Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Join these Gourmet Adventures



courtesy of Foggy Ridge Cider

A FAVORITE PLACE TO TASTE
Cider has become a favorite of mine. And not that brown, thick juice, either, although I do enjoy that. But REAL cider. What is sometimes called "hard cider," apple juice that's fermented and become more than 7 percent alcohol.
Diane Flynt, of Foggy Ridge Cider near Dugspur, VA, has quite an artisan's touch with the cider she makes from a variety of "spittin' apples," those varieties that are so tannic to taste but perfect for fermentation. She's studied and apprenticed with the best in France, England and New England, and her product shows.
This coming Saturday, welcome autumn with a visit at her cider-tasting facility. You'll be amazed at the marvelous taste - so food friendly, too - and how different each of the varieties of cider she produces tastes. I bought a case the last time we stopped in.

October 2 Fall Open House with Dogtown Pizza
Foggy Ridge Cider
Sample Grimes Golden, Newtown Pippin, Ashmead's Kernel and Pomme Gris with nationally known apple expert, Tom Burford, at Foggy Ridge Cider's fall open house. Learn about heirloom apples and bring your own mystery apples for identification. Enjoy Dogtown Pizza's famous artisan pizzas and fall mountain views. All this and 91 year old Eldon Gardner playing his harmonica and washboard tie. Cider tasting free. Pizza $10 to $15. Open 11 to 5.

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TERRAVITA - OCTOBER 16TH

Terra meaning “of the earth” and Vita meaning “life,” captures in its definition the very spirit of this event. The first of its kind, TerraVITA Food & Wine Event will bring together some of the finest biodynamic and organically-grown wines and microbrews in the world with the very best locally-grown organic edibles in the Southeast!


Alongside dozens of international fine wine producers and a select few microbrewers, chefs from North Carolina’s top restaurants, confectioners, cheese-makers and food artisans will prepare culinary treats using seasonal organic fare for all attending this sustainable celebration! If you appreciate fantastic food, love locally-grown, consider yourself a wine lover, or find yourself waking up early to get first dibs at the farmer's market, or know enough about beer to recognize the terms "hops"

and "microbrew," you will want to put this event on the calendar.


There will be an array of enticing food and beverage samples that will blow you away! The month of October offers a plethora of locally-grown ingredients, and whether you’re into grass-fed meat or you are a vegetarian chowhound, there will be plenty of choices - setting us all up for one of the most amazing buffets in the Southeast!


TerraVITA’s Grand Tasting on the Green will take place on The Green at Southern Village, an upscale, environmentally-conscious, mixed-use community in Chapel Hill, NC. Tickets are all-inclusive (Yes - all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as food samplings are included) and can be purchased for $65 each. That means the only reason you'll need to break out your wallet is to support our deserving non-profits!


We are fortunate to have some of the very best chefs in the state of North Carolina signed on to participate in TerraVITA! Look forward to experiencing wonderful tastings by Bill Smith and Paul Covington from Crook’s Corner, Vivian Howard from Chef & The Farmer in Kinston, Amy Tornquist from Watt’s Grocery, Stephen Ribustello from On The Square in Tarboro (and featured in the August issue of Our State magazine), Jimmy Reale from Carolina Crossroads, and on and on... See the Food & Beverage page for more specific details on “who” will be with us on October 16th!


The event will begin at 1 p.m. with will-call at check-in (there will be no tickets actually sent), where you will receive your wine glass and begin experiencing an afternoon of tastings – selecting from more than 80 Biodynamic or organically-grown wines, sustainably-produced microbrews and some of the best locally-grown organic foods available…

For more info or to get your tickets www.terravitaevent.com/


October 19th, Love at First Bite


photo courtesy of Todd Elliot

Alan Muskat is Asheville's WILD MUSHROOM MAN, who forages for chefs and takes amateurs out into the woods to teach what's edible and what's toxic. He also shares his enthusiasm for devouring the goodies he finds in the wild, and has a new eating/cooking series to share.

Wild Mushrooms with Alan Muskat and wild canapés with Kim Hendrickson at Laughing Frog Estate, Walnut, NC (near Asheville)
Finding Our Place at Nature's Table
This Autumn to Spring, join us for one or more of seven “slow food, slow mood” experiences -
a wild foods "forage and eat" dinner series the third Tuesday of each month
October 19th to April 19th 3-9 pm

Each event will feature:

• a foraging expedition or food prep “playshop” led by regional experts

• a behind-the-scenes look at wild food preparation and fine cooking

• an intimate four course dinner with wine pairings prepared by distinguished area chefs





AND FROM OUR COAST - A NEW CSF - Community Supported Fishery
Core Sound Seafood was started as a way to connect the fishermen of Down East Carteret County, North Carolina to a viable, local market. Most of the fishermen that make up this coastal community have been fishing all their lives – often they can trace their fishing heritage back four or five generations. Sadly, these fishermen are increasingly leaving their life on the water as global markets, community economic loss, rising fuel prices and decreasing buying prices threaten their livelihood. Our goal is to provide a market to these fishermen and their families by offering locally caught, fresh seafood to the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh community through a weekly CSF (community supported fishery) share. We believe that North Carolina fishermen are a tremendous resource in our state’s diverse agricultural offerings, and including them as producers in our local food shed is vital.

They are making deliveries of seasonal seafood - clams, fish, etc., from now through December. Check them out at

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