Free Small Fries

FYI

Greater Atlanta McDonald's Restaurants will be giving away free small french fries from 10:30 AM to close this Tuesday, February 3rd.

Two New Atlanta Restaurants

There are always exciting new restaurants opening in Atlanta, and it’s hard to keep up with them all, but here are two I am looking forward to trying.

Serpas

Scott Serpas is an Atlanta chef, but he is originally from Louisiana. Building on his experience from NAVA, TWO urban licks, and other acclaimed restaurants, as well as working with Chef Kevin Rathbun, Serpas is opening his first eponymous restaurant this week (on January 26th), which will be based on the concept of “True Food.” “True Food” is fresh food with comforting flavors, and the menu will fuse Louisiana cooking with Asian and Southwestern ingredients. Serpas' innovative menu should be a hit on the Atlanta dining scene.

BLT Steak

Chef Laurent Tourondel is opening one of his BLT Steak ventures in the brand new W Atlanta-Downtown Hotel on January 27th. Tourondel was called the 2007 Restaurateur of the Year by Bon Appétit, and BLT Steak was named one of the “best new restaurants in America” by Esquire magazine. BLT Steak will serve an outstanding variety of steaks, including Kobe and Black Angus. Chef Tourondel is a classically trained French chef, and his restaurant will mix the best of French and American cuisine in dishes such as Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Soy-Lime Dressing, giant popovers with bubbling gruyere, and Caramelized Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote. Sounds delicious!

Chocolate Chip Cookietini

Hi Guys,

Well, I got caught up in the Ultimate Recipe Showdown fun at Food Network. I just loved it that the nice older doctor, Harold Cohen, won the burger challenge. I looked at the www.foodtv.com site to see if there was a way to get on the show, and there is, but something else caught my eye. It was at this site -

http://www.foodnetwork.com/home/contests-and-offers/index.html

No, they are not paying me. I just thought it was neat. It was a drink recipe contest and I believe the top three will be posted for us to vote on some time around January 27th. I love contests like this - I won a trip to Boca Raton a few years back by writing a short essay on the virtues of Old Bay Seasoning.

So anyway, for this particular drink challenge, you had to send in a video of yourself making a drink in 30 seconds. After some brainstorming and research, I came up with a yummy drink I call a "Cookietini." I've posted the recipe below in case you're interested. I think I probably won't win anyway because my video was too long, and I had to split it into two parts to get it in. That's what I get for procrastinating. Oh well, it was lots of fun regardless. My parents helped me, and they were so sweet! Thanks, Mom and Dad!




Chocolate Chip Cookietini

1. Prepare martini glasses by crushing chocolate chip cookies, wetting rim, and rolling rim in cookie crumbs. Then drizzle chocolate syrup inside.

2. Mix 2 parts Godiva Liqueur, 2 parts Absolut Vanilia, and 1 part milk or cream over ice in martini shaker. Sing charming song while shaking.

3. Pour into glass, remembering to hold top on.

4. Drink and don't give any to your friends.