This week's Food News is here, and it is enormous, so please don your finest yacht rock attire and set sail immediately for new restaurants, summer foods, PSAs and accolades. (And, of course, yacht rock.)
- First off, our July 2015 issue is finally here and its cover story is, wait for it ... the Summer Food Guide. It's full of so much colorful content, tips from local chefs and beverage pros, backyard-grill inspiration and more. You want summer wine? What about delicious ice cube alternatives? You've got it. How about Kuba Kuba's recipe for fresh limeade? We're there. What about the best ice cream and boozy shakes to try this season? Look no further. We were so excited about this feature that we even brought you a few fun web extras: click here to witness the Rmag staff taste-testing beer floats for the first time (and yes, you read "beer floats" correctly), and when you're done there, click your way over to our minidoc on ZZQ's quest for the perfect Texas-style brisket. (Richmond magazine)
- Speaking of summer food, how are you going to eat your way through those hot-month farmers market finds? Live your best kitchen life with this handy roundup of advice and recipes from local food bloggers, and learn what to do with that plethora of produce sitting in your fridge. (RVANews)
- In new restaurant news: Find your fill of arepas at Kanoa Latin Cuisine, which soft-opened this week at 417 W. Grace St. and opens for regular lunch and dinner business next Monday. See also: wine to-go at 30-to-50-percent off market price. We're for that. (Richmond.com/Richmond Times Dispatch)
- Looking ahead to July, we've got a few great concepts opening. (This is the point in the newsletter where you loosen your belt a notch or two in anticipation of all the good food coming your way.) Chef Philip Denny, formerly of Aziza's on Main, Six Burner Restaurant and Bar, and McCormack's Big Whisky Grill, hopes to open his new Shockoe Bottom restaurant —Castanea — on July 15. You can read all of the details here, but I'll tell you right now it involves a full gelateria, a market/deli, and monthly brunches featuring outdoor paella, pig roasts and live music. We'll see you there, yeah? (Richmond magazine)
- Just a few blocks away, Shockoe Whiskey and Wine will open in the former Julep's New Southern Cuisine space at 1719 E. Franklin St., offering high-end whiskey and menu items such as steak, crab cakes and lamb chops. (Richmond BizSense)
- And sometime by the end of July, Nettie's Naturally will open its first brick-and-mortar cafe and bakery, bringing natural, organic, vegan, raw and gluten-free goods to Jackson Ward. Find the full story here, along with a mouthwatering photo of a beet-and-chocolate brownie. (Richmond magazine)
- PSA: Sub Rosa will be closed for an entire week, so if you, like me, crave those vegetable and feta tarts almost every morning, be sure to stop by and stock up over the weekend. The bakery will be closed from July 29 through July 6, opening again on July 7 at 7 a.m. (It already feels like forever.) (Church Hill People's News)
- Lastly, a hat tip to C'est le Vin, which was just voted one of Wine Enthusiast's "Top 20 Wine Bars in America." (Wine Enthusiast/news release)
It's hot. Keep your cool with these great events:
- Heeeeeeeey, summer! Stop by Hardywood tomorrow for the release of the Hardywood Virginia Blackberry wheat beer, brewed with fruity goodness from Agriberry. As per usual, expect live music and a handful of food trucks/local food vendors, all starting at 2 p.m. (Hardywood Park Craft Brewery)
- What? More beer, you say? Then get to Strangeways tomorrow for the release of the new Belgian strong golden ale, The Snake & The Snowman. (Strangeways Brewing Co.)
- What? YOU WANT MORE BEER? OK, maybe slow your roll for a minute and take a deep breath. In fact, take so many deep breaths. Triple Crossing is offering Druminyasa & Draughts, a vinyasa yoga class for $12. Arrive at 10:45 a.m. to secure your spot and don't forget to B.Y.O.Mat. (Triple Crossing Brewing Co.)
- If you're feelin' crabby on Sunday (I'm not sorry), Buddy's Place is offering crab pickin' with a variety of sides. Call (804) 355-3701 to reserve your spot! (Buddy's Place)
- ...Or head to Ardent for Beer Brunch at noon, featuring (more beer! and) wood-fired pizza from Pizza Tonight, and ice cream sandwiches from Greenleaf's Pool Room. (Ardent Craft Ales)
- Looking ahead to next week, since we're all getting in that holiday weekend zone and all non-USA-themed events will maybe get lost in the planning shuffle, Pasture is hosting its 2nd annual yacht rock party on Friday, July 3, complete with frozen drinks, costumes, food and beverage specials and so much yacht rock. (Themed attire welcome.) More like Roséanna, am I right? (news release)
- And even further on down the road, because this will probably sell out sometime in the next week, Heritage is hosting a foraging dinner on Monday, July 13, to benefit the Lustgarten Foundation, an organization dedicated to researching and fighting pancreatic cancer. (Excellent cause.) Tickets are $75 and get you a five-course meal involving foraged goods, a copy of national foraging expert Chris Bennett's book, Southeast Foraging, plus a chance to ask Bennett — and local foraging experts Nancy Baker and Steve Haas — how to eat things from the wild that won't kill you. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. These five courses will be cooked by some of the city's best chefs, and I do mean best. Hertitage/Southbound's Joe Sparatta, The Roosevelt/Southbound's Lee Gregory, The Magpie's Owen Lane, Metzger's Brittanny Anderson, formerly-of-Julep's and all-around excellent chef Randall Doetzer, and formerly-of-Pasture and all-around excellent chef Bryan McClure will be serving up your courses, which is, let's face it, an all-star kitchen lineup you want serving your courses. Call (804) 353-4060 to reserve your seats. And there's even more, if you can believe it: Mary Triplett, an employee of Heritage and a woman with a family member currently battling pancreatic cancer, will be making ceramic vases with bamboo as a thank you. This blurb is already enormous, but again, I'd just like to point out that this is a great cause. (news release)
And now for a few (inter)national links:
- Speaking of foraging, here's a fascinating new read on the dark, cutthroat world of foraging food for restaurants both foreign and domestic, and how it's evolved over the last few years. (Grub Street)
- As if we needed more excuses to eat all the kimchi, a new study found that eating fermented foods could help quell social anxiety. So from here on out, if you see me downing pickles in public, I'm totally, 100 percent, absolutely comfortable with whatever is surrounding me. (Or I'm just really hungry. It could honestly go either way.) (National Geographic)
- Bon Appetit just released this very beautiful guide to eating well in the wild. Tequila-grapefruit spritzers? Check. Skillet chilaquiles, marinated hanger steak and flatbread cooked over an open fire? Double check. Though they specifically say, "just don't call it glamping," let's call a spade a spade, guys. (Bon Appetit)
- And in honor of this morning's SCOTUS decision to uphold gay marriage in every state, here's Martha's recipe for rainbow layer cake. Get to it, everyone! (Martha Stewart)
'Til next time, we'll take another slice of equality for all, thanks.
