Pastry; roast chicken

Santa Fe to Louisville, June 3, 2014—

EATING ON THE ROAD, literally — in the car, I mean — doesn't often leave me with much to report. Raw carrots; celery; maybe some cheese; peanuts — that sort of thing. But we started out this drive with pastries picked up at a bakery new to us, and I have to report on them. I had this pain aux raisins, photographed here on my travel napkin: it was big, light as a feather, flaky, yet somehow creamy. Generous with raisins that had been nicely plumped. Carefully glazed with royal icing — isn't that what it's called? — not too much of it, and itself nicely flavored. Next time we're in town we're definitely going back.

•Dulce, 1100 Don Diego Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico; (505) 989-9966

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AND THEN a six-hour drive through Colorado, through country beautiful to see but not promising of particularly enticing food (though what do I know: we didn't try.) And then a welcome from a granddaughter and the aroma of chicken roasting in the oven. Roast chicken is perhaps my mainstay comfort food, and this was tender and moist and just what we wanted…

And afterward, a short walk down the block to a local hangout for some really good ice cream: in my case, Dutch chocolate and lemon, flavors I've always thought had a particular affinity…

•Sweet Cow, , 637 Front St, Louisville, Colorado; (303) 666-4269 (branches also in Boulder and Denver)