Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather
to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, latte in the other, body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “Woo Hoo, what a ride!”
– Motto to Live By
What struck me most about this motto was not the profundity of its words, but their placement–on a placard hanging directly above a glass pastry case showcasing some of the most delicious fudge in the state. It seems somehow appropriate that the motto hover above gourmet fudge like a radiant halo. This is fudge crafted with imagination and flair. It is luscious and decadent, extremely rich and thoroughly delicious. It is a perfect gift for yourself and for someone you love.
The San Antonio General Store is across the street and catty-corner from the world-famous Buckhorn Tavern and separated by a short parking lot from the equally world-famous Owl Cafe. There may be nothing better in the entire world than a green chile cheeseburger from either of the village’s world-famous purveyors of burger perfection followed by fudge warranting the overused “enchanted” adjective.
From the outside, the San Antonio General Store may not warrant a second glance. It looks like a two-pump gas station in a small, rural New Mexico village–and indeed, motorized conveyances of all kinds drive up and fill up. If you expect the heady smell of stale gas and oily rags to follow you into the store, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Like many small town country stores, the San Antonio General Store has a little bit of everything to provision locals and hungry sojourners. There are aisles of shelves well stocked with savory and sweet snacks of all types as well as well-lit refrigerators showcasing America’s favorite cold carbonated beverages. Small town general stores like this one aren’t slaves to either Coke or Pepsi products and are at liberty to proffer fruity soft drinks such as Big Red, my favorite.
There are a couple of tables, too. This is where diners sit to partake of Dreyer’s ice cream and we’re not talking about something you pluck out of a refrigerator and unwrap. This is the good stuff–scooped out of tubs and served in cups. It’s slow churned ice cream renown for its rich creaminess. The San Antonio General Store has a surprising variety of flavors available.
The tables come in handy for guests who can’t wait to sink their teeth into one of the store’s deli sandwiches. Constructed of sundry cold cuts, meats and cheeses, these sandwiches are popular take-out items among nature lovers making the short trek to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. From the rudimentary chicken salad sandwich to a complex sandwich arrangement, there’s something for everyone.
Ice cream and deli sandwiches not withstanding, the main attraction at the San Antonio General Store is the homemade fudge. It’s old-fashioned fudge made the way it should be made–with real sugar, real cream and real butter. It makes for really great fudge, the best in the Land of Enchantment great!
In 2007, Sarah Karnasiewicz, senior editor of Saveur, trekked back to New Mexico where she lived for a number of years to rediscover some of the Land of Enchantment’s best “filling stations,” service stations in which you can actually find food that is not only fit for human consumption, it’s quite good, too. She observed that, “we know of no other state in the Union where you can so consistently find such tasty cooking along the asphalt byways, often steps from the gas pumps.”
One of the filling stations to which Sarah ventured was the San Antonio General Store whose fudge she described as a “siren song to truckers and day-trippers alike.” The fudge maven is Ann Lund, a Danish transplant to New Mexico who purchased the store in 2004. That purchase included the previous owner’s carefully guarded recipes as well as hands-on training to ensure continuity in the making of the village’s legendary fudge. It took Lund about six months to get it right. Perfection takes time.
If perfection has a taste, it might taste like the pure milk chocolate fudge or maybe the oh-so-wonderful chocolate walnut fudge. You might find it in the chewy peanut butter fudge or the luscious Rocky Road fudge where nuts and fluffy marshmallow combine to raise the standards of perfection.
The village of San Antonio is almost indisputably New Mexico’s epicenter for green chile cheeseburger perfection, but a visit to Ann Lund’s San Antonio General Store and memories and dreams of your visit may center around the best fudge you’re likely to ever have.
San Antonio General Store
Us Hwy 380
San Antonio, New Mexico
(575) 835-4594
Web Site
LATEST VISIT: 7 April 2017
# OF VISITS:8
RATING: 22
COST: $
BEST BET: Rocky Road Fudge, Amaretto Fudge, Milk Chocolate Fudge, Chocolate Walnut Fudge, Praline Fudge, Pistachio Fudge, Peanut Butter Fudge, Salted Caramel Fudge
I’ll have to stop in for fudge next time we go up to Albuquerque to visit the in-laws. I’ve never given that place a second glance, but now I will.
Thanks. Will have to add this to my Tourist Info Gab when learning a Guest to NM is heading south when I suggest the BH or Owl. When yaking about it being the birthplace on Conrad I have to separate the Q-tips from the Millennials in saying its the birthplace of CH or, for the latter, the great-grandfather of Paris Hilton. ):-)
Was in your store in November 2010, going to Bosque. All the way from Maine, where I am as I write this. Looking forward to my next trip down to the wilderness areas. Next time it will probably be to the Gila Wilderness area and White Sands (again). So I’ll stop in again and have some more of that fudge that is just outstanding and that friendliness…….thanks and looking forward to stopping in.
We stopped in after lunch at the Owl. I was delighted to find the Carrizozo cherry cider I had enjoyed every summer of my childhood in gallon jugs. What a treat to share that with my teens! Next trip through we’ll be sure to try the fudge.
Outstanding fudge. Great find, Gil. I never would have stopped here after dinner if it weren’t for your blog!
hi i used to live there my grand parents live so very close and my mom used to work at the buckhorn, we moved to washington state…..i miss my new mexico…trust me people go there..its beautiful friendly peaceful and the food is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stopped in for some fudge after a discovering the Buckhorn was closed and had to settle for Owl instead. The fudge sweetened the whole trip. Two thumbs up from my son who loves fudge of any flavor. He sampled as many flavors as he could and let me tell you these were not any bitty size samples. He probably ate a pound of fudge just in the samples. Super friendly service.
Geel,
I had a scoop of ice cream there – sugar free butter pecan. IT was delish – and a huge amount for only $1.30. The biggest single scoop I have ever seen.
Beel