Tastes of the Smokies: Local Foods and Sweet Treats to Try

One of the best parts of visiting the Smoky Mountains is the food. After a day of exploring scenic roads, hiking trails, or browsing local shops, sitting down to a good meal feels especially satisfying. The Smokies are known for hearty Southern comfort foods, nostalgic sweet treats, and casual eateries that welcome families without fuss. It is food that feels familiar, filling, and tied to the region.

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A Fire By Any Other Name…

Many of us grew up watching those Smokey Bear public service ads on TV, the ones where he said, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” (By the way, this is the only instance in which it's acceptable to spell “smoky” with an E, and there's no “the” in his name. It's just Smokey Bear.) In 2001, however, the U.S. Forest Service changed the wording of the slogan from “forest fires” to “wildfires.” What prompted the change? And what's the difference?

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Winterfest in Gatlinburg

In our last post a couple of weeks back, we gave you a 30,000-foot overview of how Pigeon Forge will be celebrating Winterfest this season. All of us at Goats on the Roof are already in the swing of things, enjoying all the Winterfest lights, special holiday events and everything else that makes winter in the Great Smoky Mountains such a special time of year.

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