I came to this location while visiting Navajo Nation on December 20th, 2023. I ordered a few items…read moreto get a sample of what the location has to offer and to support the Navajo!
What I got:
Navajo Tacos
Navajo tacos are deliciously crispy on the outside and are made with fry bread and topped with a meaty mixture of taco seasoned ground beef and beans, then all the traditional accouterments like sour cream, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. The Navajo Taco fry bread is similar to a funnel cake. The side of salsa served with this taco provided a kick to the back of the throat (in a good way)! When on a tour of the Navajo Nation, I learned the Navajo saying dah díníilghaazh, or bááh dah díníilghaazh, refers to frybread. Bááh can be a blanket term for baked goods, or for breads. Dah díníilghaazh describes the process of creating frybread, specifically. Further, the first Navajo taco was created by Lou Shepard, who worked for the tribe in the 1960s as manager of the Navajo Lodge. If given the opportunity to try these tacos, don't pass it up!
Mutton Stew
What I learned about this dish on my tour of the Navajo Nation:
Mutton stew consists of mutton simmered in a simple broth and is often accompanied by fry bread, a form of unleavened bread that became a staple of the Navajo diet during their forced Long Walk and internment at Bosque Redondo during the 1860s. Sheep were introduced into the Americas by the Spanish in the sixteenth century, along with horses and cattle. During this time, the Navajo traded and raided for sheep from the Spanish.
This stew I ordered was filling and hearty. This stew was made with mutton, onions, garlic, thyme, tomato purée, celery, carrots, potatoes, hispi cabbage, sweetcorn and black pepper. All of the full flavors could be tasted throughout the stew. This dish was accompanied by frybread and honey.
I placed these meals to go while I shopped inside of the Cameron Trading Post. The dishes took approximately 20 minutes to be prepared. The service received from the cashier was courteous and warm. The Navajo dishes were made fresh and were filling. In total, I ordered Mutton Stew, two Navajo Tacos, and a chicken wrap with fries, which came to about $50 (I believe).
#ThankyouNavajoNation #supportlocal
