Romance Picnic Experience

A beautiful daffodil field warms up any winter picnic.This weekend I was surprised with the best Valentine’s gift that my boyfriend, Matt, has ever given me and it was all thanks to Athens Food Tours.
Let me start off with saying that Matt was unusually secretive the days leading up to our romantic outing. However, it was a Sunday and Valentine’s Day was Tuesday, so I didn’t think much of it when he asked me to run to the grocery store with him that afternoon.
Confused that my boyfriend willingly wanted to go the grocery store, I told him that I would run in with him because I needed to “grab a few things” (read: I needed to buy all my groceries for the week). Forty-five minutes passed, and I’m officially annoyed that he’s rushing me through each aisle. I kept asking, “Where do we have to be?” Little did I know…
I’d say when I first started to become most suspicious was when we started driving the complete opposite direction from my house. Matt acted as if he was taking some new shortcut, however I knew something was going on; and that’s when we arrived at the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia.
Kelsea & Matt at their February 12th Romance Picnic, State Botanical Gardens of GeorgiaI have a very type A personality, so an overwhelming sense of nervousness took over my body when I realized that I didn’t know what our next plans were. However, all of this faded away when we drove up to a perfectly set up picnic display lying in the middle of a field of daffodils. “Surprise,” he said. Then came the tears.
As we walked up, I felt like I was entering a scene from The Notebook. A blue and green handmade quilt with matching pillows awaited us; accompanied with a wooden picnic basket, dark blue pottery place settings, a bottle of chilled wine, a plate filled with assorted cupcakes and most importantly, a bouquet of gorgeous flowers.
Inside the picnic basket, we found an incredible lunch from Dondero's Kitchen. We started the meal off with hummus and crudites; and for the main entrée, I had the Goat in the Garden wrap, a wheat wrap encasing goat cheese, beets and spinach. Yum. Matt had the chicken salad on a croissant, which was also fantastic.
All in all, the day will go down as a memory that I’ll never forget. If you’re interested in going on an Athens Food Tour romance picnic, let me tell you from first hand experience that you won’t regret it. One of the best things about the date was that we didn’t even have to pick up when we were done! No cooking or cleaning- how much better does it get than that?

Article by Kelsea Olson, Photos by Kaitlin Smith.

Viva Valentine Cupcake Deal

Today only @ Viva Argentine Cuisine (2270 Barnett Shoals Road) they have Buy One Get One Free Cupcakes! And man are these great cupcakes. Don't miss out. 

Up to 6 free cupcakes!

Grab a 6-pack of Terrapin Beer to wash them down. Yum.

Craving Cajun

A visit to the colorful city of New Orleans is bound to leave one craving more of its unique culture; especially the food! The cuisine is nothing short of incredible blend of multicultural influences. Luckily for us Athenians, cravings can be satisfied at one of the authentic, New Orleans-inspired restaurants right here in town! The restaurants below serve up classics that are sure to please the palate of New Orleans natives and visitors alike.

Sisters Creole Market

Owned and run by three sisters from New Orleans, Sisters Creole Market has a menu featuring hearty staples such as Po Boys, jambalaya and shrimp etouffee -- just to name a few! Also available are specialty products such as creamy pralines and olive salad for muffaletta sandwiches. Be sure to stop by and get your King Cake for Mardi Gras! Oh, and they have sweet potato tater tots. Say that 5x fast!

http://www.sisterscreolemarket.com/

George's Lowcountry Table 

Located on Milledge Avenue, George's menu includes a variety of New Orleans favorites like gumbo with chicken and andouille sausage, popcorn crawfish, chargrilled oysters and barbeque. Brunch is something you don't want to miss either -- added to the menu are egg dishes including lowcountry benedict and french toast casserole. Yum!

http://georgeslowcountryonline.com/index.html

Etienne to left and Bourbon Street Bar to right. Is this Athens or New Orleans?Etienne

Most New Orleans dishes are a mix of French and other cultures, forming either Cajun or Creole cuisine. However, in the fancy restaurants of today's New Orleans', refined French food is very popular. In Athens, we find this refined French food on the corner of East Broad and North Jackson streets in Downtown Athens at Etienne Brasserie. Etienne opened in the summer of 2011 as a French restaurant serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. Etienne stands as the only purely French restaurant in Athens; there are a few places that touch on French territory, but are not fully dedicated to it. The menu consists of very traditional, rustic French dishes such as coq au vin (marinated game hen, smoked bacon, onions and wild mushrooms), steak frites, duck confit, escargo, filet au poivre, hamburgers, baked pasta, homemade crepes, a meat and cheese plate, steak frites, poached salmon butter with a toasted baguette & salads. My personal favorite dish to rave about is the moules frites: made up of steamed mussles with white wine, garlic confit and fries to sop up the delicious juice.

http://etienneathens.com

NONA 

As a downtown favorite, NONA offers all the quintessential New Orleans cuisine. Their menu has everything from Creole croque monsieur to traditional red beans and rice to eggplant pirogue. And for brunch, they offer beignets and bananas foster French toast among other satisfying selections such as the crab cakes benedict. NONA even has happy hour from 4-7 p.m. with $1 raw oysters and $1 beers!

http://neworleansnathens.com/

written by Food Tour Intern, Brooke Lane.

The Fantastic Kate!

Tour guide Kate leading downtown food tour. Kate Lloyd-Shultz -- Athens Food Tours/Terrapin Brewery Tour Guide
Athens Food Tours has been in business for going on two years. It was founded by our very own tour guide Mary Charles Howard, who for the longest time was the only gal around these parts to walk and talk a culturally rich Athenian food scene. It wasn’t until one fateful night, when she would play a hand at her own game and tour another Athens treasure: Terrapin Brewery, that she would meet the enthusiastic and knowledgeable Kate Lloyd. The rest, as they say, is history.Kate entertaining food tour group upstairs at La Dolce Vita.
Today, I sat down with Kate Lloyd-Shultz to ask her a few questions about her job, her life, and the so-called “Terrapin Experience.” What I got in return is a wonderful personality, who absolutely knows her pubs and knows her people. She smiled throughout the entire interview, and I thank her so much for wanting to tell the world (or at least us) her story. Thank you!
How long have you been an Athens tour guide?
I have been a tour guide at Terrapin Brewery for two years. I started working there when I was 21. I have been with Athens Food Tours since last summer(2011).
What would you say lead you to become a tour guide?
I consider myself a hippie on paper. I graduated with a BFA in Art with an emphasis in Drawing and a certificate with the Organic Agricultural Program. I am very interested in the anthropological side of food and society, especially beer and society. I love learning about how beer had a major impact on when, how, and where people settled down in the world.
What made you choose Terrapin?
Honestly, I was in the right place at the right time. I was the girl for the job. What’s funny is that when I first went to work, I was incredibly shy. I had to get over that in all of a few weeks!
Is this your only job?
Besides Terrapin and Athens Food Tours, I work with Copper Creek, a brewpub downtown, and I am a local artist. I’m hosting the Five Points Arts Festival this year and am very excited. I’m also working toward my Cicerone certification. It’s a fancy three-step beer tasting/serving accreditation.
What do you like most about being a tour guide?
I like all of the knowledge. I enjoy enlightening people about the science behind fun and glorious beer. I also love meeting tons of cool people. I have met so many interesting people doing these tours.
Do you have a favorite part of the Terrapin tour?
I enjoy taking the patrons back into the brewhouse, where all of the tanks are, and showing them the process behind what’s in their glass. It’s my favorite part, because Biology and Chemistry were always two of my favorite subjects in school.
Have you purchased anything from the Terrapin gift shop?
I own several of our pint glasses and two t-shirts. One is a design for Wake & Bake; a Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. The other is a design for Rye Squared; one of our Imperial Pale Ales. I also bought Christmas presents for my whole family from Terrapin.
What are some of your more unique items for sale?
Believe it or not, we have dog collars with built in bottle openers. Those are always a hit with the tourists. They also like our credit card sized openers. They fit securely into your downtown wallet with a discreet slot to open your bottle. We also have beer soap, locally made by Verdae Skin Therapy.
Now, for the question of the hour. What is your favorite beer?
It is between the Hopsecutioner and Bell’s Two Hearted Pale Ale. I also like Wild Heaven’s Eschaton, another locally brewed beer.
Another fun question. Since you work with beer all day, do you still go out?
I do not go out too often. When I do, it’s usually on a Tuesday night when no one else is here. One of my favorite spots to hang is Trappeze. They are a locally owned restaurant and pub, with what I think has the best beer selection in Athens.
Do you have any tips or recommendations for first tourists?
I always say, come both hungry and thirsty. A tour of Terrapin, or an Athens Food Tour, will leave you more than satisfied. Another thing I advise is to come with questions. We guides know a lot of information, but sometimes we forget to include something that you may want to hear. Lastly, I say keep an open mind. Try a food or a drink that you have never had before.
Lastly, what’s the latest on Athens Food Tours and Terrapin?
Both Mary Charles and I have talked about starting an Athens Beer Tour. It will more and likely be structured like the Thirsty Tours, but will be all about beer. I’m excited to see it through.

Terrapin Brewery is open for tours Wednesday – Saturday nights. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and tours are two hours in length. They announce last call at 7:15 p.m.; taps off at 7:30 p.m. Prices are $10 a glass and you keep the glass. Please, visit Terrapin's website for more information.Interview conducted & written by Food Tour Intern, Audrey Veal.

Food Bank Datenights

February 1, 2012, Athens, Ga- Athens Food Tours and Food Bank of Northeast Georgia are pleased to announce their new volunteer opportunity that offers an alternative to the traditional dating scene. Beginning in March, Food Bank Datenights will be offered every third Monday of each Month. During these Datenights, couples will volunteer at the Food Bank for two hours, and then proceed downtown to venture off-the-beaten-path to much-loved locally owned eateries and markets for samples of delicious specialties.
“Weather this is your first date or you have been married for years, this opportunity gives couples a chance to make a difference in our community while enjoying some quality time with that special person in your life,” Tina Laseter of the Food Bank says.
The Athens Food Tour Company connects you with the restaurants, shops and farms who are serving up local ingredients in style. The tour will offer a glimpse into the past and living history of Athens music, architecture and lifestyles as we walk the town, visit restaurants and speak with local restaurant owners, chefs and farmers about their story.
The Datenights will start on March 19th, and continue every third Monday of the month. Volunteering will begin at 5:30pm at the Food Bank. After two hours of volunteering, the group will travel to downtown Athens around 8pm to dine at three locally owned restaurants. The food tour will end at approximately 10pm.
The couples food tour offered by Athens Food Tours is valued at $70 but in exchange for the two hours of volunteer work at the Food Bank, the tour is discounted to $25/couple. This price includes food & drink during the tour. Space is limited to only 8 couples so hurry and make your reservation now!

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For More information contact Jim Pope, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteers@foodbanknega.org or 706-354-8191.