Food Life

Justus Orchard

U-Pick Season in Full Swing

Hard Cider

On the Rise in WNC

Eat Like a Local

in Historic Hendersonville

| farm to table guide |

The Market Place

Chef-Owner, William Dissen Fall 2014

FoodLifeMag.com

A Publication of Sophie Magazine

recipes, restaurants, drinks & more plus

FALL 2014 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

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FIRST LOOK / ISSUE 02

FA LL I N L O VE WI T H A P P L E S

| FARM TO TAB LE GUIDE |

Publisher VINCENT GRASSIA Editors TIFFANY WELSH JEANANN TAYLOR Art Director ADALEE ELKINS Production Manager LISA GALLAGHER

features

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6 TH E M A N B EHIN D TH E M A RK ET P L A C E Chef-Owner William Dissen dishes about his local food philosophy, fall menu, and hopes for the restaurant’s future.

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12 R O ASTI N G A TA STE

O F THE PAST Get to know Sakshi Gantenbein, “the Chestnut Roaster”.

by TIFFANY WELSH

city spotlight

by MAGGIE CRAMER

19 UN DER G R O UN D B A KI N G CO

10 LIK E M ELT ED GO L D

21 R ESTAUR AN T G UI DE

Local company, Noble Cider, is leading the charge for hard cider in WNC.

22 JUSTUS O R CHAR DS

by NOAH RAPER

the guide 5 B EST USE FO R APPLES 9 A SAP FA R M TO UR

Creative Services DEBI MANFRE RANDY WHITTINGTON Contributors MAGGIE CRAMER NOAH RAPER KEVIN SCHWARTZ LARRY STEPHENSON Director of Advertising PATRICIA MARTIN BETTS Advertising Consultants KIMBERLY WHITE LUANNE SHEFFIELD MEG HALE BRUNTON PAM HENSLEY RICK JENKINS Proofing SAM HOWELL Distribution Manager MARK GRAHAM Website Development DAN JAWORSKY

14 LO CA L LI BATI O N S 16 R ECI PES 25 A PPLES $3 A PO UN D!

on the cover

SCRUMPTIOUS APPLE PIE

SO PHIE MAGAZ I NE 22 G ARFIELD S T RE E T, S U IT E 1 0 0 ASHEV IL L E , NC 2 8 8 1 3 828 .2 1 0 .0 3 4 0 Food Life, a publication of Sophie Magazine, has accepted contributions which may not reflect the opinion of the publisher. No portion of Food Life may be reproduced without permission of the publisher.

Take your baking to the next level with calligraphy pie crusts! Lay a stencil on top of your dough and cut out all the nooks and crannies. made and photographed by T I F FA N Y W E L S H pie crust stencil designed by A DA L E E E L K I N S

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| editor’s let ter |

F

all is my favorite time of the year! The leaves are changing colors

and falling from the trees.

The cooler weather begs for sweaters and campfires.

And then there’s the food, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cinnamon and spices and definitely apples - apple pies, apple cider, caramel apples, apple butter and so much more.

Of course, you can’t talk apples without mentioning Hendersonville. In our city spotlight, we learn about farm to table living in Hendersonville. We visit Justus Orchards (p.22), who are some of the friendliest apple growers around, Underground Baking Company (p.19), the premier artisan bakery in town and a whole host of restaurants serving up delicious local food.

But we can’t let our neighbors to the south have all the fall fun. Chef William Dissen (p.6) is cooking up some terrific fall foods at the Market Place and we roast some chestnuts with Sakshi, the Chestnut Roaster (p.12). Plus, we drink some local cider, the hard kind and it is amazing (p.10)!

With so many delicious articles inside, it was a pleasure creating this issue for you. I hope you find it as tasty as I do.

Dig in Y’all.

EDITOR twelsh@iwanna.com FoodLifeMag.com

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facebook.com/foodlifemag

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photograph by TIFFANY WELSH

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feature

c hef

The Man

behind the

Chef-Owner William Dissen dishes about his local food philosophy, fall menu, and hopes for the restaurant’s future

by Maggie Cramer

photographs by Tim Robison 6

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | FALL 2014

market place

WILLIAM DISSEN, executive chef and owner of The Market Place in downtown Asheville, makes no secret of his awardwinning food formula: fresh equals flavorful.

He fully grasped this powerful equation early on in his career, while working at renowned farm-to-table restaurants with just-harvested ingredients at his disposal— and even at his doorstep. But he had an understanding of it long before he ever stepped foot inside a professional kitchen.

“My grandmother was not a chef by any means,” Dissen shares, recalling large dinners on the family farm. “But her food was always really good, because she picked things fresh, and she canned things when they were fresh.”

He grew up near his grandparents, West Virginia folks who raised their own livestock and vegetables and canned, cured, pickled, and preserved to get by day to day. Luckily, their sustenance was scrumptious: In the dead of winter, he vividly remembers tasting pure summertime in his grandma’s green beans.

Naturally, when it came time for Dissen to open his own restaurant after years in the industry—to make his own menu and cook his own food—he knew he would take a locally sourced approach. In 2009, he set out to find the perfect location.

All About Asheville He scouted communities in nearly every time zone—from California to Colorado to the South Carolina Lowcountry—that had access to and supported local food.

Asheville easily won out. A resemblance to West Virginia certainly helped seal the deal, as did the opportunity to purchase an existing eatery that was farm-to-table before anyone had the term for it; Mark Rosenstein opened the restaurant in 1979.

But Dissen also chose Asheville because he knew the food scene was about to explode. “I could tell it was on the cusp of something,” he says, adding, “You could tell that the pulse was starting to increase and that people were starting to put their eyes on it, but it wasn’t quite there yet.”

Once his decision was made, he picked up a copy of ASAP’s Local Food Guide and started forming relationships with farmers right away.

Reaching a Milestone He didn’t start radically changing the restaurant immediately, though. As a native Appalachian, he knew he needed to take a tempered approach as a new owner, to ease into his new community. He shifted the menu to his style of food but otherwise kept it status quo for a while. A little more than a year later, he really put his stamp on the, ahem, place.

“The Market Place used to be all white tablecloths and very formal,” he explains, noting that it was expensive and mostly for special occasions only. That was great in the beginning, he says, since his training was

in high-end cuisine. But Dissen describes himself as more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy. He sees Asheville that way, too.

“There was a time when Asheville was a little more high on the hog, but I think now people want access to more casual and more bank account-friendly food.”

So, he renovated the restaurant—adding a large bar and lounge with live music five nights a week—and updated the menu and price point of his offerings. The changes paid off: Acclaim for the chef-owner has been nonstop over the last several years, and he just celebrated his fifth anniversary at the helm earlier this fall.

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feature

t he m a n b e h i n d th e m a r ke t p lace

to find out more, go to marketplace-restaurant.com

On The Menu: Fall Favorites In the fall, Dissen loves to highlight apples and mushrooms on The Market Place menu—both of which abound this time of year. When it comes to apples, expect to see them paired with pork and bourbon, classic combinations. But look for unexpected preparations, too. Last year, Dissen experimented with pickled, yes pickled, apples. He wrapped pickled Granny Smiths in country ham, grilled them, and served them up with homemade burrata and sorghum-glazed hazelnuts. With mushrooms, the sky’s also the limit. He embraces wild mushrooms, because “they add a really unique flavor, and, gosh, what’s more local than something growing wild in the woods?!”

“I think evolution and adaptation is key for any business,” he says. “But I think you have to stay true to your mission. Our mission was and is to source locally and produce really flavorful, healthy food.”

Local, Sustainable To carry out his mission, Dissen gets his fruits and vegetables from a long list of area farmers—through standing orders brought right to his door, through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions, and through multiple trips to farmers markets throughout the week— markets, he opines, Asheville residents should be thankful for.

“I’ve lived all over the country and been to markets everywhere. A lot of markets, you go and there’s just the conventional stuff: corn, and beans, and tomatoes, and melons. You go to a market here, and there are heirloom varieties that you’ve never even seen or heard of before, and that’s a pretty neat thing.”

He sources meat locally, as well, purchasing whole hogs, lambs, chickens, and rabbits, a sustainable approach in which there’s little to no animal waste. And, he sources his seafood sustainably.

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In fact, he’s an ambassador for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, which rates seafood on a sustainability scale. The best choices in terms of ranking—those that Dissen uses and advocates for—are populations that are well managed and caught or farmed in ways that cause little hurt to habitats or other wildlife. He’s also a member of the Seafood Watch Blue Ribbon Task Force, which has given him the chance to take the sustainable seafood message all the way to Congress.

Dissen is quick to note, though, that when it comes to his sourcing he feels he’s just running a restaurant the way a restaurant should be run: “I think that if you’re truly connected to food and passionate about food, you should be sourcing locally and sustainably. If you’re a new-American, farmto-table restaurant or if you’re a Southeast Asian restaurant,” he says. “If you’re truly connected to the food, you should know where it comes from.”

A Flavorful Future This year marks not only Dissen’s fifth anniversary at The Market Place but also the restaurant’s thirty-fifth in business, and

he has high hopes that it will be around in another 35. While he’s sure it will have to evolve and adapt again in that time, he knows the focus will stay on ingredients and the community.

Just five years ago, he was visiting other communities in hopes of finding the right one for his vision. Now, he couldn’t be more confident that he chose correctly. He’s thankful to be embraced by Ashevillians, even fellow chefs.

He cites a collaborative effort amongst the area’s culinary crowd and shares he calls many chefs friends—and that he even calls them with new recipe concepts without worry his idea will wind up on their menus.

“It’s been really great to be in the restaurant scene here as it is exploding and Asheville is getting on the national map,” Dissen says. “I feel very humbled to be a part of that expansion and to be recognized for the things we’re doing.”

Maggie Cramer is an Ashevillebased freelance writer, editor, and communications specialist. She can be reached at mcramerwrites@gmail.com.

photographs by Tim Robison

farm

tour

2 days 37 farms photographs by tiffany welsh This September the gates and barns of WNC opened to the public for the 6th annual ASAP Farm Tour. With a wide variety of farming operations, there was much to see and do for the whole family.

All the proprietors were so friendly and welcoming. If I had a complaint it would be that I could only squeeze four farms into the weekend. I am already looking forward to next year!

Pictured: Flying Cloud Farm, Adelbert Farm, Round Mountain Creamery, North River Farms FALL 2014 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

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FEATURE

NOB L E H A R D C I D E R

Like Melted Gold Cider (the Hard Kind) on the Rise in WNC

by NOAH RAPER

IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN Wes Anderson’s brilliant film “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” then you might never have heard hard apple cider described in terms of molten precious metal. As devotees of traditional hard cider know, however, the description (as expressed in the film by one particularly cider-obsessed Rattus rattus) is appropriate. Tucked somewhere between the worlds of craft beer and dry white wine, traditional hard cider is on the upswing here in WNC. Made from one of our leading agricultural products, created by an ever-growing array of forward-thinking producers, and currently riding a huge wave of popularity. Lucky us!

the bottled, sweeter variety, with a high degree of carbonation.

Craft-produced hard cider, however, tends to mirror traditional French and English ciders, with a light, crisp, refreshing taste. In the US, hard cider means an alcoholic beverage with apples as the base; its “soft” counterpart, dubbed “sweet cider,” is basically fresh pressed apple juice. Over the past five years, production of craft hard cider has picked up steam rapidly in the U.S. An Old Favorite, Reborn What’s happening with cider in many Hard cider and its close cousin “perry” ways follows the path of the earlier (pear cider) have long been staples of craft beer movement– small, dedicated drinking culture in the UK and operations, turning out an elsewhere in Europe, with pubs TREVOR BAKER, extremely high-quality product, usually offering one or more Noble Cider’s chief reaching an ever-expanding on tap next to ales and lagers. honcho. Currently and knowledgeable customer available on tap, While major brands dominate Noble hopes to base. In WNC, producers also the market, small craft begin bottling in the point to the historic strength of producers have continuously near future. Bottom the region as an apple-growing churned out an array of ciders Right: Noble’s new area - North Carolina currently and perries with distinctive and peach concoction in ranks seventh in the country for development. regionally varying flavors and apple production. characteristics. In the US, hard cider was Local company, Noble Cider, is a staple of early colonial settlers, but leading the charge for hard cider in fell out of vogue as a rural population WNC. The brainchild of owners Joanna transitioned to urban life and industrialand Trevor Baker and Lief Stevens, scale beer brewing came to dominate Noble was WNC’s first dedicated cidery. the drinking landscape. In the modern The Noble team calls their cider “true era, many stateside drinkers’ first to the core,” meaning that they avoid exposure to cider may well have been of using any artificial colors, flavors, or 10

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | FALL 2014

even smells (like ‘apple essence’) that are often found in commercial brands.

They are also committed to using 100% local apples, and source their apples through partnerships with local farmers right here in Henderson County.

In roughly a year and a half in business, Noble has created a substantial following. Their product proved so popular in 2013 (their first full year of operation), that they sold every drop they produced. Currently operating out of a small industrial space in Fletcher, their cider is available at over 50 locations throughout the area, including bars, restaurants, and breweries (see sidebar). Noble’s flagship cider is “The Standard,” an easy drinking yet nicely

photographs by TIFFANY WELSH

to find out where you can enjoy a cold pint of noble cider, go to noblecider.com/on-tap

potent 7.5% ABV that is great by itself or paired with cheeses, charcuterie, or a full meal.

Folks trying cider for the first time are often hooked.

Noble Cider’s Trevor Baker says he frequently hears from cider neophytes, “Wow, that’s not what I expected…and I really like it.” One key feature he points to for cider’s rise in popularity is about one thing that cider doesn’t have: gluten. “The gluten free aspect is a major selling point,” says Baker, particularly when cider is served as the only gluten-free option on tap. “You see groups of friends or couples who want to have a draft beer, and now someone who is gluten free can join them at the taps.” Noble Cider has grown so popular at Wedge Brewing in Asheville’s River Arts District (whose thirsty patrons consumed fully half of Noble’s total 2013 production), that the rare occasions when cider runs out have been affectionately dubbed “the cider riots” by the Noble gang. “We show up to deliver sometimes and the servers are telling us, ‘thank goodness you’re here, crisis averted! Customers were getting restless!’”

These shortages are soon to be an even rarer occurrence: Noble Cider has recently acquired a 9,000 square foot facility off Leicester Highway in West Asheville that will drastically increase its production capacity. The space will include room for an in-house processing line, production facilities, and tap room with a range of Noble’s offerings and guest craft beer taps. The extra space will allow them to begin bottling for resale, and with increased supply, Noble is even eyeing distribution outside Buncombe.

Opening the Taps While Noble rightly claims its mantle as WNC’s “first” hard cider, they are by no means the only. In the past year several other cideries have opened in the area, leading to even more innovation and a broader range of offerings for an increasingly cider-thirsty public. Baker says the rise of new producers is fantastic – “it’s a really good thing – it’s kind of like what we’ve seen with breweries in the area, with new producers taking a new spin on things, and it’s all cider.” And continuing the similarity to the WNC craft beer scene, which saw larger craft breweries Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada and New Belgium come to town, an emerging giant of craft cider, Virginia’s Bold Rock Hard Cider, is planning to launch a production facility in Mills River in 2015.

As consumers have become more familiar with traditional hard cider, producers have expanded their offerings and taken on increasingly complex recipes, with enthusiastic consumer response.

Says Noble’s Baker, “We’ve seen a trend of consumers picking up differences in ciders, seeking new products. I think it’s really a trend toward more artisan styles of cider.” Noble currently offers two additional formulations, a tart cherry cider and blueberry honey rosemary (that Baker humbly says “really is quite nice”), and have plans for a concoction with peaches as well.

All of this growth and expansion has caused some far-reaching impacts.

Innovation in cider making has led local producers to ask apple growers to plant more traditional cider apple varieties; Noble Cider has partnered with Henderson

County Cooperative Extension to plant test plots of more than 20 historic “cider apples” to see what grows best in WNC’s climate. The hope down the road is for local orchards to crank out enough apples to satisfy the needs of local producers and to even share apples outside the region.

These developments are great news for cider and craft beverage fans. So get out there and try some locally produced hard cider and judge this “melted gold” for yourself.

Noah raper, a native of Madison County, grew up on a farm and is passionate about all things local, particularly food and drink. When he’s not writing, Noah counsels new and developing small businesses through his work with the Small Business and Technology Development Center.

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FEATURE

T HE CH E S T N UT R O A S T E R

Roasting a Taste of the Past

their lumber. The nuts were also very important to the region. Chestnut trees produce three times the amount of nuts as an Oak tree, making them a very important food source for woodland animals and livestock. Not to mention the delicious roasted chestnuts locals were able to enjoy in the fall season.

In the early 1900s all of that changed.

An invasive fungus was discovered in American Chestnut trees in 1904. By 1950, nearly all the American Chestnut trees had perished from blight - over 4 billion trees dead in the Eastern U.S. This was a tremendous economic blow to the Appalachian region. In 1983, the American Chestnut Foundation was started by a group of prominent scientists When I tell you that Sakshi imports his who recognized the importance of chestnuts from Italy, the first thing you restoring these great trees.

Their might think is this is not a farm to table national headquarters is located right article. But the truth is, since the chestnut here in Asheville. Since their inception, blight wiped out the entire population the ACF has been working to backcross of American Chestnut trees, importing breed American Chestnut trees with is the only way to get Chinese chestnut trees, SAKSHI sells his famous freshly chestnuts. In fact, the which are naturally roasted Italian chestnuts outside U.S. imports over 4,000 resistant to the blight.

In of Whole Foods, across from the metric tons of chestnuts the next few years, they Asheville Mall, and at Green Life. each year, primarily from hope to make available a Be sure to try Sakshi’s glazed pecans, almonds, cashews, and Italy, as their nuts are new crossbred Chestnut walnuts too — they are freshly considered to be of the tree, which is very close made in a copper kettle and they highest quality. to the original American are delicious!

Prior to the early 1900s, Chestnut but blight Chestnut trees were prolific in the forests resistant. If you want more information of the Eastern U.S. making up 25% of the about their restoration project visit acf. hardwood tree population. Here in the org.

Southern Appalachians, Chestnut trees In the mean time, enjoy the fall season were even more common, comprising the way our ancestors did with a bag of nearly 40% of our forests. Many people Sakshi’s roasted chestnuts. Sakshi says, living in our region derived their family “It is something so special when you income from the use of Chestnut trees. smell chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Because Chestnut trees grow over You know winter is coming, but you also 100 feet tall, are rot resistant, and very know that getting a bag of chestnuts will straight, they were very popular for warm your hands and your heart!”

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” immediately conjures thoughts of the Christmas Song and seasons past. However, if you fall below the age of eighty, chances are you have never enjoyed roasted chestnuts as a holiday treat, unless that is, you have met Sakshi Gantenbein, “the Chestnut Roaster”. by TIFFANY WELSH SAKSHI STARTED ROASTING chestnuts at a train station in a little Swiss village outside of his hometown of Basel, Switzerland more than 20 years ago.

When he and his lovely wife moved to Asheville in 1998, they missed having fresh roasted chestnuts, so Sakshi decided to start selling them here.

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THE GUIDE

LOCAL LIBATIONS

Toast to Autumn

Enjoy this great selection of fall beverages from our guest wine expert, Kevin Schwartz.

B ILT M O R E ESTATE CHÂTEAU R E SERVE B LA NC DE BL ANCS 2010 Chardonnay: 100% ABV: 12.5% SHELT O N VIN EYA R DS C A B ER N E T FR A N C 2011

The color is garnet with a slight orange hue. The wine has a mildly earthy raspberry nose with vanilla.

This Bordeaux blend shows velvety raspberry and cherry cola with notes of vanilla and an integrated tannic backbone. Light for a Cabernet Franc but its approachable and easy to enjoy.

PA I R I NG : Grilled pork chops or loin would be a great choice for this Cab Franc. But it will be easy to drink with burgers as well.

This Blanc de Blancs is a brilliant yellow with persistent tiny bubbles from Méthode Champenoise. It has light citrus and strawberry notes wrapped in pastry on the nose that are inviting.

The palate follows with lemon, green apple, ripe pear and berry with a little doughy yeast that coats the mouth.

This is a bubbly that will make you take a second look at what is happening in North Carolina wine making. Perfect for special occasions and holidays but don’t wait, crack a bottle open today.

Bubbles are for every day drinking!

PA I R I NG : Shellfish, and soft cheeses are shouting for you to pop a bottle with them but this can go up against trout in a light beurre blanc as well. Have fun and drink more bubbles!

$12.99 sheltonvineyards.com

$24.99 biltmore.com/wine

Cabernet Franc: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon: 10% ABV: 12.5%

Meet the Expert

Kevin is the proprietor of Divine Wine & Beer, a Sommelier, a Certified Wine Specialist and a Certified Food & Beverage Executive. Divine Wine offers hand selected wines and craft beers, local products, gift & picnic baskets and of course wine accessories. In addition to a wide selection of beverages, they host a wine and beer bar paired with distinctive small plates and appetizers featuring food from local and regional farms. Divine also holds weekly tasting events and educational classes.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO DIVINEWINEANDBEER.COM

CAR O LINA H E RITA GE V IN EYA RD & WINE RY GL ÖGG

FRENCH BROAD B R E W I N G C O M PA N Y IPA

HIG HLA N D B R E WIN G C O M PA N Y C LAWHA M M ER O KT O B ER F E ST LA G ER

ABV: 12%

ABV: 6%

ABV: 5%

Glögg is a traditional Scandanavian wine that is usually served warm.

Made from organic red wine, almonds, raisins, orange peel, sugar and spices (including cardamom, cinnamon and cloves). It shows a dark garnet color with a small pink to clear rim. The nose is quite remarkably Christmas in a glass with the clove first to hit your senses mixed in with host of others aromas (you can pick up each of the ingredients fairly easily). The wine is a on the slightly syrupy side and while this is not typically my type of wine – I find it purely fascinating to drink, like a spiced gingerbread cookie. Unlike fortified wines that will be 18% abv and higher, this is only 12% so aside from the sugar you can drink it without getting tipsy.

PA I R I NG : While nice by itself, Glögg will be good with your Holiday fare from cranberry sauce to ham as well as cheeses and fruit breads that are typical during the holidays. You have to try this to truly appreciate it.

On tap, it shows a dark cloudy orange with a thin white head. It offers aromas of pine, doughy malt, caramel and tropical fruit. On the palate it brings through the aroma profile in a velvety smooth texture that is very appealing and nicely balanced. Slightly bitter hops and finish for a lighter style IPA. Definitely one for the hot summer months.

PA I R I NG : With a slight sweetness to the malts, I would pair this with BBQ in a heartbeat or some good smoked brisket!

Orange colored lager with an off white/slightly orange head. It is brewed with German malt and noble hops that reflects with aromas of malt and light citrus. The lager drinks smooth with malt, green banana, orange and bright acidity. Yet the brew remains balanced and easy drinking with a finish of lightly toasted almonds and a slight bitterness.

PA I R I NG : You have some diversity with this beer because of the acid so have some fun. Burgers, yes. Cheese, absolutely. Grilled salmon, now we’re talking!

$18.99 carolinaheritagevineyards.com

22 oz bottle, $6.00 frenchbroadbrewery.com

6 pack, $9.99 highlandbrewing.com

LOC AT E D AT

1011 Tunnel Road #110 Asheville, NC 28805 C A L L 828-505-8875

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It’s still an even when it’s in one of these martini, chip, granola, or scone recipes

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FOODLIFEMAG.COM | FALL 2014

photograph by Tiffany Welsh

GREEN APPLE GINGER MARTINI

APPLE CHIPS

APPLE WALNUT GRANOLA

APPLE CINNAMON SCONES

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APPLE CHIPS 1 APPLE MAKES

GREEN APPLE GINGER MARTINI

a pprox i ma tely 2 0 ch ip s

MAKES

Your Favorite Apples For each apple use: 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar ½ tsp Cinnamon Wash apples, peeling is optional.

Using a mandoline, slice apples 1/8” thick (or less for crispier chips).

Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Working one at a time, use your fingers to spread the sugar coating on both sides of each apple slice.

If using a food dehrdrator: Place on dehydrator trays and follow directions for your unit. Should take 6-12 hours to dry (or more for crispier chips).

If using an oven: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

Bake for 1 hour. Flip chips over. Bake an additional 1-1 ½ hours. Turn off oven and let apple chips cool down inside the oven to make them crispy.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

2 S er v i ng s

½ C Vodka 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 large tart green apple, cored and cut into slices ¼ C water + ½ Tbsp water, divided 1-2 small limes, juiced Apple slices for garnish (optional) ½ Tbsp honey Crushed ice 1. Place the vodka in a resealable jar along with the grated ginger and seal. Shake gently and set aside for two or more hours until infused. Strain pressing on solids to extract all the liquid and set aside.

2. Place cocktail glasses in the freezer to chill.

3. Add the apple slices to a high speed blender along with the ¼ C water and lime juice and blend on high until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer pressing on the pulp to get all of the juice and set aside. (If you have a juicer run the apple through and then add the freshly squeezed lime juice to it and omit the water.)

4. In a small bowl, combine honey and ½ Tbsp water and stir until well blended.

5. Add the apple and lime juice, the vodka and the honey syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and shake vigorously until the shaker turns frosty.

6. Strain into the chilled glasses. Garnish with the reserved apple slices if desired. courtesy of SYLVIE SHIRAZI of gourmandeinthekitchen.com

courtesy of TIFFANY WELSH

APPLE CINNAMON SCONE S MAKES

APPLE WALNUT GRANOLA

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MAKES

2 ¾ C All Purpose Flour 1/3 C Sugar ½ tsp Salt 1 Tbsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Apple Pie Spice ½ C butter, cold & cut into small cubes 1 medium Apple, cut into ½” pieces

2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla ½ C applesauce Topping: 1 Tbsp Milk 3 Tbsp Coarse Sugar ½ tsp Cinnamon

1. In a food processor, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking power and apple pie spice. Add cold butter and process until crumbly. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add chopped apples to flour mixture and stir until pieces are coated with flour. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, vanilla and applesauce. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until dough sticks together.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly flour.

Turn dough onto floured surface and shape into 2 evenly sized round patties. In a small bowl, mix coarse sugar and cinnamon. Brush tops of dough with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Using a knife run under cold water, cut each round patty into 6 pie shaped wedges.

Spread so there is at least ½” between each scone.

3. Place into a freezer uncovered for about 30 minutes.

4. Remove from freezer and place immediately into an over preheated to 425 degrees. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

courtesy of TIFFANY WELSH 18

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | FALL 2014

a b out 5 c up s

3C Oats, not quick 1C Walnuts, roughly chopped ½ C Unsweetened Coconut 1 ½ tsp Cinnamon ½ tsp Nutmeg ¼ tsp Allspice ¼ tsp Salt ½ C Unsweetened Applesauce ½ C Honey ¼ C Brown Sugar 1 large Apple or 1 C dried Apple, chopped into small pieces 1. Preheat over to 325 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine Oats, Walnuts, Coconut and spices. Mix together until well combined. Add chopped apples to dry ingredients.

3. In a separate bowl, combine Applesauce, Honey and Brown Sugar. Mix until well combined.

4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix until well covered. Spread onto prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

5. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If using fresh apples, must be refrigerated.

courtesy of TIFFANY WELSH

CITY SPOTLIGHT

H E N D E R S O N VI L L E

No Cupcakes Here Honest bread and high quality treats

by TIFFANY WELSH

FIVE YEARS AGO when the owners of Underground Baking Company, Lisa Hoffman and Matthew Hickman, decided it was time to start their own bakery business, they settled in Hendersonville to be close to family. Starting out in a tiny 300 square foot space on Main Street, many people claimed that Hendersonville was too small of a town to support an artisan bakery. When they outgrew the original space after just nine months, they knew they were on to something good.

While planning to move to a larger space, Lisa and Matthew had no doubts that they wanted to be in the Historic 7th Avenue District. A hundred years ago, 7th Avenue was the main road through Hendersonville, home to grocers, hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, barbershops and more.

With commerce and traffic driven by the location of the train depot, both locals and tourists found 7th Avenue to be the hub of activity in town. When the train

the area – it is quickly becoming the stopped coming through town and most epicenter of local food in Hendersonville. stores moved to the more modern Four Since that move, they have Seasons Boulevard, the activity on 7th expanded their space even further to Avenue faded. In recent years, there encompass the neighboring has been a revitalization effort DYNAMIC DUO storefront.

This has given going on in the neighborhood,

Lisa Hoffman and them plenty of room to turn and Underground Baking Co Matthew Hickman; out delicious, high quality wanted to be an active part of Left: Fresh almond baked products.

Apparently that movement. It was a plus crossiants Hendersonville residents enjoy that they were able to find a artisan bread and pastries more than the vacancy in a historic building, built in Nay Sayers expected.

1927, and occupied by a barbershop for When you walk in Underground, the the past 87 years. Now with a butcher, first thing you may notice (besides the baker, produce stand and a brewery in

photographs by WOODWARD & RICK PHOTOGRAPHY

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city spotlight

h e n d e r s o n vi l l e

find more info at undergroundbaking.com

baked fresh daily Clockwise from top: Matthew baking Pain Au Levain (French style sourdough); Julia Ritchey serving morning pastries; Apple Galette; Heath Wines and Ryan Chet making brezels (Bavarian style soft pretzels)

delicious smell) is there is no wall blocking the kitchen from view. “Being an Artisan is about being transparent and as open as possible,” Hickman says. Baking operations and ingredients are left in plain view of the customer, because there is nothing that needs hiding. Both owners take pride in purchasing the highest quality ingredients, and they buy things as local as possible. When the big name distributors come in trying to sell “bread in a bag” products, they are politely turned away. Underground is happy purchasing their 100% organic wheat flour from Lindley Mills of Graham, NC, a mill that has been in business since 1755 and is currently run by ninth-generation Lindleys. Not only that, but the mill uses a small distributor, meaning all of their buying power is supporting other small businesses. A point 20

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that is very close to Underground’s heart.

They purchase 100% organic wheat flour for more than a buzzword. They feel strongly about supporting organic growing practices, especially when it comes to wheat. “The big ag wheat producers have been making wheat grow faster and produce more grain, but at a great cost to the quality of the final product,” says Hickman. By supporting smaller farms, Underground is able to provide bread that is of a higher quality, easier to digest and more nutritious than what you find in a big box store.

But enough about the bread.

Underground sells pastries too! Brownies, cookies, croissants, scones, muffins and more. The one thing you won’t find there are cupcakes. Trust me when I say that you won’t miss them a bit. During my visit, both

Hickman and Hoffman were busy baking.

They prepare everything by hand, which is very labor intensive. Hoffman was working on brownies, which smelled so delicious, I could hardly stop myself from devouring a whole pan.

As a lover of baked goods of all kinds, it was easy for me to enjoy my time at Underground Baking Company. But more than the smells, flavors and quality of ingredients, I enjoyed the enthusiasm both owners share for their craft. Hickman says, “This is our livelihood and our passion, why would we compromise on that?” You won’t taste any compromise here.

Underground Baking Company, is located at 352 7th Ave E, Hendersonville, NC 28792. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 am until they sell out!

photographs by Woodward & Rick Photography

c it y s po tli gh t

l o c a l e at s

LO C US T ST

MAI N ST

Hendersonville

KING

➊ N e v e r B l ue

ST

119 S Main Street 828-693-4646 theneverblue.com

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T CH S

MAI N

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Never Blue is a family restaurant owned by Pam Cosner, Edson & Jesse Roque. Co-executive chefs, Edson and Jesse, are inspired by tapas style, small plate cuisine. With very different cooking backgrounds (Jesse’s is southern and Edson’s is Mexican) they have created their very own cuisine style, they like to call Low-Mex. We like to call it delicious!

They own a small farm of happy chickens that produce all the eggs that are used in the restaurant. And they also use local, sustainable, organic produce and antibiotic free, pasture raised, grass-fed meats whenever possible. If you’re looking for great food, unique cocktails, and amazing desserts in downtown Hendersonville, look no further. h ou r s

Tues - Sat – 11:30 am to 8 pm

and enjoy fabulous gourmet food, great wines and spirits, all in a comfortable, vintage setting. h ou r s Lunch: Thurs - Sat 11:30am to 2pm; Dinner: Thurs Sat 5pm to 8pm; Sun Brunch: 11am to 2pm

➎ P o s ter o 401 N. Main St. 828-595-9676 postero-hvl.com New kids on the block, Postero, has just opened this October.

They promise new American cuisine, inspired by the melting pot of culinary cultures and techniques. Chef Jason Reasoner will be adding a dash of modern-day flavor to the traditional recipes we have loved for so long. Postero has already made arrangements to source ingredients from several local farms and artisans. h ou r s

➋ T h e S q uar e R oo t 111 S. Main Street 828-693-7758 sqaureroothendersonville.com The Square Root Restaurant is a contemporary and cozy location to enjoy fabulous food. The atmosphere is inviting for romantic evenings, cocktails with friends, and family gatherings. They grow quite a bit of their own herbs and produce and supplement their harvest with food from local farms. They serve locally roasted coffee from The Brown Bean, and offer several local brews on tap and by the bottle. Owner and Executive Chef Adam aims to deliver the best quality food at affordable prices. Menu choices include options to please the young and the old, the adventurous and the picky, and anyone who enjoys truly fresh, delicious food!

Lunch: Mon - Fri – 11 am to 4 pm Brunch: Sat & Sun – 11 am to 3 pm Dinner: 7 Days a week – 5 pm to 9 pm h ou r s

➌ West First Wood Fired Pizza 101B 1st Avenue West 828-693-1080 flatrockwoodfired.com/restaurant Operated by Scott Unfried, the founder of Flat Rock Village Bakery, you can count on one thing – the bread is going to be great. Fresh baked loaves of bread are transported from the bakery to West First daily, just in time for lunch sandwiches.

And pizza dough is made by hand from locally produced flour.

They also use authentic Prosciutto Di Parma, organic field greens, and loads of fresh herbs and produce- much of it local when in season. West First is not your ordinary pizza place.

They make it their mission to reconnect us to the food we eat, its preparation, and the multi-leveled enjoyment that the sharing of food can provide. And they succeed! h ou r s

until…

Mon - Sat – lunch 11 am to 2 pm, dinner 5 pm

➍ 3 r d Av e n ue B i st r o

Square Root Duck; 3rd Avenue Bistro Short Ribs; Green Room California Chicken Salad; Southern Appalachian Brewery Live Music

From Top

map illustration by

201 3rd Ave West 828-696-2001 innonchurch.com Located in the Inn on Church Hotel, 3rd Ave Bistro features new American Cuisine using locally grown and natural products. Chef Stuart Partin creates innovative and delicious dishes with a focus on creativity and balanced flavors. Relax as their knowledgeable staff shows you their Southern hospitality

a da l e e e l k i n s

Tues - Sat 5pm to 10pm

➏ T he D an de lio n Eatery 127 Fifth Ave West 828-595-9365 dandelioneatery.org The Dandelion is more than a restaurant. They are seeding and feeding human potential to build safe, self-sufficient families. They serve locally grown fresh and seasonal foods for breakfast and lunch. They also provide a job training facility, which instills interns with knowledge, confidence and restaurant experience. The Dandelion creates sustainable futures while contributing to economic development. h ou r s

Tues - Fri 8:30 am to 2:30 pm

➐ T he G r ee n R o o m C a f é & C offeeho use

536 N. Main St. 828-692-6335 thegreenroomcafe.biz Established in 2012, the Green Room is a full service café offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. They feature a variety of traditional dishes that any foodie will enjoy. They use fresh locally grown vegetables from Davis and Lyda Farms. They also host live music on Friday and Saturday nights. If all the world is a stage and all of us actors in it; then we all need our own “green room” to take a break from the world in which we perform. h ou r s Brunch: Sun & Mon 11 am to 3 pm; Breakfast & Lunch: Tues - Sat 8:30 am to 3 pm; Dinner: Wed - Sat 5:30 pm to 9 pm

➑ S o u the r n Appa lachian Bre wery 822 Locust Street 828-684-1235 sabrewery.com Just off of Main St, you will find delicious fresh brewed beer at Southern Appalachian Brewery. They offer a selection of beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. They serve a selection of locally prepared breads and pizza and have food trucks on occasion. Plus they allow BYOF (bring your own food) and delivery from local restaurants. They’re dog friendly and have live music, corn hole, and ladder golf. As they say “what more could you want?” h ou r s Wed - Fri – 4 pm to close Sat & Sun – 2 pm to close

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CITY SPOTLIGHT

H E N D E R S O N VI L L E

RIPENING SCHEDULE AVAILABLE AT JUSTUSORCHARD.COM

A Good Year for Apples U-pick season’s in swing at Justus Orchard

by MAGGIE CRAMER WEATHER HAS HER WHIMS, which no one knows better than farmers. When she’s angry, she can destroy whole harvests and livelihoods. When she’s kind, she can bring In the 1970s, before u-pick was forth a bounty. Luckily, she’s been good to ubiquitous, Glenda Justus was one of Henderson County so far this year, where the first Henderson County growers to 65 percent of the state’s apple crop is allow visitors into the orchard to pick their grown. And the fall season is shaping up own fruit. And today, Don and his wife, to be the best in years.

Margo, continuously try new things. In “We had rain just at the right time,” the past few years, they’ve added u-pick shares Don Justus, who blackberries (July-August) owns and operates AMBROSIA, (shown above) rare to and pumpkins (SeptemberJustus Orchard in our area, is Don Justus’s favorite. “A early November), along customer who’s been coming now Hendersonville with with their Apple House for eight years after this one variety his family. The result? gave it the best description: An Bakery. The sweet spot Apples with “great flavor apple pie hanging on a tree!” churns out homemade fried and very good size.” In apple pies, apple cider fact, thanks to summer moisture, by early donuts, and more. “People say they come August many varieties on Justus’s 30 acres for the donuts just as much as they come were as large as he’d ever seen at that for the apples,” says Justus. date.

Visitors also come seeking canning The impressive size also has to do with knowledge—the best way to preserve a lack of weather activity. Neither drought apple sauce, for example. “Ten years nor hail storms caused problems, both ago, everybody was just buying it from of which stress the trees and both of the grocery store,” Justus notes. “Now, which—along with late frosts and freezes— everybody’s reverting back to the old ways have been major issues for area growers of wanting to do it themselves.” over the past almost decade. Justus still With a century of knowledge about all has trees healing from weather-related things apple passed down, Don, Margo, damage back in 2007. and sons can certainly share time-tested “It’s been very challenging,” he says. wisdom and offerings. But they continue “But we love what we do, and that’s all modernizing the farm, too—all in an effort there is to it; we keep doing it.” to attract the next generation of visitors Fueled by their passion for growing, the and keep Justus Orchard a tradition for Justus family has kept their heads down their family and others. and calmly and quietly dealt with any difficulties for more than 100 years—Don is JUSTUS ORCHARD is located at 187 the fourth generation on the farm, his sons Garren Road in Hendersonville and is the fifth. But they’ve also made some noise open through early November. as farming pioneers.

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RIPENING SCHEDULE Prime time for u-pick is mid-September to mid-October. After that, already-picked apples will be available, but the harvest will likely be complete.

photographs by TIFFANY WELSH

T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 2 0 T H

The Venue

21 North Market Street

7pm - 9pm

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

airasheville.org

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RESTAURANT

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STORY BY LEAH SHAPIRO

ocated in the heart of downtown Weaverville, Glass Onion isn’t your traditional Italian restaurant. “When you think Italian, you’re always thinking of pasta, tomato sauce, and those things,” says Chef Eddie Hannibal, who opened Glass Onion with wife Natalie Byrnes in Spring of 2012.

Instead, Glass Onion serves global Italian fare with a focus on locally sourced products from area farmers and vendors. “The nice thing about Italian is that it lets the ingredients shine through more than anything else,” says Eddie. “Our food is very simply done,” adds Natalie. “And who doesn’t like Italian food?”

In addition to the menu, a blackboard offers nearly a dozen appetizers, entrees, and dessert specials for lunch and dinner each day. There are certainly Italian staples, with pasta made in-house, such as the specialty raviolis, angel hair pomodoro with shrimp, penne carbonara, and cannelloni Florentine.

With grilled chicken, pineapple, mango and toasted pistachios, however, the Diablo salad is as far from Italian as you can possibly be. “But there are fresh roasted beets and the best tomatoes you can buy. So in that aspect, everything is Italian,” says Eddie.

Other menu items include a Bosc pear and slow roasted beet salad with spicy pecans, Spinning Spider Creamery feta, and white balsamic dressing. The grilled Scottish salmon is paired with a red onion marmalade and summer vegetable quinoa salad. Another popular item is the graham cracker encrusted calamari that has a sweet and spicy molasses flavor to it.

Eddie and Natalie are seasoned head chefs from Long Island. Until their relocation to the South in 2012, they were the Executive Chefs at the Hamptons’ highest-rated dining venues, World Pie in Bridgehampton and Robert’s in Water Mill, respectively.

The couple first met in Bridgehampton in 1996 when they worked in restaurants across the street from one another.

At Glass Onion, the two work hand-in-hand. Natalie runs the front of house, while Eddie is the executive chef. “We’ve taken our repertoires from

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATALIE BYRNES

both restaurants and we’ve melded them into one menu,” says Natalie. World Pie was more family-oriented with a bigger menu, while Robert’s was a fine dining restaurant. “We figured why create something different when both menus are exactly what customers want?”

The summer and spring menus at Glass Onion feature lighter plates than the winter and fall offerings. “In fall and winter, we are going to get back to braising rabbits, meats, and lamb shanks, hearty food for the cold,” says Natalie. Instead of quinoa salad, the salmon may feature a risotto, or the Sunburst Trout might be a Puttanesca sauce. “This way, we can buy products that may still be available from the farmers,” says Eddie.

Glass Onion sources from several produce and meat farms in Western North Carolina. “Sadie Acres for rabbits, Ivy Creek Family Farm & Fork Mountain Farm for a lot of our produce, Happy Feet for chickens and eggs, we are always looking for more farmers whether it be beef, produce or forged mushrooms” say’s Natalie. They create most of their dishes to fit what is growing particularly well in a given season. With the wet weather last year it was difficult for the farmers, they received a ton of watercress, as well as kale, cabbage and greens. “This year was a good year,” Natalie said of the farmers this season, “it wasn’t all monsoons like last year.”

On Wednesdays, enjoy half off bottles of selected wines and $15 pasta dishes. Try the frittata or classic eggs benny at Sunday brunch. Begin your meal with a martini and warm garlic knot roll, but save some room for dessert like the triple chocolate cake, or tiramisu.

“If you want it to be a special occasion place, or it you just want to stop by and have dinner, it’s that as well,” says Natalie. Relaxed and refined, traditional and current, Glass Onion doesn’t seem to fit in any one category, which means there’s something for every palate.

Glass Onion is located at 18 N. Main Street in Weaverville. For information, visit glassonionasheville.com, or call 828-645-8866. Hours are 11:30 am to 3 pm for lunch and Sunday brunch, and 5-9pm for dinner. Open Daily

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THE GUIDE

GROW IT

Apples $3 a pound!

So, you’ve priced the fresh fruit in the grocery store, shaken your head in dismay, now you’re sitting disconsolately in your car in the parking lot, wondering, “How can I provide fresh fruit to my family?” Then a light bulb goes off in your head – maybe I could grow my own fruit… by LARRY STEPHENSON YOU CAN! Actually – why aren’t you, already? The best time to plant a fruit tree is ten years ago; the second best time is today.

Get busy!

Well, there is a little bit more to it than that. Here is a tip to get you started: Ask someone! Find a friend or neighbor who is successfully growing fruit in your area, and find out which types are most suitable for your locality. If you’re in North Carolina, well, that is apple, pear, blueberry, and raspberry country. If you live in Miami, look around, there’s a good reason you see citrus and figs all over the neighborhood. You can grow bananas and pineapples in Minneapolis, but it’s a lot of trouble. It’s easiest to plant varieties suitable for your climate and soil type.

Your County Extension Service is a great place to start. They will perform soil testing for you and advise you on what amendments, lime or fertilizer, you might need to add. The North Carolina Extension Service website is ces.ncsu.edu, and it is chock full of useful information for aspiring and experienced fruit growers alike.

Secondly, find an organization for fruit-growing enthusiasts.

Their members are serious fruit-growing nuts, who like nothing better than answering questions about their favorite hobby. In the Asheville area there is already a large and active local fruit-growing organization, the Buncombe Fruit and Nut Club fruitandnuts.com.

They are especially involved in growing fruit in an urban setting.

New members are always welcome. Join their Facebook page and these fruitaholics can fill you in on what grows best in this area.

What I would not recommend is going to your local big-box garden store; and here’s why: they all carry the exact same varieties.

What you will find there are Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith apples; Bartlett and Kieffer pears; Concord and Niagara grapes; and Santa Rosa plums. I’m not knocking these; they are great commercial cultivars and are suitable for many climates and soils…but not for all. For a backyard grower, you’ll usually do better to find a small regional grower who specializes in locally adapted varieties, and there happen to be a number of these around Asheville. Don’t blame the big retail nurseries – they carry the fruit tree varieties their customers demand, and people ask for the same fruits they see in the grocery store.

If you are already cultivating vegetables and ornamental plants in your yard, consider expanding your horizons; try a few fruit trees, and have patience. The rewards can be very sweet indeed.

LARRY STEPHENSON lives in rural Carroll County, Mississippi.

An avid amateur fruit grower, he finds that talking and writing about fruit is an even more interesting than actually growing it. He belongs to more fruit organizations than you can shake a stick at.

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story by meg hale brunton

restaurant

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photos courtesy of Rosetta Star

Our Intent in Existing

osetta’s Kitchen has been a staple of downtown Asheville for the past twelve years. Their motto is: We exist to nourish ourselves, our city, and beyond. Always ready to feed the endless array of folks of every sort who have been made welcome in their restaurant, Rosetta’s offers vegetarian and vegan comfort food, as well as extensive Gluten and soy free options.

“They are foods everyone can eat!” says owner Rosetta Star. “We always work towards having transparency of ingredients, so that everyone can actively choose what serves them best.”

Having a menu that fits any and every palate supports Rosetta’s goals of being as inclusive as possible.

This goal of inclusiveness doesn’t just end with dietary choices, but is also expressed in other ways to make sure everyone eats. They also have community supported Pay It Forward vouchers and a Sliding Scale Plate. “These programs allow us to make sure everyone has access to a healthy meal, regardless of their financial standing.” says Star. “We strive to work towards a socially just, environmentally sustainable, joyful and thriving world for all life.”

From a holistic viewpoint, the team at Rosetta’s works hard to balance all the aspects of “being the change they wish to see” in the business world, based on the concepts of interdependence and consent. No small feat, when considering they are also surviving in a highly-competitive industry in the middle of Asheville’s Foodtopia landscape. They have managed it all through their innovative business model, including environmental practices of composting, solar hot water, and extensive use of local and organic ingredients. They are also vehemently committed to making and keeping Rosetta’s an inclusive, comfortable space for ALL, and serving their missions via the business of nourishment.

Rosetta’s has also recently opened a new downstairs Buchi Bar and lounge, below the restaurant in what was a historic fixture as JC’s Auto for 47 years. This beautiful, completely redone space offers an organic juice 26

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bar, six flavors of Buchi Kombucha on draft, Buchi Flights, a Buchi growler filling-station, local beers, organic and sulfide-free wines, Noble Cider, full spirits, seasonal garden-to-glass drink specials, and a full array of both spirited and free-spirited cocktails. Even with this new venture, Rosetta’s is working hard to create a safe space that has something for everyone.

So, their drink options range from ‘old-school creations’ to fit an authentic Ashevillian budget, to creative artisan cocktails made from organic juices, kombucha and nutritive elixirs.

The ambiance for the Buchi Bar also assists in releasing the pressures of the day-to-day world, with its exposed old brick, plants flowing along the walls, and the gentle movement of a 150-gallon saltwater aquarium for gazing off into nowhere. Opening the downstairs location “gives us a chance to offer a great place for a date, meeting, or some quiet time to relieve stress, “ says Star. “The upstairs has been our shared public kitchen the last dozen years and now you’re invited to come lounge about on new downstairs porch, or perch up at our giant, round, reclaimed, stainless steel bar.”

Keeping to their roots, Rosetta’s full menu is also served in the Buchi Bar. The same menu favorites you have been eating for years at Rosetta’s comes down to the bar on an old fashioned rope and pulley dumbwaiter from the kitchen upstairs.

“We think we have whatever little indulgence and/or sustenance you will require.” says Star, “Including the food.”

Rosetta’s Kitchen is located at 116 N. Lexington Ave. in downtown Asheville. Hours are Monday - Saturday 11 am - 1:30 am, and Sunday brunch 11am - 3pm. For more information, visit rosettaskitchen.com or call 828-2320738. Also, watch for daily food specials, weekly events, and community fundraisers, and sometimes just cute pictures on Rosetta’s Twitter and Facebook pages. advertisement

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