Omnivore Atlanta

People living on food stamps have been given an incentive to shop at farmers’ markets.

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Wholesome Wave Foundation, Atlanta-based nonprofit Georgia Organics has kicked off a Double Value Coupon Program which matches food stamp dollars spent at participating farmers’ markets.

“For a limited time, all food stamp dollars will have double the buying power at three Atlanta farmers markets,” Georgia Organics Executive Director Alice Rolls says. “Food stamp recipients still can choose to spend their food stamp dollars any where that accepts them, but at farmers markets, where local, fresh, and healthy food is sold, one dollar is equal to two dollars.”

Georgia Organics communications director — and former CL staff writer — Michael Wall says the effort is modeled after similar programs in San Diego, Baltimore and the Northeast United States. The program ends when the money runs out, he says, but fundraising could keep it operational.

More information about the program, including the participating farmers’ markets, after the jump.

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Lovers of gourmet food and alcohol rejoice! That quaint store where you could buy luxurious-sounding grub — but not wine — may soon be able to legally stock booze.

Yesterday, the Atlanta City Council passed legislation that would allow such gourmet food shops as the Cabbagetown Market and the Mercantile on DeKalb Avenue to stock beer, wine and malt beverages. The legislation, which essentially now gives those and similar stores a legal classification in the city’s code, was penned by Councilmember Natalyn Archibong and passed 8-2. Such stores won’t be allowed to sell lotto tickets or “other games of chance,” gasoline or tobacco. They also can’t operate drive-thru windows or cash checks. But bring on the booze!

If she chooses, Mayor Shirley Franklin has eight days to veto the bill.

To peruse Archibong’s bill, laden with good ole fashioned legalese and multiple uses of “whereas,” click here. Keep in mind that an amendment — supposedly a minor tweak — was added to the legislation. I’m waiting on Archibong’s staff to return a call and clarify what in entails.

UPDATE: Here’s the “specialty food store” legislation as passed in Monday’s council meeting. I received some emails from folks who said they had problems opening the file I posted yesterday. If this one fails to open, shoot me an email and I’ll send it to you directly.

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The AJC’s James Salzer reports state Sen. Seth Harp, R-Midland, has withdrawn the bill that would allow cities and counties to decide if they wanted stores to be able to sell booze on the Sabbath. He says it didn’t have enough votes to pass:

The committee was supposed to vote on the bill Wednesday, but supporters knew by the time the meeting began that they wouldn’t have enough votes to pass it.

It marked the third consecutive year the bill to allow Sunday sales has stalled in the Senate.

Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland), said he would bring the bill back up in the future and supporters hinted they would make it a campaign issue next year.

Welcome to Georgia, where nothing ever happens.

After the jump, the names and office phone numbers of the state Senate committee that was supposed to vote on the bill today.

Continue reading “Georgia Sunday Sales bill dies” »

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Lovers of the late-night patty melt and mindblowing chocolate pie now have a place to go where they can bow down before the gods of grease. Local bloggers Rusty Tanton and Amber Rhea visited the just-opened Waffle House Museum in Avondale Estates — the popular chain’s original location — and have photos, trivia and thoughts about the joint. View Rusty’s musings here. Amber’s photos and thoughts are here and here, respectively.

(Photo courtesy of Rusty Tanton’s Flickr)

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Not one, but 10 of the burrito joints are planned in our dear city over the next three years. Specific locations include Midtown, Vinings and Buckhead.

What’s Barberitos? Think Willy’s, but with spinach tortillas and fish tacos as added options to the menu.

Hat tip to Joe Guy Collier at the AJC, who has the coolest name of anybody at that paper.

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Our fine friends at Decatur Metro did some digging about the Brick Store gastro-pub rumors and unearthed this nugget:

“According to Dave [BSP co-owner] this will be a separate venture in the vein of cool bar/bistro/beer/food concept (dare we call it a Gastro Pub?). If the lease negotiations go through they will take over July 1.

No word on the East Atlanta location, but from what I have heard getting a liquor license in the City of Atlanta is harder than getting into Augusta Country Club.”

They say it’ll be located in Rue de Leon’s current space right around the corner.

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As a wee tot living in 1980s Druid Hills, my family made a ritual of visiting Jagger’s, the co-ed-filled, beer-drenched pizza joint in the Emory Village shopping center. The pizza was smothered in cheese — drenched, rich, and quite simply the best I’ve ever had. Sometime in the 1990s, however, Jagger’s sold out to Park Bench, and Park Bench ultimately shuttered the Emory location. From that moment on, I’ve been on an unsuccessful search for the cheese-smothered rectangular pizzas touted as “Atlanta-style.”

Well, Jagger’s is returning. And it’ll be located at the Sage Hill Kroger Shopping Center at Briarcliff and Johnson Roads, just a few miles from its former location.

From the man himself, Bill Jagger, on AtlantaCuisine’s message boards:

YES Jaggers is COMING – hopefully before the end of March. With the SAME owner – Bill Jagger. We’re opening up first as pick-up and delivery with the same exact fabulous ATLANTA style pizzas as before. Later, maybe by the end of the year, we’ll be adding a sit-down restaurant (with a bar and we’ll consider those 2 dollar pitchers maybe every Leap Year St. Patty’s Day!)

Here’s a good summary of the pizza by Foodgeek from the AtlantaCuisine message boards:

Jagger’s pizza is cooked in a deep rectangular pan that is not too large – I’d say 6″ by 10″, maybe? – with a very thin crust lining just the bottom of the pan. Holes are rolled into the dough to keep it from rising too much. Then go in sauce and toppings, whatever you want, and the rest of the pan is filled with cheese. Like, we’re talking a lot of cheese, here. Hella’ cheese. The only outer crust on the pizza is actually browned cheese.

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