Food Life Spring 2016

Grits & Gristmills Keeping with Tradition

Asheville Coffee Scene with Stu Helm

SPRING 2016

FoodLifeMag.com

Biscuits & Benedicts

t s a f k a e r b ue iss

with Chef John Stehling

the

PLUS

recipes restaurants & more!

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FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

features SPRING 2016

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BI SCU ITS & BE NE DICTS

Asheville chef John Stehling dishes about his breakfast-centric career and restaurants.

by MAGGIE CRAMER

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BLU E HOU SE FARM

Saskia Cacanindin on how she came to operate a chicken farm.

by TIFFANY WELSH

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GRI TS & GRI ST M ILLS Keeping alive a rural tradition.

by NOAH RAPER-ROBINS

ASHEVILLE COFFEE SCENE

Asheville’s coffee scene has steadily developed into a fun, vibrant, active, and lively community.

by STU HELM

photo by TIFFANY WELSH

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ISSUE 06

S PR I N G 2 0 1 6

O N THE CO V ER Eggs in every shade, collected from hens raised hens raised by Amy Spedden. photograph by TIFFANY WELSH

STAY CO NNECTE D

visit us at FoodLifeMag.com facebook.com/foodlifemag

the guide ASAP FA R M TO UR 14 ASAP’s annual farm tour has new dates for 2016.

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TR AV ELI N G LO CAV O R E 21 Tiffany Welsh travels to Greenville, SC and tries cake, burgers & more.

FO O D FO R THO UG HT 24 Mill Village Rooftop Farm is empowering youth and transforming communities.

KI TCHEN CO N V ER SATI O N S 26 Tiffany Welsh sits down with Susannah Gebhart of the artisan bakeshop Old World Levain (OWL).

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EV ERYTHI N G I NE E D TO KN O W I LEA R NE D F ROM R HUBAR B 30 Ashley English ruminates on lessons learned from the colorful stalk.

ASHEV I LLE CO CKTAI L WEE K 32 A guide to all the events comprising Asheville’s celebration of spirits.

CA LEN DAR 34

recipes WEST A SHEV I LLE LO UN G E & KI TCHE N’ S CHEESY G R I TS 19 R HUBAR B B UTTE RMIL K BR EAD 31

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EDITOR’S LETTER I have a friend named Andy, who moved to Asheville after living all over the world. Once we discussed his favorite part of living here and he said he loved the South in general, mostly because of our dedication to breakfast. Biscuits and hashbrowns and eggs and especially grits, which he had determined were created as a vehicle for consuming extra cheese and bacon and whatever else you wanted to add. I have to agree that breakfast is one of my most favorite meals of the day. At my house, we eat both first and second breakfast on the weekends, when there is time for all the extra preparation.

When I’m scrambling eggs for my family, I love to use local free range eggs, like the ones on the cover, collected from hens who were hatched at Blue House Farm. Like my friend Andy, we also love our grits - especially with cheese. In this issue we learn all about the old grist mills of NC and we try out West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen’s recipe for Cheesy Grits (yum!). We also enjoy some coffee talk with Stu Helm, local food fan.

TIFFANY WELSH, Editor

In my opinion, no breakfast would be complete without pastry or bread, so we also made a visit to the new OWL bakery in West Asheville. And we visit Early Girl Eatery, the ultimate breakfast destination for the past 15 years. There is much more to share, including a trip to Greenville, but I’m typing this before breakfast and my stomach is starting to growl, so I’d better just say ‘Dig in y’all.’

twelsh@iwanna.com

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SPRING 2016

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General Manager/Publisher PATRICIA MARTIN BETTS Editor TIFFANY WELSH Art Director CARRIE HARDER Production/IT Manager JEFF RUMINSKI Contributors MAGGIE CRAMER ASHLEY ENGLISH STU HELM TIM ROBISON NOAH RAPER-ROBINS Advertising Consultants PAM HENSLEY RICK JENKINS ROSE LUNSFORD CRYSTAL PRESSLEY

Join us at the

2nd Annual Cheese Fest April 24, 2016

Highland Brewery, Asheville, NC Get tickets at MountainCheeseFest.com

Production RACHEL HOEFT RANDY WHITTINGTON Circulation Manager SAM HOWELL Circulation Assistant HEATHER CLONTZ Sales Assistant JAYME PRESSLEY A Publication of

I WA N N A P UB L I C AT I ON S 2 2 G A RF I E L D STR E E T, SUI TE 100 A S HE VI L L E , N C 28803 828. 210. 0340 Food Life, a publication of IWANNA, 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.

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FEATURE

CHEF

Biscuits & Benedicts Asheville chef John Stehling dishes about his breakfast-centric career and restaurants

by MAGGIE CRAMER photos by TIM ROBISON

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VISIT EARLYGIRLEATERY.COM & ASHEVILLEKINGDADDY.COM

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THEY MAY BE THE SONS of a talented chef, but John Stehling’s two boys are picky eaters—preferring their dad prepare them plain plates like grilled chicken with steamed broccoli. He’s not surprised. “Sometimes I tell people that’s why I opened a restaurant, because I was such a picky eater,” Stehling shares.

Now, he and his staff whip up dishes he loves—as do countless locals and tourists—at the two popular Asheville restaurants he owns and operates with his wife, Julie: Early Girl Eatery and King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffle. And his kids have found their favorites on each menu.

“They’re kind of food snobs,” Stehling laughs. “I hate to say it. I didn’t meant to raise them that way, but they get used to eating the bacon at the two restaurants, then they go somewhere and eat the bacon off a buffet bar and are like, “What is this?!”

All in the Family

Not by design, the youngest Stehling boys are growing up “foodies,” just as John and his siblings did outside of Winston-Salem. His family had a large backyard garden and farmed an additional piece of land, which they leased with other families. That plot allowed them to grow their own potatoes, corn, and other

crops that needed more space than their yard allowed.

His parents were members of a natural foods club, often taking their children along on wild foods foraging trips and to what Stehling describes as “crazy potlucks.” He shudders a bit as he recounts, “They had some things that I still wouldn’t eat again.”

What’s more, he and his brother, Robert, and sister, Wendy, all shared in dinner duty: One night a week, each child was responsible for the family meal. “Our parents would help with it,” Stehling notes, “but it was our decision; they would just help execute.”

With such food-focused experiences in their formative years, both Stehling and his brother ended up in the restaurant business—he jokes that his sister was the “smart one” for avoiding the service industry altogether.

Robert started his culinary training at the well-known and well-respected Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, before heading up to New York and working under acclaimed restaurateurs. John attended college at East Carolina University for hotel and restaurant management.

After graduation, he realized restaurants wanted managers who also had kitchen experience. So, he started cooking.

Breakfast Is Served

It was the mid-1990s, and Stehling was in Boone, slinging breakfast at multiple places and getting up before the sun for bakery shifts. In ’96, his brother left New York to open up his own place, Hominy Grill, in Charleston, SC. Robert needed help running breakfast, and he knew John was his man.

“Breakfast is a lifestyle,” Stehling says.

“You really have to buy into it. You can’t just do it. You have to get up early every morning. You have to be willing to go to sleep early.”

“It’s a lifestyle you choose and it chose me—a little bit of both,” he chuckles.

Stehling remarks that he had quite a bit of experience at that point in his career, but he says he really grew by his brother’s side—that cooking became more than just a job. “I actually knew what I was doing and could manipulate ingredients better, and I could apply different cooking techniques properly.”

That’s because things were (and still are) extremely hands-on at Hominy Grill.

“Robert’s is a very from-scratch kitchen compared to most of the kitchens you work in,” Stehling says. “The kitchens Julie and I have now are very from-scratch, too,” he explains. “We make our pancakes and we make our biscuits all from SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

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FEATURE

CHEF

recipes. We don’t get a mix in and add two or three ingredients and are done with it.”

Not long after opening, Hominy Grill began getting rave reviews on a national level—Robert has a James Beard Award under his belt.

“I was a part of that, and that helped my confidence level,” Stehling shares.

The Girl of Wall Street

With a newfound cooking courage and a new wife and business partner—Julie and John met at Hominy Grill, where she was waiting tables—the Stehlings decided to relocate and start their own restaurant.

“We wanted to live in Asheville and be a part of this community. Breakfast was a niche that we saw.”

Inspired by many low-country recipes, the couple opened Early Girl Eatery on Wall Street in 2001. In the early days, they had four distinct menus: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Over the years, they streamlined, creating one menu that includes all-day breakfast fare.

“We’ve always been known more for our breakfast than anything else,” Stehling says—after all, the restaurant’s name is a nod to the important first meal. “People demanded it all day, so eventually we started doing breakfast all day.”

Just as they committed to serving eggs and bacon from day one, they also always knew they’d shine the spotlight on local foods. Before Early Girl even opened, John and Julie spent time shopping at area tailgate markets and visiting WNC farms— scouting out their suppliers.

“Local food wasn’t really a trend at that time,” Stehling notes. “But in Asheville there was already a large agricultural community. Even though it was happening prior to us, it really took off a few years after we got here. It was nice to be a part of that.”

Seasonal produce plays heavily into their rotating daily specials, which can be found on chalkboards around the eatery. “They’re a way for me to really use local products on a year-round basis,” Stehling stresses.

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While their specials are surely loved, diners are particularly big fans of one menu item that never changes: the Early Girl Benny—grit cakes topped with tomato, spinach, poached eggs, tomato gravy, and avocado and served with toast or a homemade biscuit. “People love poached eggs,” Stehling says.

Where are the Waffles?

But there is one breakfast item noticeably missing from Early Girl’s menu: waffles. “We’d always wanted to do waffles at Early Girl,” Stehling shares, “but electrically, that building couldn’t maintain the irons.” Then not long ago, Stehling got on a chicken and waffles kick, and the seed was planted to open another restaurant based around the famous pairing. The couple opened King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffles in 2014.

“We still do breakfast,” Stehling acknowledges. “But chicken and waffles is kind of almost brunchy. It’s hard to categorize, which I like.”

He adds, “I love Early Girl, but it’s like anything. You do it all the time, every day, you want to do something a little different.”

While much of King Daddy’s menu is distinctive, the biscuit recipe remains the same. Stehling played around with other variations, but ultimately settled back on the formula that helped put the now-iconic Early Girl on the map.

Not surprisingly, King Daddy’s biggest seller is their chicken biscuit: fried boneless chicken on a biscuit with bacon and melted cheddar—Stehling likes his with

a little mayo. While it may sound decadent to some, Stehling assures that more than half of King Daddy’s menu is healthful offerings.

With restaurant number two, he’s found it satisfying to continue using local foods and serve a wide range of dishes—you’ll also find salads and seafood, even a beet burger—as well as to accommodate diners with various food allergies.

And, he says, it’s been exciting to see old regulars from Early Girl who moved to West Asheville and don’t get downtown as much anymore. “They’ve found us again.”

Stehling is clear that he couldn’t have opened Early Girl, much less a second eatery, without his wife’s help. “She does everything,” he says. “She pays the bills, does the paperwork, keeps the employees happy, makes the guests feel welcome, and keeps me motivated. And I’m sure I’ve left out a hundred things she does.”

“We’re a team,” he continues, and in that way, he feels very lucky to still be a restaurateur in Asheville, where the culinary landscape has changed immensely since he arrived. “There are a lot of really good chefs out there. And many restaurants have a lot of owners that are more financially sound than I am. It’s just me and my wife doing what we love to do.”

It’s a good thing they love the business, Stehling says, recalling a conversation he once had with a college professor.

“He told me, if you open a restaurant, make sure you get booths so you’ve got a place to sleep.”

“It’s true. It’s hard work, and I do enjoy it,” he says. Although now, he shares that he gets the most gratification out of training young chefs—cooks in the same place he was 20 years ago. “I feed off their energy. It’s rewarding when others are enthusiastic.”

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

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FEATURE

B L UE H O US E FA R M

Blue House Farm Chickens, ducks, geese, oh my!

by TIFFANY WELSH THE GEESE WHO ANNOUNCED my arrival at Blue House Farm were an inhospitable bunch. They seemed big enough to eat a small child, and they kept opening their beaks at me in a most threatening way; Thankfully there was a strong gate separating us. I’d never met a guard-goose before, but if ever there was such a thing, this was it.

My anxiety was alleviated upon meeting the proprietor of Blue House Farm, Saskia Cacanindin. Her light-hearted demeanor quickly set me at ease. She explained that the gander, or male geese, are the problem; making such noise and fuss to warn people away from the females who are laying eggs.

She simply chuckled at the loud birds in a dismissive way that indicates this is an everyday occurrence at her farm.

With that, I was swept away from the geese and directed towards other more friendly fowl. We headed towards the back of her farm, a nice wooded area populated with several ducks and a few breeds of chickens.

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The chickens were loose amongst the trees and brush and came running to check us out upon our entry into their fence. Each type of chicken is kept in it’s own moveable electric fence so they can roam the land but also remain segregated from the other breeds.

She lets the chickens run free until they are ready to start laying eggs, at about six months, then she trains them to lay inside a henhouse. “I like to give them a lot of room,” Saskia says, “but the downside is that sometimes you can’t find the eggs.” And the eggs, in this case, are her product.

About four years ago Saskia and her family moved to Blue House Farm from Raleigh. Saskia, who grew up in Germany, was raised with horses but the land around their new home was not suitable for such large animals. Her family decided to keep a few hens for fresh eggs, meat and for decoration.

She picked hens because they were “a better size” for the farm. Once the first hens arrived, she began to learn

about different breeds of chickens and then one thing led to another... now she has more than one hundred chickens of various breeds - not to mention, several ducks, half-a-dozen goats, and the aforementioned geese. In season she hatches an additional thirty to fifty chicks per week, all of which are sold to people looking to raise their own laying hens. She sells both sexed and unsexed chicks, and they are shipped all over the country. Stepping into her garage I find a veritable super chicken nursery. There are incubators and hatching machines, boxes of eggs just collected, and various chicks ranging from one day to six weeks old. The little guys are so cute, I was tempted to take a few home myself.

After cooing at the babies for a bit, we head out to the other side of the property. This is where it really becomes apparent that Saskia knows her chickens. There are chickens everywhere of various size and color, mostly heritage breeds. When I ask about how many breeds she keeps, she loses count at eight. My favorite are the English Lavender Orpingtons, which are a beautiful shade of soft grey. There is even an errant rooster on the loose, who Saskia says has been outcast from his family. She laughs, “In Spring, everybody gets crazy and fights over the girls and I guess he lost.” He follows us from fence to fence hoping to find

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT BLUE-HOUSE-FARM.COM a new lady-friend. She teases the lone rooster and tells him to “eat some grass” to console himself.

She introduces me to one particular pet chicken, a Polish, which has such a huge hairdo it can’t see anything but my toes. It is very curious and friendly, she laughs “because it can’t see anything.” I really enjoy seeing the birds living a truly pasture raised life. It is clear that these animals love Saskia as much as she does them - they’re eager to capture her attention in exchange for a rub or two.

Our final stop on the tour is a barn full of chickens, but these are special. These are her children’s pets. They are a motley crew, but they don’t seem to mind. There are several sunning themselves in the morning light and others picking away at the soon to be backyard garden. I’m amazed at the amount of work it must take to maintain this chick hatching operation, but Saskia tells me that her children are a big help - “thankfully, or I would go crazy,” she says.

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THE GUIDE

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ASAP’s Farm Tour New Dates Announced Tour moved to June 25-26

ON JUNE 25 AND 26, the gates and barns of Appalachian Grown™ family farms will open to the public for ASAP’s highly anticipated Farm Tour. This fun, farm-filled weekend offers a chance for locals and visitors alike to discover how food is grown and raised in the mountains, taste farmfresh fare, and meet the community’s local producers. The Farm Tour moves to late June this year, treating visitors to a bounty of summer sights, tastes, and smells.

One sweet taste of summer visitors can look forward to enjoying on the tour is seasonal fruit such as berries. Zimmerman Berry Farm is one stop on the tour where tour goers can see berries ripening on the vine and hopefully get to pick some to take home. “Visitors will be able to learn about the working side of a pick-yourown farm and hopefully (if mother nature permits) they will also be able to pick black raspberries,” says Pam Zimmerman, owner of the farm.

This year’s Farm Tour will welcome back other past tour participants including Lady Luck Flower Farm and Spinning 14

VISIT ASAPCONNECTIONS.ORG

A S A P FA R M T O UR

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

Spider Creamery. “When people come here they’ll actually get one of us from the creamery saying, ‘This is how I make the cheese; this is where we milk the goats,’” says Chris Owen, co-owner of Spinning Spider Creamery, who is looking forward to welcoming visitors to her family’s artisan goat dairy to learn about their operation, tour their milking parlour, and interact with their goats. “The Farm Tour is an important way for us to allow our customer base to get an educational opportunity, not just to see the animals, but to hear us as family members talking about what we’re doing and why.”

From u-pick operations to flower farms to creameries, this year’s tour is sure to delight visitors of all ages and interests.

Tour goers can expect around 25 farms to choose from with a recommendation of selecting three or four farms to visit per day. This year’s tour will feature farms in Buncombe, Madison, and McDowell counties. Future tours will highlight different areas of the region giving visitors the opportunity to visit new farms across

the central mountains of Western North Carolina from year to year.

Farm Tour passes are on sale now at asapconnections.org. Passes are $30 in advance; $40 the weekend of the tour.

One pass admits an entire carload. The tour runs 12-5 pm Saturday and Sunday.

More information, including a list of where to pick up a tour guide (coming in May) and details on volunteering and attending the tour for free, can be found at asapconnections.org or by calling 828236-1282. ASAP will share details and stories leading up to the tour on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work in the region, visit asapconnections. org, or call (828) 236-1282. photographs courtesy of

ASAP & TIFFANY WELSH

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FEATURE

G R I T S & GR I S T M I L L S

Grits and Grist Mills Keeping Alive a Rural Tradition

by NOAH RAPER-ROBINS

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LET’S GET SOME BIAS right out on the table: I love grits. Not just eating them, although that’s a big part of it; what I really love is that, in our hyper-globalized economy and society, there are still some things that you DO eat in one part of the country, and most definitely DON’T eat in others. And grits, perhaps the most iconic “southern” food, are one of these items. Put simply, grits are ground corn; coarser than cornmeal or polenta, grits are typically boiled in water and traditionally served at breakfast. Part of my personal fascination with grits is the complicated process to produce such a seemingly simple item. And in western NC we are blessed by the presence of several historic mill operations, along with tradition-minded keepers of the flame who are continuing practices at the conver16

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photographs by

TIM ROBISON & TIFFANY WELSH

gence of agriculture and industry. In so doing they are also finding innovative ways to get stone-ground items onto the plates and into the shopping bags of western NC residents.

To convert whole corn kernels to grits you need a grist mill, which historically were water-powered hubs of economic activity in rural communities. Typically small-scale operations, these mills served their local farming communities, grinding all types of grain into flour, meal and feed for livestock. Before moving back to the mountains, my wife and I lived on the site of a former grist mill in Hillsborough, NC, just outside Chapel Hill.

With milling operations there dating to at least the early 1800s, the site has been lovingly restored by the longtime owner, a former UNC professor, who painstakingly repaired the large stone dam, sluice, and foundation of

the mill building. Simply the scale of the dam (easily 25 feet high) conveyed the vital importance of such a facility in a rural farming community. Several mills dating to the 1800s still stand in western North Carolina, including the Dellinger Mill on Cane Creek in Mitchell County and the Francis Mill just outside Waynesville; both of these mills have been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Historical grist mills relied on water power and, more specifically, waterwheels. Bob Vitale of Waterwheel Factory, located in Franklin, is a leading expert in the mechanics and engineering of water-powered wheels. A computer scientist and media production specialist by training with “an eye and ear for alternative energies,” since 1998 Bob has run a business dedicated to building and restoring wheels, and has traveled the country (and to several continents) to install wheels.

Bob has been involved in projects with many of the most-noted historic mills in North Carolina, including the Francis Mill, and has also been active with the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills, or SPOOM. As Bob puts it, before steam power or electricity were widespread, water power represented “the combustion engine of the time.” Engineering books in his collection from the mid to late 1800s focus heavily on waterpower system design

and efficiency, and millwrights needed a broad-ranging skill set, including knowledge of machinery, engineering, business savvy, and tact to navigate numerous transactions and relationships.

While the wheel supplies the brawn, the heart of the mill is the pair of millstones that do the work of grinding corn into flour, meal or grits. John and Jennie Lovett run Falls Mill, a water-powered mill west of Chattanooga built in 1873, including for many years grinding white corn grits for restaurants and individual customers. A former mechanical engineer, John is fascinated by old machinery and has spent much of his life restoring “persnickety” 19th-century machines (the Lovetts also operate a museum of manufacturing equipment at Falls Mill). A wealth of knowledge, John shared the finer points of the milling process. Grinding flour versus meal or grits comes down to the spacing between the two millstones; minute adjustments can result in drastic differences in grain size and texture. Screens or a contraption known as a grit separator sort the meal into its various categories. Mill stones need to be sharpened periodically to ensure a clean grind and to remove buildup of oils that can negatively affect the grind. According to John, stone grinding (as opposed to more modern roller mill grinding) has been

HISTORIC FRANCIS MILL circa 1900. This Haywood County grist mill was completed in 1887 by William Francis. Today, the mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by a Francis descendent who has overseen restoration efforts. Photo via francismill.org

shown to result in better quality grits, as the slow, steady stone grinding process keeps the kernels at a cooler temperature, resulting in a less adulterated, more natural product.

A key to the grinding process is selecting corn that is dry enough to grind. Whether dried completely on the stalk “in the field,” in cribs or in modern dryers, for optimal grinding corn still on the cob should possess a moisture content of about 13%.

John Lovett said that he could tell “by picking some kernels off the cob and gritting them between your teeth” whether a load of corn was ready for grinding.

Most original water-powered mills have been forced to close down as advances in technology, transportation, and regulation squeezed smaller mill operations. Health inspectors tend to frown on, as Vitale puts it, “holes in the building the size a raccoon can go in and out of,” which many water-powered mills, of necessity, have. Fortunately, in our region keepers of the milling tradition have continued to grind, cranking out products for consumers and chefs.

In Old Fort, the McEntire family run Peaceful Valley Farm and Gristmill, a fifth-generation operation that produces stone-ground grits and cornmeal from heirloom varieties, along SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

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FEATURE

G R I T S & GR I S T M I L L S

BARKLEY MILLS in Weaverville uses old-time techniques in a water-powered mill built in 2012.

with wheat and rye flour. In Weaverville, Barkley Mills at Southern Cross Farm is a water-powered mill built in 2012, employing old-time techniques to stone-grind flour, meal and grits from corn grown onsite.

An emerging leader in this effort is David Bauer of Farm and Sparrow and All Souls Pizza, a master baker who mills his own flour, meal and grits and also supplies other customers.

David readily admits that he “hadn’t had good grits or corn until I moved to North Carolina.” Upon arrival, he quickly met John McEntire, who he counts as a friend and mentor in learning about heirloom corn varieties and the intricacies of milling. In his own baking and at All Souls, David’s emphasis is on using heirloom corn varieties native to the region, with colorful names like Bloody Butcher Red and Cherokee Gourdseed.

I asked everyone I spoke to for this story about a personal conundrum: identifying the precise difference between grits and polenta (a staple of northern Italian cuisine, and a much more common way to see grits listed on a dinner menu). John Lovett opines that “when we were running it, polenta 18

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was about halfway between meal and grits – really, it was close to the corn meal mush that was a common food for poor folks.” David Bauer agrees; a reaction he hears from many oldtime millers is “the difference is $5 a pound,” meaning the only real difference is the branding and marketing.

As he puts it, polenta is a “cultural reference;” while the two have actual differences (including historical roots in flint versus bent corn, no doubt a dissertation waiting to be written), for practical purposes the two are ground corn of slightly differing consistencies.

From a menu perspective, it’s safe to say that grits are hot right now.

Most diners have by now become quite familiar with shrimp and grits, a lowcountry favorite that serves as a gateway to many grit first-timers and a jumping-off point for cooks and chefs in search of new ways to use this staple of the southern breakfast table. Innovative chefs are finding other ways to weave grits and polenta into menus, and customers are noticing. David Bauer shares that the most common reaction he hears is diners saying “this tastes like corn, not like mush. People are noticing things having flavor, that

they “didn’t expect to have flavor.”

Likewise, chefs are delighted that the inherent flavor in stone-ground corn means they don’t need to add cheese, bacon and seasoning to “dress up” a dish.

The enjoyment doesn’t need to be limited to dining out. When you get your hands on some genuine stoneground grits, here are a few recommendations: I’m still partial to them for breakfast, and I’ve found that cooking them in milk only adds to the richness.

Grit bowls, using freshly cooked grits as the base for topping of bacon, sausage, peppers or other accoutrements, are typically a hit. And a true personal favorite comes a day later or for dessert that night: save enough leftover grits to store in a container, slice into sections, and fry in bacon grease or other fat for grit cakes. If for dessert, my suggested topping is pure, dark molasses. Pure heaven in western NC. Noah Raper Robins, a native of Madison County, grew up on a farm and is passionate about all things local, particularly food and drink.

West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen’s Cheesy Grits MAKES 6 LARGE PORTIONS

1 C stone ground grits 3 C milk 1½ C heavy cream ½ C unsalted butter, divided 1 C cheddar cheese, shredded salt & pepper to taste Add milk, cream and ¼ C butter to a pot and bring to boil. Whisk in grits, ensuring there are no lumps. Reduce to simmer. Add salt and pepper (we used about 1 tsp each).

Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring often.

Add remaining ¼ C butter and cook for 10 minutes more.

Add cheese and continue to cook until melted. Turn off heat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then serve.

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TRAVELING LOCAVORE

THE GUIDE

GREENVILLE GREENVILLE

was established as a city in 1869. Given it’s proximity to several rail lines and the Reedy River it quickly became the hub of Upstate South Carolina. In the early 1900s, Greenville was named the “Textile Capital of the South” for its many cotton mills, later their title was upgraded to “Textile Capital of the World”. When those mills began closing in the late 20th century and the businesses started leaving the downtown area, it seemed like Greenville was doomed. But in the 1980s, city leaders, with the help of federal funding, were able to begin new construction projects downtown which eventually turned things around. Today, the downtown area of Greenville is booming. There are hotels, businesses, retail shops and restaurants all along the beautiful tree-lined Main Street. Within a mile or two from Main Street you can also find minor league baseball, a zoo, museums and more. So with all of this to offer, I can’t wait to eat my way through this town.

by TIFFANY WELSH

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11am

On a normal Saturday morning, I would shop the local farmer’s market. But sadly, it is too early in the year for the downtown market in Greenville. I have been to the TD Saturday Market on Main Street before and I highly recommend you visit if you’re in Greenville between May and October. Instead, I decide to head to Southen Culture Kitchen and Bar for brunch. They market themselves as upscale Southern-style cuisine at down home prices. Plus they have a bottomless Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar for the grown-ups on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so it sounds like a win to me. I highly recommend the Sweet Potato Pancakes, which had the perfect amount of spice. The restaurant was very busy, so I was glad I arrived right after they opened. There was also live music, an unusual occurrence during breakfast, but enjoyable.

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FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

12pm

After brunch, I decide to go downtown to check out a new bookstore located on Main Street, M. Judson Books. The store was opened by local foodies and they feature a seasonal snack bar, a community meeting area and many cookbooks and kitchen adornments. I love how they have little book reviews pinned to the shelves and the decor is fabulous.

They host lots of events at the store.

While talking to an employee, I discover they are hosting a Sunday Sit Down Supper with our contributor, Ashley English, on May 15th. (Check their website for more information at mjudsonbooks.com)

1pm

After looking at all those cookbooks, I am hungry again and decide to head to the Brick Street Cafe for lunch. An Abe Lincoln statue proclaiming ‘Kiss My Grits’ greets

patrons at the door, which perfectly sets the tone for the restaurant. Part Southern Belle, part vintage kitsch, this is just a fun place to be. The lunch was outstanding. This restaurant is known for it’s cake and around the holidays they have boxed cakes stacked to the ceiling waiting for pickup. Throughout the restaurant, you will see signs saying “Just Eat Da Cake”, which is just what I did. With names like “Sara’s Coconut cake stolen from Becky” or “The Best Chocolate Cake I’ve Ever Had”, it was hard to choose just one. I can confirm, their reputation is well deserved.

2pm

After all that cake, I decide to head to Falls Park to get a little exercise. Falls Park is located right in the heart of downtown Greenville on the Reedy River and it is definitely the gem of downtown. At the heart of the park is the Liberty Bridge, a 355 foot

long pedestrian bridge supported by a single suspension cable. It is one of a kind in the United States and provides the perfect vantage point of the falls.

After crossing the bridge, I head further into the park, which is an obvious hot spot for locals and tourists. The city has done a tremendous job of creating a nature oasis in the middle of an urban setting. The park also runs alongside the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 21 mile long multi-use greenway that is perfect for walking or bicycling. Don’t worry if you didn’t bring a bike, because there are plenty of places to rent one for the day.

I decide to take the trail to the north.

4pm After

a couple miles of travel along the trail, I come to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery. It’s the perfect spot to stop for an afternoon snack and cool off in the shade. They have

a huge variety of regional foods, both fresh and prepared. The store also features a little Cafe serving coffee and fresh baked pastries. You know I can never pass up a yummy pastry!

7pm For

dinner, I want to try Grill Marks Burgers & Shakes. It’s located right near the entrance to Falls Park. I am a sucker for a good cheeseburger, but when I arrive they tell me there is a long wait. I am instructed to download an app called No Wait, where I get in line for a table. The No Wait app is pretty neat, because it updates your place in line in real time and since the restaurant sends you a text when your table is ready, you can wander away from the line without worrying about missing your turn. The app tells me I have 60 minutes to wait with 17 parties ahead of me, so I decide to take a walk down Main Street and visit some of the

other shops. Downtown is really busy on a Saturday night. It seems like every other store front is a restaurant with sidewalk seating. The extra time gives me an opportunity to look for the Mice on Main that are sprinkled throughout downtown. I was only able to find four of the nine little critters before heading back to the restaurant.

I ordered the Firehouse Burger, loaded up with grilled onions and jalepenos, bacon, pepper jack cheese and chipotle ketchup. It was delicious! Plus they serve their fries in little fry baskets, which I always love. Throughout dinner, I am enticed by the milkshakes coming from the milkshake bar - both traditional and spiked. I finally have to order a strawberry shake to end the evening and I’m glad I did - it was the cherry on top of my trip to Greenville!

SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

23

GUIDE

FOOD F O R T H O UGH T

Mill Village Farms

Empowering youth and transforming communities by turning vacant spaces into bountiful gardens

by TIFFANY WELSH photos courtesy of Mill Village Farms DAN WEIDENBENNER will be the first to tell you, he’s not an expert in farming. What he knows is community development. Originally from Florida, Weidenbenner made his way to Greenville via the lowcountry of South Carolina’s coast. It was there that he saw first hand the strain segregation, both racial and economic, can put on a community. So when he moved into the Greater Sullivan community of Greenville in 2007, he immediately looked for a way to help bring his new neighbors together. He spent time talking to the local church, the neighborhood leaders and the parents and grandparents of the area and what he discovered was a real need for youth employment and empowerment to better their lives.

The Greater Sullivan area was originally a mill village for Mills Manufacturing Company, which closed in 1978.

Many of the residents of the area are 24

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

third of fourth generation and nearly half live below the poverty level. Aside from the economic strain caused by the loss of the textile mill, the community also lost investment from businesses like grocery stores, which created a food desert for those in the area.

Weidenbenner was inspired by The Food Project, out of Boston, and decided to try a similar program in Greater Sullivan. Through a partnership with the local church, Long Branch Baptist Church, Weidenbenner was able to launch Mill Village Farms in 2012. The church generously donated the land surrounding their building to become a new greenway for the neighborhood. What was once concrete jungle, is now a stream, a seating area, a playground, an urban garden, a greenhouse and more - it has really become a community gathering place.

The Sullivan Street garden was built in October of 2012 with over 50 volun-

teers from the area. It was there that the first teens from the community were introduced to farming. Sullivan Street is also the main hub of the Mill Village Farms project. They keep a solar greenhouse there, which houses several hydroponic systems and a 22,000 gallon aquaponic growing system. The greenhouse is also where they start all of their seedlings for the Tower Gardens, which are used in their Rooftop Garden project. They host a lot of field trips here to teach kids about the growing ecosystem.

Mill Village Farms employs about 30-40 teens per year. Teens work 1-2 days per week during the school year.

They learn about farming, job skills and an participate in an entrepreneurial program. During the summer, they work in the farm and the market. Mill Village has a brick and mortar store, Mill Village Market, which just opened in February. The market sells the pro-

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT MILLVILLAGEFARMS.ORG

duce grown at the farms and provides an area for the teens to give cooking demonstrations to teach about preparing some of the more unusual vegetables. They also have a mobile market, which travels to food desert areas to offer fresh produce to people who may not have access to this kind of food. Most teens stay with the program for one year, and then they get assistance to transition to another job through the job program. Weidenbenner is always working on connecting with farms and restaurants who are looking for good employees. About 70-80% of the teens come from the

surrounding neighborhood, but they accept kids from all over Greenville, which provides a chance for them to learn from people with a different socioeconomic background.

As part of their entrepreneur program, the teens are presented with a problem and are guided through the process of brainstorming a solution, developing a plan, and the implementation of the plan. One such project has led to construction of urban bike repair locations, which allow free use of tools and bike parts to make repairs.

Since this is only their fourth year with the Mill Village Farm project, it will be

exciting to see the impact these opportunities have in the long term.

After touring the Sullivan Street part of the project, we head to the heart of downtown to see their new rooftop garden, the first of it’s kind in the state of South Carolina. When we tour the rooftop garden space in downtown, I note that nearly everything is grown in tower gardens. Weidenbenner tells me this is by design. “We wanted to do something innovative and that could be see from downtown. Something that could become a destination. It allows us to do much more in less space, and it is more controlled.”

They use about 40 towers in the rooftop garden for now, all of which bear the names of the individuals who provided the donations to purchase the equipment. As Weidenbenner says, “these plants have the best view in the city.” They also grow sunflowers in recycling bins and have a few bee hives.

Mill Village Farms is an ambitious project, which has so far been a success. Weidenbenner is not resting on his laurels though, he is already thinking about their new kitchen, where they will produce prepared foods for the market, and farm dinners where they can raise money to expand their program.

“Food is the one thing we all have to interact with,” says Weidenbenner, “Food is the one thing that can really break down barriers and create bridges.”

SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

25

THE GUIDE

KI T C H E N C O N VE R S ATI O N S

Susannah Gebhart

on her artisan bakeshop, OWL Bakery

by TIFFANY WELSH photos by NICOLE MCCONVILLE Tell me about yourself. How did you end up as a baker?

I moved to Jackson County, North Carolina, after I graduated from college in Vermont. One of my first jobs out of college was baking for Annie’s Naturally in the basement of their retail space in Sylva. It was a really small crew, before they had expanded to Asheville. I worked very closely with a man name Bobby Pardo, who was actually a fourth generation baker. His family, both his father and mother’s families were all bakers. He grew up in Florida and learned old Italian and Spanish baking techniques from them and he was my education in baking.

How did you move from working in a production bakery for Annie’s to owning OWL? After I moved to Asheville, I started working for Jennifer Thomas at the Montford Walk-In bakery. She had a wood-fired oven and a small bake shop just off the side of her house and sold to customers who pre-ordered their baked goods for the week. While I was working with her, I really started to acknowledge my love of baking and the creative outlet

and finding a lot of energetic feedback or rather energy from that process and developing my own formulas. Then it so happened, that I took over that space and started OWL in August 2014.

I worked out of her space baking wood fired breads and making pastries for High Five and then moved to this production space (in West Asheville) and started making progress towards the storefront.

Did you always intend to make a career out of making food?

No, not at all. I had traveled a lot previously and worked a lot in food.

My college major was unofficially food anthropology, so I was interested in all these threads where you explore life and community through food. But it was definitely not in my personal life vision or really in my field of awareness that a bakery was something that could connect all of these disparate interests of mine.

So while I had baking jobs through my 20s, I didn’t really see them coalescing into something physical, a business, but I think when I finally realized how much I enjoyed it, it was a surrender in a way and it became very clear what my path was meant to be.

It’s wonderful when you find something you like to do and you can make a living at it.

It’s definitely a path of following your passion and doing a lot of hard work to bring it together. So it’s not without it’s trials, but that makes it that much more rewarding.

As an extension of your interest in Food Anthropology, you began the Appalachian Food Storybank, right?

I started that with Slow Foods Asheville and it’s a project of the Heritage Foods Committee. We started working on that in 2011. There have been a lot of fun projects, but now that I am having to put so much attention into the bakery, the leadership is transitioning. Maia, who works with me and is one of my business partners, is taking over the leadership of that project. So it’s still staying in the bakery family, which is wonderful. An she is an Historian, so she will be interested in organizing educational events about Appalachian food and other topics about culinary history at the bakery. So Appalachian foodways, as well as other traditional ethnic and European foodways, are very much intertwined in everything we do in our approach at the bakery.

You specifically mention being inspired by European bakeries, what sets apart a European style bakery from the others?

What draws me to creating an environment that is like a European bakery is the culture and the practice of sourcing your food on a daily basis and really putting it at a central point in your 26

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

FOR MORE INFO, VISIT OWLBAKERY.COM life - it marks the seasons, it marks your days, it creates ritual and through that it creates community. That’s one of the reasons I really wanted the business to be located in East-West Asheville. I really wanted it to be a neighborhood bakery, where residents can walk to the bakery and enjoy it and each other and the space.

While I’m sure there will be a degree of tourists who come through, I really want it to be a hub for this neighborhood.

So you’re creating a community gathering place.

Yes, a gathering place and a place where people can feel not only rooted in this beautiful place in which we live, but also feel transported out of the busyness and have a moment to enjoy something beautiful and serene.

It sounds lovely. I want to go there right now! You mentioned sourcing food and how it can mark your seasons. Tell me more about how you will be using local food?

We source our butter regionally and it’s from organic grass fed milk. We will be making a lot of dairy products in house, including fresh cheeses, yogurt, creme fraiche and cultured butter, and all of that is made with local grass fed milk. By making as much as we can from scratch, from ingredients that are sourced locally and seasonally we have the opportunity to really dive into the quality of and the qualities of the ingredients we are using and highlight those. Because this is a such a bountiful region, it only makes sense.

That will be really nice. A real connection between the land, the people, and the food.

We are also trying to build a network of homestead chicken keepers, who have small backyard flocks, who might have an excess of eggs. We are developing a program where those people can come to the bakery when they have extra eggs and trade them. Then we can use those for our baking. Those chickens are very loved chickens and produce the best quality eggs. So we are really excited about that project, which would allow us to source super high quality eggs to serve and to connect with all of those people who are homesteading and providing examples for urban agriculture and livestock.

That’s a great idea. Another idea I think is great is the subscription service you had going in March. I don’t know of any other bakery who is doing that. Is that something you’re going to continue doing?

It was something that we conceived of to do a lot of our research and development for what we are planning to serve at the store. The response was enormous and so encouraging and exciting. It really gave us an opportunity to meet people who will be coming in and start to become part of our extended bakery family. Since the response was so great, we might revisit that once we get settled in the storefront. Definitely, in the future, once we get the wood fired oven built and we are doing full bread

production, then we will have some kind of subscription for local folks who want to pay ahead of time and just know that they can come pick up their loaf every week on a given day and ensure that they get bread.

Kind of like a CSA for a bakery. I think that’s a great idea. I bet it’s a lot of work trying to setup a new storefront and keep up with your regular work.

It’s been a great challenge and I’ve had a lot of fun with the whole process. I have such a wonderful team, everybody’s incredible inspired and really sweet. So I feel enormously blessed.

Is it just the four of you (Susannah, Rose, Maia and John)?

We’re the core team, but we are starting to build our team. There will be more people coming on - three more bakers and three to five baristas, who will joining us when we open.

Wow, that’s a big expansion.

It kind of is!

I can’t wait to come in and check it out.

I don’t live in West Asheville, but I will definitely make a special trip to come in. I’m a glutton for pastries!

We are very lucky to live in a place where so many things grow.

It’s true. Also there is such a well established network of food makers in this area - farmers, beekeepers, fruit growers who really care about the products they’re cultivating. So getting the highest quality products we can, meaning the freshest and with the most care taken in cultivating them, it is really the only way in my opinion.

We will also be growing a lot of the herbs and edible flowers, and eventually the fruits, that we will be using in the bakery in a garden space around our building, as well as having outdoor seating. That’s a way to connect not only directly with the products and the food, but it will allow our customers to also experience the beautiful cycle of how things come from the garden to their plate.

Above: Raisin & Flax Bread; Right: Turnovers; Opposite: Pear Tartlets SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

27

FEATURE

A S H E VI L L E C O F F E E S C E N E

10 Unique Facets of

Asheville’s COFFEE SCENE

by STU HELM

HELLO ASHEVILLE! Let’s talk coffee.

I love it! When I wake up in the morning, and I know that there’s a hot cup of coffee in my immediate future, I’m already in a good mood!

I’ve watched with excitement as the coffee scene here in Asheville has steadily developed into the fun, vibrant, active, and lively community that it is now. Below I’ve compiled a short list of 10 facets of our coffee scene that I personally love, use, and endorse. I mostly habituate downtown, so please excuse any exclusion of the great roasters, brewers, and baristas outside of my immediate area, of which there are many.

1) V O R T E X DOUGHNUTS

32 Banks Ave. Vortex made a big splash when they first opened their doors, as much for their amazing coffee, as for the promise of doughnuts. In fact, the buzz in the beginning was that the vortexdoughnuts doughnuts needed work, but the coffee, yeah, man, that was the jam. The doughnuts have since improved, and the coffee -- provided by 1,000 Faces -- has remained solidly awesome.

As far as the beans, the roasts, and the preparation, I think it is some of the best and most adventurous coffee in Asheville!

3)PENNYCUP COFFEE CO. 362

Depot St. Pennycup is my pet cafe, because they are right up the street from my house, but also because they roast their own coffee right in-house! In fact, they were strictly a pennycupco roaster -- only roasting beans for other cafes -- for a year before opening their doors to the public as a cafe. Now they have two cafes, and some of the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life.

I love that I can smell the beans being roasted while drinking the coffee from the previously roasted batch.

4) COUNTER CULTURE 77 Broadway

I f you haven’t taken advantage of Counter Culture’s coffee classes and free tastings, you should. The classes are taught by Lindsay Lee, and she’ll teach you everything you need to know about coffee, and how they do it at Counter Culture.

The tastings are free, every Friday morning, and you can sign up for classes online. I took the Espresso Fundamentals class, and according Lindsay Lee, I made the perfect latte.

2) HIGH FIVE 13 Rankin Ave. I have always wanted more

highfivecoffee 28

cafes to open downtown, so when High Five announced a second location right up the street from The Vault on Rankin, I was psyched. I’ve stopped in many times and have not been disappointed in any way! My friend, Chef Joe Scully, thinks this is the best cafe in town, and I don’t disagree. Along with having the most consistently well made espresso drinks in Asheville, their specialty drinks are usually the bomb. It is also the coolest, hippest, and most well designed cafe downtown, and the place to be seen.

FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

counterculturecoffee

FOR MORE COFFEE LOVE & FOOD FANDOM, VISIT STUHELMFOODFAN.WORDPRESS.COM

5) DOUBLE D’S COFFEE & DESSERTS

4 1 Biltmore Ave. While the name is a bit unfortunate, the Double Decker Bus cafe (as I like to call it) is the most unique coffee shop in town, because it is literally made from an DoubleDscoffee old double decker bus! It’s been converted, and tricked-out, and has tables upstairs, but it’s a dang bus, and that’s cool. I see a lot of young people meeting there, and I’ve seen parents bring their kids for hot chocolate. It’s fun, has a great view out the front window upstairs, and the espresso drinks are great!

8) BEANWERKS

753 Haywood Rd. When I have a great cup of house coffee at a restaurant, and ask where it’s from, it seems like a lot of beanwerkscoffeecompany times the answer is “Beanwerks.” If I’m in West Asheville the phrase, “right up the street” is usually added. West Asheville should be proud and happy to have a place like Beanwerks providing great fresh-roasted beans to the restaurants in West Asheville, and beyond. Plus, they create an amazing aroma when the roasters are fired up. YUM! Coffee.

9) FARM TO HOME MILK

farmtohomemilk.com I know, these guys aren’t coffee, but they deliver awesome grass-fed milk to some of the cafes around town, and the steamed-milk for espresso drinks that results from Farm to Home Milk is to die for, so I wanted to give them a nod for their contribution to the coffee scene.

6) T HE COFFEE PEDLAR 67 Patton Ave.

This guy rides a bike that is a cafe on wheels and weighs hundreds of pounds, from West Asheville to Pritchard Park every day, and he makes the best frickin’ coffee ever. He’s my hero. He doesn’t have espresso, only pour-overs, and he’s the best at making making those. He’s also totally chill, and fun to talk to about coffee and such. ryanthecoffeepedlar Also: Shout out to MoCo coffee motorcycle, and Mobile Mo’Joe coffee truck.

7) COFFEE CRATE

C offeeCrate.co Coffee Crate is a subscription service run by Angie Rainey. When you sign yourself or a friend up for a Coffee Crate subscription you will receive three bags of small-batch roasted coffee from three different NC coffee roasters, plus a sweet treat from a local bakery / patisserie / confectioner! Yeah, man! I loved my subscription!

farmtohome

10) ASHEVILLE COFFEE EXPO

So, obviously I love coffee, I drink a lot of it, and the coffee scene is growing bigger and bigger! That’s why I decided to contact Angie Rainey at Coffee Crate and ask her if she would co-produce the first annual Asheville Coffee Expo with me. She said yes! Whoop whoop! The 2016 Asheville Coffee Expo will be a celebration of the local NC coffee scene, bringing together roasters, brewers, baristas, manufacturers, and general public; anyone who loves coffee, for a day of fun, contests, vendors, demos and of course… COFFEEEEEEEEEE!

I’ll see you guys here and there, and everywhere they serve coffee.

coffeecrate

Stu Helm is an artist, graphic designer, and writer living in Asheville, North Carolina. You can follow him on Instagram @stuhelmfoodfan

SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

29

Everything I Need to Know I Learned From

RHUBARB

by ASHLEY ENGLISH

I DID NOT GROW UP in a rhubarb eating home.

It might sound hyperbolic to say that all I needed Though there were always apples and bananas to learn from adult life I learned from rhubarb. In in a bowl on the counter, and a near constant many ways, though, that’s most certainly true. supply of grapes and oranges in the crispIn turning my attention to what had previer bin, there were never, at any time, ously been nearly invisible to me, I found stalks of rhubarb in our kitchen. I a source of happiness I hadn’t previousdon’t think my mother harbored ly experienced. If I can do that with any sort of deep-seated abhorrhubarb, I can do that with anything. rence of the pink and crimson I think that’s an idea even Mom stalks. It’s more like my grandcould get on board with. parents weren’t rhubarb eatAshley English is a local author ers, whatever their reasons of seven books (and currently might’ve been, so she nevworking on her eighth and er became one. The apple, ninth) on the topics of as it is said, doesn’t fall too homesteading, cooking and far from the tree. Except entertaining. You can follow for in the case of myself and her life’s journey on her blog at rhubarb, in which the proverbismallmeasure.com al “fruit” pretty much fell off the tree, rolled down a hill, plopped into a creek, Rhubarb is now a regular part of my bobbed along on the current for two miles, and then washed up on a sandy culinary repertoire. After establishing a permanent bed for it all those years riverbed and put down roots there. ago, I’m kept in a generous seasonal When I met and married my husband supply. From chutneys to crisps, cobin 2007, as though the sublime gift of his blers to pies, and compotes to sweet companionship alone weren’t enough, breads like the one offered here, we he also happened to come with a home cook and bake rhubarb up in a wide and 11 acres. After profusely thanking variety of permutations. While primy lucky stars, I quickly set about the marily employed for its flavor, I also business of establishing a kitchen garenjoy rhubarb for what it has come to den on our property, which along with represent to me. Though not outright numerous beds for annual crops like shunned by my mother, rhubarb wasn’t tomatoes and peppers, would also ingiven much credence either. Mostly clude several perennial beds. I deterit was just ignored, and, in so doing, mined early on that fresh sorrel, asparconsidered unworthy of attention and agus, strawberries, and, yes, rhubarb recognition and praise. Like a hidden would all be part of the meals gracing talent that goes without nurturing, or our dining table each spring. I’d finala potential place of solace hurriedly ly had an opportunity to get to know driven by on the way to work each day, rhubarb firsthand in my early 30’s, and rhubarb came to epitomize for me the though the specifics of that initial enthings we overlook that might be just counter elude me now, I do recall rather the thing we truly desire. immediately coming to like it.

Photo by TIM ROBISON

Rhubarb came to epitomize for me things we overlook that might be just the thing we truly desire.

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FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

VISIT ASHLEY ENGLISH AT SMALLMEASURE.COM

Rhubarb Buttermilk Bread YIELD: ONE 9X5 LOAF

YOU WILL NEED

BREAD: 1½ C all-purpose flour ¾ C granulated sugar 1½ t baking powder ¾ t baking soda ½ t salt 2 eggs, room temperature ½ C buttermilk 6 T unsalted butter, melted Zest of 1 lemon Seeds from 1 vanilla bean* ¾ C rhubarb, chopped

TOPPING: ¼ C all-purpose flour 2 T brown sugar 3 T unsalted butter, cubed ¼ C chopped hazelnuts ½ t ground nutmeg

* Using a pointy-end knife, slice the vanilla bean pod open lengthwise, then out scrape the tiny seed flecks with the knife tip.

TO MAKE reheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a P 9”x5” loaf pan, and set it aside.

PREPARE THE TOPPING: Place all of the topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Using clean hands, mix everything together until the ingredients are fully combined and the butter is in pea-sized clumps. Set aside while you prepare the bread batter.

PREPARE THE BATTER: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl, using either a whisk or a fork. Add the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds. Whisk together until the ingredients are fully combined.

ith a mixing spoon, stir in the chopped rhubarb until it is W well blended into the batter.

ASSEMBLE THE BREAD: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the batter across the surface of the pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly across the batter.

Place the pan into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Handmade Gatherings: Recipes and Crafts for Seasonal Celebrations and Potluck Parties, Ashley English, Roost Books 2014.

SPRING 2016 | FOODLIFEMAG.COM

31

THE GUIDE

ASHEV I LLE CO CKTA I L W E E K

ASHEVILLE COCKTAIL WEEK 2 0 1 6 o p e n i n g d at e s

Asheville Cocktail Week is a celebration of the art of mixology and craft spirits, combining the best talent and trends the industry has to offer.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

COCKTAIL THEATRE

asheville city market

April 2, Saturdays 8-12

asheville City market South April 6, Wednesdays 12-4

Black mountain tailgate market May 7, Saturdays 9-12

east asheville tailgate market May 6, Fridays 3-6

French Broad Food CoOp tailgate market April 13, Wednesdays 2-6

henderson County tailgate market March 14, Saturdays 7-12

leicester Farmers market April 2, Saturdays 9-2

mills river Farmers market May 7, Saturdays 8-12

north asheville tailgate market April 2, Saturdays 8-12

oakley farmers market

May 5, Thursdays 3:30-6:30

Original waynesville tailgate market May 14, Wednesdays + Saturdays 8-12

river arts district farmers market May 4, Wednesdays 2-6

weaverville tailgate market

April 13, Wednesdays 2:30-6:30

west asheville tailgate market April 5, Tuesdays 3:30-6:30

For a complete list of the 90+ tailgates in the region, including their season closing dates, visit ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org

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FOODLIFEMAG.COM | SPRING 2016

feat. Rob Floyd w/ Beam Suntory 7:30pm; Historic S&W Cafeteria

The week kicks off with Cocktail Theatre featuring “Molecular Mixologist” Rob Floyd. Recently recognized as one of the top mixologists in the world by Savory and Luxe Magazine, Rob has been featured in major publications including the Wall Street Journal, Times of London, People, Maxim, Huffington Post and Esquire. Rob’s traveling troupe will entertain the crowd while serving creative concoctions. Prime Seating gives you a table up close to Rob Floyd and all the action! General Seating still provides a great location in the balcony. Food, Spirits and entertainment included in the ticket price. $65

THURSDAY, MAY 5

SPIRIT DINNER with Warren Bobrow w/ Beam Suntory 6pm; Rhubarb

The renowned mixologist, chef and author will share his lifetime of secrets and stories as well as his his cocktail-themed books. Enjoy a meal prepared by award-winning chef John Fleer and his renowned restaurant Rhubarb, for an intimate, yet lively gathering of food, spirits and fun. $70

CINCO DE MAYO CRAWL

w/Beam Suntory 8pm; Sovereign Remedies, The Imperial Life & The Southern

Celebrate in Cinco de Mayo style at Sovereign Remedies, The Imperial Life, and The Southern with tequila tastings and after-hours fiesta nibbles. Enjoy a specialty craft cocktail derived from the nights theme as you continue on into a Cinco de Mayo bar-crawl to enjoy unique preparations using various tequilas. $40

CINCO DE MAYO AFTER-PARTY w/ Beam Suntory 10:30pm; Buxton Hall

Starting around 10:30, join us for an exclusive after-party to round out the evening at Buxton Hall on the famous “south slope” in Asheville. Included with Crawl ticket

FRIDAY, MAY 6

SOUTHEASTERN DISTILLING EXPO 11am - 4pm; Historic S&W Cafeteria

Simply the largest gathering of Southeastern distilleries in one location. This invite-only industry expo for owners, managers and bartenders gets products in front of the people who purchase and use the spirits. Distilleries can showcase their products and company, while industry representatives get to sample, see possible uses and develop homegrown relationships with their products’ roots. Industry luminaries will provide additional value for bar staff with classes and instruction on shrubs, bitters, batching, and more.

VISIT ASHEVILLEWINEANDFOOD.COM

BOOK SIGNING with Warren Bobrow 4pm; Malaprop’s

Malaprop’s Bookstore will host a reading and signing with this well-known cocktail author. Bobrow, known as the “Cocktail Whisperer” along with being a notable writer featured in Saveur and many other publications, is the author of three books: Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today (2013), Whiskey Cocktails: Rediscovered Classics and Contemporary Craft Drinks (2014) and Bitters and Shrub Syrup Cocktails: Restorative Vintage Cocktails, Mocktails & Elixirs (2015). cocktailwhisperer.com

ELIXIR

6-8pm; Historic S&W Cafeteria

In its fourth year, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival’s ELIXIR bar competition promises to bring yet another exciting evening of collaboration between the distilleries and local bar talent. This event provides tastings, food and a fun environment for the public to get in front of bartenders and distilleries while they demo and provide sample drinks in a structured, competition-style forum. It’s a great way to support your local favorites and well as discovery new talent! Check out the exceptional pricing! $35

SATURDAY, MAY 7

HANGOVER BRUNCH w/ Cathead Vodka Bloody Mary Bar 10:30am-12pm & 12pm-1:30pm; Tod’s Tasties

The best cure for days of celebration with libation is a Bloody Mary Brunch at Tod’s Tasties in Montford. Keep the week moving forward with this mid-day boost with Cathead Vodka showing us how the Bloody Mary is done right. $45

ASHEVILLE COCKTAIL TOURS w/ Eating Asheville 11am-1:30pm & 2-4:30pm

This long established Asheville food tour group has stepped up to the challenge of leading patrons for an immersive, knowledge-based bar hop. Two specially designed tours to suit your cocktail style, will provide variety at its best. eatingasheville.com

ASHEVILLE “DERBY” PARTY w/ Beam Suntory 5:30-7pm; Smoky Park Supper Club

Who says you can’t throw a party in a recycled shipping container? Smoky Park Supper Club is the largest shipping container restaurant in the U.S. and has the perfect riverfront expansive lawn to boot. Showing full Southern roots, party-goers will imbibe in “Derby-style” mint juleps, front row derby viewing, and more. Celebrate the best minutes in horse racing excitement. Big hats encouraged. $75

OLD FASHIONED NIGHTCAP w/ Beam Suntory 8:30 - 10:30pm; Ole Shakey’s

The perfect way to round off a Saturday evening with a lovely nightcap at one of Asheville’s favorite feel good bars. A mixture of soul and grunge, relax with specially prepared nightcap amongst friends. $40

SUNDAY, MAY 8

BEST BLOODY MARY CONTEST w/ Cathead Vodka

Numerous Asheville bars will be serving their very best bloody mary to claim the title of Asheville Cocktail Week “Best Bloody Mary”, with final results announced at the end of the week. Ballots will be collected and tallied so that the very best can be named, tasted and celebrated by all. PARTICIPANTS: Luella’s, Smoky Park Supper Club, King Daddy’s, The Southern, Tupelo Honey (downtown), Block Off Biltmore, Twisted Laurel, Aloft, Sunny Point, Local Provisions, Mayfels, Carmels.

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THE GUIDE

CALENDAR

JU NE A N N UA L G A LA & B E NEFI T A UC T IO N June 11, 5-8pm | John C. Campbell Folk School An exciting evening of lively entertainment, delicious food, and traditional craft and fine art. Proceeds will benefit the Folk School’s craft programs. Please call Reed Caldwell, Development Manager (800-365-5724) for more info. Admission: $25 (includes food and drink). folkschool.org

M AY AS H E V ILLE H E R B F E S T I VAL April 29-May 1 | WNC Farmers Market The WNC Chapter of the NC Herb Association will host its annual Herb Festival. Special guests will be representatives of the Herb Society of America, representing the great variety of herb growers, herbalists, and related herb businesses in North Carolina, as well as natural gardening and landscaping specialists, and makers of herbal ointments, balms, soaps, teas, sauces, and medicines. It’s the greatest herb festival in the whole southeast with an estimated 80,000 attendees! Admission is FREE ashevilleherbfestival.com MO U NTA IN LA M B JAM May 7, 3:30-9pm | Location TBA Produced in collaboration with Blind Pig, Jeff Bannister of Bovinche, and Craig Rogers of Border Springs Lamb.

The Lamb Jam will be an afternoon and evening festival celebrating pasture raised lamb and ethical meat in Western Buncombe County. Enjoy live music, an ethical meat workshop with Meredith Leigh, and “tasting stations” with several featured chefs during the day. Dinner will be a wood smoked and pit cooked family style meal served at dusk by several chefs collaborating.

Proceeds benefit The Homeless Veterans Foundation of Asheville (ABCCM) theblindpigsupperclub.com AS H E V ILLE V E G F E S T May 15th, 10am-6pm | Pack Square Presented by the Asheville Vegan Society, Veg Fest is a celebration of 34

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compassionate eating and sustainable living, where vegetarians, vegans, and the veg-curious can explore and celebrate the benefits of plant-based eating. This family-friendly event will feature live music, speakers, local beer, cooking demonstrations, a kids’ activity area, and best of all—food! A wide variety of vegan fare will be available for purchase from food trucks and local veg restaurants as well as free samples. Admission is FREE. ashevillevegfest.com CAROLINA DONUT FESTIVAL May 21 | Main St, Downtown Marion Family oriented festival sponsored by Mr. Bob’s Donuts spotlighting vendors and their sweet, delicious treats. It will also include booths for non profit organizations, as well as booths for local and regional artisans to display and sell their creations. Activities include: a donut eating contest, a donut race, bobbing for donuts, a donut toss contest, and more! mrbobsdonuts.com B E E R C IT Y F E ST IVA L May 28, 1-6pm | Roger McGuire Green A full-day event featuring beer tastings from members of WNC’s prestigious Asheville Brewers Alliance (ABA) plus music from regional bands. The 7th annual Beer City Festival is the kickoff to the annual Asheville Beer Week, an event highlighting WNC’s craft brewery sector. Hosted by the ABA, Asheville Beer Week lasts from May 27-June 4 and features daily events dedicated to beer tastings, food pairings, craft beer education and more. Admission is $45/ advance, $50/day of event. beercityfestival.com

A SHE VILLE VEG A N FES T June 11 & 12 | Pack Square Park Save the date for Asheville VeganFest to benefit Brother Wolf Animal Sanctuary.

For 2016, the fest is expanding to bring you more speakers, activities, food and fun! Saturday will include panel discussions with dynamic speakers from around the country. On Sunday, from 11am-5pm in Pack Square Park, there will be over 100 vendors, food, beer, farmers market, guest speakers, music and more! Free. bwar.org A SA P ’S FA R M T O UR June 25 & 26 | Various locations For one weekend every year, the gates and barns of WNC farms open to the public for the Farm Tour. The self-guided driving tour is your chance to learn how food grows, taste farm-fresh products, hang out with farm animals, and meet the community’s food producers.

Buy an admission pass, pack your car with family/friends, and set off to celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage and beautiful landscapes. $30/pass. Purchase your pass at asapconnections.org

JU LY ROOT BOTTOM FARM TO TABLE DINNER SERIES July 9, 6-9pm | Root Bottom Farm Join Root Bottom Farm for a delicious 100% local meal in beautiful Madison County, NC. The food is fresh, organic and locally grown just yards from your seat.Tickets are $60 per person rootbottomfarm.com

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