Is Disney’s Princess Candy Packaging Insensitive?

Remember two and half years ago or so when Disney released “The Princess and The Frog”? It starred the company’s very first black princess, Tiana, and it was relatively successful despite the controversy over the princess’s original name and occupation. (They were all set to name her Maddy and have…

Tenaya Creek Brewery Hop Ride

​Beer: Hop RideBrewery: Tenaya Creek BreweryStyle: IPAABV: 7.2 percent “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” is clever marketing, but it’s far from true. Arizona benefits from several Sin City exports — a liberal approach to strippers and gambling is one; yours truly is another (I grew up in the…

400 Jobs Ready to Be Filled at New Sky Harbor Restaurants

Talk about job creation on the fly. Four-hundred positions are in need of filling as the cache of new restaurants inside Terminal 4 in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport prepare to open. HMSHost, the international airport restaurateur in charge of the food program, will open more than 15 new eateries throughout…

New Food Truck Alert: Buzznbeez Good Food

If you believe culinary talent can be passed genetically, or that lineage counts for anything, you’ll be thrilled to meet the newest addition to the Mrs. White’s Golden Rule/Lolo’s Chicken and Waffles family of soul food restaurants. Along with Beatrice “Bee” Bullock, Mrs. White’s grandson Christian Buze has began his…

Food Trucks Kickin’ it Old School This Wednesday Night

For those still smarting from the sting of past food truck festivals, from 4 to 8 p.m. this Wednesday, March 7, at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, the Phoenix Food Truck Coalition is going to food truck festival like it’s the food truck festival of the fall of 2011 –…

Caramelpalooza 2012: The Winners!

Hundreds of you came out to lick, crunch, chew and otherwise gobble caramel confections prepared by 18 of the Valley’s finest chefs Friday night, all part of the third annual Caramelpalooza, co-sponsored by Smeeks and Chow Bella. We might be a little biased, but we think it was our best…

Caramelpalooza 2012: Sugar Rush Last Night at Smeeks

Anyone else have a wicked sugar hangover this morning? Thanks to all — chefs, judges, caramel eaters — who came out to Smeeks candy shop last night for the third annual Caramelpalooza, co-sponsored by Smeeks and Chow Bella. Folks began lining up at 5:30, descended on the candy/ice cream/paleta/sauce/cookie makers…

“Clafoutis” Cake at Amuse Bouche

When I saw that Amuse Bouche listed Clafoutis on its online menu, I knew I had to drive across town just to check it out. After all, Chefs and Owners Kierstin and Snir Mor both attended the esteemed École Grégoire-Ferrandi in Paris.

Phoenix Public Market’s Aimee Sosa: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

From now through Caramelpalooza — tonight, March 2 at Smeeks candy shop — Chow Bella will introduce you to the 18 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Aimee Sosa, a chef at the Phoenix Public Market.Aimee Sosa may have fallen into cooking by accident, but she got there with…

Slade Grove: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

From now through Caramelpalooza — March 2 at Smeeks candy shop — Chow Bella will introduce you to the 17 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Slade Grove of Slade Grove Creative Gourmet. With a commitment to “over-the-top indulgence,” Slade Grove has been making an impression…

Guess Where I’m Eating and Win A Prize!

It’s not exactly pretty but I can’t indulge in champagne brunches every weekend — sometime a girl has to slum it up with a greasy plate of bacon, hash browns and eggs, a side of Grand Marnier-soaked French toast and a bottle of Coors Original. A friend from out of…

Paper, Not Plastic: Do You Have Your Copy of Quick PHX Yet?

Yeah, yeah, we’re all about the smartphone these days, but sometimes don’t you dream about putting down that iPhone and flipping through something real, something paper? Something you can rustle, turn the pages down on, tear pictures from and stick them on a real bulletin board? (Sorry, Pinterest.) You’re in…

Bourbon Steak’s Veronica Arroyo: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

From now through Caramelpalooza — March 2 at Smeeks candy shop — Chow Bella will introduce you to the 18 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Veronica Arroyo of Bourbon Steak. Veronica Arroyo is the executive pastry chef at Scottdale’s ritzy Bourbon Steak and has been baking professionally…