vote for local food heroes!

Each year Edible Blue Ridge will honor the best of our food community with a Local Hero award. We're looking for what you think of as the best farm/farmer, best chef/restaurant, best food artisan, best beverage artisan, best nonprofit, and best food shop.

Be sure to vote here.

Winners will be announced in the spring issue of Edible Blue Ridge.

direct from VA farmer to VA student

Last week was Farm-to-School Week across Virginia. Area cafeterias served up everything from local apples and pears to cauliflower, beef, and eggs.

Some schools even had farmers come visit or hosted apple tastings for the students. "It was interesting to see the creativity and volunteer efforts that emerged to bring fresh local foods to the students across the Commonwealth," saysLeanne DuBois of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which worked with the Department of Education to bring Farm-to-School to many area classrooms.

A big part of the effort in the Charlottesville area was the Local Food Hub, which supplied 15 area schools, both public and private, with local produce, meats, and cheeses from area farms. "In addition to helping our kids understand where their food comes from, Farm-to-School Week is an opportunity to support our local farms," says Kate Collier, director of the Local Food Hub and owner of Feast. "Virginia schools spend more than $6 million annually on fresh produce. That gives us an opportunity to keep those dollars in our state."

Beyond helping the local economy for that one week, DuBois says that even just making students (and their parents) aware of all that is grown in Virginia has created a momentum to do so in the future. "And that, I would call a success," she says.

marvelous local meal at Maya

This past Monday night at Maya in Charlottesville was a locavore's dream dinner. As each of the five courses was brought out, the person whose produce or meats or wines we were enjoying spoke to us about what went into the production of each ingredient. A wonderful way to become better acquainted with the farmers and artisans who make our food.

People like Peter Hatch from Monticello Gardens, renowned winemaker Gabrielle Rausse, Rob and Megan Weary from Roundabout Farm, Richard Bean from Double H Farm, Tom Silliman from Sweet Dog Farm. Everything but three minor ingredients were sourced locally (Maya owner Peter Castiglione joked the local ingredients were so flavorful, chef Christian Kelly didn't even need salt and pepper).

Needless to say, the menu was amazing: creamy, smoky white bean soup with andouille, chicken, kale, and broccoli (paired with Gabrielle Rausse's Bianco). The second course was a salad of autumn lettuce with local smoked trout (from Rag Mountain Trout) and pecans in a sherry vinaigrette (served with Rausse's pinot grigio). Next, a to-die-for braised pork shoulder with gnocchi (merlot). Then a chicken breast rolled with smoked ham, served over an Appalachian cheese sauce (cabernet sauvignon). As a fellow diner commented, the flavor combination of the chicken, ham, and cheese was reminiscent of a perfectly prepared croque madame.

And for dessert? A local apple tart tatin—so flaky, and spiced like any perfect autumn pie should be. (Served with Rausse's dessert wine Collage.)

The best part is knowing Maya will do a local meal like this all over again in January. Or if you can't wait for that, try its $40 Thanksgiving menu. It promises to be just as stunning—and just as local.

great wine deal for the holidays!

You can now enjoy wine tastings for free at three area wineries by spending $10 on what's called a Holiday Passport. With it, you are able to visit Jefferson Vineyards, Kluge Estate Winery, and Keswick Vineyards as many times as you like during November and December—with complimentary tastings. You also get a 15 percent discount on the purchase of designated wines, such as the Kluge SP Blanc de Blanc (pictured).

We love the idea that while we're going "shopping" for bottles of local wines as holiday gifts, we're able to sample all of the possibilities. Hey, even Santa finds time to treat himself every now and again.

You can buy a Holiday Passport at any of the three wineries mentioned above. See you there!

our thoughts are with two local farming families

You probably already heard about the tragic car accident that took the life of Majesty Farm owner Kathryn Russell. You can show Kathryn's family your love and support with a donation to Open Hands, a nonprofit that remits the funds to the family (and it is tax deductible for you). Send checks to Open Hands, 523 Lexington Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Make a note on the memo line of the check that it's for the Kathryn Russell fund. If you have questions, contact Julie Curry at 823-1537 or curryjuliea@gmail.com.

And you probably know him by face, since he's been at the Charlottesville City Market (and is one of the founders) since the beginning. Jack Cason was injured in a car accident on his way to the Saturday morning market in mid October. He is suffering 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-degree burns and at last report is still at UVA Hospital. Many of the vendors at the Charlottesville farmers' market are taking donations for the rest of the season for Jack and his family. Look for donation cans around the market if you'd like to help.