Call it locavore culinary tourism at its finest.
The Salsa Trail is a route that meanders through parts of Cochise,
Greenlee and (primarily) Graham counties. Along that route, food-lovers
will find friendly folks, a beautiful countryside, a wealth of Arizona
history and Mexican food that rivals any found in the Old Pueblo.
The route is the brainchild of Bill Civish, the chairman of the
Graham County Visitor and Tourism Council. Civish always believed that
the area had some of the best Mexican food, well, anywhere.
While attending a conference on how to promote local tourism, he heard
the term “culinary tourism” and realized that Graham County was a
culinary gold mine waiting to be discovered.
“We have all of these wonderful restaurants; we have to find a way
to market them,” he remembers saying.
And marketing them, they are. People now come from all over the
United States to travel the trail. Articles have been written in
everything from AZ Tourist News to The New York Times.
The trail even has a mascot, “Señor Salsa,” who sports a
moustache, a sombrero, a serape and an ever-present bowl of salsa.
In September, which Gov. Jan Brewer proclaimed Arizona Salsa Trail
Month, the area celebrated Salsa Fest 2009, a gathering complete with
salsa contests, live music, jalapeño-eating contests,
salsa-eating contests and chile roasting.
There was some initial reluctance to the Salsa Trail idea by several
participants, Civish notes; after all, businesses can be wary of
joining forces with competitors. However, that concern has been erased
by the success of the Salsa Trail.
Today, there are 15 members that include a tortilla factory, a
chile-growing company, six restaurants in Safford and one each in
Thatcher, Pima, Solomon, York, Duncan, Clifton and Willcox.
The salsa in these parts tends to differ from much of the salsa
found in Tucson; it somehow seems fresher, and thicker and creamier in
texture. Apparently, it has something to do with the water resulting in
a thicker skin on the locally grown chiles. (Of course, since the skins
are usually removed during roasting, this could be merely a good story
to tell visitors.)
Each restaurant has its own “secret” recipe for salsa. In fact,
several of the places have more than one.
Salsa Fiesta, the only trail stop in Cochise County, has
seven or so different versions at the salsa bar. The flavors run from
mild to hot to picante, and may include specialties such as chipotle
tomatillo.
Safford, a mix of modern America and old-fashioned charm, is the
epicenter of the Salsa Trail, since more than half of the participants
are located there. Highway 70, which cuts right through town, is filled
with hotels, motels, gas stations, big-box stores, churches and every
chain restaurant imaginable.
By contrast, a mere block or so away is historic Main Street,
complete with a charming town square. Local businesses line the street
and run the gamut from a thrift shop to a barber shop (and, of course,
several Salsa Trail restaurants). Flowers hang in baskets from
streetlights. People walk slowly as they window-shop, often stopping to
chat with friends and neighbors.
Most of the Mexican food offered is Sonoran-style, but being so
close to New Mexico, one can’t help but feel the influence.
“Some of the cooks have been there for 20-years plus, and the
recipes have been there even longer,” says Marie Freestone, the
membership coordinator for the Graham County Chamber of Commerce, about
the restaurants on the trail.
Chris Gibbs, owner of the Olney House, a local historic bed and
breakfast, says the food offered in the area is simple but wonderful.
“We have Mexican restaurants, all mom-and-pop places with wonderful
meals. There are no pretenses about what they do.”
One of the restaurants on Main Street, El Coronado, has the
look and feel of a good old-fashioned diner, complete with counter
service and blue-vinyl-lined booths. It is owned by Mary Coronado, the
2007 Salsa Fest Recipe Champion. (She won both the People’s Choice and
Judges’ Choice.) The stand-out dish is the huevos rancheros. The eggs,
done any way you want, are served atop a corn tortilla and then
smothered in that award-winning salsa. It holds just the right amount
of kick. Add a side of either home fries or traditionally refried
beans, and it is heaven on a plate.
Just down the street is El Charro, which claims to be “the
oldest continuously owned and operated restaurant in the Gila Valley.”
(It’s not part of the Tucson chain with the same name.) Here, you’ll
find not one house salsa, but three: the original, which “has been
served since 1979″; the chile caribe, a thicker, spicier version; and
the flaming-hot jalapeño, whose name says it all.
The menu offers all the usual Mexican items: enchiladas, tacos,
refried beans, etc. But then there are three local specialties: French
fries enchilada style, the chalaca and something called The Big Daddy.
(See the info box.)
By the way, being asked whether you want “red or green” is a regular
thing in these parts: Red means beef, and green usually has pork in
it.
Another unique menu item can be found at Gi’mee’s in the town
of York on Highway 75. Be warned: Finding Gi’mee’s can be tough. But
the effort is worth it, if only to experience the chile relleno. This
dish has been described as “more like a crepe” by the kitchen staff,
and that’s exactly what these peppers are, right on down to their
golden-brown, frilly edges. Filled either with cheese or green chili
and covered with cheese, then popped under the broiler for bit, this is
a luscious, savory relleno like no other. Word has it that Gi’mee’s
offers pretty good steaks, too.
Tasty American food can also be found. In fact, Bush and
Shurtz, in the sleepy farming town of Pima, and P.J.’s, in
Clifton, are both known for their juicy burgers. P.J.’s also owns some
bragging rights regarding their great enchiladas.
One must-stop is the San Simon Chile Company, which grows
many of the chiles used in all that salsa. Oddly, the chiles are not
grown in the area. Instead, owner Jane Wyatt has fields and fields of
chiles growing in the community of San Simon, a tiny spot near the New
Mexico border. Wyatt, who comes from a long line of growers, loves to
talk chiles. “There’s a world of depth of flavor between sun-dried
(chiles) and whatever you get in the store,” she says, pointing out a
flatbed of bright-red chiles drying in the yard. She also roasts them
in season.
Also in Safford is the Mi Casa Tortilla Factory, located on
the edge of downtown. Here, you can purchase freshly made flour or
whole-wheat tortillas, white-corn tortillas, dried chiles, masa and a
full range of accoutrements needed to make your own Mexican fare.
Hilda’s Kitchen and Market in Duncan is both the town market
and a restaurant, of sorts, although you order at a counter in the back
of the store. Locals come by and order quarts of red and green chili to
take home.
Other restaurants in Safford include Chalo’s, part of a
family of restaurants found statewide that share many of the same
recipes; Casa Mañana, which still has some of the recipes
served by the original owner, including a red-onion sauce that is
served with the relleno; the Manor House and Rock ‘n Horse
Saloon whose owner and chef, Mary Lou Krieg, won the Professional
Salsa champion at the recent Salsa Fest; and Taco Taste, the
smallest eatery, complete with a drive-through window. The specialty
there is the super taco burro—with crushed corn chips, taco meat,
cheese and lettuce.
In Thatcher, whose town line abuts Safford, is La Casita
Café. The recipes here are longtime family favorites.
La Paloma, in Solomon, has recently reopened with the
original owners at the helm. Folks in the area are thrilled.
To get a taste of the Salsa Trail, you can purchase Arizona’s
Salsa Trail: A Foodie’s Guide to Culinary Tourism, by Christine
Maxa. The book gives a complete overview along with 37 mouth-watering
recipes from the restaurants and famous locals. It is available on the
Web site, along with T-shirts, hats, magnets and—of
course—salsa.
“This is not five-star dining,” Civish explains. “Folks are going to
walk away more with the feeling of the friendly people.”
He is certainly right, but the Salsa Trail is something to treasure
and should be put on any foodies’ to-do list.
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.
