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Nae Libby
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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Edacious episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Edacious for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Edacious episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
089 - Best of 2017
Edacious
12/21/17 • 48 min
Here it is folks. My Golden Fork Awards for 2017! What did I eat that was noteworthy? A lot of stuff evidently. These are dishes so tasty I have to talk about them at length, even months after eating. Which is how I construct the list, the way I've done it since 2009. It’s not a perfect method, just my own. Let me know what you think. Do you agree? Disagree? What did I miss?
2017 was different. A lot happened. To me. To our community. I found myself reaching for foods that screamed "COMFORT" more often than not. I also found my memory ain't what it used to be. So when I ate something that fed more than just my stomach? I wrote it down. Sometimes I remembered to take a photograph. I did away with limits, so there are not 10 dishes or one that tops them all. It's not "Best Of" meaning all the other stuff I ate was subpar. Far from it. This is not a popularity contest. These are my opinions. This is about the folks in our community who do the hard work. The Work of Food. It's about Big Love. These dishes gave me Big Love and comforted me, all of us, at a time when we really needed it. I'm so grateful to everyone who granted me each and every memorable experience.
Thank you for your continued support, suggestions, and comments. I'm honored and proud of our community. At the amount of food talent in our region. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunities my own version of the “Amsterdam Chess Club” has afforded me. 2017 in Edacious World? Not so bad. I took a class, gained a mentor and a student, did my first fundraiser, moderated several food panels, and met two of my heroes. I took my chosen vocation to the next level by just showing up. Doing what needs doing. In launching a podcast I’ve learned so much about our community, but even more than that I’ve gained insight into my own being which was entirely unexpected. The only resolution I’m making is to continue these connections. To do more with these conversations. To go deeper. It’s been a wild ride and one I hope you’ll continue to take with me in 2018. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May it be joyful, rewarding, and full of good food, experiences, and BIG LOVE!
Best of 2017 Golden Fork Award Winners! (Photos Below!)
Cocktail - The Coat Room, Left Field Manhattan.
Beer - Champion Brewery, Shower Beer.
Wine - Jake Busching Wines. All of them. Viognier in particular.
Breakfast (a tie!) Blue Moon Diner. Anything. With Beignets. JM Stock Provisions, Tasso Ham Biscuit with honey and hot sauce.
Lunch - Roots Natural Kitchen, The Southern.
Dinner - The Coat Room. Will Bryant Curley and Reid Dougherty will treat you right.
Dessert (a tie!) Spring Wine Dinner at Caromont Farm with Chef Harrison Keevil of Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen. Pound cake with strawberries, whipped cream. Brasserie Saison, Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.
Takeout - Al Carbon.
Burger - The Pub By Wegman's. Medium rare. With Cheese, Lettuce, and Tomato.
Soup/Stew (a tie!) Soup - Justin Vesser's Pork Belly Consommé at the Soup There It Is! competition by WTJU. Stew - BBQ Exchange, Brunswick Stew.
Fancy Pants Dish (a tie!) The Shack, Chef Ian Boden - Green gazpacho, peanuts, olive oil croutons, cherry olives. The Ivy Inn, Chef Angelo Vangelopoulos - Bite-sized gyro at Meals on Wheels Taste Thi...
12/09/17 • 100 min
I apologize for the moments of bad audio...tried like heck to fix it! Any gurus out there? I'm all ears! Literally. After hours of battle, the headphones have melded themselves to my head!
Quick, Healthy Dinner Work. With Slow, Conscious Growth and Balance. Welcome to Episode 88! In this conversation, I speak with Eric and Leslie Benz of Hunter Gatherer Dinners. Shelf-stable meal kits that are convenient, quick, and produced locally. Dinner kits seem a trend that's here to stay, but unlike big box companies such as Blue Apron, when you purchase a Hunter Gatherer Dinner you know exactly how and where your kit is created. And unlike those other companies, most of the packaging is biodegradable. Hunter Gatherer Dinners can sit in your pantry until you need them, the perfect dinner solution on those nights when you come home exhausted. The Benz's develop the recipes, source the ingredients, and package each kit with care by hand. Each kit contains everything you need to create a delicious, healthy main dish and side. All you add is your favorite protein. Every ingredient is premeasured and the label contains not only a shopping list but clearly numbered steps so even a novice can put a tasty, healthy meal on the table in 20-30 minutes. With Hunter Gatherer Dinners if you can count, you can cook.
Partner a kit with your local CSA share! Or something like Meat Club from JM Stock Provisions! Or produce you pick up at the farmer's market! Each kit fits well with your favorite protein and most of the side dishes are ancient grains like farro, quinoa, and wild rice. Hunter Gatherer Dinners are all low fat, some are gluten-free, while others can be easily adapted for vegetarians. Even the black beans in the Bonanza Chili have been pre-cooked then dehydrated to cut down on prep time.
They also make the perfect gift! Consider a young couple getting married and just setting up house, or a student heading off to college. How about a housewarming gift, something easy to prepare while you unpack your kitchen? And a terrific Christmas gift for all the hikers and campers and hunters on your list. Or even the gift of convenience for yourself during a hectic holiday season.
In a world where there never seems to be enough time, reaching for an overprocessed pre-prepared meal is an easy choice. But eating this way long term can cause serious health issues and high medical bills. Eating clean is not only essential to good health but in this day and age, it's becoming an act of resistance. Food as medicine. As a former cancer survivor, Eric Benz understands this. With Leslie they have created a kit marrying both ideas. Clean eating plus convenience.
Origins of the name? We are all hunter gatherers. As conscious consumers, we hunt and gather ingredients to make healthy meals for ourselves and our families. Especially if you have special dietary needs like paleo, vegan, or gluten-free you are hunting and gathering every time you shop. The Benz's are foodies from the west coast as well as passionate advocates for the outdoors and its health benefits. Hunter Gatherer Dinners was started because they wanted to take their passion for food and create something together. Leslie handles the graphic design, Eric handles logistics. Both collaborate on recipe development and brainstorming.
To get the word out, they use a face-to-face approach. Converting one customer at a time to their cause. Which means demos. Lots of them, including the Charlottesville City Market. And Whole Foods for the time being. We talk about Amazon's acquisition and what it might mean for small businesses who use this high-traffic location to spread the news about their products. Community events like Tomtoberfest and teaching events through the Boys and Girls Clubs also help, not only with marketing but getting young folks cooking and eating with awareness. Future plans? Buying an RV and traveling the country, managing the business from the road. Blogging and videos and social media from campgrounds and RV parks around the country. More boots on the ground advertising, converting customers one camper at a time.
How do you manage your time, prioritize, when there's only the two of you while at the same time growing your business? Is it more important to chase the big boys like Whole Foods or should you focus on getting your product into smaller, local markets? How did they develop their recipes? We talk about it all. The organic movement has been around since there have been hunters and gatherers. Convenience foods which made their appearance at the beginning of the 20th century moved our focus but that focus is definitely curving back around. Now eating clean is an act of resistance against big corporations and big agriculture and the Benz's are proud to be a part of that.
08/03/17 • 72 min
Meat Work. Whole Damn Animal. In this conversation meet James Lum III and Matthew Greene of JM Stock Provisions. Our very own whole animal butchery right here in Charlottesville, Virginia. Third partner Hunter Hopcroft of the Richmond outpost couldn't join us, but no worries. We had enough butcher talk to go around!
I always ask the question, "Who should I talk to next?" at the end of each Edacious conversation. When you get to four or five saying, "Talk to JM Stock!" you take the hint. These guys are the real deal. They're doing the work, not just presenting an image to promote an image or make money. Every "Beef Day" they're in the back breaking down entire animals. Autumn Olive Farms, a past podcast guest, delivers whole pigs, Free Union Grass Farm delivers ducks, and River Oak Farm brings chickens just to name a few.
Synchronicity and happenstance played a big part in the decision of these two Winchester natives and former restaurant professionals to open a butcher shop. How were they trained and what did it involve? We talk about it as well as how their Kickstarter campaign played a big part in their future success. Watch the video. The end is the best thing ever LOL!
"It was really cool. It was a great experience. It was very moving to see that many people step up and show their support for what we wanted to do and Matt and I as individuals and the future of sustainable food. We had donors from Houston, Texas and San Francisco. It was cool to see that." ---James Lum III
JM Stock takes on interns every six weeks, one day a week, a renewable contract based on performance. They start out doing grunt work. If they can handle it, then comes the education. A great way to not only spread the gospel but discover untapped talent here in our area, creating jobs as they go. Half of their staff has graduated from the intern pool but that also means half just can't cut it. Literally.
"There is very little that is glamorous about it. Being a butcher is as blue collar as it comes. It's as blue collar as welding without the permanence of it. You could say that we're artisans but it's a term that is widely overused. We have a skill set that most people don't have. We believe what we do is super important. But it's not glamorous. It's a lot of hard work." ---Matthew Greene
"Part of our job is making it seem lovely. Which could be part of the problem." ---James Lum III
"The goal is to make what we do seem cool because in order for us to be successful we need people to care about what it is that we're doing. I think that that's true for most businesses...what we're doing is for the good of the community." ---Matthew Greene
It's a conundrum. How do you get folks to care without making them too queasy about where their meat comes from? How do you survive the pushback from vegetarians and others who think it's gratuitous and disrespectful to show a whole hog being broken down online. It's a delicate dance between education and not respecting the animal for the sake of Instagram and a dance these two gentlemen navigate very well. One look at their social media can tell you that.
We discuss this dance. Educating folks about why talking to your butcher and finding out where your meat comes from is an important aspect of being an educated consumer. It's not a luxury, but a new way of thinking that's actually an old way. Not just picking up the vacuum-packed pound of ground beef but TALKING to the butcher, finding out where that beef came from. Maybe letting him talk you into a new-t0-you off cut of meat like beef neck, which is delicious, easy to prepare, and tastes better than your momma's pot roast.
In sourcing locally and supporting sustainable agriculture is often seen as "hippy-dippy" or elitist, particularly in Charlottesville. But as Matt says so eloquently, part of JM Stock's goal is to support local, sustainable agriculture even in an area where real estate costs are high which means the cost to produce said animal is higher. That doesn't mean it has to be fancy, or only for the rich, or for those folks who consider themselves homesteaders. It should and can be for everybody.
"Our constant goal is to make it (sustainable agriculture) more and more approachable to everybody...especially for those in their late 20's and early 30's who are just starting to figure out what it is they care about as far as feeding themselves and feeding their families." ---Matthew Greene
How do you make a visit to the butcher less intimidating? We...
06/23/17 • 95 min
Pig Work. Welcome to Episode 75 and a conversation with folks who aren't just giving lip service to food raised in a pure, unprocessed manner, but walking the walk by carrying on a respected tradition of raising heritage Ossabaw and Berkshire pigs humanely in a natural, sustainable way. In a setting that wouldn't have looked unusual hundreds of years ago. Meet Clay and Linda Trainum of Autumn Olive Farms! The Autumn Olive tree and the farm's namesake is native to Virginia, very edible, and high in lycopene. Pigs and goats happen to love it. When Linda and Clay re-established his father's land back in 2008 it was covered in it. The solution? Put Boerbok goats to work. Boerbok is a great and healthy meat source in addition to being a terrific lawnmower and the Trainums used this natural brush clearer to not only free up land but also as the very first source of revenue for the farm by selling their clearing services as well as the meat. Resourcefulness at work and a great example of farming ingenuity.
"If you can raise some cows and you can pay your taxes every year, you’re a successful farmer. I don’t accept that."
The farm's origins are rooted in a need for a healthier way of living. The Trainum's house in North Carolina was completely overrun with mold, making every family member sick. Linda started to read up on healthy eating. Her veterinary technician background led her to study more sustainable meat sources. She discovered pigs raised outdoors have the second-highest levels of Vitamin D in the world behind cod liver oil. Then a chance presentation of Ossabaw pigs at the Frontier Culture Museum led the Trainum's to purchase their first breeding sows.
The farm is a glorious example of natural breeding methods, with entire ecosystems dedicated to the craft. My tour, on the back of an ATV no less, saw me rumbling through pastures of ryegrass as well as pine and oak forest. These are for foraging, and so the pigs can keep cool during humid summers. In the winter months, shelters are moved to sunny areas to capture south-facing light. The pigs move about as they please, even banding together to move 500-pound shelters if it's not to their liking. Good quality hay grown on-site is harvested for food and bedding. Everything is done naturally. No heat lamps here. Farrowing is all natural as well, which means newborn piglets are more susceptible to nature’s cycles including weather and hungry, sometimes rabid foxes which are becoming more prevalent thanks to global warming.
"I think history is going to judge us harshly...our grandchildren are going to look back and say what was wrong with you all that you so willingly partook of that product raised that way. And it won’t be defensible. It’s not a defensible position. You don’t have to spend much time with pigs to realize there’s a serious responsibility."
What struck me? There are close neighbors surrounding this farm. If you've done any traveling in our region, you've smelled an industrial hog farm, probably from miles away. Not so at Autumn Olive where the smell is minimal and the neighbors not only stay on the lookout for wanderers but complain about closing the windows in winter because they can't hear the pigs. And yes, some of the pigs are pets. Sparkles is official Tour Director. But this is a working farm and understanding that is an important part.
Raising heritage pigs is certainly an honorable method, but also very time consuming, involving more steps as well as a lot more money. Which makes it more expensive. Currently Autumn Olive only sells whole animals to restaurants. And while that can seem a detriment, it’s actually a plus because chefs understand quality and are willing to seek them out and pay for it.
"We told a chef one time, he’s like, do you have pork? Well, do you serve bird? On the menu? The difference between a crow and a quail is a profound difference. Within the breeds of pigs there are profound differences...and flavor profiles and texture and mouth feel and fat composition...muscle fiber length. All of that is there."
Like any farm, Autumn Olive has seasons and labor you have to do depending on the weather so the pigs can stay happy and healthy. This is a family business, and sons Logan, Luke, and Tyler are committed to continuing the legacy. The day I visited they were headed out for an overnight Maryland delivery. On a heritage pig farm, the work never ends.
"The seasons certainly have a bearing on what we do and how we do it...in the summer months pigs usually eat less...the meat is a little bit different in the warmer weather...it's kind of a slower pace...and we're managing issues of clean water and temperature-related things."
You can find Autumn Olive products all over our region, including places like
03/31/17 • 68 min
Community Work. In a Diner. With Chef Ashley Christensen at The Virginia Festival of the Book. Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you miss Chef Ashley Christensen of Poole's Diner giving her stupendous talk at the Virginia Festival of the Book? No worries, Edacious taped it for you! Ashley grew up in North Carolina as part of a family who felt it important to cook and eat meals together no matter how busy their lives. It's a philosophy she took to her adult life. Putting creative energy into food and watching people share it which often develops into deep conversations over it.
She went to NC State, intending to move to a big city after graduation, working in restaurants while attending classes. Like so many of her co-workers, she worked in kitchens until she could decide what was next. Until the day she realized this was it. This is what she wanted to do. This is what's next. She realized she could do all the things she wanted right there in Raleigh. And she could do them by cooking food. A small fundraiser she organized for AIDS research turned into a massive fundraiser. That sealed the deal. As she looked about her college town, she realized she could contribute and make great strides right there. Graduation became less of a concern. She dropped out and started cooking in earnest.
Her initial curiosity and interest in food quickly developed into a catalyst for social change and community. Setting her intention, she decided to create a higher level of hospitality, one that starts with food but goes deeper to connection. A hospitality which creates a profound level of trust between the chef and the guest. Customer is something she considers "The C-Word," and something never to be uttered in any of her restaurants. Her commitment to this belief isn't just lip service. She has the word "Guest" tattooed on her forearm.
"We like to use the word 'guest' (instead of customer) because I like to remove the idea of it being a transaction. Dining together, and the energy that we put into it, the chance that you take on us I think conveys a relationship...It really helps all the folks who work with us to really understand and respect and value that idea."
Her first restaurant, Poole's Diner, reflects this intention. It's not fancy, but a place you visit once a week. Or more. A place where you can be a regular. All the menus are on chalkboards so you have to physically get up and move about to decide. Which sparks conversation because most of them hang above booths. The double horseshoe bar encourages conversation because no matter where you sit, you can see the other patrons. Even the word "diner" evokes comfort. It's a place where someone in a tux can dine next to somebody just off work in a dirty tee shirt.
The story of how she went from working in other restaurants to starting her first is beautiful, poignant, and so inspiring it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. You'll have to listen to hear it for yourself! Ashley now owns six, including one serving fried chicken with honey in honor of a childhood nickname. In fact, all of her restaurants in Raleigh contain story whether it's in the name or the food they serve, once again taking the simple idea of a place to gather for eating to a more meaningful level. Folks are responding. She's been nominated for a James Beard Award several times and won the title of Best Chef Southeast in 2014. Her restaurant Death and Taxes was a finalist last year.
Her first cookbook, Poole's Diner, is a volume reflecting a life lived rich and full through sharing food. How to use a safe, comforting space to give back and effect social change. Comfort is a fairly novel concept in this world of fancy schmancy, where tattooed-covered Tweezer Punks with dusts, strange ingredients, and 14-course meals constantly want to take you on a journey. We've sometimes forgotten the soul-filling concept of a simple bowl of grits. The recipes in this volume embrace comfort. They don't change the essential meaning of classic Southern dishes, nor reinterpret them, but simply add Ashley's personal spin. It's a gorgeous volume evoking the comfort and simplicity of a meal at Poole's.
Now more than ever in these challenging times it's important for folks from different backgrounds to come together over food on a regular basis. Food can spark conversation. Maybe folks who disagree can find commonality somehow over something they mutually love and respect. A terrific talk and my favorite one of the festival. Ashley's mission is one I strive for here on the podcast each and every day. Connection, com...
05/01/17 • 96 min
Cake Work. With Pies and Community. Welcome to my latest episode! Thanks for being my guest. After experiencing the magic that was the Big Love Bake Sale, and the Big Love Birthday, it seems only fitting to be speaking with another advocate. Someone whose commitment to dessert and community-based action is equally strong. Meet Arley Arrington of Arley Cakes.
I first met Arley during last summer's Business of Food Conference where I did my first guerilla-style podcast, interviewing several folks for 5 minutes each. I was struck by Arley's passion, enthusiasm, and knew immediately we had to do a proper episode. The fact I chose her Rosemary, Bourbon, and Brown Butter Apple Pie as the best thing I ate in 2016? Just the icing on the proverbial cake.
Arley's mother immigrated here from Jamaica and Arley grew up with her four brothers in New Jersey and Brooklyn. Before it was the hipster haven it is today. Jamaican cuisine was plentiful, and Arley's mother, who sadly passed away when she was very young, was into healthy food like kale and no sugar before it was a trend. The sweetest cereal she was allowed? Kix. Which makes her current vocation incredibly ironic! Eventually, her family made it here to Virginia where she landed at UVA.
After college, Arley waitressed on and off at the sadly now-closed Brookville restaurant where she began to think about baking for a living. Owners Harrison and Jennifer Keevil encouraged her efforts and eventually, she became their Cake Queen. Which led to Arley Cakes. Initially, Arley had thoughts about creating a socially-minded bakery, employing women from disenfranchised backgrounds. This remains a goal but currently, her business focuses on creating special, one-of-a-kind pies and desserts for every event imaginable. Her Cookie-Of-The-Month-Club is stellar, and she can even cater your breakfast! As for cakes? Just give her some flavors and she does the rest. I had a pretty major milestone birthday yesterday and the cake Arley made was indescribable. All I told her was lemon and raspberry. The result? A tasty, stunning work of art!
"I do a lot of simple cakes...they are pretty simple and sweet in looks...they’re not too sweet in flavor because I like...the savory elements...I like the natural look...a cake that’s definitely pretty but also that’s enjoyable to eat."
Her approach to creating her special pies start with good spices. Which means a visit to The Spice Diva. Fresh spices make all the difference. If you use the cinnamon that's been sitting in your pantry for three years it won't taste like anything. She experiments with different herbs, spices and combinations, using her palate to create things like that Best of 2016 pie. Brown butter can often figure prominently, always a good thing. The Flavor Bible, a popular chef resource, is her constant companion for unique combinations of texture and taste. Masala Sweet Potato Pie? Yes, please! Her methods for rolling out dough are unique and frowned upon by some. To me? Who cares if it turns out wonderfully. What are they? You'll just have to listen to find out.
She is also a strong community advocate, and her work for the Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries reflect that commitment. After college she became their Director of Girls' Programs, reshaping a summer camp program calling it Radiant Girls Camp, after a beloved Bible verse where she guided middle-school aged young women to look at all the positive aspects of their physical and emotional selves, giving them more confidence. I dare you to look at the photos her friend Amy Jackson took without grabbing the tissues. Beautiful stuff and something we all could use more of in these challenging times.
"I tried to shape the different activities that we did during camp around...these girls...learning to be the best version of who they are already...and celebrating that...and taking care of themselves...I wanted to be sure they thought about food as something that strengthens...
070 - Scott Nichols, Concierge
Edacious
04/13/17 • 117 min
Concierge Work. Community Fundraising Work. With Cookies. Maybe the most important episode I've ever done. I truly believe every choice you make in your life sets you on a path. You might not understand the choice at the time or even the path you find yourself on, but eventually, it all comes together. In this episode meet Scott Nichols, a concierge with more than 20 years experience. A concierge who because of recent life developments has had to put his career on hold. A concierge who just also happens to be my best friend.
Now concierge might not be the first occupation you envision when you think of Food Work, but hotels and restaurants have a symbiotic relationship, one that operates behind the scenes, with hotel staff and restaurant employees often working for each other's benefit, coming together to make sure both establishments remain successful. It's a relationship often misunderstood, and one most travelers never take advantage of. Hopefully, this episode changes that.
First some background. We reminisce on our shared food adventures, as well as what it means to manage a Mrs. Field's Cookies. Yes, we met in a food court which acts as its own type of community, a place where employees help each other despite long hours and little pay. It's hard work and there's a great deal of hustle. At the time we were young and didn't appreciate where things came from and how our actions might affect others. Working for such low wages forced us to get creative to survive. Not making excuses. That's just the way it was. Working in a retail food court provides more life experience than sitting in a college classroom. It teaches you responsibility. Teamwork. On your feet problem-solving. All of which are good training for the hospitality industry or for owning your own business. Or for real life. Thousands of people toil in fast food all over the world. It felt good to give them a voice. To throw some honor their way instead of shame in the form of degrading stereotypes you see in movies and on TV.
We compare our cookie tray burns still visible after 30 years. Battle scars. We reveal Debbie's secret recipe. We reminisce about the hilarious methods we used to keep up morale. We talk about how Mrs. Fields actually provided great training for the career Scott embarked on and one he excels at...concierge.
After moving to DC, Scott started in hotel reservations, slowly working his way up to the front desk. Learning as much as he could, networking, soaking up every piece of knowledge like a sponge. It was the 80's, people were traveling, so tips were good. The relationship between a concierge team and their hotel employers is often volatile. So when the entire team walked off the job one day, Scott stepped in and a career was born. A career where he thrived because of his ability to connect, converse, and anticipate the needs of his customers. Knowing what they wanted before they did. Anticipating what they needed just by looking at their suit, the make of their watch, their demeanor as they stepped up to the desk. A job so demanding he often had to sleep on a cot in a closet behind his desk.
"I started knowing nothing and I'm a quick learner...whatever I lacked...I understood the value of presentation, preparedness, and potential...show up, bring your best, do your best."
What did he enjoy most about the work and still does to this day? Making people happy. Making sure every guest feels welcomed and their visit is a trip to remember.
"You learned early on that if you give people what they want and don't let them see you sweat and don't let them know how much trouble it was...then they are more comfortable asking you for whatever they want. People know when they're asking for something exotic...That's where I learned my philosophy of I work hard and I expect to be compensated fairly...(You must) understand that level of access and professionalism brings with it a certain cost and value."
Learning, realizing what you're worth. Your own value in your chosen career. An important lesson in any profession. An important lesson for your LIFE for that matter. This isn't as Scott says, "McDonald's Concierging". This is building relationships. Spending 10 minutes having a conversation and getting to know your guest. Using your observational skills. Reading the customer. What time of day is it? How are they dressed? What does the woman's makeup look like? What shirt is the man wearing? These things can tell you whether or not the guest is hungry, has had a drink (or three), or even their mood.
"If you make friends with a concierge you will take your time in any city to...
08/15/17 • 32 min
“In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.” ---Marianne Williamson
Resistance Work. With Persistence, Resolve, Resilience, and Magic. Welcome Friends, to a special episode of Edacious. Because it is not business as usual in our town of Charlottesville, Virginia this week. Now is not the time to speak of the latest greatest cocktail invention, nor to promote the latest brewery opening or wine dinner. Now is the time to celebrate all that is good about Charlottesville, to remind ourselves despite the hatred that visited us over the weekend, when all is said and done, we are magic. We are greater than the sum of our parts. When our community decides to come together for a common cause with Big Love behind it, there is nothing that can stop us. Our resolve, our resilience, our persistence, and our magic will be the ingredients that point the way and keep us grounded. It's why I started this podcast. I looked around the community where I live and said, "Wow, folks need to know about this. Immediately. There is magic here."
In this episode, I talk about Community Magic and the good folks who make it happen for us each and every day in our stores, on our farms, in our offices, in our fields, at our restaurants and kitchens. Folks whose passion is food but who know that food is just a starting point for so many other greater discussions and events and moments of connection. I'm convinced food is the great equalizer, the thing we all do, the thing each and every one of us can connect on. If you can just get someone from the other side of the fence to break bread with you, amazing things can happen. It's why I'm here. It's why I will continue to use this podcast to broadcast magic. Go in peace friends. Break bread. Practice self care. Get strong. Because this is only the beginning. Big Love. #Charlottesville #CvilleStrong #LoveisLove #YallMeansAll
Charlottesville Makers of Magic Mentioned During This Episode. There are SO many others near and far I didn't get to. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for keeping our Charlottesville community strong as well as your own, wherever you may be.
Kristin Adolfson of Still Point Press Design Angie Akey of Moxie Salon Brian Ashworth of Ace Biscuit and Barbecue Heather Balmat, trademark lawyer Jason Becton and Patrick Evans of MarieBette Café and Bakery Bellair Market MC Blair, radio host Laurie Blakey of Pearl's Bake Shoppe Jake Busching, winemaker Sheri Castle, food writer Polina Chesnakova, food writer Sara Cramer Shields and Andrea Hubbell of Our Local Commons Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Company Nancy Carter Crump, food historian Will Curley of The Coat Room Cville Coffee Simon Davidson of The Charlottesville 29 Victoria Dunham, chef Tim Edmond and Daniel Potter of Potter's Craft Cider Feast! Liz Finklestein, Piefest volunteer Jeanne Frey of Treat Yourself Right Massage Tim Gearhart of Gearhart's Fine Chocolates Grit Coffee Craig Hartman of The BBQ Exchange Martin Herbert of Small Potatoes Sales and Marketing and an Edacious Patreon supporter Gail Hobbs-Page of Caromont Farm Cheese Betty Hoge, Small Business Development Center David Hopper of Chutney Ferret Industries Phyllis Hunter and Will Harville of The Spice Diva Integral Yoga Java Java JM Stock Provisions Michele Jones of Pasture, Flora, Comfort Tami Keaveney of Tavola and The Cicchetti Bar Harrison and Jennifer Keevil of Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen Market Street Market Milli Joe's Susan McCulley, Nia Instructor Christopher Morris, photographer Mudhouse Coffee Gerry Newman of Albemarle Baking Company Rachel Pennington of The Pie Chest Jenny Bandy Peterson of Paradox Pastry Rebecca's Natural Foods Allie Redshaw Wilson Richey of Ten Course Hospitality Matt Rohdie of Carpe Donut Shenandoah Joe's PK Ross of Splendora's Gelato Bill Smith of Crook's Corner Hunter Smith of Champion Brewery Dawn Story of Farmstead Ferments Ian Thomas and Marlene Steiner of Virginia Distillery Company Timbercreek Market Angelo Vangelopoulos of The Ivy Inn Justin Vesser, PieFest and Soup There It Is! contest winner Amanda Welch of Grubby Girl Brian Wimer of IX Park and Lovefest Cynthia Woodring, yoga instructor
SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:
- Help Our Charlottesville Community Recover - Please consider donating to this cause, supporting victims of last weekend's violence. Thank you.
- An Open Letter - Local food writer Simon Davidson responds to a GQ piece about August 12th.
066 - Ronni Lundy, Victuals
Edacious
03/18/17 • 65 min
Writing Work. Victuals Love. Sorghum and Salt. Welcome to the third in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th-19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Food writer Ronni Lundy whose newest creation, Victuals, is a celebration of Appalachian foodways, one ingredient at a time. Victuals just won the 2017 IACP award for American Cookbook of the Year and is a finalist for the James Beard award in American Cooking. Seed saver Bill Best has called Victuals, "The 67th book of the bible!" and I agree wholeheartedly. This volume is going all the way baby! Ronni will be appearing at three events as part of the festival, including a talk I'm moderating, "Save Room! Cookbooks With a Sweet Tooth!" Event details are listed below.
This episode is a re-airing of the lovely talk I had with Ronni at the tail end of the 2015 Appalachian Food Summit. Can you really get a sense of a region's history through one ingredient? This food writer and Appalachia advocate knows you can. Her books, Victuals, and Sorghum's Savor do just that. While both contain recipes, a good portion of the books talk about ingredient history, what each is and isn't, and the fascinating stories behind the folks who bring that food to your table.
As one of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit, Ronni knows such stories are integral to understanding the evolution of a culture. Which is why we begin this episode's discussion around the history of salt. At the 2015 gathering, we were fortunate enough to have Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt Works, a 7th generation salt farmer. Nancy considers salt an agricultural ingredient because in her words it is harvested from the ground and ripened by the sun. The history and evolution of this ingredient relate well to Appalachia's history as a land of extraction, as well as providing a base camp for all sorts of stories and anecdotes related to its history, harvest, and use.
Appalachia is a storytelling culture, and Ronni deftly uses this to incorporate important lessons into her tales. Because the purpose of the summit is to not only preserve but to move Appalachia into the growing, abundant, thriving, economically and environmentally productive region we all know it can be. It's an heirloom that just needs a little spit shine. It's time for a revival.
The fellowship from food gatherings is one of the hallmarks of Appalachia. Food as communion. Food as revival. Not food as performance where chefs come out after sweating their butts off in a kitchen just to receive a smattering of applause. There's a reason people crave the homemade meals from their upbringing. Food grown from heritage seeds taste better, keep longer, are better for the environment, and preserve history.
We discuss The Appalachian Food Summit, its goals, and how Facebook helped get it started, Why was it important to serve the meal at the 2015 gathering cafeteria style? What exactly does Chef Travis Milton mean when he called this dinner a "fancy-ass Picadilly"?
You're in for a treat guys. Ronni Lundy is a kick-ass broad. You're going to learn a lot. But these lessons are mixed in with great stories. Or as Ronni's says, "A little sugar before your medicine." Enjoy this episode then head out to all three events! See you there!
BONUS LISTENING BELOW! JUST HIT THE DOWNLOAD BUTTON!Hear Ronni's talk at the 2016 Appalachian Food Summit: The Biscuit Love Rocking Chair Keynote: The Magical Mammy & the Granny Woman: How Malinda Russell’s Journeys Break the Chains of Myth Toni Tipton-Martin, author of the James Beard Award-winning, The Jemima Code and Ronni Lundy of Victuals discuss how exploring foodways can give voice to people and cultures otherwise ignored or misrepresented in history, and how t...
09/15/17 • 85 min
Wine Work. In The Car. Dirt and Stuff With Jake.
Welcome to Episode 81, a conversation with a former goth slash punk rock frontman, a gentleman who has spent years making wines of place. Now he’s producing his own artisanal wines using the very best selection of grapes from vineyards he helped design. The results? Extraordinary. Meet Jake Busching of Jake Busching Wines.
Jake grew up in Minnesota on a farm. Singing in a band as a teenager, he made his way to Richmond, Virginia where he ended up working in food at a Holiday Inn. A huge shock to a boy from the midwest. A place where he learned the value of food and its culture. Musicians and food. A match made in heaven. So many folks on this podcast got their start this way.
How did wine appear? As with so many great stories, he met a girl, eventually landing in Charlottesville. A chance meeting with the owner of Jefferson Vineyards set him on his path. Initially, he initially took over farm management duties. Then Chris Hill, the Vineyard Manager, needed someone to fix stuff. He also needed help laying out a new vineyard. Michael Shaps happened to be the winemaker. The planets aligned back in 1997 at the birth of a new Virginia industry and a winemaker was born.
“The farm boy in me was like the seasonality of this totally makes sense to me. Grow a crop, harvest the crop, turn it into wine. Wow! From an agricultural perspective that sounded like sign me up! This is a freak show of really interesting people!”
He also found his tribe in wine, a cast of characters passionate and creative about wine without the snobby attitude. A little more rock and roll than classical symphony. Different from the early days of Napa, grape-wise, but with the same edacious feeling. Growing grapes in Virginia is never a sure thing where rain and humidity always threaten harvest. This gamble adds to that attitude of we’ll give it a shot and hope for the best. When you do get a great harvest? It’s that much sweeter. Farming Virginia grapes is also very different than in Europe where folks spend decades learning their dirt and the best grapes that grow in it, transitioning that knowledge into making wine with a team of experts including a chemist, farmer, and vineyard manager.
“In Virginia a lot of our wineries...there’s a lot of money being spent in Virginia. There’s not a lot of money being made in Virginia. The wine industry is agriculture. It’s a hard thing to do. There’s a lot of wineries for sale.”
Jake spent years learning how to grow grapes for various vineyards, including Jefferson and Horton. There’s a reason they call him The Dirt Guy. When he got the call from Pollak to design one from the ground up? Yes please! He applied his viticulture there, his wine growing skills. There’s a difference. Growing grapes means you’re trying to grow as many as possible. An agricultural crop. Growing wine means you’re growing the best bottles you can. There’s a reason he calls his business Jake Busching ARTISANAL Wines.
A journey that began as a grape grower, eventually moved to wine grower, then on to vineyard manager, and now to winemaker. Area vineyards trust Jake, allowing him to choose which rows of grapes he wants to use to make his wines. For example, at Honah Lee Vineyard, Jake selected a certain row of grapes because they lay on a gentle south-facing slope of land. A beautiful place with a great view. A perfect site for perfect fruit.
And what about those wines of his anyway? Jake currently has four in rotation, including his F8 and his Orphan which he just released with a big tasting at Tavola. He makes wines of place. Transitioning away from that, Jake wants to remain a relevant winemaker under his own artisanal label. In limited quantities, 50 cases at a time. His 2015 Viognier sold out. With good reason. It’s gorgeous. After tasting it, I went to his site and bought ALL the wine. Pair that with expert design from Watermark? You’ve got all the hallmarks of a truly great emerging wine collection.
“Legacy is weird. That’s a hard thing because I’ve been building legacy for other people for 20 years. It’s hard for me to swallow that pill and say okay it’s time to put yourself on a pedestal because that’s not something I’m comfortable with at all. And so how do I do that without losing the sense of who I really am? I really want to make wine. I love it. I absolutely love it.”
Jake sells his wine as an independent winemaker. Without a vineyard or a tasting room or a winery. He’s a winemaker with a need for a creative outlet. So he does it for other people. His career as a consultant began when Michael Shaps stepped in to help Pollak. Now they make wine for 16 area wineries. They also consult with wineries from everything from dirt to vineyard design. ...
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FAQ
How many episodes does Edacious have?
Edacious currently has 124 episodes available.
What topics does Edacious cover?
The podcast is about Meditation, Beer, Health & Fitness, Soul, Restaurant, Empowerment, Mental Health, Joy, Local, Chef, Mentalhealth, Spirit, Podcasts, Arts, Cocktail, Selfcare and Food.
What is the most popular episode on Edacious?
The episode title '123 - Carrie Neal Walden, Ben's Friends. In an industry dedicated to service, how do we help each other?' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Edacious?
The average episode length on Edacious is 76 minutes.
How often are episodes of Edacious released?
Episodes of Edacious are typically released every 13 days, 19 hours.
When was the first episode of Edacious?
The first episode of Edacious was released on Jan 29, 2015.
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