Airing of the Quilts from Franklin, North Carolina ... and Cyprus Food

Last year Mr. Dancing Bear surprised me by taking us on a weekend trip to Highlands and Franklin, NC ... two sweet towns right next to each other.  This was to celebrate both our anniversary and it just happened to be Mother's Day by the time he could get the reservations that he wanted ... 

We had such a great time last year that we decided to do it again!  Every Mother's Day Saturday is Airing of the Quilts in Franklin so we wanted to keep our visit on this particular weekend.  We stayed at a local B&B in Franklin this time and traveled over the most windy, twisty road in America to get to Highlands.  Why go over to Highlands, you may ask?  More on that later ...

It may be that I wasn't feeling 100%, but I was somewhat disappointed in the actual airing of the quilts this year.  Last year they had formally displayed some beautiful quilts in the Town Hall and I enjoyed roaming around down there.  There are also quilts all over town, on park benches, in store windows, and on stands placed around the gazebo area and down one street.  These were all very pretty but the ones that caught my eye and made me go closer to actually look were the hand-quilted ones!  So there are still people out there doing some beautiful hand-quilting.  We will definitely go again because I know this is just going to grow and grow and get better each year!  Maybe the addition of some street vendors, food/drink vendors, etc., would help.  

And I did visit both of the quilt stores in town, and came away with bags of goodies from each!  Wheeeee .... I love me a road trip!!!

So on to Highlands, the next town over from Franklin ...

Highlands is a small town just like Franklin, but they are so blessed to have one of the most spectacular restaurants ... Cyprus Restaurant.  The chef picks a theme and uses that theme for a week or a month, whatever ... we will introduced to Koi Phi Phi Cookout, a Thai Open Fire on the Beach.  And keep in mind that I'm not a Thai fan ...  When you walk into the restaurant you are looking right into part of the kitchen and they have displayed the food cooking ... a huge pork roast from which they cut the chops.  And mussels ... and the mango-spiced salad ...  So the first night we both had the rice wine braised pork chop with the mango spiced salad, jasmine rice, and other goodies.  It was absolutely delicious.  And Saturday night we changed it up .... I had the fish topped with finely shaved snow peas, fried garlic, jasmine rise, fresh coconut, and a slightly sweet red curry sauce.  I was afraid of the curry but the waitress assured me it was not the heavy hot curry associated with Thai food.  I sat there while eating, just marveling ... this was the best food I've ever eaten!  What a talent is Chef Nicolas!  We are not "foodies" ... but everything about this eating experience was wonderful.   The service was spot-on without the heavy "everything ok here" or trying to clear away your dish before you are through.  They are great!  The atmosphere is smart, without being smarty-pants, if you know what I mean.  A lot of couples were there, a lot of 4 people parties, and several larger parties, and we all went away with great smiles on our faces!

For dessert, we changed it up both evenings, having the lavender ice cream stuffed between two thin cookies and drizzled with honey ...... and jackfruit sorbet covered with shaved coconut and two small thin cookies.  Yummy!

And then we had company while eating ... look below ...

 This is the fish covered in thinly sliced snow peas, topped by fried garlic .... do you see the fresh coconut on top of the rice ... and that slightly yellowish/red sauce is oh-so-good!  All served on a large banana leaf ...





This is the jackfruit sorbet with the toasted coconut and crispy cookies and orange slices.  Yummy yummy yummy ...

 Yep, that's a black bear just loping along behind the restaurant.  And he is a big one, too!  No one rushed outside to invite him in ....