Here's my newest J.Q. Dickinson Appalachian Mercantile box for November! HILLSIDE ORCHARD FARM
Vidalia Onion Steak Sauce
This sauce is made in the mountains of north Georgia from Vidalia onions. Great on steak, chicken or pork.

DAVIS & DAVIS
Soup Mix
This easy soup mix is great to have when you need a quick meal. Delicious and filling! Made in central PA

TEAYS VALLEY
Peanut Butter Fudge
This mix is made in Teays Valley, WV and can be made into peanut butter fudge or peanut butter balls. Perfect for the holidays

FORKIN' GOOD NUTS
Spiced Peanut Snack
These delcious peanuts are a great snack to have around. Made by chefs Peter and Sharon Daniel in PA.

APPALACHIAN BOTANICAL
Fragrant Mist
Appalachian Botanical grows lavender in WV on former mine land. They have created a line of natural botanicals. Use this on your skin, linens, or as a room spray.

SILVER MARKET Co
Lip Balm
A natural, plant based skin care company in WV. This lipbalm soothes and moisturizes. Great for winter!

The Noshery is a food truck that sets up at Olin's Day & Night Market. It's a little outside my area, so I was excited to check it out.



Once I arrived and looked ove the menu, the item that stood out to me was the "Blue Creek Special," which said it was "a local favorite originating at Maynor's Market" with ham, pepperoni, hot peppeer cheese, onion, mild banana peppers and tomato.



Maynor's Market was apparently a beloved Elkview store that was important to the community. And this sandwich specifically seemed to be a local favorite. My favorite part of this sandwich was that it was buttered and grilled, so it gave the cheese that gooey texture. I wouldn't have minded something to lighten it up, because these flavors were a bit heavy and dense all together. But, tasty? Absolutely.



Grade: B

In 1972, famous New Yorker magazine author Calvin Trillin declared in Playboy magazine that “the single best restaurant in the world is Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue at 18th and Brooklyn in Kansas City." Arthur Bryant's is now considered one of the most famous BBQ restaurants in the world.



I think Trillin's take on the restaurant was more of a tongue-in-cheek ode to his hometown favorites. He goes on to say Jess and Jim's serves the finest steak in the world, Winstead's the finest burger, and the city itself to have the finest donuts and milkshake on the globe. He was later quoted as saying: "Listen, when you ask me if I really like Winstead's burgers, all I can answer is that I'm from Kansas City. Any guy who doesn't think his hometown hamburgers are best is sissy.” Nonetheless, Arthur Bryant's has enjoyed quite the reception from this claim - touting it prominently where applicable.



Arthur Bryant's Barbeque features succulent meat that's slow-smoked with a combination of hickory and oak woods, mellowed to the peak of flavor, then splashed with Arthur Bryant's Original or Rich & Spicy Sauce – their secret recipe.

Created by Arthur Bryant, the restaurant continues to honor his legacy of serving the country's finest barbeque.

Arthur Bryant, the legendary King of Ribs, is the most renowned "barbequer" in history. He created a sauce that has attracted the likes of former Presidents Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama to his restaurant, according to the website.

"Charlie Bryant started the Kansas City barbeque tradition, or some say it was Henry Perry for whom Charlie worked. Arthur visited his brother Charlie in Kansas City and never left. Upon his brother's death, Arthur took over the operation and moved the restaurant to where it stands today at 18th & Brooklyn. At the time, that was just four blocks away from Municipal Stadium, home of the Kansas City Blues and then the Kansas City Athletics. It was also the first home to the Kansas City Chiefs. This move catapulted the restaurant to country-wide popularity. The eatery is nationally known and often recognized by experts as the best or one of the best barbecue offerings in the country. As the fan base for the teams grew, and visiting teams and VIPs passed through our city, passion for Arthur Bryant's Barbecue continued to skyrocket."

"Today current ownership feels strongly about its role as guardian of the Arthur Bryant's tradition and works diligently to maintain its integrity. For example, Arthur used to mix and store his sauce in big five-gallon glass jars, which you can still see displayed in the restaurant's window today."



The menu features: BBQ Sandwiches - beef, ham, pork, turkey, sausage or burnt ends; baby back ribs; half chicken; The 3 B Sandwich (with burnt ends); The 18th & Vine (with pulled pork); fries; onion rings, baked beans; cole slaw; pickles; potato casserole; potato salad; and bread.

Kansas City style BBQ is known for its thick, sweet sauce derived from brown sugar, molasses, and tomatoes; and its burnt ends, which were made famous at Arthur Bryant's, where cooks would chop off the "burnt ends” of slabs of brisket and give them away for free. They are now a main atttaction.



There is always a long line at Arthur Bryant's, where you wait to order your food. I called ahead to place an order - there is a minimum dollar amount, and I was glad to pay it to get some extra food to share with friends and skip the line. My main order was the burnt end sandwich, which was like sweet and tangy bits of meat candy. Its texture and its flavor are a duo of deliciousness. It's the antithesis of that fatty or gummy bits you find in BBQ sometimes. It's perfection. I took mine to go, though there is a well-worn dining area to get the full vibe.



Grade: A

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

Dinner is served: a raw ribeye on a paper plate.

Hope you brought your own eating utensils. And tongs. And seasonings. And a plate.

If you’re from the Wheeling area, you know the drill of a steak fry. If you’re not, you may struggle to eat your dinner.

A steak fry is a common fundraiser in the Ohio Valley, where everyone from veterans groups and Lions Clubs to scholarship funds and high school sports teams host them to raise money for a cause.

Here’s how it works: The host provides the raw steaks, usually a small salad and a selection of homemade desserts. Plus a large, rip-roaring grill.

Once you receive your steak, you head to the grill to map out your game plan. Do you place your beef directly on the flames and char the outside? Do you find a spot to perfect the grill marks? Do you find a lower flame and cook it low and slow?

You bring everything to cook the steak to your preference, starting with a plate, tongs to flip your steak, cutlery, seasoning and steak sauce. Optional additions could include chips or pretzels to snack on, cheese or melon as sides, napkins, Tupperware to take home leftovers and a bag to carry all of this.

The name, steak fry, is a misnomer of sorts. You’re not cooking the steak in hot oil or fat, but rather the steaks are grilled. And the event is not to be confused with thick-cut French fries known as “steak fries” often served alongside steak or other hearty meals.

But there are pockets across the United States that, too, host steak frys. Iowa, for example, is known for its political campaign fundraiser steak fry in which presidential hopefuls have participated in for more than 40 years.

These pockets are few and far between, though. And often, go just a few miles in either direction, and the concept will be foreign to those communities.

That is in part what makes the steak fry special to me. It’s unique to the region and combines both food and philanthropy. There’s a connection to the community and people through traditions like this. Even to those who prefer their steak well-done.

Wild Roots Coffeehouse in Princeton is a new-to-me local shop on Mercer Street that is half coffee and half art.



Walking inside, Wild Roots has a casual coffee shop vibe with funky art hanging on the walls. The room toward the back is more of a lounge vibe with even more artistic flair.



The menu features coffee, smoothies, pastries, soups and sandwiches. On this day, I chose the Sweet Falls Mocha, which had caramel of course.



My drink was decent - like a chunky coffee milkshake. I think I've been a bit spoiled by places that add an extra caramel swirl in the cup to be *fancy.*



Next time, I'll need to add on a baked good.



Grade: B