Polyface Farms in Swoope (pronounced “swope”), Virginia, is a holy grail for farm-to-table junkies like me. While I know their uber-sustainable agriculture practices are at an extremely high level, I believe these can and should spread. And if/when they do, I hope those farmers grow food to feed my next seven generations.
Tagged: agritourism, permaculture, Polyface Farms, Salatin, Shenandoah Valley
As seen in The Plain Dealer The pressure is on. Your best friend got a ring for the holidays and you’re the bachelorette bash boss. A limo rolling from East Fourth to Tremont to Ohio City for cocktails is nice, but you can do Cleveland next Saturday. Doesn’t your girl deserve a weekend away with her crew? After all, the bestie-moon is trending. Our neighbor to the north – Toronto – is jonesing for your party. And, with a stronger U.S. dollar — $1 American equals about $1.35 Canadian — it’s like Canada is on sale. You can go by car, about 290 miles or five hours without pit stops. Or take a one-hour flight on Air Canada. Either way, remember your passport. If…
Stories reproduced on this blog in 2017 won two awards in the Midwest Travel Journalists Association’s 2018 MARK TWAIN AWARDS. Thanks to everyone who helped facilitate these adventures and contributed to the awards. Special thanks to Gary Mallory for traveling with me and supporting my writing habit. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES – DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS — 3rd Place: Tennessee’s Southern Dozen Packs Twists and Turns CULINARY ARTICLES — 2nd Place: Montreal Charcuterie Offers Unexpected Congratulations to fellow winners from MTJA!
Of the dozens of U.S. aquaria educating the public about underwater life, the 34-year-old Monterey Bay Aquarium on California’s Central Coast is an international standout. Researchers there set the sustainable seafood standards for fishmongers and restaurants across the United States, even around the world. It all started in 1999 with the “Fishing for Solutions” exhibition which shared impacts of fishing and aquaculture on the health of ocean wildlife and ecosystems. Through that the public learned that Atlantic populations of halibut and yellowtail flounder are at all-time lows. The breeding population of Pacific bluefin tuna is at four percent of its original size and continues to decline. Education efforts included table tents in the aquarium’s restaurant identifying which fish were endangered by dining practices. Interestingly…
Imagine an entire town devoted to apple pie. Soft, melting apple goodness under a buttery, flaky crust. Welcome to Julian, California, (population 1,500) about an hour east of San Diego. About a dozen bakeries, restaurants and cafes serve up their best version of the dessert. Many have developed hybrid pies to include cherries, berries or even mango. I was getting my hair cut not far from Julian when the stylist told me about the pie town. How could anyone could resist? The next morning my partner and I revved up the BMW K1200LT motorcycle and leaned into winding roads leading up the mountain. As we climbed from an elevation of 1,000 feet in Temecula, Calif., to 4,200 feet in Julian the temperature dropped from…
Tagged: Julian
The idea of foraging delights the foodie and environmentalist in me. We tried pine needles and more with Alan Muskat’s No Taste Like Home in Asheville, N.C.
Before “foodie” was part of the popular lexicon, Pittsburgh chefs shopped Strip District wholesalers to procure produce, meat, cheese and other menu must-haves. Then, the Food Network begat a string of celebrity chefs and wannabes followed their favorite kitchen professionals into this select, though somewhat gritty, enclave of edibles east of downtown Pittsburgh. In the past 20 years the district has evolved to please palates of the public as well as the professional. The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company serves up historic ambiance with basic metal shelves stacked high with Italian specialty items, from industrial-sized tubs of Nutella and 10-ounce boxes of macaroni shaped like farm animals for the grandkids to glass cases of imported cheeses and charcuterie for grownup gatherings. Across the street Robert Wholey…
Tagged: Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, The Strip
