Superior’s debut Prickly Pear culinary festival is this Saturday, Aug. 25th. Ripe cactus fruits red as rubies and garnets are at their peak in August - and the historic copper-mining town of Superior celebrates this year with a debut culinary festival showcasing cactus-based menu items at local restaurants, a class teaching participants how to pick, de-spine and prepare the forbidding fruits - and plenty of opportunities for sampling. There's even a "prickly pear IPA" class for home-brewers!
Get there early before the squirrels eat everything!
SUPERIOR PRICKLY PEAR FESTIVAL
In Partnership with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum
In Partnership with the Boyce Thompson Arboretum
August 25, 2012 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
6:30 AM Meet in front of Porter’s Café, 404 W. Main St., Superior for a guided desert walk with Scott Wood, Tonto National Forest ranger, at the site of the old mining town of Pinal City. Enjoy a history tour and learn more about the edible prickly pear. FREE
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Porter’s Café - Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast enhanced with prickly pear syrup hosted by the Superior Fire Department. A donation of $6.00 would be appreciated.
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Prickly Pear India Pale Ale class, Porter’s Café. There is a limit of 25 participants for this great home-brewing class taught by Pete Rendek who is well-known at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum for his delicious pale ale created with prickly pear juice. Price per person is $25 and is by reservation only. Email mila.lira19@gmail.com to receive a reservation form, or call Lynn Heglie for more information, 520-827-9398.
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Superior Senior Center, 360 Main St. (air-conditioned). Don’t miss a special morning event (FREE) at 10:30 AM with author Jean Groen, a prickly pear expert who will instruct you in “how to pick and juice ‘em”. Jean is well-known for her popular series of classes at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Also enjoy chocolate prickly pear truffles created by the “Chocolate Lady” and an assortment of cactus edibles available from Cheri’s Desert Harvest. Visit with vendors sharing recipes and offering cookbooks, photos, handbags, notecards, and much more, all with a prickly pear theme. Enjoy live music by local musicians.
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| Unique "building art" can be found throughout Superior. Take a drive around town and see how many you can find! |
ALL DAY - Visit local restaurants and try their special prickly pear dishes prepared just for this event!
Jade Grill, Asian Barbecue, 639 US Hwy 60, Superior
Offering delicious pork rolls with prickly pear syrup
Porter’s Café, 404 W. Main St., Superior
Sip Prickly Pear margaritas and Prickly Pear lemonade and listen to live music
*PRICKLY PEAR GIFT BAGS FOR THE FIRST 100 VISITORS!*
Click below for my slide-show of Superior's building art:
Click below for my slide-show of Superior's building art:
Squirrel on Prickly Pear photo by nature photographer
Jeff Stemshorn, a.k.a. Big Bird
Jeff Stemshorn, a.k.a. Big Bird
I'm looking forward to this event, and I hope the town of Superior will hold this festival every year. Prickly Pear Products LLC of Mesa will be presenting information on the health benefits of prickly pear and giving free samples of prickly pear juice. This ought to be educational and fun.
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