Myers + Chang is an Asian restaurant in Boston from award-winning chef Joanne Chang.


The restaurant had a bit of a wait, so we sat in the entry way until we were alerted they were ready for us.

Once we were in, we were seated at this long center communal table.

Looking over the menu, a few things jumped out at me.

First - spring rolls with Swiss chard, noodles and peach duck sauce.

Then, Mama Chang's Pork + Chive dumplings.

Then, Kaitlynn's tempura cauliflower.

And, my main dish was braised pork belly bao buns with brandy hoisin and house pickles.

And some little meringue bites to finish!

Forge Baking Company is a very cool, industrial baking company in Somerville.

On the left side of the building, there was a cafe and work space.

On the right, there was this old-school ice cream bar.

Of course, I gravitated toward the ice cream side and ordered a sundae where I got to choose which ice cream (cookies & cream), and then I added white chocolate chips and caramel.

I must say, it was dang good.

Petsi Pies is a neighborhood bakery focusing on pies and pastries.

Petsi Pies (pronounced “peet-see”) an indie bakery and coffee bar serving up handmade pies and pastries in Somerville, Massachusetts since 2003. Founder Renee “Petsi” McLeod grew up baking pies in her grandmother’s kitchen and hasn’t stopped since. We bake everything fresh daily using only all natural ingredients and no fillers or mixes of any kind.  Our Putnam Ave. location in Cambridge specialize in soups, sandwiches and espresso drinks in addition to offering our sweet treats.  Please stop by our shops and enjoy some of our creations, there’s always something new coming out of the oven and we can’t wait to share it with you!

The space is small, but there is a side room with a few tables and chairs.

I looked over the case and looked at what they had available.

And since "pies" is in the name, I looked at the pie case, where they had quiche available.

I got a slice of the roasted vegetable and goat cheese quiche.

Have you been here? What's your favorite item?

Boston is full of good coffee.

In the neighborhood of Somerville, one popular coffee shop is Diesel Cafe.

Diesel Cafe has a number of coffee drinks and bakery items.

I ordered Tuck's Turtle, which was hot chocolate with hazelnut, and house-made salted caramel topped with fresh whipped cream.

What's your favorite drink here?

Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

Sorghum isn’t easy to come by in West Virginia. But it wasn’t always like that.

The thick sweetener is derived from a cereal crop that was domesticated by Africa about 5,000 years ago and arrived in America with African slaves, according to Saveur Magazine.

The thick table syrup became the primary sweetener of southern kitchens, where it was considered an everyday staple at the end of the 19th century. During this time, sorghum production was at an all-time high — creating millions of gallons a year and much of it being used to help create rum and molasses beer in the north.

After World War II, cheap, refined sugar began to spread across the region and largely took the place of sorghum. Except in Appalachia — where its lifespan was extended in those more isolated rural areas.

Eventually, West Virginia, too, turned to the much cheaper sugar.

Today, sorghum production is far less common than using refined sugar. But, it can still be found in Kentucky and Tennessee. And, small-scale sorghum production is making a comeback in the Mountain State, too.

Family Roots Farm, based in Wellsburg (my hometown), is one of those working to revive this lost tradition with historical significance, along with Appalachian chefs looking to create dishes rooted in history and place.

In 2015, the family farm planted its first half acre of sorghum and extracted its natural juice. Typically, Family Roots Farm plants sorghum in late May or early June and harvests in late September or early October.

“Sorghum is a 100 percent natural sweetener and can be used to replace molasses, honey, or syrup in recipes. Sorghum is packed full of hard to find vitamins such as iron, potassium, and calcium,” according to the farm’s website. “Often people associate sorghum with molasses. However, molasses is a byproduct of the sugar industry whereas sorghum is the extracted juice from sorghum and boiled down.”

Sorghum and molasses have different origins: sorghum from Africa and molasses from the Caribbean. Sorghum syrup is made from the sorghum plant, which is extracted from stalks that are boiled down to leave a syrup behind, while molasses is a byproduct of processing sugar cane into sugar.

Not only is sorghum revival in Appalachia due in part to its ties to its deep tradition, but its flavor is unique.

The thick syrup has notes of dark caramel and smoky flavors. Some taste a bit of sourness or bitterness in the amber viscosity. It’s more commonly used as a syrup or an ingredient in sauces — whereas molasses tends to be used in baking.

Family Roots Farm suggests using its sorghum in baked beans, stir-fry or gingerbread, or with biscuits, pancakes and ice cream.

The Wellsburg farm is one of a growing number in the Mountain State working to carry on the tradition of sorghum production. It is a member of the National Sweet Sorghum Produce & Processors Associations, guaranteeing the farm creates a pure sorghum product.

This farm, and others, are preserving foodways that helped tie together communities — something so intrinsic to the fabric of Appalachia. Reviving this piece of food heritage in the Mountain State keeps our history alive.

We know sweet sorghum is a staple in our history — and soon it may once again be a staple in our pantries.