It's always really exciting to see pepperoni rolls at restaurants and bakeries, and I'm especially loving seeing them pop up all over West Virginia.

Harpers Ferry bakery A Step In Time competed in Charleston's Rolls on the River, which is the first time I tried one of their famous Mama Jo's Pepperoni Rolls.

Not only did I fall in love with their pepperoni roll, but I was super excited to see them bringing this tradition to the Eastern Panhandle, where pepperoni rolls are few and far between.

It was there that I also learned this bakery would be supplying pepperoni rolls for an upcoming book signing in the Eastern Panhandle, so when I was in town for that event, I decided to stop by the bakery itself so I could check it out.

Nestled in a quaint Victorian "doll house" on the main street in town, A Step in Time looks, feels, and smells just like Grandma's House. Our Vintage Room has seating for up to 12 people, if you would like to eat in, but all of our items are packaged for grab-and-go. Opened February of 2017, our goal is to create the feeling of stepping back in time with our vintage decor, enjoying the simple comforts of good bread, sweets
and fresh soups.

Think about walking into your grandma's house - that's what it's like to walk into A Step in Time. Cute little mismatched tables and chairs dot the entryway, and the bakery case in the back is filled with all kinds of goodies.

Even though I knew I would be sampling pepperoni rolls later in the evening, I had to order one to take with me. They wrap them in foil, so they're a bit soft, with a nice hunk of sliced pepperoni, cheese and a nice topping of cheese. Very tasty, very homey.

And, I couldn't leave without something sweet, so I nabbed one of these strawberry & cream cookies, too. I love the creativity here, and sooo tasty!

These folks are putting out some really, really good bakery items. If you find yourself in Harpers Ferry, be sure to give them a visit!

It's not every day I get to frequent a classic French bakery.

Le Panier is a classic French boulangerie and patisserie located in the historic Pike Place Market. All products are made on-site and sold fresh every day.

Kristi Drake and Thierry Mougin, co-owners of Le Panier, were on hand on opening day. Kristi and her staff in front create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, greeting regular customers with their favorites, and inviting them to try something new that the bakers have dreamed up. Thierry is a French-trained pastry chef from Normandie. He and his team of bakers have developed a selection of products that bring together French baking techniques and local, seasonal ingredients.

There was a line out the door, but it moved quickly. There are goodies spread amongst the various cases - croissants, tartelettes, breads, savory bites.


Once I got to the counter, I wanted everything. But, I decided on a few macarons: cassis (black currant), caramel, raspberry and cafe.

Each were absolutely phenomenal.

And, I got a savory flaky broccoli pastry - very tasty.

There's something special, light, elegant about these bites. It's really a beautiful cuisine, and the perfect way to spend breakfast.



Grade: A

There's a beautiful restaurant nestled in the woods of Charles Town that logs every single meal they ever make.

The Redbook Restaurant at Hillbrook Inn & Spa serves just one prix fixe meal per evening in three time settings: 6 p.m., 7 p.m., or 8 p.m. There is a four-course menu for the first seating, and the latter two have an additional course, bringing it up to five total.

Since it was just me, and a little cheaper, I went for the early dinner with the four courses.

Once I made my way through this very sweet property, with trees lining the roads, a little creek and a life-size chess board, I parked my car and walked inside.

The building is lovely. It has character, beautiful decorations and a classic elegance.

Soon, I learned that I was the only diner that evening for the 6 p.m. meal. Imagine my surprise when I was literally the only person in the restaurant. Me, my server, and the chef. That's it.

But, it was nice to receive such personalized attention.

Once I was seated, I saw what I would be having that evening. They do update the menu daily on the website, but I hadn't had a chance to see what I would be having until I saw the printed menu at my table.

If you're adventurous, this is a fun surprise. If you're more cautious, not having any flexibility or options could be cumbersome. But, I was thrilled by the experience.

For my first bite, I was offered a piece of bread and some butter. Always nice to have a nice, warm crusty piece of bread.


Then, we moved to the first course, which was a root vegetable salad with beets, carrot, orange and all kinds of tasty goodies. Yummy!


The second course was a roasted red pepper soup, which was so rich and creamy - and the aforementioned bread was prefect with it.

The third course was a slow-cooked ribeye, tomato and basil polenta and a demi glace. This steak was perfectly cooked, the creamed polenta was savory, the demi glace sweet. Perfect mix of textures and flavors. This is my idea of a well-balanced dish.

And, for dessert, poached peaches and a salted caramel ice cream (heaven). It's almost like they tailored this meal for me.

That is actually a cool thing, because they write down every meal they serve in these red books so that if you dine with them again, you are certain to not ever receive the same meal again. They rarely repeat meals and instead draw on seasonal and local ingredients.

The whole concept to me is very cool, especially as someone who likes to document all those experiences and such. So, it's really cool to have everything they've ever done in a notebook.

So, I kept myself entertained while dining, flipping through all the previous meals.