Twelve Don't-Miss Dishes on Jezebel's "One Hundred & Eleven Must-Try Tastes" List

When you find something you love, especially in the food world, it's important to make sure everyone else can get in on the goodness. To make sure our fellow foodies get a taste of Atlanta's best dishes, we've complied a list of our favorites from Jezebel Magazine's "One Hundred & Eleven Must-Try Tastes" February 2014 issue. Here's the who, what and most importantly - the where! 

• Chef Pano Karatassos’ Pick: Chopped chicken liver on toast at Bantam + Biddy, Ansley Mall and Crescent Avenue
• Maine lobster roll at Article 14, Midtown  
• Hushpuppies, crispy yet fluffy, at The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, Buckhead
• Spicy tuna crispy rice at Umi, Buckhead
• Shrimp and crab nachos at all Marlow’s Tavern locations
• Coca-Cola shrimp at STATS, Luckie Marietta District
• Maine crab toast at King + Duke, Buckhead
• Whole Georgia white shrimp a la plancha at The Optimist, Westside
• “Angry” mussels at JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Westside
• Herb-crusted fillet of red snapper at Aria, Buckhead
• Southern Comfort taco at all Tin Lizzy’s Cantina locations
• Coq au vin at Gunshow, Glenwood Park 

13th Annual Afternoon in the Country Celebrates Under the Big-Top Tents November 3

Skip the city and head to the country to indulge in the company of Atlanta's top chefs, gourmet eats and an atmosphere that can't be beat under the big-top tents at the 13th Annual Afternoon in the Country. Presented by Les Dames d'Escoffier International - Atlanta Chapter (LDEI),The Inn at Serenbe is the place to be this Sunday, November 3 from 1-4 p.m. Gardens and meadows galore provide a tranquil background for those lucky enough to get a ticket to the sold-out event. Who's on the list, you ask? Culinary kings like Aria, Bantam + Biddy, Gunshow, King + Duke, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Marlow's Tavern, No. 246 and The Optimist, just to name a few. For an even sweeter treat, top Atlanta pastry chefs create sweet-tooth cravings for all ages. Aside from food and fine wine, the event will also feature micro-brews, hayrides, children's activities, live bluegrass music by DriveTrain and upscale retail. Plus, a silent auction sends guests home with dining and travel packages, food and wine goodies and artwork by prominent artists. Proceeds from the event support LDEI Atlanta's philanthropic, educational scholarship and grant initiatives. 

Tomatogram! Follow and tag @Attackofthekillertomatofest on Instagram

 

 

 

If you're one of the lucky ones who nabbed a ticket to Attack of the Killer Tomato Fest at JCT. Kitchen this Sunday, bring your phone along and keep up on Instagram at @attackofthekillertomatofest. Take some fun photos and tag us! If you won't be there, we'll miss you! Check out the page for pics of tomato dishes and cocktails, bands, and people having a blast. 

You know you're a Southerner if ...

... you put peanuts in your Co-Cola! Relive those childhood memories, or learn something new, by watching  JCT. Kitchen & Bar Pastry Chef Taria Camerino's insatiable quest to capture the sweet and salty contrast of this summery treat. Her recipe for Virginia peanut pie with Coke reduction is captured in a video on the Coca-Cola Journey-Stories web page. Just watching it will set your mouth hankering. And luckily, you can head over to JCT. and order up a slice!

Heads up! Ticket prices increase for Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival on June 15

Purchase your tickets for the July 22 Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, $50 for Georgia Organics members and $60 for non-members, before the price rises to $70 for all on June 15. JCT. Kitchen & Bar hosts this annual "war" between the chefs as they partner with local farmers to put their best tomato dishes forward. Mixologists will also be competing with signature cocktails. This year, Garden & Gun Deputy Editor Dave Mezz, Esquire restaurant features writer John Mariani and actor David Miller, who played Mason Dixon in the original "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" movie, will serve as judges. Don’t miss out on this killer event—get your tickets now!  

No Fowl Play Here! It's Pastured Poultry Week in Georgia

The omnivore chicken's dilemma:  seed, bug, plant or all of the above? A chicken feed diet nixes such decisions for factory farmed birds. While pastured poultry commute across pasture land each day, factory farms allot each bird about as much space as a sheet of notebook paper. Georgians for Pastured Poultry (GPP) is crying "fowl" and taking action! It's Pastured Poultry Week -- an opportune week to feather your cap with pastured poultry facts gathered by GPP and taste the difference in dishes featuring pastured poultry at Ecco, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, No. 246, Woodfire Grill and others. The sustainable method of raising poultry yields better tasting birds, and Atlanta chefs are leading farmers market demos this summer to show you how to use the whole bird. At this Saturday's Morningside Farmers Market, Shaun Doty will be sure shoppers learn where and how their chickens were raised. Take notes as he passes on kitchen tips he'll use at his own soon-to-open Bantam & Biddy restaurant where free-range and pastured poultry will rule the roost. White Oak Pastures, already a leader in the pastured poultry profession, is providing most of the chickens for restaurants and summer farmers market demos; purchase your own bird at Atlanta-area Whole Foods Markets. As Chef Doty explains, these birds have a slower growth period than factory farm-raised chickens (12 weeks versus six weeks), which leads to richer flavor and a higher cost. Doty feels each bite is worth it, and he's posted a YouTube video (above) showing how to roast them, make chicken stock and an easy chicken miso soup so you'll savor every morsel.

Atlanta’s Rising Stars Shine At StarChefs.com Rising Stars Revue

This Wednesday, June 13, you can acquaint yourself with Atlanta’s culinary up-and-comers by attending the 38thStarChefs.com Rising Stars Revue. The tasting gala and awards ceremony will be from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at The Goat Farm Arts Center. Chef Chad Clevenger of Alma Cocina will be one of the event host chefs. For the tasting you will be able to enjoy wood-fired Virginia clams with crispy pork belly and croutons prepared by Rising star recipient Adam Evans of JCT Kitchen & Bar and now of The Optimist. Two other culinary up-and-comers, Woodfire Grill Pastry Chef Chrysta Poulus and Taria Camerino, owner of Sugar-Coated Radical and Pastry Chef at The Optimist, will be honored as Rising Stars. In addition to the tasting and awards, guests will be able to enjoy the work of acclaimed local artist David Baerwalde. Tickets are $85 each but when you purchase your tickets online and use the discount code RSATL12 at checkout, you will shave $10 off that ticket price. StarChefs.com is “the magazine for industry insiders” covering chefs, recipes, jobs and more.

Appetizing Aperture: Mixologist Lara Creasy's Farmer Tom's Collins Cocktail at JCT. Kitchen & Bar

Shop for your cocktail glass as well as for your plate at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. At 10 a.m. this Saturday, June 9, JCT. Kitchen & Bar Mixologist Lara Creasy demos how to concoct garden-fresh libations. Bet you want to reach into the screen and pluck out her Farmer Tom's Collins cocktail, a refreshing mix of Farmer's Organic Gin, lemon, herbsaint, fresh herbs and soda.

Run (Or Walk!) to Local Restaurants to Help End Hunger

Help kick hunger by walking or running in the 2012 Hunger Walk/Run on Sunday, March 11, or top off your tab with a donation to the cause when dining at Aqua blue, Aria, Double Zero Napoletana, The Iberian Pig, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Marlow's Tavernand No. 246 through March 11. Fifth Group Restaurants are not going to be left in anyone's dust -- they're also in the middle of fundraising for the event. For the past three years "running," Fifth Group has been the Hunger Walk/Run's top corporate fundraiser, thanks to loyal and passionate patrons and staff members. This year the group -- including Alma Cocina, Ecco, South City KitchenMidtown, South City Kitchen Vinings, The Original El Taco and La Tavola Trattoria -- has set a goal of raising $25,000. Join in the event that takes place from noon until 4 p.m. this Sunday at the Turner Field green lot. While participants come from all walks of life, fitness levels, socio-economic levels and faiths, they all share a desire to prevent hunger. In 1984, the first Hunger Walk/Run garnered $30,000. Last year's event raised more than $500,000 toward beating local and global hunger through six benefiting partners:  Action Ministries United Methodists, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Episcopal Charities Foundation, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Lutheran Services of Georgia and the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Get Saucy For A Cause At JCT. Bar

This Thursday evening, January 19, JCT. Bar is hosting a sweet and saucy fundraiser for the Shepherd Center with Betty and Billy Hulse, the makers of Cobbie's Sauce. For $9, you'll get three pork sliders with Cobbie's Sauce, and all proceeds will be donated to the Shepherd Center, a non-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord and brain injuries. The dedicated Shepherd Center staff helped Billy Hulse after he experienced a spinal cord injury in 2009. Billy's mother, Mary Cobb "Cobbie" Hulse, poured a lot of love into the recipe for the all-natural, gluten-free sauce that she created more than 60 years ago, and the Hulses are pleased to share sales proceeds with the hospital that continues to give them hope. Try it and find out how to purchase some to douse on chicken, pork, beef, fish and shrimp at your house.

JCT. Kitchen & Bar: In Atlanta's Westside Urban Market at 1198 Howell Mill Road; 404-355-2252.

I'll Have Black-Eyed Peas For New Year's, Please

It's a given that black-eyed peas will be somewhere on the Southern New Year's Day table. Legend has it that the Southern tradition has ties to the Civil War, when General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union troops carried off or destroyed all food, crops and livestock along their path, leaving only lowly, dried "field peas" behind because they were considered to be animal fodder. Guess they didn't count on Southern ingenuity, and luckily, folks found and cooked the dried peas to survive. The dried peas came to symbolize prosperity because they grew in size when cooked. Owner/Executive Chef Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen & Bar loves everything about Southern regional food and takes the black-eyed pea tradition to a much tastier level. His recipe for deep-fried black-eyed peas with candied, crispy lemon makes a delish snack for the midnight hour on New Year's Eve.

Deep-Fried Black-Eyed Peas with Candied, Crispy Lemon

Serves 24 small portions

Ingredients

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas
1 stalk celery (cut in half)
1 carrot (peeled and cut in half)
½ yellow onion (peeled)
1 bay leaf

4 lemons
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. Italian parsley (finely chopped)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste


Method

Peas:

Soak the peas overnight in water. Strain the peas, place in appropriate-sized pot and cover with water by two inches. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and bay leaf. Simmer slowly until just cooked. Strain and chill. Discard the carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf.

Lemon:

With a peeler or small knife, peel off the yellow portion of the peel. Trim away any of the white. Slice into thin strips. Using a small pot, place in the water, sugar, salt and lemon strips. Simmer slowly for five minutes. Strain and chill.

Fry:

Set up your fryer at 350 degrees. If using a pot, fill half way with canola oil (or pork fat if you like). Place a candy thermometer into it to monitor the temperature. Start by frying the peas as is for one to two minutes or until crispy then place in a mixing bowl and season to taste with kosher salt. For the lemon, toss the strips in the flour and dust off excess flour. Fry lemon for 20-30 seconds. Add to the bowl of crispy peas with the parsley and toss. Fill small cups for individual servings and stick a tiny spoon into the peas.

Goodbye Christmas Elves, Hello Baby New Year

Partiers, if you want to whoop it up with live entertainment, champagne toasts and kisses at midnight, we have options. Those of you who envision a peaceful fine dining experience, Atlanta restaurants can fulfill your wish. And, if you are working New Year's Eve or want to celebrate after you do that resolution run or polar bear jump, you, too, are covered. Happy New Year!

After achieving Elvis' "Blue Christmas" music overload, it's time to move on to a totally different tune in Aqua blue's Blue Year's Eve. The Roswell restaurant is planning a prix-fixe, three-course menu plus an à la carte menu available at three seatings -- 5:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $49 per person; $69 with chef's wine pairing. Stay on for the DJ and party favors, and raise a champagne toast at midnight. For reservations, call 770-643-8886.

The tables are set for an elegant four-course dinner at Aria, one of Buckhead's finest restaurants. Executive Chef/Owner Gerry Klaskala has a first course in mind then lets you choose from several options for the remaining courses. At $85 per person, tax and gratuity not included, seats will go quickly. Reservations are strongly suggested; call 404-233-7673.

Holiday merry making continues on New Year's Eve at Atkins Park - Smyrna with a champagne toast at midnight and music from The Good People. Starting at 5 p.m., guests can sit down to a chef-prepared, four-course meal for $48.50 per person, tax and gratuity not included. Reservations: 770-435-1887.

Across town at Atkins Park - Virginia Highland, guests can sip Absolut Vodka drink specials while listening to music from Rare Form DJs. Complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Special menus will be available at 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve and at 11 a.m. on New Year's Day. Reservations: 404-876-7249.

No need to break any New Year's diet resolutions when guests indulge in the rich pre-resolution menu Briza is offering on New Year's Eve. On the last night of 2011, pamper your palate with dishes such as vanilla butter-poached lobster and Kurobuta pork belly "carbonara" and leave no morsel behind! $75 per person. Reservations: 678-412-2402.

Marietta favorite, Chicken and the Egg, is celebrating New Year's Eve with a three-course menu. After a lagniappe of Georgia shrimp and grit cake, choose tempting items like crispy pork belly, lobster and praline bread pudding to complete your meal. The cost is $35 per person, and sparkling wine will be available to purchase by the glass or bottle. For reservations, call 678-388-8813.

Usher in 2012 with three courses of southern Italian dishes on the prix-fixe menu at Double Zero Napoletana in Sandy Springs. Dinner will be served from 5 - 8 p.m. and costs $55 per person. Each guest receives a gift bag containing a split of Prosecco, champagne flutes and a special gift from the Castellucci Hospitality Group. Reservations: 404-991-3666.

Talk about being pumped up for 2012! Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Dunwoody is giving guests three opportunities to celebrate New Year's Nights at Fleming's: Thursday, December 29 from 5 - 10 p.m., Friday, December 30 from 5 - 11 p.m. and Saturday, December 31 from 4 - 11 p.m. Moët and Chandon Impérial champagne will be served from magnum bottles all night, each night. A special New Year's celebration menu with three exceptional steak and seafood entrées, each priced at $69.95, will be available in addition to the regular menu. Reservations: 770-698-8112.

For an early taste of 2012, enjoy a "taste" and three courses of Chef Ford Fry's Southern favorites at JCT. Kitchen & Bar. The $65 four-course menu includes samples of hickory-roasted Berkshire pork tenderloin and "chicken stand" fried Georgia quail. Dinner will be served from 5 - 11 p.m. Reservations: 404-355-2252.

In Decatur, the New Year's Eve menu at No. 246 offers a great example of how to step out beyond the expected in 2012. Try something unexpected such as squid ink spaghetti with Dungeness crab and braised Brasstown beef cheeks -- two of the items on their special $55 per person New Year's Eve menu. Dinner is from 5 - 11 p.m. Reservations: 678-399-8246.

Rockin' RA Sushi looks out for those who work on New Year's Eve by throwing a New Year's Eve Remix party -- on New Year's Day! From 8 p.m. to close on Sunday, January 1, guests at the Midtown restaurant and bar can nosh on Sunday Night's Flying Fish Lounge specials with select sushi, appetizers and tapas priced from $2-$7 and drink specials starting at $3. For more information or to RSVP, visit Facebook.

Pick your party at Ray's Restaurants. Ray's at Killer Creek in Alpharetta is offering a special appetizer menu and three different prix-fixe menus from 5 - 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Reservations: 770-649-0064. Downtown, city dwellers can head to Ray's in the City's to celebrate over one of three prix-fixe menus. Reservations: call 404-524-9224. Ray's on the River is hosting a classic night of dinner and dancing at the restaurant's riverside pavilion. Ring in the new year enjoying the special menu, five-piece band, champagne toast, party favors and a balloon drop. Festivities start at 8 p.m. with dinner service at 8:45 p.m. Tickets are $95 per person, or purchase a table for 10 guests for $850. Tax and gratuity are not included in pricing. More information and reservations: 770-955-1187.

Toast first! At Spice Market in the W Atlanta-Midtown, the bar and lounge bubbles with specials on champagne from 4 - 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The restaurant itself will serve a New Year's Eve five-course menu for $68 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations: 404-724-2550.

Everyone knows that the pre-party is just as important as the main event on New Year's Eve. That's why Truffles Grill in Buckhead is getting the night off to a tasty start from 6 - 9 p.m. with complimentary heavy hors d'oeuvres. Need a drink to practice your midnight toast? Try one of the restaurant's $5 Absolut specialty martinis. Reservations: 404-364-9050.

Carnivores, vegetarians and pescatarians will all find dinners to please among Woodfire Grill's three special five-course menus on New Year's Eve. The regular and pescatarian menus are priced at $115 per person, and the vegetarian menu is priced at $105. Wine pairings also are available for $6 per course for a half glass or $12 for a full glass. Reservations are required: 404-347-9055.

Of course, we didn't forget about Christmas. Read here for all the fun festivities going on this weekend!

Taste of Atlanta Returns and The Big Grill Premiers: It's a Foodie Weekend You Won't Want to Miss!

The age old dilemma of wanting to order everything on the menu is solved, at least temporarily, with Taste of Atlanta this weekend, a foodie’s heaven on earth. Those friends who always "just want a taste" of whatever you ordered will love Taste of Atlanta and so will you. The city’s biggest sampling bacchanalia kicks off its 10th anniversary celebration with The Big Grill - A Midtown Block Party in Tech Square on Friday, October 21 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. (VIP entry 6:30 p.m.). Birthday cake, beer and some of the best bites in the ATL rock this party benefiting Georgia Organics. Among the stellar chefs at the grill gig are Andrew Smith of Atkins Park and Ormsby's, Todd Annis of Bold American Events & Catering, Janine Falvo of Briza, Joshua Warner of Ray's on the River, Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen & Bar and Drew Belline of No. 246. Tickets are $50 each for general admission and $65 each for VIP early entry.

The Taste of Atlanta eat-a-palooza begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 22-23, and keeps on dishing it out until 6 p.m. both evenings, so pace yourself for a full afternoon of food sampling paradise. More than 80 of Atlanta’s favorite restaurants will be represented including Atkins Park, Briza, Double Zero Napoletana, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Iberian Pig, No. 246, Ormsby's and Ray's on the River.

On the Home Plate Main Stage on Saturday, Chef Janine Falvo from Briza will whip up chicken pot pie and red kuri squash soup at 12 p.m. Chefs Drew Belline (No. 246) and Ford Fry (JCT. Kitchen & Bar) will be leading a "Simply Southern Thanksgiving" class with Angie Mosier of the Southern Foodways Alliance inside the Food Studio at 4 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday at 4:00 p.m., they'll take on Rosebud's Ron Eyester and Nick Melvin in the Team Chef Challenge, an "Iron Chef"-style competition, on the Home Plate Main Stage. Also on Sunday, Iberian Pig Chef Chad Crete will prepare farro risotto, roasted delicata squash, piquillo-hazelnut Romesco and fall vegetable sauté on the Global Flavors stage at 2:15 p.m. And Andrew Smith from Atkins Park and Ormsby's battles it out against Food 101's Justin Keith in the Dueling Chefs event at 1:15 p.m. Don’t fret mom and dad, there’s something for the kids too! Even picky eaters will devour Taste of Atlanta -- the Family Food Zone loads up on food-focused crafts, educational demos and kid chef competitions!

Snap up your tickets early for this wristband-access, gated event. Buy a general admission ticket voucher with 10 taste coupons for $25 in advance online or at The Cook's Warehouse stores or Whole Foods. "Day of" gate price is $35 each.

Fun at the Farm This Sunday

One of our favorite foodie festivals is coming up this weekend: Field of Greens. And the weather is going to be perfect!!

The setting at Whippoorwhill Hollow Farm combined with delicious tastes from the best chefs in town just make it a great Sunday afternoon activity. Check it out Sunday, October 2 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Chefs from Woodfire Grill, No. 246, JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Chicken and the Egg and Briza will be among the more than 50 food artisans in attendance. Slow Food Atlanta is the host and beneficiary. Whippoorwhill is a 74-acre certified organic farm located in Walnut Grove - a short 45-minute drive east of the Atlanta. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the gate, and children 12 and under are admitted free! Sorry, Rover has to stay at home.

A YouTube video from 2010 presents a flavorful preview for newcomers, and Facebook has more details.

Have a Peachy Month!

Spice Route Supper Club's Peach Chutney

If you haven't bitten into a sweet, juicy Georgia peach yet this summer, then put down the mouse and head to your nearest farm stand or favorite restaurant. It's National Peach Month in the Peach State, for goodness sakes!

As you might have guessed, we even have a handy list for you, plus a recipe. Enjoy!

Spice Market in the W Atlanta-Midtown is incorporating the luscious fruit into a roasted peach financier with peach and shiso salad and ginger ice cream for a cool $7. (In the W Atlanta-Midtown, 188 14th Street, NE; 404-724-2550)

Smashburger crushes the juicy fruits into peach BBQ sauce for its Atlanta burger, which is dolled up with Wicked® Pimena cheese, grilled jalapeños and Vidalia coleslaw on an egg bun. Regular Smash is $5.99 and $6.99 for the Big Smash. Buckheaders are good to go at their Smashburger and things will be peachy for Johns Creek residents when their neighborhood Smashburger opens August 10. (Buckhead: 2625 Piedmont Road, NE; 404-237-2374. Johns Creek: 9775 Medlock Bridge Road; 770-497-6274.)

JCT. Kitchen & Bar dresses up the house-smoked pork chop with potato purée, Vidalia onion and grilled peaches for $26. (In Atlanta's Westside Urban Market at 1198 Howell Mill Road; 404-355-2252)

Asha Gomez of Spice Route Supper Club and soon-to-open Cardamom Hill embraces Georgia peaches and works them into her flavorful Kerala, India cuisine. One of her favorite ways to use them is to make peach chutney (inspired by the flavors of Kerala):

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. fresh Georgia peaches (cored and cut into bite-size pieces)
• 20 white pearl onions
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon ginger (julienned)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 star anise
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:

• Sauté pearl onions, ginger in the coconut oil until they are golden brown
• Add bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, paprika, salt and sugar and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Add the peaches and cook for 5 minutes.
• Serve with grilled chicken or grilled fish.

Weekend Happenings: To Market We Go

Photo from Peachtree Road Farmers Market FB Page

Take home more than just veggies at two Atlanta farmers markets this weekend - pick up some valuable cooking tips from two awesome chefs! 


Partner/Executive Chef Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill is back on the local farm-fresh circuit, sprouting up at Morningside Farmers Market for the chef demo at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday.  Catch Chef Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen (also host chef of this Sunday's Attack of The Killer Tomato Festival) as he leads a demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market tomorrow morning, too.  Happy learning!

See Chef Ford Fry at the Atlanta Botanical Garden Well-Seasoned Chef Series on July 12

You don’t want to miss the Atlanta Botanical Garden Well-Seasoned Chef Series on Tuesday, July 12 when Ford Fry takes the stage. As owner and executive chef of JCT. Kitchen & Bar and owner of the soon-to-open No. 246 in Decatur, he’s got a lot to share with event attendees. Fry will prepare a four-part tasting menu in the Edible Garden Outdoor Kitchen using ingredients freshly harvested from the Edible Garden along with other locally grown items. The timing is perfect -- from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. -- not too hot and summer daylight lingers later. The price for the evening’s event is $115 per person; register by phone at 404-876-5859, ext. 2558.

Speaking of Fry, don’t forget to get tickets to JCT.'s upcoming event on Sunday, July 17: The Third Annual JCT. Kitchen Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival. Tickets are $55 per person for Georgia Organics members and $60 for non-members until this Thursday, June 30. Prices go up to $70 this Friday, July 1. Purchase tickets online. For more information, visit the festival's Facebook page.

JCT.'s Lara Creasy Represents in NYC

JCT. Bar Mixologist Lara Creasy is headed to NYC where she'll craft cocktails along with some of the world's greatest bartenders at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic on Saturday, May 14. Creasy and her peers will shake and stir in The Lounge at Astor Center from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.! Since it's kind of an early gig (for a mixologist), we thought it appropriate to share the recipe for her Strawberry Alarm Clock drink. Enjoy!

Strawberry Alarm Clock

Glass: highball

2 oz. cachaça

1 strawberry, muddled

3-4 small lime pieces

1 bar spoon of brown sugar

¼ oz. balsamic syrup

Muddle strawberries and lime with brown sugar in mixing glass. Add ice, balsamic and cachaça. Shake and pour all into highball glass garnished with limes and strawberries.

Saturdays Are Looking A Little Greener On Peachtree Road

See all of those green shoots poking up?   As azaleas and dogwoods are perking up landscapes, local farmers are eager to brighten our tablescapes with arugula, asparagus, bok choy, spinach and a host of other tender spring greens.  Time to toss the market basket over your arm and head to the opening of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market's fifth season!  Bring a kazoo and be a part of the first morning buzz at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 9 in the parking lot of The Cathedral of St. Philip. 

Twelve vendors peddled locally grown food when the market opened in 2007, and 65 vendors are anticipated to rotate through during the 2011 season.  The Peachtree Road Farmers Market has blossomed into the largest producer-only market in metro Atlanta. Buy from farmers, Savannah shrimp sellers, meat and dairy purveyors, chefs and prepared food specialists and artists.  And if you forget your shopping bags, the market now uses biodegradable and compostable biobags.  The market accepts Georgia food stamps and doubles the value in partnership with Wholesome Wave Georgia to help make healthy food more accessible to all.

Chef demos, music, kids' activities and other special events are more reasons to trade muzak and fluorescent lights for the outdoor market's festival atmosphere.  We're looking forward to seeing JCT. Kitchen & Bar mixologist Lara Creasy in the demo tent on May 21, to poring over kitchen finds at the Les Dames Culinary Yard Sale on June 11, to licking up the Slow Food Ice Cream Social on June 18, and to witnessing chef demos by Attack of the Killer Tomato Fest chefs on June 25 and July 2, 9 and 16.  And there's still half of the summer left to shop after that! 

Open 8:30 a.m. - noon, come rain or shine, through December 17.  Visit the market's website for chef demo recipes, in-season calendars, a vendor listing and much more.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market:  The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road, NW.

Learn to Cook Your Valentine’s Dinner with JCT Kitchen & Bar

Stay in with your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day to impress them with your sharpened cooking skills! JCT Kitchen & Bar executive chef/owner Ford Fry wants to teach you how to prepare the perfect dinner for your Valentine this year. The Simple Abundance cooking class will take place on Monday, February 7 at The Cook’s Warehouse – Ansley Mall and will benefit the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Don’t worry about your Tupperware… With these items that you’ll learn to prepare, there won’t be any leftovers!

• Local arugula salad with bacon-wrapped figs and Thomasville bleu and burnt honey vinaigrette
• Poached oyster and Brunswick white shrimp with creamed Carolina Gold rice risotto
• Warm chocolate and banana brown butter almond cake with crème fraîche ice cream

The evening includes the demonstration and tasting of the meal and wine samples sponsored by National Distributors. There will also be a chance to win tasty door prizes, compliments of Bella Cucina Artful Foods and Cabot Cheese. The class is $55 per person and will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Seating is limited so make sure to purchase your tickets today!

The Cook’s Warehouse – Ansley Mall: 1544 Piedmont Road NE Ste. 403-R (Behind Blockbuster); 404-815-4993.