Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Hits the Streets of Midtown

Get ready for all things Southern as the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival takes over Midtown from Thursday, May 30 through Sunday, June 2. Spend the day sampling sweet and savory snacks from acclaimed chefs while sipping on craft beers and cocktails from top mixologists. Some of our favorite Atlanta restaurants, like Alma Cocina and The Optimist, will be making tasty appearances of their own.  

"Atlanta Cooks at Home" and with Melissa Libby at Taste Decatur Book Signing on September 2

 

On Sunday, September 2, from noon until 2 p.m., our very own Melissa Libby will be at Taste as part of the Decatur Book Festival to sign her cookbook "Atlanta Cooks at Home." Come chat, purchase some copies (hint, hostess and holiday gift idea) and check out this quaint culinary shop around the corner from the courthouse in downtown Decatur. Libby's cookbook visits top Atlanta chefs in their "off" hours and shares their tips and recipes for stress-free entertaining at home. 

Other culinary authors scheduled are Krista Reese signing "Atlanta Kitchens:  Recipes from Atlanta's Best Restaurants" on Saturday from noon - 2 p.m.; Hugh Acheson signing "A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen" on Saturday from 2:30 - 5 p.m.; and Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart signing "Southern Biscuits" on Sunday from 3:30 - 6 p.m. Taste is located at 416 Church Street, between Sycamore and Ponce de Leon in Decatur. To reserve a copy of your cookbook, please send an email to tastedecatur@gmail.com.

Embark on a Fine Food and Wine Cruise with Kevin Gillespie, If “The Price is Right”

From being a contestant on “Top Chef” to serving as the executive chef at Woodfire Grill, Celebrity Chef Kevin Gillespie has many accomplishments under his belt. On Wednesday, April 4, be sure to watch “The Price is Right,” because up for grabs is an exotic Fine Food and Wine Cruise sailing away to French Polynesia, September 29 – October 6, with a ‘Wine, Dine and Jazz at Sea” party on board. So how does this wonderful prize involve Woodfire Grill’s executive chef? Aboard the intimate cruise ship, Gillespie will bring the “dine” element, with assistance of Washington winery DeLille Cellars on wines, and a Grammy-nominated jazz ensemble from Cjazz performs for guests’ to make this trip an unforgettable experience.  Gillespie, who also serves as a Celebrity Chef Ambassador for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, will be attending to the preparation of special culinary events during the cruise. Furthermore, he will be hosting a variety of cooking demonstrations and classes. Although, you may not be a contestant on “The Price is Right,” you can still register for the super-inclusive package at www.finefoodandwinecruise.com. As if there weren't enough reasons for you to book this fantastic eight-day cruise, Gillespie will also be celebrating his 30^th birthday during this trip. Wonder if you can eat his cake, too? Early booking rates start at $3,700 per person. For more information, call 800-218-6031 or email info@foodandwinecruise.com. 

Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away with Fine Food and Wine Cruise!

With the stress of the holidays upon us, we're guessing relaxation and checking out new restaurants haven't been at the top of your to-do list. That's why we recommend you check out the Fine Food and Wine Cruise set to sail away from May 20-28 2012 in partnership with the international gastronomic society Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. The Mediterranean Gala Cruise features a visit to Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix and culinary delights from Oprah's former personal chef Art Smith, executive chef of recently opened Southern Art, which we know you've probably been wanting to try out. Three hundred Chaîne members and their guests can fill an entire Windstar Wind Surf ship for an eight-night, private yacht experience featuring 4,000 incredible bottles of wine and special tasting dinners. You'll fly into Rome for the cruise that docks in Monaco for time trials and the race and makes ports of call with excursions at Portoferraio, Portofino, Cannes and St. Tropez before ending up at Nice, France for home-bound flights. The super-inclusive package includes gourmet meals with wine pairings, additional food and wine tastings, live entertainment, seminars, cocktail parties, water sports, airport transfers and more. With its casual atmosphere, adventures and educational lineup, the cruise is truly an instance of "pampering without pretense". Since only 146 cabins are available, interested cruisers are encouraged to register as soon as possible at www.finefoodandwinecruise.com. Cruise rates start at $3,950 per person. For more information, call 800-218-6031 or email info@foodandwinecruise.com. Cruise on over to check them out on Facebook, too!

Kevin Gillespie Brings Home the Bacon in Cincinnati

In cupcakes or alongside eggs, bacon is so hot right now. No one knows this better than Kevin Gillespie, executive chef and co-owner of Atlanta’s Woodfire Grill, whose passion for pork was clear on Bravo’s “Top Chef.” Now the pork enthusiast will celebrate his love with humans and dogs alike as the host of the Purina Beggin’ Bacon Bash in Cincinnati on International Bacon Day, Saturday, September 4. Cincinnati locals are in for a bacon-flavored treat complete with live music, a bacon-eating contest, and cooking demonstrations by Kevin Gillespie himself. Their furry friends can run hog wild in bacon mazes, costume contests, and can even participate in the “loudest group bark” attempt for the Guinness Book of World Records. What better way to wake up and smell the bacon?

Wednesday Round-up

This Wednesday is truly a day of tasty proportions! Today from 12 - 1 p.m. stop by the new EVOS Viewpoint location in Midtown and enjoy free samples of their Airbaked Chicken Strips & low-fat real Fruitshakes.

Also, today is National Chocolate Day! Visit our website to see our favorite places to grab a decadent chocolate treat! Remember to save a little room for all that Halloween candy this weekend.

Lastly, it's Top Chef night! Tune into Bravo tonight at 10 p.m. to support your favorite Atlanta chefs, Eli and Kevin!

It's Wednesday and You Know What That Means

It's Wednesday and that means Top Chef comes on tonight! I swear I have a little extra zip in my step all day just knowing that at 10 p.m. Kevin and Eli will be on TV representing Atlanta. If you're on Twitter, follow my tweets at @melissal and tag your posts #atltopchef. There's always a lot of commentary and a little snark being tweeted!

And if you're a Kevin fan (aren't we all?) then you can see him live, in person, at the Morningside Farmers Market this Saturday at 9:30. The market is located next to Rosebud. Kevin will be doing a demo using okra from Cimino Farms.

Keepin' the Atlanta Love Going

Atlanta has been on a roll lately. First it was three chefs on Top Chef Season 6. Then Hardy Wallace wins the coveted job at Murphy-Goode. Now we have a local guy, David Aferiat, trying to get on a winemaking show's second season. I'm feeling all patriotic about our fair city and want him to win. And I even met him this week and he's really nice! No voting required - he just needs eyeballs on this video. So take a look (or two). Tomorrow's the last day so don't dawdle!

Save The Date For Dogwood's Anniversary

Mark your calendars: Dogwood Owners Scott Black and Shane Touhy have planned a special five-course dinner to celebrate their Midtown restaurant’s first anniversary on July 20. Plan on savoring seasonally inspired Southern specialties along with award-winning wines from Napa’s Falcor Winery at the anniversary dinner party. A Falcor winemaker will be at the dinner to review wine and food pairings, and Dogwood will donate 10 percent of all proceeds from the event to Breast Friends, an Atlanta-based non-profit organization that provides support, practical assistance, information and resources for breast cancer patients and their loved ones. The party starts at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails at the bar followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Cost is $70 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Be sure to snag a seat by calling now for reservations. Touhy was named one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Chefs by The Sunday Paper and he was a guest chef at the renowned James Beard House in NYC this past April, so you won't want to miss out on his anniversary specials!

Dogwood is located in the Reynolds condominium building at 565 Peachtree Street, Suite A; 404-835-1410.