Á la Carte Alabama Winter 2020

A FRESH TAKE ON ALABAMA FOOD & DRINK

START WITH DESSERT

The story behind Alabama’s official state sweet treat

THE ENTRÉE

Adding a little soul to your holiday dinner

FOOD WORLD

Taking a trip down the international boulevard of food MY FAVORITE FOOD

Alabama’s Meteorologist James Spann

CHEF FRANK

STITT EMERGES AS A CULINARY VIRTUOSO

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IN THE

8 Lane Cake

36 Millie Ray Rolls

44 The Beer Guy

18 Recipes to make a luscious soul food feast for the holidays A portion of this issue's content is courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter.

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It is the one thing that brings us all together.

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

by WILLIE CHRIESMAN

Beyond nourishing us, food weaves the fabric of our souls together. And food is what this this magazine is all about. It’s about that community that revolves around food.

But it’s not just about food.

It’s about Alabama food.

From white sauce in the north to the bounty of the gulf to the south.

Whether it’s a holiday feast that brings relatives together from near and far.

Whether it’s the kids and their parents sitting around the dinner table and talking about how their day went.

Whether it’s a candlelit romantic dinner that sparks an old flame or starts a new one.

Whether it’s the big party that’s supposed to be about watching the game but it’s really about who brought what to eat.

That one thing is food.

From the meat-and-three off the beaten path that’s a hidden gem to more awardwinning chefs and restaurants than you can count in big cities like Birmingham.

And everything in between.

We are Á la Carte Alabama and we are a publication with a single focus—celebrating food and drink across Alabama.

Along with our website, social media platforms, podcast and videos, we give you a fresh take on the local food and drink scene.

In this, our first issue, we’ll

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introduce you to the man credited with redefining what southern food is all about, award-winning chef and restauranteur Frank Stitt.

We’ll also tell you how you can make your own perfect soul food holiday feast. And show you how to cope with all those tasty—and potentially fattening—holiday temptations.

There is a world of food and beverage experiences within the borders of our state. And we want to help you savor every bit of its essence.

I want to thank you for going on this journey with us.

And as you devour all the diverse and delicious flavors of Alabama, we hope you develop a taste for all that our magazine, our brand and our state have to offer.

So, let’s dig in.

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P.O. Box 26212 Birmingham AL 35260 For Advertising sales

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All information herein has been checked for accuracy to the best of the publishers ability. No responsibility is accepted for deletions, omissions, errors and/or inaccuracies. Unless special placement within the magazine was purchased. Publisher reserves the right to place ad on first come, first serve basis. No materials contained in herein may be reproduced without exclusive written of the publisher. Opinions expressed by contributing writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion. © Copyright 2019 by A La Carte Magazine, All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Special thanks to all our advertisers, business associates, departments, contributing writers, and all other supporting contributions involved in making this possible.

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Alabama, this is all about food LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

requires taking a nap afterwards. You will learn about people doing good through feeding the hungry, about authors and books delving into what we eat, about food for the soul and food trucks and side dishes and beer and wine and parties and entertaining and . . . and . . . and . . .

Have I said this magazine is about food?

When my dear friend Willie Chriesman approached me about starting Á la Carte Alabama magazine, I was in shock: “You mean to tell me in a food-centric place like Birmingham, a city where James Beard award winners reside, and a city that is well-known for many things with food at the very top, we have never had a food magazine?”

Sure, other local publications will do a food story here and there. But a magazine dedicated to food from appetizer to dessert? (Sorry, I had to!) It has never happened, until now. Mind blowing? Perhaps. Shocking? Maybe. Unbelievable?

For sure.

Whatever the reason may have been, we are here to begin this most thrilling and fulfilling adventure: to tell stories about Birmingham food giants, food worlds, food haunts, food joints, food stars and food everything.

Join us on this sweet, savory and finger-licking good ride as we take you to the gems of this city and state, offering the best from the $30 entree to the humble meat & three that 6

In this issue, we get to know the great Chef Frank Stitt, the man who put Birmingham on the food map, on a deeper level. He shares the story about the roots of his culinary journey, running barefoot on his grandparents’ farm in Cullman, while harvesting tomatoes, cucumbers, asparagus and peppers for dinner.

Writer Eric Velasco takes us on an international journey that features more than two dozen worldly enclaves offering everything from Ethiopian to Vietnamese to Middle Eastern to Latin to Korean deliciousness, all within a couple of square miles. Food editor and writer Charla Draper invites us to a soul food holiday dinner that will entice you to dive deep into this lovely culture. Writer Becky Denson introduces us to the incredibly elegant and delicious Collard Green Melt at Lucky Cat Kitchen & Creamery in Homewood – the story of a side becoming the main attraction.

Who said we can’t have a little fun? You will meet our Beer Guy John Mantooth, who has dreamt of being called The Beer Guy most of his life. Mantooth

did a blind IPA taste test of local breweries, and his winner is featured inside.

You will also meet our Wine Gal Nicole Allshouse, who stars on Talk of Alabama on ABC 33/40. Allshouse shares her favorite wines, including a unique surprise.

Healthy you say? Meet our nutrition expert Beth Kitchin. (Yes, that really is her last name!) She shares how to eat healthy during the holidays. Food expert Terry Schrimscher introduces us to Ben Ray, the man behind those delicious Millie Ray Orange Rolls.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our feature on the famous yet humble, legendary weatherman James Spann, chatting with us about his favorite foods.

And for those who like to do good or appreciate those who do, we introduce you to Barrels of Love, a nonprofit that feeds the hungry, something we should all be aware of and not only during the holiday season.

And, there’s more.

So, come along on this delectable journey, appealing to our foodie nature and introducing you to what the best food city on the planet has to offer.

I will end this with what we say in the Arabic culture when done eating: daaimé, which means, forever – bidding you a forever pleasing food journey with our humble magazine.

Pleasantly yours, Karim Shamsi-Basha ALACARTE.AL.COM

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A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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Lane Cake

A Cake so Good, Harper Lee had to Mention it in To Kill a Mockingbird

by LANIER ISOM

WHEN MY HUSBAND HUGO TOOK A BITE OF LANE CAKE RECENTLY, HE SAID, “IT TASTES LIKE MY CHILDHOOD, LIKE THANKSGIVING.” His mother and two aunts had gathered to recreate the Japanese Fruitcake and Lane cake their mother baked for Thanksgiving and Christmas when they were growing up in Roanoke, Alabama. Like so many southerners, they ate this bourbon-soaked cake during the holidays, the dessert buffet full of so many delicious treats, it was called “the groaning board.”

Lexis Mota, a cake designer

and pastry chef who owns The Cakerie in Birmingham, calls this Southern tradition, dating back to the late nineteenth century, the “nostalgia cake.” Most people today don’t have the patience or time to bake this challenging cake from scratch, but during holiday celebrations, they still want to carry on the family tradition. Mota knows when she bakes a Lane cake, she isn’t simply baking a difficult cake, she’s reimagining the flavor of a particular time and place, evoking fond memories about colorful characters and relatives now long gone.

In Truman Capote’s famous short story, A Christmas

Memory, he immortalized the fruitcake when Buddy and Sook baked together during “fruitcake weather.”

Harper Lee memorialized the Lane cake in To Kill A Mockingbird when Mrs. Maudie welcomes Mrs. Atkinson into the Finch household by giving her a Lane cake. Scout observes, “Miss Maudie baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight.”

Two years ago, with the publication of Lee’s Go Set A Watchman, the renewed interest in Harper Lee generated a renewed focus on the Lane cake, now the official state dessert of Alabama.

As Alabama celebrates its 200th birthday, we celebrate the official state dessert THE ORIGINS OF THE LANE CAKE Over one hundred years earlier, during the 1890s, Emma Rylander Lane of Clayton, located in southeast Alabama, created this masterpiece, originally called the “Prize Cake” for its first-place award at the Georgia County Fair.

In 1898, she printed the recipe in her self-published cookbook, Some Good Things to Eat, renaming the cake after herself, not out of “self-conceit,” she assures the reader at the end of her recipe. Her friend Mrs. Janie Pruett had urged her to make the change, she explains. By the 1920s, the cake had appeared in various ladies’ journals as the “Alabama Cake,” according to Dana Alsen, author of a history of food in The Alabama Food Frontier.

The original cake consists of four layers of white sponge cake filled with a mixture of egg yolks, butter, “seeded and finely clipped” raisins and “one wine glass of good whiskey or brandy.” The frosting consists of a fluffy,

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Photo: KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

white confection of water, sugar and egg whites. Lane advised baking the cakes in medium pie tins, not cake pans, lined with brown paper.

A DESSERT ‘WICKED AS SIN’ Variations of the original recipe evolved over the years, with or without the creamy icing, to include cherries, pecans and coconut. Many cooks simply passed down the family recipe without writing it down. Without the convenience of electric mixers or even hand cranked egg beaters, creaming butter

and whipping up whites was labor intensive. Baking with a wood burning stove was always a chore, and the pecans, raisins and coconut had to be chopped by hand or put through a meat grinder.

Audrey McDonald Atkins’ mother insisted William Faulkner referred to Lane cake when he described the dessert as “wicked as sin. If you’ve ever eaten a really good Lane cake, you know that Faulkner was right.”

For Atkins, “Christmas smells like bourbon, or rather, bourbon-soaked raisins.”

In south Alabama, where

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she is from, most folks considered bourbon as wicked.

The sticky boozy, rich filling covered in pillowy, sugary icing is nothing short of sinful,” she says. Only using fresh ingredients, she recalls the cake was “a devil to make.”

A DELICIOUS SOURCE OF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES Cracking coconuts on the concrete carport with his grandmother when he was four years old was Scott Peacock’s first cooking “job.”

An award-winning Southern chef and author of The Gift of Southern Cooking, Peacock grew up in Hartford, Alabama, less than an hour from Barbour County where Mrs. Lane lived and concocted her “Prize Cake.”

Born on the winter solstice four days before Christmas, Peacock always celebrated his birthday with a slice of Lane cake before anyone else was allowed any.

“We were a teetotaling household, so our Lane cake was made with Welch's grape juice instead of the traditional dose of wine or spirits to enrich the filling,” Peacock recalls. But his mother’s friend used moonshine from a mysterious source and baked it in the thin layers distinctive to that corner of the state.

Assembling the cake in early November, she double wrapped it in thick foil and left it to ripen until ChristA Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

mas. As a child, Peacock wasn’t allowed to eat this moonshine sodden version of “forbidden cake” until he was in high school. “It was definitely worth the wait, and besides being delicious, had a warming effect I will never forget,” Peacock remembers.

Even today, the smell of bourbon makes poet Jeanie Thompson nostalgic for the Lane cake her grandfather, named Railroad but called “Roady,” baked during her childhood. She’ll never forget how her mother always chuckled and commented, “Roady spilled bourbon on the Lane cake” during his holiday baking spree when he baked a “battalion of Lane cakes requested by friends and family.” She associates “a moist crumb on the yellow cake, the exotic smell of hand-ground candied and dried fruits steeped in the warm per-

fume of bourbon whiskey” with her hardworking grandfather, who had an invalid wife and three children to raise. His calloused hands not only helped build hydroelectric dams across the region but also prepared a liquor-infused delight as an expression of love and gratitude she and her family appreciated decades later.

Only a generation removed, but a world away from the conveniences of modernday cooking, the Lane cake, born in the Wiregrass region and a talisman of childhood for so many, represents a time reminiscent of Truman Capote and the particular family traditions of the Southern home.

Want to try to make your own Lane cake? We’ll link you to a few recipes—with varying degrees of difficulty—at our website, www.alacarteAL.com 11

THE

ENTREE HOW A YOUNG FRANK STITT EMERGED AS A CULINARY VIRTUOSO Article and photos by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

Frank Stitt’s exemplary culinary career began as a boy playing on his grandparent’s farm in Cullman. He vividly remembers picking strawberries, asparagus, beans and tomatoes for dinner.

I

“I learned from an early age about the connection between the farmer, the kitchen, and the restaurant. After cooking in San Francisco, France, and the Caribbean, I came back home and fell in love with food,” Stitt said.

What sets Stitt apart from other chefs is his mastery of French cooking techniques, while embracing his Alabama roots and ingredients.

Stitt heads three of the most popular restaurants in Birmingham—Highlands Bar & Grill, Bottega and Chez Fonfon. All three restaurants are in the Five Points South area of town for a reason.

“Five Points South grew after the 1910’s and the 1920’s. I love the beautiful

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

architecture and urban feel. The area allows us to offer quality and a genuine sense of hospitality,” Stitt said.

grouper with golden chanterelles and red snapper with a saffron sauce. The relish included fresh dill, basil, cranberry beans and cucumbers. Another star A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS dish was zucchini blossoms Stitt prides himself on stuffed with mackerel and choosing foods of the braised on a bed of onions season. He has developed and white wine. long-lasting relationships with farmers and fisherStitt appreciates many men in Alabama. things about Birmingham, specifically the emerging “This morning I came in neighborhoods of Avonand there were just-picked dale and Woodlawn. He golden chanterelles around finds the energy of the city for only two or three appealing. weeks. We are also getting tomatoes and cucumbers.

“The people of BirmingEach season brings differham appreciate genuine ent excitement and ingrehospitality. They’re not racdients. There’s also cobia ing to the trendiest place and pompano and speckled but want to support a place trout and snapper,” Stitt that feels good. There’s a said. sense of community at our restaurants. It’s that third On the day of our interplace. It’s not home, it’s not view, Stitt prepared black work, but it’s a place where 13

THE

ENTREE

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HOW A YOUNG FRANK STITT EMERGED AS A CULINARY VIRTUOSO

Stitt with his wife Pardis

My relationship with the farmers is paramount, those who are growing the vegetables and raising the lamb, pork and beef. I appreciate them doing that in a humane and a sustainable way.

you come together as a community,” Stitt said.

Stitt loves places like Woodlawn’s Cycle Café, where he points out you can get local pork on toast or figs with goat cheese on homemade bread. When he looks to what’s ahead in dining, he sees it changing to accommodate more vegetables and grains and less meat.

relationship with the farmers is paramount, those who are growing the vegetables and raising the lamb, pork and beef. I appreciate them doing that in a humane and a sustainable way. That part of the husbandry is important for me as a chef and as a citizen. We all need to think about this when we are buying, consuming, and celebrating food.”

“Getting a lot of different colors, a lot of different types of vegetables and grains and greens is a really healthy way of eating, and a little bit of meat or a little bit of cheese instead of it being this huge steak and not much else, I think that’s the future.”

Stitt’s approach to food is certainly paying off. After a series of awards and accolades, in 2018 his restaurant earned one of the top prizes the industry has to offer when Highland’s Bar & Grill was named Outstanding Restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP For Stitt, one aspect of being a chef ranks as the most important: “My

His triumph came after being nominated ten times for the award and not winning it.

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"

“Winning the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant in America brings a much broader awareness of our restaurant to people all over the country.

The demand for reservations has skyrocketed. It reignites a desire for people to come and experience what we have to offer, which inspires us to continue to raise our own expectations. We strive for excellence and we express sincerity and respect for everything from our farmers and fisherman to our guests and staff.”

With such a philosophy, Stitt’s legacy in the food world will endure.

No one could have forecast that young boy traversing his grandparents’ farm in Cullman would end up as one of the most influential chefs in the country.

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Chef Denise

Peterson

Chef’s Table

Photos: yomamasrestaurant.com

Divine Inspiration CHEF DENISE PETERSON CARRIES THE TITLE “YO’ MAMA’S” WITH CONFIDENCE

by WILLIE CHRIESMAN

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN SOMEONE SAYING “YO’ MAMA” WOULD BE AN INSULT. BUT FOR A DEVOTED AND GROWING FOLLOWING, YO’ MAMA’S MEANS SOMETHING TASTY AND SCRUMPTIOUS IS ABOUT TO BE SERVED. After 32 years of working in accounting at the phone company, Denise Peterson heard the call.

She had always been passionate about food. One of eight children, every day was like a family gathering with her parents and siblings. These gatherings always revolved around food.

She saw how it brought people together.

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Often company would come by bearing food and getting caught up in the family’s playful mood. “We would give each other a hard time about the other person’s dish,” she said with a laugh.

“You laugh about it and talk about it. Even if it was really good, you’d find something to laugh about or talk about. So, it’s always fun. Food brings people together,” Peterson said.

Don’t let those fun memories fool you. When it comes to food, Peterson is very serious. So serious that she left that phone company accounting job and started Yo’ Mama’s, a downtown eatery with a loyal following that’s attracted national celebrities

and attention to its Loft District location.

The default description of Yo’ Mama’s is a soul food place, but Denise Peterson says it’s more than that.

She describes the fare as New American cuisine, aka, comfort food.

“When they hear soul food, most people think greens and beans and peas and chicken. But to me, comfort food is anything that makes you feel really good,” Peterson said.

She points out comfort food doesn’t have to mean food that’s not good for you. She says the menu at her restaurant tries to be healthconscious by using fresh ingredients and oils that

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peopleofalabama.com w (r) in the kitchen with her daughter Chrystal (l).

Love the people you’re cooking for, that’s my key ingredient. are lower in saturated fat, as well as gluten-free dishes. She wants people to be mindful of what they eat.

“I actually prayed for a name,” she recalled, “and I believe God gave it to me.

you have all the tools in the world and you don’t want to do it, it’s not going to be good.”

“If you’re a diabetic, you can substitute potatoes with cauliflower. Do it the same way and you can take away the starches. You can do green beans without adding fat. Or you can grill chicken instead of frying it,” Peterson said.

That’s all I can say about that. I woke up at 3:00 in the morning and I told my husband, well, I got the name.

He thought I was trying to be funny, but I believed it, and I stuck with it and it has totally worked.”

To that end, she emphasizes keeping it simple, even if it’s making a holiday meal. Then she added with a smile, “You could just pick something up from Yo’ Mama’s.”

The question on everyone’s mind: Where did the restaurant’s name come from?

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

When you ask her about the most important thing for a home cook to have, she said matter-of-factly, “The willingness to do the job, because if

When we asked Peterson about a last piece of advice, “Love the people you’re cooking for, that’s my key ingredient.”

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Soul ADDING A LITTLE

TO YOUR HOLIDAY MENU

by CHARLA DRAPER

W

hen it comes to holidays, menu decisions are planned in advance. In most families, folks generally know what they’ll have – dishes that are steeped in the tradition of the special meals enjoyed from childhood.

Techniques may change, but the food on the table reflects the nostalgia and signature flavors friends and family love. Á la Carte

Alabama has updated these dishes, keeping those fav flavors, but showcasing the holiday menu in a fresh way. Pimiento cheese is a Southern tradition we’ve updated to pecan or parsley coated truffles. They can be blended and shaped in advance, ready to add to your appetizer tray.

Holiday Waldorf Salad is a take-off on the proverbial gelatin salad. It looks beautiful and does not have to

be unmolded.

Mixed greens flavored with pork or smoked turkey are a must have, while Harvest Vegetable Dressing is a gluten-free confetti blend of roast corn, butternut squash and carrots.

The table star is the Glazed Turkey, brushed and roasted with the aromatic flavor of honey and aged balsamic vinegar. Last but not least, Sweet Potato Swirl Cheesecake is a stellar dessert.

PIMIENTO CHEESE TRUFFLES INGREDIENTS • 2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese • 2 cups (8-oz.) shredded cheddar cheese • 1 tablespoon chopped pimiento • 1 tablespoon chopped green pepper • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • Dash of cayenne pepper • Dash of salt • 1 bunch finely chopped parsley

Combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese, mixing at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add remaining ingredients except parsley. Mix well. Cover and chill cheese mixture 1 to 2 hours. Using tablespoon or #40 ice cream scoop, shape into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in chopped parsley, coating well. Place balls in serving dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill. Serve with assorted crackers. YIELD: Approx. 2 dozen VARIATION: Substitute 1-1/2 cups chopped pecans for parsley, if desired. Substitute 2 8-oz. pkgs. Neufchatel cheese for cream cheese, if desired.

HOLIDAY WALDORF SALAD INGREDIENTS • 1 6-oz. pkg. raspberry flavored gelatin • 2 cups boiling water • 1/2 cup cold water • 1/3 cup port wine • 1 14-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce • 1 cup chopped apple • 1/2 cup chopped celery • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

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Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water and port wine. Chill until partially set. Fold in cranberry sauce, apple, celery and walnuts. Pour into 6-to-8 cup glass serving bowl and chill until firm. Garnish with additional apple slices and whipped cream, if desired. YIELD: 6 to 8 servings VARIATION: Substitute 1/3 cup black-cherry soft drink for port wine

HARVEST VEGETABLE DRESSING INGREDIENTS Every guest will love this full-flavored, gluten-free dressing.

• 1-1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves* • 1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt and coarse ground black pepper • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil • 3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels • 1 teaspoon minced garlic (approx. 1 clove) • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine • 1-1/2 cups diced (1/4-inch) butternut squash • 1 cup celery slices • 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots • 1/3 cup chopped green onion • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley • 2 cups coarsely crumbled gluten-free cornbread • 1/2 to 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth or turkey broth

Combine sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper, and set aside.

Cook corn and garlic in hot oil over medium high heat in large skillet, stirring occasionally 8 to 10 minutes or until kernels begin to brown. Remove corn from skillet, set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in skillet; add butternut squash and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, stir in reserved thyme blend.

In large bowl, mix cooked vegetables, carrots, onions, parsley and cornbread. Stir in broth. Place mixture into lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Cover dish and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature registers 165°F. Makes about 6-1/2 cups. *Substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme for 1 teaspoon fresh thyme TIP: If you prefer more moist dressing, add more broth

MIXED GREENS WITH HAM HOCKS INGREDIENTS This recipe for Mixed Greens with Ham Hocks is a two-step method for maximum flavor. You may also use this method with other varieties of greens.

• 2 quarts water • 2 smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey wings • 2 large garlic cloves • 1/4 cup vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1 cup chopped onion • 1-1/2 lb. turnip greens, cleaned • 1-1/2 lb. mustard greens, cleaned

In 4-quart Dutch oven, combine water and ham hocks. Bring to boil then reduce heat. Cover, simmer 1 to 2 hours, or until tender.

Remove ham hocks. Chill broth until fat can be spooned off surface. Discard fat. Remove meat from ham hocks, trimming fat.

In 4-quart Dutch oven, cook onion in oil over low heat, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. In blender jar, combine 1/4 cup ham hock broth, garlic, vinegar, salt and red pepper. Blend until garlic is minced. Add garlic broth mixture and remaining broth to hot onions. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Stir in greens and remaining ham hock meat. Return to boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 25 to 35 minutes or to desired doneness. Serve with chopped green onions and tomato, if desired. YIELD: 8 to 10 servings Substitute frozen greens in place of fresh, if desired.

HONEY BALSAMIC GLAZED TURKEY INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup honey • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons ketchup • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary • 1/8 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 (12- to 14-pound) fresh or frozen whole turkey, thawed

In 1-quart saucepan, combine honey and vinegar. Heat over medium heat to boiling. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in ketchup, rosemary, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 to 5 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey; refrigerate for another use or discard. Drain juices from turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place against back of turkey. Return legs to tucked position, if untucked. Place turkey, breast side up, on flat rack in shallow roasting pan (with sides 2 to 3-inches).

Roast turkey 2 hours. Brush with some of the glaze. Loosely cover breast and tops of drumsticks with foil to prevent overcooking and glaze from darkening too much. Brush with additional glaze after 30 minutes.

Continue roasting turkey about 1 hour or until internal temperature registers 180°F. Remove turkey from oven. Brush with additional glaze. Let turkey stand 20 minutes before carving. Garnish with additional fresh rosemary, celery leaves and lemon slices, if desired.

SWEET POTATO SWIRL CHEESECAKE INGREDIENTS Crust: • 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar • 6 tablespoons butter, melted Filling: • 3 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 3 tablespoons flour • 3 large eggs • 1/2 cup sour cream • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg • 1/2 teaspoon ginger • 1/2 teaspoon cloves • 1-1/2 cups pureed sweet potatoes* • 2 tablespoons maple syrup Topping: • 1 cup sour cream • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar • 1/4 cup chopped pecans

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Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; mix until blended. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of the flour. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Blend in 1/2 cup sour cream and vanilla. Remove approximately 3 cups batter, set aside.

In medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and clove. Mix to blend. Mix sweet potatoes, brown sugar mixture and maple syrup to remaining batter, mixing until blended. Spoon 1/2 of sweet potato mixture into crust. Gently spoon 1/2 of plain batter over sweet potato batter. Continue alternating layers of batter until pan is full. With metal spatula or knife, gently swirl spatula through batters for marbled effect. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven; loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool completely before removing rim of pan. Chill several hours or overnight.

In small bowl, combine 1 cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Spread on top of cooled cheesecake. Top with pecans. Store in refrigerator. YIELD: one 9-inch cheesecake, 10 to 12 servings.

Substitute 3 8-oz. pkgs. 1/3 less fat Neufchatel cheese for cream cheese, if desired. *TIP: Drain canned sweet potatoes. Using food processor or electric blender, puree drained potatoes until smooth.

Mexican Soul Food

For the holidays Mexican Holiday Dinner

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Making Tamales A HOLIDAY TRADITION OF FOOD

by TERESA ZUNIGA ODOM

For most Alabamians, Christmas dinner translates to foods like ham, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. But for MexicanAmerican families in Alabama, it’s all about tamales and the time to enjoy them is not just on Christmas Day. Tamales are made and enjoyed throughout the whole Christmas season which begins with the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12 and ends with The Epiphany (Three Kings Day) on January 6. And since tamales are typically wrapped in corn husks, unwrapping them is much like unwrapping delicious gifts for the entire Christmas season.

It’s easy to buy a tamale in Birmingham. There are any number of Mexican restaurants where you can 26

order them for lunch or dinner as well as several small tiendas and mercados that sell them. But tamales are so much more than a delicious food you just buy.

Tamales mean tradition and family togetherness to Mexican families. Many people don’t realize just how labor intensive making tamales can be.

If you were to take on this task at home, the preparation alone would make you wonder why you got started in the first place!

Because of this, families will host tamaladas (tamale making parties), where everyone who wants to enjoy all this deliciousness over the holidays has a role in the tamale making. Dozens upon dozens of tamales are created during an all-day process to share with fam-

ily. It’s not unusual for some families to make upwards of sixty dozen (that’s 720!) to eat immediately and to freeze for later.

In many families, the younger generation is beginning to take over the tradition of making the tamales every year. Their parents and grandparents are tiring of all the work involved and, in some cases, only make enough tamales for enjoyment on Christmas Day. The younger generation is beginning to see that cooking tamales as a family is an important tradition to preserve. It’s a way to share their family histories and stories with one another, learn about their family tamale recipes and create new memories together.

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runeatrepeat.com

It’s no wonder that cooking together as a family can span generations and make the holidays much more meaningful.

The very nature of making tamales creates an atmosphere for camaraderie. Preparation begins several days before the tamalada gathering when supplies are purchased, and tamale fillings are cooked.

Meats are seasoned in Crockpots or other slow cookers, and green and red chiles are cooked to add seasoning to the pork or chicken fillings. Margaritas, beer and wine are put on ice as music is selected to create just the right setting for the family togetherness about to occur.

The day of the tamalada, corn husks are soaked in water, so they are pliable, and the masa is prepared. The masa is corn dough that becomes the holder

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

of all the wonderful fillings.

Family and friends will gather early in the day and eventually form an assembly line to fulfill their selected role in the tamale making.

Some will be spreading masa onto corn husks, others will add meat or other fillings on to the masa and finally, some will fold the tamale to add to the steamer. Tamale fillings are many but some of the most popular are pork with red chile sauce, chicken with green chile sauce and roasted pepper and cheese tamales.

Once folded and placed into the tamalera (tamale pot), they will steam for several hours.

It’s important to keep an eye on

the steamer so that they don’t scorch! It would be tragic to let all that hard work go to waste simply because water wasn’t added to the pot. Some families take care of that by adding a few coins to the bottom of the steamer. When they hear them rattling around, they know to add more water.

Of course, the best part of the tamalada is getting to eat the tamales with your family! There is a powerful connection between food and memories and the actual process of creating a meal. It’s no wonder that cooking together as a family can span generations and make the holidays much more meaningful.

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International

FLAIR FOOD for

Chef’s Table

Traveling Alabama’s International Boulevard of Food A TASTY TRIP AROUND THE WORLD AWAITS YOU

by ERIC VELASCO

I LOVE EXPLORING CULTURES THROUGH THEIR FOOD. SO, WHEN I MOVED TO BIRMINGHAM SOME 20 YEARS AGO, I QUICKLY LEARNED OUR MULTICULTURAL CULINARY CROSSROADS IS A ONE-MILE STRETCH JUST SOUTH OF BIRMINGHAM OF GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY AND A MILE IN EITHER DIRECTION WHERE IT INTERSECTS WITH OXMOOR ROAD, VALLEY AND WEST VALLEY AVENUES.

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his square-ish mile of international cuisine showcases the colorful diversity of a city many viewed mainly in black and white.

More than two dozen restaurants, markets and food

trucks provide a culinary passport to the cuisines of Mexico, Central and South America, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Africa.

And that doesn’t even include the Latino ice cream

and ice pops (paletas) shops and late-night kitchens inside clubs. Several markets carry halal meat, the Muslim equivalent of kosher butchery;. Others sell all kinds of cuts from whole animals.

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LOCATIONS 1. Red Sea Ethiopian/Halal Supermarket International

16. La Perla Nayarita

2. Wananchi

17. La Sabrosita

3. Chop Suey Inn

18. La Tia Paisa Taco Shop

4. Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

19. Los Dos Hermanos

5. Hometown Supermarket/Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Cooking

20. Los Valedores

6. Moon Star

21. Maya Restaurante Mexicano

7. Pho Quê Huong

22. Mi Pueblo

8. Red Pearl Restaurant/Super Oriental Market

23. Sabor Latino

9. Seoul Restaurant

24. Super Ofertas

10. Acapulco Bar and Grill

25. Taqueria El Parrandero

11. Brito’s Supermarket #3

26. Tortas Locas

12. El Chile

27. Purple Onion Deli and Grill

13. El Sol Cantina

28. Mediterranean Food Market

14. El Taco Loco

29. Naji’s Pita Gourmet

15. Gordos

International

FLAIR FOOD for

AFRICAN CUISINE

RED SEAS ETHIOPIAN

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RED SEA ETHIOPIAN/HALAL SUPERMARKET INTERNATIONAL 22 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Two Ethiopian friends serve homestyle cooking on house-made spongy injera bread (or rice), along with Middle Eastern fare. This is the real deal; they even import spices and other ingredients from their former homes.

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WANANCHI 273 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Modest market with basic ingredients for Kenyan food.

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A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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International

FLAIR FOOD for

ASIAN CUISINE

GREAT WALL CHINESE RESTURANT

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CHOP SUEY INN 813 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Old-school, mostly Cantonese menu; eggrolls follow the recipe of Joy Young, a renowned 20th century downtown Birmingham eatery.

GREAT WALL CHINESE RESTAURANT 706 VALLEY AVENUE Owner Sunny Liu is a leader for introducing regional Chinese cooking, including dishes from Shanghai, where Sunny grew up and still has family.

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HOMETOWN SUPERMARKET/ MR. CHEN’S AUTHENTIC CHINESE COOKING 808 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Find food from throughout the world, including several African, Asian, Latin American and Caribbean nations. Any cut imaginable of beef, pork, chicken, duck, fish and shellfish, as well as fresh produce make this a prime destination for adventurous cooks.

MOON STAR 191 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Americanized Chinese stir-fry and Buffalo-style chicken wings.

PHỞ QUÊ HƯƠNG 430 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY – GREEN SPRINGS CENTER The area’s oldest Vietnamese restaurant introduced many to pho noodle soup, banh mi sandwiches, crisp meaty spring rolls and soft fresh summer rolls.

RED PEARL RESTAURANT/SUPER ORIENTAL MARKET 243 WEST VALLEY AVENUE The oldest Asian market in town includes prepared food, sauces, spices and other ingredients from throughout the western Pacific Rim, available fresh, frozen, canned and jarred.

SEOUL RESTAURANT 430 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY – GREEN SPRINGS CENTER Order Korean classics Bim Bim Bap (veggies and meat on rice, topped with egg) or marinated meat Bul Go Gi. But check out the soups, stews, seafood and tofu dishes.

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International

FLAIR FOOD for

LATIN CUISINE

ACAPULCO BAR AND GRILL

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EL SOL CANTINA 328 VALLEY AVENUE Serves familiar dishes like enchiladas and rellenos that are more “Mex” than “Tex”, plus Mexican-style soups, seafood, entrees and snacks.

ACAPULCO BAR AND GRILL 430 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY – GREEN SPRINGS CENTER Festive mix of Tex-Mex classics and Mexican seafood and antojitos including gorditas and saucer-shaped sopes.

BRITO’S SUPERMARKET #3 118 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Mostly Mexican food-oriented market including a tortilla-making machine, small vegetable stand, meat counter and fruit-juice stand.

EL CHILE 273 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Another eatery that’s open late, until 2 a.m.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

EL TACO LOCO 702 VALLEY AVENUE Checks all the taqueria boxes – savory meats nestled in soft corn tortillas with cilantro, onions, housemade salsas and other essential condiments.

GORDOS 433 VALLEY AVENUE This is where I discovered the joy of Mexican-style street tacos, and the superb flavors of animal parts that city folk generally reject. A modest market ascends to the carniceria/ restaurant and then to a sweetsfilled bakery (panaderia). I first wrote about Gordo’s a decade ago; my story still is posted there.

Nayarit coast, with whole fish and filet dishes, shrimp, octopus, oysters and crab legs. An unusual dish: Pinas, seafood baked in halved pineapples.

LA SABROSITA 191 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Honduran and Mexican fare; meats from land and sea are served with fried plantain and rice.

LA TIA PAISA TACO SHOP 406 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Mexican breakfast and lunch/dinner fare, from tacos to seafood and Birria de Res (beef stew).

LOS DOS HERMANOS 221 WEST VALLEY AVENUE Legendary among food lovers, the Guzman brothers’ mobile kitchen is the city’s original taco truck. Its large selection of whole-animal meats proves frugality can be mighty tasty. Cash only.

LA PERLA NAYARITA 150 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY A celebration of western Mexico’s

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International

FLAIR FOOD for

LATIN CUISINE

MAYA RESTAURANTE

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LOS VALEDORES GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY AT OXMOOR ROAD This truck serves tacos, antojitos, and torta sandwiches. Its gordita is a must try, pork chicharrones sandwiched between house-made crispy thin masa pancakes.

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MI PUEBLO 216 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY The selection of meats, vegetables and dried chiles is unparalleled. The market also sells Caribbean, Central and South American and African fare. A vendor makes tortillas inhouse.

SABOR LATINO 112 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Mainly features Peruvian dishes like beef Lomo Saltado, fried seafood Jalea and appetizers like tamales, empanadas and Leche de Tigre, a spicy ceviche.

MAYA RESTAURANTE MEXICANO 308 OXMOOR ROAD Classic Tex-Mex, with specialty margaritas.

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TAQUERIA EL PARRANDERO 2651 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Located at the Chevron station at Green Springs and Valley, it’s an al fresco destination for late-night tacos, torta sandwiches and other street food.

TORTAS LOCAS 44 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Mexican snacks and entrees like Costilla de Puerco (pork ribs) and Caldo de Res (beef soup).

SUPER OFERTAS 406 WEST VALLEY AVENUE RED MOUNTAIN PLAZA Small Latino market with a modest butcher counter.

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MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE

International

FLAIR FOOD for

PURPLE ONION DELI AND GRILL

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NAJI PITA GOURMET

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PURPLE ONION DELI AND GRILL 479 GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY Gyros arrived in Birmingham a half-century ago. Purple Onion is a multi-location chain selling the pita wraps, and Greek and American deliciousness.

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MEDITERRANEAN FOOD MARKET 430 GREEN SPRINGS – GREEN SPRINGS CENTER This market was the first to sell halal meat. Look for spices, grains and other specialties from Palestine, Syria and other countries.

NAJI’S PITA GOURMET 166 WEST VALLEY AVENUE JouJou’s pita bread is baked here.

Naji’s restaurant makes one of my favorite gyros. The market stocks canned goods including fava beans and cracked-wheat bulgur.

So, go and explore the astounding global foods paradise along Green Springs Highway. And make sure you bring a healthy appetite and an adventurous palate.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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Alabama Originals

Sweet

ROLL ALABAMA

styleblueprint.com

styleblueprint.com

Millie Ray’s Sweet Rolls May Make You Want to Skip Dessert

by TERRY SCHRIMSHER

IN THE SOUTH, FOOD CAN BE MANY THINGS TO DIFFERENT FOLKS. For Birmingham’s Ray family, in addition to sweetening the lives of thousands upon thousands of folks who eat their sweet rolls and close their eyes and go, “Ahhhhh!”, food is serious business.

When Birmingham Realtor Millie Ray was asked to provide the bread for her garden club potluck, she wanted to do something special. She created her own recipe for an Alabama favorite—orange rolls—and the response was phenomenal. Requests for her rolls began to pour in and a family business and legacy were born.

“As a child growing up, one of my fondest memories is rolls everywhere in our house, and the constant smell of the rolls,” Ben Ray, III said.

Ben now serves as co-owner of Millie Ray & Sons with his brother Ryan.

At first, Millie Ray was reluctant to

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

start a business, and instead baked the rolls to give away to friends.

With the help of her husband, Ben Jr., she started marketing the rolls through her catering business. Sons Ben and Ryan developed a taste for the food industry working in leadership roles with Birmingham restaurant chain Zoë’s Kitchen. In 2012, they returned home to work full time baking the rolls and selling them.

Early support from the community helped the company grow. David and Andrea Snyder, owners of Urban Cookhouse, added Millie Ray’s orange rolls to their menu and promoted the brand by name in their stores.

The Piggly Wiggly in Homewood was the first grocery store to carry the rolls.

As demand increased, the brothers turned to food distributor Wood Fruitticher and began to expand into other product lines. Today, Millie Ray & Sons offers five retail products — Orange Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, Yeast

Rolls, Dinner Twins and Buttermilk Biscuits. The company also provides bread for some of the area’s wellknown restaurants.

“We just spread out a little bit into Georgia and South Carolina,” Ray said. “Our orange, cinnamon and dinner twins are now in Food City, which is a family-owned grocery store. My mom loved family-owned businesses like that. She was all about relationships.”

Maintaining the homemade touch was an important consideration for the Ray family as the business expanded. Even as they have added equipment and new facilities to meet demand, the brothers have taken care to preserve the taste their mother first created in 1979, when she made her rolls for friends.

Millie Ray passed away from leukemia in 2018, but her legacy lives on in the business. “She told us in her later years how proud of us she was,” Ray said. “This business was her baby.”

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Keep on

Truckin' 10

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Photo: KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

Photo: KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

Keep on Truckin'

Let the Good Food Roll FOOD TRUCKS DELIVER THE GOOD, THE FAST, AND THE TIMELY

by SUSAN PRUITT

LUCKILY FOR UAB EMPLOYEES, THERE A SEVERAL EXCITING NEW POSSIBILITIES THANKS TO THE RECENT FOOD TRUCK PHENOMENON.

We UAB people have to walk to our lunch destinations since most of us park remotely. Sure, we could take the Blazer Express bus to our car, then drive to an exciting new restaurant or eatery, but the process takes too long. UAB doctors, nurses and researchers have limited time to indulge in a lengthy lunch.

Another risk is losing that coveted and hard-to-comeby parking space. Parking at UAB is best described as “survival of the fittest.” Losing your spot is not a good thing. And though there are many excellent restaurants within walking distance, nothing excites us more than a glorious food truck.

What is it about a steel mobile kitchen caravan that makes the food taste richer than restaurant food? Does the limited surface area trap

all the aroma which adds to the concentration of the flavor? Is there a scientific explanation? Is it the effort you put into the walking, standing in line, then getting your food and screaming like a kid in a candy store? As a researcher, I am up for the challenge.

Here are three examples of food trucks around UAB between 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday:

Editor’s note: Our very own Susan Pruitt, a researcher at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, depends on the plethora of food trucks that frequents the area for nourishment and a break from her lab duties.

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SAW'S STREET KITCHEN

Nothing screams "Southern" more than a sweet tea-fried chicken sandwich. It will make you want to hug your mama! Actually, after sampling the pulled pork, greens, ribs and smoked chicken, I wanted to hug everyone in proximity.

Once I finished sampling the banana pudding, I was flying high on endorphins for the rest of the day – or maybe it was the sugar?

No worry, the walking accounted for a slice or two of bananas.

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sawsbbq.com

Photos: theheavenlydonutco.com

HEAVENLY DONUTS

When you need to impress your boss or coworker, there is no better way than a Heavenly Donut.

This food truck offers innovative flavors and enticing toppings. If loving these donuts is wrong, I never want to be right. A few to check out: French Toast, Oreo, Coconut and Maple Bacon. (I’m sorry, but bacon with Maple syrup on a deliciously fried donut should be illegal. I wanted to call the cops, but then just ate it and reveled in its heavenly sensations).

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Photos: nuzzigelato.com

NUZZI ARTISAN GELATO

Imagine hurriedly walking down the congested UAB sidewalks and desperately wanting to relax and escape, then you discover an Italian gelato food truck. I am quickly transported to La Piazza San Marco in Venice, strolling down the cobblestone streets as I sample the Tiramisu gelato. Then someone runs into me and I hear the UAB ambulance heading to the emergency room. Well, the temporary escape was nice while it lasted. I highly recommend all the flavors handmade by the owner and gelato master: Chocolate Hazelnut, Custard, Cappuccino, Tiramisu, and Sorbet.

Cheers

The Beer Guy photo by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

photo by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

On the Hunt for the Best IPA in Birmingham

by JOHN MANTOOTH

I’M NOW A VERY, VERY HAPPY MAN. ACCORDING TO THE EDITOR OF THIS FINE MAGAZINE, I GET TO WRITE A BEER COLUMN. A BEER COLUMN. THAT MAKES ME THE BEER GUY. Being the BEER GUY is something I’ve dreamed about for years, ever since I bought my copy of Michael Jackson’s (not that Michael Jackson) Great Beer Guide in 1999.

Twenty years later, craft beer has exploded, and I can’t think of a better time, or place, (okay, maybe San Diego or Portland or Denver, but you get the idea) to do this job. Birmingham has new breweries popping up all the time, and the old standbys keep getting better.

Full disclosure: I’m no expert. Most likely you’re not either. I’m just an ordinary guy who likes—no, loves—beer. I’m going to visit breweries, do blind taste tests, try everything at least once, then I’m going to write about it. Mostly, I’m going to enjoy taking you on this delicious, intoxicating ride.

PLUS-ONE BLIND IPA TASTE TEST For the first installment, I recruited some friends to do a blind taste test of local IPAs (Indian Pale Ales, for the uninitiated). I decided to include one well known, “gold standard” IPA, thus the “plus one” in the title. I thought it would be a good way to see how Birmingham beers would stack up against a well-regarded national craft beer brand.

Now, a word about methodology.

Four friends and I tasted the beers blindly, then scored them based on appearance, aroma, mouthfeel and taste, with taste weighing more heavily.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

THE FIELD

The following beers were included in the blind test but did not rank in the top five. (They are listed below in alphabetical order.) Despite not finishing in the top five, these beers were delicious, and a few came very close.

Birmingham District Brewing Co. - Lose Your Way IPA Ghost Train Brewing Co. - Gulf Ghost IPA Good People Brewing Co. - IPA Grocery Brew Pub - Breakfast IPA Grocery Pub Brew Pub - Aisle 22 IPA Trimtab – Trimtab IPA

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The Top Five BIRMINGHAM'S BEST BEERS

stonebrewing.com

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STONE BREWING, ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA—STONE IPA This was my choice for the “plus one.” Regarded as a style standard, I was surprised Stone didn’t perform better – a testament to Birmingham’s craft beer scene. Tasters found this offering “fresh, hoppy, and tasty.” Other comments were, “right down the middle IPA” and “fairly standard.”

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The Top Five BIRMINGHAM'S BEST BEERS

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TRUE STORY BREWING COMPANY - FABRICATOR IPA I was pleased to see Fabricator perform well. True Story is a relatively new brewery that deserves to be on your radar. Tasters found this IPA sweet with a stronger malt presence. It scored well and was one participant’s favorite beer. You’d never guess it boasted the highest alcohol content at eight percent.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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The Top Five BIRMINGHAM'S BEST BEERS

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CAHABA BREWING CO - OKA UBA IPA Honestly, I was surprised the Oka Uba did so well. The beer is frequently overlooked for newer, trendier options. Like the Fabricator, Oka Uba scored well across the board, with tasters commenting, “solid beer” with “good carbonation” and a “slight creaminess.” A good reminder that new and trendy doesn’t always equal quality.

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The Top Five BIRMINGHAM'S BEST BEERS

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BACK FORTY BEER COMPANY - HOP TOSH The Hop Tosh IPA scored extremely well in our blind test. Tasters raved about its golden color, fruity yet clean taste, and drinkability. One taster noted a “pleasant, balancing sweetness.” Overall, perhaps the most drinkable beer of the group.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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The Top Five BIRMINGHAM'S BEST BEERS

birminghamdistrictbrewing.com

THE CHAMP BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT BREWING CO ADVANCED HOPOLOGY Hopology’s total score was so high, I had to check my math. It was the only beer to break 100. A few tasters listed it as their favorite beer of the night. The notes left bordered on the hyperbolic: “Awesome, very good, fresh, clean, classic, splendid aftertaste, full-bodied, perfectly hopped.”

One taster noted, “I can’t stop smelling this beer.” Perhaps the best way to sum up the Hopology IPA was what one taster said: “It put a smile on my face.”

That’s it. The first IPA Blind Taste Test is over. Thanks to all who participated: our beer connoisseurs, beer brewers and beer lovers. Look for a similar take on local stouts coming up this winter. In the meantime, I’m going to keep supporting local breweries as the Birmingham craftbeer scene continues to flourish.

If you see me at your local brewery, I'll let you buy me a beer. Until then, happy beer hunting.

Cheers

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This Whimsical Blueberry Wine Will Delight You

by NICOLE ALLSHOUSE

GROWING UP IN A LARGE CATHOLIC ITALIAN FAMILY, WINE WAS ALWAYS AROUND THE DINNER TABLE AND WAS BROUGHT OUT FOR ALL SORTS OF OCCASIONS: A funeral, wine.

A wedding, wine.

Friends stopping over on a random Tuesday to visit, wine.

College graduation, a toast with wine.

You get the idea.

Within the walls of an Italian home, wine is just as prevalent in the pantry as pasta is on the stovetop. It’s served at dinner, at church, and many times as a substitute for water with a meal.

I remember my grandfather, who was first generation American, sitting on the porch, speaking Italian and sipping a fine red. I would sit and listen to his war stories, recounting the days he served in the Army

during WWII. He never offered me a taste and I never asked. We kids knew better. In fact, the first time I drank a glass of wine, I was in college.

Now as an adult, every time I take a sip of full body Merlot or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc, I think fondly of my grandpa.

It’s not a wine you would drink every day. Some may steer away because it is sweet, but I think it is the perfect accompaniment for a hot summer night – with its freshness, crispness, and fruity nuances lingering in your mouth way past you down the delicious sip.

So, when I was asked to write an article about wine, it was an easy decision. The hard part was figuring out which wine to spotlight, with so many amazing choices and the plethora of grapes and the enormous flavors and vintages and types and and and . . .

I picked up this bottle at Corbin Farms Winery in Calera, because it is locally made and because I love to support Alabama. It has an 11% ABV, or alcohol by volume, which surprised me. To give you some context, an average beer has about 5% ABV and liquor has around 37%.

A sidebar about me: Yours truly is a different kind of girl. If you’ve seen me on television, you would know my personality is a little whimsical.

So, the only thing I could do was to settle on a wine that was just that, whimsical, playful, and a little different — Blueberry.

Yep, you heard me right . . . Blueberry Wine.

I had heard about this wine from other customers who make the trip to Corbin Farms Winery each year, just for this flavor. While I was there, I had to meet the wine maker, Matt Corbin, and ask some questions. I couldn’t help myself. It’s the television reporter in me.

yelp.com

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE BLUEBERRY WINE?

IS THE BLUEBERRY A FAN FAVORITE?

“The process takes between four to six months from the start of fermentation through aging, clarification, filtration then bottling.”

“Yes, we try to keep the blueberry wine on our wine list throughout the year, but it is such a popular wine it will oftentimes sell out before the next batch is ready. Our forte is having customers taste several different wines and helping them to determine which ones they like best. Depending on availability of fruit and season, we make peach, strawberry, blackberry and apple wine. Those are secondary to our Vinifera wines Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling and Viognier.”

HOW MANY POUNDS OF BLUEBERRIES DO YOU USE? “We use two to three pounds of blueberries per gallon of blueberry wine.

We typically make blueberry wine in small batches of 30-60 gallons.”

WHAT DOES THE PROCESS LOOK LIKE? “We start by crushing the blueberries, then start the fermentation process. After that we press the blueberries and then it’s on to aging. During the aging process we rack the wine several times and discard sediment layers. Once the wine has aged a few months, and reached our desired tasting profile, we filter and bottle.”

Doesn’t reading this make you want to become wine makers? The creative side of my brain is doing cartwheels right now! If nothing else, I would like to stomp some grapes. Yes, my friends, I just added that activity to my bucket list. But I better be in France, with a great tan and some romantic music in the background.

Back to reality, I really do appreciate the blueberry wine. It’s not overly sweet, but sweet enough, and I paired it with two soft cheeses. Of course, I had to bring out a side of fresh blueberries as well. My mom said she would enjoy it with a homemade cobbler, while my dad thinks it would be great over ice cream.

My husband doesn’t drink fruity wine, but my kids suggested a blueberry wine slushy would be delicious. Ummmm, not yet kids. Not yet.

I wish my grandfather was still around to try this blueberry wine. A true Italian never turns down a glass of wine.

They would lift up their glass, say ‘Salute’ while smiling from their heart, then take a sip and revel in the timeless deliciousness of life.

Cheers.

Nicole Allshouse is host of Talk of Alabama on WBMA, ABC 33/40, in Birmingham. You can read more about her on her website, nicoleallshouse.com. You can also follow her on Instagram (nicoleallshousetv) or on her Facebook page, Scarnation.

On The Side

The Lucky Cat

Kitchen & Creamery

photos by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

My Collards Culinary Redemption COLLARD GREENS ARE A NEW YEAR’S DAY TRADITION BUT IF YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE THEM THIS TASTY TWIST ON THE DISH MAY CHANGE YOUR MIND

by BECKY MANTOOTH

I HAVE A CONFESSION. THIS SOUTHERN GIRL HATES COLLARD GREENS. My Gran-Gran would never approve of the word hate. She was known for her greens, cooked low and slow with ham hocks and served alongside black-eyed peas and buttery cornbread.

The family, minus me, salivated as soon as the dark, leafy stalks hit the sink bath. Hours later, everyone was gobbling them up, asking for seconds and thirds, and praising my smiling Gran-Gran. She loved watching the family devour her comfort food. Hard as I tried, I couldn’t hide my scowling face, which made kinfolks seriously question my true Southern-ness.

After a life-long identity crisis, The Lucky Cat Kitchen & Creamery in Homewood redeemed me. I was lost, until I was found eating the Collard Green Melt – the eatery’s signature

sandwich. I honestly wasn’t looking forward to the lunch, but I had promised a friend I would give this collard dish a try.

The bright, freshness of the first bite converted me. These greens are not the traditional Southern kind bathed in pork fat and cooked into mush. The Lucky Cat collards are marinated in red-wine vinegar with a touch of hot sauce, then prepared in a pressure cooker until soft enough to eat. Their toothy texture is like al dente pasta. The dish is perfect for a vegetarian. If you must have pork with your greens, you can add slices of crispy bacon.

Lucky Cat layers its Collard Green Melt with three pieces of toasted seed rye, slaw dressed in Alabama white sauce, spicy collards, creamy Swiss cheese and a homemade Peppadew Thousand Island dressing. The subtle sweetness of the Peppadew peppers along with the creaminess of the dressing balance out the spicy collards, and the

center piece of bread soaks up the tasty juices creating an explosion of flavor. The crunch of the slaw and toasted bread gives the dish the texture missing in traditional Southern collards. You will need some napkins to handle the welcome juices on your hands.

The perfect way to cool down the residual spicy tingle is to follow up with The Lucky Cat Kitchen & Creamery’s main event—rolled ice cream, made from organic milk produced by grass-fed cows raised in Alabama. If you want to avoid dairy, they offer a coconut-milk, vegan ice cream. After ordering your dessert, you get the unique experience of watching the cream mixture poured onto a frozen pan combined with your choice of ingredients and rolled into edible art.

Now after my redemption with the Lucky Cat’s Collard Green Melt, my Gran-Gran would have been proud of me. Especially since I’ll be back for seconds . . . and thirds.

Editor’s note: Since this story was written, Lucky Cat sadly has closed its doors. But the memory of its rolled ice cream treats and this delicious sandwich remains. We wanted to share this with those who did not have the pleasure of having one to describe what they missed and hope we get the chance for another bite someday.

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The Foodie’s Guide to a No-Weight-Gain Holiday

by BETH KITCHIN

I love October. Cooler temperatures and Halloween decorations make my neighborhood walks festive, and my spirits high with the promise of cheer and joy.

Fall is also the starting line for a battle with food that often ends with a shortlived New Year’s resolution.

It doesn’t have to be that way. If you get your mindset and your habits set early, you can eat your favorite holiday foods and avoid scale shock. Think how much fun it would be to make a resolution that isn’t about weight!

The pounds add up A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed the average weight gain over the holidays was only one pound. Most people did not

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lose that pound over the next year. And ten, fifteen, twenty years later, well, you get the picture.

So, how can you enjoy festive foods and drinks without gaining that stubborn holiday pound, or two, or nine? What follows are strategies I’ve used with patients, clients and myself over the years. è Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. The most dangerous part is the mindset.

Many people give up and say, “I’ll just wait until after the holidays to get back on track.” Even if you only have ten minutes a day to exercise, the idea is to stay in the groove. if you also eat lots of fruits and vegetables along with the sweets, you are doing good things for your body.

è Choose the best and leave the rest. This is probably my favorite year-round strategy. Think quality versus quantity. Don’t waste your calories on poor choices. “Do I really want to use up my calories on those store-bought Christmas cookies? No. What about my mom’s homemade rum balls? An emphatic yes.” è Portions! Portions! Portions! If you master portion control, you can eat pretty much anything. Stay away from seconds on the highcalorie desserts. Think “one and done.” è Stay active. Combine the holiday with activity by walking through the neighborhood to look at the decorations or take the kids ice skating or Christmas caroling.

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è Keep a low-calorie drink in your hand at parties. You’re less likely to graze at the food table if your hands are full. Alternate a non-alcoholic, low-cal drink for every alcoholic one.

You’ll stay hydrated, slow down your alcohol intake and hopefully avoid a hangover the next day. I used this strategy to great success last New Year’s Eve. After my first glass of wine, I filled my glass with Diet 7-Up. I felt energetic the next day and started my New Year with a workout. è Don’t skip meals to make up for

too many calories. The starvation/ overeating cycle is a difficult one.

It’s fine to focus on getting back to a healthful eating pattern after a detour, but starvation often leads to overeating. è Don’t skimp on sleep. Some studies show that you might overeat when you don’t get enough sleep.

You are also more likely to get sick. è Go shopping. Not for holiday gifts but for healthy foods. Nutrition awareness at home will give you a little leeway when out.

è See It and believe It. As you decide which of the strategies might work for you, start imagining. See yourself at the party practicing portion control. Visualize going for walks. Imagine eating healthy at home. Seeing it in your mind gets you to actually eat better.

Bottom line: with some early planning, visualization and practice, you can set yourself up for a fun foodie holiday without derailing your health.

Editor’s note: Beth Kitchin, PhD, RDN is assistant professor and Director of Media & Community Engagement for the Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

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THE PEPPER PLACE FARMERS MARKET IN PICTURES

Photos: KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

Off Menu

Books about Food Make the Holiday Season Even Tastier With the holidays upon us, what better gift to consider for your favorite master chef or foodie than a cookbook? We asked Stephanie Kruse of Little Professor Book Center in Homewood what she would recommend for this season of gift-giving.

Here’s her list.

WHERE COOKING BEGINS: UNCOMPLICATED RECIPES TO MAKE YOU A GREAT COOK

BY CARLA LALLI MUSIC This book features minimalist design and beautiful layout, along with simple and delicious recipes. Though Music isn't local to the South, her recipes would work well alongside Southern classics.

A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

TRACING ROOTS

BY TRACE BARNETT Trace lives in Birmingham and this book is all about living off the land. He includes great recipes and advice on everything from beekeeping to canning.

Plus, it's organized seasonally, so it's easy to locate recipes that call for ingredients currently growing in your garden or ones available at the local farmers’ market.

IN PURSUIT OF FLAVOR

BY EDNA LEWIS Edna Lewis is known as "The first lady of Southern cooking."

She spent her childhood in a farming community in Virginia, founded by her grandfather and his friends after Emancipation.

The book was released earlier this year and has lots of stories in addition to her timeless Southern recipes.

THE SOUTH'S BEST BUTTS: PITMASTER SECRETS FOR SOUTHERN BBQ PERFECTION

BY MATT MOORE This is the holy grail for barbecue lovers! Matt Moore's book has more BBQ recipes than you ever thought existed, as well as great sides and pairings. Perfect for fans of proper Southern BBQ.

MY TWO SOUTHS

BY ASHA GOMEZ This is a gorgeous book that blends the author’s Indian family recipes with recipes from her new home in Georgia. It's an interesting fusion of two cuisines that don't usually overlap. The recipes are simple but promise unique flavors that are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

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My Favorite Food

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A Taste of Things to Come Q & A WITH TV METEOROLOGIST JAMES SPANN

by SUSAN PRUITT

WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE MAN KNOWN AS ALABAMA’S CHIEF METEOROLOGIST, JAMES SPANN, AND CHATTED ABOUT FOOD, FAMILY MEMORIES AND OTHER DELICIOUS TOPICS. SPANN LOVES SERVING THE PEOPLE OF CENTRAL ALABAMA WITH HIS ACCURATE WEATHER FORECASTS. HE ALSO LOVES THE SIMPLICITY OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS TO EAT. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING TO EAT? When I was young, my father abandoned my mom and me, and never paid child support, so we grew up without much.

We’d eat whatever we could eat back then.

Today, I’m blessed to be able to eat whatever I want to eat, and my favorite food is a thick, medium-rare tenderloin steak cooked over a grill. It doesn’t get much better than that. It is so good, I mean it’s really good.

It’s better than pizza. It’s better than pasta. It’s better than anything.

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MEDIUM-RARE STEAK

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL? In recent years, my food consumption has changed. I’ve tried to eat healthy and I’ve tried to lose some weight. I’ve got a long way to go, but this is my favorite meal. It’s a bit strange: Two turkey burgers, no bread, a baked sweet potato and broccoli. I have become addicted to that meal. I could eat that meal for breakfast, for lunch, and then for dinner. It’s healthy, it’s approved by the people I work out with and it’s good.

TURKEY BURGERS

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO THING TO EAT DURING LONG HOURS OF SEVERE WEATHER COVERAGE? We work during tornado events five to ten hours standing up at a green wall. You have to have some kind of nutrition to survive that. My trick is two things: Peanut butter and celery. You get a celery stick, you dip it into the peanut butter and you chomp it down. I can go for ten more hours in front of that green wall.

PEANUT BUTTER & CELERY

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WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD MEMORY? I think, for me, my favorite memory is the traditional Thanksgiving. As a younger child and as an older person, it’s where we were all together. And, boy, we are so busy.

Just to have that turkey, and to be able to slice into it, it’s an honor. Those are fond memories for me.

Family is what it’s all about. I work a very challenging job with pretty challenging hours. I don’t get those meals with the family as much as I’d like, so I really love that classic Thanksgiving meal.

THANKSGIVING

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Editor's note: James Spann is chief meteorologist for WBMA ABC 33/40 in Birmingham. He is also author of the autobiography, Weathering Life.

Football Feast TIS THE SEASON FOR PIGSKIN, PIGGING OUT AND PARTIES AND WE SHOW YOU HOW TO COMBINE ALL THREE Article and photos by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

This is Alabama. And from around Labor Day to New Year’s—depending on how well your team does—one of our most cherished rituals is watching college football.

held a football party at their Homewood house, and we tagged along. David’s brother Mark, formerly of Mark’s Joint in Homewood, provided the food.

And if you’re going to watch the game, you might as well make it a party.

Andrea and David are the perfect hosts. There was delicious food, an excellent selection of beer, wine, and other drinks, along with a babysitter for the little ones so the grown-ups could concentrate on the festivities.

Andrea and David Snyder, owners of Urban Cookhouse and Farm Bowl + Juice Co., like to do just that. They 62

THE MENU FEATURED Smoked Spareribs Deviled Eggs Momma's Hash Brow Casserole Nina's Salad Pork Tacos

“Almost always, it’s better to watch a football game at home with good food and good friends, that’s all you need,” Andrea Snyder said, while she was arranging the yummies for the guests. She ALACARTE.AL.COM

prefers food that is easy to eat and does not leave a big mess. Another key ingredient is disposable plates and utensils, all the better if you get the recyclable kind.

Guests congregated around the kitchen island with easy access to the food. Potluck is a fun way to feed your friends and give them the opportunity to show off their favorite A Fresh Take On Alabama Food & Drink

dishes, but a no-fuss option like getting it catered is a stress-free way to host a party.

“I always offer some fun local brews, but lots of guests have specific tastes and tend to bring their own drinks,” Andrea said. “And if kids are around, a babysitter is worth her weight in gold!”

So, for your next football party, consider gathering your friends, food and brews or other libations. After all, you don’t want to jump and cheer for your winning team all by yourself.

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HOT & HOT FISH CLUB

BOTTEGA CAFÉ

HIGHLANDS BAR & GRILL

Fabulous Food Photography Karim Shamsi-Basha • WWW.HIREKARIM.COM • 205-281-5208

Non-profit

A mission

TO SHARE

Fishes, Loaves and Love Provides a Bright Light to Those in Need Article and photos by KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA

HUGE RED DONATION BUCKETS GREET YOU AS YOU ENTER CEDAR GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH IN LEEDS.

and the other participants wanted to get involved in the community and began cooking for the hungry in churches in Leeds. Now they serve all of Jefferson County.

You can toss in any non-perishable food items and you know it’s going to a good cause. On the red buckets is a flyer with a few words: Food Drive, Fishes, Loaves, Help and others. But one word jumps out — Love.

“Our mission is to nourish bodies and souls through our involvement in the community, and to get people excited about giving back to their community,” Isbell said. “We do three things to make that happen. We cook meals and leave them at churches for their shut-ins. We have a backpack program with the Irondale school system. And we work with local youth groups who might not have the funds to go out and give back to their community.”

Sure, people need food and fishes and loaves and help and all kinds of material things; but do they also need love?

“We called our ministry Fishes, Loaves and Love for a very simple reason. We wanted to mirror feeding the people with fishes and loaves, but we also wanted to feed them love,” founder Lindsay Isbell said. “We believe when you bless others, you are blessed as well.”

Fishes, Loaves and Love began in 2016 out of a small Bible study. Isbell

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Actually, Fishes, Loaves and Love offers much more than that. They help with frozen meals, baskets, backpacks and service projects; as well with hospitals, teachers and first responders and the homeless.

“We have these donation buckets for any business or church that wants to

participate in our food drive. We collect them three times a week,” Isbell said.

The numbers prove Fishes, Loaves and Love has been an effective effort.

In the first year alone, they delivered 2500 frozen meals, 50 hospital care packages, 55 teacher packages, 200 police officer packages and 20 homeless packages.

“When we see the effect our work does for people, it really brings a sense of warmth and love to us,” Isbell said. “We feel blessed every time we deliver a meal or drop off a lunch at a school. It’s pretty awesome to feel we are truly helping people.”

Go through your pantry and cabinets and gather items, then head over to the Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Leeds and donate. Better yet, place one of their buckets at your place of business. The people there will tell you, if you do, the blessings will come around and bless you.

Content is courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter.

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