Mudbugs are in season, so that means it’s time for Tennessee Brew Works’ Eighth Annual Crawfish Boil, which is coming the weekend of March 3 and 4 at the brewery at 809 Ewing Ave. The free event features live music both days and TBW’s excellent craft beer for purchase, along with more than a ton of crawfish that they’re importing from Louisiana to boil up with andouille, corn and potatoes. They’re even planning to boil in their Hippies & Cowboys IPA to add an extra personal touch.
The family- and dog-friendly event is rain-or-shine, and there will be all sorts of indoor and outdoor seating to listen to the performances and enjoy the $20 crawfish baskets. WNXP is the media partner and helped put together the musical lineup, which looks pretty formidable:
- Sat, March 4, 11-1 p.m.: Tennessee Warblers
- Sat, March 4, 1-3 p.m.: Kelsey Rae
- Sat, March 4, 3-5 p.m.: TopHouse
- Sat, March 4, 5-8 p.m.: Mudbug Stompers
- Sun, March 5, 11-1 p.m.: Easy Green
- Sun, March 5, 1-3 p.m.: Early Roman Kings
- Sun, March 5, 3-5 p.m.: Sheriff Scott & the Deputies
- Sun, March 5, 5-8 p.m.: Zachariah Malachi & the Nashville Counts
Chef Kenyatta Ashford
I first heard about chef Kenyatta Ashford when he was cooking at Proof Bar & Incubator in Chattanooga. The venue offers a permanent bar with access to food from a revolving roster of chefs trying out new concepts in their incubator kitchen. Chef Ashford’s concept was “Neutral Ground,” a reference to what New Orleanians call a media strip of grass in a road or highway.
Ashford is a native of the Big Easy, and his cuisine combines the flavors of New Orleans with his West African heritage, and he’s been looking for a permanent landing spot for Neutral Ground since his stint at Proof ended. I discovered him at an event at Lodge Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, where he was cooking at a preview event for the opening of Lodge’s new Museum of Cast Iron. I was really impressed by his food and philosophy and asked him what his future plans were.
He said he was looking for new spots for a cooking residency, so I suggested that he get in touch with Butcher & Bee in Nashville since they often feature guest chefs preparing a few dishes to accompany their regular menu. I love it when a plan comes together, because chef Ashford will be popping up with chef Chris de Jesus and the kitchen staff at the Bee on Thursday, Feb 16, for a fun evening of food. He has recently returned from a trip to West Africa and plans to bring a twist to some of the Bee’s usual options, such as Koji Aged Pork Boudin with Crackers, Mustard, Pickled Red Onion and West African Red-Red: Ghanaian Stewed Sea Island Red Peas with Crispy Carolina Gold Coconut Rice, Sweet Plantain, Avocado, and Salsa Criolla. Seats are selling out fast, so if you want to be a part of the culinary journey, make a reservation ASAP.
That same evening, Union Tavern at Bobby Hotel downtown is participating in Dine Nashville with a special dinner featuring a four-course meal paired with products from Jack Daniel’s Distillery. A representative from Jack will be in attendance to offer insight into the pairings, which will include some of the distillery’s latest offerings, including Jack Daniel’s Bonded and Triple Mash.
Union Tavern is offering two seatings, at 5 and 7:30 p.m., and spaces are still available for both times.
Finally, it’s time again to make plans for the 16th Annual Nashville Predators Wine Festival & Tasting on Thursday, March 20, from 6 until 10 p.m. The event, which benefits the Predators’ charitable foundation, will feature higher-end wines, beer and spirits, food samplings from local restaurants, and an extensive silent auction. VIP tickets, including a five-course dinner and wine pairing featuring selections from Cakebread Family of Wines in the Patron Platinum Club, are $225 per person. All tickets purchased will also receive a $30 gift card to Deacon's New South.
Make your reservations today to enjoy wine on ice!
