Don’t miss Chef Chang’s Wired article titled The Unified Theory of Deliciousness. It is a fascinating look at how a world class chef thinks about flavor.
Month: July 2016
Dizzy Pig BBQ Set for Expansion
Dizzy Pig BBQ, the Manassas, VA based BBQ seasonings manufacturer and Big Green Egg retailer, broke ground on a new building this week. Less than 3 miles from their current location, the new building will be 14,500 sq. ft. with offices, manufacturing, and retail space.
Owner Chris Capell said he realized they had outgrown their current location about 3 years ago and looked for new space. Unable to find a suitable existing structure Capell settled on purchasing a nearby lot and a built-to-suit solution. Construction will be done by local commercial general contractor R.W. Murray Co. Recognizing Dizzy Pig BBQ exports seasonings worldwide and this will be their headquarters, Prince William County designated them as a targeted industry and fast-tracked the permitting process.
With nearly 4 times the space in the new building Capell felt their manufacturing output could increase by 10 fold. Retail Store Manager Joellen Bulgrin told me plans call for retail square footage to triple allowing for additional product lines to complement the killer collection of Big Green Eggs and BBQ spices they have now.
You can’t have a groundbreaking ceremony without BBQ.
After everyone had eaten it was time for the all important ceremonial turning the first sod. The whole Dizzy Pig team joined in.
Chris Capell with Project Manager Eric Biskaduros (right) and Assistant Project Manager Roy Ryan (left).
Site clearing began the next day. R.W. Murray Co. Project Manager Eric Biskaduros said they intend to have the structure up by the end of September and finish in mid December. Owner Chris Capell said opening before Christmas would be nice but a more realistic time table would be January 2017.
I’ve got my fingers crossed for Christmas shopping at the new store. Dizzy Pig BBQ seasonings make excellent presents.
GIVE Food
Hunger is Just Around the Corner
Everyone loves the gift of food. Your favorite tea, spice, or jam is always a welcome surprise. This time of year more than any think about giving food to your local food pantry. The problem of food insecurity is nationwide and found in every community. One in seven Americans struggle with hunger affecting children and the elderly the most.
I live in Northern Virginia, a great place that can be described as an affluent community. Prince William County was ranked as the 20th wealthiest county in the county recently. The average median household income was listed as $92,104 in 2014. Yet within 20 miles of me are 2 food banks and 4 food pantries feeding thousands of clients a month. House of Mercy in Gainesville estimates there are nearly 15,000 food insecure children at risk in our county. Elderly notoriously skimp on food because of high living and medication costs.
This time of the year, far removed from the giving season of Christmas, food banks and pantries really need help. Summer is when donations drop to the lowest point. This is truly an out-of-sight out-of-mind problem. Sadly, in this raucous election year we have heard nothing about the 48 million Americans living below the poverty line or the millions of children who go to bed or school each morning hungry. The small faith based food pantry House of Mercy near me provided food assistance to 7,704 people in 2014. Just over half their clients are Hispanic and 86% were women.
It’s easy to get involved. The first step is to call your local food pantry and find out what they need and don’t need. Learn their hours and when you can donate. Many parties are only open a few days a week for distribution to their clients. See if they have drop off points with other area organizations like churches or fire stations. Consider volunteering even if it’s just an hour or two a week. Food banks and pantries are non-profits and operated with mostly volunteers. Contemplate putting together a food drive at your church, school, or work. Ask the manager at your local grocery store if they donate excess food to the local food bank.
Here are tips on donating food.
- I’m sure you make wonderful cakes, pies, and cookies but food banks can’t take home-baked goods
- Items past their expiration date you drag out from the back of your pantry will be discarded by the food bank
- Most food banks will take donations of frozen meats
- Try to donate low-sodium and low-sugar healthy foods
- Items with a long shelf life like canned vegetables, rice, and pasta
- Donate seasonal foods like pumpkin pie ingredients, turkeys, or hams around the holidays
- Your plastic grocery bags
- Toilet paper and personal hygiene products
- Baby food
- Milk
- Condiments and cooking spices
What food banks and pantries need most is money. Besides paying staff, rent, and utilities, food pantries often buy items in bulk when they run low. Donating $10 in food may provide enough for 4 meals but that same $10 pooled with other donations to purchase wholesale can turn into 15 meals.
The best part of donating to a local food bank or pantry is knowing your donation will help someone in your community. Maybe even your neighbor.
Foode – Funky in Fredericksburg
Foode
1006 C / D Caroline Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
540- 479-1370
http://foodeonline.com/
American | $
Foode is located right on one of the main streets of Fredericksburg so parking can be tough on weekends.
In better weather there are four small tables outside before you enter the restaurant.
Menu highlights are posted right out front.
The unusual décor starts outside.
Inside you find a simple eclectic style with seating for about twenty.
The menu changes weekly and you order at the small counter in the corner.
The iced tea was very good.
Mason jars are everywhere.
They offer a citrus-infused water and coffee.
I had these wonderful house made sausages with grits, black beans, and avocado. The sausage was fantastic. Sweet and a little spicy but just enough for the flavor to linger. The black beans were good but not something I think I have seen paired with grits before. The combination of the two did nothing to elevate the flavor profile for me. I wouldn’t have missed them if they weren’t on the plate.
My wife had the braised short ribs with grilled asparagus, a chutney, and foode fries. I tasted the braised short rib and it melted in your mouth. They give you a big whopping knife but you honestly don’t need it. The meat is so tender it easily comes apart with your fork.
They had some nice desserts on the menu but we were full from dinner and passed. Normally we save some room for dessert by taking some of our entrée home but here it was so good I couldn’t stop eating it. The noise level is moderate and the staff is friendly. There is minimal table-side service, but plenty of staff around to help you, so there is no tipping. I would be surprised if they are not already looking for a larger space. Not only is the restaurant small but the layout is bizarre. The kitchen is upstairs with no inside connection to the restaurant. The runners have to go outside, come down a flight of stairs, and come in the front door with the food. I imagine it can be a little dicey in the winter.
If you haven’t found Foode yet give it a try. It is farm fresh food prepared right at a reasonable price. Just what people want.
tango449eats 