The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: James Beard

02/19/2014

Angelo Vangelopoulos: James Beard Semifinalist

angelo 5

Angelo Vangelopoulos has added yet another honor to his resume: James Beard Award semifinalist.  The longtime chef-owner of the Ivy Inn, who last year was named to the Mt. Rushmore of Charlottesville chefs, is among twenty semifinalists for 2014 Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic, the James Beard Foundation announced today.  The James Beard Awards are essentially the Academy Awards of the food world, and Vangelopoulos joins elite chefs from cities like Washington D.C. and Philadelphia on this year’s list of semifinalists.

Congratulations to Vangelopoulos and Charlottesville on yet another instance of national acclaim for Charlottesville food.

09/25/2013

James Beard Local Dish: Brookville’s Slow Roasted Pork Belly

Brookville Pork

Today is another article in our series on James Beard Foundation’s Taste America Local Dish, where six Charlottesville area restaurants are joining other top spots around the country in creating a dish for their September and October menus that conveys their local cuisine.  One dollar from the sale of each local dish will go towards the educational efforts of the James Beard Foundation.  Next up is Brookville, owned by chef Harrison Keevil and his wife, Jennifer.

Keevil’s Local Dish is Slow Roasted Pork Belly with apple compote, cilantro, jalapeno, and peanuts ($25).  The pork belly is from Timbercreek Organics, the apple and jalapeno are from the Local Food Hub, and the cilantro is from Manakintowne Specialty Growers.  So, what makes this dish convey our local cuisine?  In Keevil’s own words:

What is more Virginian then a Majestic Heritage Breed Pig?  That is why I decided to use pork, and chose belly because it is my favorite cut. I added peanuts because back in the day pigs were used to go through the peanut fields, after harvesting, and till the land for the next crop in the rotation. Also, going to my grandaddies’ farm when I was a child we were surrounded by peanut fields, so this ingredient holds a important place in my heart.  I added apples because we are getting into fall, which is apple season here in Virginia.  When I was a child growing up in Virginia, one my favorite dishes that my mother cooked was pork chops and apple sauce — so again another food memory close to my heart. I included cilantro and jalapeño, which might not scream Virginia, but were cultivated in its soil so thus have a place in this dish.  Also, they help cut the richness of the belly.

09/11/2013

James Beard Local Dish: Fossett’s’ Slow Cooked Beef

beef braise

It’s James Beard Foundation’s Local Dish.  Throughout September and October, six area restaurants are among top spots around the country that the James Beard Foundation has accepted to create a dish that conveys their local cuisine.  One dollar from the sale of each dish will go towards the educational efforts of the James Beard Foundation.  We’re featuring the Charlottesville restaurants’ dishes here on The Charlottesville 29, and next up is Fossett’s Restaurant at Keswick Hall.

Chef Aaron Cross, who joined Fossett’s last year, has created a Slow Cooked “Best of What’s Around” Beef with roasted corn risotto, crispy radish salad, and fortified braising jus ($30).   Cross calls it the “best of what’s to braise,” as the cut of beef he’s using will depend on what’s available — either bottom round, shank, or chuck. Cross explains:

The corn I’ve stockpiled up on from the Local Food Hub and its coming from Rockbridge.  I would love to be romantic and say that in the spirit of Jefferson its all Golden Bantam, but I’ve seen silver queen, bi-color, peaches-and-cream, and a couple other types come through. I’ve pickled, roasted, and frozen all that I can because it mostly likely won’t continue to keep rolling in past the next couple of weeks. The greens for the salad on top are a Manakintowne Farms mix of shoots and sprouts and bolstered by some shaved Keswick radishes and finished with a fresh herb crumble and the reduced braising jus.