The Fork

Football and Fiesta

Hey, y'all!

Fall might not officially start until tomorrow, but any football fan will tell you differently: we're heading into the fourth weekend of college ball and the third weekend of NFL games.

I graduated from an SEC school (that's "Southeastern Conference," for non-sports types), where the motto is "we may not win every game, but we've never lost a party." That seems to be a good attitude for UNM or NMSU fans to adopt, too; after all, it puts the focus away from sad football stats and back where it should be, which is on eating and drinking.

If you're headed to a tailgate this weekend, or are just sick of watching games at a bar, try this twist on the classic spinach and artichoke dip. Not only is this recipe super easy, it's vegan and gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup almond milk
• 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Red pepper flakes (to taste)
• ¾ cups raw cashews
• 2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, partially thawed
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 2 cups fresh spinach

Directions:

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Blend almond milk, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and cashews until very smooth.
6. Add artichokes and spinach. Pulse briefly, leaving chunky texture.
8. Add 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, roughly chopped.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

Serve with blue corn tortilla chips and the satisfaction of knowing you won the tailgate.

Forkin’ Around

Good news for restaurant industry folks: State Capital Kitchen (500 Sandoval St., 467-8237) will offer twice monthly Industry Nights starting in October. Swing by for free educational wine tastings and stick around for food truck tastiness and great deals on wine!

Starting tomorrow, Sky Coffee (1609 Alcaldesa St.) will bring a much-needed jolt of caffeine to the Railyard. You can find it in the old Welder's Supply building, across the street from the water tower.

Last week, we asked our out-of-town friends how they get their green chile fix. One story took the cake.  Writes Donna Crane of DC:

"We bought a large cooler on wheels—the kind you'd take to the beach—and check it empty as luggage on the flight out.  We head to the farmers market first thing Saturday morning, place our order for as many baggies of roasted peppers as they'll sell us, pack them into our cooler and check the now-full cooler home to the East Coast.

The last time we traveled home I found myself at Dulles airport waiting for the cooler to land on the luggage carousel. Guy next to me got his cooler first. 'What's in yours?' I asked.

'Meat,' he said. 'Yours?'  
'Roasted chile,' I replied. 
He stopped, stared, and said: 'Woah.'"

Sky Coffee's opening has the caffeine addict in me wondering—where has the most interesting coffee drinks in Santa Fe?  I know my vote, but I'll wait to hear y'all's before I reveal it.

Until next week!

Eli

Santa Fe Reporter