The Florida Foodie
A Foodie Fall Trip along the North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway
By Saucy Sarah
Fall is the perfect time of year to get in your car and take a road trip. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic two-lane highway that runs over four hundred miles from North Carolina and through Virginia, following the Appalachian chain of mountains. The change of leaves in the fall provides a spectacular pallet of colors against the breathtaking mountain vistas you will experience on the drive. Yes, the views are tremendous, but the Blue Ridge of North Carolina also offers an abundance of culinary adventures. I chose the North Carolina portion of the parkway for our trip for many reasons; it is an easy day’s drive from Florida to the starting point of the parkway in Cherokee, NC, and you can do the North Carolina run, at a slow pace, in about three to four days. Also, the agritourism abounds along the North Carolina. Here are the highlights from our trip.
The North Carolina Cheese Trail offers cheese lovers a delicious journey into cheeses crafted in the cool, misty mountains of North Carolina. Many of the farms are open to the public and offer tours and tastings. Round Mountain Creamery is a Grade A goat farm offering fresh and aged goat cheese, goat’s milk, tours, and tastings. We enjoyed learning about how the cheese was made, touring the farm and cheese rooms, and meeting the charismatic goats. The cheese is super fresh and creamy. English Farmstead Cheeses is a cow dairy offering limited supplies of cheddar, Gouda, and cheese curds, made on site. They also offer a selection of grass-fed beef. Come early because supplies run out due to popularity! You can taste each type of cheese before you buy.
The Orchard at Altapass is a historic preservation project. An apple orchard set high in the mountains draws flocks of foodies from all around. They have something for everyone. You can pick your own apples from the stepped lanes of orchards that slope down the mountain. The store is full of homespun canned goods for purchase. Their sweet shop tempts you with warm apple pie and ice cream or homemade fudge. Treat yourself and sit out on the wide covered deck and enjoy the amazing views of the mountains. On the weekends, they even have music!
Buck Creek Trout Farm offers you the chance to catch your own supper from their well-stocked trout pond. A grand little creek runs just next to the pond making the whole experience enchanting. They provide poles and bait. You pay for what you catch ($5.00 per pound). They will even clean the fish for you! Bring a picnic lunch and eat next to the dazzling creek under the covered pavilion.
Old Hampton Store and Grist Mill is a historic old general store where they are still grinding their own cornmeal and slow cooking their own apple butter. The hidden gem here is the Barbeque. Nothing fancy, yet some of the best I’ve had pulled pork, mac & cheese, and more. You wait in line, order your food and wait for them to call you. Then, you get to eat inside the old-time store while a man strums a guitar. I swear, you feel you have traveled back in time. Make sure to buy the fresh-ground cornmeal or grits and the apple butter to take home with you!
There is a serious craft brew scene happening in Asheville, North Carolina that no true beer aficionado should miss. There are thirteen breweries in Asheville alone worth exploring. The city offer various tours via trolley, by foot, and even by “pubcycle”. Some of the notable breweries are Wicked Weed, New Belgium, Serra Nevada Brew Co., and Highland Brewing. Many offer tasting rooms and even food.
The cool, fresh air, the brilliant pallets of color the leaves offer all tempt the taste buds and make fall the best time for foodies to seek new adventures. The North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway is one trip not to be missed!
Visit the foodie finds in this article:
https://www.facebook.com/Round-Mountain-Creamery-268228393247319/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishFarmsteadCheese/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/TheOrchardatAltapass/info/?tab=overview
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buck-Creek-Trout-Fishing/490749620954397?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/OldHamptonStore/?fref=ts
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In her previous life, Sarah, a Palm Beach County Native, spent ten years working in various high-end eating establishments around South Florida. She is currently a fiction thesis candidate in the MFA program at Florida International University where she also teaches creative writing and rhetoric. If that is not enough, Sarah is also the owner of Cakes by Sarah, a local custom cake shop. Sarah lives in South Florida with her husband and two beautiful boys. “Food, fiction, and family are my life.”