It may sound strange, but my first churro was at my primary school. It was a small school, and a lot of their food items were homemade, rather than delivered from a big box supplier.



I remember entering the kitchen for breakfast one morning and seeing a large countertop machine that had metal arms sticking out, holding filled pastry-like items. These churros, I learned, had grooved edges covered in sugar and filled with a raspberry preserve of some sort. How churros made it onto a primary school breakfast menu in Wellsburg, WV, I have no idea. But I knew I loved them from that moment on.



Churro Mania is a Miami, Florida, based franchise with 27 locations that serve churros, empanadas, tequenos and more.



I tried the bite-size churros with caramel - which I had extremely high hopes for - but they were a bit hard and too chewy.



The tequanos, though, seemed freshly made. Light, puffy dough filled with cheese that was piping hot. Like a healthier, tastier version of a mozzarella stick.



Grade: B

Ming's Asian Bistro is a Chinese-American restaurant that has been open for dine in and takeout since 1996.



The menu features standard options, like beef & broccoli and General Tso's chicken.



I ordered crab rangoons and honey chicken - both of which are guilty pleasures. If I find these on a menu, it's impossible for me to order anything else.



The rangoons had a nice pocket of sweetened cream cheese, and the honey chicksen had breaded chicken in a sweet, rich honey sauce. Can't go wrong.



Grade: A

Anthony's Desserts was a wonderful dessert shop in Abingdon, Virginia, that served up creative and whimsical sweets.



At the shop, there was a large case inside filled to the brim with pies, cakes, muffins, cheesecakes, brownies, cookies, pastries and more.



I picked up the following:

- strawberry tart - strawberry curd, mascspone mousse, strawberry compote

- lemon - lemon curd, blueberry compote, white cake, white chocolate mousse

- vanilla bean creme brulee

- turtle brownie



Everything was tasty, including the brownie and crème brûlée. But, there is something exciting about the strawberry dessert and lemon dessert. They feel so special and surreal - that adds to the intrigue and enjoyment.



Grade: A

The Volstead Room is a new space that marries elevated bar food, hancrafted drinks and entertainment - whether that's trivia, karaoke or live music.



The Volstead Room is set in the basement of an event center, so it's a bit underground and dark, which lends itself to a speakeasy vibe.



The menu features small plates, sandwiches, salads and entrees like a seared tuna, flank steak with chimichurri and a tomahawk pork chop.



I enjoyed a trio of meatball sliders with fresh mozzarella. These were a bit messy, but they were substantial. I would have liked the cheese to be melted more. I also added a margarita flight, which was customized to my liking. Each drink had a special garnish, which made it fun and they were all tasty.



Grade: B

Here's my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

The more, the merrier. At least that’s the case when it comes to candy bar components.

Marshmallow. Caramel. Nougat. Nuts. Cookie. Cream. Coconut.

The first retail confection to venture beyond just plain chocolate or another singular ingredient was created right here in Appalachia.

In 1912, the Standard Candy Company in Nashville, Tennessee, invented the “Goo Goo Cluster” in a copper kettle.

Known as a “combination” candy bar, the Goo Goo Cluster was the first candy bar in America being mass produced to contain more than one principle element.

The round cluster consists of caramel, marshmallow nougat, fresh roasted peanuts and milk chocolate.

The hand-dipped sweet was gathered into a mound, which bucked the trend of conventional rectangular or square shapes at the time.

Initially, the candy was sold under glass at drug store candy counters. Years later, the Goo Goo Cluster would be swaddled in tinfoil.

Due to its renegade shape, the Goo Goo Cluster was more difficult to wrap than other candies of the day.

But eventually, machinery was put in place to automate wrapping the Goo Goo Cluster, which is how they’re sold in stores today.

You’ll find the classic version, as well as two variations: “Pecan,” which replaces the peanuts with pecans and “Peanut Butter,” which replaces the marshmallow nougat and caramel with peanut butter.

While those two names are pretty self-explanatory, what about the original candy itself?

It turns out that while brainstorming a name for the new candy, one of the founders’ sons recently said his first words: “goo goo.”

That’s how the first slogan was born: “Goo Goo! It’s so good, people will ask for it from birth.”

The Goo Goo Cluster can be seen as a sweet reminder of Appalachian traditions, values and ingenuity.

It embodies the region’s ability to create something extraordinary from the ordinary, leaving a lasting impression on the culinary — and confectionary — history of Appalachia.