Richmond Food News: Week of Oct. 26-30

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BIG, SPOOKY THINGS ARE AFOOT. From the city's best restaurants to dining with ghosts, the week in food news has you covered:

  • Hi and hello! A quick PSA, a link and a giveaway: Creating and assembling the November issue of Richmond magazine was a pretty big deal around these parts, namely because its cover story is "Best Restaurants"! Very exciting. In the new Rmag you'll find a wealth of great dining content, including our top 30 best restaurant picks, ranked for the first time in Richmond magazine history. We just e-published the listing — well, some of it — and you can find our rankings and write-ups on numbers 20 through 30, online now! (Also included in the November issue is a copy of Dine, our semiannual food publication, and this one is full of some wonderful recipes from The Roosevelt, Lehja, Julep's, La Milpa and more!) Hop to it in November and get eating, whether you're dining out or trying some recipes at home. Speaking of which, we're running an Instagram contest: If you 'gram your time in the kitchen or final product from any of the recipes in Dine (and use #RMAGdine), you could win two tickets to the Elby Awards! Win/win!
  • In some really big, really exciting new-restaurant news, The Magpie's Owen Lane is launching a new concept in the Coda Urban Bistro space, which is adjacent to The National. Vagabond will open on Nov. 5 (read: NEXT WEEK) serving adventurous dishes such as pig head torchon, sweetbreads and goat tacos, as well as slightly more accessible fare like burgers, rib-eye steak and roasted fish. (Richmond.com/Richmond Times-Dispatch)
  • Great news for local farmers: 15 Virginia agricultural and farming programs just received a total of more than $503,000 in grants from the government. Read up on the winners (plus how you can enter next year's funding round) right over here. (Richmond magazine)
  • In more farming news, a new buckwheat initiative is underway to help the state's honeybee population, plus bolster Virginia's crops! Hey! That's great news, seeing as honeybees are responsible for pollinating a large portion of the world's produce! Would you like to know more? We've got you covered. (Richmond magazine)
  • THIS IS HALLOWEEN! THIS IS HALLOWEEN! Don't let food allergies get in the way of great candy! If you or your little one has food allergies, there's still hope for a great Hallow's Eve. The Richmond Allergy Friendly Trunk or Treat event can take care of you, with a focus on providing candy that's safe, no matter the allergy. There's also a national initiative, the Teal Pumpkin campaign, which helps signify houses doling out allergy-sensitive candy. Tips on trick or treating with an allergy, plus more details on the Trunk or Treat event, here! (Richmond magazine)
  • Another Halloween treat: Check out this fun spotlight on allegedly haunted restaurants around town! I, for one, welcome our deceased dining partners. (Style Weekly)
  • More spooky treats: Texas Beach Bloody Mary Mix just released its first commercial, and it's a fun play on the Bloody Mary mirror game. Watch it here. (I'll take a Bloody almost any time, but I'm not so sure about their weirdo tomato monster. TBD, tbh.) 
  • In some congratulatory news, Richmond's Tuffy Stone just took the Grand Champion title at the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue! “Winning the 27th annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue is incredible," Stone says in a news release. "It is every competitive barbecue pitmaster’s dream to get invited to The Jack. To get a ribbon is a dream come true. To be the overall Grand Champion competing against the best pitmasters in the world is unbelievable. I am honored beyond words and overwhelmed with excitement to have won this title twice in three years." Celebrate by grabbing some Q Barbeque this weekend (as well as some Rancho T because you really can't go wrong there, either). Congratulations, Tuffy!
  • More congratulations are due: Michele Jones, co-owner of Pasture with Jason Alley, is now managing partner and general manager of Alley's other restaurant, Comfort. "I can't wait to get started," Jones says. "Everything at Pasture will stay the same. We have a great team there. I'm looking forward to getting to know the team at Comfort and to bring my same commitment to service and fun to a place I already love." 
  • And a final congratulations to Todd Johnson, the new executive chef of Ellwood Thompson's Local Market! Johnson, who was chef and owner of Mezzanine for the last seven years, plans to bring more healthy, sustainable food and practices to the scene in his new position. Good things all around! (news release)
  • Did you miss National Chocolate Day yesterday? If so, I feel bad for you, son, I've got 99 three profiles and here is one: Get in the sweet spirit with this piece on Willie Byrd Chocolate Sauce and the secret family recipe behind the delicious local product. Or, perhaps you'd like to read up on Upchurch Chocolate Co., a new bean-to-bar chocolate company? If vegan, raw chocolate is more your thing, here's a profile on Raw Enlightenment. Go forth and nosh. (Richmond magazine) 
  • Excellent news for the at-home chef and cookbook collector: 804ork is back! The popular local cookbook and travel guide is getting a sequel, and it's due out within the next two weeks. We've got a Q&A with the author, Carrie Walters, right over here. (Richmond magazine)
  • Cool ticket alert: The Roosevelt just announced a four-course wine dinner with Michael Shaps Wineworks, set for next Sunday, Nov. 8. Sample some of Lee Gregory's fantastic fare alongside Governors Cup-winning wine, all for $60. Reserve your spot by calling 804-658-1935 or by email at michael@rooseveltrva.com. (news release)

Ready for some events? Because they're ready for you:

  • Fire, Flour & Fork is here! FIRE, FLOUR & FORK IS HERE. The city's massive food symposium/event/festival is finally upon us. Check out the full schedule here for events, classes, demos and dinners happening now though Sunday evening. To learn a bit about what it takes to throw this event, click here! To read our Q&A with visiting chef Katie Button, click here! Then go out and immerse yourself in culinary knowledge because knowledge is power! (Richmond magazine)
  • On Saturday, go get you some free pops! King of Pops is giving away free frozen treats from noon to 5 p.m. on its Scott's Addition pops patio, and offering games and caricatures, to boot! Nothing not to love. (King of Pops)

In some (inter)national links:

Til next time, we'll be delighting in all things FFF (and we'll hopefully see you there)!