"Conceived as a bright and colorful tribute to Dorothy Draper, Draper's offers casual all-day dining with a menu that includes classic Dorothy Draper recipes as well as traditional southern dishes." - Draper's at The Greenbrier.
So, I have written about Draper's at The Greenbrier before -- but only the ice cream bar (which is totally incredible, and you should try the ice cream). Since the opportunity presented itself, I made a return visit and was able to have a full sit-down breakfast at Draper's.



First, The Greenbrier is incredible. It's huge, beautiful and over-indulgent in these giant tacky patterns and exudes richness. The Greenbrier has a few various dining options; Draper's is the most casual of the bunch.

Breakfast options included bakery items like croissants and muffins, oatmeal, cereal, omelets, breakfast platters and pancakes. Tony ordered a trio of tiny breakfast sandwiches, which had bacon, egg, cheese and BBQ sauce. I tried a bite, and they seemed fairly standard, but the BBQ added something a little different. Just not sure how I feel about BBQ for breakfast.

Their "Buttermilk Pancakes with Greenbrier Peaches" was hard too pass up. It came topped with peaches, whipped cream and came with a side of syrup. I also ordered a side of sausage for some protein (and that salty/sweet combo) in the meal.

There was a bit of a mix-up. Our server, who was totally pleasant and kind, accidentally put in an order for pecan pancakes, I believe. When they came out and were void of the famous Greenbrier peaches, I was confused.

When our waiter came back, I mentioned the mix-up to him. So, after a bit of a wait, I finally received my real pancakes. They were a sight, too, topped with a gorgeous peach topping, powdered sugar and a mound of whipped cream. And it was delicious. I don't know if a pancake can be bad, really. But the peach topping is what really made these awesome. The sausage (which I was too dumb to get a photo of), was also really good.

And on top of it, the server brought us each a cookie for messing up the order. I don't know how Tony lucks out and gets a cookie when I was the one who had to wait extra long on my food :) But, it's easy to win my loyalty with sweets. The oatmeal cookie was pretty awesome, too.




Grade: A

The Block Restaurant and Wine Cellar has replaced the former large, vacant yellow Cafe de Paris space at the corner of Quarrier and Capitol streets in Charleston. Upon my first real adventure to Charleston, that space struck me - prime location, large, and interesting - until I learned it had been closed for years. What a shame, I remember thinking.

But now The Block Restaurant and Wine Cellar has finally produced a functioning restaurant in that space, complete with a total beautiful renovation, extensive wine list and trendy dishes. I passed through for lunch, excited to check out this new restaurant that has been long awaited.

The interior is quite lovely, with sleek lighting, a mixture of dark and light mocha colors and exposed brick.



The lunch menu at The Block has appetizers, cheese platters, soups, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches and hot tapas. I put in for an order of the meatball trio - which comes with a chicken meatball, a beef meatball and a pork meatball, with accompanying sauces. Maggie went for the crab cake and quinoa, while Tony got an Italian panini.

Maggie loved her crab cake, and she has ordered it more than once. Tony was satisfied with his sandwich. And I, well ... I had to wait a bit. Because as everyone else's dishes came out, mine was delivered incorrectly. The waitress brought me the hummus trio.

The hummus trio has sun-dried tomato and basil, traditional and Sriracha hummuses (hummi?). So, luckily, I dig hummus. But it's not exactly what I was going after. Regardless, the waitress allowed us to keep it while they prepared my actual meal. Points for creativity - I actually totally love the concept of three miniature bits of something. Like a sampler platter, but less guilt-inducing. I love trying a little of everything. The tomato was good - but maybe a bit dry? The traditional was fine, though even more garlic could've helped. And the Sriracha had a little heat, but not much. So, eh.


And finally, when my main dish came out, I was excited to try yet another little sampler - three different meatballs. I was starved and wanting these even more after watching my friends down their lunches and I was left with hummus.

Unfortunately, these need some work. The seasoning is weak, the meat was dry, and the sauce was lackluster. This is one tiny bite that can pack a punch - could be lots of flavor. But, it just didn't happen. They were all OK, bordering on not-so-good. The plating also could use some work.


So while I know it has received some mixed reviews, and I think I'm one more tally in that mixed column. I so want to like this place because I think it needs to thrive in that location, and I think the wine list is outrageous (in a good way).

The service just did not work (PLEASE write down the orders when you have a table of three - a hummus trio and a meatball trio are easy to mix up) - making my lunch run late and my tummy rumble. And the food needs some work. Maybe it could have been overlooked, and the seasoning hand wasn't heavy that day. There's a good chance that other menu items are outstanding. I just know the ones I got didn't fall into that category.


Grade: C

I think I may be one of the few people on earth who actually really, really likes cooked cabbage. I remember when my mom would make cabbage rolls, I would eat the leftover cooked cabbage. When I saw this beautiful head of cabbage, I thought of all the possibilities - mostly a summer sort of cabbage wrap. Think hoisin sauce, no tomato sauce. And Cheat Hill was at the Morgantown Farmers Market to fulfill this desire.

Lisa provided me with some information on Cheat Hill:

Cheat Hill, former Hinnant Farm, is run by a young couple, Sarah & John Hinnant. You can find them at the farmers markets on most weekends throughout the summer selling bouquets, jams, jellies, various vegetables, and entertaining their son Henry. They have a small farm in the Cheat Lake area and hope to start a CSA in the future. They are 'newer' to the market, only being vendors for a couple of years.

They have a beautiful bounty of veggies each week! What's your favorite buy from Cheat Hill?

Backbone Food Farm brings tons of vegetables, herbs - and you'll see them with mushrooms - to the Morgantown Farmers Market.

Here's some insight on this cool vendor from my good friend Lisa, former Morgantown Farmers Market coordinator.

Backbone food Farm is found in Oakland, MD and run by the Dubansky Family - dad - Max and his mother Rita, wife Katherine, and a slew of wonderful kids! This 530-acre farm is home to chickens, draft horses, cows, pigs, dogs, bees, flowers, and lots of vegetables since 1996. Max has a more unique way of farming - draft horse power! They teach organic growing practices, sustainability, and hands-on agriculture at their Certified Naturally Grown farm through open-to-the-public farm days. At the morgantown farmers market they only sell a large variety of vegetables, herbs, and fungi, but they also offer pasture raised pork at their farm. (Max taught me how to cook shiitake mushrooms and now I'm a SUPER fan of them! With tons of protein, they are great to help fill you up, have lots of uses, and pair great with meals.) They sell their products through farmers markets and a CSA, now in it's 12th year. To learn a little about agriculture at their farm, check out their farm events on their facebook page and attend one! To learn a LOT, they offer farm internships, but I have only heard positive reviews about. Since they are in the mountains and near some very popular winter vacation spots for skiing, they offer cross country skiing tours in the fall. 

I had these delicious scallions from Backbone, which found their way into most of my dishes for that week. I put them in a mason jar with some water in the bottom and covered the tops with a plastic bag. They were perfect with my meatloaf, thai pasta dishes and omelets. So good. What's your favorite product from Backbone?

Cass Scenic Railroad has been on my to-try list ever since the Charleston Daily Mail's 55 unique things to do in the Mountain State article came out.

According to Wikipedia, Cass was a company town for folks who worked for West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, logging nearby Cheat Mountain. The cut logs were brought by rail to the town, where they were processed for use by paper and hardwood-flooring companies throughout the United States. Cass's skilled laborers, who worked in the mill or the locomotive repair shop, lived with their families in 52 white-fenced houses, built in orderly rows on a hill south of the general store.



The Cass Scenic Railroad is the same line built in 1901 to haul lumber to the mill in Cass. The locomotives are the same Shay locomotives used in Cass, and in the rainforests of British Columbia for more than a half-century. Many of the passenger cars are old logging flat-cars that have been refurbished. The Western Maryland No. 6 is the last Shay locomotive ever built. This piece of living history still hauls thousands of passengers up and down the mountain at Cass Scenic Railroad.

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park offers train rides that take visitors to various stations: Whittaker Station, Bald Knob and Spruce. We took the trip to Whittaker Station, because it's the shortest option. It's about four miles up the track, and there's a nice little are with some display trains and a shelter. We hung out there for about 20 minutes before heading back down - and on the way back, I may or may not have had coal showered all down the left side of my face. Haha. I enjoyed the trip - and it's the first time I've ever been on a train in the United States. The only other time is when I was in Italy, and we had to take a train to Venice.



But before our trip, we had some time to kill so we ate at the restaurant located in the company store: The Last Run Restaurant. This restaurant is featured in WV's 101 unique places to dine list.

The space is actually quite large with a lot of wooden circular tables and some booth seating. It's basic, fairly worn and could use a good scrubbing. The menu consists of items like popcorn chicken, hotdogs, sandwiches and the like. Nothing fancy, but simple enough for a lunch counter.

I went with the popcorn chicken because it was simple and safe before heading on our trip. Overall thoughts - not bad. Nothing really exciting - the chicken breading was plain, and the fries could've been a good deal crisper. It's really the only option around, and it'll fill your belly. Good enough.

Grade: C
 

SFS Farms was one of the last vendors I hit up while at the Morgantown Farmers Market recently. As per usual, I chatted with Lisa to find out more about this farm, which sells vegetables, melons and fresh herbs.

SFS farm is run by mother daughter team, Susie (mom) and Heidi (daughter) Shinkovich. Susie is the farmer and Heidi does the paperwork. Susie has been farming and marketing her entire life. She can tell you stories of being 7 years old and selling on the morgantown courthouse square with her family, which I believe she still does to this day. Local to the Morgantown area and Monongalia county, farming is strong in this family. If you stop by the farmers market take a look at Susie's beautiful farmer hands - they know what it is to work hard! Within the past few years, they received a NRCS high tunnel to help extend their season, so you'll now see them every weekend at the market throughout the summer selling a variety vegetables and potted plants.

I picked up this delicious squash, which I grilled with some tomatoes for a delicious summer snack. What's your favorite product from SFS?

I attended the New Deal Festival a few weeks ago in Arthurdale. It is held annually on the second Saturday in July to celebrate the nation's first New Deal Subsistence Homestead Community of Arthurdale.


According to Wikipedia:

Arthurdale was founded in 1933 and was the first of many New Deal planned communities established under Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration. It was intended to take impoverished laborers, farmers, and coal miners and move them to a modern rural community that would allow them to become economically self-sufficient.

The idea for such a self-sufficient community originated when Eleanor Roosevelt learned through her friend, Lorena Hickok, of a plan to relocate a group of West Virginia coal miners to a nearby farm with the intention that they could combine subsistence farming with simple industries to reclaim their economic footing. Mrs. Roosevelt was so passionate about the concept that she brought it to the attention of her husband, who decided to place the project under the direction of the United States Department of the Interior.

Kirkwood Winery is a mainstay at the wine festivals around the state. They tend to have lots of fruity, sweet wines, but they also carry some others you might cook with - ramp wine or dandelion. They have apple, blush, blackberry, cherry, peach, pear, blueberry, currant, raspberry, plum, elderberry, grapple, ginseng and even more.

Kirkwood Winery is also home to the Isaiah Morgan Distillery, which is southern West Virginia's first mini-distillery that crafts rye, southern moon and grappa spirits.

I really liked the blackberry wine, the peach and the plum, too. If you like a sweeter wine, this is your place. The shop also has some other trinkets; I picked up a wine glass. Overall, a nice little stop if you find yourself in Summersville!

Tastings are free. Business hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Elkins is such a cool little town. They have a neat little arts scene, a nice brewery and some great restaurants. El Gran Sabor is an authentic Venezuelan restaurant. Elkins, West Virginia, has authentic Venezuelan food? Yep. The short version: Derdlim Masten (head chef and co-owner) came to the United States from Venezuelan to visit her cousin. She fell in love with the town, met her husband and opened the restaurant.

And we, the people of West Virginia, are so benefitting. The restaurant was pretty busy (a good sign!), so we sat outside to wait until a table was ready. I talked with some other folks who were waiting about their favorite dishes. The "cachapa" was the crowd favorite. After a 20-minute wait or so, we were seated and looked over the menu.

And there it was - the cachapa. The menu says it's their most popular dish. You can get a veggie cachapa, a surf 'n turf cachapa, a beef cachapa, a chicken cachapa, a cheese cachapa, a pork cachapa, or a ham and cheese cachapa. It comes with a choice of latin rice and black beans and choice of soup or salad.

I ordered a pork cachapa with their shrimp squash soup. At first, I wasn't super impressed with this soup. But as I tried it more, I was able to detect some more rich flavors - almost reminded me of a curry. But pretty good.

And the cachapa was excellent. It was tender, flavorful pork encased in a sweet corn pancake. The salty and sweet combo was so, so good. Plus there were two sauces - one that was like an herb dipping sauce and the other I loved but can't remember what it was (this is what happens when I'm so behind on posts; I started to forget). This was DELICIOUS, though. The beans and rice were meh, but the cachapa had a perfect balance of flavors. Plus the sauce was like the find touch to help it all come together.

Between the cool vibe and excellent food, this was one of the better restaurants I've had in quite some time. Even if it did start out with a bit of a wait.

Grade: A 

There's something really satisfying about plucking blueberries from the bush, dropping them into a gallon bucket and taking them home to make a delicious blueberry crisp or pie with the fruits of your labor (ha! get it?).



My friend Lisa and I went to Blueberry Ridge Farms for pick-your-own blueberries a week or two ago. Check in with their Facebook to see which days they are open - mostly 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. MWF, but also they try to do some Saturday hours. No appointments are necessary. It's $18 for a bucket or $17 if you use your own bucket or have the one from last year. Blueberry Ridge Farms provides detailed instructions on how to navigate to the farm in Fairmont:





 There's another farm not too far away, but you must set up an appointment.



So if you have a free evening after work or can catch them on a Saturday soon (while blueberry season lasts!), do so. It was nice to get out and pluck the blueberries for myself, choosing which ones I want and leaving the others to ripen a bit longer.

I picked a gallon and made a blueberry crisp, ate a few handfuls and froze the remainder. I washed them of (though they don't spray at this farm), dried them, put them on a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet and froze for an hour before taking them out and bagging them up to freeze. Each morning I've been taking a handful of frozen blueberries and mixing them with some greek yogurt for breakfast.

Has anyone been? Or has anyone been to the other farm? It's a fun way to spend some time and get some goodies out of it too!

Big Timber Brewing, one of about a dozen breweries in the state now, opened its taproom in Elkins about a year ago. Since then, the brewery has made its way around the state - including on tap in Morgantown. I've had a few different beers in town, but it was even better to try them at the source.

The interior is pretty cool with lots of wooden features - tabletops, bar stools, shelving - in honor of the lumber industry that kept Elkins alive for so many years. They also have these great little coasters that list all of their social media. Very nice.



I ordered a sampler, which included their blonde, pale ale, porter, IPA, poplar session IPA and sluice dry stout. OH, and their root beer.

The blonde was easy, drinkable and would be nice for a hot day. Not too heavy and pretty clean.

The pale ale is a good bit hoppier (surprise), but I like the actual flavor. It's not too hoppy, but you know it's there.

The porter was pretty heavy, but considering I'm not a huge coffee drinker, I'm not really the target audience for this one.

The IPA, of course, took the hops up a notch. Not my favorite, but I can see why hopheads would dig it.

The poplar session IPA is up yet another notch.

The dry stout was actually not as bitter as I thought it may be.

The root beer! I don't even love root beer, if I'm being truthful (please don't shun me). But it's kind of a like a sneaky treat at the end of a beer sampler. Like, obvi it's not beer. But it's exciting to have something so sweet at the end.

Give Big Timber Brewing a visit - lots of great beer and a super fun vibe.

Grade: A