Thanksgiving: Tradition and a Wonderful Feast at the Fearrington House
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
Here in the South, we’re all about tradition. We take our holiday meals quite seriously, so when we choose to dine out on Thanksgiving, the fare must be superb. At the Fearrington House, the chef and staff are well aware of this, and have put together a remarkable Thanksgiving menu. So, if you haven’t made your reservation yet, read on to learn why you should consider this wonderful restaurant for your 2011 holiday feast.
Thanksgiving at Fearrington House: First and Second Courses
The first course sets the stage for the rest of the meal, and this year Fearrington House offers a delicious and innovative celery root and vanilla soup with Southern fried chicken. The soup is served with pickled grapes and a hearty walnut pesto. The second offering is a cured North Carolina trout with a confit of butternut squash with candied pine nut creme fraiche. The dish is finished with a unique mustard gel and crispy horseradish tapioca. The second course is a choice of green bean casserole or seared scallops. The casserole is made with wild mushrooms, poached egg, sage, crispy onions and brioche. Sweet potato puree complements the scallops, along with a smoked pecan crumble, buttered Savoy cabbage and a luscious maple-cranberry cream.
Thanksgiving at Fearrington House: A Delicious Take on Tradition
For the main course, the inn is offering roasted turkey with a twist. It comes with a confit turkey leg and mustard pie, and a lemon and rosemary sausage stuffing. Accompaniments include roasted fingerling potatoes, gingerbread parsnips with baby carrots, root vegetable pava, cheddar mac and cheese, creamed maple and mustard collard greens and brussels sprouts with pancetta. Cranberry sauce, turkey gravy and bread sauce round out the entree menu. For dessert, there’s a spectacular napoleon made using a moist almond cake, pumpkin and nutmeg chiboust, sweet potato, mulled wine apples, and spiced bread ice cream. The entire meal is priced at $69 per person. The Fearrington House Inn has won a number of accolades, including a reader’s choice award from Conde Nast Traveler. Departure magazine ranks it as a “world’s best foodie destination.”
There’s no better holiday setting than this romantic white-columned farmhouse with extensive gardens that overlook rustic pastures.
Thanksgiving Dinner 2011 in Style: The Renowned Four Square Restaurant
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
Stepping out this year for a Thanksgiving feast? It’s good to know that the Raleigh, NC region has a wonderful variety of restaurants to choose from. For a holiday dinner, the setting is as important as the meal. One venue that’s a standout year after year is the elegant Four Square restaurant, located in the beautiful Bartlett Mangum House. Here’s a brief sampling of what to expect at the restaurant’s sumptuous meal.
First Courses: A Delightful Selection
Thanksgiving dinner at the Four Square is priced at $55 per person. Always popular is the hearts of romaine salad that features blood oranges, pears and a grilled scallion-basil-feta vinaigrette. There’s also a harvest pumpkin soup served with blue crab and rye croutons. For the more adventurous, the grilled pheasant sausage is a good choice. It’s served with grainy mustard potato salad and stewed tomatoes. The innovative lobster ravioli with creamed cabbage and truffle oil drizzle rounds out the selection of first courses.
Entrees: Traditional and More
Turkey with all the trimmings is the highlight of most Thanksgiving meals. The Four Square’s offering features turkey from the Little River Ranch, apple-cornbread dressing, collard greens, pickled okra, old- fashioned cranberry sauce and rich giblet gravy. For seafood lovers, there’s crispy red snapper served with creamed corn, spicy red chiles and spinach, and preserved persimmons. A salmon coulibiac is offered as well, with country ham and grainy mustard. It’s accompanied by a black truffle reduction and a roast pepper-broccoli salad with basil tarragon pesto. Pasta lovers will relish the pumpkin gnocchi in a roasted garlic-eggplant broth, accompanied by French onion green beans and fried parsnips. Finally, a wonderful grilled-to-order organic beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto, grilled asparagus and black truffle reduction, completes the restaurant’s Thanksgiving offerings.
About the Four Square Restaurant
The Four Square’s chef visits the Durham Farmer’s Market regularly in search of the freshest local ingredients. Relying heavily on the region’s farms and purveyors, the restaurant’s menu is full of the best the Triangle has to offer in vegetables, grains, seafood and meats. From beautiful purple asparagus to heirloom chicken and turkey, the pantry at the restaurant is just bursting with fresh vegetables and fruit. Lettuce and greens are delivered daily, along with field peas, beans, heirloom tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Lamb and pork are sourced locally as well.
For the best in seasonal holiday fare, don’t miss Thanksgiving at the Four Square restaurant.
Uncork NC: The State’s Wine History and Heritage
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
Did you know that North Carolina is home to over 100 wineries? Our climate is perfect for growing many varieties of grape, including those from which Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viogner wines are made. The winery industry in NC grows European-style vinifera grapes and the native muscadine grapes that are planted in the state’s western and Piedmont regions. Wine grapes have been cultivated in North Carolina since the first settlers arrived from Europe in the 16th century era of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
North Carolina Wine: A Long and Storied History
The wine industry in North Carolina began in earnest with the founding of Medoc Vineyard in 1835. It was small by modern standards, and produced about 60 barrels of wine per year. Popular in the eastern regions of the US, the wine was highly regarded. The Medoc Vineyard also produced a champagne. By the time of the Civil War, there were about 25 thriving wineries in the state, but the war forced closure of many, whose vintners fled north. Winemaking returned, though, and wineries flourished Peachland, Murphy, Littleton, Tryon, Eagle Springs, Conover and many other places.
North Carolina Wine: Accolades Abound
Wines from this region won medals at the Paris Exposition in 1900. By 1904, Virginia Dare red and white wines were best sellers across the nation and won medals at the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition. North Carolina wines continued to win critical acclaim throughout the 20th century.
NC Wine and Prohibition
When Congress banned the production of alcohol on 1919, a number of undisclosed wineries sprung up in secret, little-known locations, many in the Piedmont hills. NC’s “moonshine” often was a clandestine wine rather than the more famililar distilled white lightning. Despite both Prohibition and a law declaring the state to be “dry” (alcohol-free) the wine industry in North Carolina survived and has re-established itself into a vibrant, world-class competitor. Today, the state ranks 7th in wine production in the US.
So, when you come to North Carolina, remember to sample our wonderful wines.
Start Wine-ing at the 2012 Triangle Wine Experience
Posted by RealEstate_Guru
The Triangle Wine Experience is a remarkable charity event that features the region’s best wines and wineries. Wine in North Carolina? Absolutely! The Wine Experience is 18 years old, and always has attendance figures in the thousands. If you’re a lover of fine wine and want to contribute to the Frankie Lemon School and Developmental Center, the plan to attend the event which will be held on February 2 through February 4, 2012. The event is the primary funding source for the school, which is a non-profit entity dedicated to education children aged 3 to 6 who have developmental disabilities, impairments or delays.
More About the Triangle Wine Experience
On the event’s first night, the best vintners and wineries in the region host wine tastings and dinners at many of the best and most respected restaurants in the region. Imagine! A five-star meal accompanied by a five-star wine! In past years, attendees have had the choice of over 30 of the area’s most prestigious restaurants. During the second day, local wine merchants host tastings by many of the areas most respected winemakers and winery owners who offer samples of their wines to event participants. The same wines will be available by the bottle. In the past, many of the area’s best wineries have participated, including Honig Winery, Solena Estate, Vision Cellars and Blackbird Winery. So, expect a great selection of wines from North Carolina and beyond.
The Grand Gala and Auction
The weekend ends with a black-tie event that features live and silent auctions of premium wine groupings and collections and luxury packages that have been created exclusively for the event. After the auction, the Triangle Wine Experience continues with fine food, fine wine, music and dancing. Registrations will be accepted starting in November at 919-845-8880. For additional information about the event, contact the Frankie Lemmon Foundation at the same number.
For the best food and wine the Triangle has to offer, plan to attend this free event that’s presented by Nomacorc, a leading manufacturer of alternative wine closures.