Food for Thought | History and philosophy of science with just a hint of cinnamon.

July 6, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Zero to Sloshed: Berry Cisco

A rainbow of Cisco, each worse than the next. Cisco, why do you exist? Did someone accidentally sub rubbing alcohol for water in a batch of Kool Aid? Are you the result of a mad science experiment gone wrong? Was it on a dare? A double dare? A triple dog dare? Because you’re a solid bad life decision. Check out Chow Bella for afull review of this devil wine:

Nothing positive can be said for this wine, aside from the fact that it will get you fall-down, pants-pissing drunk in record time. If you consider that a plus. I’m just lucky that I had the foresight to save a couple swings for a more circumspect, post-indulgence assessment of its merits, because the Cisco I consumed acted like a brillo pad on my brain. It buffed away all recollection of the foulness from the night before and left a blank slate in its wake.

July 1, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Gettin’ Tipsy: The Stars Go Blue at Cadillac Ranch

Make no mistake, Cadillac Ranch is not a good place to go, but if you happen to find yourself around Tempe Marketplace you could certainly do worse. (Ruby Tuesday, Red Robin, San Felipe? All worse.) At least C-Ranch has a mechanical bull and turns into a night club filled with bad life decisions in the evening. Embrace it with a sweet cocktail like The Stars Go Blue, which will cause a near instantaneous hangover, but by that point you’ve probably embraced the inevitable. Click through to Jackalope Ranch for The Stars Go Blue recipe:

The Stars Go Blue at Cadillac Ranch is a tribute to the ole red, white, and blue. Celebrate this 4th of July with a refreshing cocktail that combines rum, blue curaco and bright red maraschino cherries. It’s sweet, fizzy and an ideal complement to sparklers and fireworks.

June 30, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Sweet Treats: Frosted Guinness Brownies

Guinness brownies, deep flavor and silky buttercream. Beer makes everything better, and when it comes to chocolate treats, a silky smooth stout (on the side or in the batter) makes dessert just a bit better. I like using Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, but in a pinch good old fashioned Guinness will do just fine. Simmer down some Guinness in a small sauce pan and use it to kick up your frosting recipe from buttercream to beer-infused butter cream. A subtle difference, but oh so worth it. Check out Chow Bella’s Brownie Showdown for the full recipe:

Since these bars are so rich and indulgent, I whipped up a batch of silky frosting to up the decadence and add a little extra sweetness. Naturally, it also contained a hefty amount of beer. Even if you aren’t a fan of Guinness, don’t let that keep you from trying this recipe. All of the alcohol is cooked out of the brownies and the flavor is masked by the deep chocolate taste.

June 30, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Offal Delicious: Tacos de Lengua from Taqueria Mi Casita

Tacos de lengua from Taqueria Mi Casita. Even if you don’t like the nasty bits, I can probably win you over with a nice cabeza or lengua taco from Taqueria Mi Casita in Chandler. Lengua is slow roasted beef tongue and when done right, it melts in your mouth. That’s some hot tongue-on-tongue action! Check out the full review at Chow Bella to see just how “offal” lengua really is:

After clearing this minor mental hurdle, the tacos de lengua were moist and tender, and the taqueria was certainly generous with their helping of tongue. It was delivered wrapped in corn tortillas and accented by chopped onions, cilantro, red hot salsa, and little limon wedges that added a fresh citric spritz.

June 29, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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5 O’Clock Somewhere: Cafe Zuzu

Bitsy apps and a blackberry bramble, fancy Zuzu food on the cheap. As a poor college student, one of your favorite finds is a place with fancy mixed drinks on the cheap with fancy pants appetizers. Keep your deep-fried bar food and hit up Cafe Zuzu the next time a happy hour hits. Not only do you get to eat and drink on the cheap, but you feel swanky while doing so. Check out the full verdict at Chow Bella:

Café Zuzu is located in the swanky lounge area of the Hotel Valley Ho, and between the hours of 4 and 7 pm during the week they call on their retro roots with the Cool Redux happy hour. For three dollars their cocktail menu simply can’t be beat.

June 28, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Zero to Sloshed: Boone’s Farm Blue Hawaiian

Boone's Farm Blue Hawaiian You might dig a fancy after dinner aperitif or a nice glass of wine as much as the next person, but even in the best of conditions, sometimes your puny caveman brain starts making decisions for you. When that happens, the spring break woo-girl breaks free and it’s time to get yer Boone’s on. Read on for Chow Bella’s full profile of this fine ghetto wine.

Now, there’s no way to look dignified pounding a bottle of Boone’s, but the Blue Hawaiian flavor could make even the manliest of meat heads look downright prissy. It’s an impressive double whammy of a drink, bringing the shame of Boone’s to an electric blue tropical cocktail and watering it down to glorified coconut kool-aid that will get your ninety pound date drunk.

June 24, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Gettin’ Tipsy: Mai Tai from Trader Vic’s

The OG Mai Tai, from Trader Vic's. A Mai Tai is one of those summer treats that instantly transports you to a summery state of mind (on an island paradise, not the concrete jungle of Phoenix). Although Trader Vic’s has since departed, we still have the recipe for what they claim to be the original Mai Tai. Click through to Jackalope Ranch for the recipe, straight from the bartender’s mouth:

Trader Vic’s is the undisputed king of the Mai Tai, and there’s no messing with an old school original. Their tribute to tiki was developed in 1944 in Oakland, California, and since then the refreshing blend of citrus, almond, and rum has become a mainstay of the tropical barfly.

June 22, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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5 O’Clock Somewhere: The Salt Cellar Restaurant

Salt Cellar's chowder and a cold beer. Seafood in the desert has a bad rep, but we’re glad to eat at The Salt Cellar in South Scottsdale, a retro seafood joint with something unique to Phoenix. This seafood oasis is located completely underground. So even in the dead of summer, you’re noshing on oysters in a cool, cave-like environment. The retro interior is a throw back to days past and the food is pretty solid, but the one downfall is it ain’t cheap. Hit up happy hour (and reverse happy hour) to make the most of your hard earned bucks. Click through for the verdict on Chow Bella:

Seafood in the desert can be hit or miss, but the happy hour at Salt Cellar manages to serve up a fresh and affordable alternative to the tired fish and chips routine. Happy hour suffers from limited discounts on drinks (no deals on wine?) but it doesn’t matter too much considering the seafood is the main attraction.

June 17, 2010
by Erica O'Neil
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Gettin’ Tipsy: White Rabbit at SideBar

The White Rabbit from SideBar, Godiva liqueur and horchata are a match made in milky heaven. One of SideBar’s signature cocktails is the White Rabbit, a decadent horchata-based cocktail that’s strong enough to take you right down the rabbit hole. Click through to Jackalope Ranch for the recipe, straight from the bartender’s mouth:

SideBar’s White Rabbit is a grown-up take on the rice milk horchata ubiquitous to the Valley. No need to worry about the inevitable milk mustache. ‘Staches are in, right?