Make every meal more special by stocking up on delicious staples.
Photography by Fred + Elliott
Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Syrup
Back Creek Farms, Monterey
When Pat Lowry was young, each farm along Monterey’s Back Creek made enough maple syrup for themselves, plus just a little extra to sell. Today, the sugar house Lowry runs with his wife Valerie is the only one left. “While we do use some modern pumps, we also use buckets and the open pan that belonged to Pat’s great-grandmother, whose legacy of hard work is the inspiration for preserving the unmistakably rich, smoky flavor of syrup made over wood fires,” Valerie says. The couple’s Vanilla Cinnamon Maple Syrup was five years in the making. “We were so excited to introduce it at the Highland County Maple Festival, but like everything else, it was cancelled,” Valerie says. $15, BackCreekFarms.com
Staff Notes: So delicious! This tastes like grandma’s house—sweet, spicy, and loving. Yum!
Apple Cider Mustard & Dipping Sauce
J&W Farm, Winchester
J&W Farm in Winchester, a family-owned operation with a 45-year history, has been producing its signature apple cider mustard and dipping sauce since 2013. “A friend and high-end chef in New York shared the base recipe with us, and, having been raised in apple country, we knew it would be a wonderful product to share with our customers,” says co-owner John Venskoske. The sauce combines whole grain and Dijon mustards with apple cider concentrate and “secret spices,” according to Venskoske. It can be used as a glaze, marinade, and dip with beef, poultry, fish, veggies, and even pretzels. Available by the jar or by the jug. $6-$35, JAndWFarm.com
Staff Notes: Unique combination of flavors, but they work together. I like the mustard seed texture.
Sesame Dressing
Jovian Pantry, Vienna
Vienna-based Jovian Pantry’s bottled sesame dressing has been on the market for about a year, but it had another life before that. “We previously owned a cafe, and this was our most popular recipe that we made in house,” says co-owner Anwar Zia. “After we closed that business, customers continued to contact us, asking if we would bottle and sell the sesame dressing to them, because they loved it so much.” Combining toasted sesame flavors with cane sugar and tamari, this sauce can be used on salads and noodles, and as a meat marinade. $14.49 for 2 bottles, JovianPantry.com
Staff Notes: This tastes so good I want to find new meals to use it on!
Hot Honeycomb
Gearharts Fine Chocolates, Charlottesville
What started as a Valentine’s Day special for sweet heat lovers has become one of Gearharts Fine Chocolates’ most popular new products—and a favorite of owner Tim Gearhart. While the crunchy confection called honeycomb or sponge candy has been around for a long time, Gearharts’ Hot Honeycomb is a relatively new addition to the market. “Since Gearharts is always trying to think a little differently, I thought it would be a really interesting take on the classic,” Gearhart says. The collaboration with Waynesboro’s Bubba’s Sweet Nectar is a crunchy puffed wildflower honey candy with a subtle “sting” of chili pepper bathed in a balanced and earthy 70 percent Peru/Dominican Republic blend of dark chocolate. $12, GearhartsChocolates.com
Staff Notes: The “sting” is subtle, but nicely balances the honey and chocolate. The honeycomb is sometimes crisp and sometimes chewy, so every bite is different.
Wicked Pissah Oysters
Ford’s Fish Shack, Ashburn
If you’re not from New England, the term “Wicked Pissah” may not sound like a particularly good thing—but Tony Stafford can assure you that it is. The chef and founder of Ford’s Fish Shack in Ashburn named the seafood restaurant’s signature oyster after the phrase in keeping with their New England theme. And for the record, it basically translates to “awesome,” Stafford says. The meaty oysters are farmed, raised, and harvested on the Ware River at the mouth of Mobjack Bay on the western shores of the Chesapeake Bay. “They have a salinity of 19-21 parts per thousands, a nice balance between salty and sweet,” Stafford says. Slurp a dozen on the half shell at any Ford’s Fish Shack location or take them home with curbside pickup. $15 per half dozen, FordsFishShack.com
Staff Notes: Plump, buttery, fresh, and briny. Dee-lish!
Barbecue Marinades
Hudson Sauce, Woodbridge
Based in Woodbridge, Hudson Sauce uses produce from Virginia farms to craft batches of barbecue marinades in two flavors. The original boasts a classic taste and is recommended for fish, pork, and beef, while the spicy version pairs better with poultry, lamb, tofu, and veggies. CEO Jahleel Hudson has been making marinades for more than 11 years. “It was my winning recipe from a competition I did with my brother,” Hudson says. “My friends, family, and fraternity urged me to bottle and sell it, and that’s how Hudson Sauce was born.” Available online and at select retailers around the state, including all Harris Teeter locations. $7, HudsonSauce.com
Staff Notes: Nice smoky flavor. This could elevate an average cut of meat to above average.
Hot Cocoa Mix
Cocoa Mia of Floyd, Floyd
Remember the French romantic drama Chocolat, about a woman and her daughter opening a chocolaterie and enticing a small town with their sweet goodness? Jennifer and Grayson Rudd of Cocoa Mia in Floyd have been living the movie since 2018. Their Hot Cocoa Mix blends Belgium chocolate and cocoa powder with sugar, vanilla, and sea salt. It can be used in cold applications or with locally roasted Costa Rican coffee for the couple’s signature Mocha Java. “We both get excited as we watch the expressions on the faces of our customers the first time they take a sip of the hot chocolate,” Jennifer says. “You can see all the things they carried on their shoulders just melt away.” $14.95, CocoaMiaChocolates.com
Staff Notes: Amazing! It’s like a liquid chocolate bar.
Peanut Butter Gift Assortment
OmMade Peanut Butter, Reston
Sourced entirely from Virginia peanuts—and the only artisanal peanut butter brand in the Commonwealth—OmMade’s gift assortments will at once satisfy your cravings and leave you wanting more. Choose from 4- and 9-ounce jars and nine different flavors, including Vibrant Turmeric, Mint Magic, Bee Cosmic, Chai Nirvana, and Espresso Ecstasy. “I’ve been making all-natural peanut butters for my family since 2012,” says CEO Radhika Murari. “From that hobby, I started OmMade in May 2017. We continue to use only locally sourced peanuts and the finest ingredients to make our naturally gluten-free and vegan peanut butter.” $9-$49, OmMadePB.com
Staff Notes: It was truly delightful to open these jars and see what unusual tastes waited for me. Excellent gift option!
Beef
Burner’s Beef LLC, Luray
Thanksgiving can keep its turkey—when it comes to the holiday season, red meat tends to take center stage. For Jared Burner, it’s a busy time of year as customers turn to his company for the star of their feasts. His family has been finishing cattle on their Luray farm since the 1960s, and over the years they’ve perfected the art of selecting and feeding their cattle to achieve the ideal marbling genetics. “Marbling is what gives beef its flavor and moisture,” Burner says. “Our genetics and history are what set us apart.” Popular cuts like Burner’s Porterhouse and Delmonico Ribeye (which is known to have a waiting list) are tailor-made for beefy holiday indulgence. Prices vary, Facebook.com/BurnersBeef
Staff Notes: Hearty beef flavor with perfect marbling and the exact right chew.
This article originally appeared in the December 2020 issue. See below for links to more winners. Look for these and other products Made in Virginia in the Virginia Living Store.
