If you have an itch to eat out, Scratch!

A reader of Jim's COVIDiary recently suggested our day trips have a common theme: Beer! Not a bad observation, but not completely true. We enjoy a good beer, and breweries are usually fun places to visit, even during the coronavirus pandemic. We look for breweries when planning an outing, but our day trips are to get to a destination and return home and to experience something other than the interior walls of our home. Too many people are staying home these days when a drive through the country can be enlightening and enjoyable. Including a beer stop is simply a plus.

Our most recent outing took us to downtown Apex, not very far from home, to a restaurant that's at the very least on it's third leg as a restaurant. Originally it had a country cooking menu, a theme that didn't work out even in country-cooking Apex, the highest point above sea-level on the Seaboard Airline railroad. We ate there a couple of times before it closed. What kept us from returning was the limited ... uh ... beer list. Oh well. After that, it was a Mexican establishment, more upscale, we think, though we never visited it. It might have been something else before or after that. Hard to remember when a restaurant changes its stripes so often in a short time period. This eatery is on North Salem Street, the main drag through Apex, sort of, but its actually at the rear of the Tobacco Mule Exchange building.

Our trip was for a Saturday lunch at Scratch Kitchen and Taproom. We decided to try it for the first part of the name, "Scratch Kitchen," though the last part, "Taproom," helped seal the deal, to take our chances. We were pleasantly pleased with the service, the food, and, of course, the beer. We parked in a lot at the rear of the building, which fronts North Salem Street and backs on Temple Street. Take either Templeton Street or Saunders Street, which run perpendicular to North Salem, to get there. This is better than trying to park on Salem Street.

Several well-spaced tables are set up outside in a courtyard. To social distance, we wanted an outside table, so we arrived about eleven o'clock that morning. We were directed to a table but after a few minutes we changed tables because the first was on a severe slope. I felt as if I was falling forward while sitting. The second table was relatively flat. After moving, we noticed the first table was being cleaned, though we had been at it for a mere minute or two. We were impressed with the protocol to combat the spread of COVID-19. About the only issue we had at Scratch was the abundance of flies which kept us busy, shooing them from our food and beverage. Since we pretty good at shooing, the flies didn't get a chance to eat much.

Prior to going to Scratch, on another day trip, we went to Vicious Fishes Apex, a few miles south of the Apex Historical District, so we opted for the Vicious Fishes Here be Dragons IPA for our "do-you-know-what-you-would-like-to-drink" selection, a question which usually comes either without a list of available libations or just seconds after being seated with a drinks list. This time our waitperson gave us ample time to decide. Good choice of beer, by the way, except the drinks are served in Mason jars which didn't change the good flavor; we're just not fans of drinks served in Mason jars except, maybe, for the water. But, the jars didn't stop us from enjoying the beer.

The menu has several "that looks good" items, you know, those delicious descriptions on the menu but which you've never set sight on. But they look good! Take a look at the entire Scratch Kitchen and Taproom menu. Here are the descriptions of our selections; both were sandwiches:

CRISPY CHICKEN: Waffle-battered fried chicken with spicy maple syrup aioli, candied bacon and house pimento cheese with Scratch made pickles. Served on a Stick Boy bun. (Review: Excellent choice! The bun was undersized; there were two sizable pieces of fried chicken breast. The add-ons gave it an overall great taste. It's a winner to be duplicated on a future visit even if just to see if indeed the tasty and filling sandwich can be duplicated.)

N.C. BAHN MI: House smoked pulled-pork, traditional Vietnamese picked vegetables, cucumber, fresh cilantro, kimchi aioli. Served on a toasted Hoagie bun. (Review: Be sure to read past the title when ordering. We didn't so we were expecting the Bahn Mi made with fried pork belly. Once we took a bite, we were sold. The pulled pork was tasty and tender. The add-ons were especially good, but best of all we gave credit to our son who always tells us, "the bread makes the sandwich." In this case, that was the truest of statements. The bun was toasted, just enough. The inside was soft, just enough. The flavor of the sandwich was perfect, just enough. Hopefully this will be duplicated as well.)

This outing was not a day long event; we didn't drive very far; we didn't explore areas of North Carolina or one of the adjoining states; we didn't go outside Wake County. What we did was enjoy an excellent meal and had an enjoyable time not far from our backdoor. It was another outing that was well worth the time and the expense. 

Virus may rein in college football excess? Are you kidding? Temporarily, maybe!

In reference to a recent editorial column—Virus may rein in college football excess—written by The News & Observer Associate Editor Ned Barnett, me thinks Mr. Barnett is just a bit too optimistic. 

Football is the major force for operation of the Atlantic Coast Conference and its 15 college members and is the primary reason the ACC Board of Directors, made up of the 15 presidents and chancellors, have thus far caved to proceeding with the 2020 season, the spread of COVID-19 be damned!

Football is the self-standing economic engine for athletics departments at N.C. State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which, as state-supported universities, are supposed to be self-sufficient when it comes to finances. Massive revenue from the television contract with ESPN is on the line when discussing whether to play or not.

There is despair in losing dollars from ticket sales because of policies of maximum size of crowd gatherings. But, the real money is with television income and sponsorships from football which finances those athletics departments, their on-going operations as well as debt and debt service. Without television revenue, one can image that loans—after initial investment from boosters—for facility expansion might go into default.

As much as anyone, I enjoy watching college sports, especially football, but I think athletics, especially at the Power 5 conference level—Big Ten, Pac-12, Big 12, Southeastern and ACC—is too big, a force that is the university’s tail wagging the dog more than ever. The fight against the ever expanding athletics divisions of colleges and universities goes back more than 50 years.

Don’t focus on the number of athletes who get educated through participation in intercollegiate athletics. I used to think having their schooling paid for was enough compensation for their service to the school. Not anymore. These young men and women deserve a lot more. The COVID-19 pandemic may just be the proverbial straw that breaks the bank. It gives the student-athletes leverage to ask for income for risking their lives.

In normal times, such as in 2019, there is plenty of money to go around, and there is a lot of waste in the name of administering college sports. When you look at the excess at the administrative level, you’ll find what needs to be reined in. N.C. State Wolfpack athletics has 28 employees with “athletics director” in their titles. Boo Corrigan is the Athletics Director,  but, according to the website gopack.com, there are 27 others with “athletics director” added to their titles of deputy, associate, senior associate, and assistant, and for what? There are only 21 sports to care for at N.C. State.

The Wolfpack football staff has 40 employees under that department, according to the staff list. Men’s basketball has 16.The head football and basketball coaches are the two highest paid employees on the N.C. State campus. If money is power, football coach Dave Doeren and men's basketball coach Kevin Keatts have it hook, line, and sinker.

Staff excess is not a formula for success. The Wolfpack’s last two ACC football titles were in 1973 and 1979 with football staffs of less than half of today’s staff. The 1974- and 1983-men’s basketball teams won national titles with fewer than half of today’s staff. There were no more than three “athletics directors” during those years. Not only do salaries of these coaches, especially the head coaches, need to be reined in, something COVID might instigate, but maybe the entire scope of how athletics operates and at what expense needs to be cut, reined in, simplified.

Athletics is not the only bloated area at N.C. State University which, according to the website NCSU.edu and its on-line staff directory, has 122 employees with “dean” in their titles; 62 “chancellors”; and 53 “provosts”. And, least you think I’m picking on my alma mater (NCSU ’77), at UNC-CH the goheels.com website shows 60 names on the football staff and 18 for men’s basketball. And the number of titles with chancellor, deans and provosts at UNC-CH is just as bulky as at N.C. State. These are big institutions but why such top-heavy staff?

The size of college athletics is an issue: football coaches, athletics directors, chancellors, and presidents want to save athletics departments by playing football during this pandemic crisis. Chancellors and Presidents want to open campuses for financial reasons more so than for education, especially to keep deans, chancellors and provosts employed and to pay for its own debt service—education and safety for the students be damned.

Both college athletics and colleges in general, especially on the administrative sides, need some serious cost-cutting, making do at the highest level while meeting its charge with less. If the salaried staff needs to put in a few additional work hours, so be it.

Mr. Barnett, The N&O writer, thinks COVID-19 might rein in college football but he misses the bigger trees in the forest of intercollegiate athletics and the universities.

What’s more likely to happen is a coalition of colleges, those Power-5 leagues with the television money in hand, sets an agenda that includes no more than a dozen varsity teams, six for men and six for women, sending the other sports and athletes to the club sports level, putting the financial burden on the universities, not athletics departments, if those teams are retained at all.

Even with those changes big time athletics eventually will continue, maybe on a smaller scale at first, but with big-time football leading the way to ungoverned growth. If the current structures of college athletics, especially departments top-heavy with administrators and their surrounding kingdoms, remain, COVID-19 will not rein in college football. It may slow it a bit, downsize it a little, but years from now the call to rein in college football excess will be heard again.

Local Day Trip: Raleigh, Apex breweries

Selfie! What did you expect?!

Our plan was to drive northwest about two hours from Cary to Mount Airy, legendary North Carolina town of the Andy Griffith Show. After visiting a couple of "Mayberry" breweries for the first time, one for beer only and the other for beer and lunch, we would head to Elkin for another brewery. That was the plan.

Interstate and four-lane highways there and lesser know highways to return home would be the travel routes this time. But we nixed that idea. It was Sunday, and we didn't want to be in the fast lane for just over four hours. We would save it for another day.

Another option was an hour drive southwest to the Pinehurst Brewery, an enjoyable beer and pizza location we visited before the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside seating is available, just as at the other three breweries. Pinehurst is a unique village but we weren't up for that either.

Making plans these days is not a chore but not fun either. Spur of the moment stuff is not always possible. Doing the same thing every day is downright depressing, though that may be too strong of a word for us. Let's say we've become "down in the dumps," probably no different than millions of others who are adhering to methods to keep from getting infected by what I'm now calling the "Trump Flu" and for good unmentionable reasons.

So, not wanting to go very far but go somewhere, we packed a lunch and drove 15 minutes to Trophy Brewing on Maywood Ave. in Raleigh, near the State Farmers Market just off of Interstate-40. We knew there would be well-spaced outside seating and good beer.

Ham, cheddar, tomato , Duke's mayo
on cinnamin raison bread with
Mr. Cheesesteak Garlic Parm Fries

Nancy constructed one of my favorite sandwiches: Ham, cheddar cheese, sliced tomato, and Duke's mayo on cinnamon raisin bread. That's right, cinnamon raisin bread! Delicious! Don't knock it until you've tried it. Guy Fieri would love the sandwich, describing its sweetness of the bread to complement the the acidity of the tomatoes and the texture of the ham and cheese, and so on and so forth.We also had potato chips, grapes, and pickles. However, when we arrived the Mr. Cheesesteak food truck was there, front and center. Nancy suggested the Garlic Parm Fries, as a substitute for the potato chips.

During 90 minutes at Trophy, we met a guy who quickly offered he is a beer connoisseur. "I have a certificate," he boasted, saying he dislikes IPAs. "Weak and too hoppy," he said. What? IPAs should be hoppy. Weak? How about 7.5% AVB for my first choice, "Best In Class" New England IPA, served in a 12 ounce plastic cup instead of 16 ounces because of its ABV. This guy went on and on, describing his beer tastes, saying every "beer" he doesn't like is not beer. Hah! Connoisseur? Consuming Beer Snob, maybe. Expert? Sure thing, pal. And if you don't believe me just ask him.

There was also a patron sitting around the corner from us, singing off-key to music coming through his earphones. It was Celtic music, we discovered. Now, come to think about it, isn't all Celtic music off-key? Fortunately, Celtic guy finished his beer and sing-along while beer expert finished his beer at nearly the same time, about 70 minutes into our day trip to Trophy. We were sandwiched in between the two: beer lecturer to our right, and wannabe off-key serenader to our left. They soon departed, giving us 20 minutes of good beer and food without uninvited noise.

Look for the sign on old U.S. 1 south of Apex

The day was not over. We drove about 20 minutes southwest, through Apex to Vicious Fishes, a brewery taproom which is an extension of Vicious Fishes Taproom and Kitchen in Fuquay-Varina. This location is on Old U.S. 1 just past NC Toll Road 540 and is also home for Piranha Joe Coffee. The coffee shop opens at 7:00 a.m. and has a wide selection of coffee offerings. I'm not sure what was in the building previously. Maybe an old garage or country store of some sort.

Vicious Fishes Taproom 
backyard courtyard in Apex

When we arrived, the parking lot appeared full. We wouldn't stay if the inside was over-loaded which it wasn't. We were pleasantly surprised to find a courtyard of picnic tables out back, offering plenty of room to social distance yet sit at the same table with unknowns. The beer was good. There was a wine offering. The staff was wearing masks; the seating inside was well spaced. It was well-worth the drive through Apex.

Just as we've been to Trophy several times before Sunday, we'll return to Vicious Fishes some day soon, maybe for morning coffee or for an afternoon beer or glass of wine. It'll be a good follow-up to this local day trip which was excellent by our important and must-have-a-good-time standards: Tasty beer, nice drive, delicious food, and interesting folks.

Visiting Saxapahaw and The Eddy Pub

Have you ever been to Saxapahaw, the tiny former mill town on the Haw River and once home to a big name in North Carolina politics?

We've been there several times, stopping occasionally, and passing through, for no reason, other times. Saturday we made a planned visit, one of our day trips during the coronavirus pandemic. We went to have lunch at The Eddy Pub, one of two eateries in an old cotton mill. In deference to COVID-19, the Eddy is taking reservations to assure there's no over-crowding.

The Eddy has a pub atmosphere. Duh! The view from the deck overlooking the Haw River is nice, but no shade on a hot day. We ate inside with air conditioning and never set foot on the deck. The beer list, which includes the excellent  Surfin Buddha IPA draft, is short but with something for every one. And, the fries are tasty. However, the Grilled Farm Burger on a Brioche bun with NC Mango chutney, mayo, lettuce, NC hoop cheddar and dijon lacked a lot of taste. The meat needed more seasoning; the other elements offer no specific or earth-shattering flavors. The Veggie Burger with the same condiments as the Grilled Farm Burger was completely tasteless and was just a pile of mushed up vegetables formed into a patty.

Saxapahaw is in southeastern Alamance County, a few miles west of N.C. highway 54 between Carrboro and Graham and a few miles east of N.C. 87 between Pittsboro and Graham. From Cary, we drove through Chapel Hill, down famous and infamous Franklin Street where we saw many face-mask-less students returning to campus for the 2020 fall semester at UNC-CH. Don't be surprised if the spread of COVID-19 spikes in Chapel Hill. We drove through Carrboro and 10 miles later made a left turn on Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road to Saxahapaw.

The unincorporated area of fewer than 1,800 people seemed to be on the verge of buzzing as we arrived just short of noon. The parking area near the General Store, the other place in Saxapahaw serving hot food, seemed nearly full and customers were waiting outside for their orders to be filled.

The Eddy Pub deck

We were headed for the Eddy, hoping to find a table on the deck. We didn't have a reservation and were told the earliest deck seating would be at 3:30 p.m. Turns out being inside was a lot better due to the heat; we sat at a corner table to safely distance ourselves from other patrons. The wait-staff and servers were wearing masks, prompt and accommodating. The Farm Burger was $14; the Veggie Burger $12, over priced for the quality. The IPA pints were $6.5 each, what we expected and worth it.

After picking through our meal, a visit to the General Store was suggested but once we approached and peeked inside we nixed the idea. Too many people too close together. So we took the 60-second tour of the area, noting the condo units and apartments overlooking the Haw River and thinking we located the home of the late B. Everett Jordan, a United States Senator representing North Carolina, 1958-1973. On April 19, 1958, Jordan was appointed to the seat to replace Senator W. Kerr Scott who had died. Later that year, Jordan won an election to complete the last two years of Scott's term, and Jordan was re-elected in 1960 and 1966. In the 1972 Democratic primary, Senator Jordan was defeated by Congressman Nick Galifianakis who lost in the general election to Jesse Helms who served until 2003 when he did not seek re-election. And that's your civics lesson for the day.

We headed west, crossing over the Haw River, eventually finding N.C. 87 south and driving through downtown Pittsboro on the way home, making one important stop along the way. Our route was U.S. highway 64 east which dissects Jordan Lake, named for the Senator. Jordan Lake was created by the Army Corps of Engineers by damming the Haw River in eastern Chatham County. Amazing how all of this comes together, sort of.

Marshall's Produce in Wilsonville

Soon thereafter, about a mile past the Wilsonville crossroads on the east side of the lake, we stopped at Marshall's Produce, basically a tomato stand where you'll find the best tomatoes ever and in about eight different varieties, all for $2.50 a pound including the Cherokee Purple and German Johnson. Also there are Tasty Lee, Carolina Gold, Pink Lady, Better Boy, Big Red and others. We also bought okra and cucumbers.  Other produce is available.

It was another good day trip, all in all. We'll know better next time about ordering at The Eddy Pub, or we'll try the General Store, if it's not crowded.