The Charlottesville 29

If there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29?

Tag: Albemarle Baking Company

06/10/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Allen LeHew

School’s out for summer!

For many in Charlottesville, nothing says summer more than Duck’s Cottage Coffee & Books, the iconic OBX shop that fuels vacationing Charlottesvillians with waterfront coffee. It turns out the love affair is mutual, as longtime owner Allen LeHew loves Charlottesville, and makes frequent journeys to Charlottesville for food (and sports!). Quietly, he is also a regular contributor to fundraisers when members of the Charlottesville food community are in need. No wonder Charlottesville finds his shop such a pleasant place to be.

To kick off beach season, today’s Five Finds on Friday come from LeHew. Check out his great picks, and don’t miss Duck’s Cottage Coffee & Books this summer:

1) Seasonal Fruit Brioche at Albemarle Baking Company. “This delicate, light and fluffy brioche, filled with pastry cream and seasonal fruit, is perfect with your morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or even for dessert.”

2) Jambon Beurre at Belle. “Belle’s take on this classic French sandwich is so simple yet so delicious. The house baked bread, using flour from Woodson’s Mill, is perfection. Finish your meal with one of Belle’s cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip cookies.”

3) Pig Mac at Little Star. “#11 on Simon’s 29 Sandwich list. A breaded pork cutlet with all the fixings to make it a Mac. Served on a brioche sesame seed roll. One of those thing I eat and days later think about and crave another.”

4) Quenelles de Brochet at Café Frank. “My wife Judy and I try to dine at Café Frank whenever we are in town. Nothing disappoints, but the standout so far has been the Quenelles. The pike dumpling practically melts in your mouth and the rich velouté is the perfect accompaniment.”

5) Ethiopian Qabballe Pourover at Mudhouse. “I’m partial to the fruit forward Ethiopian coffees and the pourover method really brings the fruit out. Leave the cream and sugar out, and enjoy the subtle nuances and mouthfeel of the coffee. You can’t go wrong with any of the single origin coffees Mudhouse has to offer.”

 

05/28/2021

Five Finds on Friday: Elizabeth Pelly

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Elizabeth Pelly, Co-owner and Creative Director of Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, which opens today in Keswick. Though the industry’s historic 2020 frost wiped out the vineyard’s initial vintage, that hasn’t stopped it from opening, serving the excellent wines of nearby True Heritage until its own wines are ready. And, the frost did no harm to the beautiful view and setting. Pelly’s picks:

1) Everything Baguette from MarieBette Café & Bakery. “This baguette is literally everything to me. Crunchy and flavorful on the outside, soft and light in the inside. I rarely make it out to the car without having a bite or home without eating half of it. It is even great the day after, if there is any left, toasted with a thin layer of cream cheese and avocado.”

2) Carciofo at Tavola (fried artichokes with whipped goat cheese and garlic aioli). “The ‘last supper’ my husband and I had before my second daughter was born was at Tavola. It was the only time I have eaten in the restaurant. We had a lovely dinner and then during COVID – while we have not been out much – we ordered take-away for our seventh wedding anniversary dinner. It can be risky ordering anything ‘fritti’ to take away but the artichoke was absolutely perfect and the goat cheese dipping sauce is divine.”

3) House Dressing from Take It Away. “Does a condiment count in this exercise? Doesn’t matter because I don’t care. First discovered in my university years, it is too good not to mention. A delightful mix of tangy and creamy, this is the perfect companion to a deli sandwich, and I have been known to dip plain bread in the house dressing as a snack.”

4) Princess Cake from Albemarle Baking Company. “I have only had two birthdays in our new home in Keswick, but the princess cake has featured at both. This cake is heaven. Who wouldn’t love marzipan with light fluffy white cake and decadent whipped cream filling? It is perfect for any special occasion, or actually I might have to order one now.”

5) Fried Chicken from Michie Tavern. “For the soft launch of our tasting room at Merrie Mill, we had tons of friends and neighbors come visit. A pretty big contingency stayed for dinner up at our house. I ordered fried chicken from Michie Tavern and everyone, including me, was blown away. If I had a dime for every time someone told me ‘this is the best fried chicken I have ever had,’ I would be buying a lot more fried chicken.”

01/24/2021

M18: Celebrate Mas’ Anniversary Like Never Before, with the 2020 Dish of the Year

When the pandemic cancelled the epic party Mas Tapas throws for its birthday each year, the restaurant sought another way to commemorate the occasion that would be no less special. They seem to have found it. From January 26-30, celebrate at home while helping those in need with Chef Ketola’s M18 Anniversary Package: Celebrating 18 Years of Tapas, Wine, & Community.

The exclusive package is full of goodies, including the first time Mas has ever offered the 2020 Dish of the Year: a shrimp salad sandwich made from Mas’s gambas al parilla and alioli on Albemarle Baking Company bread. Emblematic of the Culture of Takeout, the 2020 Dish of the Year brings together for the first time two of Charlottesville’s most iconic foods — gambas from Mas and bread from Albemarle Baking Company — neither of which the pandemic could stop.

“Mas anniversaries have always been a celebration of our community,” said chef Michael Ketola. “As I thought about how we could celebrate this year, my mind drifted to the Christmas video we participated in, and that inspired me to reach out to The Charlottesville 29 and Albemarle Baking Company to set up a package that could be celebratory for our customers, inclusive of our colleagues, and give back to the community we hold so dear.”

The one-time-only package includes a limited edition “M18” anniversary t-shirt, with the words “Somos Mas Fuertos Juntos.” Thanks to the generosity of Mas, Albemarle Baking Company, and Blue Ridge Graphics, $29 from each package will go the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. While COVID-19 has inconvenienced everyone, the hardships have been particularly acute for the less fortunate, as the number of people needing food assistance has spiked during the pandemic.

“We are all together in our hearts and stronger together as a force for positivity in our community, even if we can’t celebrate physically together right now,” said Ketola. “That’s why the shirts say ‘we are stronger together.’ It reaffirms our commitment to loving and caring for each other.”

How to Order

Packages are available January 26-30.  A limited number will be available each day, so early same day ordering is encouraged. Order packages, as well as extra t-shirts for pick-up, at: mastapas.hrpos.heartland.us/menu

For t-shirts to be shipped, order through Blue Ridge Graphics, where 100% of proceeds will benefit the food bank:
https://stores.brgtshirts.com/mas_tapas/shop/home

Chef Ketola’s M18 Anniversary Package:
Celebrating 18 Years of Tapas, Wine, & Community
$100

Gambas Bocato (first time ever offered) (Two of The Charlottesville 29’s “2020 Dish of the Year” in collaboration with Albemarle Baking Company. This sandwich incorporates the eponymous garlic alioli, with gambas al parilla, served chilled on artisan Albemarle Baking Co. brioche.)

Olivos Mezclado  (beautiful blend of Spanish Castelvetrano, Lucque, Alfonso, and Empeltre Olives with garlic, thyme, and lemon)

Albondigas (spherical tidbits of beef, lamb & pork suspended in a sassy, smoky Romesco sauce with queso Manchego)

Datil con Tocino (organic Medjool dates wrapped in Applewood-smoked bacon, oven-roasted crispy)

Boquerones (vinegar-cured Cantabrian white anchovies with organic garlic, lemon, herbs, Arbequina olive oil)

Hummus (tapas of classic, lightly spicy spread of chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic with bread)

Mas Anniversary T-shirt (Mas will call for a size and confirm a pick-up time)

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