of the former Aztec Café coffee shop might have felt weird you’d never know a bunch of teens who smoked too much and were constantly in search of weed hung around this location a million years ago it’s a nicely appointed dining room that rates someplace near the feel of fine dining but without the pomp and circumstance; it’s comfortable and welcoming phasing from disappointment over what seemed like a scant few offerings at first to excitement over a lack of clutter Some brunch places I won’t name cram so many variations of bread and eggs onto a menu that it feels overwhelming and under-focused a handful of main dishes and just three desserts (including churros that we tragically had no room to consume)—it’s a testament to the idea of value aligning not with overabundance I could just kick myself for not having gone sooner Benji allowed me to select his dish—the Southwestern Surf and Turf Eggs Benedict ($18) with both ham and salmon I selected the huevos rancheros ($12.50); eggs over easy salsa on the side and served atop house-made corn tortillas with just the right-sized dollop of guac on top Rodriguez’s guacamole is a revelation and added both texture and flavor to the expertly cooked eggs The tortillas were revelatory as well and straddled a combination of crispy at the edges but absorbent enough to soak up the yolk I discovered a bed of flavorful rice that carried a complementary hint of herb Best huevos rancheros I’ve had in Santa Fe in years opined that you wouldn’t think salmon and ham would work together so harmoniously in the same bite—but somehow did The poached eggs atop the English muffin were firm and runny in the right ratio he said; the hollandaise never congealed like it has been known to do elsewhere Peppering in guacamole-laden chips throughout the meal worked and is a must for any fan of the crispier textures let me just ask if you’ve ever crumbled fresh tortilla chips into your egg dishes Zacatlán serves up a damn fine cup of coffee and all for a fairly affordable price point We’ve even discussed returning as soon as possible to sample other menu items—the chicken and waffles alone is almost enough to make me go back to eating meat...just once to get the idea of it at noon on a Sunday (being the brunchiest day and hour of the week) So I’m just going to say it: Add Zacatlán to your must-try list immediately I’ve never heard a bad thing about the place where the dining business runs a tad competitive and the options are seemingly endless I must get back to Aztec Street for some more chips and guac and it’s probably time to assemble a party for dinner Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos (Magical Towns) tourism promotion program has been a phenomenal success introducing city dwellers to small rural towns too often those same visitors don’t make it out of the town’s historic center Mary Carmen Olvera Trejo has found one way to entice them out and spread the tourism money around a little better it is home to quaint houses and a massive church and monastery complex One thing that sets it apart is that it is home to a monumental clock industry epitomized by the main square’s “garden clock.” But there is more to see on the outskirts of town such as the spectacular Jilgueros Ravine with its waterfall Olvera is a member of a prominent local family and involved in many civic affairs suggested a commemorative mural for the event and the two arranged for American tile artist Isaiah Zagar and local volunteers to work together to create Homenaje al Maíz (Homage to Corn) in the tunnel that links the ravine’s lookout point to the road leading to the town center Olvera was nervous when the images made from broken pieces of tile glass and mirrors started going up on the walls but it soon became apparent that the result would be anything but graffiti featuring an image of the god Quetzalcóatl Olvera recruited another artist from the United States to help design and direct a new mosaic mural dedicated to the area’s apple farming The work is titled Los 300 Años de Ser Zacatlán de las Manzanas (300 Years of Being Zacatlán of the Apples) referring to the first recorded reference of the town having the appended “de las Manzanas.” Finished in May 2015 architectural or cultural element related to Zacatlán It was placed on the outer cemetery wall by both the tunnel and the lookout point Olvera was completely hooked on the potential of community-assisted mural art She continued by commissioning the mural Vivir en el Universo Náhuatl (Living in the Náhuatl Universe) for the back cemetery wall The front walls next to the main entrance were treated to a series of biblical scenes Olvera says these projects have been “… like hugs from the artists to give warmth These projects also had technical issues that led to an innovation I have not seen anywhere else: the biblical faces required a certain level of realism and the haphazard pieces that result in smashing tile and glass could not provide sufficient detail They found that by using end nipper pliers they could snap off very small and exact cuts and its possibilities are strongly seen in the series of murals that followed Olvera turned her attention to a small winding alley called the Callejón de Hueso (Bone Alley) even small towns like Zacatlán have their seedy sections despite it being between the historic center and the Jilgueros Ravine The alley is bordered on both sides by two- and three-story houses with few windows These walls have become a winding photo album recreations of faded black-and-white photographs of Zacatlán in the past with the title Zacatlán de Mis Recuerdos (The Zacatlán of My Memories) The change in the neighborhood is phenomenal It is hard to believe that people once did drugs here late at night The murals have been extremely effective in leading foot traffic along the residential streets in town between the main plaza and the ravine small businesses such as restaurants and handcraft shops are opening in this area People have become interested in the old abandoned tombs The murals give residents pride because they now live among something truly special — something they themselves helped to create and in more than seven years of community murals Olvera shows absolutely no signs of slowing down she established the Casa de Vitralmuralista an art gallery and workshop dedicated to this craft in support of current and future projects Located on Callejón Linda Vista (near Porfirio Díaz) México Lindo y Querido (Mexico Beautiful and Loved) This mural will highlight the regional dress of Mexico’s states using even more refined techniques than what was used in the Callejón del Hueso project Olvera’s main role is logistics — recruiting people and fundraising mostly from Olvera’s very wide circle of contacts in Mexico and the United States but also tile and cement from both companies and individuals it was just her and some of her family and friends mural-making is part of Zacatlán’s culture with residents and other participants showing off their handiwork to friends • If you are interested in knowing more about or even participating in one of the mural projects, you can contact Olvera on Facebook or on WhatsApp at 797-976-0018 Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico 18 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019) Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily Alkeme at Open Kitchen up for Best New Restaurant while The Compound nabs a nom for Outstanding Restaurant and Dolina and Zacatlán chefs qualify for Best Chef: Southwest Nationwide experts agree: Santa Fe restaurants and chefs prove to be some of the most exciting and innovative in the country. The newly released nominees for the 2024 James Beard Awards showcase some of the city’s finest again this year Recent shortlists for the lauded food prizes have included the likes of Horno and El Chile Toreado (though and Restaurant Martín’s Martín Rios has earned a number of Beard Awards nominations over the years; Sazón chef Fernando Olea won the Best Chef: Southwest award just two years ago and remains the only guy for whom many locals will readily eat crickets The Compound’s Kiffin won the Best Chef: Southwest honor in 2005 and has owned the Alexander Girard-designed fine dining institution on Canyon Road since 2000 nonetheless remains meaningful after all these years “When I think of the restaurants that have won this award—Spago we’re proud of the work we do here,” he says “I come in here every day with a feeling that we have to back up who we are And we’re very much still a local’s restaurant “It really surprised me to hear this morning but my friends called to tell me,” he says Rodriguez expects to unveil his special event menus on the Zacatlán site by next week Dolina’s O’Brien is similarly surprised by her nomination. She’s built one of Santa Fe’s most popular brunch spots with a combination of delectable pastries and carefully crafted dishes that cull from her Slovakian heritage and American dining tradition. (Oh, and Dolina boasts a killer breakfast burrito too.) There’s been a line out the door practically since it first opened in 2017 and the Beard nod represents many years of hard work for O’Brien who cut her teeth at restaurants like Café Fina and Geronimo making her first-ever Beard nomination feel particularly impactful “I feel appreciated for what I do,” she explains and I have amazing cooks that put their love into the food daily and front-of-house staff that is kind and attentive and sweet O’Brien says that enduring popularity and nominations are nice but she’ll be happy to stay put in her current location on Guadalupe Street working to create more from-scratch dishes there’s a lot to be said for her restaurant’s general energy “I’d rather have a line out the door than a giant restaurant only half or three-quarters full.” A nomination for Karels’ Alkeme at the corner of West Alameda and Don Gaspar Avenue feels particularly noteworthy as she and her executive chef Erica Tai only opened the restaurant last summer following a series of outstanding tasting menu events Karels, of course, has long been known for her commitment to fusion cuisine with a particular bent toward the Vietnamese. She even hosts culinary trips through her home country yearly and, in 2022, was kind enough to cook a meal with SFR for a cover story on local chefs (Stop, Shop and Cook; July is to embrace a broad sense of Asian cuisines while paying homage to her Vietmanese background and Tai’s Taiwanese heritage “We actually just called Erica; she’s in Taiwan for her annual homeward journey so she’s there and we called her and she was amazingly elated even though it was the middle of the night for her Erica and I are definitely very proud of what we’ve established.” The nomination is also the first for both Tai and Karels who have had a protege-mentor relationship through Karels’ Open Kitchen culinary education program over the last few years Karels further explains the dishes that have put them on the map will likely stick around though evolution has always been a key strategy for the business and will continue to be a core component “The whole essence of alchemy is transformation,” she says We honor our roots and traditions as chef Erica and I transform and I think that vision is the reason why we’ve been selected.” The winners for this year’s James Beard Awards will be announced on April 3 with a special ceremony to follow in June in Chicago Many people who visit Zacatlán de las Manzanas, Puebla are attracted by its status as a Magical Town its murals and its apple harvest season events But probably not many who visit know that just 20 minutes away is a beautiful ecotourism park As you make your way there from the center of Zacatlán be aware that once you’re off the main highway (Route 119) the road is hard-packed dirt and there are stretches that are steep and if another car is approaching someone has to yield There’s a sign that reads “This is not a high-speed road,” which seemed self-evident but maybe not The park has three zones: Zone 1 leads to the Tulimán falls which at 300 meters is the second highest waterfall in Mexico but expect to get a little wet at the end of it as mist rises off the waterfall The trail in Zone 2 is a little more challenging There’s a sign warning people not to attempt it with heart problems but although the trail’s a little steep in places Anyone in halfway decent shape should be able to easily manage it and there are a couple of benches along the way if you need to take a break There’s a particularly enchanting stretch of the trail that’s shaded by trees filled with Spanish moss It takes about 10 minutes to reach a small pool filled with mineral water where you can soak for a bit (if you’ve brought a bathing suit) and then it’s on to the arbol hueco (the hollow tree) To get there means crossing the puente colgante (suspension bridge) It’s worth a bit of terror for the great view of the interesting rock formation below For the more adventurous there’s also a zip-line and what’s advertised as a puente extremo (extreme bridge) which is way more challenging to cross than the suspension bridge There are safety precautions in place — people are attached by rope to the bridge and wear helmets and there are guide wires to hold onto — but I was relieved that it and the zip-line were closed the day we visited The leisurely stroll to La Cascada del Cajón (drawer waterfall) ends at the Unión de Dos Rios (union of two rivers) It’s possible to walk along one of the rivers for a bit It takes about two hours to complete a tour of the park and a couple of quesadillas and a cold beer are a perfect way to end the day Tulimán Falls is billed as an ecotourism site that’s been designed to promote sustainable development via recreation that minimally impacts the natural environment and protects biodiversity for future generations There are campsites and cabins in the park for those who want to stay overnight A heads-up about a couple of things: although Zacatlán’s only about 80 miles from Puebla city it’s about a 2.5-hour drive to get there because of the winding roads and it became very clear why there are warning signs about it on the highways We thought that we would never find a donut that was so divine While cruising the streets with a buddy the other day looking for a hot cup of coffee (which we did get and from our hands-down favorite shop Ohori's) Let us first admit that La Forkette has tried to get us to sample apple cider donuts every fall dating as far back as we can remember. But we're a diehard toasted coconut donut lover, so we've resisted and saved up all our love for them coconut shreds. But when we entered Whoo's Donuts on Cerrillos Road that day the coconut baddies were tragically gone already Not only is every worker we've ever met super-duper-nice we've been known to demolish one of those lavender blue corn donuts in But now you may consider us fully converted to the ol' apple cider Whoo's has somehow managed to create an almost fizzy texture with the cakey donut interior the lightly be-sugar'd and cinnamon-y exterior hit that perfect sweetness you want—not lacking in sweetness they let us bring our off-campus coffees inside though the worker told us they serve Ohori's coffee it all boils down to that all-time great human pleasure of wanting something not quite getting it but finding something better and let us give an honorable mention to the vanilla sprinkle cake donut at Whoo's but we assume that donut workers are all exactly like this guy from this old Dunkin' Donuts commercial just...this is PRECISELY how we picture Dunkin' Donuts patrons In this week's print edition of SFR, behold—TerraCotta Wine Bistro kicks serious ass under Zacatlán chef Eduardo Rodriguez *We got a couple letters about how we were too mean to Joe's Dining last week but the vast majority of letters agree—it's a totally cute restaurant with killer staff that just plain doesn't have very good food Most Helpful Tip of the Week (a barely edited letter from a reader): "Why has the Reporter become a negative (sic) in dining places Everyone is different and everyone has a right to that difference Why are you pointing out what you don't like?" *With the gloriousness of reader Bright D admonishing us for pointing out what we didn't like about Joe's Dining by pointing out what they don't like about The Fork aside That's the whole thing we do here in this newsletter "Please dunk on the Santa Fe Foodies [Facebook] group!" *Since we always count a good dunk prompt as helpful reader David H gets his wish with this dunk: All them Santa Fe Foodies people need to caaaaaalm down a bit and if you had a bad experience and mention it it's because you want small business owners to die though—it's impressive what they've been able to build in terms of sheer numbers but posting there seems scary a lot of the time When it comes to sheer number of food lovers our computer won't let us sign into Facebook right now to score a link but if you steer your FB to "Santa Fe Foodies," you'll find it Reader Sasha M is not wrong. As we said last week executive director of the Albuquerque-based New Mexico farming coop organization Agri-Cultura Network is a nominee in the leadership award category says the governor must uphold her duty to protect New Mexicans and ensure a healthy and safe future for all “The governor can get on a national platform and say what she wants to about being a leader in addressing the climate crisis,” Juarez tells SFR “but those of us that live on the frontlines and live with the everyday reality and water,” NMED Compliance and Enforcement Director Bruce Baizel says in a statement “Robust enforcement also protects taxpayers from expensive cleanup costs when bad actors pollute our environment and walk away.” who has 30 years of experience as an ethnobotanist along with a doctoral dissertation on curanderismo “People are seeking out all possible forms of healing,” Enos says which is doing its thing in a real specific way But what if you have an emotional or spiritual crisis going on something that modern medicine can’t deal with?” The store offers upcoming courses such as an early spring medicinal plant walk (April 20) and wild spring edibles for food and medicine (April 24) The National Weather Service forecasts a sunny day, with a high temperature of 68 degrees as we head into a red flag warning tomorrow when temperatures in the high 60s will be accompanied by high wind gusts we may see more snow Friday night into Saturday Thanks for reading! The Word can’t wait to read Leslie Jamison’s take on gaslighting Julia Goldberg is the former editor and publisher of the Santa Fe Reporter and wrote its daily Morning Word newsletter tile artist Isaiah Zagar began his first projects in Mexico little did he know how far his students would take what he taught them – both literally and figuratively A mural in the tiny mountain town of Zacatlán, Puebla sparked the establishment of Vitromurales a non-profit dedicated to transforming derelict walls into works of art that bring locals together and tourists to see what they create They refined Zagar’s techniques to create their own unique style which captivated art lovers in another small town far to the north – Storm Lake Witter Gallery board member Patricia Hampton was so blown away by what project coordinator Maricarmen Olvera Trejo and her team accomplished that she knew she wanted to create something similar there a mural dedicated to monarch butterflies and Storm Lake’s immigrant communities was unveiled at the town’s Buena Vista University It was a natural combination as the town is on one of the insect’s migration routes between Canada and Mexico and half the town speaks a language other than English The Buena Vista mural is the largest project completed so far by Olvera Trejo and her crew the Zacatlán artists coordinated various projects based on local culture and scenery This includes a portrait of Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist and resident Art Cullen who was left “speechless” by his likeness in cut tile but did write in an op-ed that the work opened possibilities to “…transform [Storm Lake] by public art.” Serendipity played a role in bringing these two towns together The catalyst for these projects is retired stockbroker and philanthropist Dick Davis He met Maricarmen Olvera Trejo during his travels in Mexico and later artist Isaiah Zagar in Philadelphia It was his idea to do the first mural in Zacatlan but Olvera Trejo’s tireless advocacy got residents to help embrace tile art Davis’ meeting with Storm Lake’s Patricia Hampton was also by chance and he wasted no time presenting the Zacatlán community’s accomplishments While Storm Lake has truly embraced the concept of community transformation through tile work the murals here are not the first that Davis has sponsored in the U.S After Zacatlán put Vitromurales on the map Davis arranged for the artists to create a bear-themed mural for the Vallejo Charter School in his home state of California The purpose was to promote the art and cultural exchange that happens naturally as Mexican artists work with U.S In addition, he tapped San Luis Potosí artist Marisa Martínez to create murals in Carlsbad and Alleghany. Her work with Davis began with a project to cover a fountain in her city’s iconic Tangamanga Park, impressing Davis with her advocacy for tile work in the state.  was co-sponsored by Butterfly Farms in Vista Its theme is the conservation of the Western Monarch butterfly which migrates to the coast of California instead of Mexico The project’s novelty initially caused some confusion with participant Monica Mier noting that “A neighbor thought we were creating graffiti and protested.” But with the mural now well-established The Alleghany mural is located in a near-ghost town in Sierra County and is dedicated to the area’s mining history Martinez has not limited herself to work sponsored by Davis she was invited to create a surrealist-inspired mural on the cinder block wall surrounding a private home in Laveen This mural is called Árbol de la vida or Tree of Life In the center of this mural is “…the Eye of God The home’s owners were so impressed with the work that she will be completing a second piece in December in a similar style Martínez is not the only artist to find opportunities on her own. Natasha Moraga runs a community-based tile mural program in Puerto Vallarta that has transformed a number of the city’s iconic sites she did get her original inspiration from Zagar and his work CoExist Gallery owner Shawn Gold came across Moraga’s work in Puerto Vallarta and knew he had to do something similar on his building in the former steel town of Steelton He contacted the artist and the two began setting up a project that would not only cover three sides of Gold’s building but adapt the history and culture of the community The design of the finished project was a collaboration among Moraga glass artist Carrie Strope of Calyx Glass in Nebraska and members of the Steelton community who submitted ideas a local company donated a piece of steel forged in the town that once formed part of the Golden Gate Bridge the community aspect was just as important to Gold as the art “We want[ed] to bring the community together and provide a sense of ownership… something that a lot of people could contribute to.”  the attractions include the durable beauty of the tile as well as the impressive ways that Mexican artists have found to refine the techniques taught by Zagar The human connections created through these projects are just as important are introduced to what the Mexicans have developed with some receiving benefits that have nothing to do with art Buena Vista University Spanish students took advantage of the Zacatlán artists’ presence to practice their language skills and another group of students will head to Puebla in the spring to do the same Participating physically in the projects is not practical for the long-retired Davis that gives me a vicarious feeling as if I’m engaged and cultural exchanges that transform communities and neighborhoods.” Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019) Last year the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints authorized the first miracle attributed to the intercession of Moisés Lira Serafín which is currently scheduled for September 14 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City According to the biography from the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints "Moisés Lira Serafín was born in Zacatlán (Puebla He felt called to the priesthood and "joined the invitation of Fr founder of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit During the religious persecution in Mexico in 1926 he formed "groups of acolytes and catechists in order to encourage young people in spiritual growth and in the exercise of the apostolate." Later he "founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate with the mission of helping all men to live as children loved by God." Many were inspired by his life and continue to invoke his intercession The miracle that paved the way for his canonization was a married couple who were expecting a child The pregnancy had many difficulties and doctors said that there was no chance their child would survive the couple prayed a novena and the child survived the pregnancy and was born healthy Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news Street art has been the muralism of our time taking graffiti from eyesore to cultural contribution often with positive messages that neighborhoods and cities can support By having the community get directly involved in the design and execution This type of community-minded street art has sprung up all over Mexico without any sort of coordination among organizers who came to their conclusions and projects via different paths but with quite similar results Mexico News Daily did an article on one artist, Natasha Moraga She is covering Puerto Vallarta in trecadís (broken tile) mosaics with a slew of local and expat volunteers eager to help make the city more beautiful Mary Carmen Olvera of the town of Zacatlán de las Manzanas is not an artist but an organizer and recruiter par excellence She is behind various projects in this small town in the Sierra Norte of Puebla The murals began as part of the town’s first corn festival in 2014 She recruited United States tile artist Isaiah Zagar to come to Zacatlán they decided to put an image of Quetzalcóatl in broken tile The artist designed the project and taught locals how to place the pieces She moved on to the wall surrounding the town’s cemetery the town created a mural with 12 panels with 12 apples each having a symbol related to Zacatlán’s history The back of the cemetery got a mural depicting Nahua cosmology while the front was covered in biblical scenes this little apple town does have its shady neighborhoods Olvera subsequently turned her attention to the Callejon del Hueso (Bone Alley) isolated place with a reputation for drugs she designed a series of murals based on old photographs for the walls of the houses that line the alley The project is called Zacatlán de mis Recuerdos (Zacatlán of my Memories) A similar project has been started in Zaccatlán’s Lindavista neighborhood almost all the work being done in Zacatlán is with broken tile but the small town has added its own twist They found that by using end nippers (a kind of cutting plier) they can break tiles into smaller and more accurate shapes This has allowed for very detailed and realistic images Elsewhere, in Tepoztlán, Morelos, Judy Wray is a retired U.S artist who calls her adopted home “paradise.” Her involvement in murals in Tepoztlán came about in part because of a small but growing problem with graffiti and vandalism around her home in the Santisima Trinidad neighborhood Wray has a decades-long history of community art projects of all kinds in both the United States and Mexico Her community murals have been designed by professional artists from as far away as Chile The murals are then sketched onto walls and painted with acrylic paints and brushes by volunteers or by marginalized people whom Wray pays out of her own pocket To promote the work and the people involved she has had the murals reproduced onto huge microperforated plastic canvas typically used for large-scale advertisements so that they can be seen at events Wray’s murals are painted along cobblestone streets which forces drivers to move slowly by and appreciate the work In San Quintín, near Ensenada, Baja California, Julia Celeste and Rogelio Santos are both artists and longtime residents who migrated to the area when they were children San Quintín is a highly diverse area with migrants from all over Mexico It makes for a rich tapestry of cultures and traditions but it also provokes conflict since many ethnic groups tend to segregate themselves The hard life of migrants also makes them susceptible to the drug trade Celeste and Santos have separately started community mural projects with the same end to create and promote a sense of community among the different populations The murals have themes related to migration the environment of San Quintín and the native cultures of the migrants Both artists’ projects are done with acrylics and brushes which they say allows for many more people to get involved Filling in colors with paintbrushes  is relatively easy and the coloring book aspect of it is particularly appealing to children All of these projects’ organizers proudly point out the positive benefits the murals have had in their communities none of the murals have had problems with graffiti or other vandalism even years after the mural has been completed which is a quite different result than that of many street art murals done by professionals and even major government-sponsored works as they almost always affirm the community’s identity and values But it is the process of creating the murals that generates the most benefit People who never thought themselves capable of creativity or of having a positive impact on their community are invited to do just that All the organizers have stories of participants who psychologically and even spiritually benefitted from participation and became hooked Participants proudly show friends and family the parts of the mural they worked on Olvera stated that a bricklayer she has known for years found many of his physical and psychological pains eased when he began to help with the initiatives Completed projects and their stories have had visible effects in their immediate surroundings Adjoining parks and streets are better taken care of Callejon de Hueso now sees tourism and new businesses and both Celeste and Santos report that many mural participants have created friendships with people outside their insular circles Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico 17 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture. She publishes a blog called Creative Hands of Mexico and her first book, Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta, was published last year Her culture blog appears regularly on Mexico News Daily Sassella and Joseph's Culinary Pub in the running for food's top prize Perhaps it will come as no surprise to Santa Fe's food faithful, but a number of local chefs have once again made it to the semifinalists round of the James Beard Awards This year's cohort of semifinalists include Escondido's Fernando Ruiz, Sassella's Christian Pontiggia and Joseph's Culinary Pub's Joseph Wrede all of whom landed in the Best Chef: Southwest category That particular category has proven quite friendly to Santa Fe chefs over the years with The Compound's Mark Kiffin being nominated numerous times (not to mention winning the dang thing in 2005); Sazón's Fernando Olea winning the prize in 2022; and Zacatlán's Eduardo Rodriguez and Dolina's Annamaria Brezna picking up nods in 2024 Last year also found Alkeme at Open Kitchen from chefs Hue-Chan Karels and Erica Tai hitting the semifinalist list for Best New Restaurant this is just the semifinalist round and there's a lot of fight left before the finalists are announced this April and the ultimate ceremony pops off in Chicago this June it's another feather in Santa Fe's culinary cap and proof positive that we can restaurant with the best of 'em "I didn't know anything about it until people started calling me messaging me," Ruiz tells SFR of his place on the list "For my name to be with the names of these other guys...it's a good feeling let alone on this list with these Southwestern chefs I'm pretty sure I'm the only chef on this list who has been to prison for trafficking guns and drugs—the only ex-convict who is...working with ex-cons "There’s not really a wrong way to get down with Ruiz’s tacos."  Sassella chef Christian Pontiggia tells SFR that the recognition comes at a strange time—when Sassella has been closed for some weeks after a burst water pipe caused damage to the Johnson Street the restaurant The Cooking With Kids nonprofit aims to educate kids about healthier choices as well as how to go about preparing them while connecting them with knowledgable food pros though he's currently wending his way through the insurance process and hopes to have an announcement soon "I have every intention of staying in Santa Fe," he adds the recognition marks the second time for Wrede some 21 years ago with his since-closed Taos eatery Jospeh's Table "Any time you get any kind of confirmation of your hard work "I felt disappointed last year when my team wasn't recognized so it's cool—and there are a lot of chefs who deserve this award Wrede is quick to point out how his staff made the nod possible it's perfectly clear to me after 30 years—let's see...Joseph's table started in'95 35 years—I know what it means to play with really good players," he says feels better when when you 're playing with good players soon to be beatified at the Basilica of Guadalupemoisesliraserafin.com/galeria The beneficiaries of the miracle were couple who were expecting a child Doctors gave no chance for the child to survive the couple prayed a novena and the child was born healthy To get to know Venerable Moisés Lira better Aleteia consulted Luis Enrique Lara Córdova Moisés Lira Serafín was born on September 16 and then entered the Palafoxiano Seminary in Puebla When he met the Venerable Felix de Jesus Rougier, he became enthusiastic about the spirituality that the Lord was developing in him and Blessed Concepcion Cabrera de Armida Felix considered him “the firstborn” of the new religious congregation since he was the first member of the community to take vows His humility led him to occupy the last place in everything living with authenticity the spirit of the Works of the Cross just as the Lord inspired him to Blessed Conchita whom he always loved with the affection of a son for his mother He was extremely kind and also embodied spiritual childhood, being part of the army of “little souls” inspired by the path marked by St. Thérèse of Lisieux “It is necessary to be very small to be a great saint.” He served as local superior of the congregation in various places and as general treasurer. In 1922 he received ordination to the priesthood in Morelia, and from 1926 to 1928, he studied dogmatic theology at the Gregorian University in Rome In 1931 his superiors assigned him to the Expiatory Church of San Felipe de Jesus Fr. Moisés' collaboration with St. Rafael Guízar y Valencia in some popular missions marked his missionary spirit He stood out as spiritual director and confessor; he was an apostle of the charity of Christ to the point of forgetting about himself He had special care and attention for children many of whom eventually entered the seminary or the apostolic school of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit In 1934 he founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate his superiors sent him to the Community that the Missionaries founded in Celaya to be the rector of the church of La Merced.  After the death of the superior general he became the new superior general of the congregation and Pope Francis declared him venerable in 2013 His tomb can be visited in the left aisle of the National Expiatory Church of San Felipe de Jesus Click on the Photo Gallery below to see images of the soon-to-be blessed: The season that stretches from Christmas to New Year’s is a popular time of year for locals to escape city life and unwind with a change of scenery There are staple destinations where you are sure to bump into one of your neighbors: Tulum Oaxaca City and San Miguel de Allende are historically fashionable holiday havens If you’d like to go somewhere a bit more tranquil that still boasts cultural flair Not only will they serve to satisfy that travel itch the chances of bumping into your personal trainer while digging into your fourth tamale are slim to none This is also the spot to celebrate holidays and traditions in a most authentic manner the entire state of Puebla is a culinary goldmine There are seven Pueblos Mágicos in this region The traditional festivals of Oaxaca city make it a bustling destination for tourists during the holidays which is why we suggest bypassing the quaint and colorful city altogether and beelining it for the beach Despite its rising popularity among the international crowd the coast of Oaxaca is still a more restful alternative to hotspots like Cancún maybe a nighttime boat ride through a bioluminescent bay will do And wildlife aficionados will be thrilled to know that turtle-nesting season is in full swing through January fresh fish for lunch or simply lounging with a good book While you may have to deal with throngs of would-be beachgoers and partiers in and around the Cancún airport hang tight and keep your eyes on the prize: from the airport you’ll need to make a two-hour escape north to the town of Chiquila where you’ll hop on a ferry and hop off in paradise Holbox is whimsical and charming and especially quiet over Christmas lackadaisical culture lends itself sweetly to long If lounging on a hammock in crystal-clear waters isn’t your jam Sign up for a day or night (or both!) of snorkeling or a kayaking experience in the bioluminescent bay explore the endemic wildlife on a Three Islands boat tour or try your hand at kitesurfing with some private lessons As the rest of Mexico flocks to the coastline why not head slightly inland where you can immerse in Baja’s laid-back vibes and sip wine without the usual gaggle of snowbirds where the weather is temperate yet the sun is forever shining earthy and lawless in its approach to wine tourism with rolling hills of vineyards against a backdrop of beautiful blue sky Outside of remarkable Mexican wines and fantastic food Consider this excursion a period of downtime where you can fully enjoy the people you’re with and the libations you’re savoring Utterly overlooked by the international crowd This pastel-hued seaside town was once a pirate’s treasure trove and The charming downtown requires just two days of sightseeing so you can devote substantial time to exploring outside the city you can visit mind-blowing Maya archaeological sites and biospheres like Edzná Calakmul and Balakmu;  the easygoing fisherman’s village of Isla Arena; the pink flamingos in Celestún; and the cenote in Miguel Colorado leave the crowds behind and give yourself the gift of a vacation in Mexico’s many off-the-beaten-path treasures Bethany Platanella is a travel writer and contributor to Mexico News Daily. To find out more about Bethany, visit her website White sand beaches and colonial churches are beautiful but there comes a time when you need to smell pine trees and the lingering smokiness of a campfire in your hair I have spent years scouring the internet and pestering friends about places to camp in Mexico but as I get older I find sleeping on the ground is no longer a joy and snuggling up in a cozy cabin is much more my style Here are three delightful retreats in central Mexico that I have found and loved each just a few hours outside of Mexico City In the northern Sierra mountains of Puebla Zacatlan de las Manzanas is a tiny town with the country’s longest functioning Franciscan church and a flower clock famous throughout the country This is the home of Latin America’s first clock factory and also a hub of apple cider making whose season culminates in the crowning of the apple queen at a yearly apple festival There are a handful of places to take in the majesty of the surrounding mountains and the evening fog that rolls in over them, but my favorite is the Tlatempa Campamento The cabins are built right into the side of the mountain but without much clearing of trees Expect construction using recycled materials (like glass bottles and brightly-painted tires) and an emphasis on preserving nature (dry toilets There is a restaurant at the property’s highest point that makes down-home dishes Cabins and a camping platform are available — definitely ask for the best views of the valley when you reserve This is not a place for anyone with mobility issues as the way to and from the cabins is a series of stair trails that remind one of the Swiss Family Robinson There is lots of local hiking to be had as well as the Piedras Encimadas Valley just 30 kilometers from town The physical beauty of the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes is even more romantic than their love story you can get breathtaking views of both in the Paso de Cortés where a visitors’ center for the Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park sits surrounded by nothing but sweeping prairie and these two giants on either side A few kilometers deeper into the parque and you will find the Buenavista Villa Turistica I suggest visiting during the week if you can when the tourist crowd thins and you will have the place basically to yourself a few shelves to store your things and bathrooms Smaller cabins accommodation two to six people and there is a massive family inn for big groups The complex itself is pleasant to wander around and several people have vacation homes built in a rustic style similar to the rest of the complex But exploring Itza and Popo (as they are lovingly called) is the best attraction in the area There are several walking trails from the visitors’ center and great photo opps The pass is over 11,000 feet above sea level so even in warmer months expect to have to bundle up Also make sure you check the activity status of our friend Popo — when he’s spitting ash the park is off limits Probably my favorite on this list is Rancho Santa Elena a former hacienda once owned by members of the Hernan Cortés family Part of the charm of this small handful of cabins is that there are three small kitchens for guests to use The best set-up is in the gallinero-style cabin with its own outdoor kitchen attached to the back each with a king-size bed and a loft with either two twins or a full mattress The other cabins in the main hacienda building have full beds and an area with bunkbeds but feel like a tighter fit There are also 10 camping spots scattered through the acreage and a massive cabin that sleeps 15 for big groups The hacienda has acres of hiking trails and a small reservoir for swimming (although at its fullest the water is freezing cold) and kayaking The hacienda provides trail maps but the trails aren’t well marked at the moment Hopefully that will be something they improve in the future several mountain biking trails and courses are set up throughout owing to the fact that the owner’s daughter is Daniela Campuzano who represented Mexico at the Rio Olympics in mountain biking The closest town from the ranch is about a 20-minute drive There is a small shop with some basics (they even have wifi) but it’s best to bring all the food you need as what you can find is limited the silence and the pleasant but invisible staff make this place an absolute delight if you want to hunker down and get cozy cabin-style in Mexico here are three great options for fireplaces As an added bonus each of the places I mentioned is pet-friendly (some for a fee) Lydia Carey is a freelance writer based in Mexico City