Viva La Life ~

For being a food and wine event,  I did very little eating or drinking.

Most of my time at last year’s Atlanta Food & Wine Festival was spent inside the Loews Hotel learning cooking tricks and techniques from some of the South’s most notable chefs.

From how to make tangy lemon curd spread and savory Vidalia onion jam from award-winning pastry chef, Chef David Guas of Bayou Bakery,

Chef David Guas, seen here preparing lemon curd spread, will be demonstrating Cast Iron Cooking techniques on Friday and Saturday of the 2012 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

and having the preparation of tamales, one of my favorite snacks, demystified by 2009 James Beard Best Southern Chef winner, Chef John Currence of City Grocery,

Chef John Currence answering question from audience. Chef Currence will be cooking along side Chefs John Besh, Brian Landry and Alon Shaya at the Atlanta Food & Wine's New Oreleans inspired pop-up restaurant on Saturday night.

to learning how to incorporate “misunderstood” vegetables like beets, rutabaga, turnips and Brussels sprouts into soups and salads from Chef Michael Paley of Proof on Main, I left last year’s festival inspired to cook more and expand my culinary horizons.

Chef Michael Paley putting the finishing touches on a salad. See Chef Paley at the Preserving Partners seminar on Saturday at the 2012 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

This year’s festival will be an equally grand feast for the mind.  With seminars on Southern wines and liquors, hunting and foraging, and chocolate and baked goods, there’s a learning experience for all epicurean interests.  Truly, the hard part will be choosing which to attend.

Those looking to do more eating and drinking should not miss the tasting tents which will feature Southern snacks, bourbon, craft beer, fried chicken and a whole tent dedicated to pork.  I had my first taste of moonshine here last year and was surprised by how much liked it.

Single day passes, which include seminars and tasting tents, are still available for all three days, but there’s buzz that Saturday is close to selling out.  You can also go “whole hog” and get a three day pass or Connoisseur pass which has added  perks.

Additional details on passes, seminars, chefs and tasting tents can be found at Atlanta Food & Wine’s website.

Hope to see you there!

* Disclosure:  passes for both 2011 and 2012 festivals were provided to me.  all opinions and commentary are my own.