Five Finds on Friday: Kay Pfaltz
Kay Pfaltz, left, with Sallie Justice.
Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kay Pfaltz, founder of the Nellysford legend Basic Necessities, which she now co-owns with Sallie Justice and Rosie Gantt. Since 1997, the cafe, wine and cheese shop has strived to offer “a taste of Europe in the Blue Ridge Mountains.” Pfaltz’s picks:
1) Mile 842 from Devils Backbone Brewing Company. “Sometimes all a wine shop owner wants is a good beer, preferably on tap, with a little patch of sunshine. Hike the AT, then hop off at milepost 842 for a well-deserved beer. Hoppy, with great flavor.”
2) Clean Green at The Juice Laundry. “Going to the other end of the beverage spectrum, I love anything The Juice Laundry makes. Sometimes I’m in the mood for Clean Green (kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, parsley, ginger, and lemon), sometimes, Spicy Green, sometimes Rinse & Refresh, and always the nut milks, which are wonderfully addictive. I was thrilled when The Juice Laundry first opened and glad to see the rise of vegan restaurants. And you can slip over to The Juice Laundry after you’ve bought C’ville’s best and freshest (and mostly local) produce at Integral Yoga.”
3) Edmond Fallot Walnut Dijon Mustard at Feast! “Add a scoop of the walnut mustard to your vinaigrette, instead of plain dijon, and your friends start oohing and exclaiming: ‘Ahh, there’s a secret ingredient . . . oh, I know it . . . but what is it?’ Somewhat similar taste to using walnut oil but less pricy.”
4) Marinara D.O.C. Pizza at Lampo. “From antipasti to pizzas to their excellent and unpretentious wine list, Lampo is my go-to restaurant. The Marinara D.O.C. is pure, vegan, simple, and delicious. Next best thing to a ticket to Naples.”
5) Almond Pavé at Paradox Pastry. “When I returned to Virginia in the early 90s after more than ten years in Paris, good pastries, bread, and chocolates were the things I missed the most. Not all pâtisseries in Paris carried pavé aux amandes, but I’d buy one when I saw it. At Paradox, buy it by the slice, or do like I do now and buy the whole cake and freeze. Be forewarned, you may eat it so quickly, there’s no need to freeze. Moist, dense, and delicious. I eat chocolate after lunch and dinner (Hello, Gearharts) and, well, sometimes one just needs a change of pace. Four simple ingredients: almond flour, butter, sugar, and egg . . . so gluten-free, as they say, by default.”
