Recipes

See what’s been cookin’ here at Virginia Living and try your hand at reproducing some of these creations at home.

No Place Like Home: Virginia’s Cocktail of the Year

Try this recipe that won the Virginia Cocktail Games in 2024.

by Erica Jackson Curran

Omega-3s and Where to Find Them

If the classification of Omega-3 as a “fatty acid” sends you into a panic, relax. These are unsaturated, good fats that provide necessary energy to cell structures all over our bodies. They can also play vital roles in heart and brain health by reducing the risk of both blood clotting and stroke, and in some […]

by Dylan Hostetter

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

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

Colonial Recipes for Founding Father-Approved Cocktails

Modern drinkers, meet the spirited Colonial cocktails of America’s early days. From Cherry Bounce to Paul Revere’s Lantern, these historic cocktails were bold enough for Revolutionary War heroes and refined enough for Founding Fathers. Now, they offer Virginians a unique way to toast the past. Cherry Bounce From George Washington’s Mount Vernon 10–11 pounds fresh […]

by Hope Cartwright

A Charlie Brown Christmas Cocktail from Vault & Cellar

This yummy yuletide creation comes from Cami Buracker, head bartender at Vault & Cellar in Middletown. After a few sips, you may find yourself with a milk mustache, kindling a nostalgic nod to a certain character from the familiar Christmas classic. Add the first three ingredients to a shaker, add ice, and shake. Garnish with […]

by Hope Cartwright

Yule Brynner: A Festive Cocktail to Brighten Your Holiday Season

Yule Brynner This colorful, fruity seasonal sensation is “a drink that smells as good as it tastes,” says Genaro Amaya, bartender at Marigold at Keswick Hall outside Charlottesville. And its low ABV offers a light, refreshing contrast to the indulgences and heavy sweets of the holiday season. Build in a shaker, add ice, and shake. […]

by Hope Cartwright

Red Osier Cocktail: A Holiday Drink from Primland Resort

Red Osier This warming cocktail whets your appetite with flavorful and fruity notes, named after a local plant native to Southwest Virginia, the red osier, or red-twig dogwood. A well-loved winter specialty at Primland Resort of Auberge Resorts Collection in Meadows of Dan, director of outlets Frank Vitulli says, “Of course, the brilliant pop of […]

by Hope Cartwright

Brew Like a Pro

“There’s a few main rules to live by when it comes to starting to make better coffee at home,” says Stephanie Wein of Pinup Coffee Co. By the time it reaches the customer’s hands, high-quality coffee has already been through a lengthy, detailed, international process. The last thing you want to do is ruin it […]

by Hope Cartwright

How to Master Muddling: Expert Tips from MurLarkey

Muddling is a mixology technique sometimes taken for granted—listed as an instruction on countless classic cocktail recipes with no explanation given for the amateur, at-home bartenders following along. But George “Papi” Zwetkow, master distiller at MurLarkey Spirits in Bristow, bets that most cocktail drinkers are muddling already without even knowing it. “If you get a […]

by Hope Cartwright

Sip Zero-Waste Cocktails at this Charlottesville Bar

The kitchen at Birch & Bloom, the modern steakhouse and bar at Kimpton The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, presents no shortage of fresh Virginian ingredients—veritably high-quality and invaluable to the flavors found on plates and in cocktail glasses. For Daniel Beedle, the hotel’s chief mixologist and assistant food and beverage director, every last scrap of […]

by Hope Cartwright

Stock Bistro Serves a Taste of Scandinavia in the Blue Ridge

My wife and I were browsing Euro-chic goods at a cosmopolitan furniture shop when a stylish waiter brought out candles and place settings to a teak dining table on the sales floor. Four diners were then seated, and a server delivered an appetizer board of cured fish and caviar. We soon headed to the bar […]

by Craig Stoltz

More Christmas Spirits

May the night and season never end with these breathtaking beverages. Keep that holiday cheer and light buzz going with delicious and dazzling drinks thanks to Brian and Jennifer Jones, owners of GoodTimes Coal-Fired Pizza & Pub in Big Stone Gap. Gingerbread Martini Fill your senses with the nostalgic, comforting smell of gingerbread. This spicy, […]

by Katie Farthing

Fun Garnishes to Top Off Your Cocktail

Spirited and unique, these cocktails come with oddly inventive garnishes that make them stand out at any party. Tomato Water Martini Sometimes less is more, and it certainly is in this case. Let tomatoes take over your taste buds in this terrific treat, thanks to The Vault at The Liberty Trust in Roanoke. 5 ounces […]

by Katie Farthing

Crowning Glory

Recipes for a harvest supper to welcome the cool, crisp days of fall.

by Staff

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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

Recipes

No Place Like Home: Virginia’s Cocktail of the Year

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Events

Pollinator Celebration

Garden Walk with Brent Heath

May – June @ Art Works!

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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

Recipes

No Place Like Home: Virginia’s Cocktail of the Year

Current Issue

Events

Pollinator Celebration

Garden Walk with Brent Heath

May – June @ Art Works!

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

Most Popular

The U.S. DOE Labeled These Virginia Schools Outstanding

UVA Claims Top Spots Among Public Universities

Small Town, Big History: The Stories of Abingdon

Get our most popularweekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today

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weekly newsletter: VL Today