Free Grants And Low-Cost Loans For College Might Be As Close As Your Laptop

High school seniors sweat two questions every fall: Will I get into college, and how will I pay for it?

Chances are, they and their families started agonizing over these challenges years ago, and that’s good: Their forward thinking is beneficial, especially when it comes to paying the high price of higher education, which ranges annually from $25,290 to $50,900 (see box). Planning hopefully means they’ve saved money—but, understandably, they still might not have enough stashed away. Most often, that is the case. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2016, 85 percent of bachelor’s degree-seeking students received financial aid. According to Big Future, an online student planning tool offered by College Board, the SAT-creator, about 57 percent of financial aid is in the form of grants, and 34 percent in federal loans.

Tina Russell, director of financial aid at Christopher Newport University, describes these two types of aid as gift aid and self-aid, which can also include work-study jobs.

“Gift aid—grants or scholarships—is the best type of aid,” she notes, “as it does not have to be repaid.”

Exploring how much aid a student may qualify for is a multi-step process. Those who have specific colleges in mind can visit each school’s website and find a net price calculator. A student can enter his and his family’s financial information, such as income and bank accounts, to receive an estimate of his bill at the school, regardless of the listed price.

To qualify for aid, students must fill out the FAFSA—the free application for federal student aid. It opens online each year on Oct. 1. Again, the student will enter his and his parents’ financial information and answer other questions. At the end of the report, he can see a guide as to what he might expect for aid—either as grants he doesn’t need to repay or loans that can be paid back shortly after college graduation. Some federal loans do not accrue interest during college, while others do. Most students qualify for the loans, and the loan amount increases from $5,500 freshman year to $7,500 senior year.

Students forward the completed FAFSA® to each school they’re applying to. Some colleges ask for more detailed financial information as well. The schools then use the data to make a financial aid offer, which could also include funding from the state, the school and private sources.

“The best solution for seeking the best terms for aid is to research and apply for all aid sources, including scholarships, early,” Tina advises. “Contact each institution to ensure you have completed all required steps. Not all institutions are in a position to negotiate. Private colleges typically have an advantage when it comes to negotiating the terms of an aid package.”

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Average Annual Cost of College in 2018

In-state public colleges: $25,290
Out-of-state public colleges: $40,940
Private colleges: $50,900
Source: ValuePenguin

The Community Impact Awards honor Lynchburg for-profit businesses that are making a tangible, measurable impact on their communities. That impact might be the result of any number of activities including job creation, workforce development programs, volunteer efforts, or innovative business models that promote a healthy work environment. The 2019 Community Impact Appreciation honors local businesses for their work in the community.

The Common-wealth Is A World-Class Higher Education Destination For Local And Out-Of-State Students Alike

For Virginia residents and out-of-state students alike, the commonwealth’s higher education institutions offer exceptional value and a wide range of programs to meet the needs of all types of students. Whether you are a student athlete looking to play at the collegiate level, a nontraditional student seeking to advance your career, an aspiring doctor, or something in between, Virginia has a higher education program where you will thrive.

During the 2018–2019 academic year, there were 521,471 students enrolled in Virginia’s higher education institutions, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. And it isn’t just enrollment that’s impressive. The commonwealth also boasts the second-highest public four-year graduation rate in the country. And in 2017, Virginia was named the No. 1 state for higher education by SmartAsset, a finance website. SmartAsset also noted that Virginia always ranks in the top 10 states for higher education.

According to SmartAsset, “Virginia’s public colleges and universities effectively educate their students. Virginia has one of the highest average graduation rates in our study at 70 percent. And, the average 20-year return on investment for graduates is $442,660, which is the fourth-highest ROI in our study. Additionally, the student-faculty ratio in Virginia rates seventh lowest in the nation.”

Virginia is home to 15 four-year public universities, 13 of which offer graduate programs. Students seeking associate degrees can choose from one of 23 two-year schools in the Virginia Community College System, or the Richard Bland College of William & Mary. There are also 28 private college options in Virginia, a great choice for students seeking small classes with an average student-faculty ratio of 11:1, more personalized attention and a focus on opportunities for campus and community involvement.

While Virginia colleges boast programs that encompass all areas of study, one major area of growth that sets the state apart is technology. When Amazon was considering Virginia as a site for its new headquarters, Virginia Tech promised to build a 1 million-square-foot Innovation Campus, and George Mason University vowed to open a new School of Computing and an institute for digital innovation. Amazon selected Northern Virginia as the site of their new $2.5 billion headquarters, so these schools are now working to hold up their ends of the bargain. Additionally, Northern Virginia currently has 33,000 unfilled jobs in cybersecurity, and universities are prioritizing technology programs to meet increased demand in the region.

Students pursuing careers in the medical field are also drawn to Virginia’s higher education institutions. Virginia’s four medical schools—Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine, University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine—are all highly ranked institutions. And while the cost of earning a medical degree is always substantial, Virginia doctors see a high return on their investment. Graduates who decide to practice medicine in the state can expect to earn 436 percent above the national median income for all occupations.

Many aspiring lawyers also set their sights on Virginia universities. Of the nine law schools in Virginia, UVA, William & Mary and Washington and Lee University rank the highest. UVA Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the country and is perennially ranked among the nation’s top 10 law schools. William & Mary was the first university to offer a professional law education back in 1779. Additionally, William & Mary was ranked No. 1 on the list of Top 10 2019–2020 Military Friendly Graduate Schools and No. 5 for best law schools for government jobs, according to PreLaw Magazine. This year Liberty University School of Law placed 7th out of 203 schools for passing the bar exam, based on the American Bar Association’s pass rate data.

Virginia universities also draw top-notch athletes with their exceptional athletic programs. This year, the UVA Cavaliers took home the NCAA men’s basketball championship—one of the most recognized college athletics championships. The Cavaliers also won the 2019 NCAA men’s lacrosse championship this past year for the sixth time in their history. Virginia Tech, James Madison University and Old Dominion University all boast excellent athletic programs as well, providing student athletes with many options for playing their sport while receiving an exceptional education.

No matter what type of higher education program you are looking for, there are myriad factors that come into play when deciding which institution to attend. But if you’re seeking a world-class education, an excellent student-to-faculty ratio and a high return on your investment, looking no further than the commonwealth certainly has its benefits.

Lynchburg Living Magazine is pleased to present the 2019 Giving Back Awards, designed to honor Lynchburg’s outstanding nonprofit organizations and recognize the often unsung groups living among us who transform our communities and enrich the lives of others.

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Two Professors Develop Life-Saving Technology

The energy buzzing through a college campus is generated by more than curious students: Faculty members—and their vision for the future as they double as professors opening minds and researchers improving the world—ignite their communities with possibilities. That’s especially the case with two professors who recently received honors and grants to continue developing new technology:

A computer program to treat cancer more precisely
For more than 15 years, Khan Iftekharuddin, Ph.D., has been researching brain tumors and now does so at Old Dominion University, where he is an engineering professor, associate dean for research and graduate programs and director of Vision Lab. He has secured funding from the Whitaker Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a grant in 2016 with teams from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, University of California San Diego and University of Iowa.

Dr. Iftekharuddin’s goal is to provide doctors with a tool to pinpoint where cancerous tissue ends and healthy tissue begins. This can be difficult: Gliomas, the most common adult brain tumor, often intertwine with healthy tissue instead of forming a single mass. He and his researchers are training their as-of-yet-unnamed computer program to find elements in brain cancer patients’ MRI scans that relate to specific outcomes. They do so by first exposing the program to a large quantity of scans and then introducing new scans, on which the program uses computational methods to see patterns and identify a tumor’s shape.

Knowing the shape guides doctors delivering radiotherapy and follow-up treatments to patients. Patients may also have a better chance of being accepted into clinical trials with the results.

The program’s promise is strong—judges ranked it number one in a recent international competition sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Medical Imaging Consulting and Computer-Assisted Intervention Society—and so is its further development.

“We’ve obtained another NIH grant to study the process to bring this type of technology to patients’ bedsides,” says Iftekharuddin. “This research has also moved beyond just detection of brain tumor. We have been working on automated glioma grading and patient survival prediction using clinical, radiology, molecular and other patient data.”

Technology to protect wildlife and businesses
The Miracle on the Hudson, the nickname given to the safe water landing provided in 2009 by a US Airways pilot, is well known thanks to a movie, as is the fact that geese being sucked into the plane’s engine caused the crash. Lesser known is that 70,000 birds at the nearby airport were intentionally slaughtered in the eight years immediately after in an attempt to prevent bird-plane collisions. Yet, according to an Associated Press report in 2017, planes continued to collide with birds and did so at a rate higher than before the 2009 crash.

Bird collision is a topic John Swaddle, Ph.D., the newly appointed chair of the biology department at William & Mary, knows well. Nearly 10 year ago, he began studying birds and noise pollution. He noted birds’ sensitivity to noise and their resulting avoidance of places, in particular those areas with noise that has a frequency—or pitch—similar to their own sounds. Such environments make it difficult for birds to hear each other and lead to them to being too frightened to frequent the area. Dr. Swaddle developed sonic nets—spatially controlled

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Two Mistakes Students Make
1. Ignoring mail: Not responding to information requests on time can cause a student to miss out on aid. They should monitor emails, mail and student portals regularly and respond to requests as soon as possible.

2. Forgetting the requirements: Many grants and scholarships have requirements, such as maintaining a certain grade point average and meeting annual application deadlines. Students must understand and meet the criteria for continued aid.

—Tina Russell, Director of financial aid at Christopher Newport University

Meal planning with food sensitivities in mind

Photos by Ashlee Glen

Sometimes it feels like we live in a time of almost total food-confusion. Science keeps changing its mind about what is healthy—and what was good for you last year might very well kill you now. New “superfoods” with sensational health benefits make the news on a regular basis and suddenly show up in every magazine, restaurant or store shelf. (Yes, I’m looking at you, kale and goji berries!) Even good ol’ chicken eggs are confusing. A few years ago, the egg white ruled the shell from a health perspective…but I think the yolk is making a comeback.

So, what should you eat to be healthy… and, also, feel healthy? Personally, I think it is pretty simple: Healthy eating habits start with you taking control of your own food. Research where it comes from, what it contains and how it was grown or prepared. Also, taking control of your own food means your diet might look a little bit different from your friend’s, family member’s or co-worker’s due to our own unique sensitivities.

When taking control of our food, we need to start with the big picture then work on our own individual plan.

The Big Picture

Food writer and author Michael Pollan summarized the big picture very elegantly in his book In Defense of Food. He writes “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.”
Simple, right?

“Eat food” means avoid the processed, artificial stuff such as vegetable oils and synthetic sweeteners. Buy whole foods and cook at home. “Mostly plants” means to enjoy meat, eggs and dairy in moderation and to fill your plate with a variety of seasonal, colorful plant-based foods. Not just broccoli and iceberg lettuce, but explore your farmers market and grocery produce section. “Not too much” means to keep the calories in mind and control your portion size.

The Individual

When it comes to food, we are all different and one size does not fit all. We vary in preferences, lifestyles, body types, and sensitivities. Sensitivities or intolerances may be an underexplored area for many people. It certainly was for me! Over the past few years, I have come to realize that my body really does not like gluten, corn and lactose—and it had been trying to tell me that for years.

A sensitivity is different from an allergy. It does not trigger the immune system by producing an aggressive, allergic response but may be more subtle. Food sensitivities may manifest themselves in different ways and often we are unaware that food is the root cause to a condition or an ailment that we experience. More often than not, we look for a prescription drug to take care of the problem, when our diet may be to blame.

Wheat (gluten), corn and dairy (lactose) are three of the most common foods people are sensitive to, but once you start researching the list gets much longer. The issue with these three is that they tend to show up as ingredients in almost all processed foods. Your yogurt may be thickened with cornstarch, your hot dog may contain gluten and your protein powder is likely made from dairy.

If you experience unexplained symptoms, such as GI issues or skin problems, you may want to take a closer look at what you are eating. A prescription from your doctor may be the solution—but it may also just reduce symptoms, not the root cause.

Here is an action plan that worked for me:

1. Again, take control of what you eat. Stop eating out for a period of time and cut out processed foods. Since you still need to eat, look up some recipes with a lot of room for flexibility (like the ones in this section!).

2. Start a basic elimination diet. You may have a general idea which foods cause you trouble so start with cutting them out of your diet for 7-10 days to see if anything improves. If not, try the next food group.

3. Keep track. Read labels and take notes of what you eat. Remember that some symptoms appear instantly while others take several days to appear (especially skin problems).

The following recipes are two of my top picks for those with food sensitivities. Here are a few of my top recipes for those with food sensitivities.
lynchburgliving.com/chicken-stir-fry

Earning a “Best Of Lynchburg” award should be celebrated. Earning this recognition year after year should be too!

To place in our “Best Of Lynchburg” Hall of Fame, a business, person or place needs to have won a gold level in a category the majority of years since VistaGraphics started conducting the contest in 2014.

Flip through to see who is the best of the best in the region!
(And be on the lookout for our Best Of Lynchburg 2020 winners—they will
be published in the January/February issue of Lynchburg Living!)

BEST BUSINESSES

BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM
Davidson, Doyle & Hilton, LLP

BEST APARTMENT LIVING
Legacy at Linden Park

BEST AUTO SERVICE
Harris Tire

BEST BED AND BREAKFAST
Acorn Hill Lodge

BEST BOOKSTORE
Givens Books-Little Dickens

BEST CAR DEALERSHIP
Billy Craft Honda

BEST CAR WASH
Express Jet Car Wash

BEST CATERER
Charley’s Restaurant and Catering

BEST CHILDCARE FACILITY
Liberty Christian Academy Early Learning Center

BEST CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
Gladiola Girls

BEST CHILDRENS CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
Once Upon a Child

BEST COMMUNITY BANK
Bank of the James

BEST CREDIT UNION
Central Virginia Federal Credit Union

BEST CONSIGNMENT/THRIFT SHOP
On Second Thought

BEST FINANCIAL PLANNING COMPANY
DePaul Wealth Management

BEST FLORIST
bloom by Doyle’s

BEST FUNERAL SERVICE COMPANY
Whitten Funeral Homes

BEST JEWELRY STORE
Bowen Jewelry Company

BEST LAW FIRM
Overbey Hawkins & Wright

BEST MUSIC STORE
Lynchburg Music Center

BEST TANNING SALON
Sun Tan City

BEST TATTOO STUDIO
Caspian Tattoo

BEST TOWING COMPANY
Cranford Towing

BEST TRAVEL AGENCY
Travel Lovers

BEST VETERINARIAN
Peaks View Animal Hospital Riverside Veterinary Hospital

HEALTH & WELLNESS

BEST CHIROPRACTIC PRACTICE
Light Chiropractic

BEST COUNSELING SERVICE
Horizon Behavioral Health

BEST DENTAL PRACTICE
Forest Family Dentistry

BEST DERMATOLOGY PRACTICE
Dermatology Consultants

BEST EYE CARE
Piedmont Eye Center

BEST HOME HEALTH PROVIDER
Centra

BEST PEDIATRIC PRACTICE
F. Read Hopkins Pediatric Associates

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPY CENTER
Rehab Associates of Central Virginia

BEST RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
Westminster Canterbury

BEST WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE
Women’s Health Services of Central Virginia

HOME

BEST ELECTRICAL COMPANY
Drummond Electrical

BEST FLOORING COMPANY
Piedmont Floors

BEST HOME FUEL COMPANY
Foster Fuels

BEST HOME BUILDER
Custom Structures, Inc

BEST HOME FURNISHINGS
Grand Home Furnishings

BEST KITCHEN AND BATH COMPANY
MB Tile and General Contracting

BEST LAWN AND GARDEN SUPPLY
Rustic View Home and Gardens

BEST PEST CONTROL
Specialty Exterminating Company

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT
Jeremiah Cochenour

LIFESTYLE

BEST ART STUDIO
The Academy Center of the Arts

BEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA WINERY
Peaks of Otter Winery

BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY SPOT
Amazement Square

BEST FESTIVAL OR EVENT
The Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival
Get Downtown

BEST GOLF COURSE
London Downs Golf Club

BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION
Blue Ridge Parkway

OUTDOORS

BEST BIKING/HIKING/RUNNING TRAIL
Blackwater Creek Trail

BEST FISHING SPOT
Smith Mountain Lake

BEST PARK
Peaks View Park

BEST VIEW OF THE CITY
Candlers Mountain/Snowflex/LU Monogram

PERSONALITIES

BEST CIVIC LEADER
Pastor Jonathan Falwell

BEST LOCAL BAND
Dragonfly

BEST LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR
Danner Evans

RESTAURANTS

BEST ASIAN/ETHNIC FOOD
King’s Island Restaurant

BEST BAR
Bräuburgers Craft Burgers & Beer

BEST BARBECUE
Pok-E-Joes

BEST BREAKFAST
Market At Main

BEST BREWERY
Apocalypse Ale Works

BEST BURGER
Bräuburgers Craft Burgers & Beer

BEST COFFEE
Joe Bean’s

BEST DESSERTS
Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats (Closing in October 2019)

BEST FOOD TRUCK
Mama Crockett’s Cider Donuts

BEST FROZEN DESSERT
Mister Goodies

BEST ITALIAN
Isabella’s Italian Trattoria

BEST KID FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Chick-fil-A

BEST LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANT
Bräuburgers Craft Burgers & Beer

BEST MEXICAN
La Carreta Mexican Restaurant

BEST NIGHT SPOT FOR LIVE MUSIC
Benjamin’s
Jimmy’s on the James

BEST PIZZA
Waterstone Pizza

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH
The Neighbors Place

BEST RESTAURANT FOR VEGETARIAN/VEGANS
Zoë’s Kitchen
Crisp

BEST STEAK
New London Steakhouse

BEST TEA SHOP/TEA ROOM
Ploughcroft Tea Room

BEST WAIT STAFF
Chick-fil-A on Wards Rd.

If you’re hoping to get away for the day, look no further than Altavista, Virginia—located only a 30-minute drive from Lynchburg.

When incorporated in 1912, the town encompassed a little under two square miles. Since then, it has more than doubled in size—adding new shops, restaurants and attractions. But Altavista still has always retained that small town feel. “Most of our businesses are locally owned and have been here for over 50 years or longer,” notes Lori Johnson, president of Altavista on Track.

Explore the heritage and history in this antique-lover’s haven by visiting its shops, restaurants, and sites.

Main Street

Avoca Museum

One of the first things to catch your eye after taking the Altavista exit off Route 29 is a beautiful American Queen Anne–style home. Built in 1901, the Avoca Museum is open to the public for tours Thursday through Saturday—and be prepared to learn about a range of local history.

“The site doesn’t mark one specific event or personality. Instead, Avoca interprets 12,000 years of human history from the local Native American civilization to present day,” explains Executive Director Michael Hudson.

Also on the grounds are a Victorian garden, an arboretum and a covered pavilion.

The Shoppes of Altavista

Offering a wide variety of farmhouse and primitive decor, The Shoppes of Altavista beckons you with wide windows featuring seasonal displays. As you walk in the door, you are immediately greeted by the smell of warm candles and a friendly “hello” from the counter.

Owner Barbara Gibson often finds herself directing visitors around the town and enjoys helping customers find what they need. “I love it when someone brings in a photo of a gallery wall in their home,” she says. “We look around the shop together to find something that would be the perfect fit.”

Main St. Cafe and Coffee & Main St. Shoppes

Conveniently located on the corner next to a free public parking lot, Main St. Cafe and Coffee smells of sweet treats. At the counter, you can order from a delicious menu full of sandwiches, wraps, soups, gluten-free options, and baked goods. Notable fare includes “The Italian Stallion” (a sandwich filled with Italian meats and spices), “The Fightin’ Colonel” (a Tex-Mex chicken dish), and “The Luigi” (a vegetarian panini).

Pass through the dining area after you eat and browse the Main St. Shoppes. Their eclectic selection includes Vera Bradley designs, luxury body products, and fine jewelry. The navy blue walls are contrasted with bright white displays and add a touch of elegance to your gift shopping experience.

The General Store and Inn

From the sidewalk, you can peek inside the windows of The General Store and Inn and see big barrels of old-fashioned candy. Candles, children’s toys, home decor, and locally-sourced groceries pack the floors. Talking to Manager Alison Patterson, you get a glimpse into the heart behind this unique store.
“The owner, Dale Moore, started the business because he grew up in a general store—his grandparents owned one,” explains Patterson. “His family wanted to bring some nostalgia back to Altavista. The General Store and Inn, along with their Main St. Shoppes and Main St. Cafe and Coffee, is one of the ways they celebrate local history.”
To feel truly transported back in time, you can enjoy ice cream at the counter or drink a glass bottle of soda at the gazebo out front. From that spot, you can see the beautiful winding staircase that leads to the boutique inn upstairs. It offers three private suites, each with a king-size bed, living area, work desk, treadmill and high-end bathroom with walk-in shower.

Pittsylvania Avenue

English Park

Already known as a great place for hiking, boating, and play, English Park is upgrading its amenities this summer. New additions include a splash pad, playground equipment, and additional shade structures.

Scoops Ice Cream Shop

Featuring 22 flavors of Hershey’s Hand-Dipped Ice Cream, Scoops Ice Cream Shop is one of the newer businesses to open in downtown Altavista. Choose a cake or waffle cone then fill it with your favorite flavor. They also sell Granny P’s cookies, cakes, and pies.

Elba Butcher Shoppe

As the main grocery store, Elba Butcher Shoppe is a locally-owned business offering fresh produce, meats and pantry items. In the back, you can view the “butcher” part of the name with a shining case of fresh pork, chicken, and beef.

Broad Street

Vital Edge Nutritional Center

As you enter Vital Edge Nutritional Center, you are welcomed by the smell of essential oils and pleasant greetings of the Rorer family, who decided to bring their knowledge about natural medicine, herbs, essential oils, and homeopathy to the local community. Rows of specialty items line the shelves—from delicious treats such as raw honey to natural air fresheners, this shop offers a variety of homeopathic solutions for your everyday life.

Vintage on Broad

As a shop that recently gained national attention through a feature on the History Channel’s “American Pickers” television show, Vintage on Broad doesn’t disappoint. From front to back, you can find primitive items, farmhouse-style decor, and classic antiques. As you walk along the long rows of interesting finds, you’ll quickly learn this shop is deceptively deep.
Pretty Please

With adjoining doors that make friendly business neighbors, Pretty Please sits right next to Vintage on Broad. Inside, the fashion finds take you on a whimsical, and often glittery, journey around the glamourous, light-filled space. You’ll find chic shelves overflowing with rhinestone costume jewelry, beaded masks, embroidered dresses, and sparkling platform heels.

Just Outside of Town

Bittersweet Antiques (1666 Wards Road)

With large, rustic furniture that you can see from the roadside, Bittersweet Antiques is already a head-turner on U.S. 29. Inside, their shelves overflow with primitives, vintage wall art, lighting, plants, and nostalgic decor.

Virginia Found Goods (710 Pocket Road)

Although Virginia Found Goods has an address in Hurt, the giant warehouse is just outside the town of Altavista. Drive along Pocket Road until you see the Instagram-friendly vintage trucks marking the entrance. After you grab a complimentary cup from their coffee bar, you can browse the large factory which is full of painted furniture, barn wood, and chippy, rusty goods.

Take The Party Outside With These Recipes For Easy Entertaining

One of the best perks of summer is the opportunity to enjoy a meal outdoors. Whether on the patio or by the water, we love packing a cooler, firing up the grill and pouring a few chilled sips as we converse with friends. What we don’t love, however, is spending hours in the kitchen, especially when there’s summer fun to be had. We’ve gathered a menu of recipes to keep in mind when hosting your next summer shindig. Simple to prepare, enjoyable to eat and popping with fresh summer bounty, these dishes are sure to delight in the great outdoors.

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White Gazpacho with Green Grapes & a Twist

Recipe provided by Betsy DiJulio, author at The Blooming Platter, TheBloomingPlatter.com

Soup, you say? On a summer day? Oh yes, you may! This white (although technically light green) gazpacho is naturally creamy, cool as a cucumber and looks quite fetching garnished with a grape and served in chilled tasting glasses.

Ingredients
2 cups bread torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups whole or slivered blanched, skinless almonds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 large European seedless cucumber, peeled or unpeeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/4 cup fennel fronds and tender stems
2 large cloves garlic, halved (use roasted garlic if you prefer less pungency)
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: finely chopped fennel fronds and green grapes

Method
Place bread and almonds in a large bowl.

Scald milk in a saucepan on top of the stove, or heat for 2 minutes in the microwave and pour immediately over bread and almonds. Let soak for an hour, pressing solids down into milk every so often.

At the end of the soaking time, place cucumber, fennel, garlic, sherry, vinegar and a large pinch of sea salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Process for a couple minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary until smooth.

Add bread, almonds, milk and another pinch of salt and pepper and process for about 3 minutes, again scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, or until very creamy and smooth.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Add plenty of salt to amplify the flavors, although the soup shouldn’t taste salty.
Garnish with finely chopped fennel fronds, if desired, and a green grape, speared on a cocktail pick and rested across the rim of
the glass.

Yield 8 cups

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Clambake Packets

Recipe provided by Laura Davis of Tide & Thyme, TideAndThyme.com

Nothing says summer quite like a steaming packet of Old Bay–seasoned seafood. Add in a few ears of corn, quartered red potatoes and sausage, and you’ve got yourself a proper clambake. What’s especially charming about these packets, though, is that you can prep them ahead of time, toss them on the grill and voila—each guest can enjoy their own individual clambake, the most glamourous grab-and-go imaginable.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shell on25 littleneck clams, scrubbed and rinsed
12 ounces kielbasa or andouille sausage, sliced about 1 inch thick
3 ears corn, shucked and cut into 1-inch slices
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, quartered fresh lemon, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Old Bay
kosher salt

Method
Devein shrimp but leave the shell on as it helps retain moisture. Set aside in a medium bowl.

Prepare packets by tearing 6 sheets of aluminum foil, each about 12 inches long. Stack in a pile and assemble ingredients inside.

Divide potatoes, corn, sausage, clams, shrimp and lemon slices into equal portions in the center of each piece of foil.

Fold up the sides of the packets. Add olive oil, Old Bay and a sprinkle of salt. Gently toss to combine. Fold the sides of the foil over the ingredients, bunching and folding until completely sealed.

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place packets on grill and cook for 20–25 minutes until the shrimp are pink and the clams have popped open.

Yield 6 clambake packs

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Watermelon Salad with Thai Flavors, Cotija Cheese & Sea Salt

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When summer is in full swing, an ice-cold slice of watermelon does the trick to cool us down. Elevate that idea by adding some fresh herbs, lime juice and Cotija cheese for a summer salad that’s a little sweet, a little salty and a whole lot invigorating.

Ingredients
4 pounds watermelon
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh basil, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh mint, roughly chopped
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, roughly chopped zest and juice of 3 limes
4 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled sea salt sprinkled to season

Method
Cut ripe watermelon in bite-sized cubes. Toss with herbs and add lime zest and juice. Crumble the Cotija cheese over the top and season with sea salt and olive oil.

Yield approximately six servings

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Mason Jar Lemon & Raspberry Parfaits

Recipe provided by Jason Arbusto, Culinary Director for The Craddock Terry Hotel, Shoemakers Restaurant and Waterstone Pizza, Shoemakersdining.com

When it comes to outdoor entertaining, simplicity is key, even when it comes to dessert. No slicing, scooping or baking required, these individual lemon and raspberry parfaits can be made ahead of time and placed in a cooler until you’re ready to pass out the spoons. The bright tartness of the lemon curd, combined with the airiness of the whipped cream and yogurt, plus a burst of fresh raspberry in each bite, makes this dessert an ideal way to cap off any event.

Ingredients
Easy Lemon Curd
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons lemon zest
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
All at room temperature

Whipped Cream
2 cups cold heavy cream
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean
2 cups Greek yogurt
2 pints fresh raspberries

Method
For the Lemon Curd
In a small saucepan, add sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and eggs. Heat on low heat and add the butter in small pieces as you whisk, cooking the curd for about 10 minutes until it thickens. Strain it though a fine sieve and reserve. *Editor’s Note: To thicken, we brought the temperature of the curd to 170F.

For the Whipped Cream
In a mixer, mix the cream and the sugar for about 3–5 minutes on high to form stiff peaks.

To Assemble
Mix the whipped cream with the Greek yogurt. Layer a mason jar with as many or as little layers as you would like with the lemon curd, raspberries, and whipped cream/yogurt mix. You can make all of this in advance and store in the fridge up to a few days or build your own at the table.

Yield 12 servings if using miniature Mason jars