CHARLESTON, S.C.
May 12, 2005

Enjoy tasty samples of freshly prepared local specialties and South Carolina heritage food products made by members of South Carolina’s Specialty Food Association as they celebrate the first year anniversary of Whole Foods Market on Saturday, May 21, between noon and 4:00 p.m.

Product samplings include award-winning muscadine wine, fresh shrimp over stone ground grits, aromatic rice and cow peas, handmade ice-cream, barbeque and other local delicacies.

Agricultural Commissioner, Hugh Weathers, will don a chef’s apron and assist the award-wining Black Jack Barbeque Team. “Buying local not only helps to preserve small artisan growers and producers, but eating locally grown food helps preserve our remaining family farms and rural landscape. Drawing awareness to this issue is important and we hope for a great turn out. SC Day visitors can taste some of the best that South Carolina has to offer,” Commissioner Weathers noted.

“South Carolina’s artisan producers delight in having people enjoy their classic southern foods. The South Carolina Day celebration offers a wonderful opportunity for consumers to connect with the state’s artisan producers who are preserving our state’s culinary heritage,” said Amanda Dew Manning, president of the SC Specialty Food Association.

The mission of the South Carolina Specialty Food Association is the marketing and promotion of specialty food products produced in our state. Specialty food members on hand will be Carolina FoodPros, Carolina Plantation Rice, Charleston's Own, Holy Cow Creamery, Irvin-House Vineyards, Lillie’s of Charleston, Palmetto Pepper Potions, and the Black Jack Barbeque Team.

Whole Foods Market is located in Mt. Pleasant at 923 Houston Northcutt Blvd. It devotes a special section of the store for in-state products and buys from local farmers and fishermen.

Media Contacts:
Sherrie Bakshi/Vladia Jurcova
STYLEE Public Relations
sherrie@styleepr.com/vladia@styleepr.com
843-906-2579/843-345-3275