This week there are several appetizing events to interest Santa Fe foodies. First, and nearest and dearest to my heart, is the Rio Rancho Pork and Brew Barbecue State Championship. If you�re really into barbecue, you already***image1*** know that this event is a big deal. It�s officially sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, and the top prize is $10,000. One of around 300 contests KCBS sanctions every year, the Pork and Brew is among the top 10 favorites; last year 30,000 people showed up to eat ribs and drink beer. As you might guess, the Total Pig is huge into barbecue. In fact, I�m judging at the event. Woo hoo! Look for me there. I�ll be the girl with barbecue sauce all over her face and a muffin top spilling out over her skinny jeans. The competition is held at the Santa Ana Star Center from noon-6 pm on Saturday, March 29, and 10 am-9 pm on Sunday, March 30. Parking and tickets are free. Go to
for directions.
From 5-6 pm Saturday, March 29, local outdoor cooking experts and frequent-fliers Bill and Cheryl Jamison will be at Travel Bug (839 Paseo de Peralta, 992-0418) to talk about and sign their new book,
Around the World in 80 Dinners
(William Morrow, paperback, $24.95). The book is a vivid travelogue of a three-month journey the Jamisons took in 2005, making stops in Bali, Australia, the South Pacific, Singapore, Thailand, China, India, South Africa, France and Brazil. Their luscious descriptions of exotic meals are mouthwatering, but the book also is a fascinating guide for people who love exploring little-known parts of the world. Go buy a book and take these experts up on their offer for restaurant recommendations in New Caledonia.
Celebrate April Fool�s Day (5:30 pm Tuesday, April 1) with Wise Fool at a �Feast of Fools.� (What, is that too much fooling for you?) Seriously, the �Feast of Fools� will take place at the Railyard Restaurant and Saloon. Don�t have much to say to your significant other during dinner? Don�t worry, you�ll have plenty to talk about after this four-course meal, during which members of Wise Fool will perform awesome circus acts. Historically, the �Feast of Fools� was a pagan harvest festival during which class distinctions and social rules were thrown to the wind, replaced by excessive drinking and generally bad behavior (think: Mardi Gras). This �Feast of Fools� events (no flashing for beads allowed) is a fundraiser for Wise Fool, a nonprofit troupe that performed for more than 3,000 New Mexico kids last year. Call 989-3396 for tickets ($65 to $100). Doors open at 5:30 pm and the show begins at 6 pm. For more information go to
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In other news, Chef Patrick Hartnett, who recently left Bishop�s Lodge, has popped up at Joe�s Diner (2801 Rodeo Road, Suite A5, 471-3800). According to a press release, Hartnett shares a love of local produce, meats and poultry with Roland Richter, the restaurant�s owner. Check it out, my legion of culinary spies, and let me know what you find.
Over at the Pink Adobe (406 Old Santa Fe Trail), a series of Saturday afternoon wine tastings was briefly suspended because of kitchen remodeling, but the series has now resumed. For $15, participants are invited to nibble on hors d�oeuvres while sipping, slurping and swishing a selection of wines. Call 983-7712 for specifics.
Speaking of wine, have you been to the Cellar Lounge? What is the Cellar Lounge you ask? It�s the cozy little bar at La Casa Sena (125 E. Palace Ave., 988-9232), where you�ll find 40 wines available by the glass. This is a great place to work your way through a flight of Pinot Noirs while nibbling on a few appetizers. It�s like a wine bar except you can actually order beer and cocktails. And because La Casa Sena has a package license, you can take a bottle with you when you go. The weather�s warming up and you know what that means�meet me for drinks on the restaurant�s Sena Plaza patio!
Also, Chimayo chile farmers won a small battle last month in the larger effort to preserve the Chimayo chile race (yes, it�s called a race). The US Patent and Trademark Office denied a request submitted by Bueno Foods to trademark the term �Chimayo.� If the request had been approved, the trademark could have prevented Chimayo farmers from marketing their chiles under the name of the village in which they are grown. (Bueno doesn�t actually use any chiles from Chimayo in their products.) Why does it matter? Many people consider Chimayo chile to be one of those foods that is special not only because of the exact kind of chile being grown, but also because of the place in which it�s grown. The classic example is Champagne; only sparkling wine made within the specific boundaries of France�s Champagne region may carry that name on the label. Everything else is just sparkling wine. Many Chimayo chile fans believe that everything else is just chile.
But temper your bitterness toward Bueno: At the end of last year, the company released its first organic green chile. Similar to its other products, this chile is flame-roasted, peeled, chopped and frozen, so look for it in the freezer section.
Tell me where to eat! I need your input.
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