Help Fight Childhood Hunger By Visiting Participating Restaurants

Thousands of restaurants across the nation will be helping end childhood hunger by joining together in Share Our Strenth's Great American Dine Out over the week of September 20 - 26. Here in Atlanta, Aqua Blue, Marlow's Tavern, Pacci, WaterHaven and South City Kitchen Vinings have come up with easy ways to help out. Marlow's Tavern and Aqua Blue are giving away a $5 gift card to every guest that donates $1. Pacci is donating $1 from every specialty cocktail purchase to benefit the organization. WaterHaven is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their famous Georgia Gentleman drink, and South City Kitchen Vinings

is giving back 2 percent of dinner sales for the entire week.

Calling All Chefs

Are people frequently asking to come to your house for dinner? Do you find both neighbors and friends asking for your recipes? If so, submit your tastiest seafood recipe to the Ray's on the River recipe contest. The winner receives dinner for two (value of $250), bragging rights and their recipe as a special entrée served at Ray’s On The River throughout the month of October. The deadline is Monday, September 21 so get those creative vibes flowing and submit your recipe soon! Additional information on the contest can be found on their Facebook page and on Ray's Web site.

Holy Guacamole

Today is National Guacamole Day! Celebrate with friends at Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food or whip up a batch yourself using their famous recipe:

Ingredients

6 avocados

¾ tbsp. guacamole oil (¼ cup of olive oil infused with one peeled clove of finely minced garlic)

2 lemons, juiced

1 tsp. salt (to taste)

½ cup chopped tomatoes

¼ cup chopped white onions

1 large green leaf lettuce for garnish

¼ oz. white and yellow cheese (to serve alongside the guacamole)

1 lemon wedge (to squeeze on guacamole before eating)

Directions:

1. Halve and pit the avocados. With a tablespoon, scoop out the flesh into a bowl.

2. Using the same bowl, mash the avocados with either a fork or potato masher, leaving them a bit chunky.

3. Stir guacamole oil into avocado.

4. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Salt to taste.

5. Serve with tortilla chips.

6. Lay a piece of plastic wrap tight on any remaining guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate.

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food: 1860 Peachtree Road, NW; 404-350-6767.

Cookbook Tour and Philanthropy Week at Morton's in Buckhead

Morton's The Steakhouse is taking its new “Morton's The Cookbook: 100 Steakhouse Recipes For Every Kitchen” on a 41-market tour, which will stop at the Buckhead location of Morton’s from 6 – 7:30 p.m. on Monday, September 21, for an evening of food, wine and silent auction goodies to raise funds for Feeding America and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Guests can pick up a copy of the cookbook for $20 and have it signed by one of the co-authors, Morton’s Vice President of Wine & Spirits Tylor Field. Tickets are $39 per person, with a portion of ticket sales and all silent auction proceeds going to help the two nonprofit hunger prevention agencies.

Guests can also dine to make a difference at Morton’s in Buckhead during Philanthropy Week (September 21-25) - a week-long celebration of some of Atlanta’s most respected charities. During the week, the restaurant will offer a three-course, prix fixe menu for $75 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Twenty-five dollars from each meal will be donated to the evening’s featured charity, which are as follows:
Monday, September 21: Atlanta Community Food Bank
Tuesday, September 22: Ovarian Cancer Institute
Wednesday, September 23: Georgia Alliance for Children
Thursday, September 24: Atlanta Humane Society
Friday, September 25: Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia.

Please call 404-816-6535 for reservations. Morton’s The Steakhouse - Buckhead is located at the Peachtree Lenox Building, 3379 Peachtree Road, NE.

Wine Dinners in Atlanta This Week

There are two great wine dinners this week that should not be missed:


On Thursday, September 17, Aria will host an intimate dinner featuring wines from Napa Valley’s Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The neat thing about Robert Sinskey wines is that they are all organically grown and most are farmed under biodynamic practices. Featured wines complementing Gerry Klaskala’s seasonally inspired menu include Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Los Carneros 07; Pinot Blanc, Los Carneros 08; Pinot Noir, Three Amigos Vineyard, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 04; Merlot, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 05; Point of View, Napa Valley 05; Pinot Gris Late, A Late Harvest Gris, Los Carneros 06. The reception begins at 7 p.m. with dinner following at 7:30 p.m. $85 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 404-233-7673. Aria: 490 East Paces Ferry Road; 404-233-7673.

Nationally acclaimed Ross Halleck wines and Aqua blue’s award-winning global cuisine headline in Roswell at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 18. On the menu: spicy tuna maki accompanied by 2006 Halleck “Little Sister” Sauvignon Blanc; jumbo lump crab cake, Asian-green apple slaw and sweet Thai curry balanced with 2006 Halleck Russian River Gewürztraminer; roast lamb loin, black truffled potato, rainbow Swiss chard and rich cherry broth with 2006 Halleck “Three Sons Cuvee” Russian River Pinot Noir; and muscovy duck breast, smoked gouda and spinach, sun-dried tomato polenta with a cassis reduction accompanied by 2006 Halleck Clone 828 Sonoma County Pinot Noir. Black Mission fig upside down cake with maple mascarpone sauce brings the meal to a sweet close. $60 per person, all inclusive. Seating is limited; call for reservations. Aqua blue: 1564 Holcomb Bridge Road; 770-643-8886.