December 2023 | Issue No. 43 |
|
Hello & welcome to my December 2023 newsletter. I'm so glad you're here. Can you believe this year is coming to a close?! As we approach the busy holiday season, I wanted to take time to reflect & honor traditions from our beautiful state. New Mexico has a rich cultural & culinary history. One of the most beloved & signature New Mexican treats is the biscochito. Biscochitos can be found year-round but are a holiday staple in many households, with recipes spanning generations. There is reverence in baking & sharing this comfort food that has been part of our state's history for centuries. |
|
A very New Mexico holiday edition: Battle of the Biscochitos! |
|
New Mexico was the first state to name an official state cookie in 1989. You guessed it, ours is the biscochito! The shortbread style cookie, traditionally flavored with sugar, cinnamon & anise, evokes memories of special occasions for most New Mexicans. Often enjoyed at weddings, holidays & celebrations, biscochitos hold a special place in both our hearts & stomachs. There are numerous bakeries in Albuquerque who offer these delicious treats, many still use their family recipe passed down through the years. Still others have experimented with the ingredients & put an innovative spin on tradition. I think all of the above should be celebrated & enjoyed, this season & all year. (The following list is by no means comprehensive) |
|
Celina's Biscochitos prides themselves on their loyalty to a beloved family recipe. They are known for signature flavors including red chile, green chile pecan, lemon & cocoa chocolate chip in addition to the classic version, offered year-round. You may also find special varieties such as cranberry walnut, jam filled & chocolate dipped periodically, along with flavors of the month. They offer custom stamped versions for your special occasion (please visit their website for more information). Celina's Biscochitos has sold thousands of their famous cookies from the Los Ranchos bakery where they hand make & cut each cookie to ensure the highest quality & taste. |
|
Golden Crown Panaderia has been making their biscochitos by hand for over three decades & proudly claim “It's almost as good as Grandma's.” Their old fashioned, family-owned & operated neighborhood bakery has been offering the best of traditional New Mexican recipes since 1972. They were the first to make cappuccino & chocolate flavors of biscochitos available. You can find these flavors, in addition to traditional, sugar free & blue corn varieties at their charming Mountain Road location alongside fresh bread, pizza, sandwiches, empanadas & many other goodies. |
|
Near UNM, Rude Boy Cookies sells thousands of cookies daily, including their award-winning biscochitos. The co-owner of Rude Boy, Kristin Dowling, was tasked in 2017 with creating a cookie that represented tradition & culture & wowed Food Network judges with a biscochito window cookie decorated to depict New Mexico. You'll find a more traditional-looking version at the bakery on a daily basis, but will be just as impressed by the flavor. Their version is made with lard, anise & brandy, coated in cinnamon & sugar & is the perfect size for snacking. The sense of nostalgia these cookies evoke keeps the bakery busy, even more so during the hectic holiday season. |
|
BitterSweets Bakery is a boutique bakery offering scratch-made cakes, cupcakes & cookies. They pride themselves on their fresh, high quality ingredients & talented culinary team. As a gourmet, private label bakery, they are dedicated to offering their customers an "unparalleled culinary experience." They are one of the few bakeries in Albuquerque who make a delicious gluten-free version of their beloved biscochitos. They also create gluten-free, vegan & sugar-free versions of cakes, cupcakes, pies & other treats. Visit their website for more information about their dietary options. |
|
The Bakehouse Off The Wheaten Path recently opened their dedicated gluten-free bakery location on Wyoming Blvd, but has been a local favorite baker since 2018. Albuquerque eateries including Little Bear Coffee, Castle Coffee, La Finca Bowls & the Owl Cafe have been carrying many of their delicious gluten-free treats for years, so you may already be a fan. You will find mini-bundt cakes, scones, brownies, cinnamon rolls, green-chile doughnuts & many other creative customer favorites at their storefront/coffee shop. For the holiday season, their Mexican wedding cookies & biscochitos take center stage for all of your gatherings with family & friends. |
|
Flying RoadRunner Bakery, located in Plaza Don Luis in Albuquerque's Old Town, specializes in french pastries with a New Mexican flare. This family-owned & operated bakery offers scratch-made goodies, one of their favorites being the biscochito cruffin. This cruffin is a nod to the beloved flavors of the traditional biscochito cookie, but with a modern twist. It boasts flavors of cinnamon, anise & orange & is filled with pastry cream. This decadent version is definitely worth a try. They also delight customers with their cinnamon rolls & for the holidays they will have a special cranberry orange marmalade flavor cruffin. Yum! |
|
New Mexico Pinon Coffee is the largest coffee roaster in New Mexico & the official coffee sponsor of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. They offer iconic Southwestern inspired flavors such as Traditional Pinon, Adobe Morning & local best seller, Biscochito. The biscochito flavored coffee is a medium-roast Arabica with notes of sugar, cinnamon & anise that can be enjoyed hot or iced. You will also find a biscochito latte on the menu, alongside many seasonal offerings at their three Pinon Coffee House locations. For a sweet treat to accompany their delicious coffee, what could be better than a biscochito donut?! I certainly can't think of a better pairing. |
|
Eldora Chocolate creates craft chocolates using high quality, real ingredients that are organic, natural & fair-traded. They are one of only two active bean to bar chocolate makers in New Mexico. They explore flavors & textures that surprise & delight discriminating chocolate tastes. Eldora Chocolate has just been named the winner of the 2023 USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Travel Award for Best Chocolate Shop, so you know you're in for a treat. They offer both a green chile biscochito chocolae truffle & bar featuring organic ingredients & flavors of cinnamon, green chile, cardamom, rum & anise. |
|
Enchanted Sugar is a New Mexico True Certified company who creates inspired candles with American-grown soy, phthalate-free fragrances, essential oils & organic dried botanicals. Their Biscochitos candle is one of The New Mexico Collection meant to evoke memories from places, people & tastes of our beloved state. It offers “a little bit of New Mexico wherever you live.” Their Biscochitos candles are infused with Spanish anise inspired by memories of holiday baking & gift giving from a family recipe. |
|
Zozaya Candle Company offers the perfect holiday candle sure to bring back holiday memories with the sweet, comforting aroma of Abuela's Cookies. Handcrafted in New Mexico, their candles are meticulously made with premium soy wax, fragrance oils & crackling wood wicks. Each candle offers an extended burn time & are individually hand-poured in small batches. As you can see, I am thoroughly enjoying my Abuela's Cookies candle I got at New Mexico Artisan Market last month. |
|
Of course, all of this talk of biscochitos inspired me to get in the kitchen & make a batch of these delicious favorites (with a few modifications on traditional ingredients). It's definitely not the holidays in my house without baking…you may already know this about me?! Here's my recipe for a gluten-free variety of biscochitos. I hope you'll give it a try & let me know how you like it! Do you have a special biscochitos recipe you'll be baking this month? |
|
Gluten Free Biscochitos — 2 cups shortening (I use butter)
1 cup sugar (I use coconut sugar)
2 large eggs 1 teaspoon anise seeds, crushed 5 ½ cups flour (I use a combination of 2 ½ cups rice flour, 2 cups sorghum or millet flour, ½ cup tapioca flour, ½ cup arrowroot or potato starch) 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup white wine or dry sherry *I used absinthe to up the anise flavor; you can use brandy, rum, bourbon, amaro or anise liquor* ½ cup sugar (coconut sugar) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + - Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed, until fluffy; gradually add in 1 cup of sugar & beat well. Add eggs & anise seeds, mix well.
- Combine flour, baking powder & salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with wine, beginning & ending with flour mixture. Mix after each addition.
- If using wheat flour, shape dough into a ball; roll to ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut dough with a 3 inch cookie cutter & place on lightly greased cookie sheets. If doing the gluten-free version, use a small ice cream scoop to make a 1 ¼ inch ball placed on a lightly greased cookie sheet & press into ¼ inch thickness with the bottom of a cup. Combine ½ cup coconut sugar & cinnamon; sprinkle over cookies.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Yields 3 dozen.
+ Enjoy! |
|
Speaking of gift giving, our friends at Squidly Store have the perfect gift for everyone on your list. They are offering 15% off in-store, from now until 1/15/2024 when you mention this special offer! With a multitude of handmade items from many local artists & makers, this small but mighty shop is the best spot in town to find a unique, fun & thoughtful gift while supporting the nicest local folks. Just mention this offer at checkout before 1/15/2024. |
|
National Association of Realtors chief economist Dr. Lawrence Yun spoke at our yearly local Realtor Association meeting on the 6th of December & shared insights on our housing market. He indicated that the Albuquerque real estate market is healthier than many throughout the country. Home prices here are slowly increasing due to job growth & lower than normal inventory, but mortgage rates have begun to come down. He anticipates a busy spring market season! If you have been thinking of buying a home, December through February can be a great time, as there will be less competition. If you have been considering selling, this is the time of the year to call me to discuss how we can prepare your home to benefit from the active spring market. |
|
Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life each month. I hope you've found some useful information along the way. Wishing you & your family a very happy & peaceful holiday season! |
|
|
