Rescue mission needs more turkeys for Thanksgiving meal

The Charlotte Rescue Mission is in need of turkeys for its annual Thanksgiving meal. The mission had hoped to collect more than 100 turkeys during its Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, but that hasn't happened. Turkeys are needed by Friday so volunteers and staff can begin preparing for the holiday feast for an estimated 1,200 homeless and recovering addicted men and women.

If you want to help, drop a 15- to 25-pound frozen turkey (it must be frozen for health and safety reasons) to the mission at Cedar and West First Street, diagonally opposite the Panthers practice fields. The address is 907 W. First St. Enter through the glass doors at the second building on the left.

Details: 704-333-4673.

Olivia Fortson

Parade magazine wants your pie recipe

Observer food editor Kathleen Purvis is one of the judges for Parade magazine's All-American Pie-Off. Winners in seven categories (apple, cherry, Derby, Key lime, pecan, pumpkin and sweet potato) get $50 American Express gift cards, will be featured on parade.com and dashrecipes.com, and may be featured in Parade. The deadline is Sunday. Details: www.dashrecipes.com.

Thanksgiving Farmers' Market

The Matthews Community Farmers' Market on North Trade Street in downtown Matthews is having a special Thanksgiving Farmers' Market from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday so customers can pick up fresh produce from area farmers for their holiday meal. Customers who have pre-ordered free-range Thanksgiving turkeys can pick them up at the market's turkey station. Because of the holiday, the market will be closed on Nov. 26.

Details: 704-821-6430; www.matthewsfarmersmarket.com.

OF

Listen to hip-hop, learn about food deserts

Y Square Management and the nonprofit Michael Scott Mater Foundation are co-hosting an event featuring hip-hop singer Ida Divine at the Atherton Market at 2104 South Blvd. in South End from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. It's meant to raise awareness about farm to fork programs and food deserts in the Charlotte area.

Divine will perform songs from her debut album, including her single "Grow Up." Representatives from local organizations will be on hand to educate consumers on the importance of going green, sustaining a healthy lifestyle, and local food desert initiatives. Personal chef Vera Samuels will demonstrate recipes that showcase local produce with a Thanksgiving theme. Details: www.msmf.org; www.facebook.com/athertonmillandmarket.

OF

Graeter's ice cream comes to Charlotte

Sources from Saveur to Gourmet to Oprah include Cincinnati's Graeter's ice cream on the lists of the country's best. Made by the French-pot method, it's known for being exceptionally creamy and for having really rich flavors, particularly the popular black raspberry chocolate chip. So how great is this? Fresh Market and Kroger stores now carry Graeter's. It's not cheap, at $5.49 a pint, but that's in line with other premium ice creams. We found black raspberry chip and peppermint, which is available for the holidays, as well as mocha chip and vanilla chocolate chip at Fresh Market at Strawberry Hill.

From Kathleen Purvis' I'll Bite blog at obsbite.blogspot.com