With spring just around the corner, restaurants are shaking off the dust from their winter breaks.
Xpress takes home eight awards from NC Press Association
The paper’s staff as a collective received three awards, including first place for appearance and design. The 2020 general election voter guide — which was shaped by reader requests and received significant funding support from the community — bagged third place for public service.
Commercial kitchens help food entrepreneurs realize their visions
Blue Ridge Food Ventures is the largest facility in the region offering rented kitchen, production and storage space. But several others have launched in recent years to help meet the needs and realize the dreams of Western North Carolina’s food and beverage visionaries.
What’s new in food: Veggie tales, ungraped wine, Nani’s flies the coop and more
Handmade skirts highlighting locally grown foods, a new homegrown delivery service from Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken, a class on country winemaking, local nonprofit news and more.
Black chefs forge their own paths in Asheville’s food scene
The increased attention and plaudits paid to high-profile Black chefs in America in recent years simultaneously sheds ambient light on their overall scarcity.
What’s new in food: Wine, dine and eat more chocolate
From prix fixe dinners with a view to bonbons to heart-shaped dog biscuits, local businesses are offering tasty ways to say “I love you” for Valentine’s Day.
What’s new in food: Your Place plus empanadas, pizza and nonprofits
A new concept takes over Foothills Butcher Bar West, plus empanadas, a new pizzeria and nonprofit news.
Boredom, stress and confinement lead to weight gain during pandemic
As alcohol consumption and stress eating increase for many locals, so do unwanted pounds.
Commission considers $150K in small business relief Jan. 26
While county relief has heretofore been available only in the form of low-interest loans, businesses will now be able to seek grants of $5,000 to hire or rehire employees at a living wage. Staff had previously believed such a grant program to be illegal but had since received updated guidance from the UNC School of Government.
SNAP incentives boost market sales for local farmers
Market managers and vendors at the markets participating in the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Double SNAP initiative, which matches Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits dollar-for-dollar on edible items, saw SNAP transactions nearly triple from 2019 to 2020, and 80% of responding vendors said they’d experienced sales growth due to the program.
Wellness in brief: Dogwood Health Trust shifts board makeup
Retired Rear Adm. Richard Houck of Transylvania County, attorney Fred Jones of Macon County and Bishop José McLoughlin of Henderson County will join the board of Western North Carolina’s largest nonprofit as Buncombe County’s Dr. John Ball departs. The change fulfills requirements stipulated in N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein’s approval of Mission Health’s sale to HCA Healthcare.
Mask rage, other challenges create stress for hospitality workers
In a beleaguered industry, workers and business owners deal with a host of challenges from unstable finances to rude and unreasonable customers.
Asheville Restaurant Week returns
With an emphasis on takeout specials, the ninth annual event runs Jan. 19-25.
Green in brief: SAHC conserves nearly 3,000 acres; OGS gets social
The Asheville-based nonprofit Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s work included both valuable wildlife habitats, such as the Wiles Creek and Little Rock Creek preserves, and prime farmland at risk of development. Sandy Hollar Farms in Buncombe County and Bowditch Bottoms in Yancey County were among the agricultural projects completed in 2020.
Local produce distributor steers its business over rough roads
Making tough choices and trying out a variety of business models allowed Mountain Food Products to keep its trucks rolling through the pandemic.
What’s new in food: A mix of good news and uncertainty kicks off 2021
The new year brings new restaurants and fresh collaborations while other businesses take a temporary break and a North Asheville favorite closes permanently.
New year brings new restrictions on indoor dining capacity
Local restaurant owners face increasing challenges and difficult decisions as Buncombe County lowers dining room capacity to 30%.
Everything in Moderation: The last word on Chartreuse, first among exotic liqueurs
Once one ventures beyond the “base liquors” used to create cocktails — spirits including gin, rum, vodka, tequila, whiskeys and more — there remains an extensive and tantalizingly varied world of liqueurs to discover. From sweet libations like Benedictine and Drambuie to savory Italian amari, the flavors and potential combinations are practically unlimited. But when […]
Everything in Moderation: Asheville beverage experts explore the world of sake
Although most people are familiar with the “table” sake served hot in restaurants, there are, in fact, seven classifications of the brewed alcoholic beverage, many of which are available in Asheville.
Major milestones, unprecedented challenges for local media outlets in 2020
Former Xpress managing editor Jon Elliston shares his recap of key developments in 2020’s local media landscape.
Asheville restaurateurs reflect on 2020, look ahead to 2021
Five Asheville restaurateurs answer four questions on the state of their industry.