While on a short day trip recently Allan and I stopped for a late lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. (The closest one to Charlottesville is in Richmond at 11800 W. Broad in the Short Pump Center.)

Pancakes for Parkinson’s returns on Saturday

On the first Wednesday in October, 20 years ago, I wrote my first food column for The Daily Progress. Now 20 years later, I am still at it. I have written about local food happenings and have tried to give you a feel for the variations in traditional domestic and foreign foods that we have enjoyed throughout the world.

Harvest Festival celebrates food of our region

One of our pet peeves when we travel and stay at a hotel or motel where breakfast is self-service is their toasters. One of the worst is the kind where a slice of bread is slowly propelled over and under electric coils. I think that type of toaster must be almost 100 years old, or so it seems.

Pancake dinner is on the menu in Buckingham

In doing research recently on election cakes, I ran across a strange cookie I had never heard of before — the funeral cookie or biscuit, as these cookies or biscuits were called in the 17th and 18th centuries. They also were known as funeral tokens.

Making pizza with mom and dad has class

Book lovers who’d like to learn more about Barboursville Vineyards won’t have to wait to hear it through the grapevine. A new book explores the history, mission, wines and cuisine of the Orange County winery.

Foods associated with election campaigns have varied throughout the history of our country. Some have stemmed from the market days of Colonial times. Others evolved from church festivals and from militia parades.

Demonstrations in store at Monticello festival

I had mixed feelings about the purchase of Anheuser and Busch by the Belgian-Brazilian firm InBev SA.

Recently I have been serving barley as an accompaniment to meat or chicken instead of rice, pasta or potatoes. I use the quick cooking variety, which takes only about 10 minutes to cook unless other ingredients have been added as flavor enhancers. Frequently the longer-cooking version of barley is the basis of Beef and Barley Soup, a famous German specialty.

Autumn Hill’s open house has barrel tasting

Have you noticed that many of the peaches this year have rather smooth skins? Have food botanists, through breeding, eliminated that typical fuzz of the peach?

Monticello puts focus on wine and grapes

We have seen various images of Beijing while watching the Olympics on television, but we have not discovered much about the food of this capital city of China. Many of us are familiar with some Chinese provincial cooking, primarily Cantonese and maybe Hunan or Sichuan, both of the latter being spicy.

Cardinal Point Winery uncorks the fun and funds

Buy local. Eat local. Film local.

Whenever I think of certain foods or special occasions, recipes and their ingredients come to mind. This is the case with filet of sole. One of my fondest memories of sole was a simple dish, which I thoroughly enjoyed at the Hotel Louvre in Paris.

Tomato Festival makes its debut in Scottsville

With the price of meat going up by leaps and bounds, I find myself turning to chicken as a main course. I have always had an affinity for chicken, particularly during the summer months.

To market, to market is first for local community

I was very sorry to hear that Felicia Rogan is closing her Oakencroft Winery after some 25 years in business. I understand that the property is for sale and hope that someone will carry on the excellent tradition that Felicia Rogan has established.

Bring on the French wines for Bastille Day

Many people take a bottle of water with them almost wherever they go. I like water, but prefer an effervescent drink, such as soda water, because I find it to be a better thirst quencher. Water always has been available, but not drinks with bubbles.

Pearce is coming home for Afton concert

On Friday many of us will be celebrating Independence Day. Some may go to a local baseball game and enjoy a bag of peanuts — truly an American tradition.

Try the grill to help JABA chill with Cool-Aid

Crozet residents soon will have a new coffee shop to add to the area’s growing retail and restaurant scene.