Cook, Taste, Learn at Bellina Alimentari November Culinary Club Classes

Turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie can’t steal all the glory this month. Through November Culinary Club Classes and tastings, Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market reminds us how blessed we are to enjoy global and local foods and wines. Eat, drink, absorb knowledge and be thankful. Click on class name for more information. Prices are per person; sales tax added at checkout.

• Hungering to snap mouthwatering smartphone food photos? Attend Foodie Photography led by Alyssa of ATL Bucket List. Learn how to master angles, lighting, editing and more while nibbling kitchen treats on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6:30-8 p.m. $28.

• Fresh Pasta Making could have you rethinking the stuffing thing. Hands-on action is followed by tasting and taking home creations. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 6:30-8 p.m. $45.

• I Love Vino because the guided tasting delves into five uniquely Italian native varietals made with zero intervention and class includes appetizing paired bites. Kelly of A Cork in the Road joins in the discussion. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 7-8 p.m. $28.

• No baloney at 3 Meats 3 Wines. Kevin Ouzts of The Spotted Trotter squeals about artisanal charcuterie at this guided tasting of a trio of paired craft cured meats and wines. Monday, Nov. 14, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Let it Bee is sweet on the world of honey – production, ecology, flavors and uses. Cindy Hodges from Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association buzzes through a guided tasting of local honeys paired with craft local and Italian cheeses. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Italy’s finest natural wines and local artisanal cheeses pair up for your pleasure at a guided 3 Wine 3 Cheese exploratory evening. Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Have you stared at the EVOO lineup on grocery shelves and wondered if there is a difference? 3 EVOO 3 Bruschetta enlightens about the nutritional properties, versatility, uses and quality of extra virgin olive oils before class employs different kinds of EVOO in crafting classic Italian bruschetta. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m. $28.

• Thanksgiving leftovers get a reprieve when you take home fresh pasta creations from this hands-on Pasta Making class followed by a pasta tasting. Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30-8 p.m. $45.

Five Years for Seed Kitchen & Bar Merits Special Menu Benefitting Share Our Strength, Nov. 1-5

This week marks five years of serving East Cobb and beyond for Seed Kitchen & Bar owner and executive chef Doug Turbush -- and Turbush and his team are ecstatic to gift guests with a special three-course dinner menu available Tuesday, Nov. 1 through Saturday, Nov. 5, and gift a portion of menu proceeds to Share Our Strength. Seed’s celebratory menu, offered in addition to the regular menu, includes choices such as chicken-fried Gulf oysters with habanero aioli; beef short rib ravioli; grilled redfish with butternut squash; smoked ham hock with stewed red beans and collard greens with andouille and buttermilk slaw; and Maple Leaf Farms confit duck breast with creamed Brussels sprouts. Maple custard made with Chantilly cream and Georgia pecan biscotti and an apple bread pudding with sorghum-bourbon ice cream and caramel entice as dessert choices. Cost is $39.95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Next door, sister restaurant Stem Wine Bar also is celebrating a birthday and hosting a sold-out wine dinner on Nov. 1 in honor of its third anniversary.

Survive the Holidays with $6 Emperor's Margaritas at RA Sushi in November

Throughout November, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant is offering its top-shelf Emperor's Margaritas for only $6 each instead of the usual $9.This isn't your every day margarita, it's filled with premium spirits fit for royalty! With all the family visiting and the holiday craziness this month, perhaps this cocktail can help calm the nerves from the kids yelling and the in-laws critiquing. Try them in flavors such as traditional, mango, cucumber or strawberry. By the way, this concoction is part of RA Sushi's revamped cocktail menu featuring upgraded spirits, fresh fruit juices, natural mixers, craft beers and more wine choices.

A Sinfully Good Deviled Egg Recipe for National Deviled Egg Day

Halloween treats were egg-ceptionally good this past weekend. National Deviled Egg Day, November 2, will be devilishly divine when you boil a dozen eggs and one lobster to whip up JCT. Kitchen and Bar Owner/Executive Chef Ford Fry's lobster deviled eggs!  

Maine Lobster Deviled Eggs

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Makes 24 deviled eggs

Ingredients:

Eggs:

12 Eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

6 cornichon pickles (chopped fine)

1 tbsp. minced chives

¼ lemon (juice of)

Dash of Tabasco

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Lobster:

1 live Maine lobster

2 tsp. minced fresh garlic (Not that jar stuff!)

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Vinaigrette:

1 Meyer lemon (zests and juice of)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Method:

Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Just as it boils, turn the heat off and let them sit for exactly 10 minutes. Immediately strain and cover with ice water to chill. Peel eggs, split in half and separate the yolks from the whites. Finely mash the yolks and mix in the remaining ingredients from the "egg" portion of the recipe. Place the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a nickel-sized round tip and chill until ready to assemble.

For the lobster, place a pot of water on to boil. Drop live lobster in for two minutes. Remove from water and cover with ice water. Once chilled, remove the meat and mince. Reserve until ready to assemble.

Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the juice, zests, olive oil, parsley, and salt to taste. (add the parsley just before assembling so that it does not turn brown.)

Just prior to serving, pipe the yolk mixture into each white bottom and place on your serving platter. Using a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook until light golden. Add the minced lobster meat and stir well. Cook until just done. Take pan off the heat and season lightly with kosher salt. Toss with the vinaigrette and the parsley. Spoon a divot into the yolk mixture of the deviled egg. Spoon in the lobster mixture and serve.

Good Nutrition Month Gets November off to a Healthy Start!

It'a a hard-to-believe holiday considering Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but November is also Good Nutrition Month. It's an excellent time to do some nutritious noshing before the holiday gorging begins. If you're having trouble deciphering between what's naughty and nice, these Atlanta restaurants make it easy with their menus:

- Ray's Restaurants (Ray's on the River, Ray's in the City and Ray's Killer Creek) offer heart healthy menus at lunch and dinner that provide generous portions of high-quality protein while skimping on fat and calories. This month, twenty-five percent of all sales from these menus are donated to Northside Hospital’s Breast Care Program. To help increase dietary awareness, each item includes a calorie/protein/carb/fat breakdown.

- Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food has a heart healthy menu with selections such as mesquite-grilled salmon filet with sautéed vegetables and fresh pineapple pico de gallo; Ensalada Especial; and a grilled vegetable platter that is piled high with good eats. And look for a new location of this Mexican favorite opening at Perimeter Town Center on November 17!

- You can still have fast food with only half the fat...but only if you go to EVOS Feel Great Fast Food, where eating in a hurry won’t give you a heavy feeling. All meats are naturally raised and hormone free, veggies are organically grown and the fruits used in EVOS Low Fat Real Fruitshakes are real. EVOS Airbakes™ its meats and fries so you won’t find grease or hidden fats. In addition to the Sandy Springs location, the restaurant be making another Atlanta appearance in Midtown later this month with a new restaurant at the Viewpoint building.