Noshing Around

Tucson on the Food Network

Last October, Sandra Pinckney, host of Food Finds, visited La Fiesta de Los Chiles at Tucson Botanical Gardens. The show finally airs Aug. 15, 16, 21 and 22. Check for local programming schedules. This year, the Tucson Botanical Gardens pre-empts La Fiesta for Butterfly Magic, an exhibit of live, tropical butterflies fluttering from October 2004 through January 2005.

Coming November

Chef Albert Hall will open Acacia at St. Philip's, in the former Daniel's at 4340 N. Campbell Ave. A contemporary American menu will be featured in the 120-seat space with plentiful patio seating in the plaza.

Slow Food, Italian Style

Slow Food Tucson invites members and the public to an after-hours Italian dinner at Roma Imports, 627 S. Vine St., at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the production kitchen, where mozzarella cheese, ravioli, lasagna, sausage, meatballs and spumoni ice cream are made. The cost is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. If you want Italian wine, add $5 per person to your meal or bring BYOB. Prepayment required; make checks payable to Slow Food Tucson and send c/o Barry Infuso, 7166 E. Chorro Circle, Tucson, 85715. Visit slowfoodtucson.org for more info.

Zapped

Firefly on Fourth Avenue has closed, and according to the management company, several inquiries have been made but no leases signed.

Kelpy Kremes

Here's a dud waiting to happen: To promote the DreamWorks animated feature film, Shark Tale, Krispy Kreme will create a special doughnut with brightly colored fish-shaped sprinkles. Once the darling of the IPO, Krispy Kreme stock has fallen 45 percent; executives have cited the low-carb craze and rapid expansion as reasons for the drop. Krispy Kreme seems to be grasping for product inventions, such as a new, frozen glazed beverage that has 440 calories (12-oz) vs. the 220 calories of a glazed doughnut. Later this year, a low-carb doughnut may debut. Take a lesson from Coke and don't mess with the real thing.