I had to laugh when I received Volume 18 (Fall 2008 edition) of the Virginia Garlic Festival Association’s newsletter yesterday. The banner shows a clove of garlic emitting Pepe Le Pew-esque fumes, which drift lazily across the word FOG in big capital letters. Translation: Friends of Garlic.

The headline news this quarter is the Virginia Garlic Festival, which is coming up October 11 and 12 at Rebec Vineyards in Amherst. Now, I’m just joking about the stinky thing. I love cooking with garlic and eating garlic, and I can’t imagine that the smell of this festival would in any way rival the West Virginia Ramp Festival.

I had never heard of the Garlic Festival, which is in its 18th year this fall. It includes a garlic cook-off and contests for Garlic King and Queen and Garlic Junior Queen. There are also the requisite arts and crafts, live music, games, food, a wine tasting and products for sale.

Of course, it’s the cook-off that really got my attention. The first place winner of last year’s contest was our very own Jane Wolford of Vinton, who placed with her Sweet Italian Garlic Chowder. Other winners made Truffled Mushroom Risotto with Roasted Garlic and Sundried Tomatoes, and BBQ Garlic Shrimp and grits. Yum!

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Here’s an addendum to my comments about Oak Steakhouse in Charleston. My father asked me to bring him back a good recipe for shrimp and grits, and this one came straight from the man himself, Chef Brett McKee. For a twist, these shrimp are served over creamy polenta instead of grits.
Check it out, and enjoy!

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Tomorrow’s Front Burner column pays tribute to a lady who had her fingers in a lot of different pies around Roanoke.

I would say “literally,” but Lib Wilhelm’s granddaughter, Kristin Breakell, said her grandma wasn’t much for baking. She sure did know a lot about other kinds of cooking, though.

Lib, who died earlier this month at age 86, started catering out of her Roanoke home more than 40 decades ago. She didn’t stop catering until she was in her early 80s.

And in those early years, when her business was still getting started, she also worked at St. John’s Episcopal Church, The Shenandoah Club and the Patrick Henry Hotel.

But it didn’t take long for Lib to gain a reputation for her professionalism and her food. Her most famous recipe, a spicy cheese slaw, has been shared around Roanoke for years and will run with tomorrow’s story.

She was also the first caterer to start serving made-to-order shrimp and grits at parties.

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