Culinary Carolina

2011-10-11T12:25:00.003-04:00

MOUNTAIN OASIS

Before most people knew what farm to table meant, Asheville's creative chefs were partnering with local farmers to serve up innovative cuisine, earning it a reputation as a true "foodtopia." Many chefs, locals, and visitors know this mountain town as "Veggieville", as people will often pass on the pork barbecue for some tasty tempeh smothered in fresh organic tomato sauce--topped with Southern-style slaw, of course. With great outdoor activities, the historic Biltmore estate, and more microbreweries per capita in North Carolina than any other state, Asheville is more than just a foodie's paradise. The music scene in downtown Asheville is hot with a multitude of concert venues and outdoor summer music festivals, as well as a thriving arts culture and mountain crafters. Whatever your interests--hiking, lounging, eating, or drinking--Asheville has it all.

Originally published in VegNews

AuthenticEats

With the bounty of local produce and plentiful vegetarian options, come to Asheville prepared to eat your way through town. At Rosetta's Kitchen, we're torn between the Buddha Bowl, filled with sea vegetables, grilled smoky tofu, and sweet tahini-barbecue sauce, or the Family Favorite, a hearty entree with peanut butter-baked tofu, smashed potatoes, and sauteed kale. Open since 2002, this natural-foods cafe hosts benefits, art shows, and live music to round out the welcoming, creative atmosphere.
*116 N. Lexington Ave., rosettaskitchen.com

EcoHotels
Green-leaning accommodations options abound in Asheville. Downtown's Hotel Indigo features water-saving technologies, green cleaning chemicals, energy-efficient lighting. Less than ten minutes south of downtown, the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park was among the first hotels in the nation to install a solar water-heating system, along with other green initiatives like special parking for hybrids and an alternative fuel shuttle.
*Hotel Indigo, 151 Haywood St., hotelindigo.com
*Hotel Asheville Biltmore Park, 43 Town Square Blvd., hilton.com

SweetTreats
Chocoholics rejoice: Lucious vegan truffles in flavors like strawberry balsamic, fig and port, and pomegranate ginger are worth the trip to French Broad Chocolate Lounge. Head over to The Hop Ice Cream CafÃ© and indulge in a vegan ice cream sundae with homemade rotating flavors like bluberry amaretto, pistachio, or lavender.
*French Broad Chocolate Lounge, 10 S. Lexington Ave., frenchbroadchocolates.com
*The Hop Ice Cream CafÃ©, 640 Merrimon Ave., Suite 103, thehopicecreamcafe.com

BeerintheUSA
Ready for a cold one? You've come to the right place, since Asheville has a thriving craft brew-pub scene with plenty of brewery tours for those who love hops. Sip a made-in-house Green Man Stout while munching on a tasty hemp-nut burger from Jack of the Wood pub. Visit the tap room at the Pisgah Brewing Company in nearby Black Mountain for organic ales.
*Jack of the Wood, 95 Patton Ave., jackofthewood.com
*Pisgah Brewing Company, 150 Eastside Dr., Black Mountain,NC, pisgahbrewing.com

GreatOutdoors
Nature lovers will adore hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, biking along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or water rafting on the French Broad River. Or breeze through the trees in a canopy tour with Navitat Canopy Adventures. Seeking a little om time to yourself? Stretch into your best downward-facing dog at the plethora of yoga studios in town, or head to the Asheville Community Yoga Center for free classes.
*Navitat Canopy Adventures, 242 Poverty Branch Rd., Barnardsville, NC, navitat.com
*Asheville Community Yoga Center, 8 Brookdale Rd., ashevillecommunityyoga.com

SeasonalStreetFood
For a quick bite on the go, stop by VegHeads Vegetarian Drivethru for its signature Korean barbecue tempeh wrap, vegan Caesar salad, or locally brewed kombucha. Opened in a former burger joint, husband-and-wife team Ryan Jeffries and Nicole Diamantis launched the healthy on-th-go restaurant as an alternative to fast food for busy families. It's Asheville's first vegetarian drive-thru, but hopefully not the last.
*705 Merrimon Ave.

BeautifulBiltmore
A visit to Asheville wouldn't be complete without heading to Biltmore, the sprawling historic home and estate of the Vanderbilt family. The Biltmore's 125,000-acre grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, creator of Central Park in (New York City. The house and grounds tours are well worth it, but so is a stop at the most visited winery in the United States right on the estate itself). For those seeking a little extra adventure, book an off-road Segway tour or rent a bike for the afternoon. And don't miss the more than 250 varieties of rosses in the stunning Biltmore Gardens.
*1 Approach Rd., biltmore.com

LocalLove
Locally sourced ingredients are the highlights at the Laughing Seed Cafe, where delicious choices abound including the raw spinach-pesto manicotti, pistachio seitan marsala, and crispy jalapeno onion fries. Sunday brunch offers tempting meals like tempeh with root hash or Tofu Benedictine, a twist on eggs Benedict, served with seitan sausage over grits. Originally started as a lunch counter a the local YMCA, owners Joan and Joe Eckert moved to Asheville's historic Wall Street area in 1993 to serve an eclectic international menu.
*40 Wall St., laughingseed.com

Lynn Seldon lives on the coast of North Carolina, but heads west to Asheville as often as possible. Find out what he's up to at lynnseldon.com.

2011-10-11T12:18:00.006-04:00

DUFFY STREET SEAFOOD SHACK

A Trio of Tasty Myrtle Beach Seafood Meccas

We live two blocks from the ocean on a little creek that's teeming with crabs, oysters, and fish, so we love food seafood. After a recent visit to their North Kings Highway location, we now love Myrtle Beach’s Duffy Street Seafood Shack--and we'll most definitely be heading back to all three locations.

You have to love a place that has front porch seating with two sinks flanking the front door--eating seafood can get messy. They set the tone for a casual and colorful experience wherever you sit (or wash your hands).

Originally published in DishKebab

The sprawling interior of the North Kings Highway location (the third to open) features a big bar on the right side with lots of TVs, as well as many tables with sand buckets filled with roasted peanuts (you're encouraged to throw the shells on the floor). The even bigger backside of the restaurant features more seating (including an enclosed porch overlooking a golf course), a giant metal trash can filled with peanuts, and what we can only describe as unique bathrooms (the door for the Ladies room says "Please Remain Seated for the Entire Performance"). We're looking forward to visiting the other two older locations, which look equally eclectic and irreverent.

We perused the menus while munching on some peanuts and littering the floor with shells--and we were immediately drawn to the "sea buckets" as a great way to share lots of seafood. Our friendly waiter said the Duffy Street Steam Pot was an ideal meal for two (or appetizers for four), so we dove right in to six select steamed oysters, six top neck clams (you can get your oysters and clams on the half shell for a small upcharge), a quarter-pound of steamed shrimp seasoned with Old Bay (natch), a half-pound of steamed snow crab legs, an ear of fried corn on the cob, coleslaw, and sweet corn bread. We're seafood snobs and will swear on a stack of crab traps that this was one of the best seafood platters we've ever eaten.

The Steam Pot served as a perfect introduction to Duffy Street and we're already salivating over other possibilities (the menu is the same at all three locations). We'll be back for apps like Blackened Fish Bites, Homemade Fried Pickles and Fried Green Tomatoes, and the LowCounty Crab Dip. The Corn & Crab Bisque also looked great. There are also lots of sandwich options (including several Po' Boys), more than a dozen seafood-focused platters (that come with hush puppies, fries and slaw), and other sea buckets featuring shrimp, oysters, and clams. Landlubbers will also appreciate the steaks, chicken, ribs, and more. The Homemade Key Lime Pie also has our name on it next time.

The North Kings Highway location is located along Myrtle Beach's "Restaurant Row" while the original Duffy Street Seafood Shack is in North Myrtle Beach's Cherry Grove area and the second location is nrear famed Ocean Drive.

9924 N Kings Highway (Restaurant Row)
Myrtle Beach, SC 29572
843-449-2233

310 Sea Mountain Highway (original Cherry Grove location)
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
843-249-7902

202 Main Street (Ocean Drive)
North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
843-281-9840

2011-06-21T15:08:00.002-04:00

GREENVILLE

Big flavors in a small Southern town

In less than 25 years, the Greenville, South Carolina dining scene has gone from downtrodden to sparkling. Nationally recognized revitalization efforts have brought Main Street and environs back from the dead, with weekly summer concerts, a 32-acre park in the middle of town, superb shopping, and riverfront dining.

One of the most obvious differences in today's Greenville is the vibrant restaurant scene. There has been a complete shift from fast-food fixes to a large number of diverse restaurants and chefs that rival anything found in the region.

Originally published in Taste of the South Magazine

greenville | where to eat
FOR STARTERS

SOBY'S NEW SOUTH CUISINE
This is the one that started Greenville's restaurant revitalization. Opened in 1997 by namesake copartner and cofounder Carl Sobocinski, Soby's attracts locals and visitors with a bustling atmosphere framed by brick walls and a busy bar. The menu offers chef Shaun Garcia's takes on Southern favorites, like the Gullah Shrimp & Grits, which features wild American shrimp, Anson Mills grits, and Caw Caw Creek bacon. Many of the ingredients used nightly are grown on Garcia's nearby 10-acre sustainable farm. Around the corner, Soby's on the Side features freshly baked breads and pastries and breakfast and lunch to eat in or take away for a picnic along South Main Street.
___________________________________________________
207 South Main Street
864-232-7007
Lunch, Dinner, Sunday brunch
sobys.com

DEVEREAUX'S
This contemporary jewel for locals and visiting corporate bigwigs from BMW and Michelin (both companies have North American headquarters here) features impeccable dishes from chef Spencer Thomson, who many believe might be South Carolina's next James Beard winner. Thompson crafts each night's dishes on the basis of the best available ingredients, each bringing incredible flavor and creativity to the table. When the black grouper graces the menu, it always sells out. Other summer favorites are teh heirloom-tomato gazpacho and the crab-cake-encrusted grouper with roasted Roma tomato and spinach zucchini lasagna rolls.
_____________________________________________________
25 East Court Street
864-241-3030
Dinner
devereauxsdining.com

THE LAZY GOAT
Located right on the banks of the Reedy River, with equally enjoyable views inside and out, is The Lazy Goat, another of Sobocinski's downtown treats. Chef Victoria Moore (named in Esquire magazine by writer John Mariani as one of his "Breakout Chefs to Watch") delivers a tapaslike menu, including ever-changing meats and cheeses plates and a variety of "Graze & Nibble" options meant to be shared. Don't miss the harissa-spiced hummus; grilled calamari; minted lamb rib-eye; and duck, duck, goat pizza, which is topped with duck confit, drunken goat cheese, a duck egg, arugula, and sour cherry vinaigrette.
_____________________________________________________
170 River Place
864-679-5299
Lunch, Dinner
thelazygoat.com

RICK ERWIN'S WEST END GRILLE
Restaurateur Rick Erwin brought this well-respected chophouse to downtown Greenville in 2005, and it remains an outstanding choice for steaks and seafood. One can't go wrong with the 20-ounce bone-in rib-eye, as well as appropriate sides like succotash and sauces (green peppercorn highly recommended). Those not into red meat will love chef Jason McCarthy's crab cakes served with crawfish risotto and beurre blanc. Erwin also owns and operates the Nantucket Seafood Grill in the new Courtyard Greenville Downtown.
_____________________________________________________
648 South Main Street
864-232-8999
Dinner
rickerwins.com

AMERICAN GROCERY
Continuing the tasty charge down southern Main Street, front-of-house charmer and sommelier Darlene Mann-Clark joins husband and chef Joe Clarke to present a true farm-to-table experience that regularly lures those in the know. Joe works wonders with local "groceries" like trout, rabbit, and whatever else he likes and gets that day.
_____________________________________________________
732 South Main Street
864-232-7665
Dinner
americangr.com

greenville | get euphoric
If anything defines the Greenville food scene beyond the world-class restaurants, it's Euphoria. Founded by restaurateur Carl Sobocinski and rocker Edwin McCain, Euphoria features food, wine, and music through a variety of events. Highlights include cooking demos (often accompanied by live music); restaurant wine dinners featuring guest and resident chefs; a premier wine tasting; wine seminars; and the landmark "Taste of the South" night that features food from Greenville's best restaurants and a concert by Edwin McCain (he typically invites other musicians as well). The dates fro 2011 are September 22-25.
euphoriagreenville.com

greenville | where to eat
GOT MORE TO DINE?

BARLEY'S TAPROOM & PIZZERIA
Locals love this casual place in a former 19th-century hardware and feed store that has more than 50-plus beers on draft. Ask the bartenders for local recommendations, including anything from nearby Thomas Creek Brewery. Creative New York-style pizzas provide a perfect pairing.
___________________________________________________
25 West Washington Street
864-232-3706
Lunch, Dinner
barleystaproom.com/greenville

HIGH COTTON
With floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlooking Reedy River, High Cotton's striking space is as alluring as chef Anthony Gray's great food. Part of Maverick Southern Kitchens--including Charleston's famed Slightly North of Broad and the original High Cotton, as well as Mount Pleasant's Old Village Post House--High Cotton features locally sourced seafood, meats, and produce prepared in maverick ways (like Gray's Sunburst Farms trout, which is served with sweet potato rice pilaf, Marcona almonds, leeks, and ginger brown butter). Be sure to check out the list of High Cotton's farmers and sources right on the menu.
_____________________________________________________
550 South Main Street
864-335-4200
Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch
mavericksouthernkitchens.com

LARKIN'S ON THE RIVER
The she-crab soup is dreamy, as is the historic location at the Peace Center for Performing Arts in teh old Gower Coach Factory, along the Reedy River. You'll find aged steaks, Caesar salads made tableside, fresh fish, an impressive wine list, and incredible outdoor dining, particularly during weekly summer concerts.
______________________________________________________
318 South Main Street
864-467-9777
Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch
larkinsontheriver.com

POMEGRANATE ON MAIN
The colorful kabob combinations (Soltani) are the order of choice at this Persian restaurant, located on the southern end of Main Street, which has sublime seating inside and out. But you'll also find mirza ghasemi--a blend of eggplant, tomato, and garlic--daily seafood specials, and its famous pomegranate martini.
______________________________________________________
618 South Main Street
864-241-3012
Lunch, Dinner
pomegranateonmain.com

greenville | local food finds
If you need something to keep you busy between meals, check out these fun food finds:

Greenville Culinary Tours: What foodie can resist these new tours offered by Greenville History Tours and the Table 301 Restaurant Group? The 2 1/2- to three-hour tour visits five foodie destinations with high-profile chefs cooking with regional ingredients at each. Held on Saturdays and Tuesdays, these tasty tours are a bargain at $39. (864-567-3940, greenvillehistorytours.com)

Carolina First Saturday Market: This bustling Saturday market has a little of everything from more than 50 area farmers and restaurants. It's open from 8:00 a.m. until noon, May to October. (Main Street between Washington and Court, saturdaymarketlive.com)

Fluor Field at the West End: This contemporary minor-league diamond gem features the Greenville Drive, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Forget the standard ball-park concession fare and head to the Spinx 500 Club down the right field line for restaurant-style service and food with a Southern accent (just watch for foul balls). (945 South Main Street)

The Cook's Station: This sprawling space is food lover's heaven, with everything for the kitchen, from appliances to cookware and accessories to gourmet foods and wines. (659 South Main Street, thecooksstation.com)

Michelin on Main: Michelin's North American headquarters is in Greenville, and this retail store sells everything Michelin (except the tires). Culinary tourists will love the selection of varied Michelin Guides, which have been published since 1900. (550 South Main Street, #102)

greenville | where to stay (and eat!)

HAMPTON INN & SUITES GREENVILLE RIVERPLACE
With rooms (many with balconies) overlooking the river, rocker and road warrior Edwin McCain calls this "the best Hampton Inn in America." It's across from The Lazy Goat and guests can charge their dinner to their hotel account.
_____________________________________________________
171 River Place
864-271-8700
hamptoninn.com

THE WESTIN POINSETT
This 1920s historic Main Street hotel is in the heart of downtown, and it's renovation was a landmark event in the revival of the area. You'll find many original details yet all the modern luxuries today's travelers expect. Little touches like chilled "spa" water with fresh fruit that greet you on warm summer days reinforce the great hospitality. The hotel's Spoonbread Restaurant has a tasty Southern accent, while Carl Sobocinski's newest gastropub venture, Nose Dive, is adjacent.
_____________________________________________________
120 South Main Street
864-421-9700
starwoodhotels.com

Longtime Southern Foodways Alliance member Lynn Seldon is based on the North Carolina coast but makes frequent forays to favorite South Carolina foodie destinations like Greenville, Charleston, and many restaurants (and meals) in between.

2010-09-03T10:20:00.003-04:00

ODE TO OYSTERS

Carolina Style

As fall and winter approach, so does the Carolina's oyster season.
Though each oyster festival has it’s own character, all typically offer music, contests involving oysters, food and beverage vendors, and oysters for sale in various forms. Steaming buckets of the tasty bivalves are the most typical festival fare, but the oyster is often celebrated raw, fried, and in rich stews as well.

Originally published in AAA Carolinas GO Magazine

SHUCK-YEAH!

With more than 30,000 fans of the mighty mollusk typically in attendance, the North Carolina Oyster Festival on Ocean Isle Beach celebrates its 30th anniversary October 16th-17. This festival includes the North Carolina Oyster Shucking Championships (an official route to the national tourney) as well as an oyster stew cook-off.

The counterpart festival in the Palmetto State is Columbia’s South Carolina Oyster Festival November 14th on the grounds of the historic Robert Mills House downtown. Now in its 15th year, typical festival offerings are here and more than 5,000 pounds of oysters.

The mother lode of oyster festivals occurs in Charleston every January (January 30th, 2011). Promoted as “The World’s Largest Oyster Festival”, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival has become an annual tradition since the first one more than 25 years ago. Sponsored by the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association (more than one million dollars raised for local charities), this huge festival takes place at historic Boone Hall Plantation and typically includes 65,000+ pounds of oysters!

Other oyster festivals include: Burke Arts Council Oyster Outing (Morganton, NC, October 23, 2010); Stumpy Point Oyster Festival (Stumpy Point, NC, February 12, 2011); and Shuckin’ in the Park (Moncks Corner, SC, March 12, 2011).

*Visit AAA.com/magazine for a tasty oyster stew recipe from Charleston’s Slightly North of Broad executive chef Frank Lee

2010-05-27T12:57:00.004-04:00

CATCH OF THE DAY

Jon Haag loves fish--and it shows. From the moment you walk into Haag & Sons Seafood, a long-time Oak Island seafood store, you know you’ve entered a world of a finicky fishmonger.

The first sign of something different is the dazzling display of fresh whole fish. Prepared by Haag each morning, the 10-foot-long colorful cornucopia of sea creatures is just a sampling of what he currently has available to sell cut-to-order. The dozen or so different fish arranged in the display on any given day might include local varieties like grouper, hogfish, and triggerfish, or species from farther afield, like tuna, salmon, and mahimahi.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

“I started preparing the daily displays from the first day we opened at this location back in 1995,” says Haag, who loves dealing with his customers almost as much as his product. “I wanted to set myself apart from what other seafood shops were doing, and I also wanted to show the beauty of fish as animals.”

It typically takes Haag 45 minutes to an hour to prepare the display each morning and another hour or more to break it down each evening. He is incredibly gentle with the fish because bending them can damage muscle tissue and make the cooked result inferior. “I spend a ton of time in our walk-in cooler and the rest of the shop babysitting my fish,” Haag says with a laugh. “Handling fresh fish is like carrying your grandmother to bed--you should do it very gently.”

Haag also believes in cutting the fish to order and hates to see fish cut in advance and wrapped in cellophane. “Pardon the pun, " he says as he wraps two grouper filets for a long-time customer, "but we were on the cutting edge when we started cutting our fish to order back in 1995.”

Haag typically has a half-dozen or so sharpened knives at the ready and obviously takes pride in the way the fish looks once he’s cleaned and cut it. “From the display to the cut fish, I really try to make it look good for the customer,” Haag says as he heads back to the cooler, which may hold up to 6,000 pounds of seafood during the busy summer season. He also keeps the entire store at a cool temperature, with most staff members wearing long-sleeved shirts and rubber boots even during mid-summer. (As a top layer, many of the staff sport colorful T-shirts with the Haag & Sons Seafood logo on the back and statements on the front that reflect the fun they have at work -- declarations like "This Job Stinks" and "Naturally Wild".)

Although Haag cuts most of the fish ordered, he has also trained Michael Kirby and Trent Savidge to cut orders to his exacting specifications. Kirby has worked with Haag since 1998, saying, “Although I thought I knew how to cut fish, he used to say that I hacked it. Jon was an excellent teacher and really knows how to cut fish for customers.”

Once the fish is cut, it’s placed in a plastic bag and wrapped in brown paper--more like an old-world butcher than a modern fishmonger. The personal service doesn’t stop there, however--the veteran staff at Haag & Sons know their merchandise and won’t hesitate to make recommendations to customers once they learn their preferences. Many shoppers take a recipe home along with their filets or steaks.

Haag also sees the display and his interaction with customers as a means of education. Because the fish is displayed whole, customers can see the beauty and variety of each species. From small black sea bass sold whole to huge grouper, Haag & Sons customers learn to know (and love) different types of seafood.

Testing the Waters

Although originally from the south shore of Long Island, New York, Haag was always fascinated with the variety of seafood found off the coast of the Carolinas. After earning his degree in Environmental Science at Vanderbilt University in 1976, he spent time working on various boats in the mid-Atlantic before spending several years with Hieronymus Brothers Seafood in Wrightsville Beach.

“That’s where I got my first real retail experience,” recalls Haag. “Before then, I had always been more interested in the fish than in the end user.”

After this exposure to the sales side of seafood, he and a partner opened a seafood business in Southport called 40 Fathoms. They catered mostly to North Carolina restaurants, and Haag developed a reputation for delivering fresh and well-prepared seafood.

After splitting off from his business partner in 1991, Haag opened the first rendition of what would become Haag & Sons. “I basically leased a cooler and a closet from the old Southport Fish Company and continued selling mostly wholesale to my restaurant clients,” he recalls. “I then moved the business to Barb’s Seafood, which is halfway between Southport and Oak Island, before finding my own spot right on the island in 1994 and opening for business in the current location on Easter weekend in 1995.

“I called it Haag & Sons because many of my wholesale customers were also family-run businesses who liked the concept of working with other families,” Haag continues. “My sons, Ben and Taylor, were seven and three at the time. They’ve helped me out over the years, and the traditional family-oriented name stuck.”

Customer Service

From the start, freshness and great service have been the draws to Haag's retail and wholesale customers. He says that restaurants still make up about 50% of his business, with local chefs looking for fresh and unique fish more than ever.

For example, both hogfish and triggerfish used to be considered “trash fish” by commercial fishermen, seafood shop owners, and restaurateurs. Now, both are in high demand and command prices three or four times higher than their “trashy” label once allowed.

Stephen Phipps, the owner and chef of Mr. P’s Bistro in Southport, says Haag has a great reputation with Local restaurants. “He knows what I expect--top quality--and I get it from him,” says Phipps. “I buy from him every day.”

Haag enjoys the daily interaction with local chefs and restaurant owners, but the other half of his business comes from a loyal local following.

“The first time we came into Haag & Sons and saw all the fresh fish, I thought, ‘oh my gosh,’” says Oak Island resident Karen Flaum, who now is a Haag regular. I ordered a pound of tuna and he went into the cooler, brought out an entire tuna, went ‘cut, cut, cut,’ and brought out 1.1 pounds of perfectly cut tuna steak. After that, I was smitten and knew that I‘d found our new seafood shop.”

The most popular item with both retail customers and restaurants is grouper. “It also happens to be my favorite fish overall,” says Haag, who rarely eats red meat or poultry and typically has seafood for lunch and dinner daily. “I love the way fresh grouper flakes out and is so sweet and tender. I prepare it all kinds of ways--except fried.”

Haag and his partner, Kelley Domingue, have even developed a favorite grouper recipe. “Living with a fishmonger, we eat--of course--a lot of fish,” says Kelley, who also handles the accounting for Haag & Sons and occasionally fills in behind the counter when things get really busy in the summer. She adds, “I wanted something that would fit a busy lifestyle and that was easy for our customers to prepare. It also had to fit our taste and our zest for living a healthy lifestyle.”

Although grouper and other fresh fish are all big business at Haag & Sons, it’s actually shrimp that’s the top overall seller in the shop. “Whenever possible, we get our shrimp from North Carolina or South Carolina,” says Haag. He typically likes to have four sizes available at all times, because certain shrimp sizes work well for different uses--small shrimp (which the shop labels “Not So Large” and “Somewhat Large”) are perfect for a stir fry or soup, while there’s nothing better than their “”Large” or “Larger” choices for a simple and fresh shrimp cocktail.

Many islanders come into Haag & Sons having no idea what they’ll be taking home for dinner. Many simply ask Haag or one of the other staff members something like, “What’s fresh?” or “What’s for dinner?” Within minutes--or maybe after a long chat with Haag about preparation--they’ll likely leave with some of the freshest seafood available in North Carolina. And that’s no fish tale.

If you're Going:

Haag & Sons Seafood
7910 East Oak Island Drive
Oak Island, NC 28465
(910) 278-1234
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6:30pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm.

Grouper Kapooni (courtesy of Jon Haag and Kelley Domingue)

2-3 lbs. fresh grouper (thick fillets)
Asian marinade (recipe below)
1 pkg. grape tomatoes cut in half
1/2 large red onion roughly chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped
1 Mango diced
1/2 fresh pineapple chunked (or 1 can chunked pineapple - drained)
1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

Asian Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs. Dark sesame oil
2 Tbs. Rice vinegar
1 Tb. Minced garlic
1 Tb. minced ginger
1 Scallion thinly sliced (yielding about 2 Tbs.)
1/2-1 Teaspoon black pepper

Note: For marinade on the fly, Jon and Kelley use Ken's Ginger Sesame Marinade

Combine cilantro and onion with the marinade.
Pour over fish and the rest of ingredients
Let marinade 2-3 hours
Put fish in glass baking dish and put marinade w/ fruit on and around fish
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until fish flakes
Garnish with freshly shredded parmesan and more chopped cilantro
Serves 4-6 people

2010-05-27T12:54:00.000-04:00

THE CRADLE OF 'CUE

Nothin's finer in Carolina to tantalize your taste buds

It's 10:30 on a Wednesday morning and folks are already filling up the booths at Lexington Barbecue in the heart of the Piedmont region.

Maybe it's the irresistible smell drifting from the smokestacks in the back of the restaurant, or the thought of the tangy coleslaw and crunchy hush puppies that tantalize diners.

Whatever the reason, North Carolina is the real deal -- this is the Cradle of 'Cue.

Originally published in North Carolina Travel Guide

Ask anyone raised in the state about his or her barbecue preferences and the conversation inevitably turns to a choice of Eastern- or Western-style barbecue. That can often lead to some seriously heated discussion--and that’s even before adding any Texas Pete, the famed Winston-Salem hot sauce.

Simply put, Eastern-style barbecue features a vinegar-based sauce and Western-style 'cue has a sauce, or dip, that is tomato-based (often called “Lexington-style”). This is true of the cole slaw, too. The dividing line for East versus West is generally Raleigh, though there are certainly pockets of Eastern-style barbecue west of the capital city.

In the east, the charming town of Wilson makes for a delicious stop. Two classic restaurants are Bill Ellis Barbecue and (The Original) Parker’s Barbecue, both of which are listed on the North Carolina Barbecue Society's Historic Barbecue Trail.

Bill Ellis is famed for it’s huge buffet (including a whole hog with tender pulled pork), while Parker’s has waiters in all white serving up classic plates of barbecue -- and crispy fried chicken.

To the west, it’s hard to top Lexington, where tomato-based barbecue is served in heaps at The Barbecue Center, Jimmy’s Barbecue and the aforementioned Lexington Barbecue.

Pit masters in the East generally cook whole hogs over open pits fired with hickory and oak, while their peers in the western part of the state generally cook shoulders using the same methods (though gas and electric cooking have become more popular in recent decades). The presentation of the meat can also vary--from sliced or pulled to hand- or mechanically-chopped.

From Manteo to Murphy

According to Jim Early, a North Carolina native and author of The Best Tar Heel Barbecue: Manteo to Murphy, North Carolina barbecue can't be beat.

“I have yet to eat barbecue that I enjoy as much as I do the good barbecue of North Carolina,” says Early, who also founded the North Carolina Barbecue Society.

The mission of the member-based group is to preserve North Carolina’s barbecue history and culture and to secure North Carolina’s rightful place as the Barbecue Capital of the World.

Early also created the Historic Barbecue Trail, which details 25 historic pits, starting with Ayden’s legendary Skylight Inn in the east (which Roadfood’s Michael and Jane Stern called “the benchmark of barbecue in eastern North Carolina”) and ending with Herb’s Pit BBQ in Murphy to the west.

In between, visitors will find a slew of down-home restaurants that cook up some of the best barbecue around.

"People come to barbecue places to eat barbecue," Early asserts in his book. "They do not come because of banana pudding. If a place has good sides and desserts, that a plus, but that is not what brings 'em in and brings 'em back."

Finger -Lickin’ Good: Best Pig Parties

The state features a number of tasty festivals that feature pork in all its glory. From a simple pig-pickin’ to serious contests where pit masters cook up a storm, it’s easy to go whole hog in North Carolina.

APRIL

Newport Pig Cooking Contest
Newport, www.newportpigcooking.com
Held at Newport Community Park, this is the state’s (and possibly the world’s) largest whole hog pork barbecue contest--with lots of tasting opportunities.

King’s Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-Off
Kings Mountain, www.kmfire.com
Recognized as a state championship event, this cook-off features serious chefs and prize money

MAY

Smithfield Ham and Yam Festival
Smithfield, www.downtownsmithfield.com
This is an ode to two classic North Carolina products--pork and sweet potatoes.

JUNE

Blue Ridge Barbecue Festival
Tryon, www.blueridgebbqfestival.com
Hosting up to 100 cooking teams, this event is considered one of the top five in the nation by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, which sanctions competitions. It‘s also one of the “greenest” cook-offs in the country, thanks to a major recycling program.

Hillsborough Hog Day
Hillsborough, www.hogdays.com
Orange County‘s largest festival, Hog Day went “zero waste“ in 2008.

SEPTEMBER

Carolina Pig Jig
Raleigh, www.carolinapigjig.com
Taking place at the State Fairgrounds, this capital affair just started in 2006 and is bigger and better than ever.

Smokin’ in the Valley: Western NC BBQ Festival
Maggie Valley, www.wncbbqfestival.org
This is another of several KCBS-sanctioned North Carolina BBQ events that’s garnered rave reviews in just a few years of existence.

OCTOBER

Lexington Barbecue Festival
Lexington, www.barbecuefestival.com
It’s hard to top this Western-style extravaganza, which Travel & Leisure called, “One of the top 10 food festivals in the U.S.A..”

NOVEMBER

Homebuilders Hog Happnin’
Shelby, www.hophappnin.com
Taking place at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds, this event closes out a year of pig parties with big-time prizes for the best ’cue (and lots of tasty samples for attendees).

East Versus West

2010-05-27T12:49:00.000-04:00

GRAPE PIONEERS

Creating a slice of Sonoma right in the southeastern part of the state, Ocean Isle Beach’s Silver Coast Winery has grown into a great destination for those who enjoy wine and some seriously creative shopping opportunities between sips. This winery is definitely the toast of the coast.

“We love wine and we love our coastal location, so we combined the two,” says owner and manager Maryann Charlap Azzato, who along with her husband, long-time Southport orthopaedic surgeon Dr. “Bud” Azzato, started Silver Coast back in 2002. The winery business is a family affair--even their ten-year-old son, Gabriel, helps with the bottling.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

Using grapes from western North Carolina and northeastern Georgia (within grape seed spitting distance of the Tar Heel State), Silver Coast’s first vintage was in 2002--which they produced and bottled in 2003. The white wines had already been bottled, but Azzato made the precipitous decision to hire a veteran wine industry consultant from New York’s Finger Lakes region to help with the production of the reds.

That consultant, Dana Keeler, would soon become Silver Coast’s full-time winemaker--taking the winery’s wines to another level. “I really liked what Silver Coast was doing, I liked the area, and [Maryann] Azzato convinced me to stay,” says Keeler, who brought more than 25 years of winemaking experience to the North Carolina coast.

Tour de vin

A visit to the winery, which is just a few miles off US 17 near Ocean Isle Beach, is well worth the drive. Located down a dirt road that passes a small plot of local muscadine grape vines that Azzato planted, the modern winery building houses the entire operation. Ironically, the dirt road is still called Barbeque Road, because the original winery building once housed Simms Barbeque Restaurant.

Once inside, guests are greeted by a friendly staff member (often Azzato) and offered a tour. The tour typically takes about 20 minutes or so, and it includes an overview of the wine making process at Silver Coast, as well as visits to the fermentation room and the romantic barrel room, with its neatly stacked barrels, dim lighting, and indoor waterfall and pond.

Next, visitors get to taste the fruits of the labor of Keeler and many others. Some of the tasty possibilities from that 2004 vintage--still available for tasting and purchase at press time--included the popular 2004 Touriga, labeled “Cape Fear Blood Wine”; the 2004 Chardonnay and oakier 2004 American Oak Chardonnay; the crisp 2004 Seyval Blanc, and the unique 2004 White Merlot.

Along with these 2004 options, other vintages available for tasting generally include: Rose, a slightly sweet sipping wine; a 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, from Silver Coast's first vintage; a 2002 Georgia Merlot, a lighter-style merlot; and a blend of Barbera and Sangiovese as a toast to Dr. Bud’s Italian heritage .

These tastes ($5 for a choice of five whites or five reds--and you get to keep the Silver Coast glass) are often be poured by Al Gomes, Silver Coast’s friendly tasting manager. He knows his wine, and he is good at directing visitors to wines they’ll enjoy. “The Cape Fear Blood Wine continues to be a favorite with first-time and veteran visitors,” says Gomes, pouring a glass for another touriga taster.

Vintage Work

The winery bottled about 5,000 cases (60,000 bottles) of the varied 2002 wines (merlot, chardonnay, touriga, white merlot, seyval blanc, sangiovese, and more), giving it enough variety and volume to establish the retail operation and delay another bottling until Keeler could really get to work on the grapes from the prolific 2004 growing season. That wasn’t before several of the 2002 wines won awards at many competitions, including “double gold” for the 2002 Touriga at the International Eastern Wine Competition in 2004 (the fruit-forward 2002 Reserve Merlot also did quite well).

Bottled last year, Silver Coast’s 2004 vintages really put it on the map. “I believe that to make a great wine, you have to grow great wine--rather than just great grapes,” says Keeler, who is working with many growers in the region to grow grapes that will make flavorful wines.

Silver Coast’s 2004 Touriga provides a perfect example of the possibilities. For this wine, Keeler mostly uses a grape originally from Portugal that is called “touriga nacional” and is generally used there as a blending grape for the country’s famed port. At Silver Coast, the 2004 Touriga stands on its own as an old world-style red that many say has hints of tobacco (an ironic twist for North Carolinians) and coffee beans.

Another unique feature of the Cape Fear Blood Wine is that it comes in a red-tinted bottle that’s clearly designed to look a bit bloody. The bottle also highlights another Silver Coast innovation--all of its wines have unique labels that were designed by local artists and feature eye-catching artwork.

As for inside the bottles, the awards for the 2004 wines tell the Silver Coast success story almost as well as the palate does. The 2004 Viognier continues to reap rewards and remains one of the most popular tastes with visitors.

Keeler and Azzato say the 2005 vintage (just bottled) is looking like their best yet. Keeler says, “Along with some great-looking touriga, I’m preparing a small batch blend that’s going to be my take on the meritage-style blending that’s become quite popular.” If a recent taste is any indication, this as-yet-named blend is sure to be another award-winning wine for Silver Coast.

Gallery Shopping

Whether or not you’re a wine connoisseur, Silver Coast Winery is truly a tasty (and tasteful) travel destination. Along with winery tours, tastings, and sales, Silver Coast offers some of the state’s most unique shopping opportunities. "Many of the items we sell are wine-related,” says Azzato, who started out doing most of the buying for the winery store, but now uses the shopping savvy of Debbie Thorpe as well.

The product selection at Silver Coast includes an array of unique art objects and many items related to wine and food. “We’ve received great feedback on what we sell beyond wine and continue to expand our offerings,” says Azzato, showing examples from the packed shelves (and walls) in several spacious rooms. Complementing the wines available at Silver Coast Winery, the shop offers a wide variety of wine stoppers and pourers, T-shirts and hats, unique wine glasses and racks, and so much more that visitors spend as much time shopping as they do tasting.

In addition, the work of local artists has become a Silver Coast specialty, with Azzato selecting a wide variety of styles and mediums and rotating exhibits regularly. The possibilities include paintings, sculptures, and metalwork. Some of her favorite local artists whose work can consistently be found at the winery include Pat Pittenger, Thomas Rusty Hughes, Marie Kruckowski, Tino Ferro, and Justine Ferreri.

Azzato also has used local artists for the unique Silver Coast wine labels. “Wine is art and we have art on our wine,” she says, showing a variety of past labels. “I realized that there are many artists in this area, and they usually serve wine at their gallery openings.” When they were first starting, Azzato put out a call for label submissions, thinking they’d receive 30 or 40 submissions. They actually had 380 label submissions and, since then, all of their labels have featured the work of artists.

House Specials

Thanks to a coastal country setting, 40 acres of outdoor space, and a barrel room that’s become quite popular for weddings and more, Silver Coast Winery has become a haven for special events.

Annual events and special one-time offerings are a very big deal at the winery, with the number of events and attendees growing annually. Springtime means the Beach Music Bash (coming up on May 13), while the popular Summer Music Series runs from June to August.

In September, the huge Purple Feet Festival brings music, grape stomping, food, and fun. Of course, October means an Oktoberfest, Silver Coast-style. In a toast to their Italian heritage, the Azzatos play host to “Festa Italia” each November, and they also decorate for the holidays, making the winery especially festive in December.

Come January, the festivities don’t slow down. Mid-month there's the fun and self-explanatory Amateur Wine Maker’s Competition & The Ultimate Wine Glass Competition and Toast Contest. Other mid-winter possibilities include February’s Wine & Chocolate Festival and Annual Sweetheart Dinner Dance. March means a popular Irish Festival, while April brings the Annual Bluegrass Festival, with lots of music and dancing both inside the winery and out in the gardens.

Under Azzato’s creative leadership, Silver Coast Winery continues to grow and add to the successful landscape of the ever-expanding North Carolina wine industry. It’s definitely a grape story that’s become the toast of the coast.

If you're going

Silver Coast Winery
6680 Barbeque Road
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
(910) 287-2800
http://www.silvercoastwinery.com/
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11am to 6pm, and Sunday, Noon to 5pm. During January and February, hours are Wednesday-Sunday, Noon to 5pm. Appointments or group tours may be arranged by calling in advance.

2010-05-27T12:46:00.000-04:00

WINE + FOOD = CHARLESTON

March festival's perks and attractions add up to

a long weekend to savor on the coast

Now in it’s fifth year, the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival is bigger--and better--than ever. This year’s March 4-7 helping still has tickets available to many menu items, making it relatively easy to plan a last-minute trip.

Unlike many American festivals of this kind, Charleston’s recipe for success focuses on Southern cuisine--especially Lowcountry fare--creatively prepared by nationally known local chefs and world-renowned visitors (like Bobby Flay and Tyler Florence in past years and Daniel Boulud this March). From dine-arounds where local and visiting chefs team up to prepare five-course meals paired with wines, to a Culinary Village at Marion Square--the epicenter of the epicurean weekend--Charleston is the place for foodies to be in a few short weeks.

Originally published in Charlotte Observer

March 4-5

The long weekend starts early with yet another new offering. Thursday’s Perfect Pairing Winemaker Luncheons feature three-course lunches paired with wines at MUSE and 82 Queen. They're followed by the Opening Night Party: Salute to Charleston Chefs, with more than 18 local culinary icons offering small plates from their restaurants--with wine, live music, hand-rolled cigars from Coastal Cigars and more fun included in the new format of this popular (and often sold out) opening event.

Friday brings many other new offerings in which tickets may still be available. They include: Wadmalaw Farm-to-Table Excursion (including farm, winery, and tea plantation visits, along with a farm-to-table lunch); Gullah Tribute Luncheon (honoring local Gullah cuisine and culture); and “Wine Around the Garden” (out at Middleton Plantation). Friday stand-bys also include King Street Sip + Stroll (think wine-plus-boutique shopping); the opening of the Culinary Village, which continues through Sunday; and dine-arounds at the likes of Circa 1886, Cypress Lowcountry Grill, FIG, Fish, Charleston Grill, Trattoria Lucca, Hominy Grill, High Cotton, McCrady’s, Oak Steakhouse, Peninsula Grill, and Slightly North of Broad (most were already sold out at press time, so check the website in the box below for tasty alternates).

March 6

On Saturday of the festival, the Culinary Village heats up with "Iron Chef"-style cooking competitions that pit local chefs against national chefs. Season Five Next Food Network Star runner-up Jeffrey Saad is this year’s master of ceremonies.

The Culinary Village tents fill Marion Square, downtown between King and Meeting streets, on the north side of Calhoun Street.

Other Saturday possibilities include: the new Celebrity Authors Reception (including book signings); several beer- and bourbon-driven dinners; a special Dining for Diversity Dinner at the Culinary Institute of Charleston; and a new version of the sweet-tooth evening end (for most)--Bubbles & Sweet…With a Twist.

Though there are several good seminars and tastings for wine and other beverages Friday and Sunday, Saturday is a big day for sippers. Those who like the festival wine (provided by Charleston-based Stolzle) can find varied options at Whole Foods, Wine Styles, Crushed Fine Wines, and Coastal Cupboard. Foodies will also want to head to East Bay Street’s Charleston Cooks! shop for kitchen goodies, cookbooks, and much more.

March 7

Many festival veterans plan to stay late into the day Sunday or even spend another night (when accommodations rates likely drop). That’s thanks to events like the Lowcountry Gospel Brunch and BBQ, Blues & Brew, as well as the Bourbon Born Spirit Tasting hosted by Julian Van Winkle, a fourth- generation bourbon maker. Locals have also learned that the Culinary Village is less-expensive (and less-crowded) on Sunday--and those who have already been earlier in the weekend know the chef-filled vibe around Marion Square is always fun--and free!

Soon Being Served

Basics
*Call 843-727-9998, ext. 4, or visit www.charlestonwineandfood.com for the latest on what tickets are still available. Check the “Travelers” link to help get a room and more.

Sleep
*Many places are already full, but Charming Inns (www.charminginns.com), Charlestowne Hotels (www.charlestownehotels.com), and Patrick Properties (www.patpropllc.com) have varied possibilities around town that should have vacancies. Some stand-alone properties that may still have space include: the classic Mills House (www.millshouse.com); Hampton Inn Historic District (www.hamptoninn.com); splurge-worthy Charleston Place (www.charlestonplace.com) or Planters Inn (www.plantersinn.com); and Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina (www.charlestonharborresort.com) across the Cooper River in Mt. Pleasant.

Insider Tips

*Last-minute accommodations (and tickets) can also be found at www.wineandfoodpackages.com and www.explorecharleston.com. These links offer festival packages and more, including still-available accommodations and even tickets to some events already listed as “sold out” elsewhere.

*On Facebook, become a festival fan (search for Charleston Wine + Food Festival) to score last-minute tickets and discounts only found on Facebook.

*The free opening ceremonies at Marion Square (11:00 a.m. Friday) include musical performances, special celebrity appearances, and an anniversary giveaway including tickets, wine, and special event seating.

*Friday night’s Restaurant dine-arounds are perpetually popular, making it a great night to try something less known and less crowded (this is also true for other days of the festival). Local and veteran visitor favorites include MUSE, Mercato, Blossom, Magnolias, Hank’s, Hall’s Chophouse, Rue de Jean, La Fourchette, Social, Poogan’s Porch, and Mt. Pleasant’s Old Village Post House.

2010-05-27T12:42:00.001-04:00

ODE TO OYSTERS

The North Carolina Oyster Festival is much more than a toast to the tasty bivalve. Each October on Ocean Isle Beach, the huge annual event celebrates everything about our coastal life --- above and below the surface.

On October 16th and 17th, thousands of veteran visitors and first time shuckers will gather for the 24th annual Northa Carolina Oyster Festival. What was once a small, local event centered around roasting oysters has grown into something of state and regional stature attended by more than 25,000 people. Along with the now-huge oyster roast, the festival, presented by the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Brunswick Community Hospital, boasts an oyster stew cook-off, musical entertainment, shopping, and so much more -- not to mention the popular North Carolina Oyster Shucking Contest, which can lead to a national champion (as has happened twice in the past).

Originally published in Our State Magazine

A TOAST TO THE ROAST

The festival's giant oyster roast is something everyone should see (and taste) at least once. Six large steam tables feature racks of oysters roasting under burlap bags. When the oysters are ready, it takes two volunteers to lift a rack and pour the just-opening delicacies onto tables, where they’re scooped into buckets and sold to hungry oyster eaters.

Volunteers are a huge part of the Festival’s success and the oyster roast is no exception. Typically, 35 or more volunteers from the Brunswick County Shrine Club help steam the oysters, heap them into buckets, and keep the shucking tables and knives clean for the next batch of oyster eaters. Phillip Cheers, treasurer of the local club, estimated that they served more than 1,000 buckets of oysters last year and raised nearly $23,000 to help provide medical services for children with burns and orthopedic conditions.

The buckets are served with hush puppies and seafood sauce, but the oysters take center stage with this snack (they’re actually a meal for many). All day long, people can be seen standing around wooden tables and prying open oysters--or standing in line for another bucket. Last year, record crowds led to the Shriners running out of oysters about two hours before Sunday’s closing -- fortunately, most folks had eaten their fill by that time.

Of course, any major event in the Tar Heel State will have more than just a single food offering. There’s also a bustling fried seafood stand nearby offering heaping portions of fried fish, oysters, shrimp, and more. Those who lean more toward the land than sea when it comes to fare will find plenty of offerings at nearby stands. With choices ranging from sweet to savory, it’s easy to follow the smells and find something delectable.

Adjacent to the additional food stands are adjacent to more than 100 arts and crafts vendors, offering a wide range of unique items. From whimsical signs for seaside homes to lots of unique pieces of art, shopping rivals oyster slurping on both days of the Festival.

Music abounds during both days of the Oyster Festival, with country, rock, beach, blues, Christian, and more genres represented sometime during the event. Crowds typically surround the stage and there’s definitely some dancing--and even a little shagging--to be seen up front. this year's festival will feature performances by beach music favorites The Embers and The Band of Oz.

Along with eating, shopping, and music, festival attendees enjoy free admission to the Museum of Coastal Carolina. A quick walk through this fascinating facility serves as a great introduction--and a reason to come back to Ocean Isle Beach for a more leisurely visit.

For kids and kids at heart, other festival opportunities include: the five- and ten-kilometer Oyster Festival Road Race early Saturday morning (plus a one-mile Fun Run), a climbing wall, rides, games, and so much more.

READY, SET SHUCK!

There are two oyster shucking contests on Saturday afternoon and both are highlights of the Festival. First, the amateur event pits volunteers from the crowd against one another in a race to shuck six raw oysters. The winner is based on time needed to shuck all six, mistakes made, presentation, and more.

The North Carolina Oyster Shucking Championship is another matter entirely, with professional shuckers vying for prize money and the chance to represent the state in the national shucking contest held up in Maryland each year. These are no small stakes -- the winner of the national event gets to head to Ireland to compete for the world title.

While the crowd roars encouragement, each of the pros strives to shuck 24 raw oysters as quickly and correctly as possible. The 2003 event, sponsored by Lowes Foods, was won by Sandra Price of Shallotte. She barely beat out Shirley Simmons from Supply, who had an adjusted time less than a half-second more than Price. The tight victory means Price will head to Maryland for this year’s national contest.

The Festival’s state champion has actually won the national championship twice. After winning the state championship in 2001, Shallotte native Annie Bonifacio won the national Oyster Shucking Contest in 2002 and went on to compete for the world title at the International Oyster Festival in Galway, Ireland.

Bonifacio didn’t win the event, but was the highest placing female in the contest’s history. No American has ever won the event, but Bonifacio’s aunt, Kathy Milliken, also won the women’s category in Ireland after winning the state and national competitions like Bonifacio.

Annie Bonifacio’s story is typical of what the Festival has meant to the area. From age 15 to her current age of 23, she’s spent much of her spare time working in Lloyd Milliken’s Oyster House in Shallotte. She can shuck up to 100 pints of oysters a day and she's turned her experience and speed into victory at the North Carolina Oyster Festival and beyond. When you’re paid by the pint, it’s important to be good--and fast.

Along with the volunteers for the Oyster Roast, more than 60 other volunteers help out with all other facets of the Festival each year. Veteran volunteer organizers Diane and Jerry Marinella of Supply say it’s definitely a team effort by the community. “Quite simply, this event couldn’t take place without the work of so many volunteers,” says Diane. “Some of them don’t even like oysters!”

Volunteers and Brunswick County Chamber representatives staff a popular booth where festival T-shirts and cookbooks are sold. Published in 2002, the popular cookbook is called Saltwater Sensations and contains 400 recipes from local restaurants and families. Lots of Brunswick County seafood is featured, but the oyster definitely takes top billing in this book (and this festival)!

The 24th Annual North Carolina Oyster Festival will take place October 16th and 17th, 2004. The hours are 9am to 7pm on Saturday and 11am to 5pm on Sunday. Admission is $3 a day for ages 13 and older and it’s free for those 12 and under. A free shuttle service is available from Ocean Isle Airport just often the island and is highly recommended (as is coming mid- to late-afternoon, when the crowds have lessened). For more information, call (800) 426-6644 or visit www.brunswickcountychamber.org.

2010-05-27T12:37:00.001-04:00

VEGGING OUT

Forget barbecue in the North Carolina City of Asheville...vegetarian cuisine rules the dining scene

North Carolina may be known for its barbecue, but the mountain town of Asheville is an exception. Chefs here are likely to replace chopped pork with tofu, and most locals know their tempeh (soybean cakes) from their seitan (a popular wheat mixture often called "wheat meat," due to its frequent use as a meat replacement).

Asheville was farm-to-table long before it was hip. In the 1800s, it was a drovers' stopover, and farmers brought their produce and livestock to the town center to be bought and sold, traded and bartered.

Originally published in AirTran's GO! Magazine

Drive the streets today, and you'll likely come upon various tailgate markets, where residents and chefs buy produce from local farmers. Many chefs and restaurant owners also work with organizations like the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and Asheville Independent Restaurant Association to ensure that the farmers will supply the veggies to local restaurants.

Mark Rosenstein, founder of The Market Place restaurant and a long-time advocate of eating locally, says, "I really think the turning point was when ASAP began [in 1995]. They got the tailgates going, networked the farmers with chefs and helped local farmers understand how to market themselves."

According to Rosetta Star, the founder and owner of the vegetarian and vegan landmark Rosetta's Kitchen, Asheville's vegetarian movement was influenced by the influx of hippies, artists and academic types (faculty and students at nearby colleges) who moved to the city in the 1970s.

"I was raised here in Western North Carolina and can attest to the fact that Asheville was way ahead of the times - especially on the East Coast - in embracing the health food movements," she says. "Being self-sufficient is historically a matter of pride, tradition and survival to the Appalachian people. That, combined with the 'back-to-the-land' hippies and artists who came in the '70s, put Asheville ahead of the curve."

Rosetta and her chefs source produce from nearby farms and tailgate markets to create meatless dishes like the baked tofu-and-avocado sandwich, coconut curry, and mac and cheese (smothered in house-made vegan cheese sauce). Star recently went so far as to create a new position at Rosetta's Kitchen: Local Foods Liaison.

"The job is to coordinate and head up another new project, The Wezeltown Terrace Gardens, which is several acres of organic gardens, fruit trees, berries and herbs grown just for Rosetta's Kitchen," she says. With the guidance of the Local Foods Liaison, Star says several community members now spend a day a week learning gardening, working the land and being paid in gift certificates for the restaurant.

Asheville's other full-service 100% vegetarian restaurant is Laughing Seed Café, which was originally founded in 1991 in the local YMCA. According to owner Joan Eckert, "Vegetarian food shouldn't be a punishment."

And bland vegetables are not what you'll find coming out of the kitchen, which uses produce from Chef Jason Sellers' own farm, as well as another local farm. Sellers whips up some of Eckert's dishes (she was the original chef) and many new ones, like Mercury Not Rising - crispy, battered house-made seitan filet on a whole grain bun seasoned with herbs and spices.

Eckert's other venture, which she owns with her husband Joe, is a brewpub downstairs called Jack of the Wood, where she extends her commitment for vegetarian-friendly fare to the drink list. The organic vegan Green Man Ales pair perfectly with the menu, which includes the tasty Hemp-nut Burger (both the beer and burger are also served at Laughing Seed Café).

Even if they're not strictly vegan or vegetarian, most of Asheville's restaurants cater to non-meat-eaters. "Restaurants in Asheville require vegetarian choices or they alienate about half of the locals," says Early Girl Eatery owner (and vegetarian) Julie Stehling, who runs the popular restaurant on Wall Street with her husband John - who can't live without his pork. "Our menu certainly reflects his Southern blood and need for breakfast meats as much as it reflects my love of vegetables," she says.

Asheville's dedication to those who eschew animal products also extends to bakeries and dessert spots. Vegan breads, like sunflower wheat, sweet date oat and whole wheat sourdough, are the centerpieces at City Bakery, which is also popular for its vegan oatmeal cookie and granola bars. (It also regularly offers two vegan sandwiches and made-from-scratch soups.)

Another sweet-tooth satisfier is French Broad Chocolate Lounge, known for its vegan truffles - especially the strawberry balsamic and pomegranate flavors. "We designed the collection to be suitable for vegan diets, but they are just as popular with non-vegans," says co-owner Jael Rattigan.

The popular after-dinner spot also serves varied seasonal vegan sorbets and ice creams from nearby Ultimate Ice Cream. Try the lemon-mint sorbet and soy-based blueberry ice cream, both made with local ingredients.

There aren't many places in barbecue-centric North Carolina where you can find both locals and chefs so passionately dedicated to the vegetarian lifestyle - let alone options for vegan truffles and ice cream. After a visit to Asheville, even the most die-hard meat eater will be able to tell everyone back home what seitan tastes like.

EATING YOUR VEGGIES IS EASY IN ASHEVILLE. HERE'S WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO ORDER:

Rosetta's Kitchen

Featuring only vegetarian and vegan fare, Rosetta's gets raves for dishes like peanut butter baked tofu. Make sure to have a vegan cookie for dessert; the ginger-chocolate is also wheat-free.

http://www.rosettaskitchen.com/; 828-232-0738

Laughing Seed Café

The vegan Harmony Bowl is a house favorite, with layers of organic brown rice, organic pinto beans, grilled organic tofu, seasonal steamed vegetables and a sesame ginger sauce.

http://www.laughingseed.com/; 828-252-3445

Early Girl Eatery

Co-owners Julie (a vegetarian) and John (a pork lover) Stehling created a restaurant famous for its vegan chili, vegan tofu scramble and avocado-and-sprout sandwich. If you're a meat-lover like John, go for the local sausage and sweet potato scramble.

http://www.earlygirleatery.com/; 828-259-9292

Sunny Point Café

This bright West Asheville spot serves breakfast all day. The Huevos Fucheros with tofu chorizo is delicious even for dinner. www.sunnypointcafe.com; 828-252-0055

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

The vegan truffles are luscious - try the Thai flavor, made with ginger, lemongrass, green chile, toasted coconut and organic dark truffle. (Note to meat-eaters: If it's on the chalkboard, try the bacon-flavored ice cream.) www.frenchbroadchocolates.com; 828-252-4181

2010-05-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE:

FOR THE REIGNING SAUCE BOSSES -- TEXAS PETE, THOMAS SAUCE, CAROLINA TREET, AND CACKALACKY -- ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST GRAVY

North Carolinians get saucy when it comes to spicing up a plate full of barbecue. It’s no surprise, then, that a number of sauce companies call North Carolina home.

Tar Heel Pete

From it's name, you might think Texas Pete Hot Sauce hails from somewhere down in the Lone Star State, but it was actually created in Winston-Salem, where it is still bottled today. With what is one of the most-known sauces in the nation, Texas Pete is most definitely a Tar Heel State success story.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

In1929, 16-year-old Thad W. Garner was getting ready to graduate from Winston-Salem’s Mineral Springs High School. He had saved $600 driving a school bus and delivering papers, with plans to use the funds for college.

But then Garner heard that the nearby Dixie Pig Barbecue Stand was up for sale and he decided his future was in the kitchen instead of a classroom. Garner paid $300 for the restaurant, and it probably would have continued as a nice local business if it hadn’t been for the handwritten recipe for barbecue sauce that came with the his purchase.

To help his son, Garner's mother, who was affectionately know as “Mother Jane” to family members, began making the sauce in pots on her stove at home. The special sauce caught the attention of a barbecue stand owner in Mount Airy, who started buying it by the gallon to use and sell in his restaurant.

Word began to spread about the special Garner family barbecue sauce, helped along in part by Garner's father, Samuel, who proved to be a natural-born salesman. He began traveling North Carolina’s backroads, touting the sauce and selling it to restaurants and grocery stores. As the sauce’s popularity grew, Garner’s two younger brothers, Harold and Ralph, also pitched into the family business.

By the 1930s, customers were clamoring for a spicier sauce and the Garner family responded with a new mixture of hot peppers, vinegar, and salt that was meant to be not too hot and not too mild. When it came to naming the sauce, the three brothers had agreed on Mexican Joe, but their father, Samuel, felt that it should have an American theme.

While Samuel was looking at his son, Harold (who was nicknamed Pete), he said, “Maybe Texas. But, Texas what?” And that’s how the name Texas Pete was born.

Since then, the T.W. Garner Food Company has built on the fame of Texas Pete with a wide array of sauces and many other products. Reg Garner, Ralph’s son and Samuel’s grandson, is now president. He says, “We are now into our fourth generation of family involvement, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our founding. Our parents and grandparents left a legacy of honor, integrity, quality, and service which, in large part, helped us win the Mass Mutual Family Business of the Year Award in 2003.”

Along with the original Texas Pete--designed ”to lasso the flavor of all your favorite dishes”--the Garner line now includes: Texas Pete Pepper Sauce (green pepper sauce); Chicken Wing Barbecue Sauce; Honey Mustard Sauce; Seafood Cocktail Sauce; Darryl’s Barbecue Sauce; chili; jams; jellies; marmalades; preserves; gift boxes; and a selection of Texas Pete gear for hot sauce aficionados.

T.W. Garner Food Company
4045 Indiana Avenue
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
(800) 476-PETE
http://www.texaspete.com/

Dress It Up

In the early-1930s, families weathering the depression had to get creative with their cooking ingredients (or lack thereof). In Randolph County, one family in particular counted on their mother, Mama Thomas, to create interesting meals for her husband, a half dozen hungry boys, and one little girl.

Mama Thomas provided variety to standard dishes by creating a tomato-based sauce that could be added to meats, vegetables, and more. She also made memorable pasta sauce, a unique marinara sauce, and tasty tartar sauce.

These recipes and many more stayed in the Thomas family for decades until one of the sons, Dwight, decided to bring the family sauce secrets to the forefront. “I started bottling Thomas Sauce commercially about 1984, but I’d been eating it since I was eight years old,” says Dwight.

Thomas Sauce is a mild all-purpose sauce that Mama Thomas and her family used on practically everything. It now comes in five sizes and people do literally buy it by the gallon (its largest size). The container for Thomas products bear wedding pictures of Mama and Papa Thomas. Thomas Sauce is still the company’s most popular offering, but many other products also have a loyal following in North Carolina and much further afield.

“Our family of products has grown over the years and we are always looking to bring out more of those kitchen closet recipes,” says Dwight. The line now includes: Thick Thomas Sauce; Mildly Hot Thomas Sauce; Thomas Marinade; Thomas Dressing; Thomas Fish Camp Tartar Sauce; Thomas Fish Camp Cocktail Sauce; Mama Thomas Pasta Sauce; Mama Thomas Marinara; and Papa Thomas Bloody Mary Mix.

Thomas Gourmet Foods
P.O. Box 8822
Greensboro, NC 27419
(800) To-Sauce
http://www.thoasgourmetfoods.com/

Treet Yourself

In 1952, Lenwood M. King Sr., general manager of a small independent grocery store in Wilmington, was working with the owner of the store to make his recipe idea into a unique cooking barbecue sauce with just the right mix of vinegar and spices and no sugar, articfical sweetners, or tomoato products. King's son, Joe, who is now president of the company, worked in the grocery store in the late-50s, starting as a bagger and then moving on to the produce and meat departments. “Daddy would not let me work directly under him. He wanted me to pull my own weight.”

“The barbecue sauce was to be used in a concept new to grocery stores in the area at that time--barbecued chickens for takeout," explains Joe. "In the beginning, 24 chickens were barbecued. This soon grew to five cookings per day, with customers being turned away. Sunday was our biggest day. Customers would come to the store after church and buy a barbecued chicken for their Sunday main dish. One whole chicken was $1.39."

Many customers started asking if they could buy the sauce separately, and a retail size of Carolina Treet Barbecue Sauce was created for consumers later that year. The sauce continued to develop it’s own following and King acquired the brand in 1960. It’s been in the King family ever since, with Joe's brother, Lenwood King Jr. joining the company in 1991 as vice-president of sales and marketing.

“We take pride in being able to compete with the national companies whose resources are extensive,” says Joe. “While our retail distribution is limited to the southeastern U.S., we do ship Carolina Treet to the rest of the nation, as well as many foreign countries.”

Joe says wheat flour is one of the unique ingredients in Carolina Treet. Because of the flour, Carolina Treet is meant to be cooked on the meat, poultry, or fish that’s being used. When cooked, the sauce’s distinctive flavor is greatly enhanced.

Along with the original Carolina Treet, the company now produces Hickory Smoke Carolina Treet Barbecue Sauce, Big Moe’s Barbecue Sauce (vinegar, sugar, red pepper, mustard, garlic, onions, hot sauce, smoke flavor, Worcestershire sauce, and more), South Carolina Style Barbecue Sauce (vinegar, mustard, sugar, and spices for south of the border barbecue souls), and even a popular line of Aunt Bertie’s Concentrated Iced Teas (which sure do go with some “Carolina Treeted” barbecue!).

Carolina Treet, Inc.
P.O. Box 1017
Wilmington, NC 28402
(800) 616-6344
http://www.carolinatreet.com/

The Un-Ketchup

Tar Heels know that "cackalacky" is a regional colloquialism for the Carolinas. So when H. Page Skelton first started making sauce for his friends, they simply named it the, “sauce from Cackalacky,” and the name stuck.

Self-proclaimed Ambassador of Cackalacky and president of Chapel Hill-based Cackalacky Condiment Company, Skelton’s calling card is Cackalacky Premium Hot Sauce, which he started selling in 2000 as one of the first “premium” hot sauces in the nation. This interesting blend of tomatoes, sweet North Carolina-grown yams, savory onions, gourmet mustard, relish, burgundy wine, tangy key lime essence, secret spices, and, of course, aged fiery chiles, is seriously spicy--and addictive as an addition to almost anything.

The sauce has garnered many awards, including Chile Pepper Magazine’s Fiery Food Challenge, the Texas Fiery Food Shoot-Out, and two awards at the Barbecue Cook Off at the Official NFL Tailgate Party during this year’s Super Bowl.

Cackalacky Premium Hot Sauce fans also rave about Cackalacky Combo Condiment, which Skelton introduced in 2003 at Durham’s famed World Beer Festival. This is most definitely a combination of great ingredients, including tomatoes, mustard, onions, pickles, and more. “It’s deeply delicious and nicely spicy as a dressing, dip, or topping,” says Skelton. “It’s also good for you, too--with nothing the least bit artificial or phony.”

Skelton thought of the idea while standing in line at a Durham Bulls game, where he wanted to put the works on his hot dog. “The concept hit me. Wham! This line could move a whole faster if they put everything in one great big jar.” He was so obsessed with the concept that he started work on the prototype that night.” Cackalacky Combo is now served at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

With the initial success of Cackalacky Premium Hot Sauce and growing interest in the unique Cackalacky Combo Condiment, Skelton has yet another North Carolina saucy success story. In less than three years, Skelton’s company has grown from a small home-based business into an industry contender with two factories pumping out Cackalacky products to meet demand and other exciting condiments in the works. “I can’t believe that the great marketing minds at Heinz and Kraft didn’t think of the Combo Condiment before I did,” says Skelton. We have discovered the Un-ketchup!”

Cackalacky, Inc.
P.O. Box 4901
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4901
(919) 967-4996
http://www.cackalacky.com/

Appetizers

Texas Pete Nachos

Ingredients:
*Plain or seasoned tortilla chips.
*Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Sharp)
*Texas Pete Hot Sauce

Spread tortilla chips evenly on a microwaveable plate. Sprinkle with your choice of shredded cheese. Splash on Texas Pete Hot Sauce to taste. Microwave for one minute or slightly longer, until cheese is thoroughly melted. Cheese will be hot!
--from T.W. Garner Food Company

Main Dishes

Thomas Sauce Pork Roast

Place 1/2 cup of Thomas Sauce in a large Ziploc bag. Add the roast and marinate overnight. When ready to cook, roll wet meat in seasoned flour and roast as usual. The drippings will make a great sauce, but add another teaspoon or so of Thomas Sauce just to be sure!
--from Thomas Gourmet Foods

Main Dishes

Fried Cackalacky Catfish Nuggets

Ingredients:
*2 1/2 lbs. catfish filets
*1/4 cup Cackalacky Hot Sauce
*1/2 cup water
*1/4 cup mustard
*1 cup plain flour
*1 cup white corn meal
*2 teaspoons salt
*1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Cut the catfish fillets into two- or three-ounce pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine the Cackalacky Hot Sauce, mustard, and water. Then, marinate the catfish pieces in the mixture for about 30 minutes. Refrigerate. In a separate bowl, blend the dry ingredients until well mixed. Roll the marinated fish pieces in the dry mixture. Then, fry in a heavy pot of hot oil (350-375 degrees) until golden brown.
--from Cackalacky Inc.

Main Dishes

Carolina Treet Oven-Barbecued Chicken

This is the easiest way to use Carolina Treet Barbecue Sauce. Dip chicken pieces in Carolina Treet. Place in a foil-lined pan (for easy clean-up) and bake at 350 degrees for 75-90 minutes. You can remove the pieces about halfway through and dip in Carolina Treet again for a more robust flavor.
--from Carolina Treet, Inc.

2010-05-27T12:20:00.000-04:00

A SOUTHERN SEASON:

SOUTHERN TASTES AND SO MUCH MORE

When you walk into A Southern Season in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, your senses tell you that you’re somewhere very special. Exuding southern hospitality, this is a store that quickly becomes dear to the hearts and stomachs of any visiting Southerners (or Southerners at heart).

Originally opened as an 800-square-foot coffee roastery back in 1975, A Southern Season has become a huge gourmet specialty-foods emporium. At 59,000 square feet, it’s one of the largest stores of its kind in the nation. Of course, all of the expected Southern standards are available; but, there are also many other treats to tempt hungry visitors (and lots of regulars from the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, also known as the “Research Triangle”).

Originally published in Taste of the South

After graduating from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, A Southern Season’s founder, Michael Barefoot, saw a need for this type of store, which caters to the diverse university and business culture of the Triangle. “Julia Child had already begun transforming the way Americans thought and felt about their food, but none of our stores reflected that change,” he recalls. “I knew what I needed to reach in net sales each day to pay the bills and wouldn’t close until I reached that figure. Though my posted hours were nine to nine, there were some nights I stayed open past midnight.” Barefoot, who had grown up on a small North Carolina farm, credits his intense love of food helped with the long hours.

The store moved to a larger location in 1978 and was expanded to 28,000 square feet by 1992. In 2003, A Southern Season opened its flagship store at University Mall, which also includes the 300-seat Weathervane restaurant that features seasonal cuisine as well as many products from the store. Nearby, another huge facility handles A Southern Season’s fast-growing mail order, e-commerce, and wholesale businesses. More than 1.5 million catalogs are sent out nationwide annually. Today, A Southern Season has more than 300 employees and also operates two boutiques at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

The flagship Chapel Hill store is divided into ten distinct areas; candy; coffees and tea; wine; gourmet groceries; housewares; gifts; cheese; bakery; take-out and catering ; and Weathervane. The sprawling wine department has more than 2,000 selections including some excellent North Carolina varieties, while the cheese department typically has more than 320 tasty options including several that are locally-produced.

The staff in each area of the store prides itself on knowledge, Southern hospitality, and the ability to help visiting foodies find everything they need--as well as some things they didn’t know they needed. There’s a definite Southern slant to the store’s products. Ever-popular possibilities include pimento cheese straws, stone-ground grits, pecan pralines, pecan praline pound cake, moonshine cordials, and much more. White Chicken Chili, Beaufort Shrimp, Almond Chicken Salad (also a very popular item at Weathervane), and cupcakes from the bakery are popular take-out and catering choices.

The gourmet offerings come from near and far. “Michael Barefoot and his leadership team have set the gold standard for the great American gourmet shopping experience,“ says Page Skelton, founder and president of Chapel Hill-based Cackalacky Classic Condiment Company. “When folks travel to London, they almost always go shopping at Harrods. When folks visit Chapel Hill, they go shopping at A Southern Season. It’s the Harrods of the South--and we are thrilled to be a part of their shopping experience. The store is filled with lots of ‘mom & pop’ gourmet items that are made by ordinary folks just like me who have a passion for food.”

Weathervane, the store's restaurant, is most definitely a hub, with year-round patio dining, fountains, and a requisite weathervane. Long-time favorites in the bustling space include Shrimp and Grits, a creative Fried Green Tomato BLT, and White Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding with Crème Anglaise. There’s an excellent wine list and many unique beers on draft, including several revolving regional choices.

Located in a sleek space overlooking the wine department, the cooking school (Culinary Lessons at A Southern Season--CLASS) features frequent food- and wine-oriented offerings, including regular classes run by well-known local, regional, national, and international chefs. A recent class from Durham chef Amy Tornquist (Nasher Museum Café and El Diablo) was a “Taste of the Triangle”, featuring locally produced queso fresco and tortillas. Past celebrity-chef teachers have included: Andrea Reusing of Chapel Hill’s acclaimed Lantern; Ben and Karen Barker of nearby Magnolia Grill in Durham; Martin Yan; John Ash; Patricia Wells; and Iron Chef Morimoto.

The company's web site www.southernseason.com, online since 1997, features current catalog products as well as store specials, cafe menus, a monthly newsletter, and a monthly calendar of in-store events and cooking classes.

To truly tempt all of your senses, visit the flagship store and find out for yourself just why A Southern Season is such a tasty success story.

A Southern Season
University Mall
15/501 @ Estes Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 929-7133
http://www.southernseason.com/

2010-05-27T12:08:00.000-04:00

TOP DOG

hot dog (c. 1895) 1: a frankfurter heated and served in a long split roll 2: one that hot dogs; also: show-off -- Merriam-Webster

Dick’s Hot Dog Stand is a haven for hot dogs in many forms, but there’s much more to this 84-year-old Wilson institution than meets the eye--or nose, mouth, ears, or hands for that matter. Quite simply, it’s a feast for all five senses.

From the moment you walk in Dick’s, it’s obvious that Lee Gliarmis and his family love food--and sports--with hot dogs and more playing a central role in both categories. As soon as the glass door swings open to Dick’s, the senses are awakened by the sight of hundreds of pictures of sports celebrities; the aromas of hot dogs cooking, chopped onions, chili, and more; the sounds of customers and waitstaff enjoying good food and company; the feel of the decades-old counter, stools, and booths; and--soon enough--the taste of some great food.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

“This place is obviously special to me and my family, but it’s also quite special with lots of Wilson regulars who have supported us for so many years,” says Lee. “Our most important customers are our regulars, but I like to say that first-timers become regulars on a regular basis.”

BUILDING A LEGACY

Dick’s Hot Dog Stand was founded back in 1921 by Lee’s father, Socrates “Dick” Gliarmis, a native of Samos, Greece, who first came to the United States to help train Greek-Americans for World War I duty in France. He married Hereklia Ladas in 1923 and they would eventually add two sons to Wilson’s population. Sadly, their oldest son, Richard, was killed during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944. Their other son, Lee--who inherited his father’s passion for sports--now owns and operates the hot dog stand with the help of many longtime employees and two of his children.

From the start, Dick was active in many phases of Wilson life. Among many roles over the years, he served as 1944-45 post commander of Robert B. Anderson Post No. 13 of the American Legion. During World War II, he was an air raid warden and chairman of a highly successful scrap iron drive to aid the war effort.

Lee says his father was particularly proud of Wilson’s support through the years, which allowed him to keep his doors open through difficult periods that included two World Wars and the Depression. “Daddy had to go through a lot--including the Great Depression and several wars--to get this place going,” recalls Lee. “But when he did, it was nothing for him to sell 4,000 hot dogs in a week.”

Originally a drive-in, the restaurant quickly became a Wilson wonder, thanks to the combination of a great location and high-quality “American” food at reasonable prices (hot dogs were a nickel back then).

Dick’s choice of location--the intersection of West Nash and Pearson streets--was ideal. West Nash Street was and still is a classic American street, with stately homes and trees that have both stood the test of time. Plus, back then, Pearson Street was the location for two very important places for Wilson citizens--the circus grounds and the baseball park (home of the Wilson Bugs). The hot dog stand was often packed with crowds on their way to or from the circus and baseball park.

The baseball field was also used for Atlantic Christian College (now Barton Collge) football teams during the 1920s and '30s. A huge sports fan, Dick was known to occasionally install a boxing ring in his drive-in’s parking lot, where regional pugilists fought in Golden Gloves preliminaries.

The hot dog stand originally had curb service, but World War II gas rationing created more foot and bike traffic. The original building still stands, but there have been three renovations and expansions over the years. Lee’s pretty certain that Dick’s Hot Dog Stand is the state’s--and possibly the region’s--oldest family-owned and -operated restaurant still in its original location.

IN THE FOOTSTEPS

Lee originally had no intention of donning his father’s apron full-time. Always very active in sports (he played soccer, basketball, and baseball at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Lee had always planned on a coaching career after graduation. When his father became ill in 1950, however, Lee’s trip home to “help out” never really ended.

“Of course, I grew up doing anything and everything at Dick’s,” Lee recalls. “When daddy passed away in 1951, I took over Dick’s and am proud that my family has extended his legacy.”

Lee has expanded on his father’s passion for sports, filling the walls with hundreds of pictures of local, regional, and national sports (and other) celebrities. Locals and visitors alike can--and do--spend hours perusing the walls for pictures of well-known and not-so-well-known people. Many of those pictured on the wall have been known to down a hot dog or two at Dick’s, including baseball stars like Bob Uecker, Trot Nixon, and Boog Powell (who most definitely had more than two), and many others who are happy to pose for a picture with Lee.

The list of other personalities who have visited Dick’s Hot Dog Stand over the years includes: Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals; New York Yankees secon baseman Bobby Richardson; Phildelphia Phillies owner Bill Giles; Harris Barton of the San Francisco 49ers (a roommate of Lee’s son, Lee, at UNC); actress Ava Gardner; former U.S. senator Estes Kefauver; former North Carolina governor Jim Hunt; and many, many more. Lee says his two favorite pictures are the huge ones hanging above the counter--of his seven grandchildren.

Besides being an committed grandfather, Lee is quite active with the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, having just served as president the past two years. He was also heavily involved with the founding of the North Carolina Baseball Museum at Wilson’s historic Fleming Stadium.

“With antiques shops, a colorful rose garden, Imagination Station, and more, Wilson has much to offer locals and visitors alike,” says Sandra Homes, executive director of the Wilson Visitors Bureau, whose house is just three blocks from the hot dog stand. “But Dick’s is actually a tourist attraction in its own right, thanks to it’s history, friendly family service, and a great menu.”

FAMOUS FRANKS

The menu at Dick’s Hot Dog Stand has definitely expanded over the years, but the first item is still the same: Dick’s Famous Hot Dogs. Priced at $1.35, the hot dog comes with mustard, onions, and homemade chili unless you say otherwise (the friendly waitress will likely try to convince you to stick with the standard order). Many regulars order two. The waitress will also likely recommend the onion rings, which are made from juicy thick-cut onions and dipped in a batter that’s a home run with practically everyone who tastes them.

Lee likes to say that their motto for Dick’s hot dogs is “millions enjoyed,” rather than “millions served.” That enjoyment is evident six days a week (they’re closed Mondays).

The next two items on the menu are also hot dogs. For $1.65, the Cheese Dog comes with your choice of melted cheese, along with the aforementioned mustard, onions, and chili. Upgrade to the Super Dog for $1.95 and you get a quarter pound frank all the way.

“The Campbell’s Soup people tried to buy the chili recipe back in the 1930s, but my dad wouldn’t sell,” says Lee. “I still won’t let people take it home in containers--they have to buy it on hot dogs or other sandwiches. However, we are looking for a company that’s interested in packaging our chili for customers to enjoy at home.”

The rest of the sandwich menu includes delectable diner favorites, with hamburgers and cheeseburgers (or “doubles” of either) the frequent choice for those who aren’t inclined to hot dog it. Everything is freshly prepared, although the prices seem like they’re from another era--like $1.65 for a hamburger or $2.10 for a classic BLT.

Sandwich specials come with piping hot French fries, with popular choices including the Dickie Burger (a huge burger on a Kaiser roll), the Hamdinger (salami, ham, turkey, cheese, lettuce, and tomato), and the Cheeseburger Steak Sub.

Regulars and others looking for more of a traditional meal go for the regular or daily plate specials. Lee says common choices include the Hamburger Steak, which comes with gravy, onions, and fries, along with a choice of salad or cole slaw, and the Hot Roast Pork, which is an open-face pork sandwich served with gravy and fries.

On Saturdays, Dick’s has become somewhat of a Wilson breakfast tradition. The place is often packed with locals catching up on a week’s worth of gossip, with standard southern breakfast dishes filling the menu before the hot dog crowd starts coming in before noon.

Lee’s son, Socrates, now works at Dick’s, as does his daughter, Chrisanne. “Soc” says he speaks for the entire family when he says, “Dad has become as much of an institution as the restaurant. Everyone asks for him. He’s a people person and a great man.”

if you’re going

Dick’s Hot Dog Stand
1500 Nash Street
Wilson, NC 27893
(252) 243-6313
Hours: Sunday and Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Closed Mondays.

2010-05-27T12:03:00.001-04:00

FESTIVALS FEATURE SEA'S BOUNTY

Blessed with waters teeming with life, it’s no surprise that seafood is celebrated along the many miles of Southeast coast with a wide variety of seafood-oriented festivals throughout the year (and especially in the fall). From juicy raw or steamed oysters to spicy shrimp, plus the varieties of fresh fish, it’s easy to see why a “see food” seafood diet of some tasty festivals is so popular.

“The Southeast Tourism Society has seen a marked increase in the number of seafood festivals applying to be a Top 20 Event,” says Neville Bhada, vice president of communications and public relations for the Atlanta-based society that awards Top 20 designations to Southeast festivals for each month. Several top festivals, like the North Carolina Seafood Festival along the state’s Crystal Coast, and the National Shrimp Festival in Alabama’s Gulf Shores, have been around for decades, attracting thousands of hungry veterans and first-time festival-goers.

Originally published in Atlanta Journal-Constitution

There are some newcomers to the festival scene, including one on North Carolina’s Bald Head Island that will highlight the area’s ingredients — lots of local seafood, plus award-winning wines.

While seafood (and often beverages) is the focus for these festivals, there’s much more to see, do and eat. Music, shopping, children’s activities and more are typically on the menu. Fees for attending, participating and eating also vary greatly, ranging from free to a few dollars and $100-plus for exclusive dinners that feature creative seafood and world-class wines.

Catch these tasty festivals:

Pensacola Seafood Festival, Pensacola, Fla., Sept. 25-27, 850-433-6512, www.fiestaoffive  flags.org.
The Pensacola Seafood Festival is a perennial favorite for good reason. Now in its 32nd year, it brings vendors, artists and hungry attendees to downtown Pensacola’s historic oak-studded Seville Square to enjoy mouth-watering seafood, live music and arts and crafts. There are live cooking demonstrations by local chefs, a 5-kilometer run/walk, a children’s area and SplashDogs competition for water-loving canines.

North Carolina Wine & Food Weekend, Bald Head Island, N.C., Sept. 25-27, 910-457-7440, www.baldheadisland.com.
The first annual North Carolina Wine & Food Weekend will take place on Bald Head Island in late September. Accessed only by ferry or private boat and with no cars allowed (visitors and residents travel by golf cart), Bald Head Island is ideal for a festival focusing on local cuisine. Friday night’s “N.C. Uncorked” will start the festivities with a focus on award-winning North Carolina wines.
Other events will include an open-air market and grand tasting with local seafood and products; a scavenger-style wine and food race; and a Sunday morning sparkling wine brunch with fresh-from-the-docks seafood.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Sept. 25-Nov. 8, 407-WDW-FEST, www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.
Now in its 14th year, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is unlike any other festival in the region. Taking place at Epcot in land-locked Walt Disney World, more than two dozen “marketplaces” representing destinations serve up tapas-sized portions, with this year’s possibilities including rock shrimp ceviche from Chile, seared barramundi from Argentina, maple-glazed salmon from Canada, New Orleans crawfish etouffée, New England-style crab cakes, and sea scallops from New Zealand.
Other festival highlights include: daily seminars and demonstrations; food-focused shopping; and “Eat to the Beat” concerts like Kool & The Gang, Jon Secada and many more. The seven-week-long festival means a menu of possibilities. Chef Tory McPhail of Commander’s Palace in New Orleans will cook up fresh seafood for the Oct. 31 Party for the Senses and his Nov. 2 culinary demonstration.

Beaufort Shrimp Festival, Beaufort, S.C., Oct. 2-3, 843-525-6644, www.downtownbeaufort.com.
The Beaufort Shrimp Festival is a small town gem on the South Carolina coast. Local Low Country restaurants offer samples of dishes featuring shrimp, with prizes awarded for best recipe, most creative dish and more. With lighted shrimp boats as the backdrop, there’s also live entertainment, a 5-kilometer run, historic walking tours, arts and crafts and children’s activities.

North Carolina Seafood Festival, Crystal Coast (Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Morehead City, Beaufort, and Cape Lookout), N.C., Oct. 2-4, 252-726-6273, www.ncseafoodfestival.org.
Now in its 23rd year, the North Carolina Seafood Festival features an array of Tar Heel State seafood for more than 225,000 attendees and has raised more than $2 million for charities since 1987.
Highlights here include: Cooking with the Chefs demonstrations, fresh-from-the-docks seafood featuring Carteret Catch fish and more, children’s activities, five live music stages, fireworks, a fishing tourney, a boat show and an 8-kilometer race.

National Shrimp Festival, Gulf Shores, Ala., Oct. 8-11, 251-968-7220, www.nationalshrimp festival.com.
Alabama’s National Shrimp Festival will take place for the 38th time this October. Held each year in Gulf Shores, highlights of this multifaceted festival includes: 300-plus vendors featuring fine art, arts and crafts, and lots of food from restaurants and purveyors; a live entertainment schedule; Children’s Activity Village; 10k run and more.

Taste of the Beach, Gulf Coast, Fla., Nov. 5-8, 850-267-0683, www.tasteofthebeach.com.
Taking place along northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Taste of THE Beach features more than 225 miles of white sand coastline and charming seaside towns, a scenic seafood festival backdrop.
This year‘s schedule features: Destin’s Taste of THE Harbor (the festival kick-off featuring area chefs and distinctive wines); Taste of Bay Wine & Food Experience in Panama City Beach; Al Fresco Reserve Tasting at Ruskin Place (Seaside); and the Seeing Red Wine Festival (streets of Seaside).

2010-05-27T11:44:00.001-04:00

MELON MANIA

To say that Murfreesboro’s Lynette Bunch helped plant the seed for a festival’s success 19 years ago doesn’t do her--or the North Carolina Watermelon Festival--justice. Quite simply, that little seed has sprouted into one giant and juicy success story for a festival--and a town.

Bunch comes to her watermelon wonderment honestly. She and her husband, Percy, had a watermelon wholesale business called Murfreesboro Farms Inc., with Percy retiring in the late-90s and Lynette retiring at the end of 2002. Their son, Michael, continues to run the business--proving that watermelon juice does seem to run in Bunch family veins.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

The Bunches were always North Carolina watermelon promoters, with lots of involvement in the National Watermelon Association, National Watermelon Promotion Board, and the North Carolina Watermelon Association. Percy served as president of all three and Lynette--who actually goes by Frances in watermelon circles--was an active “first lady.”

From simple beginnings

Back in 1986, Whitney Cuthbertson, a young woman from Murfreesboro, was selected as the North Carolina Watermelon Queen. Bunch and Charles Freeman, one of Whitney’s teachers, saw this as a great opportunity to create a parade and celebration in her honor. They approached long-time resident Kay Mitchell, then executive director of the Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce, as well as Byron Simonds, an agent with the Hertford County Cooperative Extension.

“That first year, we called it Watermelon Day,” Bunch reminisces. “It lasted four hours, with a short parade, a little princess contest, one band, some seed spitting, and a single food vendor. Everyone went home and didn’t think twice about the fact that there might be a second annual event.”

However, they quickly learned they had much more than a little one-day event on their hands. With local interest high the following year, Mitchell contacted Bunch about repeating “Watermelon Day” and even expanding it.

“What began as a little half-day event for about 400 locals has grown into a four-day extravaganza that will draw more than 40,000 people this year,” Mitchell says. “I’ve been co-chairperson with Lynette since that second year,” continues Mitchell, who is now a Heritage Tourism Development Officer for the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film, and Sport Development.

For a small town of about 2,500, the economic and psychological benefits of the Watermelon Festival have been enormous. “Quite simply, the Watermelon Festival has grown to mean very much to the community,” Mitchell says. “It’s four days long, but its impact is felt every day of the year.”

On the financial front, their goal for each festival is to just raise enough money to fund the event for the following year. There is no admission fee and the only money that people spend at the event is for food, crafts, or amusement rides, if they desire.

Calling for sunshine

Mitchell says they couldn’t do it without lots of local volunteers (which typically number 150 or more). But, they’ve now been doing it for close to two decades, so the co-chair team, the planning committee, and all of the various volunteers have it down to a science. “Many committee members have served for numerous years and are now Watermelon Festival professionals,” Mitchell proudly claims.

What they can’t plan is the weather. Bunch says they’ve only had one real wash-out in the past 18 years, but they always pray for dry and sunny weather.

This year’s version is slated for August 4-7 and the forecast is for a theme of “Sunny Tropical Party.” Festival activities, which have grown immensely over the years, include: an active antiques, collectibles, and crafts far; the “Food Fair,” with a variety of typical fair food (including complimentary slices of North Carolina watermelon at certain times each day); watermelon-oriented games (like seed spitting and watermelon eating); live entertainment and street dances nightly; and North Carolina’s largest agricultural parade (held at 10:00 a.m. on August 7th this year).

The Food Fair takes on the aromas and style of the North Carolina State Fair, with funnel cakes, blooming onions, barbecue sandwiches, and much more taking center stage. Of course, a candy apple, snow cone, hot fudge cake, or apple jack could be just right for dessert.

The food front also includes a nightly plate dinner prepared by local organizations. Wednesday night, there’s barbecue pork and all the trimmings from the Chamber of Commerce. Thursday night, it’s fried fish, thanks to the Murfreesboro Rotary Club. Friday night, tasty fried chicken and barbecue are served up by the Murfreesboro Historical Association and the Jefcoat Museum. This is a great fundraising opportunity for the town’s various civic clubs.

The festival has grown so much in size and stature that they can now draw several popular musical acts. This year, the Coastline Band will play beach music and more on August 4th, with High Roller (rock and roll) on the 5th, Johnny Dollar (country and more) on the 6th, and Pizazz (a popular Raleigh-based band that plays a wide variety of party music) on the 7th.

The annual T-shirt has become a big deal as well, with many attendees wearing the versions from early years (they started selling them at the second festival). Each shirt contains the festival’s mascot, which is an ant named Percy (named after Bunch’s husband).

They actually have another mascot that appears in the parade each year. His name is Walter Melon and he and his costume are sponsored by the North Carolina Watermelon Association.

One big homecoming

The town welcomes back Walter Melon and lots of other repeat festival-goers each year, with Murfreesboro native Susan Davis Bengel providing a perfect example. Bengel was born in Murfreesboro 1961 and lived there until 1991. After five years in Raleigh, Bengel moved to Baltimore. However, she returns to Murfreesboro as often as possible and often times her visits to coincide with the famed festival.

“We plan our summer vacation around the Watermelon Festival,” says Bengel. “This year, my brother in Japan has planned his visit home to the states--his first in three years--the same weekend as the Watermelon Festival.”

Bengel says the festival is simply a big homecoming for her. “It’s an opportunity to see classmates, family, and friends who all come to Murfreesboro the same weekend. Often times, it’s the only time people come back all year long.”

She says she loves how the event incorporates her heritage of where she came from into her son’s life, including the things he doesn’t get much of in Baltimore. “My favorite things are the community coming together and seeing people I only see once a year. My favorite festival activities include the bands, the crafts, amusement rides for the kids, and the foods that the community service clubs put together.”

As a student at Chowan College, Lee Stevens often heard about the festival but never was able to attend because it always took place the weekend before students reported to school. The summer after Stevens graduated in 1996, he decided to return to the Murfreesboro event, and he's only missed two since. He always participates in the seed-spitting contest, which he won in 2000. "It's a great local festival," says Stevens, a LaGrange native. "My favorite thing is that such a small town can put on such a huge event."

"You just can't put it into words," Bengel adds, "you have to experience it, just once."

19th Annual North Carolina Watermelon Festival
August 4-7
Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 5pm-11pm, Friday, noon to 11pm and Saturday 9am to 11pm, with a parade at 10am and fireworks at 9:15pm.
For more information, visit www.murfreesboronc.com or call (252) 398-5922

2010-05-27T11:29:00.001-04:00

ZESTY DESINATION: WINSTON-SALEM, NC

In This Town, It's All About the Hot Sauce

With a name like Texas Pete®, you'd think this popular hot sauce hailed from the Lone Star State. Folks in Winston-Salem, NC know better. The spicy sauce was created, and is still produced, in their state. The origin of Texas Pete is a great little history for heat lovers.

Texas Pete’s Zesty History Lesson

The now-legendary story about the naming of the sauce goes something like this. “My uncle, Thad Garner, plus his father, mother and two of his brothers, actually started this business back in 1929--when my uncle bought a small barbecue stand and sauce recipe,” said Reg Garner, president of the company that produces Texas Pete. As the tale goes, customers of the barbecue stand kept requesting a spicier sauce, so the Garners created a new recipe using red peppers and a still-secret blend of other ingredients (vinegar was and is a key ingredient).

Originally published in Chile Pepper

In discussing a name for the unique new sauce, one of the brothers suggested the name, “Mexican Joe.” But father Samuel felt the name should be more "American", saying, “Maybe Texas…but, Texas what?” At that moment, Sam’s eyes fell upon his son, Harold, who was nicknamed Pete…and the name Texas Pete was born.

Millions of gallons later, Texas Pete Hot Sauce is the classic condiment for many foods throughout the southeastern U.S. and the rest of the world. The Garners say folks in Winston-Salem love it on their eggs, chicken wings, pizza, potato salad, and practically everything else. Many restaurants in the area keep the bottles on every table, right along with the salt and pepper--and they also include the good stuff in a variety of menu staples.

Now called the TW Garner Food Company, this spicy Winston-Salem company is in its fourth generation, with five direct descendents of the founders working there. And they've become much more than a long-time manufacturer of a single hot sauce. They began producing popular jams, jellies, and preserves for soldiers at Fort Bragg during World War II and many varieties are still made today. In the 1950s, TW Garner became the first company to manufacture canned Chili Sauce, which is typically used as a topping for hamburgers and hot dogs.

Throughout the 20th century, the company expanded the line to keep up with flavor trends. Early on, they came up with Texas Pete Seafood Cocktail Sauce, which has become a Southern staple. The 1970s saw the addition of Texas Pete Honey Mustard Sauce (great with baked beans), and in the 1980s, Texas Pete Buffalo Style Chicken Wing Barbecue Sauce debuted.

In 2004, TW Garner purchased Vermont’s Green Mountain Gringo®. This purchase was a natural complement to the legacy of Texas Pete. Green Mountain Gringo products include salsas from mild to hot--we love the Roasted Chile Pepper--and corn tortilla strips.

The company also continues to capitalize on the popularity of the Texas Pete brand. Earlier this year, they came out with two new flavors: Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce and Texas Pete Garlic Hot Sauce. Both have the vinegar-based tang for which the original Texas Pete is well-known, with the heat index tripled in the former and a nice hint of garlic in the latter.

While TW Garner's Winston-Salem headquarters doesn’t host visitors for tours , partly owing to the fact that the recipe for Texas Pete is still a secret, the reception area does have an array of gifts and gear for sale. Many of the items feature the Texas Pete logo, which depicts a cowboy about to lasso some serious flavor. Purchase possibilities include various gift boxes, hats, tumblers, mugs, mouse pads, T-shirts, golf shirts, clocks, golf bags, and even a bright red “koozie” in the shape of a cowboy boot. Reg Garner or one of the other family members just might be passing through the lobby, offering visitors a brush with some zesty history far from the Lone Star State.

The Rest of Winston-Salem

For those pesky stretches in between Texas Pete-spiced meals, Winston-Salem offers an array of sightseeing options.

A great place to start is the Winston-Salem Visitor Center, situated between modern downtown Winston-Salem and historic Old Salem, and housed in a renovated 1837 cotton mill at 200 Brookstown Avenue. From there, it’s an easy stroll to Old Salem Museums & Gardens, a historic area simulating the 1700s, when the town had a thriving Moravian community. Stroll the quaint town, chat with appropriately attired interpreters, visit the three museums and do some shopping. Be sure to sample the paper-thin, gingery Moravian Cookies.

In the very modern downtown area, it’s fun to explore the thriving Downtown Arts District, with an eclectic collection of studios, galleries, and restaurants. If you shop ‘til you drop, quench your thirst or snack attack by dropping into the huge new Foothills Brewing location on Fourth Street.

Further afield, varied historical highlights include Reynolda Village, which was once part of tobacco baron R.J. Reynolds’ 1,067-acre estate; Historic Bethabara Park, where the first North Carolina Moravians settled; and the Winston Cup Museum, which preserves early NASCAR history.

Where to Stay

We found two notable options that make for a unique Winston-Salem stay. The Brookstown Inn is located in the same old cotton mill as the Visitor Center. Highlights of this convenient 70-room hotel include spacious rooms, lots of exposed brick walls, friendly service, a wine and cheese reception each evening featuring North Carolina wines, late-night cookies and milk, and a big Continental breakfast (be sure to top the sausage-and-egg biscuit with Texas Pete).

The second option, the Henry F. Shaffner House Bed & Breakfast, is just around the corner. Built in 1907, it was the home of Shaffner, a co-founder of Wachovia Loan and Trust Company. Hosts Michelle Watson and Chris Hughes welcome overnight guests with a tour of the sprawling house, wine and cheese reception with NC wines, a choice of differently decorated rooms, and a hearty homemade breakfast prepared by Michelle.

Where to Eat

Area chefs sure like their Texas Pete. At Sweet Potatoes restaurant in the heart of the Downtown Arts District, co-owners Vivian Joiner and Stephanie Tyson crank out uptown, down-home Southern cooking. The mambo chicken sandwich features a fried boneless chicken breast on a Kaiser roll, with a side of spicy mambo sauce that definitely boasts its share of Texas Pete--Vivian calls it a “sauce with attitude”. As a point of local pride, Chef Stephanie only uses North Carolina sweet potatoes--a delicious ingredient in the biscuits that grace version of the hot brown sandwich.

South by Southwest, with its Mexican and Southwestern menu, is also a delectable downtown option. Grilled fish soft tacos feature local fresh fish caught in the Atlantic less than 200 miles to the east. They also have an excellent premium tequila list and a range of creative “cactus cocktails”--try the Spider-Byte. If owner andchef Pat Burke is around, say hi--he’s considered the local expert on all things chile pepper.

The ‘burbs of Winston-Salem feature several other zesty restaurants, offering barbecue, seriously spiced wings and more. When you leave the confines of downtown proper, they don’t stop pouring the Texas Pete.

For some classic ’cue, it’s hard to beat Hill’s Lexington Barbecue, which is within sniffing distance of Texas Pete HQ. The Hill family has been serving up Lexington-style (think vinegar) chopped barbecue sandwiches and more since 1951. There's Texas Pete on the counter and many of the company’s employees are lunchtime regulars.

Over on the other side of town, East Coast Wings is an up-and-coming franchise operation headquartered in Winston-Salem. East Coast Wings features jumbo wings with more than 45 varieties of sauces and heat indexes that range from Virgin to ECW Insanity™ (sign a disclaimer to even get your hands on these!). Our favorites were Teri Jalapeno™, mango habanero™, chile garlic™, and chipotle™. Just across the street, Little Richards Lexington BBQ can provide another zesty 'cue fix.

For something completely different, check out River Birch Lodge. With the feel of a mountain lodge plopped down in suburbia, the restaurant's menu features wild venison, bison, fresh game fish, and more. But, it’s the saucy Texas Pete Wings that start many meals for locals in the know.

You have to head about 20 minutes out of town to get to Starr’s, but it’s well worth the journey. Located on historic Mocksville's quaint Main Street, Chef Starr Johnson has created a Texas Pete shrine on her menu. “You really should ask what Texas Pete is not in,” the red-haired chef exclaimed during our visit (we noticed that her hair is quite similar to the hue of Texas Pete). Highlights of Starr’s seasonal menus include Pickle’s fried pickles; fried green tomatoes fried chicken, which is filled with honeyed ham and pimento cheese.

What & Where to drink

Many people are learning of the high-quality wines now being produced in North Carolina (visit www.ncwine.org). Part of Winston-Salem is in the Yadkin Valley, currently the state’s only viticulture area. Many area wines are featured at local restaurants, but visiting wineries also provides a great way to taste and buy wines. We found the local Viognier went very well with spicy food.

There are more than 20 from which to choose from in the Yadkin Valley, but we loved Shelton Vineyards, for its stunning location and great restaurant; RayLen Vineyards and Winery, where we particularly liked the Viogner and the fruity Category 5 red blend; and Childress Vineyards, founded by Richard Childress of NASCAR fame, which offer tasting, shopping, and dining.

We also enjoyed cold ones and pub grub) at downtown’s Foothills Brewing. The Salem Gold and Torch Pilsner pair particularly well with the spicy ostrich burger with jalapeños.

Remember, for Texas Pete, just head for the Tar Heel State!

For more information on Texas Pete products, visit www.texaspete.com or call (800) 476-PETE (7383) or (336) 661-1550. Information about the expanded Green Mountain Gringo line can be found at www.greenmountaingringo.com.

For more information about the Winston-Salem area, go to www.visitwinstonsalem.com or call (866) 728-4200 or (336) 728-4200. The Winston-Salem Visitor Center is at 200 Brookstown Avenue.

What to do:
Old Salem Museum & Gardens
900 Old Salem Road
http://www.oldsalem.org/
(888) 653-7253 or (336) 721-7350

Downtown Arts District
Sixth and Trade Streets area
http://www.dadaws.org/
No phone

Reynolda Village
2201 Reynolda Road
http://www.reynoldavillage.com/
(336) 758-5584

Hiistoric Bethabara Park
2147 Bethabara Road
http://www.bethabara.org/
(336) 924-8191

Winston Cup Museum
1355 North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
http://www.winstoncupmuseum.com/
(336) 724-4557

Where to stay:

The Brookstown Inn
200 Brookstown Avenue
http://www.brookstowninn.com/
(336) 725-1120

Henry F. Shaffner House Bed & Breakfast
150 South Marshall Street
http://www.shaffnerhouse.com/
(800) 952-2256 or (336) 777-0052

Where to eat (in Winston-Salem, unless otherwise noted):

Sweet Potatoes
529 North Trade Street
http://www.sweetpotatoes-restaurant.com/
(336) 727-4844

South by Southwest
241 South Marshall Street
No website
(336) 727-0800

Hill’s Lexington Barbecue
4005 Patterson Avenue
No website
(336) 767-2184

East Coast Wings
4880 Country Club Road
http://www.eastcoastwings.net/
(336) 659-9992

Little Richard’s Lexington BBQ
4885 Country Club Road
No website
(336) 760-3457

River Birch Lodge
3324 Robinwood Road
http://www.riverbirchlodge.com/
(336) 768-1111

Starr’s
101 North Main Street, Mocksville
http://www.chefstarr.com/
(336) 753-8233

What & Where to drink:

Shelton Vineyards
286 Cabernet Lane, Dobson
http://www.sheltonvineyards.com/
(336) 366-4724

RayLen Vineyards and Winery
3577 US Highway 158, Mocksville
http://www.raylenvineyards.com/
(336) 998-3100

Childress Vineyards
1000 Childress Vineyards Road, Lexington
http://www.childressvineyards.com/
(336) 236-9463

Foothills Brewing
638 West Fourth Street
http://www.foothillsbrewing.com/
(336) 777-3348

2010-05-27T11:17:00.001-04:00

BASIC PROVISIONS

It’s fun to watch first-timers at Yacht Basin Provision Co. in Southport. The experience is so different from any other dining establishment that first-time visitors barely have time to digest the tasty food or unique way of doing things--before they’re planning their next Provision Co. visit.

This waterfront restaurant and bar provides an atmosphere that’s become legendary with both boaters and landlubbers alike. The unique experience starts the moment you pull into the parking lot (or dock). You typically stand in a short line--though it sometimes goes out the door--and then order your food from the counter. The menu is on a chalkboard right inside the screen door. Once you’ve placed your order, you grab your drinks on your own (on the honor system). They keep track of your entire order on 3x5 cards and you pay when you leave.

Originally published in Our State Magazine

Provision Co. favorites include conch fritters, freshly-made seafood chowder, steamed shrimp, crab cakes, a great grouper salad sandwich, and some seriously tasty hamburgers without a hint of ham! Veteran visitors often orders the fritters or chowder as appetizers and then head back to the counter to order their main course.

With a little bit of luck

Owners Paul Swenson and Maria Tilling attribute the unique Provision Co. vibe to vision, trial, error, and a bit of luck. It’s also obvious that the couple’s loyal staff plays a major role, including long-time manager Freddie Smartley and several veteran cooks and wait staff. Maria’s daughter Tina, has worked in the restaurant on and off since it’s opening (Tina calls herself the “indentured servant”), while her son, Shorty, also has Provision Co. in his blood (and stomach).

Transplanted New Yorkers Jeanette and Vinnie Egan have been with the Provision Co. for more than five years. Vinnie is a quick-order cook extraordinaire, while Jeanette is an ever-smiling waitress with a quick tongue. Jeanette says, “It’s just a great atmosphere in which to work. We’re lifers.”

First coming to life in the summer of 1993, the Provision Co. wasn’t an immediate success by any stretch of the imagination. The little ramshackle building was once a boater’s store called Yacht Basin Provision Co., with “Provision Co.” emblazoned on the red tin roof. Maria and Paul were originally going to call it Sunset Grill, in homage to the great sunsets seen over the water from the restaurant’s patio dining area. However, they ran out of startup money before they had a chance to buy a “Sunset Grill” sign.

Although it had already been listed in the Yellow Pages under Sunset Grill, everyone started calling it Yacht Basin Provision Co. (then just Provision Co.) and the name stuck.

While both Paul and Maria were from the northeast, they each fell in love with the Carolinas early in life. Paul went to college in South Carolina and settled in Raleigh, while Maria moved to Southport (and family) after years in the Caribbean. Once they met, Paul relocated to Southport and they tried to figure out something they could do together (using more than 30 years of combined time in restaurants).

“We wanted to work together, combining our restaurant skills,” says Maria. “We thought the Southport waterfront was a great location for a casual outdoor dining restaurant, which it lacked. It is wonderful to be able to go to work in shorts, have a great view of the water, work in a profession we love, and live in a great town.”

The food speaks for itself

The menu hasn’t changed much since 1993. “Our menu has always been based on good, casual, and reasonably priced food,” says Paul.

“It is only food. Don't try to disguise it. Let the food speak for itself,” continues Maria. “We use high quality products and make the best use of kitchen space and equipment.” Many of the recipes are from Maria’s mother and Tina still tops her chili cheeseburger with potato salad, just like her grandmother did.

Of course, it’s only natural that seafood would play a key role. The steamed shrimp is their perennial best-seller, but the melt-in-your-mouth grilled tuna dinner, crab cakes, and fish-filled grouper salad sandwich are favorites, too.

The New England Seafood Chowder is quite simply one of the best you’ll ever taste north or south of the Mason-Dixon line. The Provision Co. version include shrimp, clams, fish, and lots of cream, but there are some other flavors in there - which Paul and Maria won't reveal - that make a tasty difference. It’s hard to beat on a chilly spring or fall day, which is the only time they serve it.

A system that works

The get-your-own drink system, along with the ordering and delivery of food, were all based on their desire to keep things simple and operate with just a few staff members. Originally, customers wrote their own order and included their first names on the index cards. Now, orders are written down by a staff member at the counter, but first names are still the rule and it’s just one of the place’s personal touches. Freddie and other staff members enjoy asking first-timers about their experience, and they typically remember your name when you come back a second time.

Occasionally, over the years, both virgin visitors and veterans have accidentally left the Provision Co. without paying. This typically leads to a quick return, a worried phone call, or a check in the mail from some faraway location. “As a gesture of appreciation that the honor system does work, we mail them a little something as a thank you,” says Paul.

During lunch and dinner, “organized chaos” best describes the narrow kitchen just behind the counter. Cooks, counter staff, and waitresses smilingly jockey for position and food (they like to serve it hot). Maria says, “Like any kitchen, we have all developed our own routine, where insanity and practical jokes reign. Sometimes, for our staff meals, we add hidden treats in the food--like habanera peppers and hot sauce!”

Great times, great memories

All of those employees jockeying for position won’t keep their positions long if they can’t stand the heat (of the kitchen or the habaneras). It’s a busy working environment and it’s obvious pretty quickly who will sink and who will work out swimmingly. In fact the last day of the season (they typically close from mid-November to mid-March) leads to a dunking in the water for those who just made it through their first Provision Co. summer.

November also means it’s time for the Stede Bonnet Regatta, which started as a Halloween sailng party soon after the restaurant had opened. The pirate theme (and maybe a bit of rum) quickly turn normally sane sailors into swashbuckling plunderers, complete with massive water balloon fights and a fairly serious race.

The awards ceremony features hilarious speeches, feeble attempts at conch blowing, and a huge buffet dinner served by Provision Co. staff free of charge. Maria, in proper “wench” clothing, says, “It developed as a way to thank our loyal customers for a great year and now has a life of its own on and off the water.” They also host a Spring Swing event, with big band music, dancing, and dining.

Paul and Maria, long-time staff members, and restaurant regulars, all have lots of great Provision Co. memories, which they’ll be happy to repeat at the little bar. That’s where you’ll often find long-time regulars like Southport resident Russ Farris.

“I come here two or three times a week for the view, the food, the people, and little things like the honor system with drinks,” says Farris from his typical spot at the bar. “Paul and Maria, plus their staff, have created a place everyone feels comfortable.”

Virtually everyone at the bar, including Farris, eventually brings up Humphrey, the great white egret that has adopted the Provision Co. as his quite comfortable seasonal home. “He has always arrived either a few days or hours before we reopen each spring,” says Freddie. “He loves the shrimp uncooked, but peeled for him. He is like our mascot and even customers ask about him now.” Humphrey normally stays until the end of September, before heading for a warmer climate--and probably some other egret-friendly marina restaurant.

While there can only be one “original” Provision Co., Paul and Maria were approached several years ago about opening another location. After a year of training and searching for a location, the Holden Beach Provision Co. opened to rave reviews. “If we met another interested party that wanted to open a Provision Co., who knows?” smiles Paul.

But it’s both veteran and first-time visitors to this Southport seafood (and more) shrine that keep smiling.

2010-05-27T11:13:00.000-04:00

DESTINATION CHARLESTON:

THE LOWDOWN ON A LOWCOUNTRY TOWN

Charleston continues to charm in-the-know visitors with a perfect combination of Southern allure and cosmopolitan chic that few cities of any size in North America can match. Whether it’s the tried-and-true place for shrimp ‘n grits or a little alley hideaway that just happens to have more than 50 wines by the glass, this is a city where you can eat, sleep, and maybe even pick up a Carolina drawl.

Right in the heart of the historic district, Market Street’s Planters Inn still remains somewhat of a secret, thanks to its diminutive size and understated elegance. Across a lush courtyard, Robert Carter is cooking up a larder of creative ingredients at Peninsula Grill. (Planters Inn and Peninsula Grill, 112 North Market Street, tel. 843-722-2345).

Originally published in Wine Enthusiast

Just a bit outside the downtown hustle, but easily within strolling distance, Wentworth Mansion is a great base of operations. The Wentworth achieves that elusive blending of a seriously upscale B&B with that of a small French inn that happens to have a Michelin-starred restaurant next door. Enjoy a glass of complimentary sherry and then head across the garden to Circa 1886. This now-elegant space once served as a carriage house for the mansion (a new spa is in the former stables). (Wentworth Mansion and Circa 1886, 149 Wentworth Street, tel. 843-853-1886).

If a big-city hotel is more your style, the two top picks are Charleston Place and Market Pavilion. Charleston Place has earned its reputation as one of the city’s top addresses to sleep and eat, including Bob Waggoner’s French-inspired fare and 9,000-bottle cellar at Charleston Grill. Market Pavilion has a more modern flair, with a busy beef-oriented restaurant (Grill 225) right in the lobby. (Charleston Place and Charleston Grill, 205 Meeting Street, tel. 843-722-4900. Market Pavilion and Grill 225, 225 East Bay Street, 843-723-0500).

Most of Charleston’s top restaurants have excellent wine lists. However, a select few, including those mentioned above, are particularly excellent. Have appetizers in the newly renovated wine bar at McCrady’s, which has about 20 wines by the glass. Bottles are priced at retail and there are at least a dozen unique cheeses on the menu. Locals love Vintage Restaurant and Wine Bar, where chef Tommy Clayton’s delicious, distinctive beef tongue was just added to the menu and owner Kevin Kelley’s one-page wine list wonder is a unique labor of love highlighting small producers (at least 40 are available by the glass). Il Cortile del Re Enoteca & Wine Bar, with an alley entrance and an all-Italian wine list, is where “Massi” Sarrocchi holds court nightly for a loyal local following. (McCrady’s, 155 East Bay Street, tel. 843-577-0025. Vintage, 14 North Market Street, 843-577-0090. Il Cortile del Re, 193-A King Street, 843-853-1888).

You’ll want to walk off those grits and Charleston obliges: The visitors' center on Meeting Street (www.charlestoncvb.com) can provide a map of historic offerings, as can any concierges worth their weight. For shopping, King Street still reigns. Charleston Cooks! is a kitchen store and school geared to the amateur. Soothe sore muscles by making an appointment at either guys-only Gents Barber Spa (where women often wait for their post-massage men at the hip bar) or the coed Stella Nova. (Charleston Cooks!, 194 East Bay Street, 843-722-1212. Gents Barber Spa, 32 Vendue Range, Suite 100, 843-722-2233. Stella Nova, 292 King Street and other locations, 843-722-9797.)

If you love the city as much as I do and want to visit again soon, make plans now to attend the first Distinctively Charleston Food + Wine Festival, which will be held March 2-5, 2006. (843-571-0999, www.charlestonfoodandwine.com).

2010-05-27T11:10:00.004-04:00

EAT, DRINK & BE MERRY

Wine and dine at many of North Carolina's scenic vineyards

When Tim Doub talks about the wine he makes at Flint Hill Vineyards, you can see the passion in his eyes.

Like many other vintners in North Carolina, Doub and his wife, Brenda, are tasting success.

With more than 70 wineries across the state, it's not surprising that many are pairing wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Chambourcin with creative entrees that utilize local ingredients.

Originally published in North Carolina Travel Guide

Take Flint Hill, for example. In 2007, the Doubs hired chef Sean Wehr to head up Century Kitchen -- so named because the winery is housed in Tim Doub's century-old family farmhouse.

Wehr's ever-changing menu incorporates interesting ingredients in fresh ways at the pretty winery located in East Bend.

Flint Hill is one of several North Carolina vineyards that are attracting visitors interested in sampling the state's varied wines.

"The opportunity to enjoy world-class wines, great food and beautiful scenery is a natural at many North Carolina wineries," says Doub, who actively promotes other wineries in the Yadkin Valley region.

Set in rolling vineyards near Elkin (south of Mount Airy), The Kitchen at Elkin Creek at Elkin Creek Vineyard offers excellent choices for wining and dining.

Guests can enjoy a leisurely lunch that includes creatively prepared salads and brick oven pizzas--both using many local organic ingredients. Elkin Creek's Rossa, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet and Barbera pairs well with many of the menu items for lunch, dinner or brunch.

The Bistro at Childress Vineyards, just west of Lexington, offers a seasonally-driven menu of salads, sandwiches and chef's specialties in a stone and stucco building reminiscent of rural Tuscany overlooking 65 acres of fertile farmland.

The Harvest Grill Restaurant at Shelton Vineyards, located near Mount Airy, is the place to enjoy specialties such as stuffed chicken breasts, corn bread crab cakes and blackened North Carolina catfish.

Or if you're in the Asheville area, stop in the Arbor Grill, next door to the Biltmore Winery, for an early-evening alfresco dinner with taste treats including salmon carpaccio, pan-seared mountain trout and pomegranate-glazed duck.

Other options include The Bistro Restaurant at Duplin Winery in Rose Hill; the Country Squire Restaurant located at the Country Squire Winery in Warsaw (which features a 72-ounce steak that cries out for a big and bold red); popular Wolf’s Lair Restaurant at Black Wolf Vineyards in Dobson; and Scuppernongs, a Mount Airy restaurant, deli, and wine bar that’s connected with nearby Old North State Winery.

"Our state's wineries offer a genuine taste of place," says Margo Knight Metzer, executive director of the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council. "Every bottle of North Carolina wine is a unique expression of the land in which it was grown."

"And so our diverse landscape, from rolling foothills to sandy flatlands, translates to wide-ranging styles of wine," she adds. "From red to white and dry to sweet, our wineries truly offer an array of authentic tastes to suit any palate."

2010-05-27T11:05:00.003-04:00

CAPITAL COUNTRY COOKING

Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant in Raleigh is a “big” success story in so many ways. It’s big just because the owner, Ed Watkins, is literally large in stature and substance. His larger-than-life personality and presence add a flavor to the restaurant that only a real character can achieve.

It’s also big on the food and atmosphere fronts, thanks to huge portions served in a warehouse-sized former garage filled with farm implements hanging from the ceiling and practically everywhere else. For all these reasons and more, it’s simply big-time when it comes to restaurants in Raleigh--or anywhere else in the state.

Originaly published in Our State Magazine

Opened in 1989 in the rejuvenated City Market area near the State Capitol, Big Ed’s is now an anchor for a once-dilapidated area. With a reputation for opening and running successful restaurants, Watkins was approached by city fathers and convinced to bring his country cooking downtown.

Now, city and state politicians, plus other downtown workers, have a place to call home for breakfast and lunch. “More deals have been made at these tables than over at the Capitol or anywhere else in Raleigh,” Watkins says.

The formula for success in the struggling City Market building was one Watkins had successfully embraced in other venues: serve large portions of traditional country cooking with friendly faces and moderate prices. A quick look at the menu--and the crowds--confirms that his recipe works. Big Ed’s serves up some serious country cooking for breakfast and lunch (which Watkins still calls dinner). It’s a haven for lots of local workers and residents, with several regulars eating there every day for breakfast, lunch, or both.

The fresh country breakfast menu is an ode to the pig, with practically everything but the “oink” featured somewhere on the list of options. There’s bacon, smoked, patty, or link sausage, seriously tasty (and salty) country ham, and even pork tenderloin. To go with this bovine bonanza, other breakfast offerings include country fresh eggs (he likes his over medium), grits (“Georgia ice cream”), thick and savory red-eye gravy, hot biscuits (ask for them grilled), huge hot cakes, omelets, biscuit sandwiches, and more.

Except for the biscuits, grits, and a few other menu items, it’s a breakfast that would make Dr. Atkins proud. Of those famed grilled biscuits, Watkins says, “Those biscuits are made just like my momma made them and they can make a poodle pull a freight train.”

Watkins says there’s one woman in the kitchen who has the sole job of making the famed biscuits. He’s quite proud of the huge sparkling kitchen, which diners can see into from practically anywhere in the restaurant (except the equally clean restrooms). Whether it’s biscuits or fried chicken, Watkins is also proud of what comes out of that busy kitchen.

If you ask real politely, they’ll even dish up a breakfast “sampler” that’s not on the menu; Watkins claims this huge order will make a tadpole slap a whale. It’s only appropriate that breakfast is served anytime (and it’s the only thing available on Saturdays, when the place is packed for the five hours it’s open).

While holding court on most days at his reserved table and special chair (he’s hard to miss in his standard denim overalls and red-checked shirt), Watkins explains that the “dinner” menu is handwritten daily and features the dishes his mother prepared while he was growing up on a tobacco farm in nearby Knightdale. “Everything is prepared fresh that day, just like my mother did for us,” Watkins says, who adds that any and all leftovers are provided to the Raleigh Rescue Mission each afternoon when they close.

The mid-day menu typically includes homemade chicken-n-dumplings that are melt-in-your-mouth good, as well as fried chicken, (try it with their BBQ sauce), chuckwagon steak with onion gravy, and several other offerings that Watkins says regulars won’t let him take off the menu under any circumstances. Other popular choices often seen on the menu include country ham, beef tips, catfish, and country-style steak.

Virtually every full meal comes with a choice of one meat, two fresh vegetables, bread, and dessert--Watkins convinces most folks within earshot to order the brownie topped with vanilla pudding or maybe one of the homemade pieces of pie. For their bread basket, smart diners ask for more of those famed biscuits. At lunch, many locals top them with thick molasses.

There’s also the huge “Big Ed’s Spread,” which comes with a choice of two meats and three vegetables, as well as the popular vegetable plates.

The vegetable list, which typically numbers a dozen or so, includes only what’s available fresh. Favorites include blackeyed peas, sliced tomatoes, potatoes in various forms , snap beans, yams, butter beans, apple sauce, cabbage, collard greens, homemade cole slaw, and many more. Most of the vegetables come from local farms, by way of the nearby farmer’s market. For topping many of the vegetables, Watkins even created a special vinegar sauce that’s seasoned and marinated just right.

Many veteran visitors, who have frequently experienced post-lunch “narcolepsy” back in their office, opt for one of Big Ed’s sandwich offerings. The quarter-pound hamburgers and sandwiches of varied pork persuasions are huge hits when a “full” meal might just be a bit too filling.

Besides the enticing food, the other thing newcomers to Big Ed’s quickly notice about the menu is the pricing. The food is a great value and the meals are priced at unusual amounts. Lunch is typically around seven dollars and priced in ways that round up to even dollar amounts nicely (it’s an all-cash establishment, of course). The big breakfasts are similarly well-priced.

Watkins is certainly a character befitting the restaurant’s food and personality, which includes lots of farm tools and supplies from his family farm. This is now a family operation as well, with his son, Richard, daughter, Menette, and daughter-in-law, Debbie, actively involved in the restaurant. Watkins' wife, Lynda, is his frequent companion on RV trips, when they sample country cooking wherever they can find it.

Either Watkins or his son is at the restaurant every day, making sure both employees and customers are happy (and full). It’s quickly apparent why Watkins has lots of long-term employees--and customers. Whether it means signing off on a new piece of equipment needed in the kitchen or sending over a free piece of pie to a loyal luncher, Watkins simply makes sure everyone is pleased when it comes to great food and service.

Watkins may never have made it out of the eighth grade, but country cooking fans have made him a Rhodes Scholar of food in Raleigh. He started with Ed’s Grill in Raleigh back in 1957 and owned and operated a plateful of successful restaurants until opening the current Big Ed’s. It’s also the current restaurant and it’s signature country cooking that have made Big Ed a capital city classic.

Big Ed’s City Market Restaurant
220 Wolfe Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 836-9909
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7am to 2pm; Saturday 7am to noon

2010-05-19T16:15:00.000-04:00

A SPOT FOR TEA

Charleston Tea Plantation's First Flush Festival
heralds the tea harvest season

Come May, the only tea farm in the continental U.S. celebrates its first harvest of the year with the First Flush Festival, which gives tea lovers the opportunity to observe how the world's second-most consumed beverage (after water) is made.

Located in South Carolina’s Lowcountry on Wadmalaw Island, about 18 miles from Charleston, the Charleston Tea Plantation covers 127 acres, with one-third planted in tea bushes that descend from bushes brought over from China in the 1800s. The plantation was founded in 1987 to produce a line of teas called American Classic. In 2003, the Bigelow family of the R.C. Bigelow tea company purchased the plantation. The Bigelows worked with third-generation tea-taster Bill Hall to create a place where tea lovers can see how the beverage is made from leaf to cup. They fully restored the grounds and built a tea-processing factory, and the plantation opened to the public in 2006.

Originally published in AAA Alabama

In the factory, visitors can watch through a 125-foot window as equipment processes tea from raw leaf to finished black tea. During the harvest season (May-October), plants are picked about every 15 days; the leaves go from harvest to finished tea in less than 24 hours. If tea isn’t being processed during a visit, videos shown on three TV screens illustrate each step. A large gift shop stocks teas, including American Classic and limited-edition First Flush, and much more. Tea bushes and old oaks dot the grounds surrounding the factory, where visitors can picnic (with iced tea the beverage of choice).

Now in its third year, the First Flush Festival has grown to include trolley tours of the plantation, factory tours, regional fare such as boiled peanuts, games and rides for kids and kids at heart, and live music. And of course, there's lots of complimentary thirst-quenching iced tea.

If You Go

The First Flush Festival takes place May 16. Tours are available year-round Wednesdays through Saturdays 10am-4pm and Sundays noon-4pm. 6617 Maybank Highway, Wadmalaw Island, SC. (843) 559-0383; www.charlestonteaplantation.com.