Greetings from Carrboro,
My aunt spent most of that summer day a good 8 feet up a tree. Please note: this was not some Gwyneth Paltrow-esque plan to connect with nature. She certainly was not the type to search for her inner wood nymph in a copse of scrub oak in hot, central Texas. It was, instead, the unfortunate result of having to pee. And a displeased wild hog.
As propriety and her bladder demanded, she got off of her horse and plunged into the brush. Not that there was a chance that anyone else was close by – she was miles from their ranch. But the woman was raised a staunch Carolina Presbyterian. And we don’t pee in the open. No ma’am. About 25 feet from her horse, however, it was her Texas instincts that saved her. She was keenly aware the moment she saw that baby pig, there was inevitably a mama pig close by. A not-so-happy, don’t-touch-my-baby-or-I’ll-
Thank the good lord that she didn’t tie up her horse. Hungry, it wandered back to their farm. Seeing her horse back at the ranch without her in tow, my uncle saddled up and took off in search of his wife. Luckily she could whistle loud enough to raise the dead and was able to summon my uncle to her rather uncomfortable nest when he was just a speck in the distance. The horse and my uncle then scared off the wild pigs and my aunt climbed onto my uncle’s horse and rode home, tired and thirsty and hungry.
Years later, she told me that growing up in the South she always enjoyed eating pork. Of course. But it wasn’t until after that day spent scared to death sitting in a tree that she truly loved it. Revenge, she told me, is a very delicious sauce.
Lucky for me, my love of pork doesn’t require trauma. And lucky for you, Acme is having our inaugural monthly whole hog dinner next Wednesday, September 5th. It’s four courses that all originate from the hog we get from Firsthand Foods. And moving forward it will be the first Wednesday of every month. And, well, it’ll be delicious. The dinner is limited to 20 people. That’s it. $46 per person. And as they say, the early bird gets the hog. Menu is below. Because of the limited nature of this special menu, reservations for this dinner are by phone only.
This weekend @ Acme: SOFT SHELL CRABS (yes, you read that correctly). Southern tomato pie. Acme gumbo. Pecan-crusted fried chicken. Fig hand pies. Fried okra. Overnight beef short ribs. Acme tomato plate. Chile Rellenos. Carolina shrimp. Bone-in ribeyes. Eastern shore clams. Peach cobbler. Pink wine. Cheeseburgers. Farmers’ market risotto. Acme cornbread. Blackened salmon. Pan-seared Lane snapper. Forever roasted pig. Crab cakes. Pecan pie. Flash-fried grouper. Labor day weekend is better here.
Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.
Cheers,
The Staff at Acme
Reservations for the limited seating whole hog dinner by phone only.
Reservations seven days a week: 919-929-2263 or online
1st
Smoked Chile-Rubbed Pork Belly
lemon & garlic asparagus, basil & zucchini purée, local pepper relish
2nd
Longaniza Tomato Relleno
heirloom tomato, Chilean-style sausage, quinoa risotto, grilled eggplant, fennel sofrito, herbed goat cheese
3rd
Stuffed Pork Loin with Figs and Farmer’s Cheese
chile-braised collard greens, rosemary potatoes, beet shoots
Dessert
Toasted Almond Leche Asada
brown butter bacon ice cream, caramel apple
