A Walk With Birds, Food & Art -> Patagonia, AZ

Patagonia Lake State Park at sunset -> it was still as glass, but teeming with bird-song

We’ve made it to our most southerly point for the rest of this year. That point is a quirky little community nestled in a  in a riparian corridor (riparian being a rather fancy term for ”by the water”) between the Santa Rita Mountains and Patagonia  Mountains in SE Arizona. It’s an artsy, eco-friendly kind of place that’s very much in synch with the nature around it….and in Patagonia alot of that nature pertains to birds.

A green respite for weary desert eyes

A Gila woodpecker

We headed out here a few days ago to lounge away the week-end in Patagonia Lake State Park. The main draw for us here was the lake -> a 2 1/2 mile long man-made lake that would give our desert-weary eyes a well-deserved green rest and doggie a well-deserved few days of frolicking in the water.

The bonus was the birding, a side-effect I didn’t quite expect (given how little I know about birds) but one that became a welcome addition to the experience. This spot is literally teeming with birds providing an almost constant background song at your campsite. And a stroll along the 3 mile on-site birding trail takes you deep into green trees, relaxing creeks and lots of colorful and pretty specimens fluttering and chatting in the trees. Quite lovely!

Signs of spring on the trail!

But that’s not all there is here. Patagonia is quite the little art and food spot. Within a teeny 3-block downtown area there’s at least 4 art galleries, several restaurants, a yoga studio, a coffee shop and an excellent organic food market (Red Mountain Foods). There’s not alot here, but what they got is all good stuff!

Given such a lovely selection we dug in and engaged ourselves in several excellent outings.

At Birders Haven with Jil&Tom…what a neat little place!

On Saturday our buddies Jil&Tom came by to take us on some birding and sample the fare at the rather iconic Velvet Elvis restaurant. We had a lovely walk in the park, an outstanding lunch with hibiscus-infused margaritas (drool!) and afterwards they took us to a local birding secret “Paton’s Birders Haven” -> a local house set-up with chairs and feeders for anyone to enjoy. We sat for a good hour watching the birds and learning about them from the other folks in the garden. Even for a non-birder like me this was rather a cool experience, and I dare say I learned a few things (who knew it was possible?)

Harshaw Ghost town…at least the ONE building that’s still left here

Road-trip in the Coronado National Forest

The surrounding area also lends itself to some lovely road-trips and a bit of hiking. Nearby Sonoita Creek State Preserve has at least 30 miles of hiking trails, while the Coronado National Forest just south of Patagonia has some lovely driving trails. We completed a loop starting in downtown Patagonia at Harshaw Road, driving past the old ghost town of Harshaw (nothing much left here except for a single house and a rather colorful graveyard), down FS 49 and back along a picturesque ridge on FS 214 to FS 58 to Harshaw Creek Road (FS 139). If you’re feeling adventurous along this loop you can even stop off at FS 4649 and hike or 4WD to the top of Red Mountain. As an added bonus there are lots of excellent boondocking spots along these same roads too. Fun to scope out and plan for future stays!

Afternoon at the lake

The only downer of our whole week-end? The State Park was full to the brink with tons of kids and people. It was almost an assault on the senses after our peaceful days out in the boonies. Thankfully our site was mostly away from the crowds and we were able to find solitude on the trail and our drives, but after a few days of people overflow we both yearned to be back in the grasslands. So, that’s where we’re going. See ya back in the boonies, my friends…

Hibiscus-infused margaritas…yum!!

With Jil & Tom at the Velvet Elvis

The cute “butterfly garden” in Patagonia

Colorful downtown Patagonia

The graveyard at Harshaw

More spring flowers

Afternoon light delight

Polly suspiciously eyes a cow on the birding trail

Olá from Madeira Part II – Wine Tasting & Touring

“…in America Madeira was esteemed above all other wine..”
John Adams, from correspondence  Aug 1st 1783

The gorgeous old fort of Sao Tiago in Old Town, Funchal

Little did I know that when I tasted my first glass of Madeira last week I was stepping ~250 years back right into the shoes of the Founding Fathers. In fact not only was this wonderful wine a major import of the American Colonies in the 18th century, it was highly prized by every leading figure of the day and cemented history as the toast used at the signing of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. As such I may have entered Madeira naive and uneducated, but thanks to 7 full days of “research” and a local Wine Festival (that my internal alcoholic homing beacon just happened to pick-up -> with every single producer on the Island no less), I left feeling rather more qualified to drink the wine that’s helped to shape the country I RV in today (see how I managed to make that relevant to the blog….sneaky isn’t it?)

Fabulous Funchal as viewed from the Fortress Pico

But to understand the wine you’ve got to understand the island, so we’ll go a bit back to the beginning and start there. The Madeira Islands are volcanic archipelagoes that started forming ~14 million years ago. Settled in the early 15th century, the rich soil made the place a natural spot for agriculture. Initially a sugar-cane producer, wine eventually became the more profitable crop and by the 16th century was a major export of the island. 

Wine casks at Blandy's....yum!

The special taste of Madeira as we know it today, however, took a bit longer and like all great inventions was a total accident. You see wine has a habit of turning into vinegar on long sea voyages so to prevent that annoying trait, it was “fortified” with brandy. By happy chance it was discovered that months of subsequent voyage in the tropics churned the mixture into a most delicious beverage. Some enterprising island wine makers picked up on the idea and decided to mimic the whole deal at home by fermenting wine which was then exposed to both heat and partial oxidation, a totally unique method. Madeira wine was born and by the 18th century this exactly was how it was known worldwide.

Stepping into history. My dad and I taste a medium-dry Madeira

But as interesting as all this is wine is not the only thing of note on this Island. Because of the unique geology of Madeira Island (a warmer south side, cooler north and peaks up to 1862 meters (6107 ft)) it’s got a whole plethora of flora/fauna and interesting stuff to do. In our week here we managed to explore quite extensively and hit on several other gems. 

It’s not a spot for ”the beast”, but if you decide to ditch your RV and make the flight here’s my home-grown list of top 5 things to do:

1/ Explore Downtown Funchal

The fascinating & colorful door paintings in Old Town

There’s lots to do in the main “drag” of Madeira and most of it is best done by foot. 

• Wine Tour at Blandy’s - Did I mention the wine already? The best spot to take a tour is at the Blandy’s Wine Lodge where you’ll not only get to walk inside a giant barrel, but you’ll understand the 6 types of grapes and 4 types of Madeira (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet) produced on the Island. Oh, and taste them too!

The Monte Church

• Take the Cable Car – Hitch a ride on the Cable Car to the top of the mountain at Monte to check out the traditional Monte Toboggans, city views and the Monte Church.

• Walk the Old Town – Explore the Old Town on the east side by foot. Pop into the Story Center for some history, hike over to see the Fort Sao Tiago, check out some old churches, peruse the little alleys in the back to admire their unique door paintings and peek in at the indoor market (Mercado Dos Lavradores). Lots of other museums around.

A swan cools itself in the New Town park

• Explore New Town - Hike around bustling New Town and have an expresso at one of the many café’s. Also make sure to go further up the hill to Fortess Pico for one of the best views of Funchal (the hidden entrance is at Rua Du Castelo) as well as the 3 museums up there (Quinta Das Cruzes, Convento de Santa Clara and Museu Frederico De Freitas).

2/ Eat The Food

The local fare is a “must do” and there are a couple of specialities worth trying especially the Black Scabbard fish (espada) and the meat skewers (espetada). Stay away from the tourist-traps in the Old Town and look for restaurants in the small alleys behind New Town, and of course remember to pair with Madeira wine. The best meal we had all week was at Restaurant Dos Combattentes and I highly recommend at least one stop there.

3/ Take An Island Tour

Sis at the top of the dramatic sea-cliff Cabo Girao

It’s worth getting out of Funchal to explore the outer reaches of the Island. Madeira boasts the 2nd highest sea-cliff in the world (Cabo Girão), lovely fishing villages (Câmara de Lobos), gorgeous mountains, neat lava pools (Porto Moniz), waterfalls, traditional thatched houses(Santana) and local culture. The best bus tours (in my opinion) are the smaller mini-bus tours offered by Happy Tours (€15-25), but you can also rent a taxi for a day (~€100). If you only have time to do one tour take the West Tour, the most interesting by far.

4/ Go For A Hike

The whole family poses high in the west mountains

The levadas are extensive water-ways that were originally built criss-cross the island to provide irrigation to local farms. You can do levada hikes along these old waterways for over ~500 miles from super-easy to serious mountain climbs. Either take a guided tour or buy the hiking book and do them yourself.

5/ Do Some People Watching

The Cafe Do Teatro in downtown Funchal

Madeira has a great café culture and it’s so much fun to get into it. Lots of great cafés all around the island so go out and explore. For a great downtown vibe check in at the Café Do Teatro, and for a totally local hidden gem check out the Tea House in the old house at the  Centro Cívico Cultural de Santa Clara. For a nighttime drink try one of the rum concoctions at Number 2 (opposite the Madeira Carlton). Lots of other nightlife around.

And that, my friends, wraps up my Madeira visit. With the sadness that always accompanies a leaving, I say goodbye to a fabulous week in the Atlantic and head back to more adventures the RV. In the meantime I’ll remember my wonderful trip and all those colonists 250 years ago every time I taste a dram of that wonderful and unique Madeira wine.

P.S. For an extra little treat click on the video below for a sample of traditional Madeira folk music and dance

Sao Vicente church on the North side, considered one of the prettiest

The natural lava pools at Porto Muniz in the NE. Free swimming too!

Cod hanging to dry at the fishing village of Camara De Lobos

Funchal at sunset as seen from the canal on Avenida de Janeiro

The cable car over downtown Funchal

A madonna overlooking Porto Muniz

Traditonal Madeira Folk Dance(“Bailinho da Madeira”) from Paul Novell on Vimeo.

Trailer Food Gourmet – Austin, TX

The gourmet menu at Odd Ducks

So we were on our 3rd day in Austin and our quest for gastronomic indulgence had progressed. Having revelled in homestyle Texas BBQ (with several refills at home) we had now attained a mood for gourmet. Our guts were groaning for high society, delicate flavors and a je ne sais quois. Indeed, we were feeling decidedly…epicurean. Perhaps a roasted Quail with sweet-potato salad and soft-boiled duck egg, or perchance some Prime Rib with farm-fresh vegetables? What we wanted was flavour, indulgence, pizzazz, creativity and gourmet. In other words, we wanted it ALL, but being RVers, we wanted it without the black tie and wallet drain.  

Trey's Cuisine offering succulent kebab's

Obviously what we needed was a food trailer. Yes, believe it or not gourmet food comes down to the streets in Austin. We’d seen a show about it on The Food Network about a year ago, and the whole thing had fascinated us. Appealing to both our nomadic lifestyle and our stomachs, it was one of our main reasons for visiting this city.

Food trucks, of course, are nothing new. The history of mobile food dates back to traditional nomadic tribes with more modern versions coming in the form of field kitchens used during the various wars. The first motorized food carts (“mobile canteens“) evolved around WWII and spread quickly from there to serve local neighborhoods. From your local hot-dog stand in the US to kebabs in the UK or satay carts in Singapore everyone everywhere has tried one at some point in their lives. They’re fast, friendly and satisfy a quick urge.  

Creative doughnut offerings at Gourdough's in S.Lamar

But here in Austin they’ve taken on a totally new twist. Young chefs with budding ideas and limited capital have moved into trailers to deliver their creations. It’s spawned a rapidly growling and completely unique sub-culture of fine dining on the streets, and there’s literally no limits to what you can find.

The prime rib kabob from Trey's. Just delicious!

Our quest went to South Lamar and a little cluster of 3 trucks, Trey’s Cuisine (succulent kabobs), Odd Duck (specializing in farm to market gourmet-style cuisine) and Gourdough‘s (Donuts a-la-creative with every type of savory and sweet version you couldn’t imagine). Our prime rib kabob from Trey’s was perfect. Juicy meat, perfectly grilled vegetables and home-made sauce (the jalapeno-pesto was especially tasty). In the mood for Japanese, try Love Balls Bus or leaning towards Korean/Mexican, taste Chi’Lantro, or going all the way to African, dig into Cazemance. No matter what your penchant, you can find a place that serves it up street-style. There are literally hundreds of these delicious kitchens on wheels around and a few online guides to help you find your favorite:

• Austin Food Carts – Complete guide and map to finding your favorite trailer http://austinfoodcarts.com/
• Food Trailers in Austin – Blog and guide to the local scene http://www.foodtrailersaustin.com/

We’ve only just tasted the tip of the trailer food scene in Austin and plan on going back many more times before we leave. This is, most definitely, our kinda eating!

Beyond Farmer’s Markets (Sheep Thrills Farm, AZ)

Food is the ambrosia of the soul. 

They it’s what makes you, and certainly it feeds not only the stomach, but also the heart and mind. In Paul I found an epicurean soul-mate, so much so that we’ll often sit around and reminisce about the past in terms of meals. “oh, honey, it was the time we had that goat’s cheese and beet salad Mendicino”, or “that was the evening we had the truffle gnocchi in San Francisco”. At which point those moments will come flying back with crystal clarity accompanied by a soupcon of taste and a just a dash of appropriate drool. 

We’ve already touched on this flavourful subject in the blog here and here, but in Northern Arizona we took the study a step further. I’m always on the lookout for excellent ingredients and thanks to the wonder of Google and just a touch of luck I stumbled across Kathy and Sheep Thrills Farm. Kathy and Rob raise grass-fed Shetland sheep in their lovely farm on the natural wetlands of Kachina, just south of Flagstaff. For those not in the know, grass is exactly what these animals are meant to eat, and it’s a universe away from the grain-fed feedlot meat that we find in most of our supermarkets. Grass-fed meat is not only organic, it’s truly free-range and completely natural ontop of the fact that the animals help to sustain our ever-important topsoil. We’ve become quite passionate about it and will go far and wide to seek out this quality of humanely raised animals. 

We enjoyed several wonderful chats, exchanged life stories and had the joy of seeing Kathy’s animals roaming on her property as they’re meant to do. From her efforts we had a memorable roast, and the most delicious eggs from her pastured hens. Both will be events to remember from our stay in Munds. 

Here’s a link to Kathy’s blog on her farm:
http://sheepthrillsfarm.com/blog/ 

And, for those wanting to learn more about grass-fed meats, see here:
http://www.eatwild.com/ 

The ewes and lambs in Sheep Thrills Farm

Kathy and "sugar"

Procuring Food…and a story of love

It’s not everyday that you experience feelings of true love, but every now and then something comes into your life which sets off that giddy rush of emotion and puts you back into the babbling youth of your teenage years. 

Which aptly introduces our Walmart story.

As you may know Paul and I have been happily together for ~13 years now, but this week something struck which bought a third party into our relationship. It was, indeed, love at first sight.
Our eyes met….we were enraptured.
Our lips touched…we were enthralled.
And, after the fact we couldn’t stop thinking about each other.

You see, we had just discovered Lindt 90% chocolate at the local Walmart…a delicious, smooth, insanely chocolately concoction which had inspired the aforementioned rush of emotion.  Thankfully, both Paul and I share a love of good food, so bringing this little hot tamale into our lives was in no way a detriment to our relationship. In fact, food is such a significant part of our lives that we tend to have a rather “open” stance with it and spend a good deal of time both procuring, thinking about and preparing delicious meals. For, as we all know, you are what you eat, and may even think that way.

Which brings me to eating on the road. It’s actually not significantly different from eating at home except for a little research on where to get your stuff. Walmart is around everywhere and a fine establishment it is, but (apart from the chocolate and the love story) for the finer things in life we tend to go more local. The absolute best way to do this is with a farmer’s market. There’s almost always a local market wherever you go, and the produce sold is typically grown by the farmer him or herself. So, not only do you get access to very fresh veggies, but you also get to talk to the farmers, buy home-grown eggs and even pastured meat. In this way we’ve had fresh Chard in Santee, homemade pastured liver pate in Borrego Springs, and fresh eggs in Desert Hot Springs.

Several places to research your local market:

• Newspaper. Typically the local paper will list any local markets
• Internet. A quick and easy way. California keeps a list of all certified farmers markets here, and in Phenix there’s the Arizona Community Farmers Markets
• Your friendly local. The locals are almost “in the know” and can point you to the best produce. If they buy there and eat there, it should be good.

So, next time you buy try going local. Who knows, you may even fall in love all over again…

Fresh produce & gorgeous veggies

The night market at Palm Springs...food, produce and music too