Food Archives - Page 15 of 21

Carolina Mountain Ribfest Returns as Carolina West Ribfest

July 8, 2014 Comments Off on Carolina Mountain Ribfest Returns as Carolina West Ribfest

This July 11-13th the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center will once again host a RibFest . However, this year the festival sports a new name, new promoter and a new direction. Long a mainstay on the local summer festival scene, the Carolina Mountain RibFest is now the Carolina West RibFest and is being produced by AKA Entertainment & Media an event production company based in Greensboro, NC. Local event producer John Patterson, the man who began the RibFest in 2007 has handed over the reins due to health concerns.

According to Allen McDavid, the president of AKA and producer of NC’s Premier Barbecue and Music Festivals series www.premierbbq.com , the new name is an integral part of transitioning the festival so that it will appeal to a broader audience. Says McDavid, “barbecue festivals generally follow the tired old formula of barbecue, cover bands and a children’s carnival.” The Carolina West RibFest will feature an expanded group of national barbecue teams and an eclectic mix of entertainment including 3 days of local, regional and national music acts on the main stage, Lucha Libre wrestling, a sideshow and saloon featuring can-can girls. McDavid adds, “There are few places where seven dollars can buy this amount of entertainment.” McDavid has tagged the RibFest with the slogan, “A different type of BBQ festival.”

The 2014 Carolina West RibFest will have six barbecue teams vying for awards but mainly will focus on satisfying the appetites of thousands of BBQ fans. This year’s line-up includes local purveyor Big Bad Wolf BBQ from Etowah, Big Boned BBQ (Charleston, SC), Camp 31 (Castleberry, Alabama), Porky Chicks (Farmington, Arkansas), Carolina Rib King (Moore, SC) and Florida Skin Bones (Arcadia, Florida). The judges panel will consist of folks from the event’s Facebook family, local chefs and foodies as well as local dignitaries including David Gantt, Chairman of the Buncombe County Commission.

Joining local musical acts like Underhill Rose and Circus Mutt will be national acts Moon Taxi and Jason McKinney. UIW Wrestling will showcase a diverse group of luchidores and the RibFest’s sideshow will be hosted by The Squidling Brothers from Philadelphia, PA. Rounding out the festival will be a marketplace, kids’ zone and the Shady Lady Saloon. New participants Leinenkugel beer and Cupcake Vineyards will provide product samples.

The Carolina West RibFest kicks off at 11 AM on July 11 and continue through July 13 at 8 PM. Admission for adults is $7 and children get in free. The event website has complete details - www.carolinawestribfest.com. Updates will come via Facebook - www.facebook.com/carolinawestribfest.

Biltmore Coffee Company Closing

June 19, 2014 2

The Biltmore Coffee Company (Not to be confused with Biltmore Coffee Traders on Hendersonville Road), located at 1 North Pack Square, in the bottom portion of the Biltmore Office Building, is closing doors effective Friday, June 27th. Upon hearing this I gave a little gasp of horror as I not only love their space, but I adore their chai lattes. I did a little digging to find out the cause of closure and what would happen to the building.

Lex 18’s New Chef Edwin Bloodworth Reimagines Appalachian Cuisine

June 14, 2014 Comments Off on Lex 18’s New Chef Edwin Bloodworth Reimagines Appalachian Cuisine

You may have noticed that Lex 18, a fairly new restaurant in downtown Asheville, shuttered its doors briefly. Today, they reopen their doors with a new chef, a rising star in the culinary industry, Edwin Bloodworth.

Preserve the Summer’s Produce Bounty from Asheville’s Local Markets

May 30, 2014 Comments Off on Preserve the Summer’s Produce Bounty from Asheville’s Local Markets

Asheville has a huge variety of markets featuring local, organic and fresh produce. Summer is the perfect time to put away these beautiful treats from nature through dehydration, canning, freezing, and cooking. But to start, you need to pick the best of the produce offerings.

Eat Farm To Table in Ashevillle for Earth Day

April 22, 2014 Comments Off on Eat Farm To Table in Ashevillle for Earth Day

Earth Day has quickly come upon us, springing up silently behind Easter. Depending on how you generally celebrate Earth Day - perhaps you plant a tree, start your family garden, or take an extra trip to the recycling center - there are a number of ways you can 'go green' at least one day a year to recognize the Earth Day Movement. One really easy thing to do is eat out. Yup, you heard me right - eat out. Support a local business and celebrate Earth Day all at the same time! Going to a local Farm To Table restaurant will support a local business and the money will be poured back into the local economy - you are not only supporting the restaurant, but the farmers who work to sell the local ingredients each restaurant uses to serve up each delicious masterpiece.

Beer, Bites, and Bands in Historic Biltmore Village

April 3, 2014 1

Restaurants and breweries in Historic Biltmore Village have come together to create a new and unique event. Two local breweries and 8 local restaurants have joined together to promote ”Beer, Bites, and Bands” to be held April 4 & 5 from 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM at the two brewery locations.

10 Ways to Stop Sabotaging Yourself in the Kitchen

March 27, 2014 1

Many of today's adults, myself included, have missed out on a basic experience with food. We represent the first few generations who are so removed from food that most of us could not find familiar vegetables if they grew wild in our local parks. We have been raised on convenience foods, sold to our parents and grandparents as "time savers" that would allow them to spend more time with us. Over the years, this industrialized food system created a massive disconnect between our modern kitchens and what is good for our bodies, and we didn't even know it was happening.

Asheville’s Food Truck Showdown

March 18, 2014 Comments Off on Asheville’s Food Truck Showdown

There aren't many ways you can get tacos, Vietnamese soup, hoagies and Creole etouffee all in one location, but last Saturday, March 15, that place was downtown Asheville at the Masonic Temple, as part of the Asheville Tattoo and Arts Expo.

Asheville Small Plate Crawl Experience 2014

February 28, 2014 1

Asheville is known for its great food, and especially for its local independent restaurants that feature a unique, eclectic variety of flavors that are far more sophisticated than may be expected in a small southern town. What’s even more exciting than the food, perhaps, is that Asheville provides unique opportunities for locals and visitors to explore the culture and see what makes Asheville so special while having fun doing it. The annual “small plate crawl” is one of those opportunities, and this year it did not disappoint. Over 20 restaurants participated in this culinary tour, featuring special small-sized chef creations that highlight the essence of the restaurant and the Asheville food scene.

Fast Food Valentine’s Day Meals

February 12, 2014 1

Admit it - Valentines Day is overrated. If you are like Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother, maybe you believe Valentines Day was once a long forgotten holiday called Desperation Day. Perhaps are you like some of my friends who believe that Valentines Day is essentially a corporate holiday of greed that companies like Hallmark use to boost sales during slow winter months. Whatever the reason, you are not a fan of this 'lovers holiday'. Why waste all that time planning and agonizing over the perfect gift and making reservations at a fancy restaurants that require both shirts and shoes for service?