Barrel-Aged Cocktails Premiere Tonight at Quiessence

​Distillers of whiskey and other spirits have known for centuries that aging a drink in oak barrels does wonders for its flavor, smoothing out rough edges while adding layers of complexity to both aroma and taste. Bartenders and cocktail artisans across the country are now catching on and letting their…

Chef Christopher Gross’ Kitchen Secrets

Editor’s note: Each week on Chow Bella, our food blog, we bring you an interview with a local chef. Visit www.phxfood.com for more tasty tales. Michele Laudig’s Cafe column will return next week. Christopher Gross of Christopher’s Restaurant and Crush Lounge understandably asks a journalist to call him Chef Christopher…

Sugar and Spice: Dunkin’ Donuts Tries Autumn on for Size

Autumn in Phoenix is anything but color tours, cider mills, and a chill in the air. Tell that to Dunkin’ Donuts. With a limited-time offering of returning menu items, Fry Girl couldn’t help harvesting the international doughnut and coffee retailer’s autumn-themed fare. Here’s the, um, fallout: Maple Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich:…

An Old-Fashioned Pie Fight: Kiss the Cook vs. My Mother’s

Poor Pie. It’s the red-headed stepchild of desserts, eclipsed by hip, sophisticated siblings Creme Brulee and Chocolate Lava Cake. Seriously, why does Cheesecake get all the glory while poor Pie is relegated to diners and once-a-year holiday meals?? Pie is comforting. Pie is natural. Pie is sexxxy.  In preparation for Chow Bella’s upcoming Pie Social…

Whataburger’s New Chocolate Brownie Pie Is a Fried Fib

What’s up at Whataburger? Recently, it’s been their newest limited-time menu item, a Chocolate Brownie Pie featuring warm chocolate brownie filling in a crust pod for 99 cents. “Our customers have grown up on our fried pies, and our newest pie offers a rich, delicious chocolate option,” said Rich Scheffler,…

Luis Millan of Canteen Modern Tequila Bar

Luis Millan, the chef at the new Canteen Modern Tequila Bar, moved to Tuscon from Cananea Sonora, the small Mexican copper-mining town he called home, at age 18 for college. When he started working at a restaurant on the side, he found a different calling.

Jen Bruce, What Are You Eating?

Jen Bruce The singer, songwriter and piano and guitar player for Tempe band Honey Pistol plays with the band at Teakwoods in Phoenix December 18. What’d you eat for dinner last night? Airplane food: delicately rubberized chicken chewy/dry sandwich. Favorite food: Grandma’s Fried Chicken and white gravy with a Honey…

Pumpkin Showdown: And the Winner Is . . .

Was the Pumpkin Showdown our best cook-off yet? I think so, hands down.Our enthusiasm for this seasonal ingredient started early. Well over a month ago, contributor Cyndi Coon started drumming up excitement for all things pumpkin at local restaurants, and before long, the whole Chow Bella staff was dreamily anticipating…

Fry Girl Faces Freaky Fair Grub

The Arizona State Fair was a lot less gritty than I had hoped for — fairly clean with decent family folk havin’ a good time. Heck, even the carnies looked like legitimate businessmen. Where’s the missing teeth meth smiles? The used condoms behind the sheep barn? The “I’m With Stupid”…

This Week In Chow Bella:

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: Chef Andrea Volpi Heads Up New Local Bistro Chef…

Our Picks for Picnic Parks and Takeout Options

As temperatures begin to fall, what better way to enjoy the cool weather than with an evening picnic? Free from pesky birds and harsh sunlight, nighttime picnics have a lot to offer. Bring music and games for entertainment or plan accordingly and enjoy a movie or live music at the…

Todd and Tami Hudalla of What’s Your Grind

The business: What’s Your Grind Gourmet Coffee Roasters What they’re packin’: Fresh roasted coffee beans and brewed coffee Where you can find them: Pick up a pound or two on Saturdays at Roadrunner Park Farmer’s Market from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. or on Sundays at the Ahwatukee Farmer’s Market from 9…

Cafe: Phoenix Public Market

What did we eat for lunch today? Quiche from the Public Market. What can we say? It sure beats a fast food hamburger and after reading this week’s cafe column, we just couldn’t stay away from the market. Food Critic Michele Laudig on the Phoenix Public Market: For anyone living…

Christopher Gross’ Parnassienne au Chocolate Chocolate Tower

What’s better than chocolate? Three kinds of chocolate, of course. Chef Christopher Gross of Christopher’s Restaurant and Crush Lounge created the often-imitated Parnassienne au Chocolate Chocolate Tower: Nearly half a foot of a dark chocolate lattice over a white chocolate tube that envelops a chocolate mousse center.

Pumpkin Showdown: Pumpkin Mousse

​We are obsessed with pumpkin so much over here at Chow Bella that we thought it was time to take all the smack talk to task with a pumpkin showdown. All the blog contributors gathered ’round the table with their best pumpkin recipes to see whose dish gets the Great…