Q: Scuppernong Produce, on the Scuppernong River

Columbia, NC – Last week I stumbled upon the most delicious strawberries (dark red and sweet all the way through) at a road-side stand as I drove from Asheville to the Outer Banks. They were grown at Scuppernong Produce on the Scuppernong River in Columbia, NC. Other types of produce are also grown at Scuppernong during all but the coldest months. And what goes with farm-fresh fruit? Cheese! A huge wheel of Hoop Cheese is usually on hand. When a woman asked for a half pound of the cheese, one of the farm’s owners called me over to see the 1905 Computing Cheese Cutter in action. Was the setting on this over 100-year-old bladed machine accurate? Take a look at the weight of the slice the Computer cut as measured by a current-day digital scale. Pretty darned close. If you’re driving US-64 near the NC coast or in Columbia, NC, take a few minutes and stop for some very good fruit or other produce, and hoop cheese to go with it. Oh, about those strawberries, I picked up half a flat to share with the group of media folks (from NY, KY, CA, and NC) I spent a few days with touring the Outer Banks. It’s Got to Be NC, right? Scuppernong Produce 87 Riverview Farm Ln Columbia, NC 27925 (252) 796-7541

Question 1

Finding the Perfect Apple Cider Donut and Orchard

Accepted Answer

Celebrating Apple Cider Donut season at Henderson County, NC apple orchards, Barrie and I decided to do an informal Apple Cider Donut Throwdown. We spent time at six of eight orchards. One of the eight we skipped because it was closed, and the other because we couldn’t get there that day.
We got a feel for the vibe at each orchard while picking up enough donuts for ourselves, our husbands, and the throwdown.
FYI, when you search an orchard online, top results show a helpful breakdown similar to: Hours & Directions, Apple Varieties, Plan Your Visit, Make a U-Pick Appointment, and Attractions.
ORCHARDS MAPPED &#8211; Click this link or the image below for the live Interactive Henderson County NC Apple Orchard Map with more Orchard Pictures and Videos.

Orchard Notes
All the orchards were busy. We planned to go during the week when it would be quieter, but ended up going on a Saturday. They were all very organized, but a few were super organized, moving donuts to packaging and counter, and people right through lines & purchases.
Most orchards have U-Pick available. A number of the orchards are also growing gorgeous flowers for sale. It’s a treat just looking at fields of tall, colorful flowers.

Grandad’s Apples is on a beautiful property with easy access. Long range views and pretty pond. Their fun Apple Cannon shoots over the pond. Nice shaded seating by the pond, also. Going on a weekend? Check out their excellent corn maze and Kids Zone tractor train.

Jimmy Nix & Sons Apple House was low on apples when we showed up, but getting more ready for sale. We headed over to The Nix Pumpkin Patch from there. They had apples as well as pumpkins for sale, and beautiful in-field flowers. There are a few things for kids to do. On weekends try one of Papa & Nana&#8217;s Old Fashioned Homemade Fried Pies.

Jeter Mountain Farm Apples is a massive property with a smoke house restaurant, lots of seating, a large well stocked shop, bakery, coffee shop, ice cream shop, a large indoor play area for kids, and plenty of parking. They also make their own Hard Cider and have up to six on tap.

Justus Orchard has a bakery, ice cream shop, gift shop, farm produce shop, a separate free-standing taproom, lots of outdoor and covered seating, playground, huge bouncy area for kids, and a tractor-pulled “cow train”. In addition to apples, they grow Navaho Blackberries and Asian Pears. A nice property with plenty of parking.

Mountain Fresh Orchards grows 17 apple varieties, selling at a roadside farm market and bakery. They’re almost back to normal store stock after losing lots of trees during Hurricane Helene. Check to see if they’re running their Apple Express Train Rides ahead, if you want to take a ride.

Sky Top Orchard is super kid/family friendly expansive property with lots of play areas and activities: hay rides, apple cannon, playgrounds, big equipment to climb on, gold rush gem mine, nature walks, and farm animals. Their market is expansive and well stocked.

Stepp&#8217;s Hillcrest Orchard has a lot going on. Of note, they offer Online-Only Fall Fun Bundles: “Save money and time with ready-to-go u-pick containers, bundled activity tickets, and express check-in access.” They grow Apples, pumpkins, grapes, and flowers. Fun for the kids & family include a huge inflated jump pad, corn maze, and apple cannon. When you’re ready for a break, snack on the goodies you’ve picked up in the Picnic Shed.

Barrie’s Take
I tried them all side by side at room temperature. I will say up front that they are ALL good, especially warm (including Jeter and Holt, which I&#8217;ve had at other times). 😅 You really can&#8217;t go wrong.
I know there are a lot of Sky Top lovers, but I just didn&#8217;t get much of any apple flavor from them. It just tasted like a regular cinnamon sugar donut (which are good too!). And their interior was yellow (no sign of spices), much like a yellow cake. So that one was my least favorite. But, if you like a super light and fluffy cake donut, you&#8217;ll love that one!
The most apple flavor for me was from Mountain Fresh and Stepp&#8217;s. Mountain Fresh and Stepp&#8217;s both had nice crisp/crunchy exterior bits and great soft donut textured interior with good apple flavor. They were both darker interiors from the spices and cider.
Justus and Grandad&#8217;s tasted exactly the same to me (flavor and texture). Nix also tasted like those two, but with a slightly denser texture.
Like I said, you really can&#8217;t go wrong with any of them. I&#8217;d love a much stronger apple flavor from all of them, but that&#8217;s just personal preference. It was a yummy experiment! 😃
My Take

Overall, I agree with everything Barrie said. My two favorites were a tie between Mountain Fresh and Stepp’s. When I took a bite of each on site at the orchards, they did both have little spots of crispiness along the inside and outside edges. A plus for me.
Some had more sugar on them than others, Jimmy Nix & Sons and Stepp&#8217;s were good donuts with good flavor, but had too much sugar on the outside for my taste. Brushed a bunch off after the throwdown bite.
Some were sold/served warm, which in my opinion, enhanced texture and flavor. Some, we picked up from orchard displays, so at room temperature. We did the throwdown with all donuts at room temp.
There was a definite difference in size, with the biggest being tied between Jimmy Nix and Sons Apple House and Mountain Fresh Orchards.
Told our plumber, who was working at our house, what we were going to do and he said, he and his wife both vote for Sky Top Orchard. So I was looking forward to that one. It was a good Apple Cider Donut with cinnamon flavor, but I liked a couple others more.
Sky Top had a bit more cinnamon flavor than others. Both Sky Top and Grandad’s donuts had lighter density.
Some donuts were denser than others. I felt that Justus Orchard and Grandad’s Apples donuts were both on the denser side.
Grandad’s Apples looked on the outside like they had an extra ingredient like small bits of a spice. Pretty sure they weren’t pieces of apple.
Speaking of ingredients, comparisons were a problem. Stepps was the only orchard that seemed to put all ingredients on their label. Others had minimal information, maybe covering potential allergies?
That brings me to the most important thing about this throwdown. All the donuts were good and every person has their own taste and preferences. So don’t hesitate to get an Apple Cider Donut from whatever Orchard you go to.

Question 2

18 Farms Participating in ASAP’s Farm Tour Sept. 19–20!

Accepted Answer

ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) announced 18 farms participating in the 2026 Farm Tour, taking place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19–20, noon to 5p.m. All farms are located within an hour of Asheville. Tourgoers will experience working farms through guided and self-guided tours, demonstrations, interacting with farm animals, u-pick fruit and flowers, local food and drink tastings, and more. Spanish-language tours will be offered at several farms. The Farm Tour is appropriate for attendees of all ages and abilities.
Farms on the tour showcase the diversity of agriculture in the region, from vegetables to livestock, orchards to homesteads. Seven farms, noted with an asterisk, are new to the tour in 2026. The Farm Tour features five clusters to help visitors maximize their time at farms. Tourgoers should select two to four farms to visit each day, spending around an hour at each. Descriptions of farm offerings, plus a map, driving directions, and tour tips, are available at asapconnections.org/farmtour. A free printed guide will also be available in mid-August.
Farms on the 2026 Farm Tour
View farm locations in a Google Map »
Read all farm descriptions »
Haywood Cluster
The Ten Acre Garden »
KT’s Orchard & Apiary »
Trinity Bison Ranch »
Leicester Cluster
Durrant Farms Estate »
Addison Farms Vineyard »
Good Wheel Farm »
Black Thorn Farm »
Two Trees Farm/Sustainabillies »
Barnardsville Cluster
Burley Stick Farm »
The Never Ending Flower Farm »
Big Ivy Beef Cattle Co. »
Morganton Cluster
Pick Dee’s Berries »
Lee’s One Fortune Farm »
Smallholding Farm »
Perry’s Berry’s Vineyard & Winery »
Foothills Cluster
Encompass Farm »
Moonchild Farm »
Overmountain Vineyards »
“We are excited to be back on ASAP’s Farm Tour after a challenging two years of recovery,” shares Sara Martin of Two Trees Farm/Sustainabillies. “Farm Tour is one of our favorite ways to build relationships with our community and help people learn about small-scale, sustainable farms. It was a hard choice to pass on participating last year, but the farm wasn’t able to sustain a crowd. We are so proud of all of the work we have done to rebuild after Helene and cannot wait to share in ASAP’s celebration of local agriculture.”
Advance passes are on sale now for $35 at asapconnections.org/farmtour. One pass admits a carload of visitors to all farms both days. Pending availability, passes purchased the weekend of the tour will be $45. ASAP is also seeking volunteers to help staff the tour. In exchange for working one day of the tour, volunteers may attend for free on the other day. Sign up at asapconnections.org/farmtour.
Themed lists, which categorize farms based on specific interest, can help attendees tailor their Farm Tour experience. The Tasty Tour, sponsored by Red Fiddle Vittles, includes farms with food and beverages that you can sample during the tour. The “Show Me How It’s Done” Tour, sponsored by Wicked Weed Brewing, features farms with education and demonstrations on how to produce your own food or use specific techniques. The Foodtopia Tour, sponsored by Explore Asheville, includes farms that have developed relationships with restaurants in Buncombe County. The Kids Tour offers activities geared toward kids. WNC Magazine is the Farm Tour’s top media sponsor. Find a full list of sponsors at asapconnections.org/farmtour.
Additional funding was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service Farmers Market Promotion Program; USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program; and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Southern Extension Risk Management Education Program.
Press Release

Question 3

Low Country Oyster Co breaks ground on new Seafood Processing Facility

Accepted Answer

South Carolina-based Lowcountry Oyster Company (LowCo.) has grown exponentially since Trey McMillan founded the sustainable oyster farm in 2017 in the ACE Basin. Now, as the state&#8217;s largest oyster farm, LowCo. harvests millions of oysters annually—and McMillan has no plans of slowing down. Expansion is on the horizon as LowCo. breaks ground on its latest venture, a 6.4 million dollar project that will bring at least 30 new jobs with it.
Construction is officially underway on LowCo.&#8217;s &#8220;Oyster Outpost,&#8221; a state-of-the-art Seafood processing and cross-dock facility in Green Pond, SC. Located just over an hour from downtown Charleston and only 30 minutes from I-95, LowCo. hopes to open its doors to other seafood producers and buyers to draw interest from wholesalers and trucking lines by the end of 2024.
New &#8220;Oyster Outpost&#8221; Rendering
&#8220;We are so proud of what we&#8217;ve accomplished over the past seven years in just 16 acres of water here in the ACE Basin,&#8221; states McMillan. &#8220;Our goal from the start has always been to feed as many people as possible on the smallest footprint possible, and this expansion will allow us to reach more oyster lovers than ever before in the Southeast and beyond. As we invest in ourselves with this exciting expansion, we&#8217;re also proud to be able to invest in others. We expect to create more than 30 new jobs in rural Colleton County over the next five years. Giving back to the community has always been important to us as a company, so we are excited about bringing economic opportunity to this area.&#8221;
This facility will have a state-of-the-art chilled water wet storage system and climate-controlled processing and holding areas – boasting over 10,000 square feet of refrigerated space – making it the first of its kind in the state. The new machines will allow LowCo. to go from processing 5,000 oysters to 20,000 oysters an hour. McMillan hopes to increase LowCo.&#8217;s production and sales tenfold, aiming to deliver more fresh South Carolina oysters to shellfish lovers nationwide.
Lowcountry Oyster Company also plans to expand into a new-build retail space in West Ashley in the near future.

Question 4

New! Stump Farms Hydroponic & Urban Farm in Hendersonville

Accepted Answer

Kevin and Alicia Stump moved to Hendersonville from Magnolia, TX, just outside Houston, about a year ago. They&#8217;ve spent that year setting up Stump Farms at 732 Jonesborough St., basically behind Publix. It&#8217;s a continuation of what began as a &#8220;homesteading journey&#8221; &#8211; while holding down full-time jobs &#8211; and turned into full time farming some five years ago.

What&#8217;s different about this &#8220;new&#8221; business is that they come to Hendersonville with extensive hands-on experience having already built a 2 acre farm successfully from the ground up (wink), to the point of selling at multiple Farmers Markets. Yes, they&#8217;re going to have to deal with a totally different environment, coming from, as far as I can tell, a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9a to a 7b zone. It just about killed me to go from an 8b zone and excellent soil to our current 9a zone and clay soil at our Hendersonville home when it came to gardening.

The Stumps refer to their enterprise as a Hydroponic & Urban Farm, producing Clean & Real Food. Hydroponic in that they are growing hydroponically in over 2,000 square feet indoors. Urban in that they&#8217;re growing outdoors and in greenhouses on an urban-sized lot.

The farmshop features plants and produce, as well as a few things like natural skin care products, soaps, and teas. One of us left with a bag of produce. The general concensus was that the pricing was very reasonable.

If you want to learn more about Kevin and Alicia, here&#8217;s a Sept 2021 Voyage Houston article where Alicia talks about their background, how & why they started their farming journey, and where it had taken them:  Exploring Life & Business with Alicia Stump of Stump Farms.
What&#8217;s next for this enterprising, hard-working couple? They&#8217;re talking about opening a small plant-based cafe on the property. This makes me happy and nervous. Nervous because part of this urban property is in a flood plain. And it floods just about every year. They&#8217;ve already had to clean up from flooding after the last extended heavy rain we had.

When asked about the flooding, they explained that they&#8217;d built everything up off the floor, so there were no product losses. We&#8217;ll see what they come up with for their (possible) cafe.

Definitely go to the Stump Farms Website: https://www.stumpfarms.com/ and take a good look at all their offerings. It&#8217;s extensive and includes an online store. Here&#8217;s their Instagram Feed where you can get a feel for what they&#8217;re all about. You can also find them on Facebook.
Stump Farms
732 Jonesborough St
Hendersonville, NC
(828) 642-9680

Question 5

ASAP’s Farm Tour Returns Sept. 18–19

Accepted Answer

ASAP’s highly anticipated annual Farm Tour is back for 2021, following cancelation in 2020 due to COVID-19. On Sept. 18–19, from noon to 5 p.m., approximately 20 Appalachian Grown family farms will welcome visitors for guided tours, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. This fun and educational weekend offers the public a chance to experience firsthand how food is grown and raised in the mountains, sample farm-fresh products, and meet local farmers. The tour is a great outing for visitors of all ages and abilities.
The 2021 Farm Tour will feature farms in Buncombe, Henderson, and Haywood counties, all located within an hour drive of Asheville. Every year, ASAP introduces new farms on the tour and brings back old favorites, including u-pick farms, vineyards, flower farms, fiber producers, and more. A full list of participating farms will be announced later this summer. Farm Tour guides, including a map, driving directions, tour tips, and farm descriptions, will be available at community centers and area businesses in mid-August.
“The ASAP Farm Tour gives us a chance to share our dreams and passion with others committed to a sustainable future,” said farmer Sara Martin, whose Two Trees Farm in Haywood County has been a past tour favorite and will return for 2021. “Showing people the joys of working the land and eating fresh food creates a community. We are truly happiest when we have our feet in the soil, sharing skills to make agriculture more accessible to others. Come share our dream!”
The Farm Tour is an outdoor event and will follow current state guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hand-washing facilities or hand sanitizer will be available at all farms. Visitors who are not vaccinated should wear a mask and maintain social distancing while on the tour.
Farm Tour passes are on sale now for $35 at asapconnections.org/farmtour. One pass admits a carload of visitors to all farms both days. Pending availability, passes purchased the weekend of the tour will be $45. More information, including details on volunteering and attending the tour for free, can be found at asapconnections.org or by calling 828-236-1282.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more, visit asapconnections.org.

Question 6

Asheville Culinary Festival Chow Chow Postpones Until September 2021

Accepted Answer

Asheville’s new culinary festival, Chow Chow, is being re-scheduled for September 2021 due to the disruption and uncertainty caused by Covid-19.
After the Board of Directors of Chow Chow, a 501(c)(3) organization, determined launching ticket sales in April was unrealistic, the group also considered the future rules and regulations regarding social gatherings and the indeterminate nature of the impact of the pandemic. As a result, the board voted to postpone the festival until September 2021.
“It was an extremely tough decision and a decision that we don’t make lightly. We so appreciate the support of the community, our sponsors, and our partners during last year’s festival as well as in preparation for 2020. We’re determined to be back better than ever next year,” said Board of Directors President Katie Button. “We’ll all be ready to welcome friends and family back to Asheville and we think Chow Chow will be a great way to celebrate our re-opened doors.”
The organization will also continue its mission in 2020 with a series of events, dinners and an on-line presence that will offer meaningful content celebrating farmers, chefs, makers, and artists. The board remains committed to elevating Asheville’s greater creative community through food and the communal table.
The festival will also shift its focus to support the many farmers, restaurants, chefs, artists, makers, and non-profits severely impacted by Covid-19.
Watch for updates on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/chowchowavl/

Question 7

What North Carolina Farms Need After Hurricane Florence

Accepted Answer

Guest Post by Heather Barnes. North Carolina and other states on the east coast were hit by Hurricane Florence just over one week ago. The storm’s winds battered crops and its rainfall, more than 30 feet in some areas, caused flooding that closed major interstates and shut down entire towns. Agriculture, the number one industry in my state, took a hard hit, the full extent which won&#8217;t be known for months. The needs of the agriculture community are great, and may not be as obvious as you think.
Image: WLOS.com
We need you to know we prepared for this storm. Generators were checked, fuel and feed were stockpiled. Animals were moved to higher ground (more than 20,000 hogs alone). Knowing North Carolina is in hurricane alley, hog farmers began preparing lagoons in August, so these manure storage ponds would be able to hold as much rain water as possible. You can read more about how lagoons work on the NC Pork Council website.
We need you to know farmers stayed behind, even when told to leave. There are no livestock on our farm, but we had tobacco barns running and didn&#8217;t leave. Livestock farmers stayed on their farms, sometimes in the barn, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the animals in their care.
We need you to see the photos and videos farmers have posted on social media, including:
&#8211; farmers using ATVs, trucks, boats or even helicopters to get feed to their animals
&#8211; workers carrying feed to poultry in 5-gallon buckets because there was no power to run the automatic feeders inside the chicken houses
&#8211; tobacco almost melting off the stalk, cotton bolls hardened by rain, sweet potato fields under water and other crop damage
&#8211; the farmers whose pig, chickens and turkeys were in houses with power when their children were not.
We need you to feel the pain of our loss as we stand looking at a crop we worked 80-hour weeks to grow, only to lose it all; to feel the tears we shed at the loss of livestock that drowned; the desperation of livestock owners, like a former coworker of mine, who were stranded with their animals and asking for help to get their horses feed without a thought of their own food needs.
We need you to know family farms of all types were impacted by this storm; both large and small. Livestock, row crop, fruit and vegetables, all were affected including conventional and organic. From first generation to seventh generation, part-time farmer and full-time farmer, family farms that sell at your local farmers market, to your local grocery store and internationally, all were impacted.
We need you to stop assuming &#8220;Crop insurance will pay all their bills.&#8221; It does not. Federal crop insurance is complicated, but the cliff notes version is it only covers certain crops (row crops like cotton and corn, not vegetable crops like sweet potatoes) and only a percentage of your production. Homeowners insurance covers replacement costs of your home. Crop insurance does not replace the lost income from a damaged crop. Many farmers will not farm another year after this loss, just two years after they suffered losses from Hurricane Matthew.
We need you to realize food safety and animal welfare rules don&#8217;t stop because of the storm. Do you really believe drowned animals will enter the food chain? NO. Do you believe crops covered by overflowing creeks, ponds and other bodies of water will be harvested for human consumption? NO. If you believe that, then you must think the fish drowned along Interstate 40 will also end up in the food chain.
We need the media to interview farmers if they want to cover the true story of this hurricane. Get sound bites from those of us who make our living from the land. Talk to the commodity groups and other agriculture organizations that haven&#8217;t been watching from afar, but from the ground beside us.
We need photos and video that are used in stories about Florence to have actually been taken during or after Florence. I&#8217;ve seen photos circulating that were taken after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 accompanying reports of Florence&#8217;s damage. North Carolina saw huge losses, particularly in the livestock industry, from Floyd and learned many lessons which resulted in less loss of livestock and less discharge from hog lagoons from Florence. It is disappointing to see photos from almost 20 years ago being circulated and passed off as current. It&#8217;s even more disheartening to read the comments from people who take them at face value. Photos from 20 years ago aren&#8217;t relevant, unless you want to highlight all the improvements farmers have put in place since then.
We need the media to verify the authenticity of photos and video before they broadcast or print it. Some news media have reported on &#8220;hog farms&#8221;, including photos or videos that weren’t farms at all but municipal waste facilities, poultry farms, warehouses or some other structure. Some hog houses that were shown no longer house pigs and haven’t in many years.
We need you to spread the word that farmers needing assistance can call the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services emergency hotline at 866-645-9403. Some farmers lost all the hay they had baled for winter and pastures have been flooded. Without hay or feed, they will be forced to sell animals. Many are still cleaning up their farms and can&#8217;t take supplies now, but will need them. NCDA&CS, NC Cooperative Extension and many commodity associations also have information related to disaster relief and recovery posted on their websites.
We need help. Immediate needs include temporary or permanent fencing, salt blocks, minerals, feed and hay. These and other supplies are being accepted at the Emergency Farm Supply Distribution site in Pink Hill (call 252-521-1706). Financial donations are being accepted by the Lenoir County Extension office which is working directly with the distribution site. Checks can be made payable to the N.C. Agriculture Foundation (tax deductible) or Lenoir County (not tax deductible) and should be sent to:
Lenoir County Cooperative Extension
Attn: Eve Honeycutt
1791 Hwy 11 55
Kinston, NC 28504
The North Carolina Farm Bureau Foundation is also working to help farmers impacted by Florence.
We need our fellow farmers, who have helped each other through other storms and will continue to do so.
We need to give thanks to the lineman who have restored power, the communities who have supported us, the truckers who brought feed through the flood waters, the volunteers who have fed us and everyone who has donated not only to farmers, but to everyone impacted by Florence.
We don&#8217;t need you to kick us when we&#8217;re down. Even before the storm, as farmers were preparing for Florence to hit land, anti-agriculture organizations were in the sky looking for problems. News reports on the losses have not always been accurate and most include reader comments telling farmers we brought this on ourselves, how much we don&#8217;t care about the livestock in our care and other negative thoughts.
We need boots on the ground, not eyes in the sky. If you are going to fly over our farms, at least drop a load of hay or some fuel on your way over.

Question 8

Gone Fishing - for the true story on NC Seafood (recipes too!)

Accepted Answer

Tomorrow morning &#8211; Monday, May 8 &#8211; I&#8217;ll be heading to Morehead City, NC and surrounding areas in Eastern and Coastal NC for a few days with a small media group hosted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
We&#8217;ll be touring aquaculture farms, seafood producers, a catfish farm, community supported fishery, and hopefully, talk to some folks that fish our waters for a living. I&#8217;ve got questions.
Join me by following along as I post throughout the trip on Carolina Epicurean social channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinaepicurean/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaEpicurean ), and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolinaEpicur .
Image: Stacey Sprenz
And, as it happens, I got a hold of two terrific NC seafood recipes from Chef Bud Taylor of The Bistro at Topsail just in time for this immersion in to NC Seafood.
Want more from Chef Bud Taylor? He&#8217;ll be at the Wilmington Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, May 13th. He will be doing a cooking demo at 3pm that day as well. Here&#8217;s the link to purchase tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2755585
Image: Tessa Nguyen
Bistro Shrimp & Grits by Chef Bud Taylor
GRITS:
• 1 CUP STONE GROUND YELLOW GRITS
• (ADLUH MILLS, ANSON MILLS OR OTHER QUALITY BRAND, DON&#8217;T USE QUICK GRITS)
• 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
• 3 CUPS COLD WATER
• 6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
• 1 CUP GRATED ASIAGO OR PARMESAN
• SALT & PEPPER
SHRIMP & SAUCE
• 1 POUND LOCAL SHRIMP
• 1 GREEN TOMATO – cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 TABLESPOON MINCED SHALLOT (MAY SUB RED ONION)
• ¼ TEASPOON MINCED GARLIC
• 4-6 oz. NC COUNTRY HAM- CUT INTO SMALL STRIP
• ½ CUP DRY WHITE WINE
• 2 CUPS SHRIMP STOCK (MAY SUB SEAFOOD BASE)
• UNSALTED COLD BUTTER- CUT INTO CUBES
• 2 TABLESPOONS THINLY SLICED SCALLION
• 1 TEASPOON EACH DICED FRESH
• THYME
• BASIL
• PARSLEY
Cooking Instructions:
GRITS:
• In stock pot bring water, milk & butter to a boil
• Slowly whisk in grits and return to a boil for 1-2 minutes
• Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook 30-45 minutes or until grits are tender
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese
• Season to taste with salt & pepper
SHRIMP:
• While grits are cooking peel and clean shrimp.
• Season with salt & pepper and set aside
SAUCE: (sauce can be made in advance and kept warm)
• In hot saute pan place 2 T butter, shallot, garlic and country ham and cook until lightly brown
• De-glaze pan with white whine
• Add green tomatoes to pan and cook approx 1 minute
• Add shrimp stock and 2 T butter and let reduce by ¼
• Add scallions & fresh herbs
• Remove from heat
• Finish sauce by stirring several cubes of cold butter into sauce, until thickens slightly
• Season to taste with Salt & Pepper
In separate pan:
• Heat pan
• Add 2 T butter and seasoned shrimp
• Cook just until shrimp turn pink on bottom then turn shrimp and remove pan from heat.
• Shrimp will finish cooking with residual heat from pan
TO SERVE:
• Toss cooked shrimp into sauce
• Divide grits into 4 bowls
• Spoon sauce & shrimp mixture equally into bowls on top of grits. Do not stir up.
• Garnish with fresh chive (optional)
Pan Roasted Grouper with Orange Braised Leeks & Vadouvan Jus
Leeks:
4-6 Leeks green parts removed
zest and juice of one orange
3 T unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper
pinch sugar

Slice lengthwise through center keeping root end intact.
Soak root end up in bowl of cool water for 1 hour.
remove from bowl and rinse under cool running water, fanning each leaf to remove any remaining grit.
Slice about ½ inch thick
Melt half the butter into large skillet or saute pan, add leeks and cook on low heat for 2-4 minutes. (do not let leeks brown)
Add orange zest & juice
Add remainder of butter, continue to cook until leeks are soft and semi transparent.
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Serve immediately

Vadouvan Jus:
1 T butter
1 small shallot diced
1 clove garlic diced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
3 T Vadouvan Spice

Put shallot, garlic, butter in medium sauce pan, cook for 1 minute, add wine and bring to a boil
Cook until liquid is almost gone, about 5-7 minutes
Add cream and vadouvan spice bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Strain into container and use immediately or can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Use double boiler to reheat
Pan Roasted Grouper:
(4) 4 oz. Grouper filet about 1 inch thick
2T butter
¼ cup canola oil
salt & pepper

Season fish with salt & pepper
Heat skillet and add oil and butter to pan
Place fish skin side up and in pan and sear until golden brown
Reduce heat and continue to cook fish until cooked about half way through. Fish will start to turn white on the sides.
Turn fish and allow to finish cooking until just flaky.
Do not overcook, fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the pan.

To serve:
Divide leeks equally among 4 plates, place fish at angle on leeks. Finish with just around leeks and fish

Question 9

Scuppernong Produce, on the Scuppernong River

Accepted Answer

Columbia, NC &#8211; Last week I stumbled upon the most delicious strawberries (dark red and sweet all the way through) at a road-side stand as I drove from Asheville to the Outer Banks.
They were grown at Scuppernong Produce on the Scuppernong River in Columbia, NC.
Other types of produce are also grown at Scuppernong during all but the coldest months.

And what goes with farm-fresh fruit? Cheese! A huge wheel of Hoop Cheese is usually on hand. When a woman asked for a half pound of the cheese, one of the farm&#8217;s owners called me over to see the 1905 Computing Cheese Cutter in action.

Was the setting on this over 100-year-old bladed machine accurate? Take a look at the weight of the slice the Computer cut as measured by a current-day digital scale. Pretty darned close.

If you&#8217;re driving US-64 near the NC coast or in Columbia, NC, take a few minutes and stop for some very good fruit or other produce, and hoop cheese to go with it.
Oh, about those strawberries, I picked up half a flat to share with the group of media folks (from NY, KY, CA, and NC) I spent a few days with touring the Outer Banks. It&#8217;s Got to Be NC, right?
Scuppernong Produce
87 Riverview Farm Ln
Columbia, NC 27925
(252) 796-7541

Category: Farmers

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