Many of my recipes use traditional Mexican and Southwest ingredients which have their roots in Native American foods. They include the freshest ingredients including garden fresh vegetables, herbs and spices. Roasting foods over an open fire brings out amazing, rustic flavors redolent with a smokiness that brings out authentic southwest aromas.

I encourage richly seasoning foods, not holding back including carefully bringing up savory saltiness which many people omit. Salt also balances out and draws natural flavors forward and also causes flavors to marry which makes southwest foods tasty otherwise the food tends to be bland or stark. Your food should always be savory and finger licking good when brought to table. This also means onions, garlic, herbs and chiles which bring fresh chopped pungency. There should be carmelization and blackened bits on your meats and vegetables. Corn or flour tortillas and fry bread should be fresh and toasty from cooking surface to hungry hands. Fresh fruit drinks and various dishes should never sit overnight. Serve them as soon as you make them to capture fresh picked flavors.