Georgia On My Mind & {A Give Away}

A few weeks ago, a dear friend posted a picture of what I lovingly refer to as "Ol' Swanny."

If you are a native of Atlanta you will instantly recognize this dessert.  "The Swan" is the signature dessert of The Swan Coach House.  It is a meringue base with a scoop of chocolate mouse wrapped in whipped cream topped with a swan head cookie and slivered almonds.  In a word, divine.  Her picture made me so homesick I hopped in my car and drove home to visit my mother.  Guess where we had lunch upon my arrival?

You guessed it! This sweet spot holds so many memories for me:  countless luncheons and teas as a young girl, my sweet sixteen lunch with mother and her friends, the site of my first mimosa upon tuning 21 and, of course, the host site of my bridesmaids luncheon. It is rare that a trip home doesn't include a stop off here - if even to just pop in the gift shop.  This particular outing was followed up with shopping at Phipps Plaza and then on to see Cinderella.  I love my boys but this girlie day was just what the doctor ordered.

During my drive back to North Carolina, I got to thinking of all my favorite "spots" in Atlanta so I could start sharing them with my boys.  And it dawned on me that my rising golfer would soon be excited to watch the Masters golf tournament.  So, while not an Atlanta tradition, it certainly is a Georgia tradition.

Harrison watched The Masters on TV last year and has been obsessed with golf ever since.  Not shortly after the tournament, my husband's cousin posted on Facebook that her friend had authored an alphabet book based on the tournament.  Immediately, I ordered it and we totally love it.

As the jacket of the book describes, "Badges, Egg Salad, and Green Jackets:  The Masters A to Z captures the rich history and traditions of the Masters Tournament.  Find out what kind of food is served, some of the tournament rules, and the landmarks of this famous sporting event.  Written and illustrated by Georgia natives Julie Alfriend Ferris and Joshua Henry Thomas, this book introduces children to one of the four major championships in professional golf, but is perfect for fans of all ages."

 I am pleased as punch to announce that I have teamed up with Julia to offer a free autographed copy of the book.  In order to enter the give away, please:

•  like my Facebook page (The Southern Sideboard)
• like Julia's Facebook Page (The Masters A to Z by Julia Alfriend Ferris) and tell her that The Southern Sideboard sent you
• Leave a message on this blog post that you have done the above

Good luck!  Harrison will announce the winner in a week.  In the meantime, check back here for some yummy ideas for your own Masters party.

Lastly, please learn more about Julia and Josh at the following sites:

Julia Alfriend Ferris

Joshua Henry Thomas

xoxo,

TSS