Scottsdale Culinary Festival 2012

This last weekend, my hubby took me out to the Scottsdale Culinary Festival.  There were many fine establishments that participated.  We tried to avoid the big chain places, and target more of the local eateries and businesses.  It was very hot out, so it made it hard to want to try everything, but it was to support the arts, and we wanted to do our part.  There was a mini Expo as well as food, music, drinks, celebrity speakers and demos. 

The Queen Creek Olive Mill was in the Expo.  We fell in love with them!  They are a local, family owned company that grows and presses olives.  They make several products, and offer tours and have their own shop and restaurant.  We tried the fig balsamic vinegar and the blood orange olive oil.  We are definitely making plans to head out for a tour and lunch.  If you are in the Queen Creek Arizona area, you must check them out!

bNaked chocolates were another one of our favorites in the Expo. Gluten free chocolates, kicked up with spices.  We also tried one of their macaroons, they were very good.  I didn't try them until we got home, and they suffered a bit from the heat, but they were still quite yummy. I spoke with Sue, from bNaked, and she was very pleasant and knowledgeable.  She definitely lives a healthy lifestyle and is very passionate about bringing it to others.

We tried some kale chips, they were okay.  I was not thrilled with the gal giving me a spoonful of kale crumbs in the palm of my hand.  I didn't like having to lick crumbs off my hand. Maybe a little cup would have been a better way to hand these out?  Licking my palm is fine in private, but not a crowd.

The festival was held at the Scottsdale Civic Center.  It was beautiful.  Fountains, flowers, grass, and this little vegetable garden with amazing vegetables and herbs.  This is a pic of me and some of the prettiest (and biggest!) Swiss Chard I have ever seen.  I was definitely in my happy place.

Crust pizza, they sell artisan pizzas by the slice.  I didn't try them, but I spoke with many others that loved it.  I took the pic because it reminded me of my own homemade grilled pizza.  I will share the recipe with you soon.

Roka Akor Steak and Sushi were there with these huge grills set up. They were grilling steak and mushrooms.  Let me tell you, I got the giggles when trying these mushrooms.  I couldn't help myself!  They were the single best thing that I had eaten all day, and I would have been willing to keep eating til I split.  They were crimini mushrooms with soy garlic butter, grilled on skewers and so perfect! They gave me perma-grin.  I am not exaggerating. 

Jewel of the Crown Cuisine of India had a tent as well.  My hubby and I tried their sampler platter, and it was tasty.  I would have loved a roti or naan bread to sop up the sauce, but it was enjoyable.  There was a chicken tikka masala, a curried chickpea dish, a potato dish, and rice.  To be honest, it wasn't better than other Indian food I have tried, nor was it worse.  I thought perhaps they should have had more diversity in their dishes as a sample. They all had nearly the same sauce.

We tried a bbq joint, and were not happy with it.  They did a whole roasted hog, and claimed they had the best sauce.  The sauce was average, and the meat had no flavor.  It was disappointing.  Salt really helps your dish, why they didn't use any is beyond me.  You can't rely on sauce to do all the seasoning.  This is a prime example.  Sure it was juicy, but it was not impressive.

Q UP BBQ was on hand as one of the food trucks featured.  My husband tried a pulled pork sandwich, topped with a horseradish slaw.  From the bites I took, I didn't think it was amazing.  It was good, but not really better than what I make with a slow cooker.  I didn't get any smoke in it, but really, I would need to try it again to give it a fair judgement.

There were a bunch of grills set up, sliders seemed to be a popular item on the menus. I didn't try any, as we wanted to try new and different foods.  They sure smelled good!  Over all, the day was an amazing day.  The hubby and I enjoyed spending time together, even if it was hot out.  We kept hydrated, and I attempted to stay shady.  We didn't see any celebrities, but we had fun listening to music, trying fun foods, and enjoying each others company.