Alexander’s, a downtown Roanoke stalwart for 33 years, has been named one of OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants for Service in the United States for 2013. According to the restaurant reservation website, the award is based on more than five million user reviews of some 15,000 restaurants across the country.

Only four other Virginia restaurants made the list, and none are in our part of the state. The other Virginia restaurants named are The Ashby Inn in Paris, Bistro L’Hermitage in Woodbridge, Cafe Renaissance in Vienna, and L’Auberge Chez Francois in Great Falls.

Alexander’s owner Bridget Meagher commented on the win in a press release:  “We are very pleased by this acknowledgment from OpenTable diners and to be included among the most legendary restaurants in the country. It’s wonderful to know that these diners who visited Roanoke from all over the U.S. thoroughly enjoyed their overall experience and gave us such high marks.”

Meagher praised general manager Boni Mills Webb and members of the senior service team, Bjorn Lindholm, Kelly Ontiveros Gearhart and Ryan Cook, assisted by Chris Blankenship. She pointed out that this award puts Alexander’s in some very fine company; also on the list were The French Laundry in California and Per Se in New York.

I don’t say often enough how lucky we are to have Alexander’s in our city. The fact that they even have a “senior service team” says a lot about their commitment to excellence. There’s a reason Alexander’s has waitstaff who have made the job a career — it’s because they are treated well, they have pride in the place they work and they have a beloved cast of regular customers.

Meagher and Webb are not the type of restaurateurs who seek attention. They don’t call me asking for stories (not that there’s anything wrong with that) or advertise specials to lure diners. In short, they don’t have to. They need only keep doing what they’re doing, which is staying fresh, changing what they need to change to stay relevant, and not touching the aspects of the business that don’t need to be disturbed.

Congratulations to Bridget, Boni and the staff at Alexander’s.

The beef rib soup at Rico Pizza in Roanoke. Photo by Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times.

By Ivonne Wallace Fuentes
Special to The Roanoke Times

Rico Pizza on Williamson Road is a small, family-run restaurant with a large and varied menu of pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. What many Roanokers do not know, however, is that Rico excels at preparing and serving authentic Colombian cuisine.

Ramiro “Rico” Guacheta opened Rico Pizza about 14 years ago, but he said he decided to add cuisine from his native country five years ago, after noticing that a lot of Latinos were moving to the area. Sharp-eyed guests can find Colombian folk art on the walls, but there are few other clues about the Latin food that sets Rico apart from other pizza and sub shops. These offerings range from blended fruit drinks to the almuerzo completo, or “complete dinner.”

During two recent visits, my family started by sampling the milk and fruit smoothies called licuados. These are simply not to be missed, and are a good value at $2.50 for a 12-oz. drink. The hardest part is choosing your poison — banana, melon, mora (blackberry), lulo (kiwi), maracuja (passionfruit), tamarindo (tamarind) or guanabana (soursop). The drinks are blended to order, so if you are concerned about sugar, ask for less. Banana is the most traditional and is a good place to start; for the more adventurous , I would recommend passionfruit or tamarind, both of which have a tartness perfectly complementing the sweet milk base.

To continue reading this review, please click here.

Did you know Rico Pizza had a Colombian menu? Until recently, I sure didn’t and I can’t wait to try it!

Apples top the list of the Dirty Dozen.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a little neurotic.

One of my neuroses involves a paranoia of chemicals — in short, I know human beings are routinely exposed to a litany of chemicals and I wonder if that has something to do with the scary health diagnoses I hear about every day.

One of the worst places for a person with chemophobia (that is a real word) is the grocery store produce department. If it isn’t organic, then what was used to keep all the pesky bugs and fungi from devouring or damaging it?

Despite the chemophobia, I do not buy all organic. That’s because one of my other neuroses revolves around money — buying organic is generally more expensive.

So what is an average-income person to do in order to save money without ingesting enough chemicals to make her glow in the dark?

The Dirty Dozen is a good place to start.

Minimize your exposure

For nine years, the non profit, Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group has analyzed pesticide data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration to come up with an annual shopper’s guide they call the Dirty Dozen.

I love this concept because it means that, according to the EWG, you can greatly minimize your family’s intake of pesticides by purchasing organic versions of specific fruits and vegetables rather than trying to go completely organic, which can be cost-prohibitive for many people.

To continue reading this column, please click here.

Here’s an addendum to today’s column: The EWG compares pesticide levels in almost 50 different fruits and veggies. The cleanest 15 are named the Clean Fifteen while the most chemical-ridden 12 are the Dirty Dozen. In between fall a number of other products. To see the entire list of 48, click here.

Do you buy organic produce? Do you think you’ll use the Dirty Dozen list to help inform your purchasing decisions?

From a press release from the Virginia Cooperative Extension:

The Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Household Water Quality Program will host the “Roanoke Valley Drinking Water Clinic”, for citizens whose water supply comes from wells, springs or cisterns.

The “Kick-Off” meeting is on Monday, May 20, 2013, 6:00 p.m., at the South County Library, 6303 Merriman Rd., where participants will receive instructions and the water sample kit. The sample “Drop-Off” day is Wednesday, May 22, between 7:30 and 10:00 a.m. The “Interpretation Meeting” will be on Monday, June 17, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., where participants get their confidential results along with an educational program explaining the results and possible treatment options.

The water will be tested for: iron, sodium, fluoride, coliform bacteria, manganese, copper, pH, E. coli bacteria, sulfate, nitrate, total dissolved solids, lead, hardness and arsenic. The $49 fee covers the cost of one sampling kit and analysis (a $200 value).

Please register by May 18. Forms are available at our office, 3738 Brambleton Ave. SW, Roanoke, VA 24018 or on our website at http://offices.ext.vt.edu/roanoke. Payment can be cash, check or charge. Either drop-off the registration form and cash or a check made payable to “VCE Roanoke” at our office, or mail in the registration and check. You can also pay with credit card only at our website and then email or mail a copy of your receipt to ksturgil@vt.edu along with your registration form.

Registrants will receive confirmation email containing directions prior to the Kick-Off. Please help us manage postal costs by accepting email from Virginia Cooperative Extension.

For more information, contact:
Deb Chappell, Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences
Virginia Cooperative Extension, Roanoke Office
3738 Brambleton Ave SW
Roanoke VA 24018
540-772-7524, dchappel@vt.edu

A dish of sushi at Cafe Asia’s original location in Bonsack. The Roanoke Times | File photo.

Bonsack’s hugely popular Asian restaurant, Cafe Asia, is getting a sister location in south Roanoke County late this summer. It will be located in the space that formerly housed Baja Bistro in the Shops at West Village.

Owner Feng Chen said he decided to open a second restaurant because so many of his customers at the Bonsack location drive all the way across town for the restaurant’s unique blend of different Asian cuisines.

The first restaurant has simply outgrown the crowds it draws, he said, and this will allow many of his regulars to enjoy the food without making the drive.

At this time, a lot of work is going on inside the new space to change the Baja Bistro look to a “very modern Asian restaurant” look, he said. The second location will offer food that is much like the original menu, including a sushi bar.

Chen said he hopes to be able to open the second Cafe Asia by August or September if the renovations go smoothly. We’ll keep you posted.

Wow! What a great response in yesterday’s contest to win tickets to the Vinton Wine and Food Festival. Thanks to everybody who read the blog entry and left a comment for a chance to win.

Unfortunately, I only have four tickets to give away (two sets of two). Today is the lucky day for:

* Becky I, who left comment #47, and…

* Chelsea, who left comment #32

Congratulations, winners! Please email me ASAP at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com or call me at 981-3343 so we can figure out the best way to get these tickets to you for this weekend’s festival. If you are not going to be able to attend and don’t know anybody you want to give the tickets to, let me know so I can pick another winner.

For those of you who did not win, there are still tickets available to this event. They’re only $15 in advance and $20 at the door. To purchase tickets, click here. For more information about the festival, click here or call the Vinton Chamber of Commerce at 540.343.1364.

The 4th Annual Vinton Wine and Food Festival is coming up this weekend, and organizers were kind enough to give me four tickets to give away on the blog. Why not start planning your weekend on Monday?

This event will be held on the front lawn of the lovely Vinton War Memorial on Washington Avenue in Vinton from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday. These are wine taster tickets, which means you get a complimentary wine glass and free tastings of wine from participating vendors. For those who don’t like wine, there will also be beer and non-alcoholic beverages available.

Because it’s silly to drink without having a little snack to go along with it, there will be several great food vendors on site at the festival, as well. Finally, there will be an opportunity to do a little shopping at some booths set up by retailers. To see the list of participating wineries, food vendors and craft/gift vendors, click “read more” below.

At the moment, meteorologists are calling for Saturday to be 81 degrees with only a slight chance of thunderstorms. Sounds like a lovely day to get outside and enjoy some beverages and food. For more information about the festival, visit the website here.

I’m going to give away these tickets in two sets of two. If you are interested in winning, please post a comment on this blog entry by 9 p.m. tonight. I’ll choose two random winners tomorrow and get these tickets in the mail or put them at the front desk of the newspaper office so the winner will be ready to go by Saturday.

Read more »

Chicken saltimbocca and accordion potatoes.

I’ve made stuffed chicken and chicken Marsala on multiple occasions, but when I hosted friends for dinner last weekend I decided to try making one of my favorite Italian recipes: chicken saltimbocca.

To go along with the chicken, I thought I’d try a really bizarre yet tasty-looking potato recipe I spotted on Pinterest. If you are a Pinterest user, you’ll know what I mean when I say it’s one of those novelty ideas that seems to float around on the social networking site and end up on everybody’s food board.

First, the chicken saltimbocca: Traditionally made with veal, saltimbocca is defined in “Food Lover’s Companion” as “a Roman specialty of finely sliced veal sprinkled with sage and topped with a thin slice of prosciutto. It is sauteed in butter, then braised in white wine.”

However, when I searched a bunch of saltimbocca recipes online, I couldn’t find any two alike. Some called for cheese inside, some didn’t. Some called for white wine, some for Marsala. Some called for mushrooms in the sauce, some didn’t. Well, I never met a cheese, mushroom or Marsala wine I didn’t like, so I cobbled together a couple of different recipes to form the one I used.

My helpful hints: Make sure you are using a thin chicken breast. Consider buying the “thin and fancy” cut or, if you’ve bought those massive, mutant chicken breasts, butterflying them all the way in half. Also, pound them with a meat mallet until they are super thin but not mangled. For the cheese, I cut my own slices from a small block instead of using pre-sliced cheese. If you use those pre-cut slices that are the size of American cheese slices, you may wish to either fold them in half or cut them in half.
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Walter Scheib

Former White House Executive Chef Walter Scheib will return to Southwest Virginia later this month to cook at The Chef’s Table, a fundraising dinner for the Summer Feeding & Reading program and the YMCA’s Physical Education program at Forest Park Academy.

Scheib cooked a similar dinner for the YMCA in May 2011 and has cooked guest dinners at The Palisades Restaurant in Eggleston several times. Apparently, he likes our area!

This month’s fundraising dinner will take place May 18 at McVitty Manor in Salem and will feature four courses inspired by some of the favorite dishes of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Scheib served as White House Chef during both presidents’ terms. He will be assisted behind the scenes by local chefs and students from the Culinary Institute at Virginia Western.

Here is the menu:

- Crab, Corn and Yukon Gold Potato Chowder
- Pepper Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Green Chile and Hominy Casserole
- Roasted Beets and Organic Greens with Herbed Feta Cheese
- Espresso “Jolt” & Double Chocolate Ice Creams with Banana Compote

During the dinner, Scheib will also entertain guests with tales of his time in the White House kitchen. Scheib now has his own company, The American Chef, through which he tours the country and does dinners like this.

Tickets to the event are $250 per person or $2,000 for corporate sponsorships that include a table for eight. It’s a steep price, but given Scheib’s talents and the impact of the YMCA programs in our community, I’m sure it will be a fantastic dinner for a worthy cause.

Before Scheib came in 2011, he shared a couple of recipes with me, which I’ll pass along to you guys in case you missed them. Click the links to see these recipes:

Orange Chili Boneless Lamb Roast

Spring Carrot and Radish Salad

The salsa bar at Alejandro’s in Radford. Photo by Mike Shaw | The Roanoke Times.

Instead of being decorated like most Mexican restaurants, this restaurant is decorated like the hotel — it is clean, with bright walls and homey wood and brick touches. With two large sections for dining and a bar area, it can accommodate a lot of diners. During our visits, we were seated in a section furnished with a mix of tables and booths, and large windows facing the parking lot .

Although seating was a bit slow for a not-too-busy restaurant, the servers during both of our visits were pleasant and quick to bring a basket of warm tortilla chips to the table. Instead of delivering salsa to the tables, Alejandro’s features a self-serve salsa bar with a variety of salsas and a stack of small ramekins. Diners make their own choices, whether it be a mild salsa with a hint of cilantro, a fiery hot blend, or a cool and creamy dip . Our favorites were the mild red and the white , which is similar to a sweet ranch dressing. Best of all, you don’t have to feel guilty about double dipping in your own salsa.

To continue reading this review, please click here.

Have you been to this Alejandro’s location? How did you think it compared to the others?

Salt cellars are back in style. Check out this cute oyster shell cellar (at left) from Provisions in Roanoke. Photo by Lindsey Nair l The Roanoke Times.

We love our mothers, but sometimes it’s devilishly difficult to buy them the perfect gift.

“I don’t need anything,” she might say, or “Just buy me a card.”

But if a card doesn’t seem like enough and your favorite mother figure loves to cook, today’s column might help.

I’ve scouted four local kitchen shops, asking owners and employees to suggest hot new products and must-have gadgets for the chef/mom.

If your mom doesn’t like to cook, don’t worry. Some of these gifts are just right for a lady who wants to sit back and sip coffee or relax with breakfast in bed.

Warning: Some of these items are so neat you may find yourself shelling out for two of them — one for Mom, one for yourself (I’ve already asked for some of those silicone lids for my birthday). In that case, you’ll be well-equipped to prepare a special meal or dessert for the occasion, so check out the recipes on Page 3 that two local chefs learned from the women in their families.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Update: I got an email from the owner of Steger Creek, which was not featured in this article. He said they carry a wide array of gourmet foods and kitchen items, including the Charles Viancin lids and the corkcicles I suggested in the column. Those lids are apparently really hot right now, so this is another place to find them. Plus Steger Creek has lots of non-food-related gift items, as well. Click the link to learn more about the stores (they have one in Roanoke and one in Forest).

Check out the full gift guide here, along with these recipes:

Lemon Cake (submitted by Sandy Krebs, head chef of the Regency Room at Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center)

Cracker Jack Balls (submitted by Alex Eliades, owner, Bread Craft)

What do you plan to do for your mom for Mother’s Day? If you are the mom, what are your hopes for that special day?

Apple fritter cake. Photo by Lindsey Nair.

Lately, it feels as if I’ve had hardly any time to cook. So this past weekend, I decided to invite over some friends and try three new recipes for one dinner. The menu was chicken Saltimbocca, baked potatoes (but not your typical baked potatoes – I’ll explain that in a future blog post), salad and apple fritter cake.

I got the recipes for the potatoes and the cake from Pinterest. As delicious as everything was (if I do say so myself), the cake was the real winner of the evening. But as my sister said, how could anything called “apple fritter cake” be bad?

This cake starts with a layer of thick batter, which is topped with apple filling and sprinkled with a combination of brown sugar and cinnamon. Next comes another layer of the batter and another sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon. When the cake comes out of the oven, you immediately pour a glaze over it.

The only thing I’d change if I make this cake again is that I’d poke a bunch of holes in it with a chopstick before pouring over the glaze. If you make this cake, choose a flavorful apple such as a Granny Smith. And don’t be alarmed if it’s hard to spread the second layer of batter over the cake – just use a flexible rubber spatula and do the best you can. It’ll turn out just fine.

I have mixed feelings about the fact that this cake is almost gone. That means it won’t be around to tempt me anymore, but it also means I ate too much of it already!

Read more to see the recipe. Does this look like something you’d like to try?

Read more »

The Sriracha grilled cheese is the newest flavor at Pop’s. Photo courtesy Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar on Facebook.

Esquire magazine honored National Grilled Cheese Month in April by blogging about grilled cheeses from across the map on its Eat Like a Man blog. A former Roanoke Times online intern, Katrina Tulloch, freelanced one blog entry for Esquire about Roanoke’s finest location for grilled cheese sandwiches: Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar in Grandin Village.

Specifically, Katrina wrote about the $6.50 Swiss Melt at Pop’s, which is made with Swiss cheese, artichoke hearts, horseradish and Dijon mustard. It is one of about a dozen different kinds of grilled cheese made at Pop’s.

Other grilled cheeses featured on the blog during the month were the pecorino and almond pressed sandwich from Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, the ropa vieja from Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill in Miami, the Caprese at Cheesie’s Pub & Grub in Chicago, and the grilled cheese at Bouchon Bakery in New York City.

To round out the month, Esquire put all of the sandwiches featured for the month up to vote by Esquire.com readers. The winner was recently announced, and Pop’s came in THIRD place behind only Cheesie’s of Chicago and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese Truck in Boston. According to the bar graph on Eat Like a Man, Pop’s pulled in about 17 percent of the vote.

I know part of that is because Katrina promoted the heck out of the contest on her social media channels, which likely drove a lot of Roanokers to go on Esquire.com and vote for Pop’s. Thanks for all the love for the Roanoke food scene, Katrina. And congratulations to Pop’s! Maybe this is the place for Diners, Drive-ins and Dives?

Anybody familiar with Pop’s is probably not surprised they can hold their own against grilled cheese makers across the country. If you have never been to Pop’s, get thee to the shop in a hurry to see why people love it so much. You can read more about Pop’s on their Facebook page here.

Photo by Lindsey Nair.

We drove up to Bath County on Friday night to visit with my father and stepmother. On our way home on Saturday, we passed Ikenberry Orchards on U.S. 220 in Daleville and saw the Original French Creperie truck set up.

I’ve seen the crepe truck there before when we whizzed by, but we were always in too much of a hurry to stop. I’ve heard from folks that the crepes from this truck are very good. Since it was lunchtime when we cruised by on Saturday and we were hungry, we stopped in to check it out.

This crepe truck is run by a couple, the Lemoines, who said they’ve been making crepes for 15 years. They have a nice setup with two crepe makers and a long list of filling options. Amazingly, all crepes are $5 including tax!

Howard went with a ham, cheese and asparagus crepe and I ordered a spinach and ricotta crepe. The crepes were generously sized and well-made, soft with lightly crispy edges. My only complaint was that the asparagus was canned – it was still good, but fresh would be soooo much better, especially this time of year when it is in season. They used quality ham and cheese, and the spinach and ricotta filling was well-blended and peppery.

Photo by Lindsey Nair.

As you can see from looking at the menu, the Original French Creperie sells a bunch of dessert crepes. The next time I drive by, I’m going to treat myself to a sweet crepe. I’d definitely recommend trying this place for breakfast or lunch one day. According to their Facebook page, they are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

They do not accept credit cards.

Have you tried the creperie? If so, what did you think of it?

Early this week, I asked you all to tell me where you’d go and what you’d find to eat if you could take a road trip anywhere right now. There were some fantastic answers and I thank everybody for commenting.

I have decided to award the book to blog reader Vickie C, who left comment No. 15 on this post. It is a bit lengthier than most of the other comments, but that’s not why I picked it. I just liked what Vickie had to say:

Sunken City Brewing Company. Photo courtesy brewery Facebook page.

CLARIFICATION: I was contacted by Jerome Parnell of Sunken City Brewing Company, and he said the beers will be $5 for a 20-oz. imperial pint. There have been some comments about the original report that the beer would be sold for $5 to $6 per pint. Small batch beer may be sold for a bit more than $5 on grand opening day. -LN

Beer lovers, take note: Southwest Virginia’s newest craft brewery will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, May 10.

Sunken City Brewing Company, named for the villages that were submerged when Smith Mountain Lake was created, is housed in a brand new building near Westlake Towne Center on Virginia 122 in Franklin County. It is a $2.3 million, 8,800-square-foot brewery that features a 25-barrel brewhouse, automatic canning distribution, a tasting room, pub and an outdoor beer garden.

Sunken City owners hope to distribute their beer throughout the state. Brewmaster Jeremy Kirby said they’ll have two signature beers at the grand opening. Dam Lager is an American-style amber (4.7 percent ABV) and Red Clay IPA is an amber-colored India Pale Ale (7 percent ABV). In the near future, they plan to have other beers in their line, including some seasonals.

Kirby said they may have some small-batch beers available at the grand opening, as well. They’ll be selling pints for $5 to $6, he said.

Bruno’s GastroTruck will be on-site for the celebration, selling its awesome gourmet pub grub. The band Barefoot West will perform at about 5:30 p.m. The open house begins at 4 p.m.

Kirby said they have not yet nailed down the hours for the tasting room but he suspects it will be open on Friday and Saturday nights and on Sunday afternoons. Once they know for sure, they’ll add those hours to their Facebook page. The Sunken City website is under construction.

So, what do you think? Do you plan to head down for the open house?

Veggie gumbo at Firefly Fare in Roanoke. Photo by Joel Hawksley | The Roanoke Times.

By Kim Shrader
Special to The Roanoke Times
kim.roanoke@gmail.com

With the much-awaited days of spring finally upon us, the Roanoke City Market is bustling with shoppers and sellers eager to provide produce and plants for dinner tables and backyard gardens. On days like these, there’s nothing more fitting than a meal comprising the best our region has to offer, and that’s exactly the type of meal you’ll find at Firefly Fare.

Chef Chris Parkhurst opened Firefly Fare in the Roanoke City Market Building in 2011, welcoming the opportunity to bring his culinary experience and support for the farm-to-table movement together in a historic space.

To continue reading this review, please click here.

Have you been to Firefly Fare? If so, are you a fan?

Photo illustration by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times.

It wasn’t long ago that the word “app” meant something entirely different in the restaurant world.

“Let’s order some apps before our entrees,” one might say, or “Could you bring us some app plates, please?”

Now, millions of people turn to “apps,” or application software, on their smartphones to help inform their decisions about dining out.

According to the online industry magazine FastCasual.com, an April study of smartphone users found that 81 percent had searched for a restaurant on their smartphone in the past six months and 80 percent believe it is important to look at a restaurant menu before dining there.

In a far less scientific poll on my blog at roanoke.com, 60 percent of 40 responders said they have used restaurant apps on their phones.

Clearly, it would be prudent for restaurant owners to consider the effect of smartphone apps on their businesses.

One man, Bill Trifiro of Roanoke, is hoping he can capitalize on this trend and make a living selling customized smartphone apps to local restaurants. He is so excited about apps that he built one for his upcoming wedding.

“Every major chain has an app,” Trifiro said. “But there’s no reason smaller restaurants shouldn’t be able to afford to do this.”

To continue reading this column, please click here.

It must be high season for cookbook publishing because the books are stacking up on my desk and I’m running out of space for them. It’s time to give away another great book!

But first, a little unfinished business: In mid-April, I had a giveaway for Southern Living’s “Little Jars, Big Flavors.” The winner of that contest never claimed her book so I have randomly selected another winner. Sherry, who left comment No. 18 on this blog entry, you are the new winner. Please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com or call me at 540-981-3343 to claim your book.

This week’s giveaway is another work from Southern Living called “Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings” by Morgan Murphy. It is the sequel to Murphy’s original “Southern Living Off the Eaten Path.” Morgan used to be the magazine’s travel editor, and these books are billed as “part travel guide, part cookbook.”

For the latest work, Murphy traveled through 16 Southern states, tasting iconic dishes and meeting characters along the way. In this book, he recounts some of the stories from his adventures and also shares 150 different recipes, from the Black and Blue Martini at The Porch in Dallas to Charred Poblano Creamed Corn at The Admiral in Asheville, NC. I love that Murphy’s book is sprinkled with road-trip soundtracks (“If It’s the Beaches” by the Avett Brothers and “Orange Blossoms” by JJ Grey & Mofro for Florida) and quirky local sayings (“It’s so dark out you have to light a second match to see if the first one caught”).

For a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this blog entry answering this question: If you could get in the car and take a road trip anywhere in America right now, where would it be and what would you hope to find to eat when you got there? The deadline is noon on Friday. I’ll pick my favorite answer and announce a winner by 5 p.m. on Friday.

The Roanoke Times | File photo.

America’s favorite Mexican holiday is fast approaching, and you can celebrate in downtown Roanoke this Saturday at the Cinco de Mayo Festival.

I call it “America’s favorite Mexican holiday” because I learned several years ago that Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated heavily in Mexico unless you’re in the state of Puebla. The date commemorates the Battle of Puebla, which happened on May 5, 1862.

The historic battle took place between the Mexican Army and French troops, who had invaded the country and were trying to drive toward Mexico City. Napoleon III thought if his men could capture Mexico City, he could take the country. The Mexicans were ill-equipped and outnumbered, but they still forced the French to retreat.

It is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican Independence Day. That is in September.

Anyway, we Americans love to take the opportunity to enjoy Mexican food, drink, culture and music. That’s what you’ll be able to do at Saturday’s festival, which will take place at Wells Fargo Plaza on Norfolk Avenue in downtown Roanoke. The event, sponsored by Haley Toyota Scion to benefit the Adult Care Center of Roanoke Valley, is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Beer and margaritas will be available at the festival, as well as tacos from Queso Southwestern Grill and Awful Arthur’s. American fare will include Buffalo Wild Wings.

The live music schedule is: Latin Clave, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; The Jordan Harman Band, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.; and The Key West Band, 4 to 7 p.m.

Admission is $5 for adults; children get in free. For more information, check out Facebook.com/cincodemayoroanoke or Cincodemayoroanoke.com.

Courtesy photo.

This time last year, I was a judge at the Virginia Food & Beverage Expo in Richmond. One product that did not place but was nevertheless very impressive was called Keep It Simple Syrup (or KISS for short), an all-natural simple syrup infused with spearmint.

Being the debaucherous sort that I am, my mind immediately went to mint juleps and mojitos. Who wants to muddle mint and make simple syrup at home when you can simply add a splash of this delicious syrup to your beverage? I’ve tried it in those applications and give it my seal of approval.

But KISS founder Susan Martinson of Richmond points out that there are many other uses for her product. It can be used to sweeten iced tea or flavor hot cocoa, whipped cream, ice cream, a number of baked treats and more.

Best of all, Keep It Simple Syrup is made in Virginia and carries the Virginia’s Finest trademark. It is fat-free, gluten-free, high fructose corn syrup-free, and certified kosher. For a while, it was hard to find in our part of the state, but now Martinson has made it available in multiple ABC stores and Kroger stores throughout the region. It is available in both 700 ML bottles and 350 ML bottles.

If you do decide to try KISS in mint juleps, the time is now! It is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, which is on May 4 this year.

Here’s a list of stores that carry KISS, according to Martinson:

ABC stores:
Daleville: Botetourt Commons, 56 Kingston Dr.
Christiansburg: Peppers Ferry Shopping Center, 290 Peppers Ferry Road
Hardy: 12990 Booker T. Washington Highway
Lynchburg: Lynchburg Hill Plaza Shopping Center, 2118 Wards Road
Boonsboro Shopping Center, 4925 Boonsboro Road.
Chatham: Tightsqueeze Plaza Shopping Center, Hwys 29 & 703, Route 2
Roanoke: 5050 Rutgers Street, Towers Shopping Center, 646 Brandon Avenue. S. W.

Read more »

Photo by Mary Stafford | Special to The Roanoke Times.

Review by Mary Stafford
Special to The Roanoke Times
marypstafford@gmail.com

The small town of Pembroke in Giles County has long been known for its speed traps and waterfalls. For those looking to grab a bite to eat between hiking and racking up speeding tickets, Cascade Cafe provides satisfying meals at a reasonable price.

Cascade Cafe sits inside the Tangent Outfitters shop, a hybrid retail space that looks like part modern convenience store, part Cabela’s showroom, and part bistro. There is something for everyone at Tangent — fly rods, fuel, outdoor apparel, beer, chainsaw sharpening, kayak rentals or river guide service — one can find it all at this unique destination.

The shop’s busy location on the corner of U.S. 460 and Cascade Drive makes it a convenient stop for both locals and passers-by.

My recent visit to Cascade Cafe followed a Saturday hike to the Cascade Waterfalls with a group of friends. We headed from our hike to the cafe with tired legs and growling bellies.

To continue reading this review, please click here.

Have you been to The Cascade Cafe? If so, what did you think?

A Carolina dog and a Boston dog from Swine Drive Deli Dawgs at Salem Memorial Baseball park. Photo by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times.

If Tim Anderson had written the song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” he probably would’ve asked for more than peanuts and Cracker Jacks.

Instead, that line might have gone something like “Buy me some smoked wings and cold craft beer” or
“Buy me a pizza and milkshake, dear.”

Anderson, 52, who is in his second year as food and beverage manager for the Salem Red Sox, understands the appeal of standards such as nachos and popcorn. Nevertheless, he wanted to start this season with the most varied food options the ballpark has boasted since it opened in August 1995.

“We just want to make it better,” he said. “We want for people to be able to get what they want.”

Anderson, a graduate of Staunton River High School and Radford University, was the food and beverage manager for the Roanoke Civic Center for 12 years. He said he spent the first year in his new job “laying the groundwork” for this year’s concessions changes.

This season just began April 12, but Red Sox Vice President and General Manager Todd Stephenson said fans have been pleased about the new offerings.

“The reviews we’ve been getting are very good,” he said. “You always want options. We like to tell people we have something for everyone.”

To continue reading this column and see some pricing examples, please click here.

Cellphone apps are extremely popular, and that’s no different in the restaurant world.

Currently, there are apps that help you make reservations at restaurants, find restaurants in unfamiliar territory, seek out sources for special dietary needs, show user reviews of restaurants, find your way to specific restaurants or allow you to see other people’s food pictures. I’m probably just scratching the surface there.

Everybody has an opinion about the best restaurant apps out there. Chow.com thinks the top nine apps are Open Table, Vegout, Menu Pages, Around Me, Foodspotting, Urbanspoon, Yelp, Near+Now, and Citysearch. About.com adds Zagat to Go, Alfred, Tipulator, Wine Ratings Guide and Oysterpedia to the list. That last one is an app devoted entirely to the popular seafood item; it offers “listings for over 200 oyster varieties. Each listing includes detailed information including flavor, size, harvest location, and tasting notes,” according to About.

Mashable.com put its 35 favorite restaurant apps in a graphic chart that you can see here.

In addition to apps that help readers choose between the many dining options available in this world, some restaurants are having their own specific apps created. These allow customers to do things like place take-out orders or advance dine-in orders, make reservations, peruse the menu and map the location.

I’m interested to hear your thoughts on restaurant apps. Which ones do you use, and why do you like them so much?

The Virginia Cooperative Extension offices in Floyd and Montgomery County sent along the following information about upcoming canning classes.

April 27: Home Food Preservation Safety
This is a prerequisite course for all home food preservation classes. Topics to be covered are common food-borne pathogens; basic sanitation and safeguards against bacterial and cross-contamination; proper temperatures for food preservation and the role altitude plays. A receipt will be handed out to those in attendance at the close of the class and must be presented upon future registration for home food preservation classes.
Location: Jessie Peterman Library, 321 W. Main St., Floyd, Va.
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Fee: Free. No registration necessary.

May 18: Home Food Preservation Safety
See April 27 listing.
Location: Montgomery Co.: St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 2803 Merrimac Road, Blacksburg, VA
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Fee: Free. No registration necessary.

May 25: WBC 101: Basics of Water Bath Canning
Learn the basics of safely canning high-acid foods in a boiling water bath. Topics to be covered are: Basic jars, pots and utensils; what is a high-acid food; adding acidity to foods; problem solving; recognizing a product gone bad. Class is hands on.  Participants will prepare, pack, process, and take home a jar of a high-acid food. Please wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. An apron is suggested but optional. Prerequisite for this class is completion of the Home Food Preservation Safety Class (see above listings). Class is limited to 15 participants.
Location: Montgomery Co.: St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 2803 Merrimac Road, Blacksburg, Va.
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Fee: $15 in advance, $20 at the door (as space allows). Contact the Floyd Cooperative Extension Office to register at 540-745-9307. Payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the office at 209 Fox St NW, Floyd, VA 24091.  Remember, the only reservation is a paid reservation.

June 1: Basics of Water Bath Canning
See May 25 listing.
Location: Floyd Co.: Farm Bureau, 335 E. Oxford St, Floyd Va
Time: 1pm-4pm
Fee: $15 in advance, $20 at the door space providing.  Contact the Floyd Cooperative Extension Office to register at 540-745-9307. Payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the office at 209 Fox St NW, Floyd, VA 24091. Remember, the only reservation is a paid reservation.

June 15: PC 101: Basics of Pressure Canning
Learn the basics of safely canning low-acid foods in a pressure canner.  Topics to be covered are: basic jars, pots and utensils; a pressure cooker is not a pressure canner; what is a low-acid food; problem solving; recognizing a product gone bad. Class is hands-on. Participants will prepare, pack, process, and take home a jar of a low-acid food. Please wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. An apron is suggested but optional. Bring your pressure canner dial gauges for calibration. Prerequisite for this class is completion of the Home Food Preservation Safety Class (see above listing). Class is limited to 15 participants.
Location: Floyd County: Farm Bureau, 335 E. Oxford St, Floyd, Va.
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Fee: $15 in advance, $20 at the door (as space allows). Contact the Floyd Cooperative Extension Office to register at 540-745-9307. Payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the office at 209 Fox St NW, Floyd, VA 24091. Remember, the only reservation is a paid reservation.

June 22: PC 101: Basics of Pressure Canning
See June 15 listing.
Location: Montgomery Co.: St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 2803 Merrimac Road, Blacksburg, Va.
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Fee: $15 in advance, $20 at the door (as space allows). Contact the Floyd Cooperative Extension Office to register at 540-745-9307. Payment may be mailed to or dropped off at the office at 209 Fox St NW, Floyd, VA 24091. Remember, the only reservation is a paid reservation.

iStock/Getty Images.

Asparagus season is here, and there’s no better way to experience it than by going to a pick-your-own asparagus farm. Until today, I only knew of one such farm in our area, and it is in Craig County. The last time I checked, their asparagus was not up yet.

But today, I got a call from John Dansby at Dansby’s Strawberry Farm in Franklin County. The bad news is that the Dansbys are not growing strawberries anymore, but the good news is that they now have a field of pick-your-own asparagus.

John Dansby said their farm is open every day from sun-up to sundown. The asparagus is $2.50 per pound and it will be available for about four to five weeks, depending upon how soon the weather gets hot and stays hot. You know how fickle Mother Nature can be, so if you’re interested in getting some fresh asparagus I suggest you get out there sooner rather than later.

The address and telephone number are:

4481 Colonial Turnpike, Rocky Mount
540-576-3658

An order of dumplings from Marco & Luca. Photo courtesy Marco & Luca Facebook page.

A Charlottesville-based dumpling shop that recently opened a location in Blacksburg is also expanding to downtown Roanoke, according to Jim Deyerle with Hall and Associates real estate in Roanoke.

Deyerle said the owners of Marco & Luca Dumpling Shop, Da Sun and his wife, Dragana Katalina-Sun, have signed a lease for one of the new kitchen spaces recently added to the market building. Their business will be located next to Hong Kong Chinese restaurant on the Market Street side of the building.

Marco & Luca has three locations in Charlottesville and opened a fourth at University Mall in Blacksburg earlier this year. The restaurant specializes in dumplings and noodle dishes. It features a very short, simple menu. Although the business does not have a website, its Facebook page lists the following menu items:

Dumplings $3
Spicy Noodles $3.50
Sesame Noodles $3.50
Hot Pork Bun $2
Hot Veggie Bun $2
Hot & Sour Soup $1.50

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Getty Images/iStock

Congratulations to blog reader Dana (comment #30), who has won a copy of Southern Living’s “Little Jars, Big Flavors: Small-batch jams, jellies, pickles, and preserves from the South’s most trusted kitchen.”

Dana, please email me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com with your shipping information so I can send your prize!

Thank you to everyone who entered to win this book. It got my tummy growling for some home-canned produce. I’m going to share a couple of recipes from the book. One is a microwave recipe for balsamic-plum preserves that can be made by even the most inept cook. They do not require hot water bath canning, only a little chopping and nuking before storing in the refrigerator.

The other recipe is for double onion marmalade, which does require knowledge of hot water bath canning. If you do not know how to can, please be sure to read up on it before you attempt this recipe.

Stay tuned to this blog today because I’ve got some pretty interesting restaurant news coming later.

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Pinto beans, turnip greens, mashed potatoes and a biscuit at Veggies To Go in Salem. Photo by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times.

By Betsy Cook
Special to The Roanoke Times
bcook3627@gmail.com

If you’re always on the lookout for a quirky Mom-and-Pop place, you should check out Veggies To Go in Salem. Open since November 2011 and located in the old Salem Donut Shop, Veggies To Go still offers homemade doughnuts each morning, as well as an ever-changing menu of vegetarian specialties and classic Southern vegetables.

Daily specials and veggie choices are posted each morning on the restaurant’s Facebook page. While you will find chicken and fish on the menu, including the option of adding grilled chicken to any salad, this restaurant mostly caters to folks who love their vegetables and side dishes.

I recently had lunch with a friend at Veggies To Go. The parking lot was packed, and we were lucky to get the last couple of stools at the counter. The restaurant is bright and clean, and the formica counters and stools give it a diner vibe. There’s also a small dining room with a handful of tables.

When we walked in the door we were warmly greeted by owner Jeff Snyder and his staff. As soon as we sat down, our fellow diners struck up friendly conversation about how much they love the food and the people who run the business.

To continue reading this review, please click here.

Have you been to Veggies To Go?

Blacksburg Farmers Market. The Roanoke Times | File photo.

Although plenty of dedicated customers have braved frigid weather and eaten more than their share of root vegetables this winter, the most bountiful and enjoyable season for farmers market shoppers is just beginning.

The return of warm temperatures causes markets to bloom like roses, revealing showy displays and drawing a lot of buzz.

The last time I checked, which was in 2009, there were 184 farmers markets in Virginia. As of this week, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the state was home to 223 markets.

I’ve put together a list of some Southwest Virginia farmers markets, along with their opening dates, hours and special activities happening throughout the summer. Most seasonal markets will be open through October. Some of these markets accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, and some are matching SNAP dollars with grants and other funding.

Some events have yet to be planned, so be sure to keep an eye on websites, Facebook pages and marketing materials at your farmers market so you won’t miss any excitement.

To check out the list of markets and happenings, click here. What are you looking forward to at the markets this year?

A cheeseburger and fries at Jack Brown’s. Photo by Lindsey Nair.

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint opened very quietly at 4 p.m. on Monday, but by 11:15 a.m. today, the word was out and the small restaurant on Market Street in downtown Roanoke was filling up rapidly.

Jack Brown’s is located in the space that formerly housed the beloved downtown diner Ernie’s. Those who loved Ernie’s will probably be happy to see that the basic footprint of the restaurant is the same, with the bar running down the right side of the long, narrow room and tables lining the left wall. Otherwise, a lot has changed.

Jack Brown’s sells 100 beers, including some local craft brews, and has a basic menu of hamburger ($4.99), cheeseburger ($5.49), grilled cheese, French fries, sweet potato fries and fried Oreos. Every day you can also choose from one of seven $6.99 gourmet burgers such as the Danny Laruso with cream cheese and jalapeno jelly, The Elvis with peanut butter, mayo, Applewood-smoked bacon and cheese, or the Jack on Piggy Back with a split griddled hot dog, pickled jalapenos and cheddar cheese.

Click “Read more” to keep reading and see a few more pictures.

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A calzone at Mamma’s Pizza in Salem. The Roanoke Times | File photo.

Salem’s favorite Italian restaurant is bringing its crave-worthy garlic knots and other Italian specialties to Roanoke. Dominic Marletta, owner of Mamma Maria’s in Salem since 2006, said he hopes to open the second location at Picadilly Square on Franklin Road in June.

The Salem location, at 2025 West Main Street, has been open since 1996. In 2011, Marletta opened a pizzeria at Lakeside Plaza called Mamma’s Pizza, so this will be the third restaurant he owns or co-owns.

The Roanoke restaurant will be located in the space that housed SoRo Chill & Grille, which closed at the end of 2012. Marletta said he also looked at the space that used to house The Library (that restaurant closed in September), but the other was more updated on the inside and more visible from the road. Now, the SoRo space is being “freshened up” inside, he said, with new paint and some new decor.

Antonio Zuccarelli, a friend of Marletta’s father, has moved to Roanoke from Boca Raton, Florida to manage the restaurant and cook. Marletta said Zuccarelli has 40 years of experience as a chef. Much like the Salem version, the Roanoke restaurant will serve Italian entrees and pizza, with the addition of steaks. Marletta also wants to start serving homemade gelato and might have a family-style service on Sundays.

He said he’s still considering what to call the Roanoke location and whether it will have a buffet. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner every day except Monday, when it will be closed.

I’ll let you know more when it gets closer to the opening date.

Here in mid-April, people are scouting for spring greens, planting seeds and readying seasonal farmers markets for opening day. You can read more about what’s in store at local markets in my Front Burner column tomorrow.

Meanwhile, all this activity reminds me that in just a couple of months, some of us will be reaching for canning supplies and getting ready to put up another mess of fresh produce. Seems like a good time to give away a book about canning.

Today’s book giveaway is a brand new cookbook from Southern Living magazine called “Little Jars, Big Flavors.” As the name implies, this book focuses on small batches, which is perfect for beginners or folks with small families. Also, doing a small batch is nice because if the family doesn’t like it, you won’t be stuck with a bunch of something like green tomato hot pepper pickles.

As you might expect with a canning book, this one includes recipes and instructions for jams, jellies, spreads, pickles, relishes, sauces and more. It also offers some basic information about canning.

If you’re interested in winning this book, please leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me: What is your favorite home-canned food item? Mine is probably pickled green beans or strawberry jam. The deadline to enter is NOON on Friday. I’ll announce a winner by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Cupcakes from last year’s bake-off. Photo courtesy The Advancement Foundation.

In this blog post you’ll find details about the Cupcakes at the Cottage Bake-Off in Vinton, the 2013 Earth Day Celebration in Grandin Village, local seedlings for sale, a custom tea blending workshop and a schedule of food demonstrations at Blacksburg Fork and Cork.

* It’s time for the Second Annual Cupcakes at the Cottage Bake-Off, which takes place at the Charity Cottage Thrift Store in Vinton on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the same day as the Vinton Dogwood Festival Parade.

The thrift store is operated by The Advancement Foundation, a non-profit aid organization that works to eliminate poverty. Proceeds from the bake-off will go to various charities. In addition to cupcakes, the event will offer refreshments and special deals at the store.

Interested parties should register to bring at least one dozen cupcakes to the bake-off. The cupcakes will be judged at 2 p.m., just before the parade begins at 2:30 p.m. The cupcakes not tasted by the judges will be for sale to the general public at a cost of a $1 donation for each cupcake. The buyer gets to choose the charity to which he or she wants to donate the dollar.

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This is the pic I texted to my hubby so he’d see what was waiting at home. Photo by Lindsey Nair.

I’ve been hitting the gym a lot lately, perhaps because I can’t seem to stop baking sweet treats and keeping them around the house.

The weekend before last, it was chocolate chip cookies from “The Joy of Cooking.” This past Sunday, I decided to surprise my husband with a chocolate cake, which is his favorite. He’d gone to Charlottesville with a friend to see Graham Parker in concert and I had the whole evening to myself, so I started Googling.

The recipe I chose called for Ghirardelli cocoa powder and chocolate chips, but I’ll be honest with you: I didn’t use either. I used Hershey’s cocoa powder and some store-brand chocolate chips I had stashed in the cabinet, and if the quality of ingredients had an impact on the flavor of the cake, then I don’t know if I want to taste the Ghirardelli version because I might die of ecstasy.

What I’m trying to say is that this was a Darn. Good. Cake. Even with a basic white glaze instead of the recommended chocolate glaze, the chocolate flavor was through the roof. I’ve decided that throwing a handful of chocolate chips into any chocolate cake can really never be a bad idea. And I also think this is the best ever basic white glaze. Just don’t forget to sift the powdered sugar or you’ll have tiny lumps like mine. Still tasted great.

If you’re craving a easy, tasty dessert, this would be a great option. Perfect for a potluck, too. Use a Bundt cake pan or a tube pan. You’ll find the recipe below. Have a great weekend!

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