It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @MelissaHCrane

When Melissa Crane (@MelissaHCrane) plunges into a story, she doesn't hold back. When the scuba diver dries off, she picks up her camera and tackles food and lifestyle projects, branding, some blogging and tweeting - and a glass or two of sangria. 

Peek into her other work on her namesake website (visual storytelling for brands), Dash of East website (food and travel culture) and her branding and marketing agency dotdot Interactive. 

What's New on Pinterest: Thanksgiving Traditions

Atlanta has more Thanksgiving traditions and options that a cornucopia has nuts and squash. We're thankful for Pinterest. You?

Updated: Gobble Up All that Atlanta is Offering this Thanksgiving

Retailers are busily jingling bells and making malls merry for December's holiday rush. Atlanta chefs know that Thanksgiving comes first, stuffed with long-standing menu traditions and future traditions in the making to be gratefully shared with friends and family. Stop rushing. Live in the moment and savor Thanksgiving at these Atlanta gathering spots, or retreat after a Black Friday shopping spree. Of course, you might want to make reservations first.

Thankful for their communities, Atkins Park Tavern in Virginia Highland and Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna are both planning Thanksgiving Day meals to pass that feeling of contentment on to their guests. Starting at 5 p.m. on November 22, the Virginia-Highland location offers meals at $22 for adults, $15 for young adults and $10 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity not included). The restaurant offers a choice of entrée between Big Green Egg smoked turkey breast or braised pork shoulder with sides of green bean casserole, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry Gran Marnier compote and sweet potato biscuits. Dessert includes pumpkin cheesecake or southern pecan pie. The Smyrna location serves the Thanksgiving feast at 4 p.m. and is feeding adults for $20, $15 for youth and $8 for children 10 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are recommended for both locations. Call Atkins Park in Virginia Highland at 404-876-7249 and Atkins Park in Smyrna at 770-435-1887. 

Atlantans who want to host Thanksgiving dinner at their home without the hassle of cooking it all can place orders with Buckhead Barbecue Co.  Offering  selections for any size party, the restaurant is cooking  classic, take-home  entrees such as hickory honey and cracked pepper smoked turkey, apple-brandy and brown sugar smoked ham and all-natural, Black Angus brisket.  Sides feed between 12 to 15 people and include squash casserole, cornbread dressing, sweet potato soufflé and macaroni and cheese. Pies and cobblers finish the holiday meal, like the Buckhead cobbler (peach, apple, blueberry, blackberry and chocolate) or a traditional pumpkin pie, also all feeding 12-15 people. Buckhead Barbecue Co. is currently taking orders for the holiday meal until 12 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20. Customers can stop in or call 404-792-9388 to place orders. 

Chicken and the Egg is spreading the Thanksgiving spirit this holiday by serving up a traditional Southern meal. From 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the Marietta restaurant is offering a menu for guests to choose an entrée, three sides and a dessert. Choices of entrée include either roasted turkey with cornbread dressing or glazed ham. A few side items being offered are mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and green bean casserole. For dessert, choices are pecan pie, pumpkin pie or apple cobbler. Included with the meal are rolls with butter, cranberry relish, soft drinks, iced tea or coffee. The meal is $24.99 for adults, $11.99 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are recommended; call 678-388-8813.

Ormsby’s, located in Atlanta’s West Midtown neighborhood, is celebrating turkey day early on Wednesday, November 21 until 3 a.m. Guests seeking relief from the day after Thanksgiving shopping craze can take advantage of special deals offered at the restaurant on Black Friday. Ormsby’s is located at 1170 Howell Mill Road. For more information, guests can call 404-968-2033 or visit www.ormsbysatlanta.com.  

On the busiest shopping day of the year, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is giving weary deal hunters a reason to take a break and relax. Escape the hustle and bustle of the crowds for some “RA Retail Therapy,” and enjoy all day happy hour at RA on Friday, November 23. Celebrate Black Friday at RA by ordering from more than 35 sushi, appetizer, and tapas selections, plus a wide variety of beer, wine and signature cocktails ranging from $2 to $7. Popular dishes include Tootsy Maki, Viva Las Vegas Roll, “RA”ckin’ Shrimp, Spicy Sesame Chicken Wings and creative cocktails such as the Saketini, Red Lotus or Shiso Naughty. RA Sushi’s food specials are typically available from 3 to 7 p.m., but on November 23, food specials will be extended from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with drink specials available all day. Stop in to RA Sushi for some Retail Therapy at 1080 Peachtree St., Suite 8. For more information, call 404-267-0114 or visit www.RAsushi.com.

Southern hospitality by the plateful is yours as you focus on friends and family on Thanksgiving Day at South City Kitchen Midtown and South City Kitchen Vinings. Each person at your table can build their own three-course meal by selecting an appetizer, entrée and dessert from a feast-worthy menu. Dine from 12-8 p.m. at the Midtown location and from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Vinings location. Cost is $42 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under (tax and gratuity not included). Start with choices such as fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and sweet red pepper coulis or house-made pimento cheese with toasted corn crackers, butter pickles and celery hearts. Main courses include roasted turkey breast with giblet gravy, cornbread dressing, collard greens, whipped potatoes and orange cranberry sauce or buttermilk fried chicken, garlic sautéed collards, smashed bliss potatoes and honey-thyme jus. Save room for desserts such as caramel pumpkin cheese tart and Southern chocolate pecan pie. Reservations are recommended at both locations. Call South City Kitchen Midtown at 404-873-7358 and South City Kitchen Vinings at 770-435-0700.

If you want to celebrate turkey day in the comfort of your own home without the fuss of cooking, Ray’s at Killer Creek is taking Thanksgiving feast to-go orders through Friday, November 18th. The fare includes a boneless roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls and pumpkin and apple pies. The price is $125 and serves four to six people. What are you waiting for? Place your order by calling 770-649-0064.

The First Dinner Series for Alma Cocina: “Secrets of a Mexican Pantry” Showcases the Edible Fungus Huitlacoche

 

Baby steps. First pronounce it, then eat it: huitlacoche sounds like wheat-la-co-chay. What is it? It's actually an edible truffle-like fungus that grows on corn. Subtly sweet and smoky in taste, this delicacy is one of those mysterious ingredients that makes Mexican food so intriguing. Join Chef Chad Clevenger for part one of Alma Cocina's "Secrets of a Mexican Pantry" dinner series that begins on November 10 at 7 p.m. He has created a five-course menu showcasing huitlacoche in traditional Mexican dishes.

Dinner starts off with roasted cauliflower and red pepper salad, incorporating huitlacoche kernels, sauce and paper, avocado and fried epazote. Next, try huitlacoche tamale followed by huitlacoche masa "fettuccine" with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, huitlacoche cream sauce, cotija, cilantro and boiled Marcona almonds; and confit pork cheeks with arroz con crema, huitlacoche brown butter and grilled sweet potato greens. Sweet corn atole with huitlacoche cream, dried corn and sweet potato churro ends the evening on a "huit" note. If you’re interested, get in fast because seating is limited to 40 guests at $40 each (plus tax and gratuity). To make reservations, call 404-968-9662.

Four New Market Street Café Openings Bring Healthy Food Selections to Corporate Campuses

The same folks who have placed Marlow's Tavern locations in neighborhoods throughout the metro-Atlanta area are providing delicious morning and midday dining options at new Market Street Cafés on area corporate campuses. Sterling Spoon Culinary Management (SSCM) opened three cafés on NCR office campuses in Duluth and Suwanee on Monday, November 5 and will re-open a corporate café at The Coca-Cola Company office campus in Alpharetta on Thursday, November 15. All of the cafes are open between the hours of 7 a.m-2 p.m.

The warm and inviting eateries showcase atmosphere that strays away from the sterile office environment. Market Street Cafés are known for their fresh, farm-to-fork ingredients, made-from-scratch recipes, healthy lifestyle selections and reasonable prices. The menu is packed with pleasers for a quick breakfast or lunch ranging from sandwiches and salad staples, full-on mains such as hoisin-marinated salmon, USDA prime steaks, vegetarian dishes and accommodations for special dietary needs. Market Street Café menus are chef-driven and customized for each venue. Mornings are looking market-ably more promising already!

Join RA Sushi on Thursday for Aqua Vino at the Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium's 7th Annual Aqua Vino is all about saving the bird - the African Penguin - by raising funds for the Correll Center for Aquatic Animal Health. In the process, guests can dive into enjoying an ocean of yummy food and wine tastings and live and silent auctions. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is one of more than 30 top restaurants and 200 wines represented at the 7-10 p.m. (6 p.m. VIP tasting) event on Thursday, November 8. Guests secure another treasure: aquatic viewing opportunities through the water wall in the Oceans Ballroom and crowd-free Aquarium gallery time (ahhhem, no nose prints and sticky fingers on the glass). What's stopping you? Dive in and purchase tickets (ages 21+ only) for $180 per person/$160 members and $325/person VIP tasting.

Melissa Libby & Associates is Searching for Spring 2013 Interns

Are you a student who is passionate about food/wine culture and public relations? Melissa Libby & Associates is currently seeking two interns for the spring 2013 semester. Interns who join the MLA team will work with and learn directly from all agency functions, including media communications, social media, special events and client services. Creativity, positive energy, strong work ethic and great writing skills are important traits for this internship. 

The ideal candidate will also receive school credit for their experience with MLA. Internships are unpaid and are 15-22 hours per week from mid-January to May. Schedules are fairly flexible, although Monday mornings are required. Candidates must be able to commit to the entire semester. To find out more about Melissa Libby & Associates, please visit our website and our Facebook page. If you are interested, please send your resume and availability to atlantadish@gmail.com. 

Appetizing Aperture: It's Your Party with Election Day Cupcakes at Little Cake Bakery

  

Little Cake Bakery is ready for Election Day with party-specific cupcakes. Select elephant or donkey motif from this bakery's capital selection. Every bite's a victory!

Gobble Up Plenty of Thanksgiving Plans at ATL Restaurants and More in this Week's Dish

We are thankful for all that Atlanta restaurants have to offer this Thanksgiving, as well as the delicious events happening around town. Get the whole holiday scoop and more in this week's Dish.

A Hands-Down Winner: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Offers "5 for $6 ‘til 7" All Night Election Night

Polls close in our neck of the woods at 7 p.m. on election night, and there are three more time zones to go. Too suspenseful? Cross the aisle at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar to order from the "5 for $6 ‘til 7" bar menu -- offered on election night, November 6 until closing instead of ending at 7 p.m. Five different cocktails cost just $6 each. Choose from the Tropical martini made with Malibu Coconut Rum, White Cosmo, Pomtini, Limoncello martini or Stoli Bombshell. The five wines by the glass for $6 are sparkling Mas Fi Cava, Canyon Road Chardonnay, Mark West Pinot Noir, Red Diamond Merlot and 14 Hands Cabernet. Five appetizers for $6 each are baked brie in puff pastry, sweet chile calamari, roasted mushroom ravioli, tenderloin carpaccio and "Wicked Cajun" barbecue shrimp. Guests also may nab Fleming's prime burger with cheese and bacon for $6 or Widmer Brothers Brewing Company Rotator IPA Series – a steal at two for $6. Unanimously, all night “5 for $6 ‘til 7” is a winner. 

Appetizing Aperture: Gobble Go-Time at White Oak Pastures

  

Gobble, gobble goodness can be yours when you order your Thanksgiving turkey from White Oak Pastures. These pasture-raised, heritage breed turkeys are thankful to have spent their days on the range roaming freely, pecking and scratching the grounds on the farm's 1,000-acre Certified Organic farm in Bluffton, Ga. No cage, no crate, these turkeys sure taste great! 

Serenbe on Sunday: Be There

Few food festivals live up to the deliciousness and fun of the LDEI Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe. We're talking cake raffles with creations like this Bold American pumpkin (above), bluegrass music, hayrides, a silent auction and so much food and wine! Members of the Les Dames d'Escoffier International Atlanta Chapter are gathering more than 124 participants for this year's spread, including American Spirit Whiskey, Bantam + Biddy, Bold American Catering, Chicken and the Egg, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, La Tavola Trattoria, Lure, Marlow's Tavern, No. 246, Seven Lamps, The Cook's Warehouse, The Optimist, White Oak Pastures and Woodfire Grill. Chefs and caterers will join with some of our area's best farms and pair fine wines, premium micro-brews and spirited drinks for tastings in the roomy big-top tents dotting the colorful gardens of The Inn at Serenbe near Palmetto, Ga. The catch is this event sells out every year so hit the link now to buy tickets ($95 adults, $35 ages 13-20, FREE under age 12).

What's New on Pinterest: Crowd-pleasing Pies

Scrumptious Pies at Bantam + Biddy

Eating a healthier turkey gives you a little more wiggle room for Thanksgiving dessert. So what's it going to be? One crust, two or one of those lattice tops? Meringue or whipped cream? A sliver of each or a wholesome wedge? We'll pin the pie board spread; you'll have to make those choices on your own.

Let Chef Gerry Klaskala Serve You a Winning Dish at the Falcons Game this Sunday

  

The undefeated Falcons are flying high, and the Dallas Cowboys are their next prey at this weekend's Georgia Dome showdown, Sunday, November 4 at 8:20 p.m. Why should the players have all the kicks at this big game? Upstairs at the 2View Restaurant, Aria Owner/Executive Chef Gerry Klaskala adds to the rivalry by pitting the Georgia jumbo lump crab cake sandwich with lettuce slaw and mustard sauce against the Texas BBQ'd beef short rib padded with spicy jalapeño mac n' cheese. Keep the ball in view at all times on the restaurant's wall-flanking screens. 2View Restaurant is located near Gate F in the Georgia Dome's east end zone executive concourse. 

Atlanta Eats Chomps its Way to No. 246 in Decatur

Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee

The cool thing about the new CBS local-eater show "Atlanta Eats" is that we can watch it and try out the restaurants because they are right here in our city. This Saturday's "Atlanta Eats" chows down on Decatur's No. 246 at noon. You know the chefs involved:  Owner/Chef Ford Fry and Co-owner/Executive Chef Drew Belline. Will show host Steak Shapiro step out back for some Ping-Pong on the patio?  We wouldn't put it past him. The show will surely leave you salivating. Thankfully, No. 246 serves its Italian-inspired and locally driven menu at lunch daily from noon until 3 p.m. and dinner beginning at 5 p.m. each night. Click this link or call 678-399-8246 to make your reservation.

Catch Our Howling Good Halloween Happenings and More in this Week's Dish

Still not sure where you're celebrating Halloween? Do not fret! We have all of your haunting options lined up for you and more in this week's Dish.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Releases Limited-Edition Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon November 1

The hottest item at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar this week may be the restaurant’s newest boutique private-label wine, Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, available at Fleming’s restaurants nationwide beginning November 1. We say that because each year Fleming’s limited-edition boutique wine sells out quickly, and those in the know watch the calendar for its release. This year’s Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a collaboration between Fleming’s Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera and Hall Winery President Mike Reynolds, Director of Winemaking Steve Leveque and Assistant Winemaker Megan Gunderson. Hall Winery’s perfection is a Bordeaux-style blend of 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 1 percent Petit Verdot sourced from the Hardester Ranch Vineyard in Napa’s Pope Valley, a few miles northeast of Hall’s state-of-the-art winemaking facility in Rutherford. The balance contains 12 percent each of Merlot and Syrah from Hall’s Napa River Ranch Vineyard that straddles the famous Oak Knoll and Yountville AVAs. Leveque tells us, “The velvety Cab blend has rich and opulent aromas of black cherry, spice and toasty oak. The full red fruit palate is vivid and focused and gives way to supple tannins and a long, balanced finish.” Blending a food-friendly, harmonious wine with distinctive origins is a goal for the annual program, which began with the 2004 vintage. Let the kids have October 31 and all its treats – you’re treating yourself to Forty-Six Diamonds 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Fleming’s come November 1.