Surrounded by Leicester’s stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shady Place’s cattle drink water from pure mountain springs and eat grass, hay, and corn produced on-site. The animals are raised by hand and treated like pets by the entire family, including the Morgans’ sons Nathanael and Eli.
Western North Carolina is now home to a growing number of craft distillers making legal moonshine. Blending traditional recipes with new technology and methods, these pioneers are bringing Appalachia’s most fabled and misunderstood product into the 21st century, changing cultural perceptions even as they adapt to shifting economic realities.
Reminiscent of an Prohibition-era speakeasy with its cream and burgundy walls, vinyl club chairs, old church pews and dark brown circular tables, the bar and event center pays homage to the history of the building and its surrounding neighbors. “This is an event concept bar,” says owner Cam MacQueen. “This bar is about telling the story of this space, of this block, of bringing people together.”
The shy return of baby greens — kale, dandelion greens, watercress — elates our salad plates. And local chefs perk up as well.
Asheville restaurateurs are giving the term “locally sourced produce” a new meaning by picking up a shovel and digging in the dirt themselves. This translates to a farm-to-table journey that, for some, may only be a few yards.
Although still based in Black Mountain, Foothills Meats has a new location in Asheville, sharing space as a deli and sandwich shop within Ben’s Penny Mart.
North Carolina’s wine fortunes have fluctuated over the years. Especially after the long stretch of Prohibition, what had once been the nation’s leading manufacturer of wine faded from the forefront of the industry.
