When it comes to Thanksgiving, most people like to play it safe when it comes to turkey. Not Phoenix’s longtime favorite Texaz Grill, though. Texaz Grill is taking what it’s known for (which is chicken-fried goodness), adding turkey to the mix, and creating a holiday treat you won’t want to pass up: Chicken-Fried Turkey. Available for four days only (Nov. 22 to 25), owner/head chef Steve Freidkin has dug deep into his recipe book of Texas-style comfort classics to create this unforgettable November special. It all starts with a heaping portion of seasoned and lightly breaded turkey that’s been deep fried—creating the combination of a crispy exterior and a fork-tender, moist interior. It is drizzled with slow-cooked, savory gravy, and paired with a side of traditional sweet potato mash smothered in its own sweet sauce and (dinner-only) served with bread and butter and salad.

The Texaz Grill November special is $8.50 for lunch or $12 for dinner. 6003 N. 16th St., Phoenix, 602.248.7827, http://texazgrill.com/.

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We all have our nation’s brave soldiers to be thankful for this and every year. And Operation Turkey Day is one way the Valley is thanking these courageous men and women this Thanksgiving. For the second year in a row, Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill will proudly host roughly 300 soldiers on Thanksgiving Day for a full traditional turkey meal at their Tempe location. For those that don’t have a place to go, Z’Tejas will welcome these soldiers along with their families to the “Z” family and provide them with food, drinks and–of course–football on TV. Mayor Hugh Hallman of Tempe will be there to welcome the troops and let them know how much we appreciate what they are doing for our country.

Operation Turkey Day celebration will take place on Thursday, November 26 (on Thanksgiving Day) with two seating times, one at 10:45 a.m. and another at 12:15 p.m. Z’Tejas is also providing transportation for those troops coming from Luke Air Force Base. Operation Turkey Day was originally started three years ago in Austin, Texas, before it made its debut here in Arizona. This will be the first year that the celebration in Austin will be hosted at Fort Hood. There will be other festivities for the troops to participate in, including a best turkey call contest with prizes. “It is always an honor to be able to give back to the great men and women who serve our country, and, of course, their families,” says president and CEO, Steven Micheletti.

For more information on Z’Tejas’s Operation Turkey Day, visit www.ztejas.com.

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Thanksgiving is a mere week away! My taste buds are already dreaming of sweet potatoes and pumpkin pies. In case you’re planning on heading out of the house this Turkey Day, here are a few Valley restaurants that are dishing up traditional, and not-so-traditional, feasts. (You can find more options here.) And be sure to make reservations for your holiday outing, as they are required.

The Boulders Resort
The Carefree resort is offering not one, but two tempting Thanksgiving spreads. From 2 to 8 p.m., Latilla Restaurant will host a four-course meal that includes menu items like roasted free-range turkey with cornbread-chestnut gravy and a fall-friendly pear-and-almond cake. This four-course meal is $78 per person, not including tax or gratuity. The Boulder’s Palo Verde Restaurant will spotlight a special Turkey Day feast from 5 to 9 p.m. and the menu will feature roasted pumpkin bisque, whiskey bread pudding and more. This meal will cost $60 plus tax and gratuity. 480.488.9009.

The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix
Bistro 24’s Turkey Day feast will feature a four-course, plated, family-style Thanksgiving experience. Each guest will be able to select his or her main dish, while a bounty of holiday side dishes will also be brought to the table to be enjoyed family-style. (You’ll feast on pumpkin truffle bisque en croute, farmer’s organic cranberry salad, French beans, your choice of turkey, prime rib or fish, stuffing, yams, a trio of pies and more.) Priced at $59 per adult and $29 per child 12 and under, the holiday feast will be offered in bistro 24 on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 602.468.0700.

Lon’s
Lon’s at The Hermosa is dishing up a three-course Thanksgiving menu. A choice of an appetizer, soup or salad, entree and festive holiday dessert will be offered. Selections include roasted kabocha squash soup, pan-roasted Arizona shrimp with green chili risotto, roasted turkey with fennel sausage and corn bread dressing, maple-glazed sweet potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes and cranberry relish; wood-grilled beef tenderloin and gulf prawns with goat cheese and herb polenta; and jalapeno honey-glazed natural pork tenderloin with butternut squash and port wine sauce. The dessert lineup feature pumpkin-cranberry pie, pecan pie with house-made espresso ice cream, and double chocolate decadence with chantilly cream. Additionally, Lon’s has an extensive wine selection to complement your holiday meal. The meal is available from noon to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and is priced at $65 per person and $15 for children (tax and gratuity not included). 602.955.7878.

Westin Kierland
Westin Kierland’s Nellie Cashman’s will feature a filling Thanksgiving buffet including roasted Tom Turkey with sage gravy, chestnut stuffing, candied yams and pumpkin pie, just to name a few. The spread is available from noon to 9 p.m. (last seating at 8 p.m.) on Thanksgiving day. For adults, the buffet is $45; for children it’s $15. Children 5 and under eat free. 480.624.1202.

Fairmont Scottsdale
Bourbon Steak, LV Bistro and The Grill are all offering special Thanksgiving feasts. Bourbon Steak will dish up a three-course spread for $47 while LV Bistro ($52 for adults, $27 for kids, tax and gratuity not included) and The Grill ($62 for adults, $30 for kids) will host delicious holiday brunch buffets. The Grill’s buffet will even include a raw bar and seafood station if turkey doesn’t tempt your taste buds. 480.585.4848.

Image from marthastewart.com

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If you lo-ove wine (that’s right–double syllable “love”), here are the details on a must-attend weekend event: The Arizona Wine Growers Festival at The Farm. On Sunday, hundreds of boutique Arizona wines will be poured during an afternoon filled with unlimited wine tasting, interactive educational seminars, a People’s Choice Awards and a charming picnic lunch by The Farm Kitchen. The Arizona Wine Growers Festival at The Farm offers guests a chance to shake hands and drink the juice of the state’s top wine grape farmers and wine producers in the picturesque setting of Phoenix’s historic Farm at South Mountain pecan grove.

General Admission Event Schedule (1 to 5 p.m.)
$65 ticket includes:
1 to 5 p.m.| Grand Wine Tasting
Presented by AWGA & The Farm at South Mountain, stemware provided by Schott Zwiesel
· 20 Arizona wineries offer hundreds of wines for tasting, meet winemakers from across the state, sip and discover the varietals grown in Arizona
· Sample food from local businesses including Chef Tracy Dempsey, Crave Ice Cream and more

1 to 4:30 p.m. | Picnic Lunch In The Grove
Presented by The Farm Kitchen and Santa Barbara Catering Company
· Included with general admission ticket, choose from three local and seasonal sandwiches or a salad plus a side of sweet potato salad and a pecan shortbread cookie

1 to 3 p.m.| People’s Choice Awards
· Vote your favorite Arizona wine. Choose from the finest red and white wines in the state, learn how to taste wine critically and responsibly from AJ’s Fine Foods’ cellar masters, find out who wins at 4:00pm

1:30 to 2 p.m. | Stemware Seminar by Schott Zwiesel (limited to first 200 guests)
· Learn the basics on wine tasting list a pro, find out what is important when choosing a wine glass, discover what stemware goes with which wine

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. | Arizona “State of Wine” Seminar (limited to first 200 guests)
· Listen as the top winegrowers and producers in Arizona discuss what is happening across the three main growing regions in the state, sample wines from these unique regions as the winemakers share their thoughts, expert panel includes Kent Callaghan, Eric Glomski and Dick Erath, discussion moderated by Richard Ruelas of the Arizona Republic

3:45 to 4 p.m.| The 2009 AWGA Awards Announcements
· Find out who won the top honors at this year’s Professional Wine Competition, find out who won the People’s Choice Award, the AWGA “Rootstock” award recipient will be announced honoring an individual who has help lead the way for the state’s wine industry

4 to 5 p.m. | Live Auction
· Bid on some amazing wine, dine and travel packages put together to help support the Arizona Wine Growers Association

5 p.m. | Conclusion of the General Admission Events

“Growers Cup Awards” Dinner (5 to 9 p.m.):
Award dinner ticket holders ($125 per person) will be treated to celebratory reception and multi-course wine dinner at Quiessence Restaurant at the Farm. Dinner will feature Quiessence’s award-winning seasonal cuisine paired with the winning wines from the professional tasting of the festival.

Notable wine authorities scheduled to appear as judges include:
Laura Williamson- Master Sommelier, Certified Wine Educator and Restaurateur
Ken Cheuvront- Arizona State Senator and owner of Cheuvront Restaurant and Wine Bar, Phoenix
Brent Karlicek- Postino Wine Merchant, Phoenix
Joe LaVilla- Academic Director of the Art Institute of Phoenix, Sommelier, Chef and Author
Doug Levy- The Feast Restaurant, Tucson
Jim Seder- Arizona Wine Inquirer
Jock Wulffson- Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix

The growing list of participating wineries includes:
Sonoita Vineyards
Javelina Leap
Kokopelli
Juniperwood Ranch
Pillsbury
Canelo Hills
Keeling Schaefer
Dos Cabezas
Skull Valley Wines
Caduceus
Page Springs Cellars
Rancho Rossa
Kief Joshua Vineyards
Lightning Ridge Cellars
Alcantara
Coronado Vineyards
Su Vino Winery
Callaghan Vineyard
Sonoita Vineyards
Javelina Leap
Rancho Rossa
Jerome Winery

Tickets, general information, sponsorship details and media info online at: http://www.azwinefestivalatthefarm.com/.

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One of my favorite things about the holiday season are the festive cooking classes that bombard Valley restaurants and stores–especially affordable culinary classes that promise yummy nibbles. One to put on your calendar is Feast of Seven Fishes. Students get to learn to create a traditional Italian holiday dinner, Feast of the Seven Fishes, with Sassi Chef Peter DeRuvo (AFM’s chef of the week) at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 at Whole Foods Market located at 7111 E. Mayo Blvd. in Scottsdale. Sassi’s DeRuvo will demonstrate how to cook and prepare three seafood dishes from the Italian holiday feast. Guests will experience tastings of the three courses paired with wines, along with the opportunity to learn one-on-one from the executive chef.

Recipe cards for all seven courses of the Feast of the Seven Fishes in addition to chocolate truffles will be provided at the Feast of Seven Fishes cooking demonstration as take-home gifts. The Sassi cooking event at Whole Foods Market is $15 and all proceeds will be donated to Waste Not. Space is limited. Please register in advance by e-mailing sp.sct.marketing@wholefoods.com and indicate number of people in your party.

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Fellas: Do me a favor, please. Treat your lady to a romantic repast at Quiessence restaurant at Phoenix’s The Farm at South Mountain pronto. This season only lasts so long, and its a superb time to take in chef Greg LaPrad’s amazing farm-to-table, super seasonal cuisine.

Last week, my husband and I enjoyed the cool weather and dined alfresco at Quiessence, under a sky of stars and an awning of white twinkle lights. If the food was just so-so, this would have been a memorable experience–however, the Contemporary American fare, concocted of mostly local, fresh ingredients, was really amazing. We opted to try the Farmer’s Feast tasting menu. For $65 each (it’s an extra $35 for wine pairings), we tasted six incredible courses. (Please note that the menu at Quiessence changes nearly daily.)

Our first course was the highly celebrated Chef Spread, a sensational selection of incredible cheeses, all from small dairies, and house-cured meats. The next course highlighted two of Quiessence’s salads: the house-pickled Spanish mackerel with McClendon Farm’s frisee, marinated snow peas, shaved red onion and dill mustard vinaigrette as well as the fingerling potato and baby arugula salad with eggs, shaved celery and creamy buttermilk blue cheese vinaigrette. (My husband and I were each given a different plate for most courses so there was even more to taste.) While the cold, pickled Spanish mackerel might be an acquired taste (I loved it, my husband was a little scared of it), both salads were different than the usual bed of greens and very delicious.

The next pasta course was my favorite. The hand-made tarajin pasta with escargot and Parmesan was divine, and the house-made Black Mesa Ranch goat cheese caramella with red beet sauce and brown butter was even better. The creamy goat cheese oozed from the candy wrapper-shaped pasta and paired wonderfully with the chilled beet sauce and warm butter. Mmm.

The pan-roasted wild-caught Great Lakes walleye with red potato hash, mushrooms and carrot sauce made up our seafood course. The flavorful, flaky fish was surrounded by crisp skin, and we loved sopping each bite with carrot sauce. Our final savory course was slow-roasted lamb with sugar snap pea puree and roasted baby carrots and turnips was tops. Hearty, tender lamb plus a light, refreshing puree is a pretty incredible combo. And although I’m not usually a sausage fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the house-made pork sausages. However, the fried fennel was my favorite part of the dish.

We ended our repast with an amazing dessert duo that featured a pecan and chocolate square with vanilla gelato and a white chocolate butter cookies with hazelnut-chocolate ganache, caramel sauce and poached pear. These fall-friendly sweets were the perfect way to end our autumn evening at Quiessence. http://www.quiessencerestaurant.com/.

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Pumpkin Pie Truffles: White chocolate blended with organic pumpkin and spices, dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in crushed gingersnaps. A 16-piece box of pumpkin pie truffles is $32.

Caramel Corn: The caramel corn begins with popcorn popped in pure canola oil, which gets tossed with roasted nuts and a deliciously light and crisp caramel, then drizzled with imported Swiss chocolate. It’s the perfect mix of salty and sweet. Available in dark chocolate almond and milk chocolate honey-roasted peanut. A bag is $5.50.

Thanksgiving Turkeys: Solid milk chocolate with cranberries and toasted pecans. Sold in a cellophane bag with three turkeys for $2.25.

Cute, huh? You must make your order by Monday, Nov. 16, if you’d like your goodies by Thanksgiving. http://www.richchocolates.bigcartel.com/.

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Knife skills are something that I do not possess. I recall taking a sushi-making class a few years ago: I was a pro at the rolling technique, excelled at working with the sticky white rice and eyeballing the perfect amount of ingredients. However, when it came to cutting the delicate sushi roll in to bite-size pieces, I pretty much butchered the perfect sushi roll that I had crafted. Obviously, knives and I have never really got along.

Thankfully, Sur La Table is offering the rare chance for Valley dwellers to learn the experiences, techniques and passion for cutlery that Bob Kramer possesses. You see, Kramer is the only former chef, and the only one specializing in kitchen cutlery, to have been certified by the American Bladesmith Society. And you won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear Kramer’s’s fascinating stories from his years working in the restaurant industry and designing some of the world’s most exquisite knives during this weekend’s Master Knife Skills class. The class is take place at Sur La Table at Scottsdale’s Kierland Commons on Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. The class is $100 per student.

About Bob Kramer
Well-respected in the culinary world, Kramer has been featured in various articles including The New Yorker, Saveur and Bon Appétit. Cook’s Illustrated once wrote “The Kramer knife outperformed every knife we’ve ever rated.” Put simply—Mr. Kramer is king of the kitchen knife. In fall 2008, Sur La Table launched a line of artisan knives created by Shun and Bob Kramer—the first time in history a Master Bladesmith partnered with a major cutlery company.

Class Information
What better way to learn knife skills than from the master himself? See Bob Kramer in action as he teaches SurLa Table’s exclusiveMaster Knife Skills class. Bob will give his students an in-depth seminar on knives and bladesmithing by teaching you how to sharpen your blades and showing you professional tricks and techniques of using knives. Plus, he’ll share his personal story and outlook on cutlery. Food and wine will be served at this once-in-a-lifetime event. To say thanks for attending the class, SurLa Table will also giveguests a 15 percent off coupon to use in the store, even on the exclusive Shun Bob Kramer knives. You’ll also receive a copy of Knives Cooks Love (named one of “The Best Cookbooks of 2008” by Sara Moulton, Good Morning America). Class registration is located on the Cooking Class section on http://www.surlatable.com/.

Photo Credit: Bryan Habeck

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The Valley is making way for three food- and wine-centric events in the coming days. Here’s the upcoming, fall-friendly events to put on your calendar:

Nov. 13: First Press Grand Tasting
This Friday evening, Valley winos and foodies will reconvene at the 8th Annual First Press Weekend of Wine, beginning with the First Press Grand Tasting. Taking place at the Hotel Valley Ho from 7 to 10 p.m. (beginning at 6 p.m. for VIPs), this one-of-a-kind event presented by National Bank of Arizona will feature award-winning wines, a “Food Fight” competition and VIP penthouse suites, each featuring a unique Valley restaurant. Tickets are $95 per person or $125 for VIP. For more details or to purchase tickets, visit www.firstpressarizona.com.

Nov. 13: Harvest Moon on Main
Downtown Mesa merchants will present Harvest Moon on Main on Friday, Nov. 13, from 6 to 10 p.m. The Mesa-based street fair will feature fun-for-the-whole family shopping, dining and entertainment. It will include green, sustainable, and holistic fun with country fair-like children’s games, organic farmers market, hay rides, art, giveaways, music and dancing, to name a few of the planned activities. Special cooking demonstrations will be done by Stephen Richards, chef, author of “Delicious Meets Nutritious” (which he’ll be signing at the event) and creator of Xagave, a healthy all-purpose sugar replacement. He will be cooking, sampling and educating the consumer how to include this healthy new product into their everyday recipes, especially Thanksgiving recipes that will cut calories and sugar, while adding healthy benefits for the holiday. The street air takes place on West Main Street in Mesa.

Nov. 17: Dining in the Steets–A Taste of Downtown Phoenix
Next week, you can get a taste of what’s cooking in Downtown Phoenix on Nov. 17  during Mayor Gordon’s Annual State of Downtown event Dining in the Streets. Local chefs, restaurants, bands and businesses will come together to help celebrate the growth of Downtown Phoenix. Mayor Phil Gordon will update guests on the changing landscape of downtown, including CityScape. The 1.8 million-sq.-ft. (three city blocks) mixed-use urban project is opening in the center of Downtown Phoenix in 2010 bringing new restaurants, retailers, office space and more to the city’s urban core. Local businesses will provide the tastes, sights and sounds during the 6th annual event. Dining in the Streets–A Taste of Downtown is a free, open to the public event designed to celebrate and promote the greater Downtown Phoenix area. The event is from 5 to 8:30 p.m., on Central and Washington in Phoenix.

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The pommes frites were piping-hot perfect, served with three dipping sauces: ketchup, a more tangy, Thousand Island-type sauce and an addiciting garlic mayo. They definitely rank among the top French fries I’ve ever tasted, especially when dunked in that goodness-knows-how-caloric garlic mayo. All the pizza offerings read very tempting but I tried the pie topped with proscuitto, arugula and shaved Parmesan. The pizza’s thin, extra-crispy crust sure won me over. The salad selections are quite plentiful including a chicken chopped salad, a caprese, a Nicoise, and the signature Mark’s Madison Avenue salad. This chopped salad featured a bit of everything, lettuce, peas, peppers, beets and more, and crowned with the scene-stealer: flaky and fabulous Italian tuna. Plenty of flavors and colors happening in this dish. The dish that truly did me in was the oh-my-goodness good spaghetti and meatballs. My grandma had always been the queen of amazing meatballs, but these Fred’s meatballs, made with veal, beef and pork, sure come close. So moist, so flavorful–this dish alone is worth a trip to the mall. I cannot wait to go back for more. P.S. The spaghetti and meatball re-heated wonderfully, unlike many pasta dishes.

While the entrees are plenty filling, do save room for dessert. The flourless chocolate cake was rich and moist, topped with fresh raspberries, little chocolate crumbles and raspberry sauce. Definitely share this one–it’s decadent but you really should get a few bites. The cobbler were even better. The fruit featured in the cobbler rotates and included apple on my visit. So fall-friendly! I couldn’t get enough of the crunchy topping, the gooey filling, the soft apples and the vanilla gelato. Maybe we should all get our holiday shopping underway now, especially if that means at stop at Fred’s at Barneys New York. 602.337.6115.

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