Welcome to the first edible Blue Ridge Newsletter! I’m Lisa Archer, Editor/Publisher of EBR. I’m delighted to share food stories of our region and beyond. We are working diligently to get our first (first for us but 45th(!) for the title) issue written, photographed, and sent to our printer.
It can be daunting at times, working on this publication while trying to juggle a full time job. This past week, any time I felt the anxiety mounting, I looked over my notes from a recent interview and researched one of the many businesses that will be featured in our upcoming issues. And always, I would feel my anxiety drifting away as if carried by a river and a new current took its place. A current of excitement, of purpose. We purchased this title to breathe new life into it.Our region has such a wealth of farmers, winemakers, artisans and chefs and all the people that keep small businesses running on a day-to-day basis and I feel incredibly honored and humbled that they are willing to trust us with their stories. So, while we work hard on the upcoming issue, please enjoy this weekly newsletter.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Openings
The last 14 months have been brutal for the food and beverage industry, everyone has a local favorite spot that has been hit hard and may still be reeling in the after effects. Any new venture comes with a degree of uncertainty. It takes courage, faith and a whole lot of hard work to launch a business and we are overjoyed to see new businesses opening in our region.
Over in Keswick, Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard opened their doors for the first time Memorial Day Weekend. Relax with a glass of wine in their beautiful new tasting room and look out over the vineyard. Due to a devastating frost last year, they lost the entirety of their 2020 vintage but in true community form (and in keeping with the last 15 months), they quickly pivoted and partnered with True Heritage wine, celebrating the terroir and history of the Keswick region.
Though they may have only been open for a month, Roanoke Grocery Market has already gained quite the following. Specializing in Mediterranean fare, this shop offers hard to find items (ever had stuffed pickled eggplant?), deli items, a halal butcher counter, and daily food specials. This week’s menu has included chicken shawarma wraps, hand pies and Kibbeh- a Lebanese croquette, described by the shop owner, as “like falafel, but with meat, so it’s better.”
As precarious as it is to start a new venture, the market is already giving back, handing out meals to the homeless at Market Square in downtown Roanoke. Follow them on Instagram to see their daily specials and more that they have in store.
ON MY FARMERS MARKET LIST
Cauliflower! This tasty veggie has been popping up at the market recently and I can’t wait to go to my local market tomorrow morning to scoop some up. Cauliflower has become somewhat of a poster child for grain replacement in the past few years, lauded for its nutritional content. It is an excellent source of vitamin C (1 serving contains 100% of your recommended daily intake), high in fiber and has a good bit of protein. While it makes a tasty pilaf or pizza crust, I love a dish that really lets this vegetable shine. This weekend I’m planning on making a Sweet & Sour Cauliflower (I have to admit, part of the reason I love this dish is the rhyme) recipe from Food with Feeling.
WHAT WE’RE DRINKING
We are always looking for a good beverage produced by good people. Genuine, kind folks that care about supporting their community. Enter Starr Hill. They are always partnering with local charities at each of their taphouses, looking for ways to give back and invest in their local communities. June is Pride month and for their Cheers for Charity, The Roanoke and Crozet tap houses have partnered with local LGBTQ organizations. Through the entire month of June, when you sip on a pint of The Love, you are supporting local organizations dedicated to supporting LGBTQ residents of all ages through support groups, outreach, classes and events. Also be sure to pick up a Love is Love shirt at the your local tap house (a portion of the profit from each sale will go toward local LGBTQ organizations)!
PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY: Support an LGBTQ-Owned Business
Charlottesville Pride Community Network has compiled a list of local, LGBTQ-owned businesses. Some of our favorite spots are among them. Grab a few loaves of bread from Marie-Bette Bakery to complement your next meal (the Picholine Olive loaf is a personal favorite). Purchase a dozen bagels from Bagel Ladies and bring them into the office next week (your coworkers will thank you!). Indulge this weekend with some chocolate confections from Cocoa & Spice. Being an ally means being active in our community. Please support these wonderful businesses.
BEYOND EBR’S BORDER
Photo Shoot in the Field
These photos have been popping up all over the various news outlets I follow and social media accounts I admire. We often talk about purchasing local food because it is better for the environment and our local economy. At times it can be easy to lose sight of what it means to purchase produce from local farmers. When we buy that head of cauliflower or pint of strawberries, we are directly supporting them, their families and their workers. We are investing in their business and in future generations.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
High on the Hog: Netflix
“Food that makes you feel”- this is what grabbed my attention while watching the trailer for this new show a few weeks back. Based on Dr. Jessica B. Hariss’s book of the same name, this docuseries explores how much of American food has roots in African American food and celebrates the ingenuity, traditions and love of African American cooking. Journeying between continents, host Stephen Satterfield meets with chefs, home cooks, historians, older and younger generations, teaching us the histories of certain dishes and chefs (be sure to watch the episode discussing Virginian born James Hemings, the first American to train as a chef in France and Sally Hemings older brother), Often overlooked (or completely ignored) African American cuisine finally gets its place at the table.
WORTH A READ
Perhaps this belongs in a September issue, but the fig trees are a luscious green in the community garden this week and whenever I see a fig tree, my mind turns to this poem by Ross Gay. This is a poem of community, which is what we hope to forge with this newsletter.
Have a self-indulgent week and until next time,
Eat Well,
Lisa