It's time for the 2016 Virginia Festival of the Book! In this special episode I'm thrilled and honored to present Chef Nora Pouillon , who will speak and sign copies of her book, My Organic Life , on Friday, March 18th at 2pm in New Dominion Bookshop . Chef Pouillon is a pioneer in the farm to table movement. For 37 years Restaurant Nora in DC has implemented sustainable practices and in 1999 became the first organically-certified restaurant in the US. Before the government even coined the term ...
Mar 14, 2016•1 hr 37 min
Edacious - Food Talk for Gluttons is one year old! Just learning to smile and laugh. Thinking about learning to walk, falling a lot, finding her voice, making gurgling noises that will eventually be coherent words. Eating cake. Yep, that's my podcast. Thirty-two guests, hours and hours of conversation, and 15,000 downloads. I've learned so much. And I'm so incredibly grateful. Edacious, after a year of triumphs and missteps, is going along full-steam ahead with exciting new ventures and projects...
Mar 03, 2016•1 hr 41 min
"Happiness lies at the edge of your comfort zone." I read this quote from Gail Hobbs-Page of Caromont Farm and knew immediately I had to talk with her. Welcome to Episode 32. Here is a chef, cooking for 25 years, contemplating her next move in the food world back in 2007. Gail's decision? To take up goat farming and make cheese. Cooking is in her DNA, but cheesemaking is not. So how did she get here? And why did a simple request for goat cuddling suddenly go viral and make national news, includi...
Feb 18, 2016•1 hr 45 min
There is a shortage of line cooks in this country. Is it because new culinary graduates want to be instant Top Chefs? Are they unwilling to earn their bones on the line, hoping to skip ahead to celebrity status? Or has the explosion of food culture caused the shortage by the very nature of its popularity? Maybe it's as simple as being 22 and not wanting to spend your formative years cooking in a small town when you might make a name for yourself in New York? This week I talk with Chef Ian Boden ...
Feb 04, 2016•1 hr 50 min
Meet Josh Hunt of Beer Run and Kardinal Hall ! I love beer. So it was only natural Beer Run was one of the first places The Hubby and I visited when we moved to Charlottesville. Which meant co-owner Josh was one of the first food folks I met. We sat at the bar where he welcomed us, recommended some beers, and the rest is history. Based on that visit alone, we knew we'd moved to the right place. Beer Run is a beloved part of the community, a place where folks young and old meet, eat, and drink be...
Jan 21, 2016•1 hr 15 min
I'm on a cider kick! Just talked with the Potter's Craft boys and this week it's Diane Flynt of Foggy Ridge Cider . Cider is the fastest growing segment of the alcohol business, growing at a rate of over 100% a year. But it still only makes up 3% of the entire industry. How do we increase this number? As Diane says, "The ingredients in the glass are important." In other words, if you're using shabby apples, you're going to get shabby cider. Which is why Foggy Ridge uses only heritage cider apple...
Jan 07, 2016•1 hr 8 min
Here it is folks. My Golden Fork Awards for 2015! What did I eat this year that was memorable? A lot of stuff evidently. When all was said and done I counted fifteen, yes FIFTEEN dishes from Charlottesville restaurants and beyond that were so tasty, I remembered them even months later. Which is how I construct the list. No, it's not a perfect way, just my way. In the past I've made this a blog post, but since I launched a podcast in 2015, why not plop it right into the new medium? It's an experi...
Dec 31, 2015•42 min
One of my passions is getting people to try and enjoy hard cider. But how do we do this? What are the gateways? Tastings? Pairing with food? As a cocktail ingredient? Cider is the fastest-growing beverage in the beer market. But it's mostly watered-down mass-produced Angry Orchard. What I'm talking about is craft cider. Cider produced in small batches by folks passionate about their product. Folks like Tim Edmond and Dan Potter of Potter's Craft Cider. Dan and Tim saw a need in the market for hi...
Dec 18, 2015•1 hr 14 min
What makes a good craft cocktail? What makes a bad one? I've been looking forward to *THIS* conversation for a while. I love cocktails, and many moons ago worked as a bartender. Lately though there are only mixologists and the bar resembles an apothecary with spices, oils, bitters, and tinctures prominently displayed. But do we really need artisanal ice? I'm talking with Christian Johnston of The Cicchetti Bar at Tavola to find out. The Cicchetti Bar was created as a waiting room of sorts for Ta...
Dec 04, 2015•1 hr 25 min
Yes folks, it's a BONUS episode for November. I entered a podcasting contest. As my Momma used to say I got a wild hair and entered Libsyn's "Thanks, Podcasting" competition where you're given up to 10 minutes to talk about how podcasting has impacted your life. The winner gets bragging rights and a free year of hosting, something I could really use. Both the hosting but especially the bragging rights...nice confidence boost for an anxiety-ridden hot mess like me. Enjoy. Fingers and toes crossed...
Nov 28, 2015•9 min
Welcome to Giving Back November! All month long I'm profiling food nonprofits in our area. Meet John Hernandez, president of UVA's Hoos for Heifers , whose mission is twofold: get students out to the farm to see how our food is grown, and collect funds so folks in need can enjoy local grass-fed beef. John, a history major, comes from a 4th-generation family of cattle farmers in Bristol, Virginia which makes him uniquely qualified for this endeavor. As he states, "I'm a Carhartt kid in a North Fa...
Nov 20, 2015•1 hr 26 min
Meet Laura Brown, Communications & Marketing Associate for Local Food Hub (LFH) . Kate Collier of Feast! started LFH, a non-profit organization, because she saw a need. A more streamlined method for local farmers to get their goods delivered to area consumers. A better way so these folks can focus on growing and making rather than logistics. LFH partners with small area farmers to distribute their product to area grocery stores, restaurants, and food banks. But that's not all they do. LFH wa...
Nov 06, 2015•1 hr 4 min
All month long I've brought you stories and interviews with some of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit. I wanted to end October's exploration with the woman whose question started it all. Not long ago Kendra Bailey Morris, food writer and PR Manager for the Virginia Distillery Company , asked a question about Appalachian cuisine on Facebook. What followed was a discussion with commentary exceeding 200 posts. Someone suggested a group , and after a while, another person suggested a gathe...
Oct 23, 2015•1 hr 32 min
Chef Travis Milton is a passionate spokesman for Appalachia and its cuisine. Growing up in Wise County he spent many hated hours picking beans before realizing early on in his cooking career he wanted to bring that food’s sensibility to the world. Mostly vegetables. Meats as a flavoring agent and garnish. Comforting tastes and textures. Honest food. Everything grown from heritage seeds which translates into all the food on your plate tasting just a bit better than it would otherwise. It’s a stor...
Oct 16, 2015•1 hr 3 min
In last week's podcast we talked about how one ingredient, salt, can reveal the history of an entire region. But what if you took it further? Meet artist Amy Cameron Evans , a painter who creates narratives based on found objects and food. They're modern still lifes. But they're much more. As Artist-in-Residence for the 2015 Appalachian Food Summit , Amy used recipes and profiles from the Saltville Community Cookbook to create portraits of the wonderful women who contributed their best recipes, ...
Oct 09, 2015•52 min
Part of the Appalachian Food Summit Series. Part 1 of 4. Can you really get a sense of a region's history through one ingredient? Food writer and Appalachia advocate Ronni Lundy knows you can. Her book, Sorghum's Savor does just that. While it contains recipes, a good portion of the book talks about sorghum's history, what it is and isn't, and the fascinating stories behind the folks who bring it to your table. As one of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit , Ronni knows such stories are ...
Oct 02, 2015•1 hr 5 min
Did you know one third of all the foods we eat are fermented? Even chocolate. The art of preserving foods using water and salt is thousands of years old. And luckily is having a resurgence. Dawn Story of Farmstead Ferments is here to teach us the health benefits of super foods like kraut, kimchi, and water kefir. Digesting food requires a ton of energy by the body. It's hard work. But eating fermented foods not only aids the digestive process, but can provide good bacteria and enzymes the body n...
Sep 24, 2015•1 hr 25 min
Whether you call them small plates, tapas, or mezze, these treats for sharing have been a part of the American restaurant scene for at least 20 years. So why are some folks still reluctant to embrace this European concept? That's our topic for Episode 17. Meet Chef Justin Ross of Parallel 38 , one of the most unique restaurants in Charlottesville. Its concept revolves around cuisines from countries lying along the 38th parallel. Countries like Greece, Turkey, Spain, Lebanon, the Napa Valley, and...
Sep 11, 2015•1 hr 34 min
C&O Restaurant has been a landmark for almost 40 years. Such a landmark if you mention Charlottesville to anyone from someplace else, they will probably talk about it in the same breath as Monticello or the UVA Lawn. So what happens when a longtime owner passes the keys to a new steward? I talked to Chef Dean Maupin to find out. I've been in love with C&O's bar since first venturing down the stairs late one night many years ago. The vibe, the wood, you feel like you're someplace else. So...
Aug 28, 2015•1 hr 17 min
What's it like to be a female chef in an industry that doesn't always recognize women with awards and accolades? What are some of the assumptions made about women chefs with regard to how they run a kitchen, prepare their food, present themselves? Melissa Close-Hart is a celebrated chef with decades of experience under her belt. The only woman on Charlottesville's "Mount Rushmore" of chefs , Melissa has been nominated four times as a James Beard semi-finalist during her tenure as Executive Chef ...
Aug 14, 2015•1 hr 20 min
Real food isn't processed food. It isn't created in a lab with flavor chemicals. It doesn't contain preservatives. It's tasty, healthful, and doesn't require a culinary degree to prepare. And yes, it can contain fat and sugar. Kath Younger, a registered dietician , is one of the earliest and most well-known healthy lifestyle bloggers. Since 2007 she has chronicled her daily meals at KathEats.com and for many years, blogged each meal three times a day. The discipline required for such a feat is a...
Jul 31, 2015•1 hr 20 min
To quote NoBull Burger spokesperson Elizabeth Raymond, "Most veggie burgers taste like the cardboard box they came in." Not NoBull. These are not punched-out soybean patties people. You can see the lentils, beans, barley, and vegetables depending on the kind you choose - NoBull has four including a gluten-free option. Throw them on the grill. It's an organic meal in under 15 minutes. Only 3 points on Weight Watchers but tastes like 20. Coming soon, a NoBull crumble for tacos or spaghetti sauce o...
Jul 17, 2015•1 hr 28 min
Remember how our grandmothers created different flavors of cake simply by mixing up whatever was in the pantry? Apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg would become an Apple Dapple Cake. Add black walnuts and it's Nutty Apple Dapple. After talking with Laurie Blakey of Pearl's Bake Shoppe in Charlottesville (and Richmond), I'm convinced this needs to become a thing. The next dessert trend. Welcome to Episode 12! Laurie's love of cake comes from her grandmother, Pearl, who had a farm in Greene County. Laurie...
Jul 03, 2015•1 hr 21 min
What if you could eat farm to table on the go? On the level of Chipotle or Panera? Except it's local, not a chain, and all the ingredients come from within 100 miles of Charlottesville? Meet Danielle and Ken Notari owners of Nude Fude on Hydraulic Road . Along with CIA-trained chef Jarrod Brown, who worked with Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Lemaire in Richmond, this family restaurant hopes to change the dynamic of F2T - bringing it down from fine dining into something more real...
Jun 19, 2015•1 hr 17 min
Welcome to Episode 10. I'm talking with Gerry Newman of Albemarle Baking Company , and I'm not sure who got more out of this conversation, him or me! I'm an amateur bread baker from way back, no-knead method, but of late my anxiety over fallen dough has kept me from this worthwhile past time. Gerry gave me tips on overcoming this, in addition to regaling me with stories of his apprenticeship, his passion for baking, and his love of Limpa. What is Limpa? You'll have to listen to find out. Gerry h...
Jun 05, 2015•1 hr 14 min
In Episode 9 of Edacious, we meet Hunter Smith of Champion Brewery . Hunter is a brewmaster extraordinaire dedicated to experimenting and creating new flavors of beer and providing a comfortable space with which to enjoy them. He collaborates often with local chefs and his favorite musicians to bring you the most inventive, tasty brews around. I found his passion infectious. Champion Brewery is a meeting place with huge amounts of space inside and out to hang out, talk, and of course, sip your f...
May 22, 2015•1 hr 19 min
In this episode, meet a woman with a degree in Biology (with a concentration in Molecular Genomics!) who bought a gelato store. Splendora's Gelato ain't ice cream. Nor is it frozen yogurt. No dump and mix here. No ice cream dasher which adds air. Gelato is a fantabulously rich, thick, decadent frozen concoction from Italy which makes all the rest look like amateurs. An awesome conversation touching on subjects like the concept of FOMO as it relates to gelato. What's FOMO? Look it up. I had to LO...
May 07, 2015•1 hr 25 min
Food Writer C. Simon Davidson's passion for food began young, ordering an extra appetizer at dinner when the rest of the family was ordering dessert. His website, The Charlottesville 29 , is a hall of fame of sorts for restaurants in our area. Named after the road slicing through our community, it names the top 29 restaurants in our area - an impossible task given the circumstances, and one Simon is happy to tackle. In this discussion we talk about the challenges and rewards of being a food writ...
Apr 23, 2015•1 hr 29 min
Are restaurants under more pressure than ever to deliver not only quality food, great service, wonderful ambiance, beautiful plates, but to also cater to every known (and some suspicious-sounding) allergy known to man? Was it always like this? Is this a new phenomenon? Used to be chefs were in the driver's seat, but increasingly the guest steps in the door with immediate demands. How do restaurants handle it without losing sight of their original vision? Join us for Episode 6 where I talk to Har...
Apr 09, 2015•1 hr 15 min
Welcome back! In this episode we meet Michele Jones, Co-Owner and Front of House Manager for PastureQ in Charlottesville and Pasture in Richmond, Virginia. Ran a bit long, but we had tons to say. Talked about the importance of customer service and why your chef and front of house wants you to have a good time. It's easy to have a bad time people! Your restaurant staff want you to have the opposite and Michele is here to tell you why. What makes a good host? What makes a good guest? What's the se...
Mar 27, 2015•1 hr 21 min
