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Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon has spent years mastering the craft of selecting fine cheeses and wines and concocting culturally inspired dishes. After college and culinary school, she worked at various restaurants in different positions to learn as much as she could about the business as well as wine, cheese and craft beer. In 2017, Moeeni-Alarcon opened Chandler restaurant Mingle + Graze. Now it’s headed to Best Fest on August 13 with a delicious selection of hand-picked Spanish...

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“You don’t win friends with salad,” they sang on The Simpsons. Clearly, those Springfield silly billies never tried these enticing ensaladas. Chicken Panzanella Nothing wins over a salad skeptic like panzanella, Italy’s glorious salad of crusty bread soaking up vinaigrette and tomato juices. Federal Pizza adds chicken ($13.75). federalpizza.com Grilled Watermelon Salad No ho-hum fruit plate at the larder + the delta. Chef Stephen Jones grills his watermelon and playfully pairs it with watermelon radishes,...

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Monger’s Board | Photo by Leah LeMoine   THE SCENE   Charcuterie businesses are all the rage now – I feel like five new ones pop up every time I open Instagram – but my friend, Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon, was one of the first charcuterie queens to make a big splash here in the Valley.   I met Mahfam nearly a decade ago (!!!), when she was working as a wine buyer at Whole Foods in Chandler. She emailed me out of the blue and invited me and a friend to the store...

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Who says you can’t travel with kids? Mingle + Graze cheese bar and kitchen owners Mahfam Moeeni-Alarcon and Cristobal Alarcon recently took their two young children and Cristobal’s parents on a three-week tour of Berlin, Leipzig and Prague. “Of the three beautiful cities we visited, Prague was by far my most favorite. It was magical!” Moeeni-Alarcon says. “Castles! Gargoyles! And beer!” She shares her favorite spots.  Prague Castle “The detailed work on the frescoes was...