Award Winning Peach Blue Berry Pie

So I won a baking contest...

My award winning pie awaits judgement. 

I've always wanted to enter a baking contest. I'm just a wee bit competitive. Not because I need to be the best at everything (though that would be nice), but because I want to know how I rank against other people and what I can do to improve. I'm the nice kind of competitive. But there just hasn't been a good time for me to enter any kind of cooking contest until this summer, when the Roswell Farmers and Artisans Market decided to host a pie baking contest. Perfect.

I wouldn't consider pie to be a specialty of mine, because I don't get a chance to make them very often. (I also don't own a rolling pie, so I used an empty wine bottle to roll this out....) But I have a tried and true recipe for crust and no filling is simpler than fresh fruit. I knew I could enter this contest. I didn't think I would win, but I knew I wouldn't embarrass myself either.

So now I had to think about what kind of pie to make. The rules of the contest said that your pie had to feature at least one local ingredient. It didn't have to be in season, so if you had put up some peaches or pumpkin or something, you could use that. But it had to be local. Well, the peaches are especially fine this year, so I knew I wanted to feature those. But I had to assume mine wouldn't be the only peach pie on the table. I needed a hook.

My first thought was a peach jalapeño pie with oatmeal crumble topping. I love the combo of sweet and spicy and jalapeño and peaches are both good right now. I wanted to be sure of it though, so I made a "practice pie" with peaches from the grocery store. Big mistake. Those peaches were flavorless and watery. They drowned out my jalapeño.  It wasn't tasty at all. So I went back to the drawing board.

This tasted of failure. 

I was pretty turned off on the idea of a peach jalapeño pie after that. I also didn't quite have enough peaches on my counter for a pie. But I did have some blueberries left from the market, and I always think things that grow in the same season are meant to be together. My other change was to toss my fruit with a little cornstarch before it went in the pie shell as insurance against wateriness.

The only thing I kept was the oatmeal crumble topping. I am not good at making things pretty, so I didn't want to mess around with fancy lattice tops or cute shapes cut from pie dough. I just wanted an attractive, tasty top that still allowed you to see the pretty fruit inside the pie. It also meant my pie might still standout against any other potential peach or blueberry pies. (Also, oatmeal crumble anything automatically means butter and lots of it. Nothing is tastier than an entire stick of melted butter, and this pie has one in the crust and one in the topping. You're welcome.)

Spectators had a chance to sample all the pies. 

When the Market Manager started announcing the winners, I still didn't think I'd win. My pie looked pretty good next to all the others, but there was a tomato goat cheese pie that was just mind blowing. I was sure that was the winner. The manager announce third and second and my heart sank a bit, because I didn't think I'd placed at all. Then she said my pie! I was very excited.

My award winning pie earned me $20 in vouchers for the farmers market and an invitation to compete in the Tri-County Farmers Market Championship next month. I'll have to check my calendar to see if I can do that.

But anyways, enough jibba jabba. Here is the recipe to Award Winning Peach Blueberry Pie.

Peach Blueberry Pie

Crust

6 ounces all purpose flour

4 ounces unsalted butter

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 pinch salt

2 ounces ice water

Filling

4 peaches, peeled and sliced

2 cups blueberries

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Oat topping

1 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 ounces unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon Penzey’s Cake Spice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 425.

Freeze butter and flour over night. Pulse flour, sugar and salt in food processor until blended. Add butter and pulse until butter is incorporated. Drizzle in ice water until it becomes dough.  Remove from processor, shape into a wide disk and place in freezer bag. Place freezer bag in fridge for at least an hour or until ready to roll out.

Score four peaches lightly across the bottoms to form an X. Place in boiling water for about a minute to loosen skins. Quickly drain and add crushed ice and cold water to stop the cooking process. Once peaches are cool, you can easily remove the skins. Thinly slice peaches. Add two cups blueberries. Mix gently with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Combine oats, melted butter, brown sugar and spices.

Roll out pie crust. Add pie filling. Top with oat mixture. Bake at 425 for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for at least an hour before slicing.

Sugar Shack in the Back (from the owners of the Fickle Pickle)

Bagel bombs and mini-quiche 

I want to be good. I want to eat only healthy, organic vegetables. I want to be a vegan until 6PM every day. I want to run marathons, do yoga and eat only locally farmed, sustainably raised eggs. I want to be good.

Then Andy Badgett has to go and open another goddamned restaurant.

Badgett's been kicking around historic Roswell, owning and operating several great restaurants including Asher, Relish and Pico Autentico. However, he's best known for Fickle Pickle Cafe, a Canton street mainstay as long as I've lived in Roswell. I don't go as often as I used to. There's more choices in the neighborhood than there used to be. But you still can't beat a basket of fried pickles fresh from the kitchen served up alongside the Oooey Gooey sandwich (grilled pimento cheese and pepper jelly, on whole grain sourdough.) Yum.

The Sugar Shack in the Back takes the barn behind the Fickle Pickle, which was previously their events facility, and transforms it into a cozy little bakery. We know from the dessert selection at the Pickle, that Badgett and his staff can put together a mean carrot cake cookie and red velvet cupcake. This bakery concept takes that and cranks it up to 11, adding breakfast pastries, made to order biscuit sandwiches and coffee. Vanilla glazed beignet share a case with jalapeño cheese bagel bombs and an assortment of flakey turnovers, both sweet and savory. You can watch the guy behind the counter rolling cookie dough in a bowl of M&Ms and laying it on a cookie sheet.

Frosted cinnamon rolls 

Tuesday was the "Friends & Family" preview. It was advertised on Facebook, so we decided to try them out for breakfast. (Disclosure: Since this was a special event, our meals were complimentary.) Years ago, Fickle Pickle experimented with a breakfast menu and my husband spied the return of his favorite and most lamented chicken biscuit ever at The Sugar Shack. I, of course, had to try the Ooey Gooey biscuit. The chicken biscuit was as good as remembered. It's a flakey, buttery biscuit, stuffed with a fried chicken breast, cheese and an egg cooked to order. My biscuit was filled with pimento cheese, bacon and sweet red pepper jelly. Both were very good, though my sandwich could have benefited from warming up the pimento cheese before serving. The cold wad of cheese was a little off-putting. I told my server when she asked for feedback and she promised to follow up.

The reason elastic waistbands were invented

The glass case wrapping around the room was only partly filled, but the ice cream freezer was fully stocked. An enthusiastic member of the staff explained that made to order ice cream sandwiches are part of the offerings. Choose a cookie and then your ice cream and someone will assemble it right in front of you. They'll even do it with one of their cupcakes, which sounds like a good enough reason to wear stretchy pants for the rest of my life.

They only serve coffee and lattes as drinks right now. Orange juice is reportedly on it's way. These are nothing fancy, just something to wash your pastry down with. I enjoyed my chai latte.

Time will tell if this bakery will stick around. The location, tucked away behind Fickle Pickle doesn't do it any favors. Parking is notoriously tricky there, but during the week, there is overflow at Founders Hall across the street. Or you can do what I'm likely to do and park at City Hall. It's only a half mile walk. It's not hard. But the food is well worth the trip and the owner has a great track record. If you are looking for a casual breakfast option, this is a great place.

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Roswell Food Truck Park Struggling

The end of the school year is really walloping me hard, but I wanted to pass on this bit of news. The Roswell food truck park, at Don White park has gone on hiatus until Memorial Day weekend. Up until they announced the hiatus, their Facebook page seemed like an endless string of cancellations due to weather or the dreaded "mechanical difficulties." So it's nice that they are taking a bit of time to regroup and wait until the season really starts to heat up in Roswell. But it's also worrisome, as it seems like they are having a hard time building momentum this year.

For me, I'm pretty busy for the next couple weekends, so I couldn't visit the park even if I wanted to. But none of the trucks so far have impressed me and made me say "Yes, I HAVE to try that!", the way the trucks at the Alpharetta Food Truck Alley do. Here's hoping when the trucks return to Roswell, they bring some new tastes with them.

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Roswell Food Truck Park Returning

Food trucks are crazy popular y'all. TV shows, competitions, parks. They are all over the place. They are starting to migrate out from urban areas and into the suburbs, where they are finding a willing audience. Alpharetta has it's very successful Food Truck Alley on Thursday nights (starts April 17th this year) and last spring Roswell jumped in the mix with it's own Roswell River Food Truck Weekends at Don White Park. Spearheaded by The Food Movement, a company that owns multiple trucks in metro Atlanta, the Roswell Food truck park started off strong last year, before trailing off.

Recently, I had a chance to talk to Greg Gordon, the Executive Chef of The Food Movement about Roswell's food truck park via email. I found the conversation be enlightening about the park. According to Greg, trucks affiliated with The Food Movement have priority in scheduling. Other trucks are welcome to be scheduled, but only after their trucks are scheduled. The hope is that more trucks will be able to participate this year if the park grows in popularity. Sales are critical, as a truck needs to make at least $500 to break even.

The park usage impacts the trucks success. Greg told me that sales dropped off considerably for the trucks after Shoot the Hooch stopped renting tubes. They are hoping for more sales this year as Shoot the Hooch will be renting bikes at the park this year as well.

This year the park begins this weekend, April 5, and is planned to end around Labor Day. Hours are more limited this year, to 11am-2pm, to take advantage of lunchtime crowds.

As I've said before, I'm a fan of the food truck park. East Roswell doesn't have as many restaurants as the historic district and I like being able to walk to lunch. Don White park is a great venue for something like this and I'd like to see this venture succeed. Hopefully, they will be able to learn from last year and become a big, annual event.




Like my poorly lit iPhone pictures? I'm on Flickr now!  And you can like me on Facebook! You can read my articles about last year's food truck park here. 

First Look: Foundation Social Eatery

A non-chain restaurant? On my side of 400? I may get the vapors.

Foundation is the first solo venture from Chef Mel Toledo, formerly of Bacchanalia and Century House Tavern. While it was originally planned for Inman Park, Toledo has made a smart move by choosing Holcomb Bridge Road for his restaurant. East Roswell is critically underserved by restaurants, especially upscale, non-chain eateries. Also, I learned at the Roswell NEXT restaurant panel last year that while many of the patrons in the Historic District do hail from Alpharetta and east Cobb, there's also a sizable contingent from Norcross and Suwannee driving in. So while Foundation is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Canton street, I think it'll prove to be a smart move in the long run, provided Toledo can maintain the excitement of the opening this week, covered by both the AJC and Eater Atlanta, as well as other news outlets.

Foundation takes over the space vacated by the late, unlamented Twisted Taco. It's been transformed from the dark, nasty faux taqueria into a bright, airy industrial inspired space. Think exposed wood, concrete and rebar used in creative ways. It's softened with artwork inspired by Mel Toledo's orchid tattoo created with more wood and repurposed building supplies. I like the visual pun between "Foundation" the restaurant and the building materials used in unusual ways.

So how about the food? Do east Roswellians have cause for rejoicing? Yes. Yes we do. It's pretty delicious. Let me take you on a tour.

This is a "station #4". It's a nicely balanced cocktail of absinthe, rye whiskey, and bitters. It was refreshing and not too heavy for the meal. 

This was our appetizer. Crispy pork ribs with pickled onions. The ribs were melt in your mouth soft, but crisp on the edges. The house made pickled onion was perfect. The vinegar cut the fattiness and made a very balanced dish. Perfect for sharing. 

This is the braised pork shoulder with apple arugala salad. It was my husband's dinner, so I only ate a bite or two. The pork was beautifully done and the salad pairing keeps it from being heavy. The extra bacon is a little much though. A few more vegetables would have helped the balance. 

I had the home made pasta with lamb bolagnaise. I don't eat much pasta anymore, so this was a really nice treat. The lamb was braised in the sauce and shredded.  Again, a little heavy on the meat, but still  a real nice execution of a classic italian dish. 

My dessert was the olive oil rosemary cake, which I swear tastes better then this picture looks. The cake was much lighter than expected and not too sweet. The sliced oranges and whipped creamed also contributed to the light feel of this dish. A perfect end to a meal. 

Our friends had the chocolate tart with banana brûlée. I love seeing something clever like a caramelized banana on a plate. I had a bite of the tart and it was a very dark chocolate, almost bitter, with a hint of espresso. I dislike coffee flavors intensely, so I didn't like it. But I understand I'm in the minority on this one. Go ahead world, enjoy the one chocolate dessert I don't like. 

Service was attentive without being intrusive. Our server was knowledgeable about many menu items and made recommendations when we looked a little lost. I felt like we were in good hands. 

So what's the verdict? Is this the restaurant east Roswell has been waiting for? I think so. It's a little pricey to go in my regular rotation, but I definitely plan to return. Hopefully my prediction that will attract diners to this side of 400 will pan out and this will stick around for years to come. 

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Review: Le Bistro by Roswell Provisions

Seriously, this sandwich is huge. 

We were dismayed to hear last month that Party Chic would be closing. I'd been a fan for years of their affordable menu, geared towards the ladies who lunch crowd in Roswell. It took awhile to get my husband on board, but he eventually caved to the lure of fancy cupcakes and five dollar martini specials. So it was a sad thing to hear the owners were closing it in favor of a new concept, more closely tied with the Roswell Provisions store downstairs that they also own. Our friends at Provisions assured us that we'd love the new place, that the recipes were being updated and that everything we loved would still be there, just better. Their enthusiasm was well placed, because the new Le Bistro is everything good about Party Chic, but better.

Spinach salad

In France, a "bistro" is a small, casual, moderately priced restaurant. Le Bistro is precisely that. The menu is traditional french cooking, made well and not nearly as pricey as some of the other offerings in the Historic District. It's a welcome break from the trend towards destination dining on Canton street. Which shouldn't be taken as a knock on Le Bistro, Canton street needs a mix of styles and prices ranges to stay vibrant and growing. I like having a super fancy steak house on the same street as a boisterous Irish pub. Tucking a casual French bistro upstairs over a wine and cheese shop is precisely what's needed.

My natterings about the proper mix of restaurants aside, how is the food? Good? Great? Terrifying? It's pretty good. This isn't fine dining, but you could take a first date here and no be embarrassed or break the bank. The menu is standard French classics, such as the French Dip, savory crepes and various other sandwiches and salads. The aforementioned French Dip is an improvement on the previous version, featuring a big pile of tender, slow roasted beef, tangy horseradish and a savory au ju that I'm told starts with roasted bone marrow and red wine. The pan bagnat is a big, sloppy pile of tuna salad spiked with potatoes, green beans, olives and more and served on what seems like half a loaf of bread. Seriously, it's like two meals worth of sandwich.

Chicken & mushroom crepe.

The spinach salad entree comes with almost too much bacon, but the warm vinaigrette  comes in a cute container and is the perfect balance of fat and vinegar. Most entrees come with house made kettle chips, but you can add a side salad with dijion mustard vinaigrette.

The wine list is small, it's a couple of varietals served in either a large carafe suitable for sharing, or a small one that equals about a glass and a half. You can also purchase a bottle from the shop downstairs and drink it at dinner for a $20 corking fee. They also have a full bar, featuring the fancy cocktails that made Party Chic so attractive, as well as the menu of cupcakes and other desserts by Kelly's Kakes.

The space itself has been lightly remade to fit the retro chic look of the Provisions store. Think lots of burlap and destressed wood and things made out of old wine barrels. They found a video of Roswell during the 1940's and it plays on continuous loop on a back wall, giving everything a nostalgic air. The front porch overlooking Canton street is still the best seat in the city for people watching on a pleasant, early spring day and the back patio is still lively and cozy with live music on the weekends.

All in all, I say the move from Party Chic to Le Bistro was a worthwhile one. They've kept the charm and added better food and a more appealing aesthetic.




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Saint Patrick's Day in Roswell & Alpharetta

No. No we aren't. 

So St. Patrick's Day is coming up on Monday. Or the day everyone pretends to be annoyingly Irish, whatever you want to call it. I'm not a big fan of noise and crowds and cultural appropriation, so I'll be staying in that night. But if you thrive on crowds, here are some nearby to celebrate. These places will probably have specials going all weekend too.

• Mac McGee's in the historic district is a clean, friendly neighborhood bar with Old World trappings. The food is good and the drinks tasty. If I didn't already have my neighborhood watering hole picked out at The Roswell Tap, I'd be over here all the time. It's welcome addition to Canton street. As an Irish bar, it will definitely be doing up the big day in style.
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• Just around the corner, the aforementioned Roswell Tap is throwing their annual party. Expect live music and a special Irish themed menu on Friday. You can read my review here.
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• Over in Crabapple, the Olde Blind Dog Pub has drink specials as well. Sadly, I've never been there, so you'll have to tell me about it.
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• Harp Irish Pub over by the Publix on Old Alabama is also open for the party. I've only been once and that was years ago. I remember it being a little shabby. But there's always a line out the door for St. Patrick's day, so they must be doing something right.

Any other places I'm missing? Tell me in the comments. 

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An Insider's Guide to Historic Roswell

Historic Roswell is amazing, especially Canton Street. There's so much to see and do and it just gets more exciting every year. When I first moved to Roswell and discovered Canton street, there were only a handful of shops and restaurants. Now it's becoming a destination dining scene with frequent activities like Alive After 5, First Friday Art Walks, and the upcoming Roswell Beer Festival. It's getting pretty crowded over there. Here's my picks for the best spots in Historic Roswell with a focus on avoiding the crowds.  Soon, you too, can be a smug, suburban hipster like me.

Parking

Even the back alleys of Historic Roswell look really cool. 

Parking can be a nightmare on Canton street. There are only a couple public lots and they fill up quickly, no matter the time of day. At night, they become valet only. I always park at the nearby City Hall. It's free, there are 400 spots available, and no one seems to know about it. Yes, it's a tiny walk and it's dark at night. Get over it. It's not that far, even if you are walking all the way to Woodstock road and you are in Roswell, not east Atlanta. It's aggravation free parking.

Drinks

I really like the bar at the Mill Kitchen & Bar. It's lots of lovely dark wood, excellent crafted cocktails, a large selection of bourbons and good service. I'm kinda meh on the rest of the restaurant, but the bar is a winner. If you are just looking to meet someone for a drink, go here.

Steak and Eggs Benedict at Little Alley. 

Brunch

I have a couple picks here. If you are in a rush, or just want something light, check out Roswell Provisions. They serve pastries, coffee, tea and hot chocolate all day. On weekend mornings they have a limited selection of hot items, like breakfast sandwiches. They have limited seating when they are busy, so you might find yourself on a park bench across the street.

For a longer brunch, go next door to Little Alley Steaks. They don't advertise it, but they do a great, not terribly expensive brunch menu on Sundays. It's not well known, so the restaurant isn't as crowded as it usually is and the service is excellent. I reviewed it more completely back in October.



If you had too much fun the night before and you are getting up late, PURE taqueria on Alpharetta highway is practically empty at 11 am when it first opens and does a latin inspired brunch menu on Sundays. If you like their food, but hate their crowds, this is a good time to visit. Just note that since they aren't a traditional brunch place, they don't serve orange juice or coffee.



  Dinner

Short rib burger at Artisan Foods

There are so many places to get dinner in Historic Roswell. But if you want something quiet and not busy, hit up Artisan Foods Cafe on Thursday, Friday or Saturday night for their weekly Burger & Beignet special. They do a short rib burger on a soft brioche bun that is amazing, along with ground lamb, turkey, shrimp and vegetarian options. At ten dollars, it's not a cheap burger and sides are extra, but it's very good quality. You'll have the restaurant almost to yourself and as they don't have a liquor license, they allow you to bring your own bottles. Depending on how much you drink with dinner, that might balance your equation a bit.





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Review: VUU Asian Bistro

Ramen with wontons
 and bok choy

Paper wrapped
shrimp and crab rangoon

With a last name like mine, you better believe I like Chinese food. My mom used to joke that the only reason I married a Chinese man was for the food, because I've always loved Chinese. Growing up in Salt Lake City, even the heavily Americanized version available there seemed like the most exotic, far away food you could get. And you always had to get it at a restaurant, because the home made versions were never as good. Things have changed, obviously. Not only do I live in a much bigger, more international city now, but formerly exotic ingredients are now almost common place in American cooking. It's not hard to find a good Korean grocery store, stocked to the gills with fish sauce, chinese chives and glass noodles for authentic home cooking. But I'll never quite get over the secret thrill of going out for Chinese.

So Rasa Sayang is always my go to place for American style Chinese. It's next to my house, they deliver and they have some Malaysian and Thai dishes on the menu. It's a solid, dependable neighborhood Chinese place. But if I want something a little different? Then it's time to put on pants, get in the car and head over to VUU Asian Bistro.

Shrimp tempura udon

VUU is Asian fusion, a blending of different styles and flavors from different Asian countries. You might get a little kimchee in your sushi or get a different take on a familiar stir fry.  We love their soups and I tend to order almost exclusively from their soup menu. Their take on the traditional Vietmanese soup known as "pho" is a giant bowl of vermicelli noodles in a rich beef broth, topped with thick slices of roast beef and served with a variety of hot sauces to customize with. Recently I had a bowl of the shrimp tempura udon. This is a giant bowl of rich broth, slippery noodles and crunchy vegetables, alongside two crispy tempura battered shrimp. It's a sloppy eat, because those thick noodles are hard to navigate with chopsticks, but totally worth getting noodle faced. They also have egg drop, ramen and hot and sour soups. I'm a big fan of soups. I wish more places had such an extensive soup menu.

Tuna lovers roll

Alongside the soups and stir fries, they also have a sushi counter. Everything is freshly prepared as you order it, using high quality ingredients. It's not quite up to Shallots's standard for sushi, but only just. Definitely stop by and give it a try if you are a sushi lover. They also have a good selections of appetizers, including the expected potstickers, crab rangoon and egg rolls. But they also have a few unexpected treats, such as panko crusted avocado fries.

The decor is modern, with black granite table tops, white porcelain and lime green accents. It gives the restaurant a fresh, clean aesthetic. The modern feel is only helped by your server taking your order via iPhone and swiping your card right there at the table with the same phone. It's the only place I've seen so far up here using smartphones like this. It looks cool and it's convenient too. Here's hoping more places start using this technology.

So yeah, VUU is definitely worth stopping by if you are in the neighborhood.

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Roswell Restaurant Week 2014

It's Restaurant Week! Everyone is running specials and offering tasting menus. Roswell is becoming well know for it's tasty eats and this is a good time to sample places you haven't been yet. In case you are trying to decide which one to try next, here's the list, along with links to my reviews. Sadly, I've not been able to visit everybody yet, but I'm definitely going some place new this week.

• Ceviche 
• Vin25
• The Fickle Pickle (Seriously? I've never written about this place. I will kill a man for one of those carrot cake cookies…)
• 9 Street Kitchen 
• Oak Street Cafe (Another one I've never written about? I need to stop being lazy. Excellent burgers and everything else.)
• Mac Magees (Great addition to Canton Street. Well done Irish pub style food.)
• Roux on Canton
• The Salt Factory (A little pricey, but great food. Get the cheese plate.)
• The Mill Restaurant & Bar
• Table & Main (Great traditional southern kitchen)
• Zest Tapas & Sushi
• Pastis (I used to think this was the best restaurant in Roswell. It's been upstaged in the last few years, but they still serve excellent food.)
• Lazaro's Cuban Cuisine (Like this place, but not love it. But if you are in the mood Cuban, it'll scratch that itch.)
• The Roswell Tap
• Slate Table and Tap
• Lucky's Burger & Brew (Great burgers and dog friendly patio. I've never been disappointed here.)
• Ale Yeah Craft Beer Market
• Thumbs Up Diner (Another one I've never written about? I'm here almost every weekend. Get the biscuits and gravy. You won't regret it.)
• Plum Cafe
• Little Alley Steak
• Adele's
• Alessio's
• Andretti Grill
• Aqua Blue
• Brickhouse Pizza, Pasta & More
• Douceur de France (Great bakery, okay brunch)
• di Paolo
• Opulent
• Noca Eatery and Bar
• Osteria Mattone (Link goes to pictures, not review)
• Panera Bread
• Piece of Cake
• Roswell Farmers Market

Whew! That's quite a list. And it looks like I need to get busy reviewing.

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Brunch at Artisan Foods Bakery & Cafe

My husband and I have wildly divergent ideas on breakfast. I like things to taste good. He likes them convenient. So one Saturday morning, his brilliant plan for breakfast was that we'd both enjoy a leisurely morning in our jammies eating cold cereal and watching TV. My husband thinks cereal is a special treat, because we hardly ever buy it. He never realized that I never buy it because I associate it with sad people sitting by themselves in the dark, eating cereal out of mixing bowls, with only the cold flicker of the television set for company. Yes, I am aware that this indicates all sorts of insane things about myself. I don't care. I'm never waking up and thinking "Yes! Cereal!" If you see me eating it, it's because it's my least objectionable option.

Anyways, I threw one of my fits and we ended up having brunch at Artisan Foods that day. I feel like everyone wins when you're not eating cereal for breakfast.

Artisan Foods is easily one of the best restaurants in Roswell. It's consistently rated high by the AJC, Creative Loafing, Yelp and Urbanspoon. Tucked away behind the Raiford Art Gallery in the Historic District, it consistently serves out high quality breads, pastries, scones, croissant and more six days a week. Tuesday through Saturday, they serve breakfast and lunch in their charming dining room and adjacent porch. When I was in grad school one summer I'd come at least once week to eat French toast and use their wi-fi while desperately trying to stay on top of my research project (If you're wondering how I did, please note the lack of M.Ed. after my name. I'll try again, hopefully this summer.)

The aforementioned French toast is a thick, eggy slice of brioche served with fresh fruit and a lemony creme anglaise drizzle. I like to get an order of chicken sausage with mine, which comes as free formed patty flecked with peppers. It's a little dry, but a quick dunk in the warm maple syrup that comes with my french toast fixes that nicely. Sweet and spicy is a magic combo.

My husband likes the omelets. They are perfectly made, with delicate, crisp brown edges and your choice of fillings. Today I'm getting Eggs Sardou, a creole riff on Eggs Benedict that includes fresh baby spinach leaves and artichoke bottoms. Artisan's hollandaise sauce has a touch too much lemon for my taste, but the artichokes need the extra acidity to come to life.

We also sample a "croignet", their version of the super trendy cronut and also sold at Roswell Provisions   (In fact, Artisan Foods supplies many of the baked goods sold by Provisions.) and a beignet. Between Artisan Foods and Adele's, I'm calling the beignet race in favor of Artisan. Soft, pillowy and dense, it comes mounded with the traditional powdered sugar and can be ordered either one or three at a time. One of my favorite things here is the "Yuzu Basil Orangade". Yuzu is a sour, asian citrus fruit and Artisan Foods blends it's juice with orange juice and a muddle of basil for a slightly more complex take on traditional orange juice.

So yes, brunch in Artisan Foods Bakery and Cafe's warm, sunny dining room is quite a bit better than eating cold cereal in the dark. My husband will never admit it though.




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Adele's Authentic Cajun

I've been trying to broaden my horizons when it comes to eating out in Roswell and Alpharetta. I've definitely been in a rut lately. One of the places that's slowly working its way into my regular rotation is Adele's.

Shrimp creole

Owned and operated by Chef Marc Wegman, Adele's is an amazing addition to Roswell's food scene. We've been hurting for cajun since North of NoLa closed in 2011. The restaurant is small and tucked away in the shopping center at the intersection of Holcomb and Old Roswell. You'd think it's a weird place for a great restaurant, until you remember that the late, still lamented Little Alley Tapas used to be just a few doors away. But the space is bright and clean, with polished wood tables and lots of subdued mementos of Wegman's hometown.

Crawfish Étouffée

But what about the food? I don't claim to be any kind of expert on authentic anything, but this stuff is delicious. The iconic seafood gumbo is rich and savory, with spicy sausage and shrimp dotting the bowl. Shrimp creole is loaded with vegetables, slightly spicy and sweet and generous scoop of rice to soak it all up. There's a crawfish étouffée with big chunks of seafood in a savory sauce. I haven't yet tried one of the po'boys, but when I see them come out of the kitchen, they are giant sandwiches pile high with fried shrimp, roast beef or fried chicken. Guess what I'm sampling next.  Adele's is also highly regarded for their beignet and they don't disappoint. They come as three pillowy mounds of fried dough drenched in powdered sugar.

Yum

Service has been hit or miss so far. A weeknight with a large party? There were a couple minor issues, quickly fixed. But a couple out on a Saturday, we had no issues and thought our waitress that night was one of the best we've had at a place we aren't regulars. But nothing so bad I'd hesitate to recommend Adele's if you're looking for a good cajun restaurant.






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Supporting North Fulton Community Charities

As the weather gets cold and our thoughts turn to holiday giving, I wanted to take a moment and give attention to North Fulton Community Charities. For 30 years NFCC has supported families in need through out north Fulton. Not only do they run the theft shop on Elkins Road, but they organize a food bank, emergency assistance, winter coat drive and sponsor individual families for holidays. They even have a job assistance program. With federal benefits programs like SNAP being cut recently, needy families are counting more than ever on organizations like NFCC for help.

So what can we do to help? Here at Northside Foods Amalgamated Industries, we are frequent patrons of NFCC. Any time I clean out a closet, I set aside items we don't need anymore to donate to their thrift shop. We also shop there for deals on stuff that can be up cycled, like furniture and clothing.  When we have extra canned goods, they go to the food bank there. It's not much, but a little help is better than none, right?

NFCC anticipates serving over 1300 families in Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton and Mountain Park this holiday season. These could be our neighbors, friends or co-workers. You never really know who needs a helping hand in our community. I'm setting a goal for myself of donating a few items every week to NFCC between now and January 1st.

NFCC is just one of many food banks and community assistance programs. Even if you aren't in my neighborhood, please consider supporting them.

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Brunch at Little Alley Steaks

Sunday morning, my husband told me to get dressed for brunch. "Where are we going?" I asked. It was sort of late in the morning and most brunch places would be packed. Was it really worth it to go out and wait in line for a table somewhere, when I could just scramble some eggs and mix up some muffins in the same amount of time?  "It's a surprise." he told me. I love his surprises. So I got dressed and we went over to Little Alley Steaks to enjoy their Sunday brunch.

Brunch at Little Alley seems like a hidden gem. Everyone knows about Little Alley's fabulous dinner service, featuring melt in your mouth steaks by Linz, a beautiful bourbon bar and amazing sides created with fresh, local ingredients. At night, the restaurant bustles with noise. Expensive people wearing expensive clothes sip expensive wines.  Servers in impossibly white aprons serve sizzling hot steaks on cast iron pans, drizzled with herb infused oils. It's a big, dramatic, exciting place to see and be seen.

But brunch? Quieter. More casual. The dining room is almost empty, except for a few other couples. Our waiter is quietly attentive, rather than the ostentatious "How may I serve you?" attitude they have at dinner. The brunch menu follows Little Alley's aesthetic of picking a couple things to really excel at. They have a selection of omelets with various fillings, as well as the expected "steak and eggs" and several riffs on the eggs Benedict. The menu fills out with an array of salads, appetizers and the surprisingly amazing grilled tofu (Seriously. This is a must try.), all from the dinner menu.

I tried the filet mignon and eggs benedict, featuring velvety soft sous vide eggs, beurre blanc sauce and perfectly medium slices of filet mignon over a toasted english muffin. It came with a choice of cheese grits or roasted fingerling potatoes. The grits were soft and creamy with just the right amount of gooey cheese and topped with crisp bacon crumbles. It reminded me of risotto.

My husband had the steak and eggs. It featured another perfectly cooked steak, alongside two sunny side up eggs with delicate, crispy brown edges, a toasted english muffin and a green peppercorn sauce in a tiny gravy boat. I want my own gravy boat! Do you have any idea how much I love gravy? Don't answer that.

The prices are lower than for dinner, but still a bit higher than you'd pay at Thumbs Up or Flying Biscuit. This isn't a neighborhood flap jack joint. It's intended to be an occasion, just like dinner. But if you want to sample their cuisine, without dealing with the crowds, this is a good opportunity.

So why is brunch at Little Alley so under appreciated? It might be the lack of advertising. They don't list the brunch menu on the website. It gets an occasional mention on their Facebook page. We knew about it from the placard they hang on the sidewalk on Sunday mornings while brunch is being served. It seems very much like the owners want to keep brunch a little quieter and less fraught than the dinner hours. And that's just fine with me. I like knowing that when my husband wants to treat me special, there's a lovely secret brunch place waiting for me on Canton street.

UPDATE:

I get asked frequently about prices for Little Alley's brunch after publishing this piece. Since they don't post a menu anywhere, it's tough to decide if this is within your price range. So I snapped this picture on a recent visit. This is only half the menu. The other side is the stuff they also serve for dinner and you can find those prices elsewhere. Hope this helps you decide to visit Little Alley. It's one of the best restaurants in Atlanta and worth a trip any time of day.

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Little Alley now offers a brunch buffet. The price is $26.95 per person, according to their Facebook page. I haven't been yet, but I bet it's as amazing as the rest of their food. Someone go check it out for me!

 

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Ale Yeah! in Historic Roswell

So I think I've mentioned before, that I'm not a beer drinker. I just don't like most beers. But my husband enjoys them, especially the vast array of craft beers now available on the Northside. Alpharetta and Cumming actually have the most craft breweries and places to fill your growler in this area. My colleague, Lee at Roots in Alpharetta has done an excellent job of covering them, so I'm going to talk about the one in my neighborhood today.

We enjoy visiting Ale Yeah! in Historic Roswell, which is the second location of the Decatur based chain.. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about beer. Even a non-drinker like myself can appreciate the level of service at a place like this. When my husband wants to get a growler filled, this is always our choice. 

So how does this "growler" thing work anyways? At a craft beer store, you can purchase a large bottle jug in either 32 or 64 ounce sizes. You take it in empty and choose from their menu of beers on tap and they fill it. The selection changes frequently, so you have an opportunity to try lots of beers this way. Ale Yeah! also carries single bottles and six packs if that seems like too much. You can build your own six pack from the singles, which is a nice way to try lots of things as well.  They usually have a cider or craft soda on tap as well, which is nice for that lone non-beer drinker (me).

Ale Yeah! is participating with Atlanta Beer Week with tastings in both locations this week. So if you're a craft beer fan,or just curious, this is an excellent time to check them out.

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Roswell Ghost Tour: Spirit Crawl

So last Saturday night, Northside Foods Amalgamated Industries experienced the first "Spirit Crawl" hosted by the Roswell Ghost Tour. What's a Spirit Crawl? It's a ghost tour, but with booze. How can this go wrong? (Hint: It doesn't!)

Spooky old building? Or trendy new
Southern eatery? I'm so confused!

Before I get into reviewing the crawl itself, let me preface this by saying I'm not a believer in ghosts. I'm an "interested skeptic". I like hearing the history that goes with old buildings and feeling that creepy-cool shiver you get when you hear a scary story, but ghosts aren't a thing with me. That said, the Roswell Ghost Tour is one of my favorite local attractions and one I highly recommend. I've been on it multiple times and never had a bad experience. I like that they research and document their featured hauntings thoroughly before featuring them and never tell a story they don't have permission for. Even if I don't believe myself, I can respect someone that puts this kind of time and attention into creating a worthwhile experience.

So the Ghost Tour recently received permission from the owners of The Mill Kitchen and Bar to add their building to the tour. If you didn't know, that gorgeous stone building across the street from Barrington Hall used to be a funeral parlor throughout most of the twentieth century. The business has moved to Mansell road, leaving the building empty. Mimosa Salon on the lower level? Used to be where the corpses would get done up. The beautiful glass enclosed dining room? Used to be the portico where the hearse parked. The building has a fascinating history and it's no wonder it's thought to be haunted. The previous owner of Pico Autentico/Relish wasn't interested in any negative publicity from ghost investigators, so the building has only recently been added to the ghost tour.

For the spirit crawl, we were offered three flights along with the tour: beer, wine and specialty cocktails. All were provided by The Mill and served on the premises. You started the tour at the Square, where all Roswell Ghost tours begin, and walked over to the restaurant and upstairs to the private dining room where the beers were served. After that, we walked to Bulloch Hall and heard the stories associated with that house and the nearby Mimosa Hall. For the second leg, we went upstairs in The Mill again and enjoyed our tastings of wine while one of the restaurant employees told us about her personal experiences with the buildings ghosts. Afterwards, we walked over to Founders Cemetery, The Bricks and "The Creepy House", which is exactly as advertised. We ended at The Mill's bar, where we were served our cocktails.

This is the oldest example of townhouse architecture
in the United States. And it's haunted. 

All in all, it was a good tour. It took about twice as long as a regular ghost tour, so if they offer it again, be ready for a late night. Our guide, Beth, was friendly and knowledgeable and kept things moving along at a good pace. The drinks themselves didn't wow me much. Everything was good, but not great. The tastings felt a little rushed to me, I found myself having to quickly gulp a glass of wine I was enjoying so I could leave with the group. Maybe next time they can truncate the tour a bit to give you more time to enjoy the drinks? Either way, it was a really nice way to spend a fall evening. If they offer this tour again, I'd recommend it. If they offer it again, but this time featuring another restaurant on the Square, I'd go on it again.

I took a bunch of photos with my phone, including some with the coveted "orbs" that are supposed to indicate a haunting. You can check them all out here.

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