By Anne RuisiOpen the menu at Helen, Emily and Rob McDaniel’s downtown Birmingham restaurant, and you’re likely going to see items that are literally family-approved. Creamer peas and middlins, a type of heirloom rice grown in South Carolina, is a dish he created with help from his staff but tested on his family at their Vestavia Hills home. It’s served with a … [Read more...]

By Anne RuisiStumped by what to serve at your upcoming holiday party or Christmas dinner?Award-winning Birmingham caterer Kathy G. Mezrano, owner of Kathy G. & Co. catering service, has some delicious tips to help you and your guests enjoy the festive season. As holiday entertaining usually falls into either party or dinner mode, there are two ways to … [Read more...]

James Beard award-winning chefs Frank Stitt and Bryant Terry will be featured in a discussion on “Food and Community in the South” during the 2022 Chenoweth Lecture Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, will be moderator, and chef Ama ‘Ifabagmila’ Shambulia, the owner and operator of A Beautiful Life Enterprises, also will be … [Read more...]

By Anne RuisiWhat is the ultimate comfort food?Mashed potatoes and gravy come close, but to many of us, nothing beats macaroni and cheese. The melted cheese in and on top of the casserole stretches out in steaming strings as you scoop a big spoonful onto your plate. On Nov. 13, Community Grief Support’s junior board will celebrate the South’s ultimate comfort … [Read more...]

By Anne RuisiOlexa’s Catering Cafe & Cakes in Mountain Brook will be featured online by America’s Best Restaurants. America’s Best Restaurants, a national media and marketing company focusing on local, independently owned restaurants, brought its ABR Roadshow for filming to Olexa’s on Oct. 4.  “We’re so excited, it’s so fabulous,” said Olexa’s … [Read more...]