Thankful for an Easy Thanksgiving!

I learned early on that my favorite Thanksgiving dinners were prepared by someone else, cleaned up by someone else, and hosted somewhere other than my house. I remember watching my mom spend days preparing food, ironing tablecloths and polishing silver, and then hours after dinner washing dishes and putting things away, all for 30 minutes of delicious turkey and dressing eating with friends and family. Even as a little kid I thought to myself that this was not a good investment of time and energy!

When I worked for Hyatt Hotels everyone had to work the day after Thanksgiving so we had “orphan Thanksgiving” at someone’s house every year. Those are some of my favorite holiday memories, with pot luck and a wonderful assortment of personalities, drinking and smoking and celebrating well into the night. Since then, I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving in a number of non-traditional ways. I’ve enjoyed the southern offerings at the Colonnade, the carving stations and ice sculptures at the Waverly, and an all-souffle dinner at a restaurant in Paris. One year I ate a Hungry Man TV dinner (turkey and dressing, of course) because I was arriving late from a trip that Thursday. The closest I ever came to hosting Thanksgiving was when I ordered everything from Eatzi’s (may they rest in peace) and invited some fellow orphans and my parents over.

So, it will come as no surprise that I will be dining out tomorrow. I was delighted to see that Toulouse was offering Thanksgiving dinner. Not just because they are a client of ours but because I truly love that restaurant and it’s in my neighborhood. Their menu includes the traditional offerings plus more – like lamb shank, wild mushroom ravioli and grilled salmon. And of course, because it’s Toulouse, there are wine pairing suggestions for each item.

I still don’t know if I’m going to go the traditional route and get butternut squash soup, turkey and dressing, and pumpkin pie or if I’ll branch out. All I know for sure is that all that is required of me is to show up on time and enjoy myself. That is something to be thankful for!

From everyone at MLA, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Holiday Gift Guide

Believe it or not, its that time of year again folks- Christmas season is just a few short days away. After we celebrate Thanksgiving, everything is fair game in shopping. This year consider ordering something offline instead of braving the mall on Black Friday! This week the ladies at MLA, including myself, put together a holiday gift guide to help you select the perfect gift for those important, but hard-to-shop for people in your life. The gift guide features a variety of items such as Jersey Naps, TSP Spices, and some other great choices such as Via Elisa Pasta, all of which can be purchased online. In this mish-mosh of items you will see some of our personal favorites and some presents the people in our family will be recieving for the holidays. If you didn’t receive The Dish this week with all of our ideas, click here and you can read it online! Happy shopping!

2008 Riding Dirty Atlanta Wine Pairing Challenge

I have a love for wine and I have a love for blogs so it comes as no surprise that I read Dirty South Wine religiously. I'm really excited about the “Riding Dirty” Atlanta Wine Pairing Challenge he is putting on. Hardy has asked fifteen of Atlanta’s top restaurants to prepare a wine and food pairing to be served at their bar for under $25.

Wines are from the participating restaurants' current list of by-the-glass wines, and the food may be either a small plate or appetizer from their standard menu. The judges (Hardy, Matt Richardson and Broderick Smylie) have been evaluating each restaurants based on taste, creativity and value.

Hardy is chronicling each tasting at Dirty South Wine where you can read about the tastings and watch videos of their experiences at each restaurant. Updates can be followed on twitter under the #dty tag. Winners will be announced December 3, so stay tuned.

Participating restaurants include: Holeman & Finch, Joël, ARIA, ENO, Woodfire Grill, Toulouse,
VITA, Repast, La Tavola Trattoria, Top FLR, VINE, Canoe, Dogwood, ONE. Midtown kitchen and the ISAW charity (International Society of Africans in Wine).

Atlanta Goes Green And So Does MLA

All week we've been telling you about great Atlanta restaurants doing their part to go green. We here at MLA are also striving to go green. We’re picky when it comes to food, but not about recycling. Clean plate club members that we are, we recycle it all: paper, cardboard, plastic, grocery bags and glass. We’re fortunate that our building offers paper recycling, and our office manager takes everything else to the recycling center once a month. We take our own bags when we shop for home or office. More MLA must-do’s include telecommuting, using rechargeable batteries and eco-friendly light bulbs, and turning off the lights and unplugging electronic “suckers” when we’re not using them. Every little bit helps! Is your workplace making green changes too?

Marlow's Tavern Cooking Class

Can't decide what to get your friends for Christmas? Think about giving the gift of cooking to yourself and a friend at Marlow's Tavern Northlake's holiday cooking class. To fit the role, they'll give you a chef’s coat, and before you know it you'll be chopping and mixing in a hands-on demonstration of holiday dishes. Learn what wines will go best with each course. After you finish cooking be prepared to eat, because you get to try out some food! Start at 9 a.m. and you’re done by noon. $40 per person. Reserve your spot in the kitchen by email.

Marlow’s Tavern Northlake: 4156 Lavista Road, 678-987-1197.

Atlanta Goes Green: El Taco Serves Sustainability With Its Salsa

Fifth Group Restaurants opened The Original El Taco in October with a commitment to providing a fun, community cantina and a heaping helping of sustainability. One way El Taco has been green from the start is through its partnering with Renewable Choice Energy to purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) that will offset 100 percent of the Tex-Mex cantina’s electric energy consumption.

RECs are produced by wind farms, biomass facilities and other clean, renewable energy sources. Those purchased for El Taco are equivalent to planting 1,038 mature trees, not driving 257,444 miles a year in an average car or taking 21 cars off the road for one year. The eatery is also offsetting the emissions that are produced by heating the building with natural gas. A commitment that helps save natural resources, supports farmers and ranchers who make money by leasing their land, reduces CO2 emissions for cleaner air, and increases the demand for new REC projects while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and generating awareness for clean technology projects. Now that is something I can eat to.

The Original El Taco: 1186 North Highland Avenue, NE; 404-873-4656.

Portofino Pushes Pasta on Pre-Atlanta Marathon Menu

One week from today I will line up with thousands of runners on Peachtree street to run the Thanksgiving Day Atlanta Half Marathon. Thankfully, Portofino will serve a pre-race carb filled meal for all the marathoners and half-marathoners on the 26th. The prix fixe menu includes pasta, along with soup or salad and dessert. Fortify your reserves from 5-10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, for a mere $25 per person. Start strong with starters such as white bean or butternut squash soup; spinach salad with feta, pine nuts, tomato, cucumber and a balsamic vinaigrette; and Caesar salad with herb croutons and Parmesan cheese. A variety of pastas, such as garlic chicken penne; classic spaghetti with veal, beef and pork blended meatballs; pomodoro with fresh tomato and basil sauce over penne pasta; pasta primavera with fresh whole wheat fettuccine or mushroom risotto Milanese will put you in the carb-loading zone. Cruise to a finish with gelato, tiramisu or pumpkin bread pudding .

Portofino: 3199 Paces Ferry Place. For reservations, call 404-231-1136. http://www.portofinobistro.com/

Wine Down Weekdays at Morton's Buckhead

Morton's The Steakhouse Buckhead celebrates Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays with Morton’s Wine Down Weekdays from 5-6:30 p.m. Even if you're trimming the bottom line, you can still enjoy and affordable work week-perk at Morton's. $5 will snag you a welcome glass of Canyon Road California Cabernet or Chardonnay. $3 nabs a glass of draft beer. Such a deal, it’s a date!

Morton’s The Steakhouse Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-816-6535.

Each “FEED 100” Bag Purchased At Whole Foods Markets® Feeds 100 Hungry Rwandan School Children

I bet I can think of at least 100 times that I have wished I could do more to curb world hunger. Well, one bag at Whole Foods Market® can help grant each of those wishes at once. Purchasing a FEED 100 bag ($29.99), available exclusively at Whole Foods Market, will provide 100 nutritious meals to hungry school-age children in Rwanda through the United Nation World Food Program’s School Feeding Program (WFP).

The FEED Foundation will donate $10 for each bag purchased to the WFP’s Rwanda School Feeding operation. The remainder goes to production and program oversight as the organic cotton and burlap bags are made by workers receiving livable wages and overtime, and safe and clean working environments. The bags condense down into a small pouch so you’ll always have one handy.

During this season of gratitude, give others a reason to be thankful by purchasing one of these cute bags.

Sara in a Different City: Charleston

I LOVE Atlanta. I rock my 404 tee, I two step and walk it out. I actually enjoy eating at the Varsity and I've been known to cheer a time or two for the Braves. But this past weekend, I went OTP to Charleston, South Carolina to visit my lovely BFF Erin. While there, we did "touristy things" as Erin put it, but I also had the opportunity to taste the city like a true Charlestonian! My coastal culinary escapade was so fun, I had tell y'all about it and share Atlanta spots that offer lowcountry food on par (or better) with that of Charleston!

First stop on Friday night was the Charleston Charitable Society's Annual Oyster Roast at the Maritime Center where the society guys and gals exchanged fancy duds for jeans, oyster shucking gloves and shagging shoes! Described by Erin as the first oyster roast of the season, we got a chance to chow down on some freshly steamed oysters (and chili or hotdogs for the less adventurous) while listening to the classic Carolina beach music band, The Embers. For a good steamed oyster or two (or 25) in Atlanta, visit Fontaine's Oyster House in Virginia/Highlands.

Then, we decided to continue the fun across the bridge at the Mt. Pleasant location of King Street Grill for drinks and trivia. Hungry still, we split the shrimp croissant sandwich. For a delightful shrimp po'boy in the ATL, try Six Feet Under, on the Westside.

The next morning, we needed a breakfast that would help nurse our oyster hangover. We stopped by the Bookstore Cafe, a local favorite with all kinds of breakfast goodies including homemade potato casseroles. Erin helped herself to the delicious fried green tomato breakfast with bacon gravy and grits while I chowed down on the cobb omelette, full of chicken, aspargus and sundried tomatoes. For an omelette stuffed as full in Atlanta, go to R. Thomas Deluxe Grill on Peachtree. R.Thomas Bonus: The food is healthy and organic!

After browsing the great shopping in downtown Charleston's open market, I decided to take home some homemade gullah spice rubs. With names like "Hot as Hell," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Charleston Hospitality" you know these rubs are bound to add some flavor to your life! Fat Matt's here in Atlanta uses delicious secret spices in each BBQ rib batch - a must try!

Finally - our weekend ended with a genteel dinner at Poogan's Porch. Located in a converted home in the heart of downtown Charleston, Poogan's Porch has entertained famous southerners of all types for over 30 years. Three pimento cheese fritters, one bourbon mustard glazed pork loin with sweet potatoes and a few bites of bread pudding later and I was out for the count! For a similar southern hospitality experience in Atlanta, visit Mary Mac's Tea Room.

For more info about visiting (and dining in) Charleston, visit www.charleston.com.

Chocolate Adventure Contest

Just read about this at Food Gal. Scharffen Berger and TuttiFoodie's 2009 Chocolate Adventure Contest is now accepting entries - yumlicious. Each recipe must include Scharffen Berger chocolate and needs to be submitted by January 4, 2009. Categories of sweet, savory and beverage must also include an "adventure ingredient" like basil, mango or wattleseed.

The impressive list of judges are looking for the best creation incorporating creativity, taste, ease of preperation and whether the recipe reflects a spirit of adventure. I know some Atlanta food bloggers that should definitely think of entering, so check out the Official Contest Rules for details, kids.

Atlanta Restaurants Go Green: VITA's Natura Water Purification System

Tony LaRocco's VITA quenches your thirst and helps the environment at the same time! VITA is one of only four restaurants in Atlanta that use the Natura® water purification system to purify drinking water. The system removes impurities such as chlorine compounds, heavy metals and bacteria, while retaining thirst-quenching minerals like magnesium, zinc and calcium. VITA's Natura system is equally healthy for the environment as it alleviates trucking in water or disposing of plastic bottles and dispensers. Natura systems are installed in some of our nation's best restaurants.

VITA serves New York Italian-style dishes at lunch and dinner seven days a week, and weekend brunch. Tony LaRocco's VITA: 2110 Peachtree Road; 404-367-8482.

DailyCandy Definition

A powderpuff mechanic’s license is not needed to toss tart fuel boosters in your tank. This The DailyCandy Lexicon mainstay will rev your engine!

Tart Fuel: n. girlie drinks, e.g., cosmos, kirs or anything that tastes like Kool-Aid.

Bob wanted a tiger in his tank, but Jasmine depended on colorful tart fuel to motor into party mode.

Clean as a Whistle - The Original El Taco Scores 100, and CBS 46 Shows and Tells!

Comforting as it is to enter a restaurant and see a framed health certificate proclaiming “100,” it’s even more so to learn of a perfect score and to get a sneak peek at all the great stuff the restaurant has to offer before you get there. Such is the case for the clean (and green!) The Original El Taco, highlighted by CBS Channel 46 Consumer Investigator Adam Murphy during his “Restaurant Watch” segment this past week. Click on the web page’s video box and stay tuned. The El Taco visit is the last part of the video, and it’s well worth the wait! The Original El Taco: 1186 North Highland Avenue, NE; 404-873-4656.

Atlanta Restaurants Go Green!

Here at Atlanta Dish we like to let you know what is happening in the area so you can be sure to support local events and farmers! The good news is… more restaurants here in Atlanta are not only buying local produce, but many are also finding other ways to encourage sustainability and lighten the load on our nation’s energy consumption. Each day this week we will post another restaurant in Atlanta that is doing their part for a brighter future!

La Tavola Trattoria serves as a perfect example of a restaurant that has been doing their part for the environment. Did you know that when you dine at La Tavola Trattoria, near “The Corner” where Virginia and Highland avenues intersect, you are entering a Carbon Neutral Zone? La Tavola Trattoria and 17 other shops, restaurants and businesses at The Corner are purchasing carbon offsets to neutralize their carbon footprints – footprints that are shrinking as these businesses have gone green. This makes The Corner Atlanta’s first Carbon Neutral Zone. 100 percent of offset profits are donated to the Atlanta Humane Society and other charitable organizations. Learn more by visiting the Verus Carbon Neutral Web site.

La Tavola Trattoria: 992 Virginia Avenue, NE; 404-873-5430.

Aqua blue Wine Dinner November 19

Aqua blue simplifies the mental work for you at their Wednesday, November 19 wine dinner. Sit back to food and wine without having to think about pairing and selecting. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.; limited seating at $60 per person (not including tax or gratuity). For reservations, call 770-643-8886 or email Lauren De Alto.

First Course

Canadian salmon and mango salsa over blue tortillas

Mason Sauvignon Blanc

Second Course

Scallop Napoleon with red and yellow tomatoes, arugula and winter greens with sweet lemonette and chive oil served

LaCraie “Blue Label” Vouvray

Third Course

Roasted pork tenderloin over dirty rice with shrimp Creole sauce

Mas Donis

Fourth Course

Lamb lollipops with mascarpone-stuffed figs, wild mushroom barley and Zinfandel reduction EOS Zinfandel

Fifth Course

Sydney’s Trifle accompanied

Campbell’s

Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.

Atlanta Community Food Bank Roasts Four Atlanta Restaurant Legends on Nov.17

“A Legendary Roast” honors four men who have made innovative and enduring marks on the Atlanta restaurant scene over the years: Pano Karatassos, Bob Amick, Tom Catherall and George McKerrow, Jr. Howard Halpern, Chairman of Halperns’ Purveyors of Steak and Seafood will take the lead by roasting Pano Karatassos.

Start the event, which goes from 6-10:30 p.m., with a drink at the cocktail reception. Later, guests will have the chance to enjoy a three-course dinner prepared by well-known chefs Peter Kaiser, Carvel Gould, Jamie Adams, and Jonathan St. Hilaire. End the night with something sweet to balance out the roast by attending the dessert reception.

Hosting the roasting is the Atlanta Community Food Bank at its warehouse located at 732 Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, NW. The event benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank, which provides meals for the elderly, shut-ins, and others in need of assistance in Atlanta.

Taster tickets are $300 each, Foodie tickets are $500 each, and both may be purchased online and by calling 678-538-9000.

Eating Regionally

Each month, Portofino features a special a la carte dinner menu that focuses on a specific region of Italy. This month’s regional menu spotlights “Piemonte,” the nation’s Piedmont region, and the menu offers appetizers, entrees, desserts and wines all inspired by the regional cooking of Piedmont.The culinary trip starts with an appetizer such as Bagna Caudo – tempura-fried vegetables topped with a sauce blend of anchovy, garlic and olive oil. Entrée choices include Carbonada – a rich, hearty veal stew scented with truffles over potato hash. Land in the sweet spot at meal’s end with mocha cinnamon bonet – a flan custard dessert with crushed Amaretto cookies and Amaretto di Saronno. Specially selected wines from the Piedmont region include the crisp, white Pio Cesare, Cortese di Gavi, ’07; Fontanafredda, Barbera, Briccotondo, ’06 with its hints of pepper and chocolate; and Pinot Noir-like Massolino, Langhe Nebbiolo, ’04.

I haven't made it in to taste this month's menu yet, but I was in recently and had a bruschetta appetizer topped with braised short ribs, creme faiche and what I think was a pesto. Oh my deliciousness, it was can-not-stop-eating-this-just-box-up-my-entree-because-I'm-so-full good. I'm looking forward to seeing if this menu lives up to my now very high expectations.

Field of Greens Festival at Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm

What better way to enjoy this wonderful fall weather than at Whippoorwill Hollow Farm at the Field of Greens festival, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 15. Envision 74 acres lush with organic greens just east of Atlanta. Enjoy locally grown chow demoed by chefs from Woodfire Grill and other Atlanta farm-to-table restaurants, green-themed booths on recycling, clean energy and more, pony rides, raffles, arts and crafts, face-painting and a farmers’ market.
Cost is $3 for adults or FREE if you buy a food ticket ($10 per person; $20 per family). Free for children under 12 years old. All proceeds benefit Georgia’s local organic farming community and Slow Food Atlanta.
Whippoorwill Hollow Organic Farm is 35 miles east of Atlanta in Walnut Grove; 678-625-3272.

Before You Bail Out on Lunch or Dinner, Review the Opentable Appetite Stimulus Plan for November 17-21

So we all know that times are tough and though we may disagree on the reasons why, all parties can agree that the OpenTable Appetite Stimulus Plan, in effect November 17-21, is a terrific value now with dining point benefits that extend into the future. Ask for the special three-course menus at top restaurants then enjoy your meal for just $35 at dinner and $24 at lunch (per person, excluding beverage, tax and gratuity). Additionally, you'll receive 200 Dining Rewards Points for every Appetite Stimulus Plan reservation that you honor! OpenTable rewards members with points, redeemable for dining cheques, for making and honoring reservations. Some of our favorite Appetite Stimulus Plan participants are Dogwood, Eclipse di Luna, South City Kitchen Vinings, and Woodfire Grill. Under the OpenTable Appetite Stimulus Plan, you'll enjoy not only specially priced, three- course menus at these restaurants and others, but you'll also earn double Dining Rewards Points when you book through OpenTable. Points add up quickly and can be redeemed for OpenTable dining checks to be redeemed at OpenTable restaurants.

Sara in the City: West Scrambled Eggs

I'm loving the Westside resurgence - great interior design and art stores, trendy boutiques and unique loft living spaces are popping up all over the area. And the revitalization doesn't stop with shopping and housing - Some of the best restaurants in town, including acclaimed Bacchanalia, The Real Chow Baby and my personal faves Figo and Taqueria del Sol, are located on the west side of town.

So when my beau and I went looking for a great breakfast, we traveled westward towards West Egg Cafe. Launched in 2004 by a "recovering attorney," West Egg is the perfect mixture of new culture and down home cuisine. A bakery, coffee house and restaurant all in one, the cafe displays original artwork and was voted "Best Breakfast" and "Friendliest Wait Staff" by Creative Loafing and Taste of Atlanta, respectively.

The wait was long, but when you're the Best Breakfast in town, that's not a surprise. Luckily, we got bottomless cups of coffee to sustain us til were seated. When it came time to order, I decided on the Peachtree Platter, a unique take on the bacon and eggs breakfast. Scrambled eggs were complimented by a fresh biscuit, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese grits (they found a way to make grits more Southern) and a little slice of heaven on earth, brown sugared bacon.

My beau, perfering a simpler meal merely told the waitress he wanted "standard bacon, eggs, biscuit." Living up the "Friendliest Wait Staff" title, she knew exactly what he needed, "You want the blue plate with grits," and served up a great, homemade breakfast with extra, extra cheese on his eggs. (Just the way he likes it!)

The bill hit the spot too - at under $20 for two, this breakfast should also be named the "Best Steal" in town!

Visit West Egg Cafe seven days a week, from 7 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. on weekends to 4 p.m. every day.

1st Annual Midtown International Wine Crawl Set For Saturday, November 15

I always complain that there’s not enough time in the day to hang out with my friends and get the amount of exercise a woman, ahem, my age, needs to maintain her girlish figure. Someone at AtlantaBarTours.com must have heard my rants, because this weekend, they are creating an opportunity to combine one of my favorite pastimes (hanging with my friends) with one of my least favorite (exercising) – well, sort of.

Saturday, at the first the 1st Annual Midtown International Wine Crawl, walk from restaurant to restaurant to enjoy wine and/or beer and food specials, including $5 glasses of red and white wines from West Coast wineries at Marlow’s Tavern - Midtown. Tickets are $5 in advance, $10 at the door. Buy tickets online or register at Eno Restaurant & Wine Bar from 1:30-5 p.m. on November 15. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Small Dog Rescue and Humane Society.

Marlow’s Tavern - Midtown: 950 West Peachtree Street; 404-815-0323.

The Cook's Warehouse in Midtown Hosts Pre-holiday Sale and Celebration November 14

Two weeks until Thanksgiving then it's a blink until New Year's Day! Perfect timing for the Friday, November 14 pre-holiday sale at The Cook's Warehouse Midtown, featuring discounts on Wusthof Trident knives and 10 percent off on Staub enameled cast iron cookware. Shoppers who stop in between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. that evening can sample wine and appetizers, watch cooking demos by Chef Michael Harnage from Toulouse and Chef Tony Ballester from Morton's Buckhead, and meet Staub Cookware Marketing Manager Matt Mozzer. Harold Wüsthof, seventh generation knife maker and president of Wüsthof Trident knives, will be at the store throughout the day. Add some $5 raffle tickets to your shopping basket for chances to win prizes and help Open Hand.

Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life.

The Cook's Warehouse - Midtown: 549-I Amsterdam Avenue; 404-815-4993.

The Glass and Bottle are Full, but the Price is Half Empty Thursday Nights at Woodfire Grill

Wow. A wine lover's wish come true. A restaurant with an amazing wine list is offering the deal of our dreams! The entire vast wine list, representing 11 different countries. By the glass, by the bottle. All, half off on Thursday nights in November and December at Woodfire Grill. Now, there's a pre-holiday gift that will ensure even Scrooges will see the world through a rosy glass...or white...or red. Woodfire Grill fans know Chef Kevin Gillespie's menu changes with the harvest. Same goes for the wines as Woodfire Grill is constantly bringing in the best new releases! Open for dinner Monday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

DailyCandy Definition - One Word, Two Meanings

First glance has you thinking this has something to do with your email inbox. Not quite. Remember, we talk about food and drinks here and so is The DailyCandy Lexicon in addressing the characteristics of a high-end and lower-end spammelier.

Spammelier: n. 1. a sommelier who gives you too many choices. 2. Someone who’s an expert on canned meats.

Splurge: Her head was spinning from the long list of wines the spammelier had just reeled off…maybe she’d just stick with the house wine.

Budget: As they stood facing the long aisle of canned meats, poultry and fish, they wished the store’s personal shopper spammelier was not tied up with another customer.

Save a few dollars and eat at Dogwood!

Monday through Friday after 8 p.m. Dogwood is offering an appetizing deal that all guests will enjoy! Guests can relish a three-course dinner for only $35 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). This three course meal consists of an appetizer, salad or soup, entrée and any dessert. The only exclusions are the grits bar, soup flight and cheese offering. For such a good deal sharing and substitutions are not allowed, but who needs them! For the perfect drink to accompany that food, grab a Smirnoff martini or cosmopolitan for only $5. Just want to grab a drink? Come in Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to check out the half-price wines by the glass or $5 John Daly’s Firefly served from 5:30-7p.m.

Les Dames Afternoon in the Country

The 8th annual Afternoon in the Country event was held this past Sunday at Serenbe, near Palmetto, Georgia. More than 35 chefs from Atlanta's best restaurants, select retailers and local wineries set up tastings inside the tents on this beautiful property. This is certainly not your run-of-the-mill food and wine event, instead of wearing formal attire, jeans and boots were encouraged! It was a gorgeous day to be outside, and especially enjoying tasty cuisine and fine wines.

Other highlights of the event included live music, a one-of-a-kind cake auction, hayrides and silent auction. Among my favorite tastings of the day were bbq sliders from Holman and Finch, braised beef from White Oak Pastures, Low Country boil with pickled okra (yum!) from the restaurant on Serenbe and desserts from Joel. Proceeds from the event went to benefit the Atlanta Chapters of Les Dames d'Escoffier.

Ecco Carries On Spanish Tuesday Night Tradition

It’s so easy to push everything to the weekend and then have good intentions swallowed up by to-do’s. Enough of it, we say! Be like the Spanish and embrace Tuesday nights as your night to get together with family and friends. Ecco makes it easy, setting forth a glass of wine, live Spanish guitar (6-8:30 p.m.) and a heaping bowl of housemade cocido, a hearty Spanish stew – all for only $24 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are recommended, but not required; call 404-347-9555 or click here. Ecco: 40 7th Street, NE; 404-347-9555.

Midtown Shop and Dine Week November 14-21

Two of my favorite past times, eating and shopping, come together this week during Midtown Shop and Dine Week. Two can dine for $25 at The Original El Taco and other casual restaurants. At fine dining spots such as Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, South City Kitchen Midtown and VITA, guests can sit down to three courses for $25 per person. Making reservations is so convenient through opentable.com. What a deal?!

Ecco: 40 7th Street, NE; 404-347-9555.

The Original El Taco: 1186 North Highland Avenue, NE; 404-873-4656.

La Tavola Trattoria: 992 Virginia Avenue, NE; 404-873-5430.

South City Kitchen Midtown: 1144 Crescent Avenue; 404-873-7358.
VITA: Vita: 2110 Peachtree Road; 404-367-8482.

2009 Will Welcome Marlow’s Tavern to Duluth

I enjoyed a delish lunch at Marlow’s this week, and I must say that I am excited for diners in Duluth. Yes, there will soon be six Marlow’s Tavern locations around metro Atlanta when Marlow’s opens its Duluth location in January 2009 at 1950 Satellite Boulevard and Sugarloaf Parkway near the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Neighbors can look forward to stopping at the tavern for cold drinks and upscale American tavern fare, lunchtime through dinner and into the night. Marlow’s Tavern offers a long list of wines, cocktails and bottled beers, including local favorites Sweetwater 420 and Terrapin Rye Pale Ale. Once the new restaurant opens, come at any time you like because there are no reservations and plenty of parking.
Marlow’s Tavern: Alpharetta at 3719 Old Alabama Road, 770-475-1800; Kennesaw at 745 Chastain Road, NW, 770-425-8777; Midtown at 950 West Peachtree Street, 404-815-0323; Vinings at 2355 Cumberland Parkway, 770-432-2526; Northlake at 4156 LaVista Road; 678-987-1197; and coming in January to Duluth at 1950 Satellite Boulevard.

White Oak Pastures Fall Festival on Saturday

Everyone around here knows that I jump at any excuse to visit White Oak Pastures. And considering it's 3.5 hours one-way, that's saying a lot! But there's something so, well, American, about being out on a farm in the sun, socializing with friends, and eating a delicious grass-fed burger. So, I'm pretty bummed that I'm going to miss this one, but the pilot on my flight to Santiago refused to budge on the departure time. Those Delta employees can be so bitter!

Will Harris has planned a Fall Festival for tomorrow, Nov. 8, and it's sure to be a wonderful day. You can tour the ranch White Oak Pastures, try your hand at skeet shooting (I suck at it), listen to music, and enjoy local food samples from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in Bluffton, Georgia. Have a burger for me and I promise to have a glass of Chilean wine for you!

Click here for directions. Find out more about grass-fed beef and Georgia’s other sustainable food sources at Slow Food Atlanta.White Oak Pastures: 22775 Highway 27, Bluffton, Georgia; (229) 641-2081.

Enjoy the Twilight Hours with Aqua Blue

I can’t remember the last November in Georgia that started out this beautifully. The time change typically indicates a long period of short, chilly days on which the sun is veiled in thin clouds. On days when the sun escapes the clouds, it usually bids goodnight long before time to shut down the computers and head home from work. The weather this week has given us the opportunity to enjoy the twilight of the day, without the requisite scarf and gloves of years past, by slipping outside and taking in a deep breath of the crisp autumn air during a late noon stretch.

Another, more delicious, way to savor the twilight of the day is to stop by Aqua Blue for their Twilight Dinner special. Offered every Monday through Wednesday from 4 - 7 p.m., the Twilight Dinner let’s you can create a menu from a wide variety options: for starters, a choice of Aqua blue house salad, Caesar salad or soup du jour; for entrees, choose from chicken Marsala, bourbon- glazed salmon, ginger-glazed yellowfin tuna, pork tenderloin with Creole crawfish sauce, or blackened white tuna with citrus reduction (all entrees include garlic mashed potatoes and thin beans). End with a personal-sized dessert. Limited time menu is $19 per person (not including tax and gratuity. I plan to hurry and check it out, because, like the gorgeous weather of late, I’m, sure this generous offer won’t last forever.

Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.

Sara in the City: Bacon Across Atlanta

You all know the ladies of Atlanta Dish can't get enough bacon in our lives. Bacon Salt, the Fabada Asturiana (chorizo with bacon and white bean stew) at Eclipse de Luna, the wonderful green tomato and bacon salad dressing at Dogwood, we even love the Italian version of bacon, pancetta, on a wood fired pizza from Ecco. Ever vigilant as we are, we strive to get bacon in our lives through any means necessary and we want to enable your bacon habit too!

First, begin your morning by flossing with Bacon Floss, a brilliant invention combining oral health and bacon flavor. Then, stop by The Flying Biscuit for a healthy bacon option - their breakfast dishes use fresh, crispy turkey bacon. Next head to work and review this bacon flowchart courtesy of an Atlanta Thrashers forum on bacon:

With all this hard work, you'll be ready for lunch in no time. Try the Fried Egg and Grilled Cheese B.L.T. from Buckhead Diner for your midday bacon fix. Add the house specialty, homemade potato chips with blue cheese, for an extra sinful and mouth watering meal. Get back to work and renew your membership to the Bacon of the Month Club, which sends fresh gourmet bacon right to your doorstep! Don't forget to join the I LOVE BACON Facebook group and check out your favorite bacon blogs: I HEART BACON and Bacon Unwrapped.

What's for dinner? Bacon, of course! For bacon-y tapas, I love Fuego's Dream Dates - dates stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in bacon and grilled to gooey perfection. For those of you with fancy bacon taste, the bacon wrapped chicken and steak at Fogo de Chao is sure to please.

Finally, try and make some time to visit your local YMCA and hop on the treadmill to prevent clogged arteries. Just a suggestion from one bacon lover to another...

South City Kitchen's "Power of Pinot" Wine Dinner

Tomorrow night, South City Kitchen Vinings will host “The Power of Pinot” wine dinner - covering the range from the rich berry red of Pinot Noir to mellow golden Pinot Gris - and the real estate from France through New Mexico to California and Oregon. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Fifth Group Restaurants® are known for their dedication to wine education, and there’s no exception here! The four-course prix-fixe dinner costs $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 770-435-0700. On the menu: passed hors d’oeuvres of chopped chicken liver profiteroles, pickled beet and country ham skewer with pear accompanied by Domaine-Schlumberger, Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France ’04. The first course brings to the table pan-fried Georgia mountain trout with grapefruit-butter sauce and crisp capers and Solena, Pinot Gris, Oregon ’06. Move on to the second course of “Country Captain” braised lamb shoulder with roasted tomatoes, cured olives, dried cherries and Carolina plantation mushroom risotto served with Domaine Alfred, “Goss Creek,” Pinot Noir, Central Coast ’06. Dessert ends on a sweet note with warm pear crisp with cardamom sorghum ice cream and Greut, Brut Rose, Sparkling Pinot Noir, New Mexico NV. South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.

Drink Up For the November Wine Specials

You won’t hear any complaining from me this month! Atlanta restaurants are offering some fabulous wine specials this November. It is a perfect time to go out and enjoy great food and even better wine specials!

Morton’s The Steakhouse Buckhead enjoys Wine Down Wednesday on the first Wednesday of each month from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the bar area. Today’s November 5 tasting features Italian wines -- Donnafugata Anthilia, Frescobaldi Nippozzano and Guado al Tasso. For $12 per person you get to sample all three wines and nibble on complimentary appetizers. Can’t make it to the wine tasting? November is full of drink specials at Morton’s The Steakhouse! Drink specials include $5 glasses of Canyon Road California Cabernet or Chardonnay and $3 Samuel Adams “Octoberfest” every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Morton’s The Steakhouse-Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE;
404-816-6535.

Toulouse American Bistro will host two Sunday wine tastings this month: Reserve wines ($40) on November 9 and Port/dessert wines ($35) on November 30. In just two hours the Toulouse Wine Guy will have you walking away feeling like a wine sommelier! Both tastings consist of a sample of 15 wines accompanied with palate cleansers.

Toulouse American Bistro: 2293 Peachtree Road, NE;
404-351-9533.

Tony LaRocco’s VITA hosts weekly Tuesday Tastings from 6-8 p.m. in the bar area. Branch out and go for the Italian feel by tryingTerre Valse Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Vagnoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano, La Monesca Verdicchio di Matelica, Illuminate Riparosso Montelpuciano d’Abruzzo, Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon and Dona Paula Malbec. $15 per person includes 5 to 6 featured wines and of course delicious complimentary appetizers.

Tony LaRocco’s VITA: 2110 Peachtree Road at Bennett Street; 404-367-8482.

Woodfire Grill will offer up their advice on completing your Thanksgiving meal with the perfect feature wines. On Wednesday, November 19th at 6 p.m. for $15 per person you will have the chance to sample eight different wines! The perfect way to taste test for the upcoming holidays!
Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

Georgia Leads the U.S. in Pecan Production! No Wonder Atlanta Chefs are Nuts About Pecans.

Wow, Georgia sure can produce the pecans! According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, Georgia farmers harvest 88 million pounds of pecans each year -- enough to fill 176 million pecan pies. Nutworthy news? Defi-nut-ly. Why should pecan pies be privy to all of the nuts? Atlanta restaurant menus are laden with a variety of pecan-infused dishes you'd be nutty not to enjoy!

Aqua blue has quite a catch: pecan-crusted trout served over sweet potato hash with sun corn, thin green beans and peach beurre blanc ($22).Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.

Eclipse di Luna tiptoes past the tapas to the dessert pages, where toffee, pecans and caramel sauce top chocolate fudge turtle pie ($6). Eclipse di Luna - Miami Circle: 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449. Eclipse di Luna - Park Place: 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Suite 11; 678-205-LUNA (5862).

South City Kitchen® Midtown cracks out of the dessert section to create southern steak frites ribeye, which comes with sweet potato fries, creamed Georgia greens and Abita Pecan Harvest Ale jus ($28.95); and grilled Atlantic salmon, swimming alongside butternut squash hash with country ham, toasted pecans, spinach and cider butter ($22.95).South City Kitchen Midtown: 1144 Crescent Avenue; 404-873-7358.

South City Kitchen® Vinings starts the meal with a mixed field green salad showing off toasted pecans under a balsamic vinaigrette ($6.95), then ends with an individual pecan pie with buttermilk caramel and vanilla ice cream ($6.75).South City Kitchen Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Parkway; 770-435-0700.

Uncle Julio's Casa Grande scoops out scrumptious bowls of cajeta -- vanilla ice cream with toasted coconut and pecans, topped with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream ($6.25).Uncle Julio's in Buckhead: 1860 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-350-6767.

Woodfire Grill loves Georgia pecans and candies them to mix with julienne local apples and local lettuce salad served with buttermilk dressing ($9). Woodfire Grill: 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road; 404-347-9055.

Bold American Catering® sends pecans your way in this party- pleasing recipe. 404-815-1178.

Candied Rosemary Pecans
2 lbs. pecans
5 oz. butter
3 1/2 oz. light brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Grind sugar and rosemary in a food processor. Melt the butter with the rosemary and sugar mixture. Pour over nuts and then drizzle with corn syrup. Bake at 325º for 15 minutes or until sugar crystallizes on the nuts.

Holiday Wines and Decor at Toulouse

Last night, I attended the Tower Wine & Spirits Holiday Wine Dinner at Toulouse restaurant. I thought Tower Wine & Spirits and Toulouse did a phenomenal job of putting together an interesting and useful wine dinner. Tower compared one New World and one Old World wine with each course, and Toulouse pulled together a great menu that represented pretty much everything you would eat during the holidays. By the end of the dinner, I walked away knowing exactly what wines I wanted to serve this Thanksgiving.

As a unique twist, Toulouse also had Cindy Dawson from Smith Ace Hardware demonstrate some simple and beautiful holiday table decor between each course. I loved coming away with a better knowledge of wines and a great idea for decorating my table! I would show you pictures but it was so dark that none of them came out very clearly. Happily, at least I'm able to share the menu and wines we tried!

Reception
Sonoma Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Borgo Conbenti Pinot Grigio (my favorite)
Assorted Cheeses, Fruit, and Crackers

First Course
La Solatia Tuscan Chardonnay (my favorite - very surprising!)
Il Leo Chianti Superiore
Grilled Halibut with Mushroom Ravioli served with a Radicchio and Leek Sauce

Second Course
Davis Bynum Russian River Chardonnay (fabulous with the turkey!)
Davis Bynum Russian River Pinot Noir
Pan-Seared Turkey Breast w/ Serrano Ham Gravy
Baked Ham with stewed apples & strawberries

Third Course
Rodney Strong Alexander Valley Cabernet (these were both great wines but this cab had so much berry flavor, I couldn't resist it)
Ruffino Chianti Classico Reserva (Tan Label)
Water Cracker breaded Lamb Tenderloin with Sun dried Tomato and Basil Stuffing and topped
in a Rosemary Cream Sauce.

Fourth Course
Inniskillin Iced Sparkling Wine (I am not a fan of dessert wines but this went great with the cobbler)
Rodney Strong Knotty Vines (104 year old vines) Zinfandel
Peach-Raspberry Cobbler with Goat Cheese Ice Cream

DailyCandy Definition

Ahh, so you thought no one saw you snag a second and third helping at the pasta bar. The DailyCandy Lexicon knows, and anyway, you can’t hide it forever. Eventually your carbonara footprint will leave its mark on your planetary being. Carbonara offsets? Those options include boot camp, running a marathon, nibbling spring greens or buying stretch jeans.

Carbonara Footprint: n. obvious and deleterious effects of overindulgence in creamy pasta dishes.

Morton's The Steakhouse Rocks the Vote

We all deserve a drink after this very long campaign comes to an end tomorrow. Both locations of Morton's the Steakhouse in Buckhead and Downtown are offering election-tinis to turn the long awaited results into a party... whatever your party may be. On the night of Tuesday, November 4, Repulicans go red, Democrats drink blue and if you are undecided, mix it up with red and blue layers. Each drink is $11. Check out the recipes below.

Republican-tini: 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka, 1 oz. PAMA, 1/2 oz. sour mix. Place all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake 15 times and strain into a martini glass.

Democratini: 1 1/2 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka, 1 oz. Blue Curacao, 1/2 oz. sour mix. Place all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake 15 times and strain into a martini glass.

Undecided-tini: 1 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao, 1 oz. PAMA, 1/2 oz. pomegranate syrup. Place Blue Curacao into shaker and add ice. Shake 15 times and strain into martini glass. Pour PAMA and pomegranate syrup into shaker. Shake 15 times and slowly strain down the side of the martini glass so that the mixture floats to the bottom. You should have half red with half blue floating on top.

Morton’s The Steakhouse-Buckhead: Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE; 404-816-6535. Morton’s The Steakhouse-Downtown: SunTrust Plaza Building, 303 Peachtree Center Avenue; 404-577-4366.

Cheers!