Category Archives: Special Events

Memories from past Devour Culinary Classics Phoenix AZ

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The Devour Culinary Classic is considered to be the most grand food festival that Arizona has to offer. It is hosted by Local First Arizona and the Devour Phoenix Restaurant coalition. This is where chefs and restaurants do their best to razzle and dazzle you.

I started attending DCC in 2012. Back in 2012 you could get a great deal on tickets. If you purchased your tickets in advance general admission was only $45 a day. They used to offer the general admission a very nice reception before the actual culinary event. here are some pictures of a few of the past general admission receptions. My photos show mostly sweets but I do remember enjoying many savory items too.

They also used to have some other things like a live band and some other things like foodie T shirts and a photo opportunity.

As the years went by the general admission price climbed from $45 in 2012 to $105 a day without any discounts in 2018.

In 2018 the food part of the general admission reception was discontinued and replaced with a one man band.

Prior to 2018 one of the wines I enjoyed with my general admission ticket was Merry Edwards (actually 3 varieties) and the others were more expensive).

In 2018 the wine choices differed greatly and I drank this instead.

In 2018 was the first year that a section of food tents was reserved for VIPS only. These were many of the restaurants that I was expecting to try like Kai. I was ok with the discontinued food reception and the lower end wines. But the selective restaurants were the reason why I would attendant this event every year since 2012. VIP tickets were the only way to be entitled to everything. (today in 2020 VIP tickets are $205) One day would cost over $400 for me and my husband. That is not a bad price for such an event……but it is a lot to me. I don’t get invited to attend and have to pay my own way. I would love to attend as I always did but for $400 I will enjoy two really nice dinners out instead. For me the general admission 2018 was so disappointing…….. Lower end wines, discontinued reception, less food offerings (first year that I didn’t get stuffed). I saw all the restaurant line ups but had no idea at the time that some of the restaurants listed were only for VIPS. Felt deflated…..sort of bamboozled.

2018 was the last Devour Culinary Classic that I attended. I don’t expect to return to the Devoured Culinary Classic.

I enjoyed Devour The World this year (2020) in Peoria. That festival is a new favorite for me.

Those were some of my memories from Devour Culinary Classic.

www.DevourPhoenix.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

DEVOUR The WORLD – Peoria AZ 2020

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Devour the World is a food and libation festival. In 2020 DTW was held in Peoria AZ at the Peoria City Hall Complex. This festival celebrates international foods. Other features are cultural music and dance performances and also live artist demonstrations. The festival took place Saturday February 15th. 2020 from 11am-3pm. Tickets were $55.00.

It’s different from the Devour Classic. No long lines. No waits and close easy parking. Just go and get what you want and sit at a table or stand at a high top. There was so much to try that I couldn’t try everything but I tried A LOT. My husband tried even more!

The first thing I tried was a very tasty garlic mochiko chicken and rice from Red Ginger.

Here are pork and cheese pupusasa with rice and beans from Salvadoreno Restaurant.

There was a coconut bao milk bread to share from Happy Buns.

Carolina’s Chocolates were FORKING Amazing and complex…full of flavors. Some of the chocolates we tried were Spicy Sonoran Chocolate, Jalisco Jalapeño and Hole Mole Chocolate.

Really delicious Ethiopian Food from Abyssinian Restaurant and Cafe. They offered cabbage, lentils and spicy beef on home made bread.

They were overly generous with the bread

Paz cantina offered barbacoa tacos and pork belly tacos

Some of the artwork

Kawaii offered California rolls with lots of cream cheese in them.

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante offered a mini buffet of bruschetta, pasta with meat sauce, really Forking Great meatballs and cannoli. They are so nice….the owner even asked about my dogs.

“We are big fan of Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante.” “We are regulars.”

Casa Corazon Restaurant brought chicken mole, red beet sauced cheese and enchiladas and cochinta.

Rodger Cline Moonshine (soon a name change…..) Served pairing with the tastings….This. was really good!

More art

Scallop Aguachili from Mochilero Kitchen (soon to open end of March in Peoria by Christ Church of the Valley)

OMG…this was soo Forking Good! The eggplant tabouli hummus nachos with shrug sauce….so fresh, herby, spicy tasty delicious!

The arroz con pollo and cabbage slaw was another that was among my favorites.

Checking out some of the art again.

This was unexpected.

This was also unexpected.

Pachamama served coconut ceviche and potato tacos.

Everest Momo and Sherpa Kitchen offered butternut squash tikka, chicken tikka and raita naan.

The Breadfruit and Run Bar gave out Spicy escowitch oyster shooters.

That wasn’t everything and there was a lot of booze to try but I ate instead and was ready to bust.

Devour the World was really great in Peoria 2020. I hope it’s here next year!

The Forking Truth

BREAKING NEWS – Mr Peanut involved in Tragic Accident – He might be Peanut Butter Now ****UPDATE***SUSPENDED out of respect for Kobe Bryant

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******UPDATE ******SUSPENDED out of respect for Kobe Bryant.

The Planter’s Peanut Company just released that Mr Peanut was involved in a tragic accident. The 104 year old Mr Peanut lost control of the Nut mobile to avoid hitting an armadillo.

According to someone from Planter’s, Mr Peanut had Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh as passengers in the nut mobile. It’s not confirmed but someone was heard screaming that Mr Peanut was driving like an “OLD NUT.”

The tragic accident has been filmed and leaked on the internet. It’s been written that Mr Peanut died in an explosion and the funeral will be shown at during the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl.

The Planters Peanut Company was founded by Amedeo Obici. He was an Italian born American from Wilkes Burro PA.

The Planters Company some time back merged with Nabisco foods and is currently owned by Kraft Heinz.

Many decades back there was a Mr Peanut Store on the Atlantic City NJ boardwalk.

Photo from Pinterest

Planters Peanuts was once a fixture in Atlantic City.

Things like this were sold in this store along with peanuts that smelled delicious.

Photo found on Pinterest

Mr Peanut Born 1916 – 2020 ?????

The Forking Truth

www.Wikipedia.com

www.Planters.com

www.Yahoo.com

A little Taste of Where The Fork I’ve Been Las Vegas Fall 2019

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First Stop was Buddy V’s in the Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip.

Everything really was very good. My husband went crazy over the pasta and sausage dish….He is partial to that kind of dish and said it was the best he had out anywhere. I do have to add that his cannoli is the best one I’ve tasted out anywhere!

Next Stop was Bouchon….Also in the Venetian.

Very classic and just like the Bouchon in Napa Valley except this one is on the tenth floor. All went incredible here too……..Portions were much larger than I was expecting. We were seeing a show afterwards and I didn’t have a refrigerator in my hotel so I had to lose my leftovers…so sad …I threw out the best leftovers I ever had anywhere…..

Next destination was The Crack Shack at Park MGM on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Crack Shack is a casual semi fast chicken theme restaurant that is co-founded by celebrity Top Chef Richard Blais. It’s kind of semi fast food style with a sports bar kind of feel. But the chicken used is quality Jidori chicken. We got a tasty fried chicken sandwich and shared Matzo Ball Pozole and schmaltz fries too!

A trip to Las Vegas usually involves a dinner at L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon at the MGM Hotel/Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Chef Robuchon was the most starred chef in history and also was known as Chef of the century. Some of his magic still lives on at his restaurant.

Emeril’s Table Ten Restaurant was a favorite that closed maybe two or three years back. I liked Table Ten restaurant best because it offered the most variety of the Emeril restaurants. Went back to Emeril’s New Orleans Fish-house in the MGM.

It killed me to skip that amazing banana cream pie today but both of us enjoyed everything we had. Emeril’s always serves the best gumbo that you can get outside of New Orleans. I got todays catch that was the grilled salmon.

OMG……. TWIST By Pierre Gagnaire was FORKING AMAZING! Twist is located on the 23rd floor of the Waldorf Astoria in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip.

To my local peeps it’s kind of like Binkley’s at the original location pricing (depending on menu you chose) but all the amuse bouches are served at the beginning and mostly at the end. This is a French style restaurant by a multi award winning chef. We received over 15 amuse bouches during dinner. Each and every morsel we we tried BLEW IT OUT OF THE PARK! Everything was so DETAILED and so amazing…..Not just great but FORKING extraordinary! All the food was a truly mind blowing experience. We both went with the vegetarian menu $89 (4 courses). I highly recommend! My NEW favorite!

Starter amuse bouches
charcoal apricot bread and baguette
quinoa salad
bell pepper
palate cleanser
risotto with white alba truffles and autumn vol-am-vant
dessert
very detailed and amazing amuse bouches

Like not of this world from another planet FORKING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

That was a little taste of my fall 2019 trip to Las Vegas.

Every thing is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Be a GOOD Guest and NOT a Forking TURKEY on Thanksgiving

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Be a good guest and not a Forking turkey on Thanksgiving. It seems that some people have been raised by wolves and don’t know how to behave correctly on Thanksgiving. Here are few things that some people need to know.

PLEASE be a normal responsible person. If you come down with a cold PLEASE don’t bring it to Thanksgiving with you. Your germs aren’t special and incase you don’t know YOUR FARTS SMELL TOO! If you go to Thanksgiving with a cold you will inflict your illness on others. Only a Forking turkey would do something this inconsiderate.

Don’t let your children race into someone’s home like zombies not even making eye contact with the host. Just a smile and a nod goes a long way and is enough….and would be appreciated.

Don’t be a Forking Turkey and set the alarm on the host’s washer and dryer. Only a Forking NUT job Turkey would do such a thing. You know your host will know it was done by you…….so please don’t be a dumb cluck.

You might not care for every dish your host serves but DON’T BE A TURKEY and when you see something you don’t care for just don’t eat it. Only a FORKING TURKEY would scream at the table, ” I HATE PROFITEROLES!” For GOD’S sake if you don’t scream in the super market that you hate profiteroles when you see them then why the heck would you scream it in someones home? Only a Forking TURKEY does such a thing.

Only a FOKING TURKEY would re-gift a used food product that already was used that they didn’t care for. If something you tried was crap to you why in the world would you dump your already used smelly fish on someone else……What the heck were you thinking? Only a ding bat or someone who has lost their marbles FORKING TURKEY would do this.

If you or your children break something in your host’s house the right thing to do is to mention it to your host. Not saying anything really Forking make you look like a BIG FORKING RUDE and inconsiderate TURKEY. (that’s just so rude and inconsiderate)

Only a Forking TURKEY would give the host a back stabbing compliment. “That might have been the best Thanksgiving food I ever had” “But I don’t know that much about food and I would rate it two stars!” Only FORKING MORON TURKEYS say something like that.

Don’t act like you are helping to clean up the serving ware by tossing them in the trash. Only a Forking NUT JOB Turkey would do that.

We sincerely hope that the only turkey at your thanksgiving table is the one you eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Forking Truth

azcentral Wine + Food experience November 3rd 2019

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The azcentral Wine + Food experience was held November 2nd and November 3rd in 2019. This event was held in Salt River Stadium Complex in Pima-Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale Arizona. General Admission pre-sale tickets ran around $50.00 and VIP admission ran around $120.00. Date of event tickets ran $65.00 and $140.00. VIP were entitled to one hour early admission and higher end wines. The headlining demo was by Antoni Porowski (food and wine expert of the reboot Queer Eye TV Show). This attracted a very large crowd that was already there and there was no way I could get in to see that one.

Today we made it a little early and got rounded up in a rope tied area like cattle.

I didn’t try everything but I tried a lot. Some of the same food venders were here a second day and served the same food so most of those I skipped.

Nothing Bundt Cakes gave out samples while we were waiting.

First stop was Bella Gusto Urban Pizzeria.

They made TASTY Wild Mushroom Arancini and Salted Caramel Panacottas.

One of the tastiest bites of the day came from Chino bandido.

It was a puffed wheat crisp cracker stuffed with jerk chicken with slightly sweet sauce and a more savory spicy sauce. It really was tasty! They also offered snickerdoodle cookies.

Sweet Republic offered a few desserts but the one I took was this toasted fig/hojicha ice cream cake cone with chocolate shell. Whatever it was it really did taste great!

My picture from Frashers Steakhouse/Mrs Chicken came out blurry but they were serving pulled pork and butter cake.

Next we went on the Bourbon Steak.

They served some sort of raw beef plate and Bourbon Mud Pies.

Frites Street offered some tasty fries.

Another one of the best bites was the tasty Chula Seafood Swordfish Katsu Slider from Chula Seafood.

A very detailed pork stew came from Talavera at the Four Seasons Resort.

Proof at the four seasons made DELICIOUS bourbon pecan pies!

Zak’s offered Guatemalan and Belize Chocolates.

Tacoa Tijuana offered beef and pork tacos.

Blue Clover Distillery offered spirits, chips and salsa.

Match offered buffalo cauliflower and chicken bites.

Detailed corn fritter from Che Ah Chi

Quiessence offered a number of things above is the Chula swordfish ceviche. Below is a fancy toast with house churned butter, radish and bacon.

Also from Quiessence was some sort of detailed pana cotta.

Carnitas and guacamole from Los Sombreros

Famous 48 brought their mac-n-cheese topped with pulled pork.

Bourbon and Bones served little steaks on duck fat corn cakes.

Barillia Pasta was here yesterday and today but today we stopped there.

My husband tried some pasta and I tried a little ricotta tart.

Then I waited in line for a really cool towel keepsake.

Pasta It’s FORKING Delicious! LOL! You know THAT belongs in my kitchen!

Thank you Barilla Pasta! You made my day!

That was most of azcentral Wine + Food experience November 3rd 2019.

Every year does differ and the food and wine vendors always differ some from what was printed in our local newspaper.

www.wineandfood.azcentral.com

The Forking Truth

azcentral Wine + Food experience Nov 2nd 2019

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The azcentral Wine + Food experience was held at Salt River Fields in Pima – Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale Arizona November 2nd and 3rd 2019. Pre-sale general admission was around $50.00 and pre-sale VIP was around $120.00. (after pre-sale $65.00 and VIP $140.00) Your ticket got you bottomless tastings of food, wine, liquor, chef demonstrations and more. VIPs got one hour early entry, the AJ’s fine foods tent and top wines. The headliner guest was chef Alex Guarnaschelli. I caught the end when she was taking questions from the audience.

Our own chef Christopher Collins did a demo too.

Here is some of what I came across. I didn’t try everything but I tried a lot. My husband can eat more than me so he nearly tried everything.

The first tent I got to was made not entirely but was mostly chef Christopher Collins Restaurants.

From chef Christopher Collins restaurant The Macintosh was short ribs over cheesy grits.

Chef Collins – Wally’s American Gastro Pub a very tasty fried chicken sandwich that was cooked to perfection with a really perfect herbed slaw and a sweet mustard sauce.

Chef Collins – Twisted Grove Restaurant – a shrimp noodle salad.

Chef Collins – The Collins

I didn’t try this one so I forgot what it was but I do remember my husband ate the whole thing so it couldn’t be bad. Latter when we got home my husband did say that this was really good.

Next was chef Collins – The Grassroots Restaurant offering tuna poke with cooked shrimp.

Chef Collins also brought his house made ice cream from his dessert shop Sweet Provisions.

Spinatos was cooking off a variety of their frozen pizzas and mushrooms stuffed with herbed parmesan cream cheese.

Mowry and Cotton offered the most eye catching plates.

Butternut squash salads and monkey bread.

My husbands favorite plate was one of the plates I skipped…..

A plate from Otro Cafe.

They made their own fresh tortillas.

Otro Cafe Taco (above)

Next was the brisket taco from Stonegrill.

The Clever Koi made a SUPER TENDER -melt in the mouth kind of sweet/hot fried chicken bun. This one was really great!

AJ’s offered cheesy pasta, pasta with tomato sauce and some sort of salad

Beckets Table made a very unusual sort of corn cake with lightly smoked chicken cooked in bacon fat…..It was very unique.

Gadzooks offered an open face version of their award winning chicken tacos with cornbread stuffing. You couldn’t pick them up to eat and they were still good but didn’t give the same effect as when you eat them whole.

Timo gave out lamb and butternut squash soup.

Match offered chicken bites and buffalo cauliflower.

Frank and Alberts made mushroom tostadas.

Famous 48 offered pulled pork topped Mac-N-Cheese.

It was all this and MORE!

That was Nov. 2 of the azcentral Wine + Food experience 2019.

www.wineandfood.azcentral.com

The Forking Truth

2019 Dish It Out Food Festival on High Street in Phoenix AZ

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The 2019 Dish It Out Food Festival on High Street in Phoenix benefitted the Boys and Girls Clubs of Phoenix. General Admission tickets ran around $70.00 and VIP Tickets ran around $200.00. Twenty nine general admission restaurants participated and another seven VIP restaurants participated. There were twenty two beer vendors. There also were twenty four general admission wine and spirit spots and another ten VIP wine and spirit stops.

Below are some of the Highlights from Dish It Out.

First taste was chicken gyro with hot sauce from The Halal Guys.

Paul Martin’s American Grill served Short Ribs over Mashed Potatoes and a Chocolate Mousse Brownie Dessert.

Got a fancy beef plate from Orange Sky.

From Orange Sky

Meritage Urban Tavern put out a spectacular pork dish and eye popping chocolate truffles.

These were AMAZBALLS!

The Filet from Flemings was like butter in the mouth. They served it with Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese.

Chinobandito was there serving chicken in little crispy pork skin bowls with spicy sauce.

Chinobandito

They offered a few different salads from the Chop Shop.

Like I always say that every THING is subject to change and it usually does. Famous 48 sure improved the recipe for their Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s a whole lot milder now but the chicken is completely different from what they served me in their original restaurant. This chicken was plump and moist with a nice texture. This was delicious!

New Dish from the Tryst Cafe made with Jackfruit.

Someone served very cold Cheese Burgers…….

Benihana served Fried Rice

Tried some wine from Orin Swift. Liked The Pinot.

Tried a Chicken Skewer from Toro Latin Grill.

The Salmon from Ocean Prime was AMAZING!

Wanted to finish things up with Cabernet from Trefethen but they ran out around 6pm so I settled for Trefethen Chardonay.

That was my night at Dish It Out.

www.DishItOutAZ.org

Every THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to the 2019 Arizona Taco Festival at Westworld of Scottsdale AZ

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The 2019 Arizona Taco Festival was a two day event held at Westworld in Scottsdale. It ran from Saturday October 12th and Sunday October 13th. General Admission tickets ran around $15.00 a person but discounted tickets were available on Groupon for half price. Tacos did cost around $3.00 each. In addition to tacos there were other activities such as a chihuahua beauty contest, a hot pepper eating contest, a hot sauce expo and a tequila expo and more. Certain activities were for an additional charge. Parking was about a mile from the event. Closer parking was available for $20.00.

I went on day two Sunday the 13th. I got there bright and early about 20 minutes before opening. The line wasn’t too bad today and the weather wasn’t too bad either. It was on the warm side but breezes blow by to cool you off.

I warn you that I tell The FORKING Truth so don’t expect every stop here to be perfect.

The people behind us

Our first tacos came from Taqueria Mi Lindo Guanajuato.

The one on the right was chicken and the one on the left I forget…It was either beef or pork. These were ok and messy to eat. I noticed that most of the tortillas were not grilled today.

Next we tried a combo taco plate (chicken, beef and pork) from Taste of Korea.

This was one of the few places that prepared nicely cooked moist proteins….but these tacos were made with LOTS of mayonnaise that sort of grossed us out. The beef was very sweet tasting. The chicken might have been the best of what’s here.

Next we shared a bean taco from Los Sombreros.

It was on the bland side……

Next was a red chili chicken taco and a fish taco from Vaqueros.

These tacos were tasty and it was nice to have the grilled hot serano pepper. I know that tacos in Mexico usually have some more vegetables in them to be tastier. These were also almost impossible to eat standing up.

It really wasn’t too busy here at lunch time.

They have someone spinning records.

This lone tent looked interesting….Might have missed out on something good?

Tried a chicken taco from Superfarm Super Truck because they displayed a lot of awards.

The sauces on this tacos were VERY GOOD but this taco shell has seen better days…..It’s like air dried and crunchy.

Next was Sr. Ozzy’s

They had a line and were selling TWO Tacos for Three dollars.

By now I’m sort of full and couldn’t go on much more but my husband is still hungry. So he eats these tacos and I just take one bite out of the beef taco. (bottom left) Beef is seasoned well but it’s sort of boring without all the vegetables. I didn’t try the seafood taco. It was the only cooked tortilla we tried today but my husband said it tasted fishy.

Next is a chicken taco from Vecina.

This chicken is dry and the taco is cold. I think these were made a long time ago.

I really had high expectations for a vegan carne asada taco from Verdura. I’ve been to Verdura and have had good vegetable plates there.

It looks good. I’m very thankful that I tried the tiniest morsel before attempting a bite. THIS IS INEDIBLE. THIS WAS THE FORKING WORST TACO I TASTED AT THE TACO FESTIVAL> It’s a #FORKNO …..They must have had an accident and dumped a whole large container of salt into it. It’s so salty that this taco could kill people. I wished at the moment that there was some sort of food super hero that I could call to fix this……. I bet the nearest trashcan is full of these tacos.

That was my trip to the 2019 Taco Festival.

I don’t expect to return again.

www.AZTacoFestival.com

But EVERY FORKING THING is subject to change……Your experience may or may NOT differ…..

The Forking Truth