The White Dove Of The Desert

If you read my last post “Stumbled Upon“, you might have been wondering who Father Kino was. He was an Italian Jesuit Missionary, geographer, cartographer and astronomer, born in 1645. The last 24 years of his life he spent in “New Spain” or what is now present day Mexico, Arizona and California. He is credited with establishing 24 missions and small chapels in these areas. One that he started but never finished was San Xavier Del Bac, just outside of Tucson on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Father Kino laid the foundation for the mission in 1692, but the construction of the present day Mission wasn’t started until the early 1700’s and finished in 1797. The White Dove Of The Desert as it is known today rises above the cactus and can be seen for miles by those traveling along the interstate.

San Xavier Mission is the oldest European structure in Arizona and still has its original murals and statuary. It is a remarkable piece of the Baroque style of architecture of New Spain, and is actually considered to be “The Finest” example of Spanish Colonial building in the United States. You are transported to the 18th century once you walk through the doors. The mission has remained almost exactly as it was in earlier days. The fact that the mission is still serving the community after all these years is another testament to Father Kino’s commitment to the native peoples. However this being a food blog I have another reason for going to visit San Xavier Mission.

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For as far back as I can remember the people of the Tohono O’odham tribe have been serving food outside of the mission in a row of little stalls. I was told by a few people that due to Covid 19 the stalls had been temporarily closed. I was a little upset as I was really looking forward to getting some green chili on fry bread. I went ahead and ate before heading out to the mission to take pictures. When I arrived the stalls where closed but unbeknownst to my informers a little restaurant had popped up in a backroom of a gift shop. Now there was a dilemma! I was not hungry, yet I’m doing a food blog and really wanted to tell my readers about Indian tacos, or at the very least Native American Fry Bread (pop overs). I decided a compromise was in order and got dessert! The great thing about fry bread is it can be eaten as a meal, like with tacos or it can be eaten as a dessert with honey or powdered sugar. I grew up eating fry bread with butter and honey so I had to go with nostalgia. There are as many recipes for fry bread as there are native tribes in America. My mom had a recipe she received from a missionary that had been living with the Navajo people for years. This recipe is very simple and can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. We use to make it before going camping, there was nothing like waking up to the smell of fry bread and bacon!

• Navajo Fry Bread Recipe
• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• Shortening or Lard
• 2/3 cup warm water
• Combine flour, salt and baking powder together. Add the water a little at a time to get a smooth elastic dough.
• Form dough into little balls about the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball depending on the size of bread you desire.
• Flatten the dough ball into a circle about 1/4 inch thick and poke a finger sized hole in the middle. (This was a trick my mom was told to do to make the fry bread fry more evenly) try it both ways and see.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil , shortening or lard in a deep cast iron skillet. Temperature should be hot but not to the smoking point.
• Fry the dough until golden brown on both sides.
• Top with taco fixings or butter and honey or powdered sugar.
• Enjoy!

If your travels ever take you to Tucson, I hope you will make time to visit San Xavier Mission. If you’re interested in trying the native cuisine I’d call ahead and see if the restaurant is still open or if the stalls are running on the day you’re going to visit. Still you can give this recipe a try and get a brief feel for what it might be like eating a little fry bread in the shadow of The White Dove Of The Desert.

Thanks for stopping by and as always any comments or questions can be left in the box below and I’ll get right back to you as soon as possible. Until next time Boone Appétit!