Native Roadfood

Although this is the antithesis of international food, I didn't know where else to put it.

I was riding on Rt. 4 from Alburqueue to Jemez Springs (NM). I passed these road stands at Jemez Pueblo. I had seen them before during the week and thought it was a just a regular picnic area. However, today was Saturday and the stalls were all open. Inside were Native Americans from the Jemez Tribe selling real "roadfood": Fry Bread, Indian Tacos, Frito Pies, etc. Apparently they do this each weekend.

I was wondering if there are any other places in the US where you can get Native Roadfood? I was trying to imagine if they do this in the Pacific Northwest or in Minnesota or someplace. BTW, as a New Yorker I always "enjoyed" the native american area in The Hamptons (The Shinnecock Tribe) and in New Jersey (Rancocas, I think). But they never served any special foods. (popcorn?).

A very timely post. Thank you! We will be traveling from Albuquerque through Jemez to Farmington (my home town) this coming weekend. These vendors weren't around when I left New Mexico for Georgia 23 years ago. Having a Navajo taco (I know they are only called that around the Navajo Nation) is on my list of foods to eat while on this trip.

I will still be interested in hearing of other Native American foods around the country, also.

The Warm Springs Reservation near Madras, Oregon has a restaurant that serves excellent fry bread and Indian tacos.

in WA, outside of seattle, the tillamook indians cook salmon on a plank for the public.
they take you through a real longhouse and even put on a show.

Hello All,
I've attended a few pow-wows and they offer the Indian tacos, fry bread, corn soup,
buffalo burgers, and other things. I enjoyed the food.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

We second the Warm Springs reservation . . . and don't miss the museum!

I've never had the opportunity to try corn soup... what's it like?

quote:

Originally posted by Milt

A very timely post. Thank you! We will be traveling from Albuquerque through Jemez to Farmington (my home town) this coming weekend. These vendors weren't around when I left New Mexico for Georgia 23 years ago. Having a Navajo taco (I know they are only called that around the Navajo Nation) is on my list of foods to eat while on this trip.

I will still be interested in hearing of other Native American foods around the country, also.

Yes, this is a coincidence! I think you will enjoy these road stands.

I also discovered a cute spot in the town of Jemez Springs: Giggling Creek. It's a small private hot springs pool where you can hang out, rest on tubes or small rafts, swing on hammocks, and go in the river as a "cold plunge" (actually you can't go in the river just now - it's been raining like crazy here !!! and the river is too wild. Anyway, it's like $15/hr, and you've got to wear a bathing suit (....) but really fun experience.

Right across the river from the Leaping Lizard Cafe!

Hello All,
Tuke, the corn soup I had was much like a vegetable soup, with much more corn in it and chunks of beef.
What I loved was the corn was firmer and chewey. I think it was dried corn as opposed to canned corn.
I am sure tribes have different methods and ingredients, like every family makes a dish differently.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

The Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque has a cafe that serves Navajo tacos amongst other things.

FYI---the classic New England clambake IS native food---There is a great little book about it--if i remember correctly--there is a ceremoney that goes along with it which is all in the book--may be written for youth--but us older folks are allowed to learn too.

Fry Bread really isn't native american food, for that matter neither are Indian Tacos. Fry bread came about as a result of the supplies given to the native american peoples in the 1800's who were relocated to reservations, these supplies consisted of flour, lard, salt, and some sugar, which resulted in what we know today as fry bread. It was a poor nutritional substitute for what the people were used to eating, but it was filling.

As for Indian tacos, not many tribes had, tomatoes, garlic, onions,cheese, salsa, lettuce, hamburger, etc. any or all of which one might find on and "INDIAN TACO".

To find real native foods,try pemmican, bison, venison, berries, hares, ground animals, pine nuts, maize, etc. or as others have stated the foods on the northeast and northwest coasts will be your most authentic, as will be the foods of the real Seminoles. It is important to remember that many of the plains native americans, and other tribal members from the interior of the United States were moved to differeent parts of the countrty. One of the reasons was to isolate them, and another reason was to move them out of areas in which they were familiar, and into areas that would not sustain them in thy way to which they were accustomed

The Museum of the Americn Indian on the Mall in DC has an excellent restaurant serving food inspired by traditional native foods. And Indian tacos!

The Museum is beautiful too!
Cathy

In Minnesota I can't recall seeing the Native Americans selling roadfood but they are very well known for harvesting Wild Rice. You can buy locally grown wild rice in the grocery store (and other touristy places like the Mall of America).

quote:

Originally posted by Milt

A very timely post. Thank you! We will be traveling from Albuquerque through Jemez to Farmington (my home town) this coming weekend. These vendors weren't around when I left New Mexico for Georgia 23 years ago. Having a Navajo taco (I know they are only called that around the Navajo Nation) is on my list of foods to eat while on this trip.

I will still be interested in hearing of other Native American foods around the country, also.

I too lived in Farmington, NM during the early 1980's. I always enjoyed stopping by the airport's bar after work, and ordering a beer and some rockey mountain oysters. What ever happened to rockey mountain oysters? Can't find them anywhere anymore. I also enjoyed eating a good bowl of NM green chili.

LJM

In N.M. if you are traveling from Alamogordo to Ruidoso on 70 there is a roadside stand on the right around Mescalero. They have burgers and such but they also have Indian Tacos(I know not authentic) and green and red chili.

joe

Any of the several Reservations here in AZ have the Fry Bread, chili, tacos fare. Persoally not a big fan of the stuff.

Fry Bread (aka Smoke Signals "Fry Bread Power) may get a bit much, but what about good old plain oven bread from the hornos on the reservation? A bit of butter and mmmm

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Fry Bread (aka Smoke Signals "Fry Bread Power) may get a bit much, but what about good old plain oven bread from the hornos on the reservation? A bit of butter and mmmm

Yes! I've had this at the Taos Pueblo.

quote:

Originally posted by kland01s

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Fry Bread (aka Smoke Signals "Fry Bread Power) may get a bit much, but what about good old plain oven bread from the hornos on the reservation? A bit of butter and mmmm

Yes! I've had this at the Taos Pueblo.

Yes, and the best is, you can usually buy it at the gas stations just off I-25 at Santa Domingo and San Felipe Pueblos! Even better is the little area just next to the gas station at Santa Domingo where the Natiive American sell thier jewelry (at good prices). Sometimes there is a family that brings their pickup truck and sells horno fresh bread and cookies and fruit pies right in the lot!

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

quote:

Originally posted by kland01s

quote:

Originally posted by NYNM

Fry Bread (aka Smoke Signals "Fry Bread Power) may get a bit much, but what about good old plain oven bread from the hornos on the reservation? A bit of butter and mmmm

Yes! I've had this at the Taos Pueblo.

Yes, and the best is, you can usually buy it at the gas stations just off I-25 at Santa Domingo and San Felipe Pueblos! Even better is the little area just next to the gas station at Santa Domingo where the Natiive American sell thier jewelry (at good prices). Sometimes there is a family that brings their pickup truck and sells horno fresh bread and cookies and fruit pies right in the lot!

I haven't been back to New Mexico in 2 years, you're starting to make me "homesick"! Love the food and the blue blue skies!

Wild rice grows abundantly here in Manitoba but it is reserved for Natives to harvest only. It's good stuff and not technically "rice" but a type of grass.

Bannock is a traditional native flat bread here which is baked. Blueberries and saskatoons, bison meat and smoked gold eye are more traditional aboriginal favorites.