Held at the Charleston Convention Center, the Capital City Art & Craft Show is sponsored by the Kanawha City Lions Club.



Fun fact: I was the president of the Leo Club in middle school. They do great work. 

This show has a number of food vendors that I thought would be cool to check out. 

Pastor Jack's Homemade Fudge 

I ordered some caramel praline and tiger here - and it was sinfully good.









Mrs. Mel's French Macarons

I tried some of the hot cocoa, apple and more - all so tasty! 



Nana's Kitchen



Dark Hollow Foods



Sugar Bottom Farm



Sassy Gal's Gourmet Treats



Uncle Bunk's



Tipsy Roo's



Hannahbug's Chocolates



The Jerky Hut



Ronk Family Farm



Goldilocks Grazing Boxes



RiCa's


What was your favorite?

The Goods is a convenience shop in downtown Huntington.



"Shop a modern kind of experience with convenient provisions where you will find an ample assortment of locally made and sourced products, essential grocery and lifestyle items, and on-the-go meals. We have brought together rural Appalachian flavors and urban culture to curate the perfect blend of goods for you."
 


"As proud Huntington natives we strive to celebrate local businesses and will offer an extensive list of new items as well as curated selections of everyday staples. We want to provide a place where you can pick up one-of-a-kind groceries and merchandise from local businesses who we’re partnering with from around the tri-state area. Our other passion is to provide healthy ready made items and order to go options to satisfy all your cravings. Our main goal is to bring a modern-day convenience store that will begin a new contemporary way of shopping and living in Huntington."



There are some bulk goods, fresh produce and ready-to-eat items.



I went with an orzo salad, as well as some macaroni & cheese. 



Both of these were tasty, and I was lucky to get some of the mac & cheese because it was actually a preorder item. 



Have you been here?



What's your favorite thing? 

The Seneca Center has been home to a number of iconic Morgantown restaurants, including the Glasshouse Grille and Hill & Hollow.



New restaurant Vanessa's Kitchen has now entered the space and has big shoes to fill.  The space is historic, with lots of wood and sprawling nooks in which to dine. 



I went in for lunch, and I think the folks working were surprised and maybe not fully prepared for anyone to be dining in. After I accidentally broke up their party, I was seated in the dining area and brought two different menus. One was their standard menu, I believe, and then there was a whole other packet of paper of specials. It was a lot to look through - maybe if there are that many specials, they could just be incorporated into the main menu.



I started with a crab rangoon dip -  crab dip with fried wontons. I think this is such a smart menu item because it's taking like the best Chinese appetizer and transforming it to make the filling the star. The dip is really thick and cheesy, so it's really, really rich. But when I got a bite of green onion in the mix, it was a perfect bite. I would just add 20x more green onion on top to help cut through some of the fattiness.



For my entree, I went with a filet with mushrooms and gorgonzola and a horseradish cream sauce, mashed potatoes and asparagus. A very generous portion, this meal was so large I only was able to eat about 1/3 of it in one sitting. The filet is just topped with everything I love, so it was fabulous. A little funk from the cheese and heat from horseradish, plus just indulgent creamy deliciousness. The mashed potatoes were not an afterthought - super well seasoned and had some texture, which I love. And asparagus gave a small respite from all the fattiness. So it was just a great overall meal that I needed a nap after enjoying.



Grade: A

Jonsey's D&D is a pop-up in the Charleston-Huntington area that specializes in pierogies. You'll have to keep updated on his Facebook to see where he's going to be next; I was excited when I finally caught him in Huntington last weekend.



Let's start with the basics: What is a pierogi? It is a filled dumpling "made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savoury or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe." 



Being that I'm from the Northern Panhandle, I was familiar with pierogies because of my proximity to Pittsburgh. The city has a large Polish/Ukranian population; they even have the pierogi races at home Pittsburgh Pirates games. You might be familiar with the frozen Mrs. T's pierogies at your grocery store. 



To know pierogies is to love them. Think of a dense dumpling dough stuffed with potato or onion or cheddar or garlic or all of the above. In Huntington, Jonsey had potato & cheddar, as well as mushroom & potato. I just tried the former this trip, which were three delightfully plump dumplings filled with a tasty, unctuous filling. A nice little crisp on the exterior gives way to a pillowy center. And, sour cream makes everything better. My only regret is not trying the other flavor. Maybe sampler options will be on the way in the future.

Grade: A

My favorite monthly subscription box is here from J.Q. Dickinson. Let's see what we got this month:

Valente - Roasted Garlic and Basil Linguine
One of everyone’s favorites! This pasta really has the rich and subtle flavors of Italy. It’s the perfect combination of Italian basil and mellowed, slightly sweet roasted garlic. Make a homemade sauce of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, and grilled vegetables. Follow the recipe on the package or make your own.

Skirted Soldier - Cold Weather Gear Tea
This delicious herbal tea was made by The Skirted Soldier, which is a female veteran-owned operation that donates 10% to female veterans, specializing in hand-blended, loose tea.

Chocolat Inn - Coconut Milk Chocolate Bar 
45% Philippines Coconut Milk Chocolate Bar - Kablon Farms - Malah na Bulong

Route 11 - Yukon Gold Potato Chips
The season for these chips is usually from August through October, depending on the local growing season. Believe us, we wish we could make them year round, too. But to make the very best chips, we limit our local sources for the best Yukon Gold potatoes. If there's a chip with its own cult following, this is it. This cult includes the entire Route 11 chipping crew. We were the first chippers to ever make chips out of Yukon Gold potatoes. Our chipping competition tried to knock off what we were doing, but clearly with little understanding of what makes a Yukon Gold potato chip so delicious. It's the natural buttery flesh of the Yukon Gold potato, that make these chips go off the charts. ALL NATURAL. GLUTEN FREE.

Meadow Mountain Studio - Noel Card 
Laura Poulette lives and works on a farm in rural Kentucky. Her watercolors are influenced by nature. Each letter is a different seasonal plant. The Noel card is evergreens and red berries. They are great to have on hand for last minute needs and make a unique, artful way to communicate.

Keytone Steel Company - Mountain Ornament 
DIMENSIONS: All our ornaments average approximately 4-5" at their widest point, depending on the shape of the ornament. CARE INSTRUCTIONS: This ornament is made out of steel, so we recommend storing in a low moisture area. Because we use recycled steel, each piece will be unique and may have slight markings or patina.