Yesterday we did one of my favorite things… We went shop to shop, neighbor to neighbor, and delivered small goodie baskets while we got to “shake hands and kiss babies”. I looked up the origin of this saying, and it looks like the phrase was coined back in the 1830’s. Politicians would literally go door-to-door shaking hands and kissing babies while asking for votes. I guess we did a bit of the same yesterday. I love that Southerners still welcome you at the door and will never turn down a savory treat. We introduced ourselves, exchanged pleasantries, and let everyone know that we offer grab-n-go bites, drinks, and charcuterie boards at our Biltmore Village store. We are excited about it...
The terrain of Asheville is incredible. A plethora of outdoor options are always available including: Hiking, biking, running, brewery hopping, walking tours, zip lining, sports, and on and on. Rainy days make for more of a challenge to get out and explore this awesome town. Here are a few things we like to do on rainy days around Asheville. The Track at Asheville (https://thetrackavl.com/) SIM Racing experience. Asheville Pinball Museum (https://pinball.ashevillepinball.com/) 75 machines. Pay a flat-fee per person. Asheville RetroCade (https://www.ashevilleretrocade.com/) Over 5000 video games and more. Pay a flat-fee per person. Biltmore Estate (https://www.biltmore.com) The incredible house. The incredible estate. Worth every penny. Shopping in Biltmore Village (https://historicbiltmorevillage.com/). RAD (https://www.riverartsdistrict.com/). Come see the artists at work. Easy to walk....
We’d start REALLY early… Pour a cup of coffee (meetup with some of our closest friends) and head up the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 404.5. Nothing beats, starting the day with a little quiet time and a perfect sunrise view at Mills River Valley Overlook. Then, we’d head back down the mountain to Ivory Road Café for a Mimosa and the Southern Skillet breakfast. After a full belly and a little liquid courage, we’d head to West Asheville to Provisions Mercantile to grab up some local charcuterie snacks/drinks for a picnic. With the windows down, and music up, we’d ride out to Bearwallow Mountain Trail. It’s perfection…. A one-mile hike up, perfect panoramic views, and then a quick hike...
It’s a somewhat antiquated tradition, but one that shouldn’t be let go of for good reason. Cooking in cast iron survives generations of new cooking gadgets popping up here and there because the food that comes out of these tried and true pots and pans are just that delicious. They stand the test of time for that reason and should be a part of every chef’s kitchen. When it comes to cooking in cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens, there is no better time than the last quarter of the year. When the leaves change, then eventually fall and crunch; and when our pumpkin spice lattes morph into holiday eggnogs, the comfort food born in cast iron starts...
“The cast iron skillet had been seasoned before she was born…” -Kelly J. Ford Cast iron skillets aren’t like other pans. They aren’t meant to be washed with soap, or replaced when they get old. They aren’t meant to be pretty or change with the times. They aren’t trendy. No, just the opposite. They are meant to age into matriarchs of families, where they hold all the secrets of every ingredient ever tasted. They hold onto the smallest morsels, and carry memories with their lingering specks of cornmeal. My grandmother had a lot of mouths to feed when the family came together. I was blessed by a family flowing with aunts, uncles, and cousins. Oftentimes, “Mamaw” would make a...
