Food Notes

Barren Ridge rings in a first for the winery

Owners John and Shelby Higgs are getting ready for the first New Year’s Eve Celebration at Barren Ridge Vineyards, which will feature a gourmet five-course meal by A Pimento Catering of Charlottesville.

Each course will be paired with Barren Ridge wines.

There will be dancing to the music of Kendra and the Kingpins and a champagne toast to bring in the new year.

The Augusta County vineyard is on the family’s former apple orchard. The Higgses converted their old apple barn into a state-of-the-art winery, preserving the original structure and wood beams. Complimentary tours and tastings are available daily.

The event is $120 per person, and reservations are limited. No other alcoholic beverages will be permitted on the winery premises. Visit http://www.barrenridgevineyards.com to see the menu, and call (540) 248-3300 for reservations.

The Higgses have teamed up with other Augusta County businesses for the event. Limousine service is available from B2B Limousine Service at (540) 941-8686. The Hampton Inn in Fishersville is offering a special New Year’s rate for attendees, and reservations are available at (540) 213-9500.

Jimmy O keeps toes tapping New Year’s Eve

South River Restaurant in Waynesboro will feature the music of Jimmy O starting at 9 tonight for New Year’s Eve.

There will be dinner, dancing and festive drinks. For reservations, price and details, call (540) 942-5567. For information about the restaurant, visit http://www.southrivergrill.com.

Reserve your seat for DelFosse’s brunch

DelFosse Vineyards and Winery will present its New Year’s Day 2009 Brunch at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

The champagne brunch features a menu by Genevieve DelFosse, with four dishes paired with four generous samplings of award-winning wines. There will be a 10 percent discount on wines purchased at the event.

The event is $40 per person and includes a wine glass. Reservations are required. For information, visit http://www.delfosse wine.com or call 263-6100.

Colonial Williamsburg gives 2009 sweet start

Chocoholics will want to head to Colonial Williamsburg in the new year. Historic Foodways journeyman Jim Gay will offer demonstrations of how chocolate was made in the 18th century on Tuesday and again Feb. 3 and March 3.

The Jan. 6 program will be in the Randolph House Kitchen and the others will meet in the Governor’s Palace Kitchen.

Chocolate was served primarily as a hot beverage in the 18th century and was the drink of choice to serve with breakfast.

Gay recreates the Colonial method of making chocolate by roasting and shelling cocoa beans and then grinding them in a large mixing bowl, using a heated grinding stone and an iron rolling pin to grind the beans into a liquid and adding sugar and spices.

Gay has been featured in a special collector’s edition of “Paula Deen’s Christmas” and on “Paula’s Best Dishes” on the Food Network.

Learn more at http://www.history.org.

National Guard takes top honors in kitchen

The Virginia National Guard’s 1032nd Transportation Company, based in Gate City, has won the Department of the Army’s annual Philip A. Connelly Award for Excellence in Army Food Service in the National Guard field kitchen category.

Soldiers from the unit prepared their meal for the competition at Fort Pickett in October. They competed against National Guard units frm six other regions across the country and were judged in 11 different categories ranging from sanitation to service to food quality. The unit will receive its award during ceremonies from April 2 to 5 in Atlanta.

Gray Ghost adds to its 2008 trove of medals

Gray Ghost Vineyards in Amissville won eight medals in the Mid-Atlantic Southeast Wine Competition in October and seven medals in the Wines of the South competition in November.

Gray Ghost wines have won 101 medals in 2008, including 19 best-of-class, double gold and gold medals.

Gray Ghost’s 2007 Merlot and 2007 Cabernet Franc both earned gold medals at the Mid-Atlantic event. Silver and bronze medalists in the two competitions included the Adieu, Chardonnay, Reserve Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Ranger Reserve and Gewurtztraminer.

The tasting room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in January and February.

Learn more at (540) 937-4869.

Keswick’s tasting room marks year of service

Keswick Vineyards just marked the first anniversary of its new tasting room.

Tastings are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for major holidays. Regular tastings are $5. Select tastings are $8 and include reserve wines and a souvenir Keswick glass. Call ahead if you plan to bring a large group.

Visit http://www.keswickvineyards.com or call 244-3341.

From staff reports