Greetings from Carrboro,
It always seems to be Lionel Richie. And I’m not particularly excited/proud with what that says about me. Personally or professionally. But if a song is going to get stuck in my head when I’m in the kitchen, it’s always one of those sepia-toned 80’s ballads that takes root. And – let’s be honest – cutting onions to an interior soundtrack of Say You, Say Me feels like an immediate disqualification for being on Top Chef. Because, obviously, Thomas Keller hears Bach and Bobby Flay, the Beastie Boys. So, there’s a fair amount of professional shame in mouthing the words to Endless Love while sweating over a grill.
But – to utilize the backhanded optimism that thrums through every American restaurant kitchen – it could be worse; because there is still Vanilla Ice, right? And that tried and true mantra of kitchen perseverance is never more necessary than when the heat of summer takes hold and doesn’t let go. So thank the good lord for all the bounty and deliciousness of July. The corn and peaches, the berries and chilis, the okra and melons.
And, yes, the tomatoes. Oh my, the glorious, drool-worthy tomatoes. And with our annual Tomato Festival, the Acme kitchen gets the opportunity to use them in every way that we can imagine. Sliced and diced, fried and pied. Like I said, it could be worse. My fine-tuned restaurant spidey sense tells me that a similar celery festival would be a tad less popular. For you and us.
So, next weekend, July 11th – 14th, we are back at it. The 23rd Annual Acme Tomato Festival returns in all its juicy glory. Think of it as a celebration of summer in our rather delicious corner of the South. We’ll go through hundreds of pounds of all sorts of spectacular, local tomatoes and highlight why it’s so great to live right here, right now. Despite the heat. Despite the humidity. It’s always one of the great weekends of the year at the restaurant. If you’re as big a fan of tomatoes as we are, then, well, you might want to mark your calendar. And when you join us, you justnmight end up dancing on the ceiling.
And if tomatoes are really, really your thing, the Tomato Festival Tuesday Supper Club on July 16th might just be your dream date. It’s a four-course meal dedicated to all things tomato and all things summer. The dinner menu is below. Tickets for the night are $45 and sold on a first come, first served basis. We will get started at 6:30 with doors at 6:00. I hope that you can join us.
This weekend @ Acme: Nearly perfect tuna Niçoise. Southern tomato pie. Acme smashburger. Watermelon salad. Pecan crusted fried chicken. Peach & blueberry cobbler. Summer succotash. Acme wedge salad. Scallop crudo. Shrimp, cheddar, & bacon hushpuppies. Angel biscuits. BLT bento box. Acme tomato plate. Crab cakes. Forever roasted pig. Summer squash casserole. Peel & eat NC shrimp. Flash-fried flounder. Acme Brussels’ sprouts. Honey Pie. Blackened salmon. Three bean salad. Watermelon margaritas. Acme cornbread. It’s hot outside; let us do the cooking.
Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.
Cheers,
The Staff at Acme
Tomato Festival Tuesday Supper Club
July 16th, 2024
6:30 in the evening
1st
Classic Caprese Salad
heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, Maldon
2nd
Scottish Salmon
roasted tomatoes, eggplant purée, tomato butter sauce
3rd
Cast-iron Pork Tenderloin
fried green tomatoes, corn pudding, bacon & beefsteak tomato jam
4th
Tomato Pound Cake
basil sugar, candied almond, buttermilk whipped cream
