Those of you waiting to dive into the bloody world of Panem ritual battle royale this Friday might want to whet your appetite by checking out two unofficial Hunger Games inspired cookbooks. Both were written and published by fans of the series, but the first is a particularly slick volume…
Note: This post was edited from its original version to reflect the correct name of How Do You Roll? sushi.In places like Australia and England, folks use the term “tuck shop” to refer to a small shop selling sweets and crisps (that’s cookies and potato chips to us). Tuck means…
Beer: Deviant Dale’s Brewery: Oskar Blues Brewery Style: American IPA ABV: 8 percent Let’s talk for a moment about cans. See, from years of being exposed to canned beer that just happens to be the cheapest, blandest stuff on the market, we’ve been conditioned to think that cans denote…
Last month, the James Beard Foundation announced its semifinalists for the 2012 JBF Restaurant and Chefs Awards — and the Valley got loved on — hard. Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner and chef of Barrio Cafe and Barrio Queen, and chef Kevin Binkley of Binkley’s Restaurant and Café Bink were both…
The Market: Singh Family Market is an escape to a farm oasis that even locals would be amazed could exist, let alone flourish in the middle of the desert — a 20 acre patch of land on Thomas Rd., not even a minute east of the bustling 101 freeway. The…
Cupcakes have been the golden child of the baking scene for years. They’re cute, they’re miniature, and they’re easy to love. Enter Lisa Even and Katie True of Our Lady of Cupcakes. They’re shaking up the typical cupcake facade with wicked awesome recipes such as the salted-caramel-frosted and pretzel-crusted “Pirate’s…
Lately, in this In Season series, we’re taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week and see what I’ve done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I’m using lemon, dill and kale. I’ve been asking all my friends with lemon trees…
After battling lines, dust and pricey eats at two previous festivals in the Valley, mobile eats enthusiasts found a better experience Saturday at Superstition Farm’s first food truck round up. The event drew hundreds of people and more than a dozen trucks, including Phoenix Ale Brewery with watermelon ale…
Nearly every meat-eating American speaks the language of barbecue. From the backyard to the upscale restaurant to the hole-in-the-wall ‘cue house, cooking meat with smoke and heat has become somewhat of an art form — taking on various styles, techniques, and rituals around the globe. Which is why it would…
Once again, Chow Bella writers hunkered down in their kitchens and cooked up their best sweet and savory creations using Girl Scouts Cookies as an essential ingredient. It’s kind of like a pared down version of the Food Network’s Chopped, except we aren’t actually going to chop anyone (I don’t…
[jump] I’ve spent the last 30 years eating Mexican food around the Valley, and I’ve eaten at all of the old places, the standard places, the places that people have been shot in front of an hour after I left, and sure, the gringo places. Restaurant Mexico stands alone. There…
Nose-to-tail cooking is considered a new and exciting movement for the States, which is a little odd given that just a century ago “nose-to-tail” simply meant “using everything you can because meat is expensive.” In contrast, Asian cuisine never really gave up the tradition of cooking up everything edible, even…
While FEZ isn’t exactly fine dining, the restaurant is a popular hangout that serves a noteworthy selection of cocktails along with some pretty tasty food. (Try the Key Lime Pie Martini, which just landed on our list of six favorite specialty cocktails.) We recently stopped by for dinner and decided…
There’ s more than one way to drink like an Irishman on St. Patrick’s Day. You could, of course, go wild with the Guinness and food-coloring-spiked beer, but you’d be missing out on the true national drink of Ireland: whiskey. And while Steve Goumas, owner of Rula Bula, recommends tasting…
Last weekend I was hit with a Pho craving so I decided to check out Tempe’s newest Vietnamese Eatery. The pho was really good — not mindblowing good, but really good. The service was awesome and the interior is nice. Do you know where I’m eating?…
Seriously … Gilbert? That was my first thought when I learned Postino was extending its reach out there to the far East Valley (yeah, I’m a Central Phoenix guy). Despite my apprehension, I got outta the bubble and ventured way past the strip malls and tract homes of varying shades…
It’s been said that God created whiskey to keep the Irish from taking over the world. If it’s true, he didn’t do a great job of it — the Irish take over the world every day on March 17. But while everyone may be from the land of the clover…
FREE CUPCAKES!!!!! We love free cupcakes, and we bet that you do, too. Starting last night, Sprinkle’s Cupcakes in Scottsdale will be staying open until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 8 p.m. on Sundays. To celebrate their new extended hours, they are giving away one of their heavily…
In the Valley there’s amazing Mexican food from the mom ‘n’ pop hole-in-the-wall to blow-your-mind haute cuisine, Mexican-style. You would think that with such a wealth of delicious and accessible Mexican food on every corner, there would be no need for a “Worst Of…” list. You would be wrong. Also…
What better use for an extra case of Girl Scout cookies than a Chow Bella Showdown? In years past we’ve challenged our contributors to make something delicious out of Thin Mints and Trefoils. This time: Savannah Smiles. Stay tuned for more recipes and a decision from our “judge,” web editor…
Message to co-workers: get your damn birthday cakes and homemade goodies out of my dieting face. – The Wall Street Journal To foie gras or not foie gras? Valley chefs, restaurateurs, and readers weigh in on the controversial issue. – Chow Bella Gene Simmons of KISS is going to open…
Welcome to our new(ish) column, “Ask the Pastry Chef,” by Amy Morris, a pastry sous chef at J&G Steakhouse. Have a question for Amy? Leave it in the comments section. Do you have a cake recipe with Guinness in it for St. Patrick’s Day? Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day more…
