Want to be a Judge at Pie Social 2014? Write the Winning Pie-Ku

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, not that. Pie Social! The fifth annual event will be the sweetest ever — check out our celebrity chef line-up and sharpen your pencils, folks, because it’s time once again for Chow Bella’s Pie-Ku contest. And you just might win a…

3 DIY Christmas Gifts You Need to Start Now

If you couldn’t tell by the Halloween candy already being pushed aside for candy canes, Christmas is coming. In lieu of gifting people with more stuff (since we are currently trying to purge junk), I’ve decided to make delicious edible presents this year. Every year I intend to do this,…

Jeff Kraus of Crepe Bar: Pie Social Celebrity Bakers 2014

Forks up, Phoenix! Chow Bella and Roosevelt Row present the fifth annual Pie Social from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 15, at the “What Should Go Here” Pop Up Park at Second and Roosevelt streets. We’ve got an all-star lineup of bakers making pies for you to taste, and…

“Fair” Versus “Direct” Trade — What Does It All Mean?

When it comes to buying coffee most people are completely clueless. Shade Grown? Rainforest Alliance certified? Bird Friendly? Organic? There’s no reason to be afraid of these labels, but there are some pretty understandable reasons to be skeptical of them. For many people, there is a certain amount of mysticism…

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Perhaps you have some distant memory of your mom roasting pumpkin seeds on pie tins for you. I do. As a kid I didn’t appreciate the pumpkin seed. I just wanted to get to the pumpkin pie or pumpkin roll. Now as an adult, I want those toasty seeds. Mostly…

Phoenix Barista Harlin Glovacki Qualifies for US Barista Championship

Harlin Glovacki of Nom de Plume Coffee Roasters made Phoenix coffee afficionados proud last week by taking fifth place in the Southwest Division of the Big Western Regional Barista Competition. Achieving a top-six placement qualifies him to compete at the national level in February’s United States Barista Championship in Long…