Edacious

Chocolate Work. With Peanut Butter and Community. Meet Tim Gearhart of Gearhart's Fine Chocolates, otherwise known as the Willie Wonka of Charlottesville! The theme of this episode is Ahead of the Curve and how that can help your business tremendously. In Tim's case, his Nostradamus ability to foresee trends paired with his passion have helped Gearhart's to not only become a beloved Charlottesville institution but has expanded his reach to the national level. You can now find Gearhart's on Amazon!

I first met Tim during the 2016 Tom Tom Festival where he was part of a local panel discussing the triumphs and challenges of running a food business. I was completely captivated by his story as well as his advice and knew I had to have him on the podcast.

Tim was born in Detroit and landed in Virginia as a teenager. The 1980's was a volatile time, perfect for an oddball kid like Tim who was way into food before it was a trend, and who spent his spare time eating at the C&O and trying new foods whenever he could. His first job was as a dishwasher at Duner's where he eventually worked his way up to busboy. After some time in the Marines, he attended the Culinary Institute of America and traveled, creating pastries in various kitchens around the world, including one in a 1,000-year old castle as well as right here at Keswick.

"Another cool thing about the Charlottesville food scene is that a lot of these folks are still here...They're doing what they love...that's what it's about...finding that passion...whether you're a super-creative architect or a chef at a famous restaurant, that's what it's about."

The passion for pastry switched over to chocolate because of a "perfect storm" as he describes it, one that affected him nationally, professionally, and personally. At the time he'd just opened Hamilton's with Bill Hamilton. When he mused one afternoon about how fun it would be to open a chocolate shop, Bill replied, "I'm in!" The rest is history. Gearhart's Fine Chocolates just celebrated 16 years in business and their new, expanded location with coffee and PASTRY opened last year. There's even a window where you can watch Charlottesville's own Oompa Loompa's hard at work creating culinary confections.

"Chocolate was the next thing up after wine in the 80's and beer in the 90's...coffee in the 90's...kind of this time of people saying wow, there might be a local option...this doesn't have to have wax in it...it can made to be eaten right now...it can have fresh herbs...it was the right place, right time...timing in the world of business is a huge thing."

Gearhart's uses eight different varieties of chocolate, never purchasing a disc from a company he doesn't know or trust. The Fair Trade designation? A little foggy, similar to the organic label. Often questionable, not always reliable. A better way is to look locally for items like peaches or honey. Do a lot of homework. Ask a lot of questions. Tim's palate and eye for creation is extraordinary. He's got an uncanny skill of figuring out what flavors go with what. If you've had his Malted Caramels, meant to be eaten with beer, or his Earl Grey Tea chocolates, or his Miso Caramels, you know exactly what I mean.

And it's not just about chocolate! Tim is a strong advocate for community initiatives and fundraising for folks who need it. When I announced The Big Love Bakesale fundraising initiative, Tim was one of the first ones to step forward and donate an 8-person chocolate tour. His Peanut Butter Pups raise money for veterans with PTSD. The story behind how these whimsical chocolates were created is so heartwarming and another great example of how local businesses in Charlottesville include social entrepreneurship as part of their mission. Tim is a Gulf War veteran himself. How does his military background as a Marine benefit and inform his chosen career? Attention to detail, consistency. You have to be a little OCD to be a chocolatier and being a Marine helped with that aspect of it.

"It absolutely set the foundation and was a humongous part of the puzzle for me...I was the only one in my group who signed up to be a cook...30 years ago it was making soups from scratch, gravies from scratch, it was real cooking."

Why is brainstorming one of the most fun things you can do as an entrepreneur? Especially in the world of chocolate, where you have to perform within extremely strict parameters? We talk about how Tim does this. You have to be agile in business, examining every angle in order to stay in business and be successful. Maybe doing things you never thought you would like corporate work, wholesale and online selling, weddings. Another good example? Birthday parties! Gearhart's has become a go-to space for these events, even though the decibel level goes through the roof when a group of 8-year-old girls comes in to celebrate. But it's fun and Gearhart's has wholeheartedly embraced this new role of community celebration space.

"I think we are absolutely making the best product we have ever made. Right now. It's the most consistent, and that's so much about the people."

Gearhart's employees 20 people, many of whom have been with him for years. A real testament to his abilities as a both a business owner and a teacher. As he says there are many different paths to success, and spending $60K on culinary school is just one of them. Sometimes just taking a job and working your way from the ground up can be a better, more meaningful method.

"I never ever would have imagined that I would be even where I'm at today...now I'm just like this is great but where's the next level for myself and for my shop and for my employees?"

One thing? Honeycomb chocolates for every single pillow in the Jefferson Hotel. A project that takes creativity and focus to make sure each chocolate stays fresh and tastes great. Plus, launching this week just in time for Father's Day - Virginia Craft Beer Chocolate! Tim partnered with Champion, Hardywood, Devil's Backbone, and Port City breweries to create artisanal chocolate treats that include your favorite brews. If it's anything like his wine chocolates these will sell out fast.

What chocolatiers does he admire? What others do are just poseurs? Why is slow growth best and what happens when you suddenly find yourself on The Today Show? What's his busiest season? Hint, it's NOT Valentine's Day! We talk about that new generation of chefs coming up and how Food Network keeps perpetuating that myth of an easy ride. We even talk hockey. A terrific episode and a big reason why Gearhart's is not just my favorite chocolate shop, but my new favorite coffee shop.

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

• Flora Restaurant - Oaxacan cuisine with a great tequila selection. In Richmond. Thank you so much to Michele Jones and Jason Alley who gave an incredibly generous amount to my recent Big Love Birthday campaign. Their donation helped bring us over the top! Big Love guys!
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small. Thank you and BIG LOVE to everyone who donated and shared the Big Love Bake Sale and Big Love Birthday! Next up? Tee shirts! Look for them soon.
• 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!

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.

Welcome to Episode 73! In this fabulous conversation, I speak with Chef Bill Smith of Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Both Bill and the restaurant are beloved fixtures in this great town of advocates, artists, musicians, and other creative types. Sound familiar? Yes, Chapel Hill is very similar in size and energy to Charlottesville and is going through some of the same growing pains. So this talk hit close to home for me and was a great chance to catch up with someone I consider a dear friend.

I first met Bill, in an extremely "meet cute" way while sitting on a bus during the Southern Foodways Alliance Summer Symposium. He was so friendly and put this podcaster at ease during her first solo foray into the world of professional food conferences where small talk is king and networking important. We had talked for a good half hour before I realized he was a chef and a noteworthy one at that!

Chef Bill took over Crook's from founding owner Bill Neal back in the 1990's. Bill was a beloved chef who passed way too young and is credited with bringing shrimp and grits to the masses for better or worse. Needless to say, Neal's version is still the best in my opinion and a must-order.

Chapel Hill's music subculture is well known, and Bill has been a part of that for decades as part owner of The Cat's Cradle which opened way back in 1973. In fact, Bill's collection of concert tee shirts which he has worn in the kitchen since he began, is part of a museum collection profiled in an episode of the Southern Foodways Alliance Gravy podcast.

Musicians were a huge part of Bill's kitchen for many years because they have what he calls, "...a loose point of view," an enthusiasm, as well as a need for flexible hours. These days, his kitchen looks very different, comprised mostly of immigrants, some of whom have worked for Bill 15 years or more. He considers them family. How are they coping in this new political climate? How has Bill attempted to ease their way forward? His efforts are beyond admirable and make me so glad to know him. A true Southern gentleman, scholar, and outspoken advocate.

"I trust them completely...they are family...I'm a Godfather...honorary grandfather. I've been to weddings, you name it...I love them to death...I'm almost 70 years old...having them in the kitchen helps a lot."

Having such a dedicated kitchen staff from elsewhere has not only influenced the restaurant's recipes but has made a sometimes reluctant Southern clientele able to embrace more complex spicier dishes. In fact, he travels to Mexico City quite a bit on the regular.

"When I first came to work here people would complain about things being too spicy. Now that never ever happens. Ever...so the public has come along...they've learned...I don't know if they're just more adventurous...or been exposed to different stuff...but they've become much more receptive."

Bill grew up in New Bern, North Carolina surrounded by grandmothers and other relatives who were great cooks. His great-grandmother cooked lunch every single day until she was in her 90's. Folks would leave school and work to eat and enjoy a full mid-day dinner for an hour. With china, silverware, veggies, meats, the whole shebang. This kind of leisurely eating and fellowship is definitely present at Crook's today where the minute you walk in the door, you feel at home.

Bill has appeared on Vivian Howard's A Chef's Life several times, has written many books, and is hard at work on a new one, a second volume of Seasoned in the South. The recipe tester is Sheri Castle of Rhubarb fame, so you can trust every recipe to come out the way it's supposed to. Can't wait until it's published! And yes it will have the recipe for "That Stupid Pie."

What's that a reference to? The Atlantic Beach Pie, of course, a creation of Bill's grandmother and a beloved dessert at Crook's. A variation on lemon meringue pie with a saltine crust. In fact, if you don't order it, you're an idiot. Although I'm partial to his banana pudding, I never leave without taking a slice home. It's that good.

This was recorded back in February, so it was interesting to hear how the frantic nature of our political sphere was just as anxious back then. Back then meaning 3 months ago! A time capsule for what was to come. Little did we know it would only get worse! What's the solution? We brainstorm some ideas.

"I think it's our duty just to keep raising hell. I used to be a polite Southern boy but nuh-uh, not anymore...I get in somebody's face...lord help if somebody evangelical gets all over me...it's easy to make them cry...just challenging what they just told you...it's sort of funny, but it's sort of sad...I don't listen to crap anymore...I'm one of the troublemakers...but I come from a family of them...I'm spoiling for a fight."

His definition of success? Rent and beer money. Awards and recognitions? Not that important. Despite numerous James Beard nominations and other awards, just having a nice cold can of PBR at the ready is reward enough. Sounds damn good to me. As does this episode. Enjoy.

Dessert Work. With Sheri Castle and Ronni Lundy at The Virginia Festival of the Book. Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you miss "Save Room for Dessert! Cookbooks With A Sweet Tooth!" at the Virginia Festival of the Book? No worries, Edacious taped it for you! It might be May, but we're still celebrating. In this exclusive panel moderated by yours truly.

Sheri Castle was born in Boone, North Carolina. The Queen of Hustle, Sheri is a professional food writer, culinary instructor, and public speaker known for melding storytelling, humor, and culinary expertise. She wrote her first recipe at 4 years old, mailed it to a TV show, and never looked back. She's written three books, been in countless magazines, and appeared on Vivian Howard's show, A Chef's Life. Her books have been IACP Award finalists, won the SIBA award, and been mentioned in the New York Times and Washington Post. Nigella Lawson (yes THAT Nigella) counts herself a fan and has made recipes from her latest book, Rhubarb, on her website.

"We always had rhubarb...I love it raw...I can remember when I was little going up to the garden and snapping off stalks...whereas my grandmother would sprinkle salt on hers...I would take a cup or a handful of Tang...and dip rhubarb in the Tang and eat it that way." ---Sheri Castle

"That is a characteristic of Appalachian food and Southern food in general. It's very agrarian, it's very resourceful, and it is knowing how to make the best of what you have. And sometimes what you have is modest and sometimes it's glorious but it's knowing how to do right by ingredients and give them regard and dignity." ---Sheri Castle

Ronni Lundy was born in Corbin, Kentucky and has spent much of her life chronicling the people of the hillbilly diaspora as a journalist and cookbook author. Her book Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken was recognized by Gourmet magazine as one of six essential books on Southern cooking. In 2009, Lundy received the Southern Foodways Alliance Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award. She has contributed to Eating Well, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, among many others. Her latest book, Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, With Recipes won the IACP 2017 American Cookbook of the Year, as well as two 2017 James Beard Foundation awards for American Cookbook of the Year and Book of the Year. Food historian and heirloom seed saver Bill Best called Victuals, "The 67th Book of the Bible!" Victuals explores the foodways of Appalachia, the most bio-diverse region in the world, including many located right here in Virginia.

"Victuals is for me not just a story about food and sustainable foodways but it's also a way to illumine the people of this region in ways that people are often surprised by." ---Ronni Lundy

Both ladies have been past podcast guests and I consider them dear friends. In this talk, we explore rhubarb, its uses in dessert as well as in savory dishes, and Appalachian foodways and its history of preservation, resourcefulness, and sustainability, including desserts that most folks have never heard of like apple stack cake and caramel cake. As well as a host of other things including how social media has impacted recipes for both good and ill. Yes, we got off topic, but so what? All good conversations do. Enjoy these multiple-award-winning authors, and thanks so much to everyone who came out to listen. Cheers!

"Because of social media and food tv...most people now assume a recipe to be a visual thing more than it is a written thing. And that can be both good and really burdensome sometimes too." ---Sheri Castle

"I used to get asked do you actually test your recipes and I used to find that an offensive question...although now there are books that are going out where people are not testing recipes which blows my mind!" ---Ronni Lundy

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

• Sheri Castle was on the podcast before! Give a listen!
• Ronni Lundy appeared on this podcast a while back. Give a listen!
• Trampoline - This graphic novel by Robert Gipe is the most creative thing I've read in years. A young girl grows up in Appalachia, unwittingly becoming an environmental spokesperson for her region all the while getting into trouble she can't seem to get out of. Poignant, thoughtful, and hysterically funny. Gipe is a great new voice. I expect great things from him in the future. Click here to listen to an excerpt!
• In Praise of Ugly Food - Kat Kinsman ode to ugly edibles appears in the 2016 Best of Food Writing anthology.
• Flora Restaurant - Oaxacan cuisine with a great tequila selection. In Richmond. Thank you so much to Michele Jones and Jason Alley who gave an incredibly generous amount to my recent Big Love Birthday campaign. Their donation helped bring us over the top! Big Love guys!
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small. Thank you and BIG LOVE to everyone who donated and shared the Big Love Bake Sale and Big Love Birthday! Next up? Tee shirts! Look for them soon.
• 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!

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 Pies and Community. Welcome to my latest episode! Thanks for being my guest. After experiencing the magic that was the Big Love Bake Sale, and the Big Love Birthday, it seems only fitting to be speaking with another advocate. Someone whose commitment to dessert and community-based action is equally strong. Meet Arley Arrington of Arley Cakes.

I first met Arley during last summer's Business of Food Conference where I did my first guerilla-style podcast, interviewing several folks for 5 minutes each. I was struck by Arley's passion, enthusiasm, and knew immediately we had to do a proper episode. The fact I chose her Rosemary, Bourbon, and Brown Butter Apple Pie as the best thing I ate in 2016? Just the icing on the proverbial cake.

Arley's mother immigrated here from Jamaica and Arley grew up with her four brothers in New Jersey and Brooklyn. Before it was the hipster haven it is today. Jamaican cuisine was plentiful, and Arley's mother, who sadly passed away when she was very young, was into healthy food like kale and no sugar before it was a trend. The sweetest cereal she was allowed? Kix. Which makes her current vocation incredibly ironic! Eventually, her family made it here to Virginia where she landed at UVA.

After college, Arley waitressed on and off at the sadly now-closed Brookville restaurant where she began to think about baking for a living. Owners Harrison and Jennifer Keevil encouraged her efforts and eventually, she became their Cake Queen. Which led to Arley Cakes. Initially, Arley had thoughts about creating a socially-minded bakery, employing women from disenfranchised backgrounds. This remains a goal but currently, her business focuses on creating special, one-of-a-kind pies and desserts for every event imaginable. Her Cookie-Of-The-Month-Club is stellar, and she can even cater your breakfast! As for cakes? Just give her some flavors and she does the rest. I had a pretty major milestone birthday yesterday and the cake Arley made was indescribable. All I told her was lemon and raspberry. The result? A tasty, stunning work of art!

"I do a lot of simple cakes...they are pretty simple and sweet in looks…they're not too sweet in flavor because I like…the savory elements…I like the natural look…a cake that's definitely pretty but also that's enjoyable to eat."

Her approach to creating her special pies start with good spices. Which means a visit to The Spice Diva. Fresh spices make all the difference. If you use the cinnamon that's been sitting in your pantry for three years it won't taste like anything. She experiments with different herbs, spices and combinations, using her palate to create things like that Best of 2016 pie. Brown butter can often figure prominently, always a good thing. The Flavor Bible, a popular chef resource, is her constant companion for unique combinations of texture and taste. Masala Sweet Potato Pie? Yes, please! Her methods for rolling out dough are unique and frowned upon by some. To me? Who cares if it turns out wonderfully. What are they? You'll just have to listen to find out.

She is also a strong community advocate, and her work for the Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries reflect that commitment. After college she became their Director of Girls' Programs, reshaping a summer camp program calling it Radiant Girls Camp, after a beloved Bible verse where she guided middle-school aged young women to look at all the positive aspects of their physical and emotional selves, giving them more confidence. I dare you to look at the photos her friend Amy Jackson took without grabbing the tissues. Beautiful stuff and something we all could use more of in these challenging times.

"I tried to shape the different activities that we did during camp around...these girls...learning to be the best version of who they are already...and celebrating that...and taking care of themselves...I wanted to be sure they thought about food as something that strengthens you...it's not something that controls you...you use it as a tool."

Arley writes as well as bakes. Her post about sweet potato pie on the Brookville Restaurant blog started with pie but delved deeper into issues of race, class, and appropriation. It was thought-provoking, poignant, a wonderful example of food writing. Add in her fantastic eye for photography? I mean, have you SEEN her Instagram account? Wow. If Arley ever chooses to solely write full time the rest of us are in big trouble.

"My days basically consist of me reminding myself to live with the confidence of a rich white man every 30 minutes or so. This practice is my general plan for success."

Recorded in February during National Pie Month, my conversation with a fellow alum of the Community Investment Collaborative was by turns yummy and profound. We discuss Pie Day, the movie Waitress, French macarons, cooking shows like Master Chef Junior, self-defense tactics, the election, and the special challenges of teaching an old dog like me how to create proper pie crust. I took Arley's pie class at The Spice Diva, and without a doubt, her methods and nurturing ways have made me way less apprehensive about rolling out dough. I highly recommend it taking it, as well as listening to this wonderful episode. Preferably with a slice of pie or cake. Cheers!

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

• The Flavor Bible - Looking for unique taste pairings in recipes? Refer to this volume which lives on many a chef's bookshelf.
• Edna Lewis - The Grande Dame of Southern cooking. The Taste of Country Cooking is my bible.
• Flora Restaurant - Oaxacan cuisine with a great tequila selection. In Richmond. Thank you so much to Michele Jones and Jason Alley who gave an incredibly generous amount to my recent Big Love Birthday campaign. Their donation helped bring us over the top! Big Love guys!
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small. Thank you and BIG LOVE to everyone who donated and shared the Big Love Bake Sale and Big Love Birthday! Next up? Tee shirts! Look for them soon.
• 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!

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.

The Big Love Bake Sale is a community-based effort and the first fundraiser here at Edacious to benefit today's podcast guest, Scott Nichols. Happening Saturday 4/15, 9am-noon at Charlottesville City Market!

Concierge Work. Community Fundraising Work. With Cookies. Maybe the most important episode I've ever done. I truly believe every choice you make in your life sets you on a path. You might not understand the choice at the time or even the path you find yourself on, but eventually, it all comes together. In this episode meet Scott Nichols, a concierge with more than 20 years experience. A concierge who because of recent life developments has had to put his career on hold. A concierge who just also happens to be my best friend.

Now concierge might not be the first occupation you envision when you think of Food Work, but hotels and restaurants have a symbiotic relationship, one that operates behind the scenes, with hotel staff and restaurant employees often working for each other's benefit, coming together to make sure both establishments remain successful. It's a relationship often misunderstood, and one most travelers never take advantage of. Hopefully, this episode changes that.

First some background. We reminisce on our shared food adventures, as well as what it means to manage a Mrs. Field's Cookies. Yes, we met in a food court which acts as its own type of community, a place where employees help each other despite long hours and little pay. It's hard work and there's a great deal of hustle. At the time we were young and didn't appreciate where things came from and how our actions might affect others. Working for such low wages forced us to get creative to survive. Not making excuses. That's just the way it was. Working in a retail food court provides more life experience than sitting in a college classroom. It teaches you responsibility. Teamwork. On your feet problem-solving. All of which are good training for the hospitality industry or for owning your own business. Or for real life. Thousands of people toil in fast food all over the world. It felt good to give them a voice. To throw some honor their way instead of shame in the form of degrading stereotypes you see in movies and on TV.

We compare our cookie tray burns still visible after 30 years. Battle scars. We reveal Debbie's secret recipe. We reminisce about the hilarious methods we used to keep up morale. We talk about how Mrs. Fields actually provided great training for the career Scott embarked on and one he excels at...concierge.

After moving to DC, Scott started in hotel reservations, slowly working his way up to the front desk. Learning as much as he could, networking, soaking up every piece of knowledge like a sponge. It was the 80's, people were traveling, so tips were good. The relationship between a concierge team and their hotel employers is often volatile. So when the entire team walked off the job one day, Scott stepped in and a career was born. A career where he thrived because of his ability to connect, converse, and anticipate the needs of his customers. Knowing what they wanted before they did. Anticipating what they needed just by looking at their suit, the make of their watch, their demeanor as they stepped up to the desk. A job so demanding he often had to sleep on a cot in a closet behind his desk.

"I started knowing nothing and I'm a quick learner...whatever I lacked...I understood the value of presentation, preparedness, and potential...show up, bring your best, do your best."

What did he enjoy most about the work and still does to this day? Making people happy. Making sure every guest feels welcomed and their visit is a trip to remember.

"You learned early on that if you give people what they want and don't let them see you sweat and don't let them know how much trouble it was...then they are more comfortable asking you for whatever they want. People know when they're asking for something exotic...That's where I learned my philosophy of I work hard and I expect to be compensated fairly...(You must) understand that level of access and professionalism brings with it a certain cost and value."

Learning, realizing what you're worth. Your own value in your chosen career. An important lesson in any profession. An important lesson for your LIFE for that matter. This isn't as Scott says, "McDonald's Concierging". This is building relationships. Spending 10 minutes having a conversation and getting to know your guest. Using your observational skills. Reading the customer. What time of day is it? How are they dressed? What does the woman's makeup look like? What shirt is the man wearing? These things can tell you whether or not the guest is hungry, has had a drink (or three), or even their mood.

"If you make friends with a concierge you will take your time in any city to the next level and have the most amazing experience of your life."

Whether you're a business traveler or a tourist, utilizing your concierge makes for a better travel experience. You don't have to be a millionaire. Be honest, form a relationship, and your concierge will work to tailor an unforgettable occasion within your budget. For example, if you're proposing to a future spouse, a concierge can help you make that an experience of a lifetime. Nowadays people use Internet "Best Of" lists to tick off every box. By keeping an open mind and trusting a concierge you will still have the most amazing experience, just maybe not the one you planned. Way better than consulting a Top 10 list on Yelp. Need a table at Rose's Luxury but don't like standing in line? A good concierge can hire you a line sitter.

Which brings us to restaurants. Any concierge worth his salt has professional symbiotic relationships with restaurants, often with the hostess, a server, or even the chef. Often restaurants hold open houses for hotel staff, enticing them to recommend their establishment to travelers. This "Favor System" isn't without its flaws, but remains an important aspect of driving business. Best case scenario? The entire team of restaurant and hotel come together to make things happen so everyone involved goes away happy.

How does this relate to Charlottesville and its burgeoning wedding and hotel industries? Scott has definite thoughts on maximizing growth. Pro tip: hotels have morning meetings where they go over customer reviews. If a guest says they loved a certain restaurant, staff will remember and send them there next time. So it's a good idea for restaurants to get to know the folks in that brand new hotel that just opened down the street.

Most important thing to remember? Don't be intimidated. No question is too silly or strange. Even if you're on a budget and want a good seat at The Cheesecake Factory, a concierge can make that happen. The stereotype of the snobby desk clerk you see in the movies just isn't true. A great concierge gets their own fanbase. Customers will even follow them if they change hotels.

We also talk about the reality of working at a hotel with a conservative owner who deals with the far right and the prejudices that come with that on a daily basis. How do you serve a customer who clearly hates your lifestyle? What about ageism? Workers over 50 are more reliable, professional, have life experience, have usually been successful in a previous career, often want part-time hours, and are a plentiful, viable section of the workforce. Don't overlook them.

Last summer, Scott was diagnosed with Stage 3B colorectal cancer and had to leave his chosen profession for treatment. Medical bills began to pile up. So I stepped in to help, as friends do, by creating a GoFund Me campaign. The love and support for this campaign from friends, family, and even total strangers have been overwhelming. He is so very grateful.

"The GoFund Me has been such a blessing from God...I'm still having trouble wrapping my brain around it...I've been on the hustle so long...I just don't understand strangers giving me money...But I'm thankful for it...the prayers mean a lot...I wouldn't be alive today without the love that I'm getting from the world...that keeps me going on bad days...because now I have little investors in my outcome...so I kind of have to deliver...none of those people want to get a note from you that says thank you for your contribution but he didn't make it...I need to go on after this and do great things...I'm really excited about, "Oh my God there might be a next chapter!"...after coming this far through the treatment process, I'll be damned if I'm going to spend one day doing something that doesn't make my heart happy on some level...people not only invested in me but sort of my reawakening of this second chapter of my life...This is an opportunity and we're going to go forward and it's going to be amazing."

I agree. It will be amazing. His first round of treatment has gone well. But unlike the movies, there is no instant dramatic outcome good or bad, but rather a long series of, "Now we wait and see." Meanwhile the bills continue to roll in. But Scott, his husband Brian, me, and all his family and friends remain optimistic. In fact, it is his unwavering optimism that I adore most. He will get better. We will get this campaign funded. The Big Love Bake Sale, created after a phrase he uses often, will help with that. I just know it.

When I started this podcast two years ago, I had no idea I'd end up interviewing my best friend. But I'm so glad I did. Not only is this the BEST episode I've ever done, it's the one fully inhabiting the mission I set for myself. Community and Connection. It lives the intention I set each and every morning when I sit down and put on my headphones. It will be the one I present when folks ask, "Which episode should I listen to first?" Of course, I'm biased. Beyond that, this episode not only presents deep story, it fulfills my podcast's purpose, and in such a beautiful way. I saw a different side to my friend, one I hadn't witnessed. It made me prouder of him than I've ever been. And it made me damn glad to know him.

All those years I spent baking cookies. All those years I spent planning events for others. All those years I spent in fundraising and development. Work I knew was valuable but wasn't really my favorite thing. All that training has brought me to this moment in time. I truly believe that. Give a listen then head out to Charlottesville City Market for the bake sale. Big Love everyone. Big Love.

Thank you to all of the community sponsors helping Scott fully fund his GoFund Me campaign as part of the Big Love Bake Sale, which happens Saturday 4/15 from 9am-noon at Charlottesville City Market:

The Pie Chest - Thank you, Rachel Pennington! Splendora's Gelato - Thank you, PK Ross! Justin Vesser - Thank you, buddy! Gearhart's Fine Chocolates - Thank you, Tim Gearhart! Chutney Ferret Industries - Thank you, David Hopper! Virginia Festival of the Book - Thank you, Sarah Lawson and Sheri Castle! WTJU - Thank you, Nathan Moore!

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

• Big Love Bake Sale! - Come out, buy some cookies, and help out one of our own. This Saturday 4/15 at Cville City Market!
• Help Scotty Recover - my best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small.
• George Hamilton - Back in the day this movie star sold suncare products. And we bought the tee shirt.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.

Community Work. In a Diner. With Chef Ashley Christensen at The Virginia Festival of the Book. Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you miss Chef Ashley Christensen of Poole's Diner giving her stupendous talk at the Virginia Festival of the Book? No worries, Edacious taped it for you! Ashley grew up in North Carolina as part of a family who felt it important to cook and eat meals together no matter how busy their lives. It's a philosophy she took to her adult life. Putting creative energy into food and watching people share it which often develops into deep conversations over it.

She went to NC State, intending to move to a big city after graduation, working in restaurants while attending classes. Like so many of her co-workers, she worked in kitchens until she could decide what was next. Until the day she realized this was it. This is what she wanted to do. This is what's next. She realized she could do all the things she wanted right there in Raleigh. And she could do them by cooking food. A small fundraiser she organized for AIDS research turned into a massive fundraiser. That sealed the deal. As she looked about her college town, she realized she could contribute and make great strides right there. Graduation became less of a concern. She dropped out and started cooking in earnest.

Her initial curiosity and interest in food quickly developed into a catalyst for social change and community. Setting her intention, she decided to create a higher level of hospitality, one that starts with food but goes deeper to connection. A hospitality which creates a profound level of trust between the chef and the guest. Customer is something she considers "The C-Word," and something never to be uttered in any of her restaurants. Her commitment to this belief isn't just lip service. She has the word "Guest" tattooed on her forearm.

"We like to use the word 'guest' (instead of customer) because I like to remove the idea of it being a transaction. Dining together, and the energy that we put into it, the chance that you take on us I think conveys a relationship...It really helps all the folks who work with us to really understand and respect and value that idea."

Her first restaurant, Poole's Diner, reflects this intention. It's not fancy, but a place you visit once a week. Or more. A place where you can be a regular. All the menus are on chalkboards so you have to physically get up and move about to decide. Which sparks conversation because most of them hang above booths. The double horseshoe bar encourages conversation because no matter where you sit, you can see the other patrons. Even the word "diner" evokes comfort. It's a place where someone in a tux can dine next to somebody just off work in a dirty tee shirt.

The story of how she went from working in other restaurants to starting her first is beautiful, poignant, and so inspiring it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. You'll have to listen to hear it for yourself! Ashley now owns six, including one serving fried chicken with honey in honor of a childhood nickname. In fact, all of her restaurants in Raleigh contain story whether it's in the name or the food they serve, once again taking the simple idea of a place to gather for eating to a more meaningful level. Folks are responding. She's been nominated for a James Beard Award several times and won the title of Best Chef Southeast in 2014. Her restaurant Death and Taxes was a finalist last year.

Her first cookbook, Poole's Diner, is a volume reflecting a life lived rich and full through sharing food. How to use a safe, comforting space to give back and effect social change. Comfort is a fairly novel concept in this world of fancy schmancy, where tattooed-covered Tweezer Punks with dusts, strange ingredients, and 14-course meals constantly want to take you on a journey. We've sometimes forgotten the soul-filling concept of a simple bowl of grits. The recipes in this volume embrace comfort. They don't change the essential meaning of classic Southern dishes, nor reinterpret them, but simply add Ashley's personal spin. It's a gorgeous volume evoking the comfort and simplicity of a meal at Poole's.

Now more than ever in these challenging times it's important for folks from different backgrounds to come together over food on a regular basis. Food can spark conversation. Maybe folks who disagree can find commonality somehow over something they mutually love and respect. A terrific talk and my favorite one of the festival. Ashley's mission is one I strive for here on the podcast each and every day. Connection, community, and conversation with food as a starting point. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Cheers!

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

• Virginia Festival of the Book - most of the authors who attend are unpaid, and travel here out of their own pocket. Food writing is a challenging business. Your donation will help cover expenses and get some of the big names here in 2018!
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Share! Donate! No amount is too small.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.

Food Writing Work. With the Best Food Writing 2016 Panel at The Virginia Festival of the Book.

Welcome to my latest episode! Were you a bad food enthusiast? Did you go see Walter White at JPJ last Sunday and *NOT* go to the Best Food Writing 2016 talk? No worries, Edacious taped it for you!

This year's multiple award-winning panel included moderator and editor of the series, Holly Hughes, and contributors Joe Yonan, Food & Dining Editor for The Washington Post, Jason Tesauro, author of The Modern Gentleman, and Todd Kliman, author of The Wild Vine. Writer Monica Bhide, author of Karma and the Art of Butter Chicken was scheduled to appear but had a family emergency. All of the panelists consider themselves writers first, food being just one aspect of their work. Because food is the starting point for so many deeper conversations, a philosophy that informs this podcast as well.

Holly began editing the Best Food Writing series back in 2000. Through sixteen volumes published annually, she has presented hundreds of great pieces covering humor, travelogue, politics, memoir, history, as well as hard-hitting journalism covering all the different aspects of food. The series was conceived as a bedside table book, not a kitchen one. It makes a great gift because everyone eats. Pieces are short so you can dip into whatever strikes your fancy.

Way back when the first edition was published, the time was right. Food was becoming its own thing, its own cultural trend. Folks like Anthony Bourdain, Michael Pollan, Ruth Reichel, and magazines like Saveur and Lucky Peach made food a thing to contemplate and read about. It went beyond reading a recipe or restaurant review. Reading about food became entertainment. Food became more than just what would I eat for dinner tonight? Then food blogs came along providing writers a massive platform for publishing their own in-depth pieces immediately. It raised food consciousness, putting it much more centrally focused in the national conversation.

Why has food remained in the cultural zeitgeist? Why is it more important to us now? That's just one topic covered during this terrific panel discussion. Another? The current state of fine dining. As Joe Yonan so succinctly put it:

"You don't always want the journey. They (chefs) always want to take you on a journey. I'm tired of traveling. I just want to sit here and eat my damn dinner!"

This year's pieces include a love letter to ugly food, another one to the chicken tender, and the fabulous pieces read aloud by our panelists. Works about Chef Bo Bech, chicken fried steak, and eating tacos in Mexico City appear simple on first glance. Keep reading. As with so much great food writing what's on your plate or the person cooking it is only a starting point. It's never just about the food. It's about the deeper topics, the thoughtful life questions that connect us all. The same mission behind Edacious. Using food as an entryway. There's a reason these pieces were chosen as among the best. They have a story, great storytelling, a strong sense of narrative, a profound message. Give a listen. You won't regret it.

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

• Virginia Festival of the Book - most of the authors who attend are unpaid, and travel here out of their own pocket. Food writing is a challenging business. You donation will help cover expenses and get some of the big names here in 2018!
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help?
• Short Stack Editions - Love letters to a single ingredient. Sheri Castle, author of Rhubarb, appeared at the festival and on this podcast.
• Victuals - Ronni Lundy's seminal work won the 2017 IACP Award for Best American Cookbook and is up for a James Beard Award later this month. She appeared at the festival and on this podcast.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.

Writing Work. With Wine and Intention. Welcome to the last in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th to 19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Writer and sommelier Jason Tesauro, author of The Modern Gentleman and a contributor to this year's Best American Food Writing series for his profile of chef Bo Bech. Jason will be appearing at an event Sunday, March 26th at JMRL as part of a panel discussion. Event details are listed below.

I first became aware of Jason's writing because of his book. We know so many of the same people in the food world and I'm sure we've met briefly during my many forays to Barboursville Vineyards where he's been a sommelier for 15 years. So it was a thrill to finally coordinate our busy schedules for a talk. Not just any journalistic back and forth, but a real honest-to-goodness deep conversation about food writing which evolved into his philosophy of setting your intention as you move throughout your day. And your life. Something I can definitely get behind in this age of instant gratification. Slowing down. Making that tiny bit of extra effort. Living awake and aware.

"My job as a writer...I want you to see past my words into the intention of that grower of that chef of that restaurateur."

Jason's passion comes out in the piece selected for this year's Best Of series about Chef Bo Bech, a Michelin-starred chef in Denmark, who self-describes as "Complicated Simple". With every beautiful raw ingredient he selects, he sets his intention to transforms it for the plate, while preserving its simple essence. For example, changing the shape of an avocado so when you go to taste it your mouth goes on a journey of discovery and surprise. Chef Bech is no precious "Tweezer Punk" (Tesauro's term), but an innovative chef exploring boundaries. Pushing the diner's expectations and understanding of an ingredient. Continually setting his intention with every plate to create a unique dining experience for his patrons. One so special they'll never forget it. Which behooves Jason to take a similar approach when it comes to reporting.

"The complicated part is how do I put my ego aside and how can I explore the humanity? It's about a beet, but it's not really the beet, it's the the heartbeat of the grower who survived the winter and made the ground sing."

The deeper themes are the complicated part when it comes to food writing. Tesauro's piece is a travelogue of Virginia with Jason taking Chef Bech to all his favorite haunts, "foraging" simple ingredients for a one-off pop up in New York called The Bride of the Fox. Fifteen hundred people signed up, but only six invitations went out. A mere ninety minutes before the dinner was due to start. How did Jason get this sweet gig? What was his game plan? Listen to find out.

"What I love about Bo Bech's food, he will take two ingredients that we're all familiar with and put them on a plate in a mashup we've never experienced...I think Bo never plays it safe. And I'm drawn to artists who live in that space...I like to be around people who are not pushing the envelope for innovation's sake, but they're challenging themselves to evolve and grow."

Not resting on your laurels. Pushing yourself to do more. Jason is an embodiment of that himself, a true Renaissance man who not only writes, works as a sommelier, but who has created an entire lifestyle choice with his book and website The Modern Gentleman which espouses the belief no matter your age or background, there's no reason to move through life sloppy and half-assed, as my Momma used to say. The origin story behind the book fascinated me, then convinced me to buy a copy for my nephew. Because a huge part of that story involves setting your intention, saying "Yes" to opportunities, and overcoming fear. Just showing up.

"To me intention is the important word here. Because the intention behind growing, behind sourcing, behind plating, I think that is immediately apparent (when it comes to restaurants). The 3-star (restaurant) wanted to show me their ego. They wanted the show. The 1-star nourished me and showed me her heart and her intention. And I came away with an understanding of each dish. A memory. Wheras the 3-star was a blitz of theater, of smoke, of polished meticulousness. But it felt souless."

Future plans? Jason recently submitted a wine piece to Esquire. It's one he fought hard for because instead of talking about the beverage in the technical terms most sommeliers use, he went emotional. No flavor or sensory descriptors here. Jason focused on questions like how do you feel while tasting this wine? What does it make you want to do? In what time and place would you drink it? If the wine were a person, who would it be? That style of writing conveys so much more to the reader. It's more accessible. There are more opportunities for connection. While writing the piece, Jason set that intention and hoped for the best. He knew it might be rejected, but he showed up anyway. Guess what? The editors loved it and his article will appear in the Spring. I can't wait to read it and hope more food and wine writers follow his example. I know I'm inspired to do so.

"I hope it leads to a shift in the way that we talk about food and wine. Because ultimately it's not just a bunch of salt and acid mixed up together. It's soul. It's place. It's intention."

This talked propelled me. I left feeling energized, ready to set my own intentions for the podcast. Wandering through Jackson Ward made me nostalgic for my hometown which made me remember. Which made me rush home and write a blog post that garnered more response from readers than anything I've written in months. Maybe there's something to this intention thing? Listen and discover it for yourself. Then head out Sunday for his panel talk. See you there!

Best American Food Writing 2016 Sun. March 26, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Central JMRL Library, 201 E Market Street, Charlottesville, Virginia Join food writers Todd Kliman, Jason Tesauro, Joe Yonan, and moderator Holly Hughes as they discuss the Best Food Writing 2016 series.

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

• Rally for Ally - Help out one of our own, a chef who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Polina Recover - Help out one of our own, a baker, who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Scotty Recover - My best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help?
• Virginia Festival of the Book - Head out to the food writing events among tons of others. Yes, I'm biased.
• To Your Health, WPVC 94.7 - Thanks to host M.C. Blair for having me as a guest! Here is the audio.
• Luca Paschina of Barboursville Vineyards - The man. The legend.
• In researching Jason, I came across this quote and knew I'd start the talk with it. It's from Bryan Curtis's piece in The Ringer called, "The Rise (and Fall?) of Food Writing."
  • In a fully digitized world, food offers the promise of writing about something tangible. "I feel like people are longing for connection," said the writer Jason Tesauro. "We've gotten to a place where soul and authenticity and genuineness — there's a dearth of it about. A lot of food writing just deals with surface — it's restaurant reviews and hype and 'Look at what I've found that you haven't heard about yet.' But peel that back and what you're really getting is an excuse to write about what's real.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.

Writing Work. Victuals Love. Sorghum and Salt. Welcome to the third in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th-19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Food writer Ronni Lundy whose newest creation, Victuals, is a celebration of Appalachian foodways, one ingredient at a time. Victuals just won the 2017 IACP award for American Cookbook of the Year and is a finalist for the James Beard award in American Cooking. Seed saver Bill Best has called Victuals, "The 67th book of the bible!" and I agree wholeheartedly. This volume is going all the way baby! Ronni will be appearing at three events as part of the festival, including a talk I'm moderating, "Save Room! Cookbooks With a Sweet Tooth!" Event details are listed below.

This episode is a re-airing of the lovely talk I had with Ronni at the tail end of the 2015 Appalachian Food Summit. Can you really get a sense of a region's history through one ingredient? This food writer and Appalachia advocate knows you can. Her books, Victuals, and Sorghum's Savor do just that. While both contain recipes, a good portion of the books talk about ingredient history, what each is and isn't, and the fascinating stories behind the folks who bring that food to your table.

As one of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit, Ronni knows such stories are integral to understanding the evolution of a culture. Which is why we begin this episode's discussion around the history of salt. At the 2015 gathering, we were fortunate enough to have Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt Works, a 7th generation salt farmer. Nancy considers salt an agricultural ingredient because in her words it is harvested from the ground and ripened by the sun. The history and evolution of this ingredient relate well to Appalachia's history as a land of extraction, as well as providing a base camp for all sorts of stories and anecdotes related to its history, harvest, and use.

Appalachia is a storytelling culture, and Ronni deftly uses this to incorporate important lessons into her tales. Because the purpose of the summit is to not only preserve but to move Appalachia into the growing, abundant, thriving, economically and environmentally productive region we all know it can be. It's an heirloom that just needs a little spit shine. It's time for a revival.

The fellowship from food gatherings is one of the hallmarks of Appalachia. Food as communion. Food as revival. Not food as performance where chefs come out after sweating their butts off in a kitchen just to receive a smattering of applause. There's a reason people crave the homemade meals from their upbringing. Food grown from heritage seeds taste better, keep longer, are better for the environment, and preserve history.

We discuss The Appalachian Food Summit, its goals, and how Facebook helped get it started, Why was it important to serve the meal at the 2015 gathering cafeteria style? What exactly does Chef Travis Milton mean when he called this dinner a "fancy-ass Picadilly"?

You're in for a treat guys. Ronni Lundy is a kick-ass broad. You're going to learn a lot. But these lessons are mixed in with great stories. Or as Ronni's says, "A little sugar before your medicine." Enjoy this episode then head out to all three events! See you there!

Hear Ronni's talk at the 2016 Appalachian Food Summit: The Biscuit Love Rocking Chair Keynote: The Magical Mammy & the Granny Woman: How Malinda Russell's Journeys Break the Chains of Myth Toni Tipton-Martin, author of the James Beard Award-winning, The Jemima Code and Ronni Lundy of Victuals discuss how exploring foodways can give voice to people and cultures otherwise ignored or misrepresented in history, and how that changes our ideas of where we come from and who we are.

[button color="dark" link="http://traffic.libsyn.com/edacious/066_BONUS_Ronni__Toni_SS_at_AFS.mp3" width="200" id="Download"] Download Episode[/button]

Save Room! Cookbooks with a Sweet Tooth Wed. March 22, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Barnes & Noble, Barracks Road Shopping Center, Charlottesville Cookbook authors Sheri Castle (Rhubarb) and Ronni Lundy (Sorghum's Savor) will discuss their work.

Cooking Demos Thu. March 23, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM The Charlottesville Cooking School, Meadowbrook Shopping Center, Charlottesville Join Sheri Castle (Rhubarb), Shane Mitchell (Far Afield), and Ronni Lundy (Victuals), as they each give a cooking demonstration of recipes from their cookbooks.

Food Traditions and Women Chefs Thu. March 23, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 233 4th St NW, Charlottesville, Virginia Join Ashley Christensen (Poole's Diner), Shane Mitchell (Far Afield), and Ronni Lundy (Victuals) as they discuss traditional food and cooking methods and their experiences as female chefs.

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

• Rally for Ally - help out one of our own, a chef who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Polina Recover - help out one of our own, a baker, who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Scotty Recover - my best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help?
• Virginia Festival of the Book - Head out to the food writing events among tons of others. Yes, I'm biased.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.

Wine Work. Taco Work. Writing Work. Welcome to the second in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th to 19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Award-winning food author Todd Kliman, former critic for The Washingtonian, author of The Wild Vine, and a contributor to this year's Best American Food Writing series. Todd will be appearing at an event Sunday, March 26th at JMRL as part of that series. Event details are listed below.

I first became aware of Todd's writing because of his Oxford American piece on Peter Chang which went viral and did much to promote that nomadic chef's mystique. But it was during Todd's 2014 presentation at the SFA Summer Symposium in Richmond, where he talked about his book The Wild Vine, that I knew I'd have to meet him somehow. The Wild Vine isn't just about grapes, but about identity, immigration, and overcoming fear to reinvent yourself. A truly American-born idea. Daniel Norton discovered the only true American grape, the Norton, way back in Jefferson's time. Norton Street, a 2-block long narrow lane in Richmond marks the location of Magnolia Farm where the discovery took place. His gravestone in Shockhoe Hill Cemetery lies forlornly in a forgotten corner.

"I didn't write the book because I'm a lover of Norton...I like it...but I like it for what it seems to embody to me...I knew that this was a good story."

Today accomplished vintner Jenni McCloud of Chrysalis Vineyard is Norton's champion, an expert in appreciating this often overlooked and misunderstood wine and the only transgender vineyard owner in America. Recognition for Norton and his grape are building. Developments are happening. Listen to learn more. The book is marvelous, such a great story, and it was a thrill to discuss it with him.

Likewise, Todd's piece in the Best of American Food Writing 2016 is about way more than tacos and mezcal in Mexico. It's about democracy, his own sense of disorientation, then discovery, and the danger and sense of extremity of culture that permeates everything when you live on the edge of the volcano that is Mexico City. How does one bite of a beetle transport you back 400 years while at the same time showing you the future of foodstuffs? We talk about it.

"You can tell a story and that will be interesting on its surface...but if there's going to be a connection...there has to be something for me to speak through...I have to be able to connect with it...to bond with it...so I can get into the deeper tissue of it and then write from out of that...my heart and my brain is entirely engaged."

Most people don't even know what food writing is, assuming we're all either cookbook authors or critics. Which simply isn't the case. Food writing goes deep causing the writer to think, to consider, to connect. When you read a Yelp review or even a review from an esteemed critic, it's flat, consisting of their opinions and stars. A soundbite that doesn't do nearly enough to encompass the real work and passion dozens of folks have done to bring forth that meal to your plate.

"I think a piece of writing should be an experience in its own right...when you read it, it stands alongside it, that experience of eating at the restaurant...But that's not how most people come at it...most people want the information (only)."

The eating environment has changed as well, with fewer folks being "regulars" at restaurants. There's just not that many places for folks to meet face to face anymore and when they do, they're on their phones. Social media has changed food. It's changed how people connect on an elemental level. What is Todd doing to fix that? Stay tuned! Like Norton and McCloud, Todd is in the process of reinvention, refusing to be pigeonholed into the "food writer" label. He left his position at The Washingtonian and is expanding his horizons, including a new book which explores yearning, loss, memory, time, and the nature of joy called, "Happiness is Otherwise". Look for it soon. After this conversation? I can't wait to read it.

"One of the things I find liberating about not being in the role of critic anymore is this constant assessing of what matters and what doesn't. What's relevant and what's not. I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in the ways that food connect people to other people. Or don't. It's also a way of erecting barriers. It has been. And continues to be."

It was such a privilege to talk at length with one of my favorite food writers whose work I've followed for many years. Anyone interested in writing, literature, or who loves the deep questions in general, will get a lot out of this episode. Todd and I connected on so many levels, including our love of African literature, writing, our similar grief process, our parents, and the expressionist painter Oskar Kokoschka. Multiple connections guarantee a fantastic conversation. Which this definitely is. The conversation went another hour after I hit stop. I hope it's the first of many. Enjoy!

Best American Food Writing 2016 Sun. March 26, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Central JMRL Library, 201 E Market Street, Charlottesville, Virginia Join food writers Todd Kliman, Jason Tesauro, Joe Yonan, and moderator Holly Hughes as they discuss the Best Food Writing 2016 series.

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

• Rally for Ally - help out one of our own, a chef who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Polina Recover - help out one of our own, a baker, who recently suffered a debilitating accident.
• Help Scotty Recover - my best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help?
• Virginia Festival of the Book - Head out to the food writing events among tons of others. Yes, I'm biased.
• Wole Soyinka - We connected over our love of African literature.
• The Silent Woman - A novel, and inspiration for Kliman's new book, "Happiness is Otherwise".
• Oskar Kokoschka - Expressionist painter who informed Kliman's newest work.
• Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;)
• Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious!

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.