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Arizona

The Grand Canyon state is the home of the chimichanga, the deep-fried burrito that is a star of Sonoran-style cooking. Restaurants in Tucson and Phoenix both lay claim to its invention. Arizona versions of Mexican food follow the Sonoran-style, which emphasizes wheat tortillas (rather than corn), beef, and milder chiles. In Arizona, cacti are an important food item, going back to the native Pima and Papago tribes, who made jams and syrups from the sweet fruit of saguaros and ate the spiky paddles of the prickly pear (nopales, in Spanish). Jicama, a faintly sweet tuber with the texture of an apple, and tomatillos are also important ingredients. Arizona was sparsely settled until mining drew crowds into the territory. Cattle ranching was an important early industry. Beef remains a big part of Arizona cooking. It’s a popular filling for Chimichangas and tacos and is the star of carne seca. The influences of the past are still very much present in Arizona’s ubiquitous Southwest cuisine; however, with an enormous influx of people into Arizona, other regional tastes are coming through, influencing the regional flavor here in the desert Southwest.

	Featured Cook PMAMA Cooking Level: Expert Home Town: Erie, Pennsylvania, USA Living In: Prescott Valley, Arizona, USA
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