Paces 88

The St. Regis Atlanta is one of my favorite holiday stops. The decor is stunning:

At any time of year, the place is gorgeous.

It had been quite awhile since we'd dined at Paces 88, so on a recent Friday evening we dressed up in our best Buckhead chic for dinner.

The dining room was essentially vacant, with no more than four tables occupied throughout the evening. Most other diners were families, not couples. Nothing degrades an upscale ambiance faster than a whiny, fidgeting child. We felt over-dressed. Since this place allows children, which is understandable since it is located in a hotel, it's impossible to know what you'll find when you arrive. It's thus a challenge to classify the place: While the prices and general ambiance put it in an upscale realm, if you plan on it for a date-night special-occasion sort of affair it may or may not deliver the sort of vibe that you seek.

At the outset of our meal, the service was attentively pampering.

The menu changes seasonally, but the French Onion Soup with Gruyere cheese and baguette crostini ($9) is a year-round standard. It's fantastic--you may find yourself craving it for lunch the next day (and routinely).

Another menu standard is the goat cheese tart ($15) with roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, arugula, truffle and lemon vinaigrette. One bite is all you'll need to understand why this dish has many fans.

Our entrees -- seared sea scallops served atop a squash puree and black trumpet mushroom ravioli with corn and asparagus spears -- were tasty, but served at a much cooler temperature than we would have preferred. The server, who had been attentive at the beginning of our meal, vanished once the entree plates were set in front of us. Thus, while we would have liked to ask for things to be heated up, we had to content ourselves with chilly food that tasted good but might have been great if served hot. The restaurant manager showed up once our plates were empty, which was too late to make amends. He was apologetic and said that we weren't the only ones to complain about cool food, which was perhaps meant to make us feel better but had the opposite effect.

For dessert we opted for sweet potato cheesecake. It was tasty, but Dean said that if he was a judge on Top Chef and was presented with this dish for commentary, he'd have to say that it had too much going on and would benefit from editing.


Bottom Line: Inconsistent.

Shula's 347 Grill @ The Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel

Other than the career of the man who launched this chain and for whom it is named, there is little to distinguish Shula's 347 Grill from any other standard American steakhouse. If you love steakhouses, then odds are that you'll love this place. If you don't, this version won't likely change your mind.

(If you're not a football fan, then perhaps you don't realize that Shula's 347 is named in honor of Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history with 347 career victories. Now you know.)

We tried two entrees: Filet mignon with baked potato and asparagus. The steak was cooked to my specifications, but the asparagus was drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction that wasn't mentioned on the menu and that I could have done without. I preferred the roast chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans.

The dulce de leche cheesecake dessert was tasty.

Portions are large, so it's difficult to imagine that you'd leave hungry.

What we most enjoyed about this dining experience was the hostess and our server, both of whom were friendly and pleasant conversationalists--the sorts of people who you'd like to invite to join you at your table.

Bottom Line: A standard American steakhouse.

Bakery at Cakes & Ale

For a recent lunch meeting, the destination was Bakery at Cakes & Ale, located just a few strides from the Decatur MARTA Station:

The original restaurant and chef/owner have scored many accolades, so I arrived with high expectations. The menu, which changes frequently, offers a line-up of soups, sandwiches, salads, a grain bowl and a few entrees. It was a challenge to choose just one entree among the various temptations. My dining companion and I both ordered salads.

When reading the menu, the prices don't shock--they seem to be competitive for the neighborhood. But when the food is served, the huge bowl holds just a tiny portion. It's then that the prices seem steep.

The flavor and food quality is good.

Avocado and fennel were among the ingredients in this salad:

This salad featured dandelion greens and beets:

It wasn't just us: We looked around the dining room at various lunches and consistently thought that the lunch serving sizes were small. The dude seated at the table next to ours must have left hungry since his sandwich appeared to be about five bites total.

The daily dessert special was an assortment of holiday cookies. We shared one order and it was the most appropriately priced dish we encountered.

While the main course was served on white plates and bowls of unusual shape and size, as is currently the norm at most restaurants of a certain modern vibe and creative quality, the dessert was served with pretty old-fashioned plates:

Five cookies, all easy to cut in half and all yummy:

Dessert was the most memorable part of the meal.

Bottom Line: Tasty fare at high prices. Best for dessert.

Georgia Olive Oil

In 2008, the Shaw family established Georgia Olive Farms. Last week the fruits of their labor, in the form of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, were debuted at a special event hosted at Emory University.

Even before tasting the olive oil, folks in attendance were excited. Georgia boasts rich agricultural diversity and we can now add one more crop to our "Georgia Grown" list.

Of course Georgians aren't the only folks excited about this new endeavor. South Carolina's award-winning Chef Sean Brock bought up the entire first press of this olive oil even before he knew how much there'd be and what it would taste like. Makes sense since his rule for Husk is, “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door." And while chefs typically use a lot of olive oil, it hasn't been produced East of the Mississippi since the 1800s.

Jason Shaw, who heads up marketing on behalf of the family, says his hope is that "Georgia Olive Oil will be to olive oil what Vidalia Onions are to onions in the future." They hope to eventually produce enough to supply 25 percent of the olive oil consumed on the U.S. East Coast. "We're poised for a good harvest next fall," he says. "Our No. 1 fear is harsh winters." The winter after the first orchard was planted, Georgia experienced a record cold winter with 17 consecutive days below freezing--but fortunately, the trees survived.

Kevin Shaw, lead farmer (and Jason's cousin), says, "You want to know the people who are growing your food; it's nice to put a face with a product." That said:

                                                 -Jason Shaw

                                                  -Kevin Shaw

"We were looking for a crop we could see to market that would be the freshest on the market with the least carbon footprint," says Kevin. Before planting olive trees, he and his cousins Jason and Sam Shaw researched olive farming and oil production. Among their research efforts, they consulted with Australian Olive Association President Paul Miller. Georgia's soil and climate were deemed suitable for olives so the family took the plunge.

But since Georgia is more humid than Spain, Italy and California, Georgia olives aren't organic and in fact must be frequently sprayed with copper to prevent mold.

"We're learning every day we go along," says Jason.

The Shaws have learned there is currently much deception in the olive oil industry: Up to 70 percent of what's sold as Extra Virgin Olive Oil is not. Their product will be labeled honestly.

For this first crop, once the olives were harvested they were transported to East Texas for processing. The long-term goal is to complete the processing in Georgia, but an olive mill costs $300,000; such an investment will make more economic sense once the olive trees produce at least three tons per acre.

In keeping with the "local, sustainable" theme, bottles were sourced from a producer in Memphis, Tennessee.

"What affects the taste of olive oil is the environment and timing," says Jason. So unlike wine, where grapes from older vines contribute greater flavor and aroma characteristics to the finished product, the age of an olive tree (once it's producing fruit) doesn't matter. Freshness is key: The freshest olive oil is the best tasting olive oil. "It changes while it's sitting on the store shelf," says Jason.

To illustrate the point, I poured a small amount of olive oil from the bottles currently in my own pantry. (All are Extra Virgin Olive Oils; two are organic.) On the left is Georgia Olive Farms' oil, which is a deep green and boasts fresh and strong fruity aromas and flavors. In the center is an organic olive oil imported directly from the producer in Italy to Cook's Warehouse Brookhaven, which is a fainter green and has more subtle flavors. (That bottle was very recently imported in a limited supply.) On the right is an organic oil that's also from Italy; it was purchased at Your DeKalb Farmers Market; it was purchased awhile ago and has likely been quite awhile since it was imported. It's the faintest in color, aroma and flavor.

"We're able to harvest six to eight weeks ahead of California," Jason says, which means Georgia oil will be the freshest available in the U.S. for that period of time each harvest season.

"When we started this, we didn't know if it would work," says Jason. "Now, we're more committed than ever before. Our problem now is that we're not producing enough oil."

Here's hoping for a mild winter and a bountiful olive harvest next year.

Bottom Line: Extra Virgin Olive Oil tastes best fresh, and Georgians now have access to the freshest possible product in more than a century. The delicious Georgia-grown olive oil is currently available in limited quantities for $25 a bottle.

Alma Cocina

Alma Cocina opened December 6 in the 191 Building, Downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

This holiday season there are sure to be gifts that you crave and never receive, gifts you get that you decide about two seconds after tearing off the wrapping paper that will be returned, gifts you request and receive and perhaps even gifts you sneak onto your own shopping list and then stuff into your own stocking. But the best gifts are the surprises, those items that you didn't even know you wanted or needed yet you instantly adore. Alma Cocina is just such a gift from Fifth Group Restaurants; it's a very pleasant addition to Atlanta's dining scene.

If you like flavorful food, then prepare to fall head-over-heels in love with the place. Last night's dinner was one of the best meals we've had. Ever. And that's really saying something.

According to the press materials, "Executive Chef Clevenger was the chef/owner of Agave Grill and Mel’s Bar & Grill in Denver receiving such awards as “Best American Restaurant in Denver” and “Top 10 Fine Dining Restaurants in Denver.” Clevenger’s past experience also includes work as a private chef in France. While in France, he staged at two Michelin starred restaurants on the French Riviera: Le Saint Paul Restaurant and Hotel and Le Maximin."

We're lucky he agreed to move to Atlanta.

His menu is billed as "modern Mexican with Latin influences." The quality level is high: This restaurant's most direct competitors in Atlanta are Pura Vida Tapas and Tierra. All three are excellent and a city the size of Atlanta surely has room for all three to succeed--let's all agree to eat there often to be sure, because I don't want any one of them to close.

The menu offers a variety of dishes in multiple sizes, so it would be possible to feast or nibble on tapas-sized portions. Share or hoard. It's up to you.

Pork Pibil Tamale with bacon-corn masa braised in banana leaf, green chile sauce, crema and pico de gallo ($8):

"His tamale recipe has been voted the best in Denver," said our server Emily to recommend the dish, and we're glad that we took her advice and ordered one. It delivers spicy heat that plays off the sweet and savory nuances and a nice balance of corn and meat.

Shrimp Taquitos with chile de arbol, apple, jicama and avocado ($8):

The menu warns these are spicy, and they are, but for our palates they are just right.

One fun aspect of being a food writer is the ongoing discovery of new things. This Mushroom & Butternut Squash Huarache is served with charred red onions, crema, huitlacoche sauce, queso fresco and epazote ($7):

What's a huitlacoche? Until last night, I didn't know either. It's a corn truffle. Who knew there was such a thing as a corn truffle!? Emily says that she tasted a corn truffle in the kitchen once and the flavor is too strong to be enjoyable on its own. But when the chef mixes corn truffle into this sauce (which looks like mole but isn't) it adds a distinctive and pleasant earthy note.

Roasted Chicken Mole Oaxaca with mashed plantains, grilled green beans and sesame seeds ($17):

Every chef's mole is different. This one is very tasty, more savory than spicy hot and not too chocolaty. The side dishes impressed. I thought I was sick of green beans but these persuaded me not to give up on them.

Potato Gratin with poblano and goat cheese ($4):

If I could only eat one thing every day for the rest of my life, I'd have to consider this divine creation.

For dessert we sampled the Tres Leches coconut cake, which is moist and boasts a citrus flavor, and the Chocolate Chipotle cake, which is topped with candied pepper strips.

Between the two desserts, I preferred the chocolate chipotle cake's satisfying balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

We also sampled several bar menu offerings.

The Lay of the Land (left) is a tasty mix of Herradura silver tequila, Poire William liqueur, jalapeno, cucumber and hibiscus salt. Galatas Gland (aka Pisco Sour) is made with hand-squeezed lime juice, pisco and egg white: 

Sangria and AMATITÁN, the restaurant's "top shelf" margarita, features a custom-barreled Herradura “double reposado” tequila, orange Curacao and hand-squeezed citrus juices. It's arguably the best margarita in town:

The restaurant bought a special hand-selected barrel of Herradura--bottles from that barrel populate the back wall of the bar. But eventually supplies will deplete so be sure to get a sip while it's still available.

The Naranjarita features Alma reposado tequila, blood orange infusion, orange brandy and hand-squeezed citrus juices:

All of the cocktails are expertly crafted and well-balanced, but this proved to be my No. 1 favorite of the evening.


Bottom Line: Alma Cocina shares with Sprig the honor of "Best New Restaurant of 2011."

7 Deadly Zins

Produced by Michael David Winery, 7 Deadly Zins is a serious wine with a quirky name.

Though it's sure to draw attention, the name is not just a marketing gimmick: The grapes are sourced from seven different growers in California's Lodi region.

This big, bold Zinfandel is spicy with lots of jammy fruit. The ruby/purple wine serves up aromatic and flavor notes of berry jam, tomato, cola and pepper. It pairs well with chile, pizza and barbecue.

7 Deadly Zins is aged for 12 months in both French and American oak barrels.

This wine retails for approx. $15.

Bottom Line: Thumbs up.

Swirlin' Twirlin'

It would be appropriate to have a philosophical discussion about whether or not the world needs as many frozen yogurt shops as currently exist, but this blog is primarily a one-way communication platform and thus is not the time or place. Here we will focus on Swirlin' Twirlin', located in Decatur just a few steps from Fabu Face Spa--convenient, as after one treat you may enjoy another.

                                                                -Photo Courtesy Swirlin' Twirlin'

I hadn't heard about the restaurant, just happened to be strolling by and decided to pop in for a look. On one wall there are dozens of frozen yogurt taps to access a wide range of flavors, then a salad-bar style buffet area with chopped up fruits and candies. "Would you like a free sample," said the friendly young guy at the cash register. Why not? Never one to pass up chocolate, that was my first pick. It was tart and tangy, yet still with enough actual chocolate flavor to satisfy a craving. Next I sampled gingerbread, a seasonal flavor, and much to this chocoholic's surprise, I can't decide which flavor I like better. So I grabbed a cup and got a bit more of each flavor plus a shot of vanilla.

This place has a self-serve format, so you can take shots of whatever yogurt flavors you want to try and then choose your toppings. You pay 39 cents per ounce, so be a glutton or a minimalist, it's up to you.

Personally, I don't like chunks of stuff in my ice cream or yogurt, so I skipped toppings and focused on the frozen yogurt flavors. But with over 50 topping choices, from fresh-cut fruits to candies, if you like texture then options abound.

Current seasonal flavors include candy cane and pumpkin pie. There's also peach, lemonade, banana, mango and many more.

Bottom Line: This frozen yogurt vendor's serve-your-own approach makes it a standout among the crowded marketplace. The Decatur location is kept clean, staffed by friendly folks and boasts an impressive line-up of flavors with some tasty seasonal options. Get the low-fat gingerbread flavor while it's available.

Distillery No. 209 Gin

Distillery No. 209 Gin is distilled five times at the Pier 50 facility in San Francisco, earning it the distinction as the world’s only distillery built over water.

The hand-fashioned gin recipe was tweaked 87 times before settling on what you'll find in each bottle: a smooth, sprightly gin with strong citrus notes.

"Committed to dispelling the notion that all gins taste like your grandfather’s, No. 209 Gin is more than a boutique gin producer," a representative says. "It is a pioneer producing a new generation of spirit for a new generation drinker."

If this gin seems to have a feminine note, it's perhaps no coincidence: The company is run by two females in their 30s who had no previous spirit experience.

Distillery No. 209 Gin would make a tasty gin and tonic to sip poolside. But no need to wait until summer to try it. Here are some seasonal recipes, courtesy Distillery No. 209 Gin:

Not So Silent Night
1.5 ounces No. 209 Gin
0.5 ounce ginger liqueur
0.5 ounce Pear Puree
0.75 ounce lemon juice
Bottle of Prosecco
3 bunches of Rosemary

Put 3 bunches of rosemary in a bottle of Prosecco and cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Combine ingredients, minus the Prosecco, and shake vigorously. Strain and serve in a double martini glass or coupe and top off with the Rosemary Prosecco.

After the Fall
1.5 ounces No. 209 Gin
0.75 ounce Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur
0.5 ounce cinnamon syrup*
0.5 ounce lemon juice
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake over ice. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon zest over cocktail. Slide lemon peel (zest side down) around rim of cocktail glass. **Cinnamon Syrup: Steep 1Ž2 broken Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks in a warm mixture of 1:1 simple syrup

The Ginger Lady
1.5 ounces No. 209 Gin
0.5 ounce Domaine de Canton
0.25 ounce lemon juice
0.5 ounce simple syrup
0.75 egg white
2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
Cinnamon, grated

Shake vigorously over ice. Strain and serve in a cocktail glass. Garnish with grated cinnamon.

Bottom Line: Thumbs up.

Cavalia Odysseo

                                    -Photo Courtesy Cavalia Odysseo

Going on now under that big tent you can't ignore alongside the connector: Midtown Atlanta, Georgia is home to the U.S. premiere of Cavalia's Odysseo, with performances now through January 8, 2012.

The show is composed of various staged vignettes showcasing the combined talents of humans and horses. It's more graceful than a rodeo, more spontaneous than ballet (horses will be horses, after all), more visual than plot-oriented yet is character-driven, and more spectacular, impressive and even more technical than dressage.

The show is fantastic. It ranks among the best live performances that I've ever seen of any type. It's probably No. 1* -- for the past few days I've been trying to think of something that tops it, and I can't.

*This means that at the present time, Midtown Atlanta is home to an unusual juxtaposition. In one day you could take in two shows and conceivably witness both the best and the worst staged performances teaming animals and humans. It is my fervent hope that whoever is responsible for the dolphin show at the Georgia Aquarium sees Cavalia's Odysseo and learns how a performance can be entertaining for all ages, showcase the talents of humans and animals, and create stagings of grace and beauty.

During a live performance, especially one in which I can sit back, relax and observe without actively listening to dialogue, my mind wanders. Here are some of the random thoughts that popped into my head while watching Cavalia's Odysseo:

- During the first vignette where horses mingle together without any humans present on stage, one horse licked another's neck: Was something sweet rubbed onto that horse's neck to attract such an action, or was it unique to this performance?

- As the humans stroll in, the light changes. Suddenly the dirt arena on stage looks like a dabbled forest floor. Humans dance, bound and flip with maneuvers that would impress an Olympic gymnast. Four guys in billowy bright yellow pants stand above their compadres because they're wearing blade-like stilts, reminiscent of the blade-shaped prosthetics that amputees might wear to run in races. When not bouncing and flipping, they're hamming it up with the audience. In addition to eliciting oohs and ahhs with their athletics, they drew laughs from the audience. They were like fawns in a Shakespearean play -- in fact, the whole segment seemed like a loose interpretation of A Midsummer's Night Dream.

- Later, some different scenery seemed inspired by Tim Burton's stylistic preferences. There are also trips through an Africa savannah, the American Southwest, Niagara Falls and more. The effects make the stage seem HUGE.

- This show employs many talented athletes who make defying gravity look easy. Based on his comments during America's Got Talent, I couldn't help but wonder: What would Piers Morgan think of the male pole dancers in the carousel scene? (Note to Parents: Cavalia's Odysseo is not at all suggestive and is suitable for all ages.)

- It's easy to be impressed by grand gestures, but even the small ones help you realize how the professionals make what they do look easy. At one point four women dangle upside down, suspended by long white fabric scarves. Their dance moves position the fabric in various inventive ways. Suddenly, the circular brace from which they're hanging starts to rotate clockwise. They hold half the scarf between their toes and hold the other half out in front of them with extended arms--it looks very beautiful, billowing white fabric cascading down to trotting white horses. But I'm not confident that I could grasp fabric between my toes and hold it while being spun at a moderate speed while hanging upside down. Could you? Yet grasping fabric between toes is the easiest part of those ladies' routine!

- Back when I was single, I may have dated one too many engineers. At several points during the show I was pre-occupied with trying to figure out the logistics and functionalities of various physical mechanized structures instead of watching all the pretty horses and people. For example, when the carousel rises back up toward the tent ceiling while carrying several human performers (no horses), how do they get out and down? I scanned the scaffolding and never saw them depart. Yet when that prop descended, it was empty, so I know they don't spend all night trapped up there.

- How does everything work? Cavalia answers some common questions.

- I predict that any child who sees this show before Christmas will add a horse to his or her gift wish list. And since most of those kids probably won't get horses, Santa's going to have some explaining to do!

- This is a live performance on all levels. The music is not recorded; above and to the left and right of the main stage live musicians perform.

- The horses do what well-trained horses will do. At no time did I fear for their health and safety. The number of animals performing in cooperation with all the other stagings and maneuvers is what is unique and impressive.

- Intermission arrives as a surprise. There's more? Stay! The best is yet to come.

- After the opening night performance, members of the media were invited to a reception in the Rendez-Vous Lounge. I'd hoped that members of the cast might also attend (I'm told they arrived after I'd left). All I really wanted to do was touch just one of those male performers' arms--any guy, not one in particular. They are so ripped and obviously strong that I was just curious to know what that must feel like to the touch. Like cement, perhaps. Because, although I can lift a suitcase into the overhead bin, you could squish around the jelly that is my arm for hours and never hit stone.

Bottom Line: Most highly recommended. A must see.

Latitude

Latitude is now open at Phipps Plaza.

The menu by Chef Micah Willix features a mix of globally- and regionally-sourced high-quality ingredients.

Chef Willix first gained notoriety on the Atlanta restaurant scene working as executive chef at Ecco, drawing accolades for his simple yet seductive Mediterranean cooking. Previously, he worked at Seasons 52 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

At Latitude, he focuses on locally procured fruits and vegetables, as well as ethically produced proteins and fresh fish. Moving from Mediterranean to global influences, Willix says, “will definitely be a change from what I’ve been cooking for the past five years. Latitude will be an opportunity for me to explore more options of different cuisines and cultures, but I still want to cook and create dishes that are simple and close to the source - grassroots.”

His roasted beet salad features chioggia beets, mache, toasted hazelnuts and brown butter ($10):

It's served warm and is so yummy you may find yourself licking the plate.

Beef tartare is made with sirloin with roasted garlic, fried capers and is served with toasted bread topped with fresh aioli ($9):

I don't eat raw meat, so I didn't taste this, but my dinner companions adored it and devoured the generous serving.

The pan roasted scallops are served with crispy mushrooms, lemon and chive ($13):

The scallops were seared to perfection and the mushrooms add earthy depth to the dish.

The butcher steak features grilled local beef paired with escarole and horseradish ($26). It's served with smoked potatoes, which are mixed with house-made sour cream and chives. The smoke flavor does not overpower the dish, it adds interest. It's deliciously addictive:

Louisiana redfish is pan-roasted and served atop a warm salad quinoa, red kuri squash and tangerine ($28). It was scrumptious; several of my dining companions claimed it was their favorite dish of the evening.

For dessert we sampled doughnut holes with orange marmalade ($7):

                             -Photos by Heidi Geldhauser for The Reynolds Group

...and a chocolate tart with fleur du sel ice cream ($7) that boasted rich chocolate flavor.

Willix prepares both the savory and sweet menu items -- desserts aren't made by a pastry chef. This somewhat unusual situation makes me think he should try out for Top Chef because desserts often stump Top Chef competitors beyond their skills and/or comfort zones and forces many to turn in their knives. This dude could win it.

The bar menu features more than 60 wines and re-imagined classic cocktails. Don't know what to choose? Ask for a recommendation and you might discover something new.

Bottom Line: Upscale casual dining, located in Atlanta's most upscale mall, Latitude is convenient for shoppers and also a worthy dining destination for anyone craving tasty dishes served in a pleasantly vibrant social setting.

Mississippi Gulf Coast...Post Katrina Vol. 2

Hurricane Katrina pounded the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005. Winds blew up to 175 miles-per-hour. Atop a 35-foot tall storm surge wall of ocean water rolled 17-foot waves. The storm raged for 12 hours, devastating a 90,000-square-mile area. More than 65,000 buildings were lost, 600 of which were listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while hundreds of thousands more were damaged. A total of 1,800 lives were lost.

I had visited the region for the first time just months prior to the storm and when watching TV coverage of it I couldn't help but worry about my new friends. I was concerned about how folks personally fared and also about the region as a whole since tourism contributes $6.5 billion to Mississippi’s economy each year—a third of that figure earned in the Gulf Coast region alone.

Since the storm, I've been back to the Gulf Coast several times. It is definitely "open for business." As a tourist, there's much to enjoy.

As a culinary tourist, the news is even better: The overall quality of restaurants throughout the region has improved.

“We joke that a lot of recipe books washed ashore,” says Janice Jones, of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, referring to the number of higher-caliber restaurants now open. Indeed, visitors to the Mississippi Gulf Coast have no excuse to go hungry.

While I do recommend that you visit the region--your tourism dollars will support a community that needs it--you can also enjoy flavors from the Mississippi Gulf Coast at home: Cook some of the best recipes by Gulf Coast chefs with guidance from the cookbook Mississippi Gulf Coast Casino & Local Restaurants Post Hurricane Katrina Volume II. (Of course, Volume I is also available.)

"Many of our restaurants owners along the coast not only lost their homes, but their livelihood as well," write Lee and Linda Eschler in the foreword. "Some rebuilt, while others relocated and within a few years, many new restaurants came to be. This book is about the resilience of these restaurateurs and their determination to rebuild the Mississippi Gulf Coast in the face of such adversity."

The 260-page book features 19 restaurants and hundreds of recipes. Among the temptations are pastas, pizzas, vegetables, bread puddings, shrimp & grits, barbecue, oysters, fried chicken, regional basics like roux and much more.

In addition to recipes and restaurant and casino histories, the book includes 26 feature stories plus information about regional history and top tourism destinations.

Bottom Line: A cookbook with significance beyond food.

Tequila Don Julio

There's a totally new type of tequila now on the market:

Tequila Don Julio 70 Añejo Claro, created by Master Distiller Enrique de Colsa, is twice distilled, aged in reclaimed American White Oak Barrels for 18 months, then filtered using a specialty process to bring back the crisp agave flavor typically found in a Blanco.

"We in Mexico love the strong taste of agave found in Blanco tequila," he says, "so my purpose was to restore this quality to our Añejo. The result is a tequila that combines the flavors of our Añejo with those of a Blanco for an unparalleled hybrid."

I recently sipped a sample of this new product alongside some Don Julio Blanco and Don Julio Añejo.

The Don Julio 70 Añejo Claro had soft aromas of vanilla, pear and agave. It rumbled across the palate with notes of vanilla, spice, black pepper, tobacco and a hint of adhesive. There was some alcohol burn, but it was pleasant and tempered by flavor.

Next up...

Don Julio Añejo offers sophisticated notes of oak, nuts and vanilla alongside toasted agave. It's complex lingering finish builds to notes of black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and caramel apple. It's delicious.

Don Julio Blanco delivers crisp agave and soft floral notes. It's soft, pleasant with flavors of pure raw agave with minimal alcohol burn.

Bottom Line: All three tequilas were tasty on their own and mixed well into our standard 3/2/1 margarita recipe, but we especially adored the traditional Blanco in the cocktail and Añejo on its own.

If you want to get creative, here are some cocktail recipes courtesy Tequila Don Julio:

Fresh Agave Margarita

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Tequila Don Julio Blanco
1/2 ounce agave nectar
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
Lime wedge for garnish
Salt for garnish

Preparation:
1.  Combine Don Julio Blanco, agave nectar and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker with
ice.
2.  Shake well and strain into a highball glass over ice. 
3.  Rim glass with salt and garnish with lime wedge.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Highball glass

Yield:
1 drink

Harvest Spice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounces Tequila Don Julio Reposado
2 ounces fresh squeezed apple cider
1/4 ounce agave nectar 
1/4 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
Cinnamon powder 

Preparation: 
1.  Combine Don Julio Reposado, apple cider, agave nectar, lemon juice and cinnamon
powder in a cocktail shaker. 
2.  Shake well and strain into a highball glass over ice.
3.  Rim glass with cinnamon powder for garnish.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Highball Glass

Yield:
1 drink

Highlands Highball
-By Don Julio Global Brand Ambassador Brian Van Flandern

Ingredients:
1 1/4 ounces Tequila Don Julio Añejo
1/4 ounce Bulleit Bourbon
1 1/2 ounces black iced tea
1/2 ounce cane sugar syrup
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
Fresh sage leaf for garnish

Preparation: 
1.  Combine Don Julio Añejo, Bulleit Bourbon, black iced tea, cane sugar syrup and fresh
lemon juice into a Boston shaker. 
2.  Shake well and strain into a highball glass over ice.
3.  Garnish with fresh sage leaf.

Ideal Serving Glass:
Highball glass

Yield:
1 drink

Mink Coat and No Manners
-By Gary Regan

Ingredients:
3/4 ounce Tequila Don Julio Blanco
3/4 ounce chilled Green Chartreuse
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation:
1.  Pour chilled Green Chartreuse into a sherry glass. 
2.  Float Don Julio Blanco on top.
3.  Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top. 

Ideal Serving Glass:
Sherry glass

Yield:
1 shot

Snap, Crackle, Drop
-By Salvatore Calabrese

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Tequila Don Julio Reposado
7-8 dashes Angostura bitters
4-5 twists freshly ground cracked black pepper
Lime wedge

Preparation:
1.  Stir Angostura bitters and pepper on a saucer until it turns into a paste.
2.  Coat on side of a lime wedge with the paste and serve on the side of the drink.
3.  Pour Don Julio Reposado into shooter glass. 

Ideal Serving Glass:
Shooter glass

Yield:
1 shot

Spanish Raindrop
-By Brian Van Flandern, Tequila Don Julio Global Brand Ambassador

Ingredients:
1 ounce Tequila Don Julio Añejo
1 ounce Oloroso Sherry
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Orange peel for zest
Agave nectar 

Preparation:
1.  Combine Don Julio Añejo, Olorso Sherry, fresh lime juice and simple syrup into a
shooter glass.
2.  Dip orange peel into agave nectar, then light and flame over the Luxury Drop to release
the oils. 
3.  Use flamed peel to rim shooter glass and discard.  

Ideal Serving Glass:
Shooter glass

Yield:
1 shot

The Bonne Femme Cookbook

Looking for gift ideas for a foodie? Consider this:

The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food that French Women Cook Every Day is written by Wini Moranville (Harvard Common Press, Oct. 18, 2011, 978-1-55832-749-8, $24.95).

Think French cooking is hard? This book sets out to prove it can be much easier that you ever imagined.

As a teenager, food writer Wini Moranville learned French cooking while living with a host family of modest means in Burgundy. She discovered how exquisite and yet surprisingly simple French home cooking can be. Now that she's lived in France nearly every summer for 20 years, Moranville shares the secrets of approachable French cooking in her new cookbook.

"If we think of French cooking at all, we envision slaving three days over cassoulet, hunting all over town for veal bones for a reduction, mail-ordering a lobe of foie gras, and plunking way too much butter and cream in our creations," she says. "So I want to spread the word about the fresh, vivid, easy-to-master appeal of good French home cooking, the kind of simple cuisine that French families enjoy together."

Moranville reveals that French home cooking starts with a daily ritual: hitting markets, chatting with the butcher, choosing cheeses at the cheese shop and picking up a baguette.

The 337-page book presents 250 recipes in several chapters:
- Nibbles, Amuse-Bouches, and Cocktails Maison
- Les Salades
- Les Bonnes Soupes
- Saute, Deglaze and Serve
- Roast, Stew or Braise
- Casseroles and Pasta
- Les Sides
- Les Tartines, Pizzas and Savory Tarts
- Eggs and Cheese
- Les Desserts
- Bonne Femme Basics

Though you'll spot some French phrases sprinkled throughout the text, you need not read French to use the cookbook: It's written in easy-to-follow English and uses standard American measurements.

Tempting dishes include turkey salad veronique, trout with mushroom-saffron cream, roasted salmon with pernod sauce, celery root and potato puree, fingerling potatoes with walnuts and thyme, leek and cheese tart, pear and walnut tarte tatin and many more.

Moranville writes a monthly wine column for Relish, is the dining editor for The Des Moines Register, and contributes food and wine stories to Better Homes and Gardens, Country Home, Holiday Celebrations and Creative Home. Visit her website for more information.

If you're stumped about what to do with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers, check out her recommendations.

Cellar 56 - Revisited

When you learn that one of your favorite restaurants is introducing a new menu, you can't help but worry that your favorite bites might be eliminated or "tweaked" beyond recognition and enjoyment.

Fortunately, a recent visit to Cellar 56 allayed my concerns about its fantastic spicy mac & cheese (with roasted poblano peppers, locatelli cheese sauce and serrano ham) and Guinness braised short rib. Both dishes are divine. I could do without the addition of ham in the mac & cheese, but the dish is still yummy. It's what I crave when I'm suffering a cold, sore throat or the general blues:

 -Photo by Heidi Geldhauser for The Reynolds Group

Bottom Line: This build-your-own-dinner tapas-style restaurant and wine bar offers tempting bites at value prices.

Read about my first visit.

Beer Dinner at 5 Napkin Burger

Last night 5 Napkin Burger hosted its inaugural beer dinner featuring four distinct brews by Schmaltz, each paired with dishes from the restaurant's menu.

The restaurant, which has been open about three months, officially debuts its new menu today. The new menu features an increase in the number of available sushi items, a smaller burger, some additional salads and other items. Several of the items served last night are additions to the new menu.

The Coney Island Lager, my personal favorite beer of the evening (that's made with 8 malts, 6 hops, and Czech pilsner yeast), was paired with several appetizers including this spicy tuna wonton...

...and a lamb kofta skewer, fried pickle and pastrami, and spinach and artichoke crostini:

The delicious lamb skewer featured the same meat and flavorings used in the lamb burger. Based on this bite alone I'd say that burger is worth a try.

The beer and cheddar soup with candied bacon was served with Messiah Bold, a tasty nut brown ale. I'm not a fan of beer cheese soup but this particular version was good enough to tempt me to keep dipping my spoon into the bowl for another taste:

The main course was paired with Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A., a rye-based double IPA.

The Italian turkey burger is topped with melted mozzarella, spicy tomato sauce, vinegar peppers and served on a sesame roll:

It's off-the-hook delicious, our favorite dish of the evening. A manager explained that Italian meatballs were the inspiration for this burger.

The 5 Napkin Burger is beef topped with gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and rosemary aioli:

It was very juicy, thus the name. We preferred the turkey burger.

Sides included crisp onion rings and fried mashed potato balls...

...and salty sweet potato fries:

Dessert was paired with Hebrew Origin Pomegranate Ale. (This lineup shows all the beers served in order from front to back):

The bourbon pecan pie featured just enough of the spirit's flavor to add interesting depth of flavor without overwhelming the dish:

Bottom Line: Value-priced* fun event at a good restaurant that's worth visiting whenever you crave a burger.

*The beer dinner is $35 per person, which includes more beer than any one human should possibly drink plus food.

5 Napkin Burger's next beer dinner will be held December 15 and will feature beers from Red Brick Brewery. Click here for details.