Green Chil Day, Roast Beef Sandwiches, Calabicitas & Melon with Ice Cream for dessert

Yesterday was a busy day - Thanks to Mary Ellen and Natalia - we plowed through processing two sacks of Big Jim - Green Chile. My day began bright and early and I was the second person at the market and chile roasting at Lowes Market. Allowing for steam time - we sat down at the table, surgical gloves on, bowls of rinse water at the ready and lots of empty bowls for the peeled chile. Lots of chit chat and good music kept us motivated. Natalia (thank you), when all the chile were done being peeled, Nat - took the position of "official chopper" to my exact requirements (small), while Mary Ellen and I filled snack baggies and quickly got them into the freezer. Thanks again guys....

A couple hours of rest and on to welcome Richard and Nathan for dinner. That morning at 6:00 am I had put a boef roast into the slow cooker - on low and periodically flipped it through out the busy day - it sat on a bed of chopped onion, sliced fresh tomato, and fresh picked New Mexico apples. The aroma saturated the house, yummy - the plan was to shred and make sandwiches. More of the glorious vine ripened home grown tomatoes sliced and readied for garnish, as well as some fresh lettuce, and goat cheese to top it all off (thanks for the Sage Bakery Farm Round - Richard). As a side I felt it appropriate to include some chile dish - and calabacitas alla Alice Tapia - young "mexican squash" (really - juvenile winter squash), corn off the cobb, a bag of (fresh green chili), onion, a little heavy cream and topped with Mozzarella cheese at the last moment. Richard was kind as to say - "they made his TOP 10" of calabicitas he'd had. If you desire the recipe please email me - gilltapia@yahoo.com. As our finale we had fresh (home grown) heirloom melon, diced and served over vanilla ice cream with a little bit of port over the entire thing - Smiles were on all of our faces.

And finally - the last image - was Richard's show and tell - this little beauty was raised at Jemez Pueblo and was gifted to him via his Mother - in - law. If anyone out there knows what variety of squash this may be please comment or email. It sure is a beauty - we are gonna leaf through Amy Goldman's "The Compleat Squash" later. Additionally if anyone would like some Marina de Chiogga - Winter Squash seeds - let me know and with your SASE - I'll send some your way.

Now Nathan and I are off to Pecos for some mountainous re-charge and fly fishing.