Appetizing Aperture: Getting Cheesy This Christmas With A Cabot Christmas Cheese Tree

Oh Christmas cheese tree, oh Christmas cheese tree, you're so ravishing on our table. Our guests will cheer, tip wine or beer, and devour you while watching cable. Cabot Cheese posts this and more merry dairy recipes to make this your cheesiest holiday season ever! 

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

Raleigh News & Observer journalist Andrea Weigl covers culinary action equilaterally in all three corners of N.C.'s Research Triangle - Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill (beyond Wolf Pack, Blue Devils and Tar Heel tailgates). If you're headed there or trying to hone in on some Carolina recipes, follow her on Twitter (@AndreaWeigl). For more, visit the News & Observer Mouthful blog.

What's New on Pinterest: Dear Santa, Please Check Out This Culinary Wish List

Hey Santa, gift givers and recipients are drooling over a wonderland of kitchen gifts and gadgets. For those who have been extra good, we posted a few selections on Pinterest.

From the Mountains to Cheshire Bridge: Sierra Nevada Beer Dinner at Woodfire Grill

It was the late 70s. Two guys start a microbrewery in Chico, Calif. One guy is an avid backpacker so they named their venture after his favorite hiking place, the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And now the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. beers enjoy landmark quality akin to their namesake. Come see for yourself on Thursday, December 6 as Woodfire Grill Chef de Cuisine E. J. Hodgkinson crafts a four-course dinner paired with Sierra Nevada brews  -- Torpedo Extra IPA, Ovila Quadruple, Ovila Golden Ale and Narwhal Imperial Stout. The evening begins with a 6:30 p.m. reception followed by dinner at 7 p.m. $80 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Call 404-347-9055 to reserve your spot.

Aria hosts Chef Thomas Keller for Bouchon Bakery Book Tour and Tasting

Mondays during the holiday season are reminiscent of weekend shopping and cooking. Not many have motivation and plowing through work seems to drag out the day. Why not take a mid-morning break to meet and taste with one of America’s finest chefs, Thomas Keller (of French Laundry, Per Se, Ad Hock, Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery.) Aria was specifically chosen by Keller as his only Atlanta Bouchon Bakery book signing because of the outstanding baking abilities of Pastry Chef Kathryn King. This Monday December 3 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., sample a variety of pastries and desserts straight from the pages of the book , prepared by Keller, King and Sebastian Rouxel, co-author and executive pastry chef for Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. A perfect way to start your week, the midday meet and greet is $35 a person and includes sweet treats, coffee, and mimosas. Copies of the book are available for purchase for $50. Tickets are available online.

Check out Virginia Willis Tonight on "Chopped"

As exhilarating as the experience was, Virginia Willis says being a "Chopped" chef-testant was one of the hardest things she's ever done. This coming from one of the South's grand dames of cheffing, a hard worker who has worked her way up through the culinary world since age 16! We're sure Virginia handles the challenges of this high-pressure competition with true southern grace and some fast-thinking chutzpah. We hope you'll join us in cheering her on to victory! The episode premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on the Food Network. 

Grab a Cup of Cheer with Fleming's New Holiday Cocktails and More in this Week's Dish

Thanksgiving quickly came and went, leaving us full of turkey and holiday cheer. Now, it is time to gear up for the holiday fun around Atlanta, with Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar holiday-inspired cocktails, Chef Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery book tour and tasting at Aria and much more, all in this week's Dish. 

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

Based in NOLA, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization SoFAB(@SouthernFood) revolves around the discovery, understanding and celebration of eating and drinking in the South. Follow for thought-provoking F&B topics, deals, gift ideas, recipes and more. Sit down with your favorite hot cup and mull over more at http://www.southernfood.org.

Sample Tweet: For the perfect bird, treat it well - and we mean, very well... http://fb.me/1HuAHRnJh

Appetizing Aperture: RA Sushi's Fall Pairing

Better rake in the tropical Fall Pairing at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant before the last autumn leaves fall -- the delicious duo disappears after November 30. The $18 special partners the kiwi scallops sashimi plate and Kiwi Kismet cocktail of muddled kiwi, Kai Lemongrass Vodka, sweet sparkling sake and fresh lime and pineapple juices. 

Happy Thanksgiving Pinning: Georgia Pecan Perfection

You may have prepped your pecan pies, but Pinterest makes the Georgia native nut more versatile than a sugary treat. So if you're abound with leftover pecans, find some inspiration!

Who's Thirsty? "Eater Atlanta Cocktail Week" Is Here

Tarocco Spice at Ammazza

Put down the fork and pick up the glass... Eater Atlanta started filling up virtual glasses with cocktail posts this week! Twist open your internet device and see which restaurants are shaking up special cocktails for the week. We're tapping into several ourselves. Ormsby's on Atlanta's Westside, The Pinewood in Decatur, Ammazza on Edgewood, Lure in Midtown and Alma Cocina in downtown's 191 Tower all have some potent mixers in mind. 

Sustenance for Shopping This Friday

Black Friday can make you hungry. And thirsty. Shop, then "drop" into Atlanta restaurants for some reviving libations and refueling bites. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant has a day of off-the-RAck retail therapy planned for browsers and spender friends on Friday, November 23. Choose from more than 35 sushi, appetizer and tapas selections, plus a wide variety of beer, wine and signature cocktails in the $2 to $7 market. Black Friday food specials start early at 11 a.m. (instead of the usual 3 p.m.) and roll until 7 p.m.; drink specials available all day. Or if your shopping takes you to the Westside, Ormsby's keeps the gents in mind with its "No honey, you can hold your own purse" beer lunch on Friday, November 23. Of course, girls can enjoy the beer lunch too!

Revive and Refuel with Black Friday Food and Drink Specials and More in This Week's Dish

Turkey day is just two days away, but there is plenty more to celebrate before and after we gobble up some delicious food! Party around town at one of the Thanksgiving Eve parties or take a Black Friday break with food and drink specials at Atlanta-area restaurants. There is plenty to be thankful for in this week's Dish.

‘Tis the Night Before Thanksgiving – Thank These Restaurants for Pre-Turkey Specials on November 21

Fill up on what's going on BEFORE the big eat day. Thanksgiving Eve parties will be in full swing (or wing) around town. Atkins Park Smyrna rocks more than Plymouth with The Joe Garner Band going on at 10:30 p.m. and playing on - with drink specials - until 4 a.m. Atkins Park Virginia Highland is partying pre-feast as well, starting at 9 p.m. DJ Lion spins the tunes as SweetWater beers are featured. On Atlanta's Westside, Ormsby's will be open until 3 a.m. the night before Thanksgiving. Hmm, maybe a dash to the all-night grocery then a stopover at Ormsby's for a high five on knocking out the dinner ingredient list and a toast to blessings big and small with one of their many craft brews or signature cocktails. 

What's New On Pinterest: Savory Soups

She-Crab Soup from South City Kitchen Midtown

Soup's on! Grab a hefty bowl and spoon because our tummy-warming Pinterest posts will bowl you over.

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

Catch snippets (@BerlyMC) of the Athens, Ga. 'steading life and knock that city pace down a notch!

Appetizing Aperture: Salmon Asparagus Roll at RA Sushi's 15th Anniversary Guest Appreciation Day & 90's Party

Scottsdale, Ariz. welcomed RA Sushi Bar Restaurant to its sushi scene back in 1997. Fifteen years and 25 RA Sushi locations later, they're still "RA-ckin." Celebrate at RA Sushi in Midtown during their customer appreciation party on Thursday, November 15. They'll skim 15 percent off your tab all day and donate 15 percent of profits to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. From 7 p.m. until close, take advantage of $3 beers, $5 90s-themed drink specials and specially priced 90s-inspired sushi!

Atlanta Chefs Help Celebrate Macy's Lenox Grand Re-Opening on Nov. 17

Celebrate the Macy's at Lenox grand re-opening with a full day of food and fun events on Saturday, November 17. Atlanta chefs will be there throughout the day with samples of their signature recipes for shoppers to taste. Be sure to stop by from 2-4 p.m. to try the fare from Seven Lamps, Chef Drew Van Leuvan's newest restaurant opening in December. While you're rolling out the welcome mat, you can snack on the buttered lobster on brioche and freshly made creamsicle soda.  Buckhead Barbeque Co. will offer pulled pork sliders with hickory honey BBQ sauce and smoked chicken tacos, and RA Sushi Bar Restaurant will serve its famed Tootsy Maki rolls and sweet onion salmon sashimi made with fresh salmon in a Japanese dressing with marinated onions and microgreens. After all these delicious bites, might be wise to use an extra napkin before hitting the racks! 

Don't Miss Out - Shop the Peachtree Road Farmers Market Through December 15

20120421 EJ Hodgkinson from Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Vimeo.

A warm fall means farmers still have plenty of garden-fresh produce for sale at Buckhead's big Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Consumable gifts alleviate post-holiday clutter in a delicious fashion. Stop by Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.-noon through December 15. Among the items to put on your list: tomatoes, arugula, kale, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, garlic and pumpkins. Non-veggies include: cheese, yogurt, pork, lamb, beef, grits, honey, breads, jams, pickles, and doggie treats. Purchase unique, handmade gifts from local artists while you're there.

The Pinewood Makes Supper Easy on Sundays

Go ahead and tie a napkin around your neck right now. For $27 per couple on Sundays, The Pinewood serves an irresistible family style dinner featuring comfort food entrées of cornmeal fried catfish, Pinewood turkey meatloaf and crunchy buttermilk chicken and sides of pesto mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy and Georgia green beans. The Pinewood's scratch-made angel biscuits and bread pudding round out this square meal deal. While you're there, take advantage of their Sunday half-price special on bottles of wine.