Asbury’s Restaurant is a family-style dining destination tucked into the mountains of Pendleton County, on the grounds of Seneca Caverns. Overlooking German Valley, the restaurant features mountain views, large windows, a stone fireplace and a porch where guests can dine outdoors.

In the late 1700s, Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury traveled through what is now Pendleton County and visited the caves. His journal entries are believed to contain the earliest written descriptions of caves in West Virginia. One cavern was subsequently named Asbury’s Cave in his honor. The menu features hearty Appalachian-inspired fare alongside classic American favorites, including fried chicken sandwiches, pulled pork, catfish po’boys, burgers and other seafood options. Sides range from traditional french fries and homemade potato chips to sweet potato fries, while homemade desserts, cheesecake and ice cream offer a sweet finish.

I opted for the chili, topped with shredded cheese and served with tortilla chips and a small side of sour cream for dipping or mixing in. It packed a bit of a spicy kick, with the cheese and sour cream offering a creamy contrast to the heat. While the savory flavors were satisfying, a touch of sweetness would have helped balance the spice and round out the overall flavor profile. Grade: B

Nothing Bundt Cakes was founded in 1997 by friends Dena Tripp and Debbie Shwetz in Las Vegas, Nevada. What began as a home-based baking venture grew into a nationwide franchise with hundreds of locations. The American bakery chain specializes in Bundt cakes — ring-shaped cakes with a hole in the center — that are known for their moist texture, rich flavors and signature cream cheese frosting. The cakes come in the following flavors:

Bundtinis: Bite-sized cakes, typically sold by the dozen.

Bundtlets: Individually sized cakes, good for sampling flavors.

8-inch Bundt cakes: Suitable for smaller celebrations.

10-inch Bundt cakes: Designed for larger gatherings.
The South Charleston location just opened, so I placed an online order for a dozen bundtinis. If you sign up for their rewards program you can get $5 off your first order: https://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/ Regular flavors:
🍫 Chocolate Chocolate Chip
❤️ Red Velvet
🎂 White Chocolate Raspberry
🧁 Classic Vanilla
🍰 Confetti
🍋 Lemon
🥕 Carrot
🍓 Strawberries & Cream
🍪 OREO Cookies & Cream

Current seasonal flavor:
🎃 Pumpkin Spice (through November 29)

Gluten-free flavors;
🍪 Chocolate Chip Cookie
🍋 Lemon Raspberry These are actually much better than I anticipated. The cream cheese icing made me realize it's my favorite kind. And the cake is very moist. So far, my favorite is the white chocolate raspberry. But plenty more to try! Grade: A

Sweet Tooth Bakery, located along Mercer Street, offers an assortment of homemade baked goods, specialty desserts and custom cakes, along with a breakfast and lunch menu that gives customers plenty of reasons to stop by before dessert. The locally owned bakery features everything from classic chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls to more creative confections, including Fruity Pebbles cookies, banana pudding bars, coconut macaroons and strawberry crunch cheesecake on a stick. Seasonal offerings and specialty treats keep the selection changing. For my visit, I picked up a little bit of everything, starting with a West Virginia staple: a pepperoni roll. The savory baked good provided a contrast to the assortment of sweets that followed. The cornflake cluster offered a nostalgic take on a no-bake dessert, combining crunchy cereal with a sweet coating for a treat that’s all about texture. The Rice Krispie treat was another familiar favorite, built around the classic combination of crispy rice cereal and marshmallow. Finally, a dessert bar that I cannot recall the details, but do recall I enjoyed it. The one potential opportunity here is to maybe make fewer varities of desserts so they each remain fresh. I recognize that's a tough balance, because folks - me included! - enjot variety. Grade: B

The Fall 2026 J.Q. Dickinson Subscription Box is all from West Virginia: J.Q. DICKINSON SALT-WORKS
Salt Shaker
This is our smallest crystal, in a brand new shaker. Use it to season food while you are cooking, or leave it on the table. This crystal size is perfect for popping corn, baking, and seasoning soups and stews

LOVING WV
Cryptid Playing Cards
West Virginians love their cryptid creatures. There a many myths and legends based on them. Have fun with these cards as you learn about WV's crypdids.

BLUESTONE MOUNTAIN FARM
Heirloom Popping Corn
This popping corn is grown in Summers County, WV and is a hull-less variety. It's sweet, crunchy flavor beats anything in a grocery store.

SUGAR BOTTOM FARM
Raw Honey
Raw honey retains the enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are so good for you. This honey is a special and delicious.

J.Q. DICKINSON SALT-WORKS
Appalachian Za'atar Spice Blend
This delicious Mediterranean spice blend will elevate lots of foods. Use on lamb, add to olive oil for dipping, sprinkle on hummus.

BROOKSTONE SOAPS
Body Butter
This thick, rich cream is great for your skin. It moisturizes and heals. It works well for eczema breakouts too.

Here's my latest column for the newspaper:

Mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes: tiny gray umbrellas. Volleyball-sized puffballs. Shaggy pom-poms. Sponge-textured hollow caps.

But one Appalachian fungi has the unique honor of resembling the ruffled feathers of a nesting hen.

“Hen of the Woods,” Grifola frondosa, is made up of dozens or even hundreds of overlapping, fan-shaped mushroom caps that form a cluster at the base of oak trees.

Its fronds range from smoky gray and taupe to earthy brown, often with lighter, cream-colored edges. The underside is creamy white and covered in tiny pores instead of gills.

These clusters can stretch more than a foot across and weigh 10 to 20 pounds or more. In West Virginia, hen of the woods generally fruits from September through November, depending on rainfall and temperatures.

What’s in a name?

The mushroom's ruffled appearance has inspired other names across the region.

In parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky, the fungus is also known as “sheep’s head,” a nod to its rounded, shaggy clusters that resemble the woolly head of a sheep. It is sometimes called “ram’s head” for similar reasons.

But not all of its names are inspired by appearances.

Among the Cherokee, whose ancestral homelands include portions of southern Appalachia, the mushroom is known as “wishi,” a name rooted in generations of traditional foodways.

More than another name for the mushroom, the word reflects its place in Cherokee food traditions. For generations, Cherokee families have gathered the prized fungus in the forests of the southern Appalachians, preserving knowledge of where it grows and how to prepare it.

Across the Pacific, the same mushroom takes on a name not based on its appearance or meanings but how it makes you feel. In Japan, it is called “maitake,” meaning “dancing mushroom.”

According to popular folklore, the fungus was once so highly prized that those fortunate enough to discover it would dance with joy.

Same mushroom, different continents

Despite an ocean separating the two regions, Grifola frondosa is native to both eastern North America and East Asia.

In Japan, as in Appalachia, it thrives in temperate hardwood forests, particularly around mature oak trees, and traditionally appears in the autumn months.

Despite the thousands of miles separating Japan and Appalachia, the two regions have found similar ways to appreciate the same wild mushroom.

Today, maitake is a staple of Japanese cuisine, appearing in soups, hot pots, tempura and rice dishes. Its layered fronds absorb flavors while retaining a pleasantly firm texture, and its naturally savory, umami-rich taste makes it a versatile ingredient.

In Appalachia, hen of the woods finds its way into cast-iron skillets, gravies and hearty autumn meals. Its earthy, nutty flavor and meaty texture make it equally at home alongside soy sauce and miso as butter, cornmeal and country gravy.

Whether it’s called hen of the woods, sheep’s head, wishi or maitake, the mushroom has earned a place at tables on opposite sides of the world.

And no matter the culture, that feeling of wanting to do a little dance upon discovering a cluster of maitake transcends all languages.