A beautiful day for a festival!

Today was a beautiful day. I was looking forward to this day. I went to the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. It was amazing! The festival consists of restaurants that open up sample booths. I always like to try things I've never had before. When we arrived, I started with a cold beer and some grilled chicken street tacos. They were in two flour tortillas with grilled chicken pieces, pico de gallo, cheese, and sour cream. With the first bite, they tasted somewhat spicy. Then they became savory and creamy. By the end, the sour cream became sauce- like and delish! We walked a bit and stopped again.
 This booth was labeled "best food" rated by the festival. They were also street tacos, but being labeled "best" I had to try them! This time I decided to have pork. There was a reason they were labeled the best! The pork was in small pieces and very crispy with a smoky background flavor. It is called pork al pastor. This type of pork is marinated and cooked on a rotisserie with with pineapple on top so that the sweetness in the juices run into the pork. The taco is garnished with guacamole on a corn tortilla. They were fabulous!
Next, we stopped and a tapas stand. Which is like a spanish appetizer. The restaurant was called Tapas Papa Frita. Pimiento Piquillo con Centollo which is a crab stuffed pepper in a creamy saffron sauce. Yumo! The pepper was sweet with a creamy cheesy filling. The saffron sauce pushed it over the edge. Saffron is a very unique spice and very flavorful.
After all the spanish influence, I was ready to sample a new cuisine. Grimaldis Pizzeria served us some amazing brick oven pizza. The crust was so thin and crispy with fresh basil, homemade marinara sauce and creamy cheese. The pepperoni was sliced very thin and crisp atop the cheese. I highly recommend this pizza!
To finish off, we stopped by The Grand Lux Cafe. I have been to the restaurant before, but never had the opportunity to sample the items served. I shared the buffalo bites. They were chicken pieces tossed in spicy buffalo sauce, rolled into a ball shape and fried with a crispy batter. They were served with a creamy blue cheese sauce. The last (and one of the most delicious items) was the warm beignets. Beignet is a french work for fried dough. Similar to a doughnut, but very different at the same time. The dough in the center is light, soft and flaky. It pulls apart so softly with a crispy coating. They were lightly dusted in a powdered sugar and served with a creamy warm custard sauce. Heaven! Try them! You will not be disappointed!
Overall the day was a success! I hope you get to try some of the items I shared! Until next time... :)

Common Ground

Hello again! I am a passionate person and believe that every experience should be thrived in. After all, you only live once, right? Don't waste a meal on something "mediocre". Something that you will never remember, something that has no impact on you whatsoever. Dining is an experience. It's where memories are made, where friends and family gather together. Some of the best memories I have include my amazing mother cooking the biggest turkey I have ever seen with every side dish ever created. All with a two burner stove and no dishwasher. But the memories instilled in my brain are ones I will share with my children and never forget. Because food is our common ground, our meeting place in a chaotic life and we can find some peace and share something we all love. Food. Join me, foodies and hear of this fabulous sandwich.
 This burger I also am adding to the top list of "the best burger" comes from your neighborhood Applebee's. The burger is called the
Southwest Jalapeno Burger

They start with melting spicy pepper jack cheese on the all beef patty. They add a chipotle mayo (yumo) and then the candied jalapenos... yes I said candied. Open your mind before you shun this awesomeness on a bun. These sliced jalapenos are spicy yet sweet. The flavor bursts in your mouth and leaves you asking "what was that??" but in a good way. The sweet/ spicy flavor I believe is one of the most genius flavor combinations. It's all incased in a toasted bun. Just try it. If you like sweet and spicy, it's all you need.

The best burger...

Hello fellow foodies, my name is Bonnie. I am a graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Scottsdale, AZ. All my life I have had a passion for food and cooking. I am always looking for new cuisines and inspiration in my life. I am now on a quest for the best of the best in food that I have experienced. This should be fun! The first category I am testing is the best burger! Living in east Mesa, Arizona my options are somewhat limited... or so you might think... I have traveled above and beyond for new burger concepts, tastes and flavors. My top pick so far:

5 Guys Burgers & Fries

Dana Park on Val Vista in Mesa

The restaurant has crept it's way to the west coast from starting in Arlington Virginia in 1986. The rest is history. Let's just say they know what they're doing. There is something different about this burger. Going to order the burger, you have the option of a "cheeseburger" which is actually a double cheeseburger and a "little cheeseburger" which is one patty. Genius! (to say in the least) Don't forget the bacon! Then you get the option of a whole slew of toppings (for free). My choices? Oh lettuce, mayo, green bell peppers, grilled onions, ketchup and sometimes jalapenos (if I'm feeling spicy). The amazing thing about their burger is the cheese. Yes it is all American and melty and not what some might call "real". But the tantalizing way that it melts so nicely it almost becomes a sauce, if you will. It's fabulous! This is a very top pick of mine for lots of reasons, but that cheese pushes it to the top. The simplistic yet defining burger has won my heart and soul.