Q: Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack Rallies to Support Ukraine

Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack (https://rockyshotchickenshack.com/) will be donating 10% of sales from all three of their locations on Wednesday, March 23 to Asheville City Center to help fund their rescue mission to remove orphans from the battle zones in Ukraine. Rocky’s South Asheville location (3749 Sweeten Creek Rd., Arden, NC 28704), West Asheville location (1455 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806) and Greenville location (420 Laurens Rd., Greenville, SC 29607) will be open 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. Guests can spread the word by sharing their meal or the attached flyer on social media, tagging @rockyshotchickenshack and using hashtag #StandWithUkraine.

Question 1

Not a stretch - Tall John's, Asheville's next Best Restaurant?

Accepted Answer

To be sure, I&#8217;ll have to go to Tall John&#8217;s a few more times to make the proclaimation &#8211; &#8220;Asheville&#8217;s next Best Restaurant&#8221; permanent. If last night&#8217;s preview is any indication, there&#8217;s no question about it!
Food hasn&#8217;t surprised me in quite a while, but three of the four dishes we had did just that. I was surprised by unexpected flavors and textures. There was also a little surprise involved with how dishes were presented &#8211; serving dish & utensils, portioned for two. It&#8217;ll be interesting to see if they continue with this approach. Our server confirmed that&#8217;s the plan. It was fine for us, and actually added to the experience, but what if you have a table of four and they all order different things?
WHO
Tall John&#8217;s is helmed by Executive Chef/Owner Trevor Payne and General Manager Jasper Adams.
Chef Payne returns to Asheville, where he has family roots, following an extensive culinary career in Portland, Oregon’s top kitchens (Clyde Common, Le Pigeon, Little Bird Bistro, Olympia Provisions).
Those of you familiar with Asheville&#8217;s culinary scene will know Jasper Adams from Table, The Imperial Life, Cucina 24, and Rhubarb. He&#8217;s a life-long Ashevillian.
WHAT
With a hip, cozy, neighborhood-tavern-like ambiance, Payne has positioned Tall John&#8217;s as &#8220;a place for all occasions for everyone.&#8221; It&#8217;s set to be a destination for everyday meals and special occasions alike, where &#8220;the quality of the food, beverage, and service is just as important as creating an approachable atmosphere where people feel comfortable.&#8221;
Seating capacity is 50 in the dining area and another 20 to 25 on the side patio. They&#8217;re planning a Spring opening for the patio.
The space has undergone extensive interior remodeling. It&#8217;s been modernized, while maintaining the building&#8217;s historic character: the original 1900s-era floors have been refurbished rather than covered over, and a new open kitchen & spacious bar have been added.
That Kitchen Bar definitely brings you up close and personal to the action. It struck me as a narrow space to work in, especially when there&#8217;s a crowd, but there was a smooth flow as Chef Payne directed. Remember this was a soft opening, so first run with patrons. I also wondered if it would get hot with commercial oven, cooktop, and grill about ten feet from our seats. That hood did its job. No unusual heat on our side of the bar.
Payne, son of Asheville artist John Payne, has called upon some of his close relationships with artists and craftspeople to bring original touches to the space. These include custom metal work from Tina and Kayla Councell of Iron Maiden Studios and original artwork from local artist Kevin Hogan (Payne&#8217;s father-in-law).
What&#8217;s behind the name &#8220;Tall John&#8217;s&#8221;? Treavor Payne&#8217;s father&#8217;s name is John, and he&#8217;s tall. They called him Tall John. As Jasper Adams tells it, the name gradually morphed into a feeling of casual comfort and just a generally good feeling.
MENU
The menu will offer &#8220;European-American classics like roasted chicken, cold oysters, radishes and cultured butter, caesar salad, a great steak [and possibly a great burger]. The newly-built spacious bar will serve classics like freezer-cold martinis, an intentional selection of enduring wines from small producers, time-honored draft and packaged beers, and crafted non-alcoholic drinks. There are a variety of seating options to choose from, including outdoor patio seating, a full-service bar, a counter at the open kitchen, and a lively dining room.&#8221;
See the Sample Menu served during their friends, family, and media event in the Gallery befow. You&#8217;ll see dishes are titled, but not described. If you want to know what&#8217;s in the dish before ordering, ask your server.
For instance, the menu said, &#8220;Fall Chicories&#8220;. It was a Chicory Salad with pear, grapes, and a creamy pistachio dressing, topped with cheese. That dressing, though. Seriously delicious! It&#8217;s pictured in the gallery below.
WHEN
Tall John&#8217;s plans to open for dinner service on October 19th from 4-10pm for walk-ins only. Dinner service will be Wednesday through Sunday, with additional offerings, including weekend brunch, daytime coffee, and what the team describes as a &#8220;badly needed in Montford&#8221; retail bottle shop on the ground floor, soon to follow.
WHERE
Located at 152 Montford Avenue, the historic building dates back to 1906. It&#8217;s tucked in among the neighborhood&#8217;s historic residences and old-growth trees. Throughout its history, the building has been home to a Piggly Wiggly and a Pentecostal church before being restored and converted into a restaurant space last occupied by Italian restaurant, Chiesa.
WHY YOU SHOULD GO
What impressed me most was the creative (read delicious) approach Payne takes to his dishes. Even the most mundane &#8211; a side of Baby Turnips. Turnips, you say? Try them before you dismiss the idea. No idea how they make those turnips do what they do. Take a bite, after swiping in the (no nut) pistou, and you get a spash of full, but mildly flavored liquid in your mouth followed by a firm-tender chew.
And those Oysters! Oh. My. Gosh! Definitely put a spoonful of that magic Mignonette sauce &#8211; traditionally made with minced shallots, cracked black peppercorn, and vinegar (either red or white) on top &#8211; followed by a light lemon squeeze.
Our &#8220;Tall&#8221; dish, &#8220;Roasted Half Chicken&#8221; was tender, juicy, and tasty. It made a difference following our server&#8217;s suggestion to add squeeze lemon over top.
I wondered if this was a case of a chef coming from the other side of the country, bringing what&#8217;s standard there as new here. But Asheville chefs have come from all over. He&#8217;s not the first. I&#8217;ve also spent time in Portland without running across cooking like this. Conclusion? It&#8217;s all Chef Trevor Payne.
Tall John&#8217;s
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talljohnsavl
152 Montford Ave
Asheville, NC 28801
828-782-5514

Question 2

Vintner's Table opens (softly) at Burntshirt Vineyards

Accepted Answer

Burntshirt Vineyards Hendersonville has announced the Oct 7th Grand Opening of their impressive new restaurant, Vintner&#8217;s Table, but if you can&#8217;t wait, they&#8217;re quietly running a soft opening, open to the public. Go with the understanding that they&#8217;ve set up a pretty big restaurant, bar, tasting bar from scratch and are still working out a few kinks. They&#8217;re probably dealing with the same staff shortage as every other restaurant.
Our friends went for lunch this past Thursday and had such a great meal, they asked if my husband and I wanted to go back with them for dinner on Friday.
&#8220;Vintner’s Table provides four separate menus for your dining convenience: a full Dinner Menu and Lunch Menu available at the restaurant, a Terrace Menu offering small bites and appetizers on the extended patio sections, and a Children’s Menu available throughout the serving area.&#8221; BurntshirtVineyards

We had the pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Paul Caricato. Loved how excited he was about the huge kitchen and his menu. The kitchen IS huge &#8211; and everything is still shiny and new. Chef Caricato was nice enough to give me a tour.
MY TAKE
Vintner&#8217;s Table is very good now, and will be GREAT &#8211; after they find their legs.

All pasta is made in-house. You can tell.
The menu isn&#8217;t extensive, but there&#8217;s enough variety that you should be able to find multiple dishes you&#8217;ll like. Not sure if they&#8217;ll expand it or not.
Two of us ordered the 6 oz Filet Mignon entrée. They were both cooked beyond medium rare (as ordered), but were delicious nontheless. On second thought, I&#8217;m wondering if they were cooked correctly, but there was an issue getting them out of the kitchen in a timely manner, like lingering under a warmer or something that caused continued &#8220;cooking&#8221;?
If they haven&#8217;t changed the menu yet, they don&#8217;t have Tartuffo, but DEFINITELY get the chocolate mousse caramel cake they&#8217;re serving in its place. It&#8217;s completely melt-in-your-mouth fabulous!
There were a few minor glitches during our meal, but I&#8217;m confident they&#8217;ll be smoothed out by their grand opening.
We love Burntshirt wines, but it&#8217;s nice to have a choice. They&#8217;re also serving up cocktails at Vintner&#8217;s Table.
If you like to linger over your meal, the wood seats might start talking to you.
The biggest challenge will be the noise level inside, especially when there are more than a few tables occupied. We were able to talk more easily after the large party of about 12 next to us left.  It&#8217;s not going to be easy to fix that while staying true to the lodge-like interior design. It&#8217;s all hard surfaces, top to bottom. Hope they can figure it out.
I&#8217;m looking forward to a meal with a glass of wine on the large covered patio in warm weather. For now, maybe a table in front of the also large fireplace.

Bottom line &#8211; you should go, enjoy the food & wine, and support what is ultimately going to be a Hendersonville jewel.
Burntshirt Vineyards
Vintner&#8217;s Table
2695 Sugarloaf Rd
Hendersonville, NC 28792
828-685-2402

Question 3

Old World vs New World Wine Tasting at Season's

Accepted Answer

Old World vs. New World Wine Tasting
Wednesday, September 28 &#8211; 3:30pm &#8211; 5:00pm
 
Join the folks at Season&#8217;s at Highland Lake for a special event with sommelier Tom Leiner from Grapevine Distributors. Tom has curated a handful of very distinct wines and will be talking about the main differences between old world and new world Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Blend.
The event will be accompanied by a selection of cheeses, breads, fruits, and other accoutrements to excite the palate and to see how they pair with the different wines.
This is a reservation-only event. $60 per person. Please call us at 828.696.9094 to make your reservation.
Wine Tasting Menu
Sauvignon Blanc
2020 David Sautereau Sancerre, Loire, Fr
vs
2021 Patricia Green Cellars, WV, OR
Chardonnay
2020 Dom Perreau Pouilly Loche, Burgundy, FR
vs
2019 Schug, Carneros, CA
Pinot Noir
2018 Jos. Drouhin Gervey Chambertin, Burgundy, FR
vs
2019 Merry Edwards RR, CA
Cabernet Blend
2018 Ch. Plince, Pomerol, FR
vs
2017 Elhers Portrait, Napa, CA

Question 4

Collaborative Pop-Up Dinner: Good Hot Fish and Jettie Rae’s

Accepted Answer

Whether you’re a Bravo watcher, an Asheville foodie (or both), chances are you’ve heard about chef Ashleigh Shanti. The former chef de cuisine of Benne on Eagle is fresh off her Top Chef run and set to open Good Hot Fish (Instagram), a casual fish house celebrating Black Appalachian, Southern and soul food, later this year in Asheville.
Shanti is joining forces with Chef Will Cisa and the team at Jettie Rae’s Oyster House on Thursday, September 22nd for a collaborative pop-up dinner. The chefs have developed a six-course tasting menu with carefully selected wine pairings, featuring dishes like Caviar and Catfish with Sunburst Farms trout caviar and Deviled Bronzino with fresh lump blue crab. Reservations for this ticketed event and the full menu are now available HERE.

Question 5

Asheville's first all-day Italian eatery, Gemelli, opens Sept 12th

Accepted Answer

From the Team behind Strada Italiano and Social Lounge,
Gemelli Restaurant opens September 12 in W. Asheville
The latest culinary venture from Chef Anthony Cerrato, Gemelli marks its grand opening to the public September 12, 2022, bringing an all-day Italian dining experience to West Asheville, at 70 Westgate Pkwy., next to EarthFare. In the European-inspired, newly renovated space, restaurant-goers can expect gourmet Italian food and scratch-made pastas and ravioli served in a cozy, inviting setting ideal for social gathering. Gemelli presents an Italian coffee shop vibe for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and an evening wine bar dinner experience, with wine, cocktails on draft, and rotating local beers by the bottle. While guests can enjoy a sit-down, full-service menu all day, counter service with grab-and-go items and lounge seating areas can accommodate customers on the go. Gemelli will be offering catering as well.
Chef Cerrato is already a well-known restaurateur in Asheville and has been a generous community supporter for many years. A son of a big Italian family and graduate of AB-Tech’s celebrated culinary program, Cerrato learned the ropes in independent and corporate restaurants in Raleigh and Asheville, before striking out on his own in 2012, when he opened Strada Italiano and adjacent Social Lounge on Broadway Street downtown. Strada and Social Lounge just marked their 10-year anniversary in March.
What to Expect on the Culinary-driven Menu

Everything on the menu is unique to Gemelli. For breakfast, scratch-made sweet and savory Italian baked goods will be a first in Asheville. Items like Maritozzi (Roman sweet mascarpone-filled buns) and Bombolini (glazed Italian donuts) are among the authentically Italian baked goods. More substantial breakfast and brunch offerings include Benedict Hash (with steak, poached eggs, and paprika hollandaise) and Florentine Frittata.
Soup, salads, antipasti, and shareable dishes segue into lunch, where Sicilian-style thick-crust pizzas and pastas round out the menu through dinner. The 12-inch personal pies present specialty and build-your-own options, with an array of Italian toppings, fine cheeses, and fresh and cured meats to choose from. The pastas include a signature Gemelli pasta dish (with lamb sausage and grana padano cheese), as well as Cacio e Pepe and Spaghetti alla Nerano (with zucchini, garlic, and grana padano). All are made in-house and cooked to order. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are available. In addition to craft cocktails and beers, there will be a self-serving Cruvinet dispenser for individual wine pours along with bottle service.
“Gemelli’s menu is entirely different from what we serve at Strada and Social Lounge,” says Chef Cerrato. “We aim to make this a gathering place where people can come any time of day, whether they’re wanting an Italian coffee and pastry or a full sit-down pasta dinner with a good Montepulciano or other Italian wine.”
Housed in the former Green Sage Cafe, the space received a complete makeover thanks to Hive Interior Design and Linsey Gray Creative. Gemelli branding is by Sound Mind Creative. Website creation is by Lokk Co. and Chu Art+Dzine. All are local design creatives.
More to Come: Gemelli Brand Food Products
Looking ahead, Cerrato has plans to release Gemelli branded and packaged pastas and sauces, which will be available at the restaurant. They will be sold in a small retail section near the counter along with other local produce and comestible goods.
What’s in a Name
Gemelli is a type of twisted pasta whose name is derived from the Italian word for twins. It’s also the Italian word for gemini, the astrological sign. For Cerrato, the name represents a triple entendre. Not only does the menu offer house-made gemelli, it’s also a nod to his two-year-old twin girls and also his beloved wife, who is a Gemini.
Gemelli
70 Westgate Pkwy.
Asheville, NC 28806
www.Gemelli.restaurant
Phone: 828-565-6111
info@gemelli.restaurant
Open daily, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Question 6

Charleston & Folly Beach Fave Taco Boy Opening 2 Locations - W. AVL & Biltmore Park

Accepted Answer

Founded on South Carolina’s Folly Beach in 2006, Taco Boy has become known for fresh, scratch-made Mexican-inspired eats and drinks in the Lowcountry. The family of taquerias currently has three locations: the flagship restaurant on Folly, a second location in downtown Charleston, and the latest in Summerville, SC. By the end of 2022, Taco Boy plans to open a location in West Asheville. And in early 2023, its second North Carolina location is set to open in South Asheville’s Biltmore Park. Asheville architecture and design studio BCA is working on the revamp of both spaces.
I checked out Taco Boy during Taste of Folly Beach 2021 and was completely impressed! See more images on my FB post: https://www.facebook.com/page/123680860758/search/?q=Taco%20Boy
Taco Boy West Asheville is at 521 Haywood Rd., in the former Zia Taqueria. Though nearly a turnkey location, big changes are afoot. The opening will follow a remodel geared toward community collaboration, where food, drink, music, entertainment, and art will intersect. The restaurant will feature work sourced from local artisans. The food will feature a fresh taqueria menu from Taco Boy’s new Culinary Director, Chef Francisco Alvarez, who is applying his training at lauded Las Vegas restaurants to the cuisine of his family’s Mexican heritage. And with the addition of an Asheville mixologist who specializes in Mexican-inspired drinks, diners can enjoy elevated craft cocktails in a casual, lively environment inspired by the festive energy of salt, spice, citrus, and salsa. Hiring will begin in November.
The new restaurant in South Asheville will take up space at 2 Town Square Blvd. #130 in Biltmore Park Town Square, in the main roundabout, and is expected to open as early as late January 2023, with hiring happening around the New Year. Taco Boy Biltmore Park joins a slew of local and independent restaurants, cafés, and retail businesses located in the walkable South Asheville community.
“Biltmore Farms is excited to welcome Taco Boy to Biltmore Park Town Square. We look forward to giving Taco Boy a warm welcome when they open their doors early next year,” says Ben Teague, Vice President of Strategic Development with Biltmore Farms, LLC.
WHO’S BEHIND THE RESTAURANT
Taco Boy was founded in 2006 by one of Charleston&#8217;s most prolific and progressive restauranteurs, Karalee Nielsen Fallert. She is the founder and CEO of restaurant management company All Good Industries, and is a founding partner and co-owner of Charleston’s Park & Grove, The Royal American, The Bounty Bar, The Green Heart Project (connecting students with fresh produce and nutritional education), and the Montessori Learning Collective in North Charleston, as well as Taco Boy(s). She is also a leading advocate for community projects and women-led initiatives. Her awards and accolades are many, but include, most recently, the Charleston Wine + Food festival’s prestigious Laura Hewitt Culinary Legend Award in 2020 for her contributions to the Charleston culinary community. She is looking forward to bringing that same passion for community building to Asheville.
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring Taco Boy to Asheville. Living in both cities has confirmed what I always believed as a visitor: that our values, as a family of neighborhood taquerias, align with the greater sense of purpose I feel within the community in Western North Carolina,” says Fallert. “We believe that all good things are possible with the power of inclusivity, generosity, interconnectedness and tacos&#8230;.and always EXTRA guac!”
At both its new Asheville locations, Taco Boy will continue the restaurant’s charitable mission to “Use the power of tacos to nurture people, activate fun, inspire action, and build community.” It will be partnering with local Asheville nonprofits for a variety of fun and fundraising initiatives, just as it does in Charleston with local nonprofits in the Holy City.
WHO’S THE CHEF
Taco Boy is helmed by Culinary Director Francisco Alvarez, whose approach to the restaurant’s cuisine is wholly authentic. From spending his summers working in a tortilleria in Mexico to cooking in some of the finest restaurants in Las Vegas (Estiatorio Milos, International Smoke, and Madero Street Tacos), Francisco brings to Taco Boy a technical level of expertise in Mexican cuisine and a passion for making handmade heirloom corn tortillas using the centuries-old process of nixtamalization, which lends greater flavor and health benefits to corn tortillas.
WHAT TO EXPECT OF THE FOOD
A citrus- and salsa-infused feast for the senses, Taco Boy offers scratch-made tacos, fajitas, and quesadillas, authentic sides including rice and beans, chipotle slaw, and Mexican street corn, guacamole with surprising optional toppings and other satisfying starters, plus margaritas and Latin-infused craft cocktails, and a weekend brunch menu that delivers more Mexican-inspired flavors to the table. The restaurant is diet sensitive, offering vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Taco Boy is committed to using responsibly sourced, high-quality ingredients. With the roll out in Asheville, all tortillas will be made in-house using heirloom corn and a traditional nixtamalization process. More to come on the in-house tortilleria and this ancient method! Find Taco Boy’s menu and more details at tacoboy.net.
MEET THE LOCAL ASHEVILLE LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS
Supporting local communities is a core value at Taco Boy, so in addition to plans for partnering and supporting local nonprofits in Asheville, Taco Boy will be hiring local staff and managers, and has already brought on board two Asheville locals to its leadership team. Melissa Reardon, former Editor-in-Chief at WNC magazine and freelance writer and communications professional, is serving as Taco Boy’s interim Communications Director. Another long-time Ashevillan and restaurant industry veteran, Maty Hollingsworth has recently become Taco Boy’s new Beverage Director. Formerly managing beverage programs for Limones, En la Calle, Jargon, and Noble Cider’s erstwhile Greenhouse, Hollingsworth brings a fresh menu of cocktails and beverages to Taco Boy’s menu.
For updates and to stay abreast of their progress, follow them on social media: Facebook: Taco Boy Instagram: @TacoBoyCHS

Question 7

New Wine Courses, Wine Credential Programs at Asheville School of Wine

Accepted Answer

Asheville School of Wine at Metro Wines
Launches New Wine Courses and Wine Credential Programs
In collaboration with MWWine School, in August ASW launches a new slate of wine classes and seminars for novices, industry professionals, wine enthusiasts and wine lovers, including The Wine Scholar Guild’s French and Spanish Wine Scholar credential programs. All to be hosted by Metro Wines.
Asheville School of Wine is expanding its wine education offerings with a new series of tasting seminars as well as globally recognized wine certification programs ideal for both industry professionals and wine enthusiasts and novices. The new program launches in August with two fun and interactive tasting seminars – How to Taste Wine Like a Pro and How to Pair Food and Wine. Among the wine credential programs to be offered are the world-renowned Wine Scholar Guild’s (WSG) French Wine and Spanish Wine Scholar credentials, in collaboration with MWWine School.
The new classes will be taught by certified wine educator and sommelier Melanie Webber, who holds the coveted Diploma in Wine and Spirits from WSET, as well as the Wine Scholar Guild’s French Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar certifications. In addition to teaching WSG courses, Melanie directs The Wine House’s WSET APP Award in Wines satellite education program in Paso Robles, CA and has helped hundreds of industry professionals achieve their certifications. Melanie’s MWWine School is an approved program provider for the WSG’s Spanish and French Wine Scholar courses.
“We are excited to expand The Asheville School of Wine’s curriculum to include both certification programs and fun and educational tasting seminars,” said Zach Eidson, General Manager of Metro Wines. “Our expanded program is designed to help wine industry professionals achieve their wine certifications and wine lovers deepen their appreciation and understanding of wine.”
 
“How to Taste Wine Like a Pro” held August 10th, 2022 6:30 – 8:30 PM offers a great refresher for those in the know, and a fun primer and confidence builder for those who are just starting their wine exploration, helping attendees learn how to assess wine quality, just as the professionals do, through an easy-to-implement tasting system. It includes tasting of eight wines, a take-home tasting grid, and a collaborative blind tasting. Click here to register.
“How to Pair Food and Wine” held August 11th, 2022 6:30 – 8:30 PM focuses on the key principles behind successful food and wine pairing, helping attendees learn which food components are wine enemies, which are wine friends. Through interactive exercises, the session will illustrate why all palates are not the same, that individual preferences are key, while also demonstrating why pairings like Brut Champagne and wedding cake can be a definite don’t! The session includes the tasting of six wines, food and wine pairing exercises, and more. Click here to register.
The French and Spanish Wine Scholar™ education programs are the most advanced, comprehensive, and up-to-date French and Spanish wine courses available. Each syllabus takes a regional approach and discusses all French and Spanish wine appellations and the factors that shape their identities. It provides committed students of wine with an unparalleled set of study tools that are designed to maximize learning and boost knowledge retention.
The Spanish Wine Scholar and French Wine Scholar study and certification programs confer a post-nominal to wine professionals and enthusiasts who successfully pass the certification exam, SWS or FWS. With a school network encompassing 30 countries on 5 continents, the SWS and FWS credentials have true international recognition. The courses will be offered, starting late summer/early Fall in a hybrid format, part live webinar, part in-person guided tastings.
“The study and teaching materials of the Wine Scholar Guild are brilliant and I am thrilled to bring this program to students of wine in this incredible, world-class food and wine city,” said Melanie Webber. “I am so excited to be working with The Asheville School of Wine, part of Metro Wines, one of the premier wine shops in the Southeast, to help area wine and food professionals, and wine enthusiasts, increase their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the wines of the world. Whether a student is an industry professional or beginning wine student, my mission is to enhance their joy of wine discovery, increase their wine knowledge and further develop their palates with a ‘no-snobs-allowed’ approach.”
About Asheville School of Wine:
The Asheville School of Wine was founded in 2014 by Gina Trippi, John Kerr, Kendal Klein, and Andy Hale at Metro Wines. The goal is to educate, inspire and encourage knowledge of wine in Asheville, and to help make it a worldwide culinary destination. ASW aims to provide the citizens of Asheville with the tools to become educated and knowledgeable consumers of wine, as well as giving the food and beverage professionals the skills to provide world class service and increase their tip percentages. Asheville School of Wine has partnered with MWWine School to expand their offerings, qualifications and Curriculum.
About MWWine School:
MWWine School is on a mission to help wine professionals and wine enthusiasts increase their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the wines of the world. Dedicated to sharing the joy of wine discovery with a ‘no-snobs-allowed’ approach, MWWine School helps students find, develop and broaden their wine palates in a systematic, dynamic, and fun way. By offering some of the industry’s &#8211; and the world’s &#8211; most respected and most rewarding certification courses, MWWine School brings greater knowledge, tasting discipline and perspective about the constantly evolving wine universe to the wine industry. With the goal of enhancing the wine experience of wine enthusiasts, wine professionals, food and wine service personnel and, by extension, their customers, MWWine School offers wine certification classes, tasting workshops and wine seminars in Paso Robles, California, Los Angeles, California, Asheville North Carolina and virtually across the wine-a-verse. MWWine School is a Wine Scholar Guild Approved Program Provider for Spanish Wine Scholar and French Wine Scholar certification curriculums.
About the Wine Scholar Guild:
The Wine Scholar Guild (www.winescholarguild.org) provides specialized study & certification programs on the wines of France for the professional development of wine industry members and committed students of wine. Other areas of study include the wines of Italy and Spain.

Question 8

Will Asheville be able to reduce Homelessness and Crime?

Accepted Answer

So saddened to see these two articles: &#8220;Asheville rises (slightly) to No. 46 on ‘Best Places to Live’ 2022 rating&#8221; and &#8220;Fallout from Asheville’s ‘political agenda’ cited for ranking, FOP official says&#8221; in the latest Asheville Daily Planet.
I&#8217;ve been a big supporter/promoter of Asheville and her culinary scene since the birth of Carolina Epicurean in 2007. Carolina Epicurean was the ONLY outlet that published Press Releases from restaurants, Chefs, the Cheese Trail, local producers, etc. deemed too insignificant by traditional media. This was at no cost to anyone, because I looked at it as a community service.
After developing & producing five successful Small Plate Crawls in Hendersonville, I worked with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) to produce the Asheville Small Plate Crawl, following that up with developing & producing the first Asheville Restaurant Week. Eventually the Chamber took it over, which was fine with me. 🙂
Reading the &#8220;Best Places to Live&#8221; article, motivated me to look at previous Asheville rankings going back to 2014, when Outside.com Ranked Asheville 6th in their Aug 12th, &#8220;The 16 Best Places to Live in the U.S.&#8221; article. I&#8217;d forgotten they&#8217;d included the Small Plate Crawl!
What I hear most often about Asheville from locals outside Asheville these days is, &#8220;We don&#8217;t go into Asheville much anymore.&#8221;
Hopefully, this will change over the coming years, especially after &#8220;a one-time infusion of $4.7 million intended to reduce homelessness is coming to the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium&#8221; (Citizen Times 3/24/22). The Consortium consists of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties.
Part of that money will go to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (Mountain Xpress), winning bidder at $73,000 (WLOS) in the joint Asheville/Buncombe County search for a homelessness consultant.
&#8220;Work is expected to begin next month and conclude in December 2022. Its first task: conduct a comprehensive needs assessment using data collection, analysis and interviews with stakeholders throughout the community, including people who are unsheltered, service providers, neighborhoods, and business and faith communities.&#8221; &#8211; WLOS
Hopefully this massive influx of funding will be tracked, transparently accounted for, and result in real, measurable, and lasting change for the better of all involved &#8211; business owners, citizens, and the homeless.
But then there&#8217;s this. Asheville&#8217;s long history with using consultants to solve homelessness.

Question 9

La Bodega adds upstairs Pintxo & Wine Bar in Asheville

Accepted Answer

La Bodega Continues Cúrate’s Mission to Bring Spanish Culinary Culture to Asheville
La Bodega by Cúrate (https://curatetapasbar.com/la-bodega/), an all-day Spanish café, market and wine bar, expands this week into a newly remodeled two-story space at 32 S. Lexington Avenue. Helmed by Chef de Cuisine Matt Brown, La Bodega is a concept born out of the pandemic that brings together the cornerstones of the Spanish culinary and cultural experience. La Bodega adds a key piece to Katie Button and Felix Meana’s mission to create exceptional and experiential access to Spanish culture through businesses including Cúrate Bar de Tapas, Cúrate Trips, Cúrate at Home, and Cúrate Spanish Wine Club.
 
“The menu is inspired by my travels to Spain with Felix,” says Brown, “which really highlighted the importance of simplicity in Spanish food. At La Bodega, we are playing on the bedrock of Spanish food &#8211; the classics &#8211; in creative but simple ways. The menu is elemental and delicious, letting the quality of our ingredients shine.”
“We first opened La Bodega in spring 2020 as a temporary solution during the pandemic to help keep staff employed and feed guests with house-made and imported Spanish items,” says Meana. “We quickly realized La Bodega was filling a void in the community, and made plans to expand our initial pivot project with a relaxed pintxo and wine bar upstairs, building on the popular cafe and Spanish market downstairs.”
The first floor’s 14-seat café will continue to offer an all-day menu featuring house-made bread and pastries, along with Spanish-style sandwiches like the Bocadillo de Jamón, Coca (Catalan flatbread), and grab-and-go bottled gazpacho, salads and more. The first floor also houses a marketplace with imported Spanish specialty ingredients including olive oils, wine, conservas, vinegars and more hand-selected from a network of Spanish producers and purveyors, in addition to house made charcuterie and sausages. The first floor reflects the feel of a European street-side cafe, where guests can stop in to grab a croissant and espresso or enjoy a sandwich for an easy lunch. The downstairs menu is available for counter service or take out.
At the pintxo and wine bar, Brown expands the menu to encompass elements of the customary five meals that make up a Spanish diet: desayuno (a small breakfast), almuerzo (a snack that carries you through to a later lunch), la comida (lunch, usually the largest meal of the day), merienda (an afternoon snack) and la cena (dinner, typically after 9:00pm). The menu highlights and reinvigorates Spanish bodega classics, with a collection of pintxos and conservas, charcuterie, sandwiches, and small plates. Many of the new dishes are rooted in La Bodega’s bread and pastry program such as Anchoa Mantequilla (Cantabrian anchovies and butter on La Bodega toast). New dishes from the kitchen such as Tartar de Ternera (hand-cut steak, multigrain toast, anchovy and nora chili oil) use products sourced from local farms, alongside carefully sourced Spanish specialty items. Platos del día, hearty rotating daily specials, include Pollo al Ajillo (garlic chicken), and Rabo de Toro con Patatas Fritas (braised beef short ribs and crispy potatoes). Platos del día are available at lunch and last until they are gone each day. Desserts like Crema Catalana and Tarta de Chocolate and Piñones close out any meal on a sweet note.
Spanish wines are available on draft, as well as a large selection available by the glass and bottle, all handpicked by Meana and Jessica Salyer, Cúrate Wine Program Manager. “The wine list is built from relationships forged with Spanish producers and importers over the last decade. The list encompasses regions, varietals and winemakers, in an educational and fun way,” says Salyer. “Every single dish goes perfectly with wine, and we’re excited to guide guests through both traditional and unique pairings.” Cocktails, beer, cider, vermouth and a large selection of non-alcoholic beverages are also available.
Meana led the conceptualization of La Bodega’s feel and energy and partnered with Lisa Ellis Design, an Athens, Georgia-based interior design firm, to bring his vision to life. La Bodega’s rustic charm is accentuated by old world European touches like marble and brass accents and vintage decor throughout. To promote a relaxed and lively environment, long, counter-height tables pair with a brand new, curved bar. To further enrich the space, Meana brought in a large collection of original art by his father, Eduardo Meana.
La Bodega by Cúrate serves guests Wednesday-Sunday from 8:00am-10:00pm. The downstairs cafe menu is available 8:00am-6:00pm with the Spanish market available until 10:00pm. The upstairs pintxo and wine bar with full table service is open for brunch at 11:00am each day, closing briefly from 3:00-4:30pm to reset for dinner. La Bodega does not take reservations. Drop by to walk-in or add your name to the waitlist. Visit us at labodegabycurate.com or find La Bodega on Instagram @labodegabycurate.
About the Cúrate Family of Brands
Cúrate is a collection of restaurants, online marketplace, and culinary journeys designed to create exceptional and experiential access to Spanish culture. This adventure began when husband and wife team, Katie Button and Felix Meana, opened their nationally acclaimed flagship and 2022 James Beard Foundation Award nominee for Outstanding Hospitality, Cúrate Bar de Tapas in Asheville, North Carolina in 2011. With over a decade of bringing the flavors and culinary traditions of Spain to guests, the Cúrate brand now includes La Bodega by Cúrate, a cafe, Spanish market and wine bar; Cúrate Trips, offering incomparable access to the best wine and food in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco; and Cúrate at Home and Cúrate Spanish Wine Club, online retail marketplaces providing access to Spanish food, wine and culture at home, across the nation. Cúrate is part of the Katie Button Restaurants family, which also includes Katie Button Media and Magnolia Network’s From the Source linear series and Workshops, featuring James Beard Foundation Award-nominated Katie Button.
About Matt Brown
Matt Brown is the Chef de Cuisine at La Bodega by Cúrate. He joined the team in 2020, only a couple of months before the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown’s passion for food began at an early age and his love for the craft has since afforded him the opportunity to learn in some of the best restaurants in the country, like Bar Boulud, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park and Alinea. With La Bodega, Brown combines his appreciation for Spanish culture and tradition with his passion for thoughtfully sourced, high-quality ingredients and classic culinary techniques.

Question 10

Mountain Brook Vineyards serves up elevated Wine Dinners

Accepted Answer

Mountain Brook Vineyards’ (https://www.mountainbrookvineyards.com/) location is gorgeous in “the middle of nowhere” Tryon, NC countryside. They have views forever (almost 360°), produce excellent wine, do a good job with food they offer, as well as food trucks they bring in, and they have a robust and varied lineup of events. We’ve been to one of their “Movie in the Vines” events and now a fantastic Wine Dinner last week that was perfectly catered by long-time local Chef Michael’s Catering. Watching a movie in the Vines is a fun outdoor evening in nice weather. Snacking & sipping on terraced seating while watching the movie projected on their gazebo’s lowered screen. Just before we were seated at the Wine Dinner, I was able to take a look at the catering kitchen and prep/staging area, and I have to say I’m extremely impressed at the quality of the food that was produced, and even more, that hot dishes actually arrived at the table hot. Another takeaway was the brilliant seating place card design that included a line drawing of the entreé each person had pre-chosen. That makes it so much easier for servers. There isn’t a picture of the passed appetizers in the gallery, but they were great. Bite-sized is the way to go when appetizers are offered by servers walking through groups of mingling people. Yes, small high top tables help, but only so many people can fit around them. Anything larger than bite sized can get messy and awkward if you’re trying to hold a glass and take multiple bites of something on a napkin or small plate. WINE DINNER MENU – March 19,2022 Passed Appetizer Sweet Chili-Lime Glazed Shrimp with Avocado in Tortilla Flower, Micro Garnish Paired with Mountain Brook Vineyards 2020 Sauvignon Blanc 1st Course, Salad Spring Greens, Gorgonzola, Candied Pecans, Blackberries Ginger-Lemon Vinaigrette Homemade Silver Dollar Rolls, Whipped Butter Paired with Mountain Brook Vineyards 2020 Chardonnay (unreleased) & Gehricke, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, California 2019

Question 11

Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack Rallies to Support Ukraine

Accepted Answer

Rocky&#8217;s Hot Chicken Shack (https://rockyshotchickenshack.com/) will be donating 10% of sales from all three of their locations on Wednesday, March 23 to Asheville City Center to help fund their rescue mission to remove orphans from the battle zones in Ukraine.
Rocky&#8217;s South Asheville location (3749 Sweeten Creek Rd., Arden, NC 28704), West Asheville location (1455 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806) and Greenville location (420 Laurens Rd., Greenville, SC 29607) will be open 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Guests can spread the word by sharing their meal or the attached flyer on social media, tagging @rockyshotchickenshack and using hashtag #StandWithUkraine.

Question 12

Jettie Rae’s Opens The Pearl Vintage Airstream- March 22

Accepted Answer

Fresh oysters are always best enjoyed al fresco, don’t you think? Jettie Rae’s (https://jettieraes.com/), Asheville’s premier oyster destination, will unveil their new outdoor patio on March 15 UPDATED to March 22 at 4 p.m. This open-air expansion of the eatery will feature space for dining and drinking, with shareable bites and drinks available from The Pearl, Jettie Rae’s vintage airstream sidekick.
Guests can enjoy exclusive menu selections like daily ceviche, guacamole, cocteles de camarones and oysters, while sipping custom cocktails, frosé, wine and beer.
The Pearl patio will open 30 minutes before Jettie Rae’s, every Tuesday-Sunday at 4 p.m. until close. No reservations needed at this laid-back spot, whether waiting for a table inside or stopping by for a drink and light snack.
Jettie Rae&#8217;s
143 Charlotte St
Asheville, NC 28801
828-505-4499

Question 13

Restaurant Community Action for Ukraine

Accepted Answer

Katie Button Restaurants has activated Benevolent Spirits, their independent restaurant community action effort, to support World Central Kitchen. World Central Kitchen is quickly organizing and establishing teams in and around Ukraine to feed the hungry.
&#8220;Sharing a plate of food can bring dignity and humanity in the darkest moments.&#8221;
The donation program at participating restaurants, bars, breweries, and coffee shops in Asheville will run next week, March 9-15.
Below is the ask. To participate, please do the following, now:

Sign Benevolent Spirit&#8217;s Google Form by March 7.
Choose a cocktail or beverage of which all proceeds (profits after costs covered) will be donated directly to World Central Kitchen.
KBR will be creating posters to communicate the program to your guests, along with donation envelopes for tables, urging guests to leave additional funds. They will coordinate a pick-up time for table envelopes and posters later for participanting restaurants, and can likely drop off if needed. Checks left in envelopes should be mailed directly to WCK, and cash should be tallied and included in the donation with the proceeds from the drink selected.
At the end of the program, restaurants will total the proceeds and make a donation through a link that we&#8217;ll send out.

Thank you for your care and your attention. If you do have questions about the program, please reach out to Mary Byers at KBR: mbyers@kbr.email
Read more about the effort in this Citizen Times article.
SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE HERE

Question 14

WNC Cheese Trail - Cheese Fest Update and More!

Accepted Answer

The WNC Cheese Trail will be rescheduling the Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest to September 25th 2022 at Oak and Grist Distilling Company in Black Mountain, NC.

After listening to our cheesemakers and other key partners, we made the decision to postpone the Cheese Fest until September 25, 2022. We want everyone to fully and safely participate in all that the Cheese Fest offers — like tastings and pairing — and the majority of cheesemakers felt unable to do so at this time due to staffing and supply chain issues.
We also need to have the volunteer infrastructure to support our cheesemakers, chefs, and activities. A fall Fest will allow us to put on the type of event you all love — giving you everything Cheesy in one place!
Finally, we are moving the event from Highland Brewery to Oak and Grist Distilling Company. We’re excited to build this new relationship. As we move forward with planning the event, be assured that we’ll have all the activities you loved from the previous Fests as well as new fun opportunities for the whole family.
Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for hand crafted cheese and small family farms. Hope to see you at the Carolina Mountain Cheese Fest Fall of 2022!
All ticket holders for Cheese Fest 2020 have been sent an email about how to move forward with their ticket purchase. If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer for CMCF 2022 please email wncctcmcf@gmail.com
In Other News

The WNC Cheese Trail now has an app hosted by Loyal Brew! We partnered with Loyal Brew to build this app to create more ways for the public to interact with the Cheese Trail and our many wonderful Members. Our app is separated into two passports, one for our Cheese Makers and the second for our Pairing Partners ( Associate Members). Followers of the WNC Cheese Trail can easily sign up and log when they visit Trail Member locations or purchase Trail Member products. After gathering enough passport &#8220;stamps&#8221; users will have a chance to win prizes from the WNC Cheese Trail! This app is 100% free to our users and no download is necessary!
To view the WNC Cheese Trail app please visit:
https://www.loyalbrew.com/wnc-cheese-trail

Question 15

Completion of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails Announced

Accepted Answer

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) Executive Director Angie Chandler announced the completion of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails on March 3rd. The news highlights the curation of 310 destinations, including artist studios, galleries and arts organizations.
The completed, drivable craft trails now cover 25 Western North Carolina counties, all in the Blue Ridge mountains and foothills and the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians. Chandler says the footprint of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails is equivalent to the land covered by the state of Maryland.
Visitors can plan their trip at BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com. Itineraries, extensive listings and video with artisans offers a slice of small town creativity.
Chandler says, &#8220;Western North Carolina is one of the most distinctive cultures in the United States. We have amazing craft artists and galleries with such variety and creativity. They are ready to welcome locals and visitors alike.&#8221;
Joe Waldroup Wood Turning and Sculpting
Why this matters now: Trails Tap Into a National Trend
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails offer a new reason to visit the mountains and foothills, get outside and explore hidden gems. Destination Analysts new American travel research shows travelers will focus on fun in 2022, going to less crowded places and enjoying the outdoors.
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails answer the need, including well-known destinations such as Asheville and stops along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It also invites visitors to small towns and communities such as West Jefferson, Murphy, Sparta and Waynesville to meet artists and makers. Regional itineraries on the website home page combine craft stops with local food, culture and outdoor exploration.
In addition to attracting visitors to small towns, Chandler says the project also connects makers with buyers, bringing economic development to the region.
&#8220;Our heritage area was established to preserve traditional and contemporary craft as a living tradition in Western North Carolina,&#8221; explains Chandler. &#8220;I have long family history in this region. When you think about it, art is an inspired response to the mountains, foothills, forests and fauna around us. Craft is in our cultural DNA.&#8221;
Fingerweaving &#8211; Oconaluftee Indian Village, Cherokee, NC
You&#8217;re Invited!
Wit Tuttell, Vice President of Tourism and Marketing for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Executive Director of Visit North Carolina, invites travelers to plan a North Carolina road trip.
&#8220;We’re asking visitors who love the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most visited National Park Sites in America, to also take a road less traveled,&#8221; Tuttell says. &#8220;The completion of the trails comes at a great time. Its culmination also brings much-needed economic support to craft artists and small businesses in rural areas who have been hurt by the pandemic.&#8221;
Image below: The 25 counties included in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the Blue Ridge Craft Trails.

About The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA) serves as the steward of the cultural and outdoor heritage of Western North Carolina’s mountains and foothills. The area was federally designated as a National Heritage Area in 2003 because of its unique culture, character and natural beauty. BRNHA is one of 55 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) in the United States. Others include Yuma Crossing (NHA) in Arizona; Rivers of Steel (NHA) in Pennsylvania; Ohio and Erie Canal Way (NHA) in Ohio; Augusta Canal (NHA) in Georgia; and Niagara Falls (NHA) in New York.

Category: NC Mountains

About

Connect

Recent Posts

Excellent Afternoon Tea Discovery! Bed and Breakfast on Tiffany Hill

Exploring WNC Gems: The Pure and Proper

Hearth and Herron – A Hendersonville, NC Experience

Mexican Debate Over. Go to Tenango’s!