Eat, Mingle & Learn With 2 James Beard Award Winners

UPDATE: These events have sold out.

When James Beard Award winners visit Tucson, we roll out the red carpet!

On Tuesday, October 29, join Chef Beth Dooley and local treasure Gary Paul Nabhan for a special evening in the botanical gardens at Tohono Chul (7366 N. Paseo Del Norte) to celebrate their new cookbook Chile, Clove, and Cardamom: A Gastronomic Journey Into the Fragrances and Flavors of Desert Cuisines.

At 6 p.m., mingle with Beth, Gary, and other local James Beard Award-winning chefs in the beautiful botanical gardens while tasting five dishes from the book.

Then, at 7 p.m., Beth and Gary have selected a few of their favorite recipes from the book to cook on stage for us!

Tickets (just $55) include a signed copy of Chile, Clove, and Cardamom (retails for $34.95)

Tasting Menu:

• O’am Bw – Sonoran Tepary Bean Dip
• Acuka Muhammara – Red Pepper and Walnut Dip
• Hortopita – Savory Pies of Wild Greens and Feta
• Bichicoris – Desert Squash, Tomato, Pepper, and Apricot Saute
• El Pollo al la Naranja – Spicy Orange Chicken
• Polvorones – Pine Nut and Anise Wedding Cookies

Tickets can be purchased online.

Then, on Wednesday, October 30, Flying Aprons Tucson is hosting a cooking class with Chef Dooley — it’s limited to just 16 people so it’s bound to sell out quickly.

Cooking Class Menu:

• Enchiladas Chastas Sibirebses (Blue Corn Flat Breads) – Sonoran flat enchiladas chastas do not stack or roll and are thicker than commercially made tortillas. Made of nixtamalized corn, they are closer to the cheese-filled gorditas of Michoacan in central Mexico and the Arepas of Venezuela.
• Maqluba (Upside Down Rice, Vegetable, and Chicken Casserole) – Maqluba, literally translating into “upside down,” is one of the most ancient Middle Eastern dishes. Originally, this was a shepherd’s dinner prepared in the morning before taking the goats and sheep out to forage; it’s pot-sealed with a lid and buried in the sand atop coals so no intruders could steal it during the day. Some historians claim it’s the precursor of paellas and tagines. These days, this rustic casserole is served in high-end restaurants throughout the Middle East. When flipped onto a platter, diners applaud. It deserves the same recognition when served to family and friends at home.
• Ensalada de Jicama (Jicama, Orange, and Avocado Salad) – This is a refreshing toss-up of Southwestern flavors.
• Riz bi Haleeb (Lebanese Rice Pudding with Rosewater and Mahlab Cherry Powder) – This pudding relies on flavors that are not too sweet, rather, perfumed combinations of blossom infusions and the heady fragrance and complex taste of Mahlab, the crushed kernel of a St. Lucy cherry. A combination of almond, cherry, and apricot, lifting the classic blends of rosewater and toasted pistachio to new heights.

Tickets can be purchased online.

Tohono Chul is located 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit evenbrite.com.