Fall Cocktails in Atlanta

On a spectacular day watching the sun set from my perch at Top of the Mark in San Francisco I talked with my bartender about fall and the autumnal drinks I love so. Gone are the fruity, pastel, light drinks of summer. On the fall inspired cocktail menus are rich, spicy, dark concoctions meant to warm one from within. "What is your favorite?" He asked. I told him about Navarro Carr from The Sound Table and his perfect Toronto. This is where we switched proverbial places and I tended to him, instructing each delicious step along the way to my go-to fall elixir. He stirred, tasted, and declared it simple, yet intriguing.

We arrived at the subject of Atlanta bartending when I flipped through a dog-eared copy of San Francisco Magazine and spotted Jason Rager who recently moved from Atlanta and his post at Holeman and Finch Public House to San Francisco's AQ. Rager's Manhattan was a favorite fall (and all year) cocktail of mine with 110 proof Willett rye, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, both Angostura and Regan's bitters, and a house-made cherry. I can never replicate it at home. Though he and Greg Best are gone, cocktails are still outstanding at this James Beard nominated Bar Program. The Ranier Expedition is a favorite of mine lately- High West Silver Oak, Imbue Petal and Thorn, Punt e Mes, Amargo Vallet (herbal, spicy liquor ), lemon bitters.


Top of the Mark Manhattan

Angela Manhattan at Miso Izakaya

 

My bartender tried his hand at a perfect Manhattan. It was good, but not a Jason Rager Manhattan or The Angela Manhattan Ronnie Le Claire makes at Miso Izakaya. The swizzle sticks were great though. San Francisco bars love their swizzle sticks. More swizzle sticks, more matchbooks, Atlanta! The conversation carried on and I talked about a fun week of trying fall cocktail menus in Atlanta with a friend. Follow along below.

Our cocktail adventure began with mixtress extraordinaire Kellie Thorn at Empire State South. I swooned over a Brief Encounter, all boozy with the strong spices of fall (Lion's Pride dark oat whiskey, Carpano, Antica Formula, barrel aged bitters) yet nostalgic for the summer that has gone  with a strawberry shrub from local strawberries of early summer. It was bewitching how it matched my enthusiasm for the coming cold at the loss of summer's bounty.

We moved to Abattoir for foie gras from chef Hector Santiago's Butcher's menu and a fall sipper. Bartender's choice: The Autumn Crisp from Ryan McLaughlin. It tasted like something you would want to sip from a thermos next to a fire and was gorgeous in the glass with a dried apple slice resting on the edge. Recipe here:

2 oz. American Spirit Whiskey
1 oz Cinnamon spiced iced tea (we use Harney and Sons)
1 oz Fresh squeezed Ellijay Apple Juice
¾ oz Honey Water (1 part honey to 1 part water)
2 bar spoons lemon juice
Dried apple slice - garnish

Combine all ingredients in a glass. Add ice. Add apple slice garnish.

From Abattoir we headed to Miso Izakaya to treat my out of towner to one of Atlanta's best cocktails: The Unsung Hiro. During the summer, it sips like a refreshing cooler but the magic of this concoction is its morphing ability.  The cool, crisp fall evening was equally matched by the rye, spicy ginger, and Lapsang Souchong infused sea salt that dances atop the hand cut cube of ice filling the glass. I declared this my favorite summer cocktail but I need to include it as a favorite fall sipper too.

 

Last stop for this particular evening is a favorite haunt- Proof and Provision. Small, dark, and undergroundish, you never know what kind of crowd will roll in here. Bartenders are solid, endearing, super creative, and most of all able to put up with whatever crowd floats in. See, across the street is the Fox Theater. I have witnessed dressed up for the ballet people ordering shots of Goldschlager (which P and P does not carry) and throngs of vest-wearing, PBR-ordering Mumford and Sons fans using words like "bespoke cocktail." The guys behind the bar don't flinch; they just roll with it. The crowd was weird this particular night but the drinks were solid. Fitting a fall evening as well as the end of a good day of sampling was The Firm Handshake, a menu staple. Redemption Rye, Leopold's Fernet, demerara syrup, bitters, and a smoky lapsang souchong tea-infused ice ball blend in perfect harmony of sweet and bitter.

 



As we walked into the stony cavern that is  Wrecking Bar, my friend from Las Vegas smiled and sat with "There is nothing like this in Vegas." I sipped a High West Campfire while he smiled happily with an  Elijah Craig 18 year. Behind the bar Ian Cox and Brian Ferraro kept the jokes coming while crafting classic cocktails. Ian made his Rye in the Dark, his mixture in the Taste of Atlanta Barcraft Competition. I will be ordering this perfect fall sipper with rye and Fernet for months to come.

sampling from the vast bourbon selection

We stopped at my favorite pre-Chastain spot before our concert, Food 101. The Goldentini was a nectarous barrel-aged mix of Troy and Sons Platinum whiskey, Lillet Blanc, and rhubarb bitters. It was perfect with the beef jerky chef Justin Keith shared with us as we discussed the merits of bevnaps at length.

Paul Calvert of Paper Plane has a Smith's inspired menu that blew me away. In a glass he managed to capture the essence of a song, the angst of youth, and autumnal flavors in one fell swoop. Big Mouth Strikes Again is a big mouthful of fall: bourbon, vermouth, cappalletti aperitif, bigallett china-china (made from sweet and bitter orange peels and spices), and bitters. Calvert arranges his cocktail menus from light to dark. This one lies appropriately on the bottom of the list. I have also had a few "There's a Light That Never Goes Out" this season. It never fails to delight my senses. The walnut paneled walls and comfy barstools never fail at soothing comfort either. Stepping into the space at Paper Plane feels at the same time habitual and enchanting, a perfect place to beguile time. We ended this evening with a walk through the tiny-light strewn courtyard to our cab.


The third evening was cool and we settled in for rabbit rillettes and cocktails at One Eared Stag which is a really cozy spot on a Sunday evening. I had a great autumn inspired drink but it was a bartender's choice so I don't have many details to spare other than Rye and cherry bitters, I think.

Final stop on our three day cocktail crawl is my new favorite in Atlanta, Kimball House. I am thoroughly  and profoundly enchanted with everything about Kimball House. I have frequented the many establishments that have held court in this building but none have filled the space with the grandeur it deserves. It is transportive stepping into Kimball House. On this particular rainy evening, the space was dazzling. I wanted to order caviar service and sip gin from the many vintage glasses as towers of oysters were presented. The outstanding oyster program is something that Atlanta has been missing. I look forward to seeing the menu filled with twenty or so fresh choices from around the US on Instagram each day. We didn't have any this evening but I did wax poetically about a night when I helped with a tower of fresh shells, each one shucked to perfection with no shell and ample sea water. This evening it was all about Miles McQuarrie's bar program and the nighttime ambiance that is the inside of an old train depot.

 

Mexican Razor Blade

We had a couple of Mexican Razor Blades-- tequila, sherry, lime, coconut, cinnamon, cayenne--spicy, smoky, and delicately layered with exotic flavors. The Bellman is another favorite with rye, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, and many bitters.

 



The Bellman
 

So we ended a weekend worthy of the word epic filled with the joys of life and sweater weather concoctions. Our three days of conversations were lifted with those who delightfully entertain behind the bar. I have a list of places and barkeeps we missed. I will leave that to our next adventure.

 

Vieux Carré

my nerdy notebook doodle

 

With Carnival season coming to an end today, why not celebrate Fat Tuesday with a New Orleans inspired cocktail? Nothing captures the essence of the French Quarter in a glass more than a Vieux Carré [view-ka-ray]. Vieux Carré, which translates as "old square," the official name of 4 by 11 block area neighborhood on the crescent bend of the Mississippi river known as The French Quarter. The now classic cocktail was concocted by head bartender, Walter Bergeron, at the Swan Bar in the Hotel Monteleone in 1938 (now home of the revolving Carousel Bar).

Vieux Carré at Sprig

The Vieux Carré is a spirituous cocktail, a kind of Louisiana cousin of a Manhattan. Like the city of New Orleans itself, the cocktail is emblematic of the extensive blending of traditions and cultures within the city. The early inhabitants of New Orleans were Native American, French, African and Caribbean. Perhaps Mr. Bergeron meant this to be a tribute to the extensive blending and borrowing that influenced the food, music, language, culture, and architecture of this distinct city- The rye for the American influence, the cognac and Benedictine for the influence of the French, sweet vermouth for the Italian (I am sure there are plenty of Italians), the Angostura bitters for the Caribbean, and Peychaud's bitters for a homegrown ingredient.

Seven Lamps

Cocktail books differ slightly on ratios but most agree that the Vieux Carré is a cocktail meant to be built over ice in the glass in which it will be served. I have been ordering the classic cocktail around Atlanta and find it delicious on a winter evening whether built in the glass or strained into it. What is important is the vermouth. Using a high quality, sweet vermouth like Carpano Antica will temper the strong base spirits and not allow the blend to become too sweet. The herbaceous Benedictine further rounds out the flavors.

Vieux Carré at Empire State South

 By tasting the same cocktail at many places, you really get to know the balance and see the bits of individuality mixologists put in the glass. I have learned that many bartenders do not know this drink and those who do smile when you order it. Marc Caballero of Sprig Restaurant and Bar in Decatur did. I like it in a Manhattan style coupe glass, just as Bradley at The Optimist served it in, best.  It doesn't matter if the glass is chilled or not. I prefer it "up," but those large chunks of ice are always nice. David Chapman of Empire State South served a perfect version over a giant cube that never seemed to melt. His lemon twist was pretty incredible too. Next time Nate Shuman of Proof and Provision makes me one, perhaps he could include on of his lapsang souchon infused cubes. I like it with a flamed orange peel as garnish very much. The oils released bring very nice aromatics. The best garnish is a brandied cherry. Arianne Fielder of Seven Lamps made me a play on a Vieux Carré with walnut bitters and it was astonishingly good. I haven't had one made by Thomas McGuire of Prohibition yet but I look forward to it. I always get a history lesson with each cocktail (and I like it). Hands down favorite on my quest was from Mike Satusky at The Family Dog. He served it with High West Rye, Carpano Antica vermouth, tasty Cognac (I know nothing of cognacs), Angostura & Peychaud's bitters, Benedictine, and a brandied cherry on a stick "up" and in a rocks glass, no ice. We talked about Casablanca. A Vieux Carré goes very well with Casablanca.

Signs of Spring

I spotted this patch of blue on my run this morning. Veronica penduncularis or 'Georgia Blue' was growing on the side of the road, poking through dirt, rocks, and debris. Its presence made me ever aware of the signs all around me. Squirrels were chasing each other and searching for food buried before it grew cold. Birds were chirping and gathering bits and pieces for nest building. Daffodils were blooming and trees buds were beginning to swell.

This is the time of year I like to pick up Thoreau's Walden and read about how excited he was for things to start budding and blooming. "Walden was dead and is alive again" he wrote. The rebirth of our landscape ushers in a rebirth for our souls.

Soon, very soon, the landscape (and our dinner plates) will be augmented by ramps, morels, and fiddleheads, those harbingers of springtime.

Places and spaces I look forward to in early spring:

Empire State South-- foraged spring ingredients always sing on the spring menu.

Seven Lamps-- Drew Van Leuvan created the most spectacular spring menu while at One Midtown Kitchen. I had ramps, morels, and fiddleheads in one meal. I have no doubt early spring will be nothing shy of dazzling at Seven Lamps. The winter menu has thrilled me over and over.

100 Mile Dinner-- the next dinner is in March. I anticipate lots I local foraged early spring arrivals or some of Nick Melvin's pickled ramps from last spring.

No. 246-- Drew Belline is an accomplished forager which makes No. 246 extra dreamy in early spring.

Ecco-- Remember last spring when chef Craig Richards covered a pizza in wood violets? It was stunning and, I heard, delicious. Morels with fish; ramps with rabbit; a pasta with both?

Miller Union-- The menu at Miller Union always revolves around the week's harvest. Wasn't there a ramp sabayon on the menu one spring? I could see morels in chef Steven Satterfield's creamed rice dish. I swear I have ordered the dish 10 times.

Hot and Hot Fish Club-- Tasting some of chef Chris Hasting's food during early springtime is worthy of a road trip from Atlanta. He has a large network of foragers that make possible incredible plates like "A forager's walk"- a dish I saw him tweet about. Beautuiful. His foraging seminar at last year's Atlana Food & Wine Festival was the reason I purchased my pass. It is my favorite session since the festival's inception.

Celery Root

Someone recently asked me about my favorite seasonal offering during winter. The ugly duckling of the vegetable bin, celery root, summarily came to mind. It is no surprise that the

knobby, warty, barnacle- like root is overlooked for sexier edibles of wintertime. Visually repugnant it may be, but I still recall my first taste. I was an angsty teen walking through a mall where a restaurant show was happening. Someone handed me a white paper cup with something mushy in it and something crispy on top. I can’t remember the crisp part, but I remember the shazam! moment when I tasted the puree. That entire season I asked every restaurant if they served celery root to no avail. To this day, a taste of celery root brings back the memory of a moment in time that really sparked food adventurism in me.

Celery root or celeriac (sometimes also called knob celery, turnip related celery, or Verona celery) is one of those vegetables you wonder aloud about at the farmers market with “what made the first person eat this?” It is not appetizing to look at. Still underrated in the U.S., it is widely used in Europe and has been since the Middle Ages. It even gets a mention in Homer’s Odyssey as “selinon.” Pretty sure the horses were eating it, but you have to start somewhere.

Celery root is the cousin to carrots, parsley, parsnips and anise- root vegetables that you eat either for their tips or their root. It is developed from the same wild species as stalk celery but it is cultivated for its root, not its stalk. Its flavor tastes like a fusion of celery and parsley and smells similarly. To me the taste is redolent of the earth-soil, but it in delicious way. It is delicious and a hearty non-starch replacement for potatoes. It is also remarkably storable, remaining fresh 1-2 weeks in a refrigerator and longer in a root cellar. I love root cellars. Remember to trim the leaves from the root before storing.

Root cellars are one of my favorite things

Before making its way onto European and Western Asian dinner plates, it was used mainly for medicinal and religious uses. I have read this in many books and descriptions about celery root but have not uncovered which sort of “religious uses” these were, unless aphrodisiacs and crowns of celery root leaves to cure hangovers are religious uses. For this is how the ancient Greeks used it. It is widely revered for its calming and analgesic properties. The Chinese used it to stabilize high blood pressure and much of Europe used it to detoxify the blood and eliminate intestinal parasites.  The jury is out on whether celery root will cure your hangover or your love life, but celery root is extremely low in calories (1/2+ 20 calories), high in fiber, nonfat, and rich in vitamins A, E, & C, Potassium, Phosphorous, and Carotene.

The root can be mashed, boiled, roasted, braised, sautéed, added to thicken soups and stews, sliced for salads, and even French friend. It is as versatile as our beloved potato but ever more nutritious and tasty. Look for firm tubers without lots of discolorations. Smaller roots taste better. Larger roots are woodier and better for long stewing or roasting. Remember to allow for about ¼ of it to be discarded as you peel off the thick outer layer. A knife works better than a vegetable peeler to “peel” the outer layer. Don’t discard those yummy leaves. They have the highest percentage of vitamin c. Use them to flavor soups, sautés, and salads. I have even made a quick pesto of them.


Boiling the chopped root

My favorite way to prepare celery root is with a simple puree. I peel, cut into cubes, and boil the root in half milk & half water for about 20 minutes. Drain, saving some of the liquid, then puree with a hand blender with some of the reserved liquid. Top it with a piece of trout and a few of the leaves.

Celeriac Remoulade is a classic French dish similar to coleslaw where the root is peeled, grated, placed in lemon juice, and dressed in a mustardy mayo. You can even pickle celery root using a simple dilly bean recipe. Hughsli sells a yummy looking celery root-kohlrabi mixture I would love to try. Empire State South here in Atlanta often has a celery root soup with candied hazelnuts that is pretty outstanding. I also used to love the celery root gnocchi from Hector Santiago at the recently closed Pura Vida. Check out this recipe by Hugh Acheson in Food and Wine for Creamy Celery Root Skordalia where he uses celery root in place of traditional potatoes.

 

Photo from  Best Emerging Chefs.com

I really want to make this recipe of Celeriac with Moscatel Grapes, Burnet, and Toasted Hazelnuts from Ollie Dabbous (whose restaurant Dabbous is on my bucket list).

I asked a couple of chef friends their favorite way to prepare and eat celery root.  Nick Melvin of the soon to be Garden District likes to do a celery root remoulade brown butter puree. Zeb Stevenson of The Livingston and Proof & Provision likes to make a celery root gratin. So many possibilities. I am going to try latkes with the celery roots I have on hand or celery root cake. Yes, cake (from Gotham in New York).

The Blood Dinner

When I first saw the question posed on twitter- Is Atlanta ready for blood?- I was a first responder with "yes." My thoughts not only flooded with the organoleptic properties of blood but of the cultural significance and religious implications the consumption of blood carries. I was intrigued, to say the least. Besides being an experiment with an underutilized/taboo ingredient, the dinner would be crafted by a collection of some of Atlanta's best chefs, including Zeb Stevenson of The Livingston and Proof & Provision, Tyler Williams of Abattoir, Ryan Smith of Empire State South, and Josh Hopkins of STG Trattoria.

Blood is an ingredient infused in the eating habits and cultures around the world yet held as an aversion by Americans. It's confounding, especially with the American obsession with all things vampire. As pop culture overflows with the vampire genre, we neglect and abhor a ready made, nutrient rich, liquid meal. Do we put it in disfavor because it makes us squeamish or because of its supposed sanctity?

Blood sausage is probably the form blood takes on most plates around the world- black pudding in Ireland and the UK, blutwurst in Germany, moronga in Mexico,  morcilla in Spain, and boudin noir in France are all very similar preparations. Soup is also a great way to utilize blood. Besides being a great thickener, it can also be the main component of the dish, like in swartsoppa (duck blood soup) in Sweden and czernina (duck blood and poultry broth) in Poland. In Taiwan there is a special soup with "dark tofu," which is actually cubes of congealed duck blood. Sangre frita in Spain is a dish of cubes of coagulated blood boiled then pan fried with onions.

Some cultures even drink blood,  not a practice of hematophagy (subsisting on blood) , but more for rituals and medicinal benefits. Mesoamericans drank human blood to appease the gods. The Masai of Kenya and Tanzania drink blood on special occasions like circumcisions, birth, or to help the sick. The Mursi of Ethiopia mix blood with milk as a drink. In Nepal there is even a blood drinking festival where the Nepalese trek up a mountain for a yak. The yak is not killed, but its throat is cut. After a drink of hot yak blood, thought to have medicinal qualities, they set the yak free. In Mongolia, shaman drink a mixture of sheep blood and vodka in hopes of connecting them with the souls of their ancestors. Eskimos drink seal blood for nourishment and also in an effort to honor the seal and waste nothing.

Nose to tail eating hearkens back to early times, but apparently not as early as biblical times. Inside the bible can be found many passages strictly prohibiting the eating of blood.  "Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. " (Deut. 12:23) "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." (Gen. 9:4) Not only are we no supposed to consume it, we should "take heed not to eat their blood, but pour it out on the earth as water." (Deut. 15:23) Commingled with the prohibition of all things blood are rituals that mimic hematophagy. “…eat my flesh and drink my blood….” (John 6:53-56) Transubstantiation of wine as the blood of Jesus during the Christian Eucharist quickly comes to mind. And yet we sat anxious for our first course of blood.



The evening began with drinks in the bar area of The Livingston with a Blood and Sand cocktail- one of few classic cocktails made with scotch. Blood and Sand, named/created for the bullfight movie of the same name with Rudolph Valentino, is a delicious concoction of scotch, blood orange, vermouth, and Cherry Heering. Chef Zeb Stevenson welcomed us, ushered us into the dining room, and assured us that we would be enchanted with the dishes and the chef ensemble. His hope was that dinners like this could enlighten us and remind us of our connection to food. I was enchanted from the start with the introduction of currant bread mixed with bacon and pork blood and served with bone marrow butter. Hot damn.

Hamachi Bloodline



The blood line (chiai)  is a streak of dark meat running the length of the fish near the spine. It is very dark red when fresh, has a stronger taste, and even a different consistency. Sushi tsu have a penchant for it. I have always thought it was a piece to avoid because of the strong flavor it produces. Enter the first dish of the night (also my favorite) with a brief cure on the hamachi, satsuma, crisp lardo, radishes, white soy, and cured blood frozen with liquid nitrogen that was dusted onto the plate. Bright, unctious, and memorable.

Pairing: Piper Heidsieck cuvee 1785 Brut, France. Fresh, with citrus notes.  



Coddle Egg

The coddled egg course, prettiest dish of the evening, included beets, puffed farro, foie gras & pork blood torchon, and bits of white chocolate. Individually, the ingredients were pretty spectacular and became more so when combining the elements. The table was pretty quiet while we tasted and though about these flavors.

Pairing: Loimer 'Lois" Gruner Veltliner, Austria 2010. Pale yellow in color, crisp, lemony. Great food wine.

Eel blood on rim before dashi was poured

 

Eel Dashi


 Inside this bowl rimmed with eel blood was a delicate broth, smoked eel, mushrooms, a quail egg, and pickled lotus root. It was perfect- savory, umami, tangy, light yet rich. It had depth, complexity, and balance. I would love this to be on a menu somewhere in Atlanta, sans the blood rim.
Pairing: Glen Carlou Chardonney, South Africa 2009. Fruity, oaky, rich.


Ox Blood Strozzapretti



Pastas and the way they are named for the objects they resemble make me happily don my etymology hat. This shape is a favorite; "Strozzapretti" means "priest strangler" in Italian. Not only did we have priest stranglers on our dishes, but they were made from ox blood and accompanied by rabbit sugo. Not strangling on my end, just smiling as they slipped down my throat.
Pairing: Solena Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2010. Spicy notes.

Blood Sausage

Our table was very chatty and giggly at this point. All preconceived notions of a blood dinner were put to ease with the dishes we had tasted so far. I loved the simplicity of this one- blood sausage, glazed radishes, and barrel cured apples. My favorite moment of the night happened while eating this dish when a table mate wondered aloud "these are so apple-y; I wonder what they are." Apples.
Pairing: Felino Malbec, Argentina 2010. Deep red, peppery, berries, spice aromas.

Pressed Squab
 

 This dish was also a performance in that diners watched as the squab was pressed in a meat press. The blood gravy was stirred next to it and eventually poured onto our plates. Roasted carrots and stewed prunes were served family style. 
Pairing: Charles & Charles Cabernet-Syrah blend, Walla Walla Valley 2010. Inky with dark cherry flavors.


Bloody Pebbles

A special pre-dessert interlude of bloody pebbles-pork blood creme anglaise drizzled into liquid nitrogen then mixed with pomegranate seeds was paired with a piece of blood styrofoam. Yep. Blood styrofoam. The pebbles were interesting in a super cold, iron-like, slippery mouth-feel, afraid to bite into them kind of way. I liked the inclusion of pomegranate seeds. It was kind of tasty. Weird, but tasty. The styrofoam tasted like, well, blood.

Flaming Crepes

 

Resplendent blood orange crepes arrived with beef blood ganache. Before I read the menu, I predicted a chocolate dessert with blood as a thickener. I had read about the tradition of making sanguinaccio, a chocolate pudding made with pigs blood, during the time of pig slaughter in Italy. Descriptions of it were just as the ganache tasted, just like dark chocolate only richer.  The pairing with this last dish was my favorite of the evening, L'Arco Pario Veneto 2004. It was succulent, rich, and velvety with a lingering finish. I enjoyed my glass (or two) with fellow diners and the chefs as we discussed our favorite bites of the evening. Enchantment, check. By the way, enchantment is also prohibited in the bible (Lev. 19:26).

Both my palate and my mind were heightened by this experience. It wasn't merely the food or the inventiveness of the chefs, but also the conversation a meal like this evoked. Dialogue stemming from a taboo topic and listening to different worldviews created an evening of intellectual growth. And that brings me back to blood. Said Rilke: "...if you set this brain of mine on fire, then on my blood I yet will carry you." The night set me afire and I will carry it with me.

Blood Dinner Menu

 



Field of Greens 2012

Field of Greens is Atlanta's greatest effort in showcasing the importance of traceability, the supply chain from farm to fork. I cannot wait to slip on my boots and head to Whipporwill Hollow Farm this Sunday, September 30 for Field of Greens. This has consistently been my favorite festival for years because it is laid back (yet well organized) on a working farm with some of my favorite chefs and local artisans. The farm is gorgeous and fun to tour. The food is outstanding. Last year Linton Hopkins’ hot chicken blew me away, literally and figuratively. I came away with bags full of local products and a bevy of silent auction winnings with Slow Food Atlanta as the recipient of the dollars spent.



Foraging pig apron from here

This year Todd Mussman of Muss and Turner's, Local Three, and Eleanor's will host a pig roast at 4 p.m. Fresh off his win at the inaugural  Heritage Cochon BBQ Competition (along with Nick Melvin, Jay Swift, and Tommy Searcy), Todd is masterful at this process.

After I peruse the market including some of my favorites (Emily G's Jams/sauces, Pine Street Market meats, Phickle Pickles, Decimal Place goat cheese, Garlic Clove Foods quinoa, Beautiful Briny Sea Salts, King of Pops), I will head to the tasting tent to be dazzled by small bits. The vendor area is the perfect place to purchase items for the holiday baskets I am planning. I have seen mention of many specials. Here is blurb about my favorite local things.

The restaurant line-up for the tasting tent which opens at 12:30:

Ron Eyester - Rosebud, The Family Dog (last year, the chicken and biscuits were like no other dish served. Amazing comfort food)

Robert Phalen - One Eared Stag, Holy Taco (The trotter terrine was my favorite dish last year. I hovered over this table)

Dave Larkworthy - 5 Seasons Brewing Company

Eric Ottensmeyer - LEON's Full Service

Linda Harrell - Cibo E Beve

Justin Keith - Food 101

Lance Gummere - Bantam+Biddy

Asha Gomez - Cardamom Hill

Shane Devereux - The Lawrence

Stephen Herman - Haven

Matt Swickerath - Valenza

Todd Mussman - Muss & Turner's, Local Three (the meatballs last year!)

Marc Taft - Chicken & The Egg

Chad Clevenger & Jeffrey Gardner - Alma Cocina

Craig Richards - Ecco

Zeb Stevenson - Livingston Restaurant + Bar, Proof and Provision

Cathy Conway - Avalon Catering

Eddie Hernandez - Taqueria del Sol (my first taste of Huitlacoche ever last festival)

Edward Russell - PARISH (last year’s pork pate’ was a favorite)

Billy Allin - Cakes & Ale

Dan Latham - Farm Burger

Whitney Otawka - Farm 255

Jay Swift - 4th & Swift

Todd Ginsberg - Bocado

Duane Nutter - One Flew South (his lamb sausage with blueberry pickled onions last year…holler)

Megan McCarthy - Healthy Eating 101

Nick Oltarsh - ONE. midtown kitchen

Ryan Smith - Empire State South (his deviled ham roulade last year!)

Alison Leuker - Sun in My Belly

Marc Sommers - Parsley's Catering

Todd Richards - The Shed at Glenwood

Britt Cloud - Sprig (I tasted their offering already. So, so good.)

Keith Schroeder - High Road Craft Ice Cream (last year it tasted like bourbon!)

Brian Horn & Joe Schafer - JCT Kitchen

Suzanne Vizethann - The Hungry Peach, Buttermilk Kitchen

EJ Hodgkinson - Woodfire Grill

 

Get your tickets here.

Leap Year Dinner at One Eared Stag

(from Origami USA)

Leap year come but once every four years. The rest of the time it does not exist. Why shouldn’t we do something grand and adventurous to celebrate this ephemeral ghost of a day? This year I did just that. No, I didn’t propose to a man in Ireland or jump from a high cliff, I attended the Leap Year Dinner at One Eared Stag with a collection of some of the finest cooking talent in Atlanta and I had a transcendental experience doing it.

I was welcomed as I stepped through the door with a French 75 and quickly introduced to the couple that would be table mates with us. My date and I were encouraged to mingle and enjoy the appetizers circling on silver platters. It was such a fun and relaxed atmosphere. I was able to speak with many of the chefs for the night and meet a few interesting new friends.  Forgive me for the photos but it was rather dark (romantic, good dark) in the restaurant.

trotter fritters with honey (I think I had 180)

head cheese with minute pickles

Someone clinked on a champagne glass and Robert Phalen welcomed us to One Eared Stag and introduced us to our chefs for the evening.  Our three tables were already having a wonderful time engaging in conversation. It is such a positive experience to dine in a restaurant when everyone is delighted about the evening and there to support the ensemble of chefs. Bring on the first course

Buttermilk fried white Georgia shrimp heads with romesco aioli-such a great way to start. So crispy with a flavor of the sea. From Robert Phalen-One Eared Stag

1st course wine pairing: Domaine Ostertag Les Vielles Vignes de Sylvan

Crisp and bright with a minerality that played well with the shrimp and the roe.

Fine herb custard with asparagus, roe, pork fat croutons

Easily my favorite dish of the evening and perhaps so far this year. The photo doesn't do it justice but this dish was creamy, but not heavy, and layered in textures and flavors. The bacony pork fat croutons were a flavorful end component to each bite and the 'pop' of fresh caviar tantalized my palate.

From Drew Belline of 246

Braised Eden Farms bacon, bacon brodo, kale

Bacon in bacon broth paired with bourbon. You already know this is good, right? Our table was silent while we finished this dish. We savored every bit in the bowl.

From Robert Phalen- One Eared Stag

The bourbon pairing: Black Maple Hill 8 year small batch

Incredible delicious, warm and smoky on it's own and paired so wonderfully with the bacon and the duck. It really cut the richness of both and added another dimension. I really love that this course was paired with bourbon.

Scallops, crispy smoked duck salad, burnt maple bourbon

My first bite was of the duck and it was a spectacular mouthful; so smoky and rich. This was such a mix of texture and flavor, warm and cool, soft and crisp, and sweet and smoky. Really makes me look forward to the opening of STG.

From Josh Hopkins of STG Trattoria

Brasstown Beef heartare, bottarga, southern giant, toast

I love dishes with unexpected ingredients married together and this certainly qualified. The dense, rich, and a lil gamey (good gamey) beef heart finely minced with salty bottarga (poor man's caviar) and southern giant greens on the thinnest sliver of delicate toast is a preparation that underscores the unique texture and flavor of the heart.

From Robert Phalen of One Eared Stag

3rd Course wine paring: Domaine de Nerleux Saumur- Champigny Clos des Chatains 2006

What a great food wine-dry, tannic, savory. It tasted of plums or cherries with notes of spices and a hint of roastiness. Terrific Cabernet Franc.

Sea Island red pea consomme', skin, bloodogna, crisp garlic

This dish was beautifully pulled together and playful. The consomme' arrived in a small mason jar. I tasted it by itself before pouring in the dish of spring veggies and pork. It was vibrant yet simple; uncluttered would be a great descriptor. Once added to the pea shoots, crispy garlic, rich and flavorful bloodogna and crispy pork skin, it transformed as a carrier of incredible flavors. I need more bloodogna in my life.

From Ryan Smith of Empire State South

Barley fed chicharrone with powdered kimchi

Crispy, salty, interesting.

From Robert Phalen of One Eared Stag

4th Course pairing: Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale

Japanese hamburg, poached egg

A delicious play on a Japanese hamburg, a popular Yoshoku (Japanese western-style dish), only this version is way more delicious with the addition of a poached egg. This bento box staple usually is accompanied by a thick brown, Salisbury steak-like sauce. Guy's sauce was delicate and slight. Every person around me cut into the egg and watched it ooze over the tender meat and then we sat together in absolute silence. So very good.

From Guy Wong of Miso Izakaya

Sweet Citrus Cream

Ambrosial, light, citrusy (obviously). Loved the thinly sliced dried slices on top.

From Robert Phalen of One Eared Stag

We also enjoyed a cornmeal cake with confit citrus and honey cream from Stuart Baesel of Community Q. My photo is blurry (ahem, 6 drinks) and I apologize. It was a great way to end the meal. Super light and sweet but not over bearing.

I left with a huge grin on my face and a satisfaction of money well spent. Such a great evening was had by all. Atlanta really showed its culinary chops and I was a lucky girl to be there. Leap year lucky, even.