1 of 4
Barbara and David Hunsaker of Village Garden (Illustration by Abby Giuseppe)
2 of 4
Mekong (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
3 of 4
Village Garden tomatoes (Photo courtesy Village Garden)
4 of 4
Summer Supper Somm (Photo courtesy Village Garden)
Hometown Hot List
“You can literally throw a rock and hit a James Beard Award-worthy chef in this town. Hidden gems: the Oriental Food Market in Hopewell and Bamboo Cafe. Mekong is an all-time fave.”
Kitchen Essentials
“Good butter, fish sauce, gochujang, dozens of ferments.”
Foremost Fruit
“The tomatoes that get us excited after all these years: Oxhearts, Malachite Box, Aunt Ruby’s and, of course, our own tomato, Genevieve, named for [David’s] late mother.”
Popping Bottles
“We always have Barboursville Vineyards 1814 rosé, Black Heath Meadery and Old World reds on hand during the summer.”
Never Forget
“We’ve had so many — 68 — Summer Supper Somm celebrations; dinners where chefs utilize our tomatoes. The most memorable dishes include a chicken skin cannoli, baked tomato with pickled bluefish, green tomato gazpacho and Carolina reaper sorbet.”
Beyond the Fields
“When we’re not plucking the vines, you can find us foraging, dining and cooking with friends. We’re also big fans of the Big Green Egg; it’s the best for smoking and grilling meats. Try a Japanese holy trinity marinade.”
