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ARIZONA'S SHINING STAR

by MADELYN MILLER

It used to be that whenever someone said the word "wigwam", I thought of Indian Tee Pees. But from now on, I'll think fondly of a wonderful 5-star resort located 17 miles west of Phoenix. The Wigwam is encircled by miles of rugged desert terrain contained by majestic mountains rising into the ever cloudless sky that has made this area famous.

Fondly dubbed "The Wigwam" by visiting executives of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for whom it was built in 1919,

the resort recently completed a $30 million renovation and restoration. They maintained the original motif -- blending architecture with nature by using materials native to the Southwest Region. Slate, stone and wood surfaces have been accented with Southwestern color schemes and enhanced by an abundance of natural lighting.

The 331 guest casitas are imbued with soft, contemporary desert tones and textures of the region. My suite had pale blonde wood throughout and felt like a cozy retreat loaned by a friend. There were lots of little touches and special details - like the lucite sewing kit with six threaded needles, pottery glasses and soap dishes. I loved sitting out on our terrace overlooking the golf course. People originally came to the Wigwam on horseback. Now transportation is by electric-powered golf cart.

Golf is one reason the Wigwam is a destination resort. It has three championship 18-hole golf courses, two designed by Robert Trent Jones. They are in the old desert golf style of traditional park-like design with expanses of verdant turf, mature trees and ponds and streams. The resort also caters to tennis enthusiasts with nine plexi-pave courts and a 500-seat stadium court.

Other activities include skeet shooting, horseback riding, hayrides, bicycling, croquet, shuffleboard, volleyball and badminton. Couch potatoes like myself can sun around two elaborate pools, pick from piles of puzzles available in the lounge or borrow video tapes for the VCR players in the room.

The highlight of my stay was dinner in the resort's famed ARIZONA KITCHEN restaurant. The executive chef, Jon Hill, served a executive chef at the white house for Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Hill believes "people come to the Wigwam for the total Southwest experience, and the food is an important part of that experience." He is committed to the culinary "authentic Arizona" motif using fresh ingredients indigenous to the area.

The setting evokes a cozy country kitchen where friends and family gather. Brick floors and an adobe fireplace provide counterpoint to the gleaming copper and ceramic tiled kitchen.

From the wood-burning oven come pizzas with a crust jalapeno and corn fry bread or yellow cornmeal, generously topped with a variety of choices from refried beans to vegetables and herbs.

It is often said that part of a pleasant dining experience has to do with presentation. The table settings in the ARIZONA KITCHEN recently earned the Table Top Award from Restaurant Hospitality Magazine for good reason. They are laid out with colorful, woven place mats, attractive pottery dinnerware, and handsome blue-tinted, hand-blown stem and glassware.

But what was most unforgettable to me was the artistic plating of each dish. Jon Hill comes from a long line of hoteliers, but somewhere in his genes their is a strong artistic beat.

My cured and smoked tuna carpaccio ($5.75) had a black bean aiolo piped in a row of cactuses at the bottom of the plates, and had a sauce "sun" shining down on my thick slices of tender tuna.

My entree should have been framed. I ordered medallions of veal ($21.75) on a bed of roasted peppers and forest mushroom were glazed with jalapeno jack cheese and surrounded by a truffle sage sauce. Above the veal, a lattice design of asparagus appeared as garden gate topped by carved carrot tulips and yellow squash blossoms.

Unfortunately, I stuffed myself with jalapeno - flecked Indian fry bread and blue-corn onion rolls, so I could only drool over desserts. I took a chocolate khalua taco ($5.50) with fresh fruit purees that formed a painted desert back to my room. Next visit I'll try the Guajillo chile ice cream ($5.50) with pistachio vanilla bean salsa and a cactus-shaped pistachio sugar cookie in a turquoise-poured sugar bowl. The blue bowl is made by adding blue food color to sugar and then caramelizing it with a torch over an inverted bowl.

I flew up on America West, who has a hub in Phoenix, so there are frequent flights. Phoenix is just over 2 hours from Dallas. America West has the best rates for seniors on direct flights from Dallas.

Rooms range from $215 to $420, depending on the season. Modified American Plan ($48/day) or a full American plan ($62) are available. There are also good values on golf packages, including 18 holes of golf with cart, bag storage and range balls. Priced at $295 stand $320 premier double, it can be booked by calling 1-800-SAY-PUTT (800-729-7888).

For more information and reservations, call 1-800-327-0396 or 602-935-3811.
http://www.wigwamresort.com

America West
800-235-9929
http://www.americawest.com

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