Handmade in North Carolina

Monday Lowdown

February 2, 2015 by Lisa 1 Comment

Happy Monday friends! As you can tell, I’m trying the “fake it till I make it” theory to pep up my Monday. I’m not sure it’s working. Today is all about the lowdown in life, or that part of the week where I get everything off my chest.

There was some sort of ballgame on television last night. I was too busy watching the commercials and tweeting about them for the #adbowl #brandbowl to notice. Well, except the last part when they forgot they were professional football players and decided to become professional hockey players. Yes, the Seattle Seahawks Legion of Boom turned into the Philadelphia Flyers Legion of Doom.

Let’s just say “Thanks for setting such a good example for kids everywhere.” Of course, the NFL is going to levy HUGE fines to all of the players involved in the scuffle. It is my personal opinion they should donate the fines to a domestic violence organization seeing as how the league has a huge problem in that area.

Time to cause whiplash from the spin and talk about the house. We’ve started moving stuff in and it doesn’t matter how much you’ve already gotten rid of, you’re going to get rid of more while in the middle of this process. My entire body aches, mainly below the knees. I have banged enough boxes against my lower legs to cause massive bruises. The movers are coming on the 12th, but in order to maintain sanity and not live amongst the boxes (or a massive moving bill) we’re taking as many trips in our cars as possible now. (We are moving 5 miles away.)

To finish things off, Handmade NC is growing. We’ve had such a great demand for coverage, Ilina and I will be launching a website for this project in the coming weeks. It’s a something that is definitely close to our hearts and a special project we will be pouring serious love into.

Queen City Q {Handmade in NC}

January 28, 2015 by Lisa 1 Comment

BBQ is on every corner in North Carolina and there are three different varieties in our great state. One of my favorite places to stop in for a quick bite to eat is Queen City Q located in Charlotte, NC. The Q (as it’s known to locals) has some of the finest smoked meat I’ve eaten in the Carolina Piedmont.

Owners Bryan Meredith and Craig Utt met playing basketball with the #SCLThoops crew. This group of fellas met on social media and decided to get together, play ball and laugh. (I’ve heard a few stories about how they play, laughter was a given.) During their talks about the lack of good BBQ in Charlotte, and it being the right moment, things meshed quickly and within three months, the Q was open for business. Three months later after they opened, Charlotte magazine bestowed the honor of best BBQ in their annual BOB awards.

How serious are they about their BBQ? Both Bryan and Craig became certified BBQ judges after opening their restaurant.

Now, the Q isn’t your normal BBQ dive. They have an expansive beer list with over 40 on tap and a full traditional bar. When it warms up, I like to sit outside, watch the light rail whiz by and sip on Larken’s Patio Punch, a fruity concoction of two different Mount Gay rums and citrus. It washes down your BBQ just as well as a glass of their perfectly sweetened iced tea.

What do you order when you go to the Q? BBQ, of course. Here’s our typical order:

Appetizer: Deviled Eggs — My husband and I are deviled egg connoisseurs and these are some of the best in the state.

Entree: Hand pulled pork or smoked brisket. My son prefers the St. Louis Style Pork Ribs and my husband has consumed quite a few of the house smoked sausages.

Sauces: Eastern NC Sauce, PoPo’s Sauce, Queen City Q Sauce, and SC mustard

Sides: They’re all good, but I always go for the macaroni and cheese, collards or corn maque choux.

Desserts: If we’re able to have dessert, we either share an order of bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream or banana pudding. I’m a connoisseur of these as well.

Next time you’re in town, head over to the Q for some serious good eats.

Location:

Queen City Q
225 E 6th Street, Suite A | Charlotte, NC 28202
704.334.TheQ (8437)

Parking is in the 7th Street Station Building. After 5pm and all day Sat and Sun parking is free with validation. Mon-Fri from 6am to 5pm they validate for 2 hours.

Follow the Q:

https://www.facebook.com/QueenCityQ

http://instagram.com/queencityq

Tweets by theQclt

Want more local love? Head over to Dirt & Noise and visit Ilina!

Imladris Farm Jams and Preserves {Handmade in NC}

January 7, 2015 by Lisa Leave a Comment

I woke up this morning craving apple butter from Imladris Farms. Smeared on biscuits fresh out of the oven, it was the perfect accompaniment to my morning coffee. Located southeast of Asheville, NC, Imladris Farm is a seventh-generation family owned land site focusing on sustainable agriculture. Their products are nostalgically produced using historically accurate methods to provide customers with the enjoyment of a quality, handmade product, while adding the concepts of “buying local”, “sustainable agriculture”, and “husbandry” to their vocabulary.

Imladris Farm first appeared on my radar many moons ago while dining at the Early Girl Eatery located in Asheville, NC. If you’ve ever eaten one of their biscuits smeared with jam, you know the Berry Best Jam carefully handcrafted from the finest blueberries, blackberries and raspberries Imlardis Farms grows.

On a later visit to the Early Girl, I met Walter outside selling his wares on an early spring day to folks leaving the restaurant or walking down Wall Street. His enthusiasm for farming, the products created by the fruit grown on his land, not to mention the pride in his products, reassured me that there were people out there who truly love what they do.

Since then, I’ve kept a supply of their jams and preserves in my larder for personal use, to give to friends as gifts, and have shipped their products to folks all over the US. Believe me, if you want a great hostess or wedding gift, give Imladris Farm jam in their handcrafted wooden crate with an antique silver jelly spoon, and your handwritten recipe for light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. I guarantee you’ll get the first thank you note!

The Philosophy of Imladris Farm
Imladris was founded on a belief in quality products achieved through sustainable agriculture. We feel strongly that plants and animals, if supported and nurtured, will yield high quality materials unavailable through conventional, commercial means. We’ve made it our goal to return to early, simpler methods of agriculture and living.

Scenes from the weekend: Coffee — November 13, 2014

December 14, 2014 by Lisa 1 Comment

When I make it back to my old stomping grounds, I like to stop in and frequent local businesses, giving them the love they deserve in a county with severe economic woes. Yesterday, I stopped in at Small Town Coffee Roasters located in the hamlet of Rutherfordton, NC, in order to pick up a cup of their magical elixir. This was much needed little liquid refreshment for my two hour drive home.

I had heard great things about this shop from raconteur and attorney, Chris Callahan, and knew that if he said it was good, it was a place to add to my list. Small Town Coffee Roasters was definitely worth my stop. I’ll be heading back soon to learn more about this little shop, sample more of their caffeinated wares, and, hopefully, hang out with Monte as he roasts green coffee beans to glistening perfection in a vintage Royal #1.

If you stop in, ask for an El Tim. Drink two. Leave with a delicate caffeine buzz you’ll wish never ends.

wears.

Muddy River Distillery — Handmade in North Carolina

November 14, 2014 by Lisa Leave a Comment

Just a few miles from my house is the Muddy River Rum Distillery, located in Belmont, North Carolina. As I was perusing my local ABC store one day, I happened to run across their product “Carolina Rum” and got a quick history from the employees. It was enough to convince me to buy a bottle and I’ve kept Muddy River Distillery’s Carolina Rum stocked in my liquor cabinet.

In 2011, after buying 500 square feet of space in an old textile mill they found on Craigslist, Muddy River opened the first rum distillery in North Carolina roughly 50 yards from the “muddy” Catawba River, hence the name. They started producing 35 bottles of rum a day on weekends due to their work schedules, launching their first product in September 2012, seven months after owner Robbie Delaney received all of his licensing from the state, local and federal permits required to distill. By 2013 Muddy River’s proprietors had left their day jobs to work at the distillery full-time. Using house built stills, Liberty and Democracy, Muddy River Distillery pumps a custom mash made of premium South Carolina molasses and sugar, along with a special yeast they’ve selected to give their Carolina Silver Rum it’s unique flavor.

When they were asked how they make rum, the folks at Muddy River Distillery respond with “By staring at a ‘fancy’ water fountain for 12 hours.”

How do I drink my Muddy River Distillery Carolina Rum? There’s a few ways, actually. I like to sip it neat, mix it into a Manhattan, or a Twelve Mile Limit. What is that last one? I’ve shared the recipe below — just take it easy on them.

Looking for Muddy River Distillery Carolina Rum? You can find it in 300 different stores across North Carolina.

Carolina Rum Recipes:

http://www.muddyriverdistillery.com/carolina-rum-recipes/

For recipes using their small batch Queen Charlotte’s Reserve (always great for gift giving):

http://www.muddyriverdistillery.com/queen-charlottes-reserve-recipes/

Twelve Mile Limit

Recipe Type: Cocktail

Cuisine: Cocktail

Author: Lisa

Prep time: 2 mins

Total time: 2 mins

Serves: 1

A forgotten cocktail from the era of Prohibition, the Twelve Mile Limit is one of the booziest cocktails you’ll ever drink.

Ingredients

1 ounce white rum
1/2 ounce rye whiskey
1/2 ounce brandy
1/2 ounce grenadine
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon
Garnish: lemon twist

Instructions

Add rum, rye, brandy, grenadine, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake until well chilled.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

Looking for more “Handmade in North Carolina?” Head over to Dirt and Noise and see what Ilina is serving up today.