Food Notes

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: November 11, 2008

Put a little Zinc into your artistic endeavors today

Piedmont Council of the Arts will present Art Drinks at Zinc from 5:30 to 7:30 this evening at Zinc Bistro at 420 W. Main St.

The event brings art fans together for drinks and conversation on the second Wednesday of each month.

There will be drink specials and the chance to win art objects and ephemera.

For details, visit http://www.charlottesvillearts.org or call 971-ARTS or 245-9462.

Harris Teeter launches its harvest feast drive

Harris Teeter customers can support the store’s Harvest Feast Food Drive by purchasing $5 or $20 donation cards at checkout.

During the 2007 food drive, Harris Teeter and its shoppers donated more than $156,000 in gift cards to food bank partners. The food banks use the gift cards to purchase specific items they need for clients.

Shoppers who’d prefer to donate non-perishable foods may put the items in collection bins at the entrances of Harris Teeter stores. All donated items will stay in each store’s community to help local food banks.

The company also plans to present three Harvest Feast dinners and will serve more than 15,000 people a free Thanksgiving-style meal.

For details, visit http://www.harristeeter.com.

Whole Foods will help out Nelson County fund

Whole Foods Market in Charlottesville will donate 5 percent of its sales today to the Nelson County Community Fund.

The Nelson County Community Fund is a committee-advised fund in the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation that provides the most basic human services for neighbors in need. Since its creation in 1999, the Nelson fund, led by the Nelson County Advisory Committee, has distributed about $300,000 in grants.

The event is part of Whole Foods’ Community 5 Percent Days program.

Food donations could earn Neil Diamond tickets

During November, fans can participate in “Food Drive for the Front Row’’ to win a pair of front-row seats for Neil Diamond’s Dec. 8 concert at the John Paul Jones Arena by taking non-perishable food items to Whole Foods Market.

Non-perishable items needed for the food drive include peanut butter, canned soups, beans, tuna and cereals. The food drive will benefit the Thomas Jefferson Area Food Bank.

To learn more about the show, visit http://www.johnpauljones

arena.com.

Not the Same Old Grind celebrates its first year

Not the Same Old Grind at 130 E. Church St. in Orange will celebrate its first anniversary on Saturday with free food samples, chocolate fountains and giveaways all day.

A Meet the Roasters Coffee Tasting is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Folks from Orange County Coffee Roasters will be on hand with free coffee samples. Coffee fans can learn more about fair-trade, organic and shade-grown coffees.

David Gilmore will perform Americana, classic rock and blues from 8 to 11 p.m.

There’s no cover. Learn more at Notthesameoldgrind.com or call (540) 672-3143.

New wine and art shop opens in Waynesboro

The new River City Art and Wine Emporium has opened at 407 W. Main St. in Waynesboro, next to Shukri’s.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday for the business, run by Linda Roland and Eileen O’Rourke.

Items include sipping chocolate, hot pepper jelly, handmade jewelry, pashminas, home decor, whimsical wine purses and more.

It’s not to late to shop around for your flu shot

Harris Teeter will offer flu shots through Nov. 19 in temporary clinics set up within its pharmacy stores.

Registered nurses with Preventa Health, a division of Virginia Health Screenings, will offer flu shots for $25 to Harris Teeter customers with VIC cards, or for no charge for patients with Medicare Part B who are not HMO recipients. Just present your card before receiving your shot.

FluMist is available for $30, and pneumonia shors will be $45. Shoppers must be at least 8 years old to get the flu shot and at least 2 years old to get the FluMist vaccine.

To find out if you are a good candidate for a flu shot, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/fluvirus.htm.

Civil War writers will be at Gray Ghost Saturday

Gray Ghost Vineyards and Winery in Amissville will have Civil War Author’s Day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

There will be wines for the holidays and renowned Civil War authors, who will autograph their books. The list of authors and books is at http://www.grayghostvineyards.com.

The event is free at 14706 Lee Highway in Amissville. For information, call (540) 937-4869.

Barboursville wines served at Fossett’s dinner

Fossett’s Restaurant and Keswick Hall will present the annual Harvest Dinner with Barboursville Vineyards and Luca Paschina on Thursday.

There will be a reception at 6:45 p.m. at Keswick Hall and Club Pavilion, followed at 7 p.m. by dinner. Dress comfortably.

The latest Barboursville wines will be served with chef Craig Hartman’s cuisine. The menu includes hors d’oeuvres served with Barboursville Brut NV; sauteed branzino, fall oyster stew and garlic biscotti, served with Barboursville Viognier Reserve 2007; porcini risotto and Jameson Farm’s rabbit sausage with Barboursville Chardonnay Reserve 2007; Barbera-lacquered Virginia squab, spaghetti squash and roasted onions, paired with Barboursville Cabernet Franc Reserve 1998 and 2006; nebbiollo-braised veal cheek, local root vegetables and fresh herb gnocchi, served with Barboursville Octagon 2004 and 2005; and, for dessert, noto almond tart and fig ice cream with Barboursville Malvaxia 2004 Dinner is $89 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 979-3440.

Piedmont releases new Buy Fresh Buy Local guide

The Piedmont Environmental Council has published a special holiday edition of its popular Buy Fresh Buy Local Guide to help residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle County support local farms while shopping.

The guide lists farms and producers offering locally grown Christmas trees and decorations, as well as meat, dairy, poultry, produce and specialty food producers. Look for the guide this weekend at Feast!, the Charlottesville Visitors Center, the PEC office and Greenwood Gourmet. For information, visit http://www.buylocalvirginia.org.

From staff reports

Make reservation for your apple pie

Reservations for apple pies for Thanksgiving from Carter Mountain Orchard’s Carter Mountain Bakery must be made by Nov. 23.

Call 977-1833 to place your order. Payment is required when your order is placed. Pies can be picked up before 2 p.m. Nov. 26.

The orchard is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Call 977-1833.

Chiles Peach Orchard also is baking apple pies. To reserve one for the holidays, call 823-1583.

From staff reports

A special collector’s issue of “Paula Deen’s Christmas’’ is on newsstands that focuses on Colonial Williamsburg.

Southern cooking maven Paula Deen; her husband, Michael Groover; and the magazine’s editorial staff visited the Williamsburg Inn and Historic Area to experience the magic of Colonial Williamsburg and take photographs for the special issue.

Deed had afternoon tea with Patrick Henry in the terrace Room at the Inn, shopped in the Prentis Store and Silver Ball Jeweler on Duke of Gloucester Street, visited Anderson Blacksmith and learned from historic foodways interpreter Jim Gay how chocolate was made in the 18th century.

To get a copy of the special issue, visit http://www.cookingwithpauladeen.com or Colonial Williamsburg retail outlets.

From staff reports

Through December, Virginia Wineworks, home of Michael Shaps Wines, will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for wine tastings and tours.

Wine samplings and sales will include Virginia Wineworks and Michael Shaps labels. Send e-mail to or call 296-3438.

Keswick Hall offers tastings and sales of both labels at Fossett’s Bar at Keswick Hall, which is open daily year-round for wine tastings.

For details, contact 979-3440.