Alton Brown

Chefs, What Would It Take to Sell Yourselves to a Major Corporation?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com.Since James Beard likened himself to a "gastronomic whore" after signing an ... More >>

26: Korina Adkins

From now 'til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers -- Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you'll know; for others, it'll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you're here, check out our 100 Creat ... More >>

Anatomy of a Scone with Candy Lesher of Baci d'Amore

See also: How to Make Unforgettable Scones See also: Scone for the Holidays: AndyTalk's Recipe for Being a Good House Guest When you're cooking, it's all about a dash of this and a splash of that. But baking is another matter, an exact science. In this series, we're going behind the bakery case and ... More >>

What's Your Favorite and Least Favorite Cooking Show?

Welcome to Chow Bella's Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you'd like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here.Whether it's for education, entertainment, or a d ... More >>

The Slider: Delicious Burger Innovation or Small, Sad Excuse for a Sandwich?

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over Alton Brown, food trucks, movie theaters with food pho and Matt's Big Breakfast that we put them back at it again. This week's topic: The Slider. Ando: What are the strengths of the hamburger? Opi ... More >>

Is Matt's Big Breakfast Really Worth Getting Out of Your PJs For?

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over Alton Brown, food trucks, movie theaters with food and pho that we put them back at it again. This week's topic: Matt's Big Breakfast. Lauren: A few weeks ago, I was sharing a perfectly enjoyable ... More >>

Am I a Food Snob? (A Flowchart)

From time to time, Zach Fowle will provide a visual guide to every day and extraordinary situations ... and (because he has bad handwriting) Claire Lawton will illustrate them. Welcome to Charted Territory: The world of a food snob is an often-confusing world of trends, vocabulary and kitchen app ... More >>

Chow Bella's Top Phoenix Food Stories of the Week

Every week, there's a cornucopia of new Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. It's kind of like those burgers at Old Town Whiskey; it just won't all fit in your mouth ... or in thi ... More >>

Point-Counterpoint: Is Pho King or Is It Pho-King Awful?

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over Alton Brown, food trucks and movie theaters with food, we put them back at it again. This week's topic: Pho, Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Pho joints have been growing in popularity throughout the Va ... More >>

Point-Counterpoint: Dine-In Theaters Destroy the Moviegoing Experience

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over Alton Brown and food trucks, we put them back at it again. This week's topic: Dine-in movie theaters. Lauren: A few weeks ago, a friend invited me to a screening of a movie that I would never have ... More >>

Chris Costantino of Cotstantino's Kitchen (Part Two)

Chef Talk this week has brought you into Costantino's Kitchen, where Chris Costantino is cooking up small, handmade batches of his Grandma Angie's Tomato Basil Sauce. On Monday, we talked about how he broke into the culinary world from his past corporate life, and got the scoop on the sauce that's ... More >>

Point-Counterpoint: Alton Brown Is the Man and I Challenge You to Say Otherwise

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over food trucks, we decided to do it again. This week's burning topic: Alton Brown. Ando: Alton Brown is the man and I challenge you to say otherwise. Lauren: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. Ando: Seriously, wha ... More >>

Thoughts and Predictions for the 2012 Food Scene

Five Ways to Eat Better in 2012

​It's a new year and we've made ourselves so happy and so sick on sweets and treats this holiday season -- and it shows in that uncomfortable waistline snug and tug. We've got a remedy:

Blueberry Pinot Noir, Green Apple Riesling, White Chocolate Ale and Other Sips of the Kokopelli Wine Festival

"Going once....going twice...sold!" Kokopelli winemaker Dennis Minchella auctions off one of the 1,000,000th bottles.​We spent more time (okay, all of our time) sipping at grapes rather than crushing them over the weekend at the 10th Annual Kokopelli Krush, a wine festival put on by Kok ... More >>

Top 5 Favorite Cookbooks

​We wanted to remind you that we've started our Chow Bella Book Club in partnership with Changing Hands Bookstore. This month (October) we're reading the new book by Kathleen Flinn called Kitchen Counter Cooking School. If you still need a copy, you can get a discounted one from Changing Hands, ju ... More >>

Triple Bacon Corn Monstrosities: Fair Food Showdown

  ​With the Arizona State Fair headed our way at week's end, we at Chow Bella decided on our latest challenge: Create a "fair food" that kicks it up a notch. No one dared to cook with bugs, but we did have some creative entries. Check back later this week, when critic Laura Hahnefeld w ... More >>

Dishes From the Game of Thrones Series Cooked Up By Two Blogs

Inn at the CrossroadsMedieval Fig Tarts​If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, the HBO medieval television drama based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling fantasy novels, but find yourself getting hungry at the recipes mentioned in the series, two blogs might be your food foray into the ... More >>

Beau McMillan and Nine Other Celebrity Chefs to Compete on The Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs

​If an Iron Chef is "a king among chefs" then what's a king among Iron Chefs called? A SUPER CHEF, YO, THE ONLY TITLE THAT MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In a move that has nothing to do with sagging ratings, the fourth season of The Next Iron Chef, premiering October 30 on the Food Network, ... More >>

In Season: Eggs

Whether you're a CSA devotee, a farmers' market weekender or consider ketchup a veg, we'll bring you fresh inspiration for how to prepare our local produce. This week's harvest: Eggs Jennifer Woods​ Ok, so eggs are "in season" most all of the time -- though production varies throught the year. ... More >>

Toffee Banofi Sundae from Sweet Republic

​Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing our 100 Favorite Dishes with you. Now we're back - with the 2011 edition. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. 40: Toffee Banofi ... More >>

Sweet Republic's Toffee Banofi Sundae to Be Featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate

Sweet Republic's toffee banofi sundae gets TV time.​Looks like Sweet Republic, the artisan ice cream haven in Scottsdale, has caught the attention of the national media -- and it hasn't been the first time. Prior to celebrating their third birthday last month, Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung ... More >>

Sweet Republic Celebrates 3rd Birthday on Wednesday: Free Ice Cream, Prizes, and the Scoop on Turning 3

Sweet Republic's toffe banofi: Happy birthday to us.​Hard to believe it's been three years since homemade artisanal ice cream experts Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung first opened the doors of Sweet Republic in Scottsdale. We've had smiles on our faces just thinking about their flavorful small ... More >>

Food Network Films at Sweet Republic... And Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe?

Carol Blonder Sweet Republic's Toffee Banofi Sundae The Food Network folks are in town and busy. We hear they stopped by Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe yesterday for fried chicken with Beau MacMillian, before hitting up Sweet Republic today for Alton Brown's favorite take on Banofi P ... More >>

Sweet Republic's Toffee Banofi Sundae to be on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate"

sweetrepublic.com​It's no secret we're sweet on Sweet Republic's ice cream here at Chow Bella, and we know others are, too. Now co-owner Jan Wichayanuparp's shared news of another fan. A big one. This Friday, March 25, the Food Network will be in Scottsdale to film a segment for "The B ... More >>

Spring Training Eats: North Scottsdale

The D-Backs and Rockies now call Salt River Field home, at least for spring training.​Peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Uh, sorry, but even the most hardcore baseball fan will eventually get fed up with all the ballpark junk food and start looking for a real meal. Where to go for some good grub ... More >>

Valentine's Day Showdown: Comfort Food from the Thrifty Cook

Jonathan McNamaraCyndi Coon prepares meatloaf.​Yesterday, Wynter Holden AKA The Virgin Cook gave you a Valentine's Day menu built on ease of preparation and maximum effectiveness...ahem...outside of the kitchen. Today, we're all about comfort foods courtesy of The Thrifty Cook. These thrift ... More >>

2011 Top Food Trends: Home Cookin'

flickr.com/creative commons/Daniel Semper​ Last week local chefs shared restaurant predictions with Michele Laudig, and Wynter Holden mused about her high hopes for Steampunk cooking to trend in 2011. Taking a look closer to hearth and home, here are trends we think will influence the way we garde ... More >>

Competitive Eating: Zach Fowle's Adventures in Man vs. Food

Top Chef, Ye Olde Bravo Standby, Comes To Snoozeville (Washington D.C.)

Hearts across America have barely started to beat regularly again after last week's amazing finale of Top Chef Masters (congrats, Marcus Samuellson!) and now comes Season 7 of Top Chef. The time-tested Bravo standby will premiere this week, take place in our nation's capital, and, once again, feat ... More >>

Food Network's Private Chefs of Beverly Hills Is Further Proof of Programming Coma, in This Week's "TV Dinner"

Like any ginormous corporation, you can't blame Food Network's faults on the folks in the trenches doing the real work. You have to look up, way up. To the millionaires calling the shots, keeping the company profitable at any expense, and wringing their hands in anticipation of their next bonus chec ... More >>

BBQ 101: From Novice to Slightly Less Than Novice

Jonathan McNamaraBrisket in the early morning.​There is a point at which night turns to day. It's barely visible to the naked eye, but in that smallest of moments while the moon is still full and the sun casts its first fires across the sky, a transition happens. I know because last Sunday a ... More >>

Chef Talk: Peter DeRuvo, Sassi

​Peter DeRuvo's come a long way since he started as executive chef at north Scottsdale's Sassi a couple years ago. Since he's been in the kitchen, the beautiful Italian restaurant has received the AAA Four Diamond award, a high honor indeed. Part of Sassi's appeal is its ever-changing menu ... More >>

Cafe: The Kitchen Market Cafe, D'licious Dishes and Luci's Healthy Marketplace

Despite the stereotype, we journalists live off of more than stale coffee and cigarettes; a lot more. We cook very well here at New Times. We're willing to bet that even the bespectacled food God Alton Brown would dub our eats "good."  Yet there are times when we just don't have it in us to put p ... More >>