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Thursday, May 30, 2013
Events Upcoming: Charlotte Brewers Festival, EpiCentre Charlotte Beer Festival
Posted By Bo McMillan on Thu, May 30, 2013 at 12:06 PM
There are few things in the world as perfect as the first sip of a good, cold beer on a scorching summer day. It's only natural, then, that multiple beer-related events are coming to the area to make good of Charlotte's sweltering summer weather and quench our thirsts for malty, hoppy deliciousness.
Two upcoming events are the Charlotte Brewers Festival and the EpiCentre Charlotte Beer Festival. Both will feature craft beer rather than the swills commonly known as commercially-produced beers, and each will give fans of the beverage the opportunity to spend the day guzzling, I mean, critically experiencing, a diverse arrange of breweries and styles.
Fans of, as I love to say, cerveza buena, however, must prepare for a tough decision when it comes these events - in an unfortunate turn, a scheduling crisis has placed both on June 1. But fret not, my brewski-loving compatriots, as a quick overview of their differentiating characteristics will ease your decision-making process and help you soundly pick the one more fit for you.
- OMB Facebook
- The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery will be at the Charlotte Brewers Festival
Events Upcoming: The What the Truck festival
Posted By Tori Wright on Thu, May 30, 2013 at 8:38 AM
It's that time of year again, when summer insists you pair food and music for a celebration of the warmer weather. The What the Truck festival at Amos' Southend does just that. The June 1 event will feature six local food trucks and a concert. Each food truck will be bringing its own flavor, from Root Down's soul, Southern and Creole food to Maki Taco's pan-Asian infusion. There's also Wingzza, serving pizza and wings - in case you didn't get the name - and Gourmet Goombahs, serving pizza on hoagies, cheese steaks, burgers and hot dogs. For entertainment, two '80s tribute bands, Trial by Fire and Sunset Strip, will be performing.
- Maki Taco Facebook
- Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos from Maki Taco
Get your free ticket at http://whatthetruck.eventbrite.com.
June 1, 7:30 p.m. Amos' Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Food News Now open: Bubble Lounge
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:09 AM
After teasing Charlotte for what feels like forever, the champagne bar Bubble Lounge finally opened this past weekend.
In addition to serving Dom Perignon by the glass, getting all mad scientist on us by steaming martinis with liquid nitrogen and creating "spherical flavor pearls" that add a "touch of color" to the drinks on the Slim List (that would be your low-calorie cocktails), Bubble will offer a "small but challenging and approachable menu," says operating partner Bourke Floyd. In the kitchen is chef Jason Kerton, an alum of the Culinary Institute of America.
"Challenging and approachable"? I'll say. On Media Day, we sampled a Caprese Napoleon, tomato, mozzarella and basil stacked like the strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ice cream; and a Foie Gras PB&J, foie gras with Muscat grape jelly and almond butter atop toasted brioche; amongst other dishes.
Bubble Lounge is located on the second floor of the EpiCentre, near Suite, and is open daily at 4 p.m.
Oh, and don't be surprised to see a familiar face adorning the walls in decor.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Events e2 emeril's eatery's crawfish boil makes some grown men cry
Posted By Bo McMillan on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 10:07 AM
I knew it was only a matter of time before my dad and stepmother, both recent transplants to Charlotte from the Gulf, would drag me out to my first crawfish boil. I could already anticipate the scene - shells flying in the humid outdoor air, sweaty red plastic cups, rolls of paper towel littered about and people with savory debris all over their clothes and faces.
This month, e2 emeril's eatery is hosting all-you-can-eat crawfish boils every Friday for $5 a person. For those of you unaware of what a crawfish boil is, imagine the Southern version of a clam bake - a ton of people get together and boil a combination of heavily seasoned crawfish and other vittles, drink lots of cold beer, gab and enjoy gorging themselves in the Southern outdoors. It's a staple of Gulf and bayou culture.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Events Upcoming Event: Funds to Farms
Posted By Kelly Davis on Fri, May 10, 2013 at 10:29 AM
- Funds to Farms
Funds to Farms, a grant program to fund local food programs that began last January in Durham, will hold its first event in Charlotte this Sunday.
Funds to Farms is the brainchild of Slow Money, a nonprofit that focuses on alternative financing for local food and agriculture projects. Organizations that focus on local food (like farms, restaurants and meal delivery services) are encouraged to apply for the grant to fund their "big idea." Judges then narrow down the eligible farms, ranking each "big idea" on the impact to the business (farm, restaurant, etc.), as well as their commitment to sustainability and sustainable agriculture.
"For $20, you get a great dinner, support these awesome farmers, and learn about all the innovative things they are doing in farming," says Amy Campbell of Slow Money. "We started this event series in conjunction with the Carolina Farm Steward Association, and it went so well that we started getting calls from people all over the state to know how they can get involved."
Three farms were selected to present their ideas at the May 12 event, which will be held at Triple C Brewing Company and catered by Roots Farm Food. These farms are:
- Birdsong Farms
- Cold Water Creek Farms
- Bountiful Harvest Farm
You can read more about the farms and their proposals here.
- Funds to Farms
- A farmer presents at the Durham Funds to Farm event held last January.
The farms' proposals are voted on by the event attendees and ranked first through third place. First place will receive the largest winnings. However, the winnings will be determined the night of the event based on the amount of money raised through ticket sales and donations. The first place winner of the Funds to Farm held in Durham last January took home $1,000 in winnings to purchase a a Komo small grain mill, seed cleaner, and seed sorting screens.
What: Funds to Farms Dinner
When: Sunday, May 12, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Triple C Brewing Company, 2900 Griffith St.
Cost: $20 for the public, $15 for farmers (limited amount)
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Food News It's Tupelo, honey
Posted By Victoria Wright on Thu, May 9, 2013 at 3:40 PM
When I think of Asheville's culture, I think of my grandmother using such eloquent phrases as, "He hasn't got a pot to piss in." It goes without saying that there are better ways to capture the best of my hometown's multiple worlds from its hippies to its country folk, and a new restaurant coming to Charlotte does just that.
According to WCNC, the popular Asheville restaurant Tupelo Honey Cafe plans to open a new store in Charlotte's South End. The restaurant will be moving into the location where Pewter Rose resided for 25 years before it closed in January.
Tupelo is straight out of the Blue Ridge Mountains and comes with a menu so much country twang and Southern hospitality that you might slip in a few "have mercy's" and "bless your hearts" before the meal is ordered. With its New South approach and mountain roots, it appears that Tupelo embraces the quintessential elements that Asheville has to offer: locally grown food, good old-fashioned Southern grease and a menu with more country clichés than even my grandmother could throw out.
And it's not an Asheville-inspired restaurant without the moonshine, and that they have (the legal kind, of course). Tupelo also offers the best from the other side of Asheville - think hippie-inspired: a menu with a range of gluten-free, soy-free and vegan options.
With six locations (Charlotte will make seven), Tupelo's "fluent in flavor" approach has garnered a lot of popularity for itself. So far, there is no date set for the open yet, other than "the near future," proprietor Steve Frabitore told NBC Charlotte a month ago.
If you're feeling particularly Southern today or just want to see what the buzz is all about, check out Tupelo's website. Just try to read it without a Southern drawl.
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Photos: Mint Museum's Allure of Flowers After Hours
A peek into a fancy foodie fundraising event that incorporated flowers into, well, everything.
