Candace Lately

Shepherdstown Edition: Grapes & Grains Gourmet

9:17 AM

Walking down the street in Shepherdstown, it was a beautiful day where shops were opening their doors and letting the sunlight tumble in. One of those shops was Grapes & Grains Gourmet.

This wine shop is lovely - walls filled to the brim with bottles, a special section for locals and even a wine tasting/cheese pairing.

Grapes and Grains Gourmet opened its doors March 2006. The owner of the store, Cheryl Gallery, started off with twelve different bottles of wine and the inventory has been growing ever since. We have a broad selection of wines from all over the world.

With an inventory of over 2,100 different labels, we are positive we can find something you would enjoy. We have selections within all price ranges – from $4 to $200. Every Saturday, from 1-7 pm, we have wine tastings featuring affordable wines, cheeses and crackers we know you will enjoy.

Our exceptional selection of over 800 beers can be bought by the case, the 6 or 4 packs, or by the single. The store’s very popular wall of beer where you can make your own 6 pack is a delight to beer lovers.
Our exceptional selection of over 800 beers can be bought by the case, the 6 or 4 packs, or by the single. The store’s very popular wall of beer where you can make your own 6 pack is a delight to beer lovers.

The “gourmet” in Grapes & Grains Gourmet is our outstanding selection of cheeses, crackers, chocolates and other food items that can enhance your enjoyment of our wines and beers.

We at Grapes & Grains enjoy providing your personal service, like free gift wrapping. Subscribe to our weekly emails to keep up to date with our weekly tastings, beer of the month and other store happenings. Our knowledgeable and approachable staff looks forward to assisting you in making your selections.

If you're a wine lover, make your way to Grapes & Grains for a great selection.

Have you been? What's been your favorite purchase?

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Shepherdstown

Shepherdstown Edition: German Street Marketplace Coffee & Candlery

8:22 PM

One of the reasons I love Shepherdstown so much is the proliferation of tons of small, local businesses that are supporting West Virginia goods. One example of that is the German Street Coffee & Candlery.

This place is deceptively huge. It has tons of crafts, trinkets and other goodies - but I especially wanted to call attention to some of their food products. They carry West Virginia Fruit & Berry products, Appalachian Mountain Specialty Foods, JQ Dickinson and even DeFluri’s Fine Chocolates - which is the first time I’ve seen it outside of the shop.

Great stuff. Have you been? What’s been your best purchase?

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Green Bank Edition: Starlight Cafe at the Green Bank Observatory

10:00 AM

So, I’ve been to Green Bank before, but I had never been to eat at the Green Bank Observatory. So, when this small cafe found itself on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in West Virginia list, I made a special trip to get my hands sandwich with a good view of a pretty big telescope.

That is, home of the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.

Starlight Cafe features warps, sandwiches, salads, hot dogs, nachos, pizza, pretzels and even milkshakes. They also something called “Lunar Lunch,” which is like their version of a happy meal. For $6, you can get 1/2 a sandwich (ham, turkey, PB&J or American Cheese on white or wheat bread), choice of fresh fruit, Yogurt, 1 oz. bag of chips, 8 oz. water and a limited time “wacky alien.”

Since I’m probably not the key age demographic for that, I went the more traditional “sandwich” route. I opted for the turkey breast sandwich topped with tomato, mayo and cheese. It’s nothing fancy; it’s not trying to be. And, I’m OK with that. Most people aren’t going here for a dining destination; they’re going to learn about the incredible research going on here. But, it’s nice that while you’re exploring, you can also grab a bite to eat.

The sandwich was decent. It’s nothing special, but it was piled high with turkey and the tomatoes were fresh. I’ve had my share of turkey sandwiches, so I’m OK with not making this a regular occurrence. But, if you’re in the area, it’s a decent option.

And, make sure you get a selfie with the telescope.

Grade: B

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Grocery

Shepherdstown Edition: Community Garden Market

10:00 AM

So, I really love a locally owned grocery store.

I’ve been trying to hit up as many as I can around the state, and recently when I was in the Eastern Panhandle, I stumbled upon the Community Garden Market, a natural and organic market. There is a location in Berkeley Springs, and there is a location in Shepherdstown, as well.

While there, I saw lots of great locally grown produce, like lettuce and cheeses. They also had grains and trail mixes. And, there were lots of natural and organic products as well. Have you been? What have you purchased?

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Martinsburg Edition: Everything Cheesecake

10:21 AM

In my (crazy?) efforts to try all of the restaurants on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV List (at the time of writing this, I just have one left!), I’m traveling all over the state. And, most recently, my adventures took me to Martinsburg to check out Everything Cheesecake.

This shop specializes in gourmet cheesecakes, as well as pastries and coffee. I pulled up, parked right out front and was the first customer of the day. Cheesecake for breakfast, sure, why not?

The space is really lovely - beautiful track lighting, lounge areas with comfy seats, and giant windows that let in tons of natural light - my favorite.

The display case has these giant beautiful cheesecakes topped with caramel or strawberries or Reese cups. I was told their salted caramel is one of their most popular, and you don’t have to convince me to ever order anything caramel. I’ll probably beat you to it.

As the woman working prepared to carve my slice from the giant cheesecake, she told me a little bit about the history of the shop and how it’s this really integral part of the community. I loved hearing how the owners are involved and wanting to give back.

After just a short wait, my beautiful slice of cheesecake heaven was in front of me, and I was looking at it from all angles trying to determine how to best dig in. The thick layer of salted caramel on top was rich, indulgent and perfectly paired with the rich and creamy cake. The crust was light and crumbly. It is not for the faint of heart, though, as it is so decadent you almost need something salty to balance it all out. Perfect with a cup of coffee.