In August 2008, I teamed up with folklorist Maribel Alvarez and ethnobotanist and food/foodways advocate Gary Nabhan to create Sabores Sin Fronteras or Flavors Without Borders. Conceived as a regional, bi-national, multicultural alliance of farmers, ranchers, historians, food writers, folklorists, artists and activists, Sabores works to document, celebrate and conserve farming and food folkways that span the U.S-Mexico borderlands.
Loosely modeled after the Southern Foodways Alliance in Oxford, Mississippi, Sabores aims to bring together people who celebrate and work to preserve our local foods and foodways traditions. Much like the inspiring founders of the Southern Foodways Alliance, we believe that food and “time at the table” are inherently fun and festive and can open doors to shared experience and reconciliation.Sabores’ main focal areas include: 1) collaborative cross-border field studies and documentation; 2) culinary practices and agri-tourism; 3) publications (print, web, audio, video, etc.); and 4) events (symposia; food-related dance, music, and literary performances; festivals; hands-on workshops; etc.).
Currently, I am working with Josh Schachter to document the work of progressive ranchers along the U.S.-Mexico border and create multi-media stories of their work. We are also currently conceptualizing and designing a mobile museum/taco truck that will share stories and information about borderlands beef, Sonoran wheat tortillas, and wild chiltepin chiles (the basic ingredients of the region’s much-loved carne asada taco).
Learn more about Sabores and upcoming events through the Sabores Sin Fronteras blog.