DINING UNDER THE STARS: More than 300 guests gathered on th e Quad at UNC Asheville recently for the university's third annual Farm-to-Table Dinner.

UNC Asheville’s Farm-to-Table Dinner focuses on immigration and cultural heritage

Posted on September 16, 2017September 16, 2017 by Audra Goforth

UNC Asheville’s third annual Farm-to-Table Dinner on the Quad drew more than 300 guests for an evening centered on the theme of migration.

SMOKE SIGNALS: Dustin McMillan tends the smoker on the patio outside Gan Shan Station. Since passage of new state legislation in May that allows outdoor grilling at restaurants, Gan Shan Station has implemented a charcoal grill for smoking meats, charring peppers and more.

Fire it up: Outdoor grilling law opens up new options for Asheville restaurateurs

Posted on September 15, 2017September 11, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

State legislation passed at the end of May offers an affordable way for eateries to expand their menus and draw more customers.

POST-RIDE FEAST: Cyclists from last year's Pedal to Plate replenish their resources with a gourmet, locally sourced meal at Madison County's Root Bottom Farm after the day's ride.

Small bites: Pedal to Plate cycles back through Madison County

Posted on September 12, 2017September 11, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Root Bottom Farm will host its second Pedal to Plate event on Sunday, Sept. 17. Also this week: Coffee for Champions campaign returns, North Asheville Food Truck Festival comes to town, Ole Shakey’s Getaway hosts Pig Out Luau and more.

DRIVING FORCE: In 2011, fatal alcohol-related driving accidents peaked in Buncombe County, spurring the Asheville Police Department and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office to form the Asheville-Buncombe DWI Task Force. Pictured, from left, are task force members Deputy Ronnie Davis, Sr., Officer Matthew Craig, Sr., Officer Hunter Welborn and Sgt. Ann Fowler.

Swerving through paradise: The rise and fall of DWIs in Beer City

Posted on September 8, 2017September 5, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

Although Western North Carolina’s craft brewing industry has grown exponentially in the last decade, DWI arrests have decreased significantly.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: Evergreen Community Charter School students Nora Oakes, left, and Kai’ana Ghassabian, right, chop potatoes from the school’s garden with teacher Marin Leroy. In lieu of formal funding for a cooking program, Leroy created a kitchen space in a science classroom with the help of donations, grants, parent volunteers and community partners.

Hungry for knowledge: WNC edible education programs cultivate relationships between students and food

Posted on September 6, 2017September 1, 2017 by Dana Schlanger

Food and gardening classes can help children learn life skills, nourish creativity and connect to the natural world. But funding for these programs can be hard to come by.

COMING BACK FOR MORE: Green Opportunities will participate again at this year's Goombay Festival. The organization is bringing its new Southside Soul food truck to the event. Pictured, from left, are Jammie Wright, Shakur Shabazz, Kierra Byers, Christine Carter, Guy Stivender and Royetta Davidson.

Small bites: Goombay Festival celebrates diversity in the mountains

Posted on September 5, 2017September 4, 2017 by Thomas Calder

African and Caribbean flavors return to Pack Square Park during the Goombay Festival. Also: Catawba Brewing hosts Grill & Chill; Olivette Riverside Community and Farm hold a benefit dinner for Asheville GreenWorks; The Hop Ice Cream raises money for and awareness of multiple sclerosis; and plenty more.

SEEDY BUSINESS: "We take our seed quality very seriously, conducting external germination testing three times a year at a state-run laboratory," reads the campaign page of Sow True Seed. "And we store our seeds in a heat- and humidity-controlled seed storage room. That room is currently a little on the small side."

Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives

Posted on September 3, 2017September 1, 2017 by Kat McReynolds

Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features Sow True Seeds downtown move plus a new studio album by Eleventy Seven.

NIGHT LIFE: Many of the new businesses opening on Haywood Road this year feature late-night food and beverage service, promising to increase West Asheville's draw as a destination for nocturnal fun.

Boom town: Haywood Road’s exploding restaurant, bar scene

Posted on September 1, 2017September 4, 2017 by Nick Wilson

A new crop of eateries and drinking spots is changing the face of the West Asheville business corridor.

TOAST OF THE TOWN: East Tennessee native and James Beard Foundation Book Award winner Sarah Owens will host three events during her upcoming stay in Asheville to celebrate the launch of her new cookbook, Toast & Jam.

Award-winning baker Sarah Owens debuts new cookbook with Asheville events

Posted on August 31, 2017August 31, 2017 by Gina Smith

The New York City-based author and baker launches her new book, Toast & Jam, in Asheville with events at OWL Bakery and East Fork Pottery.

FEEDING MORE KIDS: For two years, Adam Lefevre, age 4, has volunteered at MANNA FoodBank with his mother and brother assembling MANNA Packs for Kids, which are distributed weekly to food-insecure school children in Western North Carolina. A $50,000 grant has allowed the program to expand for this school year to reach hundreds more kids in need.

Call to action: WNC hunger-relief agencies celebrate progress, promote awareness

Posted on August 30, 2017August 31, 2017 by Gina Smith

Hunger Action Month brings a fresh-produce hub for Haywood and Jackson counties, an expansion of the MANNA Packs for Kids program and a new initiative that engages tourists in raising funds to alleviate food-insecurity in Asheville and beyond.

CELEBRATING THE HARVEST: The N.C. Apple Festival runs Friday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 4, on Main Street in downtown Hendersonville.

Small bites: North Carolina Apple Festival returns to Hendersonville

Posted on August 29, 2017August 28, 2017 by Thomas Calder

The North Carolina Apple Festival returns for its 71st year. Also: Whole Foods Market and Greenlife raise funds for Asheville City Schools Foundation, the Acupuncture for Digestive Health offers a free event on fats, The Asheville School of Wine hosts a canned wine tasting event and French Broad Chocolates announces plans for expansion.

LOCAL HANGOUT: The Local Joint owner Chris Sizemore has worked in the restaurant industry for 35 years.

Quick dish: Q+A with Chris Sizemore of The Local Joint

Posted on August 26, 2017August 26, 2017 by Liisa Andreassen

Chef Chris Sizemore talks about the Fairview eatery’s unique space, its menu and quirky decor and some interesting plans for the future.

SLIM PICKINGS: Strada Italiano owner Anthony Cerrato says that recently the Ashevillle restaurant industry’s “labor pool has been really shallow and really muddy.” He points to the explosion of tourism as one cause.

Falling short: What’s causing Asheville’s restaurant labor crisis?

Posted on August 23, 2017August 23, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

The challenges of finding and maintaining kitchen help are not new to Asheville’s restaurant industry, but the problem seems to be growing for many local restaurateurs.

A SANDWICH OF LOVE: Attendees at last year's BaconFest honor and celebrate the BLT. This year's event happens Saturday, Aug. 26, at Highland Brewing Co.

Small bites: BaconFest celebrates five years

Posted on August 22, 2017August 18, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Bacon is king at the fifth annual 105.9 the Mountain’s BaconFest Asheville. Also: Vegan Awareness Week begins Monday, Aug. 28, Slow Food Asheville holds a tomato tasting at The Wedge at Foundation and The West Asheville Tailgate Market teams up with Salt & Smoke for its first 2017 supper.

LIFE IS SWEET: "The Asheville Bee Charmer Cookbook" incorporates the individual flavors of specific honey varietals to create appetizers, main dishes, sides, sauces and desserts. Pictured is the honey-tasting bar at Asheville Bee Charmer, which features several dozen varietals available for sampling.

Asheville Bee Charmer launches a honey-themed cookbook

Posted on August 16, 2017August 16, 2017 by Gina Smith

The downtown shop’s first cookbook features eight chapters of recipes both savory and sweet.

KING OF THE JERK: Collin Lee will compete again in this year's Great American Jerk Off. At last year's inaugural event, Lee took home the top prize in the amateur category. Along with the accolade, he was awarded the opportunity to sell his jerky at Ole Shakey's Getaway.

Small bites: The Great American Jerk Off returns

Posted on August 15, 2017August 14, 2017 by Thomas Calder

A competition at Ole Shakey’s Getaway highlights locally made beef jerky. Also, MetroWine celebrates the solar eclipse, Living Web Farm offers a class on homemade sauces, Hickory Nut Gap Farm leads a course in the art of sausage-making and Sovereign Remedies goes to the theater.

CHEERS TO CHANGE: Entering its ninth year, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival will feature 100 regional, national and international vendors and exhibitors. This year's Grand Tasting will be at two-day event at Pack Square Park.

Small bites: Asheville Wine & Food Festival takes it outside

Posted on August 8, 2017August 14, 2017 by Thomas Calder

Entering its ninth year, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival will take place at Pack Square Park. Also: Taco Throwdown and Tequila Tasting returns to The Grey Eagle, Table hosts Service Industry Luncheon, Noble Cider teams up with OWL Bakery and Looking Glass Creamery for an evening event and more in this week’s Small Bites.

IN THE MARKET: Grace Corder offers a colorful selection of local fruits and vegetables, artisan granola and fresh juice drinks at Gladheart Farm's open-air produce stand on Fairview Road. In spring 2018, the stand will be replaced by a brick-and-mortar farm store and coffee bar. Eventually, a full-service café will be added to the property.

New market and café coming to Asheville’s Oakley neighborhood

Posted on August 5, 2017August 7, 2017 by Gina Smith

A local farm has launched plans to turn a vacant lot on Fairview Road into a market and café, bringing much-needed food access and a social hub to one of Asheville’s food deserts.

COOKING WITH THE STARS: The upcoming summer session of chef Susi Gott Séguret's Seasonal School of Culinary Arts will feature cooking classes from celebrated Asheville chefs, including Katie Button, Mark Rosenstein, Jason Roy, Joe Scully and more.

Seasonal School of the Culinary Arts presents all-star lineup of chefs and authors

Posted on August 4, 2017August 4, 2017 by Jonathan Ammons

Now in its 13th year, Susi Gott Séguret’s globetrotting cooking school gets set to dish up a week of classes and meals featuring some of Western North Carolina’s most celebrated chefs.

SUNDAY DRIVER: The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance to allow the sale of alcohol before noon in unincorporated areas of the county by a vote of 5-2. However, it must be approved a second time in order to become official.

Unincorporated Sunday alcohol sales on hold; transfer station $1.5M over budget

Posted on August 3, 2017August 4, 2017 by Dan Hesse

Commissioners are looking to allow alcohol sales in unincorporated areas of the county. The law allows for restaurants and grocery stores to sell alcohol starting at 10 a.m. but does not allow for state-run ABC stores to open.

GROWING UP: Rooftop gardens, like this one on the eighth floor of Hyatt Place, can not only grow edibles for restaurants, but are also a “creative way to reintroduce ecology and plants back into the urban landscape,”says Living Roofs Inc. owner Kate Blatt Ancaya.

Raising the roof: Asheville restaurants and bars take kitchen gardening up a notch

Posted on August 2, 2017July 31, 2017 by Emily Glaser

Rooftops offer businesses the opportunity to turn under-utilized space into blooming (and buzzing) food-production spots.

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