“The Hunger Games” author is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts

The Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins is a graduate of the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham. She was born in Connecticut to an Air Force officer and spent her childhood moving around the eastern part of the country. The family later moved to Alabama where she graduated from the Theatre Program at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in 1980. She then attended Indiana University and New York University earning a degree in drama and telecommunications and a master’s degree in dramatic writing. “The Hunger Games” movie based on the first book in her trilogy had the third best debut in box office history with a $155 million opening this past weekend.

October Baby” finds box office success

The faith-based film “October Baby” finished in the Top 10 on its opening weekend despite playing in only 390 theaters, and did even better on a per-theater average. The movie grossed $1.7 million in limited release, which was good enough for a No. 8 finish on the weekend box office. The movie ranked No. 3 on a per-theatre average basis ($4,352).

“October Baby” was filmed entirely in Alabama and was produced and directed by Alabama natives Jon and Andrew Erwin of Erwin Brothers Motion Pictures in Shelby County. Filming took place in several locations around metro Birmingham, Mobile, and Dauphin Island. The movie shares an inspiring pro-life, pro-adoption message. “October Baby” was released in select theaters in Alabama and Mississippi last fall and made its nationwide debut in additional theaters last weekend. Governor Bentley declared the Friday opening as “October Baby Day” in Alabama as a way to encourage people to see the film.

The Governor was joined at a proclamation signing ceremony by Jon and Andrew Erwin and their families, Alabama Development Office (ADO) Director Greg Canfield, Alabama Film Office Manager Kathy Faulk, along with several actors, writers, and producers from the film. Canfield said the state hopes to attract more projects that can be shot entirely in the state because it is now competitive with film incentives offered by other states. “Alabama is one of those rare states that offers film projects a variety of settings that range from forests to mountains, to black and fertile croplands, and town squares to metropolitan landscapes. These projects will boost the economies of both small and large communities throughout the state,” he said.

“This is a home-grown project from start to finish,” added Ms. Faulk. “It is also a lovely story with a heart-felt message. We are proud of Jon and Andy and their entire team, and we are appreciative that they stuck to their roots and kept this project at home.” October Baby the first full-length feature filmed entirely in the state to gain a full theater release. “Alabama is a beautiful state, and we wanted to shoot our first feature film here,” said October Baby Co-Producer Dan Atchison, who is from Birmingham. “We hope to attract more films here. It is good for the economy and good for the state of Alabama as a whole.”

Birmingham chefs up for James Beard Foundation awards

Birmingham’s Frank Stitt and Chris Hastings are both featured chefs of “The Year of Alabama Food” and are both up for James Beard Foundation Awards this year. For their profiles and the profiles of some of Alabama’s other outstanding chefs please see www.yearofalabamafood.com.

From the article “Frank Stitt, Chris Hastings up for James Beard Foundation food honors” by Bob Carlton in The Birmingham News:

Maybe this will be the year. For the fourth year in a row, Frank Stitt’s Highlands Bar and Grill is one of five finalists for the James Beard Foundation Award for the country’s most outstanding restaurant. And for the fifth time in six years, Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Clubis among the five finalists for best chef in the South. “I’m happy to represent our city and our state and the South in general,” Hastings said after the James Beard nominees were announced Monday afternoon. “It’s a real honor.” But while Stitt and Hastings have made a spring ritual of going to New York for the restaurant world’s version of the Oscars, each is obviously hoping this is the year he returns home with the prestigious James Beard medal dangling from his neck.

Stitt, who opened Highlands in Five Points South in 1982, said Monday that he hasn’t grown frustrated that his restaurant keeps getting nominated but has yet to win. “No, it’s the opposite of frustrating,” he said. “You just feel so fortunate and so lucky to be in. Restaurants can go their whole life and never get anything like this kind of recognition.” This year’s winners will be announced May 7 at a black-tie, red-carpet ceremony at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Now in their 25th year, the awards are named for the late chef and cookbook author who is credited with introducing gourmet cuisine to America. The Beard Foundation said it received more than 59,000 submissions for nominees in all categories this year – which includes everything from outstanding pastry chef to outstanding wine, beer or spirits professional. Highlands’ competition includes two restaurants from New York City (Balthazar and Blue Hill), one from San Francisco (Boulevard) and one from Philadelphia (Vetri). Like Highlands, Blue Hill, Boulevard and Vetri were all James Beard finalists last year. Hastings, meanwhile, will go up against four New Orleans chefs – Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery, John Harris of Lilette, Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace and Alon Shaya of Domenica – for best chef in the South, a region that includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. “It’s good to be part of the conversation, and I’m really thrilled to be part of that great bunch of chefs,” Hastings said.

Also, Mary Allen Perry of Birmingham-based Southern Living magazine is a finalist for a James Beard journalism award in the cooking, recipes or instruction category. Chef James Lewis of Bettola had been among a group of 20 semifinalists announced last month for best chef in the South, but he did not make the final list. Other semifinalists from Birmingham were the Mountain Brook restaurant Ollie Irene for best new restaurant and Nick Pihakis of Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q for the country’s outstanding restaurateur. Neither made the list of finalists announced Monday.

While Highlands has yet to win the Beard Foundation’s top prize, Stitt did win for best chef in the Southeast in 2001, and last year, he was inducted into the foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, a group that includes Julia Child, Graham Kerr, Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. The fact that Highlands is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this year may be a good omen, Stitt said. “That would make this an extra memorable year,” he said.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center is Alabama’s number one attraction

More than 533,000 people visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville last year, ranking it number one among state attractions that charge admission. Seven of the state’s Top Ten attractions charging admission showed an increase in attendance over previous years. Attendance figures were collected by the Alabama Tourism Department from local tourism organizations.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail ranked second with attendance of 512,044. The Birmingham Zoo was third with 498,623 and the McWane Science Center, also in Birmingham, placed fourth with 381,191 visitors. The USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile was fifth with 322,685. Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Leeds was sixth with 300,000. Huntsville Botanical Garden ranked seventh with 275,000 and Point Mallard Park in Decatur was eighth with 231,017. The Montgomery Zoo placed ninth with 216,746. EarlyWorks Museum Complex in Huntsville was tenth with 155,000.

The Alabama Tourism Department released the Top Ten attendance figures for other categories. Beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast were the number one natural destination in the state attracting 5 million visitors last year. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens attracted 350,000 visitors to make it the most attended free attraction. More than 1,000,000 people attended Mobile’s Mardi Gras making it the most attended event. Bryant-Denny Stadium was the number one sports destination with 712,747 fans attending University of Alabama home football games. www.alabama.travel

2012 IMHOF Induction Ceremony: An Evening to Remember

“The 2012 class of inductees to the prestigious International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a constellation of racing’s finest achievers. Businesses and individuals alike are urged to purchase tickets and tables today to secure reservations for the induction on May 3, 2012. We can assure everyone it will be an evening to remember, and we hope everyone will join us that evening in welcoming Kenny Bernstein, Richard Childress and John Force into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame,” raved Grant Lynch.

In addition to the three inductees, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame will honor the 2011 Driver of the Year Tony Stewart and 2011 ARCA Champion Ty Dillon.

Birmingham chef Chris Hastings on “Iron Chef America” this Sunday

“Iron Chef America” featuring Birmingham chef Chris Hastings against Iron Chef Bobby Flay will air Sunday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m. on the Food Network

From the article “Stepping into the spotlight” by Teri Greene in The Montgomery Advertiser:

Sunday, for the first time, the state of Alabama will be represented on one of Food Network’s most widely-watched competition shows: “Iron Chef America.”Chris Hastings, owner and executive chef at Birming­ham’s renowned Hot and Hot Fish Club will throw down with Bobby Flay, one of the win­ningest chefs in the show’s his­tory, in the arena-sized Kitchen Stadium. For Hastings, the match air­ing Sunday is one more step on the ladder of foodie fame. Tuesday, he was named as a semifinalist for the James Beard “Best Chef in the South” award. Teaming up with Hastings as sous chefs are Rob McDaniel, executive chef at the Lake Martin restaurant Springhouse and former chef de cuisine at Hot and Hot, and Sedesh Boo­dram, another former Hot and Hot chef de cuisine. McDaniel opened Spring­house in April 2009 and credits Hastings with helping launch his career as an executive chef. It has been a whirlwind: get­ting the invite from the show — which debuted in 2005 as a spinoff of the original Japanese series — preparing for the challenge and the mind-blow­ing, pressure-cooker experi­ence of competing.

So how did the state’s first-ever Iron Chef challenger get a chance to step foot in Kitchen Stadium? “They asked if we would be interested in getting on a long list,” said Hastings, who had been touring with his wife, Idie, to promote their cook­book, “Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Family, and Traditions,” written with Katherine Cobbs. Hot and Hot has a longstand­ing good reputation in the res­ta rant world. But the book tour, which had Hastings ap­pearing as guest chef at food events throughout the U.S., cer­tainly didn’t hurt, he said. The interview for the show was great, Hastings said. He tried to convince the producers that his team would be up for the challenge. They said he’d hear from them in two weeks. He didn’t. Then, last June, “They sent the email saying, ‘Hey, you’re up.’”

“That was a really swallow-hard moment, because I had talked to some of my chef bud­dies, and I began to realize it is a really big deal,” he said. “‘Iron Chef America’ is the Food Network’s iconic, serious food competition — you have professional chefs, my peers that I respect, and vice-versa. “When you’re asked to par­ticipate it raises your thought process to an entirely different level because you know you cannot fail in front of millions of people who are watching and, more importantly, your contemporaries.” And he has seen it happen — chefs almost losing their fin­gers while chopping, others just beginning to plate their food when the final buzzer sounds. Five dishes, 60 min­utes, countless viewers, endless re-runs and Internet replays. Pressure like that sometimes leads chefs to over think every­thing.

“That puts you on a very dangerous path and takes you away from your roots, the way you cook every day, your fun­damental way that has worked brilliantly for a long time,” Hastings said. “When chefs get away from that, that’s when you see them fail. You don’t want to be that person.” Nor did he want either of his sous chefs melting on the kitchen floor. Hastings called McDaniel about the July 4 taping in New York. “He asked me what I was doing July Fourth,” said McDa­niel, who’d worked with Has­tings for more than three years. “I said, ‘Well it’s the lake, so I’m going to be busy.’ He said, ‘Well, do you want to be on ‘Iron Chef?” We got to work the next Monday.”

“Iron Chef America” unveils its central “secret ingredient” at the top of the show. And competitors do not know ahead of time what that item will be. “They are offered a range of possibilities, but there is abso­lutely an element of surprise,” Hastings said. However, the judges’ crite­ria is well known: 10 points for taste, 5 for plating/presentation and 5 for originality, and the in­gredient often has little to do with the type of food a chef is accustomed to preparing. “I think it’s less about who you are as a restaurateur and more about showing that you’re capable,” Hastings said, “What­ever ingredient you’re given, you should be able to deal with it. If at that point you don’t know what to do, you haven’t done your homework.”

Hastings, McDaniel and Boo­dram set up lots of scenarios, working four mornings a week for six weeks, setting up the Hot and Hot kitchen so that each would have to sprint a dis­tance just to fetch an ingredi­ent or piece of equipment. There was an informal audi­ence, and Idie Hastings ob­served, worked a stopwatch and threw questions and com­ments at them as they worked, in the style of host Alton Brown and floor reporter Ke­vin Brauch. Though chefs are convivial and tend to support one anoth­er, a certain reputation has stuck, McDaniel said. “All chefs are quarterbacks, and they all want the ball.” It was important that mem­bers of team Hastings consider each other equals and become brutally honest. After weeks of preparation and organization each chef was part of a well-oiled machine.

“We didn’t have to speak a lot because we knew what the other person was supposed to be doing,” McDaniel said. “If you ever talk to chefs or kitch­en people, they talk about, ‘a perfect night is a dance.’ No­body talks. It’s just a dance, and I think that’s what we did. You don’t have to communi­cate, because you know the next move of the person.” The network had advised Hastings to assemble a team that did not require him. Yes, someone had to be in charge, but no one had to be the alpha male. “You need people that you instinctively trust to be there to do their job,” Hastings said. “Going back to the dance thing, go with the people you’ve danced well with, knowing the moment is not too big for them. “That allowed us more confi­dence and a way of sticking true to the philosophy of the brand. Ultimately, I think it made for better TV. We didn’t lose our minds in the moment. We were calm when the bombs started going off.”

In fact, the judges panel and the production team said the Hot and Hot team was one of the smoothest they had ever seen. “That was kind of huge to us,” McDaniel said. The chefs are not allowed to reveal the outcome of their bout. McDaniel’s wife doesn’t even know. Idie Hastings knows, but only because she was there for the taping in July. The Hastings’ kids don’t know. When it comes down to it, the result takes a second seat to the overall experience and exposure, Hastings said. “We put our brand out there to millions of people every time it airs, and we hope we represented ourselves well. So that was more important to us — that we represented our­selves, our brand, our cities and our state.”

Still, there is a lot of sus­pense surrounding the Sunday night broadcast. Until recently, the chefs weren’t even allowed to reveal that Flay was their competitor until the Food Network re­leased the info. Hastings’ strat­egy for choosing Flay was sim­ple. The team would face the chef who, at the time of taping, had the top winning percentage of the show. Why? “You want to go down as ei­ther losing to the top guy or, if you win, beating the top guy.”

For the complete article please see http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012202220327.

 

It is Year of Food in Alabama and at Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast

Dig in to the new “100 Dishes” brochure

February 2nd, 2012 | By Year of Alabama Food Staff

In honor of The Year of Alabama Food, the Alabama Tourism Department has released a new and improved version of one of its most popular travel brochures.

The “100 Dishes To Eat in Alabama Before You Die” brochure introduces you to delicious eats from Abbeville to Wetumpka and everywhere in between. Whether you’re looking for barbecue, soul food, seafood or something to satisfy your sweet tooth, let this be your guide to Alabama’s signature dishes.

Download the new “100 Dishes To Eat in Alabama Before You Die” brochure and start planning your next culinary adventure.

Year of Alabama Food website launched

The Alabama TourismDepartment officially launched the Year of Alabama Food website last week at the FoodBlogSouth event in Birmingham. The website www.yearofalabamafood.com features the updated version of the “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die” brochure, a sneak preview of the Year of Alabama Food television commercial, a searchable listing of Alabama restaurants, and a host of social media components. “The website shines because it so interactive and involving,” said campaign coordinator Brian Jones. “We looked at dozens of award-winning food websites and our goal was to make this the best of the best. Luckie & Company in Birmingham was our web designer and they really hit it out of the park with the food site.” www.yearofalabamafood.com.

From the article “What are you waiting for? – Tourism department releases new list of ‘try-before-you-die’ Alabama dishes” by Teri Greene in the Montgomery Advertiser:

This year, Alabama is get­ting serious about food — again. We’re all accustomed to the “Year of Alabama …” theme promoted annually by the Ala­bama Department of Tourism, and in 2012, the state’s signa­ture dishes are having their year in the spotlight. But this is not the first time signature dishes such as South­ern-fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, banana pudding, smoked barbecue and Gulf-fresh seafood have been high­lighted. The inaugural Year of Alabama Food was in 2005. However, there is one big difference this time around: An awesome website devoted to Alabama food. The Tourism Department put together a site, www.yearofalabamafood.com, that is not only modern, warm and wel­coming (how can an oversize photo of hot apple pie a la mode not be welcoming?) but chock-full of info about Alaba­ma chefs and restaurants, in­cluding the nationally noted and the prize-winning. You’ll also find a list of food fests across the state that’ll keep you full and happy throughout the year; a map of “food trails”; a guide to farm­ers’ markets; and a collection of “secret Alabama recipes.”

Other highlights include a farm-to-table blog that gives you the low-down on Alabama breweries; locally-sourced spe­cialties — artisanal cheese and sausage-makers, for instance; and some tips for healthier eat­ing. There’s also a place for wan­na-be Southern gourmets to share their own phone pics of their homemade dishes. And yes, the famous list — “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die” — is back, and updated. Name your weakness. Pecan Pie? Blue Cheese Bur­gers? Shrimp Po-Boys? Cheese grits? You’ll find them on the list, along with dozens upon dozens more. The food experts compiling the roster didn’t just beat the streets of the big cities. They also wandered into the corners of Aliceville (barbecue brisket at the Plantation House), Hart­selle (Mercedes Special skillet at Las Vias), Trinity (white cream corn at Caddo Cafeteria) and Waverly (seasonal gour­met ice cream at Yellow Ham­mer).

What made the cut in the River Region? The fried chicken at the leg­endary Martin’s in Montgom­ery, the fried green tomato sandwich at La Jolla, veggies on the hot bar at Derk’s Filet & Vine, crab cakes & dill sauce at Our Place Cafe in Wetumpka and … well, you’re just going to have to go down the list, dish by delicious dish, on your own. Bonnie Ponstein, who with her husband, Barry, owns the Red Bluff Cottage B&B in Montgomery’s Cottage Hill neighborhood, boasts two items on the “must-eat” list: Wild Rice Waffles and Walk-Thru-Fire Pancakes. You have to be an overnight guest at the B&B to get them (and make a spe­cial request) but the experi­ence is worth it, Bonnie said. There’s no secret to making a memorable — or in this case, to-die-for-dish, she added. The pancakes became famous because of their special creamy filling mixed with fresh blueberries, strawberries and pineapple. “It depends on what’s avail­able,” Ponstein said. “Some­times I make my lemon curd from scratch, and that makes it really good.” Her wild rice waffles are light and Belgian and start with a careful separating and fold­ing of eggs. Once the rice is cooked, she coats it onto whole wheat flour. The Ponsteins, who made the previous list, are proud to be featured again. “I’m excited that we’re in there,” Bonnie said. “It has brought a lot of business to us. People like the concept of hav­ing 100 dishes and then saying, ‘Oh, let’s see how many I can eat.’”

Visit Local Farmers Markets and Wineries near Alabama Bed and Breakfasts

In addition to enjoying exciting food festivals and discovering great places to dine, Alabamians and visitors alike are encouraged to get off the interstates and major thoroughfares for a visit to local farms, farmers markets, and wineries. Visit any one of 135 state farmers markets and roadside stands. Sample the goat cheese crafted by Belle Chevre in Elkmont. Enjoy jellies and jams, produced by the folks in Alabama’s Black Belt and sold through places like Black Belt Treasures in Camden. Discover the Alabama Wine Trail, featuring more than a dozen farm wineries, and explore culinary destinations such as Butlers Mill Restaurant in Graham and Rikard Mill near Monroeville, where you can watch cane syrup being made the old-fashioned way.

The logo for the 2012 food-themed campaign, a tasty green tomato on a spoon, will be featured in print and television ads throughout the year and a dedicated website, www.yearofalabamafood.com, showcases the local flavor that is uniquely Alabama.

rate Alabama Chefs and Award-Winning Restaurants

Travelers can discover the best in fine dining and country cooking restaurants in the South when they visit Chef Frank Stitt’s Highlands Bar and Grill and Chris and Idie Hastings’ Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Martin’s Restaurant in Montgomery, Arricia Italian Trattoria & Bar in Auburn, and True in Mobile, which is owned and operated by renowned Chef Wesley True. Learn how Lucy Buffett, owner of Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, and other restaurateurs around the state are bringing the farm to the table to enhance your dining experience. The update of the popular “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die” brochure includes fresh menu selections and great local culinary destinations not previously featured. The updated brochure is available on the www.yearofalabamafood.com website “We are excited about spotlighting lesser-known restaurants while continuing to showcase Southern classics, such as The Bright Star in Bessemer, named an American Classic by the James Beard Award Foundation,” said Sentell. Tourism will also create a new BBQ Trail brochure that will list restaurants, joints and local chains. Some of the featured BBQ will include Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur, SAW’s in Homewood, Full Moon, Jim N Nick’s and icons like Dreamland in Tuscaloosa and Golden Rule in Birmingham.