Travel

Romancing Romania

A Journey Into Mystery, Memory, and the Magic of Traveling Article by Heidi Elnora Travel often begins with intention, but the most memorable journeys tend to unfold from the unexpected. Mine began in Paris, where a fabric-buying trip for my work as a fashion designer created a gap—an unclaimed window of possibility. I wanted to fill it with a destination I would not typically choose, something layered with imagination, history, and perhaps a trace of the uncanny. My cousin, Orion, a...

Life + Culture

A Recipe For Life

The ordinary magic of rules getting broken on purpose Article by Stephanie Cashin Recipes are how we learn the rules. Cooking is knowing which ones you're allowed to break. I use this reframe in session with my clients at least weekly.  A recipe will tell you exactly how much butter, how long to bake, how thin to slice. Follow it precisely and you'll get a fine, predictable result. But the cooks I admire, the ones whose kitchens I want to sit in, learned the rule well enough to know where it...

Food + Beverage

Tonya Ross's Favorite Kitchen Tools

Article and Photography by Tonya Ross Tonya Ross knows a thing or two about stocking a kitchen. Her beautifully curated store at Stovehouse is overflowing with Southern and local goods. We asked Tonya to share the favorites she always has on hand in her home. @southernkitchenandhome 1. Beautiful handmade cutting boards - An array of locally made cutting boards in different woods. 2. Wooden baking utensils - A baker's dream is a set of incredible wooden baking tools, I have to have these...

Food + Beverage

Family Heirloom In A Jar

An Italian recipe makes its way to Alabama and becomes a farmers market favorite Article by Amy Bailey | Photography by Cary Mason Cary Mason with The Mason Jar Canning and Home has made a career out of canning and has become a fan favorite at local and regional farmers markets. One of her most loved products is her grandfather Vic's Spaghetti Sauce. We learn the story behind this family recipe. Tell us about your grandfather’s heritage and how this became a tradition. Victor “Vic”...

Food + Beverage

Sunday Night Supper Club

Article by Cacky Dunn | Photography by Clark Dunn Purveyor Supper Club offers Michelin star quality cuisine, creatively crafted cocktails, and ever-evolving themes within an intimate group setting in downtown Huntsville. Founded by Stephanie Kennedy-Mell and Matthew Mell of Church Street Family, the club has become a distinctive fixture in the local dining scene. When asked why they started the Supper Club, the answer was clear: "We believe dining should be an experience! Supper Club allows us...

Entertainment

An Appetite For Excellence

Hotel Monte Sano's Jessup Whitehead and the business of destination dining Article by Donna Castellano Long before Huntsville became a modern culinary destination, Jessup Whitehead placed the city on the fine-dining map as the  Chef de Cuisine  of the Monte Sano Hotel. Opening in 1887, the hotel catered to well-to-do Americans escaping the heat and disease of cities. Nestled on a bluff on the west side of Monte Sano Mountain, the 233-room property became a fashionable spot for families to...

Food + Beverage

Soups On! Minestrone

Article and Photography by Amy Bailey With an abundance of Southern vegetables still coming in with temperatures cooling, it is the perfect season to indulge in a big bowl of warm veggie soup. It is one of the things I remember my dad would cook on Sundays. He would take veggies from his garden and make a huge pot of vegetable soup that he could enjoy all week. One of my favorite vegetable soups to cook is minestrone. Not only is it delicious, it is perhaps one of the best meals you can partake...

Food + Beverage

Pizza Hot Off The Press

The story of a man who spent decades mastering pizza has become the story of something much bigger Article by Jayda Martin | Photography by Jennifer Tarkington Joe Carlucci’s first pizza looked like a football. Today, he makes some of the best pizza in America. At Valentina’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar in Madison, Alabama, a man who spent decades mastering pizza has created something much bigger. Excellence extends beyond the pizza. It is in the food, certainly, but also in the wine poured beside...

Food + Beverage

Where Celebrities Eat In North Alabama

Article by Amy Bailey 1. Jay Leno - Dallas Mill Deli; the former late night TV host is known for making a pit stop at Dallas Mill for their cheeseburgers and taking a whole backpack with him. 2. Billy Reid - Odette; the fashion designer loves dining at this notable Florence eatery. 3. Glorilla - Jack Brown's Burger Joint; during her tour, the singer found comfort in this downtown burger joint. 4. Elvis - C.F. Penn Hamburgers; Elvis' close friend and backup singer Charlie Hodge introduced the...

Food + Beverage

Ciao Huntsville!

Article by Erin Coggins When local restaurateur Nick Quinn boarded his flight to Italy, his goal was to brush up on his pasta-making skills.    His trip was related to create a new concept for Mid City's Anthem House. Quinn, a longtime collector of vinyl records, settled on a soundbar establishment. The food would be Mediterranean, and he seemed to be on the shortlist for the chef role.    That was until he walked into the pasta-making class in northern Italy.    “I signed up for the...