Getting Our Q On

 Time is winding down as we enter our fourth day of Jr. Chef Day Camp.  So it is time to buckle down and start cutting away at the fat and go straight to the meat of this program.  What better way to do that then to go to on a field trip to the meat market?
  We jumped in the vans and headed to the Carolina Surf and Turf Market In Lumberton and met with the owner.  He was kind enough to talk to us about the different cuts of meats, his favorites, best sellers, and we even took a look at the seafood side of things.  Probably what was most important was learning how he got to where he is and why he opened his own business.  Where he went to find the expertise to start a business and that yes, our youth can do that to.  Now that is empowering.
  After placing our meat order for lunch the next day we headed to Pinehurst for lunch.  One of the newest Pinehurst resort restaurants has an inedible outdoor kitchen and they even have their own greenhouse.  We met the man who smokes the meats and the man who handles the wood fire brick oven.  We talked wood, specifically hickory, oak, and pecan.  Did you know the types of woods you use not only effect flavor and meat color?  That is one of the many things we learned today.  We also found out that how this restaurant supports the local agriculture community is impressive.  Not only do they use local produce but they harvest herbs from their own greenhouse, and they work with a local producer and serve as a pickup point for a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) opportunity.  It’s really a neat idea.  From there we had a most delicious lunch and tried more brisket, chicken, and great BBQ samples.
  Of course after a filling a delicious lunch we needed to have something a little sweet.  What a better top off to lunch then Yum Yum Chocolates.  This is another local delicacy, from a small business created to fill a need.  This company delivers to local gift shops and stores in the Pinehurst area and their cake bites dipped in chocolate, are according to our 4-H members delicious!  We tried carrot cake, cookies and cream, lemon, chocolate, white cake and chocolate, and other combinations that made us very happy.
  With a little time left in the day we pulled out the games.  This might not seem like much to you but it allows our youth to build team building skills, forge friendships and have another chance to practice problem solving,  and strategy building skills.  You would be amazed at all the skills our youth get by being able to play old fashioned games like connect four, tic-tac-toe, and Jenna with each other.
  Today has been good and tomorrow we will grind into all our skills and knowledge to learn if we are truly grill masters.  Stay tuned!