Vacation Food: Santa Fe, NM La Casa Sena and The French Pastry Shop May 2, 2012

I had quiche lorraine to go from the French Pastry Shop in Santa Fe.  The day before we had stopped by and gotten a biscochita.  From the travel book that we lost among Sam's book and we didn't find until today, I learned that biscochita is Northern New Mexico cuisine--a cookie with anise.  The quiche was good too. 

The meal at La Casa Sena was one of the best we had on our trip.  Mooma kept our kids while just Scott and I went to dinner.  Scott had trout that was wrapped in banana leaves and baked in clay the above picture is after the waitress took one swing at it.  It was clay the consistency of a thin bowl or plate.  The other pictures are the next two steps in the process of getting it to the plate.  I had salmon with a oven-roasted tomato sauce.  In addition to the great food, it was an interesting atmosphere.  We sat outside in a courtyard under an umbrella that was large enough for more than four tables to sit under comfortably.  Ours was the only table for two. Most of the tables had four or more people.

Vacation food: Santa Fe, NM Gabriel's April 30, 2012 and May 1, 2012

We ate at Gabriel's for lunch on Monday April 30, 2012 and we got take out at closing time on May 1, 2012. We decided to go to Durango, Colorado after lunch so we could ride the train from Durango, CO to Cascade Canyons on Tuesday. After our train ride, we went back to Santa Fe. I had quesadillas both times. Scott had Charro beans as a side dish to tacos. I admit that I had to use wikipedia to figure out what Charro beans were. Apparently, they are named after the Charro, a traditional Mexican horseman and are spiced pinto beans, like Cowboy beans. All of our food was great but the guacamole was the best I had ever eaten. It was made tableside with the usual ingredients: tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, onions, and garlic. They used a whisk and a large metal spoon to combine the ingredients.

Vacation food: Albuquerque, NM El Modelo April 29, 2012

After two weeks, I am finally getting around to posting about our vacation food.  While we did have some fast food and other food that was just okay.  I am only going to post about the places we really liked.  Yelp helped me find El Modelo.  It is takeout only but there are picnic tables outside.  Some tables were close to the other side of the building and some were across the parking lot on this side.  The ones across the parking lot in the shade were the ones we chose. The call-ahead line was longer than the walk-in line.  Both were not short on a Sunday when we ate there after arriving in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I had a great bean burrito--it was spicier than the ones I have had outside of the Southwest.  It is shown below.

I also tried a watermelon drink from the fountain below.  I saw several people getting drinks from this fountain and I decided to try it.  But it tasted like what I remember watermelon Kool-Aid tasting like.  My memory could be fuzzy as I have not had Kool-Aid in more than 20 years.

Midtown Market

We went to the just opened Midtown Market. We hope it is successful because it is walking distance from our house. For the last couple of years, we have been getting grits out-of-town. Weisenberger is one that we often get in Lexington and is not sold here (or anywhere near here). We also have ordered or gotten at Whole Foods: Logan Turnpike Mill. We were excited that Weisenberger grits were sold at Midtown Market. While in there, I asked about veal. The butcher told me that they would be getting veal, lamb, and mahi mahi in a few weeks. Lots of the products were from Kentucky companies and had the Kentucky proud stickers. This seems like a great place to shop to support our state's economy. The biggest draw there seemed to be the prepared food in the deli. It looked like the food at Whole Foods and looked delicious.

Acid reflux remedy--pineapples and yogurt

Sarah has had quite a bit of spit-up.  Like any concerned mother, I called the doctor's office to determine whether I should have the doctor see her.  When I spoke to the nurse, she told me to change my diet because I am breast-feeding Sarah.  She said to have a bland diet with no milk, salad, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, chocolate, salt, and caffeine.  She told me to elevate her crib mattress and give her Mylicon gas drops. 

One potential diagnosis could be acid reflux.  But she said to see how it went before I came in to get medication.  I am generally against medication but gas drops seem harmless.  I imagine that if she were prescribed a medication, it might be omeprazole or "stomach medication."  Omeprazole seems like a familiar old friend because I spent a year of my life representing a generic pharmaceutical company who was later found to infringe Astra Zeneca's patents on Prilosec. Nonetheless, I don't want Sarah taking such a strong drug or any drug if there are other alternatives.

What is a diet that bland, I wondered.  I have struggled to find things to eat.  I hope corn is on the list of approved foods because I thought it would be a harmless vegetable (frozen corn that is heated with a little butter and a touch of salt), ho-cakes (cornbread made on a griddle or on the stove), and grits have been on my new bland menu.  I have also had some cod rolled in cornmeal and fried.

While watching "The Doctors" television program this week, they had a segment on the foods that cause acid reflux and the ones to prevent it.  Turns out, the foods were some of the same ones that were on the nurse's list: tomato sauce and chocolate.  They also mentioned orange juice, which I drink every day. 

The ones to prevent acid reflux were yogurt, pineapple, and figs.  Thus, I am now eating yogurt and pineapples together (see the picture).  I think I have some fig preserves that I have eaten with a cheese plate somewhere.  My guess is that Scott has relegated them to our overflow refrigerator in the basement because they are not consumed very often.  I am not sure figs, pineapples and yogurt together are a good combination.  But pineapples and non-fat, plain, Greek yogurt are surprisingly good.  I may try fig preserves in yogurt next.  Then work my way up to trying all three together. 

Well, you only live once so here I go to the basement.  The fig preserves are there.  Fig preserves and non-fat Greek yogurt are really good together.  Fig preserves, pineapples, and Greek yogurt are certainly edible but I am not sure if they are the right combination--it seems like the fig preserves and pineapples are competing.

Ground chuck (no pink slime)

The pink slime debate seems a no-brainer--don't add ammonia to food that children eat.  Here is what homemade ground chuck looks like...We took chuck roast purchased at our local Sam's Club.  However, we would like to find a local source for meat. Then we ground it in the meat grinder attachment to our KitchenAid mixer.  Notice that you can actually see white fat in the bowl.  Is it because we put too much fat in?  Or is it because some additive is covering up the white color?

These were really tasty when we ate them last night for my birthday!

Gardening?

My motivation for gardening this year has been low.  I continually make excuses concerning Sarah--it is too hot or too cold for her or I am too tired from not sleeping enough.  She was eating a lot at night.  Then there were nights when her stomach seemed to be bothering her or she seemed like she had confused days and nights.  Why can't newborns behave perfectly from the beginning?  (ha! ha!)

Scott's motivation for gardening seems to be higher this year.  After visiting his family farm in Taylorsville around Christmas, I told him that if his late grandfather could be a successful farmer, he could too.  He has increased the square foot of our garden--doubled the size of our basil bed and added sage and dill to it.  In our tomato and pepper bed, he planted lettuce and whatever jalapeno and tomato seeds we had leftover from last year.  He also ordered some Anaheim and Poblano seeds from Burbee because we can't find them at our local stores as seed and sometimes not in the produce section or farmers' market either.  I question whether this means that our climate is not good for growing these peppers.

As I was watching the noon news program this week, Crystal Sanders from James Sanders Nursery was on saying that it was too early to plant because it might frost.  Scott wondered why we were able to buy tomato and pepper plants from James Sanders Nursery if that was the case. 

We have yet to plant the plants and only planted the seeds.  I considered going out to plant the plants but Sarah was sleeping and I didn't want to take her.  I have lost (Scott put away who knows where) part of the baby monitor so I could not use it.  So there is another excuse to add.

Our garden is mostly organic because we have never put any pesticides on it but I have used some fertilizer on it.  Knock on wood, we have only seen a few Japanese beetles in our yard.  Crystal Sanders also mentioned that to control moles you should use a product that kills grubs, which grow into Japanese beetles.  For the last few years, we have had mole holes so maybe we have had a predator taking care of them.  Predation is my favorite organic garden technique.  I have been trying to figure out how to attract mosquito predators.