Be Still My Heart

Going back to the exciting 2-day food fest that the Small Fry Crafts Team had in Albuquerque, I present to you these photos as promised.

Our very first morning we just happened to walk into this small bakery that was very tucked away and hidden. Everything is made fresh every morning by the same man (who has probably been doing this for ages), and let me tell you that deciding on just one thing to eat was nearly impossible. However, the whole wheat cinnamon bun was chosen, and rightly so.

This darn thing was perfection--warm, fresh out of the oven, soft with a slightly chewy texture, and not too sweet. I have never tasted a cinnamon bun as amazing as this one (I can't tell you how different this is than say, a bun from Cinnabon). I am drooling thinking about this here food item. Drooling.

Next we headed to Padilla's, a favorite of Head Chef's family, where they serve their enchiladas New Mexico style (ie, flat, and not rolled up). And did I mention the sopapillas that come with your meal? Delicious, warm, deep fried, and soft triangular dough (it's the stuff in the basket pictured above) delicious enough to eat on its own, but I was instructed that the proper way to eat them is to bite off a corner, than fill it up with honey. Oh my loveliness.

The next morning we headed to a bakery that's apparently been around for ages, and while I was not so excited about my molasses pig cookie (the taste was a bit too subtle for me), Head Chef's blueberry-filled empanada was an interesting take on the savory empanada (it almost reminded me of a Hostess Fruit Pie).

The second and last day for me ended with a trip to Cowgirl BBQ and Western Grill, where I can honestly say I had one of the best meals of my life. I had chile rellenos "Christmas Style" (ie, with both green and red sauce--it's the plate at the top of the above photo with the black beans). First of all, I love chile rellenos anyway. But with that red sauce on top, it sort of just blew that dish over the edge (the green sauce was good too, but I was way more excited about the red sauce).

Head Chef's Huevos Rancheros were just as incredible, also smothered with that smoky red chile sauce, the eggs sandwiched between layers of corn tortilla.

I am lucky I don't live near these restaurants. I would be poorer than I already am, and also a few steps closer to a heart attack.