EYES ON THE PIES
You might have been peeking in the lower level of the TransAmerica Building, wondering what was in store for the small cafe space. Well, the wait is finally over because Pie Bird is officially open for breakfast, lunch, and pastries on the go.
Of course, that includes pies of all sorts, such as hand pies, slices, and full pies by special order in a variety of flavors. Baker and co-owner William Moyer says some of his favorite recipes are custard-based, including honey pie, shaker lemon pie, and key lime pie. As a trained baker from the Culinary Institute of America and the former food stylist and recipe tester for Saveur, Moyer is focused on both the aesthetic and flavor of his baked goods, which will include a range of savory quiche options as well.
Moyer and partner Maren Bell say that they are excited to offer fresh, new options to the downtown lunch crowd too with a full lunch menu and grab and go salads. Bell, who ran a lunch catering business before Pie Bird, uses recipes from her own and her grandmother's arsenal, as well as taking suggestions from Moyer. Bell describes her menu as, simply, "comfort food."
"It'll be like something you'd have at your grandma's house," she says, "but with a modern twist."
SAVOR THE MOMENT
If you fancy yourself a serious local food snob, take note. Savor Food & Wine Festival is hitting the Tucson Botanical Gardens on Saturday, Feb. 7 to serve up samples of some of the best bites and sips in town.
The second annual event is joining forces with an impressive line-up of over 40 local chefs, 15 breweries and wineries, artisan vendors and purveyors, coffee roasters, and more. Live demonstrations will keep attendees informed and entertained throughout the day, including seminars on how to make gnocchi and tarte tatin.
Some of the many participating restaurants and bars include Agustin Kitchen, Proper, Noble Hops, Pastiche, NOX Kitchen, The Still, Dragoon, Borderlands, Yellow Brick Coffee and more.
Events like this, which runs from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., are especially great if there are a handful of hotspots you desperately want to try, but don't necessarily have the cash flow to eat a full meal at all of them. Trust me, after a while all of those samples will certainly fill you up.
You can get tickets for Savor and its kick-off event via the Southern Arizona Arts and Culture Alliance website. General admission is $65 in advance or $100 for the full VIP treatment. The website also lists most of the samples chefs will be serving up, if you need to formulate a plan of attack—might not be a bad idea.
