Shopping
Locals Only
Author: Gwen Ashley Walters
Issue:
January, 2012, Page 106
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| Schreiner’s Fine SausageDon’t be surprised if you bump into the Valley’s best chefs at Schreiner’s. Many top toques pick up their orders personally from this retro red-and-white sausage shack, which has been peddling pork for 56 years. Find the usual suspects of sweet and hot Italian links but also some rare gems, like Portuguese linguiça and New Orleans-style andouille. Schreiner’s recently added a handful of chicken and turkey sausages that are just as tasty as the pork and beef options. ($4.50-$5.50/pound) 3601 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, 602-265-2939, schreinerssausage.com
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| MJ BreadWonder where that fabulous bread at Noca, FnB and Zinc Bistro comes from? It’s pulled from the ovens of Certified Master Baker Michael John Coe just hours before serving. Coe has been handcrafting artisan loaves in the Valley for more than 10 years, and his baguettes – crisp outside, tender inside – reign supreme. So do the chewy multigrain, marbled rye, rustic ciabatta and focaccia. Available at La Grande Orange Grocery or Tammie Coe Cakes. ($2.50-$4) Tammie Coe Cakes, 610 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 602-253-0829, tammiecoecakes.com | |
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| Paletas BettyWhen it comes to paletas, Betty Alatorre keeps it fresh. The owner of Paletas Betty uses seasonal fruit in her Mexican-style popsicles, and roasts her own chiles and nuts to amp up the flavor. She even makes the graham cracker crumb “crust” for her creamy limón (key lime) pop. From the dreamy arroz con leche (made from her mother’s rice pudding recipe) to the pecan-studded, creamy nuez, it’s impossible to pick a favorite. ($2.49-$2.79) 425 S. Mill Ave., Tempe; 96 W. Boston St., Chandler, 480-779-8080, paletasbetty.com
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Butter & Me CupcakesThe secret to Butter & Me’s sublime cupcakes? They’re baked to order and delivered soon after leaving the oven. You can customize them, too. For a small fee, Garcia will decorate your box of cupcakes (our favorite: the decadent brownie cupcake with mocha buttercream) to the nines and include a hand-written card. Check the website for a menu of flavors. (Standard size cupcakes cost $36 per dozen, minimum order.) 480-363-2859, butterandme.com
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| Cotton Country Jams Pickled beetsPicking a favorite from Cotton Country Jams’ plethora of pickled vegetables and jams isn’t easy, but the one item we can’t do without is Ernestine Riley’s pickled beets. Riley starts with special cylindrical beets from McClendon’s Select and doctors her pickling brine with hints of cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Available at area farmers’ markets, including Old Town Scottsdale, Downtown Phoenix Public Market and the Sunday Wigwam farmers’ market. ($9-$12) 33801 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-268-3181, cottoncountryjams.com
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Creative Butters
Chefs routinely use compound butters to elevate flavors and create quick sauces. Sure, you can make them yourself, but why not let Creative Butters do the work? Jennifer Van Inwegen starts with high-quality, unsalted butter and mixes in fresh herbs, spices and premium ingredients like maple and pecans. Slather her garlic herb butter on chicken, or stir sun-dried tomato butter into mashed potatoes for unforgettable spuds. Available at Whole Foods and AJ’s Fine Foods. ($5) creativebutters.com | |
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| Essence Bakery MacaronsFor the past 17 years, Scottsdale Culinary Hall of Fame inductee Eugenia Theodosopoulos has wooed the Valley with delicate, delicious French macarons. French chocolate and caramel are deservedly the top sellers, but we also crave her seasonal flavors, such as pumpkin in the fall and pink grapefruit during the height of citrus season. ($8.75 for 1/2 dozen mini macarons or $2.95 each for large ones) 825 W. University Drive, Tempe, 480-966-2745, essencebakery.com
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Tracy Dempsey Originals - The Original Bacon-Pecan Brittle
In 2004, pastry chef Tracy Dempsey’s husband dared her to do the then-unthinkable: put meat in a dessert. Dempsey took the challenge and created bacon-pecan brittle for her inaugural dessert menu at Cowboy Ciao. Thus, the Valley’s pork-based dessert craze was born. Now an independent pastry chef, Dempsey offers the now-famous Original Bacon-Pecan Brittle through her line of packaged goodies. Available at Urban Grocery, Changing Hands bookstore and Arcadia Farms Marketplace. ($7-$10) tracydempseyoriginals.com
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