Asheville Loves Desserts: New Pie Company Arrives

Asheville is a town with a sweet tooth, so it’s no surprise that our city is now home to a pie shop. Short Street Cakes, Asheville’s source for all-natural, southern-style cakes, is now selling pies from Asheville’s new pie company: Pies in Disguise.

The partnership was sweet deal as Pies in Disguise, owned by baker Eliza Sydney and Ben Herring, was looking for production space to bake their pies. Short Street Cakes owner Jodi Rhoden, rented her Cake Shop kitchen to the dynamic duo and began selling their treats at her Cake Shop counter in West Asheville.

Jodi says, “I expanded my retail offerings to include pies to better serve my customers, and to support fellow bakers and entrepreneurs whose stories are similar to mine: big dreamers who are starting their businesses with little financial investment but tremendous passion for their craft.”

Pies are available by special order by calling the Cake Shop at 828-505-4822. Thirteen flavors are available with two days’ notice, whole pies are $22, slices are $3.95.

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A Thanksgiving special is also being offered in conjunction with the launch of the pies at the Cake Shop: receive 10% off your order of $50 or more of cakes and pies during the month of November.

Photo courtesy of Short Street Cakes.

Asheville Chef Competes in National Oyster Shucking Championship

Asheville’s very own Tres Hundertmark, Executive Chef and General Manager of The Lobster Trap, competed in the National Oyster Shucking Contest on October 17 and 18. Tres shucked 24 oysters in just two minutes and six seconds! (Although Tres suffered a minor setback when he accrued an 83-second penalty on his official time for cutting the oysters or not fully removing them from the shell.)

This was the first time Tres qualified for finals in his four years of attendance at the national competition. Tres is the reigning shucking champion for the Charleston Oyster Roast. On January 23, 2010, Tres will attempt to beat the Guinness World Record of 33 oysters opened in one minute at the Winter Warmer Beer Festival at the Haywood Park Hotel in Asheville.

Curious about Tres’s shucking skills? Watch him in action at The Lobster Trap in downtown Asheville.

Change in Date and Venue at Raw Food Event

Good new for raw food enthusiasts! The raw food event originally scheduled for October 30 has been reschedule and moved to a larger venue. Join raw food authors and experts Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes-Monarch on November 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga at 77 W Walnut Street. Tickets are $20.00 and available at the door. For more information, call 828-713-3469.

Indulge with Asheville’s Special Wine Package

Did you know that North Carolina is home to some great wines and wineries? No need to travel to the West Coast to experience award-winning wines and the gorgeous vineyards.

One convenient way to experience the local wine culture is Brookstone Lodge’s Escorted Wine Tour Getaway. Your arrival in Asheville is welcomed with a bottle of Biltmore Wine (locally made at America’s most visited winery), a pair of wine glasses, wine opener and chocolates.

The next day, journey into wine country with a guided wine tour of nearby Yadkin Valley. The Yadkin Valley was the first American Viticultural Area (AVA) designated in North Carolina. You’ll spend time with a certified sommelier who will reveal the history of North Carolina’s wine industry, guide you through wines samples at three different wineries and help you gain access to behind-the-scene experiences such a barrel tastings and guided tours. A picnic lunch at a vineyard caps off your day in stay.