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A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour

A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour

Mar 6, 20181 min read

Here’s a tour that’s more than 4,000 years in the making.

Discover Marana is hosting its second “A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour” from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 9, Thursday, March 29, and Friday April 27.

The Sonoran Desert flavors showcased during the tour are those inspired by local chefs, brew masters, artisanal bakers, and distillers.

Leading the way are experts Dr. Suzanne Fish, University of Arizona Emerita Professor and Arizona State Museum Curator, and John Slattery, master bioregional herbalist, author, and gourmet forager.

John Slattery & Dr. Suzanne Fish (Credit: Discover Marana)
John Slattery & Dr. Suzanne Fish (Credit: Discover Marana)

Tickets start at $99 and can be purchased at graylinearizona.com.

Exclusive tastings will be offered from Catalina Brewing Company and Button Brew House, along with samples of gourmet foods from Bean Tree Farm.

Gastronomy Tour Itinerary

  • 9:30 a.m. – Meet at Tucson Premium Outlets
  • 9:45 a.m. – Tour of Los Morteros Conservation Area
  • 10:45 a.m. – Foraging and Tasting with John Slattery
  • 12:45 p.m. – Tasting at Catalina Brewing Company
  • 1:30 p.m. – Tour concludes at Tucson Premium Outlets

Marana’s Gastronomy Tours are the first tours approved by UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network member, Tucson City of Gastronomy, which was the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in the U.S.

The Tucson Premium Outlets are located at 6401 W. Marana Center Blvd. For more information, call (520) 639-8040 or visit discovermarana.org.

Article written by:

Matt Sterner

Matt Sterner

More about Matt

At a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.

He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.

If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.

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