The newest health food trend encourages us to swap our morning cup of joe for a chilled serving of freshly squeezed celery juice.* The concept of vegetable juice may be hard to swallow, but the colorful elixir has been widely celebrated for its healing powers and laundry list of positive health benefits. We spoke with holistic healing expert Jenna Goin, RN, to get the lowdown on celery juice and to determine whether the green concoction is truly fact or fad.

Goin, of Forest’s Empowered Wellness, has expressed a lifelong interest in health and fitness, particularly with regard to holistic and integrative wellness. She shares with clients natural remedies for physical, mental and emotional ailments alike. When she discovered celery juice, she quickly realized it was a one-fits-all solution to some of the most common health issues her clients face. “I first read about celery juice about a year ago through a book I read on healing the thyroid by a man named Anthony Williams,” explains Goin. “He talked about celery juice as the ‘miracle juice’ so to speak and began to explain the numerous benefits of this healing liquid and why everyone should incorporate this juice into their daily diet.”

Albeit skeptic, Goin coupled Williams’ notes with her own research and at home taste tests and was pleasantly surprised by the vegetable tonic. “To be honest, just a few days of drinking celery juice in the morning, I was hooked,” Goin admits. She also explains that drinking celery juice shortly after rising from bed is the optimal time for the body to reap its benefits. Goin recommends consuming 16 ounces of celery juice before breakfast and waiting at least 15 to 30 minutes between the green pick-me-up and your first bite. For those who experience adverse reactions, Goin suggests starting with smaller portions and gradually working up to the full 16-ounce serving.

But, what is in each 16-ounce pour exactly? Goin shares a menu of superpowers celery juice possesses, many of which she has experienced firsthand. Benefits of drinking celery juice include decreased inflammation, potent antiviral and antibacterial benefits, eased digestion, decreased bloating, constipation relief, healed skin conditions (such as acne, eczema and psoriasis), gastric reflux relief and dissolved gallstones. Celery juice is also known to aid central nervous system disorders like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, brain fog and Alzheimer’s. At the most basic level, celery juice helps to balance the body’s pH levels as well.

“Celery juice has been life changing for me,” says Goin. “It truly has been what it has claimed to be—a healing tonic and miracle juice.”

*Always consult with your doctor before trying any new diet.

Introduced by the world’s first human inhabitants and later adopted by Paleo diet enthusiasts is the savory, and sometimes sweet, bone broth concoction. The stock doles out a myriad of health benefits including a strengthened immune system, improved joint health and even beauty enhancements like tighter skin elasticity. But what exactly is bone broth and how can we incorporate it into our daily diet?

Angie Chapman, sales associate at health food store Nature’s Outlet in Forest, gave us the scoop on this prehistoric soup. Chapman explains that bone broth is the result of simmering the bones of chicken, beef, pork, veal, fish and other animal proteins over the course of two days. During the heating process, minerals, collagen and co-factors like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are extracted from the marrow, thus creating a super broth known to heal almost any ailment. “The minerals found within the broth act as electrolytes and replenish our body with calcium, phosphorus, [collagen] and more,” says Chapman. “There is a variety of valuable amino acids present as well. [Bone broth] is great for physical recovery as it replenishes minerals lost during exercise and the collagen is healing to joints.”

The leader of the bone broth revolution, Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, explains that the variety of bones used in the broth has a significant impact on its nutritional makeup. She recommends knuckles, joints, feet and marrow bones for beef, a full carcass for chicken and turkey, and oxtails, shanks and short ribs for added flavor. Bones can be easily mixed to cater to your preferred flavor and consistency as well.

Its versatility in the culinary scene also makes bone broth an easy addition to any meal. The broth can be made at home, bought fresh in store or prepackaged in flavored powders like vanilla and chocolate. “Most people toss the pre-made protein powder in a morning smoothie, but there are many ways to use it,” says Chapman. She further explains that broth can be incorporated into a variety of baked goods, dips, hot chocolate, coffee and even as a supplement to main dishes to give your meal an extra boost.

For those who like to keep things simple, Chapman recommends eating the broth straight for a high-protein, low-carb and low-calorie snack. Frequent Nature’s Outlet shoppers enhance the broth with vegetables, turmeric, ginger and other spices. “We carry these items for the convenience of others to get these essential nutrients in their busy days and to be their best selves,” says Chapman.

Turmeric Relish—

Don’t even get us started on the amazing ways turmeric can improve your health. While many people are familiar with the powder form of this inflammation-fighting spice, Nisani Farms—a local farm that specializes in certified naturally grown ginger and turmeric—gets creative with this tasty relish. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Microgreens—

These sprigs fresh from the SoulShine Farms greenhouse are small but mighty. According to studies, microgreens have a high antioxidant content, which means they can promote good overall health. Available seasonally (mid-April to October) at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Heritage Corn Flour—

It doesn’t get much fresher than this, folks. Jimmy’s Cracked Corn in Goode is a newer addition to the local farming scene with corn flour, corn meal and other products made within 24 hours of their sale on Saturday mornings. The corn is from an 1860s heirloom seed, adding a pinch of history into your next batch of muffins. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Rainbow Chard—

Add to your salad’s visual appeal with rainbow chard from the family-owned, no-spray Archlynn Farm in Charlotte Court House. These colorful leaves make a bold statement but actually have a slightly milder taste than spinach. Archlynn Farm is open year-round in the Lynchburg Community Market.

Chickweed Tincture—

An herbal tincture is a concentrated liquid form of herbs that uses alcohol as the solvent. The benefits of chickweed are broad—from improving your skin to relieving pain—making this one of the top tinctures sold by Wild Patch Herbals. Add a drop or two to your next cup of tea for a mid-afternoon boost. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Herb Garden Starters—

From chamomile to peppermint, the sky’s the limit for your next home herb garden. These starters from Great Day Gardens make it easy to grow delicious, fresh herbs right outside your kitchen. Available seasonally (mid-April to October) at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Free Range Eggs—

Whip up your next omelet with fresh eggs produced by free range chickens. Seeds of Faith Farm raises chickens as well as ducks on their property in Brookneal—and you’ll even find them selling emu eggs from time to time. Available at the Forest Farmer’s Market—check Facebook to see a vendor schedule each week.

Bedford-Grown Peaches and Apples—

You will taste the difference in these mountain-grown peaches and apples from Gross’ Orchard. The family-owned and –operated orchard is located at the foot of the Peaks of Otter. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market or visit www.grossorchards.com to learn more.

Local Organic Pastured Pork—Hog Haven Farms is getting rave reviews for its meats, especially the bacon and sage breakfast sausage. Their products are USDA certified, USDA inspected/processed and contain no MSG or nitrates. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market.

Homemade Breads, Rolls & Focaccia—

The Lynchburg-based Kay’s Culinary Creations uses wholesome ingredients to create these super yummy breads that have people lining up on Saturday mornings. Find them at the Bedford Farmer’s Market.

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.

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

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

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

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

By using a layering technique and garnishing with sprigs of onion, this main course is an easy way to practice your food presentation skills. We recommend a rectangular shaped plate.

Ingredients
Scallops
12 large sea scallops, cleaned (take foot off and patted dry)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons cold butter
Thyme leaf
Lemon wedge
1 bunch spring onions, sliced thinly at angle for garnish
Lemon White Bean Purée
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups canned white beans, well rinsed
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Melt butter for the white bean purée in a saucepan. Add butter to blender with white beans, grated parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and blitz until smooth.

If the mix is too thick you can add a little water until desired consistency is reached.

Place in saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Pat scallops dry and season with salt. Sear scallops salt side down. After about 1 minute, flip scallops and add cold butter, thyme leaf, and a lemon wedge (squeeze some of the juice).

Take off heat. When plating, spoon some of the pan juice over the scallops.

Pour the melted butter in a separate skillet and toss in breadcrumbs. Sprinkle in salt and zest of lemon. When breadcrumbs are crispy (about 1 minute), add fresh parsley and toss.

To plate, put large scoop of bean purée on plate and with back of spoon spread it out the length of the plate. Place 3 scallops on top of the purée and top with lemon crumbs. Drizzle a little of scallop pan juices over all. Garnish with sliced spring onions.

Light and delicate choux pastry puffs filled with ice cream and covered with warm chocolate sauce. This dessert presents well with its height. You can also work on your presentation skills when drizzling the chocolate sauce.

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Ice cream flavor of your choice
1 cup heavy cream
9 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in butter and salt until butter has melted; reduce heat to low. Vigorously stir in flour until no dry lumps remain and mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Take off heat and stir in the eggs, one at a time, adding the next egg only after the last one has been completely incorporated. Drop the profiterole paste onto the prepared baking sheet in evenly spaced dollops.

Bake in preheated oven until pastries have puffed up and turned golden brown (25 to 30 minutes). Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth.

To assemble, slice the puff (not all the way through), and scoop in ice cream. Place the filled profiteroles onto individual serving plates and top with the warm sauce.

Change has come to Shoemakers American Grille, an upscale culinary delight in downtown Lynchburg that serves as the primary dining spot for the Craddock Terry Hotel. It’s also one of Trip Advisor’s “Top Five Restaurants” to visit in Lynchburg.

“It has more of an Italian steakhouse feel,” says chef Jason Arbusto, who took a new position early this year as culinary director of the Bluffwalk Center, which overlooks the James River from Commerce Street. A level below on Jefferson, the complex also includes Waterstone Pizza.

Arbusto’s experience in Europe heavily influences his food choices. His impressive resume includes study at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City, along with eight years of work in France and a stint in Monaco for world-renowned chef and restaurateur Alain Ducasse. By age 26, he was the chef of a two-star Michelin restaurant in France.

Arbusto has enhanced the choices at Shoemakers by offering a rich menu including fried calamari and seared scallops for appetizers and 90-day dry-aged New York strip and blackened salmon with a Mediterranean-style sauce among the entrees. The restaurant extrudes its own pasta and uses French-style butcher’s cut steaks.
Another big change at Shoemakers is the wine list, which Arbusto said had remained the same since the restaurant opened in 2007. He has also added new cocktails. Four people could easily share an enormous piece of chocolate blackout cake or Italian cheesecake for dessert.

To keep returning customers happy, Arbusto was careful to retain some of Shoemakers’ signature classics, including its seafood chowder and crab cakes.

The chef grew up in a “foodie” family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, but spent his high school years at Virginia Episcopal School. He returned to the Hill City three years ago after he had had enough of big restaurants and big cities, including San Francisco and Las Vegas.

For his first three years here, he became well known for fine catering, pop-up dinners, and opening his own restaurant, Daughters & Sons Pizza on Fifth Street, which his wife helps operate.

When the opportunity came to expand the vision at Bluffwalk Center, he was primed for the challenge. The whole complex provides diners and visitors with a combination of luxury and history by retaining the theme of the shoe factory housed on Commerce Street in the early 1900s. At the time, Craddock-Terry Shoe Co. was the fifth largest shoe manufacturer in the world.

A large red high-heeled shoe hangs on either side of the hotel.

At 39, Arbusto plans to ramp up the Craddock Terry Catering business and oversee the creation of a new beer garden next to Waterstone Pizza, featuring 16 beers on tap. The interior space will be small, with perhaps 12 to 14 seats, while a heated tent will be able to hold 200 to 250 people, he said. Arbusto envisions serving small plates, tapas, burgers, bratwurst, pretzels, and sausages, in keeping with the German beer garden theme.

Plans are also underway for a smaller roof-top venue, as well as adding three new hotel rooms and expanding the third-floor kitchen for banquets.

At Waterstone, where the line is often long on weekends, diners can enjoy fire-roasted pizza, salads, pasta, and sandwiches, along with rotating taps of Virginia beers. Arbusto has already freshened up Waterstone’s menu, while staying true to its core.

“In general, I want a more local feel for everything,” he said. That means offering as much locally sourced food and drink as possible, as well as displaying local art and hosting community events.

Photos by Ashlee Glen

A Local Pro Shares Food Presentation Tips that Will Please the Pupils and the Palate

ne of the best parts about going out to a nice restaurant—aside from the fact that you just get to sit there and relax while your meal is prepared—is the way the dish looks when it slides in front of you.

Let’s be honest—we’ve all drooled a little bit.

“Whether you’re at a restaurant or a home dinner party, you want that ‘wow’ factor,” says Mena Hughes, Culinary Arts Program Director at Central Virginia Community College (CVCC). “What I tell my students is we all visualize our meal before we taste it, so plate presentation is very important.”

It’s so important that Hughes incorporates lessons about presentation into her curriculum. She wants to make sure students know how to make meals that taste good… and look good, too. (You can find out more about CVCC’s Culinary Arts Program in our This City department on page 35.)

For those of you who want to step up your game at your next dinner party, we asked Mena to share a few of her top tricks, along with three tasty recipes that will be sure to impress your friends and family.

Prepping
For those who dream about carrying out fancy, impressive dishes to their guests, organization is crucial. “There are a lot of extra details involved when plating special dinners. I would suggest you write down everything you want to do and when you should do it,” Mena says. Translation: You don’t want to have hungry guests standing around while you slice up sprigs of green onion for a garnish—it needs to be ready to go when the food is hot.

When planning your meal, consider foods with different colors and textures, Mena says. “If you decide to have grilled chicken, mashed potatoes and cabbage, that’s pretty blah,” she explains. Try carrots and something green to go along with your chicken instead.

To make the colors of your food really pop, Mena suggests staying neutral with your plate color. “White plates are a great canvas,” she says. But “go crazy” with the shape. To add some interest to the table, consider incorporating square or even rectangular plates into your cupboard.

Use a round plate for the main course and other shapes for salad and dessert.

There are also some tools you can have on hand to make adding those little “extras” much easier. Toothpicks help with larger garnishes. A piping bag can assist you when embellishing desserts. (If you don’t have one, a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off works just fine.) A plastic squeeze bottle can be used—and reused—for drizzling chocolate or fruit sauces. Mena also uses a pastry brush from time to time to brush sauces onto the plate. (Learn more under Accessorizing.)

Assembling
Unless you have a very picky eater, Mena says you want all of your main course ingredients to be very close to, if not touching, each other. “A lot of people make the mistake of spreading it all out,” Mena says. “But it’s much more pleasing to the eye have everything arranged on the plate closely together.”

For example, start by spreading out your sauce or puree, put your protein down on top, and then make sure your veggie or starch is close to or leaning up against your protein. Layering your food items also adds some height to the plate, which you want to do. “Visually interesting dishes are taller,” Mena says.

Choosing the right ingredients will help you add height to your meal. For example, Mena says a chopped salad presents well since it’s taller. She also likes a Mesclun mix because you can make it fluffier.

Accessorizing
Another way to add height to your dish is to use fresh herbs as a garnish. “If you have some parsley or any kind of greenery that complements your dish, place a sprig of that on top of your protein or even your vegetable,” she says. “Fresh herbs just make the plate look finished.”

For those dishes that taste amazing but just don’t look as appealing (think: boeuf bourguignon) herbs can add a pop of color that those plates need. With boeuf bourguignon, adding a dollop of sour cream on top can give the dish a focal point.

Then, sprinkle some herbs on top of the sour cream for an added pop of color.

CHEF’S TIPS: Accessorizing

Keep in mind that less is more. “You don’t want to overdo it. Because then the extras take away from the main event,” Mena says. “You want your guests to be able to see what you made!”

Here are a few more ideas:
Use a pastry brush to swipe sauce onto your plate so that it’s thick on one end and thinner on the other. Then lay your protein on top of the sauce. Mena says it’s subtle but adds visual interest to the plate.

If you are making pies and have a little leftover dough, use it to make shapes, such as leaves, and add them to the top of the pastry with egg wash.
After using a squeeze bottle to drizzle chocolate sauce on a dessert, take a toothpick and run it through the sauce that’s on the plate. Have some fun making shapes or designs.

When dressing up a salad, use your veggie peeler to peel cucumbers into long curly ques. This same technique can be used with carrots.
Consider pulling one of the main ingredients from a dish to use as a garnish. For example, use a toothpick to add a whole shrimp and some herbs on top of jambalaya.

French Onion Tart
By cutting onions into half moons and layering them with cheese and herbs, your guests will be impressed by the effort you put into this tasty tart.

Ingredients
Pastry
Puff pastry sheets, store bought

Onion Topping
1 cup gruyere cheese, shredded (4 oz.)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
2 teaspoons fresh chives, minced
1/4 lbs. sweet onions peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced into half moons (keep the moons intact, about 3 medium onions)
1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough between two sheets of lightly floured wax paper, slightly larger than 10 x 14 inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the onions.

Sprinkle the rolled pastry with the cheese right to the edges.

Sprinkle with thyme and chives.

Place the onion half moons on the pastry in diagonal lines, just barely overlapping and brush lightly with cream.

Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the tart is golden and browned. Cover the edges with foil if the tart is getting too brown during baking.

Let cool slightly and cut into squares to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SAGE ADVICE ON RECIPES THAT WERE MINT TO BE

If you enjoy food but have not yet fully explored the world of fresh herbs, you are in for a treat! Most of them are easy to grow in a patio pot or backyard garden. So, throw out those old jars of bland, dried herbs in your spice cabinet, plant your own, and get ready to infuse your cooking with supercharged flavors! (For easy, herb gardening how-to tips, flip to page 57.)

My favorite way to cook with herbs is to make them the star of the dish—from salmon with lots of freshly cut dill to an ice cold Mojito with bright green mint that you can smell as much as taste! On the next few pages, learn how to create some of my favorite herb-inspired recipes that will wow your family and friends.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

One flavorful, easy-to-grow herb is sage. Sage is a cousin of mint and has been grown and used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. My hands-down, favorite application is in a Sage Brown Butter, served over Butternut Squash Ravioli. The subtle sweetness of roasted squash and nutmeg spice combined with the rich aroma of sage butter makes for a very understated, yet unforgettable meal.

Make Some Easy Dough

To many, the idea of handmade pasta is too intimidating, but here’s a secret—it’s super easy! All you need is three common ingredients and some elbow grease.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (I like the King Arthur brand)
3 eggs (farm fresh, please!)
1 teaspoon salt (Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt will change your life)

DIRECTIONS

Mix the flour and salt together. On a baking board or (very) clean countertop, make a mound of flour with a hole in the middle—sort of like a volcano. Crack the eggs into the “crater” without letting any spill over the walls. Using a regular fork, start whisking the eggs and gradually incorporate more and more flour until it becomes a thick batter-like consistency. With your (very) clean hands, keep mixing and eventually folding in the dough. Keep folding until the dough is very firm and you have incorporated most, if not all, of the flour. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes or more.

Create My Favorite Filling

The filling for your ravioli can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but the foundation is a butternut squash puree. Here’s how you make it:

Find a nice looking, medium-sized butternut squash at your local grocer or farmer’s market, where they are typically available during late summer or early fall. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a regular potato peeler, peel the whole squash. Cut off the top and bottom and then cut into half-inch cubes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast in the middle of your oven for 25-30 minutes, or until soft. Puree in food mill or for a few seconds in a blender or food processor. Set aside 1 cup for the filling (recipe below) and freeze the rest.

Ingredients

1 cup butternut squash puree (see instructions above)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 shallot or small yellow onion
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
Salt and pepper to taste
Eggwash: 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Chop the shallot very finely and sauté in the butter until translucent. Add the puree, parmesan, cream and nutmeg and cook for a minute. The goal is to have a mixture that is fairly dry so keep stirring over medium heat a couple minutes if necessary. Set aside.

Assemble The Ravioli

Making ravioli is fairly effortless if you own a basic pasta roller ($20 at Home Depot or Amazon), but a regular rolling pin will do just fine. I strongly advise against the over-priced electric varieties or the expensive stand-mixer attachments unless you plan to make pasta daily—or for large crowds.

DIRECTIONS

To make the pasta sheet, take a quarter of the pasta disc that’s resting in your fridge and roll out to a 6×18 rectangle. If you’re using a pasta roller, you should not go thinner than setting #2. If you’re using a rolling pin, roll it as thin as you can. Cut the pasta sheet into 3×6 rectangles and place about a heaping teaspoon of filling on one side of the rectangle. Using a pastry brush, paint eggwash along the edge of the rectangle, fold the side over, and crimp lightly with a fork, creating a sealed 3×3 ravioli “pillow.”

Whip Up The Sauce

Ingredients

1 stick salted butter (make sure it’s good quality, preferably grass-fed)
10-15 sage leaves, julienned or chopped (must be fresh)

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a stainless saucepan or skillet. Add the sage leaves and cook over medium heat just until the butter starts turning golden brown.

Serve And Enjoy

Finish the ravioli right before serving by dropping carefully into boiling water for about two minutes. Serve 4-6 ravioli per plate and spoon over the sage butter. Top it off by sprinkling some chopped sage leaves on top, along with parmesan cheese and a dash of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Tarragon Potato Salad

Tarragon is a mild yet distinct herb commonly used in
French cooking. I think it tastes like spring! Its flavor works
great in chicken salad, deviled eggs—or, like here,
paired with dill in this creamy potato salad:

Ingredients (serves 6)

2 pounds medium yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Scrub potatoes lightly to clean and place in a large saucepan. Add enough clean, cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender and still a bit firm. Drain in a colander. Cover with a towel and let potatoes rest for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and cut into half-inch cubes.

In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with potatoes and mix carefully. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any leftover tarragon. Serve at room temperature.

Mojito with Fresh Mint

In my experience, mint is the easiest of all herbs to grow. In fact, it may be a bit too easy because it spreads quickly and, left unattended, may take over your garden! But if you like to mix your own drinks, that may not be such a bad thing.

The mixed drink Mojito is what the word “refreshing” tastes like—and mint has a lot to do with it. This traditional Cuban beverage is the perfect combination of sour, sweet and fresh… and is easy to make at home. A word of warning: The fresh flavors mask the taste of alcohol very well— so sip slowly!

Ingredients

2 cups of good, clean ice
6 ounces light rum
10-12 leaves of your
home-grown mint
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons regular, white sugar
Sparkling water or club soda
A few slices of lime and a sprig of mint for decoration

DIRECTIONS

Pour a half cup of ice into a highball (tall and skinny) glass and set aside. Place the mint leaves and the sugar in your favorite beverage shaker. Using a muddler, crush the mint into the sugar with a twisting motion. Once the mint and sugar reaches a paste-like consistency, add the lime juice, rum, a handful of ice—and shake that shaker! Add a splash of sparkling water to your shaker and strain into a highball (tall and skinny) glass filled 1/3 with ice. Decorate with lime slices and a sprig of mint. Enjoy responsibly!

Brings a Trendy Dining Experience to Timberlake Road
PHOTOS BY Lindsay Carico, Capture Photography

After working as a contractor for 30 years, Ralph Palmisano decided to put all of his focus on what really matters to him: food and family. He began the process of building and branding Carmela’s at the Loft seven years ago and finally celebrated opening night on October 8, 2018.

Since then, the Timberlake Road restaurant has been busy serving up a completely house made menu. The restaurant staff proudly grows their own herbs—such as basil, oregano, parsley, mint, chives, and thyme—to add flavor to the food. Many of their recipes have been passed down through Ralph’s family for generations and are truly original and authentic. A few dishes have started to stand out as customer favorites such as the Bolognese Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan, Seafood Risotto and Spaghetti with Meatballs.

Unlike many traditional restaurant structures, Carmela’s does not have an executive chef; instead, several experienced chefs share the ownership, responsibility, and outcomes for the executive chef role. Evan Hill, a graduate of Central Virginia Community College’s Culinary Arts program, shares the lead role with Eugene Robinson. Eugene started cooking with his full-blooded Italian grandmother when he was 10 and later attended Johnson and Wales. “I want people to enjoy my food, the atmosphere, and to feel as if they are at home,” said Eugene.

Roger Whorley and Jacob Pribble assist with operations and round out the kitchen team. Katelyn Foster is the restaurant’s pastry chef and Palmisano says she is a magician when it comes to desserts. She is best known for her bourbon-infused, salted caramel glazed, New York Italian–style cheesecake with praline pecans.

A sophisticated Sunday brunch can be hard to come by in the Timberlake area but Carmela’s is steadily building a big brunch business thanks to word of mouth and social media. The goal is to eventually serve brunch on Saturdays and utilize their outdoor patio as the weather warms.

The restaurant’s wine list nicely complements the menu with a variety of California wines in addition to Italian wines. Carmela’s also is stocked with a variety of craft beers and popular generic beers—the beer selection is growing as a result of customer feedback. Customers can also enjoy a specialty cocktail from the restaurant’s full bar.

Carmela’s is a dream that’s been decades in the making for Ralph. Now, as he starts to see his hard work pay off, he thanks those in the community who eagerly awaited the opening of the restaurant and have become regular customers.

“I am so appreciative for their loyal support and following. Their feedback is what I depend on for continuous improvement,” he said. “I want this restaurant to be a unique dining experience where customers are wowed with exceptional service, wowed with the quality of the food, and wowed with the overall experience.”