Santa Fe Unlimited | Santa Fe A to Z: A Glossary of Terms, Definitions and Descriptions of Everything Santa Fe

Taos Pueblo
Home to the Tewa people for close to 1,000 years, the original buildings of the Taos Pueblo are the longest continuously inhabited structures in the United States. An historic treasure, the Pueblo is home to 150 Taos Indians, while another 1,900 live in more contemporary housing on Taos Pueblo land. Probably the most visited pueblo in New Mexico, a trip to this sacred place offers the most authentic look at the lifestyle of the ancient pueblo peoples. (~Aimee)
See more about the Eight Northern New Mexico Indian Pueblos
See our special feature on Taos Pueblo on Taos Unlimited

Tamale
A tamale (in Spanish, “tamal”) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of steam-cooked corn dough (masa) with or without a filling. The most common filling is pork, but chicken is also used, in either red or green salsa or mole. Tamales can also be filled with cheese, sliced chiles, or other ingredients. The tamale is wrapped in a corn husk before cooking. Tamales are a favorite dish in Mexico, but it takes several hours to prepare and cook them. In Northern New Mexican cities and towns, many locals market their homemade tamales in shopping areas and supermarket parking lots. For those who love tamales, but don’t have the time or skill to prepare them, this is an easy way for them to enjoy the classic Mexican treat. (~Jean)

The taquito or "little taco" is truly a delicious snack.

The taquito or "little taco" is truly a delicious snack.

Taquito
A taquito (in Spanish meaning “little taco”) is a Mexican dish, consisting of a small rolled-up tortilla and some sort of filling, usually beef or chicken. The filled tortilla is then crisp-fried. Corn tortillas are generally used to make taquitos. Flautas, a variation of this dish, are commonly made using wheat flour tortillas, but the name, taquito, is sometimes applied to both types. Simple, but extremely tasty, taquitos are usually served on a bed of shredded lettuce, with salsa and guacamole. In America, taquitos are very popular as a frozen food, and they are also sold in convenience stores as a quick-to-pick-up pre-heated snack. (~Jean)

Tesuque Pueblo
Located just nine miles north of Santa Fe, Tesuque Pueblo has the most intimate relationship to the state capital, and is therefore probably the most recognizable of the Eight Northern New Mexican Indian Pueblos. Seventeen-thousand acres of piñon-covered hills and extraordinary red-rock formations (including the famous “Camel Rock”) is home to 450 Tewa people. One of the most traditional of all New Mexican pueblos, its feast days and annual dances are open to the public, but photography is strictly prohibited. The Pueblo owns and operates the Camel Rock Casino and Hotel, and the highly popular Tesuque Pueblo Flea Market. The nearby picturesque, wooded village of Tesuque is home to people from all walks of life. (~Jean)
See more about the Eight Northern New Mexico Indian Pueblos

Tomatillo
The tomatillo is a plant of the Solanaceae family, related to tomatoes. It bears small, spherical green or green-purple fruit. Tomatillos, referred to as “green tomato” (in Spanish “tomate verde”) in Mexico, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by a paper-like husk. As the fruit matures, it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest time. The husk turns brown, and the fruit will be a variety of colors when ripe: yellow, red, green, or even purple. Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh and cooked Latin American green sauces. Even though tomatillos are sometimes referred to as "green tomatoes" (as mentioned above), they should not be confused with actual green, unripe tomatoes. (~Jean)

Tumbleweeds mass at a field fence outside Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tumbleweeds mass at a field fence outside Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tumbleweed
The above-ground part of a plant that has died, separates from the root and tumbles away in the wind, tumbleweeds are an icon of the Old West. Usually, the tumbleweed is the entire plant apart from the roots, but in a few species it is a flower cluster. As the tumbleweed is blown around, it disperses its seed. This is most common in desert areas. (~Aimee)

Sam Elliott, star of "Connagher."

A Bit of Tumbleweed Movie Trivia: In the film "Connagher," Katherine Ross is a widow living in the Old West, who is so lonely, she attaches notes and bits of poetry to tumbleweeds. Many of them are found and collected by Sam Elliott, an acquaintance of hers. Unbeknownst to them both, they fall in love with each other through their interaction, as well as through the notes. (~Aimee)

Pictured top to bottom:
1} Taos Pueblo; 2} Taquitos or "little tacos"; 4} Tumbleweeds pile up along a barbed wire fence in Northern New Mexico