Photo: Courtesy of Triangle Food Tours, 2009.
Today, I want to pose some questions for you: How many of you truly know the place you call home? I mean, really, really know it.
I am not talking about just knowing your way around town so that you will miss rush hour traffic. You might think you know it well because you get yourself to and from work and you have memorized the route to school, to the closest grocery store, and to the mall.
Most of you probably see your town or city through your everyday glasses. Think of this: How many of you have stopped to see it through the eyes of a foodie? Do you know the culinary treasures hidden within your hometown? What about the best restaurant to get that great meatloaf sandwich that connoisseurs are raving about; or the best oven-baked pizza or artisan loaf of bread? Are you really in the know? Would you like to be?
Vacations are out and staycations are in this season. Have I good news for you! If you have run out of ideas of what to do this summer, read on.
I recently met with Leigh Eckle, founder of Triangle Food Tour and was captivated by the concept behind her latest enterprise. Leigh and her husband Peter, long-time residents of the Triangle, share a love for good food. After taking walking culinary tours in Chicago, they came up with the idea of introducing the concept in Raleigh. Inspired, they launched the first walking tours in the Triangle in 2008. Since then, they have found new niches for food tours and their company has expanded to include walking tours of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
The idea is novel. For a small fee ($28 per person, plus a $2.50 service charge), participants join the group and walk around town, stopping to taste delicious offerings at area eateries. Every Saturday morning, Leigh guides foodies through the downtown streets of the Triangle (she alternates routes each weekend to cover the different cities). As everyone strolls through town, Leigh recounts the interesting history of the places around and shares fascinating trivia of the food scene. The tour includes stops at area restaurants (those hidden jewels I was asking you about), where they are welcomed with tasting samples of culinary specialties. One restaurant may offer a soup, another might feature a new appetizer, and yet another may surprise them with a dessert. The offerings vary each time. Tourists get to meet the chefs and the area's "Who's Who" of the restaurant scene. Along the way, they are encouraged to ask questions and to make new connections.
So why not take the opportunity to discover the culinary landscape around you? I think it's a great way to entertain out-of-town guests who want to see where you live. And what a great way to eat and burn calories at the same time! A word to the wary: it is a walking tour, so wear comfortable shoes. If you ask me, I think it is a unique idea. Apparently, so did Barack and Michelle Obama (check out the link to see the full story on their website and a picture of Leigh with the First Couple at: www.trianglefoodtour.com ).
By the way, that great meatloaf sandwich I was talking about...find it at: http://www.sandwhich.biz/
Copyright, Sandra A. Gutierrez, 2009; All Rights Reserved.
