Every year, Our State hosts the Made in NC Awards to showcase the best of the best in North Carolina and to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the artisans and craftspeople from the mountains to the coast. June 1-July 20, makers were asked to submit products for consideration to the Made in NC Awards. After the submission period, an esteemed panel of judges spent over a month carefully tasting, testing, and inspecting all of the top-notch entries. The judges then chose one winner and two honorable mentions for each of the five categories—Craft, Drink, Food, Home and Garden, and Style.
Kristina Morando-Stewart, founder of Nons Pinching Salts knew just what product she wanted to submit—Nons Tenebroso Pinching Salts.
Tenebroso (Made in NC Award-Winning Flavor)
From the Italian, meaning Dark and Mysterious, a bright spice framed in smoked and black peppers to add dimension and depth to any flavor palette. This blend really packs it in, specially processed Carolina Reapers with the long lingering heat removed give you a quick heat that fades quickly into a smoky, lingering blend of exotic black peppers.
Did you know? The Made in NC Award judge agreed that this salt is one not to be missed and awarded Tenebroso honorable mention in the 2023 contest!
“I chose Tenebroso because it is a fan favorite,” says Morando-Stewart. “The balance of heat from the Carolina Reaper Peppers and the flavor of smoked peppers is enticing to any palate.”
Meet the Honoree
“Tenebroso” means “dark and mysterious” in Italian and is the perfect way to describe this bright spice framed in smoked and black peppers. This pinching salt adds dimension and depth to any flavor palette.
Tenebroso really packs it in–specially processed Carolina Reapers (with the long lingering heat removed) give you a heat that fades quickly into a smoky, lingering blend of exotic black peppers.
The judges agreed that this salt was one not to be missed and awarded the Tenebroso honorable mention in this year’s contest!
The “Food” category of the awards is characterized by food items that people say they “cannot live without” or products that are a “local legend”. Entries could be sweet, savory, or sauces/spreads, and were judged specifically by Jamie Davis, executive chef at The Hackney in Washington, NC.
From Our Family Business, Thank You!
We are a small business in Raleigh producing unique blends of fresh herbs and spices preserved in a salt base. Currently, our products are available locally in Raleigh through retail partnerships, pop-up events, and farmer’s markets, or through our online ordering platform. All of our ingredients are locally sourced and produced in small batches to preserve the history of our process and recipes. The majority of our yearly supply is made during the growing season and distributed throughout the year, just like Noni used to do it.
Shop Nons Favorites
4-Pack Gift Set
$50.00
All the Thyme
$13.00
Black Dipping Dish
$35.00
Black Pinching Bowl
$25.00
Black Salt Spoon
$17.00