Movie review: ‘Dogtooth’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Jennifer West

Review at a glance: When parents keep children trapped at home for decades, we become sucked into the intriguing yet disturbing world of “Dogtooth.”

Older Daughter (Aggeliki Papoulia), left, and Younger Daughter
(Mary Tsoni) are ready to party in a scene from “Dogtooth.”

Imagine an upbringing where parents purposefully isolate their children from the outside world … for their entire lives. “Dogtooth” is a dark, twisted film that explores this concept, with creepy results.

The movie screens Sept. 25 at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

This Greek import (originally called “Kynodontas”) with English subtitles is funny and incredibly interesting, despite the nervous, uneasy tension permeating it. A brother and and his two sisters, left nameless in the movie, reach their late 20s, having never left their parents’ seemingly idyllic home. The couple built a wall around the entire property to protect their children from the evils of the outside world.

Director Giorgos Lanthimos layers his work with subtext about the suppression of free will, but the most engaging part was how these adult children deal with their sexuality. No brother-sister boundaries exist, just basic human needs that must be met.

The universe created by these siblings is disturbing on many levels, but you will not want to look away. This is a reality where airplanes fall from the sky and cats are the enemy, a home where the absurd is borne out of boredom.

“Dogtooth” leaves so many questions unanswered. Why are the parents doing this? Were there really other children? Do any of them escape? But like the best mysteries, sometimes it’s better left to the imagination.

Jennifer West (@thejenwestquest) won the Sidewalk Audience Choice award for her romantic comedy “Piece of Cake” in 2006, which she wrote and directed. She will manage the SideTalk panels at Sidewalk. And her blog, The Jen West Quest, has been featured in Health magazine.

“Dogtooth” will screen at 9:20 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Alabama Theatre.

Video: It’s time to dance, in a scene from “Dogtooth.”

Video: “Dogtooth” trailer

Video: Interview with Giorgos Lanthimos, director of “Dogtooth”

Also:

• Official site | IMDB | Facebook | Sidewalk page
• Reviews from the New York Times | Chicago Sun-Times | Slant Magazine | MTV | San Francisco Chronicle | Boston Globe

• • •

Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

Movie review: ‘An Ordinary Couple’

By Chance Shirley

Review at a glance: “An Ordinary Couple” builds a case for same-sex marriage in the guise of a documentary about a long-term relationship.

Bernardo Puccio, of Birmingham, left, and Orin Kennedy
star in the documentary, “An Ordinary Couple.”

Orin Kennedy and Birmingham native Bernardo Puccio made headlines when they attended their own “funeral.” The couple had started work on their memorial monument at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in 2003. After completing it in 2006, they couldn’t wait to unveil it to their friends and family.

Like many other Hollywood Forever clients, Kennedy and Puccio commissioned a short “Life Story Documentary,” to be put together for screening at their … well, let’s just call it a memorial service. Jay Gianukos, a filmmaker on the Hollywood Forever staff, became so interested in the pair while shooting that “Life Story” that he convinced them to be the subjects of a feature-length documentary.

“An Ordinary Couple” screens Sept. 26 at Birmingham Shout.

That documentary takes a while to get going. And the title is appropriate, as Kennedy and Puccio don’t seem like obvious documentary subjects.

Each moved to Hollywood as a young man, and each found success but not in a wild “rags-to-riches-this-should-be-a-movie” way. Puccio works in interior design, Kennedy in television.

The two have been romantically involved for more than 30 years, a very good run but not completely unusual.

About halfway through the movie, Kennedy says the memorial service, a big hit with attendees, was a wonderful experience. Puccio adds that the service was probably the closest thing to a wedding he would ever get.

Cut to a news story from 2008 about the legalization of gay marriage in California, later nullified by Proposition 8. Only then did I realize that “An Ordinary Couple” is a movie about … the gay marriage debate.

I would call that a “soft sell.”

It’s a smart approach to the topic. After learning about these totally ordinary guys for 40 minutes, the gay marriage debate seems awfully silly. Of course these men should have the right to get married — it’s not like they’re rushing into anything, what with their 30-plus years of “courting.”

I’m concerned that “An Ordinary Couple” is a case of preaching to the choir by having its Birmingham premiere at Shout.

Don’t get me wrong: The movie is well shot and edited, and Kennedy and Puccio seem like smart, friendly fellows. But a gay-friendly crowd isn’t going to learn much from this movie, with a bit of discussion about gay rights issues from the 1960s and ’70s and the AIDS epidemic of the ’80s, but mostly just everyday couple stuff.

Perhaps opponents of same-sex marriage would find it more enlightening, even if on the surface it appears to be about these wacky dudes who attend their own funeral, a real-life “Get Low.”

The reasoned tone and charming subjects of “An Ordinary Couple” could quietly change some minds, even in a time where debate over social issues degenerates into shrill shouting matches.

Chance Shirley, co-founder of Birmingham-based Crewless Productions, will participate as a panelist at the “Changing Forms of Distribution” Sidetalk at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. He served as producer and writer on “Monster Hunt with James and Kevin,” premiering at Sidewalk on Sept. 25.

His sci-fi horror/comedy film, “Interplanetary,” should finally arrive on DVD in early 2011 from Camp Motion Pictures.

“An Ordinary Couple” will screen at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Hill Arts Center.

Video: Orin Kennedy and Bernardo Puccio disucss their monument
with a reporter in a scene from “An Ordinary Couple.”

Video: “An Ordinary Couple” trailer

Also:

• Official site | IMDB | Facebook | Shout page
• Reviews from WeHoNews | Greg in Hollywood

• • •

Action! Complete Shout festival coverage.

Birmingham-based promoter and musician Brian Scott Teasley wrote a two-part essay about the city’s music scene. It is reprinted in full below with permission.

• • •

By Brian Scott Teasley

People often view Birmingham’s music scene as though the city were an island. They think about what supporters can do to make Birmingham have a better music scene in and of itself. The problem is that narrow focus, because the only real way to make a great music scene is for people with bands, labels and media to get recognition on a national or international level.

That recognition can be anything really, as long as it’s significant on some scale: respect from other bands, record sales, critical acclaim or something else. But it can’t simply have any sort of the stereotypical weight of how most people view or consume music, if it exists solely in the microcosm of Birmingham’s music scene.

Athens, Ga., still resonates from the success of R.E.M. and the B-52s, with people continuing to move there to play music. You probably know that the B-52s quickly moved to New York after having its very first dash of success, or that R.E.M. in its present state may have rendered itself as the most obsolete band on the planet. But because of that recognition garnered by those bands, Athens has maintained an often-impressive music scene for 30 years.

I truly love and care about many local bands, far beyond what my personal taste dictates. More than anything, I love Birmingham musicians. They are very talented, astoundingly unrecognized and underappreciated.

Yet, if you are an artist, and you truly want to make the music scene happen here, I have some unsolicited advice: Get in a van for 2 years straight and play everywhere you can to anyone who will listen. Make quality music, and be clinically blind to the odds of having any sort of success in music. Don’t let anyone tell you shouldn’t do it.

Sleep on floors, and eat peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches on the $6 you were paid at a dive bar in Kalamazoo the night before. I’m absolutely not joking to any degree.

If what you’re doing is good in any of an infinite amount of ways and you work as hard as possible, you will get somewhere. That somewhere may not be what you expect, but you’ll gain fans, and your band will get something out of it.

Nothing will happen for your band if over 20 percent of your shows are in Birmingham. What we need you to do is go out of town like fucking pirates and bring back the gold to share with the rest of us. Once you’re on a good label or land some decent tours, you can take your friends’ bands on tour with you, the groups back home having a tough time getting started.

It may sound like some stupid “pay it forward” crap, but that’s how it works. That’s absolutely how it works.

‘If you want to improve the
Birmingham music scene as an artist,
get the hell out of here and go for it.’

A local band who can draw 500 people in Birmingham, but can’t draw 20 people anywhere out of Alabama, is just not going to have any real impact anywhere. And that 500-person draw in Birmingham will eventually dwindle after playing the same set 20 times a year within Jefferson County.

You might say, “Well, I’ve got a husband or a wife and two kids and a dog and two cats and a mortgage and can’t be in a van for 2 years.” You’re probably not going to make it in a rock band, and you need to deal with that. Just enjoy making great music with your friends to the fullest.

I see so many 30-and-up musicians with pipe dream aspirations who need to accept that they won’t make a lot of money or be profoundly recognized and appreciated. Your chances of breaking into the music industry if you’re over age 30, and without prior notoriety, is astronomically low.

Revolution is not an old person’s game. As scary as it is, the greater world — including the fate of the Birmingham music scene — is in the hands of teenagers and twentysomethings.

So if you want to improve the scene in Birmingham and have no huge commitments, get the hell out of here and go for it. We’ll welcome you back with open arms and hearts, even if you fail. But if you have been at it for a while and can’t tour or invest an infinite amount of time into getting your thing going, you can still help.

Instead of buying a $3,000 vintage guitar, you could …

• Invest in local bands.
• Help put out their records.
• Open a good record store.
• Start a respectable music paper.
• Build a home studio, and use your knowledge and equipment to record a young band for free.
• Buy a van, and let young bands use it for out-of-town gigs.
• Give some good advice, possibly even from lessons you’ve learned from making your own mistakes.

Stay open to the concept of standing on other people’s shoulders. Maybe you could even come out to a few shows to hear good local bands. Many of you already do some and all of these things, and for those who have rocked, I salute you. We can work together to make the Birmingham music scene into a national scene. Pay it forward, bitches!

Brian Scott Teasley, who has played in more than 10 bands, most notably Man or Astro-Man? and the Polyphonic Spree, is a music promoter for Birmingham’s Bottletree Cafe and will even admit to working off and on in music journalism. He has played more than 2,600 shows in 36 countries.

• • •

Part 1: Why we need festivals

Can Birmingham’s music scene grow? If so, how? Fire off a comment below.

Also:

• “What’s wrong with Birmingham’s music scene?” by musician Donnie Garvich

Photo credits: mugshot by Wes Frazer; concert by Curtis Palmer, CC 2.0.

Movie review: ‘American Jihadist’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Kenn McCracken

Review at a glance: “American Jihadist” is the must-see documentary at Sidewalk, an objective look at American-born Muslim Isa Abdullah Ali.

Isa Abdullah Ali is the subject of the
documentary, “American Jihadist.”

What drives a person to kill? In the case of jihadists, the answer seems fairly straightforward: religious fervor. As the movie “American Jihadist” shows, though, the answer is rarely that simple or black-and-white.

The documentary screens Sept. 25 at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

“American Jihadist” is a traditional documentary on some levels, made fascinating by a very unique subject: American-born Muslim Isa Abdullah Ali, born Clevin Raphael Holt. Director Mark Claywell does a phenomenal job of exploring Ali’s story through archival and current footage and extensive interviews with him, his family and religious and government experts and officials.

The result is a penetrating and compelling look into the mind and the heart of a man who has fought for his native country, as well as causes on the other side of the world.

One of the best examples of a feature-length documentary, “American Jihadist” exhibits expert shooting and production, with a strong and fluid narrative thread. Most importantly, though, it presents evidence to answer questions raised, but allows audience members to decide for themselves without an predetermined agenda. A well-produced, truly objective documentary about such an intriguing subject is a welcome addition.

Though the film contains descriptions and depictions of graphic violence, they never feel gratuitous. Instead, the story explores and emphasizes the world that shaped Ali.

I would recommend “American Jihadist” as a must-see among the docs at Sidewalk, particularly in this day and age.

Kenn McCracken (@insomniactive) is a director and an award-winning screenwriter (2005 Sidewalk Sidewrite grand prize, “Muckfuppet”). His song “Theme for an Imaginary Revenge” was used in the music video of the same title, screening at Sidewalk on Sept. 25.

He’s also a writer (Birmingham Weekly, Spin.com, mental_floss), a bassist for the Exhibit(s), an eight-time cat juggling champion for Malta and an ongoing experiment in sleep deprivation. He occasionally steals your best ideas to claim at his blog, Dairy of a Madman.

“American Jihadist” will screen at 2:45 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Alabama Theatre Studio Loft.

Video: Isa Abdullah Ali gives a glimpse into his soul,
in a scene from “American Jihadist.”

Video: Director Mark Claywell talks about
the message of “American Jihadist.”

Video: “American Jihadist” trailer

Also:

• Official site | IMDB | Facebook | Twitter @AmericanJihad | Sidewalk page
• Reviews from Variety | Tracking Shots | Box Office Magazine

• • •

Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

Birmingham-based promoter and musician Brian Scott Teasley wrote a two-part essay about the city’s music scene. It is reprinted in full below with permission.

• • •

By Brian Scott Teasley

I just read the Birmingham Weekly piece by Jon Poor about the Birmingham News piece by Mary Colurso about the Birmingham Arts and Music festival. This is my piece about the Birmingham Weekly piece by Jon Poor about the Birmingham News piece by Mary Colurso about the BAAM festival.

For three days in August, the first BAAM festival featured bands in a dozen venues across the city.

I just read the original article by Colurso, and it’s actually pretty mild and diplomatic. I think Mary is a nice, very well-meaning person who has to cover horrendous, breakfast-regurgitatingly bad records and concerts due to the conservative nature of the newspaper, and I empathize with her position to some small degree. I’m not necessarily giving her a pass, but as dumb as it is to say, it is what it is.

As far as Poor’s response column, though, I think Colurso was a real easy target, and the bravado was a little unnecessary. He’s probably a super-great guy who really believes in the Birmingham scene, so please don’t view this as a personal attack on him.

And I really don’t care about people criticizing other people within what goes down in Birmingham (it’s predominantly a healthy thing). But taking the side of the “local music scene” for people who are in bands who feel they should be covered in the Birmingham News, and don’t understand the editorial process she deals with, is misplaced criticism.

The vitriol isn’t about Colurso’s article that only ever so slightly pans the festival, because most of the responses I’ve read have been about how she doesn’t support the scene and not how BAAM really “brought it” when compared to other festivals, even embryonic ones.

I am so proud of BAAM’s efforts, because festival organizers displayed a level of care and love that I rarely see. Everyone I dealt with was incredibly cool and helpful, and I am so happy it was a success on many levels. If the festival was measured on heart, effort and a general desire to make something positive happen in Birmingham, then indeed it was a top-shelf showing. A-pluses and gold stars all around.

That said, the idea of any other similar-size city doing a festival of predominantly local and regional bands who already play locally often — I’m talking about double-digit often — is indeed somewhat amusing. And I don’t totally mean that negatively; it just seems like an odd concept to me.

It definitely got some over-the-mountain residents out to support music for a night or two. I guess bands won over some new fans in Birmingham that way, though I wonder if those people will really see Through the Sparks, or any other great local bands from BAAM, on a Tuesday night at a small club downtown outside of a special circumstance like the festival.

Maybe I’m wrong. I often am.

‘Birmingham may need a festival that
combines vital national acts with
a showcase for our best locals.’

City Stages finally did blow itself into oblivion in 2009, and it absolutely had been a tragic farce for many years, but all the comparisons of BAAM to City Stages is baffling to me. I’m starting to believe that Birmingham may actually really need a festival that combines vital, pertinent national acts with a showcase of our best locals.

A new festival should to be far more streamlined than what City Stages had become during its 20-year history, but it still would be a great thing for Birmingham for a myriad of reasons. This recent revelation of mine counters my previous opinions that Birmingham is best served without the headache of a festival.

BAAM is an absolutely excellent new idea, but it’s not going to be a national force on the festival circuit if it does not evolve into something almost entirely different than this year’s version. I think Colurso was trying to express that, and it just didn’t get stated very well in the space allocated to the article.

(One thing stated in Poor’s column is that only six bands are mentioned when more than 100 played. However, it fails itself to mention that Colurso had a 300-word piece to cover everything and to mention a large number of the bands would have taken up a third or more of her column.)

Maybe it doesn’t matter that BAAM isn’t, and won’t be, the next Coachella. Maybe we need a fun, rewarding local music festival in the vein of Artwalk for local visual. Maybe we do just need a simple antidote to City Stages, and not an actual cure.

As much as an all-around triumph as the festival was, I think it somewhat irrelevant, as stated by Poor, that BAAM was “in the black,” which obviously contrasts with City Stages. While it’s great that anyone can balance a checkbook for any sort of festival, BAAM didn’t have to pay $40,000 to the Flaming Lips.

(To compare the two festivals is so lucidly erroneous that it pains me to see other people do it, which basically means I’m in tremendous pain, as I do it here to address other people doing it. Damn you, Birmingham festival comparisons! No one wins in this crazy, serpentine game.)

You’re simply not going to have a Birmingham favorite like My Morning Jacket play for less than $35,000, and that’s definitely on the low side, in a festival situation. And where does that money come from? It’s not easy to keep a festival profitable, even with mid-scale national acts.

A festival with larger acts may lose money for years, or it may even need correctly allocated, honestly recorded subsidies. Heaven forbid a city government provide money for arts or even entertainment; that’d be like them red Commies in Europe!

Maybe a “locals only” festival is what we need right now, but BAAM has partially succeeded because it sidestepped a lot of the major logistical issues. To not call it out for having a limited scope, as Colurso sort of did, would be fawning at best and disingenuous at worst.

Brian Scott Teasley, who has played in more than 10 bands, most notably Man or Astro-Man? and the Polyphonic Spree, is a music promoter for Birmingham’s Bottletree Cafe and will even admit to working off and on in music journalism. He has played more than 2,600 shows in 36 countries.

• • •

Part 2: How to build the scene, for real

What kind of music festival does Birmingham need, if any? Sound off in the comments.

Photo credits: mugshot by Wes Frazer; club scene by Science_Jerk, CC 2.0.

Virginia College student selected as part of online contest

Kendal Brown of Northport is one of 14 contestants
competing this fall for the title of “America’s Next Top Model.”

Does Alabama have the look? We’ll see on Wednesday, as the 15th season of “America’s Next Top Model” begins.

Fourteen women will compete in the CW reality TV show, including Kendal Brown, 24, of Northport. A student at Virginia College in Birmingham, Brown graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School in 2004. (During taping, Brown was still 23.)

The winner, who will be crowned in late November, will receive a contract with IMG Models, a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics and appearances in Vogue Italia and Beauty in Vogue.

Brown and fellow contestant Jane Randall landed their spots in the competition thanks to a photo contest on Tyra.com, official website of “Top Model” host Tyra Banks. Brown’s winning photo is shown at right.

Brown’s contestant bio lists a few of her favorites:

• Height: 5-foot-11
• Occupation: unemployed
• Favorite designer: Versace
• Favorite shoe: a comfortable one
• Must-have photo shoot accessory: my man
• Would never wear: animal print
• If trapped on an island, would bring: cell phone

Brown isn’t the first Alabamian to compete on “America’s Next Top Model.” In 2007, Samantha Francis of Pinson and Dionne Walters of Montgomery fought it out in season 8.

Video: “People think that no models are from Alabama,
and I’m here to prove that there are a a lot of them.”

Also:

• Kendal Brown’s Facebook profile.
• Meet the 14 contestants.
• Need more “America’s Next Top Model”?
  • The official DVDs, book and video game. [aff. link]
  • Purchase episodes from all seasons on iTunes. [aff. link]

Brown visits the CW21 station in Birmingham.

• • •

Do you have what it takes … to recap the show for us?
Contact us to apply to be our official recapper.

• • •

“America’s Next Top Model” will air at 7 p.m. Wednesdays on CW21.

• • •

On the runway: more on “America’s Next Top Model.”

With the 2010 college football season under way as of Thursday night, it’s time to focus on the home teams. (Although UAB started with a home opener loss Thursday to Florida Atlantic, 32-31.)

Check out the full schedules for Alabama’s Division I-A teams …

[Note: Bold – home game; * – conference game]

Alabama
[detailed schedule]

• Saturday: San Jose State
  
• Sept. 11: Penn State
• Sept. 18: Duke
• Sept. 25: Arkansas*
• Oct. 2: Florida*
• Oct. 9: South Carolina*
• Oct. 16: Mississippi*
• Oct. 23: Tennessee*
• Nov. 6: LSU*
• Nov. 13: Mississippi State*
• Nov. 18: Georgia State
• Nov. 26: Auburn*

Auburn
[detailed schedule]

• Saturday: Arkansas State
• Sept. 9: Mississippi State*
• Sept. 18: Clemson
• Sept. 25: South Carolina*
• Oct. 2: Louisiana-Monroe
• Oct. 9: Kentucky*
• Oct. 16: Arkansas*
• Oct. 23: LSU*
• Oct. 30: Mississippi*
• Nov. 6: Chattanooga
• Nov. 13: Georgia*
• Nov. 26: Alabama*

Troy
[detailed schedule]

• Saturday: Bowling Green
  
• Sept. 11: Oklahoma State
• Sept. 18: UAB
• Sept. 25: Arkansas State*
• Oct. 5: Middle Tennessee State*
• Oct. 16: Louisiana–Lafayette*
• Oct. 30: Louisiana–Monroe*
• Nov. 6: North Texas*
• Nov. 13: Florida International*
• Nov. 20: South Carolina
• Nov. 27: Western Kentucky*
• Dec. 4: Florida Atlantic*

UAB
[detailed schedule]

• Thursday: Florida Atlantic
• Sept. 11: SMU*
• Sept. 18: Troy
• Sept. 25: Tennessee
• Oct. 6: UCF*
• Oct. 16: UTEP*
• Oct. 23: Mississippi State
• Oct. 30: Southern Miss*
• Nov. 6: Marshall*
• Nov. 11: East Carolina*
• Nov. 20: Memphis*
• Nov. 27: Rice*

Also:

• Tailgating, the Magic City way

Photo: justjennifer, Creative Commons 2.0

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!

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com

Actor Adrian Grenier is returning for another opening night in Birmingham.

Sort of.

The “Entourage” star directed the documentary “Teenage Paparazzo,” which opens the 2010 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival on Sept. 24. Grenier also stars in the movie. He was also in the 2008 Sidewalk opening night film, “Adventures of Power.”

“Teenage Paparazzo” features 13-year-old photographer Austin Visschedyk and Grenier as they develop a relationship based on fame, celebrity and mutual exploitation. Grenier turns the tables on his pursuer by filming Austin and his budding career as a paparazzo.

Also added to the lineup:

• Closing night film “Brotherhood,” with Jon Foster and Trevor Morgan.
• “The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan,” by director and producer Henry Corra.
• “Dogtooth” from director, producer and writer Giorgos Lanthimos,
• “Black, White and Blues,” starring Michael Clarke Duncan, Luke Perry, Taryn Manning and Alabama’s Morgan Simpson, and directed by Mario Van Peebles.

• • •

‘Teenage Paparazzo’

• Starring Alec Baldwin, Lewis Black, Noam Chomsky, Matt Damon, Whoopi Goldberg, Jake Halpem, Paris Hilton, Perez Hilton, Martin Landau, Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria Parker, Mario Lopez, Rosie O’Donnell, Michelle Rodriguez and Jaleel White.
• Directed by Adrian Grenier.
• Official site | IMDB | Facebook | Sidewalk page
• 8 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Alabama Theatre.
• Scheduled to attend: co-producer Evan Ferrante.

• • •

The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival takes place Sept. 24-26 in downtown Birmingham. Tickets: three-day pass, $50, $40 for members and students; one-day pass, $20, $15 for members and students.

• • •

The lineup is set, but which movies will you see? Let us know in the comments.

Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

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!