I headed over to the Lost River area to check off the last state park on my list. And while in the area, of course I wanted to check out some local fare. One place that I recently heard of was the Wardensville Garden Market + Bakery. The Wardensville Garden Market + Bakery...

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Driving toward Summersville, I passed Drennen Dairy Bar, and it's exactly the kind of place I love to find: cute, small, & local. On this hot day, I was ready for ice cream. They call their blizzards "storms," and the cookie dough was speaking to me. Here, they don't do the small little...

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Donut Connection is a chain, but it's not widespread through West Virginia and there are just a few locations in the southern part of the state: two in Huntington, two in Charleston and two in Beckley. This is the second Charleston location I've visited, and I do like that they have a drive-thru...

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Taste of India is a grocery store in downtown Charleston. I love local groceries, especially ones that cater to delicious cuisines. The shelves had an assortment of different goods. And there were some foods I recognized, though not sure I'd be able to pull off cooking them on my own! Have you been?...

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On a day off from work, I wanted to treat myself to Chinese but wanted to try a new location. China Star is located just a few minutes away in Dunbar, and they offer a buffet as well as take-out orders. I went for the "crispy chicken" combination dish, as well as an...

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Saucy Jo Hillbilly Hot Sauce is a local hot sauce that has "layers of flavor" with a unique twist. James Kozak was culinary trained at the Culinary Institute of America, the World’s premier culinary college located in Hyde Park, NY. Jim has over 25 years of cooking experience including positions of head chef and...

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I recently was able to get some "West Virginia Beef Jerky" in a gift box I ordered. I had never had this beef jerky before, so I was excited to look into this product made in West Virginia. Wayne and Patti Burdette from Alderson, WV first launched WV Beef Jerky in the fall...

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Ordinary Evelyn's is a product line based out of Clay County, which makes jams, pickled items, and dip and cheesball mixes How does an ordinary woman from an ordinary community turn a family tradition into a successful business? Sheer hard work and a true love for what she is doing. The ordinary woman...

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This Ravenswood-based company serves up all kind of mixes that are perfect for parties. Sassy Gals Gourmet Treats makes things like dips, spreads, cheeseball or seasoning mixes - like potato popper or bacon onion or Mexican fiesta. Yum. Looking for a great Treat? You have found it! We have all our Moonshine roasted Pecans...

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My most recent column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail: Anytime the Mountain State is recognized for its culinary creativity, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. It’s due time that Appalachian cuisine gets the acknowledgment it deserves.But imagine my surprise when the West Virginia recipe that recently made headlines was not sourced with...

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Mountain Spun is an incredible new business that mades homemade, flavored cotton candy. I was fortunate to win an Instagram contest where I got a dozen tubs of cotton candy and a dozen cookies from Sugar Momma Sweets. With an event coming up for my book, I decided to go West Virginia Pepperoni...

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A new pizza restaurant in Morgantown is serving up some of the biggest slices in the area. Benny Velino's is a Virginia-based pizza joint that features a handful of pizza slice - pepperoni, cheese, spicy sausage, mushroom & garlic, etc. You know mushrooms caught my eye. I'm glad I ordered just one slice,...

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The Handcrafted Cooperative is an amazing event that brings together talented local makers to sell their wares all in one place. Think of it as Etsy in real life. Kayla and I went to check it out, and we browed all the great local items. And, of course, we had lunch at the...

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