There’s yet another chance to indulge in some of Alabama’s best food coming up this Saturday.

The inaugural Front Porch Fest, held at Back Forty Beer Co.‘s new brewery in Gadsden, will feature bites from chefs including Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse in Alexander City, Wesley True of True in Mobile, Leo Maurelli of the Auburn Hotel & Conference Center. Goat cheese maker Tasia Malakasis of Belle Chevre and local pickle maker Wickles will also be on hand.

The menu features a roasted whole hog, boiled crawfish with local sausage and veggies, and a taco bar. Back Forty will of course be pouring its own beers, including a few special brews tapped just for the occasion.

After the festival, an after-party offers a performance from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.

The event benefits The Front Porch Revival, a recently created non-profit organization dedicated to highlighting and supporting Alabama’s artisan foodmakers, craftspeople, artists, and writers.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and include food, beer, and admission to the Jason Isbell concert. Tickets to just the concert will also be available on the day of the event, for $12. Back Forty Beer Co. is located at 200 N. 6th St. in Gadsden [map].

Image:  Swine & Wine benefits Tuscaloosa’s Druid City Garden Project.

Little Savannah’s annual fundraiser dinner Swine & Wine returns March 25 with an amazing lineup of chefs, food, wine, and beer.

This year’s edition, the fourth, will benefit Tuscaloosa’s Druid City Garden Project, an organization that creates community gardens in vacant lots and builds garden education programs in local schools.

In all, 17 chefs are set to participate in the meal, featuring three guests from out of town: Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon in New Orleans; Jay Caputo of Espuma and Porcini House in Rehoboth Beach, Del.; and Rick Gresh of David Burke’s Primehouse in Chicago. Local talent includes Cliff Holt of Little Savannah, Chris Newsome of Ollie Irene, Jeffrey Hansel of Veranda on Highland, Chad Schofield and Mac Russell of Shindigs Catering, and more.

The chefs will be roasting seven whole pigs, as well as preparing other dishes like grilled whole rockfish, baked beans, deviled eggs, and even goat cheese and bacon brownies.

In addition to the food, Avondale Brewing Co. will provide beer and Bouchaine Vineyards will provide wine. VIP tickets also include cocktails and samples of Casa Noble Tequila and Zaya Rum. Bluegrass band Lou Wamp and Swing Shift will perform, and a kids’ area will have face painting, drawing, and other activities.

The event begins at 5 PM and will be held at Old Car Heaven, 115 35th St. S.

Tickets are $45 in advance or $50 at the door and include food and samples of beer and wine. VIP admission, which also offers table service and cocktails, is $70 in advance or $75 at the door. Tickets for children aged 13 to 20 are $20 in advance or $25 at the door, and children under 12 are free.

“I feel deeply that it’s a human right to purchase, grow and consume healthy food,” Taylor Clark says. “To not have access is a serious injustice.”

A longtime healthy-food-access advocate, Clark has recently been hired as public markets coordinator for Main Street Birmingham’s Urban Food Project. The project “strives to utilize food as a catalyst for economic development and to create jobs,” Clark says. 

To that end, part of Clark’s job is to create ways for people in “food deserts”—areas without easy access to fresh produce from grocery stores and farmers’ markets—to get affordable, healthy, regionally grown food. That includes setting up new farmers’ markets in underserved communities. A pilot market at Lawson State University was highly successful last summer, Clark says, and it, along with another market in Ensely, will begin meeting this year in early May.

But farmers’ markets aren’t the only way to accomplish that goal. “Not every solution is going to look the same in every community,” Clark says. “What I’m trying to develop here is systemic change.” She’s working in neighborhoods including West End, Ensley, Norwood, and Collegeville, as well as with Alabama farmers, to come up with innovative ways to get fresh produce into communities.

One of those projects is the corner store initiative, a program to start selling locally grown produce in neighborhood shops that tend not to carry many fruits and vegetables. Last year, City Meats & Vegetables in Woodlawn began offering produce from A&P Farms, which was located in Gallant, Ala., but which shut down at the end of the summer.

Another of the Urban Food Project’s goals is to make Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds easier to use at farmers’ markets. (SNAP is a federal subsidy that provides money for food to needy families.) Clark says that about 58,000 households in Jefferson County participate in the program, but that it is difficult for individual farmers to accept payments through it. She says Main Street Birmingham will “try to alleviate that burden” by working with farmers and markets to administer SNAP benefits and ensure that they are accepted at all farmers’ markets in the county.

Selling more local produce can have a significant economic impact. According to a study commissioned by the Food Bank of North Alabama last year, consumers in North Alabama spend $2.4 billion of food each year, $2.2 billion of which goes to farmers and other producers outside the region. Statewide, if consumers were to buy 15 percent of their food from Alabama farmers, the study estimated it would generate nearly $1 billion in new income for state residents.

Clark has only been with the Urban Food Project for three weeks, but she loves her new job. “It’s challenging, but I’m surrounded by powerful food advocates that share Main Street’s vision and our community’s vision for Birmingham’s food system,” she says.

Photo: Thursday’s Taste of Homewood has a Fat Tuesday theme.

Mardi Gras will have passed, but you can relive it a little bit on Thursday night. This year’s edition of the annual Taste of Homewood festival will have a Fat Tuesday theme.

More than 30 restaurants, bakeries, beer and wine merchants, caterers, and more will be on hand to sample their wares. Participants include Homewood Gourmet, Nabeel’s, Urban Cookhouse, Demitri’s BBQ, Good People Brewing Company and many others. The Allen Barlow Group will provide musical entertainment.

Taste of Homewood will run from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, at Rosewood Hall in Homewood’s city hall at SoHo Square, 2850 19th St. S. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door and may be purchased online, at the Homewood Chamber of Commerce’s office at the Homewood Public Library (1721 Oxmoor Rd.), or at the Homewood branch of BB&T (1900 29th Ave. S).

Photo: Bottletree Cafe serves up a yummy Sunday brunch with or without meat.

For a city with lots of fantastic food options, Birmingham can be a surprisingly difficult place in which to find Sunday brunch. In the interest of making your weekend mornings more delicious, we’ve put together this list of some of our favorites.

Bottletree Cafe, 3719 3rd Ave. S, 205-533-6288, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
The city’s best music venue, which also happens to be among its best vegetarian restaurants, rolls out a special Sunday menu that features house-made sweet potato biscuits and lots more tasty creations. (Don’t worry, you can get real bacon if you want it.)

Chez Lulu, 1909 Cahaba Rd., English Village, 205-870-7011, open Sunday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.:
True to its French-cafe atmosphere, this charming spot offers an array of crepes on Sunday mornings, along with many of the delicious pastries made next door at Continental Bakery.

Cosmo’s Pizza, 2012 Magnolia Ave., 205-930-9971, open Sunday noon to 10 p.m.:
Recover from a long night out with the Five Point South pizza joint’s make-your-own Bloody Mary bar. The Sunday menu has five different variations on eggs Benedict.

Dyron’s Lowcountry, 121 Oak St., Crestline Village, 205-834-8257, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
One of the fanciest brunches in town, Dyron’s makes some extravagant dishes, including crab cakes Benedict and beef tenderloin hash. Just make sure you also order a plate of the indulgent biscuits with chocolate gravy.

MetroPrime Steakhouse, 1035 20th St. S, 205-623-5288, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
Five Points South’s newest restaurant is more than just a steakhouse. Sundays see it topping potato pancakes with house-smoked salmon, turning house-made pastrami into corned beef hash, and bacon-cheddar biscuits topped with house-made sausage. (Oh, the bacon is house-smoked, too.)

Over Easy, 358 Hollywood Blvd., Homewood, 205-639-1910, open Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
It may not offer a special menu on Sundays, but this bright, sunny joint makes a mean breakfast any day of the week. The hash baskets—fried shredded potato cups filled with egg, cheese, and meat—are everything you need at brunch rolled into one.

Pinches Tacos, 300 Hallman Hill E, Ste. 109, Homewood, 205-536-6511, Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.:
Mexico’s best breakfast creation is chilaquiles, tortillas topped with eggs and salsa. It’s also what you should order on Sunday at this tasty spot.

Trattoria Centrale, 207A 20th St. N, 205-202-5612, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
If you don’t arrive by exactly 11 on Sunday morning, you’re liable to find a line stretching out the door at the popular downtown pizzeria. Like it does for Friday-night dinner, the place eschews the normal pizzas for a constantly rotating list of incredible Italian-accented dishes. No matter what you order, it’ll be a winner.

Veranda on Highland, 2220 Highland Ave. S, 205-939-5551, Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.:
True to its New Orleans roots (chef Thomas Robey got his start at the legendary Commander’s Palace), this Creole spot throws a jazz brunch on Sundays, complete with live music. The dishes range from traditional shrimp and grits to a whimsical duck and waffle combo.

MCer’s: Where’s your favorite brunch spot?  Tell us in the comments. 

Update: SB294, or the gourmet bottle bill, is on the special order calendar for Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 5pm.  If you haven’t already contacted your State Senator, please do so. 

With the 2012 legislative session set to begin today, Alabama’s beer geeks are looking hopefully toward Montgomery.

Our state is the only one in the union that limits the size of beer bottles. Currently, beer cannot be sold in containers (other than kegs) larger than 16 oz.   Though many of their products are only available in larger bottles, beloved breweries Dogfish Head and New Belgium do package some beers in 12-oz. containers.  Others put out special releases and other rare suds in the larger packages. Birmingham’s own Good People Brewing Company makes a County Line series of small-batch brews in 22-oz. bottles that are only sold in Coosa County—the only county in Alabama without the restriction.

Though many of their products are only available in larger bottles, Dogfish Head and New Belgium do package some beers in 12-oz. containers.

But craft beer-advocacy group Free the Hops hopes to change all that. The organization is lobbying for the passage of a Gourmet Bottle Bill, which would eliminate the container-size restriction. The bill was considered during the 2011 legislative session, but it did not come up for a vote.

Free the Hops president Gabe Harris feels good about the bill’s chances this year. “Free the Hops has a lot of support for this bill from within the industry, not to mention how much Alabamian consumers want it,” he said. “At this time I do not know of any legislator who has publicly spoken out against this bill, though I am sure there will be some.”

Removing the bottle-size restriction is the last of three legislative priorities Free the Hops set at its founding in 2004. The first, increasing the limit on alcohol content, was achieved with the 2009 passage of the Gourmet Beer Bill. The second, removing restrictions on brewery operations, succeeded last year when the Brewery Modernization Act became law.

Like those previous laws, Harris says the Gourmet Bottle Bill “is good for Alabama businesses and Alabamians in general.” Since 2009, the number of operating breweries in the state has gone from zero to six—and two additional breweries are currently in the works.

What’s Harris most looking forward to buying here if the bill becomes law? The highly rated creations of San Diego’s Stone Brewing and Belgium’s Cantillon.

Local restaurants like Satterfield’s offer special Valentine’s Day menu options.

Whether you’ve been married for 30 years or Feb. 14 will be your first date, it’s time to make your restaurant reservations for Valentine’s Day. Here are some of your options:

Bottega: Three courses for $60/person ($85/person with wine pairings). Options include Parmesan soufflé, risotto with veal cheeks and artichokes, and blood orange-caramel panna cotta. 2240 Highland Ave. S, Southside. 205-939-1000.

Café Dupont: Three courses for $75/person. Options include tomato-crawfish bisque; butter-braised lobster with chorizo, fingerling potatoes, and salsa verde; and bananas Foster with praline ice cream. 113 20th St. N, Downtown. 205-322-1282.

Highlands Bar & Grill: Three courses for $75/person. Options include crab and avocado salad; grilled venison with parsnip puree, wild mushrooms, and black pepper; and hummingbird cake with passion fruit sorbet. 2011 11th Ave. S, Five Point South. 205-939-1400.

John’s City Diner: Specials include house-made butternut squash ravioli, sesame-crusted ahi tuna, and chocolate pot de creme. (Regular menu is also available.) 112 21st St. N, Downtown. 205-322-6014.

Little Savannah: Three courses for $65/person ($95/person with wine pairings). Options include coriander-crusted tuna carpaccio Nicoise salad; halibut and scallops with toasted farro salad with carrots, beets, and kale; and cornmeal-pineapple upside-down cake. 3811 Clairmont Ave., Forest Park. 205-591-1119.

MetroPrime Steak House: $99/couple includes choice of one appetizer, two soups or salads, two entrees (steak or fish plus a side), and one dessert. The special is available Feb.  10, 11, 13, and 14. (Regular menu also available.) 1035 20th St. S, Five Points South. 205-623-5288.

Satterfield’s: Three courses for $75/person. Options include ricotta gnocchi, braised lamb shank, and strawberry beignets. 3161 Cahaba Heights Rd., Cahaba Heights. 205-969-9690.

Veranda on Highland: Three courses for $65/person. Options include baked Appalachicola oysters, crabmeat-stuffed  Gulf flounder, and white chocolate bread pudding. 2220 Highland Ave. S, Southside. 205-939-5531.

Vino: Three courses.  Options include: warm salad of roasted beats, butternut squash and brussel sprouts over bibb lettuce tossed in a red wine vinaigrette reduction; veal osso bucco and hazelnut liquor spiked brownies and ice cream.  1930 Cahaba Rd., Mountain Brook.  205-870-8404.

You’re going to be snacking on some…less-healthy food during the big game next Sunday; you might as well accept that. But while you do, why not try to keep it local? 

Thankfully, Birmingham-based locavore website Freshfully wants to make that a little bit easier. It’s hosting a Super Bowl Pick-Up Party at Little Savannah featuring lots of snack options grown or made near the city.

From 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, customers can sample a range of party-friendly local products: Little Savannah’s own Spicy Peach Margarita Mix, goat cheese from Elkmont’s Belle Chevre, Birmingham-made Salsa Señorita salsas and The Pièce de Résistance cookies, sustainably farmed saltwater Greene Prairie Shrimp from Boligee, and a chili kit featuring grass-fed beef from Cedar Springs Farm in west Georgia.

A limited quantity of these items will be available for sale, but all can be pre-ordered at Freshfully.com.

Sample Margaritas will be made using Cuestión, a premium tequila brand based in Nashville and currently available only in Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama. Everyone who places a pre-order will be entered into a drawing to win a bottle at the party.

Little Savannah is located at 3811 Clairmont Ave. S [map] in Forest Park.

Local restaurants and regional brews will be featured at this year’s Tapped.

There’s more to pairing food and beer than cracking a Bud Light and opening a bag of chips before a football game. With the vast universe of craft brews comes a wide variety of flavors, each suited to a different type of dish.

And on January 27, you have a great opportunity to learn more at the second annual Tapped: A Food and Beer Pairing. The experts at Free the Hops will pair dishes from local restaurants—including J. Clyde, Ore, Frio en La Paz, Mafiaoza’s, Shindigs, Vino, Slice, and Maki Fresh—with local and regional craft brews. Cover band Livewire will provide musical entertainment as well.

Sponsored by Crestline Park beer and wine store Neighborhood Hops & Vine, the event benefits The Autism Society of Alabama. In addition to the food and drink, the event will auction off items including trips to beer festivals, hard-to-find brews, sudsy art, and more. Organizers say last year’s inaugural edition of Tapped raised more than $15,000.

Tapped will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at Ted’s Garage, 2309 5th Ave. S in Lakeview [map]. Tickets are $25 ($30 at the door) and include all food and beer.

Bringing together food, music, art, and charity, the annual Acoustic Soup fundraiser event is coming to WorkPlay on January 26.

We’re hoping the real winter weather kicks in before then: The evening will feature soups, breads, and appetizers from well more than a dozen restaurants, including Little Savannah, Dram Whiskey Bar, Max’s Deli, and the new Vino. A team of celebrity judges—local food writers Alison Lewis and Jan Walsh, and the blogger behind Food Scoop Birmingham—will choose their favorites from among the offerings. In addition, Birmingham band The Big Tasties will perform.

Now in its sixth year, the event serves as a fundraiser for VSA Alabama, an organization providing arts programs for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in the state. One-of-a-kind soup bowls hand-painted by VSA participants will be available to take home. Organizers say more than 300 people attended the 2011 edition, and they expect even more this year.

Tickets to Acoustic Soup are $35 or $60 for two, and may be purchased online. WorkPlay is located at 500 23rd St. S, Southside [map].

VSA participants will paint one-of-a kind soup bowls for the event.