Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, November 2019
Written by Gail G. Collins
For most of us, morning doesn’t come without coffee. It
supercharges us for the day ahead. In fact, two-thirds of American adults begin
the day with a cup of joe, and we average nearly three mugfuls. A welcoming
vibe greets us at our coffee café. The beckoning aroma, friendly faces, comforting
taps of the portafilter and hiss of steamed milk feel like your second home.
You meet co-workers, study or steal away for a quiet afternoon hour. Sill
looking for your perfect coffee vibe? Here are five places in Flagstaff to try.
Lux North 111 E. Aspen Ave.
The newest comer to the caffeine scene is Lux North, which
expanded from Phoenix. Channeling the ‘60s with burnt orange leather couches,
sleek lines and funky blown glass lighting, the entry steers service to one
side and seating to the other. Owner Katie Calahan feels camaraderie with other
coffee spots in town and focuses on her customers.
“We believe in building relationships, and that requires
dialogue,” she said.
And the drinks are the perfect complement to quality
conversation. Calahan’s la Marzocco espresso machine is lever operated, which requires
serious skills, but offers defter options for infusing shots with water,
following “the original principles of coffee creation.”
The company roasts daily in Phoenix, and the popular sippers
are lattes, pour overs and cold brews. At 3 a.m., Calahan bakes croissants,
cinnamon rolls, and her grandmother’s coffee cake among others to accompany
that morning coffee. For a heartier start, try the eggerchief, so called for
the portability of egg, meat and cheese as a pocket sandwich.
Northern Arizona’s
Mountain Living Magazine, February 2019
Written by Gail G.
Collins
The best things in life change little. They are honed by
time and elements, yet their inherent value grows dearer. This is true of the
Grand Canyon’s vistas and the fare served in El Tovar’s dining room, where the
panorama from a coveted table may distract you from the favored French onion
soup. The signature recipe has been served for nearly four decades. Though a typical
room at the luxe lodge cost $4 per night when it opened in 1905, the standards
have remained as high as the “perpendicular mile from rim to river,” as recorded
in the primer on El Tovar in Princeton University Library’s Collection of
Western Americana.
El
Tovar captivates guests with a grand entry. Its dark timber, Native American
rugs and art with an array of wildlife on display matches the natural grandeur
of its perch on canyon’s edge.
“The Grand Canyon is the destination of a lifetime,” said
executive chef Matthew McTigue. “El Tovar is on par with that.”
McTigue interned in the kitchen before graduating from the
Culinary Institute of America in 1995, and the job hasn’t lost its allure. While
it’s challenging to recruit to a remote locale, a dedicated staff has built a
life there with careers clocking 20 to 40 years. Thomas Ratz has served guests
for 38 years. His affection for the park extended to stenciling red deer on the
dining room walls, redolent of pictographs on Bright Angel Trail, and collecting
Fred Harvey memorabilia. Harvey, El Tovar’s founder, was a talented visionary,
who fulfilled the need for quality hotels and service for weary travelers heading
West.
“We are like a family,” McTigue said. “People have raised
their kids here.” This tight community inhabits homes listed on the historic
register and some walk to work.
The Grand Canyon attracts an international crowd, and El
Tovar’s menu reflects a comparable Continental cuisine with a southwest streak.
It is classic, yet seasoned.
Tamales are made in-house with tender, seasoned shreds of
beef or pork chili and served with chipotle crema. Savory scallops float on
mango puree with prickly pear syrup balancing a raw, lively pineapple-jicama
slaw. Soup de jour invites ladling in the bacon-corn chowder, hearty with
chunky potato and queso fresco or the heritage onion with sweet ribbons
swimming in robust broth. “It is deceptively simple,” admitted McTigue. The
recipe can even be found on tea towels for sale in the gift shop.
The crab stack is the chef’s creation piling lump meat with avocado
and tomato plus cumin and cilantro olive oil and topped with hand battered onion
rings. The house salad boasts shredded jicama, goat cheese, berries, tomatoes
and pine nuts for a gorgeous beginning to any meal. Spinach salad with
gorgonzola, bacon and fried shallots on a wheel of Granny Smith apples and
endive leaves creates a complex flavor profile. Try the lively salmon tostado,
layered with mixed greens, roasted corn salsa and crema with a side of black
beans and rice.
The New York strip is Arizona grown and crusted in a
coffee-cumin rub with a demi-glace crafted of New Belgium’s 1554 black lager and
a side of pepper-jack potato wedges. The mixed grill includes filet mignon,
semi-boneless quail and poached shrimp with brown butter mashed potatoes to fill
a belly decadently. The seabass is moist with a roasted tomato and fennel sauce
plus sprightly sweety drop peppers and bright snap peas. Cauliflower puree with
saffron adds velvety appeal.
An
extensive list of mostly domestic wines and some local brews are available to
accompany the meal. To close, seriously sweet choices, such as fruit sabayon, a
chocolate mousse taco, flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise and
strawberry sauce and seasonal crème
brûlée, tempt diners.
“We want to serve people and make them happy,” said McTigue.
“We are the entrance to the experience at the Grand Canyon.”
Like the eternal canyon, meals are served on timeless Mimbreño
china. Crafted by architect Mary Colter with Native American-inspired images in
black and grey, the china mimics that used on the Santa Fe Railway, which brought
guests to El Tovar. On a busy day, the restaurant serves 500 guests, and it’s
usually busy.
“The atmosphere at the Grand Canyon is something to admire
every day,” said McTigue. “We see it fresh through others’ eyes.” That includes
an impressive guest list, such as Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and
Barack Obama, and celebrities, like Nicholas Cage, Al Pacino, Will Smith and
Ron Howard. McTigue reminded, “Still, we are all made small by the Grand
Canyon.”
The chef’s stellar advice:
After dinner, go out and look up at the night sky, where the stars seem
brighter and closer than elsewhere. “It’s the best show on the planet.” NAMLM
