
nmgastronome.com
389 FOLLOWERS
I'm Gil Garduño. I chose the site vanity "nmgastronome" because it truly reflects my passion for the cuisine of the Land of Enchantment - and hopefully describes the level to which my palate has evolved after having visited and evaluated more than 1,000 restaurants in the past ten years or so. I'm merely a gastronome, someone who loves and appreciates good food. Follow the Culinary..
nmgastronome.com
6d ago
There’s no annual event I enjoy more than the Roadrunner Food Bank’s Souper Bowl which takes place one week before some ballyhooed football game. That game is the National Football League’s Super Bowl, a star-studded event in which the celebrity with the best name (Taylor Swift) doesn’t even play football. Celebrities abound at the Souper Bowl, too, but they’re real people, the type of which you would enjoy sharing a meal with. During my twelvth year of serving as a judge at the Souper Bowl, I had the privilege and pleasure of spending time with several of those local celebri ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1w ago
When the Spanish arrived in the late 1500s they named the village south of Albuquerque Isleta, a diminutive of “isla” which means “island.” Fast forward 600 years, and may as well have been christened “desert island” as in short for “deserted island.” Despite being one of the largest of New Mexico’s nineteen Pueblos, drivers may not have even known that Exit 215 off Interstate 25 will transport them to the home of some 3,000 inhabitants. That is until the Isleta Resort & Casino began operating in 1986. Calling itself “New Mexico’s Grandest Casino Resort,” the ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1w ago
As a precocious stripling growing up long before Star Wars, Back to the Future and the Marvel Universe, my heroes were the gods of Mount Olympus. In Greek mythology, the gods were incredibly powerful beings who controlled the forces of nature and human beings. Their whims–often childish and unpredictable–dictated whether or not empires and human beings thrived or led lives replete with strife and woe. These puerile gods possessed supernatural powers such as the ability to control the weather (Zeus), make others pregnant or get pregnant herself (Hera) and manipulate trav ..read more
nmgastronome.com
3w ago
Set in Albuquerque, Breaking Bad, AMC’s critically acclaimed television series may have left viewers with the impression that the Duke City is a haven for meth cookery and fried chicken joints. Had the fair city been more accurately typecast, it would have have been portrayed as a mecca for microbreweries. The Albuquerque Beer Scene blog says it best: “It’s like Portland, but with sun,” a comparison which shows just how much the city’s microbrewery and brewpub scene has grown–and not just in terms of sheer numbers. Duke City breweries have accorded themselves so well at ..read more
nmgastronome.com
3w ago
In 2023, TasteAtlas, an “encyclopedia of flavors, a world atlas of traditional dishes, local ingredients, and authentic restaurants” compiled a ranking of the 100 best cuisines in the world. The highest rated cuisine in the world (to no surprise) was Italian followed by Japanese then Greek. Thai cuisine was ranked 17th in the pantheon of great cuisines, just one slot ahead of American cuisine (whatever that is). TasteAtlas also named Phat Kaphrao (also known as Pad Grapao or “holy basil stir-fry”), a dish made from meat, chili and basil, as the “best stir-fried dish in the wo ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1M ago
In 1967, John Poppy introduced the term “generation gap” in Look magazine. Still used widely, the term refers to the “the chasm that separates the beliefs and behaviors belonging to members of different generations. This gap often manifests in varying thoughts, actions, and preferences between younger and older generations.” According to Investopedia, “Differences may exist in politics, values, pop culture, and other areas.” Among the ways in which a generation gap exists is in culinary exploration. TouchBistro, “an all-in-one point of sale and restaurant management system th ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1M ago
“La Grassa” (The Fat One) is the nickname of Bologna, Italy. While that sobriquet may seem unflattering, Bologna bears it with honor. This city in the north-central region of the country is considered the “gastronomic heart of Italy,” a place where food is an art form and a passion. This may be best exemplified by one of the foods born in Bologna. I’m talking, of course, about gelato. Throughout “Lo Stivale” (the boot, a nickname bestowed upon Italy because the shape of the peninsula resembles a high-heeled boot) gelato is revered. Not surprisingly, Bo ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1M ago
When my Kim required physical therapy after a brief hospitalization, extraordinary physical therapist Lana Ramos was dispatched to our home where she worked with my Kim for several weeks. Lana was wonderful–a superb and patient coach for my injured bride and a knowledgeable and patient source of knowledge for me. Having been around many Air Force colleagues married to Filipino women, I developed a fondness for both the culture and cuisine of the Philippines. Lana reignited that fondness by answering my questions and clarifying a few misconceptions I had. When my Kim suc ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1M ago
CHERYL’S VILLAGE TABLE: Just in time for the Christmas season, Cheryl Alters Jamison released a “rough cut” of a sample episode for Cheryl’s Village Table, themed for the holidays. For a rough cut, the episode is remarkably polished as well as entertaining, refined and easy to watch. The scintillating four-time James Beard award-winning author’s hospitality and warmth are showcased as Cheryl welcomes friends and family to her beautiful home, a century-old converted dairy farm in Tesuque. The inaugural episode of Cheryl’s Village Table celebrated Northern New Mexico foods ..read more
nmgastronome.com
1M ago
Welcome to Gil’s list of my favorite dishes in 2024. These dishes were selected not for complex culinary preparations and exorbitant price points, but for the simple preparation of dishes that taste as if they were prepared by a chorus of angels in a celestial kitchen. These are the dishes most indelibly imprinted on my memory engrams…the first dishes that come to mind when I close my eyes and reflect on the past year in eating. As with previous yearly compilations, every item on this list was heretofore unknown to my palate before 2024. Every dish was a delicious discovery from within New Mex ..read more