Asheville’s Foodtopia For the People Dinner Giveaway & a Braised Bison Short Rib Recipe

(picture courtesy of Chef Adam Hayes)

I spend a lot of time traveling. A lot. It’s actually pretty darn great. But, in all the hoop la of boarding uncomfortable planes and fighting Customs lines and naturalization queries (because somehow agents wonder if I’m a U.S. citizen with a passport), it’s nice to enjoy some of those travel experiences at home.

Well almost.

While I’ve not even unpacked from my trip to St. Croix, the thought of being home for 3 weeks is so fantastic, I can’t even tell you. And, in those 3 weeks, I still get to see and taste other destinations’ hotness and deliciousness. More specifically, this and next week, I’ll get an additional dose of the good eating I did in Asheville last month during the Truffle Fest (whose post is just about ready).

This month, the culinary conscious people of Asheville, an organization better known as “Foodtopia for the People” is hosting one month of Asheville in Atlanta, a food celebration and transport of good eats, sustainable farming and one-on-one encounters with their chefs and farmers. Foodtopia is an authentic culinary experience every foodie needs to participate in.

(Friends in Asheville enjoy an al fresco Farmers’ Market. Image courtesy of Asheville CVB)

Right here in Atlanta.

As of earlier this month, the Foodtopia street team has been giving away all kinds of yummy goodies (artisan chocolate, homemade jams and preserves, cookbooks, Biltmore tickets, etc…) and hosting interactive activities like free hot air balloon rides to people that follow them on Twitter, Facebook and keep up with their hints directing them to Atlantic Station (host venue).

The month’s festivities will end with “Taste of Asheville: Meet the Foodtopians,” a fabulous dinner prepared by some of Asheville’s up and coming hot chefs. Among them will be my new and super cool (and a married cutie) friend, Chef Adam Hayes, exec at Red Stag Grill (he called me this weekend to give me an insider scoop of his menu for us-woot!). If you recall, Adam was the kind guy behind my ownership of 5 awesome truffles which I used to make this, this and this.

(Sunny Point Café. Image courtesy of Asheville CVB)

But, I’m feeling generous and giving my tickets away to one lucky person!

But wait, there’s more so you have to keep reading! Dinner is great and all, buuuut, the grand prize is a vacation to eat, drink, be merry and indulge in the culinary culture of Asheville, an eclectic yet lovely town Fodor’s has donned one of the top must-see destinations in the world in 2011. Yes.you.must.go.to.Asheville.  My 3-day visit last month was too short but long enough to know I need ed to win one of those all paid-for vacations. So yeah, I’ll be at dinner with my sexiest stiletto on and rubbing pennies…

Dinner attendees will be automatically entered to win one of the Asheville vacations.  Actually, they’re giving away 5 of these foodie heaven vacay’s. So, why wouldn’t  you play to win!? Come to dinner, have a drink, talk to the chefs, cross your fingers and wait for your name to be hollered!

FOODTOPIA FOR THE PEOPLE DINNER FOR TWO GIVEAWAY!

All of you have to do is the following, which I promise is not too labor intensive or time consuming. It’s just a way to show me and the Foodtopian Society and the fab, fab city of Asheville some love!

1. Follow me on Twitter @BrenHerrera and tweet me letting me know

2. Retweet this giveaway and include my name and #Foodtopia so I know you tweeted it

3. Like me on Facebook at Facebook.com/BrenHerrera and Foodtopia for the People at Facebook.com/Foodtopian.Society

4. Tell me in a comment here what you love most about Asheville (if you’ve been); Or what you’d love to do in Asheville, if you’ve not trekked there!

To play fair, all four requirements have to be satisfied. These dinner tickets are hot and limited! You may enter until 11:59 pm, Est, Monday, April 25th. I’ll do a random selection via Random.org on Tuesday April 26th and announce it on Twitter shortly thereafter.  Please make sure to  include your email in the comment area so that we know how to contact you.

Finally, since Chef Hayes is my new bff colleague in Asheville, he’s been kind enough to share one his prized recipes with us! In fact, he’s so damn cool he went to his kitchen at ungodly hours this morning to make this recipe and sent me the picture, too! Get it, Adam! If you’re curious, this is what chef will be whipping up at the Foodtopia dinner. I know you don’t want to miss this! I had a slither of a tasting he did at the Truffle Fest, so I’m personally excited to devour in his goodness next week! You could be enjoying this, too!

Rules & Disclosure: You must be 18 years of age or older to participate and be eligible to win. Anyone in the Continental U.S. may enter even if you’re not in Atlanta, GA (you can give your tickets away to a friend in Atlanta). If winner is not in Atlanta but chooses to give them away to a friend in Atlanta, guest names must be provided to me via email no later than Tuesday, April 26th at 12 pm EST. I was not paid to talk about this nor was I compensated in any special way. I will be at the dinner as media which is why I’m giving my winning tickets away! Don’t you love all this legal stuff!?

Eat well, love unapologetically, pray with true intention, and take care of yourself.

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Don't forget to check out my debut cookbook!

Enjoy

BRAISED BISON SHORT RIBS

This is a technique recipe not an actual measurement recipe, so follow the procedures and they will come out great. — Chef Adam Hayes, Red Stag Grill

Ingredients:

• 25 % Carrots
• 50% Onion
• 25% Celery
• Tomato
• Beef Broth
• Wine/beer
• Thyme
• Bay Leaves
• Peppercorns

Method:

1.  Use carolina bison

2.  Season short ribs with salt and pepper

3.  Sear each side of the short rib on medium heat until golden brown and delicious

3.  Remove short ribs from the pan and add carrots, onions and celery.  Cook until carmelized

4.  Add tomato product and cook until a rust color is achieved

5.  Deglaze with Red Wine or a Hoppy (Asheville) beer allow liquid to reduce by 1/2

6.  Add beef broth, herbs and spices

7.  Cook on low to medium low for 3-4 hours.  Or until fork tender.

You may want to put them in a dutch oven and bake @ 275 for 3-4 hours or even the crock pot on low.

8.  Once short ribs are cooked, pull them from the liquid and strain the vegetables out.  Reduce  the sauce in a pot by half.  It should thicken into a nice sauce.  If not, add a cornstarch slurry to it and serve over mash potatoes or rice. Delicious!