Pompieri Pizza to host Lambrusco Fest 2015

If pizza, wine, Italian food, music and fun for the whole family sounds like a perfect combination, make plans to attend the first annual LambruscoFest. That it's being held in Durham, the Tastiest Town in the South, well, just take that as insurance that it will be awesome.

Durham's Pompieri Pizza will host a family-friendly food and Lambrusco wine festival on Durham’s City Hall Plaza June 20, 2015 from 2 until 7 PM. The street will be closed for this outdoor event celebrating the “breadbasket” region of Italy called Emilia-Romagna.

Festival goers can purchase a tasting punch card and then go around the festival tasting and trying authentic foods such as Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, real gelato (Italian ice-cream), Balsamic vinegar from Modena, various salumi (cured meats), olive oils and of course Pompieri’s Neapolitan-style pizza to name a few items. Adults can purchase a wine punch card to sample Lambrusco wines of all sorts. Food and wine will also be available to purchase as a meal during the festival.

The music at LambruscoFest will feature A Cappella singers. A Cappella comes from the Italian “in the manner of the chapel” performed by a group of voices without instruments. The festival will have a stage with sound system to allow the various vocal groups to perform that afternoon. The music is free for everyone to enjoy.

There will be a children’s play area staffed by the Schoolhouse of Wonder. Everyone of all ages is welcome to enjoy the food, beverages and music. The event will benefit Schoolhouse of Wonder and will donate a portion of the event’s proceeds to this nonprofit that develops kind, curious, and confident kids through nature-based outdoor adventures.

Like many of Durham's other culinary festivals like The World Beer Festival, The Doughman, and Bull City Food and Beer Experience, LambruscoFest is listed on the Durham Event Calendar.

Praise for Durham's Bull City Burger and Brewery

Authentic. That word carries a lot of weight in Durham, and those that exemplify it get a lot of community support. Seth Gross, and his first restaurant, Bull City Burger and Brewery are featured in an article in the national magazine Quick Service Review that celebrates places like BCBB that focus on quality, and not quantity, and it is through quality that Gross and his team demonstrate authenticity.

Not only does Gross source nearly everything within a tight radius, but the restaurant makes just about everything in house from scratch. Gross, a trained chef and experienced brewer, also makes all the beer they sell in house, too.

The article highlights some of the nation's most revered independent eateries that fall into the quick service concept. These are not fine dining establishments, and BCBB does not offer table service - patrons order at a counter or at the bar - but it is fine eating and drinking.

Read the article here, and about all of Durham's restaurants that have earned high praise like this here.  As always, planning a trip to Durham is easy online.

Durham Food Scene in the Spotlight, Again

Bull City Burger and Brewery
is just one of the restaurants
in Cox's restaurant article.

The food scene in Durham, NC is the subject of a great deal of attention, and has been for years. Food is part of Durham's DNA. Whether it's artisan ice cream, varietal-specific hot chocolate curated like fine wine or coffee, or authentic BBQ cooked in the traditions of generations passed, Durham offers a version worth having!

Greg Cox, the food critic for The News & Observer has written what amounts to a love letter to Durham including videos about its food wherein he details offerings from around Downtown Durham specifically.  Check it out, enjoy a meal, or 20, and then come back and do it again.  While the article notes that Bon Appetit magazine named Durham (along with Chapel Hill) as America's Foodiest Small Town in 2008, it should not go unnoticed that Durham also earned the title of Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living magazine in 2013. Durham is home to more than 50 restaurants that have achieved Celebrated Cuisine status, all of which can be seen online.

Learn more about visiting Durham here, and make a dining plan for Durham here.

Durham Becoming a BBQ Mecca

Durham, NC's oldest restaurant is a BBQ spot called Bullock's, and up until a few years ago, the second oldest was, too. BBQ runs deep in Durham.


Today it was announced via Twitter that Durham is one step closer to welcoming another BBQ restaurant - this one owned and operated by world-famous pitmaster, Ed Mitchell.

Named Ed Mitchell's Que, this spot is tucked into the Diamond View Three building in the shadow of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park across the street from the American Tobacco Campus on Blackwell Street. It will join 11 other dedicated BBQ restaurants in Durham, and dozens of others in town that offer up 'cue on their menus alongside other dishes. Durham is a town serious about its food and was named the Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living magazine last year.

The NC barbecue landscape has been earning significantly increased attention in the last few years as diners nation- and world-wide have come to love an respect the dish. Now Durham is going to be a more direct focal point with this new restaurant. "Mitchell is a titan in the field of BBQ. That he is bringing his talent to Durham is a great commentary on the overall dining scene," said Sam Poley, Director of Public Relations for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB). "And it's especially good news for those who like to eat great food," Poley added.

Mitchell attends BBQ competitions around the world, and is a widely considered one of the very best in the business. Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance John T. Edge, a well-respected authority on food authenticity, named Mitchell the #1 Pitmaster in NC back in 2002. Mitchell has gained additional notoriety by appearances on the Food Network's Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he was victorious in the competition with the renowned NY chef, and on CNN's Eatocracy.

Known for his talent for flavors, textures, and technique. Mitchell is also known for his big personality and story telling.  He's an engaging character who has already made an impact on Durham.  Mitchell was the culinary driving force behind The Pit, a Raleigh restaurant that opened a second location in Durham in November last year. Mitchell is now focusing on his own project that is due to open very soon.

Find Mitchell's restaurant on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter. See a list of Durham restaurants that either specialize in, or highlight BBQ, on their menus online.

Pompieri Pizza Contest Will Give Away Free Pizza for a Year

As the Tastiest Town in the South, Durham's ever-expanding food scene has welcomed newcomer Pompieri Pizza to town with open mouths and hungry stomachs. It joins the ranks of other artisan pizza restaurants in Durham, and in a style typical of owner Seth Gross, there's a great twist filled with intellect and heart...

...and creativity, too.  

Pompieri Pizza, the newest venture from Gross who is chef/sommelier/restaurateur/brewmaster of Bull City Burger and Brewery, one of Durham's Celebrated Cuisine restaurants, a distinction earned by restaurants that have been covered in major media.

In April, Pompieri will host a Pizza Box Contest that invites customers to decorate a pizza box to be judged by a panel who will award several lucky winners in two age brackets a pizza and a nonalcoholic drink every week for a year. Learn more about the Pizza Box Contest and how to participate. Ever the creative marketer, Gross runs a program at his brewery where annually he hides five golden bulls and posts clues on how to find them. Like the pizza box contest, those who find the bulls win a weekly food prize, as well.

Pompieri Pizza focuses on Neapolitan-style pizza fired in wood fired ovens in open view of the dining room. The restaurant is located inside Durham's historic fire station #1 originally built in the 1890s. The restaurant espouses a "back-to-scratch" and "farm-to-fork" philosophy focused on making everything in-house including hand stretching the mozzarella cheese.

Very family friendly with lots for your diners to see, the restaurant has several unique features such as the fire engine red fire fighter’s bar filled with memorabilia of Durham Fire Department’s history as well as an indoor aquaponic basil garden where fish tank water feeds plants and plants clean the water for the fish.


Durham's food scene is renowned for its chef-driven culture and its farm-to-fork offerings. Pompieri joins the ranks of many other Durham restaurants that have made the place an internationally celebrated dining destination.

Old Havana Sandwich Shop Celebrates Third Anniversary

By now, everyone knows that Durham is the Tastiest Town in the South. Part of that title is due to Durham's true diversity of dining options along with a tight-knit agricultural heritage of connecting farmers to chefs.

Whenever a Durham restaurant finds success, that's a reason to celebrate. Old Havana Sandwich Shop is inviting area residents to Celebrate The Pig on Friday, January 17, from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm at a special tapas night for the restaurant’s third anniversary. Featuring acorn-fed black Berkshire pigs from Green Button Farm, menu items will include pork “from the ears to the tail and the belly in-between.”

A release by the restaurant has some details about the food and events of the evening:

Dishes such as white bean and tail soup, potted pigs feet, plantains with roasted pork and spicy relish, and mussels in a bacon white wine sauce will encourage diners to try pork in new ways. The menu will also offer a plate of Spanish-style cured lomo and other charcuterie from local charcutier James Naguin who will accept a Good Foods Award the same weekend.

“We’ve made our name with pasture-raised slow-roasted pork,” co-owner Elizabeth Turnbull says. “Now, we’re inviting our customers to celebrate with us and go beyond the traditional plates.” While the menu items may reach beyond the traditional limits of Cuban cuisine, chef Roberto Copa Matos says the dishes will still highlight Cuban flavors.

The event is open to the public. The tapas menu will be served in lieu of the restaurant’s usual menu. The event is heavily pork-centered, but there will be one or two vegetarian options.

For more information on agritourism in Durham and throughout the region, check out TriangleGrown.com.

Serious Coffee at Golden Belt This Weekend

This weekend The Cotton Room in Golden Belt is going to smell like heaven to coffee lovers. It's also going to seem like heaven since it is the location for a regional barista competition this weekend. 

As The Tastiest Town in the South and home to one of the nation's top 10 coffee roasters, Durham is home to a ready-made audience for an event like this. It's also centrally located so people from all around can attend.

“The Big Eastern,” a Regional Barista Competition presented by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Barista Guild of America takes place this weekend, January 17 – 19. Free and open to the public, the three day event features top baristas from the entire East Coast.

Competitors will battle it out for the regional titles in a competition format that tests the barista’s technical skill as well as knowledge and passion for coffee, in a viewer-friendly way. Spectators will get to sample the drinks prepared by baristas similar to those being prepared by competitors.

Carrboro Coffee Roasters will host a pop-up Café in the Lobby of Golden Belt which will also serve as a 'hands-on' environment for barista's to work with various pieces of equipment and where the barista community can interact and learn from one another. Many events are planned around the main competition to further increase awareness of coffee, and its inter-relationship with the culinary industry.

Learn more about Durham's Tastiest Town in the South title online.

Craft Beer Cookbook Coming to NC

Food? Check.  Beer? Check. Durham? Big check! Tonight, John Holl, noted beer journalist and editor of All About Beer (a Durham magazine) will be at Fullsteam Brewery (also in Durham) to sign copies of his new book about cooking with craft beer.

Holl will be signing his book, The American Craft Beer Cookbook,  from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at Fullsteam Brewery at 726 Rigsbee Ave.

Cooking with beer is not a new concept.  However, with this book, Holl brings his considerable craft beer experience to the subject and makes it accessible - especially in Durham. Two of Durham's three "big" craft breweries contributed recipes for the book, and Fullsteam is offering a free Pork and Porter handpie (with help from Scratch Bakery) to all who order a copy of the book tonight.

Durham is a beer and food destination on track to be considered with the best in the US. Named The Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living magazine, the local beer scene was named a point of consideration. Two Durham breweries now have restaurants.  Bull City Burger and Brewery, which contributed to the book, and Triangle Brewery which just opened their restaurant Triangle Pint and Plate. Fullsteam is a destination for Durham's vibrant food truck scene.

For those interested in cooking with the beers mentioned in the book, Sam's Quik Shop in Durham has one of the largest craft beer selections in the US.

Learn more about great events in Durham with the Durham Event Calendar.

Durham's Second Liquor Producer Launches Product

Durham continues to grow as a major US food destination, and two entrepreneurs have chosen it to launch Mystic Bourbon Liqueur, a new specialty beverage company here. Mystic is second only to The Brother's Vilgalys who make Krupnikas in Durham.

Mystic began as a way for company founders Jonathan Blitz and Michael Sinclair to pursue their passion for fine spirits. “We both love bourbon,” said Blitz. Sinclair, a former professional brewer, had discovered a unique and easy-to-drink Scotch liqueur when he was tracing his family’s roots on the coast of Scotland.

The pair decided to bring a version of the product to market. With his wife, Sinclair refined the recipe instead using American bourbon whiskey, and incorporating more exotic botanicals.  “I knew they had created something really special, and I immediately wanted to share it with everyone,” Blitz said of his first taste of the result.

Blitz and Sinclair, who named their venture Barrister & Brewer after their professions, knew they needed help to get the business rolling. Luckily, they found a friend and mentor in Rimas Vilgalys at The Brothers Vilgalys Spirits Company in Durham. Vilgalys had a licensed facility, experience in obtaining approvals for the formulation and labeling of a new liquor, and he was happy to help. “Durham has been a great place for me to get started, so I wanted to pay that forward and help get Mystic off the ground,” Vilgalys said.

"Durham is such a vibrant start up community, and its food scene is just about the worst kept secret on earth," said Sam Poley, a retired chef who works for Durham's marketing agency. "Food entrepreneurs find a pretty welcoming crowd in Durham," Poley added.

Blitz and Sinclair have been humbled by the reception Triangle-wide, but apparently Durham has given them an exceptional welcome. "Frankly, we're kind of blown away by the reception in Durham. AlI I have to do is go into a restaurant and tell them I have a new, locally-made spirit, and they make a few minutes to speak with me. They are also usually willing to work with us to arrange a tasting so their customers can try it, too. That doesn't happen everywhere. Everyone has been incredibly supportive and helpful," Blitz said.

Blitz and Sinclair got their recipe federally approved, and the North Carolina ABC Commission indicated an interest in carrying the product in the state warehouse.  “We’re working full-time to keep the ABC Stores in the Triangle stocked,” said Sinclair.  The two are already working on approval for interstate sales, as well. “Now we’re working on building and audience by getting people to try it. We’d love for people to contact us on our Facebook page to give us ideas,” Blitz said.  The company’s Facebook page will be where they announce tasting events, too. The product is currently available in Durham, Franklin, Onslow, Orange and some Wake county ABC stores.

“It’s amazing how willing people are to try something new and local, and how fast their friends become customers as well,” Blitz added.  “We feel really lucky that people are enjoying the product. We’re going to make sure that we keep the same quality in every bottle.”

Check out the Durham Stuff website for other products made in Durham - a site on which Mystic will appear soon.

Sustainable Agriculture Conference Nov 15-17

It was just last April when Durham earned the title Tastiest Town in the South from Southern Living magazine, and it's a pretty well-known fact that Durham has great food.  Now, that food scene is attracting some of foods most forward thinking folks; local and sustainable agriculture experts will soon be converging on Durham to share tips, tricks and wisdom.

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s 28th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference, happening in Durham, NC at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel Nov. 15-17, 2013, will feature over 70 food and farm workshops, farm tours by bus, hands-on intensives, and locally sourced, organic meals.

The Sustainable Agriculture Conference is one of the oldest and largest conferences of its kind in the U.S.  The 2011 Conference, also held in Durham, brought together more than 1,000 farmers, gardeners, foodies, and agriculture professionals to learn about the latest in sustainable farming methods, community gardening, cooking with local ingredients, and food policy activism.

“The local and sustainable food scene across the Carolinas is positively electric and the momentum continues to grow.  The Sustainable Agriculture Conference is at the heart of the local food and farming movement,” says Roland McReynolds, CFSA’s Executive Director.  He adds, “As always, we put our ideals on your plate with incredible, organic food supplied by local farmers at all of the conference meals, including the not-to-be-missed Local Foods Feast.”

This year’s conference boasts exciting tracks devoted to growing organic produce, pastured livestock, soils, beginning farmers, foodies, policy, and a ‘You Make It - Outdoors and Hands-on’ track.  The Conference features renowned speakers, such as fermentation guru, Sandor Katz, Rodale Institute’s Jeff Moyer, Growing for Market magazine’s Lynn Byczynski, author and food systems expert, Phillip Ackerman-Leist, and Michael Bush, author of The Practical Beekeeper.

Some of the more innovative and unique presentations at this year’s Conference include growing cut flowers, soldier fly production, raising goats, urban orcharding, hands-on farm hacking, mob grazing, farm to restaurant table, raising rabbits, lazy beekeeping, and permaculture.  In addition, classes on basic farm planning, marketing and management will give beginning farmers the skills they need to be successful.  This year, for the first time, the conference features “Big Ideas” talks in which top speakers will discuss provocative subjects, such as Climate Change and Farming, Faith and Agriculture, and Healthy Food Access.

The Friday, Nov. 15 Pre-conference features hands-on, intensive workshops on organic production, pastured poultry, food safety, mushrooms, food policy and foodsheds, and permaculture.  A very special intensive taught by Sandor Katz will teach participants the secrets of fermentation.  There will also be half-day bus tours to some of the most beautiful and successful sustainable farms and gardens in the Piedmont.
One of the highlights of the event is the Local Food Feast and Keynote, to be held on Nov. 15 starting at 6:30 PM.  This magical meal is made with only the best in-season, sustainably grown ingredients supplied by local farms.  This year’s keynote speaker is Sandor Katz, author of Wild Fermentation, which Newsweek called “the fermenting bible” and the newly released, The Art of Fermentation.  Katz is also the author of The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, an exploration of America’s underground food movements. Sandor is a much sought-after speaker and thought-leader.  He lives on a farm in Tennessee.

For a complete list of conference offerings or to register for the conference, pre-conference intensives or tours, or the Local Food Feast, all of which are open to the public, please visit them online

Learn more about agritourism in Durham.

Nominate a Durham Restaurant for a Nature’s Plate award

As the Tastiest Town in the South, Durham has some heavy hitting players that should be nominated in a current contest being run by The Nature Conservancy (TNC).  Known as a major food destination, Durham foodies are being asked to nominate their favorite green restaurants for Nature’s Plate, a contest to name the people’s choice for each area’s top green restaurant.  

Vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters, enjoy their healthiest and tastiest foods from nature. Whether it's oysters growing out in the Pamlico Sound or tomatoes soaking up the sun at the farm down the road, healthy food demands a healthy planet. And our planet is nurtured when food production is sustainable.

That's why The Nature Conservancy is to working with food producers everywhere and bringing together traditionally unexpected partners in the name of healthy food and a healthy environment, finding solutions that are good for their businesses, for consumers and for nature.

TNC's work is innovative and pragmatic. In the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds they are helping to build oyster reef, and they are working with landowners across the state to create more than 225,000 acres of state game lands – providing North Carolinians with the opportunity to serve up the ultimate local food.

Readers can make a difference by nominating their favorite green restaurant in Durham for a Nature's Plate award.  Wondering which restaurants to vote for? Consider eateries that are using sustainable seafood, free-range and grass-fed meat, organic produce, locally sourced food, and tap water (rather than bottled water).

While the contest is focused on restaurants, it’s only the start of a conversation about food, conservation and The Nature Conservancy’s work with farmers, fishermen and ranchers.  To participate, GO ONLINE AND NOMINATE a favorite green restaurant in Durham. There is also information about what makes a restaurant green.

Nominations will be open until September 16, semifinal voting will begin October 1, and the winner(s) will be announced October 17.

Learn more about all of Durham's great restaurants online.

Durham County Library Presents a History of Prohibition Cocktails

Everyone knows that prohibition didn't work out too well. From smugglers to bootleggers to speakeasies, people found a way to enjoy their drink of choice. But what exactly did they drink?

Durham County Library will present "A History of Prohibition Cocktails" on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St. The event is free and open to the public.

Durham County Library will host Scott Richie, former co-owner of Whiskey and multiple winner of the Independent Weekly’s Best Bartender award, for a program on the cocktails of the Prohibition era. Richie will take participants back to the roaring 20s, the era of Al Capone and speakeasies and discuss drinks like the Mary Pickford, the sidecar and the French 75. During Prohibition, bartenders had to get creative because the alcohol was of varied quality and often in limited quantity. Richie will discuss some of the era’s notable concoctions, as well as modern cocktails that were influenced by them. The program will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at the Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.

This program is sponsored by Durham Library Foundation. For more information, contact John W. Davis at 919-560-0125.

Durham County Library encourages Discovery, connects the Community and leads in Literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit durhamcountylibrary.org

Learn more about cool things to do and see in Durham.

Dishcrawl Makes its Durham Debut

Dishcrawl, a national startup founded on the premise that communities can be brought together through good food and good company, is debuting in Durham, this July! It's just another way that Durham is delivering on it's title of Tastiest Town in the South.

On Wednesday July 10, at 7pm dishcrawlers can embark on an exclusive edible tour of downtown Durham’s trendy Five Points neighborhood. For just $45, food fanatics can hobnob and sample an exciting array of dishes from four of the area’s most buzzworthy restaurants. Tickets must be reserved in advance and can be purchased online.

Dishcrawl lends an exciting opportunity for local restaurants to showcase their talent and gain recognition, and for food lovers to make connections while exploring what their city has to offer. Part of the fun is the allure of where the night will lead. Participating restaurants are kept secret until two days before the event, at which time the first location is revealed to ticket holders. For more information about Durham’s upcoming Dishcrawls, check them out on Facebook, or follow them on twitter.

Discover more about great dining options in Durham, the Tastiest Town in the South.

Indy Week to Celebrate Best of the Triangle 2013 Winners With June 15 Party

Durham knows a thing or two about long and drawn out voting battles involving its residents and local businesses. It also knows a thing or two about winning.

The Durham-based Indy Week has announced its "Best of the Triangle 2013" Readers Choice Winners and will celebrate with a free party open to the public on June 15 from 4-10pm at the Durham Athletic Park.

The annual "Best of the Triangle" list is voted on by Triangle residents who want to ensure that their favorite local businesses were represented on the poll that included categories like Goods, Media, Out & About, Services and Wine & Dine. From best "bead store" to best "bloody mary," Triangle residents cast their votes. More than 10,000 took the poll this year and tallying the ballots took 10 interns two weeks.

Durham made a strong showing in the reader-chosen awards this year.  There were 327 Durham finalists and 108 Durham winners. Elmo's Diner was the winner of three different categories including best "Breakfast," Kid's Menu at a Local Restaurant" and "Wait Staff in Durham County." Mateo bar de Tapas also won three categories, taking home best "Innovative Menu," "New Restaurant in Durham County," and "Chef in Durham County." The Blue Note Grill also emerged as a local favorite with three winning categories under its belt all having to do with music. The Grill won best "Place to Hear Country or Bluegrass," "Place to Hear Jazz or Blues' and "Place to See Music Before 10 p.m."

See all the winners and finalists here.

The event at Durham Athletic Park will feature food, drinks, live music, crafts and more. Restaurants will be offering samples of their cuisine, while retail and service businesses will be showcasing their talents. Enjoy live music by The Old Ceremony, Morning Brigade, La Bete Magique and Baron Von Rumblebuss. Proceeds from the event will go to Girls Rock NC. Lawn chairs are not allowed at the Durham Athletic Park. However, feel free to bring a blanket. RSVP to the Facebook event.

Learn more about why Durham is such a great place at www.durham-nc.com.

Updated: 6/13/13 4:19 PM

The Cookery and American Meltdown to Host “Artisan Cheese Fest”

No matter what happens next month, it's sure to be cheesy - and for area foodies, that's a very, very good thing.

Triangle residents will be able to sample a variety of cheeses, charcuterie, bread, wine, and even cheesecakes at The Cookery Saturday, June 29th from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.  The event, which is promoted as “for the fromagaholic in all of us,” will take place in the Front Room, The Cookery’s event space on West Chapel Hill Street.

“We at American Meltdown are, of course, pretty passionate about cheese,” said Paul Inserra, who owns the American Meltdown food truck with his wife, Alycia Inserra.  “I’m confident everyone will leave this fest with new flavor knowledge and a discovery about selecting cheese.”

Participating businesses for this free event include event co-organizer American Meltdown, which will be serving gourmet melts out of it’s food truck on the patio, Chapel Hill Creamery, Cultured Cow Creamery, Elodie Farms, Hillsborough Cheese Company, Holly Grove Farms, La Farm Bakery, Southern Season, Whole Foods, and Cookery members Milk and Honey Bakery, and This Little Piggie Charcuterie.  In addition, a “Dueling Ricottas” demonstration will be hosted by Billy Cotter of Toast and Matthew Daniels of Triangle Raw Foods, and wine tastings by Wine Authorities will take place upstairs on the mezzanine.  The Front Room bar will also be open, offering local draught beers, wine, and hand crafted cocktails.

“When we opened the Front Room, we set out to serve as a space to celebrate local culinary talent with the community,” said Rochelle Johnson, who co-owns The Cookery with her husband, Nick Hawthorne-Johnson.  “We get especially excited when we can open our doors to the public and revel in fabulous food, like the cheeses available right here in our area.”

For more information on great events in Durham, visit the Durham Event Calendar, and remember that since Durham is The Tastiest Town in the South, to use the hashtag #DurhamIsTastiest! when sharing news of Durham's food scene on social media.

Breaking News - Pit Master Ed Mitchell Announces Durham Restaurant Opening Fall 2013

Durham continues its meteoric ascension as a food destination of note - and the list of reasons continues to grow.  Named as the Tastiest Town in the South by Southern Living Magazine, Durham is now getting another food luminary to put roots in the ground here.

Ed Mitchell, nationally celebrated as a BBQ pit master expert, and who made the Raleigh restaurant The Pit a national focal point, is opening 'Que in Durham in the Fall of 2013.  Interestingly, The Pit, with which Mitchell is no longer involved, is opening a location in Durham this year, as well.

‘Que will be located on the ground floor of the new Diamond View III building and feature patio seating and other amenities alongside lunch and dinner menus starring Mitchell’s authentic whole-hog, pit-cooked ‘Q. The restaurant will have a nice list of features.

• About 150 seats inside with more on a patio
• Casual lunches starting at around $10 and slightly more formal dinners starting at around $15
• Locally produced hogs and vegetables
• A full bar as well as a deep and diverse wine cellar

While Ed Mitchell’s ‘Que’s offerings will make it a standout in the Southeast, Mitchell – who’s been feted on the Food Channel among other media - is just as excited about the location.

“There’s a shared heritage between what I’m doing with BBQ and what’s happening at American Tobacco Campus that makes this unique,” Mitchell said. “North Carolina was built in large part on the Golden Leaf and on BBQ. We’re adding new twists to that heritage. American Tobacco Campus is now a center of 21st century innovation. Ed Mitchell’s ‘Que will feel just as fresh while delivering the best BBQ around.”

Mitchell added that while he has become an international BBQ ambassador to connoisseurs everywhere (recently traveling to Australia), he is eager to establish American Tobacco as a destination for whole hog-lovers from around the state and the world.

Michael Goodmon, vice president of real estate for Capitol Broadcasting Company (which owns ATC), echoed that sentiment: “We’re thrilled that an icon like Ed Mitchell is bringing not only his talent for outstanding BBQ to American Tobacco but a whole lot of new and longstanding fans with him. We always shoot for the best, and with Ed, we’ve got it.”

Local food is a big deal in Durham, so much so that there is a list of locally-owned restaurant that users of Facebook can follow so as not to miss any of the information those restaurants share on the social media platform.  It can be accessed here. Once open, 'Que will be added to the list.  For information about all the dining options in Durham, visit this site.

This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Txakolifest Coming Up on June 1st, Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow

It's a tongue-twister of a name for many, but saying it five times fast does not net one a prize.  Going to the event is a prize enough.

Pronounced Chok-Oh-Lee-Fest, TxakoliFest is a celebration of wine and food from the Basque region of North-Central Spain and Southwest France.  Durham wine bar Six Plates is gearing up for their annual celebration of the wine and food from this region.  Hosted in two sessions, the event is a quick sell out. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, May 1st, at Six Plates and Durham wine retailer Wine Authorities.  The event is on June 1st and will be hosted in two distinct sessions.

From 1 to 4 PM is a fundraiser for Housing for New Hope or the general admission session. Housing for New Hope prevents and ends homelessness by providing increased access to health care, integrated services, and housing. There are 150 tickets for $75 in advance for this portion of the festival. An additional 50 tickets may available the week of the event due to weather and space constraints. Involved in this fundraiser will be the food and tasting portions of TxakoliFest, as well as entertainment, with all of the proceeds going to Housing for New Hope.  Six Plates’ John Eisensmith will be joined by Billy Cotter of Toast, Charlie Deal of Dos Perros, Tim Lyons of Blu Seafood, Matt Kelly of Bar Mateo, Chris Stinnett of Pop’s, Amy Tournquist of Watts Grocery, and Todd Whitney of Vin Rouge. There will be at least seven different txakolis poured to taste by the glass, and a souvenir glass for each guest.

There will be 125 tickets for the 4 PM to midnight session which guarantees admission and a souvenir glass. These tickets are $15. There will be live music, as well as food and wine for sale (there is no food or drink included in the general admission price).

The wines are white or slightly pink, a little tart, and commonly a little effervescent.  The cuisine of this region tends to seafood and seasonal produce - two things with which the wine pairs perfectly. The menu created to go with them is typically a study in classic dishes that showcase the wines.

The scene is always convivial and celebratory.  There are typically some porons being passed about for those experienced in drinking from this traditional vessel.

Keep up to date on all the exciting events in Durham with the Durham Event Calendar.

Farmhand Foods Announces Name Change to Firsthand Foods

That Durham was recently honored with the title of Tastiest Town in the South is no surprise to those who live there - and businesses like Farmhand Foods are partially responsible.  The company exemplifies much of what Durham food fans seek including local product: authenticity, integrity, and responsibility. The brand is undergoing a name change due to a legal battle, but while the name will be different, the product and commitment to quality will remain the same.

Beginning May 1, Durham-based Farmhand Foods will officially change its name to Firsthand Foods.  Farmhand Foods launched its business in 2010 with a food truck, known around town as the Sausage Wagon.  Since then, the company has grown into a sizable wholesale distributor of high-quality, local, pasture-raised meats.

In late 2011, Farmhand Foods received a “cease and desist” letter from S.F. Investments, Inc., owner of “Farmland Foods,” a branded line of Smithfield Foods’ pork products worth $3 billion in sales annually.  While Farmhand Foods received federal trademark protection for the right to use its award-winning mark, indicating that the US Patent and Trademark Office had no concern for consumer confusion, SF Investments was not satisfied.

“After a year of trying to protect the rights to use our name, we decided to embrace Firsthand Foods as our new name and focus on growing our markets, supporting the farmers in our network, and continuing to help build a robust local food system here in North Carolina,” says Tina Prevatte, Co-CEO.

Firsthand Foods now has well over 60 customers, including fine dining establishments, specialty retailers, natural foods grocery stores, mobile markets, food trucks, and institutional food service providers such as Carolina Dining Services at UNC-Chapel Hill.  The company sources its meats from a network of close to 40 small-scale beef and pork producers from over 15 counties in the state.  These remarkable farmers, most of whom are in rural areas and do not otherwise have access to larger-scale markets, raise their animals humanely, on pasture, without using added hormones or growth-promoting antibiotics.

Notes Jennifer Curtis, Co-CEO, “We’re excited to re-brand as Firsthand Foods, a name we believe speaks to our core mission to create a direct and transparent connection between our customers and the farmers in our network.”  Firsthand Foods traces every piece of meat it sells back to the farm of origin so its customers know exactly where and how it was raised.

The company has changed their name on Facebook, but have not updated their Twitter account to reflect the new name. For more information about great eating in Durham, visit online.

Online Food Delivery Service Awarded Spot in Durham Startup Incubator

Known as a foodie and tech haven, Durham seems the perfect place for a new restaurant delivery business start.  Given that one is getting going here, that assessment might be right on target.

Tech-based company BringMeThat has been accepted into the Triangle Startup Factory for a three-month spring session and is currently launching its service in North Carolina. As of mid-April, BringMeThat offers delivery from more than 1,200 restaurants across the state, with hundreds more set to be added.

Started at the beginning of the year, BringMeThat has created a system for customers to place delivery orders online without ever needing to use the phone. The site features comprehensive lists of restaurants that offer delivery, searchable by address. BringMeThat began in Ohio, where it features more than 1,400 restaurant listings across 300 cities.

Located in downtown Durham, on the historic American Tobacco Campus, the Triangle Startup Factory is "the most highly-capitalized technology accelerator in the southeast," created to launch early-stage tech companies. BringMeThat received $50,000 in upfront funding and is eligible for up to $150,000 in additional funding. As one of only six businesses in the program, the company will be immersed in a network of technology experts and entrepreneurial mentors.

BringMeThat was created by friends Michael LaMarca and Jason Liang. Coming from New York City, an area saturated with food services, the co-founders wanted to bring an online ordering system to North Carolina. Cities like Durham, where the food culture is burgeoning thanks to the national media spotlight, would gain access to aggregated digital menus. While specialized delivery services already exist in some NC cities, BringMeThat will provide exhaustive lists that also cover the state's underserved rural areas.

For more information about all the great food in Durham, grab a napkin and visit this site.

It's Easy Being Tasty

Hungry?  Like most people that depends on how good the food is.  Sure, we all need to eat, but we get hungry when we know the kitchen is cranking out tasty goods.

Turns out, Durham has more good stuff coming out of the kitchen than anyplace else in the South...and that's saying something!

For those who do not know, Durham, NC was named to Southern Living Magazine's list of The Top Ten Tastiest Towns in the South in January.  It made the grade over places like New Orleans, Charleston, and Miami. Durham earned the top spot being named The Tastiest Town in the South by the magazine at an April 9th press conference. The story appears in the magazine that hits newsstands today, April 19th.

So then how is this information useful to the consumer, the diner, the resident, and the visitor?  Well, it means they should go to Durham because apparently that's where this is where the good food is. But how does one find all that local goodness that issues forth from the kitchens of the South's Tastiest Town? There are three easy ways.

First, there is a list on the official Durham, NC Facebook page that can be followed.  The list is shared on a post on the page that has been set to stay at the top of the feed, so it's easy to find. This list of all the locally owned restaurants in Durham that have pages on the social networking site.  Many use their pages to share special dishes, special events, and special offers, as well as to make announcements.

Second is also in the social media realm.  Twitter users, as well as those on image sharing platform Instagram are encouraged to be using the hashtag #DurhamIsTastiest! when sharing.  Following those tags will be an easy way for users, both residents and visitors alike, to see what others are finding tasty in Durham in real time.

Third is to stay on top of what happens on the dining page on the Official Durham Visitors Website. Set a shortcut to this page on mobile devices, and just remember the convenient sub-domain eat.durham-nc.com as a way to go right to this page.  There are links to important resources for diners there including the list of Celebrated Cuisine restaurants that have gotten significant regional or national media attention.

Durham is home to 700 restaurants, many of which are locally-owned.  Learn more about them online, and be sure to share when visiting some by tagging experiences in social media.