Monday, November 26, 2018
Enjoy live local entertainment including Tejano acts, Folklorico groups, Aztec dancers and Mariachis this Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Indulge in tamales, fry bread, tacos, burritos, BBQ, kettle corn and aguas frescas during this free event.
Shop for unique gifts from artisan vendors selling beadwork, jewelry, blankets, artwork, paintings, and woodwork; and farmers market vendors with jams, hats, soaps, shirts, chiles and more. The event will be fun for the whole family, complete with a visit from Santa.
There will, of course, be a tamale contest!
The contest is judged by casino management and local celebrities in four categories: Traditional red, traditional corn, gourmet and sweet. Cash prizes from $150 to $500 are given for first, second and third place in each category, with the top prize of $750 going to the best all-around tamale winner.
AVA Amphitheater is located at 5655 W. Valencia Road. Find more info here.
Tags: chow , tamales , festival , food , Ava , contest , tamale festival , tamale contest , food festival , holidays , Image
Friday, November 23, 2018
The event will feature flavors from three sister cities of gastronomy including Florianopolis, Brazil, Macao, China and Phuket, Thailand. Devon Sanner from The Carriage House and Travis Peters from The Parish will also be in the kitchen at the event. Each of the three chefs will prepare meals inspired by one of the three cities.
Tucson earned a designation as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2015, making it the first and only World City of Gastronomy in the United States. Tucson was chosen because of our 4000-year history of continually cultivated agriculture, the longest in North America.
Tickets for the event are $40 per person. The proceeds will go to support the Tucson City of Gastronomy Traveling Chef Exchange Program that will help fund chefs from other cities of gastronomy to travel to Tucson and learn our food history while sharing their own.
Last year Wilder, Peters and Sanner traveled abroad to different cities of gastronomy and they’re now looking to return the hospitality.
Find out more about the dinner here.
Tags: Food , Chef Wilder , Carriage House , DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails , World City of Gastronomy , Tucson City of Gastronomy , Tucson , Pima County , International , Image
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Ceviche is not something many desert-dwellers eat very often, but one local restaurant is working to mix that up. Villa Peru Restaurant will be hosting its bi-annual Ceviche Festival this weekend that will be offering 12 different types of traditional Peruvian ceviche dishes!
The various Peruvian ceviche dishes will be made to order, combining the freshest seasonal catch, cured with a leche de tigre citrus-based marinade of lime and ají peppers. Different ceviche dishes will include mahi mahi fish, shrimp, octopus, scallops, black shell clams and mushrooms.
Enjoy live music during night-time hours including a guitarist and harp player, while enjoying tasty seafood dishes.
So how does it work? The festival is free to get in and each of the different ceviche dishes are individually priced. It is definitely worth it to head over to the festival as many of the ceviches are not on the restaurant's regular menu, meaning this weekend is your only chance to taste them!
The festival will be on Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Villa Peru Restaurant is located on 1745 E River Road.
Save the date and make a reservation with Villa Peruvian Restaurant by calling (520) 900- 7310 or through the online reservations website.
Tags: food , ceviche , Peruvian , festival , seafood , Image
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) and Casino Del Sol are partnering for the Arizona Farm & Food Festival on Saturday, Nov. 10. The festival will include live cooking demonstrations, food samplings, a farmer's market, children's activities, cultural entertainment and opportunities to meet with local chefs.
The festival will showcase more than 35 sampling stations. Some of the stations will offer foods like truffle artisan popcorn, gourmet salsa, lavender lemonade, ceviche, smoked brisket and many different variations of tacos. Local restaurants that will be participating include Boca Tacos y Tequila, Grand Canyon Brewery, Brushfire BBQ Co., KingFisher, El Charro, Seis Kitchen, and many more!
While festival goers sample on foods and drinks, live bands will be performing including The Blues, Americana, Alt-Country, Kevin Pakulis and his Band, The Begave Trio and Navajo music.
"The Arizona Farm & Food Festival is an investment in the sustainability of Arizona's cultural food heritage. Connecting chefs and restaurants with local food producers supports preservation of our culture," said Kate Marquez, SAACA Executive Director.
The Arizona Farm & Food Festival will be on Saturday, Nov. 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Casino Del Sol's AVA Amphitheater located on 5655 W. Valencia Rd.
Tickets for general admission will be sold at $35 and upgraded tickets to sample alcohol will be $50 per ticket.
For more information about the festival and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.saaca.org/
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Tuscany's Gelato Festival returns to America by visiting seven different cities including Tucson on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 12 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 28 from 12 to 7p.m.
So far, the Festival has toured six different cities around the country including Jersey City in New Jersey, Chicago, Washington D.C., Dallas, Santa Barbara and Scottsdale.
As part of the festival, the gelato chefs will have gone through a selection process for the competition. The winners in the festival will compete again for the three best American gelato chefs and will be part of the top 36 gelato chefs in the world.
In the 2017 Gelato Festival, there were nearly 40,000 visitors and 50 gelato makers. The chefs competed and showcased their gelato flavors to produce over 13,000 pounds of gelato.
Some events at this year's gelato festival feature the Gelato School, where award-winning gelato artisans will share information about being a gelato chef. There will also be a Gelato Eating Contest, where five people will eat five cups of gelato and the fastest will win a gallon of gelato.
For kids, there will be a Kid's Jury, where kids will have the opportunity to ask the chefs questions and vote on their favorite flavors.
Danielle Palazzoni, the General Manager of the Gelato Festival America, said that the festival had a huge success all over Europe and in its first festival held in America last year.
"We realize that Americans really do love gelato," Palazzoni said. "It is our goal to make certain that every American gets to taste what real Italian gelato is like and to spread the culture of artisan Italian gelato throughout the world's largest consumer market for frozen desserts."
Tickets for the festival will be sold at $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (65+), $25 for children (3 to 12 years old) and free for children under two years old. Purchase tickets online in advance to receive a discounted price.
To purchase tickets visit : gelatofestivalamerica.com/ticket
Tags: gelato , festival , tickets , chefs , Italian , contest , Image
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Affectionately coined, "Tucson EAT yourself," the festival presents a unique opportunity to have nachos and pad tai, tacos and dumplings, fry bread and curry all in one sitting.
"Tucson Meet Yourself is a folklife festival. We focus on presenting artists and communities that carry on living traditions rooted in a group’s own definition of identity, artistry, and cultural significance," according the TMY's mission.Culturally based arts and crafts galore, performances from an array of artists and talks and tabling from various organizations are also a part of the heart of the festival.
Tucson Meet yourself just celebrated its 45th festival, and from us at the Tucson Weekly, thank you to all the volunteers that came together and make this weekend a success, even with all the rain!
Tags: Tucson Meet Yourself , TMY , food , music , arts , culture , booths , photos , children , families , good eats , rain , weekend , festival , Slideshow , Image
Thursday, October 11, 2018
That’s coming directly from eegee’s CEO C. Ron Petty, who spoke with Tucson Local Media after news broke of the company’s sale to a partnership of 39 North Capital and restaurant investor Kitchen Fund.
According to Petty, 39 North presented the best bid for the company, the shares of which has been held in-trust since 2012. 39 North Capital operates in the U.S. out of New York which focuses “on family and founder-owned businesses,” according to a company press release regarding the purchase.
“eegee’s has established itself as a restaurant leader in the Tucson community and has built a loyal customer base of true brand enthusiasts,” said Jacob Roffman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 39 North, in a release. “We are thrilled to partner with Ron and the broader eegee’s team to provide operational and financial resources to support the continued growth of an already iconic brand.”
So, what does that mean for the droves of diehard eegee’s fans? Expect more of what you love, it seems, in the form of six to eight more locations in the Tucson Metro Area.
“Over the next 24 months, our focus is to grow that Tucson market and make sure that we have eegee's everywhere,” Petty said. “We need to deliver the convenience factor to the customer.”
After that, Petty said sights are set on expanding to the Phoenix market.
“We already have a store in Casa Grande that's been there for five years,” Petty said. “And it's a very successful store. So, our next move, once we finish out the Tucson market, would be to go to Phoenix, which would be the logical place to go.”
eegee's will continue its fundraising operations to benefit local charities, Petty added, maintain a focus on environmentally-conscience initiatives, and keep its current management team in place.
And, don’t worry: You can still find eegee’s at all the University of Arizona games.
The purchase price is as-of-now confidential, though Kitchen Fund is a known partner in the transaction. Kitchen Fund is an investment firm based out of New York City.
Contributions to this story were made by Christopher Boan and Logan Burtch-Buus.
Tags: eegee's , new owners , CEO , subs , food , lunch , ranch fries , Image
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
According to TMY Lead Folklorist Maribel Alvarez, many of the vendors come from churches, clubs and community groups and the food they cook and sell represents their cultures and traditions. TMY keeps their costs low and helps out with organization to ensure success at the festival. As this is the largest grassroots entrepreneurial event in Tucson, it is a great opportunity for all vendors.
The newest additions to the food vendor group for TMY 2018 include the following:
San Xavier Cooperative Farm, Tohono O’odham Native Foods:
Representing the Tohono O'odham people who have been native agriculturists for the last 4,000 years, this vendor will be serving authentic Native American food. This includes cholla bud salsa, tepary beans, kaiwus, and much more. Learn More.
Although his restaurant, Holy Toledo, only serves Pizza and Tacos, when he is catering Chef Toledo is able to make many other unique items. At TMY he will be serving, mole, a traditional Oaxacan dish. Learn More.
La Fondita Chilena:
Yamila El-Khayat is bringing back her mothers traditional Chilean cuisine. El-Khayat grew up watching her mother sell her traditional dishes at TMY when she was a child. This year El-Khayat and her husband are bringing the back tradition in their own way. They will be serving empanadas, humitas and chilean salad. Learn More.
BK's Tacos:
A popular Tucson Restaurant, BK Tacos will be featuring their award winning Sonoran hot dog, carne asada tacos and caramelos. Its unique preparation has been quite the hit, they cook it to perfection over a mesquite fire, giving it a flavor fusion. Learn More.
Solid Grindz Hawaiian Food Restaurant & Food Truck:
Starting out as a food truck on Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Solid Grindz quickly gained a large following. A short two years later the owners opened an authentic Hawaiian and Polynesian restaurant. A mix of their Hawaiian and Polynesian cuisine will be at TMY. Learn More.
Off-the-Hook Seafood:
Matthew Kearney first started Off-the-Hook to remember a taste of home, New England, but also decided to add a Southern twist. For those of you who are looking to taste the flavor of New England, you will be guaranteed to get it at TMY.
Nur Market and Restaurant:
Started by three refugee brothers from Somalia in 1990, they bring a taste from home. While the market started in 2008, the brothers added a restaurant in 2010. They serve a variety of food that will take you out of your comfort zone. They will be serving lamb, goat, chicken, fish, shawarma and sambusa. Learn More.
Masri: An authentic Egyptian cuisine, offering Koshary, a national dish in Egypt, which is a Vegan dish including rice, pasta, onions and much more. You will not find this dish anywhere else as it is a top secret family recipe.
Tags: tucson food , unique food , food trucks , tucson meet yourself , TMY , Image
Monday, October 8, 2018
The grand opening, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, is expected to be a busy day for the new Tucson location, but the company is prepared.
Dutch Bros has partnered with a traffic management company to make sure that everyone gets their coffee without a side of road rage.
Traffic control cones will direct drivers around the building and into an overflow parking lot behind LA Fitness.
“The Tucson community has already been so welcoming,” said Jordan Gonsalves, operator of Dutch Bros Tucson. “Since our soft opening a few days ago, thousands of people have already come through to enjoy a drink and say hi.”
The new location is expected to be very busy tomorrow, and customers are encouraged to try to come either early or late to avoid the morning rush.
The new Dutch Bros is located at 120 S. Wilmot St.
Tags: coffee , drive thru , grand opening , Dutch Bros , drinks , smoothies , traffic , lines , Image
Thursday, October 4, 2018
The annual Tucson Meet Yourself Festival will be highlighting a Culture Kitchen to provide festival attendees with fresh samples of homemade cultural recipes from different countries around the world including Iraq, Lebanon, Congo and Turkey.
Culture Kitchen mainly features families showing off their cooking traditions in front of a live audience who afterwards will hand out samples of the dishes they prepared.
Some recipes that will be shared at the event include phyllo dough filled with fruit such as fig, prickly pear, and dates prepared by Janet Griffitts and Nahide Aydin, and Sonoran style enchiladas prepared by the Breckenfelds.
Nelda Ruiz, the Culture Kitchen organizer for this year, said that the kitchen is a great way to share stories of families by sharing traditional food recipes. The theme this year focuses on the importance of traditions learned from family, loved ones and friends.
"People can come every single day of the weekend and still see different things each day," Ruiz said. "That's also very telling of where we live, there is a wide variety of different cultures and communities here in Tucson."
On Sunday, Oct. 14, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a round table discussion organized by the Center of Regional Food Studies from the University of Arizona, discussing the histories of foodshed, which is the term that describes how food is grown, produced, and consumed.
The Culture Kitchen will be located outside the Jácome Plaza at the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, Saturday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 14.
Tags: Tucson Meet Yourself , tucson , festival , culture , food , tradition , recipes , Image
