I try to be a conduit of local Food News, so please check StuHelmFoodFan.com often to see what’s new and coming up in the amazing food scene of Asheville and WNC. People with Food News that they would like for me to pass along to the readers and eaters, please send me you press releases to StuHelmAVL@gmail.com, and be sure to include a graphic or photo of some kind.
THE FOOD NEWS
THIS JUST IN: From the Asheville Wine and Food Festival
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The Asheville Wine & Food Festival:
Ten years…Thank you for joining us!
With intention and planning, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival was a hit from the beginning. In fact, the growth of the festival over the years has been exemplary. We have watched as the longtime festival director developed a full Cocktail Week that takes place during the first week of May annually.
Subsequent the first year, which was a gathering of friends by the river, the festival has been able to grow to nearly 5,000 attendees over the course of its lifetime, and Asheville Cocktail Week boasts over 3,000 attendees since its separation from the festival lineup in 2016.
This recent development evolved from one of the previously owned signature Asheville Wine & Food Festival events… ELIXIR. Come see why this week-long event has created quite the stir from April 29 through May 6, 2018!
The Asheville Wine & Food Festival thanks you for ten years of support & we look forward to seeing you at some of our favorite local venues during Asheville Cocktail Week.
www.AshevilleWineAndFood.com www.CarolinaCocktailWeek.com
The Asheville Wine & Food Festival: Ten years…Thank you for joining us!
Asheville is ranked as one of the top designations in the world to visit in 2018 by Forbes, and number one on the list of “New Top Cities for Wine in the United States” by The Travel Channel. For ten years, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival has been a culinary weekend of food, drink and fun. The festival was named a Top 20 Event by Southeast Tourism Society. TripAdvisor, in the “The Travelers’ Choice® Food and Wine Destinations Awards”, placed Asheville right up there with New York City, San Francisco, New Orleans & Chicago. Southern Living has listed us among the “Tastiest Towns in the South”.
The festival was a hit from the beginning because it didn’t grow too quickly for its intention, and care was given to the methods of development. In fact, the growth of the festival over the years has been
exemplary. We have watched as the longtime festival director developed a full Cocktail Week that takes place during the first week of May annually. This recent development evolved from one of the previously owned signature Asheville Wine & Food Festival events… ELIXIR. Come see why this weeklong event has created quite the stir from April 29 through May 6, 2018! We have had attendees from our own region as well as visitors from New York to Florida to California. To continue in the interest of providing value to our guests, we were able to extend the festival to include
alternate events such as AMUSE and ESSENCE in 2015. Subsequent the first year, which was a gathering of friends by the river, the festival has been able to grow to nearly 5,000 attendees over the
course of its lifetime, and Asheville Cocktail Week boasts over 3,000 attendees since its separation from the festival lineup in 2016.
Asheville Cocktail Week is a celebration of the art of mixology and craft spirits, combining the best talent and trends the industry has to offer. This weeklong event provides something for everyone from industry to the occasional cocktail drinker, and highlights both the talent as well as local venues where such spirits may be enjoyed. This year’s event locations include Posts 25 and 70, Rhubarb, Vivian, and The Waterbird. Tickets and information are available on the website at www.CarolinaCocktailWeek.com. With so many attendees and related exposure for local restaurants, wineries, distilleries and other vendors, the festival receives the support of the City of Asheville and Tourism Department, as well as the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVB) annually. The festival always donated some of its proceeds to local charities reflective of plant-to-table and farm-to-table activities. The Asheville Wine and Food Festival has taken pride in giving its festival participants the opportunity to savor the mountains like never before… and Asheville Cocktail Week has become recorded as the largest cocktail and distilling event in the southeast, creating a week long party. The development of both events celebrates the unique vibe that Asheville, NC has to offer.
Boilerplate: Asheville has been ranked as one of the top designations in the world to visit in 2018 by Forbes, and number one on the list of “New Top Cities for Wine in the United States” by The Travel Channel. As a culinary weekend of food, drink and fun, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival was named a Top 20 Event by Southeast Tourism Society. For ten years, the festival has given its participants the opportunity to savor the mountains like never before… and Asheville Cocktail Week has grown to become the largest cocktail and distilling event in the southeast, creating a week long party. The development of both events, and evolution of the upcoming wildly popular Cocktail Week, April 29 through May 6,celebrate the unique vibe that Asheville, NC has to offer.
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THIS JUST IN: From Our Friends at MG Road!
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Greetings Stu!
Wanted to let you know that starting April 8th, we’re having Spring Break at MG Road! It’s going to be a week-long pop-up featuring tropical drinks, live music, prizes and giveaways, DJ dance parties, a drag show, karaoke, photo booth to benefit the Asheville Darkroom and more! I’ve attached the poster listening all the events, and they are also listed below.
Best,
Molly
Kicking off the event on Sunday, April 8th will be the return of Freaky Tiki, the sequel to last year’s tiki extravaganza featuring an outstanding menu of exotic tiki cocktails, Polynesian-inspired food by Rick Shaw, and live music by the Krektones. (Open from 7PM-2AM, Krektones start at 8PM).
On Monday the 9th, our regularly scheduled weekly Living Room Series will feature free live music (artist TBA) with a special “island edition”–think tropical, steel-drum, Margaritavilla vibes!
On Tuesday the 10th, Classic Tuesday with Sam Thompson will feature a menu of classic tiki drinks throughout history.
On Wednesday the 11th, a beachy pool-party themed dance party with DJ Lil Meow Meow will kick off at 8PM. Frozen drinks, pool toys and giveaways by Bacardi and Malibu are in store, plus lots of other fun treats!
On Thursday the 12th, DJ Bridal Parti Burcardi will host our monthly Green Screen Karaoke–this time, with an “MTV Spring Break” twist. Start thinking about your favorite songs to sing from the 90s and early 2000s!
On Friday the 13th, DJ No Respecto will bring you the hottest European dance/disco/house/techno in our first ever Euro trash dance party. Party goes from 10PM-2AM!
On Saturday the 14th, DJ Warf will host an outrageously fun hip-hop dance party. 10PM-2AM
Finally, on Sunday the 15th, we’ll wrap up Spring Break with a dance party and drag show featuring the legendary Priscilla Chambers and special guest queens. Drag show and music by DJ Lil Meow Meow starts at 10PM!
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THIS JUST IN: From Hickory Nut Gap Farm
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April 21 Fairy Party: Springtime Celebration
We are excited for our Fairy Party coming up in a few weeks! Joining us this year will be the Wushu Association of Carolina Lion Dancers and the LED Hula Hooping Group. We will also have a fun scavenger hunt to find all of the missing Dragon Eggs around the farm. Fairy costumes are encouraged!
NATM Starts Up on April 7th!
Join us at the North Asheville Tailgate Market (at UNCA) on Saturdays from 8am – 12pm for meats, eggs, and more from our farm!
Join us at Cheese Fest on April 29th
Attention Cheese Lovers! Hickory Nut Gap will be vending and sampling this year at Cheese Fest, which will be held at Highland Brewing Co. This event is always a blast!
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THIS JUST IN: From The French Broad Food Co-op Newsletter
I get the French Broad Food Co-op’s email newsletter and it is one of the most beautiful and easy to read newsletters i receive. It’s usually something like 6 pages of bright, colorful pictures and great deals on healthy,local, organic food and body care products! Below are just two pages of the most recent newsletter, you can see the whole thing HERE. You do not have to be a member of the co-op to benefit from these sale prices.
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From left: Chef Jacob Sessoms of Table; Chef William Dissen, The Market Place; Chef Steven Goff, Standard Foods; Chef Katie Button, Curate; Chef Joe Scully, Chestnut and Corner Kitchen; Stu Helm; Chef John Fleer, Rhubarb; Chef Karen Donatelli, Donatelli Bakery; Chef Peter Pollay, Posana Cafe; and Chef Matt Dawes, Bull & Beggar./ Photo by STEWART O’SHIELDS for ASHVEGAS.COM
Stu Helm is an artist, writer, and podcaster living in Asheville, NC, and a frequent diner at local restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and the like. His tastes run from hot dogs and mac ‘n’ cheese, to haute cuisine, and his opinions are based on a lifetime of eating out. He began writing about food strictly to amuse his friends on Facebook.
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