The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: MarieBette

04/15/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Emily Harpster

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come Emily Harpster, who has just launched Sugarbear –  made-from-scratch ice creams celebrating great local ingredients of Charlottesville. Buttermilk with Strawberry Jam, for example, swirls in jam from Jam According to Daniel, while Honey Sea Salt Latte draws on Lone Light Coffee and Hungry Hill Farm honey, and Vanilla Blueberry Stracciatella features shards of Gearharts Blueberry chocolate bars. Flavors change often, so check out what’s in the the freezer at MarieBette or order online for pick-up at MarieBette.

A graduate of UVa, as well as ice cream college at Penn State, Harpster’s Charlottesville culinary roots run deep, all the way back to the original Tokyo Rose, where she worked as an undergrad. After more than a decade on the west coast, she and her husband returned to Charlottesville “because we love it here,” says Harpster. “In many ways, my ice cream is a love letter to Charlottesville.” Harpster’s picks:

1) Everything Prezzant from MarieBette. “I spend a lot of time at Marie Bette, so I feel like I am a connoisseur of the MarieBette baked goods library. Honestly, the everything pretzel croissant (prezzant) cannot be beat. It cannot. It is a perfect creation. Also a perfect creation in the cupcake department: cupcakes by Tammy. Have you seen what she can do with frosting? She is basically a magician.”

2) Coconut Shrimp from PineappIes Thai Kitchen. “I’m sort of obsessed with everything Pineapples Thai does. We always have to put in a double order for their coconut shrimp.  They are light, perfectly crispy, and perfectly sweet.”

3) Golden Milk and Cocoa Macarons from Bowerbird Bakeshop. “Good macarons are not easy to pull off, and we have world class seasonal ones from Bowerbird? They are like pretty, colored, delicious jewels. They are one of my favorite presents to give.”

4) Blackberry and Apricot Jam from Jam According to Daniel. “I’ve had a lot of jam in my life, and I have never had jam as good as the jam that Jam According to Daniel makes. Ever. You can put it on anything.”

5) Double Smash Burger from Oakhart Social. “I love a good cheeseburger. Shout out to Oakhart, whose smash burgers got us through some of our hardest pandemic days. Unfortunately, our kids no longer consider other burgers acceptable.”

 

02/18/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Jaclyn Shaffer

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Jaclyn Shaffer of Jaclyn’s Cookies, which makes stunning custom-designed cookies for birthdays, weddings, corporate events, and other celebrations, as well as offering private cookie decorating parties for both kids and adults. Shaffer also creates holiday cookies for sale to the public, with her next batches planned for St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. Follow along on her Instagram page. Shaffer’s picks:

1) Basan Paitan from Basan. “Hands down the most delicious bowl of ramen that I’ve eaten. I’ve spent a lot of time stalking this food truck the past couple of years, and I can’t wait to see what Basan and Mama Bird do with their new space at Umma’s.”

2) Kao Soi Chicken from Chimm. “If you haven’t tried Chimm yet, you need to visit. I love this curry so much because it’s the perfect combo of spicy broth, rich dark meat chicken and crispy fried wontons.”

3) Financier from MarieBette.  “Everything from MarieBette is fantastic, but the buttery, crunchy outside and sweet, tender inside of their financier makes it my favorite.”

4) Funghi from Lampo. “I don’t even like mushrooms that much, but this pizza is the bomb. I always try to branch out when I visit, but I find myself coming back to this pizza every time. The earthy mushrooms with cream sauce and cheese, cooked in a woodfired oven is pizza perfection.”

5) Banana Bread from Green House Coffee. “I have to shout out my local Crozet coffee shop. Every time I’m there I can’t help ordering their addictive banana bread with an iced coffee.”

11/26/2021

Five Finds on Friday: Jen Pease

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for a reader selected at random to participate in Five Finds on Friday, and this year’s winner is UVa Associate Professor Jen Pease. Pease’s picks:

1) Miso Chocolate Chip Cookie from Cou Cou Rachou. “My platonic ideal of a cookie: the perfect balance of crispy/chewy and salty/sweet. We are so lucky to live in a town with several amazing bakeries, and Cou Cou Rachou is a fabulous addition. (My kids also wanted me to mention their favorite treats: the Prezzant and the Stuffed Chocolate Shortbread, both from MarieBette.)”

2) Migas Taco from Brazos. “I first tried migas tacos while visiting Austin a few years ago, and I was thrilled to find them on the menu at Brazos. Egg, veggies, cheese, and tortilla chips? On a taco? Yes, please. Great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”

3) Raspberry Triangle from Atlas Coffee. “Atlas is the epitome of the neighborhood coffee shop: the type of place where you always see familiar faces and the baristas start your order when you walk in the door. A latte and a raspberry triangle is my favorite way to start a workday.”

4) Beets from Oakhart Social. “My husband and I frequently have a hard time deciding which of the many great veggie dishes to order at Oakhart, but this one always makes the cut.”

5) Seabass Normandy from Café Frank. “One of the best dishes I have eaten this year. We love the atmosphere at Café Frank – another great addition to the Charlottesville dining scene.”