The Spicery Tea Room in Volume II Tastes & Treasures

Glad to have recipes and photos from The Spicery in our 1895 Home in Tastes & Treasures A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona, Volume II. Owner Matt Borowski is passionate about the food and service and history in this charming old town Glendale home.

The menu is delightful while lovely antiques grace the rooms with vintage tea service, laces and linens. A recent visit had Matt showing us his newly remodeled patio. Just waiting for cooler fall weather to plant flowers, pots of ivy, tables and chair with newly designed wrought iron gates and fencing. This patio will indeed be a sought after area to enjoy lunch, dinner and tea and dessert.

Ruth McLeod and Kay Holcombe enjoy the charm of The Spicery in Our 1895 Home

Owner Matt Borowski has wonderful plans for this new outdoor seating area.
He is serious about keeping the new patio neat and tidy with his leaf blower.

Testing recipes for Volume II Tastes & Treasures cookbook

Recipes often need testing to make sure all the ingredients are accurate and the directions are easy to understand. Thanks to Chef Leslie Christiansen for insisting that we double check ourselves in order to create the best cookbook possible.
Tasting Parties are the most efficient and fun way to test a recipe but we often have individual Historical League members make the food in their own home. The family then gets to be the recipient of the delicious dishes, including this one from Prescott:  The Palace Corn Chowder. Just look what goes into it. Yummmmm!

Navajo artwork made for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Walking into the AZ Heritage Center at Papago Park, you never know what wonderful history will be displayed in the lobby.
Created for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor when she was a judge in Arizona, this skirt is decorated with Navajo Yei figures. Eddie Basha's aunt made it. Eddie was named a Historymaker in 2001. He was well known for the Basha Supermarkets through Arizona, his devotion to education and his collection of modern Native American art.

Margaret Baker's silver tray

Among the wonderful treasures Margaret Baker has from her grandfather's Gass Brothers Chop House is this lovely silver tray. Damaged in a fire at the restaurant, it is engraved and still quite beautiful.
The restaurant was a very popular and busy gathering place in Phoenix in 1916.
You can read more about this fascinating history this fall in the Tribute Pages, Volume II of Tastes & Treasures.

Photo shoot for Volume II T&T

Mouth-watering food photos are the result of the photo shoots with Ken Epstein, photographer, and Stephanie Green, food stylist. The sharp focus and attention to detail is what makes these two such professionals. Assisted by cookbook co-chairs Leslie Christiansen, Cathy Shumard and Linda Corderman, the food is prepared at the photo shoot to ensure it is fresh and exactly right. Can't wait to see the final result in Tastes & Treasures Volume II cookbook!

More Tasting Parties

This time the Tasting was at the lovely home of Cathy Shumard on June 30. With the beautiful dining room table set for eleven, we were looking forward to tasting the new recipes.
Beginning with Flagstaffs The McMillan's spicey Edamame and flavorful Hummus appetizers, we toasted to the feast!
Note the evaluation sheets near each dish. Chef Leslie Christiansen is working to make sure every page in Tastes & Treasures volume II is a gourmet delight.