Urban Picnic Wrap-Up

Mr. AT and I popped over to the Street Food Event at Auburn Curb Market today. Who knew there was a full-fledged market down there? It's way sketchy in the area, but the market itself is very cute with lots of interesting food vendors. Here's what else I learned:

1. Hipsters love street food. I'm not sure when being into food and being a hipster collided, but nowadays inexpensive food events are choc-a-bloc with the pierced, tattooed, skinny jean set. Mr. AT and I were dressed more like we were heading to a country club but to each their own!
2. The street food movement is popular indeed - the event was packed!
3. So popular in fact that street vendors need to stock more food. If an event lasts til 2, it's a bummer if you're out of stock by 12:45. Plan ahead next time peeps - lost sales, yo! Everyone was sucking away at the King of Pops popsicles, and it was so very hot, so I was oh so letdown when I saw that he'd sold out before I could get one. He's friends with a coworker so we pre-tested some of his popsicle concoctions a while back, but alas my kiwi version was the single worst popsicle ever, all bitter, no yummy. But I can tell by all of his good press as of late here and here, that he must have scrapped or improved upon what we tried. But I was robbed (ROBBED I tell you!) of the chance to try one by over-zealous early arrivers.
4. A hot dog with apple maple slaw on a french toast bun topped with mustard and maple syrup from the Good Food Truck is just as strange as it sounds but actually pretty tasty.
5. You have to actually pay attention to the line you're in if you want to a) not get cut in front of b) get your food in a timely fashion (I'm looking at you glaring pierce-face girl)

All in all, very cool event, but next time I'll get there early so I can actually try things before they sell out! Congrats to all the vendors though for attracting such a crowd!

Urban Picnic tomorrow at Sweet Auburn Curb Market

Street food is all the rage, don't you know? And the man (read: Atlanta government) is keeping us from hot dogs, tacos, and soups...

Don't miss your chance to support the Atlanta Street Food Coalition's Urban Picnic tomorrow at Sweet Auburn Curb Market, 11 am - 2 pm.

Full deets on facebook.

And show your support for the cause by signing a petition here.

Hipsters on Food Stamps

Who knew...apparently the starving artist, recession-afflicted hipsters are on food stamps these days. Read more about it here. I noticed recently that Whole Foods accepts food stamps, which at the time amused me because I tried to imagine why someone struggling financially would ever shop at Whole Paycheck Foods. Without getting into the politics of food stamps, I do think it's at least nice to prove out that you can use food stamps to buy healthy, high quality food and not just junk food. That said, I can't imagine 200 bucks goes very far in a month if you're buying ingredients like rabbit or grass fed beef.  My bill at Whole Foods often approaches $120 or so and that's just for my weekly staples and ingredients for 1 or 2 more elaborate meals! No wonder our annual food spending is through the roof...

Dream Job: Function Party Crasher

First there was The Best Job in The World (a blogging gig on an Aussie island), then A Very Goode Job (a blogging gig in wine country), now there's The Function Party Crasher - 100 parties, 100 days, $10,000. Pretty good gig, right?

Here's the scoop:

In honor of their first drink, Urban Detox, a recovery drink created to help you recover after a wild night of partying, they're kicking off a global search for a "legendary partier who will put Function: Urban Detox to the ultimate test."

The Party Crasher crashes 100 parties, blogging the whole way and using Urban Detox to get back into party form the next night. If you can survive, you win $10,000.

Enter by May 19 at  functionpartycrasher.com!

Last chance to enter - win a ticket to Taste Atlanta (worth $250!)

Last chance - follow me on Twitter by 5 pm today to enter to win a free ticket to Atlanta taste (worth $250).

The deets:
Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation event is right around the corner on May 12 at the Aquarium. Events are held all over the country in support of local anti-poverty and anti-hunger groups. Atlanta's event will feature some of Atlanta's top restaurants, including Adventurous Tastes favorites like Aria, JCT Kitchen, Kevin Rathbun's Steak and Krog Bar, Serpas and Woodfire Grill.

Here's how to win:

Sign up to follow my twitter feed by 5 pm on Friday, April 23, and I will randomly pick a winner - www.twitter.com/AdvTastes.

That winner will get 1 ticket, worth $250, to be picked up at Will Call. 

Grinding Your Own Burgers - A Summer Cookout

I've been jonesing to try my handy dandy new Kitchen Aid meat grinder attachment, and now that it's grilling season, I finally had an excuse. Always the obsessive researcher, I scoped out several articles to figure out how to approach it and ultimately relied on Mark Bittman's article and Tyler Florence's recipe for grind your own brisket burgers.

Turns out grinding your own burgers is a bit of manual labor but not really hard at all, and it made for AMAZING burgers. The big perk to grinding your own meat is that you actually know what cuts of high quality meat are going into your burger, you can control fat content, and you can actually cook them to medium rare without fear of imminent ebola-like illness.

The key to grinding meat is to have it and the equipment nice and cold. Put the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes and the grinding equipment for about 20. The hardest part of the whole process is cutting up the semi-frozen meat into smaller pieces to feed the grinder, so just work up a bit of a sweat before you eat those juicy, fatty burgers! Then grind the meat into a bowl placed over ice. Run it through twice on the coarse setting for a good mix of fat and protein. With just a little salt and pepper, these burgers were beyond juicy and oh so flavorful. Yum! Our guest said they were top 10 burgers of all time for him - now that's a compliment!

The Burger Bar Recipe
Tyler Florence - Food Network

Directions

Preheat a large cast-iron skillet to medium hot. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot skillet to make a nonstick surface.

Season the ground meat in a bowl with salt and pepper. Give it about 3 turns in the bowl with your hands or a big spoon and it's done. Shape into 4 patties. When the skillet is hot, put the burgers on the skillet and cook 4 minutes on the first side and 5 for the second side for rare; 7 minutes per side for medium, adding the cheese during the final minute or 2 to melt. Remove the burgers to a plate. Rub the skillet with the folded paper towel again to clean it. Then toast the buns cut side down for about 1 minute, just to mark them. Serve the hamburgers in the buns with the accompaniments below.

I paired the burger with caramelized onions and herbed horseradish mayo from the same burger bar recipe, and a simple salad of heirloom tomato, mozzarella, basil and olive oil - delish and so easy!

Caramelized Onions:

Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook slowly until well caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.

Herbed Horseradish Mayonnaise:

Stir together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1/4 cup freshly minced herbs such as parsley, basil, chives or scallion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a little squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Dinner Party Atlanta - May Day Dinner in the Park

Dinner Party Atlanta

Atlanta’s newest dining sensation Dinner Party Atlanta is the brainchild of Patrick LaBouff and Top Flr co-owner Darren Carr with Top Flr Chef Shane Devereux at the helm of Dinner Party’s mobile kitchen. The invitation-only parties are all about the element of surprise as each unique venue is kept under wraps until just one day before the dinner. The five-course menu with wine pairings is not unveiled until guests arrive at the party destination.

Unexpected locations change with each dinner, and past locations include empty airplane hangers (accompanied by a private jet ride), empty office buildings and barns. Once seated, guests enjoy a surprise five-course meal comprised of dishes that utilize the highest-quality ingredients and reflect Devereux’s global culinary experiences. Complimenting the gourmet menus is a sophisticated collection of wines, skillfully chosen by a local or national sommelier who is present at the event.

Those interested in attending one of the events can sign up for the waiting list at www.dinnerpartyatlanta.com. There are currently over 700 people waiting to secure a spot for this exclusive dinner, so if you want to check one of their events out a little sooner...

May Day Dinner Party in the Park

The guys behind Dinner Party Atlanta are throwing a much, much larger party at Piedmont Park. The evening will begin with a 7 p.m. cocktail hour featuring signature cocktails prepared by six of the city’s best bartenders. Following a toast to the continued success of Piedmont Park, guests will be seated for a chef-prepared, four-course meal. The meal will be masterfully paired with wines by Georgia-based Master Sommelier, Michael McNeil of Quality Wine & Spirits. A limited number of seats remain for this unique culinary experience. Tickets for the evening are $95 and can be purchased on their site.

Restaurant Critic Anonymity

Eater ran an article today including photos of several national food critics. Anonymity seems to be quite a big deal when it comes to food critiquing - the notion being, I suppose, that you want the authentic experience, not the special, for company version. That said, the NY Times' Frank Bruni was not especially anonymous, and he seemed to do pretty well!

I agree that it's probably best for a food critic to not flaunt their photo, but I'm not sure I think it's really that big of a deal. Personally, I find it kind of hilarious the extent to which some food bloggers -- not major journalists -- go to hide their faces. In a day and age when a bad review is just a yelp away, I don't imagine that restaurants only save their good stuff for the big reviewers. If you lavish attention on me, I might unwittingly write you a good review you didn't deserve, but someone else is just as likely to bash you.

All of that said, I am not going to hide all pictures of me online simply because I'm an unpaid food blogger. If someone is that interested, I'm sure they can figure out what I look like, but I can't even imagine anyone would care! Given how lucrative TV gigs are for "personalities" these days, you'd be a fool to avoid self-promotion opportunities just to avoid showing your face. Yeah, yeah, journalistic ethics, blah blah blah - journalists aren't paid well and newspapers and magazines are struggling like crazy. I say do whatever you can to be able to succeed in this biz as long as you do your best to give a fair depiction of the restaurants you review.

So here's my promise - I do my best to judge restaurants fairly. At least for now, I have no  intention of publishing my own photo on this site. But seriously, I walk in with a giant camera. I'm not exactly dining with the stealth of a ninja!

Restaurant Review: INC Street Food

Saturday was just one of those days. First I "pop" into Macy's just to return something, and the epic crowds jostling for shoes and jewelry was like the seventh circle of hell. I manage to escape with my items returned and even snagged a mother's day gift after what seemed like an eternity of waiting and much teeth gnashing. Then we schlep to a car deal to get a new key for Mr. AT only to find that we can’t get it done that day. And of course when I went to show my sister what I bought our mother it turns out they sold me the wrong thing. Triple blurg!

So I was keen to unwind in the fun new Latin spot – INC Street Food – in old town Roswell. For those who don’t venture OTP, the Roswell is actually adorable. The streets are lined with outdoor cafes and art galleries. INC in fact feels like it could be in East Atlanta – but as Mr. AT put it, you’re more likely to find a tea partier there than a hipster. All kidding aside, the decor is funky and cool and has a similar vibe to El Taco, all of which is rarely found in OTP dining.

To take the edge of my triple whammy of annoyance, I kicked things off with a cocktail. On the advice of little sister, I opted for the Paloma, a combo of elderflower liquor, tequila and grapefruit juice. In fairness to her, I should have known that I might not like this, but even so, it was no bueno – way too bitter for me. My darling hubby chose better, albeit girlier, and had a pink hued raspberry inflected margarita. At least my bitter drink mellowed as the ice melted but it definitely wasn’t my cup of t(equila).

We started with cactus and yuca fries, and much like traditional fries, they were crispy, salty bliss. The Latin remoulade made for a delectable dipping sauce, but the chipotle pico left us confused. What exactly are you supposed to do with a chunky pico and fries? The yuca have more of a grainy interior while the cactus reminded me of fried green peppers, which turns out to be a very good thing!

When it comes to taco, I prefer to mix and match a la Taqueria or El Taco, but INC sells theirs only on plates of 3. So the four of us chose four different types of taco– veal cheek, shrimp, tuna and carnitas – and split them. I forwent the shrimp since there were only 3 and dove into the other options. Tuna was tasty but not especially strongly flavored or memorable. Veal cheek was flat out disappointing – fatty meat and little flavor to speak of. I didn’t even finish mine. Fortunately the pork carnitas saved the day. Crispy and appealingly salty and immensely scarfable, I actually would have been better off just sticking with those!

All in all, I wouldn’t recommend intowners rush out to Roswell to try INC, but I do think it’s a fun concept and a much needed OTP hip hangout. I was intriguied by some of their other street food options like empanadas and pupusas, so despite some misses, I’ll try it again next time I’m in the area.

Pros: Funky decor, unique concept for the area, easily shareable

Cons: lack of taco ordering flexibility (can’t order just one!), inconsistent seasoning

INC Street Food

948 Canton Street

Roswell, GA

Giveaway: 1 ticket to Share Our Strength's Atlanta Tastes on May 12 (worth $250!)

Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation event is right around the corner on May 12 at the Aquarium. Events are held all over the country in support of local anti-poverty and anti-hunger groups. Atlanta's event will feature some of Atlanta's top restaurants, including Adventurous Tastes favorites like Aria, JCT Kitchen, Kevin Rathbun's Steak and Krog Bar, Serpas and Woodfire Grill.

What's that you say...$250 is a lot to shell out for a food event? Well yes, it is, but feeding the hungry and stuffing your face while clad in black tie optional attire is a pretty good deal, no? Still not convinced your wallet can handle it? That's where I come in...

I've got a free ticket to Atlanta Taste to give away...that's right FREE!

How did I come into possession of such a totally awesome prize, you ask? Foodbuzz was giving tix away, and it was my lucky day, and I'm sharing that luck with one of my loyal readers. I will be there, too, rocking my snazzy clothes and savoring the tasty morsels Atlanta's finest are cooking up. All while scoping out the fishies and enjoying the smooth stylings of this guy. Awesome, right?

Here's how to win:

Sign up to follow my twitter feed by Friday, April 23, and I will randomly pick a winner - www.twitter.com/AdvTastes.

That winner will get 1 ticket, worth $250, to be picked up at Will Call. 

 

March of Dimes Dining Out

One of the March of Dimes Georgia chapter’s largest fundraiser of the year is the Annual March of Dimes Dining Out, and the 26^th annual event will take place on May 14, 2010. 

While this is a premier social event in the city, it is based around dining at some of the finest restaurants in the city that will be preparing specialty 3-course menus for the event!  Tickets are selling out fast, so get yours now!

The Event:

The 26^th Annual March of Dimes Dining Out is on Friday, May 14, 2010 starting at 7 pm.  It’s the perfect opportunity to have an incredible meal with close friends at one of Atlanta’s finest restaurants while helping raise money for a worthy cause.  Tables are $1,000 or $1,500 depending on the restaurant and the dinner includes a three-course meal with numerous wine pairings at one of 60 of Atlanta’s best restaurants.

Following the Dining Out dinner is the Stepping Out After-party (tickets included with purchase of table) at the newly renovated and re-opened Buckhead Theatre, formerly known as The Roxy.  It starts at 9 p.m. and will include cocktails, desserts, live music and dancing!  For more info check out www.marchofdimes.com/georgia.  For more information on hosting a table or purchasing after party tickets, visit the web site or contact Margaux Espy at 404.720.5308.

Three easy steps to purchase your tickets:

1. Review the list of participating restaurants.

2. Purchase your table online by clicking the Register Now button.

3. Email you restaurant selection to Margaux Espy at mespy@marchodimes.com or call at 404-720-5308. 

Lots of restaurants are already sold out – I’ve bolded the ones that still have a table available!

10 Degrees South $1,500  SOLD
4th & Swift $1,500  SOLD
Abbatoir $1,500  SOLD
Agave $1,500  
Aria $1,500  SOLD
BLT Steak $1,500 SOLD
BOCADO $1,000  SOLD
Canoe $1,500  SOLD
Cantina $1,000  
Craft $1,500  SOLD
Dantanna's $1,000  
Dolce $1,500  
Floataway Café $1,500  SOLD
Fogo De Chao $1,500  SOLD
Fritti $1,500  
Geisha House $1,500  
Haven $1,500  SOLD
Home $1,500  
Horseradish Grill $1,500  
Il Mulino $1,500  
JOel $1,500  SOLD
Justin's $1,500  
Kyma $1,500  SOLD
La Grotta $1,500  SOLD
Lupe $1,500  
Market $1,500  
Mosaic $1,500  
Murphy's $1,000  
Nava $1,500  SOLD
New York Prime $1,500  SOLD
One Midtown Kitchen $1,500  
Paces 88 $1,500  SOLD
Parish $1,500  
Portofino $1,000  SOLD
Pricci $1,500  SOLD
Prime $1500
Rathbun’s Steak $1500 SOLD
Repast $1500
Restaurant Eugene $1500  SOLD
Ruth’s Chris $1500  SOLD
Seasons 52 $1500
Serpas $1500
Shaun’s $1500
Shula’s 347 Grille $1000 SOLD
Silk $1500
Sotto Sotto $1500  SOLD
Straits $1500
Sun Dial $1500  SOLD
TAP $1000
The Capital Grille $1500   SOLD
The Iberian Pig $1500   SOLD
The Melting Pot-Midtown $1500
The Ritz Carlton-Buckhead $1500
Toulouse $1000 SOLD
Two. Urban Licks $1500  SOLD
Valenza $1500
Wisteria $1500

A few stats:

• 1 in 8 Babies is Born Too Soon and to fight this problem, the March of Dimes launched a national Prematurity Campaign to raise awareness of the problem of prematurity and to reduce the rate of premature birth.
• Because of the March of Dimes efforts, fewer babies are now born with neural tube birth defects like spina bifida.
• 6,800 babies are born every year with oral clefts and the March of Dimes works to decrease this number.
• The March of Dimes works to research and treat heart defects that affect 1 in every 100 babies.

Atlanta tax day restaurant specials

At least for me, tax season has been particularly painful this year. Hello giant check to the Federal Government. So I might just need to take advantage of some of these deals at one of several tax day specials around town tomorrow...

Cutting back on going out? Enjoy tax-free shopping at Whole Foods

Drink away your sorrows with 50% off alcohol at BLT Steak or at Whiskey Blue at the W Buckhead - bring your W2 or proof of tax preparation and get a free drink

Dine out without the guilt with dinner and drink specials at the Bar at McCormick & Schmick’s for $10.40 or 15% off at PF Chang's

And if your wallet took a particular beating this year...BOGO southern style chicken biscuits and sandwiches at McDonald's or free coffee in your travel mug at Starbucks

Restaurant Review: Ray's Killer Creek

Lately Mr. AT and I have been bonkers for grilling. I love the ease of throwing together a meal and having Mr. AT's help, and I like to think he loves that whole primal man + fire thing. So we've been having our fair share of delicious steaks as of late, but still we were thrilled to have a chance to try out Ray's Killer Creek recently. Can't say that I get very often OTP for dinners not prepared by my fam, and I go even less often to high end steak restaurants because of their sky-high prices.

Given Mansell Rd. up in Alpharetta is choc-a-block with chain restaurants and mall shopping, it's nice to have a non-chain option, particularly one that's as upscale as Ray's Killer Creek. It's a large, open space, and on a Friday night was packed with well-heeled suburbanites, minus the screaming kiddos you'd find at the chains.

Mr. AT and I decided to go all out since our steakhouse dining is so rare. We started with two of the dishes our attentive, friendly waiter recommended - the crab cakes and the bbq shrimp. The waiter described the crab cakes as being different from the norm, but to be honest, they tasted exactly like I'd expect - good but nothing to write home about. It was the shrimp that knocked my socks off though. They were served in a divine beer butter sauce with toast that I could NOT stop dipping. The sauce was lick-it-off-the-plate good, but purely out of a sense of decorum, I resisted the urge.

My one steak complaint would be that there aren't a lot of size options, so if you want a ribeye, a pound is your only choice. I felt a bit piggish getting that much steak, but what can you do? Mr. AT opted for prime rib, which did offer more size choices, and he too opted for a heaping pound of meat (wow, that sounds kind of gross when I say it like that!)

The ribeye was well-seasoned and was prepared perfectly medium rare with a nice crust. The accompanying mashed red bliss potatoes were pretty standard, which means they were certainly tasty but not a highlight. Mr. AT's prime rib was oh so tender and served with a yummy horseradish sauce. The beef at Killer Creek is simple and well-prepared – it’s not going to surprise you, but when it comes to high-end steaks that’s not what you’re looking for.

I didn't come close to eating my entire entree, but we couldn't resist trying out a dessert, too. We opted to try out the key lime pie and the special, a caramel bread pudding, served in a cast iron dish. I have a profound and unexplainable hatred of citrus based desserts, so I’m not a good judge of the former, but Mr. AT seemed to love it. The latter was ooey gooey and very rich, and no surprise, we somehow found room in our overstuffed bellies for the better part of both.

In the end, our pre-tip bill for 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and 2 glasses of wine was a pretty reasonable $120-something. Now that's pretty pricy for anytime dining, but Ray's Killer Creek is clearly a nicer dinner than the usual so it was actually much better than I'd expected. It's more a dinner out with the in-laws or upscale guy's night out than a "oh gee, where should we eat tonight" kind of pricing. If you forgo the full on gluttony we enjoyed, then you could get out of there for a $100 or so, and for so much (2 whole pounds of beef!), that's not too shabby. I hear their burger is killer, so if you want to try it out on the cheap for lunch, that's an option too!

I have vague memories of Ray's on the River being THE special occasion place to eat when I was young, so it's nice to see Ray is still creating classy dining experiences!

Pros: upscale vibe, gracious service, well-prepared, giant slabs o' beef, bbq shrimp sauce to-die-for
Cons: not many size choices on beef, so be prepared to be over-stuffed.

Ray's Killer Creek

1700 Mansell Rd.

Alpharetta, GA 30004

770.649.00 64

Food Entrepreneurs: Cheesemaking

I've often thought to myself, wouldn't it be cool to know how to make cheese? (Seriously, I think these things!) This week I've been going ga-ga for a manchego I picked up at Whole Foods - simultaneously creamy and salty, it makes me swoon.  How cool would it be to make something like that?

Tasia Malakasis did more than just fantasize about cheesemaking, she left her job and NY behind (and apparently her husband, which is neither here nor there) to head to Alabama to take over Belle Chevre. You can read all about her story and a couple others in the AJC.

The article mentions that she took a cheesemaking class at CIA in Hyde Park. I don't see a class like that on  their site, but I did find this 3-day cheesemaking workshop in Vermont. How fun does that sound? I've got some vacation time to kill this year since Mr. AT is less vacation-day blessed than I am...food for thought!



Three Shepherds Farm 2010
Three-Day Cheesemaking Workshops

As seen in the Boston Globe Magazine and on "The Today Show" as well as in Gourmet, Travel and Leisure, Cooking Light, Elle, Ski Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on "Food Finds" (on the Food Network), Three Shepherds cheesemaking courses are designed for those who have a serious interest in the world of cheese, those pursuing cheesemaking either as a career or as a serious hobby, and those who simply adore cheese and want to learn more. The courses are unique in that they emphasize a hands-on approach with individual instruction.

By the end of the course, our students have learned the secrets of this ancient craft and are able to make delicious cheeses. And you will learn in the beautiful Mad River Valley, a mecca of local eating in central Vermont. The only requirement of the student is an interest in cheese. We have taught the class for thirteen years and have had students from all over the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and even India, Pakistan, and Kuwait. A remarkable number of our students have gone on to make cheese regularly, some professionally, and some as a serious hobby. Former students have won prestigious awards at the American Cheese Society, including a "Best of Show," and awards from the World Championship Cheese Contest.

Over the three-days, we make 7 different cheeses using a variety of milks. We discuss and experience all aspects of cheesemaking including raw milk, fresh, soft, and hard cheeses, salting and brining of cheese, aging of cheeses, marketing and selling of cheese, cheese appreciation, pairing cheese and wine, and much more.

The course has wide appeal to many people for many different reasons. For example, in one class there was an editor for a major San Francisco book publisher looking to get away to the country, a couple from Pittsburgh who wanted to "do something different" for their vacation, two chefs, one from a trendy Ft. Lauderdale restaurant and the other from a classic bistro in South Carolina, a buffalo rancher from Texas considering a business making buffalo-milk cheese, and an international flight attendant who read about the cheese class in an eco-tourism article in Elle magazine. Regardless of your reasons for taking the class, you will learn the science behind what makes good cheese and how four simple ingredients (starter, milk, salt, and rennet) are combined, processed, and aged to make hundreds of distinctively different styles of cheese.

When you’re ready to register, please call or e-mail. The class fee is $550.00 for Vermont classes.  A $150.00 non-refundable deposit (per person registering) will confirm your place.  If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. For information on accommodations in our area please visit www.madrivervalley.com for a list and description of local inns and B&Bs (make sure you mention that you are taking the cheese class, many places offer specials).

COCHON 555 ATLANTA

Sunday, April 18th, 5:00 p.m.
VIP Reception 3:30 p.m  tickets
Five top Southern Chefs will each prepare a 140 pound heritage breed pig from head to toe in this friendly competition for a cause. Guests and professional judges will determine a winner based on presentation, utilization and overall best flavor. The winner will be crowned the "Prince of Porc". In addition, five selected winemakers will showcase their wines. COCHON 555 is a tribute to heritage breeds, chefs and winemakers.
Each whole pig can be pre-cooked, braised, grilled, pressed, pickled, rubbed, smoked, seared, sauced, spiced, injected, marinated, cured in any way, or otherwise prepared. Guests of the event will experience the chef creations during the stand-up reception. Chef stations will alternate with winemaker tables. Guests should not arrive late for this event.

Chefs:
KEVIN RATHBUN - Rathbun's Restaurant, Atlanta
SEAN BROCK - McCrady's Restaurant, Charleston
MIKE LATA - Fig Restaurant, Charleston
KELLY ENGLISH - Restaurant Iris, Memphis
TODD MUSSMAN - Muss & Turner's, Atlanta
Special Guests:
NICK MELVIN - Parish, Atlanta
JEAN-LUC MONGODIN - BLT Steak, Atlanta
Resident Butcher: RYAN FARR - 4505 Meats, San Francisco
VIP Butcher: Craig Deihl - Cypress, Charleston
The Five Wines:
Gamble Family Vineyards, Hirsch Vineyards, Buty Winery, Anne Amie Vineyards, Domaine Serene
VIP Wines
Domaine Serene, Gamble Family Vineyards

VIP Experience: Start early with an oyster station prepared by BLT Steak at W Atlanta Downtown, a tasting of reserve wines from Domaine Serene and Gamble Family Vineyards, an artisan cheese reception presented by Taste Network, savory cocktails from DRINKSHOP's Eric Simpkins, Butcher Demo by Craig Deihl, local craft brews and best of all, a "meat & greet" with the chefs, winemakers and judges of COCHON555. (This portion is $175)
Main Floor: Guests will witness a whole pig butcher demonstration by Ryan Farr, sample chef creations, sip boutique wines and brews all before we announce a winner. There will be an after party at DRINKSHOP for all the guests of the event. This is a full day of great chefs, swine, wine and we look forward to sharing it with you. (This portion is $125)

Where: 55 Allen Plaza Atlanta, GA 30308

Quick Bites: Antico Pizza Napoletana

The secret’s been out for some time about the west side’s Antico Pizza.  Nonetheless, it has taken a few months for Lindsey and me to get over there and see how Antico compares to other top players on Atlanta’s pizza scene, such as Varasano’s and Fritti. 

Though Antico’s digs are pretty much in-line with the neighborhood (i.e., 1960s industrial building), once inside you can’t help but notice some authentic Italian touches, from the Aranciata available in the beverage cooler (though sadly, no small bottles of sparkling water) to the fill-to-order cannolis that reminded me of Madonia Bros, my favorite Arthur Avenue dessert stop.  Heck, even Antico’s website has an Italian .it address.

After ordering, customers are directed to a large and unattractive back room that’s dominated by three huge ovens against the back wall (pictured).  After a short wait for our pizza (we went with the Capricciosa, which was topped with prosciutto, mushroom, artichoke and buffalo mozzarella), we grabbed a couple chairs around a large, too-high metal food-prep table and went to work.  

I’m happy to report that in Antico’s case, the hype, hysteria and heavy breathing surrounding their pizza is well deserved.  The crust was nothing short of spectacular.  Blackened on the bottom but perfectly chewy on the inside, it was as good as or—dare I say—better than some of my NYC favorites.  The toppings were fresh and flavorful and neither doled out too heavily or too sparingly.  Long story short: Antico is Atlanta’s best pizza, bar none.

Antico Pizza Napoletana

1093 Hemphill Ave NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 873-1272

www.anticopizza.it

Unicorn Meat!

Yum, what's not to love about sparkly unicorn meat?!

The downside of being a foodie

From Urban Dictionary:
FOODIE: A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation.
A foodie is not necessarily a food snob, only enjoying delicacies and/or food items difficult to obtain and/or expensive foods; though, that is a variety of foodie.


I consider myself a foodie. I love great food, and I spend much of my time in search of the latest and greatest, be it a high end restaurant or a hole-in-the wall. But let me be straight with you. I am not a professional food critic, nor do I consider myself the definitive source on, well, anything really.

I love food and I like to share that love with other people. It's as simple as that. And if occasionally a review of a new place or a quick and easy recipe helps out one of my readers, then it's all worth it to me. That said, I think there's a terrible affliction affecting some in the foodie world. Some call it douchebagerie, others a nasty case of the pretensions. It's food, not world peace, so why are some people taking themselves so very seriously? Or worse turning this into a competitive sport.

The recent Peter Chang excitement brought this to the forefront. Sure, it was exciting that the foodies were abuzz over his alleged presence at Tasty China. Mr. AT and I were hungry, so hell, why not go in search of someone who merited not one, but two, major magazine articles in the same month. Was I pleased to be one of the few to catch him there and meet him in the flesh? Of course! Heck, I was just shocked that someone who inspires such a fervor was so darn nice, offering me an autograph and a photo. I take photos of what I eat for goodness sake, why would I not accept a photo of the chef, too?

But all of that said, I neither think I'm special nor impressive for what I've eaten. And that's where it gets weird. Some food writers are going out of their way to express that they and only they tasted Chang's cooking. Uh, who cares? In a world where jobs have been lost, homeowners are underwater, politics are imploding, does anyone really take food writing that seriously? It's for entertainment value, possibly a bit of edification. Period. No one thinks you're cool for eating Chang's, or anyone else's food.

As I wrote in my earlier Chang article, he was in the dining room, so unless he is magical (which is possible given his elusiveness!), he was not simultaneously in the back whipping up my meal. But I don't care. It was fun to be caught up in the hunt for Chang. It's not often that something going on in our food scene merits national attention, and I'm glad I was a tiny part of the communal excitement. But I'm equally excited each time I go to Shed at Glenwood and chat with Lance and Cindy, or when I work with Top Chef's Eli, or when I prepare a really awesome dinner after a long day at work.

It's not a competition for me. I want everyone to enjoy as much good food as I do. That's why I write here everyday, to share the love, not one up you. I'm not quite sure why others want to make it out to be something it isn't. If this is your version of a competition. You win. You can be the very first to try a place, or the sole Atlantan to eat Chang's magical food. I'll just be at the back of the pack eating, and loving every minute of it.