The Dancing Bear

Delicious Pub Food

The Dancing Bear menu at The High Dive (476 Carolina Way in Highlands) is marvelously seductive. But keep your wits about you – especially on Trivia Night.

Our visit to the High Dive on an electric summer’s evening was ostensibly a deliberate effort to evaluate the Dive’s new food truck service – The Dancing Bear. But somehow the evening morphed into an unforgiving morality play worthy of Sophocles, with a few scenes lifted from The Odyssey. This tale of seduction and overweening hubris, just like those tales cultivated in the theaters and salons of BCE Athens, began in the most seductive of settings. The High Dive, also known as The Highlands Dive, has become something of an insider’s getaway from the stresses of Plateau life. We were there to sample The Bear’s menu of fine pub food and we were prepared to give in to our basest gustatory desires for deep fried, slightly messy fare. And the Bear’s kitchen delivered in spectacular fashion – within a few moments our table was groaning under the weight of a generous Cheeseburger; a deeply comforting bowl of Macaroni & Cheese; absolutely irresistible Warm Pretzels served with both Mustard and Melted Cheese; a basket of French Fries; and Chicken Tenders carefully battered and spiced. Blissful. And our Bartender Renata kept our table lubricated with a select Stout, a precisely constructed Margarita; a straightforward Gin & Tonic and, for me, a sweet Tonic.

So you see – my friends and I were being cleverly seduced into a gentle stupor, just as Odysseus and his hapless crew were truckled by Circe and her generous helpings of wine and cheese. And here’s the thing – though we were sent to survey The Dancing Bear’s bill of fare on The Laurel’s dime, my friends and I showed up on a Thursday night specifically to defend our first place standing on The High Dive’s legendary Trivia Night. Jollied by that hard cider and buoyed by an early question about the size of late Cretaceous dinosaurs (about which, I know more than 97 percent of Plateau residents), I became infected with a dangerous strain of hubris. We blazed through three rounds of progressively tricky questions and at the end of regular competition we were securely in first place. With the arrival of the Bonus Round, we elected to swing for the fences and bet everything. And this is where this Trivial drama reaches its tragic denouement – we were asked to name the Capital of Wyoming. Swollen with pride, I announced to my teammates that the answer was, of course, “Casper.” My teammate Stuart (the same Stuart Ferguson who reviews local books in this magazine and an unimpeachable scholar in his own right) asked me not once, not twice, but three times whether I was sure of my answer. Without a doubt, I replied. And, of course, the correct answer was “Cheyenne.” So, a lesson proposed by the Greeks nearly 2,600 ago, and delivered once more by a visit to The High Dive: Whom the Gods Would Destroy They First Drive Mad with Delicious Pub Food and a Generous Barkeep.

by Luke Osteen

Telling His Story Through Food

Vishwesh Bhatt has blended his Indian heritage with Southern cooking traditions for an unforgettable evening Under the Stars – September 6 at Skyline Lodge. To reserve your place at the table, call Oak Steakhouse at (828) 4824720 or book on Open Table experiences.

Vishwesh Bhatt

Vishwesh Bhatt may be an unlikely Southern culinary icon. Which is precisely why his story is so intriguing and his upcoming dinner and visit to Skyline Lodge on September 6 so compelling. Since 2009, Bhatt has been bringing the flavors of his native India to the Oxford, Mississippi, restaurant Snackbar. On September 6, on the heels of the publication of his cookbook I Am From Here, he brings those flavors to Skyline Lodge and Oak Steakhouse as part of the Under the Stars, On the Rocks dinner series.

Bhatt’s been dubbed “a Southern cooking star” and is a recipient of the James Beard Best Chef South Award – both despite the fact that he’s born in India and because of it.

He didn’t set out to be a chef. But, when in 1985, at age 17, his father took a position at the University of Texas, he found familiarity in the foods he encountered at the local Austin supermarket. As he told the Wall Street Journal in a recent story, “Seeing things like okra, chiles, tomatoes, eggplants and a variety of beans, I thought, ‘I know this.’” It was through food that Bhatt was able to channel his Indian identity and reconcile it with his life in the South. He had spent his childhood helping his mother prepare extravagant family meals and accompanying his physicist father to the market, learning the art of selecting okra and identifying differences between guavas. In the US, Bhatt studied at the University of Kentucky, and later at the University of Mississippi before realizing, “I had to figure something else out.” To earn money, he started cooking, eventually finding his way into John Currence’s acclaimed kitchen at City Grocery. He went to culinary school in Miami and returned to City Grocery. When Currence opened Snackbar in 2009, he anointed Bhatt to lead the culinary team. If at first, Bhatt resisted the notion of cooking Indian food professionally, his mother’s death encouraged him to validate his heritage and share the tastes of his youth. In his role as chef and author, Bhatt is affirming his rightful place at the Southern table. “I want the food of my childhood, the flavors I grew up with, to become a part of the Southern culinary repertoire – just like tamales, lasagna and kibbeh have become,” he writes. “I want to tell you my Southern story the best way I know how: through my food.” Under the Stars, On the Rocks four-course dinners with beverage offerings are $150 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity.

by Marlene Osteen

TitleFeeding Their Souls

Ashlie Mitchell

Title

The culinary genius of Granny Ada lives on in Ashlie Mitchell’s slow-cooking bean soup.

This week, as she will do multiple times during the fall and winter seasons, Ashlie Mitchell, Executive Director of the Village Green in Cashiers, will set out her crock pot to begin the long simmering of a pot of slow beans. Mitchell is a sixth-generation descendant of Glenville. The locale is the source of the soup which she first ate as a child, growing up in her Granny Ada’s kitchen. As she recounts, Ada was the family matriarch who took care of everyone in need in the Pine Creek area – sustaining the community with her soul-satisfying meals – “forever feeding their souls, hearts and stomachs.” She tells me, “I’m not 100 percent positive that these beans were always on the stove at my Granny Ada’s, but I can’t remember a visit where they weren’t available!” Though Mitchell has tweaked the recipe a bit, sometimes adding a leftover ham bone from a holiday ham to add sweetness, it remains one of the most beloved staples in her family tradition as it does in the Southern canon.

Ingredients

1 lb. 15 bean soup mix (discard the ham seasoning packet) 1 lb. pinto and great northern bean mix 1 yellow onion, diced 1 smoked ham hock

.5 lb. fatback or salt pork 2 cups of chicken broth 4 cups of water 2 teaspoons pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Toppings: Chow Chow and a dollop of sour cream; Optional seasoning: 1/3 teaspoon cayenne, 2 bay leaves, 5 cloves.

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight, not longer than 12 hrs. (You can also do your favorite quick soak method.) Drain, and rinse twice to remove any bean casings. 2. In a heavy skillet set over medium heat, sauté the onion with the fatback until crisp and the fat has rendered. 3. Transfer fatback and onions to a crockpot. 4. Add the bean medley to crockpot and then place the ham hock on top of the beans. 5. Add water and chicken broth.

6. Season with pepper, garlic, and optional seasonings. Do NOT add salt – the fatback and ham hock are sufficiently salty to flavor the beans.

7. Cook on Low heat for 6-8 hours or until the beans are softened and have reached desired texture and creaminess.

8. Remove the ham hock and fatback.

9. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chow chow if desired.

by Marlene Osteen

Weekly Wine Tastings

Sip and savor the practically-perfect labels of the season.

We’ve all been there. On a quest for that perfect bottle of wine, we’ve scoured the internet, stood among the wine racks gazing at hundreds of labels, researched the posted wine scores and evaluated the costs. Having assimilated all the variables we hurry home with our selection only to discover that our mission has been bedeviled by the one thing we needed most – a taste of the wine.

All the more reason to head over to The Highlands Wine Shoppe or Buck’s in Cashiers for one of their weekly wine tastings. Tastings are led by the engaging co-owner Stephanie Miskew, a Certified Sommelier, and Host of The Wine Atelier Podcast; and her very knowledgeable Managing Partner, Annelize Giliomee – longtime Highlands’ wine professional. The series is informal, and reservations are not required. Thursday, September 1, at Highlands Wine Shoppe: Labor Day Wines. Stephanie and Annelize have the correct pairing. Wednesday, September 7, at Buck’s and Thursday, September 8, at Highlands Wine Shoppe: The Grrrrr in Grenache. It’s high time for this largely uncelebrated wine to get its due. Wednesday, September 14, at Buck’s and Thursday, September 15, at Highlands Wine Shoppe: Special Guest Jason Guerra with Moet-Hennessy. Wednesday, September 21, at Buck’s and Thursday, September 22, at Highlands Wine Shoppe: Greece is the Word. With Greek wines winning prizes at international competitions, it’s high time to shine a light on the country’s indigenous wines. Wednesday, September 28 at Buck’s and Thursday, September 29 at Highlands Wine Shoppe: There’s No Place Like Rhone.

Tastings on Wednesdays at Buck’s are from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. and on Thursdays at Highlands Wine Shoppe from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M. and cost $25 per person. Accompanying the wines are a choice of charcuterie.

by Marlene Osteen

Wines That Pair With Fall

The change of season brings us a sweet lineup of reds and whites.

September has arrived – heralding the cusp of fall, when the leaves turn red, and we turn to red wine. As the thermostat registers lower numbers, hardier dishes help us adjust to the cooler temperatures, and the taste for wines begins a transition too. More buoyant now, I am ready to explore, to discover livelier wines with bolder flavors and bracing freshness – wines to knock me off my feet. In coming up with a list of recommendations, I settled on some ground rules. I suggested wines that are not your everyday varietals. Surely a new season signals a time to venture outside our comfort zone.

In balancing cost with value, I am in complete agreement with the practice of writer A. J. Liebling, who buys wines “between the insulting and the superlative.” The recommended wines: three whites, and three reds, are all light enough for end of summer and substantial enough for fall, and as importantly, delicious. Chenin Blanc, the white grape of France’s Loire Valley has long struggled to achieve the respect and audience in the US it deserves. Perhaps a taste of the L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc Yakima Old Vines will change some minds. Its fresh and pretty with beeswax and melon and a crisp lingering finish Difficulty in pronunciation may account for why most folks have never tried Gewürztraminer. Delightfully fragrant, the Hugel Classic Gewürztraminer is fresh and balanced with flavors of white peach and candied grapefruit peel. Its best known for its affinity with oysters – but it can do so much more! Its Muscadet – the Chateau de la Râgotière Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine is crisp and classic with lots of grapefruit and surprising intensity. It’s mostly the red wine grape Mencia, but this regional wine from Castilla y Leon, Spain, achieves unheard levels of complexity and nuance. It’s the Descendientes de José Palacios, Pétalos Bierzo. As one wine critic proclaimed, “It should be the first wine people drink from Bierzo.” The Grenache grape, long championed in France’s Southern Rhone produces rich flavorful red wines and is now being planted with splendid results in California. In the Santa Ynez Valley, the Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Estate is a world class wine with a nose of sweet red cherry and a savory undercurrent. The Italian grape Dolcetto translates to “little sweet one” because it’s an easy sipper where tannins play second fiddle. The Ceretto Dolcetto d’Alba Rossana is a succulent red permeated by a beam of cherries.

by Marlene Osteen

Best Oyster Is a Lotta Oysters

The Fourth Annual Oyster Fest comes to The Orchard at The Farm at Old Edwards, Sunday, September 25. Book online today at OldEdwardsHospitality. com/OysterFest.

At nearly 300 miles from the nearest saltwater body, Highlands may seem an unlikely locale for an Oyster Fest. Still, Old Edwards has long been a place where the improbable is rendered probable, the unlikely made likely. And so, on Sunday, September 25, the Fourth Annual Oyster Fest comes to The Orchard at The Farm at Old Edwards.

It’s a unique chance to resolve the debate as from whence are the best oysters, or to settle the controversy as how best they should be eaten. What the Oyster Fest emphasizes is that the best oyster is a lot of oysters, harvested from everywhere, served hot or cold, raw, or not; prepared roasted, smoked, steamed or fried. The meal is a feast, and the food is served in a continuing sequence – beginning with passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by a lavish raw bar (perhaps the “star of the show’), and a parade of food stations serving the best of the season and region. An evening like this doesn’t just happen – assembling all the ingredients and components is no casual affair. In other words, it requires dedicated talent. Supplying the expertise are Charleston’s oyster darling, Sara Prezioso, of The Darling in Charleston, and a team of three culinarians from Atlanta’s Kimball House.

Among the many pleasures of Oyster Fest are the offerings of Prezioso’s dishes – preparations so known to dazzle that they were described by Charleston Post and Courier restaurant critic Hanna Raskin as ascending to a “deliciously over the top territory.” Bryan Rackley, Kimball House’s oyster expert, will present an array of Southern raw oysters from farmer friends on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Restaurant chef Brian Wolfe, will serve a sampling of the seasonal delicacies that celebrate the Southern heritage to which he pays homage - signature dishes that have been described as “playfully conceived and seriously delicious.” James Beard-winner Miles Macquarrie, Kimball House’s cocktail wizard, will craft cocktail concoctions in fitting tribute to the menu – drinks so sensational that it caused one critic to exclaim that “Macquarrie’s cocktails absolutely deserve that outpouring of national praise.” The evening will begin with lawn games and live music in The Orchard. Craft beer and fine wine will also be served and dancing to the live band will be highly encouraged. Cost is $175 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Please Note: the event is for guests 21 and older.

Scan for more info.

by Marlene Osteen

thelaurelmagazine.com/cuisine

To see the most up-to-date information about dining on the plateau visit thelaurelmagazine.com/restaurants

Plateau Dining Guide

The Restaurants of the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

Meals Wine Full Bar Children’s Menu Vegetarian Selections Reservations Recommended Dress Code Live Entertainment Outdoor Dining Take Out Ad On Page

HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS The 4118 Kitchen + Bar The Bistro at Wolfgang’s Calder’s Cafe 64 Highlands Plaza (828) 526-5002 L, D n n n C n 121 460 Main Street (828) 526-3807 D n n n n NC n n 5 384 Main Street (828) 200-9308 B, L n C n n 121

The Dancing Bear at The High Dive 476 Carolina Way L, D n n n n C n n 127

Fire + Water Restaurant Reservations Required (828) 526-4446 B, L

n n C n 15 Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar 465 Main Street (828) 787-2990 L, D n n n C n n 125 Fressers Courtyard Cafe Village Square, 470 Oak Street (828) 526-4188 L, D n n n C n n 117 Highlands Smokehouse 595 Franklin Road (828) 526-3554 L, D n n n C n n 125 Hummingbird Lounge 455 Main Street Highlands, NC (828) 787-2525 L n n n NC n 63 *The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering 350 S. Fifth Street (828) 526-2110 L, D n n 127 Lakeside Restaurant Smallwood Avenue (828) 526-9419 D n n n n n NC n n n 116 Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge 470 Skyline Lodge Rd (828) 482-4720 D, SB n n n n NC n n n 26 On the Verandah Highway 64 (Franklin Road) (828) 526-2338 D, SB n n n n C n n 124 Paoletti’s 440 Main Street (828) 526-4906 D n n n n NC n 117 *Rosewood Market Main Street (828) 526-0383 L, D n n NC n 119 The Ugly Dog Pub 298 South 4th Street (828) 526-8364 L, D, SB n n n n C n n n 122 Wolfgang’s Restaurant 460 Main Street (828) 526-3807 D n n n n NC n n 5 CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS Cashiers Farmers Market Crossroads (828) 743-4334 L, n 120 The Orchard Highway 107 South (828) 743-7614 D, n n n n n C n n 120 Town & Country General Store Deli 14 Raggedy Lane (828) 547-1300 L n n 86 Zookeeper 45 Slabtown Road (828) 743-7711 B, L, SB n C n n 116 SAPPHIRE/TOXAWAY AREA RESTAURANTS Grand Olde Station 502 Blue Ridge Road. Lake Toxaway (828) 966-4242 D n n n n C n n 147 Greystone Inn 220 Greystone Lane, Lake Toxaway (828) 966-4700 B, L, D, SB n n n NC n n 4 Panthertown Cafe 16614 Rosman Hwy, Lake Toxaway (828) 862-3663 B, L, SB n n C n n 149

B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner SB Sunday Brunch * Takeout Only Dress Code: C Casual NC Nice Casual J Jacket

HIGHLANDS AREA RESTAURANTS 4th Street Market - (828) 526-4191 Asia House - (828) 787-1680 Bella’s Junction Cafe - (828) 526-0803 Black Bear Restaurant - (828) 482-7020 The Blue Bike Cafe - (828) 526-9922 Bridge at Mill Creek (828) 526-5500 Bryson’s Deli - (828) 526-3775 The Cake Bar - (828) 421-2042 Dusty’s - (828) 526-2762 El Azteca - (828) 526-2244 Highlander Mountain House - (828) 526-2590 Highlands Burritos - (828) 526-9313 Highlands Deli SweeTreats - (828) 526-9632 Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant - (828) 482-7040 Madison’s Restaurant - (828) 787-2525 Midpoint (828) 526-2277 Mountain Fresh - (828) 526-2400 Ruffed Grouse (828) 526-2590 Subway - (828) 526-1706 Primary Restaurant & Bar - (828) 526-3555 Wild Thyme Gourmet - (828) 526-4035

CASHIERS AREA RESTAURANTS Buck’s Coffee Cafe - (828) 743-9997 Canyon Kitchen - (828) 743-7967 Cashiers Valley Smokehouse (828) 547-2096 Chile Loco - (828) 743-1160 Cornucopia Restaurant - (828) 743-3750 El Manzanillo - (828) 743-5522 The Fix Bar & Lounge - (828) 743-7477 JJ’s Eatery and Canteen - (828) 743-7778 The Library Kitchen and Bar - (828) 743-5512 Mica’s Restaurant - (828) 743-5740 Mountain Cafe - (828) 577-0469 Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company - (828) 743-0220 Slab Town Pizza -(828) 743-0020 Slopeside Tavern - (828) 743-8655 Subway - (828) 743-1300 Villa Amato (828) 885-7700 Wendy’s - (828) 743-7777 Whiteside Brewing Company - (828) 743-6000 Winslow’s Hideaway - (828) 743-2226

thelaurelmagazine.com/lodging

Plateau Lodging

Accommodations on the Highlands Cashiers Plateau

HOTELS / MOTELS / BED & BREAKFASTS

On Site Restaurant On Site Bar/Lounge Pool Whirlpool Rooms Exercise Facility In Room Microwave/Fridge Cable/Satellite TV Banquet Facilities Wireless Internet Pet Policy Ad On Page

Earthshine Lodge 1600 Golden Road | Lake Toxaway, NC earthshinenc.com | (828) 862-4207 n n n n n 155

Fire Mountain 700 Happy Hill Rd | Scaly Mountain firemt.com | (800) 775-4446 n n n n n n 15

Greystone Inn 220 Greystone Ln | Lake Toxaway thegreystoneinn.com | (828) 966-4700 n n n n n n 4

Old Edwards Inn and Spa 445 Main St | Highlands oldedwardsinn.com | (866) 526-8008 n n n n n n n n n 63

Skyline Lodge 470 Skyline Lodge Rd | Highlands skyline-lodge.com | (828) 526-4008 n n n n n n 26

VACATION RENTALS

The Vineyard at 37 High Holly 37 High Holly Road | Scaly Mountain thevineyardat37highholly.com | (828) 505-6190

VACATION RENTAL AGENCIES n n n n n 42

Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals 488 Main Street | Highlands meadowsmountainrealty.com | (828) 526-1717

Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals 401 N 5th St | Highlands highlandsiscalling.com | (828) 526-3717

Landmark Vacation Rentals 17 US Hwy 64 E | Cashiers landmarkvacations.com | (877) 926-1780

Rent in Highlands - CCP 507 Main Street | Highlands rentinhighlands.com | (800) 684-2171 x 302

Silver Creek Vacation Rentals 341 Hwy 64 W, Ste 102 | Cashiers ncliving.com | (828) 743-1999 129

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CASHIERS, NC: High Hampton Resort - (800) 648-4252 Hotel Cashiers - (828) 743-7706 The Lakehouse - (904) 753-0247 Landmark Vacation Rentals- (877) 926-1780 Mountain Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-0258 The Orchard Guest Cottage - (828) 743-7614 Pebble Creek Village - (828) 743-0623 Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 743-1999 The Wells Hotel A Cashiers Experience - (828) 761-6289

GLENVILLE, NC: Innisfree Bed & Breakfast - (828) 743-2946 Mountain Lake Rentals - (828) 743-6875 Prime Property Rentals - (828) 743-3482

HIGHLANDS, NC 200 Main - (855) 271-2809 Berkshire Realty Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-1717 Chambers Realty & Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-3717 The Chateau - (561) 613-1496 Fairview House - (866) 526-8008 Half Mile Farm - (855) 271-7246 Highlander Mountain House - (828) 526-2590 Highlands House Bed and Breakfast - (828) 787-1186 Highlands Inn - (828) 526-9380 Highlands Inn Lodge - (828) 526-5899 Highlands Resort Rentals - (828) 526-5839 The Inn at Mill Creek - 828-526-9999 The Lodge at Old Edwards - (828) 787-2560 Lullwater House - (423) 488-2799 Old Edwards Inn and Spa - (866) 526-8008 Park on Main - (800) 221-5078 Ray’s Roost - (678) 534-6870 Rent in Highlands - CCP - (800) 684-2171 x 302 Rockwood Lodge - (828) 526-8919 Silver Creek Vacation Rentals - (828) 526-2999 The Wells Hotel - (828) 482-7736 Whiteside Cove Cottages - (828) 526-2222 SAPPHIRE, NC Club Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-3441 Foxhunt At Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-7667 Hampton Inn & Suites - Cashiers-Sapphire Valley - (828) 743-4545 Mt Toxaway Lodge & Motel - (828) 966-4582 Sapphire Run at Whisper Lake - (863) 412-5734 Whispering Falls - (352) 470-4085 Woods at Buc - (770) 714-9211

SCALY MOUNTAIN, NC: Fire Mountain - (800) 775-4446 The Vineyard at 37 High Holly - (828) 505-6190

LAKE TOXAWAY, NC Cabins at Seven Foxes - (828) 877-6333 Greystone Inn - (828) 966-4700 Lake Toxaway Realty Company - (828) 508-9141

SHOPPING

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