Craft BeerThirsty Thursday: Ranking the Top 10 Craft Beer Releases of the Week
Matthew JohnsonSeptember 24, 2020
Desert Digest
Desert DigestQ & A with LON’s at the Hermosa Inn’s New Executive Chef Rebecca Tillman
Marilyn HawkesSeptember 24, 2020
In June, Rebecca Tillman was named executive chef at LON’s at the Hermosa Inn, replacing longtime chef Jeremy Pacheco. Tillman, who for the last three years has served as executive sous chef at The Phoenician, brings years of experience with farm-focused, seasonal cuisine to LON’s. She’s already busy working on new menus, strengthening her kitchen team and putting everything in place behind the scenes. Q: What’s it like going from such a large property to...
Craft BeerBrewery Spotlight: Pedal Haus Brewery
Matthew JohnsonSeptember 23, 2020
In our monthly series of putting the spotlight on a Valley brewery, we stopped by Pedal Haus in Tempe where a true-to-style European beer is always on tap.
Desert DigestWhat’s Next for UnderTow?
Marilyn HawkesSeptember 17, 2020
The popular Arcadia bar, UnderTow, at 3620 E. Indian School Rd., will reopen in its original location beneath Sip Coffee & Beer on Tuesday, Sept. 22, with six-foot social distancing at 50 percent or less capacity, according to Barter & Shake Hospitality’s Kailee Asher. “Realistically (because of the bar’s small size), we’ll be closer to 25-30 percent capacity.” Seating will be by reservation only. But don’t get too comfortable there, because the underground bar will...
Craft BeerThirsty Thursday: Ranking the Top 10 Craft Beer Releases in Arizona This Week
Matthew JohnsonSeptember 17, 2020
This week's must try beers being released across Arizona.
I should probably preface this by saying I am not a big fan of burgers. It’s been nearly a decade since I last ate meat, and even before my vow to be a vegetarian in my late teens, I didn’t particularly care for most protein. But when I was offered a hosted lunch at the new Aioli Burger on Bell Road, something intrigued me. Perhaps it was the fry flight. I had seen pictures of...
Desert DigestLylo Swim Club is a Refreshing Urban Oasis
Kristy DurkinSeptember 16, 2020
The new ARRIVE Hotel has arrived in Uptown Phoenix. I was invited to a hosted lunch at Lylo Swim Club, ARRIVE’s outdoor poolside lounge, and was delighted by this fresh mid-century urban oasis. Located on Camelback Road nestled between Central and 7th Avenue, ARRIVE Hotel sits just west of the restaurant Southern Rail. Lylo occupies the long strip of space right on Camelback cleverly hidden behind mural-covered walls. As you walk through the gate, you...
Desert DigestPHXTogetherFeed Phoenix Partners with Local Farmers and Restaurants to Provide Meals to Those in Need
Marilyn HawkesSeptember 11, 2020
For many of us, 2020 has been a difficult year and sometimes it’s hard to see the bright spots amid the chaos. Enter the Feed Phoenix Initiative, a collaboration between Local First Arizona and the City of Phoenix. It launched in August to provide high-quality meals to vulnerable populations using funds from the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act). Rather than use a large caterer or food service company to make and...
Desert DigestRecipes#HatchatHome Dirty Rice Recipe
Leah LeMoineSeptember 11, 2020
It’s that special, spicy, fragrant, tortuously fleeting time of year again: Hatch chile season! Your local grocers are likely overflowing with Hatch, New Mexico’s iconic peppers, the earthy, deeply savory green chiles we all love turning into rellenos, enchiladas, burger toppers, mac and cheese mix-ins, cornbread boosters and more. This year, Bashas’ sent us a media packet and asked us to take part in its #HatchatHome challenge, which encourages Arizona home cooks to post their favorite Hatch chile dishes on their...
Craft BeerThirsty Thursday: Is it Stout Season Already?
Matthew JohnsonSeptember 10, 2020
New craft beer releases from Arizona breweries this week.
The pandemic put the squeeze on Arizona breweries just as it did other businesses, but local craft brewers are slowly bouncing back. A big bounce should happen from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, when the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild hosts the Beering Arizona festival via livestream to support local breweries. The festival will be online, but you can also attend at participating bars, breweries and craft beer stores. General admission tickets cost $30 for...
Craft BeerFirst Thirsty Thursday of September Full of New Craft Beers
Matthew JohnsonSeptember 3, 2020
Here are some of the new offerings from breweries around Arizona to kick off your Labor Day weekend a bit early on Thirsty Thursday!
Desert DigestAugust Restaurant Openings and Closings
Marilyn HawkesSeptember 3, 2020
Openings Alibi at Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown This full-service rooftop bar, open to the public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, offers craft cocktails, global street food by chef Ken Arneson and a 180-degree panoramic view from the 14th floor. 108 E. University Dr., Tempe,480-968-6800, tempedowntown.canopybyhilton.com Benjamin’s Upstairs The creative team behind Citizen Public House and The Gladly has opened Benjamin’s Upstairs (located upstairs from Citizen Public House in Scottsdale), with a menu by chef Benjamin Graham...
If you’re a fan of poke, but haven’t tackled raw fish at home, we’ve got a recipe from the folks at Ahipoki Bowl to share. According to managing partner Jason Jantzen, this tuna poke appetizer is a light, fresh-tasting dish that will “delight your guests.” When shopping for the tuna, look for a filet that’s firm to the touch, Jantzen says. “And don’t be afraid to give it the smell test. Fresh tuna should have...
Desert DigestPav on Juice: Making of A Winery, Vol. V
Pavle MilicSeptember 2, 2020
In early August, my fledgling winery, Los Milics, harvested our first pick of Tempranillo. It could have gone horribly wrong, because just two days prior we had a hailstorm in Sonoita. Thankfully we lived to pick our fruit and avoid disaster. A helluva start to our 2020 vintage, and par for the course for a challenging and emotionally straining year. Before we could harvest, we had to prepare the winery for the incoming fruit. Though...