Tucson’s Chinese Chorizo Festival is now in its fifth year partnering with local restaurants to bring foodies a synergy of Chinese and Mexican cultures.
Chef and artist Feng Feng Yeh is the creator of the project, which she says was inspired by her search for representation when she was a youth in the Old Pueblo.
“When you’re a person of color or a person of mixed race in America, it’s really hard to place your identity,” Yeh says.
The typical Chinese chorizo recipe mixes Chinese spices with leftover cuts of pork. Yeh also makes a vegan version with minced mushrooms.
“The Chinese chorizo is an actual historic sausage that was made here in Tucson, so it’s specific to this city. It was developed in Chinese grocery stores that were all located here on Tucson’s south side and in the barrios,” Yeh says, in a 2023 episode of “Arizona Illustrated.”
For the next several weekends, we’ll be visiting a partner restaurant to taste, smell and talk about the recipes in this year’s festival.
Before 9 a.m. on Friday morning, one of two Chinese chorizo recipes at Rosebud Bakery had already been sold out.
Co-owner and lead baker Harper Hall has participated in the festival for the last two years.
“A lot of people look forward to it all year. Sometimes that’s the only visit some people make to our bakery. They’re making the rounds for Chinese chorizo. It also introduces a lot of new people to Rosebud, which we appreciate” Hall says.
This weekend, the bakery is offering a vegan blue corn empanada with minced mushroom filling and tomatillo salsa — those sold out quickly — and a baked pork bao bun that comes with garlic chili oil. That’s the one I got to try.
The bun is a delightful pillow of milk bread that contrasts the robust flavor of chorizo nestled inside. With a drizzle of chili oil, the entire package offers a spicy — but tolerable — snack for the late afternoon or pre-dinner.
Though I missed out on it, Hall says the empanada holds the spicy mushrooms inside a flaky, satisfyingly-textured crust with an earthy flavor.
Rosebud Bakery is also hosting Yeh for an Apéro gathering on Nov. 6 and 7 featuring the chorizo.
Through Sunday, Chinese chorizo will appear on menus at Anello, Bamba!, Bata, Barrio Bread, Boca, Ceres, Munchees, Rocco’s Little Chicago, Rosebud Bakery, Sawmill Run and Zerai’s International Bar.
WATCH: Tucson Chinese Chorizo Project on Arizona Illustrated.
