We realize we’ve gotten a little carried away without laying down the wine basics, so this week we’re resorting back to the basics with a Wine Tasting 101 from Sommelier David Johnson. Get ready to take notes… Just kidding! Pour yourself a glass and follow along.
Last Friday, locals craving a sugar rush lined up in the parking lot of Smeeks at Central and Camelback roads for Chow Bella’s second Caramelpalooza event. The judging is over, and a favorite was selected by both the audience and a judging panel — Essence Bakery’s delicious caramel macaron, served…
For Patrick Boll of Spotted Donkey Cantina ii, a two-word response to any question simply will not suffice. We got all of the trivial stuff out of the way yesterday and today get into a more intuitive conversation with him about his future as well as that of downtown Phoenix…
Okay, so soda bread came long after Saint Patrick. Bicarbonate of soda arrived on the scene in the mid 1840’s as a leavening agent and was used in Ireland to work with the wheat grown there. Whatever, who needs the details of St. Patrick anyway. This bread is to soak…
That “mystery” restaurant that people were talking about late last week? Well, it’s still somewhat of a mystery, or at least a work-in-progress, but I just got the skinny on a very intriguing concept — and the city’s first pop-up restaurant. (Yeah, you’ve been hearing about this trend in regards to…
The end is nigh. Doomsday is upon us! The Apocalypse has begun – for oysters, at least. Scientists recently declared wild oysters functionally extinct. 85 percent of the reefs they live on have disappeared due to disease or over-harvesting. Luckily for Americans, 75 percent of the world’s remaining wild oysters…
If you’ve been waiting for a good excuse to make a giant batch of your favorite cookies or looking for a way to share all that extra swiss chard in the garden, we have a good one. On April 30th at 7 pm at The Icehouse, the NYC based non-profit…
Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Mmmm PieIt’s no secret that all of us here at Chow Bella are quite fond of pie. In fact we can’t get enough of it. And since we know you think exactly like we do, you will…
Located in The number 3: Rare Beef Pho with fresh sprouts, lemons, jalapenos, and herbs for garnish. a small plaza at the southeast corner of Rural and University in Tempe, which houses at least five varieties of international cuisine, Pho Nhat Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant is a good bet for a…
Keyon Fareghi Whether it’s a politically charged conversation about corn syrup or we’re talking about the restaurant he was going to open downtown, Patrick Boll has a lot to say. This German/Danish/Czech chef is the driving force behind Spotted Donkey Cantina ii. Boll has been in the Valley since ’79…
It’s been well over a year since Poppa Maize nabbed a year’s worth of free rent in the Mill Avenue Retail Competition. Lately, we’ve been wondering whether the local popcorn purveyor’s Tempe branch would ever materialize. That day has finally arrived — and can we just reiterate how brilliant of an idea it is to put…
It seems like terrible — and terribly ironic — timing for an Irish pub to shut its doors right before the holiday that turns every ordinary American Irish, but it’s true — Lis Doon Varna has closed. The Peoria Irish pub quietly shut its doors about three weeks ago, and…
Last night the crew from Mo Rocca’s Cooking Channel show, Food(ography), visited chef Silvana Salcido Esparza for a four-hour shoot at Barrio Cafe. Here’s a behind-the-scenes snapshot of the episode. Word is, Mo was a no go, but who needs a host, anyway? Esparza could carry her own show. She did a…
You recently learned about rutabagas. This week, before it gets too late, I want to show you turnips so you can really tell them apart. They look so similar but have a big difference in taste. While rutabagas are sweet and yellow fleshed, turnips have a strong cabbage flavor and…
Looking for more sugar? Check out our slideshow from Friday night’s caramel tasting at Smeeks…
Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Jack Daniel’s Whiskey DinnerAlliance Beverage and Chef Aaron May are teaming up Wednesday, March 16th at The Lodge in Scottsdale for a meat, potatoes and whiskey kind of evening. The Jack Daniel’s Wild Game Dinner starts with…
The Georgia-based Mellow Mushroom pizza franchise opened its doors for lunch on Mill Avenue in Tempe today. The former Z Gallerie space underwent extensive renovations to welcome the new eatery, including the installation of an open kitchen with top-of-the-line pizza ovens, a bar with rotating record player art and a…
Two shaggy-style Kahuna Lava Dogs — half-pound beef dogs bathed in chili, Maui cole slaw and Monterey Jack Cheese Two Shaka dogs of your choice (I go with the Island Dog, a brat adorned with Chipotle mayo, Maui mustard, coconut, pineapple and bacon; and the Hana Dog, an all-beef link…
We’re not super math-y over here at Chow Bella, but we do like to celebrate Pi Day. (Get it? It’s 3/14. Even we got it.) Of course we really like Pi Day because it makes think about pie, something we haven’t talked about much since our Pie Social with Roosevelt…
While St. Patrick’s Day originated as a religious holiday celebrating the famous fifth century missionary’s success in driving the “snakes” out of Ireland, in modern America it’s become a way to celebrate all things Irish. You know, like green beer. Sigh. On St. Patrick’s Day, the Virgin prefers to indulge in…
There’s nothing like a bona fide sports celeb to give some oomph to the launch of a new sports grill — and to set it apart from countless beer ‘n burger joints across town. Old Town Scottsdale is the latest place to bask in Dan Majerle’s star power, with last…
Change is good. The Phoenix Art Museum has been hosting a springtime culinary festival for years, but it was just last year that it debuted under the Devoured moniker, thanks to new leadership from the Local First/Devour Phoenix folks. This past weekend, Devoured’s sophomore effort showed a bit of evolution,…
