Local beekeepers will host a variety of round table discussions on beekeeping in Davidson, in a “Davidson Beekeepers Summit” Wednesday afternoon at Davidson College. The summit will run from 4:30-6pm at Davidson College Alvarez College Union 900 Room. Read the full story

Missy Kuykendall prepares to taste the soups at a previous Souper Bowl. This year’s event is Feb. 2. (Bill Giduz photo)

The most popular culinary cook-off in Lake Norman — the Davidson Housing Coalition’s “Souper Bowl” — will be held Saturday, Feb. 2, at Davidson College. Eight area restaurants will be serving their tastiest soups from 11am to 2pm in the Lilly Family Gallery of the college’s Chambers Building in the heart of campus.

This year’s competing restaurants are: Brickhouse Tavern, Jeffrey’s Restaurant, Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails, Armin’s Catering, Campania Café & Trattoria, Toast Café, Restaurant X, and Flatiron Kitchen + Taphouse. Read the full story

Award-winning “farm-to-fork” chef Deborah Madison is spending two days at Davidson College this week, with meals open to the public. See below.

Davidson Beverage Co. will host another beer & chocolate tasting this Friday. Meanwhile, a group of Cornelius eateries is joining hands in the first “United We Dine” fundraiser for the United Way, on Friday, Nov. 16. Community School of Davidson High School on Armour Street is organizing a Food Truck Rally, on Friday, Nov. 16 as well, to celebrate the groundbreaking for a big renovation. Restaurants in Charlotte and the Lake Norman area will celebrate National Hospice Month in November with “Dining Out for Hospice.”And in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, local restaurants with ties in the Northeast are holding fundraisers to help with storm relief funds. Read the full story

By CAMILA DOMONOSKE
DavidsonNews.net

What’s the saying about March? In like a lion, out like a lamb-covered-in-inchworms? Is that how it goes? Take your mind off the little green worm infestation with something a little more appetizing – like ice cream, sushi, or a smorgasbord of options. From a Ben and Jerry’s fundraiser to the Sushi and Sake festival to Charlotte’s 17th Annual Taste of the Nation event, charity-minded diners have plenty of options coming up soon. We also have details on Alton’s Kitchen Easter brunch, lots of local music, and a party just for French speakers. Bon appetit! Read the full story

PBS Chef Joanne Weir visited with Davidson residents who joined a meal at Davidson College Wednesday. From left, John Kimbirl, Bob Allen, Weir, Ed McLean and Harold Beaver. (Cathryn Westra photo)

Ms. Weir's lunch is served at Davidson College's Vail Commons. (Katie Lovett/DavidsonNews.net)

By KATIE LOVETT
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson College’s Vail Commons on Wednesday transformed from a college dining hall into a gourmet restaurant as part of a visit from chef and television personality Joanne Weir. Students filled their trays with pork loin topped with onion, orange, and raisin marmalade; fire roasted potatoes, vegetable gratin; zucchini fritters; mushroom crostini; and oven-roasted beet soup with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Ms. Weir was the first in what Davidson Dining Services director Dee Phillips hopes will become an annual series of celebrity chef visit to Davidson College. Read the full story

Best overall soup went to Jeffrey's of Lake Norman, for a cream of parsnip. Accepting the honor from Marcia Webster (left) and Margaret Martens (right) of Davidson Housing Coalition were Kerri Williams and young Nicholas Riddle, son of sou-chef Joshua Baxley. (Bill Giduz photo)

Jeffrey’s of Lake Norman restaurant in Mooresville walked away with the big prize Saturday at the eighth annual Souper Bowl, a soup cook-off among local chefs that raises money for the Davidson Housing Coalition‘s HAMMERS emergency home repair program. The event drew more than 400 diners to Davidson College’s Lilly Family Gallery for food, music and a silent auction.

Everyone who sampled the soup helped pick winners, in  categories from most creative to best vegetarian. Read the full story

An employee of The Egg at Davidson served during last year's Davidson Housing Coalition Souper Bowl fund-raiser. (Bill Jin photo)

The Souper Bowl, a soup cook-off among local chefs that raises money for affordable housing – has become a tradition on Super Bowl weekend in Davidson. This year’s competition is Saturday, Feb. 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Davidson College’s Chambers building, Lilly Family Gallery. The lunch includes food, live music and a silent art auction.

The annual event is a benefit for Davidson Housing Coalition, which helps create and preserve affordable housing and prepare people for financial stability and home ownership. Read the full story

Joanne Weir

TV chef Joanne Weir will be at Davidson College on Wednesday, Feb. 8, for a talk and Mediterranean lunch. Ms. Weir is host of the public television series “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Class” and a new series titled “Joanne Weir’s Cooking Confidence.”

She’ll be here to meet fans, talk about cuisine, and offer a Mediterranean luncheon she has inspired. The event will continue from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. in Davidson College’s Vail Commons dining hall.

The cost of the luncheon is $9.75. For information call 704-894-2600 or email crmombert@davidson.edu.

Dee Phillips is Davidson College's director of dining services (Davidson College photo)

By KATIE LOVETT
DavidsonNews.net

The phrase “college dining hall” often conjures images of rubbery mac-and-cheese, canned green beans, and bland, frozen chicken nuggets. But that’s not the case at Davidson College, where the campus’s Dining Services focuses on sustainable business practices and cooking from scratch to deliver healthy, delicious meals to students.

Director of Dining Services Dee Phillips has been working hard to decrease Davidson’s carbon footprint. After more than 30 years in food services and eight years as the director at Davidson, Ms. Phillips has the knowledge and experience to bring about change. She also welcomes student voices through feedback dinners, a recipe request program, and comment cards. Read the full story

By KATIE LOVETT

Kristie Middleton

Monday – it comes around every week, whether we like it or not. We grudgingly leave behind weekend relaxation mode and plan for the busy days ahead. For a growing number of Americans, Monday marks more than just the beginning of another week of work, school and carpools: It’s “Meatless Monday.”

Meatless Monday is a trend taking hold across the United States that can have many benefits, according to Kristie Middleton of the Humane Society of the United Sates, who spoke Sunday night at Davidson College.

Read the full story

Natalie Tagher asks Food Club Member Sara Nordstrand about the local products sold at Davidson College's new Food Cart.

By MADELEINE DICK-GODFREY
DavidsonNews.net

From New York City to San Francisco to Charlotte, high-class food trucks are leaving old-fashioned lunch trucks in the dust. Instead of packaged ice cream, hotdogs, or burritos, these trucks are serving up inexpensive gourmet meals from local ingredients.

Now Davidson College students are getting in on the act. The Davidson College Food Club recently launched its Food Cart, an on-campus spin on the food truck phenomenon. Read the full story

Mary Jane Leach

Mary Jane Leach says she will step down this spring as market manager at the Davidson Farmer’s Market, which she has help build over the past few years into one of the region’s most popular weekend markets. The market’s board has formed a hiring committee and will begin a search in March for someone to take over from Ms. Leach in May.

Read the full story

Breads made from Louise Nelson's sourdough starter. At right is a raisin loaf. (David Boraks/DavidsonNews.net)

By BRENDA BARGER
DavidsonNews.net

Our former colleague Laurie Dennis swung through town last weekend to pick up her things on her way to Madison, Wis. Those “things” included a sourdough starter that has a fascinating 25-year local history.

How many in town were recipients of a loaf of home-baked bread from the late Louise Nelson?  Louise, an esteemed economics professor at Davidson College from 1964-1988, was also a distinguished baker of bread.  Each loaf had its beginning in a jar of sour dough starter that she proudly kept going by feeding weekly for more than 25 years.  Read the full story