What’s cookin’?
As everyone in our area who’s grown excited about the idea of self-sustainability knows, the time is ripe for an Eat & Drink Annual issue that focuses not only on local fare, but locally produced fare. Click through the features below and get the economic lowdown on some local farms, discover which local coffee shop brews the best with the results of our blind taste test, and much more. We even bite the bullet and explain why certain foods just don’t come from here.
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Threepenny Cafe makes its debut on West Main Chef Eric Nittolo said there’s nothing worse than flipping through a complex, multi-page menu when all he wants is something simple. Nobody needs “90 omelets on a brunch menu,” he said, which is why at Threepenny Cafe, the newly opened West Main
On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Nadjeeb Chouaf of Flora Artisanal Cheese, which appeared in Eater’s recent Charlottesville Heat Map. Look for Nadjeeb at Champion Brewing Company for a cheese tasting every Saturday night
I am a bit of a restaurant freak. Or at least, I used to be. I’ve eaten off of the whole spectrum of flatware, from the greasiest spoon to some of the finest dessert forks. I go out of my way to be a gracious guest—I ask the server’s name, I try to express my pleasure […]
Teri Kent runs Charlottesville’s Better World Betty, a non-profit organization and online resource for locals looking to shrink their impact on the environment. Every month, Betty—Kent’s ’50s-housewife-meets-earth-goddess alter ego—answers the most burning eco-questions from our readers about
It’s called the Grills. Then, below that highly nondescript moniker on The White Spot’s menu, it says “with ice cream.” It’s not clear whether you have a choice between with or without. Regardless, you want it with. I’ve only been to The White Spot a couple of times, and I know that. For fans,
Starr Hill unveils new tasting room For weeks beer lovers have been peering into the windows of Starr Hill Brewery’s Crozet tasting room, anxiously awaiting its reopening. It’s been nearly two months since the doors closed to make way for a substantial facelift, but the newly renovated tasting
There’s not much more disheartening than returning home from vacation, especially when you realize after that cruise or European excursion the clothes you worked so hard to fit into before the trip are a little more snug than you’d like. As someone whose family trips have always revolved around
There are few experiences in life that elicit both excitement and distress like moving into a new home, so just imagine how it must feel for our four-legged friends. After years of a comfy, stable routine, the entire world is instantaneously upended for no apparent reason at all. Nothing is
A few years ago, after a friend had recounted a particularly less-than-desirable day, he followed up the story with a bright spot: “But my favorite tree in town is finally blooming,” he said. I never let that “regal, purple, perfect” tree on 29S (right at the 250 overpass) go unnoticed after
When a sign advertising CUPS Frozen Yogurt, with two perky little containers of yogurt and the slogan “That’s hot,” went up in Barracks Road Shopping Center a few months ago, it didn’t go unnoticed by parents concerned about serving their kids a helping of sexual suggestions along with their
Free money! April 7-14, restaurants of the Charlottesville Restaurant Group are offering $50 gift certificates for just $25 each, with all proceeds going to the care of Wes Chang, Ten chef Pei Chang’s infant son who is undergoing treatment for stage IV neuroblastoma. Purchase yours at MAS, Mono
Why do crabs have shells? I’m no scientist, but I’m guessing it’s because their flesh is so effing delicious. If there were nothing hard and spiny to protect that sweet, briny, creamy white meat, crabs surely would have been eaten into extinction long ago. Which is not to say we humans haven’t
On Fridays we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. This week’s picks come from Stu Rifkin, the restaurateur and real estate maven who has done it all when it comes to Charlottesville restaurants: owned them, ran them, and brokered their sale. From April 7 thru 14,
Several years ago I received an e-mail from a mother who was putting together an end-of-season celebration for my youngest daughter’s soccer team. In addition to party details, the message requested money to buy trophies for the players. Trophies? For a team that had just gone 0-8? Ridiculous,
Tucked away at the end of a windy dirt road at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Mountfair Vineyards is not a spot that you’re likely to just stumble upon. The tasting room is modest, both in size and décor, making it clear that the emphasis is on the wines, not the show. The […]
Having a pet go missing is anguishing. Posters go up and APBs are phoned in to local shelters and veterinary clinics, but so many cases go unresolved. Proper identification is the easiest way to make sure that your wayward pet comes back home. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones,
Ever wonder what exactly goes into sausage casings at your favorite butcher shop? On Sunday, April 6, the guys from JM Stock Provisions & Supply are teaming up with Blenheim Vineyards to share their secrets. The sausage-making class begins at 3pm at Blenheim, and the cost is $90 per person
Maybe you’ve heard of umami, the elusive concept that’s been popping up in the food world the last couple of years. Umami is the mysterious taste that gives your favorite dishes that rich, deep flavor you can’t quite put your finger on. But what about wine? As someone who often analyzes both
It’s almost that time of year again! The Charlottesville City Market, the city’s largest and oldest open-air farmers’ market, will open for its 40th season on Saturday, April 5. More than 100 local vendors are scheduled for the kickoff, including 13 newcomers like Stevie G’s Gluten-Free Bakery
What is the meaning of life? What is art? What is curry? These are the questions that have plagued society’s greatest thinkers for centuries. Rest assured, life and art will be addressed at length in future C-VILLE Weekly issues. As for curry, the dish really can be a lot of things, as long as