FOOD & DRINK

¡Es Tiempo para una Fiesta Grande!

April 24, 2014 |
12th Annual Fiesta Grande

12th Annual Fiesta Grande

Get out your dancing boots and get ready for Fiesta Grande, Barrio Hollywood’s annual street fair! Start Saturday out
with a parade and then enjoy more than 16 musical and dance groups, including the great tejano sounds of Hollywood Knights, Conjunto Fear and Mariachi Tesoro. Over a hundred vendors will line Grande Avenue for your shopping & eating pleasures along with a carnival rides for your children. This event is free!

Entertainment
​APRIL 26th MAIN STAGE MUSIC
11:00-12:00pm MARIACHI MILAGRO
12:30-1:30 MATADOR
2:00-3:00 NEW GENERATION
3:30-4:30 CONJUNTO FEAR
5:00-dusk HERMANOS QUATRO

APRIL 27th MAIN STAGE MUSIC
12:00-1:00 MARIACHI TESORO
1:30-2:30 LUCKY 7
3:00-4:00 GERTIE N THE TO BOYZ
5:00-dusk HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS

Visit FiestaGrandeAZ.com for all of the details!

Summertime Companion Planting

April 10, 2014 |
Sunflowers make great summer garden plants as they provide a source of shade for plants growing beneath them. photo: Amber Merchant

Sunflowers make great summer garden plants as they provide a source of shade for plants growing beneath them.
photo: Amber Merchant

Spring has officially arrived in Tucson! Warmer than usual temperatures made for an interesting winter growing season. Those that chose to protect last year’s warm season perennials during the few frosty nights we had early in the winter were rewarded with continued harvests into the new year, while many cold-loving crops bolted early due to the above average temperatures. Be sure to take notes in your garden journal about what performed best in your garden this past season, as warmer winter weather is likely in our near future.
One thing we can count on when it comes to Southern Arizona weather is hot summers. Our brutal summer heat is the main barrier for those looking to get started in vegetable gardening and the main culprit responsible for the failures that our region’s gardeners experience. If either of these descriptions fit you, then you may be interested to know that there are many edible crops that actually thrive in our desert heat while at the same time providing a beneficial service to the plants around them.
Organic gardeners know that certain crops benefit when they are grown in close proximity to other plants, a concept known as companion planting—and it comes in many forms. Some plants, such as beans and peas, can actually take nitrogen out of the atmosphere and fix it into the soil into a form that plants can utilize. Other plants, such as aromatic herbs, work well at repelling unwanted pests and attracting beneficial pollinators and predatory wasps that help to keep insect populations in check.
One of the all-around best companions for our desert garden happens to be one of the easiest to grow. So easy, in fact, that it will often sprout up in your garden without you even planting it! I’m speaking, of course, of the fabulous amaranth. Amaranth, sometimes referred to as “pigweed,” is an extremely nutritious crop that is cultivated all over the world as nearly every part of the plant can be put to use.  Amaranth is one of the best plants for breaking up tough soil and for pulling nutrients from deep in the soil to the surface, where they can be used by other plants. It’s also an excellent companion to nightshades and it will increase insect resistance in tomatoes. It grows exceptionally well in our desert heat and if allowed to go to seed, you’ll never have to plant it in your garden again.
Okra gets a bad rap as a slimy vegetable that can only taste good when deep fried. This could not be further from the truth. Aside from being an essential ingredient to gumbo, okra is popular in Middle Eastern, African and Caribbean cuisine, and is also used extensively in Mediterranean, Eastern European, and South Asian cooking. As far as heat-lovers go, this relative of the hibiscus is one of the most drought-tolerant crops around and can easily be grown by even the most novice of gardeners. Okra can grow to a height of over six feet in our area so consider planting a few on the south or western sides of your garden to take advantage of the natural shade they’ll create as they grow. Their beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers also work well at attracting pollinators to your garden.
Another heat lover that also works well as a companion to desert vegetable gardens is the majestic sunflower. Native to the Americas, sunflowers provide a valuable food source for birds and pollinators, as well as a source of shade for the plants growing beneath them. While sunflowers can inhibit the growth of some plants, they actually do quite well when grown with cucumbers and work well when planted densely and used as a wind break. Sunflowers are also traditionally included in the “three sisters” garden, sometimes being referred to as the “fourth sister.” Like okra and amaranth, sunflowers planted on the south and west sides of your garden will provide afternoon shade just when your plants will need it the most.
If you’re interested in planting some of these heat lovers in your summer garden, be sure to check out Native Seeds/SEARCH, NativeSeeds.org, as they have an excellent selection of heirloom varieties of the crops discussed above, as well as many other drought tolerant, heat-loving crops that are sure to perform well in your garden this summer.
Brandon Merchant is the proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens. Visit his website at SouthwestVictoryGardens.com.

Tucson’s Local Food Rave

April 3, 2014 |

These days, the world’s rapidly growing population has got a lot of people thinking about resources. Concern about where the food and water will come from to meet our ever-increasing demand has swept across America, and especially Arid-zona, like a sandstorm, and as a result, more and more Arizonans are looking to sustainable local sources for their comestibles.

Maynard James Keenan, owner of Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars photo courtesy Speak Easy PR

Maynard James Keenan, owner of Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars
photo courtesy Speak Easy PR

Maynard James Keenan, owner of Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars, moved to northern Arizona near Jerome in the mid-1990s. He says the small-town environment “kind of set better” than the fast-paced lifestyle of his rock star peers in L.A. and New York, and so he snatched up a plot of land and settled in more-or-less off the grid. After just a few years on the property, Keenan realized that the environment was “not unlike” a lot of areas in the Mediterranean, and so he planted his first crop of grapes. He says of his transition from artist to vintner, “My practical side and my artistic side got together (when) I saw the communities around Europe that are based around vineyards and wine, and it just seemed like they were a tighter knit community—there seemed to be a lot more going on (in those communities) that was kind of ‘weatherproof’.”

As the front man for bands like Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer, it is no wonder that Keenan rapidly became the best known face among Arizona’s agriculturalists. But, rocker status aside, Keenan’s take on food sourcing is common sense enough. “Just putting stuff in your body to fill a hole is not acceptable behavior,” he says. “The sooner you can wrap your head around that, great. You know, treat yourself to some snacks now and then—who doesn’t?—but, come on; pay attention to what you’re putting in yourself.” As well as the Arizona wine market, Keenan also has his hands in local food as owner of an organic produce market in  Cornville, Arizona.

Here in Southern Arizona, one organization responsible for bringing local growers and vendors together at open-air markets around town is Heirloom Farmers Markets. Most notably, their farmers’ markets at St. Philip’s Plaza sees about 3,000 shoppers every weekend. When Heirloom’s owner Manish Shah found out that St. Philip’s was planning an art fair for the weekend of April 5, he looked at the market’s temporary displacement as an opportunity. “The idea was to throw a big food rave,” says Shah. “It was something that I had been contemplating for a long time.”

So, Heirloom and company is packing everything up for a one day celebration at Rillito Downs called the Viva La Local Food Festival. The festival, says Shah, will feature the biggest farmers’ market in Southern Arizona, with more than eighty independent vendors as well as thirty-plus local restaurants serving up some local delicacies alongside a number of Southern Arizona wineries and breweries. But if it all sounds too lavish for your blood, not to worry. “We’re trying to really keep (Viva) accessible to everybody,” says Shah.

Delectable offerings await at the Viva La Local Food Festival. photo: Michael Moriarty

Delectable offerings await at the Viva La Local Food Festival.
photo: Michael Moriarty

Instead of the hundred-plus-dollar entrance fees charged just to get into similar all-inclusive food events, Shah is offering free admission to his “pay-to-play” festival, where every vendor, vintner, and brewmaster on site has been asked to serve plates at a cost of five dollars or less. How vendors choose to use the real estate on those plates is up to them, Shah says.

In addition to a spectacular array of local food and drink, Viva La Local Food Fest will also be showcasing some of Tucson’s best local music with acts like Sergio Mendoza y La Orkestra, Carlos Arzate, and Naim Amor providing the entertainment.

Shah sums up the party with glittering eyes that telegraph his unbridled excitement: “Amazing food, beer, the farmers’ market, the party… it’s gonna be insane—I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything like it!”

Viva La Local Food Festival is Sunday, April 6 at Rillito Downs, 4502 N. 1st Ave., from 9am-5pm. Parking is free until 10:30am and $5 per vehicle after that. Find more info at VivaLaLocalFoodFest.com.

It’s Tomato Time Tucson!

February 25, 2014 |
Smaller tomatoes do very well in Tucson. photo: Jamie Manser

Smaller tomatoes do very well in Tucson.
photo: Jamie Manser

March brings with it warmer weather and a new planting season in the Old Pueblo. Some of our fellow gardeners have taken advantage of the unseasonably warm temperatures in February to get a head start on their spring crops. Others, like myself, all too weary of a late spring frost have resisted this temptation. Regardless of your risk tolerance, late February through March is the prime time to plant tomatoes.

Tomatoes are the bane of desert gardeners everywhere because all to often plants end up looking green and lush with little to no fruit to make the investment worth it. In my conversations with gardeners, I’ve learned that the majority of the time this outcome could have been avoided had a few initial steps been taken. By following these simple guidelines, your likelihood of producing a bumper crop in 2014 will be greater than ever.

Success with tomatoes all starts at the nursery or with the seed selection. Forget the monster Mortgage Lifter that may have won you the blue ribbon at the county fair back home. Large beefsteak type tomatoes do not grow well in our climate and will most likely split before they reach their full size. Conversely, smaller tomatoes do very well. Local seed source Native Seeds/SEARCH has many great heirloom varieties of cherry type and small tomatoes, including Flamenco, Punta Banda and Texas Wild Cherry.

There are some other important factors that you should consider when selecting tomatoes varieties to plant in the low desert. Tomato cultivars with shorter days to maturity or those have been bred for heat tolerance are also known to do well in our climate. Some good examples you’re likely to find include Yellow Pear, Cherokee Purple, Stupice and Pearson Improved. After you have chosen a suitable variety of the low desert, the next step is make sure you get your tomatoes planted at the right time.

The most common mistake Tucson gardeners make is waiting too long to plant their tomatoes in the ground. As a result, they get poor yields. Tomato seeds should be started indoors or in the green house starting in December and transplants should be planted outdoors starting in mid- to late-February and continuing through mid-March. If you wait much longer than this to get your tomatoes in the ground, your yield is likely to drop as hot temperatures set in—decreasing fruit production.

Unlike most garden transplants, tomatoes are planted in a trench rather than a hole.  Trim your new tomato starts leaving only the top two sets of leaves. Dig a small trench one inch deep and the length of a stem with a hole on one side just large enough to accommodate the root ball of the transplant. Gently lay your new seedling in the trench and cover the entire stem leaving only the top two leaves exposed.  Your plant will grow slowly over the next few weeks, but by planting this way a strong root system will develop rewarding you will better drought tolerance and more fruit production in the spring.

Because tomatoes are tropical plants that prefer warm temperatures planting them in the ground late in the winter can present some challenges.  You must be prepared to care for your tender young seedlings if nightly temps drop to freezing levels. Small plants can be covered at night using a cloche made from home made materials such as an old milk jug or a 3 liter soda bottle. You can read more about how to protect your garden from frosty weather in the November issue of Zócalo Magazine.

As the season progresses and your plants continue to grow, you’ll want to care for them by applying organic fertilizers on a regular basis throughout the season. My favorite is Tank’s Green Stuff compost. Mix in generous helpings of compost to the soil at the beginning of the season before planting, and apply a two inch layer of compost mulch as the weather warms in April. Nutrients will be slowly released into the soil each time you water and the mulch will help to reduce watering needs during the summer. Tank’s compost, as well as tomato seedlings of some of the varieties discussed above can be purchased at Ecogro or Green Things Nursery.

Brandon Merchant is the proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens. Visit his website at SouthwestVictoryGardens.com.

 

 

 

Gardening for the Health Benefits

February 16, 2014 |
Ruby Red Swiss Chard is an excellent source of vitamin C and is a beautiful addition to your garden. photo: Brandon Merchant

Ruby Red Swiss Chard is an excellent source of vitamin C and is a beautiful addition to your garden.
photo: Brandon Merchant

There are many great reasons to start a vegetable garden. Gardening is a rewarding hobby that exercises the mind, body, and the soul. Home grown produce is cheaper and tastier than produce you’ll find at the grocery store and the farmers’ markets. The greatest benefit of all, however, may be the fact the foods we grow at home are far more nutrient rich than those available in the supermarket.

Over the last century farmers, universities, and  agribusinesses have made great strides in advancing the food crops we eat. Farmers today, using synthetic chemical fertilizers and genetically modified seeds, are able to grow higher yields than at any other time in history. While yields of crops continue to grow and food becomes cheaper, the nutritional content of the foods available to us has been steadily declining. The food we eat today is far less nutritious than the food we ate only 30 years ago.

Nutrient depletion from the soil caused by decades of industrialized agriculture is the main culprit responsible for the decline of nutrients. Plant breeders have also been slowly breeding the nutrients out of our foods in exchange for more desirable traits such as size, sugar content, or the ability to withstand shipping. With each successive growing season more nutrients are depleted from the soil. This means that crops planted tomorrow will have fewer nutrients than those planted today.

Well intending plant scientists and farmers are not completely to blame. When our hunter gatherer ancestors began to farm, they chose to farm and breed the foods they found to be the tastiest. By doing this they were inadvertently selecting plants that had fewer nutrients than their more bitter tasting wild relatives. In our home gardens we are not bound by the restrictions of industrialized agriculture or the decisions of our ancestors. We can grow varieties of plants that would never make it to the super market and in some cases not even the farmer’s market.

The home gardener is at an advantage because of the fact that nutrients begin to leach out of plants as soon as they are harvested. The longer it takes for your food to go from harvest to table the more nutrients will be lost. The handling, processing, and shipping of foods further exacerbates the loss of nutrients. Harvesting your dinner salad while the pasta water is boiling means that you will be getting the maximum amount of nutrients available to you. There is also the added benefit of being able to eat nutritious parts of the plant that would otherwise not be available such as carrot tops and squash blossoms.

If you are interested in gardening for nutritional content then there are some simple steps you can take to get started. First, begin by selecting crops that are more nutritionally dense such as the members of the cabbage family. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale, and mustard are all crops that grow great during the Tucson cool season and all are packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Other leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, or micro greens such as arugula also fit the bill of nutritionally dense foods. Loose leaf varieties of lettuce are healthier than head types such as iceberg.

Another good way to plant for nutritional content, is to select those varieties that contain more color. For example, compared to the more common orange varieties, the “Atomic Red” carrot contains far more of the essential nutrient lycopene and the purple variety “Cosmic Purple” contains very high amounts of the antioxidant anthocyanin. There are countless colored varieties of lettuce, kale, mustard and many other vegetables available to the backyard gardener.

The most nutritious of all the foods available to the home gardener fortunately require the least amount of effort. Many of the “weeds” that sprout in our gardens are edible and contain far more nutrients then those of the the crops we discussed above. Dandelion greens, for example, contain twice as much calcium and three times as much vitamin A as spinach. Wild mustard, purslane, tumbleweed, amaranth, and lambs quarters are a few of the edible”weeds” that may show up in your garden throughout the year. Consider letting them grow and you will be greatly rewarded.

Brandon Merchant is the proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens. Visit his website at SouthwestVictoryGardens.com.

Rodeo Fever

February 9, 2014 |

Rodeo events start Feb. 15 and transform Tucson through Feb. 23

"Hud" by Lousie Serpa, 1971. photo: Louise Serpa/courtesy Mia Larocque

“Hud” by Louise Serpa, 1971.
photo: Louise Serpa/courtesy Mia Larocque

Not much can outshine this Old Pueblo extravaganza, with its thunder of wranglers and cattle cars that charge into the city to turn Tucson into what it has historically been – the city of the cowboy, comfortable when hooves pound and dust billows.

Whether you’re a greenhorn or a career cowpoke, the amazing combination of athleticism, authenticity, showmanship and history corrals us all for La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, the 89th annual Tucson Rodeo and Parade.

This wild-west rumble draws an estimated 60,000 spectators for the sportsmanship, with 200,000 more turning out for the parade – all spiffed in polished boots and cinched jeans, with trailers of livestock filling our stables, generating more than $15 million for the city and our businesses. Beyond the dollars, top-notch horsemanship is underway: Tucson is the largest outdoor winter rodeo in the world and a key stop in the international pro rodeo circuit. This year’s purse – approximately $360,000 – will attract more than 700 contestants and 1,000 horses, including the biggest names in the business. A custom gold and silver buckle, inlaid with diamonds, will be awarded to the Tucson Rodeo’s top all-around athlete.

Rodeo is a serious sport, confirms Tucson Rodeo General Manager Gary Williams, himself a bull rider on the professional circuit with over 500 rodeos to his credit. Within the historic Tucson Rodeo Grounds on South Sixth Avenue and East Irvington Road, a complete western heritage experience awaits attendees, featuring six rodeos, including the culminating Sun., Feb. 23 finals, which will bring together the world’s top cowboys and cowgirls from the week’s events.

As Williams explains, the arena size dictates the momentum that livestock get coming out of the chute, and as Tucson is one of the largest arenas on the circuit, the Tucson Rodeo delivers world-renowned excitement. Competition all week will include bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, tie down roping, team roping and bull riding, all sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) with the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) sanctioning the barrel racing. World famous rodeo clown Justin Rumford will be there to wow the crowds, as will the Casa Grande women’s precision riding team called the Quadrille de Mujeres, which will lead off the rodeo in their 35th consecutive performance.

Rodeo mornings will be for the kids, with 6- to 14-year-olds competing in the Justin Boots Junior Rodeo and 4- to 6-year-olds riding sheep in Dodge Mutton Bustin’ events. The afternoons will be for the pro Rodeo activities.

You may not know it, but Tucson is home to a world champion cowgirl – Sherry Cervi of Marana, who set the all-time record in barrel racing just this past December. She’ll compete as will as other rodeo champs including the great local team steer roper Cesar de la Cruz, a multi-time national finalist.

In addition to all the daring saddle bronc and rough stock arena action, the rodeo puts on world-class western shopping, entertainment and culinary experiences. While mainstays like the Silver Saddle Steak House on Benson Highway at Interstate 10 will be overflowing, fans also can rub shoulders with famous cowboys and girls in the Coors Barn Dance tent, the stop for rodeo evening food and live entertainment. Western Marketplace vendors will offer novelties, apparel and goods reflecting working ranch life as well as frontier glam.

“It’s a combination of enjoyment, western pride, arts and the community,” says Williams, who also notes that this year’s collectible objet d’art poster features Arizona artist and cattle rancher JaNeil Anderson. Businesses including Wandering Cowboy and Kalil Bottling are among the local sponsors involved in this Tucson event, with national sponsors including Justin Boots, Coors and Ram Trucks (Dodge).

But the essence of this western experience may be best personified in the parade, the largest spectator event in Arizona. On Thursday, Feb. 20, as is tradition, businesses and schools close and families camp out to cheer on the Rodeo Parade that this year will include over 900 horses, mules and miniatures, 90 buggies and wagons, nine marching bands and more than 2,100 participants.

KOLD Anchor Dan Marries is 2014 Grand Marshal of this massive western Americana celebration, which will process a 2.45 mile route, winding along Park Avenue to Irvington Road and finally collecting at the parade grounds. More than 300 volunteers are expected to support a hardy core of 36 who comprise the all-volunteer Rodeo Committee, and more than 38,000 households are expected to watch it live on the KOLD feed.

Parade entrants come from across the country (we’ve had camels, too), and the El Paso Sheriff Posse will be there with its historic wagon that rode the Butterfield trail, as will Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and City Council representatives.

“It’s our connection to the past and future of ranching, our way of celebrating our region’s tradition,” says Rodeo Committee Chair Bob Stewart, who has been with the Parade Committee more than 11 years. He and other volunteers also manage and staff the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum, a hidden gem on the Tucson Rodeo Grounds which includes a 1930s sheriff’s adobe livery stable as well as a hangar that retains the original steel frame of the 1919 Tucson Airport, the site of the first municipal airport in the United States. Buckboards used in old movies, exhibits and even an 1863 carriage built for Mexican royalty are all part of this historic hideaway.

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros and all its Tucson Rodeo accouterments are profoundly larger than life. Giddy-up, and dig your spurs into this primo cowboy event.

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros begins Sat., Feb. 15, at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. 6th Ave. near Irvington Road. Gates open at 11 a.m. The Tucson Rodeo Parade begins 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. Parking is available at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds. Call 741-2233 or email info@TucsonRodeo.com for fees, tickets and details. Learn more at TucsonRodeo.com or TucsonRodeoParade.org.

SAVOR Southern Arizona Food & Wine Festival

January 24, 2014 |
Savor_Food_Wine_FestivalSAVOR marks Southern Arizona’s growth as a culinary arts destination
Saturday, February 1, 2014
11am-3pm at the Tucson Botanical Gardens 

Restaurants continue to open around every corner downtown and throughout the Tucson, and most have made a commitment to support local and environmentally-friendly food within their recipes and concepts. With this rapid growth in slow food, many people have not even experienced the fruits of city’s culinary prestige.

Savor Southern Arizona Food and Wine Festival

Indulge in the flavors of Southern Arizona’s culinary arts during the first annual Savor Southern Arizona Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Surrounded by the colorful floral blooms of the Tucson Botanical Gardens, the event will feature up to 40 of the regions finest chefs and local restaurants as well as the localists’ favorites in specialties like wine, beer, cheese and coffee.

Also presented by Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance and Local First Arizona, the event showcases local curators and purveyors who support the Arizona food, wine and restaurant industries. Attendees will have the chance to partake in innovative culinary demonstrations, meet top chefs and restaurateurs as well as taste an enormous array of culinary excellence from the region’s best chefs, restaurants, local food artisans, brewers and vintners.

The city is home to nine local breweries (and counting), dozens of restaurants featured in international publications, award-winning local wineries and trendy dessert specialty shops.

Savor will include Tucson gems like Acacia Real Food + Cocktails, Agustin Brasserie, Brushfire BBQ, Café Botanica, Fini’s Landing, Tavolino and many more.

Savor Food and Wine Festival

When: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way

Cost: $65 in advance, $75 day-of, includes food and wine tastings from up to 40 local chefs and restaurants

Express Your Inner Horse

January 14, 2014 |
Tucson Sino Dancers at the 2013 Chinese New Year celelebration at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center. photo courtesy Tucson Chinese Cultural Center

Tucson Sino Dancers at the 2013 Chinese New Year celelebration at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.
photo courtesy Tucson Chinese Cultural Center

Pass the lucky-money envelopes and deck the halls anew with simply red. In the spirit of inclusiveness, tradition and fun, Tucson soon should be awash with exotic new year revelry.  But don’t forget your saddle, because this is 4711, the Year of the Horse – one of the animals from the Chinese zodiac which rotates annually at this time of the Lunar New Year.

Tradition tells us that those born under the sign of the horse are energetic, intelligent, good communicators and physically strong. Of all the zodiac animals, horses love crowds and entertainment, so expect good social karma to bless Tucson during this most important and longest holiday, which lasts 15 days and begins on Jan. 31.  

While Chinese (as well as Korean, Vietnamese and many other Asian) families around town celebrate by feasting at home and making auspicious, elaborate paper cuts to hang from their windows, the rest of us will want to head over to the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center (TCCC), 1288 W. River Rd., to channel this traditional seasonal festival.

Opened in 2006, the TCCC’s River Road headquarters is the community hub for Tucson’s Chinese-American population, whose legacy in Tucson’s development started along Main Avenue downtown in the 1800s, and grew to include prominence in agriculture, grocery and other businesses across the region.

Now this 15,000 square-foot facility is host to a range of programs and services from business development to Tai Chi for elders, and is a community resource dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Chinese culture across Tucson. TCCC also houses a basketball court, community meeting spaces and a library, but nothing matches the concentrated burst of fiesta-styled energy that infuses Tucson via the center’s Lunar New Year celebration.

This year the public is invited to welcome in the Year of the Horse at TCCC on Sat., Feb. 1. That’s when you can snake your way through a Chinese cultural extravaganza throughout the center’s grounds, enjoying Chinese dancing, folk crafts, songs, instruments, foods and martial arts that demonstrate 5,000 years of cultural tradition. The exquisite Tucson Sino Dance will be there, as will tastings of various Chinese province cuisine. If you’ve not tried the traditional Jiaozi dumplings, local chefs including Wanda Zhang of Oro Valley’s Harvest Moon Chinese restaurant will be preparing the delicacy. (See her recipe below).

You’ll also get a chance to see the Tucson Lion Dancers, accompanied by traditional drums, cymbals and gong, in a colorful ceremony intended to drive away evil spirits and summon good luck. This precision dance requires years of training and a high degree of mental and physical fitness, and Tucson’s troupe (always a show stopper at the Rodeo Parade), has just returned from performing its twists and turns throughout the televised Dec. 28 Fiesta Bowl parade.

California author Sylvia Sun Minnick (who did groundbreaking work on the ethnography of the Stockton and San Joaquin Valley Chinese, and advises the Tucson Center’s local history program) also will sign copies of her new memoir, Never a Burnt Bridge, and present Chinese-American women stories of success and survival at the festival.

Center President Richard Fe Tom says the showcase of regional foods, culture and entertainment attracts thousands.

“We’re celebrating our biggest and most important cultural holiday, and there is something for everyone,” notes Tom, who emigrated as a child from China in the late 1950s. “For those tied directly to our culture, it’s also a time to stay connected with our heritage and our roots. At this time and throughout the year, Chinese Center also serves as a voice to remind ourselves and the community of the many societal and economic contributions the Chinese Americans have made in Tucson and the Southwest. ”

For two joyous weeks after the Saturday celebration, Tucson can expect a ritual of New Year’s activities to continue across the city. According to TCCC’s board member and history committee chair Robin Blackwood, families traditionally will clean their homes prior to the New Year’s arrival, sweeping out old, bad luck and allowing the good luck of the new year to enter. During the commemoration traditionally there’s no cleaning, so New Year’s good luck will not be swept away, she says.

Print“On the final night of the festival there are more dances, feasting, fireworks and displays of the paper lanterns that have brought light and color to Chinese observances for centuries,” Blackwood continues, “with mandarin oranges and tangerines, symbols of abundance and good fortune, given as gifts.”

While the New Year’s festivity grabs your attention, there are other activities throughout the year to help you further meander through Tucson’s Chinese culture and commemorate this Year of the Horse.

The center hosts lunch every Thursday to over 100 seniors, and also offers Tai Chi, lectures, mahjong and good fellowship. The center’s Chinese School teaches Mandarin Chinese and as well conducts classes in song, dance, ping pong, badminton and other arts. The center’s History Program is reaching into historic neighborhoods and including neighbors in its programs. A collection of storyboards telling tales of local Chinese families is on display in the TCCC and is free for public viewing.

Come spring, there will be a celebration of Tai Chi and Asian healthy living, and the summer Dragonboat Festival is highlighted by preparation of zongzi (Chinese tamales) by the Center’s Senior Program. A mid-autumn festival is marked by a youth lantern-design competition and lantern parade.

And so Tucson – a horse town in so many ways – finds one more reason to claim its title. To honor your inner horse, Zócalo suggests you dress in red, make some noise to ward off bad spirits and bring yourself special fortune by displaying fresh flowers. Remember your ancestors with poems written on red paper. Add Gung Hay Fat Choy (Cantonese) or Xin Nian Kuai Le (Mandarin) when extending your New Year’s howdy.

Remember how much a part we really are of this immensely diverse city, with so many treasured traditions still unbroken.

The Year of the Horse Lunar New Year celebration at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Rd., is Saturday, Feb. 1, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. General admission: $2; free for children under 12. Year of the Horse Dinner and Fundraiser is Sat., Feb. 8, commencing at 5 p.m. at the Westin La Paloma Resort. The gala features live performance, a silent auction, casino and an elaborate dinner. Tickets are $150 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center. Call the Center at 292-6900 for additional information.

The Tucson Chinese Cultural Center (TucsonChinese.org) is open from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

…

Wanda Zhang (Harvest Moon Restaurant in Oro Valley) will demonstrate Chinese cooking techniques at TCCC’s Feb. 1 Festival. Following is her recipe for New Year’s jiaozi (which makes about 20 to 40 of the dumplings, depending on your wrapping skills, which can take years to perfect):

4 ounces shrimp
4 ounces Napa cabbage
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 pound ground pork (or chicken)

Pinch salt
1 teaspoon garlic-flavored olive oil
3 ounces chicken broth
1 ounce cooking wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon sugar

Pinch white pepper
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1 package Peking Potsticker Wraps
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for skillet)

Water

1. Separately chop shrimp, cabbage, green onion and cilantro into very fine pieces.
2. Mix together shrimp, cabbage, green onion, cilantro, and ground pork, then add the rest of the ingredients (except wrappers, oil and water) and mix thoroughly.
3. Take 1 potsticker wrap and using a finger or brush line the rim of the wrap with a thin layer of water (use a spray bottle to mist water on the wrapper if still dry).
4. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the meat and vegetable mixture in the middle of the wrap.
5. Fold and repeat steps 3-4.
6. Fry about six potstickers at a time in a nonstick pan, using 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil at medium heat, until golden brown. Then add a half cup of water and cover pan with a lid (leaving enough of a crack on the lid to allow the steam to boil off). Continue cooking about 10 minutes. The wrap will appear to bubble away from the meat when done.

Source: Wanda Zhang, Harvest Moon Chinese restaurant, Oro Valley

Maynards’ Food-Forward Remodel

December 14, 2013 |

Say goodbye to the aisles and shelves, Maynards Market & Kitchen has taken on a whole new look and taste.

What once was a hub for specialty goods and products – wines, jams, food – is still a hub for specialty goods and products, just revamped with some added flare.

“We’ve moved away from the retail business of the market. We’ve focused more on food-forward, chef-assembled and prepared food in the market,” said Frank Kose, Maynards Market & Kitchen general manager. “It’s a true market-deli for everyone.”

Following the remodel of Marynards, the kitchen stopped serving lunch early last month. But don’t fret. Stop by the market and you can still grab fresh, quality delicatessen morsels to satisfy any craving.

“The concept now is people can do the best of both worlds – they can still come in and get their beer and wine, they can sit at the bar and have a quick beer, and order sandwiches and stuff too,” said Addam Buzzalini, Maynards’ executive chef. “It’s kind of what the market was – just deluxe.”

Wide-open and bright, the new Maynards has a new feel and a new draw – fresh foods, bar and community area and still retains the appeal of a unique dining, “market” experience.

“The build-out is gorgeous. It’s a great use of the space. It opened up the market. It’s made the market feel larger. It’s more food-focused. That’s what Maynards is known for – the great food,” Kose said. “We’ve gotten a lot of ‘ooos’ and ‘ahhs’.”

Maynards opened in 2008 and originally offered their kitchen as a lunch and dinner restaurant and their market as a place for people to buy quality goods from the shelves. Now, the market and kitchen offer two distinctly different experiences.

“The kitchen is identified as French-inspired American food. And the market is fast casual-prepared foods to-go,” Kose said. “It’s really defined the identities and the visions for each separate business under the same roof.”

During the renovation, Maynards closed for only about eight weeks, according to Buzzalini. In the interim, a pop-up market served regular guests, the wine shop remained open and the kitchen served lunch and dinner.

“It’s kind of cool. It’s fresh. It’s definitely different for downtown. We’re already seeing a really pretty massive difference from what it used to be like,” he said. “I’m just happy to see people coming and smiling and grabbing a quick beer and eating off butcher paper.”

Some of the tasty finds that have made a home at Maynards include Isabella’s Ice cream, Caffe Luce, Lusby’s Honey, and Margie’s Jams. Kose said that the vision for all of the foods at Maynards is “local and organic when we can and responsible when we can’t.”

“It’s giving people options – different choices of what they can do,” Buzzalini said. “You might come in for a salad, you might come in for a bite of ice cream, for a beer, and you might decide to stay for a sandwich or take a chicken home.”

With the classic, big city feel of some of America’s famous markets – New York, Los Angeles, Nappa – Maynards Market & Kitchen has brought downtown a unique place to dine, wine and socialize.

“You never know who you might be sitting next to at the bar or community table. It kind of creates a really hip environment I guess,” Buzzalini said. “It’s definitely different than the restaurant.”

Maynards Market & Kitchen is located at 400 N. Toole Ave. For more information and to see the full menu, visit MaynardsTucson.com or call (520) 545-0577.

Frost Protection for Southwest Gardens

December 5, 2013 |

Frosted vegetation on a winter morning.
photo: Jamie Manser

One of the best reasons to be a gardener in Tucson is the fact that, in Southern Arizona, we can have a garden growing all year long. Unlike other parts of the country where the ground freezes solid in the winter, Tucson winters are mild enough to grow a wide variety of cool season vegetable crops such as broccoli, lettuce and spinach.  However, just because these crops don’t mind the cool temperatures doesn’t mean that we don’t need to give them some protection from time to time.

Mid- to late November, and through December and January, are usually the times of year we can expect to experience our frost temperatures. Light frost occurs between 32-28 degrees. Most winter vegetable crops can handle short exposure to these temps with little to no damage; however it is at these temps where summer vegetables will die off. A hard frost occurs as temperatures dip below 28 degrees. The longer it stays below hard frost temperatures, and the lower they get, the more likely your winter vegetable garden will experience frost damage.

Other weather factors such as wind, humidity and cloud cover also play an important role in how frost affects your vegetable garden. Clear, calm nights with little or no cloud cover will let warm air escape back into the atmosphere increasing the chances of frost damage. Moisture in the atmosphere holds heat which can protect your plants, while wind can help keep cool air from sinking to ground levels where your plants reside.

If frost is in the forecast, you can take some basic steps that will help increase the chances your plants will make it through the night. First, a two inch layer of alfalfa hay mulch should be applied to any vegetable garden. Not only does the mulch act as a slow release fertilizer and provide a living environment for soil microbes, but the mulch also acts as a great insulator that keeps plant roots warm on chilly nights. Intensive spacing of vegetable crops will also aid in protecting plants from frost damage.

A good next step is to water your garden the morning before you’re expecting a frost. The water in the soil will act as an insulator absorbing the sun’s heat during the day and radiating it back at night. You can also protect your vegetables with water by lightly misting them. Misting your plants works to protect them by creating an igloo like effect that keeps temperatures above hard frost levels.

You can help warm air stay close to plants by covering them at night with a sheet or frost cloth, but be sure to never use plastic. Frost cloth or frost blankets are a light material designed to keep warm air trapped against the ground where plants are growing. Frost cloth is nicer than sheets because it allows sunlight to reach the plants so they can be left on during very cold days whereas sheets need to be removed in the morning. It can also be doubled up to increase protection.

Garden centers and hardware stores will often sell out of frost cloth when a freeze warning arrives, but Tucson Organic Gardeners usually keeps a good supply on hand. For frost cloth to work most effectively, it needs to cover the plants
completely to the ground without touching them. You may need to construct a frame around your garden using PVC or wire fencing to keep the frost cloth from touching the tops of plants.

Another effective tool for your frost protection arsenal is a strand of old Christmas lights. Christmas lights radiate heat and can act as mini heaters in your garden. Simply place strands around the garden on frosty nights.

For the most part, we only need to take these precautions a few times a year, but it is nice to be prepared for the worst. Frosts can be frustrating but they actually have benefits; they limit the numbers of pest insects, kill off non-native invasive plant species, and also increase the flavor of many winter vegetable crops. So don’t be discouraged if a frost is in the forecast, just be prepared.

Brandon Merchant is the proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens. Visit his website at SouthwestVictoryGardens.com.

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