The November 2018 Issue

This funky, free-spirited town in Orange County has long been shaped by the university down the street, but these days, it stands on its own.

A lifetime in the fields has taught an organic farmer in Orange County about hard work, innovation, and lending a hand.

A commercial fisherman and home brewer united his passions and fulfilled a dream with a brewery committed to drinking — and eating — local.

For the owner of Mockingbird on Broad, sharing beauty with others is a way of life.

With a little elbow grease and a lot of laughter, young cooks transform jars of cream into homemade butter — and a new family tradition is born.

For the women who create and serve seasonal comfort food as part of a job training program at Dandelion Eatery, hope blooms.

Deep within a coastal forest near Harlowe, a Quaker church once stood. It’s long gone — but not forgotten.

North Carolina’s wartime governor takes office with a desire to help the state he loves.

In the meat-and-12 feast that is Thanksgiving, one side dish reigns supreme: dressing. On North Carolina tables, the savory staple is a tribute to regional ingredients and traditions. We’re grateful for every last bite — just don’t call it stuffing.

Thanksgiving has always been about coming together. For a pair of churches in Wilmington, this year’s holiday menu is inspired by a new cookbook that connects two communities: one historically black, and the other predominantly white.

This month, we honor the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to protect our country. To veterans across the state, we offer our gratitude.

For three decades, the tobacco town of Kinston was known as a hothouse for musical talent. Teachers and their students dazzled audiences with their jazz, swing, and R&B jams, giving rise to a new American sound: funk.

Join a veteran shucker for a lesson in the art of opening an oyster.

A community oyster roast in tiny Varnamtown keeps the love of a local oyster — the Lockwood Folly — alive for another generation.

The education of oysterman and teacher Ryan Bethea started on land with one brave slurp. Now, his sustainably harvested Harkers Island oysters are prized throughout the state.

Farming and fishing were a way of life on this island at the tip of Pamlico County. Then hurricanes brought rising waters. Now Lowlanders farm a new crop, one that comes from the sea.

If there’s one thing oysters like, it’s hanging out with, near, and on top of other oysters. So to make them comfy, volunteers are gathering up used shells and recycling them into new beds for bivalves.

How do you turn a cozy oyster feast at an Orange County homestead into an annual rollicking festival? Just add a little music, a lot of barbecue, and a bunch of friends you haven’t met yet.

One of the South’s top chefs, Matt Kelly, has helped transform downtown dining into a tour of the world. But with Saint James Seafood, his inspiration is closer to home: our coast.

A tiny bar surrounded by a large apartment complex is, to our senior writer, a Rorschach test that reveals how you view North Carolina’s largest city.

At The Packhouse, Deedee Hagner brings eastern North Carolina authenticity, and fantastic food, to the Piedmont.

An old Model T assembly plant turned missile factory is now the home of Camp North End, a place with new businesses popping up and space to spare.

The restaurant Haberdish, in the heart of Charlotte’s hip arts district, doesn’t just give a passing nod to NoDa’s industrial past. It embraces it with touches big and small.

Theatre Charlotte is facing the same headwinds as a lot of community theaters. But this little playhouse in leafy Myers Park has found a way to build on its roots while taking some risks.

Have a week? There’s plenty to see, eat, and do all over North Carolina’s largest city.