FestivALL Charleston released the wine and beer pairings for its five-course meal for the upcoming FeastivALL fundraiser at the University of Charleston on February 17.

The fundraiser, which raises much needed funds that support the arts year-round through festivals, afterschool programming, in-school programming and more, features a five-course meal with wine and beer pairings, live entertainment, a live auction, an online auction, a VIP reception and more.

In honor of James Beard Award Finalist Chef Paul Smith, who has supported the FeastivALL fundraiser since its inception, each course will have elements inspired by the James Beard cookbook.

The pairings provide wine and beer with every course that will be voted on by the attendees to show which pairing best matches the dish. In 2023, the wine pairings were voted as the best of the evening.

The menu with pairings is as follows:

Appetizer: Tuna Tartare Wontons prepared by Chef Seth Samples, University of Charleston
Beer: Hawk Knob Hard Cider Salty Beach
Wine: Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

Salad: A Humble Salad - Baby Arugula & Shaved Brussel Sprouts with Candy Striped Beets, Roasted Fennel, Toasted Pine Nuts & Parmesan Reggiano finished with Tomato Vinaigrette made with DiTrapano Olive Oil prepared by Chef Emily Isaac, The Humble Tomato
Beer: High Ground Brewing Ymir the Creator Farmhouse Ale
Wine: William Hill Chardonnay

Soup: Tuscan Bean Soup featuring DiTrapano Olive Oil and James Beard-inspired Chicken Broth prepared by Chef Tim Urbanic, Bop & Nana’s and formerly Cafe Cimino
Beer: Jackie O’s Endless Echoes Hazy IPA
Wine: Thread Count Red Blend

Entree: Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek Bourgogne with Herb Garlic Yukon Gold Smashed Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables prepared by James Beard Award Finalist Chef Paul Smith, 1010 Bridge, Ellen’s Ice Cream and The Pitch
Beer: Bridge Brew Shays Revenge Oatmeal Stout
Wine: Quilt Napa Cabernet

Dessert: James Beard-inspired Shortcake with West Virginia Maple Sugar Strawberries and Bourbon Chantilly Cream prepared by Chef Brian Magliochette, CB Culinary Service in Pittsburgh
Beer: Screech Owl Wild and Wonderful Strawberry Blonde
Wine: Lamarca Prosecco

Tickets for the fundraiser are on sale now at festivallcharleston.com/feastivall. Sponsors for the event include Mountain State Beverage, Harris Brothers Roofing, Charleston Audi, Hooten Equipment, AP Branded, and Nina Denton Pasinetti.

Mama K's Kitchen is one of my favorite new finds in Morgantown. Located in Star City, the restaurant has a nice little back story.

"In 1906, Mama Kay was born in a modest village in Italy, San Giovanni in Fiore. By the age of 5, she immigrated to a small coal-mining town in the United States where she married a fellow Sangiovannese immigrant, Papa Joe. By 19 years old she had 5 children, no formal education and they had been thrown out of company housing for Papa Joe's labor organizing efforts.

It was in the midst of this that Mama Kay became devoted to feeding not just her family, but the entire community. Well before formal programs existed, she opened her home and kitchen to nourish those around her, especially those in need. She was known for handing out fresh-baked bread on Sundays, while necessity led Papa Joe to open a local grocery store. It was the best way to feed their family and everyone else, too. Mama Kay mastered simple recipes that allowed her to open her kitchen to everyone. She had very little, but resourcefully built an experience of togetherness and plenty. There was no room for waste while she built a social framework her town relied on.

In continuing her spirit and that of so many immigrant families, we open Mama K's Kitchen to share at your table."



The space is upstairs and in the back of a building, so it's a bit like a secret. But once inside, it's bright and airy, if not a bit small. They serve meals in this space, though they also rent out a space and do catering, as well.



Let's get to the food. The menu has some fun items - like artisan toasts, pastas, salads, sandwiches and specials. I could have ordered anything on the menu and been happy, but I went with the following:



- Sausage Broccolini with orecchiette, pepper oil, garlic

- Mushroom Toast with roasted mushroom, shallot, ricotta



Both of these were tasty on their own. A nice mix of textures, plus bits of freshness. And I like the creativity behind of each of these. It's like taking classic flavor combos but kicking them up a few notches.



But they both would have benefitted from a drizzle. Truffle oil? Balsamic? Some chive cream? I think I just want some more richness to round it out to perfection.



Grade: B

Another trendy Morgantown coffee shop coming in hot! But this one isn't totally new to the game. Stone Tower Brews has locations in Buckhannon, Bridgeport and now, of course, Morgantown. The signature blue-hued coffee shop joins the likes of several fairly new coffee shops in the college town fighting to keep college kids caffeinated.



I have always been fond of this mini coffee shop chain because they also place an emphasis on local art and culture, as well. They often bring a funky side to their shops - whether that's the artwork on the walls or music.



Their list of specialty coffees is long. So many different combinations! I searched the menu for something involving caramel but landed on the campfire mocha, because s'mores are also a favorite. But I don't think you could go wrong with any of the classic combos. This drink was delightful - definitely a rich chocolate background but pops of sweet marshmallow made it.



I also had a breakfast taco, which was basic with scrambled eggs, potato, cheese and sausage. I would have loved a Stone Tower spin on it with a delicious sauce to pull it all together. But that didn't stop me from polishing off my order.



Grade: B

On one of my adventures out west, I found myself in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in need of caffeine.



Scooter's Coffee is a midwest-based coffee drive-through that offers up a standard slate of options: hot coffee, iced coffee, blended coffee drinks, smoothies, teas and even some food.



I ordered:

"CARAMELICIOUS® BLENDER - SWEET SIGNATURE - Our sweet signature drink fuses world-class espresso with rich, velvety caramel sauce, blended in our ice cream base. This classic is topped with fluffy whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. Such a treat."

"PEACH MANGO QUENCHER - Here's the plot: Peach meets mango, mixes with energy-giving green coffee extract, and quenches your thirst happily ever after. This Quencher is amazing with a base of black tea! It's also available with lemonade, water, or coconut milk. Juiciest story ever. The end."

"SPICY SAUSAGE BURRITO - We jam-pack our warm, soft tortilla with spicy sausage, fluffy scrambled eggs, red peppers and our supremely smooth white cheddar cheese, melted like your heart will be, after you taste this burrito. It’s a zesty way to get your protein going for the day."

Each one of these were pretty good in their own right. The blended caramel drink was on the sweeter side – even for me – which made me love it even more. The refreshing fruity drink was a nice break from all the creamy fattiness of the coffee drink. and even the burrito was decent; I wish it held up a bit better and filled out the tortilla more, but it was a good cross-country morning snack, nonetheless.



Grade: B

"Indulge in the flavors of Modern Appalachian Kitchen with our handcrafted confections. A modern twist on Appalachian nostalgia."

If there is a more enticing phrase, I haven't heard it.

As soon as I stumbled upon Modern Appalachian Kitchen, I went to their website to see how I can get my hands on some of their goodies.



This Morgantown-based home business specializes in marshmallows -- and specifically their couch marshmallow has gained some popularity. Think about it. Burning marshmallows, burning a marshmallow couch. It makes sense for Morgantown. I did purchase one of these, and the novelty is something to behold. Maybe slightly less practical for s'mores, but entertaining nonetheless.



The vanilla couch marshmallow was good, but the Neapolitan and s'mores were even better. They are a bitch softer and stickier, almost, which really reminds me of more of a meringue.



I enjoyed a few other treats, too. The chocolate with candy toppings, known as mountain tops, were lovely, and the chocolate, caramel and nut Freddy is a classic combination that is done just right here.