Asheville food news: Whole hog celebrations, Italian summer feast, symphonic beer garden
ASHEVILLE - A 15-year anniversary party with pork; a five-course whole hog feast; a four-course Italian-style seasonal spread; a symphonic summer series.
Pints and pigs
Luella's Bar-B-Que is celebrating 15 years of business with a birthday-style blowout and by giving gifts to the community.
Luella’s is inviting guests to a “pig pickin” with a whole hog cooked in an open smoker. The event will be from 3-8 p.m. Aug. 25 at both Luella’s locations on Merrimon Avenue and at Biltmore Park. Luella's collaborated with Green Man Brewery on a specially brewed Popcorn Lager in celebration of the occasion.
Plus, enter giveaways for anniversary merchandise.
Also, Luella's staff voted to donate a minimum of $10,000 to the Downtown Welcome Table, an organization addressing food insecurity in WNC.
"It's no secret that it's extremely rare and difficult for an independent restaurant to survive for even five years,” co-owner Jeff Miller said in a news release. “Luella's evolution over the past 15 years has manifested beyond our dreams. While much has changed, we are thriving today because one thing remained the same since day one: Luella's commitment to fostering lasting relationships to strengthen the fabric of our team and the community we serve.”
Ashley Miller, co-owner, noted that the restaurant has provided summer positions for students, supported career paths and nurtured partnerships with local farmers over the years. The restaurateurs continue to serve diners and community causes.
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“For me, I’ve found community outreach through non-profits to be such an incredibly meaningful driver,” she said in a news release. “That’s why when we began planning this anniversary event, our commitment to raising 10K for the Downtown Welcome Table was an easy decision. We are honored to share with them as so many have allowed us to share in their stories over the years.”
Luella’s is at 501 Merrimon Ave. and 33 Town Square Blvd. in Biltmore Park. For details, visit luellasbbq.com.
Pig out
Get the breakdown on how one hog can produce a multifaceted meal at a one-night dining event downtown.
Chestnut restaurant will host its inaugural Whole Hog & Wine Dinner from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 7 at 48 Biltmore Ave. The special event is in collaboration with Crow Fly Farms, which will provide the hog.
Crow Fly Farms raises heritage breed Red Wattle hogs entirely fed with soy-free organic feed. The Western North Carolina farm is a source of 100% grass-fed Galloway cattle and Katahdins sheep, too.
“We wanted to do a whole hog dinner with an up-and-coming farmer and felt like Crow Fly Farms was the perfect fit for us and we share many of the same values,” Chestnut’s executive chef Brian Crow said in a news release. “Doing things the right way isn’t always the easiest way but CFF is continuing to build a solid reputation on sustainable farming practices done the right way. We’re very excited to work with them and look forward to showcasing a five-course dinner paired with wine around their heritage breed red wattle hog.”
Chestnut’s five chefs will showcase their dishes across the five-course menu.
Commissary sous chef Noah Buchanan will kick off the evening with a charcuterie board. Sous chef Ashley Helms will present bourbon glazed pork belly for the second course. Crow will demonstrate carnitas in three ways — empanada, tamale and taco — for the third course. Chef de cuisine Matthew Dorough’s fennel-dusted porchetta will be served next. The final course will be a grilled pork pound cake prepared by pastry chef Mallory Foster.
Wine pairings will be served with each course.
The cost is $190 per person, which includes food, alcohol, 7% tax and 20% gratuity. View the full menu and reserve a seat online at westmorelandscully.com/event/crow-fly-farms-whole-pig-dinner/. For details about Chestnut, visit chestnutasheville.com.
Season’s eating
Experience an Italian summer feast in North Carolina.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill will host two evenings of At Season’s Peak Wine Dinner on Aug. 16 and Aug. 24.
The special event menu will feature a four-course dinner with wine pairings that complement the summer.
Fleurs de Prairie Rose will be paired with Spiedino Di Mare — wood-grilled shrimp coated with Italian breadcrumbs and topped with Carrabba’s signature lemon butter sauce.
The menu also features a Tuscan strawberry salad, Pollo Rosa Maria wood-grilled chicken and a berries and butter cake served with vanilla ice cream.
Season’s Peak Wine Dinner will be offered at select Carrabba’s restaurants nationwide, including the Arden and Asheville locations.
The cost is $55 per person. Guest must reserve seats online carrabbas.com. Select the location and click “RSVP to wine dinner.” Reservation times begin at 6 p.m.
Craft beer and clarinets
Classical meets contemporary in a musical series sending sound waves over the city and into nontraditional venues.
The Asheville Symphony Orchestra is taking it to the streets with its ALT ASO mobile chamber orchestra series. Previously, the musicians have played at the Asheville Art Museum, Orange Peel and Highland Brewing.
This time, they’re heading to another Asheville taproom.
On Sept. 13, the ASO will perform at Hi-Wire Brewing’s RAD Beer Garden at 284 Lyman St. The classical musicians will be joined by a hybrid New Orleans jazz band and Balkan brass band. Sip a beer and tap a toe to tunes like “Bourbon St. Parade” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
The cost is $45 per person. Tickets go on sale Aug. 17.
But first, head downtown for a free outdoor concert, back by popular demand.
On Aug. 28, ASO will play on the stage of the Pack Square Park. The song list will be a medley of classical, pop and movie soundtrack selections, including from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “The Sound of Music” and “Indiana Jones.”
ASO’s 2022-23 Masterworks Season will begin Sept. 17 at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and includes composers Beethoven, Verdi, Puccini and a concerto of Spanish-inspired classical guitars.
Much more is planned from a New Year’s Eve James Bond production to the Asheville Amadeus Festival from May 11-20. View the full season lineup and concert programs at ashevillesymphony.com.
Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville Food news: Whole hog and Italian feasts, ASO beer garden
