GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS

Today’s Podcast was originally broadcast by WPVM 103.7fm on December 9 & 10, 2022, and features interviews with Chef / Farmer Sunil Patel from Patchwork Urban Farms, and Thomas Parker from Asheville Custom EBikes. I also reviewed a few things and I recorded a segment about holiday gift ideas!

Today’s newsletter (below) features many of the things discussed in the podcast (I’m trying to synch them up these days!) including food suggestions, Ebikes, gift ideas & dessert! If you have time to look, read, and listen, I hope you will find it informative and entertaining. Thanks!

MEHFIL

I went to Mëhfil Indian restaurant on Biltmore Ave downtown again recently, this time with my buddy Rick, where we hit up the buffet, and it was awesome, as always. I ate a ton of food… then went back for seconds. Here’s pictures of both my plates full.

Mëhfil is quickly turning into one of my favorites, as well as one Asheville’s favorites! People always ask me if I’ve been, because they’ve been and they love it! I saw two other local media / F&B people while we were there. If you like Indian food, you’ll love Mëhfil, 100%. When you go in, please tell them Stu sent you. They’re super nice people, and because I go in there with Asheville Food Tours once a week now, we’ve become friends.

DESTINATION EAT DRINK: ASHEVILLE

Asheville is featured on this great podcast called Destination: Eat Drink! I was contacted by the host Brent Peterson, and together we talked about a lot of fun, local, Asheville stuff! He’s a big fan of our town, and I am too, so that worked out nice.

“Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina is the foodie haven of Asheville. Brent talks with Stu Helm: Food Fan from Asheville Food Tours about biscuits, pimento cheese, great breakfast spots, and donuts made to order. Plus, we talk Asheville’s famous craft beer scene including a place with the great name of the Wicked Weed Funkatorium.”

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GOOD AF Truck

A couple Sundays back, my family & I paid a visit to the Good Asheville Food truck parked at The Getaway River Bar and shared a small feast of excellent Asian-inspired dishes, including some very savory & delicious shrimp ramen, an order of spring rolls & one of dumplings, as well chicken wings, vegan chicken nuggets, and banana-red bean paste lumpia for dessert! My whole fam enjoyed every bite, and crushed it all!

May be an image of food — More pictures available on Facebook…

That green “Asian ranch” sauce with wings & veeg-nugs was not only awesome, but also vegan! High recommends for this truck, Y’all. Chef David Van Tassel is the man behind the menu, with dishes being added by Chef Sunil Patel, as well as other guest chefs as time goes on, so you know it’s gonna be Good AF! Follow them on Instagram to keep up with where they’ll be parked and what’s on the menu. 🙂❤️🔥🤘

GOT ME AN EBIKE

Y’all, meet my new e-bike! I heard about ACE Bikes via Asheville Multicultural, and put a down payment on a beautiful sparkly black Eahora Electric Bikes “Urban” a month or so ago. Then I just waited for it to be shipped to Asheville, until I got the call yesterday, and I walked down to the shop in the River Arts District. I settled-up with ACE, then I rode this bad baby home, smooth as butter, Yo! I bought this electric specifically so that my fat ass will be able to visit more restaurants in parts of town that are too far for me to walk to!

True story: The minute I heard the news that Chef Elliott Moss is opening a new joint waaaay out at the other ass-end of Haywood Ave, I said to myself, “Well… I’d better pull the trigger on that dang e-bike I've been wantin'” 😂😂😂

THE STOOBIES ARE COMING

I went to lunch at Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville with my sister on Saturday and I had the double patty smash burger which is frickin’ perfect. I. Love. It. 🔥🔥🔥

Sneak Peek: It’s one of 5 burgers that I will be nominating for a 2022 “Smash Burger of the Year” award in January 2023!

This year, for the first time I’m splitting the burger category into two separate awards: Smash Burger of the Year and Bar Burger of the Year. As we have discussed, they are two different animals, and I look for totally different things in them. I’ll explain more when the Stoobies start to trickle out.

MANNA FOODBANK FUNDRAISER

Y'ALLLLLL! We're so close / not even close to reaching our goal for MANNA FoodBank with our Facebook fundraiser. We've raised over $3,000 so far, but it took us two months to get there. Now we have just under $2,000 to go, but only three weeks to get it done! Please use this button to donate TODAY if you can...

DONATE TO MANNA

For every dollar you give, MANNA can provide 4 meals to hungry people in WNC! Imagine the good they can do with $5,000! Also, your donations are tax deductible, and 100% of what you give goes to MANNA! Neither Facebook, nor I, will keep one cent of your donation! Thank you in advance for your generosity in this giving season!

DESSERT / GIFT IDEA

I popped into Chestnut to purchase their Cookies for a Cause at the hosts’ stand. Six cookies for $12, the proceeds go to Our Voice Asheville. They come in a cute box, perfect for gifting. I gifted these to myself.

It's 100% my fault that the little red bow is squashed and the snowflake got busted. I jammed the box into my backpack and it may have got slightly jostled.

Frosted Gingerbread snowflake (my fave), molasses, red velvet, peppermint chocolate, and classic chocolate chip. Go get ‘em and help support a very worthy cause! ❤️

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Stu Helm: Food Fan

Good Morning, Friends...