Farm-to-Restaurant Panel: A Recap
Nov/110
By Liz Condo
The panelists in the Farm-to-Restaurant workshop began the discussion by briefly explaining the business they are in and why they are a part of the farm-to-restaurant movement.
Portia McKnight of Chapel Hill Creamery (left) and Amy Tournquist of Watt's Grocery (right). Photo credit: Liz Condo
Andrea Reusing is the owner of Lantern, a Chapel Hill restaurant. Reusing explained that using local food in her restaurant is not about reaching a certain purchasing percentage, but rather about fostering relationships with farmers and helping them both to benefit from the partnership.
Andrea Reusing of The Lantern led the panel discussion. Photo credit: Liz Condo
Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm revealed that working with restaurants has encouraged him to try growing new crops at the request of chefs and restaurant owners. Hitt says that about 15-18% of their business is selling to restaurants.
Amy Tornquist of Watts Grocery, a restaurant in Durham, says that state pride is part of what drives her to buy locally. She says that in addition, she finds that local products are of a higher quality.
Portia McKnight, co-owner of Chapel Hill Creamery, says that restaurants can be a steady and reliable buyer for them. They sell at farmer’s markets and wholesale, but find they make the most money in distributor and restaurant sales.
All four presenters emphasized the importance of establishing good, long-term working relationships between farmers and restaurants, often citing examples of how they had worked together in the past to find solutions to problems of ordering or pricing. Andrea explained that she and Portia worked somewhere between 6 months to a year to decide on a fair price for pork that Portia was providing, so that both would benefit. They also acknowledged the complexity of purchasing food for a restaurant, and the challenges restaurants face in keeping food and labor costs down. Buying fresh, local produce not only increases food costs, but also requires more labor to process it. Amy and Andrea joked that they run their restaurants as not-for-profits, and rely on alcohol sales to break even.
The presenters answered questions from the crowd throughout, giving pointers on how to approach a chef to sell your produce when farmers in attendance expressed an interest in working with restaurants. Alex also emphasized the need to be consistent, dependable and on-time when working with restaurants to keep their business.
Food Policy: From Farm to Restaurant Plate
Nov/110
By: Amber Welch
Presenters: Andrea Reusing (moderator) of Lantern Restaurant, Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm, Portia McKnight of Chapel Hill Creamery, and Amy Tornquist of Watts Grocery.
The panel, from left to right: Portia McNight of Chapel Hill Creamery, Amy Tournquist of Watts Grocery, Alex Hitt of Peregrine Farm, Andrea Reusing of The Lantern.
A lively round table discussion was had by all, with producers, buyers, and restaurateurs sustaining the conversation. Below are key highlights from the discussion related to food costs, developing relationships, and general best practices from each speaker related to their area
General Discussion Highlights:
- Less than 5% of what we consume in NC is produced in NC.
- Developing relationships is key to advancement of local food purchasing models.
- New farmers trying to market their goods should consider a thoughtful approach to marketing. Drop off samples at the restaurant during a non-peak time, consistently call to follow up on and ensure the quality of your product, and anticipate demand.
- Non summer/spring season growing: There is a market need for winter produce.
Andrea: Andrea is most concerned with sustaining the relationship between buyer and producer as well as the volume of purchasing that supports the farm.
- Relationships: Work with your purchaser/farmer to develop a model that works for both of you. Keep lines of communication open and nurture your relationships.
- Pricing Models: Don’t try to extract the same
amount of profit from every dish. - Food costs: Around 35%, in winter they are under 30%, labor costs are close to 38%.
Alex: In addition to Andrea, Alex acted as a strong moderator for the group discussion. After 30 years of growing, he enjoys providing food to restaurant businesses as they challenge him to try new crops, leading to diversification of offerings in the area-such as white turnips. Alex provides to about 18 restaurants. Alex encouraged farmers to be as professional as possible in their marketing, delivery, and maintenance of key buyer relationships.
Amy: Amy approaches buying locally as a priority. She sources 95% of her fish from Walking Fish co-op. She is also concerned with keeping business in town and supporting the local community by keeping the atmosphere and pricing at her restaurant casual.
- Costs of moving the menu to mostly local: Profit margin is miniscule, and is a complex relationship that many customers fail to understand.
- On buying retail: She buys at retail price when necessary.
- Relationships: Devoted to maintaining strong relationships with her farmers, is open to new relationships but primarily maintains and nurtures longstanding relationships.
- Food costs 35-40%.
Portia McKnight: Restaurant and wholesale purchases have increased, forcing them to streamline. She enjoys the reliability of restaurant orders.
- Selling Models: Encourages a tiered and diversified approach between retail and wholesale selling.
- Relationships: Key to sustainability of the industry. She comfortably exchanges large profit potential for the regularity of the purchasing relationship that can be established with local restaurants.
- Food Costs: Feels the price point of local foods needs to be addressed through increased dialogue.
Closing thoughts on the local foods movement:
- Community: Increase transparency in food production and buying practices, continue to extend the dialogue and increase awareness of food policy issues.
- Buyers: Encourage and support all farmers to transition to organic as your relationship with them evolves.
- Farmers: Expect to work with buyers who value your hard work; find the relationships that work for you.
Conference Recap: The Durham Urban Foodie Tour
Nov/110
By Sherry Walker
If you think a foodie tour is only about tasting food, think again. The CFSA foodie tour of Durham was about learning, connecting and understanding.
Durham farmer’s market manager Erin Coughlin shared that the market is producer only within a 70 mile radius. Currently 63 vendors participate due to physical space limitations, but more vendors are waiting in the wings to get in. The market Board of Directors is comprised only of vendors, which is unusual for farmer’s markets. This market also requires vendors to be inspected by two of the market’s board members before being allowed to sell at the market. They do this to ensure everything is produced by the vendor and to inspect quality standards of the market. The Thanksgiving market is held on the Tuesday before the holiday and is a big market. It has become an annual staple.
Next stop on the tour was Piedmont restaurant. Chef Marco shared how he manages to use all NC ingredients except for citrus, celery, and for a few months, carrots and onions. He shared insight into the challenges of cooking with only NC ingredients but stays focused on the benefits: fresher, more nutritious food with better flavor for his customers, a smaller carbon footprint, and the satisfaction of supporting local farms. Chef Marco has to work at obtaining his supplies more than a restaurant which simply orders from a wholesaler online or via phone but listening to him, you know he gets satisfaction from all of the effort. If you are in Durham, give Piedmont restaurant a try.
Onward, the tour landed at a private home in Durham which combines green building techniques with edible landscaping. The owner shared his yard and home to demonstrate urban gardening as landscape. His yard was full of fruit trees, perennial vegetables such as artichokes and asparagus, herbs, tomatoes and at this time of year, lots of greens. The Asian persimmons hanging on the tree looked divine. The chickens and their friends in the back yard wondered why so many people were invading their space. The house sports 6 solar PV panels, solar thermal for hot water, a green roof on the front porch, bamboo kitchen cabinets, and other low VOC materials inside, all to make a comfortable living space that is healthy and low impact on the environment.
The final stop was the Fullsteam brewery with the Farmhands sausage wagon parked out front. Fullsteam brews locally and uses local ingredients to help flavor their beer. Besides the flagship Fullsteam brew, we tasted sweet potato beer and pawpaw beer. I couldn’t taste the sweet potato in the beer, but it was very smooth. I did detect the flavor of pawpaw. Fullsteam continues to experiment with various local ingredients to bring customers good beer with local flair. In their quest to make local brews, they eventually hope to get local hops and barley.
Farmhand sausage wagon was a good accompaniment to the beer. Jennifer Curtis shared that Farmhand was an effort to connect people to local meats through their stomachs. The group tried spicy Italian sausage with fennel chowchow and smoked polish sausage with pimento cheese. Doesn’t that make your mouth water? Having learned from each of our tour stops, we finished the tour with happy taste buds, and then headed back for the CFSA local food feast for more.
Cookies with a Conscience
Jun/110
by Tiffany Griffin
Recently, I had a chance to bake with a local woman, who is redefining notions of food activism by feeding our tummies with local, sustainable, baked goods. As soon as our cookie baking marathon was over, I knew I had to share my experiences with the CFSA community.
The cookie company is Kukia’s Cookies and the mastermind behind the company is Kifu Faruq, Durham native of Southern and West Indian backgrounds, as she describes. The cookies, are, well, purely and completely divine: chewy—gooey, soft and wholesome, and brace yourselves—fragrant. Not just fragrant in the freshly baked goods kind of way, but fragrant in the floral way. This is because each batch of Kukia’s Chocolate Chip Cookies is enhanced with organic culinary lavender.
Yes, you can eat lavender! And according to research on the mental and physical health benefits of lavender, we should eat lavender! Lavender is pain-reducing, stress relieving, calming, aids in digestion, relaxes you, soothes you, and reduces anxiety. Lavender and chocolate? Well, the combination is like Romeo and Juliet—totally made for each other.
Making cookies with Kukia’s Cookies not only shed a new light on the ins and outs of how much hard work and love goes into the food we eat (after preparing 50 dozens of cookies I felt like I needed a professional massage!), but also made me appreciate even more the importance of supporting local farms, hormone-free dairy, and organic ingredients.
The flour was soft and gentle, the sugar crystals not overly sweet, the chocolate chips had a concentrated and pure flavor, the aromatic vanilla lingered on my fingertips, and the lavender made me more and more calm, more and more balanced, and more and more contemplative with each batch that we prepared. It’s probably why my mind totally wandered when thinking about the local, farm fresh eggs we used. They were stunning. Smooth and satin-like on the outside, glimmering topaz and diamond-like on the inside—our local eggs were more vibrant than any eggs I had ever seen. And for whatever reason, this really made a big impact on me. The eggs made me think of an essay I wrote about “meat” when I first started blogging. Although we use the same word, farm-fresh eggs and commercial eggs couldn’t be more different. I suppose a rose is NOT a rose is NOT a rose.
Like all of my insider-foodie experiences in Durham, I am grateful to have had the chance to learn more about upholding sustainable values while running a company. Undoubtedly, it’s hard at times, and expensive at times, and at times, fundamentally inconsistent with many things we’re implicitly taught by our society. Yet after baking with Kukia’s Cookies, I can also attest to how sweet it is to stick to your convictions and to spread positive energy and peace through lovely, delicious, socially responsible, (and organic!) baked goods.
The Irregardless Cafe: Culinary and Sustainable Excellence
May/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South
Where: The Irregardless Cafe (901 W. Morgan Street, Raleigh, NC) has been a recognized leader in sustainable business practices since the restaurant opened in 1975. Chef/Owner Arthur Gordon was most recently awarded the City of Raleigh’s 2010 Environmental Award in the “Market Transformation” category.
As the Irregardless Cafe website’s “Green” page says, this establishment was “green before green was in.” I could mention their recycling/composting program, how they purchase biodegradable paper products, that they cater sustainable receptions such the Farm to Fork Summit, are a founding member of the Interfaith Food Shuttle, and how the restaurant building was rebuilt with recycled materials; however, I’ll just elaborate on their commitment to exceptional food. The following is taken from their website:
Organic & Local Food:
- Shop at local farmers market
- Use organic produce when ever available
- Herb garden next to kitchen
- Bread and dessert flour from Lindley Mills in Graham NC, since 1975
- Vegetarian & Vegan menu since it opened in 1975. Additional proteins: seafood, poultry, beef & lamb added to menu over the years.
- Meat & dairy products are free of antibiotics, added hormones and other drugs
- Fish & Seafood eco-friendly and healthy to eat
- Coffee organic, fair-traded and shade grown
Enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Irregardless Cafe. Check out their “Events” page or join their Facebook group for the calendar of nightly entertainment by local musicians, wine dinners, evenings of dance, cooking classes, and more.
Gluten-Free Menu: Yes! The menu contains a visual key for Celiac/Gluten-Free items, displaying a small red flower next to each of the numerous GF options. The menu also indicates items for Diabetic and Vegan/Vegetarian diners. As General Manager, Seth Anderson, and Catering & Marketing Director, Anya Gordon, explained to me, the menu changes daily based on which produce and meats are seasonally available. Regardless of when you visit, the cafe now has gluten-free pasta available to substitute in most pasta dishes. Click HERE to view their current offerings.
What I ate: Heirloom Salad (appetizer) + Risotto with Mussels + Sesame Tuna + Chocolate & Strawberry Mousse (dessert). These were hearty portions; I shared these dishes with my long-time friend and award-winning photojournalist, David Y. Lee.
How to order it: View the daily menu offerings. Look for the Celiac/Gluten-Free symbol next to the menu items. Select. Enjoy.
What it looks like:
All local ingredients – fresh heirloom tomatoes (served at room temperature, which brings out the natural flavor), dreamy mozzarella cheese from a Chapel Hill creamery, basil leaves pinched from the herb garden planted just outside the restaurant’s kitchen, drizzled with a blueberry vinaigrette.
This parmesan risotto is the ultimate comfort food for GF diners. Banded with a ring of dancing black mussels, an incredibly complex flavor of sauteed white, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms blooms from within the creamy rice. The dish is topped with fresh shaved parmesan cheese and truffle oil.
Sesame crusted steaks of Yellowfin tuna, seared to taste. The tuna is the undisputed celebrity of this dish, but it is exalted to its lofty stardom by the supporting cast of wasabi mashed potatoes, cucumber salad, and the ginger and GF soy dipping sauce.
Chocolate and Strawberry Mousse. Made fresh, this cool concoction comes with thick, fluffy layers of mousse sprinkled with chocolate shavings, and is crowned with whipped cream and a local strawberry. Goes naturally with a cup of the Cafe’s unique coffee blend, which is locally roasted, organic, shade grown, and fair traded.
Dos Taquitos Centro: Fish Tacos
May/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South
Where: Dos Taquitos Centro, 106 S. Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601. The following message is posted on their menu:
Dos taquitos centro serves both unique and traditional Mexican cuisine. We use fresh organic and local ingredients whenever possible to provide healthy and flavorful dishes, as well as to support local farmers. We are located in a newly renovated historic building, originally constructed in 1910.
Gluten-Free Menu: No.
What I ate: Entomatadas + Tacos de Pescado
How to order it gluten-free: While Dos Taquitos Centro does not offer a GF Menu, many of their menu items are naturally gluten-free. As the server explained, traditionally-prepared Mexican cuisine is made from corn, beans, and rice. Wheat was introduced into Mexican dishes more recently.
If a restaurant serves traditional corn tortillas, these should be made with just corn meal and perhaps a little lime juice. To be certain, ask whether the corn tortillas contain any wheat flour. The server assured me that the tortillas in both the Entomatadas and the fish tacos were made only with corn.
Can you determine whether a tortilla is made from only corn? This is not a fail-safe method, but I think this note from Wikipedia’s entry on the two types of Mexican Tortilla (corn versus wheat) is helpful:
The two versions of the Mexican tortilla have different textures owing to the grains from which they originate: the maize version is somewhat thicker and heartier in texture, while the wheat version is less easily broken, due to its elevated gluten content, and therefore often larger in circumference.
When ordering a fish dish, it is a good idea to ask whether their fish is breaded with wheat flour or seasoned with MSG, which may contain gluten.
When beans are listed as a side, ask whether the dish contains any wheat as thickener and/or preservative. Some canned beans, refried or whole, contain MSG or wheat flour. The black beans at Dos Taquitos Centro were wheat-free.
Finally, when rice is listed as a side, it is a good idea to ask whether the rice was cooked in a broth that contains wheat. At Dos Taquitos Centro, they made their own chicken broth, and this was wheat-free.
What it looks like:
The best description of the Entomatada appetizer (pictured above) comes directly from their menu: “Feel like you are at Grandma’s. Home-made corn tortillas dipped in a sweet tomato sauce; drizzled with hot chile de arbol sauce, topped with diced queso fresco, pickled red onions and cracked black peppercorns.”
Again, the menu says it best: “Two soft corn tortillas, filled with grilled catch of the day, pineapple pico de gallo and avocado. Served with rice, beans and our delicious spicy coleslaw. The Best in town!!”
As you can see in the photo, the corn tortillas were doubled up in order to help keep all those lovely ingredients under wraps. The salsa was made with cuts of fresh pineapple, and was a cilantro-lover’s delight. The beans and rice were flavorful and worthy of their own praise.
Market Restaurant: From Local Farm to Gluten-Free Plate
May/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South
Where: Market Restaurant, 938 N. Blount Street, Downtown Raleigh, NC, 27604. Market Restaurant’s philosophy, posted on their website home page, says it all:
Market Restaurant is committed to serving whole, all-natural, unprocessed foods from local sources. We make every effort to support organic and sustainable farming practices while providing our guests with the best experience possible. Healthy food, prepared fresh, from local seasonal ingredients.
Additionally, they just installed two bee hives on their rooftop, perhaps ensuring that there will always be a lot of positive buzz about this place!
Gluten-Free Menu: Yes! While it’s not a separate GF menu, the ever-changing (according to the seasons) menu denotes what is gluten-free with a (g) next to each approved item. Vegetarian friends, you may be delighted to learn that there is also a (v) next to Meat-Free options.
What I ate: Chipotle and Dill Marinated Skirt Steak Salad served with a Tomato Chutney Dressing from the Lunch Menu
How to order it: On their website, they thoughtfully advise:
We want to make your dining experience enjoyable and comfortable, so please let us know if there is any way we can accommodate your dietary preferences or restrictions. Also be sure to advise your server of any food allergies at the time your order is placed.
While we make every attempt to keep the menu on our website up-to-date, actual items and ingredients are subject to change based on availability. Chef Chad is committed to using fresh, local ingredients wherever possible.
It couldn’t be easier. Select a menu item with a (g) next to it, and let the server know that you are dining Gluten-Free.
What it looks like:
Tender strips of chipotle (smoke-dried jalapeno) and dill marinated skirt steak commune atop a bed of ruffly local lettuces. A festival of both texture and taste, this dish sneaks up on you with its surprising flavor. The veggies are crisp and light, while the seasoned steak intermingles with tomato chutney, bringing a complementary warmth that transforms a cool salad into comfort food.
18 Seaboard: Local Artistry
Apr/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South
Where: 18 Seaboard (18 Seaboard, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27604) believes in the seasonality of local produce. The following eco-friendly information is taken from their website:
Throughout the year the restaurant will source vegetables and produce from a variety of local farmers, primarily Joann and Brian Gallagher of Castlemaine Farms and Tom Kumpf of Johnston County, as well as the farm-to-table group Eastern Carolina Organics. A huge victory for the menu came in finding local, natural chicken which is both humanely raised, antibiotic free and hormone free, from the co-op of farmers Growers’ Choice of Pittsboro. Seafood selections will arrive fresh from the North Carolina coast from Steve Strouse of Wilmington, NC, a 15-year veteran purveyor of our state’s wonderful, naturally abundant seafood.
Gluten-Free Menu: No. The menu at 18 Seaboard changes regularly, based on what is local and seasonal. The server explained that most dishes can be modified to be gluten-free.
What I ate: Pan-Seared Pisgah Trout with Cumin Shrimp Hominy Chowder and Roasted Red Peppers
How to order it gluten-free: Let the server know that you are dining gluten-free. Peruse the mouth-watering menu and ask whether the dish you are considering contains any gluten and/or whether it can be modified to be GF.
What it looks like:
This dish was a tribute to texture! Criss-crossed thin filets of local (from Pisgah, NC) trout, pan-seared (with the deliciously light, crispy skins still on) basked upon a mountain of pearly, al dente hominy, and tender pieces of shrimp in a savory broth.
The roasted red peppers, clustered on top of the fillets, were as essential to the taste as they were to the eye. Both their flavor and their color complemented the meal perfectly.
Ask the server what’s available for dessert. 18 Seaboard has its own experienced pastry chef on staff, but I have yet to find out whether he has taken on the challenge of designing a gluten-free dessert. I will have to visit again to do more reconnaissance! I know, I know; it’s a tough job…but somebody’s gotta do it!
Note: In addition to using local and seasonal ingredients in the kitchen, 18 Seaboard promotes local artists on the restaurant’s walls. The current exhibit (July 2010), Boats I Have Loved, by Robert F. Irwin, hangs throughout the bar and dining area. Artwork is for sale and available through The Mahler Fine Art, a fine art gallery located in downtown Raleigh.
Poole’s Downtown Diner: Local Flavor
Apr/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South
Where: Poole’s Downtown Diner, 426 S. McDowell Street, Raleigh, NC. Poole’s commits to providing a variety of local and seasonal ingredients within their ever-changing chalkboard menus. From their website:
Whenever possible, we work with local growers and artisan producers to showcase their craft, while practicing our own. We are proud to be a part of a community that recognizes the importance and value of supporting the small family farm.
Gluten-Free Menu: No. As their website explains, “The menus are inspired by the season and its many offerings. As the season changes, at some points on a daily basis, so do our chalkboard menus.”
What I ate: Yellowfin Tuna (caught off the NC coast that day) with Lentils + a side of Fried Green Tomatoes
How to order it gluten-free: When I asked the server which menu items listed on the chalkboards were gluten-free, he assured me that they would help me select something safe and that whenever a modification was possible, they would do this for me.
I was drawn to the fried green tomatoes, so I asked the server whether the batter contained wheat flour. After checking with the kitchen, he said the batter does contain flour, but that they would modify the order for me and dredge them in pure cornmeal.
As for the fish, I asked whether there were any extra seasonings or sauces which may contain gluten and the server assured me that this dish was gluten-free.
What it looks like:
North Carolina yellowfin tuna, lightly seared, served on a bed of warm lentils, and sprinkled with finely chopped Mediterranean black olives. I like my tuna almost raw, so I asked them to “just kind of wave it over the pan, please.” The kitchen prepared this fish expertly. Seared on the outside, it was tender and pink on the inside. The lentils were flavorful, with a surprising crunch to them due to the addition of very tiny bits of carrot and celery. The black olives on top of the fish provided a gently salty snap to each bite.
The fried green tomatoes (not pictured here due to a natural phenomenon called “spontaneous consumption”) were exceptional. Cut in thick wedges, dredged in cornmeal, and fried in a light oil, they were neither too salty nor too green. They came with a delightful aioli sauce served on the side.
Watts Grocery: NC Goodness
Apr/110
Re-printed, with permission, from Celeste Beck, author Sweet Tea & Wheat-Free: The Quest for Gluten-Free Food in the South. Even if you don’t have a wheat allergy, you should definitely check out this exceptional restaurant in NC’s Triangle.
Watts Grocery is a farm-to-table establishment in Durham, NC. The Watts website explains:
Amy Tornquist has built a reputation for seasonal cooking with local ingredients and is recognized for her commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Featuring her favorite local foods by the forkful – many raised, caught, smoked, pickled, or cured within a two-hour radius – Amy weaves them into her cooking and the result is an updated, distinctive take on North Carolina cuisine.
Gluten-Free Menu: No.
What I ate: Cup of Catfish Gumbo + Dinner Special of Pan-Seared Flounder on Grits + “Listen to your Elders” Cocktail
How to order it gluten-free: The menu may change based on what is in season and locally grown. Ask your server to help you identify Gluten-Free menu options. My very helpful server checked with the kitchen to ensure that the gumbo broth did not contain any gluten and that the flounder was not breaded.
What it looks like:
This picture doesn’t do it justice! The beautiful goodies in this gumbo are waiting in the middle of the bowl just under the surface. Delicate chunks of catfish hobnob with andouille sausage, red kidney beans, celery, green pepper, red pepper, onions, and an exquisite blend of seasonings. I could eat this warming (but not fiery) bowl of goodness throughout the year.
A pan-seared fillet of fresh NC flounder luxuriated on a collection of sauteed carrots and pea shoots. I had never tasted pea shoots before, so they were a delightfully surprising addition. Underneath the fish was a hearty portion of yellow corn grits blended with creamed corn, which gave the dish a delicate, natural sweetness. The crowning glory was – are you ready for this? – a large pat of bacon and shiitake mushroom butter. Say it with me: “mmmmmmmm.”
Last, but most definitely not least, the signature cocktail was called “Listen to Your Elders.” It contained a unique blend of elderflower syrup and Hendrick’s Gin, topped with prosecco, which is a light and sparkling Italian wine. This Gluten-Free beverage was not too sweet, and the taste was satisfyingly clean. Click HERE to see a helpful article from Celiac.com on gluten-free alcoholic beverages.
As the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says, “Goodness grows in North Carolina!”
