Desert to Dish: A Cooking Demonstration Rooted in the Sonoran Landscape

Chef Christine Leo will show guests how to turn prickly pear, tepary beans, and other native ingredients into nourishing, plant-forward meals

CAVE CREEK, Ariz. — Desert Foothills Land Trust is excited to present Desert to Dish: A Sonoran Foods Cooking Demonstration, exploring the flavors and health benefits of Sonoran Desert foods. The event will be held Thursday, October 22, at 4 p.m. at Harmony Hollow, 44316 N Spur Cross Road in Cave Creek.

Chef Christine Leo, who serves as HonorHealth Food Service Manager, will headline the demonstration with a menu of plant-forward dishes. She'll work with prickly pear, squash, tepary beans, and other ingredients that have fed communities in this region for generations. Guests get a front-row seat to the process, then a taste of the results. They'll leave with recipes and practical tips ready to try at home.

Desert to Dish ties together the places our food comes from and our relationship to the land. The Sonoran Desert has fed the communities who call it home for thousands of years, and those same ingredients can nourish us now. It celebrates the powerful connections between food, culture, community, and the landscapes we call home.

"This event is about more than a great meal," said Raena Kamakahi, President and CEO of Desert Foothills Land Trust. "It's an invitation to see the desert differently, as a source of nourishment, culture, and community that's worth protecting."

Proceeds go directly to Desert Foothills Land Trust's work of protecting the Sonoran Desert. Reserve your spot at dflt.org/deserttodish.

Event Details 

What: Desert to Dish: A Sonoran Foods Cooking Demonstration

When: Thursday, October 22, 4 p.m.

Where: Harmony Hollow, 44316 N Spur Cross Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Tickets: $50. Purchase at dflt.org/deserttodish