ATL food & wine festival

This weekend was the First Annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. Lots of people came from around the country to celebrate the culinary explosion that seems to have taken over Atlanta. I met people who came from far and wide to taste, learn, smell, spit, and meet people.

The festival took place in the heart of Atlanta, Midtown. All the events were placed within a 2 block radius, making the Loews Hotel the mecca.

Thursday night marked the beginning of the festival. What better then a sugar reception! HIGH ROAD Craft Ice Cream & Sorbet and Sublime Donuts were there.

Also! I met the faces behind WhyNatte, while sipping on their current mixed drink selection of WhyNatte & whipped cream vodka = awesome! WhyNatte is one of those drinks that is great on its own, but is also easily mixed with other flavors (i.e. mint shnapps & whynatte = girl scout cookie thin mint).

One artisan chocolate company that deserves recognition is French Broad Chocolates. They are from NC and graciously came to Atlanta for the event. They are moving into becoming a bean-to-bar company, which really says a lot about what they believe in and what they choose to put in their chocolates.

Finally though: BAKESHOP

We were set up under some art work which actually went quite nicely with our table.

We were serving Kouing Amon (a.k.a sugared butter cake) with a selection of jams & jellies from Fairywood Thicket Farms.


On Friday morning, BAKESHOP provided the food for the brunch in the Connoisseur Lounge at the top of the Loews. This place was gorgeous!

Look at that kitchen!

Our display spread of mini almond croissants, mini cranberry scones, and muffins!

Chef Jonathan St. Hilaire demo-ed the making of these lemon cream strawberry danish. 

If you havent tried Top FLR cocktails you are missing out! 

life.

Life should not be boring, I believe that God intended for us to lead lives that are full of excitement, privilege, and inspiration. I know everyone has their own definition of "abundant life," perhaps mine is just more extreme. I do not want to live in the mundane, boring race that seems to consume most everyone, I want to drink in the possibilities of something new, something fresh and raw. 

Revolution. 

As I reflect on the past year, my heart is filled with mixed emotion. On one hand I have experienced extreme joy and I have experienced extreme sadness. It is true that the good comes with the bad.

On Monday, Charlie and I decided to climb Stone Mountain finally. 





The weather was hot hot hot, but the view was incredible.
I would do it again in a heartbeat. 



















My niece turned four years old. 
She is a princess and she knows it. 
I love her with all my heart, that little squirt. 





I made her cake and cupcakes for the party. 








:) 


one month until Florida! 

cater/

i have been busy. 

among the chaos....

Jennifer and I catered a 10th Aniversary party for a sweet couple back home:

 on the menu:

    .Two tiered cake covered with fondant, decorated with flowers. 

  .Chocolate tart with almonds and cranberries.

  .Bar gateau with almonds, white chocolate, and cranberries.

  .Cheesecake with chocolate drizzle.

  .Vanilla, lemon zest cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and bittersweet chocolate.

  .Chocolate & vanilla macaroons.

  .Fresh fruit.

  .Mini eclairs.

It was a great event. 

I have a couple plated desserts that I found pictures of.

one of my practical dessert dishes. 

panna cotta sitting on genoise, covered with toasted almonds and candied lemon zest. 

almond tuile.

chocolate ganache cake with a side of toasted almonds. 

sayabon. 

rustic apple. 

poached apple stacked with mousse and topped with a baked apple chip. 

along side is a couple of apple churros.

sauced with a spiced apple sauce.

------

    My brief stint at Babette's Cafe is over. I have taken the job at Bakeshop, starting full time after I graduate in June. I have mixed feelings - happy to have had a wonderful experience, but sad because everyone that I have grown to love, I am now leaving...I have learned wonderful things from a master, Marla Adams. She is wise, smart, and firm. I am intimidated by her and yet she is willing to help me any way she can. Thank God for people like her.