The_NM_TX

  Anybody that has followed this page knows that I love coffee and visiting local coffee shops. One of my favorite shops to visit though has been Castle Coffee and their roastery Cornerstone where they take coffee to a new level in terms of fermentation, anaerobic coffees, and flavor profiles. This is not the cup of coffee that most people are used to, instead it is craft coffee. Recently I had the chance to do a coffee tasting with their owner and roaster where we tried the same coffee with 4 different brewing methods, and the taste and differences were amazing and eye opening. The coffee of the day was the Natural Honduras, a naturally fermented bean with notes of cherry, purple grape, and honey. The brewing methods were pour-over, Aeropress, immersion, and cupping. The first method was using the Aeropress which I was not familiar with, but it uses a plunger and pressure to separate the steeped grounds from the end coffee. This produced a very well-rounded cup of coffee. The co...

  Since living here I have really come to love the craft beer scene that New Mexico has. There are a lot of great breweries, and events you can attend to support these small businesses. But there was one event that I have always wanted to attend, and finally this year was the year. I love the concept that 16 breweries put forth their best IPA and leave it up to the fans to choose their favorite for a years’ worth of bragging rights. So, when it was announced that the finals would be in Albuquerque, I quickly got my ticket for the IPA Challenge. The venue itself this year was very interesting as Flix Brewhouse was the host. I was expecting it to be in their bar area, but we were quickly ushered into one of the theatres itself. At first it seemed odd, but it was great with the comfortable chairs, the table for our flight, and a slide show on the big screen showcasing this year’s event and highlighting past winners. As for the flight itself, at first it seemed daunting looking at 16...

  One thing that makes most cities great is that each one has a strong craft beer culture, and Albuquerque is no exception. I love that no matter where you are in any city a brewery can be anywhere. This is no more true than in downtown Albuquerque right down the street from Marble where a small brewery lies hidden among the large buildings downtown. With a small brewhouse, and small tasting room they are producing some big flavored beers in all styles. In addition, this is a eco-friendly brewery that utilizes solar panels, and captures rainwater. So when driving downtown and craving a beer, seek out Gravity Bound Brewing.  Located on 3 rd Street this is a drive by and miss it brewery, the building is that small. However even before you walk in the exterior has a great patio, and great murals all along the outside. The inside is very comfortable with bar and table seating, great artwork, and the brewhouse is divided only by a small wall so you are very close to where your b...

  The past few weeks have been a great time to be a food lover in and around Albuquerque. We have been lucky enough to have 2 great new food trucks open, and both are unique with what they are offering. Even more lucky for me is that I have been able to try both and was very impressed by both. Love at First Slice: If there is one food I have been missing since I moved down here it is a good pizza. While I have had some good ones, there is always room for another good one. Thankfully Love at First Slice makes a great pizza, that is also wood fired. While the menu is extensive, and in addition to pizza they also offer wood-fired sandwiches, I opted for pizza. I went simple, but also ordered one of my favorites and ordered the Margherita. It was a delicious pizza that had so many great flavors going on. The crust was slightly charred, the cheese melted perfectly, and the tomatoes and basil added a great bite of freshness. I was very happy with my order and can’t wait to explore mor...

  Finding new coffee shops has become more like a scavenger hunt to me recently, and it never disappoints that I am usually successful in finding a new one. Recently I came across 2 more new ones, one being a second location, and another having one of the cooler setups you will see to serve coffee. Castle Coffee: While these guys have a great establishment in downtown Albuquerque, recently Rio Rancho was lucky enough to get a Castle Coffee. Located right off Rio Rancho Blvd. this is a must stop. The inside of the building is beautiful, spacious, and a great environment to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. The first thing you notice walking in is the massive mural on the wall which is a beautiful piece of art. From there you notice all the other artwork and plants along the walls, and within the hidden nook in the back. There is ample seating along the bar for just one person, and plenty of tables for larger groups. It is a warm, welcoming, and relaxing environment. To add to the ...

  When it comes to Route 66 in New Mexico there are so many great stops that you can see. To the east you have all the great murals and hotels of Tucumcari, and the car museum in Santa Rosa. To the west you have the iconic sign in Grants, and the famed haunted hotel in Gallup. But part of Route 66 that is often overlooked is the part of it that drives through Albuquerque. While construction and modernizing the city has left it disjointed and a shell of itself if you look closely there are still great aspects of Route 66 alive in Albuquerque that are must see items.  While most of Route 66 is now Central driving through downtown there is still plenty to see, and things to do that will remind you of the famous highway. A great place to start is at the 66 Diner where you will feel nostalgic before even stepping inside. The outside looks like a quintessential diner, and at night the neon reflects it, but the main feature before you walk in is a massive wall full of vintage signs...

  Last time we did a farm to glass piece the focus was on blue corn, and lavender exclusively. Well after thinking about it, I realized I had so much fun working on that piece that I couldn’t wait to do another one, only this time expand not only the ingredients, but also the variety of beverages. While this type of blog will be ongoing piece and I will be trying multiple drinks featuring New Mexico ingredients here are some of my favorites that I have had recently. To start there are 2 ingredients I was very intrigued to see in beverages, and those are pinon and red chile. Zia Soda uses both though in their Pinon Cola and Red Chile Ginger Ale. In addition, this is a high-quality soda using natural ingredients, so I was ok with drinking it. The Pinon Cola was amazing, and I was surprised by it in so many ways. For starters they don’t use caramel coloring so the cola was clear, but the taste was what every cola should strive to be. The pinon flavor was front and center making this...

  I know I have said it before, I’ll say it again, and I will continue to say that I am amazed how many independent coffee shops there are in New Mexico. It seems like everywhere I go no matter what part of any town I am in I find a new coffee shop to try. On my most recent explorations I found two more coffee shops that are both delicious and have great environments to enjoy their coffee.  O’Beans Coffee: Depending on where in Albuquerque you live this can be a bit of a drive to get to, but between the scenery and great coffee it is totally worth it. Driving along Tramway Road the first thing you notice is the gorgeous views of the Sandia, and once you arrive you will find the O’Beans is one of the coolest coffee shops you will ever visit. The entire shop is decorated inspired by Volkswagen including the counter which is mimicked to look like an iconic VW Bus. Of course, the theming should have been more obvious with a classically restored beetle outside the building. The ...

  Nature is everywhere, even when you least expect to find it. I was reminded of that recently while exploring in Santa Fe where a multi-use sidewalk took me under the highway and to a trailhead full of great scenery in all directions. Of all the places I discovered this behind an outlet mall and running parallel to Cerillos Road. This impromptu walk led me to the Arroyo Hondo Trail.  While the trail head can take a decent walk to access, it was about a mile from the outlet malls it will be worth it in the end. You know you are at the right spot when you see the dinosaur sculptures nearby. Once at the trailhead you can go either north or south. People that have read my walking/hiking blogs know I always follow the mountains so north it was. While this was not a hike, the path was paved the entire way and the scenery around was beautiful. The flowers were blooming showing pops of colors along the walkway, the trees were all full of leaves, and the mountains off in the distanc...

  Coming from Colorado, our wine country was pretty much the most western part of the state, 4 hours away from Denver. There were wineries in the Denver area, but most of them were tasting rooms, and those that made wine had the grapes brought in from Western Colorado, and even some from California. So, being in New Mexico I find it fascinating how there are wineries and more importantly vineyards throughout the entire state. In the northern part of the state like Taos, the southern most part in Las Cruces, and everywhere in between including the Albuquerque area. With so many wineries, and the state being so big, it can be difficult to try most. Thankfully, every year on Memorial Day Weekend these wineries come together to pour their offerings to the masses. I was lucky enough to be able to attend this years New Mexico Wine Festival.  Balloon Fiesta Park was the setting for the festivities, the sun was out, and it was a gorgeous day to sample some wine, ciders, and everythi...

  Santa Fe is a town that I am relatively new to exploring and familiarizing myself with. But, of the few things I do know about it is that they have a great beer and food scene. But like in so many cities some of the best breweries and restaurants are off the beaten path, and not always the easiest to find. Off Cerillos Road, in a small building where the sign doesn’t even face the road lies a restaurant that not only makes delicious scratch made food, but also brews a wide variety of award-winning beers. Easy to drive by, not the easiest to find, but worth it at the end is finding Rowley’s Farmhouse Ales.  From the outside this does not look like a restaurant at all, but instead like a farmhouse with its wooden planks, and sheet metal roof. Only a small sign in the parking lot tells you that you are in the right place. The inside is very comfortable with mostly covered patio seating, a few small tables inside, and a bar. The beer list here is long, although some of them ar...

  No matter how many I visit I still love finding and trying new coffee shops. Some of them have been around for a while and are new to me, while others are newer businesses. Recently on my explorations I have been lucky enough to discover 2 newer coffee shops in the Albuquerque area. Both are unique in their offerings, and I am glad to have discovered and tried both. Chicky’s Coffee: This coffee shop/roaster is located off the beaten path in Bernalillo on Camino del Pueblo in a small strip mall. But inside is a small shop where the coffee is roasted on sight, and they also offer freshly made drinks. What makes this shop particularly great is that the walls are adorned with local artwork, and the roaster out in the open amongst the tables. Of course, the other reason this shop is great is the coffee. The freshly roasted beans for sale are from all over the world, but my favorite is the Sumatra roast. It is full bodied, rich, with a slightly earthy flavor, and very smooth with ea...

  Prior to me moving here the only thing I knew about New Mexican agriculture was the Hatch Chile. It wasn’t until after moving here that I realized that New Mexico was also a major producer of Blue Corn and Lavender. While I have enjoyed both products in multiple food forms from tortillas to honey, one thing that has surprised me is how the craft beverage industry has embraced it. There are multiple breweries, cideries, and distilleries that have used these simple ingredients in their various beverages and the end results are amazing. The farm to table movement has always been big in food, but now we can also enjoy farm to pint glass. When it came to seeing beers featuring blue corn the first two I had were Compa by Steel Bender, and Denim Tux by Bow and Arrow. Instantly I was hooked on the usage of this ingredient as a grain, and I am glad to see that other breweries are using it as well. Most recently La Cumbre released their own version of a blue corn lager, and it is just re...

  When it comes to celebrating the culture and history of New Mexico I love that there is no shortage of ways to do that. There are more museums, and events than I thought possible that celebrate the rich history and culture that defines this state. One of the most important aspects of that is through the Native American culture, and the annual Gathering of the Nations held at Expo New Mexico. After missing out on it in 2022 I knew that this year I had to make it happen, so at the end of April it was circled on my calendar, and I was ready to attend it for the first time. Other than large crowds I was not sure what to expect from it, and one thing I did not realize was that it is the largest gathering of its kind in North America. After waiting in a decently long line to get in I was very excited and curious to explore and see what this event was all about. The event space is divided into 3 areas, the food area, the Indian Traders Market, and inside the Tingley Coliseum.  ...

  Spring is officially here, and for me that means one thing. Baseball is back, and I am already looking forward to all the Isotopes games I will get to attend this year. Last year I was lucky enough to get to see a lot of specialty games in person. Including a regular game, I was also luck enough to be there for Marvel night (even though the rain had other plans for it), Dukes retro night, and of course Green Chile Cheeseburger night. The only one missing was a Mariachi’s game. Well, thankfully in the first week of the season the first of six Mariachi’s games took place against the Salt Lake Bees (or for the night Las Abejas de Lago Saludo). Ticket in hand I made my way down to the stadium excited for what the night was going to bring. Even before entering the stadium the excitement from the crowd was visible, and one of the larger crowds of the early season. The festivities also began before the gates even opened as guests were treated to live mariachi music, and traditional fo...

  Since I moved down here a year and a half ago one of my favorite activities has been going to sporting events again. Thankfully I have been able to attend multiple events across several sports I didn’t know existed down here. The only one that has eluded me though was getting to attend a New Mexico United game. Well luckily due to some scheduling conflicts they got to play a game in New Mexico earlier than expected, in the knockout U.S. Open Cup, and for the first time they got to play against another team in New Mexico. So, of course I had to go, and it lived up to the hype. Despite not being in their home stadium, and cold, windy conditions the crowd was still full of energy, and excited for the match against NMSU UDA. It has been years since I had been to a professional soccer game in any aspect, and even during warmups I forgot how athletic soccer players are. It is the one sport that television does not do justice in showing how well conditioned they are. After the pregame...

Anybody who has followed this blog would know a few things by now. A couple of those are that I love coffee and have a sweet tooth. So, you can imagine my excitement when a festival brings together both in one setting. While this was not the first year of the event, it was my first opportunity to attend the Southwest Coffee and Chocolate Festival. With perfect weather, ticket in hand I made the drive to the fairgrounds excited for a day of all things caffeine and sweets.  At first the event was very overwhelming with the number of booths and delicious smells coming from all directions. There was a hidden desire to try everything, but once I got over the initial excitement it was easy to settle down and pace myself through the event. The sweets were all very unique, and delicious but the biggest surprise was in sampling so many coffees in one sitting. It was very eye opening how each coffee tasted so unique and different with each booth. How these roasters put their own spin on th...

  If there is one thing, I have learned it is that breweries can be, and usually are located anywhere. That is exactly the case in the Northeast Heights neighborhood of Albuquerque where tucked away in the back of a shopping center lies a small neighborhood brewery. Not only do they make great beer in a wide variety of styles, but they also focus on being eco-friendly, as well as philanthropic, and community based. To top it all off they also opened their doors during the height of the pandemic, so when near Candelaria and Eubank make sure to stop by and sample Resource Brewing.  When you first drive up it is evident just how small this brewery is, and it is easy to drive by and miss altogether. Inside though it is a very welcoming brewery that has a very comfortable feel to it. One of my favorite aspects is that there is only a small divider separating guests from the brewhouse and fermenters. Follow that around and you will be greeted at the bar by very friendly servers. T...