Ultra Epicure

#SaucySuperBowl Bacon-Wrapped, Stuffed Shrimp #SundaySupper

2012-02-05T10:00:00.132-05:00

Technically, I have never watched the Super Bowl. Shocking, I know, but I just don't find football that interesting. Of course, I'm tempted to watch for the commercials, but I know after spending $3.5 million for 30 seconds, I will be seeing a lot of those in the weeks to come, as the advertisers try to get there moneys worth. Then, there's also the halftime show, but you don't know exactly when that will occur, and that would mean accidentally watching football, so, no thank you. All that said, you're probably wondering why I'm posting a recipe for a Super Bowl party. That is easy, I love throwing parties and hors d'oeuvres are my very favorite thing to make!

Some of the great members of my food blogging tribe teamed up with Intensity Academy to create dishes using their fun sauces. I was sent the Chai Sweet Chili sauce to try and I loved it! It has a great sweet-hot kick to it, with the chai flavors lightly flavoring the background. When I started brainstorming what to do with it, I kept thinking seafood. At first I was going to do skewered salmon cubes glazed in the sauce, but in the end, I had some shrimp in my freezer that were calling to me, so I decided to stuff them with the sauce and cream cheese and wrap them in bacon, after all, you can't go wrong with bacon!

Ingredients
18-20 jumbo shrimp, peeled, de-veined and butterflied (see picture below)
1 8 oz block softened cream cheese
3 tbs Chai Sweet Chili sauce
10 slices good bacon, cut in half

Preheat your broiler with the oven rack about 4" from the heating element. I wish I could give you a temperature, but my oven just has the settings High and Low when you engage the broiler. For this recipe I set it on High. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and chili sauce. Spread a heaping teaspoon full down the middle of each shrimp. Then fold the shrimp back together and wrap with a half slice of bacon, trying not to overlap the bacon (it won't cook evenly if the edges overlap). Place all wrapped shrimp on a non-stick sheet pan and broil 4 minutes, then, using tongs, flip all shrimp and return to the oven for an additional 4 minutes under the broiler. Serve immediately with plenty of additional Chai Sweet Chili sauce to dip the shrimp in.

If you are looking for more inspiration for your own Super Bowl party or would just like to add a few new hors d'oeuvres to your culinary repertoire, please take a look at the recipes developed by my fellow tribe mates.

Renee at Magnolia Days made cheesy Chili Skins

Donna from Cookistry is taking a more healthful route with her Chai Thai Teriyaki Zucchini Rounds

Sunithi of Sue's Nutrition Buzz also went with shrimp in her Hot n Sweet Glazed Pineapple Shrimp Kebabs

Isabel, the creator of #SundaySupper and author of Family Foodie is putting out Pepperoni Pizza Dip AND Chai Thai Meatballs, such an overachiever ;)

Erin from Big Fat Baker has made Pulled Pork on Homemade Kaiser Rolls

Launie of Teeny Tiny Kitchen has whipped up Coffee Smoked Gypsy Gold Dust Chicken

Samantha at The Little Ferraro Kitchen is bringing her famous Fish Tacos

Jeff, the Catholic Foodie, is spicing things up with his Chai Chipotle Jalapeño Poppers

Rashmi from Primlani Kitchen is pairing sweet and heat with her Chai Sweet Chili-Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

Of course, no party is complete without a few libations and Eileen from Wine Everyday mixed up a nice Sangria for us

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday, bon appetite!

Mexi-Que Un-Cupcakes

2012-01-22T22:48:00.002-05:00

Tonight was the Slow Food Atlanta Annual meeting, an event that I really look forward to for the chance to catch up with old friends and make new, to hear what is on the agenda for the upcoming year, and enjoy a potluck hors d'oeuvre and dessert buffet created by members. With a group like Slow Food Atlanta, you can expect that there will be excellent food, after all, some of Atlanta's top chefs, farmers and artisan food creators are members. I really enjoy being a member, but I get a little stressed trying to come up with the perfect dish to bring. I usually go to sweets first, because I enjoy baking, but today I wanted to do something a little different. I started thinking about southern foods and barbecue immediately came to mind, then I decided that cornbread would be delicious with it, so I decided to combine them both in a savory cupcake form. I had planned to do a cream cheese-barbecue sauce "frosting", but I had a hard time getting the right texture, so I just brushed the tops with the sauce instead.

Ingredients
1 batch Ultimate Cornbread
1/2 lb smoked pork
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, split in half
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins. Combine the pork and 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Spoon cornbread about 1/3 of the way up the tins, then top with pork mixture, see picture below. Top with another spoonful of cornbread batter, being careful not to overfill, tins should be filled to the top, but not mounded. Sprinkle shredded cheese over each cupcake. Bake 11 minutes if using mini-muffin tins or 20 minutes if using standard size ones. Leave in tins for about 3 minutes, then remove to rack to cool. Brush tops with remaining barbecue sauce just prior to serving. One batch makes 48 minis and 9 full sized.

I was happy with how my un-cupcakes were received at the meeting. Everyone seemed to enjoy them and best of all, being among such a talented, creative group inspired me to come up with a few new variations on this theme. In the future you may see posts on Viet-Que Un-Cupcakes, Peking-Que Un-Cupcakes and more!

The crispy cheddar bits around the edges are delicious!

Super Saver Sunday Supper

2012-01-08T23:32:00.001-05:00

I'm not generally one for New Year's resolutions, but this year I am making an exception. With the economy being in a hole and sky high inflation affecting every aspect of my life, it is getting harder and harder for me to make ends meet. Thus, this year I have made a trio of resolutions:

1: Cook for myself and eat at home more often

2: Cut grocery bills using coupons and sale items

3: Don't throw away food

For those that don't know me, while I love to cook, I'm not really a fan of cooking for one. I'm more a dinner party for 8 kind of person. One of the problems is that there aren't a lot of good recipes for one person and I don't like leftovers. Plus it seems like a lot of effort, when I get home late after a long day at work, to figure out something to whip up for dinner. But, I've made these resolutions and I have to say that so far I'm doing pretty well. Like today, I created a tasty Super Saver Sunday Supper after browsing the Publix sale flyer and spending a few minutes looking for coupons online.

Today's big buys were Cabot cheddar at 2 for $5, Wolfgang Puck Organic Chicken Stock also 2 for $5 and half off all frozen Birds Eye vegetables, which, when combined with a $1 off coupon for a purchase of any 3 products that I got on their website, it was a real steal. My total savings today was $48.53. With my grocery haul I made Broccoli-Cheddar Soup with cheddar quesadillas on the side. As soon as I got home, I dumped a bag of Birds Eye Baby Broccoli Florets in a large saucepan with half a carton of chicken stock and brought it to a simmer while I unpacked the rest of my groceries. Then I shredded several of the blocks of cheddar in my food processor, enough for the soup, quesadillas, plus plenty left over for nachos or omelets or anything else I want shredded cheese for this week. By the time I had everything put away and the dishwasher unloaded, the soup was ready to blend. The finished product was tasty and inexpensive, with very little prep time or clean-up, now that's what I call a winner!

Ingredients
2 14 oz bags frozen broccoli florets (If you get to Publix before 1/11/12, you can get the 50% off deal)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (The sale price on the Cabot was even cheaper than Costco)
salt & pepper to taste

Place 1 bag of florets in a large saucepan with the stock and simmer over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup while still on the stove. Once it is smooth, add the remaining bag of florets and heat until warm, about 10 minutes. Adjust for seasoning and serve with a garnish of shredded cheddar.

That Ruby Stalk

2012-01-02T00:58:00.002-05:00

While I am not normally a huge vegetable fan, I make an exception for rhubarb. While it is botanically classified as a vegetable, it's considered to be a fruit in the US, as that is how it is most traditionally prepared. In my family, we definitely treat it like a fruit, including it in jams, pies and, my favorite, rhubarb cake. This is an old family recipe and so simple to put together, it makes a great last minute dessert for when you are craving something sweet.

Ingredient List
1/2 c. softened butter
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. self-rising flour
16 oz rhubarb, chopped about the same size as you would celery for chicken salad

For Topping
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Combined in small bowl

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9 inch glass baking pan. Cream butter and sugar until combined. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla - mix just until combined. Add flour and beat until incorporated, batter should be smooth. Fold in rhubarb, then pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar topping mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center removes cleanly.

While this recipe tastes best in the Spring when rhubarb is just emerging from the soil, one of the first signs that Winter is at an end, you can also use frozen rhubarb, which I have started keeping on hand for last minute cake cravings. If you do use frozen, be sure to thaw it before adding it to the batter. There may also be some mutant pieces in there, so I pick through and cut the ginormous slices into more manageable bites.

Speaking of cake testers, my mom bought me this artsy-fartsy (their words, not mine) one and gave it to me for Christmas. It is so much nicer than stabbing my cakes with splintery toothpicks. They also suggest that you can use it as a sun catching plant stake, I just might have to order a few more for that purpose.

No. 246

2011-12-09T15:27:00.002-05:00

When I heard that Chef Ford Fry, of JCT Kitchen fame, was partnering with Chef Drew Belline from Floataway Cafe, I knew they were going to create something special. I was so right. No. 246, named after the plot of land that it occupies in downtown Decatur, has Italian inspired food with a Northern Californian sensibility. I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a preview dinner at No. 246 before they opened and they have just continued to get better each time I've been back.

I love the design of the space, it's bright and open, with a rustic farmhouse feel. There are so many neat focal points like the giant vintage fans over the bar and the hand-blown light bulb fixtures as big as your head. The artwork on the walls mostly features farm animals, the trio of sheep above were hung opposite the impressive built-in wine cabinet.

The tableware is as visually interesting as the rest of the decor, glasses that looks like the bottom half of a wine bottle, handmade ceramic dishes stamped with hearts and stars on the bottom, rough-hewn wooden troughs displaying crusty bread and glass jars full of delicious spreads.

Bread Service

Speaking of bread, you may be tempted to fill up on it's crusty goodness, but don't dive in immediately, instead wait and order one of the artisanal cheeses & meats. The menu features a changing selection of goodies like La Quercia Prosciutto and local charcuterie favorite Pine Street Market.

La Quercia Prosciutto

I would also strongly recommend checking out the "Toasts" section on the menu, if they have the house-made pork rillettes with grain mustard, order it, you will be glad you did. I have had it in several different incarnations and my favorite came with tangy pickled fennel on the side, but no matter how they're serving it on a given night, it will be amazing.

Crispy Fior di Latte fried Mozzarella & Olives, Herbs, Marinara

I could easily make a meal just grazing on their starters. From the Toasts to the salads, all change seasonally, and you can expect to find roasted baby root vegetables draped across tender lettuces or African squash soup topped with sweet-crunchy almond brittle. However, if I did that, I would be missing out on their incredible pastas.

Spaghetti with Georgia White Shrimp, Garlic, Pequin Chilies, Breadcrumbs, Parsley

One of my favorite pastas is their spaghetti with shrimp, it has a little kick from the chilies, but mostly the focus is on perfectly cooked just-pulled-from-the-water GA shrimp. Another dish that is hard to pass up is the Pappardelle Carbonara, what makes their version special is the breaded and fried poached egg the perch atop the housemade pasta. I'm not sure how you deep fry a poached egg and still keep a perfectly runny center, but somehow they have pulled off this little piece of kitchen magic.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Lemon-Ginger Marmalade and Candied Lemon Zest

Lest I neglect another important aspect of the dining experience, let me just state that the service here ranges from good to excellent. The servers and management all go out of their way to make sure that you leave happy, even if you arrive in the foulest of moods after battling Atlanta traffic. Previously, the only complaint I had about this place was the noise level, if you went when they were busy, which was always, you could expect to lose your voice screaming your order at your server and conversing with your companions. However, I am thrilled to announce that they have recently installed sound panels on the ceiling and I can't wait to get in and hear the improvement.

You can reserve one of the stools on the right at the Chef's Counter for a prixe fix 5 course meal with a great view of the kitchen, 2 seatings nightly, and a real steal at only $50

No. 246

129 E. Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA, 30030

678-399-8246

One Night in Savannah

2011-11-08T16:34:00.000-05:00

I know what you're thinking, what kind of crazy am I to go on a 4-hour-each-way road trip 2 days before leaving the country to go to Ireland? I'm the BBQ kind of crazy, that's what kind of crazy I am. I made a commitment to Tim Lively to judge the Real Squeal in Lyons, GA and I was not about to let him down, because he is one of the nicest men in KCBS BBQ that you will ever meet. Of course, if I was going to drive all the way to Lyons, I might as well go the extra hour or so and spend the night in Savannah. Extra incentive? My friend Toren Anderson wanted me to check out the food at her client Leoci's Trattoria and you know I'm a sucker for good Italian food. I am so glad I went the extra mile or 80, as it was a fun weekend, full of excellent food.

I went straight from Lyons to Tybee Island and caught the last 2 minutes of the Pirate Fest Parade full of pirates and wenches and canons, oh my! I wanted to go to the beach, but it was unseasonably windy, so it felt a little like having my skin sand-blasted from my body. I gave up on that plan and instead rendez-vous'ed with Toren and her adorable son Aidan, who is going to change the world, watch out for this one. After a fun island tour, including amazing fried shrimp at Gerald's Pig and Shrimp, plus fantastic cocktails and sushi at Ele, I headed back across the bridge to my home for the night, the Westin. I know the staff there thought I was crazy when I woke up early the next morning to go swimming in the chilly rain, but they have an excellent pool, so I had to do it.

After my swim, I cleaned up and took the free riverboat across the river to Savannah and wandered around a bit until it was time for my much-anticipated brunch at Leoci's Trattoria. When I pulled into their parking lot, my eye was immediately caught by their inviting outdoor eating space and I knew I had to sit outside, even though the sky looked like it was threatening to rain.

If I had not been by myself, I would have loved to play a few games on their oyster shell bocce courts. I'm betting this is a very popular spot to get together with friends and have a few drinks on a warm summer evening.

I was incredibly fortunate to be hosted by Roberto Leoci, who brought me more amazing food than I could possibly eat, but I did try my best. If they didn't bring out that delicious, hot bread with olive oil & balsamic dipping sauce, I would have been a lot better off.

I started off with the beet salad, which was one of my favorite courses. Roasted beets, pickled beets, blue cheese from Flat Creek Lodge and micro-greens, it was sweet, tangy, earthy, salty goodness.

Photo credit: Christopher Hornaday Photography

After the beets, I had a meat-centric plate of incredible provolone and wine stuffed sausage on a truffled arugula salad, pork loin topped with more Flat Creek cheese and house-made onion jelly, with jalapeno-raspberry jelly on the side.

My pasta course was Rigatoni with Cod in a Saffron cream sauce made with Swiss Dairy cream and Savannah River Farms pancetta, which is cured per an old Leoci family recipe. Roberto said they may be shipping the pancetta soon and trust me you want to add this to your shopping basket, it is soo good!

Dessert was a peach basil cobbler with a crust unlike any I've ever tasted. It was almost like a short crust, so buttery and good. I would love to have the recipe for this, maybe if I beg?

I was lucky that they were having a bit of a slow day so I had time to chat with Roberto about his fine arts background, cooking in Italy and what it is like to work with the likes of Alain Ducasse and Charlie Trotter. Despite coming to the cooking relatively late in the game, this guy has chops, and a really artistic eye, as is evidenced by his gorgeous plates.

Crispy Hummus Chicken

2011-10-28T17:48:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry for the delay in posting the chicken recipe I mentioned in my tabouleh post. In my defense, I have been doing quite a lot of BBQ judging and traveling over the past month, including trips to Savannah and Tybee Island, as well as to the Emerald Isle - Ireland, which will eventually end up on here, as well. But back to the chicken, I am rarely in a Publix at the right time to try one of the Apron Simple meals, but I'm so glad I made it the day they were sampling this. The chicken was crispy and delicious and the hummus sauce was amazing!

Ingredients

Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
4 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 (8-oz) container Deli cilantro/jalapeño hummus
2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons canola oil

Steps

1.Reserve 1/2 c hummus.

2.The actual recipe called for chicken cutlets, but I had regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts at home, so I cut those in half and pounded them out for DIY cutlets, with varying success. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat both sides of chicken with hummus (about 1 tablespoon for each cutlet). I basically just smeared my hands with hummus, then rubbed the chicken between them and that worked pretty well for me. Place panko in shallow dish. Dip chicken into panko (coating both sides). Lightly shake chicken to remove any loose panko crumbs. Wash hands.

3. Preheat large sauté pan on medium 2–3 minutes. Place oil in pan, then add chicken; cook 3–4 minutes each side or until 165°F.

4. Combine remaining 1/2 cup hummus with cilantro and lime juice; drizzle sauce over chicken. Serve.

One note, I think this recipe might do better in a non-stick skillet and using more oil. I had a hard time getting even browning and a lot of the panko stuck to the pan or fell off when I flipped the chicken, but even with those problems I would still make it again as the flavor was fantastic!

End of Summer Tabouleh

2011-09-30T17:41:00.000-04:00

The other day I was at Publix and I got to try one of their Apron Simple Meals and I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. It was a panko crusted chicken with spiced carrots and rice. I had just stopped in to pick up something quick and was actually on my way to meet a friend, so I didn't think anything more about it until it was approaching dinner time that night. Stumped for a good meal idea, I remembered that chicken and went back up to Publix to get the recipe, and the ingredients. The only not so good part of the meal was the boil in the bag rice on the side, I knew I could do better. Inspired by the hummus coasted chicken (more on that later) I decided to do a Mediterranean flavored tabouleh using up some of my end of summer produce - cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. This is what I came up with.

1 5.25oz box tabouleh (I used Near East Taboule)
1 c boiling water
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 c diced heirloom tomatoes
1 c diced cucumber
1/3 c crumbled feta
1/3 c sliced kalamata olives
1/3 c chopped parsley
1 tbs chopped fresh oregano
1 tbs chopped fresh mint
slat & pepper to taste

Put tabouleh in a large bowl, stir in boiling water, then cover and let stand 30 minutes. Meanwhile chop/slice/measure the rest of the ingredients.

When 30 minutes has passed, first add the olive oil and lemon juice. Then stir in the tomatoes and cucumbers. Lastly gently fold in the feta, olives and herbs. If you mix the feta too much it can make the salad look milky.

This salad is best enjoyed at room temperature, but it is also tasty straight from the refrigerator and is even better the next day. Enjoy!

Pecan-Chocolate Bars

2011-09-01T16:10:00.000-04:00

As I've posted about before, my mom and I have a tradition of hosting an annual cookie exchange before Christmas. My cookies this year were from Fine Cooking's Cookies, Brownies, Bars & More special holiday issue and they are called Pecan-Chocolate Bars. I personally don't find the chocolate flavor to be very noticeable, so I have re-christened them Pecan Pie Bars, and they are really excellent! They are also easy to make and freeze beautifully. Please let me know if you bake them and like them as much as I do =)

For the cookie base:
6 oz. (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. table salt
2 oz. finely grated bittersweet chocolate (a scant 1/2 cup)

For the pecan topping:
10 oz. pecans (3 cups), toasted
1/4 lb. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbs. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. table salt

Make the cookie base: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Put the butter in a food processor, along with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is well combined (about 20 pulses). Scatter the dough into a 9x9-inch baking pan and press it evenly over the bottom. (Wipe out the processor bowl but don’t bother washing it.) Bake the base until firm and lightly browned, about 25 min. When the cookie base comes out of the oven, sprinkle the grated chocolate evenly over the top. (Don’t turn off the oven.) Set the pan aside.

Make the pecan topping: As the cookie base bakes, pulse the pecans in the food processor until coarsely chopped. In a medium-size heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the dark brown sugar, honey, cream, and salt. Simmer for 1 min., stirring occasionally. Stir in the pecans. Pour the pecan mixture over the chocolate-sprinkled cookie base, spreading evenly. Bake until much of the filling is bubbling (not just the edges), 16 to 18 min. Let cool completely in the pan. When ready to serve, cut into 16 squares. Tightly covered, these bars will keep for about five days (though they never last that long).

The recipe above is straight from Fine Cooking, however, I made two minor modifications. I also used the food processor to grate the chocolate, no point dirtying another dish ;) and I toasted my pecans in the oven while the base was baking, it only took about 5 minutes. I also want to thank both Cooking With Caitlin's foodie chat #FNIchat and Fine Cooking for my gorgeous red KitchenAid food processor, it is completely indispensable and I don't know how I ever lived without it!

South Beach Way of Life

2011-08-12T18:22:00.000-04:00

Most people have out-of-date ideas about travel agents, that we get free airline tickets and hotel stays, that we travel constantly, that we are showered with travel perks. Unfortunately, the reality is that most hotels and airlines treat travel agents just like they treat everyone else and travel agent not being the highest paid job, I know I'm lucky if I can afford to fly to Minnesota once a year to visit my family. However, I was fortunate enough to be hosted on a rare travel agent familiarization trip to South Beach and let me tell you, after the pampering I received there, it is clear that this is the way I am meant to live my life. We were hosted in the lap of luxury by the Canyon Ranch Miami Beach and also the W South Beach, with transportation generously provided by American Airlines.

Canyon Ranch began its life as the Carillon Hotel, which sat shuttered for over 10 years until it was re-stored to what it is today, an elegant retreat with touches of nature everywhere you look - like the art piece running the length of the ceiling in the lobby, composed of smooth tree limbs and thin slices of different colored geodes.

I have to admit I could easily live in the suite I was given, the kitchen is far nicer than the one I have in my own home, with top-of-the-line appliances and a gorgeous tiled backsplash the color of the sea I could view from the living room.

The bathroom may have been my favorite part with it's pearly inlaid mosaic floor, huge shower, and my favorite part, the deepest soaking tub I have ever seen. I am usually not a bath person, but that tub called to me, especially after I had taken a few of the incredible exercise classes offered there. There is nothing that will get your muscles working like Buff Ballet Booty. It also helps that they have a 70,000 square foot spa with experts who can massage your cares away. I spent many an hour going from the thermal loungers to the HydroSpa to the experiential rain showers, I even popped into the Igloo a time or two.

I will admit that I was concerned about the spa food. I had visions of rabbit food and wheatgrass shots, but instead I was served incredibly flavorful, beautifully presented food. They even had a full bar! One of the most unusual things I tried were the artichoke "fries" - strips of artichoke bottoms, covered in breadcrumbs and baked until they are a crispy satisfying treat, with ketchup to dip them in. Breakfasts were especially good, with some of the best pancakes I've ever had, and really interesting add-ins if you wanted to create your own omelet.

Unfortunately our stay at the Canyon Ranch had to come to an end, but fortunately, we were just headed down the road to the lovely W South Beach, where every room has a balcony and a spectacular sea view. I loved being greeted by these guys when we first drove up to the hotel.

Even though my room wasn't ready when I arrived, I was so impressed by the helpfulness of the front desk staff who quickly corralled my luggage and took my cellphone number to call me as soon as my room was ready. It was worth the wait, I had the most incredible view.

I was lucky enough to enjoy several meals at Solea, although I did not get to try the famed Mr. Chow. After my days of virtuous spa cuisine, I felt justified at diving into a plate of fried potatoes with Romesco sauce.

I was careful to save room for one of their incredibly elegant desserts - the chocolate mousse.

After all that luxury, returning back to my regular life was not the easiest thing I've ever done, but it's like what they say about love and loss, it's better to have experienced luxury for even such a short time, than to never experience it at all. I would highly recommend both of these properties and hope that I will be able to make it back there myself sometime soon.

A Taste at Terrace

2011-05-18T16:51:00.000-04:00

I was fortunate enough to be invited to my very first media dinner a few weeks ago, and hopefully, it will not be my last. It was a preview of the new spring menu for Terrace restaurant at the Ellis, showcasing the talents of their new Chef - Jon Wolf, an alum of such local favorites as Restaurant Eugene and the Ritz Carlton - Buckhead. I had actually met Chef Wolf previously at an event and enjoyed talking with him about his commitment to local food, so I was very excited to get the chance to attend this dinner.

Terrace has a bright, modern dining room that would be equally appropriate for a business meeting or a date night. Their second story, Boston fern-bedecked terrace elevates you enough from the noise and dirt of Peachtree Street to be comfortable, while still allowing for excellent people watching.

The floral arrangements provided by floral matters were gorgeous and perfectly suited to an early spring evening, with hyacinth, Gerber daisies, the most delicate pale pink tulips and flowering peach branches. Just lovely.

Our first course was a chilled ruby carrot and beet soup that was surprisingly savory for something that could easily be too sweet.

I never would have expected to enjoy a raw kale salad, so was stunned when this was one of my favorite tastes of the evening. The strawberries were fantastic little bursts of sweetness and I could happily drizzle that dressing over anything.

Up next, an incredibly fresh trout served over a fennel "carbonara" garnished with a baby pea shoot and Benton's bacon. If I had any complaints about the dish, it's that there was not enough bacon, but then, I can never get enough of Benton's.

The roast airline breast of chicken was incredibly moist, although I was not in love with the barley risotto, it's a texture thing. I know it's supposed to be healthy for you, but I'll take rice any day.

Dessert was really interesting with fried rhubarb and a mini carrot cupcake with beet juice sweetened cream cheese frosting. I adored the fried rhubarb and would love to see it on every menu in town.

As if a fabulous tasting dinner was not enough, we had Wholesome Wave founder Michel Nischan in attendance. For those of you not aware of this incredible organization, they strive to provide access to healthy, farm-fresh produce to some of this nation's poorest residents. One way they do this is by partnering with local farmers markets to help the markets accept and, through grant money, double food stamp money on purchases there. The Ellis hotel is one of the corporate sponsors that help facilitate this program locally at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Tea for Twelve

2011-03-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

My mother and I have been hosting our annual cookie exchange for longer than I can remember. I tend to be a entertaining over-achiever when it comes to menu planning, while my mother tries to reel me back from the abyss of excess. She isn't generally very successful, and even less so this year when I decided we should have a high tea theme. I was lucky to pick up two 3-tiered Food Network stands at Kohl's at a bargain price on black Friday, so I felt compelled to fill them with treats. Smoked salmon, curried egg salad, and tarragon chicken salad sandwiches; bacon and cheese mini quiches; black-pepper cheddar and cranberry-tangerine scones; chocolate chip banana mini muffins and cheesecake brownie bites as well as the traditional clotted cream, jam and not-so-traditional passionfruit curd.

We had several different types of teas brewing, throughout the party, including seasonal favorites and a rooibos blend.

I made pecan bars (center) from the Fine Cooking Cookie cookbook and they were soo good! The hint of cinnamon in the shortcrust pastry, the thin layer of chocolate that added another dimension, I think they were my most successful cookie offering yet.

I personally feel that open-faced smoked salmon sandwiches are compulsory at any tea. Ours were on pumpernickel bread with dilled goat cheese and cucumber.

Then you also have to have both sweet and savory scones, so I chose cranberry-tangerine and black pepper-cheddar. I had planned to make the earth-shatteringly delicious passionfruit curd from Dutch Monkey Doughnuts, which Arpana was so kind as to share with me, but in the end ran out of time, so was lucky enough to be able to buy a bit of theirs instead. It was the perfect compliment to the tangerine zest in the sweet scones.

We also had banana chocolate chip mini muffins from my grandmother's recipe and cheesecake brownie bites, another great find in the Fine Cooking Cookie cookbook.

When I saw that foodbuzz was doing a Top 9 Tea Party Takeover to help raise money for Ovarian Cancer Research, I knew that I wanted to be a part of it. By putting up this post, foodbuzz will donate $50 to Ovarian Cancer Research, but you can help too. Electrolux has teamed up with Kelly Ripa to donate even more money. If you help Kelly create the perfect tea party outfit here http://www.kelly-confidential.com, they will donate another $1 to the cause.

As you may have already noticed, I am a big fan of Fine Cooking and frequently use their website as a resource for recipes or just browsing for inspiration. I also like the easy searchability and reliable recipes of Epicurious, which is where I found my Black Pepper-Cheddar scone recipe. I made a few changes to the recipe - I did the whole thing in the food processor until I added the liquid, which took way more than 3/4 c of buttermilk, it was closer to 1 1/4 cups in all. To save on clean-up, I just dumped the dough straight onto my cookie sheet, patted it into shape and cut it there, moving the pieces apart so they weren't touching. I also wasn't gentle while mixing. The resulting scones were such a hit, I had several people asking for the recipe and I was happy to direct them to Epicurious.

Cheddar and Pepper Scones Epicurious | 1999

Edited by Fran McCullough and Suzanne Hamlin
The Best American Recipes 1999

The King Arthur Flours, its catalog (1-800-827-6836) and web site
(www. kingarthurflour.com) are, in our opinion, a baker's best friend.
The staff of exemplary Vermonters is unfailingly courteous and helpful
should you have a baking problem or question. They appear to be
serious at-home bakers too — many of the recipes on the web site and
in the catalog are contributed by employees.

These cheddar and pepper scones from the web site are really part
angel biscuit, part scone — not the usual dry, crumbly, heavy scone,
but rich and extraordinarily light. The black pepper is a powerful
ingredient, by the way — timid palates should use less.
Yield: Makes 15 large scones or 40 small ones
ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste
3/4-1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

Milk for glazing
preparation

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt
into a large bowl. Cut in the butter and cheese. Stir in the pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and set a rack on the upper-middle level.
Grease a heavy baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.

Gently stir enough buttermilk or yogurt into the flour mixture to make
a soft, sticky dough. Gather the dough into a ball with your hands. On
a well-floured surface, roll or pat the dough into an 12-x-8-inch
rectangle approximately 3/4 inch thick. Try not to handle the dough
too much, and don't worry if it looks rough.

Using a large spatula or a couple of spatulas, transfer the dough to
the baking sheet. Use a dough scraper or knife to cut the dough into
40 squares, each 1 1/2 inches. Separate the squares slightly on the
baking sheet. Brush each square with a little milk. (Or cut circles
out of the dough with the rim of a glass or a biscuit cutter and
transfer them to the baking sheet.)

Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are brown on the
bottom and very lightly brown on top. Don't overbake; break one open
to test for doneness. Transfer to cooling racks to cool briefly and
then serve as soon as possible.

To serve: The scones are still good when cool, but they are best when
just out of the oven. Butter and scrambled eggs are appropriate
accompaniments.

Source Information

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/printerfriendly/Cheddar-and-Pepper-Scones-102323#ixzz18sk5NYWo

Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza

2011-03-09T19:05:00.000-05:00

Carmen Johnston, Rick Schoellhorn, Walter Reeves, me

When I first heard of Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza, it was, appropriately enough, on twitter. I was actually trying to win $100 of Proven Winners plants from Helen Yoest, of Gardening with Confidence, and one of the entries was to tweet the contest. When I did that, Proven Winners sent me a link to the event, and the second I saw it, I knew I wanted to go, even more than I wanted to win the plant giveaway. You can imagine how thrilled I was when they invited me to attend.

The event was held at McElreath Hall at the Atlanta History Center on a cool, gray day in early March, the perfect time to start daydreaming about gardening. My attention was immediately caught by the stunning ColorBlaze Alligator Tears, a new coleus hybrid from Proven Winners, that turned out to not only be decoration for the check-in table, but also was one of many prizes given away during the day. As I was a little early, it was nice to be able to have a cup of coffee and peruse the "gift store", where I quickly found a few more plants that I had to add to my collection, including the new Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso.

Before I spent all my money, they called us in to begin the program. First up was the charming Dr. Rick Schoellhorn, Director of New Products for Proven Winners. There wasn't a person in that room that wouldn't have given their eyeteeth to have his job. He first told us what it means to be a Proven Winners plant, to qualify a plant must be unsurpassed in terms of flowering, growth habit, disease resistance & garden performance. He then walked us through the process of trialing plants. Proven Winners is so committed to providing plants that meet their stringent criteria that while they trial 3,000 plants a year, less than 20 actually survive the intensive 2 or 3 year process, to be released as Proven Winners. Then he introduced us to the 2010-2011 new releases, including Angelface Blue Improved, which smells like grape soda, and Goldilocks Rocks, among others. By the time he finished up, I have to admit I was feeling sorry for the next speaker because Rick was as funny as he was knowledgeable, the consummate speaker.

Luckily, Rebecca Bull Reed, Associate Garden Editor for Southern Living Magazine, was more than up for the task. I think we were all hooked when she said "Herbs are the gateway drug to vegetable gardening, and container gardening is the gateway drug to happiness" She shared lots of great tips about gardening in general (insider joke, no rainbow watering y'all) and about integrating edible plants into container gardening. She also shared with us a quote from the late, great Dan Franklin "You should have no more garden than you can take care of in two cocktails" I know that I am exceeding that right now, but it's certainly something to strive for. Then we moved onto the liquid refreshments section of her presentation. Naturally, when she called for volunteers, my hand was first in the air. Her Basil Julep was as delicious as it was easy to make. Just pour 1 tbs. basil simple syrup over ice, top with a shot of Woodford Reserve, muddle with a few basil leaves, drink and enjoy.

Thank goodness lunch was up next as I needed some food to soak up the bourbon. We had a fun blogger table where I finally got to meet twitter friends @IndigoGardens, @tinkhanson, @rainforestgardn, and @CowlickCottage.

Lynn Felici-Gallant, Walter Reeves, Christa Hanson, Steve Asbell, Carolyn Binder

After lunch, we headed back in for a fun session on getting kids involved in the garden, presented by Carmen Johnston of Nectar and Company. She kept us in stitches with her videos of kids answering questions about gardening. One of my favorites was the little girl who said "Water is a chemical that grown-ups put on plants to make them grow". Her garden parties for kids were so clever, I have already recommended them to several friends with little ones. Another of her fun ideas is to take your child to the "sad sad plant cart" at your local garden center, you know the one, where they put the plants that need some TLC, and have your child "adopt" one and keep a journal about how the plant does.

Our last, but certainly not least, speaker of the day was our hometown gardening guru, Walter Reeves. He spoke about how to be Sherlock Holmes in your garden, although, this was such an expert crowd full of Master Gardeners from as far away as Minnesota, he was only able to stump us with his plant pathology one or two times. He advised us to be CSI in the garden and look for Critters, Spots and Insects. In the two slides below, the left shows what happens when you spray Roundup on your Bermuda grass (fyi, Bermuda grass is never dormant) and the right shows frost damage to Bermuda grass. My gardening IQ must have gone up 20 points with all this new information.

Then to top off an already amazing day, no one went home empty handed. We all got fantastic goodie bags filled with all the things gardeners love, including a trowel from Corona tools, seeds, fertilizers, soaps and more. We also got one of the new Superbells Coralberry Punch. I was even more fortunate to score a container garden and a tee shirt for having a smart mouth, I mean having the correct answers to some of the trivia questions asked by the presenters.

Even if you missed this event, lucky readers near Seattle or Toronto can still buy tickets for the events being held on March 18 and April 15 respectively. There will also be one in Milwaukee, but it has already sold out, so don't wait, get your tickets for Seattle and Toronto today.

Disclaimer: Proven Winners invited me to attend, but all opinions expressed are my own. Also, the headshots above are courtesy of their respective websites.

KerryGold Throwdown

2011-03-08T12:03:00.000-05:00

I first met Julie from the little kitchen at Food Blog Forum in Atlanta last September, she had driven all the way from Florida to attend and got so much out of the experience that she just organized another Food Blog Forum near her in Orlando coming up on April 9, 2011. She is one of those people you just immediately like because she always has such a big smile on her face and she is genuinely nice. We have maintained a Twitter friendship since then, although I sometimes struggle to keep the green monster in check as she wins things like a years supply of KerryGold dairy products from the #BHF10PP and gets invited to do awesome things like attend the Go Savor Culinary Retreat in Savannah.

Anyhow, when I had the good fortune to win a KerryGold gift pack myself on Facebook, not as a blogger, just luck of the draw, I immediately told Julie my exciting news. Over the course of our twitter chat, a gauntlet was thrown down, and a challenge was issued. You make think I'm crazy to take on someone like Julie, who has had months of KerryGold products delivered to her doorstep to practice with, but I think I'm up to it. I admit that at first I was tempted to use one of the fantastic recipes from the booklets KerryGold sent me, but I decided to be a bit more original and ended up with a truly delicious meal.

Roasted Asparagus Salad
1 lb asparagus
1 tbs olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbs KerryGold unsalted butter
4 farm fresh eggs

1/4 c KerryGold Reserve Cheddar, shaved
1 tbs Crema di Balsamico

Preheat oven to 425. Wash asparagus and remove woody ends by snapping where they naturally break. Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile heat a skillet to medium heat, then add butter and fry eggs sunny side up or over easy. For each serving plate asparagus, then top with one egg, a quarter of the cheddar (I shaved mine with a vegetable peeler) and a drizzle of the balsamico. Serve immediately as you want the yolk to stay runny and create a sauce for the plate.

Serves 4 as an appetizer

KerryGold Roast Chicken and Vegetables
5-6 lb roaster
8 tbs KerryGold unsalted butter
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 parsnips, peeled
1/2 lb baby red potatoes
1/2 lb purple potatoes
1/2 lb baby carrots
1/2 lb brussels sprouts
1 large fennel bulb

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the butter with the basil and massage under the skin of the chicken in the breast area and the legs. Wash and chop vegetables into similar sized pieces, I left my baby carrots whole, quartered the parsnips and chopped into 3" pieces, halved the brussels sprouts and red potatoes, cut the purple potatoes into 1/2" chunks and cut the fennel into 8 wedges. I scattered the vegetable in the bottom of my roasting pan, then placed the rack above them and set the chicken breast side up in the rack. I used the convection setting on my oven, so the chicken roasted in about 40 minutes, but if you have a conventional oven, it may take up to an hour and a half, depending on the size of your roaster. You want the temperature to be 165 when the thermometer is inserted in the thickest part of the breast, without hitting the bone. When the chicken is fully cooked carve and serve with the roasted vegetables from the bottom of the pan.

Serves 4

Please be sure to check out Julie's entry for our KerryGold Throwdown here and let me know who you think won the challenge =)

Disclosure
I won the KerryGold gift pack on facebook not as a blogger, but as a random lucky winner. They have not asked me to blog about their product, nor have they compensated me in any way, nor are they affiliated with this post. This Throwdown was entirely my idea because I like their products and thought it would be fun.

Outdoor Living Extravaganza Preview

2011-03-02T18:38:00.000-05:00

If you want to learn how to turn your patio into this, then you need to buy a ticket to the
Proven Winners Outdoor Living Extravaganza. This year Proven Winners is bringing this enjoyable and educational gardening seminar to Atlanta for the very first time. You'll learn from experts like Walter Reeves creative new ways to use color, the easiest ways to grow plant varieties, how to put together exceptional containers, and much more.

Your ticket includes a fabulous goody bag of exciting gifts-including a Proven Winners plant; you'll enjoy a delicious catered luncheon, beverages, and snacks. There will also be plenty of chances to win great prizes! Even if you aren't a hard-core gardener, you will enjoy this relaxed and entertaining look at what’s new in outdoor decor.

The event will be held Friday, March 4 from 8:30AM-4:00PM at the Atlanta History Center. There are still tickets available to purchase here.

I hope I'll see you there!

Images courtesy of Proven Winners.

Ultimate Cornbread

2011-02-23T18:00:00.000-05:00

I have never actually been that big a fan of cornbread, but I think that is more based on having had mostly bad cornbread over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about, so dry you can't swallow it without a giant swig of tea or so sweet it's like eating some kind of cornmeal cake. Not appealing.

However, there are some meals that beg for cornbread, case in point, Brunswick stew. Last fall I took all of my leftover meat from BBQ judging and made an enormous and incredibly tasty batch of Brunswick stew, then looked for a cornbread recipe that could stand up to such a bowl of perfection. Enter the Barefoot Contessa. When none of my other cookbooks had recipes that struck quite the note I was looking for, her jalapeno cheddar cornbread sounded like a winner, and it was.

I have made it a few times now, making a few modifications along the way, and I think the one I made last week to go with another thawed batch of Brunswick stew was the epitome of cornbread.

Ultimate Cornbread
based on Ina Garten's Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread

Ingredients
3 c all-purpose flour
1 c cornmeal
1/4 c sugar
2 tbs baking powder
2 tsp kosher salt
2 c buttermilk
3 eggs beaten
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, cooled
8 oz cheddar grated, divided
1/2 c chopped cilantro
2 large jalapenos roasted, chopped finely
1 1/2 c roasted corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 glass baking dish with the butter wrappers. Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until mostly combined, but don't over mix. Then stir in 2 cups of the cheddar, the cilantro, jalapenos and corn. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you cut it straight from the oven it falls apart a bit, so you may want to let it cool a bit. Or not.

My dad likes his with more butter and honey, but I can just eat it piping hot straight from the pan. If you make it, let me know what you think and if you think you have a better recipe, I would love to see it.

That Funky Monkey

2011-02-21T15:20:00.000-05:00

Does anyone else hear the Beastie Boys in their head every time they think of Dutch Monkey Doughnuts? No? It's just me? Substitute the word Dutch for the word brass and then just start humming along. Then again, maybe not, this is a family friendly place.

The Lemon Meringue Pie doughnut is one of my favorites, although you can't go wrong with anything that is filled with one of Arpana's heavenly citrus curds. My personal favorite doughnut out of all the flavors that I have tried is the Passionfruit Bismarck, if they have it in when you go, you are in for a real treat.

Not that you would be disappointed by any of their confections, from the classics like the First Anniversary Dutch Monkey, a dulce de leche filled bismarck topped with freshly sliced bananas and rich Callebaut chocolate icing, to the flavors that change daily like last June's sour cream bars topped with sour cherry compote, made with cherries handpicked by Arpana from her father-in-law's trees in Roswell. You can't get more seasonal or local than that.

If you come on a Saturday or Sunday, chances are this hallway will be packed with little kids, faces pressed against the glass, watching the magic happen within.

I have to admit, I can't stop myself from taking a quick look every time I stop in, there's always something interesting going on, like the time they were wrapping the bacon around the dough for the buttered maple bacon doughnuts.

They also craft some excellent beverages to wash down all those doughnuts, from the Maple Spice Latte to the Gingerbread Steamer. Hopefully, we will see a return of the Gingerberry Lemonade with the warmer weather. A refreshing blend of fresh ginger, lemons and raspberries, it makes your mouth zing!

If regular coffee or espresso are your thing, they've got you covered.

Then there is the Dutch Monkey hot chocolate - think giant cubes of ganache on a stick that get melted when covered in steamed milk. With or without homemade marshmallows or whipped cream, the choice is yours, but you might as well go all the way.

If hot beverages aren't your thing, they do stock a variety of sodas and also do a great iced tea.

Now that I have you craving fried dough, head out to Cumming and tell them I sent you. You won't be disappointed.

They are located next to the Burger King, across from the Avenues at Forsyth at:

3075 Ronald Reagan Blvd
Cumming, GA, 30041

Open
Tuesday-Friday 5:30AM-4:00PM
Saturday-Sunday 7:00AM-1:00PM

They are closed Monday to recuperate from their 2:30AM wake-up call the other 6 days of the week.

Stracciatella alla Romana

2011-02-20T09:53:00.000-05:00

I am fortunate to have friends like Brooke, whose gorgeous chickens produce the most delicious eggs. When you have access to eggs this fresh, you don't want to waste them baking chocolate chip cookies, you want to use them in recipes that really showcase the eggs. These things poach like a dream, they make the richest spaghetti carbonara imaginable and are fantastic just scrambled with butter.

You can also use them to make Stracciatella, a soup I first discovered at a little Italian cafe across the alley from Harrod's in London. It's very light, but warming and so flavorful. It's basically the Italian version of egg drop soup and is so easy to make, you can have a steaming bowl in your hands in under 15 minutes.

Ingredients

48 oz chicken stock (homemade is best, but store bought is also fine)

3 fresh eggs

1/2 c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (this is not the time to use the cheap stuff, buy the real thing and grate it yourself)

1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

freshly grated nutmeg to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the stock to a boil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. While it is heating, whisk together remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Once the stock is at a bowl, reduce the heat to medium low and stir the broth in a clockwise direction. Slowly drizzle in the egg mixture and stir with the whisk 2 or 3 times. Let cook for 3 minutes, then serve with more freshly grated cheese if desired.

Fun fact: the egg actually clarifies the soup and this technique is often used by chefs making consommes.

Come join Soup-a-Palooza with TidyMom and Dine and Dishsponsored by Bush’s Beans, Hip Hostess, Pillsbury and Westminster Crackers

World of Fire

2011-02-12T08:48:00.000-05:00

The February meet-up for the Atlanta Food Bloggers Alliance was held at a new restaurant at the Prado in Sandy Springs, Fuego Mundo-World of Fire. This fast casual restaurant is the brain-child of husband and wife team Masha Hleap-Hershkovitz and Udi Hershkovitz. During a trip to Central and S America, they found themselves inspired by a meal in Panama City, nothing fancy, just flavorful wood-grilled meats and a friendly atmosphere. They brought that concept back to Sandy Springs and Fuego Mundo was born.

The most important part of the restaurant is the grill on which most menu items, including vegetables, are cooked. It is a focal point for a reason, it gives you that sense of community created by sitting around cooking and eating by an open fire. They only use non-treated oak to fire their grill and don't worry that you will leave smelling like smoke, their enormous hood vent takes care of that problem.

Meat is the star on the menu, we got to sample the churrasco and spicy chicken sausage (so good you wouldn't even know it was chicken), but they also have seafood options like honey-citrus-pepper glazed salmon and sea bass. They also cater to the vegan crowd with grilled tofu, stir fried veggies and all of their sides are vegan. The menu is dairy free and with the exception of a few desserts, gluten free.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with bright colored tile, and the real star of the show, the oak, prominently displayed around the restaurant.

Along with the churrasco and spicy chicken sausage, we sampled the tilapia (not pictured), the chicken and steak skewers, and a number of sides and desserts. The sauce that they baste the meat with while it is grilling is their take on a chimichurri, it's not spicy, but, along with the wood smoke, it really brings out the flavor of the meat.

What sets this place apart from a lot of fast casual restaurants is that they also serve beer and wine. They also have a deliciously fruity white sangria and a sweet red sangria. You might as well get the pitcher because that stuff goes down ridiculously easy. Fuego Mundo was kind enough to offer my readers a coupon for free yucca fries.

Disclosure:
Fuego Mundo hosted the AFBA and provided the group with the food and beverages described above. I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own.

Smokin' Away a Golden Maple Afternoon

2011-02-04T23:16:00.000-05:00

As you already know if you read this blog, last January I was certified by KCBS to judge BBQ. I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to judge 5 1/2 contests last year. To put that in context, we were advised at our judging class that we would be lucky to judge 1 or 2 our first year because there are exponentially more people wanting to judge, than there are contests to judge. At any rate, I judged the 2010 Aflac Outdoor Games Pig Bowl in Columbus, Pigs n' Peaches in Kennesaw, BBQ & Blues at Lake Oconee, Sherman's Last Burning in Covington and judged both Backyard and Professional at the Cherokee Pignic.
I had an amazing time, met some great people and basically ruined BBQ, one of my favorite foods, for myself. While not every bite of meat I judged was the best I'd ever eaten, the majority of it was superior to almost all of the BBQ you can get around Atlanta (there are a few exceptions, but that's another post). Combine that with the fact that the Competitive BBQ circuit goes on hiatus from roughly November to March and you can begin to see my dilemma. I was starting to have BBQ cravings, but bad. It's almost a physical need to have sauce smeared on my face and fingers that smell like smoke and spice for days after judging.
I was having a hard time finding any 'cue in Atlanta that would scratch that itch. Enter Joey Bridgers of Golden Maple Food, a caterer and a master of smoked meats, @joeybridgers on Twitter. I met him and his lovely wife Mandy at an Atlanta Food Bloggers meetup and was very fortunate to score an invite to a smoking demo he was doing the very next week.

Mandy - the Self Trained Chef and Becky - Whats 4 Dinner Tonite and I spent the better part of a beautiful, if chilly, November afternoon listening to Joey's tips on producing incredibly moist, tender smoked meats. Then we got to eat and eat some more. The first thing to come out was the brisket, which was possibly the best I've ever tasted. Brisket is the trickiest meat to smoke because if you let it get too hot or too done, you have beefy rubber bands, but if you don't cook it long enough or hot enough you get great mouthfuls of blubbery fat. There is a real art and skill involved in creating brisket that you actually want to eat, and Joey Bridgers has that talent.

Next off were the chickens, another test of smoking skill. I can count on one hand the number of times I was offered white meat to judge in competition. There's a reason for that. It is so hard to cook chicken to a safe temperature and still have it be moist and tasty. You should have seen the juice dripping out when he carved that breast, this was not chicken that you have to bathe in sauce to choke down. The same held true with the turkeys, gorgeous mahogany skin (it does lose its crispiness when its smoked, but its still nicely rendered and tasty) and juicy succulent meat.

The only slight disappointment for the day were the ribs. Joey said that he hadn't been happy with the last couple of batches he had gotten from his supplier and when he first pulled them out, said this batch were just not cooking like he wanted them. He put them back on and we waited until the end of the afternoon to try them again. He still wasn't satisfied with them, but I thought they showed promise with good smoke flavor, they were just this side of chewy. If we hadn't all been scared of getting stuck in Atlanta's notorious afternoon traffic, we could have given them another hour or so and they probably would have been perfect.

If you want to try some of Joey's delicious BBQ, follow him on Twitter, as he is out with his smoker nearly every Saturday afternoon and he tweets the time and place to his followers. You can also have him come and smoke at your place or cater your next dinner, just contact him for details. I hope I'll see you out there one Saturday soon.

Spring Has Sprung?

2011-01-29T23:07:00.000-05:00

Yes it is January, the 29th to be exact, but today we had one of those perfect prelude-to-Spring types of days that we are occasionally graced with here in Atlanta during the winter months. Temperatures in the high 60's, clear blue sky with just a few scattered wisps of clouds, a light breeze - this is flip-flop weather, this is patio weather. I will admit I spent more of it than I wanted toinside, but tomorrow I plan todo better. After such an unusually cold, icy, snowy period it is nice to see Atlantans coming back outside. I saw several tweets and facebook updates with statuses like "had a pizza picnic in the park" or "so nice to see the patio full at lunchtime again". That got me thinking about some of my favorite outdoor dining destinations, with Canoe coming in at the very top of the list.

If you haven't been, they have an amazing location on the banks of the Chattahoochee that they maximize to the fullest with a riverfront bar with live music during nice weather, manicured paths to meander through the landscaped grounds, as well as arguably the best patio in the city. Thankfully, the food lives up to the setting, making it one of my top brunch spots, as well as a solid pick for dinner. In fact, I even chose Canoe for my company's holiday dinner this year and was pleased when my co-workers enjoyed the food as much as I do. I like the consistency that comes out of Chef Carvel Grant Gould's kitchen because I know that I can order both old favorites and nightly specials and be equally happy with both. On my last visit I did just that. I started with a salad of port wine poached pears, beautiful greens, spiced nuts, blue cheese. What made this dish exceed my expectations, other than the fresh ingredients, which should be a given, was the dressing. This wasn't your run-of-the-mill vinaigrette, it had dried fruit blended into it and it transformed the salad into something like dessert, in the very best way.

I went from that to one of Canoe's classics, the smoked salmon. I love that they are now offering it in two sizes so that those of us who are addicts can still order it every time we come in, but also enjoy other things from the menu without feeling like we have eaten enough for 15 people. I love the velvety texture of the house-smoked salmon against the crispy texture of the potato pancake and the creamy goat cheese thatties it all together. Make sure that you eat every last sprig of micro-basil, that stuff packs tons of flavor, don't assume it's thereto make the plate pretty. Even if you aren't a fan of smoked salmon, I'm not, try this, it is not the oily, fishy stuff you are used to getting.

As I had already eaten both a salad and the smoked salmon, I wanted to stick to the small plates for my entree. I was happy I had when my Pekin style quail was placed in front of me. The meat was perfectly cooked and I freely admit that I picked it up with my fingers to better suck every last morsel off those tiny little bird bones. The Asian flavor profile was further picked up in the chillied collard greens the bird lay on and in the star anise boiled peanuts scattered about the plate.

You might assume that after consuming three small plates, I would be skipping dessert. You would be wrong. As I'm sure you've gathered by now, this isn't the kind of place that writes off dessert by placing orders to some commercial bakery. They take as much care with the final course as they do with all of the others. My current favorite, even in the heart of winter, is the buttered popcorn ice cream. It tastes exactly like caramel corn and not just because it sits on a pile of house made cracker jack. The popcorn flavor is steeped into the custard and is so good you will ignore all threats of brain freeze and dive right into it. Trust me, the pain is worth it.

An Afternoon at AltoRex

2011-01-16T15:25:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before in this blog, I recently joined the Atlanta Food Bloggers Alliance, which I was hoping would get me posting more regularly, but that has obviously not happened. What has happened, is that I now have even more exciting things to not write posts on =) Take for example the first AFBA meetup of 2011 at PACCI and Alto Rex. Their effervescent Executive Chef Keira Moritz was kind enough to host our little group to a fun cooking demo, tons of tasty food to sample, and even homemade marshmallows for us to roast and turn into s'mores afterwards.

Keira is one of my favorite chefs in Atlanta, as much for her genuinely kind personality, as for her delicious take on Italian cuisine. That her food is amazing should be no surprise, you aren't appointed executive chef at a major restaurant at age 28 unless you have some real skills. Although this Valdosta native swore she wouldn't come back to the south, I think Atlantans should be very happy that this talent returned to her southern roots.

The logistics of our meetup could have been a problem, because, of course, a hotel

kitchen is open at all hours. (Side note,Chef Keira and her capable team run all the catering for the meeting space at the hotel, so if you are planning a meeting, you can be sure you won't receive dry chicken and rice-out-of-a-box here.) Luckily there is a kitchen at the shuttered-for-the-season Alto Rex rooftop bar. Although the current kitchen is certified to serve cold food only, the hotel has plans to update the space and the offerings at this hot spot very soon.

On the menu for the day were a grilled romaine Caesar salad with Chef Keira's dressing made with coddled egg, which impressed me no end as I am tired of being told that your aren't at risk for salmonella if you know where your eggs come from. Salmonella is a bacteria that a large number of chickens harbor, causing them no ill effects whatsoever, but that is easily transmitted from the hen to the yolk where it can't be detected until you undercook it and get sick. You can keep one chicken in your own backyard and still have salmonella as it can be in their feed or they can even get infected from a single common fly. Rant over.

We also got to taste gnocchi with gorgonzola, walnuts, sage and brown butter, an Italian classic, always a tasty preparation. Chef Keira even made two batches as there is an AFBA member with a walnut allergy. As for me, I could happily have eaten dozens of those buttery little potato pillows.

Next came the crespelle, these were stuffed with a mixture of sauteed pears and ricotta. I personally thought that a little nutella would not have been amiss, but these were perfectly seasonal and appropriate topped with more brown butter and some micro basil. I actually didn't get a chance to taste these, or the s'mores that followed, because I managed to over-schedule myself, as usual. I had 4:00 reservations for afternoon tea at Watershed with my mom and grandmother, who was visiting from Minnesota, so I had to dash out before the end of the meetup, but I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had with Chef Keira and her team and all of my friends of the AFBA.

If you would like to try some of the delicious food at PACCI, including some of the same items we were fortunate enough to sample, Chef Keira has generously offered my readers the below coupon for a complimentary carpaccio or dessert with the purchase of an entree. Go taste for yourself and let me know what you think!

What would you do?

2010-12-30T09:29:00.000-05:00

Last week I asked a friend to go to dinner with me, I felt like I was in a rut, always dining at the same places, so asked him if he was up for trying somewhere new. We ended up at Local Three, and felt both guilty and embarrassed for having suggested it after we didn't have a great experience. As a qualifier, they are newly opened and were very busy the night we were there. However, of the six dishes we sampled, I didn't really enjoy any of them. There were also some service issues, although we fared far better than another couple who walked out after repeated requests for a menu were ignored. Our server was quite busy, so I wasn't bothered until after we had waited close to 20 minutes for a dessert that never came, because it had never been ordered, and I also realized that one of my small plates never came out, again because it hadn't been ordered. What made the whole thing more perplexing was that the server comped one of my friend's drinks to make up for not putting in two things that I had ordered.

That was that until I sent that same friend the following tweet yesterday: "are you up for another dining adventure? One that will hopefully be less sucky than Local 3? Are you busy tomorrow night?" What ensued was a completely unexpected twitter conversation.

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_powerwhat was wrong with Local 3? Bad food or something?

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr food was uninspired & server kept forgetting to ring in items I ordered, made up 4 it by comping my friends, drink not mine

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power wow the food was uninspired? What was uninspiring about it? They'd love your feed back Chef Chris is very receptive

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr can't detail everything in 140 characters, would be happy to talk to chef Chris

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power do you remember what you had that night? I just meant you should have talked to Chris and told him or Ryan Turner.

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr you can look at my Foodspotting feed and see what I tried and how I felt about each dish

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power cool. How do I do that? Ill forward it to Local Three folks as well

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power did you speak with the manager? Just curious, I sampled the whole menu would love to hear which dish you found uninspiring?

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr by the time we waited over 20 minutes 4 dessert that didn't show because server never ordered, we were just ready to leave

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr I also think the experience may differ when you try everything 4 free before opening vs going on a busy night & paying

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr have you been back as a regular guest?

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power yep. I've been back several times for lunch and dinner and always payed.

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr you/they can look at my sightings at http://www.foodspotting.com/ultrafoodie

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr just wondering, maybe we picked an off night, or me really, as I suggested it & felt bad when we didn't have a good exprnc

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power yeah I looked at it. Hard to find anything positive in there. Did your poor service effect what you said about the food?

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr I don't think so, it wasn't that bad until the end when dessert didn't come, then I realized I never got pork rinds either

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr we actually joked about it because he seemed nice to us, till the end, but duo next to us walked out due to no service

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power did you talk to the manager? They are a new restaurant if you thought the food was that bad why did you pay, or send it back?

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr I didn't think the food tasted good, that doesn't mean the restaurant should pay for my meal, I just won't be going back

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr I won't send back food that isn't to my taste, it wasn't inedible, there wasn't raw chicken or hair or shards of glass

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power that is terrible to hear. Like I said if you/they didn't talk to the manager they can't fix the food or service problems.

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power yea not for everyone I guess.You seem to be more of burger person, why didn't you get the Mcdowell? To each his own in eating

@poodle_power: @HungrySouthernr I wanted to stick with small plates to try as much as possible, if I'd had the burger I would have eaten 1/2 then been done

@HungrySouthernr: @poodle_power I still think if you thought the food was lacking and had poor service you should have talked to the manager to give feedback

I'm curious, has anyone else experienced anything like this? Would anyone like to pick sides on this one? When is the situation bad enough to bring to the attention of the chef, owner, manager, etc.? What has been your tipping point?

One other question, in regards to fish bones, if you are eating something like a filet of salmon, should it be expected that the restaurant has thoroughly checked the fish and removed any bones? Or is that up to the diner? Does the answer change if the salmon is served as part of a BLT sandwich?

Turkey 4 ways

2010-12-29T17:35:00.000-05:00

This was the first year of having Christmas at my new house, last year being out of the question because I had just moved in and the place was a disaster area (not that I am completely unpacked now, more than a year later, but that's another post). As I was hosting, I decided that gave me complete control over the menu, which meant roasting a turkey. To know why that's a big deal, you have to know that my father can't stand turkey and my mother claims to be allergic to the smell of it cooking, but this is my house, my rules. In retrospect, as my house still smells like Christmas dinner, my mother may be right, and as I overcooked the turkey grossly, my father maybe right, but that doesn't change the fact that I love turkey and finally got the opportunity to roast one.

My dad still doesn't quite understand my need to photograph everything I cook or eat for potential blog posts, so this picture was taken after he had carved the wing off, and no he wouldn't let me try to reattach it with toothpicks. It was 9:00PM, so maybe he had a point. I will be the first to admit that it was dry, like the Sahara, despite the stick of butter I stuffed under the skin, with my own sage that I picked from beneath the snow. However, with enough gravy and cranberry sauce you can choke most anything down.

Then comes the next ordeal, what do you do with the leftovers from a 14 pound turkey, when there are only 4 people at dinner and it is drier than dust? The good news is I was able to stash it outside for a day or two to deliberate due to the subarctic temperatures. I came up with turkey pot pie two ways and turkey soup. One pot pie was topped with leftover stuffing, made with fennel, roasted lemons, and pine nuts - one of the best stuffings I have ever eaten (recipe courtesy of Epicurious).

The other was topped by DuFour puff pastry from Whole Foods, which at $11.99 better be amazing, but it does not disappoint. As I had some leftover, I made some Old Bay flavored cheese straws, so tasty to snack on while you wait for your pot pie to cool enough to eat. I made the mistake of cutting vent holes into the top of the pastry, allowing the sauce to come through and weigh down the top, inhibiting puffing, but that didn't keep it from tasting delicious. The sauce was inspired by one in the DK Chicken cookbook written by Anne Willan, so you can imagine how good it was, and it successfully transformed the turkey into something palatable, so double win!

Even after I had stuffed as much meat as possible into the two pot pies, I still had tons leftover, so I decided to stuff the carcass into the crockpot and start a soup. This turned out to be another good way to use up meat, with orzo and carrots and more fennel, although the texture of the dry meat wasn't concealed nearly as well as when it was covered with a sauce full of butter and heavy cream.

Now dear reader, what holiday mishaps did you have in your kitchen and how did you save them from being a complete disaster?

Chocolate Pink Cupcake Challenge

2010-11-15T18:31:00.000-05:00

I am so happy to have finally found a warm, supportive niche in the Atlanta food blogging community, namely the newly created Atlanta Food Bloggers Alliance. This group was formed after we all met at the Food Blog Forum in September, and a few proactive members Mandy Lea Turchin, Self Trained Chef, Becky Smith, What's 4 Dinner Tonite, and Kristina Ackerman, Knuckle Salad, decided that it was silly to just let the experience end after the weekend was over and the AFBA was formed. We have had several fun meetings to date, including a cheese tasting and Sunday's Cupcake Challenge.

Chocolate Pink Pastry Cafe were so generous to host us for the Challenge, not only providing us with 8 tasty mini-cupcakes to sample and judge, but also sending us home with goodie boxes full of more cupcakes. They have an adorable, light-filled private event space above the shop, that would be perfect for a baby shower or bridal shower and that was where the event was held. As I walked up the stairs, my mouth started watering just looking at all the cupcakes on display.

We were served eight different flavors, four at a time. The first set consisted of chocolate peanut butter, which won three of the prizes, Best Flavor, Best Presentation, and Best Overall, Strawberry Poptart, Dulce de Leche and Cookies N' Cream, which won for Best Texture. Of that group, my surprise favorite was the Strawberry Poptart, I never liked the original toaster pastry, but these are a surprisingly grown-up and delicious version, I especially love the gooey strawberry jam layer and the housemade sable cookie garnish on top.

Then came the next four, Chocolate Nutella, Pumpkin Maple and Bacon, winner for Most Unique, Sweet Potato Brown Butter and Chocolate Fudge. I loved this group, from the souffle cake texture and ganache filling of the Chocolate Fudge, to the perfection of the applewood smoked bacon paired with maple buttercream on the Pumpkin Maple and Bacon. However, nothing compared to my overall favorite, the Sweet Potato Brown Butter. I could happily eat brown butter in just about anything, scratch that, I can't think of any exceptions to that and this was definitely not an exception. I especially liked the diced sweet potato in the cake that lended flavor and texture, and oh, that heavenly, nutty brown butter icing.

I would strongly recommend using the free cupcake coupon that Chocolate Pink Pastry Cafe was so kind to offer to our readers to try the Sweet Potato Brown Butter cupcake, but I'm sure no matter which one you try, you will not be disappointed.

Afternoon in the Country

2010-11-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

Les Dames d'Escoffier Atlanta has an annual fundraiser that I have attended religiously. It has long been my favorite food event of the year, something I look forward to for the 364 days leading up to it. This year, though, was different. It was much more crowded than it has been in years past, to the point where you just stood there yelling "excuse me" to be heard over the din as you tried to squeeze through the throng of people standing around talking. I don't know if they sold more tickets than in years past, or if everyone just all showed up at one time, but it really took away a lot of the enjoyment for me. As a short person, this was basically my view the whole time.

One of the best things about this event is that so many of the best restaurants participate. It can be a useful tool for charting out where your dining dollars should be spent over the next year. This year I didn't have a favorite bite, which is odd, because there are things from last year or longer ago that I still remember and crave. Last year it was Tom Harvey of Murphy's insanely good pork and apple dumplings in this rich pork jus. Then there was the year that Park 75 had the mini pumpkin whoopie pies, that was years ago as they were made by David Jeffries who has moved onto bigger and better things. This year there were tasty things, but nothing that will haunt me for years to come.

One of the first bites I enjoyed was pulled pork on a corncake with sweet pickled green tomatoes from Gloriosa. It was simple, but well executed, and their set-up was my favorite in terms of design.

The next taste that hit all the right notes, was the African squash and pepitas bruschetta that had a bright mustardy vinaigrette to kick your tastebuds into high gear from Floataway Cafe.

Then I discovered the roast pork and collard green strudel, another tasty mouthful from Tom Harvey at Murphy's. It had perfectly flaky phyllo dough wrapped around the pork, collards, and root vegetables drizzled with a spicy mayo based sauce. It was great for an event like this because it was bite-sized and very easy to pop into your mouth.

Along the lines of sometimes the simplest things are the best things, I have to admit that I thought the falafel from Alon's was one of the best I've ever eaten, from the perfect house-made pita to the crunchy pickles, I wish I had had room to eat more of them. Another winner in that category were the beets from Farm Burger, perfect in season beets, a little goat cheese, a little bacon, you really can't go wrong.

The most whimsical item, the deconstructed sweet potato souffle skewers. These things were seriously cute and so clever! Chunks of roasted sweet potato and homemade rosemary flavored marshmallows that were toasted as you watched. If this is the kind of food that Jon Wolf will be bringing to the food at Terrace on Peachtree
in the Ellis Hotel when he takes over in December, I can't wait to see what he will come up with next.

Basic to Brilliant, Y'all

2010-11-04T16:30:00.000-04:00

I really ought to know better than to plan to do something at 7:00PM on a week night in Atlanta. This was one of those days where it just grizzles all day long with the odd tornado warning, thus rendering the entire population incapable of driving. Even though I left work 15 minutes early, we were still almost 20 minutes late to class and there were times as I sat staring at the miles of unmoving tail lights that I considered throwing in the towel and going home. I'm so glad I persevered as this was one of the most enjoyable cooking classes I have ever taken.

This was my first class at the Salud at the old Harry's, now Whole Foods, in Alpharetta. It's a really great class atmosphere - I appreciated sitting at a table as I was able to take notes and enjoy my tasty samples without having to balance things on my knees, plus the raised seats in the back and big screens meant that everyone had a great view of the action.

The instructor for this particular class, and the reason we braved the traffic, was Virginia Willis. She is truly one of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet and it is truly worth braving any storm to see her. In this class we were especially lucky to be able to try some of the dishes from her next cookbook Basic to Brilliant, Y'all coming out in September '11 and taste some of the products from her new line called My Southern Pantry.

The class was called Entertaining Fall Flavors and featured a great line-up of recipes that I already have plans to recreate at home. The first course was a potato & celeriac soup with fennel that had us all scraping our cups clean. Then we moved onto the main course, a tender grass-fed skirt steak from White Oak Pastures rubbed with French Quarter Spice Rub from My Southern Pantry. I love that spice blend, it has powdered Tabasco peppers, Chickory coffee and all kinds of other flavors that complemented the meat to perfection. The steak was accompanied by a kale and butternut squash gratin that would have had me asking for seconds, except one pan didn't cook completely for some reason. I like that she blanched the kale, then sauteed it with garlic, so it added a great flavor to the gratin. It will definitely be making an appearance at my Thanksgiving table this year and most likely for years to come.

As if all of that weren't enough, we even got dessert, a bittersweet chocolate bread pudding served with homemade caramel sauce and creme fraiche, the perfect ending to a fun evening.

I know that Virginia Willis has several classes coming up at Cook's Warehouse, as well as doing a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on November 13, so there is no excuse not to go out and learn everything you can from her. Your friends and family will thank you.

Hands on Dumplings

2010-10-22T17:46:00.000-04:00

We are so lucky in Atlanta to have so many options of where to shop for our food. While I am a big proponent of supporting my local farmers, there are times when you need kaffir lime leaves or turmeric or some other foreign ingredient, without which your curry or tom yum gai would fall flat. I love the cut-rate prices of Super H and Great Wall, but for more extensive selection, especially with Latin and South American flavors, you can't beat the Buford Highway Farmers Market. If you haven't been recently, this is not the run down place you remember. They have put a lot of money into upgrading the store and making it a much more appealing place to shop. But don't worry, they still sell those little corn things with the custard filling, yum!

Along the lines of expanding their customer base, the market is now offering a range of cooking classes. They are moderately priced, $20, plus they give you a $10 gift card for the market at the end of the class. Recently, my friend Todd and I decided to go to a Chinese Southern Belle class on making dumplings.

We had such a good time! Natalie and her mother, Margaret, gave a good general overview of Chinese cuisine and even whipped up a quick veggie stir-fry to tide us over until it was dumpling time.Then we got to the good part, we learned how to make a variety of dumplings hands. I have to admit, I am not much for rules and love to improvise in the kitchen, so my dumplings were a little out of the box, but despite their unusual form, they held together well during boiling and tasted amazing. One of the best things about the class is that you sit at communal tables and all work together and offer suggestions like how to get the best seal, or what to mix together to make the best dipping sauce. The other best part is getting to eat the product of your labor, I'm fairly sure Todd ate 30 or more, although he claims he kept it under 2 dozen.

I think these classes would make an excellent setting for a fun weeknight date night, or even better for a blind date. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone and look forward to going back and taking more classes soon. For more info on upcoming classes, you can look here.

Patron Secret Dining Society

2010-10-08T18:09:00.000-04:00

This summer Patron Tequila developed a new marketing strategy, they would promote their brand by throwing uber exclusive, secret dinner parties all over the US. Naturally, this sounded right up my alley, so when I first heard about it, I hoped like crazy that they would come to Atlanta and on September 23rd, they did. On their website they have clocks counting down the seconds until they reveal their next destination and this time I just had this hunch that it would be Atlanta. The window of opportunity was miniscule, you only had 30 minutes to submit your answer to a riddle based on the previous event in Rhode Island, but I was ready and submitted my answer almost immediately. The next day I get an e-mail saying "Psst... You're In" with a request that I confirm my attendance and name of my guest within 12 hours and very little information other than a date and time, if "evening" can be called a time.

I am on pins and needles awaiting my next contact, which proves to be a cryptic phone call the very next day, instructing me to go to a location and text a secret code to a number at a specific time. It was so funny sitting in this random parking lot with all of these other cars waiting to get a text. We didn't have long to wait. We didn't have long to wait before we were directed to our mystery location, the Goat Farm, a sort of artists colony in west midtown. We are greeted with the first of many Patron cocktails and a fresh shucked oyster. We mingle and enjoy the country-in-the-city ambiance as we sip our cocktails and enjoy the tasty snacks being passed around. My favorite was the bite-sized tuna tartare taco, although the pork belly on polenta was also pretty phenomenal.

As it was getting dark, the Patron people introduced our mixologist, Brandon King of the St Regis and chef, Keira Moritz of Pacci and told us that our journey wasn't quite over yet. We were lead through the darkened complex to the location where our dinner would be served, at one long table, encouraging us to mix, mingle and make new friends. It was a beautifully laid table with candles and floral arrangements in empty Patron bottles.

The best was yet to come! My favorite Patron pairing of the night was the Passionate - Patron Silver infused with pineapple, jalapeno, and pink peppercorn, Patron Citronge, passion fruit puree, sour mix, citrus spice rim and red chili pepper garnish accompanying a gorgeous scallop served with a fava bean, chanterelle, pea shoot salad. That was followed by duck confit with polenta, lamb chops with farro, and a Patron XO Cafe Mousse Strata, an icy treat, the perfect way to end a hot fall evening in Atlanta.

It was impressive that they were able to put together a meal of that caliber in such a rustic setting, it seemed like something that would make a good Next Iron Chef challenge, dinner for 40 with only a couple of folding tables and some tents. They really pulled it off, so maybe Chef Moritz might want to consider trying out for one of those shows. As the evening was winding down, they announced another surprise, a band that they flew in all the way from LA to play for us. I'm pretty sure that we were meant to be dancing, but as it had cooled down to only about mid 80's, there wasn't a lot of interest in that.

We contemplated staying to give our take on the event to the videographer, but I new my face was a shiny mess, so we headed home, grabbing our fabulous swag bag on the way out. If you want to see the video re-cap, you can watch here. You can also enter to win everything you need to recreate the Patron Secret Supper in your own home here. Good luck! (If you win, I will expect to be invited)

Carnitas a la Slow Cooker

2010-09-07T18:27:00.000-04:00

This past holiday weekend, I saw a high school friend's blog post on pork shoulder in a slow cooker http://pesteredchef.blogspot.com/2010/09/pork-week.html come up in my facebook feed, which inspired me to try to make my own carnitas. It turned out even better than I could have imagined. When I went to Publix to get the pig, I couldn't decide between the half picnic and the Boston butt, so I bought both, nearly 10 pounds in all.

The whole process couldn't have been any easier, I just rinsed the pork off, then rubbed in a couple of handfuls of Penzeys Fajita Spice and stuck it in my slow cooker on high for what ended up being about 9 hours, turning once near the end. I have to admit to being sceptical of putting it in dry, as I have previously always done braises and things with added broths or wines, but as you can see, the pork made plenty of liquid on its own.

I really took my time pulling the pork, to get out as much fat as possible, but still ended up with pounds of meat that I moistened with some of the juice from the slow cooker, also strained of its fat, although the meat was so succulent and juicy, that wasn't really necessary.

Of course, one of the best parts about doing tacos is the condiments. In this case, I had some Green Zebra tomatoes from my garden, which are super tart and zingy, some nice Extra Sharp Cabot Cheddar, a few perfect slices of avocado, and a lime wedge or two to brighten the whole thing up. I personally adore cilantro and piled it high, but that can be skipped if you don't have that gene. The only thing missing were some of my purple jalapenos, but I forgot to pick some when I was packing everything to take to my parents house where I was cooking dinner. The good thing is, there are plenty of leftover and my next taco or carnitas quesadilla will most certainly have a spicy purple kick.

Attack of the Killer Tomato Fest

2010-08-13T17:59:00.000-04:00

Say Cheese!

2010-08-12T18:41:00.000-04:00

On Monday I was lucky enough to be able to attend one of Murray's Cheese famous Cheese 101 classes. Murray's is an institution, started in 1940, they have been sourcing some of the very best cheeses from both here and abroad and making them available to the public. It has been a lifetime goal of mine to attend their intensive Cheese Boot Camp, which spans a 3 day period and includes tastings of some 80 cheeses as well as tours of their in-house cheese caves, but as that takes place at their shop in New York, I was happy to settle for Cheese 101 taught by the incredibly knowledgeable Liz Thorpe at Sandy Springs Kroger.

If you haven't been to this Kroger lately, you will probably be pleasantly surprised to see all of the changes they have made, including the addition of the Murray's outpost, which will also be featured in 5 other Kroger locations by the end of the year. The new cheese center has hundreds of different cheeses on offer, with different things rotating in and out, as well as a really nice bar
with pickled and cured veggies, salads and dips, everything you need for a last minute party. I actually didn't have that much time to look around before we were lead to our classroom, so I definitely plan to come back and browse and taste when I have more time.

When we got upstairs we found that we were tasting four cheeses, starting from mildest to strongest with accompaniments. We started local with Sweet Grass Dairy's Green Hill, a soft-ripened cows milk cheese similar in style to a camembert paired with an outstanding sour cherry preserve. Next we jumped across the Atlantic to Spain and tasted a fairly young (according to Liz) manchego, which is an aged sheeps milk cheese. You can tell its sheeps milk because of the buttery mouthfeel, as their milkfat content is double that of cows and goats. It was paired with the traditional quince paste.

Then we moved on to the Reypenaer, an aged Dutch gouda, which if you want to be pretentious, you can pronounce correctly as how-dah. It's incredibly nutty with great crunchy crystalline structure that pairs nicely with the sweet and seedy fig preserves. Last, but certainly not least, we sampled a gorgonzola dolce, an incredibly rich, but fairly mild blue. A friend who was also at the tasting, offered me hers, but when I insisted she at least try it first, quickly became a convert. It didn't hurt that it was paired with some of Savannah Bee Company's incredible Tupelo honey. I would have been happy to stay and try 76 more, but unfortunately, there wasn't time for that. Maybe one day I will make it to New York for Boot Camp, but until then this was a great substitute.

Murray's will be having another Cheese 101 at the Alpharetta store at 10945 State Bridge Rd this Monday 8/16 at 5:o0 PM and there are still seats available. If you are interested, you can RSVP

Go fish!

2010-08-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

The Buckhead Life Group has a summer tradition unlike any other restaurant group in town, it's called the Dine Around program, and it is quite possibly the smartest way I have ever seen to fill traditionally empty restaurant seats during the slow summer months. They mail out something like 100,000 $20 gift cards to the different restaurants in the group, valid for only the month stated and the restaurant listed. Then when you use it the first time (this year they allowed multiple uses) you are given another card for the next month at a different spot. My July card was for Kyma, not that I need an excuse to visit one of my favorite restaurants, and my August card is for Chops Lobster Bar.

On my most recent visit, I brought my friend Kristi, http://hurtsmyteeth.tumblr.com/, who had never been before. Naturally I had to order as many meze as possible so she could try all of my favorites. Our first bite was a little taste from the chef, Pano Karatossos, a zucchini fritter. Bite sized, fresh-from-the-garden sweet, and not at all greasy, it was served on their htipiti roasted red pepper spread.

It is not possible for me to visit Kyma and not get a few of their spreads. The tzatziki is the best I've ever had, made with such rich Greek yogurt you would swear it was sour cream, full of cucumber and bright lemon. The skordalia is pureed potato, more lemon, and garlic, garlic, garlic. Is is so smooth and creamy I could happily eat it with a spoon, but no need to do that when they give you plenty of wedges of their grilled pita. They garnish their dips with good strong cured olives that I could eat by the dozen.

Next we had the cheese saganaki, they also offer a shrimp version, which is good, but I was craving oozy melted cheese. It's kefalograviera cheese that is pan fried and finished with barbayanni ouzo and more lemon to cut the cheese's natural saltiness. It's not melted like the mozzarella that strings off your pizza, it's a firmer cheese like feta, so it holds up to pan frying, but still has a gorgeous soft-chewy texture. You are better off eating it the second it gets to your table as it sets up again pretty quickly.

Kyma also does a fantastic job with grilled meats, which you can order by the piece. They let the flavor of the wood smoke and the meats shine through, only dressing lightly with oregano, olive oil, or perhaps a spray of lemon. I am a long time fan of their lamb chops, but this time decided to give the pork ribs a try, mostly because I was intrigued by the idea of the coriander yogurt served on the side. I actually would have preferred a bit more coriander, as there is no such thing as too much coriander in my opinion, but the ribs were stellar, tender, crispy, supremely flavorful. They are also served with those golden discs of perfection, the Greek fries. They are shatteringly crisp on the outside and creamy in the middle, one of the best examples of fried potato in the city. A word of warning, eat them fast, they don't hold well.

Quite possibly the best known dish at Kyma is the Grilled Octopus. This is the stuff of legends. There are several incarnations on the menu, including the calamari filet, but go for the grilled octopus. It is served with a pickled red onion salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette, but the cephalopod is the star of the show. The tentacles are grilled and have the most divine meaty texture, slightly chewy-crisp at the edges from the fire. These are not the fried rubber bands you are used to eating.

One of the specials on the night we went was a scallop dish, 5 perfectly cooked incredibly sweet scallops, served over a fava bean and mushroom mixture and bathed with manna from heaven, also known as lobster-yogurt emulsion. It was like the very essence of lobster and lighter than air, but so intensely flavorful, you wanted to lick your plate clean. If this were a slightly less posh restaurant, I'm pretty sure I would have.

For dessert, there are the typical Greek pastries, the bakalavas, and other nut filled, flaky phyllo-based things. However, I adore the loukoumades, fried globs of dough, somewhat similar in texture to a beignet. It's not the dough that's amazing, it's the honey that they are covered with, imported from Greece, it is rich and strong and delicious. It's the honey that makes you understand why Napoleon wanted to be entombed in it, it might even make you want that for yourself. I can never resist biting into them the moment they are delivered, but consider the 3rd degree burns on the roof of my mouth an acceptable consequence.

Kyma also has some of the most flawless service in the city, with perhaps the exception of the hostess desk. I would really prefer not to stand around awkwardly waiting for my dining companion to arrive, nor do I want to take a seat at the bar, when I have no desire to order a beverage. It would be nice to be greeted, then seated at a table where you don't feel so conspicuous as you wait. Plus if you are seated at your table immediately, you will have more time to peruse the menu and enjoy the company of your waiter. If you are lucky enough to get Cory, you need those extra minutes, because not only is he charming and personable with great menu knowledge, but he is also very easy on the eyes. Next time you go, be sure and ask for him, you'll see what I mean.

What are you doing tonight?

2010-08-02T17:49:00.000-04:00

I have recently been bombarded with fun things to do during August, some private like tubing with a friend, and some public like the Murray's Cheese class. It seems like there isn't one place that lists everything, so I thought I would try to compile some of the best bets here. If your calendar is yawning emptily, here is your chance to fill it up.

First up is Silent Clark's Break the Silence party. It will be Saturday Aug. 7 from 7:00-10:00PM at the Twelve Hotel Centennial Park. If you haven't been following his amazing story, he has been silent, communicating only via social media, for 93 days now, in an effort to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of his mother. It has been so interesting reading all of his tweets from ordering his lunch to making plans with his lovely wife. If you would like to support his cause, you can buy tickets and you can follow him in his last few days of silence on twitter.

Next we have an exciting development, it turns out Murray's Cheese will be coming to Atlanta as they have partnered with Kroger to bring world class cheese to the suburbs of Atlanta. One store set to have a Murray's Cheese is the new store opening in Lawrenceville at Hwy 20. In anticipation of these new stores, Murray's is hosting a couple of their famed Cheese 101 Classes at existing Kroger stores including Sandy Springs on Monday, August 9 at 6:30PM RSVP and Alpharetta on Monday, August 16 at 5:00PM RSVP They still have a few spots available, so if you love cheese and would like to learn more about it, RSVP using the above links.

It is with gratitude to my favorite ice cream makers in Atlanta, Westside Creamery, that I announce a cool event that they brought to my attention on twitter. The new Atlantan magazine is hosting a party called to Live & Dine in Atlanta 2010 on Wednesday, August 11 from 6:00-9:00PM tickets. Some of my favorite people like Maggie and Greg at Westside, Todd Ginsberg of Bocado, and others are featured in a great line-up including some of the new super stars of the food truck scene. I personally can't wait to try Hankook Taqueria's new food truck Yumbii, who have not come close enough to my Dunwoody office to try them out yet. Tickets are an incredibly reasonable $25 in advance and $35 day of (if they haven't sold out) and proceeds are going to one of my favorite groups, Georgia Organics.

Another group I am a member of, Atlanta BBQ Club, will be having a fun "meating" on Saturday August 14 from 4:00-7:00PM. Tickets are $13 and get you BBQ, sides, and a drink and entry into the big raffle, with a grand prize of a Kamado Joe Grill. They are only selling 100 tickets, so these are good odds of winning an awesome grill. Tickets

Last, but certainly not least, on Monday August 16, I am hosting one of my pizza nights at Varasano's. It's an informal gathering of friends where we order as many of the pizzas on the menu as number of people show up, allowing everyone to taste a little bit of everything. If you haven't been yet, read my post on Varasano's and let me know if you are interested in joining us.

Nam Phuong

2010-07-23T18:53:00.000-04:00

On a recent rainy Friday night (is there any other kind in Atlanta lately?) I took the recommendation of Blissful Glutton, http://blissfulglutton.com/, who claimed this is the best Vietnamese in Atlanta, and headed down Jimmy Carter with my friends Addy and Daniel to try out Nam Phuong.

If you are familiar with the Hong Kong shopping center, you probably know why I wasn't expecting much in the way of ambiance, but instead I was surprised by how pretty the place was, and how packed, although that was quickly explained after tasting the food. They have a bar area and really nice restrooms, which are a double bonus in the ethnic restaurant realm.

As we are all yelpers, there were lots of pictures being taken as food was brought out to the table. We ordered the Banh Hoi Chao Tom or Vermicelli with ground shrimp and sugar cane, which was really delicious and a good sized portion. Our server didn't want to let me order it, he said I wouldn't like the sauce that he described as sticky or stinky, I'm not sure which, but I insisted and was delighted to have the chance to play with my food as I wrapped up my rolls of shrimp and noodles and veg with the rice paper that kept attaching itself to me like the tentacles on a giant squid. The sauce was both sticky and stinky, but it was also quite tasty, with tons of bright lime flavor.

We also got the Goi vit (Duck salad), which was a cabbage based salad with a few cold, gray chunks of fatty duck scattered through; the Ca kho to (Caramelized catfish fillet in clay pot), which had an addictive sauce with nicely cooked sweet catfish, but there were only 6 chicken nugget sized pieces, which didn't seem reasonable given that it was listed as an entree and had an $8.95 price tag. It was also supposed to come with rice, although we weren't brought any until I noticed it was missing almost at the end of our meal.

The surprise favorite of the meal was the Dau hu rang muoi tieu (Salt and pepper tofu) which was battered and fried and burst in your mouth like eating fried custard. Admittedly it is on the mild side, but it was easy enough to punch up with the various sauces on the table. My favorite was dragging it through the empty catfish clay pot.

Given the proximity of this place to my new house and the affordable menu, I expect I will be visiting on a regular basis and can't wait to try out more menu items and see what other things they have to offer.

Not Quite Davy Jones Locker

2010-03-07T18:20:00.000-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Georgia Aquarium, http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/, as a blogger, specifically to explore their new exhibition Planet Shark: Predator or Prey, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx6xlLvYG1w. Now I have to admit, I've never seen Jaws and really try to avoid movies like that because I already have enough fear of what lurks under the sea, so I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about going to an exhibition that could potentially scare me out of the water for good. For the most part, that didn't happen.

When you enter the exhibit, they make you take your picture in the jaws of a shark, which seems counter-intuitive when the stated purpose is to make people less afraid of sharks. When you first enter there is an amazing collection of sharks teeth and jaws that give you an appreciation of these animals that have been around 440 million years. There was also a wall hanging that showed life-size outlines of a number of different sharks, which really put them in perspective. One of the most interesting parts of the exhibit was a section where they compared sharks to two other marine predators, the saltwater crocodile and the killer whale. I wonder if someone has amended the number of killer whale fatalities listed after the recent tragedy at Sea World. When people were commenting on twitter about the possibility of kids witnessing the attack, I could respond authoritatively, that there should have been little to no blood because killer whale teeth are more like human teeth and relatively dull, not razor sharp like sharks.

There were a number of factoids scattered throughout the exhibit estimating the likelihood of a shark attack, for instance did you know you are over 200 times more likely to be killed by a deer than a shark? Or that you are 10 times more likely to be killed in a sand-hole collapse at the beach than to even see an Oceanic Whitetip shark, let alone be attacked by one? The only problem I had was that quite a bit of the written information was of such a small size and posted at such a distance behind the crowd control barriers, I wasn't able to read it.

The main purpose of the exhibition is education, to dispel the myths surrounding shark attacks because there are several species teetering on the brink of extinction due to being hunted from fear or for financial gain (how about a tasteless, nutrition-free bowl of mercury poisoned water a.k.a. shark fin soup), their endangered food supply and their slow reproduction rates (Makos are sexually mature at 4-6 years and produce between 4-12 pups every 2 years after that), among other factors. If you would like to visit the exhibit and see for yourself, they have provided a coupon, although, due to the late nature of this post, it isn't good for long. I swear I had the best of intentions, but life has a way of interfering with my blog.

Know your Q

2010-01-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I finally got around to doing something I have been wanting to do for a long time. Was it discovering a cure for cancer? Or painting a masterpiece? No, it was something way better =) I became certified as a Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) Judge. That means I am now qualified to judge any of the incredible events they sanction like Smoke on the Water in Little Rock and the super-prestigious, invitation only Royal BBQ, held, where else?, Kansas City.

This is the big leagues, kids, this is the stuff you watch on BBQ Pitmasters, and now I am a part of it. I would say there were about 80 of us that turned up Saturday morning at the Ben Robertson Community Center in Kennesaw, also the home of the Peaches & Pigs BBQ Festival http://www.kennesaw-ga.gov/index.aspx?NID=333, with the warning "A large breakfast is NOT recommended". The KCBS Rep who was teaching the class was Ron Harwell and he was incredibly informative and happily answered our millions of questions about the process of judging Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket.

Then the real fun started as we were presented with our very own "mock BBQ contest" to judge, with more than one red herring (or red leaf lettuce) designed to trick us up. Our first meat was chicken and I got a slice of breast, a drumstick, and a thigh. The thigh was my personal favorite, but man was that thing greasy! Of course, I was really waiting for the ribs and they did not disappoint, technically I only got 2 as there was an accordion style plant in the box, but thank goodness Russ was sweet enough to share entry 102 with me, so I got to try it. That would not have been allowed at a real contest, where if you touch it, it goes on your plate, no ifs and or butts.

Next up we had pork, where we got to see ice cream scooper style, a style that has thankfully fallen out of favor as that was less than appetizing to me. That one actually turned out to have really good flavor, even served chilled, and I would have been happy to eat more than one glob.

Finally, last, but certainly not least, after consuming 9 other meat samples, they passed around the brisket. This one looked beautiful, but had two illegal garnishes, luckily, since this was just a mock contest we could admire it before giving it the disqualifying 1 for appearance. After getting first-hand knowledge of some of the pitfalls we might encounter in the competitive world of BBQ, we took our oath and got certified to judge.

We have been warned that the chances of getting many judging assignments in our first year are pretty slim, but I plan to put my name out there for as many contests as possible, and hopefully start to make a name for myself on the circuit. Unfortunately, if I do, you won't see it here, as all judging is completely confidential in real KCBS contests.

The Nest

2010-01-07T18:20:00.001-05:00

Now that I have finally moved into my house, 10 months and 1 day after closing, but who's counting? I have developed this nesting instinct, where I am trying to create delightful vignettes of artwork in unexpected places around the house, in part, I think, to avoid dealing with the boxes, which are stacked nearly to the ceiling and are overwhelming to unpack as there are some sad memories in there. I recently broke down when I found the lovely watercolors of Remy from the ultra-talented Chris Hagebak http://www.freewebs.com/chrishagebak/.

On the other hand, the last box I opened yielded some lovely postcards purchased in Paris almost 12 years ago, so I was delighted to discover via Twitter that the design genius Eddie Ross http://www.eddieross.com/ was coming to Atlanta, this weekend! He will be hosting a framing workshop at Larson-Juhl on Saturday and I absolutely can't wait to go and get some inspiration as to the best way to display my newly found treasure trove of Parisian postcards.

He has such amazing ideas, like in this grouping of seaweed specimens or in his super playful vintage button display. I am hopeful that some of his genius will rub off on me at the workshop and I encourage any other Martha wannabe's to reserve their spot (class info is on the Eddie Ross website) as soon as possible to make sure to be included as places are limited. See you there and happy crafting!

Ibérkshirco Pork

2009-12-18T23:18:00.000-05:00

First, a humble apology to my two loyal followers, I am crap at updating my blog. I can never make the pictures go where I want them to, and formatting is such a hassle, I know I will never be asked to be on the Martha Stewart Show.

Tonight, though, tonight I am compelled to post, if only to preserve the memory of this meal for a time when I can't remember it. Unfortunately, I am sans photos, as I accidentally left my camera sitting on the counter while I was re-charging the batteries. So as Chef Nick says, I will just have to paint a picture with my words.

For the past two days, the twitterverse has been abuzz with the news of a new meat in town. I first saw it from Live to Feast ( http://livetofeast.com/?p=450 ) and was instantly intrigued. I mean who doesn't want to know how Berkshire hogs, fed in the style of Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, taste when served as fresh pork, not ham? Certainly not me, so I drove all the way down to Parish in Inman Park ( http://www.parishatl.com/home.php ) in the nasty, cold, rainy weather to get me a plate.

Even though I only had one thing on my mind, I couldn't resist trying a few other bites from the menu. I porked out on a savory pork and sweet potato cheesecake with homemade worcestershire sauce, as well as these dreamy little cloud-like parmigiano dumplings sauteed in sage butter and stuffed into a roasted acorn squash. Both were so delicious, I had to ask my fabulous server, Monica, to take them away or I would have eaten every last bite and been too full to eat my pork.

Then came the pièce de résistance, the pork. It was beautifully presented on a bed of garlicky mustard greens with a sweet/acidic/clovey sherry reduction on the plate to perfectly complement the rich fatty meat. A golden brown turnip & chestnut gratin sat in its own little Staub saucepan, crowned with perfect buttery bread crumbs.

But really, aren't we here for the pork? It's almost indescribable, it's nutty, a little sweet, a little gamey and meltingly tender after its sous vide bath. If I could have somehow grafted a few thousand more tastebuds on my tongue to better appreciate and describe the flavor, I would have done so in a heartbeat. This easily ranks as the best meal I have had in a restaurant in 2009.

Chef Nick Melvin has set the bar high, now I can't wait to hear what the other four chefs in town who got some of this amazing pork are going to do to try and match him.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers

2009-10-26T17:12:00.000-04:00

Alex's dream of reviving the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, may have taken a detour, but its one that has benefited us all. I recently had a chance to chat with him a little about the restaurant and what led him to open a burger joint. It started with his desire to revitalize the crumbling market and led to his help getting a good sized grant to make that happen. His enthusiasm for what he is doing is contagious. You can't help but be charmed, even with the long waits to place your order and get your food, and the smell of past it's prime meat and seafood wafting towards you from the market stalls behind you. It's not the kind of wait that leaves you feeling annoyed and unwilling to return, there is kind of a party atmosphere. I ran into 3 people I knew, plus made new friends - Patti of http://anatomyofadinnerparty.blogspot.com/ fame and her husband Eric, just standing in line.

I ordered the turkey burger with cheese, avocado and bacon. It was maybe not the best combination ever, in part because the avocado was rather on the crunchy side, and in part because I didn't realize that the turkey patty would be heavily seasoned and include chunks of mango to help keep it moist. It was moist and had a nice brown crust, one of the better turkey burgers I have ever had, but just didn't quite "go" with what I had on it. Knowing what I do now, I would top it differently. I also had the sweet potato chips, which were good, but a little oily and didn't love the chipotle ranch dipping sauce. Luckily, Patricia T. had a bottle of Hot Squeeze, which was a way better condiment for them.

The much lauded shakes were a little bit of a disappointment for me, but I am an ice cream snob. I really don't think it's worth the calories unless it is super premium, ultra high milk fat. Unfortunately their ice cream was more Dairy Queen than Haagen Dazs, so I probably wouldn't order it again.

The Grindhouse Killer Burger experience ended up being a really fun experience and one that I would happily repeat, although not frequently, because seriously y'all, this is not in my 'hood.

I am hoo hoo for Halloween

2009-10-22T20:42:00.000-04:00

Please forgive the Cocoa Puffs pun, I really couldn't help myself. So Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, not just because of trick or treating or candy, both of which I long since outgrew, and to be honest never enjoyed that much even when I was young enough (all that walking up hills for less than Callebaut or Scharffen-Berger quality candy? I think not). What I love best about Halloween is the decorating. I have boxes of amazing things picked up here, there and everywhere and can never pass up something cool. To that end I was delighted to find the Uber-Talented Jamie Lott at the Norcross Art Fest. I purchased a gorgeous hand crafted skeleton shaker, very similar to this one on her Etsy page. You can see more of her work here http://www.peachstreetprimitives.com or if you would like to win a pumpkinhead ornament of your own, just check out her blog http://peachstreet.blogspot.com/.

Other treats in the Halloween round up include

painted gourds from

Haunted Swamp Designs,

you can win one here:

http://hauntedswampdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/10/haunted-halloween-give-away.html. A

fabulous addition to any collection.

How can you possibly top that? Well the talented Lisa Lecture is also giving away one of her hand-stitched pieces here http://llcreations.blogspot.com/

I so have to have one of each for my collection. Good luck everyone!

Mill City Farmers Market

2009-10-20T13:21:00.000-04:00

I was in Minnesota this past weekend, which coincided with the last Mill City Market of the season, something I discovered thanks to Sarah P. putting it up as an event on Yelp. Who knew the Twin Cities have such a thriving farmers market scene? This is one of several in Minneapolis, plus I heard tell of a couple of good ones in St. Paul, plus even one in Bloomington. I was greeted by the sound of live bluegrass and cloggers, what a great welcome to the market.

There was such a great selection of vendors, and sights of the season, pumpkins, gourds, winter squash, and dried flowers.

And of course, let's not forget the food. After all, what is a market without food? There were plenty of samples, I had the most amazing sheep cheeses, lamb merguez sausage, 6 different kinds of chocolate sauces, jams and jellies, plus about 3 apples worth of apple slices (it's hard to choose the right one, but i ended up with Apricot and Snowcrisp). As if I hadn't already gorged myself enough, around 10:00 I decided it was breakfast time. What to choose? Aunt Else's Aebleskivers? Why, yes, I believe I will try the apple ones and the sausage ones with maple syrup AND ginger pear jelly.

And wait! Is that Chef Shack I see? What better complements round balls of pancake than Indian spiced fried doughnuts? Oh and fries with bacon katjup (sic) and maybe a Thousand Hills Farm hotdog with 5 different pickles (kohlrabi, radish, 2 cucumber, plus relish)

The best way to enjoy all that food is sitting down and taking a break from all of that shopping. Luckily they have a great little central courtyard with a practically professional kitchen for chef demos provided by Target and Archer Farms. I enjoyed my little feast while learning how to make artisan bread in 5 minutes. After that, I made one more pass through the market, wishing I had brought more cash and several more hands, especially since mine were completely frozen and considered it a morning well spent. I can't wait to go back next summer and see how the market is when it isn't 35 degrees outside.

Varasano's, Yes Virginia, there is a Pizza Claus

2009-04-03T18:20:00.000-04:00

I'm going to keep this short because it was opening night, but I have to say that I was very impressed. I sat at the pizza bar and the crew there worked like a well-oiled machine. There was one guy who just turned dough blobs into crust, another who just put toppings on the crust then put the pizzas into the oven, then a woman who monitored the pizzas in the oven - turning them, moving them, and taking them out, and the final guy who monitored the temperature on the completed pies to make sure they didn't go out too hot and anointed them with fruity olive oil, freshly grated parmegiano or arugula and cured meats.

What was most impressive was how they all managed their individual stations in concert with each other, there was never a delay as one waited for the step before to be completed, it all just worked. Part of this can be attributed to the fact that while full they weren't slammed, but for opening night I was impressed.

The servers however, not so flawless. From my prime observation seat, I noticed that there seemed to be some confusion as to which pie was which and what the seat numbers were. I watched as my pizza took a quick tour of the restaurant before being delivered to me. They seemed to be friendly and tried hard, but more what you would expect from opening night.

I got the Nanna's, despite being advised that it wasn't quite what it should be yet, and was a little disappointed. It was missing something, but I can't really complain since I was warned and ignored the warning. I also got to try a slice of the salume and that was fantastic with crispy salume and the occasional briny bite of olive.

I'm really looking forward to seeing where they go from here and if they can replicate the amazing Nanna's I was fortunate enough to try at Jeff's house so many months ago or if it was just a figment of my imagination.

Serpas

2009-03-31T17:48:00.000-04:00

I really don't know why anyone would rave about this place. My experience was bad enough I wouldn't go back. I met a friend, who is in the industry, on a Tuesday night. I made reservations and requested seats at the chef's counter.

First tip, don't sit at the chef's counter.

The chef never even acknowledged our existence. I understand that restaurants are busy and he has a lot going on but he never even smiled in our direction. Another drawback, the server for the counter is the service bartender. He was basically unavailable to us all evening because he was busy filing other people's drink orders and he also had zero menu knowledge. When I asked if the burger used grass-fed beef he had to ask 3 or 4 other servers. Of course the chef was standing there and could have easily turned around and said yes or no, but it's obviously more entertaining for him to leave us hanging for 5 minutes as our server runs all over the restaurant asking other people.

As for the food, I actually enjoyed the tuna tartar on the potato chips, even though the whole thing was so spicy my lips and mouth were on fire and you couldn't taste the tuna at all. I also ordered the white asparagus, which I should have known better than to order as they are not in season yet, but I didn't count on them being so woody they were inedible. I know that it's not that practical to break them by hand in a big restaurant, but then you have to peel them, which is even more time consuming. Unless you just don't care, like at Serpas, then you just serve them as is and your customers get to spit stringy woody pulp onto their plates. Also, the dressing was so overwhelmingly vinegary, you couldn't even taste the ham.

For dessert I ordered the pecan tart with Jack Daniels cream. The pecans had a slightly soggy texture, although the crust was a very nice crispy short crust and the cream was about a 1/2 tsp size dollop on the top.

My companion had the fried apple pie, which was my favorite part of the meal, perfect crust to apple ratio and nice tender flaky pastry.

But the best part of the experience was yet to come. As our server was reaching across the counter to shake hands with us while thanking us for coming, he knocked my water glass over and it spilled all over me. I really enjoyed walking out with a giant water mark across my lap and standing outside in the bitter cold waiting upwards of 5 minutes for the valet to bring my car with wet jeans and sweater was not really a high point in my life.

Deal of the Week

2009-02-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

People kept telling me I should have a blog, so now I've got one and I don't know what to say. One thing I've been thinking about is having a Deal of the Week listing every Friday, provided I can find a new deal worth posting every week. I've decided that this week, for my first blog post ever, I will let you the readers in on a very good deal I've just discovered. The newly opened Cellar 56, in the old Cafe at East Andrews space, has announced some fantastic weekly specials via their Facebook page. They don't seem to have a real website as yet, so here are the details:

Cellar 56
56 East Andrews Dr
Atlanta, GA
30305
(404) 869-1132

About those specials, here they are:

Sangria Mondays: $10 carafes of sangria

Two-For Tuesdays: Two-for-one small plates

Why Not Wednesdays: $12 bottles of wine

I don't know if Monday and Wednesday are that great a deal because their wine prices are so reasonable, $3 for a half glass, but I went on a Tuesday with a friend and had $15 taken off the check. Score!

Do the Math!

2009-02-19T16:25:00.001-05:00