Señor Murphy Candymaker – Santa Fe, New Mexico
There’s an ancient New Mexican cuento one of the Land of Enchantment’s most sacred traditions. The cuento recalls a Texan and his family driving through one of New Mexico’s piñon-studded forests. Seeing New Mexican families kneeling under piñon trees, he commented about how devout New Mexicans are. What he perceived as New Mexicans kneeling in prayer was actually New Mexicans kneeling on the ground to pick piñon. All across Northern New Mexico, piñon pickers can be seen on their hands and knees, taking part in a tradition spanning generations. It’s a laborious activity that brings entire families together. In the Land of Enchantment, piñon is as valuable as gold if not more, particularly in recent years when drought conditions have ravaged acres of piñon forests. Piñon trees produce good harvests every two to seven years or so with the best bounties being found at elevations between six and eight thousand feet. The roasted flavor of good piñon is intense–sweet with a subtle hint of pine that will transport your mind and taste buds to New Mexico’s pine forests. The rewards of a family’s efforts and the soreness of kneeling on the ground all day long are tiny nuts which will…
