The Goods is a convenience shop in downtown Huntington.



"Shop a modern kind of experience with convenient provisions where you will find an ample assortment of locally made and sourced products, essential grocery and lifestyle items, and on-the-go meals. We have brought together rural Appalachian flavors and urban culture to curate the perfect blend of goods for you."
 


"As proud Huntington natives we strive to celebrate local businesses and will offer an extensive list of new items as well as curated selections of everyday staples. We want to provide a place where you can pick up one-of-a-kind groceries and merchandise from local businesses who we’re partnering with from around the tri-state area. Our other passion is to provide healthy ready made items and order to go options to satisfy all your cravings. Our main goal is to bring a modern-day convenience store that will begin a new contemporary way of shopping and living in Huntington."



There are some bulk goods, fresh produce and ready-to-eat items.



I went with an orzo salad, as well as some macaroni & cheese. 



Both of these were tasty, and I was lucky to get some of the mac & cheese because it was actually a preorder item. 



Have you been here?



What's your favorite thing? 

Recovery Roasters is based in Huntington and uses single origin coffee to support addiction recovery.

Here's a bit more about them via the Marshall student newspaper:

Michaela Marshall, a junior double-majoring in nursing and psychology has been roasting coffee since January, and began her small business, Recovery Roasters, in June.

“I wanted to allow other people [to] love my coffee as much as I do,” Marshall said. “I named [the business] Recovery Roasters to allude that our profit goes towards helping those struggling with addiction who don’t have insurance or what they need.”

Recovery Roasters is a nonprofit, and Marshall says that all proceeds are divided between obtaining what she needs to maintain her business and going towards the betterment of the local recovery community.

“The rest goes into a scholarship fund that adults can apply for if they walk into the clinics we are partnered with,” Marshall said. “Whatever funds are in the account at the time go towards their treatment cost or getting what they need such as toiletries or diapers for their kids.”

Marshall said she is passionate about sharing her love for roasting coffee, and the process of doing so.

“I order the unroasted coffee beans from a third party who gets them directly from the farmers in Mexico and Ethiopia,” Marshall said. “They ship them to me in a burlap sack where I measure out portions of the beans, and put them in the roaster where they are heated and rotated until the desired color and strength.”

Marshall said after she roasts the beans, she cools them immediately by placing them in a sifter to preserve the quality.

She said the beans are then kept for 24 hours and packaged for orders.

“Orders can be a light, medium, or dark roast and either ground or whole bean,” Marshall said. “Our most popular coffee is the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, and my personal favorite is the Mexico La Laja.”

Marshall said the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a smooth roast with a note of lemon and hint of dried blueberries, and the Mexico La Laja is sweet with mild orange acidity and hint of chocolate.

“Right now, Recovery Roasters is just online through our website and social media,” Marshall said. “I would love to keep growing and expanding in the places where the coffee is sold.”

The Pink Pig opened in Huntington - after its initial stint in Fayetteville - about a year ago, and I was excited to check it out since I was a fan of the first location.  



I was there not long after opening, so I can forgive the interior decoration, which was corrugated metal walls, plastic tablecloths and sparse tables. 



To be honest, if the food is good, I don't really care either way.



At the other location, I had a pulled pork sandwich topped with macaroni & cheese. So I couldn't do that, but I went with the brisket burrito with mac & cheese. 



I'm not sure if maybe I didn't have super high expectations, but, man, I still think about this burrito.



First of all, I think the flour tortilla is key. It was warmed and stretched around this huge hunk of meat and cheese, so you didn't get that dry burrito bite that I hate. It truly was just a vessel for the goods.



The brisket is moist with the cheese of the mac & cheese. No chewy or fatty bits. And the creaminess of the mac & cheese just made for a nice contrast in texture. There were a variety of BBQ sauces, and I always go for the sweet and tangy tomato-based one.



I also ordered a side of potato salad, which I always enjoy. Cold, creamy and just feels very summer picnic to me. Have you been?



Grade: A

The Peach Cobbler Factory opened recently in Huntington after much fanfare on social media leading up to the date. 



Huntington is the chain dessert restaurant's first and only West Virginia location.



The restaurant serves up 12 different kinds of cobblers - like caramel apple, blackberry, strawberry peach - as well as 5 flavors of banana puddings - like Oreo, strawberry, and Nutella. AND, finally, three types of cinnamon rolls. My mouth is watering just typing this all up.  



So I went to check it out with my oldest and very first friend Kristin. They have a handful of tables inside, so you can eat in, or they have a drive-through where you can get it to go. 



I went with the standard peach cobbler - gotta try the original right? It was good, but maybe too dense and stodgy than I was hoping for. I think had I let the ice cream melt down a bit and get into the nooks and crannies, it would've help meld those flavors together. That said, I still finished the whole thing. 



Grade: B

There's a new charcuterie board in town - Huntington, that is.



Boujee Boards by Roz delivers charcuterie goods and more right to your door. Or, in my case, we met at the Aldi parking lot since I'm a little far away. 



I put in an order for a lil boujee. I told her to nix any dark chocolate or grapefruit, and we should be all good. 



The box had all the accoutrements, like bamboo cutlery, pretzels, crackers and moist towelettes. Some of my favorites from this box include macarons, the delicious little sweet and sour pickles, and an awesome mix of fresh fruit - raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, kiwis, blueberry, oranges. Some of the cheeses had some kick to them - like the jalapeno havarti and especially the ghost pepper gouda. I had to have some water nearby for that one! But, love these as per usual and always appreciate the creativity.

It's ramp season in West Virginia.



And, there are a number of ways to celebrate: foraging, enjoying ramperoni rolls or attending The Wild Ramp's Stinkfest. 



"One of The Wild Ramp’s signature annual events, Stinkfest is a celebration of the market’s namesake, Allium tricoccum, commonly known as a ramp or wild leek. This day-long festival will feature ramp dishes from The Wild Ramp Harvest Kitchen as well as other local food businesses. There will also be artisan and produce vendors, music and kid’s activities. Admission is free."



B Sweet Cookie Creations - I grabbed a cookie from this little stand!



A beautiful little flower that was tasty, too. 



Midnight Cookie Society - I had never heard of them, but when I saw a s'mores cookie, I knew I had to have it.
  

I love that these cookies are huge and soft - I even didn't mind the chocolate inside because it was milk chocolate and not bitter.



Stringtown Farm - These folks had crafts and candies. 
  

On the craft side, I went for a ramp keychain. On the candy side, I got this milk chocolate covered peanut bark that I devoured. 



We B Fryin Snacks -  These are like pork rinds but healthier. I actually don't love pork rinds, but I enjoyed the flavor of these. 



They also have cinnamon snacks, and they had ramp snacks - but I had already purchased my bbq ones before I saw those. 



Finally, Cabin Cakes & Candies - this little mini cake. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Did you find any new snacks or finds at the festival? 

The best thing about a buffet? Trying a little of everything. The worst part? Aside from people's germs, it's the fact that there are no leftovers.



Those are the buffet rules. Though, most buffets let you do a takeout box only and charge by the ounce. But one local place was making up its own rules during COVID-19. I really liked what New China Garden Buffet was doing in Huntington. 



They offered some "combos" so you can still get a small serving of a few different items from the buffet to go - not just one whole dish. I ordered white rice, general tso's chicken, baked crabmeat, potato with onion, pork eggroll and cheese wontons. The chicken was stringy and chewy, but that's to be expected. The potato was literally just potato wedges - I was hoping it had cheese or some other deliciousness. The wontons, eggroll and baked crabmeat were all satisfactory. No huge surprises - but I'm curious to know if there's a dish here that is a crowd favorite?



Grade: B

Z Brick Oven Pizza in Huntington offers salads, pasta, calzones, subs, and, of course, pizza. 



The Huntington pizza shop has some specialty pizzas that are fun: buffalo chicken, Hawaiian, Greek, taco, etc.



I ordered the "Loaded Potato Pizza," which had like a béchamel sauce, sliced potatoes, bacon and cheese, and it was so good! 



Think delicious scalloped potatoes - all on a pizza. I'm a fan.

Grade: A