GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS
Today’s Podcast is episode 22/09/02 of the Food Fans Radio Show which originally aired on WPVM 103.7fm, on Friday September 2nd, 2022, and features, Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack via Kickbackavl, 12 Bones, All Souls Pizza, plus a segment on how & why Modesto, Manicomio, Twisted Laurel, Storm, & Sunshine Sammies, use Asheville Food Tours, and then an excellent discussion about smash burgers vs bar burgers w/ Chef Steven Goff from Tastee Diner. Lot’s of recommendations & good info!
The Newsletter below features the Pizza of the Month, an upcoming fancy dinner with tickets available, a recipe from Morocco, and an incredible burger! If you have time to look, read & listen, I hope that you will enjoy!
PIZZA OF THE MONTH
My friend Drew from Asheville Pizza South brought me his pizza of the month for October yesterday, and I shared it with my friend Lucho from Asheville Multicultural, and we both loved it!
It’s very much an Oktoberfest theme, with a garlic olive oil & Asheville Brewing Company ninja porter base, plus onions, Hickory Nut Gap bratwurst, and Asheville Brewing Fire Escape jalapeño pale ale beer cheese on top, with Lusty Monk mustard added after coming out of the oven. This one is gonna wake up your mouth and fill up your stomach! High recommends from me, Lucho, and even Dawn, who took a couple bites & agreed!
Asheville Pizza South won the 2022 WNC Pizza Fight, in part because of the specialty pie they submitted, so don’t sleep on their Pizza of the Month, this month or any other! Enjoy! 🔥🔥🔥
THIS JUST IN
From our good friends at Citizen Vinyl...
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Mon., Oct 24 We're excited to host our next Turntable Supper dinner, featuring James Beard semifinalist Chef Annie Pettry. She's crafting a menu inspired by remixes that will be paired with a live set by DJ Isaac G. Tickets go on sale Friday, Sept. 30 at 9:00am. Seating is limited, grab your spot before it's gone!
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RECIPE
Our friends at Cottage Cooking usually include a fun & easy to make recipe in their newsletter, below is their latest! Dawn & I took a class with these folks & it was super fun, so I recommend it!
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Let's Share a Moroccan Culinary Experience. Cottage Cooking recently traveled to Morocco.
“We were in awe of this wonderful culture filled with traditions, food, art and music. The spice markets seduced us with their sultry aromas and our culinary experiences ranged from traditional tagines (a Moroccan cooking vessel made of ceramic or unglazed clay with a round base and low sides) and vegetable couscous to shrimp croquettes and milk pastilla. Mint tea is a large part of this country's hospitality - and they often joke that it's their whiskey.
“While there, we took a cooking class of our own and here, we share a simple, but delicious recipe for a popular starter - Zaalouk Salad - made from roasted eggplant and tomatoes. Here's what you'll need to make a batch for 4 -6 people:
1 large eggplant, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 T paprika
1 T cumin
1 t salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water
1/8 t cayenne pepper, more to taste
optional 1 lemon wedge
DIRECTIONS: Combine eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, parsley, paprika, cumin, salt, oil, water, and cayenne in a large deep skillet or pot. | Cover and simmer over medium to medium-high heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. | With a spoon or potato masher, crush and blend tomatoes and eggplant. | Add lemon wedge to the pot, if using. | Continue simmering mixture, uncovered, for 10 minutes. | The lemon will give a tangy nuance, but is not necessary. | The zaalouk is ready when liquids are reduced and mixture can be stirred into a heap in the center of the pan. | Drizzle with some olive or chili oil and serve with a crusty bread!
If you like this, come join us for an evening filled with Moroccan flavors and tales from North Africa as we've added a new menu to our offerings. It will include this recipe as well as a chicken tagine, nut and fruit salad and of course - mint tea! The higher you pour the tea, the more important the guest. How high will we pour your tea?? You'll have to come and see ;) Check out our current class schedule HERE!
BURGER RECOMMEND
Y’all… this incredible burger is about to drop. It’s called the “JC” burger in honor of Julia Child, and it will be added to the menu at Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville next week! It’s a grounded blend of various cuts of beef, with caramelized onions, Duke's Mayonnaise, and an incredibly tasty Sauce Robert.
Chef Tom LaFauci has been serving it to me and my tour patrons lately (he often tests out new menu items with tours before putting them on the menu) and to a person my patrons have LOVED it, one called it “the best burger I’ve ever had in my life!” Not even kidding. A guy said that, and he confessed that he had eaten a LOT of burgers in his lifetime! 😂 I also loved it, which means that Twisted now has TWO of the best burgers in AVL: Their smash burger, and now, The JC Burger! ❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️
BUNCOMBE COUNTY VOTER GUIDE
Are you ready for the 2022 General Election? If you're not, that's ok, because the 2022 Buncombe voter guide is available online! These non-partisan guides provide you with important election dates, tips on how to make sure your vote counts, and responses from your local candidates with their stances on important issues heading into the midterm.Click HERE to view the digital version and share it with your friends & family.
Voting details for the 2022 General Election:
• Early voting runs Thursday, October 20 through Saturday, November 5 (at 3 PM)
• Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.
• Find early voting sites by selecting your county on the lookup tool at demnc.co/voteearly.
• You can also check your voter registration status, Election Day polling place, and possible sample ballot at demnc.co/poll. For even more election-related info visit ncvoter.org, your one-stop trusted voter education website.
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Good Morning, Friends...