I can’t believe I went out and ate lunch before our blog meeting the other week — the day when a bunch of Chow Bella contributors showed up with brownies. What was I thinking? And yet, somehow I found room to try them all, complete with a big cup of…
See if you can guess today’s gadget and check back next week for the answer, and to see if you’ve won a most-awesome prize. Here are a few shots at this week’s trickster, add yours to the comment box below: – Penguin Armor – Silver Frosting Cake Icer – Silly…
I ate dinner with Joe Arpaio the other night. More specifically, my family and I ate dinner beneath a gigantic black and white photograph of Maricopa County’s sheriff, one of several “celebrity” photos lining a wall at The Grind. The Grind is strictly a burger joint (hailed in the July edition of Bon…
After the sad closing of Lola Tapas, we learned that no restaurant, no matter how amazing, is immune from a bad economy. That’s why we were relieved to find that despite the economic downturn Ana Borrajo, Chef and owner of Sapna Cafe remains optimistic about the future. And this is…
It’s hard to resist picking up a book with the words “Crappy” and “Meals” in the title, especially when the cover art includes a photo of an average-looking woman wearing a chef’s coat and a coordinating bandana, holding a plate of what looks like lamb and vegetables with an herb garden growing out of…
Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…
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: Brownie Showdown: Pentagon Brownies Chillin’ at Sens’ New Bar…
Forget the food-colored fantasies and stick with Apple Pie, the quintessential American dessert. Break down the baking by preparing your pie dough a day or two ahead, roll it out, fill and bake the morning of your celebration. It’s as easy as pie. (Whoever originated that quote had their tongue…
We stopped into a downtown joint this week for an early dinner and went a little hog-wild. In fact, after splitting (between two) and downing this flat bread — with bacon, Gruyere and onion-fennel marmalade — it was a little difficult to face our main courses … and then our…
When we heard about the 26-page Pentagon brownie recipe published recently, we couldn’t resist trying to bake them. Emphasis on trying. What better time for the next Chow Bella Showdown? We gathered the staff and got them baked — er, baking. So far, we’ve had the Pentagon brownies; “Joy of…
Just in time for National Hot Dog Month (Happy National Hot Dog Month, everybody!), America’s Drive-In, Sonic, introduced its new and improved Footlong Quarter Pound Coney, a 12-inch hot dog topped with chili and cheese. The revamped coney is a blend of beef and pork, boasts a quarter-pound weigh-in, and…
If there is one constant in the Phoenix food scene it’s the never-ending selection of comida mexicana. Don’t believe us? Check out Phoenix’s Mexican restaurant row. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Phoenix’s Mexican cuisine: Starting just north of Washington Street, Asadero Norte de Sonora is a great go-to place for…
Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…
After a recent episode of Private Chefs of Beverly Hills featured upscale, individualized meals cooked for four-footed members of a high society canine club, the fact that some dogs are now eating better than people comes as no surprise. We’ve spotted pastries, biscuits and even beer for Fido at the Farmers’ Market. Our latest…
You read the headline right. Giant Coffee, Central Phoenix’s newest gourmet coffee house, doesn’t take plastic. And that’s caused a bit of a stir on Yelp and among foodies around town. Owner Matt Pool doesn’t mind. “I think using a debit card to buy a $2 or $3 cup of coffee is just…
Yesterday we chatted with Tracy Dempsey about inspirations, her food attitude, and being a woman in professional kitchens, today Tracy tells us why ice cream, and shares a recipe. You have added ice cream to your line of Tracy Dempsey Originals, why ice cream?I have always done ice cream as…
Last week, one of the dudes hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to run around in a pierogi costume was fired for comments he made about the team on Facebook. Not being from Pennsylvania, I could’ve cared less about the ridiculous mascot and his social media woes. But the incident did have this New York…
When we heard about the 26-page Pentagon brownie recipe published recently, we couldn’t resist trying to bake them. Emphasis on trying. What better time for the next Chow Bella Showdown? We gathered the staff and got them baked — er, baking. So far, we’ve had the Pentagon brownies; “Joy of Baking”…
Hungry for some good Mexican food? Me, too. I have favorite destinations all over the city, but living and working close to downtown, I’m spoiled to have Phoenix’s Mexican Restaurant Row nearby. Stretching from roughly Washington Street to Thomas Road, there’s such an abundance of good, cheap eats to be…
I should have devoured it. I should have snatched that burger from its plastic plate and consumed its meaty soul — and it should have been beautiful. It should have been the best thing I’d eaten in five days. Because I hadn’t eaten in five days. Fry Girl was hunkered…
We recently caught up with Tracy Dempsey, pastry chef and business owner, scooping samples of Tracy Dempsey Originals ice cream at The Phoenix Urban Market and Wine Bar. We got the scoop from the scooper. Tracy Dempsey grew up traveling the world. Her geologist father did stints in Indonesia, Singapore…
When it comes to brownies I want them dark and bittersweet, which could explain that unfortunate goth phase in college. I am also of the firm opinion that beer enhances just about everything, likely also a holdover from the college daze. After trolling the Internet for recipes that combined my…
