Restaurant Eugene and Linton Hopkins, as well as a slew of Atlanta area restaurants, have come under fire from activists over their use of foie gras, a highly contentious liver dish. It’s really been a few years since the debate over the cultivation of foie gras was a focal point of the food system; however, it always seems to simmer just bellow the surface. Now, this debate is in our city and I thought I’d offer y’all a little perspective on the history and true nature of the debate.
This topic always strikes a chord with me due to the amount of misinformation used in “proving an opinion.” By extension, and as with many people, general issues of sustainability and “proper” behavior in the food world are important to me. I try very hard to provide readers with access to information that will allow them to make educated and informed decisions as it pertains to their food intake. When someone is attacked, I think it is important to give people some perspective. I am writing this here post as a group of misinformed and/or under-educated people are trying to bully convince restaurants to stop serving FG. The short of this admittedly opinionated post is to make sure that you watch this and read both this and this. [All are linked to with context in the text that follows]
I’ve posted videos from TED before. Short for Technology Entrepreneurship and Design, TED.com is a a treasure trove of goodness with lots of amazing content covering an array of topics. Luckily for us, food culture and its derivatives are a hot topic.
H&F Bottle Shop, that long awaited and much delayed upscale liquor store from the gang at Holeman & Finch, appears ready to say hello world. According to the facebook feed of one of the owners, part one is set to open next week. Though no such mention can be found on their facebook page, this seems like a reliable source to me.
The shop is located in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center, just north of their eponymous restaurant, and they will run M-Sa 11a-11pm until we get rid of that stupid no liquor on Sunday law. Complete with an on premise sommelier, a bevy of boutique liquors, and even some recipe cards so you can do your best Greg Best at home. I don’t think there’s a person in this city who thinks this place will fail … and count me in as one of the anxious customers. I’ve also heard really cool things about the order fulfillment process … so be ready for that when you first buy!
Answer: Jay Swift, Anne Quatrano, Hugh Acheson, Chris Hastings, Kevin Gillespie, Bruce Logue. Question: Who are just a few of the awesome chef’s showing up at this years Attack of The Killer Tomato Festival?
Yes ladies and gents … it is that time again. Thanks to the good folks over at Georgia Organics, the Killer Tomatoes are back. Just like last year, the event will land at the Westside Urban Market, home to places like JCT Kitchen and Star Provisions. From 1pm – 5pm on Sunday August 8th, you’ll be able to indulge yourself in a sea of all things red.
To further wet your whistle, check out Savory Exposure’s recap of last years event. When you’re done with that, go check out Running With Tweezers flickr set. Tickets are $45 for Georgia Organics members and $50 for those of you who are not. However, prices go up this Saturday (to $65)… so I suggest you buy them now! Full details just after the jump!
The James Beard Awards are the United States’ version of the food Oscars. Today, the JB Foundation announced their semifinalists for this years awards.
The winners will be announced in May, so for now all we can do is wait. You can find the full list on the JB website (warning: that’s a pdf). However, we’ll highlight the Atlanta standouts right after the jump!
Supper clubs aren’t new. Supper clubs in Atlanta aren’t new. What is new is all the mainstream attention being dolled out on these underground dining destinations. While the inertia behind every supper club can be as unique as the food served up, almost all of them carry an absolute truth: to give people a chance to throw an Eephus pitch curve ball in their dining experience.
ryan, his sister, and mom
A few days ago, Bob Townsend of the AJC wrote a little piece on the phenomenon. In it, Townsend recapped a recent meal with chef Ryan Hidinger at his Staplehouse dinners. With help from his wife and partner Jen and sous-chef Ben Barth, Ryan is hoping to spread the word about his upcoming restaurant. They are come as you are people, so don’t be shy about contacting them through the Staplehouse website/blog. Their 10-seat dinners are so popular that they often sellout inside of a minute or two, but if you can score a seat, they are well worth it. I was lucky enough to sneak into one of their earliest dinners, it was a dinner worth remembering. But don’t take my word for it … you can trust the daily candy vote for all things cool in Atlanta. More reading … so clicky clicky por favor!
I was apprehensive to say the least. High-brow, underground supper clubs strike a strange cord with me. On the one hand, it’s kind of cool to hit up a private event that requires a trip to the piggy bank. On the other hand, there is something snob-elitish about events that come with a $150 price tag, all white garb, and a super secret location (as this one did). Mind you, supper clubs come in all shapes and sizes. However, this one clearly went the way of “deep thoughts … by F. Scott Fitzgerald.”
Atlanta has it’s fair share of private dining events and one such purveyor of said events is a woman by the name Jenny Levison. Known around these parts as “Souper Jenny,” there is a Buckheadsandwich shop which bares that moniker. Jenny’s shop is a warm and friendly place, and that led me to believe that my fears would be quashed when the event rolled around. In addition, I hear that entry into one of these seatings [sic] is as hard to come by as a golden ticket into Wonka-ville. However, that’s due to demand, and not any pretense. As it follows, when the opportunity to attend one of these events presented itself, I jumped. It was an evening of firsts, and the experience is worth a recap.
This has the potential to break my heart. I, along with every other foodie in ATL, love Holeman & Finch, that über cool English pub in Peachtree Hills. Well, according to his own facebook status, Adam Biderman is packing his bags and moving to New Orleans. No word yet on when he’s departing H&F. It’s possible he’s already done; but, I saw him there on Thursday night.Update: Adam Is There Through The End of May!!!!!
In the meantime, I can assure you that this will be something I’ll keep my eyes on. Regan, Greg, Linton, and the rest of the gang run a hell of an operation. I am curious to see what the end result of this is. While I think Adam does a top notch job and this makes me sad … I wish him the best of luck on his journey home.
That all said, I expect H&F to remain my favorite hangout joint in town.
While this wasn’t a big secret to everyone, it is great to see another Atlanta chef pushing the envelope while here in the city. Congrats to Linton, Greg, Regan, and all the gang for this win! It’s a team effort!
I am going on vacation the first part of next week; however, when I return, I will be sure to hit up Restaurant Eugene as soon as possible. They have a new small plates menu that looks very appealing (albeit very overwhelming)
When Linton Hopkins was a kid, his mom once refused to make him hollandaise sauce for his eggs—so he prepared it himself, with a recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Hopkins still has the (egg-stained) cookbook, plus a vast collection of others including Junior League and community cookbooks.
We loved: Chicken livers, soft grits, pickled peaches (at Restaurant Eugene); the H&F burger, served only after 10 p.m. (at Holeman & Finch Public House).
Emory University has this awesome “Sustainable Initiative” series. While the evening with Linton Hopkins has come and gone, there are still two lectures left. Tonight is one such night.
These lectures give each chef an opportunity to discuss their participation in the sustainable food movement. In addition, they hand out tips AND give you an opportunity to taste some food! Details after the jump.
