AZ Daily Sun – Page 2 – Gail G. Collins

Matters of Taste: Sono Kitchen & Boba serves up scratch-made meals and memories

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, March 2024

Written by Gail G. Collins

Street food is a happy way of life in Asia. Each country has its favorite flavors and dishes, which double as comfort food and takeaway. It is fresh and homemade, delivering instant gratification. The history of street food is long and diverse, originating in ancient Greece and traveling to China, where, as charity, it was offered to the poor, but over time, street food emerged as a culture all of its own.

Although food is often available in rural roadside locations throughout Asia, it was within urban settings that markets first blossomed, and then, thrived as food centers with little overhead. Guests may be served in makeshift restaurant stalls, where cramped seating and a sense of community abounds, or eaten on the go. Whether it is nasi goreng in Indonesia or popcorn chicken and boba in Taiwan, one has heaven in hand.

And so it was for Jerry Tseng, who grew up in Taiwan with popcorn chicken in one hand and boba tea in the other. Partnering with Chuan Lu and Frank Yang, they recreated those youthful memories through Sono Kitchen & Boba with two locations in Sedona and Flagstaff.

The partners met at Northern Arizona University, studying for their masters in business. They went their separate ways to some extent, though Tseng and Lu both worked for Panda Express as an area manager over 15 stores and vice president of operations, respectively. After more than 15 years, they circled back to Flagstaff in 2018 to consider entrepreneurship. It was meant to be a reunion, but the meeting netted more, as they yearned for a more relaxed lifestyle and the camaraderie they once knew.

Tseng’s father, Jason Tseng, was an executive chef, and the family owned China Gardens for decades. He gave sage advice to the trio on products, recipes and local business savvy.

“We are good friends, who share the same dream, same knowledge and decided to do business together. We were cautious, but after thoughtful research, we said, ‘Let’s do this,’” said Lu. “The idea was to create a fast, casual concept, combining Japanese and Taiwanese cultures, serving great drinks and great food.”

The partners hold vast corporate experience between them, but still, their timing was tricky. While looking to locate in Flagstaff, they found space in uptown Sedona, launching in June 2020 during the pandemic. Early success spurred efforts to make Flagstaff a reality, and as Tseng’s parents retired, the partners secured the inside track to their second location on Milton Road in October 2022.

The associates are active operators of Sono Kitchen, which borrowed its name from Tseng’s wife. “Sono is Japanese—it is short, clean sounding, easy to pronounce, and keeps it family-oriented,” Lu said.

Sono’s boba teas focus on quality with ingredients imported from Taiwan. Real fruits, not syrups, and purveyor-selected teas, using no powders or shortcuts, keep it simple and good, according to Lu. “Our boba has intense flavor to create that aha, whoa feeling.”

Popular drinks include Thai milk tea, strawberry Snow White, Sono boba milk tea and taro yama. But what is a boba? Tapioca pearls, made of cassava root, swirl milk, fruit and beautiful tea into a marbled effect, as they gently glide up a straw. Students love the drinks, shooting pics and sharing sips.

Most boba shops serve food as an afterthought, but Sono makes authentic street food, showcasing Pop ‘n Bo. “We want to introduce this combination to everybody! It’s fun and good,” enthused Lu. The salt and pepper popcorn chicken is hand-cut, marinated, batter-dipped and served with a medium boba drink. The chicken bucket reads, “Unforgettable flavors from childhood.”

The Japanese donburi bowls feature house noodles created by Jason Teng. Topped with teriyaki chicken and ground pork, marinated cucumbers and egg, the dish offers three-dimensional flavor and texture. Gyu don layers shaved beef with egg plus green and yellow onions over rice. All dishes are scratch-made, servings are generous and protein-packed.

The afternoons are busy at Sono, serving drinks from 18 standard and seasonal selections, while lunch and dinner bustle with serious food in one hand and boba in the other, recreating Jerry Tseng’s childhood.

“The partnership is a good marriage, contributing and combining knowledge,” Lu said. “We are flexible and quick to learn and change. Staying close to business is vital, and we are on the front line to raise this baby well.” The proof is Sono’s continued expansion as the partners search for space to open a Phoenix location. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Petit Marché brings the charm of France to Flag

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, February 2024

Written by Gail G. Collins

Despite the convenience of one-stop shopping in French hyper grocers, locals have turned back to neighborhood markets. Such markets revitalize areas, and 100 new ones are born each year. In fact, when last surveyed in 2020, half of the French population remains loyal to their community market.

Traditional markets are not a rural phenomenon; they are just as common in urban settings across districts and regions. They are places to catch up with friends or socialize over a cup of coffee. That little market is a local link in the supply chain from produce grower or artisan baker to consumer, who prefers homegrown goods. Small, neighborhood markets provide the vital opportunity to eat wholesome foods, boost the area’s economy and control our diets with some happy chat thrown in.

This was the vision of Sam Greenhalgh with his business partner and mother, Natasha, who created Petit Marche. But what is the French connection? Sam is a chef, classically trained in French cuisine.

“I am enamored by it—the simplicity and cleanliness of it,” he enthused. “It’s the best way to eat, using quality ingredients and letting them shine.”

Petit Marche is an outgrowth of their earlier French venture Forêt FLG, for which Sam has been nominated for a James Beard Award as Best Chef, Southwest. The awards will be presented in Chicago in June.

“Fortunately, we have been very busy at Forêt—at capacity—looking for an outlet to make things quicker, easier,” Sam said. “We understand people don’t have the time to wait 20-25 minutes to grab a cup of coffee.” Petit Marche was the answer. “We are a great addition for hotel and B & B guests to come in and grab a couple of things.” Industry service staff also relies on the shop’s flexibility to offer grab-and-go fresh meals.

Adjacent to the heart of downtown on Aspen Avenue, stairs enter Petit Marche centrally with coffee and meal service to one side and a grocery to the other. The snug coffee space proffers bakery items, like baguettes, bagels, croissants and other pastries, as well as quick pick-ups, like house made lemon-honey ricotta, pimento cheese and daily soups. The grocery side trades in frozen ready meal goods—pasta, soups, ice cream and bacon—plus produce and provisions, like Northern California Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes, local honey and Cutino sauces from Phoenix. The shop carries a variety of drinks and focuses on natural Arizona wines, like Cactus Cru, the state’s first organic, sustainably-produced wine made from native vineyards, and Los Milics in Elgin. As for staples, try Hayden Mills flours, devoted to stone-milling heritage and ancient grains for their improved taste.

“The sky is the limit, even though the space is tiny,” Sam said. “The baguettes and Montreal-style bagels are made daily and consistently sell out.” According to Sam, this style bagel is thinner, airier and crispier. Get there early or pay ahead by phone to reserve your fresh bread.

The shop opened in August and quickly lined up holiday pre-orders of scratch recipes, which featured bourbon pecan pie, beef Bourgogne pie and gift baskets of niche goodies.

“Sam has a never-ending, creative drive,” Natasha said. “All the bread is naturally leavened.” To accompany that, fresh butter is churned from a locally-sourced cream and kefir culture.

Pastry options also include chocolate croissants, gluten-free brownies, ham and butter sandwiches that sell out early. There are three other popular choices. The brekkie is stuffed with sausage, eggs, salsa and cream cheese. The loaded lox holds cold, smoked Norwegian salmon, shaved red onion, dill, capers, Graza olive oil and whipped cream cheese. The deli stacks turkey with heirloom tomatoes, English cukes, spinach, red onion, herbs, oil and vinegar.

The coffee program is powered by an enormous La Marzocco espresso machine, handmade in Florence, Italy, and serving beans from Portland’s Rose Line in a full line of espresso drinks. A complementary tea and matcha line is on offer as well.

It’s lovely to have another bit of France in our town, where we can make a quick stop to shop for the day’s needs, grab a nourishing sandwich on the way to work or enjoy a coffee and pastry with a friend. As many customers have noted as they walk out of Petit Marche, fresh baguette in hand slathered in house made butter, “It feels like I’m in Paris.” And that’s just the point. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Steep Leaf Lounge makes tea drinking a communal and cultural experience

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living, January 2024

Written by Gail G. Collins

Baby, it’s cold outside! To counter the chill, there is nothing like a wrapping your fingers around a warm cup of tea, an earthy richness rising and prepping your senses for that first sip.

The complexities of tea are boundless. The leaves, the liquor, the aroma and the flavor create an experience that can range from bright to floral to malty to vegetal. Fragrance, or the nose, introduces the tea. Its taste lends astringency, and body offers weight and substance in the mouth. Is the tea lively and refreshing, like orange pekoe; flowery or malty sweet, like Assam; reminiscent of grapes, like Darjeeling; or grassy green? It may be round, lush, full or clean, and signature attributes will correspond strongly with its origin, whether country or type. These impressions remain on the tongue, providing a lasting finish.

To taste tea is to travel. Close your eyes, inhale its fragrance, delight in its nuance, and let all else fall away. Breathe deeply and connect with the leaves, which have come a great distance to enrich this moment.

Jean Liptay, owner of Steep Leaf Lounge encourages this practiced habit. “Tea is different from coffee, and the shop is busier in the afternoons. People come to relax and associate tea with stepping back,” she said. “Some fancy us as a sober bar. Clients’ health is a big concern, and tea is a wonderful alternative for those looking for a place to hang out, people-watch and enjoy a convivial atmosphere.”

A common compliment is Steep’s hominess and cozy, casual vibe. Tables and chairs gather groups, while couches and elevated platforms with cushions invite lounging. White subway tile contrasts with alpaca and terracotta paint, warmed with hardwood flooring. Animated chatter, busy bar service and windows on the world complete the scene.

“Tea is a communal experience across cultures,” reminded Liptay. “There is a ritualistic element in the preparation of tea—the moment of reflection and the physical act focusing attention on one thing. It is an intentional act to savor the color, aroma and appreciate the moment.”

That said, for the novice, the choice of teas can be overwhelming. Steep carries 80 teas plus a secret stash, all sourced from quality, small farmers via purveyors mainly in Japan and China. They develop relationships with producers and offer advice with an eye for what Americans would enjoy.

“Not my cup of tea,” indicates personal preference, according to Liptay, while following one’s nose and predilections will hone choices. “Do you prefer vanilla, mint or fruity profiles? Smell the teas; if you like the smell, you will like the flavor.”

Initially, it might be difficult to discern between grassy or buttery notes, but staff can educate to broaden tasting opportunities. They also can offer instruction on tea’s proper preparation. Understanding the process, timing, temperature and correct infusion personalizes each cup.

The best temperature for brewing tea leaves is 180 – 190 degrees, according to Liptay. Let the heat come off the open kettle for a few minutes and pour from a height, which further cools the water. The steep time varies by tea, taste and whether it is the first, second or even third steep of leaves. A lighter tea needs less time and heat. Too much heat flushes tannins for a dry mouth and can disintegrate leaves versus enveloping them. Too much tea is intense; nuance is nicer.

Of course, one needs vessels from which to pour, brew, strain and sip. Stoneware tea sets at Steep vary from kitsch to fine pottery. Tea balls, a mate gourd or the recommended Magic II infuser and much more are available for purchase.

Liptay’s preferred teas range across the board: black to get going in the morning, chai on the weekend, Early Grey for high-end moments and a double bergamot to celebrate citrus.

Opening Steep Leaf Lounge 10 years ago was the comingling of her interests in tea and food. Popular specialty drinks include matcha, chai and tea lemonades. Pastries and sandwiches are made in-house or sourced to cover the bases, including dietary desires. Sweets include gluten-free strawberry shortcake, macarons, lemon bars, carrot cake and more while heartier bites, served on English muffins, croissants or bagels are piled with egg, bacon, ham or vegan sausage or made to order. Spinach and feta is a favorite.

Shipping is free on loose tea orders of $25, so reach for your favorite cup, gaze out the window, heat the water and infuse some tea leaves. Liptay implores us to cultivate appreciation for the art of slowing down. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Tamales USA offers made-from-scratch tamales all season long

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section: December 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

When it comes to the holidays, they are wrapped up in family and tradition. The gifts are extra. Families decide how and when they celebrate, like when to put up the tree. Other customs are part of our heritage. Then, there the adopted joys of where we find ourselves.

With Arizona’s proximity to Mexico, tamales have become a seasonal tradition, whether we enjoy Hispanic heritage or not. The delightful masa handfuls, filled with meat, veg and spice wrapped up in cornhusks are gifts themselves.

The pre-Christian history of tamales stretches back to Mesoamerica—the Aztecs, Mayans and more—where corn was a revered staple extending from the belief that the gods created humans from corn. As such, corn parcels became a significant sacrifice for special events. This naturally translated to holy days or rights of passage, such as baptisms, communions and Christmas, as Mexicans converted to Christianity.

Tamales require a great deal of effort to create. Grinding the corn for masa or dough, slow-cooking the meats, crafting fillings and hand-rolling the bundles is time intensive. Naturally, it lends itself to communal preparation, a tamale-making party or a tamalada. The involved process deems it a special occasion dish, so combining holidays with tamales was fated.

As fall arrives, Eddie Aguilar sells 600 tamales in less than three hours on a Sunday. His labor-heavy process takes days to produce such numbers. It takes 100 pounds of chicken, beef and pork weekly to fulfill the orders plus a bonus 20 dozen. These are sold three days a week alongside his other menu offerings from his food truck, Tamales USA.

Sales are seasonal, and ramp up in the fall. “I love the fall and put my set-up outside. People smell the steaming tamale pots and turn their cars around to buy them,” said Aguilar.

“The authenticity of the items are not found routinely, like pork belly tacos, carne asada and enchiladas,” said Aguilar. “It’s crazy busy. I will have 20 customers in 10 minutes when everyone comes at once to eat.”

After 35 years in Arizona with a career in the food industry, more than two decades were spent at Coco’s, and later, managing 7-8,000 meals a day for school children with Southwest Food Excellence plus years of part-time cheffing at Pine Canyon. Most often, he worked hard at two jobs, but he wanted something of his own. Four years ago, Aguilar settled on selling tamales with his 14-year-old son, Samuel.

“I realized I had missed time with my two older children when they were young,” he said. “Samuel was shy, and I asked if he wanted to do something together with me.” Aguilar traded his car for a van, and Tamales USA was born. A year later, he added the food truck.

Transitioning took some time, but soon, Aguilar let his salary job go. “My personal business was flourishing—I had to do one or the other,” he said, “Now, I can’t keep up, but it’s not about the money, it’s about the commitment and family structure.”

Aguilar can prioritize what matters most and control the process. He cooks one day, sautés veg and makes 100 quarts of salsa on another, preps masa and marinades, and then, rolls tamales on the final day. With commercial fridges, freezers and blenders, it all moves through in three days. Nothing is store bought, and meat stock is strained for lard to keep the ingredient list natural.

Routinely, tamale flavors include red chili pork and beef, green chili chicken, pork and veggie, bean and cheese plus specialty offerings, like chicken mole. Recipes are authentic to Mexico City, where Aguilar grew up, learning from his father the merchant business of buying produce in bulk to resell. Legacy and his long experience in administrating kitchens aid him in balancing groceries to sales.

For holiday orders, Aguilar limits it to 100 dozen tamales, but on Christmas Eve, he offers an extra 500 that sell out in two hours.

Aguilar’s son graduated high school last year, and at his father’s suggestion, is taking a gap year to consider his future studies.

“I happen to like what I do,” Aguilar said. “I’m very happy, and I accomplished what I set out to do. Samuel is a great kid—he listened, learned, and now, he is on salary.”

Through Tamales USA, Aguilar passed on the tradition of work, discipline and skills, while putting family first—all by unwrapping the simple gift of a tamale. And his tip for family kitchen success? Be happy, make it fun. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Family and sweet science make Mozelle’s Downtown Bakery a must-try

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, November 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

“The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.“

Surely, those children had delighted in a day spent baking holiday treats. Whether, they are stock standards, like snickerdoodles, or boozy bars, like maple bourbon squares, or shortbread cutouts, iced and sprinkled, a festive plate of cookies ensures smiles at any age.

Whether you gather as family or friends to bake, follow this recipe for measuring and mixing fun. First, pick a day to spend entirely devoted to bowls of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Mess up the kitchen once, washing and reusing equipment, keeping the oven fired up, letting many hands lighten the load and blasting holiday tunes to energize you.

Choose your recipes beforehand, earmarking doughs that need refrigeration to be whipped up first. Make a detailed grocery list and have all ingredients on hand. Gather containers for treat storage. If baking early in the season, clear freezer space to tuck away labeled goods. Lastly, if time allows, host a bakers’ extravaganza day followed by a decorating day. Celebrate your baking efforts then with coffee or mimosas while the kids create works of edible art.

Andrea Knott, owner of Mozelle’s Downtown Bakery knows a thing or thirty about seasonal goodies. The specialty, scratch bakery opened on Heritage Square in 2016. Their everyday cookies range from chocolate chip, oatmeal walnut and peanut butter to elaborate red velvet, spicy molasses ginger and triple chocolate. Custom cookies can be cut from sugar, shortbread and gingerbread doughs. Pie flavors tempt with bourbon pecan, caramel apple, triple berry, bananas Foster cream, coconut, buttermilk and more.

“We’re an old-fashioned bakery with a little bit of everything,” Knott said. “It’s a baker’s bakery with tons of different pastries and custom cakes—an all-around sweet shop.”

The cakes are best sellers for events, but when customers reach for the cookie jar, brownies and lemon bars top sales.

While bakeries often buy frozen dough to thaw and bake off as fresh goods, Knott stressed, “Everything at Mozelle’s is baked from scratch—every filling, every topping—including homemade croissants. All ingredients are natural, no preservatives—just butter, sugars, eggs and not much else—made in small batches for freshness.”

Knott played in the kitchen from Elementary School on. Then, she added pastry skills at Los Angeles Trade Technical College before joining the military. “That teaches you to put the work in,” said Knott of the disciplined, early mornings required to run a bakery.

Throughout the holidays, Mozelle’s bakes voluminous pies and sprightly cookies. Pumpkin and pecan headline, of course, but vegan and gluten-free options are available upon request.

As far as making mornings merry, nothing beats a hot pastry eaten in candy cane jammies. Knott recommended, “Our take and bake cinnamon rolls are huge sellers and let you shine in your own kitchen.”

Are you invited to a party this season? Surprise your host by picking up a gift box of pastries, cookies or designer favorites, like eclairs, strudel, sticky buns and bear claws.

Mozelle’s Downtown Bakery is a family business, following the happy tradition of too many good cooks in the kitchen and employing three of Knott’s daughters and her mother. Pooling all of the family talent keeps Flagstaff fresh with bakery goods.

Their family kitchen also has a few tips to share. They use only butter, not shortening, for better crumb cookies. For cut-outs, shortbread dough, which calls for more sugar and butter, rolls out better than sugar cookie dough. Roll dough to one-quarter inch or thicker to avoid burned edges or broken cut-outs. As far as high altitude baking, start with wetter batter and add more flour as you go to keep doughs in proper wet-dry proportion. As you bake those tasty goods, the best gift is treasured time together. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Teatro Italian Food & Wine celebrates one year of style and synergy

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, October 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

Synergy—the idea that the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts—was pondered by Aristotle, but for some ambitious restaurateurs, the method has been forged as hospitality. More specifically, wait staff, called “hospitalians” by Bobby Stuckey of Frasca Food and Wine, act as vital, interventionists conveying more than Italian food and wine. As the first Colorado restaurant to earn a Michelin star, his advice is worth considering.

According to Stuckey, who has ties to NAU, a perfect meal is about more than checking the boxes; it hinges on engaging guests, raising the bar and delivering more. Basically, he reasoning goes: Why can’t the care and attention we show to family on Thanksgiving continue throughout the year? He believes if such a notion was employed broadly across industries, it could change the world.

Frasca Hospitality Group also oversees Tavernetta, where Nick Williams, chief operations officer for THAT Place Projects, dined a few years ago. “It made such an impression on us,” he said. “Stuckey is a behemoth in the industry, trying something different. Their front of the house experience says, ‘Let me take care of you—it enriches my life.’”

This was the inspiration for Teatro Italian Food & Wine, located in the former Criollo space. A demographic survey pointed to Italian, and a desire to emulate Frasca’s curated affair drove the details. The building’s history, as Flagstaff’s first desegregated theater, prompted the name and some dramatic presentation.

Teatro concentrates on quality and an enhanced connection between guests and server. “We’re known for quality with our flagship, Tinderbox, and focused on an upscale experience,” Williams said. “The menu is Northern Italian-centric, but not tied to that with lamb, seafood, heavy aspects and hearty dishes.”

The chef is Russian-born and globally seasoned. As a Ukrainian veteran, Art Bugdasaryan attended an Italian cooking school and worked under French-born Alain Ducasse before moving his family to Flagstaff to showcase his cuisine. The dishes are designed to evoke nostalgia, warmth and comfort when shared at the table.

Popular dishes begin with a salad comprised of creamy, imported burratina cheese, speck, fresh melon, arugula, sundried tomato and pesto. The gnocchi, a potato dumpling, is mixed with grana padano, gorgonzola perfumato and stracchino cream, and tableside, fried sage is crumbled and stirred in.

Order Filetto alla Griglia, and a 9.5-ounce, house-butchered filet mignon, served with purple potato pureé, caramelized onion and thick gravy of thyme demi arrives under a cloche. It is staged, smoke wafting forth. At Teatro, they imply, it’s showtime.

Tiramisu blends tradition and creativity, arriving in a caviar tin, dotted with dark chocolate espresso pearls. “It’s over the top—a trickery of the senses—and a great cap at the end of the night,” said Williams.

Wine is forefront, and a rack of choices greet guests at the door in a categorized collection,which cruises across Italy by region. “It’s huge, unique and food-friendly,” he said. “It goes over incredibly, and in this high-end restaurant, you’re going to love the wine.” Indeed, Teatro earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2023.

There is no cocktail menu, but anything goes. Order a classic or a twist on one. “We make it a conversation with guests, and often, it becomes personal, but we nail it,” Williams said. He suggests the coffee and cigarettes cocktail, made with cognac, coffee liquor and chocolate espresso beans, served smoking, like vanilla pipe tobacco.

Teatro shines for events and catering for weddings and more. Italian food is conducive to travel, reheating and melding flavors. Lunches are easy-going with a full-service, business angle.

Every detail is beautifully thoughtful. Teatro’s ambience intimates al fresco glamor in trellis and greenery accents; glittering chandeliers and white, twinkling trees; cream marble and charcoal tile; pale wood and a coffered ceiling. The table is set with Riedel wine glasses, Villeroy & Boch china, gold flatware and a domed central light to cloak diners.

Williams finds the synergistic effect, “encourages sharing between guests to bring back memories of travel, of experiences—sparkling stories.”

How does Teatro pull it off? “Warm and welcoming conversations—connecting on so many levels and guiding them through an amazing experience—is paramount,” said Williams. “It’s curated theater with no peeking behind the curtain.”

That requires elite staffing. Teatro sees their young staff as a breath of fresh air. Approaching work with pride in spic and span, starched uniforms adds to the overall performance.

Join Teatro in celebrating their first anniversary on October 28 with a prix fixe menu featuring butter-aged ribeye and bubbly prosecco. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Glamping resort in Bellemont rolls out new amenities

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, September 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

Nature supports wellness in the mind, body and community, according to the National Forest Service, who know a great deal about being outside. An active outdoor lifestyle contributes to longevity, physical conditioning, enhanced nourishment and sleep, plus it wards off disease. Green spaces also feed our psyche in positive ways, strengthening our mental acuity, focusing our attention and restoring peace. Importantly, whole communities benefit from access to the outdoors through decreased environmental stressors, such as pollution, while caretaking tendencies increase, reflected in a respect for nature and one’s neighbors. In a nutshell, getting outside is the ideal means for getting healthy.

A love of the outdoors and adventure, where people could revel in a camp setting, drove Scott Roberts to envision a novel and upmarket RV park. As the son of R. C. Roberts, who founded Roberts Resorts, Scott learned from his father to construct and manage a portfolio of destination resorts and communities with premiere living standards. Roberts Resorts has spent 55-plus years inviting guests to “live the good life.” With resort-style amenities, luxe RV sites and affordable homes in award-winning communities across Alabama, Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado and Texas, the properties are the gold standard with well-appointed grounds and 5-star features.

“My father was a pioneer, an inspiration,” says Scott, “who believed in creating a sense of community, and he always over-delivered on the amenities with plenty of facilities and programming. He fostered that in me.”

Scott is an avid adventure seeker—a heli-skier and mountain biker—and the kind of guy, who loads his family into a truck and drives to Sedona’s secret end of the world trail. Inspired by adventure break hotels, he continued his father’s pioneering efforts. Industry RV parks hadn’t changed in decades, and Scott saw potential. “I wanted to break out of the mold, be different, and attract a new generation of adventure seekers. I have a passion to create a sense of community that attracts that adventure-minded person.”

He threw the idea of the traditional RV park out the window. The architecture was stodgy standard. Instead he saw mountain contemporary design elements to rival a master planned community, providing a means for the average family to own a holiday home. The result is Village Camp, a luxury outdoor resort in Bellemont, just beyond Flagstaff, with upscale RV camping plus adventure cabins for rent and sale.

The aim is glamping. Three tiers of RV sites with paved parking and stacked stone barbecues or fire pits and gravel pull-throughs provide happy stays. There are also adventure cabins for added comfort and facilities. Bridging the two, safari tents are in the works.

Current amenities include a heated pool and spa with a bathhouse, while an amphitheater with bar and dancefloor, a naturescape playground with a ropes course, pickleball courts and dog park are underway.

The sleek clubhouse boasts a bar and bistro of steel construction and cedar with granite countertops and three walls of glass and a view of the San Francisco Peaks.

“The menu reflects the building,” says general manager Cody Fishel. “It’s simple, quality, upscale campground food with flatbreads, pizzas and paninis.”

He designed the efficient menu to incorporate 55 ingredients, which overlap, yet offer different flavor profiles. Sourcing is local to keep it fresh.

“Many folks have been on the road for eight or nine hours, and they don’t want to cook,” he says. “They’re glad for great food options and a chance to relax here.”

The biggest family sellers are the pizzas, and the everything pizza delivers on the billing with plenty of meat and veg. The barbecue flatbread on artisan dough is a hit with chicken, red onion, mozzarella, spinach and drizzly zing of BBQ sauce. The Cuban panini goes fowl with turkey, Swiss, mustard, pickles and spinach on a ciabatta. For veggie patrons, there is a black bean patty. A popular, shareable plate is loaded with waffle fries, mozzarella, red onion, buffalo sauce and ranch dressing. Wash the good stuff down with local craft beers or sip an Arizona wine.

To start the day, a burrito wrapped in a spinach tortilla and layered with sausage, egg, jack cheese and hash browns satisfies or bite into a ciabatta-built sammie with a similar stack of stuff.

The adventure cabins are built to RV-code, so each model is 399-square feet with creative use of space to bed four to nine people with built-in bunks, loft spaces, pull-out couches and private masters. The tiny homes are complete with gleaming, full kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces and creature comforts. Four models and a hotel suite are available to rent for $250 to $300 per night, and models Cypress, Ponderosa and Juniper can be purchased. Resident cabins may then be pooled for supplemental rental income, according to owners availability, and advertised via typical websites, such as VRBO. All services are managed for owners for a monthly fee, so they can spend time exploring, not on upkeep.

“We didn’t cut corners,” Scott says. “The adventure cabins are bullet-proof for rentals—no drywall, solid wood, with quartz countertops, commercial vinyl flooring, sufficient AC and heat, stainless steel appliances, stackable washers and dryers, walk-in showers and fire-wise Hardie board siding.” He added, “The units are turnkey with mattresses, linens, dishes, even toilet paper. Just drop your suitcase and get exploring.”

Scott and wife Ren, a former collegiate athlete slated to be inducted in the ASU Hall of Fame, live in Phoenix with their four young children. Streets in camp are named for Skylar, Sunny, Brighton and Charlie. And like anyone else, beating the heat with access to a million acres of Coconino National Forest, right at the camp’s edge, is appealing. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Cloth & Flame brings unique desert-dining experiences to northern Arizona

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living, August 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

Jean and Courtney O’Connor pointed at the Red Rocks and sighed before sitting on a comfortable lounge set under the trees. They toasted and began a conversation with guests. The mother and daughter from Boston had visited Arizona before, but it was their first encounter with this stunning Sedona backdrop.

“It was so beautiful, I nearly cried,” said Courtney. “We can’t wait to explore the area.”

Dressy couples in collared shirts and chiffon dresses mingled with glasses of wine, their light laughter carried on the evening breeze. A guitar player strummed bluesy tunes as people posed against majestic monoliths.

In prelude to a meal, teasers were proffered on boards—cantaloupe with crème fraiche and meatballs with shaved parmesan—causing conversation about what dinner would entail. The sky caught fire, silhouetting guests in the last rays of the day as all were invited to dine at one long table stretching toward the view.

A lanky Matt Cooley warmly welcomed guests to the sold-out event hosted by Cloth & Flame. Co-founded with wife Olivia, Matt explained, “The outreach exercise in pop-up dining is built on years-long relationships with properties in a multi-faceted approach to broaden the community using spaces in a responsible way. The core thing is to build a frame and people will fill it—they are the experience and bringing them together is the platform.” The venture’s aim is experiential engagement with iconic places.

Dinner commenced as staff gently nudged between diners to deliver salads of rocket, charred beets, Mineola orange slices and goat cheese, dressed in BBQ vinaigrette, topped with puffed corn.

Appetizers of roasted garlic gnocchi with smoked Vidalia onion, hard cheeses and pickled herbs followed. The entrée, achiote-rubbed skirt steak, was served with heirloom fingerling potatoes, grilled alliums and peppers as salsa verde, and the meal concluded with mesquite chocolate cake, capped in salted vanilla bean Chantilly and cocoa nibs.

“These ticketed community dinners are our favorite,” Cooley said. “Our goal is to create legacy with locations while management maintains control—whether it’s a private owner or NGO—and the broader component is the blueprint on how not to change the spaces forever.”

Phoenix Union Train Station is an urban example. The owner bought the property with Cloth & Flame in mind to preserve the historic site. Still, an upscale city location needs a business model to maintain it. Events held on the property can provide passive income while upholding its original nature.

Cloth & Flame began as a hot air balloon company with destination desert dining, but their culinary talents and attention to detail surpassed the flight factor. Guests enjoyed ballooning, but raved about the dining, so the Cooleys evolved the culinary component solely in 2019.

“We wanted to create something together at the intersection of community and experience—to scratch that itch,” said Cooley.

He offered context. What began as premiere pop-up dining, now encompasses three things: a gastronomic aspect, working with public and private collaborators, like restaurateurs, artists and entertainers; an experiential agency, mostly company or brand events, like Chanel, Google or Bentley; and a revenue side, managing land or spaces as a lessee in a peer to peer marketplace. Cloth & Flame executes the promotional face in a unique venue.

Their capabilities are undergirded with a robust kitchen team and front of the house, commissary spaces and licensing, while incorporating the likes of celebrity chefs, wild and beautiful elements plus people.

“We understand culinary techniques, can prep and make anything possible,” Cooley said.

To generate more accessible events recently, Cloth & Flame organized a small fee wine and dance party for 1,000 guests and a free art exhibit, plus an add-on dinner, both held at the Ice House in downtown Phoenix.

Cloth & Flame is based in Arizona, taking advantage of their roots and relationships, but their adventurous exploits extend from Arizona to Austin and Amsterdam for an upcoming affair. They operate nationwide, but concentrate their efforts in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, where reliable weather prevails. Still, bets are hedged with banked insurance to tent an event while conserving the view.

On Friday, Sept. 29, Cloth & Flame will debut a five-course prix fixe dinner to kick off Flagstaff Fadeaway at High Country Motor Lodge. The event benefits restoration of Glen Canyon with the chance to meet and greet music festival talent.

Secretly, Cloth & Flame is the second-largest venue operator in the US. To expand its reach and vision, the company has plans for movie nights, ceramics classes, land art experiences and more. Also, watch for a platform coming to connect niche venues with a wider range of collaborators. AZDSun

Matters of Taste: Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, redefines sustainable hospitality

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, August 4, 2023

Written by Gail G. Collins

No matter what it is we hunger for or what ails us, we’re best served when nurtured by nature. Daily, we’re tethered to technology and ignore the wider outdoors. Whether we hike a trail or simply stroll a garden, wonderful things begin to happen within us. Our attention becomes focused again, and stress falls away lifting our mood. Nature acts as a balm for our busy-ness, creating emotional and mental space for the priorities in our lives. Basically, we get outside to allow room inside of us for what matters most.

Given the chance to connect with our natural surroundings, most of us still crave some indulgence. And in Northern Arizona, the superior choice lies just beyond our backyards. Tucked among the red rocks on three rugged acres, Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel, which opened on February 1, is uniquely designed to blend with Sedona’s desert, offering guests an intimate, intrinsic experience in a stunning locale. The first of its kind in North America, Ambiente exemplifies elegant minimalism as luxury accommodation for adults only.

According to resort manager Nic Pigati, “A lot of attention, time and detail went into paying honor to the landscape. The atriums have only four points of contact with the Earth, and no heavy machinery was used in its construction—all manpower. Building took place around the existing trees and plantings, and to lay down the main arteries, plant life was scooped up and replanted.”

Buildings are modern and sleek amongst rustic nature, merging with the topography in color and form. Seeming to float above the ground, forty cube-shaped guest atriums are elevated and angled for privacy, yet afford views of iconic monoliths. Bronzed glass and metal exteriors with contemporary, elemental interiors produce a dramatic property built amongst nature.

Four tiers of rooms showcase an ultimate experience in the 576-square-foot landscape room. Gaze beyond the king bed, drop-down television and motorized blackout curtains through a floor-to-ceiling glass outlook for integration with the outdoors. Details, like live-edge juniper counters, sourced locally, are sensual alongside a Japanese soaking tub, dual shower heads, heated towel racks and more. Indulge in a Firecreek coffee pour-over with complimentary treats and step up to a private, 360-degree rooftop roost for unstoppable sunrise viewing or star gazing. It’s classy camping at its best.

With sustainability in mind, an ancient waterway was restored to flow through the grounds. In fact, four creeks cross the property, spilling into a lagoon, providing a burbling, clean water source. “It’s the same nanotechnology used to purify water in streams—no chemicals required to keep it clear,” says Pigati. “Wildlife still drink from the creek as always.”

A split-rail fence borders Coconino National Forest, past where cyclists careen down paths and hikers tramp on a trail to find inner peace. Exclusive escapes include wine tours, balloons rides, off-road jeep adventures, and of course, spa treatments.

Restorative and rejuvenating aspects incorporate singles and couples rooms, sound immersion therapy, a hyper-oxygenated soaking room and more utilizing custom-blended scents, personal playlists and the sunset swirl of color in virtual Antelope Canyon ambience. Renew the senses.

Property amenities include a pool—heated by rooftop solar—and a Jacuzzi. Pool and lunch fare are served by The Drifter, a converted Airstream trailer with a full, working kitchen. Adjacent, Forty1, the destination’s signature restaurant, serves breakfast and dinner, led by executive chef Lindsey Dale.

The menu is modern American cuisine, and Chef Dale showers an endearing appreciation for the spirit of the West plus a steadfast commitment to showcasing its abundance. The aim: Sumptuous dishes geared toward those with a refined, yet adventurous palate, centered on seasonal ingredients sourced from the surrounding region and beyond. Referring to the understated excellence and attention to detail at Ambiente in general, she explains, “We are creating food and creating memories.”

Dale had a hand in those details, from advising on the logistics of a space that best suits staff and guests to choosing glassware, china and the bar back. The matte black façade, chic interior and invigorating atmosphere feels earthy, yet polished at Forty1.

Sustainable tourism was always the hotel’s goal. Chef Dale works closely with Blue Bird Farms, an organic, intentionality-driven holding located in Rimrock for produce, and coordinates to provide composting services for the entire property. This guarantees that all compostable materials, whether restaurant waste or coffee grounds, will be recycled into their soil source, culminating in a farm-to-fork cycle.

The menu is both standard and seasonal in turns. The most popular dish is speared prawns in green curry, creamy with coconut milk. Prawns perch over fried forbidden rice with chili oil, herb and peanut salad. Served on an ebony stone plate, it’s gorgeous in every way. The duck duo of seared breast and confit leg, parsnip puree, baby turnips, Swiss chard and purple yam gnocchi are circled with lavender blackberry gastrique and Earl Grey foam forming a masterpiece for the palate.

The venison rack on red lentil and turnip with red current gastrique, asparagus and maitake mushrooms boasts balanced flavors, while the pomegranate and pink peppercorn poached pear is light and luscious with Greek yogurt and cardamom panna cotta, sesame cashew crumble, orange and basil.

Alongside decadent food pairings pulling from a 130-bottle wine list, Chef Dale worked with lead bartender Breann Anzar to create a robust cocktail program that will rotate with seasonal offerings. Try a spirited dessert—combining a cocktail and treat—as a tease.

Central to the boutique property, the multi-functional food and event space invites guests to come for dinner, enjoy a movie poolside and stay for guided stargazing on the upcoming, custom 16-foot screen. “The restaurant is upscale, yet cozy; masculine, yet sexy,” Pigati says. There is complimentary breakfast with casual caffeine flowing, fine dining with spirits flowing, a wine tasting room, group buyouts available for events—everything feels connected.”

Ambiente is operated by Mike Stevenson with his two daughters Jennifer May and Colleen TeBrake. The five-year labor of love became the premiere project of Two Sisters Bosses, a high-end development and management company focused on crafting an extravagant encounter harmonious with the environment. It’s no wonder, Ambiente made Condé Nast Traveler’s 2023 Hot List. This collection of the world’s best new hotels, cruises, restaurants, cultural destinations and transportation projects sets new standards for hospitality balancing style, ethos and service.

Such standards arise from hand-in-glove teams. Chef Dale can’t say enough complimentary words about her hand-picked crew. “The team we have is incredible—the best of the best and proud to be part of this amazing hotel. We work hard, go home and love coming back to work.”

Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, is a tranquil, lavish hideaway just waiting to boost your health and your mood. AZDSun

Olive the Best invests in quality oils and vinegars for the health of its customers

AZ Daily Sun, Mountain Living Section, June 4, 2023

Story and photos by Gail G. Collins

The happiest diet discovery is something that is both delicious and nutritious. Olive oil—it’s been around for thousands of years, and with the promise of an olive tree, which lives to be 500 years old, those who consume its fruit, can also extend the quality of their lives.

Olive trees originate from the Mediterranean Basin, where some of the longest living populations reside. It’s no coincidence; their diets are abundant with healthy oils, nuts and fatty fish. Packed with potent polyphenol compounds, olive oil protects against chronic and degenerative diseases, boosting immunities while fighting inflammation. It can guard against certain cancers, strengthen bones, promote cardiovascular health and improve memory and mood. Further, olive oil can balance our blood sugar as well as the microbiome in our guts.

Extra virgin olive oil is particularly packed with antioxidant properties. Polyphenols combat oxidative stress that resides as deep as our DNA. A Mediterranean diet consumes four-plus tablespoons of olive oil daily, but studies by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration support the claim that one-and-a-half tablespoons can improve heart health.

It was just such hope that drove Scott McPeak to reclaim his health. At 57, he had been diagnosed with weight-related diabetes, requiring critical lifestyle changes. He ate plentiful salads and vegetables with a desire to dress them in a nourishing way, finding that in first-rate olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Healthy progress spurred McPeak on to lose 80 pounds within four months.

That was three years ago, and alongside the change in health, came a change in business. Scott McPeak and son Scotty owned an H & R Block in Nebraska, but had their eyes on the West. “When the previous olive oil business went up for sale, we swooped in and bought it in 2018,” says Scotty. “We sold the tax business, looking for one with expediential growth.”

The McPeak families revamped the shop, honing the product line and focusing on superiority for Olive the Best Olive Oils & Vinegars of Flagstaff.