During the pandemic, I made it a mission to try all of the Tudor's Biscuit World locations in West Virginia.

During that time, restaurants were shut down, except for drive-throughs. And, I needed to get out of the house. So, this mission allowed me to try new places and helped feed my need for travel.

But no, whenever there is a new location that opens, I feel the need to visit it so that I can check it off my list, as well. The Inwood location is new and the only in the Eastern Panhandle. I ordered the Politician, which is a thick slice of bologna, American cheese and egg on a biscuit. It’s not fancy, but it’s satisfying. The Politician tastes like a diner breakfast crossed with a childhood bologna sandwich, all wrapped in a big, buttery biscuit. Grade: B

Beckley is home to a new travel plaza. It is located at I-77 Exit 45 on the West Virginia Turnpike and serves as a rest stop and convenience hub for motorists, truck drivers and vacationers. The original plaza was demolished and replaced with a modern facility that reopened in late 2024 after a major renovation project aimed at bringing world-class services to travelers. The plaza features Wendy’s, Starbucks, Popeyes and Mountain State Market. Those are all pretty familiar to folks, except the Mountain State Market. The market space is filled witg grab-and-go sandwiches, snack packs, chips, drinks and more. My favorite find was local freeze-dried treats from CryoCrave, which included taffy, fruit and even pizza. In the travel plaza, you can also find West Virginia foods, like honey, maple syrup, coffee, salt and more. It's not a bad little stop if you need to fuel up - both for you & your car.

Whistle Stop Cafe is a charming downtown Grafton café and coffee shop serving specialty coffees, teas, smoothies, baked goods and daily lunch items like soups, sandwiches and salads. The interior of Whistle Stop Cafe feels comfortable and familiar. Soft lighting, mismatched tables, and cozy seating give the space a lived-in charm, while small details and local touches nod to Grafton’s railroad roots. They serve hot, iced and frozen coffee drinks alongside smoothies and specialty espresso favorites, plus breakfast sandwiches and sweet morning staples like yogurt, muffins, scones and cinnamon rolls. Lunch features fresh sandwiches and rotating specials, and there are always grab-and-go treats like cookies, pretzels and popcorn to round it out. One of my favorite drinks is a frozen hot chocolate. I know it's a bit of a misnomer, but it blends rich cocoa with a wonderfully light, icy texture. Next up was a berry muffin. It had a fresh, natural berry flavor that was pleasantly tart. The crumb was tender and slightly dense. The tartness of the berries balanced the sweetness. I had a breakfast bagel with sausage, egg & American cheese. The only thing missed was a sauce to bring it all together for me. What's your favorite thing to get here? Grade: B

Every town should have at least one good local pizza joint. In Grafton, it's Capri Pizza Parlor. It’s a modest, no-frills restaurant with an old-school interior and straightforward menu: pizza, hoagies and salads. I ordered a small cheese pizza, which had a semi-thick - but crisp - crust. It was topped with a generous layer of melty mozzarella that stretches beautifully and delivers that classic, creamy cheesiness without being overly salty. Simple and comforting, though I would've loved some more zip in the sauce. Grade: B

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

If you’re at Grandma’s house, that blue Danish butter cookie tin on the coffee table is never full of cookies.

Tomato pin cushion? Yes. Nuts? Sure. Sweet treats? You bet. Old-timey candies like squishy orange circus peanuts and hard, strawberry-wrapped candies can be found alongside spare nickels and bobby pins.

Occasionally, there may be one less common, curiously named candy in the mix: horehound.

Horehound has a distinct flavor often compared to root beer, black licorice, and marshmallow — all derived from plants with an earthy, herbal character. That bittersweet taste comes from “Marrubium vulgare,” a member of the mint family known for its fuzzy gray-green leaves and small white flowers, features that ultimately shaped the plant’s name.

The word “horehound” traces back to Old English, combining “har,” meaning gray or hairy, with “hune,” an early term for the plant itself. Together, harhune described the herb’s woolly leaves, and despite the modern spelling, the name has no connection to dogs or actual “hounds.”

Horehound candy is made by steeping dried leaves in hot water, then adding ingredients like butter, sugar, or molasses to create a boiled candy, cut into pieces once cooled. This simple process has remained largely unchanged for nearly two centuries, and its consistency and long shelf life made it a practical treat for families storing sweets in tins or jars.

Horehound’s use as a medicinal herb predates its candy form. People brewed teas, boiled syrups, and crafted lozenges from its leaves to treat coughs, sore throats, and congestion. In a region like Appalachia, where coal mining, logging and other dust-heavy industries often affected respiratory health, horehound provided a practical home remedy, offering some relief for irritated throats and lungs.

The plant itself is remarkably resilient. A hardy perennial, horehound grows easily in poor, well-drained soils, thrives in full sun, tolerates drought, and requires little maintenance. Appalachian families could cultivate it near their homes, using it for both culinary and medicinal purposes — a small herb with outsized utility.

Today, horehound candy isn’t as common as peppermint sticks or Bit-O-Honey, but it persists for those seeking old-fashioned sweets. Brands like Claey’s, Smith Brothers, and Jakemans keep the tradition alive, often found in local general stores, farmers markets, and specialty candy shops across Appalachia. These candies continue to appeal to people who appreciate both historic flavor and the herbal qualities that originally inspired them.

Horehound stands among other old-timey sweets as a link to a bygone era of candy-making, when treats were simple, often herbal, and sometimes doubled as remedies. Like butterscotch discs, root beer barrels, and licorice wheels, horehound reflects both the flavor preferences and practical ingenuity of past generations, offering a taste of history in every bite.

So next time you open that well-loved cookie tin, next to chalky Necco Wafers and chewy Mary Janes, you may just find a horehound drop — a candy whose curious name, earthy flavor, and herbal history carry a piece of Appalachia, tucked quietly among the classics.