One of my favorite foodie DIY gifts to give during the holiday season is a small jar of Smitten Kitchen'sDeep, Dark Salted Butter Caramel. It's a real showstopper. Universally, the response from the lucky recipient has been Wow, that is ThaBestCaramelEvuh. Being the sinfully selfish person I am, I don't give it just because I know people love it and I enjoy, uh, "cleaning" the pan at the end of the job. I kind of love the stressfulness of making it. It's a dry caramel, so the first step in the process is essentially burning sugar in a heavy pan. There is skill involved in knowing the exact moment the liquefied sugar is ready for the dairy bits that turn it into caramel, and if you can master that moment, you may feel like Quite the Accomplished Cook for about a second.
Part of the beauty of DIY culture lies in the simplicity, but most people don't wake up in the morning and think, Today is the day I'll make my own cheese! Or if you're like me, you wake up and think that, and then spend about 3 minutes Googling the how-to, only to get distracted by the search possibilities: How to make your: hair grow faster/eyes look bigger/sidebar clear on twitter. The backend of the idea is the biggest hurdle to success. Sometimes a good old fashioned book is the best source of wisdom, especially when it comes to good old fashioned crafts.
Here's the Orange Zest guide on where to buy the perfect DIY books and gadgets this holiday season for the burgeoning cheesemaker/beekeeper/homebrewer/Kombucha fiend in your life.
Flyleaf Books: The coziest bookstore in town. Call to request that copy of Preserving from the Self Sufficiency Series. As God as my witness, you will never be without pickles again!
Kitchenworks: My go-to resource for the tiniest thing needed in the kitchen. Last purchase? A single 1/8th measuring spoon. Need a yogurt maker? They have it. Two manufacturers, in fact, natch...be sure to ask about the new EasiYo.
Fifth Season Gardening Co.: From the wort chiller to the carboy, Fifth Season meets all the home brewers' needs. Keep it simple and buy the Brewer's Best (brand) equipment kit. Get that home brewer started - about $100. Sitting around a basement talking' hops and yeast - priceless.
I'm definitely part of the takey takey takey, buy buy buy consumer culture that sucks in food people so quickly - perhaps even Queen. The Eight Foods article gave me a chance to stop and think about the big BIG picture things I like to forget when I'm scouting out the best burger in town. And of course, it also made me think about my favorite places to find these 8 items to stock up on before climate change takes them away. Old habits...
I believe it was Anonymous who once said, "Turkey Schmurkey. Bring on the Beaujolais!" Truer words were never spoken. Let's shelve the inevitable holiday mania for just a moment before the madness begins next week.
Open Eye keeps me both caffeinated and inspired, such a powerful combination in the right hands. Props to Scott Conary and Beth Justus for creating a shop that sells a mix of my favorite products, including the dreamiest baked goods from Chapel Hill's own Sweet Little Something that always pair perfectly with my house roasted black coffee, no sugar, no cream.
But sometimes Momma wants a different pairing. Thankfully Open Eye sells delicious beer and wine as well. In fact, Le Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived in Carrboro. Be sure to check out the Beaujolais wine tasting event at Open Eye Friday, November 18th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, the $25 admission fee includes at least five wine tastings, French cheese and sausages. This fundraiser for the Institut Francais d'Amerique (missing so many squiggles and accents, I know) should be a total blast, a great combination of real French people and real Carrboro sassiness. Sounds like a party to me.
Pause. Clarifying side note.
I'm not a Thanksgiving hater. In fact, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I absolutely adore the idea of a side called stuffing (aka dressing). I love the fact that no one thinks either name for this beloved dish is weird and that there are tens of thousands of ways to prepare it. So awesome! You can totally screw around with the recipe, put on your free thinkers of the world UNITE t-shirt and make a Puerto Rican inspired Mofongo stuffing, turn it into a pizza, or add Pear, Toasted Walnut and Blue Cheese. Or just add whatever leftover bits of this and that you have in the fridge, man! It's stuffing. Whatever zany ingredient ends up in your final product, you totally meant to do that. Just tell guests you were inspired by an obscure blog you read once. That will really shut them up.
But maybe you are one of the wise ones who has decided to avoid the brining and gratinee-ing and actually spend time enjoying your family this year by treating them to a Thanksgiving feast at a local restaurant. I've heard nothing but great things about the options at Carolina Crossroads and Acme. I do hope you'll report back. And please let me know if any of you spot the elusive White Castle Stuffing on a dinner table this year.
Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc'late and a miracle or two
The Homebrewer can, Oh the Homebrewer can
The Homebrewer can 'cause he/she mixes it with love and
makes the world taste good...
(My interpretation of the Willy Wonka/Aubrey Woods/Sammy Davis Jr. classic, "The Candy Man")
I like it when goodwill is served straight up in a frosty mug of craft beer. The inaugural Homebrew for Hunger Festival (H4H) on Saturday, November 12th, is one of those Chapel Hill events that bundles a lot of greatness into a tidy package of Try Not To Love This.
Several breweries with open doors to the public dot the Triangle beerscape, and I support all those big little guys, from Carolina Brewery to Aviator. H4H excites me because it provides an opportunity to spotlight the homebrewer - my favorite mad scientist. Spruce, cardamom, oatmeal, cocoa, green tea, apple must...there's room for all these ingredients in beer, says the homebrewer, just maybe not all those ingredients in the same batch. "Homebrew for Hunger expects to showcase beers from over 30 homebrewers. Already 19 homebrewers have registered offering more than 100 gallons of homebrew for the tasting session including Smoked Milk Stout, Rye IPA, Chinese Green Tea Ale, and Belgian Orange Spiced Ale."
In addition to celebrating local beer, the event organizers from Fifth Season Gardening Company will raise their glasses to support the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. "Proceeds from Homebrew for Hunger will feed hungry children in central and eastern North Carolina. The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina serves 150,000 pounds of food every day to more than 500,000 individuals. North Carolina is among five states with statistically significant higher rates of household food insecurity than the U.S. national average."
Highlights from the event will include "Homebrew U", demonstrations on homebrewing basics, a panel discussion featuring craft brewers from Mystery Brewing, Fullsteam, and Bull City Burger & Brewery as well as tastings from the participants.
The Deets:
Tickets are $20 each, and are available at www.homebrewforhunger.com as well as Fifth Season Gardening Company locations in Carrboro and Raleigh
Saturday, November 12th
12pm - 5pm
at the West End Public event space, 462 West Franklin Street, in downtown Chapel Hill
IMO, you can't beat Brixx Pizza on Monday for $1.95 pints of almost two dozen local and domestic craft beers. What are your favorite spots in the Chapelboro to share a locally made beer with friends?
I'm a party girl. I love getting fancy, putting on heels and statement jewelry and heading into a crowd to meet new people and learn about new stuff...an opening exhibition of feminist artists! a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House! a Pepper Festival!
My event attire has definitely um, casualized since moving to Chapel Hill from NYC, but that don't mean my love for a party has toned down. Fortunately this area has loads of great events to raise dollars and awareness for the neat work that happens in this community. And fortunately for this little piggy, many of these events revolve around food. Yum.
The 4th Annual Pittsboro Pepper Festival takes place in the new community park in Briar Chapel this weekend, Sunday, October 2nd, from 4pm - 7pm. Presented by the Abundance Foundation and Piedmont Biofarm, the event should be the hottest ticket in town this weekend. In their words and exclamation points, "The Pittsboro Pepper Festival aims to go pepper-wild with the greatest local chefs and local beers (including pepper beer!) to spread the superfood power of the plentiful peppers of the Piedmont! Local hotshot chefs are provided a choice of over 60 varieties of heirloom local peppers (everything from sweet to hot) and they serve up their best, most creative pepper dish as an appetizer to the pepper public!"
That's a lot of enthusiasm for the pepper. I appreciate that. Talk about a veggie that doesn't get nearly the props some of its other superfood brethren enjoy.
I also really appreciate the opportunity to chat with some of the best chefs in the Chapelboro area about the importance of promoting the humble pepper and its heirloom varietals as a significant crop for Piedmont farmers. Celebrating a sustainable crop that brings cash and serious attention to the Piedmont agricultural community...that makes this girl want to put on some dancing shoes.
Um, look, since we're pals and everything, you'll understand why I'm going to feel a little ill if I don't see your pretty face at TerraVITA this Saturday. I mean, you say you love the food scene here in North Carolina and you love to talk to friends about seasonal eating. You'd love to get out more and explore the other fabulous restaurants around this great state but you just haven't found time - it's been a crazy summer. I get it. Things have been nuts.
You know what is even more nuts? Missing TerraVITA. It can be tough to convince your favorite friend or lover to join you for a few hours sampling delicious food, booze, and bevvies on a gorgeous fall afternoon. So, let me do the dirty work for you. Please note the following reasons you need to be at TerraVITA in Southern Village this Saturday.
You don't really understand what "biodynamic" means or why it matters, but you kinda wanna.
You freaking adore jam or jelly or pickle produced by the good hands of April McGreger (Farmer's Daughter), and you'd love to know how this gifted woman got into the canning biz...and why it matters.
Open Eye is your favorite spot for a cup of coffee in the Chapelboro. You finally get to meet the globetrotting guru behind that magic - Scott Conary!
You keep hearing great things about restaurants like Chef & the Farmer (Kinston) and On the Square (Tarboro) but just ain't in the mood to drive that far east for eats this year. Guess what? They're at TerraVITA.
I try not to be too sweet on A Southern Season, but what can I say. The shop was literally one of the reasons my husband and I thought we could happily transition from Brooklyn to Chapel Hill. I might not be able to walk to Sahadi's on Atlantic Avenue anymore, but I could find a wall of their good stuff at Southern Season, along with plenty of other obscure cheeses, miscellaneous house gadgets and specialty wines. Phew!
I'm psyched to see a deeper effort from Southern Season to engage in the great things happening in the community. Just learned about a super cool foodie event that takes place Sunday, September 18th to benefit Girls on the Run. From 7pm - 9pm this Sunday, Southern Season will essentially host a shopping party to benefit this nonprofit that is all about building confidence in young women. Local food + local chefs + local good causes = Happiness.
Heavy samples of wine and modern Southern treats like Shrimp and Grits, biscuits, stuffed okra, exquisite LOCAL Mangalitsa and more will be shared while shoppers browse. Add Nancie MacDermott, who will be signing her cookbook and a pie crust making demo from the Southern Season staff and you've got yourself a great reason to leave the house on a dull Sunday night. PLUS 10% of all sales that evening will be donated back to Girls on the Run. Wonderful! All for a very reasonable $30 admission fee, available in advance (click here to purchase) or at the door. I finally get the chance to snack my way towards making Chapel Hill a better place to live.
Is it too early to sit out on the patio and enjoy a beer? Heck no, says me! Tonight at Panzanella, all local beer pints are only $3. While chillin', think about signing up for the upcoming Eco Farm dinner, which takes place on Monday, August 29th. At 5:30 this Monday evening, Cindy Econopoly and John Soehner of Eco Farm will provide the ingredients for a multi-course feast prepared by Chef Jim Nixon.
Fans of the Carrboro Farmers' Market should immediately recognize John and Cindy...their stand at the market always draws me, I have serious love for their brats and arugula, which will be featured in two separate menu items next Monday.
"All items are a la carte, select items from the regular menu are available as well. Parties of 6 or more should call (919) 929-6626 for reservations."
Back on point - you can't beat those $3 local pints tonight. I'm heading straight for the Fullsteam. What local beer are you most likely to inquire about tonight?
I'm bummed about this reality check. While most of you chapelboro.com readers escaped to Pawleys Island or Topsail at some point this season, this little piggy stayed home. I might not have road tripped it to the beach nearly as much as I wanted, but I was sorta productive, and I have the pasty white skin to prove it.
A few big projects kept me indoors this summer. Amongst other things, I launched a biz that should be on the radar of every food-lovin' person in the Piedmont, Dock to Door. Dock to Door is a fresh seafood delivery/distribution service based here in Chapel Hill. I saw the need to connect friends and neighbors with restaurant quality fresh seafood from the boats of Carolina fishermen, and I jumped. The idea is simple: make super-fresh seafood available to folks in the Triangle on a weekly basis.
Pay for your order online. You'll receive e-confirmation of your order.
Pick up your order at 3Cups in Chapel Hill on Friday evening between 5pm - 7pm.
ZZIIIING! Fresh seafood from North Carolina fishermen will be on the table in no time!
Preparing your seafood couldn't be easier! In addition to including recipes with each item online, I bring several each week as takeaways for customers needing additional inspiration.
Last week shrimp stole the show, people couldn't buy enough of those gorgeous 16/20s for just $13. Plenty of you chapelboro.com readers picked up a pound or two so I'm curious...without channeling Bubba, what are some of your favorite ways to prepare shrimp?
Okay kids, it wasn't too long ago that I shared a discount code with you, my favorite readers, for the best foodie event in Chapel Hill, TerraVITA, a celebration of the best in sustainable food and beverage. This year TerraVITA takes place on Saturday, September 24th, and like last year, dozens of your favorite chefs, food and beverage artisans from around the state will be on hand to chat and share samples of their favorite creations. Confirmed participants this year include Vivian Howard (Chef & the Farmer, Kinston, NC), Amy Tornquist (Watts Grocery, Durham) and yes, French Broad Chocolates in Asheville. Good thing you already bought your tickets, they are going fast!
Also wanted to make sure you tell those last minute friends of yours about the fabulous new element of TerraVITA, the Sustainable Classroom. From 9:30am - 12:20pm on the morning of the Grand Tasting on the Green, you can pay just $35 to hear four sessions of classes on a wide range of subjects--such a great way to dig a bit deeper into the concept of sustainability from pint to plate. Confirmed speakers include April McGreger (Farmer's Daughter), Sean Lilly Wilson (Fullsteam), Maximilian Kast (Fearrington House) and Rob Bowers (Whitted Bowers Farm, one of only two certified biodynamic farms in the Southeast!). What are you waiting for? Buy your tickets to both events now for a full day of education and tastings!
The emotions in my busybody took a rollercoaster ride last week for sure. So sad to hear of Cypress on the Hill closing. Now I must resume my search for homemade corned beef hash. If brunch places need to spice up their menus, let's toss in that old school classic that Cypress had come very close to perfecting please.
Very interested to learn about the new public parking lot at 427 West Franklin Street (between Lantern and The Courtyard) finally opening. The joy over using this lot for parking instead of something like a gorgeous tiny public greenspace reminds me that I can't help but smile when I see the residents of Chapel Hill cruising around town in their little Priuses. Their engines are quiet enough for me to still hear the eternal kvetching about the lack of parking on Franklin Street. So much for the "free" buses and bike lanes, Chapel Hillians loooove them some free parkin'.
At the risk of inciting some contentious online chatter, I thought it might be a good time of year for a friendly reminder that the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership offers FREE VALET PARKING at over fifteen locations on Franklin Street from East to West. Sure fancy pants places like Elaine's and La Residence participate, but it's not just the big ticket restaurants that extend this generous service to their customers. Mediterranean Deli, Carolina Coffee Shop and Sandwhich are just a few of the casual dining options that offer their patrons FREE VALET PARKING. Notice the all caps? Yes, I'm RAISING MY BLOGGER VOICE, because this is just another way the award winning restaurants in the heart of historic Chapel Hill serve their customers. All that great service, cold beer, fine dining and free parking? Awww, thank you! For a complete list of restaurants that participate in the FREE VALET PARKING program click here.
East End Valet Stand:
Monday to Thursday - 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Friday - 5:00 PM to 12:30 AM
Saturday - 5:00 PM to 12:30 AM
The stand is located on the north side of the 100 block of East Franklin, in front of Spanky's Restaurant.
West End Valet Stand:
Monday to Saturday - 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
The stand is located on the north side of the 400 block of West Franklin Street, near the West End Wine Bar.
Like many readers in Chapelboro, I relocated here from NYC in the not too distant past. When visitors from the Big Apple make the effort to visit me during the summer months to escape the city, I make the effort to show them the best of food and drink in the Triangle. I don't need to take them to the upscale restaurants with entrees over $25 and expensive imported beer. They can get that anywhere in the country. I take them to the places that will make them realize how special the local food scene is in Chapel Hill and Carrboro - Neal's Deli for a house-cured pastrami biscuit, and until recently, Johnny's of Carrboro.
On Saturday, June 25th, on my walk through the gravel drive to that screen door in the back, I said to my husband, "I wonder what'll be different this time?!". We sort of loved the ever-changing face of that locavore's grocery store. My heart broke a little bit when we saw the bare walls, were given a couple of free coffees and the sad news from Jan Halle, the building's owner, about the temporary situation at Johnny's.
This morning my frown turned upside down when I saw an email from Carrboro Greenspace announcing a Community Potluck at Johnny's on Monday, July 18th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. The info and details provided in the email were sparse, but enough to pique my interest and assuage my fears about the future of this beloved space. Straight from their email, here is the info:
Community Potluck
When? Monday, July 18th from 6:30-8:30pm
Where? Johnny's @ 901 West Main Street in Carrboro
Share some food, music, some good times with your local community, and some ideas for the direction of this awesome community space. byo-food, bicycles, plates, forks, carpool & musical instruments.
Join the Carrboro Greenspace events and workshops email list by following this link.
What do you think Johnny's should look like in its next iteration? Leave a comment below and let's get this conversation started!
The drippy, seedy guts that explode out of a tomato used to seriously disgust me when I was a kid. I found them highly suspicious, I just didn't trust them. Cherry tomatoes in the salads at fancy restaurants were the worst. So aggressive! There was just nothing subtle about their punch. I was conflicted though. I wanted to enjoy those shiny red globes with taut skin, like a cute red ball for a tiny squirrel! Awww. I wanted to like them, I really did, but there is no easing into the tomato. The goo just hits and spreads all over your mouth no matter how small the bite. It's a brash fruit, saying "I'm here, love me!" regardless of how slow you want to take things.
At some point in my early 20s, I decided to re-examine my food dislikes and will myself to get over them. This didn't work with everything (sorry, raw oysters), but thankfully, I was truly successful with the tomato. And l like just about every other eater in this town, by the time July rolls around I have got serious tomatobrain.
I crave tomatoes in every form at every snacking opportunity, but if I had to choose, I would say my favorite preparation would be sliced with a few grains of Kosher Salt for breakfast, elevenses, lunch and dinner. And a midnight snack. I love visiting the Carrboro Farmers' Market, where I can count on buying dozens of tomato varietals in shades of pink, red, orange and yellow that make the most brilliant sunset seem dull. Of course I can't wait for the Market's Annual Tomato Day on Saturday, July 16th, but we've also got ACME Food & Beverage celebrating my favorite fruit with their annual tomatofest, and the Outrageous BLT at sandwhich on Franklin Street could not taste any better (especially on Saturdays, when their wines by the bottle are 1/2 price all day!).
Sure I spend much of my time searching out prime food bargains in the Chapelboro, but I'm not a sucker for just any buffet. Stuffing my face with cheap eats just doesn't satisfy. When we relocated to Chapel Hill from New York City in 2008, my husband and I chose this town largely because the people and snackie establishments here forced us to really think about the origins of our food. We'd sit down for a snack at a bar and see the name of the farm that provided the basil in our pesto. We'd pop into a store for a bottle of wine and see photos of a burly, mustachioed Frenchman standing in the vineyard that sourced the booze in our hands.
Slowly, quietly, we really started to care about this stuff. The cool thing about this area is that we've been able to find lots of other people who care too. The really really cool thing about this area is that there are numerous nonprofits situated within about 30 miles that help people make informed decisions about their food choices. One of my faves just happens to be Animal Welfare Approved.
Animal Welfare Approved "audits, certifies and supports farmers raising their animals with the highest welfare standards, outdoors on pasture or range. Called a 'badge of honor for farmers' and the 'gold standard,' AWA has come to be the most highly regarded food label when it comes to animal welfare, pasture-based farming, and sustainability."
More than two dozen restaurants in the Chapelboro receive the Animal Welfare Approved label including my crushes Neal's Deli and The Pig. You can be old school and search for their sticker in the window. Or you can plan ahead and check out this super cool online search tool to find restaurants, markets, and stores within a specific zip code that serve up Animal Welfare Approved products. Since you can search any zip code in the USA, I've found this tool especially handy when traveling. Oh the joys of being an informed tourist!
Just a little tip as you prepare to eat and drink your way through another celebration of our nation's independence. Happy 4th!
Indian food = My greatest weakness. I'm a sucker for any protein with the word "vindaloo" next to it, and Lord knows I have never turned down the carb-y magic that is naan. I'm also a huge sucker for a quality educational program -- documentaries, DIY videos on youtube, a lecture on pitmasters and barbecue -- whatevs. Combine food and offbeat educational subjects, and well, you have my version of nirvana. With this in mind, it makes good sense that I'm totally enthralled by Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe, located in the Courtyard complex on West Franklin Street.
The short story: Vimala's was born out of a highly popular community dinner series operated by Executive Chef Vimala Rajendran. Through community investors, Vimala raised the funds to open a bricks and mortar location in 2010.
This young restaurant boasts a long list of accomplishments. It was recently voted Best New Restaurant in Orange/Chatham County in the Independent's 2011 poll, and it was a finalist in several categories including Best Chef in Orange/Chatham County; Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Orange/Chatham County; & Best Indian Restaurant in the Triangle.
Vimala's passion for feeding her community extends beyond her work in the kitchen. On weekends and some evenings, she turns her restaurant space into a DIY classroom with the help of Carrboro Greenspace leader and Vimala's staffer Andrea Wood. Carrboro Greenspace hosts classes on subjects ranging from Wild Fermentation workshops (learn the process for making miso, yogurt and kombucha!) to Fabric Re-purposing workshops. Today I received an intriguing list of upcoming Carrboro Greenspace classes taking place at Vimala's sustainable community hub. I mean restaurant.
Take a minute and check out the upcoming classes listed below, details also available on Vimala's online calendar of events. Anything here catch your eye? What other types of food-centric programming would you like to see in Chapel Hill? Leave a comment now!
********************** Clothing & Fabric Repair/Re-purposing Workshop
with textile artist, Amelia Roberts
When: Sunday June 26th, 2-5pm
Where: Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe (in the Courtyard), 431 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill
The focus of this workshop is to offer techniques for making common repairs to clothing and linens. With these skills we can avoid waste and keep clothing longer by repairing common things like holes in socks and knit shirts. We'll also learn to hem and to make some very simple alterations. We may discuss techniques for re-purposing clothing as well, or "downgrading" it to a different function. We will teach you how to:
• Darn a sock
• Repair a seam
• Repair a hem
• Repair a zipper, as well as be able to tell when the zipper needs to be replaced
• Patch denim
• Hem pants
• Replace a button and an eye-hook.
• Tighten or loosen a seam
• Repair the binding on a blanket
Suggested donation: $30-40. Space is limited to 15 people. Reserve your space by emailing carrborogreenspace@gmail.com
Please bring things that need repairs and we can get you oriented. We will also bring samples to demonstrate techniques on and to practice with.
Wild Fermentation Workshop
with Rob Jones, Liane Salgado & Andrea Wood
When: Sunday July 10th 2-5pm
Where: Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe (in the Courtyard), 431 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill
Make Kimchi, Sour Dough & Sauerkraut to take home. Learn the process for Miso, Amazake, Dosa/Idli, Buttermilk, Yogurt/Lebneh, Vinegar & Kombucha (Take home a mother to start your own tea at home). Tastings of Miso, Dosa/Idli, Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Kombucha and other fermented products.
Suggested Donation $35-40. Please bring 2-3 quart size water tight containers - glass is recommended.
Space limited to 15 students. Reserve your space by emailing carrborogreenspace@gmail.com
Cheese Making Workshop
with Laurel Shulman of Hillsborough Cheese Co.
When: Sunday August 7th, 2-5pm
Where: Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe (in the Courtyard), 431 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill
Learn the general process of cheese making and history of traditional methods in relation to culture and environment. Make farmer's cheese and paneer, stretch mozzarella and take these skills home to try with family and friends. Making your own cheese is a great way to cut down on packaging and have fun; We'll also cover some local sources for milk (goat & cow). Suggested donation: $35-40. Space is limited to 15 people. Reserve your space by emailing carrborogreenspace@gmail.com
Sigh. I know what's bringing you down. Forget the clingy heat, forget the fact the worst of the summer sun is still to come and that is making this Monday drag on just a little longer than you like. You're bummed that you didn't score tickets to Farm to Fork this coming weekend. That sad song is sooo 2009.
I'm hear to share the good news, pal. TerraVITA Food & Wine Event is right around the corner, and tickets are still available for Chapel Hill's premier sustainable food and beverage celebration taking place on Saturday, September 24th, 2011. In 2010, TerraVITA founder Colleen Minton and her crew brought together more than 30 of North Carolina's best restaurants, producers and shops including Herons at the Umstead Hotel (Cary), French Broad Chocolate Lounge (Asheville), Chef & the Farmer (Kinston) and 3Cups (Chapel Hill). The chef/owners and proprietors offered samples and quick explanations of their food and sustainability practices at what had to be the finest buffet of sustainable food and beverages in the state.
This year promises to be even better. Based on audience feedback, Ms. Minton found a creative response to attendees' interest in more programming and more education at the event. Her solution? The Sustainable Classroom. In addition to the Grand Tasting on the Green that will be held at Southern Village from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, this year attendees have the option to buy tickets to a series of educational sessions lasting approximately 35 minutes per class. Four sessions are included in the ticket price, and tickets for The Sustainable Classroom just went on sale today. Currently the Classroom series is planning to cover topics ranging from the reasons behind why you should spend that extra $ on natural wines to the reasons why your locally sourced, grass fed steak costs $30 (topics subject to change).
Furthermore, leading experts from across the state and around the country are in the pipeline, so be sure to check the official event website, www.terravitaevent.com for updates. The class descriptions are still in progress and should be posted by the end of this week, but early buyers to The Sustainable Classroom will be rewarded with their first choice in the session selections. Click here for additional event details.
But what does all this good news mean if you can't afford to go? Pish posh, wipe off that frown. Chapelboro.com insiders and Orange Zest fans like you deserve a little reward, and you definitely need to add this event to your fall calendar. So. I'm here to do what any good friend would do: give you a discount code.
To receive $5 off the purchase of The Sustainable Classroom tickets only, use the code TVECLASS1.
To receive 15% off the purchase of any of the other tickets (Grand Tasting on the Green, Designated Driver, or Combined Tasting and Classroom tickets), use the code TVEFOOD. NOTE: The 15% off discount code expires at midnight on June 21st, so share that with your friends and family today!
FULL DISCLOSURE: Last year I had such a blast as a volunteer at TerraVITA that this year I was able to land a spot assisting with programming for the event. Score for Chapelboro.com insiders! I'll be sure to keep you posted on the latest news for TerraVITA as we get closer to Saturday, September 24th.
Take a moment to leave a comment about your experience at TerraVITA Food & Wine Event in 2010. What's bringing you back to the event this year?
Triangle Restaurant Week (TRW) launches today with over 70 restaurants participating in Wake, Durham, Orange and Chatham counties. Sure you could drive those nine utterly un-scenic miles to check out the participating locations in Durham (groan) or see what's on offer in Raleigh and spend more money on gas than your dinner bill. But let's face it, you'd enjoy that bottle of wine so much more if home was just a couple miles down the road. Chapelboro residents have 8 options worth a little exploration this week.
Triangle Restaurant Week lasts from June 6-12. Participating restaurants will offer a three-course, fixed price lunch ($15) or dinner ($20 or $30 depending on the restaurant); not all restaurants are participating in both lunch or dinner so be sure to call ahead. In some cases the TRW website lists the available menu selections, so be sure to check out the Triangle Restaurant Week site before making your selection, some menus are more compelling than others. No coupons necessary, but diners are encouraged to call restaurants in advance for guaranteed seating.
Memorial Day is days away, and with it comes the unofficial start of summer. Ah, the possibilities of where the road can take me just make this bird giddy. Weekend trips to the beach, treks to visit friends in Charlotte, respite from the heat in the cool of lush, rolly-hilled Asheville - so much fun to be had within a few hours of my little perch in the Piedmont.
No need to compromise good taste or judgement somewhere between a Stuckey's and that road trip hunger pang that screams "Feed me salty fatty goodness...with ranch or nacho flavoring". I'd hate to hear that you succumbed to the lure of the vending machines at a rest stop on I-40. With a little planning, you can make informed dining choices when you hit the black top. Here are some of my favorite online resources to consult in advance.
1. Roadfood.com - The team behind Roadfood.com includes Jane and Michael Stern, winners of three James Beard awards and weekly contributors to the "The Splendid Table" on NPR. This is an essential resource when looking for the best eats in unexpected places while traveling the backroads of the American highway system. The site favors dives and places best described as joints rather than restaurants. Use this tool to research in advance while mapping your travel route if you can. That said, I've found the mobile version extremely helpful on my iPhone in some pretty remote areas of Virginia. Click here for more information about the site.
2. Chowhound.com - People who are interested in the vox populi often use this as a go-to resource for restaurant reviews. Keep in mind the whole credibility issue when you read this site. Who knows if the people with time to comment on chowhound.com (or any crowdsourcing site like yelp, etc.) consider the unlimited breadsticks at Olive Garden the highest step in the evolution of doughy products. Note: Chowhound is part of a lesser known but more awesome site called chow.com, a refreshingly hilarious food site that features articles that cover everything from cool DIY food projects like How to Make Goat Milk Caramel to Graduation Gifts by College Major.
3. Animal Welfare Approved - I am the truest of omnivores, but I favor a vegetarian diet. No political or economic reasons, no soap box. I eat plenty of animal products that offend sub-cultures the world around. When dining out, it's really important to me to choose restaurants that serve animals that lived a happy life. Animal Welfare Approved offers a thorough search engine that allows you to identify products, restaurants, farms and stores that serve Animal Welfare Approved stuff. Headed to Manhattan this summer? Click here for my test search results for Animal Welfare Approved purveyors and restaurants. Better yet, try a search yourself by clicking here.
And what about you. Do you chance it at random spots or rely on your buddies for recommendations? Leave a comment below about how you avoid dining disasters on your way from point A to point B.
Craft beer--you know it when you drink it, or maybe I should say you know when you're not drinking it. If your favorite beer company buys ad space during national sporting events, let me whisper softly in your ear, That's not craft beer. If your favorite beer features how many calories it contains prominently in its name or on its label,That's not craft beer, and if you drink anything that has its caloric content in its name we need to have a conversation about a whole lotta stuff. According to the Brewers' Association, the Colorado-based nonprofit behind craftbeer.com, an American Craft brewer can pretty much be summed up in three adjectives: small, independent, and traditional. Click here to read more about their definition.
Today begins American Craft Beer Week. This is the sixth year that folks across the country have been celebrating American Craft Beer Week, but 2011 is special because this is the first time that "American Craft Beer Week will see official events hosted in all 50 states, making it the largest-ever celebration of U.S. craft brewers."
The good news is that Chapelboro friends don't need to leave the city limits to celebrate American Craft Beer Week with the proper small, indie, traditionally brewed pint. Plenty of locations around Chapel Hill and Carrboro will unofficially celebrate excellence in the craft beer being served and brewed all over the Triangle. A little inspiration can be found at the following locations:
Brixx Pizza, Meadowmont, Chapel Hill - I've come to the surprising conclusion that this regional pizza chain also has one of the best selections of craft beer on tap in Chapel Hill. On top of that, almost all draught beers at Brixx are $1.95 on Mondays. Every Monday! Currently at least two dozen are available on draught, call (919) 929-1942 to hear the lineup. Be prepared to enjoy favorites like Rogue, Heavy Seas, and SweetWater. They almost always have at least one beer from Winston-Salem's Foothills and Durham's Triangle beer on tap as well.
Carolina Brewery and Triangle Brewing Company team up for a joint beer dinner at Carolina Brewery's West Franklin Street location on Tuesday, May 17th. Each of the four courses will be paired with a beer from these breweries, and the fun starts at 6:30 with a brewer's reception. Call (919) 942-1800 for reservations (required). $35 per person plus tax and gratuity. Click here to read the info from their web site.
TJ's Beverage and Tobacco in Carrboro (across from the snuggly Belgian beer bar Milltown) might look like a nondescript mini-mall stop for smokes, but this is one of the best places in Orange County to purchase some very hard to find North Carolina-brewed craft beer. Case in point: They are one of two places in the Triangle where beer heads can buy growlers of Pisgah (Black Mountain, NC), and they are the only place in the Triangle where you can purchase a sample from Morganton's Catawba Valley Brewing Company portfolio that includes Hyper Monkey Coffee Stout, Berliner Weisse, and of course an IPA, Firewater Indian Pale Ale.
Take a minute to leave a comment for chapelboro.com readers about how you plan to celebrate American Craft Beer Week. Cheers!
One of my favorite foodie DIY gifts to give during the holiday season is a small jar of Smitten Kitchen's Deep, Dark Salted Butter Caramel. It's a real showstopper. Universally, the response from the lucky recipient has been Wow, that is...
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this is the week for my post to get heavy.
While catching up on my blog backlog, I read a great piece from Good* about the Eight Foods You Should Stock Up On Before Climate Change Takes Them Away. And. It. Was. Scary....
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The drippy, seedy guts that explode out of a tomato used to seriously disgust me when I was a kid. I found them highly suspicious, I just didn't trust them. Cherry tomatoes in the salads at fancy restaurants were the worst. So aggressive! There was just nothing subtle about their punch. I was conflicted though. I wanted to enjoy those shiny red globes with taut skin, like a cute red ball for a tiny squirrel! Awww. I wanted to like them, I really did, but there is no easing into the tomato. The goo just hits and spreads all over your mouth no matter how small the bite. It's a brash fruit, saying "I'm here, love me!" regardless of how slow you want to take things. 
The WCHL Morning News with Ron Stutts
