Napoli's Pizza has a few locations in the Mid-Ohio Valley area, and I was ready to check out something other than pizza.  



This time, I was after a meatball sub. I placed an order at the Mineral Wells location to be ready at a specific time, but there seemed to be some confusion, and I ended up waiting about an additional 20 minutes.



That's no problem - as long as it's worth it. Was the meatball sub worth it? Eh, it was not my favorite. The meatballs seem like the frozen kind that have that certain "pre-packaged" flavor that's hard to shake. The bread was a little extra done - but thankfully there was a good amount of stringy mozzarella. Standard, utilitarian sub that can fill the belly but maybe not totally satisfy the tastebuds.

Grade: C

My J.Q. Dickinson Appalachian Mercantile subscription box was waiting for me when I got home! 



Six Appalachian-sourced goodies awaited me. 



THREE-GRAIN PANCAKE-MIX - Try this special blend of buckwheat, wheat flour, and cornmeal stone ground and mixed in small batches. By using locally grown, non-GMO grains, you get a real taste of Virginia for breakfast. It’s all you need to be ready for the day.

MAPLE SYRUP - Produced in the mountains of The New River Gorge of West Virginia, this award winning maple syrup has gone from a family hobby to something for everyone to enjoy. From pancakes to cocktails, this maple syrup will elevate anything you put it on.

SANDWICH WRAP - Natural food wraps can make a powerful difference in reducing plastic waste. Wrap your sandwich or snack for lunch on the go. Build your sandwich, then wrap and tie. Use the warmth of your hands to seal for natural food storage. Bee's Wrap will hold its shape when it cools, creating a seal.

BUTT NAKED LOTION BAR - Used to help improve dry skin. A solid bar of lotion. Lotion Bars have all the ingredients of lotion except the water. Rich in shea butter, sweet almond oil, vitamin e and just enough beeswax to make it solid. Excellent for cracked heels, elbows or just dry skin.

SALT GRINDER - These are for the person who loves to grind. Our largest crystal of salt and Tellicherry peppercorns are easily available for the perfect seasoning. Pepper cannot be grown in the USA, so these peppercorns are imported from India. Tellicherry peppercorns stay on the vine longer resulting in a slightly sweeter, more rounded pepper flavor. The glass grinders are refillable, making them a sustainable choice.

CHILI PEPPER SPRINKLE - Olde Virden's Red Hot Sprinkle and Spicy Verde is a must have for your spice cabinet. From the farm to the bottle, Olde Virden's is dedicated to producing the cleanest pepper blend on the market. Completely free of additives or preservatives, this is an unforgettable seasoning crafted with just one natural ingredient: chili peppers. From your eggs in the morning to pizza at night, you will discover a million different uses.

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

Those bright pops of yellow that spring up on a summer lawn are more than just weeds indicating that the grass is a day or two past its prime.

Dandelions, named for their sharply toothed leaves (a version of the French phrase “dent de lion,” which means “lion’s tooth”), offer much more in the way of culinary and herbal value.

The flower belongs to the genus Taraxacum, which can be found all over North America. The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) was introduced into North America hundreds of years ago from Europe for a variety of reasons: The young greens are delicious and healthy with high amount of Vitamins A, B, C, E and K, in addition to calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium and potassium.

Dandelions play a large role in a number of herbal medicines. The dandelion, which now propagates as a wildflower, also provides a nectar source for a wide variety of pollinators especially early in the season: honeybees, butterflies, moths and nearly 100 more species of insects. Plus, the leaves and seeds feed birds, chipmunks and other wildlife. That’s because dandelions are edible from root to flower.

Dandelions are often described as having an earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter taste. The perennial herb’s root is a relative of chicory and can be dried, roasted and used for coffee. That same root can also be peeled and cooked like a vegetable. The greens are perfect for a salad or for pesto. Roots, leaves and stems can all be brewed to make tea. The blossoms can even be dredged and deep-fried like squash blossoms for a special treat.

So, with all these positive attributes — is the dandelion a weed? Or a flower? It depends on who you ask — and where it’s growing.

A weed is a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and competing with cultivated plants. A flower is the part of the plant often brightly colored at the end of the stem and survives for just a short period of time. While the dandelion doesn’t appear on the USDA’s Federal Noxious Weed List, most people don’t want them in their carefully manicured gardens or competing with surrounding plants that can affect the local ecosystem. The hardy plants grow well in most soil types and have a high tolerance for nutrient-poor soil, as well.

Our ancestors may have seen dandelions as an invaluable flower that could provide food, medicine and help the local honeybees, whereas most people today aren’t foraging for their food and instead find the ferocious grower a pest. The dandelion maintains those steadfast and hardy characteristics that are emblematic of Appalachia. They bloom even when the environment is tough and are resilient even when some may not want them to be so.

Whether you wish for the dandelions to rise to their respected position in the flower chain or to disappear from your lawn altogether, you can do so with a big exhale on a dandelion puffball.

The West Virginia Renaissance Festival was held this past weekend, and since I have never been, I convinced Sara to make the trek to Lewisburg with me - in costume.



In case you're curious, I wore an off-the-shoulder top with a cape and shorts. Not too outlandish, but still fun.  



We truly weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into. But we knew one thing from the start: It was going to be a HOT day. 



We did get to watch some funny skits and some jousting. 



My main goal, though, was to see what food they had on deck.



First up was Dragon Ice Cream, which had the ice cream bars you'd expect from an ice cream truck. How he was in a dragon costume and not sweating to death, I truly do not know. 



Next up was actual food from The Pub.



I went for a Scotch Egg, which is a boiled egg wrapped in sausage and coated in breadcrumbs before being deep-fried. This was fine, but so, so hot and heavy - which was not the best idea for a hot day. But decent nonetheless. 



I was very cognizant to just have a few bites so I could try a few different things. 



Next up was the sweets building, where I ordered a mixed berry crepe. 



This was a bit of an ordeal - it took quite a while, and then when it was ready, it ripped open. So, the kind woman remade it AND refunded my money. That was really sweet - even though it was totally unnecessary. And, it was a decent crepe. The berries in the middle were still kind of frozen, so it was great for a hot day.



There were a ton of other food places, too, like Friar Tuck’s Pantry, which had cheese curds, chicken and fries and more. 



There was this place with lots of loaded chips and other fried goods.



Finally, my last snack was from Caribbean Specialties, which was an empanada! It's like a savory meat pocket. It was definitely on the dry side, but they gave me a whole side of queso that I couldn't complain about. Interesting pairing, but not bad. 



There was also kettle corn and other goodies I didn't get to check out this time, but I appreciated the variety available. 



Have you ever been?



If so, what's been your favorite bite?



And, shoutout to these cool performance artists! 

Oh, DiCarlo's. Best dang pizza in the world.



I went to visit one of the newest locations - in the Northern Panhandle - on one of the last snows of the year and I've been avoiding writing about it because I miss it so much.



If you're new here, DiCarlo's is an Ohio Valley-style pizza that has a crunchy crust and a sweeter sauce that is baked, and when that comes out, provolone is gently melted on top. I've been to every DiCarlo's location now, and there are some very mild differences between the locations. You can look back through the reviews to check those out. But also - I just like to have an excuse to eat more DiCarlo's, so I travel.



This location is in a shopping area, so parking is plentiful, and it has a more modern vibe in a small space. The menu is short - pizza, pepperoni rolls and drinks. That's fine by me. I put in an order for six pieces (usually the amount that fits in a box) with mushrooms. 



Oh my god. Is your mouth watering, too? The parking, the space, it's all a distant memory when the pizza is in front of me. Sure, the experience was fine. But this PIZZA. It's perfectly crunchy - but not too thick. It has sauce all the way to the edges so you get a full bite every time. And that fresh cheese. All paired with the umami flavor of the mushrooms? Chef's kiss. Perfection.



Grade: A