Virginia Holiday Gift Guide
There is someting about enjoying local food and wine. Checkout our
must-eat, must-see Virginia fab food finds.

By Patrick Evans-Hylton

There is something about enjoying food and wine from a certain place. In the raw product, right from the ground, there is the sense of terroir, a French term usually applied to wine, which refers to a combination of soil and climate. Whether fruit or vegetable (and, in Virginia’s case, we can’t forget our friend the peanut, a legume), each has a distinct taste that comes from the soil composition, the amount of rain and the amount of sun unique to its growing location. That uniqueness is taken one step further when those raw products become ingredients and are crafted in small batches into sweet or savory treats. Like terroir, the handcrafted product now picks up a uniqueness from the talent and handling of its maker. In Virginia, we are lucky to have a large number of such products unique to our state, each providing a delish taste of the Commonwealth. Lots of these are for sale at gourmet grocers and specialty food stores, but many are also for sale right from the source: a lot of made-in-Virginia food purveyors offer their own retail outlet, a great way to learn more about their offerings by going right to the source. Better yet, many of these “company stores” are in scenic areas of the state – from the Eastern Shore to the Atlantic oceanfront to the Shenandoah Valley – so stocking up for yourself or making holiday purchases can become a fun side trip, too. You can make a day of it or, with a little extra planning, turn it into a whole weekend. Here is our pick for a baker’s dozen of must-eat, must-see Virginia fab food finds:

Perhaps Rowena's Products
should have the middle name of Decadence, because that is an apt description. All of her wonderful pound cakes – in flavors ranging from almond to key lime and chocolate cappuccino – are totally delish. Equally lip-smacking good are the curd sauces in lemon, raspberry and key lime, and special jams like carrot, peach orange clove and cranberry nut conserve. Another must-have: Rowena’s history/cookbook, “Celebrate Virginia.” A gift shop and tearoom are operated at Rowena’s. Pictured: Lemon Curd and Raspberry Curd, $7.95 each; Baby Bundt Cake in Luscious Lemon and Kissed Key Lime, $33.95 for a gift box of six; Luscious Lemon Round Pound Cake, $12.95; Wonderful Almond Star Pound Cake, $14.95; Wonderful Almond Heart Pound Cake, $12.95.

Want to go?
For travel information, visit the Norfolk Tourism website, www.visitnorfolktoday.com

Bengining as a gourmet grocer
in 1973, Taste Unlimited expanded the palate of the Hampton Roads region with its wonderful offerings of specialty foods and quality wines. A deli offers sandwiches, and a cooking school provides training for aspiring chefs. Taste also features a number of private-label products, mostly snack mixes, which are great for holiday entertaining and gift-giving. We especially love the bay seasoning-kissed cheese straws, with their piquant flavor accented with a touch of heat. Taste Unlimited operates six stores in the Hampton Roads area, with locations in Chesapeake, Newport News, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Pictured: Taste of the Bay Cheese Straws, $10; Beach Crunch nut snack mix, $10; Sea Salted Peanuts, $8.

Want to go?
For travel information, visit the city of Virginia Beach’s tourism website, www.vbfun.com

A Longstanding tradition
as a stop on Route 460 between western Hampton Roads and Richmond, the outstanding Virginia peanuts that grow in the region became a mainstay for Virginia Diner and other local diners, and now for goober gourmets worldwide. Although famous for the super extra-large Virginia peanuts roasted and sprinkled with salt, Virginia Diner offers other varieties—other products include chocolate-covered peanut brittle, cinnamonfrosted pecans and wasabi cashews. A gift shop and restaurant are operated at Virginia Diner. Pictured: Commemorative Virginia salted peanuts, $6 for 8-oz. pouch and $14.50 for 36-oz. tin.

Want to go?
For travel information, visit the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce website, www.sussexvachamber.org

We tend to think
that if heaven had a specific aroma, it would be that of quality hams slowly smoking and aging to perfection. If that’s the case, then we’ve found heaven at S. Wallace Edwards and Sons in Surry, family-run and generations’ long manufacturers of fine aged Virginia hams, dry-cured bacon, fresh and smoked sausages, spiral-sliced hams, smoked turkey, Brunswick stew and other products.

Want to go?
For travel information, visit Surry County’s tourism website, www.toursurryva.com

This regional specialty
food shop provides lots of inspiration for entertaining and gifting, with a huge assortment of Virginia- and Southern-inspired goodies.

There are many private label products such as peanuts, as well as a variety of other gourmet goods like sweets, hams, spices and sauces. Some delish offerings include peanut butter products such as all-natural peanut butter, peanut butter pie, peanut butter cheesecake truffles, peanut butter straws, peanut butter brownie cake, peanut butter petits fours and peanut butter dog treats.

Sister stores are The Genuine Smithfield Ham Shoppe in Smithfield and in Williamsburg.

Want to go?
For travel information, visit the Williamsburg Area Destination
Marketing Committee website,
www.visitwilliamsburg.com