EAT YOUR WAY THROUGH VIRGINIA

By Lisa Shames

When it comes to U.S. history, it’s hard to top the state of Virginia. There’s a reason after all it’s known as “the birthplace of a nation.” But this southeastern state is much more than its historical landmarks. Virginia’s food scene is equally noteworthy with everything from Southern-style fare — think country ham, barbecue and homemade biscuits — to a seafood bonanza courtesy of its location on the Eastern Seaboard. Then there are the many celebrated wineries and breweries that add their own unique spirit (literally!) to this iconic state from deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Atlantic Coast. Here, we spotlight 7 delicious ways to explore Virginia’s culinary scene with options as varied as the state itself.

The Central Shenandoah Valley, once known as the breadbasket of the Confederacy, has deep agricultural roots. No matter if you’re visiting for a week or a just a day, your trip should include stops on the Fields of Gold Farm Trail. What began in 2010 as a way to promote the Shenandoah Valley’s agritourism sites and activities, the Fields of Gold Farm Trail now includes more than 230 locations on the trail as it winds through eight counties and their communities.

There is fruit to be picked, tours of working farms to experience, trout fishing to be done and countless farm festivals. Additionally, there are a number of restaurants specializing in locally sourced food as well as on-farm lodging should the need arise. Don’t forget to save time for visits to the many farms stands you’ll encounter on the trail.

Oysters are a big deal in Virginia. So much so that in early 2011 a group of eight oyster lovers gathered 18 times to taste the beloved bivalves from Virginia’s different waters. Their results identified eight regions, each with slightly different levels of saltiness and sweetness. (Insider tip: To best taste each flavor, chew your oyster a few times.) The Virginia Oyster Trail, situated in the area surrounding the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the country, offers visitors a taste of each at restaurants, seafood companies, oyster farms and tours. Notable stops include Rappahannock Oyster Company, the Virginia Oyster Academy at Tides Inn and Dog & Oyster Vineyard, the latter combining two of the most beloved terroir- and merroircentric products, wine and oysters.

With cooking methods that date back to the earliest settlers, Virginia barbecue is an historic food culture like no other. Smoked meats are still prepared with traditional open-fire cooking methods, continuing in the style of cooking that has endured for hundreds of years. From Appalachia to Coastal Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley to Southern Virginia there are hundreds of barbecue restaurants and a festival almost every weekend in Virginia’s 10 regions. In its simplest terms, the Virginia BBQ Trail connects pitmasters whose passion is making barbecue with barbecue lovers and includes more than 250 listings. Looking for a tasty souvenir? Virginia is well known for its four signature barbecue sauces: Southside (slightly tangy with a vinegar/tomato base), Central (slightly sweet and zesty from the sweet spices in it), Shenandoah Valley (herbaceous with a vinegar base) and Northern (sweet tomato base).

Head to the southeast region of Virginia and you’ll be rewarded with some of the best salt-cured ham, pork products and peanuts in the U.S. The Salty Southern

Route allows you to experience these culturally significant products first-hand. In Smithfield, you’ll find Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork producer and creator of the legendary Smithfield Ham. Only ham from peanut-fed pigs that are cured and smoked within the city limits can be labeled genuine Smithfield hams. In nearby Suffolk is the world headquarters of Planter’s Peanuts and the birthplace of the dapper Mr. Peanut. In the surrounding areas, you’ll discover a number of other peanut-focused places, such as the Virginia Peanut Company Gourmet Market, Plantation Peanuts and Wakefield Peanut Company. Additionally,