Hogwash hickory smoked porter chocolate cake, cherries, and chocolate buttercream.

Crumb

Raleigh, NC

info@justcrumb.com

919.413.8134

www.justcrumb.com (link)

I’ve been itching to get these guys ‘on the books’ for some time now.  Crumb features the creations of Carrie Nickerson and David Menestres who currently do not have a brick and mortar location but have been gaining much notoriety as of late, supplying upon order, many options for cakes, cupcakes, muffins, pies, and other delights.  I was able to get this shot due to a new offering that they have in conjunction with Escazu.  It seems every Thursday Escazu will be offering slices of a Crumb-made cake using Escazu chocolate.  Get some details here on their blog.  This particular trifecta includes Fullsteam’s Hogwash hickory smoked porter, that’s right Crumb, Escazu and Fullsteam in one bite.

Escazu website

Fullsteam website

Escazu Artisan Chocolates

936 North Blount St.

Raleigh, NC 27604

919.832.3433

www.escazuchocolates.com (link)

The owners of Escazu have just recently moved their retail operations to new space combining it with their artisan’s factory where the chocolates are born.  When contemplating their new surroundings I can’t help but relate their process of chocolate making to life in general, I realize this may be getting a bit too Chocolat (the movie) but last night I had some lucid dreams where I chose to fly around and explore, so this morning I’m experiencing some pensive mindsets.  Put on some boots and buckle up, it’s gonna get thick and bumpy.  Having recently moved part-time to Raleigh, I can attest to the awakenings provided by new digs, of which Escazu must surely be experiencing.  Change is good, sometimes difficult, but if embraced with that fact placed in the proper lobes, then change will eventually lean positive.  It is during these times of change that internal and ingrained wiring is reset, shifting our perceptions, creating new connections and seeding the ground for new growth (ahhh the cocoa bean is planted).  As one travels a lifetime, inevitable and repeated experience with change will force individuals to form their own processes with which they practice change, a process reflected in chocolate making.  Some aspects of change will involve choice and selection, similar to the choosing of a proper cocoa bean, life’s choices are often foundations that hold the essence to later flavors.  In Escazu’s chocolate making process the beans are then roasted and cracked to remove the husk.  I liken these processes to the simmering and unveiling of truths in ideas and thought.  Through contemplation and examination, one discovers new realities to put into use in an attempt to verify their validity, testing them in the workings of an individual life. (Damn, your in it now).  The chocolate nibs, left over from the shucking process are then placed into an antique stone grinder and ground, sometimes for days.  This is the practicing of new concepts, mentioned before, the daily grind.  The weight of the world pummels a chocolate life and breaks it down, reshaping it, transforming it.  Repeated revolutions, monotonous drone, the challenge of existence.  Other ingredients are sometimes added during the grinding process, some sugar, maybe vanilla.  As in life, one adds past experiences to the mix, bringing past knowledge to new ideas, learning and growing along the way, making of the mixture what they will.  As growth happens and past choices form new opportunities, new days take on shape and the seeds of change become realized as with chocolate poured into molds, forming little gems of sweet living.  After being formed the chocolate is wrapped in gold and silver linings, then packaged with declarations, definitions, names and titles being given to each creation.  With life this package is similar to our own thoughts and ideas on living itself, our newly learned truth, dressed up, titled and ready to share with others.  The only thing left to do is enjoy until you run out, then start a new batch.  If you need some help during the process, stop by Escazu’s new retail shop, peek into the factory process, sip some coffee and taste a bit of their life’s work.  Live well.  (you may now unbuckle and hose the muck off you boots, it’s out of my system…back to the grind).

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Pomegranate

Chipotle Chili & Vanilla bar

Dark Chocolate Cherry Vodka (front)

coffee break

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Spize Cafe

121 Fayetteville St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.828.5000

www.spizecafe.com (link)

I crouch down once again peeking through the viewfinder at the dish in front of me.  It is placed on a metal chair in an attempt to get a silver-washed background to add interest and emphasize the clean and modern space that houses Spize Cafe.  The prawns have once again slid down the noodles, off of their perch, begging for yet another tweaking and having their way with me.  Lil’ buggers.  I can hear them snicker, mocking me.  ”You can’t style food!” they heckle.  I grab one by the tail and can feel the vibration of laughter pulse through it’s last bit of shell in my fingers.  I once again place the unruly Decapoda atop the noodles, check the position and hurry my greasy fingers back to the camera for a quick fire.  As I check the screen to verify my placement another sound begins to drown the audible amusement of jeering prawns.  It is a sound familiar to me.  Not only have I heard this sound before but it’s one that I have created myself many lifetimes ago.  I think most men my age have personal experiences with this sound.  One couldn’t have possibly traveled through the universe during those formidable “Star Wars” influenced years and not perfected it.  A manipulation of muscles around the mouth combined with perfectly timed breathing distortions, once learned and refined, could bring to life any handheld object, real or imagined and form a respectable laser blaster.  These laser shooting sounds emanate from the door marked ‘office’ where the son of Meechai and Jacq Kowae amuses himself in creative play while his parents ready the restaurant for the evening’s dinner service.  Being a family run establishment I imagine the lad is forming quite a few childhood memories as he spends time at Spize, nuances that will be ingrained into his being.  Will he remember the smell of grilling cumin chicken? Or the sound a serrated blade makes when halving a baguette?  Will the laughter and friendly faces of the crew at the grill play like a movie when he reminisces to his days as a boy?  Will the sounds of grilling vegetables and the chatter of a packed dining room remind him of the times when he was playing, in the back room of his parents restaurant with his laser gun?  His imagination inspires me,  making sure to wait until the mischievous prawns are watching me I create my very own imaginary laser gun.  I wave it a bit in the air, to show them I mean business before strapping it into it’s “Han Solo” holster.  I peer into the viewfinder once again only to see them cooperative and upright, knowing the doom fated to them if they continue their shenanigans towards the dark side.

Having run similar restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area, Meechai and Jacq Kowae are accustomed to providing hungry patrons with a pleasant mix of their Pan-Asian eats.  From soups to salads, noodle salads and baguettes to small and large plate entrees, Spize Cafe offers plenty of options to quell the hunger if you are in Downtown Raleigh and are in need.  Adding to their counter service of mouthwatering offerings the management of Spize have taken on a positive approach to being eco-friendly by serving all of their dishes using only trays, platters, silver and napkins that are made of renewable and biodegradable materials such as corn, sugar cane and bamboo.  They also pride themselves on their organic wine offerings including French Rabbit Pinot Noir, packaged in earth friendly containers and Live A Little Ravishing Red, fair-trade and organically certified.

Visit their website here to see weekly specials and menus.

or follow them on twitter or facebook.

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Baguette -Cumin Chicken w/ Sweet-chilli mayo

White-Peppered Prawns noodle salad

Lemongrass pork w/ soy vinaigrette glaze, steamed Jasmine rice, mixed grilled veggies w/ ginger

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

'nana puddin'

Carolina Style Ribs, bbq baked beans, collard greens, biscuit, hush puppies

The Pit (Authentic Barbecue)

328 W. Davie St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.890.4500

www.thepit-raleigh.com (link)

Everything but…

When mucking around in a new town, inquiring into culinary notoriety, earshot rings with familiar themes on repeated play.   Names precede faces and within a few conversations, one can really gain a sense of the big game in town.  The legends of lore stand tall in individual descriptions of great feasts and draw those unacquainted to the homes of heroes, in search of an experience that hopefully confirms, a legend to be true.  Upon verification, the story lives and breathes through yet another teller, to be heard by those that have shared in the adventure and those that can only listen, and wonder with Pavlovian dripped chins…and as this legend goes…

Ed Mitchell’s barbecue passions began decades ago in Wilson, North Carolina.  Learning the craft from family members Ed keeps traditions alive through his recipes and techniques.  He began by selling barbecue out of a family run grocery store eventually shifting the business to a full-on restaurant.  After gaining notice on a national level for quality barbecue Mitchell ran into an unfortunate string of events that lead to the foreclosure of his business and also some time in court.  Fortunately this new found time with a lawyer led him to an introduction to Greg Hatem from Empire Eats, a restaurant group in Raleigh.  Ed and Greg joined forces to open the Pit showcasing Ed’s Whole Hog barbecue but in a more than usual ‘upscale setting’ that barbecue is accustomed.  The pairing of the two allows Ed to concentrate on being ‘the pitmaster’, in a uniform of plaid shirts and overalls, gracing tv spots on the Today Show and Man V. Food while leaving the business responsibilities to Hatem and team at Empire Eats.  Starting with North Carolina raised all natural hog, Mitchell is one of a few that represent true Whole Hog barbecue using “Everything but the squeal”…”from the rooter to the tooter”.  Mitchell’s Whole Hog harvest is paired with sides based on family recipes but also feature some additions with a contemporary flair prepared under the watch of the Pit’s Executive Chef, Lauren Smaxwell.  Check out the full menu options here.

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Ed Mitchell-Pitmaster

Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Fries, Stewed Green Beans

Barbecue Fries-hand-cut fries with melted pimento cheese, chopped 'cue, chives and bbq ranch dressing

Pineapple Upside-down Cake w/candied pecans, caramel sauce, house made bourbon ice cream

All content ©Mark Petko Photography (click here for permission)

Busy Bee Cafe

225 S. Wilmington St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.424.7817

www.busybeeraleigh.com (link)

How little my brain functions.  How unjust it can often be.  Sometimes, my judgemental perceptions can really lead me astray.  I have driven past the Busy Bee Cafe a couple of times previous to my shoot there and have before viewed their website.  For some reason I had the notion that this place was more of a ‘diner’ type setting offering hearty breakfasts and sandwiches in classic fashion.  Little did I know and surprised I was to see what was actually present upon my arrival.  Having received a grand tour from the GM, Woody, I quickly came to realize that this is more than a hearty grub-n-go.  The Busy Bee Cafe is a gem of a find offering a grand spectrum to please any rumblin’ stomachs.  From assorted coffees and pastries, to well thought cuisine, to a full bar of mixed bag brews, the Busy Bee is surely able to nourish many of your ingesting desires and is a far cry from my initial notions of simple ‘diner’ style.  Jeremy Clayman, Executive chef provides an assortment of interesting dishes heavily riddled with local, seasonal, organic, and fresh staples.  Even though the menu displayed on the website may read simple, there is undeniable complexity and care involved which hopefully can be seen in some of the following images.

Not only is the Busy Bee Cafe open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but the owners have added ‘the Hive’ for evening and late night visits.  Located above the Cafe, with an entrance next to the Cafe front door, the Hive boast a bar area as well as an outdoor rooftop patio with city views.  With enough space for bands and DJs the Hive becomes a-buzz with activity as the sun falls aground.

This toddler age establishment has already been making waves gaining a ‘mention’ on Greg Cox’s top 25 list of best restaurants (almost making the 4 star rating) and also topping his Top 10 newcomers list.  If consistency and persistence remain at the Bee I wouldn’t be surprised to see them next year on the list.

Have a gander and pay them a visit, let them know you saw them here and enjoy.

Bruschetta- local beets (roasted, pureed, powdered), local "Goat Lady" Chevre, Orange supremes (& powdered orange zest), Orange chips

Caesar Salad- Romaine, Grama Padano parm. crisp & grated, blk pepper, lemon supremes, baguettes

Winter Squash Tart- Butternut squash & puree, acorn squash, queesland blue squash, cheddar cheese, allspice, shiitake & oyster mushrooms, puff pastry, granny smith apple butter.

(Poached w/ Sous Vide) Shank of Local Rabbit- local sunchokes, edamame, oyster mushroom, poached & pan fried Veal Sweetbreads, local sweet potato

Poulet Rouge Breast- Hoppin John (Carolina Gold Rice & Sea Island Red Peas), Crispy Collard Greens, Bourbon-blk pepper chicken jus.

Get busy and tell’em that you spotted it all on Spoonfed (Raleigh).

All images and words ©2010 Mark Petko