Taste of the Town

Afterthoughts!

2010-05-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

Since a reader asked specifically about our emcee, Scott Abdul-Salaam, who is a true friend of Family Services, Inc. I thought I'd share his contact information. He has a private foundation, ScottCares Foundation. Their website is www.scottcaresnc.org. I know he'd love for you to check it out. He makes scholarships available for kids wanting to go to college.

Scott is a graphic designer as well. If you saw one of our male staffers out in the lobby walking around in red high heels (Jonathan) advertising the upcoming "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" then you really missed a sight! Last September was the first annual event that highlighted men taking to the street in high heels as their statement to end violence against women. Scott designed all the posters and t-shirts for the event and we're preparing to do it all again Saturday, September 18th. Scott looks great in heels by the way! His company is Next Level Accessories at www.nextlevelaccessories.com.

For those of you who have asked about the band, The Twin City Buskers, I have to say I was really impressed with their music too! Po' Heath Combs is my contact; if you're interested in contacting them, you can reach Heath at combsheath@yahoo.com. What a great group of guys!

If you have any more questions, let me know!

And the winner is....Family Services, Inc.!

2010-05-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

You realize of course that I am a little biased, but this year's Taste of the Town was incredible! The restaurants completely outdid themselves, bringing an assortment of amazingly scrumptuous culinary delights! 21 restaurants competed for the best of the best amongst the patrons as well as our elite panel of judges, Michael Hastings, Food Editor of the Winston-Salem Journal; Al Romano, Instructor in the Culinary Program of GTCC; Chef Don McMillan, Owner of The Stocked Pot; and Chef Derrick McCorkle, Exec. Chef of WSSU/Aramark.

For those of you who did not stick around for the “medal ceremony”, or who weren't there, I’m going to give you the run down of who won what and from whom. You may find your favorite new restaurant on this list. (Don't forget to click on the restaurants in the right column to go to their websites.)

First came the “Mint Julep Contest” winner and that was The Old Fourth Street Filling Station!

For our “Chef’s Awards” were their top three restaurants:

1st place-Ollie’s Bakery
2nd place-Downtown Thai & sushi
3rd place-Jimmy’s Seafood & Oyster Bar

The “People’s Choice” awards went to the following restaurants in four categories:

Best Booth
1st place Jimmy’s Seafood
2nd place Downtown Thai
3rd place Bib’s Downtown

Best Dessert
1st place Ollie’s Bakery
2nd place Cake Ladies
3rd place Blue Ridge Ice Creams

Best Non-Dessert
1st place Carrabba’s
2nd place Village Tavern
3rd place Jimmy’s Seafood

Best All-Around Restaurant
1st place- Carrabba’s
2nd place-Jimmy’s Seafood
3rd place-Ollie’s Bakery

I don't know about you, but I really don't ever remember seeing the Kentucky Derby run in 5 or 6 inches of standing water! I'm just glad none of the horses/jockeys were hurt.
Calvin Borel, who rode Super Saver to the win, changed history as it was his third Kentucky Derby victory in the last four years! Close on Super Saver's heels were Ice Box who placed and Paddy O'Prado in the show position. It was such an exciting race even though it lasted only 2 min. and 2.4 seconds!

It was so much fun having Austin Caviness as Auctioneer again this year; he's terrific! Not only that but he agreed to be auctioned off at Taste this year as part of a cooking package. One lucky bidder will be taking cooking lessons with Austin at the Stocked Pot thanks to Don McMillan! That should be hilarious! We also auctioned off an evening at The Idiot Box, Jenny Stencel's improv comedy club in Greensboro, along with dinner at Natty Greene's...what fun! Our other WXII package was a round of golf for 4 including Cameron Kent at Tanglewood's Championship Course plus lunch afterward at Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Grill. Interestingly enough, Mary Annicelli took that package home!

We auctioned off a fabulous package with Josh Howard including lunch for 10 at the Piedmont Club plus signed ball and shoes and a NASCAR package that included hanging at Richard Childress'condo among other great things!

I do have to give a shout out to the fabulous band that entertained us all evening. They are the Twin City Buskers and I have to say they were wonderful! They played Blues and some Bluegrass and a little in between. The crowd really seemed to enjoy their sound; I know I did! I happened upon them when I met with Ginger Henricks, the new Executive Director of BOOKMARKS Book Festival. Come to find out, her fiance had a band. Well once I heard a CD, I was hooked! Check them out!

Thank you to everyone that turned out Saturday and in particular to the nearly 100 volunteers it took to put it on! Now it's time to start planning next year's event. If you have any ideas about what we could do differently, please feel free to let me know!

On your mark, get set......

2010-04-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. I can't believe it's almost here! There are so many things going on with the Taste of the Town this year, you're not going to believe it when you get there!

Tickets! They are available still at Lowes Foods in and around Winston-Salem, including Advance, at the Davidson County Line and in Kernersville and Walkertown. They will be selling tickets up through the event if you're on your way and haven't got a ticket, go by Lowes Foods' Customer Service desk and get them at $25. You'll save $5 because they're $30 at the door!

If you were considering buying tickets online, get them today! They will not be available online Friday because we can't get info to Will Call in time.

Family Services closed at 1pm on Fridays so get them today or tomorrow morning here at 1200 S. Broad St. in Winston-Salem. That should cover the ticket situation.

I'll be on WXII tomorrow morning with three of our restaurants that are coming to the Taste, Bib's Downtown, Meridian Restaurant and Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar! We'll be on between 6 and 7 with Jennie Stencel at the Benton Convention Center. Watch for us!

We have a winner for the Mint Julep Contest but you won't find out which restaurant won until Saturday toward the end of the evening. One of the lucky folks who voted won 2 tickets to the Taste as well!

We've been working on auction, both live and silent and we have some fabulous prizes! Check this out:
If you have a young daughter, under 16, then this could be the best birthday present ever! How about your daughter spending a day with three of her friends and Miss North Carolina USA, Nadia Shirin Moffett having the ultimate spa at Simply Sassy? Mani, Pedi, mini-glam makeover! Wish I was 12 again, I would have loved this!

We have a Taste of the NBA package also with Josh Howard, Forward for the Washington Wizards and graduate of Glenn High and Wake Forest University! Have some up close and personal time with Josh and 8 of your best friends (10 total) at the Piedmont Club in a private room! Add in a signed ball and a signed pair of Josh's shoes and you've got quite the NBA package!

There are plenty more great packages like this so make sure you're around about 6:15 at the Taste to bid feverishly!

The 136th Running of the Kentucky Derby!The top five horses as it stands today are Lookin at Lucky (7/2 odds), Sidney’s Candy (6/1), Awesome Act (9/1), Ice Box (10/1), and Devil May Care (12/1).

Noble’s Promise (18/1), Super Saver (14/1), Line of David (20/1), Stately Victor (20/1), American Lion (25/1), Dean’s Kitten (35/1), Make Music for Me (45/1), Paddy O’Prado (30/1), Conveyance (25/1), Jackson Bend (28/1), Mission Impazible (15/1), Discreetly Mine (45/1), Dublin (16/1), Backtalk (50/1), and Homeboykris (45/1)round out the hopefuls.

Considering our food theme at the Taste of the Town, I think Sidney's Candy and Ice Box may have a chance but what do I know?

Fevered Pitch!

2010-04-26T14:36:00.001-07:00

How do you put together a terrific event where everyone wins? Well first you have to start with a 105 year old agency; that would be Family Services, Inc. Then you add succulent food from 21 fabulous Winston-Salem area restaurants, and a lively Blues and Bluegrass band, which would be the Twin City Buskers.

Stir in games and raffle prizes anyone would want to win including a 47" LG brand 1080p LCD HDTV with 240 Hz processing with LG brand Blu-ray Disc Player for first prize, Apple iPad with Wi-Fi 16GB for second prize and The Flip Ultra camcorder for third prize!

Stir in a cash bar, Live auction with terrific packages to bid feverishly on such as a fabulous dinner at Milner's American Southern with Robert Moody, Winston-Salem Symphony Music Director! There are lots more packages like that as well.

The silent auction has a wide assortment of items you could even buy for your Mom or wife for upcoming Mother's Day (May 9th).

But nothing caps off an evening like watching the Kentucky Derby broadcast live on two giant screens! The room explodes during one of the most exciting minutes in the world of sports! No one can resist the temptation to scream!

And everyone wins because all proceeds go to the programs of Family Services, Inc. Whether it is the services provided to domestic violence and sexual assault victims, the counseling services provided to every age, the adoption services or the 499 3,4, and 5 year olds in the Head Start Program. Everyone wins, especially our community!

If you absolutely cannot come, please come by the office and get some raffle tickets for only $10 each! You can buy them at the office at 1200 S. Broad St. up until 1pm on Friday, April 30th and then at the event of course.

More tomorrow!

Mint Juleps in the Running!

2010-04-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

It looks like everything's coming together for the big day! Auction packages are looking good! Just a few hints of packages you might hear Austin Caviness hawking: A Taste of Comedy with tickets to Jennie Stencil's "Idiot Box" in Greensboro along with dinner; The Tanglewood Cup Steeplechase package; Dinner with Winston-Salem Symphony Conductor Robert Moody plus tickets to the symphony to name a few!

Don't forget to go out and get a mint julep at your favorite watering hole...as long as it's a restaurant coming to the Taste of the Town! Here are your options, as of today:
Big Shotz Tavern
Carrabba's Italian Grill
First Street Draught House
Foothills Brewing Co.
Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar
Meridian Restaurant
NOMA
Old Fourth Street Filling Station
Village Tavern

You restaurants had better be on the lookout for Bourbon lovers because at the moment, Old Fourth Street Filling Station is way far out in the lead! They are just looking for a race I believe!

More fabulous restaurants!

2010-04-15T14:10:00.001-07:00

This has been quite a week in preparation for Taste of the Town! Our committee expanded this week from Mike Turner, me, Delaine Weddle and Lamaya Williams. We added Lloyd Leonard, Laura Weston, Lori Ore, Tony Kirk and Linda Bellotto!

The live auction is coming along really well. We have a dynamite package for someone with a daughter or favorite niece! Can you imagine getting a manicure, pedicure, facial and all the works with Miss North Carolina, Nadia Moffett? I think that would be the perfect birthday!

On the other end of the spectrum, there's a package featuring Josh Howard, Forward for the Washington Wizards and former Deamon Deacon! Wait til you hear all about that one!

I am particularly excited today because I received confirmation on 4 new restaurants!
Souphab down at Downtown Thai & Sushi as well as his new restaurant Soup, Vietnamese Pho has committed both restaurants to come this year! He'll be serving Green Curry, Sushi and Pho (soup)from the two booths! I can't wait!

I also signed up Senor Bravo who opened up just a few months ago where South by Southwest used to be on Marshall Street. Sal Bravo, the owner, is excited and has some dynamite ideas about what he wants to bring. Of the things he was considering were fish tacos, a chicken dish, a pork dish and I don't know what all else! Needless to say, he's excited to be attending this year!

I just had a call from Betty Ashby of Big Shotz saying they will definitely be joining us this year! I'm so excited! I know they'll make a grand statement; I can't wait to hear what they're bringing. More on that later!

Wow, everyone had better wear their loose fitting pants to the Taste this year. I have a feeling we will all be really full when all is done.

More news; Austin Caviness, Meteorologist from the WXII morning show has agreed to be our live auctioneer again this year and we have signed up Scott Abdul-Salaam, a dear friend of the agency. You'll love him!

We have live music this year with the Twin City Buskers! They play R&B as well as some bluegrass and are quite talented. Their members are Po' Heath Combs, Ironman John "Hootie" Hoots, Jr., and Old Tom Rucker. Listening to their CD reminded me of a little "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?", one of my favorites! I'm really looking forward to their music! I'll attempt to post a picture soon.

Try to get out to one of our restaurants for a Mint Julep and vote here on the blog. At the top, click the picture of the Mint Julep and it'll take you to the voting space.

We are so excited that you're joining us this year for the Taste and we know that you will have a fabulous time! More this weekend!

Derby, Mint Julep Contest, and Restaurant Update..

2010-04-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

It looks like the field of horses for the Derby is really wide at this point. But currently the odds are favoring Eskendereya 3-1, Lookin at Lucky 9-2, and Sidneys Candy 9-2. More on this later; I'll keep you posted.

Speaking of odds, I had my very first Mint Julep last night. I'm not saying where I had it but it was really good. I never pictured myself as a bourbon drinker. Mint and a little simple syrup makes it taste much better (to me). We have more contenders for Best Mint Julep now; they are:
Carrabba's Italian Grill
First Street Draught House
Foothill's Brewing Co.
Jimmy's Seafood & Oyster Bar
Meridian Restaurant
NOMA
The Old Fourth Street Filling Station
Village Tavern on Hanes Mall Blvd.
Get out and order a Mint Julep, then come to the blog and vote. Click on the picture of the Mint Julep and it'll take you straight to the ballot where you'll vote for your favorite. One vote per email address...don't forget!

The restaurants are still signing up! Jimmy's Seafood & Oyster Bar will once again grace us with their presence. They always do a wonderful job with the seafood at Taste of the Town. Our friend Kenya Thorton (who happens to work here at Family Services and at Jimmy's) will probably be at the booth once again this year. We really look forward to what they have in store! Many thanks to Jimmy's. And go check out their Mint Julep!

Yesterday I was excited to hear Foothills Brewing Co. would also be at Taste of the Town! They have been so devoted and have done such a wonderful job at this event. We can't thank them enough! They're a contender in the Mint Julep contest as well!

I also just added First Street Draught House to the restaurants coming May 1st and to the Mint Julep contest list! First Street has terrific food and is one of the places in town I've been going to forever. Always great quality and terrific service. I can't wait to see them at Taste!

We're feverishly working on the live auction! Austin Caviness has agreed to be our auctioneer again this year. We always love having Austin on stage...what a natural! We have already put together an NBA package and a NASCAR package with many more great things in the works!

Tickets are currently on sale at Lowes Foods locations, at their Customer Service desk for $25. You can also stop by Family Services to get tickets or go to our website, www.fsifamily.org or straight to www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets are $30 at the door, kids 6-12 are $10 and under 6 are free.

Nothing says Kentucky Derby like a Mint Julep!

2010-04-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

More good news! I just received confirmation that The Old Fourth Street Filling Station will once again be joining us at the Taste of the Town! They’re the ones that have the fabulous giant chocolate fountain and every goodie imaginable to dip into it…marshmallows, strawberries, pretzels, cake, rice crispie treats, you name it! Adam Andrews, Chef and GM, informed me that he has revised their dinner menu and it will be available on Monday, April 5th. He also said the lunch menu has changed this week as well so check it out! They're really ramping up for Easter brunch; they'll open at 10am this Sunday! I was out on their patio last night with everyone in Winston I think, a sure sign of Spring!

Speaking of Spring…and Taste of the Town…. Nothing says Kentucky Derby like a Mint Julep!
Beginning Friday, get out to our restaurants that have full bars and get a Mint Julep. Then you can come back to this blog and vote. We will have a Survey Monkey link here that you can click on and vote for your favorite restaurant’s Mint Julep. Don't forget that the only places competing so far are (in alphabetical order):
Carrabba’s Italian Grill,
Jimmy’s Seafood & Oyster Bar,
Meridian Restaurant,
NOMA,
The Old Fourth Street Filling Station and
Village Tavern at Hanes Mall Blvd.
We will announce the winner of the contest at the Taste of the Town.

Speaking of which, I’m delivering tickets to the Lowes Food stores in the area today and tomorrow so when you are ready to buy your tickets to Taste of the Town, they’ll be there. They are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Kids 6-12 are $10 (those tickets you can get at the door) and kids under 6 are free.

You can also buy tickets online at our website, www.fsifamily.org where there is a link to Brown Paper Ticket. Can't wait to see you at the Taste!

Meridian and Ollie's sign on

2010-03-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was so pleased to hear from Trevor Dye at Meridian that they will be back to Taste of the Town this year! There is always something going on at Meridian these days! They have numerous events coming up in April including a wine dinner april 14th with Hanover Park Vineyards, cooking class (Artichokes!) April 21st and Easter Brunch this Sunday. Go to their website, www.meridianws.com to see all that's happening at this hip place!

Right across from Meridian on Marshall Street is a fabulous place to start your morning, have lunch or an afternoon pick-me-up. Ollie's Bakery of course! Yes, Ollie's is finally coming to Taste of the Town! I've been trying for years to lure them in but it's finally going to happen! And let me tell you, if you haven't been lately, you need to try it. They have the most enticing array of elegant pastries that you may have ever seen. It is pure heaven! Their website, www.olliesbakeryws.com has coupons too so check it out before you head out.

Be sure to check out the list on the sidebar of restaurants. If you click on the name, it will take you to their website automatically!

Tickets will be here soon for the Taste and we'll be distributing them to Lowes Foods for sale at their Customer Service desks plus we'll be selling tickets online at www.BrownPaperTicket.com. As soon as the dates of availability are set, I'll let you know when you can buy tickets.

Looking for us on Twitter or Facebook?

2010-03-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

My buddy Lamaya who is also on the Taste of the Town committee is in charge of all things social media around here at Family Services, Inc. You'll be able to keep up with what's happening at the agency as well as Taste of the Town!

Meanwhile, we're very excited to announce that Triad Community Kitchen will be returning to the Taste of the Town this year! Triad Community Kitchen is a program of the Second Harvest Food Bank. It is a cooking school and caterer; last year they took the top prize from our illustrious professional judges, Al Romano, Instructor in GTCC's Culinary Technology Program; Chef Darren McCorkle, Executive Chef at WSSU; and of course Michael Hastings, Food Editor for the Winston-Salem Journal.

William Webster is Triad's Catering Chef in charge of this year's team as he was last year when they won. We have used Triad Community Kitchen to cater events here at Family Services, including our Christmas party for staff. They do a wonderful job!

More later....

The flavor is building at Taste of the Town!

2010-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Can you smell it? Can you taste it? No? Well you haven't been hanging out where I have in that case. We have added a couple more names to the list of Taste of the Town participants since I last wrote.

Our friends at Costco notified us that they will be back this year with some terrific food choices. They provided all of the beautiful yellow roses you saw around the ballroom last year. They have the best flowers!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to have a long chat with Robert Moreau at Bib's Downtown and convince him that Taste of the Town is the place to be on May 1st! I am thrilled to have Bib's represented this year; they are such a different kind of place. It's not your uncle's barbecue place, but they smoke their meats, including beef brisket (my favorite), pulled pork, turkey and sausages in this giant red smoker. Then they serve them up in a sandwich or a plate with the most wonderful sides. The baked beans are the best around; they're sweet and spicey! And of course you get hush puppies, but not your run of the mill hush puppies. They have sage in them and they are delicious! All this and they're downtown Winston-Salem on 5th St. across from the main library, with plenty of parking.

Robert's excited about participating this year. I know they are already planning what they'll bring and how they'll decorate their booth!

For now, in the sidebar, if you click on a restaurant, it will take you directly to their website. Get out and try some new restaurants this weekend! If we don't support the economy, who will?

I'm getting hungry!

2010-02-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

Last year was so amazing; everyone brought their "A" game with the most incredible food ever! Well we are feeling the fever already with our dynamite award-winning restaurants bringing it again.

Since you last heard from me, we have heard from some of favorites. Last year's winner of the best booth, decked out like a pirate ship and the girls dressed as the pirates, Sociale Gourmet is back! If I know Donna Harris, she's got another grand idea of what she's doing with her booth. The pirate ship she worked on for two years. I expect nothing less than first place again.

Robert at Starbucks at Mt. Tabor Place has put his hat in the ring again as well. We were so glad to have them with us last year for the first time. It's really hard to beat their French Roast.

Returning this year to defend their title as Best Non-dessert and Best Dessert as well as Best All Around is Chef Anthony Bonner at Village Tavern on Hanes Mall Boulevard! They rocked last year, which was evident from all the votes they received. The line was enormous but no one seemed to mind waiting because they were having so much fun!

And if you were afraid you wouldn't have enough dessert, Nancy Donnelly at Cake Ladies has already confirmed she will be here again this year! She was the one who had the giant cakes with the yummy toppings spooned on top. Nancy's taken home several medals over the years also!

And it would not be Taste of the Town...Derby Style without Debbie Lee with Blue Ridge Ice Creams. Debbie and/or Scott will be with us under their umbrella again this year. I still love the Mint Julep and the Derby Pie ice creams. They are amazing!

Speaking of mint juleps, I'm really getting excited about the Mint Julep Contest. So far we have NOMA, Village Tavern and Carrabba's who can participate in the contest. We're getting all of the voting technology in place so when you stop by to have a mint julep, you can vote for your favorite!

We're off and running!

2010-02-09T12:33:00.001-08:00

Everyone here at Family Services is excited about this year's Taste of the Town...Derby Style! It will be Saturday, May 1st, 4-7pm at the Benton Convention Center again! The restaurants have been invited and I'm waiting to hear back from them if they plan on coming. The very first restaurants who've reserved their spots are Carrabba's Italian Grill and NOMA Urban Bar and Grill. They are two of my favorites! Carrabba's hasn't been to Taste in 3 years and we're thrilled to have them back; they always please the crowd. And NOMA, if you don't remember, made the most incredible sliders plus macaroni and cheese (their best seller) last year! They took home several medals as a result too. Things are looking good coming out of the gate!

Speaking of the restaurants, we have a really big announcement for you! In April, we will be holding a NEW Contest ! No pies this time. We will be awarding a prize to the best Mint Julep by one of the participating restaurants! You will be able to go to any of the restaurants and buy a Mint Julep. If you think it is worthy, you can vote online for it. The restaurant that receives the most votes will win! Now that is what I call Derby Style! More on this later!

The committee has decided that we will go back to the live auction format for 2010. The silent auction is a huge amount of work and isn't nearly as entertaining as the live auction. Stay tuned for some of the terrific packages we're working on. I know there is something for everyone.

If you know of someone who would be interested in being a sponsor of Taste of the Town, feel free to have them contact me at swiles@fsifamily.org. Of course all proceeds go to the programs of Family Services, Inc. Next month we will celebrate our 105th birthday and all of the good work our staff has done over those years. If you don't know much about our programs, feel free to visit our website at www.fsifamily.org to learn more.

We're off and running!

2010-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

Day after

2009-05-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a fabulous evening at Taste of the Town...Derby Style 2009! If you weren't there, you missed a delicious, entertaining fun-packed evening. Not only was the 135th Running of the Roses a giant upset with Mine That Bird beating the field handily to the tune of 50-1 odds, but the favored horse, Get My Revenge dropped out of the race early in the day!

The restaurants, bless their hearts, worked so hard and overjoyed the entire crowd with the sumptuous creations they brought to the table! Thank you so much to all of them:

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station
W-S Prime
Starbuck's
Heavenly Cheesecakes by Becky
Costco
First Street Draught House
NOMA
Blue Ridge Ice Creams
Sweet Potatoes
Sociale Gourmet
Downtown Thai
Village Tavern
Finnigan's Wake
Zevely House
The Piedmont Club
Caffe Prada
The Cake Ladies
Foothill's Brewing
Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar
and Triad Community Kitchen
a program of the Second Harvest Food Bank

They all brought their "A" Game and our patrons as well as our professional judges had a great time deciding who was their favorite!

Our professional judges were Michael Hastings, Food Editor of the Winston-Salem Journal; Chef Al Romano, Instructor at GTCC; and Chef Derrick McCorkle of Winston-Salem State University.
They chose their favorite three participants in the following order:

Win-Triad Community Kitchen
Place-W-S Prime
Show-NOMA

Interestingly enough, none of the three have been at the Taste of the Town prior to this year! They were all outstanding. The items I tried from each of those were, beginning with NOMA, were their outstanding sliders and three cheese mac and cheese. It was wonderful!

At W-S Prime the Three Little Pigs sandwiches were my son's favorite. That was a no-brainer. On the baguette was a pork cutlet, shaved ham and bacon with Swiss to top it off.

I was at Triad Community Kitchen early on and they insisted I try their Peach Berry Cobbler. It was so different-a combination of peach and strawberry with a hint of something I couldn't name. I was informed it was jalapeno! A terrific combination for sure. And it was topped off with a crust that had a base of cornmeal-also unexpected! I loved it. They had several appetizer items I didn't get to try but obviously they were all homeruns!

Now for the voting by "the people". The People's Choice Awards went as follows:

Best Booth:
Win-Sociale Gourmet (with a Pirate Ship)
Place-The Old Fourth Street Filling Station with their giant chocolate fountain
Show-The Village Tavern who were cooking shrimp on the spot

Best Dessert:
Win-The Village Tavern
Place-Heavenly Cheesecakes by Becky
Show-Caffe Prada

Best Non-Dessert
Win-The Village Tavern
Place-Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar
Show-NOMA

Best All Around:
Win-The Village Tavern
Place-Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar
Show-NOMA

As always, The Village Tavern's Chef Anthony Bonner really knows how to please the customers! And I'd just like to give a shout out to Kenya at Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar. Kenya works at Family Services also in our Safe Relationships Division and yesterday morning ran in the Race for the Cure! I'd say-job well done Kenya! And NOMA, keep on with that mac and cheese and the sliders, that is comfort food at its finest!

Finally, I haven't told you about the Kentucky Style Pie contest results. We had a great time with that this year. We've never done it before and we really learned a lot (especially about patent law-LOL). Judges were Michael Hastings and Jamie Hatter. The judging for the top three placings was done live on air with WXII's own Kimberly Van Scoy, Austin Caviness, Nichole Ducouer and of course Jennie Stencel! The winners of this year's Kentucky Style Pie Contest were:
Win-Jim Gilbert with an original recipe that included chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. It was so gooey and wonderful!
Place-Millie August
Show-Kim Via

Be sure to check out the Food Section of the Winston-Salem Journal on Wednesday in case Michael Hastings prints Jim's winning recipe. It's a keeper!

Thanks so much to all of our volunteers, our sponsors, our restaurants, and to all the Family Services staff who made this the Best Derby Party in Town! And don't think you've heard the last from me. I will have more tomorrow...or maybe Tuesday!

Downtown Thai

2009-05-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

After 6 years of hard work and perseverance, Souphab Daohgang is moving his Downtown Thai restaurant across the street to 202 W. Fourth St. The new restaurant will be nearly 4,000 square feet and will seat 90 people, double the size of his current location.

When the new location opens in June or July, it will feature Sushi as well as the fabulous Thai cuisine we've all come to love. I didn't manage to get the name of the Sushi chef but Souphab did say he has 15 years of experience in major cities and is of Thai/Japanese heritage.

The new restaurant will feature daily specials, both Thai and Sushi and will be open for lunch and dinner. It will also have a conference room that will hold approximately 15 people and will be appointed with a screen, soundproofing, and computer access.

Souphab says that after Downtown Thai moves across the street, their current location will become a Vietnamese restaurant named Soup's Vietnamese "Pho" Restaurant. "Pho" is Vietnamese for soup. Obviously they will focus on soup (lots of noodles) but will also feature finger foods, wraps, and salads.

Eating at Downtown Thai is always a treat. I'm excited that Souphab is bringing his incredible green curry to Taste of the Town. My first year working with Taste, he brought the green curry and insisted I try it. I thought it would just be really hot. It was so delicious and full of deep flavor. I'd never tasted anything like that before! Check out their website at www.downtownthai.com and we'll see you tomorrow at the Taste of the Town...Derby Style!

Sweet Potatoes (well shut my mouth!!) a restaurant

2009-04-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

Six years ago, Vivian Joiner and Stephanie Tyson opened a restaurant in the Arts District of Winston-Salem and changed the look and feel of downtown. With a seriously Southern menu, everyone was clamoring to dine at the small, well appointed restaurant on Trade Street. I was one of those folks and I was thrilled to have real Southern cuisine right there with easy on street parking. Born in Alabama, I couldn't wait to get some fried green tomatoes and any kind of sweet potato. I was certainly not disappointed!

Now, Stephanie the chef, is changing her menu 2 or 3 times a year with seasonal produce and new ideas. They're open for brunch now and do Stephanie's version of Eggs Benedict, but all of them start with a sweet potato biscuit. The Big Benne is a stack of the sweet potato biscuit, sliced rib eye steak, poached eggs, country ham bordelaise, tomatoes and hollandaise. Stephanie footnotes it with (It's okay, it's only once a week!).

At lunch you can even get a Sweet Potatoes Hot Brown. If you're not in the Kentucky know, that's a very popular dish around Kentucky and the Derby. Stephanie's version is sliced turkey with mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese sauce, all atop a sweet potato biscuit.

A lot has happened in the Arts District in the last 6 years. Not only has ISP Sports opened their headquarters across the street but above that are condominiums. Vivian says they see the residents from the neighborhood on a regular basis, some daily and some weekly, but they see them all in this great neighborhood restaurant.

Stephanie called me yesterday to tell me what she's planning to bring for Taste of the Town and I hope I do it justice here: She's preparing succulent roasted pork, country ham with her country ham bordelaise gravy over sweet potato stuffing and she's even bringing dessert. I can't wait to try her mint julep tarts! Sounds like Derby fare to me!

You had better get to the Taste of the Town early (4pm) because I imagine there will be a line at the Sweet Potatoes booth. This is their first year attending and we are thrilled to have them! Check out their website at www.sweetpotatoes-arestaurant.com to see everything on their menu. And of course stop by their restaurant for a delicious Southern meal.

Look for my update on the Kentucky Derby coming Friday as well as the results of our Kentucky Style Pie contest! I'll see you in 3 days!

Village Tavern

2009-04-28T03:55:00.000-07:00

Only four days until the greatest food event in the Triad! Everything is falling into place and our Kentucky Style Pie Contest will be underway Thursday the 30th! Everyone will be dropping off their sumptuous chocolate-nut pies at Family Services for judging.

Be sure to watch WXII Friday morning-early to see the morning news crew judge the top three pies. They will determine the Win, Place and Show of the contest. I know they love their jobs! And don't forget, you'll have a chance to take home one of those top three pies at our silent auction so bring your checkbook, credit card or of course cash!

You're probably tired of hearing about how bad the economy is but I never get tired of hearing how businesses are giving us good deals as a result. Chef Anthony Bonner at the Village Tavern on Hanes Mall Blvd. tells me they are all about good deals this spring.

Deals like the "Tavern Twosome" that costs $25 for two includes 2 entrees and 2 salads. For $20, the "Pizza Deal" for two includes 2- 8 inch pizzas or 2 flatbreads plus 2 salads. And for a special occassion, the "Five for Five" serves two for $50 and includes one appetizer to share, two salads or soups, two entrees, two glasses of wine and one fabulous desssert to share. Now those are great deals. What makes them really good deals is the consistent outstanding quality of the Village Tavern's food.

Personally I enjoy Village Tavern's patio. They have live music on the patio during the summer at their Wednesday night Wine and Dine with half price bottles of wine.

With so many wonderful things to choose from on the menu at Village Tavern, I asked Chef Anthony Bonner what his favorite dish was. Without hesitating he said it was the crabcakes, plump with jumbo lump crab meat! Chef Anthony has been at the Village Tavern for three years next month and sounds very happy with his position. He's really looking forward to Taste of the Town on Saturday afternoon. I can't wait to see what he brings for us to sample!

If you want to check out the menu for the Village Tavern, check out their website by clicking on their name here on our blog (in the right column) or go to www.villagetavern.com.

Caffe Prada

2009-04-27T03:29:00.000-07:00

5 days and counting, that's all the time we have before Taste of the Town arrives Saturday, May 2nd at 4pm! We're training the volunteers, making the last minute preparations for the restaurants, and organizing the silent auction while selling lots of tickets. If you would like to volunteer, there is still time. We do need help the day of the event. Contact Delaine Weddle at 722-8173 or dweddle@fsifamily.org. We'd love to have you!

You'll be hearing from me daily this last week and probably for a week or two after the Taste, giving you the wrap up, all of the restaurant awards, and let you know how Family Services did as the beneficiary of this fundraiser. Be sure to tell your friends about our blog. You can check it out anytime in the future to read all about the restaurants, so put it in your "favorites".

If you haven't been down to Caffe Prada on the corner of Broad St. and West Fourth, you should try it out. I recently chatted with Alex Prada, who along with Ken Hart, owns Caffe Prada, a friendly neighborhood hangout. Since they are in the first floor of a condo building, made up of 54 condos, they see their neighbors a great deal.

Caffe Prada is the first green coffee/wine bar in the Triad; they are active members of PEA, the Piedmont Environmental Alliance. They serve organic fair trade coffee, Italian Espresso and make wonderful gelatos and sorbets with all natural ingredients, including local milk from Julian, NC. They use natural ingredients from Italy and local fruit from the farmer's market. The favorite flavors are chocolate, pistachio, plus strawberry and lemon sorbets. You can also grab wonderful breakfast pastries, Greek yogurt, and sandwiches.

Wines are under $20 a bottle for the most part and they have a terrific selection. Alex, being from Argentino, carries some tasty Argentinian wines including their Carrascal at $15.99. It's a Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon blend by Bodega v. Cavas Weinert from Mendoza, Argentina. This Friday, May 1st, is the monthly wine tasting so stop by, grab a class of wine and take a seat on their lovely patio. And don't forget to introduce yourself to their wine consultant Lucinda. Caffe Prada also offers Bellinis, a cocktail made of Proseco, an Italian sparkling wine, and white peach nectar-Yum! What a great summer cocktail.

Saturday, May 2nd of course we'll be hosting the Taste of the Town at the Benton Convention Center beginning at 4pm. But if you get up early and participate in the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, you'll see Alex down there in the Survivor's tent serving his Pink Ribbon Sorbet that he has donated for the occasion. I tried it and it is wonderful! I can't wait to see what he makes for Taste of the Town!

Sponsors of Taste of the Town

2009-04-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Family Services, Inc. would like to thank each and every one of our sponsors for helping to make Taste of the Town a reality.

Zevely House

2009-04-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I received a history lesson from Margaret Merrell, one of the owners of Zevely House. I didn't realize the house was not built on West 4th Street where it is currently. Built in 1815 on Oak St., near 8th, the house was moved to its current location, on the corner of Summit and West 4th Street in 1974. It is on the National Registry of Historic Homes. Zevely House features fine dining and an extensive selection of wines and is the sight of numerous wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners. At dinner or brunch you can dine on two different versions of shrimp and grits, one of their specialties of the house.

Zevely House is only open for dinner and brunch currently but the plan is to have a juice bar and coffee bar out on the patio at lunchtime this summer. They will probably add sandwiches and Wi-Fi to appeal to just about anybody on a beautiful Carolina day. Their patios, amongst the flowers and trees, feel like they're out in the country, even though they sit in the city. The juice bar should be very interesting, giving any lunch a nutritious punch.

Chef Thomas Alexander and Margaret have been working at Zevely House for over 20 years and several years ago they each became part owners of the historical restaurant. Tom is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and his cooking is inspired by Bill Neal of Crook's Corner (the birthplace of Shrimp and Grits) and La Residence in Chapel Hill.

There seems to be something going on at Zevely House all the time lately. They enjoy helping out their friends with causes such as the upcoming Itipini Benefit Dinner for a community clinic in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa this Sunday, April 26th. It will feature South African food and wine as well as a silent auction.

Every 3rd Thursday of the month there is a buffet at the Zevely House featuring a selection of wines by wine consultant Erin Aycock of SIP Consulting and select wine distributors.

I'm thrilled that Tom is bringing a Burgoo to Taste of the Town this year. You might ask, "What is a Burgoo?" I have not actually had Burgoo but have heard much about it on Alton Brown's "Feasting on Asphalt" (Food Network). I do know the easiest place to find Burgoo is in Kentucky,which would be the reason to bring it to the Taste of the Town. Yes, you will see all things Kentucky and horseracing at the Taste of the Town, since we'll be showing the Kentucky Derby live on giant screens!

But back to the Burgoo, it sounds a lot like Brunswick Stew but can have many different variations. So I look forward to tasting it as well as the Brown Sugar Pound Cake Tom's promised!

Hours of operation at the Zevely House are Tues through Sat. 5:30-9pm and Sunday 11am to 2pm for brunch. Their website is under construction currently but you can get them at 725-6666.

Cake Ladies

2009-04-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

It's only 12 days and counting to Taste of the Town! We're all so excited to have this incredible event right around the corner. Last year we didn't get to hold the Taste because we moved into our new building the last week of April. By the way, if you haven't seen our new "green" building at 1200 S. Broad St., stop by and take a look. It's the first commercial, green new construction in Forsyth County and we are loving working in this terrificl space!

In 2003 we brought Taste of the Town back for the first time since 1999 and we have made so many friends as a result. Between all of our wonderful sponsors, the generous restaurants and the patrons, Family Services' circle of friends has widened immensely. Our programs are so appreciative for the funds raised from Taste of the Town.

One of the many new friends we've made, Nancy Donnelly of Cake Ladies has been coming to the Taste since 2005 I believe. She became involved in an unconventional way. We had a silent auction that year and her husband had bid on a giant stuffed Sponge Bob Square Pants for their 1 year old granddaughter. They had to leave before the bidding was over so she came by Monday to pay for and pick up "Bob".

Nancy raved and raved about what a wonderful event we had held. They had a great time. She told me she had this little cake company and wondered if she could possibly become a participant. Well, not only did she become a part of the Taste, but in 2006 she took home a silver medal and in 2007 won first place in the Dessert Category, voted on by all of the patrons! I don't think I've ever seen anyone quite that happy! We love Nancy's cakes, whether French Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pineapple or raspberry filled. They are all fabulous! And she's the most exhuberant Taste of the Town fan ever!

When you get to the Taste, don't forget to say "hi" to Nancy. You might notice when you talk to her, she's not from around here. A New York (Queens) native, her husband is from Long Island, and they love it here! You will have your chance to vote for your favorite dessert, non-dessert, best booth and best all around restaurant. These restaurants are competitive!

Nancy doesn't have a website right now but you can call at 771-3050 or email her at cakemaker47@aol.com to learn all about the fabulous wedding cakes and special occasion creations she'll make for you. You won't be disappointed!

NOMA Urban Bar & Grill

2009-04-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

We are getting so excited about Taste of the Town coming up May 2nd! It’s 17 days and counting and we’re all running around with our hair on fire wrapping up all of the details!

If you haven't been to NOMA Urban Bar & Grill at the corner of Fourth and North Marshall Streeets, be sure to stop by. Currently a two story, beautifully decorated grill, it's where you can get fabulous mac n' cheese (their best seller) and meatloaf that'll take you right back home. That's real comfort food. Described as a contemporary approachable bar, it is all that and more.

They will open the new basement area May 8th, the night before Salute! That night there will be a winemaker’s dinner so get your reservations in for that. The room will seat 30 and will be available for private parties. Set with a wide screen TV, you can reserve it for your own sports event or Oscar Party. NOMA will be holding parties there on a regular basis as well.

Stop by NOMA when you're downtown and say "hi" to Chuck King, Operations Manager of NOMA and Sixth and Vine. He and Michael Johnson, the GM, along with the rest of the friendly staff will be there to make your visit delicious. You can see their menu at www.noma-ws.com also.

Finnigan's Wake Pub and Kitchen

2009-04-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

I dropped by to see Opie (Philip Kirby) at Finnigan's Wake Pub the other evening after work. It was a relaxed friendly crowd with some watching the Masters and some watching soccer, but most just chatting. Opie was tending bar and serving food to the customers. He knows nearly everyone that comes through the door at Finnigan's Wake.

Opie and John Cahoon are the owners of Finnigan's Wake and I have to say, they are a very community minded restaurant. It seems they are involved in every event going on around the city, including our upcoming Taste of the Town, plus the Celtic Festival and Salute! Opie has been involved in Taste of the Town since it came back in 2003. We appreciate his community spirit!

Finnigan's Wake always has their own party going on as well. If it's not their unbelievable St. Patrick's Day celebration, it's the St. Baldrick's celebration in September (9-12-09 this year) where they encourage everyone to have their head shaved right out in front of the restaurant with proceeds go to children's cancer research.

With summer coming fast and furious, be sure to check out the new patio out back. It's under the canopy of trees and is a great place to eat in good weather. In fact in May they'll be having oysters on the halfshell Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays on the patio. Not into oysters? If you're a vegetarian, this is also the place to go. They feature numerous dishes that would suit you like my favorite, Opie's Arti-cakes. They are wonderful little patties of artichokes fried to perfection and served with a roasted red pepper aoli. I have to say though that my favorite entree on the menu is the Guinness Stew served over homemade mashed potatoes. This is not a light meal, anything but. But if you're looking for comfort food, this will fill the bill! It is so full of flavor with beef, onions, potatoes, turnips, carrots, and of course the Guinness; you can't beat it.

If you haven't been for a while, you can check out the menu and the goings-on at their website at www.fwpub.net/dnnhome/. Trust me, this is not just pub food!

Blue Ridge Ice Creams

2009-04-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Do you remember when Blue Ridge Ice Creams used to be over on Coliseum Drive? I think K&W was still on the second level at that time. Blue Ridge opened over there about 20 years ago. It seems like they've been at 135 Stratford Road, next to Schiffman's Jewelers, forever.

Around Winston-Salem, it's hard to talk about really good ice cream without thinking of Blue Ridge. Deb and Scott do such a great job of creating flavors, it really seems like a science.

If you are unaware, we have two competitions for the restaurants at the Taste of the Town. One is determined by the patrons, voting on their favorite dessert, non-dessert, booth design and best all-around restaurant. Additionally, we have three professional chefs who judge their top three favorite all-around restaurants. I had no idea how competitive the restaurants were before we started giving the awards.

In 2007, Deb made two new flavors for Taste of the Town. Since, after all this is a Kentucky Derby party, she brought a Mint Julep Sorbet plus a chocolate-nut-caramel ice cream that for lack of a better term we'll call Kentucky Pie (due to copyright infringements, we can't use the real name). More on this another day.

The judges that year were Michael Hastings, Food Editor for the Winston-Salem Journal; Al Romano, instructor at GTCC's Culinary Arts Program; and Don McMillan, long time Winston-Salem chef and GTCC instructor as well.

They got up on stage to announce their three best restaurants. They explained how ice cream NEVER wins any culinary prizes but that they had to make an exception because Debbie's new flavors were so extraordinary. They awarded her a special prize for her Mint Julep sorbet and "Kentucky Pie" ice cream!

Debbie makes Italian gelato at her shop as well; it's a lower fat ice cream, a European version, and it is delicious. I asked what some of her new flavors were and she said the Honey Lavender and Strawberry Balsamic were new and soon she'll have a Hummingbird flavor, like a Hummingbird Cake.

Music on the courtyard beside Blue Ridge begins this year on Thursday, May 21st at 6:30. Opening that evening will be the Triad Youth Jazz Ensemble, followed by Martha Bassett! By then the weather will be perfect for eating ice cream and listening to some smooth sounds. Every Thursday during the summer you'll hear music on the courtyard beginning at 7pm, so check it out.

To find out what else is new at Blue Ridge Ice Creams, check out their website at www.blueridgeicecreams.com. If you come to the Taste, you can try Deb's new flavor!

Sociale Gourmet

2009-04-07T04:52:00.001-07:00

I stopped by Sociale Gourmet the other day to say hello to Donna Harris, the owner, and found things have changed since my last visit. Sociale Gourmet is not just a "make and take" establishment anymore, they're now a restaurant.

Located at 380 Knollwood St., Suite M, Sociale Gourmet has been doing "make and take" really well for a few years now. You can run in there and pick up already assembled dinners to take home and cook for 2-3 or 4-6 people. They are very reasonably priced and very tasty.

Your other option was to make an appointment to come in and put together the meals you want yourself. There are usually 20 meals to choose from and if there are ingredients in the recipe that you don't like, you leave them out. This works for me because my son really dislikes onions.
If you forget to make an appointment, there's the third option; go on Wednesday for "Walk-in Wednesday". You can walk in and prepare your meals at your leisure, no appointment.

Now you have the option of stopping by for breakfast or lunch. Breakfast consists of sweet breads and muffins, bagels and cereals. A box lunch is prepared for you to take or eat on the premises. The best news to me is they use Boar's Head Brand meats and cheeses for sandwiches. You can also get tasty salads like Spinach-Strawberry Salad or Maple Honey Waldorf Salad. It's all fast, good and reasonably priced. Oh, and they deliver too.

Donna will be at the Taste of the Town again this year. She always has a great time! This year she's dressing up like a pirate and has some great surprises in store for everyone who attends.

If you want to make an appointment to make your dinner or just check out her menu, go to her website at www.socialgourmet.com or call 837-0661.

Thank you to our sponsors

2009-04-06T04:17:00.000-07:00

If you are not aware, Family Services, Inc. is a private non-profit, United Way agency. We are celebrating our 104th birthday currently and experiencing a difficult economy for raising operating funds.

Taste of the Town is our one big fundraising event of the year, the funds from which are used to support our very important programs. When it came time to find sponsors for Taste of the Town, you might expect that we weren't very optimistic.

That's why I want to use this space to thank those companies who have stepped up to support this year's Taste of the Town and let them know how much we appreciate their sponsorships. Please consider giving your business to these companies as well as to the restaurants participating because they are all good community supporters.

The sponsors are: Keller Williams Realty, Versa Technologies, Inc., Starbucks Coffee Co., Truliant Federal Credit Union, Southern Community Bank and Trust, Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, Young Chefs' Academy, Salute-the North Carolina Wine Festival, ADP TotalSource, Tarheel Paper Co., Butler & Burke, Certified Public Accountants, Frame Gallery and Paul C. Spanos/Community Employee Benefits. You can see a list of the participating restaurants on the right side of this blog along with links to their websites.

Thank you to all of our supporters, both for financial contributions as well as inkind gifts. Thank you for helping Family Services, Inc. build strong families in healthy communities.

The Old Fourth Street Filling Station

2009-03-31T04:17:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to have The Old Fourth Street Filling Station back at Taste of the Town this year! General Manager and Chef, Adam Andrews says they will bring their chocolate fountain again this year with all the goodies for dipping like marshmallows, fruit, pretzels, and cake. This has been such a hit with young and old! By the end of the evening, there are few people left who don't have chocolate on them somewhere. And it makes for a beautiful booth as well! All of the dipping items, especially the strawberries and other fruit are beautifully arranged, waiting to be skewered and dipped.

Adam tells me that they are trying to be sensitive to the economy by holding weekly 'Thrifty Thursdays". Every Thursday, from 5pm until closing, all entrees are $5 off! "The food you love, comfort you need, at prices you can afford", I think says it all.

They have also made some changes in the menu for lunch, dinner and brunch. I especially thought the Fried Oyster Benedict for brunch sounded outstanding.

Just as a reminder, Adam has agreed to feature the winning Kentucky Style Pie recipe on his menu for the two weeks following Taste of the Town. I hope you get out to The Old Fourth Street Filling Station to try it; if you need the hours or directions, see their website at www.theoldfourthstreetfillingstation.com.

Kentucky Style Pie Contest

2009-03-27T02:57:00.000-07:00

Family Services and The Taste of the Town are doing something new and different in 2009. We're looking for a signature Taste of the Town Pie! If you love to bake, join in the fun and enter the race.

Everyone who enters needs to register prior to April 24th by contacting me, Susan Wiles at 722-8173 or swiles@fsifamily.org. When I hear from you, I'll provide you with the rules of the contest and additional details.

The Kentucky Style Pies will be judged by professional chefs who will determine their favorite three pies. Those three pies will then be judged Friday morning, May 1st on WXII by their morning show personalities. I know Kimberly, Nicole, Austin, Jennie, Kenny and Preeti will thoroughly enjoy that assignment! In the past, we have always taken food from the participating Taste of the Town restaurants to WXII the Friday before the Taste for them to try. That has always been a big hit! I think they'll enjoy pie tasting as well.

Adam Andrews, General Manager and Chef at The Old Fourth Street Filling Station, will be joining us at WXII that morning too. He will be featuring the winning signature Pie recipe on his menu for two weeks following the Taste of the Town. That way everyone will have a chance to decide for themselves how good the winning pie really is. More about Adam next week!

Of course there are three people who will have a chance to taste one of the three best pies. The top three pies will be entered in the silent auction at the Taste of the Town. That's why we are requiring pie entrants to bring two pies from their recipe to enter in the contest. Many of those duplicate pies will go into the silent auction for the public to bid on.

Put on your apron, get out your rolling pin and bowls and give me a call. The recipe does not have to be an original. We just want you to make it yummy! We are looking forward to hearing from the wonderful amateur bakers around the Triad!

2009-03-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

Thank you for exploring the new Taste of the Town Blog! I'm very excited to have this opportunity to tell you about what's happening with the Taste of the Town so that when you do come out on May 2nd for the best party of the year, you'll have a good perspective on the event.

I take care of the restaurants for Taste which means I go to the restaurants and ask them to participate in our fundraiser. Interestingly, Taste of the Town has become a very well attended event and the restaurants that come have a terrific time, while showing off their wonderful cuisine and their staff's personalities. We ask the restaurants to decorate their booths to make the evening even more fun. During the event, the public votes on their favorite Booth, Dessert, Non-Dessert and Best All-around. I've discovered over the last five events, that restaurants are very competitive and thoroughly enjoy the awards ceremony at the end of the evening. We give the top three vote-getters in each category a medal that this year will say 2009 Taste of the Town, Place and Category. That occurs at the end of the evening along with presentation of medals to the top three restaurants voted on by three professional judges. Michael Hastings, Food Editor of the Winston-Salem Journal is one of those judges.

I am asking the restaurants participating to develop a dish/drink that will be featured for two weeks prior to Taste of the Town at their business. It might have a Kentucky Derby theme or just a name that relates to the Taste. This is not a requirement by us but we thought it might bring some new folks out for the Taste and some additional interest in the restaurants. More later on this.

Be sure to check out the list of restaurants at the right side of the page. Each one is attached to its website link so just click on anyone you're interested in.

We look forward to seeing you May 2nd!

You're Invited!

2009-03-12T19:56:00.001-07:00

Family Services, Inc. invites you to the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem on May 2, 2009 from 4 PM to 7 PM for our annual Taste of the Town...Derby Style! As our guest, you can watch the Kentucky Derby, enjoy other entertainment, and participate in a silent auction while sampling the sumptuous "tastes" of over twenty invited restaurants and food establishments. You will have the chance to judge best dessert, best non-dessert, best booth design, and best all around restaurant. It's an excellent opportunity to enjoy great food and the Kentucky Derby while raising funds for Family Services, Inc. Tickets will be available March 30th at all Winston-Salem Lowes Foods locations for $20. At the door they are $25. Tickets can also be purchased at Family Services, Inc., 1200 S. Broad St., Winston-Salem, NC or call (336) 722-8173 for credit card purchases by phone. We can't wait to see you there!

About Family Services, Inc.

2009-03-12T19:54:00.000-07:00

For over 100 years, Family Services, Inc. has been serving families in Forsyth, Stokes and Davie Counties in North Carolina. Each year we assist nearly 2,000 individuals and families by providing a wide array of services to strengthen families through well established programs:

Counseling Services
Adoption Services
Pregnancy Counseling
Head Start
Contact HOPElines
Safe Relationships (which provides prevention and counseling as well as safe shelter)

Family Services, Inc. is committed to strengthening families in healthy communities.