Templeton Rye Squeeze Play

We have long been fans of “America’s team,” the Atlanta Braves, so named because the team's games were broadcast on the nationally-accessible TBS from the 1970s until 2007, giving the team a nationwide fanbase. Each year we begin the baseball season early by watching Spring Training games played in Florida’s Grapefruit League. Our beloved Atlanta Braves, who have been training in Florida since 1906, moved to their current home in Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in 1998.

What is the Grapefruit League, you ask? In 1915, aviator Ruth Law threw the grapefruit from her airplane to then Brooklyn Dodgers manager, Wilbert Robinson. When Robinson tried to catch it, the grapefruit exploded in his face. This became the accepted version of how the "Grapefruit League" got its name. That same year, the Philadelphia Phillies began training in Sunshine Park. When they won 14 of their first 15 games of the 1915 season and went on to win the National League pennant, Florida's reputation as the nation's premier training ground was sealed and in the years leading up to the great Florida boom of the 1920s, the famous Grapefruit League took shape.

What better way to honor the Grapefruit League and our beloved Braves than a citrus-inspired cocktail with grapefruit juice (of course) and some “good stuff.” Templeton Rye, officially labeled as “The Good Stuff,” and the whiskey of choice for the infamous Al Capone (who was also a baseball fan!) seems the perfect addition to this baseball-inspired adult beverage.

Squeeze Play Cocktail
2 oz. Templeton rye
2 oz. grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon lemon oleo-saccharum
Flamed orange peel

Flame orange peel by squeezing the peel over a lit match and strongly pressing out a lot of oil quickly. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass and coat the rim with sugar. Drop the twist into the glass.

Shake rye and grapefruit juice together with crushed ice, and pour into the glass before garnishing with lemon balm or thyme.

While sample products were complimentary; the recipe, photos and narrative included herein are original and opinions are honest and unsolicited.

How To Guide: Atlanta Food & Wine Festival 2016

In six short weeks, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival begins with an opening toast in the lobby of the Loews Atlanta. In its sixth year, this festival is not to be missed. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned veteran, these insider tips will help you to make the most of your culinary weekend.

Launched in 2012, this “feastival” was created by entrepreneurial friends Elizabeth Feichter and Dominique Love as a way to shine an international spotlight on the rich traditions of the South. “As we get ready to celebrate five years as a festival, we have to make note of how our region continues to grow in awareness, surprise in the kitchen and our talent is influencing culinary traditions across the globe,” says Love. “The commitment these chefs have to educating the general public and our event consumer continues to awe and inspire. In our five years, we have just scratched the surface on the depth and richness of the food and beverage traditions of the South.”

Atlanta Food and Wine Festival takes place from Thursday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 5th with nearly 100 classes, curated tasting tents, exclusive dinners and a new a pop-up Vineyard. The weekend will be organized around three different categories: Learning Experiences, Tasting Experiences, and Dinners & Events. The Learning Experiences will feature cooking and cocktail demonstrations, tasting seminars, and panels with industry professionals. To take full advantage of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, we recommend the Connoisseur Three-Day Pass, which includes a personal concierge to help with planning your weekend as well as access to connoisseur-only areas, exclusive event invites, and special dinners.

Here are a few tips to make your tasting experience the best that it can be!

• Choose your ticket level carefully: VIP tickets are more costly, but you have access to a special areas and classes with wine, beer and cocktails tastings as well as exclusive restaurant tastings (no additional tasting tickets required). You may feel the extra money is worth the benefit.
• Do your Research: The AFWF has a fantastic planning guide with printable schedules, worksheets, and festival maps. There is also a frequently asked questions page with valuable information on tickets, parking, etc.
• Make class reservations: Take the time and effort to go through the class schedules and reserve a space in the classes that are of most interest to you. Classes fill up, so you may not be able to attend the sessions you want without a reservation made in advance.
• Download the App: Yes, there’s an app for that! A new 2016 app is coming in May which will be available for iPhones and Android phones, will have full schedules, maps and personal options for you to enter your classes and events.
• Plan your Parking: Expect to pay $15-20 to park close to the event. There is limited street parking in the neighborhoods around the festival, however, with all the walking you will be doing, a hike back to your car at the end of the day may put you over the top. Additionally, the police enforce parking aggressively. Consider taking Uber especially if you plan to partake of cocktail samples at the Tasting Tents.

• Check the weather forecast: AFWF is held rain or shine. It is better to be prepared than to be too hot, cold or wet!
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes: While there is no enforced dress code, you should plan to dress appropriately considering the nature of the event. Shorts and t-shirts are not considered appropriate attire for evening events. You may want a light sweater for air-conditioned class sessions. For the Tasting Tents; do not wear your skinny jeans; you will need some breathing room. The terrain is not optimal for high heels, while they may look great, you will struggle to maneuver through the crowds with ease.
• Consider taking a bag: While frequently there are vendors handing out reusable bags of some sort, you may not have a bag when an opportunity to collect some take home samples presents itself. I take a plastic grocery store bag folded tightly enough to fit in my pocket to use until that better bag presents itself.
• Allot plenty of time: This is not a “I’m just gonna stop by” kind of event. There will be crowds and there will be lines.
• Pace yourself: Maximize your sample to appetite ratio. The same holds true for cocktail sampling. Consider drinking some water between libations. It is a long day and you may have a considerable walk back to your vehicle.
• Water: Whether you take a refillable water bottle or pick up a bottle along the way, drink lots of water. Both the climate-controlled hotel spaces and the outdoor venues can be very desiccating. Stay well hydrated.

• Take advantage of all offerings: Several vendors provide cooking and product demos in the common areas of the hotel during the festival. You can rest your feet and your palate, and who knows you might actually learn something new. There are also evening dinners and sponsored events both at the Loews and around the city; explore all that’s happening during the festival.
• Lastly, cancel your dinner plans! You will not leave hungry.

To purchase tickets, download the app, or obtain other information, please visit the AFWF16 website. 

Root-To-Leaf Chopped Salad with Spring Onion Dressing

Each Saturday, the sidewalks come to life as neighbors scurry by with empty shopping bags headed toward the Morningside Farmer’s Market located in the parking lot adjacent to the newly opened Morningside Kitchen on North Highland Avenue.

On this brisk Saturday, offerings included a variety of seasonal greens, carrots, spring onions, asparagus, beautiful strawberries and fresh meat products from Market regulars Crystal Organic Farm, Burge Organic Farm, Moon Organics, Grateful Pastures, and Riverview Farms. Market customers enjoyed hot coffee from Café Campesino and a nice selection of fresh breads and pastries from La Calavera Bakery.

A large crowd gathered for the first chef demo of the season by Steven Satterfield, Executive chef and co-owner of Miller Union restaurant and Author of “Root To Leaf.” Chef began his cooking demonstration featuring fresh greens of all sorts and root vegetables including radishes, baby beets and carrots chosen from market merchants mere moments before.

Chef Steven hand washed all greens, spinning them dry in a salad spinner. He was very focused as he finely chopped a wide selection of greens like kale, chard, arugula and the tops of carrots, beets, hakurei turnips, radishes. The root vegetables were very thinly sliced on a mandolin and added to the salad. He chatted with spectators about vegetables, his award-winning cookbook, and explained the nuances of the various vinegars used in his spring onion dressing. As you can see from the recipe, the dressing is quite complex with many layers of flavors that bring out the exceptional flavors of the fresh greens.

The dressing is made in two parts and then combined. The dressing base is a mixture of a few specialty vinegars with spring onion, honey and extra virgin olive oil. There is an herbal walnut pesto that is then stirred into the dressing base which adds a complexity and nuttiness to this salad.
Dressing base:
1 spring onion, sliced
1 tablespoons grain mustard
1/2 cup verjus
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup banyuls vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil

Combine all and pulse lightly in blender or food processor to fully mix.

Walnut pesto:
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup walnut oil
Zest of half of an orange
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup basil
1 sprig thyme, leaves only
Pinch maldon sea salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Toast walnuts in walnut oil on 300°F for 8 minutes. Allow to cool. Gather the rest of the ingredients while the nuts are cooling. Combine all in food processor and puree until well-combined. Then combine the dressing base and the walnut pesto and whisk together until incorporated. Taste for seasoning.

To dress the salad, Chef Steven recommends pouring the dressing along the side of the bowl of chopped greens and tossing the salad by hand to ensure that all ingredients are fully coated.

Duluth is Georgia's "Seoul of the South"

Like a good book that takes you someplace you’ve never been, a recent tour hosted by the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau did exactly that. Just outside the perimeter of Atlanta, Duluth which is home nearly 50,000 Koreans, is one of the largest Korean-American cities in the U.S. To showcase this flourishing community, the Explore Gwinnett marketing team created a Korean food tour cleverly named “Seoul of the South” which includes four stops in Duluth’s K-town area.

Seated in a wooden-adorned trolley, we made our way to the first stop on the tour, Harue Food and Cafe where we enjoyed a generous spread of foods including Gim Bap which is made from steamed white rice and fish, meat, eggs or vegetables rolled in seaweed and served in bite-size slices similar to sushi. They also served Korean fried chicken as well as the popular Korean street food, Tteokbokki, which is similar to gnocchi made from soft rice dough and sweet red chili paste. Their version was smothered in cheese and truly a taste sensation.

We were already full as we headed to our next destination, The Stone Grill where tabletop grills loaded with Cheese Dung Galbi awaited us. These grilled baby back ribs with cheese are one of the most sinful food I've ever eaten in my life and are a Korean variation of American comfort food. We also sampled delicate Gyeran Jjim (silky, delightful steamed eggs,) Jjim Man Du (steamed pork dumplings) and traditional Bulgogi (grilled marinated beef). Interestingly it is customary for scissors to be used to cut grilled meats for serving, rather than knives. Also in Korean restaurants, customers are given metal chopsticks and a spoon with a long handle instead of a place setting of fork, knife and spoon as found in most American eateries.

Tree Story Bakery & Café ample desserts and pastries like their Red Bean Bbang and delicious Korean beverages like Yujacha, a traditional Korean tea made from the citrus fruit yuja (also known as yuzu), and the even more exotic Misugaru. The on-the-go breakfast drink is a blend of 7-10 roasted and finely milled grains and seed powders mixed with water and honey. Some of the grains include barley, brown & black rice, sesame seeds and black beans.

Our last stop was the Breakers BBQ which was recently voted the nation’s top Korean BBQ restaurant by Tablog. Here, too, were table top grills similar to those we had seen at The Stone Grill where friendly waitstaff prepared dak bulgogi, marinated chicken and grilled as well as traditional Korean Ogyeopsal which is of thick (5 layer) slices of fatty pork belly cooked right in front of our eyes and served with a Korean-style salad and a variety of side dishes known as "banchan” which included pickled daikon and kimchi. We also experienced their “Electric Lemonade” cocktail made with Soju, Korea's most popular alcoholic beverage learning that Korean etiquette frowns on pouring your own drink; you pour for others and they pour for you.

Realizing that we merely scratched the surface of the Korean restaurants in Gwinnett, we are looking forward to exploring more of what Duluth’s “Seoul of the South” has to offer. Kudos to the Explore Gwinnett team for putting together such an amazing tour and many thanks to the restaurants for their generosity and hospitality!

While menu items we sampled were complimentary; writing and photos included herein are original and the opinions are honest and unsolicited. 

ReVEALing Excellent Osso Buco

Everything old is new again. For decades, Americans have tried numerous variations on recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation in an attempt to improve them with new ingredients and exotic flavors only to return to the original. As a nation, we are finally embracing what our ancestors discovered early on: impeccable ingredients that are simply prepared are the best.

The overall popularity of ethnic food has never been higher with authentic ingredients becoming more widely available. When it comes to ethnic food in America, no other cuisine is as popular as Italian food, according to a recent report by the National Restaurant Association. We have, for years, tried to reconnect with customary Italian recipes and traditions, so when we had the opportunity to work with Mountain States Rosen on their ReVEALing Excellence contest, we immediately jumped at the chance to cook with safe and responsibly raised osso buco from Cedar Springs Veal.

Veal, produced for centuries as a delicacy, is a perennial favorite among Italian chefs. Famed Italian- born cookbook author, Marcella Hazan, who taught generations of Americans how to create simple, fresh Italian food describes osso buco as “the sweetest and most tender on the entire animal."  Osso Buco, for those uninitiated, is a Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine and broth which generally served with a vivid yellow saffron risotto. Osso buco is Italian for "bone with a hole" in reference to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank.

Not only is veal moist, tender and delicate, it’s packed with nutrients with a 3-oz. portion having less than 400 calories! When raised humanely on a nutritious and wholesome diet, veal is more than luxurious. It's simply unbeatable.

2 lbs.  Mountain States Rosen veal shanks, thick cut
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium carrots, diced
3 celery rib, diced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
Fresh parsley for garnish
Saffron rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Rinse veal and pat dry with paper towels before seasoning with salt and pepper. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole or Dutch oven, heat the oil until shimmering.

Lightly coat each shank with flour and add the veal cooking over moderately high heat, turning, until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer the veal to a plate.

Drain the fat from the casserole leaving 2 tablespoons in the bottom. Add the onion, carrot, celery and oregano and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits.

Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chicken stock and bring back to a boil. Return the shanks to the casserole, cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours. The meat should be perfectly tender. Let stand covered for 10 minutes to allow the juices to retreat.

Serve the osso buco with saffron rice and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Michelin-star Chef Angela Hartnett recommends eating this dish with your fingers to get every morsel off the bone rather than fiddling about with a knife and fork. She also recommends extra napkins!





While sample products were gifted from Mountain States Rosen; the recipe, photos and narrative included herein are original and opinions are honest and unsolicited.

           

eatingwitherica, eating with erica, erica key, erica angie

Davio's Atlanta Spring Renewal

At Davio’s Atlanta, it is still "all about the guest." While the Atlanta Davio’s recently announced some exciting changes including the appointment of Paul Dunn as General Manager and Timothy Magee (formerly of Community Smith) as the location’s new Executive Chef, the title of owner Steve DiFillippo’s 2013 advice-laden memoir remains the company tenet.

We had the pleasure of attending a menu tasting hosted by DiFillipo and his exceptional Atlanta team last week. After mingling with glasses of champagne, we were seated as a service of the restaurant’s signature popovers arrived at the table just before the first dish of the evening: Mediterranean octopus with purple cauliflower puree, spicy carrot puree and chopped almonds.
The octopus was very tender and the 2013 Davio's Reserve Chardonnay made for a wonderful pairing. All of Davio’s French-style, private label wines are sourced from Merriam Vineyards which is nestled in the warmest edge of the Russian River Valley.

Plates of delicate ricotta-prosciutto ravioli in a Parmesan broth topped with fava beans were next on the tasting menu. The pasta was perfectly prepared with understated yet masterful, flavor profiles that matched well with the 2013 Davio's Reserve Pinot Noir.

Then came the main course: Brandt prime aged sirloin was moist and soft with a rich Barolo demi-glace accompanied by confit potatoes served atop mashed potatoes which created an interesting contrast of textures. The inclusion of morel mushrooms was a nice surprise; making their first appearance of the season. The 2013 Davio's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was a sensational pairing.

The dinner plates were cleared and replaced by hot cups of cappuccino and coffee and bowls of flan-style panna cotta. The subtle vanilla flavor of the custard was accentuated by local Georgia strawberries and a petite lavender shortbread wafer making for a nice finale to our menu sampling.

Thanks to the Steve DiFillippo and the attentive Davio’s Atlanta staff for a glorious evening on the patio. To experience this Italian hospitality first hand, make Davio’s Atlanta (located at 3500 Peachtree Road in Phipps Plaza) your next dinner destination.

While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.

Chocolate Salami Tomfoolery

Our faithful readers know that we like to give you a little history lesson along with your recipe. I had intended to give you some information on the origins of April Fool’s Day, however, it seems that the joke's on us. Many believe that the first mention of the “holiday” was in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales published in 1392, while others debunk this theory. It would take many (many) paragraphs to share what the folks at The Museum of Hoaxes have already done very nicely.

So, regardless of how we got here, April 1st is the day for our loved ones to completely terrorize us and freak us out. I prefer the kinder, subtler form of deception: illusions that will both surprise and delight. And as tomfoolery goes, this chocolate salami is one of the best. Lay these out on a cutting board, perhaps as part of a cheese course, and watch as your guests discover a whimsical and festive chocolate dessert hidden inside the chameleon clothing of cured meat.

In truth, this is not salami at all, but chocolate, nuts, confectioner's sugar and other simple ingredients combined to create a trompe l'oeil illusion of a cured salami. Even after you cut into it, the trickery continues until it is tasted, then all illusions are over. "Salame al cioccolato" is a traditional Tuscan dessert, that is actually a popular Christmas treat.

1 - 12 oz. package of chocolate chips
¾ stick butter
2 tablespoons liqueur (Amaretto, Kahlua, Cointreau)
¼ cup cocoa powder
¾ cup nuts (almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, walnuts), chopped
¾ cup cookies, crushed
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting



Melt together the chocolate and butter in the microwave on medium for about 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. Repeat heating at shorter intervals, 20 to 30 seconds, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted and has a smooth consistency. Be forewarned, melted chocolate can be messy…

Stir the cocoa powder and liqueur (or extract) into the melted chocolate. We used Amaretto, but if you prefer a non-alcoholic version, simply use vanilla extract or strong coffee instead. Add the nuts, cookie pieces and stir until combined. For the cookies, any dry plain cookie will work. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until it becomes firm enough to form, about 20-30 minutes.

Divide the chocolate mixture in half. Place half of the mixture in the center of a piece of plastic wrap. Using a spatula, form the mixture into a log, about 7 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.


Roll up the log in the plastic and twist the ends to seal. Roll back and forth on a work surface a few times to make the log evenly round. Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture. Refrigerate the logs until firm, about 1 more hour.

Spread the confectioners' sugar on a baking sheet. Remove the plastic wrap from the logs, then roll them in the sugar until coated. Using a pastry brush, brush away the excess sugar. Let the logs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve.

Happily Eating at The Capital Grille

The Capital Grill is one of Atlanta’s most distinguished steakhouses so you can imagine how thrilled we were to receive an invitation from our friend Milla Williams of Happily Eating to experience the restaurant. As soon as you open the front door, you notice the mahogany paneling and art deco chandeliers which add to the warm, elegant atmosphere.

As we gathered and chatted, the friendly staff came around with glasses of the restaurant’s signature cocktail known as a “Stoli Doli” which is Stolichnaya vodka house-infused with “Dole” pineapples. We were then treated to our choice of other drinks from their exclusive cocktail menu. I selected a Bohemian made with Absolut Apeach vodka, a splash of berry liqueur, and topped with chilled champagne and a fresh raspberry.

Soon plates of pan-fried calamari with fiery peppers, large plump garlic shrimp cooked and served in a small cast iron pans, and exquisite mini tenderloin sandwiches with mushroom duxelles and Boursin cheese arrived at the table. As we all took pictures, Chef Matt Stone ambled around the table describing the ingredients and techniques for each dish. We shared the plates as the attentive staff took our dinner orders. Selecting an entrée proved more difficult than you might think.

The Capital Grille, located at Perimeter Center West in Dunwoody, has a wide selection of steaks to choose from: ribeye, New York strip, filet mignon, and porterhouse. Long before their steaks ever touch the grill, they are meticulously dry aged for at least 18 days to achieve their incomparable flavor and texture. After which, each steak is hand-carved by in-house butchers to exacting standards. An intensive process to be sure. I opted for my favorite cut: a porterhouse which is the best of both worlds; a succulent filet mignon and a tender, meaty, bone-in strip steak.

My steak was a generous 24-ounces which I could have happily shared with a dinner partner! There were several menu options for non-steak-eaters such as the Chilean sea bass in mushroom soy broth, sashimi-grade, sesame-seared tuna and seared citrus-glazed salmon.

Our entrees were served with truffle fries with Parmesan that were crispy and not overly truffled; soy-glazed Brussels sprouts with large chunks of pork belly were nicely caramelized; and, fantastic lobster macaroni and cheese with huge pieces of lobster throughout.


We were still licking our lips from the tender portions of beef as plates of dessert samplers arrived. We all gave a collective satiated sigh, but no one could resist the trio of treats set before them which included classic crème brûlée with seasonal berries, a decadent flourless chocolate espresso cake with cocoa powder and fresh raspberries, and their signature individual cheesecake with a brûléed top served with fresh berries. We were also treated to cups of cappuccino the size of cat’s heads. For a group claiming to be full from their delicious meal, those desserts disappeared faster than a buttered bullet.

We extend our sincere thanks to our gracious hostess Milla Williams for coordinating such a lovely evening and to the staff at The Capital Grille for their courteous and attentive hospitality who showed us the true meaning of Southern hospitality.

While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.

First Fresh Toads In The Hole

The name “Toad in the Hole” always conjures images of Arnold Lobel’s besties, Frog and Toad, and their adorable adventures. Two of my favorite stories are “Spring” in which Frog tears off the pages of Toad’s calendar to persuade him to get out of his bed to admire the beauty of spring; and, “The Corner” in which Frog tells the story of his search for Spring around every corner until he finds his parents working in their sunlit, newly-sprouted garden.

This was the recipe that raced to mind when a delivery of First Fresh Chicken Sausages arrived at the door yesterday. The sausages are made using Old World traditions of European sausage combined with the healthy benefits of locally grown, farm fresh ingredients.

While Americans usually refer to “Toad in a Hole” as an egg cooked in the hole cut out of a piece of bread, in England, it means sausages cooked in a Yorkshire-pudding-type batter. The English version is more whimsical, and of course more traditional similar to its playful cousin “Pigs in a Blanket.” With both St. Patrick’s Day and the first day of Spring occurring in the same week, this seems like the perfect time to make this traditional British dish and a great way to feature these amazing products.

6 - 8 links of First Fresh Chicken Sausage links or other breakfast sausage
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

The First Fresh Chicken Breakfast Sausage browns
 beautifully in the pan and retained its juiciness
 throughout the entire cooking process. The spicy flavor
 lent itself wonderfully to the delicate batter.

Coat the bottom and sides of a casserole dish (8"x12", 9"x9" or 2 - 5"x8") with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray.

Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Put the empty dish on the rack. Preheat the oven with the dish in it to 400°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour with the salt, pepper and mustard. Make a well in the center of the flour. Pour in the eggs, milk, and melted butter into the well and whisk into the flour until smooth. Cover and let stand while sausage cooks and oven preheats.

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium high. Add the sausages and lightly brown them on at least a couple sides.

When the sausages have browned, and the dish in the oven hot, pull the oven rack out a bit, put the sausages in the casserole dish, and pour the batter over the sausages. Cook for about 20-30 minutes. Don’t open the door to the open to prevent the batter from deflating. The batter will rise quite a bit. It is done when the batter is puffed and golden and the sausages are nicely browned.

When done, serve immediately with the knowledge that the dough will collapse as it cools. An assortment of mustards, jams and perhaps a fried egg will be nice accompaniments.

Checkout more delicious recipes using First Fresh Chicken Sausage from my fellow members of the Atlanta Food Bloggers' Society:

Grilled Italian Chicken Sausage - Beef & Chocolate
Chicken Sausage and Fennel Soup - The Sophisticated Caveman
Deep Dish Chicken Sausage Pizza - Shana Was Here
Herbed Biscuits with Chicken Sausage & Pimento Cheese - Happily Edible After
Cojita Omelets with Chicken Sausage & Tomato Hash - Front Porch Gourmet
Chicken Sausage Meatloaf - Atlanta Food Critic
Chicken Sausage & Olives with Wild Rice - Do.Food.Better.
Ricotta Gnocchi with Pesto & Chicken Sausage - The Cardigan Kitchen

Disclosure: We received samples of this product as members of the Atlanta Food Bloggers' Society. 
While the products we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited. 

Irish Chef Cooking “Green” in Downtown Atlanta

Each March, as St. Patrick’s Day approaches, there seems to be intense focus on Irish cuisine. Chef Thomas McKeown, executive chef of downtown’s Hyatt Regency Atlanta, has taken some of his favorite recipes from his home country and added a Southern flair using sustainably-grown ingredients. He has prepared a special menu for diners looking for an authentic St. Patrick’s Day experience.

Source

While Chef McKeown was born and trained in Ireland, his love for all things green goes beyond his Irish roots. He is dedicated to serving local, healthy and responsibly raised ingredients. He has started Community Supported Agriculture Programs (CSA) in Atlanta, spends his free time at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market and serves on the Advisory Board to Southeastern Sustainable Livestock Coalition (SSLC) which promotes the importance of supporting humane and sustainable farming in the Southeast.

Chef McKeown shared one of his favorite “green” recipes. Colcannon is a healthy dish that has a long history in Irish culture including several songs that have been written about it. Interestingly, colcannon (which sounds even better in an Irish brogue) is usually served on Halloween which in Ireland is also known as “Colcannon Night.”

Source

Colcannon with Bangers and Mustard Sauce
2 pounds fresh Irish Bangers (about 8 pork sausages)
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & diced
4 tbsp. butter, diced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups baby kale (collards, cabbage or chard may be substituted)
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
Chopped parsley for serving

Preheat oven to 450° F. Heat large pan with medium heat. Coat pan with oil. Once oil is hot, add sausages and sear on both sides until golden brown. Finish in the oven for 10 -12 minutes. Chef McKeown recommends supporting great local butchers like Pine Street Market who use sustainably farmed meats in their products.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in large saucepan with 1 tablespoon of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and return to saucepan. Cover for 5 minutes.

Add butter, ½ cup of the heavy cream, milk, and a 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper. Beat the potatoes in the pan with masher until smooth and creamy. Once creamy, fold in the bacon and kale. The greens will wilt from the heat of the potatoes, cooking them perfectly. If you can’t find baby kale, you can use greens that have been lightly blanched in their place. Adjust seasoning accordingly.

Drain excess sausage fat and place the pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream and reduce heat, whisk in mustard. Stir until fully combined and thick then remove from heat and prepare to serve. Mound a generous portion of potatoes on plate and top with sausages. Spoon mustard sauce over and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

For those of you who have no interest in cooking on St. Patrick’s Day, head over to Sway Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta and let Chef McKeown satisfy your Irish cravings with his Southern Colcannon and Pine Street Market Bangers, Skillet Baked Irish Soda Bread with Kerrygold butter, and Beer Battered Shrimp with Spicy Aioli.

Crack the Code with Whole Wheat Kheer

Food truly is a universal language. We have met so many new friends through recipe posts, social media shares and food-related events. It is always fun to follow their culinary adventures and learn from their perspectives. Several years ago, I became Facebook friends with another Atlanta food writer, Nandita Godbole of Curry Cravings, and am excited to have reviewed her newest cookbook (actually the second edition of) “Crack the Code.”

In it, she breaks down Indian cooking using her own secret formula: a six-tier system in which ingredients are organized by the order they are best introduced into the cooking process. Recipes start with tier 1 which includes spices that need to bloom, tier 2 adds ingredients that need longer cooking times, tier 5 brings in the main component (usually the protein), while tier 6 layers on the finishing touches and garnishes. The essential principle is that there is a time and place for each ingredient in every dish.

In all honesty, I have always been very intimidated by Indian cooking, but with easy access to so many of the ingredients used in traditional Indian cuisine, we have been trying more dishes at home especially the hearty dal which is perfect for cold wintery weather. When I gave up sweets for Lent and was searching for a healthy alternative to satisfy my sweet tooth, I turned to Nandita’s cookbook for ideas. Bingo! In it, I found her recipe for cracked whole wheat kheer made with cardamom and almonds which makes for a hearty breakfast or a tasty dessert. I adapted her recipe to use bulgur wheat which requires less cooking time (and patience) and added some dried apricots for a little extra natural sweetness.

Whole Wheat Kheer with Apricots
1 tablespoon clarified butter
1-2 pods of green cardamom
1 cup bulgur wheat, rinsed
¾ cup water
¾ cup whole milk
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons almonds, chopped
2 - 3 tablespoons dried apricots, raisins or other dried fruit, chopped

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, reduce heat to low and add the cardamom to the pan to bloom. After about one minute the cardamom should be fragrant and have released the flavor into the butter. I left the cardamom pods in the pan to maximize the flavor, but you could take it out here if you prefer more subtle spice. Either way, the pods are not really edible.

Add the rinsed bulgur to the butter in the pan and increase the heat to medium. Stir the bulgur in the butter for 2-3 minutes until fully coated and glistening. Add water to the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and allow to simmer for about 8 - 10 minutes to fully cook the bulgur.

Uncover the pan and add the milk. Continue to simmer until the milk is reduced. Add the sugar, dried fruit and almonds, and continue cooking until the sugar is dissolved stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When the dish has reached the desired consistency, ladle into serving bowls and dig in!

To learn more about Nandita and to order her new cookbook, visit her blog, Curry Cravings Kitchen. You can also find her Crack the Code e-cookbook on iTunes.

ATL Airport District Restaurant Week Starts Saturday, March 12th

The first ever Atlanta Airport District Restaurant Week starts this Saturday! The diverse restaurants of the newly rebranded destination marketing organization (formerly Meet College Park and Explore East Point) will feature $9, $19 or $29 prix fixe menus and fabulous discounts.

Throughout the nine-day culinary event, the Atlanta Airport District will offer a glimpse of the variety of charming restaurants and talented chefs that the cities of College Park and East Point have to offer. College Park and East Point are home to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Georgia International Convention Center, more than 8,000 hotel rooms and is the corporate headquarters of Porsche and Delta Air Lines.

Atlanta Airport District Restaurant Week is the perfect time to explore the area’s culinary excellence. Several bloggers were invited for a sneak preview of some of the menu items that will be available during the week. Here is a rundown of the offerings for four participating restaurants:

Our journey began at the Convention Center where the AAD offices are housed. As we arrived, we were greeted by Alexia Ryan, a.k.a. “The Beer Girl” who shared three of her favorite beers on tap from her Hapeville Bottleshop; Creature Comforts’ “Tropicalia,” Reformation Brewery’s “Providence” and Red Brick Brewing’s “Vanilla Gorilla.” We sipped our brews before boarding a posh bus which would take us to our next four stops.

The first stop was Urban Foodie Feed Store which operated as an old-school feed store for 80 years and still shows signs (literally) of its former life has been converted into a hip and stylish restaurant where we were greeted warmly as plates of Kale Caesar salad with grit croutons, fried green tomatoes with red pepper coulis, and black bean hummus along side the crafted cocktail known as “KB Lemonade” an ode to a dear friend, made with fresh lemon juice, rosemary simple syrup, and Tito’s vodka.

Our next stop was The Pig and The Pint where we were greeted by co-owners Dennis Maguire and Chef Michael Broom. Dennis told us a bit about the place and the drinks, while Chef Michael brought out plates with a hat-trick of Southern favorites: saucy smoked ribs, housemade smoked trout dip and tiny red velvet cupcakes topped with Amaretto-pecan buttercream. So good!
Kafenio was our next stop. In Greece, a “kafenio” is a traditional family-owned coffeehouse which usually serves as the social center of a community. That is exactly the kind of establishment that Johnny Gianoulidis was hoping to create when he opened his quirky little cafe in College Park. After sampling his gyro wrap, spanakopita, and baklava, it is easy to imagine this place becoming the favorite spot for pilots to sip some espresso between flights or students to do homework after school.

On our fourth and finally stop, we made our way to the East Point Corner Tavern (the sister restaurant to their Little 5 Points and Edgewood locations). The walk up a flight of stairs gives the bar a speakeasy feel with a full length bar and dark wood tables. Like any good pub, there are pool tables; five regulation pool tables to be exact, and karaoke (rumor has it you might catch my friend Mike singing some sultry John Legend on occasion) on Saturday nights at 10pm. When you go you must try “The Carpetbagger” burger, a bleu cheese stuffed hamburger patty that is battered, fried and dipped generously in Buffalo-wing sauce (What?!). For those who are a little less brave the Turkey Melt with house roasted bird and cheddar on Texas toast is a worthy choice. Of course, what is a bar without its signature cocktail? EPCT has a Bourbon Cowboy made with rye, root beer, bitters, flamed orange and nutmeg that will most certainly wet your whistle. I would definitely go back for that.

With bellies full, we waddled to the bus and headed back to the Convention Center to retrieve our cars. We had one last surprise waiting for us – beer swag!! Yes, the Beer Girl had a bottle of Monday Night Brewing’s “Cinnamon Cocoa Drafty Kilt” waiting in a neoprene cooler from the Atlanta Airport District folks. Sweet! Promising not to drink the jaunty Scotch ale on the way, we headed home, vowing to return very, very soon!

Head over to the Atlanta Airport District starting this Saturday (through Sunday, March 20th) and explore some of College Park and East Point’s fabulous dining destinations just minutes from downtown Atlanta!

Disclosure: Thanks to Phase 3 PR for the inviting me along on this Tweet-up. While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.

Cheesy Cauliflower, Leek & Mushroom Strata

We aren’t sure what it is about a strata that makes it such a revered comfort food; maybe it’s the added warmth of the oven on a cool day or maybe it is the nostalgia; the yearning for a simpler time when a simple dish made with modest, unpretentious ingredients. Either way this toasty, cheesy casserole with delicate flavors of leek, cremini mushrooms and cauliflower layered with bread and sharp cheddar cheese will make you feel all cozy inside like being wrapped in your favorite blanket.

While we used these particular ingredients in order to compete in the “Chopped At Home” Challenge sponsored by the Food Network and Sargento®, you could use almost any vegetable combination that strikes your fancy. The addition of some sausage or chicken would be quite tasty as well.

Like a bread pudding, there are several types of casseroles based on the technique of soaking leftover bread in broth, milk or custard and then baking until the inside layers are soft and creamy. While the lines between these dishes can be blurry, the main difference lies in the kind of soaking liquid that is used.

A strata is made by layering bread slices and adding eggs and milk (usually more eggs than milk) giving them a consistency and flavor akin to quiche. A panade is a soupy casserole made with chicken or vegetable broth resulting in a savory dish similar in consistency to spoon bread. Panade is sometimes compared to stuffing in which the quantity of liquid is reduced to equal the volume of bread and other ingredients. Lastly, bread pudding is also made with eggs, milk or cream, and bread, but has a denser, softer custard with a milkier flavor (due to a more equal ratio of eggs and milk). Stratas and panades are typically savory, while bread puddings can be sweet or savory. These homey casseroles can be served at breakfast, brunch or as a side at dinner time. They also make the perfect potluck dish.

1 8-oz. package of cremini mushrooms (a.k.a. baby portabellos)
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 large fresh leek, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 cups crusty stale bread, 1” cubes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Blanch and drain cauliflower removing as much liquid as possible.

Cook mushrooms in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring for 3-4 minutes. The mushrooms will release a good bit of moisture. When the moisture has cooked off, add the chopped leek and continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes until leeks are soft and tender. Stir in cauliflower, then remove from heat.

Spread half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with half of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layering ending with cheese on top.

Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. I use a sheet of plastic wrap to gently press down on the ingredients (so the bread soaks up the egg mixture) before adding the top layer of cheese. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours (or overnight) for bread to absorb more of the liquid.

Remove the strata from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Before cooking. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake strata, uncovered, on the middle rack of the oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through. Depending on your oven this should take from 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Princi Italia Atlanta - Midtown's Italian Gem

Because we so frequently cook and eat Italian dishes at home, it is rare that we go to an Italian restaurant which is why it was a treat to attend a blogger dinner at Princi Italia in Midtown with my fellow food bloggers.

The location is perfectly situated on the corner of Crescent Avenue and 12th Street with large picturesque windows and blonde-wood décor lend a warm Tuscan farmhouse feel to this quaint Italian bistro. We were greeted by friendly staff and immediately seated in the tradition of true Italian hospitality.

Soon antipasti plates of Meatball al Forno and Tomato & Basil flatbread arrived. The meatballs were large and flavorful and the flatbread while simple was expertly orchestrated. Plates of pasta (primi) followed: Fettuccini Di Mare, Tortellini Fonduta and Shrimp Amalfi an Italian riff on the Southern favorite shrimp and grits.

A course of insalata came next with a classic Caprese topped with pesto and a light arugula salad topped with locally made burrata; again simple and perfectly composed.

No sooner had plates been cleared when entrée dishes (secondi) began to appear at the table: a Grilled Chicken Pizza with pears and goat cheese was a surprise, while Chianti-Braised Short Ribs with fingerling potatoes was a hearty addition.  The highlight was the housemade Orecchiette with Italian Sausage (also housemade), rapini and chili flakes generously dusted with Parmesan.

We all loosened our belts as two decadent plates of chocolate were delivered to our table: the first was Princi’s signature Tiramisu with layers of chocolate cake soaked in dark rum and mascarpone cream, chocolate shavings & leghorn sauce; and, the second was indulgent chocolate truffle bars like Kit-Kat bars on steroids with raspberries snow-capped with powdered sugar. Both made excellent finales to a wonderful sampling of Italian dishes.

We said our good byes and headed off into the night with full bellies (and validated parking tickets – a treasure in Atlanta to be sure,) each of us vowing to return in the very near future! Thanks to Princi Italia located at 77 12th Street for a fabulous evening!

Disclosure: I attended this dinner as a member of the Atlanta Food Bloggers' Society. While the menu items we sampled were complimentary, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited. 

Oscar-worthy Almond and Olive Rugelach

This weekend, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will honor the best films of 2015 at the 88th Academy Awards ceremony. Since the live broadcast begins during the dinner hour for most of the U.S., many of us celebrate with Oscar-themed dishes and parties. A menu of chicken wings and 7-layer dip hardly seem conducive to watching celebrities dressed to the nines walk down the red carpet. This occasion calls for some “highfalutin” snacks and we have just the thing.

The first Academy Award ceremony which was the brainchild of Louis B. Mayer, head of the powerful MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) film studio, was held in May 1929. As a kid, I remember dreading the night the Academy Awards were to air. It was an epic telecast of movie stars I had never heard of, nominated for films I had never seen, wearing clothes made by designers I could never afford. With the advent of cable television, DVDs, DVRs, and the internet, I now look forward to the festivities which now begin midday, and go well into the evening with interviews performances and even live-action selfies posted simultaneously on social media accounts.

For a fancy afternoon nosh, we suggest these posh little savory pastries. This variation of rugelach is easy to make and even easier to eat!

1 batch sour cream pastry dough
1/3 cup almond meal (or blanched almonds finely ground)
1/3 cup Italian green olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 anchovy filet or ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste (optional)

In a small mixing bowl, combine ground almonds, chopped olives (we used Picholine olives) and anchovy and stir into a paste.

Remove and discard plastic wrap from 1 half of dough, keeping other half wrapped and chilled. Put unwrapped dough in center of 1 sheet of floured parchment paper. Dust dough with flour and cover with another sheet of parchment, then roll out dough into a 9-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).

Carefully peel off top sheet of parchment and set aside. (If dough is too sticky to remove parchment cleanly, chill until firm, 10 to 20 minutes.) Repeat procedure with remaining half dough.

Cut the dough into long triangles (like the dough for crescent rolls.) I prefer to roll the dough into a rectangle and cut at alternating angles, but you could also roll the dough into a circle and cut the dough pie chart style.

On the wide end of each triangle, place a small dollop (about a scant teaspoon) of the almond-olive paste and then roll the rugelach from the base to the point of the triangle. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. For even browning, rotate the sheet from front to back halfway through baking. Transfer the turnovers to a wire rack, and let them cool slightly. Serve while they’re still warm.

Freezing Instructions: You can freeze unbaked rugelach on a baking sheet until they’re firm, then gently transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 1 month. To bake them from frozen, just add a few minutes to the baking time.

Italian Blood Orange Salad & Blog Hop

For those of you who have attended true Italian family dinners, you know that they are usually epic with multiple courses and dishes. To give you an idea of what it is like, several blogger friends have gotten together to bring you a virtual Italian Dinner via Blog Hop. Our contribution to the meal is a salad or “insalata” in Italian.

There are many different thoughts about when a salad should be served in an Italian meal. The typical answer is that “it depends.” It depends on region, the family, or the time of year. In Rome, a salad of mixed greens is commonly served as a side dish for grilled or roasted meats or breaded cutlets. In Northern Italy, salads are served as a course following the main dish (or secondi,) while the custom for Italian-Americans is to eat the salad after the appetizers (antipasti), and prior to the first course (primi).

Regardless of when you choose to serve it, this is the perfect salad to accompany any Italian meal. This recipe relies heavily on the quality of all the fresh ingredients, so be sure to have the freshest citrus, fennel and red onion to ensure the perfect texture and flavors. This super fresh salad takes all of our favorite ingredients and throws them into a vibrant dish that is a treat for your eyes as well as your taste buds! The contrasts of the slightly spicy onion, the crunchy anise and the tart citrus... nirvana.

1 fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice the onion and fennel as thinly as possible (reserving the fennel fronds for garnish). We use a mandolin on the thinnest setting. Place onions and fennel in a salad bowl and toss with the olive oil and vinegar. If white balsamic vinegar is not readily available, feel free to substitute champagne vinegar or even unseasoned rice vinegar. (In our opinion, lemon juice is just a little too tart.)

Peel the oranges and slice the oranges as thinly as possible with a serrated knife. (The mandolin beats up them up too much.) Can't find blood oranges? You can use Cara Cara or navel oranges. Gently toss the oranges with the fennel and onions before plating.

Garnish the salad with the delicate fronds from the fennel and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. The black pepper adds a nice nuance to the dish, so really don't skip it.

Check out the other amazing dishes in our Blog Hop Meal!

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