Eating Our Way Through Phoenix...

 

I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Phoenix.  It’s a city with lots of good memories for me and one very bittersweet one.  That bittersweet one is Shelly.  One of my dear friends who we lost WAY to early to melanoma many years ago.  Last time I was out there it was for a women’s conference.  Shelly and I had a lovely breakfast together.  It was the last time I saw her. 

During that same conference a group of us gals wandered down the street to a lovely pizza joint.  Little did I know the delightful proprietor, Chris Bianco, was on the cutting edge of the artisan pizza movement in the US.  All I knew was that we all shared an extraordinary meal.

Then, there are our friends Fred and Mary.  They couldn’t decide exactly where they wanted to wind up during retirement.  So, they tried Grand Rapids near one daughter’s employment.  Then they were off to Phoenix.  That was followed by Glacier, WA in a funky house WAY up in the mountains.  Finally, they settled in a lovely home in Bellingham WA.  We visited them at each location.  Phoenix was probably our favorite because of Queen Creek Olives and the Heard Museum.  Oh, I can’t leave out the arboretum!  This time we wanted to revisit Queen Creek and the museum.  Too much education time for the arboretum.  Sad but true. 

Connie did his normal restaurant research.  Most iconic, most romantic, most beautiful, best sandwich…  Nine different choices.  I went thru and chose three and made reservations at the two who accept reservations.  Plus, of course, I wanted him to experience Pizzeria Bianco!  We had time open for three lunches and two dinners.  The rest of the time we were noshing between sessions at the resort.  Which I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention.  The conference was held at Talking Stick Resort and Casino.  I’m happy to report that we broke even at the casino.  That’s what happens when you don’t bet anything!  The resort itself was excellent.  The food was great as was our room.  And, the conference facilities were really fantastic. 

First up was a return visit to Queen Creek Olives.  It has expanded its footprint hugely in the ensuing years.  The lunch choices had also expanded greatly.  I got a chopped salad with crispy chicken and Connie got the kalamata sandwich.  That was salumi with kalamatas.  Both of us were VERY happy with our choices!!  

After lunch we went shopping.  It was SO much fun to chat with Esther who was from Fort Wayne but now lives down the street from the olive mill and works there.  We stocked up on olives, olive oil, barbecue sauce, asiago cheese dip and a few other goodies.  That box arrives in a day or so.  YAY!

Our next opportunity for a meal out was to be Pizzeria Bianco.  I wasn’t certain which one I’d been to and nothing on the maps looked right so we chose one of the locations.  And, it wound up being not the same one but was actually a tad bit better.  It was in Heritage Square.  Next door was Bar Bianco.  A charming house converted to an equally charming bar.  The pizzeria itself was something to behold.  There was the HUGE pizza oven and a herd of servers and bartenders and cooks and folks zipping this way and that taking care of all of us.  We started with spiedini.  Unlike any we’ve had anywhere else.  Melty cheese wrapped with prosciutto on top of lightly dressed spinach.  Major YUM!  Then we got the Rosa pizza.  Olive oil, rosemary, red onion and pistachios on a perfect thin crust. 

Lon’s at The Hermosa has been named the most beautiful restaurant in Arizona.  From what we could see it totally deserves the honor.  Angela took such good care of us.  I had the shrimp cobb salad and Connie had the Caesar with white anchovies.  A stop in the gift shop meant a cookbook.  Phoenix Cooks.  There are tons of fabulous recipes from many Phoenix restaurants, including Lon’s.  As I was leafing through I realized we were sitting at the table shown in one of the photos.  Angela was kind enough to snap a photo of us.

After Lon’s we headed to The Heard Museum.  It’s very well done.  I wish we’d had a bit more energy to take in more but we were both bone tired so headed back to the resort for naps! 

That evening we were off to Quiessence at the Farm.  Neither of us had any idea what to expect but it had been rated most romantic so we had high expectations.  Those were certainly met.  We splurged with the five course tasting menu.  First up was an amuse bouche with a thin slice of smoked salmon and an edible flower and some other goodies.  Then oysters with Meyer lemon mignonette.  Those were followed a radish soup.  With poached pears with cinnamon and red wine.  Connie had to try the fois gras macaron.  Despite my trepidation, it was this morsel of intense flavor. Then, the salad.  Well, a lovely composed plate of leaves and flowers and all kinds of goodies.  We had two choices for that course so we chose to have one of each.  The other was parmesan tacos with beef tartare.  Then, an incredible pappardelle with white bolognese.  Beef, veal and duck bolognese.  Next up was a kitchen tour followed by the intermezzo of pomelo sorbet.  Then, our entrees.  Connie had the duck breast with lentils and I had the salmon with chickpea puree, a grilled morel mushroom and a couple of ramps. 

Looks like the photos loaded bassackwards...  You need to start from the bottom.

Then, the romantic part REALLY kicked in.  A young couple had been seated next to us.  We’d not even exchanged pleasantries.  Out of the corner of my eye I see him unfolding himself from his chair.  And, getting down on one knee.  My brain said PHOTOS!  Yes or no?  Intruding or would they want them?  Do it before it’s too late!  Turns out I was able to airdrop them to him and they were thrilled to have them

. 

Last meal in Phoenix before the flight home.  We had several choices.  But, we’d chatted with Angela from Lon’s and she’d said Valle Luna was the place to go.  It was listed as the most iconic.  We split a chimichanga and I was still stuffed five hours later.  Turns out that was our one meal that day.   And, what a meal it was.  Alicia was our exuberant and amazing waitress.  The food was perfect.  And, the atmosphere was great. 

All in all it was just about a perfect trip.  I learned a LOT and met loads of delightful colleagues.  The resort was spectacular.  And, our meals?  I just can’t say enough good things about the Phoenix dining scene. 

Pantry Beef Stew and Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

 

Every year we hike down to Florida to visit with our clients who either live or winter there.  I pack a cooler full of fridge food and take bags of pantry groceries so we don’t have to shop as much while we’re there.  When we head home I invariably have some goodies from Bayway and from Ted’s Smoked Fish and from the citrus store.  And, a few leftovers.  This year the leftovers were pretty sparse.  A heart of romaine and a couple of bell peppers and half a sweet onion. 

 

Thanks to two days on the road and consequently two days of crummy road food, both of us had grumbly tummies when we finally got home.  The first evening we’d just gotten home and so we pulled out the Triscuits and the smoked fish dip from Bayway along with the smoked salmon from Ted’s.  Easy peasy. 

 

Saturday we slept.  And, slept.  And, slept.  Then when I finally got to the kitchen I really didn’t feel like cooking.  One of the recipes I’d read was from a Pampered Chef cookbook.  It was for Greek Lemon Chicken soup.  That sounded like it’d do really well with a grumbly tummy.  And it did.  It was so easy to put together.  I even used a can of chicken!  We had this for dinner and then I had it for lunch for three days and was ready to make more when that was done. 

 

Then, Sunday evening we felt better but after working all day I just didn’t have the energy to cook a big meal.  Pantry stew was created!  There’s a recipe for beef and noodles from a gal who used to own a noodle making business.  It calls for a can of beefy mushroom soup.  Something I’d never used until I wanted to make that recipe.  Then, I couldn’t find it at the grocery so ordered a case from Amazon.  You’re seeing what happened here, right?  Use up the soup!  There was also a can of roast beef from Costco that’d taken a tumble on its way to the shelf.  Dented cans should always be used asap as long you know when the dent was created.  Otherwise, they should be discarded.  Too risky!  Note please that I didn’t measure, just dumped…

 

Pantry Stew

Ingredients:

Handful of carrots (par-cook til al dente)

Onion

Garlic

Olive oil

Red wine – maybe a quarter of a cup

Tabasco

Worcestershire

Consommé

Beefy mushroom soup 

Can of beef

Handful of peas

Noodles

Directions:

Heat the olive oil to shimmering in a sturdy saucepan.  Once it’s hot toss in the carrots and onions.  When the onion is translucent, add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Then, deglaze the pan with  the red wine.  Add in a couple of good dashes of Worcestershire sauce and some Tabasco.  Then, pour in the soups and add the noodles.  You’re going to let the broth in the soups cook the noodles.  Finally, when the noodles are about three minutes from being done toss in a handful of frozen peas. 

 

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

2 c chopped cooked chicken

2 t olive oil

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

½ c chopped onion

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 t lemon zest

¼ c lemon juice (I used double the lemon)

2 T snipped fresh parsley (I omitted this)

1 can cream of chicken soup

42 oz chicken stock

½ t freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c uncooked long-grain white rice

 

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven.  Add the carrots and onions and cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.  Add the lemon juice, zest, cream of chicken soup, broth, and black pepper.  Once this mixture boils, add the rice, cover the pot and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.  If you’re using the parsley, sprinkle it on top when serving.