Small bites: Asheville Proper slated to open this spring

PARTY OF FOUR: Chef Owen McGlynn, right, with his wife, Mindi, and business partners Russell and Mercy Joseph. Photo courtesy of Phase:3

After eight years as the executive chef at Storm Rhum Bar and Bistro, Owen McGlynn is launching a new restaurant, Asheville Proper. The chef is partnering with his wife, Mindi McGlynn, and business associates Russell and Mercy Joseph. Located inside the Grove Arcade, the new live-fire steakhouse is slated to open in the spring.

Diners can expect a wide selection of cuts, says McGlynn. Traditional favorites like New York strip, filet mignon and cowboy ribeye will be featured on the a la carte menu. In addition, the chef notes, Asheville Proper will feature lesser-known, more affordable options like coulotte, teres major and flatiron.

The restaurant’s seasonal menu will rely on local purveyors including Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Apple Brandy Beef, Brasstown Beef and Abundant Seafood. Side items will include smashed fingerling potatoes, flamed Brussels sprouts and whipped potatoes, among many others. The restaurant will also offer small plates such as charred pickled shrimp, smoked cauliflower and squash soup.

McGlynn says he intends to make the most of the grill’s live fire. “I’ll be cooking a lot of things in the embers, doing things over the flame, slow-roasting other items and hanging a few things for a slow cook.”

With over 20 years’ experience in the food industry, the chef says Asheville Proper has been a dream in the making. His hope is the new restaurant will serve as the city’s go-to, locally owned, locally sourced steakhouse.

Asheville Proper is slated to open in early 2020 inside the Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave., Suite 151. For more information, visit avl.mx/6t6.

The Tardis Society subscription

Zebulon Artisan Ales is offering yearly $165 subscriptions to its Tardis Society. Throughout 2020, limited bottle releases of historical English beers will be available to members, with six total releases planned for the new year. Participants will also receive a TARDIS teku glass. Releases need to be picked up at the brewery or at a proxy location.

Zebulon Artisan Ales is at 8 Merchants Alley, Weaverville. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6t2.

The Asheville Hot Chocolate Races

Entering its 13th year, The Asheville Hot Chocolate Races return Friday, Jan. 25. Adult races include a 5K and 10K, as well as shorter competitions for younger runners. To honor the event, French Broad Chocolate Factory and Catawba Brewing Co. will release a special hot chocolate-themed beer on Thursday, Jan. 2. The 5K and 10K races are limited to 500 runners each. Both runs start at Issac Dickson Elementary School. The 10K kicks-off at 9 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9:15 a.m. Registration is $10. The Marshmallow Dash for younger kids starts at 8:30 a.m.

The Asheville Hot Chocolate Races take place Friday, Jan. 25, at Isaac Dickson Elementary School, 125 Hill St. To register, visit avl.mx/6t0.

Mystery Basket Competition

The Western North Carolina Association of the ACF, a local nonprofit that offers certification, educational resources, training and apprenticeships, is hosting an open house and cooking competition on Monday, Jan. 6. The Mystery Basket Competition will feature 10 contestants preparing dishes based on hidden ingredients revealed during the event.

The open house runs 4-7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, at A-B Tech, 340 Victoria Road. For more information and to enter the contest, visit avl.mx/6t1.

Chow Chow seeks community input

Chow Chow culinary festival organizers will host two forums to gather community input for the 2020 event. The first meeting will be held at Asheville Beauty Academy, 28 Broadway, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 1-3 p.m. The second takes place at The Center for Craft, 67 Broadway, on Thursday, Jan. 9, 6-8 p.m. Organizers are also now accepting proposals for signature events, seminars and workshops for the 2020 festival, scheduled for Sept. 10-13. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Jan. 31.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/6tr.

DIY sausage and beer

The Chop Shop Butchery will partner with a local brewery (details unavailable at press time) to host a hands-on sausage-making workshop on Thursday, Jan. 9. According to the event’s Facebook page, participants will learn about the ingredients that go into making sausage, as well as techniques for properly grinding, mixing and stuffing sausage by hand. Samples will be served along with a choice of beer or wine. Students are asked to dress in layers, as the cutting room is cold. All who attend will take home sausages made during the two-hour session, along with PDF notes and recipes from the class. Early bird tickets are $85; early bird VIP tickets are $115 and include a pound of Chop Shop bacon and a Chop Shop T-shirt.

DIY sausage and beer runs 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at The Chop Shop Butchery, 100 Charlotte St. To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6sy.

Milk & Cookies Bierbrand

Chemist Spirits and Wicked Weed Brewing recently collaborated to create the Milk & Cookies Bierbrand, a beer brandy made with Wicked Weed’s Milk & Cookies Imperial Stout and aged for months in barrels that previously housed bourbon and beer, says a press release. Notes of cinnamon, golden raisin, vanilla, chocolate, toffee and oatmeal infuse the dessert brandy.

To learn more, visit avl.mx/6sz.

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.

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