Chattarati Articles in Food

Brewhaus to Bring European Flair to Hill City

2011-09-07T13:00:00Z

David Morton

Brewhaus, the North Chattanooga gastropub, opens Thursday, Sept. 15, on Frazier Avenue.

Germany may be celebrating its world-famous Oktoberfest this month, but Hunter Hart and Mike Robinson plan to bring the event here to Chattanooga, and keep it running year-round.

Brewhaus, a new gastropub run by the local entrepreneurs, is opening Thursday, Sept. 15, on the North Shore. With 12 beers on tap and nearly four times that being offered in bottles, Brewhaus aims to add a German pub atmosphere to the Scenic City.

"Even though Oktoberfest is technically from mid-September to the end of October, we want our patrons to feel like every day is Oktoberfest," said Tiffanie Robinson, PR representative for Brewhaus. "We'll have an atmosphere that will portray this with German bar songs, new German beers on tap each month, and special brew club incentives and events."

Brewhaus takes their approach to bringing this atmosphere to Chattanooga a step further, however, by sourcing several menu items from local businesses. With breads from Bluff View Bakery, rotating offerings on tap from Chattanooga Brewing Company, and local produce and pastries, the brewpub plans on truly integrating the German experience into our local culture.

"Our vision is to bring awareness of German culture and flavor to the downtown scene along by mixing in local Chattanooga ingredients to stay in line with the local food movement Chattanooga is so proud of," said Robinson. "This is a passion of ours, and we have chosen to center our careers around the art of good food and good drinks."

Brewhaus will be running special food and drink offerings coinciding with Oktoberfest to celebrate its grand opening.

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Weekend Market Menu: Aug. 6-7

2011-08-05T11:00:00Z

It's National Farmers Market Week, so celebrate by stopping by a market near you. Scroll down to see what's happening at the Chattanooga Market, the Brainerd Farmers Market, and the Hixson Farmers Market.

Brainerd Farmer's Market

Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
20 Belvoir Ave.
Chattanooga, TN 37377
Facebook page

This week at the Brainerd market:

Link 41: Sizzling sausage sandwiches
Cloudcrest Farms: Hamburger and sausage
Heirloom Catering: Cooking demos
Sequatchie Cove Farm: Veggies, blueberries and eggs
Circle S Farms
Bama Breeze Farm: Organically grown tomatoes, alpaca fertilizer (Alpaca Gold), greenhouse-grown using sustainable methods
Dixie Soaps: Goat milk soaps, lotions, lip balms, felted soaps and eggs
Fresh Green Farms: Heirloom tomatoes, a variety of Cherokees, and other heirlooms
Lowes Family Farm: Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, bell pepper, eggplant and corn (conventional, uses chemicals)
Palma Ceia Honey: Wildflower honey from the bees at Reflection Riding at the foot of Lookout Mountain
Pocket Farm: Corn, pink-eye peas, green beans, heirloom tomatoes, Italian heirloom zucchini and yellow squash, sweet and hot peppers, fresh basil and a special sale on Roma tomatoes for canning or making sauces — a 7-pound bag (50-60 tomatoes) for just $7
Walden Farm: Arugula, onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapenos, collard greens, basil, cilantro, mint, and oregano grown through organic/sustainable methods
Williams Island: Tomatoes (Sungold, Rutgers, Pink Beauty, Paul Robeson), peppers (both hot and sweet varieties), eggplant, beets, zephyr and pattypan squash, cucumbers, and potatoes
White Oak Mountain Farm: Sunflowers, gladiolus, cabbage, beans, purple hull peas, okra, butternut squash, lemon cucumbers, zucchini and cucumbers. Organic/sustainable methods, though some crops require non-organic fertilizer
Dean Towers: Peach, blueberry, apple and blackberry pies. I'm going to make a couple of chocolate pies to see if folks like those. We'll have our selection of jams, jellies and pickled items too. And I also have a few conainers of fresh pesto. I'll also have a few jalapeno cornbreads, fresh garden salsa and fresh whole dill pickles. From the garden, we'll also have a few cukes, sweet peppers, green onions and tomatoes
Buffalo Brad's Beef Jerky: Buffalo and beef steak jerky and turkey jerky
Niedlov's Breadworks: Artisan breads from local and organic flours
423balm: Handmade soaps and Madeline's lemonade stand will be there
Steel-Wool Designs: Handwoven scarfs, bags, hats and unique wrapped headbands. Chainmaille and beaded jewelry. Come try out the loom or spinning wheel
Hilltop Farm: Soap, handmade items

Hixson at St. Alban's Episcopal Church

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
7514 Hixson Pike, Hixson TN

Per their email, here is a list of vendors this week:

My Family Dinners: You may pre-order your dinners for pick-up, or stop by and see what we have in the coolers. In addition, we prepare a variety of fresh foods you can enjoy for lunch or pick up to enjoy later. Lisa's special recipe smoked barbecue is very popular, as are our fresh grilled vegetables, sesame skewered chicken strips, curry chicken salad, three-cheese pimento cheese, and much more. Just look for the smoky grill, where we are cooking on site
Brady's Farm Direct Meat: Ground beef, all the normal steaks, roast, stew meat, brisket, also mild and extra hot sausage
Buffalo Brads' Steak and Turkey Jerky: Top round beef, top round bison and breast meat turkey jerky, all natural
Phoenix Farm: Flowers, kale, herbs, tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, paste, etc.) and produce
The Country Garden Apiary: Local honey, honey products (soaps and cremes), and local squash, green beans, okra, corn, and tomatoes
Cedar Lane Farms: Free-range eggs, tomatoes, herbs and flowers
Lowes Family Farm: Produce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and jams and jellies
Young's Farm: Squash, beans, cantaloupes, okra, potatoes, watermelon, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers
S & S Creations: Custom embroidery and free-range eggs
Circle K Farm: Produce

Chattanooga Market

Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
First Tennessee Pavilion
Facebook page

It's National Farmers Market week, so Gaining Ground is sponsoring the Chattanooga Market on Sunday. From the website:

It’s National Farmers Market Week! This Sunday, Aug. 7, the folks from Gaining Ground will be at Chattanooga Market to show you more ways to eat well, buy right, and go local (look for their Harvest Here program). Gaining Ground will give away 10 bags of fresh, locally grown produce. Anyone bringing either non-perishable or fresh food items will be eligible to win. The food drive will support the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. Also that day, many of our food vendors will have specials highlighting local ingredients. Other community partners will be on hand showcasing their commitment to support local food.

Entertainment will include Bucktown Kickback and Summertown.

For a list of vendors, check here.

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Weekend Market Menu: July 30-31

2011-07-29T14:00:00Z

Planning on stopping by a local farmers market this weekend? Here's the low-down on what's going on around town at the Chattanooga Market, the Brainerd Farmers Market and the Hixson Farmers Market. If you can't make the weekend markets, don't forget about the Main Street Market on Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m.

Brainerd Farmers Market

Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
20 Belvoir Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37377
Facebook page

This week at the Brainerd Market:

Link 41: Sizzling sausage sandwiches
Heirloom Catering: Cooking demos
Sequatchie Cove Farm: Veggies, blueberries and eggs
Circle S Farms
Bama Breeze Farm: Organically grown tomatoes, alpaca fertilizer (Alpaca Gold) greenhouse-grown using sustainable methods
Dixie Soaps: Goat milk soaps, lotions and lip balms, felted soaps, and eggs
Fresh Green Farms: Heirloom tomatoes, a variety of Cherokees and other heirlooms
Lowes Family Farm: Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, bell pepper, eggplant, possibly corn
Palma Ceia Honey: Wildflower honey from the bees at Reflection Riding at the foot of Lookout Mountain
Pocket Farm: Corn, pink-eye peas, green beans, heirloom tomatoes, Italian heirloom zucchini and yellow squash, sweet and hot peppers, fresh basil and a special sale on Roma tomatoes for canning or making sauces — a 7-pound bag (50-60 tomatoes) for just $7
Walden Farm: Arugula, onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapenos, collard greens, basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, grown through organic/sustainable methods
Williams Island: Tomatoes (Sungold, Rutgers, Pink Beauty, Paul Robeson), peppers (both hot and sweet varieties), eggplant, beets, zephyr and pattypan squash, cucumbers, and potatoes
White Oak Mountain Farm: Sunflowers, gladiolus, cabbage, beans, purple hull peas, okra, butternut squash, lemon cucumbers, zucchini and cucumbers. Organic/sustainable methods though some crops require non-organic fertilizer
Dean Towers: Peach, blueberry, apple and blackberry pies. Selection of jams, jellies and pickled items too. A few conainers of fresh pesto, jalapeno corn breads, fresh garden salsa and fresh whole dill pickles
Buffalo Brad's Beef Jerky: Buffalo and beef steak jerky and turkey jerky
Niedlov's Breadworks: Artisan breads from local and organic flours
423balm: Handmade soaps and Madeline's Lemonade stand will be there
Steel-Wool Designs: Handwoven scarfs, bags, hats and unique wrapped headbands. Chainmaille and beaded jewelry
Hilltop Farm: Soap, handmade items

Hixson at St. Alban's Episcopal Church

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
7514 Hixson Pike, Hixson TN

Per their email, here is a list of vendors this week:

My Family Dinners: You may pre-order your dinners for pick-up, or stop by and see what we have in the coolers. In addition, we prepare a variety of fresh foods you can enjoy for lunch, or pick up to enjoy later. Lisa's special recipe smoked barbecue is very popular, as are our fresh grilled vegetables, sesame skewered chicken strips, curry chicken salad, three-cheese pimento cheese and much more. Just look for the smoky grill, where we are cooking on site
Brady's Farm Direct Meat: USDA-inspected, processed, and frozen pasture-raised Angus beef and whole hog country sausage and pork. They are bringing pork loin roast, hot sausage, pork ribs, and a selection of steaks. Also local produce
Buffalo Brads' Steak and Turkey Jerky: Top round beef, top round bison and breast meat turkey jerky, all natural
Josiah Bread: Homemade bread using certified chemical-free wheatberries from Wheat Montana
Phoenix Farm: Flowers, kale, herbs, tomatoes (cherry, heirloom, paste, etc.) and produce
The Country Garden Apiary: Local honey, honey products (soaps and cremes), and local squash, green beans, okra, corn and tomatoes
Cedar Lane Farms: Free-range eggs, tomatoes, herbs and flowers.
Lowes Family Farm: Produce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, etc., and jams and jellies
Young's Farm: Squash, beans, cantaloupes, okra, potatoes, watermelon, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers
S & S Creations: Custom embroidery and free-range eggs. They have blue eggs. These eggs are from a certain breed of chicken. The shells are blue, blue/green, but the eggs look and taste like any other egg inside
J & B Gardens: Out this week
Circle K Farm: Produce

Chattanooga Market

Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
First Tennessee Pavilion
More information here

Per their weekly email, this week the Chattanooga Market will host Mayfield in Pink to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Entertainment will include Kate Morrissey at 12:30 p.m. and Megan Light at 2 p.m.

For a list of vendors, check here.

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Bigger Beer Across the Border

2011-07-20T11:00:00Z

John Hawbaker

Twenty taps, including beers by Bells, Dogfish Head and Lost Abbey, line the growler station at Beverage World.

When it comes to beer, local graphic designer Christopher Johnston says bigger is better, but he isn’t talking about the size of the bottle. “I love big beers that push your palette all over the place.”

His current favorites include Founders KBS, an aged imperial stout, and Left Hand Smoke Jumper, a porter. In addition to unique flavors, both have alcohol volumes over 9 percent. To buy those “big beers,” Johnston visits Beverage World, a small shop in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., that specializes in craft beer and recently expanded to begin offering growler sales.

Johnston found out about the shop three years ago by reading reviews on RateBeer.com, and decided to give it a try after being “let down” by Chattanooga-based shops due to Tennessee’s more restrictive beer laws.

“At first blush, I have to say that I was highly skeptical,” he said. “I am not exactly hung up on appearances, but the strip mall surroundings and neon tobacco signs threw me a bit. Over the years they've repeatedly won my business by having a wide (and increasingly wider) selection and friendly, knowledgeable staff.”

Sam Kubilus, Beverage World manager, says the store’s north Georgia location has two key benefits: access to more breweries and more favorable alcohol laws.

“Georgia’s distribution network and availability is far superior to Tennessee’s,” Kubilus said. “It’s easier to distribute, plus we have a gigantic market in Atlanta, and everyone benefits.” Dogfish Head is one renowned brewery whose products are available for retail distribution in Georgia, he said, but not in Tennessee.

Kubilus is a self-described “beer geek” who loves to study beer and help customers find something they’ll enjoy. “We hand pick the top examples of any given style so our customers know that if they buy something here, it’s going to be good.”

Over time, the store’s expanding selection and limited space started to become an issue. “We were busting at the seams, and expansion was on our minds.”

When growler sales became legal, Kubilus knew it was time to move forward. A few months after tearing down the wall between Beverage World and an empty, adjacent storefront, the expansion and growler station are now open. The back section of the expanded shop will soon hold home brewing supplies and ingredients, and Kubilus plans to hire a home brewer to help determine the selection and advise customers.

The growler station includes a wooden bar and 20 taps — 10 of which are currently in use as they ramp up capacity. It will feature a rotating selection, covering “as many styles as possible,” and include beers they haven’t carried before because they are draft only, Kubilus said.

“We get people asking about growlers all the time. So we’re very pleased that Georgia caught up with other states and started doing growler fills.”

In the coming weeks, Beverage World will also offer a number of rare beers at the growler station. “One rarity that our customers have been anxiously awaiting is Port Brewing's Older Viscosity,” he said. “It's the bourbon barrel aged portion of their Old Viscosity, and I get asked about it nearly every day.”

Kubilus uses the store’s Facebook page to tell his customers when new beers arrive and what’s on tap each day at the growler station. “Even though we have a fraction of the followers of a large store in Atlanta like Hop City, our page and our customers are far more active and very involved. It's really great to see how passionate Chattanooga-area folks are about craft beer!”

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St. Alban’s Farmers Market: July 16 Menu

2011-07-15T12:30:00Z

The St. Alban's Farmers Market in Hixson returns this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Per their email, here is a list of their vendors this week:

My Family Dinners: Along with a great selection of frozen pre-assembled dinners, there will be food available for breakfast and lunch. This week they will be serving at the market: curry chicken salad, pimento cheese, other salads, barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, fresh fruit, peach crisp, cookies, brownies, blueberry coffee cake and homemade granola. Skewered chicken strips are coming back. There will be tables set up near the booth if you want to have breakfast or lunch.
Brady's Farm Direct Meat: USDA-inspected, processed, and frozen pasture-raised Angus beef and whole hog country sausage and pork. They are bringing pork loin roast, hot sausage, pork ribs, and a selection of steaks. Also, local produce.
Crider's Creek Farm: Fresh eggs, goat milk cheese, soap and lotions, and local blackberries. There will also be homemade recycled market bags made from chicken feed sacks ... very cute and environmentally friendly.
Buffalo Brad's steak and turkey jerky: Top round beef, top round bison, and breast meat turkey jerky — all natural.
Josiah Bread: Homemade bread using certified chemical-free wheatberries from Wheat Montana. Come early. This one sold out early last week.
The Country Garden Apiary: Local honey, honey products (soaps and cremes), and local squash, green beans, okra, corn and tomatoes.
Link 41: Will be back selling frozen sausages and bacon.
Cedar Lane Farms: Eggs, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and flowers.
Lowes Family Farm: Produce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, etc., and jams and jellies.
Fresh Green Farm: Blueberries, cucumbers, squash and basil.
S & S Creations: Custom embroidery and free range eggs. They have blue eggs! These eggs are from a certain breed of chicken. The shells are blue, blue/green, but the eggs look and taste like any other egg inside.
J & B Gardens: Plants, herbs, pond plants, cut flowers and crafts.
Circle K Farm: Produce.

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Peach Festival This Sunday at the Chattanooga Market

2011-07-12T14:00:00Z

Chattanooga Market

Peaches for sale.

From the inbox:

This Sunday, Chattanooga Market will celebrate its annual Peach Festival. It's a peachy filled day with fresh-picked Sunday morning peaches and a variety of other clever takes on the juicy summertime fruit. Market vendors welcome the opportunity to offer peach-themed products like peach salsa and jam, peach cobbler, peach ice cream, and more. The festival includes live music on the EPB stage at 12:30 p.m. by Blake Guthrie and 2 p.m. by Veronika Jackson. Bios and photos of each artist.
The Saturday River Market continues as well, another great source for local arts, jewelry, photography, custom apparel and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza every Saturday. Live entertainment includes free yoga by Chattanooga Yoga Collective at 10 a.m. and live music at 12:30 by Michael Jacobs.

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St. Alban’s Farmers Market: July 9 Menu

2011-07-08T14:00:00Z

The Hixson Farmer's Market at St. Alban's Episcopal Church is back this weekend. Located on Hixson Pike near Chester Frost Park, the market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Per the weekly email, here are the vendors who will be at the market this week:

My Family Dinners - Along with her great selection of frozen pre-assembled dinners, there will be food available for breakfast and lunch. This week they will be serving at our market: curry chicken salad, pimento cheese, other salads, barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, fresh fruit, peach crisp, cookies, brownies, blueberry coffee cake and homemade granola. Skewered chicken strips are coming back. There will be tables set up near her booth if you want to have breakfast or lunch.
Brady's Farm Direct Meat LLC - USDA-inspected, processed and frozen pasture-raised Angus beef and whole hog country sausage and pork. They are bringing pork loin roast, hot sausage, and pork ribs, a selection of steaks. Also local produce.
Crider's Creek Farm - Fresh eggs, goat milk cheese, soap and lotions, and local blackberries. There will also be homemade recycled market bags made from chicken feed sacks. Very cute and environmental friendly.
Buffalo Brads' Steak and Turkey Jerky- Top round beef, top round bison and breast meat turkey jerky, all natural.
Jami Brown - Local peaches and cream corn.
Josiah Bread - Homemade bread using certified chemical-free wheatberries from Wheat Montana. Come early; this one sold out early last week.
The Country Garden Apiary - Local honey, honey products (soaps and cremes), and local squash, green beans, okra, corn and tomatoes.
Phoenix Farms - Local kale, tomatoes, cabbage, herbs and those beautiful cut flowers.
Hoe Hop Valley Farm - Non-GMO. Fresh grass and spring water fed whole chickens, half chickens, and local blueberries.
S&S Creations - Custom embroidery and free range eggs. They have blue eggs! These eggs are from a certain breed of chicken. The shells are blue, blue/green, but the eggs look and taste as any other egg inside. Plants, herbs, pond plants, cut flowers, and crafts.
Circle K Farm - Produce.

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Pasha Coffee & Tea: Suggestions Welcome

2011-07-06T09:00:00Z

At Pasha Coffee & Tea, listening to customers is a priority — and one of the secrets to the coffee shop’s success.

Matt Skudlarek, assistant store manager since 2010, is invested in making Pasha the best that it can be.

“I think an important part of being a business owner or manager is listening to what people say and their suggestions," he said. "Even if it’s one out of every five suggestions you use, if you have 25 suggestions and five of them are great, then that’s enough to think and build on.”

One of these suggestions was to expand the menu to include more sandwiches and food items. Sales increased by almost 200 percent.

Chattanooga is a city of coffee shops, mostly concentrated in the downtown area. But Pasha is the only one of its kind in the St. Elmo community, something which allows it to be uniquely involved in the neighborhood.

Works by local artists are in a constant rotation on the walls. It’s an often-played venue by musicians, and it collaborates with other local businesses to keep the community informed about events. Skudlarek knows many of the customers by name and spends time building relationships with them.

“That’s definitely the thing that’s bringing me around to my second year is the type of people and the friendships I’ve made and the people I’ve met,” he said.

Meghan Katzenberger, a student at Covenant and a facilities supervisor, is a regular customer. “I like Pasha because it’s a really friendly, personal place with a homey atmosphere,” she said.

Its coffee is another unique feature. “It’s all organic, all free-trade coffee. We do Turkish coffee, cold-press coffee," Skudlarek said. When you get in an industry like this that is honestly in an oversaturated market you have to make yourself stand out, make yourself be a destination place, and I think that’s done a lot by those products — but also by the staff — and the way the place is run.”

Or and Ladonna Cingilli started Pasha in February 2009 in order pursue their dream of a neighborhood coffehouse in St. Elmo. Located right on St. Elmo Avenue, it’s in a good place to be at the heart of the community.

Last month, the coffee shop was bought by Tag Thompson. Thompson hopes to keep the same atmosphere, just increase the flow of customers.

Skudlarek isn’t worried about any more serious changes taking place. “I see it evolving. I see it maintaining that atmosphere that makes it what it is, but I definitely see it growing,” he said.

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St. Alban’s Farmers Market: June 25 Menu

2011-06-24T08:30:00Z

The St. Alban's Farmers Market in Hixson returns again this Saturday with a big turn out of fresh produce from local farmers. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is located at 7514 Hixson Pike.

From their weekly email:

My Family Dinners — Along with her great selection of frozen pre-assembled dinners there will be food available for breakfast and lunch. This week they will be serving at our market: curry chicken salad, pimento cheese, other salads, barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, fresh fruit, peach crisp, cookies, brownies, blueberry boffee cake and homemade granola. There will be tables set up near her booth if you want to have breakfast or lunch.
Brady's Farm Direct Meat LLC — USDA inspected, processed and frozen pasture-raised Angus beef and whole hog country sausage and pork. They are bringing pork loin roast, hot sausage, pork ribs, a selection of steaks, and assorted produce.
Buffalo Brads' Steak and Turkey Jerky — Top round beef, top round bison and breast meat turkey jerky, all natural.
The Country Garden Apiary — Local honey, honey products (soaps and cremes), and local produce.
Simple Gifts Farm — Plants, veggies and baked goods.
Phoenix Farms — Beets, chard, kale, herbs and and those beautiful cut flowers.
Hoe Hop Valley Farm — Non-GMO. Fresh grass and spring water fed whole chickens, half chickens and eggs.
S&S Creations — Custom embroidery and free range eggs. They have blue eggs! These eggs are from a certain breed of chicken. The shells are blue, blue/green but the eggs look and taste as any other egg inside.
Circle K Farm — Produce.

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The Quest for Good Barbecue

2011-06-23T11:45:00Z

ChattFoodCritic, the anonymous restaurant review blog, has a rundown on barbecue joints in the Scenic City.

Via chattfoodcritic.chattablogs.com

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