Nationally and internationally, the “Slow Food”movement has been gaining momentum. We are glad because we buy into its principles. Slow Food USA’s (slowfoodusa.org) guiding principles are to “promote ecologically sound food production– the revival of the kitchen and the table as centers of pleasure, culture and community– the invigoration and proliferation of regional, seasonal culinary traditions– and to living a slower and more harmonious rhythm of life.” At Quaintance-Weaver our mantra is “the nearer the farm to fork the better the flavor”and our number #1 priority is to provide the highest quality food and drink at a good value, so you can see the crossover. During the past few years, we’ve explored new ways of bringing the freshest, most flavorful food to our tables while considering the notion of the “triple bottom line” of profit, environmental sensitivity and social responsibility. To these ends we’re purchasing some of our meats and seafoods differently, and, of course, we’re still refining our Field Truck initiative to bring more and more local produce and artisan-made charcuterie and cheeses to our guests.

Where a pig can be a pig…

We’re now serving Niman Ranch pork in all of our restaurants (nimanranch.com). It tastes better and their farming and processing practices are better. Niman Ranch is actually a network of small, family-owned farms across the country and we visited Paul and Phyllis Willis on their farm in Thornton, Iowa (you know, just south of Clear Lake). Paul Willis is the leader of the network of family farms that grows pigs the way they did back when pork was flavorful. All the Niman Ranch farms, including the Willis’, follow a “strict protocol that includes treating their animals humanely, feeding them all-natural feeds and allowing them to mature naturally.”Their commitment to the “highest standards of husbandry and environmental stewardship” make this a natural partnership.

Plenty of fish to fry (or bake or sauté)…

We are changing our fish purchasing policies to incorporate our “sustainable practices” notion. Unless we become convinced that the ocean farming practices are sustainable, we intend to phase out farm-raised salmon. We’re offering more freshwater-farmed fish, such as tilapia, trout and lots of catfish. The flavor is impressive, especially because our supplier provides us with freshwater fish that’s raised in a low-stress environment, fed an all-natural diet and shipped within hours of leaving the water. We are confident that you’ll taste the difference. (Plus, we knew that catfish had come of age when it was featured in a favorable light in a “New York Times Magazine” article this past spring.)

Tomatoes that taste like tomatoes…

The heavy rains have had a challenging effect on our Field Truck initiative but we are up and running now. Farm raised tomatoes and other good stuff are featured throughout our Lucky 32 Farmer’s Market menu in the Heirloom Tomato & Mozzarella Salad, Gazpacho, Fried Green Tomatoes, and, of course, summer could not be summer without a BLT. And we’re not just talking tomatoes – we’re also preparing fresh seasonal dishes every day, based on what our Victualer brings in from the fields. Stop by Lucky 32 to enjoy the bounty of the season, or come to the Green Valley Grill for some Kitchen Garden favorites that include Summer Vegetable Risotto, Vegetarian “Lasagna” and other recipes specially designed to highlight the fresh flavors of summer. And be sure to save room for our Summer Fruit Crostada, a juicy rustic tart dessert that will convince you that North Carolina fruits are the best around. (Get the whole scoop about our Field Truck and sustainable practices initiative by visiting our website at qwrh.com and perusing previous issues of our Neighborhood Letters.)

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (carolinafarmstewards.org) and UNCG’s Project Green Leaf (greenleaf.uncg.edu) have helped us tremendously with this program. With their help, we believe we can have a positive impact on developing and sustaining sound practices that will meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy the flavor advantage we get from using fresh, responsibly farmed foods. Please let us know what you think of our “Slow Food” by contacting Bart Ortiz, our Vice-President of Flavor & Consistency, at [email protected] or 336-370-0966 x 347.

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We are honored and humbled that our Lucky 32 and Green Valley Grill wine lists have won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Julia Schiavone, our Wine Director, is especially proud of the homage for our extensive wine lists that include thirty-five wines by the glass at L32 and thirty-eight at GVG. “It’s great to get this kind of recognition for our lists. It’s fun to figure out which wines will complement our menus at the two different restaurants, and it’s satisfying to offer our guests selections that they may not find at other restaurants. Our reserve lists have some exciting wines on them, and we enjoy serving them, and hearing what our guests think about the pairings with our recipes,” says Julia.

In May, as part of the crash-course in wine service training that Julia provides for each of our servers, several of our managers and staff members took a “field trip” to four North Carolina wineries, including Hanover Park, RayLen, Shelton and West Bend. (Their wines are better than you would expect. We predict that the Yadkin Valley appellation will become highly respected.) Private behind-the-scenes tours, barrel tastings, a picnic lunch and lots of new information were packed into one dizzying day. As the group traveled from one winery to the next, Julia quizzed her “students” about what they had just learned. At the end of the day, after learning about the history of grape growing in North Carolina and beyond, as well as the differences between a Chardonnay and a Shiraz, or a Pinot Noir and a Pinot Grigio, everyone was confident that they would pass the required Wine Service Test that each of our staff members take before serving our guests.

So, the next time you’re in the mood to relax with a glass of wine, we hope you’ll come by Lucky 32 or the Green Valley Grill and let Julia, or one of our well-trained staff members, help you choose the wine that will suit your mood and your meal.

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“Suddenly I smiled and seemed to see that life has no geographical metes and bounds.”
From Best-Seller, O. Henry (William Sydney Porter)

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