Taste of Smyrna: Festival of Delectable, September 18

I love food.  I love food a lot.  Any chance I get to sample something different or new, I’m on it.  That’s why any type of food festival is like a perfect storm of opportunity for me.  I can go to one location and just walk around and sample a variety of different dishes from different restaurants.

I remember this one food festival I went to a few years back.  I think I literally tried every possible dish that was available, and there were A LOT of restaurants that were representing.  Eventually the vendors just started giving me and my friends food for free.  LOL.  We stayed to the end and were even allowed to take home some of the leftovers of the dishes that we really liked.  The refrigerator in our apartment (and this is a BIG refrigerator) was full for weeks.  Ahhh…I wish I could pull that off again.

My reason for thinking about food festivals in the first place today is because I just got word that the Taste of Smyrna will hit downtown Smyrna (200 Village Green Circle, Smyrna, GA 30080) next month on September 18 from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.  I can’t wait!  I guess they’re calling it the Festival of Delectable…sounds great, but I just hope that there will be a lot of “delectables” for me to choose from.  There is no charge to attend, but you do need to purchase the samples – anywhere from 50 cents to $4.

Participating restaurants (at least 30) include: Atkins Park, Dave & Buster’s, Taco Mac, Marlow’s Tavern, Chick-fil-a, Jets Pizza, L’Thai West, Crepe Revolution, Williamson Bros. BBQ and Bruster’s Ice Cream.  There will even be a live music and a Kids Zone with rides and inflatables so junior can keep busy while you stuff your face. LOL.  Hope to see you there!

Strawberry and Feta Salad

What do you have cooking?  If you’re shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables, try the Farmers Atlanta Road Market (FARM) in the St. Benedicts church parking lot (intersection of East-West Connector and Atlanta Road ) on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. – dusk.

They have a great selection of locally grown produce, cheeses, breads and other food items.  And when you’re ready to eat, try this great Strawberry and Feta Salad.  It’s delicious!

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the almonds, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.
2. In a bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, raspberry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the toasted almonds, romaine lettuce, strawberries, and feta cheese. Cover with the dressing mixture, and toss to serve.

(Credit: AllRecipes.com)

The King of Pops

Summer has only just begun, but the weather is already sweltering here in the city. How are you keeping cool? If you’re looking for a sweet, cold treat to fend off the sun’s rays, look no further than King of Pops.

One man, Mr.Steven Carse, decided about a year ago that he would discontinue his insurance career in order to pursue his new love – paletas – what we know as “popsicles.” He came up with the idea while he and his brothers were traveling in Mexico a few years ago, and it just stuck. Thankfully for us, that idea is now a reality!

Carse uses the freshest ingredients Atlanta has to offer in his popsicle creations, and these treats are really starting to make a name for the King of Pops. The strawberry rhubabrb, lemon lavender, and tangerine honey are all wildly popular – this place is going to be a hit in no time!

Although the King mostly keeps his popsicle cart in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood, he does travel around to other aread throughout the week.  Just follow him on Twitter @TheKingofPops to find where he will be!

(Photo: King of Pops)

The Best Potato Salad

A Memorial Day without a cookout and potato salad is…well, it’s just not right.  This weekend is the unofficial start to grilling season.  And while it’s important that we take time to remember those that serve, we also need to celebrate those freedoms that they fought to protect.  So grab your ribs, your burgers, your dogs and your taters and let’s get it in, Tamarron!  Check out this recipe from AllRecipes.com.  The weather in Atlanta will be warm as usual (now if we can just avoid the rain that might hit) so I hope everyone can enjoy the long weekend.

The Best Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 10 red potatoes
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/3 cup dill pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup pepperoncini (optional)
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)

Directions

1. Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water; cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel and chop the cooled eggs.
2. Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and refrigerate until cold. Peel and cube once cold.
3. Stir together the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, relish, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, and celery seed in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, potatoes, onion, pepperoncini, and olives; stir until evenly mixed. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Want a summer body? Time to eat more salad.

Time to get the body right for summer folks.  It’s now-or-never season.  That means hitting the gym regularly as well as eating lighter and healthier.  I’m trying to get more salads into my diet.  And since I’m a huge fan of broccoli, I figured I’d check this recipe out (see below).  It has bacon in it so by default it’s going to taste good, right?  I’ll probably use light mayo and decrease (or eliminate) the sugar it calls for.  What do you think?

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 heads fresh broccoli
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 pound bacon
• 3/4 cup raisins 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Cool and crumble.
2. Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and cut the onion into thin bite-size slices. Combine with the bacon, raisins, your favorite nuts and mix well.
3. To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 374 | Total Fat: 27.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg

One GREAT weekend, several GREAT events!

Alright Tamarron, this coming weekend is one of those weekends that make you love Atlanta. For the next few days, no one in the metro-Atlanta area can use the excuse that they couldn’t find anything fun to do. Music: check. Arts: check. Sports: check. Food, beer and wine: check. Outdoors: check. Traffic: check (hey, everything comes at a cost). It’s all here for the taking. Here is what you need to know:

Sweetwater 420 Festival

If listening to great music, sampling new microbrews and relaxing with your friends at a park (all for the low price of $5) sounds enticing, you’ll want to check out the Sweetwater 420 Festival schedule of events at Candler Park this Saturday, April 17 from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, April 18 from 12:30 to 8 p.m. Also to note, The Sweetwater 420 Festival is “pet friendly” as well as a very “green friendly” event. While Sweetwater is a local Atlanta brewery, and organization named Planet 420 (hence, Sweetwater 420) sponsors the event to promote education of earth friendly practices. Sounds like a win-win for all.

One of the coolest things about Sweetwater 420 is that the festival is located just two blocks from the Candler Park MARTA station. Head to the closest MARTA station and there is no need to worry about traffic or parking!

Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Along with serving as the unofficial start of spring, the historic Atlanta Dogwood Festival provides the opportunity to spend time with friends and family while providing a creative marketplace for many Atlanta artisans, as well as other artists from around the country. It goes on all day at Piedmont Park from April 16-18. Unfortunately, no pets are allowed.

Additionally, you can purchase tickets for the Homegrown Comedy Binge as well as the Friends of Dogwood Pavilion food and wine tasting experience. Participating restaurants include: Dolce, Nakato, Geisha House, Pacci, The Sun Dial, Taqueria del Sol and many others. Piedmont Park is also very much accessible by MARTA.

Sports

If basketball is your thing, snatch up a ticket to see the Atlanta Hawks first game in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. They start their best-of-seven series against the Milwaukee Bucks at Philips Arena on Saturday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. The Atlanta Braves also have a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field this weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 16, 17 and 18).

I usually check craigslist first to see if I can snag a good deal on tickets!

In-Season Produce: Markets near Tamarron

Do you shop for your fresh food and produce locally? If not, you may want to give it some serious consideration. Although today’s global market allows us to buy foods grown almost anywhere in the world at any given time, this option is not the most sustainable.

Buying in-season fruits and vegetables that are locally grown helps to eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods across the country – and in some cases – the world. Not only does your food dollar go directly to the farmers, but you’re able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, better tasting, unprocessed produce. According to the National Resources Defense Council, in-season foods for the state of Georgia (and surrouning areas) include:

Blueberries Cabbage Carrots Greens Snap Beans Strawberries Vidalia Onions Yellow Squash Zucchini Asparagus (Tennessee) Bananas (Florida) Broccoli (Florida, North Carolina) Cantaloupe (Florida) Cauliflower (Florida) Celery (Florida) Chinese Cabbage (Florida) Collards (Tennessee) Cucumber (Florida) Eggplant (Florida) Endive (Florida) Escarole (Florida) Gourds (Tennessee) Grapefruit (Florida) Herbs (Tennessee) Honey (Tennessee) Honeydew Melon (Florida) Indian Corn (Tennessee) Kumquat (Florida)

Leafy greens (North Carolina) Limes (Florida) Mamey Sapote (Florida) Mixed Greens (South Carolina) Mushrooms (Florida, Tennessee) Okra (Florida) Onions (Florida) Oranges (Florida) Papaya (Florida) Peanuts (North Carolina) Pecans* (Alabama) Peppers (Florida) Potatoes (Florida) Radishes (Florida) Scallions (South Carolina) Squash* (Alabama, Florida) Sweet Corn (Florida) Sweet Potatoes * (Alabama, North Carolina) Tangelos (Florida) Tangerines (Florida) Tomatoes (Florida) Watermelon (Florida)

Here is a short list of markets that sell fresh locally grown foods near the Tamarron area. If you can suggest any other markets, leave a comment and let the community know!

Markets near Tamarron

Going Green: Using Georgia peaches to tighten your skin

Check out this easy Do it Yourself recipe courtesy of The Daily Green…

Peach Firming Mask

• 1 ripe peach — peeled and stoned
• 1 egg white

Whip peach and egg white together in a blender till smooth.  Gently pat mixture over face.  Leave on for 30 minutes.  Rinse off with cool water.  Makes 1 application.

Fogelman Management Group is focused on spreading the word about Going Green, a term that signifies the social movement towards environmental conservation, protection and improvement. It’s all about making simple lifestyle choices that will lessen our negative impact on the Earth. Making and using home products with organic materials is just one way to we can make a difference.

Stay tuned to the Tamarron blog throughout the month of April for more tips on how you can play your part.

Snack Time

Hey, snack time is important too. Instead of a pudding cup why not try something different? Click here for some delicious snack suggestions for yogurt, peanut butter, vegetables, fruits and more.