Howe Sweet It Is has honey, beeswax products and other goodies involved bees!



I can't wait to try this sucker - have you had anything from them?  

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