epicute.com We are the grumpy sorts who don’t care to be wished a “Happy Friday,” but we can’t stop grinning from ear to ear, after spotting this blog. EpiCute, the Cute Food Blog, is exactly that. And if you’re looking to waste some time, click over and spend some…
There’s something magical about making food or drink with your own two hands. Not that I haven’t passed a few store-bought cakes off as my own at dinner parties, but it just doesn’t feel the same when your contribution to the meal comes out of a bottle, box or KFC bucket. But what…
Ah, the glory of a sandwich. This place is seriously all about ’em. The turkey, bacon, sprouts, cream cheese and avocado number might put you back a few calories, but who can resist a classic chalkboard menu of artist-inspired sammies and salads? Sit back and soak in the university gossip…
In Italy or in Napa Valley, drinking the local wine is a given. But in Arizona, where the wine industry has waged an uphill battle to improve its image, local wines are still a novelty at most restaurants — so much so, in fact, that when FnB owner Pavle Milic…
The Chow Bella contributors do not make it easy on me. I showed up at a recent meeting to discover a huge spread of beautiful, chocolatey desserts on the conference room table, each one of them with my name on it (metaphorically speaking). Everyone really hustled to create some new…
Seems almost predictable that someone from Scottsdale could head to Paris and fall completely in love with the City of Lights, leave friends and family behind, and make a Transatlantic move.But it also can happen in reverse.Last March, Richard and Isabelle Horvath visited Scottsdale from their native France, and took…
Cookin’ up good looks in nature’s pharmacy. After my run-in with molecular gastronomy, The French, and their invasive metric system in FoodLab 2010, my kind-hearted editor thought I might need a little TLC (tequila-loaded cocktail) and a bit of pampering, Chow Bella-style. Enter The Beauty Cookbook, a first-ever recipe book…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. If you have overdue charges at the Phoenix Public Library, here is your chance to pay them off and do your good deed for the day. During “Food for Fines” you will get a $.50 credit (up to…
This week’s feature story, “Down on the Farm,” chronicles an increasingly heated national battle over “factory-farmed” food. On one side: a phalanx of corporation- and family-owned farms across the country. On the other: the Washington, D.C.-based Humane Society of the United States.Caught in the middle: independent farmers and voters.Voters? Indeed…
Media peeps did not get invited to last night’s Chef’s Tribute Dinner at J&G, but Chow Bella reader Valerie Paxton ponied up for a ticket and sent us some more of her drool-worthy photos. The event, part of the Scottsdale Culinary Festival, welcomed culinary luminaries Charlene Badman and Pavle Milic…
Former Canal chef Justin Beckett has kept himself busy since the SouthBridge restaurant closed last summer — he’s been blogging about his home cooking escapades on Facebook (Beckett’s Kitchen Table), Tweeting about his research, and working on two new concepts, Beckett’s Food for the Neighborhood, and Scotty’s Original Po’Boy Shop…
This month’s four-course, farm-to-table feast, which takes place Saturday, April 17, will feature roasted vegetable salad, Cuban pulled pork sandwich with pineapple curried vegetables, chipotle-raspberry ribs with apple-tarragon coleslaw and a yet-to-be-announced dessert. Farm owner Casey Stechnij says Johnson, chef at his Udder Delights ice cream shop in Gilbert, will prepare…
It can be hard to find good sea food in the desert. Unfortunately, the restaurant featured in this week’s cafe column won’t exactly help your search. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Ocean Prime: Given his background working for Christopher Gross and Eddie Matney, and the sophisticated food he cooked at…
Last week we featured the Top 5 Cocktails That Will Make You Fat, so it’s only fair to follow it up with what you may want to drink instead. Let’s be frank: if you’re trying to lose weight, you should probably stop drinking altogether; but if you’re merely trying not…
Nice, um, cucumber!A friend showed me his copy of the new In the Raw calendar, and what can I say? It’s pretty ballsy.Ken and Lee Singh are the charming couple who run the all-natural Singh Farms — a 20-acre wonderland where their composting efforts have created nutrient-rich soil for fresh…
The ink continues to flow. Following on the heels of our story about local chefs who are covered in tattoos, even more are stepping up to show off their skin art. Today, we have two guys from Scottsdale’s Culinary Dropout, executive chef Clint Woods, pictured on this page, and cook Matt Peshek,…
This week, Takeshi Hosoda of Radio Cafe has dished on shokunin, sexy sushi and sharp knives. Today, he shares a new addition to the Radio Cafe menu, his sweet potato sushi roll. Here’s how it’s done…..
That much antipated — and much dreaded — day has come again. No, not this year’s American Idol finale. We’re talking about April 15, aka Tax Day: the day that dictates whether you’ll be enjoying a fancy dinner out with your refund or eating bologna sandwiches and PB&J for the rest of the…
How can you not love Groupon? I sure do. It’s a daily deal delivered to your inbox, and some of the offers from local businesses are incredible. And it’s free to join.But have you ever actually read some of these descriptions? Somebody is getting really creative in writing their copy…
“From little things big things grow.” — Paul Kelly & The Messengers In no time, everything in this town will be toast. But for the moment, it’s time to garden. Everything’s green — from our own Shannon Armour’s first attempt at gardening to some experts’ efforts to really make things happen. From time…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. It’s April 15th and you know what that means — your taxes are due. Luckily, a few people want to make today a little easier for you by offering up some food deals. Click on the links below…
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Grandma Laudig’s wisdom has always held up well, except when it comes to reviewing restaurants. I’m talking about those places I really don’t care to set foot in again, but still I go back in the name of…
