This month, we’re diving into YOUR questions about wine. I selected four questions that were sent to me to answer this month. I welcome your future questions for future FAQ articles. You can reach …

Chicken Fajitas INGREDIENTS (per serving) 12 oz. chicken, cut in strips 7 oz. assorted vegetables, including zucchini, onion, and bell peppers Oil Tortillas INSTRUCTIONS Cook Chicken: In a large …

David Valdez and his staff are gearing up for a big day. Morganton’s Las Salsas restaurant will have extra wait staff, bartenders, dishwashers and line cooks in place for one of the eatery’s most popular days of the year, Cinco de Mayo…

Coffee has been a huge part of Southern culture for hundreds of years. As a girl, some of my earliest memories involve visits from family and neighbors, which were always accompanied by the aroma of …

The best way to watch a game is in person. I want to sing (poorly) “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch. I want to watch the fans compete in silly games between innings. I want to smell hot dogs and peanuts.

INGREDIENTS Pie Crust 12  graham crackers, broken into pieces 3  tablespoons granulated  sugar Pinch   kosher salt ½   cup   (1 stick) unsalted butter Cooking …

INGREDIENTS Crust 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting at the end Filling 2 cups granulated sugar ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ …

The Burke County Health Department’s Environmental Health division regularly inspects restaurants, food trucks, food stands, school cafeterias, and other food establishments. The frequency of …

Goodbye nutmeg and cardamom and hello citrus and berries. During the colder months, I enjoy warming up from the inside out by adding winter's aromatic spices to foods and beverages. But I am ready to …

I’m hopeful that as of writing this column we’ve made the jump into spring. I’m done with cold but love these cool mornings and evenings. I can feel my cravings for richer, warming wines …

Andrea Kirk grew up a good Baptist girl who celebrated Easter Sundays with egg hunts, new church dresses, and a nice ham for family lunch.  Then she married David Kirk, and they raised their …

TRADITIONAL GREEK SALAD INGREDIENTS Romaine lettuce Cherry tomatoes, halved Thinly sliced onion Cucumbers, sliced Feta cheese (get the good kind, Andrea says)  Kalamata olives Papou’s spice …

PAPOU’S SPECIAL SPICE BLEND INGREDIENTS Oregano Salt Restaurant-style pepper Granulated garlic (not powdered garlic) INSTRUCTIONS Combine equal measures of each ingredient in a container. Sprinkle …

DOLMADES - GRAPEVINE LEAVES WITH RICE FILLING INGREDIENTS 1 jar grape leaves, 15 oz. 1 cup rice 1 cup olive oil ⅓ cup lemon juice 5 cups water 3 large onions chopped fine 2 tablespoons tomato paste …

BAKLAVA INGREDIENTS 14 pastry sheets  4 cups of chopped pecans  1 ¼ cups of sugar  1 teaspoon of cinnamon  Grated rind of one orange  1 cup of butter  Syrup: 2 cups …

I drive by Carbon City Grill at least twice every weekday. The restaurant is on my way to and from work. After driving by it nearly 600 times, I decided it was time to check it out.  When I …

CRUSTLESS QUICHE INGREDIENTS 5 large eggs 1 cup cream (halve if subbing milk) ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 ½  ounces ham, diced 1 cup shredded cheese (Andrea used Swiss cheese) 1 …

AUNT ANNA’S PASTITSIO INGREDIENTS 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 pound lean ground beef 1 can of tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste Salt and pepper to …

INGREDIENTS 1 ½ cups chopped fresh strawberries (about 1 pint or 10 to 12 ounces before trimming) ½ jalapeno pepper, finely chopped ¼ cup finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 ½ …

My daffodils broke through the ground weeks ago and now the cherry trees are in full bloom. And despite the cold snap that happened earlier this week, spring is undoubtedly here. This is the season …

INGREDIENTS ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 eggs ½ cup dry bread crumbs 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 ½ cups broccoli, chopped into …

I was recently on a call with Greg Lambrecht, our time’s pioneer in wine preservation and the inventor of the Coravin. The call was limited to WSET Diploma holders so that Lambrecht could get into …

The Burke County Health Department’s Environmental Health division regularly inspects restaurants, food trucks, food stands, school cafeterias, and other food establishments. The frequency of …

The ACC Chili Cook Off is Friday, March 15, at the Morganton Community House. Here at The Paper, we couldn't hold back our enthusiasm so we pre-empted the beloved event with our own cook-off. The …

Shhhh. If you’re very still, you can probably hear it in the wind. The extended days provide glimpses of the natural warmth that doesn’t come from layering clothes. Spring is coming, y’all. …