Despite having been to 5 million Gino's locations, when it came to the Mason location, I wasn't sure what I wanted.



So, I went inside to take a look at the menu. While the bulk of the locations have a similar menu, there are sometimes local twists that are fun.  



I didn't see much different in this location, so I instead went with a tried-and-true: the cheesesticks.



Sometimes cheesesticks can be pretty dry - with just cheese on bread, and then you get some moisture from the dipping sauce. 



But, Gino's does something like a buttery sauce in that middle layer, which makes it all the better.



Overall, a solid app.



Grade: A 

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

Salt. Fat. Acid. Heat.

These are the four basic components of good cooking.

And in Appalachian cooking, fat is a staple - whether it’s sausage gravy made with pork fat, pie crusts made with lard or green beans cooked with fatback.

You may not have seen fatback in your local grocery store, but if you’ve had good home cooking, you’ve likely tasted it.

Fatback is “the strip of fat from the back of a hog carcass usually cured by drying and salting,” according to Merriam Webster. Think of slabs of just the white fatty bits of bacon. While that hard fat from both sides of the backbone may not sound appetizing, it can be used in many different ways to make food delicious.

While fat is an oft maligned ingredient, it is necessary for browning foods, creating interesting mouth feel, and adding in layers of flavor.

Fat means flavor. It can be cut up or ground for sausages, charcuterie or pate. It can be added to lean meats to increase moisture. It can be rendered and used in cooking.

There are a number of variations, including:

Lardo: a type of salumi that is made by curing strips of fatback with rosemary, garlic, herbs (like oregano and wild fennel), and spices commonly found in Italy. Once a poor man’s food, lardo is now considered a delicacy, with the most famous hailing from Colonnata in Tuscany, where it’s been made since Roman times.

Streaky Pork: a section of fat between the solid sides of hard fatback near the backbone used in Asian dishes. While it primarily is composed of the white fat, streaky pork has some pink streaks of meat.

Salt Pork: fatback that has been salt cured, which helps prolong its shelf life. It may also be called white bacon, fat pork, side meat, middling meat or sowbelly. It is often streaked with lean, but it is not smoked like bacon.

Salt pork became popular in mountain cuisine because not only does it add flavor and texture to dishes, but it also is relatively cheap, keeps well, and helps food go further during the year.

Appalachia cuisine is known for making use of what’s available and creatively preserving foods to last longer, but flavor is key.

From a breakfast of eggs, potatoes and biscuits to a dinner side of fresh vegetables, salt pork creates a balance that tastes like home.

What’s your favorite way to use fatback?

I recently came across Terra Romance, a raspberry producer, on Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective. 



I don't find a ton of local raspberries, so I was excited to nab a box of these - while supporting a local farm. And, they were delicious! 



"Terra Romance Farm, LLC is a small family-owned and operated farm located in Romance, West Virginia. We specialize in growing delicious red and black raspberries in a beautiful little valley in the Appalachian foothills."

I've been a bit under the weather - and traveling - so apologies for the lack of posts. But nothing cheers me up more than a new box from J.Q. Dickinson Appalachian Mercantile. So, let's see what we have this month.



Hand Sanitizer Spray from Rock Bottom Soap Co.

Sugar Cubes from Storied Goods

Berry Brigade Tea from Skirted Soldier

Halfway Homemade Massaman Curry from Vegetable Kingdom

Mountain Print from Hippie's Daughter

Red Corn Grits from Deep Roots Milling
 

Have you tried any of these products before? I love Hippie's Daughter, and I'm excited to check out the others!

Charleston is hosting "Food Truck Wednesdays" at Slack Plaza during the summer, and I am trying to keep my eye out for places I've not yet tried.



Recently, they've had the Shape Shop, Dem 2 Brothers, Busters Blazin' Grill, Mr. Choo Choo and then two new-to-me places: MR Poppins and Just Drinks. 



MR Poppins had kettle corn; I got the original, which I really enjoyed! Sweet and salty and fresh - what more can you ask for? And Just Drinks has some really good lemonade. I needed that on this hot day.

Which other places have you tried?