Dinner at Eight, LLC

New foodtainment class for America's 250 th birthday: Celebrating the greatest foods of each state, 'America the Beautiful' is a delicious, cross-country trip to excite our palates ! From sea to shining sea, we'll discuss all of our American favorites, including jambalaya, chichangas, corn on the cob, Key lime pie and apple pie

ASU Olli is looking for volunteers ! Great opportunity to help out this valuable, exciting and educational program.

I've been presenting classes for 10 years and it's ALWAYS an informative day !

Contact ASU OLLI [email protected]

We’re going to Northern Spain in April. Join our customize, food and wine tour to Barcelona, Bilbao, Rioja, and send Sebastian

One of my favorite classes today in Scottsdale: Superfoods for a Super Heroes life. Salmon, green tea, chocolate, apples, nuts, pomegranates, blueberries, Greek yogurt, acai...and quinioa.

From a culinary technique perspective, quinoa has a built-in evolutionary shield called saponin. Saponin is a naturally occurring, bitter-tasting chemical compound that coats the outside of each seed, acting as a natural pest repellent in the wild.If you cook quinoa without addressing this compound, it will carry a distinctively bitter, soapy taste that completely overpowers the food.

The Triple Rinse: Although much of the quinoa sold today is pre-washed, it is always best practice to place your raw quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and run cold water over it, agitating the seeds thoroughly with your hands until the water runs completely clear and stops foaming.

The Toast (Chef's Secret): Before adding any liquid to the pot, flash-sauté the rinsed, dried quinoa seeds in a splash of extra virgin olive oil or butter for 2 to 3 minutes until you hear them lightly crackle. This caramelizes the exterior starches, transforming the flavor profile from a simple grassiness into a deep, luxurious, and toasted nuttiness. Cooking it in a rich bone broth rather than plain water elevates the dish into a deeply comforting, nutrient-dense functional masterpiece.

I surrender; its 150 F and my lime tree is blooming! I lost all of the blooms and fruit in the spring on my lime tree and my mandarin orange tree due to warm weather and wind. If I need limes, I’m going to the grocery store.😡😡😡

Mentos is not just a candy.......

Bacon wrapped hotdogs! With bourbon maple seasoning and maple mustard!

We're going to Northern Spain in April 2027 !!!

Barcelona, Bilbao, St. Sebastien, Rioja !

Basque Cider Production & The Sagardotegia Tradition
Deeply woven into the cultural fabric of the Basque Country—particularly in the green, rolling hills of Gipuzkoa around the towns of Astigarraga and Hernani—is the ancient art of natural cider (sagardoa) production. Dating back to the 11th century, Basque cider is fundamentally distinct from its sweet Anglo-Saxon counterparts; it is bone-dry, tart, completely still, and beautifully cloudy.

The centerpiece of this culture is the sagardotegia (traditional Basque cider house). Historically, locals brought their own food to these rustic stone farmhouses to taste the new vintage from giant wooden or chestnut barrels called kupelas. Today, this has evolved into a celebrated communal dining ritual.

Between January and May (the official cider season), guests gather in large, unheated halls, often standing at communal tables to enjoy a fiercely guarded, unvarying set menu:

Tortilla de Bacalao: A flawlessly soft, open-faced omelet packed with salted cod, garlic, and parsley.

Bacalao Frito: Salt cod fried with sweet green peppers and caramelized onions.

Txuleton: A massive, thick-cut, bone-in rib-eye steak, heavily salted and aggressively grilled over open flames, served rare.

The Dessert: Local Idiazabal sheep’s milk cheese served with membrillo (quince paste) and fresh walnuts.

The drinking ritual is interactive and theatrical. When the cider master shouts "Txotx!", a small wooden peg is pulled from a kupela, sending a thin, high-pressure stream of cider shooting across the room. Diners line up to catch the liquid at an angle near the floor, allowing the cider to hit the glass with a sharp splash. This crucial process aerates the still liquid, naturally awakening its natural effervescence, aroma, and flavor notes.