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Frozen yogurt wars set battle lines in Madison Co.

Frozen yogurt wars set battle lines in Madison Co.

As the temperatures rise quickly across the Tennessee Valley, many families will seek new ways to beat the heat. One cool alternative to ice cream is frozen yogurt, and there are many shops open in Madison County for you to choose from.

Huntsville and Madison are home to no less than six unique “do it yourself” FroYo experiences, each competing for your dollar. Each follow a similar format: take a cup, fill it up with the yogurt or yogurts of your choice, top it off with a myriad of crunchy, fruity, saucy toppings, and enjoy. You pay by the ounce at the registers and in some cases you can also take home pre-packed pints or quarts on your way out the door.

Frozen yogurt could be considered the ‘all-inclusive’ dessert. Any of the shops in the Valley offer dairy-free, sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free and Kosher options for all of your dietary needs, which only adds to the dozens of flavors on offer. Sorbets and Greek yogurts are also often in rotation.

Cheers for Craft Beer: Tasting and Pairing Beer like a Boss

Cheers for Craft Beer: Tasting and Pairing Beer like a Boss

In honor of the Homebrew bill being signed into law by Governor Bentley, I am going to impart some knowledge on how to get the most out of your craft beer experience!

I sat down to talk/eat/drink with craft beer connoisseur and level one cicerone, Rich Partain.  So what’s a cicerone?  It’s the beer world's version of a wine Sommelier for experts who love and are passionate about beer.  They can pair beer with foods to that make your taste buds stand up and shout, “Hooray!”  There are different levels and you can only take classes in certain places.  Fancy, right?!

So when you go to the Rocket City Brewfest, there are a few tips that Rich suggests.

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

 

Moving on up!  That’s what the craft beer scene is doing in the state of Alabama.  From the passage of the homebrew bill yesterday to the craft breweries coming to fruition, Alabama is on the rise.

As a Madison resident, I am excited to see our downtown grow by leaps and bounds in just the past year!  New shops are popping up like Sady’s Bistro, Whistle Stop Sweet Shop alongside old favorites like Bandito Burrito and Madison City Cafe.  Downtown is booming with life and art.  The SPACES Trail and Gazebo Concerts from the Madison Arts Council help to draw people downtown.

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

Cheers for Craft Beer: Old Black Bear has a home

 

Moving on up!  That’s what the craft beer scene is doing in the state of Alabama.  From the passage of the homebrew bill yesterday to the craft breweries coming to fruition, Alabama is on the rise.

As a Madison resident, I am excited to see our downtown grow by leaps and bounds in just the past year!  New shops are popping up like Sady’s Bistro, Whistle Stop Sweet Shop alongside old favorites like Bandito Burrito and Madison City Cafe.  Downtown is booming with life and art.  The SPACES Trail and Gazebo Concerts from the Madison Arts Council help to draw people downtown.

Cheers for Craft Beer: Rocket City Brewfest Preveiw

Cheers for Craft Beer: Rocket City Brewfest Preveiw

 

It's that time again when you and your taste buds can enjoy craft beer with the Rocket City Brewfest on May 10th - 11th.

I had a chance to sit down and talk with Carrie Partain with Free the Hops who makes this event bigger and better each year! She gave me an inside scoop on what is happening in the craft beer world and what is new for 2013.

First off, if you have not visited the RCBF website, check it out!  It's new and fancy! 

Also new is an experience where you get a two night stay in a downtown Huntsville Hotel. Plus you get shuttled around like a boss in a limo with tickets to both the Friday and the Saturday sessions. You can learn more by clicking here.

Sady's Bistro offers light fare on Main Street

Sady's Bistro offers light fare on Main Street

A new eatery has opened in downtown Madison.

Sady's Bistro, located at 14 Main Street, features light, fresh food on the menu.

"They have really good smoothies," said one customer.

Stop by the new restaurant, and let us know what you think!

Stem and Stein talks Rocket City Brewfest

The Stem & Stein is a wine cellar, bar and cafe in Madison, Alabama located on County Line Road.

They don't offer liquor, but they do have some of the best wines and beer, including high gravity, around.

I stopped by to talk with the store managers and sisters, Ali Petty and Jessica Petty.  They tell me that that Stem and Stein is excited to be part of Rocket City Brewfest.

Rocket City Brewfest is a craft beer festival in Huntsville May 11 - 12th. They have local breweries from across the South and all of the North Alabama Breweries are involved.