Prime Time Monthly | Page 21

PRIME TIME April 2017 Santa Fe Spotlight Food Tour New Mexico A Good Way To Experience Santa Fe Food Scene By Barb Armijo F or foodies, there is a new way to experience Albuquerque and Santa Fe restaurants. It’s called Food Tour New Mexico, operated by Nick Peña, a homegrown businessman who wanted to share the great food in the state with visitors and locals. Savor Santa Fe is the City Different’s portion of Food Tour New Mexico and it is a good way to experience some of the finest dining establishments in downtown Santa Fe. The 2.5-hour tour venues change occasionally, but some that are visited frequently are Luminaria, SantaCafe, Taberna, Georgia and Vanessie’s. Along the way, patrons also see some historical points of interest, including The Scottish Rite Temple, The Santa Fe Plaza, Palace of the Governors, St. Francis Cathedral, The Loretto Chapel and City Hall. Participants are offered cooking demonstrations, plating tricks of the trade and an opportunity to eat some of each restaurant’s food with two glasses of wine or other cocktails. The cost is $125 plus tax/ fees, and gratuities are not included. The tour requires a four- person minimum, and once the operator has reached the minimum a participant’s credit card will be charged. For more information on making tour arrangements, visit www. foodtournewmexico.com. Peña said he started the food tour business because he grew up in New Mexico and realized how special the culture and the food are here. He also has traveled abroad extensively and found that his love for food was something shared by many people. “And I know that especially in New Mexico, we take great pride in who we are and what makes us unique,” he said. “The tours have been a great way for me to introduce our culture and food to visitors and to also open up a new way to get to see some of the restaurants many locals feel are too exclusive or too expensive.” Food Tour New Mexico also has started offering cooking classes taught by some of the state’s finest chefs. One class that began recently features the food and presentation of Santa Fe’s Georgia restaurant’s chef Leroy Alvarado. Not only do participants get to help make the meal, but they also learn plate presentation and wine pairings. The cost for the cooking class at Georgia is $99, which includes the meal and cocktails. A full calendar of the tours, both in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, are at www. foodtournewmexico.com. DONATE YOUR VEHICLE TO HELP SENIORS Call 505-901-9510 or Visit www.onecommunityauto.com Donating your car, truck, SUV, motorcycle, RV or boat is an easy way to help extremely low-income seniors in our area. We accept any vehicle, in any condition, running or not, even if it has been in an accident. We handle all the paperwork, and make the process as easy as possible for you. Silver Horizons has been serving seniors in Greater Albuquerque for over 35 years. Its vehicle donation partner, One Community Auto, LLC (a local, veteran-owned company), will pick up your vehicle from any location, and coordinate with your schedule (usually within 24-hours). Proceeds from your donated vehicle support SilverHorizons’ programs of free groceries, utility assistance, and home repairs for seniors. 21