The Highest Restaurant In Eastern America

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Mount Mitchell - the highest peak of the Appalachian mountains and the highest peak in eastern America. So naturally, the Mt. Mitchell Restaurant = the highest restaurant in eastern America! How awesome is that!

I drove to Mt. Mitchell just for the restaurant, but the hikes were an added bonus. The view from the restaurant was gorgeous though it was a bit foggy that afternoon.

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The lodge-like restaurant seems to be run by a family that actually lives in the area. The staff is very friendly and all have cute Southern accents. The menu consists of sandwiches and dishes expected from a Southern restaurant. I ordered one of their signature dishes, local deep-fried trout with a side of chili, baked sweet potato, and corn bread.

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And for dessert, I had some fresh peach cobbler.

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I pretty much cleaned everything. Especially after hiking for 2 hours - there are some beautiful trails. It’s pretty cool to say that I’ve been to the “highest restaurant in eastern America,” but if you’re coming here just for the food, don’t expect it to be five-star. A lovely experience though!

Why You Should Support Farmer's Markets If You Love Food

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Some people argue that it’s important to support our local economy, our local businesses, and our local farmers. And yes, all the politics and economic talk are dandy, but the real reason to support farmer’s markets is straight-out simple: fresh and natural tasting produce.

This summer, I have been in Charlotte, and even though it’s a “city,” it still has a lot of its agricultural heritage. It’s rather unfortunate that I have only lived in big metropolitan areas, and it may be miles to get to a down-to-earth farmer’s market. What do I mean by that? As the whole organic trend has been on the rise, farmer’s markets advertise “organic” or locate themselves in higher end areas to make sure they attract those “health-conscious stay-at-home moms” (cough Matthews Farmer’s Market cough). It’s a given that all of us want to eat organic produce, but the reality is, not all of us can afford it. High prices and inconvenient locations, why should we ever venture there?

Enter solution: Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market = 2 warehouses full of fresh and AFFORDABLE produce. Farmers all around the Carolinas bring their yummy goods whether it be grass fed beef or “airlume” tomatoes, you know you’re getting a good deal when you’re spending the same amount as you usually would at a grocery store.

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More importantly, the truth happens at home - when you bite into those fresh peaches and blueberries. I love cutting tomatoes because you can never predict their seed patterns unlike mass-produced cookie-cutter tomatoes from the store. If you truly love food, you will realize it simply makes sense to buy better tasting ingredients. And you support the local farmers at the same time!

There are lots of resources online to find your local farmer’s market, find yours today!