Where to celebrate July's food holidays in Flagstaff

Right in the heat of the summer comes a variety of food holidays with such varied tastes. July is National baked Bean Month, Bison Month, Culinary Arts Month, Grilling Month, Hot Dog Month and Ice Cream Month. It’s also home to the following food holidays…

July 6: National Fried Chicken Day

Get some finger lickin in on Fried Chicken Day at Louie’s Chicken Shack (2116 E Rte 66). They made their own unique batter that makes for juicy chicken strips. Mmm mmm good.

July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day

Sugar Mama’s (116 S San Francisco) has your sugar cookie fix for today. They make a mean sugar cookie with royal icing. Perfect for an afternoon snack break along with a cup of coffee to really get your energy levels going.

July 10: National Pina Colada Day

If you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, this day falls at the perfect time for Arizona residents, usually in monsoon season this time of the year. Refresh as you watch the rain sprinkle down from the patio at Picazzo’s (1300 South Milton) with a tropical tasty pina colada in hand. They’re not technically on the menu there, but you can order one anyway made with their organic liquor.

July 13: National French Fries Day

Without any hesitation whatsoever, head to the best spot in Flag for fries: Diablo Burger (120 N Leroux St). Theirs are scrumptiously cooked and tossed with Herbs de Provence for the perfect aromatic presentation for your nose, mouth and tummy.

July 20: National Hot Dog Day, National Ice Cream Soda Day and Fortune Cookie Day

Hope you’re hungry today with all these food holidays. Start off with a plump juicy dog with your favorite condiments from Primo’s (113 S San Francisco). Then head over to the Galaxy Diner (931 W Rte 66) for an old fashioned Ice Cream Soda (Go for the Brown Cow). For dinner, get your Chinese on at Golden Dragon (2730 East Lakin Drive) and finish up your meal with a fortune cookie.

July 24: National Tequila Day
With over two dozen tequilas in house, Plaza Bonita (1551 South Milton) is the place to go for a tequila taste testing party tonight. Whether you’re looking for silver, reposado, anejo or gold, they have the full spectrum of price points for all tequila lovers to enjoy including top shelf favorites like Don Julio, Tres Generaciones and others.

July 27: National Crème Brulee Day
Celebrate this sweet holidays with a desert stopover at Jospehine’s (503 North Humphreys). They make some of the best crème brulee around. Their creamy sweet cup of heaven tastes even better with a cup of coffee out under the stars on their relaxing patio.

July 24: National Lasagna Day

Celebrate lasagna day a little early and head to Frank’s Daily Bread (1490 Riordan Ranch Rd) on Wednesdays when lasagna with meat sauce is the lunch special of the day. For $7 you get a big slice of lasagna, side salad, garlic bread and a drink. It’s the only day lasagna is available there.

July 30: National Cheesecake Day

Beautiful Leaf Bakery (2028 North 4th Street) makes over a dozen varieties of cheesecake from their most popular traditional and strawberry cheesecakes to unique blends like Black Forest, Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate, Lemon, German Chocolate, White Chocolate Raspberry, and many others. Plus, they’ll make any other flavor you desire. All are available in 3-9” sizes.

Check out more food holidays happening in July from TheNibble.com.

(Note: This article was written, also by me, for Flagstaff Live!)

Yummy dessert spots in Flagstaff, Arizona

"Life's short, eat dessert first"
By Angele Sionna

Life's short, eat dessert first… it’s been said a million times before and will be said a million more because the sweet wrap up to your meal can be just about the ultimate in food satisfaction. Whether it’s hot and gooey or just melts in your mouth from the delicate construction of fine fruits and sugar blended by an artisan of delectables, a good dessert can put a smile on your mouth and make your day. Here are some great Flagstaff spots that you should go ahead and consider ordering dessert before the rest of your meal…

The Cottage Place Restaurant
126 W. Cottage
www.cottageplace.com
Flambé is the word of choice at the Cottage Place. These desserts have a tableside presentation involving fire. It's just hard to beat and doesn't hurt that these desserts are delightfully fresh and satisfying! The other treats here also have as good of taste as they have presentation, but I'd expect no less from Cottage Place’s fine chef Frank Branham. They truly have the art of cooking mastered for every course.

Josephine’s Modern American Bistro
503 N Humphreys St
www.josephinesrestaurant.com
This is where I go for crème brûlée. It’s, well, a cup of awesome! I've been known to go to Josephine’s just to have dessert and coffee out under the stars on the patio, an enchanting atmosphere to relax in and for your taste buds. Other nectarous treats to enjoy here include a rich and luscious Mascarpone Chocolate Mousse Tiramisu.

Cafe Daily Fare
408 E. Route 66 (behind the Babbitt used car lot, 1/2 block east of Elden St)
www.simplydeliciousflagstaff.com
Café Daily Fare is a nice spot to grab lunch away from the hussle and bussle of downtown without going too far at all. Desserts here range from cookies and cupcakes (Belgian chocolate, lemon poppy, carrot raisin walnut, and “pineapple upside down cake” flavors) to crème brûlée, and bourbon chocolate pecan tarts. They even will make birthday cakes and deliver them to students at NAU (or anyone else anywhere in town) to make your special one’s special day a little sweeter.

Wildflower Bread Company
530 East Piccadilly Drive (at Butler & Lone Tree)
wildflowerbread.com
If you haven't somehow filled up on Wildflower’s salads and sandwiches, they have quite an assortment of sweet treats to indulge in. My fav - the Lemon Coconut Torte. It is, as the menu calls it, "scrumptious." It's a white cake layered with a light and airy lemon mousse and topped with coconut and a whipped topping. A little happy in every bite. Perfect for a relaxing summer night with a cup of coffee out on the patio. For you chocolate lovers, try the Ultimate Chocolate Cake. It is rich yet still some how airy. It is a rich chocolate cake filled with a decadent chocolate mousse covered in a dark chocolate ganache.

Beaver Street Brewery
11 S. Beaver St.
www.beaverstreetbrewery.com
You haven’t experienced all Beaver Street has to offer until you’ve had their Apple-Ginger Stout cake. This little gem is made with gingerbread cake, apples, spices, and Beaver Street’s own R&R Oatmeal Stout. It's served warm, drowned in a thin and not overpowering caramel sauce and fresh whip cream. Yum! This could be the most unique twist to gingerbread yet. Good anytime of the year, but especially great on a cold winter day with fresh snow on the ground. Still, that doesn’t stop me from ordering it while sitting on the sunny patio.

Sugar Mamas
At the East Flagstaff Wednesday Community Market (St Pius Catholic Church Parking Lot, 2257 E. Cedar Ave.)
These sweet-toothed ladies don't have a storefront yet (though they will coming up in November). Right now you can find their sweet goodies at the Wednesday Flagstaff Community Market (open from 4-7pm). Don’t miss the toffee brownies. (Mmm.) The toffee chips and caramel are ooey gooey with a crunch that tastes so great with the chocolately brownie underneath. Their specialties also include chocolate macaroons, key lime tartlets, cupcakes, strawberry cheesecake squares, lemon zucchini scones, pies and cookies.

Macy's European Coffeehouse, Bakery & Vegetarian Restaurant
14 South Beaver Street
macyscoffee.net
Macy’s has been a Flagstaff must for coffee since 1980, but if you’ve never tried their sweet treats you’re missing out. Their pièce de résistance are the chocolate chip cookies, made with a recipe from one of the chefs’ moms. But their peanut butter cookies melt in your mouth and are not to be missed too! Of course the biscotti and other breakfast treats make for a yummy sweet snack with a coffee or dessert after lunch.

(This article was originally written by me for Flagstaff Live!)