Food & Wine USA - (12)December 2018

DEPTH OF

FLAVOR

THE STOPS

HOTEL CONGRESS

JW MARRIOTT

STARR PASS RESORT

& SPA

ELVIRA’S

MONSOON CHOCOLATE

SONORAN HOT DOGS

THE CHIRICAHUAS

T

he caramel bonbons infused with a shot of Sonoran mezcal got us thinking:

Tucson takes “eating local” to a level rarely seen anywhere else. Desert life

makes all roots run deep, but Tucson’s culinary legacy shows special reach.

e area, cultivated for 4,000 years, holds exceptional tenure in the United

States. In fact, it’s the first American city (San Antonio is the only other) recognized

internationally by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

Our crew, made up of both Arizonans and friends from across the

country, designed a road trip specifically to explore what goes into such

a legacy. In kitchens and beyond, we discovered how easy it is to make

every day a tasting flight that crosses cultures. Tucson is the kind of

town that invites you to spread your morning toast with prickly

pear jelly, put a lunchtime hot dog on a sweet Mexican bun and toast

the sunset with watermelon-infused tequila.

SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION

Few stops for

drinks prove as

memorable as

Tucson’s Hotel

Congress. The

landmark hosts

multiple patios,

five bars, an indie

radio station, a

live-music venue

and a guy named

Tiger who’s been

tending the bar

since 1959.

A ROAD TRIP AROUND TUCSON AND THE SURROUNDING

AREAS REVEALS A FUSION OF CUISINE AND EXPERIENCES

ROOTED IN MILLENNIA OF TRADITION.

[UN]REAL ARIZONA