Michael Jackson, RIP

Michael Jackson, a leading world beer critic died yesterday. He was 65.

Jackson, known as "the beer hunter," died Thursday of a heart attack at his home in west London.

His books "The Great Beers of Belgium" and "World Guide to Beer" introduced Belgian beer to the United States.

By identifying beers by their flavors and styles, and by pairing them with particular foods and dishes, Jackson helped give birth to a renaissance of interest in beer and breweries worldwide that began in the 1970s, including the North American microbrewery movement.

His TV documentary series, "The Beer Hunter" -- which popularized his nickname -- was filmed around the world and shown in 15 countries.

He worked as a beer critic for more than 30 years, writing in newspapers and gastronomic magazines, holding seminars and giving speeches, appearing on U.S. talk shows and writing books about beer and whiskeys published in 18 languages.

Bombardier @ Spotted Dog

The Spotted Dog in Atlanta is serving Bombardier, a delicious English bitter, for the first time anywhere in Georgia. The big keg-cracking party was tonight...

One heck of a Staff Incentive Program!

Getting Comfortable With Jason Alley

We could just kiss the editors of Food & Wine Magazine smack on the mouth for featuring Chef Jason Alley's fabulous comfort cuisine in the July issue. Jason almost did last week when he cooked for a couple of F&W folks at the James Beard House. Instead, he sent them home with a belly full of, well, pork belly, and some pickled watermelon rinds.

COMFORT
200 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA
804-780-0004

"I got my barbecue fix with a perfect vinegar-spiked pulled-pork sandwich at Jason Alley’s five-year-old Comfort. At press time, a spin-off was about to open in Portsmouth, an hour outside the city (725 High St.; 757-393-3322).
--Kristin Donnelly, Food & Wine, July 2007

NYC Eatin'

We're in New York for a dinner at the James Beard House with clients and friends Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten, Jason Alley of Comfort Restaurant, Ford Fry of JCT Kitchen & Bar, Linton and Gina Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene, and baker Angie Mosier. Just as important, though, is what we've been eating. Here's a photo of the mysterious 'Owl Beer,' possibly the best beer I've ever had, at possibly my favorite restaurant, Momofuku Ssam Bar:

The Spotted Pig burger:

New Flying Biscuit

Congrats to Flying Biscuit for its new location on W. Paces Ferry!

2007 Atlanta's Rising Star Chefs

Congrats to our clients who will be honored this October -- we are so proud of each one of you for your outstanding achievements --

StarChefs.com 2007Atlanta Rising Stars:

Hugh Acheson
Five and Ten

Drew Belline
Floataway Café

Linton Hopkins
Restaurant Eugene

Mihoko Obunai
Repast

Drew Van Leuvan
formerly of Saga

Pastry Chef Joe Truex
Repast

http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2007/atlanta/html/index.shtml

This Type of world

More photos from Typecon 2007 in Seattle.




Letterpress workshop at Cornish School of the Arts




Letterpress room at School of Visual Concepts




Type... everywhere.


The glass & steel Seattle Central Library

Green Olive at the Big Apple BBQ Fest

Some long overdue photos from the 2007 Big Apple BBQ in June.


John T. & J. Moore



Kempten & Elizabeth in the crowd


Sawyer & Jeff at the Blue Ribbon Bar


Blue Ribbon serves yummy food


Guess where...?

Mmmm...Crudo

Here's a nice shot of the crudo from our new pals Local 11 Ten in Savannah, GA:

Fish 'n' Chips Perform Swimmingly on Atlanta restaurant menus

Fish 'N' Chips -
Spotted Dog (Chef Rob Phallen) traditional version using Sweetwater 420 beer for the batter served with with hand cut fries...very generous portion of cod...house pickled carrots also on the plate

Element -
Chef Richard Blais' playful bite-sized version is offered in his lounge upstairs served with matchstick fries and two dipping selections -- one with a little heat, the other a take on malt vinegar

J.C.T. -
Chef Ford Fry has one running as well right now...had it last week - traditional cod served up with malt vinegar, of course

Porchetta

Ol' Man Batali's place in Seattle - Salumi. Jeff had too much pork juice on his hands from the porchetta sandwich to get a photo.

It's True

Tripletail...You gotta love a fish that jumps out of the boat

I am so excited to hear that the folks at Floataway Cafe are purchasing most of their fish from Florida and Georgia's Gulf Coast. I am particularly interested in the tripletail. The season for tripletail is May - October.
I haven't seen it on the menus of many restaurants -- Chef Drew Belline of Floataway Cafe had it on the menu last week but we didn't make it over in time...know who else is running this currently?

About peas...

We had our second lunch in four days today at J.C.T. Kitchen. We frequently hold our lunch "meetings" at J.C.T. as Chef Ford Fry provides the necessary essentials:

He serves Benton's.
He has a solid burger (now with a fried egg on top).
He pours a mean mango sweet tea for the caffeine-fueled family.

On the agenda this afternoon was a somewhat spirited debate on the definition of field peas...IS Ford serving field peas, lady peas or white acre peas? I call them white acre peas. Ford says that pretty much anything it seems is a damn field pea. We say he is from Texas and we must excuse his ignorance on such matters.

Try the burger. See you tomorrow Ford.

Seattle Type Conference

A couple of images from the type conference (yes, the 'type conference'):

Letterpress type cabinet


Letterpress postcard designed by Jeff

Farmer's Market