InArkansas.com

Little Rock Local Food Tour begins at 12:30 Sunday at Bernice Garden Farmers Market. 

Another farmers market in central Arkansas is getting ready to open this weekend.

Local growers will convene at The Bernice Garden in SoMa on Sunday (April 14) for opening day of The Bernice Garden Farmers Market to sell sustainable fruits, veggies, nuts, berries, flowers, herbs, cheeses and tons of cool artisan goods.

Come hungry opening day as Travis McConnell, chef and butcher for the Capital Bar & Grill, will be cooking up sausage on the grill.

The market will be open every Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until the fall.

Something else to get excited about is Boulevard Bread Bake House and Market's extended hours on Sunday. The eatery will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday, starting this weekend.

Click here for more information about the market.

The market has teamed up with local vendors to provide food samples, demonstrations and raffle prizes for the celebration

Downtown North Little Rock's unique little grocer and deli Argenta Market, 521 N. Main St., will be celebrating its third anniversary from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. tomorrow (April 13).
 
The market has teamed up with local vendors to provide food samples, demonstrations and raffle prizes for the celebration. Participating vendors include Ratchford Exotic Meat Farm, Le Pops, Loblolly Creamery, The Resident Chef, Southern Girl Soapery and more.

There will be entertainment by Zach McKenzie and grocery customers will receive a free reusable shopping bag with a purchase from the store.
 
Coinciding with the celebration will be the grand opening of the Argenta Farmers Market directly across the street at the corner of 6th and Main in North Little Rock.
 
Founded in 2010, Argenta Market is a locally owned and operated grocery market and deli, focusing on local, organic and gourmet food items.
 
Call Argenta Market at (501) 379-9980 or email stephanie.hamling@argentamarket.com for more information.

Image by Loblolly Creamery Facebook

Loblolly Creamery, the store's soda fountain, will be serving up the Dunbar Fresh Fennel limited edition ice cream flavor all month long.

Help out a local garden while shopping local this month.

Each month, customers at the store may choose to round up their total purchase to the nearest dollar and donate to a local nonprofit.

This month, the Green Corner Store, 1423 S. Main St., Ste. D, Little Rock, will be rounding up its change for the Dunbar Community Garden Project, a two-acre, outdoor classroom serving students from the adjacent Gibbs International Magnet Elementary School and students from the Dunbar Magnet Middle School.

And as an added bonus, Loblolly Creamery, the store's soda fountain, will be serving up Dunbar Fresh Fennel limited edition ice cream flavor. Half of the sales from that flavor will benefit the garden.

Also get a chance to meet some of the goats from the garden at the Green Corner Store on Saturday (April 13).

For more information, click here.

Get all-you-can-eat crawfish and more at CARTI's Ragin' Cajun Bash Thursday (April 11).

Want to feast on all of the crawfish you can eat? Or how about BBQ or savory brunch items?

Little Rock is offering that and more all this week. Here is a look at our top picks for alittle foodie fun:

Thursday

Ragin' Cajun Bash, River Market Pavilions, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock: Experience the tastes of Louisiana at CARTI’s Ragin’ Cajun Bash from 6 - 9 p.m. Thursday (April 11). Festivities include an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil with all the Cajun trimmings, delicious drinks, an auction and great live music. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. For more information, click here.

Saturday

3rd Annual Plant and Poultry Swap, The Bernice Garden, 1401 S. Main St., Little Rock: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday (April 13), bring your plants, seeds, pots, books, gardening tools, hens, roosters,chicks, ducks, eggs and any other feathered friends to swap with fellow neighbors. And don’t forget your appetite -- Boulevard Bread Co. is cooking up ribs, chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, BBQ beans and banana pie for lunch. There will be gardening tips, demos, kids’ activities and live music by Handmade Moments Jazz. Admission is free. Get more information here.

Made From Scratch Workshop- Classical Cuisine, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, 1 Rockefeller Dr., Morrilton: From osso bucco to fresh mozzarella, learn to make some classic dishes while using traditional techniques from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. Saturday (April 13). These workshops offer an opportunity to test out and develop new skills and techniques in hands-on cooking classes at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. Classes are held in the fun and functional culinary classroom and laboratory at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain. The cost is $80 per participant. Advance registration is required. Register here.

Sunday

Cooks Tour of Argenta: Jazz Brunch, 400 block of Main St., North Little Rock: This Sunday (April 14), enjoy live jazz by the Quapaw Brass Quintet, Dave Williams Ensemble, and Ken and Cliff Duo while sampling delicacies from local chefs, including Mark Abernathy of Loca Luna and Red Door; Brian Cherry of Argenta Market; and Scott McGehee, John Beachboard and Ben Brainard of ZaZa Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co., Big Orange and Local Lime. Also visit charming shops and venues while sipping wine and mimosas. Tickets are $30 per person in advance or $35 at the door. The event is sponsored by the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary. All proceeds benefit cancer patient support programs. Purchase tickets by calling (501) 686-8286, or order online. The brunch will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Better Brands Beverage Co. announced that it has chosen Arkansas among the first markets to launch Salute American, a new brand with a purpose. 

The company’s inaugural offering is an American-made, premium vodka that’s committed to investing in the future of U.S. veterans who have proudly served their country. It will donate $1 for every 750ml bottle sold to approved veterans’ charities – a declaration etched on every bottle.

Salute Vodka, which was approved for the USA Certified Seal, is made from corn and wheat grains straight from the heartland.  It’s then four times distilled for a smooth and sweet taste that works well mixed or neat. 

In addition to Arkansas, the brand is available in more than 400 places around Missouri and Southern Illinois.  Salute American will also launch in Indiana and Georgia in April and May respectively. 

Salute American Vodka is 80-proof and 40% alcohol by volume.  The brand recently received a Silver Medal and an 87-point “highly recommended” rating from the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute in the category of “Best Value Vodka $20 and under.”

For more information about the premium vodka, click here.

Easter Seals offers services including a specialized classroom designed to meet the needs of children with autism.

This month, you have a good reason to go out and eat -- you'll be supporting a great cause.

Easter Seals Arkansas is partnering with 18 local restaurants for a month-long promotion called "Appetite for Awareness" to raise awareness and support for autism and the services Easter Seals provides.

Restaurant promotions include:

• All Aboard Restaurant and Grill- donation made for every dessert sold April 14 - 27
• Bar Louie- donation made when patrons mention Easter Seals, “Appetite for Awareness” or show the flyer (in printed or electronic form) every Thursday in April (4, 11, 18, 25)
• Ciao Baci- donating a portion of their proceeds on April 15, 16 and 17 ;  accepting donations from patrons as well
• Istanbul- donation made for every order of hummus sold each Monday in April (1, 8, 15, 22)
• Local Lime- donation made for every margarita sold each Tuesday in April (2, 9, 16, 23, 30)
• Panera Bread- donation made for every pasta dish sold at the Pleasant Ridge Town Center location  on April 2
• Santo Coyote- sharing a portion of their proceeds on Thursday, April 18
• The Faded Rose- donation made for every crawfish platter ordered after 4 p.m. each Wednesday in April (3, 10, 17, 24); mention Easter Seals,  “Appetite for Awareness” or present the flyer
• The Pizza Café- donation made when patrons mention Easter Seals, “Appetite for Awareness,” or show the flyer (in printed or electronic form); both dine-in and carry-out orders are included
• Yaya’s- donation made when patrons mention Easter Seals, “Appetite for Awareness” or show the flyer (in printed or electronic form) each Monday in April (1, 8, 15, 22, 29)

A raffle drawing will also be held.  Nine winners will be randomly selected during the first week of May.  Winners will select their prize in the order in which they were drawn.  Prizes include:

• Dinner for 8 at Trio’s Restaurant ($400 Value)
• An Excursion for 8 at Bonefish Grill ($300 Value)
• Dinner for 8 at Loca Luna ($250 Value)
• Dinner for 4 at Cantina LAREDO ($60 Value)
• Gift Card for “7 Days of Big Orange” ($120 value)
• Gift Card for “7 Days of Big Orange” ($120 value)
• Gift Card for 13 loaves of bread from Boulevard Bread Co. ($60-95 value)
• Gift Card to Taziki’s Mediterranean Café ($50 value)
• Gift Card to Bravo! ($50 value)

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the US, affecting 1 in 88 children. Easter Seals offers services including a specialized classroom designed to meet the needs of children with autism; pediatric physical, speech, and occupational therapy; and an Outreach team that provides training and consultation services related to effective learning strategies and learning environments in classrooms throughout Arkansas.

For more information about the month-long event, click here.

Image by Grav Weldon

When you look back at the beginnings of some of Arkansas's longest operating restaurants, you'll see a recurring theme:  love, marriage and family.  

This week's featured restaurant started 40 years ago this June -- one week after Phillip and Cissy Brown were married.  Their little restaurant was a country store, harking back to traditions of the old rural mercantile -- a place where farmers and their families from miles around would come in to pick up supplies and sundries ranging from fresh produce and canned goods to quilts and clothing and even homemade candy.

That little restaurant grew up -- literally! -- and out too, over the years.  Today, Brown's Country Store and Restaurant is a Benton landmark.  Learn more about the restaurant and the Brown family over at Tie Dye Travels with Kat Robinson here.

This is the sixth in a series on historical restaurants in the state of Arkansas from Kat Robinson, a food and travel writer based in Little Rock who details her many adventures on the Tie Dye Travels With Kat Robinson blog. For a look at the Arkansas restaurant timeline, click here.

Remember the pig roast I attended a couple of months ago at the Dunbar Community Garden Project?

There's another roast lined up for May and it's being taken to whole new level.

The Argenta Arts District will celebrate the fine art of cooking a whole hog on a specially constructed outdoor pit on Saturday, May 4. The public will be able to try 12 pit roasted, whole, heritage breed hogs from Falling Sky Farms that are prepared by 12 local restaurant chefs.

The all-day festival, located at the Argenta Farmers Market Plaza at 6th and Main St., North Little Rock, will be open to the public at noon.

The public serving time will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Celebrity Judges will choose the winner based on style, flavor and presentation at 3:30 p.m.

Enjoy beer and wine ($5 each) beginning at noon and closing at 10 p.m. Soft drinks and water will also be available.

If you're looking to head over after the pig roast, from 7 to 10 p.m. there will be a $10 admission for music and to purchase beer and wine (at door only).

There will be tons of entertainment all day. Sound of the Mountain will be the opening band for headliner the Lost Bayou Raiders, will take the stage at 8 p.m. Bonnie Montgomery, Riverboat Crime and Mandy McBryde will also provide entertainment. Live music will start at noon. The full band lineup will be announced at a later date.

Participating restaurant teams include: Argenta Market, Café Bossa Nova, Capital Hotel, Cheer’s, Country Club of Little Rock, Fantastic China, The Italian Kitchen at Lulav, The Root, Local Lime, Maddie’s Place, Reno’s Argenta Café, Ristaurante Capeo and St. Jude United Methodist Hospital.

Although coolers are not allowed, attendees are urged to bring their lawn chairs.

Advance tickets are $25 per person and $30 at the door. You can purchase tickets online here. All proceeds will benefit the Argenta Arts District.

Get more information here.