No one knows exactly when the first chefs appeared on the world scene or when the preparations of food came to be known as “cuisine.” One of the early mentions of cuisine in the Bible was in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament, when “over a thousand lords were fed.”

Forest Lakes holds Holiday Farmers’ Market

Now is the time to bake that Christmas fruitcake, and there is no time to waste if you want to age it and blend all of the flavors. This is particularly true if you plan on splashing the baked cake with brandy or other spirits.

Preschoolers offer their expert advice on how to cook the turkey

Paula Deen gives her recipe on Williamsburg

Enjoying and working with art as I often do, certain images come to mind with particular holidays. At Thanksgiving I often think about the Norman Rockwell picture “Freedom from Want.” The painting depicts a family around the dinner table with Mother holding the turkey and Father, standing ready to carve it.

Thanksgiving wine pairing on tap at DelFosse

As I mentioned in last week’s column Allan and I spent some time at the Sorrel River Ranch outside of Moab, Utah. Located at milepost 17 on Highway 128, this four-star resort is situated between red rock buttes and the Colorado River. It encompasses 240 acres with magnificent views all around.

Put a little Zinc into your artistic endeavors today

The moment the little girl spotted the gingerbread house her eyes opened wide with wonder.

Allan and I recently spent several days in Vail, Colo., and Moab, Utah, at two delightful resorts. Each place was entirely different from the other. The Sonnenalp in Vail is a large-scale hotel in the center of town and the Sorrel River Ranch, 17 miles east of Moab, is a working horse ranch with full guest facilities. Both are four-star facilities.

It’s time to fall into a Sunday brunch at DelFosse

Master sommelier Barbara Werley will be a speaker, presenter and advisor at the inaugural International Food and Wine Experience of Charlottesville, which will take place Jan. 23 to 25 in downtown Charlottesville.

North Garden prepares for Apple Harvest fest

To paraphrase a famous poem, “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner”: Pumpkins, pumpkins as far as they can be seen — what do you do with ’em after Halloween?

Chevrots will be guests at Clifton’s wine dinner

Sometimes I think that I would like to have lived in Colonial days. Then I realize how hard life was, with no supermarkets in which to do our food shopping.

Taste from the barrel at Autumn Hill Vineyards

October is traditionally Virginia Wine Month, and with this lovely fall weather there is no better time to get out and visit the state’s wineries. Even the recent issue of Southern Living magazine had a feature article on the Virginia wine trails.

Siips holds amateur chef event to help SPCA

The glittering cupcakes beckoned from behind the glass-front counter.

While on a short day trip recently Allan and I stopped for a late lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. (The closest one to Charlottesville is in Richmond at 11800 W. Broad in the Short Pump Center.)

Pancakes for Parkinson’s returns on Saturday

On the first Wednesday in October, 20 years ago, I wrote my first food column for The Daily Progress. Now 20 years later, I am still at it. I have written about local food happenings and have tried to give you a feel for the variations in traditional domestic and foreign foods that we have enjoyed throughout the world.

Harvest Festival celebrates food of our region

One of our pet peeves when we travel and stay at a hotel or motel where breakfast is self-service is their toasters. One of the worst is the kind where a slice of bread is slowly propelled over and under electric coils. I think that type of toaster must be almost 100 years old, or so it seems.

Pancake dinner is on the menu in Buckingham

In doing research recently on election cakes, I ran across a strange cookie I had never heard of before — the funeral cookie or biscuit, as these cookies or biscuits were called in the 17th and 18th centuries. They also were known as funeral tokens.

Making pizza with mom and dad has class

Book lovers who’d like to learn more about Barboursville Vineyards won’t have to wait to hear it through the grapevine. A new book explores the history, mission, wines and cuisine of the Orange County winery.