VIE Magazine May 2021 by The Idea Boutique

RECIPES for REMEMBRANCE New Orleans Chef Honors HOLOCAUST VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS

CALLING ALL CITIZENS

SMALL BATCH SUCCESS

ALYS BEACH’S Stylish HOT SPOT

EXPANDS HIS CULINARY EMPIRE

D FO O D

CULINARY ISSUE G

OD PEOPL

STA

DAVE RAUSCHKOLB

May 2021

Restaurant Legend

THERE’S a NEW GIRL in TOWN

o n TO P o f t h e G W IN O

HOTEL EFFIE SANDESTIN

PAUL SUTTON BOURBON Makes ITS DEBUT

Photo by Brandan Babineaux

2022

SHOW HOM E As the winds gently whisper through the sea oats on the dunes . . . COMING SOON

SUN ABOVE. SAND BELOW. PEACE WITHIN.

A LY S B E A C H . C O M

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In this issue On the Cover

The view from the top is a masterpiece! Nature’s wonder, creative architecture, and an impeccable Gulf-front dining experience combine at Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant in Seaside, Florida. Proprietor Dave Rauschkolb and his team have created a one-of-akind hub for great food and atmosphere in a beautiful setting with the flagship restaurant and its neighboring Pizza Bar and Taco Bar in this innovative New Urbanism community. Rauschkolb’s commitment to the community shows in his dedication to his patrons as well as leadership in nonprofit organizations, including Hands Across the Sand and Florida Beaches for All. Help us celebrate Bud & Alley’s thirty-fifth anniversary and Seaside’s fortieth in our feature story on page 22! Photo by Romona Robbins

“A CELEBRATION OF COCKTAILS AND MIXOLOGY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS,” THE GREEN BAR AT HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL IN THE HEART OF LONDON IS CALLING YOUR NAME. DON’T MISS THE BAR’S PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORING CLOUDY BAY ON GLASSHOUSE STREET FOR THE SEASONAL OUTDOOR TERRACE THIS SPRING AND SUMMER!

Photo courtesy of The Set Collection

FEATURE

85 Petite pause: Hey, Beach Cowboy

22 Restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb Has a

86 Discover the Spice of Life in Zanzibar

Bird’s-Eye View of Paradise

92 Heritage by Design: Embrace the Soul

BON APPÉTIT! 21 30 Recipes for Remembrance: Chef Honors Holocaust Victims and Survivors

PUBLISHED BY

LA VITALITÉ 103

38 Let’s Do Lunch! Fine Dining on the Fly

104 A Farm-to-Table Lifestyle: The Rebirth

in Panama City Beach

of the Agrihood

42 The Dynamic Duo of Birmingham’s

109 L’intermission: Let’s Kick It!

Dining Scene

110 The Doctor’s Cure for Sugar Addiction

at The Citizen

VIE BOOK CLUB: THE READERS CORNER 117

56 A Bourbon Revival: Seven Generations

118 Food Between Friends: Friends: A New

50 Life Is an Adventure: Live and Dine Well

of Tradition in the Making

60 Sitting on a Dock on a Bay: A Speakeasy, a Pizza Joint, and a View

65 L’intermission: Tip-Top Taste! 66 Lovin’ from the Oven 72 The ABCs of a Pantry

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C’EST LA VIE CURATED COLLECTION 98

37 L’intermission: It’s a Smash!

48 Petite pause: Peel and Eat! Vie is a French word meaning “life” or “way of living.” VIE magazine sets itself apart as a high-gloss publication that focuses on human-interest stories with heart and soul. From Seattle to NYC with a concentration in the Southeast, VIE is known for its unique editorial approach—a broad spectrum of deep content with rich photography. The award-winning magazine was founded in 2008 by husband-and-wife team Lisa and Gerald Burwell, owners of the specialty publishing and branding house known as The Idea Boutique®. From the finest artistically bound books to paperless digital publication and distribution, The Idea Boutique provides comprehensive publishing services to authors and organizations. Its team of creative professionals delivers a complete publishing experience—all that’s needed is your vision.

of European Cities

VOYAGER 77 78 All in Good Taste at Hotel Effie: Ovide Is a Hit

Cookbook Debuts from Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous

121 L’intermission: Helen of Joy!

LA SCÈNE 122 THE LAST WORD: NOW WE’RE COOKING! 125 AU REVOIR! 129 V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 11

CREATIVE TEAM CEO / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com

FOUNDER / PUBLISHER GERALD BURWELL Gerald@VIEmagazine.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR JORDAN STAGGS Jordan@VIEmagazine.com

CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARGARET STEVENSON

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SALLIE W. BOYLES, KIM DANIELS, FELICIA FERGUSON, SARAH FREEMAN, ANTHEA GERRIE, SALLIE LEWIS, MYLES MELLOR, KELSEY OGLETREE, CAROLYN O’NEIL, TORI PHELPS, SUZANNE POLL AK, NICHOL AS S. RACHEOTES, L AURETTE RYAN, COLLEEN SACHS, ALON SHAYA, ALLISON SMITH, CHRISTINE TARPEY, JANET THOMAS, MEGAN WALDREP

ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY CREATIVE DIRECTOR TRACEY THOMAS Tracey@VIEmagazine.com

ART DIRECTOR HANNAH VERMILLION Hannah@VIEmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS MOLLIE BAKER OLIVIA WELLER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS STACY ALLEN, BRANDAN BABINEAUX, GURDAL BIBO, GARY BOGDON, HUNTER BURGTORF, ANDREW CEBULK A, CALEB CHANCEY, BEN CHRISTENSEN, KIM DANIELS, COLLEEN DUFFLEY, SARAH FREEMAN, JACK GARDNER, JEREMY HARWELL, EVA KOLENKO, LYNN NESMITH, CARLO PIERONI, ROMONA ROBBINS, L AURA TÖNDER, KEVIN WINTER, SAVANNAH YOUNG, ALISSA ARYN PHOTOGRAPHY, DEVOTE STUDIO, GETT Y IMAGES, SHUTTERSTOCK

ADVERTISING, SALES, AND MARKETING DIRECTOR OF BRAND AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AMANDA SALUCCI Amanda@VIEmagazine.com

SOCIAL MEDIA AND BRAND MANAGER ABIGAIL RYAN

BRAND AMBASSADORS LISA MARIE BURWELL Lisa@VIEmagazine.com MARTA RATA Marta@VIEmagazine.com

AD MANAGER ABIGAIL RYAN Abigail@VIEmagazine.com

INTERN EMME MARTIN

VIE is a registered trademark. All contents herein are Copyright © 2008–2021 Cornerstone Marketing and Advertising, Incorporated (Publisher). All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. VIE is a lifestyle magazine and is published twelve times annually on a monthly schedule. The opinions herein are not necessarily those of the Publisher. The Publisher and its advertisers will not be held responsible for any errors found in this publication. The Publisher is not liable for the accuracy of statements made by its advertisers. Ads that appear in this publication are not intended as offers where prohibited by state law. The Publisher is not responsible for photography or artwork submitted by freelance or outside contributors. The Publisher reserves the right to publish any letter addressed to the editor or the Publisher. VIE is a paid publication. Subscription rates: Printed magazine – One-year $29.95; Two-year $49.95. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.VIEmagazine.com.

12 | M AY 2 0 21

bevolo.com • (504) 522-9485 • 521 Conti • 318 Royal • French Quarter • New Orleans

Editor’s Note

The COLO R of LIFE

Blue Skies Ahead

IE’s annual Culinary Issue is one of the most popular with our readers, and each year we look forward to bringing you all the latest and greatest recipes, features on restaurants and restaurateurs, and gastronomic wonders to tempt your palates. We hope you will enjoy perusing its pages filled with rich photography of iconic places and delicious fare.

Clockwise from above: Dave Rauschkolb Romona Robbins gets the shot. Lisa Marie Burwell

In late March, on one of the prettiest days of the year, our creative team embarked on an adventure to one of the most famous landmark restaurants on the Gulf Coast, Bud & Alley’s in Seaside, Florida. Our mission was to photograph proprietor Dave Rauschkolb. We had scouted various places to take the photograph days before, seeking the best spot to showcase this culinary legend, but even the best-laid plans can—and often do—go awry. They can also turn out for the best!

Tracey Thomas

Few restaurants in the world have such a glorious view of the Gulf of Mexico as Bud & Alley’s. You can get lost there while staring into the mesmerizing water. Seeing that we would be remiss not to include that vista on our cover, Dave, with unmatched energy and an incredible appetite for life, suggested we take the photo on Bud & Alley’s rooftop. We all agreed this would be perfect—until we realized that there were no stairs to this particular area. Channeling Dave’s zest for adventure, photographer Romona Robbins, VIE creative director Tracey Thomas, and I did what we always do—stepped out of our comfort zone to get the best shot. This meant climbing an intimidating ladder, but when we reached the top, we felt like we had landed on yet another high point in the life and journey of publishing VIE. It was scary, but Dave coaxed us along like the pied piper and, once we were up top, it was breathtaking. Blue skies seemed like you could touch them, with brushstrokes of clouds perfectly positioned by the Creator Himself as it all faded into a brilliant orange sunset. Life doesn’t get much better. The debonair gentleman gracing our cover exudes charm, confidence, and immense tenacity. He is a culinary trailblazer and, with his nearly completed expansion at Bud &

Alley’s and its sister restaurants, he’s created a mecca of cuisine for all to enjoy. As the town of Seaside celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year, it is a time to pause and reflect on all that this community has given us. Dave is one of the leading influencers in Seaside alongside founders Robert and Daryl Davis. They stand strong as fearless visionaries, representing so much hope, and we marvel and thank them for creating something truly wonderful. Read all about it in our feature story, “Restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb Has a Bird’s-Eye View of Paradise” by Colleen Sachs, and catch Robert Davis on our VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul podcast! To Life!

—Lisa Marie CEO/Editor-in-Chief V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 15

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The Creatives We collaborate with talented photographers, writers, and other creatives on a regular basis, and we’re continually inspired by how they pour their hearts and souls into their crafts. Follow these creatives on social media and don’t forget to check out our account, @viemagazine.

COLLEEN SACHS

One of my go-to meals is sesame chicken teriyaki stir fry with vegetables. Instead of yellow rice for the base, I use riced cauliflower and opt for a lighter marinade. My all-time favorite seasonal salad includes farmer’s market cucumbers, Vidalia onions, and farm stand tomatoes. Dress it with feta, balsamic vinaigrette, olive oil, and fresh ribbons of basil! Hello, summer, is that you?

Writer, “Restaurateur Dave Rauschkolb Has a Bird’s-Eye View of Paradise” @colleensachs

IN THIS ISSUE, WE ASKED THE CREATIVES: ALL THINGS FOOD HAVE TAKEN CENTER STAGE NOW THAT MANY OF US ARE STAYING HOME MORE. ARE THERE ANY NEW DISHES YOU HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH?

I’ve spent the last year cooking my way through new cookbooks. The most recent is Amy Zitelman’s The Tahini Table. From garlicky tahini butter to dark chocolate tahini sauce, each recipe was a revelation and a delight. The recipe for Adeena Sussman’s Skillet Chicken is a blend of nutty tahini, sweet date syrup, and tart sumac and is visually gorgeous. Simple banana bread is elevated with the addition of tahini, white and black sesame seeds, and toasted sesame oil. Zitelman and her sisters Shelby and Jackie are the proprietors of SoomFoods.com, and you can also order their tahini for delivery.

THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE KITCHEN AS “THE HEART OF THE HOME” AND BREAKING BREAD WITH THOSE YOU LOVE.

MYRA BARGINEAR CEO/Cofounder, Paul Sutton Bourbon

SARAH FREEMAN Writer, “Discover the Spice of Life in Zanzibar”

@paul_sutton_bourbon

ALI PATTON

@setfreesarah Owner/Baker, Mama Mitchell’s Cakes

The kitchen is not my natural habitat, since most of the time I’m eating from other people’s kitchens as a travel writer! With my wings clipped (temporarily), I’ve enjoyed experimenting with flavors and recipes that transport me to some of my favorite corners of the planet, like Spain and Tanzania. One such dish is a simplified seafood paella—the one-pan wonder hailing from Valencia—that I cook with chorizo and prawns. The secret is letting the rice sizzle in the pan for crispiness. Another discovery has been a coconut fish curry, spiced with turmeric and ginger, brought back from my trip to Zanzibar. I usually steer clear of spicy food, but this dish is surprisingly mellow. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the lapping waves of the Indian Ocean.

@mamamcakes

Last March, like the rest of the world, I found myself at home more than I had been in the last decade. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama—now residing in Scottsdale, Arizona— I will forever be a Southern girl. Growing up, I always found myself in the kitchen with my mom or my grandmother, Mama Mitchell. There is something to be said about the kitchen as “the heart of the home” and breaking bread with those you love. Comfort foods always have a seat at my table, and I’m inspired to find ways to turn classic comfort staples into lighter, healthier versions.

Family meals let us catch up, and everyone gets involved! Roasted pork with rosemary is one of our favorites. I love to slow-cook pork in the oven, which gives a lot of flexibility—a wonderful thing with young children. I add a tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary (my children love picking it from the garden), salt, ground pepper, and olive oil. Sometimes I throw in mushrooms and onions (my favorite!) with a five- or six-pound boneless pork shoulder. Roast the pork uncovered for a wonderful caramelized, brown exterior while the inside becomes fall-apart tender. The low-temperature cook time can be stretched by an hour or two, so we can place it on the table when everyone is ready to eat. I serve it with roasted potatoes and sugar snap peas, and my husband and I enjoy this savory meal with Paul Sutton Bourbon, neat. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 17

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La conversation

Well, Hello There! WE LOVE TO COMMUNICATE AND INTERACT WITH OUR READERS! AND WE LOVE IT EVEN MORE WHEN THEY PROUDLY SHARE THEIR STORIES AND POSE WITH VIE FOR A CLOSE-UP! THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: SHARING, LOVING, AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. WE THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOU!

@viemagazine Thank you so much to everyone who came out to our very first book signing for HOME—Inspirations for Home and Life by VIE! We are so grateful to @thlbookstore in @rosemary_beachfl for hosting us and to our friends, old and new, who stopped by to grab their copies. Stay tuned for more news on future book signings along the Northwest Florida coast and beyond! Photo by @alwayshunterb

@Cindy McCarley Designs So thankful for this opportunity to collaborate with such an incredible team! The VIE Beach House kitchen features design and layout by Suzy Accola and Cindy McCarley, custom glazed-terracotta Mediterra tile backsplash and lighting by Q Tile, cabinetry matching the ocean-blue BlueStar twin refrigerators and range from Mobile Appliance, bar seating from Summer House Lifestyle, and more. @theideaboutique It’s time to shake off 2020! Dance the night away with us from home as @viemagazine hosts the global Très Chic Dance Party with @vimeo on Saturday, May 15, 2022, from 7–8 p.m. CDT for the annual presentation of the @dgalysbeach Awards Party with music by @bellathedj. Stay tuned for more information on how to stream live and experience this one-of-akind art festival!

@Food For Thought Outreach Thank you, VIE magazine and Q Tile + Design Studio, for not only sharing our mission but also donating a portion of the sale from the VIE Beach House to Food For Thought! This donation will provide at least 30,000 food items that will go to our backpack program in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Thank you for your goal of “neighbors helping neighbors!”

LET’S TALK!

@idmi_design Let’s get nauti! idMI’s creative director @todd514 hung out behind the scenes with @lisamburwell and the @viemagazine team for a stunning bridal shoot on the Never Rest superyacht. Many thanks to our client and yacht owner Quin, his captain Steve, and skipper Elizabeth for making this a perfect day on the water! Look for photos coming in VIE’s June Issue.

@jordanlstaggs @viemagazine team members spent a morning with @ypwaltoncounty volunteering at @westonwoodranch in Freeport, Florida! This incredible facility provides education, equine therapy, life skills, job training and placement, and much more to students in our area who are on the autism spectrum. WestonwoodRanch.org.

Send VIE your comments and photos on our social media channels or by emailing us at info@viemagazine.com. We’d love to hear your thoughts. They could end up in the next La conversation!

VIEmagazine.com

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 19

Bon appétit!

Bon appétit! THE ESSENCE OF LIFE

Learn more or book Christine and Elizabeth for your next event at BetterTogetherBeverage.com. Photo courtesy of Better Together Beverage

What’s better than sharing a fabulous cocktail (or mocktail) with great friends? Northwest Florida locals Christine Tarpey and Elizabeth Sinnott understand the sense of camaraderie and joy that a toast and a clink of glasses can bring to people. That’s why they founded Better Together Beverage, providing stylish bar setups, mixology lessons, beverage consulting for restaurants, and more throughout Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and beyond. They recently helped curate the incredible cocktail menu at The Citizen in Alys Beach and have been on many event and wedding planners’ radars as a must-have amenity for any successful gathering!

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 21

Feature

DAVE RESTAURATEUR

RAUSCHKOLB HAS A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF PARADISE

B Y C O L L EEN S A C H S

For Dave Rauschkolb, 2021 is a big year. Bud & Alley’s, his popular restaurant in Seaside, Florida, turns thirty-five, coinciding with the town’s fortieth anniversary. An expansion of the rooftop deck of Bud & Alley’s and other enhancements to the restaurant that have been in the works for years are coming to fruition. He and Chef Phil McDonald are opening a third installment of their immensely popular Black Bear Bread Co. in Seaside. And Rauschkolb is turning sixty.

Northwest Florida restaurateur, philanthropist, and community leader Dave Rauschkolb enjoys the view from atop his flagship restaurant, Bud & Alley’s in Seaside. Photo by Romona Robbins

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eflecting on the anniversary and the birthday, Rauschkolb continues to look to the future. He comments, “At sixty, I know there will be an end, but it is not in sight, and everything seems to be falling into place.” He speaks of the importance of the collaboration over the years with those who shaped Seaside, including cofounders Robert and Daryl Davis, Seaside Community Development Corporation general manager Pam Avera, and Erica Pierce at The Seaside Style. He also appreciates Bill and Heavenly Dawson for their mentorship. Rauschkolb says that this business is something you never do yourself, and “being able to count on having amazing people to collaborate with and people who trust me” is key. He continues, “Collaboration is what is going to take us into the future.”

“

AT SIXTY, I KNOW THERE WILL BE AN END, BUT IT IS NOT IN SIGHT, AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE FALLING INTO PLACE.

And that future is starting to be shaped by the next generation. “I see the Davises’ son, Micah, taking more leadership in the town; I am incredibly impressed with him, and he will take Seaside into the future with conviction and integrity.” He hopes that the future of Bud & Alley’s will include one or both of his own children. Rauschkolb says that opening the restaurant with his former business partner Scott Witcoski when he was just twenty-four years old meant that he didn’t know if he would ever get married and have children. He says, “When I was young, the restaurant was my family, and the staff were my kids.” But as with so much in his life, timing was key, and he says that the gift of marrying his wife, Carol, when he was fortyseven and having children later was a blessing. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 23

Left: A view of Bud & Alley’s and Seaside’s iconic Coleman Pavilion from the Gulf of Mexico Photo by Lynn Nesmith Below: Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar is another Seaside favorite, serving fresh tacos, burritos, margaritas, and more. Photo by Alissa Aryn Photography

auschkolb is now seeing children of staff members at Bud & Alley’s come to work there. For him, the story of Bud & Alley’s is all about the people. Each person who works at the restaurant—as well as its sister establishments, Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar and Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar—is an important part of his story and considered family. “Sometimes it is for a career and sometimes it is just for a season as a springboard to life,” Rauschkolb says of his employees. He has longstanding staff, some of whom have been there for twenty years, that he recognizes for their contribution to the success of Bud & Alley’s. He says, “They make it happen—year in and year out, decade in and decade out.” He attributes the tenure of the team to his unconventional management style, which emphasizes balance in their lives, noting that if staff members do not have balance, “It can translate to the rest of the staff and eventually the customer. I am not a bottom-line restaurateur. We create experiences, and if we make a living off of it, that’s even better.” Rauschkolb says that he is continually inspired to take on new projects. One such project is the stunning changes to Bud & Alley’s, which are nearing completion. From concept to current

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Below: Dave Rauschkolb and his former business partner, Scott Witcoski, outside the original Bud & Alley’s, which opened in Seaside in 1986 Photo courtesy of Bud & Alley’s

Feature

A Above: The crab cakes are a crowd favorite at Bud & Alley’s. Photo by Alissa Aryn Photography Left: A rendering of what the Seaside town plaza could look like in the future, as seen from the Gulf-front boardwalk with Bud & Alley’s on the left Image courtesy of Dhiru A. Thadani Top: Dave and Carol Rauschkolb, their daughters, and the Bud & Alley’s senior team celebrating the restaurant’s thirty-fifth anniversary this year on the Rooftop Deck Photo by Alissa Aryn Photography

“

THE DECK IS AN INCREDIBLE BOX SEAT OVERLOOKING SEASIDE. THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW CORRIDORS EXTEND FROM THE GULF TO SEASIDE’S CENTRAL SQUARE.

status, the project has taken six years. Rauschkolb first purchased the property, and then the project moved into the design phase with Dhiru A. Thadani of Thadani Architects + Urbanists at the helm. Thadani has Seaside at his heart as a Seaside Prize recipient, Seaside artist in residence, and author of two books on its architecture, philosophy, and design: Visions of Seaside and the newly released Reflections on Seaside. He takes the past of Seaside into account at all times during his design process, keeping its spirit alive while moving it toward the future. In the case of Bud & Alley’s, Thadani honored the original building, including the sharecropper cottage from Alabama that has been a part of the property from the beginning.

new pair of entrance plazas to the east and west lead to the restaurant. Rauschkolb describes the completed project as “absolutely phenomenal.” He notes that the design produces a gathering place with no visible back door. Guests can walk around the restaurant with 360-degree access, lending a welcoming feel whether they are on the deck overlooking the Gulf or sitting on a barstool facing Scenic Highway 30-A.

The highlight of the changes is the 850-square-foot rooftop deck expansion. Accessible via a new elevator in the three-story tower entrance, Rauschkolb says, “The deck is an incredible box seat overlooking Seaside.” The beautiful view corridors extend from the Gulf to Seaside’s Central Square. The Roof Deck is also where Bud & Alley’s daily sunset celebration takes place. The vintage bell that rings as part of this Seaside ritual will now have a proper home in the tower. And, per tradition, a complimentary cocktail and the honor of sounding the bell goes to the person who guesses the exact time the sun sets. Another important part of the team responsible for the changes is the contractor, Anderson Construction. Rauschkolb says that principal Garrett Anderson and his crew, “have done a beautiful job completing this consequential project.” He is happy that guests and the staff have been loyal throughout a year with ongoing construction and a pandemic. In meeting the challenges, Rauschkolb again goes back to the value of collaboration. He explains, “Our restaurant community is close, and we support each other.” And the construction has not kept diners away. Rauschkolb says that sales have skyrocketed throughout this time, and there is not an empty seat in sight. Even after all these years, he loves the time he spends at Bud & Alley’s. “I never get tired of going there. I love the sunset, and I see faces I’ve seen for decades.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 25

Feature

f course, Bud & Alley’s is not the only thing Rauschkolb has on his plate. His other restaurants at Seaside currently include the popular Pizza Bar and Taco Bar. With the changes to Bud & Alley’s nearly complete, Pizza Bar will move to the lower floor of Bud & Alley’s main restaurant. Rauschkolb says he loves where Taco Bar is located, with a prime street-front spot on 30-A, and hopes it will be there forever. Rauschkolb’s wife, Carol, who is a talented interior designer, collaborated with her husband on the looks for Pizza Bar and Taco Bar. Black Bear Bread Co., the daytime café and bakery owned by Rauschkolb and Phil McDonald, also has a big change on the way. The original location in Grayton Beach is still as busy as ever since it opened in 2017, serving naturally leavened bread, perfect pastries, and seasonally influenced breakfast and lunch. A second location at Grand Boulevard in Miramar Beach opened last year, and its third location will open in 2021 in Seaside at a trendy new boutique hotel called The Court. Black Bear Bar Room, adjacent to the Grayton Beach café, opened in 2019 with lounge seating, a robust selection of natural wines, cheese plates, and a carefully curated menu of small bites. Bar Room also offers live music a few nights a week along with dinner specials, and it has become a chic neighborhood hot spot. Black Bear was recently honored by Florida Trend magazine with a Golden Spoon Best New Restaurant Award. The award was marked by another collaboration, this time in the form of a dinner with Pensacola’s Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano, the only other winner of the award in the Panhandle. The celebration featured an elegant dinner at Angelena’s prepared by Chef McDonald and Chef James Briscione.

Above: A detailed rendering of Bud & Alley’s postrenovation, including the new three-story tower entrance, the expanded Rooftop Deck, and more Image courtesy of Dhiru A. Thadani Left: Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar is another Seaside staple, serving fresh wood-fired pizza, pasta, and other Italian favorites by the Gulf. Far left: Black Bear Bread Co. partners with Stumptown Coffee out of Portland, Oregon. Photos by Alissa Aryn Photography

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“

SOMETIMES DOORS SHUT, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES THE DOORS SHUT AT THE RIGHT TIME. Rauschkolb says that opening a Black Bear Bread Co. location in Seaside brings things full circle from his start in the then-budding town that would become monumental to the New Urbanism design world thirty-five years ago. The creative restaurateur, community leader, and avid surfer’s enthusiasm and optimism are contagious. “I don’t let negativity and negative thoughts flow through my brain for too long,” he notes. He says that throughout his life, there have been times that the planets aligned, and things fell into place. “Sometimes doors shut, and it is important to recognize that sometimes the doors shut at the right time.” When faced with business challenges early on, he learned the importance of having checks and balances and watching the numbers. When a new restaurant he opened in Panama City closed ninety days later, it wound up paving the way for the opening of Black Bear.

Above: Black Bear Bread Co. is Rauschkolb’s daytime café concept, founded alongside Chef Phil McDonald in 2018. It has locations in Grayton Beach and Grand Boulevard Town Center and will soon expand into Seaside at The Court boutique hotel. Photo by Jack Gardner Left: In addition to his culinary endeavors, Rauschkolb is also the founder of Hands Across the Sand, an international nonprofit dedicated to promoting a clean-energy future worldwide. It started right here in Seaside, Florida. Photo by Alissa Aryn Photography V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 27

Feature

Left: Photo courtesy of Seaside, Florida Below: Dave and Carol Rauschkolb with their daughters, Lauren and Carlin Photo by Alissa Aryn Photography Below left: A celebration at Bud & Alley’s out by the west herb garden “back in the day” Photo courtesy of Bud & Alley’s

e has no fear when it comes to his business. The same goes for his heart for activism. He says, “I have had my neck out there, for someone who is never going to be a politician.” Rauschkolb is well known as the founder of international grassroots clean-energy organization Hands Across the Sand/Land, which was started in 2010, and Florida Beaches for All, which advocates for ensuring Florida’s sandy beaches are open for public use.

He says, “I am so blessed and fortunate with everything that has happened over the last thirty-five years. I’m still surfing; all my joints still work. Having fun is the driving force in my life.”

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As for Bud & Alley’s, Rauschkolb says, “Our defining line of good food, good people, and good times has guided us since the beginning.” When asked what he wishes for the future, he says, “I want Bud & Alley’s to be the kind of restaurant that just endures and endures, for Seaside and the generations of people who love the place.” With thirty-five years and counting, that wish is coming true.

Visit BudandAlleys.com to learn more about this iconic establishment in Seaside, Florida. You can also check out Rauschkolb’s other restaurants at BlackBearBreadCo.com, BudandAlleysPizzaBar.com, and BudandAlleys.com/taco-bar.

Seaside, Florida

(850) 231-5829

CABANASEASIDE.COM

Bon appétit!

RECIPES FOR REMEMBRANCE CHEF HONORS HOLOCAUST VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS

By Anthea Ger rie

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It was a turkey, but not as we know it. The meat had been stripped off the bird, ground by hand, seasoned, spiced, and repacked onto the bone in a traditional turkey shape, giving no clue to the delicious alchemy hidden within. Some might find such exotic treatment of a hallowed holiday bird an unwelcome surprise, but not Steven Fenves (formerly Fenyves). He lifted it with trembling anticipation from the delivery box in which it had been dispatched from New Orleans by award-winning chef Alon Shaya. For what lay within was, Steven admits, nothing less than the taste of his childhood—a world he had left behind seventy-five years ago.

The interior of Saba, Chef Alon Shaya’s restaurant in New Orleans Above right: Semolina sticks, one of the recipes Chef Shaya resurrected from a cookbook written by Holocaust victim Klara Fenyves Photos courtesy of Alon Shaya

“It was an east European family favorite I never expected to eat again,” explains the Holocaust survivor whose mother, Klara, was the creator of the recipe. She died in Auschwitz in 1944. “It brought back memories of a rich, intense life full of celebrations I never expected to relive.” Such was the power of the family recipe book that Steven and his sister, Eszti, never imagined would have survived the war when they returned from the concentration camps to Subotica in the former Yugoslavia, a town from which they were so brutally deported in 1944. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 31

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“O

ur neighbors knew it was about to happen and lined up on the stairs to loot our possessions as soon as we left,” says the 89-year-old, a retired professor of computer science who now lives in Maryland. “But they didn’t reckon with Maris.”

Maris was the family cook who over the years had faithfully re-created Klara’s handwritten recipes, many inspired by her mother, aunt, and sister-in-law. The loyal servant had been let go three years earlier along with the governess, the maid, and the gardener. Still, when Hungarian occupying officers commandeered the Fenyves apartment and made the family crowd into one tiny corner, Maris was ready and waiting outside to help save whatever she could of their possessions. Police came to evict the family as part of a purge of the town’s six thousand Jews, leading them past neighbors who cursed and spat on them as they left. The looters waited to pounce on all that the family was forced to leave behind. Except one. “Maris competed with the crowd jostling to ransack our apartment, dived in, and saved the recipe book, a diary our mother kept of Eszti’s and my early development, and a cardboard binder into which she stuffed all our mother’s lithographs, etchings, and sketchbooks,” says Steven. He has Klara’s beautiful framed artwork as a backdrop behind him as we speak.

This page: Steven Fenves and his sister, Estera (top), survived the Holocaust after spending months in concentration camps. Their parents (bottom), Klara and Louis, did not survive. Klara was killed at AuschwitzBirkenau, and Louis was liberated from a work camp only to die a few months later. Photos from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Steven Fenves Opposite top: Chef Alon Shaya’s re-creation of the Fenyves family’s turkey recipe, one of Steven’s favorites Opposite bottom: Potato circles, another of Klara Fenyves’s recipes saved in her family cookbook and remade by Chef Shaya Photos courtesy of Alon Shaya

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The images, the recipes, and even a sofa—with a hand-stitched cover embroidered by Klara and her mother—all survived their creator, thanks to Maris. Klara was murdered soon after arriving at the death camp with her children. At only thirteen years old, Steven last saw her in the selection line through which all prisoners passed on arrival. He only survived because of his fluency in languages; he grew up speaking Serbian in school, Hungarian at home, and German with his governess. These skills made him valuable as an interpreter. Joining a resistance cell set up in the neighboring camp of Birkenau, he was even able to smuggle a bartered scarf and a sweater to his sister as she clung to survival. After surviving a death march to Buchenwald, Steven was liberated by the Americans and repatriated four months later to Subotica. There he reunited with Eszti and their father, Louis, who had spent the years since their separation in a coal mine. Broken in body and spirit, Louis died a few months after being reunited with his children. In a rare and unexpected moment of brightness during this bleak period, Maris came back into the orphans’ lives bearing tangible testaments to their mother’s creative spirit. “It was a wonderful surprise to see all the beautiful artwork again that we thought was gone

forever,” says Steven, whose lip trembles as he remembers the savior of this family treasure. But realizing there was nothing to keep them in Subotica after their father died, he and Eszti soon had to consign the precious folder back to Maris for safekeeping. They donated the sofa to the town museum and fled Yugoslavia for western Europe with only a small suitcase apiece. “Finally, in 1963, Maris obtained permission to send the folder to us in Chicago, where in 1950 we came to live with our maternal uncle,” says Steven. He studied civil engineering at the University of Illinois, where he later became a professor. “We put up the artwork but, although one of Eszti’s four daughters learned to make a couple of my mother’s dishes, it would be many years before I would get the

chance to taste any more from the collection of recipes that were in our past.” Eszti lent the recipe book to an exhibition at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, which holds artifacts from thousands of victims. When his sister died in 2012, Steven donated the book to the museum. It would be another seven years before any of the recipes would be brought to life by a chef who viewed them in the archives and was moved to action. “Having dedicated my life to storytelling through food, I felt it was so important to tell the stories of these dishes,” says Alon Shaya.

“The universal pastime was getting together in groups, talking about foods you had eaten, and making up stories of the meals you were going to order when you got out.” The chef—whose first New Orleans eatery, Shaya, was named Best New Restaurant in the 2016 James Beard Awards—already had a special place in his heart for the recipes Holocaust victims scribbled even as they were starving in concentration camps. He viewed the first at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, during a culinary tour of Israel. In the DC museum, he saw others that had been preserved for posterity by prisoner Ilona Kellner. “She smuggled scraps of paper from the office where she worked to other prisoners to preserve the food memories of these women,” says Alon, whose grandfather was a victim of Nazi persecution in Hungary. “They wanted to discuss the dishes they loved and write down how to make them even though they were starving.” Steven confirms the prisoners’ food obsession from his memories of Auschwitz. “I lived in a block where you stayed until you died of starvation, and the universal pastime was getting together in groups, talking about foods you had eaten, and making up stories of the meals you were going to order when you got out,” he says. Alon never expected he would get the chance to bring some of those victims’ recipes to life. “Most of their authors were long gone,” he says. “When I found the Fenyves family cookbook and learned Steven was still alive and volunteering at the museum, I realized he was a living link to the dishes, someone I could talk to directly about how they should taste.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 33

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nd so began a long correspondence that led to Steven’s selecting a dozen recipes from the slender, food-stained volume of more than 140—numerous appetizers, salads, cakes, and pastries and just a few cursory meat dishes. He translated them for Alon to cook, and the chef sent Steven the food for evaluation. It was nothing less than a labor of love for the chef and not an easy exercise, he confesses. “There were few measurements in the recipes and no description of techniques. It was more like ‘cut up some onions and fry them in a pan.’” Alon was helped by the shared heritage of Klara, who had studied in Budapest, and his own Bulgarian grandmother. “I had gotten to cook some of my grandmother’s recipes and thought back to how she prepared things as they did in eastern Europe.” Gradually, Alon started re-creating dishes that spoke to Steven more than any others of his happy childhood. In addition to the turkey, the semolina sticks were a

“Cooking this food with Steven’s feedback is one of the most important things I’ve ever done, and it helped me remember why I began cooking in the first place.” favorite side dish at the Fenyves table. The yeasted potato circles stuffed with ground beef were served to guests on special occasions, as were the walnut and poppy seed pastries and frosted cakes. One of those, richly flavored with walnuts, Alon presented in an online event staged by the museum. For this, a meat grinder was essential; both men recalled growing up in family kitchens where such an implement took pride of place. In the Fenyves household, it was used for hand grinding the copious local harvests of walnuts and hazelnuts as well as meat. Now the recipes are set to begin a new life as Alon starts showcasing them when his restaurants fully reopen. “I see putting on the potato circles as a sharing appetizer and re-creating the ground turkey as a kebab or an individual serving of Cornish hen,” he muses. “The semolina sticks would also make a great appetizer, and diners will love the walnut and poppy seed horseshoes.” Waitstaff will tell the story of the dishes, which Steven hopes to be among the first to try in the restaurant. “I’m looking forward to getting to New Orleans with my wife and meeting up there with my son and daughter-in-law who live in Atlanta,” says the father of four who has been married to Norma for sixty-five years.

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While Steven is keen to sample the Israeli-influenced dishes Alon is famous for at Saba, the chef ’s ambition is to re-create more of the memory-evoking recipes Holocaust survivors may have thought were gone forever. “I am planning a fund-raiser once dining is fully open, to get more of these recipes translated,” he explains. “Cooking this food with Steven’s feedback is one of the most important things I’ve ever done, and it helped me remember why I began cooking in the first place,” Alon adds. “I look for stories and meaning in the dishes I cook, and I’ve waited my entire career to be able to share memories in my bid to bring joy and happiness to people through food.”

Donations to the museum’s recipe translation effort can be made via USHMM.org/recipes. Learn more about Alon Shaya and his restaurants at PomHospitality.com and EatwithSaba.com.

Left: Steven Fenves, Holocaust survivor and former professor at the University of Illinois Photo courtesy of Steven Fenves Opposite top: Chef Alon Shaya at his popular restaurant, Saba, in New Orleans Opposite bottom: Another variation of Klara’s semolina sticks recipe Photos courtesy of Alon Shaya

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL RENOVATION

110 LOGAN LN., SUITE 3, SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL Photo by Matt Jozwiak

GRANDBAYCONSTRUCTION.COM (850) 231-1437 | CGC # 1509111

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ALON SHAYA’S WALNUT CAKE Inspired by the memories of Steven Fenves Yields one nine-by-five-inch loaf cake

when well combined, carefully fold in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites. Repeat twice more, and once fully incorporated, pour batter into the loaf pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

Ingredients 8 large eggs, separated 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar Zest of 2 lemons 2 cups dark chocolate chips or pieces

5 cups walnut pieces 3/4 cup almond flour 1 cup whole milk 12 ounces soft unsalted butter 1 1/2 powdered sugar 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions Preheat oven to 300°F and toast walnut pieces for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool, reserve 1/2 cup for garnish, and grind the remaining nuts through a meat grinder or chop in a food processor. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with buttered parchment and turn the oven heat up to 350 degrees. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar to form stiff peaks, then incorporate 1 teaspoon of the salt. Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl with 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar and the zest of one lemon till light and fluffy. Melt 1 cup of the chocolate and pour into the whipped yolk mixture, whisking well. Fold in 1 cup of the ground walnuts and the almond flour, then

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Let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then remove and continue cooling on a wire rack. Slice lengthwise into thirds and layer with filling made by heating 2 cups ground walnuts with the milk and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, simmered together for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate, combine and cool to room temperature. To ice the layered cake after chilling in the refrigerator for two hours, whisk the butter on high speed with the powdered sugar, vanilla, remaining cup ground walnuts, zest of remaining lemon, and remaining teaspoon of salt until light and fluffy. Garnish cake with toasted walnut halves and serve at room temperature.

Photos courtesy of Alon Shaya

L’intermission

It’s a Smash! BACARDÍ Cuatro Smash × × × ×

1 1/2 oz. BACARDI Añejo Cuatro Rum 1 oz. St. Germain® Elderflower Liqueur 1 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice 1 oz. tonic water

Combine all ingredients except the tonic water in a shaker with plenty of ice. Shake well. Strain into a highball glass filled with crushed or cubed ice. Top with tonic water. Garnish with a grapefruit peel and a mint spring. Photo courtesy of BACARDÍ

Summertime is almost here, and we’re looking forward to citrus-inspired cocktails and pool days. This ice-cool Cuatro Smash recipe by the rum gods at BACARDÍ will have you celebrating the season all year long. Grab your best friends and a good float and hit the lido deck! Find more recipes at BACARDI.com, including the Coco Conga, a mojitostyle beverage starring BACARDÍ Superior Rum and BACARDÍ Coconut Flavored Rum.

Love, VIE xo V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 37

LET’S DO

FINE DINING ON THE FLY IN PCB BY JORDAN STAGGS PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF ON THE FLY

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Bon appétit!

or many locals and visitors alike in Panama City Beach, Florida, one upscale eatery tends to receive glowing reviews time after time. Firefly restaurant and sushi bar looks unassuming from the facade but holds a treasure trove of beautiful dining rooms, the cozy 535 Library Lounge, the lively Firefly Bar, and the musically inclined Sushi Bar. Now, founder and owner Dave Trepanier and his team will add lunch to their impressive offerings via the new bistro, On The Fly, located right next door. “For years, we’ve been asked to open the sushi bar for lunch,” Trepanier shares. “With only three sushi stations, it would be difficult for us to serve a hundred people at lunch in a timely manner. When the small bakery next door became available for rent, we decided that this grab-and-go concept was the perfect solution. We only have a few tables out front, so the idea is to provide a true takeaway option for people who want a great meal but need to get back to work, back home with the kids, or back to wherever their busy lives take them.” On The Fly’s menu might look familiar to fans of Firefly, with some of the restaurant’s staples and crowd favorites available for a quick, incredible lunch. Sushi, artisan sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, and more are sure to satisfy as Chef David Roman curates a seasonally inspired lineup that also includes freshly baked breads and pastries.

Above and opposite: On The Fly, the new lunchtime café from Firefly PCB, will offer delicious to-go meals, including artisan sandwiches, Firefly’s famous sushi rolls, salads, soups, and more.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 39

Bon appétit!

Trepanier shares, “We have about eight sushi rolls available, plus weekly special rolls, and of course, we’d be crucified if Firefly’s famous She-Crab Soup wasn’t on the menu!” He’s also excited about introducing a new array of sandwiches. “You won’t find ham and Swiss or a straight turkey sandwich here; each menu item will have all the creativity and quality that people expect from Firefly. Chef Roman has been our baker for over seven years, and On The Fly is his ‘baby,’ so you can expect freshly baked breads made from scratch, pastries, kolaches, and macarons.” The team is thrilled about opening On The Fly, especially after seeing how the demand for meals to go grew during 2020 when that was all Firefly was allowed to provide for a few months due to COVID-19 safety regulations. Like many restaurants in the Panhandle and beyond, Firefly found its sea legs and quickly gained steam once it was allowed to reopen, even at 50-percent seating capacity at first. “We actually had our busiest year to date,” Trepanier says. “The biggest challenge was staffing—balancing employee and guest safety to make sure that those who had contracted the virus could recover fully while we continued to serve our guests as safely and efficiently as possible.”

Right: Chef David Roman, Firefly’s baker of seven years, is curating the menu at On The Fly. Guests can expect his delicious desserts and pastries, such as French macarons, on the menu!

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SUSHI, ARTISAN SANDWICHES, SOUPS, SALADS, DESSERTS, AND MORE ARE SURE TO SATISFY AS CHEF DAVID ROMAN CURATES A SEASONALLY INSPIRED LINEUP THAT ALSO INCLUDES FRESHLY BAKED BREADS AND PASTRIES.

lso in the works is the annual Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam country music festival, of which Trepanier is a founding partner through production company PCB Entertainment. After canceling last year’s event for obvious reasons, Trepanier and his fellow GCJ organizers are excited to bring the event back to Panama City Beach with performances June 4–6, 2021. Headliners include megastars Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley, and Lynyrd Skynyrd along with Cody Jinks, Cole Swindell, Brothers Osborne, Joe Nichols, Billy Ray Cyrus, Riley Green, and many more. The concert presents an opportunity for people to see live music when most of the industry has been shut down for over a year, and the festival has a reputation for putting on a great show featuring some of the biggest names in country music.

As On The Fly takes wing this April and Gulf Coast Jam makes its return, locals and visitors have plenty to look forward to in sunny Panama City Beach. Trepanier adds, “Go support your local restaurants and go buy a ticket to Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam!”

VISIT ONTHEFLYPCB.COM AND FIREFLYPCB.COM TO LEARN MORE, SEE MENUS, OR MAKE A DINNER RESERVATION AT FIREFLY. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO PEPSI GULF COAST JAM 2021, VISIT GULFCOASTJAM.COM.

“My hat’s off to everyone in the hospitality and music industries,” Trepanier says. “We’ve been pretty lucky here in Florida, but so many of our friends and other folks in both industries have been devastated this past year. Like everyone, we just want to put this pandemic behind us, get back to work, and get back to normal. We are looking forward to seeing live music and traveling again just like the rest of the world.”

Left: Firefly owner Dave Trepanier Photo by Romona Robbins

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 41

Bon appétit!

The

Duo

of Birmingham’s Dining Scene By TORI PHELPS

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She’s a French pastry master, and he’s a Southern ingredient fanatic. Together, they’re the brains and heart behind Birmingham’s The Essential and Bandit Pâtisserie.

o say the last year-plus has been hard on the restaurant industry is like saying that the Titanic hit a little snag on the high seas. Hundreds of thousands of restaurants have shuttered since the COVID-19 pandemic began, leaving business owners, staff, and loyal customers reeling. But Kristen Farmer Hall and Victor King, partners and co-owners of The Essential and Bandit Pâtisserie in Birmingham, Alabama, could give lessons in the art of pivoting—rethinking, reworking, and rebuilding to find opportunities where none seem to exist. This unimaginable time hasn’t been easy, of course, but when is the food business ever easy? Indeed, these two scrappers seem to thrive when the tasks are Sisyphean

and the outcome anything but certain. Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that Kristen and Victor have navigated the COVID roller coaster remarkably well, relying on each other, plenty of elbow grease, and arguably the best sourdough in the South. Considering their devotion to the culinary world, it’s interesting that neither came to it right away. Nashville-area native Victor even tried to avoid cooking as a career despite having a profound love of it. He majored in nutrition at Birmingham’s Samford University, hoping its food adjacency would satisfy him. It didn’t. Resigned, he switched to an entrepreneurship major and volunteered to work for free at the James Beard Award–winning Highlands Bar and Grill. After three months, he was offered a paid position. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 43

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is future partner took a little longer to succumb to the lure of a professional kitchen. Kristen, a native of Dalton, Georgia, earned an undergraduate degree in biology from Samford University and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham before launching a decade-long career in public health. She began baking with her two young daughters simply to teach them kitchen self-sufficiency skills. Kristen earned the nickname “the Baking Bandit” after the trio started leaving their overflow on neighbors’ doorsteps anonymously.

Previous page: Victor King and Kristen Farmer Hall, partners and co-owners of The Essential and Bandit Pâtisserie in Birmingham, Alabama

As a favor to a friend, she reluctantly agreed to supply pastries for a week-long pop-up shop— a foray so successful that her hobby turned into a sideline business almost overnight. And once under way, it grew so rapidly that Kristen soon faced a dilemma: keep her well-paid day job or gamble on an unknown future as a baker. Luckily for Bandit fans, she found real dough harder to resist than the paper kind.

Photo by Stacy Allen Above: The Essential, located on Morris Avenue in Birmingham, is King and Hall’s flagship restaurant celebrating elevated Southern comfort food. Photo by Caleb Chancey

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While “baker” conjures images of cupcakes and cookies, Kristen is far more likely to be laminating croissant dough or shaping baguettes than mixing up brownies. It’s true that her personal tastes don’t usually run to sweet pastries, but the real appeal of French technique lies in the science behind it. An avid STEM student who was premed in college,

Kristen finds the challenge of pastry endlessly fascinating. “It’s a living creature,” she marvels of yeast-based delicacies. “It’s constantly growing and changing, which means I’m constantly troubleshooting and adjusting according to environmental factors.” Not everyone enjoys the effort and patience required of French technique, which is why exceptional pastries like Kristen’s are in short supply. Victor recognized her talent immediately. The two met when she delivered samples to a shop where he was learning the art of butchery, and they quickly began collaborating on savory pies for the shop. Knowing that their professional futures would be intertwined, Victor joined Kristen’s burgeoning baking business, as it had become more than she could handle solo. That “in-between” stage of their partnership, as they call it, gave them time to

cook up their next venture: a brunchfocused restaurant called Feast & Forest, with Kristen spearheading the baking and pastry side and Victor helming the savory offerings.

”

That “in-between” stage of their

partnership, as they call it, gave them time to cook up their next venture: a

brunch-focused restaurant called Feast

Feast & Forest was an immediate hit—so much so that within three months of opening the café in late 2015, Victor and Kristen began searching for a larger space to accommodate customers who were queuing up down the block. However, in the process of trying to relocate, they discovered that Feast & Forest was as much about the building as the menu. The little downtown spot’s eccentric architecture couldn’t be reproduced in a new place, and they worried any attempt would only disappoint customers. “We knew that Feast was a beginning chapter but not the whole book,” Kristen says.

& Forest, with Kristen spearheading

the baking and pastry side and Victor helming the savory offerings.

They made the cramped quarters work until 2018, when they launched a concept called The Essential. This second undertaking, an American bistro in a new development, allowed the partners to introduce a more diverse menu, including lunch, dinner, and a full cocktail program, with a nod to Feast in the form of weekend brunches. The menu took shape naturally, thanks to a shared appreciation for elevated Southern comfort food. Nostalgia for the homemade meals of his youth has always been a driver for Victor, who was raised by a single mother with a passion for cooking. Seasonal ingredients pulled fresh from the garden formed the basis for many meals, not because it was trendy, but because it was an economic necessity. It made an impression. “That’s what remains for me from childhood—the ingredients,” he says. “They need to shine.”

Above and right: The Essential features a diverse menu of Southern favorites featuring seasonal ingredients, a robust cocktail menu, and Sunday brunch. Photos by Caleb Chancey

The duo took the same ingredient-first approach when launching Bandit Pâtisserie as a stand-alone business in November 2019. Of course, they had no idea what 2020 had in store for the world, and the separate storefront lasted only four months. Conceding to the new reality of COVID, Kristen and Victor moved Bandit production next door to The Essential to save both energy and money to fight a pandemic that was tearing a hole through their industry. They didn’t give up on Bandit Pâtisserie, though, as the community seemed to need flaky, yeasty comfort more than ever. Instead, they took it online, allowing customers to order from an ever-changing menu and then collect their goodies on Saturdays. With options like Nutella Paris-Brest, country sourdough, and pistachio rose shortbread, it’s easy to see why demand consistently outpaces supply. Adapting Bandit Pâtisserie’s business model is one of many solutions Kristen and Victor have devised to keep both businesses up and running. Pastry deliveries,

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 45

Bon appétit!

”

That bootstrap hustle, a necessity when mounting a restaurant without investors, has resulted in impressive agility amid sudden chaos.

The Essential’s menu offers a taste of various Southern regions with delights such as the crawfish scampi (above) and a selection of Bandit Pâtisserie’s homemade breads, pastries, and desserts (right). Photos by Caleb Chancey 46 | M AY 2 0 21

grilling on The Essential’s patio, introducing an outdoor frozen drink machine— the list is long, innovative, and most importantly, successful. “We embraced what was happening,” Kristen says of their attitude. Adds Victor, “We were willing to upend our concepts in hopes of engaging people in the pandemic, and that’s paid off.” Though business is booming for Bandit and customers are clamoring for limited capacity seating at The Essential, Birmingham’s dynamic duo aren’t done innovating. Their latest undertaking is Essentially Mondays, a pop-up restaurant inside their eatery. Featuring fun monthly themes—everything from classic Italian to French picnic—Essentially Mondays are a way to treat customers to foods and experiences they wouldn’t usually get at The Essential.

In a year packed with more lessons than most, the biggest for Kristen and Victor has been an appreciation for the scrape-and-claw climb that solidified a partnership built to withstand even a global pandemic. That bootstrap hustle, a necessity when mounting a restaurant without investors, has resulted in impressive agility amid sudden chaos. “Nobody wishes they were riding the waves of a pandemic,” Kristen says. “But it’s been good to see that the last five years have prepared us very well to make it work, trying our best to honor ourselves, our staff, and what we do.”

Visit BanditBham.com and EssentialBham.com to learn more. Tori Phelps has been a journalist and writer for twenty-five years. A longtime VIE collaborator, Tori is committed to storytelling that honors the subject matter and inspires the reader. She lives, reads, and bakes vegan biscuits with her family in Charleston, South Carolina.

Consistently delicious since 1995!

3899 E. County Highway 30A, Seagrove ∙ 850.231.2166 ∙ Open Daily at 4:30 ∙ cafethirtya.com

The Shrimp Shack in the New Urbanism town of Seaside, Florida, has been a staple of the community for years and recently moved to a new location by the Gulf in Seaside on the new boardwalk known as Gracie’s Way. From Scenic Highway 30-A or the beach, look between Bud & Alley’s and the Coleman Pavilion and you’ll spot it! Stop by for fresh Gulf shrimp and fish, oysters, lobster rolls, soups, salads, local craft beer, wine, and more—not to mention the breathtaking views. Visit Facebook.com/ TheShrimpShackSeaside to learn more and see daily specials. Photo by Jeremy Harwell

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Petite pause

Peel and Eat!

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 49

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The Citizen is the newest restaurant and bar located in the beautiful resort town of Alys Beach, Florida. With a worldly coastalinspired menu and decor, a raw bar, craft cocktails, and more, it is quickly becoming a popular dining spot along Scenic Highway 30-A for lunch, happy hour, and dinner. Its chic design was created by the Alys Beach town planners at Khoury & Vogt Architects. 50 | M AY 2 0 21

iL fe

Live & Dine Well at THE CITIZEN

IS AN

ADVENTURE By ABIGAIL RYAN Photography courtesy of DEVOTE STUDIO

or managing partner Jeremy Walton of Quest Hospitality Concepts, to live in a town is to be a part of it—to know your neighbors and spend time with them, to encourage and support them, to do good for others. That is what it takes to be a good citizen. And as Walton set out on his latest entrepreneurial endeavor in Alys Beach, Florida, he built a community experience by personifying the worthy aspects of a welcoming neighbor. In late January 2021, The Citizen bar and restaurant opened its doors to all who wish to feel a truly warm welcome in this pristine beachside resort town. “I think great restaurants become a part of the communities they are located in,” says Walton. “I wanted to explore the idea of what it means to be a ‘good citizen,’ and I want these ideas to carry over into our restaurant’s service culture and the warm and inclusive community we hope to build. The Citizen was created to be an inviting place where all are welcome.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 51

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“

The PROMISE of what’s to come at ALYS BEACH, as well as the GROWTH of 30-A and Walton County, made the decision to develop THE CITIZEN an easy one.

alton is no stranger to the hospitality and culinary industries. With previous career stops working in haute cuisine that helped paved the way for his success, he previously served as the director of restaurants and outlets for Sea Island, the director of food and beverage with Auberge Resorts at Palmetto Bluff, and, most recently, as the vice president of operations at Alys Beach. That role included but was not limited to assisting with the opening of NEAT Bottle Shop and Tasting Room, overseeing the renovation of Caliza Restaurant, planning and opening ZUMA Wellness Center, and consulting on the brand-new Beach Club at Alys Beach.

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Aside from striving to provide delectable food and delicious drinks and in an uplifting atmosphere, Walton believes The Citizen will demonstrate the best parts of hospitality, dining, and family. As patrons gather within these chic white walls, surrounded by the contemporary yet worldly coastal decor, relationships will grow. Walton hopes new traditions will flourish over great food, cocktails, and more in a stylish setting that reflects the soul of Alys Beach.

“I’ve had the opportunity to be part of growing the community,” he says. “The promise of what’s to come at Alys Beach, as well as the growth of 30-A and Walton County, made the decision to develop The Citizen an easy one.” The Citizen, a “seaside coastal tavern,” was built around the idea that people enjoy eating in a place with a distinguished, lively bar atmosphere. The environment is elevated yet comfortable, with a beautifully designed space by the Alys Beach town planners at Khoury & Vogt Architects coupled with fine local food and beverages by the team at Quest Hospitality Concepts and Better Together Beverage. “There are four key elements that will shape the menu and the experience,” says Walton. They include the large and enthusiastic bar, the intimate raw bar and chef ’s counter, the open kitchen concept and woodburning fireplace, and a locally and regionally sourced menu that derives inspiration from the best coastal food cities worldwide. “We know our clientele visiting

The Citizen is well traveled. We know they have high expectations for both the quality and the service.” He adds, “The Citizen expresses the finest in high design and hospitality, curating within the space memorable experiences with tremendous attention to detail. This is our opportunity to combine the finest features of dining you might find in New Orleans, Birmingham, New York, or Nashville and bring that for the first time to 30-A.” At The Citizen, life is meant for good friends and great adventures!

To learn more about The Citizen, visit CitizenAlys.com or give them a call at (850) 909-0702 to dine with them for lunch from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., cocktail hour from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., or dinner starting at 5:00 p.m. The Citizen is located in the heart of Alys Beach, Florida, at 20 Mark Twain Lane #101.

V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 53

Bon appétit!

ANDIAMO!! By Christine Tarpey, Better Together Beverage Photo courtesy of Visit South Walton Find this invigorating cocktail under the “Bright & Fresh” section of The Citizen’s beverage menu, where citrus reigns supreme. It’s sure to help you kick off summertime days by the beach or cool evenings around the fire pit in style and good taste! INGREDIENTS

· 1 oz. Kelvin Rosé syrup · .25 oz. Aperol · .25 oz. Dune Laker Vodka · .25 oz. lime and lemon juice mix · .25 oz. orange juice · 2 oz. Prosecco DIRECTIONS Combine all ingredients except Prosecco into an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator. Using a kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) machine, shave ice into a footed fizz glass and pack well. Slowly pour 3 oz. chilled cocktail mix over the ice and then top with the Prosecco. Garnish with a candied orange triangle and a mint sprig.

INSIDER TIPS: Always use chilled cocktail mix and Prosecco to ensure the shaved ice doesn’t melt too fast when being served. Changing up the orange juice with other fruit juices such as pomegranate or watermelon makes this cocktail a staple recipe for any season. After all, Andiamo is Italian for “Let’s go!” Right: The Andiamo!! cocktail is a refreshing blend of Prosecco, citrus, and Aperol over shaved ice that lives in the “Bright & Fresh” section of The Citizen’s drink menu. It was developed by the master mixologists at Better Together Beverage. 54 | M AY 2 0 21

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A Bourbon

REVIVAL S E V E N G E N E R A T I O N S of T R A D I T I O N in the M A K I N G

By C O L L E E N S A C H S Photography by G U R D A L B I B O , C O U R T E S Y O F P A U L S U T T O N B O U R B O N

Bon appétit!

t is fitting that I am writing about Paul Sutton Bourbon on International Women’s Day, in the middle of Women’s History Month. While its namesake is a man, a very accomplished woman is the cofounder and CEO. Myra Barginear, MD, has joined the steadily growing ranks of women in leadership positions in the traditionally maledominated whiskey industry. In March 2021, she was featured in The Bourbon Review in an article titled “Founders & Creators: 22 Women of Whiskey.”

Hailing from the South, Barginear has a lifetime of accomplishments that include medical school followed by a successful oncology career in New York. She decided to break from her medical practice

“

I N 2 01 4, B A RG I N E A R cofounded P A U L SU T T ON B O URBO N W I TH H E R H U SB A N D, P A UL A M R I CH , M A KI N G H E R T H E first W O M A N T O cofound A ND lead A SOLE LY F A M I LY O W NED A N D OP E R AT E D D I S TI L L ED S P I R I T S C OM P A N Y.

to spend time with her young children, leading to another successful venture. Barginear combines a family tradition with her knowledge of science to create premium spirit Paul Sutton Bourbon. Seven generations of Suttons before her—beginning with Hardy Sutton, born in

1791—made whiskey. The recipe evolved as the family passed it down, and it was finally perfected in 1916 by Barginear’s grandfather R.M. “Grandpa” Sutton. His mash recipe resulted in a rich and sweet whiskey unique to the Sutton family. Unfortunately, the recipe was lost with R.M. Sutton’s passing in 1998. But he left mason jars filled with whiskey made from that recipe. Those mason jars were the key to continuing the family bourbon tradition and ultimately creating a business. Barginear took the contents and put her chemistry background to work. With a team of specialists, she reverse engineered the bourbon she knew so well and re-created her grandfather’s sweet mash recipe. In 2014, Barginear cofounded Paul Sutton Bourbon with her husband, Paul Amrich, making her the first woman to cofound and lead a solely family-owned and operated distilled spirits company. Paul Sutton Bourbon is produced using a sweet mash rather than the more common sour mash process. Using sour mash works much like making sourdough bread. A starter from the previous batch is used for the next one. It creates a high pH level, which kills bacteria that can cause spoilage, and it makes consistency from one batch to the next easier. Historically, the sour mash was attractive because it kept bacterial growth at bay. Today, that method remains attractive to large producers because it makes the production of a spirit more consistent.

Above: Paul Sutton Bourbon, founded in 2014, makes its debut in select retailers, restaurants, and clubs this spring. Opposite: Paul Sutton Bourbon CEO and cofounder Myra Barginear, MD V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 57

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IN TH E CASE OF PAU L S UTTON BOURB ON, IT ME ANS TH E taste OF FAMILY history IS translated THR OU GH THE aromas OF ORANGE PE E L AND CARAMEL WIT H A balanced FIN IS H OF VANILLA, HONE Y, AN D C ITRU S.

ut for a small producer such as Paul Sutton Bourbon, producing only eighteen to twenty barrels a day, more attention can go toward fine details. Paul Sutton Bourbon is the first Kentucky distiller to use sweet mash as the sole mashing technique. Barginear’s love of science, particularly chemistry, is key to using the sweet mash in Paul Sutton Bourbon. While there is no question that excellent bourbon is produced using sour mash, a growing number of newer producers are opting for the sweet mash method.

This page: Paul Sutton Bourbon uses a 100year sweet mash recipe, and the whiskey is aged in American white oak barrels fired with a number four “alligator” char. This gives the finished product a distinctly sweet yet smoky flavor. Opposite: Barrels can only be used once for straight bourbon whiskey. After a barrel is filled, it is closed with a bung and transported to the rickhouse, a structure designed for storing and aging distilled spirits. 58 | M AY 2 0 21

By eliminating the acidic starter, the resulting spirit has a sweeter quality, making it possible to have a soft finish with less time in the barrel. This is a big plus for a new producer. A sweet mash also lets the natural flavors of the grains shine through. And, while a sweet mash may be more work, it also offers more control over the production process. Instead of relying on flavors from the previous mash, distillers can adjust the recipe to get exactly what they want to achieve. For a new producer, that means the ability to develop a unique flavor profile rather than re-creating the flavors of an established brand. In the case of Paul Sutton Bourbon, it means the taste of family history is translated through the aromas of orange peel and caramel with a balanced finish of vanilla, honey, and citrus. Production of Paul Sutton Bourbon begins with sourcing high-quality, sustainably produced grains. To be sold as bourbon, the ratio of grains, also known as the mash bill, must be at least 51 percent corn. Paul Sutton Bourbon’s mash bill uses more corn than required. It also includes rye and malted barley. Paul Sutton Bourbon sources grain from the Dee River Ranch in Aliceville, Alabama. Dee River Ranch is another multigenerational family venture with a successful woman in leadership. John Dee, J. Roy Dee, Sr., and J. Roy Dee, Jr., began farming operations in 1953 in Citrus County, Florida. After the Southwest Florida

Water Management District purchased the Florida property, they relocated the farm to ten thousand acres in Alabama. Today, Dee River Ranch is operated by Annie Dee, her brother Mike Dee, and her sons Seth and Jesse More. The farm’s mission is sustainable agriculture. Farm equipment uses biodiesel made from harvested crops, nearly four thousand acres are dedicated to conservation, and educational programs are held at the farm to pass sustainable farming techniques on to others.

Bon appétit!

aul Sutton Bourbon’s distilling process occurs in Danville, Kentucky, using an eighteeninch column still and a clean steam boiler. Pure steam goes into the cooker and beer column, making the distilling process for Paul Sutton Bourbon chemical-free. The barrels in which Paul Sutton Bourbon ages, also known as cooperage, are charred American white oak, toasted with a number four char. Char levels start at number one, where the barrel is exposed to fire for fifteen seconds. To achieve a number four char, one must fire the barrel for fifty-five seconds. Also known as “alligator char” for the rough appearance the process creates, a number four–charred barrel produces deep color and a spicy aroma in the whiskey it contains. Paul Sutton Bourbon is aged in those barrels, selected by the brand’s master distiller, for over four years.

is certainly not the case with Barginear, who took cherished memories and a family legacy and re-created them in the spirit contained in bottles of Paul Sutton Bourbon. The company’s motto, found on the bottle, is “Passed down to be passed around.” With the launch of Paul Sutton Bourbon on March 17 of this year, those of us who are not Suttons can now take part in this storied tradition.

Visit PaulSuttonBourbon.com to learn more.

“

Colleen Sachs loves food and traveling around the world and has been writing about both for twentyfive years. She lives with her spouse and a multitude of pets in Santa Rosa Beach and Pensacola, Florida.

A LSO KNOWN AS “AL L IGATOR CHAR” FOR T H E rough APPEARAN CE TH E process C R E AT E S, A N UM BER FOUR– CHARRED BARREL P R OD U C E S deep color AN D A spicy aroma I N TH E WH IS KEY IT CON TAIN S .

After aging, the 100-proof small-batch bourbon is hand bottled in sustainable glass. The company’s ever-present attention to detail extends to the container itself. The bottle’s squared-off shoulders are reminiscent of a flask, while the base was inspired by a highball glass. The word “FAMILY” is carved into one side of the bottle, and “RESERVE” is carved into the other. Seven vertical cuts on the back of the bottle, one for each generation of the Sutton family, extend like rays. The bottles are then hand labeled with the batch number and date. A beautiful bronzed cork that matches the bronzed emblem on the front of the bottle tops it off.

Paul Sutton Bourbon marries seven generations of tradition with current science to create a quality, top-shelf bourbon worthy of sipping neat any time of year. But this bourbon is also an excellent foundation for a classic manhattan or old-fashioned. And if you are looking for something fun for the warmer months, give one of Paul Sutton Bourbon’s recipes a try. Make a Paper Plane with equal parts Paul Sutton Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and

fresh lemon juice. The cocktail is a lovely balance of bitterness from the Aperol and brightness from the lemon juice. For the full effect, serve it up in a coupe glass garnished with a small paper airplane. The 100-proof Paul Sutton Bourbon gives the drink a nice structure. Or go for a Bourbon Smash of 2 ounces Paul Sutton Bourbon, 2 ounces seltzer, 1/2 ounce maple syrup, 1/2 ounce orange juice, 1/4 ounce lemon juice, and 2 drops of Angostura bitters served on the rocks and garnished with an orange slice. R.M. Sutton used to say, “It’s not that life’s too short, it’s that most of us get started too late.” Fortunately, that was not the case when it came to his perfecting the family sweet mash bill that created the rich, lovely pour remembered by his descendants. And it V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 59

Bon appétit!

SITTING O N A D O C K O N A B AY A Speakeasy, a Pizza Joint, and a View

By C o l l e e n S a c h s 60 | M AY 2 0 21

Chef and restaurateur JIM SHIRLEY has been influencing the dining scene on the Emerald Coast of Northwest Florida for more than twenty-five years. He is known for creating restaurants that make people feel good.

hey all come with a healthy serving of Southern hospitality and the food of the South that Shirley remembers his grandmother making. As the child of a Navy pilot, Shirley also experienced cuisines from around the world during the family’s travels. Those influences often show up in his dishes that mix Southern and international specialties in a manner that seems like they should have been that way from the start. For example, the Soul Rolls at Great Southern Café in Seaside consist of chicken and collard greens rolled into an egg roll wrapper and fried until crisp. The dish elevates both the egg roll and the collard greens, with the result being much greater than its parts. And then there is Shirley’s straight-up Southern fare that sets the standard for similar renditions. His signature dish is Grits à Ya Ya—blackened shrimp, bacon, spinach, and mushrooms atop smoked Gouda grits. It was named the best Southern dish in Florida by Florida Travel and Life magazine and sets a high bar for all other versions of shrimp and grits.

Shirley credits Landmark Design for the rework of the interior of Farm & Fire. Expansive windows surround the dining room, bringing the beauty of Choctawhatchee Bay inside and offering water views to the north, east, and west from almost every seat. The atmosphere is casual with wood floors, sleek wood-top tables, and dark bistro chairs. Walls of pale gray brick with deep charcoal accents visually evoke the coal-fired ovens where most of the dishes on the menu spend time before arriving at the table. The ovens use anthracite, a hard coal that burns hot, dry, and clean. Shirley says that when creating Farm & Fire, director of operations Dan Tinghitella brought his mastery of the coal-fired oven to the table. These ovens heat to more than eight hundred degrees and produce a crisp, blistered pizza crust that is pleasingly chewy and has just the right amount of char.

Above: Grits à Ya Ya, Chef Jim Shirley’s signature dish Left: Northwest Florida chef and restaurateur Jim Shirley Photos courtesy of Jim Shirley Enterprises Opposite: The view from Farm & Fire, The Speakeasy, and North Beach Social, located on the Choctawhatchee Bay just off of Highway 331 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Photo by Hunter Burgtorf

A genius at restaurant concepts, Shirley has done it again—this time with Farm & Fire Southern Pizzeria. “Southern dishes and seafood are what I grew up eating and cooking,” he says of the inspiration behind opening Farm & Fire. “This gives us a chance to move into some Mediterranean flavors and methods.” The pizzeria and bar is located across Highway 331 from another of Shirley’s restaurants, The Bay, situated at the south end of the Clyde Wells Bridge in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. In a building that has had many former lives, Farm & Fire is found upstairs (with an elevator for accessibility). A dining room is on one side and The Speakeasy bar on the other. Downstairs is Shirley’s new North Beach Social, a walk-up bar and restaurant that opens out to a sandy beach filled with games for the young and young at heart. North Beach Social is perfect for families as well as adults looking to grab a beer or cocktail and enjoy the sunset. All of that comes with a menu highlighting favorites from Shirley’s other eateries. They include the Grits à Ya Ya, the deliciously messy Bomber Burger from The Bay, and more.

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Southern dishes and seafood are what I grew up eating and cooking. This gives us a chance to move into some Mediterranean flavors and methods. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 61

Those coal ovens are not just for pizza. Starters from the oven include roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with pine nuts, oven-roasted clams with fennel onion butter, large meatballs with herbed ricotta, and roasted chicken wings with peppers and onions. Main course options from the coal ovens are an eight-ounce beef filet, Italian sausage with peppers and onions, and a whole roasted fish. The fish, a snapper of about two pounds, is succulent and flavorful. It is served with a fennel and citrus salad and herb vinaigrette.

Above and opposite right: The Speakeasy bar at Farm & Fire Southern Pizzeria offers new and classic cocktails in a Prohibition Era–inspired setting. Above right: The whole roasted fish at Farm & Fire is a delicious woodfired snapper topped with herb vinaigrette. Right: Impressive charcuterie and wines are a great start to any meal at Farm & Fire. Photos by Colleen Duffley Opposite left: The Speakeasy offers the perfect libations and place to watch a sunset over the bay. Photo by Hunter Burgtorf

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izzas at Farm & Fire also contain just the right amount of toppings—enough that you get the flavor in every bite but not so much that the pizza gets soggy. The tomato sauce tastes fresh and bright. Build your own pie by adding specialty toppings including meatballs and prosciutto or regular toppings such as kalamata olives and classic pepperoni. Half a dozen specialty pizzas are all about flavor. It doesn’t get more traditional than the Margherita with fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil. For those who like it hot, there is the Diavolo with heat from Calabrian and Fresno peppers and spicy capicola. Without the tomato sauce, the white pizza might not be as colorful as the others, but it is full of flavor. Herbed ricotta suggests an Italian kitchen garden, pecorino adds a touch of saltiness, and mozzarella ties it all together. Pizzas are a great starter for the table or perfect for two to split as an entrée paired with a salad.

We have always been the cool spot on the beach, with chefs dishing out seafood that was still kicking.

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The fish is a good example of Shirley’s attention to locally sourcing as much as possible, with seafood coming from Destin Ice and Harbor Docks markets. Discussing the beaches of Walton County as a culinary destination, Shirley says, “We have always been the cool spot on the beach, with chefs dishing out seafood that was still kicking.” The same goes for produce and other ingredients. A great example is the Burrata Caprese on Farm & Fire’s menu. Pillows of cheese with a wonderfully creamy center are paired with roasted cherry tomatoes and tender local arugula. Its dressing, a perfect balance of sweet and astringent, is made using 25-star balsamic vinegar and Meyer lemon olive oil from 30A Olive Oil Company. It’s a beautiful twist on a traditional dish.

Bon appétit!

hile the dining menu at Farm & Fire suggests Italy, The Speakeasy harks back to the days of the classic cocktail with interesting twists, old and new. Some of those twists include spirits that are barrel aged or milk washed and ice cubes that are smoked. The Sugar Ray Daiquiri features milk-washed coconut rum. Milk washing is a technique for softening the astringency in alcohol, learned by Benjamin Franklin in London more than 250 years ago. The Boochy Hooch mixes ingredients with ancient histories in a way that speaks to modern sensibilities—Hendrix gin, Noli South Kombucha, blackberry, and agave.

NEW LOCATION! 9961 Ea Co Hwy 30A Suite 7B Seacrest Beach, FL 32461

850.231.1720

Bon appétit!

The Speakeasy bar stays true to the local philosophy. Florida and Alabama breweries are featured including Funky Buddha, Idyll Hounds, Grayton Beer Company, and Back Forty Beer Company. Apalachicola’s Oyster City Brewing Company produces Rabid Fox blonde ale exclusively for Farm & Fire. The Speakeasy has a great view of the bay, and Shirley additionally touts its “great vibe.” Farm & Fires fits in beautifully with Shirley’s other restaurants, providing excellent food in a laid-back, stylish setting—and, as ever, the Southern hospitality shines.

To learn more or plan your next delicious dinner, visit FARMANDFIREPIZZA.COM. For more on Jim Shirley and his other restaurants, head to CHEFJIMSHIRLEY.COM.

Photo by Colleen Duffley

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The Speakeasy harks back to the days of the classic cocktail with interesting twists, old and new. Some of those twists include spirits that are barrel aged or milk washed and ice cubes that are smoked.

Photo by Hunter Burgtorf

Photo by Colleen Duffley

64 | M AY 2 0 21

L’intermission

Tip-Top Taste! Visit TipTopCocktails.com to learn more or to order your new favorite party favors! Photo courtesy of Tip Top Proper Cocktails

Tip Top Proper Cocktails is excited to announce its new Shaken line, featuring three all-new, ready-to-enjoy 100ml canned cocktails: a margarita, a daiquiri, and a bee’s knees. The Shaken line is the second release from the Atlanta-based canned cocktail brand, joining the original Stirred lineup—the ever-popular old fashioned, negroni, and manhattan—which launched in September 2019. Shaken cocktail eight-packs are available now via Tip Top’s website. Individual cans of the margarita will also be available in stores in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New York, South Carolina, and Texas in May 2021. Tip Top’s recipes are developed by seven-time James Beard

Love, VIE xo

Award–nominated mixologist Miles Macquarrie (of Atlanta’s Kimball House and Watchman’s). Small but potent, these cocktails have received national acclaim since making their debut.

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’ n i v o L n e v O HE T M FRO

By Kelsey Ogletree

Photography by Andrew Cebulka

66 | M AY 2 0 21

Bon appétit!

li Patton of Mama Mitchell’s Pound Cake is carrying on her Southern grandmother’s legacy, one stick of butter at a time. Speckled white linoleum floors. An antique wooden table with claw feet. A little corner of countertop, white laminate, always dusted with flour and with a withered cookbook spread open on it. Fuzzy little kittens you’d have to watch out for coming through the door from outside. Ali Patton can still see the tiny shotgun kitchen that belonged to her grandmother, Mama Mitchell, in her humble home in Hueytown, Alabama, about twenty minutes from Birmingham, where Patton grew up. Patton’s family headed there every week after church for a Sunday roast. She recalls racing her brother down the driveway on two wheels, zooming past the old chicken coop, the house, Mama Mitchell’s beloved fig tree, and the mulberry bush. “To this day, those smells—they bring back the memories,” says Patton. They never left Mama Mitchell’s without something in their hands, usually that she’d made. That was often a piece of vanilla pound cake, made from a century-old recipe that’s been passed down for five generations. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 67

Bon appétit!

hen Mama Mitchell passed in 2019, surrounded by her loving family, Patton—who’d spent the last nine years constantly on the road for her job as a business consultant—wanted to find a way to keep her memory alive. “For me, the pound cake and Mama Mitchell went hand in hand,” she says. But until 2020, it was only an idea. With COVID-19 bringing all work travel to a halt, it gave her a window to finally launch her own business. “It took the pandemic to wake me up and realize, this is my time,” she recalls. “If I don’t chase my dream, I’ll forever wonder what could have been.”

butter, sugar, flour—but there’s another ingredient in ours that isn’t in most of them,” she says. She bakes her cakes in Nordic Ware Bundt pans (Mama Mitchell’s tube pan lives in her kitchen but doesn’t get used these days). And the crumbly, buttery, crunch crust that’s so unreal? It has to do with the baking temperature, which changes partway through. And although her parents gifted her a shiny KitchenAid Professional 600 Series stand mixer to celebrate her business launch, Patton says she still whips up every one of the pound cakes she bakes using her trusty tealcolored hand mixer. “There’s something about me holding it; it gives me more control of the batter,” she explains. “I know exactly the texture and consistency it’s supposed to be.”

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And so, from her two-bedroom apartment in Scottsdale, Arizona, Patton filed paperwork for a business license during a global pandemic. She called it Mama Mitchell’s Pound Cake, and her idea for a small-batch baking company became real. As of

Fridays are baking days for Patton. Her alarm sounds at four thirty in the morning, and then she’s bouncing around the kitchen, coffee in hand, setting up her

T H E Y N E V E R L E F T M A M A M I T C H E L L’ S W I T H O U T S O M E T H I N G I N T H E I R H A N D S , U S U A L LY T H AT S H E ’ D M A D E . T H AT WA S O F T E N A P I E C E O F VA N I L L A P O U N D C A K E , M A D E F R O M A C E N T U R Y- O L D R E C I P E T H AT ’ S B E E N PA S S E D D O W N F O R F I V E G E N E R AT I O N S . June 2020, weekends became dedicated to farmers’ markets, where Patton offered up whole and half cakes, as well as individual slices—along with lots of samples to get people interested in the family recipe so dear to her heart. In October, she started taking orders online to ship cakes anywhere in the United States. With the holidays in full swing, she baked cakes for about seventy-five mail-order customers, officially making her second bedroom a mini fulfillment center where she hand-packed each cake before taking it off to FedEx.

Google “pound cake recipe” and you’ll get thousands of options. Patton is secretive about Mama Mitchell’s (for good reason), but there are a few things we know that set it apart. “For the most part, pound cakes are 68 | M AY 2 0 21

cake-baking assembly line by five. Right now, it’s just her and a small oven—meaning one cake in, one cake out—so organization is critical. On a typical market weekend, she’s baking eight or nine cakes, not including online orders. Pans greased and all ingredients measured, she moves down the line of bowls, hand mixing each one. As they go into the oven one at a time, she’s prepping things like stickers and ribbons for the bags and working on marketing, social media, and other parts of the business in between. This spring, Patton’s readying for even more growth. March 1 marked the official start of her going parttime with her consulting role to dedicate more time to baking, and she’s pursuing an opportunity to move her operations to a commercial kitchen, which

would enable her to significantly increase her output of cakes. She’s also adding another farmers’ market to her weekly roster. And Carrie Morey, the founder of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit—the famous Charleston, South Carolina, bakery—has become a mentor to Patton. She’ll even appear alongside Morey on the new PBS documentary series “How She Rolls,” airing in May. If Patton’s success mimics Morey’s trajectory, she’s well on her way toward sharing Mama Mitchell’s with the world. The business is about much more than a career for Patton, though. It’s about honoring her grandmother and all she stood for—that everything she baked was made with love, for others. “The sharing, the giving— that’s why I’m sharing this story. I want people to say, ‘It’s the pound cake story.’ They’re buying the why,” she says. When she launched Mama Mitchell’s last year, Patton was flooded with support from the many people who knew and loved Mama Mitchell. That’s what has kept her going, despite the challenges of starting a new business during a pandemic, the early mornings, and being up to her elbows in batter (which, she says, she still never tires of ) as a solo baker with orders to fulfill.

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ne day, she hopes to open a brick-and-mortar bakery back in the South, where she’ll serve her pound cake fresh from the oven, along with some of Mama Mitchell’s other classic Southern desserts like lemon icebox pie and divinity candy. Patton says it will have a screen door and an old-school fridge with grab-and-go pints of milk. It will be a place where people can gather, eat together, and enjoy each other’s company—just like Mama Mitchell’s house. “When she was overwhelmed or excited, she would say, ‘ooh, my fathers’—like my fathers above,” says Patton. “That’s exactly what she would be saying right now. I can just hear her.”

To learn more or to order your delicious pound cake from Ali Patton, visit MamaMitchells.com. Kelsey Ogletree is a freelance journalist covering travel and wellness for national publications, including the Wall Street Journal, AARP, Shape, and Condé Nast Traveler. She’s also the founder of KO Copy, providing resources and workshops to empower publicists and freelance writers to work smarter and better together.

Bon appétit!

Let Them Eat Cake! Mama Mitchell’s pound cake is, without a doubt, one of the best pound cakes you’ll ever eat. But how can you make it even more delicious? Patton has a few suggestions: •

Since the cake is so dense, it stands up well to slicing. Cut a thick piece, add a little butter to the top and broil it in the oven until it’s nice and toasty.

•

Fresh fruit is a pound cake’s best friend. Blackberries, strawberries, figs, citrus— any fruity sauce pairs perfectly. Patton’s family always makes a big crockpot of apple butter around the holidays. It’s fantastic on top of pound cake too.

•

You can’t go wrong with a huge dollop of homemade whipped cream.

•

Ice cream and cake are always a winning combination.

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THE

ABCs OF A PANTRY – BY S U Z A N N E P O L L A K –

After decades of being told that only “local” ingredients would do, suddenly COVID-19 had people hoarding canned beans and flour. This brings up the importance of the pantry in American domestic life—not the domain of celebrity chefs and cookbook authors, but of the everyday home cook. 72 | M AY 2 0 21

My pantry is my jewel box full of treasures, not perishable but ephemeral. It makes my culinary life easier and more interesting. The pantry was the foundation of feeding my family when six of us lived together and four were eating machines. It is still the foundation of my dinners now, living solo. To help understand the pantry’s value, here are some ABCs, one part history (as the pantry outlasts any trend) and the other part showing how specialty food items are our new staples.

Bon appétit!

AUNT POLLY

ESSENTIALS

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) begins with Tom doing penance for raiding Aunt Polly’s pantry full of jam by having to whitewash her fence.

Keep San Marzano tomatoes, Carolina Gold rice, pasta, and risotto rice too. (This reminds me of my Spanish friend Victoria. Her father, a bull raiser, used to tell her: “Too much rice for that little chicken,” as in, a woman who is too much for a particular man.) Crackers are essential. I can live on crackers. When I was a nursing mother, I ate a box or sleeve every day. I could not help myself. I must have needed the salt and fat and crunch. WITH ACCESS I live from the contents of my pantry for days and weeks. With access to fresh herbs, a few veggies, a fish or two, you TO FRESH HERBS, are good to go with magnificent meals, simple and fast.

BREAKFAST NOOK The period between the 1920s and ’30s saw the popular “breakfast nook” replacing pantries in kitchen design. The pantry began to merge with the kitchen through the use of extended cabinetry and cupboards.

BUTT’RY

FREEZER

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a typical New England house would have a small northern room called a buttery (often shortened to “butt’ry”) off the kitchen for food storage. America’s oldest intact buttery, built in 1786, can be found in the Theron Boyd homestead in Hartford, Vermont.

COCKTAILS Jars of olives, bottles of bitters and maraschino cherries, cans of specialty fish, and boxes of crackers are lovely bits to offer with an end-of-day cocktail ritual and surprise guest visits. Even if you do not drink, drops of bitters sprinkled into seltzer make the most delicious low-alcohol beverage.

CLEANING

Check your pantry! Every so often, your pantry needs a deep cleanse. Stuff gets hidden and forgotten in the back, so check those dates. If you have soda water with a decade-old date, throw it away. Dust off bottles and jars too. A reordering gives new energy to the pantry; it’s a chance to update and take stock of what is in there—front, center, and hidden. Well-organized pantries are similar to collections of wine with a full inventory of bottles and vintages. The pantry deserves that respect too.

DRIED FRUIT

Dried fruits are fabulous snacks—way better than things like fake-cheesy Cheetos, which may as well be kept in the garbage. Apricots and lamb are a combination that belongs in the higher realm of culinary delights.

The freezer is an extension of the pantry. I never used to believe in the freezer or the microwave. For me, it was Buy today to cook tonight. That logic has gone out the window for obvious reasons, most importantly because it doesn’t make sense. Not only is it impractical, but it’s also wasteful, time-consuming, and energy-draining. Let’s face it—the pantry’s best friends are the fridge and the freezer. Open jars need a different storage place, preferably cold.

A FEW VEGGIES, A FISH OR TWO, YOU ARE GOOD TO GO WITH MAGNIFICENT MEALS, SIMPLE AND FAST.

GIFTS My favorite gifts from friends are pantry items: Kamal’s Christmas bounty of apricot paste, a bag of huge white beans, and chocolate ginger; Sandy’s limoncello; Pat Altschul’s twelve-gallon garbage bag filled to the brim with her bounty of Meyer lemons; Sam and Jason’s wooden box, so full of jars of jam and jelly and peanut butter that their arms almost broke carrying it over. The wooden box has turned into my pantry number two—the tiny pantry. My friends filled my pantry in 2020.

HOOSIER CABINET

Around 1900, the Hoosier cabinet’s invention in New Castle, Indiana, was regarded as a pantry and kitchen in one. The Hoosier went on to become an enduring icon in American kitchens.

INDIAN CURRIES Vindaloo, Madras, or biryani, we all need condiments and accoutrements from around the world. Also, keep chutneys, both hot and mild, and coconut flakes to keep things interesting.

JIFFY COOKING

This is how I cleaned and fed one four-year-old, two three-year-olds, and a one-year-old. It was dinner in a jiff! Start by boiling a big pot of water and run the bath at the same time. Ask yourself, what in your pantry can be simmered or boiled for dinner—pasta, rice, tomato sauce? Within a half-hour, a gaggle of toddlers can be washed and fed. The key is hot water on the stove and

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Bon appétit! buckets of water to splash on shampooed heads in the bath. It’s about getting the job done efficiently, perhaps a bit abruptly, but everyone gets cleaned up and fed. Sometimes that is what the five o’clock hour needs: multitasking at its finest. Get a little peace and quiet by six thirty.

KOREAN RED CHILI PASTE AND KAFFIR LIME LEAVES

These sit in the pantry, patiently waiting for my experiments in using them.

LEMONS Jars of preserved lemons are that brightener in so many dishes and salads. They pack a punch, so just a tiny slice is needed (unless you are making a tagine, then go wild!).

MILK CHOCOLATE AND MIXED NUTS No pantry is complete without a snackable stash of chocolate for desserts and nuts for cocktail hour.

NUT BUTTERS Protein + fat, vegetarian, budget-conscious, makes for a quick meal—what’s not to love? Health in a jar!

OLIVES Green, black, and purple, with and without pits, olives are a collection within a pantry collection.

PEPPERCORNS

Never use preground pepper! That is the same as dust. A pantry must contain whole peppercorns ready for grinding.

QUINOA Now it’s considered a “superfood” and used like a grain, but really it’s a seed.

RAS EL HANOUT The literal translation from Arabic to English is “head of the shop,” and this glorious blend of spices is a staple of Moroccan cuisine. Use it for specialty dishes like tagines.

SIZE Size matters. In 2005, a survey by the National Association of Home Builders found that walk-in 74 | M AY 2 0 21

pantries were the most requested kitchen feature in American homes. When my teenagers lived at home, there was no pantry big enough. I needed a dedicated room with floor-to-ceiling shelves, so much food did these children consume. Three pounds of pasta at one sitting and then they were all hungry thirty minutes later. That dedicated pantry room was not available to me. Instead, filling the shelves involved a trip to the store every day for restocking. Since I no longer have to feed a hungry hoard of huge teenagers nightly, my pantry is tiny and sustains me for weeks. Especially with my friends’ generosity (see Gifts)!

STRONG STUFF

Tinned sardines or anchovies on Triscuits, creamed herring on toasts, lemon preserves for tagines—these were my go-to college hors d’oeuvres. Cheap for a college budget and daring too. Most young people have not been exposed to tins and jars of concentrated flavors. A little bit goes a long way, and these make for the perfect pairing with a potent cocktail before dinner.

TRAVEL

Visit the world through your pantry. Traveling by way of imagination, education, and cooking is an option open to any family without the hassle of plane tickets, passports, and long immigration lines. The spice-filled pantry can teach geography lessons to the youngest family members through the world of flavor. Flavor is a memory bank too; certain foods can transport us instantaneously to another time and place.

UMAMI FLAVORS The core qualities detectable on the tongue are sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness, and umami, or savoriness. (All these things are tastes and not flavors, which include the sense of smell.) Umami means “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese. Tomato paste, dried mushrooms, anchovies, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and Worcestershire sauce pack a lot of umami qualities into food.

VALUE The pantry brings sustenance, flavor, and the faraway world into your life.

THE SPICE-FILLED PANTRY CAN TEACH GEOGRAPHY LESSONS TO THE YOUNGEST FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH THE WORLD OF FLAVOR.

WHITE PEPPER

Thomas Keller says that salt enhances flavor where pepper adds or changes flavor. White peppercorns are fully ripe berries that are fermented. White pepper does not have the strength of black pepper. It’s great for white sauces or when you just want a nudge of pepper.

XANAX Oops! That’s supposed to be in the medicine cabinet (the bathroom pantry) . . .

ZA’ATAR A go-to spice to bring my Middle Eastern childhood back into my life. The next time you’re ready to fill (or clean out) your pantry, just remember your ABCs!

Suzanne Pollak, a mentor and lecturer in the fields of home, hearth, and hospitality, is the founder and dean of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. She is the coauthor of Entertaining for Dummies, The Pat Conroy Cookbook, and The Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits: A Handbook of Etiquette with Recipes. Born into a diplomatic family, Pollak was raised in Africa, where her parents hosted multiple parties every week. Her South Carolina homes have been featured in the Wall Street Journal Mansion section and Town & Country magazine. Visit CharlestonAcademy.com or contact her at Suzanne@CharlestonAcademy.com to learn more.

Where immersive technology meets art and architecture. Join Alys Beach for the reimagined Digital Graffiti 2021, which will be an immersive, drive-through experience as we continue to follow the CDC’s social safety guidelines. Visit alysbeach.com/events to purchase tickets. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

May 12 - 15, 2021

Dance the night away with us from your own home as we simulcast the global Très Chic Dance Party with Vimeo for the annual presentation of the Digital Graffiti Festival award winners. Stay tuned for more information on how to stream live from your home and experience this one-of-a-kind art festival!

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To learn more, visit TheTwelveThirtyClub. com or follow along on Instagram @thetwelvethirtyclub. Photo courtesy Fox Restaurant Concepts

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SEE THE WORLD

Twelve-time James Beard Award–nominated restaurateur Sam Fox opened The First Level of The Twelve Thirty Club in the heart of downtown Nashville on April 14, 2021. Located at 550 Broadway across from Bridgestone Arena, this new hot spot is backed by investor Justin Timberlake. “Our intent is to create something meaningful and lasting for the great city of Nashville, and we’ve approached this project with all of our creativity and collaboration,” says Fox. “With The Twelve Thirty Club, we set out to do something original that would bring people together through hospitality, music, and design. We’ve spent the last few years considering every detail about a thousand times. We’re so excited to open The First Level and give our guests just a taste of what’s to come when we open the cocktail lounge, rooftop, and supper club.”

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All in Good Taste

at Hotel Effie Ovide Is a Hit

By Emme Martin Photography by Gary Bogdon Meaning “well-spoken” in Greek, the name Effie sounds fit for a posh girl with style. Well, there’s a new girl in town, and everyone is talking about her. Hotel Effie is a lovely, brand-new 250-room luxury accommodation in the heart of the beautiful Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida. Named after the grandmother of owner and developer Tom Becnel, Hotel Effie is a nod to Effie Burns’s welcoming spirit and ability to make anyone feel like he or she was the only person in the room. Her legacy is emulated through the hotel’s emphasis on charm, service, and generosity toward everyone who walks in the door. 78 | M AY 2 0 21

Chef and restaurateur Hugh Acheson, a former Top Chef contestant and judge, is now the executive chef at the new Hotel Effie Sandestin.

he hotel welcomes guests from around the world with warm Southern hospitality to experience the state-of-the-art spa, meeting rooms, and dining experiences by the highly acclaimed James Beard Award–winning chef Hugh Acheson. A prime location for making memories, it is nestled between the Gulf of Mexico’s emerald-green waters and the Choctawhatchee Bay shoreline. The property is alluring in all aspects, from the stunning and refined interiors to the breathtaking views from the only public rooftop pool and lounge on the Emerald Coast.

Below: Ovide is Hotel Effie’s signature fine-dining restaurant. Its menu combines Chef Acheson’s love of French cuisine and methods with Southern hospitality and fresh Gulf seafood, along with a carefully curated list of wine, beer, and craft cocktails.

Partnering with Chef Hugh Acheson, Hotel Effie brings an array of dining experiences like no other. Acheson has conceptualized four exciting culinary endeavors: Ovide, Ara Rooftop Pool and Lounge, The Lobby Bar (TLB), and Sweetbay Coffee. Acheson shares his level of unprecedented expertise with guests through a philosophy centered on good ingredients, intelligent techniques and skill, and a nod to culinary history. We talked to Acheson about his appreciation for the South and how the location influences his dishes: “I think if you study the South and realize how historically important it is, you realize it is an endless topic that you can always learn more about. I like that,” he says.

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aving cooked since the ripe age of fifteen, Acheson is a natural in the kitchen. He grew up in Ottawa, Canada, and started his career as a dishwasher and line cook under Rob MacDonald at Henri Burger, a traditional French restaurant in the capital city. This experience sparked Acheson’s passion for the precision of French food. “I am a sucker for a great baguette with Normandy butter and shaved ham,” he comments. He has also worked with Mike Fennelly at Mecca in San Francisco and served as an opening sous-chef with Gary Danko, further adding to his culinary résumé. In 2002, Acheson opened Five and Ten in his wife’s hometown of Athens, Georgia. His list of dining establishments grew as he opened Atlanta restaurant Empire State South in the summer of 2010 and coffee shop Spiller Park Coffee in 2019. Most recently, before his move to the beach, he helmed By George in Atlanta’s historic Candler Hotel. Sharing his knowledge of Southern cuisine and beyond, Acheson is also a celebrated author of six cookbooks. Acheson draws inspiration for his dishes from his surroundings and has a philosophy for using fresh, sustainable ingredients as much as possible. “First, you follow the seasons and adapt based on what is out there,” he explains. “Then you find the farmers, ranchers, and fishers and buy their products. It is not rocket science.” This approach paid off, earning him six James Beard nominations and a 2012 winner for Best Chef Southeast. He also competed on season three of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and was featured as a judge on Top Chef seasons nine through thirteen. Despite these significant accomplishments, Acheson says he enjoyed the experiences but would much rather his legacy be about being a good human and employer.

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Acheson’s love for the property and proximity to his home base in Athens made partnering with Hotel Effie an easy decision. Reiterating his emphasis on integrating the local sphere’s influence as much as possible, he sources many of his ingredients from the Gulf of Mexico. Restaurant Ovide, named after the first patriarch of the Becnel family, is Effie’s signature fine-dining establishment. The menu marries the unique flavors of the Gulf with a sophisticated and refreshing French flair. Acheson’s passion and creativity shine through dishes such as blue crab bisque and roasted Fairy Tale eggplant. When asked about his favorite dish on the menu, Acheson says he loves the farm egg dish on his dinner menu. He incorporates crisp rice, collard stem kimchi, peas, spring onions, and oyster mushrooms, making this dish a bite to remember. Ovide’s warm and upscale contemporary setting elevates the dining experience, giving it the perfect atmosphere for an intimate meal for two, a get-together for ten or more, or anything in between.

“

First, you follow the seasons and adapt based on what is out there. Then you find the farmers farmers,, ranchers ranchers,, and fishers and buy their products products.. It is not rocket science.

Above: Stop by Ovide for breakfast favorites like avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, eggs Benedict, French omelets, and more. Left and opposite bottom: The atmosphere at Ovide restaurant and bar is chic and sophisticated, matching the overall vibe of the hotel. Opposite top: Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge at Hotel Effie is Sandestin’s new hot spot for great cocktails, music, and entertainment around the pool—not to mention stunning 360-degree views. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 81

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I “

I love the beauty of coffee. It is a story of a simple bean that ends up being such a quality-driven staple of our lives.

f you’re looking for more of a mod experience, check out the Ara Rooftop Pool and Lounge. Named after the southern constellation, Ara is the only public rooftop pool on the Emerald Coast. The panoramic views and giant-size games of chess, Connect Four, and cornhole bring the area a stylish and fun new way to soak up the sun. The live DJ sets the tone with chill music by day and up-tempo beats by night. Acheson curated a delicious list of handcrafted artisanal cocktails and small plates guests can enjoy as they lay poolside in a private cabana or kick it at the bar. When asked what his favorite poolside cocktail is, Acheson swears by a good gin and tonic. Adding to the list of dining options at Hotel Effie, The Lobby Bar is a refreshing experience. TLB is an ideal gathering place for creative craft cocktails and signature small plates by Acheson. The drinks range from the classic House G + T to more adventurous options such as the Oaxacanite Call. It is the perfect place to celebrate life and unwind with delicious wines and spirits.

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Acheson’s mastery of the kitchen also encompasses a passion for coffee. He translated this love through Hotel Effie’s Sweetbay Coffee market. “I love the beauty of coffee,” he says. “It is a story of a simple bean that ends up being such a qualitydriven staple of our lives. Sweetbay is a fun outlet to start the day.” Sweetbay tempts guests with the finest array of coffee drinks and tea blends, perfect for an early morning or afternoon pick-me-up. In his free time, Acheson finds inspiration for his next dishes by traveling, painting, reading, and dining at other restaurants. We are sure Acheson’s passion and creativity for food will keep the menus exciting at Ovide, Ara Rooftop Pool and Lounge, TLB, and Sweetbay Coffee. We are thrilled to welcome him and Hotel Effie to the area and can’t wait to try all of his delicious dishes. Bon appétit!

Visit HotelEffie.com to learn more about this new boutique hotel and its incredible eateries at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Northwest Florida.

Left: There’s nothing like a great cabana seat at the Ara Rooftop! Below: Ovide’s roasted grouper entrée features Anson Mills farro verde, pickled satsuma gremolata, and vermouth butter. Opposite top: Enjoy a predinner drink or nightcap and small plates at the elegant Lobby Bar at Hotel Effie. Opposite bottom: Sweetbay Coffee is the hotel’s café, which serves fresh coffee, baked goods, and breakfast items.

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Steak | Seafood | Sushi Dessert | Cocktails

Private Rooms & Full-Service Catering Available Firefly Restaurant & Lounge at the Shoppes of Edgewater Panama City Beach, Florida

850.249.3359 | fireflypcb.com

Soups | Salads | Sushi | Dessert Handcrafted Sandwiches

Open 11:00 a.m. daily at the Shoppes of Edgewater 539 Richard Jackson Blvd Panama City Beach

850.249.2710 | Ontheflypcb.com

Petite pause “I’m so excited to ride this wave with y’all,” says Florida Georgia Line musician Brian Kelley of his new solo debut EP, Wave Pack, out April 13. “My Wave Pack EP is a snapshot into my world and the life I’m living—whether it’s a little party on the beach or a little Sunday service in the sand. And you don’t always have to be on the sand or by the water; you can take the vibe with you wherever you go. ‘Beach Cowboy’ is a way of life and state of mind.” Produced by Warner Music, the EP includes four new tracks cowritten by Kelley, who is also still making music with FGL’s Tyler Hubbard. Their latest charttopping song, “Long Live,” is the first track on the 2021 album Life Rolls On. Photo by Ben Christensen

Hey, Beach Cowboy

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spice DISCOVER THE

IN ZANZIBAR BY SARAH FREEMAN

Scenic vistas abound from the beach bandas at The Palms Zanzibar resort. Photo courtesy of The Palms Zanzibar Opposite: Fresh nutmeg fruit found on the spice tour led by Matemwe Lodge and Retreat in Zanzibar Photo courtesy of Asilia Africa 86 | M AY 2 0 21

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WEARING CROWNS OF COCONUT PALMS, FIVE PAINT-SMEARED FACES PEER OUT FROM A TANGLE OF VINES. These “jungle warriors” are in fact nothing more than a party of Dutch tourists, adorned with the crushed red seeds of the furry zingifuri “lipstick fruit” that grows wild alongside cacao, guava, and untold spices. The same spices introduced five centuries ago by Portuguese traders from Indian and South American colonies continue to flourish in the tropical climate of this equatorial paradise anchored off Africa’s east coast. A tour of one of Zanzibar’s plantation farms is like stepping into a living, breathing spice cabinet. In a grown-up game of scratch and sniff, I nibble on cinnamon bark and have cardamom leaves crushed into my palm at the community-run Maganga Spice Farm (ColorsofZanzibar.com). Each spice, I discover, has a story to tell, from clove (once the backbone of Zanzibar’s economy) to steaming lemongrass tea used by locals to treat typhoid. We try a rare rubber vine fruit called bungo and drink freshly husked “Zanzibar Coca-Cola,” which our guide shimmies up the smooth bark of a coconut palm to retrieve. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 87

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or plantation-to-plate cuisine with a side of Zanzibar’s all-pervasive history, foodies should follow their noses to UNESCO-listed Stone Town on the island’s west coast. In the archipelago’s walkable capital, aromatic alleys resemble the souks and medinas of Arabia. Tucked down one such alleyway and hidden among lushly landscaped ruins is Secret Garden (EmersonSpice.com), a restaurant with an air of Old Havana. I devour spicy fish cakes with cardamom rice before ambling to another ruin—a Portuguese church in the courtyard of Stone Town’s Old Fort. The seventeenth-century landmark was built by Omani Arabs (who ruled the island for 175 years) to ward off attacks by the Portuguese. Its turreted ramparts are a coconut’s throw from Forodhani Gardens, a destination for the culinarily curious come twilight. Straddling Stone Town’s animated seafront promenade, this sizzling street food bonanza is the place to taste local staples, such as urojo (an Indian-inspired spicy stew) and newspaperwrapped veggie samosas. Swapping the glow of paraffin lamps for a moonrise over the Indian Ocean, I chase the sea spray to Baraza Resort and Spa on the island’s southeast coast. Its elegant Livingstone Terrace—named after

Right: A fresh seafood platter at the gorgeous Baraza Resort and Spa Zanzibar Photo courtesy of Baraza Resort and Spa Opposite: Shopping for colorful fabrics and artwork in Stone Town Photo by Sarah Freeman

The Emerson Spice Tea House offers authentic dining with a view of historic Stone Town Photo by Laura Tönder

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Much like Zanzibar’s melting-pot cuisine, Baraza’s architecture celebrates the coral archipelago’s African, Omani, and Indian heritage. These commingling cultures also converge in the streets of Stone Town, where wooden doors are decorated with twisting vines (a Swahili design), Arabic script, and brass studs originally used in India to unnerve charging war elephants! One of the most storied addresses in town also happens to serve the island’s best coffee; their beans are grown on fair trade estates in Tanzania’s southern highlands. Doubling as a hotel, Zanzibar Coffee House (RiftValley-Zanzibar.com) was formerly the lavish residence of a moneyed merchant. Its airy courtyard is just the antidote to the colorful chaos of Darajani Bazaar, Stone Town’s century-old, gable-roofed marketplace, famed for its early morning fish auctions.

the Scottish explorer whose legendary expeditions took off from Zanzibar—is the perfect spot to drink a dawa. Derived from the Swahili word meaning “medicine,” the curative cocktail traditionally blends muddled lime, smoked honey, and an island-brewed sugarcane gin called konyagi. With no ail to cure, I retreat to my one-bedroom villa, which channels the opulence of a sultan’s palace. Think gold tasseled drapery, ornate brass pendant lanterns, and intricately hand-carved furniture, including a dresser that cleverly conceals a plasma TV. Daylight reveals the resort’s softer side of manicured gardens (tended to by no fewer than seventeen gardeners!), graceful keyhole arches, and a sun-warmed twenty-fourmeter pool. But the pièce de résistance is Baraza’s five-mile strip of unblemished white sand, shared with its sister resorts, Breezes Beach Club and The Palms.

DERIVED FROM TH E SWAHILI WORD M EANING “M EDICIN E,” TH E CURATIVE COCKTAIL TRADITIONALLY BLENDS MUDDLED LIM E, SMOKED HON EY, AND AN ISLANDBREWED SUGARCAN E GIN CALLED KONYAGI.

In what has to be one of nature’s greatest disappearing acts, come midday, this award-winning beach vanishes as ocean waves roll back almost a mile to the surf break, revealing another world. Picking my way through spiny sea urchins (a local delicacy), I wade out one hundred meters on a guided reef walk, passing local seaweed farmers balancing baskets on their heads.

Laden with sticky dates, six different varieties of bananas, and bags of dried hibiscus, I check into The Palms—an intimate property of just seven makutithatched bungalows—which marries colonial-era furnishings with tiki chic. Its candlelit thali-style dinners (hosted on the restaurant’s colonnaded terrace) are the perfect excuse to get all gussied up!

Life in Zanzibar is governed by the ocean’s ebb and flow. The nooks and crannies of its intertidal zone—where clown fish dance in branching corals—are also where women pweza hunters skillfully spear reef octopi. The 130-million-year-old mollusk is the star ingredient of pweza wa nazi, an octopus curry simmered in cinnamon-and-cardamomspiced coconut milk, which guests can whip up in the resort’s Swahili cooking class.

Days merge into a blissful blur of cooling dips in its bougainvillea-shaded swimming pool and naps in my silk-canopied beach banda beneath the rustle of coconut palms. The Swahili mantra pole pole (“slowly, slowly”) comes naturally here. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 89

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atisfyingly, slow living pervades forty-five miles north in Matemwe too, where castor-sugar beaches stretch in both directions as far as the eye can see, and dhows unfurl their triangular sails in the turquoise waters. Zanzibar’s iconic dhow boats carried merchants to the island on the monsoon winds as far back as the eighth century. Arriving with pearls and dates from Arabia and departing with slaves and spices, they transformed Zanzibar into a trading center for the whole of East Africa. Chinese, Persian, Indonesian, and Indian traders either transited through or migrated here, cultivating one of the most diverse food cultures on the continent.

MUCH LIKE ZANZIBAR’S M ELTING-POT CUISIN E, BARAZA’S ARCHITECTURE CELEBRATES TH E CORAL ARCHIPELAGO’S AFRICAN, OMANI, AND INDIAN H ERITAGE .

My taste of this golden age of Arabian sailing is on a local ngalawa (a type of dhow typically used for fishing), exploring the offshore reef that hugs Matemwe’s coral rag cliff coastline. Carved from the trunk of a mango tree and rigged with a canvas sail lashed to a bamboo spar, the small, sun-beaten vessel is surprisingly seaworthy! This is just one of a raft of culturally immersive excursions offered at Matemwe Lodge and Retreat—a tranquil beachside property fringed by a shallow lagoon of infinite blues and run by luxury eco-lodge and safari operator Asilia Africa. I drink in the view from the rooftop of my split-level whitewashed villa, one of just four nestled in palm 90 | M AY 2 0 21

trees on a rocky outcrop at the resort’s more exclusive “retreat.” Listening to honeybees drone from the hotel’s hives while dining on slipper lobster (rustled up by my private chef ) is precisely why guests don’t roam too far, I muse. While its exterior could pass for a Greek island villa, the interior is full of Moorish flair, thanks to arched doorways, ocher-painted walls, and a tadelakt bathtub. Meanwhile, soft furnishings crafted by local villagers and matting woven by Stone Town’s Blind Association uphold Asilia’s community values.

Back in the waterfront city’s exotic casbah, I scope out another rooftop—this one belonging to a nineteenth-century mansion where Swahili royalty once lived, before two Americans transformed it into one of Zanzibar’s first boutique hotels. Against a skyline of silhouetted minarets and swaying palms, golden-robed waiters serve up a smorgasbord of Swahili seafood delights at its Tea House Restaurant (EmersonSpice.com). Coming full circle, my last supper of bungo ceviche and coconut-crusted kingfish (caught on Emerson Spice’s own dhow) transports me right back to that first piquant plantation. Only this time, I’m not wearing lipstick!

Left: Take in the view from the rooftop at Matemwe Lodge and Retreat. Photo courtesy of Asilia Africa

Plan your visit to The Palms and Baraza Resort and Spa at TheZanzibarCollection.com and Matemwe Lodge and Retreat at Matemwe. AsiliaAfrica.com/matemwe-lodge. Turkish Airlines and KLM operate regular flights from North America to Tanzania with only one en route stop.

Opposite top: Secret Garden restaurant is truly a feast for all the senses.

Brit-born Sarah Freeman’s appetite for adventure has taken her to some far-flung corners of the earth, from Indonesia’s remote Mentawai Islands to the snowcapped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. The internationally published travel writer and photographer regularly racks up air miles on assignments for Bloomberg, Sunday Times Travel, and Harper’s Bazaar.

Opposite bottom: Stay and dine like royalty at the Baraza Resort and Spa Zanzibar.

Photo by Laura Tönder

Photo courtesy of Baraza Resort and Spa

SAVOR THE CLASSIC & SOPHISTICATED The Emerald Coast’s only AAA Four-Diamond Steakhouse

SANDESTIN BEACH GOLF RESORT & SPA

RESERVATIONS 850-622-1500 | SEAGARS.com 4000 Sandestin Blvd. South, Miramar Beach, FL 32550

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Hotel Lutetia, The Set Collection’s luxury property in Paris, boasts modern design in a historic building with incredible views from the Left Bank. 92 | M AY 2 0 21

he good news is that hospitality, at its very heart, is about welcoming visitors and making them feel comfortable and safe. Never has this been more important to hotels and resorts worldwide than it is now. Many have used the “downtime” created by the COVID-19 pandemic to renovate and innovate by adding amenities and updating decor.

heritage design by

CAR OLYN O’NEIL

photography courtesy of

THE SET C OLLEC TION

E M BR ACE T H E S OUL OF EU R O P E A N CITIE S The world is still out there inviting us to explore someplace new or to relive visits to our favorite destinations. While travel restrictions of one sort or another may still be in place for a while, one thing is for sure: we can still dream about and plan where we want to travel next.

As an example of excellence in this pursuit of luxury with safety as a priority, let’s get to know The Set Collection, a chic group of hotels with properties in London, Paris, and Amsterdam.

THE HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL, LONDON Steps from London’s busy Piccadilly Circus, a grand sense of arrival greets guests in the vaulted two-story lobby of the Hotel Café Royal. The sleek, contemporary main entrance is just the beginning of architectural splendors found throughout the hotel, which comprises three historic buildings restored by famed architect David Chipperfield. “It’s a gem as you check in, with layers to discover,” says Guillaume Marly, managing director of the Hotel Café Royal. “The style of the hotel mixes old and new and offers something for every generation, old and new!” The hotel’s address is on well-heeled Regent Street, known for traditional shops and clothiers; but it’s also in the heart of the fashionable Soho district humming with top bars and restaurants. “You are in the epicenter of London when you stay here,” says Marly. “With Piccadilly Circus right outside your window, you can almost reach out and touch a double-decker bus.” Joking, of course, Marly points out that those windows are triple-glazed glass to muffle city noises. “We sell sleep too, you know.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 93

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his unrivaled setting, with London’s history, culture, business, and the theater district nearby, is one of the reasons that for more than 150 years, people have returned time and again. From Oscar Wilde to David Bowie, Winston Churchill to Muhammad Ali, Princess Diana to the Rolling Stones—the Café Royal has been known as one of the vibrant living rooms of London. Guests today can step back into that history by enjoying a traditional afternoon tea service in the ornately gilded Oscar Wilde Lounge or experiencing the art of mixology at Ziggy’s, with flashes of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust lighting up the intimate bar via photographic art. Maybe you’d rather channel Churchill and order a steak with Stilton cheese and Champagne. While Hotel Café Royal’s restaurants and bars are subject to closure related to government lockdowns, its chefs continue to create delicious meals for guests and local delivery. This includes the world-class cuisine of Michelin three-star pastry chef Albert Adrià, who oversees the menu at the hotel’s in-house coffee shop and bistro, Cakes & Bubbles. The Hotel Café Royal has 160 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, including seven signature accommodations such as the Tudor Suite, echoing the elegance of its architectural past. With an eye on the future, the hotel’s rooftop is a green space that reduces water runoff from the building and features birdhouses to attract and support the city’s winged wildlife.

With Piccadilly Circus right outside your window, you can almost reach out and touch a doubledecker bus.

Travel & Leisure named Hotel Café Royal one of the Top 100 hotels on the planet in 2020. The hotel’s spacious underground spa, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, boasts one of London’s most beautiful swimming pools and is a sparkling jewel in its crown. “This is a spa for spa people,” says Marly. It’s important to note that the hotel’s Akasha Safe Spa procedures and protocols are in place so guests can feel confident when planning treatments.

Another excellent reason to stay at a hotel connected to what’s happening at the moment is that the concierge can help guide guests to places that are open and safe. Concierges at the Hotel Café Royal list several London experiences they can help organize when the time is right, including a private pod on the London Eye observation wheel or a private socially distanced tour of the Tate or Tate Modern art galleries. Learn more or book a stay at HotelCafeRoyal.com.

HOTEL LUTETIA, PARIS Lutetia was the Roman name for what is now known as the city of Paris, and that’s where the Hotel Lutetia, housed in one of the most beautiful and fascinating 94 | M AY 2 0 21

buildings in Paris, got her name. Built in 1910 with a novel blend of Art Nouveau and Art Deco design elements, the hotel is an iconic landmark in the vibrant Saint-Germain-des-Prés area on the city’s Rive Gauche (Left Bank). Long known as the Paris of writers, artists, and philosophers, today it’s where you’ll find fashion-forward eateries and boutiques. Right across the street from the hotel, the famed Le Bon Marché department store, founded in the 1850s, is still setting trends. “It’s the real Paris,” says Marly, who of course is intimately familiar with all three of The Set Hotel properties. At the heart of the Saint-Germain community for more than a century, the Lutetia’s history echoes the growth of modern-day Paris—surviving the struggles of two World Wars and emerging even more beautiful than before. The hotel was closed in 2014 for an extensive fouryear renovation led by famed architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Today, guests experience the historic frescoes and elegant architectural details integrated seamlessly with a new contemporary environment. Amenities include a sunny courtyard at the center of the hotel and an Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre spa with a large swimming pool bathed in natural daylight. The hundred-million-dollar-plus hotel beautification decreased the room count, so rooms are happily larger now. The bathrooms, stocked with Hermès amenities, are showstoppers with Calcutta marble throughout, including marble bathtubs.

Above: A junior suite at the Hotel Café Royal in the heart of London Right: Bar Joséphine at Hotel Lutetia in Paris

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or food lovers (and isn’t this why we go to Paris?), the hotel’s lively ground floor features a marvelous mix of elegant restaurants, bars, and lounges including the return of the iconic and newly recharged Brasserie Lutetia. Seafood is a specialty here, including fresh oysters from Normandy. Explore more or plan your trip at HotelLutetia.com.

THE CONSERVATORIUM HOTEL, AMSTERDAM

Above: Each of The Set Collection hotels includes a luxurious Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre spa. Right: The Lutetia’s stylish Suite Littéraire Opposite: In a Rooftop Suite at the Conservatorium Hotel Amsterdam, even the bathroom has a view. 96 | M AY 2 0 21

Would anyone like to take a trip down memory lane with Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and the other old masters of art? You’ve come to the right place! Located in the stylish Museum Square district of Amsterdam in a landmark heritage bank building that later became a conservatory of music, the Conservatorium Hotel is a masterpiece of architecture. The sleek, contemporary hotel has repeatedly been crowned the top luxury hotel in the Netherlands. Upon arrival, order a gin and tonic at the Conservatorium Lounge (after all, the Dutch invented gin). Or for a more adventurous introduction, step inside the hotel’s Taiko Bar and discover what feels like a night out in Bangkok, Tokyo, or Shanghai.

introduce guests to the cultural heart of each city. Also included are business-class travel on Eurostar between London, Paris, and Amsterdam and private transfers to the hotels.

To learn more about The Set Collection and all its properties, visit TheSetHotels.com.

The guest rooms and public areas feature Dutch design with a juxtaposition of historic edifices and modern glassed-in spaces. The hotel has been awarded a Green Globe certification for its attention to sustainability in design. To help you sustain your energy while traveling, there is an Akasha Well Being Centre spa here as well.

Carolyn O’Neil is an award-winning Atlanta-based food writer who specializes in culinary travel and healthy lifestyles. She believes that travel is the ultimate way to learn about the people of the world and cuisine is the most exciting way to learn about their histories and cultures. Visit her blog at TheHappyHealthyKitchen.com.

Head to ConservatoriumHotel.com for more information.

THE GRAND TOUR

THE SET COLLECTION PRESENTS SAFE STAY

As long as you’re finally traveling, why not keep going? The Set Hotels group has introduced the Grand Tour concept for guests who want to experience more than one city during their European jaunt.

Each hotel follows local regulations for closures and restrictions for operating restaurants and bars. In addition, safety protocols are in place to ensure the highest level of sanitation safety for interiors and staff interaction with guests.

Think of it as an elegant cruise on land where the next port of call is another modern grand hotel. Available when booking two or more of The Set Collection hotels in a single trip, each Grand Tour journey is personally curated by the concierge to

Visit TheSetHotels.com/safe-stay to learn more about how The Set Collection is handling COVID-19 at each property and keeping guest and staff safety top of mind.

FABULOUS KIDS’ FASHIONS & TOYS 62 main street ROSEMARY BEACH,FL gigisfabkids.com 850.231.0110

C’est la vie

SPICE IT UP!

For most of us, staying home more means cooking more. It also means it’s time to add some flavor to your kitchen! We love these classic kitchen staples with contemporary designs that are sure to elevate any countertop, centerpiece, or coffee bar. Feel confident when entertaining guests, thanks to this C’est la VIE roundup of kitchen accessories fit for a tastefully chic culinary connoisseur.

Fry Your Heart Out

Caraway Home SevenPiece Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set $445 – CrateandBarrel.com 98 | M AY 2 0 21

Sipping in Style

Edge Wine Glasses $12.95 each – CrateandBarrel.com

Rattan Rules

Round Rattan Placemat Set of four, $98 – SerenaandLily.com

Seasons’ Greetings

Maia Olivewood Six-Jar Spice Rack $50 – CrateandBarrel.com

Send Noods

Philips Pasta Machine $300 – CrateandBarrel.com

Too Gouda 6 to Be True

Artizan Rattan Cheese Knives Set of three, $25 – CrateandBarrel.com

Out to Sea

Cayman Highball Glasses Set of four, $58 – SerenaandLily.com 8

Wright at Home

Epicurean x Frank Lloyd Wright Serving Board $80 – CrateandBarrel.com

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C’est la vie

To Brie or 9 Not to Brie

Carson Cheese Board, 36 inches $70 – CrateandBarrel.com 100 | M AY 2 0 21

Travel Dates

Corsica Wine and Cheese Picnic Basket $99 – Frontgate.com

Love You a Latte

Jayme Mugs by Amber Lewis for Anthropologie Set of four, $56 – Anthropologie.com

Coastal Coaster

Catalonia Coasters Set of four, $48 – SerenaandLily.com

Modern Mixing

Ombre Serving Set $28 – SerenaandLily.com

Mint Condition

Mint Berry Box Colander $8 – CrateandBarrel.com

How Marble-ous

Wood and Marble Lazy Susan $90 – CrateandBarrel.com

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G R A N D B O U L E VA R D

SHOPTHEJEWEL .COM

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La vitalité

Visit The Green Stream on Airstream Row in Seaside, Florida, or check them out on Instagram @the_green_stream. Photo by Savannah Young

La vitalité A ZEST FOR LIFE

Hello, summertime! Located just steps from the beach and our favorite Seaside, Florida, shopping destinations, the new Green Stream Juice Café is the place to go for raw cold-pressed juices, real fruit smoothies, and more. With their organic fruit smoothies including Dragonfruit, Coco Banana, and Tropical Deluxe, it’s hard to go wrong when choosing your refreshment. Guests can also give their bodies a boost with wellness shots, which are great for fighting inflammation and keeping you ready to go for the beach, the pool, and other seasonal activities. We can’t forget to mention their Instagram-worthy acai bowls and avocado toast, all made fresh to order!

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Farm to Table

Lifestyle T h e R e b i rt h o f t h e A g r i h o o d By ALLISON SMITH Photography courtesy of OLIVETTE RIVERSIDE COMMUNIT Y AND FARM

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he pandemic has affected us all in many different ways, but one of the most interesting and positive impacts it has had is inspiring people to live closer to nature— away from the shoulder-to-shoulder realities of bigcity life. Retirees, in particular, have begun seeking out communities where they can live close to the land alongside others of all ages with the same intention. Agrihoods are stepping up to meet this growing need. Agrihoods are communities built around working farms that focus on healthy lifestyles. Olivette Riverside Community and Farm—an agrihood I cofounded in Western North Carolina—is one such example. It’s a 346-acre planned community along the French Broad River near Asheville, North Carolina. We transformed this historic farm site into a fully operational organic farm, the area’s first and only true farm-to-table community. With the farm at its core, Olivette’s gardens, extensive trail system, dog park, island park, and riverfront access allow residents to enjoy activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing, birding, and wildlife viewing. Residents of all ages join in a wide variety of community activities such as performances, storytelling, arts events, and farm-to-table suppers.

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This page and opposite: Olivette is a 346-acre planned community and historic farm located along the French Broad River, just 6.7 miles from downtown Asheville, North Carolina. Designed as a sustainable agrihood community, Olivette is home to a vibrant vegetable, fruit, and flower farm.

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And did I mention the food? Living in an agrihood means access to farm-fresh foods grown by a farmer in your neighborhood. Our veteran and intern farmers grow, clean, and sell nutrient-dense produce that connects residents to the food they eat and the land where it grows. It’s a four-season organic farm operation that involves planting cover crops, propagating seeds in greenhouses during the colder months, and then transplanting those seeds into the fields for warm-season growing. Residents buy into a weekly produce plan and receive fresh food throughout the year.

erhaps what is most appealing to retirement-age home buyers, though, is the multigenerational nature of such communities. Residents of all ages have the opportunity to get to know one another in a beautiful, naturally welcoming environment. Retirees are moving into a time of life where they really want to thrive and, as health-centric communities, agrihoods make that truly possible on all levels: healthy food, healthy movement opportunities, and healthy, happy hearts and minds thanks to the inclusive, multigenerational atmosphere.

Residents of all ages have the opportunity to get to know one another in a beautiful, naturally welcoming environment.

Dinner, Agrihood Style Want to sample some of the amazing food we enjoy in our agrihood? Here’s a delicious recipe for you to try. Baked sweet potatoes are a wonderfully simple, nourishing, and delicious farm-to-table meal. We paired ours with sautéed spinach and mushrooms, adobo sauce, and fresh chèvre.

Ingredients Fresh sweet potatoes 1 teaspoon of butter 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 cup of fresh mushrooms 2–3 handfuls of fresh spinach Salt and pepper to taste Adobo sauce to taste Fresh goat cheese (chèvre), for garnish

Directions 1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 2. Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork. 3. Place them on a lined tray and bake on the middle rack for one hour. 4. In a medium skillet, melt a teaspoon of butter with a teaspoon of olive oil. Add one clove of minced garlic. 5. After the butter is melted, add some mushrooms of your choice. We used a mixture of oyster, button, and shiitake! 6. Sauté until the mushrooms release their juices, then add two to three handfuls of spinach. 7. Wilt the spinach and add salt and pepper.

Assembly Open your sweet potato, add a pat of butter, add your mushrooms and spinach, sprinkle with adobo sauce and fresh chèvre, and bon appétit!

Agrihoods: A Model for Social and Economic Recovery The planning that went into making Olivette a premier agrihood is now attracting people yearning for social and economic recovery and new models of community in the postpandemic world. Many residents are early adopters looking to invest in new technologies and ways of living, paving the way for making these models more affordable and accessible for everyone. The pandemic has accelerated existing trends like reducing one’s carbon footprint, living in balance with nature, and telecommuting. And now, retirees have discovered that agrihoods offer the perfect balance of ultimate relaxation and community engagement. Agrihoods hold the promise of a way of life that empowers healthy living and community connection—two things the whole world has been craving throughout this challenging time. If you’ve been curious about how to improve upon your health and well-being while feeling more connected to a community that’s as invested in you as you are in it, agrihood living could be the perfect fit. As we heal from the pandemic, let’s also celebrate new opportunities for wellness. Together, we are transforming our lives, the lives of our neighbors, and the lives of the surrounding community. It’s a wonderful experience, and it’s no wonder so many now wish to incorporate it into their own lives. Now is the time to start thriving.

Farm-to-table living expert Allison Smith is a founding partner at Olivette Riverside Community and Farm near Asheville, North Carolina. The region’s first “agrihood,” Olivette is built around a four-season organic farm and designed to connect people with nature, community, and their food. Learn more at OlivetteNC.com.

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208 Paradise by the Sea Blvd | $7,999,000 The Blankenship Group | 405.623.5227

Bannerman Beach Homesites | Call for Pricing Marianne Grant & Blake Cooper | 850.218.0202

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Local Expertise. Global Reach. Engel & Völkers. East 30A Office 850.213.2800 | West 30A Office 850.660.1830 | 30abeaches.evrealestate.com

L’intermission

Let ’s Kick It! Tangerine Moscow Mule × × × ×

2 oz. Natalie’s Tangerine Juice 2 oz. vodka 1 oz. Natalie’s Lime Juice Ginger beer Add tangerine juice, vodka, and lime juice to a mule mug or tall glass filled with ice. Stir well and top with ginger beer. For a mocktail version, omit the vodka and add more ginger beer! Recipe and photo by Kim Daniels

“At Natalie’s, we want the quality of our ingredients to shine,” says the Natalie’s Juice Company website. “That’s why we hand select and source the finest fruits and vegetables available. Our juices are handcrafted in small batches to ensure authentic freshness. We specialize in clean, nutritious juice made with integrity.” Who wouldn’t want that kind of goodness in their favorite summer cocktail? Natalie’s Juice was kind enough to share this Tangerine Moscow Mule with us, along with more recipes online at OrchidIslandJuice.com.

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T H E D O C T O R ’ S

Sugar C U R E F O R

Addiction

S a l l i e W. B o y l e s C O U R T E S Y O F D r. D a r y l G i o f f r e

BY PHOTOGRAPHY

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The average American consumes about twenty teaspoons of added sugar a day— more than three times the six teaspoons your liver can metabolize. Anything above that small amount gets stored as fat. —Get Off Your Sugar

Celebrity chiropractor, nutritionist, and motivational speaker Dr. Daryl Gioffre

any people are shocked to learn that their go-to, health-conscious selections are loaded with sugar, which, in turn, drives their food cravings. “Sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine,” says Dr. Daryl Gioffre, author of Get Off Your Sugar (2021) and Get Off Your Acid (2018). He’s also a highly demanded chiropractor and longevity expert who developed a line of nutritional supplements under the brand name Alkamind. They’re formulated to fortify the body (Gioffre champions “green juice” and essential minerals) in conjunction with neutralizing acid. Acid-Kicking Coffee Alkalizer (flavored and plain), for instance, lets coffee drinkers savor their morning cup without doing internal damage. “Acid is so corrosive,” says Gioffre. “It can burn a hole through metal; it literally eats you alive.” He cites acidosis—the body’s inability to achieve a balanced pH—as the root of inflammation and, arguably, most disease. The pH (power/concentration of hydrogen) scale ranges from acidic to alkaline: 0 to 14. The optimal level for a human is 7.2 to 7.4, or slightly alkaline. Among sugar’s many vices, it, too, turns acidic in the gut. Sugar also fuels cancer. “Cancer eats up sugar faster than healthy cells,” says Gioffre, who lost his father to esophageal cancer. Stunned to learn that his dad had been coping with acid reflux, he confides, “It’s amazing how his sickness paralleled my learning.” V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 111

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“

I tried to get rid of sugar, but you can’t just remove the poison without addressing the reason why you’re addicted in the first place.

”

While an undergraduate at Boston College, Gioffre played soccer on a men’s under-20 national team when he suffered an injury. “Different doctors told me I’d never play again,” he says, “so Dad dragged me to his chiropractor.”

aving treated upwards of 130,000 patients, Gioffre received a whirlwind of publicity in 2015. Referred to his practice by another doctor, Kelly Ripa raved about his acid-kicking approach to vitality during a chat with Ryan Seacrest (who subsequently became a patient) on their Live morning talk show. Ripa also wrote the forewords for both of Gioffre’s books. “Kelly put us on the map,” Gioffre affirms. Above: Dr. Gioffre’s book Get Off Your Sugar debuted in January 2021 as a follow-up to his popular nutritional guide Get Off Your Acid. His work as a chiropractor and nutritionist has gained Dr. Gioffre acclaim among celebrity clients, including supermodel Petra Němcová (right) and television personality Kelly Ripa (opposite).

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Today, besides treating patients (indeed, a growing cast of celebrities), speaking for groups, and spreading his message through numerous public appearances, Gioffre serves on Fran Drescher’s Cancer Schmancer Medical, Health, and Wellness Advisory Board. Even Gioffre, however, once had an out-of-control sweet tooth. As a teen, if not downing sugary drinks or adding spoons of sugar to his presweetened cereal, he was snacking on bags of candy. Sharing with his friends earned him the nickname “Candyman.” Other than dealing with migraines, the athletic soccer and hockey player seemed in prime health.

Over the years, his father had found value in visiting a chiropractor for various ailments, including colds. “I had nothing to lose,” says Gioffre, “and went with an open mind. After two adjustments, I was back playing soccer. The doctor just removed the interferences in my body that were preventing me from healing myself. That blew my mind. After I started playing soccer again, I kept getting adjusted.”

The adjustments Gioffre received in college also cured his migraines and inspired his professional path. Cramming in the required science curriculum, Gioffre says, “I changed from prelaw to premed courses in my senior year.” He then earned his doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University in Georgia. In 2004, after a few years in another practice, he opened Gioffre Chiropractic Wellness Center in New York City. “I thought chiropractic medicine could heal all,” says Gioffre, who has been adjusting his two young sons from the day they were born.

Identifying himself as a “health investigator,” Gioffre took notes from his practice. “Ninety-five percent of the patients in my practice would come in, get adjusted, leave, and come back a few weeks later with inflammation in their joints,” he says. “The other five percent were running on all cylinders— uber healthy with incredible energy. I just started to add more of the things they were doing.” Further researching the science and testing his findings on himself, he says his personal dietary and lifestyle changes “evolved over time . . . in conjunction with trying to help others.”

With a hundred different techniques to address each patient’s unique condition, Gioffre contends that upper cervical work is universally beneficial. “Every nerve that goes through our body to the brain must pass through the first two vertebrae, C1 and C2,” he informs. “When the spine is aligned and flexible, communication in the nervous system is at its best.” He equates his role to unkinking a hose or flipping a tripped breaker switch back to its correct position so all segments line up correctly. “After every adjustment,” he divulges, “when that switch comes on, I say, ‘Power’s on!’”

“I tried to get rid of sugar,” he explains, “but you can’t just remove the poison without addressing the reason why you’re addicted in the first place.” Therefore, he admits, “Willpower got me through the day, but I was energy drained.”

Cravings provide other clues, as in what the body is lacking. “When we crave chocolate,” says Gioffre, “the key mineral deficiency is magnesium.” Ice cream yearnings represent needs for healing fats (some good sources are avocados, coconut oil, and raw almonds) and minerals. “This is not about deprivation,” Gioffre states, “it’s about moderation and balance.” When he appeared on Nigel Barker’s Shaken & Stirred celebrity podcast, which is all about the cocktail, Gioffre touted a grain-free Cîroc vodka on the rocks. “It has the least toxic effect,” he says, particularly with a dash of Alkamind Acid-Kicking Minerals and a lime slice. (Lime and lemon both become alkaline in the body, so Gioffre suggests adding a squeeze of either citrus to one’s water.) His guidelines require many people to make dramatic changes in what they eat and how they prepare their meals. Gioffre, who encourages variety, shares an array of easy, widely popular recipes in his books. Further simplifying matters, earlier this year, he also launched The Acid-Kicking Meal Plan by Dr. Daryl Gioffre in partnership with Daily Dose, which can be found in the “Products” section of DailyDoseLife.com.

Despite possessing such powerful tools and knowledge for several years, Gioffre still had a weakness for sugar. At one point, Gioffre’s wife informed him that, while he was sound asleep, he’d downed a handful of M&M’s from the bowl he kept on his nightstand. The doctor was in denial. He trained for triathlons and marathons. He took supplements. He’d also put on more than forty excess pounds. At least he could zip up his slacks and button his shirts—to a point. “My clothes were the same size, but my body got bigger,” Gioffre says, recalling the moment he leaned over to adjust a patient and split the seam of his pants wide open. Embarrassment prompted him to lose weight, but dieting didn’t enhance his health.

Accordingly, he conducts live blood-cell testing in his practice. “We look at a drop of blood, magnified twenty-five thousand times, in real time,” says Gioffre. An abundance of yeast, parasites, and other toxins indicates a “leaky gut.” The culprit, Gioffre says, is acidity that causes “holes” in the digestive tract, permitting waste products to seep into the bloodstream.

With that, Gioffre says, “I learned about the alkaline diet and green juice.” Initially not a fan of the latter, he states, “Something told me, you have to get going. I started with a green juice a day.” His taste buds acclimated. “It wasn’t the green juice; it was me,” he says. “The green juice didn’t change; my body changed. Within three weeks, the sugar cravings were gone.”

For a do-it-yourself trial, he’s thrilled to pass along his Avocado Chocolate Mousse and Citrus-Herb Roasted Salmon recipes to VIE’s readers. Also, Gioffre offers, “If your sugar cravings really have a hold on you—the way mine did on me—there are some biohacks that can help diminish your surges of that ‘gotta have sugar now’ feeling.”

All the same, he emphasizes, “You cannot supplement your way out of a bad diet.” Moreover, he calls for “testing, not guessing.” The diet must be assessed in conjunction with how the body processes food. “You are what you digest, absorb, and assimilate,” he says, “not what you eat.”

Besides detoxing (his books walk through the steps) and fortifying nutritionally, Gioffre recommends highvalue workouts. At the start of his transformation, he began bouncing on a rebounder (mini trampoline) for about ten minutes a day. Three months later, he was well rested, energized, and forty-two pounds lighter. V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 113

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Dr. Gioffre founded Alkamind, a supplement brand helping patients fight inflammation and achieve health and energy through an alkaline-conscious diet.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Ceylon Cinnamon hen it comes to adopting an acidfree, sugar-free lifestyle, Dr. Gioffre says the eighty-twenty rule wins the end game. Likewise, he says, “Eighty percent of the success is the why. You have to have the purpose—something that gives you goose bumps. We found that if you have a powerful why, you can comply.” A compelling reason might be a scary diagnosis, fatigue, frustration over one’s appearance, or the potential to live longer. In fact, before and after incorporating lifestyle changes, Gioffre’s patients can take an epigenetic test that discerns their physical age. As time goes on, many are not only younger than their actual years, but they continue to grow more youthful. “Biohacking my own health, I’m thirty-two at forty-five years old,” says Gioffre. “I was thirty-three last year.”

Ceylon cinnamon regulates blood sugar, and apple cider vinegar can improve insulin function and insulin resistance and reduce fasting blood sugar and HbA1c levels. DOSAGE: Mix 1 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon and a pinch of Himalayan pink salt into 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a few ounces of filtered water. Drink it as a shot at any time of day to ward off cravings.

Sugar-Craving Fat Bomb

To gather Dr. Gioffre’s secrets, readers can purchase his books from major retailers. For updates and more information about his practice and products, visit GetOffYourAcid.com or follow him on Instagram @getoffyouracid. Sallie W. Boyles works as a freelance journalist, ghostwriter, copywriter, and editor through Write Lady Inc., her Atlantabased company. With an MBA in marketing, she marvels at the power of words, particularly in business and politics, but loves nothing more than relaying extraordinary personal stories that are believable only because they are true. 114 | M AY 2 0 21

This shot cleanses the liver and gall bladder, which will help you lose weight, especially in the belly area. DOSAGE: Mix 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with the juice of half an organic lemon and drink on an empty stomach whenever the craving monster shows itself. Or better yet, drink in the morning to anticipate and prevent cravings.

Citrus-Herb Roasted Salmon with Asparagus SERVES 4 · 1 tablespoon coconut oil · 4 (6-ounce) Pacific wild-caught salmon fillets · 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed · Sea salt (Celtic grey, Himalayan pink, or Redmond Real Salt) · Freshly ground pepper · 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or thyme Juice of 1⁄2 lemon Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a roasting pan with some of the coconut oil and place the salmon, skin side down, in the pan. Use the remaining coconut oil to coat the asparagus and spread it out on the roasting pan. Sprinkle the whole pan with the seasonings, transfer to the oven, and roast for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on desired doneness. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the salmon with parsley or thyme leaves and a squeeze of lemon, and serve on a plate.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse SERVES 2 · 1 1⁄2 Hass avocados, peeled and pitted · 2⁄3 cup coconut water, ideally raw · 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract · 2 tablespoons raw cacao · 3 dates, pitted (you can use 5 to make it a little sweeter) · 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sea salt (Celtic grey, Himalayan pink, or Redmond Real Salt) Combine all the ingredients in a blender, blend on high speed, then serve. You can also refrigerate before serving to make a firm mousse. To make a healthy version of Fudgsicles, pour the mousse into ice pop molds and freeze for 30 minutes—if you can wait that long! V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 115

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BOOK CLUB THE READERS CORNER

Reflections on Seaside by Dhiru A. Thadani is now available for purchase from Amazon and other major booksellers. Photo by Jack Gardner

Seaside, Florida, turns forty this year, making it the perfect time for the release of Reflections on Seaside by acclaimed architect, author, and Urbanism expert Dhiru A. Thadani. The book celebrates the town that inspired countless designers, architects, urban planners, and everyday citizens in the search for the ideal place to live. Its pages feature new projects built there since Thadani’s first book, Visions of Seaside, Seaside, was released in 2013 and offers a blueprint for moving into the future. New essays by Robert A.M. Stern, Andrés Duany, Deborah Berke, Steven Holl, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Ray Gindroz, and Scott Merrill examine New Urbanism and topics such as sustainability and the environment. Thadani hopes this new volume will cement Seaside’s place in the forum of traditional Urbanism as a city of ideas and a major influence on innovative urban planning.

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A New Cookbook Debuts by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous

F o o d

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The Readers Corner

Photography by Eva Kolenko Let’s be honest: good food without someone to enjoy it with is just not as good. Cooking for one can be a drag, so why not make food that’s meant to be shared with others? Best friends Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous—who just happen to be a Hollywood star and a culinary dynamo, respectively—have come to the rescue

Although they probably know with their brand-new tome, Food Between Friends: Ferguson as a star of the longrunning sitcom Modern Family, A Cookbook , which released in March. fans might not realize he has a flair for the culinary arts as well. “If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I have a passion for cooking and entertaining,” he says on the blog he and Tanous started, which shares its name with their cookbook. “In fact, if I wasn’t an actor, I think I would have found my way into culinary school!” Alabama-born Tanous started her career in the music industry before she knew she’d rather be wearing an

“

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I have a passion for cooking and entertaining.

apron and experimenting in the kitchen. She graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, and her recipes have appeared in Saveur, Food and Wine, LA Weekly, InStyle, and Bake from Scratch, among other publications. She also developed recipes for several other cookbooks before she and Ferguson set off to create their own. Both Los Angeles dwellers, Ferguson admits they have a penchant for healthy eating—but that doesn’t mean their favorite desserts and other treats won’t make an appearance in the book! We are excited to share this recipe from Food Between Friends with some words from Julie Tanous:

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The Readers Corner

· 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 1/2 cups), chilled · 1 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice · 1 cup cold buttermilk

Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Apple-Cheddar Drop Biscuits Ma k e s 15 to 1 8 bi scu i ts

A wise person once said, “An apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze.” Yes, we know this isn’t a pie recipe, but we think that rule still applies. It’s totally understandable why people put slices of cheese on their apple pie: sweet, savory, salty, tart, buttery. This biscuit hits all the same spots, and it’s the perfect “starter biscuit” for baking beginners, like Jesse was. No kneading! No rolling! Just spooning and dropping! They are almost impossible to mess up. We say “almost” because we don’t want a lawsuit if

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to pinch, rub, and incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, working quickly so the butter remains cold. Fold in the grated cheese and diced apple. Drizzle in the buttermilk and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined and most of the dry, floury bits are incorporated, but do not overmix. The dough will be shaggy and sort of sticky. 3. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the biscuit dough and gently shape it into a loose mound. If the dough feels too sticky, lightly dust your hands with flour. Place it on the prepared baking sheet, then shape and place the remaining dough mounds on the sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake the biscuits, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the tops are golden brown in spots and the biscuits feel somewhat firm to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow the biscuits to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

you do actually mess them up.

—JULIE

Ingredients · 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting · 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder · 1 tablespoon sugar · 1 teaspoon kosher salt · 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch dice and chilled in the freezer for at least 20 minutes 120 | M AY 2 0 21

Food Between Friends is now available on Amazon and from other major booksellers. Learn more and find more recipes at JulieandJesseCook.com.

Recipe reprinted from Food Between Friends by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous. Copyright © 2021 by Julie & Jesse Cook, LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Eva Kolenko.

L’intermission

Helen of Joy! The Hazy Swizz cocktail from The Bar at Helen Photo courtesy of Helen Restaurant

Helen, the contemporary grill in Birmingham, Alabama, by Chef Rob McDaniel and Emily McDaniel, attracts guests with its comfortable, open-concept atmosphere and delicious take on classic Southern dining. The cocktail menu for The Bar at Helen is also worth touting! With an array of visually stunning and tasty specialty drinks, cocktail hour begins at 4:00 p.m. daily! Visit HelenBham.com to learn more.

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6 3 R D A N N UA L G R A M MY AWA R DS The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held in and around the Los Angeles Convention Center on March 14, 2021. The awards ceremony recognized the best recording artists and compositions from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2020. Beyoncé received the most nominations with nine, followed by Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch, and Taylor Swift each with six. Swift won Album of the Year for Folklore, making her the first woman to win the award three times. Billie Eilish won Record of the Year for “Everything I Wanted,” becoming the second solo artist to win the award in two consecutive years. Megan Thee Stallion won Best New Artist, becoming the second female rapper to win the award. Photography by Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Dua Lipa Photo by Kevin Winter 122 | M AY 2 0 21

Este Haim, Danielle Haim, and Alana Haim of HAIM Photo by Kevin Winter

Beyoncé Photo by Kevin Winter

DaBaby Miranda Lambert Photo by Kevin Winter

H.E.R.

Doja Cat Photo by Kevin Winter

Nathalie Emmanuel

Maren Morris and John Mayer Photo by Kevin Winter

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Our inaugural coffee-table book, HOME by VIE, is now available for purchase! Order your copy now at VIEmagazine.com/shop-vie!

R E TA I L

P R I C E :

Published by

$ 4 9 . 9 9

The Last Word

Solution on next page

NOW WE’RE COOKING BY MYLES MELLOR

ACROSS

DOWN

1 5 9 10 11 12 14 16 20 21 22 25 26 28 29 33 34 35 36 37

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 27 29 30 31 32

Spice that comes in threads Italian Alba ___ truffle Beach lapper “____ the Boardwalk,” song from the Drifters “Red” seafood “I” problem Young child Parsley family plant whose stalks are candied and eaten Blood type Promotional effort Marine animal that forms reefs Lemon peel Grand ___ Opry Osso buco ingredient Fruit-filled wine beverage Morning brew, slangily Location of George Strait’s “oceanside property” Running-track shapes Collards and spinach, e.g. Place for a Jacuzzi

Open, as an oyster Like some jeans Steak order Fishing line material Ducks’ feet description Doctrine adherent Golf driving locale Mr. Spock’s had a point Chitchat Altar vow (2 words) Group of whales Gelati, for example (2 words) Cooking is one First-round draft pick, perhaps Sturgeon eggs Sounding like heavy breakers 100 percent Type of pear Land bordering the Mediterranean Government email address ending Out on the ocean (2 words) Highly prized Japanese beef V I E MAGAZ INE . COM | 125

The Last Word Puzzle on previous page

“

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” —Harriet Van Horne

”

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Au revoir!

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Au revoir! BEFORE YOU GO . . .

Here comes the bride! All dressed in white, our breathtaking model Aisling Ryan Bellotti set sail on the gorgeous Never Rest yacht from Baytowne Marina in Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. It was a cover shoot for the ages as the VIE team, Never Rest captain and crew, photographer Romona Robbins, hair and makeup artist Tania Crawford, isidro dunbar Modern Interiors creative director Todd Reeves, and friends made the most of an overcast but beautiful afternoon on the Choctawhatchee Bay. Be sure to check out our June 2021 issue to see more of this beautiful bride and her love boat!

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THE PRIDE OF A MASTER CR AFTSMAN When old-world craft meets new-world technology, an unprecedented level of quality is birthed. At E. F. San Juan, the quality and long-term function of our woodwork are the keys to creating elements that will transform a house into your dream home. ARCHITECT: GEOFF CHICK & ASSOCIATES | PHOTOGR APHY: JACK GARDNER

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