Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight, Richmond. You've made it to Friday! Congratulations. Your reward: barbecue, Colonial cider (totally drinkable, don't worry), more biscuits and perfect food- and drink-centric events to fill your weekend and your belly.
- Fans of barbecue and peanut butter pie, rejoice! Grandpa Eddie's Alabama Ribs & BBQ just launched a Go Fund Me campaign in the hopes of returning to the #RVAdine scene, in the form of a food truck. "Not a day went by when someone didn't ask about our Virginia State Championship Smoked Wings or our World Famous Peanut Butter Pie!" owner Carey Friedman says in a newsletter. "Slowly, but surely, selling someone else's BBQ just didn't seem genuine. We have been talking about it for several years. Finally, a couple weeks ago, I got out the old recipe cards and made some of the Grandpa Eddie's Ribs. It brought it all back to us." With your help, they can hit the road this spring! (newsletter)
- And in gluten-free news, Ardent Craft Ales just announced its first gluten-free pilot series, brewed with quinoa. Try both the imperial stout and the Belgian white ale today when they launch this afternoon, and keep an eye out for more Ardent gluten-free beer down the line. (Richmond magazine)
- Farewell for now, Balliceaux; the Fan restaurant will close for the summer in an effort to rebrand and reshape its food menu. Get in before it closes on June 6, then on Sept. 1, stop by for its reopening and try a new, French Indochine-inspired menu with more shareable plates. (Richmond.com/Richmond Times Dispatch)
- We're #BlessedWithBiscuits here in Richmond, with some choice restaurants and bakeries offering their own takes on the flaky, buttery stuff. Now we've got another option: Dixie Donuts in Carytown has just added biscuits to its baked-goods rotation, with a few flavors to choose from. (RVANews)
- What goes great with biscuits? Fried chicken. (We would have also accepted "everything" as an answer.) The good news for those near the Fan and Scott's Addition is that Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken will not, in fact, move to make room for the new Whole Foods on West Broad Street and yes, they also sell biscuits. (Richmond.com/Richmond Times Dispatch)
- For those more jazzed about cider, Blue Bee Cider and the Virginia Historical Society teamed up to bring a Colonial cider recipe to life. The refreshing concoction, The Compleat Cyder, rang in between 8- and 9-percent ABV and was adapted from a recipe dating back to, oh, 1742. (Yowza.) You can try the cider for yourself at its release party on May 2. (Richmond magazine)
- For those more jazzed about joe, here's a roundup of some of Richmond's best coffee. (Style Weekly)
- Discount grocery store Aldi just opened in the West End! RVANews has a peek inside, not to mention some insight on how the grocery chain can maintain such low prices. (RVANews)
- Derby Day is roughly a week away, so the time for planning your julep drinking is now. We've got a fun roundup of Richmond Derby-tinged events, plus some tips on which horse to pick. (Full disclosure: We don't actually know anything about betting on horses.) (Richmond magazine)
- And in case you missed last night's 3rd Annual Coaches' Cook-Off to benefit The Positive Vibe Foundation, coach Buzz Williams of Virginia Tech won the game (match? event? proceedings? I don't know sports.) with a brisket sandwich, made with the help of chefs Lee Gregory and Joe Sparatta. University of Richmond coach Chris Mooney (and his Philly cheesesteak) won the people's choice award, thanks to some cuisine coaching from chefs Glenn Pruden and Gary Whitecotton. Next time, I'm bringing Wet-Naps. (Richmond magazine)
Next up? Dive headfirst into these events:
- Tonight, get your food truck fix at the at the Food Truck Corral, located at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. From 5 to 8 p.m. you'll find a mix of driven dishes as part of the 4th Fridays series, where proceeds benefit The Cultural Arts Center's outreach programs. (The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen)
- Tomorrow, be sure to catch the RVA French Food Festival. Master Chef Paul Elbling will be serving up authentic French cuisine alongside chefs Sean Murphy (of The Savory Grain), Xavier Meers (of BRUX'L Cafe), Michael Ledesma (of Patina) and more. (We approve, and we're fairly certain Pierre Escargot would, too.) (French Food Festival)
- On Sunday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. you'll find an American Homebrewers Association rally at Center of the Universe Brewing Co., which means you can tour the brewery, geek out about home brewing, sample some beer and have a great evening, plus make it home in time for "Game of Thrones." (American Homebrewers Association)
- And then, starting Monday, The Answer Brewpub brings all of us an entire week of celebrations to kick off its first beers brewed onsite. Say what? SAY YES. Tap takeovers, live music, bottle sales, you name it; let's welcome Answer's brew-ability with open arms (and mouths). (The Answer Brewpub)
And now for a few (inter)national links:
- What's the best whiskey for your budget? Thanks to this handy guide, you've got some solid options for drinking on the cheap, even if you've only got $20. (First We Feast)
- Speaking of whiskey, authorities finally solved the mystery of 2013's great bourbon heist of over 200 rare bottles. Spoiler alert: It was an inside job. (NPR)
- If you're anything like me, you buy a lot of cheese and you don't just buy it; you borderline hoard it, keeping both your home fridge and your work fridge stocked to the point of near embarrassment. (Please, co-workers, don't judge the smell from the crisper again, I swear that cheese is fresh.) For all your cheese-hoarding needs, I present this guide to storing cheese, even if the first tip is not to buy too much at a time. (OK, fine, I have a problem.) (Tasting Table)
- Apparently it's the Week of Food Guides, because Eater just dropped this guide to the world's spiciest cuisines. (Eater)
'Til next time, vive la food.
