If pigeon peas, plantains, and pikliz jumpstart a craving for you, you’re probably a fan of Pearl Island Foods. The Caribbean-centric food business launched with a booth at Charlottesville City Market in 2014, before moving into the Jefferson School City Center two years later. Sober Pierre, owner and operator of Pearl Island Foods, and Executive […]
If pigeon peas, plantains, and pikliz jumpstart a craving for you, you’re probably a fan of Pearl Island Foods. The Caribbean-centric food business launched with a booth at Charlottesville City Market in 2014, before moving into the Jefferson School City Center two years later. Sober Pierre, owner and operator of Pearl Island Foods, and Executive […]
Thomas Jefferson never wrote about the food at Monticello. His kitchens were stocked with ingredients from around the world—cinnamon from Asia, lemons from the Caribbean, brandies and fine cheeses from Richmond. But in his writing, Jefferson didn’t remark on the fine food that his enslaved chefs prepared for his table. He simply expected its consistent […]
Every October Virginians raise a glass to living in a state with the oldest wine month in the country (it dates back to 1988). We also celebrate the fact that Virginia has become the sixth-largest wine region in the United States, contributing well over $1 billion to the state’s economy, while the industry continues to […]
Tacos in the sky As the season turns, the Downtown Mall is also seeing some turnover, starting with Champion Hospitality Group’s just-opened culinary venture, Passiflora, which offers Tex-Mex and Baja Mediterranean cuisine. While we are still mourning the loss of Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar, it’s good to see new openings on the mall. “We put […]
Mussel bound: Good things are bubbling up at The Happy Cook. The Barracks Road shop recently received props from Forbes for offering some of the “top online cooking classes during your homebound experience.” And now you can crack the mystery of preparing Moules Frites at Home with chef Tom Whitehead, who was classically trained at […]
Anyone who’s visited McIntire Plaza is familiar with its eclecticism. The businesses include Circa—in itself, a testament to variety—a Brazilian jiu-jitsu center, a tiny black-box theater company, and a furniture showroom enigmatically named Poem. Even those who frequent the plaza, though, might not know about Diamondback Toolbelts. Tucked into the far end of Harris Street, […]
Sadly, the largest and most famous Oktoberfest celebration, held annually in Munich, Germany, has been canceled this year due to COVID-19. Oktoberfest traditionally begins in mid- September and continues into October. Of course, autumn isn’t canceled, and as it arrives in Virginia, local breweries and beer drinkers can look forward to the release of beers […]
Running a goat farm and making cheese is always a balancing act, even in the best of times. This year, Caromont Farm found that act especially tricky. From early March through May, thousands of people flock to the pastoral locale in southern Albemarle County to cozy up to baby goats. The sessions have been crucial […]
Way to unwind: It’s an amazing maze of maize, and it only gets cornier. The Blue Ridge Mountain Maze is five acres of corn stocks that are organized into a new and cornfusing design every fall (this year’s theme is “get outside”). Navigate by day or try a spooky challenge, and take on the night […]
Foodies rejoice! Charlottesville’s high-end dining circuit just got a little larger with the reopening of The Pink Grouse, the signature restaurant at the Quirk Hotel. Initially unveiled along with the hotel in March of 2020, The Pink Grouse’s launch was short-lived due to widespread shutdowns in April. The extra time was used to fine-tune the […]