Foodtopia: A Feast of Food Philosophies
Volume
22
/ Issue 4
Cover Design Credit:
Alane Mason
Asheville is well-known as a small city with a big food scene, but our community’s diverse eating habits are hard to pin down. In this issue, Xpress examines how a smorgasbord of food philosophies — paleo, vegan, down- home Southern, locavore, gluten-free and more — come together at one table to define our Foodtopia.
arts
Celebrating the 1925 Okeh recording sessions in Asheville
The Okeh Record sessions that took place in Asheville nearly 100 years ago. The New York-based label, in a bid to discover lesser-known Southern musicians, took trips to various locations…State of the Arts: The 2nd Terrain Biennial comes to Asheville
The Terrain Biennial originated in 2011 as a fun way to actively engage the local artistic community in the Oak Park Neighborhood of Chicago. This year it expands to 12…Smart bets: Beach Burnout II
Ben's Tune-Up hosts the free beach bash with a headlining set by surf rock act La Luz on Sunday, Aug. 23, from noon until 10 p.m.Musical instrument drive supports young players
During the gear-raiser on Saturday, Aug. 22, supporters can tour Experience Music's Merrimon Avenue studio and enjoy refreshments and live music.Electronica duo Aligning Minds on their early years, new label and genre-busting approach
Daniel Merrill and Mike Folk, aka electronica duo Aligning Minds, headline The Orange Peel on Friday, Aug. 21. The band blends rural roots with synths and effects-processing. They're also launching…Smart bets: Barn Raisin’ Concert
The concert to benefit the Appalachian Barn Alliance kicks off at the Ebbs Chapel Performing Arts Center in Mars Hill on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 3 p.m.Smart bets: The Wilhelm Brothers
The duo's CD release celebration takes place at the Paintbox' new stage on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m.John Crutchfield debuts new play at The Magnetic Theatre
John Crutchfield’s latest play is built upon a small selection from a much larger unpublished work in prose called The Intimate Journals of Jacob Higginbotham. It runs at The Magnetic…Smart bets: Love Right
Funk-rockers The Get Right Band and folk-rockers Lovestruck Suckers share a stage at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall and 185 King Street in Brevard.food
You are what you eat: The many faces of Foodtopia
From paleo to vegan to good ol' Southern comfort food, Asheville's colorful and diverse salad of food philosophies helps shape our city's identity.Small bites: Webo’s BBQ moves to River Ridge
Webo's BBQ moves to River Ridge, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival dishes out its annual carnival of edible delights, Mela opens a new restaurant at UNC Asheville, The Fresh…Gimme your tots: Local chefs put a new spin on an old classic
Long a staple side item in school cafeteria lunches and frozen TV dinners, the humble tater tot is reinvented in Asheville's ever-creative food scene.Growing pains: Craft brewing comes of age
North Carolina has always had a complicated relationship with alcohol. However, alcohol has consistently been an economic driver in North Carolina, as it still is, with 130 craft breweries as…living
Stories lead to the heart of healing
When you know you’re the one telling the story of your life — whether through myth, fairy tale, or narrative therapy — you’ve got what it takes to authorize your…movies
Screen scene: Local film news
National Georgraphic Explorer director/producer Kevin Peer leads the weekend workshop, “From Home Videos to National Geographic: Tools and Trade Secrets of Documentary Filmmaking,” which will take place Saturday and Sunday,…news
Mountain BizWorks restructures, launches new programs
That year, a sudden funding crisis threw the long-running nonprofit Mountain BizWorks into a tailspin. An expected grant failed to come through, and just like that, the organization found itself…Stirring the local political pot
Over the last few weeks, it seems as though many Asheville and Buncombe politicians are moving pieces in a bigger puzzle. From retirements to withdrawals, shifting boards to a run…opinion
Letter writer: What can we do to prevent wasted Yellow Pages books?
"There must be some way to prevent the waste of paper from the [Yellow Pages] books that are periodically delivered to every driveway in town."Killing to eat is a bloody business
"I’ve read that 'life’s a journey,' and I’m still pondering the fact that my own journey began as a cowboy on the prairies raising market cattle, yet, within five decades,…Letter writer: Best of WNC has gotten too big
"But really, why not just an award for the best coffee shop or the best slice of pizza? In short, keep it short and sweet."Letter writer: Asheville’s population growth is slow and manageable
" In fact, seven of the 10 largest cities in North Carolina are more densely populated than Asheville. "Letter writer: Climate-change deniers lack scientific authority
"Clean energy will create millions of U.S. jobs and increase our GDP by tens of billions annually with a plan that’s been successful for seven years in British Columbia"Overhead Costs
All new business ventures have their ups and their downs, but does dealing with city regulations make starting one up in Asheville more of a headache than in other cities?Letter writer: Asheville’s growth is not inevitable
In the period spanning 2012-13, 6,000 people migrated to Asheville. The law of supply and demand — not so much a law as a comment on how few developers and…Letter writer: City of Asheville is partly to blame for affordable housing problem
I’m curious about these local “experts” [“Collision Course,” July 29, part of Xpress’ affordable housing essay series]. Has anyone been interviewed who has been royally screwed by City Council’s collectivist…Letter writer: Short-term rentals provide meaningful tourism
"Creating meaningful tourism creates closeness with the visitors and a connection to the community visitors would otherwise miss out on."Letter writer: Many support City Council’s exotic-animals ban
"If you want to see exotic animals, visit an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo, and if you want the thrill of a circus, there are many, such as Cirque…