Event recap: Taste of Atlanta 2013
Looking
for a few last-minute inspirations for your Thanksgiving Day spread? Take a
peek at these photos from Taste ofAtlanta, which took place October 25-27, 2013.
The
event featured bites and cocktails from some of the city’s most renowned chefs --
think Ron Eyester, Kevin Gillespie, Ford Fry -- and best restaurants.
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| (c) Raftermen Photography |
TOA
kicked off with Taste Revival: Local Chefs, Smokin’ Jams, aka a Friday night block
party in Midtown’s Tech Square featuring ridiculously tasty dishes from celeb
chefs inspired by their favorite musicians or songs. It was a perfect place to
pick the brains of the likes of Kevin Rathbun, Ron Eyester, and
Billy Streck -- or to challenge them to a
round of Black Jack, courtesy of Harrah’s Cherokee.
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| (c) Anna Lanfreschi |
On
Saturday, we feasted on amazingness like scallop ceviche, smoked sausage, grilled
artichokes, fresh oysters on the half shell, and lots of dessert. Add in wine,
craft beer, and a number of cocktails in the VIP tent (which I highly recommend
buying tickets to, just for future reference), and it was total foodie
heaven!
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| (c) Rod Muhammad |
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| (c) Rod Muhammad |
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| (c) Rod Muhammad |
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| (c) Raftermen Photography |
All
this deliciousness got me thinking: 1) I need to (try to) recreate some of
these dishes for my friends and family during the holiday season (like the
pimento cheese crostini with arugula a la Seed -- mmm), and 2) I should go to some of these restaurants before the year ends.
A
few places to consider this holiday season:
-AmuraSushi: The tuna tataki was some of the freshest and most flavorful I’ve ever
had
-Mi Cocina: The sweet corn tamales with grilled chicken and poblano cream sauce
were a must
-1Kept: The deviled quail eggs with bacon jam were ridiculous
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| (c) Rod Muhammad |
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| (c) Rod Muhammad |
A
couple of tips for entertaining during the holidays:
-Try
serving a small, bite-sized complete dish: Think popcorn shrimp sitting atop grits
and slaw
-Use
creative packaging for snacks: Think fries in a newspaper cone or layering dip
and veggies in a clear cocktail glass
-Pre-make
one delicious cocktails everyone can enjoy: Think wine-based cocktails, like
sangria
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| (c) Anna Lanfreschi |
Will
you be introducing anything new to your family this Thanksgiving?