Come Together for the Coast,” organized by The Sunday Supper™ and Chefs Scott Crawford of Crawford and Son and Jake Wood of 18 Seaboard, today announced that $400,000 has been raised since the two-event fundraiser for Hurricane Florence recovery was announced just two weeks ago.
The first event, a Chef’s Dinner & Live Auction, was held this past Sunday evening on the 18th floor of newly-opened The Dillon. More than 550 attendees enjoyed dishes—from Smoked Mackerel Escabeche and Char Siu Bao to Duck Tostados and Mint Chocolate Cotton Candy—served by 15 of North Carolina’s top chefs, along with signature drinks, beer and wine from local breweries, distributors and distilleries.
“Our first event’s success—and the $400,000 raised—is a testament to the power of community,” said Scott Crawford, culinary co-chair for the event. “I’m so thankful to everyone who has participated and know the small businesses suffering in North Carolina will be so appreciative of the support.”
In addition to the food, beverages and time donated to the effort, businesses, foundations and private citizens have contributed to Come Together for the Coast, including a $50,000 donation from the Independent Beer Distributors Relief Fund.
Willa Kane, chair of The Sunday Supper added, “People from all walks of life have joined us at the table for ‘Come Together for the Coast’—all in the name of hospitality and philanthropy. We’re so thankful for the generosity of spirit we’ve experienced during the past few weeks and are looking forward to continuing our mission at our community lunch next month.”
The Sunday Supper will host the “Come Together for the Coast” community lunch on November 11 with a lunch curated by Scott Crawford and Jake Wood featuring restaurants from across North Carolina, and a 1,000-person table down the middle of Fayetteville Street in Raleigh. Chefs and restaurants participating include:
Matthew Register, Southern Smoke BBQ
Jake Wood, 18 Seaboard
Vidrio Restaurant
Amanda Haisley, Bu•Ku Raleigh
Andrew Smith, Bu•Ku Wake Forest
Sam Jones, Sam Jones BBQ
Eli Rodriguez, So•Ca
Lionel Vatinet, La Farm Bakery
Daddy Bob’s Barbecue
Sean Fowler, Mandolin
Urban Street Eats
The family-friendly event will include food and festivities focused on building community, raising money for hurricane recovery and honoring our country’s veterans.
The Sunday Supper still needs donations of services and materials to set the table for 1,000. Tickets are $25/person and those interested in contributing, donating, or attending can visit www.TheSundaySupper.org to learn more.
The Sunday Supper
A non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing people together through the supper table, born out of a national award-winning event (PRSA Non-profit Event of the Year 2016) in November 2016, where 1,000 people were fed from a two-city-block-long table on Fayetteville Street in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Sunday Supper aims to spread the community supper table concept to cities and towns throughout America with the hope of restoring unity. For more on The Sunday Supper and its board of directors, please visit www.thesundaysupper.corg and follow @SundaySupperUSA on Twitter, @the_sundaysupper on Instagram and @TheSundaySupper on Facebook.
Something’s changed at The Coffee Garage, and it’s for the better. Way for the better.
I’d checked them out as they were getting ready to open, shortly after they opened, and one more time not too long ago. The one consistent, other than very good coffee, that always struck me was a sense that they were always falling short of what could be a great coffee shop.
Three things needed to change, in my opinion, if they were going to make it long term:
Longer hours.
More electrical outlets near seating.
Comfortable seating at the least. Cozy seating areas, even better.
After that last visit, I wasn’t planning on ever going back. But fate flicked it’s finger on my forehead this past Wednesday when I found myself needing to kill a half hour or so in Fletcher. This isn’t common, just so you know.
Lo and behold, sofas and coffee tables were in place, creating cozy seating areas! The sofas toward the back are anchored by a fireplace. It’s electric and puts out heat. Nice when the weather gets cooler.
The central raised stage area for live music had been dressed up quite a bit, but is still functional and looks like it gets plenty of use.
They’ve got all the right equipment and people who know how to use it. As the person in line in front of my was being helped, I overheard that they had’t made any kind of announcement yet, but they’d extended their hours. Whoop! Whoop! Things just kept getting better.
Don’t know if it’s the lighting, the way the counter’s set up, or even the counter itself, but there’s something about this back corner that’s warm and welcoming. No pretensions here.
Finally, as my drink was being made, I scanned perimeter seating and noticed . . . additional outlets had been put in!
Now, I can finally say, Fletcher has an awesome coffee shop where you can hang out, get some work done, meet up with friends, or catch some local musicians playing.
Epicurean Notes:
NEW HOURS:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday-Saturday 7am-5pm
Sunday 9am-5pm
I’m not sure what the live music schedule is, but am planning on calling to see if it’s posted anywhere.
There’s plenty of free parking in the lot out front and on the side of the building.
If you have time for browsing the huge shop attached, definitely do that. Lots of bits and bobs, unique gifts, etc.
Thought I’d share some pretty tasty sounding cocktails with you that were sent to me by Candela Mamajuana [www.drinkcandela.com] — the first ready-to-drink premium spiced rum specialty drink from the Dominican Republic — to celebrate Fall’s return.
Punta Cana Cocktail
Punta Cana Cocktail
Named after a popular resort town in the Dominican Republic, a Punta Cana is a tropical resort escape in a glass (aka exactly what we need to get us through fall!) Mix 2 oz Candela Mamajuana with 2 oz passion fruit juice and 1 oz fresh lemon juice, then serve.
Tiguere Cocktail
Tiguere Cocktail
Can you handle the heat? To make a Tiguere, mix 3 oz of Candela Mamajuana with 2 oz fresh lemon juice and 1 oz jalepeño-infused syrup. There’s no quicker way to warm yourself up than with a little kick.
Oriente Caliente Cocktail
Oriente Caliente Cocktail
Ready for some adult La Croix? Mix 2 oz Candela Mamajuana with 2 oz of prosecco and 2 oz Yuzu Liqueur (a citrus liqueur). This bubbly treat gives you a little taste of summer when you’re snuggled up in your fall sweaters!
Happy Ending Cocktail
Happy Ending Cocktail
With fall inevitably comes office sicknesses. Instead of downing Vitamin C, protect yourself with kombucha. Mix 3 oz kombucha with 3 oz Candela Mamajuana for a cold cure you’ll actually want to drink.
Old Fashioned Cocktail, with a Twist
Old Fashioned Cocktail, with a Twist
Update this classic drink for fall by substituting rum instead of whiskey, bourbon, or rye. Muddle 1 sugar cube with 2 dashes bitters. Add 2 oz Candela Mamajuana, ice, and an orange twist on the side.
Candela Mamajuana is the first ready-to-drink Mamajuana drink sold in the U.S. Based on a secret Dominican family recipe, the Mamajuana ingredients are infused with premium aged rum and sweetened with organic honey.
Downtown Brevard will have a new business later this fall as Wolfbrew Bottle Shop is slated to open in the alley at 36 Main Street in late 2018. A retail shop to purchase bottled and canned craft beer, the store will also serve beer to be enjoyed on site.
Wolfbrew Bottle Shop is the creation of Keavy McAbee and Lee Marchbanks, owners of Mag-pie Meat & Three restaurant, which is located on King Street in Brevard’s Lumberyard Arts District. Opened in 2016, Magpie has become a local favorite that is also known for its thought-fully curated and approachable beer offerings.
“With Wolfbrew, we want to showcase the best beers from our region but also from across the country and around the world,” says McAbee. “Craft beer is such a big part of what we do and we are excited to expand into a business that focuses solely on one of our passions. This area has a great craft beer community and we feel there is a real opportunity to showcase that, bring in amazing beers, and establish a space that can host beer-related and community-focused events.”
Events such as beer & pie pairings and local art & community events have been held in the past at Magpie Meat & Three, but McAbee sees that shifting to Wolfbrew as they create a communi-ty gathering place for the beer-centric.
With roots in the area, and with a successful restaurant and loyal following that has helped them establish a home for their family in Brevard, McAbee and Marchbanks are a duo that comple-ment each other perfectly. Having sampled beer at countless breweries and sought out unique beers from all over the world, McAbee is an avid craft beer enthusiast and the manager of the craft beer program at Magpie. Marchbanks is a twelve-year veteran in the restaurant industry who heads up Magpie’s kitchen. His expertise in southern cuisine and BBQ are a product of his dedication to preserving southern food traditions through recipes, local farms, and cooking techniques. To the two of them, craft beer is much like Southern cuisine, approachable yet complex, rich in tradition, and meant to be shared with friends.
“It’s an exciting time to be in Brevard as it continues to grow but in a thoughtful way,” says Marchbanks. “To us, it is the perfect mix of small town and exciting opportunity, an incredible community nestled beside the most beautiful wilderness.”
For updates on an opening date, find them at @wolfbrewbrevard on Instagram and online at wolfbrewbottleshop.com
Guest Post by Heather Barnes. North Carolina and other states on the east coast were hit by Hurricane Florence just over one week ago. The storm’s winds battered crops and its rainfall, more than 30 feet in some areas, caused flooding that closed major interstates and shut down entire towns. Agriculture, the number one industry in my state, took a hard hit, the full extent which won’t be known for months. The needs of the agriculture community are great, and may not be as obvious as you think.
Image: WLOS.com
We need you to know we prepared for this storm. Generators were checked, fuel and feed were stockpiled. Animals were moved to higher ground (more than 20,000 hogs alone). Knowing North Carolina is in hurricane alley, hog farmers began preparing lagoons in August, so these manure storage ponds would be able to hold as much rain water as possible. You can read more about how lagoons work on the NC Pork Council website.
We need you to know farmers stayed behind, even when told to leave. There are no livestock on our farm, but we had tobacco barns running and didn’t leave. Livestock farmers stayed on their farms, sometimes in the barn, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the animals in their care.
We need you to see the photos and videos farmers have posted on social media, including:
– farmers using ATVs, trucks, boats or even helicopters to get feed to their animals
– workers carrying feed to poultry in 5-gallon buckets because there was no power to run the automatic feeders inside the chicken houses
– tobacco almost melting off the stalk, cotton bolls hardened by rain, sweet potato fields under water and other crop damage
– the farmers whose pig, chickens and turkeys were in houses with power when their children were not.
We need you to feel the pain of our loss as we stand looking at a crop we worked 80-hour weeks to grow, only to lose it all; to feel the tears we shed at the loss of livestock that drowned; the desperation of livestock owners, like a former coworker of mine, who were stranded with their animals and asking for help to get their horses feed without a thought of their own food needs.
We need you to know family farms of all types were impacted by this storm; both large and small. Livestock, row crop, fruit and vegetables, all were affected including conventional and organic. From first generation to seventh generation, part-time farmer and full-time farmer, family farms that sell at your local farmers market, to your local grocery store and internationally, all were impacted.
We need you to stop assuming “Crop insurance will pay all their bills.” It does not. Federal crop insurance is complicated, but the cliff notes version is it only covers certain crops (row crops like cotton and corn, not vegetable crops like sweet potatoes) and only a percentage of your production. Homeowners insurance covers replacement costs of your home. Crop insurance does not replace the lost income from a damaged crop. Many farmers will not farm another year after this loss, just two years after they suffered losses from Hurricane Matthew.
We need you to realize food safety and animal welfare rules don’t stop because of the storm. Do you really believe drowned animals will enter the food chain? NO. Do you believe crops covered by overflowing creeks, ponds and other bodies of water will be harvested for human consumption? NO. If you believe that, then you must think the fish drowned along Interstate 40 will also end up in the food chain.
We need the media to interview farmers if they want to cover the true story of this hurricane. Get sound bites from those of us who make our living from the land. Talk to the commodity groups and other agriculture organizations that haven’t been watching from afar, but from the ground beside us.
We need photos and video that are used in stories about Florence to have actually been taken during or after Florence. I’ve seen photos circulating that were taken after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 accompanying reports of Florence’s damage. North Carolina saw huge losses, particularly in the livestock industry, from Floyd and learned many lessons which resulted in less loss of livestock and less discharge from hog lagoons from Florence. It is disappointing to see photos from almost 20 years ago being circulated and passed off as current. It’s even more disheartening to read the comments from people who take them at face value. Photos from 20 years ago aren’t relevant, unless you want to highlight all the improvements farmers have put in place since then.
We need the media to verify the authenticity of photos and video before they broadcast or print it. Some news media have reported on “hog farms”, including photos or videos that weren’t farms at all but municipal waste facilities, poultry farms, warehouses or some other structure. Some hog houses that were shown no longer house pigs and haven’t in many years.
We need you to spread the word that farmers needing assistance can call the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services emergency hotline at 866-645-9403. Some farmers lost all the hay they had baled for winter and pastures have been flooded. Without hay or feed, they will be forced to sell animals. Many are still cleaning up their farms and can’t take supplies now, but will need them. NCDA&CS, NC Cooperative Extension and many commodity associations also have information related to disaster relief and recovery posted on their websites.
We need help. Immediate needs include temporary or permanent fencing, salt blocks, minerals, feed and hay. These and other supplies are being accepted at the Emergency Farm Supply Distribution site in Pink Hill (call 252-521-1706). Financial donations are being accepted by the Lenoir County Extension office which is working directly with the distribution site. Checks can be made payable to the N.C. Agriculture Foundation (tax deductible) or Lenoir County (not tax deductible) and should be sent to:
Lenoir County Cooperative Extension
Attn: Eve Honeycutt
1791 Hwy 11 55
Kinston, NC 28504
The North Carolina Farm Bureau Foundation is also working to help farmers impacted by Florence.
We need our fellow farmers, who have helped each other through other storms and will continue to do so.
We need to give thanks to the lineman who have restored power, the communities who have supported us, the truckers who brought feed through the flood waters, the volunteers who have fed us and everyone who has donated not only to farmers, but to everyone impacted by Florence.
We don’t need you to kick us when we’re down. Even before the storm, as farmers were preparing for Florence to hit land, anti-agriculture organizations were in the sky looking for problems. News reports on the losses have not always been accurate and most include reader comments telling farmers we brought this on ourselves, how much we don’t care about the livestock in our care and other negative thoughts.
We need boots on the ground, not eyes in the sky. If you are going to fly over our farms, at least drop a load of hay or some fuel on your way over.
Marion? Is that you? What happened to the empty store fronts and peeling paint on your Main Street? The tired, old-ish feel in town?
I will admit to being shocked at the changes since my last walk about town! What??? New breweries? Live music? New restaurant – that I actually want to go to? New shops, including a clothing place that could be in Asheville? New fabulous ice cream shop? Whoa!
Take a gander at what’s happening in Marion:
McDowell Local – casual, locally sourced (when possible), small plates, salads, burgers and sandwiches.
Flavors on Main – olive oils, balsamic vinegar, spices, teas.
Artesana Ice Cream – Third generation artisan ice cream, made with sourced from Mills River Creamery and fresh fruit sourced at a farmers’ market. This is their 4th shop. The other three are in and around Mexico City. This ice cream is some of the best I’ve had. Extremely fresh and flavorful!
Mica Town Brewing Company – Super inviting brewery and cozy deck! Tanks and the business end of brewing all happen in sight inside.
A little theme decor outside between the deck and door.
Spillway Bridge & Company (Tap House & Music Hall) – This place has it all. Hang out with your pals, listen to great live music, sip your favorite brew, bourbon, spirits & liquors, and wine.
Image: Spillway Facebook Page
Image: Spillway Facebook Page
Refinery 13 – Family friendly taproom right on Main Street, featuring NC Craft Beer.
Image: Refinery 13 Facebook Page
If you haven’t been to Marion, or haven’t been back in a while, get yourself to town and have some fun exploring. Be SURE to get some ice cream at Artesana! 🙂
Announces All 3 Executive Chefs Pass Level 1 Court of Master Sommeliers Exam, plus many more on staff
bu-ku and so-ca earn Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence”
bu-ku Raleigh, bu-ku Wake Forest, and so-ca Announce Wine Dinners
so-ca Introduces New Complimentary Tuesday Night Wine Tastings
The bu•ku Restaurant Group has been recognized for its thoughtful global wine program at bu•ku in downtown Raleigh, and now also at so•ca in Cameron Village and at the new bu•ku in Wake Forest. Led by Wine Director Troy Revell, who received his Level 2 Court of Master Sommeliers Certification in 2013 and his level 3 Wine Certification from Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in 2017, along with co-owners Sean Degnan and Tony Hopkins, the bu•ku restaurant group places as much importance on what’s in your glass as what’s on your plate.
“Offering thoughtful wine lists and pairings that are both accessible and adventurous, is extremely important to us, but none of this would matter if we didn’t have well-trained wine professionals on our team,” explained Degnan. “As a restaurant group, we’ve made wine training a priority, and offer it to every single member of our 120-person staff. We’re extremely proud that all of our Executive Chefs have now passed their Level 1 with the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as 11 more on our team, including 3 sous chefs, not to mention our Wine Director, who has received both his Level 2 CMS Certified Sommelier Certification and WSET’s Level 3 Wine Certification.”
The CMS Introductory Course – a wine course for hospitality professionals overseen by the Court of Master Sommeliers – was conducted this past July in Durham. (The 14 managers in the bu•ku Restaurant Group that have passed their Level 1 are listed below, including co-owner Sean Degnan.)
Additionally, for the first time, both bu•ku in Raleigh and so•ca received Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence,” the annual award given to restaurants around the globe who have outstanding wine lists and feature “a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.”
This year, Revell expanded bu•ku’s wine selection in Raleigh from 40 to 128 bottles ($36-$150), with 19 additional offerings by the glass (from $8-$14), and 9 dessert wines ($6-$16). The bu•ku list reflects its global cuisine, featuring a wide selection from around the world including some unexpected options. “Divided into familiar and adventurous, our goal with this list is to be both educational and approachable, interesting and fun,” explained Revell.
so•ca, which recently celebrated its 1st anniversary, features over 60 wines by the bottle, with a strong emphasis on wines from South America, including Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, and includes ‘global’ classics as well, from Europe and the United States. 13 of the 19 wines-by-the-glass are from South America. “This may be the most diverse and progressive selection of South American wines in the Triangle,” said Revell, “the ideal complement to Chef Rodriguez’s vibrant Latin cuisine.”
To celebrate so•ca’s Wine Spectator award, Chef Eli Rodriguez and Wine Director Troy Revell have collaborated to offer complimentary wine tastings (3-4 wines) in the bar every Tuesday from 5 to 7pm, beginning July 31st. The tastings, which will occur weekly, are aimed to provide guests an opportunity to experience wines from Central or South America, alongside small tastings from the restaurant’s Latin-inspired kitchen. Following, guests are invited to dine and enjoy half-price bottles.
On August 28th, so•ca will host its next wine dinner, highlighting the award-winning wines from Susana Balbo, a winery located in the Lujan de Cuyo region of Argentina. Wine Director Troy Revell, who will be on-hand to share his knowledge of the wines, explained “It really is special to plan wine dinners and private events with an Executive Chef and overall team who have such a fine understanding of wine. Speaking the same language enables us to give an elevated experience to our guests at every wine dinner, and every time we’re asked to pair a wine with a dish.” Reservations may be made by contacting so•ca at 919-322-0440.
All three restaurants offer monthly or bimonthly wine dinners, informed wine pairing suggestions, and “Friday Night Flights,” which change monthly. On Tuesdays, so•ca sells wine bottles at half price, and on Wednesdays, bu•ku Wake Forest offers the same promotion. bu•ku Wake Forest also has biweekly tasting luncheons on Saturdays in partnership with Wine & Beer 101.
Upcoming wine dinners:
July 28th at bu•ku Wake Forest: Spanish Wine Lunch; Three courses with wine pairings, $25. Reservations: https://www.bukuwakeforest.com/
August 14th at bu•ku Wake Forest: Burly Wine Dinner, featuring Napa Valley’s Burly Wine and owner Hank McCrorie; Five courses with wine pairings, $95. Reservations: https://www.bukuwakeforest.com/
August 23rd at bu•ku Raleigh: French winemaker Guy Farge; Reservations: 919-834-6963.
August 28th at so•ca: Susana Balbo Winery, from the Lujan de Cuyo region of Argentina, with Wine Director Troy Revell. Reservations: 919-322-0440.
September 20th at bu•ku Wake Forest: Vision Cellars winemaker Mac McDonald from Sonoma, CA
October 11th at bu•ku Raleigh: NC Fine Wines Society; Reservations: 919-834-6963.
October 25th at bu•ku Wake Forest: Jones von Drehle owner Diana Jones from Thurmond, NC
November 14th at bu•ku Wake Forest: Barboursville winemaker Luca Paschina from Barboursville, VA
CMS Certified Level 1:
Troy Revell, bu•ku Restaurant Group, Wine Director (Also, CMS Level 2, and WSET Level 3)
Sean Degnan, Co-Owner of bu•ku Restaurant Group
Amanda Haisley, Executive Chef, bu•ku Raleigh
Eli Rodriguez, Executive Chef, so•ca
Andrew Smith, Executive Chef, bu•ku Wake Forest
Tolson Kenney, bu•ku Restaurant Group, Beverage Director
Katherine Darden, bu•ku Restaurant Group, Events Director
Emily Phelps, bu•ku Wake Forest, General Manager
Kyle Fletcher, bu•ku Wake Forest, Sous Chef
Max Lai, bu•ku Raleigh, Chef de Cuisine
Andrea Chan, bu•ku Raleigh, Bar Manager
Jessica Hutchings, so•ca Manager
Lee Robinson, so•ca Manager
Lane Callaway, bu•ku Wake Forest and so•ca, Main Prep
We’ve taken lots of road trips over the years, in a car full of kids, and now that they’re grown, just the two of us. We didn’t have the budget to fly as a family of 5 very often, but more importantly, we wanted our kids to see the country and spend time in as many National Parks as possible. If you’re camping, that’s another article for another time.
So what are the 10 best things to do before leaving on a road trip?
1. Dash Cam
Even more important to have these days, in my opinion, is a Dash Camera. You can get a reliable model for under $100. When you start adding features like GPS, Wi-Fi, better night recording, etc., the price can go up to around $150. Most Dash Cams are wide angle, but some are wider angle than others.
The importance of having a Dash Cam came home to me when our son and daughter-in-law were about 10 minutes out from our house, heading back to TX after a visit, when someone slammed into them, totaling their car. They were a little bruised and their two dogs were a little shaken up, but that was it.
The other driver told a completely different story to the trooper than what had happened. You should have seen his face when my daughter-in-law told the trooper they had a Dash Cam and the entire thing was on video! The trooper said, “you’ve just made my job so much easier!” Long story short, the next day, they headed home in a rental car and had a new car in their garage in two weeks. No questions asked and nothing out of pocket.
After lots of research, I settled on two Dash Cams. They are both in the $150 range because I wanted a number of extra features. One is a single, front view camera, and the other is a dual camera setup – one camera in the windshield and a second in the rear window. The dual rear window camera is connected to the front view camera, so only one plug needed. We purchased the single Dash Cam first and plan to get the Dual Dash Cam for our second car later. And I purchased a better micro SD Card to use with the Dash Cam (Kingston Canvas React 64GB microSDXC Class 10 microSD Memory Card).
This is a once over for your car. Your mechanic will check your tires, hoses, fluid levels, brakes, lights, and more. Take your car in well enough in advance to have repairs done before your trip if needed.
3. Give a House Key to a trusted neighbor/friend
We’ve done both. One key to a friend, because we wouldn’t hesitate to ask for their help whether we’re on a road trip or not. Another to a neighbor because they will know pretty quickly if there’s anything unusual going on at our house.
4. Arrange for a House Sitter (important for extended road trips)
We’ve arranged for a house sitter for an upcoming extended trip. Bonus – he’ll be mowing the yard for us while we’re gone. And we love him for it because he’s our son. 🙂 Leave any security system information, important phone numbers, contact information, and any other house system information they might need.
If you live in a town house or condo community, a house sitter isn’t as critical.
5. Put your Mail Delivery on Hold
It’s easy to do online here. There’s a 30 day limit. You can choose to have all your mail delivered to your home (for your house sitter to bring inside) or held for you at the post office for pick up.
6. Apps
Waze – Mapping/Route App
“Always know what’s happening on the road with Waze. Even if you know the way, Waze tells you about traffic, construction, police, crashes, and more in real-time. If traffic is bad on your route, Waze will change it to save you time.”
It works offline, like Google Maps. So why put this on your phone when you have Google Maps? A few reasons: it’s open source, so other “wazers” (and you, if you want to) can post alerts, info on accidents, heavy traffic, something in the road, etc, so you get current conditions. There are a lot of settings, like a speedometer and alert you can set to let you know if you exceed the speed limit. There are a lot of choices for the alert: 5 miles over, 10 miles over, and more, or a percentage over. It also has Spotify built in, so if you choose to connect them, they both work seamlessly from either App.
Find almost any music you can think of and download it to your phone. There’s a limit of 3,333 songs per phone, so you’ll have to pick your music carefully. 🙂 Download songs, albums, and create playlists. When you download music to your phone, you can play it through your car speakers without using data. Other than using Spotify on road trips, with Premium ($10/month, or $15/month for up to 5 people who live at the same address). There’s a free version for listening on your device.
Ask your physician how they prefer to handle this. Some will write paper scripts for refills. Some will prefer to call a pharmacy you choose while you’re traveling and give them the refill order. If you’re on any kind of controlled medication, know that some states don’t allow controlled prescription transfers.
8. Paying Bills
If you don’t pay all your bills online, some can be paid ahead. For credit cards, you’ll need to watch cycle closing dates, which might determine which card(s) you should use when. If you’re on the road when bills that have gone through insurance become due, you should be able to call your provider and pay them by phone.
9. Will you have a Kitchen?
We are members of a pretty flexible time share. We usually stay in units that have kitchens, so we’re not locked in to eating out all the time. Over the years, we’ve gotten pretty good at putting together a box of things not usually stocked in the time share kitchens: foil, zip lock bags, twist ties, less common spices, pasta, cans of tuna, cereal, S’more makings. Pack whatever works for you. We also take a small cooler for perishables while we’re on the road.
10. Laundry
Don’t pack more than you really need. If a washer and dryer are available along your route at friend’s homes or other lodgings, take advantage. If not, roll, roll, roll your clothes. More clothes in your bag and less wrinkles. I’m guessing that most of you know about travel clothes sold at places like sporting good stores and Chicos. They go with everything, so lots of outfit options and you can throw them in your bag and not worry about wrinkles.
Bonus Tip – Bring your Bed Pillow
If you have room, bring your bed pillow. No more stiff necks after a night in a hotel. If I can’t fit my pillow into my bag, I put it in a tall kitchen trash bag to keep it clean. There’s usually room to squeeze a pillow in the trunk or back seat.
I count myself fortunate that I’m able to explore the culinary world via media (press) trips, as well as exploring on my own. Reviewing restaurants, bars, and other venues is wonderful, bordering on eye-opening in some cases, but I also love talking to Chefs and Farmers in an effort to understand the processes, thoughts, and obstacles that sometimes have to be overcome. This is why I’m always up for trips sponsored by the NC Department of Agriculture where we talk to farmers, fishermen/women, producers, processors, and the eateries that benefit from their hard work. Eating and Drinking my way across NE NC was part of one such trip this past June.
Note: Click any image in a gallery to enlarge it.
We began our exploration of NC farming and Seafood with lunch at Nothing Fancy Cafe & Market in Edenton. It’s one of those down home spots that serves up real food from scratch, traditionally prepared using local ingredients because that’s the way it’s done. That’s community – You purchase what I make or grow because it’s the best product I can produce, and I purchase your product for the same reason.
Seating in front is off to one side, while the other side and back of the strip mall store-front cafe offers up antique “smalls”, crafts, and fresh-baked cookies wrapped to go. It’s done the way it should be done. Not the overcrowded type of spot that puts you into overload after 5 minutes. I almost bought a couple beautiful green glass plates, but controlled myself.
This is where I was introduced to Aunt Delsie’s Tomato Pudding. That’s right. Tomato Pudding. Someone said, “you have to like tomatoes”. I like tomatoes, so why not? Let me tell you it was a generally unphotogenic mess o’ sweetened tomato chunks & mush in a bowl that could have passed as a delicious dessert! I failed to get the recipe, but may or may not (wink) call Nothing Fancy Cafe to ask for it.
Clockwise from Noon: Southern Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Butter Beans & Corn, Fresh Collards, and Creamed Spinach. That’s a piece of Mrs. Boswell’s Cornbread balanced on top for the photo.Aunt Delcie’s Tomato Pudding – Delicious!
Nothing Fancy Cafe & Market
701 N Broad St
Edenton, NC 27932
Phone: (252) 482-1909
In between eating and drinking, we did stop at farms and seafood processing facilities. Just to be clear, we did do more than eat and drink on this trip. 🙂
Chef Brad Chambers and Parents
By the end of the day, we were more than ready for dinner at Cypress Creek Grill on the waterfront in Elizabeth City. Chef Brad Chambers, co-owner with his parents since April 4th, 2016, welcomed us with a special set menu featuring some of his favorite dishes.
I was/am so impressed with Chef Brad! He’s killin’ it on the Elizabeth City, NC waterfront. He mentioned that he’s kept menu favorites from the previous owner, but has added new, ramped up items, with more coming in the future. One of the dishes he served, not pictured in the photo gallery below, was a delicious take on Fresh Softshell Crab. It was “southern fried” and served with fries and slaw.
Cypress Creek Grill
113 S Water St
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone: (252) 334-9915
The next day began with a tour of TCOM, LP, the incredible former Weeksville Naval Air Station built IN 1941 outside Elizabeth City for housing blimps that patrolled the coast looking for German U-boats during WWII. It’s now privately owned and used for building aerostats (blimps without engines) that are used for sporting events, by the US military, and for national security. The aerostats vary in size. All were impressive, but the largest currently being built in the hangar was huge! A motorized blimp like those originally built here was used in 1906 to spread seed over a valley in New Zealand that had flooded. We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the hangar, but were able to photograph photos hung in their office like this:
After touring TCOM, LP we swung by Weeping Radish Farm Brewery for lunch. Before settling in for lunch in their restaurant, we took a tour and did some tasting with owner, Uli Bennewitz. Lunch was delicious – I had a burger. You can peruse the menus here.
The first thing you should know is that Weeping Radish is the oldest microbrewery in all of North Carolina, opened in 1986! Uli wanted to open a microbrewery similar to the ones he left behind in Bavaria when he immigrated to the US. North Carolina laws at that time prevented breweries from selling directly to consumers, but he worked with lawmakers tirelessly to change that. North Carolina is now one of the leading microbrewery states.
The Weeping Radish property includes a farm used for sourcing for the on-site restaurant, as well as an in-house butcher shop. Cattle and hogs are sourced from local farms and processed on-site into sausage and charcuterie. Their retail counter sells sausage, pastrami, bacon, and beer.
Uli has stayed true to his Bavarian roots, brewing according to the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516. He’s also gotten creative with the various facets of his businesses. For instance, he pipes steam from the brewing process across the building to the smoking equipment.
“Since the beginning the Weeping Radish has brewed beer according to the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516 which states that beer must be brewed using only four ingredients: Hops, Malt, Yeast and Water. No additives, chemicals or preservatives may be used.”
Weeping Radish only does self-distributing of their beer at the brewery, so you’ll have to make a trip to the source if you want to check it out. It’s definitely worth the trip!
Of course, after lunch and tasting at a brewery, we had to round out our afternoon with a tour and tasting at Sanctuary Vineyards.
Sanctuary Vineyards is owned by the Wright family, who have called Currituck County home for seven generations. The first member of the family was shipwrecked on the coast – a great beginnings story!
They grow fourteen different types of European grapes on approximately 10 acres. We got the opportunity to go look at the vines as we learned family and vineyard history. I found it interesting that all their grapes are picked by hand. That’s a lot of picking, from what I saw!
We tasted quite a few Sanctuary wines. There wasn’t one I didn’t like, but my favorite was the 2015 Wright Brothers Reserve. It’s 50% Temperanillo, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Cabernet Franc, that is sourced from their best estate vineyard blocks. Sanctuary’s description: “Ripe blackberry, blueberry, and rum cherry notes float along a structured backbone of tannins.”
Sanctuary wines are available regionally and at the vineyards. They have regular live festival and music events.
Sampling all that beer and wine lead to powerful appetites, so we headed to Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe for dinner.
Located on the Roanoke Sound, this family owned and operated restaurant serves seafood caught in North Carolina by local fishermen only. Look at their menus and you’ll see who caught your meal. Their pork, poultry and vegetables are sourced from farms across the state. Herbs are grown in their on-site garden. Desserts are made from scratch daily by their pastry chefs.
An interesting tidbit we learned is that for Basnight’s to be able to buy directly from the local fishermen’s boats, they must have a “Dealers License”. This means smaller-quantity local fishermen can dock behind the restaurant, bring their catch in to the kitchen, and sell directly to Basnight’s.
Folks in the restaurant industry will find it incredible that Basnight’s food cost is at 40%. That’s the cost of supporting small local producers. They offset that with “shear volume” and they don’t advertise at all, relying instead on word of mouth. I can tell you that I almost – almost – got lost trying to find my way back to our table, the place is so big! And they were slammed, a common occurrence I’m told.
I’ll be making a point of going back to Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe whenever I’m in the area. Absolutely wonderful food and commitment to community.
Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe
7623 S Virginia Dare Trail
Nags Head, NC 27959
Phone: (252) 441-5405
After touring seafood processing facilities and a retail market connected to one of them on our final day, we finished up our tour with lunch at Garden Spot Cafe. It’s located in a building that was built around 1900 on the banks of the Roanoke River. One of the three sisters who opened the Cafe is still involved, with her son, in the daily operation. You can expect hearty portions of home-style cooking here. They have a pretty cool Steamer Bar upstairs that’s open Wednesday – Saturday. It wasn’t open the day we were in town. Bummer! See a picture of the Steamer Bar on their website.
Because this is such a landmark, there was a camera crew filming in the Cafe while we were there. Stop in if you’re in the area.
Garden Spot Cafe
124 W Water St
Plymouth, NC 27962
Phone: (252) 793-3600
Huge vs small. Straight vs curved. Size and shape matter. Especially in the world of farming, where it affects the bottom line in a big way.
The price commercial farmers get for any crop is based on current market “commodity” prices. But, they can’t sell the entire crop for that price. Why? Because some crop prices are based on size and shape.
I spent time at a couple of farms last month, learning about crops, pricing, and the realities of farming.
AJ Smith and Sons Farm in Edenton, NC
The farm was started by AJ Smith and is now run by his four sons and several grandsons. We met one of each, Jeff Smith and one of his sons.
The farm is extremely diversified. They grow clary sage (the oil is used in Channel perfume), peanuts, soybeans, corn, watermelons, cucumbers, and snap beans. They also have cattle and hogs.
I actually brought my travel bottle of Channel #5 so I could get a picture of it with the clary sage. Unfortunately we just missed the harvest, so no joy for #5.
Our group was looking at cucumbers – from field, to harvest, to prepping for sale. Did you know the thin coating of wax on cucumbers keeps them fresh longer? I didn’t! And I was surprised to learn about the difference in sale price based solely on cucumber shape.
This fresh-picked NC cucumber [pictured below] may bring a smile to your face, but not the farmers. Did you know farmers receive $6 per box of cucumbers with this shape because consumers want them straight? Same taste, different shape costs the farmer $6 per box, since a box of straight cucumbers brings $12.” ~ Heather Lifsey Barnes
Image: Heather Lifsey Barnes
One thing that was pretty amazing to me was how clean the open “barn” processing area was. It’s not a new building, either. Even the rafters on the 1 1/2 – 2 story high ceiling are cleaned regularly. I looked, and couldn’t find any dust or cobwebs!
I loved listening to Jeff talk about the history of the farm and the family involvement over the years.
John E Ferebee Farming, Inc. in Camden, NC
This seventh (eighth on deck) generation family farm focuses on potatoes, each year growing and packing red, white and yellow flesh potatoes they grow on 3,800 acres. Their potatoes are shipped across the United States and parts of Canada.
John E. “Ed” (6th gen) Ferebee’s daughters, Martha Ferebee and Susan Jennings, are running things these days. Martha took time out to show us white potato harvesting in the field, trucks unloading, the cleaning and sizing process, packaging and their pre-shipping collection area. As soon as the white potato harvest is done, the yellow potato harvest begins.
Harvesting four rows of white potatoes at a time
She explained the various sizes and their different values based on size. I thought it was interesting that the extra large, aka huge, potatoes are labeled “Chef” potatoes. And that’s who they go to. You’ve probably had one when you ordered a baked potato at a restaurant. The smallest potatoes are the most sought after and fetch the highest price.
Martha Ferebee explains various sizes and values. Migrant farmers behind Martha move from area to area working the harvests.Chef size white potatoes
We got a close up look at various packaging machinery which is extremely expensive, but well worth it in savings over time. The entire potato harvest takes only 4 to 5 weeks, so machinery cuts back on labor hours and increases daily output. Their goal is to dig, pack, and ship in one day.
Martha explained the coding on bag clips: date, farm, and field the potatoes came from. If there’s ever an issue with their potatoes, they’ll know exactly where and when they were harvested, so it’s a good place to begin investigating.
Next time you’re in the grocery store produce section, take a moment to think about the journey each cucumber, potato, or whatever it is you’re buying, has made from farm to store, and the people who grew it. If you read the little labels on each peace of produce, you’ll see where it’s from.
