My Kind of Town - Chicago Trip

I'm back from my travels to the great state of Illinois, which is not the most veg friendly place on earth. However, I managed to find some great veggie places and ingredients.

One of the highlights of the trip was the PPK meet up at the Chicago Diner. We had a great turn out of 15 people. It was such a blast. Much to our surprise VeganAide and her honey picked up the tab without our knowledge. I didn't get a chance to talk to them or thank them as they were on the opposite end of the table. But as you can see here, my handy dandy photographer Fred caught him red handed signing the check. LOL. Seriously. Thank you so much for your generosity. It was so special.

It was such fun to meet everyone. I'm hoping to sit at the other end of the table next time so that I can get to know the rest of you better. I didn't get many pictures of the food because I had Kelly (Autumn Vegan) sitting next to me with her awesome camera and photography skills. I knew she would get great pics.

I'm back to work and reality this week. I will soon post more good food stuff!

Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op

Summer always brings such wonderful things: no school for the kids, fire works, fireflies, picnics, vacations. But the thing I love most about summer is all of the summertime produce! Growing up in the midwest, summer was always a great time to pick sweet corn, berries, asparagus and all sorts of other seasonal wonders. Here in AZ it is actually a bit sparse in the summer. But thankfully Fred has devised some great shading for our garden. I love going to the farmers market for veggies too. This time of the year the farmers sometimes bow out of our market because it is located in a hot asphault parking lot. I needed to find another alternative to fill my summer produce desires.

I really try to eat mostly organic produce from the US. I don't know if it is true, but someone told Fred that all produce that comes out of Mexico gets fumigated before it can cross the border, which pretty much negates the "organic" labeling in my mind. It has been getting more difficult to find US grown produce at Whole Foods. My good friend Daphne told me about Bountiful Baskets co-op. I sure am glad she did. The co-op offers produce boxes. The regular box is $15.00 plus handling ($1.50). The organic box when available is $25.00 plus handling. They also offer an option to purchase bread. There are times they will have other special purchase. For example this week they had a screaming deal on flats of blueberries. You must place your order online with a credit card by Tuesday of the week you want to pick up.

The down side is that you have to be there at a specific time and on time to get your goodies. It's really no big deal, but some people are a bit more spontaneaous in their shopping habits. I find it completely worth it. I'd love to see an option for and all fruit or all vegetable basket. I know a lot of juicers like this option as well. I'm not a huge fruit eater myself, so an all veggie option would be perfect for me.

Fred picked up our first basket this week. I was bummed I was working, because I find getting produce baskets/boxes a bit like Christmas. He said the pickup was very quick and organized. I made him call me when he got the box home to tell me all the goodies that were in the box. It was loaded with organic fabulousness. There were fresh green beans, a bag of sweet potatoes, spinach, romaine lettuce, a zucchini, a cucumber, a giant cantaloupe, a huge bag of grapes, gorgeous strawberries, apples, and plums. I think I got it all. It was really a bargain for $26.50. I know I would have paid a lot more at the market or Whole Foods!

I have tried other co-ops, CSA's, and other produce delivery services. What stands out about Bountiful Baskets in my mind is that you do not have to take an order every week or every other week. You only order when you want to. This is huge for me as I often travel or need specific items for recipe testing. The quality of the produce is excellent. They have lots of pick up locations.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of the whole kit n kaboodle, but I started using things up before I thought of it. It was an impressive take! I did get a picture of these beauties.

Zucchini Bites (based on this recipe from Webly at the PPK) and Baked Sweet Potato Fries

The zucchini bites are easy breezy to make. You don't have to measure things out here. Just slice zuchs to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread a very thin layer of Vegannaise on one side of each slice. Place slices, mayo side up, in a single layer on cookie sheet sprayed with oil. Sprinkle Vegan Parmesan, panko crumbs and Italian seasoning on each slice. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Eat and enjoy. I'm going to try a variation next time by turning the slices half way through and sprinkling the other side with the panko and parm.

The sweet potatoes are pretty basic. Slice unpeeled sweet taters into thin matchsticks. Toss in a bit of canola oil and seasonings (I love to use Penzey's Northwoods Fire Seasoning). Bake for about 25-30 minutes at 350 until crisp on the edges, turning once.

Blog Awards

So there is this fun little award thingy going around the blogs. The Blog Awards. Here are the ground rules:

1 - You have to thank the person who nominated you.
2 - You have to tell 7 things about yourself
3 - You have to nominate 15 other awesome bloggers

So to start off I must thank the lovely Rikki Cupcake from Seitanic Vegan Heathen. Rikki and I met at Trader Joe's where she was working. She is fun, creative, compassionate and all around awesome. I am hoping we can hang out more when my life gets a bit less crazy. In the short time I've known her I can tell she is going to be a great friend.

The lucky seven.

1 - I was once arrested for beef theft. Actually I was an accomplace. When I was in high school I dated a very bright, artistic, slightly obnoxious guy who would occassionally steal things when he was bored. I honestly don't think he was a clepto, but just liked the adrenalin rush. We lived in a small town, so there wasn't much excitement. The story goes something like this. We have a day off of school because president Reagan got shot (yep I'm dating myself). We decide we're going to cook. We head to the grocery store to pick up supplies.

J: Wow! Look at all of that beef sitting in the back of that truck. (This is in front of a huge glass store front).
Me: Yeah.
J: Do you know how easy it would be to steal that?
Me: Yeah. (laughing)

We buy the supplies and I am carrying them to the car walking in front of J. I get to the car and hear him coming towards me. I turn around and he is carrying a hind quarter of beef on his shoulder. He throws it in the back seat of my friend's car who is waiting for us and says "Go!". She's shocked and just takes off. Later on J feels the urge to return to the scene of the crime. Of course because the truck was in front of a plate glass window, the store employees witness his crime. He gets arrested and we all get taken in to the station as his accomplices. I'm a minor and they release me to a very unhappy mommy. This is the story of the "Great Beef Caper". Another reason it is fate that I no longer eat beef.

2 - When I was 1 1/2 years old, I fell of a top bunk. On the way to the floor I hit a air conditioning vent that had a little handle on it. The little handle went through my cheek from my ear to very close to my mouth. I have a nice scar that gets bright red if I get a lot of sun.

3 - My parents owned a pet shop when I was a kid. My job was to clean all of the animal cages for 50 cents. I used to buy penny candy and 45 records with my earnings. Sadly, it burned down when I was in 4th grade. My dad was amazing at nursing sick animals back to health, but oddly was very afraid of dogs. My love of animals started at a very young age.

4 - I have an irrational fear of malfunctioning toilets. As a kid I feared all toilets working or not. It is a deep seated, irrational and intense fear that has thankfully gotten better over time. When I was a kid, I refused to go into public bathrooms. My 1st grade teacher was so concerned she sent me to the school counselor. I had to talk to an imaginary friend any time I went to the bathroom so I would not be scared. I can name several times as an adult that I ran from a malfunctioning toilet screaming for my life. I'm pretty sure this manifested from my brother always threatening to flush me down to the poo plant.

5 - I arrived for and left my wedding on a jet ski.

6 - I am a 10 year breast cancer survivor and thriver! I organize the Joanne Wood March Madness for Mammaries Hike to benefit the Breast Cancer Fund and the Wellness Community - Arizona to honor the memory of my Aunt Jo who lost her battle in 2006.

7 - One of my friends calls me Potato because of an incident we had waiting tables together. Never put two alpha dogs on a waiting team together. Your guests are likely to wait a long time to get a freaking potato. Long story.

Well this was a fun little trip down memory lane. Hopefully you are still willing to read my blog now that you know I am a criminal and a crackpot. I hope you stay with me, but just in case you need some new blogs to haunt, here are my nominations for the Blog Awards. These are blogs I find great resources for recipes and cooking ideas. All of them are food related, because, well, you know, I love food and cooking. Enjoy!!

Vegan Appetite
Cooking the Vegan Books
My Veggie Kitchen
The Year of the Vegan
Seitan Beats Your Meat
Vegan Dad
Chicos and Beans
Maple Spice
Vegan Explosion
Get Sconed
Every Day Dish
Vegan Crunk
The I-40 Kitchen (he hasn't updated in a while, but I follow him on FB and PPK. Awesome creative cook.
Cake Maker to the Stars
What the Hell Does a Vegan Eat Anyway

Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale by Carla Kelly

This has been a great year for even more great vegan cook books. I had the honor of testing for another incredible vegan author, Carla Kelly. For those of you who have followed my blog or know me in person or from the PPK, you have oft heard me complain a bit about my lack of baking skills. I was a little bit reluctant to offer my services for testing for a baking book. I'm so glad I didn't let my past failures keep me from being part of the testing crew for Carla's upcoming Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale cookbook (due out in January, 2011).

Her recipes include both savory and sweet morsels of deliciousness. A lot of her inspiration comes from British classics that I have never experienced here in the good old US of A. It was a fun and mind expanding experience. Most of the recipes are easy and quick. Most ingredients are pantry friendly (except maybe vegan custard powder which can be found online or some specialty grocers. My favorite recipe, the Car Tire Cookie (pictured below) is a little bit more time consuming than most of the recipes because of the steps involved. Do not shy away from this recipe the steps are pretty simple. I'd buy the book for this recipe alone. Thankfully this is just one of many fantastic recipes, giving you even more reasons to buy the book. I have to say I put on a few lbs. testing for her, but it was worth every pound.

I know I have said this about other books, but you really need this one for your collection. I feel very lucky to have tested for so many wonderful, creative people. Feast your eyes on a few samples from Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale.

Car Tire Cookies

Nanaimo Bars

Yes you read that right. VEGAN Nanaimo Bars. Awesome!

Banofee Pie

Raspberry Clafouti Tart

I must give you a preview of some of the savory goodies too. They are equally yummy!

Up Side Down Olive, Sun Dried Tomato and

Roasted Red Pepper “Cake”

Spicy Corn Biscotti

Asparagus, Pine Nut,

and Roasted Garlic Quiche

Phat Freddy Day

Every so often I feel like Fred doesn't get enough of the blogging love. He is an incredible man, friend, partner, and kitchen bitch. Kitchen bitch is a term of endearment I think it is cute, but sometimes Fred thinks it takes away from his studliness. Pishaw! That said Fred still gets to keep his man card, because he refuses to wear a frilly apron and nothing else. He doesn't usually read the blog, so hopefully I am safe. Otherwise I may get some serious payback when I least expect it. Honey if you're reading...I will be sleeping with one eye open.

This week Fred has been working feverishly in the garden to clear the crazy burmuda grass that seems to take over everywhere else but where it is supposed to grow. The roots are like a giant octopus trying to sqeeze the life out of our veggies. It's in the triple digits here, so the poor plants need all the help they can get. Even though we planted a little late, we are starting to get a few goodies. We've gotten a couple of stripped zuchs, a few jalepenos, cherry tomatoes, and a lone cucumber. But for me the most exciting take was the first gorgeous large tomato! Now, I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but Fred was really sick with a nasty cold this week. He had no appetite and that lone tomato was just sitting there getting more ripe. Yes, selfishly I scarfed that bad boy right down. It was so incredible. There is nothing like eating the fruits (or in this case the vegetables) of your labor (or in this case Fred's labor). It was so juicy and flavorful; it almost tasted like a midwestern tomato. I sure hope we get more before the AZ sun boils them on the vine.

On top of being the master gardener, Fred occasionally takes his kitchen bitch role seriously. After he started feeling better this week, he mustered up the energy to cook for me. A couple of Christmases ago my mom got Fred Robin Robertson's Vegan Fire and Spice. He made a few recipes out of it when he first got it and then like so many of our cook books it ended up back on the shelf collecting dust while recipe testing commenced. I'm very happy we've rediscovered it. With his cold, I thought he needed lots of ginger and garlic to boost his immune system. I suggested he make her Garlic Soup recipe. It is chock full of garlicky goodness. As a bonus it is a recipe that hails from Spain...a country that has a special place in my heart. The soup is a lucious indulgence in garlicky stinky pleasure. Do not eat this before a date, unless your date is also having some. The broth is rich and flavorful. The garlic takes on a very savory and deep flavor. Fred used a whole grain baquette. The bread soaks up the broth and mellow the garlic just a bit. It is a wonderful combination.

I've been very pleased with the recipes from Vegan Fire and Spice. This week I also made her Red-Hot White Bean Chili. It calls for 3 tablespoons of chili powder. Amazingly there was only 1 tablespoon left in the container! This never usually happens as we have an arsenal of spices. Luckily there was some chipotle and ancho powder in the spice cabinet. I used one tablespoon of each along with the chili powder. Some kitchen mishaps turn out to be the best. I will make it this way from here on out. It added such a great smoky depth to the hearty beans. NOM!

I'm going to not so subliminally keep laying out recipes and cook books in the hopes that my studly kitchen bitch may suddenly have the urge to whip me up some tasty treats!

Food Network Friday - Guy Fieri's Spicy Cherry Ribs

I don't know why, but I really love to watch Guy Fieri's shows. Especially Diners, Drive In's, and Dives. He makes me want to take road trips to little divey gems all over the country. This weeks FNF challenge was to veganize his Spicy Cherry Ribs recipe. I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I decided to go way outside of the box and do an Asian/Southwestern infusion plate. I strayed a bit from Guy's original recipe by replacing Sriracha hot sauce with chipotles in adobo to give it a Southwestern flair. After all we do live in the heart of the Southwest.

I figured my cohorts and I would probably do similar sauces, so I wanted to attempt to make this remake shine with some interesting accompanying components. There are a lot of different components and flavors going on in this dinner. I started off with the Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh. Then things really got interesting.

To run with my Asian/Southwestern vision I decided to try a really cool variation of tamales. First I wanted to make a tamale type filling without spending a load of time or adding all the shortening and fat to the filling. I made an interesting polenta filling complete with shiitake mushrooms and hatch green chilis. The polenta can be enjoyed on its own, but man is it good as eggroll filling! To round out the flavor and heat profile, it seemed a good idea to do a creamy sauce for the eggrolls to tame the chipotles down a bit.

Now we can't have dinner without some veggies. I'm totally in love with baby bok choy (Asian) these days. Today at the farmers market there was some kick booty sweet corn (Southwestern). I made a simple glaze by using an all natural jarred hoisin sauce. I used 1/2 cup of the hoisin, 1/2 cup veggie broth, 1 teaspoon tamari, and about 1/2 teaspoon Sriricha. The corn was sliced into 1/2 inch wheels and par boiled. Then both the corn and the bok choy were grilled and brushed heavily with the hoisin mixture just long enough to get the bok choy to el dente stage. Make sure not to over cook. It should still have a bit of crunch.

Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh

8 servings

1 - 12 oz. package tofu

1 - 8 oz package tempeh

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

dry rub:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 recipe Cherry Chipotle Glaze (recipe below)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Sesame seeds for garnish

Slice tofu into equal rectangles. Cut tempeh block in half. Take each half and slice it down the middle to make thin rectangles. Cut each rectangle on a diagonal to make 8 total triangles. Steam tempeh for 10 minutes. Let cool enough to handle. Place tofu and tempeh in smoker with pecan chips. Follow smoker directions. It should take around 15 minutes to smoke. You can buy pre-smoked if you'd like.

Make rub by mixing all dry spices. Reserve 1 teaspoon rub for East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below).

Once tofu and tempeh are cooled, brush both sides with mustard. Coat each side of tofu and tempeh with dry rub. Place on a deep rimmed baking sheet. Let sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Brush each side of tofu and tempeh with Cherry Chipotle Glaze. Pour remaining evenly over tofu and tempeh. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes and remove foil. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven. Plate 1 piece of tofu and top with 1 piece of tempeh on each plate. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below)

Cherry Chipotle Glaze

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup diced red onion

3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

2 cans red cherries in water, drained

1 tablespoon blue agave

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons tequila

2 chipotles in adobo chopped (do not remove seeds)

1 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from chipotles)

1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

4 tablespoons low sodium tamari

In medium saute pan over medium heat saute onion ginger, cherries, agave, and garlic in sesame oil until mixture thickens. Deglaze with tequila. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Put in blender or food processor until pureed. Return to pan and let cool to room temperatre. Can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days.

East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls

8 eggrolls

1 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon low sodium tamari

2 roasted hatch chilis, seeded and chopped small

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon reserved rub mix from recipe above

1/2 cup coarse corn meal (polenta)
8 Vegan egg roll wrappers

1 recipe Creamy Coconut Eggroll Sauce (recipe below)

In a medium saucepan heat toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add mushrooms and tamari. Saute until mushrooms are soft. Add hatch chilis. Saute for 2 more minutes. Pour in vegetable broth. Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta whisking constantly. As mixture thickens switch to a wooden spoon and stir until polenta  thickens and get fairly stiff but not hard. Immediately assemble eggrolls. Using vegan eggroll wrappers, take one wrapper putting corner closest to you. (it will look like a diamond). Spread about 3 tablespoons of polenta mixture across the wrapper as pictured. Fold both sides over the end of the mixture. Take bottom of the diamond and wrap over the filling an roll egg roll style. Put in glass baking dish covered with a damp cloth. Repeat with remaining 7 egg roll wrappers. If you have never made egg rolls before, click here for a really nice pictorial on how to do it.

Heat canola oil to 350 in 10" iron skillet. Test with eggroll wrapper. It should bubble and cook very quickly. Carefully place 4 eggrolls at a time in the oil. Drain on paper bag topped with paper towel. Keep warm in warm. Fry the remaining  eggrolls. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons sauce on plate. Cut each eggroll in half diagonally and place over sauce. Serve immediately.

***The polenta/tamale filling is also excellent on its own***

Creamy Cocunut Eggroll Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon arrowroot

1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder

3 tablespoons hot salsa

1 teaspoon mellow white miso

In a small saucepan over medium heat whisk together all ingredients until miso is dissolved. Heat until sauce reduces by about 1/4 and thickens a bit, whisking frequently. Turn heat off and start assembling eggrolls. Sauce is best served at a little above room temperature.

For dessert I decided on something simple and summery, but still taking on kind of an Asian theme. I made Terry's Favorite Almond Cookies from Veganomicon. They are similar to those yummy almond cookies you get in Chinese restaurants. I made them into ice cream sandwiches using Coconut Bliss Maraschino Cherry flavor. Perfect for the summer heat. 

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK VEGAN APPETITE TO SEE MORE AWESOME VERSIONS OF GUY'S RECIPE!

Restaurant Review - Lon's at the Hermosa

Lon's is a beautiful well hidden gem located on property of a lovely boutique resort, The Hermosa Inn, in Paradise Valley, AZ. If you didn't know exactly where you were going, you would be likely to miss this beautiful property. Fred and I have a special place in our hearts for the Hermosa Inn and Lon's. We got engaged on their patio, spent our pseudo honeymoon there and recently spent our first anniversary celebration there. We've always loved the innovative cuisine, the wonderful wine list, and the incredible ambiance at Lon's.

Lon's offers a very unique dining experience on Tuesday nights. It is called Tuesday Trust Table. You trust the chef to create a 5 course tasting menu and trust the sommelier to handle the wine pairings. Those smart enough to take advantage of this special event get to dine in the beautiful wine cellar. This outing, Fred managed to get an opportunity to speak to executive chef Jeremy Pacheco and the lovely hostess whose name is escaping me right now (I sincerely apologize) ahead of our visit. Chef Pacheco uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Many of the vegetables they use are picked fresh from their own garden. He asked if the chef would be able to accommodate all vegan courses. He also explained our history with Lon's. Chef Pacheco was more than happy to create an all vegan menu for us. As a fellow foodie, you can only imagine my giddy excitement! This was the best anniversary present I could wish for!

When we were taken to the cellar, it was beautiful. There were no other reservations for the Trust Table, so Fred and I had the cellar to ourselves. Tres Romantique! It was breathtaking. There were candles placed throughout the cellar. The table had a beautiful center piece created by our lovely hostess with an anniversary card. Fantastic touches I must say.

Now that I have set the stage lets get on to the menu!

Rick our sommelier started our adventure off with a lively Paco & Lola Albarino from Spain. A great start as I am a huge Spanish wine fan. This was paired with an appetizer of lightly tempura battered okra, trumpet mushrooms, baby leeks, squash blossoms with baby squash served with a light romesco sauce. Most of the vegetables came the chefs own on site garden. The tempura was perfectly crisp and light so as not to overpower the fresh vegetables.

For our second course Rick chose a 2008 Yalumba Chardonnay from South Australia. Another perfect pairing. The second course was a Baby Root Salad with baby gem lettuce, beets from Duncan Farms in Goodyear, AZ, shaved fennel, radishes and carrots all from chef's garden. The salad was drizzled with Meyer lemon oil from Queen Creek Olive Mill and a 25 year old balsamic vinegar. The baby root vegetables were gorgeous, sweet and flavorful and allowed to be the star. 

For the third course a 2008 Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Voigneir was chosen (I'm pretty sure I have the vintage correct). I was a bit concerned that it might be too big for the third course offering, but you have to trust Rick. He knows what he's doing. The third course was by far my favorite of the evening. Chef created a cucumber risotto served over what I am going to just call liquid gold in my mind. But really it was the most incredible yellow tomato gazpacho I have had the pleasure to indulge my happy taste buds in. The dish was garnished with lush red cherry tomatoes and basil both picked fresh from the garden earlier in the day. This dish is a beautiful showcase of the best of summer. It was light tasting and bursting with wonderful summery goodness.

The fourth course was paired with a 2008 Meiomi Pinot Noir from Sonoma County. It was a lovely complement to the BBQ Schnepf Farms Peaches over Quinoa Pilaf garnished with fresh fennel fronds, mint and sage. The chef made mention of the fact that he used the quinoa as a protein source, which I thought was great as many chefs are at a loss on how to get "those vegans" their protien. 

This was the only course that fell just a little flat for me. Part of the reason has nothing to do with the preparation, I'm just not a huge peach fan. That said,  I still remain objective even if there is an ingredient I'm not crazy about. The peaches themselves were actually very nice. They were cooked to perfection with just a little bit of a bite. What threw me off was a bitterness I could not define and a little bit too much salt in the pilaf. The saltiness took away from the delicate flavor of the peaches. It was still done nicely, but just a little unbalanced.

Ah dessert. The lovely sweet ending to a night we wished could have gone on forever. I was honestly starting to feel the headiness of a lovely evening and perhaps the wine a bit. This was the selection Rich chose for dessert from Spain.

This was paired with a apricot & peach cobbler. Again these are not my favorite fruits, but the desert was  perfectly executed. It was simple, fresh, warm, and wonderful. It was a wonderful complement of tart and sweet. Fred, who is a fan of these fruits, loved it.  As a special treat, our desserts were served with a candle to commemorate our anniversary.

I must mention our server Rachel. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and wonderful. I was a server for many years, so I tend to be a little particular when it comes to service. She made sure that we wanted for nothing. She was there to make sure we had all we needed, but also gave us plenty of privacy to enjoy our evening. She had the perfect balance of being personable and professional. 

I wish I could aptly put into a post the ambiance of the entire Hermosa Inn and Lon's experience, but you will have to experience it for yourself. The service and attention to detail is evident with each person you meet there. The property is well maintained, quiet, and beautiful. Lon's at the Hermosa should be on your dining "to do" list, especially if you want to be pampered and have a truly unique dining experience. 

Our Hosts for the Evening from left to right: Rick (sommelier), Rachel (server), Chef Jeremy Pacheco, me, and Fred.

A view of part of the garden on the Hermosa Inn property.

Lon's at the Hermosa

5532 N. Palo Christi Road

Paradise Valley, AZ 

602-955-7878