Food Notes

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: November 4, 2008

It’s time to fall into a Sunday brunch at DelFosse

DelFosse Vineyards and Winery has its Late Fall Brunch at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

DelFosse wines will be served, and there will be a 10 percent discount on wines purchased at the event. The menu will be by Genevieve DelFosse.

Admission is $35 and includes a wine glass. Reservations are required. For information, visit http://www.delfossewine.com or call 263-6100.

Halloween is over, but the pumpkin patch isn’t

The pumpkin patch at Chiles Peach orchard remains open.

Visitors can pick their own Fuji and Granny Smith apples or buy several varieties of pre-picked apples.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For details, call 823-1583.

There is still apple picking in store at Carter’s

Carter Mountain Orchard visitors can pick their own Fuji, Stayman, Pink Lady, Winesap, Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples. More than a dozen varieties are available already picked.

The Carter Mountain Bakery is open every day, making apple cider doughnuts, apple pie, cookies and more. It’s not too early to order apple pies for Thanksgiving. There is plenty of fresh apple cider and apple butter.

The country store has jams, jellies, crafts, gourmet food items and more.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For details, call 977-1833.

The cooking school unveils eight new classes

Charlottesville Cooking School offers the following classes:

1) “Holiday Pies and Tarts’’ with Tom Whitehead will be 6 p.m. Tuesday for $65. Students will learn to make pate brisee, pate sucree and pate sable and then create classic pumpkin pie, cranberry pecan pie, pear and almond tart and chocolate hazelnut tart.

2) “Beginning Knife Skills’’ with Martha Stafford will be 10 a.m. Nov. 12 for $45. Students will learn how to choose, sharpen and store a high-quality chef’s knife. Local seasonal vegetables will be used, and a light meal will be prepared.

3) “Secrets of Great Soups’’ with Erik Speer will be at 10 a.m. Nov. 16 for $65. The class will cover five-onion soup au gratin, Chesapeake Bay crab and corn chowder and butternut squash bisque with candied pecans.

4) “Thanksgiving Workshop’’ with Speer can be taken at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 or 6 p.m. Nov. 17. Speer will demonstrate an entire Thanksgiving dinner.

5) “Enjoying Late Harvest Vegetables’’ with Stafford can be taken at 10 a.m. Nov. 19 or 6 p.m. Nov. 20 for $65. The class will cover beet, cabbage and Albemarle Pippin slaw with Everona sheep’s-milk cheese; mushroom ragout over Wade’s Mill polenta; kale with mustard seeds and tamari; turnip and potato puree; and pears poached in Virginia wine.

6) “Holiday Celebration Dinner’’ with Marisa Catalano will be 6 p.m. Nov. 21 for $65. The class will make crown roast of pork with apple and cranberry stuffing.

7) “Fancy Holiday Hors d’oeuvres’’ with Speer will be offered at 2 p.m. Nov. 23 or 6 p.m. Nov. 24. He will teach how to make Roquefort grapes, parmesan pepper bowtie puffs, Cajun crab cake bites with remoulade, fresh cucumber rounds with spiked salmon mousse and beggar’s purse with wild mushroom and leek filling.

8) “Tea Party’’ with Catalano, for children ages 8 and older, each accompanied by an adult, will be 2 p.m. Nov. 29 for $89 per couple. Children and adults will learn to make a trio of tea sandwiches, including chicken Waldorf, curried egg salad and smoked salmon, cucumber and dill creme fraiche, as well as mini apple tarte tatins, shortbread rounds with berries and cream filling, buttermilk currant scones and a tea assortment with milk and sugar or lemon. Call 963-COOK for more details.

You can party on at Live Arts’ 17th annual Gala

Live Arts presents its 17th annual Gala at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed at 11 p.m. by the Afterglow party.

There will be a gourmet dinner and dessert featuring the work of dozens of local restaurants. There will be more than 50 auction items, dancing and entertainment.

The Afterglow party will feature a DJ and dancing on two floors, plus a midnight breakfast.

Tickets for the Gala are $250 and include admission to the Afterglow party. Few tickets remain. Afterglow is $50, $40 in advance, if purchased separately. For information or tickets, visit http://www.livearts.org or call 977-4177, Ext. 102.

Thursdays bring free wine tastings to South River

South River Restaurant and Wine Shop in Waynesboro will have free wine tastings and pairings from 6 to 8 p.m. on three upcoming Thursdays.

Thursday’s wines will be from Peaks of Otter Winery. Fall specials will be featured Nov. 13, and Rappahannock Cellars wines will be served Nov. 20.

High tea will be served 3 p.m. Nov. 18. The restaurant will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. For reservations, call (540) 942-5567. Learn more at http://www.southrivergrill.com.

Pancakes and sausage are what’s for breakfast

The Alliance for Interfaith Ministries will present its first Pancakes and Sausage Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Applebee’s on U.S. 29.

AIM provides emergency assistance to local families threatened with homelessness, loss of power or fuel or other temporary financial crises.

Tickets for the all-you-can-eat breakfast are $5. They’re available from board members, the AIM office and at the door. For details or tickets, call 972-1704.

Gray Ghost will represent Virginia in California

Al and Cheryl Kellert, owners and winemakers of Gray Ghost Vineyards and Winery in Amissville, will represent the state of Virginia as speakers at the 41st National Conference of the American Wine Society in Sacramento Calif., this month.

After a successful presentation in Winston-Salem, N.C., last year, the Kellerts were asked to take their Virginia message to California this year. American and international speakers will be presenting seminars and lectures on all aspects of wine appreciation, wine production, grape growing and cuisine.

Al Kellert will speak on the history of grape growing and winemaking in Virginia, tracing the history and discussing the impact of state support in viticulture, oenology and marketing and the impact of the wine industry on tourism and tax revenue. The Kellerts then will focus on Gray Ghost’s vineyard and winery practices. In the past five years, the vineyard has won 423 medals, with 86 of them representing best in show, best in class, gold or double-gold awards.

For information, call (540) 937-4869.

From staff reports