Thursday, February 9, 2012
Michael O. Minor, "The Pastor Who Banned Fried Chicken," To Speak Friday
Posted by Susan Ellis on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 12:43 PM
On Friday at noon, Dr. Michael O. Minor will give a free and open to the public talk "Faith-based Initiatives to Promote Healthy Eating" at the Urban Child Institute.
Minor, an undershepherd at Oak Hill Baptist Church in Hernando, MS, is famously known as "the pastor who banned fried chicken at this church."
But as Minor notes, this sobriquet came about by accident.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Sharon's Take n' Bake
Posted by Susan Ellis on Wed, Feb 8, 2012 at 2:11 PM
Did you know that Sharon's Chocolates & Bread Cafe offers a take and bake option for all its pizzas?
Well, now you do.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Memphis in May BBQ Potato Chips
Posted by Susan Ellis on Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Received in the mail today: Ruffles Smokehouse Style BBQ chips.
They were sent by Memphis in May, because the chips, as described on the bag, "Tastes of Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest."
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Kelly English Wins Memphis' Cochon 555
Posted by Hannah Sayle on Sun, Feb 5, 2012 at 5:52 PM
- Justin Fox Burks
- Kelly English takes the trophy at Saturday's Cochon 555.
Kelly English of Restaurant Iris swined and dined his way into judges' and audience members' hearts last night, taking home Memphis' Cochon 555 crown and securing his spot in the Grand Cochon competition in June.
His menu was served up in elegant picnic baskets and displayed the kind of culinary ingenuity and passion for pork that judges were looking for.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Restaurant News MBJ Suspends Best Chef in Memphis Contest
Posted by Susan Ellis on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 6:36 PM
The Memphis Business Journal has suspended its Best Chef in Memphis contest just one day after it was launched.
The move came after restaurateurs and chefs included in the contest complained about the contest's format, which pitted chef against chef in a bracket, with the winner to be determined by an online vote.
MBJ made the announcement Thursday in a post on the paper's site, explaining, "We looked at the contest as a way to engage more local readers while highlighting the spectacular culinary scene we have in Memphis (which we plainly stated in the launch). We never intended to disparage or upset the chefs; we thought, quite honestly, it would be a fun, tongue-in-cheek way to incite a friendly competition."
Farm to Table Conference Monday, Feb. 6
Posted by Susan Ellis on Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 4:06 PM
The second Farm to Table Conference will be held on Monday, February 6th, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Memphis BioWorks (20 Dudley).
The conference brings together farmers, those in the restaurant industry, consumers, and others to discuss the food system. About 70 people have registered so far for this year's conference, according to Josephine Alexander, former director of GrowMemphis.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Restaurant News Restaurateurs Respond to MBJ's Best Chef in Memphis Bracket: "We feel we will have to respect[fully] decline your offer to participate"
Posted by Susan Ellis on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 6:44 PM
Restaurateurs and chefs included in the Memphis Business Journal's Best Chef in Memphis tournament — which pits 32 chefs against each other in a bracket, with online voting to determine a winner — responded Wednesday afternoon with a letter to the paper.
The letter outlines the community spirit of Memphis restaurateurs and reads, in part, "The people who have chosen to make Memphis their culinary home in the past few years have done so with the forethought that Memphis can be and is different than other cut-throat restaurant towns. As such, we feel we will have to respect[fully] decline your offer to participate in the MBJ's Best Chef in Memphis Competition as it is currently structured. It just does not reflect the way in which we choose to do business and support each other."
The full letter below ...
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Chocistry's Heart of Gold
Posted by Susan Ellis on Tue, Jan 31, 2012 at 10:08 AM
I'm profiling P. Ashley Rix of the online chocolate boutique Chocistry for an upcoming issue of MBQ.
Rix seriously geeks out on figuring out formulas and different flavor combos. The Tango & Cash is lemongrass, coconut, and white chocolate. The Mean Green is apple, cayenne, and milk chocolate. The Passion Fruit caramel has passion fruit and Hawaiian red salt.
And then there's the Heart of Gold.
Monday, January 30, 2012
And Here's Another Protest Against Kroger
Posted by Susan Ellis on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 4:07 PM
So, earlier today I get a call from a well-known Midtown character (which, I know, narrows it down to about a zillion). He was telling me about his "guerrilla strike" against the Kroger on Union.
The sign reads "Come back, Mr. Seessel."
And the goal?
Friday, January 27, 2012
Mind Games, Girl Scouts?
Posted by Susan Ellis on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 11:33 AM
My coworker claims to have been brainwashed to buy Girl Scout cookies by subliminal messages on the order form.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Lunch At Evelyn & Olive
Posted by Susan Ellis on Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 3:18 PM
I was mad mad mad when my colleagues went to lunch at the newly opened Jamaican/Southern restaurant Evelyn & Olive without me.
I'm sure I'll get over it someday. In any case, they enjoyed it enough to want to go back.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Lunch At Revival Southern Food Truck
Posted by Susan Ellis on Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Finally got lunch from the Revival Southern Food Company Truck
The day was too chilly to be ideal for a food truck visit. That said, I can't wait to go back.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Angie's Big Love for Paula Deen
Posted by Susan Ellis on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 3:36 PM
Earlier this week, Paula Deen announced she has diabetes, and what followed was a lot of criticism noting her buttery stock-in-trade can lead to a diabetes (and also that she's only divulging it now three years after her diagnosis when she's got a drug endorsement deal.)
"I couldn't take it anymore," she says. "It's time to show our support, to show our love."
To that end, Stewart has created National WE LOVE Paul Deen Weekend!!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Lunch At Swanky's
Posted by Susan Ellis on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 3:43 PM
It's relatively rare that I'm near a Swanky's Taco Shop at lunchtime. Such was the case last Wednesday, and I took advantage of it.
While there is a regular menu, I've never not gotten the build-your-own burrito (about $7.50 for a veggie).
Friday, January 13, 2012
Memphis Beer Beat: New Beer in Town
Posted by Andrew Caldwell on Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 5:09 PM
As a self-proclaimed beer nerd, it’s always a delight to see new beer on the shelf. So when I walked into Joe’s Wine earlier this week, I was happy to experience just that pleasure. Considering that we’ve been engrossed by several weeks of Chuck Spypeck’s insight into the brewing world, I thought it’d be nice to take a break over a pint. And just in time for the weekend, too.
Hop heads, rejoice! Three of the four beers to be reviewed are, as we will see, simply fantastic IPA’s: Sierra Nevada’s 2011 Estate Homegrown Wet Hop Ale and the brand new Ruthless Rye IPA as well as Chug’s Private Stash Big Bite IPA by Spanish Peaks Brewing Co. The fourth beer, also from Spanish Peaks, is Chugs’s Private Stash Big Bite Peach Wheat.
So let’s get this started, shall we?
First up is Sierra Nevada Estate. While not exactly a new beer to Memphis, Estate is released once a year so it’s been quite some time since I’ve had the pleasure of cracking one of these open. From their website:
“From our fields comes a remarkable homegrown ale, made with organic wet hops and barley grown at our brewery here in Chico and one of the few estate-made ales produced anywhere in the world!”
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