Greetings from Carrboro,

The Himalayas soared around us, the morning sun just lighting the snowy peaks. In the middle of the village, women were cooking bread – roti – in a communal wood-fired oven and selling it slathered in hot butter and salt. We waited in line for ours like everyone else with cups of hot, milky tea.

There was a man selling intricately crafted, traditional items made from paper mache at a stall next to where the women cooked the bread. The colors and designs were spectacular. I was specifically enamored with small, mostly blue candlesticks and decided to buy them. The man wagged his finger at me. Another man who spoke limited English saw my confusion and explained that the candlestick was the work of another artist. And if I wanted to buy it, then I’d have to wait.

Our roti had yet to appear, so I waited. The man’s young son ran off into the streets. Twenty minutes later a much older man appeared and introduced himself as the candlestick artist. He asked me why I wanted to buy the candlestick and I tried to explain. He listened to me and then sat down in a chair and drank a cup of tea. And then the older man got up, nodded his head to the salesman and left.

So, I bought the candlesticks. The man who spoke broken English explained that the artist only sold things to people who appreciated his work. And that I should consider myself lucky. I still have no idea how I passed his test.

On days like today, I can whole-heartedly imagine our local farmers having that same inclination, wanting to eyeball anyone hoping to purchase the fruits of so much personal sweat and toil. I’m not sure if my own children would pass the test and be allowed to eat one of the precious tomatoes that are ripening in my garden. God knows what I’d charge a stranger. Because the deer ate my cucumber plants and some other misbegotten creature doesn’t want me to have summer squash. This battle is not going well.

So thank the lord some much more tolerant people provide the restaurant all the glorious bounty of summer. Tomatoes, okra, squash, peppers, peaches, corn, blueberries, cucumbers, string beans, blackberries, basil. And all the flowers! It really is a remarkable feat. I feel such unabashed gratitude for all that our local farmers provide. I had my first tomato sandwich of the season and nearly swooned. Then, promptly, had my second tomato sandwich. Such is summer.

My advice? Don’t let all their hard work be in vain. Taste the bounty. But, you know, indoors. With a glass of wine. And someone(s) you love. It really is great to live right here, right now.

This week @ Acme: The Acme BLT bento box. Blistered shishito peppers. Fried Okra. Grilled skate. Peach & blueberry cobbler with blackberry ice cream. Acme tomato plate. Mexican-style corn ribs. Green gazpacho. Big-eye tuna. Acme smashburgers. Raul’s gumbo. Fried chicken with tomato gravy. Roasted romano beans. Tasso ham and summer vegetable taglietelle. Jambalaya. Ice-cold martinis. Acme tomato pie. Mississippi-style tamales. 16oz bone-in ribeye. Hushpuppies. Fried flounder. Green bean salad. Shooting Point oysters on the half-shell. Smoked chicken handpies. Pink bubbly. It’s summer. Dive in.

Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.

Cheers,
The Staff at Acme