Edacious

Dairy Work. With Raw Milk. How can we get over our fear of all natural? Welcome to an episode where a city girl learns the difference between black cows and brown cows and we demystify all the imagined dangers around one of the healthiest beverages you can drink, raw milk. Meet Ben and Kristen Beichler of Creambrook Farm dairy in Middlebrook, Virginia.

What are the health benefits of raw milk anyway? Are they legit or a product of its rarity, more legend than fact? It's proven raw milk has more vitamins because any beta-carotene, omega-3 and 6, and other nutrients the cow eats from grass ends up in your belly. Cows digest these nutrients way better than you, but you end up with the benefits. In fact, some lactose-intolerant folks can actually handle raw milk! To me, it tastes better. It's more satiating. It feels like a complete thing in and of itself.

But some folks still don't buy it. They subscribe to old beliefs leftover from the turn of last century, not understanding the production of raw milk is a lost art. Something practiced for centuries. But urbanization brought dairies to cities. Cities are dirty which causes disease. In the 1920's raw milk was outlawed and pasteurization ruled. It's only been in recent years states have realized times have changed. Modern raw milk dairies are complexes of biology and chemistry. This milk is clean, safe, delicious, healthy, and handled with care. Creambrook has its own farm lab and every ounce is tested to the milliliter.

"When we offer raw milk for the first time, folks smell it first. Is it going to bite me?"

Raw milk at Creambrook is taken straight from the cow and chilled to prevent bacterial contamination. Conventional pasteurized milk is heated. But milk is delicate and the process kills most beneficial aspects while also having a detrimental effect on flavor. And milk does have a flavor profile. Much like wine or cider, this beverage has terroir, reflecting the grasses and herbs eaten by the cows who gift it to us. This flavor profile changes with every season since the cows are constantly grazing on different things. Not only can the flavor change seasonally, taste can change from day to day depending on whether the paddock has more clover, more chicory or just plain grass.

The story Ben tells about how he and Kristen got started is inspiring and thoughtful. Sure it's hard work, but for anyone interested in pursuing this career, so rewarding and important. Pro tip: Work in dairy before starting your own. A lot. Then do it some more. Because even if you think you know how hard it is to run a dairy farm? Double that. Then get help from everyone you've ever met. Find mentors. Ask questions. Do your research. And don't turn your nose up at conventional dairy methods. These folks have done this work for decades, a lot longer than you, and they can be important mentors with an infinite well of knowledge to pull from.

Ben is the first full-time farmer in his family for five generations. Starting was literally Ground Zero. He trained at Polyface Farm with Joel Salatin for a time, working with chickens, turkeys, pretty much every farm position you could think of before settling on dairy. He and wife Kristen have operated a dairy for six years now and are committed to providing the highest quality product possible. Raw milk straight from the cow to you.

"If it's your dream, do it."

Did you know when Ben and Kristen purchase cows they have to adapt them to grass-fed living? It's very difficult to find cows who have been fed on grass only. Grains are tougher on digestive systems and cows can't talk (that we know of ;) so any problems have to be worked through before the Beichlers can use the cow on the farm. Sillage is very acidic while grass is more neutral. Cows have four stomachs, so each one has to make the transition to adapt from a pre-mixed high-octane diet to just simple green grass. This might sound unnatural but for cows who have only eaten one thing, a transition has to happen. It's similar to changing out the McDonald's to kale overnight. The body adapts to what it's fed. But you don't want to push it to the breaking point. It takes two years to transition a cow. Imagine having to do that as a new business owner! Taking that extra step while taking the chance that it won't sink your business. Courageous.

How much grass does a cow have to eat every day? How can Ben and Kristen tell when a cow isn't doing well? What does a mad cow look like? Not one who's sick but one who's mad because you overslept? Why do Jersey cows have the Diva Disease? What does he recommend for new dairy farmers? What must they do before "Buying the Farm" so to speak? How is a dairy farmer like a brewmaster? And how is the farm industry threatened by farmers aging out as well as all the new development going on?

"Go support your local farmer."

To enjoy Creambrook Farm raw milk, simply sign up for a herd share. Just like owning a piece of Google or Apple, you will own a portion of the herd. Milk is the dividend. Shares are offered full and half portions, billed every four weeks, with shares dropped off weekly at a multitude of drop-off locations all over the region. Get out to Farm Day. Sign up for a cheese class. Both Ben and Kristen are so friendly and charming. The perfect spokespeople for such a healthy, tasty product. When I look at my coffee now and raw milk isn't in it? I get frowny. It's good stuff people. Get you some!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to the 3dacious newsletter! - The Top 3 listings for food writing, events, and food I forked delivered weekly to your inbox with minimal fuss in a nice and neat to-go package.
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Catering is hard work. Chefs like Gabrielle Hamilton earned their stripes doing large corporate catering events and if you read her memoir, "Blood, Bones, and Butter," you know doing the job of caterer is no joke. There are long hours, unpredictable circumstances, and anxious customers hell-bent on having everything absolutely perfect. Ever watch Restaurant Wars on Top Chef? Well, a caterer builds a pop-up each time they do a job. Which can be multiple times a week in the busy season. How does the magic happen? Welcome to my FANTASTIC conversation with someone well aware of catering's triumphs and possible pitfalls. Meet Gay Beery of A Pimento Catering, a Charlottesville institution.

"You build a restaurant for a night, and then you make it go away."

Gay's life parallels Gabrielle's in many ways beyond food. Both women grew up in theatrical families with mothers who were dancers. Both fathers worked IN THE SAME CIRCUS! The story of how her parents met is one not to be missed. Gay credits her theatrical background with giving her the ability to perform Culinary Theater. A beautifully choreographed dance to make sure the food arrives hot and beautiful and perfect. No matter the location. Catering is theater and her employees are culinary actors and performers. At times it can be a circus. Many plates have to spin literally and figuratively in order for the magic to happen. And it's not just events! Gay also hosts once-a-month wine dinners at her beautiful space within The Glass Building. Phew!

People sometimes complain about catering's cost. But imagine you take a group of folks to a restaurant. Now imagine that restaurant coming to you. Do the math. For an extra special event folks will remember, hiring a caterer beats plopping down a credit card at a restaurant hands-down. This is not, "Choose Beef, Chicken, Or Fish," catering. Gay and her team sit down with each customer, creating a unique menu from scratch based on the event itself, as well as their budget, wishes, and dietary needs. For those folks who can't tolerate gluten, Gail creates colorful, tasty dishes with vegetables, and REAL food folks can enjoy. No substitute flours or meats here people, because her beautiful vegetables and stunning crabcakes are something she's known for.

"The jobs are like my babies."

Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or the ever popular wedding, any reason you have to do a gathering, A Pimento can work with you. Catering has changed so much over the years. In the past customers were pretty hands off giving the caterer carte blanche to create whatever they wanted. Now customers are much more knowledgeable and opinionated about food, beverage, even fabrics. With price points, design choices, and multiple menus, hiring a caterer can be daunting. How does Gay make the process easy? And what about customers who walk in the door, Pinterest in hand, with no idea that what they envision is completely impossible within their budget? Pro tip: no ice cream cakes or croquembouche in an unairconditioned tent in July, please. THAT story made me do the ugly laugh. #sadbouche

"My guiding practice has always been to always put myself in the seat of the client. What would make the client happy? That's what I want to do. What would make me happy? What would I expect? That's my guideline. If we can't meet that, then something's not right."

Like a restaurant, catering does have busier seasons than others. Mid-March through June is crazy. July and August can be busy or not, but come September things ramp up again. Back in the day when Gay was first starting out she actually closed for a few weeks every summer because it was so slow. But the wedding industry changed that for good. Now she works year round. She moved here from DC almost 30 years ago, bringing with her catering experience she'd earned at a fancy grocery store. Initially, she couldn't even make a living in food. But that has certainly changed dramatically. What does she think of the changes? When you're the pre-eminent caterer in Charlottesville and the 2nd most popular wedding destination on the East coast, you've got more work than you can handle. How does Gay find balance? You don't want to say no, but you don't want to overwhelm staff either. Again, like a restaurant, Gay has to weigh staff needs and her own high standards in order to produce the most dramatic event possible.

"Catering is the land of Shit Happens. And you have to embrace that from the beginning and be up for that, or it really isn't for you. Because we are building a kitchen in a tent...Anything can happen, and it usually does."

What does A Pimento do when there are epic challenges? How does Gay make sure the performance still appears flawless if someone flubs their lines? How does behavioral psychology come into play? Any good Bridezilla stories? Where does she source her products? Does A Pimento have a signature dish? How does she navigate and work with the other folks doing the events like planners and florists? And what are Gay's tips for throwing a party on a weeknight for no good reason? Because we NEED that right now!

What are her thoughts on the new Charlottesville Women in Food group? How can we help the young women just starting out? We spend a great deal of time brainstorming how business owners can share experiences. As Gay says, there are many of us, "...who suffer in silence."

We enjoyed a nice rosé from Corsica during our conversation with some clementines and shortbread while the sunlight poured through her floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I could get used to this. Sure hope there's a second course sometime. Cheers! Stay edacious!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• "Anything can happen and it usually does." - We couldn't remember how we knew this quote. Turns out we're showing our age! ;)
• The video that started it all. Watch what prompted Charlottesville Women in Food to get motivated to start their own Facebook group, which is quickly becoming a movement.
• Chefs With Issues. If you work in food and find yourself struggling, make your way here. Kat Kinsman is good people.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to the 3dacious newsletter! - The Top 3 listings for food writing, events, and food I forked delivered weekly to your inbox with minimal fuss in a nice and neat to-go package.
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Bourdain's Work. Or Once Again, We Must Be Speakers for the Dead. We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you a semi-regular segment here at Edacious. A segment where I rant about a food topic so much on my mind, it warrants its own episode.

Anthony Bourdain can't be summed up in a soundbite or a quote. His body of work stands for his name. Nor will I add anything better than what's already been written or said. There are hundreds of Speakers better than me, including Mike Costello of 100 Days in Appalachia.

Bourdain wasn't even my favorite food writer, but he was the door. The very first door I opened onto a world I knew nothing about and one I'm so glad I stepped through. I loved his work, honest, ballsy, gritty, truth-telling. Sentences with a heft that sat on the page like granite. I fucking loved the way he wrote, and what he stood for. Connecting over food. He did this every minute of every day. And he taught me to do the same.

Bourdain believed when someone cooks you a meal, they are revealing something about themselves. I believe that too. Cooking or baking for someone else is the highest form of love there is. Which is why I chose a decade ago to honor the millions of folks who do so each and every day. And while I can't add anything to the conversation, I do talk about it. Wonder about it. And I urge you all to remember self-care. Maybe get off the phone once in a while, take a walk, see some stuff. Do some shit. Live your life. Preferably with periods of solitude in nature. Don't work so damn much. Maybe if Tony had, we'd still have him. Be well. Big Love.

p.s. Did you snag a Bourdain book at my last food writing class? Check the flyleaf. It might be a signed copy ;) Don't say I never did nothin for ya...

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Weedeater by Robert Gipe - Author of Trampoline, Gipe's new illustrated novel is heartbreaking, truth-telling, and just downright hilarious. To say it reminds me of my upbringing is an understatement! Highly recommended. Also, check out his talk on the WMFA podcast with Courtney Balestier.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to 3dacious! - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

How do you sell vegan to the masses without the dogma? The Good Phyte. With No Diet Dogma Allowed. Welcome to Episode 101 and my conversation with Stacy Miller of Good Phyte Foods.

Stacy became disgusted with overpriced, oversugared processed foods, especially snacks. Most are too caloric with high glycemic indexes but use wholesome packaging to build trust. There's a lot of green so it must be organic. Which fools folks who don't have time which we know is how big corporations get us. How could she create something healthy, yet so tasty eating it doesn't feel like punishment? Why not a healthy snack just as easy as those famous crackers shaped like fish? Something you can use when you've got a screaming 2-year-old and feel good about? How could she do that without pushing a lot of rigid dogma? How could she use local ingredients to create a 3-tiered bottom line?

"When it comes to healthy eating, I'm just trying to provide an alternative."

The result is Good Phyte Foods, a play on the word "phyto" which is Greek for plant. Crackers, granola, muffins, bars, and salads that not only taste like the naughty stuff but give you the energy you need to navigate these turbulent times. Seasonal ingredients in a shelf-stable product. A new concept I hadn't thought about but was eager to discover. Especially since my own experimentations with kale chips haven't been successful. Or tasty. How does Stacy navigate this special learning curve? Because there isn't fresh spinach in December. Or tarragon.

What's the inspiration behind the Dar Bar? During a moment of HANGRY I bit into one at High Tor Gear Exchange and was hooked. Fig and lemon? Yes, please. Add in the Superstar Bar with vanilla and fresh rosemary, crackers with broccoli and garlic, and a granola that contains BEETS AND CARROTS and you've just gained a loyal customer. I'm a diehard snacker, especially late at night. Now when the granola urge hits, I can feel just a bit better about burning the midnight oil.

Let's not forget the SALADS. Stacy has just started selling these at local farmer's markets around town (details on her website) and her combinations which include local tempeh, purple asparagus, roasted golden beets, spinach, beet noodles, and vegan strawberry tarragon dressing are to die for. A big ass salad with an attitude.

What challenges did she face in creating her fabulous raw bars? It's one thing to get a bunch of ingredients to stick together, but they have to taste good too. Not just interesting, but something you'll actually want to eat. How about her triple bottom line? Supporting local farms while creating a healthy, tasty product. Taking that extra step, creating consciously by choosing to use local produce. Kind of like eating consciously by choosing snacks that are good for you. Keeping specific data on the quantity and type of vegetables used and consumed the most so you can grow your business consciously as well.

We spend a great deal of time talking about perception. The way you perceive your brand's image, story, and purpose might be very different from those of your potential customers. It's a learning curve we're both still surfing through and making a lot of discoveries as we go. Great topic for those of you starting your own businesses.

Good Phyte Foods can be found all over town in places like Rebecca's, The Juice Laundry here and in DC, as well as The Organic Butcher in McClean. Interested? Contact her for a distribution form! She's got an online store, a monthly share program, and of course, the markets. Maybe to-go salads and vegan snacks at the markets is the lynchpin, the testing ground for whether or not a brick and mortar vegetarian restaurant can thrive. And maybe Stacy is our pioneer. In any case, I enjoyed this conversation even more than her Dar bar. Hope you do too. Cheers. Now go lighten up your summer with some clean eating! Be a part of Phyte Club!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to the 3dacious newsletter! - The Top 3 listings for food writing, events, and food I forked delivered weekly to your inbox with minimal fuss in a nice and neat to-go package.
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Why is Petit Manseng so vilified? Just one of the topics we discuss during this very special LIVE event recorded at Market Street Wine to celebrate its new owners, Siân Richards and Thadd McQuade, and the 100th episode of Edacious. This special partnership acts as both celebration of our two businesses reaching an important benchmark, and one of community, sharing, and learning. Four celebrated local winemakers join us to offer a special taste of two different varietals and to discuss the future of winemaking in Virginia: Corry Craighill of Sunset Hills Vineyard and 50 West Vineyards, Kirsty Harmon of Blenheim Vineyards, Matthieu Finot of King Family Vineyards, and Ben Jordan of Early Mountain Vineyards.

How do winemakers decide what grapes to grow and exactly where on the land to grow them depending on wind, slope, elevation, soil, and amount of sunlight? Which sites and grape varieties make your best wines? How do we adjust to the terroir as winemakers, especially in terms of breaking from classical approaches set forth by other regions? What grapes are good for Virginia's soil? What grapes are winemakers discovering actually work surprisingly well with our dense clay and warm humid temperatures? What are some current trends in winemaking and where should we go in the future with our sites and grapes varieties? Where is the next great vineyard going to be located?

Did you know a wine can turn into a completely different one depending on its serving temperature? King Family Vineyards Viognier is a great example because this small-batch wine tastes COMPLETELY different when it's cold than when it's served at room temperature, which can affect pairings. One restaurant even serves it with two separate courses! Fascinating.

As Kirsty says, every year, every grape is an experiment. Winemaking is science. But it's also farming. Even if you use cloned grapes you depend on the amount of rain, the wind, the copious sunlight or lack thereof. Not sure what the cloned grape process entails? Listen to my exclusive clip with Matthieu Finot of King Family Vineyards available to all Patreon sponsors! Not a sponsor yet? Find out more here. For as little as $1/month you can ensure this community podcast stays edacious.

Whether you're a wine newbie like me or a geeked-out expert this episode has something for everyone. Pour yourself a glass, find your favorite spot, and enjoy! One hundred episodes. Wow. That's a lot of talking. What was my favorite of the 100? You'll just have to listen to find out. See you in 101.

All the wines we tasted are listed below. Every one of them is now available at Market Street Wine except for the Sunset Hills Shenandoah Springs Chard, which will be available at the winery this summer. Thank you to all of the attendees, winemakers, and to Siân and Thadd for allowing me to mark this milestone in such a badass way. Cheers!

Blenheim Albarino Blenheim Sauv Blanc Sunset Hills Shenandoah Springs Chard Early Mountain Petit Manseng 2016 King Family small batch Viognier (orange wine) Lightwell Weird Ones are Wolves 2015 Sunset Hills Mosaic Red King Family Mountain Plains Red

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• My buddy and past podcast guest, Polina Chesnakova is on the FRONT PAGE of the Food Section in this Wednesday's Washington Post! Read her story then listen to our conversation. This young food writer is destined for great things, mark my words. Go Polina!
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Cake Work. With #MeToo Challenges, Baking Triumphs, and Spirituality. Does baking have a spiritual side? We explore this topic among others in Episode 99. Although anxiety-inducing for some, baking can actually be a way to calm yourself down and conquer your demons. Welcome to my conversation with Rachel Greenberg Willis of Cakes By Rachel!

Rachel opened her shop in downtown Crozet in 2015, but she's been baking professionally for years. The story of how she found the shop is so quintessentially of this region I found myself shaking my head in wonder, and making a mental note to take this approach immediately.

This person doing The Work of Food got her start at 18, studying at culinary school and cooking everywhere she could, eventually staging at a Michelin-starred restaurant in a small French town in the southwest of France and cooking for a white-water rafting company in the Pyrenees. What was that experience like? Short answer? IT'S A MUST-LISTEN. As is the story of an epic wedding fail that happened to a colleague. Wow. I'm still thinking about it.

In Charlottesville, she cooked first at The Metropolitan with Vincent Derquenne and Timothy Burgess of Bizou and Thomas Leroy of The Market at Grelen, moving on to work with Gerry Newman of Albemarle Baking Company, a past podcast guest, as well as Harvest Moon Catering among others. What was the Charlottesville restaurant scene like back then? How has it changed? Are the majority of our restaurants for the folks who live here? Or the folks who visit?

As is the story of so many bakers, Rachel got her start when a friend asked her to make a wedding cake. She'd made her own as well as some for Clifton Inn, so why not? It was while in the depths of designing that Rachel found her niche. Here was a place where she could do what she loved while at the same time expressing herself, using that artistic side that needed to come out, the side that was tired of making beef tenderloin the same way night after night after night. Here was where she could shine.

Thank goodness she made the change because her cakes taste amazing and look like stunning works of art. Rachel is a strong proponent of shattering the myth wedding cakes aren't supposed to taste good and her chef's palate and unique flavor combinations reflect that. Believe me, with one of her cakes that myth has been obliterated. You can choose flavor combinations from the brides who ordered them first or create your own special concoction from the ingredients listed. Me? I'll take the Alexandra: "Almond polenta layers moistened with cognac, filled with raspberry curd and Mascarpone cream. The layers can be iced with buttercream or left open and smothered with fresh berries. Gluten free!" <--------THIS! *heart eyes*

Is it hard to find qualified bakers in Charlottesville? What is Rachel's hiring process? Often folks think baking is a Pinterest board full of quaint cake stands and baby blue mixing bowls with artful poofs of flour lovingly placed on aprons and faces. This is real work guys. You will go home smelling like old cake batter and milk. Your feet, back, and arms will ache. You will need comfortable old-lady shoes. And your apron will look like it's been through the wringer. This. Is. Hard. Work. Dishpan hands come with the territory.

How do you thrive in every environment whether the kitchen is predominantly male or female? How has Rachel navigated #MeToo in her career? Is it okay to cry in the kitchen? There are many women tough enough to handle a male-centric kitchen, but what about the women who might have amazing abilities but aren't as tough? How do we include every gender, color, and personality type in a kitchen and cater to each individual's strengths? As a manager, how do you learn to navigate this, guiding women, when all of your role models have historically been men? We go deep down this rabbit hole.

"You can do it all. You just can't do it all at the same time."

And what about that spiritual side to baking anyhow? Can it be a mental meditation? What do you do if you're anxious about flour? We delve into the philosophical and mental aspects and how raising a rare breed of sheep on the farm she shares with her husband helped calm her down when it comes to challenges.

We're just two crones talking about our diminishing energy levels and how all of the above fits into our personal and professional lives. A great conversation no matter what your age. Because everyone loves cake. Someone give me a fork...

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Self-Sabotage Work. Or Why Would You Knowingly, Purposefully Jeopardize Success? We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you a semi-regular segment here at Edacious. A segment where I rant about a food topic so much on my mind, it warrants its own episode. Welcome to self-sabotage folks. And yes, it does relate to food. Very well in fact.

What is self-sabotage? Why does it happen? What can you do about it? How did depression and self-doubt cause my most recent bout with this annoying occurrence which unfortunately occurs fairly often? How did I cure my most recent bout? Have you experienced this? What did you do? I'd love to hear about it because I have a feeling most of us do this subconsciously on a regular basis, cutting ourselves off at the knee symbolically because somehow we feel we've gotten "too big for our britches".

In future episodes, I hope to discuss other topics like tipping, reservations, even what makes a great pizza. May you never experience what I just did. And if you do, may your resolve to overcome it be strong. And edacious. Cheers!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Building Relationships. With Food Labels. Welcome to Episode 97 and a conversation with a food professional who travels under the radar. But if you've enjoyed food or beverage in Charlottesville, chances are you've seen her work. Meet Darcey Ohlin Lacy of Watermark Design. Darcey and her team specialize in labels and brand assets for food and beverage companies. Her clients include Veritas, Champion Brewery, Brasserie Saison, Jake Busching Wines, and The Barbecue Exchange.

Darcey started her business a decade ago in a historic chicken shack in Belmont with no bathroom, heat, or air conditioning. An introduction to Michael Shaps from Michael Shaps Wineworks began a graphic design relationship with food and beverage that continues to this day. She and her design team of Jenna Thielges, Sean Raynor, and Sara Hade now share a space off of Preston Avenue, and the minute we began talking I started taking notes for my own dream studio space. Because the energy in her new space is so dynamic and creative.

As is the work of Watermark Design. Some work is done digitally but most are hand-lettered, hand-drawn, hand-illustrated in pen and ink before being scanned into a computer. Old School. Darcey keeps each sketch and some even decorate the walls of the design studio. Her latest project is hand-drawn brand assets for a boutique hotel: menus, signage, and botanical drawings specific to the property.

"Our job is about perception."

There is a lot of collaboration during the design process. When designing a logo, for example, Darcey and her team collaborate with the client, and with each other over several iterations. Building that relationship, keeping communication open so the client is pleased and the product is the best it can be. What qualities make a terrific logo? We go into detail. Even touring the space of the business can determine what style the team decides to use. No aspect goes unexamined because a logo is forever.

Does Watermark Design have a signature look? Darcey is adamant they don't because it's important to design for the client's style not your own. To do that you must focus on building that business relationship. Not just performing a cookie-cutter transaction. Just starting out? Support a local business instead of going on Fiverr for your logo. Darcey and her team can help you grow by building that relationship, working within your budget, creating a logo that is only yours and high quality.

It's a part of the food industry that flies under the radar but is so important. Because if you can't catch someone's eye with a great label, your customer is going to walk right past and pick the shiny one over there. How do you discover that sweet spot and how does packaging fit into the mix? What are some of the hot trends in packaging and design right now? With technological advances in overdrive, this discussion was fascinating to a font nerd like me. As with everything fonts and graphics go through cycles. Which one is cycling back as we speak?

Has she faced challenges being a woman-owned business? What advice does she have for women looking to start their own graphic design business? Is organic growth important? I implemented one piece of time management advice immediately.

Darcey doesn't do many interviews, preferring to let her work and the work of the team to speak for them. So it was a real treat to meet her. And the way we talked? I have a feeling the conversation will continue. We'll probably trash talk football (Philly vs Pittsburgh) and we'll probably enjoy it with Watermark-labeled wine. Cheers! Thanks, Darcey!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Goat Snuggling - Every Saturday through Mother's Day, Caromont Farm will be snuggling goats and passing the hat as part of their DACA initiative to make sure their employees are safe. Come participate in this important community effort.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Navigating #MeToo. With Food Women. Welcome to a very special episode, the premiere of a new segment on the podcast I like to call the Edacious Round Table. Instead of learning one person's journey, area Food Folks discuss a topic. First up? Harassment and discrimination in Food Work with co-hosts Arley Arrington and Clare Terni. How has it affected Charlottesville? What can we do to change things? We dive in.

Arley Arrington works at Whisk in Richmond. Previously, she lived and worked in Charlottesville as a server in various restaurants and as a baker at Brookville. She's also done catering for The Space and owns her baking business, Arley Cakes. She is a past podcast guest and her lemon raspberry birthday cake won a 2017 Edacious Golden Fork Award.

Clare Terni has lived in Charlottesville for 20 years and has worked on and off in food since she was sixteen, mostly catering and working in restaurants. She currently teaches Anthropology at JMU and works as both a server and manager for The Whiskey Jar, as well as creating social media for Ten Course Hospitality.

As Clare states so well during our conversation, gender roles are changing slowly. They are broader than they once were, but limitations still exist. Many back-of-house employees are men while front-of-house are mostly women. If women are in the back, they're often relegated to salads or pastries. How do we change that? Certainly not with one conversation. But maybe by talking about it, we get other people talking, writing, discussing, disagreeing, and finally, making necessary changes. Maybe we do that.

There's a lot to discuss. The way women accept the self-destructive behavior, yelling, and machismo in the food industry because it's what we've always expected. The way smiling or not is seen by turns as a sexual invitation or a BITCH label. The way Mansplaining, inappropriate comments, inappropriate touching, subtle and not so subtle digs at our gender are disguised as jokes. We cover it all. Are women more motivated to start their own businesses because they want to create a better environment? What about the roadblocks they face when they do? What about race? When you're a woman of color in the South who owns a business, how does that affect EVERYTHING? How did Donald Glover's Atlanta fit into our conversation? How does Charlottesville and its current dynamic fit into this discussion? We spend a great deal of time and get very vulnerable and real on this topic. Which was scary as heck for this Southern white woman. And awesome and wonderful and it makes me proud to know these amazing women.

Is building a loyal staff who stay for years the answer? Building trust among your employees? A dedicated human resource department? What about small operations who can't afford that? What about a server who might smile a bit more because it means the difference between $200 in tips and $500? Is crying on the job okay? What about women chefs who insist gender makes no difference? When you're the boss it's important to model the behavior you want your employees to exhibit. In my opinion, it can affect the ambiance, even the food. Not only the culture of your kitchen but the culture of your restaurant.

We are not health professionals. Just three women who do the Work of Food and have stories and opinions. If you feel you've experienced harassment on the job or in any aspect of your life, please reach out to someone. Tell them about it. Heck, reach out to me and tell me about it. I'm not sure who or where to direct you, but I promise if you reach out? I'll find out. You are not alone in this.

Relistening to this episode helped me understand how very much I don't know. How blessed I am because of my privilege. There's still so much to learn. I'm not woke but I am aware and I look forward to any education I experience every day of my life. I didn't edit this down. It's very long. It's very important. So I hope you'll give it a listen. There is so much here. Thank you to these ladies who had the courage to get vulnerable and tell their stories. I hope by doing so we can shed some light on the very real issue that is occurring daily here and all over the world. Maybe by talking about it awareness will rise and eventually we'll have other issues to tackle around a table because this one will be nonexistent. In the meantime, tell me what you think. Cheers.

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Why Food Writing Matters! - I'm teaching a course as part of the Tom Tom Founder's Festival! Come be a part of the fun! Tuesday, April 10th from 7-9pm at The Pie Chest. We'll talk food writing, do some fun creative exercises, give away huge amounts of food writing books, and eat pie. Lots and lots of pie. Don't miss this chance to GET EDACIOUS!
• Crowdfunded Pitch Night! - Come see me pitch as part of the Tom Tom Founder's Festival! Wednesday, April 11th from 7-9pm at The Jefferson Theater, 9 local folks and I will have 3 minutes to pitch our business for a chance to win $5K! The audience selects the winner. So come on out and GET EDACIOUS!
• Goat Snuggling - Every Saturday through Mother's Day, Caromont Farm will be snuggling goats and passing the hat as part of their DACA initiative to make sure their employees are safe. Come participate in this important community effort.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

Cocktail Work. With History, Great Local Ingredients, and That Elusive Yummy Factor. Welcome to Edacious! In Episode 95 we talk with bartending master Micah LeMon of The Alley Light. Having enjoyed many a fine adult beverage up their back stairs it was great to finally sit down and chat about Prohibition, the evolution of bartending, current trends, and his new book, The Imbible.

We talk a lot about the difference between good cocktails and great ones. Micah truly believes in striving to achieve that benchmark. That moment you take the first sip and proclaim your drink YUMMY beyond all measure. What makes a cocktail yummy? What doesn't? He takes me to school. The Doctor's Orders cocktail I sipped on through the entire episode was very yummy indeed.

Micah's first book, The Imbible, is a labor of love and libation. Not only does it include history, recipes, and technique, but Micah provides basic tables so you too can become a Master Mixologist within the confines of your own bar cart. Micah will be mixing cocktails and offering up advice at The Spice Diva, Wednesday, March 21st from 6-7pm as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book.

The Imbible is perfect for the beginning mixologist in that he takes classics like the Manhattan and the Daiquiri and shows perfect technique before offering suggestions as to how folks can create their own personalized beverages. Crawl before you can walk. And after some of these, you might be crawling. Micah's book shows you how, unlike those old recipe books which give you an ingredient list and leave you to your own devices. The Imbible acts as a bridge between old-school cocktails and the fancy 15-ingredient craft cocktails that are so prevalent today, although those old recipes are making a comeback at area bars, including The Alley Light, which makes a damn good classic daiquiri. Not from a machine. Served in a proper daiquiri glass.

Gorgeous photos, cocktail history, technique, the components of a good cocktail and detailed tables in the back that help aspiring mixologists get started on their own programs. How does Mr. Potato Head fit into the equation? Buy the book!

How did Micah become the pre-eminent Curator of Cocktail Knowledge in the Charlottesville area? His background is fascinating considering he was raised Pentecostal, which prohibits alcohol. How does the documentary Jesus Camp fit into his story? The SNL Church Lady? You'll just have to listen.

It shocked me that someone so obviously good at what he does suffers from Imposter Syndrome as I do. We talk about that, including what methods we use to overcome it. How does he develop his recipes? What is The Dealer's Choice? How is a mixologist like a chef? Why is mentorship important? How did the book come about? And what about his recent bout with Tennis Elbow? Recorded in The Wine Room at the Alley Light while sipping a Doctor's Orders cocktail. Which worked so well I don't quite remember the last 15 minutes of the episode. What did I say? Give a listen!

Micah will be appearing as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book on Wednesday, March 21st from 6-7pm at The Spice Diva. From the Book Fest website, "Micah will give a demonstration of various and sundry recipes from his cocktail guide, sharing anecdotes and wisdom from his years behind the bar at beloved local watering holes." Don't miss it!

SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast:

• Why Food Writing Matters! - I'm teaching a course as part of the Tom Tom Founder's Festival! Come be a part of the fun! Tuesday, April 10th from 7-9pm at The Pie Chest. We'll talk food writing, do some fun creative exercises, give away huge amounts of food writing books, and eat pie. Lots and lots of pie. Don't miss this chance to GET EDACIOUS!
• Goat Snuggling - Every Sunday through Mother's Day, Caromont Farm will be snuggling goats and passing the hat as part of their DACA initiative to make sure their employees are safe. Come participate in this important community effort.
• Ian Glomski of Vitae Spirits - This fine fellow is collaborating with Micah on creating an ABSINTHE. YES! Sign me up.
• No'lasses - Sorghum whiskey. It's quite delish.
• The Spice Diva - A one-stop shop for all of your fancy cocktail ingredients like bitters.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to. Subscribers get new episodes instantly, while non-subscribers have to wait a few hours or days depending on the iTunes gods. Never miss a chance to be edacious!
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!
• Leave a review about Edacious! - Click the link, then "View in iTunes" then "Ratings and Reviews". Whether you think it's great, or not so great, I want to hear from you. I might just read your review on the air! Whoa! #famousforahotminute

This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.