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The theme of this year’s conference is “Unite to Ignite, we are stronger together.” I believe that as we come together we draw inspiration from each other, improving ourselves in the process. While the basis of good content, in my opinion, starts with originality and creating content that is unique to the creator’s style, content has little purpose unless it actively tells a story that matters to others.
July Issue
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
With Pride month behind us and summer in full swing, I am looking forward to attending the first Aequalitas Content Creators Conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa during the last week of August.
The conference will feature some of the biggest names in LGBTQ+ media and business sharing their experience and insights on how best to create and distribute meaningful content effectively and impactfully. There is so much content being produced that it is nearly impossible to break through to reach your audience. The ACCA conference speakers will demonstrate how to stand out in an ocean of mediocrity and get your content noticed.
You will learn what media and agencies are looking for from content creators, and how to monetize your platform. You will be able to network with other content creators to share tips and insights of what works and what doesn’t. Most importantly you will have fun meeting and getting to know your fellow content creators from around the country. Creating content is more than just blogging, posting, or making videos. It is about telling stories that are compelling and thoughtprovoking. It is about sharing unique perspectives that have an impact and it’s about being truthful and authentic in what you are creating. I hope that you will join me and the many others in LGBTQ+ media, business and content creation that are gathering in Cedar Rapids this year to unite with each other and ignite new passions for creating amazing content. For more details go to page 23.
Register for
FALL CLASSES • • • •
Certificate and Degree Programs Ten Colleges University Transfer Affordable Tuition
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Chandler-Gilbert | Estrella Mountain | GateWay | Glendale | Mesa | Paradise Valley | Phoenix | Rio Salado | Scottsdale | South Mountain The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District.
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Contents 04 Publisher’s Letter
Welcome to OUTvoices Phoenix, formerly Echo Magazine. We look forward to supplying you with all that is fresh and fabulous about LGBTQ+ life in Arizona and beyond.
12
News In Brief
A roundup of monthly local events and community news.
14 Cover Story
A team of out LGBTQ leaders including Billy Bean, Martina Navratilova, and Barney Frank are behind the launch of a new finance opportunity
18 Food & Drink
Venues that go beyond lip service in the food service scene.
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Joe Eats World
It’s Summer. Here’s how to pick fresh produce.
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3023 N Clark St #278 Chicago, IL 60657 Phone 602-266-0550 phoenix.outvoices.us STAFF
Publisher: DJ Doran CEO/Publisher, Aequalitas Media Bill Gemmill, VP Operations Founder and Publisher Emeritus: Bill Orovan Group Editor: Merryn Johns merryn@outvoices.us Sales & Marketing: Kris Radtke kris@outvoices.us Design, Layout and Production: Saul Santos fsdemianhades3@gmail.com Accounting and IT: Joe Morales
CONTRIBUTORS
Writers: Merryn Johns, Alison Bailin Batz, Joe Morales, Velvet Wahl Photographers: Four Peaks, Gage Skidmore, Dale Stine Cover: Billy Bean by Dale Stine National Advertising Representative: Aequalitas Media 3023 N Clark St #732, Chicago IL 60657 312-600-8823
OPPORTUNITIES
OUTvoices Phoenix welcomes volunteer writers, photographers and videographers throughout the year. If you’re interested in contributing to our publication, send an email to merryn@outvoices.us with a resume, contact information and samples of your work if available. Our volunteer staff is unpaid, but contributors do receive credit for their work in our print publication and online. Those seeking an internship in journalism or mass communications are strongly encouraged to apply.
LEGAL
OUTvoices Phoenix strives to be a credible community news organization by engaging and educating our readers. All content of OUTvoices Phoenix is copyrighted 2017 by OUTvoices Phoenix, Inc. and is protected by federal copyright law and shall not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. All photography is licensed stock imagery or has been supplied unless otherwise credited to a photographer and may not be reproduced without permission. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representations does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of the person or persons. OUTvoices Phoenix accepts unsolicited material but cannot take responsibility for its return. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or edit submissions. All rights revert to authors upon publication. The editorial positions of OUTvoices Phoenix are expressed in editorials and in the editor’s notes as determined by the editor. Other opinions are those of writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of OUTvoices Phoenix or its staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged but may be edited for clarity and length. There is no guarantee that letters will be published. OUTvoices Phoenix only accepts adult advertising within set guidelines and on a case-by-case basis.
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LGBTQ+ healthcare and wellness Services including: Primary care for men and women HIV/STI Testing and treatment Mental and Social Health Now accepting new patients! All insurances accepted + affordable self-pay options available 602.307.5330
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Out & About
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News In Brief
Bids for the
State Rep. Daniel Hernandez
2022 Election By Velvet Wahl Arizona has several seats opening up in the 2022 election at both the state and federal level, and local politicians are already announcing their bids. Several people have announced their bid to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick who represents Arizona’s 2 district, which currently includes Tucson and Sierra Vista. This year, Arizona’s nine congressional districts will be redrawn. Among those running is current State Rep. Daniel Hernandez, who is one of the founders of the Arizona House LGBTQ caucus. He is well known for helping save the life of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords who was shot in 2011 during an event in Tucson. Hernandez has championed LGBTQ rights in the Arizona State House and has worked on gun violence prevention, immigration reform and education equity. Rep. Randy Friese, a trauma surgeon who helped treat Giffords, and state Sen. Kirsten Engel have also announced their bids. Republicans are looking to flip U.S. Senator Mark Kelly’s seat to red in the upcoming election. Arizona’s attorney general, Mark Brnovich, announced his bid for Kelly’s seat. Brnovich has a history of challenging LGBTQ rights. In 2015, he advised that Arizona should not allow same-sex couples to adopt or
become foster parents in the state. He also filed a suit against the federal government in 2016 when the Department of Education told schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity. On the other hand, Kelly has been a “steadfast advocate for LGBTQ rights throughout his time in public life” the Human Rights Campaign President said after Kelly was sworn into the U.S. Senate in 2020. Numerous other Republicans have filed a statement of interest to run. Perhaps the most important seat that will be up for grabs is that of Arizona’s governor, as Governor Doug Ducey’s 8 years in office is coming to an end. Among those who have announced their bid for governor, the current Secretary of State Katie Hobbs announced her bid. Hobbs is known to be a strong advocate for LGBTQ equality and was the first person to raise a Pride flag in the Arizona State Capitol area, before it was later taken down for being put up without permission. She will be joined by former FOX 10 News anchor Kari Lake, Arizona Board of Regents member Karrin Robson, former Nogales Mayor Marco Lopez, and many others. 3.5” x 2”
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News In Brief “If people are afraid of the police, if they fear they may become separated from their families or harshly interrogated based on their immigration status, they won’t report crimes or come forward as witnesses,” Magnus wrote. His time as Tucson’s police chief has not been without incident. Last year, Magnus offered to resign after the death of 27-year-old Carlos Ingram Lopez while he was in custody. This prompted protests after the police department delayed both notifying the public and reviewing videos of the arrest. The three officers involved in the incident resigned, while Tucson’s mayor did not accept Magnus’s resignation. After his nomination was announced, Magnus declined interviews but released a statement through the Tucson Police Department. “The confirmation process is never a certainty. As the Senate moves forward with its deliberations, I remain committed to serving as your Chief of Police to the best of my ability,” he said.
Pride Banners Stolen
Tucson’s Police Chief Nomination Earlier this year, President Joe Biden nominated Tucson’s police chief to become the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. Police Chief Chris Magnus, who is a member of the LGBTQ community and has been with his husband for 15 years, has served as Tucson’s police chief since 2016. He has over 30 years of experience in policing and previously served as police chief in Fargo, North Dakota, and Richmond, California. He is known for being a vocal critic of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and is expected to shake things up at the border if his nomination is confirmed. In the nomination announcement, the White House said that Magnus has a “reputation as a progressive police leader who focused on relationship-building between the police and community.” They also said that he has “extensive experience in addressing immigration issues” because of Tucson’s proximity to the border. Back in 2017, Magnus wrote an opinion article for the New York Times saying that he was “deeply troubled by the Trump administration’s campaign against ‘sanctuary cities.’” He said that forcing local police officers to cooperate with federal immigration authorities would compromise public safety.
Pride banners were taken from North Scottsdale United Methodist Church at the beginning of June. Pastor David Rennick, who posted about the incident on Facebook, told the Arizona Republic that this was the first year that the church put up Pride banners. “We never knew that such love for All would be met with such rejection,” Rennick wrote in his post. He followed up with “we report new banners are on their way. #lovewins.” This was not the first time the banners had been tampered with. Previously, they were found removed and laying on the ground Rennick told the Arizona Republic. The idea behind putting up Pride banners outside the church came from a young person on the church’s governing committee, according to the Arizona Republic. North Scottsdale United Methodist Church has also shared posts on Facebook supporting Pride month. “Pride month is a time to recognize the contribution the queer community has in the world. But more so, Pride is a call to the faith community to embrace the diversity and inclusion of everybody,” the church wrote in a June 4 post. “The rainbow flag is a symbol of the Pride movement but also reminds us how the rainbow is a symbol of God’s promises of care and love.” This incident comes after Scottsdale joined several other Arizona cities in passing nondiscrimination ordinances that protect the LGBTQ community. Scottsdale police are investigating the incident.
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Cover Story
PICKING
THE
WINNERS 14
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Cover Story By Merryn Johns Billy Bean knows about what it takes to win in a way that matters. In 1999 at the age of 35, Bean became the first Major League Baseball player to come out to the public at large — but only after major ups and downs, and the final realization that nothing he did had value unless he was true to himself. His highly readable and inspiring memoir Going the Other Way details this journey. Thanks to athletes like Bean, and of course Navratilova and Billie Jean King who were both forced to come out in 1981, sport is an arena where a handful of LGBTQ athletes have helped move the needle of public acceptance in favor of our community. But the corporate and financial world has only recently been accepting enough so that in 2014, Apple’s Tim Cook could become the first chief executive of a Fortune 500 company to publicly come out as gay. Wall Street, however, has never had an inclusive reputation. It was therefore enticing to Bean to join a new financial venture from LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings, Inc., a diversity and inclusion driven financial methodology and data company that launched the LGBTQ+ ESG100 ETF (NASDAQ: LGBT) on May 18. According to the prospectus, “The Underlying Index represents the top 100 U.S. companies that nurture and promote equality in the workplace for employees of all genders and sexual orientation, have a strong track record of loyalty and brand awareness among the U.S.-based LGBTQ community, and have a history of consistently strong financial performance. The Underlying Index attempts to capture market outperformance of these companies as compared to their competition.”
The index is the brainchild of former professional tennis player and entrepreneur Bobby Blair, who assembled a board of heavy hitters to help get the index onto the New York Stock Exchange. “The gamble was, Do these companies really do better because they're serving the community better?” reveals Blair. “And is the spending power really loyal to a point where it makes a difference to their bottom line? Is their H.R. department more suc-cessful? Is the retention in the workplace better? Are lawsuits down? Is there a bigger net for a massive talent pool that doesn't discriminate in hiring? … And we were really fortunate after 15 months of the index trading that we had a 46 percent return. And we had a six percent return that outperformed the S&P 500.” With that track record the LGBT ETF went live. If you’re wondering how the top 100 companies are chosen, Blair says there are four criteria: The company must score at least at ninety with the HRC; it must have a high score with the Institutional Shareholder Services Inc., the world's leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions; the company must pass a vigorous financial stress test; and most importantly, the company must poll well among 150,000 LGBTQ constituents in all 50 states. These four factors went into whittling down an initial 500 potential companies to the final 100. And those 100 are subject to ongoing scrutiny. If a company in the index does something anti-LGBTQ there's a 45 day window to fix it,” says Blair, “and if they don't, we have the ability to pull them out and put a company that's next in line.” And those names will change every year in the third or fourth quarter, the index gets reconstituted based on new polling according to Blair. The companies in the ETF are themselves diverse, says board member Orlando Reece. “It really is a great cross-section of many kinds of companies from the big financial corporations to the Cokes, the Home Depots, and the United Health Cares of the world who have come in… These are the products I like to work with, like Apple, the places I like to go, like Starbucks — companies that we all use every day that help our community, for example providing health care for transgender employees.” Bean bonded with his fellow board member Martina Navratilova many years ago at a time when “it didn't feel so friendly out there to come out.” Bean shares that the ETF embodies his and Blair and Navratilova’s long-held belief “there might be an upside to focusing on companies who are doing right by doing good.” “So the idea of bringing us together,” says Bean, “started to manifest itself into qualifiers: How do we create a criteria that is going to highlight companies that pursue LGBTQ community for their product, for employers who offer same-sex benefits in the workplace? And then it just kept growing… Long story short is our methodology is going to show performance. We came up with a product that that made sense, we put together a board of people with very diverse living experiences who were able to talk about it in a way that we could promote opportunity for investors to peek into the window of a group of companies that all believe in the same philosophy of advancing equality and caring about the world.” “People like myself and Martina have lived through a narrative of the LGBTQ+ community being marked by some of our darkest times, and in the midst of a lot of progress, we still live in a very divisive time,” says Bean. “The ETF is an opportunity for investors to vote in support of equality with their pocketbooks. Maybe business will forge the future as opposed to divisive legislation that
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Billy Bean, Martina Navratilova, Larry Roan, Robert Tull, Bobby Blair, Barney Frank
Cover Story
tries to divide us and take away the civil rights of our community. And so the philosophy, I think, has really high aspirations for elevating goodness.
he said, ‘Absolutely, 100 percent, if we can connect Wall Street to our community and we can encourage companies to do better and reward them, sign me up’.”
For Bean, the most exciting part of the venture is that the index with the LGBT ticker is now out there as a publicly traded financial asset — and one that has outperformed many other ETFs. For the first time in his life he has seen himself represented in an arena that has traditionally been as intolerant as sports. That’s another vindication for a man who struggled with his sexuality, married a woman, and who could not even attend his first male lover’s funeral — all for fear of being outed.
Like Bean, Blair feels similar pride about being out there now. He recalls that in his youth as a tennis player he was more concerned with being outed than he was with his training. Nevertheless, he met Navratilova 35 years ago and became her hitting partner when she was number one in the world. “I used to fly over from Fayetteville, Arkansas to Dallas and practice with her for long weekends,” Blair recalls. “And it was a really cool thing. … So when I saw Martina at the U.S. Open, I said, ‘Martina, would you like to join us?' And she just started getting teary because she had always dreamed of being able to be part of bringing big money and Wall Street to the community.”
“Martina is an athlete. I've been in sports my whole life,” says Bean. “And we now have LGBT on the New York Stock Exchange! We’ve never been represented there or on the Nasdaq. It’s exciting. I mean, we are loyal, but we are tough and we're not just going to give our money or our time or our energy or our services away; we want to see some performance. And so it's going to be really, really fun to watch that continue to elevate. It's a big moment. I really feel like it is.” “Billy was an inspiration to me to come out,” reveals Blair. “In 2013, I finally officially came out and Billy Bean was hugely supportive and he was very committed to guiding me through this process. So when I had the idea of doing this, I called him first and 16
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Navratilova even released her statement to the press on May 18, the day LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings, Inc. announced the launch of the ETF. “I am thrilled that the launch of the LGBTQ + ESG100 ETF has arrived. Today is an important day for advancing equality, as we showcase companies that align and support the LGBTQ community through this announcement. Seeing the trading symbol ‘LGBT’ listed on Nasdaq is truly historic.” Reece says it’s estimated there is around 3.7 trillion dollars in spending across the LGBTQ community and that our community’s
Cover Story And as for banishing the specter of “rainbow washing” while trying to hold onto what’s unique about our community, Frank feels the ETF is a synthesis of assimilation, acceptance and authenticity — the balance that athletes like Bean and Navratilova fought so hard for. “There are some people in the LGBT community who have talked about separating themselves [from the mainstream]. I think that's an error,” Frank says. “We've been on the defensive for much of our organized life as a community, protecting ourselves against discrimination. This index is an important, positive step. This is a step that says, ‘We want to be treated like everybody else, and that includes being able to participate in the economy, to reward companies that recognize that we are entitled to equality.’ So from every standpoint, it's a real plus.” Learn more about the LGBTQ+ ESG ETF at lgbtqloyalty.com.
Bobby Blair
Martina Navratilova
brand loyalty can be rewarded not by buying into pricey and volatile individual stocks, but by investing much smaller amounts in an ETF, across 100 companies that represent their values and what they're all about. But perhaps the macro value of this index is best articulated by former U.S. Representative Barney Frank, also a board member, who says economic inclusivity and progress are intertwined. “It's long been the case that the companies in America that are willing to maximize their ability to employ talent have done well. And that's essentially what we are talking about. We're talking about a situation where there has been a significant percentage of the population excluded. And now we've found that companies that are simply inclusive, in fact, do better.” Frank sees buying into the fund as a way for allies to put their money where their mouth is: “Coming out to your parents has been one of the big issues for gay people. Parents and grandparents might appropriately buy shares in this ETF and give them to their LGBT children and grandchildren. It is a great way to promote intergenerational harmony and show support for our issues while financially helping out.” July 2021
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OPEN FOR ALL
Food & Drink
Venues that go beyond lip service in the food service scene. By Alison Bailin Batz According to Erika Rode, being open for everyone means going the extra mile to offer a comfortable setting for everyone, including the staff. The Bitters Bar owner in South Scottsdale, who is a lesbian herself, strives to recruit, train and retain a staff that represents this diversity, which has included many from the community. “Erika is known for taking people from all walks of life that have little-to-no-experience, and growing them into talented cooks, bartenders and servers,” says Lisa Carrington, a cocktail creator and educator best known as @CocktailMaven online. “It’s not just a safe place to work, but a place where you can thrive and grow your career. This especially includes other lesbian women.” For those who have not been as of yet, Rode’s Bitters Bar offers high-end food and drinks meticulously curated from small farms, breweries and distilleries. “Her edible works of art could easily stand up to those served at the best bars in New York City, yet the atmosphere is as warm and welcoming as your best friend's couch,” says Carrington. “Bitters Bar is a slice of modern Phoenix that proudly supports, represents, and stands up for the LGBTQ community and all people, for that matter.” Bitters was notably among the first bars to sign the UNITY Pledge in support of fully inclusive non-discrimination policies in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations for all Arizonans, including individuals who are gay or transgender. Thankfully, they were not the last. The community also has a true ally in Upward Projects.
Credit: Four Peaks
Who are they, you ask?
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In 2001, a hip indoor-outdoor wine bar called Postino – named for the Italian word for postman as the venue was located in a vacant brick building that was a local post office once upon a time – opened in Arcadia. And while no longer a post office, the small-but-mighty location delivered night after night, growing a faithful following across the Valley. Its success led to the creation of Upward Projects by Lauren Bailey and Crag Demarco in 2008 with a vision to take vacant or historically relevant buildings in town and re-invent them into restaurants and bars. In the years since, Postino has grown to 15 locations across Arizona, Texas and Colorado. Today, Upward is also behind Windsor, Churn, Federal Pizza and Joyride Taco House in the Valley. July 2021
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Food & Drink As both Voltaire and Uncle Ben in Spiderman said, with great power comes great responsibility. And Upward is up to the task.
in Houston, paying tribute through a through a massive decoupaged art installation that showcased to the gay bar's history.
Sam Foos, Upward’s vice president of people and culture, is a member of the community himself. He and his team were proud, like Bitters, to be among the first to sign the UNITY Pledge. Within the local community, Upward has always protected sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace, well in advance of the Supreme Court ruling in June 2020. They have maintained an open dress code that allows individuals to be themselves.
“It is important in the hospitality industry, which serves millions of people with unique backgrounds and experiences, that we create a space and a workplace where they can come and be themselves. Free from being singled out and treated differently,” says Foos.
“A proud moment was to hear a team member being celebrated for being a valuable team member and they responded with expressing their love for Upward Projects because for the first time they felt they could be themselves,” says Foos. “Wearing lipstick, make-up and wearing what made them feel comfortable without judgement or being told what a ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ should wear or dress like. This brought them to tears and everyone else in the room. Not everyone realizes how many years people have been repressed or told they cannot be who they know they are. It’s a very emotional thing to be freed from that repression.” Their support extends beyond Arizona’s borders as well. For example, they opened their Montrose location in the oldest gay bar
This also extends to the beer industry, a charge being led by Four Peaks Brewing Co., which was the first brewery in Arizona to sign the UNITY Pledge in 2017. “We are proud to be an Arizona-born company that has welcomed all communities since we first opened our doors. We believe that good beer makes for good company and we look forward to continuing to welcome and support equality for all Arizonans,” said Jim Scussel, co-founder of Four Peaks Brewing Co. Since signing, Four Peaks has been vocal in its support, notably launching a new beer in support of Pride Month and selling limited edition T-shirts, with all proceeds going to ONE Community, Equality Arizona, One-n-Ten and Phoenix Pride.
Standing with Bitters, Upward Projects and Four Peaks in signing the UNITY Pledge today are also:
Erika Rode
• 3 Sheilas Wine & Spirits • 5th Avenue Cafe • Arizona Craft Brewers Guild • Barrio Brewing • Burgers Amore • Cactus Food Mart • Cakes by Whisk • Drift Inn Saloon • FEZ • Hensley • Hidden Track Cafe & Bottle Shop • Hula's Modern Tiki Phoenix & Scottsdale • Huss Brewing Company • Jacked Ice • Nicantoni's Pizza and Pub • Papa Ed's Ice Cream • Pizza People Pub • Salut Kitchen Bar • Sauce Pizza & Wine • Scottsdale Beer Company • Songbird Coffee & Tea House • Switch Restaurant and Wine Bar • Taco Chelo • The Dhaba • The Farm at South Mountain • The Gladly • Uncle Bear's Brewery • Urban Beans • Willie's Taco Joint • Witnessing Nature In Food • Wok This Way, LLC • Zookz Sandwiches For more information visit www.openaz.co.
July 2021
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Food & Drink Lifestyle
H O W T O P IC K T H E B E S T PRODUCE F OR SUMMER By Joe Morales Some of my favorite things come from summer. Summer Shandy lemonade beer, corn salad made with fresh sweet corn, and garden variety fruits and vegetables. I was doing some research and development the other day on Mexican food. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to make but it was hot out and I wanted to have something cool and refreshing to drink but I also wanted to have something spicy. You know where I’m going with this right? You guessed it, margaritas and salsa. I ended up making carne asada tacos. While the steak was marinating, I prepared watermelon margaritas and a pineapple pico de gallo salsa. It’s important to pick the best produce so you are working with fresh and delicious ingredients that are at their peak of ripeness.
How to pick the best watermelon You never know what your watermelon is going to look like or taste like until you get it home and cut it open. A sure-fire way to always get the sweetest, juiciest watermelon is to choose it based on color. There are two different types of watermelon: Seedless and one with seeds. For this recipe, I went with seedless because I didn’t want to pick through all the seeds and create more work. No matter what type you go with, the best way to choose your watermelon is by color. Look for a watermelon that has a yellowish color on one side. This yellow marking looks like it would be bad but trust me it’s not. The yellow markings indicate that the watermelon sat on the vine and in the field ripening, getting juicy and sweet with each passing day. If a watermelon is all green, that means it was picked at the right harvest time but it could have been picked prematurely before it had a chance to ripen.
How to pick the best tomatoes The best way to choose your tomato is by its color. See a pattern here? This time though you want a tomato that is firm with a slight bounce back when pressed. The color should be a deep color. Notice I didn’t say red? That’s because some tomatoes such as Heirloom tomatoes are different colors. The tomatoes should feel heavy with a darker color and a firmness that gives just a bit when touched. Don’t grab the pale ones, don’t grab the soft squishy ones. Vine-ripened tomatoes are similar to the watermelon we discussed earlier. They are riper because they sat on the vine in the field longer than the others. 20
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The vine-ripened tomatoes are the ones I go for because they don’t have a long shelf life, they have a better flavor, and they look better. Just make sure they are not too soft which can often be the case.
How to pick the best pineapple When you are picking a fresh pineapple, you want to give it a squeeze. If it is firm but a little soft when squeezing it, then it is ripe. If the pineapple is hard, then it is not ripe and you will need to wait a while for it to get ripe. If the pineapple is too soft, then it is overripe and could have brown discoloration on the inside. If the pineapple is giving off a strong sweet pineapple scent or is looking really yellow, then it is overripe. You should choose the pineapple that bounces back from a good squeeze.
How to pick the best jalapeño Jalapeños are sold green but did you know that those are just not ripe? Ripe jalapeños are red which means they were left on the vine to ripen more. Green jalapeños are fine to eat and use. Essentially we eat unripened jalapeños when we eat any type of salsa. Make sure the peppers are a nice green color and are firm to the touch. If they are soft or have a black coloring, that is an indicator they are overripe and close to spoiling. Just remember to remove the seeds and the pith to control the spiciness. I like to do half and half so I can make sure there is a good amount of spice. Well, there you have it. How to pick the best produce. Next time you are in the store, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed. Now, check out the recipes. Note: Tajin is a Mexican salt with all sorts of seasonings in it. We sprinkle it on fruits and vegetables and sometimes put it in beer. Enjoy!
Food & Lifestyle Drink Pineapple Pico de Gallo 4 ripe Tomatoes, seeded and diced 1 cup Fresh Pineapple, diced ½ cup English Cucumber, diced ½ cup White Onion, diced 2 Jalapeños, seeded and diced ¼ cup Cilantro Leaves, chopped 1 Lime, juiced Salt to taste Instructions 1. In a bowl, mix together tomatoes, pineapple, cucumber, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. 2. Add lime juice and salt. Stir and taste. Adjust salt if necessary. Tips: • • •
De-seeding the tomatoes is necessary to avoid excess liquid. It is important to use English Cucumber since they are burpless, have more crispness, and are seedless (for the most part). You can omit cucumber. De-seeding the jalapeño and removing the pith will lower the heat from the peppers. Adjust the heat according to your taste.
Watermelon Margarita 4 cups Seedless Watermelon, cubed 2 Limes, juiced Tequila (your choice) Tajin seasoning salt Instructions 1. Place watermelon in a blender and blend until smooth or all of the chunks have been liquified. You may need to do this in batches. 2. Place cheesecloth over a strainer and place strainer over a bowl. Slowly pour the liquid into the strainer. Toss out the pulp. 3. Place the watermelon juice, 2 ounces of tequila, and the juice of half a lime to the shaker. 4. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. 5. Place the Tajin on a plate. Rub lime on the rim of your glass. Place your glass rim-side down on the Tajin to coat the rim. 6. Place 2-3 ice cubes in the glass and fill with the liquid from the shaker. 7. Serve. Tips: • • • •
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To make a full batch in a pitcher substitute the 2 ounces of tequila with about ½ cup tequila, depending on your taste level. If you don’t have a cheesecloth, you can use a double strainer. The watermelon should be sweet enough; if not you can add simple syrup to the shaker or pitcher. Use your choice of tequila but I recommend a medium to top-shelf silver or blanco tequila.
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