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Smoked to pork-fection

Take a pit stop at these NC Historic Barbecue Trail stops

A plate of barbecue pork with a bun, next to cole slaw and baked beans.

Stop by Hubba Hubba Smokehouse for meat with all the fixins’. | Photo by @hubbahubbabbq

Need summer road trip inspiration? How about following a trail of old fashioned North Carolina barbecue joints?

The NC Barbecue Society’s Historic Barbecue Trail stretches along our state from east to west, with a number of stops that have varied over the years (some of the restaurants have closed). All of the barbecue has one thing in common: the pork is cooked over wood coals very slowly, an old-fashioned method.

If you’re looking to dip your toe in, there are two spots within an hour’s driving distance from Asheville. Don’t forget to bring an empty stomach.

The outside of Hubba Hubba Smokehouse, featuring a restaurant sign and a chalkboard menu. — Order at Hubba Hubba’s window before seating yourself at a picnic table.
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Photo by @hubbahubbabbq

Hubba Hubba Smokehouse, 2724 Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock
(~40 minutes south of Asheville)

A wood-fired smoker is the secret behind the pulled pork at Hubba Hubba, which is smoked for hours over native wood like white oak. There’s also brisket, chicken, and sides including pimento cheese grits, succotash, and cornbread. Mark your calendars for Friday, May 5, when its 2023 season opens.

The outside of Switzerland Cafe, with a big General Store sign and an upper porch. — Grab barbecue and shop the General Store at Switzerland Cafe.
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Photo by @switzerland_cafe

Switzerland Cafe, 9440 Hwy. 226A, Little Switzerland
(~1 hour northeast of Asheville)

Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Little Switzerland, this barbecue joint smokes pork shoulder over hickory logs for 12 hours. You can buy the pulled pork by the pound in its General Store (alongside other goodies like cheeses and wine) until Friday, April 21, when the cafe reopens. After that, sit down for barbecue plus sides like potato salad, cole slaw, and baked beans.

Events

Thursday, April 13

Spring Migration of Songbirds through the Southeast | Thursday, Apr. 13 | 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Buncombe County Special Collections at Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Pam Torlina, Southeast Stewardship Manager for Conserving Carolina, presents a talk on the annual cycle of spring migration by songbirds.
Poultry Butchery and Broth Class | Thursday, Apr. 13 | 6-8 p.m. | The Chop Shop Butchery, 100 Charlotte St., Asheville | $100-$130 | Watch a butcher break down a chicken and learn how to use the parts to make a perfect broth.
369 Short Play and Monologue Festival | Thursday, April 13-Saturday, April 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Tina McGuire Theatre, 18 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $22.50-$50 | See nine heartwarming, dramatic, funny, and provocative original works from emerging Black playwrights.

Friday, April 14

Live Music with Lavender Blue and Balm | Friday, Apr. 14 | 6-8 p.m. | 12 Bones Brewing, 2350 Hendersonville Rd., Arden | Free | Feast on great barbecue while enjoying live tunes from slow-core artist Lavender Blue and loop jammer Balm.
Kids Night In | Friday, Apr. 14 | 6-8 p.m. | Stephens-Lee Community Center, 30 George Washington Carver Ave., Asheville | $5 | Advance registration is required for this fun-filled evening, which features themed games, crafts, special activities, and light dinner.

Saturday, April 15

Be The Change Challenge 5k | Saturday, Apr. 15 | 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | plēb urban winery, 289 Lyman St., Asheville | $40 | All proceeds from this race benefit the Junior League of Asheville.

Sunday, April 16

Gentle Yoga for Queer & GNC Folks | Sunday, Apr. 16 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | West Asheville Yoga, 602 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Donations welcome | This class is centered towards creating an affirming and inclusive space for queer and gender non-conforming individuals.

Thursday, April 27

Dining Out For Life | Thursday, Apr. 27 | 12 a.m.-12 p.m. | Various Restaurants Throughout WNC, 554 Fairview Rd, Asheville | Free | This annual event encourages folks to eat out while raising money for the WNC Aids Project — 20% of sales will support this nonprofit.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Arts

Tyger Tyger to host intimate, 35-seat dinner ft. acclaimed chefs and artists

Dine with internally-renowned painters and James Beard Award-nominated Chef Ashley Capps and Travis Schultz of Newstock Pantry. | Photo by Nicole McConville

Tyger Tyger Gallery will host River and Twilight: A Dinner with Artists — an intimate four-course dinner event featuring James Beard-Award nominee Chef Ashley Capps and Travis Schultz of Newstock Pantry — in their gallery on on Saturday, April 22.

Enjoy playful amuse-bouches while renowned painters Sylvia Fernández and Nancy Friedland give artist’s talks, followed by an interpretive meal surrounded by their paintings, with wine pairings for each course by Pleb Urban Winery (including alcohol-free options).*

ONLY 35 SEATS — SNAG YOURS

News Notes

Civic

City Council approved a $2.3 million contract to repave portions of 13 streets, as well as repair sidewalks and implement Americans with Disabilities Act improvements. Check out all the streets getting repaved starting this May through mid-December. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Development

Rabbit Rabbit will open this spring with a new + improved outdoor stage. The “Julian Price Stage” — named after the local philanthropist — features a green roof, increased stage size, and a mural further honoring Price. Catch the first show of the 2023 concert series: Hippo Campus on Saturday, May 27 at 7 p.m. (Ashevegas Hot Sheet)

Festival

The third annual Asheville Hemp Fest kicks off next Thursday, April 20 through Saturday, April 22 at Pack Square Park Amphitheater from 12-10 p.m. Expect a stacked musical lineup, hemp and cannabis vendors, food trucks, and plenty of education around the benefits of hemp. Entry is $10.

Eat

Join the Utopian Seed Project’s Spring Trial to Table Celebration on Saturday, May 13 from 1:30-4 p.m. at The Mule. The spring dinner will showcase root flours + alternative seed flours (think: cassava, sweet potato, and arrowroot). Tickets are pay what you can ($25 minimum) and include eight small plates and drinks.

Biz

After a February closure, Bhramari Brewing announced plans to reopen. The brewery’s parent company has restructured the business + brought in new local investors and owners. An updated brand launch — including a new name — will be announced prior to the reopening in mid-May.

Trending

Workers at the Green Sage Cafe in South Asheville have voted to unionize. Read about workers’ call for better working conditions leading up to the vote + their rally in February. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Try This

Curious to see artists in their natural habitat? Go on the self-guided Weaverville Art Safari spring tour on Saturday, April 29 + Sunday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You’ll see artists’ work in-studio, including painters, wood artists, glass artists and sculptors. Check out the map of participating studios across town.

Read

Join local author Robert Beatty for the launch of his graphic novel adaptation of “Serafina and the Black Cloak” on Sunday, April 16 at 1 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble in Asheville Mall. The event includes an author presentation and book signing, birds of prey from The May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and a Serafina Dark Forest ice cream flavor from The Hop.
The newest Foxfire book — a series that shares Appalachian trades and traditions — focuses on women in Appalachia. “The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women” recounts women’s stories from the 1906s to present day. Bonus: You can still share your story for the Appalachian Women Oral History Project.

Edu

Thinking of summer school? Applications are open for summer courses at Mars Hill University. Bonus: New and current undergraduate students who are NC residents will receive a $1000 scholarship for their first class. Learn more + apply.*

Featured Home

Located 10 minutes from AVL, this 4 BD, 2 BA home in the High Meadows neighborhood sits at the end of a cul-de-sac with flowering + fruit trees, a tulip garden, two wildflower gardens, and eight raised garden beds. Bonus: It offers single-level living with space above the two-car garage plus a screened-in porch.*

Correction

In yesterday’s newsletter, we shared that University of Alabama will be one of the four men’s college basketball teams participating in the Asheville Championship Tournament. The team is actually University of Alabama at Birmingham, also known as UAB.

Outdoors

🦋 We’ve got butterflies

Monarch butterflies are returning to Western North Carolina

A close-up of a monarch butterfly egg on a leaf.

Don’t let this picture fool you — this egg is about the size of a pin head. | Photos by Lorie Shaull via Flickr and Ali McGhee

Western North Carolina has a special returning guest.

According to Asheville GreenWorks, monarch butterflies have started returning from their southern migration. The endangered species of butterfly typically travels ~2,500 miles to spend the winter in a warm climate like Mexico and California — now, it’s time for them to make that same journey home.

A sure sign of the monarchs’ return? Monarch eggs. They might be hard to spot because of their small size — they’re only about the size of a pencil tip. The eggs are usually laid on the underside of a milkweed leaf, with only one egg laid per plant.

Want to help our winged friends thrive? Planting milkweed is a good place to start. Not only does it function as monarchs’ egg site, it’s the only plant the larvae eats.

To expand your pollinator-friendly garden even more, follow Asheville GreenWorks’ comprehensive guide.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Sarah Leonhardt

From the editor

A little more background on North Carolina Barbecue Society: It was founded in 2006 by Jim Early, who died in 2021. Jim used research from his book “The Best Tar Heel Barbecue: Manteo to Murphy” to start the society.

Have you ever dined at one of the restaurants on the trail? Tell me which one and how you liked it.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We’ve got three tips for getting into popular Asheville restaurants.

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