Edible Blue Ridge

lunch break at wild wolf

2012-01-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

A fringe benefit of distributing a new issue of Edible Blue Ridge to more than 200 locations in the span of a few days is getting to take a breather at a few favorite spots along the way. This time I was very much looking forward to visiting the new, expanded Wild Wolf Brewing Company in Nellysford, so planned my route to put me there right at lunchtime. Their former storefront was always a great place to fill up a growler, and now they’ve expanded into a full-fledged brewery, restaurant, and sports pub just up Route 151. It’s very inviting, like a little village transformed from an old schoolhouse and rustic tobacco barns. Since I was traveling solo, I picked a seat in the sports pub and caught up on bowl games scores on the big screen while sipping one of brewmaster Danny Wolf’s seasonal creations, a very satisfying Autumn Ale. For lunch, I was tempted by the fried chicken or Wild Wolf burger, but I have a real weakness for fish and chips, so when I spotted the beer-battered fish and chips on the menu, the deal was sealed. And they turned out to be some of the best I’ve eaten this side of the United Kingdom. The batter was crisp and super-tasty, and just as important, showcased instead of overwhelmed the big pieces of moist, flaky whitefish inside. I think there were a full five pieces, plenty more than I should’ve eaten in one sitting — but at least I left a few (also excellent) fries! I really do want to try some other things on the Wild Wolf menu (mussels and chorizo, for instance), but I’m going to have a hard time not ordering those fish and chips again and again. For variety, I’ll just keep trying Danny’s growing roster of great beers. Thanks for a great lunch, Wild Wolf!

hungry for Harrisonburg

2011-08-13T04:10:00.001-07:00

Whether you know every menu in Harrisonburg like the back of your hand, or have never crossed the thresholds of any of the town’s fine downtown eateries, the Taste of Downtown Restaurant Week event, Aug. 14-20, provides a convenient excuse to go out for a meal…or 10. Personally, I know I could start out with the three-course “Breakfast to Remember” at Stonewall Jackson Inn, followed by a casual lunch at the Little Grill, and finish the day off with an incredible dinner at Joshua Wilton House. All in all, 16 downtown restaurants are offering deals on their signature fare. Check out the options below—and give your oven a break for a week:

fuzzy love

2011-08-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Peaches, peaches, and a lot more peaches. That’s what you find in Central Virginia right now, at the glorious height of peach season. Yellow peaches, white peaches, donut peaches—you’ll need a spare chin just to accommodate all the dripping juices.

When we picked a heaping half-bushel straight off the trees on a recent steamy morning at Chiles Orchard in Crozet, we could have been accused of having eyes bigger than our stomachs. But you haven’t seen our two tykes turn into peach piranhas, leaving only a pile of clean pits in their wake. I had to hoard a half-dozen just to be able to make this simple-but-delicious cobbler—sweetened with local honey. It couldn’t be easier, and the husband swears it’s his new favorite dessert. Guess it’s time to pick another trunkload!

LOCAL PEACH COBBLER

sweetened with local honey

Makes 8 servings

6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, plus more for pan

6 to 8 ripe peaches

2 Tbsp. honey

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1⅓ cups all-purpose unbleached flour*, plus 1 Tbsp.

2 Tbsp. sugar

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cold milk

*Even better than all-purpose is White Lily brand flour, because it creates ultra-fluffy dough.

1. Preheat oven to 385°F. Butter a glass baking dish. Cut peaches into ½-inch pieces, enough to fill baking dish 2 inches deep. In baking dish, toss peaches with honey, nutmeg, vanilla, and 1 Tbsp. flour until well-distributed.

2. Make dough: Mix 1⅓ cups flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in 6 Tbsp. butter until texture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cold milk until dough forms.

3. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto fruit, so that you have large circles of dough with exposed bits of fruit beneath. Bake 25 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and dough is lightly browned.

meet yer eats

2010-08-24T17:43:00.000-07:00

At the farmers' market, we get to meet the people who grow our food—but to see them in their element, the place where all of that food is actually grown, is even more inspiring. Thanks to Market Central, us non-farming folk can see how it all goes down.

On September 6, join the "Meet Yer Eats" tour, which allows us to roam 18 local farms, all of which grow and/or craft a variety of products—from flowers to fruit to meats to cheeses. Cost is only $10 per car in advance, and $15 per car on the day of. And that buys you access to all 18 farms, if you can do it all.

To name just a few highlights: Learn how cheese is made at Caromont Farm and Everona Dairy. Check out a grass-fed beef and pasture-raised chicken operation at Davis Creek Farm. Experience the innerworkings of Innisfree Village, a 550-acre farm and "lifesharing community" where adults with intellectual disabilities are able to live and work. And visit Vintage Virginia Apples and Albemarle CiderWorks, to see how the age-old tradition of hard cider is being revived in North Garden.

For more info, check out the map and brochure.

it's farmers' market week!

2010-08-02T12:56:00.001-07:00

Anyone out there who is both a shutterbug and a foodie is in good shape because there's a state-sponsored photo contest afoot, and our governor has declared this week Farmers' Market Week (August 1 through 7 throughout Virginia).

The photo contest, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), includes a prize of up to $200 for the winning image taken at a farmers' market in the state after July 8 and before August 18. The age categories make it even more likely for a budding photographer to take home the prize. See more details here.

cucumbers!

2010-07-27T17:23:00.000-07:00

We were warned. The package on the 'Yamato' cucumber seeds said that if you don't intend to trellis them, you might be disappointed. We were. They turned out bitter and curved; not straight and sweet as promised.

The kicker is: We love cukes. So the fact that the ones we grew weren't great really breaks our hearts. Hopefully, next year, we'll pick a variety that works out better for us.

To satisfy the craving, we go to the farmers' market to pick up some 'Kirbys' to use in a salad that includes onion, tomato, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Or I turn them into pickles, using the 14-day pickle recipe that is a family tradition:

1. Fill a bucket 2/3 full with cucumbers. Add 1 cup of canning salt, and cover with cold water. Let sit for a week, weighing down the cukes with a plate to be sure they're covered at all times.

2. On day 8, remove salt water and replace with boiling water. Let sit for a day.

3. On day 9, remove water. Slice cucumbers into rounds. Add 2 tsp. powdered alum and cover with more boiling water.

4. On day 10, remove water. Replace with more boiling water.

5. On day 11, remove water. Boil 3 cups sugar, 5 cups cider vinegar, 5 cinnamon sticks, and a healthy pinch of celery seed in enough water to cover the cukes. Then cover them with the mixture.

6. On day 12, remove water but reserve and bring to a boil. Then pour over the pickles.

7. On day 14. Remove water but reserve and bring to a boil again. Put pickles in Mason jars; pour boiling water over the cucumbers. Cover with flats and lids and scald jars to seal.

***This is part of the great Summer Fest 2010...check out the other blogs participating.

staunton grocery rocks

2010-07-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

What a meal it was.

First, an appetizer of squid stuffed with chorizo, giving it a salty smokiness—a glorious surprise when eating a squid dish. It was like that sea creature and the spicy Spanish sausage were meant to be together (who would've thunk?). My favorite part was the small curled tentacles that sat underneath the main body, soaking up all of that lovely jus. Yum. And lucky for me, Steve, my sweetheart of a husband, was happy to relinquish them all. Maybe he gave them up because we were out celebrating our fifth anniversary?

Next I had a salad of heirloom tomatoes, big wedges of sunny yellow and deep red flesh, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil. So simple, yet so delicious. Talk about letting the ingredients really sing.

Steve had a salad of fresh (sweet!) peas, cucumber, and fresh ricotta. Another amazing display of simplicity at its finest.

For the main course, we both went for fish. He had salmon, served atop the aptly named beluga lentils (which look like caviar and taste like heaven). I had cod swimming (not literally) in the most flavorful broth, accompanied by "Jefferson beans," which we think might be the same as the long beans we're growing in the garden. Ours are good, but chef Ian Boden's are better.

By the time the dessert menu arrived, we were simply too full. But the "chocolate soup" lingers in our minds—as much because our top-notch waitress revealed it's what all the waitstaff ask about when the night is over ("Got any of that chocolate soup left over?") as for its bizarrely intriguing name. All I know is we'll certainly be back again.

savoring Staunton

2010-07-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

As anyone who has strolled along Beverley Street comparing menus, or loaded up at the vibrant Saturday morning farmers’ market there knows, Staunton is a real find for food lovers. Recently, the Staunton Convention & Visitors Bureau also realized just what a culinary reputation the Queen City was gaining and launched the “Savor Staunton” promotion to help spread the word.

“Our intention is to celebrate farmers, artisans, and chefs, bringing these vital figures together for enrichment, education, and darn good food,” says Sheryl Wagner, director of tourism. Darn good food, indeed.

Here’s just a partial list of our food-centric favorites in Staunton:

• Cooling off with a big fruit smoothie at Mugshots Coffeehouse & Café.

• Staunton Grocery’s amazing appetizer of grilled asparagus with coddled egg, arugula, and pickled spring garlic salad.

• Stopping by George Bowers Grocery to pick up some Caromont artisan goat cheese and getting tempted by all the other local goodies they stock, such as honey, Blue Mountain Brewery beer, and Polyface eggs.

• Eating Cranberry’s "yeast ’n’ malt" waffles with local maple syrup for breakfast…at 3 p.m….just because we feel like it.

• The rustic filone, a country Italian bread made fresh at Newtown Baking.

• Zynodoa’s grilled honey-brined Polyface pork loin served with Wade’s Mill Surryano grits.

• Rewarding the kids for behaving at dinner with a scoop of gelato from the Split Banana. (Come to think of it, the adults behaved well enough to deserve a scoop, too.)

• The Farmer’s Brunch at Mockingbird on weekends, especially the chorizo hash made with T&E spicy sausage and Singing Earth potatoes.

• Sipping a steaming cup of creamy, complex masala chai and eavesdropping on the always lively conversation at Darjeeling Café.

• Indulging our inner Cookie Monster at Bittersweet Bakery. And our inner Pie Monster.

• Figuring out what to do with all those beautiful peaches we bought from Critzer Family Farm’s table at the Saturday morning farmers’ market at the Wharf parking lot.

Whew, that was even a longer list than we thought it would be...and it’s bound to grow longer this fall, with Staunton’s very first Locavore Fest on Labor Day weekend, and the Staunton BrewFest in October. Thanks Staunton, we could just eat you up. Yum.

as American as cherry pie

2010-05-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

It's hard to say which is better—a bagful of juicy, sweet cherries from Spring Valley orchard near Batesville or sampling a few of these late-spring fruits under the tree that bore them, atop a slope with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains.

After opening for the season last Friday (a couple weeks earlier than usual), Spring Valley has welcomed a steady stream of stone-fruit lovers to pick their own cherries.

Last week, we made the pilgrimage and spent about a half hour collecting two bags of 'Summit' cherries—a red variety that is sufficiently sweet, but with a subtle tartness that makes them even more fun to eat. (A general tip for cherry picking: Leave stems attached so fruit will keep longer.)

We left the orchard with enough for two pies. But by the end of the car ride home, we had enough for only one pie...and a family of juice-stained chins. What a gloriously sticky mess it was.

Because of the relatively fleeting cherry season, there are just a few more weeks for pick-your-own at Spring Valley (owned by the same family that runs Chiles Peach Orchard and Carter Mountain Orchard). Sometimes the fun of picking cherries is that you wind up with much more than you can eat out of hand. The best solution? Pie, pie, and more pie. The one pictured here I made using a recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking. Here it is:

fresh cherry pie

crust:

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, extremely cold and cut into small pieces

Ice water

filling:

5 cups cherries, rinsed and pitted

3/4 cup sugar (or less for really sweet cherries)

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1. First make crust: Mix together flour and salt to completely incorporate. Work in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives (as if you're cutting up a big plate of spaghetti)—until the mixture has coarse crumbs. Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture just holds together to form a dough. Turn dough out onto floured surface; shape into a ball (without working the dough too much). Cut in half, and place each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. For filling: Mix together cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes, to allow juices to seep out.

3. Remove disks of dough from the refrigerator. Roll out one disk to about 1/4 inch thick. Place in a 9-inch pie pan, and adjust so it hugs the sides.

4. Pour filling into dough-lined pie plate. Top with the bits of butter.

5. Roll out second disk of dough to 1/4 inch thick; cut into strips. Wet the edges of the bottom crust, and lay the strips of dough over the filling in a lattice pattern. Put pie plate on a baking sheet, just to catch any drips as it bakes.

6. Bake for 30 minutes. Rotate pie. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 35 minutes more, until crust is golden brown. (If the edges start to brown too fast, cover with an apron of foil.) Let cool before cutting. Serve plain, or with ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

get thee to an orchard

2010-04-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

Carter Mountain Orchard opens for the season this Friday, and we couldn't be more excited. Getting back to orchard season is one of the great glories of the year. And this year marks the premiere of the Spring Fling Craft Festival at Carter Mountain. It'll include music, crafts, hayrides—but we're headed out there for the food and wine tastings. Saturday and Sunday (4/17–4/18), 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

While we're talking about Carter Mountain, the good folks who run it (along with Chiles Peach Orchard) are putting together a cookbook of local foods and want a peek into your recipe box. Send your favorite recipe (with peaches and/or apples, natch) to CMOCookbook@yahoo.com. It may be selected to be part of the finished collection (scheduled to come out this summer).

kids in the kitchen

2010-03-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

A great food event with a great message: This Saturday (March 27) at Albemarle High School from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Charlottesville Junior League is hosting Kids in the Kitchen—put on around the country with the goal of reducing childhood obesity. Our local event will feature interactive stations to teach children about good nutrition. For example, the Blue Ridge Eco Shop will be manning a gardening station to demonstrate how growing your own food is fun and healthy. There will also be a pediatric dental station that will show how a healthy diet leads to healthy teeth. And even a make-your-own-cookbook station. For more information about the national program, click here; for information about our local event, call (434) 293-4482.

mark your calendars for the Virginia Wine Expo!!

2010-02-16T12:26:00.000-08:00

Wine and food lovers rejoice. From February 26 to 28 the Virginia Wine Expo takes over the Greater Richmond Convention Center for an amazing food and wine event that celebrates local vintages, chefs, and restaurants. As a visitor, you get a Schott Zweisel crystal wine glass, from which you can sample from more than 350 bottles of wine, crafted by the winemakers in our area, including:

Afton Mountain Vineyards
Barboursville Vineyards
Barren Ridge Vineyards
Blenheim Vineyards
Burnley Vineyards
Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery
Delfosse Vineyards & Winery
Democracy Vineyards
First Colony Winery
Flying Fox Vineyard
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery
Horton Vineyards
Jefferson Vineyards
Keswick Vineyards
King Family Vineyards
Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard
Pollak Vineyards
Mountfair Vineyards
Rebec Vineyards
Rockbridge Winery
Stone Mountain Vineyard
Sweely Estate Winery
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
Virginia Wineworks
Well Hung Vineyard
White Hall Vineyards
Wintergreen Winery

classes for foodies

2010-01-27T12:12:00.001-08:00

Wish there were classes about local foods when we were in school! Ah, well, it's never too late to learn. Here, a couple of area classes for (local) foodies:

•First, frequent Edible Blue Ridge contributor Lisa Reeder is teaching "Local Food for Thought" with Carroll Ann Friedmann. The course, offered through UVA, meets on Wednesday evenings for eight weeks beginning this week and ending in March. There are still a couple of spots left.

The class is sort of a locavore spin on home ec: how to garden, preserve, buy local. Plus tips on cooking, such as how to prepare grass-fed beef versus grain-fed (the former is leaner and therefore must be cooked correctly).

For more information and to register, download forms from www.scps.virginia.edu or visit the School of Continuing & Professional Studies in person at Zehmer Hall, 104 Midmont Lane.

•Next, on February 14, there's a half-day workshop for backyard poultry production at Tuckahoe Plantation in Richmond. It's just as appropriate for the family that wants a few hens for morning eggs as it is if you want to raise the chickens for market.

The good news is that the class will equip you with the knowhow to establish your own backyard flock. The bad news is that it's sold out—but you can still contact them to be put on the waiting list. Cost is $20. www.centerforruralculture.org/events.php or email admin@centerforruralculture.org.

'tis the season for wine events

2009-12-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

The two-foot snow is making gift shopping harder than ever this year. Which is why things like tickets to the Virginia Wine Showcase are really a great solution for any oenophile on your list.

Order here by tomorrow, and get tickets in time for Christmas—with $10 off. The event takes place February 6 and 7 at the Dulles Expo Center, just west of D.C. Your loved one can taste 300 artisan wines, meet the winemakers, and even attend culinary seminars with experts on wine, chocolate, and even kitchen design.

Some wines of note from our area you'll see there (click on any of the following to find out more info): Cross Keys Vineyards, DelFosse Vineyards & Winery, Kluge Estate Winery, Rockbridge Vineyard, Horton Vineyards, Burnley Vineyards, Sugarleaf Vineyards, and Veritas Vineyards.

vote for local food heroes!

2009-11-26T10:13:00.000-08:00

Each year Edible Blue Ridge will honor the best of our food community with a Local Hero award. We're looking for what you think of as the best farm/farmer, best chef/restaurant, best food artisan, best beverage artisan, best nonprofit, and best food shop.

Be sure to vote here.

Winners will be announced in the spring issue of Edible Blue Ridge.

direct from VA farmer to VA student

2009-11-20T10:45:00.001-08:00

Last week was Farm-to-School Week across Virginia. Area cafeterias served up everything from local apples and pears to cauliflower, beef, and eggs.

Some schools even had farmers come visit or hosted apple tastings for the students. "It was interesting to see the creativity and volunteer efforts that emerged to bring fresh local foods to the students across the Commonwealth," saysLeanne DuBois of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which worked with the Department of Education to bring Farm-to-School to many area classrooms.

A big part of the effort in the Charlottesville area was the Local Food Hub, which supplied 15 area schools, both public and private, with local produce, meats, and cheeses from area farms. "In addition to helping our kids understand where their food comes from, Farm-to-School Week is an opportunity to support our local farms," says Kate Collier, director of the Local Food Hub and owner of Feast. "Virginia schools spend more than $6 million annually on fresh produce. That gives us an opportunity to keep those dollars in our state."

Beyond helping the local economy for that one week, DuBois says that even just making students (and their parents) aware of all that is grown in Virginia has created a momentum to do so in the future. "And that, I would call a success," she says.

marvelous local meal at Maya

2009-11-13T12:13:00.001-08:00

This past Monday night at Maya in Charlottesville was a locavore's dream dinner. As each of the five courses was brought out, the person whose produce or meats or wines we were enjoying spoke to us about what went into the production of each ingredient. A wonderful way to become better acquainted with the farmers and artisans who make our food.

People like Peter Hatch from Monticello Gardens, renowned winemaker Gabrielle Rausse, Rob and Megan Weary from Roundabout Farm, Richard Bean from Double H Farm, Tom Silliman from Sweet Dog Farm. Everything but three minor ingredients were sourced locally (Maya owner Peter Castiglione joked the local ingredients were so flavorful, chef Christian Kelly didn't even need salt and pepper).

Needless to say, the menu was amazing: creamy, smoky white bean soup with andouille, chicken, kale, and broccoli (paired with Gabrielle Rausse's Bianco). The second course was a salad of autumn lettuce with local smoked trout (from Rag Mountain Trout) and pecans in a sherry vinaigrette (served with Rausse's pinot grigio). Next, a to-die-for braised pork shoulder with gnocchi (merlot). Then a chicken breast rolled with smoked ham, served over an Appalachian cheese sauce (cabernet sauvignon). As a fellow diner commented, the flavor combination of the chicken, ham, and cheese was reminiscent of a perfectly prepared croque madame.

And for dessert? A local apple tart tatin—so flaky, and spiced like any perfect autumn pie should be. (Served with Rausse's dessert wine Collage.)

The best part is knowing Maya will do a local meal like this all over again in January. Or if you can't wait for that, try its $40 Thanksgiving menu. It promises to be just as stunning—and just as local.

great wine deal for the holidays!

2009-11-06T11:01:00.000-08:00

You can now enjoy wine tastings for free at three area wineries by spending $10 on what's called a Holiday Passport. With it, you are able to visit Jefferson Vineyards, Kluge Estate Winery, and Keswick Vineyards as many times as you like during November and December—with complimentary tastings. You also get a 15 percent discount on the purchase of designated wines, such as the Kluge SP Blanc de Blanc (pictured).

We love the idea that while we're going "shopping" for bottles of local wines as holiday gifts, we're able to sample all of the possibilities. Hey, even Santa finds time to treat himself every now and again.

You can buy a Holiday Passport at any of the three wineries mentioned above. See you there!

our thoughts are with two local farming families

2009-11-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

You probably already heard about the tragic car accident that took the life of Majesty Farm owner Kathryn Russell. You can show Kathryn's family your love and support with a donation to Open Hands, a nonprofit that remits the funds to the family (and it is tax deductible for you). Send checks to Open Hands, 523 Lexington Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Make a note on the memo line of the check that it's for the Kathryn Russell fund. If you have questions, contact Julie Curry at 823-1537 or curryjuliea@gmail.com.

And you probably know him by face, since he's been at the Charlottesville City Market (and is one of the founders) since the beginning. Jack Cason was injured in a car accident on his way to the Saturday morning market in mid October. He is suffering 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-degree burns and at last report is still at UVA Hospital. Many of the vendors at the Charlottesville farmers' market are taking donations for the rest of the season for Jack and his family. Look for donation cans around the market if you'd like to help.

edible blue ridge on tv!

2009-10-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Watch Edible Blue Ridge publisher Steve Russell talk apples with anchor Beth Duffy on CBS 19's evening news (go to the Newsplex website to see the video).

Catch Steve next time on CBS 19's evening news on November 4th at around 6:40 p.m. promoting even more of Central Virginia's great local foods.

renowned chef comes to zynodoa

2009-10-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

It's big news in the Central Virginia food world (and you're hearing it here first): Michael Lund is now executive chef at Staunton's Zynodoa Restaurant after having spent six years at the five-star Inn at Little Washington in Washington, VA.

He tells us he's smitten with charming Staunton, where there's a burgeoning local-foods scene—with foodie hotspots like Staunton Grocery and soon-to-open Mockingbird. And not too far away are a number of Valley farmers and artisans, with whom he says he's excited to work.

Of course, along with some fierce cooking skills, he brings a passion for incorporating local ingredients into his menu. That commitment stems from a belief that it's the right thing to do—and because it simply tastes better. "We need to take back our food sources before there's nothing left to take back," he says.

So what was it like to work at the Inn at Little Washington, a restaurant that has won numerous awards, including being named the world's best by Travel & Leisure magazine? Lund says it was a great learning experience. “I developed an eye for extreme detail, detail far beyond that of a normal human," he says. "In chef Patrick O’Connell’s words, ‘If it were easy, Mikey, everybody would do it.’” We can't wait to see (and taste) all that he will bring to Zynodoa's table.

art for farming

2009-09-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

A Harrisonburg artist named Soula Pefkaros has a great documentary photography exhibit at Clementine Cafe through the month of September, featuring small, ecologically conscious farms and farmers. Included are several growers from the region: Mark Jones from Sharondale Farm in Keswick, Dave and Lee O'Neill from Radical Roots in Keezletown, and Tom Benevento from Muddy Bike Garden in Harrisonburg.

You can find out more here:
website: http://web.me.com/soulapefkaros
photoblog: http://soula.smugmug.com

blue ribbon...and beer

2009-08-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

A dispatch from Steve:

Those of you who’ve read the latest issue of Edible Blue Ridge know that while I’m growing several varieties of tomatoes in our family garden this year, I only drool over the candy-sweet, bite-size, neon-orange Sun Golds (“Vine-Ripened Memories,” page 10, EBR Summer 2009). Well, they’ve returned my affection. Believe it or not, my little Sun Golds earned a blue ribbon in the cherry tomato competition at the Albemarle County Fair! Okay, there wasn’t exactly a crush of entrants in that category, but there were enough that I feel dang proud to have brought home the blue. Official judging was based on uniformity in size, quality, freedom from injury, and attractive appearance—which means the judges didn’t even pop the warm Sun Golds into their mouths and discover their best trait. In accepting this award, I’d like to thank the sun, the rain, the dirt, and all the little bugs who left my ’maters alone. I plan to enter again next year—and so should you!

You’d think that would be the biggest thrill I could have at the fair. But I was also tapped to judge the homebrew beer competition. (It was a choice between that and insect collections, which really isn’t a choice at all.) Unlike with tomatoes, I pretty much like all beer—lagers, ales, pale, dark, bitter, nutty, hoppy, malty—so it was tough to choose. Luckily, my pal Matt selflessly volunteered to help out (by the way, he scored second place for his blackberry jam entry). So we sat in a tent one sweaty evening, munching pretzels and sipping the chilled efforts of local homebrewers. Not surprisingly, all the entrants were ales, since that style ferments at room temperature and doesn’t require a lot of extra equipment. The competition was close, forcing us to open a second bottle of a few beers…just to make sure we were being fair. In the end, the standouts were a perfectly hoppy IPA and a crisp winter lager, both of which earned blue ribbons. Cheers to you, local homebrewers, for making this year’s fair a thrill even before I strapped myself into the Tilt-A-Whirl.

meat the farmer

2009-07-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

A dispatch from Steve:

Thanks to area farmers, artisans, and chefs, I recently enjoyed two wonderfully different local food dinners. On June 10, about a hundred foodies hid from a pounding rainstorm in the best possible shelter—Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Vineyards—for a “Meet the Farmer” gourmet dinner organized by the fine folks at Buy Fresh Buy Local
(http://www.pecva.org/anx/index.cfm/1,329,0,0,html/Buy-Fresh-Buy-Local).

Palladio chef Melissa Close and guest chef Jonathan Hayward (I can’t wait to check out his new gig at Gordonsville Deli) created a four-course feast that included good stuff from Caromont Farm, Evorona Dairy, Green Fence Farm, Perfect Flavor, Planet Earth Diversified, Roundabout Farm, and Spring Lake Farm. As befits the event’s name, several of the farmers and artisans were in attendance.

When the courses started arriving, I’m not sure anyone even noticed the tempest raging outside any longer. Special mmm-outs go to the Barboursville vintage rosé 2007, roasted beet salad, rabbit with wild mushroom ragu, and vanilla ice cream with honey-marinated cherries. (A little birdie at Perfect Flavor— www.perfectflavor.com—tells me that chefs always request vanilla.) Luckily, the deluge subsided around the time the dessert plates were being licked clean. But, hey, I’d swim through heck and high water both ways for that meal again.

Dinner the next night was a little more down home, but no less satisfying. Inspired by a recipe handed to me by Collins Huff at Gryffon’s Aerie (it also appeared in a recent issue of In the Kitchen), I cooked up a heaping helping of chicken fried steak. (I love that in the South we have fried chicken AND we can chicken-fry just about anything else.)

Wow, did that hit the spot! I’d like to give the credit to my trusty black-iron skillet, but the truth is that the Gryffon’s Aerie (www.gryffonsaerie.com) cube steak is no ordinary lesser cut. Not only is the Devon beef grass fed, but it’s tender enough that no pounding is necessary. I also was lucky to have saved some Gryffon’s Aerie bacon grease as my frying medium. It lent a great golden color and a hint of bacon flavor—never a bad thing.

I’m also a big fan of Collins’ pan gravy recipe. Too often, making gravy is more complicated than making the main dish it’s supposed to smother. Collins’ version is quick, simple, and very good. Hmm, I wonder how it would taste on ice cream? Okay, just kidding..sorta.

COLLINS’ CHICKEN FRIED STEAK

3 pounds Gryffon’s Aerie cub steak
2 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs, beaten
1/3 cup bacon grease (vegetable oil may be substituted)
2 ½ cups chicken broth
2/3 cup whole milk
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preheat over to 230 degrees F.

Season each steak on both sides with salt (light) and pepper. Place flour into a shallow pan. Place eggs into another shallow pan. Dredge meat in flour, followed by egg, then flour again. Repeat with each piece and put meat on a plate for 5 or more minutes.

Put enough bacon grease to fill the bottom of a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Once grease is hot, add meat, but don’t overcrowd skillet. Cook until golden brown and flip, then repeat. Put cooked steaks on a sheet pan in the warm oven.

For gravy:
Put 2 tablespoons of grease in skillet. Whisk in 4 tablespoons flour. Pour in chicken broth and deglaze skillet. Keep stirring and bring gravy to a boil. Keep stirring as gravy thickens. Pour in milk; keep stirring until gravy is thick, approximately 8 minutes. Season to taste with thyme and pepper. Apply gravy generously to steaks.

wine festival this weekend

2009-06-25T11:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend (June 27 and 28) is the first annual Virginia Wineworks Wine Festival. The cool thing about this particular festival is that Virginia Wineworks is a "custom crush" winery—meaning they work with various clients (grape growers, winemakers, regular joes) to create wines tailored to their specifications. So at the festival, you get to sample it all. Time: 12 to 6 p.m. Cost: $14. Location: Virginia Wineworks (for directions, go to www.virginiawineworks.com/contact.html).

See you there!

power to the people

2009-06-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

How amazing that we can all make a big difference—and participate in the local foods movement—by simply asking restaurants and stores that we patronize to carry local foods. We (and our dollars) have the power!

That was just part of the discussion at Rapture on Tuesday June 2. Kate Collier of Feast! and Melissa Wiley of the Piedmont Environmental Council and Buy Fresh Buy Local spoke about the importance of small farms here in Central Virginia. The event was hosted by Left of Center Charlottesville (www.leftofcentercville.org), a Democratic organization. And the locally produced food that fed the local bellies in attendance was great too (but of course).

Kate talked in detail about the Local Food Hub, which will bring local produce to big local institutions (hospitals, schools). It's an amazing concept, and we have a lot to be excited about. For more info, go to http://chofoodhub.blogspot.com.

For more about buying local, go to www.buylocalvirginia.org.

nominate your farmers' market...to win!

2009-06-01T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, all of you farmers' market fanatics in Central Virginia--this is a chance to celebrate your local market and let the rest of the country know how great our markets are here in our corner of the world. Nominate the farmers' market in your town to become America's Favorite Farmers Market as decided by American Farmland Trust (the people who bring you the super cool bumper stickers "No Farms No Food").

As of today (June 1), you can vote at www.farmland.org/vote; simply type in your zip code and select from there.

You can't vote for your market unless your market manager has enrolled it in the contest. So if your farmers' market isn't enrolled, let the market manager know she or he should register now by going to http://bit.ly/rgvQW.

The three winning markets (one small, one medium, and one large) will win bragging rights and a free No Farms No Food tote bag giveaway for their market customers. Can never have too many tote bags, can we?

berry, berry good

2009-05-28T06:36:00.000-07:00

I like to avoid the trite phrase "nothing's better than...," but, I gotta say, few things are better than a strawberry that goes straight from plant to mouth. There's something really satisfying about spotting the bright red berry under the canopy of leaves, plucking it off the stem, and popping it into your mouth...er, box.

They look like dazzling little jewels--and with a flavor as (if not more) alluring. Especially if you go for the ones in direct sun, warm to the touch--they taste like jam. A little bite-size piece of jam. No knife, no toast necessary. It's amazing. Warm and full of sweet, sweet strawberry-ness.

We went to Chiles in Crozet this week to pick strawberries, and we had a blast. I wanted to pick another whole flat, but Steve was the voice of reason and reminded me we couldn't go through them quickly enough. Sure, we could turn them into a strawberry sauce or jam and put it in the freezer, but it almost seems a shame to not enjoy them in the moment, when the flavor shines brightest. Instead, we got home and made several rounds of the macerated strawberries that were featured in the spring issue of Edible Blue Ridge (see below). We made a bowlful each night--sometimes eaten with ice cream, sometimes just by itself.

In my defense, the whole flat we picked was gone in about 3 days. So we may have been able to go through two flats after all. When you have a 2-year-old berry addict, anything's possible. Of course, once any kid starts eating strawberries, he's going to have a trail of juice leading from lips to chin. And we couldn't resist snapping this shot. It's like he's saying, "Guilty as charged. I heart strawberries."

Anyway, here's the super-easy recipe, in case (for some crazy reason) you threw out your copy of Edible Blue Ridge:

Balsamic Macerated Strawberries

1 lb. strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
5 basil leaves, cut into strips

Stir ingredients together in a small bowl. Let sit out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Serve by itself, or atop vanilla ice cream or pound cake, making sure to drizzle some syrup over the top.