 Virtual Kitchen Recipes
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Let's do lunch: Pack healthy food that children will eat
When it comes to packing a healthy and tasty lunch, whether for your youngster or yourself, a little planning can go a long way.
When you pack a lunch, start by thinking about the different food groups, which include grains, dairy, proteins, fruits and vegetables, said Susan Lessar, a dietitian with Winchester Medical Center.
"Try to include at least four of those five food groups when you pack your lunch," she said. "It may require you to be a little creative, if you're packing your child's lunch."
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Rub it in: Company adds some spice to Crabill meat legacy
TOMS BROOK — Nick Crabill is adding his own flavor to the Crabill family legacy, literally.
For three generations, the Crabill family of Toms Brook has been carving its niche in the custom meats market from their Department of Agriculture plant and simple country store, nestled by cornfields on scenic Riverview Drive.
A more old-fashioned kind of meat shop, the Crabill's Meats retail store offers everything from sausages to custom-cut steaks to necessities, like toothpaste, milk and bread.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Cooking with class
MIDDLETOWN — From parsnip pancakes with sour cream and caviar to baby crab cakes with remoulade sauce, Lord Fairfax Community College is offering those interested in enhancing their culinary skills a chance to learn how to prepare Thai dishes and other savory appetizers.
The college's Office of Workforce Solutions is offering three new personal enrichment cooking courses this month designed to teach participants recipes for a variety of meals and desserts. The classes will be taught by local resident Michelle Miller, an experienced chef who started her own business, Panache Catering Co., at 152 Lusitano Lane in Middletown, in 1984.
The cooking courses will be taught inside the kitchen of her catering business, Miller said. The classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. and cost $69 each.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Cobbler: Bring on the fresh fruit for this dessert favorite
Whatever the form, be it cobbler, crumble or crisp, summer is the perfect time to enjoy a variety of baked fruit desserts.
Any kind of fruit, including apples, cherries, blueberries, blackberries and, of course, peaches, will do for a cobbler, said Helen Knight. Knight, who works at Strasburg's Hi-Neighbor Restaurant, has been baking for 50 years.
"It's a down country dessert," she said.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Stone survival: Northern Virginia man plans restoration of inn
WOODSTOCK — It's taken a generation for Tony Cipollina to find a way to restore a landmark rock inn to its former glory.
Now, the Bronx native hopes to renovate the roughly 100-year-old two-story structure, that used to be an eatery called Dorothy's Inn, and open a restaurant there. He has yet to settle on the cuisine.
The building is located on Old Valley Pike between Edinburg and Woodstock.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Keep it clean: Simple steps maintain safe food area
Most diners expect commercial kitchens and restaurants to be clean, knowing all the certifications and training that food handlers obtain, but give little thought to their own homes.
A recent study, sponsored by the home cleaning giant Lysol, claims many residential kitchens are dirtier and more contaminated with bacteria than bathrooms. There are ways to maintain high standards at home, however, with a few tips from the professionals.
Banish bacteria
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Lucky Star: Fresh food, relaxing atmosphere hallmarks of eatery
FRONT ROYAL — The owners of one new restaurant in the downtown area hope to be a breath of fresh air in the community with their healthful dishes and relaxing atmosphere.
Shawn Patterson and Trevor Lipton, owners of the Lucky Star Lounge, on Main Street, have both been in the business for years, but said they wanted to try something fresh with their venture in Front Royal.
"We try to offer things that aren't available around here," Lipton said.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Shareholders: Local farmer sees success in group growing
FRONT ROYAL — Matt Burch shares his farm with 60 people.
Lei-Kei Farm, named after his two oldest daughters, Leilani and Keilena, is an example of community supported agriculture in the valley. Burch sells shares of his farm, and these shareholders reap the benefits of his harvest weekly.
He delivers boxes of in-season fresh organic fruits and vegetables to them with directions about how to store and cook the unusual ones. This year he had about 60 shareholders who each paid about $400 to $500 for 20 weeks of fresh produce, depending on how far he had to travel to deliver their goods.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Beefed up: Winchester butcher uses old-fashioned methods
WINCHESTER — A new Winchester butcher shop uses an old-fashioned method to make beef more delicious.
The Butcher's Choice opened in April at the Creekside shopping center at 3701 Valley Ave. The butcher shop and deli is located next to The Little Gym in the shopping center.
Jeff Dienst, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Tina, has been working with meat for roughly 18 years. The former building contractor takes a different approach to the preparation of his beef.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
History by the bottle: Vintner's ancestor one of first valley winemakers
HUME — History is repeating itself at Philip Carter Winery, formerly Stillhouse Vineyards, where a descendant of the man who is said to have produced the first internationally recognized fine wines is looking to carry on the family tradition.
Philip Carter Strother, owner of the 27-acre vineyard, is related to Charles Carter, one of the first successful Virginia winemakers. According to a winery brochure: "Before Jefferson, there was Carter." In 1762, Carter was recognized by the London Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufacture and Commerce for being the first person to make a "spirited attempt towards the accomplishment of their views, respecting wine in America."
Strother, a lawyer with offices in Richmond, Loudoun, Fauquier and Fluvanna counties, said he believes the connection to the past is important not only for his business, but for the Virginia wine industry as a whole.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Edible Heirlooms: Growers bring back old varieties
A patchwork quilt passed down from generation to generation, an antique chest of drawers or a great-grandmother's piece of jewelry — these are the items we tend to think of when we hear the word "heirloom."
But heirloom also can apply to food, like a white-meat watermelon called Cream of Saskatchewan or a blackish-purple tomato called Black Krim.
These two fruits, and dozens more varieties of fruits and vegetables, too, are passed down through the years.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Just ducky: New Front Royal eatery hopes to fill a niche
FRONT ROYAL — Success for The Wine and Duck will be measured by the area's ability to change its attitude.
Although the menu is not too duck-heavy, the restaurant's name does not hide what makes it unique to the area. For The Wine and Duck to find a niche, people will have to shed the initial scoffing at the idea of eating Donald and Daffy.
"I definitely questioned whether I should come and do this in Front Royal," said executive chef Ashton Carter, 28, who had spent more than six years in two different stints as a seux chef at the Flint Hill Public House with three years in Chicago in between, "but I feel it's ready for it."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Some fun fungi: Hunting for morels provides tasty, profitable experience
It's hunting season again, and this time you can leave your rifle or your bow behind. You'll still need patience, a sharp eye and a good hunting ground.
And the spoils are delicious.
The Northern Shenandoah Valley is rife with morel mushrooms, and with the devoted men and women who hunt and eat them.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Toss in a couple of Dills and a new deli is born
WINCHESTER - At Pickles Deli, the key to a great sandwich is a couple of Dills.
Gloria Dill, Pickles' sandwich master, said she and her daughter, Jamie, are business partners and run the deli together. The two Dills "got together and came up with Pickles," Dill said.
"Being able to design and build a superb sandwich every day is the best part of the job, and that's what we do," Dill said. "We call them masterpieces."
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Travelodge opens for Sunday buffet
WINCHESTER — Previously, if you wanted to eat at the Winchester Travelodge's banquet hall you had to be part of a city organization or hold an invite to a wedding or other event.
But roughly seven weeks ago, the Travelodge's banquet facilities opened to the public with a Sunday buffet.
"It's doing good," said Gary Loy, chef and banquet manager at the Travelodge, located on Front Royal Pike near the I-81 interchange. "I am very pleased so far."
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Pass the chutney, please: Spicy spread gives a kick to many favorites
WASHINGTON, Va. — On Independence Day two years ago, shards of broken glass and a spicy, sticky, rust-colored substance coated a road in Front Royal, backing up traffic and causing quite a stir.
Nevill Turner was making a delivery and lost the contents of his pickup in a crash.
He was fine, but as his wife, Clare Turner, recalls, the people who were blocked from getting on their way weren't too happy.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Thai some: New eatery adds some spice to downtown mall
WINCHESTER — From Panang curry to Thai barbecue chicken, if you have a craving for authentic Thai cuisine, look no further than the Loudoun Street Mall.
Thai Winchester Restaurant, at 24 S. Loudoun St., is the newest eatery in the downtown area. After having its grand opening a little more than a month ago, business already appears to be booming, said Michael Kitt, a consultant with the family-owned restaurant.
"We've been very pleased [with business so far]. We've done very little advertising, but word of mouth has gotten around. We're actually the only authentic Thai restaurant in Winchester," Kitt said. "We've opened during what we're told is the slow season, and we have been very busy. ... We have been literally packed Friday and Saturday nights."
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Irish fare: Area gears up for the wearing of the green
"Everyone gets to be Irish on St. Patrick's Day," says Jack Rogers.
Rogers and his wife, Carol, moved to Frederick County from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1993, bringing with them their Irish heritage — including what they eat.
"Not just St. Patrick's Day, but typical Irish is meat and potatoes and a vegetable," Mrs. Rogers says. "My husband won't eat any kind of casseroles or anything like that."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Excuse me sir, but there are snails on your plate: Local restaurant patrons overcome yech factor of French delicacy
STRASBURG — Sam Mumper, chef and proprietor of the Strasburg Old Mill Restaurant, recently received an unusual request for a French culinary delicacy — a culinary delicacy he had not prepared for more than a decade.
"Oh, I can get snails," he told his customer, who stirred his interest in this popular French dish.
While escargot is not a food everyone enjoys, and certainly not a regional favorite, Mumper decided to give these land mollusks a try, adding it to his list of specials.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Cookie creations: Local cake decorator begins business of making bouquet
WOODSTOCK — Angie Breuer's kitchen fills with an unrelenting sweet smell, but her taste buds refuse to budge.
For Breuer, she has programmed herself to accept the fake — the smell of a candle labeled "Sprinkle Shortbread Cookies" — in place of the real thing.
"It's reverse psychology on myself," she said. "If I smell it all day, I won't eat the cookies."
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Morning treats: Muffins can be part of a healthy family breakfast
Need an idea for a romantic Valentine's breakfast? Looking for something quick to munch on rushing out the door to work?
The answer could already be in your kitchen.
Muffins are an easy-to-make dish that many people consider to be luxury items for the weekend or a last-minute pick at a coffee shop, but they can actually be the solution to almost any breakfast dilemma.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Sweet street: Chocolate shop brings treats downtown
FRONT ROYAL — If your sweetheart loves chocolate, you're in luck.
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, a new shop has opened in downtown Front Royal with enough chocolate to satiate even the most avid "chocoholic."
D&B Chocolates and Confections, at 120 E. Main St., opened Jan. 19 with an inventory of goodies that would make even Willy Wonka jealous.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Meatless meals -- Local author of vegetarian cookbook wins award
WOODSTOCK -- If anyone could make a living by spreading the word about vegetarianism, Robin Robertson of Woodstock has done it.
Robertson, author of 17 vegetarian cookbooks, just won the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' fifth annual Proggy Award for her book, "Quick-Fix Vegetarian." This is her second win in the category of Best New Cookbook of the Year. The Proggy Awards, short for "Progress," recognize animal-friendly achievement in 21st-century culture and commerce.
Other categories for this year's Proggy Awards included Company of the Year, Best Humane Wildlife Innovation, Most Vegan-Friendly Coffee Chain and Best Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Line.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Pizza mania: It seems everyone wants a piece of the pie
FRONT ROYAL - There may not be a pizza parlor on every corner, but with three new ones in the last 10 months, it's starting to seem like it.
That's good news for Front Royal pizza aficionados, who want to try something different. Brothers Pizza, at 450-C Commerce Ave., is the latest pizza shop to open in town.
Manager Bobby Westfall says what sets Brothers apart from the other pizza restaurants is "service and quality," along with a secret dough recipe.
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