Top 5 Things to Eat This Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Tracy Dempsey Pop-up Holiday Boutique Friday, November 29

Since Tracy Dempsey left her gig as pastry chef of Cowboy Ciao in 2009, she's been focusing her energy on her line of packaged boutique confections, Tracy Dempsey Originals. They're available locally at Smeeks, in addition to being sold throughout the southwest. This Friday, November 29, and Saturday, November 30, she'll also host a pop-up holiday boutique at her kitchen in Tempe, and the menu includes treats such as roasted pumpkin-filled empanadas and more. The Pop-Up Holiday Boutique will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1323 West University Drive in Tempe.

See also: First Arcadia Cookbook Swap Includes Valley Chefs, Cooking Demos, Canned Food Drive

Lunch at Learn with Chef Paul Boehmer Saturday, November 30

This weekend brings the final event of the year's Lunch and Learn series at the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain. Guest chef Paul Boehmer of Toronto's Boehmer restaurant will join elements' chef Beau MacMillan for the culinary event. The four-course dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and includes dishes such as pan-roasted Arctic char with creamed Jerusalem artichoke puree, chives, and petite herbs tossed with olive oil and Meyer lemon juice and BBQ quail with Chanterelle mushroom barley risotto, French green beans, and shallot rosemary jus. Wine pairings are also included. The dinner costs $125 a person. Reservations can be made by calling 480-948-2100.

Free Sprinkles Cupcakes Saturday, November 30

The duel is going down in the desert this weekend when Arizona State University faces off against University of Arizona at Sun Devil Stadium. Either the Sun Devils or the Wildcats will take home the Territorial Cup, but no matter which team you're cheering for, you can take home a free red velvet cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes in Scottsdale. All you have to is show up on Saturday wearing your team's hat, jersey, or other apparel. The deal runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Limit one cupcake per guest.

Spirits of the Season Saturday, November 30

Downtown Phoenix's holiday drink competition, Spirit of the Season, kicks off this Saturday. The five-week competition pits 10 downtown bars and restaurants against each other in a competition for the Most Spirited Holiday Cocktail of 2013. Participating locations include Blue Hound Kitchen and Cocktails, which will be pouring the Life and Limb, a mixture of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, housemade cold-brew coffee, housemade Orgeat, old fashioned bitters and egg, topped with English Cream Ale. For the complete list of restaurants and bars and to vote for your favorite drink, visit the downtown Phoenix website.

Jon Paul Hutchins Dinner Sunday, December 1

This Sunday ,James Beard Award-nominated chef Kevin Binkley is bringing his culinary mentor, chef Jon-Paul Hutchins to Binkley's Restaurant for a special six-course dinner event. Hutchins instructed Binkley in 1992 at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute -- now Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts -- and was inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame in 2008. The dinner menu includes lobster with cauliflower, almonds, and curry carrot vinaigrette; poele of quail with glace root vegetables, baby turnip, beets, punched parsnips, and tourne carrot; and chocolate pear soup with pear sorbet, red wine poached pear, and pomegranate tapioca. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $98 per person with wine pairings available for an additional $52. Reservations can be made at online or by calling 480-437-1072.

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• Weekend Eats