Christmas Theme: Christmas in Taos

This was a fun, familiar, and cozy theme. I have actually spent Christmas in Taos before with my friend David and his family, and it was one of my all-time favorite Christmases: the pińon smoke in the crisp air, hiking in the snow, Christmas Eve service at San Geronimo church at Taos Pueblo, tamales and Gloria’s scrumptious capirotada (a syrupy bread pudding with cheddar cheese and raisins—sounds weird, is totally fantastic). I couldn’t recreate all of it, but I got as close as I could.

Christmas dinner was all recipes from the fantastic Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank: Cornish Game Hen with White Sage Piñon Stuffing and Sour Cherries (was supposed to be quail and squawberries, but there are limits…; also, I wanted to finish up the preserved sour cherries my friend Satoko had given me from her tree, and that was NOT a mistake); Pinto Bean and Wild Rice Salad with Bitter Greens (wild tumbleweed sprouts are great in season, but I used watercress from the store); and, pumpkin–corn soup. Dessert was capirotada but without raisins and with homemade applesauce. Turned out great! I opened a bottle of Ridge 2020 Jimsomare Zinfandel that I had been saving, and it was excellent: the Russian River Zins are lighter and more structured than their southern relatives due to the cool nights, and it didn’t overwhelm the game hen.