FOODAR

Just as airplanes use RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) and submarines use SONAR (SOund NAvigation and Ranging), Cindy uses her built-in FOODAR (FOOd Detection And Recognition) to locate wonderful places to eat.  It's especially handy while we're traveling, and I have to say it's never steered us wrong.

It came in especially handy during our recent trip to New Mexico, leading us to restaurants that served traditional New Mexican food, such as the Church Street Cafe and the Pueblo Harvest Cafe and Bakery at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque.

I was especially glad that a we ate at the Artichoke Cafe in Albuquerque, because their food was "New American Cuisine",  modern takes on classic dishes, some of which I actually recognized.

I was somewhat apprehensive before we went to New Mexico, wondering if I would find anything to eat there that did not contain chiles or peppers.  We had found a list of the "Top 20 New Mexican Foods" that didn't seem to hold out much hope of that.

Here's the list:
1.  Green Chile
2.  Green Chile Cheeseburgers
3.  Chiles Rellenos
4.  Red Chile
5.  Carne Adovada (red chiles)
6.  Stacked Red Chile Enchiladas with a Fried Egg
7.  Huevos Rancheros (blue corn tortillas with eggs, red and/or green chiles on top
8.  Blue Corn
9.  Tamales
10.  Tortillas (I can eat those)
11.  Chicharrones (pork rinds)
12.  Chicos
13.  Posole
14.  Beans
15.  Calabacitas
16.  Horno Bread
17.  Navajo Fry Bread
18.  Sopaipillas
19.  Pinon nuts (now you're talking--I love pine nuts)
20.  Biscochitos

http://www.nmmagazine.com/article/?aid=89545#.VbUunXj2CpH

Cindy actually managed to eat at least half the things on that list.  I pretty much lived on tortilla chips and cheese quesadillas.