The former Midtown Sundries on Lake Norman could become a new restaurant soon. (David Boraks photo)

The vacant Midtown Sundries on Lake Norman in Cornelius could get new life as a waterfront restaurant soon in a deal being put together by Brickhouse Tavern owner Nick Lyssikatos. Meanwhile, Fireside Bar & Grill has opened up in the former Pelican’s Patio site on West Catawba Avenue. And several area restaurants are offering specials for Mother’s Day and other special events this weekend. Read the full story

Ginger, rosemary and lemon sweet tea.

Last weekend a client asked me to make a non-alcoholic drink for a party.  I did a little research and stumbled across this recipe for a non-alcoholic spritzer on theKitchn website.   It was everything you would want in a drink:  full of flavor, refreshing, and interesting enough to not miss the alcohol.

The flavor of the drink , which is primarily composed of sparkling water, comes from a simple syrup infused with orange, lemon, and rosemary.  It’s yummy stuff and stored in a mason jar in my fridge, it didn’t last long.  Before the week was out,  I found myself in need of making another batch. Read the full story

John Baker is getting ready to move his Davidson Beverage Co. next door after a vacancy opened up at South Main Square. (David Boraks photo)

Davidson Beverage Co. in South Main Square in Davidson is celebrating its first anniversary this week by planning for a move. The specialty beer store and tasting room plans to move at mid-month into more visible space facing South Main Street. The move was made possible by last week’s closing of Legacy Supply Co. Read the full story

Southern caviar incorporates black-eyed peas and veggies. (Nikki Sawyer Moore photo)

Beans are a pantry staple in my house. Economical and a good source of protein, they can be kept around in canned and dried form.  Canned beans in particular are good in an emergency when the pantry is bare and people are hungry.

Heated with a few seasonings one can serve them atop rice, throw them into a salad, or blend them into a quick dip.   Canned beans compared to dried beans are a time-saver, but they are also more expensive and often contain a high amount of sodium.  I justify the higher price based upon convenience, and I cut the sodium by always rinsing canned beans under water before serving.  This simple step can reduce the sodium count by up to 50% and makes me feel better about taking the shortcut. Read the full story

Mussels with white wine, shallots and tomatoes. (Nikki Sawyer Moore photo)

I typically advocate a jump right-in approach to cooking.   After all, more often than not, it’s a lack of confidence on the part of the cook that gets them in trouble.   The nervous back and forth between the dish on the stove, rapidly charring before them in a most undesirable way, to the recipe, where they search for answers.  When should I remove it from the skillet?  Is this golden brown?  Has it been exactly 3 minutes?  Is it normal for it to be smoking this much?

Most people would benefit from relying on their own instincts a bit more.  Despite our personal cooking skills, most of us know what burnt looks like and most problems in the kitchen are easily solved with a little commonsense.  With that being said, there are some things that need a bit of prior knowledge on the part of the cook in order to be approached with confidence.  Mussels are one of these things. Read the full story

Meatballs on Main, which operated less than a year in an old house on North Main Street in Cornelius, closed abruptly on Tuesday, leaving behind unpaid employees and surprised customers. Read the full story