Edacious - Food Talk For Gluttons

Bay Work. With Oysters. Welcome to my conversation with Travis Croxton of Rappahannock Oyster Company, who, along with brother Ryan, has helped bring the long and storied tradition of Virginia Chesapeake Bay oysters back into the spotlight. From one small grill at Merroir in Topping, Virginia these brothers have built a restaurant empire, one that's growing all the time. From RockSalt in Charlottesville to their newest addition Rapp Session in Richmond, Rappahannock Oyster now has eight restaurants, including one in Los Angeles that opens in November. World domination is officially underway. The Croxtons are 4th-generation oyster farmers, going back to the 1800's. The story of his family's agricultural origins was fascinating and made me grateful these two brothers are carrying on such an important legacy. Their logo was created using the signature of one of their ancestors and the paperwork for the land grant for the oyster farm hangs in one of their restaurants. A terrific idea, including story into your bu

"You have to learn from your mistakes. But don't dwell on your mistakes." Reimagining Work. With Labneh. And Wine. Welcome to Episode 83 of Edacious and a conversation with a restaurateur who has a chance many folks don't get. A second chance to open his restaurant in a new space. What does this mean for his staff? His customers? His bottom line? Meet Justin Ross of Parallel 38, a gentleman and scholar who had the courage to get vulnerable and real about the effects a closing, then a reopening has on the hearts, minds, and spirits of everyone involved. Recorded on August 1st when only a few regulatory papers lay between him and a grand opening. Anyone who's ever opened a restaurant can certainly commiserate with this sense of anticipation. I spoke with Justin early on in Edacious history so it was intriguing to converse at this stage of the restaurant's development. Parallel didn't close due to lack of business, in fact, the last two weeks of service there wasn't an empty seat in the place. Because now, as

"Cheese wins. Always." ---Sara Adduci, Feast! Cheese Work. With Extra Cheese Please. Welcome to Episode 82 and my conversation with cheesemonger Sara Adduci of Feast! Sara worked front of house at various restaurants for 26 years. At a certain point she was moonlighting as a photographer. It was during a shoot for the wedding of a wine and cheese shop owner that her new career was born. She began working at Julia Battaglini's Secco Wine Bar in Richmond, spending all her earnings on cheese. It was an edacious romance with an extra aged gouda that set her on the path to learning everything there is to know about fermented milk. How did she educate herself? Tasting! Taking notes afterward. Reading books. Sara just returned from a 6-week whirlwind cheese tour through Europe. An educational summer abroad began with a 2-week internship at L'Amuse Fromagerie in Amsterdam. She even spent time on an island of sheep! An island where Dutch folks bring livestock to graze and people and cars are forbidden. From there she

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 some

September is Virginia Spirits Month! Celebrate with all of your favorites. Preferably while listening to this episode. Spirit Work. With Community Changes. Welcome to Episode 80 and the very first recorded after the events of August 12th. Meet Ian Glomski of Vitae Spirits, a former UVA professor of microbiology who decided to take his knowledge and apply it to the science of distilling. With fabulous results. Edacious is about community, so we begin with how August 12th affected Charlottesville, including disturbing events that happened right next door the day after. The fact this happened in summer, the slowest season for business, didn't help. At all. What then? We talk about it, as well as the challenges faced by our community as all sorts of changes, good and bad, happen when the town you live in has its moment in the national spotlight. We're used to being named the Prettiest Little Town That Ever Existed. How do we handle this new label? How do we move forward consciously, with awareness and compassion?

“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 c

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

Whisky Work. Without the E. It's a twofer on Edacious! In this episode, we hear from Marlene Steiner and Ian Thomas, both of Virginia Distillery Company in Lovingston, Virginia. Today's podcast is another chance to educate everyone on the American Single Malt spirit category and on Virginia Distillery Company who are making waves, collecting awards as they do. In March VDC was named the Best American Single Malt Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards, presented by Whisky Magazine. When their own single malt, distilled right here in Virginia, is ready in 2019? I've no doubt the medals will continue to roll in. Founder Dr. George Moore was a native Irishman and successful entrepreneur whose passions were Virginia and whisky. He raised his family here because it reminded him of Ireland and spent his life marrying his passions, working to establish a true whisky distillery in Virginia. Son Gareth and his wife Maggie carry on that tradition with VDC. First up? A complete tour of the process and a conversation with Di

Wine Work. With Oysters. Welcome to Episode 76 and a laugh-filled conversation over wine with siblings Tim Gorman and Sarah Gorman of Cardinal Point Winery. Cardinal Point was the first winery The Hubby and I visited upon moving to Charlottesville a decade ago. Their November Oyster Roast remains my favorite food-related event. One which constantly inspires my food writing, including this humorous anecdote which continues to get reactions and comments even years later. The seeds for what would become Cardinal Point began way back in 1986 when their dad, Paul Gorman, put in his first grapes, selling them statewide. Tim and Sarah tended vines as teenagers with Tim taking over as Vineyard Manager shortly thereafter. In 2002 Paul's dream of an established winery was realized at a time when there were no others nearby. Veritas and Afton followed soon after and the seeds of a true agritourism destination on Route 151 in Nelson County were planted. Cardinal Point is a true family-owned business, a family which inclu

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

Chocolate Work. With Peanut Butter and Community. Meet Tim Gearhart of Gearhart's Fine Chocolates, otherwise known as the Willie Wonka of Charlottesville! The theme of this episode is Ahead of the Curve and how that can help your business tremendously. In Tim's case, his Nostradamus ability to foresee trends paired with his passion have helped Gearhart's to not only become a beloved Charlottesville institution but has expanded his reach to the national level. You can now find Gearhart's on Amazon! I first met Tim during the 2016 Tom Tom Festival where he was part of a local panel discussing the triumphs and challenges of running a food business. I was completely captivated by his story as well as his advice and knew I had to have him on the podcast. Tim was born in Detroit and landed in Virginia as a teenager. The 1980's was a volatile time, perfect for an oddball kid like Tim who was way into food before it was a trend, and who spent his spare time eating at the C&O and trying new foods whenever he could

Welcome to Episode 73! In this fabulous conversation, I speak with Chef Bill Smith of Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Both Bill and the restaurant are beloved fixtures in this great town of advocates, artists, musicians, and other creative types. Sound familiar? Yes, Chapel Hill is very similar in size and energy to Charlottesville and is going through some of the same growing pains. So this talk hit close to home for me and was a great chance to catch up with someone I consider a dear friend. I first met Bill, in an extremely "meet cute" way while sitting on a bus during the Southern Foodways Alliance Summer Symposium. He was so friendly and put this podcaster at ease during her first solo foray into the world of professional food conferences where small talk is king and networking important. We had talked for a good half hour before I realized he was a chef and a noteworthy one at that! Chef Bill took over Crook's from founding owner Bill Neal back in the 1990's. Bill was a beloved chef who p

Dessert Work. With Sheri Castle and Ronni Lundy at The Virginia Festival of the Book. Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you miss "Save Room for Dessert! Cookbooks With A Sweet Tooth!" at the Virginia Festival of the Book? No worries, Edacious taped it for you! It might be May, but we're still celebrating. In this exclusive panel moderated by yours truly. Sheri Castle was born in Boone, North Carolina. The Queen of Hustle, Sheri is a professional food writer, culinary instructor, and public speaker known for melding storytelling, humor, and culinary expertise. She wrote her first recipe at 4 years old, mailed it to a TV show, and never looked back. She's written three books, been in countless magazines, and appeared on Vivian Howard's show, A Chef's Life. Her books have been IACP Award finalists, won the SIBA award, and been mentioned in the New York Times and Washington Post. Nigella Lawson (yes THAT Nigella) counts herself a fan and has made recipes from her latest book, Rhuba

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 he

The Big Love Bake Sale is a community-based effort and the first fundraiser here at Edacious to benefit today's podcast guest, Scott Nichols. Happening Saturday 4/15, 9am-noon at Charlottesville City Market!  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 t

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 co

Food Writing Work. With the Best Food Writing 2016 Panel at The Virginia Festival of the Book. Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you go see Walter White at JPJ last Sunday and *NOT* go to the Best Food Writing 2016 talk? No worries, Edacious taped it for you! This year's multiple award-winning panel included moderator and editor of the series, Holly Hughes, and contributors Joe Yonan, Food & Dining Editor for The Washington Post, Jason Tesauro, author of The Modern Gentleman, and Todd Kliman, author of The Wild Vine. Writer Monica Bhide, author of Karma and the Art of Butter Chicken was scheduled to appear but had a family emergency. All of the panelists consider themselves writers first, food being just one aspect of their work. Because food is the starting point for so many deeper conversations, a philosophy that informs this podcast as well. Holly began editing the Best Food Writing series back in 2000. Through sixteen volumes published annually, she has presented hun

Writing Work. With Wine and Intention. Welcome to the last in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th to 19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Writer and sommelier Jason Tesauro, author of The Modern Gentleman and a contributor to this year's Best American Food Writing series for his profile of chef Bo Bech. Jason will be appearing at an event Sunday, March 26th at JMRL as part of a panel discussion. Event details are listed below. I first became aware of Jason's writing because of his book. We know so many of the same people in the food world and I'm sure we've met briefly during my many forays to Barboursville Vineyards where he's been a sommelier for 15 years. So it was a thrill to finally coordinate our busy schedules for a talk. Not just any journalistic back and forth, but a real honest-to-goodness deep conversation about food writing which evolved into his philosophy of setting your int

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 ingre

Wine Work. Taco Work. Writing Work. Welcome to the second in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th to 19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Award-winning food author Todd Kliman, former critic for The Washingtonian, author of The Wild Vine, and a contributor to this year's Best American Food Writing series. Todd will be appearing at an event Sunday, March 26th at JMRL as part of that series. Event details are listed below. I first became aware of Todd's writing because of his Oxford American piece on Peter Chang which went viral and did much to promote that nomadic chef's mystique. But it was during Todd's 2014 presentation at the SFA Summer Symposium in Richmond, where he talked about his book The Wild Vine, that I knew I'd have to meet him somehow. The Wild Vine isn't just about grapes, but about identity, immigration, and overcoming fear to reinvent yourself. A truly American-born idea.