You can find gourmet gifts at the Southern Christmas Show

More than 100,000 visitors are expected to stroll through this year's Southern Christmas Show, which opens Thursday and runs daily through Nov. 20 at The Park Expo and Conference Center, 2500 E. Independence Blvd. Among the more than 650 exhibitors selling gifts and décor are food vendors offering everything from pastries, candies and breads to wine, coffee and teas from around the globe.

Here are just a few highlights with their exhibitor number so you can find them quickly on the show's map:

@ The Market ... N.C. Specialty Foods has hundreds of our state's best gourmet items, including relishes, jellies, cheese straws, pimento cheese, pickles, peanuts and cookies (exhibitor 12).

Celestial Cocoa Company has different flavors of homemade gourmet cocoa (exhibitor 3502).

Gourmet Butter Mint Co. is an N.C.-based company that specializes in old-fashioned pulled butter mints (exhibitor 2350).

Helmut's Strudel - one of the show's most popular returning vendors - has a big operation so they can bake their product fresh on site. It's available with apple, cheese, cherry or almond apricot filling. Savory items are its Spinach Puff, Broccoli Cheese Puff, Beef Wellington Roll, Lemon Pepper Chicken and Puff Dogs (exhibitor 2600; 3201-3205; and 3302-3306).

N.C Fudge has 50 flavors, including some unique to our state (Cheerwine Fudge) and even Jalapeño Fudge (exhibitor 2308 and 2310).

The Cookie Jar is a Charlotte-based bakery that sells gourmet cookies and specialty cookie jars (exhibitor 3021).

Show hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Tickets are $9 at the door ($8 in advance online); $3 for 6-12; free for 6 and younger. Advance tickets are $7.50 at participating Harris Teeter stores. Parking is $6. www.southernchristmasshow .com .

Olivia Fortson

Applebee's salutes veterans and troops

Participating Applebee's restaurants will thank the veterans and troops by giving them a free entrée Friday for Veterans Day.

The Veterans Day menu is dine-in only and features some of the restaurant's most popular items, including the 7-ounce House Sirloin, Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger, Three Cheese Chicken Penne and Double Crunch Shrimp. The offer does not include extras, beverages, desserts or gratuity.

Guests will need to provide proof of service. Examples are a U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, photograph in uniform or wearing uniform, DD214, Citation or Commendation.

For participating locations, go to www.applebees.com.

OF

Annual tour of kitchens in Hickory

The nonprofit Service League of Hickory's sixth annual Kitchens & More Tour fundraiser is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 19. The kitchens of five homes in Hickory will be on display, and there will be tastings from chefs, food demonstrations and entertainment at each stop. Kitchen styles range from historical and traditional to contemporary.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at participating Lowes Foods in the Hickory area.

Details: 828-324-0201; www.serviceleaguehickory.org.

OF