Arizona Eats & Treats #1- Essence Bakery Cafe

I have written several posts about Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives recommended by Food Network host Guy Fieri that we have tried. They are always great places... we haven't found one yet that we didn't like. The only problem is that an overwhelming majority of them are east of the Mississippi River. I am quite sure there are a great many unique eateries, as yet "undiscovered," in the west and my goal is to find as many in Arizona as I can. While there are many wonderful eating establishments in Arizona, I am seeking out the stand-alone place (not a chain) with a unique quality or menu item. And who knows... maybe someday the Food Channel will pay me to drive around the country critiquing restaurants! LOL!

My friend suggested Essence Bakery Cafe for lunch the other day, a place neither of us had tried before. After circling the parking lot twice to find a spot to park, I figured it was probably a pretty good place. What I didn't expect was just how good it was!

Essence is a small place in a strip center in Tempe... very easy to drive right past it but worth the stop!

What sets Essence Bakery Cafe apart from the crowd is that they use local, seasonal, organic ingredients to create their out-of-this-world fare. Paris-trained chef/owner Eugenia Theodosopoulos uses European and Greek influences in her menu creating one-of-a-kind dishes as well as comfort food. I had a grilled cheese sandwich... unlike any other I've ever had! The description- "Grilled brioche bread with fresh mozzarella, Wilcox-grown tomatoes and organic basil"- sounded yummy and the first bite confirmed it. It is a simple sandwich done with style.

My sandwich was served with a green salad- the balsamic vinaigrette dressing added just the right amount of twang!

Essence IS a bakery and we would be remiss in not trying one of their pastries. They are well-known for their macarons (with one "O"- not the coconut-y cookies), a sandwich-like French pastry filled with chocolate ganache or flavored pastry cream. My friend had the chocolate macaron; I opted for the pink grapefruit one. Both were... fabulous!

While the macarons look pretty ordinary just sitting on the plate, the flavors and textures are extraordinary!

This little gem of an eatery won't stay a secret for long. If you go- carpool and be sure to save room for dessert! 

Riparian Institute

Do you ever think about what you were doing at this time a year ago? I sometimes do and last week I was remembering walking around Lake Kittamaqundi by our apartment in Maryland where I always saw lots of birds and flowers. It made me feel a little sad... and then I remembered... we have a Riparian Institute just a few miles from our house!

I set off bright and early the next morning with a bounce in my step and a song in my heart. I walked along a couple of paths for about an hour and a half enjoying nature- the quietness punctuated with a symphony of bird songs, the beautiful flowers and the serenity of the preserve. It was easy to forget I was in the middle of an urban area- just like the lake in Maryland! And everywhere I looked I was reminded of God's Word...

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.   1Peter 5:8

Give thanks to the Lord of lords: ... who gives food to every creature.  Psalm 136:3, 25

Come, all you who are thirsty...  Isaiah 55:1

Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.    Luke 12:27

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young-- a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.   Psalm 84:3

So God created the creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.   Genesis 1: 21

Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."  Mark 4:9

Salsa Festival

The City of Maricopa hosts a Salsa Festival- really, a salsa competition- every spring. I had been meaning to go for several years but never quite made it to the Annual Salsa Festival to taste as many salsas as I could. This year would be different!

Over 13,000 people made the trek on April 30th  to sample more than 40 salsa recipes. The festival is truly a community event with individuals, businesses (yes, even restaurants!), churches and community groups competing for the $1000 grand prize (Best Overall Salsa) as well as the $500 prizes for Best Mild, Best Hot and Most Unusual Salsa.

Each person was given a bag of chips to use for sampling the salsas... and we were off! Some booths decorated with banners, streamers, serapes for tablecloths and sombreros hanging from the poles. Others opted for the no-frills approach. Either way, the salsas were fabulous... delightful... a south-of-the-border party in your mouth. 

We only sampled about a dozen different salsas... some of them more than once to determine "the best one!" My favorites were the ones competing in the "Most Unusual" category. The pineapple and mango salsas were good but not that unusual anymore. One tasty one had small bites of jack cheese giving it an interesting texture. My favorite, though, was one that had chopped red grapes... don't gag... it was really good! They gave the salsa a slightly sweeter taste (along with the heat from the chilis) as well as an unexpected crunch. 

After sampling, attendees were invited to vote. We all agreed it was hard to decide but eventually came up with our favorites. At the end of the event, winners were announced and congratulated. Incidentally, my favorite did not win. However, I was inspired to experiment and come up with my own "Most Unusual" salsa... my challenge for this summer!