>> Deborah: THIS MONTH MARKS THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF A
PIEDMONT BARBECUE RESTAURANT DEVOTED LARGELY TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA HERITAGE OF SMOKED WHOLE HOG BARBECUE.
PICNIC EVOLVED FROM A CATERING BUSINESS SPECIALIZING IN PIG
PICKINGS USING PASTURE-FED HOGS INTO A POPULAR BARBECUE AND
CHICKEN HOT SPOT IN DURHAM.
BOB GARNER HAS MORE IN TONIGHT'S "HOUSE SPECIAL."
>> Bob: PICNIC IS A DURHAM ROADSIDE BARBECUE RESTAURANT
THAT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WHOLE HOG BARBECUE CATERER WYATT
DICKSON, BEN ADAMS, FORMER CHEF AT DURHAM'S PIEDMONT, AND FARMER
RYAN BUTLER OF GREEN BUTTON FARM IN NEARBY BAHAMA, WHO SUPPLIES
PASTURE-RAISED PIGS TO THE RESTAURANT.
>> I DO FEEL LIKE THE SORT OF COMING TOGETHER, THE COMMUNITY
ASPECT OF IT, THE EATING TOGETHER AND PICKING APART AN
ANIMAL, LIKE PAYING HOMAGE TO IT IN A WAY, IS -- IS A BIG PART OF
WHAT MAKES, LIKE, NORTH CAROLINA BARBECUE AWESOME.
WE'RE IN DANGER OF LOSING THAT.
>> Bob: SO TELL ME ABOUT THIS PHILOSOPHY THAT -- THAT YOU AND
WYATT HAVE SHARED FOR A LONG TIME IN THIS KIND OF DREAM THAT
HAS SHAPED UP FOR YOU.
>> THE FOUNDATION FOR BOTH OF US IS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, SOURCE
FOOD AS SUSTAINABLY AND RESPONSIBLY AS POSSIBLE, THEN
JUST MAKE IT AS DELICIOUS AS POSSIBLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR WYATT, THAT STEMS FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR
PIGS COMING FROM GREEN BUTTON FARM, FROM OUR
THIRD PARTNER, RYAN.
SO I THINK WITH KIND OF THE -- WITH BARBECUE BEING THE ANCHOR
HERE, IT'S BEEN COOL TO KIND OF DEVELOP, UH, KIND OF SOME --
SOME FARMING SOURCES FROM EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA WITH,
YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALL OUR SWEET POTATOES COMING FROM BLUE SKY
FARMS, THE COLLARDS ALL COMING FROM THERE.
SO KIND OF THESE, YOU KNOW, I THINK, TRADITIONAL BARBECUE
STAPLES THAT NORTH CAROLINA GROWS A TON OF.
>> OUR PIGS ARE -- HAVE A DIET OF FORAGES, SEASONAL FORAGES.
IN THE SPRING, THAT WILL BE KALE, RAPE, TURNIPS.
AND THEN WE ADD IN LOCALLY SOURCED GRAIN.
THAT WILL BE BEANS AND FLAX SEED, CORN.
AND THEN WE ALSO THROW IN SURPLUS PRODUCE THAT WE FIND AT
DIFFERENT MARKETS AT DIFFERENT POINTS.
TODAY THEY'RE EATING APPLES.
>> Bob: YES, THEY HAD A LITTLE FRUIT BASKET.
>> YEAH, THEY HAVE APPLES, AND WE DO BUTTERNUTS IN THE FALL,
PUMPKINS IN THE FALL.
>> Bob: THESE PIGS ALSO GET TO ROTATE THROUGH A PERIOD OF WOODS
FORAGING FOR ACORNS, WHICH REALLY ADDS TO THE FLAVOR.
THIS IS AT THE HEART OF THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE.
MOIST, SUCCULENT, SMOKED, WHOLE HOG BARBECUE.
SAUCE ALREADY ON THERE.
SOME WHITE SLAW.
AND, OH, MAN.
OH.
SEE, THAT JUST HAS THE MOST WONDERFUL BITE.
THE MINUTE MY TEETH WENT INTO THAT, IT JUST YIELDED.
THE JUICES ARE THERE.
THE SMOKE FLAVOR'S ALL THROUGH IT.
THAT IS JUST SUPERIOR SMOKED BARBECUE.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THE MOST DEVOTED NORTH CAROLINA LOYALISTS WHO ARE
RUNNING RESTAURANTS ARE REALIZING THAT YOU PRETTY MUCH
HAVE TO HAVE OTHER REGIONAL STYLES OF BARBECUE LIKE THIS
SMOKED BEEF BRISKET AND RIBS BECAUSE THEIR PATRONS HAVE GROWN
UP ALL OVER THE USA AND MAYBE EVEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF BARBECUE EXPECTATIONS.
AND YOU CAN'T CONVERT THEM TO YOUR BELOVED NORTH CAROLINA
BARBECUE IF YOU DON'T GET THEM IN THE DOOR.
MAYBE THAT'S ONE WAY TO DO IT.
MMM.
AND A MIGHTY TASTY WAY TO GET THEM IN, TOO.
YEAH, AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF LURE THEM IN AND DO SOME
MISSIONARY WORK WHILE THEY'RE HERE.
>> YEAH, I THINK SO.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE KIND OF THE NATIVE AND NONNATIVE
BARBECUE SECTIONS ON THE MENU.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMEONE COMES IN FOR THE BRISKET, BUT,
ALL RIGHT, WE WANT YOU TO TRY THIS WHOLE HOG BARBECUE.
>> Bob: YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THEM, AREN'T YOU?
>> YES, YES, WE WILL.
>> Bob: IF YOU COME IN ON SUNDAY BRUNCH, YOU CAN PLAY AROUND WITH
THE POSSIBILITIES EVEN MORE.
LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS A NICE SOUTHERN BISCUIT WITH FRIED CHICKEN THIGH, BUT
HERE'S THE TOUCH.
YOU KNOW THEY HAD TO HAVE SOME PORK IN THERE SOMEWHERE.
THIS IS PORK SAUSAGE GRAVY OVER A CHICKEN BISCUIT, JUST KNOWN
SIMPLY ON THE MENU AS A BISCUIT AND PORK GRAVY.
WOW.
OH, THEY HAVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS GOING ON THERE.
FLAKY, CRISPY, LUSCIOUS.
NICE, FIRM SAUSAGE BITS.
BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN GRAVY.
IN ITS FIRST YEAR, PICNIC HAS PROVEN TO BE BOTH ADAPTIVE IN
TERMS OF MENU CHANGES AND ADDITIONS AND EXTREMELY
CONSISTENT IN THE QUALITY OF THE BARBECUE AND WELL
THOUGHT-OUT DISHES.
IN FACT, BEN ADAMS LIKES TO CALL THE WHOLE
PACKAGE THOUGHTFUL BARBECUE.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M BOB GARNER.