Culinary A Taste of Sonoran Desert Native Foods
Many are familiar with the sweet, red fruits of the saguaro or prickly pear, but have you tasted the carob-like flavor of a ripe mesquite pod or put a zing in your mouth by biting into the "mother of all chiles"? Join the ethnobotanists at Tohono Chul Park and experience a taste of the desert.
This tour begins with a slide presentation about the plants traditionally and currently used by the native peoples of the Southwest. Next, take a guided walk through Tohono Chul Park, a 49-acre desert preserve, to search for examples of wild and cultivated plants. After a visit to the park's ethnobotanical garden-where relationships between cultures and their plants are studied for a greater understanding of varied cultural values, religious practices, and connections to the natural world-the group may apply what was learned and practice some hands-on plant preparation. Finally, a meal of local plants is served.
Cost: $30/person
Attendees: 10 min./30 max.
Length: 3 hours
Sample Menu: Starters: Tepary Bean Paté with Mesquite Crackers, Sonoran Salad with Nopales (prickly pear pads) and Cholla Buds and Prickly Pear Vinaigrette; Breads: Blue Corn and Pepper/Cumin; Entrées: Buffalo Chile Posole or Tepary Bean/Green Chile Posole (Vegetarian); Desserts: Mesquite Baklava or Chocolate/Dulce de Leche Mesquite Brownies
Contact: Jo Falls, Director of Public Programs
Tohono Chul Park 7366 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson, AZ 85704, 742-6455 ext. 228, jofalls@tohonochulpark.org, www.tohonochulpark.org
 Cooking Sonoran at El Charro Café
Sonoran-style Mexican food has a distinct and delicious taste. Sample the flavors in a whole new way at Tucson's renowned El Charro Café. Here, all the delectable Sonoran-style dishes are prepared using traditional family recipes, from the homemade tamales and salsas to signature entrées such as the famous carne seca. Learn about the history of the cuisine and its importance to Mexican culture. When the lesson is over, take home recipes to test in your own kitchen-but not before you sample the fresh and zesty Mexican food El Charro is famous for.
Cost: $45.20/person
Attendees: 20 min./60 max.
Length: 11⁄2 hours
Availability: Cooking demonstrations are available Mon.-Thurs. only. Food demonstrated will depend on the season. Reservations must be made at least three weeks in advance.
Sample Menu: Mini chimichanga platter or queso blanco quesadilla platter, chips, salsa, and guacamole. Demonstration item, beans, rice, flour tortillas, and salad.
Contact: Candace Flores
El Charro Café P.O. Box 1203, Tucson, AZ 85702, 792-9922,
catering@elcharrocafe.com, www.elcharrocafe.com
 Four Seasons Cooking at Tucson Botanical Gardens
Join one of Tucson's top chefs at the Tucson Botanical Gardens for a cooking demonstration using fresh ingredients from the garden to make something tasty-perhaps a savory sauce with homegrown herbs, a hot-and-spicy appetizer laced with colorful fresh chiles, or a tropical stir-fry of exotic fruits. Begin with a tour of the Garden of the Season-one of 16 specialty gardens at the Tucson Botanical Gardens led by a knowledgeable guide. Next, enjoy a taste-tempting cooking demonstration by a leading Tucson chef who will prepare a special dish inspired by the garden you just visited. Afterward, stroll over to The Friends House Oasis for a patio lunch surrounded by lush low-water-use plants at the Xeriscape Garden. End the visit by wandering the shady paths of the gardens' five-and-a-half acres.
Cost: $35/person
Attendees: 15 min./40 max.
Length: 2 hours
Reservations: Must be made at least a month in advance, at which time a 50% deposit is due. If the group cancels less than two weeks in advance, the deposit will not be refunded. The remaining balance is due the day of the tour.
Sample Menu: Choose from ham sandwich with fontina cheese, apples, and Dijon mustard served with side salad; roasted red pepper hummus plate with grilled vegetables, pita bread, and side salad; fruit salad served on field greens with honey-lime dressing and candied pistachios; gazpacho with foccacia bread and a side salad.
Contact: Michelle Conklin
Tucson Botanical Gardens 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, 326-9686 ext. 15; development@tucsonbotanical.org, www.tucsonbotanical.org
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