Some things are worth the trip. Especially when they’re hand-crafted food products that are local, organic and gourmet. Yes, it’s worth the drive out to Queen Creek, Arizona to visit The Queen Creek Olive Mill where you can take in a factory tour or stroll the orchard, savor gourmet olives, sample fig or pomegranate white balsamic vinegars, try tasty tapenades and take home fresh pressed extra virgin olive oils infused with chocolate, white truffles, bacon, roasted garlic, Meyer lemon or blood orange. Then there’s the Tuscan-inspired eatery, wine tastings, music and dancing. The Queen Creek Olive Mill is Agritourism at it’s best, and the booming town of Queen Creek has had Arizona’s only olive working farm and mill all to itself for the last 17 years. If Queen Creek is too far of a trek, you can visit Queen Creek’s Oils And Olives at Kierland Commons in Scottsdale. But the Olive Mill is certainly worth the drive.
Owner Perry Rea started with 10 acres, 1000 olive trees and a retired career in the automotive industry. Now with 25 acres, 16 varieties of olives and 40 products under the Queen Creek label, many of us are happy that Rea switched from motor oil to olive oil. At the heart of everything that Rea does is creating a fun friendly atmosphere where families can gather around the table and enjoy good food, whether it’s at the olive mill or in your own home. So that brings me to my new favorite product from QCOM. Bacon infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil. What that means is you now get all the tantalizing flavor of bacon without any of the bacon fat. What better way to enjoy this dynamic duo of olive oil and bacon than with a good old fashioned Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing, the flavor richly enhanced by full-bodied Queen Creek Fig Balsamic Vinegar? This recipe was created just for you by Perry — for olive us to enjoy!
toasted sesame seeds
Korean BBQ Tacos
One this is for sure about the American palate. Our taste buds love to travel to exotic places. They lingered on Chinese food for years; then, Italian, Mexican, Pacific Rim and most recently with the Thai food invasion. These days, our flavor buds have acquired an insatiable appetite for Korean food; in particular, Korean BBQ. Five years ago, the term Bulgogi (grilled thin-sliced marinated meat) would have been as foreign as the most remote village on the Korean Peninsula. But today, Bulgogi is the new Big Mac. There is a lot to satisfy the taste buds with Korean BBQ, and the simple ingredient and ease of cooking makes for a happy cook, too! Here, Korean BBQ finds itself tucked inside warm, charred tortillas, making for an East-Meets-Southwest delight!
Watch my HOW TO Video for Korean BBQ Tacos here!
