February 20, 2014

Winter Fancy Food Show Recap


 The top five trends at the Winter Fancy Food Show as recapped by FSR Mag
  • Mint, making a comeback as a popular flavor in a number of treats, reflecting a turn towards simple, familiar tastes updated for the modern appetite. Examples include dark chocolate mint mélange, hibiscus mint all-natural frozen pops, and mint & licorice almond water.

  • Low-sugar beverages, revealing perhaps a trend away from drinks with alternative sweeteners. On hand were unsweetened almond milk, semi-sweet cola, and chocolate Earl Grey tea.

  • Dressed-up condiments, flavored with new ingredients for a fresh twist. On the show floor were fine herbs mayonnaise, truffle ketchup, and salted caramel mustard sauce.

  • The return of Sriracha, found in everything—from jam to tortilla chips to Bloody Mary mix, popcorn and hummus.

  • Crunch time, with chips and popcorn blended with the ingredients consumers crave, bringing to market pasta chips, quinoa chips, super food chips, and toasted sesame and seaweed popcorn.

February 7, 2014

TREME Dinner at The Shed At Glenwood - Atlanta, GA


Eight or so years ago, we were lucky enough to meet Lolis Eric Elie in Oxford, MS. We became fast friends by sharing meals over the years through our mutual affiliation with the Southern Foodways Alliance. (Lolis is one of the founders of the SFA.)

Lolis, the son of a civil rights attorney from New Orleans, graduated from Wharton (Finance and Econ. degree), Colombia (Journalism masters, and UVA (Creative Writing masters), respectively. Rest assured, he is always the smartest guy at the table. He got his start as a business reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He then went on to become the Road Manager for Wynton Marsalis. In 1995 he became a columnist and reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune. During this time he wrote several books, including Smokestack Lightning: Adventures in the Heart of Barbecue Country. Elie also wrote and produced the award winning PBS documentary Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was a winner at the 2008 San Francisco International Film Festival.

After leaving the Times Picayune in 2009, Elie became the story editor at HBO's Treme.

In 2013, Elie moved to Los Angeles where he became the executive story editor for AMC's Hell on Wheels.

His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Saveur, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, and Smithsonian magazine and he has been featured on NPR, CBS News, and 60 Minutes. His work is included in Best African American Essays and Best Food Writing: 2008. He is also a contributing editor to the Oxford American.

Elie has been featured several times on Travel Channel's No Reservations and The Layover both hosted by Anthony Bourdain.

Treme, which aired on HBO, was created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer and written by a collective of America’s great storytellers lead by Lolis Eric Elie. The series premiered on April 11, 2010, and concluded on December 29, 2013, comprising four seasons and 36 episodes. It takes its name from Tremé, a neighborhood of New Orleans. The series begins three months after Hurricane Katrina as the residents of New Orleans, including musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians, and other New Orleanians try to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane.

Lolis called and said he would be passing through town -- thought we might catch a bite...

That's all it took. So this is happening:

Feb 23rd, 2014
The Shed At Glenwood
$60 per person ++

Family Style Dinner and a signed copy of the Treme cookbook

Guest of Honor:
Author Lolis Eric Elie, story editor for the HBO series and the author of Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans

Featured Chefs / Mixologists:
Chef Todd Richards / The Shed at Glenwood / The Pig & The Pearl
Chef Duane Nutter / One Flew South
Pitmasters / Chefs Justin Fox, Jonathan Fox / Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
Mixologist / Tiffanie Barriere / One Flew South
Mixologist / Dean Nichols / The Shed at Glenwood

Menu inspired by Treme: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of New Orleans
Jumbo Lump Crabmeat & Herb Salad…roasted beets, & pickled onions
Lambreaux Cornbread
Boucherie’s Collard Greens
Chicken Adobo
Peppered Hangar Steak and Rice Cakes
Chunky Peanut Butter and Chocolaty Banana Cake

Featured Cocktails
Brandy Crusta  (cognac, lemon, orange curacao, Maraschino Luxardo liqueur, bitters)
Vieux Carre  (gin, lime, lemon, Demerara syrup, orange flower water)

Make reservations at http://www.opentable.com/the-shed-at-glenwood
or by calling The Shed at Glenwood at 404-835-4363

Check out Treme on HBO


February 3, 2014

Team Hidi 2.0


 
 
Team Hidi is not a function, party, or even an event—it is unlike anything Atlanta has ever experienced. The restaurant industry is one of the most (if not the most) competitive businesses that exists.
 
Last year, when we all came together for the Hidingers, for Ryan, for The Giving Kitchen, everyone was in awe of how all of these amazing people, chefs, and restaurants could be in the same room for any reason. It was the best party the city had ever seen, and we just happened to raise a lot of money as well.
 
 
 
This year, with Ryan’s passing a little over a week prior, there was more of a somber mood in the air—this year, it had much more meaning. Hearing Jen, his wife, speak after the video that could only be described as perfect, was difficult to say the least.
 
 

Special shout out to GOM family and friends who helped make the event so special:
BoccaLupo, Canoe, Fox Bros. BBQ, H. Harper Station, Holeman and Finch Public House,
One Eared Stag, Rosebud, Seven Lamps, Taqueria del Sol, and SweetWater for all of the support. We look forward to the opening of Staplehouse in the spring and what it will do for the Atlanta restaurant community.
 
and a big thanks to Erica with Letter B Photography for the images

February 2, 2014

We're Going West & "Grilling" With This Guy


Our great friend and client chef TimByres, named the Southwest 2012 Food & Wine Magazine’s “People’s Best New Chef,” is the co-owner and chef of Dallas’ SMOKE, Chicken Scratch, The Foundry, Bar Belmont and is now helming Outpost American Tavern. Originally from California but a longtime Texan, Byres is best known for his “live fire cookery”, worldly and approachable flavors, and fun, family-style service.   Smoke: New Firewood Cooking” was released on April 30, 2013 and includes photography by Jody Horton and a foreword by Josh Ozersky.

Check out this 11 pager on Tim's grilling tips and recipes in Food & Wine Magazine -- just in time for the Big Game (oh yeah, we aren't supposed to say SUPER BOWL anymore)

Chef Tim Byres' Guide to Grilling Greatness

The Austin Food & Wine Festival is a great one to hit up this spring -- Tim does a crazy live fire set up -- insane, hot, and definitely worth the trip.  Austin Food & Wine Festival April 25 - 27, 2014