by Maria Manuela on
THE TOWERING PECAN TREES in southern New Mexico have grown near the Río Grande for more than 100 years. Many are attributed to Fabián García, the first director of the New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station, who planted the trees in Mesilla around 1913. Today, they support a network of farmers who have cultivated the nuts for generations.
“Doña Ana County is the number one pecan-producing county in the United States,” says Kristen Worthington, president of the Las Cruces Pecan Festival, which takes place April 12–14. Worthington moved to New Mexico seven years ago after buying a pecan farm. She learned how to care for the trees and harvest the nuts during a three-day class at New Mexico State University. But after a year of selling her crop, she discovered a broader calling. “We decided to put in a shelling plant to help small farmers in the area,” Worthington says. “I started making products with the pecans, and then I decided we should put on a festival.”
The inaugural event features live music, cooking competitions, a kids’ Pecan Hunt, and plenty of vendors. “I can’t wait to show off another thing that makes New Mexico great,” Worthington says. Here are three ways she uses pecans.
Pecan milk. “It’s very easy to make,” says Kristen Worthington, who uses it to create lotions and soaps. “You can also use it for sauces and in coffee. It has a nice sweet flavor.”
Pecan tacos. “Pecans make a great meat substitute,” says Worthington, who paired the nuts with mushrooms for her recipe. “I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but I made them one night for my family, and all of the pecan tacos were gone. Everyone loved them.”
Pecan oil. “People haven’t heard much about it, but pecan oil is lower in saturated fat than olive oil,” she says. “It’s really healthy and tastes phenomenal.”
PECAN MUSHROOM TACOS
NEW MEXICO RENAISSANCE CELTIC FESTIVAL
April 5-7
Enjoy three days of Renaissance fun at Edgewood’s Wildlife West Nature Park with jousting, sword dancing, Viking history, a time traveler’s celebration, pirates, and entertainers from around the world.
SAN JUAN COLLEGE INTERTRIBAL POWWOW
April 6
Traditional dancers from several tribes and pueblos perform at this spring benefit powwow organized by the Native American Center on the Farmington college campus.
SOUTHWEST CHOCOLATE & COFFEE FEST
April 6-7
The annual event brings more than 200 vendors and six stages, featuring cooking demos, live music, and cooking competitions, to Albuquerque’s Expo New Mexico.
¡MIRA! FESTIVAL
April 27
Explore food, outdoor fun, and arts and culture at the second-annual spring festival in Las Cruces.
TOUR OF THE GILA
April 24-28
Now in its 37th year, the five-day cycling event draws worldwide elite pro and amateur teams that bike routes through and around Silver City.
GET DOWN
Mark the calendar for these can’t-miss concerts.
SPRING FEST WITH ICE CUBE, RIO RANCHO
April 5
ROCK THE BLOCK WITH LOS LONELY BOYS, ROSWELL
April 6
THE WAILERS, SANTA FE
April 12
RODNEY ATKINS, PORTALES
April 27