Tocino at Phoenix Ranch Market

The goal of Pro's Ranch Market in Phoenix, Arizona is "to give the Hispanic customer the variety, brands, and fresh authentic foods they know and love in a warm, upscale environment." But Hispanic or not, you are missing out big time if you've never been to PRM, because this is quite possibly the best supermarket (and for much of non-Hispanic Phoenix, the best kept secret) in the Valley of the Sun.

When you walk through the main entrance of the 16th Street store, you are greeted with the aroma of freshly baked breads and pastries from the panaderia. Literally - you have to walk through a row of pastries in order to get into the store. It is truly evil (and brilliant) product placement.

Once inside PRM, the experience can be quite overwhelming for the first-time visitor. The store is enormous, and there is a tremendous selection of produce, baked goods, hot foods, meats, and other grocery items to choose from. The aisles are buzzing with Hispanic families pushing their way through the crowds to grab fruits and vegetables such as tomatillos and papayas from the produce bins, reaching for the shelves full of Mexican canned goods and beverages, and picking up bags of hot, fresh tortillas made on site in full view of shoppers. The experience of making your way through PRM can be quite intense, and your only choice is to hop right in and enjoy the ride.

I could go on and on about all of the fabulous things you will encounter at PRM. Mexican sauces and spices. A large selection of seafood. Prickly pear fruit that makes an incredible margarita. Handmade chorizos. Some of the freshest cheese you'll ever encounter in a supermarket environment. Every part of a cow, pig or chicken. And even fresh lard.

But the number of times you encounter bacon products in various locations around the store is particularly notable. We saw bacon in no less than 5 different spots on a recent visit. So there is no way to forget to 'bring home the bacon' on a trip to PRM.

One specific bacon product we encountered were pre-packaged bacon wrapped hot dogs - or "salchichas con tocino" (tocino is spanish for bacon). Bacon wrapped hot dogs are a common Mexican delicacy. You can find bacon hot dog stands in many Mexican towns, but until recently I had never encountered the pre-packaged version. Bacon wrapped hot dogs are delicious and I applaud this Mexican company for coming up with the brilliant idea to sell a pre-packaged version. It doesn't get any easier or faster to enjoy a home-cooked bacon wrapped hot dog than Supremas Salchichas con Tocino from PRM.

But whether or not you are into bacon wrapped hot dogs, Pro's Ranch Market has something for everyone, particularly if you love fresh, authentic Mexican food as much as I do. I can guarantee that after one trip to PRM, you'll never look at Safeway the same way again.

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The Pork Shop

A friend and I recently made our first pilgrimage to mecca for Arizona pork lovers – The Pork Shop in Queen Creek, Arizona.

I moved to Phoenix over 10 years ago. So I’m ashamed to admit this is the first time I've ever been to The Pork Shop, even though I've eaten many of their products at the various restaurants they serve in the Phoenix area, including Matt's Big Breakfast. Granted, my interest in bacon didn’t really reach its current level of intensity until I started this blog a little over 2 years ago, but this trip was still long overdue. I guess late is better than never.

To say that The Pork Shop is located in the Phoenix metro area is a bit of a stretch. Looking at a map of greater Phoenix, the untrained eye would be led to believe that Queen Creek is a suburb of Phoenix since it is connected to other major suburbs such as Tempe, Mesa and Chandler. But The Pork Shop is actually east of Queen Creek (and in a different county), so for those of us who live in Central Phoenix (or CenPho as we lovingly call it) the drive takes over an hour assuming you don’t hit any traffic along the way. And of course we encountered a few unexpected road closures and detours that added to our travel time. But we persevered.

Despite the location, the trip to The Pork Shop is definitely worth the time and effort. My best advice would just be to call ahead if you are planning to order anything special that might not be readily stocked. In my excitement over going to The Pork Shop, I made the rookie mistake of assuming that a place called The Pork Shop would be able to fulfill all of my pork needs on demand. But even though The Pork Shop is pretty amazing, they are human and have a business to run, so I learned that lesson the hard way and will be returning in a couple weeks for my uncured pork belly. Learn from my mistakes.

For a little more background about the store, here's an excerpt from the store brochure:

The Pork Shop has been specializing in fresh pork products since it opened in 1979. At the time, Greg Combs, a third generation Arizona farmer, was looking for an alternative marketing source for his swine operation. Selling fresh pork directly to the consumer seemed like a good idea since no one else was doing it at the time, so Greg learned some butchering skills, developed some sausage recipes, and started retailing his own hogs right on the family homestead in Queen Creek where his grandfather had started farming in the 1940s. Before long, The Pork Shop began to add smoked products to its line, as well as a great variety of fresh home made sausages and lunch meats, until the business grew to the point that Greg now buys all natural midwestern corn fed pork and devotes his entire time to the development and production of the delicious pork products available at The Pork Shop.

The Pork Shop's modest building is located at an otherwise empty intersection surrounded by farm land. But despite the quiet, remote location, The Pork Shop’s cheerful signage is an indication of the variety of glorious pork products you will encounter inside.

More from the store brochure:

We sell just about anything that comes from a pig. We smoke our own hickory smoked, brown sugar cured hams and bacons, as well as a large selection of smoked sausages, lunch meats, old fashioned hot dogs, capicola, and snack sausages. The Pork Shop is famous for bratwurst, sweet and hot Italians, and Polish sausages, along with a great selection of breakfast sausage links, patties, and bulk sausages. Recently we have added a line of fresh gourmet sausages that include maple syrup, green chili, potato, beer brats, apple cinnamon, andouille, and jalapeno. We also have a special line of cheese sausages, Parmesan Italian, provolone, and cheddar brats.

The Pork Shop carries a complete line of fresh specialty pork cuts such as baby back ribs, Iowa cut chops, top rib chops, St. Louis cut spare ribs, boneless rolled loin roasts, as well as all the standard cuts such as center cut chops, pan fry chops, pork steaks, country ribs, loin end roasts, pork butts, and many others. We exclusively use select quality corn fed midwestern pork to bring you the freshest, tastiest, and best selection of pork in the Valley.

There are several bacon options – both pre-packaged and cut to order - including hickory smoked bacon, Kansas City bacon, pepper cured bacon, Canadian bacon, and bacon ends. I purchased the pre-packaged pepper cured bacon and the fresh sliced thick cut Kansas City bacon (which I mentioned in an entry on this website last week). But even though bacon was obviously at the top of my list of things to purchase at The Pork Shop, I have to admit that the best thing I left with is a pork product I had never encountered before – pork sticks. Pork sticks are basically skinny ready-to-eat snack sausages. The shape is similar to a Slim Jim (but that is where the similarities end). We tried two flavors – a spicy Arizona stick and a milder Apple Pecan stick. The pork sticks alone are worth the cost of the gas for driving to The Pork Shop.

I also picked up a pork loin roast that I prepared for dinner last week, along with some pepperoni that I’ve frozen to use for a pizza at some point in the near future. Bottomline...even though I wasn’t able to acquire all of the pork products I had hoped to get on my first trip to The Pork Shop, I definitely did not walk away empty handed.

According to a review Howard Seftel wrote for the Phoenix New Times several years ago, "The Pork Shop gets freshly slaughtered hogs from a Chandler supplier on Tuesday and Wednesday every week. By Thursday, the meat's in the display case. By Sunday, it's gone."

So if you live in central Arizona and you love pork, take a trip to The Pork Shop as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you’ve lived here for 10 years like I did. Take an ice chest and stock up while you’re there. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Location: 3359 E. Combs Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85242

Phone: 480-987-0101

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I had an awesome bacon cheeseburger for lunch yesterday...

Yesterday I ate lunch at North in Glendale, AZ with some colleagues. And I had one of the best bacon cheeseburgers I've ever eaten.

The burger was made from Angus beef, which was cooked to medium and had just the right amount of juiciness without being too sloppy nor overcooked. The cheese was a thick slice of slightly melted fresh mozzarella. The bacon was actually two pancetta slices that were cooked barely crispy and formed into little circular patterns. And while the bun is typically my least favorite part of a burger, this particular bun was pretty incredible - it was just the right thickness, the bread was light and not too chewy, and the flavor had a slight sweetness to it that went really well with the savory meats. I topped it off with just a slight amount of spicy mustard, but the texture of the bun and the combined flavors of all the ingredients really made condiments unnecessary.

I'm gonna have this burger on my brain for a long time.

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Matt's Big Breakfast (and BLTs)

There is a very small but very popular breakfast joint located on an unassuming corner just north of downtown Phoenix called Matt's Big Breakfast.

Matt's is not the kind of place you would just stumble upon. There is nothing else around that would give you reason to drive down this quiet downtown street. Across the street from the small brick house in which the restaurant is located are empty dirt lots. Next door is an interesting establishment called the Coronado Hotel that advertises a color TV in each room. Yet people flock to Matt's on a daily basis for what is probably the best breakfast in town, and it's one of the few restaurants in the state of Arizona where people are willing to stand outside in the 100 degree weather to wait 45 minutes for a table.

Yes, Matt's is that good (even if we Phoenicians are a bit insane).

I've been eating breakfast at Matt's for a few years now. The Big Breakfast experience is a Phoenix weekend ritual that I cherish, and it is about the only thing that gets me out of bed on a Saturday morning. The bright, cheery interior of the restaurant matches the happy, friendly disposition of the staff. Everything on the menu is made with the freshest of ingredients - most of which are produced locally - and the kitchen does not skimp on quality or quantity. I usually need a few hours to recover from the food coma that is a by-product of eating at Matt's, particularly if it's hot outside (and in Phoenix, it often is).

I usually order the Five Spot for breakfast, which is a sandwich on a roll with two eggs, two slices of thick cut bacon, and American cheese (onions are optional). It is very simply executed, and there is no better way to start the day than with this hearty sandwich served with a side of crispy hashbrowns. The thick cut bacon is scrumptious - it is cooked to a perfect texture of being neither too crispy nor too chewy. Which is perfect for eating on sandwiches or on its own. Matt gets the bacon from The Pork Shop, which is located about an hour east of downtown Phoenix in Queen Creek (a suburb that my friends and I lovingly refer to as New Mexico given that it is technically located in the Phoenix metro area, yet it is halfway to The Land of Enchantment).

I have to admit that I actually just learned about The Pork Shop for the first time this week, even though I've lived in Phoenix for over 10 years. Given my porcine obsession, I'm honestly embarrassed to confess that I had never heard of this place. But I'm planning to take a road trip out there later this week to rectify the situation (and trust me, you'll hear all about it).

So breakfast at Matt's is pretty awesome. But even though you wouldn't know it from the name of the restaurant, they also serve lunch. I've had countless breakfasts at Matt's, but I had actually never been there for lunch until this past weekend. And I didn't even need to open the menu when we sat down at the table - I already had my mind on the BLT.

I've been having good luck with BLTs recently. A couple weeks ago I wrote about a BLT made with caramelized bacon that I had at Brick 29 in my hometown of Nampa, Idaho, a sandwich I declared to be one of the top 3 BLTs I've ever consumed. And the BLT at Matt's Big Breakfast is right up there at the top of that same list. The thick cut bacon is the same hearty bacon they serve for breakfast, so that part of the sandwich alone is worthy of top honors (I really can't wait to go to The Pork Shop...I'm kicking myself for being so ignorant about its existence). But besides the bacon, what really makes Matt's BLT noteworthy is the bread. The strips of bacon snuggle with juicy tomato slices and crispy lettuce, all nestled between two thick slices of toasted country bread dressed with mayo. The bread is so soft and fresh and does a spectacular job of bringing all the ingredients together into one delicious sandwich.

(Sorry about the crappy photo of the BLT, by the way...I only had my camera phone with me.)

Matt's Big Breakfast is one of those not-so-well-kept secrets about downtown Phoenix that I hesitate to tell anyone else about, lest it means I have to stand outside in the 100 degree weather for an additional 15 minutes to wait for a table. But as the number of residents in downtown Phoenix continues to grow, so does Matt's popularity - and rightfully so. I guess I'll just have to start getting out of bed a little earlier on weekends.

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Bacon Wrapped Shrimp at Richardson's

Richardson's has long been one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. Their New Mexican style of cooking is a unique approach to southwestern cuisine. Naturally, one of my favorite items on their menu is the bacon wrapped shrimp. Phoenix Metropolitan magazine recently featured the recipe for this dish, stating that "the combination of sweetness in the shrimp and the smoky crispness of the bacon is irresistable."

INGREDIENTS
6 large shrimp
3 pieces of bacon
Pecan wood chips

Wrap 1/2 piece of raw bacon around each raw shrimp. Then grill over pecan wood for 2-3 minutes per side or until the bacon is crisp. To mimic Richardson's presentation, serve on a plate with a warmed tortilla on the bottom, rice and beans, and jalapeno hollandaise.

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Sonic made my day

I'm in Phoenix for the weekend and yesterday I went to Sonic for lunch. As I was pulling through the drive-thru, I encountered a very cheery young man taking orders over the intercom. I ordered my usual #1 with both mustard and mayo (and tots, of course). He asked if I also wanted cheese, to which I replied yes. And then he asked if I wanted bacon. Like that's even a question. Naturally I said yes. But as as I was responding, it occured to me that I don't think I've ever been offered bacon as a condiment at Sonic before. So I kind of chuckled as I responded with a firm "yes!" The young man gave me an enthusiastic "fantastic!" in response. And I drove away from Sonic with a big smile on my face (and with bacon on my sandwich).

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Soft Shelled Crab BLT

Today I had a great variation of BLT for lunch. The Soft Shelled Crab BLT at The Greene House in Scottsdale is amazing if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods.

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Bacon Brittle

Cowboy Ciao is one of my favorite restaurants in Scottsdale, Arizona. So I was very excited when my order of Cowboy Ciao Bacon Brittle from The Grateful Palate arrived last week. After my positive experience with a bacon chocolate souffle at David Greggory last month, I was ready to try my hand at another bacon-enhanced dessert. And once again I was pleasantly surprised - although I shouldn't be all that surprised by the idea of bacon making something taste better. I highly recommend Cowboy Ciao Bacon Brittle as a gift for friends or a treat for yourself!

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A super-Sonic breakfast sandwich

Yesterday morning I had the new Breakfast Bistro Sandwich from Sonic. For you unfortunate souls on the east coast who don't know the joy of Sonic, it's a drive-in restaurant chain that's super delicious.

Here's the description of the Breakfast Bistro Sandwich from the Sonic website:

"People describe the new Breakfast Bistro Sandwich as superior, highfalutin and delightful. It's egg, cheese and your choice of bacon, sausage or ham on bakery fresh ciabatta bread. We would describe it as yummy. Only at SONIC."

Of course I had the version with bacon. So not only was this sandwich delicious because it had bacon on it, but Sonic is very generous in the amount of bacon they put on the sandwich and it is by far the dominant ingredient. It was also cooked to crispy perfection.

The Breakfast Bistro Sandwich at Sonic definitely rates as one of the best breakfast sandwiches out there. I highly recommend it.

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Bacon Wrapped Trout

The Stockyards Restaurant in Phoenix recently re-opened for business. Even though the refurbished restaurant has maintained a classic steakhouse menu, there are a few non-steak items on the menu worth trying. One of those items is the Bacon Wrapped Golden Trout. It is stream trout stuffed with wild rice, rock shrimp and lemon caper brown butter that is then wrapped in bacon. I highly recommend trying the Stockyards Restaurant - for the trout and for the classic Arizona experience.

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