If the Tucson Festival of Books last weekend left you wanting more to read, consider checking out writing from one of Tucson’s many culinary figures.
The vivid world of Tucson food writing is appetizing, titillating, and inspiring.
El Charro Cafe: The Tastes and Traditions of Tucson by Carlotta Flores
With El Charro Café locations throughout Tucson, it’s easy to get a classic taste of Tucson. If you want to fire up the kitchen instead, El Charro Cafe owner Carlotta Flores shares the rich family history with recipes for Sopa de Tortilla, Albondigas de Chorizo, Topopo a la Jalisciense, and dozens more.
For more information, visit the El Charro Cafe: The Tastes and Traditions of Tucson page on Amazon.
Getting Naked for Money: An Accidental Travel Writer Reveals All by Edie Jarolim
You might recognize Edie Jarolim‘s name from her recent Tucson Foodie article about the Coronet’s happy hour. Her memoir Getting Naked for Money chronicles her adventures in travel publishing and writing with quirky stories from around the globe. It starts with a tale of Jarolim’s time at a nudist resort in Palm Springs and only gets racier from there.
For more information, visit the Getting Naked for Money: An Accidental Travel Writer Reveals All page on Amazon.
Lost Restaurants of Tucson by Rita Connelly
Lost Restaurants of Tucson is perfect for those curious about Tucson’s rich culinary background or those seeking nostalgia with legendary restaurants such as Café Terra Cotta and Fuego. Writer Rita Connelly previously wrote for the Tucson Weekly, but now writes for her website wellfedfoodieblog.
For more information, visit the Lost Restaurants of Tucson page on Amazon.
Modern Southwest Cooking by Ryan Clark
Casino Del Sol Resort Executive Chef Ryan Clark graduated at the top of his class and has been a leading culinary figure since then. While he’s skilled with techniques from around the world, his cookbook focuses on modern interpretations of southwest dishes with recipes for Passionfruit and Chiltepin Spritz and Seared Scallops with Meyer Lemon Curd.
For more information, visit the Modern Southwest Cooking page on Amazon.
The Great Chiles Rellenos Book by Janos Wilder
James Beard award-winning chef Janos Wilder shares his story venturing into the world of chiles rellenos, including tales of his first taste and quest to develop his ideal relleno. Thousands of rellenos later, he’s curated a list of over 30 recipes ranging from rellenos to poppers to culichi sauce.
For more information, visit The Great Chiles Rellenos Book page on Amazon.
Food Lovers’ Guide to Tucson: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings by Mary Paganelli Votto
Mary Paganelli Votto did her research for this comprehensive dining guide, featuring restaurants and food trucks. However, be aware it was published in 2013, so some of the information is outdated in the dynamic world of opening and closing restaurants.
For more information, visit Food Lovers’ Guide to Tucson: The Best Restaurants, Markets & Local Culinary Offerings on Amazon.
Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food by Megan Kimble
As the Edible Baja Arizona editor, Megan Kimble already knew food on a level that’s difficult to match. She pushed it even further when she went an entire year without eating processed foods. She milled wheat, slaughtered a sheep, extracted salt from the sea, and more while still working her day job. Unprocessed chronicles her personal experience along while also providing extensive interviews and research from a wide range of sources.
For more information, visit Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food on Amazon.
Have another favorite food book from a Tucson writer? Let us know in the comments.
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Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
