Greenbrier Maccheroni Co. produces small-batch pasta in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Everything is made using traditional methods and a bronze-die extruder — no additives, no gimmicks, just properly made pasta using high-quality flour and fresh ingredients.
"We offer both fresh frozen and dried pasta. Fresh frozen pasta is made to order and available for local pickup or delivery. Dried pasta (like Hill Cuts and Peperini) is shelf-stable and available for public sale. For consumers, we rotate a variety of shapes: spaghetti, creste di gallo, soba made with local buckwheat, egg pastas, and others depending on season and flour availability. For wholesale and food service clients, pasta can be produced on-site in your licensed kitchen or arranged through a local co-packing agreement. We offer flexible production quantities and consistent quality for restaurants that want to serve house-made pasta without handling the labor in-house."
Hill Cuts (Dried) $9.00
West Virginia’s own pasta shape — short, curved noodles cut by hand and shaped like the hills they’re made in. Hill Cuts are hearty, versatile, and built for real kitchens. Toss them into soup, stir them into skillet mac and cheese, or serve them cold in pasta salad. Rustic, springy, and ready in about 8 minutes. For every bag sold, one is donated to a local food pantry — because everyone deserves a warm meal in the Mountain State. Dried Pasta: Air-dried in small batches. Shelf-stable. $9 / 12 oz - Produced in a home residence in accordance to WV Cottage Food Law
Peperini (Dried) $6.00
Tiny cylinders cut from spaghetti, air-dried low and slow in Greenbrier County.Think of it like a better orzo — same size, more texture. Perfect for pasta salad, brothy soups, or as a base for something like Appalachian couscous. Cooks fast. Packs light. Built for pantries, not pretension.
I already made the peperini and I can't wait to try the others.
I hope you'll join me on Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 2–7:30PM at City Center at Slack Plaza in Charleston, WV for the 8th annual Charley West BBQ Fest, benefiting the Bob Burdette Center afterschool program!
About the Charley West BBQ Fest
The Charley West BBQ Fest is an annual event benefitting the Bob Burdette Center afterschool program.
The public is able to purchase tasting tickets to sample BBQ from competition and backyard BBQ cooks. Live entertainment features local musicians performing throughout the day on the main stage.
$10 will purchase 10 tasting tickets and the chance to vote for one’s favorite competition and backyard BBQ with winners being named “People’s Choice – Best BBQ.” In addition, a panel of judges will do a blind taste testing in the commercial vendor, competition, and backyard divisions.
Competition and Backyard BBQ entrants will compete in 4 categories that include best pulled pork BBQ, best ribs, best sauce, and wild card – anything you want to BBQ!
BBQ Competitions + Prizes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each event by blind judging will receive a trophy to brag about their wins while People’s Choice Best BBQ overall winners chosen by the public in each division will receive a Grand Trophy commemorating their wins.
Competition Division: People’s Choice Best BBQ – voting by public; Blind judging - Best ribs, best pulled pork, best sauce, wild card
Backyard Division: People’s Choice Best BBQ – voting by public; Blind judging - Best ribs, best pulled pork, best sauce, wild card
About the Bob Burdette Center
The Bob Burdette Center (BBC) is an out-of-school time academic enrichment center offering free after school and summer programming to West Side and North Charleston families grades K-5.
As a US Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Center, we have high standards for our program and focus on the wellbeing and support of the whole family!
The mission of Bob Burdette Center, Inc. is to provide West Side youth and their families with opportunities for holistic development (mind, body, and spirit) for healthy futures. Certified school teachers provide tutoring and serve as academic enrichment leaders, providing one-on-one and group support at all sites.
The BBC’s afterschool enrichment leaders guide daily programming covering STEM, reading and the arts, college and career readiness, social emotional learning and life skills, and physical recreation.
Each day, the cook prepares a full supper meal served upon arrival and an evening snack, generously sponsored by the USDA child nutrition program.
Working together, the BBC strives to provide needed academic and family support, delivered in ways which have the most impact.
Visit www.bobburdettecenter.org for more information.
The Wolseley is a renowned café-restaurant in London that offers expertly executed brasserie-style dishes, making it a landmark for its historic setting and food.
The Wolseley’s architecture and interior feel like stepping into a slice of 1920s glamour, with its soaring ceilings, black-and-gold detailing, and marble columns that give the whole space a timeless, almost cinematic charm.
The Wolseley’s menu is all about timeless European classics, and it’s especially known for its elegant breakfasts, afternoon teas, and dishes like schnitzels, oysters, and steaks.
Bri and I stopped here for breakfast. She opted for their tea - which includes classic blends like Earl Grey and English Breakfast to more delicate options like Darjeeling and Jasmine Silver Needle, all served in elegant silver pots.
I, on the other hand, opted for a hot chocolate. Specifically, The Wolseley Hot Chocolate, which was a bit on the more bittersweet side but the whipped cream sweetened up a fair bit.
Bri went for a small eggs benedict - which was just one, but expertly crafted.
I, on the other hand, had to try the Bubble & Squeak. Bubble and squeak is a traditional British dish made by frying leftover vegetables—most commonly potatoes and cabbage—until they’re browned and crispy, often served as part of a hearty breakfast or brunch. The name comes from the sound it makes while cooking in the pan. This version came with Wild Mushrooms and a Fried Duck Egg. So tasty!
Finally, I had some Banana Bread with vanilla butter and fruit compote. So simple but so pleasant.
Grade: A
North Branch Brewing Co. is a small batch brewery and craft beer pub with food. There are 14 rotating craft beers on tap, and here are some that they have produced:
Strawberry Festiv-Ale - Blonde / Golden Ale
Paddytown Red - Red Ale
Potomac Sunrise - Blonde / Golden Ale
Old Man Pumpkin (spiced) - Pumpkin / Yam Beer
Appalachian Kentucky Commoner - Historical Beer - Kentucky Common
Mother's Milk Stout - Stout
Appalachian Amber Ale - Lager - Amber / Red
Squatch Watcher - Brown Ale/A smooth brown ale with notes of toffee
Peach Summer Wheat - Wheat Beer/Subtle peach flavor in our summer wheat ale
Hardly Knew Her - Blonde Ale
Wheat Ale - Wheat Beer/American Pale Wheat
Kolsch - Light grain & grass flavors with an unfiltered golden hue. Introduced for the 150th anniversary celebration for Keyser, West Virginia.
Paddytown Dark Lager - Lager - Dark
Shut the Hell Up - Rye Beer
St. John is an English restaurant on St. John Street in Smithfield, London. It was opened in October 1994 at a former bacon smokehouse location. St. John specializes in "nose to tail eating," which includes offal and other cuts of meat that help reclaim traditional British recipes. Typical dishes include pigs' ears, ducks' hearts, trotters, pigs' tails, bone marrow and squirrel. As a result, St. John has developed a following amongst gastronomic circles: "chefs, foodies, food writers and cooks on sabbatical."
St. John has won numerous awards and accolades, including Best British and Best Overall London Restaurant at the 2001 Moet & Chandon Restaurant Awards. It has also been listed as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world. In 2011, it placed 41st. It was awarded a Michelin star in 2009.
The interior made me feel like I was in a hipster tavern. The menu changes daily and begins with small bites and descends into larger portions.
We started with the complimentary crusty bread and perfectly softened butter.
Roast bone marrow & parsley salad
Halibut, leeks & tartare sauce
Grilled jerusalem artichoke, red onion, olive - this was revelatory. It stands out in my mind because I did not know an artichoke could taste like this. I had never had anything like this before and never have I since it had this perfectly soft and firm texture and a wonderfully savory flavor.
Deep-fried plaice, little gem & aioli
Eccles cake & Lancashire cheese
Ginger loaf, butterscotch sauce, and malt ice cream
One for the books.
Grade: A
Nando's is a South African fast casual restaurant chain that specializes in Portuguese flame-grilled, peri-peri style chicken.
"Many centuries ago Portuguese explorers added a squeeze of lemon and a kick of garlic to Mozambique’s African Bird’s Eye Chilli to create a legendary spice: PERi-PERi! Along with a hint of paprika there, a dash of onion here, PERi-PERi is most popularly used to baste tasty, tender (if it’s from Nando’s) chicken. Handed down generations, fiery family recipes for PERi-PERi eventually made their way across to the braai grills of South Africa where Nando’s story began," reads the website.
I ordered the Boneless Butterflied Chicken Breast - Flame-grilled, skin-on, basted in your choice of PERi-PERi sauce. I did plain so it wasn't super spicy, but I was able to try lots of different flavors for dipping sauces. Also, I had sides of macho peas & spiced grains with feta.
This meal was really tasty. There was a good bit of spice, but not necessarily spicy. The chicken was moist and full of flavor, and the sides weren't bad. I enjoyed the garlic Peri Peri sauce, which definitely added some heat.
Grade: A
Lyle's is a pioneer of modern food in London and was awarded a Michelin star just 18 months after opening. It has been listed as the 33rd best restaurant in the world.
"The pared-down, ersatz-industrial look of the restaurant gains extra animation from the open kitchen, while warmth and personality come courtesy of the delightful service team. The dishes may appear to be as unadorned as the room, but don’t be fooled – they are technically accomplished, cleverly composed and boast plenty of depth and sophistication. The excellent ingredients – be that red mullet or mutton – provide flavours that are clean, unadulterated and a joy to experience. There’s a set menu at dinner; for lunch there’s an array of individually prices dishes," reads the Michelin Guide.
When one of my best friends, Bri, invited me to join her on a trip to London, I took her up on it. She already planned to stay at a lovely hotel in the Shoreditch area and generously allowed me to tagalong. My first priority: food. And Lyle's was at the top of the list.
They offer a daily rotating menu of super seasonal dishes in a light-drench dining area with concrete floors and light wood tables and chairs.
We began our meal with hearty sourdough bread & a log of butter. And then we ordered a few dishes to share.
Beetroot, walnut & cured hereford beef
Hereford bavette, heritage beans & anchovy
Squid, burnt tomato & marjoram
Ceps, vin jaune & egg yolk
Everything was wonderful.
Grade: A
For over 25 years, City Brew has been brewing up the best for the Mountain West! From dark to light, intense to bright, there's always a new cup awaiting. Savor the finest, globally sourced coffee beans roasted to perfection, reads the website.
City Brew was my first stop in North Dakota, so I was ready for a drink and snack. I opted for a Mountain Morning Latte - our signature Cool River espresso and milk combined with Ghirardelli White Chocolate and caramel pecan create a rich, nutty, and sweet latte.
I also ordered a bagel with cream cheese. The coffee was very tasty. Just the right amount of sweet for me. The bagel was lackluster - not a ton of flavor and maybe a bit too toasted that made it crumbly.
Grade: B
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