BREAKING TORTILLA NEWS!!

A local favorite for over 20 years is changing hands!!

Mexico based Mission Foods has purchased the Albuquerque Tortilla Company!! The horror!!

Having grown up primarily in the west I've tasted many tortillas and Albuquerque Tortilla Company, in my humble opinion, makes the best.

One thing I have noticed about 'national' brand tortillas is that they are thinner and larger than the Albuquerque Tortilla brand, my guess is that the larger/thinner ones make for better burritos.

Albuquerque Tortilla Co's are more like mom's. A little thicker and chewier. Slap some butter on there and heat it up and ooooh man... makes for a good late night snack! Peanut butter and jelly, de-lish! And nothing beats them when served with red chili and pork.

Ok, I'm hungry now.

I've tried Mission Tortillas. Eh.. less said the better.



Below is a link to an article on the sale:

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/april262011/tortilla-commerce.php

The Dark Horse

Gary who??

Former New Mexico governor, Gary Johnson, has thrown his hat into the ring as a Republican presidential candidate.

He is a fiscal conservative, slashing the size of state government growth in half and the state workforce by 10%

He left office with a $350 million dollar surplus -- to which former Democratic Governor Bill Richardson turned into a $500 million dollar deficit!! He also did not raise taxes for the eight years he served as governor and cut 1,200 state government jobs without firing anyone.

He is an outdoorsman and businessman.

He supports abortion rights, same-sex marriage and legalizing pot.

Did I mention he is a Republican?

He rebuffed efforts by the Libertarian Party to draft him in the 2000 presidential election. His support went to Ron Paul that year.

He had broad suppport from conservatives and liberals when he ran for governor.

He was known as Governor 'Veto' for using the fiscal axe on Democrats as well as fellow Republican politicians.

Still... hard core conservatives might find him a hard pill to swallow.

2012 could turn out to be very interesting, considering current New Mexico Republican Governor, Susana Martinez, is on Republican lists as a possible vice presidential candidate.

Did I mention he is, I beleive, the only announced candidate to have taken part in several Ironman Triathlons AND climbed Mount Everest?

I'm out.

"Today's mess didn't just happen. We elected it -- one senator, member of Congress and president at a time. I can help fix it. I'm a 'fix-it' man!" -- Gary Johnson

http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/

www.twitter.com/govgaryjohnson

The Man Who Walked Up a Hill And Came Down A Mountain of Faith.

Every year on Good Friday, thousands of pilgrims from around the state walk to a small Catholic church in a small town in northern New Mexico named Chimayo.

Here is a post from 2008 on the event:




Today is a special day in New Mexico. Good Friday signals for many 'believers'* the annual 'walk to Chimayo', a pilgrimage for many to the small 300 year old spritual town of Chimayo, New Mexico, north of Santa Fe.

Every year on Good Friday tens of thousands of people walk to a church in Chimayo in observance of the Easter Holiday.

Sheltered in a little valley in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Chimayo hisotrically has been known for its fruit and chile production as well as cattle grazing.

The Santuario de Chimayo was built around 1815 to house a crucifix that, according to legend, was founnd in the dirt at the site. Long before the arrival of the Spaniards and Christianity it was considered by Native Americans to be a sacred spot.

During Holy Week, peaking on Good Friday, pilgrims walk miles to the santuario, a few toting large wooden crosses. They trek 10 miles from neighboring towns, 30 miles from Santa Fe and 90*** miles from Albuquerque!!!!!!

At the church they scoop up handfuls of dirt locally dug and blessed by a priest that many believe has healing properties.** The dirt is rubbed on your body or it is taken home. It is a very devout and spiritual exercise for those involved.

** How about this on a t-shirt: "My brother made the walk to Chimayo and all I got was this dirt". I'm bad...I know I'm real bad.

Although El Santuario de Chimayo is the more well known site for pilgrims, another is Tome Hill in southern New Mexico.

Many have personal reasons for taking such an arduous trek. Some walk for miles with 60 pound wooden crosses, some, like the man in the story below, walked 12 miles.... barefoot!!







For those of you that cannot make it to Chimayo, worry not because Holy Dirt from the Santuario is now available ONLINE!!! YES!For free if you cannot afford it.... but a donation is accepted. But WAIT!! The website for the santuario has even MORE items for sale...check this out:

www.elsantuariodechimayo.us/holydirt


Fortunately, I get my scapulars here in town at St Charles.

Happy Easter everyone!!

I'm out.

Tweeting Live From Vegas, 'baby'