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CAFÉ AZALEA: East Asheville’s Café Azalea is stressing the hedonism in its “healthy hedonism” slogan, adding a slew of upscale cocktails to its bar offerings. Newly certified to serve liquor, the eatery is keeping its surprisingly serene Tunnel Road patio open late on Friday and Saturday nights for tippling. And to the delight of drink purists, there’s no sour mix in sight: Chef/owner Judd Lohof says he’s making all his own mixes, using fresh citrus. “We have specialty martinis and cocktails, as well as the standards,” he writes in an e-mail. To learn more, call 299-3753.
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GPI WINE: Wine’s apparently working for the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, which recently debuted a Sauvignon Blanc, bringing the resort’s branded wine’s varietal tally to three. Grove Park launched its branded-wine program last year with the release of a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Like those wines, the Sauvignon Blanc—described as “offer(ing) high acidity, with notes of gooseberry, and tropical and citrus fruits, culminating in a round, lush body”—is made in Sonoma County by master winemaker Kerry Damskey.
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SUMMER COOLER BEERFEST: The Garage at Biltmore has assembled all the summer essentials for its inaugural Summer Cooler Beerfest, including barbecue, music and plenty of beer. Seven N.C. breweries are planning to participate in the Sunday, July 20, event, which benefits nonprofit Clean Water for North Carolina. Admission is $35, and includes a 16-ounce commemorative glass. For tickets, visit thegarageatbiltmore.com or call 505-2663.
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CHEF IN A DAY: The Swannanoa School of Culinary Arts at Warren Wilson College is pitching a new registration scheme for aspiring chefs with a hankering to improve their cooking skills, but precious few vacation days to spare. Single-day registration is now available throughout the program’s second week, July 20 to 26. Each day includes a three-hour master class, lunch and an interactive workshop, organized around a single theme such as “Greens & Beans,” “Herbs & Flowers” or “Eggs & Cheese.” Enrollment is $220. To register, visit schoolofculinaryarts.org or call 301-2792.
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BLACKBERRY FESTIVAL: How many blackberries can you eat? More importantly, how quickly can you eat them? The Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce is seeking the state’s best blackberry eaters for its annual contest, conducted in conjunction with the North Carolina Blackberry Festival this Saturday, July 12. First contestant to polish off a quart of Lineberger Farms’ berries wins a cash prize, and gets his or her photo made with Ms. North Carolina. To enter, be one of the first 10 people to register at the Chamber tent on festival day. Other competitive festival activities include a blackberry-recipe contest and music picking in the parking lot. To learn more, visit caldwellchamber.org, or call 726-0616.
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SANDWICH NATION: Curators typically don’t take kindly to food in their museums, but snacks will at least make a virtual appearance at the Asheville Art Museum. In conjunction with its new exhibit, Pleasant Journeys and Good Eats Along the Way: A Retrospective of Paintings by John Baeder, the museum is screening PBS vet Rick Sebak’s Sandwiches That You Will Like, a 2002 “eatalogue” that predated the flood of food programs on cable TV. Sebak’s doc showcases a variety of American classics, including the po’ boy, lobster roll, hoagie, French dip and beef on weck. Screenings, free with museum admission or membership, are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12. Call 253-3227 for more information.
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