The Cardinal Market in the Grand Central Mall in Vienna hosts a variety of local artisans, crafters, and business owners who sell their wares in this space. 



There are a bunch of West Virginia-themed gifts, as well as some tasty goodies, too!



Now, you know I can't get enough of West Virginia goodies. Take a look at these cute notecards! 



I also purchased some woodsy-scented candles. Mmm.



And I feel like bar soaps are becoming so popular. I know they've become like an artisan good, but I didn't realize that many folks actually used bar soap! 



I digress. Let's talk about some of the tasty treats you can get here, like Tiff's Magical Cookie Creations.  My cookie from here was so cute and tasty! 



Then, there is also Granny's Kitchen fudge, which I've written about before. It's so good.



And, there are some other odds and ends from Ohio, like Mrs. Miller's and Jason & Mary's. What have you purchased from here?

Coffee roasters are few and far between in West Virginia, so I'm always very excited when a new one pops up - wherever it may be! 



Sibling Coffee Roasters is located in Charles Town, though I first ordered coffee beans from them when they were located in Summit Point before the official opening of the coffee shop. 



The shop is centrally located right downtown, and it is absolutely adorable. A chalkboard displays the large menu of flavors. The walls are exposed brick, and they even have a nice selection of breads, pastries and other goodies. 



When I visited, it was cool outside, so a hot English Toffee Caramel latte sounded like perfection to me. And, wow, what a good choice it was. Of course, it was on the sweeter side, which is just what I like. It was delicious.



They also had quiche available, which is one of my favorite. breakfast options. It was a chorizo and cheddar, and it was a bit sharp for my taste, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 



Next time, I definitely want to try some of those hot chocolate bombs. Yum!



Or one of the muffins. Because everything I've had has been tasty.



Have you been here yet?



Grade: B

Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

West Virginia may not have an official state food, but we do have an official state insect: the honeybee.

In addition to pollinating many of the state’s important fruits, vegetables and grasses, the honeybee produces flavorful honey, which has played a role in many culinary communities — including in Appalachia.

Early European settlers would use honey as a sweetener before commercial sugar was easy to come by, and mountain farmers have continued the long-standing tradition of Appalachian apiculture, crafting delicious varietals like tulip poplar, clover and sourwood.

“Central Appalachia is an ideal location for natural beekeeping. The abundance of diverse forest and undeveloped land in our region helps keep our bees healthy. Our native Appalachian forests host an abundance of nectar-rich species such as tulip poplar, black locust, sourwood, and wildflowers,” according to the Appalachian Bee Collective, a project of the nonprofit Appalachian Headwaters. Headwaters’ primary focus is on ecological restoration and environmental education.

“Most agricultural land is devoted to livestock, meaning that much of the area is covered [in] excellent bee forage, like clover. We have minimal agricultural crops to contribute to the range [of] synthetic chemicals other bees often endure.”

The hospitable environment lends itself to an increasing number of folks keeping bees — many as a second career — to use honey at home, gift it to friends or even sell it locally. This honey can be substituted for sugar in many recipes and the shining star in others, like honey-glazed carrots, spoonbread or apple dumplings.

Though honey has been important in Appalachia for centuries, it’s not the only region where it has played an important role. Honey has been depicted in European cave drawings, appears in the Bible and was even used as currency for ancient Romans.

But, like many other aspects of life, Appalachia remains innovative in its use of ingredients and utilizing what’s available from the land. Or, in this case, what’s available from the hive.

One thing is for sure: It sure makes mountain life a little sweeter.

In downtown Parkersburg, Maka Mia replaced my beloved DiCarlo's. I won't hold it against the pizza restaurant; instead, I'll go in with an open mind - and stomach.



I didn't realize they have more than a handful of restaurants, though I have been to the Ripley location. Some background:

"In 2006, an independent grocery store owner in Kentucky had an idea. He was looking to attract new customers and increase sales to current ones, while staying ahead of the larger supermarket chains. The plan was to use existing deli facilities and staff to create a unique food destination. The concept didn’t come together overnight. It took months of experimenting, baking dough, creating the best tasting sauce, and never settling for anything but the highest quality ingredients. This was important to the concept, because everyone wants a great tasting product and fresh ingredients, with the option to customize it. The next step included branding and marketing, which took more than five years of work, research and design. Today, Máka Mia is a fully registered, trademarked company. From full color counter fronts and outdoor signage to professionally designed digital menus and online ordering, the Máka Mia Team created a package ready to deliver big results in a few short set-up days. The final product is a signature pizza and hoagie concept with over 40 stores in five states, proving the Máka Mia concept a success. Check it out for yourself and see if you don’t agree that Máka Mia is the best tasting pizza you’ve ever had!?"



So, it's a franchise and by looking at the locations, it seems the product is available in grocery stores, food marts and grocery stores - plus a few restaurants dedicated to the name. 

The space has limited indoor dining - whether that's by design or due to COVID19 - but I had placed an order online so I was just picking up anyway. The space has some wood panel flooring, corrugated steel and basic decor. 



The pizza is above average. I like that the pizza sauce was a little bit sweet, and the dough was toothsome - not cracker thin but could actually get some bite from it. 



I also order pretzel bites with cheese, and these were decent, too. I don't see these on menus as often as I'd like, so it was nice little treat. Overall, decent flavors - nothing too different - but still a reliably good slice.

Grade: B

One family-inspired cafe in Berkeley Springs is offering breakfast and lunch, along with fresh pastries and specialty desserts.



Charlotte's Cafe is a midsize cafe offering a standard selection of breakfast items like pancakes and eggs, as well as lunch items like soup, salad and sandwiches. It's a lovely collection of offerings, but I was most excited about the house-made sweets.



The case at the counter was full of croissants, cinnamon rolls, and one of my personal favorites: bread pudding.



This giant hunk of bread pudding was not lacking in heft. And there was a lovely caramel drizzled over top, but the actual bread itself didn't quite come together as much as I would love. I want it to be one giant moist conglomeration. I do have years of bread pudding-eating under my belt, so I have a specific idea in mind when it comes to the dessert. But, this is a solid take on it.



Grade: B