Posts Tagged ‘charlottesville’
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
On Sunday, August 22, the Slow Food chapter for the Albemarle and Piedmont regions of Virginia was launched with late-summer success. From mid-afternoon until well into the sunset, a gathering of growers, promoters, and enjoyers celebrated with local eats and very good brew. The mission of this new sect to, “Provide a gathering space and platform to inspire and grow knowledge and awareness of community and food initiatives,” was clearly well taken by all in attendance. A group whose purpose is to converse while conjunctively consuming? Yes, please. No wonder the kick-off was met with such fervor. And perhaps, the potluck attracted even more young families, old pairs, and general friends by having been held on the grounds of Tufton Farm in Charlottesville, where Thomas Jefferson’s Center for Historic Plants is based. The greenhouse was a wonder and the property well worth the drive over to take in. With hope, the chapter’s organizing committee will plan a series of follow-up meetings for interested folks to dive into; after all, there’s never a better moment to live better and to give back to our regional societies than now.
-Serena
An official banner and sign-in area greeted attendees to the new Slow Food chapter.
Dozens of interested folks gathered for the potluck-style event.
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, eat local, slow foods, virginia
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Monday, August 16th, 2010
‘Tis the season to devour colorful, fresh fruits! Every once in awhile, what you want is the same as what you need; at this time of year, the healthful sweets are exactly that. And, lucky you: here in Virginia (and elsewhere, of course), there are many ways to go about slicing that (extremely local) banana.
This past Saturday, many headed to Monticello in Charlottesville for a Summer Fruit Tasting upon Mr. Jefferson’s hallowed garden grounds. Attendees received a short history, updated education, and mouthfuls of several of the species grown atop this famous hill.
Or, take the casual way out by making your way over to Chiles Peach Orchard in Crozet. The location is beautiful AND unusually flat for this region, making picking your own in the heat of the day much more bearable for both you and your family. Then, head on into the shop for some relief and local food fun. I ended up taking home two-dozen peach cider donuts and a block of peanut butter walnut fudge. (Silly me, I forgot the peaches!)
If somehow you dislike fruit altogether, then you can still acquire a taste of the summer goodness with a glass of Chateau Morrisette Winery’s Sweet Mountain Laurel. Believe it or not, this wine from the Floyd location tastes almost exactly like Concord grape juice— with a kick.
-Serena
Fruit! Eat, Drink, and Experience it This Summer
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, eat local, fruit, local foods, locavore, summer, virginia, wine
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Saturday, July 31st, 2010
…is growing to be a summer time favorite. I, of course, decided to try my first Pantheon Pop on one of the coolest Saturday morning’s we’ve had in months, but that didn’t stop my experience from being any more delicious. I have to admit that popsicles become a dietary staple for me in the summer, and I buy the all-natural 100% juice ones. However, local popsicles are a whole new game. We’ve recently added some local popsicle companies from across the country (like Atlanta’s King of Pops) to our database, but Charlottesville was yet to have its own – until this summer. Pantheon Popsicles prove that once again, everything tastes better local. The small, unassuming cart at Saturday mornings’ City Market has a long list of flavors, many made with local ingredients such as the watermelon (which I chose) and cantaloupe. If you want something a little more exotic, they have flavors like strawberry hibiscus,orange-mint, or some with coconut in it. Super frozen and all-natural, these pops are a healthy and insanely refreshing alternative to the joke-on-the-stick variety.
Pantheon's position at the City Market
The subtle color but amazing, refreshing taste of Pantheon's watermelon popsicle
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, desserts, eat local, farmers market, local foods, locavore, summer, virginia
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Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
My boyfriend loves Béquet Gourmet Caramels. Every time that we go to our local food shop, Feast!, he half-subconsciously grabs from their designated baskets before proceeding to check-out. (If you’ve ever thought about the oh-so-convenient placement of irresistibles right by cashiers, you know exactly what I’m writing about…) In any case, at far less than a dollar apiece and just a bite-size away, the haphazard candy buying is nothing to complain about. Especially when I started trying them myself and realized just how simply and deliciously addicting they were. Made in Montana, the soft chews come in one of ten flavors and brightly wrapped papers. My favorite? The Celtic Sea Salt. The ones I most wish Feast! carried? Salt-Chocolate and Black Licorice… Mmmmm My mouth is watering just thinking about them.
-Serena
Béquet’s Chewy and Pomegranate Caramels practically fall into place.
Tags: buy local, buy locale, candy, charlottesville, eat local, locavore, virginia
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Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
For those of you Charlottesvillians that live under the weight of proverbial rock-dom, let this be your enlightening: the Blue Ridge Eco Shop has moved Downtown! That’s right. If before, you only stopped by when getting groceries at Integral Yoga or fresh pasta from Mona Lisa, now’s your chance to walk in much more often. The environmentally conscious retail store now also has a much larger selection for you to choose from, whether your interest is in clothing, house wares, furniture, or goods to give as gifts. With that vivid (ahem: suffocating) summer air upon us, it’s high time to breeze around the Downtown Mall for some higher level shopping.
-Serena
Mountaintop Shopping Has Moved On Down
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, eco-friendly, shop local, virginia
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Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
The Charlottesville City Market—and most farmers markets, for that matter—is a magical place. Where else would be a one-stop-shop for locally made jewelry, award winning desserts, and unusual types of well raised meat? In thinking over my past few trips to the Saturday morning bazaar, I realized how strikingly bizarre my purchases had actually been. After one visit, I came home with a handmade necklace by Erin McDermott and some Sweet Italian lamb sausage links by Pair-a-dice Farm in Lunenburg, Virginia. A few weeks later, I was eating the “Best Key Lime Pie on the Planet,” courtesy of Free Union Produce & Gourmet Edibles. According to the pastry chef herself, said pie had won countless awards and had been deemed by many to very well be the best key lime pie ever. (To her credit, it’s true. Trust me.) Then, for dinner, I made beef liver from Poindexter Farm in Henrico County—bought that very same Saturday as the pie. Standard grocery stores may be known for their variety but in my opinion, shopping just doesn’t get any more high quality or quirky than at a small town market.
-Serena
This necklace made me picture beachy locations and tanned people…
At the lamb stand: meats and more.
Can you taste the crumbly, creamy goodness?
At the Poindexter Farm booth, a local chef was also purchasing meat.
Tags: american made, buy local, charlottesville, eat local, farmers market, handmade, jewelry, local foods, locavore, made in the USA, virginia
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Friday, April 30th, 2010
Can news from three weeks ago count as an oldie but goodie? For our purposes, let’s say that it can. On April 8th, the Charlottesville Daily Progress released a report that relayed the surrounding county’s endorsement of further local food sales. While farmer’s markets and supportive, family-owned retail stores have done quite well for area growers, zoning regulations have not helped. Until now, that is. With a unanimous vote in approval of allowing farmers to sell their goods outside of their own land boundaries, they can now set-up accessible stands on their own account. (If you’re wondering why that wasn’t allowed before, authorities claimed earlier that it would stand in the way of the scenic rural landscape— or something of that nature.) Victory for Central Virginia.
-Serena
Albemarle County has approved of roadside sales of locally grown produce.
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, eat local, local foods, locavore, virginia
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Monday, April 26th, 2010
Phenomenal. Enormous. Colossal. What would though terms evoke images of? How about eggs. Nah? Well, actually— yeah. The farm-fresh eggs from Broomfield Farm in Keene, Virginia are described with one mighty word alone: colossal. The massive adjective is scrawled in Sharpie across the clear, plastic compartments that contain the batches of six eggs at a time. I imagine that those extra-large eggs within were hand-gathered by Laura Dollard right before their Saturday showcasing at the Charlottesville City Market.
I’ll admit: when I took a half-dozen home with me, I felt a bit like the branding had been over done. That is, until I cracked two open to fry for a meal and saw how truly large they actually were. If you’re a local foodie in the Central Virginian area, I highly recommend heading over for a batch of your own this coming Saturday. As far as eggs go, they’re a pretty big deal.
-Serena
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, eat local, locavore, virginia
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Saturday, April 24th, 2010
My lovely friend, Meg Runion, sent me an email to let me know about an event she’s participating in that I’m absolutely giddy about. Meg is a fantastic photographer but she’s also a crafter, making fun, gorgeous frames. Meg will be selling her great frames at May 1st’s Craftacular at downtown Charlottesville’s OpenSpace. Featuring 12 wonderful area crafters, making everything from coasters (bycary’s creations are rockin’!) to jewelry, the event is going to be a fabulous place to buy Mother’s Day and graduation presents (as well as birthday gifts, cough cough, for me).
Sadly, my wallet is not looking forward to this event. Look for me, hands full of handmade goodies.
-Jess
Tags: buy local, charlottesville, Consumer Products, mother's day, virginia
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Monday, April 19th, 2010
- Root for the home team during Boston University’s Eco Olympics.
You’ve heard of the Olympics and the Special Olympics, but the Eco Olympics? That’s right. The Eco Olympics are here in full speed this week as its key players involve themselves with “Competing for Team Earth.” After all, it’s Earth Week. When would be a more opportune time to root for the home team? The Boston University-based concept materializes in a long list of events and at-home activities for the eco-minded. Go online to learn more about what’s going on in Massachusetts.
Though Forest Lakes, Virginia may not be on your map, its Farmers Market starts for the season on Wednesday, April 20th. From then through September, the Tuesday evening market will feature local produce, animal products, and home-baked goods.
When you put the Eco Olympics and the Farmers Market together, you (kind of, sort of) get the EcoMarket. In Charlottesville, Virginia on Thursday, April 22nd, a farmers market in celebration of Earth Week will occur right on Grounds at the University of Virginia. A second level of fusion will be the connection between the local community and the students of the University. As we know, one of the major purposes of acting locally is to engage with, learn from, and invest in those around us. This week, let’s fully make that mission our own.
-Serena
Tags: boston, buy local, charlottesville, eat local, eco-friendly, Environment, locavore, virginia
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