Slade Grove: Caramelpalooza Candymakers

By Lauren Saria Fri., Mar. 2 2012 at 12:00 PM

Categories: Caramelpalooza

From now through Caramelpalooza -- March 2 at Smeeks candy shop -- Chow Bella will introduce you to the 17 chefs participating in the third annual caramel tasting. Today, meet Slade Grove of Slade Grove Creative Gourmet.

With a commitment to "over-the-top indulgence," Slade Grove has been making an impression on the Phoenix food scene for years. His work as a "missionary and evangelist of the dessert experience" has even caught attention on the national level from well-known media outlets like the Oprah Winfrey Show.

If I had my own Food Network show it would be called Obsession - a show about candies, confections, and sugar work.

My most recent obsession is making the perfect chocolate chip cookies, and I think we've got a pretty good recipe.

My favorite thing about the Phoenix culinary scene is the uniqueness and seeing it grow out of nothing.

My least favorite thing is the trendy, fad-y followers. Like really? Come one. Fads have their lifecycle...cupcakes are done.

Baking is to science as cooking is to art because you can be a lot more creative with cooking.

Without Facebook and Twitter we'd be a little more in the dark, throwing darts at the wall. I would not be able to communicate the latest greatest stuff cooking in the oven. I think it's a great medium for instant information and keeping in touch with your customers.

Find Slade and 17 other chefs at Caramelpalooza tonight, Friday, March 2, from 7 til the caramel runs out, Smeeks candy store, northwest corner of Central and Camelback.

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