Hey, I'm Eating: Asheville, NC

Most of the weekend in Asheville, NC was about getting to know my sister's fiancé, Brian, better and getting a feel for the town where Dr. Lil' Sis will be living after she gets married. The terrain lets you know pretty quickly that you're tucked away in the mountains, as there are a lot of hills to navigate. Bring your Dramamine if you're driving a stick shift.

In a crazy coincidence, Asheville happens to be the hometown of Cameron Maybin, a 20-year-old outfielder who's expected to be the Detroit Tigers' superstar of the future. He was called up to the major leagues just as I hit the road for vacation, and it was interesting to see what the locals thought of a hometown kid making it big. Of course, sitting in front of a TV watching the newest Tiger take the field wasn't much of an option while hanging out with family. But hey, we all had to eat.

Our last morning in Asheville, Brian took us downtown for breakfast at the Early Girl Eatery, which features southern cuisine made with local produce.


I was leaning toward the homemade granola and yogurt (just trying to fit in with the hippie surroundings) until Lil' Sis pointed out one of the daily specials, a sausage and sweet potato scramble.

My picture probably doesn't do the dish justice, but it didn't stay on the plate very long. The sweet potatoes provided a nice contrast with the smoky flavor of the sausage, and the saltiness from the bacon. And the eggs were still on the wet side, without being runny, which made them great to eat with toast. (One little nitpick: I wish there would've been more bread options than white or wheat. Some good rye or sourdough would've been an awesome compliment.)

We didn't really have time to lounge around with the morning paper, as Brian had to get to work, but the dining room - with all the natural light streaming in - was a pleasant enough place to stir away the morning cobwebs. (Although I think I was the only one still sleepy by the time we sat down.)

Here's the rest of the Early Girl's menu. I would've loved to try the turkey hoagie or fried green tomato BLT for lunch. Maybe next time.

There were plenty of more dining options in downtown Asheville, but we were a bit short on time, as we had to head back to Charleston for Lil' Sis' certification exam. But if there's any place where a camera will get a workout taking pictures of food, it's Charleston, SC.