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Southern Literary Trail travel feature.
McEwen's Restaurant.
Pittsburgh and Birmingham, Alabama, share a lot of history. Historically, easy access to the ingredients of steel making put them on similar industrial pathways. Today, these sister cities also share a love of food fueled by lively, inventive chefs. It’s time to get to know this Southern sibling. TABLE contributor Julia Leonard shows the way.
They call it the Pittsburgh of the South and the Magic City. Founded in 1871, Birmingham, Alabama, was a boom town thanks to iron ore, coal, and limestone, the “magic” ingredients to make steel. Today it’s fuelled by business — healthcare, finance, retail — and a lively tourism trade. Visitors come for the history, the culture, and the food, with enough award-winning restaurants to keep you fed and watered, no matter how long you stay.
Where to Eat (and Drink) in Birmingham
Before racing over to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum to gaze longingly at their cherry red 1959 Ducati 200SS, you’ll need coffee. And a croissant. You’ll find both at Bandit Pâtisserie, one of three restaurants run by Kristen Farmer Hall and executive chef/co-owner Victor King. Farmer Hall started baking with her kids back in 2013. They’d drop off baked goods on friends’ doorsteps, ring the bell, and run. “My friends dubbed us the baking bandits,” she says. The classic Parisian pâtisserie was her model. “I love the simplicity of a Parisian bakery. There’s coffee and pastries and nothing else.”
Bandit Patisserie
Fête means “party” in French, and that’s the idea behind Bar La Fête, Farmer Hall and King’s restaurant located next door to Bandit. “It’s a more refined French wine bar,” she says, with a predominantly French wine list. The idea is simple: “A French restaurant where you can come and get snacks and wine or stay and have a filet au poivre and a bottle of Burgundy and celebrate your life there.”
Just a short stroll away is their third restaurant, The Essential. It’s an all-day café stocked with the foods you wish you’d eaten growing up, cooked with deftly adult sensibilities. Pastas are made in-house, and portions are generous. Their Portuguese-inspired Chicken Peri-Peri, for example, includes half a chicken with guajillo marinade, peanut-lime gremolata, and enough fries to satisfy the keenest carb-loader. Expect an hour or two wait for brunch on the weekends, but it’s worth it once you take your first sip of their signature Honeycreeper cocktail: a blend of Smith & Cross rum, turmeric, pear, honey, and lemon.
The Essential
We have Rob McDaniel’s granny to thank for Helen, a Southern grill located in a two-story, 1920s-era shotgun-style building in downtown Birmingham. She cooked over hardwood coals on an indoor grill, and so does he, at the restaurant he owns and runs with his wife Emily. The embers bring to life winning dishes like Roasted Asparagus, Spring Onion, and Sauce Gribiche. “We blanch asparagus and then put it in a fire basket over the coals, which then goes on top of the aioli, with onions on top, and then we pipe out the egg–both yolk and foam–and garnish with dill and fried capers,” Rob says. Wipe the plate clean with their warm Angel Biscuits, served with whipped cane syrup butter and sea salt. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.
Before you ask, there is no Grace at Pizza Grace; however, there is a lot of meaning behind the name, says Helene Jones, who handles front of house while her husband Ryan Westover is home in the kitchen. Grace, she says, is “…something that is simple, elegant, and refined in movement… a simple prayer of thanks for the simplicity of things.” And simplicity is the idea: pizzas that are cooked in a blistering-hot oven with ingredients that, when possible, are locally sourced. The dough–always the deal-maker or breaker with pizza–uses a sourdough starter passed down to Ryan from his mentors. Did I mention Pizza Grace is a 2023 James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant?
Pizza Grace
Take a break and sit and sip at Harvest Roots Taproom where husband and wife team Lindsay Whiteaker and Peter Halupka serve up their own brewed kombucha with a focus on seasonal flavors and locally grown ingredients. Favorites? The imminently quaffable Meadow is a blend of lavender, yuzu citrus, and butterfly blossom while Sunshine is their take on a classic ginger kombucha made with ginger, lemon, and lime zest. There are 15 different kombuchas on tap, so hang out in the peaceful white-walled taproom, or grab a 32-ounce growler from their on-site bottle shop.
There are liquor stores — and then there’s LeNell’s Beverage Boutique, the inspired creation of the singular LeNell Camacho Santa Ana. Not only has she assembled an impressive array of spirits, bitters, and other boozy concoctions, it’s all housed in a space that is as quirky and free-spirited as she is, including a bathtub full of gin. Drop by this Norwood-neighborhood shop to pick up gifts for folks back home, like fig and pecan liqueur by John Emerald Distilling, gin by Wonderbird Spirits, and small-batch bourbon by Irons ONE. Actually, scratch that. They can make their own pilgrimage to LeNell’s. Bring back those bottles for yourself.
LeNell’s Beverage Boutique
You could say that cooking is in Chef Timothy Hontzas’s DNA. He opened Johnny’s Restaurant in Homewood (a Birmingham suburb) with its classic comfort food menu of meat-and-three-veg in tribute to his grandfather, father, and Uncle Gus. Now he’s garnered his second-in-a-row Best Chef-South finalist spot from the James Beard Awards. Alongside dishes such as the meltingly tender 15-Hour Pot Roast, Parmesan Grit Cake, Turnip Greens and Sweet Potato Purée with Cinnamon Maple Butter, you’ll find Greek classics like spanakopita and souvlaki, and specials like Cornmeal-Fried Alabama Gulf Shrimp with Smoked Chile de árbol. The sign on the menu board says it all: “We prepare food for the body, but Good Food to feed the soul.” Amen to that.
No visit to Birmingham is complete without barbecue. SAW’s (also in Homewood) serves up some of the best Carolina-style pulled pork sandwiches, barbecue chicken with their signature white sauce, and of course, ribs. And the name? The original owner was Mike Wilson who named the restaurant after the nickname he was given growing up: Sorry Ass Wilson. Also worth a visit is SAW’s Soul Kitchen in Avondale.
Johnny’s
And to understand just how thriving Birmingham’s food scene is, plan a visit to The Market at Pepper Place (open Saturdays). This farmers’ market launched in 2000 and helped change the way locals and budding chefs think about food says Executive Director Leigh Sloss-Corra. “It seeded a growing awareness and interest in locally grown, locally produced food,” she says. “There’s a whole generation of food creators and producers in Birmingham now who grew up in the culture.”
While you’re soaking up the atmosphere, nab jars of chow chow, bread and butter pickles, and pickled okra to stash in your suitcase and take home. Or a jar of Wallace Homestead’s jalapeño pepper-infused honey or Southern Brothers pork skins. You’ll walk away loaded with welcome reminders of your visit and a better taste for Birmingham. “Birmingham is not flat, in any way,” says Sloss-Corra, “and never will be. It’s distinctive, and hard at times, but also sparkling. So it is with the food. And the people.”
Seeing Birmingham
Like Pittsburgh, Birmingham was born out of iron and steel. Unlike Pittsburgh, it’s relatively young, founded in 1871 at the crossing of two railroad lines. The city blossomed through the early 1900s, growing so rapidly that people said it was “just like magic,” earning the new town the name “The Magic City.” That magic continues in Birmingham’s food scene, as well as in the arts, nightlife, outdoor recreation, and important sites to see.
Vulcan Park and Museum provides stunning panoramic views of the city and the famous Vulcan statue, the world’s largest cast-iron statue, standing at 56-feet tall and originally developed for the 1904 World’s Fair.
Birmingham Museum of Art
Birmingham Museum of Art boasts one of the finest collections in the Southeast, featuring more than 24,000 objects representing a rich panorama of cultures, including Asian, European, American, African, Pre-Columbian, and Native American. Highlights include the museum’s collection of Asian art, considered the most comprehensive in the Southeast; its collection of Vietnamese ceramics, one of the finest in the world; and the world-renowned collection of Wedgwood, the largest outside of England.
Sloss Furnaces, now a National Historic Landmark, was one of the first industrial sites in the US to be preserved and restored for public use. It currently hosts a nationally recognized metal arts program, serves as an interpretive museum of industry, and hosts concerts and festivals throughout the year.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens, home to more than 12,000 types of plants, 25 unique gardens, original outdoor sculptures and walking paths, the campus provides a stunning outdoor experience.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham Zoo’s 122-acre site features hundreds of animals from six continents. Their new Trails of Africa exhibit describes their position as a leader in elephant conservation. Visitors will be inspired to go deeper into global wildlife conservation.
Birmingham Civil Rights District, a National Monument, tells significant stories of the city’s role in desegregating the American South. Visitors can experience this tragic but important history at the District’s key landmarks: the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, A.G. Gaston Motel, the Historic Bethel Baptist Church, and the Fourth Avenue Business District.
Special thanks to photographer Art Meripol and Leigh Sloss-Corra, our esteemed guides for our visit to Birmingham.
Story by Julia Platt Leonard / Principle photography by Art Meripol
It’s a totally crazy, forget your a lady, kind of cocktail. You can’t sip on Man, I Feel Like a Woman without those classic Shania Twain lyrics making their way into your head, and probably out of your mouth. Is it because you love that catchy tune, or is it the tequila talking? Whichever it may be, it’s your prerogative to have a little fun with this, the sixth cocktail in our 2023 Summer Concert Cocktail Series.
In a cocktail shaker, add the diced peaches, sugar, fresh lime juice, and muddle.
Add in ice, tequila, peach schnapps, peachy-jalapeno honey simple, and shake vigorously until well chilled.
Strain and pour into the glass with ice.
Garnish with a couple of jalapeño slices tucked into the ice, and a peach fan on a cocktail pick.
Peachy-Jalapeno Honey Simple Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
1 large jalapeño (remove stem and most of the seeds) 1 large peach (remove seed and slice) 1 cup water 1 cup honey
Instructions
Add the jalapeno, peach, water, and honey to a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to a simmer for about 7-10 minutes until the mixture has boiled down into a thickened syrup.
Remove from the heat. Note: If you want a mild syrup, then strain immediately. If you want a hotter syrup then steep for as little as 20 minutes until mixture has reached room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
Once you have reached the desired spice level, strain the syrup into a container and store it in the refrigerator. This Peachy-Jalapeno Honey Simple Syrup will keep for about a month as is.
Recipe by Sarah Cascone / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Story by Star Laliberte
What’s brewing in your horoscope this summer? The stars suggest that we will find it in ourselves to devote attention to the health of land, rivers, lakes, and oceans… and for each other. It’s a time for gatherings and for relaxing moments, for appreciation of the light of the sun, and how it begins its annual descent even as it gives us its all.
As summer begins, the Sun enters the sign of Cancer crossing an equinox point in the solar path through the zodiacal year. This is a halfway point in the year marking the Sun’s highest latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time, we experience the maximum length of daylight and the deepening greens of spring’s young foliage. From here, we enjoy the height of summer, but also it heralds the beginning of incremental decreases in the amount of sunlight. This is one of the reasons the sign Cancer is associated with remembering and sentimentality. Embedded in this time of seasonal abundance is the quiet reminder that every season comes to pass.
As the Sun crosses that turning point Jupiter remains in the earth sign Taurus. There is a harmonious relationship between the Sun in Cancer and Jupiter in Taurus. Saturn now retrograde in Pisces is also involved in this relationship, initiating a summer when collectively we’ll be concerned with the welfare of our lands, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Cancer is guided by the Moon, our local satellite who cares for us with its gravitational tugs and pulls, working together with the Sun to keep biodiversity on Earth flourishing. Jupiter and Saturn in water and earth signs remind us that the life-giving abundance Earth provides is a generous gift to be savored but must be respected and cared for.
July 22, Venus will station retrograde in Leo near Mercury while the Moon is in Venus’ sign Libra. This commences a 42-day period where we may feel heavy-hearted and contemplative regarding the ways in which we give and receive love. It is also a prime time to be grateful for friends and lovers that have revealed more of ourselves through the delicate exchange of relating. Retrograde, Venus also engages our creativity with subversive modes of aesthetic expression conjuring inventive approaches to convivial summer gatherings. This point leaves a watermark embedded with the symbolic reminder to relax and consider how we define beauty within our environments and those with whom we surround ourselves.
Aries
Aries, revering the independent spirit you possess the bravery of a lone wolf. In relationships, you nurture the space where autonomy is held simultaneously within harmony. Summer begins with the Moon, Venus, and your guiding planet Mars in your fifth house of love affairs and pleasure. All three planets in the fire sign Leo at this time are operating with a glowing expression. Ushered by the Sun, there is a gravitational pull to this configuration creating a ripe opportunity to engage with the sensual delights of life; romance, good food, leisure, and the arts. Enjoy a night out at the theater or a favorite tavern striking up conversation. Show up boldly, flirting with the tactility of human-to-human connections. Pleasure, love, and creation require vulnerability and risks. Just before Venus catches up to Mars in the sky to form a conjunction, it will station retrograde, moving backwards, echoing the pull and tug of temptation. Venus retrograde reminds us that love and creative pursuits are always a gamble. Willfully steep in creative chaos, luring intimacy to your flame.
Taurus
Jupiter holds the most powerful gravitational pull besides the Sun. Since May 16, Jupiter entered Taurus and has been transiting your first house of identity, perception, and appearance. Jupiter in the earth sign Taurus asks what you are drawn towards and what elements in your immediate environment ensure a sense of comfort. Transiting your first house, Jupiter suggests reimagining the proclivities of your five senses. Our attraction to things is peculiar and particular. Rest and listen this summer to the subtle wisdom of your sixth sense. Jupiter in Taurus suggests earthy flavors, textures, colors, and scents available for making the experience of life novel and interesting. Saturn in Pisces forms a favorable aspect to Jupiter, further tuning this transit with a taste for austerely dreamy things. Think soothing music, sublime fragrances, simple decorative objects, foods that are light but nutrient-dense, and garments that cover through crisp, light layers. There is a grounded yet light-footed approach to this astrology. A tepid effervescent celestial breeze that invites opportunities to be purposefully lost in your thoughts as well. Definitely stop to smell the roses.
Gemini
This year your guiding planet, Mercury, makes its retrogrades in zodiacal earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn). Later this summer, possessing much strength, Mercury will station retrograde in Virgo in your fourth house of lifestyle. Cleanliness is next to godliness are words you live by. Your guide Mercury signifies not only your mind but also matters of the home. With Virgo in your fourth house, you think a great deal about home, maintaining a sanctuary to rest a fluid mind. Throughout most of July and August, Mars and Saturn form a challenging aspect stressing the balance of your life’s work and life at home. Plan now the granular details of cleaning, organizing, and completing any domestic projects you’ve neglected. Come late summer, mind your mental hygiene as you may become lost in the details. A practical use of this time would be to ground yourself in new practices around your living space, creating a comfortable hub for summer reading, daydreaming, and conjuring domestic magic. All of which are Gemini delights.
Cancer
It was once said that all spirits descended through the part of the sky associated with Cancer on their way to becoming embodied. Cancer, like the ambient sound of the ocean heard through a spiraling conch shell, you give form to spirit and soul. We cannot see spirit per see, but we catch glimpses of it through things we can sense. Through our bodies and the words that we speak, spirit is molded into an expression of vital strength. On July 1, planet Mercury transiting Cancer will conjoin the Sun in your first house of body, mind, and spirit. Hidden within the Sun’s rays during this phase, Mercury is considered to be in the heart of the Sun where it is purified, regenerated, and then reborn when it becomes visible again. Mercury is the god of communication. The Sun, clarity. During this time, you’ll feel as if you’re speaking without words. There is a genuine comfort level when we experience nonverbal communication with ourselves, others, and our surroundings. Things will just feel right without having to understand why.
Leo
This summer, Venus will retrograde in Leo in your first house of body, mind, and identity. While retrograde, Venus will make close contact with Mercury. Venus represents enchantment. Mercury stands for questioning and discernment. Our experience of beauty is not rational. Beauty, when most striking, is enigmatic. Beauty alters and enhances our awareness. Venus retrograde with Mercury is beauty formed from the inside out. The Sun, also in Leo, is present with Venus and Mercury in your first house of the self. As the pivoting axis of our solar system, the Sun is an essential load-bearing column supporting our identity and destiny. During this vulnerable time allow the sway of the Venusian retrograde to work up an aromatic froth of possible identities. Like the heavens that emerge from the shores of our eastern earthly horizon, Venus mythically arrived on the foaming shores of the ocean where water laps onto land. This back-and-forth motion is where new life begins. This summer tend to the transcendent process of uniting your inner and outer appearance. Dress for the gods whether or not anyone is looking. Beauty born pure has no reason.
Virgo
Of the elements, fire exists on what is considered to be the highest spiritual plane. Fire can destroy, purify and nourish. Virgo, you are the earth sign guided by wing-footed Mercury, articulating the architecture within intricate systems of knowing and seeing. At the precise time of the summer solstice, a spirited configuration ignites a positive charge between Mercury and Mars. Mercury in the air sign Gemini in your 10th house asks what are the ideas you’d like to be recognized for. Mars in the fire sign Leo fans a flame illuminating places where you hold onto fear. As fire and air meet in your 12th house, you are asked to question an unconscious voice that has become a source of self-defeat. Like plants and trees that require fire to reseed, allow Mars to ignite your imagination. Write a few pages of stream-of-consciousness writing allowing your thoughts to burn like wildfire. Write whatever comes to mind. Write the same word repeatedly if that is the only message coming through. Now rest, and as your thoughts cool off, search through the “ashes” of your writing for repeating patterns, signs, or evidence of something you would like to reconsider about yourself. This process will bring you closer to a heart-centered awareness that is not possible to reach through habitual thought processes.
Libra
Libras spend a lifetime cultivating the loving and caring skills of the archetypal mother. Every year at summer solstice, the Sun enters Cancer in your 10th house of destiny and mothering in all of its iterations. Among other significations, the 10th house is where we nurture our aspirations into the pinnacle of visible self-expression. This lunar process of listening, reflecting, and caring for others is not unlike the mother figure within a family structure, carefully looking out for the needs of its members. Be conscious this summer of putting your needs aside for the sake of basking in the light of your willingness to please. Like a mother, those around you will often seek your attention for guidance and assurance. Allow yourself to feel resourced as well by those you hold dear. Like a mother, the Moon is always present in the sky, even if you do not see it. Mother figures often willingly and quietly take the backseat for the benefit and comfort of others. At times you must shine when you’d prefer to retreat. As the Sun reaches this point annually in your astrology, Libra, it is a reminder to focus on providing care for yourself as you do so often for others. Remember to mother you must also be mothered.
Scorpio
Scorpio, you’re a patient lover spending vital energy assessing the most potent use of your power. All the while, discreetly negotiating trust for those close to you. As the Sun ingresses into Cancer you will have the Moon, Venus, and your planetary guide Mars in Leo transiting your 10th house of ambition and visibility. Venus, goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war, orbit along opposite sides of Earth working symbolically together as a generator converting bodily emotions and energy into electricity (i.e. relationships). Mars in the fire sign Leo in your 10th house is eager for heated and meteoric action. Venus, closely following Mars is your seventh-house guide of relationships, shining brightly in the evening sky indicating a person of fascination. This could be a romantic flirtation or friendly collaboration, but the act of courtship appears to be of prominence. Allow this intriguing dance to metabolize as Venus will station retrograde near the end of July and you’ll both be reconsidering the acts of affection that make your heart beat. Around July 27, Venus and Mercury will conjoin, signaling an alchemical clue of the chemistry brewing within this starry-eyed interlude.
Sagittarius
Oak trees, known for their strength, are slow to mature. They produce acorns only after decades of growth and have for millennia been associated with great sages. Your planetary guide Jupiter, who shares a symbolic correspondence with oak trees, is in Taurus in your sixth house of affliction and disorder. Curiously, once mature, every four to ten years, certain oak populations will simultaneously produce little if any acorns, only to produce an opulent harvest of acorns the following year. Sagittarius, you are optimistic and faithful of the natural order of things. As someone who is comfortable taking up space, as mighty oaks do, your vitality may spread thin at times, deflating your great aspirations. Therefore, the sixth house of toil is a tough place for Jupiter in Taurus because it requires that you be patient while a new cycle sprouts. Like the oaks who pause their acorn production in order to ensure future growth, find solace in their wisdom that a more expansive future comes after a time of pause and rest.
Capricorn
We cannot count solely on our peers and family to develop our beliefs. At times we must go at it alone. This summer, Mars in the earth sign Virgo will oppose your planetary guide Saturn while retrograde in Pisces. This configuration between Mars and Saturn can have an untethered quality when it comes to feeling at home or of like mind with family and friends. Like a floating island you may feel the nauseating tug on the heart of homesickness while anchored by the stability of lineage that bonds families and folks together. The mythic symbol for Capricorn is a chimera composed of a fishtail with the torso of a goat straddling liminal spaces between the aquatic and terrestrial. Capricorns are concerned with the preservation of tradition, which can easily dissolve depending on who steers the narrative. Amidst unstable circumstances, you, more than anyone, understands that within every lineage is preserved an ancestral core that cannot be shaken. Capricorn, become a bridge among your kin, reconciling what beliefs hold water and those that have hardened into stone.
Aquarius
In folklore, wells were venerated for their abundance of life-sustaining water. Aquarius, you are the water bearer in the sky pouring from your celestial urn a spring of everlasting life. Since time immemorial water has been regarded as miraculous and sacred wells were visited by those seeking blessings. Your planetary guide Saturn entered the water sign Pisces in March and is since transiting your second house. The second house includes topics such as material possessions, food, and currency: a reservoir supporting your life force. The ancients referred to the second house as the Gate of Hades leading to the underworld. The underworld held the wealth beneath Earth upon which empires were built. By chance, the goods of the underworld are plentiful for some and not others. Full or dry, the content of one’s well is relative to individual needs. Moral and spiritual impoverishment can come with a big bank account. Saturn offers sobering perspectives on the delusions excess or lack can stir. If possible, lower your bucket into your own “well” and offer charity to those in need. And if your well is low at this time, consider what resources you have to work with and creatively do more with less.
Pisces
Days before summer solstice, Saturn will station retrograde in Pisces where it has been passing through your first house of the mind, body, and soul. During this time, you have been surveying the unlimited power of your extrasensory perception. Upon this retrograde Saturn asks to dive deeper into any part of yourself that has lost touch with nature. More specifically, your nature. Saturn embodies a melancholy that comes with the awareness of our detachment from ourselves. As a Pisces, you feel things deeply. One stone thrown into your ocean sends ripples to its edges. Nearby, Jupiter is in a friendly configuration with Saturn offering a helping hand through the metaphysical obstacle course Saturn retrograde has initiated. Jupiter in Taurus is generous like oozing amber honeycomb. To adapt to this slow Saturnian growth do as the bees do. Metaphorically feed on local and select regional ingredients. Immerse yourself in the organic matrix of familiar ecologies. Like the healing qualities of local honey you’ll be tempering the connection between yourself and the natural world.
Story and Imagery by Shane Powers, Enon Valley Astrology
1956 Porsche 356 by Bill Stoler at the 2022 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
The fine days of summer tempt us to fly out the door to join our comrades and compatriots in having some FUN! Meet up during this bright season at a concert, a comedy club, a golf weekend, a festival or two, a car race… so many delights await you in the weeks ahead in Western Pennsylvania.
Shania Twain The Pavilion at Star Lake, July 13
“Gonna let it all hang out” when Shania Twain comes to town because “Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free, yeah, to feel the way I feel.”
llana Glazer Byham Theater, July 13
Broad City’s llana Glazer is bringing her quirky brand of stand-up comedy to the Byham Theater for a night of big gut-wrenching laughs and smiles.
Two-Day Golf School Nemacolin, July 13-14
Whether you’re new to golf or a seasoned player, Nemacolin’s Two-Day Golf School uses personalized instruction and video-swing analysis to take your game to the next level. Taught by one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America, Andrew Rice, and a Golf Digest 2023 Best Young Teacher in America, Mike LaBella.
Photo courtesy of Nemacolin
Northside Music Festival North Side, July 14-16
Never heard of the Northside Music Festival? That’s because it was previously known as the Deutschtown Music Festival. But while the name may be different, guests can still expect three days of free live music set against the beautiful backdrop of Pittsburgh’s skyline.
Night Life After Dark Carnegie Museum of Natural History, July 14
Channel Night at the Museum during Night Life After Dark, where you have the opportunity to get personal with things that grow better in the night, like plants and fungi, while learning more about the cosmos and what scientists find in the moonlight.
Rib & Wing Festival Seven Springs, July 14-16
Pass the barbecue sauce… Seven Springs’ annual Rib & Wing Festival returns for its 13th year.
Night Life After Dark, Photo by Joshua Franzos
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Schenley Park, July 14-23
Call all car lovers: from the Tailpipes Gala to a car show and race, there’s no doubt you’ll have a racing good time during this 10-day celebration of motorsports.
Wildflower Festival Freedom Farms, July 15-16
Take a short drive out of the city and stop to smell the roses. Well, in this case, it’s sunflowers, zinnias, snapdragons, and gomphrenas, and you can pick them while the kiddos indulge in pony rides, swings, a sunflower maze, and more.
Wildflower Festival, Photo courtesy of Freedom Farms
Birthday Toy Drive Party Trace Brewing, July 16
Drink up! For every beer imbibed during Trace Brewing’s Birthday Toy Drive Party, $1 will be donated to The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh.
Summerlands Street Market Cinderlands, July 16
Cinderlands is closing down 26th Street for its first-ever Summerlands Street Market, where at least 30 vendors will sell everything from fruits and vegetables to candles and clothing.
Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa The Pavilion at Star Lake, July 18
We recommend giving this concert a wide breadth if you and yours are not a fan of the herb.
Phish The Pavilion at Star Lake, July 21-22
Start readying your tie-dye, the kings of jam bands are landing in the ‘Burgh.
Elliott Cramer Photography images for the National Aviary’s Night in the Tropics, 2019.
Swissvale Edible Garden Tour Swissvale, July 22
The private gardens of Swissvale residents — from newbies to garden vets — will be open to the public during this free, community choose-your-own-adventure style tour. After browsing (or before!), stop by the Swissvale Farmers’ Market and community picnic.
Night in the Tropics National Aviary, July 22
Taste, hear, and indulge in the Caribbean experience without leaving the City of Bridges. As birds fly above the National Aviary’s beautiful habitats, feast on food and beverages from local restaurants before losing yourself in the sounds of the tropics.
Summer Gallery Crawl Cultural District, July 28
If cold or rainy weather kept you away from the winter and spring Gallery Crawls in the Cultural District, now’s your chance to enjoy local art while the summer warmth caresses your skin.
2023 Spring Gallery Crawl, Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Vintage Market Days Monroeville Convention Center, July 28-30
Prepare to be amazed by the variety of upscale, retro offerings found at Vintage Market Days. Shop sustainability by giving a second (or third, or fourth) life to art, clothing, furnishings, and beyond, and find something not available anywhere else.
TacoMania Super Fest SouthSide Works, July 30
According to the event listing, this food gathering is more than just a taco festival. As some of the best tacos joints come together in one place, Pittsburgh Pro Wrestling will put on a match for a street food celebration unlike the ‘Burgh has ever seen. Oh yeah, and there’s beer sampling too!
Story by Jordan Snowden / Send your events tips to jordan@tablemagazine.com
As the weekend approaches (or really anytime), you need a velvety elixir infused with the seductive charm of rich chocolate, mingling harmoniously with the tantalizing notes of premium vodka. This, my friends, is the Chocolate Martini — a cocktail that transcends ordinary boundaries and is fantastically easy to make. Whether shared amongst friends or savored in solitude, this promises to enchant your taste buds. Cheers to the seductive power of chocolate and you!
Chocolate Martini vs. Brandy Alexander
This Chocolate Martini takes some inspiration from the Brandy Alexander, an after-dinner dessert cocktail with cognac and créme de cacao. What makes this a martini vs. an Alexander is the presence of vodka, rather than cognac. Brandy cocktails are typically dessert cocktails, whereas a martini can be sipped more comfortably alongside food. If you want another take on this, try our Chocolate Espresso Martini.
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This dairy-free, gluten-free, and high-protein Mexican chili-chocolate tart uses plant-based ingredients like walnut butter and healthier takes like rich dark chocolate. Spiced with cayenne pepper and cinnamon and topped with toasted meringue, it’s the perfect sweet and spicy treat. This exquisite dessert also features a velvety chocolate ganache made with smooth coconut cream and dark chocolate, artfully layered atop a crisp and crumbly crust. Whether enjoyed as a special occasion dessert or a decadent treat for yourself, this Vegan Mexican Chocolate Tart is sure to impress.
When Did Spice Start Being Added to Chocolate?
The use of spices in chocolate has a long and rich history, predating the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. Pre-Columbia, the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, who cultivated and consumed chocolate centuries before the arrival of Europeans, incorporated spices like chili peppers, vanilla, and achiote seeds into their chocolate beverages. After years and years of innovation, it has led us to use some of the same practices in our spicy Vegan Mexican Chocolate Tart.
With a bit of a spicy kick, you might just crave two slices of this vegan dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust:
1 1/4 cup graham crackers
1/2 cup Mexican Hot Cocoa Cracklins
3 tbsp organic cane sugar
6 tbsp vegan butter, melted
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
For the dark chocolate chili tart:
3/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup walnut butter*
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
3 1/2 oz dark chocolate
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground chili powder
1 cup powdered sugar
For the toasted meringue topping:
1 can of chickpeas-drained and reserve the liquid for the aquafaba
3 tbsp of cane sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and then blend together the graham crackers and cracklins until a fine sand-like powder. Or simply add more graham crackers if omitting cracklins.
Next, melt the vegan butter. In a small bowl combine the crushed graham crackers, cracklins (optional), cayenne, and melted butter and stir.
Grease a 9″ tart dish and then transfer the crust mixture to the dish. Press the crumbs down firmly until the entire base is coated evenly with the crust mixture.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes and then remove it from the oven to allow it to cool completely before filling it with the chocolate.
While the crust is baking begin making the chocolate filling. Using a double boiler to avoid burning the chocolate, slowly melt the dark chocolate.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut cream, walnut butter, cayenne, chili, and cinnamon. Stir well and then sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and stir again.
When the chocolate is glossy and smooth transfer the chocolate to the coconut cream slowly stirring continuously until fully incorporated. Make sure to whisk out any powdered sugar clumps!
Then pour the chocolate mixture into the cooled crust and transfer to the fridge for about an hour or until the chocolate is set and solid.
Keep the tart in a cool place or in the fridge while you make the vegan meringue.
Pour the entire liquid from one can of chickpeas or known as aquafaba (see post for more details on aquafaba) into a large bowl or mixing bowl. Whip the aquafaba on low-medium speed for 1 minute.
Then increase the speed to medium for about 3 minutes and then slightly increase the speed for the last 2 minutes. Really you can’t overbeat aquafaba so don’t worry! You want it to turn into a fluffy white texture that stands up on its own when you stick a spoon into it and pull it out.
Next, add in the cream of tartar and the sugar and stir once more.
Then scoop the meringue onto the tart and spread evenly. Use the back of your spoon to lift up pieces of the meringue into peaks that you will toast.
Using a small kitchen hand torch, scorch the top of the meringue until brown and toasty!
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The Sunflower Cocktail is inspired by Post Malone’s song of the same name and his alleged drink of choice, the Screwdriver. Like Malone, the Sunflower Cocktail takes a blend of different “genres” to create a unique flare. Mixing the concept of a classic Screwdriver Highball with the less acidic elements of a Cosmopolitan results in a delightful cocktail you’re sure to adore.
What is the Song Sunflower by Post Malone For?
The song Sunflower by Post Malone and featuring Swae Lee coincides with the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It plays a significant role in moving the movie along. It really captures the essence of Miles Morales’ journey as he discovers his Spider-Man identity. The song’s themes of hope, perseverance, and staying true to oneself resonate with Miles’ story, making it a perfect soundtrack to his journey. Outside of the movie, Sunflower was a massive commercial success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it one of the most popular songs of 2018 and 2019.
2 lemons (medium/large in size), 1 zested, both juiced
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Instructions
Add ice to a mixing glass.
Squeeze the Cara Cara oranges over the ice.
Add the vodka, lemon simple, and Cointreau.
Stir the ingredients together and then use a Hawthorne strainer to pour the cocktail over ice in a rocks glass.
Top with club soda.
Add a dehydrated orange slice to the rim of the glass.
For the lemon simple syrup:
In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the zest from 1 lemon, the juice from both lemons, and then add 2 halves of the non-zested lemons into the liquid.
Allow the syrup to come to room temperature.
Once the syrup is completely cooled, strain using a fine mesh strainer into a container. While straining, do not press on the lemons.
Refrigerate. This lemon simple syrup will last up to 2 weeks as is in the refrigerator, or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum, it will last longer.
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Host a rooftop movie night under the stars, or transform your yard into a movie viewing oasis with cocktails and tasty bites.
When my partner and I schemed our summer bucket list, Dylan’s top priority was gaining access to our roof. Years prior, a maintenance team had sealed the opening, and I’d given up on rooftop hangs, but Dylan was persistent. I was, admittedly, more nervous about the endeavor. However, once he sawed through the closure, I was obsessed with the potential of the space.
My designer brain went into overdrive. Within a day of access, I had paint swatches and mood boards of Moroccan riads and tropical courtyards. By day two, I had sourced a furniture set on Facebook marketplace, half of which had to be heaved up the side of the building. Within a week, I had painted a huge swath of the roof in layers of earthy pinks and adobe reds. By the time I was done painting, my face was equally earthy red — a rooftop at noon is no joke, but that was the weather window I had. So be it!
As all the obsessive details came together, an idea was born; how cool would it be to host a movie on the roof?!? I sent out the invite texts and began brainstorming popcorn flavors, sweet movie treats, and a list of films.
In the meantime, I asked my good friend Lisa Considine to lend her expertise on the cocktail front. The good news is you, too, can channel her cocktail skills for your own backyard movie night. Lisa is one-half of Lo Bar Cocktail Services, a comprehensive mobile bar and cocktail catering business. Whether or not you have a rooftop at your disposal, you too can host a memorable outdoor movie night with all the best snacks and drinks.
Host Your Own Movie Night:
The Setup:
There are a lot of affordable projector and screen options out there. I recommend a projector with a built-in sound system to make the outdoor setup easier. My screen conveniently folds into a bag with a handle, so I’m ready to take movie watching all over the place.
Movie Choices:
I asked my friend and film/theater buff, Brittanny Spinelli, for some screening advice. She suggested classics that guests have most likely seen before, so if you end up talking through the movie, you’re not missing a major plot twist. Think Jaws, Jurassic Park, Goonies, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, or Princess Bride. We both agreed that anything by Wes Anderson is on the table too.
The Menu:
-Welcome Cocktail: Hibiscus Margarita
-Grilled Flatbreads: Start with your trusty pizza crust recipe. Or, simplify, and lean on your favorite flatbread or pre-made pizza dough. I like the ancient grain pizza dough from Whole Foods. Then, try both of these combinations.
Pesto, Grilled Corn, Grilled Peaches or Nectarines, Parmesan, Feta or Fresh Mozzarella, Basil
Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Figs, Bleu Cheese, Dill
-Watermelon
-A DIY Popcorn Bar
-A DIY Treats Bar
The Drinks:
-Let Lo Bar Cocktail Services do all the heavy lifting for you with a pre-batched mixer, cocktail, or mocktail. That leaves you more time to focus on stocking wine options and the movie setup logistics. The Hibiscus Margarita with lime, rosemary, and rosemary salt is a great choice.
-Assorted Chilled Wine Options
The DIY Popcorn Bar:
You can experiment with more homemade flavor infusions, but here are three solid choices to get you started.
Vegan Curry Popcorn
Toss 16 cups of hot popcorn with ½ cup melted coconut oil, 2 teaspoons each of curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. Add more seasoning to taste.
Herbs de Provence Popcorn
Buttery Version: Add chopped fresh rosemary and dried lavender to 1 stick of melted butter. Stir to combine, and set aside to infuse for 15-20 minutes. Heat the butter to melt it, if necessary, then toss the butter mixture with 16 cups of hot popcorn, ½ cup grated parmesan, and 2 teaspoons sea salt.
Olive Oil Version: Toss 16 cups hot popcorn with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, ½ tablespoon chopped dried lavender, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
Everything Bagel Popcorn
Buttery Version: Toss 16 cups of hot popcorn with 1 stick of melted butter and ⅓ cup of Everything Bagel Spice, or more, to taste.
Vegan Version: Spray 16 cups of hot popcorn with enough neutral olive oil to coat the popcorn. Toss with ⅓ cup Everything Bagel Spice, or more, to taste.
The DIY Treat Bar:
Want to spark a conversation? Ask your friends about their favorite movie-theater candy choice. As for hosting your movie night, you can go with the classics or offer a little bit of a healthier twist. Try East End Food Coop’s yogurt-coated pretzels, peanut-butter pretzels, or naturally-dyed sour gummies and jelly beans. Add some nuts and wholesome cookies to the mix, and you have something for every type of sweet tooth.
Story and Styling by Quelcy Kogel / Photography by Tom Macconnell
Inspired by a recent trip to Maison&Objet, Paris’s influential design show, TABLE contributor Stephen Treffinger curates a French salût to the great outdoors. These outdoor trends are available online or at local retailers. With his selections, you can turn your open-air living space into a stylish oasis.
Get Playful
Et Voilà: Color!
There was plenty of deep, satisfying color for the outdoors at Maison&Objet, a twice-annual design industry exhibition. The palette ranged from the unusual and sophisticated to the primary and approachable. Powder-coated finishes give everything a clean and modern look. Shown above: Fermob’s Bellevie table and Surprising chairs in a scant sampling of the many colors available on a seasonal basis. fermobusa.com
Summer Muse
Based on the famous Teste di Moro from the picturesque Sicilian town of Caltagirone (frequently seen in HBO’s The White Lotus), these handcrafted ceramic sculptures are one-of-a-kind and a stunning way to welcome guests … and perhaps to scare off your enemies. Shown above: Il Caciuoffolo, one of many ingenious, exuberant shapes on offer. ovodem.com
Beautiful Barbecues
Even though we Americans consider ourselves the champions of barbecue, Europeans understand a thing or two about making the equipment look fabulous. Behold these stylish and colorful grills that are way beyond the typical backyard fare. Shown above: Everdure’s CUBE™ portable charcoal grill. Available in five colors at everdurebyheston.com.
Resplendent in Red
The Eames table, designed in 1964, remains as fresh and modern today as it was 50 years ago. Reissued by Herman Miller x Hay, it’s available at Weisshouse in two colors. weisshouse.com
Like the Sun
French dinnerware maker Jars offers its Tourron collection in several colors. Rendered in reactive glazes, this most radiant shade of sunny orange lends its lovely light to your summer table. jarsceramistes.com
Get Serious
Backyard Noir
Outdoor furniture in black (and deep gray) was everywhere in Paris, and we love this development. It’s unexpected—striking and graphic by day, mysterious and barely there by night, elegant outdoors or in. An added bonus is that tableware looks great against a black backdrop. Shown above: Fermob’s Luxembourg side chair, table, and bar cart in black, one of a wide range of color options. fermobusa.com
These Chairs Are Everywhere!
Found in cafés and bistros, parks, and plazas in Paris and throughout the world, Fermob’s classic metal bistro chair is simple, portable, and ubiquitous. The original was designed by Édouard Leclerc and patented in 1889, which makes it the same age as the Eiffel Tower. It became instantly popular with café owners in Paris because it could be quickly folded up and easily stored, allowing owners to avoid paying tax for furnished outdoor areas. In the US, you can find the chairs in NYC’s Bryant Park in classic green and Seattle’s Occidental Park in bright chartreuse yellow. Twenty-four colors are available, depending on the season.
The Luxembourg chair was made for the eponymous Parisian gardens in 1923 and has become an icon in its own right. It was commissioned by France’s Senate and spread from the park to other places in the city. In 1990, Fermob became the official supplier of the chairs to the Luxembourg Gardens, Tuileries, and Palais-Royal gardens, as well as other green spaces around the city. It comes in the same wide array of colors as the bistro chair.
Dark and Textured
The shape of Ethnicraft’s teak Bok outdoor chair is inspired by goat horns. It’s just as tough and durable. Shown above in oak black, it’s available in three finishes. ethnicraft.com
Lounge-worthy
The powder-coated aluminum two-seat August bench by Serax is elegant enough for both inside and outside. Designed by Vincent Van Duysen as part of a larger collection for a Belgian hotel, the shape is beautifully minimalistic and free of distractions. Available in the US through finnishdesignshop.com.
Sleek as a Thoroughbred
Designed by Claudio Dondoli and Marco Pocci for Ligne Roset, the elements of molded and lacquered polyurethane and powder-coated aluminum are perfectly color-matched in the Petra chair for a sleek and modern presentation. ligne-roset.com
Get Natural
Merci Beaucoup!
Serax’s Merci collection is a collaboration between this Belgian design powerhouse and the visionary Parisian boutique, Merci. The high sides of these easy-to-hold rectangular plates keep food where it belongs as you carry it from kitchen to outdoor table. Sophisticated glazes look at home in both lush gardens and minimal terraces. Available in the United States at food52.com.
Ingenious Angles
Planes and angles rendered in all-weather wicker bend and bisect into expert folds over a metal frame. The design creates a cocoon-like seat of comfort and style while making a striking statement outdoors or in any interior. Available at Today’s Home. todayshomeinc.com
Peacock Tendencies
The Nima peacock chair by Made Goods, handcrafted of faux rattan, recalls balmy film noir evenings of Singapore Slings, ceiling fans, and the tropical mystique. A pair will imbue your outdoor space with immediate sophistication. Available at Antiquarian Shop. antiquarianshop.com
Bowl of Fire
Vintage metal shaped into vessels for fire or plants. These shapely beauties are available at the new Twin Pine boutique in Sewickley, as well as the Wexford location. twin-pine.com
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A Typical Average Cocktail for a “typical average teen, if you know what I mean.” We went all the way back to the year 2005 when Ed Sheeran self-released his first EP, The Orange Room, for this cocktail inspo. The third track on the album was titled Typical Average. The flavors in this cocktail, the 4th in our 2023 Summer Concert Cocktail Series, might be slightly more recognizable than Sheeran’s preteen vocals. If you don’t believe us, dare to compare and give it a listen?