late summer 2009

go green with kunde winerytake a look at wesley heights' newest venuenow's the time to start your fall garden

frank scibelli's taste trifectacheck out local restaurateur's lineup, including charlotte staple, mama ricotta's (pictured here)

in each issue

06 ripeforthepicking beerandwinepicksfor latesummer

08 outonthetown thewineshopsatfoxcroft &rivergate—uncorked

10 seats&eats nothinglessthangoodfood atgoodfoodonmontford

12 profilesofpassion threestrikesandyou'rea winnerwithbrooklynbrewery

32 throughthegrapevine news&gossipwithinthe charlotteepicureanscene

33 placestogo,peopletosee acalendaroflocalevents

34 scenearoundtown takealookatwho’sbeenout&about

36 localflavor perfectrecipesforthesummer

37 ripeforthepicking hotspotsinandaroundtown

14colorkundewinerygreen

26 therealdeal:frankscibelli'sculinarytriplecrown

18 wadsworthestatea new entertainment venue

emerges in wesley heights

22it'stimeyoustartedafallgarden

contents

�food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

www.totalwine.com

CharlottePark Town Village

(704) 295-9292

Charlotte-UniversityUniversity

(704) 714-1040

HuntersvilleBirkdale Village (704) 895-6115

MatthewsCrossings Shopping Center

(704) 849-2022

HOURS: Mon-Thurs 10am-9pm, Fri-Sat 9am-10pm Sun 12pm-7pm

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLYUSE A DESIGNATED DRIVER

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLYUSE A DESIGNATED DRIVER

Total Wine & More is like no other store you have ever visited. Each of our stores carries8,000 different wines, 1,000 beers and More. Our wine team is the best trained in theindustry and all are dedicated to bringing you the Total Wine Experience™. Come see whywe are America’s Wine Superstore ®.

ON OVER 8,000 WINES • 1,000 BEERS • AND MORELOWEST PRICES

North Carolina’s

WineSUPERSTORE

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UNPARALLELED SERVICE INCREDIBLE SELECTION WINE ACCESSORIES/GIFTSWEEKLY WINE TASTINGS

4 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz ine �vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9

Epicurean CharlotteispublishedlocallybyCharlottefoodandwinelovers.Wehopeyouenjoyourpublicationandfindithelpfulwhenchoosingwine,aplacetodineoreventsaroundtown.Copyingorreproduction,inpartorinwhole,isstrictlyprohibited.

editorLindaSeligman

associate editorAshleyBlakeSummerlin

design & productionAshleyBlakeSummerlinabsdesignsllc@gmail.com

advertising salesLindaSeligman

charlottefw@aol.com • 704.606.5072

photographyLindaSeligman

AshleyBlakeSummerlin

advisor y boardDixonArmstrong—Consultant

ChrisBlack—RealtorDianneChase—Media&PRConsultantAshliCohen—Ruth’sChrisSteakHouse

TomCondron—Harper’sRestaurantGroupGeorgeErdle—WineCriticHonorableShirleyFulton

PamelaRichards—Reid’sFineFoodsGrantSchoonmaker—Consultant

contributing writersMichaeleBallard,DianneChase,

LarryHanzo,BeaQuirk,DonRosenberg,PamelaShaw,G.ClayWhittaker

main title design LindseyWhite

lwhite@jldesigners.com

Volume 21, Issue 5 — Say you saw it in Estates & Homes of Metro Charlotte — www.metro-charlotte.com — 45

You don’t need to waste time putting together your own marketing package.Homes & Land provide your with a balanced marketing portfolio

with both print and online solutions. Check out the productsand services we deliver at one affordable price.

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creative loafing voted best restaurant 2007

french-italian bistro

545-b providence road • charlotte, nc 28207www.terracharlotte.com • 704.332.1886

TERRA

Offering the best selection of boutique and naturally produced

wines in the area.Monday through Saturday 10:00-11:00 • Sundays 1:00-9:00

Foxcroft Shopping Center7824 Fairview Road

Charlotte, NC 28226 704.365.6550

RiverGate Shopping Center14142 RiverGate Parkway Suite 200

Charlotte, NC 28273704.831.9000

6 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9 vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 �food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

Terry Miller of D’Vine Wine Café– Ballantyne is recommending the Turkey Flat Rose (Aust.) 2007 for the dog days of summer.Bottle $22.99

A blend of Grenache, Shiraz, CabernetSauvignon and Dolcetto, the Provençal-styled 2007 Rose is medium pink withbrightaromasofstrawberryandraspberry.Ithasavelvetytexture,intenseflavors,ex-cellentconcentrationandalengthyfinish.

ripe for the picking

Josh Villapando, manger of Ilois Noche, is excited about the 100 percent Colombia Valley fruit of Washington Hills 2008 Riesling. Glass $8.00; Bottle: $35.00

Fragrant peaches, sugar cane and floralnotesgiveway toflavorsofmangosandpeaches. Bright acidity leads to a crispfinishwithlingeringfruit.

Conrad Hunter of Foxcroft Wine Shop says the 2007 Hirsch Vineyards ‘M’ Pinot Noir may be one of the best California Pinot’s he has tasted in a long time.Bottle $72.00

The‘M’isacompletewinewithgreatdepth,concentration,complexityandaquintessen-tialsenseofplace.FacingtheoceanneartheSan Andreas, in the rain forest, the site isdramatic;andtheMpinotnoircarriestothelastmoleculeeveryelementofthatdrama.

Mark Vergil of Total Wine–Park Road is excited about the Martin Ray Pinot Gris 2007, Mendocino County. Bottle $14.99

Absolutelydryandcrispwithaminerally-fruityelegance,theflavorsveertowardlimesandgrapefruits,andriper,ushertropicalfruitsandwhiteflowers.

Tommy George of Pasta & Provisions is enjoying 2007 Cantina di Casteggio Pinot Grigo. Bottle $12.99

TheCantinadiCasteggioPinotGrigiofeaturesdelicateand pale clean yellow tones and fruit perfumes thatopentowardsstrongerfloralnotes.Itsdelicateflavorisalsocrispywithacleanfinish.

Frank Scibelli of Mama Ricotta’s Restaurant is excited about the 2005 Frecciarossa ‘Giorgio Odero’ Pinot Nero Oltrepò Pavese from Italy. Glass $9.00; Bottle $34.00

Warm,intenseandverywellbalanced,thiswineisveryelegantwitha long-lasting fruityflavorofredberries,vanillaandcoffeenotes.Foodpairingwithseafoodandgrilleddishes.

Monty Smith of Monte’s Bistro is enjoying the Verdillac Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux for the hot summer days. Glass $8.00; Bottle $27.99

Beautifulstrawandlanolinnotesarehighlightedbylemon and grapefruit acidity from the 30 percentSauvignonBlancaddedforstructure.

Greg Metcalf of Lake Wylie Junction is bragging about the Lobster Cove Chardonnay. Glass $9.00; Bottle $34.00

TheLobsterCoveChardonnay is acrisp, freshwhitewinefermentedinstainlesssteeltanks.It’sperfectforsummereveningsorautumncrabbakes!

Sean McCormack Of Johnny’s Red Bowl is raving about the Morgan Côtes du Crow 2006. Glass $9.00; Bottle $32.00

This wine boasts a medium-rich ruby redcolor with blue-black highlights and noseandpalateimpressionsofviolets,blueberry,jam, mint, pomegranate, strawberry, spiceandpepper.Medium-bodiedwithsofttannins,it’s a versatile food wine… and absolutelydelicious!

Rob Rondelez from Common Market– S. Tryon Street is raving about the Cassagnoles 2008 Côtes des Gascogne. Bottle $9.99

ThisFrenchwineisdeliciousandinvigo-rating on the palate with notes of lime,salt, sage and pepper. It’s the perfectrefreshment for summer; it’ll make youwanttopicnic!

Thierry Garconnet of Terra Restaurant is proud of the wine Le Calle Montecucco Poggio d’Oro.Bottle $55.00

A beautiful wine made from 100 percentSangiovese, thewine ishandmadefromtheestate’scertifiedorganicgrapes.Thefruit is ripe with flavors of dark cherry,herbsandspicewithanearthyelement,which is common in Sangiovese. It’salmostlikeabrunnello.

Cameron Dibble from Dolcetto Wine Room is bragging about the 2007 Bingo Pinot Noir.Bottle $25.00

Ripe, intense and vibrant with vivid black cherry,currant, black licorice and spice flavors that fan outnicely. The Fisticuffs is full-bodied and long on thefinish,keepingafocusoncomplex, lively fruit.Drinknowthrough2016.

Home cooked comfort foods with a Southern flair.• The only Sunday Brunch Buffet in the Lake Wylie area. $10 for adults and $5 for children.

• Monthly six course wine dinners or six course Liquor dinners. $65 per person.

• All-U-Can-Eat crablegs on Monday nights for $25 and bottomless pasta bowls on Thursdays for only $8.

Intersection of NC 160 & NC 49, Lake Wylie704.587.0494 • www.lakewylie-junction.com

Open 7 days a week 11am

til 2am

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9vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9

out on the town

henIarriveatTheWineShopatFoxcroft,ConradHunterissittingatatablenearthewindow,quicklyeatinghislunch.Heanswersmyquestionsbetween

bitesof food,phonecallsandfriendlywavestocustomersastheyenterthestore.

He’sthebusyandenergeticownerofTheWineShop,andwithasecondlocationopenatRiverGate,he’sgottenbusierinthelastyear.Butit’seasytotellthatthisisalaboroflove,andtheresultofyearsofthatlaboristwoinvitingretailrestaurants.

Hunterspentthefirst30yearsoflifeinmusicandgot interestedinwinethroughagoodbottle:“MyfirstreallygoodbottlewasaChâteauLaMissionHaut-Brion. Itwasmybirthdayandthestaffsaid,‘We’regoingtobuyyouabottleofwine,anyoneonthe list.’SoI immediatelytriedtofindthemostexpensivebottleonthelist,whichwasthatbottle—50bucksat thetime.”Thebottlesparkedaninterestthatwouldagemuchlikeagoodbottle.“Thatwasthefirst timeIreallyrealizedhowgoodwinecouldbe,”headmits, “thatkindofstayedwithme.”

Afterthat,Hunteralwayshadafewbottlesaroundthehousewhilestillinthemusicindustry.Hesayshereallygotthebugafterheandhiswifehadtheirfirstdaughter.“Itkindoftakesyououtoftheloop,”heexplains.Andwhentheystartedeatingathome

more,hebegantobuybythecaseandstockpilewine.So after shopping in local stores for a few years, some

of theretailerssuggested thathebecomeawholesaler.Heworkedwithalargewholesalerforayearbeforetakingajobwithasmallboutiquedistributor,andstayedwiththemuntilheopenedtheshop.

OverLaborDayWeekendof2004,Hunterandhis then-partneropenedTheWineShopatFoxcroft.“Ireally felt thatCharlottehadaneed fora store that focusedonEuropean

wines.WehaveagreatCaliforniaselection,weprobablysellmorehighendchardonnaythananybodyinthecity,butalotofotherretailstores justweren’twillingtohaveafullrepresentation.”

Heoperatedasthemanagingminoritypartner,until, in2006,heboughtouthis

partner.Thiswashisopportunity toexpand.With thenewopportunity,Huntergrewhisbusinessbyexaminingthegoodandbadofwhathehadseeninhiswholesalerdays,incorporat-ingthebestelements intoaperfectbalance inhisownbusi-nessmodel.“Ithinkinordertosurvive,asmallbusinesslikethishastodiversifyandofferasmanythingsasyoucan.”

Thefirststepingrowingwasfulfillinghisdreamofaddingawinebarandbegginingtoservefood.“Atthetime,noonewasdoingawinebarinretail,withtheexceptionofDean&DeLuca.

“We’re kind of like the town meeting

place, a general store, with alcohol.”

by g. clay whittakerphotos by ashley blake summerlin

wthe wine shops at foxcroft & rivergate—uncorked

Ithoughtthatwasanimportantwaytobringalotofwinesyouwantedpeopletotrythattheynormallywouldn’t.”Hunterreno-vatedthestoreandbeganservingfoodinearly2007.

Hunteropened theRiverGatestore inSeptemberof lastyearwithpartnerFrankStokes.Stokes,abankerandwinelover,wasaformercustomeratTheWineShopatFoxcroft.

TheWineShopatRiverGate,runbygeneralmanagerDevinAllen,sellsmorebeerthantheFoxcroftlocationandhasaroundfivetimestheFoxcroftselection.Thenewstorealsohas40tapson a nitrogen anti-oxidizing system thatallowsforquicktastingandforeasycreationofflights.

Thewinebaratbothlocationsisusedasameetingplacebyarangeofgroups,andHunterseespeoplerun into their friendstherea lot. “We’re like the townmeetingplace,ageneralstore,butwithalcohol.”

Thekitchen isnowunder themasterhands of Chef Christopher Zion. Theyservea rangeof foods frompaninisandcheeseplatestodesserts.“We’rekindofabeforeandafterplace,”saysHunter.Theclientelealsoincludesallages, fromearlytwentiestonineties.

TheWineShophasaninventoryof2,600to3,000bottles,dependingon theweek.Theycarry limitedrunsandsmallbatches,andreplacethosewithnewoneswhentheyhaverunout.“Wineisafiniteproduct—it’sgoingtorunout,andyoujusthavetowaitforthenextvintage.That’sthebeautyofit.”

Theyalsocarrybeer,sakeandkosherwine.Heexplainsthat these things reachawider clientele andfill anunder-

representedmarketintheQueenCity:“Ijustthoughtitwasacategoryweneededtohaverepresentationon.”

Thestoredoesn’tcarryanyratingsystem.“Peoplehavebeenconditionedtobuybrandsliketheydowitheverythingelse,andwe’retryingtochangetheirperceptionofthat.”Ratingsystems, he believes, narrow minds and lead people awayfromsamplingnewthings.“Inevertryandunderestimatemycustomers.”Heisn’tafraidtooffernewproducts,either.“Ifyoulikesomethingandyouofferitandhaveitavailable,therewill

beademand.”Hunter isaGermanReisling fanand

alwayshadtroublefindingabroadselec-tioninthestoresinCharlotte.HewastoldnoonestockedReislingbecausetherewasnodemand.“Nodemand,”hesays,“isaself-fulfillingprophecy.”

OneofthedrawsofTheWineShopistheirtwice-weeklyfreetastingsonTuesdayeveningsandSaturdayafternoons,whichHunterdescribesasanon-committalwayto try new things. “We try to create anatmospherethat’snotintimidating.”

The tasting selections are chosen toa standardofmaintainingan interesting

selectionandreasonableprice.Hunterbroughthisattitudefrommusictowine—independent

harvest,nomass-producedcorporatestuff.“I thinkthesamemusethatgoesintomusicgoesintowine.”Wineisimportanttohim,andthat’ssomethingheshareswithcustomersandwithhisstaff.“It’snotjustaproduct,it’ssomethingweactuallycareabout.”E

the wine shop at rivergate

14142 rivergate parkway #200 charlotte • 704.831.9000

www.thewineshopatrivergate.com

the wine shop at foxcroft

7824 fairview road charlotte • 704.365.6550

www.thewineshopatfoxcroft.com

8 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz ine

partners conrad hunter (left) and frank stokes

11food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

seats & eats

henamesaysitall.GoodFoodOnMontford(GFOM)isbringingincrowdsofexcitedfanswhoareravingaboutthelatestrestaurantcreationofculinarymastersandbrothers,

BruceandKerryMoffett,ofBarrington’s fame.“We’vespentalotoftimeinthekitchentogetheratBarrington’s,saysexecutivechef,Kerry. “Wewanted to launchaplace likenoneother inCharlotte,wherewecouldprovidetheabsolutebestqualityfoodinafine,friendlyandlivelyplace.”

Theplaceturnedouttobeanunsuspectingvenueonaratherunsuspectingstreetbut inanarea ripe for—yes—good food.“Wefoundthisbuilding(aformerThairestaurant,amongotherthings)andwewereintrigued,”saysKerry.“Wetalkedaboutit,lookedatotherareasof town,butsomethingkeptbringingusbackhere.”Bruceagreesitwasabitofanunexpectedlocationforwhat theyenvisioned.“We justkepthearing that itwasanareaforbarsandcollegekidshangingout,”saysKerry.Butthetwoweretotallydrawntothespotat1701MontfordDrive.“WejustgotsoexcitedaboutthepossibilitiesoftheplaceIfinallysaidtoBruce,‘OK,arewegoingtodothisthingornot.’Wejustmadeapactrightthentogoforit!”

Thatwasayearago,whentheeconomystartinggoing‘south’inabigway.“ItwasreallyastressfultimeforBruce,whopouredhislifesavingsintomakingthedreamareality,”explainsKerry.“But I just toldhimwe’vegot tostepout thereanddo it.Wemake food thatpeople love,and theywillcome.Thatwasmybeliefandwejustrolledwithit.”

Cometheydid…indroves.Thebuzzspreadandinterestgrewamong‘foodies’andpassersbyduringtheninemonthrenovationprocess.AsKerryputsit,“It’sbeengangbusterssincetheword‘Go’!”RavereviewscirculatedquicklyaboutthetapasmenuandthereallygoodfoodnowavailableonMontfordDrive.

Thequalityofthedishesisdirectlyrelatedtothefactthatthechefsuseonlythebestsourcesfortheingredients;keyamongthemisNewTownFarms,whichhasestablishedareputationofprovidingthebestqualityorganicvegetablesandpasteurizedpoultry,porkandeggs in thearea. “Wehaveahighstandardforwhatwedo,”Kerryexplains,“andcreatingatop-notchtapasmenu isa teameffort.NewTownFarms issecondtonone inprovidingthefreshestingredients,whichmakeitpossibleforustocraftgreatdishes.”

Ofcourse it’s takena lotofsweatequityandtruestaminatocreatewhatKerrybelievesisarestaurantunlikeanyotherin

Charlotte.Butithasalsocomewithanexhilaratingopportunitytoputhispassion for reallygood food into action. “Thefirstweekendweopenedweservedahundredpeople inonenight!Everything justclickedandthatmeantsomuchtome. Itwaslike,thisisgoingtowork;thisisgoingtohappen.”

BruceandKerryenvisionedGoodFoodOnMontfordasaplacewherepeoplecancomeforasimplemeal,abeverageora full-onmulti-coursemealwithavarietyofdishes.Themenufulfillsallthoseoptions.

Theratherhumbleexteriorof thebuildingis inviting.Uponenteringyouaregreetedwiththewelcomingsmilesofthehostessandthewarmthoftheinteriorcraftedofwood,glassandcustomcreatedlighting.Themostinterestingwallartisfashionedbyalocalartistfromstainlesssteelsilverware.

OurvisitearlyoneMondayeveningbeganwithacomfortableplaceatoneofthesmalltwo-toptablesandagreetingfromourknowledgeableandconvivialwaiter,Jimmy.Likeeveryonewemetintheplace,hemadeusfeellikewewere‘athome’anddinnerwas a shared experience among new friends. He explainedthemenu—Light,Cold,Hot,Noodles,SubstantialandSides—andhighlightedthespecialties, themostpopular itemsandhisfavorites,aswell.

WestartedwithasaladofBibblettucetossedwithgrapefruit,avocadoandgoatcheese.Theunusualmélangeofflavorsandtextureswaswonderfullysatisfyingwith thesmoothandrichcheese,tangyredfruitandrichnessoftheavocado.

Asmentioned,dinneratGFOM,oftenbecomesacommunalexperience with fellow diners. It wasn’t long before we weresharinglivelyconversation,alongwithtastesoffoodandsipsofwinewithourneighborstoour leftandright.Whatarareandwonderfulthing,itmakesforamemorableevening,indeed.

Wesampledourneighbors’NewTownFarmsspringonionsoupwithbabysweetshrimpsalad—differentanddelightful—andabiteofwhat’sbecomethemostpopulardish,thesteamedbun with five spice rubbed pork belly, scallions and hoison.Whatahit!Customersclamor for these,saysJimmy.Nowweknowwhy!

Nextonour‘hitlist’wasthefriedyuccacakeandgarlicaioli.The crispy, healthy-sized square melts in your mouth. Thefamiliar sweet potato flavor and the four dabs of garlic aioliprovideanextratastesensation.

Thecrispy falafelwith tomatocucumberrelishandGreekyogurtsaucewasournextspecial treat.Thefour littleballsofchick pea concoction were delightfully presented and simplywonderful.

Wehadtotrythe locally-grownvegetableof theday—fromNewTownFarms,ofcourse—andtheroasteddomesticmush-roomswithgarlicandfreshherbs.Wewishedwehadaforkineachhandbecausewecouldn’tgetenoughofeither.

Kerryandhissupersidekick,souschef,LarrySchreiber,workspecialmagicwithfreshveggies,likekale.

Thedessertsareabevyofdelectables.It’sdifficulttodecidehowtowindupsuchascrumptiousmeal,butwedecidedonagooeychocolateandmarshmallowindulgence,whichprovidedtheperfectexclamationmarktoafabulousdiningexperience.

Whatmorecouldyouaskfor?E

nothing less than good food at good food on montford

t 1701 montford drive, charlotte

704.525.0881 • www.goodfoodonmontford.com

good food on montford

by dianne chasephotos by ashley blake summerlin

10 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9 vo lume 1 • i ssue 2

mango bread pudding with ginger infused ice cream

pan seared scallop over chilled angel hair pasta with pesto, roasted corn & parmesan cheese

bibb lettuce salad with grapefruit, avocado & goat cheese

crispy falafel with tomato cucumber relish & greek yogurt sauce kerry moffett

1�vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9

profiles of passion

rooklyn Brewery began making beer in 1988 inborrowed facilitieswith thegoalofproducing thebestbeerpossible.Asinterestinitsbeersexpanded,

distributionalsogrew.(Itsbeerisnowavailablein23easternstates and six foreign countries.) In 1996, it opened itsnewBrooklyn,NYbrewingplant,andtherest ishistory.BrooklynBreweryisnowamongAmerica’stop40breweries.

Ioriginally foundBrooklynBrewerybywayof theirBrooklynPennantAle.Thebrandgrabbedmyattentionbymemorializingasportingeventthathappened45yearsago for a team that no longer resides in the borough.Veryquicklyitbecamemyfavoriteale.IsoondiscoveredthatBrooklynBreweryhadagreatarrayofseasonalandspecialtyofferings.

Before going further, let’s renew a few beer basics:(1)Beercanbedividedintothreegeneraltypes:ales,lagers,andallothers.(2)Alesareproducedusingtop-fermentedyeast and are fermented at warmer temperatures.(3)Lagersaremadeatcoldertemperaturesusingbottom-fermentedyeasts.[Thisisalongerprocessbecauseafterthesecondfermentationthebeerisstored(laagered)forseveralweeksandcangouptosevenmonths.](4)The‘allother’category includes lambics,steamandothersmall

productionhandcraftedbrews.Discerningdinersshouldknowthatbeerisexcellentwith

foodofalltypesandpreparations.Ales,forexample,areamustwithgrilledmeats.Themaltandhopflavorstweakthetastebudsandmakegrilledfoodstastebetter.TheBrooklynLagergoeswithpizza,Mexicanfoodorbrats.

Brooklynusesthecenturiesolddryhoppingmethodofcoldfermentationtoenhancetheflavorsandbouquet.Thisextrastepputsitlevelsaboveitscompetitors.IfI’mhavingfish,Asianfoodorspicysausage,I’llselect theBrooklynPilsnerwith itssmooth,complexflavorsnuancedwithacrispy,snappybitterness.

If you want to taste a couple of absolutely stunningbeersthatwillchangeyourperceptionofjusthowflavorfulandcomplexabeercanbe,trytheirBlackChocolateStoutor their Monster Ale. Both are high-gravity beers withalcoholcontentofmorethan10percent.TheBlackChocolatehasadistinctivesweetnessintherichbody.TheMonsterAle isawell-designedbarleywine.Thesebeersage forseveralyears.They’lldrinkwellnowbut, ina fewyears,they’lltasteevenbetter.

ThenewestreleasesareLocal1andLocal2.Local1isapalealethatisbottledflatwithsomeyeastadded.Itthen

three strikes and you're a winner with brooklyn breweryby larry hanzo

b

A Brief History of Beer Before BrooklynIn the mid-20th century, New York City had about 45 local breweries.

Into the late 1960s, a number of local breweries were still in operation. By 1976, the local presence waned when Schafer-Reingold closed. This turn of events was not isolated to New York City; it took place throughout the country. National brands, with their massive advertising budgets and large-scale distribution networks, started to dominate the top-of-mind awareness of the beer drinking public.

National beers weren’t necessarily bad; they were merely very common. It was around this time that it became trendy to drink what the ‘good looking in-crowd’ was drinking. If you were a guy, drinking the ‘preferred brands’ meant that women would find you sexy. For women, the opposite would apply. Style became more important than substance when corporate ‘big beer’ dominated the industry.

By the late 1970s, serious beer lovers started to become disenchanted with the universal taste of national brands. They sought something different, and imported beers began to have a huge impact. The inherent differences in beer—i.e. taste, style and variety—became increasingly more important.

In a related development, craft beers began popping up in areas where people were passionate about beer. In some areas of the country, several local breweries had managed to endure the big beer onslaught and even prospered. They, along with the new craft breweries, were poised to grow, speared on by the renewed interest in artisan beers.

In this spirit, Brooklyn Beer began brewing beer in 1988.

goesintoaconditioningroomforasecondfermentation.Theprocess,knownas‘MethodeBrooklynaise,’ issimilartothewayChampagneismade.Local1isaBelgianinspiredbeerthatonlycomesin750mlbottlescompletewithacorkstopperandwirecageretainer.Itisabsolutelydeliciouswithastrongbutsmoothflavorprofile.

Local2,introducedinMarch,isadarkalethatisprocessedwithcaramelizedsugars,malt,wildhoneyandsweetorangepeel, using the same ‘Methode Brooklynaise’ method asLocal1.Brooklyn is theonlyAmericanbrewerypursuingtherefermentationprocess.

IfyouarealsoawinedrinkerlikeIam,you’llknowthatit’snotthewinerybutrathertheterriorandthewinemakerthatdeterminewhatyoudrink.Atabrewery,theBrewmasteristhemostimportantpersoninassemblingthefinalproduct.

AtBrooklynBrewery theyhaveagreatone inGarrettOliver.Garrett istheforemostU.S.authorityonthesubjectoftraditionalbeers.Hestartedoutasanamateurbrewerandin1989asanapprenticeattheManhattanBrewingCompany.HewasappointedBrewmastertherein1993.Hesoonbecamewidelyknown forhisflavorful interpretationof traditionalbrewingstylesandasanavidandentertaininglecturer.Heisaregularcontributortobeerandfood-relatedpublicationsandhasauthoredtheBrewmaster Table,abookwhich isahugefavoriteamongbeerandfoodconnoisseurs.

Ifyouwanttoknowmoreaboutthebreweryandaboutspecificingredientsofeachofthebeersinthearticle,checkoutthebrewery’swebsite:BrooklynBrewery.com.E

12 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz ine

co-founder steve hindythe sun sets behind the brewery

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he family owned and operatedKundeFamilyEstatehasspent100

yearsproducingultra-premiumwinesinthe tradition of the renowned SonomaCounty Valley of the Moon. Now theKundewineryandvineyardshave tak-enastep towardsecuring the futureofwinemakingwithsustainableandorganicfarming.

Louie Kunde emigrated from Germany in1904and acquired the Wildwood Vineyard ranch withits iron-rich red volcanic soils. It was first plantedin1879bypioneerJohnDrummondwithimportedcuttings from Chateau Margaux and LafiteRothschild.

After Louie’s death in 1922, the winery andvineyards were taken over by his son Arthur 'Big

color kunde winery green

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by michaele ballardimages courtesy kunde winery

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Bob'Kunde,whokeptthewineryopenduringthedifficulttimesofprohibitionbyselling'sacramental'wines.HecontinuedtogrowgrapesthroughWorldWar II but was forced to close the winery doorswhenhissonsweredraftedintoservice.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, two of 'BigBobs' sons, Bob and Fred, greatly expanded theKundeEstateandaddedKinneybrookRanchin1977.Theyplantedhundredsofacresofprimevarietalsand their hard work and savvybusiness decisions laid thegroundwork for building theKunde Family Estate Winer y,which has aging caves datingbacktothe1990s.

More than 32,000 square feetof tunnelswitha storagecapacityfor up to 6,000 barrels runthrough the five million-year-oldvolcanic lava flows that are thebedrock of the vineyards. The geologic forma-tions are ideal for aging wines with year-roundtemperatures a constant 60 degrees Fahrenheitandahumiditylevelofaround90to95percent.Atthe furthest reachesof theagingcaves liesaVIPdining room 175 feet below the surface of theKinneybrookSyrahvineyards.

In October 2004, three generations of theKunde family gathered with friends to celebratetheir 100th harvest and to honor all that camebefore them—a century of wine growing. Today,the fourth and fifth generation members remainhands-onproprietorsoftheKundeEstate.

“We believe it is our duty as winegrowers toprotectandgivebacktothe landthathasblesseduswithitsbeautyandbounty,”saysJeffKunde.

Assuch,theymanagefivedistincteco-systems: riparian, aquatic,oak woodlands, native grassesand chaparral, as well as their700 acres (out of 1,850 acres) ofestate vineyards, where a mix ofchardonnays, sirhas, zinfandels,viogniers and reserve wines areproduced.

NowKundeEstate is investingin the future by employing sus-

tainablepracticesthroughout.It issensitivetotheenvironment and society at large, supporting thewell-beingofwineryemployeesandthecommunitythroughorganicfarmingthatpromotesbiodiversityingrowingcyclesandplantactivity.

Forinstance,covercropsareusedtoreduceenergyusage, conserve water, control erosion, increase

soil fertility and create habitats for beneficial insects.Vegetation management and the placement of nestingboxes forowlsandotherraptors throughthevineyardssupport a natural pest-free environment. All of theseapproachestowinegrowingcreateanaturallyhealthyenvi-ronmentthatresultsinwell-balancedvinesandwines.

In2005,theSanFranciscoBayAreaGreenBusinessProgram recognized the family’s commitment topreservingthelandforfuturegenerationsbyawardingKunde Estate with SecondLevelGreenBusinessProgramCer tification (the highestlevel). The estate is one ofonly ahandfulofwineriesoutof more than 200 in SonomaCounty to reachSecondLevelCertifications.

Kunde Estates also offersEco-Hikingtourstoenhancepubliceducationandaware-nessofsustainablewinegrowingpractices.ThetoursareconductedbyfourthgenerationwinegrowerJeffKundeandaSonomaValleydocent.ThehikesaremoderatelystrenuousandtakeguestsfromtheSonomaValleyfloorupto1,400feetintotheMayacamasMountainrange.

With a proven century-old family legacy firmlyestablished, Kunde Family Wines is dedicated topreserving the land for generations and centuriestocomesothattheymaycontinuetobeenjoyedbyall.E

“We believe it is our duty as winegrowers to protect and give

back to the land that has blessed us with its

beauty and bounty.” jeff kunde

Kunde Family Wines is dedicated to preserving the land for generations and centuries to come.

hissummer, the98-year-oldWadsworthHouse in the historic neighborhood ofWesley heights was transformed into

The Wadsworth Estate. With the openingof theCarriageHouse,asmall freestandingstructurelocatedinthebackoftheproperty,Charlottebridesnowhaveasecondweddingchapel inwhichtobemarried—andasinglelocationofelegantsophisticationwhereboththeceremonyandreceptioncanbeheld.

Thevenue,ownedandoperatedbyJudgeShirleyFultonsince 2001, is also the perfect spot for other kinds ofreceptions and parties, community events and businessmeetings.Itslocation—justamilefromtheheartofuptownCharlotteon tree-linedSouthSummitAvenue—hasmadeitapopularandmuch-sought-aftersitebyhostsandhost-essesthroughoutCharlotte.It’salsoeasilyaccessiblefromSouthCharlottebywayofProvidenceRoad,which turnsintoMoreheadStreet.There’splentyofon-streetparking.

“Wadsworthhasevolved intoacommunityspace thatbringspeople in fromdifferentareasofCharlotte,”Fultonsays.“Ithasawonderfulviewofuptown,thefrontporchisveryattractive,peoplelovetovisitthegarden,andtherearemanydifferentspacesinthehousewherepeoplecangather

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wadsworth estatea new entertainment venue emerges in wesley heights

by bea quirk images by ashley blake summerlin

clockwise from top left: upstairs dressing/gathering area, front porch, front exterior, upstairs dressing room/gathering area, sunroom, back exterior

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or be alone. People are impressed by the intimacyofthespace.”

Fulton,nowretiredfromthebenchandthepracticeoflaw,boughtthebuildingin2001.Butshehadlongbeen in lovewith itsarchitecturalcharacterandhadhereyeonitforseveralyears.

FultonhelpedleadeffortstorevitalizeWesleyHeights,nowapopularin-townaddressforboththosewhohaverenovated old homes and for new condo dwellers.Herdreamwastocreateauniquemeetingplaceonthecity’sWestsideandmakeWadsworthHousethecrownjewelof theWesleyHeights’ renaissance.Thehousewasdesignedin1910bylocalprominentarchitect,LouisH. Asbury, and was built by developer E.C. Griffithin1911. Itwasoneof thefirsthomesbuilt inWesleyHeights,thenastreetcarsuburb.

“Itshistory ispartof theappeal,”saysFultonwhorunsWadsworthwithhersonKevinGoode.“Iwrotea letter to the owner telling him I was interested inbuying it,but Ineverheard fromhim.Thenafterhedied—about10yearslater—theestatefoundmyletterandcontactedme.”

The building was structurally sound, althoughplumbing and electrical systems were updated andaesthetic improvementsmade.Thedécor iseclectic,

butfeaturestheclassicambienceoftheartsandcraftsmovementfromtheperiodwhenthehousewasbuilt.Fultonshoppedthroughouttheregiontofinddistinc-tivepieces.

Thehouseremainsarchitecturallydistinctiveandstandsout fromtheone-storybungalowhomes thatrundownbothsidesof thestreet.Sheathed inwoodshingles,themainhousehasaraised,brickfoundation,ahip roof covered in asphalt shingles,overhangingeavesandhiproofeddormers.Inside,abroadstaircase,withsquare,classicalboxbalustersandacurvednewel,rises to a landing with a segmental arched stainedglasswindow.

The1,600-square-footCarriageHouse isnotonlyanattractiveweddingchapel,butcanalsobeusedforareceptionorconferencewithabout85to100guests.Itisoneofonlyahandfulofsuchperiodstructuresinthecitytoday.Withitsopening,FultonhasdecidedtorenamethevenueWadsworthEstate.

TheCarriageHousewill alsoenableWadsworthEstatetohostsuchpubliceventsassalsadanceclassesandetiquetteclassesforchildren,aswellasbusinessandorganizationalretreatsandsmallbanquets.

The 4,500-square-foot main house, designated ahistoricpropertyonboththelocalandnationallevels,

featuresaseriesofroomsontwofloorsandcancom-fortablyhold125 to150people.Peoplecangather ina largegroup in the two front roomsorsocialize inseveralsmallerroomsformoreintimateconversations.Guestsalso love toseeandbeseenon thespacioustraditionalSouthernveranda thatgraces the frontofthehouse.

Theupstairsaddsfurtherversatilityasthesecluded,self-containedareascanbeusedforavarietyofpurposes,suchasservingaspre-weddingspace for thebrideand groom. Organizations such asBankofAmerica,Wachovia,thecityofCharlotte, theZ.SmithReynoldsFoundationandtheFoundationForTheCarolinasprimarilyusethe1,500to1,800squarefeetofroomsthereformeetingsandconferences.

Weddingshavebeenheldon-siteforthelastseveralyearsinthegardenbesidethemainhouse.Vestigesoftheterracedlawnsurvive,asdosomeoriginalplantings,includingmatureoakandmapletrees.

TheWadsworthEstatealsohostsanumberofpublicevents. Jazz Nights are held from 9 p.m. to 12:30a.m. thefirstFridayofeachmonth.For$10,patrons

cansoakupcool jazzperformedby localmusicians,nibbleondeliciousheavyhorsd’oeuvresand imbibefinebeer,wineandcocktailsfromacashbar.

ThethirdFridayofeachmonthisMargaritaNight,a freeopportunity tomixandmingleandsipon$5margaritas.Winetastingsareheldquarterly.Admissionis freeand“thenyou tasteandbuywhatyouwant,”Fultonsays.VisitorscanalsotourthehomeinOctober

and December when it is lavishlydecorated for Halloween andChristmas,respectively.

Wadsworthhasalistofpreferredcaterers,which includesomeof thebestinCharlotteincludingSomethingClassic, Chef Henry and Uptown

Catering.Butstaffworkswithallcaterers,and thereisaworkingkitchenon-site.Staffwillalsogotheextramiletofindadistributorwhocansupplyjustthebeer,wineandcocktailsaclientwants.

Fulton,whohasplayedseveralrolesatthenearbyCharlotteSchoolofLaw, lives justa fewblocks fromtheWadsworthEstateandoftendropsinoneventstopersonallymakesureeverydetail isas it shouldbeandthatclientsarehappy.E

“[The Wadsworth Estate’s] history is part of its appeal.”

shirley fulton

upstairs meeting spaceformal dining room

it’s time you started a fall garden

Everybody thinks of vegetable gardens assummer projects; the big plants—tomatoes,peppers, squash—get all the attention. But inCharlottewe’reblessedwithaclimatethatallowsforsuccessfulveggiegardensallyear.Fallgardensarearealpleasure—mostofthebugsofsummeraregoneandtendingandharvestingafallgardenismorecomfortableincoolerweather.

Lotsof familieswouldliketostartavegetablegarden in theirbackyards,but theynevereventrybecausetheythinkitwillbealotofhardwork.Frankly,they’reright.Digging,tillingandweedingtakealotoftimethattoday’sfamiliesdon’thave.

However, there’s a new approach to familygardeningthat’sespeciallyeasywhenhomesarebuilt where the topsoil has been scraped away

and not replaced. The idea is to build smaller,raisedbedgardenson topof thesterilesoilandfillinwithpottingmix.

This cuts down on a lot of work, both nowandinthefuture.First,youavoidalloftheeffortremovingthesodanddiggingintothehardclay.Second,youeliminate99percentof theweeds!Normally, tostartagardenyoutillcompostandfertilizer directly into the ground, but tens ofthousandsofdormantweedseedsareinthesoil,andoncetheyareexposedtothelight,theystartto sprout. Eventually you end up with a weedpatchinsteadofavegetablegarden.

Bybuildingaraisedbedontopofthegroundyouendupwithalmostnoweeds.Thewindwillblowandthebirdswillpoop,butyou’llhaveone

f

by don rosenberg

22 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9 vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 23food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

oodlovers,whethertheyarehomecooksorprofessionalchefs,understandthevalueoffreshpickedproduce.Infact,studiesshowthatvegetablescanloseupto15percentoftheirnutritionalcontent,andalsotheirflavor,every

dayaftertheyareharvested.Sincenoonecangotothefarmersmarketeveryday,onesolutionistogrowyourownproduce,aprojectthatisgettingeasierasnewtechniquesforraisedbedorganicgardeningbecomemorewidespread.

clockwise from top left: dragon carrots, silverbeet chard, chioggia beets, mexican sour cucumbers, bulls blood beets

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weedpersquarefootinsteadofahundred,andwiththeloosesoil,they’reasnaptopullout.

Buildingyourgardenissimple.Arot-resistantwoodlikecedarisbest,butitcanbeexpensive.Amoreafford-ablealternativeispressure-treateddecking—you’llneedtolinetheinsides(notthebottom)withalayerofblackplastictoensurethatanychemi-calsdon’treachyoursoil.

I recommendusing1¼”by5½”decking thatcomes in12’lengths.Fourboardswithone3’ cutwill leaveyouwith four3’boardsfor thesiderailsandfour9’boardsforthefrontandbackrails.A6’pressure-treated2’x4’canbecutinto12”piecesfor the posts. Just attach the9’ frontrails twoboards tall tothe posts using 2¼” deckingscrews.Dothesameforthebackrails.Thenattachthetwosetstogetherusingthesiderails(see above photos of raised beds at Rama Road Elementary School).

Ifyouwanttogrowclimbingcrops—peasincoolseasons, and beans, cucumbers and limas in thesummer—you’llneedtwo7’4’x4’postsforyourbackcornersanda9’2’x4’forthecrosspiece.Trellisnettingisattachedtothecrosspiece.

Findasunnyspot foryourgarden—sixhoursofsun is minimum. Place your bed on the grass andlevel itbydiggingintothegroundacoupleof inchestomakeroomfortherailstositbelowthelevelofthegrass.Coverthegrassinsidethebedwiththreelayersofnewspaperstosmotheritandfillyour‘boxgarden’

withaweedlesssoilmix.Anyinexpensivepottingmixwilldo,as longas itdoesn’thavesyn-theticfertilizers.Anotheroptionistoblend75percentcompostand25percentsand.You’llwantto add some organic fertilizerintothetopfourinchesofsoil—wormcastingsaregreat,Plant-Toneisanotherproductthatiswidelyavailable.

Once your garden isinstalled, you need to decide

what togrow. Insteadofagenericvegetablegardenwithcommonvarietiesofpeas,greenbeansand let-tuce,gardenerscannowhaveagardenthat’saconver-sationstarterusingheirloomvegetableswithunusualcolors,flavors,texturesandhistories.

What are heirloom seeds anyway? As farmingbecamemoremechanized in themiddleof the lastcentury,therewasaneedforcropswithqualitieslike

shelflife,appearance,durabilityandeaseofusewithmechanical harvesting and processing equipment.Notice I didn’t mention taste! The result was thatmany older varieties, which tasted great but didn’tgrowwellona large-scale farm,weresetasideandnotgrownagain.

Several groups have come forward to reclaimtheseuniquehistoricalvarieties,usuallybyacquiringthem from home gardeners or established olderfarms,andgrowing themagainasasourceoffreshseeds.Thisgoesalotfarther than just heirloom tomatoeslike ‘German Johnson’ and ‘Chero-keePurple.’Thereare thousandsofvarietiesofuniquegardenvegetablesfromacrosstheworld.

SeedSaversExchange(www.seedsavers.org)inIowaisoneof the leaders in theeffort.Networkingwiththousandsof farmersandhomegardeners togatherrareseeds,SeedSaversExchangethensellsthemtothepublictobegrownacrossthecountry.Theircollec-tionisextensiveandincludescropslikebeanscarriedduring theCherokeeTrailofTearsMarch,Chioggiabeetsstriped likeabulls-eye,purpleDragoncarrots,MexicanSourcucumberswithanaturalpickledflavorthat look likeminiaturewatermelons,andSilverbeetswisschardwithstemsinfiveneoncolors.

Restaurants are also getting into the gardeningtrend. On the West Coast, some have garden plotsgrowingallsortsofproducetouseeachday.Butuntilnow,theworkloadofdigging,tillingandweedingwastoomuchforasmalleroperation.Nowwiththesenewtechniquestomakegardensmoreproductiveandeasytomanage,arestaurantgardenismuchmoreviable.

Thefantasticvarietyofcolorsandtexturesdowellwithsalads, soupsandgarnishes.Somerestaurants

useavariablespecialsmenu to takefulladvantageof thedaysharvestoroffer ‘fresh from our garden’ sam-plers—lightly seasoned items thatshowcase the maximum flavor. Thegarden can be a showpiece wherepatrons can stroll through as they

wait for their tables. The Art Institute of Charlottehasaculinarygardenthatallowsstudentshandsonexperienceplanning,planting,managingandcookingwiththeirownfreshproduceandherbs.

Sowhetheryou’reahomeownerwithasunnyspotinyourbackyard,orarestaurateurwantingtosetyour-selfapart fromthecompetition,araisedbed,organicgardenusingheirloomseedsisthewaytogo.E

Don Rosenberg is owner of Instant Organic Garden, a business that plans and installs raised bed gardens in the greater Charlotte area. He is a regular columnist in The Charlotte Weekly and the author of No Green Thumb Required! Organic Family Gardening Made Easy. He can be reached at donrosenberg@gmail.com.

Instead of a generic vegetable garden with common varieties of

peas, green beans and lettuce, gardeners can now have a garden

that’s a conversations starting using heirloom vegetables with unusual colors, flavors, textures

and histories.

Fall gardens should be started in this

area by August 15th.

Crop SuggeSted VaritieS

Arugula ApolloBeets, Golden Burpee’s GoldenBeets, Red Chioggia Bull’s Blood, ChioggiaBroccoli DeCiccoBroccoli Raahb

Carrots Dragon, Scarlet NantesGarlic Chet’s ItalianGreens–Collards

Greens–Kale Lacinato, Red RussianGreens–Mustard Greens

Leeks Blue SolaizeLettuce, Head (Bibb) Bunte Forellenschuss, Pablo

Lettuce, Leaf (Green Leaf) Amish Deer Tongue, Australian Yellowleaf

Lettuce, Leaf (Red Leaf) Red VelvetLettuce, Leaf (Romain) Crisp MintLettuce, Mesclin Mix

Pak Choi

Peas, Pole, Shelling Sutton’s HarbingerPeas, Pole, Snow Dwarf Gray SugarPeas, Pole, Sugar Snap Amish SnapRadishes–Hot French Breakfast Radish

Radishes–Mild Helios (Yellow), Philadelphia White Box, Plum Purple

Spinach Monnopa

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erg

ating at one of Frank Scibelli'sCharlotte restaurants is not unlike

taking an evening excursion to Rome,ItalyorGuadalajara,Mexico…orbackintime to a classic American burger joint.The foodandbeveragesare that true totheirorigins, fromCantina1511'sGuada-lajaraShrimpandMamaRicotta'sbrilliantselectionsofItalianwinestoBigDaddy'sBurgerBar'srootbeerfloats.Thebiggestchallengeisselectingadestination.

Benvenuti a Italia!Scibelli’sfirstoriginaloffering inCharlotte,Mama

Ricotta’sonKing’sDrivehasearnedareputation forthe best Italian food in the city. In concert with hisItalianroots,Scibelli tookhis teamtoplacessuchasRome,BolognaandMilan,wheresomeofItaly’smostskilledandrenownedchefsshared theirsecretsandrecipes,andwineriespresentedvintagesnotcommonlyseenintheUnitedStates.

by pamela shawimages by ashley blake summerlin

the real deal: frank scibelli’s culinary triple crown

eclockwise from top left: mama ricotta's chocolate cupcake with marshmallow fluff filling; cantina 1511's chicken milanese tacos; mama ricotta's interior; assorted dishes at mama ricotta's; big daddy's burger bar

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developedduringannual trips toMexicotoTex-Mexcuisinesuch as quesadillas and the popular Enchiladas de Dennis,namedforScibelli’sbusinesspartnerDennisThompson.Amongtheoutstanding traditional fareare theBarbacoadePuerco(porkslow-roastedtotendernessandsuperblyseasoned,thenservedsimplywithbeans, rice,Mexicancheesesandwarmtortillas)andtheTacosMarcoPolo.Thetacos,developed inconjunctionwithoneof thebest-knownchefs inMexicoCity,featureshrimp, jalapeñobaconandcaramelizedonionswithcascabelaioliinanunusualsavorypresentation.

AndthankstoScibelli’s loveof travel,Cantina1511guestsmaysoonbeintroducedtonewdishesafteranupcomingtriptoMexico,includinghisfirstvisittoTequila.

SpeakingofthatregionofMexico,Cantina1511’sselectionoftequilasisimpressivelyextensive;onemenupagedevotedtothelibationandinformationonitscreation.ThoughMexicoisnotknownforitswines,thewinelistincludesapairofmeritagesthatpairhandsomelywithcarnitasandthebarbacoa.

Forthosewithasweettooththatmanagetosaveroomfordessert,theCuatroLechesCakeandtheNutellaPiewillnotbedisappoint.Theformerisasplendidupgradeofthefamoustresleches,while the latter—peanutbuttermoussetoppedwithahazelnutchocolatecreamsauce—issuretoappealtosouthernersseekingalighterversionofpeanutbutterpie.

Muydelicioso!cantina 1511's cuatro leches cake and dessert cocktailcotoletta milanese salad from mama ricotta's

cantina 1511's top shelf guacamole and pescado yucatan (halibut fish)

AttheheartofMamaRicotta’scuisineisfreshnessandquality.Byusingthefreshestingredientspossible(includinghandmademozzarella),Scibelli andexecutivechefScottRoulecreateflavorfuldishesnomattertheircomplexity.Oneappetizercomprisesonly three ingredients:mascarpone,tomatosauceandgarlictoast.ByusingItaly’sbestcheeseandmarinarasauceandbreadmade in-housedaily,eventhisuncomplicateddishbecomesa tastyglimpseat theentréesanddessertstocome.

A recent visit to Milan is responsible for one of therestaurant’s newest additions, the Cotoletta Milanese.Preparedpreciselyaslearnedfromoneoftheregion’sbest

chefs, this veal cutlet is coated infinelymilledbreadcrumbspressedinto thecross-cutmeat tocreateasimpleandsolidcrust.Atopthecutletisasaladof locallygrownarugula,grapetomatoesandartichokeheartslightlytossedinoliveoilandlemon

juice.Theendproduct,atruechildofItaly,isazestytastethatmaysurpriseAmericanswhoexpectmultipleandoftencontradictoryflavorsinthenameofmoderncuisine.

Similarly toTex-Mex, Italian-American foodhasestab-lisheditsownnicheinthestates,andoneofMamaRicotta’smostpopulardishesisatipofthehattothatcuisine.Thepenneallavodka,aswiththeappetizers,isstraightforwardenough,butthepastaitself—alwaysaldente—iscoatedinavodkasaucegoodenoughtochallengethewillpowerofanyonefortunateenoughtosampleabite.

Liketheirsausage,MamaRicotta’smeatballsaremade

in-housedailyandeschewthetypicalpork-beef-vealblend.Scibelliandhischefdecidedongroundturkeyasthebase,addingprosciutto and ricotta for auniqueanddeliciouscompaniontoanypastadish.

Theclassic Italiandessert, tiramisu, remains the topselleratMamaRicotta’s,followedbytheirchocolatecupcakewithamarshmallowflufffilling.Thecupcakesarebakedfresheveryshiftandaresoul-satisfyinglyrich;anespressoorcappuccinoisaperfectaccompayment.

Bienvenudos a Mexico!Cantina 1511 is founded in Mexico—its bona fide

regionalrecipesdevelopedalongsideaward-winningchefsinplacessuchasMexicoCityandGuadalajara.Familiarterms like burrito and taco are presented in potentiallyunfamiliaranddecidedlyflavorfulways.

With two locations—one in Dilworth and another atStonecrestatPiperGlen—Cantinauseshigh-qualityandfresh ingredientssothat thetraditionalrecipescanreachthe same level of excellence as they do in the Mexicanregionsfromwhichtheycome.Warmtortillachipsandbowlsofsalsagreetcustomersonarrival,buteventhiscommonMexicanappetizerfindsgourmet-levelexcellencewithboththe tomatosalsaandsalsaverdemade in-house.Fresherstill is thetop-shelfguacamole,whichwell-trainedserversprepare table-side to taste. The Cantina 1511 Fundido,a restaurant specialty, combines Mexican cheeses withtouchesof jalapeñobaconandpineapple forauniqueandsensationaldip.

Themenuincludesentréesfromthetraditionaldishes

mozzarella and tomatoes at mama ricotta's

At the heart of Mama Ricotta's

cuisine is freshness and quality.

1627 Montford Drive • Charlotte704.523.3500

Montford Drive’s Newest Addition!

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insistshissuccesscanbeattributedtohispragmatismandhisloveofgoodfood.Scibelli issothoroughishisresearch,thatspeakingtohimislikespeakingtooneofhischefs;heknowsindetaileachrestaurants’recipes.Mostofall,hesaysthathisrestaurantssucceedthanks tohis insistenceonsurroundinghimselfwiththerightpeople,who,likehim,blendalaid-backattitudewithkeenattentiontoimprovingeveryaspectoffoodpreparationandpresentation.

In fact,businessassociateRaymondZoller,whomScibellitermed“agreatadditiontoourteam,”hasnotedthathedoesn’tthink the three restaurants “getcredit for theculinaryfire-powerwebringto the table.”ChefRouleatMamaRicotta’s,forexample,attendedtheprestigiousPennsylvaniaSchoolofCulinaryArts,whileBigDaddy’sChefLongwassous-chefforfivemonthsattheWhiteHouseforPresidentBush.

AnotherkeyinmakingFSFoodGroupsasuccessisGaryFenimore,therestaurants’so-called'forager,'whosejobfocusesonfindinguniqueandqualityingredientsforallthreerestaurants.Workingwithlocalfarmers,Fenimorehelpsbringfresh-pickedproducethatexcels inqualitywhilehelpingkeepdowncosts,awin-winforconsumers.

“Thebiggerweare,themorewecando,”ScibelliremarkedoverdessertattheCantina1511inBallantyne,adding,“We’relikethe800-poundgorilla.”

An800-poundgorilla, that is, thatenjoysfeedingpatronsalotmorethanbananas…althoughBigDaddy’sbananacupcakeisprettydarnedtasty.Ebig daddy's banana cupcake w/peanut butter, marscapone

icing and peanut butter honey filling

Home Again, Jiggity JigThenewestentryfromScibelli’sFSFoodsGroupisBig

Daddy’sBurgerBarinDilworth.Comfortable,laid-backandstockedwithendless takesonclassicAmericanfood,BigDaddy’swasdevelopedinpartnershipwithexecutivechefAdamLongtoprovideCharlotteanswithgourmet-qualityburgers,salads,shakesandappetizersatpricescomparabletoupscaleburgerchainrestaurants.

Big Daddy’s menu includes favorite starters such ashouse-made potatochips with pimentocheeseorFrenchoniondip(likewisemadein-house), fried pickles,onionstraws,sweetpo-tatofrieswithchipotleranch dressing andchildhooddelighttater

tots,servedalongsidehomemadecatsup.Amongtheheartierappetizers are Buffalo wings with Maytag bleu cheeseandthree-ouncesliders.Build-your-ownsaladsareavailableas well as very generously portioned creations of theirownsuchas theEnsaladaRupaSucia—theirversionofatacosalad.

Thestarhere,however, is theburger.Presented inaseven-ounce'valuecut,'theall-natural,grain-fedandhormone-free beef is custom cut for Big Daddy’s and boasts thejuiciest,mostmouth-wateringtastetobefoundinthearea.Themenuinvitesdinerstobuildtheirownburgersusingseveraldozen ingredients that include(atpress time)11

cheeses, five varieties of bread and more than a dozenpremium toppings like applewood-smoked or jalapeñobacon,pineappleandpesto.Variousproteinscanbesubsti-tutedforbeef,includingblackbeanburgersandportabellamushroom caps, giving vegetarians a wide choice ofpossibilitiesfortheirburgers.

BigDaddy’salsoofferspre-constructedburgersthatrangefromthetoweringSteakhouseBurgertothemuch-lovedClassicSouthernBurgerand its requisitechili, cheeseandslaw.UniquetoBigDaddy’sisthewhimsicallynamedSamIAmBurger,combininghamandaneggovereasywithChefLong’soutstandingpestotocreate,yes,greeneggsandham.Theunexpected,unusualcombinationofflavorsworksbrilliantlywiththeburger,makingitoneofBigDaddy’sbestsellers.

Aburger’s classic companion is, of course, themilk-shake.AconsultanthelpedpromotethehighqualityofBigDaddy’ssoftserve,andtheinvestmentpaysoffineachsipoftheirvoluminousvanilla,chocolate,peanutbutterorcookies-and-creamshakes.That is ifyoucanleavesomeroomfordessert…

Equallyworthyisafrostymugofoneoftherestaurant’sbeerson tap—more thanadozenat theEastBoulevardlocation,andevenmoreareexpectedatthenewBigDaddy’s,duetoopenin inBallantyneCommons.Fornon-alcoholicfroth,rootbeerisalsoontap,andtherootbeerfloatsmadewiththathomemadeicecreamaregoodenoughtobringoutthechildinanyadult.

Bringing It TogetherNamed2008RestaurateuroftheYear,Scibellimodestly

an assortment of burgers and sides from big daddy's

cantina 1511

Scibelli surrounds himself with the right people, who,

like him, blend a laid-back attitude with keen attention to improving every aspect of food

preparation and presentation.

risotto milanese

D’Vine Wine Cafe

Ballantyne Village 14815 John J. Delaney Drive

Charlotte, NC 28277www.dvinewinecafe.com

Gourmet tasting menu, 500+ retail wine selections, wine bar & live entertainment!

32 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9 vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 ��food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

06 White Wines for Summer TotalWine–ParkRoadwillbefeaturingwhite winesforsummerenjoyment. www.totalwine.com07 NoDa Gallery Crawl It'slikeapubcrawl,onlyinsteadofvisiting onlywateringholes,participantsmeanderat theirleisurethroughafinecollectionof galleries.Admissionisfree.Seewebsitefor mapandparkinginformation. 6 p.m.–9:30 p.m. • www.noda.org/news

08 Music in the Vineyards EachSaturdayandSundaythroughoutAugust, weatherpermitting,thewinerywillfeaturefree performancesonthelawnbeneaththeterrace. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • www.childressvineyards.com

places to go people to see

august

08

BlakeHartwickhasjoinedAndrew Blair’s onMontfordDriveasExecutiveChef.704.525.8282 • www.andresblairs.com

BenThormanandRobertMacDonaldhaveopenedtheTilted Kilt Pub & Eatery atthecornerofS.TryonandCarowindsBoulevard.704.910.5353 • www.tiltedkilt.com

BrianBoyce,previouslyofDolcettaWineRoom,hasjoinedFine Wine Trading Co. coveringtheUptownarea.704.504.1744 • www.fwtcwine.com

Norman’s GrillehasrecentlyopenedinCornelius,specializinginhand-cutsteaks,chops,freshseafoodandcreativespecialtiesbychefRobColes.704.895.5454 • www.normansgrille.com

Vintage Wine CellarisnowservingSushieveryTuesdaynightstartingat6p.m.704.543.3977 • www.vintagewinestore.com

Highland Mill Coffee CupinNoDaisnowopenforbusiness,offeringcatering,breakfast,lunchanddinner.JazzybrunchonSundays.704.930.2200

Johnny’s Red Bowl atProvidencePromenadeisnowservinghalf-pricewineseveryday,half-pricesushiWed.throughSun.(patioonly)after8p.m.and$5.00lunchspecialsMon.throughThurs.TheywillsoonbeopeninganewlocationinRockHill,SC.704.814.7777 • www.redbowlusa.com

Crêpe Cellar Kitchen & Pub inNoDaiscelebratingtheCarolinaswithfood,beerandwinespecialsfromtheCarolinaseveryThursdaynight.704.910.6543 • www.crepecellar.com

Localchef’swifeBonnieJonestalksupThe Chef's Wife talkshow, airingonWTVI’sPublicSquarechannelThursday’sat9p.m.andSaturdaysat3p.m.and9p.m.Eachweek,Bonniewelcomescelebratedculinariansintoherkitchenandchallengesthemtoteachhertocook.www.chefs-wife.com

Total Wine onParkRoadhasaddedanewwinebarwithtasting’sFridaysfrom4p.m.to6p.m.andSaturdaysfrom12p.m.to6p.m.Theyhavealsoaddedanewwalk-incigarhumidor.704.295.9292 • www.totalwine.com

Amélie’s French Bakery & Cafe inNoDAhasexpandedtonearlydoubleitsoriginalsize,adding2,000squarefeetforfunctionsandspecialevents.704.3761781 www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com

Lake Wylie Junctionhasanewsummermenu,socheckitoutonthewaytothelake.704.587.0494 • www.lakewylie-junction.com

Big Daddy’s Burger Bar onEastBoulevardisopeninganewlocationintheBallantyneareaattheoldWizeGuysPizzalocation.704.714.4888 • www.bigdaddysburgerbar.com

Village Bistroisoffering23flavorsofhalf-pricemartini’sonThursdays.704.369.5000 www.ballantynevillage.com/villagebistro

Café Monte French Bakery & BistrohasteamedupwithAmelie’sFrenchBakerytoselltheirfresh,in-housemadepastriesattherestuarant,locatedonFairviewRoad.704.552.1116 • www.cafemonte.net

The River Rat Restaurant & Pub atLakeWylieiscelebratingtheir30yearanniversaryinJuly.704.831.1901 • www.theriverrat.com

Murphy’s TavernonEastWoodlawnRoad,Il Posto OsteriaatPhillipsPlaceandThe Oceanaire Seafood RoomatPiedmontRowhaveclosed.

through the grapevine

&

�1―

27―06 Subaru River Jam EachThursday,headoutwithyourfriends andfamilytoenjoythewarmweatherand listentomusicontheRiver’sEdgepatio attheU.S.NationalWhitewaterCenter. 7 p.m.–10 p.m. • www.usnwc.org

25 The Color Purple OprahWinfreypresents 'TheColorPurple' attheBelkTheater. showtimes vary • www.blumenthalcenter.com

28 Southern Ideal Home Show Thisthreedayeventprovideshomeowners theopportunitytosee,compareandbuy thelatestproductsandservicesforthe homeandgarden. hours vary daily • www.southernshows.com

30―

30―

©is

toc

kp

ho

to.c

om

/ma

rk

sw

all

ow

scene around town

�4 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz ine ��vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9

neweSt addition to epicurean charlotte

left:RuthRapp,F&BmanagerHolidayInn−CaffeSiena;right:SteveMolnar,EpicureanCharlotteFood&Winesales

emberS at piedmont row aliVe after fiVe

lefttorigtht:BobbieSteele,BestyStranahan,SuellenSkach,LarryEstesandLindaSeligman

"

"

portofino'S neweSt location—mooreSVille

lefttoright:AndrewJohnson,GinoVillanoandRubioAdelmo

late lunch at Villa franceSca

lefttorigtht:FoxNewsRising'sMarkMathis,MargueriteSuppaandVilla

FrancescaownerLouieSuppa

"

"

wine/cigar dinner at zebra reStaurant

lefttoright:BruceJulian,JimAlexander(Zebraowner&chef)andAceWhiteheart

cooking up nc Seafood at at diScoVery place'S

Science caféleft:MarkHibbsofRatcliffeon

theGreenRestaurant;right:TomCondronofHarper'sRestaurantGroup

"

"

36 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9 vo lume 1 • i ssue 2

local flavor

cool off and fill up with local flavors

Ingredients:•8oz.pennepasta(cooked)•6oz.grilledchickenbreast(cooked&diced)•3oz.roastedredpeppers•3oz.spinach(cooked)•6oz.gratedParmesancheese•8oz.heavycream•2oz.butter

Inasautépan,heatheavycreamandbuttertoasimmer.Addthegratedcheeseandreducetoathickconsistency.Addthespinach,roastedredpeppersandchickenbreasttothesauce.Tosswithpennepasta.

Servesone;doublerecipefortwo.

Penne MargaritaVilla Francesca

Ingredients:•Freshstrawberries• 1½oz.strawberryvodka• ¼oz.sourmix• ¼oz.Sprite• Sugar• Lemonforgarnish

Crushtwofreshstrawberries.Combinewithstrawberryvodka,splashofsourmix,splashofSpriteandapinchofsugar.Pourovericeandshakeuntilblended.Pourintoatallglassandgarnishwithalemonslice.

Strawberry LemonadeVillage Bistro

Uptown

Reid’s Fine FoodsChuckRichardsoffersclassyfoodandwine,avarietyofdelitreatsandagreatwineselection.704.377.1312 • www.reids.com

Villa FrancescaLocatedbehindtheBobcatsarena,VillaFrancescaiswheretraditionalsouthernItalianfareismadewithlove.704.333.7447 www.villafrancescacharlotte.com

Zink American GrillEnjoyTomCondronandJonFortes’snewlykickedupmenuandwineselectioninoneofUptown’sfavorites.Half-pricehousewinesonWednesdays.704.444.9001 www.harpersrestaurants.com/zink.html

dilworth/ Southend

The Common MarketNewkidontheblock.BlakeBarnesisnowservingupsmokin’made-to-ordersandwiches,salads,soupsanddessertsinadditiontocoldbeerandwine.Enjoysittingontherocking‘Patty-Oh.’704.332.7782 • www.commonmarketclt.com

Lebowski’s Grill & PubLebowski’sonEastBlvd.offersanarrayofsalads,sandwiches,burgersanddinnerspecialsalongwithgoodwineandcoldbeer.Theplacetomeetyourfriends.704.370.1177 www.lebowskisgrillandpub.com

Solé Spanish GrillAtouchofOldSpainawaitsyoujustminutesfromUptown.Relaxafterworkwithanarrayoftapasandsangria,orsettleinforafeastofsteaks,chickenandfreshseafoodaccompaniedbyabottleofRiojafromtheirexcellentwinelist.704.343.9890 • www.solespanishgrille.com

myerS park/cotSwold

Pasta & ProvisionsFabulousfreshpasta,sauces,wineandItaliangroceriessince1992.704.364.2622 • www.pastaprovisions.com

The Pizza Peel & Tap RoomNestledintheheartofCotswold,ThePizzaPeel&TapRoomservesexcellentpizzaandrusticfare,highlightedbyover40beersontapand50bottledvarieties,making‘ThePeel’oneofthetoptaproomsinCharlotte.Cateringisavailable.704.714.8808

Terra RestaurantThierryGarconnet’sintimatebistrooffersguestssumptuouscontemporaryculinarystylingswithFrenchandItalianinfluencesinanintimateyetcasualsetting.Agreatselectionofwineisavailabletomakeyourdiningexperienceeverlasting.704.332.1886

nodaAmélie’s French BakeryOpen24/7foryourFrenchconnectiontopastriesandmuchmore.704.376.1781 • www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com

Southpark

Barrington’s RestaurantBruceMoffettbringsculinarysophisticationto the area with his highly imaginativecuisine. Meals are served in an intimateatmospherebyskilledserversthatknowthewinelistaswellastheydotheirownnames.704.364.5755 www.barringtonsrestaurant.com

Brio Tuscan GrillLocatedatfashionablePiedmontRow,BrioisthehotspotintownfordinneranddrinksofferingthefinestItaliancuisine.Thepatiois the idealplace foraglassofwineoratastymealwhenweatherpermits.704.571.4214 • www.brioitalian.com

Café MonteComejoinMonteSmithasheoffersFrenchdisheswithaflair,alongwithchicwinesbytheglassorbottleandgreatnewdraughtbeer.LivemusiceveryThursday,Friday&Saturday—jazzearlyand'other'afterhours.Reserveyourspaceonline.704.552.1116 • www.cafemonte.net

Dolcetto Wine RoomWinebarsarein,andDolcettoWineRoomischicandtrendy.Enjoywinesbytheglassorbottle,alongwithartisanalcheeses,appetizers,desserts,saladsandsandwiches.Outdoorpatioseatingistheplacetowatchthecrowds.704.295.1111 • www.dolcettowineroom.com

Firebirds at SouthParkPolishedyetcasual,Firebirdshassomethingtooffereveryone.Greatdiningexperiencesaboundfromsaladstosteaksinaclassyatmosphere.704.366.3655 • firebirdsrestaurants.com

The Wine Shop at Foxcroft AmostenjoyablewinelearningandwineshoppingexperienceawaitsyouatTheWineShopatFoxcroft.EnjoyaglassorbottleofwinewhileyousnackongreatfoodpreparedbyChrisZion.704.365.6550 • www.thewineshopatfoxcroft.com

��food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

ripe for the picking

�8 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz ine 39vo lume 1 • i ssue 2 l at E s u m m E r 2 0 0 9

plaza/midwood

The Common MarketTheCommonMarketisyourstopforeclectic,neighborhood convenience. A moderntwiston thegeneralstore,TheCommonMarketoffers freshdelisandwiches,coldbeer,knicks&knacksandagreatselectionofwineforeverypricerange.704.334.5991 • www.commonmarketclt.com

uniVerSity/matthewS

Total Wine & More–UniversityThewinesuperstoreoffersahugeselectionoffinewinesatdynamiteprices.Choosefromeverydaywinesorsomeof thewineworlds’mostreveredlabels.Manyselectionsofbeersandgift itemsarealsoavailable.Tastingsandclassesareoffered.704.714.1040 • www.totalwine.com

Total Wine & More–MatthewsThewinesuperstoreoffersahugeselectionoffinewinesatdynamiteprices.Choosefromeverydaywinesorsomeof thewineworlds’mostreveredlabels.Manyselectionsofbeersandgift itemsarealsoavailable.Tastingsandclassesareoffered.704.849.2022 • www.totalwine.com

The Wine VaultLocatedattheShoppe’satUniversityPlace,TimWallaceofferswinesbytheglassorbottletobeenjoyedinhisnewly-renovated,comfysittingareaalongwiththegreatpatioforsummer.704.548.9463 • www.headwino.com

park road/woodlawn

Good Food on MontfordWithafocusontheextensiveuseoflocalandorganicproductscombinedwithcom-fortablyhumbledécor,theresultcanonlybedescribedasGoodFoodonMontford.704.525.0881 • www.goodfoodonmontford.com

Portofino’s Italian RestaurantWheretraditionisframedinatimelesspassionforfood.GreatfoodpayshomagetothegloriesoftheItaliantableatthisfineItalianrestaurant.704.527.0702 • www.portofinos.us

Total Wine & More–Park RoadThewinesuperstoreoffersahugeselectionoffinewinesatdynamiteprices.Choosefromeverydaywinesorsomeof thewineworlds’mostreveredlabels.Manyselectionsofbeersandgift itemsarealsoavailable.Tastingsandclassesareoffered.704.295.9292 • www.totalwine.com

lake wylie/ fort mill

Grapevine Wine Shop & Bar—Baxter VillageCallingallwinedivasandbeergeeks.Comeenjoybeer,wine,artisancheesesanddessertsinthecompanyoffriendsandfamily.Watchforthepurplecar.803.802.9989 • www.mygrapevineonline.com

Lake Wylie Junction Grill & PubEnjoy Southern comfort food and otherAmericanspecialtiesonyourwaytothelake.GreghaswinedinnersthefirstTuesdayofeachmonth,andmakesureyoucheckouthisbeerandwinespecials.There’ssome-thingattheJunctioneveryday.704.587.0494 • www.lakewylie-junction.com

Liu Liu’s @ Baxter VillageFortMill’sfinestAsiancuisineandrestaurantexperience.ThemenutravelsalloverAsiavisitingThailand,VietnamandJapan.Menuitemsarecolorfulandexoticpan-Asianselectionswithwinesandbeersfromaroundtheworld.803.547.1838

The Wine Shop at RiverGateTheWineShop'snewesteditionoffers40winesbytheglass,150beers,andlunchanddinnermenussevendaysaweek.704.831.9000 www.thewineshopatrivergate.com

ballantyne/StoneCreSt

D’Vine Wine CaféCasual,relaxedenvironmentwithtwoseparateloungeareasfeaturing35winesbytheglassandover500winesforretail.Menuisfocusedongourmetsmallplatesatreasonableprices.704.369.5050 • www.dvinewinecafe.com

Johnny's Red BowlFeaturingafull-servicebarandservingAsian-inspireddishes,eachdistinctivedishishandcraftedandpreparedwithonlythefinestandfreshestingredients.Boastsacreate-your-ownstir-frybar,family-friendlyenvironmentandaward-winningSushibar.704.814.7777 • www.redbowlusa.com

Miró Spanish GrillEnjoyfavoriteslikepaella,sangriaandSpanishwinesatthisbustlingStonecrestestablishment.Thisrestaurantismeantforthosewhoenjoylifetothefullest.704.540.7374 • www.mirospanishgrille.com

Village BistroApopulardestinationthat’supscale,notuptight!VillageBistroofferssomethingforeveryoneincludinglivemusic,drinksandgreatfood.704.369.5190

hunterSVille/ mooreSVille

Total Wine & More– HuntersvilleThewinesuperstoreoffersahugeselectionoffinewinesatdynamiteprices.Choosefromeverydaywinesorsomeofthewineworlds’mostreveredlabels.Manyselec-tionsofbeersandgiftitemsarealsoavail-able.Tastingsandclassesareoffered.704.895.6115 • www.totalwine.com

The Wine LoftBestambiance&socialenvironmentintheLakeNormanarea.NowopendaytimehoursonbothSaturdayandSunday.Agreatpatioonwhichtorelaxandenjoytheday.Featuringwines,BloodyMary’s,mimosasandsangriasbythecarafe,andasummertimelunch/brunchmenu.704.664.3230 • www.thewineloftmooresville.com

Buying, Selling, Relocating?Let me smooth the way.Mary H. Schurr, ABR*Realtor & BrokerLicensed in NC and SC

The Allen Tate Co.SouthPark Office704.362.6375 Direct704.591.5703 Mobile866.426.2708 Faxmary.schurr@allentate.com

*Accredited Buyers Representative

Fairley Threatt704.449.7708

ripe for the picking

7822 Fairview RoadCharlotte, NC 28226704.364.5755 barringtonsrestaurant.com

Good Food on Montford 1701 Montford Drive Charlotte, NC 28209704.525.0881goodfoodonmontford.com

Committed to LocalCommitted to Independence

Committed to Excellence

A Charlotte Tradition...

New in Town...

A Moffett Restaurant Group, LLC

Check out the Chef’s Wife cooking/chat show—WTVI, Public Square Channel—Saturdays at 3 p.m. & 9 p.m.

For recipes, downloads and more, visit www.chefs-wife.com

“Watch her! She’s got a knife!”

41food and w ine magaz ine E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E

45 wines by the glass. 400 by the bottle.Daily Drink specials. no corkage fee.

half-price appetizers Mon-fri 4:30-6:30

4625 Piedmont Row Drive, Suite 1115D, Charlotte

704-295-1111 DolcettoWineRoom.com

4720 Piedmont Row Drive | Suite 150 | Charlotte, NC 28210 | phone: 704-571-4214 or 888-45-BRAVO | www.BrioItalian.com

july • august 2009

go green with kunde winerytake a look at wesley heights' newest venuenow's the time to start your fall garden

frank scibelli's taste trifecta

42 E p i c u r E a n c h a r l o t t E food and w ine magaz inelate summer 2009

go green with kunde winerytake a look at wesley heights' newest venuenow's the time to start your fall garden

frank scibelli's taste trifectacheck out local restaurateur's lineup, including charlotte staple, mama ricotta's (pictured here)