When it's frigid and icy in West Virginia, the demand for strawberries seems to go up. That's based on my observation waiting in line two different times for two women running strawberry businesses in the Charleston area. From my understanding, they ship strawberries directly from Florida and meet people in random parking lots, as noted on Facebook, and the people come. They line up. And they buy alllll the strawberries.

The Strawberry Lady



Arguably the more popular of the two strawberry vendors, The Strawberry Lady has a box truck full of strawberries that they deliver around to various points in the Metro Valley. The first time I tried to get some in Kanawha City, they actually sold out while I was still in line.



So, when they came back, I was an hour early to make sure I got my fix. You can purchase by the flat ($32) or half flat ($16), and jam is $4 -- which is so smart for those with $20 bills. They are cash or check only. I got a half flat and shared with some friends. One thing I noticed about these ones is that they are not quite as ripe as the other, but they are huge. 


M & C Strawberries



These folks seem to be more consistently set up at the India Center at Southridge. They are more expensive - a half flat here was $20 and a full flat here is $40.



These strawberries were perfectly ripe and beautiful. So, what's the verdict? They're both tasty. I think it depends if you want to go for size or flavor. Either way, they're both lovely fresh in the midst of winter.

Let's throw it back to a warmer summer day when my friend Brittany and I were visiting The Pink Pig in Fayetteville. I think this was technically during what would have been Bridge Day weekend, and this spot was slammed. 



The Pink Pig, which is the brick-and-mortar location for Fred's BBQ & Catering, looks like it's located in a former auto shop with two large garage door openings, which make it a perfect indoor-outdoor vibe. They also have cornhole outside with various tables and some heaters, too.



As one might imagine, BBQ is their specialty - and it was clear many folks were hungry for it. We waited in line for some time before making our way to the front. And, by that time, I wanted to order everything on the menu. 



I ordered the "sloppy mac," which is a pulled pork sandwich with mac & cheese on top of it. I think this is pretty much a standard menu item at so many BBQ places now, and I'm here for it. 



Plus, I got a side of Utz Helluva Good chips - I love this dip, so I figured the chips would be good. And, I was right. I kept munching on these while waiting for our food to come out. They kinda served as my appetizer.



Finally, our real appetizers came out: cheerwine jalapeno poppers and pimento cheese jalapeno poppers. 



The cheerwine ones were definitely on the sweeter side, but they were still balanced well with salty bacon and the heat of the jalapeno. 



It's hard for me to put anything about pimento cheese, though. I love me some pimento cheese. And the cheesiness with salty, crispy bacon and soft, spicy jalapeno = a recipe for perfection. 



Now, let's get to the sandwich. First and foremost, it does not come with sauce. There are some sauces at the table to use: a tangy golden, a regular and then some others. So, the sandwich was actually pretty dry - even with the mac & cheese - until I doused it in BBQ. 



With that, it was pretty tasty. I really like the tangy gold BBQ sauce. The pulled pork was tender but not super flavorful - same with the mac & cheese, so the BBQ is what really gave it that zing. 



Grade: B

It's time for this month's Appalachian Mercantile box!!! What do we have this month? 

Snowville Creamery - cheddar crisps - These delicious crisps are made from pure cheddar cheese. Snowville Creamery, located in eastern OH, grass feeds all of its cattle to produce A2 milk. The crisps are non-GMO, gluten free and yummy!

Shagbark Seed & Mill - Organic Pinto Beans - Shagbark Seed & Mill is a cooperative that supports local organic grain and bean growers in eastern OH. These pinto and black beans are staples for the pantry. Grown in the Americas for more than 8000 years, Black Beans are at the heart of Indigenous Foodways in South America, Cuba, and Central America. They offer loads of protein, fiber, magnesium, and anti-oxidants to every meal. Ohio grown, certified organic, vegan. Pinto beans have been a staple of Appalachian cuisine for many, many year. Cook with a piece of smoked pork, onions and garlic. The rich, meaty flavor of the beans sings through.

Fayetteville has no shortage of amazing restaurants, and there's one that keeps changing it up. You may remember the New River Curry House, which opened to much fanfare. They have since rebranded and expanded their offerings as part of Wanderlust Creative Foods.



"Our concept is simple: Serve high quality food at a fast pace and affordable cost. We have hand picked dishes from around the world that we will know you will love. Our menu is Wanderlust, just like you!" their Facebook reads. 



My friend Brittany and I went to check it out. They actually weren't open at the time listed, but after browsing around town for an hour or two, we came back and they were ready. The interior is cozy with some eclectic decor. She ordered a Caesar Salad, which came with a large parmesan crisp. I don't think that's kale? But she seemed to like it well enough.



After looking over the menu full of samosas, tacos, lamb burgers, Turkish spaghetti and chicken tikka masala. I started off with naan dumplings, which were by far the biggest hit of our meal. It had seasoned chicken and veggie filling wrapped in naan dough and fried. It was served with hot pepper jelly and candied peppers. It was a beautiful combination of textures and flavors. And I especially appreciated the local touch with hot pepper jelly.



For my entree, I went with Chicken Pimentos. Pimento cheese is one of my buzz words that when I see it on a menu, I go for it. So, I assume the word pimento drew me to this offering. This is a different take on the pimento pepper than I'm used to seeing: seared chicken breast and thigh in a white wine reduction sauce with pickled cherry peppers over rice. It was still a straightforward chicken breast, but I loved the pickled peppers.



Grade: B

Studio B Art Boutique Wine & Beer Gallery is a really cool shop in Fayetteville that has everything from WV products and clothing to beer and wine. There's really a lot here, but, of course, I wanted to focus on the food and drink part. 



First, let's talk Mountain Top Tea, which is produced by Berkeley Springs Brewing Company. These are beers brewed with tea, like Mandarin Orange Rooibos, Green Tea or Earl Grey. So they're like sours but with these tea flavors. If you are a tea fan, this could be a good try! 



Then, I also wanted to collect the beautiful line of cans from Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company. I need the Green Bank Fruited Gose, 35 Pale Ale and would love Bat Boy! If anyone knows where I can get these cans, give me a head's up!