Las
Cruces , NM, USA
a food heritage community
Las Cruces
(pop. 75,000) is the center
of an agricultural region irrigated
by the Rio Grande, which flows through
the city. Las Cruces is also the home
of New Mexico State University. NMSU
is New Mexico's only land-grant institution,
citing more than 23,000 graduate and
undergraduate students on the main campus
and four branch campuses. The Organ
Mountains are to the east of the city.
Learn more about the history of Las
Cruces here.
Las Cruces is also
home to the annual Whole Enchilada Fiesta.
The fiesta's main attraction is the
creation of a very large (on average
10 feet in diameter) flat red enchilada
by local restaurant owner Roberto Estrada.
Besides this, the fiesta offers live
music, rides, food vendors, and other
attractions typical of fairs. In fact,
the Southern New Mexico State Fair is
usually held only a few days after the
end of the Whole Enchilada Fiesta. The
fiesta's mascot, "Twefie"(taken
from the abbreviation of the fiesta's
name) is a large red chile pepper wearing
a sombrero. At the 2004 event, the Guinness
Book of Records confirmed that Estrada
had made the world's largest flat enchilada.
The Mesilla Valley
produces the best chile peppers in the
state, which remains an esteemed distinction.
The valley cultivates nearly half of
New Mexico's 25,000 acres of chile pods
that are harvested each year. At New
Mexico State University, researchers
grown, study and experiment with crops
of chile peppers to develop new hybrids
and flavors. Strings of chile peppers
are often dried and then hung, creating
a natural deep red adornment for a wall
or a porch, especially at Christmas
time.
Mesilla
The historic
agricultural village of Mesilla
was the most important city of the region
until 1881. It was also the crossroads
of two major stagecoach lines, Butterfield
Stagecoach and the Santa Fe Trail. In
1881, the Santa Fe Railroad was ready
to build through the Gadsden Purchase
region of the country. Mesilla was naturally
seen as the city the railroad would
run through. As luck would have it,
the people of Mesilla asked for too
much money for the land rights, and
a land owner in nearby Las Cruces, a
much smaller village than Mesilla, stepped
in and offered free land. The city of
Mesilla has not grown since, and the
Las Cruces area has grown to over 100,000
people and is currently the second largest
city in New Mexico. Mesilla remains
much the same today as it did in 1881,
now a protected historical site, but
as small as it was the day it froze,
when the railroad passed it by.
Earliest records indicate
the La Posta Compound
was originally constructed in the 1840's.
Sam Bean and his brother Roy Bean, operated
a freight and passenger service line
to Pinos Altos from this building in
the 1850's. After the Civil War, The
La Posta Compound became an important
stop on the Butterfield Stagecoach Line.
During the 1870's and 1880's, the Corn
Exchange Hotel, one of the finest lodges
in the Southwest, operated from the
building. John Davis, the proprietor
of the hotel, died in the late 1870's,
however, his wife Augustina continued
to operate the hotel, a restaurant and
other businesses in the building until
the early 1900's. La Posta de Mesilla
Restaurant originated in the northwest
corner of the building in 1939 by Katy
Griggs Camunez. The business has grown
to become one of the most famous restaurants
in the Southwest, occupying 10,000 square
feet of the La Posta Compound which
now included several shops. After Katy
passed away, the property and business
was acquired by a great niece, Jerean
Camunez Hutchinson and her husband Tom,
a.k.a. "Hutch", who continue
to offer the same quality food and great
service in the unique dining environment
Katy created.
Read more about this food heritage site
here.
Double
Eagle and Peppers Restaurants
On the Mesilla Plaza,
three miles southwest of Las Cruces,
is the National Registered Historical
Building that is now the site of the
Double Eagle and Peppers Restaurants.
First constructed in the late 1840’s,
the building has witnessed many colorful
and historical events, including the
Mexican-American War of 1846, the confirmation
of the Gadsden Purchase on the Plaza
in 1853 and the Secessionist Convention
declaration of Mesilla as capital of
the Arizona Territory in 1861. (It was
destined to be the only territory of
the Confederacy). Also, notorious Billy
the Kid was jailed by Sheriff Pat Garrett
and tried here in 1881.
In 1972, the private
residence was acquired by Robert 0.
Anderson. The year 1984 saw major restoration
completed by the present owner, C. W.
"Buddy" Ritter, a fifth generation
Mesilla decedent. Antiques, many of
which have their equal only in the finest
museums, were painstakingly collected
by well-known designer John Meigs.
Biscochito
History
New Mexico is the first
state in the nation to have an official
cookie...the "biscochito."
That just goes to show how beloved these
little anise-flavored cookies are among
all New Mexicans. Treasured Spanish
family recipes have been handed down
for generations and biscochitos are
made for every special occasion, most
importantly at Christmas.
They're "heaven's
own little cakes blended delicately
of sugar and spice, flour and wine and
other secret ingredients, shaped by
the swift fingers of the linda señora
into small diamonds and baked until
they are the delicate brown of the maiden's
cheek kissed by the New Mexico sun,"
wrote Miguel Hambriento, a pseudonyme
author and collector of historic recipes
in Mesilla during the early 1900s. And
he swore the best biscocho maker in
all the state was a lovely Mesilla widow
— "round and plump with eyes
of a mourning dove, la bonita Minda
makes and sells at Christmas time such
biscochos that the good saints in heaven
might bend down for a nibble."
Passionate words indeed, but biscochitos
have a way of doing that.
Biscochitos are most
enjoyed with wine (or hot chocolate
for the kids). "Biscochos go with
vino like an egg on an enchilada,"
according to Hambriento. In fact, you'll
find plenty of old timers today who
attribute their health to biscochos
y vino.
But you've probably
never heard the tale about how the biscochito
was behind the famous battle of the
republicanos y democratas who fought
to a bloody finish on the plaza of Mesilla
on election day back in 1871. It was
so murderous, troops from nearby Fort
Selden had to be called in to restore
order. As Hambriento tells it, both
political parties were parading about
the plaza. Hungry, each was hurrying
to reach the little puerta of Doña
Isabella selling biscochos y vino on
the corner and "neither side would
give ground, fearing the other would
reach [it] first and eat up all the
biscochos. Of stuff is history made."
But it was the biscochito
which brought peace in the end. The
republicanos who'd fled to Ascension
in Mexico finally decided to forgive
and forget. They returned to Mesilla
not because they were big-hearted men
and wanted to make friends with the
democratas, Hambriento revealed. "No!
Because in Ascension they could not
buy the fine white flour for their wives
to make biscochos." After the Gadsden
Purchase in 1854 which created the present-day
southern border of the United States
with Mexico, the area's precious flour
mill was on this side of the border.
Here's
the source of this story and a biscochito
recipe.
Pecans
Pecan trees line road
into Stahlmann Farms.
Another esteemed produce
of the area is pecans. Twenty some thousand
acres are dedicated to pecan in Dona
Ana County, with a total of 733 orchards
producing 36,000 pounds annually. Twelve
miles south is Stahlmann Farms, a 3,850-acre
pecan orchard, which is one of the largest
in the world.
Mesilla Valley pecan
grower David Salopek uses heavy machinery
for
pruning and transporting pecan trees.
Other machines shake harvest the nuts.
The agricultural heritage
of the Mesilla Valley also includes
three local vineyards and wineries:
Binns, Estrada and La Vina.
Read more about the
agricultural products of the Mesilla
Valley here.
The
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum
The 3,000-year history
of New Mexico's agricultural and rural
life is featured at this Las Cruces
establishment. The museum boasts 90,000
square feet in size on 47 acres. An
outdoor amphitheater seats 250 to 400
people for programs and an indoor theater
allows for special presentations. Outdoors
visitors can also view corrals of longhorn
cattle, churro sheep and Jerusalem donkeys.
This museum now also houses the Purple
Sage restaurant, which serves up the
unique tastes of New Mexico.
Las Cruces and Mesilla
offer an abundant selection of restaurants,
many specializing in preparing tasty
New Mexican treats that are delicious
to savor, especially in relaxed and
enjoyable Southwestern environments.
The El Patio Restaurante, Severo's and
La Posta de Mesilla provide a memorable
taste of New Mexico that's well worth
the tab
Making the
Worlds Largest Enchilada
As Robert V. Estrada
can tell you, a lot goes into making
the world's largest enchilada!
Special equipment used
in the making of THE Enchilada was designed
by Robert V. Estrada. The equipment
includes the press, the carrying plate,
the cooking vat and the serving plate.
First, we place the carrying tray on
top of the press; then we put 250 lbs.
of the masa dough on top of it. The
dough is then pressed to make the tortilla.
From here, the tortilla
is carried by about 14 men to the cooking
vat that contains vegetable oil, which
has been heated to 550 degrees (this
is a difficult procedure).
The tortilla is then
cooked and when done, it is carried
by the same men, and laid on the serving
plate (this is another one of our difficult
procedures).
Robert V. Estrada will
then ladle on some of the chile sauce,
then he will spread some of the cheese
and then some of the chopped onions.
This marks the completion
of the first layer of THE Enchilada.
The second and third tortillas are done
in the same manner. Then THE Enchilada
is ready to be served.
It takes approximately
two and a half hours, from start to
finish, in the making of the World’s
LARGEST Enchilada!
Ingredients
750 lbs. of stone ground
corn to make the Masa tortillas
175 gallons of vegetable
oil, heated to cook the tortillas
75 gallons of red chile
sauce
175 lbs. of grated
cheese
50 lbs. chopped onions
Whole
Enchilada Festival
Roberto's
Restaurant
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Roberto Estrada, enchilada
entrepreneur, is a native of Mesilla
and a graduate of Las Cruces High School.
The 60 plus community-spirited chef
began pressing corn tortillas at age
15 in a Mesilla tortilla factory where
he worked for 15 years before striking
out on his own. In 1968, Estrada bought
an old tortilla factory (908 E. Amador)
and christened it New Mexican Mexican
Foods, where knee-weakening aromas pervade
to this day. Then, to satisfy Las Cruces'
Mexican food fetish, he opened a restaurant
next door, the now famous Roberto's,
where wife Sylvia and sons Ronnie and
Chris, and daughter Yvette create some
of the best Mexican cuisine north of
the border, including red enchiladas,
of course. Other favorites are flautas,
gorditas, beans, spicy hot tamales,
tasty sauces, jumbo breakfast burritos,
puffy sopaipillas drizzled with lip
smackin' honey, and on and on. A drive
through window keeps the place hopping
both inside and out and my red chile
fixation pacified. (source)
Roberto's Restaurant
display about making the world's largest
enchilada
Chile
Pepper Institute at New
Mexico State University
The
Chile Pepper Institute (CPI) Teaching
and Demonstration Garden
has been an integral part of the CPI's
teaching resources for over twelve years.
School children, local groups, university
groups, and individuals come every year
to visit and tour our garden. Located
in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the Garden
not only has over 150 different varieties
of chile from all of the main species
of Capsicum: C. annuum, C. baccatum,
C. chinense, and C. frutescens, but
it also shows many of the different
diseases, disorders, pests, and problems
encountered by chile growers. The genus
Capsicum includes all peppers, from
the mildest bell to the hottest habanero.
The Garden is intended to show a few
of the different pod shapes, sizes,
and colors; there are many different
types of chiles, and we hope you enjoy
the selection we offer.
Working hand-in-hand
with the New Mexico State University
(NMSU) Chile Breeding and Genetics Program,
the Institute seeks to educate about
all of the different varieties that
have been developed and released at
NMSU. Every year, the garden showcases
all of the varieties developed at NMSU,
including "NuMex Big Jim,"
"NuMex Joe E. Parker," and
"NuMex Pinata." The selection
of other varieties grown in the garden
varies from year to year, but always
showcases endless varieties.
The garden is transplanted
in early May, and visitors may start
enjoying the garden in early June. It
is open through the fall months, into
November. The best time of the year
to see the garden is late July through
late September.
Click
on the images below to visit all the
New Mexico Food Heritage Exhibits.
