I admit it; I’m a pie geek. (Not a pie snob; “pie” and “snob” cannot go together! Pie is inherently snob-proof.) I could debate the merits of pie all day. Pie has to be good, preferably containing fresh or seasonal ingredientsno canned goo, pleaseand a homemade crust. Those premade, prestamped, prepackaged shells might be a […]
Claire Cusick
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheDoughEater
Posted inFood & Drink
New, expanded and coming-soon restaurants
Party In A Pita (2893 Jones Franklin Road, Raleigh, 851-4998, www.partyinapita.com) is now open in the Swift Creek Shopping Center. This party, which has been serving Lebanese and Greek food (gyros, falafel, baba ghanoush) as a truck vendor that debuted at the 2006 N.C. State Fair, now has a permanent home. Owners Leann Ishak and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Local resources for hosting Thanksgiving
Let’s not freak out, all right? It is not too late to get ourselves together to host Thanksgiving. Let’s plan. Perhaps we should have a glass of wine first. Just one! Perhaps more than one. On Thursday, Nov. 19, The Chapel Hill Museum (523 E. Franklin St., 967-1400, www.chapelhillmuseum.org) hosts its annual celebration of Beaujolais […]
Posted inFood & Drink
American Idol and The Sopranos come to townsort of
Ever heard of a little singing contest on television called American Idol? Well, it turns out that the producers of this modest hit, Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick, also produce wines from their own vineyard, Villa San-Juliette. The Weathervane restaurant at A Southern Season (201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 929-9466, www.southernseason.com/cafe.asp) is hosting a […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Brunch is the perfect meal
I feel about brunch the way Homer Simpson feels about donuts. Brunch is the perfect meal: not too early, not too fussy, come as you are, eat breakfast or lunch, savory or sweetso I’m way bummed that I missed Chef Shirlé Hale Koslowski’s vegan brunch last Sunday at The Pinhook (117 W. Main St., Durham, […]
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Oktoberfests and beer fests
In honor of Oktoberfest, here’s a smorgasbord of news. New restaurant: Zoë’s Kitchen (1028 Oberlin Road, Suite 248, Raleigh, 838-0909, www.zoeskitchen.com) opened recently in the Oberlin Court shopping center. Zoë’s is a “fast casual” small chain headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., and growing throughout the Southeast. It offers fresh-made sandwiches, salads, pitas, hot entrées and roll-ups […]
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Drinks and desserts!
Well, I tell you, it seems like nothing but decadence in the ol’ inbox lately. Forget high-minded activities like growing organic spinach or signing up for a winter CSA. Curiously, my eyes skip straight over these items and travel straight to the drinks and desserts. Apex Beverage Co. (800 W. Williams St., 877-367-9414, www.apexbeveragecompany.com) is […]
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Eastern Triangle Farm Tour
So, did you tour urban farms last weekend in Carrboro? This weekend, you can add yang to that farming yin by cruising around the Eastern Triangle Farm Tour, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The self-guided circuit showcases 20 farms, including four new ones. They feature pastured beef, sheep, goats, chickens and hogs; organic […]
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Carrboro’s Urban Farm Tour
Carrboro Green Space (carrborogreenspace.org) hosts its second Urban Farm Tour from 3 to 8 p.m. Sept. 12. The group, a “center for community and sustainability,” wants to expand the definition of viable farmland to mean more than huge stretches of wide open spaces. This free event showcases more than 15 sites in Carrboro and Chapel […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Grapes and crepes
It’s September, and aren’t we all ready to throw ourselves back into things? To participate in the age-old ritual of the harvest? To taste new flatbreads? That’s right, our food scene is now serving up opportunities in grapes and crepes. The summer has been sticky and hot, and it’s not over yet. But I’m not […]