Food

Colonial America’s Favorite Cocktails, From Virginia Distillers

In their mission to recreate the libations of yore, Williamsburg-based 8 Shires Distillery dove deep into historic records—ledgers, ship manifests, journals, and personal diaries—to uncover the drinking habits of Colonial America. Through all their research, one fact stands out: “For the most part, everybody drank all day long,” says general manager Tucker Casanova. All that […]

by Hope Cartwright

Time Travel to 1950 at This Diner in Natural Bridge

With its namesake car right outside and baby pink everywhere, the Pink Cadillac Diner is a hidden gem in Natural Bridge. Fifties-style checkerboard tile, heavily decorated walls, a jukebox, and plenty of Elvis memorabilia cement this diner’s place as an iconic time capsule. They serve up all the American classics you can think of, from […]

by Katie Farthing

Dirty Sodas Arrive in Virginia at Coco’s Sodas + Sweets

It’s not your standard big gulp that you can get from 7-Eleven,” says co-owner Ben Cichelli of the tricked-out drinks at Coco’s Sodas + Sweets in downtown Vienna. The shop caters to “soda purists,” as Ben might say—those who know the fizz difference between a fountain-pour drink and a bottled 2-liter, and who might be […]

by Hope Cartwright

Gluten-Free and Tasty Bakeries In Virginia

Gluten-free bakeries may sound like an oxymoron to some. After all, isn’t flour supposed to be the star of the show? Determined to set the record straight, dedicated GF bakeries around the state, however, are deftly baking delicious gluten-free delectables—from cakes and muffins to cookies and scones—ratcheting up competition with traditional bakeries. These dedicated GF […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

This Gluten-Free Soy Sauce is Made in Henrico

“As a child, soy sauce was such a familiar part of my life that I never considered it extraordinary,” says Takashi Sato, president and eighth-generation member of the founding family of San-J, an international soy sauce brand. Yet, the unassuming 10-ounce bottles of soy sauce have become just that: extraordinary. San-J produces those bottles at […]

by Hope Cartwright

Coastal Virginia’s Distilleries Embrace Seaside Inspo

A sun-warmed beach and an ice-cold cocktail: what is it about the pair that make such a perfect match? When the two adored relaxation rituals meet, magic happens—especially inside of Coastal Virginia’s distilleries. These distillers take oceanside inspo and bottle it, bringing the beach vibes to you. Blue Sky Distillery: The Blackbeard’s Point Rum reminds […]

by Hope Cartwright

Where to Get Your Edible Cookie Dough Fix in Virginia

Anyone who says they’ve never sneaked a taste of cookie dough before popping it in the oven is either lying or has superior self-restraint. Sometimes, the best part of baking is that secret sample. Now, you can do it with pride—and safely! Edible cookie dough has increasingly popped up on Virginia menus. Build Your Own […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Arlington’s Ambar Serves Balkan Cuisine That’s Earned a Michelin Nod

They had to call it fried chicken. At first, the restaurateurs at Ambar put their signature dish on the menu by its preferred name—“monastery chicken.” It was served for generations to the monks at Gracanica Monastery in Serbia, to end their fast. “But nobody ordered it when we called it monastery chicken,” says Uros Jojic,director […]

by Craig Stoltz

Virginia’s Street Food Scene Looks East

Fast food is leveling up thanks to an increased demand from Asian street food lovers. Read about these Virginia businesses that are answering the call. The Thai Pan • Leesburg Brilliantly positioned next to a Leesburg gas station, The Thai Pan offers on-the-go grub—from spring rolls and fried calamari to pad Thai and Thai fried […]

by Katie Farthing

Virginia Food Halls are Social Hubs and Culinary Hotspots

Deciding where to eat: a struggle that continuously threatens to foil plans for a fun, food-filled night out. Suddenly, every category, flavor, and variety of food flies out of your head. When you know you want to go out to eat, but can’t think of what to eat, epic food halls do the hard work […]

by Hope Cartwright

Tour the Tastes of Virginia Through Honey

By Rachel Kester What does a forest taste like? Or perhaps a bustling city or lush meadow? Savoring a landscape’s flavor might seem impossible, but don’t tell honey that. Ranging from hardwood forests in the west to agricultural fields near the coast, Virginia’s diverse environment makes for a very tasty adventure that beekeepers seek to […]

by Staff

Authentic Greek Olive Oil Comes to Richmond Coffee Shop

In Greek culture, the olive tree is a sacred symbol representing peace, prosperity, and love. For centuries, olive trees were included in marriage dowries, in which they were often split equally between the newlyweds and the bride’s family to keep the two connected for future generations. In Palaiopanagia, a small village south of Sparta at […]

by Stephanie Ganz

White Salsa: Virginia’s Strangest Tasty Tradition

Virginia is a land of many culinary wonders: fresh oysters, mouthwatering barbecue, blue crab, apples galore, and—wait, Miracle Whip salsa? Yes, that’s right. This unconventional concoction, a flavor party that combines Kraft’s “one-of-a-kind taste of creamy mayo and tangy dressing,” along with spices and milk, is a time-honored tradition in the Tidewater region of the […]

by Hope Cartwright

Top Italian dining in Virginia Horse Country

Beyond the tangle of the Northern Virginia suburbs, outside the sweeping horse farms of Middleburg, tucked away in the tiny hamlet of The Plains, is a rambling country restaurant whose interior features the sort of hewn heart pine you just can’t find anymore. Inside, Lydia gestures at a small pot of purple, pink, and white […]

by Craig Stoltz

Mise en Place Rules

Chefs reveal the keys to a successful kitchen. -By Janelle Alberts Georges-Auguste Escoffier, considered the father of modern cuisine, scored a chef’s job at the London Savoy in 1890 and promptly introduced a rigid organizational habit that nobody in his kitchen liked. Called mise en place, it’s since become a wildly popular phenomenon, ranking somewhere […]

by Staff

Starch & Strain: The Secret to Smoother Cocktails

Mixologists are introducing rice to your favorite classic drinks, but not as a tasting ingredient. Rather, rice-washed cocktails are mixed with dry, raw rice, which is later strained out, to smoothen and purify blended flavors. The starch mellows the methanol and propanol in the booze, exposing liquors’ more complex flavors. Rice-washing works best with brash-tasting […]

by Hope Cartwright

Elevate Your Cocktails with Next-Level Garnishes

Garnishes can be so much more than aesthetic afterthought. “Garnish with” this or that is the standard end step in a cocktail recipe. Though last, garnishes certainly shouldn’t be considered the least, providing both added adornment and taste. Olives bob at the bottom of a dry martini, and a leafy celery stalk juts out of […]

by Hope Cartwright

Fat-Washed Cocktails: The Secret to Richer, Smoother Sips

By Janelle Alberts It’s been almost 20 years since a bacon-infused Benton’s Old-Fashioned launched a new technique among bartenders called fat-washing. Despite the unappetizing name, fat-washing has so gained in popularity over the years because it continues to deliver a legitimately elevated cocktail. Fat-washing is a fairly simple process of freezing your spirit with fats […]

by Staff

A Vegan, Gluten-Free, Creamy Asparagus and Pea Soup Recipe

By Stacy Watkins San-J, the international soy sauce brand located right in the Commonwealth in Henrico, offers a range of dietary restriction-friendly sauces and recipes. This soup is vegan and features San-J’s original Tamari Soy Sauce, which is naturally gluten-free thanks to the brand’s traditional Tamari brewing methods. 1 pound asparagus 3 tablespoons olive oil […]

by Staff

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A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway

Virginia Scenic Railway Adds Dome Car for Spectacular Valley Views The popular Virginia Scenic Railway just upped its game with a vintage dome car offering breathtaking 360° views of the Shenandoah Valley. The “Shenandoah”—built in 1948 as the “Silver Palace” for the California Zephyr—now gives passengers an unmatched vantage point on three-hour excursions from Staunton. […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow

Nikki Bettis stood on the jagged summit outcrop of Shenandoah National Park’s 4,011-foot Stony Man, awed by westward panoramic views. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned to watch her 13 kids shoulder their loaded backpacks and fall into a clamorous single-file line heading back to the Appalachian Trail (AT). “We were in an […]

by Eric J. Wallace

Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden

In Colonial America, a grand garden was the ultimate status symbol—the 18th century equivalent of a Lamborghini. So when archaeologists at Colonial Williamsburg uncovered John Custis IV’s property, they struck horticultural gold: the remains of a football field-sized garden alongside his Jacobean manor house. Custis, a tobacco magnate and Martha Washington’s first father-in-law, went all […]

by Madeline Mayhood

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Colonial America’s Favorite Cocktails, From Virginia Distillers

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