A trip around the food blogosphere

Asheville is on the lips of national bloggers, as usual. They can’t seem to get enough of us. (Photo above via kevineats.com)

Beer blogger Charlie Papazian has Asheville on his mind. He really likes our beer, he says, and remarks that our people are super-friendly. Or maybe he’s got a case of the beer goggles.

Papazian starts off his blog entry by panning our airport in a mild way before describing our city as very walkable (a bonus when you’re planning on doing a load of beer-drinking). Then he questions a lady-of-a-certain-age who’s eating pizza at the Asheville Brewing Company what she thinks of the establishment’s beer. She says, “Do they make beer here?” Then they all share some booze, natch. It’s pretty funny.

Table owner and chef Jacob Sessoms was recently featured in Find. Eat. Drink, a food blog with a national scope. In the post, Sessoms is asked to give his recommendations for what to do, eat and see in Asheville. Where to send a visiting chef? Cucina 24, Sessoms says. Read his other recommendations here.

And Zagat.com is all hyped up about Firestorm Café, naming it on of the “10 coolest independent coffee shops in the U.S.”

“Coffee shops have often been associated with poets, activists, college students and any artistic type looking for a caffeinated connection. And, given that the patron saint of Firestorm is writer and feminist Voltairine de Cleyre, this stereotype fits perfectly with this café in Asheville, N.C., and not in a bad way. The cafe opened in 2005 with the goal to be worker-owned, and for the past six years, they have achieved that goal while also using Counter Culture Coffee to make a mean cup of joe.”

Back here in Asheville, the food-blogger world seems to be ever-expanding. Here’s a quick round-up:

This one, Boston Dreams and Michelin Stars, surveys Asheville food in a charming and funny way. The post about sous vide cooking is pretty funny.

Carolina Epicurean has an awesome review of Books and Breadboard in the Biltmore Village, which the reviewer boldly says may be the best place to get lunch in Asheville. Warning: The photos inspire hunger.

A relatively new-to-us blog, the Asheville Sojourner, details everything Asheville, from food to art to music. The writers recently visited Limones, and advise you to “leave your notions of Calfornia/Latin American cuisine at the door” should you visit for yourself (do they have a coat check for that?). They hit the bar menu first (points for that):

“At the back of the room sits a wood-inlaid bar, where a bustle of bartender creativity awaits the daring diner.” (Editor’s note: Daring as in crickets in your drink? Because they’ve got that. Read our story on the subject here.)

“The margarita menu has reached a near legendary status in Asheville, and one taste of the in-house concoctions explains why. Blood orange margaritas, caliente margaritas (with a hint of habañero) and pomegranate margaritas are crafted with special care.”
Read the rest here.

And finally, here’s something from the cleverly named Soy Lentil Green, dedicated to vegetarian and vegan dining. The blog reviewed the Veggie Love food truck back in September:

“The Dosarito is the signature and most popular dish of Veggie Love. Its name is derived from a combination of the Dosa — popular in south India, and the ubiquitous Mexican Burrito. The filling contains curried potatoes, gingered cabbage, cilantro-coconut chutney, cashew cream sauce, and fresh spinach garnish. The wrap (Dosa) is made with fermented (like sourdough) lentils and rice. Dosaritos are a creative masterpiece! I visit the Veggie Love food truck quite frequently and am never disappointed. Owner and Chef (Alison) caters to my avoidance of onions and garlic. I have had a macrobiotic meal, chili with brown rice, the Peace Burger (raw burger), coconut squash soup, raw deserts and healthy chocolate chip cookies. They also serve a raw juice, a smoothie, organic tea and coffee. It’s amazing what great, tasty and healthy food comes from a truck.” Read more here.