Homemade Guest Series: Spring Brunch pt. 1

Spring has arrived, the Tailgate Markets are opening, and the Homemade Guest Series begins! I'll be joined each month by one or more guests: chefs, food professionals, and massively passionate home cooks. Together we'll explore one of our many local Tailgate Markets, and once fully stocked and inspired, our guest cook will plot a meal while I collect some beautiful handmade pottery for its compliment.

Each Guest Series will appear here in two parts. Part One will be the Market visit, and Part Two the making of the meal, including recipes. And for those who are used to my rambling, narrative suggestions of recipes, prepare yourselves as we'll be presenting actual recipes (but I reserve the right to liberal use of the phrase "to taste"). Let the seasonal, local eating begin!

April Guest Series: Spring Brunch

This month, my guest is Matt Clark, co-owner of Bittersweet Cottage & Suite in Asheville with his partner, Stephen DerMargosian. Matt has always had a love of good food, and while he honed some skills working in catering, his natural abilities, along with his passion for food and for cooking, are what makes an invitation to his table highly coveted by all who know him. Bittersweet Cottage & Suite is a peaceful, private, and romantic getaway tucked away on Elk Mountain Scenic Highway and yet just minutes from downtown Asheville. Learn more and see how lovely it is HERE.

Spring Brunch, Part One:

We visited the Wednesday afternoon Tailgate Market at the

 French Broad Food Co-op, and found all sorts of goodies for inspiration:

We found tender kale among lots of green goodies in the Jake's Farm booth

Lori from MiLo Acres showing off the quail eggs we just bought.

Could not pass up a crusty baguette from Simple Bread!

Spring Brunch just wouldn't be right without ramps! Also from MiLo Acres.

Lamb sausage from Dry Ridge Farm completed our shopping.

Our Market haul, with some walnuts and sunflower sprouts from the Co-op
and a jar of Matt's homemade pickled beets & onions.

Stay tuned to see how these luscious, local ingredients came together to make a beautiful brunch. One final teaser - here was the view from our brunch table on the patio outside Bittersweet Cottage:

aaaaaahhhhhh!