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| ABOUT THE AWARDS | FAQ | JUDGES | 2022 WINNERS | PAST WINNERS |
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
★ 2021 Winners ★ ★ Food Category and OverallPimento Cheese Ravioli by Melina’s Fresh PastaIn a Southern and Italian twist, Melina’s Fresh Pasta in Durham makes their homemade version of pimento cheese and then stuffs it into fresh pasta dough. Full of ricotta, freshly shredded cheddar cheese, pimentos, and a secret blend of spices, the Pimento Cheese Ravioli is delicious both fried or boiled and sautéed in butter until crispy on both sides. The first in her family to be born in the United States, owner and pasta maker Carmella Alvaro longed for a connection to her Italian roots and wanted to share the tradition of food made from scratch and served with love to family and friends. To bring authentic Italian food to North Carolina, she traveled to Bologna, Italy, to supplement the southern Italian cooking lessons of her mother and learned the northern Italian traditions of fresh pasta making. Learn more about Melina’s Fresh Pasta. Honorable Mentions
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★ Craft CategoryPorcelain Teapot by Julie Wiggins PotteryMindfully made with porcelain clay using a traditional coil and pinch method, the Porcelain Teapot has a uniquely hand-drawn inlay with blue slip decorations and carvings to highlight the loveliness of the porcelain. Using transparent glazes allows the surface designs to stand out clearly yet gently. A studio potter in Charlotte, Julie Wiggins grew up in eastern North Carolina and is inspired by the landscapes of her childhood as well as her studies in China, Europe, Mexico, Morocco, and Central America. In combination with her studies of traditional studio pottery techniques, these influences help Julie create a body of work that reflects memories, movement, and a love of life. Learn more about Julie Wiggins Pottery. Honorable Mentions
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★ Drink CategoryVino di Lusso by Piccione VineyardsBright and bubbly with crisp notes of green apple and lemon zest, Vino di Lusso is a sparkling wine made from 100 percent Chardonnay and is the perfect bubbly for a special occasion or for simply enjoying with friends. Created in the méthode champenoise style — a traditional Champagne production method that promotes a second fermentation in the bottle — bottles are riddled and rotated weekly before finally being disgorged and corked. Dr. William Piccione, the grandson of Italian immigrants, founded Piccione Vineyards in 2010 and continues the family tradition of winemaking in North Carolina. Located in Ronda at the base of the Brushy and Blue Ridge Mountains, Piccione Vineyards grows both Italian and French varietals and prides itself on estate-grown wines that are hand-picked and handcrafted in the dry style. Learn more about Piccione Vineyards. Honorable Mentions
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★ Home & Garden CategoryInfused Grain — The All-Inclusive Cocktail Smoker by Compass Woodworks Co.Blending industrial elements with the beauty of wood, Infused Grain — The All-Inclusive Cocktail Smoker has everything you need to smoke the perfect cocktail. Made from a slab of live-edge hickory, TreeID 1089, the slab’s cracks are filled with colorful epoxy. The working components of the infuser are recessed into the board, and it includes an LED pushbutton switch and copper tubing that allows the smoke to travel from the infuser into the cloche. Based in Salisbury, Compass Woodworks Co. uses reclaimed or locally sawn lumber salvaged from various properties and slabs purchased from Carolina Urban Lumber Company’s TreeCycle America program, which allows the company to trace the wood’s origin back to an exact tree. Compass Woodworks Co. also offers pecan, cherry, and applewood chips for the cocktail smoker that are a by-product of planing wood for their projects. Learn more about Compass Woodworks Co. Honorable Mentions
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★ Style CategoryTraveling Soldier by Home State MadeInspired by family who served in the Army, the Traveling Soldier is made with a combination of distressed leather and a repurposed Army duffle and flight bag. The backpack features a padded back, side pocket, computer divider, front zipper pocket, key clip, drawstring top with flap and buckle, repurposed padded straps from an Army duffle, and a North Carolina flag patch. All the leather comes from U.S. tanneries, and Home State Made strives to use every bit of the hide. Each bag includes a vintage cow tag, many of which come from a retired dairy farm in Chapel Hill. All bags are designed, hand-cut, sewn, and finished in Home State Made’s store in Sanford. Finding the beauty in imperfections, Home State Made enjoys utilizing something old and giving it new life. Learn more about Home State Made. Honorable Mentions
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★ 2020 Winners ★ ★ Craft Category and OverallWild Clay Floor Vessel by Motyl PotteryMade from 100 percent North Carolina clay dug by Tori Motyl in Burnsville, the Wild Clay Floor Vessel measures 28.5 inches tall. After throwing in sections on a pottery wheel, a slip surface made from watered-down clay was applied and tooled while rotating on the wheel to give it a texture that speaks to the fluid nature of the clay. Firing in a reduced environment gave it flashes of red and orange on an otherwise black surface. Based in Asheville, Tori uses wild clay and a variety of throwing, cutting, carving, and ripping to showcase the highly textural properties of clay. Learn more about Motyl Pottery. Honorable Mentions
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★ Drink CategoryBourbon Barrel-Aged Wildflower Mead by Honeygirl MeaderyHoneygirl Meadery’s Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wildflower Mead is an evolving and deeply satisfying sipper, with medium to full body, pleasant alcoholic warmth and silky smoothness. Made exclusively from North Carolina wildflower honey, fermented and aged to bring out rich, deep notes of dark honey, buckwheat, and brown sugar treacle, this gorgeous amber mead is then further aged in a bourbon barrel from Durham’s Mystic Distillery. Each bottle of mead is handcrafted and hand-bottled in their downtown Durham facility. Learn more about Honeygirl Meadery. Honorable Mentions
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★ Food CategoryProvidence by Goat Lady DairyGoat Lady Dairy has been making artisan goat’s milk and cow’s milk cheeses since 1995, and helps sustain five family farms in North Carolina. An aged goat milk cheese with a natural rind, Providence evolved out of experimental batches of a Tallegio-style cheese that Goat Lady Dairy made years ago. Providence is the perfect table cheese to pair with cured meats, olives, or membrillo and can be used as you would use Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino, or Manchego. Learn more about Goat Lady Dairy. Honorable Mentions
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★ Home & Garden CategoryBattleship Teak Large Chef Knife by Nicholas Nichols KnivesWith handles made from reclaimed teak wood from the deck of the USS Battleship North Carolina after the deck was replaced in the mid-1990s, each Battleship Teak Large Chef Knife is a piece of history. As a classically trained chef, Leland-native Nicholas Nichols knows the importance of high-quality knives. His love affair with metal began at an early age, and he quickly found his passion in knifemaking. Learn more about Nicholas Nichols Knives. Honorable Mentions
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★ Style CategoryRiverside Hi by Opie WayA classic silhouette, the Riverside Hi sneaker is made with six ounces of unlined vegetable-tanned leather, a suede heel counter and toe cap, and PORON insole for lasting comfort and is finished with hand-beveled edges, a copper rivet on the tongue tag, and waxed cotton laces. Most of the magic happens by hand in Opie Way’s small factory in Asheville to ensure each shoe fits perfectly. Sourcing materials as close to home as possible, Opie Way wants to change the way people look at footwear and provide an everyday shoe made in North Carolina. Learn more about Opie Way. Honorable Mentions
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★ 2019 ★
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★ Home & Garden Category and OverallRocking Chair by Wheeler’s Chairs
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★ Craft CategoryMid-Century Modern by KoolbirdInspired by the 1950’s interior designs, Charlotte-based Koolbird integrates mid-century modern elements into bird houses. Koolbird bird houses are eco-friendly and are made from a variety of tropical hardwoods. With Mark Ellis’s background in the furniture business, these retro birdhouses are well built, firm, and stylish and will complement the exterior design of any home. Learn more about Koolbird. Honorable Mentions
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★ Drink CategoryLemon Elderflower Hard Cider Spritzer by Noble Cider
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★ Food CategoryBourbon Honey Chocolate Truffle by Little Bird Chocolate
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★ Style CategoryClassic Patchwork Pack by Amber M. Jensen (formerly of ha!)Made entirely by hand in Marshall, the Classic Patchwork Pack was inspired by regional textile traditions with an eye toward the colors, shapes, and textures experienced during Amber’s hike across the Blue Ridge Mountains. Designed with the intention to create an equally utilitarian and stylish backpack for men and women, the pack rolls up to reveal an interior pocket for laptops and a durable cotton canvas lining. Learn more about Amber M. Jensen (formerly of ha!). Honorable Mentions
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★ 2018 ★
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★ Art Category and OverallOld Hickory by Recycling is for the birds!This exquisite birdhouse incorporates rural North Carolina materials in a unique and useful way. The house itself is made of wood sourced from a farmhouse, corn crib, and general store dating back to the early 1900s. The glass windows and tin roof are from farmhouses built in the 1800s, and the base is from a tobacco barn circa 1940. All of the materials came from Jones, Pitt, and Craven counties, and the birdhouse took 124 hours to complete. Learn more about Recycling is for the birds!. Honorable Mentions
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★ Food & Drink CategorySweet Potato Crunch by Jenni’s Ugly ChocolatesHomemade in Greenville, this gourmet candy features ingredients from a number of North Carolina farms. The bonbon-style treat gets its namesake crunch from a base of toasted pecans and toffee bits, while the creamy sweet potato filling is infused with vodka distilled from sweet potatoes. Whether these chocolates are “ugly” is debatable; what’s not is that they’re delicious! Learn more about Jenni’s Ugly Chocolates. Honorable Mentions
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★ Home & Garden CategoryMountain Laurel Mirror by Bryson Mountain StudioThese unique frames are constructed of mountain laurels harvested from the remote mountains of North Carolina. Each piece of wood is sliced, cured, and then carefully designed to fit the glass it will hold, ensuring that those who view themselves in the mirror will also be able to catch a glimpse of our state’s forested hills. Learn more about Bryson Mountain Studio. Honorable Mentions
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★ Style CategoryGinger Handbag by ShoeBeeDoOne of ShoeBeeDo’s most popular designs, the Ginger bag is made from strong, durable bull hide that wears to a beautiful patina with use. The bag comes in a wide array of colors, features a main compartment big enough for the necessities, and has a special back pocket for keeping your phone handy. Complete with a wide, adjustable strap for cross-body wear and a unique dial-lock clasp, the Ginger Handbag is the perfect travel companion for any North Carolina adventure. Learn more about ShoeBeeDo. Honorable Mentions
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★ 2017 ★
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★ Art Category and OverallVessel Sink by Blue Mountain BowlsCarl Pittman, owner of Blue Mountain Bowls, has held woodworking near to his heart since childhood. As an artist, he works with locally sourced wood to create products that serve both practical and decorative purposes. Learn more about Blue Mountain Bowls. Honorable Mentions
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★ Food & Drink CategoryOld North Shrub by The Chef’s FarmerJamie Swofford, a former chef turned farmer, is passionate about providing fresh ingredients and flavors to chefs across the Piedmont. Old North Shrub, The Chef’s Farmer’s first shelf-stable product, reintroduces a centuries-old beverage to North Carolinians that can be enjoyed by all ages. Learn more about The Chef’s Farmer. Honorable Mentions
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★ Home & Garden CategoryPlantation Lumbar Rocker by Troutman Chair CompanyOriginally founded in 1924, Troutman Chair Company products can be found across the state wherever a good rocking chair is needed — from a front porch to the Charlotte-Douglas airport. More than 20 pairs of hands touch every rocker before it leaves the manufacturer, one of the many reasons why the chairs are cherished for generations. Learn more about Troutman Chair Company. Honorable Mentions
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★ Style CategoryButton Downs by Ole Mason JarOle Mason Jar is more than just menswear; it’s a socially conscious lifestyle brand. Originally college roommates, co-founders Filipe Ho and Bradley Rhyne channeled their entrepreneurial spirits into bringing the textiles industry back to North Carolina and have shaped the clothing market in Charlotte in the process. Learn more about Ole Mason Jar. Honorable Mentions
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★ 2016 ★
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★ Craft CategoryCarved Rhododendron Root Burl — “Mountain Shells” by Waldroup WoodworksThe Waldroups seek out wood with imperfections, such as burls and knots, and turn them into stunning and functional pieces. Made from locally salvaged or harvested wood from the mountains of western North Carolina, each piece of wood is chosen for its shape, color, and grain patterns. Using chain saws, a lathe, power grinders, hand chisels, and sanding techniques, the Waldroups strive to produce a finished piece with curves and shapes they see in the natural world. Honorable Mentions
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★ Food & Drink CategorySalted Honey by Cloister HoneyCloister Honey has more than 50 beehives in Charlotte and specializes in creating handcrafted, small-batch, gourmet honey products. The company’s flavored spreads, from Salted Honey to Arbol Pepper-Infused Honey, separate them from the hive. Dreamy wildflower florals and a pinch of sea salt in Cloister Honey’s Salted Honey give this savory honey spread a personality of its own. Honorable Mentions
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★ Home CategoryBasket Weave Baby Blanket by EchoviewEchoview, whose woven textiles are sustainably made in Weaverville, honors America’s pioneering past but always has an eye on the future. A true classic, Echoview’s Basket Weave Baby Blanket is inspired by a pattern in every knitter’s arsenal — a simple all over in-and-out jersey stitch, which gives the blanket a woven look that is reminiscent of old-time wicker bassinets. Created with super-soft, eco-friendly, organic Supima cotton, the blankets are not treated with any chemicals in order to keep them safe for you and your family. Honorable Mentions
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★ Style CategoryAmerican Made Handbags by R. RiveterR. Riveter creates more than just high-quality handbags. It also creates jobs for military spouses all over the county. The parts and pieces of every R. Riveter handbag are inspired by or made from authentic military materials and are crafted by the hands of military spouses stationed coast-to-coast. The final products are assembled by local military spouse operators at R. Riveter’s FabShop in Southern Pines. Honorable Mentions
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