SE Utah, Spring 2021 ~ Create

For most anyone who has ever tried it, fry bread quickly becomes an addiction. Though deep fried, it is surprisingly light, airy and delicious. We tried Fry Bread Tacos both on Navajo Land, and in Moab, and they didn’t disappoint either time.

I am always on the lookout for Native American recipes and foods, because it allows us to engage another sense in experiencing the places we visit throughout the Americas. And, in my mind, this is the truest, most authentic way to understand any new place we discover. Sadly, many recipes and ingredients are lost to Native American displacement, genocide (we’ll call it what it is) and commercial agriculture, but there are still opportunities to learn more about them, bring them back, and celebrate the authentic flavors of the places we visit or inhabit.

I was lucky to have scored a beautifully-illustrated book Foods of the Americas, Native Recipes and Traditions at one of our local shops about a year ago, and learned a lot about special ingredients like cattail, buffalo, juniper berries, and different cooking techniques. So, I was well-prepared to make these Indian Tacos, or Fry Bread Tacos, which included Sonoran-Style Beef Deshebrada, Fresh Mexican Tomato Salsa, Corn and Chayote Relish, Guacamole, and of course, the Fry Bread. We added a bottle of red wine we picked up at the Castle Creek Winery in Moab, and our very inspired meal was ready.