Fabulous Fifty State Tour - New Mexico and Bizcochitos

"I should have taken that left turn at Albuquerque." Who hasn't heard that statement? Heck, I've even used it just to say that I've screwed something up. Well, while Bugs was tunneling his way to Pismo Beach and missing his turn at Albuquerque, he was missing out on the lovely state of New Mexico.

The Land of Enchantment should be called the "land of dinosaurs" because some of the dino all-stars like T-Rex, Triceratops and Torosaurus used to call the area home (though none of them are the state dinosaur; that would be Coelophysis - yes, I have a young son into dinos.)

Former Prez candidate Bill Richardson hails from NM and there are names o'plenty of folks that called NM home; Judy Blume, Georgia O'Keefe, Jim Morrison, Greer Garson, Billy the Kid, Kathy Bates and even John Denver (go figure).

Santa Fe, the capital, averages three hundred days of sunshine a year. Yep, 300. That's a bit too much cancer potential for me, but plenty of folks can rally around blue skies and sunny days for darn near the whole year. It's also the highest capital city in the US, so take that Denver. Plus, along the lines of "who is buried in Grant's tomb", Sante Fe is also the end of the 800 mile long Sante Fe trail.

You'd think with Roswell in its midst, I'd have looked for a sci-fi type recipe like green alien cupcakes or something, but nope, we have an official State Cookie to try: the Bizcochito.

This butter cookie is flavored with cinnamon and anise that is supposed to melt in your mouth. The "Mexican wedding cookies" that pop up from time to time are a version of bizcochitos, utilizing powdered sugar to give the cookies an all-white appearance. The traditional version uses lard, which I just can't get behind using it in my cooking. I know, it gives a flakier texture but I'll defer to Crisco, thanks just the same. What's Cooking America.net has a non-lard version to try or you can go old school and go with Cakespy's version.

I have to love a state that has an official state cookie. That's a place that has its priorities right. Insect? Gem? Flower? Forget about it - give me a cookie any day. Land of Enchantment indeed.