Each fall, the N.C. State Fair brings its traditional blend of rides, music, livestock and of course, fried food. But if you’re looking for a taste of home, a spotlight on small businesses and a chance to connect with the agricultural roots of North Carolina, there’s no better place than the Got to Be NC Pavilion, located inside the iconic Dorton Arena.
This year, visitors can find Got to Be NC merchandise, a cooking-demo stage where local chefs will prepare and sample dishes with North Carolina ingredients in creative ways and over 30 Got to Be NC members with products made in North Carolina.
Grandpa’s Recipes will make their debut this year offering homemade sauces and pickled vegetables with South American and Mediterranean roots. Made from original family recipes, and handcrafted in N.C., each jar offers a unique taste into their family’s history.
Years before the creation of Grandpa’s Recipes, founder Kemmly Prado de Ortiz would share meals with her family in Venezuela, where her parents Nilo and Nelly made sure to make their signature sauce for every meal.
“My mom mixed all of these flavors and the recipes she already had, and that’s how we got these marvelous flavors that we have right now,” Kemmly’s son, Daniel Ortiz said. “My mom wanted to share a bit of our histories with our flavors and what makes us feel happy.”
The family’s most popular flavor is their Green Sauce, traditionally known as guasacaca, a creamy Venezuelan salsa made with fresh avocado, cilantro, onion, peppers and garlic. Along with that they offer chimichurri sauce, pickled beets and onions, pickled sun-dried tomatoes, pickled eggplant and pickled bell peppers.
“In our country [Venezuela], it’s a sauce from every house, like every house has a special flavor to make it their own. So we used our recipes with my dad, my grandpa and my mom, and we did our green sauce,” he explained.
In the family’s sauce, they’ve added cilantro, peppers and extra garlic to make it their own. Daniel’s mom and grandpa loved to use their grill, and pairing the sauce with meats gave it “that special touch.”
Outside of the Got to Be NC Pavilion, the family focuses on attending local farmers markets to offer their products, going from Holly Springs to Rolesville and most often, the Wake Forest Farmers Market.
“So far, we’re focused on working with farmers markets and being a part of the traditions of the state, because we’re practically in love with our state right now,” he said.
That love they have for North Carolina translates directly into being a part of the Got to Be NC Pavilion.
Being apart of the fair has always been something Kemmly has wanted to do since moving here, so the excitement is heating up for the family ahead of this year’s fair.
“We’re really excited to share our recipes and a little bit of our love and history with all of the people that go to the fair,” Daniel said.
If you go to the N.C. State Fair just for rides, food and midway fun, you’ll have a blast. But, if you visit the Got to Be NC Pavilion inside Dorton Arena, you get something more: a sense of place, of identity, of what makes North Carolina special. It’s where the state’s agricultural roots meet its entrepreneurial spirit and where fairgoers can taste the best products grown, raised, caught and made all in one place by neighbors who care.
Follow Grandpa’s Recipes on Facebook to see where you can find them on their travels. The Got to Be NC Pavilion is open daily from 9 a.m. – 9:45 p.m. in Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 15-25 except on Thurs. Oct. 15 when the fair opens at noon.