If the word “catering” makes you think of starched napkins and green bean almondine, here’s another side of the business: casual oyster roasts, where guests can slurp down the seafood along with Southern sides like cornbread and Brunswick stew. Ted Anderson, of Anderson’s Catering, says oyster roasts (and their cousins, pig roasts and crawfish boils) […]
When Mark Thompson took his leave of Starr Hill Brewery in February of 2015, it felt like a changing of the local craft beer guard. Thompson was replaced as Starr Hill’s head brewer by then 29-year-old Robbie O’Cain, and other local new kids, anchored by Champion and Three Notch’d brewing companies, were growing at a […]
Matthew Bousquet hasn’t been in Charlottesville for very long—the Michelin-starred chef from San Francisco was hired to head up the kitchen at the newly reimagined Clifton hotel this summer—but he’s already discovered the city’s secret sauce: our abundance of fresh, local ingredients. This fall, Bousquet is particularly glad to use Autumn Olive Farms’ pork in […]
This may not be your quickest path to a bikini body, but how ya gonna argue with fried chicken? Or fried pickles? Or fried Oreos, for that matter? This issue, we’re taking a deep dive into hot oil (metaphorically, of course—safety first!), with a hefty helping of greasy, crispy, fatty treats to satisfy your most […]
Summer is a lighthearted time. While in colder months we may enjoy ruminating on deep thoughts while swirling something weighty in our glass—like port, or a full-bodied Sangiovese—summer calls for beverages that are pure fun, just like our pastimes. But is it as simple as just switching from red to white when sunny days arrive? […]
One glance at Zocalo’s drink menu on a warm day and there’s no question what you’ll imbibe: a margarita. The question then becomes, which margarita? Zocalo offers a few, and it can be hard to decide between a salty-but-sweet classic or a smoky Mezcal (for the uninitiated, Mezcal is to tequila what Scotch is to […]
“I could never live without cheese!” That was one of Ashley Addington’s mottoes. She’d been vegetarian since she was a tween, after seeing videos of animals being “processed” in what was supposed to be a humane facility. “It really upset me…to watch a life violently end for someone’s five-minute meal didn’t make sense to me,” she […]
Diane Burns’ journey has taken her to some pretty interesting places—but it’s a good bet that her current place of work, Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, is one of the most beautiful. Burns is the on-site horticulturist, and she tends neat garden beds that hug the perimeter of the tasting room and spill down the […]
Corn-lovers unite: It’s summer and officially the best time to dig into the sweet, versatile veggie. But what’s the best way to enjoy corn this summer? Well, how much time you got? According to Junction chef Melissa Close-Hart, corn can be used “all over the place” and shows up in cuisine across the globe. But […]
Raise your hand if you’ve ever “accidentally” forgotten to say when as the server was grating Parmesan onto your bowl of pasta. Or if you’ve ever taken a bite directly out of the wedge of brie you bought to kick off dinner. We’ll be the first to admit: The way (whey?) to our hearts is […]
When Gabriele Rausse was a boy in northern Italy, he had a Saturday routine. Along with his family, he’d visit two small local farms and pick up shares of vegetables, fruits, eggs and chickens. It was an experience of connection. “There was a very precise schedule during the week on the use of everything that […]
Too tired to go food shopping, and bored with the same old take-out pizza? Home delivery options abound to make sure the cupboard is never bare. Shenandoah Produce Farms Lots of people subscribe to summertime CSAs and pick up their bags of produce each week, but Shenandoah Produce goes a step (or two) further. Available […]
As the state’s economy invests heavily in animal farming, agriculture and wine and beer production—and as chefs take advantage of the new bounty around them—is a new Virginia cuisine emerging? Local chefs say yes. “When I first started here, you’d have to seek out your local produce and go to the vendor to get it,” […]
If the goal of Common House, the city’s private social club, is to help convene like-minded creatives, then it’s no wonder Antwon Brinson had been in its kitchen since the opening last spring. “Food for me has always been something that brought people together,” says the club’s executive chef. Originally from Niagara Falls, New York, […]
Pork is passé. Beef used to be for dinner. And lamb is no longer exotic. Is goat the next frontier? “It’s a wonderful product—delicious, healthy and a cultural centerpiece,” says Clay Trainum, co-owner of Autumn Olive Farms. Indeed, Charlottesville foodies can find (or could find) goat in some delightful preparations around town—in the meatballs at […]
Can’t find the food that feeds your soul? These women took the tongs into their own hands. Stephanie Murray of Ula Tortilla People often ask what is the meaning of “Ula,” and for Stephanie Murray and her husband, James Price, it’s part of what inspired the family’s business to begin with: their children, Uriah, Lovissa […]
It’s hard to choose the best thing about spring, but strawberries are certainly a strong contender. We asked Daniel Perry, the brains and hands behind Jam According to Daniel, to give us his two cents about this delectable fruit. Are strawberries a relatively versatile fruit? The great thing about strawberries is their juicy acidity. They’re […]
Eggnog is a pretty polarizing holiday beverage—you either love it or you hate it. But for all the haters out there, have you ever had real eggnog? Not the goopy, eggy stuff poured out of a carton, but the real deal, a thick-but-fluffy stirred custard that could be ice cream were it not for its […]
While Jon Bray says he can’t pinpoint which particular dish got him into the food industry, he can specify a time (he was 14), a reason (“my parents repealed the Weekly Allowance Act”) and a place (Bellair Market). It was the beginning of a nearly 20-year career in Charlottesville kitchens, bars and dining rooms (you’ve likely […]
Where did all the caviar go? Hard to say, but the fact that it went out of style in our area probably had something to do with the 2015 closing of Downtown Mall seafood joint Blue Light Grill. At least one local restaurant thinks it’s time for a roe revival. Tavern & Grocery has had […]
We’re not fans of the candy corn and skeletons that appear on store shelves in July. And don’t get us started on Christmas merchandise that shows up before the leaves begin to fall. But there’s one holiday-related item we do suggest you think about now: a pasture-raised Thanksgiving turkey from a local farm, which probably […]
On a picturesque, 92-acre hillside ranch in southern Ivy, native Virginian Alex Toomy and two partners have launched an enterprise centered on a perfect pairing: bourbon and beef. Craft distillery Ragged Branch, now open for business after five years of preparation and two more of whiskey-aging, is poised to make its mark on the Virginia […]
You know the saying—“secrets secrets are no fun, unless they’re shared with everyone”—and though it’s likely been a while since you singsong sassed that to a friend on the playground, we’ll remind you that secrets are no fun unless they’re shared with everyone, and we have one to share: There’s a tiny little restaurant tucked […]