Skinny Bitch Headed to Tempe on Wednesday

Now, before you get all up in arms about our insensitivity to the thin set, we’re just talking about Kim Barnouin, co-author of the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch series. Barnouin is making a guest appearance at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Dr. in Tempe, to discuss…

Chef Chat: Payton Curry, Caffe Boa

Thanks to Payton Curry, the 30-year-old executive chef at Caffe Boa, the Valley’s dining scene is becoming more local-oriented due to his “locavore” approach. And to think that he almost didn’t make the move to the Valley. “I was scared shitless,” Curry says about moving here from San Francisco. “One of…

Dixie’s Tupperware Party Offers Classic Plastics with a Twist

We’ve been eyeing the leftovers in our fridge, some of them of questionable lineage, possibly dating back to Thanksgiving (don’t worry — we’re talking about this Thanksgiving), and pondering whether we should tackle the fuzzy brown contents inside or just toss them, unopened, into the trash. Either way, we might…

Ed Mabrey, What Are You Eating?

Ed Mabrey The CEO/founder of Black Pearl Productions LCC, which is the parent company for Black Pearl Poetry Tempe Thursdays and Black Pearl Poetry Phoenix Fridays, as well as the home of the ASU Sun Devil Poetry Slam Team, the Phoenix Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Team, and the Phoenix…

Curl Up with a Good Blog: Posie Gets Cozy

Word has come in from family in Denver that the temperature’s in the single digits. We’d swear it’s that cold here. We even have the long johns out, and we’re taking a vow to stay indoors til spring. Looking to curl up with good blog? Let us recommend one of our…

Hot Tamales in Time for the Holidays

[jump] The Tamale Store (www.thetamalestore.com): There’s a reason why The Tamale Store nabbed a 2009 Best of Phoenix award, and it’s not just because they seem to be everywhere — First Friday, culinary festivals, street fairs… Their tamales are made with fresh ingredients, sans lard, in varieties from chicken mole…

Fresh Baked Gifts: Vegan Gingerbread Men (and Womyn)

Baking for vegans may seem like a task, but ever since we made a gaggle of vegan buddies, it’s become a necessary evil. Really, it isn’t that difficult to do, with the help of some simple tricks like using Earth Balance in the place of butter and replacing eggs with…

Local Gal Jan D’Atri Dishes Up New Cookbook

​Jan D’Atri and The Spatuloons might sound like an all-girl fifties band, but the phrase actually refers a trio of wooden kitchen utensils, the latest product offering from local cookbook author and television personality, Jan D’Atri. D’Atri will be hosting a cooking show and signing copies of her books this…

Casing The Joint For Fresh Italian Sausage At Schreiner’s

In search of some authentic Italian sausage worthy enough to play a supporting role as a side dish to our Christmas Eve dinner of eggplant parmesan, we decided to pay a visit to Phoenix institution, Schreiner’s Fine Sausages. Schreiner’s offers over sixty types of sausage, including Italian, Polish and German,…

Over the Weekend: BBQ & Beer Festival

What better way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon than wandering the parking lot across from Tempe’s IKEA, sampling barbecued meats and drinking beer? This past weekend, 33 teams from across the nation turned out for Que & Brew, an official Triple Crown Event BBQ State Championship. The competition was…

Monday Night Martha: The Croquembouche Chronicles, Pt. 1

There it was – the December issue of Martha Stewart Living, calling us with its siren song. It was beaming from the newsstand, positively lit up in glossy holiday glory with not one, not two, but three covers! There it was, piquing a gnawing little insecurity. We’ve been writing these…

Reading: Good Greasy Eats

Blog name: www.goodgreasyeats.com Who writes it: The blog is powered by several people throughout the country, including residents in Pittsburgh and Phoenix. The blog’s written by average Joes, including a film school drop-out, a cookbook writer, a business student, a zookeeper and a doctor. They all give their takes on food in places…

New Culinary Festival Devours West of Western

​ ​ ​ ​”West of Western Culinary Festival? Don’t you mean Best of Western?” We can’t tell you how many times we heard the local culinary crowd gripe about the name of one of Phoenix’s largest and best known foodie events. It really was a mouthful. Take a bite out…

Pistachio Martini at Roaring Fork

There are several factors when creating holiday cocktails at Roaring Fork, including color and flavor. The Pistachio Martini will match your Christmas sweater perfectly with its green tint and red paprika sprinkled on top, and the warm, nutty flavor evokes feelings of sitting by the fireplace waiting for Santa. “There’s…

Caffiend: Killer Buzz

In the beginning, there was Red Bull, and it was said that Red Bull “gives you wings.” At its stateside genesis in 1997, the little silver can that could stood alone on the frontier of a new market, soon-to-be-borne of the “energy drink” craze. Now energy drinks have gone forth…

This Week In Chow Bella

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: Soup’s On!: Pho from Khai Hoan Fresh Baked Gifts:…

Learn How to Cook Sassi-Style This Sunday

For novice cooks like ourselves, it’s hard to imagine the intricate process of crafting a beautiful Italian meal like the ones north Scottsdale’s Sassi has to offer. This Sunday, December 6, though, executive chef Peter DeRuvo lets us normal folk in on his cooking secrets as he leads a demonstration and tasting…

Celebrate Repeal Day by Drinking Up at Metro Brasserie and Bar

It’s hard to imagine a nation without alcohol today, but back in the early 20th century, Prohibition banned spirits until Repeal Day in 1933. In honor of the 76th anniversary of Repeal Day, raise a glass this weekend as Metro Brasserie and Bar offers signature cocktails for only $0.76 when you…

Local Chefs to Join Guy Fieri Roadshow

​A few weeks ago, we interviewed Guy Fieri of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives about his upcoming Road Show at Mesa Arts Center on Friday, December 18. We also speculated about why Guy had chosen Flagstaff chef John Conley to participate in the show, rather than a Phoenix chef. Though Conley’s the only…

Eddie Matney Gets a New Job

Relax.Decorated Chef Eddie Matney isn’t leaving the valley for greener pastures. But apparently he is trying on a new role — as a poet. We received this quirky little verse today advertising the December specials at Eddie’s House, 7042 E. Indian School Rd. in Scottsdale, and thought we’d pass along the holiday cheer. ‘Twas the first…

Crudo Cafe Readies to Launch Dinner Menu

It’s been two months and change since the adventurous Crudo Cafe opened inside Scottsdale’s Steven Paul Salon at 7035 E. 3rd Ave. in Old Town Scottsdale. The tiny eatery has been serving breakfast and lunch, and now chefs Cullen Campbell of the now defunct Fine’s Cellar and Brandon Crouser, formerly of Atlas…

Top 5 True Phoenician Food Favorites for Out-of-Towners

This list has two functions. The first is to let potential tourists in on what it means to be a Phoenician; food-wise. Now, this is not the millionth generic list that will tell you to go to Pizzeria Bianco, Matt’s Big Breakfast or Lux. Yawnsville! Nope, this list will tell…