Phoenix rises from the winter ashes

Many Chicagoans would normally be flying to Phoenix, Arizona this February to beat the winter blues and soak up some sun, but the current pandemic has halted much of that. Not only known for good weather during February, Phoenix also has a vibrant arts scene, tons of outdoor adventure opportunities and plenty of culinary experiences to explore. 

The Visit Phoenix tourism group held a recent virtual demonstration with their local chef Tracy Dempsey. Known for her desserts, Dempsey has contributed to many Valley restaurants such as Gregory's World Bistro, Cowboy Ciao and Lon's at the Hermosa Inn. She continues to expand her empire with offerings at other dining establishments such as Garage-East and AZ88. 

Her own website TracyDempseyOriginals.com allows hungry fans to see a vast menu of wines and treats. If you are in the area, limited hour curbside pickup is offered at 1323-1325 West University Drive in Tempe, AZ. 

One night, Dempsey virtually demonstrated how to make her Campfire Marshamellows with a blowtorch for a select group. The Red Hot Chile Pepito Cranberry Brittle was a little spicy, but quite good, as they sent a sample along with the AZ Graham Cracker to try. 

These samples only made me crave visiting Arizona more, but will have to tide me over until travel eventually ramps up again. Plan a trip when that happens at VisitPhoenix.com.