Has your little foodie been particularly nice this year? Do you have family members who squeal over gifts of locally made jams and pickles? Asheville's gotten on the gift train in a very real way this year, making it easier for you to have a very local holiday. Deck the halls with bowls of jelly […]
At Echoview Farm in Weaverville, hop bines curl upward toward the sun. Hops helps bring out the particular flavors in different styles of beer, owner Julie Jensen explains. And while Western North Carolina’s moist climate is not ideal for large-scale hops production, certain specialty varieties are being cultivated at Echoview, Hop’n Blueberry Farm and through […]
For the past year, Asheville-based trio Red June has crisscrossed the country in support of its 2010 release Remember Me Well. But in addition to spreading its brand of Americana music, Red June’s Homegrown Tour has also spread the word about WNC’s local food scene — via copies of ASAP’s Local Food Guide, bumper stickers […]
Find a last-minute jack-o-lantern at area farmers tailgate markets through this weekend. Hugh Wright of Arbor Studios is even slated to offer pre-carved, porch-ready pumpkins at Asheville City Market Saturday. Or, head out to roadside farm stands (perfect places to shop while on a leaf-peeping drive!) or area farm’s fields to pick your own. Visit […]
This time of year, Michael Porterfield’s farm turns into one giant pumpkin patch. He grows other cool-weather crops now, too — from carrots to radishes — at New Sprout Organic Farms near the Ingles warehouse on the way to Black Mountain. But, he’s got an entire acre dedicated to the festive fall veggie. Some find […]
This time of year, Michael Porterfield’s farm turns into one giant pumpkin patch. He grows other cool-weather crops now, too — from carrots to radishes — at New Sprout Organic Farms near the Ingles warehouse on the way to Black Mountain. But, he’s got an entire acre dedicated to the festive fall veggie. Some find […]
Find a last-minute Jack-o’-lantern at area farmers tailgate markets through this weekend. Hugh Wright of Arbor Studios is even slated to offer pre-carved, porch-ready pumpkins at Asheville City Market Saturday. Or, head out to roadside farm stands (perfect places to shop while on a leaf-peeping drive) or area farm’s fields to pick your own. Visit […]
Anthony Bourdain's Saturday, Nov. 5 appearance at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium is approaching. After the speaking event, Cúrate will host 125 people for a private, ticketed book-signing featuring Bourdain and a selection of about 20 hors d'oeuvres. (For ticket information, visit avl.mx/62). Xpress has secured a copy of the proposed menu, and it looks pretty […]
How do we love thee, fall? Let us count the ways: local apples, beets, cheese, greens, lettuce, meats, pumpkins, radishes, turnips, winter squash … We could go on and on. How can you fall for local food, too? Take our advice, and it’s sure to be a heavenly cool-weather cooking season. Though a select few […]
Here in the South, collards slow-simmered with a ham hock is a tradition — a staple that soothes and nourishes the soul. But collards aren’t the only local greens up for grabs this month, nor are they the only leafy veggie with a comforting culinary past. Embracing the green “Broccoli rabe reminds me of my […]
If garlic has a cult following, WNC has its fair share of steadfast devotees. Not only do we eat it, but area farmers and home gardeners grow it. Lots of it. “We plant 300 pounds of seed a year,” says Anne Grier of Gaining Ground Farm, an Appalachian Grown Certified (TM) 75-acre operation run by […]
On Friday, Sept 23, ArtSpace Charter School hosts Dinner in the Garden, an event featuring a nine-course tasting menu prepared by local chefs cooking produce cultivated by the students. The event will take place in the school’s learning garden. ArtSpace is a kindergarten through eighth-grade tuition-free public school in its 11th year of operations. The […]
The lights go dark. Your breath quickens. When the curtain rises, what will you see? What will it look like; how will it sound? What will you experience, and how will it affect you after you leave? Live performance instills a particular feeling in a human being, whether it’s a play, a symphony or a […]
Soap peddler: Kimberly Masters Kimberly Masters has always been the crafty type. As a business student at UNC-Greensboro, she made things in ceramics classes. Later, she moved on to fleece hats and headbands, which she made while working as a bicycle tour guide in Alaska. It was a more recent trip to the doctor, though, […]
Last month, the City of Asheville issued a request for proposals for Community Media Development Initiatives, with the winning project(s) receiving $120,000 over a three-year period. Xpress was one of nine groups to participate in this process, and was selected earlier this week as one of the two finalists. Here is the complete text of our proposal submission.
Got those change-of-season allergies? It’s no coincidence that WNC’s apple season officially kicks off when the sniffles start — a local apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? If you didn’t get your fall supply at the North Carolina Apple Festival earlier this month, don’t worry. September is all about apples in ASAP’s Get […]
Got those change-of-season allergies? It’s no coincidence that WNC’s apple season officially kicks off when the sniffles start — a local apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? If you didn’t get your fall supply at the North Carolina Apple Festival earlier this month, don’t worry. September is all about apples in ASAP’s Get […]
Scott Paquin and Elizabeth Gibbs used to grow 600 tomato plants a year on their farm in Yancey County. “We’ve dropped down to only 500,” Paquin says with a hint of sarcasm. They certainly have their hands full; Firefly Farm grows more than 30 varieties of vegetables. Along with apples, blueberries, cherries, peaches and pears, […]
Summer may be flying by, but don’t worry: the heat of August and the cooler months ahead promise lots of festival fun. We’re making plans now for a full season of events. We’re wild about Goombay, that celebration of African and Carribean culture (the dancing! the costumes! the food!) that happens downtown on The Block. […]
Wondering what this special section is all about? All of the businesses that you see over the next few pages are Appalachian Grown Certified by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, which means that they purchase or sell certified, locally grown farm products. ASAP works to promote the businesses that support our local agriculture, which in turn […]
Ready to go back to school? So is Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. During the previous school year, ASAP's Growing Minds Farm to School Cooking Program reached nearly 1,400 area students with the help of educators, chefs and community volunteers. Growing Minds works to connect farms and schools and give children positive experiences with healthy foods. […]
