Tony Tuttle Triumphs at Campari Cocktail Competition

Sai Campari? The Italian aperitif (that is, a drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite) was created in 1860 by Gaspare Campari, who crafted the beverage using a secret recipe of herbs, aromatic plants, and fruit infused in alcohol and water. Today, the distinctive red bottle is a…

What’s the Most Expensive Ingredient You’ve Used?

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. It’s no secret that top-notch chefs and restaurants have their…

Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market: Car Wash Meets Cuisine

Care for a little wine with that wax? How about some fire-roasted Mexican corn with that fill up? For those who think they’ve seen it all, welcome to Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market. Like the love child spawned from an errand-running orgy involving a car wash, gas station, coffee shop, bistro,…

O.H.S.O. Eatery and nanoBrewery Still Has Some Work To Do

O.H.S.O. Eatery and NanoBrewery, which recently opened in Arcadia, has the style part down. But beyond hanging out on the patio with a cold beer and ordering some traditional pub fare, O.H.S.O. fails to deliver. Here’s an excerpt from this week’s cafe review:…

AndyTalk: Why Would Anyone Eat (Stinky, Mushy) Brussels Sprouts?

The smell of steaming or boiling Brussels sprouts is anathema to any sort of mouthwatering Pavlovian response. When I was a kid and my mother made Brussels sprouts (or anything cabbage-related), I’d avoid the smell by staying in my room with the door closed. Self-imposed exile was the lesser evil…

O.H.S.O. Eatery and nanoBrewery Can’t Get Beyond So-So

From the second the sign went up, Arcadia’s newest casual dining/bar experience, O.H.S.O. (don’t bother asking what those letters stand for; no one seems to know), managed to grab the city’s attention faster than you could even say “nanobrewery.” Beer lovers, foodies, and Arcadia locals were eager to check out…

Attention Beer Snobs: La Bocca Needs Your Help

Do you live in Tempe and love craft beer? If you answered yes, La Bocca Urban Pizzeria & Wine Bar wants to talk to you. The Mill Ave. pizza & wine spot is looking for ten craft beer enthusiasts to join their “Unofficial Beer Advisory Board”. The new team will…

Battle of the Fish n’ Chips: England vs. Ireland

Phoenix might be pretty far from “the pond” (the Atlantic Ocean), but we can still get down on some UK-style fish n’ chips. Being landlocked, we probably appreciate good seafood even more because it can be tough to find. We’ll never leave you high and dry craving fried fish, so…

Seven Totally Adorable Easter Sweets You Can Make at Home

Easter is right around the corner, and we’re stoked because it gives us the perfect excuse to make all of the adorable sweet treats we’ve been eyeing on Pinterest and Foodgawker lately. Instead of keeping all the adorableness to ourselves, we’ve put together a list of our most favorite Easter…

Sushi Brokers to Open Second Location in Arcadia

Think the stretch of Indian School Road between 36th and 56th streets has finally run its course as one the Valley’s hottest addresses for restaurants? Think again. From current dining sites like Beckett’s Table, Cave & Ives, and Kitchen 56 to the recently opened bar called The Little Woody and…

Boiled Beets with Parm and Pine Nuts

Lately, in this In Season series, we’re taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week and see what I’ve done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I’m using beets. My default cooking method for root vegetables is roasting. Lately, though, I’ve…

Vegan Mexican Restaurant Coming to Downtown Phoenix

“There’s a lot of ‘berto’s’ in Mexican restaurant names, and teddy bears are disarming,” says Yin Macatabas on how she arrived at the name for her first eatery. “Plus, vegans don’t eat animals.” Called Tediberto’s, Macatabas’ restaurant will focus on vegan Mexican food, something she says is difficult to find…

CLOSED: Matador Restaurant

After 35 years, the Matador Restaurant, a downtown favorite of locals in search of Sonoran Mexican food, has shuttered. On March 12, a fire briefly closed the restaurant located at the southeast corner of First and Adams streets. Less than two weeks later, after re-opening for a few days last…

Watch This: Rainbow Cake Time Lapse

We may have caught a touch of rainbow cake fever (damn you, Pinterest!), but we haven’t had a reason — or the time — to whip one up. After we stumbled upon this super cool time lapse Rainbow Cake production video, we decided that we don’t need no stinkin’ reason,…

Oprah Gives Shout-Out to Valley Confectioner Julia Baker

How to know when you’ve arrived? It’s not Snooki following you on Twitter, your mention in a rap song/your rap song, or your video making it on Tosh.0 — it’s a shout-out from the Big O herself, Oprah Winfrey. Julia Baker, chef and owner of Julia Baker Confections, should know…

Our Lady of Cupcakes’ Peanut Butter Frosting

This week we talked with Lisa Even and Katie True of Our Lady of Cupcakes. Today they share their recipe for an easy-to-make peanut butter frosting. We decided we’d like to share our peanut butter frosting because it’s super versatile – small alterations can turn it into a filling or…