Food

Eat Your Way Along the Shenandoah Valley Food Trail

In addition to its famously spectacular scenery, the Shenandoah Valley has become known for its lineup of great breweries stretching from Botetourt County all the way to the West Virginia border. And while the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail is all about guiding beer lovers to the region’s best brews, it also happens to be the ideal […]

by Erica Jackson Curran

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

10 Speakeasies Across Virginia & How to Find Them

Tucked in hidden alleyways and behind disguised doors lie some of the state’s best-kept secrets … and cocktails. Speakeasies promising vintage vibes and low-light charm dot the map far and wide, but where to find them? Here are 10 to get you started on a journey to delicious drinks and illicit adventures of 1920s allure. […]

by Hope Cartwright

Richmond Bartender on When to Order Well vs. Top-Shelf

Ordering a drink is a simple thing, just two or three words: “Moscow Mule,” “Old Fashioned,” “G&T.” Until the bartender asks for your brand preference. Belvedere or Svedka? Hendrick’s or Gordon’s? So many options of varying prestige and prices that so few of us understand. Andy Im, bartender at Rappahannock in Richmond, says that when […]

by Hope Cartwright

Sojourn Fermentory Brings Czech Craft Brewing to Virginia

The Czech Republic’s brewing scene is famous—for its rich, malty pilsners, unique bar setup of water baths and low counters, and sheer quantity of brews poured, with the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world. The experience of grabbing a beer in Prague is a bucket-list item for craft beer nerds everywhere. For those in […]

by Hope Cartwright

Tipping Point: Surviving the New Age of Gratuity Guilt

There’s a little song and dance we’re all used to when paying at a restaurant, takeout spot, boutique food shop, or even a farmers market. It starts with the person behind the iPad who’s completing your sale saying something like, It’s gonna ask you a few questions. The ensuing quiz is all about if and […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Lotte Market Redefines Grocery Shopping

The shelves at Lotte Market in Richmond are a far cry from the woefully small half-aisle worth of “International Foods” you may be used to in your neighborhood Target or Walmart. A rainbow of vibrant packaging greets me at the entrance. Before me is a sweeping expanse of juice boxes in melon, mango, and banana […]

by Hope Cartwright

Smyrna Boldly Celebrates Aegean Cuisine

We must begin with the meze trio. Usually, I aim to find a menu’s hidden gems, but on an evening with friends at Smyrna in Charlottesville, the path extends clearly before me, and the first step is Chef Tarik Sengul’s holy trinity—impossibly soft, luscious hummus; a smoky charred eggplant smothered in garlic confit; and tangy […]

by Stephanie Ganz

The History of a Valentine’s Day Favorite

By Janelle Alberts You know you’ve hit adulthood when you level up from trading candy conversation hearts on Valentine’s Day to gifting elegant boxes of chocolate truffles. A funny thing about chocolate truffles though—how they got their start was possibly an accident. Also, the story likely includes a screaming pastry chef. In short, the origin […]

by Staff

New Docuseries Celebrates Edna Lewis, the Trailblazing Southern Chef

A new docuseries aims to celebrate the life and legacy of chef, cookbook author, and Virginia native, Edna Lewis. Hosted by Deb Freeman, writer and podcast host of Setting the Table, and produced by Field Studio, the series visits guests around the country over eight episodes to explore the impact of this trailblazing chef. In […]

by Stephanie Ganz

Rediscovering the Magic of Foraging

The act of venturing out into the woods, picking a wild berry, and eating it may not feel innate to many of us. A morning foraging for squash and sage at our local farmers market sounds adventurous enough. It’s all many of us have time for. But Chef Jeremiah Langhorne, who grew up in Charlottesville, […]

by Heather Bien

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Events

June 18, 2025

Cuban Progressive Dinner

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June 19, 2025

Pollinator Celebration

Brent and Becky’s Bulbs

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Specialty Tours: Tell Me Your Name

Carlyle House Historic Park

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

Eight Virginia schools received the National Blue Ribbon 2024 award for their high performances. The Exemplary High Performing Schools are Spring Hill Elementary in McLean, Green Run Collegiate in Virginia Beach, Bethel Manor Elementary in Hampton, and St. Andrew the Apostle School in Clifton. The Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are Central Academy Middle […]

by Gabriela de Camargo Gonçalves

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

The University of Virginia has climbed to No. 4 among public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings, advancing one position from last year. The university maintained its No. 24 overall ranking, tying with Emory and Georgetown universities. UVA’s commitment to accessibility and student success stands out in several key metrics. […]

by Madeline Mayhood

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Long before the first European settlers ventured into the American wilderness, the Delaware and Catawba tribes tracked a buffalo trace through the Shenandoah Mountains. Abingdon—once known as Wolf Hills—emerged along this trail, today’s Route 11. Frequented by westward expansionists on the Great Valley Road, Main Street grew. Today, the city of 8,336 residents hugs Route […]

by Michael C. Upton

Food

Eat Your Way Along the Shenandoah Valley Food Trail

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Cuban Progressive Dinner

Pollinator Celebration

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The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

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