Stu Helm: Food Fan

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 05/19/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 04:26 INTRO: Tourists, Day-Trippers & Locals Are All Coming to WNC04:27 - 07:52 BOUNCE BACK: Red Stag Grill, Forestry Camp & Baby Bull07:53 - 25:22 FOODIE GAMES: These Are Not Those25:23 - 26:14 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank26:15 - 40:41 MORE FOODIE GAMES: What Am I Missing?40:42 - 42:48 CAVIAR SUPER SERVICE: Eggs From All Species42:29 - 46:24 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!46:25 - 49:14 MOWABC SPOT: Please Donate & Volunteer for Meals on Wheels

THE NEWSLETTER

RED STAG REOPEN: Just in case you hadn’t heard, The Red Stag Grill at the Grand Bohemian Lodge in Biltmore Village is back open! It's an amazing space, with incredible decor, and it was flooded up to the ceiling, through to the second floor. I thought it might never come back, and I'm so glad I was wrong! The space is as beautiful as ever, and the charcuterie table they laid out for the re-opening party was epic.

Biltmore Village ain't down for the count, Y'all! It's still here, and it's coming back to life! Go pay 'em visit at The Red Stag if you can. ❤️

FORESTRY CAMP: I finally got over to Forestry Camp at Burial Beer Co. in Biltmore Village and wow! It's so nice, and mellow, and it was beautiful outdoors, so we sat on the great big porch, and had a wonderful time! I ordered the fish, Poboy, and it was fantastically delicious! I know I'm really late to the game when it comes to this venue, but better late than never! I highly recommend the venue, and this particular sandwich!

EDIT: The Line Cook Perspective asked for more deets about this sandwich, so... The fish was a really nice, thick, perfectly tender, and mildly seasoned piece of red drum aka redfish. It was meaty enough to satisfy my carnivorous nature, but light enough that it didn't make me feel overly stuffed, even though I crushed the whole thing (Dawn took two bites). The dill pickles were large and in charge, fresh, crunchy, not overly vinegary, and seemed house-made to me, although I didn't see any claims to such on the menu. Then LTO, with the "O" coming in the form of very thinly sliced and sparcely dispersed red onion. The menu also just said "mayo," naming no specific brand, but the bread was an authentic Leidenheimer Roll. The side options were fries or mixed greens, I chose the latter, and also a side of ranch to put on... everything. 🙂

BABY BULL: My mom and I went to Baby Bull a few weeks back because she had a hankering for a lobster roll. I ended up getting both a roll and a burger. Love me some surf n turf! The weather was lovely, the food was tasty, and the company was top notch!

Warning: the little cup of green stuff has a lot of heat! I loved it, but my mom was unprepared and it lit her tongue up pretty good! I recommend taking a tiny taste first before you commit. 😂

UNLEASH THE LITTLE BEAST: One day, I channeled my inner 12-year-old and got some chicken tenders from Buxton Chicken Palace in the S&W Market, and they were frickin' perfect!!!! YUM!!! Tender (duh), juicy, crispy, piping hot, and super delish, and there were a lot of them! I got some Alabama sauce to dip 'em in, and I was in little-kid heaven.

Then I went back a one week later and got even more chicken tenders from Buxton Chicken Palace. They were equally awesome, and I dumped them out of the container so y’all could see just how many you get.

Truth: Once I unleash my inner child, he only wants more and more and more chicken tenders. I’ve had to physically restrain him ever since I ate these, but the urge is strong, and I have a feeling that I’ll give in to him again soon. He wants them with salted caramel ice cream. Little brat.

SPOTLIGHT LUMINOSA: Back in April, I took a couple of locals on a private food tour of downtown, and y'all, sometimes a dish hits the table, and everyone, including people at other tables, is like, "Oh wow!" This was one of those times. We were up on the rooftop cafe/bar of The Flatiron Hotel, on Battery Park Ave in downtown Asheville and the Luminosa kitchen sent up their “Forager Pie,” topped with ramps, knotweed, miners' lettuce, mustard flowers, and ricotta. Everybody's jaw dropped, including mine. And as long as my mouth was already open, I slid a slice right in! It was fricking delicious!!!

The fresh toppings were bright, the base had depth and comfort cooked in, and the dough was chewy and crunchy, with an umami to it that none of us could put our finger on, but everyone agreed added to the sheer impressiveness of this stellar pie. Chef Graham House and his crew are combining Italian and Appalachian ingredients and techniques, which might sound weird, but this Forager Pie kind of explains it all. The views up on the rooftop of the Flat Iron are amazing , service is always top notch, and the bar put out some drinks for my patrons that they enjoyed very much!

Not long after that, I went back to Luminosa for brunch on patio with two friends from out of town, and I got the focaccia ‘n’ gravy, which is their take on biscuits ‘n’ gravy, with house made focaccia and house made hot Italian sausage gravy, and a couple of over easy eggs.

It was super delicious, the service was beyond excellent, and it was a real pleasure to sit outside in downtown Asheville with my friends on a truly beautiful Sunday afternoon. Check their hours online, but be sure to get to the Flatiron for food on the 1st floor and the 9th. I recommend all of it very highly!

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: Please sign up tot take a fun and filling food tour of downtown Asheville with me, or my compatriot, Sarah! We work for Asheville Food Tours, the first and ONLY local, family owned food tour company in Asheville. Accept no substitutes! We run tours 7 days a week, and would love to see ya!

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Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 05/05/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 02:10 INTRO: Tom Is Traumatized By Cinco D’Mayo & St. Paddy’s Day02:11 - 04:35 TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER: And Having Faith In The Future04:36 - 06:35 OUTDOOR SEATING: Livin’ The Patio Life 90 Days A Year06:36 - 09:03 WOBBLY TABLES: And The Asheville Table Shim Company09:04 - 10:27 FOODIE GAMES: New Prize Package (With Sneaky WEMO)10:28 - 35:06 WHAT A WORLD/DUNNING KRUGER REPORT: RFKJ & Gray Skittles35:07 - 35:47 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank35:48 - 44:16 SAUCE TALK: Gettin’ Chimichurri Wit It44:17 - 44:35 FOODIE GAMES: Denied44:36 - 53:05 THE PIZZA GUY IS HERE! Ideas Brewin’ On the Front Porch!53:06 - 54:08 TOM HAS A CONNIPTION FIT: No Games = No Eggs54:09 - 56:15 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

YAY TACOS! We all love tacos from TacoBilly, and we all have our favorites from their menu! I went recently and got the Santi and the Grandberry.

My friend Jennie aka The Boss at KickbackAVL got a Mamas Favorite and a Migas.

Which Taco Billy tacos are your favorites?

WALKIN’ FOOD: Jambon buerre on the hoof from Mother. Nom nom.

SNEAKING A GELATO: Sometimes... when my Asheville Food Tours patrons are eating their delicious plates of food at Strada Italiano, I sneak next door to Asheville Chocolate and get myself a gelato. This time it was cake batter flavored, with rainbow sprinkles, and it was frickin’ awesome.

I highly recommend sneaking away from whatever it is that you're doing right now and getting yourself some!

CUTE SEATING & BEVERAGES: I love to stop in to Farewell cafe on the South Slope on my walk home from work, to sit outside and sip a perfect cute little ol’ cortado in the glorious weather. It's my happy place.

Plus, they recently installed several really cute new tables on the patio and I like them very much

GOLF LUNCH: My mom and I did one of our favorite things recently: Grabbed lunch and played mini golf! She had a hankering for Favilla's New York Pizza and I hadn't been there in forever, so I was totally up for it, and conveniently, it's pretty much right near Tropical Gardens Mini Golf on Patton Ave. I got a delicious "grandma style" slice and my mom got some spinach and feta rolls, one for lunch and two for dinner later at home. I also couldn’t resist trying their new chicken tender slider, which was great! The Grandma Pizza was crunchy and doughy and delicious, the toppings were fresh and tasty, and the little chicken sandwich was really fun and yummy! If I could walk to Favilla from my house, I'd probably be eating these little chicken sandwiches all the time!

After lunch, we played mini golf, and my mom beat me by one point. As she always says, she loves "a sport that an old woman can play and win." 😂 I highly recommend a wee little day trip to get pizza and play a few rounds of mini golf if you have time. 🍕⛳️

JUANCHOS FONDA: Paddy and I went on a recent Asheville Food Tours lunch junket out Sweeten Creek Road to visit our old friend Jeison at his new Columbian Fusion restaurant called Juanchos Fonda! You can see from the pictures that the portions are very generous! When the food showed up, our eyes popped right out of our heads, and just stared at each other across the table.

Paddy got the Bandejs Paisa with pork belly, steak, chorizo, egg, rice, beans, plantains & avocado. I got the Lomo Salted which is steak tender loin, marinated in soy sauce, & beer with fries, rice, julianas, avocado & red pepper. It was an enormous amount of food, packed with flavor and freshness, served in a charming, homey atmosphere, by very nice people who really care about their menu!

If you like Colombian food, or want to try it for the first time, I highly recommend a trip to Juanchos Fonda to say hey to Jeison & crew! BONUS: Parking is not an issue.

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: Here’s the boss at Asheville Food Tours, Paddy 2 Skewers at the rooftop re-opening party for Wildwood Still on the 7th floor of the Moxy Asheville hotel.

The space is elegant, the views are amazing, the food is top notch, and we had a blast hanging out with so many friends and associates at the party! 🎉 High recommends for this restaurant!

Please sign up for a food tour with me, or Sarah, or on rare occasions, Paddy himself!

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Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 04/28/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 05:51 PREAMBLE: Stu Eats Rocky’s From KickBack 05:52 - 14:57 WHERE’D YA EAT? Baba Nahm, Franny’s Farmacy + Potential New Boyfriend With A Nod To Simple Cafe14:58 - 22:21 INTRO: Does Anyone Wanna Be Tom’s Sous Chef?22:22 - 25:38 WE’RE STILL HERE: And We’re Still Awesome25:38 - 27:42 NO WEMO: It’s Freakin’ Boring27:43 - 29:01 NO CORRECTIONS: Or Too Many To Mention29:02 - 47:26 WHAT A WORLD: Tariffs On Food (& Coffee) Gonna Cost Us More47:27 - 50:50 WHO WANTS A DOG? Tom Has A Big Heart… And An Extra Dog50:51 - 52:26 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

BAB NAHM IS BACK! You might have heard, Baba Nahm’s new location on Biltmore Ave is open! I popped in for lunch, and got myself the lamb and beef pita burger, with grilled vegetables on the side, and they brought out an appetizer of grilled halloumi cheese for me to try!

Everything was delicious, and the portions were generous, I enjoyed it all very much! I can't wait to go back and try their breakfast menu, as well as the rest of their lunch menu. Also, they told me that they will soon expand into dinner hours!

Baba Nahm is a local favorite, with a loyal following, who really represent what we love to eat up here in these mountains! Fresh, interesting food, prepared by people we know and love! Thank you, Chef Brian and Laura for always bringing great food to the people in Asheville and Western North Carolina! ❤️❤️❤️

FRANNY’S FARMACY & POTENTIAL NEW BOYFRIEND: Y'all, Paddy & I took a short drive over to West Asheville, to visit our good friend Franny at Franny’s Farmacy located at 645 Haywood Rd., right next to the very exciting and popular new dessert/cocktail lounge called Potential New Boyfriend. So, first we looked around the store and I made a purchase of four cute little prerolls called Goat Tokers. (ahem.. say what now?) We each lit one up, and smoked-up on Franny's beautiful outdoor back patio space, and then we all went next-door for a dessert extravaganza! Franny's newest location has a lot of charm, it's very cozy and comfortable, the staff is great, and the product is excellent! I recommend it very highly for people who like to smoke and relax and be around like-minded friends.

So, after we got all blazed up at Franny's Farmacy, we went right next-door to Potential New Boyfriend, where the owner, whose name is Disco, treated us to some samples of his frozen creations, like a cucumber mint sorbet, Vietnamese, iced coffee ice cream, a tiny version if his epic strawberry shortcake sundae, a vanilla affogato, and an ice cream crème brûlée.

I am a huge ice cream fan, and I was in heaven! I can't wait to go back and have every ding dang thing on their dessert menu, as well as trying their savory menu!

The espresso that came with the affogato was perfect, not bitter, not sour, but just right, and it came in some of the cutest little cups I've seen in a while, that were shaped just like a stove-top espresso machine. Franny's friend, Dr. Steph got an aromatic wine which she enjoyed very much!

I am very excited to go back to this fun, cute and delicious little spot again and again! Super high recommends!

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: Y'all, come take a food tour with me or Sarah through Asheville Food Tours, or sign-up for a private food tour with me!

I'm available most Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and sometimes I can even be persuaded to come out on a Saturday. Walk with me, go where I go, eat like I eat, and experience downtown Asheville with me the way I experience it just about every day!

You can read more details HERE and just send me an email to [email protected] if you have questions, or you’re ready to book!

MEALS ON WHEELS ASHEVILLE BUNCOMBE COUNTY: Y'all, while the richest people on Earth count the golden knobs on their luxury airplanes, about 35 seniors here in Western North Carolina are on a waitlist to receive hot food and, just as importantly, a daily visit from a caring member of the local community with Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe Co., Inc.

MOWABC currently serves about 600 people in our area, and your generous donations today could help move someone off of the waitlist, and onto the list of those who will be provided with the sustenance and loving kindness that any decent society should be providing to our older citizens.

If you are able, please donate today. If you can volunteer, please go to HERE. And even if you're unable to do either, please take a moment to call our representatives in Washington and ask them to INCREASE the annual federal contribution to Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe Co., Inc. rather than slash it.

Senator Thom Tillis: (202) 224-6342

Congressman Chuck “Where’s The Ice Cream Truck?” Edwards: (202) 225-6401

#EndtheWait

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Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 04/15/2025…

00:00 - 01:14 INTRO: It Me01:15 - 05:15 FOOD NEWS: Asheville’s Finest Deli05:16 - 05:56 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank05:58 - 09:57 PUKE REVIEW: I’ll Probably Never Go Back09:58 - 18:55 WHERE’D YA EAT? Franklin Pizza Tavern18:56 - 23:38 7TH HEAVEN: The Wildwood Still Rooftop Is Very Exciting!23:39 - 28:01 PEANUT BUTTER TRIPLE DOWN: + THCa & Caffeine28:02 - 37:41 THE PIZZA GUY IS HERE! The 4/20 Special37:42 - 52:18 ASHEVILLE ON $68.50 A DAY: A La Rachael Ray52:19 - 54:47 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

WNC PIZZA MAP ROAD TRIP: My friend Andrea and I took little road trip out to Franklin, NC, where we visited the Franklin Pizza Tavern and tried two very tasty pies! Plus a meatball. Andrea built her own pie, with green peppers and crumbled house made Italian sausage.

I ordered one from the menu called the Hawaiian Hottie. It was great! And yes, it did have pineapple on it. I don't have a lot of rules around pizza, and I am definitely down for Hawaiian style. (I am part Canadian after all! 😂) It also had ham, bacon, and jalapeños on it. It was hot and spicy and sweet and savory and hit all the nails on the head.

They are proud of their meatballs, so they brought me one to try, and it was great! Nice texture, classic flavor, thumbs up! Service was very friendly, and we also met one of the owners, who was super nice and very enthused about their business! So, I totally recommend Franklin Pizza Tavern! I remarked to Andrea on the way home that we are all so lucky in WNC to have really good pizza tucked away here and there all over these mountains! 🙏 🍕‼️

ASHEVILLE ON $68.50 A DAY

Y'all, 21 years ago Chef Rachael Ray helped put Asheville’s burgeoning culinary scene on the map when she featured our city on an episode of her “$40 Per Day,” television series. I rewatched the episode on YouTube recently, and decided to take on the challenge, in honor of Chef Ray’s historic visit! Adjusting for Inflation, $40.00 from 2004 would be equal to $68.50 today, in 2025, and feeding myself a reasonable and realistic amount of delicious and iconic food in Asheville for $68.50 per day sounded pretty easy to me! Below is a synopsis. You can read the whole piece by clicking HERE. It was really fun to do, so maybe I'll do it again!

8:30AM: BREAKFAST AT THE MED: The first person-on-the-street that Chef Ray asked where to eat in Asheville gave her the best advice ever, which she ignored! LOL She did just fine, but Dude was absolutely correct, and it was already on my list so, I started my journey by going to The Med for breakfast, where I got their classic biscuits ‘n’ gravy, with a cup of coffee, and it was frickin’ delicious! It filled me up, hit the spot, tasted great, and was all scratch made, in house. I love The Med! I could have added an egg for another $2.00, but the dish didn’t need it in my opinion, and was just right the way it was: Straight-up, and the perfect something Southern to start my day, at downtown Asheville’s oldest restaurant!

COST: Biscuits & Gravy + Coffee + Tax + Tip = $14.77

12:30PM: LUNCH AT BURGERWORX: I wasn’t hungry again for a long time but when I finally was, I was REALLY hungry. 21 years ago, Chef Rachael Ray had an elk burger and an enormous pile of quinoa for lunch from a Native American restaurant called Spirits on the River, which closed about 5 years after her visit. I never had a chance to visit it myself, regrettably, and these days an elk burger in this town is probably gonna run about $22.00+, so with my budget in mind, I opted to hit up one of my favorite spots and just jam a giant, fully loaded smash burger into my maw.

I’ve been going to Burgerworx in the Grove Arcade Building Downtown since they first opened. They are an independently owned little “fast food” smash burger joint, and I love them with all of my heart… attack… medicine… inside of me… because gah. So decadent but so delicious. I have a mathematical approach to the number of patties I add to a smash burger: 1 patty for a snack, 2 patties for a meal, 3 patties for my last meal. Since this was lunch, I went with 2 patties, added American cheese for a dollar, plus all the freebies: Lettuce, tomatoes, DJ’s Pickles, and jalapeño wheels. No onions. I could have purchased a side of fries for $4.00, but I knew that for me, it would have been overkill, so I went sans fries, and as expected, I was stuffed.

COST: Classic Smash Burger + Add A Patty + Cheese + Tax + Tip = $15.41

3:30PM: SNACK AT BOTIWALLA: Back in 2004, when Chef Rachael Ray came to Asheville, she had an afternoon snack at a place called Picnics that is no longer around. She had an enormous piece of pie with whipped cream and fruit, and to be honest, if I ate that much pie in the middle of the day, I’d be DONE. Couch-bound. I usually have a cup of coffee in the afternoon, so I decided to combine my caffeine intake with a moderate snack, and I know of a little trick to get that done on the cheap in Downtown Asheville!

Did you know that every cup of chai that you order from Botiwalla by Chai Pani on Battery Park Ave in Downtown Asheville comes with a free package of 10 Parle-G “original gluco cookies?” It’s true!

And yeah, no, I have no idea what “gluco cookie” means, but I like ’em! They are small, crunchy, sweet but not cloying, and have a unique little somewhat vanilla-y flavor to them. They obviously go great with chai, and the chai at Botiwalla is by far the best I’ve ever had. It’s packed with rich, deep, Spicewalla flavors, and is creamy, sweet, filling and served hot or cold. I got mine hot on a damp rainy day and it was the perfect thing to take the chill off.

COST: Chai + Tax = .27¢ + Tip = $4.87

7:00 PM: DINNER AT TWISTED LAUREL DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE: Yeah, yeah, I know: No big surprise that I’m adding these guys to my list. I eat at Twisted a lot and I’m good friends with the chef, and the managers, and pretty much the whole crew at Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville, which is indicative of how much I love the food and the folks who work there. I wasn’t always friends with them! Seems weird now, but there was a time when we didn’t even know each other. Then I started going in… again and again… on my own, with food tours, with friends and family, and it just became my number one jam. I eat there more often than anywhere else, and I always recommend it to locals and visitors alike, and in particular I point out their trout to everyone I can, so that’s what I had for dinner: TROUT!

Trout is our only local fish up in these mountains, and you can find it on just about every menu in WNC in one form or another, and while lots of people do great things with it, for my money, no one does it as consistently well as my friend Chef Tom LaFauci. He doesn’t mess around. He does it old school, but with his own touch: Pecan crusted, topped with whiskey braised peaches, served on mashed potatoes, with green beans, and topped with a beautiful beurre blanc sauce. It was perfect, and I told my friend Sarah that it’s the kind of dish I could eat almost every day, and it was the best way I could think of to end my Rachael Ray-esque journey through Asheville, with a very local bite from a local chef that I personally know and love. Thanks, Tom!

COST: Trout Entree + Tax + Tip = $28.25

GRAND TOTAL FOR THE DAY: $63.30

PEANUT BUTTER TRIPLE DOWN: I smoked an "Icy Cone" from Mellow Fellow on my walk downtown, and then my friend Jarod at the bank gave me a homemade peanut butter chocolate egg that was super delish, then my friend Andrea at the The Cottage Collections gave me a mini peanut butter cup, and then I got a Peanut Butter & Jelly Latte at Izzy's Coffee Den on N. Lexington Ave in downtown Asheville and now I feel awesome.

We’ve been through some tough times here in WNC lately. I recommend some me-time and self care in the form of peanut buttery things. 🙂

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: We've been bringing our Asheville Food Tours into …

Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 04/09/2025 with my occasional co-host Paddy Riels from Asheville Food Tours…

00:00 - 07:48 INTRO: What’s A Junket? Featuring Modesto and Black Bear BBQ07:49 - 13:08 TASTE ‘25 WRAP-UP Prt 1: AFT Representing at The Taste of Asheville13:09 - 15:53 AB TECH STUDENTS: And The Story Of North Meats South14:53 - 23:38 TASTE ‘25 WRAP-UP Prt 2: Seeing Old Friends & Making New Ones23:39 - 29:08 MEETING ANNIE: Annie’s Bakery20:09 - 29:49 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank29:50 - 32:55 WHERE’S CHEF? Tom Has The Day An Hour Off32:56 - 37:39 WEMO: Atsa Lotta Chickens37:40 - 51:25 FOODIE GAMES: Racking Up Some Easy Points51:26 - 53:56 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

TASTE: Y'all, I'm a little late in sharing these pictures, but you still have almost an entire year to get ready for the next Taste of Asheville event!

Paddy, Sarah and I were there, representing Asheville Food Tours, and we had a blast! There were tons of people there, most of them friends and associates, and the food was amazing!

We grazed and talked and grazed and networked and grazed and laughed and hugged and even cried a tear or two, as this was the very first Taste of Asheville since the hurricane hit and emotions we flowing freely. Year after year, The Taste of Asheville is the BEST food event of the year, and has been my favorite food event since I attended my first one about a decade ago.

Thank you, Asheville Independent Restaurant Association for putting on this great annual party/reunion for the eaters & makers! Thank you, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, A-B Tech staff and students for hosting and working this important gathering of like minded people. And of course, thank you a million times over to alllll of the fabulous people who make up our amazing community of Food, Beverage & Hospitality in our wonderful city! ❤️❤️❤️

MOW ABC: Y’all, I want to talk to you about Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe Co., who are currently serving over 600 seniors every weekday of every week of every year. The need for the services that Meals on Wheels Asheville Buncombe provides has grown exponentially since the pandemic, followed by inflation, and now hurricane recovery. Three new delivery routes have been added to our area just since the hurricane to bring more seniors a healthy meal, some human kindness, and a little friendly interaction every day.

Food insecurity continues to grow, and any federal cuts will only make this situation worse for our seniors. The federal government currently provides Meals On Wheel Asheville Buncombe with around $200,000 annually, which is about 20% of their overall budget. Meals on Wheels ABC will be affected by federal cuts, and they don’t know what the future holds.

Every golf junket that President Trump takes literally costs the tax-payers over 1,000 times more than our federal government provides to Meals on Wheels of Asheville & Buncombe for their entire fiscal year. Yet, the richest people in America would deny us funding to feed and bring comfort to our senior population. Trump is a cruel and heartless person, and we live in a very sick society. This is the richest country in the world, yet we struggle to meet the basic daily needs of our all of our citizens. It doesn't have to be this way. We need to elect compassionate representatives, who care about the people who have the fewest resources, not just those who literally have the most. I'm thankful that here in WNC we have an active & empathetic community who will do our very best to fill in the gaps, but it won't be easy. As the T-shirts say, "We tired." But LFG.

Meals On Wheels ABC needs volunteers to deliver meals, as well as donors, of money and goods. If you have time, money or other resources, please go HERE.

There’s an event coming up on National World Hunger Day, which is Wednesday, May 28. And it will be at The Hi Wire Event Center, which is located at 2B Huntsman Place in Biltmore Village. The event is to celebrate the spirit of giving and community, share updates, and to recognize the incredible contributions of the people who support Meals On Wheels Asheville Buncombe. There will be light refreshments and libations served. To find out more you can contact Nikki Harris emailing [email protected]

The event is free to attend, and people will have the opportunity to donate if they would like.

Also, our good friends at Botiwalla Downtown are hosting a “give-back” night for Meals On Wheels on June 17th, when all orders, whether dine in, takeout, or delivery, will result in a donation back to Meals On Wheels, and Nikki Harris herself will be on site to answer questions and engage with customers.

As mentioned, Meals On Wheel Asheville Buncombe County needs volunteers to deliver meals, and there are two categories of volunteer drivers: Drivers who can commit to driving the same route one weekday per week, and substitute drivers who are "on call" in case a regular driver is unable to volunteer. Anyone who is interested in driving for Meals on Wheels can fill out an application HERE.

Folks, the people I talk to who work for organizations that are fighting hunger every day tell me it's a battle that can be won. Hunger is not inevitable. There is more than enough food in this world to feed everyone, but hunger isn’t about food. It’s about money. And access. And right now, some of the richest people in America are threatening to cut off the relatively tiny amount of federal funding that our area receives to help feed our seniors. Please step up, volunteer and donate, but also speak up, and let our elected officials know that Western North Carolina cares about our senior population, and it’s the least we can do as a society to provide them with Meals on Wheels.

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: Y'all, if you're looking for something super fun to do with friends and family, whether you live in Asheville and WNC, or you're visiting from elsewhere, please consider taking a food tour with me! I do private tours for two to four people on Mondays and Thursdays, and I lead tours of up to 14 people for Asheville Food Tours on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays!

The food is always awesome, and there are alcoholic beverages for those who drink, and N/A beverages for those who don't! You can DM me about private tours, or book tickets for a tour with other folks through www.ashevillefoodtours.com! Look for the "Food Fan" tours on the calendar, those are mine!

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Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 04/02/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 05:17 INTRO: Gettin’Ready To Get Ready To Get Back To Gettin’ Back05:18 - 08:11 CORRECTIONS: Sand Hill & Tom’s Points 08:12 - 10:49 MORE BAD NEWS: Avian Flu Decimates Cadbury Bunny Flock10:50 - 13:45 WEMO: Eggs Reach A Weak-Steady13:46 - 31:55 DUNNING KRUGER REPORT: Eggplant Deep Dive31:56 - 33:19 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank33:20 - 42:19 FOODIE GAMES: Multiple Choice Eggplant Quiz42:20 - 50:04 FOOD TRENDS: Chef Is A Thigh Guy & I Am The Queen Of France50:05 - 53:09 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

SOUP & SOOSH! I went to Miyako House for lunch a while back, where I'm trying to eat something different from their massive sushi, sashimi, Thai and Chinese food menu every time I go in to dine. On this visit, I got a very nice Surf & Turf Roll that came with a bowl of miso soup. I know miso soup is just kind of whatever to some people, but I honestly think Miyako House has the best! It's one thing that I've had multiple times there, and it's just tastier and somehow a little creamier than other miso soups I've had.

The roll was fun, and had delicious spicy tuna, very tender seared rare steak, jalapeño wheels, and a mild wasabi sauce that was more about flavor than heat. I love wasabi, so I added more. The presentation was beautiful, and the roll was very yummy, and I ate it all!

I'm excited for my next visit to dine at Miyako House, to try something new, maybe I'll dive into the Chinese section. Thank you, Jessica and Chef Raymond for always being gracious hosts and for constantly cranking out excellent food for Asheville!

THE WAY OF THE ANDALE: So, I recently walked to Mother for a late lunch, and... note to self... they close their kitchen between lunch and dinner, so I doubled back and went to an ol' neighborhood favorite, Andale Way Mexican Grill! There I ran into a couple of my friends, Chefs Catherine and Griffin Riffe from Infuso, who told me that they go there weekly, which is also the case with a lot of other folks I know. I chose to sit outside, and I ordered the Spicy Enchiladas with ground beef, which come topped with shredded cheese and borracha salsa, with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, rice & beans on the side.

It was well past 3:00pm, this was my first solid food of the day, I was really hungry, and I hoovered the entire plate like tomorrow may never come, and I truly loved every bite! Was it spicy? Yeah, it had a nice little kick to it! It's not gonna light your face on fire, but I was feeling some heat! This food was just what I needed, the patio was pleasant AF, my server was great, and my friends who work there are always kind, warm, and friendly, not just to me, but to all their loyal customers and anyone else who walks through the door.

On a more recent visit, my wife got a super fancy and (according to her) very delicious margarita that she enjoyed very much and I got a delicious taco but forgot to take a dang picture! Located at the bottom of the South Slope, Andale Way has ample parking, a large menu, a full bar, and as I mentioned, great food! It's in our neighborhood, and my whole family loves it! Thank you, Chef Salvador and crew for always being consistent and excellent! I appreciate you.

HIGH EDIBILITY: I often pop into Bee Thai Kitchen on my walk home from work, and I'm often verrry hungry when I do. The food there has what I call a very high "edibility factor," which just means that I love to shovel it into my maw like hay into a baler until my very hungry feelings turn into very full feelings. I almost always go for the crab fried rice, which I find to be a lightly flavored dish made with crab, carrot, scallions and fluffy scrambled up eggs. It's just sooo easy to eat! Nom nom nom!

This time I also got some pad Thai, a familiar dish that brings comfort and excitement to my soul whenever I eat it. Their version is not too sweet, not too spicy, not too sticky, and again, it just makes for some very good easy eatin'! Finally I ordered their steamed pork dumplings, which I find unique to Bee Thai Kitchen in that they are solid and dense, almost like a wee little bit of sausage wrapped in dough. The first time I had them, I wasn't into it, and then I accidentally ordered them again, and I'm glad I did, because now I'm into it! 🙂 So, I recommend this restaurant and these dishes, especially if you're down to shovel tons of it into yourself.

BEAR’S IS BACK: My sister, my nephew and I went to Bear's Smokehouse BBQ on the South Slope, who are back in business after nearly 6 months of working with World Central Kitchen to help feed people in post-Helene WNC.

My sister got burnt ends, mac 'n' cheese, and salad, my nephew got a pulled chicken sandwich.

and I got one of my all-time favorites, the impossible meatloaf sandwich with slaw and cheese sauce.

The impossible meatloaf is meatless, so it's as healthy as my sister's salad... pretty much... and it's spicy, flavorful, and texturally pleasing. The cheese sauce is crucial to my enjoyment, but if you leave it off, this beast is suddenly vegan! Wha??? Gettin' healthier by the minute. Anyhoo, we all loved our food and my whole family have been fans of Bear's for a long time, and we will ALWAYS remember what they did, and continue to do for the people of Western North Carolina.

PRIVATE FOOD TOURS: Come on a private walking tour of downtown Asheville with me! I'm available for private food tours, as well as tours of any kind, combined with food! For example I can take you to nothing but restaurants, or I can take you to restaurants and art galleries, or restaurants and dispensaries, or restaurants and retail shops! I've done all of those types of tours, and I still offer all those types of tours!

Plus, on every tour we visit, look at, and talk about historical buildings, discuss Asheville's past, present & future, tell jokes and stories, and pretty much talk about whatever you wanna talk about! If you're interested in booking a private walking tour of downtown Asheville with me, the first thing you need to do is send an email to [email protected] and introduce yourself! I hope to hear from you soon! ❤️ Photo taken at Huli Sue's BBQ and Grill

— end —

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THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 03/24/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 00:00 INTRO: Another Long Day For The Chef / Spring Menu Roll Out00:00 - 00:00 THINGS ARE LOOKING UP: A Big Ol’ Raviolo00:00 - 00:00 WHERE’D YA EAT: Fahrenheit Pizza & Cava00:00 - 00:00 EGGPLANT INTERLUDE: We Both Love Eggplant00:00 - 00:00 WHERE’D YA EAT prt 2: White Duck, Hemingway’s Cuba, Old Europe, The Vault, Cúrate, Mother, Wildwood Still, Miyako House, Shanghai Dumpling, Blackbird, Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville, Sand Hill Kitchen 00:00 - 00:00 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank00:00 - 00:00 INTERVIEW: Chef Jamie Wade From Sand Hill Kitchen00:00 - 00:00 THE PRICE OF EGGS: The WEMO Jerks Us Around00:00 - 00:00 FOODIE GAMES: Spring Salad Theme 00:00 - 00:00 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

PRO-TIP: Especially for locals: if you're a fan of Cúrate, NOW is the time to go. Before they won their James Beard Foundation award, you needed rezos a couple weeks in advance. After they got their JBF award, the wait time became a couple of months! Now days, though, in this (hopefully brief) post-hurricane period, you can get reservations for Cùrate the week of, even the day of, and chances are that at certain times of day, you can walk-in with no reservations and get a table or a seat at the bar, which is exactly what my wife and I did a couple weeks ago.

We shared two of our all-time Asheville favorites, that we've been eating at Cùrate since they first opened in 2011: The pan con tomate with Manchego cheese, and the pincho maruno aka lamb skewers. The bread with tomato and cheese and light, refreshing, and slightly punchy with the tang of the Manchego. The skewers are simply devine.

They are tender, savory, and packed with the flavor of Spicewalla's special Moorish blend. The pickles add the perfect bright balance to the deeper flavors of the meat and spices. Anyhoo, Cùrate. Always great. Still great. And more accessible than ever. Again, Locals, now is the time to come downtown and enjoy this and all that our amazing little city has to offer! I hope to see you there!

BEST IN TOWN? OK, please don't hate me, but I can't remember the names or ingredients of most of these things, and I forgot to take a picture of the menu, and the menu at Mother bakery tends to change in little ways and big ways, so I'm not even sure if these things are on the menu still! The big takeaway from this meal was that about 2/3 of the way through, my wife said to me, "this might be the best restaurant in Asheville right now." She is much more discerning about food than I am, so for her to say that is a pretty big deal! And what I mean by that is, I'm all good throwing smash burgers and fried chicken and biscuits and gravy into myself all day and being happy as a baby and its mother's arms, but my wife takes care of her body, and puts nothing but high-quality foods into herself, mostly in the form of healthy salads that she prepares at home. When we do go out to eat together, we usually go someplace that's on the higher end of the spectrum, both in terms of the price, and the menu itself. Mother is also in our neighborhood, so it's relatively easy for us to get there.

Anyhooooo... we got the bread service, which consisted of an insanely cute and delicious little loaf of brioche with cheese in it, and a perfectly formed quenelle (I know a word!) of herbed butter. Next, we got prawn in an otherworldly sauce that was garlicky and savory and deep and just one of the most delicious things ever! We also got a salad to share, and that was great!

I've been on a salad kick myself lately, and enjoyed this one very much. Finally, as we were about to die… I mean, leave, the kitchen sent out a bowl of their house made pasta. OMG.

I love their pasta, and have eaten several forms and versions of it, and it's truly splendid. Tender, but toothy, and whether it's covered in a red sauce, or served as a carbonara, it's always the kind of dish that makes my eyes roll into the back of my head, and then I just stare at the person that I'm with and say nothing. And if I'm dining alone, I just stare into space. So, of course, I recommend Mother highly, and when you go in, tell them, I said, "howdy," and save me a seat! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

LI’L LOBSTER TAIL: I got this very interesting little grilled lobster tail at Shanghai Dumpling House not long ago. It was served hot, had a nice texture, an excellent flavor, and a really tasty sauce. I loved it. Lobster is, like, my favorite thing on Earth, and here in these mountains, I'm prepared to pay beaucoup dollars for it, and I did. 😂 🦞 💰

I treated the broccoli like a garnish. 😂

HEAVEN HILL: Y'all, I took a wee little road trip to one of my favorite places that I don't get to nearly often enough, Sand Hill Kitchen way out there on Sardis Road. Existing like a magical manatee in the culturally brackish waters along the border of West Asheville and Candler, the excellent and accessible menu attracts folks from both areas, as well savvy tourists, and short-distance local travelers like myself. Lucky for me, my good friend David Brown from Doc Brown's BBQ had a hankering to go see our mutual friend, Chef Jamie Wade at Sand Hill and grab some grub, and wooof... did we ever.

I got the enormous "Winner Burger" which has herbed Duke's Mayonnaise, pickled jalapeños, tomato, house made pepper jack pimento cheese, and as you can clearly see in the pictures, not just bacon, but BACON! It reached out and grabbed me! The burger was excellent, there's a reason that it won an award! It did have a little bit of a kick to it, and it was about a 3-napkin burger, so be prepared for both of those things. On a five star scale, I give it five stars! If I could walk to Sand Hill Kitchen, I'd be there twice a week.

David got what he always gets, the beet sandwich. This thing is legendary, and everybody is always telling me that I have to try it, but when I get to Sand Hill, and there's two kinds of burgers, a fried chicken sandwich, and a Reuben standing between me and the one made out of beets... yeah. David enjoyed his beet sandwich very much.

Then he casually mentioned Jaime's grit cakes, so she quickly made a couple, and they were awesome! Very creamy and comforting on the inside, and very crispy and crunchy on the outside. I didn't grow up eating grit cakes, but I wish I had! When they're done right, they're some of the best stuff ever. And Chef Jamie Wade at Sand Hill Kitchen always does everything exactly right!

Thanks, Chef, and all the awesome staff at Sand Hill! And thanks, David, for inviting me to lunch at one of the best places in WNC. 🙂 PS - Jaime put a little cup full of teeny tiny M&Ms in front of us while we were waiting for our food, and said, "An amuse-bouche." I ate a lot of them.

TASTE TIX: Less than a week until Taste of Asheville, get your tickets before they sell out!

— END —

Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 03/17/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 05:29 INTRO: Bold New Moves05:30 - 09:03 PIZZA WEEK RECAP: How Was It? You Tell Me!09:04 - 09:58 CORRECTIONS: The Official Number Was Sixteen09:59 - 14:29 THE TOMFATHER: And His Inner Circle Of Favorites14:30 - 17:50 116 SQUARE INCHES: The Life & Death Of A Cali Chicken17:51 - 31:57 THE TASTE OF ASHEVILLE: From Two Points of View31:58 - 32:37 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank32:38 - 34:02 ARE VEGETABLES VEGAN? Or Am I Stupid?34:03 - 41:02 THE PRICE OF EGGS: The WEMO Is Always A Week Ahead41:03 - 52:27 FUNNY GAMES: Why Do We Always Talk About Testicles?52:38 - 54:27 MUSIC BUFFS: Two Old Men Talk About Vinyl54:48 - 57:15 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

MY 1/2 WAY CAFE: It was such a nice day the other, and there were seats on the patio, that I made an unplanned stop at All Day Darling Cafe on my walk to my mom’s house, and got a nice cup of coffee and a very tasty piece of blueberry lemon pound cake . Perfect. ❤️

Then, because that pound cake situation worked out so well, I stopped into All Day Darling again a few days later on my way to my mom's house, and absolutely destroyed this delicious plate of food! I didn't realize how hungry I was until I was already on my walk, and fortunately, ADD is about 1/2 way in between my mom's house and my house. By the time I got my food and started to eat I was famished!

When ordering, I had kept it pretty basic, with a couple of over-medium eggs, some toast, some ham, and a nice bright salad. It was just what my body was crying out for! Grains, greens, and proteins. The addition of a small salad to any breakfast is always a good thing in my book. Thanks All Day Darling! You provided me with exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it!

NOT SAD ABOUT LUNCH: On another day, my mom and I took a small road trip to Abeja's House Cafe, which is one of her favorites! She introduced me to it a few years ago, and it has become one of my favorites as well. I gave them one of my Food Fan awards for their amazing NOLA Chicken and Shrimp, and it's hard for me not to order that dish every time we go, but that day they had one of my all-time favorite dishes on their list of specials: Steak and Eggs! (I like foods with an "and" in the middle) So I ordered it up and believe me I was not the least bit sad that I did not have my usual chicken and shrimps!

The steak was tender and delicious, the eggs were cooked exactly to my specifications, the toast was toasty, and the grits were cheesy, creamy, and done just right. I was very happy with my decisions that day. My mom got the breakfast quesadilla. She ate half and loved it, then took the rest home for dinner that night. Thank you, Abeja's! Also, a shout out to our server, who did a great job, and had a good sense of humor! 🙂

I CHOOSE BLUE: I got a beautiful and delicious peanut butter chocolate truffle at French Broad Chocolates recently, just to give me a little sugar bump before one of my Asheville Food Tours.

I was attracted by the color, then I was a little "meh" on the description, but the person working behind the counter assured me that it is delicious, and they were not wrong. Sometimes it's wise to just put your faith in the experts! 🙂

THIS JUST IN: From the Chefs Griffin & Catherine Riffe from Infuso, who are really onto something unique and special with their infused foods, which they’ve combined with their love of JRR Tolkien (something else we have in common!) to The Second Breakfast Club! Their first one is happening on April 20 (4/20), which also happens to be Easter Sunday!

Here’s a recent Facebook post…

###Coming up on 4/20/2025

In collaboration with our good friends at Hygge Markets , join us for SECOND BREAKFAST CLUB!

An immersive, gently infused brunch buffet experience featuring recipes inspired by the world of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth.

Tickets: theticketing.co/e/secondbreakfastclub

###

FANCY LUNCH: So... we've had a little extra time on our hands due to the slowdown in tourism, so Paddy, Sarah and I have been doing a few more Asheville Food Tours lunch junkets than usual lately, partly to stay in touch with our restaurant partners, partly because we enjoy each others company, and partly because we just love walking around downtown and visiting all our fave places. We basically can't stop ourselves. Anyhoo, we recently went to Modesto Asheville for some of the fanciest and most delicious food available at lunchtime in downtown. I was still kinda full from the day before, so I thought I'd go with something light and just order a salad with shrimps on it... yeah... no... it was frickin' huge.

When looking at the picture above, keep in mind that the plate itself was probably at least 12 or 13 inches in diameter, and had ten big shrimps, and a heaping pile of greens and such. It was epic and awesome. The salad dressings (plural) were light and tangy but not too tangy with just a touch of sweetness. They went great with each other, and with the salad, as well as with the shrimps, which were grilled nicely and had a pleasant SC flavor & texture, that I find to be a little sweeter and more fibrous than shrimp from other regions. Almost like a tiny lobster. 🦞 It was a lot more food than I had anticipated, but I put on my seatbelt and stepped on the gas. When the dust settled, I had eaten all the shrimp and most of the greens, and was stuffed to the max. I don't know what's happening to me... but lately I've been really enjoying... salads. 😜

TAKE A TOUR WITH US: Locals, now is the time to act like a tourist on our own town with Asheville Food Tours! Tourism is light, parking isn’t a nightmare, the views are amazing, and the restaurants would love to see you! Since Helene, businesses have been struggling, including our little ol’ food tour company, and all of our amazing restaurant partners, but things are looking up! When I do have tours, something that has been really awesome, is that I’ve been getting a lot of locals, as well visitors, and many repeat customers, who all love Asheville are here to support our city!

I’d love to see you on a tour, and so would our other tour guide, Sarah and the boss, Paddy!

— end —

Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 03/03/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…

00:00 - 02:07 INTRO: Chef Is Presentable02:08 - 03:44 RESTAURANT WEEK: Part Deux Was A Bit Of A Dud03:45 - 06:20 SOCON WAS GOOD: Stu’s Watching Sports w/ Brooms06:21 - 14:33 HARD TURN, NO SEGUE: Top 5 Things That A Chef Needs To Know14:34 - 15:14 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank15:15 - 18:55 THE PRICE OF EGGS: Slightly Less Nefarious Undertones18:56 - 23:48 DUNNING KRUGER REPORT: California Compliant Eggs23:49 - 27:39 HUNTING TURKEYS: Black Cammo and Crossbows27:40 - 39:36 FUNNY GAMES: Made Up People and Made Up Words39:37 - 41:31 GOONIES NEVER DIE: And A Lotta Shrimp Talk42:32 - 47:52 PIZZA WEEK: Everybody Loves Pizza!47:53 - 51:33 TOM, I ATE A CRUFFIN: Magic, Science and Madness51:34 - 52:41 RAY-RAY’S AVL: $40 A Day Is $60 Today52:42 - 55:09 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!

THE NEWSLETTER

WNC PIZZA WEEK 2025 IS OVER! Thanks to all the pizza makers and pizza eaters who helped to make the inaugural WNC Pizza Week a big success! I'm hearing from the pizza makers that they had fun, that it was easy to participate, they saw a bump to their bottom line as a result, and they would absolutely do it again! I also heard from the eaters that they tried some excellent specialty pies that were made just for pizza week, and ate pizza multiple times at multiple venues throughout the week! YAY!!!

My own family indulged in pizza more than once, including a fun game night pizza party where we ordered the Pizza Week specials from Manicomio Pizza on Biltmore Ave Downtown, and Mission Pizza Romana located at the top of the South Slope. Everyone (8 people) loved all four pies, but we all had our individual favorites too. We ate until we were stuffed and had a little leftover for the next day!

Thanks Explore Asheville, who supported WNC Pizza Week with a free pizza event just for Food & Beverage Industry people! Thanks as well, to all the local media folks who reported on WNC Pizza Week. It made a big difference! ❤

On the last day of pizza week, there was a little make your own pie thing at Manicomio Pizza and after everybody else was done making their pies, I made myself one! Pretty good! I might have a new career in front of me. Thank you, MODA-Merchants of Downtown Asheville and for making this fun little event happen as part of their Makers March events!

According to the feedback that I’ve received from the pizza makers who participated in WNC Pizza Week 2025 they had fun, they found it easy to participate, they saw a bump in their bottom line, and they would like to see and host more events like parties and contests! It's still a year away, but I'm already excited for WNC Pizza Week 2026, Feb 9th - 16th! Mark your calendars.

STUFFIN’ A CRUFFIN IN ME: Here's a thing about living in Asheville: We're always on the cutting edge of dietary restrictions. 😂 #truth The result of that phenomenon is that, among other things, we have some of theee best vegan food in the known universe. The other day I stopped into Pollen cafe on South French Broad Ave where I got an excellent cappuccino and the creamiest dreamiest flakiest bakiest shuh-shuh-sugariest cruffin ever dreamed up by science, magic or madness.

There were many layers of laminated dough filled with rich decadent coconut pastry cream, and sprinkled with pure uncut unadulterated sugar, and because it's from Back Porch Baking Co., it's 100% vegan.

I'm not vegan, not by a long shot, but this thing is truly amazing, and I eat, like, one a month... at least... maybe more... but again, since it's vegan, it's all good! It's healthy! Like a salad.

SOUTHERN BREAKFAST: Paddy, Sarah and I went on another Asheville Food Tours lunch junket, to one of our long-time partners and personal favorites, The Blackbird located on Biltmore Ave, right downtown. Sarah got the Southern breakfast with grits, scrambs, and house made sausage. Paddy got the Stoobie Award winning corned beef hash, which I know from experience is incredibly delicious and satisfying. And I got the biscuits ‘n’ gravy with fried chicken. It was very savory, thick but creamy gravy, over a perfectly battered and deep fried chicken thigh, on top of a warm buttery scratch made biscuit. It was great and we all devoured our food!

I've been back to Blackbird twice with food tours since this meal, and my tour patrons have been just as impressed as we are! Thanks to Chefs Mike and Francis, and the whole BB crew! 🙏

ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: The best way to enjoy eating Asheville is through Asheville Food Tours, the original walking food tour of Downtown! Locally owned & operated since 2009, Asheville Food Tours just got a new logo, booking software, and a total website redo! Please check it out, and book your next tour with me, Paddy, or Sarah soon!

“On our tours you will experience the best of what our famous food makers have to offer, learn what makes each stop and the whole town so special, delve into the history of Asheville, and become familiar with downtown, while in the capable hands of true locals who know our city well! Touring Asheville never tasted so good!”

— end —

Get full access to Stu Helm: Food Fan at stuhelmfoodfan.substack.com/subscribe

THE PODCAST

The podcast above was originally recorded on 02/24/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville. To listen live every Friday at 5pm, tune in to WPVM 103.7fm!

00:00 - 04:58 INTRO: Robbing Banks & Committing Grand Theft Auto04:59 - 12:42 TOMATOES & POTATOES: Not Poisonous12:43 - 13:23 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank13:24 - 22:40 THE PRICE OF EGGS: Predictions Come True!22:41 - 26:58 RAISING CHICKENS: As A Post Apocalyptic Egg Warlord 26:59 - 48:14 FUNNY GAMES: Exploitation, Death, Rebirth, and Being Single 48:15 - 50:05 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!50:06 - 51:26 BONUS AUDIO: Getting A Slap Burger From Dave & Shannon

THE NEWSLETTER

WNC PIZZA WEEK BEGINS

The Most Exciting Week In Western North Carolina Is Here!

March 10 – 16, 2025

The 1st ever WNC PIZZA WEEK gives pizza lovers in Western North Carolina a chance to try some very special slices & pies at a great price from some amazing local and regional pizza makers!

All you have to do is visit the official web page, look at all the pies, identify the pies you want to try, made by the people that you want to support, and start eating pizza!

Below is just a sample of what’s available during WNC Pizza Week 2025! To see the full listings and order pies, visit the official WNC Pizza Week 2025 webpage!

THESE SPECIAL PIES & OFFERS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE MARCH 10 – 16, 2025

If you take & post pictures to social media during WNC PIZZA WEEK, please use the hashtag #wncpizzaweek To read descriptions and order pies, visit the official WNC Pizza Week 2025 webpage!

The WNC Pizza Map below includes every pizza maker that we could find in Western North Carolina!

NOTE: Not every pizza maker listed on our map is participating in WNC PIZZA WEEK.

If you notice that your favorite spot isn’t on the map, or isn’t participating, please encourage them to reach out to me at [email protected]. It’s not too late to get on board! Until it is.

THE PEP-PEP: Yes, I eat at Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville a lot. I really like the food and I love the people who work there. I went in yesterday, on an Asheville Food Tours lunch junket with my fellow guides Paddy & Sarah and had a delicious meal! I got the "pep-pep" pizza which is mildly spicy and sweet with jalapeños, pepperoni, cherry peppers and honey drizzle. I frickin' loved it! Paddy & Sarah both got the award winning double patty mustard grilled smash burger. It was exactly the lunch we wanted. Thanks, Twisted! ❤️

And yes, Twisted Laurel Asheville and Twisted Laurel Weaverville are both participating in WNC PIZZA WEEK 2025!

— end —

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