A new “Cellar to Table Dinner Series” celebrating the state’s culinary heritage will feature top chefs preparing special multi-course tasting menus at 10 different West Virginia State Parks this winter.
State Parks Executive Chef Matt Welsch and the WV Cooks initiative he started are partnering up for these events to help shine a spotlight on local farmers and traditional recipes from the Mountain State.
“We believe in the importance of the preservation of heritage recipes and techniques in Appalachia and beyond,” the group says on the website for WV Cooks, a collection of chefs and culinary experts throughout the state who are dedicated to supporting the state’s agricultural products, small businesses and diverse culinary traditions.
“By using these traditional techniques, we are able to bolster the local economy and revive Appalachian traditions, while also exploring the modern applications of both.”
Menus at each location will feature curated meals prepared by Welsch and a guest chef from WV Cooks using local ingredients and West Virginia-made products ranging from artisanal jams and jellies to handcrafted sauces, honey, maple syrup and more. Dates and details for each dinner are as follows:
Jan. 4 – Chef Marion Ohlinger at Canaan Valley Resort State Park (6 p.m. in the Maple Room, $50)
Feb. 1 – Chef Rocco Basil at Stonewall Resort State Park (6 p.m. at Lightburn’s, $55)
Feb. 23 – Chef Libby Nolle at Hawks Nest State Park (4 p.m. at MUS Event Center, $55)
March 8 – Chef Duane Legg at Chief Logan State Park (6 p.m. in the restaurant, $50)
March 15 – Chef Melissa Rebholz at Tygart Lake State Park (6 p.m. in the restaurant, $60)
March 21 – Chef Donnie Orr at Pipestem Resort State Park (6 p.m. in the Cardinal Room, $50)
March 29 – Chef Keyarna Frederick at Twin Falls Resort State Park (6:30 p.m. in the Azalea Room, $60)
April 5 – Chef Anne Hart at North Bend State Park (6 p.m. in the restaurant, $40)
April 9 – Chef Damian Heath at Cacapon Resort State Park (6 p.m. in The Panhandle Room, $65)
April 16 – Chef Tim Urbanic at Holly River State Park (6 p.m. in the restaurant, $48)
“Cellar to Table promises to be a culinary journey like no other, taking place at various picturesque locations within West Virginia State Parks,” Welsch said in a press release announcing the dinner series.
“Each event will be a celebration of the incredible talent and passion for food that exists right here in West Virginia. This series is all about showcasing the best of what our state has to offer.”
Even better, he said the series is designed to offer folks more than just a great meal. Guests will also have the opportunity to connect with the chefs preparing their food, the artisans behind the products being utilized and fellow foodies, all while enjoying a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
For more information and to reserve your spot at an upcoming dinner, visit www.wvstateparks.com/calendar or call 1-833-WV PARKS.
Praise for Charleston Bread’s trail mix cookies
After praising several local bakeries for their tasty confections last week, I was taken to task for inadvertently omitting one of the very best, which also happens to be one of my favorites. So shame on me.
How could I not include Charleston Bread in my local cookie roundup, you asked?
In my defense, I guess was considering Charleston Bread more of a bread bakery than a place for sugary sweets (I mean, the name and all) but they certainly do craft much more than an impressive lineup of truly outstanding breads and rolls.
They also draw fans for their cookies, cakes, bars and treats, including the apparently almighty trail mix cookie, which many of you singled out. This was a new one to me, so I reached out to the bakery itself to get the scoop.
“Our trail mix cookies have butter, sugar, honey, eggs, raisins, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, oats and cinnamon,” they told me. “They have a lot going on, but they are definitely a fan favorite! We make them every day, Tuesday through Saturday.
Since I haven’t had the pleasure of trying one of these babies yet, I know what I’m putting on my Christmas list this year.
IF YOU GO: Charleston Bread at 601 Capitol St. in Charleston is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 304-720-3022 or check out the bakery’s Facebook page.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
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