PSNC Energy, the Triangle's natural gas utility, is adding public pumps for drivers of compressed natural gas vehicles that will make the Triangle relatively navigable for the cleanest cars in the world. By the end of next year the company could have as many as nine public stations selling natural gas for cars and trucks.

PSNC, with about 490,000 natural gas customers in the state, as recently as last year had just one public station that sold the vehicle fuel, commonly known as CNG. Meanwhile, Charlotte-based Piedmont Natural Gas, the state's biggest natural gas utility, is expanding its three CNG stations to eight by next year.

Cars that run on CNG are typically ranked cleaner than electric cars because much of the nation's electricity is still generated by burning coal.

PSNC has had a CNG station at its Gastonia headquarters for years and had as many as three operating stations in 2000. But most fell into disrepair and disuse over the years because of lack of interest. But that's changing.

Amtrak says it carried a record 31.2 million passengers nationwide last year, and its biggest ridership boost was recorded on the Raleigh-to-Charlotte Piedmont run.

The state-subsidized Piedmont counted 162,657 riders and collected $3.1 million for their tickets in fiscal year 2012, which ended Sept. 30. That's an increase of 16.2 percent in riders from the previous year – the most growth on any Amtrak line – and a 23.2 percent increase in ticket revenues.  Traffic on the Carolinian, from New York to Charlotte, fell slightly to 306,419 riders.

The Piedmont and Carolinian make seven stops between Raleigh and Charlotte.  Piedmont passenger counts have increased since the schedule was doubled in 2010, with the introduction of a second daily round-trip run. The schedule was curtailed for two months in 2011 to allow for track improvements.

Durham's Piedmont Restaurant has hired Jeffrey Satterly, the former executive chef at Frazier's in Raleigh, as its new chef de cuisine.

Chef Marco Shaw, who helped Eno Hospitality Group take over Piedmont from its original owners, will help Satterly during the transition in July. The press release says Shaw "is moving on to spend more time with his family and begin work on new projects."

Eno Hospitality Group owns Piedmont, Zely & Ritz in Raleigh and Coon Rock Farm.

Satterly graduated from Johnson & Wales in 1995, worked at the Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, S.C., Lespinasse in Washington, D.C., as chef de cuisinse at Carolina Crossroads at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill and as sous chef at Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. In 2007, Satterly became the executive chef at Frazier's, which recently closed.

The press release says Satterly's resume includes "stints at The French Laundry with Thomas Keller, Bouchon Bakery, The Mansions Las Vegas, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and Aquarelle." (To see the bio released with the press release, it is attached below.)

Documents:

Here are few upcoming events that might intrigue you:

• Piedmont restaurant in Durham is hosting a Fullsteam beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The four-course meal cost $45 per person. Then on March 15, Piedmont is hosting a four-course dinner featuring Matteo Correggia wines in Italy. The event costs $55. To see menus for both events, go to http://piedmontrestaurant.com/events/. Call 683-1213 for a reservation.
• Hope Valley Bottle Shop is teaming up with two Durham restaurants for upcoming wine dinners: Blu Seafood and Bar will be offering a four-course shellfish dinner at 7 p.m. March 14 for $45. Call 286-9777 for a reservation. Then Four Square Restaurant is hosting a South African wine dinner at 7 p.m. March 28. The cost is $85 per person. Call 401-9877 to reserve your seat.
• Elaine's on Franklin is hosting a special five-course Loire Valley wine Dinner at 6 p.m. March 18. These winemakers will be on hand to talk about their wines: Jo Landron of the Domaine de la Louvetrie, Laurent Bonneau of Domaine de la Croix Des Vainqueurs and Nicolas Grosbois of Domaine Grosbois. The cost is $75 and call 960-2770 for reservations. To see the menu, go to http://elainesonfranklin.com/menu/loire-dinner.
   

Now that I'm back at work after my maternity leave, I'm trying to catch up on the Triangle dining scene. In between interviews this week in Durham, I got to check out two spots that have opened in recent months: DaisyCakes, (photos above by Staff photographer Juli Leonard) that longtime member of the food truck scene now has a brick-and-mortar location; and Loaf, an artisan bread bakery that got its start at the Durham Farmers' Market.

Click on READ MORE to see my entire post.

Go HERE to read Greg's review of chef Andy Magowan's newest venture.

And remember to tune in to WPTF at 11 a.m. tomorrow to hear Greg's radio show.

Daisy Cakes, the beloved Durham pastry truck, will hopefully open a storefront location late this fall in downtown Durham, according to owner Tanya Catolos.

"We're really excited," Catolos said this morning on the phone.

Tanya and her husband Conrad Catolos, who are both chefs, have been operating their pastry business out of a gleaming Airstream trailer for several years. Last year, they raised $20,000 via Kickstarter toward opening a brick-and-mortar location.

The business will be located at 401A Foster Street, right next door to the Bull City Arts Collaborative. (It's a smart location given it is so close to the Durham Farmers' Market and the couple started their business by parking a couple blocks away on Saturdays.)

Catolos says they will serve breakfast pastries, smoothies, Counter Culture coffee and savory items for lunch. Catolos says they hope to eventually serve brunch and maybe offer tea one day a week.

There's no need to worry: the Airstream trailer isn't going anywhere. Catolos says they may park it outside on Saturday mornings for quick coffee service and will use it for special events.

Tanya Catolos was most recently a pastry chef at the Washington Duke Inn, and her husband works at Piedmont as a sous chef and had previously been the chef de cuisine.

[A nod to Bull City Rising for their post about Daisy Cakes' new location. That blog really keeps on top of Durham news.]

Durham's Six Plates Wine Bar is hosting its annual Txakolifest from 1 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, July 23. For the uninitiated, txakoli is a sparkling wine from Spain's Basque region.  

Owner Matthew Beason explains they are selling $12 advance tickets to two tasting sessions from 1-4 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Each session will be limited to 100 people who will have up to nine wines to taste. After 7 p.m., the public can pay $12 to join the festivities but Beason says the txakoli selection will be more limited. Each attendee gets a take-home glass.

Tickets can be purchased at the Durham restaurant or Wine Authorities. For more information, go to www.sixplates.com/txakolifest.

In conjunction, Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours is offering a special walking tour of downtown Durham, which includes admission to the Txakolifest. Participants will get to taste Basque food at Revolution, Toast, Piedmont and Rue Cler, and then a Basque cheese tasting at the Reliable Cheese shop and Basque cider at Tyler's Taproom. The cost is $51.

For more information or to register, visit www.tastecarolina.net or call 237-2254.
 

Go HERE to read Greg's review about Piedmont.

Geer Street Garden is now open. Andy Magowan, former chef/owner of Piedmont and The Federal, has transformed this former Fletcher Gulf filling station on Geer Street into a quirky restaurant with lots of outdoor seating. It is located at the corner of Foster and Geer streets.

The menu is limited but intriguing. As a Pittsburgh girl who loves french fries with gravy and cheese, I'm interested in trying "The Pile," fried chicken, french fries, jalapenos, bacon, melted cheddar cheese with gray and two sauces from Sirachanaise to Spicy Mustardayonaise for $10. They also serve a local, pasture-raised burger for $9, a Farmhand Foods Bratwurst for $9, and a salami and local cheese board for $10. They also have draft and bottled beers, wine and house cocktails, including one called The Durhamite, vodka, black tea and lemonade. Go HERE to see the complete menu.

AN UPDATE FROM MAGOWAN: I got Andy Magowan on the phone this afternoon, he added that the restaurant opened May 5 and business has been great so far. The menu, though small now, will grow in the future. It is focused on "simple but quality American food with an emphasis on what you like to eat while drinking," he said.

The restaurant seats 50 inside and up to 90 outside with communal tables. They plan to build a pergola this weekend and add more outside seating. They hope to start planting vines and plants around the restaurant soon. "We've only just begun to garden," he said.