There’s a lot of chatter out there about conversation hearts — cute plays on the iconic candy hearts stamped with messages, waiting in tiny boxes to win your heart and break your teeth. We’ve seen cookies, cuddlies, holiday lights, tee shirts, soap, even felted soap, all designed to look like…
Eat your veggies for breakfast and head west — the Glendale Chocolate Affaire is offering more than a mouthful of sweet all weekend. Filled with dozens of vendors, the free event showcases candies, ice cream, and all manner of chocolate goodness spread across two blocks of downtown Glendale. More sweet details…
Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let’s have one last look at the blog posts from this week. Tradiciones Closes for Remodeling New in CenPho: Rum Bar…
Yesterday we met Justin Bolotnik, the man who’s tended bar in several foreign lands, once got a $1,000 tip and spent a night with George Clooney at the titty bar. Today he shares with us the recipe for the Ticoz Sunrise, a drink that isn’t on the Ticoz menu yet,…
drink can easily be made at home, click here for a recipe. Dessert: French Macarons Every time the character of Chanda is on the screen, I want one of these delicious little devils. I suggest picking up a few macarons from Essence Bakery in Tempe. We went with the Meyer…
We could eat Mediterranean food every day for the rest of our lives if necessary. Especially if it comes from one of our favorite spots in Tempe. We hit up this little corner spot for lunch and filled up on vegetable Sunbusek, salad, plenty of soft pita bread with creamy…
The best ethnic food is often the most difficult to find. So each week we’ll spin the globe and search for a new other-worldly spot to expand our eating horizons around the Valley. This week we go to Puerto Rico at Millie’s Cafe Millie’s Cafe doesn’t make trying Puerto Rican food…
tastingpoland.com Why don’t we just make Super Bowl Sunday an official holiday? After all, it’s a time to gather with your family and friends, party like a rock star (albeit in front of the boob tube, unless you’re a lucky ticket holder), and eat just as decadently as you do…
Given the cultural similarities between Phoenix and L.A., it’s surprising that the Valley of the Sun isn’t already smothered in doughnuts. In La La Land, it seems like there’s a doughnut shop on every corner, in every strip mall, in neighborhoods both hip and low-rent. How that city manages to…
Yesterday, while we Americans were wolfing down our Big Mac’s, Chicken McNuggets, Happy Meals, and the like, in Finland, a group calling itself the “Food Liberation Army” kidnapped a Ronald McDonald statue from a local Mickey Dee’s. Until their questions regarding quality assurance and production of McFoodstuffs are answered by…
Are You Ready for The Super Bowl?For those of you that have offered up your giant flat screen for the big game but still have no idea what to serve, have no fear it’s not too late for help.Throw a super party with the help of our favorite folks at…
Changing is a risky venture at best. A band’s first album may be critically acclaimed. If they change their style after that, they’ll lose some of the audience that earned their initial success. If they stay the same, they’ll get boring. So must it be with restaurants. Either you change…
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…
Last week we brought you a sneak peek at the new eats on the menu at Big Earl’s BBQ, Old Town Scottsdale’s newest joint for ribs and ‘que. Meat explosion! Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, hot links, they’ve got enough on the menu to satisfy all your carnivorous instincts. Plus enough deep…
Thought New Year’s celebrations were last month’s news? Not when you’re talking about the lunar new year, making this the year 4079 according to ancient Chinese calendars. Today’s Chinese New Year, and the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit. Farewell, Tiger! Each of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac correspond…
Justin Bolotnik may be a new face at Ticoz Resto-Bar (5114 N. 7th St., 602-200-0160), but he’s an old hand at bartending, having logged time at T.G.I.Friday’s (where he got his start at 17), Hard Rock Café (where he opened several international spots and helped rewrite the drink menu while…
After getting to know Alex Padilla of Taberna Mexicana, he let us in on the recipe for his favorite menu item, Cochinita Pibil, which is a Yucatan pork stew baked in a banana leaf and traditionally served with fried plantains, Mexican crema, pickled red onions, and flour or corn tortillas…
Jennifer Woods Just when we think we’re going to have an easy dinner filled with interesting preschooler conversation about sandboxes and spiders, it ends up like this: … Stop talking and eat your food. Stop playing and eat your food. Sit down and eat your food. Don’t just pick out the…
Today’s question for the chef: Is there a difference between Hungarian paprika and Spanish paprika? The short answer is yes. And here are the delicious details: Hungarian Paprika and Spanish Pimenton are spices made from Capsicum peppers. Capsicum peppers range in variety from sweet, like the American bell pepper, to…
Since Teen Wolf Marcel left last week with his facial hair grooming products and “You haven’t heard the last of me!” exit line (until Top Chef All Stars: Foam and Rap airs), nine cheftestants are left to duke it out for the title. On last night’s episode, the chefs find…
Doesn’t a hearty brunch just seem like something a Southwestern restaurant should just own? Apparently chef Robert McGrath — being the Valley’s foremost authority on Southwestern flavors, thanks to that James Beard Award — agrees, and has just added brunch service to the offerings at Renegade Canteen. Cow pokes and…
The Super Bowl is but days away. Do you know what you’re bringing to the party? Why not be the hero and make something to make the vegetarian friends happy? And no one needs to tell the meat eaters that those are veggie crumbles and not beef. Make this chili…
