New Mexico postcard#3

Today is a shopping day in Taos. We began at the Farmer's Market, the last one of the year.

 The great thing about this Farmer's Market is that ALL the vendors are also the growers, bakers, or artisans.  Here is a bean farmer. She and her husband thresh the dried pinto and red beans right off their truck

 These radishes are as big as beets.












Then we went ristra shopping. A ristra is a clump of red peppers woven together  to be hung from the rafters. I suspect they originally were functional, simply a convenient way to dry and store the peppers essential to  New Mexico cuisine, but now have achieved iconic status as a New Mexico symbol. Between Jonathan and me, we purchased five ristras -- for home in Taos and California, and for gifts.

These cheerful sunshine faces greeted us at the back of the ristra vendor.Just one more sunny day in Taos.