Tucson Arizona...Marriot and the outing!

This has been a very busy week for us.  Company, good food, friends and a drive to a 5 star resort twice in one day.  We love a full calendar.

A FRIDAY OUTING....
On Friday we drove up to the premier Marriot Starr Pass Resort here in Tucson...twice  We had purchased the Tucson Coupons for the first annual Barbeque Cook Off at the resort on Groupon.  We chose the pre-cookoff party because me husband was playing golf on Saturday.  Before I say anything about this outing I want you to know that this is the first time this particular event had ever been held at this location.  The team at Marriot was doing a wonderful job but they had overlooked the online advertising specifics.

We drove the first time out to the resort in the afternoon...we are barbeque cook-off newbies so we didn't quite understand the drill.  I had done a search...a very long search...online to see if I could get some information...like the time when the public would be welcome.  I could not find a single thing.  I should have called the resort and gotten the information needed but I didn't...darn.  

SO WE MADE SWEET LEMONADE.... It is a good thing we are lemonade makers...we make a good time even when we are wasting our time.  After getting a little more specific information we decided that we would just stay and have lunch in one of the three restaurants at the resort.  We chose the grill and scored a patio table overlooking the pool.  The we ordered a $12 hamburger and split it.  I ordered some Pesole Soup and the kitchen gave me the recipe for this tasty mixture.  She had asked the chef to type up the recipe for us and this is the exact recipe the waitress handed me.


Pork Pozole  10 gal

• Pork both 20lb
• Fresh hominy 10lb
• Garlic 20 pc
• White onios  3 pc
• Guajillo chile  6 pc
• Bay leaves 1 full hand
• Mexican Oregano  2 tsp

• Put to boiling 10 gal of water, cut pork in small dice add to hot water with hominy and let to boiling for half hour and added onions,garlic, oregano, bay leaves.  Let cook until everything is cook.

Now I want you to all understand that our hispanic population has some of the best cooks in the world...especially when it comes to the ethnic food they have grown up with.  I could hear this person telling me the ingredients in that wonderful lyrical Hispanic way of speaking English.  I only wish I had a recording for you.

You must realize that this recipe will make a whole boat load of soup.  I just looked online to see what the history of the soup is.  I knew I would find something special...my waitress said her friend used it to cure a hangover.  Bryan B. submitted the recipe to Allrecipe.com and he said,

"Authentic Posole is made with the pig's head; the ears are the delicacy. This simple recipe uses more 'acceptable' ingredients."  I will skip the pig head because I don't even know where you would get such a thing.  However, here in Tucson you can buy pig ears, the hoof and other pig parts you don't normally find in a grocery like Safeway or Fry's.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork loin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• water to cover
• 4 cups hominy
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage for garnish
• 1 small head cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon onion
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the pork, salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Allow to simmer for two hours, skimming foam as necessary.
2. Remove from heat and take the bones out of the stock. Cool and de-fat the stock. Remove pork from bones and return meat to stock. Add the hominy and chili powder and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes.
3. Serve by placing soup in bowls. Each diner then adds their own cabbage, radishes, onion and lime juice to taste. Eat by dipping spoon deep down to bottom of bowl, lifting to bring up the meat, hominy, soup and layered vegetables.

LATER THAT EVENING....When the event actually began at 6:00 PM,  it turned out that there were only 4 vendors with food to be tasted.  We were given 4 tickets when we checked in so we could sample.  On Saturday those taster tickets would cost $2 each.  Then we wandered around and my husband visited with one of the judges.  I talked to a chef from the Starr Pass Country Club restaurant.  It turned out to be lots of fun.  Next year we will go on Saturday and take part in an afternoon of tasting great barbeque from professionals.  We would actually have done that this year if we could have gotten a clear picture of what was going on. You can learn from our mistakes...hopefully!


Have a wonderful week.

b

Related articles

• JW Marriott Tucson Announces 1st Annual BBQ Classic (marketwire.com)