There is clearly a matter of taste at play here. Nick, you should consider dining out somewhere east of the Mississippi and south of the Mason Dixon line. You'd *love* the grits -- never too spicy.
Tomasita's has been on my favorites list since 1984, when came back to Santa Fe for good. I suspect the food there would fit Nick's definition of "spicy", and would undoubtedly exceed the pleasures of licking a not-yet-dry oil painting. --Doug On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 3:13 PM, Nicholas Thompson < [email protected]> wrote: > > Dale, > > While we are ranting .... > > Is there a restaurant in Santa Fe where one can get good food? > > We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last saturday by going out to a > restaurant which served -- as a matter of style and conviction -- multiple > teensy weensy little entrees that managed to be overflavored and > unsubstantial. The waiter explained that this style was to allow us to > "appreciate what the chef was doing". It was like we were asked to lick > an oil painting before it had dried. The week before, we went to a mexican > style restaurant where the food was so over spiced one had no idea what we > were eating. Nobody seems to know around here that hot spices are a > bacteriostatic preservative not a flavoring, poured on food in hot climates > because otherwise you could not trust it not to kill you. A chef who over > seasons food is like a used car salesman who offers you one of those little > pine trees as a premium. > > So. I am looking for a restaurant where the chef chooses the best, > freshest ingredient he can get his/her hands on and presents them in a > manner that doesnt get between me and the food. I am looking for the > gastromic equivalent of a sentence with a minimum of adjectives and > adverbs. > > ...that is, Good food. Is there such a restaurant in Santa Fe? > > N > > > Nicholas S. Thompson > Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Ethology, > Clark University ([email protected]) > http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/<http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/> > > > > > > [Original Message] > > From: Dale Schumacher <[email protected]> > > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group < > [email protected]> > > Date: 3/30/2009 2:14:25 PM > > Subject: [FRIAM] Fwd: Locovores > > > > Steve's rant motivated me to ask my local expert, my partner Beth. > > Here's what she had to say... > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: Beth Carls <[email protected]> > > Date: Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 2:29 PM > > Subject: RE: [FRIAM] Locovores > > To: [email protected] > > > > Dale - Thanks so much for sharing this FRIAM thread with me. It is > > indeed of interest to me. > > > > I am a little saddened, but not surprised by the attitudes expressed. > > It seems that what is missing from this thread, is the same sentiment > > that I see missing from so many of the conversations on locovorism > > (and organics, and vegetarianism for that matter), and that is the > > idea of moderation. It would be unreasonable and perhaps disastrous to > > expect everyone to "go local". But the reality is we no longer have > > the luxury of doing nothing, and we should all do something to change > > our food system. Our health and the health of our planet depends on > > it. > > > > I would argue that life is far too short for extremism and > > deprivation. We should all make changes when and where we are able. > > For some that means a garden, for others it means the occassional > > visit to the local farmer's market.The key is to do what you can, but > > do something. > > > > Michael Pollan sums up these moderate changes perfectly in the mantra > > of his book In Defense of Food; "Eat food, not too much, mostly > > plants." I was also pleased last week when Michelle Obama, in an > > article in the New York Times, acknowledged that not everyone has a > > place to garden, nor can evryone afford organics, she advocates making > > changes where you can and a move away from processed foods. > > > > The bottom line is this: the time has come for us all to be more > > mindful of our food choices, and our stewardship of this planet. And > > the best way to be "mindful" is to be informed. The folks on your > > FRIAM list seem to generally be reasonable, intelligent, and well > > read. Perhaps they would appreciate a recommendation of resources...? > > I would suggest, as a start, the above mentioned book by Michale > > Pollan. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. And the book > > I happen to be reading right now; Local Flavors by Deborah Madison - > > this book is a collection of recipes and essay about eating seasonally > > and locally from farmer's markets. Ironically, her "local farmer's > > market" and the main subject of the book, is the market in Santa Fe, > > NM. > > > > Cheers! > > Beth > > > > Read the new blog - > > http://inthekitchenandthegarden.blogspot.com > > > > I've listed more new work on my website! - > > http://www.bluevalentinepress.com > > > > ============================================================ > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
