From flavor infused to Southern grown, add some interest to your next meal with these local recommendations

You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to create memorable food. With the right oils and other condiments, you can please any palate.

Humans have long devised ways to preserve food and add flavor at the same time. Salt, herbs, vinegar and oil are primary examples.

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar can also provide health benefits without saturated fats and excess sugar.

Many people mistakenly think oil and vinegar are just for making salad dressings, said Christina Long, co-owner of Favored Flavors at River Ridge Mall. Nothing could be further from the truth, she said, noting that you don’t even have to cook to enjoy them.

Olive oils and balsamic vinegars can be drizzled on everything from entrees to desserts.

“The gourmet is in the bottle,” her husband Jason Long chimed in.

With olive oils infused with different flavors such as Valencia orange, mushroom sage, kaffir lime ginger and black truffle, Favored Flavors offers combinations that marinate meat or spice up ice cream.

The Longs buy certified, pure olive oil imported from Tunisia and Spain. They have chosen to avoid Italian olive oil because of reported connections to the Mafia, Christina said.

They work with a distributor in Arizona who infuses the oil with essential oils of other plants. It takes about two weeks to receive their orders, making their oils among the freshest you can buy.

Their balsamic is 25 Star, from Modena, Italy, with no added sugar, an ideal topping for diabetics, Christina said.

“A proprietary blend makes ours thicker and sweeter than most on the market,” she said, noting that balsamic that runs to the bottom of the bowl has too much wine vinegar in it.

All their products are vegan friendly and allergen-free, Christina added.

“Our goal is to have healthy options here in the shop,” Jason said.

The shop offers tastings any time, but also has special samplings just in front of the store to get shoppers to try their wares.

They might offer macaroni and cheese with truffle oil, gelato with Persian lime olive oil or oatmeal with balsamic vinegar.

“When we do the tastings, we try to keep it simple so they can recreate it at home,” Jason said. “We’ve learned a lot about flavor combinations and healthier eating.”

The Longs decided to become entrepreneurs after Christina’s job at Nationwide disappeared when the company left Lynchburg. She had loved visiting a shop called Drizzles in Cape Charles and realized she could start her own shop.

Jason soon joined in full time and they currently have two part-time employees with plans for a third.

The store sells much more than oils and vinegars, including Himalayan salts, spices, skin and body products, gifts and locally crafted chocolates and teas. The store also offers a 10 percent discount with a same-day movie ticket or a 10 percent discount for Planet Fitness members to support nearby businesses in the mall.

The Longs first opened their business in downtown Lynchburg on Main Street and had a successful year in 2016, but when construction to repair aging water and sewer lines began, business fell off. They say the move to the mall was a good one.

“We’re more central here than downtown,” Jason said.

For folks who like to shop downtown, however, there is still an opportunity to buy olive oil at the Lynchburg Community Market.

Chef Stephanie Fees, owner of Scratch Pasta Co., made a surprising discovery as she searched for olive oil to go with her homemade pasta.

“I was trying to find, for the market, the most local products possible,” said Fees, who launched her business in July 2017.

While the vast majority of U.S. olives are grown in California, it turns out Georgia has a similar climate.

She heard that a well-known chef, Sean Brock of Husk in Charleston, S.C., was using an olive oil produced in Georgia and tracked down Georgia Olive Farms online.

According to their website, in early 2009, five farmers in southeast Georgia got together with the dream of resurrecting olive oil production in the Southeast, which had existed in the 1800s.

In 2011, Georgia Olive Farms harvested the first commercial crop of olives grown east of the Mississippi in more than a century from their orchards near Lakeland, Ga. Their oil is an extra virgin olive oil, collected from only the first pressing of their fruit.

“I think it’s a good, all-purpose oil,” Fees said, adding it has a neutral flavor and thick consistency, which is good for pasta or salad.

She doesn’t buy flavored oil, but prefers to add her own flavors, usually garlic and chives or other herbs.

“It makes the best steak you’ll ever have,” she said.

Fees uses a lot of the olive oil at home.

“As much pasta as I cook and eat, I go through olive oil and salt by the gallon,” she said.

A graduate of Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Fees completed a nine-month certification from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City in 2010. She later returned to the Lynchburg area after her mother purchased West Manor and offered her the position of head chef. When her family sold the property in 2015, she decided to make her own pasta.

“People have loved it,” she said. “I get a lot of repeat customers who come every week.”

Alongside her pastas, many also are discovering the Georgia olive oil.

As many cooks know, starting with a good olive oil is key, and it’s very simple to make your own flavored oil.

At Isabella’s Italian Trattoria, for example, they offer customers bread with olive oil and balsamic with each meal.

“We infuse extra virgin olive oil with garlic and rosemary,” said executive chef Kevin Crews.

It’s a quick, easy process. They warm the oil in a pan with roasted garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary, a combination that’s hard to beat for an appetizer.

Whether you want to experiment with your own combinations or buy them already in a bottle, flavored oils can enhance almost anything you eat.

The simple and delicious basics of slow cooking

Many years ago, I attended a week-long project management training at the company where I was working. It was a great experience and I find myself using the things I learned almost every day.

We learned about various methodologies and models for good, sound business management, but one stuck in my mind most of all: It was called THE TRIPLE CONSTRAINTS. The illustration had a triangle graphic on it with a word in each corner—CHEAP, FAST, and GOOD. At the bottom it said: PICK TWO!

The idea was that it’s rarely possible to do something well, quickly and at a low price. One factor will have to give. For instance, if you are going for GOOD and CHEAP, it will not happen FAST.

You will have to take your time. And while there are always exceptions, this model transfers nicely to cooking too!

Time is always a factor in cooking. The more time you have available for preparing a meal, the more satisfying the result can be, especially if you have a limited budget. A medium rare Porterhouse steak will not take long to cook, but you definitely pay a premium price. However, a beef stew that’s cooked low and slow can be made with a cheaper cut of beef, but outshines any steak when you take your first bite of it.

The Components of a Stew
A basic meat stew does not have a lot of mandatory ingredients. The essential ingredients are meat, a cooking liquid, vegetables and seasonings.

Meat
The best cuts of beef to use are the ones with the most flavor. Typically these are tougher cuts—definitely not steak cuts—and come from parts of the animal which have seen the most use and exercise. These cuts tend to have a marbling of fat and lots of connective tissue. The good news is that the connective tissue completely breaks down when slow cooked and a natural gelatin-like thickening comes from it, enriching the stew broth, turning it into a very flavorful gravy.

Meat without fat or connective tissue will be dry when slow cooked. The parts to look for include chuck, shoulder, flank, rump and brisket.

Vegetables
Which vegetables you choose for your stew is simply a matter of taste and texture. But a good place to start is onions, carrots and celery—sometimes referred to as “mirepoix.” This is the holy trinity of aromatic vegetables and is as essential as salt and pepper to a stew. Another staple for stews is tomatoes, often in the form of paste. Root vegetables like potatoes or turnips are also a good choice, especially if you are feeding a large number of people.

Cooking Liquid
The stew will need a liquid to cook in for the meat to give off its flavor and create the gravy. Water is technically an option, but most cooks tend to go with something more flavorful such as beef stock, or even beer if you dare. The classic French beef stew known as Boeuf Bourguignon uses red wine—typically a red Burgundy, but any dry red will work. These include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir, but be sure the wine is good enough to drink if you’re using it in your dish.

Seasonings
Herbs, spices and other seasonings are essential to a stew and can dramatically influence the flavor. A common strategy is to go light on salt and pepper when starting to cook the stew and add more towards the end. This is because flavors may intensify as the stew is reduced down and your stock may be salty enough. The opposite can be said for herbs, where time is needed to release the flavors. My favorite way to use herbs is to make a small bouquet out of a handful of parsley sprigs, thyme and a couple of bay leaves. This is sometimes referred to as “bouquet garni.”

Now that you know the basics, check out one of my favorite recipes:

Simple Beef Stew
Prep time: About 10 Minutes
Cook time: 3h (check after 1.5h)
Servings: 6
Equipment: 5-6 quart, cast iron Dutch oven

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 lbs of beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
4 medium carrots, sliced large
1 herb bouquet of parsley, thyme and bay leaf

Instructions
Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, brown the beef cubes on all sides in olive oil and butter in two different batches in a 5-6 quart cast iron Dutch oven. Set aside the browned beef cubes on a plate.

Next, add the diced onions to the same pot with the remaining oil and butter. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook briefly. Pour in the stock and add all the other ingredients. Add the beef back into the pot and stir to combine. Cover and place in the middle of the oven.

Leave your stew alone for 1.5 hours before checking progress. The liquid should cook down and get thicker, but if dissolves too much, add additional water or stock as needed. Put back in oven for another 1.5 hours or until the liquid is nice and gravy-like and the meat falls apart easily. If you feel the liquid is not thick enough, just mix 1 tablespoon melted butter with 2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour in a cup and stir into the stew. Cook on the stove for 5 minutes until it thickens up.

Taste the stew and add seasoning as needed.

I use kosher salt and lots of fresh ground pepper. Serve in bowls with your favorite side and some fresh parsley on top. Rice or mashed potatoes are good options—but a crusty slice of bread under the stew is my favorite.

Come. Sit. Stay.

It’s the perfect slogan for one of downtown Lynchburg’s most recent culinary additions.

My Dog Duke’s Diner at 1007 Commerce Street opened in November, and customers have been heeding the commands.

“It’s a welcome addition to downtown’s growing list of eating options,” said lunch customer Judy Walker. “The menu is varied enough to appeal to most tastes. I try to eat mostly plant-based foods, prepared in a healthy manner, so I was happy to see several sandwiches and salads that appealed to me. I had the Harvest Salad, which was fresh and tasty and exactly the right size for lunch.”

The gleaming counter and stools are reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner, but it’s an updated, shiny version. Plate-glass windows front the street and exposed wooden beams also appealed to Walker.

“The decor puts a slightly modern spin on the classic diner, making it seem like a place that would appeal to all ages,” she said.

“The noise level was much less than expected for a full lunch crowd, and I was able to carry on a conversation easily. Service was excellent—no waiting but also no hovering. I’ve been recommending it to everyone.”

The diner started out serving breakfast and lunch, but soon added an impressive dinner menu.

Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., the eatery also offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

As you might expect, breakfast is served all day long. You can order “The Barking Dog,” a buttermilk biscuit with bacon, egg and white cheddar cheese for $5, or try “The Benny Nova,” egg, salmon, Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin for $9.

As a vegetarian, I sampled “The Italian Job,” a tasty croissant with egg, provolone, arugula, red onion and tomato with Dijonaise.

The Espresso Bar features coffee and its kin: espresso, cappuccino, latte and mocha, as well as chai and tea.

The lunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches for $9 including the diner musts— meatloaf, Reuben and Italian. There’s also the more whimsical “Green Goat,” which features zucchini and goat cheese with avocado, green apples and Green Goddess Dressing. The diner also offers gluten-free buns for sandwiches.

Salads range from $9 to $11 and can be topped with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp for an additional $4.

“The menu offers a nice variety of sandwiches and salads, and the bread is especially good,” said Anne Nash, another lunchtime customer.

“I’ll definitely go again.”

The dinner menu suggests pan-roasted “striploin” or shrimp and grits for $18, as well as Joan’s lasagna or a hot roast turkey platter for $13. And yes, meatloaf is on the dinner menu, along with fried chicken and “Barking Dog Burgers.”

A full-service bar includes a nice variety of wines, craft beers and ciders, and signature mixed drinks, including martinis and margaritas.

Brunch features free-range fried chicken and waffle, as well as a vegetarian skillet.

If you can’t find something you like to eat and drink at this diner, you don’t like to eat and drink.

The diner is owned by the Parry Restaurant Group, which also owns Shoemakers, Waterstone, El Jefe, Fire & Hops and Bootleggers in Lynchburg, and other restaurants throughout the state.

Before you start that New Year’s Resolution, check out these 4 locally-made desserts that we’re sweet on

Tis the season for overindulging, pouring another one, excessive eating—and definitely ordering dessert. These days almost everywhere you turn there is a bakery, pastry shop or food truck ready to supply whatever your sweet tooth desires. Check out these top local treats—just don’t ask us to pick a favorite!

Holiday Macarons
at Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely
Fabulous Treats

Mrs. Joy’s Absolutely Fabulous Treats has gained national attention due to the lovely owner Mrs. Joy, who won Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge in 2015. Her cookies are certainly tops, but they’re just a tiny sampling of all that she has to offer at the cozy Commerce Street business.

I was most interested in hearing about the treat Mrs. Joy has a love/hate relationship with—the delicate macaron. Even if every intricate step is followed the exact same way each time the macaron is prepared, outside factors such as the weather can prove disastrous to the final product. “They are the most finicky treat that I make and every time they go into the oven I pray they grow feet and look like they are supposed to,” she explained.

The good news is Mrs. Joy has perfected her macaron-making technique. The peppermint flavor macarons (made in the shape of an actual peppermint) are perfect for a hostess gift this holiday season. Or scoop up a few Christmas ornament macarons to take to a family dinner. Call ahead to make your order today.

Key Lime Bites
at Simply Irresistible Bakery

Sometimes the best treats are inspired by a “need” in the kitchen. Loretta Toulon, owner of Simply Irresistible Bakery on Jefferson Street, can make just about anything. But people swoon over her Key Lime bites.

“When I worked at Depot Grille, one of the managers was obsessed with my Key Lime pie. He asked if there was a bite-sized version he could just pop in his mouth whenever he wanted and this recipe was what I came up with,” she explained.

Her Key Lime bites have a lime sugar cookie crust with a Key Lime pie filling; we are sure you won’t be able to just have one.

The Jefferson
at Ice Cream Dream

Years ago, Bobby Walker used to dream of having an ice cream shop. Now, his ice cream dream is a reality on Jefferson Street, where he runs a hip, well designed, and unique sweet shop.

You’ll find all of your favorites on the menu, plus something you may not expect—Belgian waffles.

“I like the waffle idea because you can have so much fun creating different options using waffles, ice cream, and various toppings,” said Bobby. “Our ‘Classic Waffle’—a house favorite—comes with a golden brown Belgian-style waffle topped with fresh strawberries, whipped cream, a dash of powdered sugar, and a honey drizzle. It’s kinda like cake and ice cream. How can you resist?”

Oh Bobby, we can’t.

The waffles are scratch made in house each day and seem to be most popular for weekend brunch or even a late-night snack. The top seller waffle (and my personal favorite) is “The Jefferson,” which is topped with strawberries, bananas, whipped cream and Nutella, and a honey drizzle.

PSL
at Rookie’s

Rookie’s in Forest, previously known as Mookie’s, is the genius brain child of Jordan Nickerson and his wife Holly. They opened their “windows” in March and have been cranking out handcrafted ice cream sandwiches from their charming food trailer ever since. Jordan says for him, baking is therapeutic and gives him the freedom to do something he enjoys. But it’s also challenging and he’s constantly learning.

While the best seller for the husband wife duo is the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream, there are plenty of seasonal treats to enjoy this time of year. Pumpkin Spice lovers can rejoice over the PSL, which is a Snickerdoodle Cookie with Pumpkin Ice Cream. They make the cookie from scratch and the ice cream comes from local favorite, Homestead Creamery.

When asked how he comes up with new flavors, Jordan tells me, “We just test and try until we find something that is awesome!”

Wendy Williams Takes Over One of Lynchburg’s Classiest Restaurants

Lynchburg’s beloved Main Street Eatery & Catering Co. recently changed ownership. But don’t worry, the new leader knows exactly what she’s doing. And we couldn’t help but share her climbing-the-career-ladder story.

Wendy Williams was raised in a small town southeast of Syracuse, NY and was introduced to Lynchburg by family who worked for Virginia Episcopal School. They encouraged her to consider Randolph-Macon Woman’s College when she graduated high school.

Family support and a huge love of horses sealed the deal and she packed her bags for RMWC. Her restaurant career started there. Wendy worked in the dining hall throughout college and then bounced around many local restaurants—McDonald’s, The Windmill and Milano’s to name just a few—learning all aspects of the various jobs.

Wendy graduated RMWC in 1982 and soon met who would end up being a long-time employer. She began to wait tables at the Rutledge Inn for owners Michelle and Urs Gabathuler. Soon after, they sold the Inn and bought Emil’s Restaurant in Boonsboro Shopping Center (currently Isabella’s).

At Emil’s, Wendy did it all. She was a server, deli clerk, bartender, cashier, hostess, and quickly became the restaurant manager until 1996, when Emil’s was sold and became Meriweather’s.

Wendy continued to work for the Gabathulers and helped open Main Street Eatery in 1998. She has proudly worked every job in the restaurant and has been there off and on for the last 19 years.

In October 2016, when the Gabathulers announced they were ready to retire, Wendy jumped at the opportunity. She tells me she was definitely “in the right place at the right time” and owning the restaurant is a long-time goal.

“I have reached my pinnacle. This is what I have always dreamed about,” says Wendy. “The old owners set high standards and I will keep up the reputation of great food and great service.”

Wendy took over in March of this year. Of the transition, Wendy tells me it was smooth. After setting up her LLC and getting the appropriate license and permits, she partnered with Louis Cambeletta and got to work.

She made a few minor changes, but nothing customers would likely notice. She also made a few tweaks to the menu but says “what sells, stays.”

with Nomad Coffee Co.’s Unique Mocktails

Nomad Coffee Co. is a caffeine station on wheels and, at the same time, tries to feel a little bit like happy hour too.

Owner Josh Davies and his wife Jeanne say they are proud to offer some things you may not be able to find at brick and mortar coffee shops, such as their coffee mocktails. Josh says the inspiration for these caffeinated, non-alcoholic drinks came from his experience working with another Nomad employee at a call center.

“We would talk about how nice it would be to have a cocktail on the clock. When Nomad became a full-time thing, we started serving call centers in town. So, I came up with the idea to make a couple of drinks people would enjoy at work, would keep them caffeinated, and would taste like they have arrived at 5 p.m.,” says Josh.

Then, a visit to a local distillery led to the creation of their customers’ current favorite mocktail, the Smoking Train Hopper—iced coffee, a shot of espresso, house made bourbon simple syrup, cherry, hickory smoke syrup, topped off with orange bitters from Blackwater Bitters.

“[At the distillery] they were smoking cocktails that day and it was an awesome experience plus the cocktail was one of the best I’ve ever had. So, for just 50 cents more, we will smoke the Train Hopper on oak chips right in front of you,” Josh explains.

Check Instagram and Facebook on Sunday to find out where Nomad will be each week; they also do frequent giveaways.

Then, cozy up with a Smoking Train Hopper with all the fun of a cocktail, minus the hangover!

It’s a dessert many people drool over but are too intimidated to make for themselves: the decadent, but finicky, cheesecake.

Donna Kelly makes it look easy. Just call her “The Cheesecake Lady.” (Some people actually do!)

It’s a title she has earned after not only perfecting the art of the standard cheesecake, but also learning how to make 70 different types of recipes/flavors.
You crave it? She will create it.

It all started 15 years ago when her boss at Charley’s Restaurant needed a dessert for the weekend. She knew how to make some sweet stuff but didn’t consider herself an expert. She made a carrot cake—and it was a hit. That opened the door to her experimenting with more restaurant-worthy desserts, including cheesecake.

“People are scared to make cheesecake. They go, ‘I couldn’t ever do that’,” Donna says. “It just takes a little patience… and practice too.”

Donna says first, don’t “beat it to death.” Aside from the first three minutes of mixing, only beat the cheesecake batter when you have to as you add ingredients. Overbeating will result in a dry and cracked cheesecake, she says. Putting the cheesecake in a water bath (see tip on next page) also helps reduce cracks. She also suggests freezing your crust to get a “nice, tender” end result.

So stop fretting, pull out your mixer and follow Donna’s recipe. You might not be “The Cheesecake Lady” but you can still wow your friends and family with one of her fabulous creations.

Blueberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. melted butter

Cheesecake ingredients:
3 8-oz. portions of cream cheese at
room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of white chocolate chips melted
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
1/3 can of blueberry pie filling

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch Spring Form pan and line with parchment paper.

Combine crust ingredients and press into bottom of cheesecake pan. Put in freezer for at least 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs at low to medium speed one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Slowly beat in melted chocolate.

Line outside of pan with two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.

Pour half of batter over frozen crust. Dot with fresh blueberries. Slowly pour remaining batter over blueberries. Spoon dollops of pie filling over batter. With a sharp knife gently swirl filling through batter.

Put cheesecake in roasting pan or large cake pan and add hot water (at least an inch). Bake 65 to 75 min. Center will jiggle slightly. Turn off oven and open door slightly. Remove after oven has cooled. Chill for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Butterscotch Cheesecake

Crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
2 tbsp. melted butter

Cheesecake ingredients:
3 8-oz. portions of cream cheese at room temperature
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup butterscotch chips melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch Spring Form pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Combine crust ingredients and press into bottom of pan and freeze for at least 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese and sugar and beat for 3 minutes on medium-high speed. At low to medium speed, add eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add melted butterscotch slowly and mix in thoroughly at low speed.

Line cheesecake pan with two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. Pour batter over frozen crust. Place in roasting pan or large cake pan. Fill with hot water, about 1-inch deep. Bake 60 to 65 minutes. Center will jiggle slightly. Turn off oven, crack oven door and let cool. Chill 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

Bueno for the Soul

This time of the year is one of the busiest. There’s a chill in the air, the kids are back in school, and the days are shorter. Sometimes we just want an easy, quick and comforting dinner—especially one we don’t have to make ourselves!

Everyone has a favorite Mexican restaurant to hit when there’s not a lot of time to linger; it’s likely conveniently located near your home and where you probably know a few of the waiters by name.

Chances are you have your “usual” number or combination on the menu too. A few months ago when fighting a summer cold, a friend recommended I try the sopa de pollo at my local Mexican place. I was taken aback. I had never had chicken soup at a Mexican restaurant before. Fajitas, burritos, guacamole, gallons of cheese dip—check. But I’d never even noticed chicken soup on the menu.

Not one to turn down a food recommendation, I drove straight to my local spot, placed my order and was blown away.

Served in a huge bowl, the steamy liquid was fragrant and hinted at something spicy inside. The large serving is loaded with shredded chicken, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, bits of corn, onions, tomatoes and rice. On top there are ample slices of fresh avocado with lime wedges served alongside to squeeze into the already very well seasoned soup.

Whether you’re getting your first cold of the season or just need a warm and quick meal, this absolutely irresistible dish is a spicy, yet soothing, choice for the whole family.

Discover craft beer, smoked meats (and maybe some hidden treasure?) at Beale’s Brewery and BBQ.

Bedford has got it going on. (Yes, you read that right.)
The once sleepy, always sweet small town of Bedford, Va. has a lot happening these days. The current buzz is about the opening of Beale’s Brewery and BBQ, located on Grove Street in the heart of downtown.

Owner Dave McCormack is a Petersburg developer who specializes in the rehabilitation of old buildings that most people overlook. He visited the area for the first time in 2009, then purchased a series of buildings within the Jackson and Grove Street corridor a few years later. After first bringing the Bedford Lofts to life, Dave thought the adjacent space was the ideal spot for a production brewery and taproom.

Dave is proud of the seasoned team they have put together that includes Taproom Manager Melanie Ellis, Hospitality Director Jared Srsic and Brewmaster James Frazer. Frazer (right), a Bedford native and homebrewer who has won several beer competitions, caught Dave’s attention with his signature White Ale.

According to Frazer the focus at Beale’s is on high-quality, low ABV approachable beers. “Everything is meant to be straightforward and unassuming, which is represented in our name choices,” he says.

Their flagship beer, Beale’s Gold, is a traditional Helles Lager that Frazer says is “crisp, smooth and relatable” in taste.

Other styles include:
Silver—a German-style hefeweizen, or wheat beer, with notes
Red—a light-bodied red Indian Pale Ale, perfectly balanced in sweetness and hoppiness
Black—a smooth, creamy oatmeal stout
Brown—a German-style brown lager that’s dark in color, but drinkable all year-round

The perfect complement to a delicious craft beer? Barbecue. With hints of Texas, Virginia and German styles, Beale’s offers barbecue sandwiches and smoked meats by the pound. In addition to daily staples, Chef Srsic serves up weekend specials such as Friday’s prime rib and Saturday’s “dinosaur beef ribs,” which often sell out before the end of the evening. He recommends “getting a smorgasbord of meat options, paired with the fire and ice pickles, slaw and potato salad.”

There are other options and surprises to be discovered from their “hidden menu” so don’t forget to ask your server.

Locals may already be familiar with the name choice—a nod to the legend of Beale’s Treasure. The story dates back to 1818 when Thomas J. Beale and a group of 30 other Virginians struck gold in the Rockies then brought the treasure back to Bedford and buried it.

“Three ciphers were created to tell the contents, location and names of the treasure owners, but only the cipher describing the contents of the treasure has ever been decoded,” Dave explained.

The Beale’s Treasure story, while exciting, is also believed to be a fitting metaphor for the area.
“A place of beauty, charm and value, seemingly hidden right under the noses of those looking to find it,” Dave says.

But with the opening of Beale’s and other downtown developments, it looks like Bedford has been discovered. Hopefully Beale’s is just the beginning of more great things to come for this small town with big potential.

Rhonda Sydnor doesn’t really like football that much. But what she does like… is cooking delicious food for family and friends. So instead of sitting on the sidelines all season long, this James River Day School teacher finds a way to be a part of the fun in her own way.

Her husband, a long-time UVA football season ticket holder, takes the Hoos and his tailgating menu very seriously. “Each August, we get out my notebook that contains all of the tailgate menus I have put together for each game over the past 10 years that we have been together. He selects items for each game in the upcoming season,” she says. “It’s a tradition we look forward to each year.”

Her dishes fit a self-described “New Southern” style—she uses traditional Southern cooking techniques, such as real butter and whole milk. “But I also put a twist on foods such as adding good bourbon and brown sugar on grilled peaches,” she says.

Some of her best recipes are savory with no utensils required, perfect for parking lot parties—from homemade caramelized onion dip to stuffed ham biscuits. Eggplant parmigiana and “Oysters Rhonda” are also big favorites.

Enjoy trying out a couple of her delightful bite-sized dishes that will be sure to win over the crowd at your next tailgate!

Stuffed Mushrooms

You will need:
4 8-ounce containers of whole
Baby Bella and/or white mushrooms
2 cups fine plain breadcrumbs
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 of a red, orange and
yellow pepper finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 shallots finely chopped
2 cups fresh basil chopped
1 8-ounce package of shredded
Colby Jack cheese
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stems and insides of caps from mushrooms. Pour small amount of olive oil to coat the bottom of a glass baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients. Place mixture inside of each mushroom cap. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 30-45 mushrooms.

Stuffed
Mini Potatoes
You will need:
About 25 small yellow, red and
purple potatoes
1 cup sour cream
1 3-ounce bottle real bacon bits
(I use half of the bottle.)
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped

Boil potatoes until cooked. Cut a small piece off each end so it will sit flat. Cut in half and use a melon ball scoop to remove the insides of the potato leaving an outer shell with a small amount of potato inside. Mix together remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into potato shells and refrigerate one hour. (Tip: Use the inside part of potatoes for a side of mashed potatoes.)

Do you have some “local flavor” you want to share?
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