Q: Espresso and Baked Goods now at The Garage on 25

Fletcher – Stopped at The Garage today to see if they had their espresso machine up and running. The answer was YES! Finally!! This was probably my fifth time stopping in to see what they were going to do with their well-decorated coffee shop. Awesome decor is fine, but it is all about the coffee after all. Shocking as it might be, I’ve been drinking fewer lattes lately. This means that what I do drink has to be darned good. I’m afraid it made them a little nervous when I asked if they knew what they were doing with the espresso machine. A little spilled milk later, I had an excellent latte in my hands. Rich, robust, and hot. There aren’t a ton of baked goods yet. I’m guessing they’ll carry more as they get busier. Baked goods they do have are excellent and are from what I consider Hendersonville’s top notch bakery, Gateaux, and Blue Door Bakery in Candler. This coffee shop is part of the bigger Garage building, a booth-type shop where various vendors sell original art, antiques, vintage, and this & that. If you have time, definitely explore. My only suggestion for the owners regarding the coffee shop is to add electrical outlets, surge protectors, or whatever, to increase the number of outlets. There are a few available if you need to recharge your device as well as yourself. At this point, they have a Facebook Page, but no website. The Garage on 25 3461 Hendersonville Rd Fletcher, NC 28732 Hours: Open today · 10AM–5PM Phone: (828) 376-0198

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

Q: Koreana, for something different in Arden, NC

Arden – Tired of lunch at the same places time after time? If you find yourself in Arden, NC running errands (Lowes, OfficeMax, World Imports, Best Buy) like I do and want to grab a bite, there really aren’t that many options apart from fast-casual spots like Ruby Tuesday, Olive Garden, Chili’s, and fast food outlets like McDonalds, Arby’s, and Sonic. Ready for something different and delicious? Pop into Koreana for lunch or dinner. They’re on Airport Rd. near Walmart. Sweet Tooth and I did just that today. We ordered appetizers since we were hungry, but not starving. Sweet Tooth got the Bang Bang Shrimp ($9) and reports the coconut mayo sauce was especially good. I wanted to try their Korean Style Vegetable Pancake ($11), comparing it to a most fabulous vegetable pancake I’d had at Gan Shan Station (Asheville) quite a while ago. Although it didn’t beat out Gan Shan’s version, it was good. I’ll have the half that went home with me for a snack tomorrow. Read more about Koreana, with photos, in my first Koreana review. Koreana 221 Airport Rd Arden, NC 28704 Phone:(828) 676-2844

Q: Brunch at The Local Joint

Fairview – It’s about the food. Okay, the decor is cute with a ketchup/mustard color scheme, and innovative touches like the window shades, but for me, it really is about the food at The Local Joint. PIC and I took the scenic route from Mills River over to the Joint this morning for brunch (Breakfast Menu). Can you guess who had what? Benedict $8.50: Two poached eggs, ham and Hollandaise Sauce on a toasted English Muffin. French Toast $8.50: Made with Challa Bread and topped with sun-dried cherry-pecan Mascarpone. Served with real maple syrup and fresh fruit. Read a previous review with lots of details and photos here: “Best Kept Secret? The Local Joint Exposed!” The Local Joint 1185 Charlotte Hwy Fairview, NC 28730 Phone:(828) 338-0469

Q: Behind the scenes at Blue Ridge Distilling

Bostic (Golden Valley, NC) – Home of Defiant Whisky, Blue Ridge Distilling does things a little differently. It’s a nice drive out to their rural Bostic (Golden Valley), NC location where you can visit the gift shop at their recently purchased 500 acre Girl Scout Camp main lodge, and tour the distillery. You’ll learn about their put the barrel into the whiskey instead of the whiskey into the barrel method. Eric Meech, Distiller Our tour was led by Distiller Eric Meech. I’ve run into Eric on a few occasions outside Blue Ridge Distilling. Nice guy. Eric Meech, Distiller Bottled and ready for labeling.

Question 1

Espresso and Baked Goods now at The Garage on 25

Accepted Answer

Fletcher &#8211; Stopped at The Garage today to see if they had their espresso machine up and running.
The answer was YES! Finally!! This was probably my fifth time stopping in to see what they were going to do with their well-decorated coffee shop.
Awesome decor is fine, but it is all about the coffee after all.

Shocking as it might be, I&#8217;ve been drinking fewer lattes lately. This means that what I do drink has to be darned good.
I&#8217;m afraid it made them a little nervous when I asked if they knew what they were doing with the espresso machine. A little spilled milk later, I had an excellent latte in my hands. Rich, robust, and hot.
There aren&#8217;t a ton of baked goods yet. I&#8217;m guessing they&#8217;ll carry more as they get busier. Baked goods they do have are excellent and are from what I consider Hendersonville&#8217;s top notch bakery, Gateaux, and Blue Door Bakery in Candler.

This coffee shop is part of the bigger Garage building, a booth-type shop where various vendors sell original art, antiques, vintage, and this & that. If you have time, definitely explore.
My only suggestion for the owners regarding the coffee shop is to add electrical outlets, surge protectors, or whatever, to increase the number of outlets. There are a few available if you need to recharge your device as well as yourself.
At this point, they have a Facebook Page, but no website.
The Garage on 25
3461 Hendersonville Rd
Fletcher, NC 28732
Hours: Open today · 10AM–5PM
Phone: (828) 376-0198

Question 2

The perfect lunch outing with the girls!

Accepted Answer

Tryon &#8211; Even if you&#8217;re not a &#8220;horse person&#8221;, get yourself over to the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) for lunch, dinner, shopping, cocktails, and family friendly fun!
Four of us gal-pals decided to head over to TIEC, get some lunch, and check the place out. Two had already been and two of us were &#8220;newbies&#8221;.
It&#8217;s summer. It&#8217;s hot. Especially in the sun. Good thing there&#8217;s plenty of shade throughout the property. And watch from the shade is what we did before lunch. Each horse and rider entered the arena from the tunnel before tackling the course for points. It was fascinating watching the horses go around the circuit and over the jumps.

After we&#8217;d watched the action for a while, we headed over to Blue Ginger Sushi & Noodles. If Sushi isn&#8217;t your thing, or your just not in the mood, there are multiple eateries on site.
Tuna Tataki Salad: Green leaf mix with tomato, cucumber, avocado topped with Tuna Tataki and Sesame dressing
Special of the day. Can&#8217;t remember what was in this roll.
A few of the rolls are actually set on fire at your table. Nancy got the Pyro Roll. We all thought it was fun to hear the roll sizzling as it cooked, but the flames would be more dramatic in the evening when it&#8217;s a dark. The roll is wrapped in foil and placed in a shallow pool of &#8220;151&#8221; alcohol. The fire goes out when there&#8217;s no more alcohol to burn.

If a drink is what you&#8217;re looking for, definitely check out Legends Grille. The bar area had a good vibe. Of course, they serve great food, too.
As we walked around the property, we came across this very cool Silo Bar! Check out the hammock chairs under the arbor. LOVE it! I can just picture hanging out in those chairs or around the fire pit with friends on a summer evening, cocktail in hand.
Besides dining, there are a ton of other things to see and do at TIEC! Watch &#8220;Gladiator Polo&#8221; (June 24th) and the &#8220;Hobby Horse Series&#8221; (yes, it&#8217;s a thing), and for family fun, check out Saturday Night Lights Grand Prix. At past Saturday Night Lights, there have been fire twirlers, acrobats, magicians, free pony rides, mechanical bull riding, sand-castle building, shag dancing competitions, vintage car shows and craft beer festivals. See what fun they&#8217;re planning on their Facebook page.
Need more to keep you busy? There&#8217;s a market/small grocery store and coffee shop, and they&#8217;ve ingeniously brought in modular log cabins and set them up as a variety of, albeit high-end, retail shops.
I was even thinking that TIEC might be a fun place for a weekend get away. There&#8217;s quite a selection of lodging on site (1 &#8211; 7 bedroom homes and log cabins), RV pads, and more options coming quickly: a 5-star hotel/spa, a 4-star hotel, and more. Go to the &#8220;Lodging&#8221; link in their website&#8217;s main menu for details and prices.
One of my favorite spots is a large riverside gazebo with seating and grills right next to a cluster of log homes. There&#8217;s even a sandy area next to the water.

Gosh! I think I&#8217;ve covered everything . . . TIEC is just incredible. They are working furiously on infrastructure and more additions to the complex because they won the World Equestrian Games 2018 (think winning as the city that will host the Olympics). Over 600,000 visitors and participants are expected!
Regional tourism boards, lodging associations, and other groups in NC and Upstate SC have been working together to plan and be prepared for this event.
This is a WORLD CLASS destination in our region that has a few minor kinks to work out regarding speed of service at the restaurants, but I only see it getting better. And in my opinion, the food was worth waiting for.
Epicurean Notes:

It&#8217;s usually FREE ADMISSION at TIEC. During certain (WEG) events that happen infrequently, there may be an entry fee.
There are nice spaces you can book for private events
Dining tables overlooking the main arena are available to rent
TIEC is a year round venue, but horse shows do not typically run in the winter.
Check for special winter events like the Christmas Craft Markets/Shows and the New Year&#8217;s Eve party

Question 3

Baked Pie Company - totally cute and delicious!

Accepted Answer

Arden &#8211; Sweet Tooth and I decided to check out Baked Pie Company a few days ago. They&#8217;ve been open about two months and getting rave reviews.
Check out the corrugated tin ceiling. And believe it or not, the floor is tile. I admit to touching it to be sure. As she served up our flights, owner Kirsten Fuchs&#8217; sister-in-law gave Kirsten all credit for the cozy decor.
In addition to being the only dedicated pie shop in the Asheville area, they are unique in that they are offering flights. That&#8217;s right. Three &#8220;slivers&#8221; of pie.
I&#8217;m hear to tell you that they are not &#8220;slivers&#8221;. They are slices. Not huge, granted, but certainly not slivers. Flights, including a scoop of ice cream, are $12.99. The ice cream is optional and will save you $2 if you do without.
All three of my choices were good, but if I had to pick a favorite, I&#8217;d go with the Honey Pecan.
Left to Right: Lemon Meringue &#8211; Honey Pecan &#8211; Apple
Sweet Tooth&#8217;s favorite was the Peanut Butter Brownie.
Left to Right: Peanut Butter Brownie &#8211; Cranberry Crumb &#8211; Apple
Both Sweet Tooth and I thought the Lemon Meringue was good, but could be a bit &#8220;brighter&#8221;. Meaning a little more &#8220;lemony&#8221;. The filling texture was a somewhat different from what you might expect. Maybe more home made?
We mentioned all of this when asked how we liked the pies. They were very receptive, so it may be different when you go. Definitely order it if you like Lemon Meringue.
We both liked that the Apple pie wasn&#8217;t over-spiced, with just the right amount of cinnamon.
A daily list of pies is posted on a chalk board behind the counter and on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bakedpiecompany/

When you cannot eat another bite, there&#8217;s a bus station for your dishes down the hall by the restrooms.
Oh! Almost forgot to tell you about the cookies they make! I especially flipped over the sheep cookie.
Baked Pie Company is most definitely Epicurean recommended!
Epicurean Notes:

All merchandise in the shop is for sale.
Baked Pie is open late-ish until 8pm most of the week and 9pm Friday and Saturday.
If you go later in the day, call to be sure they&#8217;re not sold out.
This is a great spot for a date night, girls night out, or after an early movie.

Baked Pie Company
4 Long Shoals Rd
Arden, NC 28704
Phone: (828) 333-4366

Question 4

Craft Brewers bring jobs and nearly $1B to Asheville area

Accepted Answer

Asheville — The Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County has released a contribution analysis of the brewery industry in the four-county Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area (Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Madison counties). Sponsored by McGuire, Wood, & Bissette Law Firm, the study showed breweries and a small cluster of related industries created or supported over 2,500 jobs in the Asheville region in 2016.
Contribution analysis can be used to help show what an existing industry contributes to the local economy. The study was produced to add quantifiable economic insight on the industry as employment growth has been considerable: 754% from 2011 to 2016 and still adding jobs. “This was the fastest growth among manufacturing industries in the MSA in the time period,” noted Heidi Reiber, Director of Research for the EDC who conducted the analysis adding, “the study showed approximately 2,571 workers were created or supported in the Asheville MSA. These workers were paid approximately $111M in labor income as part of companies’ $365 million contribution to Gross Regional Product in 2016.” Total overall output in the study was estimated at $934 million. A future study of winery and distillery employment, as well as related impacts of the craft beverage industry on the region’s tourism and hospitality industry could measure far greater impact still.
“We are aware there are more than 35 businesses engaged in brewing in the Asheville region,” stated Rebecca Crandall, Attorney, with McGuire, Wood, & Bissette Law Firm. “The study highlights the considerable talent that has grown the national reputation of the region, and quantifies the important catalytic impact on related professional services and supply chain growth.”
Exemplary of this growth, San-Diego headquartered White Labs celebrated the grand opening of new facilities in Asheville earlier this year. At full buildout, the world leader in yeast production and fermentation sciences for the brewing and winemaking industries will employ over 65 professionals in Asheville’s growing life sciences sector. The company also provides analytical services and product related training for industry professionals with plans to open a tasting room and expanded educational facilities in fall of 2017.
“We are pleased to add this data to support what we know about the outstanding brewers in our region,” said Janice Brumit, Board Chair of the EDC. “Craft Brewing remains an engine for economic growth and regional innovation. These jobs represent opportunity and significant new career paths for residents of the Asheville region and Buncombe County.”
Infographic summary of the contribution estimates:
The Economic Development Coalition (EDC) for Asheville-Buncombe County is a public-private partnership committed to: creating and retaining high quality jobs, community leadership, and being a resource for better business decisions. The EDC accomplishes this mission through its four core services: business retention and expansion, small business and entrepreneurship, research, and marketing and recruitment. The EDC is funded by Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and over 80 private investors through AVL 5&#215;5. The EDC holds the prestigious distinction of being one of only 50 Accredited Economic Development Organizations in the world by the International Economic Development Council. Visit www.ashevillechamber.org/economic-development. Learn more about AVL 5&#215;5 at www.asheville5x5.com.
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce is a member organization with over 1,800 member businesses and organizations. Chamber members collaborate with community organizations and coalitions to support the community and each other with the mission of building community through business. The Chamber is home to a 4,000 square foot Visitor Center that welcomes over 208,000 visitors per year.To be active in the Chamber, visit www.ashevillechamber.org.

Question 5

Asheville Farm to Table Tours Gears up for Second Season

Accepted Answer

Asheville &#8211; Asheville Farm to Table Tours will resume tours June 2, 2017. We are excited to announce a new 3 hour mini tour. This new tour will still provide an in depth, behind the scenes farm tour but will visit fewer locations than the premium 6 hour tour. At Asheville Farm to Table Tours, we lovingly create authentic, enriching and educational experiences through creativity, careful planning, and relationships with local sustainable farms.
The concept for Asheville Farm to Table Tours was developed through a love of good food, the desire to share the experience of Farm Fresh products with others and the ability to do so because of the incredible local family farms and farmers of Western North Carolina! “I realized that although the farm to table movement is vibrant in our area, there was little opportunity to experience this movement from farmer, to seed, to meal,” says Founder Ann D. Stauss.
As one of our customers said: “As far as I am concerned, this tour should be at the very top of the list of activities in and around Asheville. From the outset, Ann was a delight to meet and the perfect guide for our visit, her van is extremely comfortable and well appointed, and our personal comfort was of utmost importance to Ann. We had an incredibly unique and memorable day interacting with the farmers as they enthusiastically guided us through their beautiful properties and explained their farming methods in an unhurried and informative manner. This tour far exceeded our expectations, and I would highly recommend it to others.”
ABOUT FARM TO TABLE TOURS
Our tours visit sustainable family farms in beautiful Western North Carolina, where the farmers share their passion and knowledge. Specializing in produce, cheese, chicken, beef or lamb, each farm adds their own unique approach to sustainable farming. At the culmination of our day, the Chef prepares a special lunch with ingredients from the farms visited. For more information on booking a tour, please visit http://www.ashevillefarmtotabletours.com/ or call 828-606-9553.
Release

Question 6

Looking Glass Creamery expanding, building new cheesemaking facility on historic Harmon Dairy in Columbus, NC

Accepted Answer

Fairview, Columbus (Polk County) &#8211; Exciting news from one of my favorite North Carolina creameries!
Looking Glass Creamery, owned by Jennifer & Andy Perkins, is expanding production and building a new facility with underground cheese aging caves in the agricultural heart of Polk County, NC. Their existing facility located in Fairview, NC will also be renovated to offer more retail and food service options and improved parking. The new cheesemaking operation will add to the burgeoning agricultural economy in Polk County and fit well alongside the numerous vineyards, five wineries, diversified vegetable operations, and livestock farms already thriving in the area. The new facility will be located on the historic Harmon Dairy, a second generation cow dairy run by brothers, Doug and Alan Harmon.
Harmon Dairy
Dawn Jordan, Director of the Polk County Office of Agricultural Economic Development, believes that the new cheesemaking facility is a perfect complement to the growing number of agritourism offerings in Polk. “The expansion of Looking Glass Creamery and the preservation of Harmon Dairy is exactly the type of agricultural operation we are looking to support in Polk County. Preserving our verdant farmland through value added processes, while supporting small family operations, represents the character and place making set forth by Polk County in its 20/20 Vision Plan adopted in 2010.”
Harmon Dairy is a 226 acre farm originally purchased in three parcels by Doug & Alan’s father in 1947. In 2013, the brothers placed the farm, as a whole, under an agricultural conservation easement to keep it intact so that it could never be subdivided and would be protected from development in perpetuity. The Harmon brothers were committed to seeing the farm continue as a working farm after their retirement and felt that adding on-farm processing of the milk into cheese was a viable way to accomplish that goal. Looking Glass Creamery has been looking at expansion options for two years trying to find the right location for their vision and growth. After 8 months of negotiations, an agreement has been reached that will fulfill the needs of everyone involved.
Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIF) is providing the funds for the construction of the new cheesemaking facility which is scheduled to start as soon as permitting allows and is projected to take 6-9 months to complete. NCIF is a business loan fund that provides debt financing to small and emerging businesses. They have a focus on entrepreneurs and enterprises that are good stewards of natural resources. “I am so grateful to have played a role in helping Jen and Andy bring their expansion dream to life, one that has such positive impact for the larger community. This is entrepreneurial conservation at its best!”, stated Erika McGilley, Western North Carolina Regional Lender.
During the construction phase the Harmons have agreed to mentor the Perkins on the farm, training them on the daily operations of the milking parlor and in pasture and herd management. The Harmons will continue to own and operate the dairy until the creamery is operational. Once the construction of the creamery is completed and cheesemaking has commenced at the new facility, Looking Glass Creamery will take over all operations of the dairy. “We feel so fortunate that the Harmons have the vision, patience and commitment to the land and their broader community to protect this farm and find a way for it to grow with respect for the past but with an eye to the future.” says co-owner Andy Perkins. It is a rare situation where two unrelated families can cooperate in pursuit of shared goals that address preservation of agricultural traditions, sharing knowledge, growing a business, farmland preservation and transferring land ownership.
The move will enable Looking Glass Creamery to expand production, improve their affinage and allow them to tell the whole story of the farm and their cheeses from the cow to the customer. The company will host culinary events and dinners that are centered around the farm, the dairy and the cheese made on the property. Visitors to the farm will be able to see the production floor through a picture window to watch the cheese making process and peek into an aging cave. Looking Glass will be adding ice cream and several varieties of blue cheese to their regular product line. A farm store will be added later to the Polk County facility where visitors can purchase cheese and other products made on the farm. Once the production is re-located to Polk County, the company’s original location in Fairview, NC will be renovated and the hours of operation will be expanded. The renovations will include an enlarged retail area, additional seating, light food service, and a small classroom space. Their original location is already a popular, off-the-beaten-path destination for locals and visitors to the area.
“We have been blessed with this opportunity but with that blessing comes a lot of uncertainty and new responsibilities. It is our customers, independent restaurants and retailers that have made us successful over the past 9 years. As we grow new roots in Polk County, we look forward to sharing the farm and the cheesemaking process with our long-time supporters and develop new ones in Polk County, Greenville, and Charlotte too, “ says co-owner Jennifer Perkins.
Many people, businesses and entities contributed to the evolution of this endeavor. Looking Glass Creamery would like to say a special thanks to our families and friends, our employees, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Austin CPA, Bryan C. Young, the Branan Law Firm, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Growing Rural Opportunities, Natural Capital Investment Fund, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, North Carolina Department of Commerce, Polk County Soil & Water District, Polk County Economic Development and Agricultural Economic Development Offices, our dear friend Ken, and the vision of Doug & Alan Harmon.
Looking Glass Creamery is a small, family run cheesemaking operation which was started in 2009 by husband and wife team, Jennifer & Andy Perkins. The company makes fresh to aged cheeses and caramel sauce from cow’s milk. Looking Glass Creamery has garnered regional and national recognition for their product line including awards by the American Cheese Society and the Good Food Awards. They operate a cheese shop at their original location in Fairview, NC which is open Thursdays 1pm-5pm, Friday & Saturdays 11am to 5pm. Their product line is available at the best restaurants and retailers in Western North Carolina. Distribution in NC and regionally is available through Cornucopia Cheese & Specialty Foods and Cheney Brothers.
Release

Question 7

An Historic Inn, Six Cabins, Two Guys, and their story

Accepted Answer

Asheville/Candler, NC &#8211; An easy fifteen minute drive west of downtown Asheville, grand dame Engadine Inn, of Engadine Inn and Cabins, has presided over comings and goings from her hillside vantage point since 1895.
Image: ashevillebba.com
Engadine began life as private home to Captain John Keais Hoyt, &#8220;a former Confederate Officer in Company K, 3rd Alabama Infantry in Stonewall Jackson’s Brigade&#8221;, and his family. Captain Hoyt planted grapevines and became a successful vintner, selling his popular Engadine wine nationally as well as locally.
Sadly, during early prohibition, authorities came on to the property and destroyed barrels full of aging wine, bottled wine, and production equipment. Can&#8217;t begin to imagine how the Hoyt family felt as they stood by helplessly watching a lifetime of work destroyed.
The good news is that one of Captain Hoyt&#8217;s original grapevines still grows on the grounds. Perhaps one day, there may be Engadine wine available again?
Over the years, Engadine has been a summer home, full-time home, and beginning with a conversion in 1994, an Inn. See the full history of Engadine, including why the name &#8220;Engadine&#8221; here.
Engadine, the Inn, sits snug against a hill that acts as prow for the 12 acre compound known as Engadine Inn and Cabins. Six rental cabins have been placed strategically for optimal views on rolling hills behind the Inn.
As guests of Engadine, courtesy of Rick, Tom, and the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association (ABBA), my husband and I paid particular attention to detail during our two night stay. The Inn&#8217;s interior is gorgeous and kept very clean, as was our cabin. Full of fantastic woodwork and architectural touches like fabulous, carved hinges on room doors. Of course, the first thing I noticed, me being me, was their food-related Sanitation Rating of 100. Made me smile and anxious to see the kitchen.
Note: my cutoff for dining at Buncombe County restaurants is 92. If their Sanitation Rating is below 92, I turn around and go somewhere else. I qualify this with Bumcombe County because inspectors seem to be subjective by county. My cut off for Watauga County, for instance, is lower because health inspectors there give much lower ratings on average.
We toured the beautiful, spacious Inn rooms, but stayed in the Blue Ridge Mountains Cabin. Our french door entry overlooked a new plateau recently built for weddings and other events. It&#8217;s a lovely spot to enjoy sunsets from. We set ourselves up in two of the colorful Adirondack chairs with a bottle of wine, and glasses from our cabin kitchen, and lazily sipped as we watched the sun go down over the tree tops.
View from our cabin
That&#8217;s the Inn and cabins. What about the two guys? Tom Watson and Rick Bell came &#8220;home&#8221; to WNC, purchasing the property in November, 2014. They have some some pretty ambitious plans for the place, but before I get to that, I&#8217;d like to say these two are pretty golden; funny, sincere, and they can cook! PIC and I are looking forward to meeting up with Rick and Tom for dinner and a night on the town soon.
Rick Bell (L), Tom Watson (R)
Breakfast is included with a room stay, but extra if you stay in a cabin. The thinking behind this is that when the Inn is full, there aren&#8217;t enough seats in the Dining Room. And cabins have their own kitchen, cooking gear, dishes, and utensils. I would like to suggest to Rick and Tom that they provide a starter supply of coffee, creamer, sweeteners, etc., in the cabins.
Rick does the breakfast cooking, rotating menus so you will never get a repeat meal during your stay. He&#8217;s also happy to adjust the menu as much as possible for many dietary restrictions.
Tom was quick to fill our mugs with coffee, and re-fill often, while we chatted with Rick as he cooked.
Our breakfast began with caramelized baked apples topped with yogurt and house-made granola. The aroma had us salivating, waiting patiently to be served.

Oh, I forgot to mention that if you are staying in the cabins, wish to have breakfast, and the Inn is full, there might just be room at the &#8220;Chef&#8217;s table&#8221; in the kitchen. You can also request a Continental Breakfast delivered to your door. The Dining Room is gorgeous and definitely should be enjoyed while visiting with other guests, but if you&#8217;re staying in the Inn for multiple nights, you might ask if you can breakfast in the kitchen, also. We pretty much camped out there.
Baked apple topped with yogurt and house-made granola
The main course was a lovely quiche, two sausage links, home fries and tomato garnish. We did not go hungry.

We spent some time in Asheville; dinner at Posana followed by dessert at French Broad Chocolate Lounge, both in the heart of downtown. Asheville is extremely walkable. Park in a city garage for first hour free, $1 each additional hour. My go-to city garage for the Pack Square area is at the Aloft Hotel on Biltmore Ave. Same pricing.
Since we&#8217;re locals, we spend a lot of time in Asheville, so during our second day at Engadine we headed an hour and a half north, across the Tennessee border to visit Davy Crockett&#8217;s birthplace at the Davy Crockett State Park in Limestone, and President Andrew Johnson&#8217;s home and National Historic Site in Greenville. We were smitten with historic downtown Greenville! More about that easy, scenery-filled road trip in a future post.
Tom and Rick have some pretty amazing plans for the property, focusing on expanding offerings and facilities for weddings, corporate, and other events. Up next, if I&#8217;m not mistaken, is a fresh new exterior refurbishment and paint job. A new website is already in the works and should launch soon.
One of the great things about Engadine is the combined number of rooms, including space for down time if needed, available for groups. It&#8217;s perfect for a family reunions, for instance. Everyone can hang out together comfortably indoors or out.
It&#8217;s not too late to book a stay at Engadine Inn and Cabins for Fall Leaf Viewing! Check availability and make reservations here.
Epicurean Notes:

Once you exit I 40, GPS can be a bit wonky. Following these directions will get you there.
&#8220;Accommodations range from stately quarters featuring free WiFi, cable TV, private bathrooms and gas fireplaces, to cabins with living rooms, full kitchens and private porches. Most rooms have wood floors and some have claw-foot tubs or whirlpools.&#8221;
If booking via online discount sites, note any additional fees.

Engadine Inn & Cabins
2630 Smokey Park Hwy
Candler, NC 28715
Phone: (828) 633-1110

Question 8

Intimate conversation over Cocktails and Small Plates at Isa's Bistro

Accepted Answer

This was a milestone birthday for me, so the celebration stretched over a few days.
My sisters and husband celebrated with me over dinner at Chestnut. Then a few days later, my husband and I celebrated again, just the two of us, at Isa&#8217;s Bistro.
Their dinner menu isn&#8217;t huge and it&#8217;s about half Small Plates and Snacks. The intimate evening called for cocktails and sharing of small plates as we talked about our life together over the last 30-some years and what the future might hold.
Our plates came out of the kitchen as they were ready, tapas-style dining. Mixing and matching was part of the fun.
These Castelvetrano Olives ($5) were a first for me tonight. They looked like mini Granny Smith apples, were slightly crunchy, and had a distinct taste of clove after a light brine. They are my new favorite olive.

French Onion soup is great in the winter when you want a strong, hot, hearty bowl of bread, cheese and soup. Isa&#8217;s lighter version, Vidalia Onion Bisque ($7) is perfect for warmer weather. Served hot, but as a light bisque, it was topped with &#8220;yellow corn crunchies&#8221; and roasted mushrooms. Our server was great through the entire meal. She was attentive and efficient, with no sideways glances when we asked her to bring us two spoons.

On the menu as &#8220;Spring Asparagus&#8221; ($11), I was surprised and pleased with this presentation. Thinly sliced saffron poached fingerling potatoes, hard-boiled quail eggs, Parmesan, and a scattering of dainty greens were tossed, along with the asparagus, in a light truffle vinaigrette. The flavor was terrific, but &#8211; and this may be a personal thing &#8211; although I like asparagus al dente, these tiny spears could have been cooked just a tad longer.

Executive Chef Duane Fernandes has designed a lovely Roasted Baby Beets ($11) plate. Toasted farrow anchors alternating baby beet varieties, topped with sugar snap peas, shaved Parmesan cheese and scattered marcona almonds, and baby arugula. A light citrus vinaigrette pulls it all together.
I wasn&#8217;t too interested in the baby arugula &#8211; a little to much like a vine for my taste. Other than that, everything else on the plate had great flavor and a nice mix of texture from tender-firm to crisp.

Our last dish was Louisiana &#8220;Lobster&#8221; Roll ($12). As we ordered this, we asked our server to cut it in half. That&#8217;s when we learned it would be served on two rolls. Happily the house-made yeast buns were soft and easy to bite through. It was easy to keep the filling from spilling out, also.
I&#8217;m not sure why the word Lobster is in quotation marks, unless it means there isn&#8217;t lobster in the roll? We didn&#8217;t ask, but I&#8217;m thinking it might have been more crawfish, as named an ingredient on the menu, than lobster? A tasty tarragon aioli holds the mixture together.

Chef Fernandes is a comparative unknown (by the public) culinary star that doesn&#8217;t get a lot of coverage. Why? Now, this is my own opinion, unsupported by any hard facts, but I think it&#8217;s because he doesn&#8217;t actively cultivate a following &#8211; asking diners to vote for him as a James Beard Award winner on social media, for instance. And I&#8217;m guessing neither he nor Isa&#8217;s Bistro owners have a publicist or public relations company working to build and maintain media buzz. If they do, they&#8217;re not doing a very good job. Fernandes seems to be happy creating some of the best food in Asheville in Isa&#8217;s basement kitchen without fanfare.
Located right in the heart of downtown, where two popular streets walked by many intersect, Isa&#8217;s patio is a great spot for taking in Asheville&#8217;s bohemian vibe.
Isa&#8217;s Bistro
1 Battery Park Ave
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone:(828) 575-9636

Question 9

Sweeten Creek Brewing - Have you been?

Accepted Answer

Even though the address is 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd, you&#8217;ll find Sweeten Creek Brewing tucked behind street-front buildings, a short way down what looks like a side street.
The building houses a tasting room, a sandwich shop, and the brewery. I can&#8217;t quite decide how I feel about the exterior. It feels like something once nondescript that&#8217;s been given as much creative exterior treatment as it can take.
Inside is another story. This building underwent huge changes, mostly done by the owners, over quite a long period of time. To see what it takes to put a new brewery together, follow this link to their Facebook album, The Making of Sweeten Creek Brewery.

Co-owners Joey and Erica Justice are behind the beer and their partner/co-owner Chad Gibson handles the food side of things. All three have worked enough in their respective industries before opening Sweeten Creek to know what they&#8217;re doing &#8211; and it shows.
As soon as you step in to the tasting room, it&#8217;s pretty obvious this team is creative. They&#8217;ve used old vine-covered downed trees found on the property, and one that a neighbor had to take down, to create beautiful live-edged bartops, tabletops, and wall paneling (the good kind). Upper concrete block walls have been painted a perfectly warm shade of burnt orange.
And see the board above the taps with multiple North Carolina cutouts? That&#8217;s where they post their current beer list. Speaking of taps, they had six of their own, as well as a two from other breweries and a cider ready to pour.

Food can be ordered directly from the sandwich shop or in the tasting room. To get to the sandwich shop you can enter from the outside, or through the tasting room and a corner of the brewery, where you can take a peek at the heart of the operation as you pass through. The menu is limited but offers a good variety, fairly priced, and from scratch. Vegetarians haven&#8217;t been forgotten, either.
Where the magic happens
Sandwich Shop
They were kind enough to let me sample all six of their beers. Loved five of them and would recommend the sixth to friends that like IPAs. My faves were the Porter, the Spring Ale, and Burn Dawger Brown Ale. For your non-beer drinking friends, I did spot some wine behind the bar.

You know, I&#8217;d go to Sweeten Creek Brewing just for the food. Friend Barrie ordered the Meat and Cheese Plate ($12). Charcuterie and premium cheeses were on the plate along with an apple chutney, seasoned seeds, and mustard made with their Black IPA. It&#8217;s served with pretty tasty warm flatbread and crackers. About half of this lunch went home with Barrie.

My Monte Cristo ($8) was chock full of brown sugar brined ham and fontina cheese slathered with dijon, and creatively sandwiched between white bread wrapped in a light crepe batter. It&#8217;s served with berry preserves &#8211; &#8220;for dipping or schmearing&#8221; &#8211; and your choice of side.
That sandwich was huge, hot, rich and delicious. The watermelon salad, made with red grapes, julienne jicama, and mint, was served overflowing a small jar.

Joey Justice was quoted in this Citizen Times article as saying, &#8220;We wanted to find something that we could turn into someplace interesting&#8221;. They&#8217;ve certainly done that. Sweeten Creek Brewing is family and pet friendly. In addition to the brewery, tasting room, and sandwich shop, there&#8217;s an expansive, level lawn area scattered with picnic tables that&#8217;s perfect for hanging out with friends over a beer, as well as special events.
If you haven&#8217;t been yet, get yourself over to Sweeten Creek Brewing.
Sweeten Creek Brewing
1127 Sweeten Creek Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Phone:(828) 575-2785

Question 10

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

Question 11

Koreana, for something different in Arden, NC

Accepted Answer

Arden &#8211; Tired of lunch at the same places time after time?
If you find yourself in Arden, NC running errands (Lowes, OfficeMax, World Imports, Best Buy) like I do and want to grab a bite, there really aren&#8217;t that many options apart from fast-casual spots like Ruby Tuesday, Olive Garden, Chili&#8217;s, and fast food outlets like McDonalds, Arby&#8217;s, and Sonic.
Ready for something different and delicious? Pop into Koreana for lunch or dinner. They&#8217;re on Airport Rd. near Walmart.
Sweet Tooth and I did just that today. We ordered appetizers since we were hungry, but not starving.
Sweet Tooth got the Bang Bang Shrimp ($9) and reports the coconut mayo sauce was especially good.

I wanted to try their Korean Style Vegetable Pancake ($11), comparing it to a most fabulous vegetable pancake I&#8217;d had at Gan Shan Station (Asheville) quite a while ago. Although it didn&#8217;t beat out Gan Shan&#8217;s version, it was good. I&#8217;ll have the half that went home with me for a snack tomorrow.
Read more about Koreana, with photos, in my first Koreana review.
Koreana
221 Airport Rd
Arden, NC 28704
Phone:(828) 676-2844

Question 12

That time we ate crickets . . .

Accepted Answer

Hendersonville &#8211; When Nichole and I get together for dinner, it&#8217;s typically so we can talk about a project we&#8217;re planning, working on, or wrapping up.
This time, we thought we&#8217;d meet up for dinner at Never Blue, just for fun and good food.
We decided to share a Beet Salad ($7.25). It&#8217;s listed on the menu as &#8220;Beets&#8221; and described as &#8220;a light bed of baby arugula topped with brown sugar-malbec caramelized beets, fresh chevre, chopped marcona almonds, and balsamic reduction.&#8221; And it&#8217;s a huge portion. The photo is a little dark, but if you like beets, you must try this dish.

Co-owner/Chef Jesse Roque stepped out of the kitchen for a few minutes to talk to us about her new menu, still in the works at that time but set to go live any day now &#8211; maybe tomorrow Wednesday the 11th, and some recent ingredient changes.
One of those ingredient changes was beef cheeks instead of chuck roast in her Pot Roast. She got my attention describing the cheeks as way more tender than the chuck roast she&#8217;d always used, because I&#8217;d had her pot roast many times and the meat was incredibly tender.
So even though I wasn&#8217;t super hungry, I went ahead and ordered it, knowing full well most would go home with me. Yes. Everything on the plate, including the beef cheeks, was fabulous.

Here&#8217;s where it got interesting. Very interesting. We got a sneak peek at the new menu; new format, new dishes, and an &#8220;Adventurous Tacos&#8221; section. See some of the tentative new menu items at the end of this post.
Along with organ meat dishes, Jesse was pretty excited about including a popular taco sold by street vendors in Mexico. It just so happened all ingredients, including crickets &#8211; aka &#8220;Chapulines&#8221; &#8211; were on hand. So of course Nichole and I had to try it.

Nichole tried Chapulines and I did, too!I had my back to the kitchen door so didn&#8217;t see the crew gather to watch Nichole&#8217;s reaction. This was the first time anyone in the restaurant had tried Chapulines, so it was something of an event.
Honestly, the crickets added &#8220;crunch&#8221; but not a stand-out flavor. I&#8217;m thinking a more subtle flavor from the roasted crickets blended with the sauteed corn, sweety drops &#8211; the little red peppers imported from France &#8211; and queso fresco, creating a surprisingly delicious taco.
We decided the best thing to do following the Chapulines episode was to share one of Never Blue&#8217;s huge and always delicious desserts, Creme Brûlée.

That would have been more than enough for both of us after dinner and the added adventure, but then a most fabulous Peach Bread Pudding appeared at our table. Thanks for the tasty surprise, Jesse! Don&#8217;t know how you got it to taste like fresh peaches, but you did.

Tentative New Menu Items

Tuscan Lover: grilled chicken, artichoke hearts, capers, organic spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, asaigo-parmesan cream sauce, angel hair pasta
Boom Boom: apricot bbq sauce, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, scallions, and chipotle ranchero
Low Country Ribeye: 16oz hand cut prime ribeye, smoked gouda-sour cream grits, forest mushroom-malbec demi glace
Vampiro (house-made flat bread): madeira onion jam, carred rapini malbec-beet cured garlic cloves, goat cheese ricotta, shaved parmesan
Tripa: crispy beef intestine, house-made green tomatillo salsa

So many completely luscious new dishes. I&#8217;m looking forward to trying most of them.
Never Blue
119 S Main St
Hendersonville, NC 28792
Phone:(828) 693-4646

Question 13

Brunch at The Local Joint

Accepted Answer

Fairview &#8211; It&#8217;s about the food. Okay, the decor is cute with a ketchup/mustard color scheme, and innovative touches like the window shades, but for me, it really is about the food at The Local Joint.
PIC and I took the scenic route from Mills River over to the Joint this morning for brunch (Breakfast Menu). Can you guess who had what?
Benedict $8.50: Two poached eggs, ham and Hollandaise Sauce on a toasted English Muffin.
French Toast $8.50: Made with Challa Bread and topped with sun-dried cherry-pecan Mascarpone. Served with real maple syrup and fresh fruit.
Read a previous review with lots of details and photos here: &#8220;Best Kept Secret? The Local Joint Exposed!&#8221;
The Local Joint
1185 Charlotte Hwy
Fairview, NC 28730
Phone:(828) 338-0469

Question 14

Excellent, Authentic Dim Sum (Chinese) in Asheville - FINALLY

Accepted Answer

Is there good Chinese in Asheville? The answer has always been &#8220;No&#8221; . . . until now.
Two years in the planning,  Red Ginger Dim Sum & Tapas quietly opened at 82 Patton Avenue during snow and ice storms last week.
Dim Sum is a style of Cantonese cuisine prepared as small bite-sized portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates.
I wasn&#8217;t too sure about Dim Sum and Tapas under one roof, but it works &#8211; in a Chinese kind of way. Tapas are Spanish &#8220;small plates&#8221; and Dim Sum is &#8220;a style of Cantonese cuisine prepared as small bite-sized portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates&#8221;. So, basically Chinese Tapas. You won&#8217;t find plates piled with noodles or General Tso&#8217;s Chicken here.
I was expecting traditional carts rolling through a dining room, slowing at each table so diners could ask for what they wanted, or just point if unsure of the name. In busy Dim Sum restaurants, it&#8217;s common to be charged by the number of steam baskets and plates on the table at meal end.
Owner Mary (Mai) Mendvedev explained she and her chefs felt it was better to serve hot, directly from the nearby open kitchen, which made sense to me. And there really isn&#8217;t room in this space for carts.
Perfect for sharing, each order of Dim Sum usually comes with three to five portions.
First to the table were Pork Dumpling in Shanghai Style. Tip: because there&#8217;s chicken broth inside, avoid chin-drips by taking a small bite, suck the broth, then pop it in your mouth.
Pork Dumpling in Shanghai Style ($8): steamed dumpling with ground pork, chopped green onion, and chicken broth.
These Pork Dumplings are served with an incredibly good (not soy) sauce, made only in and imported from a particular Chinese city. This is the only sauce we used during the entire meal. Each dish is created with flavors that beg to be enjoyed on their own merit.

When you have a group of four like we did this past Friday, the best thing to do is order a number of dishes and share. Ask for a knife if you want to cut some things in half.
I&#8217;m a Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun fanatic, ordering them whenever I can. These are some of the best I&#8217;ve had, in no little part because of the slightly sweet, house-made barbecue sauce.
Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun ($6): roast boneless pork loin with home made chef&#8217;s special sauce.
A star of our meal, Crystal Shrimp Dumplings. Just fantastic! Tip: if dumplings like these stick to the paper underneath, they are not cooked correctly. They should lift right off.
Crystal Shrimp Dumplings ($8): steamed shrimp dumplings with minced bamboo shoots wrapped in thin rice skin.
None of us had tried wine from Russian Chapel Hills Winery, the winery Mai and husband Andrey own in Columbus, NC. We enjoyed the Tempranillo we chose.
A Russian Chapel Hills Winery Tempranillo
Moving toward earthier flavors, we ordered the Black Truffle Shu Mai. Dense and savory, these bites were a great mix of pork, shrimp, mushroom, and truffle.
Black Truffle Shu Mai ($8): steamed ground pork, shrimp, mushroom, and fresh black truffle.
Another take on barbecued pork, these classic Steamed Barbecued Pork Buns were delicious. You will need to peel the paper off the bottom before eating.
Steamed Barbecued ork Bun ($6): roast boneless pork loin with home made chef&#8217;s special sauce.
The only Tapas plate we ordered was Steamed Japanese Sea Bass. Tip: dishes on the menu are numbered. Each number is preceded by a &#8220;D&#8221; for Dim Sum or &#8220;T&#8221; for Tapas. It was good, but next time, we&#8217;ll go for the Baked Chilean Sea Bass. It&#8217;s one of Mai&#8217;s recommended favorites.
Steamed Japanese Sea Bass ($16): with mussels and white wine sauce.
Not especially attractive to look at, but totally yummy. I hadn&#8217;t had a roll like this previously, but really liked the &#8220;rice flour skin&#8221; texture. The sauce was tasty, too. Not just bottled soy sauce poured over the plate.
Beef Rice Roll ($7): steamed beef wrapped in rice flour skin, served with sweet soy sauce.
Tip: sit at the open kitchen counter if there&#8217;s a seat available. Watching the chefs ply their art is entrancing.
Mai explained to our group that the art of true Dim Sum has traditionally been passed down from generation to generation, but that the younger generation now has lost interest. Red Ginger&#8217;s Executive Chef visited the Asheville area from New York City multiple times at the invitation of Mai and her husband, finally deciding it would be a good place to &#8220;retire&#8221;. You&#8217;ll find him in the kitchen, making Dim Sum non-stop.
Chef working the steam ovens
Reg Ginger&#8217;s dessert menu is limited to four offerings as of this writing. One of them is a custom cake made just for the restaurant by iconic Asheville bakery, Karen Donatelli Cake Designs.
Red Ginger Mini Cake ($7)
If you like tapioca, get the dumplings pictured below. Scrumptious!
Tapioca Dumpling ($6): sago, milk, coconut milk, and eggs
Take a look at the photo gallery below, clicking on any image to enlarge, and you&#8217;ll see part of why Red Ginger is something of a higher caliber than usual for Asheville. The other part is the food, of course, but the attention to detail, design, and authenticity of Red Ginger sets it apart from many Asheville restaurants. It&#8217;s more what you&#8217;d expect in a larger, more sophisticated urban environment.
Important Note: Because Red Ginger has filled such a huge demand for good Chinese food in Asheville, and because they are still working everything out, they frequently run out of the most popular menu items by 7 &#8211; 7:30pm. Go early for best selection.
Notes:

The cut metal sculpture (for want of a better word) hung under the outdoor patio ceiling was commissioned and imported from China. There are, or will be, lights above mounted above. During the day, it acts an architectural feature on its own merit, but when backlit in the evening, it will create a leaf pattern below.
Pendant lights above the open-kitchen counter feature a Peony design. Although The People&#8217;s Republic of China doesn&#8217;t recognize a legally designated national flower, most Chinese refer to the Peony as the national flower of China. It is said to bring good luck.
Many finishes and products used at Red Ginger are locally sourced. Table tops (Rainbow Poplar), bar tops, and reclaimed wood on pillars are from North Carolina.
Artwork and some special fine china are hand-made and imported from China. See the six plates in recessed cubbies toward the back of the restaurant and the five pieces behind the bar depecting the Cheongsam style of dress made popular in China in the 1920s.
Service pieces and flatware were designed specifically for Red Ginger and imported from China.

Highly Epicurean Recommended!
Red Ginger
82 Patton Avenue
(near Pritchard Park)
Asheville, NC, 28801
(828) 505-8688

Question 15

Behind the scenes at Blue Ridge Distilling

Accepted Answer

Bostic (Golden Valley, NC) &#8211; Home of Defiant Whisky, Blue Ridge Distilling does things a little differently.
It&#8217;s a nice drive out to their rural Bostic (Golden Valley), NC location where you can visit the gift shop at their recently purchased 500 acre Girl Scout Camp main lodge, and tour the distillery.
You&#8217;ll learn about their put the barrel into the whiskey instead of the whiskey into the barrel method.
Eric Meech, Distiller

Our tour was led by Distiller Eric Meech. I&#8217;ve run into Eric on a few occasions outside Blue Ridge Distilling. Nice guy.
Eric Meech, Distiller
Bottled and ready for labeling.

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