Q: Barry Farms Honor Shack is the Best!

Stopped at Barry Farms‘s honor Flower Shack, 345 Kimzey Road, Mills River, today and was thrilled with the fabulous flowers, plants & more. Just beautiful! Love the Peonies in particular. You can find local Tea leaf blends, local honey, candles, and plants to plant in your garden. Pay with Venmo or cash in the secure box.

Question 1

Barry Farms Honor Shack is the Best!

Accepted Answer

Stopped at Barry Farms&#8216;s honor Flower Shack, 345 Kimzey Road, Mills River, today and was thrilled with the fabulous flowers, plants & more. Just beautiful! Love the Peonies in particular. You can find local Tea leaf blends, local honey, candles, and plants to plant in your garden. Pay with Venmo or cash in the secure box.

Question 2

Excellent Afternoon Tea Discovery! Bed and Breakfast on Tiffany Hill

Accepted Answer

When two sisters want to take a third to the perfect Afternoon Tea for her birthday, it can take lots of research and discussion. There&#8217;s price, dates that work for all of us, sharing allowed or not, dietary restrictions, location near or far. It&#8217;s not easy. 🙂
The Inn
Luckily, we had to cancel our original plans due to the recent WNC ice storm. I say &#8220;luckily&#8221; because in the meantime we stumbled upon a little known Afternoon Tea (experience) at Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill in Mills River!
Owners Karen and Craig Verm are pretty darn amazing.  Karen is a pianist and Craig is an opera singer. As second owners they&#8217;ve been at the Inn&#8217;s helm for about two years. Impressively, on one day&#8217;s notice Craig recently stood in for a singer with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. This is just one of the reasons a performance comes with Breakfast for overnight guests or Afternoon Tea.
Don&#8217;t make the mistake of thinking anything at the B&B is &#8220;stodgy&#8221;! Both Karen and Craig are so genuinely jovial.  The building was thoughtfully designed and built to be an Inn. Design is classic beauty, aka light, airy as well as cozy, and gorgeous.
Suites are spacious, beautifully layed out and decorated with attention to detail. They&#8217;re all en suite, also. You can browse them all here.
Afternoon Tea
Pricing for Afternoon Tea is per person and extremely reasonable. I&#8217;m not mentioning specific price in case it changes. I can&#8217;t say enough about the extent Karen went to in accomodating dietary restrictions! Well above and beyond, she tried new products and adjusted recipes. Everything was absolutely delicious!
When weather&#8217;s not cooperating, tea and meals are at a large communal table just off the kitchen and front hall. In nicer weather there&#8217;s seating at multiple tables on the back patio.
After your Tea or Breakfast, you&#8217;ll be served  what they call the &#8220;Fourth Course&#8221; &#8211; entertainment in the form of a short concert by the Verms. Loved it!
For more information on the Inn and it&#8217;s wonderful keepers, check out this WLOS article published 9 months ago: &#8220;Musical bed and breakfast continues community support 8 months after Helene&#8220;.
I came away full and happy, but even more importantly, feeling like I&#8217;d met two exceptionally good humans.

Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill
400 Ray Hill Rd
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: 828-290-6080
Email: vacation@tiffany-hill.com

Question 3

Are 2,000 Cookies Enough? Cookie Walk, Mills River Presbyterian Church

Accepted Answer

On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Mills River Presbyterian Church will host its Third Annual Cookie Walk in the church’s Fellowship Hall from 9am to 1pm. The event is open to the public.
 
For $8 people can purchase an empty bakery box and then peruse thousands of homemade cookies. From snicker doodles to peanut butter to old-fashioned chocolate chip cookies, people can indicate exactly which type of cookies they wish to add to their box. The Cookie Walk will stretch from one end of the Fellowship Hall to the other, with a wide variety of different cookies available. Each box fits about two dozen cookies.
In addition to the delicious cookies, several food gift items will also be for sale in sealed, decorative containers. These include homemade Chex Mix for $4, Candy in a Jar for $4, and Soup Mixes in a Jar for $8.
Masks are required for anyone attending the Cookie Walk, and COVID safety precautions will be followed. For people wishing to “grab and go,” variety boxes of cookies will be available for purchase at the Fellowship Hall entrance for $8 per box. All purchases must be made with cash or check only (no credit or debit cards) and no pre-orders are accepted.
“Whether you’re purchasing for yourself or to give as gifts, we’ll have an extensive array of holiday treats to choose from,” says Jackie Auten of Mills River Presbyterian Church. “This is a great way to get in the holiday mood. Come out and purchase cookies and goodies for your family, friends and office.”
Mills River Presbyterian Church is located at 10 Presbyterian Church Road in Mills River, accessible from School House Road or Highway 280. For more information, call 828-891-7101 or visit www.millsriverpresbyterian.org.

Question 4

Pre-Order Drive-Thru Holiday Cookies at Mills River Presbyterian Church

Accepted Answer

On Saturday, December 12, 2020, Mills River Presbyterian Church will host a Drive-Thru Holiday Cookie Sale. The socially-distanced event will be held from 10am to 1pm in the church parking lot off Schoolhouse Road in Mills River.
The public is invited to pre-order boxes of cookies or make their selections the day of the sale. A wide variety of cookies will be available for $8.00 per box.
Each box contains about two dozen homemade cookies. Buyers can select all of the same cookie or an assortment of holiday favorites. Some of the popular cookies at the sale include snickerdoodle, chocolate chip, molasses, peanut butter and oatmeal. Half-pound bags of homemade Chex mix will also be available for $4 each.

“We’re taking this sale outdoors in 2020 to make it as safe as possible for everyone,” says Jackie Auten, co-chair of the event. “Pre-orders are now being taken. These will be boxed and ready for immediate drive-thru pick up on December 12. We’ll also have a safe way for on-site orders to be quickly filled.
“Our initial Holiday Cookie Walk was so popular last year that we want to make it available again in 2020. Whether you’re purchasing a single box for yourself or multiple boxes for family, office workers and friends, we invite everyone to drive-thru to get delicious homemade cookies for the holidays!”
For more details on the fundraising event and to get an order form for the cookies, contact Jackie Auten at jackieauten48@gmail.com or 828-891-5354.
Mills River Presbyterian Church is located at 10 Presbyterian Church Road in Mills River, accessible from Haywood Road or Highway 280. For more information, call 828-891-7101 or visit www.millsriverpresbyterianchurch.com.

Question 5

Bold Rock Hard Cider announces new Summer Seasonal: Blackberry

Accepted Answer

Mills River &#8211; Bold Rock Hard Cider (https://boldrock.com/visit/mills-river-cidery/) has announced the release of their newest seasonal style, Blackberry Cider. Available on shelves June 2nd, Blackberry Cider is a fruit-forward blend featuring a tart, semi-dry finish.
Blackberry Cider originated with a challenge to Bold Rock cider makers: create the perfect Summer beverage, refreshing but not overly sweet. The result is a hard apple cider underpinned by the beloved Summer berry, allowing for a fruit-forward cider bursting with rich notes of blackberry on the nose paired with a distinctive tartness and touch of sweetness on the finish. This enjoyable union of flavors will undoubtedly keep consumers going back for that next sip on hot Summer days.
Epicurean Note: I had the chance to sample Bold Rock&#8217;s Blackberry Seasonal and tour the Mills River tank room and line. Browse the gallery below for a look at awesome improvements outside the Mills River Cidery and inside at the tank room and packaging line.

“After the success of our Spring Seasonal in the Bold Rock Rosé, we knew that our loyal customers were expecting an exciting and creative seasonal release for the Summer,” says Head Cider Maker Ward Beveridge. “We chose the blackberry because of its distinctive aromas and clean, tart finish that perfectly balances the natural sweetness of apples.”
Founded in 2012, Bold Rock produces a variety of hard cider styles from apples harvested in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. The award-winning craft cider company now has over 100 full-time employees and operates two cideries &#8211; the original Bold Rock Cider Barn in Nellysford, Va., which features an innovative production facility and tasting room overlooking the Rockfish River, and a recently expanded second production facility and tap room located in the bucolic pastures of Mills River, N.C.
Bold Rock features 12 styles of hard cider, including the popular originals, Apple and Draft, a rotating mix of seasonal selections, and IPA (India Pressed Apple), the best-selling hopped cider in the country. These innovative varieties of cider have found favor with a wide range of customers and critical acclaim throughout the industry, as Bold Rock has won over 100 awards in hard cider and wine competitions since first launching.
Blackberry Cider will be available on shelves throughout Bold Rock’s distribution footprint, which includes 10 states between Eastern Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Bold Rock Mills River (https://boldrock.com/visit/mills-river-cidery/)
72 School House Rd
Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: (828) 595-9940
Release

Question 6

Bold Rock announces new Rosé Cider

Accepted Answer

A new year means a new slate of seasonal selections from Bold Rock and while past offerings have been quite good, our Rosé Cider may be in a class of its own.
 
Flat out, Rosé is some of our very best liquid to date. Our cider makers were challenged to create the most wine-like selection they could muster with one catch: no grapes allowed. Luckily the apple taste profile has beautiful wine like nuance hidden within and those notes have been brought to the forefront for the Rosé Cider. With an emphasis on the classic berry tones of its wine counterpart and clocking in at 6.0% ABV, our Rosé gives the apple a vibrant fresh finish sure to inspire craft beer and wine drinkers alike to enjoy the onset of spring. Be on the lookout for Rosé in stores across our 10 state distribution footprint, you won&#8217;t be disappointed.
In stores beginning in February. Find Rosé Cider Near You!

Question 7

Black Twig Cider House Hosts 2nd Annual Cider Festival

Accepted Answer

Mattie Beason, cider expert and owner of Black Twig Cider House, the premiere cider house in the Southeast, will host TxotxFest November 18, 2017 from noon to 4 pm. TxotxFest returns for a second year, offering award-winning regional and national ciders with North Carolina cuisine, and features the txotx – a traditional Spanish cider barrel recently featured in Food & Wine Magazine in praise of Beason’s cider experience at Black Twig Cider House: “The Txotx Is The Most Fun You Can Have Pouring A Drink.”
Beason introduced TxotxFest in 2016 as the first event of its kind in the Southeast to celebrate cider, the fastest growing segment in the beverage industry. “This is such an exciting time for cider, with so many cideries producing really high quality cider, and an overwhelming interest from consumers in ciders from the US and abroad. At TxotxFest, our goal is to share our passion for cider and celebrate cider from all over the world with our community,” explained Beason, a certified cider expert, one of just eight cider instructors for the US Association of Cider Makers, and a recent Good Food Awards judge for the cider category.
This year, Beason kicks off TxotxFest November 17th with a $50 five-course cider-paired dinner at Black Twig Cider House featuring Asheville’s Chef Steven Goff of Brinehaus Meat & Provisions and ciders from Noble Cider, Urban Orchard, Appalachian Mountain, and James Creek.
Beason’s November 18th TxotxFest will take place from noon to 4pm and will feature cider from renowned producers (below), tasting dishes from participating chefs (below) and live music.
Tickets to the Cider Dinner at Black Twig Cider House on November 17th and TxotxFest November 18th can be purchased here: http://www.blacktwigciderhouse.com/txotxfest. The Facebook Event page to share can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/523301671346609/ .
TxotxFest will take place in front of Black Twig Cider House. The event begins at noon for VIP ticketholders and 1 pm for general admission. General admission tickets are $30 through October 17th, $35 beginning on October 18, and $40 the week before the event. All tickets include a tasting glass. VIP tickets are $50 through October 17th, $60 beginning October 18th (and also include a T-shirt and one-hour early access).
Participating Cider Producers:
Appalachian Mountain Cidery, Boone, NC
Blackwater Cider, Windsor, NC
Bold Rock Hard Cider, Nellysford, VA and Mills River, NC
Botanist and Barrel, Cedar Grove, NC
Bull City Ciderworks, Durham, NC
Chatham Cider Works, Pittsboro, NC
Daidala Ciders, Asheville, NC
Fishing Creek Cider, Whitakers, NC
Good Road Ciderworks, Charlotte, NC
James Creek Ciderhouse, Cameron, NC
Jack’s Hard Cider, Biglerville, PA
McRitchie Winery and Ciderworks, Thurmond, NC
Molley Chomper Cidery, Lansing, NC
Noble Cider, Asheville, NC
Red Clay Cider, Charlotte, NC
Urban Orchard Cider Co. and Bar, Asheville, NC
Virtue Cider, Fennville, MI
Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider, Portland, OR
Shacksbury Cider, Vergennes, VT
Participating Beverage Providers:
De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC
Alley Twenty Six Tonic, Durham, NC
Crude Bitters and Sodas, Raleigh, NC
Fair Game Beverage, Pittsboro, NC
Participating Durham Chefs & Restaurants:
Giocciolina, Aaron Benjamin
Juju Asian Tapas + Bar, Charlie Deal
LaPlace, Christopher McLaurin (Hillsborough, NC)
Mateo Bar de Tapas, Matt Kelly
Picnic, Wyatt Dickson
Primal Food & Spirits, Tim Lyons
St. James Seafood and Oyster Bar, Matt Kelly
Toast, Billy Cotter
Watts Grocery, Amy Tornquist

Question 8

Beyond the beer: Sierra Nevada Brewery

Accepted Answer

Mills River &#8211; It&#8217;s a given. Sierra Nevada Brewery puts out some dang good beer. But what about their tours and food?
There are multiple tour types: Brewhouse; Beer Geek; Trip in the Woods; Beer, Cheese & Charcuterie Tasting; Guided Educational Tasting; and the Visitor Corridor. The Brewhouse tour is complimentary, but other tours require a paid ticket.
I took a Brewhouse tour with a group of media friends followed by dinner as part of a WNC Farm Tour (search #wncfarmtour) with the NC Department of Agriculture.
Our tour began in a room just off the taproom. We listened to a short presentation while sipping a beer. I&#8217;m not sure if this was part of the standard Brewhouse tour, or if it was offered to us because we were a media group?

We headed down hallways overlooking the bottling line, passing rooms where the science behind the beer takes place, a hops sample/storage area, and a huge room with row after row of tanks.

A tank room with beautiful copper tanks, pictured below, was our last stop before hitting the tasting room.

Adding hops
As tasting rooms go, this one&#8217;s a pip! Plenty of room and intimate at the same time. And just look at that generous lineup on the counter!

We were happy campers, and we hadn&#8217;t even had dinner yet.
Part of our group pictured L &#8211; R: Johanna Kramer, Stacey Price Sprenz, Kristen Baughman, and Leah McGrath
If you haven&#8217;t been to Sierra Nevada&#8217;s &#8220;estate&#8221; in Mills River yet, you&#8217;re in for a treat. You have some choices when it comes to food: seating inside or out, reservation or first come first served seating, order from full menu, indoor bar, or walk-up counter outside.
Sometimes when a restaurant is attached to something else, like a brewery, distillery, etc., the food doesn&#8217;t exactly shine. That&#8217;s definitely not the case here.
One of my all time favorite soups, Butternut Squash, was made with estate grown squash, swirled with crema, and topped with toasted pumpkin seeds. Thick, creamy and delicious.

Isn&#8217;t this Market Salad beautiful? It&#8217;s made with Pitch Pine lettuce, grilled NC squash, Holly Springs heirloom tomatoes, estate lunch box peppers, and drizzled with Stout balsamic vinaigrette. So fresh!

Our entree &#8211; Braised Bison Brisket &#8211; served with Freedom Farm potatoes in a rich sauce, estate celeriac, and shiitake gratin was surprisingly good. I was honestly impressed. Fork-tender and beautifully seasoned.

And to cap it all off, a Lively Orchard Cobbler made with Fuji apples. Our group of cooks, food photographers & writers took one look at the first spoonful and sent it back for more oven time. Second time delivered was the charm. Delicious!

You may be wondering at the heavy nature of our dinner. The weather hadn&#8217;t turned warm yet so it was perfect for a chilly night. See all current menus* here. *Remember that online menus sometimes aren&#8217;t updated, so using them as a reference is best.
Epicurean Notes:

Note the care, detail, and quality along the approach the main gate.
Prepare yourself for something unexpected and special when you go through the main gate the first time and see the brewery. The first time I saw it, I was reminded of a huge California winery estate.
Take time to walk through the garden or play Corn Hole out back.
Lve music can sometimes be found out back on the outdoor stage.

Sierra Nevada Brewery
100 Sierra Nevada Way
Mills River, NC 28732
Phone: (828) 708-6176

Question 9

Greenhouse Moto Cafe to open in Mills River

Accepted Answer

A fun new concept cafe and bar, Greenhouse Moto Cafe, is scheduled to open in 5 weeks at the old Carolina Roses location &#8211; 4021 Haywood Rd in Mills River, NC.
If you&#8217;re not familiar with the area, it&#8217;s close to the new Bold Rock cidery, and surrounded by farm land. UPDATE: for those that are concerned about getting dusty/dirty, they are on a paved road.
 
I had a chance to pop in and talk to one of the two Jeffs that are opening the place. Luckily, he was at a good stopping point in hanging display bikes.
 
Believe it or not, most of these vintage motorcycles are part of the other Jeff&#8217;s collection and are in running condition. Down the road (pun intended), they hope to be able to offer group road trips on these bikes.
I&#8217;m pretty sure I spotted Norton, Kawasaki, Triumph, and lots of BSA&#8217;s. When I mentioned that a certain group might be miffed if there weren&#8217;t any Harleys, Jeff pointed to the lone bike representing. See it bottom right in the picture below.
UPDATE 2/8/2016: My mistake. The black and white bike, bottom right is NOT a Harley. The Harley is hanging just out of view. So, I went back and took a quick pic to satisfy purists (myself included). Check out the second picture down.

Plans are in place for a number of taps featuring local beer and a couple set aside for Bold Rock Hard Cider. Eventually, they&#8217;d like to get their full liquor license.
A kitchen won&#8217;t be happening for a while, so in the meantime, they&#8217;re going to have a couple food trucks on hand. The cool thing about this is that they have so much room in the Greenhouse, the trucks can pull right inside the back so they&#8217;ll be out of the weather.
During the rehab of this huge greenhouse, lots of scrap wood began piling up. They&#8217;ve used the larger boards on a back wall and got creative with smaller strips over this doorway.
It leads to an adjacent space that may eventually house a &#8220;private club&#8221; social space. The kind you pay $1 to belong to to satisfy liquor laws.
Live music will be happening regularly here, too. I spotted a cool looking antique upright piano where the bar&#8217;s going in.
The Jeffs are hoping Greenhouse Moto Cafe becomes a jumping off point, stop, or even destination for local, regional, and long range road-trippers. It&#8217;s close enough to the Blue Ridge Parkway that it would make a great stop.
Of course, you don&#8217;t need to roll up on a motorcycle to be welcomed. Pull up on a bicycle, in a car, or even on foot and you&#8217;ll be welcomed. Jeff made a point of saying the Greenhouse will be a place where everyone is welcome. They hope it becomes a spot where locals hang out.
There&#8217;s no website yet, but you can &#8220;like&#8221; their Facebook page to keep up on their progress and know when they open: Facebook.com/Thegreenhousemotocafe
Greenhouse Moto Cafe
4021 Haywood Rd
Mills River, NC 28759

Category: Mills River

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