Sweeten Your Holiday Gatherings with These Local Food Treats
This holiday season, we’ve made it easy for you to shop and eat local! Supporting local businesses helps invest money into the community, creates more sustainable business environments, and promotes new jobs. Also, you can find some unique and delicious gifts here!
Visit the Good Food Directory to find local food artisans and producers in your region, or support these up-and-coming local food entrepreneurs that are building their business in the LFA Community Kitchen and bringing some fabulous new treats into our local food scene. Read on for all the goodies you can pick up for your next family gathering!
Holiday Sweet Treats
Whether you’re looking for the perfect host gift or a platter of delicious cookies to share with family and friends, Adela Nevarez of Wicked Mix Cookie Company can whip up all of your holiday cookie dreams. Holiday cookie orders may be placed here: https://wickedmixcookiecompany.com/
Delectable Holiday Accompaniments
Michael Cicconi of Garden of Eat’n is making your holiday preparations 10x easier with a menu fully loaded with all of your favorite holiday side dishes. Order dishes like baked 3-cheese mac, bacon brussels with maple gastrique, poblano and pepper jack cornbread, and more. Orders will be made available soon for pick up the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
All items will be prepared with heating instructions and par-cooked to achieve greatness during the holidays. Stay tuned for holiday ordering and check out their meal prep menu in the meantime: https://gardenofeatn.menu/
A Filipino Feast
Brian Webb of Phx Lechon Roasters discovered his love of Filipino food over 10 years ago. After meeting his wife Margita, a native Philippine, his curiosity and love for authentic Filipino food shifted his path into the culinary world. His goal--- to recreate the smells and tastes of Lapu-Lapu city. He carefully crafted his skills under the tutelage of his family and gained accolades throughout the valley. Phoenix Lechon earned “Best Filipino Food 2021” from the Phoenix New Times and “The Best Places to Eat Filipino Food in Every State” from Food & Wine Magazine 2022.
Reserve your holiday kamayan (family style) dinner kit early. The kits feature Cebuchon-Crispy Skin Pork Belly Spit-Roasted Over Charcoal as well as Leche Flan. Orders will start October 15th, 2022. You can feed 4-6 people.(https://phxlechonroasters.com/catering/)
Tamales, Vegan Menudo, and Pozole
Born and raised in Arizona, Anna Salazar, owner of Raul’s Cocina, has salsa running through her veins. She has been cooking and learning her entire life from family-- including her “Tia” and “Nana”-- and has been perfecting her plant-based Mexican American staples. It’s so good, you won’t believe it is vegan! Now cooking with her mom by her side, Anna has been expanding her menu over six years with collaborations from other chefs and restaurateurs around the Phoenix metro area. Enjoy her vegan and gluten-free tamales this holiday season, which come in red chile jackfruit, green corn, soyrizo, and potato. For New Year’s she will be offering vegan menudo and pozole. Order here: https://raulscocina.com/
Bread Pudding and Peach Cobbler
A proud Arizona transplant hailing from the state of Texas, Fernanda Sayles of FernDiggity Sweets & Treats grew up watching her mother make peach cobbler. It was so good, her family would often fight over the last piece in the pan! As a young girl, Fernanda started creating the decadent desserts her family and friends loved. She has carefully crafted and perfected her banana pudding over the years. Now, all of Fernanda’s sweets and treats are available in individual jars (no fighting) or family style. FernDiggity is offering tempting desserts for the holidays-- like her famous peach cobbler, bread pudding, and red velvet cake. Contact her today to place your orders: https://ferndiggidysweetsandtreats.com/contact-me
Vegan Eggnog and Dairy Alternative “Mylks”
Melissa Valdez of Lil Leche is proud to offer a healthy, dairy alternative for those looking for something different without sacrificing flavor. She makes her small batch “mylks” from locally sourced ingredients and bottles in glass to preserve freshness. Lil Leche has something for everyone! This holiday season be sure to try any of the fantastic flavors available, like Cashew, Chocolate Oat, Horchata Oat, and even Eggnog! You can find her at various farmer’s markets in the valley or by placing an order online: https://lilleche.com/shop/ols/products
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN
Local First Arizona’s Community Kitchen in Mesa brings together ambitious business owners from around the community. The kitchen space environment is used to create, collaborate, test recipes, and grow. This unique space has helped form relationships between fabulous bakers, cooks, meal preppers, farmers, vegetable peelers, and taste testers.
Local First provides educational support, technical assistance, and strategic partnerships to root them into the community. The kitchen program helps educate through a Restaurant Boot Camp series on topics like food safety, menu development, food cost, and business marketing. Additionally, selected food entrepreneurs have use of this licensed kitchen space for a nominal rental fee. We supply the equipment, you supply the creativity! To learn more about our food entrepreneurship program, visit: