Chapel Hill Magazine December 15 issue by Triangle Media Partners

MAPLE VIEW’S

EGGNOG 22

GABE BARKER’S NEW

PIZZERIA 86

HEROES WHO

HEAL 32

CHAPELHILL GIF T E

DECEMBER 2015 CHAPELHILLMAGAZINE.COM

30 GUPaIgeD

The

Holiday issue

Sweet! Holiday baking recipes from the experts Page

SUGAR RUSH

See Amanda Fisher’s recipe for Tiffin Squares – plus other Chapel Hillians’ takes on Danish butter cookies, honey caramels, blood orange oatmeal cookies and more – beginning on page 72.

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READY, SET, BAKE WE ALL HAVE OUR HOLIDAY TRADITIONS. I’m OK with not peppering my entire household with lights, wreaths and festive figurines, but I take Christmas cookie baking very seriously. It’s something my family always did as a unit, even when my sister and I were too young to really be helpful in the process. Every year, I turn on my favorite holiday tunes and make dozens of my signature chewy chocolate chip cookies (a few batches with red and green M&Ms substituted for chocolate chips) and Hershey kiss cookies. Then, I try new recipes. Pinterest always helps me find inspiration. Lemon crinkle cookies. Sea salt truffles. Cream cheese-filled snickerdoodles. Apple cider-caramel cookies. At the end of this whirlwind weekend, I finally give my oven a break and fill holiday-themed cardboard boxes for friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, the letter carrier. Pretty much everyone I see in the month of December. The key to creating the perfect cookie box, in my opinion, is achieving the right mix of chocolate versus non-chocolate, cookie versus sweet snack (like chocolatecovered pretzels), classics versus the trend of the month. Just as a chef must consider texture, color and flavor balance, so must a cookie baker. You can glean plenty of inspiration for your cookie agenda this season beginning on page 72. We went to experts like cookbook author Sheri Castle and Just Bee Apiary’s Marty Hanks, and they hit it out of the park with their beautiful offerings. Guess I won’t need to turn to Pinterest this year after all. CHM

ANDREA GRIFFITH CASH @andreagcash T H E

C O V E R

P H O T O

B Y

B R I A N A

B R O U G H

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

andrea@chapelhillmagazine.com

STEP OUTSIDE YOURSELF Start your adventure today.

800.852.9506

ExploreBoone.com

DECEMBER C H A P E L H I L L M A G A Z I N E . C O M

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N U M B E R

FEATURES

PEOPLE & PLACES

10 11 14 14 15 16 17

Heroes Who Heal A doctor and friend to kids with cancer, a musician turning personal tragedy into aid for others, a cause-minded Santa and more

52 How They Live: Home for the Holidays The Keys embraced their historic home – and thus their town 72 Baker’s Joy Six sweet holiday recipes to savor and share 86

5 Questions with Gabe Barker of Pizzeria Mercato He dishes on his upcoming Carrboro eatery, West Coast cooking and growing up in the Magnolia Grill kitchen

SPONSORED 30 Holiday Gift Guide

PHOTO BY BRIANA BROUGH

V O L U M E

A Tasteful Affair TerraVita Town Treasures Carolina Square Groundbreaking Table’s Empty Bowls SKJAJA Beach Shack Boil Jack Nicklaus at Governors Club

IN EVERY ISSUE 4 Letter from Our VP of Content 18 5 Events Not to Miss 19 Calendar of Events 22 Our Latest Obsessions 26 Staycation 84 Adopt-A-Pet 90 Taste 102 Engagement 103 Weddings

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速ROBERTOCOIN

POIS MOI COLLECTION

S P O N S O R E D CO N T E N T

“Tell us about the values that mean the most to you. What does it look like for you to be comfortably financially secure, now and in the future?”

Larry Allen, Adam Morgan and Sabrina Burns know that each of their clients will have a unique vision of worry-free retirement. As Investment Advisors for PNC Wealth Management® for the Eastern Carolinas Region, they want to know how their clients imagine a great future. Sabrina says, “Often we do this by asking them the ‘hard’ questions that others are afraid to ask. One is, ‘How sure are you that your current investment portfolio can sustain you and your family when you retire – and on into the future?’ When our clients are able to share their concerns openly, we can create an appropriate investment strategy to help ease their minds.” As PNC Wealth Management Director Dennis Blue explains, “The investment work Larry, Adam and Sabrina do for our clients is vital to the overall planning strategy our locally-based team provides. The returns on investment and, perhaps more important, the management of risk provide the engine for the rest of the plan.” On one hand, crafting an investment portfolio means advising clients about their financial future. “But it also means providing honest feedback about where someone is right now,” notes Larry. “Occasionally a client will have a large risk in a

portfolio, and they either do not see it or they don’t understand it.” Keeping clients well-informed helps the Investment Team confirm that a portfolio isn’t just performing well, but that it is also aligned with the specific goals and aspirations of each individual client and family. Monitoring investments is just one way PNC Wealth Management strives to maintain a clear line of sight for their clients, from now into the future. To do so in today’s world, Larry, Adam and Sabrina keep their eyes on the financial world, always with their local clients in mind. “The economy and the investment markets are globalized nowadays,” explains Adam, “meaning actions that could once be considered relevant only to those a world away can now have a real impact on the net worth of investors living right here in North Carolina. At PNC, we understand and share those realities with our clients, and that makes a difference – in their own lives and in the lives of their families.”

Do you have questions about your family’s or business’s wealth plan? PNC Wealth Management can help you so that your hopes and dreams are, in fact, your reality. Reach out to Dennis Blue, Director of PNC Wealth Management, by phone at 919-788-6111 or by email at dennis.blue@pnc.com.

The material presented in this article is of a general nature and does not constitute the provision by PNC of investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice to any person, or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or adopt any investment strategy. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. The information was obtained from sources deemed reliable. Such information is not guaranteed as to its accuracy. You should seek the advice of an investment professional to tailor a financial plan to your particular needs. For more information, please contact PNC at 1-888-762-6226. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”) uses the marketing names PNC Wealth Management® and Hawthorn, PNC Family Wealth® to provide investment, wealth management, and fiduciary services through its subsidiary, PNC Bank, National Association (“PNC Bank”), which is a Member FDIC, and to provide specific fiduciary and agency services through its subsidiary, PNC Delaware Trust Company. PNC also uses the marketing names PNC Institutional Asset ManagementSM, PNC Retirement SolutionsSM, Vested Interest®, and PNC Institutional Advisory SolutionsSM for the various discretionary and non-discretionary institutional investment activities conducted through PNC Bank and through PNC’s subsidiary PNC Capital Advisors, LLC, a registered investment adviser (“PNC Capital Advisors”). Standalone custody, escrow, and directed trustee services; FDIC-insured banking products and services; and lending of funds are also provided through PNC Bank. Securities products, brokerage services, and managed account advisory services are offered by PNC Investments LLC, a registered broker-dealer and a registered investment adviser and member of FINRA and SIPC. Insurance products may be provided through PNC Insurance Services, LLC, a licensed insurance agency affiliate of PNC, or through licensed insurance agencies that are not affiliated with PNC; in either case a licensed insurance affiliate may receive compensation if you choose to purchase insurance through these programs. A decision to purchase insurance will not affect the cost or availability of other products or services from PNC or its affiliates. PNC does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice unless, with respect to tax advice, PNC Bank has entered into a written tax services agreement. PNC does not provide services in any jurisdiction in which it is not authorized to conduct business. PNC Bank is not registered as a municipal advisor under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Act”). Investment management and related products and services provided to a “municipal entity” or “obligated person” regarding “proceeds of municipal securities” (as such terms are defined in the Act) will be provided by PNC Capital Advisors. “PNC Wealth Management,” “Hawthorn, PNC Family Wealth,” and “Vested Interest” are registered trademarks and “PNC Institutional Asset Management,” “PNC Retirement Solutions,” and “PNC Institutional Advisory Solutions” are service marks of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Investments: Not FDIC Insured. No Bank Guarantee. May Lose Value. Insurance: Not FDIC Insured. No Bank or Federal Government Guarantee. Not a Deposit. May Lose Value. © 2015 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Back Row Left to Right: LARRY ALLEN Senior Investment Advisor ADAM MORGAN Senior Investment Advisor

Front Row Left to Right: SABRINA BURNS Associate Investment Advisor DENNIS W. BLUE Wealth Director

P E O P L E

P L A C E S

HAPPY MEAL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA STRINGER

Attendees savored bites from Chapel Hill Country Club, Oakleaf, elements and other eateries while bidding on auction items at A Tasteful Affair. The 25th annual event raised about $100,000 for the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. Guest judges Sheri Castle, Sylvia Crawley, Kitty Kinnin and Mick Mixon named winners for best entree, dessert, beverage and more, while Mixed Korean Bistro took home the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice Award. CHM

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Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chase McBride and Shelley Day.

2 Sandy and Ryan Pogue. 3 Adam and Rachel Wachter. 10

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

4 Vidy Johnson and Delia Barrick. 5 Alice May with Lewis and Maggie Morris.

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Jim and Melinda Evans. Ted and Caroline Zarzar.

P L A C E S

PHOTO BY STACEY SPRENZ

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EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

PHOTO BY ANDREA GRIFFITH CASH

PHOTO BY STACEY SPRENZ

The sixth annual TerraVita food and drink festival assembled some of the best chefs and artisans in the region for three days of dinners, workshops and talks focused on sustainability. A panel moderated by Jeff Polish of The Monti kicked off the festival and it continued with educational sessions at Top of the Hill and Southern Season taught by experts like Max Kast of The Fearrington House Restaurant and April McGreger of Farmer’s Daughter. TerraVita concluded with plenty of delicious bites at the Grand Tasting on the Green at Southern Village. CHM

PHOTO BY STACEY SPRENZ

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Chris Jude of Fair Game Beverage Company, Kevin Barrett of Foundation in Raleigh, Scott Maitland of TOPO Distillery and Southern Living’s Robert Moss.

Marie Mendouga, Jasmyne McClain and Sarah O’Brien.

Chef Colin Bedford of The Fearrington House Restaurant.

Reiko Tanaka and Josh Kimbrough of Carrboro Coffee Roasters.

The Pits, Spits and Grills dinner was held at Carrboro Town Commons.

5 December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

P E O P L E

P L A C E S

TREASURE TROVE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT SCHREINER

The 2015 Town Treasures inductees include a writer (Daphne Athas), a presidential historian (William E. Leuchtenburg), a Special Olympics coach (Joseph Polcaro) and a farmer (Robert Edward Strayhorn). The Chapel Hill Historical Society began recognizing individuals and couples for their community contributions in 2008. CHM

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt with Marian Cheek Jackson and her son, Reggie Jackson.

William Leuchtenburg with the Mayor.

FRONT ROW: Frances Lloyd Shetley, Gertrude Rogers Nunn, Marian Cheek Jackson, Mary Alice Eckman and Daphne Athas.

BACK ROW: Ken Moore, William Leuchtenburg, Robert Edward Strayhorn and Joseph Polcaro.

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Patty Griffin, Laura Morgan, Renee Price, Laurie Paolicelli, Linda Convissor, Maria Palmer and Delores Bailey.

BUILDING UP PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN SHANNON

Ground has been broken on the long-awaited Carolina Square on Franklin Street, which will include 42,000 square feet of retail, 159,000 square feet of office space and 246 apartments. The expected opening date is August 2017. On the site of the former University Square, the $123-million complex will also house Carolina Performing Arts’ The Core at Carolina Square, an 8,500-square-foot lab, studio and theater space. CHM 14

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Josh Hall, Roger Stancil, Gordon Merklein and Bill Bassett.

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Downtown Partnership’s Meg McGurk and Bobby Funk.

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A HEARTWARMING MEAL

Table’s Volunteer Director of Operations Randee Hartzell and Exective Director Ashton Tippins.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA STRINGER

Table hosted the third-annual Empty Bowls on the lawn of Provence of Carrboro as a fundraiser to provide healthy, emergency food aid to area children. Guests chose a keepsake bowl from potters as varied as Haand and Carrboro High School’s ceramics teacher and then chowed down on soup and desserts while enjoying live music. “Thank you for finding room in your hearts for the kids of Chapel Hill and Carrboro,” co-founder Joy MacVane told the crowd. She said Table helps hundreds of kids, but estimated that there are 2,600 food-insecure children in the area. The event raised $13,670 for the cause. CHM

Table volunteers Molly Horan and Arielle Martinez.

David Schwartz and Table’s Community Outreach Coordinator Suzi Palladino.

just a short trip away. three thousand miles from ordinary.

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W W W. T H E U M S T E A D . C O M

C A R Y, N O R T H C A R O L I N A

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

P E O P L E

P L A C E S

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GONE FISHING

Laura Malinchock and SKJAJA co-founder Charlotte Kirchgessner White.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA STRINGER

2 Student volunteers Stella

The American Legion Post 6 was transformed into a fishing camp for the seventh annual SKJAJA Beach Shack Boil, where guests enjoyed a Lowcountry shrimp boil. Attendees bid on silent auction items like Carolina Hurricanes tickets and a night at Fearrington House Inn, raising nearly $15,000 to provide underprivileged children with opportunities to participate in activities like educational camps, art or dance classes, and music lessons. Bluegrass band Lester Fricks entertained the crowd, and SKJAJA co-founder Charlotte Kirchgessner White took the stage to announce Diana Hersh as the volunteer of the year. CHM

Roth, Carson Clapp, Noah Dinkins, Cameron Mejia, Kai White, Noell Jones and Zoe Dinkins.

SKJAJA volunteer of the year Diana Hersh and Desiree Murray.

Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto THUR, JAN 14 | 7:30PM Concert Sponsor: Carol Woods Retirement Community

Marcelo Lehninger, conductor Inon Barnatan, piano Brahms: Tragic Overture Andrew Norman: Suspend Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”

The Firebird

THUR, FEB 11 | 7:30PM Grant Llewellyn, conductor Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks Haydn: Symphony No. 59, “Fire” Sean Shepherd: Blue Blazes Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird MEMORIAL HALL, UNC-CHAPEL HILL

Tickets on sale now!

ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750 See participating sponsors at ncsymphony.org/contribute

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Blue Line Aviation is the region’s leading flight training provider. We operate the area’s largest fleet of modern aircraft and our experienced staff use a modern approach to training that is proven to deliver results efficiently. Whether doing your initial private pilot certificate, your accelerated add-on, or you are enrolling in our career pilot program, you want to invest in the best training at Blue Line Aviation!

919-578-3713 www.bluelineaviationllc.com RDU Address: 1775 E International Dr. Suite 203 Morrisville, NC 27560

Johnston Co. Airport: 3223D Swift Creek Rd. Smithfield, NC 27577

Mention this ad and receive $25 off a discovery flight gift certificate

Exp. 12/31/15

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P L A C E S

SAINT NICKLAUS Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, were the guests of honor during Governors Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 25th anniversary celebration of its Jack Nicklaus Signature Championship Golf Course. Jack toured all 27 holes and met with the Junior Golf Team before Gary Williams of the Golf Channel conducted a captivating interview with Jack at the evening celebration to a packed room of 300 people. CHM

Jack Nicklaus, on hole number 27.

The legendary golfer with the Governors Club Junior Golf Team.

BANO Boutique Durham and Chapel Hillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Designer Clothing Boutique

Designer Clothing & Accessories Expert Alterations Custom Clothing Design Personal Shopper Closet Organization 2699 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd. Durham, NC 27707 919-489-9006 Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm or by appointment banoboutique.com

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

EVENTS

NOT TO MISS

Holly Jolly Jog Dec. 6, 4-9PM

fillyourbucketlistfoundation.org

Go dashing through Southern Village at the Fill Your Bucket List Foundation’s inaugural race, featuring a 5K and a Dash to Santa for the kids, followed by an auction and tree lighting. Proceeds will help the foundation grant wishes to adult cancer patients in North Carolina. Registration: $10-$35.

Gingerbread House Decorating Parties Dec. 12 and 19, 4-6PM rootcellarchapelhill.com

Kids of all ages can construct a gingerbread dream house while indulging in cocoa and cookies. The sweet supplies will be provided; just bring your holiday cheer. Tickets: $20 per house.

Steep Canyon Rangers Dec. 12, 8PM carolinaperformingarts.com

This Grammy Award-winning group of UNC alums proves that traditional bluegrass music can adapt to the times without losing its roots. The band will play songs from their most recent album, Radio. Tickets: $34+. 18

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Composed of UNC grads, the Steep Canyon Rangers have performed at Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and the White House.

A Christmas Carol

Storyteller Donald Davis

Dec. 17-18, 7:30PM

Dec. 19, 11AM; Dec. 20, 2PM

burwellschool.org

fearrington.com

It’s a Hillsborough tradition! Don’t miss the 14th annual (and very last) performance of Charles Dickens’ classic Victorian tale featuring local writers Allan Gurganus and Michael Malone at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. Proceeds benefit the Burwell School, the Hillsborough Arts Council and St. Matthew’s “Faith in the Arts” Series. Tickets: $20.

For more than two decades, the gifted storyteller has been regaling audiences at The Fearrington Barn with his tales. Bring the whole family to hear the entertaining stories from the man who’s been featured at the National Storytelling Festival and the Smithsonian Institution. In lieu of admission, donations of canned goods to CORA will be accepted.

CALENDAR Shopping, Art & Exhibitions

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE DISPLAY Dec. 1-Jan. 3 Relish the festive display of gingerbread houses at The Carolina Inn made by Chapel Hillians showcasing their creativity and imagination. 211 Pittsboro St.; Free; 919-933-2001; carolinainn.com ST. NICK SALON Dec. 3, 6-8pm Come out for an artists’ social and donate new and gently used art supplies to the N.C. Cancer Hospital’s Expressive Arts Program so patients and caregivers can express themselves through art. FRANK, 109 E. Franklin St.; 919-636-4135; frankisart.com CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SHOPPE CRAFT SHOW Sat. Dec. 5, 9am-4pm Find the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday list with this one-stop shopping event featuring handmade specialty items from artisans and crafters throughout the state. Enjoy musical entertainment, a bake sale and a delicious hot lunch. St. Thomas More School, 920 Carmichael St.; Free; 919-929-1546; stmcsnc.org FESTIVAL OF THE SOCIETY TREE Sat. Dec. 5, 9am-3pm and Sun. Dec. 6, noon-3pm Shop for a good cause at this fundraising event benefitting Orange County outreach programs featuring fine handcrafts and creative arts, homemade foods and baked goods, beautifully handcrafted wreaths and ornaments, and other unique gifts. St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 210 Saint Mary’s Rd., Hillsborough; stmatthewshillsborough.org ELF FAIR Sat. Dec. 5, 11am-5pm The ninth annual holiday festival features over 30 local artists offering pottery, candles, toys and other unique gifts. Grab a festive beverage or tasty treat from the bar to enjoy while shopping. A kids’ zone will feature hands-on art projects and classic holiday films. The ArtsCenter, 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro; Free; 919-929-2787; artscenterlive.org

UNC CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY BAZAAR Dec. 8, 10am-5pm Get started on your holiday shopping and feel good about the proceeds benefitting UNC Children’s. Pick up hand-decorated and custom gifts from clothing and accessories to books and bath products. N.C. Children’s Hospital lobby, 101 Manning Dr.; Free; 984-974-1000; uncchildrens.org

Music A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS Dec. 9, 7:30pm Infuse your holiday season with the melodies of Handel and Bach, including “The Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah and the Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. Memorial Hall, 114 E. Cameron Ave.; $10-$75; 919-733-2750; ncsymphony.org THE RED CLAY RAMBLERS & THE COASTAL COHORTS Dec. 9-11, 6:30pm These longtime theatrical musicians will join forces to perform selections from some of their most memorable shows. Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro; $10-$30; 919-967-9053; catscradle.com BIG BAND HOLIDAYS Fri. Dec 11, 8pm Showcasing 15 of the most electrifying soloists, ensemble players and arrangers in jazz today including vocalists Denzal Sinclaire and Audrey Shakir, this holiday program features original compositions by musical director Wynton Marsalis and the masterworks of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and other jazz titans played by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Memorial Hall, 114 E. Cameron Ave.; $54+; 919-8433333; carolinaperformingarts.org THE VILLAGE BAND Dec. 12, 2pm Enjoy a selection of winter carols plus other favorites played by this community concert band. Robert and Pearl Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Rd.; 919-968-2070; thevillageband.org THE GET UP KIDS Dec. 16, 7pm Celebrate the 20th anniversary of this second-wave emo band on a tour featuring favorites from the ‘90s. Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St.; $19.50-$23; 919-967-9053; catscradle.com

OF EVENTS

CHATHAM COUNTY LINE Dec. 19, 7:30pm This tight-knit ensemble makes a stop on their Electric Holiday Tour to deliver ballads and bluegrass in an irresistible combination. Cat’s Cradle, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro; $20-$22; 919-967-9053; catscradle.com

SKATE WITH SANTA Sun. Dec. 20, noon-2:15pm Join the big man in red on ice for an afternoon of seasonal celebration just days before Christmas. Orange County SportsPlex, 101 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough; $5.50+; 919-644-0339; oc-sportsplex.com

Outings

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Tue. Dec. 22, 8-10am Spend the morning with Mr. Claus as you enjoy a festive breakfast buffet at the Weathervane. Kids will get a chance to tell Santa their Christmas wishes and pose for a photo. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes. Dr., $13-$16; 919-929-9466; southernseason.com

CHRISTMAS IN THE AYR Dec. 2-13, various times Take a tour of 200-year-old Ayr Mount while it’s decorated for the holidays with natural materials in keeping with the period in which it was built. Ayr Mount, 376 St. Mary’s Rd., Hillsborough; $12; 919-732-6886; classicalamericanhomes.org HILLSBOROUGH HOLIDAY PARADE AND TREE LIGHTING Dec. 5, 4:45-6:45pm Start the season with a parade through downtown Hillsborough and stick around to watch the town’s tree light up. Old Courthouse Lawn on King Street, Hillsborough; 919-732-7741; visithillsboroughnc.com 29TH ANNUAL HILLSBOROUGH HOLIDAY HOME TOUR Dec. 6, 1-5pm Tour decked-out-for-the-holiday homes and buildings like The Alexander Dickson House, the Old Orange County Courthouse, the Masonic Hall and the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church. Attendees can enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides for $5 a person and music from choral groups, pianists and the Orange Community Players. Downtown Hillsborough, $15-$20; hillsboroughchamber.com CARRBORO TOWN TREE LIGHTING Fri. Dec. 11, 6pm Gather with friends and family to enjoy holiday music on the lawn as the town Christmas tree is lit. Town Hall, 301 West Main St., Carrboro; 919-942-8541; townofcarrboro.org CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO HOLIDAY PARADE Sat. Dec. 12, 10am The annual parade features marching bands, youth groups and creatively decorated floats. Don’t miss the elves, reindeer, candy canes and, of course, Santa Claus riding his sleigh. Downtown E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill to Main St. in Carrboro; chapelhillholidayparade.com

NIGHT LIGHTS: FAMILY-FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE Thu. Dec. 31, 3-6pm Grab the kiddos and celebrate the end of 2015 with activities, performances and a countdown under the stars to ring in the new year! Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, 250 E. Franklin St.; $5; 919-962-1236; moreheadplanetarium.org

Theater/Dance THE NUTCRACKER Sat. Dec. 5, 2pm and 8pm and Sun. Dec. 6, 2pm Carolina Ballet’s holiday classic features elaborate scenery, a live orchestra and more than 100 performers. Memorial Hall, 114 E. Cameron Ave.; $49+; 919-843-3333; carolinaperformingarts.org A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE DINNER SHOW Fri. Dec. 11, 7pm Enjoy a three-course meal during an interactive theatrical performance of the tale about Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim. Extraordinary Ventures, 200 S. Elliott Rd.; $30+; 919-967-1100; extraordinaryventures.org NUTCRACKER ON ICE Fri. Dec. 18, 6pm and Sat. Dec 19, noon The Carolina Ice Synchro skating team in production with local community skaters brings life to this seasonal favorite in the rink. Orange County SportsPlex, 101 Meadowlands Dr. Hillsborough; $8+; 919-644-0339; oc-sportsplex.com CHM

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

THE FOOD EXTRAVAGANZA RETURNS! a celebration of food & drink

April 21-23, 2016 Annual Grand TASTE Experience at the Durham Armory

Featuring 30 of the State’s Best Chefs

Plus your favorite beers, spirits, wines, sodas & coffees – and live music!

go to tastetheevent.com

the perfect holiday gift!

On $85ly !

– The Huffington Post on TASTE 2015

Including the

TASTE 2016

UNTI

“Durham proved once again what an amazing food city it is . . . .”

Buy tickets!

C . 3 1 , 2 01 5

go to tastetheevent.com for tickets

500 30 25 1

Friends Chefs Drinks Live Band

And it all fits in one stocking. Watts Grocery La Farm Bakery juju The Restaurant at the Durham Hotel Acme Parizade Basan Sushi Bleu Olive LaPlace Six Plates Wine Bar Guglhupf Crossroads Chapel Hill Piedmont Matthew’s Chocolates Donovan’s Dish Durham Catering Company Gocciolina

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

… and many more!

PROUD SUPPORTER DURHAM BRANCH, FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL & EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

@tastetheevent

/tastetheevent

O U R

L A T E S T

Holiddaitiyon! E

OBSESSIONS OUR EDITORS’ MOST RECENT FINDS WILL HAVE YOU HOOKED, TOO

EGG ON Incorporate Maple View’s eggnog into your busy December

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

PHOTO BY BRIANA BROUGH

reamy, sweet and indulgent, eggnog is a beloved holiday staple. Leave it to Maple View Farm to make one of the best versions we’ve ever had. Since the local dairy is right down the road, we tend to consider a pint-sized glass bottle as good as homemade. But co-owner Roger Nutter reveals that they use a slightly offbeat recipe. “Our process isn’t exactly traditional,” he says. “We use milk and cream and also some milk powder and powdered eggs.” Classic eggnog is essentially milk, cream, eggs and sugar, and Roger says the powdered additions up the ante. This year there was an egg shortage, which means ingredient costs almost doubled. While that deterred many creameries, it just meant Maple View prepared earlier. “I ordered my ingredients in June,” Roger says. “Eggnog is going to be hard to find in some areas. … I had to make sure I had everything.” Try a cold glass of it alone or as a complement to holiday cookies; or stir a splash into your morning coffee. Roger reminds us not to forget a classic combination: “I like a little bourbon in it, myself.”

PHOTO BY CHRIS OZER

ALL TIED UP A Chapel Hill High grad and her line of gift wrap, tags and twine

ou could say Erin Ozer is wrapped up in her work. After almost a decade working in arts administration in New York City, the Chapel Hill native left her job to stay home with her first child, Dean, who is now 6. As a way to earn an income, she decided to give Etsy a go and began offering a curated selection of jewelry, dyed baby blankets and other accessories. “As I was coming up with these ideas and trying to flesh them out,” she recalls, “I realized that I was really interested in how I would package up my finished product. I got really into the packaging component: craft paper, twine. I loved all of those pieces.” She decided to hone in on that in her online store, instead. Called, fittingly, Knot & Bow (knotandbow.com), the practical, minimalist options were an immediate hit. “That very first day I got a sale,” she says. “I felt like that was a good sign.” Before too long, she earned nods on cult design blogs. Now, five years later, she oversees a staff of 12 that both curates and manufactures gift tags, wrapping twine and party favors like confetti. “That happened because at some point I was looking for confetti, and I couldn’t find what I wanted. Everything I found was this crumpled up, crushed,

Erin sells fun products like her confetti balloons online and in a new retail shop on Third Avenue in Brooklyn.

made-overseas, cheap-looking confetti. I wanted bigger circles that were high quality. I wanted nice floating confetti. So we just made that.” Her inspiration continues to come from her own life. “It’s a mix of what we think is fun, what we like and what we think people would use. Our target customer is people like us.” It’s an ingeniously simple, restrained approach that has resonated with brands like Anthropologie, Nordstrom and Shinola. But she has a deep-rooted appreciation for smaller brands, too – something instilled in her as a child growing up in “small-town” Chapel Hill. “We work with a lot of little local boutiques and mom-and-pop shops,” she says. They remind her of home, where she returns as often as possible. “My husband [photographer Chris Ozer] and I both went to Culbreth and Chapel Hill High,” Erin says, and they love spending Christmas with her folks in Hillsborough. Her approach to the holidays – and any time, really – is sensible and focused on quality rather than perfection. “I like things to be simple and easy,” she says. “I’m not into learning how to tie the perfect bow. Just keep it basic. That works for me.”

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

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SOUNDS OF THE SEASON Don’t miss Voices’ holiday performance

very Tuesday night, harmonies echo from the eaves of St. Thomas More Catholic Church. “These are people with very prestigious careers and professional lives and families at home,” says Sue Klausmeyer, conductor of the adult chorus Voices. “It’s a tremendous amount of energy from a group of very intellectual, very busy people. They come together to focus on making music.” Once called the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Chorus, Voices is a group of about 115 adults who audition for a spot in the ensemble. Auditions ensure a certain level of music competency, but most of these members are amateur singers, passionate hobbyists who “need a night out to do something which they love,” Sue says. Voices meets weekly to rehearse for a few hours. “The common ground is singing and making music together.” Sue is no amateur: Her background in piano, singing and conducting puts her definitively in the professional musician category. It’s her expertise that elevates the choir to a group that frequently sells out performances, although she claims it’s simply dedicated practice time. “Voices is an amateur choir that has devoted quite a bit of time and energy into making

Want To Go? Tickets to the yuletide Voices performance are $20 and available online at voiceschapelhill.org.

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chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Pizza Escarole 2 heads escarole 1 Tbsp. chopped green olives 1 Tbsp. pine nuts

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Sue Klausmeyer has led singers like Dolly Daniel (below) for 15 years.

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wonderful music at a professional level,” she explains. That you’re likely to relate to the singers – or even recognize a few faces – is perhaps what makes it all the more remarkable. Next up is the annual holiday performance on Dec. 19. “This year is special,” Sue says. They’re trekking to The Carolina Theatre in Durham rather than their usual Memorial Hall. “It’s a new venue [for us], and a beautiful one.” The historic setting will enhance a concert program that’s heavy on brass and percussion because those are the most memorable backdrops to festive music. “It’s great for the whole family,” Sue says. “There will be music from British carols to carols from the Appalachian area of North Carolina, and lots of opportunities for the audience to sing along. It will be a fun evening.” – Jessie Ammons CHM

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The title of Taylor Livingston’s tour, “Digging in Our Heels, Angels on Campus,” comes from the 1880s. The basement of Historic Playmakers was the only bathhouse at the time, and female students were rare in those days. The men would call out “angel on campus!” when they saw a woman near the bathhouse, as a warning to guys in various stages of undress.

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

STAY

CATION

WALK THIS WAY

IF THE L AST TIME YOU TOURED CAMPUS WAS BEFORE YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR, CONSIDER A REFRESHER

BY VIRGINIA ROBINSON PHOTO BY BRIANA BROUGH

IN THE EARLY 1960S, when my mother applied to college, UNC wasn’t

an option for her – she wasn’t interested in pursuing nursing, the only major available to first-year women. She wanted to study math, and did, elsewhere. This bit of her life came to mind when I arrived on campus for a Priceless Gem Tour, this one focused on the history of women at Carolina. I wondered if participants would be regaled with a cheery list of firsts, with little mention of students like my mom who were left out. But a superficial glossing of UNC’s history wasn’t at all what Missy Julian-Fox had in mind when she created the series, which has also covered topics like archaeology, architecture and race. As the director of the UNC Visitors’ Center, she wanted to offer tours “designed to actively engage the community and campus in timely discussion, while highlighting our history and culture through a different lens every week.” Leading the tour that day was Taylor Livingston, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology. Her engrossing stories fleshed out the complicated dynamics between women and the university, and she explained the impacts of race and class as well. She punctuated her talk by playing audio recordings of interviews by the Southern Oral History Program. Listening to the voices of men and women who remembered pivotal moments in the school’s history added an unexpected – and often unflinching – element to the experience. The series covers a wide range of topics and starts up again in February, departing from the west wing of Morehead Planetarium at 3 p.m. on Fridays. And while the name of the series is fitting since it’s plucked from a line in the school song, it’s good to remember that gems are the result of forces over time … and that they don’t have to be flawless to be beautiful. CHM

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

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It’s not just a scarf: It’s a Scarffish Now you can have a bit of the beach all year long, with Scarffish, the Scarf with the Starfish. Super soft – and available in stunning colors – Scarffish makes a perfect one-of-a-kind gift. Made by hand in Chapel Hill, each Scarffish is knitted then adorned with crocheted starfish and a fun fringe. And it’s washable, too. Featured: Ocracoke Sunrise Scarffish. Dimensions: 8 inches wide by 5 feet long Made of acrylic yarn. $79, shipping and handling included scarffish.com December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

HEROES HEAL who

A DOCTOR AND FRIEND TO KIDS WITH CANCER, A MUSICIAN TURNING PERSONAL TRAGEDY INTO AID FOR OTHERS, A CAUSE-MINDED SANTA AND MORE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS Bob Hargraves, spreading holiday joy to sick kids

O O

riginally from Connecticut, Bob Hargraves lived all over the world during his 20-year career in the Navy. After another two decades working for companies like Harris Teeter, he recently retired. Bob’s lived in the area since 1994 and for the past decade, he’s been suiting up in red (and sometimes Carolina blue) as Santa Claus for events at locations like UNC Hospitals. We asked him to spill on Santa Claus School, causes close to his heart and his own Mrs. Claus. How did you get started as Santa Claus? The very first time I portrayed Santa was in Australia [when I was in

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

the Navy] in 1977. I never thought it would play a major role later on in my life. I have been portraying Santa full time since 2005. I was working for Harris Teeter at the time as a customer service manager and occasionally ran a cash register. I overheard the customers’ children whispering to their parents that I looked liked Santa. I would return home from work thinking about it, smiling all the way. I casually mentioned it to my wife [Tomma Hargraves], who then took it upon herself to look for Santa schools without my knowledge. She found [the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School] and said I should go. The rest is history, and I have enjoyed every moment. What was Santa Claus School like? When I attended the school, I had no idea what to expect, what to wear and things like that. When I arrived, [journalist] Bill Weir was there with a crew to film the school the entire three days. The first day of class I arrived dressed in a yellow polo shirt because I owned nothing in red. The film crew told us the film would be edited and a

Norah Headley, 4, shares her wish list with Santa Bob at a fundraiser for the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina.

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

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portion of it would be shown on ABC on Christmas morning. When I returned to work, many of the customers I knew at Harris Teeter asked me if I was on television that day. They had recognized me because I was the only Santa in the picture in yellow. I can assure you that I now own many clothing items related to Santa that are red. What was the biggest takeaway from Santa Claus School? It’s what is in your heart, not how you look, that matters. What drives you to give back? By Santa standards, I am a youngster because I have only been doing this for 10 years. When I started, I didn’t make that much money and began to seriously think about why I was given the gift of portraying Santa. It’s an honor that must be taken very seriously. Therefore, within two years, I realized that if I was going to successfully portray Santa, I was going about it the wrong way. The Lung Cancer Initiative

as mid-October. I don’t work in a mall, so the season can vary from year to year. Last year I had 28 appearances during the month of December. I also had fundraising appearances in November for the Lung Cancer Initiative of North Carolina. This year I am appearing at six fundraisers for this organization. Additionally, I have an event for Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, one week at UNC Pediatric Oncology and a few others. I also have a number of jobs for which I am compensated. There are days where I participate in two or more events, often putting hundreds of miles on my sleigh, aka Santa’s truck. What do your family members think of you as Santa? My wife thinks it’s great, even though she doesn’t have much of a social life during December because I’m portraying Santa so much. Most of my grandchildren are grown but still feel it’s cool that Grampa plays Santa. They always introduce me to their friends as Grampa/Santa.

of North Carolina is the closest to my heart. Each year the amount

of money raised at each venue is given to this group to distribute for research grants to universities within North Carolina. I never would have started volunteering at the hospital if not for my wife’s cancer. She was diagnosed in November 2006 and underwent treatment for close to a year, enduring both chemotherapy and radiation. Once it was determined she was in remission, I surprised her by telling her I was going to volunteer at the pediatric oncology unit at UNC. I needed to do something to thank UNC Hospitals for saving my wife’s life. How much is involved in getting ready for an event? I usually groom myself because my beard and hair are natural. Then I go about the process of getting dressed. It entails putting on a cool vest that contains synthetic ice and allows me to remain cool for at least three hours while working. It probably takes about an hour from start to finish for grooming and putting on the suit for each event that I have scheduled. Nothing should look out of place when representing the jolly old man. What’s a typical season as Santa like? My season usually starts in mid-November and has started as early

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Do you ever miss being Santa at other points in the year? I actually do Christmas in July at the UNC Pediatric Oncology department. That’s my fix for the summer. What’s your favorite part of being Santa? Seeing the young kids’ eyes light up and the excitement it brings to them and me. Can you share a particularly memorable moment with us? The first year I portrayed Santa, a young man I met at a charity event asked for a reindeer bell. I still had a number of events to attend and had requested his mother or father meet me at Harris Teeter a few days before Christmas. My original intent was to ask the parents to reimburse me for the bells. However, the more I thought about it, I realized that wouldn’t be right. When the father arrived, I gave him the bells. The following year that same young man came through the door, saw me and began running and then jumped into my arms. I was smiling from ear to ear because of how happy I had made this young child. The bells were the only thing he had on his Christmas list that year. – Jessica Stringer

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THE GIFT OF SONG Don Stewart, a songwriter who’s recorded an album to honor his late wife and raise money for Duke Hospice

on Stewart didn’t get around to playing his guitar during his 38-year long marriage to his wife, Kit. Life was perfectly full already: They raised five children. Don worked in engineering. And Kit managed their home, wrote a successful novel and, at 50, earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UNC.

But when Kit passed away in 2010 at the age of 58, making music was just about the only thing Don could bring himself to do. “I started playing afterward because I was just in shock,” he recalls. “I couldn’t watch TV; I couldn’t read; I couldn’t do anything. I wasn’t even sure if I had a guitar anymore. But it was still there, so I started playing and writing songs.” His loss became paradoxically generative. Don crafted 77 songs in all, eventually delivering them to Chris Wimberley of Nightsound Studios in Carrboro. “Don had been writing songs day and night for quite some time,” Chris recalls, “trying to wrap his mind and heart around what he was going through. Having lost my dad the year before, seeing someone in that place really resonated with me.” Recognizing a “truly unique talent,” Chris guided Don through the production of a five-song EP, now titled Someday, and coordinated a slew of local vocalists to lend their voices to the project: Dexter Romweber, Heather McEntire of Mount Moriah, and Pete and Andrea Connolly of Birds and Arrows to name a few. Chris also suggested donating the sales proceeds to a charity, an idea Don loved. The struggle, however, was choosing a specific cause.

“It finally dawned on me,” Don says. “Why don’t I just give it to the hospice where Kit died, which is Duke Hospice at the Meadowlands in Hillsborough.” “I just hope that as many people as possible donate whatever they can to help,” Don says, “and I’m kind of hoping that it will wake people up to how great hospice is. … My mother died of cancer at a hospice a year [after Kit], and they treated her like she was a queen. She was there for six weeks, and she died with dignity.” In spite of the talent and the cause the EP embraces, Don still has one worry. “People who hate Duke, I’m afraid they won’t want to donate,” he says, “but Chapel Hill and Carrboro don’t have a hospice they can go to, so it services Orange County. And people often think, ‘Oh, it’s Duke. They don’t need the money,’ but that’s not really true.” Duke Hospice’s Director of Development Dee Blake explains that, “Duke HomeCare & Hospice is a separate

entity within the Duke University health care system. We are responsible for managing our income and expenses just like any for-profit business, but we are a nonprofit business and do not turn anyone away regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay.” In addition to caring for patients, hospice continues to help families by counseling caretakers and surviving family members. Don notes that while the tangible goal is to donate to a worthy cause, there’s an intangible goal, too. “I’m hoping that if it helps one person, not to feel better about what they’re going through, but at least to know that they’re not alone, then that’s pretty cool.” – Virginia Robinson To download Someday in exchange for donating $5 or more to Duke HomeCare & Hospice, visit donstewart.bandcamp.com

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When Kit (pictured opposite with Don in 1968) died, Don found himself writing songs and poems about their 38-year marriage around the clock.

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GOLD STANDARD Dr. Stuart Gold, chief of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Program

W W

hen Dr. Stuart Gold has a bad day at the cancer clinic, he goes to the waiting room, where pictures are displayed of every child he’s ever treated. He remembers all of them. Some are survivors. Some are not. But as Dr. Gold says, “Every child writes their own story.” And he knows every one. For someone who is regularly kicked in the shins by little feet, Dr. Gold is surprisingly chipper. “You have to have a good sense of humor,” he says, which is exactly why the kids adore him. They’re constantly teasing him, chasing him or calling him silly names. He may be the chief of the department, but he knows who’s really in charge. The children in his clinic have some of the happiest faces you’ll ever see – even when there’s no hair on top of them. They go to Hospital School. They watch TV. They eat pizza. Anything a kid could want, the clinic’s got it. Dr. Gold knows that the secret to caring for a 38

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Dr. Gold plays with Asher Thomas, 5, of Pittsboro, in the lobby of the pediatric oncology department at the N.C. Cancer Hospital. Asher just finished up his treatments for ALL leukemia, three years after being diagnosed.

pediatric cancer patient is actually treating them no differently than any other kid. “This is the most important thing,” he says. “If you treat them differently, that’s when they realize that something’s wrong. You discipline them and love them just as you always did. If you treat them like normal, they will be normal kids.” He knows that they’re not treating just the child; they’re treating a whole family. And in a real sense, Dr. Gold’s team becomes a part of the family. When bad news comes and parents weep, Dr. Gold weeps right along with them. “I always say that the day I don’t cry when a child dies is the day I will walk out the door and leave medicine,” he says. And when those heartbreaking moments come, he finds comfort in his favorite things about his Chapel Hill life: having a meal at Lantern or enjoying time with his husband, Don Steinberg, in their little rose garden. But even on the dark days, there’s no place Dr. Gold would rather be than the clinic, with its cheerful blue walls and treatment bay full of mischievous kids. “It’s not about the cancer,” he says. “It’s about life.” – Jenny Hunt

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Dr. Urrutia (center) with patient Kendra Cruz and Kendra’s kids, 3-year-old Jonah and 7-month-old Nolan.

MATERNAL INSTINCTS

Dr. Rachel Urrutia, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UNC and co-principal investigator with Reply Ob/Gyn & Fertility clinic

er story is textbook. As a 5-year-old, Dr. Rachel Urrutia wanted to be a doctor because she saw physicians helping people in movies. With the recent launch of Reply, the new, natural family planning-based prenatal clinic, the 37-year-old has combined her love of patient care and research to improve women’s health outcomes. WHAT SHE DOES As co-principal investigator, Dr. Urrutia gathers fertility-charting data while she works with women to help them use the technique

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successfully. She explains how to track and record body temperatures to effectively predict the most fertile days and ovulation times. Following the temperatures can reveal whether a woman ovulates late or early. “Cycle charting and following fertility increases a woman’s fertility awareness,” Dr. Urrutia says. “But we need more research in this field because a lot of women are interested in this strategy, and they’re not getting the proper guidance.” Dr. Urrutia asks willing patients to share charting data, and she’s working with colleagues to design online, app and text methods for women to submit information. The goal, she says, is to better understand normal charting characteristics, to develop chart-based

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treatments and to identify factors associated with late ovulation and conditions impeding pregnancy, such as endometriosis. INSPIRATION AND PASSION While Dr. Urrutia always had a love for maternal medicine, the inspiration for the way she provides care came from the midwives with whom she worked at Duke University during her residency. They taught her how to deliver babies and stay focused on women giving birth. Her passion for helping women take greater control over pregnancies, though, sparked during a trip to Haiti. Some contraceptives are available to Haitian women, but options and consistent access are limited. The women were greatly interested in learning how to track fertility in an effort to better plan pregnancies. In addition to understanding fertility for themselves, women wanted to pass this knowledge on to their daughters. That level of physical education was empowering, Dr. Urrutia says. STAYING GROUNDED Helping women follow their fertility and potentially map out their families can be intense. Having a welcoming work environment and calm people around helps Dr. Urrutia manage the stress. Her husband and sons, ages 3 and 1, keep her laughing, making it impossible to focus on serious things all the time. “My family is good at getting me to not try to save the world,” she says. “I can relax on the weekends and enjoy my time with them.” – Whitney L.J. Howell

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PHOTO BY MAX ENGLUND/UNC SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

H E A L T H

UNC now has two Nobel Prize winners. Oliver Smithies won in 2007. Here, he congratulates Aziz Sancar (right) on his 2015 win.

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chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

OUR NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS

n this season of gratitude (and college hoops), let’s set aside petty sports rivalries – even if only for a moment – to congratulate UNC’s Aziz Sancar and Duke’s Paul Modrich, recently awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Their combined decades of research of DNA repair systems contribute to our understanding of aging and cancer. The prize is shared among Aziz, Paul and Tomas Lindahl in the U.K., each of whom studies a particular kind of DNA repair. The research helps explain how our bodies repair DNA, which breaks down quite often either spontaneously or in response to outside factors. Aziz focuses on how cells recover from things like UV damage and cigarette smoke, while Paul’s research illuminates the process that reduces error during cell division. We don’t have to be able to wrap our heads around the research happening in their labs (or the fact that it’s clearly changing the world) to be proud that these winners can be found right here in our towns. And it’s a nice reminder that really so much of what happens in our area is done in the spirit of collaboration and with the goal of making life better for many people. Congratulations, gentlemen, and thank you! – Virginia Robinson

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A PLACE TO PLAY Jeanhee Choi Hoffman, the force behind the newest GiGi’s Playhouse location

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ay 5, 2015 is one day Jeanhee Choi Hoffman will never forget. It’s the day she toured GiGi’s Playhouse in Hoffman Estates, Ill., along with her mother Sung Sook Choi, sister Yonhee Choi Gordon and brother Sam Choi. Walking around the brightly colored center that Jeanhee describes as “Disney World for Down syndrome families,” she was enchanted by the “truly magical place.” Jeanhee, 45, saw her mom at ease among all the kids and adults who were participating in activities from cooking and karate to one-on-one tutoring. Her mom had experienced all the challenges and considerations of parenting SIBLING SUPPORT Jeanhee’s efforts are inspired by her brother, Sam. a child with Down syndrome. “For the first time in her life, she didn’t have to explain,” Jeanhee says, tearing up as she thinks back to the day. “I’ve never seen Mom so relieved.” Her brother GiGi’s Playhouse was started in the Chicago suburbs in 2003 by a Sam, 41, was timid during the tour until he went into Hugs + Mugs. mom who wanted to create a welcoming place for Down syndrome Seeing the adjoining retail store and coffee shop that’s staffed by kids and adults and their families. The programs for infants all the adults with Down syndrome, Sam told his mom and sister, “I want to way up to the adults are all meant to be educational and therapeutic work here.” Days later, back at her Southern Village home, Jeanhee – and they are free of charge. Around the time Jeanhee began her told her husband all about the visit. “He looks at me and says, ‘When work back in Chapel Hill, her brother Sam enrolled in GiGi Prep, are you opening one here? It’s coming out of your pores.’” Not two and upon completion, GiGi University, in Hoffman Estates. He months later, Jeanhee announced the launch of the Triangle’s own graduated from the 12-week program in November and will start his GiGi’s Playhouse. internship at Hugs + Mugs not long after. Sam’s just one of thousands 44

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Dr. Alessandra Ritter of participants who have benefited from the special programing time at GiGi’s Playhouse. “Kids with Down syndrome can learn,” Jeanhee says. “They just learn differently, and the approach is different.” Today there are 27 GiGi’s Playhouse locations across the country with many more – including the Raleigh location spearheaded by Jeanhee – in the works. “Trust me, I have long nights juggling family, work and GiGi’s, but my passion for GiGi’s completely drives me, and I push forward and make it work on all fronts,” she says. Jeanhee’s flexible schedule working from home, and the support of an understanding boss, allow her to set up meetings with community members and other Down syndrome organizations. She’s in phase two of the launch, which includes fundraising. A donor gave her $50,000 early on, and in October, she received another $50,000. Jeanhee’s spent the last few months building her team and awareness as she searches for a space large enough to house both a playhouse and achievement center. Though she obviously wants GiGi’s Playhouse to be a resource for all ages, she especially wants to emphasize the adult program since she’s seen their impact on Sam. “Little birds tell me he’s loving it,” says Jeanhee. “He’s laughing. He’s volunteering. He asks more questions now. This is life-changing.” Sam will even appear as Mr. May in the 2016 national calendar. Until the day she cuts the ribbon on her own GiGi’s Playhouse, her family members will continue to be her driving force. “I’m motivated to do this for the families [in the area] who feel like Mom,” she says. “I want to give them a place to belong.” – Jessica Stringer

501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 155, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 403-5000 t Ritter Endodontics, our priority is to deliver high-quality dental care and to educate patients in a pleasant and convenient setting. Each staff member is dedicated to our patients’ comfort and to making sure their needs are met with the highest level of professionalism. Our goal is to keep our patients healthy and ensure an outstanding experience.

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Dr. Alessandra Ritter is an experienced and caring dentist and endodontist who has more than 25 years of training and practice in the field of endodontics (root canals). Originally from Brazil, she moved to North Carolina after practicing dentistry for 10 years. Dr. Ritter has a D.D.S Degree and a Master’s Degree in endodontics from UNC-Chapel Hill and also two certificates in endodontics. Dr. Ritter is a member of the American Dental Association and the American Association of Endodontists.

Are You following us? For Weekend Events, Delicious Dishes, Biz News and More...

@chapelhillmag December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

H E A L T H

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KICK STARTER Chesca Colloredo-Mansfeld, miraclefeet founder and executive director

t began at Chesca Colloredo-Mansfeld’s kitchen table. Since modestly launching miraclefeet in 2010, the nonprofit has helped more than 10,000 children in 13 impoverished countries learn to walk. It’s changed the lives of thousands of families forever. Chesca and the team at miraclefeet work vigilantly to help treat cases of clubfoot all around the world. One in every 750 babies are born with clubfoot, a congenital condition that causes one or both feet to be turned severely inward. It’s the No. 1 cause of physical disability. Mia Hamm was born with it. Those who learn to walk with clubfoot often end up walking on the tops of their feet very slowly and very painfully. Chesca saw much of this condition in her childhood, growing up in developing countries as the daughter of a British diplomat. She’s lived in Swaziland, Turkey, Zambia, Malaysia, Somalia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Ecuador. So she understands the devastating effects of poverty. “When you live in those places, it’s hard not to be moved by the total gulf between privileges,” she says. After receiving her degree from UNC, where she was a Morehead Scholar, she and her husband, Rudi, found themselves working in business in Iowa. She became good friends with Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, who had perfected a new method for treating clubfoot without surgery – something unheard of in the world of medicine. The treatment uses progressive casts to move the tendons in feet from turning inward to outward over the course of several weeks. Soon, this new method became the leading clubfoot remedy. 46

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Suddenly, the light bulb turned on. “I thought, ‘I don’t know where, I don’t know how, but I’ve figured out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life,’” Chesca recalls. Chesca, her husband and their three children moved back to Chapel Hill when UNC’s department of anthropology recruited Rudi. That’s when Chesca came up with a plan to take this new gold-star Ponseti method (for which many were paying thousands of dollars) and make it more accessible. The nonprofit is housed in a renovated two-story home on Main Street in Carrboro. The team works with local doctors and medical staff in many developing countries, training them on the Ponseti method. Children with clubfoot can now be treated for only $250. “We drop $250 fairly quickly here in America,” Chesca says. “And yet that changes the life of a child. We believe that if we could raise the money, we could eradicate clubfoot – globally.” – Jenny Hunt

Visit miraclefeet.org to learn how you can help.

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A BABY STORY Rory Kelly Gillis – our senior vice president and a new mom – on the people who helped bring her daughter into the world

had been pushing for three-and-a-half hours and laboring for 22 hours when my midwife, Meg Berreth with the UNC Midwifery Division, came into my room and said, “You are not progressing. I’m starting conversations with an OB-GYN to discuss our options.” Later, I found out my only option would have been a C-section, which I desperately wanted to avoid. I chose midwifery mostly because I didn’t want to endure an emergency C-section as so many of my friends had. My epidural was wearing off. I could feel the height of my contractions. Little did any of us know that my daughter was occiput posterior – or sunny-side up – with her head cocked to the side, giving me the widest part of her head to push through the birth canal. She hadn’t moved in two hours, even though I

For the Smile Of a Lifetime...

was pushing every two to three minutes. Every birth story – and I’ve heard so many over the past year – is dramatic. I was certainly hoping for a boring anecdote about my baby’s birth. I remember thinking she’d never deliver. I would become the only woman in history who was unable to push her baby out. My team of health care heroes stayed with me until the end of my five hours of pushing and 24-hour labor. UNC Midwifery nurses, midwives Kathy Higgins and Meg, my husband, Devin Gillis, my mother, Cathy Kelly, and my dear

friend Ashley Kamiya encouraged me, held limbs and laughed with me when I could muster up some self-deprecating commentary. We are all capable of so much, and these people helped me believe in myself and the process.

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A STANDING OVATION

W W

hen Dean Smith’s Carolina blue leather chair auctioned for

$15,000 at Roy Williams’ Fast Break Against Cancer breakfast in October, most people assumed it had been won by someone who’d take it home and roll it right into a gorgeous, wood-paneled office. In a wonderful twist, it’s going to a very different kind of office: Dr. Mark Graham’s, where cancer patients receive chemotherapy and other treatments. (Graham is a former oncologist at UNC who now has a private practice in Cary. He cared for N.C. State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow during her cancer fight.) Used by Coach Smith for a decade that included the Michael Jordan years, the chair was recently outfitted for its new medical role. Dr. Graham has said that he suspects some of his patients will be thrilled it’s there, but loyal Blue Devil or Wolfpack fans might have other feelings. Love it or hate it, the new infusion chair will serve as a relatively lighthearted distraction from the office’s serious work, and Fast Break, which has raised more than $2 million to date for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, will hopefully help keep people from ever needing to sit in it. – Virginia Robinson CHM

C A R E

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PHOTO BY DEAN KANIPE

H E A L T H

Dr. Graham with Coach Sylvia Hatchell, who used the chair in her Carmichael office after Coach Smith retired.

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HOME for the HOLIDAYS

THE KEYS EMBRACED THEIR HISTORIC HOUSE – AND THUS THEIR TOWN BY JESSIE AMMONS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH

ALTHOUGH JEFF AND JACQUELINE KEY have spent more

than a decade in their house off Smith Level Road, they still don’t really feel like

it’s theirs. And that’s OK. “People will stop by, knock on the door and ask to take photographs,” Jeff says nonchalantly. “It happens all the time. Or people remember being in this house as a kid because they knew the Coles.” If you don’t know the large antebellum farmhouse on the right as you’re driving away from downtown Carrboro and toward the Chatham County line, you may

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

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When they first moved in, the Keys used this space as their dining room, since it adjoins the kitchen. Because of foot traffic, they decided it made more sense as a living room. “It’s a dark room,” Jacqueline says. “I love this room dark. It’s cozy.”

know the dogs in the driveway. The couple’s 12-year-old “vintage Labradoodles” – Lola and Hagrid – regularly greet cars and passersby. In fact, in the Keys’ foyer is a painting of the two pups entitled “Smith Level Dogs.” It wasn’t commissioned: Pittsboro artist Shannon Bueker “became fascinated by our dogs and painted this,” Jeff explains. “We had no idea.” Friends saw it on display at the Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro, notified the Keys, and then Jeff surprised Jacqueline with it. “It’s that kind of house and that kind of community,” he says. GETTING HERE “We came by way of New York — Manhattan and then Long Island,” Jacqueline says. She is originally from London, he is from New Mexico, and they met in Boston. A tech job in RTP lured

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them — along with daughter Henrietta, now 19 and a sophomore at Oberlin College, and son Oliver, now 17 and a senior at Durham Academy — to the area. Even in the urbanity of New York, the Keys lived in a renovated early-20thcentury home. “I love old houses,” Jacqueline says. “I put my heart and soul into an old house in Long Island.” While she relished that experience, “I know how much it costs and how much energy it takes to restore old homes.” So when Jeff got the job down South, they sought an already renewed site. “I said I liked old houses, and that I’d love to have a fireplace in my dining room,” Jacqueline says, adding that she considered them “silly things,” superfluous details for their Realtor to heed or ignore. She got all of that and more with their 10-acre lot. “I never dreamed I’d live on 10 acres!” Jacqueline raves. “It’s a lot of land.”

Jeff and Jacqueline enjoy a warm fall day in the yard with their children, Henrietta and Oliver.

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

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“I love decorating for Christmas and going out in the woods and getting greenery,” says Jacqueline.

And as for the farmhouse, “What was there not to love about the house? The house was just gorgeous. It had – and has – oodles of character.” TRACING TIME It’s also steeped in history. Built somewhere around 1840, “the house is antebellum, which means it was built before the Civil War,” Jeff explains. “The style is federal. It’s a classic four-over-four, which means there are four bedrooms over four rooms downstairs. It’s fairly symmetrical.” A wide hallway and staircase connect the rooms, and what was once a back porch is now an updated kitchen with cathedral ceilings. The home originally belonged to the Smith family as the homestead anchoring some 1,500 countryside acres. (One of the Smith brothers’ offspring was the grandmother of civil rights activist and women’s rights

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

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The Keys recently bought a second – and much older – home in Maine. “The progression’s not good,” Jeff says. “The Long Island house was built in 1905, this one was 1840, give or take, and the Maine house is 1700. We can’t go back much further unless we go to Europe.”

activist Pauli Murray, and the house is mentioned in Murray’s book Proud Shoes.) After the Smiths, the land was divided into smaller plots. Much went to UNC and about a hundred acres went to a farmhand with the last name Cole. It remained in the Cole family for three generations, where it was further subdivided. This particular 10 acres was hard to sell because of the house, which had become decrepit. Enter Diane Eckland, a local preservationist (see sidebar on page 65). “Diane came in and took it all the way back to the studs and brought it back to life, which she does really well,” Jeff says. “She keeps everything as original as she possibly can.” Today, the house boasts mostly original wood floors, doors and windows, and even a few remaining panes of glass. NEW ADVENTURES “Diane did a great job of keeping it authentic,” Jacqueline says, “but, you know, you have to live: do laundry, go to the bathroom.” Along with adding working bathrooms and a kitchen, Diane

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

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Jacqueline has never done much formal landscaping because of the deer. “They just eat it,” she says. “And I like to see au natural anyway.” The landscape sort of reminds her of the English countryside.

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

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“

DIANE CAME IN AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO LIFE.

There’s an original fireplace in every room – including the master bathroom!

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

helped the Keys transform an outbuilding – once the kitchen – into a painting studio for Jacqueline. They also built a garage, separate in the style of another outbuilding. “Diane has been our go-to person,” Jacqueline says. “She does remarkable work.” Since the restorations were left to Diane, Jacqueline took on the task of decorating. “My mission for the first two years was to shop around for furniture,” she says. It was fun, sure, but she also took her work seriously. Most pieces are antiques from the same mid-19th-century time period: “Old farmhouse stuff, local and indigenous to the area when possible. Furniture that really belongs in this house.” Today, the home is rustic but lush, both eclectic and sophisticated. A north-facing living room is dark in a cozily inviting way, with rich colors and textures. The room’s focal point is a fireplace, the only working one in the house. “We have great fires in there,” Jacqueline says. “This is the best fireplace we have ever had, isn’t it Jeff? It’s just unreal.” Here, Jacqueline gets a bit sentimental. Jeff recently accepted a job with a company in California, and the Keys will soon be “on to our next adventure,” she says. “Exploring has been good here,” she says. “Now I can tell a North Carolinian accent. The older gentry of Chapel Hill,

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ON TOUR See the Keys’ home for yourself during Preservation Chapel Hill’s holiday house tour Dec. 12 and 13. From 1–5 p.m. on both days, a number of restored properties will be festively decorated and open to visitors. This year’s tour features exclusively Diane Ecklandrehabilitated projects. “Preservation Chapel Hill has already given her a lifetime achievement award,” Jacqueline says, “and now there’s this home tour. I’m so glad. People will thank me for restoring my home or compliment me, and I always say, ‘No! It was Diane Eckland! I cannot take credit for that. You need to give Diane the thank you.’” This holiday tour does just that — plus, who doesn’t want to poke around a few lovely historic homes that have decked their halls? For more information, visit preservationchapelhill.org.

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when they speak, it’s almost like music to me.” Jeff will miss a different kind of music. “We have coyotes that moved in recently,” he says. “I grew up in New Mexico, so I’m kind of fond of the sound. We saw some wild turkeys the other day. We see deer all the time. I’ve enjoyed the land and the space and the wildlife here.”

They don’t take for granted that they’re but the third family to live on this plot. But they’re also not worried about that. “When you think about what this house has stood through…” Jacqueline trails off, and Jeff picks up. “The coolest thing has definitely been meeting people who have grown up here who know our house. It has its own community – just of being remembered.” CHM

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POINT OF ENTRY The front door is original, a fact made evident by its relatively low height.

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for the holidays Support the store that builds hope and homes. DONATE new and gently-used furniture, appliances, building materials and home decor items and you’ll be helping to build local homes for deserving families. All proceeds from this Habitat for Humanity ReStore go directly to Habitat in Durham and Orange Counties. All donations are tax deductible.

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Baker’s

JOY SIX SWEET HOLIDAY RECIPES TO SAVOR AND SHARE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH

Tiffin Squares PAGE 74

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Madeleines with Fennel Sea Sugar Glaze PAGE 82

Orange Snowballs PAGE 78

Blood Orange Oatmeal Cookies PAGE 76

Danish Butter Cookies PAGE 75

Local Honey Caramels PAGE 80

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

H O L I D A Y

T R E A T S

manda Fisher is the owner of The Blakemere Company, specializing in handmade foods

made from English recipes. Look for their afternoon teas at La Residence on Dec. 6 and Dec. 12.

“Tiffin Squares are a British favorite. So beloved, in fact, that the groom’s cake for Prince William was made from Tiffin!”

Blakemere Cakes Tiffin

Squares

4 oz. butter 2 oz. sugar 2 Tbsp. golden syrup (substitute light corn syrup or agave if needed) 2-3 Tbsp. cocoa powder 10 oz. crushed digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) 4 oz. mix of raisins, finely chopped dried cherries and finely chopped dried apricots 6 oz. dark chocolate 2 oz. milk chocolate 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or shortening

Melt together the first three ingredients. Add cocoa power, biscuits and dried fruit mix. Mix well and put in foil- or paper-lined 9-by13-inch quarter sheet pan and chill. Melt chocolate and coconut oil together and pour over pan. Cool at room temperature and cut into two-inch squares. Makes 24 squares.

Mama B’s

Danish

Butter Cookies

nn and Lex Alexander

are retired but are active community members who have started several retail businesses including Wellspring Grocery and 3 Cups. “My mother, Peggy Bowman, was known by all my friends as Mama B. Every Christmas, my buddies and I would gather in her kitchen to make Danish Butter Cookies from an old family recipe. In those days, we used a wooden spoon to cream the butter and sugar. It took quite a while and a lot of muscle to cream the butter and sugar to a fluffy, light consistency that was necessary for these wonderfully light, but rich cookies. Everyone got to take some cookies home, and we all had a great time laughing along the way. When my friends later got married, Mama B gave each of them a wooden spoon, cookie sheet and cookie press for a wedding present.” – Ann Bowman Alexander

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

H O L I D A Y

½ lb. unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature 1 ¼ cups sugar 1 egg, well beaten 3-5 Tbsp. half-and-half or evaporated milk 3 ½ cups all-purpose white flour, sifted 1 tsp. salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar using the paddle attachment on an

T R E A T S

electric mixer until fluffy and light. Add egg. Then add flour and milk/cream alternately. Mix until blended thoroughly, but do not overmix. Using a cookie press with ridge die (looks like a sawtooth, see below left), make long strips and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a blunt knife dipped in water, cut into 4 or 5 pieces per long strip of cookies. Each piece should be about 3 or 4 inches long. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until barely golden brown. Remove immediately and let cool on racks.

CHAPEL HILL, NC 431 W. Franklin Street | Chapel Hill, NC 27516 | (919) 903-9370 APEX, NC 108-A North Salem Street | Apex, NC 27502 | (919) 362-7030 www.sophieandmollies.com

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

H O L I D A Y

T R E A T S

Blood Orange

Oatmeal Cookies with Dried C herries

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

lenda Keenan

is the co-

owner of Blue Sky Oil & Vinegar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five years ago I was asked to attend a cookie exchange. At the time I was totally obsessed (and still am) with our Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil. I was also totally obsessed with

H O L I D A Y

learning to bake with extra-virgin olive oil as a butter replacement. OK, here goes with my third obsession – dried Michigan cherries. The only cookie I really care about is an oatmeal cookie so I married my triedand-true oatmeal-raisin cookie recipe with my three obsessions and added Tangerine Dark Balsamic in place of vanilla extract for an added kick. The underlying citrus flavor along with the cherries makes for a ‘sweet’ surprise to an old favorite.”

½ cup Blood Orange Infused Olive Oil ¾ cup brown sugar, tightly packed ½ cup raw cane sugar 2 eggs 1 Tbsp. Tangerine Dark Balsamic 1½ cups unbleached flour 1 tsp. baking soda 3 cups uncooked oats 1 cup dried (Michigan) cherries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix (by hand) the oil and sugars until well blended. Add the eggs and blend until eggs are totally

T R E A T S

incorporated into the mixture. Add the balsamic and blend well. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking soda together thoroughly and add to the oil, sugar and egg mixture by ½-cup increments and blend well. Add the oats and incorporate thoroughly. Add the cherries and incorporate well. Drop large spoonfuls of the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until they are slightly brown around the edges. This recipe can also be made into bars by pressing the mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes, cool and cut into bars.

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

H O L I D A Y

T R E A T S

Orange

Snowballs

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womancraftgifts.com 78

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

heri Castle is an award-

winning food writer, cooking teacher and public speaker. “I grew up eating these cookies. They came into vogue during the 1960s and ’70s when no-bake and other shortcut recipes popped up on the back of packages. It’s fun to dig through the family recipe box and pull out recipes we remember fondly, although these retro recipes often need tweaking. In its original form, this recipe called for a box of this, a can of that and so forth. Because of shrinking box and can

H O L I D A Y

T R E A T S

sizes over time, those amounts are no longer reliable, and now we must measure the ingredients. These are quick and easy, and a great recipe to make with little kitchen helpers. For those who are not fond of coconut, roll the balls instead in more powdered sugar.” 3 cups (11 oz.) finely crushed Nilla Wafers 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled ¾ cup orange juice concentrate, thawed and undiluted 1 ½ cups sweetened, flaked coconut

Stir together the cookie crumbs, pecans and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Drizzle the butter over the top and toss with a fork. Add the orange juice concentrate and stir with a fork (or your hands) until the mixture comes together and has the consistency of PlayDoh. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Form the mixture into 1½inch balls. (A small spring-release

scoop quickly makes cookies of uniform size.) Pour the coconut into a shallow bowl. Coat each cookie in coconut, pressing lightly to help the coconut adhere. Arrange the cookies in a single layer in an airtight storage container and refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight. Store covered and refrigerated. Makes about 3 dozen.

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

Local Honey

Caramels

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

arty Hanks is the owner of Just Bee Apiary while friend April Errickson is a local avid home

cook, ceramic artist and librarian. “When experimenting with caramel recipes, I tried some with just sugar and corn syrup, but, over time, I decided I wanted to avoid corn syrup. As luck would have it, I became part of a Community Supported Apiaries (CSA) program run by my friend Marty Hanks of Just Bee Apiary and became the proud babysitter of one of his hives that lives in my yard. I decided that using honey in place of the corn syrup would make the caramels more festive.” – April Errickson

H O L I D A Y

1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup unsalted butter ¼ tsp. sea salt (plus more for sprinkling at the end) 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ½ cup local honey 1 Tbsp. water ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper so that the bottom and sides of pan are covered. Use your fingers to spread a very light coating of vegetable oil or butter over the parchment or use a neutral tasting cooking spray. In a small pot, warm the cream, butter and salt over medium heat until the butter melts. Turn off heat. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, honey and water. Stir gently to evenly moisten. Using a pastry brush or a wadded up paper towel dipped in water, wipe down the sides of the pan so there are no sugar crystals above the surface of the mixture. Attach an instant-read candy thermometer to the side of the pan so that the tip is immersed, but not touching the bottom of the pan. Don’t stir after this point. Place the pot with the sugar mixture over medium to mediumhigh heat. Let the sugar syrup come to a boil. Do not stir. You’ll see small bubbles first, and around 250 degrees, the sugar syrup will turn transparent and boil rapidly. When the mixture reaches between 290 degrees and 305 degrees, you will turn off the heat – the syrup will have darkened. Note: During cooking, if your instant-read thermometer isn't quite submerged into the sugar, you may need to tilt the pan so the tip is fully submerged to get an accurate reading; wipe down the sides again so the mixture won’t crystalize. Slowly pour the warm cream and butter mixture into the sugar syrup while softly whisking the sugar syrup. The syrup will bubble up and grow. Stop whisking after all the cream and butter mixture has been added. Return the pan to medium to medium-high heat. Let the caramel come to a boil. Do not stir. The caramel will darken to a luscious amber color. Remove from heat when the caramel reaches 245 degrees to 250 degrees. Quickly whisk the vanilla into the caramel. Immediately pour the caramel into the baking dish.

Do not scrape the pan (the caramel is hottest at the bottom and can cause grainy black bits that taste bad). Do not lick a spoon or use your finger to taste. It’s hot! Run a butter knife through the mixture a few times (without cutting the parchment) to work out some of the air bubbles. Leave the caramels to set for at least 2 hours, but preferably a full 8 hours. After the caramel has cooled to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. When the caramel has cooled, sprinkle coarse grains of sea salt. When the caramel has set, remove from the baking dish by the parchment paper and onto

T R E A T S

an extremely clean cutting board. Remove parchment. Cut the caramels into strips or squares with a sharp knife coated with some oil or cooking spray to keep them from sticking. Use store-bought wrappers or cut squares of wax paper about an inch longer than your caramels. Wrap each caramel in paper and twist the ends. If you can make them last, caramels will keep at room temperature for a couple weeks. If you choose to refrigerate them, just let them sit out for a few minutes before eating. Note: You can also roll the caramels in chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

Madeleines with Fennel Sea Sugar Glaze

orette Snover is a chef, author and the

owner of C’est si Bon cooking school who teaches locally and leads tours to

France. “I’ve also seen these delightful little French cakes, made famous by Marcel Proust, referred to as noisette shells. One option is to dip the madeleines in chocolate and sandwich two madeleines together with a bit of buttercream frosting.” CHM

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter 4 eggs pinch salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup whole natural almonds (optional) 1 tsp. vanilla grated zest of 2 lemons For the fennel sea sugar glaze ½ tsp. crushed coarse sea salt ½ tsp. crushed fennel seeds 1/3 cup granulated sugar Extra butter and flour for preparing the madeleine molds

Completely butter and flour the madeleine molds. (This recipe makes 2 dozen large madeleines.) If baking immediately after mixing, heat the oven to 375 degrees. (Another option is to make the batter as directed then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to four days, then follow the baking instructions.) Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a heavy bottomed saucepot. Wait until the foam rises, then stir the butter. Watch the foam rise and stir again – you should see tiny browned bits of milk solids at the bottom of the pan. If not, keep cooking until you smell the marvelous aroma of browned butter, or beurre noisette, as the French say. It should have a medium caramel color. Strain the butter through a fine wire strainer layered with a paper towel into a medium bowl. Cool to room temperature. Combine eggs, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Mix by hand or use the paddle attachment on your mixer until the sugar is well dissolved and the eggs and sugar have formed yellow ribbons. If using nuts, process the flour and the almonds until finely ground. Add in the flour gradually. Mix well, but do not overwork. Pour in the cooled butter and mix on low speed (or with your fork at medium) until just blended. Add in vanilla and lemon zest. Do not overmix. When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Fill each mold almost full with the batter. Bake until the cookies are lightly browned, about 13-15 minutes. While madeleines bake, make the fennel sea sugar glaze by crushing the fennel and sea salt in a mortar and pestle. (You can also put fennel and sea salt in a resealable bag and crush it with something sturdy like the bottom of a mug.) Mix in the sugar and taste. Adjust with more sugar or salt to suit your preference. Remove cakes from oven and use a sharp little knife to unmold them onto a baking sheet. While they are warm, spoon the sugar glaze over them – they’ll form a slightly hard crunchy glaze from the heat and the sugar. Cool on wire racks.

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December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

5Questions

with Gabe Barker

of Pizzeria Mercato

BY JILL WARREN LUCAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIANA BROUGH

AFTER THEY CLOSED THE MUCH-LOVED Magnolia Grill in 2012, chefs Ben and Karen Barker said they’d only return

to the daily grind of working in a restaurant if their son, Gabe, returned from cooking in California to open his own eatery here. With 27-year-old Gabe back in town, the family is working together on the launch of an artisan pizzeria in Carrboro. Pizzeria Mercato will open before the new year, if all goes as planned. It’s now under construction just steps from the acclaimed farmers’ market Gabe first visited as a baby. The little boy who used to nap in the Magnolia kitchen while his mother baked swoonworthy desserts went west to learn his craft after graduating from Chapel Hill High and then UNC-Greensboro, where he earned a degree in history. Unlike his parents, who met on the first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America, he opted for on-the-job culinary training. Far from local curiosity about his talents, he honed his skills in four top kitchens, including the celebrated Pizzeria Delfina. As its name suggests, Pizzeria Mercato will draw on the farmers’ market – as well as other local growers and producers – for ingredients that will add flavor to pizza Gabe will cook in a gas-fired, brick-lined deck oven. His robust menu also will feature antipasti, soups and fritti, as well as homestyle entrees like roast chicken and baked ziti. Well, homestyle if you grew up in the Barker home. “If I can help create memorable experiences in the same way my parents did through the Magnolia Grill,” Gabe says, “I will be ecstatic.”

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

WEAVER STREET MERCATO The Barkers outside of their new spot, currently under construction at 408 West Weaver Street.

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

F O O D

Karen, Gabe and Ben shop for fresh produce from Eco Farm – perfect for testing recipes – at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market.

Were you the picky child who only ate pizza, or did you have an adventurous palate informed by having James Beard award-winning chefs as parents? My parents always made it a point that I try everything once. If it didn’t suit me, then I wouldn’t be forced to eat more. With parents who were often working long days, I remember making myself tuna melt sandwiches and Kraft macaroni and cheese from a very early age. The former continues to be a favorite go-to lunch of mine, although I have developed a more adult version that often includes some sort of pickled vegetable in it. You put a lot of distance between yourself and your family to develop your skills. What made the West Coast attractive? It was always a goal of mine to live outside of North Carolina, preferably in a more metropolitan city, for some period of time. San Francisco is a dynamic city both in aesthetic beauty and cultural vivaciousness. Interestingly enough, there were a handful of guys I went to high school with who lived there at the same time. On my days off, we would often get together and cook large 88

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

family-style meals; it was gratifying to have a family like that 3,000 miles from home. I spent my last three years cooking for the Delfina Restaurant Group. This was by far the most influential job during my time in California. The owners, Anne and Craig Stoll, reminded me a lot of my parents as independent chef/owners. They operated their restaurants with incredibly high standards and a dedication to excellence that I found to be inspiring. Their approach to cooking was making use of the highest quality ingredients and transforming them with more traditional Italian technique. I worked my way from being a line cook there to a role as a sous chef for the last year and a half. Did you always aspire to run a pizzeria? I have always loved pizza, and it became a goal to learn the skills of cooking it. Thankfully, I was able to work for one of the best pizzerias in San Francisco. As my time at Pizzeria Delfina progressed, I really began to see how passionate I was about that style of food as well as the fast/casual, yet informed service that we provided. Also, it had always been a goal to one day be able

F O O D

to spend time cooking with my mom and dad. Having this opportunity come about so early in my professional career is truly fortunate. Did watching your parents run Magnolia Grill prepare you for this role? As a kid, I never quite understood how much hard work it takes to operate a restaurant the caliber of the Magnolia Grill. The time spent in kitchens in San Francisco really opened my eyes as to what exactly they had accomplished. My mom tells me that as a baby I would sit in a bassinet on her pastry table while she worked; I literally grew up in the restaurant. Unfortunately, I didn’t spend very much time cooking in the kitchen when the Grill was open. I have always loved food but didn’t quite know that’s where my own passion would lead me. Will diners familiar with your folks’ work recognize any menu items or see their influence in your style? It is undeniable that I grew up with chef parents known for their assertive, punchy flavors that were palate stimulating. I’m hoping to accomplish that same bold flavor profile. That combined with the technique I learned during my time working at Delfina, which focused on simple preparation that let the quality ingredients speak for themselves, will hopefully create a fun and diverse menu. Not exactly Magnolia Grill 2.0, but we will bring the same love and integrity to the food that my parents brought to theirs. CHM

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R E S C H A P E L H I A N A D V E R

I N

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TASTE

CHAPEL HILL East Franklin Street Downtown Artisan Pizza Kitchen Sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza. 153 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-9119 [B]Ski’s Specialty wraps. 147 E. Franklin St.; 919-969-9727 Bandido’s Mexican Cafe Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. 159-1/2 E. Franklin St.; 919-967-5048

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Buns Serves gourmet burgers, fries and shakes made from fresh ingredients; beer and wine only. 107 N. Columbia St.; 919-240-4746 Carolina Coffee Shop The mainstay serves casual American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 138 E. Franklin St.; 919-942-6875 Cosmic Cantina Burritos, salads, quesadillas, tacos. 128 E. Franklin St.; 919-960-3955 Four Corners American fare, nachos, wings, pasta. 175 E. Franklin St.; 919-537-8230 Kurama Sushi & Noodle Express Dumplings, salads, noodle dishes. 105 N. Columbia St.; 919-968-4747 Linda’s Bar & Grill Local beer, sweet potato tots, cheese fries, burgers. 203 E. Franklin St.; 919-933-6663 Miss Mong Mongolian BBQ, banh mi, fusion burritos. 163 E. Franklin St. 919-933-5277 R&R Grill Spicy wings, kabobs, flatbread pizza. 137 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-4411

ROOTS BAKERY, BISTRO & BAR Farm-to-table American bakery, bistro and Central American & bar fusion; 161 E. Franklin St.; 919-240-7160; rootschapelhill.com.

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Shanghai Dumplings Dumplings, pork buns, hotpots. 143 E. Franklin St.

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

THE DISH

O U R

P I C K

O F

T H E

S E A S O N

Crossroads Chapel Hill 2 1 1 W . P I T T S B O R O S T . 9 1 9 - 9 1 8 - 2 7 7 7 C R O S S R O A D S C H A P E L H I L L . C O M

For 70 years, diners at The Carolina Inn had two options for meals – the more formal restaurant or a quick-service cafeteria. When the cafeteria closed in 1994, it was gone but not forgotten. And when James Clark became chef at the Inn, he got cornered at church by ladies who asked, “Why don’t you bring back the cafeteria?” We live in a town so steeped in culinary tradition that this inquiry should be no surprise – nor is it a shock that when chef Clark nearly took shrimp and grits off the menu, “I thought they were going to send Rameses to come get me.” Today the shrimp and grits is just one of the new Inn Trays offered at lunch that’s accompanied by a light salad, a cup of soup and house-made pickles. It’s a modern spin on a beloved favorite that also reflects Crossroads Chapel Hill’s recent transformation. The formality is gone, and what remains is an even more inviting atmosphere coupled with the locally sourced Southern cuisine and hospitality the restaurant is known for. It’s a dining room sure to be a place for more memorable meals for years to come. $16 – Jessica Stringer CHM

SPANKY’S A Chapel Hill institution since 1977, the American bar and grill serves hamburgers, brown sugar baby back ribs, garden fresh salads and barbecue; all ABC permits. 101 E. Franklin St.; 919-967-2678; spankysrestaurant.com

BREADMEN’S A variety of sandwiches, burgers, salads and grilled meat, as well as daily soup and casserole specials. Breakfast served all day; vegetarian options; outdoor dining; beer and wine only. 324 W. Rosemary St.; 919-967-7110; breadmens.com

Sugarland Cupcakes, gelato, pastries. 140 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-2100

Carolina Ale House Pub food, beer, wine and specialty cocktails; 419 W. Franklin St.; 919-904-7288

Sup Dogs Creative hot dogs and sides like jalapeño popper tots and funnel cake sticks. 107 E. Franklin St.; 919-903-9566

Carolina Brewery The fifth-oldest brewery in the state; 460 W. Franklin St.; 919-942-1800

Sutton’s Drug Store Burgers, sandwiches, breakfast, milk shakes. 159 E. Franklin St.; 919-942-5161

Crossroads Chapel Hill at The Carolina Inn New American cuisine and seasonal specialties; all ABC permits. 211 Pittsboro St.; 919-918-2777

SweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt Choose your own yogurt and toppings. 105 E. Franklin St.; 919-537-8616

Crepe Traditions Sweet and savory crepes, coffee, espresso. 140 W. Franklin St., Ste. 120; 919-391-9999

Time-Out Southern comfort food 24 hours a day. 201 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-2425

Cholanad Contemporary South Indian cuisine. 308 W. Franklin St.; 800-246-5262

TOP OF THE HILL Our only local distillery also offers beers and American food, like burgers, flatbreads and entree specials; all ABC permits; outdoor dining. 100 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-8676; topofthehill.com Tru Deli & Wine Sandwiches and wine. 114 Henderson St.; 919-240-7755

CROOK’S CORNER For Special Southern classics like Occasions... shrimp and grits, Hoppin’ John and jalapeñocheddar hushpuppies 610 W. Franklin St.; 919-929-7643; crookscorner.com

like Dinner. ELAINE’S ON FRANKLIN Fine regional American cuisine, made with the freshest local ingredients; all ABC permits. 454 W. Franklin St.; 919-960-2770; elainesonfranklin.com

454 W. FRANKLIN ST. • CHAPEL HILL 960.2770 • www.elainesonfranklin.com

Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe Waffles, pancakes, eggs. 173 E. Franklin St.; 919-929-9192 West Franklin Street 411 WEST The menu – including fresh pasta, seafood and pizzas – is inspired by the flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean, with a healthy California twist; outdoor dining; all ABC permits. 411 W. Franklin St.; 919-967-2782; 411west.com Al’s Burger Shack Gourmet burgers and fries with local ingredients. 516 W. Franklin St.; 919-904-7659 Beer Study Bottle shop with in-store drafts and growlers to go. 106 N. Graham St.; 919-240-5423 Bread and Butter Bread, cinnamon rolls, desserts. 503 W. Rosemary St.; 919-960-5998

Silver Medal: Best Restaurants of 2011, News & Observer

NEWS BITES OPEN AND CLOSED Carolina Ale House has opened on West Franklin, while Lime Fresh Mexican Grill has closed just a few doors down. NEW BEGINNING Southern Village is welcoming a new restaurant: Rasa Malaysia is open in the space formerly occupied by Merlion. While the new venture serves authentic Malaysian fare, patrons who enjoyed Merlion will find some familiar dishes as well. HEAD NORTH West Rosemary has a new restaurant and bar: The Northside District serves an array of creative bar fare, from fried plantains and adobo tacos to meatball sliders and even asparagus with a soft-boiled egg.

KALAMAKI Simple, well-prepared Greek street food dishes and salads; outdoor dining; beer and wine only. 431 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-7354; kalamakichapelhill.com

KIPOS Greek cuisine in a relaxed, upscale setting; outdoor dining; all ABC permits. 431 W. Franklin St.; 919-425-0760; kiposgreektaverna.com

Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub Burgers and beer. 206 W. Franklin St.; 919-240-4560 Guru India Tandoori, thali, curry. 508-A W. Franklin St.; 919-942-8201

LA RÉSIDENCE C H A P E L

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LA RESIDENCE French-inspired cuisine made from fresh ingredients. 202 W. Rosemary St.; 919-967-2506; laresidencedining.com ITALIAN PIZZERIA III Pizza, calzones, subs. 508 W. Franklin St.; 919-968-4671; italianpizzeria3.com Jasmin Mediterranean Bistro Greek-Lebanese cuisine. 100 W. Franklin St.; 919-903-8869

Lantern Pan-Asian cuisine. 423 W. Franklin St.; 919-969-8846 Lime & Basil Vietnamese fare. 200 W. Franklin St.; 919-967-5055 Los Potrillos Taquitos, quesadillas, enchiladas. 220 W. Rosemary St.; 919-932-4301

December 2015 chapelhillmagazine.com

JOYOUS COOKING

M O R E T O N N E A L I S A N A U T H O R A N D I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R W H O L I V E S I N C H A P E L H I L L . S H E I S A L I F E L O N G F O O D I E , H A V I N G C O - F O U N D E D L A R E S I D E N C E I N 1 9 7 6 .

The Delights of Bill Smith His latest is Crabs and Oysters published by UNC Press, part of its terrific “Savor the South” series. Bill’s charming reminiscences and stories will delight even food lovers who don’t cook a lick. For those of us who do love to cook, he shares his own adaptations of classic crab and oyster recipes from one end of the southern American coast to the other, with a few recipes from Mexico and France thrown in. If, like me, you always wanted to replicate the unparalleled crispy fried oysters or seafood calas served at Crook’s Corner, the secrets are revealed here. The book’s succinct recipes never overwhelm you with superfluous details, but include just enough for a satisfying result. At the tasting, we had to look at, but not eat, a plate of pickled oysters on roasted beets, crab-stuffed eggs and

Indochine Crab Cakes with Cucumber Relish Max paired this with a delicious Amizade from Monterrei, Spain. It would also be great with a French-style chardonnay or a dry-ish reisling.

suspiciously runny, add more crumbs. (The liquid in the ginger will be a factor in this. The mixture needs to be sticky enough to bind the crab.) Fry the crabcakes in the butter or oil for about 5 minutes on each side until heated through. Serve with cucumber relish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using.

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard 2 tsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. black pepper Pinch or 2 of cayenne pepper ½ cup breadcrumbs, or more as needed 1 lb. fresh special crabmeat (but use a more expensive kind if you like), picked over for shell ½ cup clarified butter or cooking oil for frying (you might need more or less depending on the size of your pan) Toasted sesame seeds (optional) In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard and soy sauce together thoroughly. Add the lemon juice, all of the seasonings and the breadcrumbs. If the mixture seems

chapelhillmagazine.com December 2015

Cucumber Relish 1 cup uncooked quinoa, preferably red ½ tsp. salt 1 /3 cup chopped red or sweet onion 1 small clove garlic, chopped finely 1 cup chopped seeded cucumber 1 ½ cups chopped tomato 2 Tbsp. or more chopped fresh basil or mint ¼ cup roughly chopped Kalamata olives 1 /3 cup crumbled feta cheese 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp. olive oil Salt and black pepper, to taste

crabcakes topped with cucumber slaw for a few minutes while the wine was discussed – a tough challenge, even for the most civilized among us. At last, we were allowed to taste each dish with its complementary wine, politely savoring every bite and sip. Then, unexpectedly, platters of second and third helpings were passed, and we gobbled them all up like hungry wolves.

PHOTO BY JAMES STEFIUK

Whether it’s an author reading at McIntyre’s, a celebratory dinner at Fearrington House or a walk-through of Dovecote in search of gorgeous accessories, a visit to Fearrington Village is always a thrill. My latest excuse to go there was a wine pairing at the Fearrington Granary, a bi-weekly event hosted by wine director Maximilian Kast. On this occasion, Bill Smith, acclaimed chef of Crook’s Corner, was the guest speaker and, as usual, he was a delight. Bill never really makes a speech – he chats. He goes off on interesting tangents. He interacts. He encourages conversation. Before you know it, everyone in the audience feels like Bill is an old, dear friend. His cookbooks are written in this same inimitable style – casual, nostalgic and above all, fun.

Cook quinoa with salt and water, according to package directions. Pour into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Red quinoa is prettier, but no different in flavor. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings, adding more herbs or oil and vinegar if you think it needs it. Refrigerate until company comes or serve immediately. Serves 6-8.