A new culinary event kicks off later this month that will highlight the farms and eateries of Haywood County. Sponsored by the Buy Haywood Market Development Project, the inaugural Uniquely Local Food Crawl is scheduled for the weekends of Aug. 21-24 and Aug. 28-31. The self-guided tour will include dozens of Haywood County businesses featuring food and drink items prepared especially for the event using local produce and products.
As with most food crawls, diners can visit as many of the participating establishments as they like over the course of the two weekends to sample the offerings. No tickets are necessary. Diners simply pay as they go for whatever they eat or drink at each crawl location.
To add an extra element of fun, at each destination crawlers can enter a drawing that will be held on Sept. 9. Prizes include a range of local items such as original artwork, handmade jewelry and gift certificates to participating restaurants and breweries.
The crawl will also feature some giveaways and demonstrations: Frog Level Brewing Co. will offer a free recipe card for Buy Haywood’s pub-style pot roast to the first 250 crawlers, and on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market, chef Juan Pen Mejia will offer a tasting of salsas inspired by his native Guadalajara, Mexico.
“The Buy Haywood team and partners are very excited about highlighting our local farms and products through innovative menu offerings,” says Buy Haywood project coordinator Tina Masciarelli. “If there’s one common thread that ties all Southern people together, we believe it is the love of a great party, especially when local food is the theme.”
Details and a list of participating restaurants and breweries can be found by clicking on “Uniquely Local Food Crawl” at buyhaywood.com.
The Hop announces expansion
The Hop owners Greg and Ashley Garrison announced last week on Facebook that they plan to open a new production facility and tasting room, The Hop Ice Creamery, in October at 167 Haywood Road, across from Hole Doughnuts. According to the post, the new location will produce ice cream for wholesale accounts and The Hop West, and provide a venue for events. More details to come.
New Whole Foods Market set to open
Whole Foods Market will open its second Asheville location Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 4 S. Tunnel Road in the new Asheville Market shopping center. The 35,000-square-foot store includes an upper-level beer garden with 12 taps pouring local beer and kombucha. To get a sneak peek at the facility, sign up for one of the 45-minute preview tours that will be offered on Aug. 22 and 23. Online registration is required. A suggested donation of $5 to benefit local nonprofit organization Muddy Sneakers will be accepted at the door. Once open, store hours will be 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
To preregister for a tour, visit asheville.wholefoodsrsvp.com.
Tea and puppets
Puppeteers Madison J. Cripps and Aaron Birk will present Tea Time at the End of the Universe: A Proper Puppet Fiasco at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at Dobra Tea’s Black Mountain location. The family-friendly show is free and promises a chance to sample some of Dobra’s recent tea-season imports from far-flung locales while taking in a professional puppet performance. According to Dobra’s Facebook page, the show portrays an “aristorcratic walrus, a kaiju dragon, a cockroach and a space robot” in search of a bit of propriety after the collapse of civilization.
Dobra Tea, 120 Broadway St., Black Mountain. facebook.com/events/431054453700678
Mountains to Sea Market Supper
The West Asheville Tailgate Market will host its 11th annual Mountains to Sea Market Supper at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at The Hub on Haywood Road. The dinner will feature a family-style meal sourced mainly from the wares of market vendors and prepared by chefs Eric Kang and Dan Silo of The Admiral. Wedge Brewery and New Belgium Brewing will provide the beer. Tickets are $30, with all proceeds going to support the growth of the market.
The Hub is at 278 Haywood Road. Tickets are available at the West Asheville Tailgate Market, 3:30-6:30 Tuesdays on Haywood Road; Villagers, 278 Haywood Road and at westashevilletailgatemarket.com.
Old Fashioned University
Seven Sows Bourbon & Larder will host Old Fashioned University: A Heaven Hill Distillers Whiskey Dinner on Monday, Aug. 18, featuring author Bernie Lubbars, aka “The Whiskey Professor.” At 6 p.m. a social hour that is free and open to the public will take place in the restaurant’s bourbon bar with live jazz and free hors d’oeuvres. Starting at 7:30 p.m., Lubbars will conduct a whiskey class and four-course pairing dinner. Tickets to the class and dinner are $50 each. Reservations are required. Look for similar events focusing on Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail this fall at Seven Sows.
Seven Sows is at 77 Biltmore Ave. For dinner reservations, visit bourbonuniversity.eventbrite.com, or call 255-2592. Space is limited.
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