Shenandoah Valley Daybook

Monastery Cheese Story and Pictures

2009-10-20T07:05:00.001-07:00

Waynesboro photographer Christy Majors and I have been at it again. I invited her to come along on very special trip to cover a story with me. I just knew she'd snap great photos of the place. The story is about Our Lady of Angels Monastery Cheese, which is made in Crozet, Va., deep in the mountains. It was certainly worth a drive just to meet Sister Barbara, who I still think about with great fondness. The article is in the newest issue of Flavor Magazine.

Here is the link to Christy's photos. http://www.flickr.com/photos/christymajors/sets/72157618219319818/

Here is the link to my article, which is in pdf form. http://www.molliecoxbryan.com/molliecoxbryan/new-article-on-monastery-cheese-in-flavor-magazine.html

The Daily News Record: By the Book

2009-06-18T09:37:00.001-07:00

The Daily News Record: By the Book

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Lovely Spring Photos from Christy Majors

2009-05-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

Waynesboro photographer Christy Majors is at it again. Here's a couple of pictures to brighten your day. She has a flickr account if you're interested in seeing more of her work. I'll also be posting more Spring pictures (and others) soon.

Images of Waynesboro

2009-05-08T06:29:00.000-07:00

Check out this wonderful blog about a new book coming out. Writer Elizabeth Massie and artist Cortney Skinner team up for a wonderful telling of Waynesboro's history. It promises to be a fun and interesting read, and a delight for the eye, as well. Can't wait to see it. Check out the blog at:

http://imagesofamericawaynesboro.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies

2009-05-07T08:07:00.001-07:00

So, I haven't been posting here often. I've been working hard on finishing up the MRS. ROWE'S LITTLE BOOK OF SOUTHERN PIES, and doing a lot of work on getting ready to promote it. The book is now available on Amazon. I will try to keep this blog up, but do check at my web site http://www.molliecoxbryan.com and blog there, which you just need to click on on the main page.

In the mean time, I'm doing some essays for the local NPR affiliate, WVTF. I've blogged about it over at the other blog, as well as some of my experiences with pie and the pie book. I am going to try to continue with this blog--I miss it and I've found that over the past few days that you do, too. I've met several people who have mentioned it to me. I had no idea there was such a huge fan base. Please drop me a line. Respond to posts.

I'm regrouping and dragging a good friend along. Stay tuned.

Being a Good Citizen

2008-09-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

Tess, our second grader, came home with an interesting fill in sheet. I am a good citizen because...
1. I return library books so other people can enjoy them at their home.
2. I won't be a litter bug.
Not outside, anyway, but she certainly IS one in our house. ;-)

Adventures of a Hungry Mom/Food Writer

2008-09-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest column in the News Leader.

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080914/LIFESTYLE/809140301/-1/&source=nletter-news

Picking Peaches at Chile's Orchard

2008-08-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Okay. So we were revved up about picking peaches at a local orchard. What a great activity for the kids and our friends. Maybe we were a little too exuberant about it. We picked a whole box of them. And as I saw my friend's bill while she was getting check out, I thought GOD WHAT AM I DOING? Her bill came to about $40.
"I am going to need to put some of these back," I said. All I had was $20 and my bank card and honestly, it was a few days before payday, and I was not sure we had the money in the bank to cover it.
"Oh NO, I can't let you do that" the woman behind the counter said. "You can just IMAGINE that we'd have piles of peaches everywhere if we let everybody do that."
My mouth must have dropped open and then I dug out my bank card, saying a little prayer to the gods of checking account balances. And I paid her. But I never will again.
So, here's my thoughts. Couldn't they have taken some of my peaches and placed them on their shelves for sale, with the others? That might just have been a little too much work for them, I guess, considering there were maybe 4 other customers that I saw that morning.
After I thought about, I realized that other people must have gotten snagged too because, well, she readily admitted that others were surprised and wanted to put them back. So. I looked around and did not see any signs posted that warn people "YOU MUST TAKE WHAT YOU PICK."
All of this aside, what ever happened to customer service? If she had ever whispered the words "I'm sorry, but this is our policy..." No. She was nasty and condescending. I have a couple of witnesses—one of whom is an adult.
And I am telling everybody I know. We all deserve to be treated better than that, especially when plunking down almost $50 for a bunch of unripe, rather smallish peaches, that we picked with our own hands.

Toilet Paper Madness

2008-08-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have figured out we are going through one roll of toilet paper a day this summer. Also, since the girls are home most days, all day long, we are constantly running to the grocery store. Thank goodness school starts next week.

Check out my latest column

2008-08-10T05:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/LIFESTYLE/808100301/-1/&source=nletter-news

Reading Haven Kimmel

2008-07-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

"What if God loves us the way we truly love our children, walking around outside with them and watching them eat cinnamon toast and listening to them talk to imaginary friends on imaginary telephones, and they are becoming and we are becoming with them, because of all this, this life with them, is planted in us and stays in us and it's what we know of love," The Used World, Haven Kimmel.
The Used World is the third Haven Kimmel book I've read this summer. It started with my friend who is an awesome writer, Elizabeth Massie, telling me about A Girl Named Zippy, Haven's bestseller of a memoir. I am writing one, just like it seems everybody else is doing. I admitted to Beth one night that I didn't think anybody would want to read my story. I am not famous, I have not been horribly abused, or overcome an addiction. She said "Read this book."
It sent me on a journey of reading Haven Kimmel, a writer of mostly happy childhood memories. Her fiction is much different and goes really, really deep. The quote I started this post with is one I keep in mind every day as I schlepp my daughter to dance camp every day.
She is nine, no longer a baby in my lap, but nonetheless, I am inspired by her and her sister nearly every day. If I allow myself, between packing lunches, getting baths, fighting about the tv, and gameboy, I can see Spirit in them. I hope it never goes away. I hope the world does not leave them bitter and turning away from love.

Another Quote of the Day

2008-07-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

" I like this radio for tv thing," Emma Bryan, 9, about VH1, which she had never seen before today.

Quote of the Day

2008-07-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

"I am not a person that likes to be patient,"—Tess Bryan, 7-years old.

Summer in Waynesboro

2008-06-30T13:12:00.000-07:00

We've been swimming at the Waynesboro Pool nearly every day. My girls are taking lessons. And I have to say what a great group of teenagers they have as lifeguards and swim teachers. How many young men would want to teach a bunch of little kids how to swim, let alone do it with such kindness that it blows you mind? If you are looking for good kids, and after all, we hear a lot about the bad ones, look no further than the Waynesboro public pool.

Tess's Three Wishes

2008-06-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

With this week being the last week of school, there is an enormous amount of paper coming into the house. I ran across this in Tess's things. She is 7. And I am going to use her spelling.
My Three Wishes
I wish everybody was a mermaid.
I wish nobody would kill animals.
I wish Brokerobom was president.

Inspired

2008-05-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

My 9-year-old daughter, Emma, was home from school for two days in a row. She watched the movie E.T for the third time yesterday and decided to write a novel called "E. T. Returns." She took printer paper, folded it in half, stapled a binding, and started writing her book. She was still writing in bed last night, got up to get a drink of water, and said to me, "Mommy, it SO hard to stop writing a novel."
I remember feeling that way. I glimpse that raw inspiration from time to time.
Paying attention to my daughter's words has helped me realize that I am really burned out. This summer, I am going to try to rest and (maybe) write the things that feed me. I'll be getting ready for a lot of action in the fall—pitching articles and working on the publicity for my next book. I want to feel the way Emma does--I have and know what it's like to be on fire about your work. There's nothing more fulfilling.

Springdale Water Gardens—a Gem in the Valley

2008-05-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

I love this place. To me, seeing a water lily float on the water, with its petals opening, lifting to the sky is like seeing a piece of magic. It's so tranquil.
If you are a gardener or water gardener, chances are you've heard of Springdale Water Gardens—they are a national company sending out their water garden products all over the world. And they are right here in the Valley. I was lucky enough to go on a field trip with my daughter's first grade class to visit this amazing place. I thought I'd share some of the pictures I snapped.

Little Writer

2008-04-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Emma, my 9-year-old, has had rough year. Third grade is tough and she is bright, but a bit dreamy and creative, and would rather be outside playing than studying for exams. (Wouldn't we all?) Luckily, she has a very involved teacher, who has been careful to encourage Emma's natural abilities, along with trying to get her to work harder on the things that don't come as easy to her. This year, she chose Emma to attend the Young Author's Night—which is a program they send talented and gifted writers to in the Spring. Kids from Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County are selected to go. It makes them feel so special. One author talks to them about her life and what it's like to be a writer. Emma came home so inspired that she started to work on a mystery novel.;-) AS to how I feel about my daughter perhaps following in my foot steps...well, let's just say that a mixed of of emotion that might be better left for another post.

Here is the story Emma wrote that got her into this event and the one she shared while she was there. (Okay I am bragging and I am using my blog to publish my own daughter's story, wouldn't you?)

Don't you want to know about when I got lost at the children's museum in Lynchburg? It was July 27, 2006. I finally got to the children's museum after one hour of waiting in the car. We finally got to the the children's museum in Lynchburg. I jumped out of the car and raced to the door. I pushed open the door and glanced at the inside playground.
Soon after we got to the museum, my Dad asked me to climb all the way to the top floor, I said yes. So, I climbed to the last floor. I saw a tunnel through the playground. It was the only way to get to the next floor. So I went through and I got scared. Suddenly, my dress was caught on something so I turned around and saw a family. I screamed so loud that a lady who worked there heard me. She crawled in and found me. She grabbed me. She finally got me out of the terrible place. I looked behind me and saw a sign that said "tunnel of horror." I started to cry and asked the kind lady will I ever see my mommy and daddy again? Yes, she said. But it didn't sound like the lady. I looked up and saw my mommy.

Rainy Spring Day

2008-04-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

It's been raining off and on all day. Now the rain is falling steady and I can hear it pounding on the roof. Spring rain is a joy—you can feel and see all the buds and shoots just soaking up the moisture.
Sometimes I wonder what I am doing here in this Valley that is in some ways so behind the times. I wonder what I am doing at my keyboard. Am I writing? What will become of the bits and pieces of poems and stories I have scattered? Do they have any meaning? Will they sprout into more?
I can hear the birds chirping, along with the rain, outside my windows. My office is a sun room that we made into a space that was supposed to be just for me. But like so much at this time in my life, it has turned out not to be that way. Finding the time to write is not any harder than finding the time to actually think a complete thought, which sometimes is almost impossible. That tell you something about me and my life. Scattered is the best way to describe it.
Sometimes I have moments where I can see with clarity and have the space to explore it. Few and far between.
Still there is the rain. something to bring joy and flowers and green. Everywhere, the green.

New Column in Gannett's News Leader

2008-04-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest column.
http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080413/LIFESTYLE/804130301/-1/&source=nletter-news

L'Italia in Staunton Rocks My World

2008-04-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago (okay I know, I am really behind...) we went to L'Italia in Staunton, Va. We rarely go there because it's a little pricey and because it's in downtown Staunton and can be a tricky parking situation. In any case, I'm so glad we went and I plan to go back. Let me put it to you this way: I'd walk blocks and blocks and up and down several mountains to go back and eat their eggplant parmesan. Not only was it the best eggplant I have ever had in my life, it was quite possibly the BEST THING I HAVE EVER EATEN--EVER!
Okay, so what do they do with the eggplant? How do they make it so perfectly--soft, but not too soft, not stringy or seedy in any way? I wonder if they would tell me. I sort of asked the Zac Efron-look alike waiter, who politely shrugged and said he did not know. But he added that they use fresh and locally-grown ingredients. Could that be it? Hmmm. I wonder.

NPR Story Affirms Creative Play

2008-02-21T09:52:00.000-08:00

There's a great story on NPR today. My husband heard it first thing this morning and made sure I heard it on the next repeat. It's about the way most children don't play the way they used to and it's preventing them from learning how to self-egulate, an important skill. We found this affirming for our lack-of-structured-play method of parenting. We do play with our kids—I am not saying we set them off on their own with no interaction with us. But we refuse to buy the latest electronic gadgets and doo-dads, try to limit their tv time, limit outside activities (like camps and lessons), and offer them imaginative play toys. Like dolls. Our girls come up with elaborate plots and themes with (or without) their dolls. Some people might think it odd that my older daughter, Emma, at the ripe old age of nine still even plays with her dolls. I encourage it because it feeds her imagination. Even though her wild imagination has gotten her into trouble at times, I'd much rather go through those growing pains with her than not have helped her to have this wonderful inner life that will get her through life in a more enriching way. Our summers, for example, are not spent rushing from camp to camp. Even if I had the money for it, I would not go for all the summer running I see some of my friends endure. I also am not one to set up play dates a lot because I really enjoy my kids and especially in the summer when there's no school work, we enjoy kicking back together. Play dates are wonderful-I am not saying we never do them. It's good for kids to play with other kids, visit other families, and so on. This year, we've met a family whose imaginative play ranks with our own and even though there some age differences, they all enjoy one another's company. In fact, we know several families like this. And recently we had a a birthday party during which I tired to impose some structure on these children and guess what...the day was just too beautiful to stay inside and watch a movie. They ended up in our backyard, tossing balls, chasing one another, and digging in the dirt. Nobody could deny that was much better for all.
Check out the NPR story.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

Feel-Good Vegetarian

2008-02-19T08:33:00.000-08:00

I am feeling really good about being a vegetarian today. This last beef recall seems particularly menacing. A meat-eating friend of mine called last night with a pledge that she was not going to eat beef again. I have not seen the footage she talked about, but evidently, it was all over the news—the way the sick cows were being treated has been documented by mainstream media. The thing is those "crazy" animal rights people have been trying to tell people for years that animals are being mistreated in the huge factory farming institutions that most of U.S. beef comes from. We don't want to see it, or hear it. We can't imagine a life without meat. I haven't had meat in over 20 years and I really don't miss it. I am pretty healthy. At times, I get really sick of apologizing for my personal dietary choices. Living in the Shenandoah Valley, sometimes I am treated like a bit of a freak because I don't eat meat. The mention of my vegetarianism once stopped a room full of people, who stared at me, until I explained that, yes, I was the one who asked for a veggie burger and no I am not the freak they thought I was. I have also been snubbed by "open-minded" foodies, as well. I am tired of it. You can live however you choose. As for me, I am walking and eating my truth—and I feel good about it, especially today.

Ice Images by Waynesboro Photographer Christy Majors

2008-02-03T11:32:00.000-08:00

Another quote from Tess

2008-02-03T03:32:00.000-08:00

"Green apples are better than cake," Tess, age 6

Yoga in the Kitchen

2008-01-23T05:43:00.000-08:00

Okay. When your child is home sick, and you have a few deadlines looming, you might think you are a smarty-pants Yoga Mom and sneak in a Downward Dog while you are waiting for the toast to be done. Don't do it. You will see the crud underneath your cabinets and it will haunt you all day.
Just a word of advice. This did not happen to me. Really....

quote of the day

2008-01-14T05:48:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes watching my mommy is like watching tv," Tess, age 6.

Check Out My Latest Column

2008-01-13T07:10:00.001-08:00

http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080113/LIFESTYLE/801130311/1024

Top Ten things I Say ONLY to my kids

2008-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

What do you say to your kids?

I've read a lot about what strange things come out of kids mouths. You know "out of the mouth of babes" stuff. But have you ever listened to yourself talking to your kids? I started to keep a list of stuff I say to them that I would never say to another person. Ever. Maybe you have a few of your own. Feel free to add some here.

Okay here are mine.

Please don't lick the table.
Don't eat your boogers.
Let me check your bottom.
It's okay to play with yourself, but just do it in private, and certainly not around your grandparents.
If you say vagina or poop one more time, I will scream.
Yes, I think the tooth fairy and santa actually know one another.
Is that you I smell?
Where did you get those underwear?
No, the Easter bunny does not smell like a dog.
I know you like to be naked, but please keep your clothes on.

Quote for today

2008-01-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

The impulse for much writing is homesickness. You are trying
to get back home, and in your writing you are invoking that home,
so you are assuaging the homesickness.
- Joan Didion

Grit Magazine - America's Rural Lifestyle Magazine for 125 Years

2007-12-31T13:10:00.000-08:00

I am so pleased about my soup article in Grit. First of all, ya gotta LOVE this magazine. It's been publishing for 125 years and has refashioned itself several times over the years. When he was a boy, my father sold subscriptions to it and that was the only was to get your hands on it. When I started writing for them about five years ago, it was in a newspaper tabloid format. Now, it's a glossy, well-designed magazine and you can get it on the new stands. My article is in the current issue. You can check it out online at www.grit.com. It's in the Comfort Foods section. Enjoy!

Pizzelles

2007-12-28T10:19:00.001-08:00

Okay so my pizzelles are not perfect looking--but they REALLY taste good.

Pizzelle Recipe

2007-12-28T10:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas would not be the same in my house without the pizzelles my Gram made every year. I make them now, with a non-stick pizzelle iron--so easy. I wonder how my Gram did it with her old clunky iron.

Here's the recipe:

This is the basic pizzelle recipe. You can substitute virtually any flavoring instead of the anise extract. But for those who prefer the authentic, the anise is necessary. To soften the anise flavor, add a tablespoon of vanilla.
6 eggs
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup cool melted butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons anise extract
Preheat pizzelle iron. Beat eggs, add sugar gradually and beat well. Add butter and anise. Sift flour and baking powder and add to creamed mixture. Dough will be very sticky. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto pizzelle iron sprayed with Pam, if it’s not a non-stick iron. Cook until steam stops and cookies are a rich golden color. Lift the top of the iron carefully. Remove cookies with a large fork or spoon. Cool on wire racks and store in airtight container. Makes five dozen.

First-Grade Food Writer?

2007-11-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

I volunteer once a week to work with the children in Tess's class. I am at one of the "rotation" stations. The children are divided into groups and rotate between activities. It's very different than when I did the same thing for Kindergarten, where I was just doing a craft or reading a story, while the "real" instructing was going on in the other groups. This year I am really helping the kids work on important skills. Last week, I was working with them on a writing project. One little boy and I had a meeting of the minds. He grinned ear-to-ear because I showed interest in his story and asked him questions. This week, the activity was writing a Thanksgiving menu. When his group came to me, he pulled on my sleeve and said, "Remember me? I am the good writer." (My heart burst!) This week, I paid special attention to him and praised his menu. "Of course it is good. You are such a good writer," I said. He looked up at me and said,"Yes, I know, but does it make you hungry?"
Great. Just what the world needs. Another food writer.

Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant Cookbook Signing at Sam's Club—Success!!!

2007-11-10T06:57:00.001-08:00

What is a Narrative Cookbook?

2007-11-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

I am often asked what a narrative cookbook is. And I smile.
A narrative cookbook is a cookbook that tells a story. If you think about all the different kinds of cookbooks there are, you'll note that some of them just give recipes and hints about food. Narrative cookbooks have recipes, along with stories about the food, history, the people making the food, and so on. The Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant Cookbook: A Lifetime of Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley tell the story of Mrs. Rowe's life, restaurant, food, and give some local history. It tells the story through overlapping techniques—the main one in the narrative that flows throughout the book, which is accented by photo captions, sidebars, recipe head notes.
So.
A narrative cookbook is what it says it is. ;-) A cookbook that tells a story. Any other thoughts about that?

dreams, art, business

2007-10-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

Dreams are funny things. Last night I dreamed about my friend Jennifer Ledford’s best friend Robin Goering, who is an artist. We stopped by her studio yesterday. Let’s just say that between the incredible art and the magic of her space, she filled my dreams most of the night. (Check out her new blog! http://robinstudio6.blogspot.com/) On top of that, Jennifer has created a nifty space all her own in downtown Waynesboro, as well—forged with her own blood, sweat, passion, and you guessed it DREAMS!
Kids and Sew On, Jennifer’s custom embroidery company, used to be a home-based company. It has grown so fast and so incredibly that she decided to take the leap and rent a store front. She embroiders bags, shirts, hats, well, just about anything you can imagine. Now her store is located on Wayne Avenue. You can still order her products online at http://www.kidsandsewon.com.
We visited both places yesterday during Waynesboro’s Fall Foliage Festival where artists set up their wares for sale. Okay, so I can never afford to buy what I like, but still, it’s always inspiring to see the art, but more importantly, to see the dreams become reality in front of my face.
For me this year, it was so satisfying to see these two women, Jennifer and Robin, fulfilling their passions. Interestingly, they both spoke of how nice it was to have their own space, how it made them feel whole again. (Jennifer has four children; Robin five. And both have been stay-at-home moms, while pursuing their businesses and art.)
Things do and can fall into place. Often, it’s not the way we imagine it will be when we are young women pursuing our careers—or when we are struck utterly, profoundly, with the need and the desire to have children. How will it work? Will we have to stop painting? Will we have to stop dancing? Acting? Writing? Often the answer is “No, but…” That is to say, “No, but it will just take rethinking, reshaping, reforming. I know that my writing career is nothing like I had imagined it would be. Still, it ain't chopped liver. I am still finding my way. Who knows where I will be 10 years from now? Even though they are not writers, women like Robin and Jennifer are lighting a way for me. I am grateful for them.

Ya don't have to be nice, honey

2007-09-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

My daughter Emma is a sweetie. Really. A very sensitive little girl who is trying to find her way in the harsh world of public school. Last year, on the playground a boy tried to take her ball from her, she grabbed it back off of him—and he pushed her down hard. The school kind pissed me off because they talked to her about how SHE could have handled the situation better. She was sticking up for herself—the boy took her ball. I told the assistant principal that we are teaching her to stand up for herself—whether they like it or not. Mostly, her feelings were because she thought the boy was her friend. I am still getting my feelings hurt over people who call themselves my friend and then prove that they are not. So I find I am at a loss to explain the complexities of friendship to my child.
Then last week, in the midst of my younger daughter being sick with the stomach flu, Emma came home sick from school she never even made it to her class. They called at 8:10. At first, I didn't think much of it because Tess was sick. But as the day wore on, I could tell Emma had gotten "better" very quickly. Turns out, there was an incident on the bus that upset her.
This is the kind of girl Emma is: she decided to make little drawings/posters for everybody on the bus. And one night she poured her heart out into these posters, working very hard on them. She just decided she wanted to do something nice for the kids she rides the bus with. Unfortunately, a group of them laughed at her and tore up the pictures.
It would have made me sick, too. Now, Emma is riding in the front of the bus and has been told that she doesn't have to be nice to those boys. She seemed confused, "But I have to be nice to everybody." But you don't have to be, do you? Especially if somebody treats you with disrespect, they don't deserve your attention, let alone your friendship or heart. It's a lesson I am still learning—it has been a difficult and painful one throughout my life—but to see my daughter dealing with this at the age of eight, it feels like a kick in the gut.

Frog Friend

2007-09-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

We opened up one of our lawn chairs and look what we found tucked in between. It's the first frog I've seen in years. Isn't she cute?

Produce Auction

2007-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today I visited the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction. I thought I'd share some pictures with you.

Chickpeas

2007-07-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

I want to tell you about a FABULOUS restaurant in Waynesboro. "Chickpeas" serves Middle Eastern/Greek food, along with some other more traditional American fare. Every time we go—and that's turning out to be any chance we get—I order the hummus and the stuffed grape leaves. They are the best stuffed grape leaves I've ever had. They are done to a perfect consistency. Sometimes, those leaves get hard and chewy. But Chickpeas grape leaves are tender, filled with yummy rice and spices. I simply can't get enough of them.
Okay. I can see and hear some of you in my imagination already. What's the big deal? Hummus? Grape leaves? The big deal is I am in Waynesboro, Va., in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, which is steakhouse, country cafe, diner territory. Good ethnic food is 30 miles away in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. My husband and I have watched in horror as number of Indian restaurants have opened and promptly closed—not lasting more than a year. Even though they offered interesting dishes and great service.
We are holding our breath: Will Chickpeas make it?
We think it might. Every time we go in, there's a pleasant crowd. We take it as a sign of their success. We think it's almost been a year—that's the first official hump to overcome, it seems.
Any other Chickpeas fans out there?

Karma

2007-05-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Tess has been sick for two days. We had very little groceries in the house, Eric was in DC, and finally I hear from an editor and a potential contract employer—both wanting stuff from me. Is this my karma? I am available most of the time. I am here, ready and willing to work, but when my kids are sick it puts a different spin on my life. And I have to tell you that they are sick A LOT. I brought this up to their doctor once and she said that no they are not sick a lot, not in comparison with many other children. I don't remember being sick a lot as a kid and my Mom verifies this memory. Kids are sick more today, and I don't know why.
So now, everything is a mess and I am playing catch-up with all of my gigs. It's hard not to be resentful when this happens.

Fresh Strawberries in the Morning

2007-05-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

As I poured cereal into my bowl this morning, I wondered out loud if the strawberries were ripe. Eric said he thought he saw some red berries the other day. I went out in my bare feet and picked four bright red strawberries. I actually wiped the dew from them before washing them off. I love this part of my life—that now I can walk into my back yard and eat something that we planted. I always dreamed of this when I lived in Reston. You never know where dreams will take you. For now, I am in Waynesboro, Va., in the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley. I can see mountains in the not too far distance and my just-budding gardens in front me. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Yes, this Valley is Beautiful, BUT....

2007-04-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

What a gorgeous Spring day. The sky is finally blue again and the wind has stopped, with only a gentle breeze blowing around the tree limbs now. Yesterday, I had to pick up my trash from the yard 3 times. I won't be posting for awhile because I am getting ready to go to New York City to the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) annual conference. Which brings up one of my complaints about living here—getting anywhere else is a bitch. Okay I can get get in my car and drive anywhere—not New York City, though. And to take public transportation is a major deal. The train from Staunton takes 9 hours, arriving in NY at 10:30 p.m. There are local airports, but the cost of flying out of them is extremely high. So, after much investigating, I figured the best way (cheapest) for me to go is by airplane from Richmond, which is about 2 hours from here. A friend of my husband is driving me there and picking me up. Why not my husband? Well, someone needs to be here for the girls when they get home from school.
If you think this is a convoluted mess, let me tell you about my Mom (who doesn't drive) trying to come for a visit. The buses offer an outrageously long and grueling trip. After her last experience, where they would not let her get out and get a drink of water, she said never again. So, she checked into a train from Pittsburgh to Staunton. First, the train would go to Chicago. WHAT? Isn't that the opposite direction?
People say we should take advantage of public transportation, with emissions and gas prices rising. But how crazy is this?

Stuarts Draft Farm Market, Local Color and Flavor

2007-04-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

2007-04-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

2007-04-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

2007-04-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

This morning I noticed that, despite the cold, our strawberries now have bloomed. Today it might get to 60 degrees. It's been so cold here that it's hard to believe just last week I was traipsing around Stuart's Draft in short sleeves and flip flops. The Stuarts Draft Farm Market, which is located on Route 340, is one of my favorite places for produce. Not all of it's labeled "organic" but the owners say that much of their local produce hasn't been sprayed with chemicals. Growers are reluctant to jump through government hoops just to get the label "organic."
This place has a definite character. Its front lawn is covered with lawn ornaments for sale and you can buy candles, cookbooks, and a variety of craft-like items along with your produce. I purchased some local hydroponic lettuce that had such a fresh smell that I had to stop my self from plunging my face into its bin. We ate it all up that night at supper. The locally grown apples I bought are also gone. They were just brought out of cold storage from the long winter. I also purchased some onion sets from them in hope that we'll have fresh onions out of the garden for most of the summer. Onion and mustard sandwiches are one of my favorite summertime treats.
What are your favorite places to shop for food? Is there a special summer food that you long for?

Spring

2007-04-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

It's one of those beautiful spring days that you dream about during the depths of winter. My daughters are home, enjoying the first day of spring break. We ran some errands this morning and now they are playing in our backyard. I can hear their giggles and the creaks of their swings. The dog barks every once in awhile--just to hear herself bark.
I poked around in our gardens this morning. Our strawberry plants have fared well over the winter, as did the yarrow, which is looking soft, feathery, and very green. One of my favorite early spring plants has spread and looks like it's taking over a corner of the plot. It's sweet woodruff. A few years ago, I wrote a piece about it in Augusta Country, which is no longer publishing, much to my dismay.
Even though it's not yet May, I am thinking of May Day because of my delicate little sweet woodruff spreading along the ground. It's going to be awhile before I get this blog up and where I want it to be. In the the mean time, I thought I'd share this with you—part of my folksy kitchen garden column.

May Day and Sweet Woodruff
Sweet woodruff , with its delicate white flowers blossoming in spring and whorls of green leaves, offers much to the gardener, crafter, and herbalist. With its rich history of being an ingredient in May wine, sweet woodruff is the herb to use in welcoming spring and the “merry month” of May.
May wine is traditionally drunk on May Day to welcome the season and as a spring tonic. (See recipe.) According to the Herb Quarterly (Spring 1993) the wine is part of the ancient custom of “bringing in the May” which began in Rome, where a five-day festival in honor of Flora the Goddess of flowers was held. In ancient Britain, the festival of Beltane was celebrated on the first of May, Some of those traditions have found their way into todays festivals of spring—dancing around the Maypole, choosing a May Queen, and for some, drinking May wine, strewn with sweet woodruff.
Today, the ritual of drinking May wine has most taken hold in Germany, where the practice originated in the 13th century, and the Germans stills serve the “Mai Bowle” each day of the month. In Germany, sweet woodruff is called “waldmeister” or “master of the forests.” The name undoubtedly comes from the fact that it grows in shady woods or under hedges, making it a wonderful border or ground cover. Preferring the shade, sweet woodruff, can be grown on paths where it will release it’s fresh, soothing scent when stepped on.
”It is well know for its scent,” says Mary Lou DiGrassie, owner of Quail Hill Herb Shop, Fishersville, Va. “In fact, it is often used for fixative in perfumes.”
According the Herb Quarterly, sweet woodruff is called “muge-de-boys” or “woods musk” in old French, in reference to the herbs distinctive scent, which is only noticeable when it is dried or crushed. The scent is caused by coumarin, a constituent of sweet woodruff and the first natural scent to be synthesized from coal tars.
The fragrant use of the herb dates back to the Middle Ages. According to the Herb Companion (April/May 1996), the herb was used as a fragrant strewing herb and as a mattress filling. It was also hung in churches as a symbol of humility and placed among linens to repel moths and insects.
“It has an interesting history” says DiGrassie. “Medicinally, it was used as a liver tonic.”
Sweet woodruff definitely has an effect on the liver, she cautions. “It will actually stress the liver.” (And the Herb Companion warns that the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers sweet woodruff safe only in alcoholic beverages.)
Still, it is used today by modern herbalists, mostly as a laxative and for some kinds of arthritis, DiGrassie says. “You just don’t want to overdo it.”
The herb is also used in poultices to treat cuts and bruises, she points out. The Herb Companion states that research has shown that sweet woodruff kills bacteria and that one of its constituents, asperulide, reduces inflammation.
Rich with history, medicinal and scentual purposes, sweet woodruff is also easy to grow. Consider growing it as as a low-maintenance carpet in a shady spot in the yard.

Recipe for May Wine from Herb Companion
Steep sprigs of sweet woodruff and crushed strawberries in white wine in the refrigerator overnight, then strain the wine, and serve it in a punch bowl garnished with whole strawberries and fresh woodruff sprigs.
The best white wine for this is from Germany, actually called May wine, and is available in most wine stores during spring.

Welcome

2007-03-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

When I first started to promote my book "Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant Cookbook: A Lifetime of Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley, " I was often asked to characterize the Valley. There's a great deal of curiosity about the place I call home. And there should be. It is a unique place, filled with both gorgeous mountain vistas and rolling farm fields. Let's not forget the quaint little towns, like Staunton, and Waynesboro.
Perhaps it's because of living in a valley, or maybe it's because we're fairly rural, but changes come slowly, trickling down through years of staid tradition. Whether it's religion, education, or food, new attitudes are considered suspicious. Eight years ago when we moved here from the DC area, I drove 30 miles to Charlottesville just to get organic milk. Now, I can find it everywhere. Changes are coming—however slowly.
I hope this blog will give a glimpse into the Shenandoah Valley. I hope to cover the farmer's markets, farmsteads, food festivals, and restaurants in the area. I'll also update you about my life as a mom and a writer. For me, food, family, and writing can't be separated. At least not right now. So, check back frequently. Write often.