farmers' market of harrisonburg, virginia

Taking a quick road trip to Harrisonburg, Virginia this weekend to partake in a family friend becoming a Mrs. to her Mr., B and I had a few hours on our adventuresome hands prior to their 2 o'clock celebration.

A gushing gal over any area's farmers' market, as they highlight the true individuals who represent the local, flourishing landscape, I was quite pleased to see that we waltzed into Harrisonburg's prosperous output.

Established in the area's downtown location, the local market had triumphantly became a success, enough to, in the last few years, construct a gorgeous pavilion to nestle their wide offering of vendors underneath.

Of course, my hungry eyes aimed straight toward the local cheese makers, particularly Pam Green's Green Haven Farm Cheeses. Based out of the surrounding rural town, Woodstock, Virginia, the family goat farm raises Nubian "girls," who are milked twice a day and are fed orchard grass/alfalfa hay, which is mixed by the farmers themselves. 

An adoring fan of their natural feta, Green Haven also crafts soft cheeses like their Chives and Garlic, Western Ranch, Southern Ranch, as well as hard blends like their Cheddar & Jalapeno Cheddar.

Of course, in addition to fine cheeses, my need sweet teeth always gravitate toward any market's sugary stash, and Candace Willis' Willow Run Bakery's whole grain fermented concoctions have allowed me to develop a loving crush. After years of baking with white flour, she kicked her main grain to the curb, replacing the beneficial whole wheat as her main canvas of many of her recipes.

While her attractive assortment of whole grain loaves appeared as a crowd-pleaser, we agreed to grub on her bear claws, which were deliciously sugary, without killing the recipient with richness. (Have to admit, I almost snatched more than my fair share away from B, as his bodacious bites far surpass my lil' nibbles.)

Harrisonburg Farmers' Market, S. Liberty St., Harrisonburg, Virginia, 540-476-3377

kindle: eat. drink. glow.

There is nothing better than sharing an extreme adoration for an upscale assortment of eats with someone who too appreciates the the glory of edible adventures. Whenever "on the road," B and I make it a point to uncover the locals' flavor and lure by tackling, so we think, the best the sit-down establishment in town.

Spending our summertime beach visits in the Delaware area, specifically at Rehoboth Beach, it's a given that we would journey into the nearby historic district of Lewes. Adorably lined with aged store fronts and shops, we stumbled into the shore town looking for an escape from the generic seafood spots and after much consideration, sided with Kindle.

Cozy in downtown area, fronted as a gorgeous, wooden wonder, the interior popped through candle light, chocolate brown leather seats, and deep earth tones. With a menu peppered in eclectic, localized American ingredients, with a mix of French sensibility, the crave-worthy comfort food easily appeared as if our dining decision was well planned.

Celebrating a much-deserved half-week away, we opted to introduce ourselves to Kindle's fine food with two appetizers: as seen above, the duck sliders tossed in molasses barbecue sauce and sided with carrot red pepper slaw, and, as seen below, the Crab Norfolk, a combo of sherry marinated jumbo lump crab meat, broiled in loads of butter and served with Old Bay dusted flatbread.

 

Dashing into our dinner entrees, we shared two delicious dishes that I still constantly dream of, which include, as seen above, a top-notch, slow-cooked pork chop smeared with a blueberry Syrah compote and a gorgeous heap of red mashed potatoes. As seen below, I selected a scrumptious spice-roasted chicken (which I rarely ever do) which was coated with a light herb honey glaze and smoked paprika, and served with a heavenly pot of Gruyere mac n' cheese.

Obviously, after such a hearty, desirable chow fest, we had to speed away with our left-overs, which I couldn't have been more pleased to pop open the fridge at midnight to munch on such beachside marvels.

Kindle, 111 Bank St., Lewes, DE, 302-645-7887

paba's wine & dine at marly's byo

As part of their popular progressive dinners structured around different establishments around the local area, Phoenixville Area Business Association premiered their recent Wine & Dine Event, hosted at Marly's of Bridge Street.

The evening began with Corey Krejcik of Chaddsford Winery (and also of Rolling Barrel Events) introducing attendees to various blends from the Brandywine Valley-based winery. My close friend accompanied me of the evening's edible adventure, and we both decided that Chaddsford's seasonal and sweet Spring Wine was our most favorite in the sipping bunch.

Although the initial plan for the nighttime affair was established to begin at the soon-to-open Brick Oven Bread & Cheese Shoppe, also on Bridge Street, PABA's updated agenda was restructured to host all of the evening's events now at Marly's—which, we happened to not mind, one bit.

After an appetizing array of whole grain bread and pleasure-some cheeses, we skipped onto our first courses of, as seen above, tomato basil bruschetta with grilled hanger steak, caramelized onions, drizzle of a balsamic reduction and micro greens, and as seen below, crab and English Pea risotto with shaved Parmesan and white truffle oil.

Almost already full to the brims, we enjoyed a light and fresh second course of two samples of Marly's superb seafood, including, as seen above, the pan-seared Diver scallops with a shaved fennel, red onion and asparagus salad, paired with a mango vinaigrette, and as seen below, porcini-dusted salmon served over a green apple risotto and baby bok choy, sided with a pomegranate reduction.

As if our dinner date could not become more delicious, we concluded our feast with two shared desserts (hello, what are friends for!), which included, as seen above, the warm peanut butter chocolate chip bread pudding, plopped with vanilla bean ice cream, and as seen below, fresh pineapple sorbet served in a delightful pineapple shell.

homegrown black walnut winery encourages a relaxing, engaging wine-tasting experience

When winemaker Lance Castle of Black Walnut Winery in Sadsburyville decided to tackle the tantalizing world of producing homemade wines, his attempt was far from small-scale.

In 2001, with the help of his wife, Valerie, and friends Jack and Karen Kuhn, all of which are now co-owners, they destemmed by hand 500 pounds of local Hopewell Vineyards grapes, constituting this “labor of love” as the first unofficial crush.

Under the Castle’s canopy of 40 Black Walnut trees (the winery’s namesakes) at their Kimberton home, the winemaking continued, with the Kuhns always on hand to assist through even the “non-sexy” jobs, like scrubbing recycled bottles that Lance thought would offer the most “bang for the buck” when having an at-home winery.

In 2006, the partnering couples for what had become the Black Walnut Winery chose an alternate location: a 200-year-old Chester County bank barn on Lincoln Highway. Besides being imbedded in local history, the potential in the bank building’s appearance, which clearly needed some sprucing, drew in the entrepreneurs.

“We all had full-time jobs [and still do], and would come here nights to work on the barn,” said Lance.

“We tried to save money and we all knew what we wanted it to be like,” said Valerie. “It just took us three and a half years to get it this way.”

The owners are now reaping the benefits of their hard work to restore the bank barn to its full potential, having entered Black Walnut Winery into the local wine market in July of 2009.

The cozy countryside location, which features an inviting tasting room with a fireplace, a special-events room, a private tasting reserve room, a retail space and an ideal processing facility, is exactly what the Castles and Kuhns envisioned – a soothing spot where the art of the sniff, the swirl and the sip is appreciated, as are wine-infused conversations and discussions about the historic building.

Black Walnut Winery is focused on developing the balance of aromas and flavors in their wines, which now boast 17 blends, and identifying tones and tastes approachable by many palates. Not yet reaching their one-year anniversary, the winery already received a bronze medal at the 2010 Pennsylvania Farm Show for their Chardonnay 2007 and another bronze win at the 2010 Pennsylvania Wine Competition for their Merlot 2007.

“We want to offer our visitors nice wine through an interactive experience,” said Lance. “We want people to enjoy themselves and not feel that they have to rush through what we have to offer.”

The traditionalist winemaker, who adores rubbing elbows with those enjoying his wines, has been caught several times covered in grape juice allowing visitors to sample a wine that, at that very moment, is filtering in his facility.

“I enjoy people having fun at our winery, as well as engaging them with what we are working on,” he said. “We aren’t Mondavi; everyone gets to interact with at least one, if not all four, of the owners here. We want to talk to the people who are experiencing our wine.”

Always striving to enhance a guest’s experience, from the amateur to the connoisseur, the Chester County winery also offers pairing suggestions with chocolate and cheese stemming from an ideal working relationship with Amazing Acres’ Goat Dairy of Elverson. They suggest you’ll experience an incredible partnership if you sample their Spiced Apple 2007 with Amazing Acres’ Chipotle Chevre; their Blanc Franc 2007 with Amazing Acres’ Cranberry goat cheese; and their Vidal Blanc 2007 with Amazing Acres’ Blue Stilton Cheese.

Even more appreciated is the ease and convenience of visiting Black Walnut Winery, and the co-owners have decided to open a retail space and tasting room mid-to-late summer on the corner of Bridge Street and Gay Street in Phoenixville.

“The comment we get a lot is that ‘our place is so welcoming’,” said Valerie, who confirms their second location will be just as approachable.

“Some people feel that if they don’t have wine knowledge, they can’t even ask questions,” she said. “We don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable. We are here to offer them as much as they want to learn. We just want people to have fun.”

Black Walnut Winery is located at 3000 Lincoln Highway in Sadsburyville Township and is open Thursday to Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The tasting room is open during hours of operation and, through October, the winery offers an outdoor concert series every Saturday and Sunday.

Also published on Downingtown Dish and in Chester County Cuisine & Nightlife.

french quarter bistro: where beer and the big easy meet

French Quarter Bistro may not rival the most sought-after sensations of The Big Easy, but it does trot highly respected versions of regional, Cajun-inspired classics that have been established for the past nine-year-old as the area's best soul food.

Owner/chef Mark Vanhorn had always been in the restaurant business prior to introducing Royersford to his New Orleans-styled eatery. Back in 2001, he wanted to "be different" and bring something new to his Montgomery County community, which was years' prior to the nearby neighborhood's rebirth as stomping grounds for many corporate restaurants.

Situated on Main Street, Vanhorn's French Quarter Bistro boosts a casual environment pleasing to any craft beer connoisseur with "food that stands out for a craft beer place," he said.

With 12 rotating taps, which currently includes Yards' Extra Special Ale, Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils, Duvel's Green, Dock Street's Summer Session and Bear Republic's Racer 5 IPA, Vanhorn also stocks a full bottled beer case, promoting the latest new, limited and rare releases, and also, just premiered growlers, where you may get any draft beer to go.

A few months back, the beer-centric establishment hosted a craft beer festival, which was "the busiest day of nine years," said Vanhorn. With over 20 breweries active, the day affair paired gourmet sliders with every beer, sculpting a miniature foodie festival for all anxious attendees.

French Quarter Bistro's Jambalaya Throwdown was additionally a crowd-pleaser, structured similar to that of a Bobby Flay competition, where LePan Catering, of Phoenixville, measured their flooded Creole plate against Royersford restaurant's acclaimed rice platter of chicken, Andouille sausage and tasso in a spicy tomato sauce.

"Our specials are what drive people in," said Vanhorn, who conceptualizes all of the entrees himself. "We tend to do many dishes with a Cajun influence, while also including a local influences, as well."

While the lobster macaroni and cheese—served with warm water rock lobster tails with smoked tasso, elbow macaroni in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, and a topper of in-season fried tomatoes—is undeniably a top-notch choice for local comfort food, what creates customers to repetitively return is the never-frozen, hand-crafted beef burgers boosting from the menu.

"We get our meat from a local butcher," said Vanhorn. "It is never frozen and always has our personal touch."

From burger specials smeared with toppings like house-made barbecue sauce, Colston Bassett's Blue Cheese, Creole mustard and caramelized onions, French Quarter Bistro regularly premieres new piled patties with varying condiments.

Better yet, in honor of grease-infested, bad-for-you bar food, French Quarter Bistro offers a weekly $2 deep-fried burger special, which accompanies a lineup of deep-fried pickles, crawfish tails, stuffed mushrooms and Cajun pierogies.

French Quarter also proudly received honors in the last nine years for possessing the best ribs in Chester County, which Vanhorn daily prepares to their fall-off-the-bone glory on his beloved smoker. Other mouth-watering pleasures smoked to perfection include his pulled pork, simmered in homemade barbecue sauce or slow-roasted in brown gravy, and sausage samplers, including alligator, wild boar and chicken apple.

Catering is made available, too, by French Quarter Bistro, which the skilled owner suggests that can do provide food for parties as little as 15 people to as many as 300 guests.

While the local eatery is a haven for those who honor the best of craft beers, they are sure to not forget about those who prefer to swirl their spirits, spouting a signature, Cajun-infused Bloody Mary that is a "little hotter than what many are used to," said Vanhorn.

For more information on French Quarter Bistro at 215 Main St., Royersford, join their Facebook group, which regularly posts specials, or call 610-792-7292.

Also published in this week's Phoenix newspaper.

organic whole-wheat bread of an oley valley brick oven

 

Oley Valley Organics' Mike Dietrich sparked his outdoor bake oven as early as 5 a.m. on a past Saturday morning in June, a process that would soon pleasantly provide participants of the "Back in Time" Tour of Oley, Pennsylvania, with a blasting taste from the past.

Mike, along with the help of his wife Barb and family, prepared loaves of whole wheat sourdough bread on their 1879 homestead for attendees to appropriately sample the hearty variety, one similar to that devoured years prior on the same property.

Moving onto the gorgeous estate—which the Dietrichs currently run their prosperous, certified-organic farm for asparagus, strawberries and raspberries—the couple noticed the stand-alone outbuilding aside their country home, one that once the doors were dashed open revealed an ancient brick oven. 

Through historic research and practice, the current breadmaker began to understand the skill of correctly using the brick oven. Now, several times a year, he fuels a well-maintained fire inside, plopping rounds of fresh dough within the interior until they sport a crunchy and thick, powdered crust.

The past weekend bake session, sculpted around a base dough prepared from The Oley Baker, lasted well into the late morning and early afternoon, with many visitors skipping away from the perfect Pike Township property with a toasty and crusty, all-natural fresh round—which, as seen above, included carb-crazy, lucky me.

Oley Valley Organics, LLC, 516 Oysterdale Road, Oley Pennsylvania 19547

hobo ed & his perfectly paired pingos

On First Fridays of Bridge Street in Phoenixville, Ed Humpal, coffee roaster of Kimberton Whole Foods, joins Chad Williams of Handcrafted Cookie Company to offer his signature "pingos" paired perfectly with the organic company's sweet treats.

Humpal, who is individually progressing the local coffee revolution, has known Williams for years, as he has supplied his cookie dough to Kimberton Whole Foods before he opened his cookie boutique on Main Street.

"Reaching out to the food service, we have a thing where we can both help one another," said Humpal. "By establishing little networks, the area becomes more local and more sustainable."

Inspired to work closely with the cookie company after returning from a barista competition in Anaheim, California, Humpal noted the intense construction of fine, foamy espresso beverages, tackled as straight shots, to later recreate himself.

"Macchiatos are known as straight espresso drinks with a little half-and-half and foam on top," he revealed. "In Portugal, the same drink is called a 'pingo."

"It is a short-intense drink, which would go well with small intense cookies," he continued.

Last month, at First Friday, Humpal paired a sweet, strong vanilla pingo with Handcrafted Cookie Company's Double Chocolate Cookie. Additionally, in honor of the recent cookie recipe contest, Humpal paired a snappy ginger pingo nicely with the new Lemon Basil Cookie.

"Lemon Basil is so crazy," he confessed. "I was dreaming on the flavor of lemon and decided that ginger and lemon are both complimenting and contrasting."

"It is so fun to work on menus, I love working with places and establishing pairings with their menus," he said.

Besides the relationship that Humpal has with Handcrafted Cookie Company and of course, Kimberton Whole Foods, he additionally works with Good Eatz in Reading, the Anselma Farmer's Market and Artisan's Market of Chester Springs, the King and Beaver Cafe in York, Espresso Yourself of Exeter, Camphill Cafe of Kimberton Hills and Wildflower Cafe of Phoenixville.

"I like giving up the idea of sending coffee out on trucks," he said. Floored by the concept of "real food, real people," Humpal, with the assistance of Kimberton Whole Foods, established direct trade bonds with coffee farmers seen internationally.

"There is so much done wrong in coffee by now in the world, many are looking at these direct relationships because they move faster and more directly," Humpal said.

Through direct trade methods, international farmers are able to, with the consumer, establish true and tangible relationships that allow for them to receive a decent living wage as a grower, while the consumer's produce is received as top quality.

"Other roasters are doing this, too," he said. "Together, it enables specific relationships for the future of the children of the farms, so they may go out to universities and come back to the farms, and have control."

Serendipitous with the missions that Kimberton Whole Foods' supports, owner and founder Terry Brett suggests that "if all businesses were built on fairness, we would change the world."

"Having direct relationships with the people like the growers, it follows the values that we support as a company," he said. "Being supportive of these people initially allows for a more direct relationship of them."

"Cultures have been exploited outside of the United States," Brett continued. "It is certainly better having these sort of relationships than having them work all day for two dollars."

Since Brett agrees with similar beliefs as Humpal, it was an easy transition for Kimberton Whole Foods to establish him as their main roaster.

"We have just began to open arcs for more relationships, finding more people we want to work with and we believe in what Ed follows," he said. "It is a great opportunity and only the beginning."

Humpal, personally taste-testing through all roastings, which are performed in Kimberton Whole Foods' warehouse in Leola, works week-to-week, freshly fulfilling orders on a rolling basis.

"We continue to roast more and more coffee, everyone continues to order more than they used to," said Humpal.

Identified under the moniker, Hobo Ed—a name birthed from his previous mobile roasting service seen throughout the theater festival circuit—Humpal supplies those adoring of the caffeine with blends like the Morning Mojo, a South America coffee with an Ethiopian highlight; decafs like the Peruvian and the Sumatran; Midnight Special, a French light roast; the El Amor de Madre, a caramel blend of Brazilian and Nicaraguan; and several other new and interesting concoctions.

Visit Handcrafted Cookie Company on First Fridays to meet and experience Ed Humpal in person, or snag a bag of his finely-roasted blends at area Kimberton Whole Foods, as well as the previously mentioned locations.

Also published here.