I'm often asked what my favorite restaurant is in the state. And, it's a tough question because there are many great ones. But the late great Cafe Cimino was always in the top three. The former owners, Tim and Melody Urbanic, retired from the restaurant ... but not from food and hospitality.



Now, the dynamic duo invites people to their home for supper - literally. Their home farm in Chloe, West Virginia, plays host to a number of Sunday suppers throughout the summer. And, my friend Elizabeth and I snagged tickets for their fancy ramp supper.



Chef Tim crafts beautiful, delicious dishes that draw on local ingredients and inspiration and he makes things you want to eat. Every single thing is delicious. And Melody is the queen of hospitality; she welcomes you in like family and makes you feel at home. It's as much of a pleasure to eat Chef's Tim's food as it is to be hosted by Melody. So, let me show you what was on the table when we arrived!



Ramp Pickles - ramps, cauliflower, carrots, gherkins and broccoli



Oil Cured Olives in Ramp Marinade



Mini Ramp Biscuits, as well as cheddar biscuits



Ramp Butter - we each had our own little bowl, so I slathered this on umpteen biscuits



Ramp Chimichurri - this had a little kick to it, but I used it as a sauce on half of the dishes this afternoon



Rosemary & Parmesan Focaccia Bread - light, delicious, totally good enough to eat on its own



Gift from the Chef
Mini Ramp Frittata with a side of Ramps & Kale - plus a little pepper! Beautiful little bite to get started.



Appetizer
Asparagus Spears with Pork Belly & Sautéed Ramps - there were some fried mushrooms in here, too, and I swiped everything through that rampy oil on the bottom. 



Soup
Homemade Ramp & Ricotta Ravioli in Chicken Broth - my absolute favorite dish of the afternoon. Silky smooth pasta, sweet ricotta, plus the ramps - it's going to be one of those dishes I dream of. 



Salad
Spring Greens with Feta, Kalamata Olives & Dried Cranberries & Pecans w/ Ramp Dressing - a beautiful, crunchy salad of fresh greens with a pop of acidic dressing



Intermezzo
Cucumber & Fresh Fruits - plus lemon balm! I had never thought how similar cucumber's texture is to melon, but it is. And it was a little weird and all good. 
  

Entrée
Carnitas over Polenta with sides of Ramps & Kale & with Brown Beans - this is a very West Virginia dish, and while brown beans are not my favorite, I enjoyed the traditional dish. 



Dessert
Italian Olive Oil Cake garnished with Ramp Sesame Brittle & served with a mini square of Homemade Chocolate Fudge & Pecans -  this cake was out of this world. The secret ingredient must be love because I was absolutely stuffed but finished off every bite of this. 

Beverages: Ridge Winery Springwater, Hot Coffee, Ginger Root Tea, & one complementary glass of wine from Chestnut. Big thanks to our guest chef, Lee Rush, our local farmers Market, Berea Gardens & Mother Nature for her lovely ramps!

The Dunbar Critter Dinner has been held for decades (yes, critter dinner), and I was so happy to finally attend this year. 



Held at the Dunbar Recreation Center, the dinner is available for a $5 donation or 5 nonperishable items that go to the Dunbar Food Pantry. A unique experience, a good cause, and a meal? Sign me up.



I truly wasn't prepared for the turnout. I arrived a half hour before the dinner started, and there was already a line wrapped around the building, and the parking area was nearly full. It would be another hour before I would make it to the front of the line inside to see what was on the menu. 



Here's what was on the dinner line: crawdads with corn and sausage, ground bison, elk stew, rabbit gravy, camel, yak, boar, alligator, Rocky Mountain oysters, venison, turkey, pork - plus mashed potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, cornbread, rolls, etc. 



My favorite was probably the rabbit gravy - it had a good, light flavor and since it was a gravy, it wasn't dry like some other game meats can be.



I tried a little bit of everything, but for some reason, the crawdads bother me because I just remember using them as bait to fish. It's weird.



Honestly, if you've had a frozen dinner salisbury steak meal, many of these meats aren't too far from that. Maybe a bit different texture or stronger flavor, but nothing totally out of left field.



Is there anything here you wouldn't try?



Or anything you would really like to try?

I recently attended a pizza-making workshop at Nonno Carlo in Morgantown with one of my best friends, Lisa. 



It was seriously one of the coolest experiences I've had in recent memory. Not only was our instructor - an owner of the restaurant - super knowledgeable and personable, he was fun and funny, too! 



We started off by tasting the nuances between different olive oils and what to look for. We also learned how to make fresh mozzarella very simply - and left with our own homemade fresh ball of mozzarella!



We used dough they had already made in house, and we floured our space and learned how to stretch it appropriately. Then, it was time for a very simple tomato sauce, basil and fresh mozzarella. One of the most difficult parts was gettin the pizza on the peel to go into the oven.



When it was finished, it could be topped with balsamic reduction, olive oil, parmesan or salt and pepper.

 
It was really fascinating to hear about how simple, yet intricate the requirements are to be a legitimate napoletano pizza. Did you know that most "San Marzano" tomatoes aren't actually San Marzanos? They're just in the "style" of San Marzano. The real ones are grown in a small area around Naples only.



And, the pizza is supposed to be buffalo mozzarella only. AND, did you know that burrata is just ricotta and fresh mozzarella? I learned SO much! AND, fact of the day was that Giuseppe Argiro (commercial creator of the pepperoni roll) was an explosives expert. 



And the pizza? Delicious. Fun. Entertaining. Educational. I think I might go again!

The Winter Blues Farmers Market was held this past weekend, and I was fortunate to be able to check out some new vendors I hadn't tried before.



Mon Valley Mushrooms - Mushrooms (fresh, dried, tinctured), mushroom grow kits - how cool to see local mushrooms! I got some pioppinos that I can't wait to try.



Bev's Best - Original Buttermilk Griddlecake Mixes: Back Home Original, Deer Creek Blend; Pocahontas County Blend - yum! 



Willow Brook Farm - they had lots of baked goods



Good Vibes Coffee - I discovered so much good coffee! "The Good Vibes family is passionate about roasting and providing you with the best coffee beans from around the world. While we think globally to source our beans, we think locally to give back. 10% of the profit from every bag purchased from Good Vibes is donated to the Facing Hunger Foodbank, serving folks in the heart of Appalachia and located in Huntington, WV." They have Guatemala, Colombia, Papau New Guinea and Sumatra versions. 



Arbaugh Farm - Cornmeal, flour, buckwheat flour, sorghum syrup - Arbaugh Farm is located in the south east part of WV. Originally purchased by my great-grandfather in 1925. The farm was a small dairy until about 1966, when production refocused on beef cattle and hay production. In 2017, the farm began to shift production to include sorghum syrup and the build out of an on-farm flour mill.

Taylor Family Farms & Custom Meats - Beef cuts, pork cuts, lamb cuts, smoked salt - "Our mission, our purpose, is to help families like yours to succeed in eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, and strengthen family bonds by eating together and sharing traditions"



Perk Farm - Aged Certified Organic Raw Milk Cheese - I was so excited for gouda! So tasty. Perk Farm was established in 1942 and is currently a 4th Generation, Organic family owned operation.



Hill & Holler Herbal Company - Dry tea blends, herbal salves, lip balms - I ordered some cryptid-themed dry tea blends, and I cannot wait to try them.



Flavor Mutt - Sourdough Breads; I definitely want to try these.



Handmade WV Market - Fruit Jellies & Jams, Maple Candied Nuts, Chocolate Candies, Chocolate Bark, Fruit breads/muffins, yeast rolls



McDaniel Farms - beef, steaks, porterhouse, new york strip, t-bone, sirloin -cubed, flat iron, roast: Arm, boneless chuck, new york strip, round, sirloin tip. Hamburger packs 1lb, patties, kabobs/stew meat, filet mignon, ribs, shaved steak, brisket

Sprouting Farms- Produce, tshirts, cups, syrup, honey, coffee, soap, baked goods, jam, apple chips, tea blends, spices

Grassy Meadows Goat Milk Soap - Bar soaps, soap scrubs, lotion, body butter, lip balms, pet products



Mountain Table Coffee - located in Renick - just above Lewisburg, is a brand-new coffee producer! I had to get me a bag of this to try. Stop and Smell the Sunflowers, Seneca Shadows and Fallen Gendarme are just a few.



Mama Faye's - homemade fudge 


Whimsy and Willows - Bread, cinnamon rolls, jam



The Farm to Fork Market - Retail cuts of beef, pork and lamb



Oldham Sugar Works - Honey, Maple Syrup, Apple Butter

T.L. Soaps - Homemade soap, lotions, face wash, body butter



Sachet Lavender Company - Handcrafted organically grown lavender spa and wellness products including neck wraps and eye pillows, Signature sachets filled with organically grown lavender, Lotion bars



Wilfong Farms - Beef, pork, Lamb, Poultry, Kettle Corn - Charles and Michelle met during high school as active members of the Pocahontas and Moorefield FFA Chapters. Michelle has since obtained a degree in Agriculture and Extension Education from WVU and Charles is now a full-time farmer. Today, Charles and his dad work side by side with assistance from close family members, along with Michelle and Charles' son CW. The family works tirelessly to bring farm-fresh products to the area while also offering unique events and opportunities to get the community and youth excited about sustainable farming.





Putnam Farmers Market -  Maple Products & Cotton Candy, Eggs, Freeze-Dried Candies from Feather Ridge, Microgreens, Artisan Jewelry. Produce and Added Value: Jams, Apple Butter, Honey, Jellies, Pork, Meat, Bison Meat, Chicken, Woolen products, woven work, Baked Goods, Honey, Bath and Body, Herbal Preparations, Spices, dried herbs, teas, Coffee



BAKED - Cookies, pepperoni rolls, chocolate pretzels - I had to try the oreo and s'more cookies, which were both tasty.



Quicken Farm - Pork - We raise hair sheep, cattle and hogs on the pastures of the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia. We are blessed to be full time farmers and to provide a wholesome, sustainable and most importantly, local meat source. All of our meats are USDA inspected.



Freedom Farm - "Our farm grew quite a bit from 2016 to 2021 and we learned quickly how to raise animals humanely and sustainably. We went from 8 pigs annually to over 40 pigs, and partnered with local farmers to provide high quality grass fed beef and raw milk cheese because our land just wasn't large enough or suitable enough to support them. We searched New Hampshire high and low for a place to continue growing our farm. With no luck, most of our family living further south, and a calling from God to go to 'Almost Heaven', we sold our farm and moved to 'Almost Heaven' West Virginia to expand our farm operations to include heritage breed Hereford beef cattle, and Jersey dairy cows in addition to our Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Buff Orpington laying hens, and Freedom Ranger & Cornish Cross meat chickens. "



Folk Hero Coffee Company - Another new coffee producer in the state! So exciting. They have quite a few coffee blends that feature WV folklore - Graveyard Shift, John Brown, Mawmaw, Mother Jones, Mothman, Pawpaw, Sid Hatfield. So, I bought a bag of the Mothman and can't wait to try it.



Looneyville Land & Home - extracts, herbs and jellies 






Williams River Farm - jellies



Circle S Farms - We are a small family owned business that enjoys the farm life. Our goal is to help community members purchase WV inspected beef and pork products at reasonable prices without the hassle of going to large market stores.