By Anne RuisiIt’s not surprising that Tina Liollio would make a career in food. Her family roots are in the restaurant business and her own years in the industry made it natural to open a shop of her own.In May, six months after Teenie’s Take-Home Market opened on Petticoat Lane in Mountain Brook Village, she gained not only a following of loyal customers, but a … [Read more...]

By Anne RuisiPeople were hungry for the fare at the Homewood Gourmet when it closed for 60 days this winter to prepare for the move from its longtime home on 28th Avenue to its new site at 2703 Mamie L. Foster Place.“Now they are coming back to eat with a vengeance,” said chef Chris Zapalowski. The restaurant opened April 1 at its new location, a block off 18th Street … [Read more...]

By Anne RuisiThe delicious aroma of tomatoes, onion, garlic and Mediterranean spices wafts in the air just outside the kosher kitchen at the Levite Jewish Community Center on a recent weekday morning. Inside, it’s a busy scene as half a dozen volunteers chop small mountains of raw onions and garlic cloves for the beef brisket being prepared for the center’s Jewish … [Read more...]

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...]