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Nothing brings friends and family together quite like food. It’s communal. It’s celebratory. It’s memory-making. It’s delicious!
One of my favorite food memories was one that was made just last year. We were visiting family in Italy and my husband, son and I took a day trip to Padua, about a 30-minute train ride from Venice. The city was buzzing with college students who attended the University of Padua, Italy’s second-oldest university, founded in 1222. We visited one of the oldest coffee shops in the city, the opulent Caffè Pedrocchi, and indulged in their iconic Pedrocchi coffee, which layers hot Arabica espresso, cold fresh cream and mint syrup, and a dusting of bitter cocoa (don’t stir, please; it’s meant to be enjoyed as served). We took in the sights and sounds of the vibrant city that, like many Italian cities, effortlessly marries the ancient with the modern.
But my favorite part of the day was learning to make gnocchi from scratch. Gnocchi is my son’s favorite type of pasta and that day, we discovered that he has an innate knack for flicking each potato ball across the rigagnocchi just so in order to get the signature grooves and divot. Our chef showed us how to whip up the most delicious and simple marinara sauce and just a short time later, we were enjoying the fruits of our labor.
Speaking of history and food, the Arizona State Fair brings the two together as they celebrate their 140th anniversary and share with us some of the foodie finds available at this year’s event. And we meet the Martinez family, the owners of State 48 Garage Doors, who are making memories in the kitchen and around the table, and are sharing a family-favorite recipe with us. Joey Maggiore talks to us about his new cookbook, "Brunch King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks," which is chock full of mouthwatering brunch dishes and drinks – and even shares a recipe for nostalgic-inspired and boozy beverage.
Be forewarned, reading this issue will have your mouth watering and stomach growling. But more than that, I hope it will inspire you to make new food memories, and a recipe or two, with your family.
Happy reading and as they say in Italian, buon appetito!
October 2024
PUBLISHER
Sherry York | sherry.york@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Beth Del Ville | beth.delville@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Alison Bailin Batz, Kris Ann Valdez, Beth Del Ville
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Stephanie Slezak, Joanie Simon, Angela Houston
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Brandon Cooper
LAYOUT DESIGNER Antanette Ray
BETH DEL VILLE, EDITOR @AHWATUKEECITYLIFESTYLE
Indulge
Beloved
TONY AND AMBER MARTINEZ ON COOKING UP A BUSINESS, FAMILY, AND LIFE TOGETHER FOR OVER 30 YEARS
Things are cooking for the Martinez family, both inside the kitchen and out.
By day, the husbandand-wife team of Tony and Amber Martinez leads State 48 Garage Doors with the two sons, Tyson and Jordan. Founded in early 2022, the proudly local business is a leader in garage door installations and replacements as well as repair, regular maintenance, and even groovy garage upgrades, going so far as to offer a virtual garage door design program so customers can visualize every step of the process.
And by night?
“That’s when we are cooking, quite literally, and have been since we were kids,”
laughs Tony, who first met Amber in 1990 when the two were just in seventh grade in Tucson. “She was the new girl that year, relocated to Tucson from South Carolina and there was just something about that twang that got me.”
Tony’s family was always cooking, something he began to do for Amber early on in the relationship and even more so after the two married in 1998. Before entering the corporate world and then entrepreneurship, in fact, he worked for the Tucson caterer that handled much of the culinary operations for the 1996 Superbowl in Arizona.
Over the years, and especially when busy with the kids when they were younger, Amber gladly served as supervisor and
head taste tester for Tony’s wide array of dishes.
“The kids may be grown now, but she is still by my side – both at work and at home – as president of our business operations and chief quality controller of anything I make,” said Tony.
Her favorite of his dishes these days?
“I love to grill for her as well as the kids, especially steak, carne asada, pollo asado, and smashburgers,” said Tony. “I will also do the occasional fish boil as well, which is always a hit.”
State48GarageDoors.com | @State48GarageDoors 4435 E Chandler Blvd., Suite 200, Phoenix, 85048 | 480.690.2686
STEPHANIE SLEZAK
• 160 oz. chicken broth
• 4 carrots, chopped in half
• 4 celery stalks, chopped in half
• 2 white onions, chopped in quarters
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped in quarters
• 5 jalapeños (deseeded)
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• Pepper to taste
• Small corn tortillas (or store-bought tortilla chips)
• Cooking Oil
• 2 rotisserie chickens, shredded
• Avocado, sliced
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Limes, cut into wedges
• Cilantro, chopped
• Sour cream
Step 1. Combine the first eight ingredients in a large pot and boil until the vegetables are soft.
Step 2. While the broth is cooking, shred the meat from the rotisserie chickens.
Step 3. Cut small corn tortillas into thin strips and fry in small batches until crispy. Drain on paper towels and salt between each batch. Alternatively, use store-bought tortilla chips.
Step 4. Arrange shredded chicken, avocado slices, mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, lime wedges, cilantro and sour cream in separate serving bowls.
Step 5. Once the vegetables are soft, remove all vegetables from the broth. Discard half of the jalapeños (keep more if you prefer extra spiciness) and blend the remaining vegetables with some of the broth until smooth. Strain the blended mixture back into the pot of broth.
Step 6. Let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with toppings of choice and enjoy.
ARTICLE BY KRIS ANN VALDEZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SLEZAK
INDULGE IN CRAZY CONCOCTIONS AND CLASSIC CRAVINGS AT ARIZONA’S CULINARY CARNIVAL
Walk the Arizona State Fairgrounds and you’re sure to be greeted with the sweet and savory aromas of everything from smoky BBQ to kettle corn. Of course, the fair has staples: turkey legs, funnel cakes and corndogs. But what keeps fair food interesting is the break from tradition into the eccentric and unpredictable.
Take, for example, this year’s offering of the hot Cheetos and cheese chicken on a stick from Biggy’s, which is a plump fried chicken breast covered in nacho cheese with a fiery hot Cheeto crumble and served with a pickle on top. Or Chub’s pickled tamale bites: balls of tamale masa stuffed with pickles and cheese with nacho cheese on the side for dipping. Not to be outdone for inventiveness, there’s Big Dogs 2’s Tostinachos, presented in a Tostitos bag, where you’ll discover crispy chips smothered in nacho cheese with a kick of jalapeño.
If you want to indulge your sweet tooth, the fair has plenty of which to boast. Try the fruit roll-up frozen grapes on a stick from RCS Food Stand, which are frozen grapes rolled in zesty Tajin, drizzled with Chamoy and wrapped in a fruit roll-up for an explosion of sweetness. Or Swirl Ice Cream Cone’s Double Trouble, a dynamic dessert duo consisting of two ice cream cones double-dipped in chocolate and caramel, then crowned with caramel kettle corn.
The fair is more than its zany culinary creations though. Rich in history, this year marks 140 years since its inception in 1884. Since Arizona gained statehood in 1912, the fair is older than the state itself. Once called the Territorial Fair, it offered horse and auto races and promotional opportunities for local businesses, grocery stores and farms, CONTINUED >
says Marc-Pierre Marlais, the State Fair Museum Curator. But the 1950’s saw the fair morph into a more recognizable version of what we know today, adding carnival rides, concerts, game booths and its famous fried foods.
Contributing to the robust fair history is Navajo Taco Stand, the longest-established food vendor. With a 60-year run and five generations of family members involved, they serve fried bread golden in color, light and airy, but filling. Many more family-operated booths span two to four generations at the fair, including Dottie Maile’s Indian Frybread, Serena Curry’s Teepee Village, Nathan Marcus of West Coast Weenies and others.
For Ahwatukee resident and Arizona native Jen Yee, the fair’s Assistant Executive Director, the fair is a special tradition to her since childhood. “When my family goes, we split up to find our favorite foods. Then we come together to share our offerings with each other because food is love. And it has to be fried; the more fried the better.”
The 2024 Arizona State Fair runs Sept. 20 through Oct. 27, Thursday-Sunday.
Whether you try a classic craving or crazy concoction, don’t forget the lemonade, which Brianda Martinez, the fair’s Marketing Director, promises is truly freshly squeezed.
AZStateFair.com
“The fair is more than its zany culinary creations though. Rich in history, this year marks 140 years since its inception in 1884.”
The Arizona State Fair is celebrating a major milestone. Here are some fascinating facts to excite you about this year's event.
+ The first fairground site was near the Salt River. Due to flooding around 1891, however, the fair took a 15-year-long hiatus until 1905 when Phoenix’s mayor and owner of the Grand Hotel Adams, John C. Adams, purchased the land called the “Six Point” intersection, where the fair is still held today.
+ Some of the brick buildings, such as the Women’s Building, and the grandstand, were erected in 1905, thanks to the vision of Adams and other local businessmen.
+ In 1909, the first mention of fireworks is found in archives. At the time, exotic animals such as ostriches were also big attractions.
+ During the fair’s early years, fruit vendors sold locally grown fruit and vegetables, allowing passersby to sample their offerings.
+ In 1934, archives show a Mary Becker won the food contests in three categories: plate chocolate fudge, apricot jam and raspberry jam.
+ Throughout the years, the fairgrounds have been used for emergency purposes, including a temporary military camp for the 81st Infantry Wildcat Division during World War II, and again in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina when refugees took shelter in the Coliseum.
+ For 24 years, the Coliseum housed the Phoenix Suns basketball team, dubbed “The Madhouse on McDowell” by sports broadcaster Al McCoy.
+ The 2006 Arizona State Fair introduced some of the zaniest food offerings, such as the Deep-Fried Coca-Cola and “Cucumber on Lumber” (a cucumber on a stick served with lemon juice and chili powder).
+ There’s plenty of entertainment included with admission: the grandstand events, like the rodeo and monster trucks, tribute bands from Billy Joel to Metallica, the petting zoo, magicians, singers, acrobats, Native American dancing and community acts.
Beloved local chef, restaurateur Joey Maggiore is making delectable dreams come true with brunch-focused cookbook
ARTICLE BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOANIE SIMON
The term “go big or go home,” is often hyperbole, but not when talking about local celebrity chef and serial restaurateur Joey Maggiore. Known for his gold chains, eye-popping recipes, and charisma to spare, Maggiore is the force behind a slew of locally grown concepts that are blowing up nationwide,
including The Sicilian Butcher, The Sicilian Baker, The Mexicano, The Italiano, The Rosticceria, and Hash Kitchen, a brunch experience that must be seen to be believed. At last count, the boldly plated, never understated eatery had grown to six locations across Arizona as well as restaurants across Utah, Nevada, and Texas either recently opened or set to open very soon.
To say the menu at Hash Kitchen is wild – think cocktails in plastic roller skates and disco balls; bacon topped with 24-karat gold flakes; and pancakes infused with Fruity Pebbles and topped with strawberry mascarpone – would be an understatement. The food and drink are complemented by a live DJ on weekends, art installations on multiple walls, and Arizona’s largest build-your-own bloody Mary bar with more than 60 toppings from which to choose.
“While I certainly want guests to keep flocking to the best brunch extravaganza in town, I also want to help our guests get the party started at home, too,” said Maggiore. “Enter my debut cookbook, which shares secrets to pulling off the best meal of the day in extraordinary ways.”
Titled “Brunch King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks” and available now at all Maggiore concepts as well as on Amazon, the book is big and bold in every sense of the word. As much a collector’s item and coffee table book, Brunch King boasts a step-bystep guide to cooking and plating 70 of Maggiore’s signature morning dishes and is complemented by rich photography that will have readers wanting to lick the pages.
“Your grandmother’s cookbook, this is not,” laughs Maggiore while detailing his chapters, including Gangsta Sweets, with recipes for crème brûlée bruschetta, cannoli doughnuts, and bread pudding French toast sticks, among others, and Let’s Get Cracking, a definitive guide to going wild with the versatile egg.
“Brunch
King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks” boasts a step-by-step guide to cooking and plating 70 of Maggiore’s signature morning dishes.
The cookbook is also unique in that it features morning cocktail builds, too. And yes, they are just as flamboyant, by design. Think mimosas topped with cotton candy and a cocktail that offers a boozy take on Cocoa Krispies that manages to snap, crackle, and pop (see recipe).
The book is equal parts love letter to his ever-growing reputation as the undisputed king of morning fare, a truly educational book on how to think outside-of-the-box at breakfast and brunch, and homage to his culinary hero: his father.
Maggiore fell in love with cooking by doing so alongside his father, culinary maestro and award-winning chef Tomaso Maggiore.
“My father, who led Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant for more than 40 years, was a driving
force in helping re-define the culinary landscape in Arizona,” said Maggiore, noting a gala in his late father’s honor to raise funds for the Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Arts Foundation will take place at the Westin Kierland Resort on Oct. 12. “Beyond that, he was an amazing mentor and is an ever-present inspiration in my life.”
Now a father of three himself and leading The Maggiore Group with his wife, Cristina, Maggiore hopes the book will inspire others to cook audaciously and have as much fun in the kitchen that he and his family have had together for decades past and will continue to together for decades to come.
For more information, visit MaggioreGroup.com
ingredients:
• ½ cup Cocoa Krispies cereal, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 ½ oz. vanilla vodka
• 1 ½ oz. half-and-half
• 1 oz. espresso
• ½ oz. dark chocolate syrup (such as Monin)
• ½ oz. vanilla syrup
• 2 oz. whipped cream
• 4 oz. Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
Maggiore shares one of three cereal drinks from his new cookbook, “Brunch King: Eats, Beats, and Boozy Drinks”
directions:
Step 1. Put cereal in blender or food processor and blend to a powder. Fill a Cocoa Krispies cereal cup to the top with ice.
Step 2. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine vodka, half-and-half, espresso, dark chocolate and vanilla syrups and Cocoa Krispies powder. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
Step 3. Pour cocktail into the cup. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cereal. Drizzle with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Serve with a straw.
Three home bakers in Ahwatukee set a high standard for domestic bakeries. With French-inspired macarons, detailed cake pops and cheesy Bavarian pretzels, they offer goods to please nearly every palate. It’s clear by their careful attention to technique, creativity and recipes, these home bakers infuse love into every bite. And what could be better than a home that smells of warm dough baking?
ARTICLE BY KRIS ANN VALDEZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SLEZAK
Alda Stefaníudóttir recalls the first time she tried a piece of birthday cake from Costco. She appreciated the theme and craftsmanship, but biting into it, she was shocked.
“It was so sweet,” she says, laughing.
At every birthday party her son attended, Stefaníudóttir found the cakes too sugary. She wondered if anyone would enjoy her Icelandic recipes, like the Skuffukaka her mother made growing up, a large chocolate cake made in an oven pan. Experimenting from her Ahwatukee kitchen, she quickly gained the approval of her taste-testers. In 2019, she opened Alda’s Confectionary Experiment. Her recipes are entirely her own, inspired by her Icelandic roots, specifically a favorite childhood buttercream frosting, but with an American twist. For instance, she says one of her favorite recipes is her Oreo cake because it’s not a cookie she had growing up, and who doesn’t love Oreos?
In 2021, she turned her attention to the technical challenge of mastering macarons, what some call the Mount Everest of baking because of the patience, accuracy, and tireless troubleshooting required. Stefaníudóttir, beaming, says, “I did eventually master them.” Her favorite flavor—lemon cheesecake.
Find Stefaníudóttir’s cakes, cupcakes and macarons on Instagram at @Aldas_Confectionary_Experiment.
Born and raised in Germany, Suzanna Anderson moved to Arizona in 2005, where she was disappointed to find limited offerings of authentic German food. Following a friend’s encouragement, she put her three decades of baking experience to use and opened Oma’s German Kitchen in May 2024. She was pleasantly surprised at the demand of orders from German expats, descendants and enthusiasts wanting a taste of the homeland, even installing a second double oven and outfitting another pantry in her Ahwatukee home kitchen to keep up with her orders.
Anderson embodies the German ethos of “daily bread,” selling only that day’s bakes to ensure freshness. Equally important to Anderson is her commitment to the highest quality ingredients— almost everything is organic and/or grass-fed, often sourced from quality small-scale suppliers. She avoids artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and selects bakeware made from the safest, leadfree materials.
“I want my customers to know and taste that I will only serve food I believe in and would feel good serving my loved ones,” she says.
Anderson specializes in baking authentic German breads, pretzels, Brioche bread, cakes, strudels and more. Find her on Instagram at @OmasGermanBakery to see her weekly offerings and request special orders.
Maria Aranda loved baking with her three daughters when they were little. As they grew, she looked for ways to connect with them. One day her youngest, ten at the time, asked if they could go to Starbucks for a cake pop. Unfamiliar with the treat, Aranda found it too dry. Another time, too oily. So, she began experimenting. But eight years ago, there wasn’t much information available on cake pops. Aranda pressed on, creating Icha’s Cake Pops in 2019. And it’s only gotten better as online education expanded the baking world, helping Aranda to tweak her cake pops to perfection.
Aranda offers flavors like vanilla, German chocolate and coconut, and makes any character—from Minions to Santa Claus. Thanks to her attention to detail, it takes up to two hours to decorate a dozen cake pops.
Aranda doesn’t just bake though; she also teaches cake pop decorating classes, including birthday parties, private parties, camps, and even a class for moms and teens. Moms often text her after, thanking her for offering a way to connect with their kids.
To take a class or order her delectable cake pops and other treats, find Aranda on Instagram at @IchasCakePops.
Put the carving tools down and check out how you can add some pizzazz to your pumpkins with just a paint brush.
For this design, you’ll need several pumpkins or gourds in various shapes and sizes, some white and metallic acrylic paint, hot glue and some fake creepy crawlers.
Paint your “background” pumpkins in metallic colors. For your centerpiece, use white paint to cover the body, metallic paint for the stem and hot glue your creepy crawlers all around.
OCTOBER 9 TH
Mat Making Class Fall Themed!
6:00PM
OCTOBER 21 ST
Board Making Class
Themed for fall!
4:30PM
OCTOBER 13 TH
Primitive Scarecrow
Perfect for Halloween. Snacks included! 1:00PM
OCTOBER 24 TH
Build A Charcuterie Board
Join KampsWoods at Cordially for this fun Build-A-Board Charcuterie event! Class includes a one-of-a-kind KampsWoods charcuterie board. 5:30PM
OCTOBER 2024
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
OCTOBER 5TH
Tukee Fest Rockin’ in the Park
Ahwatukee Park | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Bring your blankets and chairs and celebrate the community at the 16th annual Tukee Fest. The family-friendly event boasts bounce houses, food and wine, a live band performance and more. While you’re there, enjoy the 3rd annual baking contest and bake sale. Both events are free to the public. For more information, visit AhwatukeeCommunityCenter.com/ Tukee-Fest
SUNDAYS Ahwatukee Farmers Market
Ahwatukee Swim & Tennis Center
Every Sunday, the Ahwatukee Farmers Market brings together a selection of local artists and makers, food, produce and more. October kicks off the market’s winter hours, which run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit ArizonaCommunityFarmersMarkets.com
OCTOBER 11TH - 13TH
Symphony Hall
Enjoy the beloved songs of Grammy and Oscar-winning songwriter Stephen Schwartz are given breathtaking performances by world-class vocalists. This uplifting, soul-stirring concert features hits from classic shows like Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked including “Magic to Do,” “Colors of the Wind,” “Corner of the Sky,” “Day by Day,” “When You Believe,”
“Defying Gravity” and more. It’s an unforgettable evening of magical musical theatre. Visit PhoenixSymphony.com for tickets and showtimes.
OCTOBER 18TH
Ahwatukee Eats
4609 E Chandler Blvd., Phoenix 85048 | 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Join Ahwatukee Eats for an evening of delicious food and friendly community. The event hosts a bevy of local food trucks serving a variety of food and drinks, a petting zoo, trick or treating and more. Find out more on Instagram @AhwatukeeEats
OCTOBER 19TH - 20TH
9th Annual Italian Festival
Old Town Scottsdale Waterfront
Hosted by the Italian Association of Arizona, this annual event brings Italy to the Valley. The family-friendly festival will feature more than a dozen food vendors, including local fan favorites Pomo Pizzeria, Mamma Lucy, Aroma Culinary and Marcellino Ristorante. Festival attendees can purchase Italian goods from merchant vendors, including clothing, jewelry, artwork and cooking goods to bring home. For tickets and details, visit ItalianAssociation.org
OCTOBER 27TH
17th Annual Ahwatukee Dog Show
Ahwatukee Swim & Tennis Center | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Leash up your pup and head over to the 17th Annual Ahwatukee Dog Show. Enjoy vendors, games, demonstrations, raffles and judging – including Best in Show. For more information, visit AhwatukeeCommunityCenter.com
SPINATO’S PIZZERIA & FAMILY KITCHEN CELEBRATES FIVE DECADES OF DELICIOUSNESS
Spinato's co-owners and Ahwatukee residents
Spinato-Kienlen and Chris Kienlen
ARTICLE BY BETH DEL VILLE
When the first Spinato's pizzeria opened in Scottsdale in 1974, their opening-day sales were a humble 69 cents – for an iced tea. Fast forward half a century, and the restaurant – now the official pizza of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury – boasts six locations across the Valley, including the beloved spot in Ahwatukee.
To celebrate this impressive milestone, Spinato's Pizzeria & Family Kitchen is throwing a year-long party with monthly specials. For October, co-owner and Ahwatukee resident Chris Kienlen has crafted a unique "The Slytherwich Mixto Pizza," a Cubano-inspired creation available through October 31. SpinatosPizzeria.com
