2012 Atlanta Chef's Expo - tickets available now!

Atlantans can now purchase tickets for the inaugural Atlanta Chef’s Expo, the city’s ultimate taste test event set to take place Sunday, February 19, 2012, at the Foundry at Puritan Mill. This inaugural culinary event will include menu tastings from local chefs, cooking demonstrations and more, benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Greater Atlanta.

“We are exited to put our distinctive stamp on Atlanta’s already outstanding roster of foodie events,” Atlanta Chef’s Expo founders Alisha Nesbitt and Cheryl Hasting said. “It is our goal to create an affordable, family-friendly environment for event goers to enjoy some of the city’s finest culinary talents and to showcase additional chefs that aren’t always in the spotlight, including acclaimed caterers and pastry chefs.”

The highly-anticipated epicurean expo will highlight Atlanta’s greatest in restaurant dining and catering opportunities including tastings from restaurants such as Thrive and Marlow’s Tavern; sought-after caterers including reMARKable Meals and Wolfgang Puck Catering; and sweet treats from local pastry chefs including Dr. Sweet’s Cake Emporium. To help Atlanta foodies navigate through the plethora of tastings, the expo will be broken into categories including “Restaurant Row,” “Catering Alley,” The Sugar Shack” and “The Chef’s Table.” Popular blogger Broderick Smylie, known as Savory Exposure, will judge each category and select a “Most Creative” while guests can choose their “Fan Favorite.” Additional judges for the event include Holly Firfer from Star 94 and Atlanta on-air personality Tom Sullivan.

Between tastings guests can enjoy cooking demonstrations from beloved local chefs throughout the day. Featured guest chefs include chef Ginny McCormack, an expert in Southern hospitality; one of the most sought after private chefs in the country, chef Dwayne L. Hairston; one-time “Chopped” winner and co-owner of The Hungry Peach, chef Suzanne Vizethan; and pastry chef Juanita Threlkeld who designs weddings cakes.

Guests can also enjoy cocktails from presenting sponsor ABSOLUT Vodka, along with musical entertainment from Joel Rabe of Lethal Rhythms. Tickets are now on sale. General admission tickets are $25 and VIP tickets are available for $50. The expo is also seeking sponsors for the event in support of Susan G. Komen. Packages range from $500 Silver Sponsors to $2,000 Platinum Sponsors.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.atlantachefsexpo.com.

Enjoy with ABSOLUT RESPONSIBILITY®. ©2011 Imported by Absolut Spirits Co., New York, NY. Valid ID required 21+ to be served alcohol at the Atlanta Chef’s Expo.

Rooster 14 Cookies: The story behind the magic

Rooster 14 Chocolate Chip Cookies - straight out of the oven.

If you live ITP, particularly in Inman Park, Morningside, Virginia Highlands, Grant Park or Druid Hills, you may have seen the giant Rooster 14 cookies that have a unique, raised ice cream scoop center. I first tried one at Savi Urban Market, where the cookie is sold more frequently than in any other retail location. The cookies are also available at all three Doc Chey's locations, Pizza Maddio's and several other locations which you can view here. Mail order is also available. I recently had the opportunity to watch Rooster 14 founder and head chef, Nancy Portaleo, at work actually making the cookies. The best part: I got a warm, straight out of the oven Rooster 14 cookie. I know you are jealous. I am drooling right now just thinking about it! I also learned some interesting facts about the cookie, its history and its future.

Nancy Portaleo, formerly a make-up and hair artist, began her catering company when her daughter was born. She caters mostly film and photography shoots and for dessert, she often includes her special chocolate chip cookie. After countless consumers inquired about this tasty cookie, she decided to create Rooster 14 so that more people could experience this spectacular cookie. The name comes from memories of her childhood home on Long Island: there was a rooster image on the side of her family's house and her street number was 14.

The cookie itself is saltier than most, with a shortbread base that I love. There is a trade secret involved - I literally had to leave the room during the dough-making process so I have no idea what it is! Portaleo uses La Vencedora vanilla, which she believes really adds to the taste - it is imported from Mexico and can be purchased online. Something about the cookie's ice cream scoop center just begs you to eat more. I did not inquire about the calorie count and I don't want to know! It is big enough to be shared and makes a wonderful gift. In stores the cookies are hand selected out of a glass jar - very nostalgic - and put in a paper bag. Portaleo plans to stay away from individually plastic-wrapped cookies in her effort to honor the past and be environmentally friendly. The cookies can also be delivered or shipped in cute boxes.

Owner/chef Nancy Portaleo forms the Rooster 14 dough balls. You have to get this right or the cookie will not come out properly! I even tried my hand at it and finally produced an acceptable scoop!



More dough. Yum!



The adorable boxes used for shipped orders. A Rooster 14 dozen is 14 cookies - now that's a dozen I'd like to receive!

The future of Rooster 14: Portaleo plans to debut a cookies and milk mobile food truck in the near future which will sell the original cookie as well as smaller versions called "chickie 14's" and even tinier "chickie fourteenies". She also plans to introduce several new cookie flavors and ice cream sandwiches. A quick preview of some of the projected cookie flavors: lemon shortbread, spiced pecan chocolate chip, peanut butter dipped in chocolate, chocolate dipped toasted almond with a caramel sea-salt drizzle. For the ice cream sandwiches, she plans: oatmeal buttermilk pancake cookie with bacon ice cream; graham cracker sandwich cookie with marshmallow ice cream dunked in chocolate and more! I will definitely post an update when the truck is up and running! I can't wait to try more.

Meehan's Downtown Summer Series Peach Dinner

Medjool Dates wrapped with Benton's ham, Sweetgrass chevre with Georgia peach & champagne gastrique, served with Reprieve French-style Ale. A great start to a delicious and fun meal.

I was invited to Meehan's Public House's downtown Atlanta location for their Summer Series - Part II dinner. This dinner featured dishes containing peaches paired with beers from Jailhouse Brewing Company. Dinner guests (about 20 of us total) were seated in the restaurant's private room at a long communal table. Chef Jordan Wakefield was on hand to explain each dish and Stephen from Jailhouse provided commentary on each beer pairing. I really enjoyed this event. The food was fabulous and it was fun getting to know some of Meehan's regulars. Meehans Downtown is holding its Summer Series - Part III dinner - this time featuring pecans and beers from Sweetwater Brewing Company, on August 30 at 7 PM. Click here to see the full menu.



Meehans has two other locations in Sandy Springs and in Vinings. The Sandy Springs location will hold Pink Floyd: A Musical Dinner - a five course dinner with beer pairings - on September 22. Click here for more information and to see the menu.

Bourbon poached peach salad with grilled Georgia wild shrimp, Belgium endive, Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese, spiced Georgia pecans & white peach & ginger vinaigrette, served with Mugshot IPA.







Some of the beers we tried: Reprieve French-Style Ale, Mugshot IPA, Slammer Wheat. We also tried Breakout Stout (not pictured).







Sonoma County foie gras, pan seared with smoked Georgia peaches, toasted brioche & warm peach compote, paired with Slammer Wheat beer. So delicious - it was a real treat to have foie gras.







Peach smoked Niman Ranch pork belly with Ansen Mills & blue cheese grits, grilled Georgia peaches with local collards & peach & jalepeno chutney, with Reprieve French-Style Ale. This was hands down my favorite dish of the evening. The blue cheese grits paired perfectly with the collards and the succulent pork belly.







"Slap Yo Mama!" Peach Cobbler with homemade peach sorbet, vanilla ice cream & caramelized peaches, served with Breakout stout.







Take home souvenir! These can be refilled at area stores such as Ale Yeah in Decatur.

San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition - Southeast Region

Winner Elizabeth V. Freer from the Culinary Institute of Charleston. Her Rabbit Two Ways really impressed the judges!

I previously blogged about my experience judging this event here. However, as the result of wedding-madness I am just now getting around to blogging about the entire event including all of the dishes we judged. This was such a fun event and I was thrilled to be asked to Judge along with some of Atlanta's "top chefs"!

First I was allowed to observe the chefs at work.

Then time for tasting. Here we are all hard at work judging!

Bourbon-glazed Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Southern cornbread dressing and haricot vert AKA green beans.



My personal favorite: Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Mole Scented Demi served with Purple Potato Tostada and Agave nectar glazed jicama and Calabaza.



The winner: Rabbit Two Ways: Sweet Braised Rabbit Ravioli (yum!) with Pecan and Spice Encrusted Tenderloin served with Baby Spinach and Grilled Radicchio Saute with Cinnamon.



Hazelnut and Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Star Anise Scented stone ground grits and ratatouille tart.



Lemongrass stuffed airline breast with wasabi and beet mash potato and stir-fry. Spicy and interesting!



Lemon Pellegrino Pressure Braised Short Ribs with Smoky Gouda Grits and Seasonal Succotash.



Seared Duck Breast with buttered cabbage, ginger-butternut squash puree, mustard-chive spaetzle with braised leg.



Roasted Rabbit Roulade with Sweet Tea Polenta and Collard Greens with Pan Jus.



Awaiting the big announcement!

San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition

On Monday I was thrilled and honored to be asked to judge the San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition's Southeast Regions event, held at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Tucker, Georgia. I, along with four awesome Atlanta chefs, watched the eight culinary students from across the Southeast prepare their signature dishes. We tasted each one and had the opportunity to ask questions of the culinary student who created each dish. The winner, Elizabeth Freer, pictured above, cooked "Rabbit Two Ways: Sweet Braised Rabbit Ravioli with a Pecan and Spice Encrusted Tenderloin". It was delicious - especially the ravioli. Other highlights: Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Mole Scented Demi and Wasabi/Beet mashed potatoes! Sweet tea polenta also made an appearance - very creative. The other judges were: Shaun Doty of Yeah Burger (and the now closed Shaun's), Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten, The National (both in Athens) and Empire State South, Jay Swift of 4th and Swift and Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen. It was a really fun event and actually an unexpected surprise that I was included as one of the judges. Elizabeth, along with the other regional winners, gets to go to Napa Valley for the finals. Good luck Elizabeth!