About Town: Austin The Colossal Curry Cook-Off

I'm pulling out all of the spices and working on my Curry game for an upcoming cook-off of which you, too, can be a part! Whether flexing your culinary chops, or joining us as judges and tasters, you're certain to enjoy a spicy great time among Austin food-lovers. The Colossal Curry Cook-Off, hosted by the Austin Food Blogger Alliance will be held Saturday, April 16, 2016, from 2:00-4:00pm at Shangri-La, in Austin. What is Curry? While there is no rigid definition of "a curry," it is frequently used as a generic term for sauce-based dishes that can vary in spice content and heat, and can contain meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, coconut milk, onions, fresh ginger, kaffir lime leaves and other ingredients.  The origins of Curry begin with the British in India, as a name for the myriad savory dishes they encountered, however the dish, itself, can be traced back hundreds of years, before. With increased trade across Asia, curry is now prepared in so many cuisines it's difficult to name them all, however they are now popular in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Japan and Ethiopia. Sponsors of the event include American Lamb Board, Wheatsville Co­op, Whole Foods Market, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, and TRACE at the W.   Learn how to compete and/or enjoy one of Austin's most flavorful events of the year in the official press release, below, and be sure to follow along with the action on social media under the #ATXCurryOff hashtag.

AUSTIN FOOD BLOGGER ALLIANCE SPICES UP THE CITY WITH INAUGURAL CURRY COOK-OFF Colossal Curry Cook-­Off Brings the Community Together to Raise Funds for Local Non-­Profit AUSTIN, TX (March 22, 2016):​ The Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) announces their first ­ever Colossal Curry Cook­-Off fundraiser, occurring Saturday, April 16, 2016, from 2:00pm­-4:00pm at Shangri­-La. Open to the public, this irresistibly spicy event will give Austinites the chance to vie for the coveted title of Curry Champion of Austin. Everyone from professional chefs to home cooking enthusiasts are encouraged to enter the cook-off and compete for prizes by emailing AFBA atcookoff@austinfoodbloggers.org by April 1, 2016. All curry styles from across the globe are welcome. Entries will be eligible to win People’s Choice awards as well as Judges’ Choice awards (the latter based on taste and originality). For those who aren’t ready to flex their own curry cooking muscle, tickets to the Colossal Curry Cook­-Off are on sale now on EventBrite and cost $15 per person, or $20 at the door the day of event (venue restrictions limit attendees to 21+ only). Guests of the cook­-off will enjoy tastes of all the curry recipes and tunes from DJ Dolomike, and will cast their votes for the People’s Choice award. “Everyone in the Austin Food Blogger Alliance is so excited for this cook­-off,” says Kristin Sheppard, President of AFBA. “We think this will be such a fun event for the community and a unique way to raise some funds for a quintessentially Austin non­profit. We appreciate our local friends’ support however they can provide it, whether it's buying tickets to attend the cook­-off or entering as a contestant and showcasing their curry-­cooking chops!” Sponsored by the American Lamb Board, Wheatsville Co­op, Whole Foods Market, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, and TRACE at the W, the Colossal Curry Cook-­Off is sure to be a flavorful afternoon no one will forget. To enter or get more information on this event, please email AFBA atcookoff@austinfoodbloggers.org. About Austin Food Blogger Alliance: The Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) seeks to support a local membership of food bloggers and the community through educational initiatives, social events, philanthropic endeavors, and by upholding a commonly shared code of ethics. Formed in 2011, AFBA has over 100 active members blogging on a range of topics, including: ∙ Cooking or baking ∙ Restaurant reviews ∙ Beverages ∙ Special diets, gluten ­free, vegan, vegetarian ∙ Food photography ∙ Food trailers ∙ Farming and gardening ∙ Sustainability AFBA is a 501(c)7 nonprofit organization led by an all ­volunteer Board of Directors. Membership is available to Central Texans who have a blog that is at least four months old when they submit their application, and who blog at least twice a month on a food ­related topic. Benefits of membership include: ∙ Invitations to members­ only events, classes, and informational panels ∙ Volunteer opportunities within the Austin food community . Opportunity to contribute to the AFBA City Guide, which averages about 15,000 views per month ∙ Blog promotion via the AFBA website, Twitter feed, and Facebook page ∙ Access to the members ­only Facebook group ∙ Monthly newsletter with news, event announcements, and job opportunities ∙ The opportunity to connect with more than 100 like­minded Austin food writers . ...and more! To learn more about what the food­ loving group is up to, follow AFBA on Facebook (Austin Food Blogger Alliance) Twitter (@atxfoodblogs) or Instagram (@atxfoodblogs).