Bite Trails
by Jeff Chu Aug 24 2007
by Jeff Chu Aug 24 2007
Five fabulous—and under the radar—foodie destinations.
Time was when Napa Valley was just Napa Valley—a sleepy, mostly agricultural corner of Northern California that looked a little like Tuscany and felt a lot like a backwater.
Then came Napa Valley wines, which turned the region’s name into a brand. These days, every place wants to be the Napa Valley of something. Colorado claims to be the Napa Valley of the Beer World; Kona, Hawaii wants to be the Napa Valley of Coffee; and America’s Hereford beef farmers assert that the entire Midwest is the Napa Valley of Beef.
With all the claims to fame, where is a hungry traveler to turn? We’ve picked five lesser-known North American locales that have organized themselves into foodie-friendly destinations and offer good eating. While they may be familiar to some, none attract Napa Valley-like hordes.
North Carolina Barbecue Trail
According to the North Carolina Barbecue Society, the eastern shores of the state were the birthplace of barbecue—the Cradle of ’Cue, as they say. And though Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, and all parts in-between claim they know how to do barbecue best, it’s North Carolina that has the Historic Barbecue Trail.
Thank N.C.B.S. president Jim Early, who, in his quest to find the best barbecue in his home state, ate in 228 different barbecue joints over six months. He chose 25 for the 500-mile-plus trail, which wends from the mountain town of Murphy, in the state’s southwestern corner, to the community of Ayden in the east.
All the establishments on the trail cook their meats over open charcoal- or wood-fired pits that have operated continuously for at least 15 years, and all serve homemade sauce with their slow-roasted pork. Fresh hush puppies (fried in lard) are a staple side dish.
Only a fool would try to name the best place to eat along the barbecue trail. But one can’t-miss stop is Lexington, the self-declared barbecue capital of the world. It’s home to both the Barbecue Center and Lexington Barbecue, which Early calls “one of the most streamlined, efficient, and impeccably clean barbecue operations I have ever seen”—no small praise, given the laid-back standards that any barbecue veteran will have seen. And there’s no better time to go than October, Lexington’s Barbecue Month. At this year’s barbecue festival (October 27), more than 100,000 people will scarf down a total of at least five tons of barbecue.
Okanagan Wine Trail
British Columbia seems like it would be one of the worst places in the world for growing wine—it’s often described as lush (rainy), green (rainy), and mild (rainy). But 100 miles east of Vancouver sits a valley where summer days are warm and sunny, the evenings are breezy and cool, and the winters are, by Canadian standards, moderate and dry.
For years, Okanagan vineyards produced cheap plonk more worthy of cartons than bottles. But about three decades ago, with the help of the Canadian government, local growers began pulling out the lower-quality Labrusca vines and replacing them with vinifera, the grape family that includes most of the varieties associated with the world’s best wines.
Since then, Okanagan has flourished as a winemaking region. Its vineyards produce fine cabernets and shirazes as well as Rieslings. Vintners also make wines from locally grown cherries, apricots, black currants, and other fruit, and its ice wines are particularly respected.
Highlights on Okanagan’s wine trail include Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate, which has been named Winery of the Year in Canada three of the past five years, and the offbeat Summerhill Pyramid Winery, which produces organic wines that have been aged in—you guessed it—a pyramid.
Oregon Ale Trail
Oregonians love fine beer: They drink four times more craft and artisanal beer than the average American. And they have plenty to choose from. Oregon, the second-largest grower of hops in the U.S. after Washington, is home to nearly 60 breweries. (Portland alone had 30 at last count.)
Oregon’s breweries are nearly all in the western part of the state. Just outside Portland, in the suburb of Troutdale, is Liberator Brewing, a pub that online watering-hole compendium Pubcrawler.com’s users have ranked as the top brewpub in Oregon. You don’t have to drink on an empty stomach at Liberator; its seasonal menu emphasizes local produce. Farther upriver, you’ll find the Full Sail Brewery in Hood River, which won gold medals for its amber, India pale ale, and wassail at this year’s World Beer Championships, and offers afternoon tours. (For a sneak peek at the view from the brewery, check out Full Sail’s webcam.) If you’re more of a coastal person, drive down the Pacific shore to the fishing town of Newport. The slightly touristy Rogue Ales brewpub has a vast selection of beer on draft, and a bed-and-beer upstairs. (Each room comes with two 22-oz. bottles of Rogue Ale and Rogue pint glasses.)
Vermont Cheese Trail
Cheese has been made in Vermont since 1810, when William Jarvis of Weathersfield shipped over two Holstein cows and a bull from Holland. Today, Vermont’s cheesemakers produce about 70 million pounds of cheese a year.
Most are tiny farms producing a few dozen pounds every day or two, from small herds. These artisanal cheesemakers are scattered all over the Green Mountain State, from the far north, near the Canadian border (Lake’s End does both goat and cow, while Hope Farm produces a sheep’s milk Tomme), to the southeast (Vermont Shepherd, in Putney).
The most recent version of the Vermont Cheese Council’s map lists 38 cheesemakers, who work with cows, goats, sheep, and even water buffalo: Woodstock Water Buffalo makes yogurt and mozzarella and claims to be the only water-buffalo creamery in America. Twenty-two farms, mostly in southern Vermont, are open to visitors, although several ask that you call in advance. The largest cheesemaking operation in the state is probably also the most recognizable: Cabot Creamery, in Cabot, is open year-round for guided tours. And don’t forget that in Vermont, dairy products don’t just mean cheese—Ben & Jerry’s is located up in Waterbury.
Fresno County Fruit Trail
Why go to Fresno, California, when its produce comes to most Americans? Fresno County grows more fruits and vegetables than any other county in the nation, nearly $5 billion a year of table grapes, almonds, oranges, tomatoes, plums, nectarines, olives, berries, and peaches. It’s home to the country’s biggest raisin producers, including lunch-box favorite SunMaid, as well as David, one of the top marketers of sunflower seeds.
The Fresno County Fruit Trail includes four dozen farms, farmers’ markets, produce stands, and agricultural processors who welcome visitors from May through September. You can pick your own strawberries and blueberries, or take a hot-air-balloon ride over the acres and acres of orchards. Or you can attend one of dozens of local festivals that have partnered with the trail, including Coalinga’s Horned Toad Derby, the Swedish Festival in Kingsburg, and Kerman’s Harvest Festival.
Time was when Napa Valley was just Napa Valley—a sleepy, mostly agricultural corner of Northern California that looked a little like Tuscany and felt a lot like a backwater.
Then came Napa Valley wines, which turned the region’s name into a brand. These days, every place wants to be the Napa Valley of something. Colorado claims to be the Napa Valley of the Beer World; Kona, Hawaii wants to be the Napa Valley of Coffee; and America’s Hereford beef farmers assert that the entire Midwest is the Napa Valley of Beef.
With all the claims to fame, where is a hungry traveler to turn? We’ve picked five lesser-known North American locales that have organized themselves into foodie-friendly destinations and offer good eating. While they may be familiar to some, none attract Napa Valley-like hordes.
North Carolina Barbecue Trail
According to the North Carolina Barbecue Society, the eastern shores of the state were the birthplace of barbecue—the Cradle of ’Cue, as they say. And though Kansas, Texas, Tennessee, and all parts in-between claim they know how to do barbecue best, it’s North Carolina that has the Historic Barbecue Trail.
Thank N.C.B.S. president Jim Early, who, in his quest to find the best barbecue in his home state, ate in 228 different barbecue joints over six months. He chose 25 for the 500-mile-plus trail, which wends from the mountain town of Murphy, in the state’s southwestern corner, to the community of Ayden in the east.
All the establishments on the trail cook their meats over open charcoal- or wood-fired pits that have operated continuously for at least 15 years, and all serve homemade sauce with their slow-roasted pork. Fresh hush puppies (fried in lard) are a staple side dish.
Only a fool would try to name the best place to eat along the barbecue trail. But one can’t-miss stop is Lexington, the self-declared barbecue capital of the world. It’s home to both the Barbecue Center and Lexington Barbecue, which Early calls “one of the most streamlined, efficient, and impeccably clean barbecue operations I have ever seen”—no small praise, given the laid-back standards that any barbecue veteran will have seen. And there’s no better time to go than October, Lexington’s Barbecue Month. At this year’s barbecue festival (October 27), more than 100,000 people will scarf down a total of at least five tons of barbecue.
Okanagan Wine Trail
British Columbia seems like it would be one of the worst places in the world for growing wine—it’s often described as lush (rainy), green (rainy), and mild (rainy). But 100 miles east of Vancouver sits a valley where summer days are warm and sunny, the evenings are breezy and cool, and the winters are, by Canadian standards, moderate and dry.
For years, Okanagan vineyards produced cheap plonk more worthy of cartons than bottles. But about three decades ago, with the help of the Canadian government, local growers began pulling out the lower-quality Labrusca vines and replacing them with vinifera, the grape family that includes most of the varieties associated with the world’s best wines.
Since then, Okanagan has flourished as a winemaking region. Its vineyards produce fine cabernets and shirazes as well as Rieslings. Vintners also make wines from locally grown cherries, apricots, black currants, and other fruit, and its ice wines are particularly respected.
Highlights on Okanagan’s wine trail include Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate, which has been named Winery of the Year in Canada three of the past five years, and the offbeat Summerhill Pyramid Winery, which produces organic wines that have been aged in—you guessed it—a pyramid.
Oregon Ale Trail
Oregonians love fine beer: They drink four times more craft and artisanal beer than the average American. And they have plenty to choose from. Oregon, the second-largest grower of hops in the U.S. after Washington, is home to nearly 60 breweries. (Portland alone had 30 at last count.)
Oregon’s breweries are nearly all in the western part of the state. Just outside Portland, in the suburb of Troutdale, is Liberator Brewing, a pub that online watering-hole compendium Pubcrawler.com’s users have ranked as the top brewpub in Oregon. You don’t have to drink on an empty stomach at Liberator; its seasonal menu emphasizes local produce. Farther upriver, you’ll find the Full Sail Brewery in Hood River, which won gold medals for its amber, India pale ale, and wassail at this year’s World Beer Championships, and offers afternoon tours. (For a sneak peek at the view from the brewery, check out Full Sail’s webcam.) If you’re more of a coastal person, drive down the Pacific shore to the fishing town of Newport. The slightly touristy Rogue Ales brewpub has a vast selection of beer on draft, and a bed-and-beer upstairs. (Each room comes with two 22-oz. bottles of Rogue Ale and Rogue pint glasses.)
Vermont Cheese Trail
Cheese has been made in Vermont since 1810, when William Jarvis of Weathersfield shipped over two Holstein cows and a bull from Holland. Today, Vermont’s cheesemakers produce about 70 million pounds of cheese a year.
Most are tiny farms producing a few dozen pounds every day or two, from small herds. These artisanal cheesemakers are scattered all over the Green Mountain State, from the far north, near the Canadian border (Lake’s End does both goat and cow, while Hope Farm produces a sheep’s milk Tomme), to the southeast (Vermont Shepherd, in Putney).
The most recent version of the Vermont Cheese Council’s map lists 38 cheesemakers, who work with cows, goats, sheep, and even water buffalo: Woodstock Water Buffalo makes yogurt and mozzarella and claims to be the only water-buffalo creamery in America. Twenty-two farms, mostly in southern Vermont, are open to visitors, although several ask that you call in advance. The largest cheesemaking operation in the state is probably also the most recognizable: Cabot Creamery, in Cabot, is open year-round for guided tours. And don’t forget that in Vermont, dairy products don’t just mean cheese—Ben & Jerry’s is located up in Waterbury.
Fresno County Fruit Trail
Why go to Fresno, California, when its produce comes to most Americans? Fresno County grows more fruits and vegetables than any other county in the nation, nearly $5 billion a year of table grapes, almonds, oranges, tomatoes, plums, nectarines, olives, berries, and peaches. It’s home to the country’s biggest raisin producers, including lunch-box favorite SunMaid, as well as David, one of the top marketers of sunflower seeds.
The Fresno County Fruit Trail includes four dozen farms, farmers’ markets, produce stands, and agricultural processors who welcome visitors from May through September. You can pick your own strawberries and blueberries, or take a hot-air-balloon ride over the acres and acres of orchards. Or you can attend one of dozens of local festivals that have partnered with the trail, including Coalinga’s Horned Toad Derby, the Swedish Festival in Kingsburg, and Kerman’s Harvest Festival.
***
Pack your bags, these look like a lot of fun!
Aaron
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