Miller Union

When you combine the expertise of two Atlanta restaurant veterans (previously at Watershed and Sotto Sotto) into a new modern Southern venture, you get a place that could easily rise to be one of the city’s ideal dining destinations. Miller Union serves farm-to-table comfort food, but with a high-end approach. The menu is straightforward, Southern and rustic composed of top-quality, fresh regional ingredients all prepared for selective tastes, but without elaborate dressing up.

Named after the Westside stockyards that in another era lined Marietta Street past the White Provision complex, Miller Union rests in an industrial setting, among the warehouses and train tracks. The restaurant fits the raw appeal of the area but it’s more comfortable than most cold, loft designs. A den of small, high-ceilinged rooms flow into each other, circling back to the bar that greets patrons as they arrive. Each room has a unique atmosphere, but all are warm and tie-in with the dark farm wood, steel frame form.

The setting and the food complement each other, giving Miller Union a discerning yet understated Southern appeal. We tried and liked: Farm egg baked in celery cream with rustic bread, beer braised pork shoulder, sautéed greens, brussel sprouts, and trio of rosemary, thyme and sage herb ice creams.

©iStockphoto.com/arsat

As locally grown, organic produce has become more popular, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups have begun to pop up everywhere. But unlike traditional CSAs, whose delivery quantities can be excessive and fruit and vegetable varieties unpredictable, Nature’s Garden Delivered lets its members know what will be in their fresh produce boxes; the company also allows people to choose the sizes of their boxes, which range from “tiny” to “large,” enabling even a family of one to take part in the local food revolution.

In addition to stocking fruit and vegetable boxes, Nature’s Garden Delivered also gives consumers the option to add coffee, nuts, Georgia jams, baked goods and pasta sauces to the mix, bringing regional suppliers and food artisans to your door. Also unlike traditional CSAs, Nature’s Garden Delivered allows members to customize their boxes, sign up for just one week or for regular deliveries, and can deliver to your door or to a central location, via a co-op. Prices range from $28 to $55 (without any of the non-fruit/veg add-ons) for tiny to large boxes.

©iStockphoto.com/Subsociety

With the Saints’ victory, Mardi Gras upon us and the winter in full swing here in the South, there is hardly a more fitting time to cook up some gumbo. Our friends at the Southern Foodways Alliance have graciously shared the below “intro to gumbo,” which we hope will be a useful jumping off point. For more about their Southern Gumbo Trail project or famous Louisiana recipes, follow the links.

—

By Amy Evans Streeter, Southern Foodways Alliance

“A GUMBO PRIMER

There are as many variations of gumbo as there are people who make it. But the foundation of any gumbo is the thickener. Some consider okra as the original gumbo base. But then there is the old rule of gumbo-making, “First you make a roux.” Others are of the opinion that filé is the only proper gumbo thickener. Then there are cooks who use some combination thereof. Whatever the style, tradition, or preference, here are descriptions of these gumbo cornerstones to get you primed for your journey down the Southern Gumbo Trail.

For many, OKRA, that spiny and slimy pod, is the only way to thicken a gumbo. Okra not only thickens a gumbo; it adds flavor. It is usually sliced and then sautéed with what many consider the holy trinity of gumbo-making: onions, celery and bell peppers. Okra gumbo has a subtler flavor than filé- or roux-based gumbos.

FILÉ is dried and ground sassafras leaves. It is usually added to a gumbo at the very end of the cooking process or to individual servings. Many prefer filé for its distinctive musty, tea-like flavor. It is sometimes called “gumbo filé.” The Cajuns and Creoles learned about filé from the Choctaw Indians of the Gulf South. Some maintain that filé was used when okra was out of season. Today, both gumbos are made year-round. Combining filé with okra is uncommon.

A ROUX, used as a thickening agent, is achieved by cooking flour and a fat (butter, vegetable oil, or even olive oil) together over high heat. The rich nuttiness of the roux intensifies with cooking, which also affects its color. A roux is used in various recipes; different colors are desired for different dishes. Some use a peanut butter colored roux, while others strive for an almost black roux.

Historically, a seafood gumbo was not made with filé because okra would be in season when seafood was fresh. A duck or venison gumbo would not have okra in it, since hunting season falls during winter and fall, when okra could not be found. While these traditions sprang from simple availability of ingredients, they still hold true in many parts of the South’s gumbo tradition.”

Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Kit

If you like food – good food – then you most likely know about Thomas Keller and The French Laundry. Keller is a master chef and the Laundry ranks at the top of U.S. fine dining from its perch in Napa Valley. However, you may not know that Keller has other exqusite offerings in the valley, including Ad Hoc. A simpler “family style” restaurant, Ad Hoc has become a community favorite in wine country, and now may become a favorite of yours too.

Williams-Sonoma is currently offering an official Ad Hoc Fried Chicken Kit, which includes two packets of brine and two packets of coating mix – enough to make 16-20 pieces of the restaurant’s famous poultry. Ingredients include fresh herbs, lemon, paprika and cayenne pepper. You can pick it up for $15.

Grindhouse Killer Burgers

When you walk into the Sweet Auburn Curb Market on Edgewood downtown, you may wonder what kind of place we’ve recommended you go for a great burger. To get to the hip, vividly clean 20-seat counter in the back, you’ll first pass through the historic market filled with hanging meats and exotic produce in a distinctly urban setting. We like that a visit to Grindhouse Killer Burgers is also a way of supporting an Atlanta landmark.

But while the market carries on behind you, the burger is what you came to eat. Start at the register and select your patty of beef, turkey or veggie. (The freshly ground Angus chuck and brisket is from a small Southern producer and delivered every day.) Next choose your style, sides and drink, then take a seat at the counter and watch a cult movie projected on the white tile wall as you wait. It’s a fairly straight up burger joint, but the attention to ingredients and the cooked to order process ranks this in with Atlanta’s best. They have several options for sides (sweet potato chips, onion rings) but we preferred the crinkle cut fries. The Apache style seems to be a regular favorite along with the milkshakes. Open 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Mon-Sat. $4.99 for a single burger or $6.99 for a double.