Yesterday we met Nate Kolasa, who keeps the tequila flowing and the smiles showing at Scottsdale’s Loco Patron. Today he shares with us the recipe for the Mango Deck, a drink he crafted after a trip to Mexico that’s earned its place on the bar’s drink menu. “I was in…
Distillers of whiskey and other spirits have known for centuries that aging a drink in oak barrels does wonders for its flavor, smoothing out rough edges while adding layers of complexity to both aroma and taste. Bartenders and cocktail artisans across the country are now catching on and letting their…
For fans or tacos, tequila and all things Mexico, the knowledge that Cinco de Mayo comes but once a year is depressing. Luckily all the joy of the annual fiesta can be found year-round at Loco Patron (4228 N. Scottsdale Road, 480-874-0033), the popular cantina tucked in the heart of Old…
At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…
Yesterday we met Jason Jereb, the man behind the bar and in front of the daiquiri machines at Mill Ave.’s Fat Tuesday. Today he shares with us the recipe for Applesauce, which is every bit as simple and tasty as it sounds and goes great with pork chops. Just don’t…
On Mill Ave. in Tempe, there’s a bar for every personality. Rula Bula’s the place to be for Irish music; Pool sharks can hit the Cue Club. But for those looking for the taste of New Orleans and the flair of Mardi Gras, there’s Fat Tuesday (680 S. Mill Ave., 480-967-3917)…
We are obsessed with pumpkin so much over here at Chow Bella that we thought it was time to take all the smack talk to task with a pumpkin showdown. All the blog contributors gathered ’round the table with their best pumpkin recipes to see whose dish gets the Great…
The average person’s stomach can hold about a liter of food, or close to two pounds’ worth. But who wants to be average? All over town, restaurants are offering up contests of confection, defying brave eaters to ingest more food than they should eat in a week — daily recommended…
At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…
Yesterday we met Gina Florio, the buxom babe who mixes it up in north Phoenix’s relaxed gay bar, Kobalt. Today she shares with us a recipe she crafted for Kobalt when it first opened four years ago: the Va-Gina. “I tell everybody it’s pink and delicious, like me,” Florio says…
Thumping dance music, rainbow-colored flags and a live poodle aren’t things you’d find at your average bar in downtown Phoenix. But Kobalt (3110 N. Central Ave., 602-264-5307) isn’t your average bar. A favorite of the central Phoenix gay community, for four years the raucous tavern’s been bringing a little color…
A daylong celebration of all things tiny, baked and topped with frosting, the Love-In features unlimited cupcake samples from local bakers, cupcake judging, raffles and, of course, an eating contest. Guess which part I’m here for? The contest rules are simple: I have two minutes to eat as many of…
The contest works like this: Each round lasts three minutes. I need to completely chew and swallow each chili –skin, seeds; everything except the cap. I’ll be disqualified if I choose to give up at any time, drink the beer standing on the table in front of me, or puke…
Yesterday we met Boots Byrd, the awesomely-named Chatty Cathy who serves up drinks and manages the bar at St. Francis. Today he shares with us the recipe for one of his original creations that graces the restaurant’s menu: the Cucumber Cooler. The cocktail’s made with Hendricks gin, a liquor whose…
Well, they said it would be off-centered. The first annual Beer for Brains Foundation Off-Centered Experience was held Saturday at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, and it was a weird, wild ride. The day began with the toots of horns and the bangs of drums courtesy of the Bad Cactus Brass…
Boots is a talkative guy. Ask him about any of the wines, cocktails or foods on the menu of the cozy uptown Phoenix café St. Francis (111 E. Camelback Road, 602-200-8111) and he’ll talk you ears off, going into great depth about the methods Trappist monks employ to create beer…
To everything there is a season — a phrase that applies especially to beer. Take a hint from nature. As the leaves begin their annual shift from gold and green to deeper hues, so should your drink. Fall is the season of maerzens, oktoberfests, harvest ales and pumpkin beers, and…
Yesterday we met Charleen Badman, the chef-slash-bartender-slash-plateful-of-awesome who cooks up food and cocktails over at FnB. Today she shares with us the recipe for her Pomegranate Fig Gimlet, which premieres on the cocktail menu this week and makes use of her specialty, a fruit infused vodka. “I use dried Turkish…
The kitchen at FnB restaurant (7133 E. Stetson Dr., 480-254-9463) isn’t where it should be. Rather than safely hidden behind closed doors in a back room, the Scottsdale eatery’s pots, pans, grills and blenders are out in the open, smack in the middle of the Technicolor tile floor. Tiny tables and chairs…
There’s a buzz in the air; can you feel it? All about town, as the scents of spicy chicken and fresh tortilla waft through the air, three words are on everyone’s mind: Arizona Taco Festival. The state’s biggest celebration of that luscious combination of tortilla, cheese, meat and veggies is…
The average person’s stomach can hold about a liter of food, or close to two pounds’ worth. But who wants to be average? All over town, restaurants are offering up contests of confection, defying brave eaters to ingest more food than they should eat in a week — daily recommended…
Yesterday we met Carol Skolnick, the Chicago transplant who mixes classic cocktails at the Duce (525 S. Central Ave., 602-866-3823). Today she shares with us the recipe for the Duce’s Screwdriver. It’s not an original recipe, to be sure, but with fresh-squeezed juices, organic vodka and a grocery store’s worth of…
