A spicy aroma flowed out the classroom and permeated every corner of the building. Students and teachers sniffed the air. Santa Fe week returned to home economics, Oct. 30-Nov. 3.

Santa Fe week originated in 2005 when home ec. teacher, Sharon Scharf, taught students to make corn tortillas, fine roasted chile peppers and red and green chile sauces.

She got the idea from classes she took from the Santa Fe School of Cooking. This year she added chile rellenos and sopaipillas with honey to the menu.

?I wanted to teach the students about food from other U. S. cultures, and how to make those foods on their own. The foods we made were simple, so the students could have made the dishes themselves,? Scharf said. When I bring an enthusiasm to teaching this culture, they can carry it into their own life.?

The Santa Fe is a mixture of many different food styles and nationalities. In 1540 Spanish settlers invaded the Native Americans that inhabited the area and have influenced them ever since. They brought with them their ideas about food. When the Spanish lost control of Santa Fe, Americans and Europeans also entered, adding their food style. The result is a cuisine that is completely unique.

?It?s something different than our own Californian Mexican culture,? Scharf said. ?It adds variety to class. It is not just plain Mexican, but a mixture of Native American and Spanish.?

For example, Santa Fe has a special tradition regarding chile sauces. When customers order in a restaurant, the waiter asks; ?red or green?? This refers to what kind of sauce the customer prefers. If he wants both, he replies; ?Christmas!?

?The green sauce is my favorite,? Brian Kaiser, ?07, said. ?But I like the red too. My favorite part of this week was making the corn tortillas. They?re really good.?

The Santa Fe School of Cooking has been in business for 17 years and sells a variety of food products as well as giving classes. They offer a wide selection of hot peppers, gift baskets and cooking tools for purchase.

?I really enjoyed Santa Fe week,? Cydney Curtis, ?09, said. ?It was pretty easy to cook the food and I think I could have done it on my own. My favorite thing was the chile relleno. It tasted good and was easy to make. I look forward to participating in Santa Fe week next year.?

The next ?big? event in home ec. is the nine-foot burrito on Nov. 16.

For more information visit www.santafeschoolofcooking.com or [email protected].