Tag: Small Bites

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Living

The Shack’s chef named a James Beard semifinalist

English muffin pizzas started Ian Boden on his culinary path. He says he loves what he does and doesn’t “know how to do anything else.” Photo by Norm Shafer

The James Beard Foundation just released its list of 2017 Restaurant and Chef Award semifinalists, and Staunton chef Ian Boden landed one of the coveted spots. He’s in the running for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic; winners will be announced May 1.

Boden, who cooks new American cuisine inspired by rural Virginia at The Shack—named one of the best 100 restaurants in the South by Southern Living magazine—answered a few questions for us about his eating and cooking habits past and present. (Who doesn’t love a good English muffin pizza?)

C-VILLE Weekly: What did you have for breakfast?

Ian Boden: A few cups of coffee and a croissant from Newtown Baking.

What was the first thing you ever cooked?

I can’t say for sure, but I’m going to guess it was English muffin pizzas in the toaster oven.

You have 15 minutes to cook something for dinner. What do you make?

Pasta, most likely.

When you were a kid, what was your favorite school lunch?

I was never a fan of school lunch, really. In high school I ate fries out of the vending machines…that was pretty much it.

Why are you a chef?

I love what I do and I don’t know how to do anything else, really (not that it makes a difference).

Who’s the person you’d most like to cook for, and what would you make?

Edna Lewis and Grandma Tissy; whatever is on hand. I love that Ms. Lewis finally got some due, even if it was from “Top Chef.” It’s unfortunate that so many cooks, and Southern cooks at that, previously had no idea who she was and what she meant to so many. [Editor’s note: Chef and cookbook author Edna Lewis put Southern cooking on the culinary map and was hailed as “the South’s answer to Julia Child.”]

Grandma Tissy is my wife’s grandma; she passed away before my wife and I met. She was the matriarch of her family and raised five kids in a shack in Swoope, Virginia—that shack is our restaurant logo.

Raise a glass

Last month, several local vineyards and wineries earned medals at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the world’s largest American wines contest:

Afton Mountain Vineyards took home double gold for its 2012 Petit Verdot, while the 2012 Festa di Bacco red blend and the 2014 Cabernet Sauvigon each took home a silver medal.

Barboursville Vineyards earned gold for its 2013 and 2014 Octagon wines and 2014 Cabernet Franc and silver for its 2015 Vermentino and 2015 Vigonier.

DuCard Vineyards in Etlan took home silver for its 2014 Petit Verdot and bronze for its 2014 Cabernet Franc.

Glass House Winery in Free Union won silver for its 2014 Twenty-First (a Bordeaux blend) and its 2014 Chambourcin, and bronze for its 2015 Viognier.

Jefferson Vineyards netted double gold for its 2015 Viognier and gold for its 2014 Petit Verdot.

Stinson Vineyards in Crozet earned silver for its 2015 Sauvignon Blanc and bronze for its 2013 Tannat.

Trump Winery nabbed double gold for its 2009 Brut Reserve, gold for its 2010 Blanc de Blanc and bronze for its 2015 Meritage.

Whitehall Vineyards in Crozet took silver for its 2015 Chardonnay.

Veritas Vineyards and Winery in Afton collected four medals—double gold for its 2014 Petit Verdot; gold for its 2015 Sauvignon Blanc; and two silvers, one for its 2014 Veritas (a Bordeaux blend) and one for its 2015 Sauvingon Blanc.*

Tasty Tidbits

According to a sign posted in the restaurant’s window, Downtown Thai is for sale.

Texas Roadhouse steakhouse will open in Albemarle Square on Route 29 by the fourth week in February.

Feelin’ Saucy Pizzeria will open on 14th Street on the UVA Corner—its menu touts “buy one pizza, get one free (of equal or lesser value).”

Uncle Maddio’s Pizza will open soon in The Shops at Stonefield; according to signs in the window and posts on the restaurant’s Facebook page, they’re still in the hiring phase.

Monsoon Siam Togogo has opened in Main Street Market. Call in your favorite Thai dish from Monsoon’s menu for pick-up (284-7117).

Former Northern Exposure chef Tony Bonanno is the new owner and chef of the Madison Inn Restaurant at 217 N. Main St. in Madison, where he’s cooking Italian and continental infusion food.

*This article was updated at 12:43pm February 27 to include all local wineries that won medals at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Categories
Living

The Salad Maker opens on Market Street

Jacie Dunkel opened The Salad Maker last week to provide fresh and quick salad options for customers seeking a sit-down spot for lunch or dinner. Photo by Tom McGovern

In The Big Salad episode of “Seinfeld,” Elaine asks George to get her a big salad from the coffee shop. “What’s in the big salad?” George asks. “Big lettuce, big carrots, tomatoes like volleyballs,” Jerry deadpans.

You won’t get enormous salads with gargantuan vegetables at The Salad Maker at 300 E. Market St., but you will find dozens of fresh salad options. Owner Jacie Dunkel, who also owns Tin Whistle Irish Pub and Fellini’s #9, says that while the Blue Ridge Country Store on the Downtown Mall has a great lunchtime make-your-own salad bar, there aren’t many places downtown to get a quick salad for lunch or dinner, and she wanted to give customers another option, especially one with seating.

Tin Whistle chef Karen Fiedler started developing the salad recipes before handing things over to Allison Campbell, previously of Zazu’s and Revolutionary Soup.

Salads are ordered via paper menus available at the door—once you’ve snagged one, write your name on the line and circle your special or classic salad of choice, or select your own components from a hefty list of greens, proteins, cheeses, housemade dressings and more. Then, take your paper to the Create counter, and pick it up and pay—$8.95 for a special or classic, $6.95 and up for a custom—at the Produce counter when your name is called.

There’s the North Garden, with spring mix, spiced almonds, goat cheese, dried apricots, roasted red peppers and balsamic vinaigrette, as well as The Crozet steak salad with romaine and iceberg lettuces, blue cheese, marinated mushrooms, tomatoes and blue cheese dressing. There’s also a cobb, Greek, Caesar and spinach salad, and, if you’re feeling adventurous, opt for a Palmyra salad: in-season ingredients sourced from many local farmers and City Market vendors—it’ll never be the same twice. All salads come with a housemade rye cracker. And The Salad Maker also offers a daily soup, made at the Tin Whistle, and homemade brownies and cookies.

Strike while the waffle iron is hot

How do you like your waffles? With a pat of butter and a drizzle of syrup? Smothered in fruit compote and whipped cream? Scalding hot and crispy brown after a moment too long in mom’s toaster (I’m looking at you, Eggos!)?

Come winter, your preferred waffle consumption method may change with the opening of Iron Paffles and Coffee at 214 W. Water St. At Iron, a paffle—housemade puff pastry baked to flaky perfection on a waffle iron—is a bit richer and more flexible than a waffle, making it the perfect vehicle not just for syrup, caramelized cinnamon apples and whipped cream, but for sandwiches, too.

In February, owner Kathryn Matthews plans to start serving eat-in and take-out paffles such as the Made of Iron, with sausage, bacon, egg and cheese; the Rise ’N’ Iron with blueberry compote, local hickory syrup and whipped cream; the Iron Master, with Southern fried chicken and mac ’n’ cheese; and various vegetarian options. Paffles will cost around $6 each.

Tasty tidbit

Monolith Studio’s chef knives were recently named a runner-up in the Home category in Garden & Gun magazine’s seventh annual Made in the South Awards, which celebrate and encourage Southern craftspeople.

Categories
Living

Valley Road Vineyards opens on Nelson’s 151

Valley Road Vineyards CEO and co-founder Stan Joynes says he and his wife, Barbara, were pleasantly surprised when they opened the first bottle from their collection—a merlot-based rosé. The 2014 meritage, a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and cabernet sauvignon, “is really special,” he says. Photo by Ryan Jones

One of the most surprising things Stan Joynes learned after entering the local wine business is how much camaraderie there is among vineyard owners and winemakers. It’s not a “zero-sum game,” he says—when one business is successful, they all benefit.

About two years ago, Joynes started thinking it was time to do something different. He had helped found Richmond law firm LeClairRyan, and although he was passionate about his work, he knew he needed a change. He and his wife, Barbara, had a second home in Wintergreen and visited many of the local wineries while here.

They started looking for land in both Albemarle and Nelson counties, and heard that the former amFOG Farms property on Route 151 in Nelson County was for sale. They bought it the same day they saw it last fall, and started their winery, Valley Road Vineyards, with four other couples from Charlottesville and Richmond.

Joynes says he received lots of guidance from locals in the industry, including Ellen King, co-owner of King Family Vineyards. Because it takes two to three years for grapes to mature (Valley Road planted one acre each of sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, chardonnay and petit verdot grapes in April), King suggested they consult with her winemaker, Matthieu Finot, on sourcing surplus grapes for their first bottling.

With Finot at the helm, Valley Road has bottled 2,000 cases of six wines: viognier, chardonnay, Destana (viognier, chardonnay and petit manseng blend), rosé, merlot and a 2014 meritage, which will be available during the vineyard’s grand opening weekend August 19-21. Other wines from the vineyard include a pinot gris, a second viognier, a petit verdot, a viognier-based sparkling wine and a red “spaghetti wine” in the fall.

The property’s previous life as a farm is still evident—the “industrial chic” tasting room has concrete floors and distressed wood walls, and the patina tin covering the front of the bar was part of an equipment shed on the property. In addition, the vineyard is hosting a weekly farmers market from 3-7pm on Thursdays as a way to showcase local vendors and bring the community together.

“(Agriculture) is the ultimate sustainable activity because the community helps each other,” Joynes says. “I think that is very true in the wine business for most people—there’s an abundance mentality. …It’s just instinctively part of the culture here. It’s great to be a part of.”

Something’s brewing

Deschutes Brewery and Blue Ridge Beverage Company held a launch party celebrating the brewery’s Roanoke brewery (projected to open in 2021) July 28 at Second Street Gallery. Deschutes beers started hitting taps and stores in western Virginia August 1. On tap at the event were some of the beers you can find in our area, including the Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Black Butte Porter, Fresh Squeezed IPA and Pinedrops IPA, as well as samples of more rare beers, including Mirror Mirror barley wine ale, Smoked Gose, The Dissident (Belgian-style brown ale) and Green Monster (a sour beer with dried fruit notes).

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Remember when Deschutes wanted to come here?