Thursday, March 3, 2016
While this week’s Chow feature taught you all about the Carriage House’s culinary classes that began the last weekend of February, the multi-purpose space isn’t stopping there. With two classes scheduled for this upcoming week alone, the event space is also hosting one of the biggest dinner events in recent Tucson history.
On Sunday, March 6, the City of Gastronomy Downtown Chef’s Table will see ten of the Old Pueblo’s top chefs join forces for one dinner that will showcase some of why this city earned the UNESCO-designated City of Gastronomy title.
The second in the series (the first was held in Oct. 2014), the newly named event will again benefit Tu Nidito and Fox Tucson Theatre. This time around, though, Janos Wilder and Jerry Alday (Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails), Chris Bianco (Pizzeria Bianco), Erika Bostick (Agustin Kitchen), Tyler Fenton (Reilly), Kris Vrolijk (Proper), Carlotta Flores (El Charro), Daniel Thomas (47 Scott), Marialine Bennen (Penca) and Michael Bryer (Maynards) will serve up the dishes and stories for the 150-person crowd. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with cocktails and paired appetizers, to be followed by a multi-course, local wine-paired dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Here's the night's planned menu:
Tags: downtown chef's table , dinner event , tucson , unesco , city of gastronomy , janos wilder , penca , agustin kitchen , el charro , steak , proper , wine , cocktails , reilly , Image
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Spend your Saturday learning more about urban farming through a special, self-driven tour event presented by the nonprofit Feeding Tucson. On March 5 from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., the tour will take participants to a variety of small farming operations to showcase hydroponic, aquaponic, community-ran and other kinds of edible gardens.
The tour will end at the Mission Garden for a locally sourced lunch and discussion local food production. Maps, lunch and a donation to the Mission Garden is included in the $25 fee.
More information regarding the specific sites included in the tour will be given upon registration, which can be done on the Feeding Tucson website.
Tags: urban farm , tour , tucson , feeding tucson , mission garden , Image
The Plating the Desert exhibit, spearheaded by the Environmental Arts Committee’s Stephanie Choi, is a collaborative showing of 40 handmade ceramic plates that encourages its viewers to consider their connection to both food and art here in the Sonoran desert.
The plates will be on view from March 7 until March 25 at the Student Union Galleries (1303 E. University Blvd.) with an opening reception on Tuesday, March 8 from 6 until 8 p.m.
Tags: tucson , art , food , desert , ua , students for sustainability , environmental arts committee , plating the desert , ceramics , exhibit , Video
Monday, February 22, 2016
Presented in collaboration between Ermanos' wine steward Anya Linda and the bar's new chef Matt Kraiss, the coursed sampling event will feature four wines paired with tapas. Here's what you can expect:
1. Néboa Albariño 2013 Rias Baixas
Paired with: Ceviche - Mahi Mahi, mint and pineapple
2. Bodegas Lan Crianza Rioja 2011 Rioja
Paired with: Patatas Bravas - Papas fritas, roasted tomato aioli and a spicy bravas sauce
3. Descendientes de J Palacios Petalos 2013 Bierzo
Paired with: Porkbelly Pintxo - Crispy porkbelly, tomato bacon jam, slow roasted garlic and fresh dill
4. Gomez Cruzado Rioja Blanca 2013Rioja
Paired with: Whipped goat cheese, apricot mostarda and house roasted nuts
You can try it all at Ermanos on Tuesday, Feb. 23 starting at 5 p.m. Tickets, which include all of the courses listed, are $25 per person. Reservations are not required for the event. For more information on this and other Ermanos events, visit the bar's website.
Tags: ermanos , wine , spain , flights , tucson , fourth avenue , anya linda , matt kraiss , tapas , events
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Stories in the Garden is back to celebrate Tucson’s recent UNESCO designation as a Creative City of gastronomy. In light of that, you can join like-minded local food folks at UA Community Garden (1400 E. Mable St.) for an evening of poems and stories all about food culture.
The event will feature both a potluck (bring something to share) and a open mic-style exchange of food-centric performances. If you wish to contribute with one of your written works, plan to come to the event, which begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21, a bit early to sign up.
Tags: ua community garden , tucson , food culture , spoken word , stories , potluck , event
Friday, February 12, 2016
Curious neighbors in Dunbar/Spring need wonder no more. The sky blue building with the bright yellow flags at 111 W. Fourth St. is definitely tough to miss, and soon you could find yourself stopping in for local produce, grains and fresh vegan cooking at reasonable, wholesale pricing. That's because Zinman's Food Shop is in it's very soft opening stage right now, testing out its three different food experiences slowly.
First, the Gershonsvitz Grainworks will offer local milled grains like Pima Club Wheat, grown at the San Xavier Co-op Farms, for $4 per pound or $2.50 for a bulk rate. The wholesale granary will be open to the public.
Another side of Zinman's will offer fresh local produce as a wholesale grocer primarily intended for local chefs, but also open to the public. Zinman's will be growing some of the produce on-hand in their off-site garden and some herbs in the on-site thousand-square-foot herb garden behind the shop.
Finally, C. Hopkins Café will offer a modest selection of seasonal vegan dishes freshly stir fried in the restaurant's wok. Waffles, pancakes, pastries and more will be available for breakfast. The café is testing recipes currently and looking for more cooks and a baker, but will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner once it's fully staffed.
Zinman's Food Shop, which is located west of Stone Avenue and south of University Boulevard, seeks to have all components of the business ready in about a month. You can stay up-to-date with the market and restaurant's progress and hours by following Zinman's on Facebook.
Tags: zinman's food shop , local grain , produce , vegetables , wholesale , market , dunbar/spring , vegan , restaurant , c. hopkins cafe , Image
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
On Thursday, Feb. 17, Slattery will lead a class showing how to process acorns to eat, and, according to the event's page:
"Acorns are believed to be the most substantive food the human race has consumed throughout our time on this Earth. If that’s so, what are we waiting for?"The class will feature a "detailed approach" to gathering, processing and cooking with acorns with a presentation and hands-on demonstration. It will include samples and recipes like cookies, bread, gnocchi, falafel, pizza crust, crepes and more.
Slattery's "Processing Acorns for Food" workshop will run from 6 until 8 p.m. It costs $10 to attend and you can sign up for the event now through the Food Conspiracy Co-op website.
Tags: acorns , process , cooking class , recipe , tucson , events , workshop , john slattery , sonoran herbalist , food conspiracy co-op
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Over at The Parish (6453 N. Oracle Road), the restaurant's regular Southern offerings will be expanded to include a crawfish boil. Starting at 2 p.m. on Mardi Gras, Cajun fare and a whole lot of crawfish will be available with drink and food specials and live music in a range of genres including zydeco, Americana, blues, rock, funk and soul. Cover for the event is $10. Reservations are not necessary.
And, for its 22nd year, Kingfisher (2564 E. Grant Road) will also be serving up a taste of Louisiana courtesy of chef Jim Murphy of Kingfisher. The special Mardi Gras menu will be served up a la carte from 5 until 11 p.m. and will include the following:
- Baked Oysters “Storyville”: champagne, crabmeat, cayenne, crème fraiche, Parmesan cheese (5) - $15
- Old N’awlins Seafood Gumbo: shrimp, oysters, seafood, crawfish, Cajun mirepoix, okra, andouille sausage, scallions, Texmati rice, dark brown roux - bowl $16, cup $9
- Cajun Red beans and Texmati Rice with Andouille Sausage - appetizer $8, dinner $15
- Shrimp, Andouille Sausage and Tasso Ham Jambalaya: garlic, scallions, sauce piquant, Tasso, shrimp, Cajun mirepoix, Texmati rice - appetizer $9, dinner $19
- Deep Fried Cornmeal Crusted Catfish: Texmati rice, honeyed carrots, sauce Remoulade - $18
- Flaming Bananas Foster: brown sugar, banana liquor, rum, oranges, cinnamon, sweet cream butter, bananas, vanilla ice cream - $15
- New Orleans King Cake - $6
- Beignets - $8
- New Orleans Bread Pudding with warm whiskey custard sauce - $7.50
Drinks for the Kingfisher event will include New Orleans favorites, such as Hurricanes, Sazeracs and a selection of Louisiana brews like Dixie Lager and Abita Turbodog. Live performances from The Old Pueblo Jazz Band and Dr. Mojo and the Zydeco Cannibals will keep guests entertained at the special Mardi Gras event. Reservations are strongly suggested, and you can make yours by calling 323-7739.
Tags: kingfisher , the parish , tucson , restaurants , dining , mardi gras , cajun , creole , southern , crawfish , jambalaya , gumbo , beignets , live music , events
Monday, February 1, 2016
The Savor Food & Wine Festival is back for its third year to bring another full day of southern Arizona's leading food, wine, beer and spirits makers together to present their wares. In addition to 30 restaurants, a dozen wineries and breweries, three distilleries and several other food and beverage vendors, the festival will be featuring some of the many elements that won Tucson its 2015 UNESCO designation as a Creative City of Gastronomy.
As far as the food goes, you can expect local Top Knot duck tinga from Agustin Kitchen, Wagyu beef rillette from the Omni Tucson, chorizo-stuffed clams from Fini's Landing, smoked nopal canape from the on-site Café Botanica and much more when the restaurants serve up tasting samples throughout the event. Local beer, wine, coffee, kombucha and more will also be available courtesy of Borderlands Brewing Co., Sand Reckoner, Hermosa Coffee Roasters, Fermented Tea Company and several other purveyors. Cocktails will be mixed up from The Still, Kingfisher and PY Steakhouse.
However, this year's event also seeks to highlight elements, aside from value-added food and beverage makers, that make the city unique. Exhibitors like the Caridad Community Kitchen from the Community Food Bank, Native Seeds/SEARCH, Iskashitaa Refugee Network, Compost Cats and others will give glimpses into some of the ways Tucson promotes food justice and the heritage of the region's food ways, while seeking to eliminate food waste. Locally grown produce will be showcased by the Santa Cruz River Farmers Market.
You can get your fill of food and drink samples, mingle with local chefs and learn more about the folks changing the landscape of how food is grown, made, distributed, used and consumed in Tucson at the third annual Savor Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, Feb, 6. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Tucson Botanical Gardens (2150 N. Alvernon Way). Tickets are $65 in advance or $75 the day of, if there are tickets left. Admission for the event also includes full access to the garden and its exhibits, including the Butterfly Magic exhibit. For tickets and more information, visit the SAACA website.
Tags: savor , food and wine , festival , tucson , craft beer , cocktails , unesco , saaca , festival , events , Image
Thursday, January 28, 2016
From 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 31, Tucson’s female beer crew will be serving up six brews with the cookies you know and love from the little ladies in green. Since there was such a big turnout for previous events, this time around you can get your cookies and beer at two different locations: Tap & Bottle (403 N. Sixth Ave., #135) and Borderlands Brewing Co. (119 E. Toole Ave.)
Here's what you can expect:
- Upslope Brown with a Do Si Do
- Hangar 24 Orange Wheat with a Trefoil
- Sierra Nevada Big Foot Barleywine with a Samoa
- Barrio 2015 Girls Pint Stout Russian Imperial Stout with a Thin Mint
- New Belgium Citradelic Tangerine IPA with a Savannah Smiles
- New Belgium Glüttony with a Toffee-tastic (both gluten free)
Cookie and coffee pairings will be offered at Exo Roast Co. for the teetotalers right next door to Tap & Bottle. Girl Scouts will also be on-site if you want to buy a few boxes to take home, which, let’s be honest, you probably do.
Tags: girl scout cookies , beer , tucson , events , girls pint out , tap & bottle , borderlands , pairing
