Downtown Cary Dining – Fall 2013

downtown-cary- dining

Cary NC- The last stop on the Cary dining tour is downtown. What was once a sleepy scene has grown to more than a dozen eateries. Read more

Academy Street Bistro: 20 Year Dream Realized

Academy Street Bistro

Cary, NC- For 20 years, Mary Lynn Fitzgerald has been urging her brother-in-law, a chef in New York City, to move to Cary and open a restaurant. Now, with the opening of Academy Street Bistro, her dream has come true.

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A Bounty of Apples in Cary

apples

Cary, NC — I visited the farmers market at 8 AM on Saturday for one reason: apples.

Apples for Everyone

Despite what supermarkets may tell you, apples have a season. It is autumn. The greatest variety, flavor and crispness are all available right now.

We are fortunate in the Triangle to have several growers of heirloom apples – dozens and dozens of tasty varieties from a time before bio-engineering and tasteless fruit like the Red Delicious you find in plastic bags at the grocery store.

Yes, North Carolina is apple country.  Here are some of the varieties I sampled at the farmers market on Saturday:

  • Black Oxford – Hard and unusually sweet with a good flavor. DOB Maine 1790.
  • Snow/Fameuse – At one time, thought to be the parent of the Macintosh. Its snow-white flesh does not darken when cooked. DOB Ontario 1800’s.
  • Yellow Newton Pippin – Slightly tart and crisp with a terrific aftertaste. DOB 1666 New York.

I love food with a story and heirloom apples always have a history.

Some of the varieties are for the table. Others are especially good in pies, crisps or apple sauce.

Kids bring home that nasty supermarket apple in their lunch bag everyday from school? Try introducing them to the enticing appearance and taste of some fresh from the farm heirloom apples.

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The Price of Apples

The price of heirloom apples at the farmers market is comparable to supermarket prices, often less.

I spent $7.00 on a medium-sized bag of assorted apples – about a dozen in all. Enough to last until Wednesday or Thursday at my house.

You could spend seven bucks for two apples at ______ (fill in the blank with your favorite high-priced supermarket).

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Other Market Delights

Best bargain – one of the farmers was selling Zinna blooms for 25¢ a piece – a dollar for five.

The peppers looked amazing. The fingerling potatoes were tempting. The greens looked excellent and I came home with arugula and a very dark head of red leaf lettuce.

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Story & photos by Hal Goodtree.

 

The Story of Fortnight Brewery

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L –> R Mo Mercado and Stuart Arnold of Fortnight Brewing Co in Cary, NC

Cary, NC- Stuart Arnold and his partners are passionate about beer, specifically about making good beer, and they will be opening the first Cary brewery, Fortnight Brewing Company, very soon on SW Maynard Road in Cary if all goes according to plan. Read more

Recipe: Pumpkin Pie

pumpkin pie recipe

Cary, NC – Just in time for Halloween, here’s a recipe for fresh, homemade pumpkin pie. Read more

Whisk Opens in Cary

Whisk

Cary, NC – Whisk, a store focused on gourmet kitchenware and culinary instruction, opened its doors to customers today. If cooking’s your thing, you will like this store. Very much.

Whisk – Gourmet Kitchenware

Whisk, located in Waverly Place, is chock full of splendid and exotic kitchenware.

It’s a treat for the eyes and I spent a happy hour wandering the aisles.

In addition to Le Creuset and other other top brands you may recognize, Whisk had an extensive stock of items you won’t find in Macy’s or Williams Sonoma. Staub had some very sturdy looking cookware. And Emile Henry featured casseroles specifically designed to cook tajines and risotto.

Guys will enjoy Whisk, even if they’re not into cooking. The store has an eclectic collection of barware (like the Black & Tan turtle) plus a gourmet grilinbg section. There’s even a stovetop smoker, fellas!

Owners Dan and Diana Saklad were on hand. They’d been living the corporate life in St. Louis and decided to pursue their dream of entrepreneurship. “How did you find Cary?” I asked.

“We Googled ‘Best Towns to Live in America,'” Dan said.

“So you’ve read CaryCitizen,” I speculated. They both laughed and said they had. Ah, the power of search.

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Classes at Whisk

Whisk also offers a full plate of culinary classes. In October, they have 13 classes on offer including Knife Skills, the Art of Jam and A Taste of Spain. See the schedule.

Store Details

Whisk
Waverly Place
316 Colonades Way
Cary, NC

Open 7 days a week. For more info, visit http://www.whiskcarolina.com.

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Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

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Retail coverage on CaryCitizen is sponsored in part by Waverly Place in Cary.

Recipe: Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Southern Style

grilled-pork-tenderloinCary, NC — There’s something particularly Southern about pork tenderloin. Here’s a recipe for grilled pork tenderloin with a bit of a Southern twist. Read more

Restaurants: PDQ Opens in Cary

pdq cary ncCary, NC —  PDQ, A new fast-casual restaurant, has opened in Cary. They serve tenders, salads and sandwiches with an interesting claim to fame: no freezers or microwaves.

PDQ Opens in Cary

The new PDQ in Cary is a very attractive and unique building, both inside and out, with bold colors and architecture. It’s located in the rapidly rising SearStone development at the corner of Davis and High House.

This is the third PDQ in the Triangle and the fourth in North Carolina. The restaurant chain started in Florida in 2011.

PDQ Menu

PDQ stands for “People Dedicated to Quality.” Nothing is frozen or microwaved. The tenders are hand-breaded, the salads hand-tossed. They serve chicken and turkey, no beef.

There’s also hand-turned milkshakes and fresh squeezed lemonade.

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Report from the Field

PDQ was rocking at lunchtime today. Big crowds swarmed in after Green Hope’s freshman orientation, but the large staff kept it moving with wait times for food virtually non-existent.

The fries were crisp, and salads, sandwiches and chicken tenders all received enthusiastic endorsement from my party of six (three kids, three adults).

Chicken Corner

PDQ’s location at the corner of Davis and High House brings the number of fast-casual chicken joints in the neighborhood to three – Chick Fil A at Stonecreek, and Bojangles and PDQ in Searstone.

And, if I am not mistaken, Rudino’s serves chicken, as does Doherty’s and Cafe Caturra.

That’s six places to get chicken on one corner.

From now on, we’ll have to call the intersection of Davis and High House “Chicken Corner.”

Details

PDQ
SearStone
9025 Winston Hill Drive
Cary, NC

Open for lunch and dinner 7 days

Gracious Harvest Grows Food in Downtown Cary

gracious harvestCary, NC — If you’re not careful, you’ll miss it – the Gracious Harvest Community Garden across the Waldo Street parking lot from the First United Methodist Church in Downtown Cary. First started in November of 2009, the Garden is now well-established and producing a bounty of food for the community. Read more

Publix: Supermarket Wars Continue in Cary

publix supermarket

Cary, NC — Last week, Publix Supermarkets confirmed the long-running rumor that it will occupy a 49,000 square foot store at Davis and High House in the Bradford development, now under construction. Read more