Meals & Deals in Southwest Virginia

Farmers market news to share

May 18, 2012 Food events, Local food 4 Comments

Street Food Festival guests enjoy the truck fare. Photo by Lindsey Nair.

On Wednesday evening, I crashed a private street festival in downtown Roanoke that was put on by the Roanoke law firm of Glenn Feldmann Darby Goodlatte.

I’m joking, of course. GFD&G attorney and fellow food lover David Tenzer invited me to their Street Food Festival 2012, which was held in order to show their appreciation to their clients. It was also meant to introduce people to some of the wonderful farmer/vendors who regularly sell their goods at the Grandin Village Community Market and the West End Community Market, so several vendors were set up with local produce, meat, baked goods and more. See the bottom of this entry for more details about those markets.

The event was also a celebration of GFD&G’s renewed support for the Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP), the nonprofit that runs both of the aforementioned farmers markets. The new sponsorship from the law firm will allow LEAP to double SNAP dollars (formerly known as food stamps) for people who otherwise have a hard time finding and/or affording fresh, local food. This is the second year of the firm’s sponsorship of LEAP. The nonprofit’s director, Brent Cochran, said the money will likely allow them to double SNAP dollars through this market season, but they need more help to keep the program going.

As a major bonus, Bruno’s Gastro Truck, Noke Truck and Homestead Creamery had trucks at the street festival and were dishing up really tasty grub. Also there were Foggy Ridge Hard Cider, Roanoke Railhouse Brewery and Valhalla Vineyards.

While I was at the street festival, I picked up another tip. A new farmers market of sorts is going to be happening on Tuesdays at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. It’s more of a farmers’ table, actually, because only one vendor will be set up there. The vendor is Good Food – Good People, a consortium of growers who raise everything from beets to beef, so the variety ought to be nice. And although they hope to draw shoppers from the hospital complex, anybody can buy there.

The Roanoke Memorial Hospital Farmers’ Table & CSA dropsite will be set up every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. through October. The exact location is by the Riverwalk Parking Garage on Old Jefferson Street. For more information about this development, check out www.goodfoodgoodpeople.net or give them a call at 540-745-4347, ext. 2.

The Grandin market takes place on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon behind Surf & Turf on Grandin Avenue while the West End market is held on Tuesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at the West End Community Center at Patterson Avenue and 13th Street SW.

“Restaurant Week” coming to Blacksburg

May 17, 2012 Food events, Restaurant news/reviews 3 Comments

By Mike Shaw
The Roanoke Times
381-8627
Via The Burgs

Downtown Blacksburg Inc. and The Blacksburg Partnership have teamed up to bring a new, annual event to residents of Blacksburg and the New River Valley.

The 1st Annual Blacksburg Restaurant Week will showcase several Blacksburg restaurants during the week of June 18-24. The featured restaurants will have designated menu items at a discounted price.

Director of Downtown Blacksburg Inc. Laureen Blakemore said the week-long event was put in place to encourage the community to enjoy a variety of different dining choices while supporting local restaurateurs.

“The Blacksburg Partnership and Downtown Blacksburg Inc. recently became aware of other towns and cities hosting annual restaurant weeks and realized this would be a wonderful idea to bring to Blacksburg,” Blakemore said.

Restaurants like Next Door Bake Shop and Wikiteria Market & Café will feature lunch menu items while other restaurants such as Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill, Castle’s Kettle & Pub, El Rodeo South Main and Sal’s Italian Restaurant will feature dinner items. Bollo’s and The Chocolate Spike will offer desserts.
Read More..

Vinton Wine and Food Festival this Saturday

May 17, 2012 Cocktails, vino, brewskies, Food events Leave a comment

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? If so, you might want to consider checking out the Vinton Wine & Food Festival this Saturday on the lawn of the Vinton War Memorial.

The festival, which benefits the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. You may purchase a basic ticket or a ticket that includes a wine glass and tastings from these participating wineries: Fincastle Vineyard & Winery; Rebec Vineyards, Inc.; Savoy Lee Winery; Brooks Mill Winery; Sans Soucy Vineyard; The Homeplace Vineyard; Peaks of Otter Winery; West Wind Vineyard & Winery; Hickory Hill Vineyards; White Rock Vineyards & Winery; Rural Retreat Winery & Vineyards; and Attimo Winery.

Food will be dished out by Teaberry’s; Buffalo Wild Wings; Sweet Keister’s; and Bruno’s Gastro Truck. Other beverage vendors include Foggy Ridge Cider, and there will be a Miller Lite Beer Garden and a bunch of vendors selling gifts and products (the vendors bazaar inside the War Memorial is free and open to the public).

Tickets are: In advance, $5 per person, $15 per person including wine tasting; at the door, $10 per person, $20 per person including wine tasting. There may also be some tables on the lawn still available for $200, which includes wine taster tickets, glasses, and seating for eight.

There also may still be VIP tables open for $300 – those seat eight, are under a tent and include wine and catering by Teaberry’s. The menu includes shrimp shooters, beef empanadas, Greek salad with pita bread, fruit skewers, caprese salad, Southwest turkey and Angus sirloin sliders, and crab cake sliders.

Entertainment will be provided by The Materia Project, which plays “original pop-rock-soul kind of stuff, and some jam elements, kinda funky” according to my colleague, music reporter Tad Dickens.

For more information or to order tickets visit vintonwinefestival.com/index.htm or call the Chamber office at 540-343-1364.

And the winner is …

May 16, 2012 Cookbook Giveaway, Recipes 3 Comments

Congratulations to blog winner Jason, who has randomly won a copy of “Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone” by Krystina Castella. Jason wrote, “I’d like to learn some *HEALTHY* alternatives other than froyo and low-fat ice cream. I think this book might do the trick!”

Jason, I hope you have a very cool summer with some tasty freezer pops courtesy of this book. Email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com to claim your prize.

If you wanted to win this book but did not, I have good news for you. And it’s better news than the standard “You can find this online at blah blah blah.” This book, in fact, is available for sale at any Kohl’s department store or at Kohl’s online for only $5. All of the proceeds go to national children’s health and education initiatives. You may have heard about the Kohl’s Cares program. Well, this is part of that program.

I shared some recipes from this cookbook on my blog the other day, and I’ll share one more now for Coconut Cream Yogurt Pops. Hope you all enjoy!
Read More..

Asian market in Roanoke closes

May 16, 2012 Grocery news 11 Comments

Photo by Lindsey Nair

I noticed when I drove past the Fresh Oriental Market on Williamson Road last Wednesday that the lights were out at about 8 p.m. Since I knew it was usually open later than that, I suspected something was amiss.

Sure enough, the market at the corner of Williamson and Liberty roads has closed. The owners, Hien and Shilin Bui, also own Pho Viet Nam restaurant on Orange Avenue and opened QQ Bubble Tea in the Roanoke City Market Building in April. When I talked to Hien Bui yesterday, he said they decided to close Fresh Oriental Market because they have too many other things on their plate now.

I hope the Vietnamese restaurant and the bubble tea place work out, because it would be sad to see the owners sacrifice a longstanding business for the new endeavors. I wish them the best of luck.

Meanwhile, this reminds me that it’s been a few years since I did my series about ethnic markets in the Roanoke and New River valleys (That link is to Part 1 of the series; scroll down and click links in the bar on the left of your screen to see the other three parts). The landscape has changed since then. Certainly, some of those stores are still going strong or have expanded, but others have closed and new shops have opened since then. I think I ought to do another round-up to update readers on where they can shop for specialty food items.

I see some new markets when I’m driving around, but I’m sure I have missed some. If you know of an ethnic market (whether it be Asian, Mediterranean, Latino, a mix of ethnicities or any other kind), please let me know so I can make sure they are not left off my list.

Do you shop at any ethnic markets?

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week

May 14, 2012 Cocktails, vino, brewskies 9 Comments

This week marks the 7th annual American Craft Beer Week (May 14 – 20) and Blue 5 restaurant in downtown Roanoke is celebrating with an event they call the “Mother of All Beer Weeks.”

Blue 5 prides itself on offering one of the biggest selections of craft beers in the area with some 46 different varieties on tap. During this week, they will encourage customers to sign the “Declaration of Beer Independence” in support of craft breweries. They’ll also feature special beers such as Oskar Blues, Ommegang, Smuttynose, Goose Island (Virginia debut) and Green Flash on “Tap Takeover” days.

Here’s the schedule for that:

Monday: Oskar Blues Takeover featuring Dale’s Pale Ale, Deviant Dale’s, G’Knight Imperial Red and Mama’s Lil’ Yella Pils (tapping at noon).

Tuesday: Ommegang Tap Takeover featuring Rare Vos, Hennepin, Gnomegang, Aphrodite and Abbey Ale (tapping at noon).

Wednesday: Smuttynose Pint Night with Really Old Brown Dog and Smuttynose IPA (tapping at 5 p.m.).

Thursday: Goose Island Tap Takeover with Sophie, Matilda and Pierre Jacques (tapping at noon).

Friday: Green Flash Tap Takeover featuring West Coast IPA, Green Flask Imperial IPA, Hop Head Red and Le Freak (tapping at noon).
Read More..

Cookbook Giveaway: Pops!

May 14, 2012 Cookbook Giveaway, Recipes 14 Comments

It doesn’t feel much like a Popsicle kind of day with the rain streaming down the windows. I’m back in jeans, boots and a cardigan this morning, but I will admit the cool, overcast weather was perfect for gardening this weekend. I put in two Better Boys, two Lemon Boys and two California Wonder red bell pepper plants.

Before long, we’ll be melting in the sun and enjoying dinners made with thick, fresh slices of homegrown tomato. And for dessert, it might be nice to have a treat from this new cookbook, “Pops!” by Krystina Castella. This book offers icy treats for people of all ages, but as I flip through it I realize the recipes all seem very grown-up. By that, I don’t mean they call for alcohol. I mean they are some really unusual and sophisticated freezer pops.

For example, here are some recipes in the book:
* PB & Sesame Raspberry Pops
* Banana & Date Pops
* Sugar Pumpkin Pops
* Ginger Lemon-Lime Pops
* Vanilla Soy Ice Cream Pops
* Pomegranate & Apple Pops
* Mulled Cider & Walnut Pops
* Thai Iced Coffee Pops

If you’re like me, you’re starting to forget how dreary it is outside and you’re wishing you had one of these unique pops in your hand. Well, you have a chance to win this cookbook if you leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me what is your favorite kind of freezer pop, or who do you know who would love the pops recipes in this book. The deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday; I’ll announce the winner on Thursday.

I’ll share two below to get the juices flowing.
Read More..

Is Bread Craft moving?

May 11, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews 3 Comments

Bread Craft owner Alex Eliades.

This rumor about one of downtown Roanoke’s two bakeries has been spreading around town recently. It circled around to me the other day, so I gave Bread Craft owner Alex Eliades a call.

Here’s the situation: Alex is the proud new owner of a building at 24 Church Avenue in downtown Roanoke. He closed recently on the building, which used to house 24 Church Avenue Italian Restaurant and, before that, Howard’s Soup Kitchen. But Alex does not plan to move his business into the building right away.

He said he has two years left on his lease in the current space, so for the time being you can still find those lovely loaves, pastries, pizzas and sandwiches next door to Frankie Rowland’s on South Jefferson Street. Alex wants to fix up the apartments upstairs in the Church Avenue building so he can rent those. He also might eventually use the ground floor space as overflow baking or work space.

So that’s the scoop. Bread Craft isn’t going anywhere soon, but we might one day be trekking a couple of streets over to satisfy our carb cravings.

Roanoke.com’s new gardening blog

May 10, 2012 Gardening, On the web 2 Comments

If you have not already, check out Karen Hager’s new gardening blog, “Down to Earth.”

Karen writes a column of the same name which appears in The Roanoke Times Extra section every other Saturday, so you may already be familiar with her writing voice and the deep level of gardening knowledge she possesses. Karen launched this blog a couple of weeks ago but it is really starting to ramp up now as we head into PRIME gardening season in Virginia.

I am personally very excited about this new blog because I’m a gardener-in-training. I was raised by two parents with very green thumbs but my thumbs so far are more of a yellow shade. Gardening is one of those hobbies that really takes practice, but when you have success it is so gratifying (plus, very few things feel as good to me as a hard day of work in the garden followed by a refreshing shower and a cold beer or glass of lemonade). I’ve learned and implemented something new every year.

So far this year, I’ve expanded my herb garden and my vegetable garden. Boy, cutting out grass by hand with an edging shovel is really back-breaking work, but now I have more space for my plants to grow. I have planted two zucchini plants which are so far taking off, but I plan to keep a close eye on the weather. Next up: tomatoes!

Karen welcomes gardening questions on her blog and also encourages experienced gardeners to share their observations and insights with the rest of her readers. So head on over and have fun! And don’t forget, when you are out there in the yard, to wear a hat and sunscreen!

Chili Cookoff winners

May 10, 2012 Contests, Food events 1 Comment

The Roanoke Times l File photo

I finally received the list of winners from this past weekend’s Virginia State Championship Chili Cookoff in downtown Roanoke. Better late than never, so here goes:

OVERALL

1st Place – Advances to world cookoff
Cowgirl Chili
Jackie Koltz
$1,000 and trophy

2nd Place
Jim’s Work In Progress
Jim Parker
$250 and trophy

3rd Place
Greenwood Chili
Matt Bush
$100 and trophy
Read More..

Kitchen heirlooms and recipes

May 9, 2012 Front Burner, Reader questions and answers 3 Comments

Blog reader Alison sent in this picture of Jewel Tea mixing bowls that belonged to her great-great-grandmother.

After our earlier blog conversation about kitchen heirlooms – appliances, gadgets, cookware and the like that have been passed down in our families – I decided to craft a special Mother’s Day column about the topic. If you have not seen it, click here. It includes recipes for blog reader Bill Joppich’s family’s “Crumbie Chicken” and Kaitlin Kennedy’s great-grandmother’s peanut brittle.

I received a few stories and a recipe I was not able to get into my column before deadline, so I’d like to share those with you here. Enjoy, and happy early Mother’s Day to all the moms out there.

From Debbie Mooty of Botetourt County:

Family food memories for a Southern family include a great deal more than just about recipes or even the meal itself. My grandmother was a fantastic cook –she could fix biscuits and gravy and good ole down home food! She always seemed to be cooking or preserving or working in the garden while I was growing up and some of my favorite memories of my grandparents’ small Blacksburg farm centered around family meals and their preparation.  However, nothing brings a tear to my eye more quickly than the sight of those brown Maxwell House mugs that I still have in my kitchen today because they represent who “my people” really were – hard working folks who could take nothing for granted and who worked for everything they had.

Back when I was growing up, my grandmother shopped at the local Radford Brothers in Blacksburg and Maxwell House coffee had these mugs that you could purchase cheaply with a purchase of their coffee. My grandmother doggedly bought one each time she got the coffee until she had 6 and I so remember my grandfather drinking steaming black coffee out of them. They were cheap and not that decorative but they are a treasure to me as I still have two. After my grandfather passed away, there were a few possessions I really wanted and those mugs came home with me the first day. At first I kept them downstairs and didn’t use them and then one day, while cleaning up downstairs, I caught sight of them on the shelf and thought,“no, Buddy and Granny would want me to use these” so I brought them upstairs and we use them daily just like my other cups.

I have purchased a lot of nice things for my kitchen over the years but those mugs to me are priceless and bring instant joy of fond memories – and sometimes a tear for all that I now miss.

Read More..

News about Bastians BBQ, Hummus House, Chik-fil-A, goat cheese

May 8, 2012 Local food, Restaurant news/reviews Leave a comment

Several food-related stories have popped up on Roanoke.com recently, besides those in this blog and my column. To be sure you’re in the loop, check out these links:

Bastians BBQ in Salem has reopened

Hummus House may get a reprieve as the Crystal Tower building is sold

A very wild-looking cow at the Salem Chik-fil-A, which is scheduled to open June 7

Meet Salem Farmer’s Market’s goat cheese vendor (So Salem reporter Miranda Beck has been doing little profiles of the vendors on the market, so keep an eye on her blog for more.)

Four Flavors Ja Merican now open on Williamson Road

May 8, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews 9 Comments

Peter Renking grills chicken for Four Flavors Jamaican restaurant.

One of my colleagues spotted a canary-yellow storefront advertising Four Flavors Ja Merican Restaurant on Williamson Road a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to drop by on my way to work today and at least get a picture of the outside. I took my exterior shots, then went and peered inside the front glass doors. It was dark inside and sparsely decorated, but I could tell it was neat and clean.

THEN I spotted something fascinating: The back door of the restaurant was slightly ajar and I could see smoke just rolling off some kind of cooker through the crack in the door. Well, I had to walk around to the back and investigate. There, I found Peter Renking grilling a mess of really delicious-smelling chicken. Peter said he is not the owner of the restaurant, but he is the cook. And yes, he is Jamaican, which is a good sign because the cuisine at Four Flavors is all Jamaican.

Four Flavors Ja Marican Restaurant serves ackee and saltfish, callaloo and saltfish, curry shrimp, excoveitched fish, jerk chicken and pork, brown stew chicken, curry goat, curry chicken and ox tail. These meals all come with rice and beans and steamed cabbage. The stew chicken, curry goat and ox tail are available in small or large. Prices range from $5.99 for the small brown stew chicken to $10.95 for the ackee and saltfish and the callaloo and saltfish.

Saltfish is salted, dried fish. It is typically soaked and boiled. Saltfish and ackee is Jamaica’s national dish (ackee is a tropical fruit). Callaloo are the leaves of the taro root. They are prepared like collard, mustard, or kale greens, for example. “Excoveitched” fish is, I assume in this case, similar to Spanish escabeche, a cold dish of poached fish covered with a spicy sauce. In Jamaica, the term is usually “escovitch.”

Read More..

Thoughts on pressure cooking meat

May 7, 2012 Kitchen experiments, Recipes 10 Comments

Shredded pork tacos. Lindsey Nair l The Roanoke Times

I had planned in advance to marinate a pork tenderloin in Goya Mojo Criollo marinade this weekend and cook it until it fell apart for soft tacos. Mainly in honor of Cinco de Mayo, but also because I had three tenderloins in the chest freezer. Of course, I forgot to take one out to thaw in time to allow for a lengthy bath in the marninade as well as a lengthy slow-cooking process.

Instead, I decided to break out my pressure cooker. I had just been thinking about pressure cookers a few days before while watching an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” (which, by the way, is on ALL the time now. Have you noticed it’s on infinity marathon?). In that episode, a guy was pressure cooking his boliche, and I thought, I really need to try making boliche in the pressure cooker next time. If you have never had boliche, or stuffed eye of round roast, you are seriously missing out. Click here to see the recipe my friend Natalee’s Cuban mother’s recipe. It’s “off the hook,” as Guy would say.

But back to the pork tenderloin. I figured I’d marinate it all day yesterday and then pressure cook it until I could shred it with a fork. I went to the Internet to see how long I should let it pressure cook and found that recipes varied from 35 minutes to 80 minutes for a 2-3 lb. roast. OK, that’s helpful.

Read More..

Roanoke Market Building kiosks are OUTTA there. UPDATED with artist’s renderings

May 3, 2012 Food news, Restaurant news/reviews 25 Comments

Update: Here are the artist’s renderings of what the new designs will look like. Sketches by Clark-Nexsen are courtesy of Roanoke City Market Building director Sara Guerry. Click each image to make it larger.

Click “Read More” to see the press release that explains this change in full detail.
Read More..

Derby Day, Strawberry Festival, Chili Cook-Off, Wiener Stand’s last day (for now)

May 2, 2012 Food events, Recipes, Restaurant news/reviews 8 Comments

Seriouseats.com

Hey, ladies and gentlemen, I just wanted to make sure you have not missed the great recipes in the Extra section today. My Front Burner column is about celebrating the Kentucky Derby, which happens this weekend and coincides with Cinco de Mayo. So many food options, so little time! I might have to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Sunday just to fit it all in!

To read the column, click here. At that link, you’ll also find recipes for mint juleps, race day pie (with and without bourbon), Hot Browns, Benedictine sandwich spread, and Kentucky burgoo.

* In other news, do not forget the annual Community School Strawberry Festival takes place this weekend at Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke. The hours are Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info, click here.

* Also downtown this weekend: the 33rd Annual Virginia State Championship Chili Cook-Off. This will take place at Railside Plaza in Downtown Roanoke (Salem Avenue across from the Valley Metro Bus Station).  Gates are open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Admission is $5 at the gate and children under 10 are free.  Advance Admission buttons are $4 and can be purchased at area Stop-In Food Stores.

* The Roanoke Weiner Stand’s last day in business (until it reopens after more Center in the Square renovations are complete) will be SATURDAY. If you are a RWS fan, be sure to get down there between now and Saturday and get your fill of those famous dogs, because you are not likely to be able to get your fix for two or three months. However, please note (and thanks to some readers for pointing this out) that you’ll still be able to get dogs at the RWS location at 3601 Brandon Ave. They are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, closed Sunday.

Bubblecake gets a sweet, cool partner

May 2, 2012 Food news, Restaurant news/reviews 16 Comments

The cupcakes at Bubblecake have married the frozen custard at Chillypop. The Roanoke Times l File photo.

Correction: The price of an adult scoop at Chillypop is $3.25, not $3.75.

I can’t think of anything that goes better with cake than a cold scoop of ice cream. And that’s the idea behind Rob and Lisa Lusk’s newest endeavor, Chillypop, a frozen custard stand located inside the same big white house on Crystal Spring Avenue in Roanoke that houses their cupcake bakery, Bubblecake.

Chillypop had a soft opening earlier this week. When I talked to Rob Lusk yesterday, he said he recently bought a commercial batch freezer for his 40th birthday. “Most people get a Harley or a guitar or a mistress,” he joked, “but I got the ice cream machine.”

The Lusks have been making homemade frozen French custard in the machine and have already perfected 11 flavors that are available at this time. They plan to offer temporary special flavors, too. Rob said they are using all-natural ingredients including eggs, cream and sugar. They even put an entire cheesecake in a batch of blueberry cheesecake custard (that’s the flavor I’m going for ASAP).

Read More..

Are years in business always an indication of quality in restaurants?

May 1, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews, Retro 19 Comments

Coach & Four, one of Roanoke's stalwarts. Photo by Jeanna Duerscherl, The Roanoke Times

We recently ran a restaurant review of Coach & Four by freelance reviewer Wade Anderson. It amazed some of my colleagues that Coach & Four has been operating on Williamson Road for 35 years. Even after all that time, a lot of Southwest Virginians probably have never been to Coach & Four or don’t even know it exists.

In the restaurant business, making it for five years is a really big deal. But making it for 35, or even 25 years? Well, that’s success. We spend so much time talking about the revolving door of restaurants in this area. It’s high time to look at how many restaurants in The Roanoke Times coverage area have been open for an astonishingly long time.

Most interesting to me is how much these restaurants have changed — or not — over the decades. Some look nothing like they did when they first opened, have different management and different menus. Others, however, could be time machines. To step inside is to step back to the 1970s, with the same carpeting and decorations and menu. Which is a better scenario? I think it really depends on the restaurant.

In most cases these restaurants are still open today because they’ve been doing it right on a consistent basis every single day. But would you say they are all as good as they were when they first hit their prime? Or do you suppose some longtime customers are floating on memories of what once was and wearing blinders to the current reality?

The secret to restaurant success is a fascinating topic. While there are many concrete answers, I also think there are more elusive factors.

I’m going to list as many Southwest Virginia restaurants as I can come up with that have been open for more than 25 years. Special thanks to some of my Facebook readers, specifically Jeff F., for your help. I’m sure we’ve forgotten some, so help me out!

Montano’s, Roanoke, 43 years
New Yorker Delicatessen, Roanoke: 53 years
Mac and Bob’s, Salem, 32 years
Hale’s Restaurant, Shawsville, 45 years
Regency Room (Hotel Roanoke), 75 years
Aesy’s, Roanoke, 54 years
Coach & Four, Roanoke: 35 years
Community Inn, Roanoke, 35 years
Alexander’s, downtown Roanoke: 32 years
Stephen’s, Roanoke: 25 years
The Roanoker, Roanoke: 71 years
Texas Tavern, downtown Roanoke: 82 years
Fiji Island, Roanoke: 40+ years
Norberto’s, Roanoke: 26 years
Luigi’s, Roanoke: 35 years
The Deli Shoppe, Roanoke: About 70 years
The Farmhouse, Christiansburg: 35 (look for a review of The Farmhouse in The Burgs and on PlateUp next week)
The Homeplace, Catawba: 30 years
Cat & Owl Steak and Seafood House, Low Moor (Alleghany County): 40 years
The Southern Inn, Lexington: 75+ years
Parker’s Seafood, Roanoke: Opened as a seafood market in 1919, 93 years ago.
Cucci’s Pizzeria, Covington: 35 years (incidentally, I just heard they are expanding to create a larger banquet area)
New York Pizza, Vinton: 30 years
Canton Restaurant, Radford: 33 years
The Library, 33 years
Macado’s, 34 years (At downtown Roanoke location. Other locations are probably pretty old, too.)
El Rodeo, Williamson Road, 26 years
Zorba’s, Roanoke, 27 years
Paul’s Restaurant, downtown Roanoke, 64 years
Pete’s Deli, Crossroads area, 46 years
Corned Beef & Co., downtown Roanoke, 27 years
Shaker’s, Valley View, 26 years
Famous Anthony’s, multiple locations, 26 years
W.R. Brews, Williamson, 28 years
Little Chef, Williamson, off and on for 55 years

A note about Lew’s: Lew’s has been open since 1992, which makes it 20 years old this year. Before that it was Pierre’s, and before that it was Piche’s, and before that it was a peanut shack. But Lew’s owner Hayden Payne agrees it wouldn’t be exactly accurate to count all the way back into the Pierre’s and Piche’s days.

Preserving kitchen memories

Apr 30, 2012 Baking, Reader questions and answers 20 Comments

GranniesKitchen/Flickr

As Mother’s Day approaches, I wonder how many folks out there have kitchen utensils, gadgets, appliances, what-have-you that is a family heirloom? Do you? If so, what is it and do you use it or just store it as a keepsake?

Happy foggy Monday to you all. At least we had a gorgeous day on Sunday to get outside and tinker in the garden. I cleaned up my herb garden and now have three trash bags full of rosemary from my monstrous rosemary bush. I’m going to donate a bunch of it to the RAM house – did you know they’d take donations of fresh herbs? Kitchen manager Linda Cannon said she’ll dry them and store them for future use. I can’t think of a better use for my monstrous rosemary bush.

I got a neat cookbook the other day called “Sweet Home” by Rebecca Miller Ffrench. It includes a chapter about preserving family recipes. Here are her tips:

1. “Get your hands dirty and get digging.” she advises going into basements, attics and other storage spaces to look for recipe boxes, books, cookbooks and letters that might contain recipes.

2. “Keep your eyes out for baking accoutrements.” Look in cupboards, closets and storage spaces for forgotten accoutrements. Some examples she lists are shortbread molds, pudding molds, cookie cutters, cake stands, cookie jars, pizzelle irons, krumkaker presses, rosette irons, bundt pans and silver spoons. Even though most of these items are  not worth much money (at least, that’s what I heard on Antiques Roadshow), they are priceless when it comes to family meaning.

3. Take pictures of food, relatives cooking, their gardens, kitchens, holiday spreads, etc.

4. Do not fight over things. Be generous about sharing equipment and recipes. I’ll bet we’ve all seen the worst that can happen when elderly relatives pass away and their descendants get into a snatching and fighting match over the stuff they want. The author advises that if one everyone wants the pizzelle iron, for example, the family designate one person as the keeper of the iron but plan an annual get-together to make pizzelles. And copy and share recipes, for goodness sake. Don’t steal the recipe box when nobody is looking and then claim you don’t know what happened to it.
Read More..

This is falawful news

Apr 27, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews Leave a comment

Note: I had this blog entry scheduled to post on Friday when I was out of town. Technical difficulties! Here it is now.

Amanda Codispoti has been covering the sale of the Crystal Tower building in downtown Roanoke, which has already caused two small businesses – the hair salons Mr. Bill’s and Cutting Edge – to start packing. But on Friday she confirmed that Hummus House, the little Lebanese restaurant that opened in February, is going to have to go, as well.

Owner Daniel Melki says he received a notice this week and will stay open until May 18. After that, he doesn’t know where he’ll go, although business has been so good that he’s looking for a new space to lease for the Hummus House.

This news makes me grouchy because I’m a fan of this little eatery. True, it is just a hop and a skip (not even a jump) from The Roanoke Times, so I and many of my colleagues have made quick runs to Hummus House when we forgot to pack lunch, are really busy or are just jonesing for some Lebanese cuisine.

But more than that, I like Hummus House because the food is GOOD and affordable. They have great hummus, delicious spinach pies, and falafel that has become a top seller, according to Melki. They also make cabbage rolls once a week. And they put these lovely pickled turnips in their wraps that partially inspired me to write my pickling column that ran this week.

Melki says he was unaware that this development was a possibility. He said he did see the “For Sale” sign but was told it was nothing to worry about.

I hope Melki is able to find a new, affordable space to lease for his Lebanese restaurant. Meanwhile, he said, he’ll be serving his food at the Local Colors festival May 19. You can also satisfy your Lebanese food craving at the Lebanese Festival at St. Elias church June 1-3.

By reader demand, three pickled garlic recipes

Apr 26, 2012 Recipes 7 Comments

Courtesy of grongar/Flickr

By popular demand — well, reader Toshka requested this, but I’m sure she’s popular — I bring you a couple of recipes for pickled garlic cloves.

First, a very basic recipe that earned 4 1/2 stars on Allrecipes.com and does not require canning. I have not made this, but the procedure is very similar to the pickles I made last week. Just note that you need to let these sit for three weeks to get them good and pickled before you use them.

Pickled Garlic
Makes 1 pint

1/2 pound garlic, peeled
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1. Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl, first cutting the large cloves in half. Mix in the red bell pepper.
2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, place the distilled white vinegar and white sugar. Wrap ground dry mustard and celery seed in a spice bag, and place in the liquid mixture. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper. Continue boiling 5 minutes. Remove from heat and discard spice bag.
3. Place garlic and peppers in sterile containers to within 1 inch of the top. Fill with remaining liquid to within 1/4 inch from the top. Seal and store in the refrigerator approximately three weeks before serving.

Keep reading for two more unusual recipes.

Read More..

“Deadliest Catch” captain going Krogering

Apr 25, 2012 Food events, Food TV 6 Comments

Photo courtesy p200eric/Flickr

Are you a fan of the Discovery channel series “Deadliest Catch,” which chronicles the highly dangerous work of King crab fishing on the Bering Sea? If so, you’ll want to drop by one of the three Roanoke Kroger stores where Capt. Keith Colburn will be signing autographs this coming Saturday (April 28).

Colburn, captain of the ship Wizard, will be at:

* Bonsack Kroger at 3970 Valley Gateway Blvd. from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

* Vinton Kroger on Hardy Road from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m.

* Towers Kroger on Brandon Avenue from 2 until 3:30 p.m.

Even if you don’t give a rip about the TV show, which is now in its 8th season, you might want to stop by to take advantage of the special price on Alaska King crab legs. They’ll be selling for $19.99, while snow crab legs will be on sale for $7.99. According to Kroger folks, this crab was all caught from Colburn’s boat.

“Deadliest Catch” airs in more than 150 countries. In these parts, it comes on at 9 p.m. every Tuesday.

Tickled about pickles!

Apr 25, 2012 Front Burner, Recipes 11 Comments

Photo by Kyle Green l The Roanoke Times

I had a GREAT time working on today’s Front Burner column, which is about refrigerator pickles. Seeing as how we are in the South, I’ll bet a lot of you are quite familiar with refrigerator pickles. But have you noticed, if you’ve been eating out a bit in the past couple of years, how popular pickled vegetables have become in restaurants?

The other night, a friend and I had a beautiful cheese plate at Local Roots Restaurant that included pickled carrot, rhubarb and onions. Along with sweet daubs of honey and peach, and salty nuts, the pickles were extraordinary. Talk about delicious layers of flavor!

And that’s what today’s column is about: How to make your own refrigerator pickles and how to pair them with foods at home. If you’ve ever made pickles, you probably know recipes can be adapted to suit your tastes so long as you don’t mess with the amount of vinegar in them (that helps preserve them and keep them safe to eat). But you can add more or less sugar and any kind of spices you like.

In the photo above, you’ll see three kinds of pickles I made last week: Sweet peppers and onions with garlic and hot pepper, which I seasoned with bay leaf and mustard seed; red onions with star anise, cinnamon and bay; and carrots and cauliflower with serrano chiles, bay leaf and mustard seed. I can’t wait to put those onions on a burger or serve them with some roasted pork. And I want to chop the pickled veggies finely and add them to some pasta or potato salad. Or just eat them out of the jar!

I’m sure there are a lot of people reading this who know a heckuva lot more about pickles than I do, so please share your knowledge. What veggies or fruits do you like to pickle and what do you serve them with?

To see the recipes I used, click the links below:
Pickled red onions
Spicy pickled vegetables

Blacksburg Fork and Cork this Saturday

Apr 23, 2012 Food events 1 Comment

The Roanoke Times l File photo

Blacksburg’s wine, food and art festival has been so successful that it’s back for the fourth time this year. The event takes place this Saturday (April 28) at the First and Main shopping district at 1470 S. Main Street. It features Virginia wines, regional artists and food from a number of local restaurants, so it’s a great chance to sample a little of each offering.

Again this year the festival will include live music, a canned food sculpture contest and a food drive to benefit local organizations that fight hunger.

The restaurants participating this year are:

Blackstone Grill
Blue Ridge Mountain Catering
The Cellar
Bull & Bones Brewhaus and Grill
Preston’s
Downtown Cupcake
Hethwood Market
Sake House
Sal’s
The Chocolate Spike

There is also a very large group of participating wineries, so click here to see the entire list.

Ticket Info:
Full festival (tasting)- $20 advance/$25 day of; includes souvenir wine glass
General admission (non-tasting, designated drivers and children 13-20)- $5 advance and day of
Children 12 and under- free

If you’d like to get the weekend started on Friday night, check out this wine dinner at Preston’s.

For more information, head to the Blacksburg Fork & Cork website here.

Have you been to this event in the past? If so, would you recommend it for foodies?

Strawberries are in EARLY!

Apr 20, 2012 Local food 9 Comments

“Mother Nature has kind of changed on us this year.”

That’s for sure. Those words were spoken yesterday by J.D. Scott, owner of Scott Strawberry Farm in Moneta. He told me these unseasonably warm early spring days have caused his strawberry crop to come in early. Usually, the season peaks around Mother’s Day. But Scott said he’s already got a really nice crop and they have “wonderful flavor.”

The problem is nobody seems to know these beautiful red gems are waiting on the vine for someone to pick ‘em and eat ‘em. And when the days get hot, the strawberries go bad quickly. It makes me want to cry thinking about those lovely berries going to waste!

So I’m telling you now: If you are interested in getting some locally grown strawberries this year, check out Scott Strawberry Farm at 5234 Joppa Mill Rd., Moneta. The telephone number is 540-297-7917 and hours are Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m. It’s always a good idea to call ahead, especially if you’re driving a long distance. Scott charges $9 per 5-quart flat if you pick them yourself. That breaks down to about $1.60 per quart you-pick. You can also purchase pre-picked strawberries for $13 per 5-quart flat.

Dansby’s in Rocky Mount, which usually has a nice crop, is taking the year off. Mr. Dansby does have bedding plants for sale — mostly vegetables and herbs — so if you are interested in that, call him at 297-7917. He’s at 4481 Colonial Turnpike, Rocky Mount.

Dean Puryear Farms in South Boston is only selling a limited number of berries brought in from Carver Farms in Roxboro, NC. But if you want to check that out, their info is 3191 Huell Matthews Highway, South Boston. Phone: (434) 575-7307 or 517-0237 (night).

Otherwise, I would advise you to keep your eyes peeled anywhere you shop for local produce, whether that be the farmers market or a co-op. While not all of the strawberries might be as early as Scott’s, they won’t be far behind. And if you want to find them at the farmers market, show up early. Local strawberries are not likely to hang around for long!

If anybody knows of a source I’ve missed, please share the info with us. I don’t think this will affect the Strawberry Festival this year. That’s planned for Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5 in Elmwood Park. More info here.

Eating contests: funny or gross? Or both?

Apr 19, 2012 Contests, Random musings, Reader questions and answers 14 Comments

Stuffing of the pie holes. (Seattle Municipal Archives/Flickr)

Whenever I hear about an eating contest, I cannot help but think of the pie-eating contest scene in the movie “Stand By Me”, which concludes with… well, this blog is supposed to be about stimulating your appetite, not suppressing it. But if you really want to know or revisit that particular scene, click here.

Eating contests can fall into two categories: The kind where contestants end up eating an absurd amount of food in order to win the prize or the kind where the type of food is a challenge in itself (i.e. raw habanero peppers), so the contestants don’t eat until they bust but it’s still a difficult and uncomfortable task.

It is probably a rite of passage for any teenage boy to be involved, at some point, in an eating contest — even if it is an unofficial one which takes place at the school cafeteria table. Or should I say ESPECIALLY if it takes place at a school cafeteria table? I am here to admit that while I have never in my life been a teenage boy, even I took part in a pseudo eating contest, challenging myself in front of my friends to jam as many marshmallows into my mouth as possible.

It wasn’t very entertaining for my friends or myself.

While many eating contests have no real purpose, some are competitive sport or part of fundraising efforts. Big Lick BBQ (formerly Henry’s Memphis BBQ) is having an eating contest on May 26 to benefit OMNI (Orphan Medical Network International). Prizes will be awarded for eating the most slaw, potato salad or mixed beans (your choice of which side dish); for eating the most pulled pork sandwiches; and for eating the most ribs. Sounds messy, huh?

I’ll post the rules and other information for entering the contest at the bottom of this entry. Who among you is man or woman enough to go through a pile of ribs like Bugs Bunny goes through corn on the cob? Or risk the painful result of pouring whole beans down your gullet? I know you’re out there!

I’ll finish with a poll: How many of you enjoy watching or participating in food-eating contests? How many are disgusted by them?

Read More..

Calling all cupcake makers for a Cinco de Mayo bakeoff!

Apr 17, 2012 Baking, Contests, Food events 1 Comment

A note from Mary Renwick, event planning and marketing coordinator for The Advancement Foundation:

The Cinco De Mayo Cupcakes at the Cottage Bake-Off will be held at The Charity Cottage Thrift Store at 301 S. Pollard Street in Vinton on Saturday, May 5th, 2012 from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  This event will include live entertainment, face painting, crafts, cupcakes for sale, cupcake judging, and discount shopping opportunities in the Charity Cottage Thrift Store!

If you think you can win the title of Cupcake Master, please register a dozen of your cupcakes in our Bake-Off! Cupcakes entered in contest need to have Cinco de Mayo theme (margarita, jalapeno, cinnamon, hot Mexican chocolate, etc.). To enter, you must register by April 23, 2012. Contact us at charitycottage@gmail.com or (540) 345-1292 for more information.

All proceeds benefit The Charity Cottage Thrift Store. The Charity Cottage Thrift Store was established by the local non-profit aid organization, The Advancement Foundation, to benefit the communities of the Roanoke Valley. The Advancement Foundation works to eliminate poverty through strategic support, and so has developed The Charity Cottage Thrift Store to provide “earned income” funding for multiple local health and human services nonprofits, while also providing skills training and community service opportunities for the underprivileged and disabled. The Charity Cottage Thrift Store also works to actively engage community leaders, civic organizations, local schools and churches in various ways in order to involve the entire community in the social change movement.

For further questions please do not hesitate to call 540-345-1292 or send an email to charitycottage@gmail.com.

Blue Ridge Parkway Foodie Tour

Apr 17, 2012 Food news, Local food, Restaurant news/reviews 6 Comments

Miles of beautiful sights and tasty eats on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Roanoke Times l File photo.

Blue Ridge Country Magazine is in the middle of publishing a four-part series about good eats along the Blue Ridge Parkway called the Blue Ridge Parkway Foodie Tour. Part I, which ran in the March/April issue, covered parkway milepost 0-105 and featured the counties of Nelson, Augusta, Rockbridge, Amherst, Bedford and Botetourt in Virginia.

The current issue of the magazine covers miles 106-219, which includes the Virginia counties of Roanoke, Franklin,Floyd, Patrick, Carroll and Grayson. Some of the best food finds featured in this most recent edition are the peanut soup and cornbread at Hotel Roanoke, pies at The Hub in Rocky Mount, the breakfast burrito at Tuggles Gap Restaurant in Floyd, and the Ju-Ju Burger at Dry Pond Cafe in Patrick County.

Click here to see all of the restaurants and dishes featured in the current edition. Do you agree with these selections? What destinations and/or dishes would you have included?

For each of the four issues that are part of the series, readers have an opportunity to vote on the best food county. At the end of the series, there will be a “Final Four” voting, and the winning county will be featured in the January/February 2013 issue of the magazine. Rockbridge County was the “winning culinary county” for the first part.

A $250 gift card will be awarded to one lucky voter at the end of the series. Ballots are open for the second part, so if you’d like to vote, click here. And if you care to say, for which county did you vote and why?

This is the schedule for the rest of the series, from the Blue Ridge Country Magazine website:

July/August: MP 220-355. North Carolina counties of Surry, Alleghany,Wilkes, Ashe, Watauga, Caldwell, Avery, Burke, McDowell, Mitchell,Yancey.

Sept/Oct: MP 356-469. North Carolina counties of Buncombe,Henderson, Transylvania, Haywood, Jackson, Swain.

Weird Monday: Chocolate on steak, Crock Pot candy – UPDATED

Apr 16, 2012 Recipes 6 Comments

The theme of today’s blog entry is a happy accident. I had planned to share a really interesting and delicious recipe I picked up this weekend at the Art of Chocolate festival in Alleghany County, but then a friend also forwarded me a fascinating recipe for chocolate candy made in the Crock Pot.

The two just seem to fall into the same category – delightfully bizarre!

I attended and judged the 7th Annual Art of Chocolate festival, which was held at my alma mater, Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge. I was on the team that judged cupcakes, cookies and “gourmet” items. Hard job, y’all. Since I didn’t judge overall and had to scoot before they announced the winners, I’m still seeking the names of the winners and their recipes. Will report back with those very soon. UPDATE: I got the list of winners. See below.

While there, I saw Chef Jeff Bland of US Foodservice, who was doing a cooking demonstration at the festival. Jeff was pretty excited about a recipe he’d invented just the night before called Steak with Adobo and Chocolate. I got a chance to sample the finished product and it was heavenly. The fact that it was one of the three best things I tasted at the festival just goes to show that I prefer savory treats to chocolate. Jeff used skirt steak in his demo, and it turned out beautifully tender. But you can use your favorite cut of steak for this recipe. I’ll also share the other recipes he demonstrated for chocolate coating and super-easy chocolate mousse.

Finally, that Crock Pot recipe. My friend sent me the link to this stuff, technically called Mr. Bud Candy. I have not had a chance to try it (I was chocolated out this weekend), but it looks intriguing. Candy can be really frustrating to make, especially for beginners, so I like the idea of letting it bubble away in the Crock Pot and then just stir and drop on wax paper. My only concern about this is the variations in slow cookers. We’ve talked before about how some, particularly new models, seem to cook faster than others. There are some notes at the end of the recipe about that. I wish they would have included a candy temperature in the recipe so cooks could test it with a candy thermometer. Would you be brave enough to try it?

What delicious foods did you cook and/or eat this weekend?
Read More..

Diabetes cookbook winner

Apr 13, 2012 Cookbook Giveaway, Healthy eats, Recipes 1 Comment

I’d like to congratulate the winner of my latest giveaway, who has won a copy of “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook” by Angela Shelf Medearis. That winner is Jennifer. Here is what Jennifer had to say:

“I would love to have this cookbook on my shelf! My grandfather is a diabetic in complete renal failure (dialysis 3 times a week, insulin 3 times a day). We recently lost my grandmother, his wife, and so he had to make the move from his home in South Carolina, to Roanoke to live with my mother. We have a very hard time trying to feed him things that taste good, but are also good for him. It is a source of constant stress in my family and many fights between my grandfather and my mother. This cookbook may be a great source for recipes he will actually enjoy eating. Especially any desserts as he really deserves a treat every once in a while!”

Jennifer, for some reason when I read your comment I thought of my own grandfather. He didn’t have diabetes but he did struggle with illness and the one thing he always craved was a good chocolate dessert. It sounds as if your grandfather deserves a chocolate dessert such as the Fudge Pudding Cake (below). And it sounds like your mother could benefit from some new ideas in the kitchen – bless her for trying to take good care of your grand-daddy.

For the rest of you, I’ve transcribed two recipes from the book. One is for chicken with apples and lemon balsamic sauce, the other is for that cake. I hope you enjoy. If you’d like to purchase a copy of the book for yourself or someone else, here’s a link to one source.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Read More..

The Bank Food and Drink has reopened

Apr 13, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews 10 Comments

Roasted beet salad with feta and pickled onions. Courtesy photo.

The Bank Food and Drink in Pearisburg has reopened after a three-month renovation and with a new chef, Michael Behmoiras, who most recently worked at Wolfgang Puck Catering at the Atlanta Aquarium. Co-owner Linda Hayes said Behmoiras’ new seasonal menu combines Southern touches with locally sourced ingredients.

The Hayes family has owned the building since 2005 but have since leased it to two different chefs. When the most recent owners, chef Giovanni Guarini and his wife, Nancy Jurek, left, the Hayeses decided to renovate and reopen the restaurant themselves. The new decor includes a different featured artist in every room.

The new menu at The Bank includes such options as roasted beet and feta salad (pictured), pork belly with grits and crawfish, lamb chops scotta dita with spinach and potato gruyere gratin, and braised short ribs with creamy polenta. Desserts include Behmoiras’ take on cookies and milk, PB & J panna cotta and a roasted pineapple tart.

Linda Hayes said the restaurant also offers beer, wine and spirits with a focus on craft beers. If you’d like to check out the chef’s talents before heading to the restaurant, he’ll be cooking at the Blacksburg Fork and Cork on April 28. Click the link for more details.

The Bank Food and Drink
Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to close.
For reservations: 540-921-2981
Email: Cheers@thebankfoodanddrink.com
On the web: http://www.thebankfoodanddrink.com.

Cookbook giveaway: “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook”

Apr 12, 2012 Cookbook Giveaway 17 Comments

I have a special opportunity this morning for my diabetic readers. I have two loved ones who are diabetic, so I know this condition touches many, many lives. And if the rest of us think it is challenging to come up with meals to put on the table, think of how much more difficult it must be when you have to be extra-careful about your blood sugar.

But modern cookery has improved so much in terms of diabetic recipes. And this book, “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook” by Angela Shelf Medearis, is loaded with lots of awesome-looking recipes, such as Beefy Mini Meat Loaves, Sushi-Style Crab roll, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Chicken and Apples with Lemon Balsamic Sauce, Baked Catfish with Green Onion and Butter Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Lemon and Herb Cauliflower Couscous, and Fudge Pudding Cake.

For a chance to win this cookbook, please leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me why you want this book on your book shelf! The deadline is noon tomorrow (Friday), at which time I will announce a winner and share a couple of recipes from the book. Including that Fudge Pudding Cake recipe! Yum!

Do you have what it takes to make award-winning beer?

Apr 11, 2012 Cocktails, vino, brewskies 8 Comments

If so, then you need to enter the 2012 Homebrewer Competition!

The Roanoke Jaycees and Star City Brewer’s Guild are sponsoring the Homebrew Competition in conjunction with the 2nd Annual Big Lick Beertopia. The winners will be announced during the Beertopia, which takes place on June 9, 2012 at LewisGale Field (where the Salem Red Sox play).

The exciting part: The beer entry named Best in Show will be brewed locally at the Roanoke Railhouse Brewery!

Beers must be homebrewed. No meads or ciders. Entrants must be 21 or older, and the beer must be entered in the name of the actual brewer. There are four categories: light, amber, dark and specialty.

For more information, and to download the official entry form, go to www.biglickbeertopia.com.

Just to get a sense as to how popular home brewing is among my blog readers, who among you has made beer before? What is it about the hobby that you enjoy?

Guest blog entry: Repurposing food

Apr 10, 2012 Recipes 4 Comments

This morning, I am pleased to share with you a guest blog entry by reader Debbie Franco. I am especially happy about this because Debbie’s little experiment started with one of my favorite summer salads, carrot-raisin salad. But I’ll let Debbie talk about it and share the recipe in her own words:

I decided to try a food recycling experiment this morning and I’m happy to say it worked.  Usually what I call recycling involves turning leftovers into soup or a casserole, but I wanted something sweet this morning. I’d bought a fresh pineapple last week and chopped some up and used it in a carrot-raisin salad. I added just enough mayo to bind it all together and added a little agave nectar for sweetness.

After eating it for a few days, I had about a cup left this morning and was tired of eating it, so I searched the web and found this recipe for carrot cake muffins. I used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour and substituted half a cup of Kroger brand sugar substitute for baking and ¼ cup of brown sugar, for the sugar called for in the recipe.  I also ended up adding a little more milk than the recipe called for, because the batter was too thick and dry. I drained the carrot salad well before adding it to the batter. The muffins were delicious.

Click here to see the recipe for low-fat carrot cake muffins.

Have you had any recent success repurposing leftovers?

Padow’s Deli now Dave’s BBQ and Deli

Apr 9, 2012 Restaurant news/reviews 6 Comments

Those of you who drive past Townside Festival Shopping Center on Franklin Road in Roanoke or frequent Padow’s Deli there have surely noticed the name on the sign has changed to Dave’s BBQ and Deli. I called owner David Bell this morning to ask him what was behind the name change.

Padow’s first opened in 1997 as part of the Richmond-based Padow’s Deli chain. At one time, they had a number of locations in and around Richmond, including ones in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Williamsburg. The concept includes whole and half hams and deli sandwiches.

Bell, who has owned the Roanoke location since 2000, said none of those offerings have changed. He simply decided it was time to break away from the franchise and run an independent establishment. He also plans to extend the business hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in order to take advantage of the dinner crowd. The restaurant seats 78 people and has always just been open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays (closed Sundays).

Although Padow’s sold BBQ sometimes, Bell said that was from a plastic tub he got from vendors who dealt with the franchise. Now, he has a friend who “learned to make BBQ from the Cubans” who is smoking whole Boston butts to make pulled pork BBQ. Bell said they’ll offer that with homemade sauces on the side because he thinks ‘que that is “saturated in sauce” is probably just bad BBQ covered up. Right now, the BBQ is smoked off-site but Bell hopes to purchase a small cooker that he can use at the restaurant.
Read More..