Anyone who thinks of Mexican food as “fast food” has never tried to cook it. The traditional sauces, starches, and slow-cooked meats of Mexico can take hours—even days—to bring to perfection.

Here in Northeast Dutchess County, there is no lack of fresh, healthy, luscious things to eat. At farmers markets, roadside stalls, grocery stores, and restaurants, food abounds. Yet for thousands of people in our midst, it doesn’t.