When I was pregnant with my first daughter four years ago, a craving for chocolate milkshakes grabbed hold of me. I blissfully spent my pregnancy drinking shake after shake. When I was in the hospital for the delivery, a nurse asked whether I had tried milkshakes all around town and…
Some like it hot. This time of year, though, there’s a huge difference between a hot kitchen and a hot beach. Somehow the latter inevitably wins out. But that doesn’t mean you can’t plot your future kitchen adventures while soaking up some rays. In fact, the new Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book…
Pita Jungle vs. DeluxGazpacho is a cold soup, originally from Spain, and is the perfect antidote to these hellacious summer days. There are so many variations on gazpacho (chunky or pureed, spicy or mild) but they’re all tomato-based and raw, making them vegetarian and, more often than not, vegan-friendly.In One…
It seems as if there’s a National Day of just about anything. And today is no exception. It is National Lasagna Day! So, wave your Italian flags, stick a napkin in your collar and get ready for some cheesy, meaty, noodle-y goodness. If you head on down to any Buca…
It’s too hot to cook, so just skip to dessert. That’s our philosophy, anyway. Besides, most summertime desserts have the added benefit of being cold, and anything that helps beat the heat is a winner. This week we offer you a daily guide to the sweet treats of summer, from…
When one of Chef Brian Ferguson’s young cooks wanted to leave his restaurant, 98 South in downtown Chandler, to move out of Arizona for the first time in his life and cook in Oregon, Ferguson said, “Take-off young man, go see the world!” “That’s what the guys that brought me…
Pete (or, in Thai, Tossapis) Pholtosa is working around the clock in the former Big Wong location, on 6th Ave. and Indian School, painting, tiling, decorating, and all around renovating the restaurant he is making his own: Thai E-San. When we walked in, he was grouting the floor. The name,…
After a hiatus for renovations and development of a totally new menu, the transformation of Nine 05 (from the restaurant formerly known as Fate) is complete. The restaurant opened last night. Executive chef Matt Carter of Zinc Bistro and The Mission, joined by chef Jay Bogsinske, has created an upscale…
Wine lovers, are you tired of hearing about “Sonoma this” and “Napa Valley that?” It’s time to put Arizona’s wineries on the map. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, we’ll tell you who’s headed to Page Valley’s vineyards and how you can get in on an upcoming tour. We’ve…
Brian Ferguson runs the most organized, least serious army platoon in town. It’s also the tastiest. Those are his words, by the way, “army platoon.” He describes his team as “a very tight, cohesive unit. You don’t have to have a lot of explanation or talking; the guys know exactly…
Chef Joseph Gutierrez wasted no time in opening Tutto in the recently vacated Digestif space, and there was word that he’ll be opening two more eateries at SouthBridge this year. As of today, it’s official. In a press release just issued by SouthBridge, there’s confirmation that Gutierrez will also be…
Don’t be surprised to hear your stomach growl if you look at the menu at brand-new Karey’s Kitchen, which bills itself as a “Filipino-Mexican Fusion Cafe.” The food sounds mouthwatering. Along with South of the Border fare like flautas and chimichangas, the eatery offers Filipino treats such as lumpia (pork…
It’s too hot to cook, so just skip to dessert. That’s our philosophy, anyway. Besides, most summertime desserts have the added benefit of being cold, and anything that helps beat the heat is a winner. This week we offer you a daily guide to the sweet treats of summer, from…
Nothing says summer like vodka. OK, that’s not true. Nothing says depressing, oppressive Russian winters like vodka. But, in any case, nothing says summer like a soap opera-like novel focused on an alcoholic drink. That’s just what you’ll find in Phoenix-born-and-raised author Linda Himelstein’s new book: The King of Vodka…
Does anyone remember this guy? He’s Maja, the local rapper, lyricist and anime-enthusiast who Benjamin Leatherman profiled back in 2007 because of his unique brand of hip-hop, which he called a “fusion of urban culture and dorkdom chic.” Well, it’s been a few years, but his name is still Maja…
Once again we’ve ventured directly into a bottle to bring you a couple more beers to consider for that top spot as the kings of summer beer enjoyment. This week we skulked around Lost Leaf in Downtown Phoenix until they gave us some recommendations. Check out what we found in the…
A friend passed along a tip on a new restaurant in North Phoenix that just had its grand opening. It’s called Rustic Cafe, and is located on Cave Creek Road, north of the 101 (20811 N. Cave Creek Rd.). Open daily from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the place serves…
For about a year and a half, Cartel Coffee Lab in Tempe has been slinging some great java. They definitely have put a premium on serving up quality coffee out of their funky strip mall home. They’re so crazy about coffee that they host occasional latte art showdowns between valley…
We’re experimenting here at Monday Night Martha by cooking from recipes downloaded to the Amazon Kindle. We received a free copy of The Cook’s Illustrated How-To Cook Library as part of a short promotion offered this spring. It’s slightly odd trying to cook from an electronic reading device because when…
It’s too hot to cook, so just skip to dessert. That’s our philosophy, anyway. Besides, most summertime desserts have the added benefit of being cold, and anything that helps beat the heat is a winner. This week we offer you a daily guide to the sweet treats of summer, from…
So, you’ve read Julie & Julia and all of Ruth Reichl’s books, but you’re hungry for more? Fear not, summer reader. We’ve got a week’s worth of book recommendations for you, all food-related in one way or another, starting today with The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee. Speaking of…
If you can drive just 20 feet past the Starbucks in the Basha’s Plaza on the northeast corner of Southern and McClintock in Tempe, you’ll find another gem of a coffee house in the same shopping center: Gold Bar Espresso. This cozy little corner shop touts itself as “simply the…
