From ASAP ~ Western North Carolina is home to dozens of farmstead cheese operations that produce every type of cheese imaginable: aged cheddar, Gouda, Brie, chevre (goat cheese), the list goes on and on. In fact, WNC may soon be home to a cheese trail, modeled after Vermont’s popular tourist attraction. So, it’s no surprise that farmstead cheese gets its own month in ASAP’s Get Local initiative. To celebrate, Asheville-area Appalachian Grown™ partner restaurants are getting … [Read more...]

February mornings are a little too cold for most people to head out trout fishing. But luckily, local trout farmers are still suiting up and braving the extra-cold mountain water, which has been said to give the fish a desirable delicate flavor. To honor their efforts and remind that local foods are available year-round, ASAP highlights trout this month in their Get Local initiative. To celebrate the fishy focus, Tupelo Honey Café-Southside, an Appalachian Grown™ partner and Get Local … [Read more...]

ASAP’s Get Local initiative, which highlights one local food every month, will shine the spotlight on three new ingredients in 2012: ramps, mushrooms, and potatoes. Local favorites like tomatoes and apples remain on the new calendar, along with honey, which gets the new year off to a sweet start. To celebrate January’s focus, Laurey’s Gourmet Comfort Food—an Appalachian Grown™ Partner and Get Local participating restaurant—will host A Taste of  Honey on January 26 from 6 … [Read more...]

By Apalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) ~ Meat is often the main dish of a holiday feast, whether enjoyed dining out or in. So, ASAP is turning the spotlight on the many meat options provided by area farmers this month in their Get Local initiative. From beef to chicken and lamb to rabbit, Western North Carolina farmers offer it all. Local veal is even an option now thanks to Alan Lang and Clint and Thomas Shepherd, who own and operate Headwaters Cattle Farm and Headwaters … [Read more...]

There are many ways to go greens this month: beets, collards, kale, lettuce, and turnips, to name a few. There are lots of places to get greens, too—area farmers tailgate markets, grocery stores, and restaurants—thanks to ASAP’s Get Local initiative. Participating Asheville Get Local restaurants from Early Girl to HomeGrown are whipping up delicious sautéed sides of Swiss chard and, of course, Southern-style collards. Early Girl also features local greens in their … [Read more...]