Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to
Our State’s Made in NC Awards celebrate the talent and creativity of North Carolinians. Check out all of this year’s winners! Winner Handcrafted by Keegan — North Wilkesboro Sculpted Cherry
Our State’s Made in NC Awards celebrate the talent and creativity of North Carolinians. Check out all of this year’s winners! Winner Handcrafted by Keegan — North Wilkesboro Sculpted Cherry
The Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina are known for producing world-class hardwood. But when a tree nears the end of its life, woodworker Keegan Watson steps in and gives discarded pieces new life as beautifully made home furnishings.
Handcrafted by Keegan — North Wilkesboro Sculpted Cherry Barstool
Keegan Watson fondly remembers walking the rows of his family’s Christmas tree farm with his father. “He’d always point out the different kinds of trees and explain the attributes of the wood,” he says. “It gave me a deep appreciation for their beauty at a young age.” Motivated by the memories, Watson turned his interest in wood into a career in furniture manufacturing. One day after a shift in 2018, a coworker invited him to see his lathe, and Watson fell in love with the art of wood turning. “Within a week, I went out and bought my own machine and was instantly hooked,” he says. Using wood from trees that have been removed from urban settings or from local lumberyards that practice sustainable forestry, Watson produces functional and artistic furniture and home decor. For his sculpted cherry barstool, he used old-growth cherry saved from shuttered furniture factories in western North Carolina.
Crowders Creek Woodcraft — Gastonia Walnut, Ash, & Cherry Fly-Fishing Net
Photography courtesy of Crowders Creek Woodcraft
Wading into a mountain brook with a rod in his hand and a cool wind whispering through the trees, Brian Hedgepath feels the freedom that only an angler knows when fishing for trout in the Smokies. It’s a pastime he’s enjoyed since he was a boy taking fishing trips with his dad near Brevard and Boone. Around the same time, Hedgepath also fell in love with woodworking — another father-son tradition. “I still have my first net,” he says. “But after a few years and fishing trips later, I thought it would be fun to start making my own.” With the grip and comfort of the angler in mind, he combined walnut, ash, and cherry wood from a local sawmill for the frame. He created a lightweight, sturdy net for easy catch and release, whether you’re fishing from a kayak or, like Hedgepath, stalking trout in a mountain stream.
Down East Preservation — Edenton Custom Pecan Coffee Table
Photography courtesy of Down East Preservation
When Dawson Tyler purchased a 20th-century building that once housed a grocery store in Chowan County, he was on a mission to preserve history in eastern North Carolina. “My dad was always drawn to this part of the state — its beauty, history, and abundance of old homes,” he says. “Growing up visiting the area, I inherited the same passion.” In 2015, Tyler founded Down East Preservation, a construction company that restores and repurposes historic buildings and homes in Edenton. Since then, the company has grown to include an in-house woodshop specializing in custom pieces for restoration projects, new builds, and more. Every piece is expertly crafted by artisans who have spent decades perfecting their trade. Their latest work includes the custom pecan coffee table, built using wood from a fallen pecan tree once located near a historic farmhouse in Northampton County. The homeowner asked Tyler’s team to turn the wood into a piece of furniture to pass down to his grandchildren. The result? A coffee table and a treasured family heirloom to be enjoyed for generations.
When it comes to matches made in the kitchen, North Carolinians believe in soulmates. From breakfast to dessert, dig into a few of our favorite pairings.
In Edgecombe County, the country’s second-oldest remaining town common is the gateway to its sprawling historic district. Travel these acres and blocks on a reflective trip through time.