All roads flow back to beer for Corey Hoffman, founder and head brewer at Neon Culture Brewing, a small-but-mighty start-up with big plans and singular suds. Hoffman’s history with beer as a drinker includes—like many of us—college-age encounters involving red Solo cups, ping-pong balls, and cold cans sipped at a bar. That all changed in […]
All roads flow back to beer for Corey Hoffman, founder and head brewer at Neon Culture Brewing, a small-but-mighty start-up with big plans and singular suds. Hoffman’s history with beer as a drinker includes—like many of us—college-age encounters involving red Solo cups, ping-pong balls, and cold cans sipped at a bar. That all changed in […]
October is the tail end of the harvest for Patrick Collins, the cidermaker behind Patois Cider. But the apples on one of his favorite trees are just about ripe. “That guy there, with all the yellow orbs,” Collins says. “That tree is so delicious. See how it’s still full of leaves? It tastes fantastic, but […]
By Mary Esselman, Maeve Hayden, Tami Keaveny, and Susan Sorensen Walking in to a busy diner is an exciting sensory experience. The clang of silverware and dishes banging around, orders called from front-of-house to back, and air laden with the savory perfume of the kitchen. Trays go by filled with warm toasty waffles, deliciously greasy […]
By Shea Gibbs and Catie Ratliff When Champion Brewing Company announced on social media that June 30 would be its “last day of operations” just two weeks before the scheduled closure, the post’s comments—from both fans and company owner Hunter Smith— made it clear that “last day” referred to that of Champion’s Sixth Street brewpub. […]
For this year’s Drink Issue, we asked local bartenders what wets their whistles at the end of a shift, queried winemakers on their favorite brews, and raised a toast to the time-honored drinks we’ve featured over the years. Negroni from The Alley Light .38 Special from The Local B. Moss from Bang! Murano from Maya […]
As temperatures rise, wine enthusiasts naturally adjust their drinking preferences. Besides the desire for something chilled, lighter, and more refreshing in the glass, the culinary options tend to be lighter as well. Seafoods, salads, grilled chicken, and similar dishes pair better with lighter-bodied wines with higher acidity. Opting for a red wine, instead of white […]
Spring has brought us a burst of foodie news, and we can hardly keep track of what’s new, what’s gone, and what we can’t wait to try. Taco the town Brazos Tacos has officially opened a second location at Barracks Road Shopping Center. The Texas-style taqueria is open from 11am–8pm daily, with a menu Brazos […]
To call Michael Carter, Jr. a farmer would just barely scratch the surface. He does raise crops, but mostly what he grows are connections—to history, to other Black farmers, to markets and opportunities. It’s all encompassed in the term Africulture, also the name of the nonprofit he heads. Sitting in a farmhouse in Orange County, […]
Michael Ketola Chef and general managerMas Tapas, mastapas.com A steak in the biz Without formal training, I entered the world of professional cooking in 1996, when some college friends from JMU mentioned that the steakhouse they worked at was looking for a cook. So, eager to try something new (and not move back home) I […]
By Carrie Meslar Whether you’re a visitor from out of town or a local restaurant regular, there’s significant pressure that comes with the query, “Where should we go to eat?” The answer is reliant on any number of personality quirks, dietary restrictions (both real and imagined), and the experience you are seeking. Those in the […]