Food Notes

Pizza Bella serves up special brunch for Mom
Pizza Bella Bistro will present its Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring free desserts for moms.
The brunch menu includes breakfast pizza, huevos rancheros, frittatas, western omelets, steak and eggs, pan-seared salmon, crab cake sandwiches and buttermilk pancakes.
The dinner choices include Angus beef tenderloin, fresh seafood, roasted duck and New Zealand lamb chops.
For information, call 296-7472.

Spring in to the two-for-one cooking class
Charlottesville Cooking School is offering a two-for-the-price-of-one deal for its Basics of Spring Cooking Class, so two students can attend for $75.
The school’s May classes include the following:
l Basics of Spring Cooking 1 with Martha Stafford meets 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 14 and 2 to 6 p.m. May 25. Menu includes asparagus soup with dill, spring salad with Virginia goat cheese, quinoa with parsley and lemon, crostini with caramelized onions and organic strawberries in Virginia wine. $75; two-for-one special in effect during May.
l Basics of Spring Cooking 2 with Martha Stafford meets 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 21 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 28. Menu includes sauteed chicken breast with herb chutney, Swiss chard with spring onions and dill, caramelized fennel and strawberry rhubarb crumble. $75.
l Basics of Thai Cooking 1 with Ashley Clarke will be presented 6 to 10 p.m. May 14 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 15. Menu includes Thai hot and sour prawn soup, green mango salad, green curry with chicken and tropical fruit skewers with chili sugar. $75.
l Basics of Quick and Healthy Cooking 1 with Ashley Clarke meets 6 to 10 p.m. May 28 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 29. Menu includes seasonal fish in parchment, vegetable couscous, string beans sauteed with shallots and herbs and fruit sorbets. $75.
l Basics of Italian 1 with Marissa Catalano will be offered 6 to 10 p.m. May 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 20 and 6 to 10 p.m. May 23. Menu focusing on northern Italy includes spring pea risotto, roast chicken, braised broccolini and berries with marscapone cream. $75.
l Cupcakes 101 with Clare Rannigan, for children ages 9 and older, meets 2 to 4 p.m. May 18. The class will cover creating cupcake batter, frosting and decorations. $45.
For details, visit http://www.charlottesvillecookingschool.com, send e-mail to or call 963-COOK.

It’s time to think about Buy Fresh/Buy Local
The Piedmont Environmental Council announced that the Buy Fresh/Buy Local campaign has been launched for the 2008 season. Residents of Albemarle and Greene counties and the city of Charlottesville will be finding the new guide in their mailboxes soon.
Last year’s successful inaugural program linked customers with locally produced foods at farms, farmer’s markets, retailers and restaurants.
PEC is partnering with Feast, Virginia Cooperative Extension, farmers and business owners to help customers find local foods. Area businesses will use the Buy Fresh Buy Local marketing materials to help customers identify the products on their shelves and menus. Learn more that the new Web site at http://www.buylocalvirginia.org.

You can find some culture in Lee Park Saturday
The Charlottesville Festival of Cultures marks its fifth year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Lee Park.
There will be ethnic foods, cultural exhibits and live performances of music and dance. There will be vendors, and activities for all ages will be featured.
The event, organized by the Charlottesville City Schools Adult Learning Center with support from other organizations and individuals, will put the spotlight on many cultures represented in Charlottesville, including Tibetan, Nicaraguan and Somali Bantu, as well as African-American and Appalachian culture closer to home. Admission is free. Call 245-2819.

Scottesville market comes with instructions
Local chef Meredith Barnes will demonstrate how to cook with seasonal food available at the new Scottsville Saturday Farmers Market at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The market is open rain or shine from 8 to 11 a.m. every Saturday through October at the foot of the bridge at Valley and main streets in Scottsville. For information, visit http://www.scottsvilleva.com/market.html or call 286-3750.

There are more pancakes in store at UVa
The Charlottesville alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. will present its second pancake breakfast fundraiser as part of “It Takes a Village,” a week of service activities.
“One Book, One Vote: Creating Teachers and Voters’’ is a pancakes and sausage breakfast set for 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Applebee’s Restaurant and Bar at 571 Branchlands Blvd.
Donations will be collected towards chapter projects and the African-American teaching Fellows of Charlottesville-Albemarle, an organization aiming to increase the numbers of African-American teachers in the Charlottesville and Albemarle County school systems.
To learn more about May Week activities, send e-mail to or visit http://www.cvilledst.org.

Fossett’s prepares for its annual Italian bash
Fossett’s Restaurant and Keswick Hall will present “The Riches of Italy’’ with a reception at 6:45 p.m. Thursday at Villa Crawford and dinner at Fossett’s at 7 p.m.
The annual Italian bash will include the Italian portfolio of Palm Bay Imports. With the guidance of Francine Kahng, guests will explore wines from different regions of Italy paired with the cuisine of executive chef Craig Hartman.
Hors d’oeuvres will include Mediterranean prawns poached in wild garlic-infused olive oil, sauce of cerignola olives and crispy San Danielle prosciutto with Feudi di San Gregoria Falanghina 2005, Campagnia. The dinner menu includes spring pea and local morel risotto, shaved tartuffo cheese and salad of pea shoots with Sella and Mosca Vermentino, Sardinia 2005.  Braised veal tongue and cured yellowfin tuna and black truffle aioli will be served with Rocca Della Macie Chianti Classico Reserva 2004. Medallions of local organic pork, vin cotto-glazed pork belly, porcini ragout and summer heirloom vegetables will be served Marchesi di Barolo Barbaresco 2004 and Marchesi di Barolo “Cannubi’’ 2003.
The event is $89 per person plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call 979-3440.

Keswick rolls out free tastings in Mom’s honor
Keswick Vineyards’ Mother’s Day Celebration will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
There will be a free wine tasting. Guests can relax on the covered porch or in the picnic area. Light fare will be available, including all-natural Amish farmstead cheddar from Goot Essa cheese.
Picnic baskets from HotCakes can be ordered in advance and be waiting for you at the vineyard. Each picnic box includes a choice of sandwich — tarragon chicken salad, smoked turkey with boursin cheese, ham and Swiss with honey mustard or roasted vegetables with chevre — herbed potato salad, fresh fruit salad and a cookie.
Picnic baskets are $15 per person and must be ordered by Thursday by calling 244-3341.

Sample a little champagne at DelFosse brunch
DelFosse Vineyards and Winery in Faber will present a Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Chef Genevieve DelFosse will present four dishes, four generous samplings of award-winning DelFosse wines and champagne.
There will be a 10 percent discount on wines purchased at the events, plus a complimentary wine glass.
The brunch is $35 per person, and reservations are required. For details, call 263-6100.

Cardinal Point kicks off summer concert series
Cardinal Point Vineyard and Winery at 9423 Batesville Road in Afton has announced the dates for its summer concert series, so mark your calendars.
Concerts are set for 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 14, July 12 and Aug. 9.
This year’s primary beneficiaries will be local food banks and food pantries. Entry to each of the monthly concerts is free to each person who brings five nonperishable food items to donate.
The full schedule and more details can be found at http://www.cardinalpointwinery.com/events.htm. For information, call (540) 456-8400.

Gray Ghost represents at national conference
Gray Ghost Vineyards and Winery owners Al and Cheryl Kellert will represent the state of Virginia as speakers at the 41st National Conference of the American Wine Society in November in Sacramento, Calif.
The annual conference features prominent American and international speakers leading seminars and presenting lectures on all aspects of wine appreciation, wine production, grape growing and cuisine.
Al Kellert will discuss the history of grape growing and winemaking that began in Virginia 400 years ago. Then, the Kellerts will focus on vineyard and winery practices they use at Gray Ghost. They will present six Gray Ghost wines at the end of their presentation.
In the past four years, Gray Ghost has won 342 medals, including 71 best-of-class, best-of-show, gold or double-gold awards.

Oakencroft sets its hours for the 2008 season
Oakencroft Vineyard and Winery has opened for the 2008 season. The Tasting Room is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week through December.
This year marks Oakencroft’s 25th anniversary. Fans can plan ahead for May 26, when Oakencroft’s 25th-anniversary celebration will include 2006 Reserve Merlot, Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc, as well as smoked barbecued pork and chicken, cole slaw, potato salad and baked beans by BBQ Brothers and music by Jimmy O. Admission is $15.
To see a schedule of Oakencroft’s upcoming events, visit http://www.oakencroft.com.

Starr Hill captures silver with its dark stout
Starr Hill Brewing Company Recently won a silver medal in the Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008, a global beer competition.
Starr Hill, a 10,000-barrell microbrewery located in Crozet, picked up a silver medal in the dry Irish stout category for its Dark Starr Stout, a light-bodied stout that has the flavor and aroma of coffee and unsweetened chocolate. The awards were presented April 19 during the World Beer Cup Gala Awards Ceremony and Dinner at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego.
World Beer Cup winners were selected by an international panel of 129 beer judges from 22 countries. More than 2,930 entries from 646 breweries in 58 countries were in the competition.
Starr Hill’s Dark Starr Stout already had won two golds, a silver and a bronze medal from the Great American Beer Festival.

Pollak Vineyards opens for tastings and tours
Pollak Vineyards in Greenwood has opened its doors to the public for wine tastings and tours.
The first vines were planted on the 98-acre property five years ago, and the first vintage, a 2005 Bordeaux-style Meritage blend, was harvested more than two years ago. That wine recently won one of eight gold medals in the Monticello Wine Competition.
Other wines currently available from the 2006 vintage include a viognier, pinot gris, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot.
Later this summer, a chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon from the 2006 vintage will be released.
Pollak Vineyards, a dream of Margo and David Pollak, is a boutique-sized winery with the goal of making French-style wines from estate-grown grapes.
Wine tastings are available in the summer from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and in the winter from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday for a nominal fee.
For information, visit http://www.pollakvineyards.com or call (540) 456-8844.

Charlottesville Wine teams with Mona Lisa
Jim Winecoff, owner-chef of Mona Lisa Pasta, and Terre Sisson of Charlottesville Wine and Culinary are presenting a new class, “Fusion,’’ at 7 p.m. Friday.
The class will cook together. There will be plenty of participation, fine home cooking techniques and time-saving tips with gourmet flair for home chefs.
The menu includes pork and corn dumplings, cilantro cream, mojo-skewered chicken and beef, black bean gazpacho salad, sweet fritters with strawberries and star anise sauce.
A light meal and complimentary beverage are included.
The class is $60. Call 295-2494 to reserve a space.

From staff reports