Crunch Time
Noelle Knutson’s side hustle started as so many small food businesses do: by popular demand. After treating family and friends to her homemade granola, the educational therapist began receiving requests for more, and Chateau La Granola was born. Seven years ago, she first sold her granola at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market, before moving to the downtown Greenville market the following year. At present, she offers seven flavors, from salty-sweet Mexican (made with puffed amaranth) to chocolate (great for snacking).
“My goal is to create the best-tasting granola I can,” says Knutson, who attended the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas at Greenville Tech. She mixes every batch by hand, grating orange zest for the cranberry orange flavor and lemon zest for the lemon blueberry. “I try to get real flavors from good ingredients,” she says.
Starting on May 4, you’ll find Knutson and her husband, Erik, selling granola at their booth at the TD Saturday Market. They also do a brisk online business, shipping granola all over the country.
Chateaulagranola.com; info@chateaulagranola
Fun Buns
Celebrate spring with an alfresco meal on Camperdown Plaza at Perfect Buns. The quick-service, walk-up food window on the left side of the AC Hotel Greenville is rolling out two new menu items this year: the Carolina Bagel Burger swaps out the bun for an onion bagel and slathers a juicy smashburger with pimiento cheese, then adds a fried green tomato and Carolina Gold BBQ sauce; while the Chicken & Waffles Stackwich layers fried chicken and caramelized onions between two Belgian sugar waffles and drizzles the chicken with maple crema.
(There’s even a meat-free version.) Come Tuesday to Friday from 4–6pm for Sips & Snacks Happy Hour, and get free fries when you order beer or wine. They’ve even beat the heat with fine water misters to keep you cool while you wait for your food. All this, and the price is easy on the wallet, too.
20 E. Broad St., Greenville. Closed Mon, perfectbunsgvl.com
It’s the Berries
The first part of May is ripe for strawberry picking. If you’re craving baskets of these ruby-red antioxidant-rich beauties, here are a few area farms where can pick your own (and find berries already picked, if you prefer). It’s best to call the farm before you go, as hours and crop availability vary.
Buck and Ann’s Strawberry Farm – Folks appreciate that the berry patch at Buck and Ann’s is often less crowded than larger farms. 139 Pearson Rd., Greer, 864.879.4612
Callaham Orchards – Picking strawberries from the fields is an activity the whole family will enjoy. 559 Crawford Rd., Belton, 864.338.0810, facebook.com/people/Callaham-Orchards/100064279435968
Hunter Farms – This small family farm in Pickens County was founded on strawberries; don’t miss their famous strawberry milkshake. 607 Jameson Rd., Easley, 864.859.2978, huntersfarmonline.com
Stewart Farms – When you’re finished picking berries, check out the greenhouse full of vegetable plants for sale. 6600 Hwy. 92, Enoree, 864.969.7270, stewartfarms.net
Strawberry Hill, USA – Their 115 acres of strawberries make Strawberry Hill the largest strawberry farm in South Carolina. 3092 Hwy. 11 W., Chesnee, 864.461.1000, strawberryhillusa.com
