On a recent trip to the Outer Banks, my current boss, Publisher Charles Womack discovered that the NC seafood industry.

After last week's holiday lull, things are kicking up again in the Piedmont triad, culinarily speaking..

Here we are, cruising into a big holiday weekend, and the big news on the culinary front comes from homegrown doughnut maker Krispy Kreme, which as a special for the month of July has crafted a "Carolinasonly" confection sure to add a few tons to our collective weight.

Late June offerings in the Triad foodie scene are enough to make you forget the heat... as long as there's some form of cold treat or drink at the ready. I like ice cream, but that's just me..

Have you heard? Jimmy Dean, country-music sensation and maker of delicious sausage products for Southern people to eat, died this weekend at 81..

Big doings in Triad cuisine this week, with brevity as my only hope of cramming it all in. Ready?.

Just as the weather makes turn towards swelter comes news of a restaurant renaissance in downtown Winston-Salem. Last week we spoke of classic cocktail lounge Tate's,

To start off Served this week I'd like to offer big props to High Point's Wesleyan Academy'Ds Servant Guys Ensemble,.

This weekend marks the fifth annual Salute! The North Carolina Wine Celebration.

Sad but true, the institution in the corner of Market and Holden is no more, though Chop Houses still exist in Winston-Salem, Raleigh, Wilmington and High Point..

All weekend long you can taste Mother's Day gift wines at all three Triad locations of Total Wine More..

Donations go to Greensboro Urban Ministry, Open Door Ministry and West End Ministries in Guilford County, Crisis Control Ministry in Forsyth County and Alamance Community Services in Alamance County. For a list of participating restaurants go to www.diningoutforhunger.

Also, KFC's Double Down – the sandwich with chicken instead of bread – just may be a harbinger of innovation in the fast-food industry, according to a recent post on the Fortune magazine website..

By now you've likely heard of the new Double Down chicken sandwich at KFC: bacon and cheese sandwiched by two chicken breasts. The fried version has more than 500 calories and 32 grams of fat, while the grilled "bunless" sandwich has "just" 460 calories and 23 grams of fat. Enjoy!

Let's just say it: Times are tough out there. Early this week comes news that Ham's Restaurants

It's Easter Week, my friends, which means that you've probably already eaten a dozen or so Cadbury eggs and a couple pounds of jellybeans. Nice work!

It's warming up in fits and starts, which means that downtown Winston-Salem's Big Eat.

Deviating slightly from the norm in this St. Patrick's Day Edition of Served, I bring attention to a friend in need. Pretty much everyone in the Triad restaurant biz knows Mary Lacklen, proprietess of Bert's Seafood Grille in Greensboro.

Thank the weather fates that winter's back has finally broken and this rush of warm air has settled in the Piedmont Triad. What better time to hit the streets of downtown Winston-Salem and participate in the Big Eat, wherein great restaurants offer signature dishes at half price.

Snow is bad for business particularly the restaurant business, which by nature generally requires that customers actually come in the doors.