Cary's Sandra Gutierrez needs you to eat more empanadas—and wants to show you how to make them

Indy Week photos by Jeremy M. Lange

After a year in which she published two well-received cookbooks and traveled often to promote them in readings, signings and cooking demonstrations across America, Sandra Gutierrez welcomed 2016 in the best way she could imagine: cozied up with family in her Cary home, where she made short-cut collard empanadas with pre-packaged Goya wrappers.

"It's good to know how to make the dough, but these let anybody make empanadas anytime," says the author of Empanadas: The Hand-Held Pies of Latin America, as she tears into one stuffed with a traditional Argentine combination of stewed beef, chopped olives and raisins. "There are thousands of recipes, some of them complicated, but you can make delicious empanadas from leftovers. You can even use eggroll wrappers. Enjoying good food with your family is more important than making every single thing from scratch."

Released last spring, Empanadas empowers home cooks to prepare dozens of the variations popular throughout Latin America. But the Guatemala native is on a timely, relevant quest to broaden the already wide appeal of these portable pies—especially in the South, where fried hand pies have a beloved place in the culinary canon. In both Empanadas and Beans & Field Peas, a Savor the South book published in September by the University of North Carolina Press, Gutierrez delivers recipes with rich historical context that also consider the busy lifestyles of American cooks who hope to get dinner on the table quickly.

By making these recipes more approachable, Gutierrez has become a vital figure in the changing foodways of the Triangle, where authentic Latin fare is finally making inroads in a scene once clogged with gloppy combination plates and stale tortilla chips. In the last several years, more than a dozen restaurants offering and often updating the cuisine of Latin America have become area favorites. Many of them, like Calavera in Raleigh and Carrboro and the new Luna and Makus in Durham, even specialize in empanadas. When Gutierrez first settled in Cary in 1993, she couldn't have imagined such a change.

Gutierrez sat down at home over a batch of empanadas to discuss her career and the changes in cuisine all around her.

INDY: You've published four cookbooks in four years, starting with The New Southern-Latino Table and Latin American Street Food, both produced by UNC Press. To what do you credit this success?

Sandra Gutierrez: I've had fortunate timing to be part of the growing interest in Latino culture.Empanadas was my surprise book; I got that offer three weeks after committing to Beans & Field Peas. Empanadas are trendy right now, but I think they're here to stay because of the influx of Latinos all over the United States. It's only a matter of time before everyone discovers how great they are; I don't think anyone who grew up with Pop-Tarts should have any trouble relating to an empanada.

Americans have the tendency to assume that all Hispanic cultures are similar, but empanadas vary considerably across Latin America. What accounts for this?

Tamales and empanadas are everywhere. Tortillas are not; they're just in Mexico and central America, and then they disappear. But as you travel, you find that empanada doughs are very different. You'll find wheat-based dough, like tender pastries, because it's what the Spaniards brought.

But as the indigenous peoples of the Americas fell in love with handheld pies, the dough began to change. If you go to the Latin Caribbean and Central America, you'll find dough made with plantains, which is gluten free. In Brazil, you find dough made of cassava or yucca—also completely gluten free. In Mexico and Guatemala, you find masa—again, gluten free. Because of this, nearly everyone can eat empanadas.

The empanada is a versatile filling conveyance; surely you've encountered awful Americanized versions?

Nothing terrible, really. Fillings originate from whatever is left over in someone's home. People sometimes tell me my recipes are not "authentic." They are—it's a matter of authentic to whom? The ingredients and seasonings vary based on where you are. Sometimes the dough is baked, sometimes fried. Peanut butter and jelly works in a pastry; apple pie filling also works. It's like a Southern fried pie.

What distinguishes an empanada from a hand pie, then?

The name. The concept exists all over the world, and we have the Persians to thank. Almost every culture has them. You'll find the "pasty" in the British countries, and phyllo is used for spanakopita in Greece. Empanadas lend themselves to being tweaked for American flavors. Americans love pie. What's the saying—we're as American as apple pie? You can add whatever you like. I like to think that any stew can be put in an empanada, any pie filling. A classic combination in Latin America is a white cheese and preserves; imagine that here with local fig preserves and goat cheese. Now that would make a wonderful empanada.

What are some of your favorite area restaurants for Latino food?

MachuPicchu in Raleigh is a great example of authentic Peruvian food. Guasaca Arepa is Venezuelan, and the food is delicious. Cuban Revolution in Durham is great, as is Carmen's Cuban Cafe, over by the airport. They've been there for decades. It's basic Cuban cuisine, but it's the most authentic street food you can find.

What's the best way to identify a restaurant that serves authentic cuisine?

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• From Cary, Sandra Gutierrez has become both an expert in empanadas and an advocate for the area's evolving food culture.

The best recommendation you can find is when you go in, it's full of Latin people. For the most part, these are not fancy restaurants. A lot of times they are in strip malls because the rent is cheaper. We're talking about mom-and-pop concepts, and they're not expensive. I especially like La Vaquita in Durham. It's a stand-alone place where you order at the window and eat outside.

It's such a welcome change. When Cary was young and we'd go to Mexican restaurants, I'd always order huevos rancheros, because it was the only thing that was real. But we're moving away from the Americanized, chain-like ideas. Imagine my excitement, my joy and my need or urge to write about and teach everything I know about the different Latin cuisines. I've got so much to share. There is so much to discover.

How did you manage writing two such different single-topic cookbooks at the same time?

I was able to prepare whole meals for my family with recipes from both books, so that helped. My favorite part of the job is the research.

I love to be completely immersed in a topic. Why do we eat what we eat? What are the stories? I'm a learner, and there is no more delicious way to learn than with food. If you only knew how many afternoons I take classes online—history, literature. I have a thirst for knowledge, and I want to share what I learn, which is why I love teaching so much. It's fun for me.

You are a charter member of the new North Carolina chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, the international organization that advocates for women in the food industry. How do you see its role in getting female professionals in the food industry to commit to the advancement of education and philanthropy through food?

It's such an exciting time to be in the Triangle. So many women are doing remarkable things. Chefs, writers, food scholars—we're all in this area. The most beautiful part of it is that we are a very gregarious community, and everybody is interested in helping everybody else. Les Dames will allow women to help other women in the industry, while at the same time making a difference in their community. We haven't decided where our group will go, because it's new, but there are many opportunities to help through food: teaching children to grow vegetables at school and then how to cook and eat them, or scholarships to get an education in the food world.

There's a lot of need in our community. It's beautiful that a group of us women can come together through our experience and expertise in the food industry.

The Les Dames mission has attracted several influential North Carolina women—including president Colleen Minton of TerraVita; Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston; Triangle cookbook writers Nancie McDermott, Sheri Castle and Debbie Moose—among others. What does it mean to you to be part of this circle?

It is humbling. These are women who have dedicated themselves to food and have a heart that makes them want to give back to their community. It's good to have women leaders making change and helping. The need is only growing.

It's also great that we have a place where we can network with a common purpose. I see a bunch of professionals mentoring other professionals. That is not perceived to be the norm among women in business. It's usually very competitive, but this is a group of mentors. We all want to help each other and our community. It's something I have never experienced at this level before.

Will 2016 bring a fifth cookbook from you?

I'm not doing another book right away. I'm booked solid through June promoting all of my books and teaching classes. The one part I don't like about all this is the travel. It's given me a new sense of independence, but it also is a chore. It's very worthwhile, though, as I make connections with someone who cooked my recipe or who is interested in what I'm writing about.

I would love more people to join me on social media (Twitter: @sandralatinista). I love the back-and-forth exchange; it keeps everything fresh for me. I get to know what people are looking for. I'm not writing the books for myself. I really do care about what people want to see and learn.

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• Shrimp and Tomato Stew Flaky Pillows (Pastéis de Camarão)

Empanada ease

Sandra Gutierrez's Empanadas: The Hand-Held Pies of Latin America collects 60 recipe variations on the hold-able wonders, crisscrossing the region and its varying traditions. Gutierrez offered this recipe—made with cheap, easy, store-bought dough—as an introduction to empanadas at home.

Shrimp and Tomato Stew Flaky Pillows (Pastéis de Camarão) 

Makes 12

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion2/3 cup peeled, seeded and chopped plum tomatoes2 tablespoons tomato paste1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste12 ounces peeled and cooked shrimp or langoustines, cut into 1/2-inch pieces12 store-bought empanada discs, such as GoyaVegetable oil for frying

MAKE THE FILLING: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set on medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they are golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste; sauté for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of water and stir well to form a thick paste. Add the cilantro and salt; remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the shrimp or langoustines and stir well. Transfer the filling to a large bowl. Cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

ASSEMBLE THE PASTÉIS: Defrost packaged empanada discs overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 35–45 minutes. Place two tablespoons off center on one side of the round wrapper, leaving half-inch pastry border. Fold the top over the filling and seal by pressing sides together with your fingers. Crimp them tightly with the tines of a fork. Transfer them to a prepared baking sheet.

FRY THE PASTÉIS AND SERVE: Fit a large baking sheet with a metal cooling rack; set it aside. In a large skillet with high sides, heat 1/2 to one inch of vegetable oil to 360 degrees, or use a deep fryer. Working in batches, carefully slide the pastéis into the oil. Fry them until they're puffy and golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, turning them over halfway through. If the oil gets too hot as you fry and they're browning to quickly, lower the temperature and let the oil cool slightly before frying more. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared rack to drain. Let them cool for 1 to 2 minutes and serve.

NOTE: Pastéis are best eaten immediately after they're fried. Freeze them uncooked in a single layer; once solid, transfer them to freezer bags and keep them frozen for up to three months. Fry them without thawing (to prevent splatters) for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, or until they are golden and crispy.

This post first appeared in Indy Week. 

Nogged Out Loaded: A trip around the Triangle with eggnog

In the past two weeks, I have imbibed or eaten the following items: Maple View Farm eggnog, Homeland Creamery eggnog, Organic Valley eggnog, all of these eggnogs with rum, all of these eggnogs with whiskey, eggnog cheesecake, an eggnog milkshake, almond-based "holiday nog," almond-based "holiday nog" with rum, eggnog gelato, an eggnog martini, eggnog cookies, an eggnog donut, an eggnog latte and eggnog flan topped with bourbon caramel.

Though I like eggnog quite a bit, I wouldn't consider myself a zealot. Instead, a team of INDY food writers was curious about ways in which local kitchens were incorporating the Christmas concoction into their menu, other than by simply spiking it. Not all of these dishes wowed; the flan never really worked. Others made me sit still in a silent stupor, gazing at a plate, waiting for the next piece of eggnog cheesecake to appear by magic. Without exception, at least, they surprised me—and made me feel incredibly heavy, like Santa Claus in need of a motorized sleigh. —Grayson Haver Currin

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A spirited quest: Sugarland's phantom eggnog martini and phenomenal cheesecake

Getting your hands on Sugarland's eggnog martini—the Noggatini, at least I'm told—requires a Christmas miracle. The bakery's Raleigh location no longer serves martinis, due, I assume, to too many fender-benders in Harris Teeter's Cameron Village parking lot. The clerk behind the bar of the original Chapel Hill location wasn't sure what I was talking about, either.

If the Noggatini can't be found (Sugarland's marketing director swears it can), here's a tip: During December, Sugarland whips up a delicious eggnog gelato that's thick enough to stand in perky peaks in a bowl or a freezer case. This gelato may be inserted into any boozy concoction already on the menu, like the Mochatini's makeup of chocolate liqueur, Irish cream and vodka. When blended, it tastes like traditional eggnog and rum, if eggnog and rum were made out of ice cream.

Looking for a non-alcoholic treat? Consider Sugarland's "Noggy but Nice" cheesecake. A base of vanilla sponge comes loaded with nutmeg and an eggnog pastry cream filling, topped generously with silky eggnog buttercream. Held together by a crumbly brown crust, the cake is soft, chewy and not overly sweet. The simple color of the main ingredients means the cake is not nearly as festive-looking as some of Sugarland's other seasonal offerings, but this deceptively plain delicacy doesn't need red and green sprinkles to wow. Instead, Noggy is a cake for true eggnog lovers who want to experience heavy cream and frothed eggs in as many ways as possible. —Tina Haver Currin

Joyless almond: Vegan eggnog still sucks

A love of eggnog nearly necessitates New Year's resolutions. Loaded with saturated fat and sugar, a one-cup, non-spiked serving squeezes in as many as 350 calories—that is, about four slices of loaf bread or five sheets of Kraft Singles. But the low calorie count and relatively nonexistent sugar-and-fat stats of vegan nog—that is, eggnog approximations made by pairing almond milk, coconut milk or the like with thickeners and spices—make the alternative so appealing. You can chug an entire 48-ounce bottle of Califia Farms' "Holiday Nog" and gain only 600 calories (and, most likely, a bellyache).

That felt like quite the bargain when I uncapped the almond-based Califia Farms concoction after a firm shake; it certainly smelled like nog, a slightly sour sweetness countered by the warm aroma of nutmeg. But when I began to pour, I balked; the stuff ran like a liquid river, not a viscous and pale volcanic flow. If eggnog is thin custard, almond nog is thick water, almost too easy to drink.

The taste, though, doesn't go down quite as nice. Though a swallow is smooth, the spices arrive at once and too hard, as though someone has just dropped a dry tablet of cinnamon and nutmeg on your tongue. As the jolt decays, a putrid aftertaste suggests a shot of harsh cough syrup. Alcohol won't save you, either. Cutting it with Mount Gay Black Barrel rum only masked the seasonal flavors, suggesting spiked skim milk. A quarter-hour later, I kept smacking my tongue against the roof of my mouth, like a dejected dog that had licked a lemon.

Congratulations, nutrition: You've got the season off. —Grayson Haver Currin

Nog innovation: Guglhupf's new eggnog éclair

At Guglhupf, Durham's German bakery and cafe, you can celebrate the holidays with such traditional delights as Christmas stollen and cookies. Or this year, you can add an eggnog éclair to the seasonal offerings.

"People love éclairs," says owner Claudia Cooper. "We did a pumpkin one for Thanksgiving that was very popular—so popular that we had the idea to give an eggnog flavor a try for Christmas."

Starting with a classic pate au choux dough, bakers pipe the log-shaped pastry with a rich crème diplomat filling flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg and a splash of brandy. They top it with a shiny chocolate swipe—a new holiday tradition at a Durham institution, I hope.—Jill Warren Lucas

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Just glaze: The eggnog-topped donuts of Monuts and Rise

The end of November brought the season's first eggnog donut from Monuts—and, most likely, not the last. The Eggnog Gingersnap donut features local eggnog from Maple View Farms and Homeland Creamery in its glaze, which is mixed with a bit of extra nutmeg. Crumbled gingersnaps top the donut.

"Our menu changes so frequently that we're always looking for seasonal inspiration," says Lindsay Moriarty, chef and co-owner at Monuts. "As the weather cools down and fresh produce starts to become more scarce, locally produced items like eggnog become a great alternative."

Moriarty has experimented with eggnog inside the donut, but she says the flavor hits best when it's used in the glaze. (Rise's eggnog donut, by the way, is very similar to this one.) Before the end of the season, Moriarty expects to make a spiced-cake donut topped by a whiskey-eggnog glaze. Well, 'tis the season... —Iza Wojciechowska

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Coconog: A Puerto Rican eggnog tradition

Raleigh artist Claudia Corletto grew up in a Dominican household in Houston, where the holidays meant merengue and company. Among the invitees? A bottle of homemade Puerto Rican coquito.

Her mother's Puerto Rican friend, Prin, would show up to the Corletto home with a blend of coconut milk and coconut cream, egg yolk, condensed milk, cinnamon and a generous dose of white rum.

"It was the first sip of an adult beverage I had as a child during a very joyful time of year," she remembers. "The house was filled with the scent of Mami's cooking and the sounds of records. None of us had to rush to anything."

A few years ago, Corletto's sister called Prin for the recipe. Now, as Christmas sneaks into balmy North Carolina winters, Corletto whips up coquito for friends.

"This tradition is extremely important to me, because every winter it roots me in the memory of the love my family raised me in," she says. "When I pass that on to my friends, I know I'm doing something right." —Victoria Bouloubasis

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Seasonal flake: Yellow Dog's eggnog-based cult favorite

Tanya Andrews didn't think the holiday sweet she debuted last year at Yellow Dog Bread Company—a flaky pastry snowman filled with luscious eggnog cream—made much of an impression. But days before it returned to the shelves last weekend, customers began asking for it, like bright-eyed children appealing to Santa.

"It must have created a cult following," says Andrews. "I have to admit, they are quite cute."

While she disliked eggnog in her youth, Andrews now appreciates the drink's silky richness. She's especially keen on the eggnog made by Homeland Creamery, which Yellow Dog uses as a substitute for standard cream for the snowman's velvety filling.

"It reminds me of boiled custard, which is kind of an Eastern North Carolina thing," says Andrews, who grew up near Rocky Mount. "It's not as spicy as eggnog, but it's also one of those custardy, wonderful treats we love this time of year."

Like any North Carolina snowman, the eggnog pastry variety, which is sold on Saturdays, is a fleeting thing.

"We'll make somewhere between 60 and 100 for a Saturday," Andrews says. "But when they're gone, they're gone." —Jill Warren Lucas

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Latte art: lucettegrace's love-hate relationship with eggnog

Daniel Benjamin has a secret: Though his Raleigh sweetshop lucettegrace makes both an eggnog latte and an eggnog macaron, he doesn't actually enjoy the drink—particularly the nutmeg that powers it. Perhaps that explains why neither the latte nor the cookie contains eggnog.

Instead, Helen Barnes, lucettegrace's "syrup guru," has perfected a cream-based approximation of the drink, made from a precise blend of sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and, yes, even some nutmeg. The baristas originally tried to steam just that blend to make a latte, but the result was like a hot-and-spiced coffee custard, far too rich and heavy to be sipped. So they cut the cream with whole or skim milk and steam 10 ounces after dropping two shots of espresso into the bottom of a wide-mouthed mug. Finally, they sprinkle a little nutmeg on top. (Sorry, Mr. Benjamin.)

The results taste like a coffee drink suited for the season, not a cloying Christmas concoction that's too heavy to finish. The cream means it's a bit thicker than a typical latte, giving the espresso more body and a smoother swallow. Those added flavors hit the palate just as the espresso taste starts to fade, the cinnamon and vanilla dancing on your tongue as you prepare for the next taste. If eggnog is known to overpower, lucettegrace's egg-less eggnog latte tempers the flavors just enough for you to enjoy its fellow ingredients.—Grayson Haver Currin

Porch-aged: An old-fashioned approach to eggnog

Jennifer Noble Kelly feels bad for folks who resort to buying eggnog from the refrigerator aisle.

"To me, that's just not eggnog," says Kelly, a food publicist who represents Lionel Vatinet of La Farm Bakery and chef Scott Crawford of Standard Foods. "My first taste of real, aged eggnog came from the family holiday parties of my closest friend growing up. Her dad made it every year. He gave us the recipe as a wedding gift."

This will be the tenth year that Kelly will make the decadent drink, which starts with 24 eggs. The secret recipe also calls for sugar and heavy cream, as well as great glugs of brandy, bourbon and rum. Kelly usually makes her recipe at least two weeks before Christmas, mixing it directly in a cooler that resides on her front porch in Raleigh during the holiday season.

"It really does get better the longer it sits," says Kelly, who has yet to make this year's batch due to unseasonably warm conditions. "I usually keep a ladle out there so we can dip into it any time."

Kelly has never had a batch go bad; she agrees with food scientists who have declared that aged eggnog is actually safer to drink than a just-made recipe calling for raw eggs.

"There's enough alcohol to take care of any concerns," she says. "It's serious stuff." —Jill Warren Lucas

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Nog means no: I still hate you, eggnog

I've always regarded eggnog as one of those seasonal staples that, like candy corn, is nice to have around for decoration but shouldn't be eaten. Recently, though, when trying to remember the details of my own eggnogcalypse—that is, the scenario that made me loathe it so—I couldn't. Was it possible I'd never had eggnog at all? What if I liked it? I needed to know.

For the experiment, I opted for the most generic office-party-punchbowl swill I could find—32 ounces of ultra-pasteurized "Original Eggnog," for less than $5. The designation "rich and creamy" made me shudder. Unsure if I was supposed to shake it, I sort of half-shook it before studying the dietary facts. I could drink four servings a day, I learned, and get all the fat and cholesterol I needed.

Running out of ways to stall, I twisted off the cap, unleashing a syrupy bouquet of custard, paste and salmonella. I used a wine glass because that was how it was served in the picture on the carton, but I was out of cinnamon sticks. The liquid had the grayish pallor of a kneaded rubber eraser and didn't pour so much as reluctantly drizzle. The odor was sickly sweet. Wary, I quaffed.

Something like wet plaster spiked with vanilla extract filled my head, and I let out a pathetic little groan. I angry-swallowed the second mouthful just in time to sneeze twice. By the fifth sip, the shock lessened, but I still wondered why I was drinking violently sugared half-and-half.

Was there ever any taste in this world but sweet? I felt as full as if I'd eaten a large baked potato. There was a monster living in my mouth, a ropy blob that coated everything he touched with saccharine egg slime. His name was Nog. I could swear I heard a tiny scream as I poured the rest down the drain. —Brian Howe

This post first appeared in Indy Week.

A Life of Pie: How cancer and one baker's subsequent battle against it inspired the great new East Durham Pie Company

Ali Rudel felt good about life last summer.

The married mother of two daughters had decided to return to the mainstream workforce, taking a job in July with a nonprofit whose mission she respected. When she asked if she could start work a day later than expected in order to keep a doctor's appointment for her annual physical, the new boss didn't mind. But when she went into the office the next day, it was only the start of a very short stint.

Ali Rudel of East Durham Pie Company
Indy Week photo by Jeremy M. Lange

"They found a nodule on my thyroid but made it sound like it was nothing to be concerned about," Rudel says of the doctors. "I've learned that's what they do: keep things really positive until they know for certain you have cancer."

So began the surreal odyssey that resulted in the removal of Rudel's thyroid in September, ongoing therapy to ensure that that cancer is gone and, unexpectedly, a pie company that is shaping up to be a success for the Durham baker. Just a few months after launching East Durham Pie Company, and while still battling cancer, Rudel is already talking about a storefront.

Weeks of uncertainty, surgery and recovery made a full-time job impossible for Rudel. She worked, however, to identify a manageable career that would make her happy. After numbing fatigue finally lifted, she decided the perfect occupation would allow her to both exercise her creativity and engage with the Triangle's local food movement, which she had once done as the manager of the Chapel Hill Farmers Market. She wanted to do it all from her Durham home, too, a requirement meant to minimize time away from family. The answer was the one-woman business she started in October.

Before her diagnosis, Rudel had already corralled her entrepreneurial ambitions and established East Durham Pie Company as an LLC in March. Her plan was to build the business slowly, developing it as her new job allowed.

By April, the kitchen of the family's current home was certified for food production. She and her husband, Ben Filippo, were familiar with the rigors of getting a home kitchen certified by the state for production of food to be sold wholesale or to private consumers. They'd gone through the process in 2012 when they launched the erstwhile This & That Jam, the Triangle's first jam subscription service. But making preserves was Filippo's thing; Rudel's jam, so to speak, is pie.

"I figured I'd start the business when I had the time and resources. I had made a lot of great connections with farmers and producers, which would make things easier," she remembers. "But then everything changed."

Rudel devoted herself to learning about her thyroid and what life would be like without it. Still, during her treatment and recovery, she found baking the occasional pie to be comforting. The act of turning flour and butter into flaky dough was a welcome distraction from her situation, and it allowed her to be creative with seasonal ingredients and to repay friends and family members who were helping her.

"I love the baking, but it's hard right now because I'm on a diet for my treatment where I can't have any dairy—no butter, no eggs, no iodized salt. I can't event eat my own pies right now," she says with a wry laugh. "But I'll make up for it soon."

Rudel learned her craft at Four & Twenty Blackbirds, the renowned New York bakery where she took a job after college. She began as a barista but quickly became fascinated by the pie-making process. After her shifts, she'd stick around to watch and learn. She eventually asked to help. Several years later, her recipe for Salt Pork Apple Pie landed in The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book.

"I wriggled my way in and started baking full time," says Rudel. "It was my introduction to working with farmers and cooking with seasonal ingredients. I ate a lot of fast food back then, and it really opened my eyes to the importance of healthy food grown by local farmers."

In fact, she and Filippo felt such a connection to the idea of local foodways that they decided to move to the Triangle, sight unseen, in 2011. They'd heard of its burgeoning reputation as a hub for sustainable farming. They have both since built careers connected to that passion: Filippo, formerly with the USDA and Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, was director of sustainability at Foster Caviness, a leading supplier of wholesale produce; last week, Preservation Durham named him as its new executive director. And now, Rudel hopes to grow East Durham Pie Company into a storefront pie-and-coffee shop.

"That's my ultimate goal," she says. "If things continue to go well, I may have to shift operations to a commissary kitchen before opening a shop."

Rudel launched the business just before Thanksgiving so she might leverage her reputation in local food circles to score orders for her 10-inch, $28 pies. It worked. The maple sweet potato, ginger apple, malted pumpkin and bourbon pecan pies also caught the attention of The Parlour in Durham; the ice cream shop invited her to bake a few more for a ticketed "dessert flight" night in early December.

The sold-out event boosted awareness for Rudel's brand, helping her build toward that storefront dream. Until then, her single-serving pies will remain at Respite and Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham. She's in talks with other potential providers, but, right now, she's got smaller concerns—dozens of them, actually.

"Right now, I'm taking orders for mini-mincemeat pies for Christmas Eve delivery. I'm planning to add something with chocolate and citrus for New Year's, but I haven't completely decided," she says. "My life is a bit manic right now, but it's all good."

This post first appeared in Indy Week.

F3: Fitness Fanatics

It's a cold, damp morning. There's little sign of life on Laurel Hill Drive, where homes are still dark and birds are just beginning to stir and sing with the rising sun.

As the sky brightens with vivid stripes of orange and gold, some 30 men round the corner from UNC's Outdoor Education Center. They are jogging briskly and calling out a military style drill, determined to start their day with muscle burning, mind clearing exercise.

 "It's important to me to be here with these guys," says Alex Miller, a founder of the Chapel Hill branch of the fast-growing, men-only Fitness, Fellowship and Faith organization, better known as F3. "Hot or cold, rain or snow, we're out here. The only reason we break from our routine is lightning."

Camaraderie and Accountability

Chapel Hill's F3 group was established in September 2013 based on the guidelines developed by the original Charlotte chapter, which launched in January 2011 as a registered nonprofit. Guys gather outdoors at dawn, allowing time to work out, clean up and get to their jobs. Programs at sites in Chapel Hill and elsewhere in the Triangle are available every day but Sunday.

The challenging sessions are free and led on a rotating basis by members, none of whom are fitness professionals. After running all the way down winding Laurel Hill, stopping frequently for vigorous calisthenics, they repeat the process on the way back. Several of the sweat-drenched members boyishly sprint the final yards uphill to see who can return to the parking lot first while others gratefully slow down.

No matter how they finish, the enthusiastic fellowship is infectious.

"For a lot of us, the community of male friendship goes away when we get busy with our careers and family," say Alex, a trim 39-year-old father of four who served as a mortar squad leader with the U.S. Army Infantry. "The camaraderie and accountability remind me of my time in the military. If I missed a few days at the gym, no one would care. If I miss a few days here, I get a calls from a bunch of guys wanting to know if I'm all right."

Alex appreciates that some men have misgivings about the group's unusual structure. "The biggest lie about F3 is that you have to be in shape to participate," he says. "The point of participating is to get in shape, and to build relationships with guys who also want to achieve the same goals of fitness and fellowship."

The other lie is that F3 is exclusively Christian, and that those who are not actively observant are not welcome.

"Involving friends and neighbors from all backgrounds is the one thing we're evangelical about," says Alex, who owns a government lobbying firm. "A lot of us work in very competitive fields where it's not OK to fail. But it is OK to fail here and to grow from the experience. It think that's a powerful thing for guys to know they won't be left in the dust."

An Initiation

This positive approach was a strong incentive for Keith Minton of Chapel Hill, who joined the group the week before Christmas 2014. "I wanted something more than another gym experience," says the 44-year-old financial advisor, who plans to flex his muscles helping fellow F3 members in home repair projects for neighbors in need. "I wanted something where I felt like it was important for me to show up and do my best."

When school is out, Keith sometimes brings his 9-year-old son, Colin, who grins as he's greeted with high-fives by his dad's peers. "It's fun," says the 3rd grader, whose passion for multiple sports earned him the F3 nickname Triple Threat. "They treat me like one of the guys."

Each of the guys earns a nickname, though Alex says not all of them like theirs as much as Colin likes his.

 "You're not supposed to like it, at first," he says, pointing to Keith's moniker as an example. He was dubbed "Soggy," a nod to the cold, rainy conditions on his first day.

Nicknames are doled out to new members at the end of each session, after everyone gathers in a Circle of Trust to introduce themselves and share news. Kris Ledford of Durham joined the group in September and was dubbed Elf after saying he works for Numotion, an Apex business that makes custom wheelchairs to improve mobility to persons with disabilities.

"I'm really glad I came today," Kris says, pausing to shake hands with members who encouraged him to return. "I'm one of those people who find it hard to get motivated about exercise, but I really feel great."

Walking the Walk

Chapel Hill F3 members consider community involvement as important as physical exercise. They've taken to wearing their collective big heart on their sleeves, literally, in  tribute to a founding member who is taking time off to deal with a serious medical issue. David Baddour's nickname of Lo Pair is referenced by the initials LP on the sleeve of the logo sportswear many members wear.

"For me, it started out 100 percent as a workout only, but I've learned that it's much more than that," says the grateful David, son of retired UNC Athletic Director Dick Baddour. "Knowing that you have a group of guys that have your back when things get a little rough, which happens to all of us, is a big deal. It has given me a tangible way to fight, and these guys are right there with me, shoulder to shoulder."

 This post first appeared in the January/February 2016 issue of Chapel Hill Magazine.

Slingshot Coffee offers a different sort of big-box relief for December

We all know that winter is coming, but gray skies and dropping temperatures have little impact on consumers who prefer a glassed of chilled coffee to a mug of hot java.

Jenny Bonchak of Slingshot Coffee Company is counting on those dedicated fans from Massachusetts to Florida to make the Raleigh's business' seemingly off-season debut—a new, 64-ounce container of cold-brewed coffee, with its own tap—a success. Packaged like boxed wine, Slingshot's new format holds four times as much coffee as their 16-ounce bottle. And at around $15 for the box and $4-5 per bottle, it's value packaging that will a stay fresh for up to six weeks. 

"Who wouldn't want their own personal Slingshot tap in their refrigerator?" says Bonchak, who launched the company in 2012 and is on track to produce as much as 10,000 gallons of cold-brewed coffee this year. "Bottles are great to grab on the go, but the box creates an option to enjoy at home."

Bonchak and her husband, Jonathan Bonchak (formerly of Durham-based Counter Culture, whose beans Slingshot uses exclusively), spent a lot of time this year considering options for selling a larger-capacity version of Slingshot. She believes they currently are the only producer of cold-brewed coffee in the U.S. packing their product this way for home use.

While boxed wines still carry a certain stigma of cheapness or low quality, Bonchak says they opted for the format for several reasons. Notably, it preserves the fresh taste of their high-quality brew for an extended period. With the exception of the hard plastic tap, the package is entirely recyclable, too.

This marks the second major product introduction this year for Slingshot, which collaborated with Durham Distillery to create Damn Fine Coffee Liqueur. It would seem that a boxed version of Slingshot's popular Cascara Tea—referenced this week by NPR's The Salt, which examined the growing popularity of the beverage—would be the obvious next step. But Bonchak says they are in no hurry.

"We're just focused on getting the Slingshot box into stores and filling holiday orders," she offers. "We're still a really small team. We'll take things on step at a time."

The boxed option, meanwhile, will be available starting today at local Whole Foods stores and many independent retailers, as well as online through the Slingshot website. Orders guaranteed for Christmas delivery will be taken through Dec. 11. 

This post first appeared in Indy Week.

Durham's Loaf helping to launch new Bien Cuit bread cookbook

Apricot Buckwheat Bread (photo courtesy Loaf)

Ron Graff was surprised when he received an email from Zachary Golper, owner of Brooklyn's renowned Bien Cuit bakery.

"We knew of them, but I don't think they knew ofus before reaching out to the Bread Bakers Guild of America," says Graff, owner of Durham's Loaf bakery. Golper was looking for top artisan bakeries nationwide to help promote the release of his new book, Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread, by baking and selling featured loaves well outside of Brooklyn.

Having just received a fresh supply of North-Carolina grown buckwheat from Carolina Ground—and with the blessing of his staff—Graff agreed to produce Golper's Apricot Buckwheat Bread recipe. 

"It was a fun convergence of things, and customers really like it," Graff says. The bread will be available only through Saturday. "It created a great opportunity for us to use buckwheat flour, which a lot of people are not familiar with."

Graff credits the long fermentation for the loaf's deep flavor. A tweak on the recipe to eliminate butter will likely put the bread into Loaf's long-term rotation. "Unless we label something as having cheese in it, all of our products are vegan," Graff says. "We'll be happy to offer a recipe inspired by Bien Cuit for our customers."

Graff is impressed with the book, too, a stunning production that would be at home on the coffee table of any cookbook lover. Appropriately, The Art of Bread has earned rave reviews from numerous critics for its clear, step-by-step instructions for baking fermented breads at home, even landing on best-of lists at Bon Appetit and Epicurious. Its innovative design allows the book to open flat, too.

Golper offered a recipe from the book for INDY readers as a taste of what to expect in the The Art of Bread. Its length may seem intimidating, but the process is broken down into clearly described steps. Additionally, techniques used in this one are cross-referenced with other recipes throughout the book.

CHESTNUT HOLIDAY BREAD 
Excerpted from Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread by Zachary Golper and Peter Kaminsky (© 2015, with permission of Regan Arts).

Makes 4 small loaves

Through much of Europe, especially in antiquity, chestnuts were an important source of  starch and protein before the introduction of wheat and, later, potatoes. This is not the  cheapest bread in the book, simply because a can or jar of peeled chestnuts costs more than typical baking ingredients. However, you might find it a bit of a pain to roast and peel chestnuts. (I definitely do.)

If you purchase peeled chestnuts, it becomes a simple dump and stir process. As in the Hazelnut Bread, for this recipe I use a nut puree with milk, which ferments, I incorporate chunks of the featured ingredient (in this case, chestnuts) into the dough to create islands of contrasting texture and flavor in the finished loaf. As for the currants, well, those seemed appropriate for a holiday-themed bread. Come to think of it, while I'm doing this mini inventory of the inspirations for this bread, they’re informed by an impulse similar to that behind my Raisin Walnut Bread, only sweeter and with a softer crumb. 

STARTER 
50 grams (1/4 c + 2 tbsp) white flour 
5 grams (11/4 tsp) granulated sugar 
1 gram (generous 1⁄8 tsp) fine sea salt 
0.2 gram (pinch) instant yeast 
44 grams (2 tbsp + 2 1/4 tsp) cold whole milk 

CHESTNUT MILK 
150 grams (1/2 c + 2 tbsp) chestnut puree 
350 grams (11/4 c + 21/2 tbsp) cold whole milk 
0.2 gram (pinch) fine sea salt 

DOUGH 
500 
grams (31/2 c + 1 tbsp) white flour, plus additional as needed for working with the dough, 
and for the linen liner and shaped loaves 
40 grams (31/2 tbsp) granulated sugar 
15 grams (21/2 tsp) fine sea salt 
5 grams (11/2 tsp) instant yeast 
60 grams (31/2 tbsp) cold whole milk 
45 grams (2 tbsp) Grade A maple syrup 
150 grams (1 c) coarsely chopped roasted chestnuts 
75 grams (1/4 c + 31/2 tbsp) dried currants 

FOR THE STARTER 
Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a medium storage container. Pour in the 
milk. Mix with your fingers, pressing the mixture into the sides, bottom, and corners until all 
of the flour is wet and fully incorporated. This starter is best if covered and left at room 
temperature for 6 hours, then chilled in the refrigerator for 6 hours.But if the timing is better, you can also leave it at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours and then move it to the refrigerator to chill for 9 to 12. 

FOR THE CHESTNUT MILK 
Whisk the chestnut puree, milk, and salt together in a medium saucepan and heat, stirring 
often, until steaming but not simmering, about 164°F (73°C). 
Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Whisk again and refrigerate until ready to use.

FOR THE DOUGH 
Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. 

Whisk the chestnut milk, then pour about one-third of it around the edges of the starter to release it from the sides of the container. Transfer the starter and chestnut milk to an extra-large bowl along with the remaining chestnut milk, the milk, and the maple syrup. Using a wooden spoon, break the starter up to distribute it in the liquid.

Add the flour mixture, reserving about one-sixth of it along the edge of the bowl. Continue to mix with the spoon until most of the dry ingredients have been combined with the starter mixture. Switch to a plastic bowl scraper and continue to mix until incorporated. At this point the dough will be very sticky to the touch and have an almost gluey texture. 

Push the dough to one side of the bowl. Roll and tuck the dough, adding the reserved flour mixture and a small amount of additional flour to the bowl and your hands as needed, until the dough feels stronger and begins to resist any further rolling, about 16 times. Then, with cupped hands, tuck the sides under toward the center. Place the dough, seam-side down, in a clean bowl, cover the top of the bowl with a 
clean kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for 45 minutes. 

For the first stretch and fold, lightly dust the work surface and your hands with flour. Using the plastic bowl scraper, release the dough from the bowl and set it, seam-side down, on the work surface. Gently stretch it into a roughly rectangular shape. Fold the dough in thirds from top to bottom and then from left to right. With cupped hands, tuck the sides under toward the center. Place the dough in the bowl, 
seam-side down, cover the bowl with the towel, and let rest for 45 minutes. 

For the second stretch and fold, gently stretch the dough into a rectangle, scatter the chopped chestnuts and the currants evenly over the top, and press them gently into the dough. Roll up the dough tightly from the end closest to you; at the end of the roll the dough will be seam-side down. Turn it over, seam-side up, and gently press on the seam to flatten the dough slightly. Fold in thirds from left to right and then do 1 roll and tuck sequence to incorporate the chestnuts and currants. Turn the dough seam-side down and tuck the sides under toward the center. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with the towel, and let rest for 45 minutes. 

For the third and final stretch and fold, repeat the steps for the first stretch and fold, then 
return the dough to the bowl, cover with the towel, and let rest for 30 minutes. 

Line a half sheet pan with a linen liner and dust fairly generously with white flour. 

Lightly dust the work surface and your hands with flour. Using a bench scraper, divide the 
dough into 4 equal pieces. Press each piece into a 5-inch (13 cm) square, then roll into a loose tube about 5 inches (13 cm) long. Let rest for 5 minutes. Press each piece out again and then shape into a very tight tube about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Transfer to the lined pan, seam-side up, positioning the loaves across the width of the pan, rather than lengthwise. Dust the top and sides of the loaves with flour. Fold the linen to create support walls on both sides of each loaf, then fold any extra length of 
the linen liner over the top or cover with a kitchen towel. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for 14 to 20 hours. 

Set up the oven with a baking stone and a cast-iron skillet for steam, then preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C). 

Using the linen liner, lift and gently flip the loaves off the pan and onto a transfer peel, seam-side down. Slide the loaves, still seam-side down, onto a dusted baking peel (see Using a Transfer Peel and Baking Peel, page 311). Score the top of each. Working quickly but carefully, transfer the loaves to the stone using heavy-duty oven mitts or potholders. Pull out the hot skillet, add about 3 cups of ice cubes, then slide it back in and close the oven door. Immediately lower the oven temperature to 410°F (210°C). Bake, switching the positions of the loaves about two-thirds of the way through baking, until the crust is a rich golden brown, about 40 minutes. 

Using the baking peel, transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. When the bottoms of the loaves are tapped, they should sound hollow. If not, return to the stone and bake for 5 minutes longer. 

Let the bread cool completely before slicing and eating, at least 4 hours but preferably 8 to 24 hours. 

This post first appeared in Indy Week.

Parlour continues its dessert flights series next week with East Durham Pie

There are few certainties in life, but this is sure: A really great slice of pie can improve almost any situation. Combined with an amazing scoop of ice cream? Now that's real power. 

The Parlour, Durham's ice cream mecca, will celebrate such a marvel at 6 p.m. Monday in a collaboration with East Durham Pie Company. Tickets for timed seatings are required for the event, which includes a four-part flight of desserts for $12. 

Ali Rudel launched East Durham Pie Company only in October. She learned her craft a decade ago while working at Four & Twenty Blackbirds, whose owners, Emily and Melissa Elsen, included her recipe for Salt Pork Apple Pie in their The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book: Uncommon Recipes from the Celebrated Brooklyn Pie Shop.

That recipe is a nod to Rudel's New England childhood. One of the pies she's making for The Parlour event, Maple Sweet Potato, also blends that experience with her current life as  Southerner.

"I sometimes feel like no one will ever see me as Southern. I moved to Virginia when I was 10, but it doesn't seem to count," she says. "I feel like this pie in a combination of north and south."

She'll also be making Ginger Apple Pie (which uses North Carolina-grown Stayman apples and local ginger) Malted Pumpkin Pie and Honey Bourbon Pecan Pie. Parlour will incorporate these into standalone ice creams and milkshakes. 

While a storefront shop is part of East Durham Pie Company's long term plan, Rudel currently bakes in her certified home kitchen. If you miss Monday's event, you can buy her mini pies at Respite Café and Cocoa Cinnamon, too.

This post first appeared in Indy Week.