Getting real in the Whole Foods parking lot

When I checked last week, Charlotte's Whole Foods is still a big pile of dirt. Pass your time with this while you're waiting for the chance to get your Humboldt Fog in those little carts they got . . .

Food tents and trucks: Who inspects them?

My blog post on Taste of Charlotte brought an interesting comment from George 10:09 AM:

"Have these vendors been inspected and certified by the state or city? If I got sick on bean sprouts and decided to go to court, would the city have a bond to cover that?"

Excellent question, George. I called Lynn Latham, the environmental supervisor for the Food & Facilities Sanitation Program through the Mecklenburg County Health Department.

The answer, George: Yes, they are inspected. Anyone selling food to the public has to meet certain requirements. In the case of festival vendors such as the restaurants working Taste of Charlotte, they first have to apply for a permit. Their application has to explain what they're making and how they plan to handle it. Food & Facilities can approve or disapprove the application, and give them notes on what they need to do to get approved.

Then there's a site inspection when the tents are set up. "We go down there, we look at the setup, we make sure it matches what was on the application," says Latham. "We're making sure they have setups for utensil washing, for handwashing, that they have proper storage of the food, there's proper temperatures, that we don't have cross-contamination issues. Once we're assured, we issue them a permit. They're allowed to operate for that period only."

In the case of a recurring event with food, inspectors go every time to check the setup.

Food trucks have to get a permit that shows their setup has been approved, and they are then subject to unannounced inspections, just like stationary restaurants. That happens about every 3 months. The trucks have to supply the health department with a route and updates, so inspectors can find them for occasional inspections.

Bonding isn't part of what Latham does as an inspector. But I recently asked Robert Krumbine of Charlotte Center City Partners to address a question about the trucks at the Thursday night food-truck rally uptown and he indicated that trucks have to be bonded to take part in that event.

Whether you can bring a case against a vendor who makes you sick is trickier, says Latham. "When it comes down to proving foodborne illness, are people willing to go to the doctor and is the doctor willing to take specimens?" Sometimes doctors are more focused on making you feel better, or people skip getting tested if their health insurance doesn't cover it.

"That's a battle we fight all the time. Without a specimen, you can't pinpoint the organism. Actually proving a foodborne illness isn't easy."

Latham emphasized that you can help by letting the health department know if you see something that you think might be a problem.

"The important thing is, if there is food for sale to the public, there must be involvement from the Health Department. They can show you their permit, which is not the same as the business license. (You) can ask to see a health department permit. If there is not one, there is no assurance that everything is approved."

To contact the health department or to see the regulations or report a possible violation, go to www.meckhealth.org and click on "Environmental Health," or call the department, 704-336-5100. It's also very easy to see the inspection report on a restaurant: http://mecklenburg.digitalhealthdepartment.com/

Who wins Taste of Charlotte?

I do! I win the endurance contest, anyway. Observer features editor Mike Weinstein and I took on the challenge this afternoon, joining several sets of judges in 90-plus heat. What a coincidence: We had to go from booth to booth and judge roughly 93 offerings.

The actual winners were announced last night. See results below.

In the meantime, a few observations about the Taste of Charlotte event if you're going:

1. It's gotten better. In the first few years, the lineup was more generic festival food. But in the last couple of years, it's really increased the number of local and non-chain restaurants. For those who remember the original Taste of Charlotte back when it was in 4th Ward Park, this is a good trend. This year's roundup included Harvest Moon Grille, Caffe Siena, Divine Pies (hi, Agnes!), Mert's, Dixie's Tavern, RiRa and Outlaw BBQ. Also, there was a good representation of international restaurants, including Woodlands, Namaste and Brazas.

2. Good turnout. I thought expected it to be deserted during the judging hours of 1 to 3 p.m. on a Friday. But even in the heat, it was pulling in a good crowd. And people seemed to be relaxed and having a good time.

3. Pulled pork. And more pulled pork. Even restaurants that aren't known for it were serving it. Understandable: It's a crowd-pleaser, and it's easy to do from a booth with steam tables. But by the 4th -- or was it the 5th? -- we were no longer squealing with delight.

4. Don't miss: Caffe Siena's Sea Bass Cake with Chipotle Slaw, Outlaw's brisket slider, Brazas' bacon-wrapped chicken, Polka Dot Bakery's Tuxedo cupcake, Flying Biscuit's BLT wrap, Mai Thai's Ginger Chicken Wing and Ri Ra's Guiness wings.

The official winners:
Best overall: Harvest Moon Grille, for Moonitas.
Best entree: Caffe Siena, Sea Bass Cake
Appetitzer, Modern Mexican, jalapeno shrimp
Dessert: Polka Dot Bakery, Tuxedo Cupcake
Most unique: Mert's Heart and Soul, Soul Roll
Display: Newk's Express.

Cookbook giveaway: Who won "Tupelo Honey"?

Rhonda Mathis of Charlotte is the winner in our random drawing for a copy of the cookbook "Tupelo Honey Cafe," by Elizabeth Sims, featuring recipes from the little restaurant in downtown Asheville.

While we're on the subject of Asheville, here's a question for you: What's your don't-miss eating experience there these days? I'm making a trip over there soon. On my list: 12 Bones and Doc Chey's, and a return visit to The Admiral.

I've already been to Barley's Taproom, Chocolate Fetish, Early Girl, Tupelo Honey, The Market Place, the Laughing Seed and Zambra. And of course, I've made many trips to the French Broad Food Co-Op and the Grove Arcade.

What else should be on my list, Asheville fans?

Livermush and strawberries

A couple of links worth following this morning:

In case you have noticed, CNN has been featuring North Carolina as part its Defining America series. Now CNN's food-centric Web city Eatocracy.com is singling out livermush for attention in this report. Why you need to go: They're taking a poll on how people feel about livermush. Vote early and often.

If you're feeling gipped about spring taking such an early departure, a feature on Leite's Culinaria might make you feel better. Somewhere, in climates other than this one, people are still eating strawberries and asparagus. Go here for Renee Schettler Rossi's lovely story and some equally lovely pictures.

A toast to Mike Collins

Whenever I've been on WFAE's "Charlotte Talks," there is always that moment when the "on air" light turns on, the music cues up through my headphones, host Mike Collins starts his patter - and I give a big gulp. Here comes a chance to make a fool of myself while thousands of people are listening.

It's enough to make a girl wish she had a good cocktail at 9 in the morning. Not that I would indulge so early, but still.

So when a new cocktail book, "The Ultimate Cocktail Book," by Bill Reveall and Neil Mersh landed on my desk the other day, guess what caught my eye? The Mike Collins.

Yes, there is a Mike Collins cocktail. Sadly, it doesn't have anything to do with our longtime talk-radio host. It's a variation in the large Collins family, iced cocktails that always include lemon juice and soda water. Tom Collins is the best known, made with gin, but there are collinses. I've dallied on occasion with the John Collins, made with bourbon or rye. There's the Juan Collins, with tequila, the Pierre Collins, with brandy, and the Comrade Collins, with vodka. There's even a nonalcoholic version called a Phil Collins. And apparently, there's a Mike Collins, made with Irish whiskey.

Still, knowing there's a Mike Collins is a good excuse to raise a glass to our own Mike Collins. Mike, here's to you. And your mic.

Mike Collins From "The Ultimate Cocktail Book" ($17.95, Hamlyn).

5 to 6 ice cubes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon simple syrup (see note)
3 ounces Irish whiskey
1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
Club soda or seltzer
Orange rind spiral

Put the ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour the lemon juice, sugar syrup and whiskey over the ice and shake until a frost forms. Pour, without straining, into a tumbler or Collins glass and add the orange slice and cherry speared on a cocktail stick. Top with soda water, stir lightly and serve decorated with an orange rind spiral.

Share your food at the Atherton Market

If you go by the Atherton Market, 2104 South Blvd., on Saturday, you'll be able to see a new project: The Farmer Foodshare Donation Station.

(And if you go to the Atherton Market today, remember that it'open from 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.)

At the Farmer Foodshare Donation Station, shoppers can donate fresh food bought from the stalls or cash that volunteers will use to buy fresh food. The food will go to Friendship Trays, the Dilworth Soup Kitchen and Urban Ministries.

The Farmer Foodshare program is already operating at Carrboro Farmers Market near Chapel Hill. Since May 2009, farmers and shoppers have provided more than 41,078 pounds of food to feed the hungry.

As a regular farmers market shopper, I have to say this one is a great idea. I'd happily buy two heads of cauliflower instead of one, or an extra bucket of peaches to make sure somebody else's family gets to eat fresh, locally grown food.

To help the program get started, Harvest Moon Grille will host a dinner Monday with Joe Kwon of the Avett Brothers helping out in the kitchen. A percentage of the proceeds will be used get Farmer Foodshare off to a good start. Reservations are strongly recommended. There are no tickets, just the usual cost of dinner entrees, which usually runs from $16 to $25. Get more details here.