FOOD & DRINK

Found at the Farmers’ Market

June 24, 2013 |

We scored a pretty good haul at the Tucson Farmers’ Market at St. Philip’s Plaza, 4380 N. Campbell Ave., in May. The extremely popular north-central locale for weekly alfresco shopping hosts a cornucopia of produce choices along with prepared foods, plants, soaps, honey, locally raised and grass fed beef and tons of other options.

As somewhat regulars, we have our favorite vendors. On the west/central part of the plaza is Super Natural Organics where we bought carrots, beefsteak tomatoes, red and yellow bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes and peaches. Also on the plaza’s west side is Fiore de Capra, our feta cheese supplier and Pomerene, AZ goat herders for over 30 years and La Oesta Gardens – our fresh mint provider.  On St. Philip’s east side is Larry’s Veggies of Marana, who regularly have wonderful offerings; we picked up some cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic and cucumbers from them. The north side of the plaza has produce from Tom, he says he has a local farm but also distributes for a grower in Phoenix’s west valley. His offerings are generally numerous (leeks, corn, broccoli, kale, onions, and beets); we grabbed fingerling potatoes and snow peas.

The benefit of shopping early means more time to prepare and create several dishes from the morning purchases. At the end of May, we put our produce to task with a breakfast hash and an Asian noodle salad.

With these recipes, we recommend your creativity and frivolity, always feel free to add or subtract. The collection and amount of ingredients are subject to your individual tastes and what the season dictates.

Breakfast Hash. photo: Jamie Manser

Breakfast Hash
Diced potatoes, diced fresh garlic, chopped cherry tomatoes,  fresh mint, dried oregano and parsley, salt, pepper

Cook diced potatoes and garlic cloves in olive oil on medium to medium high heat for about 10 minutes, add in dried oregano and parsley until the potatoes are brown – probably another  10 minutes on this so the potatoes are imbued with the herbal flavors. Add in chopped tomatoes and minced fresh mint. Cook for another 3 minutes and serve with seasonal fruit and/or toast!

 

 

Asian Noodle Salad
An easy and cool summer salad that pops with nutrition and flavor!

Asian Noodle Salad. photo: Jamie Manser

Salad: Udon noodles, 20-40 trimmed snow peas, one large carrot shredded or chopped , one  medium-size bell pepper (color of your choice, we used red) chopped, one large or three small cucumbers peeled and chopped, a fresh green onion top chopped

 Dressing: 4-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce, a couple teaspoons fresh, minced ginger, 3-4 fresh garlic cloves, 1-1/2 teaspoon agave nectar, ½ teaspoon chili paste, fresh and chopped oregano and tarragon to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the snow peas until bright green. Use a slotted spoon to remove and submerge the peas into ice cold water. Use the blanch water to cook the noodles according to what is written on the package. Don’t overcook! Drain and rinse in cold water. Save the water to dump in your compost pile.

Whisk together the goods for the dressing. Toss it with the noodles. Put all the veggies together and marry them with the noodles. Crunch your way into salad satiation!

Visit FarmersMarketTucson.com for more information on its markets and vendors.

 

Found at the Farmers’ Market

June 1, 2013 |

As recent transplants from downtown to mid-town, Dan and I were delighted to discover The Loft’s Saturday farmers’ market, just minutes away via vehicle or bike from our new Blenman-Elm ‘hood. In late-April, we went on a morning harvesting expedition to cull together locally grown, organic produce. The goal was to create a tasty, seasonal lunch that was packed full of mouth-watering nutrition.

This small but growing market features various offerings – Food Conspiracy Co-op baked goods, honey from Tucson Honey Company, fair trade/organic coffee from Café Aqui, Local Roots Aquaponics, dog treats from Ozzie’s Naturals, soap from Sun Grown Soaps, along with raw food, salsa, starter plants and more from area vendors.

This day we were focused on fresh veggies and bought them from Breckenfeld Family Growers and River Road Gardens. Breckenfeld supplied us with bordeaux spinach, Ajo Rojo garlic, carrots and beets; we procured parsnips and kale from River Road Gardens.

What to do with these beautiful purchases? We kept it simple.

For the root vegetables – beets, carrots and parsnips – we peeled, chopped and steamed them. They were tossed with Smart Balance (insert buttery spread of your choice) along with salt, pepper and allspice. Nutmeg and/or allspice are very compatible with these sweet steamed roots.

For cooking the kale, bordeaux spinach and beet greens, we pulled out the wok. Homemade vegetable broth, tamari soy sauce and diced Ajo Rojo garlic were simmered together with the greens’ chopped stalks for about five minutes. The greens’ chopped leaves were tossed in last and sauteed until wilted.

All told – between cleaning, peeling, chopping, steaming, dressing and sautéing – this process took about 30 to 45 minutes. The haul cost around $14, but not all of the food was cooked and there were leftovers for an upcoming dinner.

Both of these dishes are flavorful and satiating, complex on the palate, earthy, robust, and energizing. Dress ‘em up how you like, try different spices! Be flexible with the portions – always season to taste! Buy local produce and support farmers’ markets. Your body and your community will thank you.

The Loft’s Farmers Market, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd., is open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. More information is at LoftCinema.com/film/the-loft-cinema-farmers-market. The River Road Gardens website is RiverRoadGardens.com; find Breckenfeld Family Growers on Facebook.

Our Bees

May 29, 2013 |

Africanized honeybees
photo by CJ Shane

Bees are the news these days. Either we are told that our food supply is threatened because honeybee pollinators are dying off. Or we hear about “Africanized” honeybees that are attacking and stinging people, sometimes to death. So are the bees our friends or our enemies?  They are our friends, but they can be enemies, too, if we don’t pay attention to them and learn how to coexist with them.

There are several kinds of bees in southern Arizona. Each one has its crucial ecological role in pollinating both native desert plants and our garden fruits and vegetables. Africanized honeybees are among the important pollinators so we want them in our gardens. But Africanized bees can become quite aggressive if they think their home colony is under attack. Africanized bees are responsible for several attacks on people in southern Arizona in recent weeks that have led to hospitalizations and one death.

“Africanized” means that our more passive native honeybees have mixed genes with African bees which were introduced into Brazil a half a century ago. By 1990, African bees had made their way north to the U.S.  Now almost all feral (wild) honeybees in the American Southwest are Africanized and they are not going away.

“We have to learn to live with Africanized bees, mainly by being educated and alert to them and responding sensibly when encountering or attacked by one or more bees,” says Dr. Justin O. Schmidt of the Southwest Biological Center and University of Arizona’s Entomology Department.

Our food plants, in particular, need the honeybees to produce fruits and vegetables. But nationwide honeybees are in decline. Beekeepers began noticing in 2006 that honeybee populations were disappearing from their colonies. This phenomenon was named “colony collapse disorder.” The disorder is considered a real threat to U.S. agriculture. Since 2006, one-third of all American honeybees have disappeared. A recent federal research report found that there are many causes for the disorder but residual pesticides are a prime suspect. Because honeybees pollinate everything from apples to zucchini, their disappearance is having a negative impact on American agriculture. Already the U.S. imports up to 35% of our fruits and vegetables. Some experts fear that we will be forced to import all of our fruits and veggies if honeybees continue to die off.

What can Tucsonans do to help our pollinating honeybees?  Emily Rockey, Curator of Horticulture at Tucson Botanical Gardens, recommends planting those native legumes (bean producing) trees we know so well – mesquite, palo verde, ironwood, etc.  Also popular with the bees are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. Examples are asters, daisies, and sunflowers.

“Bees like mint and rosemary, too, and they are attracted especially to blue, white, and yellow flowers,” adds Rockey.

Keep in mind that when collecting pollen, honeybees are away from their colonies and are not typically aggressive. The honeybees in the photo above are very likely Africanized.  They were far more interested in the sunflower pollen than in the photographer taking their picture.

Rockey says that Tucson Botanical Gardens are “quite a bee hub” for several species of bees, including those Africanized honey bees. “I can’t remember the last time anyone was even stung here,” says Rockey. “We’ve had maybe five swarms come through, and a couple attempted to stay permanently.” She says those swarms were relocated from the gardens.

Yet multiple bee attacks occur every year in southern Arizona. What can you do to avoid being attacked by angry bees?

Africanized bees only attack when they think their home colony is threatened, says Dr. Schmidt. When worker bees are away from the colony and collecting pollen, they are non-aggressive, he adds. Even swarms of Africanized bees in transition to a new colony site are not very aggressive. But it’s a different story if they think you are disturbing their home colony.

Avoid triggering the bees which might think you are threatening their colony or their “baby bedroom” as Dr. Schmidt calls the colony. Avoid wearing artificial fragrances or dark clothes and using shiny objects when around bees. Don’t make loud noises either because that just gets their attention. Never poke a hive with a stick. Dr. Schmidt recommends, too, that you unplug your music when out hiking so you can listen for loud buzzing sounds. If you hear or see large numbers of bees, then quickly head the other way!

Greg Denker of American Bee Control in Tucson takes a proactive approach. “Paying attention is good, but I think not really enough,” Denker says. “To be safe from bees, one needs to be on the lookout for bees that have established a colony.Bees become dangerous to mammals only when the bee colony is either very large or when there are a lot of babies on board. Bees are very protective of their young, like a mother bear protecting her cub.Identifying hive locations (for example when a feral colony has taken up residence in an attic or shed) can help homeowners take proactive measures to have the bees removed before they become a threat or other unnecessary nuisance.”

Denker explains that a hive or colony “can almost always be identified by the aerial stream of bees” that are entering or exiting a location. He says the flight activity is “most easily seen in the late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky thus easier for humans to see the reflected glint of the flapping wings.”

“In my experience,” adds Denker, “when bees ‘attack’ a porch light, or other outside light at night, it typically means there is an active colony within 200 feet, and the entrance to the hive has line-of-sight view of the light bulb. That’s when you need to call in the pros to remove the hive.”

What do you do when you find yourself the object of negative attention from some angry bees?

Don’t freeze in place and start swatting. Run!  Run away from the bees, preferably into the wind, because a healthy adult can outrun a swarm of bees. Try to protect your head and face, even if it means pulling your shirt up around your face. Seek shelter indoors in a building or a car as quickly as possible. Don’t jump into water. The bees will just hover above the water’s surface waiting for you to come up for air.  Once inside shelter, call for emergency help. Seek medical assistance if you have been stung repeatedly.

By learning more about the bees and taking action before there is a problem, we can learn to coexist successfully with our Africanized honeybees.

 

Legendary Sausage Deli Expands Its Operation

May 1, 2013 |

Sometimes one drives past, or otherwise passes by, a certain place so many times without stopping that it becomes nearly unnoticeable, simply a part of the background scenery. Such had become the case in my relationship with Sausage Deli at the intersection of Grant Road and 1st Avenue, which always seemed to beckon but never managed to draw me in. I heard good things, but hadn’t tasted for myself. It was easy to overlook.

Until, that is, lo and behold; Sausage Deli outgrew the humble quarters it’d been housed in since 1978. Not straying far from its roots, in February Sausage Deli reopened right around the corner from its original location in an enlarged setting with more easily accessible parking and additional floor space. Having outlasted Greasy Tony’s, Grill and Zachary’s Pizza, earning it the title of last Can’t Buy Me Love-era local eatery still standing (said 1980s made-in-Tucson film was largely shot at Tucson High Magnet School), Sausage Deli was clearly here to stay.

As so many local businesses along the modern streetcar line have done, owner/operator Chris Fanelli made sure his “new” restaurant was indeed “improved.” Extra TVs and draft beer were part of the plan. “The new space offers a fresh look,” Fanelli said at the time, with “more space for seating and a larger patio without moving too far away.” Do be prepared for a brief wait since, as at every legendary establishment which enjoys positive word of mouth, the lines can be long at Sausage Deli. This place has a rabid following among Wildcats and worker bees alike. Longtime fans have even gone so far as to purchase salvaged bricks from the now-demolished old deli building, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. That’s true customer loyalty!

Reviewers on Yelp.com consistently mention the Omar (salami, turkey and Swiss on an onion roll with bell pepper, onion, chopped pepperoncini peppers, mustard and Italian dressing) when singing Sausage Deli’s praises using adjectives such as “fantastic” and “amazing.” Looking to eat light? Try the Susie Sorority which features turkey, havarti, lettuce, tomato and sprouts on whole wheat with mayo.

A jukebox and booth seating encourage one to linger rather than grab it to go; people-watching at Sausage Deli is a pastime unto itself. And sandwich trays, party platters and box lunches are but some of the options available should you choose to have Sausage Deli cater your event. When it comes down to it, do you want the members of your planning committee to simply eat a meal or for them to experience a Tucson institution? He who provides Sausage Deli for lunch is the king of the office.

Remember, friends don’t let friends eat at Subway. Here’s hoping Fanelli and company continue to crank out grinders and hoagies for another 35 years to come. Visit the Sausage Deli Monday-Saturday 10 am-7 pm at 754 E. Grant Rd. In a hurry? Call your order in at (520) 623-8182. An expansive menu is available at SausageDeli.com.

Notes From A Plant Freak

March 22, 2013 |

So You Wanna Be a Gardener?

People are really getting into gardening and food right now. And it’s more than a trend. There is a paradigm shift occurring that is driving people out of the big box grocery stores and into their gardens, or at the least, into the farmers’ markets and grocery stores specializing in whole foods. A growing number of people are no longer willing to suffer the hideous first world health ailments caused by being passive consumers. We want to know about our food and we want it to be clean, not just look pretty in produce stands.

What happens when someone realizes how important it is to get closer to their food, but lacks the space to garden?

Community gardens: that is what happens.

Neighborhood cooperative gardens are popping up all over Tucson. For just a pittance (enough to cover costs like materials and water) you can probably find a little plot of your own for the purpose of nourishing your belly and soul. If there isn’t one close to you, you might consider just talking to a good friend or neighbor who DOES have a yard, and say, “Hey, let’s grow some stuff.”  If you share a garden with a friend, that is also a community garden.

Community gardening makes everyone happy. And this activity is revolutionary. In urban food deserts all over the U.S. (places where there are no decent grocery stores for miles and miles) urban community gardens are changing lives!  These gardens are exposing people to learn to grow and eat healthy food and these positive changes are in our future.

In general, gardens are the best sort of distraction: instead of going out, expending fossil fuels, taxing your body with unhealthy foods, producing waste, or doing one of the various activities you might be doing to entertain yourself.  Gardening in your backyard or community garden makes your life healthy, improves the environment, and encourages you to live an active, healthy, outdoor life. Growing things together builds communities, gets people away from their digitized “existence” and educates them about the very building blocks of life. Any future that this author will be participating in will see every school, every neighborhood, and every yard with a garden. It will be weird to NOT have one.

Seasonal Guidelines, March 2013
March is such a wonderful month. What can you NOT plant right now? Yeah, you can pretty much plant anything except long-season winter vegetables. Get out there! Now. If you haven’t planted your warm-season crops (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, corn, squash, etc.) get your fanny out there right now and start planting your little heart out.

You see, it is the latter part of the cool season but you still have a few months, time enough to get a few successions of your favorite greens, root vegetables and annual winter herbs, that is, your cool-season crops. There is no excuse not to plant.

There is always that possibility of frost. March 4th is the average last frost date. In 1899 it frosted on May 3rd. Nature, and global climate change, will ensure that whenever we get too dependent on an expectation, surprises will humble us and remind us to keep our eyes open. So have a plan for protecting those frost-tender crops.

Jared R. McKinley maintains a gardening and homesteading blog called Arid Land Homesteaders League at AridLandHomestead.com

The Wild Garlic Grill hits the mark with delicious French-inspired cuisine

March 9, 2013 |

It’s a trait I inherited from my mother, whose aesthetic taste is unrivaled: the moment I enter a restaurant I start to pass judgment — way before I’ve seen the menu or my waiter — based on the decor. Mom-and-pop joints and dives have it pretty easy with me: if I expect cracked linoleum and paper napkins, I adjust my pickiness to match.

The Wild Garlic Grill, however, shoots for refinement — and doesn’t quite hit the mark. The ocotillo-ribbed ceiling provided a rustic warmth, and there were a couple of vibrant, good-looking oil paintings on the walls. But the heavy, patinaed frames on the blackboards and mirrors looked tawdry, the “butcher paper” on the tables looked liked it should have come with crayons, and the bar was cramped and cheap-looking. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s obvious when a restaurant doesn’t hire an interior designer.

The good news: as soon as my dinner came out, the decor was the last thing on my mind. The food was delicious. Chef Steven Shultz, an Arizona native and a veteran of the state’s restaurant scene, is the culinary muscle behind Wild Garlic Grill. His French-influenced culinary background, fused with a more laid-back California vibe, is what makes Wild Garlic Grill a success.

Both of my meals began with an appetizer or two. Although the fondue lacked the gooey consistency of its classic forebearers — it was more like cheese sauce  — my dining companions and I polished it off happily. Mussels with garlic and tomatoes on my second visit were delicious, but the restaurant had run out of bread. Nothing to sop up the savory beurre blanc sauce at the bottom of the bowl! I wanted to dash out to a bakery, or dispatch our waiter. Our meal was marred, though definitely not ruined, by this shortage.

The highlight of my dinner came in a large, shallow bowl — so reminiscent of a Moroccan tagine that I found myself resisting the urge to eat the succulent lamb with my hands. It was the night’s special: braised lamb shank in a rich and comforting burgandy wine sauce, redolent with warm spices and accented with onions and mushrooms.

Two fish dishes also showcased the kitchen’s talent: a tilapia special served with a crisp salsa (heart of palm, avocado, cilantro, and more), and grilled salmon with tomato-spiked risotto and a beurre blanc sauce.

A vegetable side of the evening accompanies each dish at Wild Garlic Grill.  The first night’s vegetable medley included bell peppers, chard, and, oddly but not unsuccessfully, cooked cucumber. A mix of sautéed kale, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts on my second visit was too salty for me. Still, it added a pleasing burst of color to my meal — a delicious but incredibly rich linguini bolognaise with braised beef, pork, and veal that would have easily been enough for two hungry carnivores.

The restaurant features an entirely adequate wine selection and a small, somewhat bizarre cocktail menu featuring items such as a Smurf-inspired blue martini and a savory “sangria” that sounds more like a Bloody Mary. One of my dining companions tried the Summer Day, a drink made with muddled basil and cucumber — delicious, but misplaced on a drink menu that should have had pairings better suited to the complex, savory meals that Wild Garlic Grill offers.

The service at Wild Garlic Grill is a bit harried, and at moments the timing is off. The wait staff is warm and accommodating, however, and as time goes on the staff will no doubt learn the rhythms of this still-new restaurant. And next time I visit for a great meal, I’ll avert my eyes from those heavy-framed mirrors and simply enjoy some delicious food.

The lowdown:

How much? $$ – $$$ (entrees average between $10 and $20)

Who goes? Attracts a more mature crowd; mostly groups of friends or couples.

What’s the vibe? Classy yet inviting.

Is it worth it? Fantastic food for the price — definitely worth a visit.

Opening Penca: a new Mexican restaurant with historic roots

March 1, 2013 |

Patricia Schwabe

The paper-covered space downtown at 50 East Broadway has been in the process of emerging into a new restaurant for nearly a year, and soon it’s coming into the world with a name: Penca. “Penca is the rib of the agave,” explains the owner, Patricia Schwabe. “It represents the relationship with the land; a resilient spirit; it’s organic and true to its roots,” she adds, and it’s a name that reflects the place itself.

The address is a building from the 1920s, stripped to its foundation and crafted from the ground up with local and repurposed materials. Schwabe and her husband Ron are owners of Peach Properties, and many of the building materials for Penca have been salvaged and collected from other historic downtown buildings they’ve restored. “It creates a style that to me is personal and local, warm and intimate,” Patricia describes. It’s a style that she hopes will resonate into the drinks – from a cocktail menu being built by Luke Anable – to the food inspired by the fresh, vibrant cuisine found in central and southern Mexico and her own childhood in Mexico City. “I love traditional Mexican restaurants,” she says, “where the ingredients are fresh, the colors are vibrant, and where the service is exceptional.” Schwabe hopes that she can bring a small piece of that downtown, and wants Penca to be “a place where people become friends of the house.”

“The space is warm and minimal – I think romantic, in a way – and almost completely handmade top to bottom,” Anable writes, describing a bar from poured concrete, reclaimed wood and steel. It’s a look he calls honest and transparent, and he wants the drinks he serves there to match in their simplicity. “We think there is a time and a place for most things and we’d like to be able to provide a fitting drink for all occasions,” he notes, aiming for “a return to locality and contextual sensibility” with thoughtful drinks that pair gracefully with food or simply a memorable part of the day.

Schwabe scribbles down a sampling of dishes: huevos florentinos for breakfast, chile ancho glazed albondigas for lunch, short ribs for dinner. The menu will be sourced from local purveyors and farms, equipping chef David Valencia with fresh seasonal flavors to create what he calls “Progressive Mexican cuisine.” Complementing their origins, the courses will be served on dishes made locally at Santa Theresa Tile Works downtown.

Everything that is going into the emerging Penca is locally sourced and made or remade custom to the space, a process that explains its long development. “It takes time to see an idea for what it is,” explains Anable. “We’ve all had bad ideas and, for me, the only way to see them for what they are is to spend time with them, work with them, and see if they can hold up to the weight of experience and practice.” And for Schwabe, who has been involved with every step of the building, the answer is even simpler: creating a new business while simultaneously leasing properties and spending time with her children. Meanwhile the practiced hands of Sonya Sotinsky and Miguel Fuentevilla of FORS Architecture have been at work designing custom booths and chairs from reclaimed wood, most of it from the 1900s. They’ve stripped the restaurant down to its historic foundation.

“The space itself is very old and exposing the foundation, we hope, will remind people of the bigger picture downtown, the importance of preservation and history at a time of redevelopment and revitalization,” Luke Anable wrote to me about the space coming to life. “Everything we’re doing has one foot in the history of the area and one in a sense of what Tucson could and should be as a modern, progressive city.”

Falora Opens

March 1, 2013 |

Ari Shapiro is a busy man. Despite his successes with Sparkroot and Xoom, Shapiro dreamt of owning a “cozy, hole-in-a-beaut-wall authentic pizza joint.” When a space opened up in the Broadway Village, a historic Josias Joesler shopping center with tile floors and arched windows, Shapiro saw the perfect space. “I had to move my vision up a few years,” he joked. And now,  Falora is set to open March 2nd.

“We knew the space had tremendous potential, but after years of multiple remodels, it needed to be stripped to its core to reveal the rustic beauty, which we are letting speak for itself.” The “we” in this instance is Shapiro’s partnership with Repp Design, who worked with him to create a specific atmosphere at Sparkroot. “They have a wonderful ability to coalesce my vision into a fully-formed space,” he said. And this project’s goal can be described with three words: rustic, historic, and authentic. “I adore the historic architecture of Josias Joesler, who built the entire shopping center in 1939. We want people to feel like they’re eating in an authentic neighborhood pizzeria. Most of the seating is at one long community farm table. The lighting will be dim, music from a vintage stereo. We want folks to hear the crackling oven, get to know one another, truly enjoy the entire experience,” he elaborates. “I think a place can be bustling and comforting at the same time; my favorites in other cities always capture that essence.”

Shapiro’s vision is partly inspired by his trips to Italy, where a sense of community is paired with simple, inspired food. In a nod to the operation of many Italian restaurants, Falora will be a different kind of place in the morning, where homemade breads, jams, and locally roasted coffee from Caffe Luce will grace the table. In the evenings, it will be laden with some ingredients imported from Italy, and others farmed locally. Shapiro provided me with a list that sounds like geographical poetry: “San Marzano tomatoes which grow on volcanic plains near Mount Vesuvius; Mozzarella di Bufala from Italian water buffalo; and Caputo flour, a finely ground flour that has a lower gluten content” will all join local produce from Sleeping Frog Farms in Cochise for seasonal pizzas and salads. “We focus on balancing tradition with a sharply creative angle,” Shapiro wrote, adding that an influence from the “diverse phenom” of New York pizza will make its way onto the menu. After all, Shapiro says, “I am a native New Yorker, so I have a tremendous appreciation and love of pizza, growing up with giant slices from Famous Ray’s. New York truly took the Naples invention to the next level.” The drink selection will be similarly matched, with Italian wines and European beers (“obviously Peroni,” Shapiro added) alongside noteworthy Tucson brews. And for dessert: homemade panna cotta, a magical simmered cream custard traditional to northern Italy.

The name, Falora, is a lyrical invented word meant to sound a little Italian, a little like “flora”, and a little like “flour,” evoking an old world pizzeria atmosphere. The Stefano Ferrera wood fired oven certainly contributes to the character. Hand-built by a third generation maker in Naples, the brick oven is fueled entirely by wood – most use natural gas to supplement – and cranks up to 800 degrees. This oven is the centerpiece that will make Falora’s simple and authentic Napoli pizza possible. If you read Eat, Pray, Love and remember the scene where the author and her friend go crazy over their simple cheese pizzas in Naples, pizzas with crust that’s magically thin and chewy, topped with a sliding layer of buffalo mozzarella and a sprig of basil – if you remember their happy delirium, then you’ll be as expectant for Falora as I am.

 

Notes From A Plant Freak, February 2013

February 24, 2013 |

Jared R. McKinley

Is It Wrong To Grow In The Desert?

Some people reason that gardening in this climate is a waste of water. Others suggest that the desert is no place for gardening at all. The author admits to having a prejudice toward being pro-gardening. But there are some really good reasons we, in the desert southwest, should be gardening.

First of all, humans have been growing food in the Tucson basin for as long as people have been living in this part of the world. The truth is, Arizona is one of the best places to grow plants. The sun, the soil, and yes, the water, enable people to grow a wide variety of plants.

Arizona is indeed an arid land. Global warming is quickly turning a lot of land that humans live on into arid climates. We need to innovate and develop ways to produce food in climates like our own because soon there will be few other choices for places to grow. We must not avoid our low resource problem but rather engage in the issue head-on in a creative and inventive way.

Arizonans are no different than anyone else in the world: we need to be closer to our food. The movement to localize our diet is rooted in the idea that we are spending too much importing our subsistence (using up fossil fuels, money, time and other resources) when we could be much more efficiently providing for ourselves. This means encouraging local farming and it is even better if the food comes from our own backyards.

Backyard gardens have the capability of growing much more efficiently than commercial growers can manage. We can afford the time to mulch the base of the plants–agriculture fields are almost never mulched because they cannot afford to cover acres of land with such material. We can carefully shape beds to collect rainwater, and prevent run-off. We have the ability to pay attention to our garden, and manage them by the square foot, while large-scale farmers must think in acres.

There are many ways we can cut back on water use: switching to efficient faucets and other appliances, altering our daily habits to not be wasteful, using native and drought tolerant plants in the landscape, encouraging our local economy to invest in crops that are more appropriate to our climate (commercially growing jojoba instead of lettuce), and utilizing “grey water” or cleaning up wastewater and using it to recharge the water table. But to suggest that growing food is a waste of water is looking at the issue through tunnel vision and oversimplifying the challenges we face living on arid lands.

Seasonal Guidelines

Pay close attention to the garden as it warms up. We will still be having cold snaps, but the temperatures are increasing, and spring will eventually also bring wind, which can really dry out the garden. Mulch, mulch, mulch the garden. You can start pruning back frost-damaged growth on landscape and ornamental plants. Still be prepared to cover on the cold nights. It is also time to divide plants like mint, oregano, lemongrass, etc. You can plant the divisions in new locations or share with friends/neighbors. Dividing freshens up the plant, and stimulates new growth.

You should be getting ready for the warm season. Make some room . Time to plant tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, peas, corn, squash, and more if you want to get a good spring crop in. Protect them from any frost. Continue planting any winter crops you aren’t sick of, paying attention to how many days your variety takes to mature. It is too late for crops that need a long time to mature. It is time to plant most perennial crops: artichokes, herbs, fruit trees, strawberries, blackberries, asparagus and more. This is the beginning of the best growing season we have, where both cool and warm season plants provide a vast diversity in the garden.

Jared R. McKinley maintains a gardening and homesteading blog called Arid Land Homesteaders League at AridLandHomestead.com

Review: May’s Counter

February 23, 2013 |

Chicken And Waffle Experience Underwhelms

The subdued ambiance of May’s Counter feels incongruous to cheery Southern cuisine. There are bright red diner stools marching along the bar, but black and dark wood dominate the decor. Six flat-screened TVs tuned to sports stations are dotted around the dining area: heavy tables spread across a tiled floor that mimics poured concrete. Black faux leather booths—each with a bold red racing strip down the center emblazoned with May’s Counter’s logo—line the wall opposite the bar. The overall atmosphere of “sports-bar-meets-diner-meets-grandfather’s-mahogany-paneled-study” is polished – but boring. As for the food, the concept is robust, but execution underwhelms.

Two friends weaned on grits and fried chicken in Louisiana joined me for my first dinner at May’s. We ordered a few beers – May’s has an entirely adequate selection of cocktails and beers, including the kitschy option of a PBR tallboy in a paper bag – while we mulled over the trendy-looking menu.

I selected the “Hen” ($10): one waffle and two chicken breasts. The chicken arrived crisp and crunchy, its white meat moist within, but the batter could have used a jolt of seasoning. And the limp waffle was like elevator music: inoffensively bland.

My friend Daniel approved of his gigantic shrimp po’ boy ($11, with a side of tater tots or crinkle-cut fries), with the exception of the bread: it looked and tasted like an oversized hot dog bun and left him wishing for the traditional French bread. Jessie’s fried catfish “big plate” ($14 with two sides) was enjoyable, but she delivered a crushing blow when she admitted that the meal wasn’t as good as her elementary school cafeteria’s version. Her collard greens were unexceptional – and tasted inexplicably of cumin. Her second side order, grits, won top awards: fluffy and deliciously decadent. The three of us split two additional sides. Cheers for the crispy fried okra ($4), but the ranch dipping sauce overpowered. The house-made mac and cheese ($5) looked pretty, flecked with chile, but looks can be deceiving: it didn’t even taste as good as the boxed stuff.

My second visit to May’s Counter provided two delights: the pickle chips appetizer ($7) and the “best bite ever.” My dining companions and I dug into the crisp, salty pickles with gusto. They seem like a misfit among appetizers ­– they strike me as a perfect bar food ­– but they’re good enough that I’d eat them wherever they show up. The “best bite ever” I credit to the culinary genius of my friend Alex. He ordered the “BYO” ($12 for a waffle and your choice of three pieces of fried chicken) and deconstructed the whole thing into a mess of dark meat, crispy skin, hot sauce, and maple syrup, scooping it all up with bits of waffle. He fed Ali and me each a big bite of chicken wrapped up in a waffle dripping with hot sauce and syrup. Absurdly messy – and equally delicious.

Our “Angry Bird” buffalo chicken sandwich ($9) tasted solidly O.K., but the “12 Gauge Chicken” sandwich ($9) should have stayed in the kitchen. A thick, puffy, hamburger-esque bun and dry grilled chicken overwhelmed the tentative spread of grayish guacamole and a few slices of jalapeño. A side of succotash ­– a buttery mix of grape tomatoes, corn, and lima beans – was colorful and had plenty of flavor, but wasn’t good enough to salvage the meal.

May’s attracts families looking for a casual meal out and groups of college students looking for comfort food and a beer in a sports-bar environment. The restaurant, brainchild of Arizona chef and restaurateur Aaron May, has a good concept, and they’ve got their marketing down pat (“Eat Well, Drink A Lot” is their catchy slogan). With a relative dearth of fried-chicken-and-waffle joints in Tucson, sure, hit up May’s if that’s what you’re really craving. But, at least at dinner and lunch time (I didn’t try their breakfast offerings), don’t stray off the beaten path. May’s can fry up a good piece of chicken – they can fry anything pretty well, for that matter – but beyond that, they disappoint.

The lowdown:

How much? $$ (entrees average between $10 and $15)

Who goes? Attracts sporty college students and families.

What’s the vibe? Classed-up sports-bar ambiance; plenty of outdoor seating. Service is inconsistent but not terrible.

Is it worth it? Go if you want fried chicken and waffles and don’t mind that your meal’s a little overpriced.

All major credit cards accepted.

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