Greetings, Richmond diners, and welcome to the end of 2014. We've got an exciting Food News ahead full of New Year's recipes, new restaurants, a great wine heist and more. Let's close out the year with a bang.
- If you're at all superstitious (or just hungry for traditional fare), kick off 2015 with the Mama J's family recipes for black-eyed peas and stewed tomatoes, both believed to bring luck in the year ahead. (Richmond magazine)
- More great food news at the start of January: It looks as though the new Lakeside location of Carytown Burgers and Fries could open as early as next week. (RVAnews)
- And on Jan. 12, Rappahannock is hosting a dinner in celebration of all things Virginia. Earlier this fall, Esquire magazine named Virginia the best food region of 2014 and as such, Rappahannock has organized a reception featuring all Virginia purveyors and artisans mentioned in that story, followed by a four-course dinner from Rappahannock, The Shack in Staunton, and Sub Rosa Bakery. For reservations, call (804) 545-0565. (via press release)
- Looking ahead to March, downtown's getting a new
bookstorespeakeasy called Grandstaff and Stein Booksellers that will serve Prohibition-era cocktails and food. (Richmond Times Dispatch/Richmond.com) - On the job front, Southbound — the new South Side venture from chefs Joe Sparatta and Lee Gregory — is looking for a full-time sous chef/head line cook. Could it be you? (They do have a very impressive pasta machine.) (Craigslist)
And now for a bit of (inter)national food news:
- Someone broke into Thomas Keller's famed Michelin-starred restaurant The French Laundry on Christmas Day, stealing 76 bottles of wine cumulatively worth over $300,000. Keller has aptly hashtagged the event "#TheGrinchThatStoleXmas." (Eater)
- Speaking of wine, there's a new surge of sommeliers focusing on lesser-known, independent wineries. Here's a fun spotlight on six of these somms to watch in 2015, and what they're drinking. (Bon Appetit)
- The world's largest white truffle sold at auction this month, ringing in at 4.16 pounds and bringing in $61,250. I wonder how much one solid bite would cost... (circa)
- And a budding D.C. nonprofit, MicroGreens, is teaching kids to cook healthy food on a food stamp budget. The program, now in its third year, focuses on a new recipe each week that costs $3.50 or less and should feed a family of four. (Civil Eats)
- Get some inspiration for your New Year's Eve bubbly and watch this man pop a bottle of Cristal by using a .50 caliber sniper rifle, but maybe don't try this at home ... (FoodBeast)
- … And/or read up on the history of champagne in hip-hop. (First We Feast)
See you in 2015, everyone! Pop/saber/savor those bottles tonight.
