Primavera Raspados and Hot Dogs serves mainly raspados, fruit salads and other things one wants on hot days. It is parked in a lot just west of the corner of Ajo Road and Clark Avenue, right in front of the 99 Cent Discount Market. It can be identified by the metal ice cream cone welded to the end of the trailer facing westbound traffic.

Let us now turn to the stand’s Tostitos preparados, a junk-food fantasy made real. They cut open a bag of chips — your choice of Doritos or Ruffles — fill it with cheese sauce, jalapenos, Chamoy, salsa, lemon and more … and there you have it. A small is $3, and a large, which is plenty for two, sells for $4.50.

Wednesday is two-for-one Sonoran hot dog day; banana splits, properly done Mexico-style corn on the cob and the sort of nachos you get at the movie theater are also available. But what you really stop here for is a Clamato preparado, jugo naturale or any number of other drinks that tend to make the summer heat a bit more bearable.

Hours: 10 a.m. to around 11 p.m. Condiment bar: Adequate. Dining area: Made out of orange and yellow tent material, which gives it sort of a carnival feel. Prices: $5 and less.

When my favorite YouTube gluttony series is set to be featured on Leno, the party is clearly over:

To the short list of Quebecers who have done their thing on the Tonight Show -an impressionist, a pop diva -add a chef whose primary ingredients are bacon and Jack Daniel's.

Harley Morenstein, who was a high-school teacher a year ago, is following in the footsteps of Andre Philippe Gagnon and Celine Dion. On March 17, Jay Leno will welcome Morenstein for a demonstration of what has made Epic Meal Time a YouTube sensation.

It's the St. Patrick's Day edition of the Tonight Show. Maybe Morenstein will whip up a sorbet, using corned beef, cabbage and Jameson.

"We're gonna do something special for Leno," Morenstein, 25, said when I called him on Monday. "Maybe get him to eat some bacon."

At least this week's video is funny. Leno's bound to rub off on these guys and ruin the whole thing soon enough.

[Montreal Gazette]

Ahh, Eegee’s … one of the many wonderful things about Tucson.

Created in 1971 by Ed Irving and Bob Greenberg, eegee's started out in a food vending truck that sold "frozen lemonade" to students outside of Tucson high schools. Today, they are a Tucson staple. All of the 21 locations are family owned, though ownership of eegee's changed from the original founders in 2006.

According to the website, last year, they produced 850,000 gallons of eegee's. Oh my.

The best part about eegee's in my opinion is their wonderful vegan-ness. What could they really put in a mixture of ice and fruit to make it not vegan, though? (Well, I suppose they could put quite a lot in there, but the important thing is that they don’t.)

If you've been pining for a bowl of chef Donna Nordin's tortilla soup since Terra Cotta closed more than two years ago, here's your chance:

Good News for Terra Cotta Groupies!

Tucson, Ariz—-When Terra Cotta, one of Tucson’s most beloved restaurants closed two years ago, fans were sad to see the Garlic Custard, Jennifer’s Tortilla soup, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Shrimp Flautas and many other mouth watering signature dishes disappear from their lives. In a bit of great news for those fans, Donna Nordin, former Co-Owner & Executive Chef of Café Terra Cotta is pleased to announce series a of intimate cooking classes beginning this month.

Featuring the contemporary southwest and classic French cuisines that Chef Nordin is acclaimed for, each 2½ hour demonstration class (with limited hands-on participation) will include 3 to 4 recipes, as well as lunch with wine/beverages. Classes will begin at 10:30am (see schedule below) and are limited to 8 students. The price per person is $45.00, payable by cash or credit card.

For further information and to sign up for classes, email Donna Nordin at [email protected] or call 520- 299-8100.

March/April schedule

March 23 and March 26

Supremes de Volaille Farci (Stuffed Chicke Breast)

Ratatouille

Moka Classique (Sponge Cake with Coffee Buttercream)

April 6 and April 9

Tortilla Soup

Shrimp Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Arizona Princess Cake

April 13 and April 23

Souffle au Fromage

Tournedos Henri IV

Crepes Suzette

The Associated Press is reporting that the National Pork Board is changing their slogan from the classic "The Other White Meat" to the decidedly uninspiring "Pork: Be Inspired":

Gail Carter, a partner at Schafer Condon Carter, the Chicago-based ad agency that helped develop the new campaign, said "Pork: The Other White Meat" succeeded in creating awareness of pork as an option to chicken, and now it's time to update the message.

"There is no need to rely on comparisons for this audience," she said. "We know more about who the target is and how to talk to them in more relevant terms."

The board will spend more than $11 million to roll out the campaign in March and April. It will include national print and broadcast advertising, public relations, social media and foodservice marketing. Online advertising will begin March 7, and national television ads will begin April 11. Print ads will also begin running in food and lifestyle publications in April.

"Be Inspired"? What does that even mean? I like pork a lot (apologies to our vegan intern, A. Greene), but I don't know that I feel inspired by it, or even that I want to, although that might help me finish up my lyrical poem to braised pork shoulder. How about "Pork: You Know It's Delicious"? "Pork: No One Ever Really Wants Chicken"? There are a seemingly endless number of actual good slogan ideas, but I guess it was easier to run with the one that sounds like the tagline on the bottom of a motivational poster.

Better yet, just run this classic clip from the Simpsons as your new ad:

Problem solved.

I have been hounding the people handling press for the new restaurant going in at the old Acacia spot at St. Philip’s Plaza, and I think it might be just about to pay off. It sounds like something might be released in the not-too-distant future.

So for the time being, these tidbits will have to do: It’s not exactly a gastropub, although its resemblance to one has not been overtly denied. It will be called Union, although that means nothing without further context. They’ve ripped out the entire interior and stuffed it in the Dumpster, which has been overflowing with construction waste all 569 times I’ve stopped by to peek in the windows.

And whoever is opening the place is super tight-lipped about it, because when it comes to hounding people for information, I’m the houndiest, and nobody’s talking. Yet.

I’ll let you know when I learn more.

It's a great backdrop for a late lunch, with motorcycles chortling up outside and people in leather vests slapping each other on the backs. Unless you go out of your way to make small talk, they will leave you and your burger to your business. Bikers respect a lone wolf, even if he’s sort of scrawny and obviously out of his element.

The dry-erase board says burgers, chicken strips, super fries and a few other things can be had for about $5 each. The guy in the kitchen said he opened Tuesday and that the hours are about 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.

Branding Iron North is located at 2660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Bon appetit.

We suggest putting some of it on top of a big cup of vanilla malt frozen yogurt before eating yourself into near-death brain freeze, whenever you get a few spare moments.

The City Yogurt sells 14 flavors—including several sugar- and fat-free varieties—of frozen yogurt for 37 cents an ounce. That works out to about $3 for enough frozen yogurt to achieve the above mentioned brain freeze.

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and noon to 9 p.m., Sunday.

Call 741-1549 or visit the store’s website for more information.

Lindy’s at Redline Sports Grill will hold its official opening tomorrow, with 80 cent draft beers and a 1980s-themed party.

The restaurant is located in the old Pearl nightclub location on the corner of Oracle and Wetmore roads, and it looks like the entire place has been overhauled. It’s done in an automotive theme, sort of like Sir Veza’s Taco Garage, only with burgers and no low-rider references.

The restaurant’s under-construction website is here. More on Facebook here.

They've made some disgusting dishes in their time in the YouTube spotlight, but I suspect I'll be seeing the cheeseburger Happy Meal protein shake in my nightmares tonight.