Chef Andrew Zimmern featured the Birmingham food scene in the most recent episode of “Bizarre Foods America.” It premiered Monday on the Travel Channel.

Zimmern visited the city in January to visit restaurants, a UAB lab and a pig farm, as seen in the clips below.

Video: Andrew Zimmern’s Top Five favorite Birmingham eats

•

Video: Visiting the Peanut Depot on Morris Avenue
in downtown Birmingham

•

Video: A pig farm just outside Birmingham

•

Video: Checking out Shindigs Food Truck and Hot and
Hot Fish Club with chef Chris Hastings

•

Video: Researchers at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham develop sea urchins in the lab.

• Andrew Zimmern tours Birmingham
  
• Birmingham News: “Andrew Zimmern feasts on oxtails, bullfrogs and sea urchins during Birmingham episode of his show”
• Birmingham’s Best Eats

Chef Andrew Zimmern filmed outings Jan. 15 through Thursday around Birmingham for his show, “Bizarre Foods America.”

See his journey narrated by him on social media, including a stop in Bayou La Batre beforehand.

Andrew Zimmern tours Birmingham

Chef Andrew Zimmern filmed outings Jan. 15-17, 2013, around Birmingham, Ala., for his show, "Bizarre Foods America." [http://bit.ly/YhQPwA] See his journey narrated by him on social media, including a stop in Bayou La Batre beforehand.

Storified by Wade Kwon· Tue, Jan 22 2013 08:55:19

Working the grand opening at Birmingham’s newest grocery store

My day at Freshfully

Working the grand opening at Birmingham’s newest grocery store

Storified by Wade Kwon · Tue, May 08 2012 12:12:36

Video: A look inside the Freshfully market

A Lake Martin product has a “savage” and apparent blessing of supermarkets statewide

We know how great Alabama food is, and we have 10 more months to tell the story. But not every product shows us at our best.

The state tourism department declared 2012 as the Year of Alabama Food for its annual themed campaign. I have pointed out that the diversity is sorely lacking in the featured restaurants [Facebook | Google+], but we’ll save that discussion for another day. The state’s first food-themed travel campaign was in 2005.

While the Year of Alabama Food spotlights restaurants and their dishes, another lesser-known program has been running since 2004, Buy Alabama’s Best.

This ongoing campaign by the Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers focuses on homegrown products. During this month and September, an undisclosed portion of proceeds from sales of these products goes to Children’s of Alabama. The Buy Alabama’s Best logo on supermarket shelves marks which ones are members.

For instance, this one.

The label for Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, made in Lake Martin

This is Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, made in Lake Martin.

With more than 10,000 products in a typical supermarket, you may have missed it. But alongside Milo’s sweet tea, Sister Schubert’s homemade rolls, Bud’s Best Cookies and John’s slaw dressing, Mike Elliott’s sauce is among the featured Alabama few.

Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, with the Buy Alabama’s Best logo,
on the shelf at Western Supermarket on Southside

(We’re not entirely sure Mike Elliott’s product is an official Buy Alabama’s Best member, since it’s not listed as a manufacturer on the website.)

Update March 6: Ellie Smotherman Taylor, executive director of the Alabama Food Manufacturers and Producers Association, said in an email: “Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce is not part of the AFMPA and also not affiliated with the Buy Alabama’s Best campaign.”

Originally from Birmingham, Mike Elliott — a k a Michael Wilson — has lived in Lake Martin since 1997. He worked in the restaurant business and started bottling his sauce 1 year ago this month, according to his website.

Asked by email about his label, Elliott said, “My ‘logo’ is a long story. He is a character that has been with me for quite some time.

“He’s meant to portrait that once trying my sauce that it will turn you into a savage and will do anything to get some of that savory sauce.”

The “savage” depicted on the label echoes centuries-old stereotypes of the black community, ones that continue to rile in Alabama. In June, the corruption “bingo” trial revealed that state Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale had called black customers of a Greene County casino “aborigines.”  The remarks sparked public outrage and condemnation. (He apologized for his comments 3 months later and is currently running for Congress.)

Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce can be found across Alabama, including Winn Dixie. In Birmingham, it’s in Alabama Goods in Homewood, Piggly Wiggly on Clairmont, V. Richards in Forest Park and Western Supermarket in Mountain Brook and on Southside.

Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, at the Western Supermarket
in Mountain Brook

Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, on the meat/seafood display
case at V. Richards

Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce, at the Piggly Wiggly on Clairmont

I have to wonder if the buyers for those supermarket chains ever considered if the label would offend customers.

As the state increases its food and dining promotion, shoppers will see even more of Alabama’s homegrown merchandise, a move Elliott supports.

“I’m an Alabama-made product,” he said. “I believe and support all Alabama-made products from Millie Ray’s sweet rolls to Dirt Road Gourmet and Conecuh Sausage. If Alabamians would look within, it’s amazing what this state has to offer.”

• Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce | Facebook and Facebook
• Buy Alabama’s Best
• Year of Alabama Food

Update June 17: Mike Elliott sent the following via email:

“Folks, I’m really at awe here that this conversation is still going on. First of all, some of your comments are directed to me, Mike Elliott, as if I have been participating in this dialog, which I have not.

“Once Wade ambushed me into his article about my product and published his attempt to destroy what I had worked so hard for, I have not commented on any of the feeds. He lied to me when he made his first inquiry about my product. Then, when he made up such a ridiculous story about it, I decided not to participate.

“I appreciate all of the people that have stood behind me, because I had no intentions of offending or insulting anyone. Since most of my customers happen to be black it never crossed my mind that my logo would become so controversial. I see the faces and reactions of people that try my sauce when I participate in farmer and flea markets. The sauce is amazing, and despite people like Wade, it’s growing rapidly.

“But it’s not my intent to offend anyone. Even the ones that have nothing better to do then find something that they can make themselves feel like they are so above the rest. So my new label is out and now in most stores in the Lake Martin area.

“It will be in all of the Birmingham stores before the 4th of July. The new label is more colorful, more festive and unless you have a problem with roasting a pig, it should be unoffensive to everyone.”

New label for Mike Elliott’s BBQ Sauce

Wade’s note: Elliott contends that he was misled on the story and that it was “made up.” I stand by my reporting, still have the emails exchanged and have invited him to point out any errors for correction.

A new promotion for local restaurants started this week.

The first Birmingham Restaurant Week invites diners to sample dozens of restaurants and bars across town for special menus at fixed prices of $10.10, $20.10 and $30.10. Try sushi, pizza, Mediterranean, barbecue, French, Southern and other styles in this 9-day celebration, which started Friday and runs through Sept. 25.

The preview party took place Wednesday at Hotel Highland Conference Center in Five Points South. So popular was the event that food ran out by 7:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Birmingham Restaurant Week official site. Or visit the event’s Facebook page or Twitter account, @bhamrestweek.

Participating restaurants

$30.10

• Bottega
• Century Restaurant and Bar
• Dreamland BBQ
• The H Bar
• Highlands Bar and Grill
• Jinsei
• Little Savannah
• Maki Fresh
• Michael’s Restaurant
• Ocean
• Veranda on Highland

$20.10

• Bottletree Cafe
• Brannon’s Public House
• Cafe de Paris
• Chez Fonfon
• Cosmo’s Pizza
• Crestline Seafood Company
• Culinard Cafe at the Palisades
• Dodiyos
• The H Bar
• Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
• John’s City Diner
• La Cocina
• La Paz
• Mafiaoza’s
• Maki Fresh
• Nabeel’s Cafe and Market
• Rojo
• Silvertron Cafe
• Sol y Luna
• 26
• V. Richards
• The Wine Loft

$10.10

• Bottega Cafe
• Brannon’s Public House
• Brick and Tin
• Cosmo’s Pizza
• Crestwood Coffee Company
• Dodiyos
• Dreamland BBQ
• The Gardens Cafe by Kathy G
• The H Bar
• Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q
• La Cocina
• Maki Fresh
• Mellow Mushroom
• Michael’s Restaurant
• Ted’s Restaurant
• Urban Standard

Participating bars

• Bottletree Cafe
• The H Bar
• The J. Clyde
• Lou’s Pub

Which restaurant will you try? Let us know in the comments.

Also:

• Birmingham’s Best Eats
• Birmingham restaurant guide

Great food writing, like great food, leaves you stuffed, but still wanting more.

In August, we featured Birmingham’s Best Eats, a daily look at food around town. Our team of bloggers shared new recipes, cooking ideas, restaurants, even obscure food finds. I learned so much from them that I wanted to pass along the lessons from the series.

1. One of Birmingham’s hidden strengths is food. Living here makes it somewhat difficult to gain perspective, but Birmingham is a destination for dining. The metro area is written up regularly by travel writers in national and regional publications. Sure, the obligatory civil rights struggles are always mentioned, but usually followed by a rave about a Frank Stitt operation or a barbecue joint in town.

We continue to find our way as a city, in direction, in leadership, in education, in jobs. But in food, we are strong. We boast diversity in types, prices and ethnic choices. We continue to expand in both homegrown and chain restaurants.

And more importantly, we value the importance of knowing food well. What is food’s true cost? Where did it come from? How was it prepared? How do we make it better at home?

2. We have much more to learn (and teach) when it comes to food. Many of my friends are foodies. As such, it’s easy to assume everyone knows their way around the kitchen or a menu.

During our special Best Eats live chat, I was reminded that while interest has grown in different ways to nourish ourselves, uncertainty remains a common deterrent. So if you’re looking to try a new type of dining — Indian, sushi, soul food — you might not immediately run to the nearest restaurant and attempt to decipher the menu.

If you don’t cook regularly, you might feel overwhelmed at trying a complicated new recipe. Talking about all these Birmingham food options is fine and wonderful — unless everyone isn’t speaking the same language.

As food bloggers, we must continue to reach out to those who want to learn more but aren’t sure about the next step. And we must share everything we can about food, everything we love about growing it, cooking it, eating it.

If you want to learn more about food, ask questions. Have a friend go with you to that untried restaurant to help you make good choices on the menu. Take a class, visit a farmer’s market and write about your experiences online.

3. We’ve barely begun. We covered a lot of territory in 31 days. But we also left a lot unsaid.

• What is a food desert, and how does this affect Birmingham? Who is working on the issue?
• Who are the up-and-coming professional chefs in town?
• Where are the best places to take cooking classes?
• Which farmer’s market has the best selection? the best prices? the most variety?
• What Birmingham needs in terms of dining options is …

Maybe you can be the next great food blogger to answer these questions.

If you love food, join us at the table. We have plenty of room.

What do you want to explore when it comes to Birmingham’s best eats? Let us know in the comments.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Photo by Kenny Louie, Creative Commons 2.0 license.

Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Rosemary, Bacon, and Onions,
from a recipe in “Frank Stitt’s Southern Table.”
Photos by Jason Horn.

By Jason Horn

I make a dish a week (or so) from “Ad Hoc at Home,” by Thomas Keller, arguably America’s greatest chef. Everything’s made from scratch, using time- and labor-intensive methods.

It is my summertime personal quest, The Thomas Keller Challenge, documented on the Messy Epicure.

But how would Keller fare against Birmingham’s indisputably best chef, Frank Stitt?

The plan

1. Choose similar recipes from “Ad Hoc at Home” and “Frank Stitt’s Southern Table” [aff. links]: stuffed pork roast and coconut cake.
2. Spend a day-and-a-half in an orgy of cooking.
3. Have foodie friends over to judge the fracas.

The results

I’m sad to report that our hometown contender put up a valiant effort, but came up short.

Both roasts were delicious, but Keller’s version was legendary, while Stitt’s recipe merely great. I think the brining in Keller’s instructions left the pork perfectly moist. The fig and balsamic jam stuffing was sublime as well.

Stitt won the cake battle, though only by a nose. Both versions had some issues: Keller’s cake is a bit dry, while Stitt’s cake collapsed after baking (this seven-layer cake had just five layers). Of the near-identical meringue frostings, Keller’s recipe is much easier to make. My ultimate coconut cake would pair Stitt’s pastry-cream filling and rich cake with Keller’s meringue.

Recipes, after the jump …

(more…)

By Brian Heptinstall

In creating a recipe that best represents Alabama, I couldn’t help but think of the shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico. The quality of the shrimp hasn’t suffered one bit despite the recent BP oil spill disaster.

I came up with Greek Salad with Gulf Shrimp, a simple, yet perfectly matched summer salad that takes a cue from Birmingham’s rich Greek culture.

The salad alone isn’t necessarily special, but the sweetness coming from the grilled shrimp adds another layer of flavor you can get only from the Gulf. For another great taste, try grilling these shrimp with Old Bay or Creole seasoning.

• • •

Photo by Brian Heptinstall.

Greek Salad with Gulf Shrimp

• Preparation time: 30-45 minutes
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup olive oil

Salad:

• 1 package spring salad mix
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 1 jar kalamata olives, pitted, sliced
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, diced
• 1 can artichoke hearts, quartered
• 3-5 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Dressing: In a bowl, add all ingredients together except the olive oil. Mix well, and slowly add in oil while constantly stirring. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, be sure to stir again as the dressing might separate.

Salad: Place the spring/romaine mix in a bowl big enough to toss the salad. Add feta, tomatoes, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts. Refrigerate.

(Use your judgment in ingredient quantities for the salad. We suggest making the salad in layers.)

Place shrimp on skewers. Right before placing the shrimp on hot grill, drizzle with olive oil and lightly dust with salt and pepper (Old Bay or Creole seasoning would also be good). Grill shrimp until done, and remove from heat. (Be careful not to burn yourself when taking shrimp off the skewers.)

Add shrimp to the salad. Pour dressing, toss and serve.

• • •

Also:

• Is Gulf seafood safe? Reports from the Associated Press | Mother Jones Magazine | New York Times
• Sugar and Spice by Celeste’s recipe for Roasted Shrimp and Orzo.
• Stay Hungry’s recipe for Chile Shrimp.
• The Messy Epicure’s recipe for locally sourced gumbo.

• • •

Gadsden native Brian Heptinstall (@bheptin) writes the AL.com blog Food and Farce and produces how-to videos featuring his favorite foods from Walt Disney World on A Taste of Disney. A classically trained chef, he has worked in several top kitchens including Mar-A-Lago, the Four Seasons, Il Cioppino Italian Restaurant and the PGA Resort and Spa.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Trattoria Centrale offers breakfast on weekdays, but
Breakfast ’Za during Sunday brunch only. Photo by Brad Daly.

By Glenny Brock and Brad Daly

Pizza for breakfast is often inelegant. Even the finest pie can lose its piquancy after being stored overnight in cardboard next to desiccating lemon wedges and other odds and ends in your refrigerator.

Happily, the guys at Trattoria Centrale have a decidedly different approach to early morning pizza: They put an egg on it.

“The egg functions as the sauce,” says Geoff Lockert, co-owner of the downtown pizzeria. “Even on a breakfast pizza, we could use other things for the sauce, but we feel the egg creates a good bit of texture.”

Trattoria Centrale serves Breakfast ’Za ($3 per slice) at Sunday brunch only. Lockert’s partner Brian Somershield starts the pie with dough, then adds diced potatoes, scallions, bacon, sausage, mozzarella, Fontina and Pecorino Romano. Each serving is made to order: Somershield fries an egg as soon as a slice goes in the oven.

“On the pickup, we pull the pizza out and put the egg on it right when the yolk is nice and runny,” Lockert says. “We add a little salt and pepper, and that’s it.”

The result is nearly a religious experience. Once you’ve had Trattoria Centrale-style pizza for breakfast, cold leftovers just won’t cut it.

• • •

Trattoria Centrale

• 207 20th St. N., downtown [map]
• (205) 202-5612
• Trattoriacentrale.com
• Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday

• • •

Also:

• Bhamwiki: Trattoria Centrale
• Birmingham News: “Za Za Trattoria is now Trattoria Centrale”
• Anthro101’s review of Trattoria Centrale
• Pavo Magazine Q&A with Trattoria Centrale’s co-owners Geoff Lockert and Brian Somershield.

• • •

Writer Glenny Brock (@glennybrock) and photographer Brad Daly (@bwdaly) launched the Birmingham food blog Stay Hungry (@stayhungrybham) in June. He cooks, she writes, and they both eat, thoughtfully.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

The marinated slaw from Zoës Kitchen pairs
cabbage with feta. Photo by John-Bryan Hopkins.

By John-Bryan Hopkins

Nothing says Southern at a family get-together, potluck or cookout like a bowl of slaw sitting alongside deviled eggs and baked beans. Coleslaw seems to be a common thread that pulls these meals together.

(“Coleslaw” is an anglicization of the Dutch word koolsla, a shortening of koolsalade, meaning “cabbage salad.”)

Unfortunately, I’ve never been a fan, being more of a meat-and-potatoes guy when it comes to Southern food. (Side dishes are those “other things” littering the table.) The first thing that comes to mind is the milky, mushy, chopped cabbage/carrot concoction — usually too sweet for my taste.

That was until I stumbled upon the marinated slaw at Zoës Kitchen a couple of years ago. My opinions completely changed in a single bite. The fresh, thinly sliced white cabbage paired with feta cheese and a little olive oil makes for a wonderful combination.

Soon, slaw went from a rare side dish to a staple in the refrigerator. It is not uncommon to find me visiting the Birmingham-based chain to replenish my stockpile of quart-size containers ($6.95).

Choosing the right side dish can make or break a meal. I haven’t found many things that don’t go well with this slaw. Zoës’ version hits it out of the ballpark and onto my plate every time.

• • •

Zoës Kitchen

• Five locations in the Birmingham area
• Zoeskitchen.com

• • •

Also:

• Bhamdining.com capsule on Zoës Kitchen.
• Southern Foodways Alliance interview with Zoë Cassimus, co-founder of Zoës Kitchen.
• Magic City Mom review of Zoës Kitchen.
• Bhamwiki: Zoës Kitchen.

• • •

Birmingham’s John-Bryan Hopkins loves talking about food facts, their origins and, most of all, what food means to us.

His site/blog is Foodimentary (@Foodimentary).

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q serves chicken superior
to the other joints in Birmingham.
Photos by Jason Horn.

By Jason Horn

One barbecue rule we’ve found to be universal: The more anthropomorphic the pigs on the sign or in the restaurant, the better the food. Don’t laugh, it’s true.

Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q has shelves covered with dozens of pigs, doing all kinds of human activities. This red-roofed cathedral of smoked chicken sits just a couple blocks from the Summit shopping center, in the Cahaba Heights section of Vestavia Hills.

Inside, the place resembles all great barbecue joints: a little dingy, a little dark and featuring at least two photos of the legendary Bear.

But the food.

It’s chicken that makes Miss Myra’s the best in town. This restaurant’s version is five times smokier than anyone else’s, perfectly juicy and the reason Alabama white sauce was invented. (That’s a barbecue sauce based in mayonnaise, rather than tomato sauce.) A dark-meat plate ($6.25) consists of a leg and thigh, bread, a pickle and two side dishes.

Make sure to order a deviled egg for one side dish. They’re the absolute best we’ve ever had: nice and mustard-tangy but still creamy and dense.

And don’t forget a slice of home-style pie ($2.75). Four or five kinds are on display daily, from Key lime to coconut to a lemon meringue that’s a good 4 inches tall. All are delicious.

Key lime pie is one of the handful of varieties
available at Miss Myra’s every day.

• • •

Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q

• 3278 Cahaba Heights Road, Vestavia Hills [map]
• (205) 967-6004
• Missmyrasbbq.com
• Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday

• • •

Also:

• Reviews of Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q from Boston Globe | Gastronomy | Marie, Let’s Eat | Wall Street Journal.
• Birmingham News: recipe for Miss Myra’s white sauce.

• • •

Jason Horn (@messyepicure) is a Birmingham writer, sometime culinary student and big fan of zombie movies who blogs at The Messy Epicure.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Stock your pantry with the right ingredients by
exploring the Asian markets across Birmingham.
Photo by Jen Barnett.

By Jen Barnett

The Birmingham grocery-scape has become increasingly dotted with Asian, Latin and other ethnic markets. Foreign by nature for many of us, they can seem especially intimidating if you’re accustomed to today’s massive chain supermarkets, where products are mostly familiar and layouts are homogeneously streamlined to move you from buggies to produce to meat.

Why would you need to visit an Asian market anyway? After all, Publix has rice noodles and coconut milk.

But it carries only one brand of coconut milk, one kind of rice noodle. It’s like buying groceries at the gas station.

Plus, the convenience-store selection also carries convenience-store prices. Shopping at the Asian market can save you 20 percent or more on ingredients such as sticky rice, seaweed wraps and fish sauce.

(One caveat to newbies: Some markets have a unique fishy smell you might not be used to. Tolerable, maybe, but not always conducive to browsing.)

Asian recipes are often quick and easy, especially if you have ingredients on hand. We visited several Asian grocery stores across town and compiled this list of favorite markets to get you started.

Asian Super Market

• 3065 Lorna Road, Ste. D, Hoover [map]
• (205) 822-0140
• Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday
• Note: Very friendly owner who will answer any questions.

Super Oriental Market

• 243 West Valley Ave., Homewood [map]
• (205) 945-9558
• Superorientalmarket.com
• Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday
• Note: Huge store with food plus gifts, cookware, appliances and the Red Pearl Restaurant.

Chai’s Oriental Food Store

• 2133 Seventh Ave. S., Southside [map]
• (205) 324-4873
• Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday
• Note: Nice people in a small shop next to Thai House, which is also recommended.

Asian Food Market

• 22 Green Springs Highway, Homewood [map]
• (205) 941-1009
• Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-7 p.m. Sunday
• Note: Small Korean restaurant next door with affordable prices and friendly owners.

• • •

Also:

• The Messy Epicure’s recipe for Sichuan-style braised eggplant.
• Okra Cola: “East meets South: The Korean-redneck dinner table.”

• • •

Jen Barnett is the managing editor of VisitSouth.com, a travel hub with tips on where to stay, what to do and where to eat in the South. Her favorite dish in Birmingham is her mom’s fresh veggie plate, but she didn’t bring enough for everyone, so she won’t mention it again.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Whether at the stadium or in your back yard,
bring a little Birmingham to your tailgate party.
Photo by Richelle Antipolo (CC).

By Sean Kelley

With college football season starting‚ it’s time to tailgate. Whether you’re headed to the Plains, tailgating in T-Town, cooking out in town or just gathering around the HD in your living room, serve a little Birmingham to your guests.

Meat: Nothing says class like steak at a tailgate party. But before you reach for the A1, consider dressing up your beef with Dale’s Seasoning, first bottled in Birmingham in 1946 and works on steak, hamburger and chicken.

Serving barbecue instead? Several Birmingham barbecue joints sell their sauces at the register or in supermarkets. Our favorite is Saw’s BBQ in Homewood, but you can also get sauce from Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in Bessemer and Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, among others.

Chips and dip: Nothing says football in the South like Golden Flake. Seriously, the snack food company has sponsored everyone from the Bear to Gene Chizik. Plus, its potato chips have been a Birmingham tradition since 1923. And while Auburn and Alabama may no longer play in Magic City, Golden Flake still does.

And what better to accompany your chip than a dip that’s all Birmingham? Pick up a tub of Party Dip from Barber’s Dairy from the grocery store.

Side dish: While you’re at the market, grab a head of cabbage and a bottle of John’s Famous Angel Hair Slaw and Salad Dressing, created by Birmingham restaurateur John Proferis. Just be sure to slice your cabbage thin.

Dessert: Put out a bowl of Bud’s Best Cookies, a Birmingham tradition for more than 40 years. Or serve a treat from one of Birmingham’s distinctive bakeries. Pick up a dozen cupcakes from Urban Standard downtown or a tailgating party tray from Savage’s Bakery in Homewood, themed for your team.

Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for kickoff, Birmingham-style.

• • •

Also:

• The Bell Center Tailgate Challenge on Saturday
• Kick’n Chick’n Birmingham Wing Fest on Oct. 9 for Magic Moments

• • •

Sean Kelley (@seankelley) is a Birmingham health writer and food lover as well as writer, editor and online content manager for Everwell.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

At Max’s Delicatessen at the Colonnade, the regular Reuben
comes with corned beef and Russian dressing.
Photo by Brad Daly.

By Glenny Brock and Brad Daly

Taking inspiration from the great delis of Detroit and New York, Max’s Delicatessen at the Colonnade features more than 40 sandwiches. But the standout on the menu is the Reuben ($8.99), which comes with a pickle slice and choice of cole slaw, fresh fruit or potato salad.

The sandwich, always on rye, includes a combination of corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. The difference is in the dressing: Some delis serve it with Thousand Island, others use Russian. Max’s is one of the latter, but with three variations. The regular Reuben comes with Russian dressing. The Russian Reuben features pastrami instead of corned beef.

And the Rachel is a smoked turkey sandwich dressed like a Reuben. (Max’s doesn’t offer the variation known as the Southern Reuben, one slathered in barbecue sauce.)

The massive sandwich has a range of piquant flavors: savory and mildly spicy meat, tart dressing and mellow rye. These tastes combine into something distinctive and delicious. Perhaps the only way the sandwich comes up short is by being too tall — unless you pull off some of the meat, it’s the kind of sandwich you have to eat with a knife and fork.

While the menu has a few vegetarian options, most of the setups are meant for meat-lovers. The three dozen non-Reuben sandwiches fall under the combination sandwiches, classic sandwiches or open faces. Other fare includes soups, salads, hamburgers and hot dogs.

• • •

Max’s Delicatessen

• The Colonnade, U.S. 280 and I-459 [map]
• (205) 968-7600
• Maxsdelionline.com
• Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. seven days a week

• • •

Also:

• Bhamdining.com mini-review of Max’s Delicatessen
• Birmingham News feature on Max’s Delicatessen

Video: In the kitchen at Max’s Delicatessen.

• • •

Writer Glenny Brock (@glennybrock) and photographer Brad Daly (@bwdaly) launched the Birmingham food blog Stay Hungry (@stayhungrybham) in June. He cooks, she writes, and they both eat, thoughtfully.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

The moussaka at Nabeel’s Café in Homewood
is comforting and authentic. Photos by Celeste Ward.

By Celeste Ward

Nabeel’s Café constantly bustles with happy patrons for a reason: The food is authentic, fresh and lip-smackingly delicious.

Upon stepping through the doors of the Homewood restaurant, you’re transported to a cozy cafe reminiscent of those in Europe. The atmosphere is casual, intimate and charming; the staff, equally wonderful. Even the private booths make the experience more enjoyable.

You’re sure to find something to suit your fancy on the extensive menu of Greek and Mediterranean fare. We were certainly smitten from the start.

The bruschetta was one of the highlights of our evening.

The Greek salad with grilled chicken tastes fresh and scrumptious.

For dinner, we started with the bruschetta ($7.95), without a doubt, the best we’ve ever had. Fried eggplant is the star of the dish, paired beautifully with the fresh basil, tomatoes, feta and roasted peppers from northern Greece. We also sipped on a refreshing glass of iced mint tea ($1.89).

The moussaka ($9.95) was fabulous! This eggplant-ground beef casserole tasted like a closely guarded family recipe. It comes with a small Greek salad on the side.

We also had an entree-size Greek salad topped with grilled chicken ($7.95), piled high with classic ingredients, including fresh pita wedges and the most amazing kalamata olives you’ll ever eat.

We ended with a little piece of heaven, the finest tiramisu ($4.95) around, pictured at left.

While there, don’t miss a visit to the adjoining market which has a plethora of the best international ingredients available.

• • •

Nabeel’s Café and Market

• 1706 Oxmoor Road, Homewood [map]
• (205) 879-9292
• Nabeels.com
• Hours: 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday (market open 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday).

• • •

Also:

• Southern Palate review of Nabeel’s Café.
• VisitSouth.com profile of Nabeel’s Café.
• Bhamdining.com mini-review of Nabeel’s Café.
• Birmingham Magazine profile of Nabeel’s Café.
• Birmingham News Q&A with Nabeel’s manager of special events, Maria Gambino.

• • •

Celeste Ward is a Birmingham blogger passionate about food and photography. Her food blog Sugar and Spice by Celeste, founded in 2007, has been featured on the Cooking Channel website and AL.com.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!