C-VILLE Weekly’s food and drink writing includes the weekly columns All You Can Eat and the Working Pour, in addition to the most comprehensive food and wine writing in Charlottesville.
Locally, both BBQ Exchange (owner Craig Hartman pictured) and Brian Ashworth’s Ace Biscuit & Barbecue are doing Virginia barbecue right says author Joe Haynes. Photo by Eric Kelley
Barbecue is like religion. There are many different styles—Texas, North Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis—and people tend to think that their way is the right way, the best way. People argue over which is most delicious, the original, the one true barbecue.
For years, “every time we’d say we do Virginia barbecue at our restaurant, people would laugh at us” as if there were no such thing, says Craig Hartman of Gordonsville’s BBQ Exchange. Virginia is known for its ham and bacon and it’s salting and smoking processes, Hartman says.
Not for much longer. Joe Haynes, a tech consultant and curious lifelong barbecue fan, has spent the past six years uncovering the rich history of Virginia barbecue and giving Virginia barbecue cooks like Hartman fuel for the fight against the naysayers.
In fact, Haynes declares in his heavily-researched book, Virginia Barbecue: A History, what we call Southern barbecue was born in Virginia’s Tidewater region in the 17th century.
It did not begin in the Caribbean, he says (though a 2013 Smithsonian Magazine article claims as much). In the 15th century, Christopher Columbus was the first European to observe and report the Taino Indians’ “barbacoa” cooking technique, but “barbecue didn’t need a European to witness it for it to start,” he says.
“Barbecue—the cooking technique where you take meat, put it over coals and slowly cook it for hours—is ancient,” Haynes says. Nobody really knows where it started, though Haynes suspects it started in Africa, spread to the Middle East and Asia, then the ancestors of Native Americans brought it to the Americas.
Haynes’ research shows that Powhatan Indians threw festivals (pow wows) where they’d cook hunted game (venison, rabbits, squirrels, birds) for hours over beds of coals. When the Virginia settlers arrived, they were dependent on the Powhatan for food. The colonists brought cookbooks that included instructions on how to cook meat on grills using vinegar, salt, pepper and a little butter—the basic components of a Southern barbecue sauce, Haynes says—and showed that basting method to the Indians.
As Virginians migrated they took barbecue to the Carolinas and elsewhere.
Haynes didn’t set out to prove that Southern barbecue as we know it started in Virginia, but that’s where the sources led him. “It’s not like I’m pulling this out of thin air,” he says. Washington Post barbecue and grilling columnist Jim Shahin declared Virginia Barbecue “as deeply researched as any barbecue book I’ve read.”
It’s the sauce and, to some extent, meat choice, that defines a region’s barbecue, and here in Virginia there are four distinct styles. Southside and Tidewater’s tangy tomato- and vinegar-based sauces usually contain a hint of mustard.
The Shenandoah Valley and mountain region’s Virginia-style barbecue chicken is typically smothered in a vinegary sauce seasoned with sweet herbs, garlic, salt and black pepper and, occasionally, celery seed.
Northern Virginia’s tomato-based, herbed sauces sometimes include fruit and tend to be sweeter than other area varieties.
Our own central Virginia and Piedmont regions offer full-bodied, richly spiced tomato sauces, usually with cloves, sassafras and ginger in addition to salt, pepper and vinegar, Haynes says.
Locally, both BBQ Exchange and Brian Ashworth’s Ace Biscuit & Barbecue are doing Virginia barbecue right, in examples such as Ace’s Virginia red and BBQ Exchange’s Hogfire and Colonial bacon sauces.
Ashworth, who didn’t intend to make authentic Virginia barbecue (he just wanted to make good, smoky barbecue, he says), is glad to be a part of the long history that Haynes has brought to light. “If we’re not rebuilding a name for Virginia barbecue, we’re building the name now,” Ashworth says. “It’s cool to be part of that.”
TASTE TEST
Dying to taste authentic Virginia barbecue for yourself? Here’s what to order.
Ace Biscuit & Barbecue
Virginia red sauce: Brian Ashworth makes his own tomato base for this sauce that Joe Haynes calls “just amazing.” Ashworth says it was inspired by Coca-Cola sauces he’s had further south, and it also includes red onion, root beer, fresh ginger and “choice spices.”
Brisket: is not a traditional Virginia barbecue meat (that’d be pork), but Ashworth cooks brisket—a Texas barbecue staple—Virginia-style, directly on the coals (which Ashworth sources himself from trees on his Barboursville farm).
BBQ Exchange
Hogfire sauce: A classic southside Virginia barbecue sauce, says Haynes.
Colonial bacon sauce: “A whole lot of onions, a whole lot of bacon,” and similar to a sauce Haynes found in a book of colonial Virginia recipes.
Ayran is an all-natural drink made with Greek yogurt, salt, dried mint and water. Photo courtesy Claudia Hanna
We’ve all heard it before: We need to replace all those lost electrolytes with…a sugar-infused “sports” drink (whatever that means)? But there is a healthier alternative to that sugar-laden drink that those in the West consider critical in replacing all those lost electrolytes.
Before we begin, though, let’s break down the story of electrolytes. According to WebMD, electrolytes are minerals in your body that regulate blood pressure, the body’s water content and our nerve and muscle function. We lose electrolytes through normal, daily activities. However, when we perspire, we lose electrolytes at a faster speed. Now, here’s the fun part: which minerals in our blood system makeup these oh-so-important electrolytes? Sodium, potassium, calcium and bicarbonate.
Notice that sugar is missing from that list. So, can someone please explain to me why we give our kids a whopping 56 grams (or 20 percent of the RDA) in a 32-ounce bottle of Gatorade? (Sucrose syrup and glucose-fructose syrup are two of the three first ingredients.) May I suggest an alternative thirst-quencher, with organic, healthy roots that is easy to make and involves only a handful of ingredients?
For my family, summertime in the Mediterranean means long, hot summer days at the beach or pool, cooling off with a tall glass of homemade ariani (Greek) or ayran (Turkish).
What is ariani/ayran?
I learned about ariani while living in Cyprus. When the heat soars, the younger generation of moms reach for juice boxes and ice cream to hand to their kids. However, the older generation pulls out the yogurt and the blender. They know how to quench their thirst naturally and organically using an age-old method.
Ariani is a refreshing summer drink made from diluted Greek yogurt, salt and dried (or fresh) mint. It originated in Turkey and is served all over the country. From five-star hotels to fast-food restaurants and everything in between, ayran is a national drink in Turkey. During the Ottoman Empire, the drink was introduced to other lands, and is now widely consumed in Greece, Lebanon, Iran and beyond.
Slightly salty rather than sweet, it may take some getting used to. But it’s worth it. Here’s a comparison of Gatorade versus ayran:
Nutritional/mineral content
Gatorade (8 ounces)
Ariani/Ayran (8 ounces)
Calories
50
42
Sugar
14 grams
3.2 grams
Sodium
110 mg
191 mg
Potassium
30 mg
141 mg
Calcium
–
106 mg
Protein
–
10 grams
Notice any differences? Aside from calories and sugar content, Gatorade falls far below Ayran’s nutritional/mineral content. Please note: This is only for an 8-ounce bottle/glass of both Gatorade and Ayran. Most Gatorade bottles come in 20-plus ounces, so please do the math.
There’s no comparison: Ayran is a natural, healthier alternative to Gatorade—it’s also super simple to make.
Recipe: Make your own Ayran
Ingredients
½ cup Greek yogurt
1 cup water
Salt to taste
Dried mint, if desired
Add ingredients in a blender and mix together for a couple of seconds. Serve over ice.
Kefir versus ayran/ariani
Some often confuse the recently “discovered” super-drink kefir with ayran. However, they are not the same. Ayran is made from Greek yogurt that has been diluted with water, add a touch of salt (to taste) and blend. It is generally served chilled or over ice. Kefir, on the other hand, is made from kefir “grains” (a yeast/bacteria starter) that resemble tiny cauliflower. Kefir is made from milk rather than yogurt. Personally, I find ariani easier to drink than kefir. In the West, many people add sugar or fruit syrups to the kefir. Otherwise, kefir may be considered a bit too sour, bitter and strong. Ayran, alternatively, has a diluted yogurt taste. If you like yogurt, you will probably likely like the taste of ayran.
Claudia Hanna earned a bachelor of arts in economics and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and an MBA in corporate finance from Emory University. She was a management consultant for years before trading power suits for flip-flops and beach sarongs for a simpler, healthier life in Cyprus. She now writes her own blog, Live Like a Goddess.com, and is working on her book, Live Like a Goddess: Discover Your Inner Aphrodite.
Red Knierim and Matt Wyatt performed for patrons at Feast!’s rooftop wine garden on Saturday, October 1. The pop-up space will host wine tastings from Blenheim Vineyards on Fridays and Saturdays through October 22. Rammelkampfoto
There’s a rooftop wine garden in town, but blink and you’ll miss it.
On Fridays from 4-7pm and on Saturdays from 1-6pm, now through October 22, Feast! is hosting a pop-up wine garden with Blenheim Vineyards in the Main Street Market tower, a cozy, open space with bistro tables, padded benches and some excellent views of the city.
Tracey Love of Blenheim says the vineyard approached Feast! about doing the pop-up. It “was based on wanting our wines to be easily accessible and approachable to folks visiting from out of town and for those living in Charlottesville,” she says. “Even though our actual tasting room is only 15 minutes south of town, that is sometimes too far for people that don’t have means of transportation or time to make the trek.”
Feast! owner Kate Collier was eager to utilize the space, which Feast! has had for about a year and a half and uses for gift box production during the holiday season. “We felt bad hiding it from the public for so long,” she says.
Rooftop wine sippers have their choice of Blenheim’s chardonnay, Painted White (a blend of chardonnay, viognier and sauvignon blanc), merlot or cabernet franc. The wines cost $6 per glass, and between $17 and $25 for a bottle. A tasting flight of all four wines costs $6, and you can bring your glass to Blenheim’s tasting room at a later date for a free glass of wine, Collier says.
Customers can purchase food at Feast!—salads, sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie—to take up to the garden, or you can buy small snack packs, such as Virginia cheese straws, dark chocolate with cranberries, roasted Marcona almonds and tart cherries, or wasabi crisps with Virginia peanuts for between $4 and $8 at the bar.
The setup is temporary, but Collier says that other vineyards and cideries have expressed interest in doing something similar at Feast!’s rooftop garden. Stay tuned for future pairings.
Special delivery
Keevil & Keevil Grocery owner and chef Harrison Keevil loves Champion Brewing Company beer so much he’s made four sandwiches—available exclusively for delivery from his store to Champion beginning Thursday, October 6—to pair with it. “I wanted to highlight the amazing things the Champion brew team is doing,” Keevil says, and make food that would “bring out the essence of the beer.”
He’s made a chicken tikka masala burrito with Carolina gold rice to pair (if you choose) with the Missile IPA; a beer-braised sausage sandwich with housemade beer mustard and sautéed onion to go with the Shower Beer; a braised beef sandwich with carrot salad and beer cheese for the Black Me Out Stout; and a roasted chicken wrap with Carolina gold rice, romaine and ranch to pair with any of the lighter beers on tap. Keevil is currently developing a vegetarian sandwich option as well.
At Champion you can call in or text your order along with your name, and you’ll have your $10 sammy within an hour—Keevil & Keevil will deliver on the half hour, from 30 minutes after Champion opens until 7pm Mondays through Saturdays.
These sandwiches are exclusive to Champion, but Keevil & Keevil will soon offer hot in-house sandwiches—such as bahn mis and burgers.
Firefly staff and customers are encouraged to don their dirndls and lederhosen for the stein-hoisting competition Thursday, September 29. Photo by Martyn Kyle
It’s Oktoberfest season, and breweries, restaurants and bars all over town are celebrating one of the world’s largest festivals, which has its origins in an 1810 mid-October royal marriage in Munich. So dust off your dirndls and lederhosen, Charlottesville, and get thee to a bierhaus.
Kardinal Hall
Oktoberfest “is in the nature and history of this place, of getting everyone together to celebrate,” says Chris Cornelius, general manager at Kardinal Hall, where they’re rotating many German beers through the taps during an ongoing celebration. You’ll find the approachable Bitburger German lager, Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest-Märzen, Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier and Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, a classic German hefe that Cornelius says is the best he’s ever tasted. “It has beautiful balance, not too banana, not too clove.”
Kardinal Hall will hold a stein-hoisting contest Saturday, October 1, before wrapping up its Oktoberfest on Tuesday, October 4, with a $30 per plate all-you-can-eat dinner of bratwurst, sauerkraut, spaetzel, pretzels and gingerbread (read more about Kardinal Hall’s German food on page 49).
Starr Hill Brewery
Starr Hill offers German-style brews all year round—The Love Hefeweizen and Jomo Vienna-Style Lager—but this year’s Oktoberfest afforded brewmaster Robbie O’Cain the chance to develop two new ones, a tart Berliner Weisse and the Basketcase American Helles Lager. Those beers, plus The Festie Oktoberfest Lager, Helles Bock and Warehouse Pils, will be on tap for the brewery’s Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 1, from noon to 7pm.
For the beer nerds, Starr Hill’s brewers will conduct a “bier session” on the history of German brewing techniques and beer styles. And if German food is your thing, check out the audience-decided bratwurst battle, where three local chefs will go knife-to-knife in hopes of being crowned brat king of the Blue Ridge.
Tickets are $17 and include three tokens, each redeemable for one beer or food serving.
Firefly
Firefly’s 12-day Oktoberfest celebration ends Oct. 2, but there’s still time to taste some official Munich Oktoberfest beers—such as the Hacker-Pschorr Hacker-Festzelt and Pschorr-Bräurosl and the Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier. General Manager Brett Cassis says they’ve also got some märzens on tap from Seven Arrows, Devils Backbone, Left Hand, DuClaw and others, and will have schnitzel, sausages, cabbage and pretzels on the menu, plus a stein-hosting contest on Thursday, September 29.
Blue Mountain Brewery
Over the next couple of weeks, pair Blue Mountain’s 13.Five Ofest lagerbier with some schnitzel, gulasch or a pretzel. If you’re lucky enough to snag a seat on Saturday, October 1 or 8, you can devour your Bavarian-inspired fare to the tune of a traditional oompah band. Dying to add to your Oktoberfest memorabilia collection? Blue Mountain’s Steal the Stein Night is Thursday, October 6.
Michael’s Bistro & Tap House
Michael’s keeps things a bit more traditional, with lederhosen- and dirndl-clad servers dishing out dinner specials such as wild boar and elk sausage alongside official Munich Oktoberfest beer offerings. “When you drink a märzen or a wiesn [this week], you know you are sharing that experience at that moment with people all over the world,” says owner Laura Spetz.
Robert Harllee of Market Street Wineshops has watched an increase in Virginia wine sales at his various locations. Photo by Martyn Kyle
As Virginia’s tobacco industry wanes, the food and wine sector builds momentum. With more than 80 cheesemakers in the state, an intense focus on sustainability at farms such as Polyface, Free Union Grass, Radical Roots and Wolf Creek, and a large, passionate beverage industry, the state is poised to contribute a unique chapter to America’s evolving culinary story. Virginia’s wine industry, in particular, brings much to the table and shows no signs of slowing down.
Restaurants around the state have noticed increased demand for Virginia wine in the last decade. Some early champions of local wine recall the first Virginia wines on their lists: Ivy Inn wine director Farrell Vangelopoulos carried early bottlings from Barboursville and Whitehall vineyards in the mid-to-late 1990s. And C&O’s former sommelier, Elaine Futhey, remembers making the drive to Linden Vineyards to pick up dessert wine.
Today, most restaurants carry between five and 12 different Virginia wine labels on their list. Justin Ross at Parallel 38 pours 12 state wines by the glass, including some on tap. Neal Wavra’s highly anticipated new restaurant, Field & Main, in Marshall, pours mostly Virginia wines by the glass—18, to be exact, plus four Virginia ciders. Booth Hardy, of Richmond’s Barrel Thief, has a penchant for rosé and has enjoyed watching that category grow over the last five years.
Wineries are feeling the momentum of the industry. “We’ve more than doubled our production in less than 10 years, and it is still a challenge to meet demand,” says King Family Vineyards winemaker Matthieu Finot. “But it’s nice to be able to focus on making a high-quality product as we grow, knowing that the demand is behind us.”
Rachel Stinson Vrooman, winemaker at Stinson Vineyards, is also under pressure to meet high-volume demands. “We opened our tasting room in 2011 and have seen a crazy growth curve in the industry since then,” says Vrooman. “It’s almost impossible to predict when and where it will level out. Our total sales in 2015 were up 27 percent from 2014, which can be challenging to maintain in terms of production and inventory. We’ve tried to slow things down in 2016 by cutting back on advertising. Agritourism is strong, and more and more people are seeking out specific wines and even specific vintages.”
State statistics mirror the feeling of growth among wineries and restaurants. Governor Terry McAuliffe recently announced record sales for fiscal year 2016, “with more than 556,500 cases, or over 6.6 million bottles, sold,” representing a 6 percent increase from 2015 sales and a 34 percent increase since 2010.
Local vintage variation likely plays a part in the numbers. Some of last year’s growth might reflect the outstanding 2015 vintage that brought in a large, high-quality crop. And it’s possible we may see a dip next year, because early-season frost damage decreased the 2016 harvest in many areas across the state.
But aside from supply statistics, Robert Harllee of Market Street Wineshops points to consumer trends driving a new kind of demand. At his stores, he’s noticed that “people are making more regular purchases of Virginia wine, and many seem to be younger people. Ten years ago you’d see people getting a bottle of Virginia wine for a special-occasion dinner or a special gift, but now I’m seeing more people get Virginia wine for everyday drinking.”
And the variety of Virginia wine has expanded, which attracts a broader audience. “In the last couple years,” Harllee says, “we’re seeing a lot of unique grape varieties outside of the classic international varieties, like Jump Mountain’s grüner veltliner, lemberger at Ox-Eye, vermentino and fiano at Barboursville, and petit manseng and nebbiolo are doing quote well with several producers. I’m drinking a little more Virginia wine now, myself.”
At Wine Warehouse, “we try to have a selection of Virginia wines from around the state,” says manager Geoff Macilwaine. “One of our better sellers is Lovingston Winery, and the winemaker, Riaan [Rossouw], we think, is a terrific winemaker.” Macilwaine points to Lovingston’s 2010 Meritage as a benchmark local example.
The momentum of Virginia’s local wine trade is a confluence of increased interest in wine, high-quality production from dedicated wineries and support from the state level. “Virginia is making intelligent, inspired wines,” Vrooman says, “and the word is starting to get out.”
One of the most exciting aspects of the wine boom is how it fits in with the other emerging industries in the state—it pairs perfectly with all of the carefully farmed vegetables, cheeses and meats produced by thoughtful local farmers. Virginia food and wine forces are joining together in restaurants, and with all of the creative new pairings out there, we just might be watching the genesis of a new food and wine center of the United States.
Jerome Thalwitz, chef/owner at The Bavarian Chef, and Jason Oliver, brewmaster at Devils Backbone Brewing Company, were the perfect companions for an Oktoberfest meal at Kardinal Hall. Rammelkamp Foto
Oktoberfest may be the ultimate celebration of food and beer. Here in Charlottesville, though, the festival’s signature Bavarian fare can be hard to find. Enter Kardinal Hall. Opened last year by the team behind Beer Run, the beer hall and garden filled a gap in Charlottesville dining with food and drink it calls “Alpine.” Truth be told, Kardinal Hall does not tout strict traditionalism in its eats and suds, but instead blends in a healthy dose of innovation, with great results.
Two area experts on these topics are Jerome Thalwitz and Jason Oliver. Classically trained at restaurants in Bavaria, chef Thalwitz has spent the last three decades running the Bavarian Chef, the destination-worthy Madison restaurant founded by his parents, where German classics join inventive specials. Oliver, meanwhile, is brewmaster of Devils Backbone Brewing Company, among our country’s most acclaimed brewers of German-style beers. What better companions for a Kardinal Hall dinner during Oktoberfest?
Oliver calls German food “perfect for beer,” especially crisp pilsners, which he says counter the sourness of Bavarian pickles, and the fat, salt and spice of sausages and charcuterie. Take the charcuterie board that began our meal. On a large rectangular wooden board, piles of savory country pork pate, pastrami of Free Union Grass duck and smoked Autumn Olive Farms ham lay beautifully beside small white bowls of assorted house pickled local vegetables, which I consider among the best in town. “I respect that they use a lot of local ingredients,” said Oliver.
If German food is perfect for beer, so too is German beer perfect for food, and Kardinal Hall has the best selection of German beer in town, along with an assortment of American craft beer. “German beer is so approachable,” said Oliver. “It’s beer for the people!” The Rothaus Pils was such an ideal beer pairing for our charcuterie platter that Oliver said it was like another ingredient in the food. From food back to beer back to food, “there’s a seamless enjoyment of eating and drinking,” he said.
Next came a nod to tradition: a plate of Oktoberfest sausages with spaetzle and local oyster mushrooms. The sausages were from Binkert’s, the same Baltimore producer used by the Bavarian Chef. For one of them—weisswurst—Thalwitz requested a side of currywurst sauce, thus creating one of his favorite classic German street foods. Also a standout was the spaetzle, which reminded Thalwitz of dishes he made in Bavaria. “Paired with Weihenstephaner Festbier,” said Thalwitz, “it was a superb combination.” Other sausages on the menu are also well-sourced, from The Rock Barn and Sausagecraft.
Kardinal Hall’s chef Thomas Leroy is not from Germany but from France, where he trained before coming to Charlottesville to run adventurous kitchens like Bizou and Zinc Bistro (now closed). He has been with Kardinal Hall since even before it opened. “Leroy’s skill set, experience running a variety of kitchens and familiarity with classic European techniques made him a natural fit,” says Kardinal Hall co-owner Josh Hunt.
And so, while Leroy has the skills to nail the classics, he often breaks from tradition with playful riffs. This is the aspect of Kardinal Hall that Oliver likes best. It’s the same approach he uses for Devils Backbone beer: “inspired by tradition but not handcuffed to it.”
The signature pretzels, for example, are made fresh daily, and with a glistening golden crust, look just like ones you’d see in Bavaria. They even come with obatzda, a classic Bavarian condiment of brie, ricotta, mustard, onions and paprika. Take a bite though, and you’ll discover a twist. For the dough, Leroy uses a house sourdough starter. While atypical, Thalwitz thought it added a nice, subtle flavor to the pretzel.
A further break from tradition is Leroy’s favorite thing on the menu, and perhaps the dish of the night. For the spice-rubbed brisket sandwich, Leroy coats brisket in mustard powder, paprika, onion and garlic, smokes it for three hours, and then braises it in beer and broth for seven more. The brisket rests on Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia and is topped with mustard remoulade and a German slaw of red cabbage. Thalwitz said the delicious slaw was just like the one at Bavarian Chef, all the way down to the caraway seeds that studded it. “We serve it with practically everything,” he said.And, he loved the sandwich’s ingenuity, combining traditional themes like Bavarian slaw and Philly cheese steak rolls to create an “excellent, modern dish.”
In fact, that captures the whole experience. As Thalwitz said after our meal: “Kardinal Hall has the feel of going to a traditional German biergarten while tweaking old-world foods with local, trending ingredients.” Or, as Oliver put it, “Kardinal Hall is an American beer hall that takes its inspiration where it wants to, not where it has to.” Prost to that.
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:
Warm, creamy, cheesy, tender, buttery—this issue, we’re serving up a gooey forkful of comfort foods to tuck into. From grilled cheese to chili, these dishes will melt the chilliest of hearts (and hands, if you’re wrapping yours around a bowl of tomato soup). Read more here.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
Wine and dine
Ever thought about your Virginia wine bucket list? Our wine columnist, Erin Scala, spills, er, spells it out for you in this issue, with 10 perfect spots for sipping (and what to eat while you’re there). Sharpen your pencils—and don’t forget to hydrate. Read more here.
Orzo's seasonal mac'n'cheese never disappoints. Photo: Tom McGovern
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 smell of a familiar dish can help us feel less alone, which is why we reach for a bowl of pasta or a cheeseburger on a bad day. This issue delivers those divine comfort foods as they’re interpreted locally, from a Turkish casserole to a twist on huevos rancheros. Savor every bite.—C.W.
By Shea Gibbs, Kathleen Herring, Dan Testa and Caite White
Photo: Tom McGovern
MEAT UP
Pot roast
at Bizou
Pot roast may just be the perfect recipe for this diner-cum-gastropub—it’s homey and comforting but a blank slate for adventurous flavors. Once the weather starts to cool, Bizou’s menu runs the gamut of profiles and preparations for beef pot roast, from Italian-style to traditional Americana to Asian-inspired.
“What we’ll use as a garnish depends on the season,” chef Brett Venditti says. That will likely mean starting with the Italian, braised for several hours at about 300 degrees in red wine and tomato and served with polenta. Then, “as the weather gets cooler and cooler, we’ll go heartier with roasted or smashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and carrots.”
The secret to the dish’s success—whatever the preparation—is a nice piece of meat. Venditti says Bizou starts with a chuck roast and portions individual servings, tying them with twine to create a uniform shape. “They hold together and it promotes more even cooking throughout all portions,” he says. Then it’s off to a hard sear before going in that luxurious low-temperature bath.
Photo: John Robinson
CLUCKIN’ AWESOME
Fried chicken
at Michie Tavern
Juicy, perfectly seasoned and fried till dark, Michie Tavern’s chicken is out of this world. Or, at least, out of this century. The Colonial Revival-era house once served as the social center of its community and, today, boasts tours of the tavern and servers in period dress to authenticate the experience. In the winter months, hit the buffet (with other 18th-century fare like stewed tomatoes and black-eyed peas and, yes, chicken), then find a seat by the fireplace to warm yourself—both inside and out.
Photo: Tom McGovern
WHAT A HANDFUL
Meatloaf
at South Fork Food Truck
Here’s what we’d call a comfort-food sandwich: Two slices of sourdough bread piled with smoked jalapeño meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, green tomato salsa, chipotle barbecue sauce and bacon. The local food truck has a menu filled with twists on Southern classics, but it’s the meatloaf sandwich that’s become owner Phillip Gerringer’s signature dish. Find it at local festivals and events, plus every Thursday night at Champion Brewing Company.
Photo: Tom McGovern
DYNAMIC DUO
Grilled cheese (and tomato soup)
at Revolutionary Soup
In 2013, NPR published an article asserting that cookies taste better when they’re dunked in milk or, even better, hot tea. The wetness and heat releases more cookie flavor, the article said, according to the findings of a British chef who used a high-tech gadget to measure food flavors before and after dunking. Could the same principle apply to the combo of grilled cheese and tomato soup? We’d wager yes. Especially at Rev Soup, where the duo of grilled cheese and creamy tomato bisque is a no-brainer.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
TRIED AND TRUE
Huevos rancheros
at Blue Moon Diner
How do you make diner eggs cooked to your very own specifications even better? Add Blue Moon Diner’s zesty housemade salsa with fresh and stewed tomatoes, tomatillos, sweet and jalapeño peppers, onion and spices. And lucky for you, the line cooks will even do it for you in the form of the Huevos Bluemoonos, the local favorite’s take on huevos rancheros.
With two eggs any style over hash browns with melted cheddar, salsa and toast, the Bluemoonos may not be traditional, but they’re simple comfort at its best. “The Bluemoonos lack the beans and tortilla to be a true rancheros, but our regulars might riot in the streets if we change our beloved version,” owner Laura Galgano says. “We sell more Huevos Bluemoonos with over-easy eggs and sourdough toast than any other way, but the best part about breakfast in the U.S. is the variety of egg preparation.”
Photo: Tom McGovern
WITH A TWIST
Cinnamon buns
at Paradox Pastry
The Glass Building bakery’s take on the classic cinnamon bun is the sinful hybrid of a warm, flaky croissant and ooey gooey cinnamon bun. Made from croissant dough rolled in cinnamon sugar and twisted into a circle, the fresh-baked delights are drizzled in maple cream cheese frosting. Be prepared to share (or take some home for later!), as these treats are larger than your average cinnamon bun or croissant, and, between crumbs and sticky frosting, you’ll need more than one napkin to avoid making a mess. That’s not to say the mess isn’t worth it (it totally is).
Photo: Tom McGovern
TOP LAYERS
Lasagna
at Fellini’s #9
Fellini’s takes all the things you love about meat lasagna and then does you one better. Yes, the slow-cooked pork and beef Bolognese, layered with ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and herbs, are rich and comfortingly familiar in the ways you expect. But the ground lamb lends the dish an earthy, rustic flavor that takes it to another level.
The marinara complements the meat and cheese, but it also has a bright, sweet quality that offsets the savory elements. And the pasta is skillfully cooked: Firm and chewy, its layers serve as the infrastructure holding the lasagna together so you can tuck into it with the side of a fork. The dish pairs well with a medium-bodied red wine, like the 2013 California Merlot on the menu.
And the comfort extends to the atmosphere at the downtown institution, too. On a recent Saturday evening, the pianist played a jazz-inflected version of “Someday My Prince Will Come,” and a server rushed drinks to a table where, as she had informed the bartender, a “really awkward” first date was underway. Bad date or no, hopefully they ordered the lasagna.
Photo: Tom McGovern
NEW ROUTINE
Poutine
at Kardinal Hall
Even though it has a fancy-sounding French name, Canadian poutine is typically a fast-food item served in greasy-spoon diners. But at beer garden Kardinal Hall, the cheese curds and gravy snack get an upgrade with the addition of (eater’s choice!) toppings like sweet peppers, caramelized onion or garlic mushrooms. All that over fries? Mais oui!
Photo: Tom McGovern
GET YOUR OATS
Oatmeal
at Oakhurst Inn Café
Toto, we’re not eating Quaker Oats anymore. At Oakhurst Inn’s popular café, baby beets, curried yogurt, avocado, black beans and harissa unite over warm, creamy steel-cut Irish oats for a Southwestern take on the breakfast staple.
Photo: Tom McGovern
HILL OF BEANS
Chili
at South Street Brewery
There’s no point in eating chili if there isn’t a little kick to it. And this vegetarian version at South Street brings the heat. Topped with green onions and cheddar cheese, it’s an autumn staple. (Bonus: The veggie chili takes center stage in the brewery’s woncho dish, too, over crispy wontons topped with smoked gouda cheese sauce, cilantro sour cream and fresh herbs.)
CUCKOO FOR CAKE
Cake
at Chandler’s Bakery
Cakes on cakes on cakes—that’s what you can expect at Chandler’s. Cheerily displayed alongside cookies, pastries, breakfast croissants and other delectable chocolate-covered or sugary goodies is the chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream filling—creamy pudding sandwiched between thick, chocolatey cake layers. Or, if you’re looking for something a little lighter, go for a yellow cake with raspberry and cheesecake filling and buttercream frosting—all the creamy melt-in-your-mouth flavor of a dense slice of cheesecake, but made much fluffier by the yellow cake. For coffee-lovers, there’s a “checkerboard” cake: squares of chocolate and yellow cake, filled with a strong mocha buttercream and topped in an almost-too-decadent fudge frosting. The choices are endless.
Photo: Tom McGovern
HELLO, DUMPLING
Chicken and dumplings
at The Whiskey Jar
The aroma from a bowl of chicken and dumplings evokes memories of being a kid called in for lunch on a cold day. Bright green chives float atop a golden broth that is the star of the dish: savory, light and flavorful.
Like other dishes here, chicken and dumplings, a Southern staple, shines for its simplicity. At The Whiskey Jar, you’ll find in the broth a hearty portion of shredded mostly white meat chicken joined by handmade, irregular dumplings that resemble gnocchi in size and shape. But as they absorb the broth, the dumplings grow more pillowy, starchy and creamy.
The dish pairs well with a dry Chenin Blanc, or a pilsner by the St. George brewery in Hampton, Virginia. Depending on one’s condition, and the weather outside, consider also pairing a cup (or a bowl) of the chicken and dumplings with a ham biscuit. After a session of ice skating at the Main Street Arena across the mall, a bowl of chicken and dumplings at The Whiskey Jar offers the makings of a pretty perfect autumn afternoon.
FOR THE SOUL
Chicken noodle soup
at Ace Biscuit & Barbecue
The key to good chicken noodle is from-scratch ingredients: rich, flavorful stock with no shelf life-enhancing preservatives, rustic hunks of pasta dough, crisp-tender vegetables and juicy, never-frozen chicken. Lucky for lovers of the original comfort soup, Ace Biscuit & Barbecue owner Brian Ashworth and his team don’t cut corners. Ace’s chicken noodle soup, available sporadically, occasionally features the extra kick of house-smoked chicken simmered alongside handmade fettuccine noodles and fresh onion, celery and carrots.
“Sometimes it’s smoked chicken noodle soup and sometimes it’s just chicken noodle soup, but it’s always awesome,” Ashworth says.
Indeed, according to Ashworth everything at Ace is made from scratch—other than Duke’s mayo (“the only mayo in the world”) and Martin’s potato rolls (“they are the best”). You know what? Add a roll slathered in Duke’s to our soup order.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
I SHALL WANT
Shepherd’s pie
at Tin Whistle Irish Pub
The beauty of a shepherd’s pie rests in its simplicity. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, especially when one of those ingredients is tender ground lamb, sourced, as the Tin Whistle Irish Pub does, from a local farm. Carrots, celery and onions complement the lamb, along with the occasional seasonal vegetable (leeks, on a recent visit).
This being an Irish dish, the next essential ingredient is potatoes. The Tin Whistle tops its shepherd’s pie with a generous layer of salty, creamy spuds and bakes it to a golden crust on top. Scallions scatter amid the contours.
This being an Irish dish, it pairs rather well with a beer: Try a Smithwick’s (pronounced “smiddiks”), a dark red Irish ale from Kilkenny. Not as toasty as a stout, nor as hoppy as a pale ale, Smithwick’s is balanced and drinkable. You don’t want a beer that’s too heavy. After all, you’ve got a steaming shepherd’s pie presented in its own cast iron skillet before you. Armed with just a spoon and a napkin, it’s everything you need.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
WHIP IT GOOD
Mashed potatoes
at Maya
While the list of sides at Maya reads like the Dictionary of Delicious Southern Foods (cheddar biscuits, collard greens, cornbread…), it’s the whipped potatoes that define “comfort food” for us. Chef/co-owner Christian Kelly says the recipe is “pretty simple, like most of our food”: Red bliss potatoes are boiled in salted water, then mashed by hand with “a ridiculous amount” of butter and rosemary-infused heavy cream. Double orders aren’t uncommon. “I need a sign that says, ‘Keep hands and feet away from face while eating,’” Kelly says. “Might lose a digit.”
Photo: Tom McGovern
HOTSHOT
Turkey melt
at Timbercreek Market
It’s a pretty simple concept: Melt cheese over turkey, put on bread. But at Timbercreek, where the turkey—like all the restaurant’s meat— is conscientiously raised and sourced from namesake Timbercreek Farm and smoked in-house, it’s anything but ordinary. Cheddar cheese meets garlic mayo, alfalfa sprouts and housemade pickles on Albemarle Baking Company pain de campagne. Your new favorite lunch option? That’s an easy yes.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
BRIGHT, HOT
Chicken tikka masala
at Maharaja
The origins of chicken tikka masala are hard to pin down definitively; immigrants in the United Kingdom are said to have modified Indian chicken tikka, adding the sauce for an island that likes its gravy. And Maharaja executes the dish elegantly. Pieces of marinated white meat chicken are grilled in a clay oven, then finished in a tomato cream sauce. It arrives on the table with a burst of bright, orange-red color. A halved tomato rests at the center of the dish, accompanied by a pinch of cilantro. Spooned over buttery basmati rice, with a piece of soft, charred naan to sop up the sauce, it warms to the core. But that oversimplifies it: Notes of coriander, onions and chiles are present as well. On that last note, if you ask for “medium heat,” that is no less than what you’ll get, and the cream offsets the chiles so the heat builds gradually over the course of the meal.
Perhaps pair the chicken tikka masala with a bottle of cold Kingfisher, an Indian lager. In a cozy corner booth of Maharaja’s warmly lit dining room, it’s easy to feel transported.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
WHO LOVES CHEESE?
Casserole
at Sultan Kebab
Sucuk. It’s a little hard to pronounce (“su-juk”), but not at all hard to love. Cooked and served in a small ceramic ramekin, the spiced Turkish beef sausage is baked with tomatoes and kashar cheese (similar to cheddar when hot and melty). The dish comes with a small loaf of fresh-baked bread, but you’ll want a fork to scoop up the delicious gooey cheese, which nicely balances the slight spiciness of the sausage. The distinctive flavor comes from the garlic and spices in the sausage but is made perfect by a generous sprinkling of paprika over top of the dish. Also recommended here: hummus casserole, which the restaurant makes fresh every day.
Photo: Tom McGovern
SECRET’S IN THE SAUCE
Biscuits and gravy
at The Pigeon Hole
If you’re having second thoughts about braving the Corner this fall, take a moment to consider the unctuous warmth of The Pigeon Hole’s Biscuits and Red Eye Gravy. Two flaky, buttery homemade biscuits are the perfect vehicle for the Hole’s rich gravy and two eggs over easy. (You can substitute other egg styles, but why would you want to?) What makes the gravy red eye? It’s cooked with ham fat and has coffee grounds and brewed coffee for tang—not to mention a convenient boost of energy.
“Typically [red eye] used to just be a pan gravy made with leftovers,” kitchen manager Corwyn Sergent says. “But it got to the point where, to make it look good and hold on the biscuit, we’ve adapted it to more closely resemble a sausage gravy.”
According to Sergent, adding cream at the end is the secret to getting that hybrid red eye-sausage effect. And we all know hybrids are delicious.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
CHIPS AHOY
Fish and chips
at Shebeen Pub & Braai
Traditionally an English dish, fish and chips is as straightforward as comfort food comes: fish, battered and fried, served with hot fries. And South African pub Shebeen does the meal up right. Crispy battered cod is wrapped in newsprint (read your C-VILLE!) and accompanied on a plate by fries, tartar sauce and a slice of lemon. No muss, no fuss.
Photo: Rammelkamp Foto
SIDE EYE
Coconut rice
at Bang!
Warm, sweet, a little bit sticky—just the texture alone would be enough to make you say “mmm.” And we know the menu at Bang! has plenty to drool over, but don’t overlook this $3 side. Perfectly proportioned in a small dish for one, the coconut rice should be savored on its own (with a martini, of course).
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 the art of hot chocolate-making with the respect and care it deserves. And during the cold months, it comes topped with marshmallows, cut from a fresh-out-of-the-oven baking sheet. Stop in on Valentine’s Day, and those marshmallows are raspberry-flavored and heart-shaped; on St. Patrick’s Day, they’re green, mint-flavored and floating atop what we call perfection in a 12-ounce cup.
Pork, apples and mustard. It’s a quintessential autumn combination and one that Early Mountain Vineyards chef Ryan Collins says he’s most looking forward to cooking as the weather turns cold. “I love to take advantage of the bounty of Virginia’s wide array of apples, with tender pork, sticky pork sauce, smooth mustard and crunchy apples all playing off each other with great flavor and texture,” Collins says.
Ryan Collins. Photo: Amy Jackson
Collins took over the winery’s kitchen in April after leaving chef José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup in Washington, D.C. Since then, the Cordon Bleu grad has continued Early Mountain’s inclusive programming, collaborating with other local chefs and purveyors to create one-of-a-kind food events at the Madison County venue, including a barbecue with JM Stock Provisions, where, coincidentally, he recommends sourcing the pork cheeks for this cold-weather recipe.
“They don’t shy away from specialty cuts,” he says. “The meat from the head of the pig is often unappreciated because most people are more interested in the loin or the chop. This is a great way to take advantage of an underutilized cut and where the most flavor is: the face!”
Braised pork cheeks with mustard sauce and local apple duo
6 pork cheeks
8 cups chicken stock
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 tbs. kosher salt
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 small white onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season the cheeks with the salt on both sides. Heat the EVOO in a sauté pan until it starts to smoke. Put the cheeks in the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Brown the cheeks on both sides very well. This may take 10 minutes. Take the cheeks out of the pan when browned and drain about half the oil from the pan. Add the vegetables and garlic to the pan and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft. (Do this slowly over 20 minutes. Do not brown too much because this will make the sauce bitter.) Once the vegetables are done, add the cheeks, stock, vegetables and herbs to a braising pan. Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil and put in a 350-degree oven. Cook the cheeks for about two and a half hours or until tender. Make sure to check every 30 minutes to ensure the liquid has not evaporated. If it has, add a little water back into it. Once the cheeks are done, take them out of the oven and put them in the fridge to let them cool in the liquid overnight. When the cheeks are cool and the fat has solidified on the top, carefully skim the fat off the top and remove the cheeks. Reduce the liquid in a pan on the stove until it yields about three cups of sauce. Once the sauce is reduced, add the cheeks to the pan and slowly heat them through. The heat should be on low. (After the cheeks are heated through there should only be about two cups of liquid left and the liquid should be thicker and sticky.)
Apple and mustard sauce
5 Granny Smith apples
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. grainy mustard
2 tbs. sugar
½ white onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 egg yolk
Salt to taste
Peel and core the apples and roughly chop into small cubes. In a sauté pan on medium low brown the apples and onions in the butter. After about five minutes, add the sugar to the pan and continue to cook until apples are soft. Add the water and cook until apples are very soft. Purée the mixture in a blender, food mill or food processor. Once the mix is smooth add the mustard. In a separate bowl, add two to three tablespoons of the hot mixture to the egg yolk to temper it. After it’s incorporated, add the rest of the hot mixture and stir well. Let it cool to room temperature before serving.
Plating
1 pork cheek
1 tbs. pork cheek sauce
¼ tart red apple (Braeburn), julienned
1 tbs. red onion, julienned
1 tbs. toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
5-6 1 1/2-inch leaves of cleaned frisée
lettuce hearts
5-6 parsley leaves
1 tbs. sherry vinaigrette (1:3 sherry vinegar to EVOO)
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp. EVOO
1 pinch Maldon sea salt
Toss the apples, onion, frisée, parsley leaves and vinaigrette together and season with the kosher salt and pepper. Smear a bit of the apple mustard sauce on the bottom of a plate. Be as fancy as you want to be. Place the cheek off center on half of the smear and half on the plate. Pour a few tablespoons of the pork cheek sauce on the meat so that it drips down onto the plate as well as the apple mustard sauce. Lay the little salad on the side of the cheek with the apple mustard so that you can still see the sauce but some of it is covered by the salad. Sprinkle the chopped nuts on top of everything, trying to keep the nuts that fall to the plate as close to the meat as possible. Garnish with a sprig or two of parsley, EVOO and Maldon.
