Southeast Culinary Adventures

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CULINARY adventures One thing we know how to do very well here in the Southeast is eat, and when you’re here you’ll discover just how diverse and unique our cuisine is. Take a culinary adventure across the 12 member states of the Southeast Tourism Society, sample the rich foods that help comprise our culture and eat your way across the Southeast without spending a fortune.

ALABAMA • ARKANSAS FLORIDA • GEORGIA • KENTUCKY LOUISIANA • MISSISSIPPI NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA • TENNESSEE VIRGINIA • WEST VIRGINIA w w w.Escap et o t heS o ut he ast.c om

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2010 Produced in cooperation with the Southeast Tourism Society, an organization dedicated to the marketing and promotion of travel and the travel industry within the twelvemember Southeastern States of AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV. For more information visit www.EscapetotheSoutheast.com

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CULINARY adventures ALABAMA Down in the Heart of Dixie, the epicurean delights are spread out from the mountains to the beaches, and with so many choices, it may be hard to decide what you’d like to try first.

That’s why there’s the list of 100 dishes to try before you die, featuring everything from succulent sea treats to mouthwatering steaks to savory soul food, all at prices that are easy on the wallet.

There’s plenty to go around if you want seconds, and you’re always welcome back if you missed something you’re still dying to try. You can find the complete list by city in the online brochure, The Year of Alabama Food. Wherever you venture to in Alabama, one thing’s for sure, you’ll never be hungry.

If you don’t feel like traveling all over the state for good eats, head to Mobile March 25 – 27 for the Gulf Coast Antiques, Food & Wine Festival. For just $10, you can spend the weekend checking out gorgeous pieces of art and furniture and sampling gourmet food and wine from Mobile’s finest restaurants. www.alabama.travel

ARKANSAS Arkansas is renowned as the place to go for affordable luxury, and that’s evident when you think about the food you can get there, from quaint cafes in mountain towns to the fine dining establishments of the city.

Tucked away in the Ozarks is Eureka Springs, where you can spend all day working up your appetite shopping before sating it in restaurants that serve everything from barbecue to Italian. In Little Rock, hit up the hip River Market entertainment district, where you can sample some of the finest food the capital city has to offer. The Natural State is definitely the natural choice when it comes to finding spectacular food. www.arkansas.com

FLORIDA What better way to experience the unique and tasty treats Florida has to offer than by attending a festival? The events are great, thrifty opportunities to taste what Florida has to offer, usually at a low flat rate.

Now that spring is here, and it’s getting warmer outside, the Sunshine State is the place to be for huge parties celebrating the food and culture of the state. Sample some of Florida’s famous seafood at the Lions Seafood Festival in St. Augustine, March 12 – 14, and Seafood Fest 2010 in Bradenton, March 26 – 28. More of a landlubber? Hang out with 40,000 of your closest friends at the Beulah Sausage Fest in Pensacola, March 19 – 21. With live music, arts and crafts, and three tons of sausage, it’s sure to be spicy good time. www.visitflorida.com

GEORGIA Wine tasting is a great economical way to experience the flavors of any region.

Now, Georgia isn’t usually the first place that comes to mind when you think of a great place for wine, but the Peach State’s wine country is becoming more and more renowned for its quality and variety of vineyards and wines.

Georgia has wineries located across the state, but the main concentration is in the northern mountains, near towns like Dahlonega and Helen. The hilly region and fertile soil is conducive to great wine production, and you’ll find many wineries and vineyards located in close proximity to one another. You’ll be able to visit many of them in a day or two, depending on whether you’d like to take grape tours or just taste the wines.

Take the time to walk up and down the rows of grapes, and learn about the winemaking process, from vine to barrel to bottle. Many of the wineries have tasting rooms, where you can sample the reds and whites, sweet and dry. If you can’t make it to a winery, some of the shops in the town squares will let you sample the local wines, all for a nominal fee.

They say that wine increases the appetite, so when you get hungry, head down to Savannah, a city full of old-world charm, and restaurants and bars have capitalized on the city’s beauty, with owners opening establishments in former warehouses, office buildings, and even mansions. Enjoy everything from Irish pub food to tapas to Lowcountry cuisine in great economical eateries all over the city. www.exploregeorgia.org

visitnc.com

Some of you r b es t e xc us es TO BE A C H I LD COM E A FT ER you ’ve a l read y had one .

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CULINARY adventures KENTUCKY Kentucky is known the world over for three things: bluegrass music, thoroughbred horses, and bourbon whiskey, and in this area, those three things really go together, and they all certainly combine for a great spirited adventure.

And it’s that spirit that really put the Bluegrass State on the map with the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Bourbon whiskey was created in this Bourbon County, Kentucky (hence the name), when whiskey distillers found they could use the plentiful corn to make the libation, rather than the traditional barley and wheat in other whiskeys, although those ingredients usually remain in some capacity. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail comprises eight distilleries in this region, from Bardstown to Frankfort, each with a unique brand and style of bourbon.

Toasting the unbridled spirit of this region can certainly make you hungry,

so head over to Bowling Green, where you’ll find a unique blend of Southern and European influences in the cuisine, which runs the gamut from bayou dishes to Mediterranean and Bosnian cuisine. www.kentuckytourism.com

LOUISIANA People know how to eat in Louisiana.

With some of the most unique and diverse food in the country, there’s a veritable smorgasbord of culinary creations, like etouffee, boudin, gumbo, and so much more.

Perhaps the best way to experience all these flavors is on the Louisiana Culinary Trail, a proud highway of restaurants and eateries that lets you literally eat your way across the state without eating up your savings. Along the way, you’ll find some wonderful food, all served with a generous portion of that Southern hospitality Louisiana is known for.

Then there’s the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 23 – May 2. This

10-day cultural feast features live music from some of the biggest names in music, arts and crafts, and a vast array of local Louisiana dishes as well as food from around the world. It’s the perfect way to immerse yourself for a while in that rich Louisiana culture. www.louisianatravel.com

MISSISSIPPI The Mississippi Delta is the home of the blues, a fertile area of the country that gave rise to not only the quintessential American music, but also some of the best soul food and Southern cooking around.

And don’t forget about the catfish that comes right out of the Mississippi River, served up in heaping portions.

Stop into the famous Hollywood Café near Tunica for their fantastic catfish, arguably the best in the South, and their original fried dill pickles, all without the Hollywood, California prices. On weekends, there’s live music, and the joint

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starts hopping, so you can enjoy your deep-fried treats to the strains of blues, jazz, and rock. Over in Indianola, check out The Crown Restaurant downtown, and sample New Southern cuisine, fresh takes on Southern cooking classics. www.visitmississippi.org

NORTH CAROLINA When you visit the Tarheel State, you’ll see how seriously the folks there take their food, everything from barbecue to fresh-from-the-river trout.

In Asheville, for example, the local chefs take great pride in producing naturally grown culinary masterpieces, and there are plenty of restaurants with prix fixe menus so you can sample their creations without going broke.

In Charlotte, they’re eager to tempt your taste buds, from foie gras to fried pickles. The region may be known for stick-to-your-ribs sustenance with staples like pimento cheese, barbecue, and just about anything deep fried or dripping with butter, but Charlotte’s ready to

challenge even the most discriminating palette. Visitors will find worldly culinary creations that crisscross the globe ranging from tangy tapas to perfect pad Thai to satisfying sushi. Not to mention farm-to fork eateries practiced in the art of slow food or enough steakhouses to exhaust even the most enthusiastic carnivore.

SOUTH CAROLINA The Palmetto State is all about combining food and tourism, with opportunities for feasts for all the senses. South Carolina offers a variety of culinary tours, designed to let you taste the flavors of the region at an affordable flat rate.

A great way to sample everything is Charlotte Restaurant Week, a scrumptious sensation that entices thousands to dine like royalty, returns for inviting encores each January and July. Countless upscale establishments boast their best appetizers, entrees, and desserts for the easy-on-the-pocketbook price of just $30 for three courses.

In Charleston, learn about the Lowcountry culture with Culinary Tours of Charleston, a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour that lets you experience the sights, sounds, and, most importantly, tastes of this region. Sample delicious treats from local restaurants, eateries, bakeries, and more, and learn how this region’s tastes have evolved over the past 300 years.

And what better way to end your epicurean tour across that state than by heading east to the coast, where Currituck County awaits to cater to every culinary whim. Along the Atlantic shores you’ll find everything from sandy oyster bars and seafood markets to barbecue joints and breweries. www.visitnc.com

Still not full? In Myrtle Beach, sample delicacies with the Grand Strand Culinary Tours, where you can take a cooking class on a casino boat and learn to shuck oysters before taking your taste buds on a walking tour of the local restaurants, boasting some of the best seafood and Lowcountry cuisine around at the local restaurants, where you can enjoy South

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CULINARY adventures Carolina delicacies like shrimp and grits, scallops, crab, and more.

keep you exploring. That’s why there’s good eatin’ all over the state.

If you’re a do-it-yourself kind of culinary adventurer, the great thing about Lowcountry cuisine is that the ingredients are inexpensive. Whether you try the boil at a restaurant or with a big group of friends at an outdoor picnic table, you’re in for a treat. When the crawfish or shrimp and the potatoes and corn are spread across the table, it’s time to dig in. The kids will have fun pulling off the tails of the crawfish and drinking sweet tea, which perfectly complements every Lowcountry meal. www.discoversouthcarolina.com

In Memphis, treat yourself to a generous helping of that famous barbecue, while walking the streets where countless blues musicians cut their teeth, all the way up to the gates of Graceland where The King himself lived. If you’re looking for a bit more of an idyllic getaway, head to Sevierville for a taste of the misty mountains, like trout pulled from those crystal-clear waters and locally raised, crisp produce, always fresh and delicious but never expensive. www.tnvacation.com

VIRGINIA TENNESSEE Tennessee is a great place for affordable getaways, from the bright lights of the big cities like Nashville and Memphis, to the laid-back lifestyle and peaceful serenity of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Volunteer State is where you can find quite the adventure, and you’ll definitely need some sustenance to help

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Good wine is a necessity of life for me. ”Perhaps this was why he tried so hard to establish vineyards and wineries in his beloved Virginia.

He never succeeded in producing wine, but his efforts have finally come to fruition. Today, the Old Dominion is the premier wine country of the South, with

more than 130 family-owned vineyards and wineries producing some of the finest juice in the nation.

All five of Virginia’s regions are producing wines that rival even the best from California and France, without the steep prices attached to some of those labels. You may not find all the same varieties that you would from those areas, but the grapes grown here produce wines every bit as delicious.

May 22 – 23, head over to The Plains and sample juices from all over the Commonwealth at The Wine Festival at the Plains: Spring Encore. The cost is only $40 at the gate, a good deal for the opportunity to taste some fine Virginia food and 250 wines. www.virginia.org

WEST VIRGINIA When you think of West Virginia, you probably think of the great outdoors, the wild, wide-open spaces perfect for adventure.

While you’re out exploring the wilderness, you’ll definitely work up an

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appetite, and the Mountain State has all kinds of wonderful, unique food to satisfy whatever craving you may have. You can begin your day with a stack of pancakes and that famous maple syrup, and end it with a juicy steak. If you have trouble deciding where to start, go online to check out the list of 101 unique places to dine in West Virginia, a sample of the eateries and restaurants that celebrate this state’s culinary delights. www.wvtourism.com

You may be almost stuffed now, but there’s always room for more. For even more economical culinary tourism ideas across the Southeast, visit the Southeast Tourism Society’s website at www.EscapetotheSoutheast.com

Having your breath taken away has never been more affordable.

The economy isn’t exactly at its best. We get it, and we want to help in a way that only Mother Nature’s hometown can. Right now you can escape the stresses of your daily life in a setting Na that’s not only soothing to your soul but also comforting to your pocketbook. In fact, there’s th plenty to do here that’s absolutely free. p So, if you’d like to spend some time in a place where the view is breathtaking and the unexpected is i waiting around every corner, hit the road and head to the mountains of Asheville.

Cool Stuff In Asheville That Won’t Cost You A Penny Free Outdoor Adventures Walk or bike trails for all skill levels or enjoy waterfalls and swimming holes found throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Free Asheville Urban Trail Take a stroll through Asheville’s outdoor art and history museum without walls.

Free Inspiration for Art Lovers Asheville is one of the top arts destinations in the Southeast, featuring hundreds of art galleries and working art studios.

Free Entertainment Watch street theater, enjoy traditional mountain music and dance, or catch a live show at one of the many area festivals.

Free Asheville Drum Circle The drum circle downtown has become a unique tradition each warm-weather Friday evening.

Decompress for less.

Go to CoolAshevilleSavings.com or call 877.GO.TO. AVL ACV-937-77860.indd 1

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