3 days of all the food and drinks imaginable.
It’s like how I envision heaven, except in heaven you never get too full.
This weekend was my favorite event in Atlanta: The Food & Wine Festival. Many of you have probably heard of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. This event was modeled after that. It’s in its 3rd year, and this was my 3rd year attending. It just keeps getting better!
Kat, my friend and bi-weekly guest blogger, came with me to the first day:
I can’t even being to recap everything from the weekend, but today I wanted to share some of the eats (and drinks) with you. You will be shocked at the volume… but one thing you learn is NOT to clean your plate. Take a bite and toss it. It sounds wasteful, and I had a really hard time (read: failed) doing it in my first year… but if you ate everything you’d explode. Those starving children in Africa aren’t going to benefit from you finishing every dish. I was stuffed from the millions of bites!
The kickoff was on Thursday night at JCT Kitchen in Atlanta. It was set up like a tailgate party where you went from table to table sampling foods and drink created by chefs and mixologists around the Southeast. It was aptly named Pig Out.
Clockwise from top left: Tito’s vodka with , bonal, aperol, lemon, cucumber, tonic from Paper Plane in Atlanta; Southern BLT Slider with pimento cheese and bacon jam from The Hungry Peach in Atlanta; Pork ribs with moonshine BBQ and peach slaw and a deviled egg from JCT Kitchen (this was my favorite… and I don’t even like ribs!); Cupcake heaven: coconut with marshmallow icing, strawberry, and red velvet by Sugaree’s in Mississippi; Shrimp with rhubarb and summer pea sauce
Clockwise from top left: tailgate scene; Four Roses bourbon with marsaca cherry paste, lemon, and orange blossom from The Crunkleton in Chapel Hill, NC; Blood sausage queso fundido with corn tortillas from Underbelly in Houston, TX (blood sausage is not my favorite… but I tried a bite); Grilled andoullie, cheese grits, and sauce piquante from Restaurant Iris in Memphis, TN (the piquante was amazing); Cherry Old Smokey moonshine cocktail (I loved the ‘staches); Country sausage with Southern kraut and beer mustard from Local Three in Atlanta (mustard WIN).
Friday and Saturday started out with workouts. A good sweat to begin the day is a must during this weekend! I got in a great weight session and ran some stairs in the park on Saturday. They sky looked threatening, but it cleared up by the time I walked to the event!
We had classes each morning, then it was on to the tasting tents! More on the classes later – I learned a LOT! For now, the gluttony.
I wish I could remember each restaurant, but it’s hard to juggle food, wine, cameras, and taking notes. #bloggerfail
Things to note:
- Strawberry moonshine is delicious. And dangerous – it tastes like candy.
- The bottom left pic is a piece of pork belly… with a Pop Rocks crust. Literally an explosion in your mouth.
That’s what she said. - The bottom middle is the Pine Street Market table, which was my overall favorite each day.
- The bottom right was a collard-wrapped sweet potato tamale from Acre, a restaurant set to open this fall in Auburn, AL. It was really, really good.
Things to note:
- The BBQ taco in the top middle was from Fox Bros. BBQ and was enough to convince me I actually do like some BBQ.
- The salad on the bottom left was incredible – it was topped with blueberry-lemon-thyme jam from Sallie’s Greatest.
- Honeysuckle Gelato continues to be good. Their honey-fig is my favorite!
- Frozen Pints is beer ice cream. I SWEAR I had this idea to do this when I was 16.
Things to note:
- The salmon in the top middle is crave-worthy. I’m considering a trip to Louisville, KY to get more from Proof on Main.
- Mole Negro Chocolate (bottom right) from French Broad Chocolates in Asheville, NC was impressive – at first I thought it was plain… and then a full 5 second into the bite the kicker came – a delicious wave of chili and spice.
Things to note:
- The Lazy Goat in Greenville, SC made the dish on the bottom left. It was a Moroccan braised lamb shank with cucumber yogurt and a plantain chip. It stands out in my mind because I loved the warm sauce and rich lamb again the fresh, cool yogurt.
- I wish I could remember where the dish in the bottom middle came from. It was a cucumber wasabi sorbet with shrimp and mango sauce. Light and delicious.
Annnnd… salads are also marvelous. Sunday I sold my pass – I was stuffed! Instead, I played 3 softball games (we are 8-1 for the season!) and spent $50 on veggies alone at the farmer’s market. There will be a lot of this happening this week:
***
Stick a fork in me, I am DONE.
Have you been to a food festival? Are any of the restaurants I mentioned in your hometown?
What was the most marvelous part of your weekend?
Wow, sounds like a great, filling weekend! I don’t usually go to food festivals, simply because of the lack of vegan food. It sound like there were a few options for me at your Food & Wine Festival. Too bad I’m not in Atlanta 🙂
We have a vegan festival here!! It was really good last year. 🙂
Well the title of this post is certainly amazing. And um your whole weekend sounds amazing. Wine = yay! Food = yay.
Oh baby, and big salads are where it’s at. I’m all about them lately.
Oh, that FOOD!! I would certainly be stuffed too, everything looks delicious!! We have an annual food&wine fair here in Zurich and I traditionally get a cheese, wine and Chocolate overdose. I must say, our Swizzys are pretty genous when it comes to their specialities.
I think I’d die of overeating at a Swiss food festival. Chocolate, cheese, and wine are my favorite things!
I love food festivals!!! There was one a few weeks ago near me but it was outdoors and that weekend the weather was horrible so I didn’t end up going 🙁 there’s normally a huge one near me at the end of this month though so hopefully should be nicer for that!
I’ve never heard of any of the restaurants you mentioned but their food wow it looks yummy!
OMG this looks amazing! There is a food festival near me next weekend and I was thinking about going – now I’m definitely planning to, crossing my fingers that it’s like this!
They are a great way to try a variety of foods! I can’t wait to hear how you like it. 🙂
I’m stuffed just looking at everything in the pics! I’ve never been to a food festival but no I really want to go!
i’ve never been to a food festival – i would totally make the rookie mistake of finishing every plate and then feel like i’m going to explode! i’ve never had moonshine before.. heather was just talking about that at blend!
One of these years I will make it there because it looks just oh so good!
You HAVE to go next year!!! It’s the best festival in ATL!
ahhh I MISS CHAPEL HILL and the crunkleton!!!!!
You’ve been?! Those guys were great!
Wow—what a great weekend. Aspen’s is on my bucket list.
Mine too!!!
i’m so craving lamb now and goat cheese! damnit, i wish i could have gone.
Road trip next year!!!
Holy Cow, Laura!!! I have never attended a festival like this and I’m not sure I’d survive! You really did need to get in all of those workouts to counteract it! And 3 Softball games?!?!?! Wow…you’re my hero, Kiddo!! Have a great day!
We won all 3 games, too! 🙂
Wow, um, so why wasn’t I invited 😉 Sounds like a great event. I lived in Auburn, AL for a bit. Cool that they’re getting a nice restaurant like that. There was only really one nice one when I was there. The rest were mostly bars.
You are alwyas welcome! I think we should all meet in Aspen for that extravaganza. 🙂
I would love to attend one of these, though I could easily see myself making your rookie mistake.
Holy food overload Batman!!! This festival looks like so much fun!! 🙂
So much fun and SO much food! YUM!
SOOOO jealous of this weekend!! My sister and I were just talking about how much we wished we were there!!
You guys should come next year! Are you coming to ATL anytime soon?
I’m not even sure what to think of this post. Should I be jealous that you had the opportunity to attend such a kick a$$ event, or should I just live vicariously through you & be happy that one of us were able to go? I’m just torn! Ha Ha 🙂
BOTH! 😉
Wow, that sounds amazing!! I’ve never really been to a “real” food festival- mostly just festivals that also sold food. 🙂
I can think of no better way to spend an entire weekend than eating delicious food. Everything looks fantastic. I’d love to go one year.
I kept seeing your pics on Instagram & thinking what a wonderful tie you were having – you live it right! 🙂
Thank you!!! It’s always a good time. 🙂
we have always wanted to go to a Food and Wine Festival! looks like a great time 🙂
marvelous about our weekend was enjoying time with friends and just relaxing!
We went to a food and wine festival this weekend, too! It was called “Graze the Bench” and it took you to 7 different wineries throughout the Niagara Wine Region. I had never been to a wine festival before, and it was so much fin! It definitely won’t be my last! 🙂
Oh, fun!!! Any wine-focused festival is a winner in my book. 🙂
Holy cow! So many delicious looking dishes! I had fun following along on Instagram. 🙂
I think that I need to make that a top bucket list item – attend a food and wine festival (or all of them!).
All of the food and drink imaginable? Gotta get on the planning!!!
Sounds like a super weekend!!!
I highly recommend it. you definitely get your money’s worth. 😉
So much food! I have a hard time handeling being around so much food at one time. I want it all!
I have only been to a taste of newport beach which is where restaurants from around the area showcase their best dishes but it costs money per dish so that stops you from getting too cray cray! I do agree with tasting not eating the whole dish but I’m sure some of those treats were not wasted! Looks like a great time!! Have an amazing week and looking forward to your farmers market finds 🙂 love + shine Courtstar
We have one like that here – Taste of Atlanta. Both are fun… but the restaurnts at F&W are muuuuch better. 🙂
SO MUCH FOOD PORN!! The gelato sounds incredible, as does the pop rock crust! I love the balance of the Saturday indulgences and the Sunday sports and veggies:)
They gelato is a favoritie – they have it in stores here but I can’t be trusted with my own pint. 🙂
Look at all that food!!! It looks incredible. I’m glad you had such a good time!! One day I will go… For now I can’t afford it. But it looks like it is well worth the price!
Next year I am dragging you there! 😉
Oh goodness, i would be in absolute heaven there! We have a local Food and Wine shows, but it’s not even remotely close to that size. I always go with my mom and we share plates – you definitely can’t finish everything yourself without dying!
I was sharing with friends too. It’s insane the amount of food!
Hmmmmmm Food!! I definitely ate a TON this weekend. SO much so that I feel like I have a 10 lbs brick in my stomach… But it was AMAZINGLY good. And you want to know what I am doing right now? EATING MORE! LOL
Actually, I am too… LOL!
Oh this looks like a delicious weekend! So much food that sounds so amazing! I’d probably have made the mistake of eating every bite of everything I tried, and then wouldn’t have been able to try as much as you.
I hope to get to a food and wine festival one day!
The honey fig gelato, I WANT! Gosh that would be amazing!!!
Oh food festivals are fun! I loved seeing all your instagram pics from it!
You looked so pretty too, as always 😉
Happy Monday love!
Thank you so much!!! I think this would be the perfect fest for someone who’s eating for two. Minus the booze, obv. 😉
Oh wow! Sounds like a delicious weekend. I want to attend a food festival…or create my own at home. HAHA! I love the idea of trying different dishes from different restaurants without having to commit to just one. 🙂
And my entire weekend was relaxing and marvelous. The slow pace was a nice change from the go go go nature of the past few weeks.
You should go to South Beach!!! And take me with. 🙂
That looks like so much fun! I recently went to an Asian food festival in Cincinnati and loved trying all the different foods.
Whoa… an Asian food festival would be amazing!!
You so pretty! <3
Also that sounds AMAZING! And I can't wait for the day that I can drop 50 bucks on veggies!!
You are so sweet. 🙂
It had to happen – I was OUT of everything.
Wow, what an awesome event! I would be in heaven. We have a “taste of Charleston” but I haven’t been yet. I kind of suck at going to those events but I wish I did!
I’ve always wanted to go to that! Charleston has such good food.
Holy SHIT that’s a lot of food!! And I totally agree…true Heaven allows us all to be total bottomless pits! So many pictures, so much deliciousness…of course list format is a MUST!
1. You don’t like ribs…you only NOW think you like BBQ…and of course there is the whole white potato thing…HOW THE HELL DO YOU CALL YOURSELF A SOUTHERNER?!!? Lol
2. Do I want to know what blood sausage is? Ewww!
3. Pop Rocks on pork belly? Wha?!?! Was it GOOD pork belly? What flavor was the pop rocks? Who comes up with this shit?!
4. How was the beer ice cream? Allie and I tried some Yazoo infused gelato at Jeni’s back in February…she liked it, but it wasn’t my cup of
teabeer! 😉5. Blueberry lemon thyme jam?!? I need this in my life ASAP!
I love when you comment in list form. 😉
1. I now like really good BBQ that is moonshine-based. NO POTATOES!!! Or corn.
2. It is what it sounds like. And it’s salty.
3. The pork belly itself wasn’t so good (Kat liked it – she ate the rest of mine), but the idea was cool. The Pop Rocks were strawberry. They were delish.
4. DELISH!!!! I’ve had it bere. They have about 10 flavors now! You’d like the Honey one.
5. YES! They are online. I think I’m going to order a jar myself.
Holy awesomeness. Okay, let’s make a pact. I come with you to this event next year! amazing!
OMG – will you please?!
BABE. So much goodness. I, too, have been dreaming of beer ice cream for years. Would totally just eat a pint each of that for dinner tonight 😉 x
I’m game for that!!!
Holy smokes! All that food sounds/looks delish! I’d be allll over that gelato & salmon. yummmmO
I love the sound of all of these. what a great weekend, and I can see why it would be heaven and you’d also be ready for a veggie packed salad when it’s all done. I’m glad to hear you’re still kicking ass in softball too.