Tourism and Tastes of Tucson

Tourism & Tastes of Tucson

2010-09-30T16:47:00.000-07:00

South Tucson is a banquet of fabulous food! Go on this Gray Line tour and go hungry! You will be greeted by the owners of family businesses who are truly eager to share their passion for food with you. This tour helps you to know an area by the unique voice of its food.
Ride aboard one of Gray Lines luxury vehicles through Tucson’s Historic Barrio neighborhood and acquire an insider's look at each location's recipe for success. With tastings ranging from handmade pastries/tortillas, carne asada, and the renowned Sonoran hot dog to fresh seafood prepared with a Mexican flare. You will not leave the tour hungry. This tour’s combination of cuisine, history, art and fun is a proven winner with both visitors and Tucsonans. Group bookings are available. Sign up for this culinary delight by calling 1-800-276-1528.

It’s officially fall and crisp, fresh apples are abundant. Try serving them for breakfast. People will think that you’re serving oatmeal cookies.

Baked Apple and Cranberry Oatmeal

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
2 cups of milk
4 large eggs
¼ cup of vegetable oil
½ to 1-cup brown sugar
1-tablespoon baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon cinnamon
2 large Granny Smith apples Peel, core and slice the apples into thin slices.
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup dried cranberries

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spray 6-8 ramekins with Pam. Pour the mixture into the prepared individual ramekins. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until firm. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Great served with vanilla yogurt. Serves 6 –8.

Speaking of breakfast, how about adding scones to the menu? Adobe Rose Inn Scone Mix can now be purchased at Rincon Market. Try our “Snickerdoodle” scones available at both Tucson Whole Foods Stores.

What’s new at the Adobe Rose Inn?

Our very first art glass trunk show will take place at the Inn on October 19th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Meet glass artist Laurie Schock while you browse the art work which ranges from amazing jewelry to beautifully innovative plates and bowls. Food and beverages will be served as you shop for holiday gifts or a treat for yourself. Preview the show by logging in at http://www.somethingschocking.com/.

Stay tuned for details about cooking classes at the Inn. You can follow us by “liking” the Adobe Rose Inn page on facebook.

DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun

2010-08-28T14:01:00.000-07:00

Ted DeGrazia was the son of Italian immigrants He was born June 14, 1909, in the Morenci mining camp, two years before Arizona became the 48th US’ state. Tucson’s prolific artist built a mission and an art gallery in the Tucson foothills out of the dirt on the land, water he hauled to the site and the rays of the Arizona sun. He is widely known for his art which chronicles the history and the people of the region in a variety of media – including a crown which depicts the desert he loved. He shocked everyone with his protest of inheritance taxes on works of art in 1976. DeGrazia loaded approximately 100 of his paintings onto his horse, rode into the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix and set the paintings on fire.
Explore The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun and learn about Ted DeGrazia’s life and philosophy. Gather information about his art mediums and techniques. Discover Native American legends, ceremonies and history. Find out about desert horticulture. Gather ideas that will help you turn recycled objects into art. Admission is free.

It’s farm fresh corn season. Try this for breakfast or serve with a fresh green salad for lunch or a light dinner.

CHILI, CHEESE, CORN BREAKFAST PIE

3 large eggs, well-beaten
1 cup creamed corn
¾ cup white corn kernels, drained
½ cup melted butter
½ cup corn meal
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
¼ cup canned mild green chilies, chopped (Use Chipotle chilies for more heat)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a no-stick cooking spray, prepare a 10 ½ inch pie plate.

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place in the center rack of the oven. Bake for 1 hour or until firm. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
What’s new at the Adobe Rose Inn?

We are gearing up for fall at the Inn and designing "Best Seller" packages, book signings, cooking classes and art glass trunk shows. Stay tuned for details. You can follow us by “liking” the Adobe Rose Inn page on facebook.

As of August 23rd, you can purchase Adobe Rose Inn Buttermilk Scone Mix at the Rincon Market which is located at 2513 East 6th Street in Tucson.

Here’s a tasty scone recipe. Follow the directions on the back of the scone package and add 2 tsps. lemon zest and 1 ½ TBS. poppy seeds to the mix right before you add the butter. YUM!

Amanda enjoys a blueberry pecan scone at the Sunday St. Phillips Farmers’ Market.

Tourism and Tastes of Tucson

2010-08-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

Did you miss us? If so – please let us know. We are back from a 6 month hiatus and eager to tell you about some of Tucson’s tourist treasures and what’s new at the Inn.

Learn how to make a glass bowl or a glass ornament. You and your family can learn glassblowing at the Sonoran Glass Art Academy! Welcoming teachers show you how to create your own art work out of molten glass. Check out http://www.sonoranglass.org/.

Take advantage of summer’s abundance of fresh fruit. Give this blueberry peach breakfast cake a try.

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Cake

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 9 inch springform pan.

Cake:
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup lightly salted butter
¾ cup of sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 large eggs

Topping:
3-4 large, fresh ripe peaches
½ cup fresh blueberries

1 Tbs. white sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Cream the butter. When fluffy, slowly add the sugar. Add eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating until blended after each egg. Beat in the almond extract. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to the sugar mixture in three parts, thoroughly blending each addition.

Spread the batter in the prepared springform pan.

Peel and pit the peaches. Slice each peach into ¼ inch slices. Press the slices into the cake batter, slightly overlapping the slices. Place the slices in two concentric circles. Place the blueberries on the batter in the center of the cake.

Combine the sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 50 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and a tester inserted comes out clean. Release from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Freezes well.

Serves 8 or more.

What’s new at the Adobe Rose Inn?

We now own ARI Foods LLC, a company that produces our scone mix and baked scones. You can order scones on line at http://www.aroseinn.com/scones. You can purchased baked scones at The Loft Cinema to enjoy with your movie. Or look for Jim - AKA Farmer James – at the Oro Valley Farmers Market on Saturdays and the St. Phillips Farmers Market on Sundays. He’ll have samples of fresh scones, scone mix to take with you and freshly baked scones to enjoy.

Discover a Piece of the Past

2010-01-18T15:44:00.000-08:00

Yet another of the treasures tucked away in Tucson - The Franklin Museum™, maintained by the Thomas H. Hubbard/H.H. Franklin Foundation, is located at 1405 East Kleindale Road. The automobile was produced in Syracuse, NY between 1902 and 1934. The cars were air cooled and had aluminium frames among many other innovations for cars manufactured in those years.

Gluten-Free Breakfast:

Looking for a great tasting gluten-free breakfast? Try the Adobe Rose’s NAFTA breakfast. Why NAFTA? It includes Mexican tortillas, Canadian bacon and eggs from the USA.

The gluten-free NAFTA Breakfast

Preheat oven to 350° and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying it with PAM.

Ingredients (serves 6)

6 four inch corn tortillas
6 slices of pre-cooked Canadian bacon
2 cups of shredded cheese, Mexican Blend
6 eggs
¼ cup water
½ teas. gluten-free seasoned salt
1 TBS. chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup mild roasted tomato salsa

Place the six tortillas on the prepared baking sheet making certain to leave space between the tortillas.

Place a slice of pre-cooked Canadian bacon on each tortilla. Cover each tortilla with 1/3 cup of shredded cheese, Mexican Blend.

Wisk the eggs, water, seasoned salt and cilantro in a small bowl until well blended. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat until eggs are almost firm. The eggs will become firm in the oven. Divide the egg mixture into six equal servings and spoon the egg mixture over the tortillas topped with Canadian bacon and cheese. Top each with 2 TBS. of roasted tomato salsa.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately with seasonal fruit.

NOTE: This also works as a vegetarian breakfast when made without the Canadian bacon.

What’s new at the Adobe Rose Inn?

Wells Fargo Bank is featuring the Adobe Rose Inn in their online Business Insight Series, titled Small Business Innovations that Cut Costs and Boost Revenue. Check us out at https://www.wellsfargo.com/biz/education/insight/manage_marketing.

And a huge thank you to Marylee Pangman and the staff of The Contained Gardener here in Tucson. They gave our pool area a wonderful new look!

Celebrate New Years with a Tucson Flavor!!

2009-12-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

Tourism and Tastes of Tucson
Brought to you by the Adobe Rose Inn

This information is taken from http://www.usaindianinfo.org/.

December 30th 2009 - January 1st 2010

This Event is held on New Year's Weekend each year.

RILLITO RACEWAY PARK(Inside Racetrack)

RIVER ROAD & 1ST AVE., TUCSON, AZ

Dancers from over 50 tribes, authentic handmade crafts, children's activity area, traditional Indian foods, birds of prey exhibit, dancing, singing and drum contests, Indian information booth with brochures, flyers, maps, and powwow schedules for the next year. Public invited.

Midnight Friendship Round Dance Monday, Dec. 31, 2009 11:45 pm - 12:10am

EXHIBITION DANCERS/EXHIBITORS

HOPI-TRIBAL DANCERS

PASQUA YAQUI DEER DANCERS

NAHUI OLLIN AZTEC DANCERS

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY CENTER

AUTHENTIC TEE-PEE VILLAGE

Master Of Ceremony:Sammy Tone-kei White-Anadarko, OK

Arena/Director: TBA

Head Southern Drum: TBA

Head Northern Drum: Ta Kosa, Lakota Pine Ridge, SD

Head Staff: To be chosen each session

All Activities will be held outdoors! Bring your own lawn chairs and shade. Camera/Video Photography allowed for personal use only!

ADMISSION - $12.00Children 8 and under, Military w/ ID & Indians w/ Regalia are FREE!

Enjoy the fall harvest at breakfast. These pumpkin pancakes are great served with fresh, ripe pears slices on the side.

Pumpkin Pancakes

5 TBS. Butter
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 ¼ tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 TBS. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk
½ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt the butter; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the next 8 ingredients. Mix together well. Mix in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. The mixture will be lumpy. In another bowl, beat together the milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Fold in the melted butter.

Heat a waffle iron or griddle for pancakes to 350 degrees F and cook. Serve with pure maple syrup.

What’s new at the Adobe Rose Inn?

You can now arrange for a professionally guided eco-tour of the Sonoran Desert when you book your reservation at the Inn. Call us for details at 520-318-4644 or 800-328-4122.

Happy Holidays from the Adobe Rose Inn

2009-12-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

Make the holidays in Tucson unforgettable. Here are just two ideas for holiday memories.

El Nacimiento at Tucson Museum of Art
El Nacimiento is the mother of all nativity scenes has been a highlight of Tucson's Christmas season for over 30 years. Maria Luisa Tena created El Nacimiento in honor of a mother as a gift from her daughter. The family has lovingly staged this beautiful Christmas diorama for more than three decades. The traditional nativity is surrounded by over 800 figurines, depicting vignettes of life in a Mexican village, biblical characters and animals amid a natural setting.
It will be on display through March in a special room at La Casa Cordova at the Tucson Museum of Art. Admission is free.

Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul Park
A private park in north Tucson, Tohono Chul Park holds special evening holiday activities on December 4 and 5, 2009. The park is decorated with luminaries and fairy lights, and there is live music, activities for kids, and hot cider and cookies for everyone. Tohono Chul is place to buy Christmas ornaments!

Looking for something quick and easy to serve for breakfast during the holidays? Try this crustless quiche. Add a green salad and it becomes a luncheon treat.

9 eggs
½ cup milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
6 oz. thinly sliced, smoked salmon cut into strips
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ TBS. fresh or dried dill

In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the salmon and cream cheese. Pour into a 10-inch pie plate that has been sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle the dill over the top.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 300 degrees and bake about 10 minutes longer or until the center is firm.

Serves 6-8. 6 oz. of crabmeat can be substituted for the salmon.

What’s new at the Inn?

You can now arrange for a professionally guided eco-tour of the Sonoran Desert when you book your reservation at the Inn. Call us for details at 520-318-4644 or 800-328-4122.

Looking for a special holiday gift? Adobe Rose Inn Buttermilk Scone Mix can be purchased at Whole Foods in Tucson, Paradise Valley &Scottsdale, Santa Cruz Spice Store, Tumacookery, Maynards Market, Tohono Chul, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Buffalo Bistro , Tucson airport gift shops, Oro Valley Saturday Farmers' Market, St. Phillips Sunday Farmers’ Market and Wildwest Hot Sauce in Trail Dust Town. Can’t get to any of these places? Just order from our web site - http://www.aroseinn.com/scones .

Arizona's Beach

2009-09-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

Tourism and Tastes of Tucson

Brought to you by the Adobe Rose Inn

Yep! Arizona has a beach. Rocky Point – its US name - or Puerto Peñasco – its Mexican name - is a stunningly beautiful Mexican fishing village turned resort town. It’s located on the northern tip of the Sea of Cortez and the Baja Peninsula 216 miles from Tucson and 215 miles from Phoenix. You can drive there in 3 and a half to 4 hours. Why would you want to do that? For warm waters, clean beaches with miles of white sand, 300 different types of birds in their bird conservancy, sea lions, pelicans which fly in formation, fabulous sea food (and you can take 25 lbs. per person back to the US!), fun shopping, amazing night life and absolutely incomparable sunsets. What do I do when I am there? Relax, rejuvenate, revitalize, re-invigorate, revive, restore my sense of humor and renew my spirit. Yes, you will need your passport when you go.

Whenever we go to Rocky Point, we bring home the best and most unpolluted shrimp in the world. This recipe is my favorite way to cook them.

Asian Grilled Shrimp

Serves 6 -8.

2 lb. of large shrimp, cleaned, deveined and butterflied

In a bowl, thoroughly combine the following:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh basil finely chopped
4 extra large cloves of garlic put through a garlic press
2 TBS. white wine vinegar
1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce
Sambol Olek to taste (can be found in Asian grocery stores)
½ teas. salt
½ teas. freshly ground black pepper

Place ¼ cup of marinade in a large zip-lock bag. Add the shrimp and turn to make certain all shrimp are coated with the marinade. Chill the shrimp and marinade for no more than two hours. Refrigerate the remaining marinade. Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill.

Heat the grill to a medium heat, approximately 350 degrees. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers and grill for 2 – 3 minutes per side or until the shrimp is opaque in the center. Be careful not to over cook. Arrange the skewers on a platter and spoon heated marinade over the shrimp. Enjoy!

What’s new at the Inn?

The 3 Cs scones – cheese, chilies and corn. Just fold 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, ¼ cup mild green chilies and ½ cup corn kernels – frozen, canned or freshly cooked all work – into prepared Adobe Rose Buttermilk Scone Mix dough. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 -18 minutes. Great snack any time of day!

You can now purchase Adobe Rose Buttermilk Scone Mix at gift shops in the Tucson Airport, Tohono Chul, and the Tucson Botanical Gardens. The mix is also in specialty shops from Tucson to Tubac to Tumacacori. You can also find them on the shelves of some Whole Foods groceries.

Happy Birthday Tucson!

2009-08-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

234 years ago, the Spanish established a walled fortress, Presidio San Agustín del Tucson, on August 20, 1775. And now it is time for Tucson to party and celebrate its birth!

The Fourth Avenue underpass will open to connect Main Gate Square and Fourth Avenue shopping and dining areas with Downtown.

Look what’s going on – and this list is only part of the activities.

The Mayor and City Council members will be joined by the Seven Pipers (a Scottish band), antique cars and more. 4-5 PM. FREE
Arts, crafts and food at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum in the Historic Depot. 3-8 PM. FREE . We'll be there with our scones!
Ice cream social at Chris’ Café in La Placita Village. Ice cream courtesy of BlueBell ice cream. 4-8 PM. FREE
Birthday Party, door prizes and FREE birthday cake at Frog & Firkin. 4-10 PM.
Tucson birthday cake competition in Hotel Congress. 5 PM. Free cake to visitors.
Harley Davidson Show at La Placita Village. 6-8 PM.
Second annual “Best Legs in a Kilt Contest” at Flanagan’s Celtic Corner. Entry to the contest is FREE, but all entrants must be wearing a kilt.
Hot Rod Show at Maloney’s. 5 PM.
Determined Luddites play at Maynard’s Market. 6-8 PM.
Desert Bluegrass Association at Chocolate Iguana. 7-9 PM.

Tucson then

Photo by Jan Christensen

Tucson now

Photo by Jan Christensen

Monsoon

Season Tucsonans love the monsoon season – not just for the rain that it brings to refresh our aquifers, but for the light show that comes with it. Check out the absolutely stunning pictures of lightning in Arizona at the following web site.
http://www.lightningsmiths.com/lightning_gallery_02.html

Looking for a different salad to serve to family and guests during the monsoon season or any other time. Below is the recipe for Gado-Gado, a tradition salad from the island of Java in Indonesia.

GADO-GADO
½ pound red potatoes
2 cups cauliflorets (1 inch) 1 medium carrot cut into 2 by ¼ inch strips
¼ pound green beans cut into 2 inch strips
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 firm Chinese bean curd cake
1 cup thick coconut milk (canned)
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 large garlic clove minced
3 tablespoons Indonesian sweet soy sauce (can purchase from some Asian stores or from Internet. I like a brand named Conemex)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 1 square inch of lemon zest
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper or 1 small fresh red chili, finely chopped (I use Sambal Olek available in Asian stores and at Albertson’s)
½ teaspoon salt
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 hard cooked eggs sliced
6 cherry tomatoes
1. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until tender, 12-20 minutes, depending on the size; drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice.
2. In another saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water; drain well.
3. In the same boiling water, repeat this process with the carrot, then the green beans and finally the cabbage.
4. In a medium saucepan of simmering water, poach the bean curd for 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, wrap in a kitchen towel and let drain for at least 15 minutes. Cut into ¼ inch cubes.
5. To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, peanut butter, garlic, sweet soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, brown sugar, hot pepper, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to use.
6. Serve salad at room temperature – never chilled. Arrange vegetables in layers in a large salad bowl. Scatter the bean curd and scallions on top. Garnish with egg and tomatoes. Pour warm peanut butter sauce over all. Serve at room temperature.
7. A more traditional way of serving the salad is to spread the cabbage on a tray and arrange the other vegetables on top of the cabbage in rows. I always let guests serve their own dressing as the leftovers (should there be any) do not keep well covered with the dressing.)

Serves 6.

Fun, New Services at the Adobe Rose

Kissed By An Italian can provide Adobe Rose guests with three levels of service -Elegant and/or exotic customized dinners just for you as a guest. Diet restrictions can be easily accommodated.The planning, organizing, preparation & servicing of guests’ events at the inn for 40 or less - either buffet or platedA special stay & dine dinner package from May 1st to September 30.

Chef Mary Ann Brody-Heyl

Sample Menus for Elegant Four-Course Meals

Menu I - Chicken

Cold Avocado Soup Infused with Ginger and Lime
Simple Green Salad Tossed with an Orange Infused Vinaigrette and Served in an Laced Parmesan Cheese Bowl
Stuffed Chicken Breast with Prosciutto & Gruyere Cheese served with Mushroom Risotto & Sautéed Zucchini
Crème Brule

Menu II - Beef

Smoky Tomato Bisque
Stuffed Avocado Salad with Crab
Beef Wellington served with Individual Potatoes Au Gratin & Roasted Green Beans with Cashews
Chocolate Mousse

Menu III - Pork

Classic Onion Soup
Shrimp and Mango Salad
Smoky Rubbed Pork Tenderloin served with Autumn Grains consisting of Quinoa, Barley, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash
Banana's Foster

Menu IV - Seafood

Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Southwestern Caesar Salad
Salmon in Puff Pastry with Béarnaise served with Saffron Rice and Glazed Carrots
Italian Cannollis

Menu V - Vegetarian

Cold Gazpacho Soup OR Hot Minestrone Soup
Simple Romaine Salad Tossed with Orange Infused Vinaigrette Topped with Pine Nuts and Dried Cranberries Served in a "Laced" Parmesan Bowl
Rolled Eggplant Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese topped with Creamy Pesto Served with Angel hair pasta with fresh julienned Vegetables
Crème Brule

SCRUMPTIOUS SCONES

Chef Chic and the Adobe Rose Inn have paired up to turn their famous scone mix into scones that are available for you to buy in Tucson. Blueberry pecan, cinnamon raisin, cranberry orange, goat cheese and dill, lime coconut, chocolate chip, plus many many more! Contact the Adobe Rose Inn today to place an order or taste them at the Farmer's markets Saturday at Oro Valley & Sunday at St. Philips Plaza. Chef Chic is Wendy Gauthier who is a fabulous and inventive chef. She can take one of my experimental concoctions and turn out perfect scones using it the first time. No wonder she won the award for Best personal chef in the US AND Canada.

So where did I find these two incredible chefs? All of us belong to the Greater Tucson chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners – NAWBO. Check it out!

But It's A Dry Heat!

2009-07-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Tourism and Tastes of Tucson
Brought to you by the Adobe Rose Inn

Photo by Jean Crankshaw

BUT IT’S A DRY HEAT. . .

We’ve already broken one “hot day” record this year, but I’m still grateful that no matter how hot it gets here in the Sonoran Desert, I don’t have to shovel heat. Years of shoveling snow in Eastford, CT, Pittsburgh, PA and Milwaukee, WI make me happy that I traded “too cold and snowy” for “too hot and sunny”, if there is such a thing as too much sun. And it’s the only place I’ve ever lived where I have a hummingbird nest in my yard with two tiny, tiny baby hummingbirds in it.

The summer sun performs daily in Tucson. When my good friend Elly from WI came to visit, she was entranced with our neighborhood. Tucson houses are often painted in bright yellows, pinks, purples and blues. “Where do the colors come from?” she asked. We took her to the top of Tucson Mountain in time to see the sun execute a most exquisite sunset.

Besides, summertime food is fun. Icy sorbets made from beautiful fresh fruits and melons are cooling way to start the day. A scoop of home made banana ice cream on a bowl of steel cut oatmeal just makes you smile. And fresh fruits in baked treats can’t be beat. Try this one during peach season.

From the kitchen of the Adobe Rose Inn

Blueberry Peach Breakfast Cake

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter 9 inch springform pan.

Cake:
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup lightly salted butter
¾ cup of sugar
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
2 large eggs

Topping:
3-4 large, fresh ripe peaches
½ cup fresh blueberries

1 Tbs. white sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon

Cream the butter. When fluffy, slowly add the sugar. Add eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating until blended after each egg. Beat in lemon juice and lemon peel. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to the sugar mixture in three parts, thoroughly blending each addition.

Spread the batter in the prepared springform pan.

Peel and pit the peaches. Slice each peach into ¼ inch slices. Press the slices into the cake batter, slightly overlapping the slices. Place the slices in two concentric circles. Place the blueberries on the batter in the center of the cake.

Combine the sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 50 minutes or until the top of the cake is golden and a tester inserted comes out clean. Release from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Freezes well.

Serves 8 or more.

10 ways to beat the heat in Tucson

1. Drive up Mt. Lemmon where it’s as much as 20 degrees cooler at the top of the Mountain. Stop in the Cookie Cabin while you are there and order a huge cookie topped with three scoops of your favorite ice cream.
2. Enjoy an icy margarita at the Rio Café.
3. Tour the University of Arizona’s Mirror Lab.
4. Go to Frost for a scoop of yummy gelato.
5. Swim in Hutch’s Pool in Sabino Canyon, reputed to be the most beautiful pool in the Santa Catalina Mountain range.
6. Go boating on nearby Patagonia Lake.
7. Spend the afternoon in Bookman’s, the coolest second-hand bookstore there is.
8. Visit the Sonoran Desert Museum on a Saturday night.
9. Enjoy great theater at The Temple of Art and Music.
10. Enjoy a huge glass of prickly pear iced tea at the Tohono Chul Tea Room.

SCRUMPTIOUS SCONES

Photo of Scones done by Jan Christensen

Scones aren’t just for tea time anymore. Just add some fresh raspberries along with the butter and water to a package of Adobe Rose Inn Buttermilk Scone Mix, bake and serve over vanilla ice cream. A little drizzle of chocolate on top makes it even yummier.

Uncork a crisp, chilled bottle of white wine and serve it with scones infused with goat cheese and garden-fresh dill that’s been chopped. To quote “Wayne’s World” – “EXCELLENT!”