International Biscuit Festival and Food Network are proud to present An Evening with Alton Brown
Wednesday, May 16 at the Tennessee Theatre. Alton’s “Ten Things About Food I Feel Pretty Sure About” is an interactive presentation in which the celebrity chef uses simple axioms to discuss the condition of American food today. Some of said axioms include: Chickens Don’t Have Fingers, You Can’t Eat A Soccer Ball, Fresh Doesn’t Mean Raw, and Beware Chinese Chili. No one who has ever witnessed this talk in one of its many guises hasn’t left the hall a better person. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 13.
For more information, visit our Entertainment page.
SOUTHERN FOOD WRITING CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2012 PROGRAM
March 15, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: John Craig, Biscuit Boss – International Biscuit Festival
(865) 384-7290 john@biscuitfest.com
KNOXVILLE, TN. – The Southern Food Writing Conference today announced the lineup of speakers who will participate in the inaugural Conference, to be held May 17th and 18th, 2012 in Knoxville, TN, as a new addition to the International Biscuit Festival. The Conference celebrates the tradition of Southern food writing and its important connection to the culture of the South.
The Conference program is designed to attract food enthusiasts, professional food writers, food bloggers, and lovers of all things Southern. The Conference sessions mix educational, artistic and vocational topics that examine various facets of Southern food and culture.
“We are excited to expand the cultural offerings of the International Biscuit Festival with this first Southern Food Writing Conference,” said John Craig, Biscuit Boss and lead organizer of the Conference. “Our goal is to provide a fun and informative gathering for professionals and amateurs alike,” added Craig. “Some of the most noted food and culture writers from across the Southeast will delve into a variety of topics that any Southern food lover will find entertaining.”
Confirmed speakers include:
Brett Anderson – Restaurant Critic New Orleans Times Picayune
Sheri Castle – Author The New Southern Garden Cookbook
Jennifer Cole – Features Editor Southern Living
Nathalie Dupree / Cynthia Graubart – Authors Southern Biscuits
John Egerton – Author and Journalist Southern Food
Mark and Sherry Guenther – Owners Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill
Jason Horn / Shaun Chavis – Co-founders Food Blog South
Regan Huff – Acquisitions Editor UGA Press
Jennifer Justus – Food Culture Writer The Tennessean
Jack Neely – Columnist and Author Metro Pulse
Fred Sauceman – Author ETSU
Elizabeth Sims – Author Tupelo Honey Café Cookbook
Barbara Swell – Author The Lost Art of Pie Making
Fred Thompson – Author Barbecue Nation
Session topics will range from a discussion of cookbook development and design, to an overview of the best Southern food blogs, to a conversation about the intersection of Southern food and Southern culture. Attendees will learn about the production of Sorghum, and about the current obsession with Southern food in places like New York and Chicago.
Early Bird Registration for the Southern Food Writing Conference is available from March 1st until April 1st at just $295. The registration fee covers all Conference sessions and all meals, including a special dinner at Blackberry Farm, voted the #1 Resort in North America and Canada by Travel + Leisure magazine.
After April 1st, Conference Registration will be $325. Space is limited and on a first come, first served basis. The Crowne Plaza Knoxville is the headquarters hotel for the Conference and offers special rates for Conference attendees.
The Southern Food Writing Conference is presented by the International Biscuit Festival, in partnership with Stokely Hospitality Enterprises.
For more information about the Southern Food Writing Conference, go to southernfoodwriting.com or contact John Craig at (865) 384-7290 or john@biscuitfest.com.
THE INTERNATIONAL BISCUIT FESTIVAL 2012 BISCUIT BAKE OFF NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES
March 1, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Chris Kahn, Co-Chair – International Biscuit Festival Biscuit Bake Off
KNOXVILLE, TENN. – The International Biscuit Festival has begun accepting recipe submissions for the 2012 International Biscuit Festival Biscuit Bake Off, presented by Southern Biscuit® flour, to be held May 19, 2012 in downtown Knoxville. The International Biscuit Festival was recently selected the #1 Food Festival in the U.S. by Livability.com. They mentioned the Biscuit Bake Off as the “must see” event of the Festival!
Want to be a part of this year’s Bake Off? Send us your best Biscuit recipe and enter to win it all! Last year’s champion, Kim Randall of Hixson, TN, won with her Sweet Potato Casserole Biscuits. Kim said of the Bake Off: “It was a wonderful experience for me and my family. Everyone was extremely helpful and encouraging. It was a remarkable day full of memories!”
The four categories of competition are Sweet Biscuits, Savory Biscuits, Special Biscuits and Student Biscuits. The Special category is for those Biscuits that are over the top and incredibly imaginative. The Student category features the next generation of bakers and is for entrants 18 and younger. Each category will have three finalists chosen from all of the submitted recipes and those bakers will be invited to bake live in front of our panel of celebrity judges and an audience of Biscuit lovers. The Grand Prize Winner will be chosen from the winners of the four Biscuit categories.
“We have had a tremendously creative selection of Biscuit entries for the first two years of this fun, fun festival. We anticipate the 2012 season of competition to be even more original, outrageous and delicious,” said Chris Kahn, co-chair of the 2012 Biscuit Bake Off.
Bake Off applications are available online at Biscuitfest.com. Submissions will be accepted from March 1, 2012 until midnight on April 20, 2012. Finalists will be notified and scheduled for the live competition at the Festival in downtown Knoxville, TN.
The Biscuit Bake Off is presented by Southern Biscuit® flour and Biscuit mixes.
For more information about the International Biscuit Festival, go to biscuitfest.com or contact Chris Kahn at chris@biscuitfest.com.
THE INTERNATIONAL BISCUIT FESTIVAL 2012 DATES ANNOUNCED!
The International Biscuit Festival has announced dates for the 2012 event. The main day of the Festival will be Saturday, May 19th, 2012 from 8 am to 5 pm.
This year’s Festival will be preceded by a two-day Southern Food Writing Conference on Thursday, May 17th and Friday, May 18th. Well known food writers, bloggers and personalities will lead sessions on various aspects of writing and Southern food. The conference is open to writers, readers, bloggers and food enthusiasts.
THE INTERNATIONAL BISCUIT FESTIVAL SELECTED BEST FOOD FESTIVAL!
The International Biscuit Festival was selected the Best Food Festival in the nation by Livability.com. Topping the recently released Top 10 list after only it’s second year, the Biscuit Festival rises above a number of great food events occurring across the United States.
“Songs are written about it. Stories revolve around it. What better thing to celebrate than food? And what better way to celebrate than a community-wide festival, bringing together favorite foods and local culture?
Turns out, the saying is true, “You are what you eat.” Communities can be defined by their food. Whether it’s comfort food from the heart of the South or a chili kick from Colorado, food can turn a small town into a tourist destination or earn a big city high praise. And that, friends, is cause for celebration.
From the weird and wacky RC and Moonpie Festival to the elegant Oregon Truffle Festival, we’ve scoured the country to give you a taste of some of the best food fests in the most livable cities. So go on, dig in.”
The complete Top 10 Food Festivals list:
1. The International Biscuit Festival Knoxville, TN
2. Loaf ‘N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival Pueblo, CO
3. Dudie Burger Festival Tupelo, MS
4. Barbecue Festival Lexington, NC
5. RC and Moonpie Festival Shelbyville, TN
6. Happy Harry’s RibFest Fargo, ND
7. Soul Food Cook-off Muskogee, OK
8. Gingerbread House Festival Provo, UT
9. Oregon Truffle Festival Eugene, OR
10. Tomato Festival Newark, OH
Livability.com features the best places to live in America, with an emphasis on quality of life.
The best places to live aren’t always the biggest ones. You won’t find New York City, Chicago or San Francisco on Livability.com. We’re all about the great places in between the big cities.
The staff of Livability has spent more than 20 years finding the good stuff in small to mid-sized communities all across America. The result? A resource of more than 500 of America’s best places to live, work, play, explore and belong.
THE INTERNATIONAL BISCUIT FESTIVAL SHARES BISCUIT LOVE WITH THOUSANDS!
The International Biscuit Festival brought between 15,000-20,000 Biscuit lovers to downtown Knoxville, Tennessee this Memorial Day weekend.
Guests enjoyed food, fun, music and more throughout the three days of the Festival. More than tripling the attendance of last year’s inaugural event, the 2011 celebration of the Biscuit also added new restaurant participants, more vendors and more performers.
Congratulations to our Biscuit Bake Off Grand Prize Winner, Kim Randall, for her Sweet Potato Casserole Biscuit. Full results are posted below.
Cafe 4 is the winner of the 2011 People’s Choice Award for the favorite Biscuit on Biscuit Boulevard with their Orange Cranberry Streusel Biscuit!
Also, congratulations on Miss Biscuit 2011- Sarah Quall, whose poise, fashion sense and Biscuit song stylings made her the judge’s favorite.
Jimmy Brown Johnson’s “Hawaiian Biscuit” took top prize in the Biscuit Songwriting Competition.
The winners of the Biscuit Bake Off categories were:
Grand Prize Winner: Kim Randall of Hixson, TN for her Sweet Potato Casserole Biscuits
Traditional Biscuit Category winners:
1st place : Doris Bolalek of Greensburg, PA for her Buttermilk-Yogurt Biscuits
2nd place: Mat Merten of Knoxville for his Atomic Biscuits
3rd place : Jody Currin of Erwin, NC for her Mrs. Picky’s Spritzy Biscuits
Kids’ Biscuit Category winners:
1st place: Parker Davis of Knoxville, TN for his Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
2nd place: Miela Hurst of Knoxville, TN for her Salmon-Nori Biscuits
3rd place; Becca Dailey of Knoxville, TN for her Angel Biscuits
Dessert Biscuit Category winners:
1st place: Kim Randall of Hixson, TN for her Sweet Potato Casserole Biscuits
2nd place: Casey Littell for her Drunken Sweet Peach Biscuit Shortcake
3rd place: Jack Walker for his Maple Shack Bacon Delight Biscuits
Most Creative Biscuit Category winners:
1st place: Jackie Hardin of Sevierville, TN for her Bacon, Lettuce and fried green tomato biscuit with chipotle mayonnaise
2nd place: Shawn Banks of Alcoa, TN for his Blackened Steak and Eggs on a a Blue Cheese Biscuit
3rd place: Jocelyn Roberts for her Chikin Faheeter Biscuits
Hear our guests talk about their experience at the Festival.
This year, we were also proud to join with Share Our Strength and Second Harvest to raise funds for programs to eliminate childhood hunger in this country.
Thank you to our guests, our partners and our participants for making the International Biscuit Festival such a huge success.
The International Biscuit Festival celebrates the heritage of home cooking through that most perfect of foods – the Biscuit.
Want to learn more? Check back here for more details as they come out of the oven. Or you can email: john@biscuitfest.com
