Authentic New Mexican Food



Meandering through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains



What was missing for us was context. 

One bright southwestern day, my friend Nancy picked me up at the Albuquerque airport and we headed up the highway toward Santa Fe to attend the 2007 Science and Consciousness conference.  Since Nancy lives in Florida and I live in Tennessee, we only see each other once or twice a year, and when we do, the gabfest is on!  We had a lot to catch up on that day—her experiences earlier in the week at Dr. David Hawkins' workshop in Sedona, my latest adventures in eHarmony dating, her journey to the mystical Chaco Canyon, my studies in New Thought and Religious Science teachings.  Somehow between "How are your kids doing?" and "How do your mom and dad like living in Tennessee?" we took a wrong turn and found ourselves on a serendipitous journey. 

That afternoon the road took us on a rambling tour of the northeastern part of New Mexico, up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.   Now truly tourists and not just conference attendees, when we arrived at Santa Rosa we decided to drop in at the information center, a charming structure that had been a railroad station generations earlier.  With to-go coffee and maps in hand and a renewed sense of direction, we continued blazing our trail, winding our way through alpine forests which enfolded us like a cozy fleece blanket on a winter afternoon. Drinking in the unexpected gift of the beauty all around us, it was obvious why folks who live there call their state The Land of Enchantment. 

When we came to the tiny town of Mora, snuggled deep in the forest, we decided to stop for the night.  Mora had one small family-owned motel and Hatcha's Cafe—all we needed besides the fresh air and nourishing vista.  It only took us a few minutes to get settled in our modest but welcoming room and we were out the door in search of a meal.  Lucky for us, the one restaurant in town would be open for another half hour—plenty of time for us to fill our empty stomachs as our eyes and spirits had been filled by the beauty and magic the day had brought us.



The enchanting Mora Inn





What, exactly, is "new" Mexican food???



 One thing had us puzzled, though.  Painted in large letters on the stuccoed side of the cafe was the claim, AUTHENTIC NEW MEXICAN FOOD.  What? we asked each other.  We had heard of "Old Mexico" but not "old Mexican food."  Everybody knows the special Texan twist on traditional Mexican fare as "TexMex."  But what could be "new" about the food they served here? 

The menu looked pretty similar to those in Mexican restaurants we were familiar with.  Our selections were delicious and fresh, and we cleaned our plates.  Even so, there wasn't anything innovative or unexpected about our meals, and the nagging question persisted. So we asked our waitress, "What makes the food here 'new'?"  When she looked at us blankly we tried again:  "The sign says 'authentic new Mexican food'…."  While her eyes said, "you're not from around here, are you," she politely offered, "Well, we're in New Mexico…."  Omigosh, we giggled as understanding sank in.  We were, indeed, in New Mexico, where they serve authentic New Mexican food.

Maybe it was the dizzying heights and wispy mountain air.  Maybe getting lost in The Land of Enchantment threw us temporarily off-balance.  Whatever the explanation, that journey gave us one of the best gifts life has to offer--a chance to have a good laugh at ourselves.

The End of the Tale--er,Trail!