Small Bites of Summer

A few of the selections you can snag with this dining card deal

Food festival season is in full swing in other parts of the country, but in the Valley of the Sun, it's already too hot to crowd around outside with a thousand other people to score a bite of meat grilled over the open flame -- even if it is insanely delicious. That's no great loss, however, because instead Phoenix residents can score 30 Small Bites of Summer for $30. This deal is like a DIY food festival spread out over three months, so you can relax at a table instead of waiting in long lines. And the experience won't end with a massive food hangover.

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- SoChu House in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card
- 16 Favorite Places in Metro Phoenix to Eat at the Bar

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Andy Broder

Roasted Chicken with Thyme and Lemon

Roasting a whole chicken can be daunting (at least the first time), but it's just as easy as making boneless skinless chicken breasts. A whole chicken takes longer to cook, but it's 1) juicier, 2) tastier, 3) takes less active time, and 4) it's cheaper.

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My recipe for Whole Roasted Chicken with Thyme and Lemon omits a couple of boilerplate steps. I don't tie back the legs or clip the wings (called trussing, which rhymes with fussing for good reason) so occasionally, I serve a tasty bird with legs akimbo. Nor do I baste, because an oil rub at the outset works just as well.

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Dominique Chatterjee

Postre de coco, a creamy coconut pudding with dark chocolate

In a brief description of the only dessert on the menu at Doug Robson's newest venture, Otro Café, food critic Laura Hahnefeld said, "It's pretty much the best Mounds bar you've had in a glass." And -- despite living in Brooklyn these days -- I knew from those few words that I had to have a taste.

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- Oh, Oh, Otro Café!
- 10 Things in New York City the Phoenix Food Scene Will Never Have

While her observation was spot-on, what Hahnefeld didn't say is that this coconut pudding is simpler yet more indulgent than the candy bar, without the super-sweetness of corn syrup or the regret-inducing heaviness of so much processed junk (what, pray tell, is the ingredient called PGPR?). So, yes, this dessert is like a Mounds bar, but infinitely better.

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Evo

Italian cuisine (or some form of it) has once again made its way into the space at Goldwater Boulevard and Indian School Road in Old Town Scottsdale. Perhaps the third time will be a charm.

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- New Breakfast Spot, Snooze AM Eatery, Coming to Central Phoenix

The former home of Cuoco Pazzo (and chef Peter DeRuvo, who spent a little over four months there) as well as the American/Italian comfort food spot T. Roosevelt's Tavern, the newest iteration is Evo, an Italian dinner spot that stays up late.

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courtesy of Don & Charlie's

Editor's Note: Prompted by a few restaurant closings and the "ABC nonsense," occasional Chow Bella contributor Eric Schaefer felt compelled to write about his "culinary happy place." Enjoy.

I've written about Don & Charlie's before, and I'm sure to write about it again. But, in the midst of way too much restaurant drama as of late, it is my belief that Don & Charlie's is the textbook example of drama-free dining and, in many respects, the epitome of why we -- as humans -- go out to eat in the first place. Forget about the recent bevy of high-profile restaurant closings and media hailstorm about a particular Scottsdale restaurant portrayed on television that doesn't even warrant being mentioned by name. Just go to Don & Charlie's, dammit. Go now.

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Still from Modernist Cuisine video

If you're a food nerd, you've probably heard of Modernist Cuisine, the six-volume "cookbook" from former Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myhrvold. It's a stunning set of books that gives perspective into molecular gastronomy techniques.

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Home Edition of Six-Volume "Modernist Cuisine" Tome in the Works

The crazy, science-driven techniques are the main reason the book is less known for its user-friendly recipes than it is for its impressive photography. And for all those who've gaped at the book's photos -- which include shots of high-quality cookware cut in half to show the science behind the cooking -- there's a third book in the works that might be of interest.

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Zach Fowle

Beer: Long Strange Trip
Brewery: Sonoran Brewing Co.
Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 7.2 percent

The journey began with 7 Wives Saison, a brew featuring pink peppercorns, mesquite syrup, orange, coriander, fennel, and fennel pollen. Our travels then took us to the river for some FFF, where grapefruit, brown sugar, and a grove's worth of basil challenged our taste buds. Following this path, we found Lee's Liquid Dinner, a meal-in-a-glass accented by honey-roasted parsnips, cranberries, orange peel, chestnuts, and hazelnuts. A long, strange trip indeed.

See also:
- Sonoran 7 Wives Saison
- Sonoran FFF
- Sonoran Lee's Liquid Dinner

But now it's over. We've come to the fourth and final course of Sonoran's daring Chef Series, a group of brews crafted in collaboration with local chefs. Long Strange Trip pays homage both to the other beers from the series and to the voyage of Sonoran Brewing Co. itself -- which, actually, just took a surprising turn.

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Courtesy of the Royal Palms

New executive chef Paul McCabe

The executive chef position at T. Cook's at the Royal Palms felt like a revolving door for a while there. Long-timer Lee Hillson left for The Phoenician last August, replaced by Todd Sicolo (formerly at the Arizona Biltmore) in October, who turned around and left himself just four months later -- but not before putting a new T. Cook's menu in place.

See also:
-- Lee Hillson Leaves T. Cook's for The Phoenician
-- Chef Todd Sicolo Leaves Arizona Biltmore for Royal Palms

But the instability is soon to be ancient history, although we can expect a whole lotta shaking going on this summer. The good news is that the resort recently hired away Paul McCabe from L'Auberge Del Mar, and he's been ensconced in T. Cook's kitchen for about a week now. Meanwhile, the resort soon will begin a three-month renovation of T. Cook's with a makeover unveiling in September. Here's what will be happening this summer.

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Heather Hoch

Two gourmet popsicles on a hot summer day.

As summer approaches, we can't help hiding in the freezer aisle at the local grocer. Though you can find all of the basic popsicle choices there, you'll have to venture elsewhere to grab some truly gourmet pops. AZ Pops gives the classic treat a classy twist, while Paletas Betty adds tasty Mexican flair to the flavor combos. Which icy treat is the tops?

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- 7 Spots for Paletas in Greater Phoenix
- 10 Favorite Summer Cocktail Tips from Chow Bella's Resident Bartender, JK Grence

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Melissa Fossum

Outside Amy's Baking Company on its grand re-opening night, 5/21/13.

After all the drama since the Kitchen Nightmares season finale, Amy's Baking Company had a strict no-press policy for last night's grand re-opening event in Scottsdale. The only people who were allowed into the restaurant were guests who made reservations ahead of time.

We were able to capture some video outside on the sidewalk before security spotted us.

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- Amy's Baking Company - A History of Kitchen Nightmares: Complete Coverage
- Amy's Baking Company Owner Samy Bouzaglo Being Represented in Immigration Court Proceedings
- Amy's Baking Company Grand Re-Opening Event in Scottsdale, 5/21/13

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