Wednesday, November 03, 2004
This should be called the official state cookbook
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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I recently had an emergency appendectomy. My surgeon informed me that appendicitis is supposed to be "a young person's disease." Not knowing that, I went ahead and had one just days before turning 57, which by the way, worked to my big advantage. Not only did I receive get-well cards and flowers, but I also got more birthday cards and gifts than ever.
One fabulous gift from my "Cousin Bobbie" was an unusual cookbook she bought right out of the Kroger store. It's called "The Best of Virginia Farms Cookbook & Tour Book." It covers everything you'd expect from a large book with an even bigger title. Truly, it's a piece of work, featuring recipes from famous restaurants and famous Virginians and famous hotels, B&Bs and inns from around the state.
Not only that, it has fold-out color photos from all regions of the state, beautiful artwork, maps, tips on buying fresh farm foods and seafoods, suggestions on historic places to visit, and about anything else that's unique to the Old Dominion. Did I mention it also has some recipes as well? And good ones at that! There's an introduction from our own Old Virginia ham, Willard Scott, and lots of stories from people famous and not so famous.
Here are some of my favorite recipes, though I've not had time to try and cook them all: Chicken piccata Meander, from the Meander Plantation in Locust Dale; Original Brunswick stew Callahan from Farmville (it uses chicken, not squirrel, by the way); and Chowning’s Tavern roast game hens with white wine mushroom sauce from the Williamsburg Cook Book. I've eaten at Chowning's and have had this delicious dish. I also own and heavily use the Williamsburg Cook Book.
Some famous and not so famous restaurants are included: Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Flint Hill, Virginia. I've eaten there, and along with the locals, you'll rub elbows in this old country store building with some of Washington's most powerful and famous. They drive all the way out to the countryside for the "eclectic new American cuisine" served here. Delicious and fresh, including the naturally raised chicken and winter root vegetables in an herb crust.
There are a few recipes from elsewhere that I'm not so inclined to try (perhaps I'll let someone else do it) – such as Teriyaki ostrich, Conciville ostrich burgers, or emu on a stick. Yum.
You can learn a lot about chickens and eggs and get recipes for them as
well: Colonial Gardens' herb-baked eggs, Victorian Inn's puffed pancakes (would you believe I've also had these at the Victorian Inn in Luray -- boy do I get around!), and Federal Crest's individual egg casseroles, to name a few.
There are even a few recipes from our not so distant past: The Miller & Rhoads’ chocolate silk pie. I cannot tell you how many people write to me at this column for not only that recipe (now you can have it -- just buy this book) but for the cheese/turkey baked sandwich and the tart lemon pie they used to serve daily. I actually made the Missouri Club once, but it took more than an hour to prepare. Neither the club nor the lemon pie are included in this book.
Smithfield is represented with stories, recipes, and interviews. There's an entire history and facts to absorb about the Chesapeake Bay, followed by more recipes: Chesapeake Bay bouillabaisse, bluefish Greek style, farm-raised trout with apples and hazelnuts, and cornbread-stuffed trout.
Our fine agriculture is prominently featured, with an interview from J. Carlton Courter III (Virginia commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services -- who knew?).
As you would imagine, great recipes for everything from milk punch to old fashioned buttermilk pies.
Our fruit and vegetable industries are there, as is the growing wine industry in our state.
There's even a list of Virginia's historic grist mills -- how to find them and how to reach them via phone and/or email.
I always enjoy sitting down with a cookbook on a cold winter's day and making my way through it slowly. But this book is truly a great "read" because you can learn about all sorts of things, from turkeys to tobacco.
This holiday, if you can't decide whether to give a friend a cookbook, a history book, a tour guide, a trivia book, or a pretty picture book -- do like my "Cousin Bobbie," and give them this one.
THE BEST OF VIRGINIA FARMS
COOKBOOK & TOUR BOOK
Recipes, People, Places
CiCi Williamson, author
Illustrations by Garry Pound
Introduction by Willard Scott
