DailyCandy Definition

Would you go fruit-loopy if someone ate your last bowl of Captain Crunch? Well, that’s life if you practice what The DailyCandy Lexicon deems Cereal Monogamy at your breakfast table.

Cereal Monogamy: n. a slavish devotion to one particular breakfast cereal.

Suggested usage: After three boxes of Cocoa Pebbles, I began to suspect he was a cereal monogamist.

Wicked Good Dinner

What seems like months ago, my roommate and I bought tickets to see Wicked for when it came to Atlanta's own Fox Theater. From the day we ordered the tickets, I was already making dinner plans. Before the show we're going to have dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Dogwood. Since we will be within walking distance of the theater, we can valet at the restaurant and not worry about parking. I love it when things are simple!

If you have not ordered tickets yet, then you will be interested in the moneysaving Dinner and Broadway show packages local restaurants will be offering. You can get a ticket and a special three-course menu at Ecco for the shows on Wednesday, October 15 and Wednesday, October 29 ($90 per person). On Tuesday, October 28, Dogwood will offer a three-course dinner package that includes dinner, a ticket to the show and valet parking ($95 per person). Seating times are at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. at either restaurant and tax, gratuity and alcohol are not included in package pricing.

Dogwood: 565 Peachtree Street; 404-835-1410.
Ecco: 40 7th Street, NE in Midtown; 404-347-9555.

Red Hook Beer Dinner at South City Kitchen Vinings Cures What Ales Ya

Feeling a little under the weather? Or is it that you just aren't ready for the change in weather? Either way South City Kitchen Vinings has the cure. They are hosting a unique Red Hook Beer Dinner on Thursday, October 9, that is sure to satisfy all of the senses . The four-course, prix-fixe dinner paired with Red Hook beer begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $45 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Enjoy passed hors d'oeuvres of house-made andouille sausage en brioche with passion fruit mustard and smoked trout brandade with apple cabbage slaw and caraway crackers served with Kona Passion and Bud American Ale. The dinner menu includes cane syrup-glazed quail breast with cumin-spiked sweet potato gratin accompanied by Red Hook Blonde Ale; roasted mushroom meatloaf with harvest squash, Yukon gold potatoes, green beans and smoked chili ketchup served with Red Hook ESB; and dessert of apple- pecan tartlette with pumpkin-ale ice cream served with Red Hook Late Harvest Ale.

South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.

Dogwood's New Menu is Awesome

I love birthdays! Especially mine. These people who don't want to celebrate theirs, well, I just don't get them.

So, last weekend was my birthday and I decided to head to Dogwood. They have a new fall menu I was dying to try and it's just such a pretty, special restaurant. We could not have been happier with the choice. Makes me wish I was getting a year older again this week. Okay, not really.

We started with the grits bar, of course. The Logan Turnpike "Fools Gold" grits have new toppings and we chose the braised forest mushrooms. YUM. Then we had the seared foie gras with smoked pumpkin, pecan-raisin toast and red wine-black pepper gastrique. Y'all. This was unbelievably good. Decadent. A must have. To balance the sinfulness of that dish we chose a soup for our other app - a root vegetable puree with a wild boar-cranberry sausage and lingonberries. Licked the bowl. Sure did.

For entrees I encouraged my friend to have the signature SoCo glazed pork chop with carmelized shallots and the most delicious sweet corn souffle while I tried a new dish - pecan rubbed tuna with fingerling potatoes, applewood smoked bacon, carmelized onions and bar-b-que drizzle. Another hit!

The nice folks at Dogwood insisted that we have dessert since it was my birthday. I chose the coffee gelato which really was the perfect ending. We also had the fried bread pudding that was delicious. On Friday, Meridith Ford Goldman gave the restaurant a glowing review in the Atlanta Journal Constitution - I see she had many of the same dishes I had!

If you haven't been to Dogwood yet, I encourage you to try it, even if it's not your birthday!

New Red Wine at Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery

I've had the privilege to visit Wolf Mountain Vineyards the past few weeks for their fall harvest. I've watched (and videotaped) the grapes come from the vine, get destemmed, crushed and the juices go into fermentation. It's been a very cool experience. I also got to see the first batch of Wolf Mountain's newest wine, Howling Wolf Red, be bottled. The limited-release is a non-vintage blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with elegant tannins and a soft, fruity finish. Yep, I tried it. Howling Wolf Red will be available for purchase ($24.95 per bottle) only through Wolf Mountain beginning tomorrow, Saturday, October 4. Make a weekend trip to Dahlonega to get the first taste or trust mine and buy a bottle from their online store - since wines can now be shipped in Georgia.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery is located at 180 Wolf Mountain Trail in Dahlonega, Georgia; 706-867-9862. For driving directions click here.

NiceCream is Really Nice ... and Creamy!

I met Dr. Leon Lashner over a year ago and was soon invited to regular gatherings at the kitchen table in his loft to sample the non-dairy ice cream he was creating. His friends, old and new, would eagerly show up to take a spoonful of the newest flavor, check the progress of their favorites, and share their critiques. Most of all we were a fan club cuz this stuff rocks!

So it was more than awesome to see all that hard work come to fruition with Sunday's NiceCream launch event at Jake's in the Irwin Street Market. Over 200 hundred people came to try six flavors: Coocoo for Coconut, Dave's Chocolate, Tropical Vanilla Bean, Banana Chocolate Chip, Passion Fruit, and Double Cappuccino. All the ingredients are organic and top quality - no wonder it tastes so good. If you know someone who is lactose-intolerant, this will change his/her life! Have you tried the stuff they have to eat? Yuck!

And great news! Leon is dabbling in the sauce biz too. He had four sauces to try: Strawberry Balsamic (my fave), Dark Spicy Chocolate, Sea-Salted Caramel, and Rum Sauce (I think this was a lot of people's fave). Right now you can buy NiceCream at any of the three Jake's Ice Cream locations.

It's pretty easy to have a dream or a grand idea. It's anything but easy to make it become a reality. Heck, it's not even easy to watch someone do it! Leon, who by day is a gifted chiropractor and homeopath, has methodically made this dream happen, one (sometimes difficult) step at a time.

I'm not saying go buy some NiceCream so you can support the American dream. I'm saying go buy it because it's frickin awesome! But doesn't it make it sweeter knowing this was just some guy in his house with an ice cream freezer saying, "Hey, I think I have an idea..."

Ecco Offers Lots of Lovin' Spoonfuls at The Sunday Share on October 5

Now that it's finally cooling off in Atlanta, soup weather is upon us. That delicious, warm feeling, filling you with goose bumps from head to toe? Yes, it’s a heady case of love at the first spoonful and you can get it by digging into that soup bowl at Ecco. More faithful than a Golden, more heartwarming than a Norman Rockwell painting, soup comforts and encourages conversation, without the worry of getting that piece of spinach salad between your teeth. Executive Chef Micah Willix is stirring up a house-made bouillabaisse that’s quite a catch for the bistro’s October 5 Sunday Share menu. $25 per person includes tax and gratuity; additional charge for alcoholic drink specials. Scoop up your friends or come solo to the communal table at 6:30 p.m. For reservations, call 404-347-9555.Ecco is a Fifth Group Restaurant located at 40 7th Street, NE in Midtown; 404-347-9555.

5th Annual Harvest Midtown Festival

This year's cultural event will be held on Saturday, October 4 from 1-5 p.m. Among the participating restaurants are favorites such as Ecco, South City Kitchen, Marlow'sTavern and Dogwood. And if that's not enough to fill a Saturday afternoon, guests will also enjoy a fall fashion show, an organic farmer's market and live chef demos.

The Harvest Midtown festival will be held on 5th Street between Peachtree and West Peachtree streets. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Arthritis Foundation.

Time to Buy Tix for Les Dames Event in November

As some of you know, I'm spending two weeks in Chile in November. Of course I'm looking forward to it, but I just realized I'm going to miss THE BEST food event of the year! Should I cancel???

Seriously, Les Dames D'Escoffier (LDEI), of which I am a proud member and secretary of the board, puts on a great event at Serenbe every year. The 8th Annual Afternoon in the Country, sponsored by LDEI is held on Sunday, November 9 starting at 1 p.m. at Serenbe in the Chattahoochee Hill Country. Over 50 chefs, restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries and retailers will be on hand to dole out samples under big-top tents. An enormous silent auction, decadent cake raffle, live music, hayrides and more round out the afternoon. New this year is a Friday night event - a very nice one at that. On November 7, "Evening in the City" will be held at The Mansion on Peachtree. Only 75 tickets will be sold to this exclusive event. The evening begins with a 51st floor champagne "view of the city" reception followed by a four-course Wente Vineyards wine dinner and a private concert by renowned jazz vocalist Francine Reed.

So whether you're a city slicker or a country bumpkin, as long as you enjoy good food and wine, I promise you will enjoy these events. Among the participants are favorites such as Bold American®,Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, Via Elisa Pasta, White Oak Pastures, Whole Foods Market and Woodfire Grill. Please go and have some sips and nibbles for me!!

Click here for tickets to either event. Proceeds benefit Georgia's organic farming community and the scholarship fund for women in the culinary, beverage and hospitality arts. Atlanta LDEI is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

And yes, this picture is of some Dames having fun at White Oak Pastures. That's Angie Mosier, me, Cathy Conway, Carolyn O'Neil and Virginia Willis. See how fun we are? Tee hee.