Atlanta Food & Wine Festival wraps up
Ford Fry talks about his lard cookies
“Don’t you want to just sit down and enjoy that?” my chewing partner asked.
My friend, a magazine food editor who had come down from New York to attend the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival this weekend, and I were making the rounds of the tasting tents on Saturday afternoon. We has perfected a system. Take the proffered food — a tamale, a barbecue slider — nibble from opposite corners, and throw the rest away.
But we had come upon the fried chicken “trail” — i.e., a collection of tables where chefs from around the South were handing out crispy pieces. And after each taking a bite of a perfect drumstick from Roswell’s Table & Main, we decided we each needed our own. And a seat. And a minute or two of silence to sit and appreciate it.
It was like a wine tasting. Once we tasted the simple pleasure of this drumstick, we were then ready for the more complex stylings of Rosebud’s smoked, cornflake-breaded chicken leg with cucumber salsa.
I had a great time at the festival on Friday and Saturday, though I skipped the roster of classes, demonstrations, tastings and events on Sunday to enjoy a low-key Mother’s Day with the family.
Of the several classes and seminars I attended, my favorite was an event called Southern Chemistry, moderated by cookbooking brothers Matt Lee and Ted Lee. The panelists described their experiences developing recipes and passed out tastes. Ford Fry (above) of JCT Kitchen & Bar used rendered lard to make Oreo cookie filling. Andrea Reusing of Lantern in Chapel Hill, N.C., used ginger juice to turn milk into custard. Greg Best of Holeman & Finch Public House made a cocktail with mescal and corn milk.
Who else went? What were your highlights? What were the could’ve-been-better moments? I’d love to hear your impressions.
-by John Kessler for the Food & More blog
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9 comments Add your comment
Mike
May 14th, 2012
1:31 pm
I attended Friday’s tasting tent & the evening event at JCT Kitchen. Had a great time at the tasting tent ….. there were tons of tasty items and a pretty sizable crowd.. My favorite was a beef dish from a Lexington, KY restaurant (the restaurant name escapes me). High Cotton also served up an amazing morsel. The Patron Tequila booth appeared to be a crowd favorite.
The event at JCT Kitchen was great, too, but it was waaaay too crowded. Once we finally made it to the food, though, it was well worth it. The barbecue was amazing and the mac & cheese melted in your mouth. Highly enjoyable.
I already have my calendar marked for the 2013 event!
SophyB
May 14th, 2012
1:37 pm
I love Ford Fry and JCT Kitchen, but lard cookies??? Not sure if I’m sorry to have missed that one; someone give us the scoop, please. This event is definitely on my calendar for next year though!
Cindy Ruegsegger
May 14th, 2012
1:37 pm
My favorite tasting was from Chef Jeremy Wolgomott at High Hat Cafe in New Orleans. He had a spicy catfish with roasted cauliflower peanuts & purple onions that just hit the spot. The cauliflower & peanuts were such an interesting combination & surprise flavor boost.
I went to the forum for sustainable sourcing which was an extremely interesting topic. There was not enough time to go into each Chef’s philosophy on the topic. Nor was there time for any Q&A. But the biggest issue for us seemed to be that we were always looking for a trash can. Didn’t seem to have enough. Also I would like to have seen more dessert tastings from dessert (pastry ) Chefs.
Overall we had a very enjoyable experience. One that we will repeat again….
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival wraps up – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Food News
May 14th, 2012
1:46 pm
[...] Atlanta Food & Wine Festival wraps upAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)My friend, a magazine food editor who had come down from New York to attend the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival this weekend,… [...]
Roger
May 14th, 2012
1:59 pm
I attended the food and wine festival – day pass for Saturday only. I found it to be a bit disorganized. Saw Bryan Voltaggio first – he was great, but the room was not stocked appropriately – so we waited while someone went looking for spoons and other things he needed. Waited again for the book signing that was to have started at 11:15. I went to a cocktail technique lab – the room was not set up, the mixologists had to ask for basic supplies, we waited again for the session to begin. The volunteers appear to be less than helpful. The session and the mixologists were great – I think it is a session worth repeating if the festival can get it’s act straight. The tasting tent was good – though a lot of people in a pretty small space. Seemed also like an absence of wine… The Southern Coctail party is where it really fell apart. First – who can spend 4 hours in the tasting tent waiting for this event? Second – it was not at all what it was advertised to be – Huge disappointment. Cocktails and nibbles – no food in sight. Wine with Steven Satterfeild on the terrace – no wine to be seen much less Chef Satterfield. Cocktail throwdown – great in concept – poor in execution. Poor flow of traffic, difficult to actually get a cocktail. The event has so much potential – the chefs who participate are amazing, so approachable. They really need someone to help them with organization and flow so that the event will be a success.
Little Bluestem
May 14th, 2012
2:35 pm
Mike -> The Lexington restaurant is Jonathan at Gratz Park.
Art
May 15th, 2012
6:01 pm
I didn’t go this year because it was sooo disorganized last year. From the comments, it sounds like this year was a repeat of last. Further, they’ve got to get a handle on the prices. You can’t charge Aspen Food and Wine Festival prices or South Florida Food and Wine Festival prices when you’re operating as though you are a Taste of Alpharetta.
Frank
May 16th, 2012
2:32 pm
Roger – The chef from Atlanta, Steven Satterfield of Miller Union, is not the person who was supposed to be at the wine tasting on the terrace. Rather it was master sommelier Stephen Satterfield, a Southern native who now lives in San Francisco, who was most assuredly present at the event. A bit confusing, for sure, but you were just looking for the wrong guy.
Art – “Taste of Alpharetta”? You obviously don’t have the first clue what you’re talking about, or what this event is all about. It is precisely on a par with Aspen and South Beach — better than those festivals, according to the various reviews by national food writers from this year that are in thus far — and actually cheaper to attend.
art
May 16th, 2012
6:03 pm
@Frank, you’ve got to be affiliated with the event otherwise you wouldn’t be sooo defensive. Just so you know, I’ve attended all of the aforementioned food festivals many times, including the Taste of Alpharetta, and the Atlanta one doesn’t hold a candle to either one I mentioned. You’re certainly entitled to your opinion but don’t denigrate mine.