Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar Hooks Spot as First Georgia Restaurant Partner of Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar, East Cobb’s premier destination for approachable, chef-driven seafood, has tied the knot with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watchprogram to become Georgia’s first official Seafood Watch Restaurant Partner. Although Drift owner Doug Turbush and executive chef Tom Hill already strive to source from high-quality purveyors and avoid serving overfished species, this pledge formalizes a commitment to serving only seafood rated a “Best Choice” or “Good Alternative” and to educating customers, suppliers and employees about sustainability issues. Turbush and Hill have undergone a thorough vetting of seafood species and sources through a globally respected organization and reworked menu items so guests can be confident that any choice they make on the menu supports the health of our oceans now and for future generations. The Drift crew encourages guests to use the Seafood Watch app to help them make better decisions when purchasing or ordering seafood. Currently, more than 1,000 businesses at 150,000 locations worldwide count on Seafood Watch science when making informed purchasing decisions. Read more about Drift’s sustainable efforts in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Drift and Seafood Watch -- both are keepers.

Bantam + Biddy Party Kicks Off Pastured Poultry Week July 8

Pasture-raised birds exhibit a not-so-paltry list of virtues spanning human and flock health, environmental sustainability and flavor. During Pastured Poultry Week, July 13-20, restaurants in Georgia, South Carolina and New York will offer dishes featuring pastured poultry to raise awareness and afford guests opportunities to taste the merits of these birds over factory-farmed chicken. On board with pastured poultry since the get go, Shaun Doty and Bantam + Biddy are kicking off Pastured Poultry Week with a party for chefs from participating restaurants and supportive community members at the Lenox location on Wednesday, July 8 from 7-9 p.m. A limited number of spaces are available for the general public; contact Rebecca.Portman@ciwf.org.

Whether you’re already a pastured poultry devotee or if someone’s henpecking you to try it, note that these Atlanta restaurants will each feature a special dish during Pastured Poultry Week: Aria, Article 14, Bantam + Biddy, Chick-a-Biddy, Glenn’s Kitchen, Gunshow, Seed Kitchen & Bar, Stem Wine Bar and The Southern Gentleman.

From Pasture to Plate, Literally: White Oak Pastures Opens Restaurant On the Farm

Bluffton, Ga. is now home to a new restaurant at White Oak Pastures, where sustainable farming is the focus. Grass-fed beef and lamb and free-range pastured poultry plus no waste, energy-efficient methods of farming mean only the cleanest ingredients will go into restaurant dishes.

White Oak Pastures is the largest certified organic farm in Georgia, and the spacious layout of the restaurant is located in the middle of an organic vegetable farm. Pasture to Plate is so close to the food chain action, guests will almost be able to reach out and pick their vegetables while observing the spectacular view from the 90' x 30' open-air building.

After a private opening dinner prepared by celebrity chef Kevin Gillespie for Southern Foodways Alliance guests, the restaurant will serve lunch to the farm's 85 employees. Beginning in August, anyone can stop by for breakfast and lunch, and the restaurant will be able to host up to 100 patrons at a time. Evelyn Taylor, who has managed restaurants most of her life and has prepared lunch for the Harris family for several years, is the chef, and her daily plate (one option) will pull from what is fresh and available on the farm. Owner Will Harris has many chef friends, and you never know when one of them will drop by for a special event. So, is it okay to show up with dirt on your overalls, or is the establishment more geared towards formal attire? You choose. Harris says Pasture to Plate will be exactly halfway between a five-star establishment and nearby Blakely Chicken. Better look that one up. 

Mr. Harris Goes To Washington

Photo by Angie Mosier

White Oak Pastures President Will Harris III is DC-bound this week, and it won't take a cattle prod to bring him back to Bluffton.  Talk to Harris and you'll find out the grass really is greener on his side of the fence.  His cattle love it that way and so do the growing number of grass-fed beef devotees who purchase White Oak Pastures' all-natural, grass-fed beef at quality markets and restaurants in five states.  

Harris will be recognized as Georgia's "2011 Small Business Person of the Year" during the Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week events, May 18 - 20, in Washington, D.C.  The fifth-generation farmer has grown the family farm to become one of the largest producers of organic, grass-fed beef in the nation -- covering more than 2,500 acres.  All farming, cattle raising and processing is done at White Oak Pastures using sustainable methods, modern technology and renewable energy sources.  

In addition to running his farm operation with 44 employees, Harris is president of the Georgia Organics board of directors as well as the beef director of the American Grass-Fed Association.  Congrats to Will and all of White Oak Pastures!

Join in the Georgia Organics Conference Online!

Although the Georgia Organics 13th Annual Conference and Expo that is taking place in Athens this weekend is sold out, the state's largest sustainable food and farms event is still at your fingertips with the Conference's social media hub, where interested persons can still participate online .

On this site you will be able to view what people are saying on Twitter and add to the conversation, join in a live chat on Facebook, see and post conference photos on Flickr, and view videos about the conference on YouTube. For a little social media 101, check out the How to Participate Online page.

If this is your first time hearing about the Conference, check out this video from Georgia Organics Communications Director Michael Wall to learn more.

Salsa & Sustainability

What do salsa and sustainability have in common? Tierra Atlanta is hosting an evening of "salsa and sustainability" from 7 - 10 p.m. to raise funds for EARTH University Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity headquartered in Atlanta, that supports the educational vision of Costa Rica-based EARTH University.

It's a no-brainer that EVOS will serve up tasty eats to the estimated 600 attendees at the October 24 Tierra Cosecha fundraiser at Atlanta's SweetWater Brewing Company. And needless to say Sweetwater will provide the tasty beverages.

EARTH offers educational programs encompassing agriculture, science, technology and entrepreneurship in Guacimo, Costa Rica.

EVOS: 5590 Roswell Road, NE; 404-252-4022.
SweetWater Brewing Company: 195 Ottley Drive; 404-691-ALES (2537).

A Group Dinner at Pizza Fusion

The team headed out on a chilly, Atlanta night to try the new Pizza Fusion restaurant in the Aramore on Peachtree. First things first - free, self-parking in the garage! From there, just allow the smell to lead you to the restaurant.

Clean, sleek interior

When you walk in you immediately notice the clean, sleek atmosphere. This is Atlanta’s first LEED Certified restaurant meaning everything from the light fixtures to the delivery vehicles is energy efficient. We sat down with the owner Jeff Melnick and got the whole schpeel . They use over 75% organic ingredients in the menu, tables are made from recycled wood, toilets are low-flow and customers who return their pizza boxes get a special discount. I love the concept of this place just as much as I love the food!

Owner Jeff Melnick

Energy efficient delivery car

We had a deliciously organic meal that started with wine and bread sticks. The mutli-grain and organic white sticks came with tomato marinara sauce and we added a side of olive tapenade. The combination of olives, garlic and red peppers made for a perfect dip.

Multi-grain and organic white bread sticks with marinara and olive tapenade.

We wanted to get a good taste of the pizzas so we ordered four of the Specialty Pies – Founder’s Pie, Greek, goat cheese & sundried tomato and the Seattle. All specialty pies are served large, which is 18” x 9”, and on a wooden plank. You have the choice of multi-grain, organic white or gluten-free crusts and we decided to test out each one.

Greek on gluten-free

goat cheese and sundried tomato on white

Seattle on white

The chalk wall boasts great lunch specials ($9.99 for a personal pizza, soda, side salad) and the build your own pizza option is enticing. In addition to organic beer and wine they also serve Boylan sodas that use natural sugar and my favorite, Honest Tea.

We had such a great time at Pizza Fusion. It’s unique in that the restaurant can host a group of ten or a couple on a date and everyone feels comfortable. The pizza is great and I love supporting a restaurant that uses organic ingredients and energy efficient appliances.

Find more of our pictures from the night on our flickr page, here. Pizza Fusion: 2233 Peachtree Road, Suite M; 404-351-9934.