Aria's Kathryn King at Sunday Supper South This Weekend

Sunday Supper South, a regional version of the successful NYC Chelsea Market event, was awesome last year and it's already time for round two! This year's event includes Pastry Chef Kathryn King from Aria as one of the visionary chefs and artisans participating in the family-style Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner. More than 25 James Beard Foundation award-winning and prominent chefs from across the Southeast will gather to honor Southern cooking in the revitalized Westside Provisions District. The evening has a philanthropic goal: to raise money for the culinary scholarship program funded by the not-for-profit James Beard Foundation (a 501 (c)(3) organization.) Following a 5 p.m. reception, 150 guests will gather around a very long communal table for an evening planned by hosts Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison of Bacchanalia, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Abattoir, Floataway Café and Star Provisions. Chew more details on Facebook.

Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week

Who says Halloween has to be all about candy? We have our eyes on these spooky doughnuts that we spotted at the Columbus Krispy Kreme on 6761 Veterans Parkway. The Krispy Skremes! Jack-o-lantern, chocolate iced with Halloween sprinkles, spider web and pumpkin spice cake doughnuts are available for a limited time only! 

Come Enjoy the Cooler Weather in No. 246’s Backyard

No. 246 has opened the restaurant’s backyard just in time for you to drink and dine as you enjoy the fall weather. With a deck built around a tree, guest seating and an herb garden, this is not the standard restaurant backyard. Diners should also make plans to come back once the new ping pong table arrives. The Italian-inspired eatery does not accept reservations for outdoor dining, but guests are welcome to make a reservation for the main dining room.

It's Follow Friday; Meet Our Tweep of the Week @shugartandspice

This sweet thing has a long short list of things she wants to do. Her mantra: life is full of sugar and spice and trying to find the time to taste it all is short and sweet. Read Betsy Clay's tweets (@shugartandspice), and you'll note that waiting for planes seems to eat up a bit of her clock.  When she has more time to write, she taps out "the busy girls guide to food in a flash" sweetly and succinctly on her Shugart & Spice blog.

When The New York Butcher Shoppe & Swine Are Involved, How Can It Not Be Dandy?

No butts about it, this weekend's smokin' contest is going to be one Swine & Dandy Charity Cookoff with New York Butcher Shoppe as a sponsor and participant! Pro and "backyard" teams will compete in chicken, ribs, pork butt and brisket categories with a $7,500 purse to be awarded to top entries in overall and individual categories. Attendees purchasing barbecue samples may vote for the "People's Choice" award.

The mouthwatering barbecue event takes place on Friday and Saturday, October 21-22 at Rogers Bridge Park in Duluth and is open to the public from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday. Event entry is free and includes cooking demonstrations and live country and blue grass music. Purchase food, barbecue samples, brews and beverages, and access to family-friendly activities including inflatables, small carnival rides, a cakewalk and a pumpkin patch. Click here for Atlanta New York Butcher Shoppe locations.

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.

Take a Bite at Tapas & Wine and Lend a Helping Hand for Primus Sanders at Ray's at Killer Creek October 21 and 22

What better way to explore the flavors of Spain than with a spread of tapas and six different wines to indulge in at Ray’s Killer Creek on Friday, October 21 at 7 p.m.

Chef Tracey Bloom is crafting casual tapas such as pork belly with quail egg, pernil (roasted Spanish pork), chorizo and manchego quesadillas, stuffed piquillo peppers and much more. To top it all off, Sommelier Phillip Cooper has paired these scrumptious Spanish snacks with six different wines. The whole team at MLA can vouch for this menu after tasting a preview of the tapas this week – deeeelish! The Tapas & Wine event at Ray’s is $35 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Seating is limited, so call 770-649-0064 to purchase tickets ahead of time.

Can’t get enough of Ray’s at Killer Creek? Come back on Saturday, October 22 when Ray’s at Killer Creek holds a fundraiser at the restaurant to benefit Primus Sanders, a six-year employee of Ray's at Killer Creek who experienced a tragic fall in April that left him wheelchair bound. Since then, the Ray's at Killer Creek staff and community have rallied to raise funds to help cover his medical care and rehabilitation. Seize the opportunity to help out on Saturday, October 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the Alpharetta restaurant holds a car wash and yard sale at Ray's at Killer Creek. All proceeds will assist Primus' recovery program through the Primus Sanders Foundation. And while you're there, come inside for lunch!

Ray's at Killer Creek: 1700 Mansell Road, Alpharetta; 770-649-0064.

A Final Supper with Spice Route Supper Club

There are only 50 seats available for the final Spice Route Supper Club event filling Café Jonah on Saturday, October 22 at 7 p.m. No crying over onions or spice during the Kerala, India meal served family style. It may be the last “Supper Club” event; however, the menu will be a slice of what to expect when Asha Gomez opens Cardamom Hill restaurant in Midtown later this year. Two things to do when reserving your seat at spiceroutesupperclub@gmail.com:  prepay $150/person and give a heads up if you’re vegetarian. 

Get Crafty at Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna Tomorrow Night

No need to channel Martha Stewart, we're talking about craft beers. You won't want to miss out on this chance to celebrate the crafty side of American brews at the American Craft Beer Dinner tomorrow, October 18, at Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna. Starting at 7 p.m., the event features a five-course menu paired with five of the nation’s leading craft-style brews. Gear up your taste buds for dishes like Vidalia onion tarts with chèvre cheese and peach jalapeño jam paired with Terrapin Golden Ale; seared duck with glazed cherry reduction and sweet potato and pumpkin risotto served with Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Saison; and caramel and espresso torte with sea salt paired with Abita Turbodog. Cost is $45 per person; call 770-435-1887 to save a spot.

Atkins Park Tavern in Smyrna is located in Market Village at 2840 Atlanta Road.

Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week

Cheers! This October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Fleming's is pitching in.  Try the "Stiletto" -- 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the drink will be donated back to theAvon Breast Cancer Crusade. You also can feel good when you choose to sip on Cline Cashmereat Fleming's.  Cline is making a $25,000 donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer during the month of October in conjunction with the sale of Cashmere. 

Do the Market Mash-Up at Peachtree Road Farmers Market

At the second annual Market Mash-Up at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Saturday, October 15, you'll benefit from a 10-team draft uniting farmers and purveyors of locally made food.  From 9 a.m. to noon, guests will sample tempting dishes from teams you've surely heard of, such as Spotted Trotter, Red Queen Tarts, Indian Ridge, Hope's Gardens, Riverview Farms, H&F Bread, Greenleaf Farms and more.  Two hundred and fifty tasting tickets are available and will be for sale at $5 each (buys tasting of all 10 dishes) starting at 9 a.m.  Tasting runs from 10-11 a.m. or until sold out.  Guests fork up samples, vote for favorites and pick up recipes of the Mash-Up dishes.  Celebrity judges will choose a victor among the 10 teams.  This year's judges include Kim Severson, Atlanta bureau chief of The New York Times and author of Spoon Fed; Christiane Lauterbach, dining critic forAtlanta magazine and Knife & Fork; Jennifer Zyman, editor of The Blissful Glutton and Eater Atlanta; and Emily Smith, CNN Eatocracy contributor. 

More than 50 silent auction items will be up for bid that morning.  The event pays forward, helping fund the market's 2012 city permit fees and city-required police officer.  The PRFM is the largest producer-only market in metro Atlanta, meaning that everything at the market has been grown, raised or made by the seller and ensuring fair prices for both vendor and consumer.  Lauren Carey, PRFM manager, sums it up, "Accessibility to fresh local produce is a gift; it means so much more to shake the hand of the farmer that grew the vegetables on your dinner plate." 

It's Follow Friday: Meet Our Tweep of the Week @frugalfoodieJG

When you're a foodie on a budget (and who isn't these days), you savor each restaurant on your hit list, appreciating every bite.   Julie Gallien tweets (@frugalfoodieJG) of her finds and daily life and offers up bigger portions on her Nourishment on a Plate blog!

Diamonds Are Forever But Il Borro's Toscano Is Only For A Limited Time

If the name sounds familiar, it is. Salvatore Ferragamo, Il Borro Winery proprietor, is the grandson of the famed footwear designer Ferragamo. Lineage aside, this Ferragamo is all about the wines of Tuscany's Il Borro Winery and creating the newest private-label wine -- Forty-Six Diamonds Toscana 2009 -- for Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. Il Borro premium wines have graced Fleming's reserve wine list for many years.

This year's limited-edition private-label wine represents a delicious collaboration between Ferragamo, Il Borro Winemaker Nicolò D'Afflitto and Fleming's Wine Director Maeve Pesquera. The Sangiovese for the blend comes from Politi Vineyard, which provides the ideal elevation, Pliocene lake soil and southwestern exposure to turn out Tuscany's famed grape. Taste the artistry and note the artwork of internationally renowned artist and wine aficionado Thomas Arvid on the wine labels and on Fleming's walls.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: 4501 Olde Perimeter Way in Perimeter Place Village; 770-698-8112

Get Wild at Zoo Atlanta's Jazzoo on October 15

Calling all party animals, Zoo Atlanta's fourth annual Jazzoo is on Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 - 11 p.m. Plan on bringing your beastly appetite because Spice Market, RA Sushi and Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food are among the 25 popular Atlanta restaurants that will be providing food for the event. Visit your favorite exhibits as you hit up the fully stocked bar or check out the four stages with entertainment provided by Eddie's Attic, Dr. Stech and Nervous Habit and Yacht Rock.

Leave the traditional coat and tails at home, "creative cocktail" attire is required at this party. Shorts, flip-flops, sequins, bow ties and animal prints will land you on the best dressed list. All-inclusive tickets are priced at $100 each (VIP tickets/$150 each); rain or shine, no refunds. Ages 21 and over only, and please have ID. SafeRide will provide "tips only" rides home within a 15-mile radius and $2 per mile beyond that. Proceeds support Zoo Atlanta programs and fund field trips for disadvantaged children and schools.

Meet and Eat with Aria's Gerry Klaskala at Falcons Game This Sunday

This Sunday, October 16 at 1 p.m., the Atlanta Falcons are taking on the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome, and in addition to watching Carolina and Atlanta, guests can also get a taste of both teams' turf from Aria Owner/Executive Chef Gerry Klaskala. Klaskala is manning the local chef stand inside the 2View Restaurant located in the east end zone of the Dome on the executive concourse. He's making Carolina jumbo lump crab cakes with spicy mustard sauce and Georgia white shrimp Savannah-style salad. Game-goers can ditch the hot dogs and meet Klaskala and taste his creations instead while watching the fun on the field. As longtime fans of Aria, we know the food is sure to be as good as the football game!

Lasso in Some Good Eats By Atlanta Chefs (and ride a mechanical bull) For a Good Cause At The Crystal Boots and Silver Saddles Gala on October 14

Giddy-up y’all! It’s time to shine up those belt buckles and throw on your favorite cowboy hat for the fifth annual Crystal Boots and Silver Saddles gala. Food lovers in western wear will be riding high at the event which benefits the Ovarian Cancer Institute on Friday, October 14 from 7 -11 p.m. at Mason Murer Fine Art.

Fifteen Atlanta chefs play chuck wagon boss, hosting food stations to fuel guests and spur them along through exciting casino, auction, raffle and line dancing activities. Some of Atlanta's "most wanted" chefs will be there, including Ford Fry of JCT. Kitchen & Bar, E.J. Hodgkinson of Woodfire Grill and Gerry Klaskala of Aria. Lasso in some tasty libations courtesy of Grey Goose Vodka and Barefoot wine, and enjoy jamming out to the live band, Talk Journey to Me. Be sure to do a few stretches before testing your cowboy skills on the mechanical bull, and don’t forget about the jailhouse! See the event website for the sponsorship level/ticket form.

Crystal Boots and Silver Saddles is a 501(c)(3) organization assisting the not-for-profit foundation, the Ovarian Cancer Institute. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth as the cause of cancer deaths in women and is difficult to detect.

Play Bocce for Breast Cancer with Double Zero!

As you probably know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and if you’re looking for a new and exciting way to support the cause, look no further!  This Thursday, October 13 at 6 p.m. you can play bocce in support of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure at Double Zero Napoletana's first ever bocce charity event!  For just $5 a person, you’ll not only play for the cure, but one lucky tournament winner will also get a trophy, a magnum of reserve wine, and free Double Zero Margherita pizza every Sunday in 2012!  In addition to the bocce festivities, Double Zero is hosting a silent auction starting at 6:30 p.m.  All proceeds plus 20 percent of the evening’s restaurant sales will go to support the 3-day walk.  You can bid on fabulous prizes like an illy espresso machine, a Salon Greco Spa gift package, a reserve wine basket and more.  Still not convinced?  Tournament and auction guests are also invited to partake in a complimentary wine tasting on the outdoor courts.  If you can’t make it to the event, you can always donate online or stop by any Castellucci Hospitality Group restaurant this month.  The restaurants are mixing up special pink cocktails during October and donating the proceeds to the walk.  There are so many different ways to get involved, so come out and help Double Zero end breast cancer for good!

RLife LIVE Returns to Briza on Friday with Matthew Mayfield

Esquire magazine and Renaissance Hotels will host emerging artist Matthew Mayfield in a special acoustic performance at Briza as part of the RLife LIVE global entertainment program on Friday, October 14 at 9 p.m.  If you're a "Grey's Anatomy" follower, you've probably heard some of Mayfield's songs.  His hits have topped the iTunes singer/songwriter charts -- claiming #1 status several times -- and he's recently released a new album, Now You're Free. The versatile artist has an online series covering hits by Britney Spears, U2, Radiohead and others.

RLife LIVE is Renaissance Hotels' global entertainment program dedicated to providing hotel guests and local patrons with an intimate and up-close look into music, culinary arts, film, arts and more.  During the show, nationally acclaimed bartender Chris McMillan will craft one of his classic cocktails featuring Belvedere Vodka to complement full bar offerings. Be sure to RSVP on Facebook for this event!

Sip a Skinny Stiletto for a Good Cause

We girls just love our stilettos. Well, we do for five minutes until our feet start hurting! But The Stiletto at Fleming's will make you want to linger. Not only is this a 99-calorie cocktail priced at $6 before 7 p.m. but one hundred percent of the proceeds from this drink goes to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Be sure to stop by and have one in October. After that, you might want to try the recipe below at home!

Fleming's is also recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month by partnering with Cline Cellars to raise funds for Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC). Cline Cashmere will be featured by the glass on Fleming's 5-6-7 menu thorough Monday, October 31. Silky smooth Cashmere tickles with big cherry, raspberry and chocolate notes with hints of cracked black pepper and plum. Always a charmer, pink ribbon wine charms from Cline will dress up Cashmere purchases while supplies last. Cline has contributed more than $200,000 to breast cancer foundations over the years; this year, they'll make a $25,000 donation to LBBC. Learn more on the winery's website.

The Stiletto

Prepared By Maeve Pesquera, Director of Wine

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1.25 oz. Hendrick's Gin

5 fresh blackberries

1 oz. Monin Sugar Free

0.5 oz. lime juice

As needed, top with diet ginger ale.

Directions:

Muddle blackberries with Monin Sugar Free. Add Hendrick's Gin. Shake. Strain and pour into martini glass. Top with diet ginger ale. Garnish with two blackberries on a black bar pick.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: 4501 Olde Perimeter Way in Perimeter Place Village; 770-698-8112.

Our Appetizing Aperture of the Week

When fall weather really hits, the best dinners are often the comforting ones!  We love Chicken and the Egg's spin on a comfort classic, Chicken and Dumplings.