First Annual Buckhead Wine Festival This Saturday, April 28 at Andrews Entertainment District. Sip, Savor and Enjoy the Best in Wine, Local Shopping and Entertainment. There will be Food Trucks, Book Signings, including moi, signing my book, Food Lovers’ Guide to Atlanta. Pick it up if haven’t already! There will also be live music, a silent auction and food seminars. See move details information on the Buckhead Wine Festival Below.

WHAT: An afternoon of wine tastings, tasty treats from local vendors, music and more. Donations and canned food will be accepted for the event’s charity beneficiary, The Atlanta Community Food Bank.

WHEN: Saturday, April 28, 2012, VIP Entry: 2 p.m., Regular Admission: 3 p.m.

WHERE: Andrews Entertainment District – 56 East Andrews Drive

Cost: $25 advance; $35 at the door; $40 VIP admission (advance sales only)
Buy tickets at www.BuckheadWineFest.com

Wine & Sign: Eagle Eye Book Shop’s mobile book store will feature culinary, cocktail and wine books, as well as signings by featured authors including:

· Malika Harricharan, A Food Lover’s Guide to Atlanta
· Sonja Jones, Sweet Auburn Desserts
· Nancy Waldeck, Taste & Savor

Food Trucks:
· King of Pops, custom “Mimosa Pop” just for the festival!
· Mix’d Up Food Truck
· Yoli’s Street Food

Seminars:

· 3 p.m. – Sushi & Sake
o Chef Saito Saito of Czar Bar and Chef Jeff of Andrews Entertainment District share the art of pairing sake with the many flavors of sushi

· 4 p.m. – Georgia Terroir
o Craig Kritzer, Wine Maker at Frogtown Cellars will discuss Georgia’s wine growing regions and how growing grapes in Georgia differs from California. Frogtown Cellars is located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in Dahlonega, Georgia. The vineyard recently achieved the distinction of being America’s most awarded winery located outside of the State of California in Major U. S. Competitions for premium dry wines; receiving 73 Medals, including 12 Gold Medals in California for 11 different wines in 2011.

· 5 p.m. – Champagne Camp
o Kelly Wheeler, Certified Sommelier, CS, CSW will lead an interesting discussion on sparkling wine, focusing on French Champagne. Learn how Champagne is made and how it differs from Prosecco. Enjoy a tasting of the premium Henri Giraud Bland de Blanc and Brut Champagnes.

Silent Auction: Bid on some of the following wine and food themed packages:

· Wine Train Winery Tour and Tasting Experience in Napa Valley
· Sommelier Wine and Cheese Experience in Napa Valley for two
· Le Cordon Bleu Paris Culinary Experience for two
· HaGafen Kosher Wine Tasting Experience in Napa Valley for two
· Private home or office wine tasting parties from Grape Crush Productions.

Guests of AMT will board luxury coaches and be whisked into the world of entertainment. All tour guides are actors, crew or extras that have worked on productions here in Georgia. Guides will regale guests with commentary of never before heard behind-the-scenes stories, Q&A, and fun trivia contests with prizes during each tour. There will be two food stops during the tour, yet to be determined.

AMT will launch Spring 2012, with location tours of The Walking Dead; AMC’s immensely popular show, all filmed in and around Atlanta. Tony Gowell, the only member of the undead in both TWD seasons, joins AMT as Talent Consultant and Tour Guide. Tony’s dedication to The Walking Dead and his involvement in many other productions in town, including Dragon*Con, position him as the perfect choice to bring movies & television shows to life for Atlanta’s visitors, and entertainment buffs in general.

For More Information:
Contact: Patti Davis – Head Television Fanatic Atlanta Movie Tours
404.756.6765
patti@atlantamovietours.com
Atlanta Movie Tours Website

I don’t usually buy flavored liquor of any kind. I just feel like if I’m going to mix up a cocktail, I’d like to use the natural ingredients. However, since Tanteo was offering up their Tequila, I agreed to give it a try. So, this past weekend Mr. ARB and I decided to have a fiesta, mixing up some jalapeño margaritas, guacamole and such.

I mixed up the first margarita and took a small sip, bracing for that heat to set in. But it didn’t. Instead what I tasted was just a bit of spice and felt a slight burn as I sipped. It was nothing like those 3 alarm margaritas I’d mixed up on my own.

The Tanteo Tequila infused with Jalapeño retails for around $35. Although I made simple margaritas, they’ve got some cool recipes on the Tanteo website I’d love to try like the Pepino Diablo with muddled cucumber and the Spiced Paloma with Grapefruit Soda.

Grapes
Many in Spain eat twelve grapes at midnight—one grape for each stroke of the clock. This dates back to 1909, when grape growers initiated the practice to take care of a grape surplus. Each grape represents a different month, so if for instance the third grape is a bit sour, March might be a rocky month.

Cooked Greens
Cooked greens, including cabbage, collards, kale, and chard, are consumed at New Year’s because — their green leaves look like folded money, and symbolize wealth. Europeans eat stewed kale and sauerkraut (cabbage) while in the southern US, collards are the green of choice.

Legumes
Legumes including beans, peas, and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seedlike appearance resembles coins. In Italy and Germany, it’s customary to eat beans with sausages, pork having its own lucky associations.

Of course, here in the South, it’s traditional to eat black-eyed peas. This all traces back to the legend that during the Civil War, the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, ran out of food while under attack. The residents fortunately discovered black-eyed peas and from then on black-eyed peas were considered lucky.

Pork
The custom of eating pork on New Year’s is based on the idea that pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast suckling pig is served for New Year’s in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria. Thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity.

Fish
Fish is the Thanksgiving Turkey of New Year’s Cod is very popular. The reason? Long before refrigeration and modern transportation, cod could be preserved and transported allowing it to reach the Mediterranean and even as far as North Africa and the Caribbean. The Catholic Church’s policy against red meat consumption on religious holidays helped make cod, as well as other fish, a popular choice. .

Desserts
Ring-shaped cakes are the most popular for New Year’s.Poland, Hungary, and the Netherlands eat donuts, and Holland has ollie bollen, puffy, donut-like pastries filled with apples, raisins, and currants. In certain cultures, it’s customary to hide a special trinket or coin inside the cake (Mexico and Greece do this)—the recipient will be lucky in the new year.

What Not to Eat
There are also a few foods to avoid too. Anything that involved creatures moving backwards is a no no. The idea is that this would lead to setbacks. Lobster and chicken, for instance, is a bad idea because of this. Now that you know what to eat, there’s one more superstition—that is, guideline—to keep in mind. In some countries, it’s customary to leave a little bit of each food on your plate past midnight to guarantee a stocked pantry in the New Year. If nothing else, it is good practice for the penance most of us will be paying in January for all the overeating we did during the Holidays

Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

In case you weren’t aware, I wrote a book – Food Lovers’ Guide to Atlanta. And now, I want you to buy it. Yes, this is shameless self promotion, I know! But the holidays are coming up and it makes a great stocking stuffer or small gift.

My book, available at online retailers, maps out the best restaurants in Atlanta from mom and pop, hole in the wall places to fancy five star restaurants. I’ve scoured the city to find the best restaurants on any budget, in any neighborhood, encompassing all the terrific cuisines we have at our disposal.

Growing up in Atlanta and seeing the city change over the last 25+ years since I’ve lived here and writing this blog for more than three years, I’ve a good grasp on the food scene. It has been a fun ride writing this book and I’m so thrilled to share all the gems I discovered along the way!

The ultimate dining guide for Atlanta residents and visitors, Food Lovers’ Atlanta, was just released and has already made it to to the #1 spot in its category on Amazon. At just around $10, it’s totally affordable.

The book features short descriptions about restaurants in the metro Atlanta area. It is a terrific resource for those visiting Atlanta on business or pleasure or for Atlanta residents who want to get out and explore the city but aren’t sure where to start. It is divided by neighborhood, but readers can use the index to look up restaurants by cuisine and there’s a price guide for budget conscious folks as well.

There are also features like:

* Nightly Specials at different restaurants
* Insider tips for many restaurants that only regulars are privy to
* Food festivals and culinary events
* Atlanta chefs that have appeared on Top Chef
* Recipes from popular Atlanta Restaurants

Here’s what some other folks had to say about the book:

The Atlanta Journal Constitution: “Keep it in the glove compartment when you want something more detailed than a Zagat Survey..” Read More
Examiner.com
Gilt City “The latest gourmet bible covers everything from haute cuisine to food trucks and, with its convenient carrying size, makes finding a good meal easy..”Read More at Gilt City
Roswell Patch

Also, I have a book signing at The Cook’s Warehouse today, December 18. Deets here.

So, go grab your copy now!