Written by Howard Seftel

Howard Seftel Rates Devoured Culinary Classic 2012

Carte Blanche Gourmet Taco Takes Home The Medal!!!

azcentral by Howard Seftel - Mar. 11, 2012
Republic restaurant critic
(Edited for emphasis - CBGT)

Devoured Culinary Classic, Arizona's premier food festival, opened to perfect weather Saturday, March 10. The participants all seemed to have their acts together - unlike in years past, no one ran out of food. The annual two-day event continues Sunday at the Phoenix Art Museum, and more than 2000 hungry foodies are expected to attend.

There must have been a memo going around to all of today's chefs to use corn in their dishes. I haven't seen this much corn since I drove through Iowa: we're talking polenta, grits, kernels, corn cakes, arepas and tortillas. The protein of choice was overwhelmingly pork. You couldn't walk 10 feet without running into pork sliders, pork tacos, pork loin and pork belly.

Despite some wooziness toward the end, I believe I ate at every single food booth. (Alas, limitations of human physiology meant I had to forgo desserts and alcoholic beverages.)

Sunday's line-up was the food festival's strongest ever, as most of the day's chefs went all out. Like Saturday, Sunday went smoothly, with perfect, Chamber of Commerce weather.

chk_bef_quesa Carte Blanche Gourmet Tacos Winning Presentation:

Mushroom, Chicken and Beef Quesadillas

Howard Seftel - "It takes nerve for a caterer to fight it out here with the big restaurant boys, but this outfit was up to the task. The evidence: flavor-packed mushroom, chicken and beef quesadillas."

Read The Original Article on AZ Central - CLICK

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Veg-Head’s Corner: Portobello Tacos From Carte Blanche Gourmet

Written by Shantal Chase

By Shantal Chase, Guest Blogger, Girl Meats Fork

In my relentless passion to improve my cooking skills and simply make your taste buds jump for joy, I find myself charting quasi- familiar territory with vegetarian dishes I definitely fall into the Carnivore category. However, I brim with excitement when the seasons change and there is new produce for me to play with and create.

Veg Head Portobello Tacos - Image copyright property carte blanche

I chose Portobello mushrooms to be the heart of my vegetarian tacos because of their meaty consistency. I love to cook with chilies and you can almost always find a pinch of Chipotle if not a handful of them in one of my dishes.

Cheese is not a staple in all of my tacos, but a welcome addition in these spicy treats.

Lightly toasted pumpkin seeds add texture and a slight crunch for an added dimension.

Carte Blanche Gourmet: Veg Head Portobello Tacos

Hit the store and grab a pound of Portobello’s.
A couple tablespoons of butter (go ahead…you know you like it)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of chipotle puree
Finely chopped cilantro
S and P to taste
1 cup of Mozzarella
8 5 ½ Soft corn or flour Tortillas
Just a spattering of toasted pumpkins seeds for garnish
Cascabel Chili sauce to finish
Cabbage slaw with lemon oil and apple salad vinaigrette
Pop the stems off the Portobello and reserve the gills for later. Slice the mushroom in quarter inch thick strips.
Melt a couple tablespoons of butter.
Throw the mushrooms in the butter and shortly thereafter, the garlic and chipotle. Sautee until golden and still slightly firm. Add gills for flavor.
Place the mushrooms in the tortillas, sprinkle the cheese and add the toasted nuts. Top with a bit of slaw and chilie sauce.
Serve piping hot!

If you need catering for your next event, check us out at www.carteblanchegourmet.com and let us cater your next party!

Comments (2)

Written by Shantal

Tillamook Taco Week

Photo courtesy of Tillamook Cheese

Tillamook Taco Week? Sure, I’ll bite. Who doesn’t love tacos?

And Tillamook Cheese is a cooperative of nearly 110 dairies who pool their milk to produce award-winning cheeses (they’ve won over 600 awards since they started more than 100 years ago).

Four Phoenix restaurants have signed on to create a signature taco using Tillamook Cheese as part of the Tillamook Cheese’s Loaf Love Tour.

The Loaf Love Tour will also be making a special appearance at each restaurant during the week so keep an eye out for their yellow mini-buses (which, not coincidentally, resemble a loaf of Tillamook cheese).

Here’s where to get your Tillamook taco fix from February 11 through February 18:

Carte Blanche Gourmet Tacos

From chef/owner Shantal Chase: “Griddled Fish Taco with Slaw” – a steak or chicken taco served with tomato arbol chile sauce and Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese. (3 tacos for $8)

Fuego Tacos

From Chef Holly Arguello: “The Arizonan” – A homemade taco shell with local chorizo, green onion salsa, braised chicken thigh meat and Tillamook Pepper Jack cheese. Served with arroz gandules and Cuban black beans. ($10)

Vitamin T

From Chef Aaron May: “viTamin T quesoTilla Taco” – made with a blend of Tillamook medium cheddar and Tillamook Monterey Jack cheeses. ($2 per taco or 3 for $5)

Ticoz Resto-Bar

From Chef Gabriela Quevedo: “Braised Beef Tillamook Tacos” – two corn tortillas filled with braised beef, sautéed onions, red and green peppers and Tillamook cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Tortillas are topped with melted Tillamook cheese and served with rice and pinto beans. ($12.95)

Original Article: Pen and Fork Blog