By Donna Cornelius It’s a few weeks before Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s 44th annual Greek Festival, and the church’s banquet hall is buzzing. Women wearing aprons and gloves have gathered for one of several cooking sessions to prepare food for the festival. On this day, they’re making pastichio, a lasagna-style dish that’s always one of the event’s most … [Read more...]
Tailgates in Good Taste: Keep Your Game Day Get-Togethers Simply Delicious With These Dishes and Drinks
By Donna Cornelius In this part of the country, college football game days are stressful enough without fretting over what to serve to hungry tailgaters. You can put all your efforts into worrying about your favorite team with these crowd-pleasing recipes from Jefferson State Community College’s Culinary and Hospitality Institute. Chef Todd Jackson, who put together a … [Read more...]
Ten Days to Dine Out: Birmingham Restaurant Week Showcases City’s Food with Special Deals, Events
By Donna Cornelius Dining out is fun, especially in the metro Birmingham area. There are new restaurants to try, old favorites to revisit and menus that range from hamburgers and fries, to French, to farm-to-table. In recent years, the city’s culinary culture has been like Chef Emeril Lagasse’s concoctions: kicked up a notch. Last year, Birmingham had the top spot on Zagat’s … [Read more...]
An Artistic Affair: UCP’s Vino & Van Gogh Is Set for Aug. 18 at Iron City
By Donna Cornelius Robert Mondavi could have been writing a tagline for Vino & Van Gogh when he said wine is “warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art.” That’s because the annual event centers on both wine and art – and it gives warm-hearted, generous folks an opportunity to support United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham. Set this year for 6 to 10 p.m. … [Read more...]
Jam Session: Food Network Crew Visits Blackwell’s Pub
By Donna Cornelius It’s not uncommon for Blackwell’s Pub and Eatery to draw a crowd – but not in the kitchen. Last month, a Food Network crew joined chef and owner Tyler DeStefano in the Cahaba Heights hot spot’s cooking area. They were in town to film a segment of “Local Flavor,” a digital series that highlights chefs and ingredients from across the United States. Each … [Read more...]