ALL ARTICLES
Eastern Carolina Fish Stew
In Eastern Carolina when a group needs to raise money for a cause, they sell food. From church fellowship halls, volunteer fire departments, or community buildings, five times out of ten, the offering is something they call “fish stew.”
The Root of Passion
After planting variety of beet seeds, Anne and Aaron Grier of Gaining Ground in Leicester watch and wait, both patiently and anxiously, for the Golden Grex, Chioggia, Early Wonder Tall Tops, and Robin seeds to germinate.
Beet & Root Vegetable Chips
Roasted, steamed, pickled, chopped into relish, or—as she is sharing here—rendered into crispy chips, Ashley English takes beets any way she can get them.
Root-Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Roasted Root Vegetables
With root beer and sorghum, the tastes of sassafras and Appalachia's favorite homegrown syrup blend to create a perfect combo for fall.
Next Generation
Agriculture is a multigenerational affair at Hickory Nut Gap Farm, which has been in the family for a century. Jamie and Amy Ager have transformed a modest family business into one of the region’s largest suppliers of pasture-raised meat.
Kale-Peanut Pesto Rolled Flank Steak
This recipe is a variation of one created by chef Nate Sloan of Hickory Nut Gap Farm for Farmer and Chef Asheville.
The Miso Masters
Rutherfordton, North Carolina, population 4,222, is home to a business you wouldn’t expect to find in a small Appalachian town: American Miso Company, the world’s largest producer of organic miso.
Buttermilk Cornbread Soup
You can sometimes find this life-changing soup on the menu at Fleer’s latest restaurant, Rhubarb, in Asheville, North Carolina. Or you can make it at home with his recipe, graciously shared here.
Magic in the Making
“I have a primal love of these mountains,” Ronni Lundy tells me. In her new book she has written a love letter—perhaps a tough-love letter—to the region and its food.
Shoulder-to-Waist Eating
By butchering beef at Nightbell, Katie Button saves money, helps farmers, and gets exactly the cuts she wants.
Leather Britches
Making the bounty of a summer garden last through winter usually involves Mason jars and a water bath. In Appalachia, however, preserving food has often meant not just canning but also drying—and this is especially true of beans.
The Great Blueberry Rescue
The first summer Rett Murphy and Kathryn Skelley-Watts owned their farm, a visiting friend walked into a field overgrown with weeds and immediately disappeared from sight. A few minutes later, Murphy said, “I saw his hand rise up over the jungle, holding a few berries.” With that, plans for the farm changed.
Inside the Wine Cellar at Biltmore Estate
The winery at the Biltmore Estate sells more than a million bottles a year, producing award-winning wines that have been served at the White House.
Beer From the Ground Up
Western North Carolina has no shortage of craft brewers. But while the beer is made locally, most of the primary ingredients that go into it are shipped in from other states, or even other countries.
From Argentina to Asheville
Her empanadas are Argentinean, her crepes are French, her tamales are Mexican, but Cecilia Marchesini’s love of cooking carries a different passport.
Fine Arts, Fine Food
For a perfect day trip, visit the Penland School of Crafts in Mitchell County and follow up with a meal from chef Nate Allen at Knife and Fork.
The GIY Burger
For the best hamburger, grind it yourself. Asheville’s own Meredith Leigh, author of The Ethical Meat Handbook, tells you how.
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