Take Home Fall Flavors in Fresh Filled Pastas from Storico Fresco Alimentari

Storico Fresco Alimentari harvests fall flavors to fill new seasonal handmade pastas. Dinner’s ready in a flash when you pick up a pound or so of these freshly made, filled pastas from the authentic Italian restaurant’s market area. Anticipation sets mouths watering for Casonsei with roasted beets, smoked ricotta and Grana Padano ($14 lb.); Zucca of butternut squash, amaretti and ricotta ($14 lb.); Creste di Gallo filled with chicken, cinnamon, breadcrumb and ricotta ($16 lb.); and Cjalson made with figs, smoked ricotta and golden raisins ($14 lb.). Close your eyes and mull the divine combinations lightly dressed with sauce or pesto, in a salad or as an easy tailgating dish. Heaven on earth is only a Storico Fresco pasta dish away. Stop by Storico Fresco Alimentari in Buckhead Monday through Saturday; retail area open 10 a.m.-8 p.m.  Look for Storico Fresco pastas at Peachtree Road and Freedom farmers markets.

TV Dinner? Join “Atlanta Eats” at Rize in Poncey-Highland on Jan. 4

Psst. ”Atlanta Eats” is dropping into Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads in Poncey-Highland on Wednesday, Jan. 4 to film an upcoming episode, cueing you to rise to the occasion and drop in for dinner. From 5-7 p.m. that evening, guests will receive a free small plate with the purchase of any entrée. How’s that for a spin on the whole watching TV while eating dinner scenario? Plus, Rize loads its menu with pleasing dishes for a wide range of appetites with signature and custom pizzas ($9.50-$13.50); salads in full and half portions ($7-11); delectable seafood, meaty and vegetable-rich pastas ($10); small plates ($7); and flatbreads ($8). The kids menu offers pizza, pasta and hummus plates that thrill youngsters and include a beverage and scoop of gelato ($7.50). Craft beers, wines by the glass and handcrafted sangrias up the ante for adults while teas, lemonade and craft sodas quench thirsts for guests of all ages.

Order to Go, On the Go through Mobi2Go at Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads

Rize Artisan Pizza + Salads is ready for diners chomping to expediently place mobile and online orders for the restaurant’s fresh and delicious lunch and dinner options. Ordering is a cinch through the website’s Mobi2Go feature. Select items and quantities from the menu, choose the date and time of pick up at the Poncey-Highland eatery and pay online. Customize orders with a few quick taps or clicks. Love artisanal pizza but prefer gluten-free crusts? Want to swap chicken for shrimp in the seared shrimp pasta? Skip nuts/bacon/cheese/spinach from a favorite dish? Half a salad instead of a full portion? Tap, click, done. Voila! Your meal is ready for pick up when specified and as specified. Sweet. Now let’s eat.

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.

What's New on Pinterest: Praise the Lord for Pasta!

Is there a lean-on-me pantry staple that segues from picnic to potluck to tailgate more successfully than pasta? Hallelujah for Pastas to be Praised, a year-round mealtime savior. Show off summer’s fresh veggies in pasta with corn, zucchini and tomatoes or play up shrimp with tomatoes and spinach in a garlic butter sauce. Ever-flexible pasta salads please dill pickle lovers, BLT cravers and Caesar salad hailers alike. And then there’s the lasagna noodle, planking in Tricia Yearwood’s cowboy lasagna with pepperoni and green chili and chicken pasta or folding around family pleasing, easy-to-serve cheese rollups. Yep. We’re praising pasta. Can we get an amen out there in Pinterestland?

Williams-Sonoma and Bellina Alimentari Pair Up for Valentine’s Dinner Demo February 9

She’s your little butternut. He’s the apple of your eye. Meet at the new Ponce City Market Williams-Sonoma store where Bellina Alimentari executive chef David Berry will show you how to whip up an amorous Valentine’s dinner for two that honors these admirable attributes. At this special pre-Valentine’s Day demo on Tuesday, February 9 from 6 to 8 p.m., Berry will prepare ravioli di zucca (butternut squash ravioli) and tortino di mele (apple tart with mascarpone and saba). Come learn and leave ready to fix it all from scratch -- pasta dough, butternut squash with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ravioli filling, a walnut and sage sauce, shortbread tart crust and filling. Could be part one of a two-part romantic Valentine’s date or an inroad to impressing your Valentine over a dinner personally cheffed by the award-winning...YOU.

Bellina Alimentari Shows How to “Share Love Through Food” During February

In an Italian expression nutshell, food is life is love. With this in mind, Tal Baum, owner of Bellina Alimentari, is ramping up the romance during February with ways to “Show Love Through Food.” From February 12-14, couples can enjoy an intimate dinner for two at Bellina’s Wine Bar with prosecco toasts, artisanal cheeses and meats, two signature pasta dishes for fork twirling and chocolate bread pudding for $38 per person; add wine pairings for $30 per person. For those whose love language is creating and learning together, Bellina Alimentari’s Culinary Club offers special classes including a Cacao Chocolate Workshop on Tuesday, February 9 from 6-7 p.m. ($30 per person); a Valentine’s Dinner for Two lesson with pasta tasting on Wednesday, February 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. ($48 per person); and Pasta Date Night, leading to romantic pastabilities, on Thursday, February 11 from 6-7:30 p.m. ($80 per couple). Take your sweet time finding just the right Valentine’s gift in Bellina Alimentari’s Market where shelves show off fine Italian chocolates, balsamic vinegars, biscotti and more. Shop in-store and online for thoughtful Valentine’s Day gifts such as a Date Night Box with all the ingredients needed to prepare an easy dinner for two ($32), a Truffle Dinner Date ($58) or the Dolce Vita with a choice of Italian treats ($75) so sweet that conversation hearts do not even belong in the conversation. 

Use your Noodle at Bellina Alimentari Classes Covering Kids, Pasta, Bread and Wine

Ingest useful and delicious new culinary skills this month by participating in one or more Culinary Club cooking or wine classes at Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market. 

• Pack kids’ lunch boxes, Italian-style, after absorbing easy and fun children’s meal ideas for balanced lunches from Bellina owner and mom Tal Baum during a 10 a.m.-noon class on Thursday, January 14 ($45 per person).
• Youngsters and tweens will have a ball mixing and shaping pasta with mom or dad and chef David Berry during an interactive Kids Kitchen class on Tuesday, January 19 from 4-5 p.m. ($45 for child age 8-12 and adult).
• Find out what makes natural wines so appealing -- and why Bellina loves their honesty. A guided wine tasting traverses Italy’s regions and offers guests five samples accompanied by Italian nibbles, all on Wednesday, January 20 from 6-7 p.m. ($45 per person).
• Rise up and start making your own bread, inspired by chef Berry’s hands-on bread-making class and an accompanying breads and spreads tasting on Tuesday, January 26 from 6-7 p.m. ($45 per person).  
• At “Aperitivo Time,” learn how to host your own aperitivo, or Italian happy hour, when people come together for a drink and simple bites before dinner. Learn how to make a Spritz Campari and aperitivo board, eat what you’ve made and receive 10 percent off any market purchase right after class ($45 per person).

Register and pay for classes online (8 percent sales tax will be added) or call 404-330-9933. 

Bantam + Biddy Ansley Give Back Night Helps Lost-n-Found Youth June 8

Monday’s coming around again, and those leftovers aren’t going anywhere fast. Clean out the fridge another night. Instead, wing it to Bantam + Biddy Ansley Mall on Monday, June 8 where Lost-n-Found Youth will receive 10 percent of Bantam + Biddy proceeds for orders placed after 5 p.m. Lost-n-Found Youth is Atlanta’s only non-profit organization dedicated to providing safety and shelter to homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth ages 13-25. For this tasty multitasking meal, pick your poultry -- rotisserie chicken, fried chicken tenders with wasabi honey, fried chicken and cheddar waffles or rotisserie chicken on powerful salads. Go for meatloaf made from White Oak Pastures’ grass-fed beef, or if you maintain a meatless Monday tradition, choose a fresh vegetable plate or penne pasta with San Marzano tomatoes, veggies and basil. Solo, duo, family -- there’s a place for everyone here. 

What’s New on Pinterest: Nothing but Noodles

Swimsuit season goes hand-in-hand with exercise season, so as spring bursts into bloom, so does the number of fun runs, 5Ks, 10Ks, half- and full-marathons around town. Let the carb-loading begin with our Nothing but Noodles Pinterest board. Easy-to-prepare dishes, such as chicken lo mein and caprese pasta, will get you out the door and through your run in no time flat.

Take Your Next Lunch Break to Try the New Menu at No. 246

By: Jaimie Goss

One of the perks of working in Decatur is the abundance of terrific lunch options at nearby restaurants. The new menu at No. 246 was designed for all the office workers out there who want to take a break from tacos or a footlong sub, enjoy a midday meal and still have time to make it back to their desk on time. 

Most of the new menu items are around $10, so no need to break out the company credit card. Get the meal started with fried calamari with lemon, garlic knots or some crispy cheese for the table ($5-$9). Sandwiches include the eggplant or chicken Parm, sausage and peppers (pictured above), porchetta and the No. 246 burger ($8-$11). And while you aren't running a race, you are climbing the corporate ladder, so fuel up with pasta selections like the spaghetti and shrimp, wood-baked ziti and meatballs, agnolotti, carbonara and manicotti ($9-$14). To show your co-workers you're a team player, order pizzas like the salami, mushroom, Margherita or fattoria-style to share ($10-$16). Chopped, flatbread or house salads can be made for meat lovers as well ($9-$12). Finally, don't forget to add side dishes, like ceci peas, roasted beets, fries, Brussels sprouts, braised greens, fried polenta and crispy onions. Happy lunching! 

Gluten-Free Has Never Tasted So Good: Head to No. 246 for National Celiac Disease Awareness Day (and Beyond!)

Anyone cutting gluten out of their diet knows how tricky it can be, especially when dining out!  Luckily, No. 246 in Decatur has made things a little easier, because they offer gluten-free pasta every day by request.  They can provide gluten-free versions of any of the pasta dishes on their menu, and because they are a locally driven restaurant, these noodle options rotate regularly depending on what ingredients are available.  Since, today is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day (Learn more about it here.), celebrate with a heaping helping of gluten-free pasta at No. 246.  Even better, you can get gluten-free spaghetti at Monday night Spaghetti Suppers, held from 5 - 10 p.m. each Monday through September 26.  Monday's Spaghetti Suppers are $24 per person for four courses, including a "Toast" appetizer, salad, spaghetti with one of three toppings and gelato for dessert.

"Like" No. 246 on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (@no_246).

No. 246:  129 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue; 678-399-8246.

Portofino Pushes Pasta on Pre-Atlanta Marathon Menu

One week from today I will line up with thousands of runners on Peachtree street to run the Thanksgiving Day Atlanta Half Marathon. Thankfully, Portofino will serve a pre-race carb filled meal for all the marathoners and half-marathoners on the 26th. The prix fixe menu includes pasta, along with soup or salad and dessert. Fortify your reserves from 5-10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, for a mere $25 per person. Start strong with starters such as white bean or butternut squash soup; spinach salad with feta, pine nuts, tomato, cucumber and a balsamic vinaigrette; and Caesar salad with herb croutons and Parmesan cheese. A variety of pastas, such as garlic chicken penne; classic spaghetti with veal, beef and pork blended meatballs; pomodoro with fresh tomato and basil sauce over penne pasta; pasta primavera with fresh whole wheat fettuccine or mushroom risotto Milanese will put you in the carb-loading zone. Cruise to a finish with gelato, tiramisu or pumpkin bread pudding .

Portofino: 3199 Paces Ferry Place. For reservations, call 404-231-1136. http://www.portofinobistro.com/

An Interview with the Pasta Princess: Elisa Gambino

Elisa Gambino, owner of Via Elisa Fresh Pasta, answers a few questions about her life outside the pasta shop. But if you want to know more about her pasta and how healthy pasta can be, read this article from yesterday's AJC.

What's your fondest childhood memory?

Finding a blue velvet winter coat under the Christmas tree when I was 10.

What's your most memorable moment?

Meeting Nelson Mandela during the first free elections in South Africa.

Who's the most famous person you've cooked for?

Paul McCartney and his band.

Who's your favorite singer?

I love Seal and think he is so sexy.

If you were on a deserted island and could only take one kitchen tool, what would it be?

I'd take my food mill so my sauce would be nice and smooth.

Do you have a facebook page?

Yes, I have one and so does the store. Sign up to be my friend!