flavor magazine feb/mar 2010

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Labels 101

cultivating the capital foodshed

feb/mar 2010

5 Satisfying Seasonal Recipes

Farm-Fresh & Affordable Hip markets take food stamps

by Marian Burros

The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm

at NYC’s James Beard Foundation by Walter Nicholls

Your Homegrown Organic Grocer Since 1987

416 West Main StreetCharlottesv il le, VA

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Charlottesville’s Haven for the Food Lover

Valentine’s To Do List

pick up cheese from feast!

pick up salmon from Seafood @ West Main

purchase box of chocolates from Gearharts

confirm rose order with Hedge

make lunch reservation at Orzo

pick out Valentine’s cake from Albemarle Baking Co

consult an artisan butcher for romantic dinner recipes

reserve cooking class sessions at Seasonal Cook

call Mountain Lumber Co and place order -he’s going to

love his new floors!

pick up snazzy new outfit at Sustain

relax - coffee at Calvino Cafe

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Terroir, our drink section, starts on page 64.

columns36 Rebel with a Cause What We Can Learn from the Big Box Stores To really make a dent in the industrial food system, we have to make buying local food more convenient. joel salatin

56 Seasonal Table Adapting to Each Season This delicious late-winter menu combines pantry staples and seasonal produce. suzanne simon & bettina stern

44 Tales from the Field Firing Myself Note to self: You’re fired. michael clune

in every issue8 From the Publisher & the Editor

9 Letters from Readers & Eaters

62 The Guest List

80 Advertiser Directory & Recipe Index

features 24 Local, Handmade Sweets for Spring The Capital foodshed’s chocolatiers and artisanal candymakers create beautiful, decadent offerings that are perfect for Valentine’s Day and Easter.

30 Good Food? Or Just Good Marketing? Labels should give you an idea of how your food was raised, but do they? brie cadman

46 Vouchers for Veggies Many assume local food is just for the affluent. But advocates are working to make sure the neediest among us can shop at farmers markets, too. marian burros

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departments12 Local Grazings Happenings on the Foodie Front From kombucha to co-ops, from scones to sauces, we’ve got news for you. And Green Grazings, too, because it’s not just about food. amber davis

26 Flavor Café Claire’s at the Depot Warrenton’s old train station hosts Claire Lamborne’s celebrated restaurant, where regional bounty is always on the menu. abby harper slate

38 Flavor Café The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm This restaurant doesn’t just buy from local farms. It actually sits on a working farm. And the chef is getting national attention. walter nicholls

21 Artisans & Entrepreneurs Winning Over Hearts and Minds One Baguette at a Time When Gerry Newman opened Albemarle Baking Company, the local food movement was still just a twinkle in Charlottesville’s eye. grace reynolds

52 In the Food Desert Planting Gardens, Growing Communities Tricycle Gardens is transforming the urban landscape and making it possible for Richmonders to grow their own food. tammy purcell

Cover photo taken by Molly McDonald Peterson at MOM’s Organic Market in Frederick, Maryland.

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8 flavor magazine • feb./mar. 2010

EDITOR

Jennifer Conrad Seidel ART DIRECTOR

Nora Monroe

photographer Molly McDonald Peterson

editorial assistant Amber Davis

proofreader Laura Merricks

ADVISORY BOARD

Matt Benson, Marian Burros, KeriAn Dodson, Sherri Fickel, Stephanie Giles,

Michel Heitstuman, Sandy Huckstep, Kevin Kraditor, Jim Law, Bernie Prince,

Maggie Rogers, John Fox Sullivan, Chad Zakaib

PUBLISHER

Melissa J. Harris

advertising director Erica Gentile-Hussar

account executives Wendy Gray &

Molly P. Hannon

assistant to the publisher Kali Kosene

graphic designer Anna Curtis

circulation & distribution manager

Christopher Harris

circulation & distribution assistants

Lauran Booth & Shepherd Booth

CHIEF INVESTMENT & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

OFFICER

Lynn Sullivan

Join us on Facebook! Find a link at flavormags.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS & ADVERTISING

A one-year, six-issue subscription is $32.

Send subscription and advertising inquiries to

Flavor Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 100

Sperryville, VA 22740voice (540) 987-9299 fax (540) 518-9190

[email protected]

Copyright ©2010 by Flavor Magazine, Inc. All rights re-

served. Reproduction without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Flavor is not responsible for unsolicited

manuscripts and photographs.

Flavor IS An InDEPEnDEnT, BIMOnTHLy PuBLICATIOn

CREATED In VIRGInIA AnD IS nOT AFFILIATED WITH Any nATIOnALLy FRAnCHISED

PuBLICATIOnS.

from the publisher & the editorWe are grateful for readers like you who are passionate about local food and sustainable agriculture. We acknowledge and celebrate that the local food movement is made up of people with diverse perspectives: Flavor’s readers include vegetarians and hunters, gourmet-restaurant patrons and off-the-grid homesteaders, hip foodies and traditional home cooks.

Flavor currently has two regular columnists: Joel Salatin and Michael Clune. Columns are like opinion pages, where writers express their (some-times) unpopular views. Columnists speak for themselves; they are not the “voice” of Flavor.

When we started the magazine, we invited Joel to be a columnist knowing that he is outspoken and often controversial. (Indeed, he describes himself as a Christian-libertarian-environmentalist-capitalist-farmer!) We do not agree with him on every issue, but we respect the role he has played in our region’s local food community and appreciate that his writing provokes discussion among both fans and foes that strengthens the sustainable agriculture movement.

Our publishing Joel’s anti-easement column (“Rebel with a Cause: Beware Those Sincere Conservation Easements,” Dec./Jan. 2010) was not a statement of Flavor’s anti-easement stance any more than our publishing an article on Mount Vernon Farm in Sperryville in our first issue (available online) was a statement of Flavor’s pro-easement stance. Flavor has not taken a stance on easements at all. In fact, The Farm at Sunnyside, where our other columnist works, is very happy with its easement.

Joel often collaborates with people and organizations that hold positions different than his own. I (Jennifer) once heard Joel criticize easements at an event sponsored by the very pro-easement Piedmont Environmental Council. And I’m certain that among the thousands of visitors to Polyface Farms are some who disagree with Joel’s theology or his politics. But they are drawn nonetheless to Joel’s vision of pasture-based, multi-species farming.

Some readers feel they can no longer support Flavor. Yet we continue to hold out the hope that members of the local food community will agree to disagree on some issues even as they work together to celebrate and support the farmers, chefs, winemakers, and small-business owners in the Capital foodshed.

A SLICE OF HUMBLE PIEUnfortunately, the Dec./Jan. issue went to press with two mistakes on the cover (Marion should be Marian and D.C. should have a second period) and three incorrect page numbers on the table of contents. We regret these errors.

Melissa J. Harris publisher

Jennifer Conrad Seidel editor

ISSuE nO. 9

9www.flavormags.com

letters from readers & eatersSome of our readers disagreed strongly with Joel Salatin’s column in our Dec./Jan. 2010 issue (“Rebel with a Cause: Beware Those Sincere Conservation Easements”). Below are several letters we received as well as Joel’s response to those letters. Please also see our response on page 8. We invite readers to continue this discussion online at flavormags.com, where there is also a link to the article “Accountable Omnivores” (Summer 2008) which describes the successful easement at Mount Vernon Farm.

i am sorry that your dec./jan. 2010 issue did not carry another view about conservation easements to balance the one expressed by Joel Salatin. The fact is that 20.6 percent of all private land in Rappahannock County is now protected by conservation easements, including many working farms owned by multigenerational families, none of which—so far as I know—have encountered the sorts of problems feared by Mr. Salatin.

My wife and I donated a conservation ease-ment on our part of this family property in 1977 and then later bought from my brother a tract that was also easement-protected. A few years ago, for family reasons, we merged the two easements. In the process, we gave up a superfluous devel-

opment right and sold the resulting tax credit (at $0.75 on the dollar) to someone who could use it. This allowed us to put $100,000 in the bank—a way of getting cash out of our land without hav-ing to sell any of it.

This same issue of Flavor included an article about Biniek and Hoffman’s Belle Meade Farm [“Putting Their Eggs in Many Different Bas-kets”]. Unfortunately, the author did not men-tion Biniek and Hoffman’s 2006 easement gift protecting 130.6 acres. In addition, several of the Rappahannock County farms that advertise in your magazine are easement-protected. It is too bad that Flavor is now on record with an anti-easement article.

Bob Dennis, Flint Hill, VA

i am responding to a recent article in flavor written by Joel Salatin about conservation ease-ments in Virginia. When I first heard that an article on conservation easements was to appear in your magazine, I was delighted; too many peo-ple have not heard of this program. Those who have heard often are not familiar with the details and do not fully appreciate the importance of conservation easements for the future of produc-tive private farm and forest lands in Virginia. Mr.

Salatin obviously falls into the second category. Even worse, he misled readers by cherry-picking and misconstruing information about easements.

When my wife and I placed our land into an easement, we were strongly encouraged by both Virginia Outdoors Foundation and Valley Con-servation Council to keep our farm in some form of productive land management, utilizing good land-stewardship guidelines. In addition, we are fortunate to live in a neighborhood of farms, many of which enjoy the positive benefits of conservation easements. Most easement holders with whom I am familiar have productive farms involved in a wide array of agricultural and for-estry commodities. Not one easement donor in our neighborhood plans to create a “wilderness” out of their easement.

I am sorry you chose to publish such inac-curate and maligned information about such an

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important topic. Productive farm and forest lands are disappearing at an alarming rate in Virginia. This article does a disservice to voluntary efforts to conserve the open lands we have left. We and several of my neighbors now have a different taste for Flavor.

Mike Pelton, Middlebrook, VA

i am bewildered by joel salatin’s article. i hope you will solicit clarifications from someone from Virginia Outdoors Foundation [VOF] and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program [CREP]. In my experience, the donor of the ease-ment (that is, the landowner) makes the rules that apply to the property, in consultation with the easement-holding organization. I never heard of a land trust requiring that no structures could be built, unless that is what the landowner wanted. (Joel says you cannot build even a doghouse on easement land!) When we donated our easement to VOF, we, the landowners, specified what types of structures could be built on the property as part of the easement. With regard to CREP, I thought the easement applied only to the riparian buffer area, not the entire farm area. I wonder if the farm he is talking about has both CREP and some oth-er kind of easement.

Regarding CREP fencing, I have seen many

CREP fences that curve around in the landscape with the topography, whereas Joel says “the gov-ernment-built fences, with their straight lines and square corners, assault the topography.” I can’t figure out why he wants to say that.

I hope you have an informed person explain more accurately these matters in a future issue of the magazine.

Beverly Hunter, Amissville, VA

the points joel made in his article on conservation are very challenging for people to hear but couldn’t be more accurate. It’s challenging to hear because there are many folks who have put a great deal of thought, time, and effort into the design and execution of these conservation strategies. I have encountered both the CREP projects and the conservation easements he mentions in the article. We actually implemented two CREP proj-ects on our land in Rockbridge County and the result was in fact a very nice, very expensive fence along the creek and a water system for the cattle that became inoperable within two years, if that.

My comment would be this: Like most govern-ment programs where you are spending someone else’s (taxpayers’) money, you have less incentive to extract value from the dollars spent. A few years ago, the U.S. government, Ducks Unlimited, and several other well-intentioned organizations that I generally respect and appreciate paid for us to plant 1,500 trees along the creek—during the worst drought in 10 years. Because the format of the program requires everything be done within 12 months, we had to plant them at that time and, needless to say, they are all dead. Why did we utilize the program if it was so bad? Because we were lazy and the government offered to build a big, free fence. So why not?

Since that time we have started a rotational grazing program on our 300 acres of pasture, and after looking at government programs we instead installed a water system ourselves that brings wa-ter to every two-acre paddock on our farm. And as Joel mentioned, when designing our water system, we were unable to build ponds along our creek because it remains under the CREP con-tract. As both a CREP customer and a taxpayer, I can say this program falls victim to the problem that so many other government programs do: too much funding and ineffective implementation/metrics, which results in success being measured

11www.flavormags.com

by how many checks they write and how many fences they build.

The other program Joel mentions is conser-vation easements that place land under certain restrictions, mostly pertaining to building and in-frastructure development; in return the land own-er receives a tax credit for the amount by which the land value is reduced. I also speak from ex-perience here as my family has considered such a program on our land. I believe, however, that this program is a step in exactly the wrong direction. If we are afraid that our land is going to become developed into a subdivision or Walmart, the so-lution is exactly not to try to put up blind barriers to development and further decrease land value. Instead we must figure out a way for landown-ers and the broader community to place a higher value on land used for things other than strip malls. We do that by creating value-added busi-nesses on those lands that enhance rather than destroy the natural beauty. Although there have been some very successful works of conservation by the government in the past (the national parks come to mind), I am certain that I do not want to place the fate of our land in its possession, which is what these easements do by placing them under contract with the government. These contracts are no better than the government that upholds

them, and that government is no better than its people. If we ourselves can’t wriggle from the grip of indiscriminate consumerism that causes urban sprawl and the destruction of wild spaces, then there is no chance that these contracts will protect farms. I support Joel in suggesting that we instead create value-added enterprises on these lands that have imbedded in their business model the pro-tection and preservation of nature.

Joshua Grizzle, Lexington, VA

joel salatin responds—The reason my article used personal experiences

with easements and easement holders is because I am not a lawyer and I don’t spend a lot of time pouring over heady documents. I actually make a full-time living from real farming, and my experiences reflect a boots-on-the-ground reality.

Many times, things are not as easy as they seem. I wonder how many of these irritated respondents have tried to place an imbedded farm-scale poultry processing facility on their farms, or build an on-farm retail store, or graze pigs in their woodlands, or build a commercial kitchen to create value-added farm products. How about building housing for farm workers?

While I’m sure many people have had a positive experience so far, I dared to explain my own encoun-

ters with these agreements that often restrict Polyface-style innovation. You can say that I don’t understand or that I am dealing with poorly worded agreements, but my actual experiences show clearly that easement writers and property owners often can’t imagine what 21st-century localized food systems will look like. Farms will not look anything like they do today, and we are defining landscapes with frozen “forever” terminology. Forever is a long time.

As for topographically sensitive fences, I haven’t seen a CREP fence yet that adhered to my principle of land-appreciative fencing. I suspect the defender has never visited our farm and seen what crooked fences really look like. That I would be vilified for encouraging people to be careful is quite shocking indeed.

Finally, I deeply appreciate Flavor’s courage to let this discussion happen. Less-intrepid editors would pursue a more acceptable ideological myopia. To as-sume that easements are the only, or even the best, way to preserve farmland is to erect sacred cows and limit creativity. Reading widely, and even reading disagreeable things, is the way to awareness. So if these easement lovers think Flavor has gone to the dark side, they should at least continue reading the magazine to see what shenanigans the dark side con-templates next.

May lively discussions ensue.


Happenings on the Foodie FrontAmber Davis

t After marrying a Brit and living in London for two years, Lisa Procter decided to bring a little English heritage to Charlottesville, Virginia, when she returned by opening up a boutique bakery in her home named after a beloved dessert from across the pond—Queen of Puddings. She currently produces seven scone mixes, each made using unbleached flour, high-quality chocolate and spices, and an assortment of preservative-free dried fruit, such as cranberries, blueberries, and raisins. Each mix is individually hand-packaged and shipped from her state-inspected kitchen using 100 percent recyclable boxes and biodegradable packaging materials. Procter also provides baked scones for events and special occasions.

Queen of Puddings www.queenofpuddings.com

u While working as a pastry chef in Rappahannock County, Virginia, Brooke Parkhurst was constantly plagued by the same problem: Her gluten allergy

prevented her from tasting the concoctions she made every day. Determined to provide gluten-intolerant dessert-lovers like herself with a viable alternative,

Parkhurst established Triple Oak Bakery, an entirely gluten- and peanut-free facility. Today, Parkhurst operates this full-service bakery in Sperryville, where

she produces a wide variety of cakes, pastries, and breads, among other assorted goods, made from fresh, local ingredients. Parkhurst also regularly offers gluten-

free cooking classes as well as gluten-free living consultations.

Triple Oak Bakery (540) 987-9122, www.tripleoakbakery.com

Eat Like Royalty

Not many regional farms can produce both nationally recognized cheese and award-winning goats, but Cherry Glen Farm holds medals in both categories. Owner Diane Kirsch and partner Wayne Cullen maintain a 58-acre farm in Boyds, Maryland, where they raise a champion stock of Toggenburg and Alpine dairy goats as well as produce artisanal and 100 percent farm-based chèvre, ricotta, and five varieties of French-style goat cheese. The farmstead cheeses have captured national attention: Their goat cheese Monocacy Ash won a Bronze Medal at the 2009 United States Championship Cheese Contest. Cherry Glen’s cheeses are available in both retail stores and farmers markets throughout D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. The farm will be hosting a wine and cheese pairing class at Black Ankle Vineyard in Mt. Airy, Maryland, on March 13.

Cherry Glen Farm (888) 414-4628, www.cherryglengoatcheese.comBlack Ankle Vineyard (301) 829-3338, www.blackankle.com

Got [Goat] Cheese?

One of the nation’s premier manufacturers of organic bottled tea, Honest Tea, which is based in Bethesda, Maryland, has expanded its product line this year to include its newest blend, Honest Kombucha. Available in three low-sugar flavors—berry hibiscus, lemon ginger, and peach mango—the tea is brewed using a combination of black or green tea, live and active cultures, and organic cane sugar. Kombucha’s origins can

be traced back to China and Russia, where it was called the “elixir of life” due to its ability to aid digestive processes and strengthen the immune system. Last month, the company launched the Honest Kombucha in Whole Foods stores throughout the country. Honest Tea currently offers five signature tea blends, all certified organic.

Honest Tea (301) 652-3556, www.honesttea.com

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local grazings

{ On February 20, Rooting D.C. will host its annual urban gardening event at the Historical Society of Washington. The organization’s mission is to foster relationships between members of the D.C. gardening community and to educate participants about the district’s food issues and local food-based initiatives. Entirely organized by a team of volunteers and community members, the free event offers various workshops, roundtable discussions, and urban gardening lectures on topics ranging from food security to individual crop best practices. The event will also feature an extensive nonprofit community fair. Rooting D.C. is a project of the America the Beautiful Fund, a national nonprofit that seeks to protect our country’s natural environment.

Rooting D.C. www.rootingdc.org

The sixth-annual Forum for Rural Innovation will be held on Friday, March 19, in Winchester, Virginia. The forum

showcases the ways that farmers in the mid-Atlantic region are incorporating innovative farming methods to enhance

profitability without damaging the region’s natural resources. Forum topics will include trends in specialty crops, social

networking, and detailed processes for marketing meat and processed foods. The event will also include a conference

luncheon, featuring both local products and agricultural exhibits by neighboring businesses. The registration fee is $35

per person, and preregistration is required before March 12.

Forum for Rural Innovation (703) 777-0426, www.loudounfarms.org

Food producers, investors, and institutional consumers are invited to attend Meeting the Demand: Growing Markets for Sustainable Meat and Dairy, a food conference addressing the future benefits and challenges involved in growing local and regional food markets. The conference will take place on Wednesday, March 3, at the Pew Center in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and co-sponsored by Calvert Investments, the Consumers Union, and the Social Investment Forum, the event will bring together food-safety scientists and agricultural sustainability experts for the purposes of exploring issues such as safely sourcing local products, building food distribution networks, and investing in sustainable food markets.

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q Founded in 2007, the Byrd House Farmers Market in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the first farmers markets in the region with direct ties to a social service organization, the William Byrd Community House, which seeks to create

educational and professional opportunities for disadvantaged children and families in the region. Not only does the market provide fresh, local food options for residents of one of Richmond’s largest food deserts, but it also seeks to educate the community by providing gardening

and cooking classes in conjunction with the Grace Arents Free Library and Community Garden. The market also maintains the community garden for students at neighboring schools. Byrd House Market is open every Tuesday afternoon and evening in Oregon Hill at Idlewood and Linden Streets (behind the Hollywood Cemetery).

Byrd House Farmers Market byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

y Since 1994, the Freight Station Farmers Market in Winchester, Virginia has remained operational all year long. The market is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m. from January to April, and on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from May to

December. The market offers visitors a range

of high-quality locally grown and seasonal fruits,

vegetables, meat, and dairy products. Farms and

vendors participating in the winter include Mayfair

Farm, Briars Farmstead, Heirloom Kitchen, Spriggs Delight Farm, Holy Cow Delivery,

and Liz Handcrafted Soaps.

Don’t wait until summer to visit the farmers market!

Many markets are open now, including these: VIRGINIA Alexandria • Arlington • Clarendon • Columbia Pike

Dayton • Del Ray • Fairfax • Falls Church • Fredericksburg Harrisonburg • Hillsville • Leesburg • Lynchburg • Nellysford

Oakton • Orange • Purcellville • Richmond WASHINGTON, D.C. Dupont Circle • Eastern Market

Palisades • RFK Stadium MARYLAND Bethesda • Frederick • Kensington

Silver Spring • Takoma Park

Always in Season


The new Rappahannock Natural Foods Cooperative, which is owned by its member-farmers, is hoping to

serve as a one-stop shop for customers in and around Washington, D.C., when it opens this spring. Working

with farmers and food producers in and around Rappahannock County, the co-op will stock items like

local meat, poultry, eggs, produce, and fruit at its store in Sperryville, Virginia, and it will have inventory available

for purchase online. Customers who order online may have purchases delivered to them, or they can pick them

up from several drop-off points on a weekly basis.

Rappahannock Natural Foods Cooperative (540) 987-9699, www.rnf.coop

All Under One Roof

After pursuing diverse career paths, brothers Mike and Nick Lampros joined forces in 2005 with a specific goal in mind: to produce the best, all-natural marinades, salsas, and vinaigrettes on the market as the owners of Gunther’s Gourmet Groceries, based in Richmond, Virginia. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Mike began experimenting with different flavor combinations when not at his day job, which led to the creation of his first quality

dressing—an orange balsamic vinaigrette and marinade. Nick, a lawyer, joined Mike, and the two mapped out a preservative- and chemical-free product list that has grown to include 11 fat-free salsas and three flavorful marinades. The company’s products, which have earned 43 national awards since 2007, can be purchased online and at gourmet retail stores across 24 states.

Gunther’s Gourmet (804) 240-1796, www.gunthersgourmet.com

Dressing for Success

For over 18 years, Susan Hager has helped establish gardens and landscape homes and businesses through her design business Artemisia’s Garden in Virginia’s Piedmont region. Starting this summer, she will be sharing her knowledge with the community through a number of specialized workshops hosted in her enclosed kitchen garden and on her 20-acre farm property. The workshops feature hands-on training and lectures from area gardening professionals on topics such as

beekeeping, small fruit culture and preparation, and extending the harvest. Class sizes will be kept small to provide a better learning environment, and each session includes a gourmet lunch.

Artemisia’s Garden www.artemisiasgarden.com

Want a Green Thumb?

local grazings


local grazings

The White House’s organic garden was the topic of the cover article in our Aug./Sept. 2009 issue (“A Provocative Kitchen Garden”). In January, produce from the garden was the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America in a contest that pitted Mario Batali and Emeril Lagasse against Bobby Flay and White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford. The footage from the garden was taken a week before the cook-off, however, so the vegetables picked from the garden were donated to a soup kitchen and the same ingredients from another source were used by the chefs. The scandalized media used terms like “stunt

double vegetables” and “veggie controversy” in its coverage during what must have been a slow news cycle.

In our Oct./Nov. 2009 issue, Marian Burros wrote about falling fluid milk prices and struggling dairy farmers (“Got Dairy Farmers?”). In October, Congress designated $290 million to help temporarily alleviate the crisis. One-time payments to struggling dairy farmers, based on each operation’s 2009 production, will be disbursed through the USDA’s Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment program.

After recognizing the need for a new, coordinated approach to address the future of Virginia’s local and regional food systems during the 2007 Food Security Summit, the University of Virginia’s Institute for Environmental Negotiation and Virginia Cooperative Extension worked to establish the Virginia Food System Council. The council’s mission is to expand and strengthen local food systems statewide, to educate the community about the benefits of sustainable food for its

economy and well-being, and to make policy recommendations and implement strategies for improving the accessibility of healthy, nutritious foods to all Virginians. The council includes representatives from 25 diverse organizations representing Virginia’s agricultural growers and producers, food system stakeholders, and health and environmental officials.

Virginia Food System Council (540) 432-6029

The Future of the Food System

The Second Course Following Up on Articles from Previous Issues

"A cause for celebration!"- Tom Sietsema, Washington Post

692 Federal Street | Paris, VA 20130 | 540.592.3900 www.AshbyInn.com

The Ashby Inn & Restaurant's new innkeepers, Neal and Star Wavra, invite you to experience

the farm fare of Chef Tarver King.

Serving lunch Wednesday to Saturday, with brunch on Sunday. Dinner is o�ered Wednesday to Sunday. Please visit out website for sample menus and restaurant hours.

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Our composting methods are compliant with USDA NOP regulations for use by

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Caren Wilson is an experienced liscensed master esthetician with a holistic philosophy. She focuses on the medical aspect of skin care and corrective makeup, offering real solutions

for appearance enhancement.

Culpeper, Virginiawww.makeupserenity.com

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Did you make a New Year’s resolution to purge your belongings? Since 2003, Frank and Linden Coyne have made a business of removing others’ junk as the founders of Junk in the Trunk Removal Services, a green trash and recycling business located in Washington, D.C. The first green-certified trash company in the nation, Junk in the Trunk offers a number of environmentally friendly services to its customers. Its trash collectors separate recyclable products from junk using special “ecovery” boxes, and donate them to charities, thrift stores, and nonprofit groups through their Gone For Good partner network.

A former D.C. schoolteacher, Linden spearheaded many of the company’s environmental initiatives, including their new “Share-a-Load” program, which offers a 10 percent discount to neighbors who combine their junk together for pick-up.

Junk in the Trunk (877) 548-8669, www.jitt.com

From its coffee, cinnamon, and clove-scented City Slicker scrub to its insect-repelling citronella- and

pennyroyal-based Tree Hugger soap, Amanda Welch’s company—Grubby Girl—sells a wide

variety of creatively named, hand-crafted cleaning products infused with signature ingredients to match any personality. Her hand-milled soaps, moisturizing oil rubs, exfoliating bath scrubs,

nourishing bath salts, and soothing beeswax lip balm are made from the herbs and honey grown in the fields and in the beehives of the company’s

Meeting House Farm site in Louisa County, Virginia. Available for purchase online and at select retail shops, Grubby Girl wares will be

showcased during Sugarleaf Vineyard’s Discover Artisans in the Winery event on Valentine’s Day weekend and at this year’s Charlottesville City

Market starting in April.

Grubby Girl (540) 270-5229, www.grubbygirl.com Sugarleaf Vineyards (434) 984-4272,

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Scrub-a-Dub Grub



local grazingsgreen grazings

Every day, Vicky Veliky witnesses the ways in which interacting with animals and nature enriches lives through her Edenbrook Farm Therapy Program. From children with special needs to veterans who need

a calming influence in their lives, visitors reconnect to the land through lessons using farm animals, agriculture, and conservation. For each participant, Veliky develops an individualized program that could

include equine lessons with her Norwegian Fjords, walking a llama, handling chickens, or tending to a garden—all on her 57-acre Keswick farm. In the spring, Veliky will be offering horse-and-buggy driving

lessons and will be building an elaborate “sensory” garden. The farm is open by appointment year-round, and a full list of programs and workshops can be found online.

Edenbrook Farm Therapy Program (434) 531-5005, www.edenbrookfarm.org

The Cure for Nature-Deficit Disorder

Since 2005, the online marketplace Etsy has provided a platform for designers, artists,

and craft enthusiasts to market their unique goods and services. The site’s original

founders wanted to help artists make a living doing what they loved, so they designed a site where artists create and manage their

own virtual stores to sell everything from art to clothes. With the “Shop Local” feature, customers can see the variety of products

made near them by enterprising artists and entrepreneurs (like Richmond’s Wee Market Seed Co., pictured).

Etsy’s Shop Local feature www.etsy.com/shop_local.php

The Green Building Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Jessup, Maryland, offers a wide variety of green technology courses for the business community and the general public. In 2009, the institute offered courses to introduce residents, businesses, and professionals in and around the metro D.C. area to environmental landscaping, green tax incentives, solar energy, and green home renovations. Operating out of the Enviro-Center, a green executive office complex, the institute also leases office space for businesses interested in relocating to an environmentally sound workplace.

Green Building Institute www.greenbuildinginstitute.org

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Albemarle Baking Company, started almost 15 years ago by baker Gerry newman,

helped launch Charlottesville’s slow food renaissance.

Winning Over Hearts and Minds One Baguette at a Time

Grace Reynolds

Photos by Laura Merricks

artisans & entrepreneurs

It all started when someone said a pie would be too dif-ficult to pull off for a dinner party. Gerry Newman was in his early 20s, living near Palm Springs, California, where, “if you’re young and not rich, there’s only so much

you can do” for entertainment. He and his friends resorted to throwing parties that everyone would cook for, and so began his love affair with baking.

It turned out making pies wasn’t so tough for him after all (not to mention that “girls seemed to like it, so that was kind of cool”). “It wasn’t something I had always wanted to do. I thought the hours were brutal,” quips Newman. “I still think the hours are brutal.” Nevertheless, in 1981, Newman found himself apprenticing with a Swiss master baker for four years, learning firsthand what a baker does in those horrible hours.

Transplanted to the East CoastAfter moving on from his apprenticeship, Newman worked in various bakeries and pastry shops in Northern California, where he met his wife, Millie Carson, a native Virginian then working for a wine broker. They moved back east in 1990, and


he took a job as assistant pastry chef at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia. He went from working in small-scale artisan operations to the mammoth kitchen at the landmark Southern resort. “Suddenly we were doing plated desserts, chocolates, sugar work.” Living in the small town of Covington—an experience that Newman and his co-workers likened to the TV series North-ern Exposure—was another major shock to the West Coast native.

A year later, Charlottesville beckoned in the form of a job as executive pastry chef at the Boar’s Head Inn, where he honed his skills for another four years. In 1995, with young children and a desire to venture out on his own, Newman and Carson founded Albemarle Baking Company, originally located just off Charlot-tesville’s then-desolate downtown mall.

The bakery was the first tenant in the recently built York Place, a new shopping and dining complex that was a part of the mall’s “second coming.” The mall at that time was a bleak shadow of the bustling district it is today: Vacant storefronts were the norm and, according to Newman, “Downtown rolled up at 5 o’clock.”

Part of Charlottesville’s AwakeningNewman and Carson weren’t the only brave souls who believed in the revitalization of downtown Charlottesville. “We were part of a whole bunch of people coming in at the same time,” Newman points out. “We were all lucky to have bankers and businesspeo-ple around who wanted to see changes downtown.” The original Mudhouse coffee shop opened around the same time, and Sylvia’s Pizza (now Christian’s) and Hamilton’s restaurant shortly thereaf-ter. These two establishments still serve as pillars of the business community on the pedestrian-only mall.

When they opened the doors almost 15 years ago, they weren’t sure how shoppers would like their classic European breads. They had to work to prove that they and their products were reliable. Newman remembers the big snowstorm of 1995, coming soon after they opened their doors, and the shoppers who were looking to stock up on staples before the weather turned. “Everybody was looking for bread downtown, and Woolworth’s was still next door to us then,” he recalls. Customers in Woolworth’s were telling people the bread from the new bakery was “crusty,” but they gave shoppers this advice: “Don’t worry—microwave it for a minute and that crust’ll go right away.”

Many restaurants weren’t willing to buy bread from Albemarle Baking until they were convinced the bakery was here to stay. The store opened in December, and the opening weekend of the farmers market the following May proved helpful in convinc-ing the locals. “We were right across from the farmers market,” Newman marvels. “We hadn’t even considered our location. That was huge.” To their disbelief, bread flew off the shelves faster than they could pull it out of the oven. Newman and Carson began to realize that they were part of a movement of people who wanted to shop for fresh, local food all in one place.

Keeping It Simple The growing market for local, fresh, quality foods was a major factor in the growth of Albemarle Baking Company, and in May 2001, they secured a spot in the newly renovated Main Street Market, where their operation is today. The building is

an anchor in the Charlottesville local food community, bringing vendors of high-quality artisan bread, fresh fish, great cheese, fine wine, and many more of life’s necessities under one roof.

Newman’s business keeps different hours than the other locally owned stores in the Main Street Market, though. He opens his doors at 7 a.m., and while the bakery closes at 6 p.m. (or 5 p.m. on Saturdays), he now has staff there baking until 8 p.m. Another shift begins again at midnight. The long hours and hard work of a baker pay off in the quality of the product, however.

“It’s mostly very simple bread, with three or four ingredi-ents,” says Newman. “The simpler it is, the easier it is to take the process for granted. But the recipe is not very forgiving. Our customers can appreciate the craft involved.” All his breads and his Danish croissants are made using a long-fermentation process, involving an initial fermentation of 6 to 12 hours and a second one in which the dough rises twice—once for 2 to 3 hours and again for another 2 to 12 hours, depending on the type of bread. The purpose of this long, painstaking process is to try to get fermentation of the wheat rather than the yeast gas, giving it a characteristic nutty taste. “So that would be the difference between us and say, a quick-rise yeast dough,” Newman explains, “which of course has its place, too.”

That place isn’t in Newman’s lineup, however, and Charlot-tesville foodies don’t seem to mind. For three days of the week, production of baguettes, his biggest seller, is up to 500 loaves a day, and for the second half of the week it reaches 800 daily. The majority of the bread and baked goods is sold retail right out of the bakery, although diners are likely to find Albemarle Baking bread in local restaurants. Out-of-town restaurants like Bowl of Good in Harrisonburg prefer it, too.

Bread isn’t the only thing in the oven. Muffins, scones, cakes, all types of pastry, and even granola are made here—not to men-tion custom wedding cakes by pastry chef Riki Tanabe that also

“It wasn’t something I had always wanted to

do. I thought the hours were brutal.

I still think the hours are brutal.—owner-baker Gerry Newman


artisans & entrepreneurs

in the Main Street Market416 West Main St., Charlottesvillewww.feastvirginia.com(434) 244-7800

S a v o r W i n t e r ’ s c o m f o r t s S a v o r W i n t e r ’ s c o m f o r t s w h i l e y o u a n t i c i p a t e w h i l e y o u a n t i c i p a t e

S p r i n g ’ s p o s s i b i l i t i e s .S p r i n g ’ s p o s s i b i l i t i e s .

just in: everything fonduefondueenticing Valentine’s menus and sweets

new favorite: house-made new favorite: house-made

smoked salmonsmoked salmon spread

last chance for VacherinVacherin cheese cheese

new new lunch offerings

everything for the Easter table: everything for the Easter table:

farm eggseggs from happy birds,

tender tender local veggies,

Spring’s fi rst Spring’s fi rst goat cheeses,

delicious delicious sweets and treats

ENHANCED

bring fame to Albemarle Baking. Tanabe and Newman took part in the biannual National Bread and Pastry Championship in 2006—a two-day, 14-hour competition in which two-person teams (composed of a baker and a pastry chef) create several items. The pair won for best bread, best viennoiserie, and best entremet and took third place overall.

Drawing from Local SourcesNewman supports other local food producers, getting as many of the ingredients as possible from nearby producers like Polyface Farms (eggs, bacon), Double H Farms (various produce), Critzer Family Farm (potatoes, tomatoes), Radical Roots Farm (basil), and a North Carolina flour mill (organic flour). “We also try to feature stuff in the showcase that’s in season,” Newman says.

Berries could have been a popular addition to the pastries in the showcase this past holiday season, but Newman chose not to import them in the off-season. “We could charge more to offset the cost of bringing these in off-season, but the longer I’m in business, the more uncomfortable I am with doing that.”

He may be a transplant from the West Coast, but Newman has captured the essence of what Charlottesville craves. Reflecting on the almost 15 years the bakery has been open, he says, “The demographic of Charlottesville has changed a lot since we’ve been open.” But those changes have meant more loyal customers. “It’s hard work, and solitary work,” he adds, “but to have people tell us how much they appreciate us—it really means a lot.”

Judging from the bakery’s success, you’d be hard-pressed today to find any crust-averse customers microwaving Newman’s bread to soften the crust.

Grace Reynolds is a Virginia native who has worked in and around the Virginia food and wine industry for two decades.

Albemarle Baking Company418 W. Main St., Charlottesville, VA(434) 293-6456www.albemarlebakingco.com

Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat., 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Find Gerry Newman’s family recipe for chocolate scones

at flavormags.com.


Local, Handmade Sweets

for spring

Photos by Molly McDonald Peterson

Edible Chocolate Heart Filled with Truffles, $67.95 Cocoa Mill, Lexington, VA

(800) 421-6220 • www.cocoamill.com

Crystalized Ginger Hearts (13 Pc.), $15.00 Chocolaterie Wanders, Manassas, VA

(866) 792-6337 • www.chocolateriewanders.com

Chocolate Easter Bunnies, $3.25 & $7.00 Chocolate Carrot, $3.95

ACKC, Washington, D.C. & Alexandria, VA (202) 387-2626 & (703) 635-7917 • www.thecocoagallery.com

Dark Chocolate Ganache (4 Pc.), $7.00 Pandora Chocolatier, Charlottesville, VA

www.pandorachocolatier.com


Honey Brittles (Orange Cashew, Extra Toasty Peanut) Dark Chocolate Bars (Coconut Cashew Crunch, Almond Toffee Crunch)

Incomparable Nonpareils, $10.00 ea. C-ville Candy Company, Charlottesville, VA

(434) 962-4284 • www.cvillecandy.com

Hazelnut and Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bark, $5.50 Coco Nibs and Cranberries White Chocolate Bark, $5.50

Dark Chocolate Bar with Hearts, $2.00 Chocolate Cravings, Richmond, VA

(804) 363-6873 • www.choccravings.com

Assortment of Fine Chocolates (16 Pc.), $23.00 Gearharts, Charlottesville, VA

(434) 972-9100 • www.gearhartschocolates.com

Almond Toffee with Dark Chocolate, $10.00 Front Porch Mix, $6.50

Red Rocker Candy, Troy, VA (434) 589-3649 • www.redrockercandy.com

Marzipan Bunny, $12.00 Chocolaterie Wanders, Manassas, VA

(866) 792-6337 • www.chocolateriewanders.com


A s you approach the front of Claire’s at the Depot, you might expect to find groups of anxious travelers wait-ing for the next train out of Warrenton. Occupying the

town’s original train station, the restaurant has maintained the charming aesthetic of the Warrenton Junction. Purchased and renovated in 2004 by owner and executive chef Claire Lam-borne, the building has both historic charm and a freshness reflective of its owner’s style.

Inside there is a crisp yet comfortable feel. Modern touches blend with the distinctive features of the train station. Dark wood accentuates bright white walls and high ceilings. The sta-tion’s wooden ticket window rests in an interior dining room wall, and just outside on a short line of track sits a weathered red caboose. A working fireplace warms diners in cool months and a patio, which adjoins seasonal flower gardens and fountain pools, gets use in warmer days.

The restaurant’s old-meets-new approach is a reflection of its executive chef, who stands on her many years of experience even as she embraces new trends and ingredients. She interacts with her customers with the grace and affection of someone who has been in the crazy-making restaurant world forever, yet it’s clear that she loves her craft as if it were brand new.

For the Love of FoodLamborne learned to cook early. One of seven children, she had plenty of opportunities and an appreciative audience. She

reflected on her transition from home-style cook to restaura-teur and joked, “I went from Betty Crocker to gourmet.” She affectionately refers to her cookbooks as if they were old friends. “My New York Times cookbook is practically falling apart, but I still love it.”

After college, she became a teacher in Fairfax County but eventually left that job to pursue her real passion. After gradu-ating from L’Academie de Cuisine in Maryland in 1981, she sharpened her culinary skills in restaurant kitchens in San Francisco and the Caribbean. She opened her first restaurant in Charlottesville, Virginia—a mostly vegetarian venue called Martha’s Café. From there she started Claire’s Catering in War-renton in 1992, where she established a far-reaching reputation as a creative gourmet chef with a passion for excellence.

Experienced but FreshGiven her vast, diverse background in the restaurant busi-ness, one might expect a tried-and-true predictability in her planning. Yet Lamborne prides herself on changing menus whenever she feels like it. The restaurant’s website includes this disclaimer: “Because our chef is creative, our menu is subject to change without notice.”

With both skill and whimsy, she brings together flavors from the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the American South. Known for her fabulous seafood dishes, her menu features many new twists on old favorites. Diners who order oysters in a corn-

Claire’s at the DepotAbby Harper Slate


Executive chef Claire Lamborne serves local ingredients without pretension in an unique setting.


meal crust with fresh herbs and garnishes from Claire’s personal garden will taste four different kinds of basil, vibrant peppers, and exquisite edible flowers. Lamborne also has a fondness for vegetarian creations like ravioli made with sun-dried toma-toes and mascarpone cheese, which she might serve alongside roasted butternut squash and coconut curried vegetables.

Lamborne’s career has spanned several decades, but even her understandable been-there-done-that attitude doesn’t prevent her from changing with the times. She has both a hunger to explore new culinary territory and a desire to keep up with current market trends and economic conditions. “I want to con-tinue to offer more and more local products but keep my prices reasonable,” she explained. “I don’t want my restaurant to be a place where people only come on special occasions.”

Going Local: Earth and SeaThe restaurant’s roster of local farms and wineries is long and growing, and its connection to farmers isn’t limited to deliver-ies through the kitchen. Gabriella Whipple of Whipple Farm in Rixeyville—which specializes in heirloom produce grown biodynamically—is both a vendor and an employee: She works part-time as a hostess at Claire’s. The restaurant also buys lamb from Retreat Farms in Rapidan, eggs from Cottage Hill Farm in Warrenton, and in-season produce from a variety of local farmers. Other ingredients are brought in from Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, Greg Price of Warrenton, Heirloom Edibles in

“I want to continue to offer more and more

local products but keep my prices reasonable.”—owner-chef Claire Lamborne

flavor café

Claire’s Chicken Curry

Executive chef Claire Lamborne serves this over basmati rice with raisins, peanuts, coconut, mango chutney, a tomato-cucumber raita, and puri (an unleavened flatbread). “I’ve been making this recipe for over 30 years,” she says. “It makes a fabulous, simple party dish.” She also notes that it can be easily adapted for veg-etarians: Simply replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and add seasonal vegetables and grilled tofu instead of chicken.

Yield: About 2 quartsServes 6 to 8.

¼ pound unsalted butter (1 stick) 1 large yellow onion, ½-inch dice 1½ teaspoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger ½ cup flour 2 teaspoons curry powder ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon cayenne ½ teaspoon turmeric 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon white pepper ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper ½ teaspoon fennel seeds ¼ teaspoon garam masala 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup coconut milk 3 cups chicken stock 2 to 3 pounds organic chicken, cooked, meat pulled from bone In a medium brazier or Dutch oven, melt butter with onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and all spices and cook, stirring, for another 4 minutes.

Add stock, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, until com-bined. Add chicken and heat through. Serve.

ENHANCEDFor a version of Claire’s Chicken Curry that feeds 25 to 30 guests,

visit flavormags.com.


The best pies around—better than Mom’s!The best pies around—better than Mom’s!

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Claire’s at the Depot

65 South Third Street, Warrenton, VA(540) 351-1616www.clairesrestaurant.comLunch: Tues.–Fri., 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Tues.–Thurs., 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Brunch: Sun., 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Orlean, Maple Hill Farm in Castleton, New Frontier Bison in Madison, Virginia Green Grocer in Warrenton, and Walnut Hill Farm in Falmouth. Its wine list includes local wines from Naked Mountain, Gray Ghost, Glen Manor, and Jefferson Vineyards.

Lamborne’s commitment to the local food system goes beyond buying produce in the prolific summer months. She serves in-season East Coast fish and worries about the larger environmental impact of importing meat from other countries. “I stay away from anything too exotic,” she noted. “I don’t want to contribute to the carbon footprint.” She’s particularly interested in sustainable aquaculture and buys her salmon from True North in Maine, a fishery that starts salmon in farms and

finishes them in the ocean. Her oysters and scallops are wild-caught in season.

She celebrates the increas-ing demand for local food and hopes this demand will bring with it increased affordability. With a sense of humor, she reflects on the changes she’s seen in her own

career as a chef. “I once imported asparagus from Peru for a New Year’s Eve party! Can you believe that?”

Abby Harper Slate is a freelance writer and co-owner of The Fresh Link, a food-distribution company based in Locust Dale specializing in delivering local produce to D.C.-area restaurants. She lives on her own farm in Rapidan, Virginia.

Our Point of View...

Grand OpeningMarch 27th

11:00am- 3:00pmTasting Room Open: Friday-Sunday 11am-5pm

phone: 540.592.7210 --------2187 Winchester Road --------Delaplane, Virginia 20144--------www.delaplanecellars.com

flavor café


When is an egg not an egg? When it’s cage-free, organic, vegetarian-fed, and free-range. Confused? So are many health- and eco-conscious consumers, who

face a dizzying array of descriptors and disclaimers at the supermarket. The labels are meant to help shoppers wade through the murky world of agriculture, but in many ways, they’ve left us more perplexed than ever.

Marketers know that consumers will pay more for sustainably raised food, but they also know there is little oversight into many of their claims. So while some labels are helpful, others are deceptive. The phrase “free-range” might conjure images of chickens peck-ing away in a bucolic pasture, but in reality, those chickens might never range beyond a concrete pad.

So how do well-intentioned shoppers get what they pay for? One way is to look for certified labels, which mean the producers’ claims are audited by a third party before being approved by the certifying organization.

USDA Organic While the USDA Organic label may not guarantee that your milk or spinach comes from a small-scale producer (think Horizon milk or Earthbound Farm greens), it does mean that the food meets certain standards and is verified by the government.

To be labeled organic, crops can’t use synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, or sewage sludge, and they can’t be irradiated. The USDA Organic label does not guarantee that the product is free of genetically engineered ingredients, however.

In organic meat and dairy production, animals must have organic vegetarian feed (no animal by-products) and access to outdoors or pasture. The label ensures that the animals received no hormones or antibiotics, which are usually used at confined agriculture farming operations (CAFOs) to treat animals living under stressful conditions. No meat from cloned animals carries the USDA Organic label. Some products you’ll find in the store carry state-affiliated organic labels, such as Oregon Tilth. All such products have met the federal standards.

You may find farmers at your local farmers market who say they use organic practices but are not certified because of the costs involved. One organization, Certified Naturally Grown, offers an alternative certification for farms like these. It claims to follow the USDA standards, although it is not accredited by the government.

Vegetarian-FedThis label, which appears on meat and dairy products, indicates that the animals ate a diet free from animal by-products. However, it does not necessarily mean animals were pasture-raised. Cows in CAFOs that are fed corn (which is not part of their natural diet) can still earn this label. Unless the label specifies the diet was “100 percent vegetarian,” it’s possible the animal has been fed animal

Good Food? Or Just Good Marketing?

Even for eco-savvy eaters, wading through supermarket jargon can be a daunting task.

Here’s a breakdown of what some popular agriculture-related terms mean— and what they don’t.

Brie Cadman Photo by Molly McDonald Peterson


protein. (As was exposed during the mad cow outbreak, this protein—made from “rendered livestock,” sometimes of the same species—includes but isn’t limited to meat, bone, and blood.) The USDA does not monitor or regulate the “vegetar-ian-fed” label.

Grass-FedGrass-fed or forage-fed meat is a designation verified by the Department of Agriculture guaranteeing that the diet of ruminant animals (cows, sheep, goats) comes from annual and perennial grasses, legumes, or other cereal grain crops in a pre-grain state. Animals must have access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, silage, and other crop residue without grain may be used.

No Added Hormones & RBGH-FreeRBGH-free labeling indicates cows were not given recom-binant Bovine Growth Hormone, a synthetic hormone used to increase milk production. Hormones are also used in beef cattle to increase growth, so look for the words “no hormones administered” to ensure these exogenous products weren’t used. However, “hormone-free” can be misleading. The USDA does not allow hormones in pig and poultry production, so if you see this label on a chicken breast or pork chop, it’s empty advertising.

Free-Range & Free-RoamingThe USDA approves free-range claims for poultry if the pro-ducer allows the birds continuous access to the outside for over 51 percent of their lives. However, there’s no regulation to

Some cattle producers feel that the USDA label isn’t strin-gent enough because it allows food other than grass and doesn’t require grazing. They pursue certification from The American Grassfed Association instead, which verifies the meat it certifies with a third-party inspection. Its label means that the animal ate only grass, had required pasturetime, and wasn’t given anti-biotics or hormones.

Without Antibiotics & No Antibiotics AddedMeat or poultry can carry the phrase “no antibiotics added” if the producers demonstrate that they raised the animals without antibiotics. Many producers use antibiotics at sub-therapeutic levels to speed growth and prevent disease. But even if the drugs are used to treat a disease, the animal can no longer be labeled antibiotic-free (or organic). The label, however, says little about the animals’ living conditions or what they were fed.

monitor whether the birds actually go outside (access is enough) or what constitutes “outside” (a concrete pad?). The USDA also only regulates the term free-range for poultry meat, not for egg-laying hens, pigs, or cattle.

Cage-Free & Pasture-RaisedCage-free term means poultry was raised without cages, but it doesn’t say much about anything else. They could still be living indoors in cramped quarters with thousands of other birds.

Pasture-raised is arguably a more useful term than cage-free or free-range, since it indicates the animals actually spent time outside on a pasture. It also means animals were able to eat grass and forage. Because this requires more space than raising ani-mals indoors, it’s usually done on smaller-scale farms. Currently, the USDA has no standards for this label.

NAtURAl?According to the USDA, a product containing no artificial

ingredients, colors, and minimal processing can be labeled “natural.” Natural doesn’t tell the consumer anything about an

animal’s living conditions, whether antibiotics or hormones were used, or what it ate. The label is essentially meaningless

for eggs, since they are always unprocessed.

FReSH?“Fresh” is a widely used term that the USDA does not define or regulate for meat and dairy products. For poultry, produc-ers can only use the term if the meat never went below 26 F. If it was kept at 0 F, it must be labeled “frozen” or “previously

frozen.” Between 0 and 26 F? No labeling requirements. Fresh doesn’t say how long it’s been at a certain temperature or give

any indication of how long it’s been on the shelf.

Our Farmers’ Pledge:

No Artificial

Growth

Hormones


Know the story behind your food.

Subscribe to Flavor!540.987.9299f lavormags.com6 issues (1 year) for $32

Please also join us for a reading and book signing honoring the life of celebrated New York Times journalist R. W. “Johnny” Apple

and featuring Rappahannock wines and the cheeses of Cowgirl Creamery2:00 to 4:00 at R. H. Ballard Art, Rug & Home, 307 Main Street, Washington, VA

Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R. W. Apple, Jr.Special guest Betsey Apple will be joined by

food and wine experts Marian Burros, Bill Plante, and Clark WolfR. H. Ballard Art, Rug & Home • (540) 675-1411 • www.rhballard.com

*image here*

Tickets and information: www.flavormags.com • [email protected] • (540) 987-9299

≠ wine auction Æ

≠ foods from Rappahannock County Æ

≠ entertainment by comedian Mark Russell Æ

≠ specially selected Virginia wines judged by a panel of wine experts Æ

Todd Thasher • Partner, Sommelier & Mixologist at Restaurant Eve Derek Brown • Co-owner, The Passenger & Columbia Room

Gina Cherevani • Mixtress & Sommelier at PS 7Andrew Meyers • Sommelier at City Zen

Scott Calvert • Sommelier at The Inn at Little WashingtonBill Plante • CBS White House correspondent, wine collector and afficionado

John Fox Sullivan • Publisher at Large, Atlantic Media CompanyMelissa Harris • Publisher & Founder of Flavor Magazine

At The Meadows in Washington, VA, the historic home of Beverly and John Fox SullivanSaturday, April 24 ≠ 6:30 p.m. Æ $75 per person

Invites You to a Benefit for The Rappahannock Food Pantry


Certified Humane, Animal Welfare Approved & American Humane CertifiedGroups like the Humane Society are mainly concerned with animal welfare, but their labeling encompasses health and environmental concerns, too. They all do third-party, volun-tary auditing and require animals to be treated humanely. This generally means no cages, no overcrowding, prohibited use of antibiotics and hormones, and sufficient bedding materials. But specific requirements vary widely, so it’s good to check with the particular organization. (It goes without saying that many

No-GMOs You’re not likely to purchase genetically modified (GMO) pro-duce at a supermarket, though there’s an easy way to tell if you do. All conventionally grown produce gets a four-digit price lookup (PLU) code—the number on those annoying little stick-ers. Organic produce has a five-digit number, beginning with a nine. Genetically modified produce has a five-digit number, but it begins with an eight. So a conventionally grown zucchini would have the PLU 4067, an organic one would have 94067, and a GMO would have 84067.

vegetarians would say no animal can be raised for slaughter humanely.)

Wild-CaughtIt may seem obvious that wild-caught fish would be prefer-able to farm-raised fish, but it really depends on the species. It’s true that some aquaculture farms raise fish in an environ-mentally responsible manner and help deter overfishing, but others release pollutants and non-native species into oceans. For instance, Seafood Watch, a national program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, suggests farm-raised mussels, but wild-caught Pacific sardines. Seafood Watch has downloadable pocket cards that identify the greenest seafood choices by region and nation-ally (available at the Monterey Bay Aquarium website).

Sustainably CaughtThis broad term usually refers to fishing methods that are less damaging to the environment than others. For instance, trawls and netting often result in large amounts of bycatch, and dredg-ing can damage the ocean floor. Alternatively, methods like trolling or pole fishing result in much less bycatch. The Marine Stewardship Council certifies ocean fisheries that use sustain-able practices and seafood products that can be traced back to sustainable fisheries.

More importantly, keep an eye open for non-GMO labels on the store shelves. According to some sources, GMOs are in almost 80 percent of processed foods, although they carry no label. The only third-party verified label in North America cur-rently is the Non-GMO Project.

A good rule of thumb is that the more prevalent the label, the less stringent the requirements. If industrial agriculture has adopted a term (e.g., cage-free), the label probably does not mean what you hope it means.

Of course, the best place to purchase food is still from a farmers market or straight from the farm. This way, instead of relying on ambiguous labels, you can ask the producer directly about animals’ feed and living conditions.

Better yet, take a trip to the farm to see for yourself. Is it a place you wouldn’t mind spending a couple of hours? If it is, chances are you’ll like the food and the philosophy. And you won’t need to label it anything but good.

A native of Northern California, Brie Cadman is a freelance writer currently living in Charlottesville.

Marketers know that consumers will pay more for sustainably raised food,

but they also know there is little oversight into many of their claims.


Traditional Spanish FoodOpen Monday - Saturday

5:30pm-2:00am

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rebel with a cause

As wonderful as farmers markets and CSAs

are, I don’t think they will ever yield the

kind of marketplace penetration needed to

fundamentally change our food system.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m an ardent supporter of farmers markets and community supported agriculture (CSA).

Direct-marketing models linking farmers to buyers are as varied as entrepreneurial ingenuity. Generally, I’m in favor of anything other than nameless, faceless, opaque industrial food–based super-markets.

But I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to move this heritage-based food movement beyond 1 percent market penetration. Our nearest farmers market, founded nearly 20 years ago, has not yet had cumulative sales in its entire history equal to our farm’s gross sales in one year. I’m not bragging—I’m just pointing out how tiny the local food network is. So what’s holding it back?

I think we need to appreciate the secret of supermarkets’ success. When we compare their features to those of farmers markets and CSAs, I think we can begin to see why truly local food is not pur-chased more widely. And perhaps rather than start more farmers markets, we need to channel our efforts elsewhere.

Farmers markets are destination places. Normally, customers have to make a special trip within a narrow window of time to patron-ize them. CSAs require that consumers plan ahead, take produce they may not like, and drive out to a pickup place. And seldom do either of these venues offer a complete menu: They typically lack dairy, meat, poultry, and processed items like noodles, soups, and heat-n-eat convenience foods. And both of these venues require additional trips (read: precious time away from the farm) for farm-ers to attend the venue.

Compare that to a Kroger or Giant store. They are open 24/7 so shoppers can shop at their convenience. They have a huge diversity of both raw and processed product, including dairy and meat. Farmers don’t have to make a special trip to take their wares there because their products enter the food system from central-ized pickup points, whether it be a grain elevator, livestock sale barn, or processing facility. In the case of processors like Tyson and Smithfield, farmers under contract don’t have to go anywhere because the company comes and picks up the chickens or hogs. And the store’s cashiers are always busy, which helps justify the overhead spent on them.

Why can’t we take these basic supermarket features and re-create them on a local level? What would such a model look like? First, it would be on a main drag, located preferably next to Walmart

or in the retail commercial district where people go all the time anyway to shop. The hours would be extended enough to catch people when they are already out and about—going to and coming home from work, volleyball, and ballet practice. Customers could pop in and shop conveniently.

Farmers could come by with their wares when they are already out and about running errands. The ideal venue would have a commercial kitchen with a diner on one end so patrons could enjoy a meal. The kitchen would be used to create processed foods, from noodles to heavy soups, utilizing raw items from the store no longer at the peak of freshness. Pot pies and frozen pizzas would offer opportunities to salvage food before it spoils, creating an in-house safety net for the farmers’ items.

The whole idea here is to scale down and create proximity in all the food components that currently occupy mammoth single-use or single-item processing plants around the country. A community-scaled processing facility like the one I just described should be able to handle many different items, not just green beans. That leverages the stainless steel, walk-in coolers, and staff expertise

What We Can Learn from the Big Box Stores m

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I am an advocate for farmers markets and CSAs. But if we really want the masses to “buy local,” do we need to consider another model?

Joel Salatin


across several food items. This way even a small processing facility can be as efficient overall as a huge single-item plant doing just green beans or tomato soup.

One of the biggest expenses in specialty stores is staffing the cash registers, so cashiers need to stay busy. In this new model, the cash register would service the locally supplied market as well as the diner—similar to Cracker Barrel’s store-and-restaurant concept—so it would stay busy with the multiple sales streams. And the diversity in real-time purchasing allows customers to cherry-pick, buying only what they want.

Put them together and offer real-time diversified buying options to customers. The one-stop shop model works. We just need to figure out what a truly transparent, localized one-stop shop looks like.

Once we figure that out, heritage-based food can penetrate much farther and deeper into the marketplace. As wonderful as farm-ers markets and CSAs are—and as crucial as it is that consumers have the opportunity to meet the people growing their food—I don’t think they will ever yield the kind of marketplace penetra-tion needed to fundamentally change our food system. We have to make it easier for people to buy local, not harder. The future can’t be the limited options of either extreme: farmers markets and CSAs or Walmart.

Of course, the other conundrum related to further market pen-etration is how successful “integrity food” operations get sucked

into the industrial system, like when Walmart calls and wants your product. Is Walmart really where integrity food should go? Is there something about that arrangement that actually compromises integrity food? I don’t have answers for all these questions, but I am passionate about trying to localize, to increase transparency. As discussed in the film Food, Inc., whether or not Stonyfield has compromised since its products were picked up by Walmart is subject to debate. But why should Virginians eat Stonyfield yogurt bought at Walmart? Why can’t folks in Virginia eat Virginia-made yogurt that comes from Virginia-raised grass-fed cows—bought at convenient, locally operated stores?

I’m sure some of my friends who are die-hard farmers market sup-porters are ready to string me up at this point, but I have tried several of those market venues over the years and found them frustrating for a lot of reasons. Yes, farmers markets will be here for a long time. But a lot of folks don’t want to pay a bunch of different vendors, and they enjoy a bit more shopping anonymity.

Being able to dash into a store that’s on your way home from soccer practice, fill up a cart with the specific locally produced and processed items you want, and pay for it all at a single cash register—now that’s an idea that should be explored.

Internationally acclaimed conference speaker and author Joel Salatin and his family operate Polyface Farms in Augusta County near Staunton, Virginia. He is also co-owner of T&E Meats in Harrisonburg.


In the late 1990s, organic farmer Beverly Morton Billand had what she calls “my crazy idea.” She took the otherwise farmers market–bound vegetables and herbs, grown on her 25-year-old, 40-acre farm in Lovettsville, Virginia, and

launched the quintessential farm-to-table experience. “At the time, I knew of no one in this country doing such a thing,” says Billand. “We were a first.”

A Setting Like No OtherIn a tent outside her kitchen door, on a gorgeous, fertile bluff over the Potomac River in western Loudoun County, Billand opened The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm. She served not only the bounty from her own fields, but also foods sourced from regional farmers who shared her vision for sustainable agriculture. This eco-pioneer didn’t stop there.

Along the way, and in order to bring as many people as pos-sible to Patowmack, Billand started an on-farm retail market for value-added products, such as dilly beans, salsas, and pesto. Farm tours, cooking classes, and wine dinner partnerships with local vineyards brought more and more people up the steep drive, where visitors can see the vistas of three states—West Vir-

ginia, Maryland, and Virginia—in the distance even as the farm that produces the ingredients in their dinner is at their feet.

Guests continue to come in every season to what is now a permanent, 110-seat glass conservatory for a sensory nirvana. Eagles soar overhead, trains whistle in the distance, and modern American cuisine bursts with just-picked flavor and aroma.

A Few Steps from Farm to ForkJust rewards for more than a decade of hard work came on Janu-ary 22, when the Patowmack crew, including executive chef Christopher Edwards, traveled to the James Beard Foundation in New York City for a farm-to-table dinner executed by Edwards. On the five-course menu were two of his signature dishes: a delicate cannelloni of Cherry Glen goat cheese with roasted beets and aged balsamic vinegar as well as an earthy, hay-smoked potato gnocchi with potato-skin consommé. Edwards took Vir-ginia wines to the New York dinner, including Fabbioli Cellars 2007 Chambourcin, Corcoran Vineyards 2008 Viognier, and Sunset Hills Vineyard 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc.

“For me, after all this time—this recognizes our passion for organic and seasonal cuisine,” says Billand. “For Chris, it’s an

The Restaurant at Patowmack FarmWalter nicholls

Photographs by Molly McDonald Peterson

Beverly Morton Billand is the Capital foodshed’s ultimate, farm-to-table pioneer, and chef Christopher Edwards brings what she grows to the plate.

flavor café

This recent small-plate offering at The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm is made from roasted baby turnips, Edwards Surryano ham, whole-grain mustard, and microgreens (above). The restaurant was founded by Beverly Morton Billand (right).


flavor caféflavor café

Goat Cheese Crêpes with Herb Salad

At the restaurant, I use Cherry Glen chèvre, made in Boyds, Maryland. For an alternative presentation, serve the stuffed crêpe whole instead of in thirds. —chef Christopher Edwards Serves 4.For the crêpes 1 cup flour 1 cup whole milk ¾ cup water 2 ounces butter, melted 4 eggs Salt Spray pan coating

Mix the first five ingredients in a blender, seasoning with salt to taste. Set batter aside.

Heat a 6-inch nonstick pan over medium to high heat and spray a thin layer of pan coating on pan. Ladle in just enough batter to thinly coat the bottom of pan. Cook until crêpe releases and can be flipped easily. Flip crêpe and cook until it achieves the desired golden color. Makes approximately 35 crêpes. Refrigerate extra crêpe batter and use it the following day, or freeze extra crêpes in a resealable freezer bag.

Filling and assembling ¾ cup goat cheese (see note) ¼ cup frisée lettuce, only the tender white and yellow hearts, picked into smaller pieces ½ cup mixed herbs including tarragon leaves, picked; chives, cut into ½-inch pieces; dill, picked; and basil leaves, picked ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 4 crêpes (recipe above) 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

Using an electric mixer with a paddle (or with a whisk or spatula by hand), mix goat cheese until it is softened and slightly creamy.

Lightly dress frisée and mixed herbs with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Divide softened cheese among the 4 crêpes and roll into nicely shaped tubes. Carefully cut each crêpe into thirds and place the pieces cut-side up on a plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes. Top the pieces attractively with the herb salad. Drizzle each plate with balsamic vinegar and serve.

opportunity to be recognized as a top chef.”Edwards’s credentials come from a rarified rung of restaurants

here and abroad. Edwards, who came to Patowmack in early 2009, trained as an apprentice at the acclaimed and cutting-edge molecular gastronomy temple Restaurant El Bulli in Roses, Spain. From there, he joined noted chef Fabio Trabocchi at the now-shuttered Maestro in McLean, Virginia, and later went with Trabocchi to Fiamma in New York. “From El Bulli, I took away a love of woodland foraging for select ingredients, like the discovery of a wealth of Patowmack’s wild purple nettle, which has a sweet, minty flavor,” says Edwards. Come late April, he will take to the hills in search of morel mushrooms.

Seasonally at Patowmack, nine cultivated acres produce dozens of kinds of herbs and vegetables, including 30 kinds of tomatoes, 20 kinds of peppers, basketfuls of asparagus, assorted berries, and eggs from a flock of free-range chickens. Successive plantings, where crops mature at staggered dates, provide a steady flow of string beans, eggplant, and melons. With a new hoop house in place for winter crops, delicate salad greens are available all year. Garden predators are a problem, but this food show must go on. “We plant enough for everybody—the deer, rabbits, and groundhogs,” jokes Billand.

For grass-fed Angus beef, the chef relies on Hedgeapple Farm, based in Buckeystown, Maryland. The pork, veal, and chickens

Executive chef Chris Edwards welcomes diners to the conservatory. According to the res-taurant’s website, the property takes its name (PAT-o-mack) from the American Indians known to have lived in the area and from George Washington’s trading company.


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are heritage breeds, coming from Ayrshire Farm in Virginia’s Upperville. “For meats, that covers my bases,” he says.

Well Worth the Effort This year’s plans call for the May opening of an on-site bakery specializing in gluten- and dairy-free cakes, pies, and breads. Says Billand, “We want to draw even more people to the farm.” With outreach in mind and with a nod to first lady Michelle

Obama, Patowmack wants to work with local schools on a garden-to-lunchroom project. Billand says students will learn the how-to of the hoe and also gain cooking and proper diet knowledge.

The push for more activity at Patowmack is not only a move to guarantee the farm’s sustainability, but also a response to recessionary spending cutbacks on the part of guests. A luxury for many, Edwards’s five-course prix fixe dinner is $85 per

Edwards and his sous chefs prepare Rappahannock clams in escabeche for guests at the James Beard Foundation in New York City (left). Edwards, who brought all of his ingredients up from Maryland and Virginia, greets guests before the dinner (above).

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person, without wine, tax, and tip. Recently, an à la carte menu was added, and on Thursdays diners can choose from an assortment of small plates and classic cocktails.

Still, Billand says she is “having a great time” growing Patowmack, all the while supporting local small businesses, farmers, and community organizations. Her challenge is to continually alert the world that her farm-based restaurant is unique and that guests will find the travel effort and expense well worth it. “Could we have more people? Yes,” she says. “But we’re a destination restaurant. People have to think about coming here.”

Walter Nicholls is a former staff reporter for the Washington Post. A native Washingtonian, he has written about farms, food markets, and restaurants for 21 years. He resides in both the Georgetown section of Washington and on an historic homestead in Rappahannock County, Virginia.


42461 Lovettsville Rd., Lovettsville, VA(540) 822-9017www.patowmackfarm.comDinner: Thurs.–Sat., 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Brunch: Sat.–Sun., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Visitors can see the vistas of three states—

West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia—

in the distance even as the farm that produces the

ingredients in their dinner is at their feet.

Find a recipe for Edwards’ Potato Gnocchi at flavormags.com.

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tales from the field

I will be the first to admit that my reading just isn’t what it used to be. It’s not just

that I have to hold all written material past the length of my arm to recognize it. It’s also that I haven’t been taking the time to aggressively read materials pertinent to the importance of—and the rising trends in—local agriculture and stewardship. Call me lazy or just burned out, but it’s fairly appar-ent that my customers, many of whom are avid readers and moviegoers, are more informed than I am when it comes to the latest articles posted in print or online. As a result, I fail miserably when it comes to defining some of the important terminol-ogy used to identify agricultural practices.

At a market a couple of months ago, I was pointedly asked whether The Farm at Sunnyside was sustainable. I confidently answered that the farm was under con-servation easement, described our current efforts in planting native grasses and trees to rehabilitate non-production areas, and explained the rigors of organic certifica-tion. I was met with a quizzical look and

a shrug of the shoulders, and the conver-sation came to an abrupt end. Somewhat disturbed by the reaction I received, I decided to do some research when I returned to the mountains so I would be more prepared for such a question in the future. I had barely started reading when I realized that I had committed, to steal a phrase from my kids, an epic fail.

Simply put, agricultural sustainability is the stewardship of natural and human resources so that future generations do not pay for our current production efforts. Farmers measure sustainability in their agricultural operations by evaluat-ing environmental health, social equity, and economic viability. Being just a little obsessive-compulsive, I decided to make my own list and see how incredibly suc-cessful we were in our efforts.

The first part was easy.

Environmental health? We’re organic, we’re implementing an ecological resto-ration, and we constantly monitor the soil

and water. Check.

Social equity? We participate in two conservation groups, work with area farmers to promote agricultural coop-eration and success, and (with the excep-tion of some rather off-handed com-ments I made at a Christmas party) are viewed positively by our community. Check.

Economic viability?

Let’s see. I think that means making money. That’s easy. Just let me pull up a copy of the profit and loss statement. . . . Crash and burn.

Over the last couple years, I have gone into Washington, D.C., to proudly sell

all the fantastic fruits, vegetables, and eggs we have raised. In the course of these visits, I heard from several of my envious city-locked customers who desire to live the life I lead—working in harmony with Mother Nature to grow nutritious food in a beauti-ful setting. I enjoyed telling my stories of bears and deer and broken equipment. My customers became my friends, privy to our team’s endeavors as we worked valiantly to bring quality products to our CSA members and farmers markets.

One thing that we farmers find dismay-ing when we go to market—something that is also exceptionally important in this rant—is customers’ complaints about the prices of our farm-raised products. I find it funny that people want a quality, local product that has been raised in a respon-sible fashion, yet they balk because they regard the price as too high. I understand that our lives may seem more idyllic than most. (Maybe you imagine that we prance around the fields, singing with the birds as we plant seeds.) But we are a business and therefore are subject to the same costs as any other business. When fuel prices rise, we get nervous. When seed costs go up, we panic. When the transmission of the only tractor that fits the tiller and the transplanter slips its last gear, it’s freak-out time. This old adage is so applicable to farming: In order to make money, you need money.

So there I sat, Farm Director of the Cen-tury, looking at a spreadsheet that proved

Firing Myself Michael Clune

Sustainability is not just about land stewardship.

mo

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ald peters

on


The Rappahannock Natural Foods Cooperative is a true farmers coop. We offer you the conve-nience of a one stop market for all your natural and local meat, eggs, produce, fruit and other farm products from Rappahannock’s best farms. Order from our web-site or from our local Farm Store (coming soon) in the River District in Sperryville. We deliver weekly to the Washington DC area.

[email protected]: 540-987-9699WWW.RNF.COOP

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Environmental health? Check.

Social equity? Check.

Economic viability? Um.

our farm, at present, is not economically viable and therefore not sustainable. Over the last two years, I have gone to great lengths to lower fuel use, better use workers’ time, and reduce unnecessary spending as we implemented a new man-agement system and transitioned to having new owners. But in preparing for 2010, I had to face the realization that our biggest single expense is a staffing structure that is not feasible: It takes up a percentage of the budget that may be possible in other businesses but is unheard of in agricultural enterprises. Though I juggled positions around to form some semblance of long-term economic success, I saw there was only one viable option: a staff restructuring that necessitated giving myself the axe.

Trust me, I shed a few tears when I fired myself. Using my best managerial skills, I gently delivered the bad news and made sure to highlight my positive contributions over the last two years. I also reassured myself that someone would happily hire a burned out paramedic-firefighter-farmer-bear chaser to add character to their business.

I am leaving because The Farm at Sun-nyside must be economically sustainable, not just ecologically sustainable. We have made a commitment to feed our commu-nity and must honor that commitment.

When farms that are not protected by conservation easements face economic failure, they become easy prey to money-hungry developers seeking to erect just one more strip mall or condo complex. I hope you understand how important you, our customers, are to protecting our com-bined futures.

Please support your local farmers.

Agricultural gypsy Michael Clune is committed to narrowing the divide between local farmers and their customers.

[Michael will continue to contribute to Flavor as his new adventures allow.—Editor]


VouchersVeggiesfo

r

Marian Burros


Helping food stamp recipients shop at farmers markets near and far.

W ith names like Boston Bounty Bucks, Fresh Checks, and Double Dollars, programs at a few farmers markets across the country—including some in the Capital foodshed—offer economi-

cally vulnerable people a deal they cannot refuse: as much as $20 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables for $10.

Double-voucher incentive programs are beginning to take off across the country with help from private foundations, local governments, and now even the federal government.

Just for Yuppies?Just in the nick of time. As farmers markets spring up nationwide—there were 5,274 last year, double the number in 2000—the buzz that poor people cannot afford to shop at them grows louder.

Those who run the markets don’t deny it. “We know some-times the food is not as affordable,” said Bernadine Prince, co-director of the nine FreshFarm Markets in metropolitan Washington. “The whole idea of Double Dollars has made food more affordable. We hope the people will come and get fresh food and make it a habit.”

“Double vouchers are exploding,” said Gus Schumacher, a former commissioner of agriculture in Massachusetts and an undersecretary of agriculture in the Clinton administration who has been involved in making farmers markets accessible to low-income shoppers since 1986, a plan that also gets more money

into the hands of small farmers.The double vouchers are available to anyone on food stamps,

now known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Pro-gram), and to anyone who participates in the supplemental food program for women, infants, and children at nutritional risk (WIC). It is the latest effort to get people with limited incomes to shop at farmers markets. There are already programs that provide additional vouchers for fruits and vegetables to seniors eligible for food stamps and to WIC participants.

The biggest mover

in the double-voucher program is

the Wholesome Wave Foundation.

sarah gilbert


Twice as NiceThe first market in the Capital food-shed to offer double vouchers—and also one of the first in the country—was the Crossroads Farm-ers Market on the border of Takoma Park and Langley Park, Maryland.

According to Michelle Dudley, Crossroads’ execu-tive director, the market began to offer double vouch-ers in 2007. By

2009, it was offering $10 for the first visit and $5 each visit. The program was so successful that it ran out of the money it had received from the city of Takoma Park and private foundations, so it had to continue raising additional money on a weekly basis in order to continue the project. “In June and July, our numbers were up over 300 percent because of the coupons,” said Dudley, “but we couldn’t keep up, and in August we offered only $3. Fewer and fewer people came. It was a huge deterrent.”

Dudley said the market also surveyed its customers. “People told us they wouldn’t be coming to the market if it weren’t for those benefits. They also said they can taste the difference. Senior citizens in particular express gratitude on a weekly basis.”

Market by MarketAll too often, people eligible for these programs are not aware of them: Generally there has not been enough outreach from the farmers markets or from local government agencies publicizing their availability.

Just as the locavore movement began small and scattered, double vouchers are making their way on to the national scene slowly, market by market. Helping the poor shop at farmers markets is a recent phenomenon and there are still a number of barriers.

In Charlottesville, Virginia, for example, the city refused to sign the necessary government papers in 2009, so double vouch-ers won’t be available until later this year.

But there are problems at every level. Unlike grocery stores, which have been doing business with food stamp recipients for years, it was only five years ago that farmers markets began accepting food stamps, and even today, not all of them do: It’s up to each individual market whether it will buy the equipment necessary to accept them.

Technologically ChallengedEBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) systems, now used in place of paper food stamps, are dependent on wireless technology

equipment. A food-assistance recipient must swipe what is essentially a debit card in order to access his or her benefits (aka food stamps). Few recipients even know they can use their food stamps at participating farmers markets.

With WIC produce vouchers, each state is allowed to decide whether the vouchers can be used at farmers markets. No spe-cial equipment is required to process these vouchers, but, again, it is up to individual vendors whether or not to accept them.

For the double-voucher program, it is up to each market to decide whether to participate. Many of them simply do not have the funds it takes to match benefits. Farmers markets, which are often run by volunteers, may be interested in offering double vouchers but lack the resources for fundraising and administer-ing the program.

Up until now the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not made it any easier. It requires that market organizers get spe-cial waivers to offer the double vouchers. In addition, grocery stores receive the EBT equipment for nothing, whereas farmers

SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramRenamed in late 2008, this federal program was previously known as the Food Stamp Program. The stamps have been replaced with an electronic card that resembles a debit card.

EBT Electronic Benefit TransferSNAP clients access their benefits using the EBT system instead of receiving a cash payment or stamps. When purchasing food, they swipe a card with a metallic strip and enter a personal identifica-tion number into a point-of-sale machine, just as customers do when using credit or debit cards. The machine that reads the cards requires electricity and an Internet connection.

WIC Women, Infants & ChildrenThis federal program is designed to get healthful food to low-income women and children at risk of not receiving proper nutrition. Recipients are preg-nant women and recent mothers (up to six months after birth), infants, and children up to the age of five. Benefits, which vary according to the age of the children and the mother’s condition, allow recipients to buy items such as milk, produce, dairy products, and peanut butter.


markets have to pay about $1,000 for one. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan is aware of the financial barriers to both expanding the EBT system and offering vouchers to make those benefits go even further and is providing more money to reduce the burden on the markets. She said the agency is also working to simplify the process for being certified.

Nonprofits in the LeadThe biggest mover in the double-voucher program is the Whole-some Wave Foundation, of which Schumacher is chairman. The foundation gave seed money to 10 markets in four states in 2008 and another 55 markets in 10 states in 2009. This year it will support over 100 markets in 20 states.

Across the country other foundations as well as city and state governments are following the foundation’s lead. Even the fed-eral government is helping out with grants. USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Services gave Massachusetts $15,000 for double vouchers and provided California with $500,000 to promote improved access for low-income residents, including double vouchers.

The program is so new that it is difficult to track how many additional markets with some form of double vouchers exist. Besides the markets funded by Wholesome Wave, some markets in New York, Maine, Ohio, Colorado, and Oregon have found ways to offer such incentives.

In addition to Crossroads, a few other Washington-area

markets are offering double vouchers—the Silver Spring market in Maryland, the Spot-sylvania County market in Virginia, and both the H Street NE market and the Vermont Avenue (White House) market in the district.

A Win-Win SituationFor areas where there is not enough business for a farmers market, such as inner cities, Wholesome Wave has come up with an innovative way to deliver fruits and vegetables. In Bridgeport, Connecticut, a mobile veggie van brings local produce sold at half price to four inner-city neighborhoods. The mobile unit has been doing $3,000 in sales in a four-hour period. The produce doesn’t always look perfect because it isn’t graded, it isn’t waxed, and it doesn’t come in a box—but it’s fresh.

Wholesome Wave’s Schumacher says if more people on food stamps and the WIC program are encouraged to buy at farm-ers markets, they will eat healthier food while small farmers

can make more money. “If 1 percent of the money in the national food stamp program is spent at farmers markets and 15 percent of the new WIC monthly vouchers are spent at farmers markets, by the end of two or three years that would mean $150 to $200 million for small farmers,” he said. “ I think that’s an achievable vision.”

Marian Burros was on staff at The New York Times for 27 years and still writes for them. She has lived in the Washington area since 1959, and at one time or other, she worked for the The Washington Post and the late, lamented Washington Star and Washington Daily News. She was also a consumer reporter for D.C.’s WRC-TV. The author of 13 cookbooks, she has been writing about small farms and the pleasures of local food since the 1980s.

Scrip Because EBT systems are expensive and because electricity and phone lines are not readily avail-able at most farmers market sites, most markets have only one point-of-sale machine. To make this work, the market will issue a scrip, or an alternative currency (such as the tokens pic-tured on page 46). The SNAP client swipes his or her card and receives scrip for the amount desired or, if the market is doubling ben-efits, scrip worth twice that amount. Clients then buy produce from market ven-dors with scrip, although they do not receive change in return. Market organiz-ers later exchange vendors’ scrip for cash.

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in the food desert

Planting Gardens & Growing Communities

Tammy Purcell

in the food desert

When Lisa Taranto started Tricycle Gardens in Rich-mond’s Church Hill neighborhood in 2001, her goal was to create a community gathering place where she

and fellow residents could produce sustainably grown fruits and vegetables year-round. Taranto began by scouring the streets and alleys surrounding her home in search of a suitable garden plot, eventually happening upon a vacant Jefferson Avenue lot owned by the Better Housing Coalition.

As she secured permission to build the garden, Taranto con-nected with neighbors and friends who shared her passion for sustainable agriculture and diverse land use as well as her crav-ing for homegrown produce. Over the next two years, she and a cadre of dedicated volunteers established the Jefferson Avenue Community Garden, tucked in a historic urban neighborhood, and rented its 15 raised beds to gardening experts and novices alike. What is now Tricycle Gardens grew out of this plot.

Growth SpurtNine years removed from Tricycle Gardens’ founding, the non-profit organization sits at the forefront of the area’s local food

movement, operating four community gardens and three chil-dren’s learning gardens in inner-city neighborhoods throughout Richmond. Tricycle Gardens inspires and educates new urban agriculturalists through classes, workshops, and its Kitchen Gardens program. It also hosts monthly potlucks where growers come together to share their harvest bounty.

Taranto, now the group’s director, credits the organization’s rapid growth to her and her partners’ entrepreneurial spirit and holistic worldview. The folks who built and sustain the organi-zation—including a paid staff of three, a 12-member board of directors, and a host of volunteers—are drawn to it for varying reasons, all somehow connected.

“Everybody has their own attraction to urban agriculture,” explains Taranto. “For some it’s food access, for some it’s racial reconciliation, for others it’s strictly science education. For me, it’s about restoring urban ecologies.” Taranto, who worked as an architect before starting Tricycle Gardens, professes a deep interest in arcology, a philosophy that merges architecture and ecology pioneered by famed Italian architect Paolo Soleri.

Planting Gardens & Growing Communities

Tammy Purcell

Tricycle Gardens is transforming and feeding neighborhoods across Richmond.


Planting Gardens & Growing Communities Planting Gardens & Growing Communities

Where It All Comes TogetherThe organization’s community gardens and children’s gardens have transformed under-utilized and sometimes bleak urban land into vibrant and productive agricultural plots, often incorporating reclaimed materials. The Chimborazo Park Community Garden, one of the group’s newest projects, features 18 raised beds constructed with thick slabs of lumber from a dismantled playground.

A few miles away, the Neighborhood Resource Center Children’s Learning Garden in Fulton Hill boasts a collection of curved, brightly painted beds built with cinderblocks from a demolished warehouse and filled recently with red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, and other cool-weather crops. All of the residents’ plots are chemical-free, and each garden features a compost bin.

By establishing gardens in inner-city communities, Tricycle Gardens provides access to seasonal, organic produce in areas where such edibles are scarce. Each week, staffer Allison Mesnard helps neighborhood children cultivate and cook everything from juicy heirloom tomatoes to sweet sugar snap peas. At the Fulton Hill garden, some of the children’s pro-duce is served in the neighborhood center’s café. Youngsters also take home armloads of fruits and veggies at the harvest’s height.

For adults, the opportunities to grow plants and learn are just as plentiful, thanks in part to the organization’s classes and workshops, which focus on gardening techniques ideal for an urban environment—like how to construct a space-saving sub-irrigated planter. By sharing its know-how, the organization initiates new gardeners.

The Kitchen Gardens program takes gardening education a step further. Staffer Nellie Appleby builds compact raised beds at clients’ homes and provides guidance for their maintenance. This also generates some income to complement the grants, private donations, and funds raised at the annual Harvest Dinner, which together currently supply the bulk of the group’s funding.

Potlucks & Paradigms Beyond growing produce, Tricycle Gar-dens brings together a diverse array of Richmonders within its gardens’ gates and at its potlucks’ tables. Young families with a passion for organic agriculture and neighborhood old-timers who have rarely

Everybody has their own attraction to urban agriculture.

For me, it’s about restoring urban ecologies.—Lisa Taranto, director of Tricycle Gardens

This success of the garden at Jefferson Avenue and North 24th Street in Richmond (at left) in 2001 led Lisa Taranto to found Tricycle Gardens. Since then, Taranto (shown above at left, with friends from a permaculture course) has overseen the development of several gardens in Richmond, including the Humphrey Calder Community Garden, which is on land from the city’s Department of Recreation, Parks, and Community Facilities (below).

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gardened work side by side in their plots, producing crops that are shown off and shared in a smorgasbord of potluck dishes.

“There is such a diversity [of gardeners], you cannot stereotype it at all—from a family to a group of friends who share a plot,” Taranto says. For example, at one garden, neigh-bors from a block of Monument Avenue tend one plot while students from a private school tend another.

Given the entrepreneurial acumen of Tricycle Gardens’ staff and supporters, it’s no surprise that the organization has big plans for the future. These days, the group is devel-oping two urban farms, one in cooperation with the Science Museum of Virginia. The farms will produce a variety of crops, including microgreens in hoop houses, some of which will be sold at produce stands. Others will be served at Richmond’s Bon Secours hospitals. Ideally, the farms will provide Tricycle Gardens with an additional source of income and create much-needed green jobs for neighborhood residents.

“[The farms] are about jobs, not charity,” Taranto says. “We are really trying to promote the local food movement as economy. It can be done. It just takes a shift in thinking.”

Tammy Purcell is a freelance writer based in Louisa, Virginia. She has written about gardening and sustainable agriculture for Louisa Life and The Central Virginian.

The siding on the shed at the Humphrey Calder Community Garden (top left) was made from cans donated by Ukrops (bottom left). The HCCG is a partnership between Tricycle Gardens, Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market, and the city. These photos were taken on a community workday in spring 2009 sponsored by WellPoint.

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Adapting to Each Season Recipes for Late Winter

Recipes and Photos by Suzanne Simon & Bettina Stern

Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern are real cooks with real kitchens. They seek to inspire home cooking by writing and passing on recipes and tips on what to cook and how to shop. They can be found at loulies.com.

spicy yellow lentil dip

Eat lentils. This superfood is a great source of protein and a very inex-pensive alternative to meat. They are heart-healthy and rich in iron. In India, they are eaten at nearly every meal. Unlike other legumes, lentils do not need to be presoaked before cooking.

Makes about 2 cups.1 cup red lentils¼ teaspoon ground turmeric1 large shallot, chopped2¼ cups waterKosher salt3 tablespoons olive oil2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 tablespoon red pepper flakes3 fresh curry leaves (optional)Toasted pita, baguette, or crispy crackers

Place lentils, turmeric, shallot, and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until all liquid is almost absorbed, about 20 minutes. When ready, lentils should have a little bite.

Break lentils apart by mixing and mashing with a fork in a medium bowl until desired thickness. Pass them through a food mill fitted with a medium disk or use a food processor. Pulse but do not overprocess the mixture. If the lentil mixture seems too thick, add more water.

Add a generous pinch of salt, and then stir again to combine. Taste and transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Keep warm. (This can be made a day ahead and reheated just before serving.)

Heat oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, until garlic just starts to turn golden but does not burn, about 1 minute. Spoon onto lentils with a slotted spoon and drizzle with remaining oil. Serve warm with crispy bread or crackers.

In the years that we have spent learning, cooking, and writing about food, we have found ways to stay inspired in our home kitchens—even in winter. We are committed to eating in-season as much as possible. Ours is not an elitist attitude but a practical and simple one. Meat, for example, is a winter food that helps the body store nutri-ents. During the cold months, our bodies actively store fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals. And although we have begun to long for something new and fresh from the garden, it is not yet that time. We must continue to rely on nature’s buried treasures (the good root foods from underground) and stored items from our larder (exotic dried spices, canned goods, and grains).

Too often we cook for speed and efficiency and not for the connection between food and season. The following tips and recipes will help get you through the “hungry gap” of the late winter months, when you

start to grow tired of your cold-weather standards. Make the soup for a winter picnic or to sip by the fire, the tabbouleh for a healthy lunch, or make all the dishes as a meal to share when you have friends or family over for supper.

Here are tips for winter menu planning:

• Cookwithgrains,beans,nuts,andseeds.Inoneshoppingtrip,you can buy enough to last a few weeks.

• Stockuponrootvegetables,sweetthick-skinnedsquashes,thecruciferous siblings (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts), and citrus fruits, which last a good long while in the fridge.Supplementwithmeatandfishwhenneeded.

• Incorporateethniccookingintoyourroutine.Newspicesaddedto a dish can rev up any meal.

seasonal table



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winter white soup

This simple soup captures the best of what’s at the farmers market this time of year. Celery root is the quiet superstar here.

Serves 6.1 onion, peeled and chopped4 leeks, cleaned and sliced3 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons olive oil3 large potatoes, peeled and diced½ head celery root, peeled and diced1 head cauliflower, broken into florets4 to 5 cups waterKosher or sea salt Freshly ground black pepper1 cup milk½ cup heavy creamChives, chopped, for garnish (optional)Crusty bread or baguette

Melt butter and olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion and leeks and cook for a few minutes to soften. Add potatoes, celery root, and cauliflower to pot. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add water, a gener-ous pinch of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cold milk and turn off heat. Let soup cool for about 15 minutes. In small batches, purée soup in a blender. Return blended soup to pot, add cream, and reheat gently. It does not need to boil again. Add more salt and pepper, if needed, to taste. Top with some chives and serve with crusty bread.

seasonal table

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seasonal table

winter tabbouleh

Bulgur is a pantry staple. We love this cold-weather salad, loaded with kitchen herbs and seasonal veggies, when we are looking for something healthy in the winter. Tip: To easily remove pomegranate seeds, cut the pomegranate in half, place it in a large bowl of cool water in the sink and, using your fingers, gently pry away the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the pithy membrane will float to the top. Drain.

Serves 4.¾ cup medium-coarse bulgur wheatHot water1 head chicory or endive, washed and finely chopped1 medium fennel bulb, cleaned, trimmed, and finely chopped½ head cauliflower, trimmed into separate tiny florets less than ½-inch in diameter1 large handful fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped¼ cup fresh mint, chopped¼ cup walnuts, chopped1 garlic clove, crushed¼ cup olive oilJuice of 1 lemonSeeds of fresh pomegranate (optional)Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place bulgur in a medium bowl and cover by about 2 inches with hot water. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to swell. Drain.

Place chicory, fennel, and cauliflower in a large salad bowl. Add pars-ley, mint, walnuts, and garlic to bowl. Mix in olive oil, lemon juice, bul-gur, and fresh pomegranate seeds, if using. Add a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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chicken & sausage in-a-pan

This is an easy weekday meal that can be served right from the roasting pan. Since ingredients matter, buy locally raised and prepared chicken and sausages. Shunning industrial meats is one of the most important things you can do for the local food movement today.

Serves 6.1 onion, cut into 8 wedges½ cup good olive oil2 tablespoons Dijon mustard1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stripped1 lemon, cut into 6–8 wedges and juicedFreshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce2–3 pounds chicken legs, wings, and/or breasts, with skin and bone6 sausages

Place onion, olive oil, mustard, and rosemary in a large bowl. Add lemon wedges and juice, a good grind of fresh pepper, and Worces-tershire sauce. Mix. Add chicken and mix again.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Allow chicken to sit at room temperature while the oven is heating (or, if you plan ahead, let it marinate in the fridge overnight). When ready, remove chicken and arrange it on a roasting pan (skin side up). Snuggle sausages in around the chicken, and add onion and marinade. Cook for about 1 hour, turning the sausage after 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let stand for about 10 minutes.

seasonal table

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roasted pear with almond crunch

This is a home cook’s twist to the classic pairing of pears and almonds.

Serves 6 to 8.

For topping1 egg white, from a large egg3 tablespoons sugar¼ teaspoon salt¾ cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk together egg white, sugar, and salt until sugar is completely dissolved. Add almonds and stir until coated. Spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool and break into pieces.

For pears3 firm Bosc pears (about 1½ pounds)2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar3 tablespoons amaretto, divided½ cup waterPinch of salt

Increase the oven temperature to 425 F. Halve pears lengthwise and core. Spread 1 tablespoon butter on the bottom of a glass baking

dish and sprinkle with ¼ cup sugar. Place pears cut side up on sugar, and dot with remaining butter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon amaretto and 1 tablespoon sugar. Roast pears uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add water, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons amaretto to the baking dish and stir until sugar is dissolved. Baste pears with the pan juice and cook for another 15 minutes.

Assembling Serve pears warm or at room temperature, drizzled with pan juices and topped with almond crunch.

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the guest list

José Cunningham, Greg Nelson, Arbo the Dog Heather Chittum and Alice Waters Joan Nathan and Melissa Harris

Nic Jammet and Nate Ru Erin Littlestar, Allison Sosna and Andrea Northup Spike Mendelsohn and John Charles Gordon Jenkins and Josh Viertel

Owen Thomson, Kathryn Bangs Will Artley and Brian Schmauder Greg Nelson and Barton Seaver Gina Chersevani, Dan Searing,

Chuck Billand and Beverly Morton Billand Stacey Sheetz and Wendy Ferrigno

Melissa Harris and Christopher Edwards Lori Corcoran Candy and Herman Dhaliwal, Beverly Morton Billand

James Beard Eventjanuary 22, 2010

new york, ny

This dinner took place at the Beard House and was hosted by

the James Beard Foundation, honoring and highlighting the

talents of farm-to-table chef Christopher Edwards from The

Restaurant at Patowmack Farm in Northern Virginia.

Sunday night Sipsjanuary 24, 2010

washington, d.c.

Hosted by José Andrés, Joan Nathan, and Alice Waters, 15

homes across the D.C. area generously invited attendees

to partake in an intimate dinner prepared by some of the

best chefs on the East Coast. Proceeds from the event went

to the charities Martha’s Table and DC Central Kitchen.

Rob and Megan Weary Joel Salatin, Melissa Harris, Wendell Berry, Theresa Salatin


the guest list

Fresh - Local - Seasonal

Cheeses, Savories, Meats & Fine Prepared Foods

“Eating with the fullest pleasure . . . is perhaps the profoundest enactment of our

connection with the world .” Wendell Berry

Fare from Our Mountain World

Southern Appalachian & Piedmont Farmstead Cheeses

Cheese Confections & Pâtés Maison

Artisan Sandwiches, Panini, Soups & Salads Using Vegetables & Meats Farm-to-Table

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Cheese, Wine, Beer & Cider from Virginia and around the world

Owen Thomson, Kathryn Bangs Will Artley and Brian Schmauder Greg Nelson and Barton Seaver

Chuck Billand and Beverly Morton Billand Stacey Sheetz and Wendy Ferrigno

Reception for Wendell Berrydecember 3, 2009 charlottesville, va

Mas hosted a private dinner for author Wendell Berry following his public lecture at the University of Virginia. Guests included farmers, food artisans, and academics. The meal was made with ingre-dients supplied by the farmers and growers present.

Rob and Megan Weary Joel Salatin, Melissa Harris, Wendell Berry, Theresa Salatin

Jesse and Elizabeth Straight Kate Collier, Marisa Vrooman, and Eric Gertner Melissa Harris and Tomas Rahal

February/March 2010

Features72 That Other Williamsburg AttractionWilliamsburg Winery has earned props across the pond and is adding to its appeal as a destination for local wine lovers. Natalie MesnardDepartments78 winemaker’s notes

Bill GadinoWhat do winemakers do while the vines are dormant?

77 pairing

Inspiration from AbroadLocal beer and wines pair well with dishes from countries that really get winter. Patrick Cloud70 imbibe

Going Against the GrainChesapeake Bay Distillery’s Chris Richeson is crafting corn-based vodka. Amber DavisColumns66 flights

75 drink seasonally

photo of gadino cellars blending notes by molly mcdonald peterson


Open Wed-Sun and all

MOnday hOlidayS 11 aM-6 pM

(434) 984-4272www.SugarleafVineyards.com3613 walnut branch lanenorth garden, Va 22959

Please join usfor our annual

Barrel Tasting DinnerMarch 20 at 6pm

Located between Monticello and Ash Lawn onThomas Jefferson’s original 1774 vineyard sites. Open 9am to 5pm daily for tours and tastings.WWW.JEFFERSONVINEYARDS.COM

Join winemaker Andy Reaganfor a preview of the 2009 vintage wines as they continue their elevage in the winery. Five courses featuring white and red wines drawn directly from

barrel and tank lend this evening a sense of the bohe-mian, with youthful, vigorous fruits, acids and tannins

standing up to the most robust, flavorful foods. Reservations are required and space is limited.

$75 per person, all inclusive.

To reserve, call (800) 272-3042

66 • Feb./Mar. 2010

t An entrepreneur at heart, Wendy Buckley left her six-figure salary at AOL last year to pursue her dream of opening Screwtop Wine Bar in Arlington, Virginia. The hybrid wine café and retail store features 17 microbrews (2 on tap and 15 bottled), over 40 wines by the glass, and a wide variety of sustainable, biodynamic, and boutique wines for purchase, including Charlottesville’s Thibaut-Janisson sparkling wine and several wines from Nelson County’s Democracy Vineyards. Buckley offers small plates, charcuterie, and cut-to-order cheeses, often locally sourced from Virginia cheesemakers, such as Meadow Creek Dairy. This February, Buckley will be co-hosting the wine shop’s first Valentine’s Day chocolate and wine pairing event with neighboring small-batch chocolatier Artisan Confections.

Screwtop Wine Bar (703) 888-0845, www.screwtopwinebar.com Artisan Confections (703) 524-0007, artisanconfections.com

The quality of Boxwood Winery’s Bordeaux blends will soon be well-known outside of Virginia with the establishment of the new Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The bar features European enomatic wine machines, which allow

customers to select which wines they would like to try and have the technology necessary to keep the wines fresh after opening. The tasting bar will also offer both red and white selections from European wineries, some made by Boxwood Winery advisor and

international consultant Stephane Derenoncourt, as well as cheeses, charcuterie, and other light fare. In addition to its newest location, Boxwood Winery maintains tasting rooms in Reston Town Center and downtown Middleburg.

The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop www.thetastingroomwinebar.com

Add These to Your Must-Visit List

q Featuring nearly 100 artisan food and craft vendors, as well as over 300 Virginia wines, the

Virginia Wine Showcase will take place at the Dulles Expo Center on February 6–7. The $30 ticket ($35 at the door) includes all tastings as

well as a wide variety of educational seminars, with topics ranging from

gourmet cooking, to chocolate and wine pairing, to olive oil and tea tasting workshops. Individuals attending the event will even get a

chance to judge the wines sampled by participating in the Virginia Wine Showcase People’s Choice Awards, where eight wines will be awarded

best overall at the festival.

Virginia Wine Showcase www.vawineshowcase.org

p Boasting over 350 wines from over 60 Virginia wineries, the third-annual Virginia Wine Expo will take place February 26–28 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Starting with the Governor’s Cup Grand Tasting on Friday evening, visitors can enjoy a multitude of wine-related events over the course of three days, including wine seminars, chef demonstrations, and walk-around tastings. Proceeds from the event will help support several Virginia charities, including the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels.

Virginia Wine Expo www.virginiawineexpo.com

Wine & Dine Your Valentine

One of 2010’s ultimate fine wine and artisanal food pairings may be Slow Food,

Vast Wine on Saturday, April 24, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Winery at La

Grange in Haymarket, Virginia. Each room at the winery will be transformed to represent a different country, giving participants the feeling that they are traveling to experience the wine and

local food of the selected regions. Along the way, guests will have the opportunity to participate in both a silent and a live

auction, bidding on prizes like trips to Napa Valley and award-winning wines. Ticket prices are $85 per person. The evening’s

proceeds will support the Montessori Children’s Center in Front Royal, a non-

profit school co-founded by Rappahannock Cellars’ proprietor John Delmare, his wife, Lisa, and Briarmead Farms proprietor Mark

Accettullo and his wife, Laura.

Slow Food Vast Wine (540) 636-8035, slowfoodvastwine.org

February will hereafter be named the Wine Lover’s Month, thanks to the pomp and circumstance of this month’s back-to-back, premier Virginia wine events:

the Virginia Wine Showcase and the Virginia Wine Expo.

Sipping for a Worthy Cause

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Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm is a recreation of the 18th century American Inn featuring

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FlightsAll Hail Virginia Ale

t Last summer, the Richmond-based Capital Ale House kicked off its Project Virginia initiative, a sweeping plan to help funnel money back into the state and the community through its increased support and patronage of Virginia-based businesses. In addition to pledging to stock and sell every Virginia microbrewed beer on the market, Capital Ale devotes 30 percent of the wine list to showcasing Virginia wine. Every night, the menu features a “100-mile special” meal made with ingredients grown, raised, or caught in Virginia, and on Thursdays, the restaurant donates 25 percent of food proceeds purchased from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. to one of several area nonprofit organizations. Other nightly specials include Virginia Beer Wednesdays, where customers can get all Virginia draught beers on sale. Capital Ale’s four locations in Richmond and Fredericksburg offer between 46 and 80 beers on tap and over 250 bottled beers.

Capital Ale House www.capitalalehouse.com

u The Shenandoah Valley’s premier microbrewery, Cally’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Harrisonburg, has been brewing small-batch beers in its 10-barrel, all-grain brew

house since 1998. Cally’s specializes in creating craft beers that emulate those from other countries and regions of the world. In order to reproduce and re-create the unique flavor profiles of beers from other countries, Cally’s ships in yeast, hops, and malt from abroad, focusing on regional ingredients to authenticate each product. The brewery produces 15 all-natural and preservative-free styles of beer and typically offers six selections on tap at

the restaurant. For St. Patrick’s Day, Cally’s will be celebrating all things Irish on March 13–17, with Irish food, live Irish music, and a specially brewed Irish Stout.

Cally’s Restaurant and Brewing Company (540) 434-8777, www.callysbrewing.com

68 • Feb./Mar. 2010

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Grape Expectations

{ In the seemingly endless urban sprawl of northern Virginia, Jane Kincheloe and Kirk Wiles, a mother-and-son team, hope

to bring a little bit of relaxation and old-world comfort through the establishment of their new Paradise Springs Winery.

Located on a 37-acre horse farm in Clifton, Virginia, the winery opened its doors to the public in mid-January, becoming

Fairfax County’s first and only winery. The wines, which have already garnered a few awards across the state, range from light

and crisp Vidal and Sauvignon Blancs to complex and full-bodied Cabernets. The winery is currently open on Saturdays

and Sundays.

Paradise Springs Winery (703) 830-9463, www.paradisespringswinery.com

y When their home-based winemaking projects started to get out of control, Jim and Betsy Dolphin realized their calling and decided to open their own winery, Delaplane Cellars. To learn the trade, Jim enrolled in professional winemaking

courses at U.C. Davis and seminars taught by Virginia’s renowned winemaker Jim Law of Linden Vineyards. Situated

on Lost Mountain overlooking the historic Crooked Run Valley, the winery currently produces eight wines, all hand-crafted

using Virginia-grown varietals. The tasting room is open Friday through Sunday. On March 27, the winery will celebrate its grand opening and the annual release of its reserve wines.

Delaplane Cellars (540) 592-7210, www.delaplanecellars.com

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Amber Davis


Chris Richeson evokes the spirit of Virginia in his premium corn-based vodka products.

Going Against the Grain

After working for 15 years in industrial automation, Chris Richeson still wonders how he managed to transform

his weekend hobby into a full-time vodka distillery. One of only a handful of small-production distilleries in Virginia, Richeson’s Chesapeake Bay Distillery is transforming a basic ingredient, corn, into an ultra-premium spirit.

From Corn Kernel to Craft BeverageEven before establishing his own distillery in 2006, Richeson was no stranger to the art of distillation. Both in college and during his professional career, he picked up various tools of the trade and even worked in the Sara Lee facility in Suffolk distilling coffee for several area restaurants. With the help of a business partner who worked for a distillery in Oregon, Richeson rented a small space in a commercial complex near Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, where he began to design and develop what would soon become his flagship Blue Ridge Vodka.

“We had an idea of what we wanted to produce, but we didn’t have that library of information in our head about how to get it in a bottle,” Richeson explained.

What Richeson had in mind was changing how corn-based vodka is perceived in the liquor market. He knew the flavor profile of corn-based vodka would be unique in a market dominated by wheat- and grain-based vodkas. In fact, among premium vodkas, corn-based spirits make up a mere 10 percent of the market. He also notes that corn is naturally gluten-free, which appeals to a broader range of consumers.

His hard work was validated when one of his first batches of Blue Ridge Vodka won a gold medal in an international spirits competition. Since 2007, his vodka’s presence and popularity have grown exponentially: It’s now carried in more than 170 ABC stores throughout the state.

“Since batch one, we’ve gone up and up and up 33 times,” Richeson said, proudly noting that the three-year old dis-tillery is currently working on batch 34.

Extracting the ElementsAlthough corn is one of the most difficult base products to break down—due to the starch’s high boiling point—


Distiller Chris Richeson visits Bistro 1834 at the Boar’s Head Inn in Charlottes-ville, Virginia, one of the first restaurants in Central Virginia to carry his vodka.

I M B I B e

Boar’s Head Relaxer

1½ ounces Blue Ridge Vodka ½ ounce peach Schnapps ½ ounce pineapple juice ½ ounce cranberry juice Splash of simple syrup Twist of lemon, for garnishShake the ingredients over ice and strain into a martini glass.

Find a recipe for the Boar’s Head Inn’s Blue Ridge Blue at flavormags.com.

ENHANCED

Chesapeake Bay Distillery(757) 692-4083info@chesapeakebaydistillery.comwww.chesapeakebaydistillery.com

Richeson believes the flavor profile it produces is unmatched. Starting with cornmeal, often purchased from local brew shops, Richeson uses reverse-osmosis filtered water and an enzyme to break down the components of the corn. For fermentation to occur, the tough starch must be reduced to its simplest elements, sugar and water. Once fermented, the batch is distilled to increase its alcohol levels, resulting in a corn whiskey that is 190 proof (95 percent alcohol).

Richeson then redistills and aerates the concoction several times to filter out the impurities and to extract most of the flavor ele-ments, leaving a neutral-tasting and clean product. To lower the proof, Richeson mixes the alcohol with purified Shenandoah Spring water from Staunton to obtain the final product. This brings it closer to standard vodka alcohol content, which by law needs to be at least 80 proof (40 percent alcohol).

“The challenge of making a product in small-batch form is that none of the batches are going to be the same,” said Richeson, who personally tastes and judges the quality of each batch. “Our goal is to make small, incremental changes to continue to improve the product’s quality.”

Sweetening the Still

The steady demand for Richeson’s vodka has led to increased output at his facility, where he now produces and bottles around 300 cases a month. In addition to producing his Blue Ridge Vodka, Richeson recently released an additional craft vodka in May 2009: his Honeysuckle Peach Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka. Seeking another way to stand out in a crowded market, Richeson took the advice of an ABC manager in Williamsburg to consider incorporating the area’s plethora of sweet honeysuckle into a vodka beverage.

“When we began extracting the honeysuckle from around the area, I couldn’t believe how incredibly potent and flowery it was,” Richeson mused. “We tried a thousand different products, but this unique combination was the one that worked. It’s a per-fect complement to our vodka.”

Exploring new Fields

Although Richeson hopes to experiment and develop new artisa-nal beverages, his current project will be to bottle and distribute

Blue Ridge and Honeysuckle vodka minis to accompany the standard 750 milliliter bottles already for sale. If all goes well, these should hit the market this spring or summer. Richeson is also working on increasing his distribution, with plans to push his products into Washington, D.C., and North Carolina this year.

In addition to making corn malt in-house, the distillery will soon be working with an Eastern Shore mill to incorporate heirloom Indian corn into the Blue Ridge Vodka to increase its local flavor profile.

“Our goal is to create a regional product based on ingredients from the commonwealth,” Richeson said. “And as far as getting the right taste and smoothness down, I think we’ve surpassed many products on the market.”

Flavor editorial assistant Amber Davis developed an appreciation for local food, wine, and craft beer while a student at the University of Virginia.

72 • Feb./Mar. 2010

Visitors to Wessex Hundred, a historic farm in Williams-burg, Virginia, glimpse more than 300 acres of pasture,

vineyards, and forest. The property encompasses not just the biggest winery in the commonwealth, but also a European-style vacation. Together, the winery and its companion restaurant, the Gabriel Archer Tavern, re-create the atmosphere of an Old World village. Antique suits of armor, period fireplaces, and chandeliers evoke a sense of age and mystery, and French-style meals are served at the tavern for lunch and dinner.

Nearby is Wedmore Place, the recently opened “country hotel” that offers relaxation and fine dining at its restaurant, Café Provençal. A duck pond and an organic garden are part of the property as well. It’s certainly a place to spend more than a day, but if you’re short on time, be sure to experience the founda-tion of Wessex Hundred’s stately reputation—its great wine.

A Quarter Century of WinemakingThe Duffeler family founded Williamsburg Winery in 1985. Patrick Duffeler, the winery’s president, was born in Brussels

and inherited a connoisseur’s perspective on food and wine. “My family was very much into things that are hip today,” he notes, pointing out that they valued exercise, local food, and an aware-ness of the environment. Duffeler followed his passionate ideals right to the grounds of Wessex Hundred, so named by the Duf-felers to reflect their cultural heritage (Wessex means “Saxons of the West”) and the land’s history (Hundred recalls the designa-tion of the property as one that could support 100 inhabitants).

The winery, which released its first wines in 1988, has gone from producing 20,000 cases a year to 60,000 cases—making it the largest winery in Virginia. Even with its steady growth, it still scores national and international points for the quality of its wines. “We were one of the first wineries in Virginia that offered a bottle at $65 and could not keep it in stock,” says Duffeler.

Behind the BottleFor the past three years, London’s Decanter magazine has placed Williamsburg Winery vintages on its list of the world’s best wines. Winemaker Matthew Meyer and viticulturist Tom Child

natalie Mesnard


That Other Williamsburg Attraction

Virginia’s largest winery makes world-class wine. And it makes enough to actually share some

with the rest of the world.


“We were one of the first wineries

in Virginia that offered a bottle at $65

and could not keep it in stock.” — Patrick Duffeler, president of Williamsburg Winery

have been key to the development of these commended wines, and their efforts continue to build a solid reputation for the European-style winery.

Both men started their careers on the West Coast. Meyer studied enology and viticulture at U.C. Davis; Child is a graduate of Fresno State University. They gained experience at countless vineyards and wineries before making their way to Virginia. Both seem to have a simple passion for what they do, employing a no-nonsense approach that is reflected in the qual-ity of the wine.

“I’ve been drinking and tasting wine with my father since I was born,” says Meyer. He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t pairing food and wine at family dinners. When Meyer, who was born in Great Britain, came to the U.S., his hobby became a career. He has been with Williamsburg Winery since 2002 and brings his experience with large wineries like Napa Valley’s Heitz Cellar, where he was assistant winemaker. Calm and down-to-earth, Meyer is known for his well-structured, “intelligently made” wines. “My big thing is balance,” Meyer says. He keeps

food in mind, imagining great pairings as he blends. He also thinks of his parents, asking himself, “Would my dad drink this wine?” Meyer’s mother certainly does: She serves his wine at her French bistro in Indiana.

Child has been developing vineyards for much of his career, working all over the U.S. as well as in Argentina, Chile, and Italy. He had already retired twice by the time he arrived at Williamsburg Winery in 2007. Child grows 50 acres of grapes at Wessex Hundred, including Traminette, Vidal, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Viognier. Plans are in place to plant at least 12 more

Winemaker Matthew Meyer (left) came to Williamsburg Winery in 2002. During his tenure, the winery has received four commendations and a bronze medal from the Decanter World Wine Awards of London.

74 • Feb./Mar. 2010

acres next year. Though he’s worked in countless locations with many grape varieties, “it’s still a learning process,” says Child. “This area has every fungus known to man—plus some.”

Pairing Organic VegetablesChild has also helped put the final pieces of Duffeler’s dream into place. “Our goal in this project from day one,” Duffeler explains, “was to have a hotel, to have a winery, to have a garden, and to also have a forest.” As of 2010, the 50,000 trees planted across 75 acres are over 10 years old and have become a respectable forest that is home to a thriving wildlife population.

The final piece fell into place in 2009, when Child prepared and planted a two-acre organic vegetable garden. Col-laborating with chefs at the property’s two restaurants, he chose plant varieties that match Virginia’s growing conditions and the restaurants’ needs. Lettuces, squash, tomatoes, figs, apples, and aspar-agus are all in the plan for next year. Duffeler—who emphasizes that “we have to live in harmony with nature”—began cooking at home with produce from the garden as soon as it was ready.

Great Virginia WineAppreciating local wine is a perfect way to honor one’s natural surroundings. A bottle from Williamsburg Winery gives tasters a chance to sample the terroir of the whole state: The winery draws on not just its own 50 acres of grapes, but also fruit from approximately 18 other Vir-ginia growers, including vineyards in the

Shenandoah Valley, the Northern Neck, and the Eastern Shore. “We get some great reds from the foothills of the Pied-mont,” says Duffeler. Cabernet Franc and Merlot are known to partner well with the Virginia climate, yielding tasty results. Meyer notes, “I never drank Cali-fornia Merlot, but I do enjoy the Merlots some people are making here. They’re true to the grape.”

Unfortunately, great wines in Virginia often go unnoticed by the rest of the world. “There are only a few wineries in Virginia that produce enough to dis-tribute [worldwide],” says Meyer. Since Williamsburg Winery is one of them, it plays a major role in defining—and redefining—the face of Virginia’s wine industry. Meyer’s wines have recently been placed with a major restaurant in Copenhagen as well as at locations in England. They are also readily avail-able at many stores in Virginia, in other states, and online.

“I think it’s important that people try Virginia wines,” says Meyer. “They really are becoming world-class.”

Natalie Mesnard farms, cooks, and writes in Richmond. She works for Amy’s Garden, an organic farm, and Savor Café, a small restaurant that sources ingredients locally, striving to learn as much as possible about every aspect of food.

Viticulturalist Tom Child has more than 35 years of experience in wine growing and production. He recently started a two-acre organic garden that is used by the two restaurants on the property.award winning

Vodka

handcrafted inVirginia

ChesapeakeBayDistillery.complease drink responsibly

Williamsburg Winery5800 Wessex Hundred, Williamsburg, VA(757) 229-0999www.williamsburgwinery.com

April–October

Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sun., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

November–March

Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sun., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.


D R I n k S e A S o n A L LY


The Chili LadyGina Chersevani

PS 7 • Washington, D.C.

This cocktail was created with calorie counting in mind. I recently lost almost 50 pounds, and I’ve grown tired of light beers and vodka sodas. This is my answer to a tasty beverage that is around 100 calories.

1½ ounces of Stoli Gala Applik1 ounce fresh lemon juice½ ounce fresh egg white1 chopped Kashmir chili1 teaspoon powdered steviaApple slicesGround cinnamon

In a shaker tin, combine all ingredients over ice. Shake until frothy. Double strain into a stemmed glass. Garnish with apple slices and sprinkle cinnamon on

Tequila Milk PunchOwen Thomson

Bourbon • Washington, D.C.

These are the portions for one drink. To make this as a punch, multiply the recipe for the number of servings you desire.

1½ ounces blanco tequila¾ ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur¾ ounce fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice¼ ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice1 ounce whole milk

In a double boiler, warm the milk to around 120 F, stirring regularly. Combine with fresh-squeezed juices and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This citrus-milk mixture will curdle, so strain out the curds by pouring it through a larger mesh strainer and then through coffee filters. The almost-clear liquid that results is a mix of citrus and whey. Combine the citrus-whey mix with the tequila and St. Germain and store in fridge. When ready to serve, shake over ice and serve indi-vidually as cocktails or serve in a punch bowl with a large hunk of ice.

Gin Punch Adapted from Gourmet

Dan Searing Room 11 • Washington, D.C.

750-milliliter bottle of gin (preferably Hendrick’s), chilled6 ounces fresh-squeezed lemon juice, chilled12 ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice, chilled6 ounces homemade grenadine, chilled (see note)750 milliliters sparkling mineral water (preferred) or club soda, chilled3 dashes bitters (Angostura works well, but orange or other varieties will work also), chilled

Gently blend all ingredients using a ladle so grenadine does not fall to bottom. Pour into a punch bowl over an ice ring (see note). Decorate with orange and/or lemon slices.

To make the ice ring, fill a bundt pan or bowl with water and freeze for 24 hours. Run warm water over the bottom to release ice from mold when ready to use.

To make the grenadine, pour a 16-ounce bottle of pomegranate juice in a sauce-pan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half. Stir in 1 cup of white sugar. Cool before using. If desired, add a small amount of vodka or grain alcohol to preserve.

These drinks were mixed and served at Sunday Night Sips on January 24, 2010, at the D.C. home of Greg Nelson and José Cunningham.

76 • Feb./Mar. 2010

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Eat, Drink, Simply.

French Crepe DayFeb 7, 2010

Valentineʼs DayWinemakerʼs Wine Dinner

Feb 13, 20106:00 PM to 9:30 PM

WWine and Food PairingMar 14, 2010

Award Winning WinesConcerts

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“Local” Wine DinnersEscape Packages


p A I R I n g

spring is coming, but it’s cold out there. So forget the mangos and coconuts and celebrate the cuisine of cultures that know a thing or two about cold weather. It can be quite an undertaking to create an entire meal using dishes from places like Russia, Alaska, and Scandinavia because some ingredients are hard to come by, but the dishes described here are making their way into American homes. Here are a few of my favorite accompaniments for just such a late-winter menu.

Borscht

Traditional Russian cuisine is meant to nourish and sustain through the meanest of times. A bowl of borscht is perfect for providing a healthy treat in the chill of the frost. The health benefits of beets are unmatched. You can make a large pot of borscht and take some to work for lunch, serve it as a snack after school, or use it as an accompaniment to dinner.

This staple soup, garnished with sour cream and served cold, is matched perfectly with a slightly chilled rosé. Two of my favorite choices are Boxwood Winery’s Rosé ($19), a lovely 100 percent Cabernet Franc product made using the saignée method, and Fabbioli Cellars Rosa Luna ($18), with its deep color and ripe red fruit flavor.

Smoked Salmon

Speaking of nutrition and great dinner accompaniments, let’s talk about salmon. Make it a habit to keep smoked salmon in your refrigerator. Grab simple toasted crostinis and crème fraîche (or cream cheese), and you have a wonderfully nutritious and tasty start to any meal. Smoked salmon, though, is quite salty, which makes wine pairing a little trickier. You want to avoid high alcohol and heavier tannic wines. The best match for salt is sugar, acidity, and bubbles. Sparkling wines usually have a low alcohol content (around 12 percent) and good acidity.

Thibaut-Janisson Brut ($29) pairs well and makes a great

start to a meal or for social hors d’oeuvres where the smoked salmon crostinis will be sure to please. If serving smoked salmon during the course of a meal, consider pairing it with

Pearmund Cellars Riesling ($20). It is clean on the palate with vibrant acidity and just enough residual sugar to get the sweet-salty pairing job done.

Pickled Herring

No Scandinavian morning is com-plete without pickled herring spread over freshly toasted bread. This staple is convenient, healthy, and delicious. If you haven’t taken a dive into the wonderful world of pickling, this is a great start. You’ll find a plethora of simple recipes online. Just like borscht, this makes a great midday snack or easy at-work lunch.

For pickled herring at the dinner table, I recommend pairing Glen Manor Sauvignon Blanc ($19). Glen Manor’s true-to-the-terroir approach to winemaking yields an Old World–style Sauvignon Blanc that is light, super clean, and whets the palate with its bright yet balanced acidity.

Another appropriate pairing is a light ale, such as Blue Moun-tain Brewery Full Nelson Pale Ale ($9.99/6 pack).

Rosettes

For this menu, try a dessert that also comes from Scandinavia. Rosettes are traditional Norwegian deep-fried cookies not too different from the funnel cakes that Americans have come to love at county fairs. A rosette-making kit, complete with frying iron, can be found for around $20 where kitchen supplies are sold. With the endless shapes and mold designs available, you and your young ones will have a blast making these treats.

For a delicious pairing the whole family can enjoy, try a won-derful nonalcoholic Virginia sparkling cider. My two particular favorites are Shields Tavern Sparkling Rouge Cider ($9.95) and Battlefield Sparkling Cider ($10.95), available at sweet waterorchards.com.

Patrick Cloud is an independent wine consultant in Northern Virginia.

Inspiration from Abroad Patrick Cloud Photo by Molly McDonald Peterson

A menu from the countries where the winters are long.

Above: The Thornton River Grille pairs Pearmund Cellars Riesling with organic salmon over a cucumber and lolla rossa bouquet, topped with a shaved fennel salad and parmesan cracker, and garnished with a red pepper coulis and apple.

78 • Feb./Mar. 2010

Bill GadinoW I n e M A k e R ’ S n o T e S


A look at what winemakers are up to while the vines are sleeping.

Bill Gadino and his wife, Aleta Saccuta Gadino, began making wine for themselves when living in California decades ago. Their first creation was a “backyard Zinfandel” in 1983. The following year they moved to Fairfax, Virginia, and had grapes shipped from California so they could continue their home winemaking. Their dream of producing wines from their own grapes led them to purchase land in Rappahannock County in 1989 so they could plant vines, which they tended on weekends. They continued to make amateur wines and also sold some of what they grew to another small winery. In 2003, they moved to their Little Washington property. One year later, they broke ground on Gadino Cellars, carving a cellar out of a hillside on the property. The winery, which is run by the Gadinos and their daughter and son-in-law, produces about 1,500 cases annually.

C asual wine drinkers may not be aware that most of the wines they drink have been blended by winemakers. We have come to

know most wines by their varietal or grape name—such as Chardonnay and Merlot—but this does not mean that a wine is made only from the one grape whose name it carries. U.S. wine laws require that only 75 percent of a single grape be present to label that wine by its varietal name. Label laws in some states regulate higher percentages than what is required by federal label laws. For example, Oregon requires some varietals to be 90 percent of one grape. However, most states, including Virginia, adhere to the federal label laws.

In addition, many famous and well-known wines from around the world are made from a blend of two or more grapes. Great Bordeaux wines are blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, or Petit Verdot. The wonderful amarones of Italy are blends of three grapes: Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara.

So why blend at all? Simply stated, winemakers blend to improve the overall quality of the wine. Conversely, if blending does not improve a wine’s quality, then we do not blend. In our tasting room, this question of blending surfaces frequently enough that we create notes of our wine com-positions to educate our consumers. Inevitably, the question arises of who decides what grapes go into a wine. The short answer is that our family does an all-day blending session where we taste various blends until we achieve the desired result. On the surface, it sounds simple and fun. (It’s a terrible job, but someone’s gotta do it!) In fact, this is a serious and meticulous endeavor.

Blending sessions are important because they are often the ini-tial detailed look at how wines are progressing after fermentation. Most flaws detected at this early stage are more easily corrected than those detected later. The ultimate result of a blending ses-sion is nothing less than the wine you bring to market, the wine with your name on it. These entertaining, enlightening sessions are a curious mix of art and science. Blending sessions will cer-tainly vary from winery to winery, but our practice is to bring all of our wines across the blending table and our sensory evaluation (nose, palate, eyes) before bottling.

In preparation for a blending session at Gadino Cellars, we

take inventory in gallons of all the wines we will be considering and make sure we have up-to-date lab analyses. This gives us all the variables to consider in conjunction with our sensory analyses when creating blends, but ultimately, the palate determines the final blend.

The blending session takes place in a quiet room with no out-side disturbances and minimal odors. (An Italian kitchen where Mom is cooking with garlic is not the place to conduct a blending session.) We start in the morning and taste everything blind: that is, we do not know the identity of the wine. This removes any bias in evaluations. We sample previous vintages to establish base-lines and then move on to the session’s real focus: our new vintage wines. Evaluators quietly sample each wine, noting aromas, appearance, taste, finish, and so on. We evaluate many wines so, just like wine judges, we make full use of the spit buckets.

After wines are sampled, we discuss the characteristics of each wine. Next, we begin to create our newest wines by determining whether or not the wine will benefit from blending. We’ll try numerous options. Once we reach consensus on a blend, we note the components and gallons used before moving on to the next wine.


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Other complexities evaluated during blending are driven by lab analyses and the palate. Palate balance is a critical feature influencing wine quality. Thanks to Virginia Tech oenologist Dr. Bruce Zoecklein, we have a “palate balance equation” to assist us. This equation has sweetness on one side and acidity plus pheno-lics (that is, astringency or bitterness) on the other side. Simply stated, an increase in perception of components on one side decreases the perception of components on the other.

For example, a wine with high acidity may be balanced by blending it with a wine with higher alcohol, since the sweet ele-ments in a wine include alcohol. Conversely, one might be able

to balance this wine by blending in a wine that is lower in acid. Another example would be a wine lacking sufficient fruit to bal-ance high tannins, described as lacking in mid-palate. Cabernet Sauvignons, for example, may be luscious upon first taste with a lingering aftertaste, but where’s the rich fruit and silky texture when held in your mouth? To remedy this situation, one may blend it with Merlot or Cabernet Franc. Comparatively, these wines have brighter fruit and softer tannins.

After trials, tastings, and comparisons, the blending session confidently concludes with the wines presenting a more elegant balance. We are filled with optimism and equipped with plans that will take our newest wines from the cellar to the bottle. With great care and monitoring in the cellar, the promise of the blend-ing session will be fulfilled in the bottle.

The ultimate result of a blending session

is nothing less than the wine you bring to

market, the wine with your name on it.

Winemaker Bill Gadino (opposite) hosts a blending session at the family’s winery in Little Washington, Virginia, in January 2010. Evaluators at this session included (clockwise, from top center) his daughter, Stephanie Pross (also seen above right), wife, Aleta, son-in-law, Derek Pross, and consultant Tom Payette—the same group that has gathered since 2004.


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Route 11 Potato Chips back cover

Roy Wheeler Realty 14

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Slow Food Vast Wine 68

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Suites at 249 7

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Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-operative 60

Tarara Winery 41

Tastings of Charlottesville 69

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Turkey Hill Stables 19

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Vino e Formaggio 2

Vintage 50 & Vintage 51 37

Virginia Wine Expo 76

Virginia Wine Showcase 68

Visit Loudoun 67

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The Wine Kitchen 76

WMRA/NPR 13

Zynodoa Restaurant 35

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