LJ's Hoagie King in Wheeling serves up - surprise - hoagies.



Heroes, grinders, subs, hoagies - whatever you may call these sandwiches- LJ's has them. For me personally, I tend to think of "hoagies" as the cold sandwiches you pick up to go in a convenience store. And subs are the ones you get from restaurants. But that's just my brain.



Either way, LJ's is an old-school restaurant with a U-shaped counter full of regulars who looked toward the door when I walked in. I looked over the menu and ordered an Italian hoagie, which is layered with capicola, ham, lettuce, tomato, onion, dressing, and provolone cheese. This was nicely stacked and had a great proportion of ingredients. The bread was just slightly a bit crunchy, which likely helps with the moisture of the sandwich. But I wouldn't have hated it to be a bit softer. Still a tasty, simple sandwich.

Grade: B

The Bullock Distillery is West Virginia's newest craft distillery, and it's located right in the Elk City neighborhood of Charleston. 



They JUST opened, and I was lucky enough to join a sneak peek before the grand opening with Generation Charleston.



We were able to sample vodka, gin and whiskey. I'm really excited to have a cool local place for young people to visit. They have a small, but beautifully curated, shop of local products, too. 



We took a tour and were able to get an inside look at the production and some ideas for their future direction.



I left with a bottle of whiskey, a small pamphlet book on Appalachian herbs, a local candle, BBQ sauce, and more. 



A really cool place with some strong spirits and great products.



Have you checked it out yet?

Let's do it. Another day, another Gino's location - this time in Weston.



This is one of the few locations that does not have a drive-through, so I placed an order online and picked up inside. 



There's a long walkway back to the counter and then a dining space for those who would like to dine inside. It has that faux Italian theme with red and green and lattice and some greenery.



I want to try some different things on the menu, so this time I went with a sandwich. The Italian Sub comes with genoa salami, cheese, ham, lettuce, tomato, onions, sub sauce, and mayo served on a French bun. It wasn't teeming with ingredients, because you can see the bread kinda overlapping it all. But I don't mind that a whole ton - my focus is more on the combination of it all. It was a bit plain, maybe a bit lackluster. A standard sandwich without a whole lot of pizzazz. 

Grade: C

Sweet Southern Smoke is one of the newest BBQ spots in Morgantown. Located on Earl Core Road in Sabraton, this takeout joint offers pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, ribs and smoked sausage. 



I don't know why it's impossible for me to take a clear, quick photo - like the one of this menu - but you can check it out here.



They make a limited amount of food, so they were out of a few things. But, no worries, because they were still smoking all kinds of meats outside that they had plenty of.  I went with ribs - super tender, mac & cheese - fairly average but solid, cornbread - good flavor just a little dry, and the collards - which were heavy on the funk. But a very filling and satisfying meal overall.



Grade: B

Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me wanna wag my tail. When it comes I wanna wail MAIL.

Blue's Clues, anyone?



It's my favorite mail day: when my J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works Appalachian Mercantile monthly subscription box arrives!  And, it's a fun one! 

J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works: Toffee Crunch Peanuts - In partnership with Belmont Peanuts, these amazing hand cooked Virginia peanuts have a fresh, crunchy, crispy flavor. Available in three great flavors, Salted, Salt & Pepper, and Toffee Crunch.

Asheville Tea Company: Snow Day Blend - Enjoy a cuppa with these delectable teas from Asheville Tea Company. These local craft teas are blended by hand in small batches using the finest locally sourced seasonal botanicals. The inspiration for these blends are found in the unique flavors of the town of Asheville, NC. Box of 20 tea bags. Three blends: Asheville Grey, Chamomile Lavender, Jasmine Gold

Simple Products: Spiced Pear Syrup - Simple Products Pear Syrup is a delicious compliment to any breakfast. Made from organically grown Ohio pears, organic natural evaporated cane sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, and ground clove. Simply perfect.

Brookstone Soaps: Peppermint - These hand crafted soaps are made by Brookstone Soap in Huntington, WV.

Plus Tait Farm Foods herbed biscuit baking mix and this adorable bowl from Heartmoss Pottery.