It all began with a little generosity from Mother Nature. “We had a Pinot Gris block come in heavier than expected,” says Joy Ting, enologist and project manager at Michael Shaps Wineworks. “Since the excess had not been slated for a specific wine, and it was early in harvest, we realized we had the time […]
When Brookville Restaurant shuttered in December 2016, Southern food-lovers the town over wept into the last bite of their zucchini short stacks, which had been on the menu since the restaurant’s opening in 2010. The summer dish became Brookville’s bestseller, so chef/owner Harrison Keevil knew he’d need to put it back on the menu at […]
It may not look like anything fancy, but the old-school banana split at Chandler’s Ice Cream (that throwback soft-serve stand by the Tractor Supply store on River Road) is a summertime must-have. Served in a styrofoam container, it’s two bananas, split down the middle and piled high with ice cream, whipped cream, walnuts, pineapple and […]
Spam musubi is a dish in which the aforementioned Hormel pork product is grilled, laid on a block of sticky white rice and wrapped together with nori, in the Japanese style. In Hawaii, where more Spam is consumed per capita than any other state in the union, Spam musubi is ubiquitous: available everywhere from gas […]
We’re not saying summer is the season for drinking (that’s every season), but there’s something about it that makes us want to mingle. The pages that follow will introduce you to barkeeps, regulars and what you should be drinking right now. We’ll even make the case that Charlottesville does, in fact, have a dive bar. […]
A landowner and a farmer walk into an agriculture- themed social hour. Holly Maillet, a botanical artist and avid gardener, owns 55 acres of sun-splashed land in Madison County that she’d like to use productively. Katharine Wilson, a 26-year-old crew leader at Bellair Farm, has dreams of managing her own farm. They meet, recognize their shared […]
Writer, playwright, counselor—chef Javier Figueroa-Ray has worn many hats. But, to hear him tell it, cooking and poetry aren’t that different. “When I moved to the mainland, my writing muse stopped and I began cooking,” he says. “I remembered all of my family cooking and began incorporating that into the ingredients available to me in […]
Breakfast, they say, is the most important meal of the day. But we’d wager that whoever said that had never had brunch. If they had, they’d know there are few things finer than waking up on Saturday morning only to meet friends at table in the cool spring air and hunker down for an hour […]
Virginia’s wine identity orbits around Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux-style blends. Increasingly, however, winemakers are pushing the boundaries of possibility and bottling some unique wines. Part of the new fascination with experimentation, says winemaker Jake Busching, is driven by a desire to learn more about getting well-suited grapes planted on the right sites and learning […]
The only thing better than one dessert? A whole assortment of desserts. Grit recently added cakes, brûlées and tarts to the coffee shop’s menu of small plates. Currently only available at the Stonefield location (and only on weekends), the bite-sized selection will pair with the restaurant’s heavily curated beer, wine and cocktail program. “We’re focused on […]
Let’s take a moment to celebrate the unsung culinary heroes, shall we? The sweet potato casserole so often overshadowed by the turkey. The tricolore salad pushed aside to make room for the pulled pork. Side dishes are so much more than fillers. Plus, cobbling together a meal out of sides is often less expensive than […]
Melissa Close-Hart rarely eats breakfast—who has the time? The Junction chef is often in her Belmont restaurant kitchen by 8am and sometimes doesn’t leave until 12:30 in the morning. Such is the price of running the kitchen at one of Charlottesville’s most anticipated restaurants. In the works since 2014, its doors officially opened in January, […]
In a delicious commitment to serving beyond good eats, a few local restaurants are making inedible differences by also serving altruistically. Here’s a sampling of eateries nourishing communities with more than savory fare. Serving the hungry Albemarle Baking Co. deserves acknowledgment for its charitable efforts. A true community partner, ABC donated enough bread in 2016 […]
What says spring cuisine more than a salad? Answer: nothing. “I looooove salads,” says chef Tyler Teass. And it shows. From simple greens to grilled endives, his Brasserie Saison menu is overflowing with them (“and I plan on keeping it that way,” he says). But it’s this one, with peas both snap and snow, that […]
Getcher nose out of the menu (for a second)! In our area, it’s not just a restaurant’s food that stands out. Thanks to a few local architects and designers, the atmosphere at these five new spots is adding some serious flavor, too. Vitae Spirits The most difficult task with this space, says Alloy Workshop’s Dan […]
When all else fails, choose carbs: That’s the motto of this issue of Knife & Fork, in which we introduce you (or remind you of) 20 perfect comfort foods. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Chef Ryan Collins’ autumn favorites (plus a recipe!) MarieBette’s homemade marshmallows. Tucker Yoder takes on Timbercreek. A pearl of wisdom on […]
I conjure a memory of my grandmother—bent over a stainless steel pot of salty potatoes, holding an electric mixer and a jug of milk—every time I cook mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and, like anyone who has a favorite comfort food, it warms me. This isn’t a new phenomenon. Because scent is tied to memory, just the […]
There’s hot chocolate and then there’s the warm, silky-smooth blend of housemade ganache and milk they whip up at MarieBette Café & Bakery. Rich, just thick enough and not too sweet, this cuppa wonderful is made to be sipped slowly and savored. It’s a grown-up version of a childhood favorite, served in a place that treats […]
You’re at a tailgate party outside Scott Stadium taking down dogs and burgers two at a time. You’re thinking, “I don’t want to pay a bunch of money inside for food. I’ll fill up now.” This year, you might want to think again. According to Matt Smythe, director of operations for Aramark’s UVA dining program, […]
Bill Yenovkian laughs as he attempts to describe the perfect Thanksgiving turkey “without sounding pornographic.” You want a “full, nice-shaped bird,” the longtime Foods of All Nations butcher begins. And then he stops, embarrassed, and tries again: “You want a rounded, plump breast…” Why don’t we start with the number of people you’re serving and […]
Cauliflower, the hearty veggie cousin of broccoli, kale and cabbage, is mimicking everything from pizza crust to rice to mashed potatoes. But it’s a star in its own right—no reinvention needed. From appetizers to main dishes, restaurants are featuring florets in a variety of ways. Lampo Neapolitan Pizzeria Cavolfiore al forno, $6 Lampo in Belmont is […]
The water where the Rappahannock River meets the Chesapeake Bay had grown murky. Plant life was struggling. The solution? According to restaurateur and oyster farmer Travis Croxton, it was a no-brainer. Revive the oyster beds. As the beneficial bivalves feed on plankton and other organic matter, they also remove particles and muck, producing clear seas […]
“I take good stuff and try not to screw it up.” That’s chef Tucker Yoder in 2013, the year C-VILLE Weekly named him as a rising star chef. It was a humble response for a man overseeing the Clifton Inn’s Relais & Chateaux kitchen, but it was as clear then as it is now: Rather […]