Local Beat: Sunflowers Cafe
Ashleigh Phillips, Staff Writer
“I read cookbooks like people
read novels,” Deborah Ferebee tells
me as I bite into the vegetarian focac-
cia she just put in front of me. As I
am trying to decide if it’s the balsamic
vinaigrette, crisp cucumbers, or.ha-
varti, Swiss, or provolone cheeses that
makes me love this sandwich, it be
comes evident that Ferebee really does
read cookbooks like novels. She’s got a
handle on what makes food delicious.
Growing up near the coast,
Ferebee learned from the beginning
the importance of freshness. Her
family would go to the beach for crabs
and oysters and to the backyard for
seasonal vegetables. It was a hands
on experience of knowing where food
comes from and where it goes. Much
of it would go to Sunday lunch, which
Ferebee remembers with a smile as
“Thanksgiving every Sunday.” Coming
from a family that loves to cook and
eat, it was inevitable for Ferebee to
catch the passion.
After teaching high school
English for two years, Ferebee did
what she calls “some soul searching”
and came across an ad in the paper for
a fraternity cook. So she became a fra
ternity cook until her husband. Clay,
suggested that they open their own
restaurant. Twenty-seven years ago
Sunflowers Cafe opened on Glenwood
South and the rest is local culinary
history.
Sunflowers features a variety
of excellent lunch sandwiches, including
many vegetarian options. The chicken
salad sandwich on sunflower bread is
the most popular. The amazing desserts
can definitely hold their own. Customers
rave about the caramel cake saying, “It’s
just like what grandma used to make.”
Ferebee uses her mother’s recipes for
the chocolate layer cake and banana
pudding. Dinner offerings are just as
wonderful, for example, consider grilled
sea scallops on top of cheese and pep
per infused cornbread with hbneydew
avocado salsa or seared grouper fish
tacos with pico de gallo. It can’t be said
that Sunflowers has a dull menu because
Ferebee strives to deliver creative dishes
to her customers.
And those customers are loyal.
Even after moving Sunflowers to its cur
rent location on Peace Street, those cus
tomers who were there in the beginning
still return. They return not only for obvi
ous reasons of tasty treats, but because of
the atmosphere that Sunflowers delivers.
Considering just the look of the place, it
is part art museum and part greenhouse.
Local artwork is displayed on its pale
yellow walls and natural sunlight filters
in through the windows to flatter the
pieces. There are fresh flower arrange
ments on every table. The delight extends
out onto the patio that wraps around the
side of the restaurant. Customers can
dine under Carolina jasmine and hanging
ferns that grow along lattice work that
Clay designed. It’s a lovely experience
STAFF
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Editor
Amy Hniby
Assistant Editors
Joy Close
Kristen Gallagher
Ashleigh Phillips
Mariainaw it Taclesse
Staff Writers
Janeth Benitez
Michelle Farthing
Sarah Sugg
I.yn Triplett
Rebecca Bnxiney
Mengjic Zhang
Aislinn Mniphy
Emily Hawkins
Anne Caitlin Griffin
Emily Gamiel
Staff Photographer
Izzy Bouchard
Layout Editor
Holly Meyer
Literature Advisor
vSiizanne Britt
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and worlds away from the Hardees that
occupied the building before.
The customers also return
because of the friendly service. The fact
that the open kitchen was designed so
cooks can say hey to the customers as
they walk in reveals where the priorities
are. And I find that out as I sit in this
charming restaurant, I being treated to
a sandwich that Ferebee just made
for me. I thought I was the one who
asked for an interview.
Visit Sunflowers at 8 West
Peace Street and you’ll be pleasantly
drawn back again.
Apex High School
Teens Stand Trial for
Classmate's Murder
Caitlin Griffin, Staff Writer
Pubiislicd by H'mton Preaa
Photo Credit: John Rottet,
http: / /www. news-observer.com
On Monday, September 13, 2010,
trial proceedings began for 19-year-
old former Apex High School student
Ryan Patrick Hare, who was accused of
masterminding a bizarre murder plot
that ended in the death of fellow Apex
senior Matthew Silliman on November
30, 2008. In addition to Hare, three
other teens. Hare’s and Silliman’s ex-
girlfriend Allegra Dahlquist, 19, and
classmates Drew Shaw, 18, and Aadil
Khan, 19 were on trial this week, fac
ing judgment for varying degrees of
participation in the murder scheme.
On the first day of the trial, Shaw
continued to deny his involvement in
the plot. Dahlquist and Khan, however,
pleaded guilty to second-degree mur
der, attempted first-degree murder, and
conspiracy to commit murder. None
of the teens has been sentenced, but
Dahlquist and Khan have agreed to co
operate with the investigation in hopes
of lessening their final sentences.
Reporter Anne Blythe, in the
online version of Raleigh’s News &
Observer on Wednesday, September
15, 2010, details Dahlquist’s public
testimony. According to the article,
Silliman was frequently described as
a “troubled” Eagle Scout who suf
fered from bi-polar disorder. All of the
teens “were into a dhrk side of life that
included vampires, horror movies and
talk of suicide, self-mutilation and al
cohol and drug abuse.” On the stand,
Dahlquist explained that Hare had
become jealous of her relationship
with Silliman and had decided to kill
him. Dahlquist agreed to assist with
the murder plot in a radical attempt to
restore Hare’s trust.
The teens told Silliman a man
named Roger was stalking him and
took Silliman to Dahlquist’s parents’
horse farm in southwestern Wake .
County. She claims Silliman could
leave, but Hare hit Silliman on the
head with a hammer, saying Silli
man “had to die.” Silliman attempted
suicide by taking prescription pills
and horse tranquilizers. When Silli
man finally passed out, Dahlquist and
Hare bound his hands and feet with
zip ties and put him in a windowless
bathtoom “so no one would see him.”
Khan put duct tape across Silli
man’s mouth. After Silliman vomited
through the duct tape, the teens put a
clear plastic bag over his head and a
zip tie around his neck. They left the
body inside a sleeping bag.
Prosecutors claim that Hare
was the mastermind of the murder,
although they point fingers at all four
teens for Silliman’s untimely death.
Defense attorneys argue that Hare
and his classmates assisted Silliman’s
suicide. The trial continues.