Welcome to the SFA

Welcome to the Southern Foodways Alliance -- an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture with headquarters at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi.

The Southern Foodways Alliance documents and celebrates the diverse food cultures of the American South. We set a common table where black and white, rich and poor -- all who gather-- may consider our history and our future in a spirit of reconciliation.

A Taste of the Carolina Piedmont

Asheville, Charlotte and Greensboro NC

The first in a series of Southern Foodways Alliance Field Trips, will take place July 13-15 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The weekend will be co-hosted by the O. Henry Hotel of Greensboro, North Carolina -- an old-world-style, community-focused hotel.

The event celebrates and promotes the products and foodways of one of the most prolific and delightful food regions of the South, the Carolina Piedmont. The program features a mix of field trips to regional food producers, discussions led by SFA experts on the subject of Piedmont foodways, and meals by regional restaurateurs showcasing indigenous products.

Among the presenters will be peach farmer and author Dori Sanders of Clover, South Carolina; novelist and musician Clyde Edgerton of Raleigh, North Carolina; sage, writer, and raconteur John Egerton of Nashville, Tennessee; and food writer and author Jeanne Voltz of Pittsboro, North Carolina. John Shelton Reed of the University of North Carolina will act as master of ceremonies Friday night, while, on Sunday afternoon, David Perry of the University of North Carolina Press has the honor.

The weekend revolves around three concurrent Saturday field trips. Choices include:

• View the gardens at Old Salem with director of horticulture, Keyes Williamson, and sample hearth cookery from their kitchens.
• Visit the Old Mill at Guilford to learn about grits; tour Handance Farms and come to a better understanding of organic farming; and visit Farmhouse Herbs and for a discussion of herb growing and a light lunch.
• Tour Goat Lady Dairy and discuss permaculture gardening with Ginnie and Steve Tate, and then taste their award-winning cheeses.

A weekend of great eating begins with a beaten biscuit, country ham, and champagne tasting on Friday evening, and reaches its zenith with a Saturday night Taste of the Piedmont dinner featuring dishes from, among others, Ben and Karen Barker of Magnolia Grill, Tom Condron of Mimosa, Mildred Council of Mama Dip's, Cory Mattson of Fearrington House, and Bart Ortiz of Lucky 32 and Green Valley Grill. Barbara Ensrud will coordinate a complimentary tasting of wines from Southern vintners.

At a Sunday afternoon brunch, we pay tribute to the late chef Bill Neal and a pantheon of Southern food luminaries who have made this region one of the most delectable in America. Among the dishes served will be Shrimp and Grits from Crook's Corner, the restaurant founded by Bill Neal and now run by Gene Hamer and Bill Smith. But that's not all. Don't miss the Boiled Peanut Party on Saturday afternoon, hosted by Matt and Ted Lee. Or the Sunday morning Biscuit Practicum hosted by Nathalie Dupree.

Speakers

Nathalie Dupree is a cookbook writer and television personality. Among her many books is New Southern Cooking. She lives in Social Circle, Georgia.

Clyde Edgerton is the author of, among other works, the novels Raney and Where Trouble Sleeps. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

John Egerton is an independent writer of nonfiction. He wrote the book Southern Food. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Barbara Ensrud writes about wine for the Wall Street Journal and other publications. She is the author of American Vineyards. She lives in Durham, North Carolina.

Matt and Ted Lee write for a number of publications including Food and Wine. They are the proprietors of the Lee Brothers oiled Peanut Company. They live in Charleston, South Carolina.

David Perry is the Editor in Chief of the University of North Carolina Press. He is the co-author - along with Bill Neal -- of the Good Ole Grits Cookbook. He lives in Carrboro, North Carolina.

John Shelton Reed is a sociologist and observer of Southern life. His most recent book is 1,001 Things Everyone Should Know About the South. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Dori Sanders is a farmer and the author of, among other works, the novel Clover and the cookbook Dori Sanders' Country Cooking. She lives in Clover, South Carolina.

Jeanne Voltz is a lifelong food journalist and editor. Her latest book is the Country Ham Book. She lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

SPONSORS

Sponsors for the weekend include Biltmore Estate, the O. Henry Hotel, Spring Garden Brewing, and White Lily.

Representatives from each will be on hand to share more about their products and services.

Biltmore Estate
In addition to sponsoring the Friday reception, Biltmore Estate invites Field Trip guests to arrange a Thursday, July 12, visit to George Vanderbilt's historic property, three hours east of Greensboro in Asheville. The estate features the 250-room Biltmore House as well as 8,000 acres of elaborate gardens, forests, vineyards and farmlands.

The special -- and complimentary -- SFA package priced at no charges includes tours of the original kitchens and a walk through the kitchen gardens; a private tasting and behind-the-scenes look at wine production with Biltmore's winemaster; and an exclusive luncheon featuring estate-raised foods, hosted by Executive Chef Stephan Adams.

A special room rate of $159 has also been arranged. Call Sarah Thomas at (828) 255-1798 to reserve.