Sweet Springtime Sangria

Spring is on its way! Soon the trees will be green, temperatures will be rising and the sun will be shining. What better way to enjoy this beautiful season, than with some sweet sangria?! The folks at Eclipse di Luna have perfected this cool concoction and I am here to spill the beans! Here is the recipe, perfect for springtime parties (makes 5 gallons):

2 gallons cheap red wine
1 gallon white wine
1 liter Triple Sec
1 liter Spanish brandy
1 liter 7-Up
1/2 liter pineapple juice
1/2 liter cranberry juice
1 liter simple syrup
Add chopped fresh fruit (lemons, limes, strawberries, pineapples, oranges, etc.)

If you don't feel like whipping it up yourself, you can visit the restaurant to get a glass or take advantage of their special on Sundays: $10 bottomless sangria.

Eclipse di Luna in Buckhead is located at 764 Miami Circle; 404-846-0449.

Hot Off the Grill: Pacci

Good news comes in all forms. For some, it’s news that the stimulus package Congress just passed will result in an extra $20 in their paycheck (thanks Uncle Obama!); for others, it’s the beautiful weather that chased the snow away. For me, it’s word that Pacci will call Midtown home very soon!

Pacci Ristorante is a Piemontese-style steakhouse that will offer the flavors and timeless elegance of Northern Italy amidst the bustling backdrop of Midtown Atlanta’s stylish, urban surroundings. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring robust dishes inspired by the rustic fare of Italy and created by Executive Chef Keira Moritz, formerly of Puccini & Pinetti in San Francisco. This will be a homecoming for Moritz, who grew up in Georgia. Her menu of fresh, seasonal Italian cuisine and traditional steakhouse classics, combined with the majestic interior décor created by The Puccini Group, will attract Midtown residents, businesspeople and travelers alike. Pacci will also feature an extensive wine list and an innovative cocktail menu, and the restaurant’s bar area will offer guests another spot to enjoy small, shareable plates.

Stay tuned for more news…

Facebook is for Foodies

Want to join a group where little is required of you yet much is given? Be a Facebook fan! I'm a fan of numerous groups on Facebook. Tater Tots, Dos Equis and Pandora, to name a few. But by far my favorite pages are restaurants, of course! I'm a bit partial to the ones MLA set up - they look great. There are photos, videos, dining deals and good information. And we don't spam our fans. Facebook has changed the group pages just in the last week, so check it out -we think they are even more interactive now.

Here's a list to get you started: Aqua blue, Pizza Fusion – Atlanta, Kozmo Gastro Pub, Dogwood, Woodfire Grill, The Original El Taco, South City Kitchen Midtown, South City Kitchen Vinings, Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, Morton’s The Steakhouse, tsp spices, Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery and Atlanta Local Food Initiative.

See you on the wall!

Taste The World

Want to sample some karniyarik and bi bam bab? Skeptical because of the name? No need to fret, they are popular dishes from Turkey and Korea. I learned of these dishes while taking a trip through the menus of Café Instanbul and Hae Woon Dae, two of more than 25 ethnic restaurants participating in “Taste the World” at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on Sunday, March 15. Refugee Family Services will benefit from this 2-5 p.m. multicultural event. Imagine, taking only three hours to try foods from those places you’ve seen on travel TV and drooled over in foodie magazines, all while swaying and tapping with world music and dance performances. Eat your way to global awareness while doing a good deed for others. For worldly walls, check out the art auction! Advance tickets suggested. Adults/$35 each; children 7-15/$10; free for children six and under. More info at 404-299-6217.

Free parking will be available at Callanwolde (980 Briarcliff Road, NE) and Emory Briarcliff Campus (1256 Briarcliff Road).

Marlow's Tavern Midtown Percentage Night for Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure

On Thursday, March 12, Marlow’s Tavern in Midtown will be hosting the “Breast in Show” race team from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant will donate 10 percent of the sales that night to help raise money for the team in the Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure. Now in its 19th year, the Komen Atlanta Race for the Cure comes to town annually on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend. This year, the walk/run winds through Atlantic Station on Saturday, May 9. For more information about “Breast in Show”, contact Race Coordinator Dallas Perry at 404-386-0348.

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

Twitterbake

My favorite Atlanta baking blogger is now on twitter. Bakerellla has joined the mico-blogging site and takes to posting updates on her current kitchen projects. She even made a few cupcakes featuring the twitter bird. I wouldn't have expected any less! You can follow @bakerella to keep up.

And if you are near Northern Oklahoma, Pioneer Woman is having a contest for four lucky people to be included on the Bakerella Cake Pop Demonstration. The contest ends at 4 p.m. pacific time so check out the PW website for details.

Forget Fat Tuesday, Enjoy "The Fat One" at La Tavola Trattoria!

Italians affectionately refer to Bologna, Italy as “La Grassa”…the fat one. That’s a compliment when we’re discussing dishes from this tasty epicenter of Northern Italian cuisine. La Tavola Trattoria, Fifth Group Restaurants' cozy Italian restaurant in Virginia-Highland, has made an annual celebration out of the cuisine of Bologna. This year, the La Grassa celebration is from March 4 through March 14, and the specialties are available as a three-course prix fixe menu for $27 (plus tax and gratuity) or as à la carte items ($6.75-$17). Although Chef Craig Richards' cuisine is always a hit, believe me, you do not want to miss this culinary tradition! Some of his special dishes are cotechino sausage with Castelluccio lentils and housemade mustard; borlotti bean and kale soup; mushroom Bolognese lasagna; fazzoletti pasta with duck ragu and red wine-braised greens; braised pork spare ribs with cherry peppers, shallots, new potatoes and balsamic vinegar; and roasted half-chicken stuffed with orange and rosemary and served with broccoli rabe and vin cotto. Click here to watch Craig making one of last year's La Grassa dishes. For reservations, call 404-873-5430. La Tavola Trattoria: 992 Virginia Avenue, NE; 404-873-5430.

Serpas, True Food

I had the pleasure of joining the American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) at Serpas last night for drinks and appetizers. The tastefully rustic space and large bar area was a perfect meeting spot for the group. The friendly and approachable staff served eggplant hush puppies with blue cheese and red gravy, Texas crab toast with chipotle aioli, flash fried oysters and wild mushroom tostadas with chicken and brie. I enjoyed the samplings so much that I would love to return for supper soon.

Serpas: Located at Studioplex, 659 Auburn Ave.

Deviled Egg Puree Works!

I voiced my concerns a month ago when the menu for Woodfire Grill's Duck Rabbit Brewery Beer Dinner hit my desk. Deviled egg puree? With sauteed veal sweetbreads? Hmmmmm. Not sure that's gonna work for me. But how could I have doubted Chef Kevin Gillespie?

The whole dinner was delicious, with that deviled egg puree one of my favorite flavors of the night. The entree - wood grilled molasses marinated pork leg - was served with a braised pork croquette that was to die for. And the Duck Rabbit Porter paired perfectly. Seriously, I could eat a (small) plate of those croquettes at the bar with this beer and be oh so happy!

I'll admit I was slowing down by dessert time, but the ginger spiced stout cake with the Duck Rabbit Milk Stout was a great, not-too-sweet ending. And I loved that we got to taste the Baltic Porter afterwards.

This was Woodfire's first beer dinner and it was a huge success. I hope they do more. And if they do, I hereby promise that I will not question a single thing about the menu. (And I hope I get that deviled egg puree again soon!)

Comfort Food Outing at Kozmo

When your night starts with white velvet mac and cheese and ends with chocolate chip cookies and ice cream, well, you know it's a good evening. I had a wonderful time catching up with two of my favorite OTP friends last night at the new Kozmo Gastropub. After a celebratory Kozmorita we settled in to some serious comfort food dining. Loved their version of poutine - no cheese curd so it didn't seem as heavy - just braised beef brisket, gravy and pecorino cheese over french fries! And the aforementioned mac and cheese - oh my! It has parmesan, mozzarella, white cheddar and blue cheese. You can get a "big bowl" or a side. We got a side. Twice. For dinner we tried the beef short rib pappardelle and the Kozmo cheeseburger with a side of slaw. All was wonderful. And then came the cookies and cream. Ahhhh. We were so happy when we left!

Happy Anniversary Morton's!

Morton's The Steakhouse in Buckhead is celebrating its 15th anniversary this Wednesday, March 4. To show their appreciation for the wonderful people of Atlanta, Morton's will be serving complimentary mini filet mignon sandwiches in the bar area from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. These sandwiches are delicious and are the perfect snack to accompany a glass of wine or pint of beer. I suggest you get there early and gobble as many down as you can. Happy anniversary Morton's and thank you for the sandwiches!

Morton's The Steakhouse Buckhead, 3379 Peachtree Road N.E.; 404-816-6535.

Eat Out: You Won't Melt!

Okay, it's your chance to be a real snow angel. I'm not advocating that anyone be unsafe, but isn't tonight a great time to support your neighborhood restaurant? Maybe you can even walk there. Or take a taxi - they probably need our support too!

I'm thinking Italian. Warm and cozy. YUM.

* All Fifth Group restaurants are open tonight.

Get the First Catch of the Year!

In my opinion, there is nothing as tasty as fresh seafood- and a chef who knows how to prepare it well! That is why I was so happy to hear that Woodfire Grill received two wild Alaskan salmon today, straight from the bay of Alaska as the first catch of the year.

Over the next three weeks at Woodfire Grill you can expect a steady supply of wild salmon arriving. Sounds like I will have some dinner plans!

To make reservations call 404-347-9055. Woodfire Grill is located at 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road.

Don't Listen to Suze Orman!

Suze, Suze, Suze. I have always liked you. Your financial advice has been sound. But telling people to go a month without eating out! What's gotten into you, girl? Let's think about this: if people don't eat out then the restaurants can't pay their bills and the servers, cooks, busboys, farmers, linen suppliers, and yes, even the PR companies, lose work. And then those people can't pay their bills so the companies they frequent will suffer. Why single out one industry? Maybe I prefer to get rid of my cable, my friend can cut back on her shoe buying, and my brother can save on his gym membership. Suze, we need to be a bit more responsible.

Sure, eating out can be expensive. But it certainly doesn't have to be. My gosh, everywhere you look are wonderful values at every restaurant in the city. And eating out is fun. It's nourishing - not just for our bodies, but for our souls. Why would we give that up? Isn't there a way to have a fun meal with friends/family while we clip grocery coupons and use Marta instead of the car? I say yes! And if you need some suggestions of how, please comment and I'll send you a list.

Which brings me to my point: A group of local restaurants got together and are placing an ad to remind people about all the great reasons to eat out. These restaurateurs would be considered competitors at any other time. But today they are partners. It says a lot that they are pooling their dollars to make a statement to the local community. I hope it works. I hope everyone will go out and support a restaurant tonight.

As for Suze, well, I will try to forgive her.

Wine, Wine and More Wine

Last night I attended the always fabulous Citysearch.com Eat Drink Learn monthly event at Dogwood. This month we did a California vs. Australia wine tasting along with plenty of yummy appetizers (roasted duck "wings" and crostini with steak tartare were my favorites!) and lots of fun people to chat with. I stuck around afterwards to check Chef Shane Touhy's new trout dish with Sea Island red pea and crab risotto. Oh, it was so good!

I later found out that Sea Island red peas are actually a member of Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste project because they are in danger of becoming a lost food. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to taste them.

If you missed last night's wine tasting, fear not! There are still two more wine events coming up this week starting with a blind Pinot Noir tasting TONIGHT at Woodfire Grill. For $15 you will taste eight Pinot Noirs from all over the world. Tastings go on all night so come by after work and grab a seat at the bar or a table for dinner!

On Friday, Morton's The Steakhouse in Buckhead is hosting a Chateau Ste. Michelle wine dinner. The dinner is five courses, each paired with wine and it starts with a reception at 6:30 p.m. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. and costs $115. Reservations are required for this one so be sure to call (404) 816-6535.

Tour de Champagne Is This Saturday, February 28

Being a champagne lover myself, I've been counting down the days for the Tour de Champagne this year! Join me this Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. at 103 West. Over 21 prestigious champagne houses will be participating, including Moet and Chandon and Ruinart and Perrier Jouet. The Buckhead Life Group will be supplying samples of their cuisine along with many others. Tickets at $110 per person or $150 per person for VIP admission; click here to purchase online. Proceeds to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia. 103 West is located at 103 West Paces Ferry Road, 404-233-5993. Black-tie Optional.

Souper Soup Challenge

Tami at Running With Tweezers is challenging bloggers to make a deliciously beautiful soup. With the cold weather we have been having the past week, this couldn't come at a better time. Just thinking of all the entries she will see is warming my tummy.

Here are the official rules of the Souper Soup Challenge from Tami herself:

"Post your soup recipe to your blog, journal or website between Friday , February 13th and March 6th, 2009. Please label or indicate that the post is specifically for the Souper Soup Challenge. Once you've posted your recipe, send me an email to runningwithtweezers@gmail.com with the following information: your name, your blog name, your location, the name of your recipe and the hyperlink to the specific post. Your entry will be judged on deliciousness of both taste and appearance. I am a food stylist, after all! The winner will be chosen by a small panel of fellow bloggers. The winner will receive bragging rights and a special food-related prize!"

The photo to the right is risotto soup with roasted butternut squash and goat cheese that Tami made during Soup Week on RWT.

America’s Next Top Chef?

With the recent cheflebrity of local Top Chef finalist and new Creative Loafing columnist, Richard Blais, several local chefs have decided to get in on the action. This Sunday, chefs from all over the state will line up to show casting directors that they’re packing more than their knives at the casting call for an upcoming season of Bravo’s hit series. With all the culinary talent Atlanta has packed into this city, many great chefs are not going to make the cut. And, since we all know that how one does on camera is just as important (maybe even more so) as how they do in the kitchen, many creative chefs who are the strong, silent type are going to appear to be side dishes next to natural performers.

Nevertheless, I'm excited at the prospect of having the chef of one of my favorite local eateries being showcased on the show! Atlanta has a lifetime supply of chefs who are at the top of their game and I hope Bravo recognizes it. Good luck to all the brave chefs who make it out to the audition and let’s all hope that the next Top Chef is one we Atlantans are proud to call our own and are fortunate enough to share with the rest of the world. Here is a brief list of chefs that I know are trying out. *(Feel free to add to the list if you know more!)

• Ben McPherson at Eclipse di Luna


• Craig Richard at La Tavola Trattoria


• Kevin Gillespie at Woodfire Grill


• Hector Santiago at Pure Vida


• Travis Collum at (the newly opened) Kozmo Gastro Pub

Bonne chance!

Eclipse di Luna Hosts Atlanta Photography Group's Second Annual Silent Aucion

Last night was the Atlanta Photography Group's second annual silent auction event. The bidding began at only $10 for many of the items. Eclipse di Luna provided complimentary appetizers for the guests, and there were tons of cocktail specials at the bar. Over 60 people attended the event, and many left with more than one item. I was outbid on four of the items I bid on. I guess that's what happens when you're refilling your glass of wine at the bar!

The Atlanta Photography Group's primary goal is to promote and support contemporary photography as a significant form. It seeks to challenge photographic conventions, stimulate new thinking and exploration of experimental forms of photographic expression.

Milk And Cookies With Martha

Only Martha Stewart would serve milk and cookies at a book signing. And not just any cookies.....soft ginger snaps, divine chocolate chip, chocolate thumbprint, traditional sugar cookies and shortbread. I waited in line for hours, eating warm cookies and drinking milk, at the Georgia Aquarium for a chance to meet my crafty idol Martha. When I finally reached the domestic goddess, she signed my cookbook with perfect posture and a wide friendly smile. Her cookbook Cookies will be my new go-to baking book. Tune in to the Martha Stewart Show March 5th to watch her special on "Atlanta" featuring the Georgia Aquarium.