We’ve covered the Arizona wine scene for quite some time on our show, and this weekend’s broadcast came to you live from a place dedicated to that very story, the Arizona Wine Collective!

Pete Snell, Matt Russell, Jessica Nenadic, Jeanne Snell & Mark Phillips

Our celebrity co-host was Jessica Nenadic of the Tucson Museum of Art, who got us current with museum happs and her latest wine reflections. We were also joined by Gretchen Harper of the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, who shook up a little excitement about the upcoming World Margarita Championship. We turned the conversation back to wine with winemaker Mark Phillips of Golden Rule Vineyards and Jeanne and Pete Snell of the Arizona Wine Collective. We chatted showstopping varietals, wine as a love story, and this special place that the Snells built that’s the ideal backdrop for sharing our passion for the grape.

Follow that truck!

Raise a glass in celebration of Arizona wine at Arizona Wine Collective!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:46 — 11.4MB)

This weekend’s show was a nod to some of the people and places that make summer in Tucson worth sticking around for, and we came to you live from Commoner & Co. on Sunrise Drive!

Nathan Ares, Kim Keyser, Matt Russell, Chef Kyle Nottingham, and Tom Lapadat

Our celebrity co-host was certified chef and host of the Sports Exchange on ESPN Tucson, Tom Lapadat, who discussed his passion for food and sports and where they intersect. We also caught up with Jane McCollum of Main Gate Square who dished out the latest on the upcoming Main Gate Square Culinary Challenge! Commoner & Co. general manager Kim Keyser then commenced the shaking and stirring with an introduction to her summer cocktail line-up. Fresh, floral, and fragrant! We were also privileged to sit down with the new executive chef at Commoner & Co., Kyle Nottingham, who shared a little about his journey, his approach to rustic American cuisine, and his new summer menu.

Chorizo mac and cheese with house-made mac, five-cheese bechamel, chorizo, crispy shallots and chile bread crumbs. Yes.

Our tasting included a rather rustic range of dishes, including chorizo mac and cheese with a five-cheese bechamel, trout on cous cous with a blistered grape and parsley salad, and roasted chicken thigh with fettuccini and a tomato and caper sauce.

We closed out the show with Commoner & Co. / Prep & Pastry owner Nathan Ares who shared some delicious updates from Prep.

Happy summer!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:07 — 12.9MB)

It had been a while since we headed south on the ol’ I-19, and on this weekend’s show we did some sipping and snacking, Sahuarita-style, from Pub 1922!

John Farlow, Chef Gary Hickey, Matt Russell, Sam Gelardi, Barwoman Sara & George Bass

Our celebrity co-host was fellow foodie and PR maven, a man who’s rarely more than a few steps away from a beach or a blender, John Farlow! John talked about his latest food and drink adventures whilst taking down a “Big Boy” chocolate porter. We also checked in with Dale Riggins of Hamilton Distillers, who shared the latest news on her upcoming Del Bac Showdown. Sara the Bar Manager at Pub 1922 sat down with us as well to talk about her line-up of local suds as well as her, gasp, 32-ounce michelada!

Greek salad from the Pub’s new Summer Greek Menu!

We were then joined by Chef Gary Hickey, George Bass, and Sam Gelardi of Pub 1922 for a lively discussion of this pub-forward concept and menu. Our tasting included a super fresh Greek salad from their new Summer Greek Menu, as well as the Ray’s BBQ Burger, magnificent in its monstrosity!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:07 — 12.6MB)

We made a splash on this broadcast when we came to you live, poolside, from the crystal clear waters of the Omni Tucson National Resort for Summer of Mango!

Dylan Higgins, Josh Rockwell, Jeff White, Matt Russell, Iron Chef Brian Smith & Chef Jonathan Stutzman

Our celebrity co-host was Dylan Higgins of Breakthru Beverage Group who offered some credentialed recommendations on summertime sipping by the pool. We also welcomed Tucson’s newest Iron Chef, Brian Smith of Maynard’s Market & Kitchen, who offered some reflections on his huge win. Summer of Mango took center stage at this point when we checked in with Omni Tucson’s general manager Jeff White, who walked us through mango mixology and his seasonal cocktail line-up. And there was more where the mango came from, when Omni Tucson’s executive chef Jonathan Stutzman talked about his respect for this summer fruit and how it inspired a range of dishes that we all subsequently sank our teeth into.

One of the ways that the mango plays at the Omni…charred mango hummus!

We particularly loved the way that the Mango Pool Mule paired with the Charred Mango Hummus!

Make some mango moments of your own this summer at the Omni!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:10 — 12.4MB)

While Matt was on the road this week capturing culinary and cocktail content from across the Empire State, guest host Zach Clark, of ESPN Tucson’s Zach Clark Show, presided over this delicious broadcast live from the Iron Chef competition at Casino Del Sol!

Guest host Zach Clark!

Joining Zach at the broadcast booth just steps away from Kitchen Stadium were Chef Jonathan Landeen of Jonathan’s Cork, the event’s MC; Danny Peterson of Stella Artois; and Chef Ryan Clark of Casino Del Sol, one of the Iron Chef judges.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:52 — 12.6MB)

Gin is in again! And what better time to celebrate the beauty of the botanicals than on World Gin Day at 47 Scott!

Travis Reese, Donald Gipson, Matt Russell, Tiffany Eldredge, and Rebecca Crane

Our celebrity co-host was soulstress of style and purveyor of spirituousness at Young’s Market Company Tiffany Eldredge, who walked us through some gin history alongside her cocktail comrade Rebecca Crane. We also sat down with 47 Scott bar manager Donald Gipson, who showcased the kinds of gin-anchored cocktails that were trending behind his downtown bar. We enjoyed sipping on a couple of examples that he shook up for us; the Basil Cucumber Gimlet and the Last Word. 47 Scott owner Travis Reese stopped by as well to share his own stories about gin while getting us current with some of his dishes that are making news this season.

Celebrating World Gin Day with a Basil Cucumber Gimlet!

The flavors of summer took center stage on our tasting, featuring some righteous crab cakes, a gorgeous heirloom tomato salad, a mustard-crusted salmon with beet puree, and a duck confit meatloaf with cheesy greens. So much fun at Tucson’s original downtown neighborhood bistro!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:04 — 11.5MB)

You might be one of those who races out of town when the first sizzle of summer appears, for either a cool fishing hole or beach, but one of the places that gives us all a reason to stay close to home during the heat was the backdrop for this weekend’s show – Kingfisher Bar & Grill!

Phil and Kim Asmundson, Eric Smith, Matt Russell, John Adkisson, and Murph!

Our celebrity co-host was John Adkisson of Iron John’s Brewing Company, who raised a pint with us in celebration of the summer season. He got us current with his line-up as well as some news on his soon-to-be-open second location! We also caught up with Kim Asmundson of Deep Sky Vineyard, who shared her passion for Argentina and how many of her wines are standing symbols of its culture and climate. Kingfisher barman Eric Smith got things shaking and stirring at this point with a look at some fun summertime cocktails.

Fried bunuelos with black beans, corn, zucchini, roasted chiles, avocado crema, and cotija!

Then came Kingfisher’s own Jim “Murph” Murphy, who walked us through the map of this year’s Summer Road Trip (don’t miss the bunuelos from the Southwest menu) along with his plans for Kingfisher’s 25th Anniversary. What a silver celebration!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:46 — 12.5MB)

We in the local food media waited an entire year for this weekend, because it’s the one time every year when we compete against each other on a culinary and cocktail stage while celebrity chefs sit in judgment over us.

Judges Daniel Thomas, Ben Caballero, Travis Peters, and Ben Forbes

This show came to you live from the Second Annual Tucson Food Media BBQ Throw Down (at an undisclosed location, for national security purposes of course!). Joining the round table were members of the On the Menu Live BBQ team (Matt Russell, Scot Litteer, and Brian Thacker), the 520 Eats BBQ Team (Jamie Rice, Chris Cohen, and James Blue), and the Tucson Foodie BBQ team (Adam Lehrman, Jackie Tran, and Melissa Stihl). Judges included Iron Chef Travis Peters (The Parish), Ben Forbes (Forbes Meat Company), Ben Caballero (HUB Restaurant & Ice Creamery), and Daniel Thomas (BIRD Modern Provisions & Bar).

Tucson Foodie’s winning dish. Pan-Asian ribs!

This year’s winner in both the BBQ and cocktail categories was Tucson Foodie!

An epic event to say the least!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:44 — 12.5MB)

We celebrated World Whiskey Day with great enthusiasm on this weekend’s show, and the backdrop was a new tasting room in downtown Tucson that showcases, serves, and sells spirits and cocktails exclusively from Arizona-based distilleries – Series 19!

Chris Dudding, Melinda Dickinson, Matt Russell, Matt Montgomery, Caity Evans & Kente Escandon

Our celebrity co-host was a true Wonder Woman of Whiskey, Melinda Dickinson of Hensley Beverage Company, who shared what she’s been grooving on these days. We also sat down with Caity Evans of Local First Arizona and Tucson Originals who revealed the latest information on the upcoming Whiskey and Smoke event. Keeping the whiskey theme going, we welcomed Matt Montgomery and Chris Dudding of Three Wells Distilling Company, the boys behind Series 19, for some sipping and chatting about their new downtown digs.

The Series 19 Old Fashioned!

And when Series 19 bar manager Tyler Dunn showed up with cocktails, well, it took the show to new heights. Let your spirits soar at Series 19!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:48 — 12.5MB)

You’re now able to Eat Tucson whenever you Fly Tucson, and the recent change to the concessions lineup at Tucson International Airport was the backdrop for this week’s live broadcast from TUS (at the new Noble Hops to be exact!)!

Barbara Hempel, Matt Russell, Stephanie Victoria & Scott Lynch

Our celebrity co-host was Stephanie Victoria, director of marketing for Flores Concepts, whose company played a significant role in the re-imagination of the dining and drinking scene at TUS. We then caught up with Barbara Hempel of the Tucson Airport Authority, who reviewed the landscape of local eateries at the airport. We also chatted with Roger Schwandtner of Creative Food Group, whose company runs the airport’s new concessions operation. He had lots to say about trends in airport cuisine. We then welcomed two local restaurateurs whose eateries now call TUS home; Shelby Collier of Beyond Bread and Scott Lynch of Empire Pizza and Pub!

A flavorful pie from Empire Pizza, with Sonoran Dog slices and Chicken Tikka Masala slices!

Scott also brought a pizza. A big one. It didn’t last long. See you at TUS!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:49 — 12.6MB)