Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
With Halloween around the corner, I figured I’d take the time to start talking about things like witches, ghosts and monsters. But what I want to talk about is a different kind of monster…what kind of monster, you ask?
Ooh, ahhh…a green monster!
Image: Real Illusion/Shutterstock
Okay, so it’s not a real monster. It’s quite the opposite, actually. I’m not sure why it’s called a “monster,” but basically a green monster is a healthy green colored smoothie–made green from blended spinach or kale. By blending together spinach or kale with milk (of your choice, but soy or almond would be true to the ‘movement’), fruit, and health seeds or powders, this smoothie acts as a natural energizer, nutrient provider, and even skin clearer.
Image: V.J. Matthew/Shutterstock
Most “green monsters” are made with normal smoothie ingredients like frozen bananas and milk, but the addition of spinach or other leafy greens have enormous health benefits with a huge dose of antioxidants, iron, vitamins, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids if you add in something like flax or chia seeds.
Though it looks a little unappetizing, devout Green Monster drinkers swear by them for their delicious taste, quickness to make, and easy intake of your daily fruits and vegetables and other nutrients.
Here’s the most basic Green Monster recipe, from the Green Monster Movement site:
2 cups organic spinach
1-1 ¼ cups milk (any kind)
1 tablespoon flax (optional)
1 banana
Handful of ice
Blend everything together on high speed in your blender for about 1 minute.
Check out the “Movement” for more information, and if you’re feeling brave during this Halloween season, why not try something a little healthier than candy?
-Julia Harbo
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Only two weeks left to visit the Brambleton Farmers Market- one of the five different Loudoun market locations. For those of you not familiar with Brambleton, it’s a relatively new development, situated just across from a slew of brand spanking new developments. Brambleton Town Center has everything from movie theatre, to a Caribou Coffee and, yes, even a farmers market every Sunday morning.
But like I said, there are only two more Sunday’s to go before this one shuts down for the winter and before it does, you’re going to want to check out Buchanan Farms.
I was never one of those people who went to a farmers market to buy meat. Like most, I bought my chicken and beef from the supermarket, occasionally splurging on the organic chicken, or the free range beef but I never really put that much thought into it.
Enter Buchanan Farms.
Owner Sharon Buchanan with daughter, Bonnie
I had the pleasure of speaking with owner Sharon Buchanan who said that the 1200 acre farm has been in the family for over 200 years.
All the meat is organic, grass fed, and butchered by a private butcher. “Our animals are humanely raised on green pastures and have access to multigrain feed for their entire lives,” said Buchanan, which, in turn “produces a higher-graded quality meat.”
Everything from pork, lamb, lamb sausage, and black angus is available; however not everything all the time. They only have a certain number of animals at any given time so when it’s gone, it’s gone.
“It’s all about quality, not quantity,” she says.
I'm told that the leg of lamb sells particularly fast
Rightly so.
You get a real sense of where your food comes from when you realize that the steak is from a farm not 30 miles away. All the feed for the animals is grown on the farm and the entire family lends a hand in helping out. There is a real sense of community from Buchanan. She knows all the vendors and is very involved in ensuring that farmers markets keep promoting their privately owned vendors.
Fresh ground beef from Buchanan Farms
Buchanan Farms encourages visitors out to their farm in Waterford, Virginia and hopes to have a website up soon. Until that time you can contact them at:
Buchanan Farms - 40817 Browns Lane, Waterford
(540)882.4633
buchananmeats@aol.com
If you’ve happened to bring your furry friend to the market with you, stop by Jumping Jack Dog treats, for some all-natural, dog-approved treats that are as tasty as they are healthy for your pup. We picked up a sack of almond butter flavored treats and Nitro, our corgi, just about went crazy over them. And with flavors like apple and peanut butter, there’s sure to be something for even the pickiest of eaters.
Nitro will wait for Jumping Jack treats!
Visit Jumping Jack’s website here.
Brambleton Town center doesn’t boast the biggest farmers market out there; there were perhaps 7 vendors there at the most. But you can tell that everyone there truly believes in their product and take extreme pride in being able to share it with the community.
Brambleton Farmers Market is located at the Sport & Health Parking Lot by Olympia Dr & Soave Drive in Brambleton Town Center and runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. until October 30th so get out there now while you still can!
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Northern Virginia Farmer’s Market and Hours:
Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
– Jennie Whistler
Whole Foods Dinner: Not Your Whole Paycheck
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Last night, in a hasty desire to cook a good dinner, my boyfriend and I swung by the Whole Foods on 14th Street in D.C. on the way home from work. Though it has unarguably great products, it’s all too often that Whole Foods becomes synonymous with Whole Paycheck.
But on a mission to not spend a whole paycheck’s worth on quality groceries (as my stomach growled more vigorously as the hour crept closer to dinnertime, it was hard not to pull everything off the shelves), we roamed the store on a strict budget. And succeed we did, with dinner for two, for under $20. And it was a really good dinner.
Since hunger, not time, was on our sides, we picked out four ready-to-cook herbed and seasoned chicken thighs, a fresh (still warm, oh yes) baguette (I couldn’t help ripping off a hunk from one end of the warm baguette as we walked back to the house four blocks away), a large portobella mushroom, and fresh goat cheese. Lastly, we made an arugula salad at the salad bar. Total cost: $18.02.
That comes out to about $9 per person, and we still had two leftover pieces of chicken, and about half of the baguette and circle of goat cheese. If you doubled the salad quantity, you could easily feed four for about $5 per person.
Now, let me tell you how good this dinner was…simplicity is good.
To start, we made our salad with fresh arugula, shredded beets, jicama, zucchini, corn, and feta cheese. We made our own dressing at home with a little bit of balsamic vinegar, whole grain mustard, honey, hot sauce, olive oil, and salt and pepper. I swear I could have eaten just this salad for dinner, it was that good. There’s just something about fresh arugula, with its sharp bitter taste, mixed with the slightly sweet and tangy flavor of beets and balsamic dressing that is impossible to beat.
Arugula salad with corn, beets, jicama, zucchini and feta with homemade balsamic-honey dressing
Next, we made our crostinis by slicing up the baguette, topping each piece with a smear of goat cheese, and then adding the sauteed portobella mushroom on top. To cook the mushroom, we simply sauteed it in butter and balsamic vinegar, with a little salt and pepper, and then chopped it up and added it to the bread and cheese. We ran out of mushroom for one row of the bread slices, so we just used goat cheese and a drizzle of honey for those. Then we sprinkled all of them with some herbed basil and pepper and popped them in the oven for about 10 minutes while the chicken was baking.
Goat cheese and honey/goat cheese and portobella crostinis
The chicken was the easiest– we literally just transferred it from the saran-wrapped package to the oven. And man, did it come out ever so juicy and tender, with so much flavor from the herbs. Normally I would opt to buy plain fresh chicken and season it myself, but this package just looked so good, so easy, and was ridiculously cheap.
The whole dinner.
So, as it turns out, it is possible to shop at Whole Foods without making it your Whole Paycheck.
For Whole Foods locations near you, go here.
-Julia Harbo
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
Butternut squash mac and cheese and green salad- the perfect meal!
As you may or may not know from a previous post, butternut squash is one of my very favorite things to eat during the fall. It’s sweet, warm and gives you that yummy in the tummy, good for your wholesome feeling. Its dense flesh and robust flavor work well in a variety of dishes, from sweet to savory. And yesterday I found yet another reason why this gourd reigns supreme- butternut squash mac and cheese.
I mean, how can you go wrong with either of those things? It’s comfort food times 10! Plus you’re adding more vegetables and less cheese, but I swear your kids would not be able to tell the difference.
You will need:
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 box of whole grain pasta
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups of your favorite cheese (use one kind, or mix and match!)
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of pepper (or to taste)
a couple pinches of nutmeg
First, peel one medium sized butternut squash and cut into cubes. Toss the cubes, 2 cups of whole milk and one cup of water into a large pot with 2 cloves of garlic, a couple pinches of nutmeg and one chicken boullion cube.
coming to a boil
Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, until tender. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375 and cook your pasta as directed. I used a whole grain rotini, because I think it really absorbs and holds more sauce, but you can certainly use any kind you like.
Once cooked, dump your squash and milk into a food processor or blender and add the yogurt (or sour cream), salt, pepper and let ‘er rip! And please use extreme caution because the mixture will be very hot!
Dump your squash blend into a large mixing bowl and add the best part- the cheese!
Now, I used a mixture of sharp cheddar cheese and monteray jack but get creative! Use whatever kind of cheese you like! Swiss, gruyere, even blue cheese- I feel like there’s really no wrong answer here.
My squash and cheese puree
Once your pasta is cooked al dente (just shy of being done), toss it into the mixing bowl with the squash puree and give it a good stir.
Mixed with the pasta... mmm!
Oh man, I’m getting hungry just looking at the pictures again!
Mix together your parmesan and breadcrumbs- this is going to be your topping.
Once everything incorporated, pour it all into a 9 x 13 baking dish and sprinkle with your parmesan and breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes, until the top has a nice golden brown crust.
Now bask in your heavenly creation.
The result!
This does make quite a lot, so unless you have a family of 5, you may want to think about halving the recipe. Or just have it the next day for lunch- both are good options!
So easy, healthy and absolutely delicious- it’s the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening! This one is definitely going in my permenant recipe collection!
– Jennie Whistler
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 17th, 2011
In my book, there’s just nothing quite as good as Sunday brunch.
When it comes to the first meal of the day, I’m a firm believer in breakfast food. In the battle of breakfast food (cereal, eggs, pancakes) versus lunch food (sandwiches, salads, burgers) as the first thing in your mouth for the day on the weekends, I will always choose breakfast. (Disagree if you want, but I just can’t fathom putting a sandwich in my stomach without properly having breakfast first.)
It’s during the loved weekends when sleeping in late wins and you’re faced with the decision of taking the breakfast or lunch route that these dilemmas arise. So whoever invented brunch really figured out how to please both parties of both breakfast and lunch. Where else can you see such two separate entities bond over a mealtime table in such great harmony?
At Eat-Bar‘s Sunday brunch this weekend, that’s where!
Unfortunately, we missed the Big Screen Cartoon Brunch Series screening (it started at 11, a bit too early for myself after a late Saturday night), but were still able to gawk over the delicious sounding brunch menu while enjoying a bonus brunch amuse bouche of mini doughnuts with Nutella glaze.
Complimentary doughnuts with Nutella glaze? Mmm, yes please!
For me, it was a tough decision choosing between the different breakfasty options, including the sunny side up farm eggs with homemade pastrami hash, house smoked salmon, and scrambled eggs with chorizo and black beans.
I took the breakfast route (of course) and got the eggs over easy with bacon, home fries and toast.
My friend Michelle took the lunch route and got a good ol' cheddar cheeseburger.
Here you have it– breakfast and lunch, eaten together in perfect harmony for Sunday brunch!
Eat-Bar is located next to Tallula at 2671 Washington Blvd. in Arlington (open nightly beginning at 4 p.m. and Sundays for brunch, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 703-778-9951).
For more NoVA brunch ideas, go here.
-Julia Harbo
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 17th, 2011
This Saturday I ventured out to Rustico‘s Oktobeerfest in Alexandria. Offering over 50 different beer drafts all day, Rustico was teaming up with neighbors Buzz Bakery and Planet Wine to raise funds for their non-profit partner Arcadia.
I think it’s safe to say they earned a great amount of money this weekend.
I arrived at around 3 p.m. and after waiting in a short line received five free tickets, as promised, for showing a picture of myself standing in front of the Braddock Road Metro (they were, however, all out of the other option of a free glass Oktobeerfest beer mug and only offered the ceramic ones for purchase for $10, which I was mildly disappointed by).
Upon entering the festival area, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The space was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with beer-thirsty people; and though it was otherwise an absolutely perfect warm and sunny fall day, I began to sweat and feel like I was a cooking grain of rice jam packed among 500 others in a boiling pot. (It was at this point that my boyfriend and I agreed we’d rather have been told the festival was at capacity instead of them letting us inside.) But we’d just paid $40 in tickets and wanted some good, cold beer, dang it.
I risked punching my fellow Oktobeerfesters in the side and was able to pull my arm through the crowd and up in the air to get this picture.
With our eye immediately on the Hoptober beer labeled on a sign that I could peek a glance at between bobbing heads of people in the crowd, we went over and stood in the area of the crowd that we guessed was the line. After about 10 minutes, we watched the beer-pouring employee tear down the Hoptober sign and barely read his lips form the words “all gone.”
Since we couldn’t actually move anywhere else, it seemed like we were standing in another line to get beer from any of the other kegs (of the supposed 50+ beers on tap) and when inquiring what kind of beer it was, the woman behind me (who, with whom I shared so much skin, could have been mistaken as my siamese twin) whined “I don’t even care anymore.” When we finally got to the front of the ‘line,’ we didn’t know what kind of beer was in the keg in front of us, but the man in the Oktobeerfest t-shirt informed us that the “sour, very sour” beer would be “9 tickets each.”
Maybe I’m just missing an affinity to sour beer, but oh man, was it sour.
One of the serving tables. Sadly, they were all out of turkey legs by 3:15.
The high note of the afternoon was the short line for the mustard braised pork shoulder sandwich with red cabbage and apples. We got lucky and snagged a corner of one of the few small standing-height tables to pause for a minute with the food.
Mustard braised pork shoulder sandwich with red cabbage and apples, and our sour beer.
Hungry for more, we went towards the brat dog tent where we saw people coming from holding amazing looking dogs piled with bacon braised sauerkraut. We had been waiting in a mess of a line for about 20 minutes when the server shouted out to the hungry crowd that everyone on the left side (our side of the mob) had to be ordering the BBQ pulled pork sliders and everyone on the right side was for the brat dogs. It was then that we gave up and pushed our way through the crowd toward the exit.
On the bright side, all of the staff members were very pleasant and helpful despite the mayhem. The ticket booth bought back our unused tickets (we donated five to Arcadia) and the hostess inside Rustico, where we went to see how long a table for two in the restaurant would be (an hour, we were told, because the kitchen was backed up), was very friendly and apologetic to us.
Perhaps the good weather simply brought way more visitors than expected; perhaps we got there too late in the day. If I go back next year, I would like to see more available beer with shorter lines and about one-third of the crowd. Regardless, it was a busy day for a good cause and I’m hopeful in saying that the event must have been a success for at least some people in the crowd.
-Julia Harbo
Fall Harvest Wine Dinner at BRABO
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 17th, 2011
Photo by: Len DePas
Robert Wiedmaier Hosts Five-Course Fall Harvest Dinner with selected French wine pairings
BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier is hosting a five-course wine dinner prepared by Executive Chef Robert Wiedmaier and Chef de Cuisine Chris Watson this Thursday, October 20, featuring seasonal dishes inspired by the fall harvest, paired with French wines selected by sommelier David Kurka. Chefs Wiedmaier and Watson and sommelier David Kurka will lead a conversation about each course, as well as the pairings throughout the evening.
The cost for the dinner is $125 per person, excluding tax and gratuity and reservations are required so call now!
The Menu:
Amuse Bouche
Baton of Crispy Sweetbreads, Meaux Mustard Dipping Sauce
*paired with Champagne, Roederer, Brut, Collection, NV
1st Course
Ravioli of Petit Gris and Foie Gras, Parsley-Lemon Essence
*paired with Pinot Gris, Chateau D’Orschwihr, ‘Zinnkoepfle,’ Alsace, 2008
2nd Course
Roasted Diver Scallop, Sea Urchin Butter with Tobiko
*paired with Chenin Blanc, Pascal Janvier, ‘Cuvée du Silex,’ Jasnières, Loire Valley, France, 2010
3rd Course
Squab with Wild Mushroom Roulade, Cabernet and Roasted Shallot Reduction
*paired with Grenache Blend, Domaine du Pourra, Cotes du Rhone Village, ‘Séguret,’ 2006
4th Course
Veal Medallions with Salsify, Madeira and Green Peppercorn Reduction
*paired with Merlot Blend, Château Beauregard, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, 2001
Dessert
PlumTart, Honey Cinnamon Ice Cream
*paired with Sauternes,La Fleur d’Or, Bordeaux, France, 2006
Photo by: Len DePas
Critically acclaimed and award-winning Chef Robert Wiedmaier is transforming Alexandria’s dining scene with his new Old Town trifecta. Adjacent to the boutique Lorien Hotel & Spa, the elegant BRABO Restaurant, casual and lively BRABO Tasting Room and The Butcher’s Block, A Market by RW, are each distinctive reflections of Wiedmaier’s passion and award-winning talents. These spaces, created by renowned New York-designer Vicente Wolf, are as engaging as Chef Wiedmaier’s signature cuisine.
The entire team is committed to making BRABO the best dining experience in Old Town Alexandria. Gluten-free options are available for guests with food allergies, as well as vegan and vegetarian fare.
FALL HARVEST WINE DINNER AT BRABO
Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m. - Space is limited. For more information or to make reservations call 703.894.3440 or visit www.facebook.com/braborestaurant or www.braborestaurant.com
BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier: 1600 King Street, Alexandria
– Jennie Whistler
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 14th, 2011
Image: Raffalo/Shutterstock
No, really…that isn’t a disparaging phrase, it’s an honest question.
You can bite them, slice them, peel them, cook them, coat them in caramel, dip them in peanut butter…oh, yes, the list is endless.
My personal favorite way to eat an apple is plain, fresh and raw—there’s nothing better than first crunchy bite through the tough and bitter skin, making way to the sweet, juicy, slightly yellow inside. Some people eat the entire apple raw, core and seeds included (I know, but you’ll grow an apple tree in your belly!).
I’m not that extreme of an apple purist, but I do love apples, and all the things you can do with them. And what better time to enjoy apples than in the fall? That’s why I’m putting together a blog chain that will glorify the apple and all the things you can do with them, with one apple recipe per week.
The sun is shining (hopefully), the sky is blue, the air is getting crisp but not too cold, grocery stores are more stocked with apples than they’ve ever been, and all the local farmers markets and orchards are up and running. So go out there and get yourself some apples…how do you like them apples?!
This week’s recipe:
Benjamin likes them apples.
I decided to put my words to practice and went apple picking this past weekend. I went with my sister and 16-month old nephew and got some deliciously fresh and crisp Fuji apples. Trying to think of what to do with a bag of 15+ apples, we decided to make something traditionally fally (and yummy) and went with apple crisp.
Traditional Apple Crisp
From SparkRecipes
5-6 medium sized apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
Mix the apples and cinnamon and place in a 9-inch greased baking dish. For the topping, mix together the remaining ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over the apples. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Northern Virginia Apple Orchards (in alphabetical order):
Crooked Run Orchard (37883 East Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-6642)
Hartland Orchard (3064 Hartland Lane, Markham; 540-364-2316)
High Places Orchards (121 Winesap Lane, Flint Hill; 540-635-5537)
Hill High Farms (933 Barley Lane, Winchester; 540-667-7377)
Hollin Farms (11324 Pearlstone Lane, Delaplane; 540-592-3574)
Great Country Farms (18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; 20135)
Graves Mountain (Graves Mountain Lodge, Route 670, Syria; 540-923-4231)
Mackintosh Fruit Farm (1608 Russell Road, Berryville; 540-955-2161)
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm (3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980)
Nichols Farm (1832 Chapel Road, Middletown; 540-869-1258)
Richard’s Fruit Market (6410 Middle Road, Middletown; 540-869-1455)
Rinker Orchards (1156 Marlboro Road, Stephens City; 540-869-1499)
Stribling Orchard (11587 Poverty Hollow Lane, Markham; 540-364-3040)
Virginia Farm Market (1881 North Frederick Pike, Winchester; 540-665-8000)
-Julia Harbo
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 14th, 2011
Image: Kzenon/Shutterstock
Guten tag once again! Your friendly weekend guide to all the best Oktoberfest celebrations is here!
You don’t want to miss out:
Oktoberfest at Döner Bistro
October 13-16. Döner Bistro is proud to host the fourth annual Oktoberfest Celebration in Leesburg under the big Fest Tent! Döner Bistro, 202 Harrison Street, Leesburg; (703)779.7880; Free
Rustico’s Oktobeerfest Celebration
October 15, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. The raucous Alexandria block party is set to outdo seasons past this year, with live music, a wine and bubbly garden, family-friendly activities, German inspired food, and of course, beer! Rustico, 827 Slaters Lane, Alexandria; (703)224.5051; Free admission, beer tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance
Visit our calendar for more events going on this weekend in your area!
– Jennie Whistler
Historic Bourbon Producer A. Smith Bowman Now Offering Distillery Tours
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, October 13th, 2011
Image: Alexandr Vlassyuk/Shutterstock
For those of you who don’t know, the historic A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg goes way back. Abram Smith Bowman started distilling bourbon back in the years before Prohibition and, after the repeal of Prohibition in 1927, moved to Virginia with his family to continue his bourbon distillation on what was then called Sunset Hills Farm in Fairfax County.
The distillery is now in Fredericksburg and continues to produce a variety of Bourbon whiskeys, rum, vodka and gin.
Their newest offering: distillery tours.
Open to the public, the tours will last one hour and will teach participants about distillation, barreling and bottling of bourbon. The tours will allow participants to see the museum, still house, barrel warehouse, and barrel dump and fill room, as well as sample the bourbon and other products.
Tours will run at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday-Friday or by appointment.
“We are very excited to expand our role in Virginia tourism,” Master Distiller Truman Cox of the historic family-run distillery says.
For more information, visit the distillery website at www.asmithbowman.com.
A. Smith Bowman is located at One Bowman Drive in Fredericksburg (540-373-4555).
-Julia Harbo