Small bites: Sweethearts Supper benefits Youth Transformed for Life

Youth Transformed for Life, a local nonprofit that provides after-school and summer programs for disadvantaged teenagers and young adults re-entering the workforce, is set to host its third annual Sweethearts Supper dinner Saturday, May 12. “We are working with students who are struggling academically, socially or emotionally,” says Executive Director Libby Kyles. The dinner, she adds, is the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser.

This year’s multicourse meal will feature dishes prepared by chefs Clarence Robinson of Cooking with Comedy Catering and Sherri Davis of SD’s Home Cooking & Catering Service. Italian mini-meatballs, spinach dip bread bowls and cheese and grape skewers will be served as appetizers followed by strawberry and feta salad, Mexican black bean soup and main dish options including bourbon brown sugar salmon or tofu or slow-cooked beef brisket with roasted potatoes. Dessert will be provided by Baked Pie Co.

According to Kyles, part of the evening’s proceeds will support the nonprofit’s summer expansion plans, including the addition of a new science course. “We also focus a lot on mindfulness,” she says. “We’re working really hard to teach our participants how to be present and how to recognize what’s happening in their bodies when they’re stressed and how to transfer that knowledge from summer camp to school and home.”

Robinson, who has helped cater all three dinners, notes that the fundraiser is a great way to give back to a worthy cause and come together as a community. Guests will be able to meet YTL students, who will speak about the program’s offerings and offer general assistance throughout the evening.

Kyles says she hopes diners leave the event filled not only with food but also inspiration. “All things are possible,” she says. “Our youth are very capable. They just need the support to help them be their best selves.”

The YTL Sweethearts Supper runs 7-9 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at Arthur R. Edington Education & Career Center, 133 Livingston St. Tickets are $45 per person or $85 for couples. For tickets, visit ytltraining.org.

Mother’s Day events

Sunday, May 13, is Mother’s Day. What are your plans for mom? Will you take her out to brunch? Maybe a cookbook signing event? Perhaps a gamethon? Possibly a combination of all three? The choice is yours. Here are a few local events that might help you map out your day.

On the South Slope, Buxton Hall Barbecue, 32 Banks Ave., will serve its Mother’s Day brunch from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. The evolving menu will include dishes such as buttermilk fried chicken biscuit, hushpuppies, brunch burger, whole-hog barbecue sandwich and the Buxton barbecue hash plate, prepared by the restaurant’s James Beard-nominated chef, Elliot Moss. For dessert, pastry chef Ashely Capps is considering fresh cherry almond tart and pecan bun covered in cinnamon brown sugar.

Meanwhile, White Labs Kitchen & Tap, 172 S. Charlotte St., will offer its standard Sunday brunch menu from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. with some additional pink-themed options, including its Pink Pineapple Hibiscus Gose brewed in collaboration with Hoppy Trout Brewing. Along with food and drink, the afternoon will also feature a silent auction from noon-2 p.m. Items range from a hybrid bicycle to beer tours. All proceeds from the auction, as well as 18 percent of food sales, will benefit Beer for Boobs, a nonprofit that raises money to support breast cancer research and awareness.

In South Asheville, Roux, 43 Town Square Blvd., will celebrate with a custom Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet, running 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Slow-roasted prime rib, traditional mac and cheese, shrimp and smoked gouda grits, and bananas Foster French toast are among the menu’s highlights. Reservations are required. Call 828-209-2715.

In Biltmore Village, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 26 All Souls Crescent, will host brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with a menu featuring brioche French toast, steak Benedict and barbecued shrimp and grits. Available wines include Château de Campuget 1753 rosé and Gran Courtage brut Champagne. Call 828-398-6200 for reservations.

In North Asheville, Golden Fleece Slow Earth Kitchen, 111 Grovewood Road, will serve its Mother’s Day brunch 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Menu highlights include oat and apple pancakes, deviled eggs and lemongrass pork belly. Special craft cocktails, such as a Champagne mule and house fire shot bloody mary will also be available. Reservations are required. Call 828-424-7655 or book online by visiting avl.mx/4ww.

Downtown, at 58 Wall St., Well Played Board Game and Café will host a 24-hour Mother’s Day board gameathon. The event, which begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 12, and ends at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 13, will benefit Helpmate, a local nonprofit that provides services to victims of domestic violence in Buncombe County. Along with donating a percentage of its total sales, Well Played will also donate 100 percent of proceeds of sales from UpCountry Brewing Co. and Pisgah Brewing Co. draft beers. To learn more, visit avl.mx/4wx.

Lastly, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe will host local author Ashley English, who will present her latest cookbook, Southern From Scratch: Pantry Essentials and Down Home Recipes. In addition to discussing some of the work’s 150 recipes, English will also sign copies. The free event starts at 3 p.m. at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St.