Time To Gobble Gobble with White Oak Pastures

Turkey time is almost upon us… the cranberry sauce, the stuffing, the pumpkin pie await hungry, happy families across the land.  But what about the turkey?  This year, White Oak Pastures is offering their Free Range Bronze turkeys for the first time!  These birds are raised following the same open pasture lifestyle as White Pastures' cattle:  roaming in a natural setting and living naturally without antibiotics or added hormones.  They actually work on the farm, contributing in their own special way to pasture management. 

White Oak Pastures practices the Serengeti Model, which means large ruminant (cows) followed by small ruminant (sheep) followed by bird (chickens and turkeys), so pastures are grazed and fertilized in three different ways.  We digress.  Bottom line on these birds is that you need to order your turkey now for your holiday table.  The last day to order is Friday, November 12, so head to the website and get to gobbling!

It's Follow Friday: Meet Our Tweep of the Week FIG Chef @MikeLata

It's always nice to know a little bit about who you're having dinner with... and since FIG Chef Mike Lata is coming for JCT. Kitchen & Bar's "Farm To Table And Back" dinner on December 9, we thought we'd give you some background reads and point you toward his blog and tweets.  

Lata keeps it simple at unpretentious FIG, passionately working with Lowcountry farmers, growers and purveyors to capture the essence of the region and season.  His staff is well educated in food and wine culture and well versed in the art of hospitality.  

New England-native Lata is a self-taught chef who sharpened his restaurant focus on farm-to-table philosophies and European-style cooking using the highest quality seasonal ingredients while he honed his culinary skills in Boston, Martha's Vineyard, New Orleans, Atlanta and France before heading to Charleston.  The 2009 James Beard Award winner for "Best Chef in the Southeast" helps with several Charleston organizations, is an active member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and co-found the local Charleston convivium of Slow Food in 2004.  All that, and he cooks and tweets, too!

Fries + Flute = Scrumdiddlyumptious

Pacci Ristorante is celebrating the launch of Kimpton Hotels' first custom sparkling wine, the Gloria Ferrer Kimpton Cuvée Blanc de Noirs and we all get to get a piece of the action too! Pacci is offering a “Fries and a Flute” promotion from Monday, November 1 – Tuesday, November 30, 2010. During that time, guests can enjoy a pairing of Chef Keira Moritz’s truffle fries with a glass of Kimpton Cuvée for $16.

Once you're done treating yourself, don't forget about your four-legged friends. If you post a picture of your dogs on Pacci's Facebook page and then show it to the restaurant, you'll get a free order of Pacci Pups.

A treat for you and your pups to enjoy!

Pacci Ristorante: 866 West Peachtree Street NW, adjacent to Hotel Palomar in Midtown

Worthwhile Wine Company Turns Wine to Water

Sip for a good cause this Thursday, November 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Isabella’s Café in Decatur at Isipho’s annual “Wine To Water” South African wine tasting event.  Isipho (ih-SEE-poh) is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Miranda Lynch and her dad, Worthwhile Wine's Tom Lynch, to improve the lives of the villagers of iNzinga, South Africa.

At Thursday’s event, you’ll try four Worthwhile wines along with three appetizers/desserts perfectly paired by Isabella’s Café, and all funds raised will go toward drilling a well for school vegetable gardens in iNzinga.  Sustainable vegetable gardens can help overcome the three main causes of chronic poverty:  malnutrition, disease (exacerbated by malnutrition) and poor education (excess vegetables can be sold for school materials). So come out and help Isipho use great wine to get even better water!  Tickets are $30 per person in advance and on the website, then $40 at the door.

Spending the Afternoon In The Country

With the perfect fall weather lately, I can't think of a better time to get out of the city and enjoy the countryside. This weekend, I plan on doing just that at the 10th Annual Afternoon in the Country at Serenbe. The annual Sunday afternoon event -- on November 7 this year -- features some of Atlanta’s best chefs, area farmers, premium micro-brewers and select retailers. I'm looking forward to checking out JCT. Kitchen & Bar, The Cook’s Warehouse and Woodfire Grill among many others!

Even better, food and wine are just the tip of the iceberg at this outdoor party. Drivetrain plays bluegrass, and there’ll be a pastry chef- supplied cake raffle, hayrides, food and wine merchandise, original art by prominent artists and a silent auction where dining and travel packages are up for bidding. Proceeds from the afternoon event benefit Les Dames d'Escoffier International and the Atlanta Chapter’s scholarship fund as well as Georgia’s organic farming community. Purchase tickets now before the event sells out!

Get Your Seat at This Sunday’s Toulouse Wine Tasting

It’s time for another one of Toulouse's tempting wine tastings. With holiday wining and dining season fast approaching, you should reserve your spot for this Sunday’s tasting of Reserve wines soon! The Toulouse Wine Guy will direct your tasting spree of 15 wines interspersed with light appetizers starting at 6:30 p.m. $40 per person. Be sure to make your reservations by calling 404-351-9533.

Toulouse: 2293 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite B; 404-351-9533.