The November 2023 Issue

Once merely a pit stop on a railroad line, the heart of this Wake County town is now pumping with new life.

A tiny outbuilding became the perfect suite for visiting friends and relatives — and an even better backyard getaway from everyday life.

What is Appalachian cuisine? After finding her grandmother’s cookbook, an author combs through the region’s culinary history to find the answer.

A tea aficionado’s real-world education in the art and science of the beverage inspired him to share simple but meaningful rituals at his downtown Asheville lounge.

After a chilly morning spent chasing ducks in Currituck County, hungry hunters warm up over plates piled high with down-home favorites.

Make some of our state’s most classic dishes — from Carolina dogs to strawberry sonker — in your own kitchen.

After your trip to the orchard, get in the kitchen to make one of these sweet or savory recipes featuring the favorite fall fruit.

Close to the Sandhills, a community of talented ceramicists continues the multi-generational legacy of Seagrove pottery.

Nothing beats a North Carolina oyster plucked straight from the saltwater. Just ask Morehead City restaurateur Sammy Boyd.

After moving to North Carolina in the 1960s, a former Northerner has found excitement in small towns and cities across the state.

These decades-old recipes remind us why the South is famous for its pies.

Bayard Wootten became the first woman in the North Carolina National Guard thanks to her innovative photography.

When it comes to favorite places, even the most well-traveled outdoorsman can’t help but sing the praises of North Carolina in November — a season rich in fish, fowl, and friends.

Ninety-nine North Carolina military veterans, whose service spans from World War II to more recent conflicts, spent a day of reflection in Washington, D.C. — and returned home to joyous celebration.

Each year, families forgo a traditional Thanksgiving weekend to gather in Black Mountain for intergenerational fun through folk dancing, crafts, music, and games.

A Thanksgiving bird from Hickory Nut Gap Farm tells the story of a family that farms with love and intention. For generations, they’ve chosen methods that are good for their livestock, their land, and their community.

Beneath canopies of Spanish moss or wide-open skies, our ancestors rest peacefully, their graves marked by ornate monuments, worn stone markers, or sometimes nothing at all. In cemeteries across the state, we honor those who came before us.

Take a trek on the longest continuous trail in the eastern part of the state, go wildlife peeping through the marshes of Washington, or bring a picnic basket for a trailside meal along the Pasquotank River.

The variety of soils found across North Carolina have a long history and shape the landscape and lives of everyone who has, and will, call the state home.

What explains the rich variety of flavors bursting out of North Carolina’s wine country? It’s all in the terroir — and that begins with the soil where the grapes are grown.

Set apart by climate, soil, and geography, each of North Carolina’s grape-growing regions produces wines that are just as distinct.

Look around Sanford. It’s practically all red. The Piedmont city is so famous for its clay and brick that it was once nicknamed “The Brick Capital of the USA.” Locals aim to preserve that distinction.

On the eastern edge of the state, our barrier islands are shaped and reshaped by the whims of wind and water, and people who put down roots on these changing lands continue to adapt.

In and around Franklin and other parts of western North Carolina, gem mines draw tourists and serious rock hounds alike for the chance of spotting a deep purple sapphire or rich red ruby sparkling in sifting trays full of mud.

These precious stones spent thousands of years or more underground, waiting for their big breaks. Today, they dazzle with their brilliant colors and sparkling surfaces, earning them a place in the spotlight.

In western North Carolina, curious thrill-seekers explore the dark crevasses, cracks, and caves that often go unnoticed.

In Robeson County, the couple behind New Ground Farm draws on traditional methods to tend their family’s land and feed their community.

Finding fungi in Henderson County is easier when you have a self-described “fun guy,” like the owner of Deep Woods Mushrooms, helping you hunt.