The Fork

Eye of the Storm

Hurricane Harvey is the latest in our ever-increasingly terrifying storms. With Irma tearing up the Caribbean, the world is talking about the destruction and the cause. Our storms will only increase with the warming of our environment.

While a lot of terrible stories come out of these events, there is always light. The Aransas Pass Progress out of the Corpus Christi area brings us the story of The Addiction coffee shop. Owner Tammie Brown was open the day after the hurricane, serving free coffee and water. You can check out more on The Progress, or on The Addiction's Facebook page.

Let's FORK!

We are putting together a list of inexpensive dining options. Food trucks, diners - what are your favorite cheap eats? Email us at thefork@sfreporter.com

A reminder of that the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge is happening on Monday, Sept. 11. Despite the lack of Santa Fe restaurants, it will still be a good time.

Go get yourself a funnel cake.

WHEN: 3:45 pm Monday Sept. 11
WHERE: Agricultural Building Courtyard on the Expo Grounds (300 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque)
COST: Adults $10 - Seniors (65+) $7 - Children (6-11) $7 - Under 6 FREE (they don't eat much)

For those of us who want a more locally-based burger-off, Edible's 2017 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown goes down this Friday (that's tomorrow) at 5 pm at the Farmers Market Pavilion in the Santa Fe Railyard. We hear tickets will be available at the door starting at 5 pm for just $25, but you can buy advanced $20 tix right here.

Fifteen contenders from around the state will compete for the green chile cheeseburger crown, and did we mention they'll have beer and cider, a people's choice award burger and souvenir pint glasses? Well, they will. This year's contenders include, but are hardly limited to Agave Lounge at the Eldorado Hotel, the Anasazi Restaurant, Kimo's Hawaiian BBQ from Albuquerque, Red Sage at Buffalo Thunder and Rowley Farmhouse Ales. The full list is available through that handy link up there, but we've been before and it's way worth the price if you're into burgers.

Anyway...

What do you do with all that burned-up gloom after Zozobra? You cook with it! Ash has been used for hundreds of years. Most commonly used in cheese-making, it has moved over into more mainstream culinary circles in the last few years. All the ash and smoke in the air right now coming down from the PNW makes for itchy eyes and eerie sunsets, so it's best to make your peace with calcium carbonate.

Over at Great British Chefs you can find a quick how-to on making fresh ash as well as recipes that use it. I like a simple ash rub on vegetables before baking them. Get your post-Zozobra ash-baking on and let us know what you come up with!

See you next week!
Michael

Santa Fe Reporter