Carl's Cactus Club
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Cooking with Carl

Recipes, shortcuts, and the occasional desert miracle — honest notes from my kitchen, heavy on tall tales and light on measuring cups.

For road-trip food stories, see Travel and Food.

Carl's Home Cookin'

Fictional favorites from the arroyo edge — prickly pears, mesquite, and whatever the roadrunner ignored. Not for actual foraging; this is the fun kind of cookbook.

Inspired by Adventure

Carl chases a flavor he ate on the road, then reassembles it at home with pantry science and desert substitutions. Read the trip, cook the homage.

Recipe from the Readers

Neighbors send index cards, Carl ties an apron. Names you’ve seen in the Desert Gazette — ratings are sincere; smoke alarms are not included.