Two Washingtons Meet to Benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry

[LauraO]

TWO WASHINGTONS MEET TO BENEFIT THE RAPPAHANNOCK FOOD PANTRY

April 24 Events include:

Book Reading and Signing in Honor of Celebrated New York Times Journalist

and an Evening Celebration of Local, Seasonal Food & Wine

Washington, Virginia -- Food and wine lovers are invited to join Washington, D.C., notables on Saturday, April 24, 2010, in historic Washington, Virginia, for TWO WASHINGTONS MEET: a pair of extraordinary events benefiting the Rappahannock Food Pantry. Rappahannock County is a well-known home to food and wine aficionados, and this day has been organized to present some of the best Virginia has to offer while benefiting an important local charity that distributes food to those in need.

On Saturday, April 24, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., R. H. Ballard Art, Rug & Home will host a unique book-signing and tasting event in their intimate gallery to celebrate the food writing of the late, legendary New York Times journalist and gourmand R. W. “Johnny” Apple Jr. The event will include readings and remembrances by Betsey Apple and a number of Johnny's friends, all of whom will then collectively sign Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R. W. Apple, Jr. Those slated to read are Bill Plante, CBS White House Correspondent, wine collector and aficionado; noted food and wine experts and writers Marian Burros, formerly of The New York Times, and Clark Wolf, author of American Cheeses; and John Fox Sullivan, Publisher at Large, Atlantic Media Company. Guests will be treated to a selection of award-winning wines from Chester Gap Cellars of Rappahannock County, the farmstead cheeses of Cowgirl Creamery of Washington, D.C., and items from Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton. All wines, cheeses, and baked goods will be also available for purchase. This event is free and open to the public. A portion of the day’s sales will benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m., Flavor Magazine will sponsor a unique food and wine benefit evening at The Meadows, the historic home of Beverly and John Fox Sullivan in Washington, Virginia. Roasted lamb and pig from Blue Ridge Meats will be served alongside dishes prepared by Thornton River Grill Catering using ingredients from Rappahannock County, baked goods from Red Truck Bakery, cheeses from Stonyman Gourmet Farmer and desserts from Mom’s Apple Pie Co. The top Virginia wines as chosen by D.C.’s top sommeliers in a blind tasting—the results of which will be revealed in the April/May issue of Flavor Magazine—will be available for tasting. Participating sommeliers were Derek Brown of The Passenger & Columbia Room, Scott Calvert of The Inn at Little Washington, Gina Chersevani of PS 7, Andrew Meyers of City Zen, and Todd Thasher of Restaurant Eve. Wine auctions will feature selections from The Inn at Little Washington’s wine cellar and from Johnny Apple’s cellar. Tickets are $75 and are limited. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.flavormags.com; for more information, e-mail info@flavormags.com or call 540-987-9299. Ticket and auction proceeds will benefit the Rappahannock Food Pantry.

These events offer the perfect opportunity to plan a getaway weekend to scenic Rappahannock County, Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located just 70 miles from Washington, D.C., and nearby Maryland and close to Charlottesville, Richmond, and other locations in the Piedmont Region and the Shenandoah Valley, Rappahannock County is an easy daytrip or overnight stay. For information on accommodations, dining and activities in Rappahannock, visit www.VisitRappahannockVa.com or email info@VisitRappahannockVa.com.

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R. W. Apple Jr. worked for The New York Times for 40 years, serving at various times as Chief Correspondent, Chief Washington Correspondent and Washington Bureau Chief. He began writing food articles for the Times in the late 1970s, when reporting from London. His writing also appeared in magazines including The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, GQ, Saveur, Travel & Leisure, Gourmet, Town & Country and National Geographic Traveler. He lived in Washington, D.C., where he died in 2006.

R. H. Ballard Art, Rug & Home, has been a renowned destination shop for gracious living for several years, and hosts events that focus on books, food, and wine. They are located at 307 Main Street in historic Washington, Virginia, one block from the famous The Inn at Little Washington. For more information about R. H. Ballard, visit www.rhballard.com or call 540-675-1411.

Flavor Magazine is a free, bi-monthly magazine that beautifully and intelligently covers local food, sustainable agriculture, and regional wine in the Capital Foodshed—which includes Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia and Maryland. For more information on Flavor Magazine, which has its office in Rappahannock County, visit http://www.flavormags.com or call 540-987-9299.

The Rappahannock Food Pantry was established in connection with Rappahannock Plant-a-Row to serve the food needs of all the residents of Rappahannock County in need of assistance. Currently, nearly 10% of Rappahannock households are receiving food and assistance from the food pantry, which is staffed by local volunteers.

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