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Appetites and Adventures

Tasting, Tasting 1-2

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Saturday and Sunday I visited the tasting tents at the Food and Wine Festival.  I miiiight have snuck in Saturday… shhhh!

The gates of heaven

The food was all good, but I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more variety.

There’s only so much fried chicken and BBQ I can consume.

Indian-Spiced Fried Chicken and Waffles = worth it

An exception to the “too much fried” rule is the above Indian-Spiced Fried Chicken and Waffles by Asha Gomez of Spice Route Supper Club.  I have GOT to check out one of her events ASAP.  Rumor has it she may be looking for a restaurant space…

Celeb Highlight: I got to meet Chef Norman Van Aken (the father of fusion… I shook his hand!).

Food Highlight: The beer, cheeses, and desserts (duh).

Best beer – New Heaven

The cheese spread (pun intended)

Coming to Whole Foods ATL soon!

I wish I’d done a better job remembering to photograph… there’s was just so much to eat! 🙂

My favorites beer/cheese/dessert:

  • Wild Heaven Craft Beers – I’d had these before, but Invocation and Ode to Mercy are the two brews offered by this new Decatur, GA-based brewery.  If you find them, drink them immediately.  It’s the best new beer I’ve tasted in a long time.
  • Sweet Grass Dairy’s Truffled Chevre – Decadently delicious.  There’s no other way to describe this.  Need proof?  They are complete OUT for the season.  🙁
  • The Hungry Peach’s Peach Cobbler Cupcake – Moist, flavorful, light… dignity is the only thing that kept me from devouring their whole display
  • High Road Craft Ice Cream – Every flavor was good (I shamelessly sampled everything), but if I had to cheese I’d say don’t miss the Caffeine Cacao and the French Toast (JUST like your mamma’s… in ice cream-form).  Good news for Georgian’s – they are coming soon to Whole Foods!  #godblesswholefoods

I had a great time hanging out with 2 new friends on Saturday and the Lippy crew on Sunday.  (Nathan’s wife, Chelsee = coolest chick ever.)

Me and Nathan Lippy. Our hair matches a little.

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If you ever wonder if your “clean” way of eating really makes a difference, eat like I did all weekend.  Monday I woke up feeling like crap.  Too.  Much.  Rich.  Food.

I seriously almost hurled during the flight to my client meeting.

At least it was better than it would have been: I ran 5 miles Saturday morning, took an hour walk that afternoon, played 2 ball games Sunday morning, and then ran 3.5 miles.  I should re-name this blog Run-Eat-Repeat. 🙂

I’m trying to mini-detox this week.  It’s not working so well since I’ve been traveling, but I’m definitely eating much cleaner than I did this weekend!  Monday I drank my breakfast (not in a noon-game tailgating way) before rushing to the airport:

Some days, you just need a green smoothie.  This was one of those days.

I did my P90X Ab Ripper X (best ab workout ever, btw), followed by my 75 push-ups (are you doing yours?!).  Then chugged enjoyed this refreshing smoothie.

Mango-Almond Smoothie

  • 1/2 champagne mango
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1 C fresh spinach
  • 1 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp Maca
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • water (adjust to desired consistency)

Put it in a blender.  Pour into glass.  Top with your favorite crunchy treat (I love this low-sugar citrus-granola).  

Drink up!

***

More like what I gorged on this weekend… but whatever… 🙂

Even though we’re already mid-week, this may be a timely discussion question given the upcoming long weekend…

How do you detox after a weekend of indulgence?

Nectar of the Gods

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Saturday afternoon I had the opportunity to attend a Sommelier Roundtable at the Food & Wine Festival.  Special thanks to my new friend, Corinne, for helping me make that choice!

 

A Sommelier is a wine professional.  A certified sommelier must take courses and pass exams to earn the formal title.  There are 4 levels of certifications, the highest level being Master Sommelier.  Only 180 people have ever earned the title of Master.

Participants in the Sommelier Roundtable included:

 

The session was attended by yet another Master Sommelier, Andrea Robinson.  She is one of 15 women to have been appointed a Master Sommelier.

Needless to say, I was starstruck.  Thankfully, they were serving wine.

Ready to taste

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So what did we taste?

1. Rose Brut

Name: Alfred Gratien Brut Rose Champagne

Notes: This champagne (Did you know that to be called a “champagne,” the wine must originate from the Champagne region of France?  Otherwise, it’s just sparkling wine) was pleasantly crisp, lots of strawberries and raspberries on the nose, some minerals, tiny bubbles and a deliciously yeast-y finish (think fresh breakfast rolls).

Price: ~$70

My Rating (1-5): 4.0

2. Lebanese Red Wine

 

Name: 2001 Chateau Musar Gaston Hochar, Red

Notes: An interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Cinsault from Lebanon (who knew they made wine in Lebanon?!).  It was extremely dark in color.  Heavy on the nose, strong woodsy/licorice taste with a nice spice at the beginning.  It packed a surprisinglysmooth finish… though I thought it died a bit too soon.

Price: ~$30

My Rating (1-5): 3.0

 

3. Syrah

Name: 2006 Joubert-Tradauw Syrah

Notes: Intoxicating coffee scent.  Hints of plum as the wine opened up.  Long, smooth, cocoa-filled finish.  Complex layers, not one to sip on a hot day.  Would love to drink with a fillet or dark chocolate.  This bottle will definitely impress at a dinner party!

Price: ~$20

My Rating (1-5): 4.5

4. Sherry

 

Name: Lustau Dry Oloroso Don Nuno Sherry

Notes: I’m not a big sherry drinker, but this changed my mind.  Caramel with a hint of burnt orange on the nose.  More citrus at the beginning, then the caramel intensifies and some nuttiness is apparent.  Well-balanced flavors, toasted nut flavor on the end.  Unlike many sherries, there is no overpowering alcohol taste.  We were given an almond to eat as we tasted – this made the flavor really pop and left me dreaming of enjoying a glass with a simple chocolate-hazelnut tart.

Price: ~$28

My Rating: 4.2

 

Can you guess which sommelier chose which wine?

  1. Rose Brut – Heath Porter
  2. Lebanese Red – Clint Sloan
  3. Syrah – Steven Satterfield
  4. Sherry – Virginia Phillip

 

All of the wines were so different – it’s hard to choose a favorite.  This will not be the last time I have that Syrah though!  Or the sherry.

If you are interested in learning more about Sommeliers, click here.

***

I am carving wine after this post.  Which means it’s past time to hit the gym.  🙂  Tasting tent recap tomorrow!

Are you a wine drinker?  What’s your favorite region/grape… or other beverage?

 

 

Food Heaven

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The sign says “The end is near.”

 

While the Rapture never took place, this weekend I died and went to food heaven.

The first (hopefully annual!) Atlanta Food & Wine Festival ran from Friday until Sunday.  My friends weren’t into going, so I decided to go it alone.  In the end, I am SO glad I did.

Doing things alone really forces you to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people.  Which I did – lots of very cool fellow food and wine lovers.

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Day 1

Friday night I glammed it up to attend a party at The W Hotel called “Break the Rules.”

Pre-event, hoping someone will talk to me

The food was created by Nathan Lippy and his team.  Nathan is an up-and-coming chef and video blogger from FLA.  He, his wife, and sister were nice, down-to-earth, fun people.  They even let this loaner tag along with them through the tasting tents! 🙂

Everything was delish AND I found people to hang with, no problemo.

Check out his blog here.  Nate has some out-of-the-box food and media ideas.  He also hosts the world’s first interactive cooking show!

My Top 3 dishes of the night:

1. Cereal Milk Pana Cotta – Nate’s pana cotta was flavored with cereal.  And yes, it tasted like cereal milk.  In a good way.

Check out the serving tray!

 

2. Beer-Battered Fried Pineapple with Avocado Chipotle Cream – This one was my favorite, mostly for the spicy avocado cream (you know I’m a sucker for spicy food).  The serving tray method added to the cool factor.

She let me have seconds

3. Bacon, Fried Bananas, and Vanilla Ice Cream with Maple-Rum Sauce – Sweet, salty… need I say more?!

Bacon. It’s not just for breakfast.

There was SO much to taste, but I somehow managed.  I’d like to thank my  5-mile morning run and my second stomach.

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Day 2

Saturday the Foodster group trekked out to Wonderland Farms where we hung out with the owners, Sheldon Fleming and Deborah Summerville.

These two are in incredible pair – it is so rare to met people so passionate about their work.  Wonderland Gardens is located in a lower-income area of Atlanta where obesity and related diseases are prevalent.   Sheldon and Deborah bring in local youth and adults to educate them on nutrition and wellness.  They even offer hands-on education!

Speaking of hands-on… I farmed!  Sort of.  We tilled the land, planted a few veggies and herbs, and even braided garlic.  I couldn’t use a camera while farming, but Nate came by to take some pics (check out his FaceBook page for more shots!).

Talking with Sheldon

Then it was lunchtime.  We feasted on BBQ courtesy of Nathan Lippy and the guys at Community Q BBQ (1361 Clairmont Rd. Decatur, GA, 404-633-2080). The group was also treated to cold beers and a brief education from Atlanta’s own Sweetwater Brewery.

@BBQGeek makin’ ribs

The summer pea salad was my favorite side

Dried cherry slaw, summer peas, marinated cucs, hedge hog mushrooms, a rib (they still creep me out), and smoked chicken.

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As if that wasn’t enough, I hauled it back into the city just in time to take part in a Sommelier Roundtable.

Buuuutttt… I have to get on a plane, so more on that (and some awesome, affordable wine suggestions for you!), as well as the tasting tent extravaganza tomorrow.

***

I’ll never hesitate to go to an event alone again – I had the BEST time this weekend!

Would/have you ever gone to an event alone?  How about dinner or a movie?

Ready. Set. Eat!

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Creative Loafing Atlanta recently published it’s “100 Dishes to Eat in Atlanta Before You Die.”

Foodies through the city rejoiced.  Then compared notes for bragging rights.

 

My score card? While I’ve only had 11 of the dishes mentioned , I have dined at 38 of the restaurants (including the 11 where I actually had the dish).

I’ve also eaten 3 out of 6 Chef’s picks.

This doesn’t count the cocktail section since many locations were repeats.  Incidentally, I’ve been to all but 1 ofthese fine restaurant bars.  Oddly, I’ve only tried the H&F beverage. 

The Southern Cola… it was quite tasty, though I like the whiskey + tamarind syrup rimmed with dehydrated bacon creation I had there better.

 

Overall this is a GREAT list.  Clearly, I have a mission.  My favorite on the list so far is the Carbonara at Holeman & Finch or the Giggioto calzone from Antico Pizza.  But that pecan waffle at WaHo will win at 3 am every time.   Hell.  Yes. 😉

 

Last night's Antico dinner

 

 

They could have done a better with the breakfast section, but I guess we can’t all live for brunch.  Where’s Ria’s? Watershed?  Rosebud?  The crepe guy at the Piedmont Park Green Market?

 

Cheers to the hard-working taster/writers: Cliff Bostock, Besha Rodell, and Jennifer Zyman.

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This morning I’m getting ready for my best friend’s baby shower!  Lots of goodies to come from this extravaganza. 🙂

 

Knowing there will be a mad rush for the rest of the day, I got my run in early.

Stats:

  • Distance: 5 miles
  • Time: 43:30
  • Pace: 8:06

 

Don’t forget the Bake Sale Steph @ Bite by Bite is holding to benefit Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

My contribution are a big batch of Dark Chocolate Sea Salt cookies. Sweet and chocolatey with a flaky fleur de sel crunch on top.  Mmmmm!

Please click here to check out the bake sale!!! It ends at 12p EST today!!!

***

Have any of you been eaten the magical 100 Atlanta dishes?

What do you think the best spot in your city is?

I love to travel – suggestions always welcome!

 

Flipping the Switch

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Being plugged-in and “on” for extended periods of time can be exhausting to mere mortals.

I have already worked 40 hours this week and I still have lots to do.  I don’t mind it – it makes the time fly.  The only problem is that I’m out of things to say.

So today I’m working from home.  In Excel.  Without human connection (save one call this morning).

 

There have been lots of pics/activities/awesomeness that I haven’t gotten a chance to share, so I thought today I’d do a picture-intense post.

Warning: this post is 1) super late and 2) wordless (save a few captions).

 

@ La Pietra Cucina

@ Iberian Pig

 

Michelle Malone @ Eddie's Attic

 

Michelle's after-the-show show

 

New rug... do you like it? I'm not sold.

 

I rode in an Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

 

Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers @ Holy Taco

 

 

Greek yogurt, bananas, Fiber One, cinnamon, and chia seeds

The End.

***

Do you ever just run out of words?

What to you do to re-charge?

 

Rosebud

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Guess where I am?

 

Don’t be jealous.  11 hours of the day I was shivering in a conference room. It was a good meeting though… and the beach was a great backdrop for dinner!

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Have you guys heard about the bake sale going being hosted by Steph @ Bite by Bite?  Steph is a member of Team in Training and is raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart.  My dad passed away from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia 3 years ago this summer.  Please go check out the bake sale when it opens on Friday!

My contribution is a cookie that my dad enjoyed: Dark Chocolate Sea Salt. 

Recipe to come as I make them and can photog this weekend!  The basics include: dark chocolate, butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, almonds, and fleur de sel glittered across the top.

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Growing up my mom used to say I had “rosebud” lips.  I guess that means they were not very wide, yet plump?!

 

I wish I could say I that I remembered this cute story when I made Mother’s Day reservations at a restaurant called Rosebud.   I did not.

Rosebud (1397 N. Highland Ave, Atlanta, GA 30306, 404-347-9747) is headed by talented chef and owner, Ron Eyester (@theangrychef).  He gets extra cool-points for naming it after named after Jerry Garcia’s guitar.


Beginning with a light cocktail is the secret to Sunday brunch success.  I ordered the Crispy Cucumber – fresh cucumber juice, fresh squeezed lemon, and champagne.  It was perfect – sparkling, light, and not sweet.

Just as I suspected, the cucumber was a refreshing compliment to the bubbly.

It’s the Sunday version of a green smoothie

 

We started with mini Sweet Corn Muffins (sadly, not pictured). They were served with fresh strawberry preserves.  Honestly, I’m not a big cornbread fan, but these straight-out-of the-oven muffins were irresistible with the preserves.  Rather than taking over the taste, the sweetness in the moist minis was more of an accent.

 

Next up was a Fried Green Tomato app.  These tomatoes were breaded in Ritz crackers and fried to crispy perfection.  (Don’t you hate when they are a greasy, soggy mess?  NOT the case  here!)

The tomato deliciousness was topped with fresh mozzarella, radishes, and leeks.  All served over truffled honey mustard.  That’s right, I said truffled.

My only issue was with the mozzarella – I prefer mine to be creamier than the thicker version served here.

My entree selection was a Wild Mushroom Scramble, topped with chopped romaine and Cypress Grove Midnight Moon goat’s milk cheese.  It was as good as it looks – fluffy scrambled eggs, properly seasoned to let the earthy mushroom and nutty aged chevre to shine.  Nom Nom.

Mom seemed pretty satisfied with her Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits, served with andoullie sausage, sweet onion, San Marzano tomatoes, and local grits.  These grits are ridiculously good.

 

The dessert special was a chocolate pretzel ice cream with some form of rice crispy treat.  We didn’t order dessert and I still regret it 3 days later.  Learn from my mistake.

 

In conclusion, if you are in Atlanta on a Saturday or Sunday, you should check out brunch @ Rosebud.  Or you could enjoy have brunch for dinner at Rosebud on Friday or Monday.  ‘Cause 2 day weekends are never enough.

***

Do you eat breakfast for dinner?

I could eat breakfast for every meal.

 

Bikini Belly Secret

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Want to know the single most effective exercise you can do to flatten your belly?

Plank.  I swear by it.

Side Plank

The above was my side plank yesterday morning.  My form is usually a little better… it’s hard to plank and take a picture of yourself in the mirror! 🙂

Here’s my daily recipe for a bikini belly***:

  • Regular plank – 2:30 mins
  • Left-Side Plank – 1:30 mins
  • Right-Side Plank – 1:30 mins

***In my opinion.  Don’t sue me if it doesn’t make you look like Jackie Warner!***

The thing to remember when planking is to keep your butt down – don’t be sticking it in the air.  Don’t sag it to the ground either though.   You want to be in a perfect line.  Your elbows should be directly in line with your shoulders (it will help keep them from hurting!).  Keep your hands relaxed.

Same goes for the hips when side planking.

Keep them in line – no sticking them wayyy up or sagging wayyy down.  Straight.  Line.  The elbow on the floor should be directly in line with your shoulder.

Don’t start with a 2:30 min plank if you are new to planking.  Start with what you can do and work your way up.

Form is important here or you won’t be effective.  2 minutes with bad form is just a waste of 2 mins.

Growing up, Mom used to feed my sisters and me chicken fingers with a dip made of honey and mayo.

We didn’t like mustard.

This is my 7-year old mental state: Mayo + Honey = Delicacy.  Cheese = Terrible.

I’ve mentioned before how picky I was.  I didn’t even like CHEESE.  Thankfully, I grew out of that.

Mom shares my passion for all things cheesy, so for Mother’s Day I got her her very own basket ‘o fancy cheese!

The nice ladies at Star Provisions, a specialty market in Atlanta, let me taste until I found just the right ones for the basket.  It was hard work, but I sacrificed for Mom.

In the basket:

  • Valdeon – Cow AND goat’s milk blue cheese from Spain.  This spicy, buttery blue is wrapped in sycamore leaves.  It is hands down then best blue I’ve ever tasted.
  • Winnimere – Cow’s milk from Jasper Hill in Vermont (made seasonally – Nov-April).  Washed with lambic-style beer and wrapped in strip of spruce bark cut, it has a fantastic woodsy taste.
  • Wabash Cannonball – Goat’s milk cheese from Capriole Farm in Indiana.  It has 3 layers of goodness, the last being a rind of gorgeous ash and mold.
  • Little Martha – Salty cow’s milk from Flat Creek Lodge in Swainsboro, GA; named by Star Provisions after the Allman Brothers’ song.
  • Potter’s Crackers – Hazelnut Graham
  • Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Bar – Dark with Salt and Pepper

Did anyone else’s stomach just growl?

There are all TOTALLY different cheeses… but if I were forced to choose a favorite it would be the Cannonball.  The layers added so much to the complexity.  It’s like nothing I’ve had before.

Mom!  Which is your fav?!

***

I’m running to a meeting, so the Mother’s Day Brunch review is coming tomorrow!

What do you find to be the most effective ab exercise? Do you plank?

What is your favorite cheese?

A Schizophrenic Foodie

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A schizophrenic foodie.

 

I go from eating pork belly one day to vegan lavender-chocolate chip scones the next.

 

Get in mah belly!

Cream who?

 

Does anyone else do this craziness?

 

I can’t help my schizophrenia.  I love, love, love good, gourmet food.  That 7-course tasting menu at Woodfire Grill was a whole new level of fantastic.

Kevin Gillespie, I don’t care if some people say it’s just Top Chef hype.  You can cook a damn good meal.

 

By the same token, I fully appreciate a creative, vegan baked good.  And I shamelessly pre-gamed lunch with that scone.  They were still making the walnut pesto for my sandwich… and I was STARVING after a long-ish run.

 

Stats:

  • Distance: 6 miles
  • Time: 52:01
  • Pace: 8:67

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Dulce Vegan (1994 Hosea L. Williams Dr. NE Atlanta, GA 30317) opened in the Kirkwood neighborhood 2 weeks ago.  It is a vegan bakery that also serves a daily sandwich – on vegan bread, of course.

I got to speak to one of the owners (and maker of the scone deliciousness) while I waited.  Don’t you love when people are so clearly excited about what they do?

 

From the traffic during my 45 min visit, it looks like people aren’t phased at all by the fact that the store is vegan.

A good cupcake is a good cupcake, right?!

Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free chocolate cupcakes

After my pre-lunch scone, I enjoyed my sandwich: fresh walnut-pesto, balsamic tofu, spinach, and tomato.  And mayo.  All vegan.

The bread was fantastic – I love the satisfying crunch to the crust.  The firmly pressed tofu was also good – the balsamic went really well with the pesto.

My only complaint was the volume of the condiments.  The pesto – while good – was very flavorful.  The amount on the sandwich was a bit overwhelming.  They could have left off the mayo altogether – it didn’t add anything.

 

Don’t skip the scone.  Nom nom.  Nom.  And I officially have a crush on said scone-baker.

Topping off such a day is hard… but I managed to put a koozie to good use.  With a kombucha on my building’s roof.  *big dork*

***

I’m usually eat a vegetarian diet… but I do love the occasional meat-filled indulgence at restaurants.  I’m a scared-of-commitment veg.

Are you schizo with your eating or do you follow a strict vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian/other diet?

 

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