Charlotte-area food notes
Fall beer season is heating up
Two fall events for your beer calendar (save room for a lot more):
▪ Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, 4150 Yancey Road, is expanding its annual Mecktoberfest from two days to three. Planned for 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sept. 25-27, it’s a free event with live music that celebrates German-style food and beer. Details: www.oldemeckbrew.com.
▪ Charlotte Beerfest has released the list of 200 craft beers, specialty and national beers that will be available at the event, a part of the new Southern Sauce Beer, Barbeque and Bands Festival Sept. 18-19 at Romare Bearden Park and BB&T Ballpark in uptown Charlotte. Devils Backbone Brewing of Virginia is a sponsor, and locals will include Catawba Brewing, Red Clay Ciderworks, D9, Lenny Boy and Sugar Creek. Tickets range from $50 to $100; get details at www.charlottebeerfest.com.
Learn to make bread at your own pace
Charlotte bread expert Peter Reinhart of Johnson &Wales University is offering an online course in artisan bread making through Craftsy.com. Usually $39.99 but on sale right now for $19.99, you get access to 10 video lessons, downloadable recipes and Q&A with Reinhart in a virtual classroom. It covers everything from basics to babka. To register, go to www.craftsy.com.
Cake mix, pure and simple
Pillsbury debuted a new line of cake mixes this summer without a lot of things: Purely Simply has no artificial coloring or ingredients. Purely Simple includes white and chocolate cake and cupcake mixes, chocolate chip and sugar cookie mixes, a chocolate chunk brownie mix, and buttercream and chocolate frosting mixes. Look for it at supermarkets from $1.99 to $3.29.
Cookout for a Cause
Headlines Barber Shop will hold its third Cookout for a Cause, 1-5 p.m. Sept. 13 at Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road. The cookout raises money for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. It’s free, but you can make donations and buy raffle tickets. Details: www.headlinesbarbershop.com.
Coming Friday
Observer restaurant reviewer Helen Schwab checks out three new options for pizza around Charlotte. See what she found, along with more restaurant news, in Friday’s CLT.
This story was originally published September 8, 2015 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Charlotte-area food notes."