So, I wanted to learn a bit more about our state's first hard cidery, so I traveled to Lewisburg to meet with the owners of Hawk Knob Cidery and Meadery.

And, I will have a column coming out in Sunday's paper about our history with hard cider and what these folks are up to, so be on the lookout for that.

These folks have opened up the state's first hard cidery - something we're lagging a bit behind on in this state considering hard cider is the fastest growing segment of the alcohol industry. But Josh & Will are blazing that trail, and doing so in the most traditional, local way possible by sourcing local apples and working with local producers.


So, I was fortunate in getting to talk with these guys, learn about their craft and get to sip it with them. Nothing better than that.

Appalachian Classic Hard Cider - The only one not aged in a bourbon barrel. This is green fruit-oriented, pretty crisp and light. Very refreshing. Lots of tart green apple flavors on this one. 

Appalachian Classic Bourbon Barrel Aged Hard Cider - This is the same cider as the previous one; just goes through the most extensive barrel aging procedure. It gets some bold bourbon characteristics and loses a lot of the tart green apple flavor and picks up a lot of the butter notes from the barrel. It's almost like a chardonnay-like butteriness with some dark cherry on the finish.

Wild Fermented Traditional Hard Cider - This is made the traditional way of making cider back in the 1700s. It uses wild fermentation, as well as red wine and champagne yeast. But, they do a barrel fermentation where the wild yeast on the skin of the apple does the work. It's a really round, smooth flavored cider with some butter flavors and bold flavors from the wild yeast. A little dark cherry on the finish with some vanilla and hints o bourbon.

Elderberry Infused Hard Cider - This blends two Appalachian traditions - cider and elderberries. Elderberries are steeped in the cider, which gives it a lot of color, aromatics and some red fruit flavor. The berry flavor is pretty subtle, but is pretty complex.

Cherry Hard Cider - This is the newest addition and the first under the Headwater Series, where they plan to release small-batch ciders. It has a light bourbon and oak flavor, and that tart cherry is present and pretty fruity, tart finish. It's still dry and packs a punch at 12% alcohol.

The ciders are dry enough to pair well with fatty meals to cut through all of that. If you're used to Woodchuck or Angry Orchard, this is totally different. It's dry and not full of additional sweeteners or sulfites. It's natural and delicious.

They will also be coming out with their mead any time now. They have one currently aging for two years -- and hope to have ones that will age even longer in the future -- that is a cyser. Pretty excited to get a taste of that when it's ready!

Have you been? Which cider is your favorite?

Lewisburg has a little bit of everything - including one elegant French restaurant.

So, I first heard of The French Goat from their social media presence and have been waiting to check them out for quite some time. When that time presented itself, I quickly made reservations online.

The French Goat is actually in the former Stella's location, and there is street parking, as well as a lot naerby. There is white fencing and fountains with bright blue umbrellas and all of the green shrubbery. For a moment, I thought I was transported to the French countryside.

And as I walked inside, I saw the white linens, long-stemmed water glasses and simple charm of this French restaurant in the heart of Appalachia. They already had a table set for one near the window, and the owner recognized my name and recalled my social presence. Bonus points!

After a warm welcome, I was seated and looked over the menu as my server rattled off the evening's specials. A hunk of baguette and a side of butter with the black sea salt was presented as a first bite. Simple but oh-so-delicious with that smooth, rich butter.

First, I ordered the "Hushpuppies de Brie" on the recommendation of the server, which come with celeriac, brie, arugula, aleppo pepper and maple syrup aioli. Maybe not super French, but definitely an interesting fusion.

They were fairly mild-flavored with the sauce heavier on the sweet side. The cheese gets more baked into the bread, so don't expect stringy pieces. But, a good, delicate flavor - even for a fried ball of dough.


For my entree, I went with the boeuf bourguignon, which had roasted fall root vegetables, crimini mushrooms, potato puree and sauce bordelaise. I've never had this dish before, though it is a classic. The beef melted in my mouth, those roasted veggies were bursting with flavor, and that potato puree was so light and fluffy, it was unreal. This is quite the solid dish. Tons of flavor, texture and balance.

It's a nice restaurant right in Lewisburg that brings something a little different to our culinary offerings in the state. If you want a lovely experience, some delicious food and a little change from the ordinary, definitely make this a destination.

Grade: A

I have a hard time choosing between the coolest small towns in West Virginia. There's Davis/Thomas, Fayetteville, Shepherdstown, Elkins and Lewisburg. I really love each of them, so I was super happy to get the chance to head to one - Lewisburg - recently for some cider scouting.


Before cider, I stopped at Hill and Holler first for some lunch. Hill and Holler brings two loves together: pizza and bikes. Add in some live music, and you have a haven for every Appalachian hipster. Read: Me.

Located on North Jefferson Street, it's right along the main drag in Lewisburg and is housed in this log cabin-esque building.


Inside, it's beautiful. Large windows allow in tons of light; there are a few loungey areas and TVs. Lots of wood accents and exposed beans and duct work. I'm a fan; it's quite lovely.

This bike repair/rental shop-turned-restaurant features local ingredients on their "Neapolitan" pizzas. The dough proofs for three days before cooking in the wood-fired oven, which reaches up to 850 degrees and cooks the pizza within two minutes.

I walked in and up to the counter to look over the menu. It wasn't busy, so I took a minute to figure out which pizza looked best. Once I saw The Forager, I couldn't get past it: pancetta, roasted garlic, wild mushrooms and fresh herbs. Mmm.

This was very good. Very savory, very umami. I almost wish there was just a touch of something sweet to balance it out - maybe a balsamic or cranberry or something. But, it had a nice browned crust, bubbly cheese and delicious mushrooms and crunchy pancetta. What a perfect combo.

Such a cool place to grab a drink, grab a pie and rent a bike for a ride. Will definitely be back.

Grade: A

The Osage Pecan Company of Lewisburg is quite the pleasant surprise. It's a small shop full of all sorts of nuts, candies and other treats for purchase. Chocolate amaretto covered pecans? Butter toffee pecans? Chocolate covered pecans!

The business is locally owned, with the first location in Butler, Missouri, and then the one in Lewisburg opened in April 2014. They give out free samples, so be sure to grab a handful or two!

Jim's Drive In, one of the last remaining drive ins in the state, is located in Lewisburg and serves up burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes in true drive in style - from the comfort of your car. While many of the drive ins in West Virginia have a very small indoor dining area, Jim's is strictly car-centric, though there is some outdoor seating.

This is the first drive in I've been to where I actually ate in my car. Luckily, I was close enough to the front of the restaurant to see most of the menu. Besides that, I always do my research and knew they have their "famous ranchburger," which has sweet pickles, a slice of ham, cheese, tomato, purple onion, lettuce, tomato. Add a side of onion rings and a caramel milkshake, and my mouth is watering as I type these words.

I waited for just a little bit before my food was brought out. Again, I had never actually driven up to a drive in before. So. I didn't realize they actually attach the tray to your window. I thought it just hugged my door somehow. Imagine that awkward moment when the carhop has my food on a tray. I look at her. She looks at me. I look at her. She asks me if I can roll up my window a bit. Oh. OH. Okay. Sorry.

It's kind of nice having a little bit of privacy while dining out. It's the best of both worlds: having someone else cook for me, but being able to wear whatever I want and listen to music I want. The only downside is crumbs in your car. BUT I was in a rental. So.

The milkshake was delicious. Like, so delicious. Caramel + ice cream = me in love.

The burger wasn't bad. I didn't love the ham or sweet pickles on the burger. But, minus those, it's a pretty standard burger, so I wasn't unhappy. It's a good burger. The onion rings were also pretty solid - nice, crisp, not too much residual grease.

I think next time I could just opt for a regular burger. Because it in and of itself is pretty darn good.


Grade: B

I've heard the name "Jeff's Breads" tossed around in Lewisburg for a bit. I remember first hearing about Jeff's Breads when I visited the Stardust Cafe in Lewisburg; some of their bread was from Jeff's. The Food Guy wrote about Jeff's Breads. And I saw something about Jeff's Breads again when I had breakfast at The Bakery in Lewisburg. This local bakery, located just about 20 minutes north of Lewisburg, clearly has a strong connection to the Lewisburg community.

Jeff's Breads, located in Renick, offers European-style breads. The website says they open at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday and to go early for the best selection. So, I put the address in my GPS (218 Crane Road, Renick, WV) and went on my way. My GPS essentially led me to a house. I pulled up into the driveway, looking for any sign of a bakery. Then, I looked to the right and saw a white building (garage?). I crept toward it and finally noticed a small sign in the window that said "bakery." Whew.

There really isn't any name of the bakery or hours listed anywhere. So even if there was this random sign outside that said bakery, I was half concerned I would be opening a door into someone's home. It doesn't look like much, but as soon as I walked in, I could see an entire table full of dough waiting to be prepped. There's no waiting area; you step right into the bakery. It smelled great, and Jeff came out from the back to greet me eagerly.

My look of awkwardness probably gave it away that I was not a regular and indeed would like to see a menu. Jeff offers a number of beautiful breads, and I wanted to take them all home. Unfortunately, I still had another day left in Lewisburg, so I just needed some snacks, really. I asked for a pepperoni roll ($5) and a Mediterranean and Arugula Feta Roll ($7). Yum!

They were actually frozen, so I couldn't eat them right away. But I paid (cash!) and headed toward the WV State Fair for the day. I set the rolls on my dashboard to thaw. When I came back in a few hours, I had two snacks!

Let's start with the pepperoni roll. Fluffy, with a perfect golden brown crust on the outside.

The Mediterranean Roll, though, is something I would travel again for. LOOK AT IT. It's FULL of feta, arugula, olives. Dear god, it was savory and buttery and incredible. It reminds me of what I used to be able to get from New Day Bakery. I love these rolls. My only regret is that I didn't get more of them.

For more information, call Jeff's Breads at 304-497-2768.


Grade: A

The Asylum is a new addition to my Lewisburg to-visit list, as it just opened in 2014. I penciled it in for dinner on my second night in town.

The Asylum is located just back off the main street at 114 East Randolph St. I'm not totally sure the background on the name or theme, but the interior is pretty nice. Tall, tufted benches and dark wooden tables and tall round high tables. Some dark blue accent walls. A few TVs are placed around the dining area with some comfy seating, too.

My coworker Jayne and I sat at the bar and looked over the menus. They also have a fairly extensive craft beer and spirit menu. Jayne is a bit (lot) more discerning about the food she eats, so her decision was pretty simple - black bean burger.

I took a bit more time. They offer typical fried appetizers: basket of fries, calamari, house-fried potato chips, spring rolls and their version of twisted nachos, sidewinders. There were a few salads; a build-your-own-burger section; sandwiches like a club, ham and cheese, West Virginia hot dog, and Philly steak and cheese; and entrees like fish and chips, Angus ribeye and fried chicken.

I landed on their namesake burger: 8 oz. of beef, house-made pimento cheese, sauteed onions, bacon and bbq sauce on toasted split top bun. With sweet potato fries. The burger was pretty good, but it was pretty greasy, too. I was really hoping to taste more of the pimento cheese (because mmm), but I didn't get much. Bacon could have been crisper to give some texture variance. Sweet potato fries were tasty. Overall, pretty average. I didn't dislike it, but I think there are other places in Lewisburg I would go first if given the option.

Grade: C