No Taste Like Home is an adventure off the eaten path, a unique lesson in high-class survival.
Our public walks generally start at 9:30 and go for three hours. We take an easy stroll in a natural area, typically to a waterfall within 45 minutes of Asheville, gathering along the way. Our "catch of the day" is prepared that evening at Asheville's Zambra Tapas Restaurant. Participants order from the menu as they wish and the wild foods are incorporated into the meal at no extra charge. The cost is $40 per person.
Our catered dinner events, whether open to the public or for private groups, usually start around 3 pm. A foraging experience runs until about 4:30. This includes locating, identifying, gathering, and/or processing wild edibles. Drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and social/free time follows. At 5:30, our chef presents a wild foods cooking demonstration, and dinner is served at 6:30. Large group events with music for dancing generally end by 9 pm. Prices start at $75 per person.
Private programs are available any day of the week and are custom-designed for your group. They may include a walk, a wild foods tasting or lunch, and/or a restaurant or catered dinner. See the above descriptions and our Gallery page for images from each.
Private program prices depend on group size, duration, and whether a meal is included. Here are some examples below. You can also set a date with us and open your event to the public, generally at $40/person. For groups above four or for more information, contact us.
morning (9-12): $100 for one, $150 for two, $200 for four, optional dinner priced separately
half day (10-2 with picnic lunch): $150 for one, $250 for two, $300 for four
half day (with indoor lunch): $150 for one, $300 for two, $350 for four
full day (10-5 with picnic lunch): $250 for one, $320 for two, $500 for four
afternoon & private dinner (2-8:30): $200 for one, $325 for two, $525 for four
For a more in-depth experience, come to Asheville overnight, for a weekend, or longer. Stay at any of our accomodations. Each day, join Alan's foraging expeditions to Pisgah National Forest, Linville Gorge, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Shining Rock Wilderness Area, and countless other corners of the Blue Ridge. You'll meet thirty or more wild foods each day and experience the life of a modern hunter-gather firsthand.
Our hunt took place at Laughing Frog Estate. The property is so breathtakingly beautiful that I knew on the drive in it was going to be a magical day. On the hunt for morels we all reverted to our five year old selves on an Easter egg hunt. You should have seen us scatter and the excitement we felt when one was found. We covered a long list of wild edibles like violet leaves, sweet cicely, ramps, autumn olive, chickweed, sedum, burdock root, reishi, solomon’s seal, day lily, nettles and a few more that I’m going blank on at the moment, but we ended up collecting so much food that Alan was kind enough to cook it all up for us and even share his homemade wild blueberry wine.
Alan is a wealth of information and such a fascinating person. I couldn’t get enough and I didn’t want the day to end. If you are an Asheville local or close enough that you could drive in for a class its well worth it!
Anna Morgan