Restaurant Eugene

Warm Wishes for a Sweet Holiday

2011-12-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

December Newsletter - Keeping up with the H&F Family

2011-12-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

Rattle & Hum

2011-12-05T12:40:00.001-08:00

Where does a good drink come from? An obvious answer would consist merely of a list of ingredients. While we take pleasure and pride in sourcing small-batch liquors and local fruit to create our cocktails at Restaurant Eugene, each drink is equally a mix of ideas, themes, and sensuous evocations as it is well-stirred potables. Just as Proust’s madeleine can hardly be reduced to flour and sugar, the cocktails that find their way on to our list spring from the memories and imaginations of our barkeeps.

Bartenders Gabe Bowen and Michael Searles at Restaurant Eugene Bar.

In that enchanted and pensive time between late autumn and winter, rainy skies and frosty nights conjure desires for spice and warmth. Those were the elements that bar manager Michael Searles had in mind when he began to compose the Resurrection Fern. This homage to the hot toddy calls forth a scene Searles describes as those precious walks through the woods just before it’s too cold for a stroll, when fungal, ginger aromas hang in the air.

The drink begins with hum, a botanical rhum that will make you sing. The creation of renowned mixologists Adam Seger and Joe McCanta, this inspired spirit contains fair-trade hibiscus, ginger root, green cardamom, and kaffir lime. Using hum as his base, Searles riffs on Georgia's mountains and forest with Applejack, Ellijay Galas, a pinch of wood fennel, and brewed English Breakfast. To allay any concern that the tea might tip the drink on the scale of tannins, he decided to add a little butter – fans of hot buttered rum will approve of this move. Once all of these elements are stirred and smooth, he garnishes with a swath of lemon peel, a tiny bouquet of wood sorrel tucked in the middle. On these long cold nights ahead, let us keep you warm – we promise to revive your mind, body and soul with the Resurrection Fern.

Beets Me

2011-12-05T11:54:00.001-08:00

It was only a matter of time before the Restaurant Eugene barkeeps would shake up a liquid allusion to Tom Robbins’ classic novel, Jitterbug Perfume. In the book, the protagonists travel through time and space in a quest for immortality and the perfect fragrance. Said fragrance is designed to mask the musk of a stinky goat, the demi-god, Pan. Restaurant Eugene's K23 – the technical name of the book's perfume – vies for olfactory attention with goat cheese.

Like a good jazz combo that flies on brass and anchors on bass, good perfumes consist equally of bright floral notes and warm earth tones. If this also sounds like the mix of a distinctive, delightful drink, that’s exactly what Gabe Bowen was thinking when he developed the K23. He knew he wanted to make a beet cocktail, so the challenge became figuring out what other elements would be necessary for an alluring potion, especially one that has to stand up to pungent cheese.

Roasted, muddled beets take a dip in an ounce of Bulleit bourbon; a splash of orange juice lends acidity and evokes orange-glazed beets; a dash of smoked-onion sorghum gives piquant sweetness; Strega, a classic Italian liqeur, hints at caraway and toasted fennel. All are shaken and strained into a flute with an orange peel, then topped with prosecco. Voila! This is the K23, a drink that’ll make you want to dance the jitterbug. Stop by Restaurant Eugene soon to try the K23 with some of our favorite goat cheeses from around the southeast, including Atlanta's own Decimal Place Farm.

Heirloom With a View

2011-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

How do we pass on a legacy?

When most people hear the word ‘hierloom,’ they probably think of their grandmother’s pearls or their grandfather’s watch. For some, the word might conjure images of bulging tomatoes or unique breeds of turkey. We believe all of these are important things to preserve. Just as Wendell Berry declared eating to be an agricultural act, we think that what we eat says something about our values, and what we want to hand down from generation to generation. This is why we’re so excited to announce a new heirloom wheat bread from H&F Bread Co.: the Red Fife Wheat Bread.

Friends of local farmers markets and farm-to-table restaurants will recognize Anson Mills as our purveyor of delicious grits and other high-quality, hand-milled products. It’s an honor to use one of their heirloom varieties of wheat in this new bread.

Our friend Glenn Roberts, the founder of Anson Mills, has an adventurous spirit that is carefully juxtaposed with a reverence for tradition. In 1998, Roberts walked away from a 30-year career as a historic restoration consultant and restaurant and hotel designer, bought four native granite mills and 40 chest freezers, and began operations in a big metal warehouse behind a car wash in Columbia, South Carolina. He trekked back roads in search of lost or all-but-lost varieties of corn, wheat and rice. One of Roberts’ first discoveries was a single-family hand-select corn varietal known as “Carolina Gourdseed White” that dates back to the late 1600s. Thanks to his diligence and dedication, dishes that might have been lost forever are now restored to pantries and kitchens throughout the southeast and across the country.

As our head baker Rob Alexander says, baking bread is about “preserving traditions,” which is particularly resonant with this new bread, a batard made from Red Fife wheat. This grain, offered by Anson Mills, originates in the mid 19^th century. The wheat is first found in Saskatchewan in the late 1840s, although some historians believe that a Scottish nobleman discovered it as early as 1732. By 1870, it was commonly grown in the Canadian prairie, in New England and throughout Appalachia. During this time, Red Fife wheat also became a staple in the states of Kansas and Texas as well.

Red Fife is grown as a spring wheat in areas where the winters are harsh, but does quite well as a winter wheat in the southern U.S., due to the mild autumn and winter seasons that the region is typically known for, according to Roberts. Roberts finds the wheat is much less bitter than the flour used to make bread found in most grocery stores—the taste, he says, is very similar to honey. Red Fife bran also has a thinner consistency than most conventional varieties of wheat, and a naturally higher mineral content . Mr. Roberts recommends eating a slice of Red Fife wheat bread with pure buckwheat honey and quality butter.

The expertly baked Red Fife wheat bread also is a perfect accompaniment to holiday meals, the ideal vessel for a turkey sandwich, and a great way to start your day. You can find a loaf (or baker’s dozen) of this baked treasure at the many farmers markets where H&F Bread co. sells every week or you can place a special order at our shop today by calling 404.350.8877.

Beyond the value that Mr. Roberts' efforts have for horticulturists, farmers and gourmands around the world—no small company, to be sure—Anson Mills’ vigilance is a boon to families and eaters everywhere. We show our love and live our values through what we share, and there are few better things to share than good food (nothing against pearls or pocket watches). How do we pass on legacies? At the table, or course, with friends and family over good food. The Red Fife Wheat is no exception. You have to eat it to save it.

November Newsletter - Keeping Up with the H&F Family

2011-11-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

This Side(s) of Paradise

2011-11-21T12:56:00.001-08:00

There are certain truths about Thanksgiving that are, shall we say, self-evident: that all Rieslings were created to make time with family more enjoyable, and that certain side dishes are as important, if not more so, than whatever bird, Turducken, or Tofurkey graces the center of the table. Year-round at Restaurant Eugene we are as meticulous and impassioned about the background singers that support Ribeye rock stars and Sea Bass divas, so it should be no surprise that composing the perfect potato dish or dinner roll brings Chef Hopkins as much excitement as getting the turkey to that quintessence of golden brown.

Some of you might be surprised to learn that one of Chef’s favorite Thanksgiving sides features canned soup as one of its key ingredients. While most of the cooking at Restaurant Eugene is a symphony of time-intensive preparation that brings together notes from a slower South with the finesse of classical French cuisine, it is important to remember that one of the first, chief champions of French-American cooking, Julia Child, loved the convenience offered by canned cream of mushroom soup. Child was a tremendous influence on Chef Hopkins and his mother, and the question What Would Julia Do (WWJD?) continues to guide imaginations in kitchens everywhere. Thus, his recipe for Wild Rice Casserole With Mushrooms (which you can also find in the current issue of Garden & Gun is one part delicious nostalgia to two parts inventive seasonality.

Having grown up in Atlanta, Chef has had a long relationship with Coca-Cola, that heavenly addition to cakes and cocktails. It lends a little fun to that old stand-by, cranberry chutney. Turkey without cranberry chutney would be like Marvin without Tammi, and Chef’s chutney without Coca-Cola would be an aria without a soprano – that fizzy sugar is what makes the dish sing.

Wherever you spend your Thanksgiving, whatever sides you prepare, we hope you have time to savor the things that bring you joy. We are thankful for you, and offer a few of Chef Hopkin's recipes as a token of our gratitude.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Wild Rice Casserole with Mushrooms

1 cup wild rice, cooked according to package directions
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 tbsp. minced onion
2 tbsp. minced  green pepper
8 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 can condensed cream  of mushroom soup
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. dried tarragon
½ tsp. curry powder
Coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot over moderate heat, melt butter until foamy and sauté onion, pepper, and mushrooms until softened and aromatic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in soup, cream, and spices. Add cooked rice, stirring to combine, and transfer to preheated oven. Bake until soup and cream are absorbed and the rice thickens, about 40 to 50 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cranberry Coca-Cola Chutney
(Serves 8)

6 oz. fresh cranberries
6 oz. dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 cup Coca-Cola
1 pinch kosher salt
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring often until berries
have burst and mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.

Will keep in refrigerator for 3 weeks, serve slightly cool.

Herbin' Outfitters

2011-11-18T12:14:00.001-08:00

Herbin’ Outfitters

Have you ever had more herbs than you’ve known what to dowith? At Restaurant Eugene, we welcome such an embarrassment of riches as it poses an exciting challenge. The other week Rashid Nuri delivered a delightful bevy ofherbs from Truly Living Well Farms on Auburn Avenue. Rather than throwing out bunches andbunches of marvels from the herb garden, our chefs decided to enhance ourpantry with house-dried basil, marjoram, oregano, and sage. What didn’t become chiffonadewas hung from a shelf to wear the wondrous dress of time. After a week or so,what had been supple, soft green leaves were transmuted to brittle paper ---crinkles of deliciousness.

Just as our overall enterprise strives to preservesouthern food traditions with more than a dash of innovation, this dynamic deploymentof herbs demonstrates Chef Hopkins's steadfast dedication to being good stewards of what we have.Norman Wirzba, a professor at Duke Divinity School who writes about food andfaith, says “When our eating is mindful, we celebrate the goodness of fields,gardens, forests and watersheds, and the skill of those who can nurtureseed…into delicious food.” So let’s celebrate!

Here is just one dish yielded from our new herb pantry – wehope you’ll stop in soon to try it, and also encourage you to cook and eat with your friends and familyhome. And stay tuned – next week we will take a further look at Truly LivingWell Farms, the source of these herbs and many other items regularly found onour menus.

Rutabaga and Celery Root Gratin

1 lb. rutabaga or purple-top turnip

1 lb. celery root

2 cups cream

1 lb. Gruyere

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch sage

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp. salt

1 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. black pepper

1) Peel rutabaga and celery root and shave on mandolin to 1/8^thinch thickness.

2) Simmer cream with herbs, salt, and pepper.

3) Shingle alternating rutabaga and celery root in a butteredcasserole dish. Ladle some of the herb-infused cream onto each layer, justenough to coat. This should make about 5 layers. Grate gruyere on top to cover.

4) Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until cheese is golden tanand layers are tender throughout.

Let Them Eat Cake (But Not That Often)

2011-11-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

When Chef Hopkins isn’t busy blazing trails on the Atlanta food scene, fighting for our good food culture, or planting a school garden, you might find him in the aisles of a farmer’s market or grocery store with his family. Chef is as dedicated to making sure his family eats well as he is to pleasing the palettes of diners at Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House. You can read a little more about his passion for serving good food at home in Fanae Aaron’s new book, What Chefs Feed Their Kids.

In these pages, readers will find a number of delicious dishes to prepare for themselves and their children, as well as the guiding philosophies employed by some of the country’s best chefs as they make decisions for their restaurants and their families.

“Food is family,” Chef Hopkins declares. Just as his own sense of what’s delicious and fitting for the table was cultivated by his mother, Priscilla Holeman Hopkins and grandfather, Eugene Holeman - names that may seem familiar – Chef Hopkins hopes to pass food values along to his children. One way he accomplishes this by giving the children input into family meals. “When we go to the farmer’s market…we’ll give them some money and they’ll pick some things.”

Preparing a meal together – from the sourcing of ingredients to setting the table to cleaning up afterward – is an educational tool and a way to bond. Living a diverse food life is what Chef suggests to build a child’s palette and celebrate both cooking and eating. His methods appear to be wearing off. His youngest has already created something called a Cobbydo sauce, a combination of soy and Worcestershire sauces with mustard mayonnaise added for a bit of spice.

Here is just one of Chef’s family friendly recipes to be found in the book:

Savory Waffles

2 cups waffle and pancake mix (Chef Linton makes his from scratch, but you can use your favorite brand)

2 eggs

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup grated Gruyere or similar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Farenheit and place a waiting plate to warm inside. Heat a waffle maker until a flick of water beads and bounces around on the device's surface.

2. Prepare the waffle mix, adding eggs, milk, oil, salt, and pepper, and mix until just combined, adding more milk if the mix is too thick. It should be the consistency of pudding. Then fold in the cheeses.

3. Lightly butter the waffle maker and spoon judicious dollops of the mix onto the center of the hot waffle iron and spread just a bit. The mix will spread when the lid closes and expand as it cooks, so adding too much will be a bit messy as it bubbles out the sides.

4. As the waffles finish, use a fork to lift them off and put them in the oven to stay warm while the rest are made. Waffles are best served warm. Freeze any leftover waffles to enjoy later.

Chef also recommends modifying the batter to incorporate seasonal herbs and spices, and folding in your favorite local meats and vegetables to make something of a waffle sandwich.

Look for a copy of the book at A Capella, our bookselling partner in Little Five Points (www.acapellabooks.com).

Dinner with Dave Miner - Monday, November 14th

2011-11-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley

At Restaurant Eugene, we are lucky enough to meet many wine makers in the course of daily business. Dave Miner is one with whom we have developed a close friendship. We feel very proud to introduce our guests to Mr. Miner and his celebrated wines.

Established in 1998 in the Oakville appellation, the Miners have quickly developed a stellar reputation for producing wines of character and depth in a number of varietals. The hard work and intelligent winemaking of Dave Miner and his family have produced several world renowned wines.

We are pleased to be hosting Dave for a winemaker dinner on Monday, November 14th. Guests will no doubt enjoy the opportunity to meet our good friend Dave and discuss his vineyard and methods for producing such joyous wines, while tasting them and enjoying a four course dinner prepared by Chef Hopkins. We begin at 6:30 with a reception and passed hors d' oeuvres. We dine at 7.

passed

2009 Viognier, Simpson Vineyard

terrine of foie gras, luxardo gelee and pain au levain

spicy cole slaw

georgia 'caviar' with cornmeal blini and clabber

1st

2009 Chardonnay, Napa Valley

wild shrimp, sapelo clams, apalachicola oysters and crab sunchoke barigoule

2nd

2009 Pinot Noir, Rosella's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands

aromatic poached carolina pigeon, cornbread-buttermilk puree, strawberry glazed beets & giblet gravy

3rd

2007 La Diligence Syrah, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley

roast pork with crackling, sea island red peas, winter greens and red eyed sorghum pork jus

dessert

2007 Merlot, Stagecoach Vineyard, Napa Valley

acorn-sweet potato-coffee streusel & milk with ganache

Reservations Required. Limited Seating.

Please call 404.355.0321

Ode To Butter

2011-10-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

It makes savory dishes pleasing to the palette, and adds an inimitable richness to desserts. Whether cold, hot, or somewhere in between, butter has transformative power. Perhaps it's because butter itself is the result of something more like transmutation --- white liquid milk into golden, creamy heaven.

We love butter so much at Restaurant Eugene that we've started churning our own, and serving butter courses every night to accompany our various breads. But that's not all. The contemplation of perfecting house-made butter actually led Chef Hopkins to write this ode. In the style of Keats, it's Chef's attempt to capture in words everything Vollon did with paint, and what we all feel with that first bite of the sweet, creamy, salty wonder that is butter.

Ode to Butter

Thou still unravished bride of promises

a child of art and craft

fixed with many suitors eyes

born of Thracia from capra and aries

reaching perfection with the cow

bursting from chicken kiev

laced with chive

my first experience

a joy I still recall

Vollon, still life's master

Conjured you in 1875

Escoffier's contemporary, he knew who you were:

a foundation.

In ancient India you were clarified into one of their most elemental of foods.

GHEE, sanskrit for "bright"

you are an ancient offering to the gods and burned in holy lamps and funeral pyres

eternal

beaten out of cream

kneaded and shaped

salted to preserve

fresh, room temp-there is no need to refrigerate you

as the poet Seamus said

you are "coagulated sunlight"

sunlight transformed by the cow

from the seasonal hue

cool and spreadable I taste your season,

bright, fat and herbal in spring and summer when

fed on clover and fresh grass

in the winter you taste of hay and grain

ulia became Julia when met with your aroma
J

commingling in a pan with shallots

many people don't know that you actually lighten a dish

small knobs stirred into reduced stock

mouthfeel, richness

the dish which is missing something

is quickly set right

Would French cuisine exist without you?

Chef Point in '37, manned the stoves at La Pyramide writing

"Butter! Give me Butter! Always Butter!

So versatile are you

clarified to remove the milk

you saute at high heat

whole at low flame you perform a feat of magic:

you emulsify with yourself

the water, milk solids and fat,

a whisk, some coaxing

a smooth warm sauce is born, beurre monte

a little wine vinegar and shallot ... beurre blanc

toasted till hazelnut brown; noisette

darkened to almost burnt dark black; noir

worked into eggs: hollandaise and bernaise

asparagus, broccoli, and legumes

they all cry out for you

Pastry without you is unimaginable

your melting between the million layers is the puff

pate brisee, pate sucree,

cookies and cakes all begin with creaming

you and sugar

the South?

fresh churned from cream with a second gift; buttermilk

whose quality is determined by how many of your children float across the surface

spread on warm biscuits with sorghum

a small knob in a bowl of grits

steaming hot sweet potatoes with you on top

bread & butter pickles tell us how they should be eaten

sweet, sour and unctuous

butterbeans are named in your honor

creamy like you when cooked right

glazed with you and black pepper

memories.

Who has not thought of you when you are not around?

hungry and romantic

blamed for a multitude of sins

doctors who decry you are often found at your back door

new science has shown;

you ain't all that bad.

in fact, your very nature may be good for the fabric of our brain

I knew that already

Think not of others.

Margarine, unworthy imitation, it has no song

Lard, Schmaltz Oil.

they are not so universal

nor so simple and complex

an infinite story

I place you in an ancestral cast iron pan--

my grandfather's

watch you glaze across the black surface

when the bubbles foam and begin to subside

it is an invitation

add the minced onions and sweat

the beginning of so many journeys

from gumbo to perloo

I always begin with you

Come try Chef's house-churned butter at Restaurant Eugene soon.

Old World Tools in a New (Old) World Kitchen

2011-09-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Step into the kitchen of Restaurant Eugene or Holeman & Finch Public House, and you’ll find any number of interesting tools --- old world and new --- all equally essential to the craft. One of Chef Hopkins’s latest is the Fabio Leonardi MR9 1 HP Tomato Milling Machine from Bologna Italy. Fabio Leonardi made the first tomato crusher in 1917, the same year Fabio Leonardi Bologna was founded. Many familiar staples on grocery shelves and dinner tables, from tomato sauce to ketchup, would be unimaginable without the advent of Fabio Leonardi products. It’s a tool custom made specifically for turning raw tomatoes into a crush of juicy pulp. A visit to the Leonardi website is truly a new old world experience. When was the last time you saw navigation links like “meat grinder” “sausage stuffer” and “tomato grinder?”

At Restaurant Eugene we believe everything should contemplate tradition, knowing that at its' core, tradition is a means to pass the best in life from one generation to the next. We also have top of mind, that everything can be improved upon --- even, and especially ketchup and those other grocery shelf staples. It is precisely for this reason that we have the Fabio Leonardi MR9 1: so that we can provide the best of old and new to our guests.

Perhaps you enjoy spending five minutes trying to get ketchup to come out of a bottle. We mean no disrespect to your tradition, but we think ours tastes better. The Fabio Leonardi is here to help us make more (and better) ketchup as well as Bloody Mary mix and other tomato sauces. Other mills handle 5 pounds a minute. The Fabio Leonardi churns through 20 pounds a minute. This might not help you get a 10 o’clock burger at the Public House, but it does guarantee you’ll find plenty of home-made tomato-based goodness while Restaurant Eugene or H&F way. You can now pick up our Bloody Mary mix at the H&F Bottle Shop. Meanwhile, come check out our milled makings, and other delectables old and new at the restaurant soon.

Cooking Up Good Vibrations

2011-08-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

The name Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor conjures smiles in culinary and literary circles alike. On Tuesday, August 23^rd, those two circles formed a veritable venn diagram at Restaurant Eugene, as Chef Linton Hopkins, an avid reader, hosted Smart-Grosvenor – she insists everyone call her Vertamae – for the latest dinner in our “Eugene Author Dinner Series.”

Vertamae is best known as the author of Vibration Cooking: or, The Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl, recently reissued by The University of Georgia Press with a new foreword by Psyche Williams-Forson. Referring to the book, Williams-Forson concludes, “Each time I read it now, I put it down with a sigh and think to myself, Ah done growed ten feet higher jus’ readin’ ‘bout you…Vertamae.” Guests, including poet and Emory professor and archivist Kevin Young, Joe Dabney, author of The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking, and Atlanta-based singer Virginia Schenk, got high on stories Smart-Grosvenor shared from her travels, her stint as a “Space Goddess” in the Sun Ra Arkestra, and her childhood in South Carolina.

Recollections of her mother, who worked as a domestic, formed the basis of her book Thursday’s and Every Other Sunday Off: A Domestic Rap. Long before The Help captured the imaginations of readers and moviegoers, Vertamae was telling it like it was. A poet and frequent contributor to PBS and NPR, she is equally captivating whether she’s discussing a poem by Baraka, the best way to cook greens, or American politics. She once wrote a letter to Time magazine after it ran a piece that dismissed soul food as tasteless and ‘a fad.’ She ardently defended “the short-lived fad that brought my ancestors through four hundred years of oppression.” Elsewhere she insists, “Cooking is a creative thing. Cooking is one of the highest of all the arts. It can make or break life."

As Williams-Forson notes, “Vertamae… is herself regardless of time and place. Rather than limit herself to being a writer, commentator, performer, mother, culinary artist, or friend – she is all of these things at once and in contradiction.” John T. Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, has acknowledged that Vertamae is ‘very important.’

In the acknowledgements to Vibration Cooking, Vertamae thanks several musicians, including “John Coltrane and Miss Billie Holliday for singing and playing everyday as I sat in my corner in the kitchen, trying to get my thing together.” Chef Hopkins got his thing together over some hush puppies, souse with hot sauce, and champagne compressed watermelon. The puppies were paired with a low country punch consisting of Myers rum, Coca Cola reduction and fresh lemon. Dopff & Irion’s gorgeous Gris complimented Jamaican style fish escaviach over a bed of red rice with garlic. This was followed by another low-country favorite, crab cakes with late summer succotash. The main course was steak with beautiful black sauce, onion pie & greens a la shepp. For dessert, palettes were pleased with coconut custard pie, sassed up by Marchesi di Gresy’s marvelous Moscato.

The title of Vertamae’s underground classic comes from her philosophy, in life and in the kitchen. “When I cook,” she writes, “I never measure or weigh anything. I cook by vibration.” If you’re looking for good vibrations, pick up a copy of this indispensable work of literature, and head for the bar at Restaurant Eugene. Vertamae (the Latin root words that give us ‘Vert’ mean both green and truth) will delight your soul, and our chefs and servers aim to do the same.

Foie Gras - Our Story

2011-07-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

Over the past five month's Restaurant Eugene and Holeman and Finch Public House's Chef Linton Hopkins has been targeted for harassment and protest by the Animal Protection and Rescue League because of our choice to include foie gras on our menus. The first complaint from Rebecca Weston came in March and stated that if we did not immediately remove foie gras from our menu we would be subject to protest, but that if we did remove it, positive reviews of our restaurant would be posted on Yelp. This felt a little coercive, but nonetheless, prompted us to do some soul searching. Sourcing and ingredients are very serious matters here. Chef Hopkins is steadfastly opposed to the industrialized farming of animals, as well as vegetables for that matter.

We had multiple conversations with our foie gras farmer, Guillermo Gonzalez, to be sure we felt comfortable with his animal husbandry and other practices. Chef revisited his culinary school field trip to Hudson Valley Foie Gras. We conducted thorough research into the issue, invited our guests and staff to give their input, read the book The Foie Gras Wars, and reached out to our chef and restaurant friends to see how they felt about foie gras and the APRL accusations that it is inhumane. We reviewed the APRL literature, including their video. We spoke to experts around the country about foie gras, and the APRL.

Here is some of the information we received from Guillermo:

A Day in the Life

Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare, and utilizes humane techniques in the raising and feeding of ducks. Ducks are never individually caged and are allowed to roam free range.

The ducklings are received when they are one day old. They spend the first 5 - 8 weeks in a barn, under heat lamps and on bedding of wood shavings while they develop their feathers. They walk about, flap their wings freely, and have access to all natural feed and water. Once they have enough feathering, they are brought out to the walnut orchards, where they continue to roam free range for about two months. Here again, they have access to all natural feed (no hormones or antibiotics), water and shade.

During the final two weeks, they are housed in temperature-controlled barns, where they are kept in groups of about 12 ducks per pen measuring about 33 square feet. They are fed twice per day by the same feeder, using a pre-measured quantity of feed.

Natural Capacity

The first evidence of foie gras is found in ancient Egyptian history, some 45 centuries ago. In the wild, ducks and geese gorge themselves prior to migration in order to temporarily store fat in their liver and skin, which they use for energy during migration. The managed feeding in foie gras production utilizes the duck’s physiological capacity to transform the excess feed into fat and store it in the liver and skin.

Each feeding takes only a few seconds and the pressure applied has been studied to be non-injurious to the duck. A funnel is inserted down the duck’s esophagus, which deposits food as it is drawn out of the esophagus. Ducks do not have a gag reflex, throat or stomach, and the esophagus serves as a holding area for the feed while it is digested. The duck’s esophagus, as with any waterfowl such as the blue heron, which is able to swallow large, live fish, is expandable and pliable. For these reasons, the feeding is not harmful to the animal, as proven by scientific studies. Since the process of producing foie gras is physiological rather than pathological, the fattened liver, or foie gras, created by managed feeding, would return to its normal size if the process stopped.

Here is a letter Guillermo's veterinarian wrote to the US Senate.

Here are some photos of the Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras Geese.

After all this soul searching, we decided that we felt ok about farmer Guillermo Gonzalez and his Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras, and we wanted to dialog with the APRL to explain our position. We scheduled a meeting with some APRL representatives in Atlanta, including Rebecca Weston. Several people attended. Chef Hopkins had ordered a copy of Dan Imhoff's coffee table book on CAFO's (a book we give to all of our young cooks) for each person and explained that he too felt strongly about animal welfare and good animal husbandry, and that as a result he refused to purchase any meat that was raised inhumanely, and that from his perspective the real battle was against industrial farms. Chef Hopkins's explained the painstaking level of attention to detail that goes into all the sourcing at Restaurant Eugene and Holeman and Finch Public House. He pointed out that many of the photos in the APRL literature also appear in the CAFO book and are attributed to industrial foie gras farms in Israel and France. He also verified that each of the APRL representatives at the table was a vegan who didn't believe in eating meat of any sort. Our hope was to excite this group into real action on a real issue. We invited them to be a part of summit on good meat and share their perspectives with a wider audience. We felt the meeting went well and our mutual points of sympathy were understood.

Unfortunately, this group would not be reasoned with and has taken a bafflingly myopic view of animal welfare. When we reached out to them to discuss plans for the good meat summit, they questioned whether or not we were still serving foie gras. Soon after, they showed up at Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House to protest foie gras. Their posters and placards had the same photos of the Israeli and French industrial farms that appeared in the CAFO book. They also had signs that read "Linton Hopkins is a hypocrite," "Restaurant Eugene is not green," and "Honk if you love animals."

In the end, it is a personal decision for everyone whether they choose to eat foie gras, oysters, bacon, broccoli, cheese, or peaches. We are here to give you that choice every night, and to instill in you the confidence that we wouldn't serve it if we didn't believe in it. We care deeply. We try hard, and we are always examining our practices in order to improve them. We thank our friends and guests for their patronage and support, and we thank Rebecca Weston and the APRL for the opportunity to have a public discourse on foie gras. We won't be bullied into making the choice someone else wants us to make, but we will always do our best to make careful, informed decisions.

Here is our public statement about the issue.

· Everyone at Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House cares deeply about all of the food we serve at our restaurants, especially the quality of life and welfare of the animals which provide the meat for our menus. We are vehemently opposed to concentrated animal feeding operations and only buy from farmers whose animal husbandry practices and ethics we know to be of the highest quality.

· We recognize that an animal sacrifices its life in order for us to eat it, which is why our kitchens are dedicated to using every possible part of the animal so that nothing goes to waste. In fact, at the Public House, an entire section of our menu is dedicated to “parts,” because we believe that the needless waste of animal life is profane.

· We also recognize that eating meat is a choice that not everyone makes, which is why we devote entire sections of our menus to vegetables.

· We believe in the rights of animals to have a healthy and humane life and death.

· We also believe in the rights of people to choose to eat what they want.

· We will not be bullied or coerced into making menu choices based on anyone’s extremist beliefs.

· Producing foie gras is legal and based on a 5000 year old tradition.

· We have confidence in the practices of the American foie gras producers from whom we purchase our foie gras, namely Sonoma Artisan Foie Gras.

· We have met with the APRL and believe that they are misinformed about foie gras production in the United States.

Thank you for reading this. We hope to see you for dinner soon.

A Summertime Standard - Soft Shell Crab

2011-07-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, Chef Hopkins considered the "Tower of Crab" to be one of his signature dishes. Guests raved about it, and we toy with the idea of bringing it back every now and then. Whether or not in tower formation, you can bet that when the season is right and the fishmongers can deliver incredibly fresh soft shell crab, it will on our menu. We thought guests might like to know a bit more about what a soft shell crab actually is...seriously, haven’t you ever wondered why their shells are soft?

Actually, the term “soft-shell” refers to crabs that have recently molted their exoskeleton, and are therefore still soft. Most soft-shell crabs in the US are of the blue crab species and at their freshest from April to September. Folklore, says that the soft-shell crab season begins with the first full moon in May, which is when the blue crab fattens up and begins molting to accommodate its summer growth. This is how soft-shell crabs have become so closely associated with summer: it's the season in which they are the freshest and the largest. The extra fat makes soft-shell crabs particularly flavorful.

The actual shedding of the shell can take anywhere from one to three hours. Once the shell is shed completely the crab must immediately be removed from the water or else its new shell will begin to harden again due to chemical reactions with the sea water. Virginia and Maryland crabbers have a trick to telling when these crabs are about to molt: a pink dot, which is the new shell just barely peeking through the old one, appears on the crab’s back fin about one week before they “bust,” or shed. There are five different sizes of soft-shell crab, determined by the width of their shell. They are whales, jumbo, primes, hotels and mediums.

The blue crab’s scientific name, Callinectes sapidus, means beautiful savory swimming. We agree. They are beautiful, and are known to have be sweet and tender, yet with a mildly tangy flavor. We have just received a delightful shipment of jumbo soft-shell crabs from the Chesapeake Bay area, which will be fried in cornmeal and served with a cold cucumber cream soup poured tableside.

Come enjoy a dressed-up summertime favorite.

Desserts are Serious Business at Restaurant Eugene

2011-06-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Some restaurants treat dessert like an afterthought. Not here. Chef Linton Hopkins works closely with Pastry Chef Aaron Russell to ensure that just as much attention is given to the meal's finish, as to every other part.

Pastry Chef Aaron Russell delivers three and five course dessert tasting menu's every night at Restaurant Eugene.

As always, a fine dish begins with fine ingredients. “My favorite is cooking with fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs,” says Russell, as he brings a blowtorch to a Ras el hanout (a Moroccan spice blend infused) crème brûlée, just one of the dishes on his dessert tasting menu. His love for seasonal fruits and ingredients follows the philosophy of the restaurant; his menu is constantly changing depending on what is freshest and best. Currently on the menu: a lavender lemonade soda, peach-chardonnay sherbet, and a phenomenal citrus shortbread, all made with fresh, in-season ingredients straight from farms throughout the Southeast.

Caramel Ganache at Restaurant Eugene.

In addition to freshness and seasonality, Russell's desserts bring tremendous sophistication. There are things on the tasting menu that you will not see in other places. The kabocha mousse is made with a Japanese squash that many liken to pumpkin, but that is freshest in the summer, and his crème brûlée is laced with Ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend popular across Northern Africa. “Ras el hanout” translates from Arabic to “top of the shop,” a term the refers to its use of top shelf spices.

Recently, Restaurant Eugene and Chef Russell have introduced both three- and five-course dessert tasting menus. They are available every night of the week, and come with optional pairings. The intention of the tasting menus is to show dessert’s versatility, as well as to elevate dessert to the same highly regarded level as the rest of the restaurant's offerings. Says Chef Russell, “it is not often that a restaurant’s owner regards its dessert service as seriously as the rest of the dining experience. Chef Hopkins’ energetic pursuit of excellence in every facet of this business is manifest in these tasting menus.”

Green Apple Sorbet with Buckweat Strussel.

Dessert Tasting Menu's are available every night. Stop by to try them by themselves or as the sweet finish to a divine dinner.

Author Dinner, Volume Eight: John T. Edge

2011-06-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

Last night, Restaurant Eugene, was positively pleased to host Southern Foodways Alliance Executive Director, John T. Edge for our Eighth Author Dinner. The series, which has featured authors as diverse as Mark Kurlansky, Rajat Parr, Gabrielle Hamilton and Bill Shore, is an expression of Chef Linton Hopkins love of books, learning and, of course, food. With the Author Dinner Series, Chef Hopkins aims to clearly demonstrate the relationship between fine dining and the cultural life of a city. To have a strong sense of identity, a city needs fine restaurants, as it needs fine art, music and literature. Restaurant Eugene Author Dinners are the synthesis of this idea.

Blair Hobbs' Cheese Boxes

Author Dinners, limited to about sixty people, begin with a reception. In this case, since the book was the Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook, we served Blair Hobbs' cheese boxes, Ari Weinzeig's benedictine spread and Jared Richardson's fried chicken livers with Brian Caswell's Sriracha and citrus remoulade --- all from the book, and paired with our own Coca-Cola cocktails. Chef Hopkins noted with delight that one of the things that makes this particular community cookbook so special is that the recipes really work.

Linton Hopkins Cheese Straws on the line.

Guests mingle and chat with Author and Chef until being seated, communally in the elegant dining room, where they are greeted with a little bite of something delicious. Last night, Linton Hopkins' spiced pecans and cheese straws, David Sweeney's spicy fermented cabbage and Eugene Holeman's beaten biscuits with Allan Benton's country ham and sorghum.

Oven-bound Billy Reid's Tomato Pies.

The room had the feel of a family reunion of sorts as the author and chef shared a few words about the menu and the theme of the night. Then dinner proper begins: Billy Reid's tomato pie; Greg Sonnier's bbq shrimp and Tankie's cornbread, Austin Leslie's fried chicken with Madge Castle's killed lettuce. Each course brilliantly paired by our Director of Wine & Spirits.

After the main course, there is pause for a few more words from John T. He read from a piece he'd written for Gourmet Magazine on Austin Leslie, whose creole fried chicken had just been savored. (See above link or the article.) Then, one final bite: Dana Logsdon's banana pudding. Guests depart with a signed copy of the book in hand, glowing a bit, and certainly enriched from an evening of delicious discussion.

We hope you will join us for our next Author Dinner, August 23 with the legendary Vertamae Smart Grosvenor.

Mt. Valley Spring Water

2011-05-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

At Restaurant Eugene, we pay extraordinary attention to our source ingredients. From the pantry items, most all of which are homemade, to the vegetables, the grains, the seafood and meats. Right down to the water we pour table-side. We want to showcase the absolute best of everything the south has to offer.

Mt. Valley Spring Water was first bottled in 1871. Chef Linton Hopkins remembers drinking this Arkansas quencher as a young boy on hot days touring farms with his grandfather, Eugene Holeman, the restaurant's eponym. But nostalgia alone wouldn't place it on the menu at Restaurant Eugene. The product has long been appreciated and even celebrated for its good taste. It has twice won the title of “Best Tasting Non-Carbonated Bottled Water in the World” at the prestigious Berkley Springs International Water Tasting Competition.

Bottled at the source near Hot Springs, where it is scrutinized and tested daily, the water is guarded like a museum-quality antiquity. The spring site and the 2000 acres surrounding it have been carefully protected for over 140 years. It really is a precious, ancient thing. Geologists have determined that the cycle beginning with rain water falling on and filtering through the rocks and soil of Cedar Mountain into a deep subterranean aquifer and up again into the spring takes 3,500 years. Along the way, the water collects minerals and special qualities. Some believe it has healing properties. It's relatively low in sodium. High in calcium and magnesium, and even naturally contains fluoride. See for yourself. Perhaps what's most outstanding about this water is that it has a naturally high pH. The alkalinity gives it a wonderful mouth feel and is a great compliment to food and wine which are typically more acidic.

Mt. Valley Spring Water has been served in the United States Senate and enjoyed by multiple U.S. presidents. Calvin Coolidge was the first American president to serve Mountain Valley Spring Water in the White House. Following a heart attack in 1955, President Dwight Eisenhower drank the water on the advice of his physician. Bill Clinton enjoyed the water, and even spoke at the re-dedication of historic company headquarters and visitor center.

Other notable connoisseurs of the water included Elvis Presley and boxing champions Joe Louis, Gene Tunney, and Sugar Ray Robinson. Rodney Dangerfield even sang it's praises on Larry King Live. Consumption of the water has not been limited to humans: thoroughbreds such as Secretariat, Nashua, Kelso, Bold Ruler, and Sunday Silence were trained on this famous spring water.

Most importantly, this water really is a southern treasure --- a taste of the place and the land, which is the most compelling reason of all to include it on the list of fine products we serve to our guests.

Madame President

2011-04-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

When you care about good food, and you're Gina Hopkins, you want everyone to have good food --- from the children in the elementary school down the street, where you not only deliver five hundred servings of fresh, seasonal, local food every month for the "Celebrity Fruit and Vegetable of the Month", but also help to found a culinary garden in the school's courtyard and additionally sponsor a kid's culinary club to teach children how to prepare fresh healthy food for their families at home --- to the families who now have more access to good food at the farmers markets through the Wholesome Wave of Georgia, a program Ms. Hopkins founded --- to, of course, the guests and patrons of her restaurants and businesses: Eugene and Holeman and Finch Public House, H&F Bread Co. and H&F Bottle Shop.

For the last three years, Ms. Hopkins has also contributed her time to the good food movement by serving on the board of Georgia Organics, a statewide organization working to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians. Georgia Organics asserts that food "should be community-based, not commodity based," and believes that there should be good food for all. The work with Georgia Organics is so important to Ms. Hopkins that she upped the ante on the commitment and is now serving as President of the Board. May there truly be Good Food For All.

We salute you, Madame, President!

Lucky Seven!

2011-04-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Restaurant Eugene celebrates its seven year anniversary April 2nd. The restaurant exists due to the vision and leadership of Linton and Gina Hopkins. As a young couple, the Hopkins hatched a dream to open and run one of the finest restaurants in the United States --- one that would honor the traditional foodways of the southeastern United States, while celebrating everything urbane and creative of the capital of the south; one that would deeply communicate a sense of place and reflect the values and ethics of the owners. Amazing things happen when you pour your passion and belief into a project. Since opening seven years ago, Restaurant Eugene has received numerous accolades. Most recently, Chef Linton Hopkins was nominated (for the fourth year in a row) to receive the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast.

Everyone in the organization is extremely proud to see Chef Hopkins on such an esteemed list, which includes colleagues Hugh Acheson of the Five and Ten in Athens, GA; Craig Deihl from Cypress in

Charleston, SC; John Fleer, Canyon Kitchen at Lonesome Valley, Cashiers, NC; Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Louisville, KY; and Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC.

Congratulations to all Chefs, and to our chef, Happy Anniversary!

Who is Rajat Parr?

2011-03-07T06:50:00.000-08:00

That's what we wanted to know! Our friend, the delightful Harry Root from Grassroots Wine called to ask us to host Mr. Parr for a dinner at Restaurant Eugene. Harry was arranging a tour for Raj (as he's know to his friends) to explore the southern food scene, and Restaurant Eugene, Harry said, was the perfect destination point between Birmingham and Charleston.

Our curiosity piqued, we began an earnest Internet inquiry and discovered someone who we are only too thrilled to get to know more. Rajat Parr is a sommelier and wine director for Mina Group and its' some eighteen restaurants, including RN74 and Michael Mina. Originally from Calcutta, Parr's story is based on a magical mix of luck, talent and hard work. Parr knew from a young age that he loved food and wanted to work with it. An opportunity to study at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park was the lucky part. Parr's passion took it from there. At the CIA, Parr developed a serious interest in wine, and knew it was his calling. After graduation, he found that his culinary training limited him to food (not wine) positions, so he accepted a job as a food runner at San Francisco's Rubicon, where he helped the sommelier staff whenever possible. Parr quickly worked his way up to assistant sommelier, apprenticing under Master Sommelier Larry Stone. Since then, Parr has been featured in wine geek publications as well as more mainstream media, including the New York Times and Food & Wine Magazine. In fact, Parr was Food & Wine's Sommelier of the Year 2009.

When he's not managing the 2500 deep list for the Mina Group, or making wine for his own label, Parr Selection, Rajat Parr writes and educates about wine. Says our friend Harry, "Raj is amazing. People feel like they've always known what he's just told them. He is one of the greatest." Parr will be at Restaurant Eugene on March 22nd for a wine and author dinner. Oh yeah, he's just published a book: The Secrets of the Sommeliers. We are pleased to introduce him to you and grateful to Harry Root for our own introduction.

Call the restaurant for details. 404.355.0321

Let's Hear it for Team Eugene

2011-02-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of the team we have in place at Restaurant Eugene. As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, and right now, we feel like our chain is titanium. We're not trying to be boastful at all, but we do want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the extraordinary people who bring their hearts, minds and dedication to the job every day, starting with Rob Ochotnicky.

Rob has been with the team for a year. Starting with us as server, he then moved Assistant Maitre d', and most recently serves as our Guest Services & Event Coordinator. Rob is the man you want to talk to if you plan to bring a large group (more than 8) to dine at Restaurant Eugene or if you'd like to bring Restaurant Eugene's celebrated food and hospitality to your next party or event. Yes, by the way, Catering Eugene is back. Rob is a natural hospitalitarian, a hard worker, a stickler for details and one of our many valued team members, so we wanted to give him a little shout-out here and let you know who to reach out to regarding large party and catering request.

Look for more team member profiles here soon.

Satsuma Season - Abundance and Good Fortune

2011-01-25T12:54:00.000-08:00

In the winter months, we give thanks for citrus. We like to think that the fabled "Orange Blossom Special" isn't just a passenger train delivering sun-sick snowbirds to Florida, but also the freight train that brings fruit starved citizens of northern climes a little taste of the tropics (or at least the sub-tropics). So, in winter, we also give thanks for our Floridian neighbors to the south and their latest delivery of vitamin C infused deliciousness: Satsumas.

The Satsuma mandarin is many things: an oblate spheroid (flat & round, as opposed to prolate, like an egg); an easy-to-peel, sweet, seedless variety of orange; a cold-tolerant citrus crop important to growers in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas (in each of which state, incidentally, you'll find the homonymous town). In the late 19th century the Satsuma was first brought to Florida from Japan where it had been cultivated for some half a millennium. It is in season now throughout the sub-tropics, which is probably why it's a customary gift for the lunar (aka Chinese) new year, thought to symbolize abundance and good fortune. We are so grateful for the good fortune of having them in abundance right now, and as per usual, we're putting some up for that inevitable day, when Satsumas are no longer abundant and we find ourselves craving one last sweet, aromatic, sunshiney bite with some shrimp or lettuces. Look for the beautiful golden jars at the top of the bar while they last.

A Toast to 2011

2010-12-30T14:50:00.000-08:00

We are busily planning and preparing for our New Year's Eve celebration at Restaurant Eugene. For this first time ever, we've teamed up with our colleagues at Holeman & Finch Public House to deliver an incredibly thoughtful and memorable evening, full of intrigue and style, 007: The Cocktail & Dinner Event.

Guests will begin their evening with cocktails and a spin of the roulette wheel at the Public House, which we are transforming into a casino, then proceed to Restaurant Eugene for a dinner fit for an international man of mystery. In fact, every course will be taken from foods Bond enjoyed in Ian Flemming's novels.

Casino Royal - Caviar &; Toast
Dr. No. - Conch Fritters
You Only Live Twice - Tsukiji Market Hamachi
Goldfinger - Stone Crab Claws with Pink Champagne
Diamonds are Forever - Pheasant Roulade
Moonraker - Road Prime Rib, Yorkshire Pudding and Marrow
From Russia with Love - Macerated Figs, Sweet Yogurt and Crunchy Almond

You get the idea...

Of course, there is only one thing with which someone as debonnaire as Bond would toast the new year:
a recoltant manipulant (grower producer) champagne --- in this case, a Jeroboam of Vilmart & Cie Cuvee Grand Cellier.

Cheers, indeed. Happy New Year!

Bourbon and Bon Bons --- Comfort and Joy!

2010-12-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

It's a very happy day at Restaurant Eugene. The Pappy Van Winkle has just arrived --- a case each of the 12, 20 and 23 year aged bourbons.

A tricky thing that bourbon. America's native spirit is named after the French royal house which held territory in Kentucky before it was Kentucky. There's a county in Kentucky named Bourbon which doesn't actually produce any of the stuff. Though 99% of the Bourbon in the world does come from the state of Kentucky, the 1964 law that codified the elements of bourbon does not dictate the origin.

It does specify the mash: at least 51% corn base; the aging: at least two years in charred new oak; and the distillation; under 160 proof.

If you love bourbon and have never had a sip of Pappy, you should avail yourself of one soon. If you don't think you like bourbon, you should try the Pappy. Pappy is some of the finest there is, and no drink is more perfect this time of year.

And what could be better with your bourbon than a bon bon or two. Pastry Chef Aaron Russell makes a new bon bon flavor almost daily. Tonight we have sorghum walnut praline and egg nog. Both are creamy smooth chocolate truffle perfection and truly live up to their name --- "good good!"

Comfort and joy abound at Restaurant Eugene.

Calling all Vegetable Lovers

2010-12-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

Chefs Hopkins and Sweeney checking in the daily harvest.

It’s been said before, but we’ll say it again. Chef Linton Hopkins loves vegetables --- eating them, as well as cooking and serving them. Chef Hopkins is not the only cook in our kitchen with a deep appreciation of the earth’s edible flora. Chef David Sweeney recently joined our team. As the Chef de Jardin, Sweeney is directly responsible for working with our farmers as they deliver their harvest daily, and processing the vegetables as they arrive. As a result of his fine work, we are announcing a nightly five and seven course vegetable tasting every night at Restaurant Eugene. Here’s a preview of a recent menu:

RESTAURANT | EUGENE

Vegetable

5 Course

December, 2010

____________________

shaved radish salad

buttermilk, orange, caraway

_______________________

gougere

holeman and finch, pink pisoni, santa lucia highlands 2008

_______________________

tasting of beets

glazed, pickled, pureed and sorbet

domaine chêne colombe, macon villages 2008

_______________________

crisp kale & skillet peppers

broccoli puree, pecans and vermouth onions

macrostie, sonoma coast 2008

_______________________

mushrooms & farro

mustard greens, turnips, horseradish broth

domaine d’ andezon, côtes de rhône 2008

_______________________

le cabrie

montchever-betin / wisconsin

luli, pinot noir, santa lucia highlgands 2009

_______________________

grapefruit sorbet

champagne gelée, almond-buckwheat crumble

zefiro, prosecco, veneto, nv

RESTAURANT | EUGENE

Vegetable

7 course

December, 2010

_______________________

shaved radish salad

buttermilk, orange, caraway

holeman and finch, pink pisoni, santa lucia highlands 2008

____________________

gougere

hughes beaulieu, picpoul de pinet,

coteaux du languedoc 2009

_______________________

tasting of beets

glazed, pickled, pureed and sorbet

hughes beaulieu, picpoul de pinet,

coteaux du languedoc 2009

_______________________

white truffles & grits

soft butter, black pepper

domaine chêne colombe, macon villages 2008

_____________________

crisp kale & skillet peppers

broccoli puree, pecans and vermouth onions

macrostie, sonoma coast 2008

_______________________

toasted farro

turnips, mustard greens, pickled peaches

drew, gatekeepers, anderson valley 2008

_______________________

roasted wild mushrooms

rutabaga-apple gratin, skillet greens

domaine d’ andezon, côtes de rhône 2008

_______________________

le cabrie

montchever-betin / wisconsin

luli, pinot noir, santa lucia highlgands 2009

_______________________

grapefruit sorbet

champagne gelée, almond-buckwheat crumble

zefiro, prosecco, veneto, nv

Meet The New Confections

2010-11-26T17:19:00.000-08:00

We are delighted to announce that Aaron Russell has joined the team at Restaurant Eugene and is premiering his new dessert menu tonight. Aaron's bio reads like who's who of Atlanta culinary achievement: Johannes Klapdohr, Bruno Menard, Guenter Seeger...

An even better read is the actual menu. Here's a preview. Come see for yourself soon.

green apple sorbet

buckwheat streusel, goat cheese mousse, tarragon honey

beet gelée

yogurt and chocolate “snow,” peppermint

warm poached pear

red wine, gingersnap crisp, brown butter ice cream

The Blur of Late Summer

2010-11-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Those long summer days really keep us moving. We’ve been so busy, we haven’t blogged since July. Now, tis Thanksgiving Eve, we’ve just received a very special delivery: a gorgeous box of oyster mushrooms, freshly foraged by our favorite forest food sleuth, Michael from Indian Ridge Farm, and we really want to share the joy of this special delivery with you. We want to tell you about Michael, and Ed Taylor, the biodynamic farmer who owns the farm where Michael works and forages. We want to share something of the treasures from the woods that are going on to the menu tonight, and this weekend.

We also want to say Happy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for Ed, and Michael and all of our farmer friends.

Michael with his latest find.

Here is a list of a few of the things we’re thankful for from the past three months:

• Best table display at the Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival to benefit Georgia Organics.

• Lovely new tableware for Chef to plate on and play with.

• Recognition from Travel & Leisure Magazine for the Best Fried Chicken in the Country.

• Our amazing Executive Sous Chef, Jason Paolini

Chef Jason schooling the staff Holeman & Finch line-up.

• Our inaugural Eugene Author Dinner, with the delightful Susan Rebecca White.

• Recognition from Creative Loafing for our vegetable plate. You must try this dish!

• Our friends at Pollen.

• The Southern Foodways Alliance and its brilliant programming.

• Kat Kinsman’s Eatocracy. Thanks, Kat. That was great fun!

• Mark Kurlansky, and everything he’s written on food, history and humanity.

• Feeding our guests and even sometimes our heroes. What an honor to serve you all, especially you, Mr. Ali.

Thanks Y’all. Look for more good things here soon.

The Art of The Vegetable

2010-07-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

At Restaurant Eugene, our focus is on food --- obviously. But let it be known that food at RE is all inclusive and doesn't mean just porcine protein. These days the focus on all things swine is sometimes seemingly ubiquitous. This is not to say that we don't appreciate the pig here. We most certainly do. We'd just like to make the humble point that vegetables are astoundingly delicious too. Additionally, veggies are nearly limitless in the breadth of their flavor offerings. This is why we devote an entire section of our menu to vegetables every single night. Our vegetable plate changes nightly based on what the farmers deliver earlier in the day. And, honestly, it's more than a plate. It is bundle of fresh amazing flavor served reverently in a copper pannikin featuring eight vegetables and eight techniques.

Summer is one of the most exciting seasons for vegetables (and fruits, technically speaking). July's menus have read like a roll-call of summer's bounty:

sweet corn agnolotti with bacon, chanterelles, and baby tomatoes
heirloom tomato salad with arugula balsamic gelee and parmesan
mixed gem lettuces with sorghum, smoked peanuts, clabbered cream and tumbleweed
chilled butterbean & buttermilk soup with pickled shrimp, crisp onion and parsley-pecan puree
butter glazed baby carrots with carrot puree, opal basil, blackberry farm's brebis, melon and smoked lardo

And every night, there's the vegetable plate featuring the likes of glazed turnips, eggplant fondant, roasted potatoes, delicata squash gratin, dressed cherry tomatoes, spigarello, tempura squash blossom, sweet and sour eggplant, creamed peas, roasted peppers and more!

Vegetables, or course, find their way on to all sections of our menu. Even sometimes desert. Join us soon to celebrate Chef Linton Hopkins love of vegetables.

Peach Pit Amaretto is Ready

2010-07-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

Barkeep Nick Hearin's amazing house-made Peach Pit Amaretto is ready to taste after a month of incorporation.

The process is a house secret, but here's a hint: roasted peach pits, rum, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and clove. The results are a perfectly delicious, nutty, sweet, smooth aromatic cordial that is as unique as its maker. Come see for yourself, and sample one of Nick's other house-made palliatives: fennel bitter and lemoncello.

Putting Up Blueberries

2010-06-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

Blueberry season is here and it looks to be a good one. Blueberries rolled through the door today from Deep South Growers, in Douglas Georgia. They were big, sweet and bountiful. Soon, they'll be at local farmers market throughout the state.

What to do with a bounty of blueberries? Ice cream, parfaits, pies, pickles (yes!), and of course preserves. In preparation for the opening of Drovers Market, partner Kirsten Hindes (right) has been perfecting our recipes for all of the above. Try this at home.

Blueberry Preserves
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 qt. blueberries, rinsed

Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Add blueberries and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the berries pop and begin to break down.

Turn heat to low and cook until the fruit is completely broken down and the mixture is think and syrupy.

Allow preserves to cool, slightly, and pour into 2 pint jars. When jars have cooled completely, cover and refrigerate. Use within 3 weeks. Yields 2 pts.

An Historic Day

2010-06-04T18:46:00.001-07:00

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama launched her "Chefs Move to Schools" initiative at the Whitehouse. As part of her effort to turn policies into practical solutions for America’s families, Mrs. Obama is calling on chefs to get involved by adopting a school and working with teachers, parents, school nutritionists and administrators to help educate kids about food and nutrition. By creating healthy dishes that taste good, chefs have a unique ability to deliver these messages in a fun and appealing way to the larger audience, particularly children. This is exactly the work that Chef Linton Hopkins, and Gina Hopkins have been doing, along with friend Jenna Schuh, through their Culinary Kids Club at E. Rivers Elementary. The Hopkins were honored to be invited to join leader chefs from around the country live for the launching of this historic campaign. Gina, pictured here in the Whitehouse Organic Garden, donned her E. Rivers Elementary Chef's Whites and her Georgia Organics apron, noting that she was there representing a much larger good food community. Chef Linton Hopkins is rumored to have harvested and prepared food from the garden this afternoon. More good things to come...

Photos from the Beard House Dinner

2010-06-01T19:04:00.001-07:00

We just received the photos from the James Beard House Dinner. Thanks to Geoff Mottram for these beautiful shots. What a night to remember.

Chef Hopkins Showcases New Southern Cuisine at the James Beard House

2010-05-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Chef Hopkins recently had the honor of preparing a meal at the James Beard House on May 5th --- Mr. Beard's birthday of all occasions. So what do we serve at the birthday party for the man who the New York Times anointed the "dean of America cookery?" Nothing but the best the south has to offer. Check out the menu for the night. You'll see a celebration of farmers and artisan producers from all around the cornbread nation, which incidentally is exactly what we serve every night at Restaurant Eugene.

A special thanks to Chef de Cuisine Ryan Smith and Sous Chef Jason Paolini for personally delivering all that precious food from Atlanta to New York City.

Permaculture Applied

2010-05-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

The goal is always fine food and impeccably gracious service. The means are sometimes unexpected. Keeping ourselves engaged and focused on our food in the context of the world around us renews our inspiration and ensures that we deliver the best to our guests every night. The last week of April at Restaurant Eugene was a boon of exploration and learning.

Staff started the week with a foraging expedition in the North Georgia mountains led by renowned Georgia forager, herbalist and author, Patricia Howell and finished with Friday's visit from Duane Marcus of the Funny Farm who provided an overview of the ethics and principles of permaculture:
1. Observe & interact
2. Catch & store energy
3. Obtain a yield
4. Apply self-regulation & accept feedback
5. Use & value renewable resources & services
6. Produce no waste
7. Design from patterns to details
8. Integrate rather than segregate
9. Use small & slow solutions
10. Use & value diversity
11. Use edges & value the marginal
12. Creatively use & respond to change

It turns out we've been practicing permaculture principles without labeling them as such. It just seems like the right thing to do. Take Friday's visit from Caroline Hoogenboom, for example. The charming new winemaker from Persimmon Creek Vineyards, pictured here with Chef de Cuisine Ryan Smith, stopped by to share some vineyard prunings. A waste stream for the viticulturist proves to be an excellent cooking medium for the chef. The sweet, aromatic vines are wonderful for smoking meats and fish. Check principles 1 through 12 --- Permaculture Applied!

Feeding our Heroes

2010-04-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Serving food, good food, is the reason Restaurant Eugene exists. Every guest, everynight is special and sometimes we even have the opportunity to serve our heroes --- or heroines as the case may be. Ms. Betty Fussell, food writer and 2009 James Beard Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America inductee joined us for dinner recently.

If you're unfamiliar with her work, take a moment to read her brief essay Sustaining the Heart and Body. It says it all.

So what do you feed the author of Raising Steaks, The Life and Times of American Beef on her first real visit to Georgia? Why, White Oak Pastures beef of course! Tartare for starters, then the ribeye, finishing with a little Sweet Grass Dairy cheese cake. A table set for, by and with the work of our heroes --- a toast to you all!

Spring Gifts

2010-04-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

Spring brings many gifts to the chef and usually they come through the hands of the farmer. These sweet, piquant kale florets were delivered today by Indian Ridge Farm. It's unusually early for kale to go to flower, especially in North Georgia, where Indian Ridge is located. No doubt those 80 degree days we had in early April coaxed these brassicas into seed a bit prematurely. We are grateful for them whenever they come and tonight they will be featured with our lamb. Come taste some of the season's bounty.

Chef Hopkins' Oyster Recipe in this month's Garden & Gun

2010-04-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

Deep-Fried Oysters

Linton Hopkins
Holeman & Finch Public House, Atlanta, Georgia

I had just moved to New Orleans to begin my externship at Mr. B’s Bistro. I had never lived in New Orleans before and somehow got it into my head to discover the best po’boys in the city. I remember the first joint I went to—Domilise’s—on the advice of a friend. It was in Uptown, and in the middle of a neighborhood. Women were wearing dresses and flip-flops and frying oysters right where you walked in. I ordered an oyster po’boy with rémoulade and a root beer. I watched the ladies lightly coat the oysters and fry them crisp. It looked so simple (I have found out through years of cooking that it is). The oysters were golden brown with a thin crunchy coating sitting on rémoulade and crusty bread. I was in heaven. Every time I fry and serve oysters, part of me always goes back to that day.

Oyster Items
1 pint Southern oysters (usually 20 to 30, preferably no larger than a half dollar), shucked and stored in their own liquor

Breading Ingredients
1 pint buttermilk 1 dry pint cornmeal (about 2¹/³ cups); I get a crisp crust by using Anson Mills Antebellum fine yellow cornmeal
1 dry pint all-purpose flour (about 2¹/³ cups)
1 tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation
Reserve buttermilk in separate container. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well blended. Remove oysters from liquor, draining excess so oysters are still wet but not dripping. Place all of the oysters in buttermilk. One at a time, remove each oyster from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip back into the container. Toss to coat all sides in the breading (gently press the breading onto the oyster to help it adhere). Transfer to waxed-paper-lined plate or cookie sheet until oysters are all breaded.

In a heavy stockpot with high sides fitted with a deep-frying (or candy) thermometer, bring at least two inches of peanut oil to 375ºF.

Keeping the heat at a steady 375ºF and working in batches of six, fry the oysters until they are golden brown and just cooked through, about 90 seconds. (The oysters will curl slightly when they are done.) Using a slotted spoon, remove oysters and drain on brown-paper-bag-lined plate. Serve immediately with a side of rémoulade (see below).

Rémoulade Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
½ cup Creole mustard (like Zatarain’s)
2 tbsp. hot sauce (preferably Louisiana style, like Crystal or Trappey’s)
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
¹/8 tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. filé powder
¼ cup minced green onion

Preparation
Place ingredients in mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Transfer to storage container, cover, and refrigerate for up to one week.

You’ve Fried Them. Now What?
Two more recipes from Chef Hopkins

1) Fried Oyster Po’boys I fell in love with these when I was a cook in New Orleans, and I serve them on my lunch menu with a few changes. We use a Pullman white loaf, cut horizontally to get two large slices. Butter both sides of the bread and griddle to a golden brown. Lay out both slices and spread mayonnaise on one side of each piece. Top the bottom half with fresh chopped romaine and sliced tomatoes. Add fried oysters and close with the second slice of toast (mayonnaise side down). Eat with hot sauce and cold root beer.

2) Fried Oysters with Simple Greens, Buttermilk Dressing, and Bacon This recipe combines many items I love about the South: fried oysters, buttermilk, bacon, and local lettuces. I mix about a half cup of good-quality mayonnaise with a quarter cup of buttermilk, a few dashes of red wine vinegar and hot sauce, a lot of fresh black pepper, and a dash of salt. I cut some bacon into a large dice and sauté it in an iron skillet until chewy/crispy. I clean the freshest lettuces I can find. I place the fried oysters on a plate in the shape of a circle, put the greens into the middle of that circle, sprinkle with the bacon, and dress with my spicy, creamy sauce.
—As told to Francine Maroukian

To read the entire article, visit: http://gardenandgun.com/article/southerners-guide-oysters

Chicken Southern Style - March 29

2010-03-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Join Chef Linton Hopkins on Monday, March 29 at The Cook’s Warehouse in Brookhaven for all you need to know on fried chicken, roast chicken, and chicken dumplings. See here for complete details.

Shrimp-and-Smoked-Oyster Chowder Recipe - Linton Hopkins | Food & Wine

2010-03-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

Shrimp-and-Smoked-Oyster Chowder Recipe - Linton Hopkins | Food & Wine

Duck Hams Hanging

2010-03-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

Chef's Ryan Smith and Richard Neal are serious about food. Keeping it interesting and delicious is the order every day, such as with these duck hams they cure for our duck plate.

They start with young ducklings from Ashley Farms in North Carolina and season them with salt, sugar, orange zest and cardamom. Then they cure it for 7 days. Then rinse and repeat. The partially cured breasts are allowed to set and then wrapped in cheese cloth. They hang in the curing case for about a month. And then, voila!

Imagine salty sweet ham that has the richness of duck. According to Richard, duck ham is best described by taste. Come see for yourself.

Bacon Celebration with Ari Weinzweig at Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch

2010-03-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

1st: April 21st 5:30 - 6:30
Join Holeman and Finch for a book signing and bacon tasting with Ari Weinzweig, whose most recent book, The Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon, has been called an essential guidebook for any bacon enthusiast. Holeman and Finch's celebrated barkeep, Greg Best, will be mixing the perfect pork pairing.
$25 per person; Reservations Required. Call 404.948.1175

2nd: April 21st 7:15
Join Restaurant Eugene for a very special collaborative dinner with esteemed guest Ari Weinzweig from Zingerman's. Chef Hopkins' inspiration for the four-course meal (with pairings) will come from Weinzweig's latest tome, The Zingerman's Guide to Better Bacon, a 240-page examination of the history and deliciousness of salt-cured pork belly. Mr Weinzweig will continue the revelry by sharing insights from the book, including why bacon is "the olive oil of America."
$85 per person; Reservations Required. Call 404.355.0321

Books will be available for purchase at both events courtesy of A Cappella Books.

Eugene Named One Of The Top 40 Restautants In America

2010-02-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

See it here at Gayot.com...

Eugene Named 'Best Of Atlanta'

2009-12-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Atlanta Magazine named us in the 'Best of Atlanta' issue. See here to read all about it...

AJC's Restaurant Of The Year!

2009-10-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

We couldn't be more excited about the Atlanta Journal-Constitution naming Restaurant Eugene 'Restaurant Of The Year'...

Eugene Named 'Best Special Occasion Restaurant' By Creative Loafing

2009-10-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

According to the article, "I'd rather eat at Restaurant Eugene than anywhere else in Atlanta. "Eugene's also a smart pick if you can't spend a fortune but want to impress...if you share plates and drink wisely, it's relatively affordable. Which is amazing for the level of quality and the truly memorable dining experience Eugene delivers." See here.

Eugene At Cumberland Island's Greyfield Inn

2009-10-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

See here for the wonderful piece in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles on the debut of the Full Moon Supper Club, featuring Linton Hopkins, at Cumberland Island's Greyfield Inn.

Peachtree Road Farmers Market Featured in Atlanta Magazine

2009-09-03T08:19:00.001-07:00

Five-Star Creative Loafing Review

2009-08-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

Check out our latest review from Creative Loafing.