February is National Snack Month

Every month of the year has ethnic, cultural, religious and yes, food holidays. Every month also has special days to celebrate the things we love. February celebrates many of the things we love to eat from Virginia! February is National Snack Month

February 25 National Chocolate-Covered Peanuts Day
February 25 National Clam Chowder Day
February 26 National Pistachio Day
February 27 National Chocolate Cake Day.

We all love to snack. We have so many different items, it’s hard to decide. May we suggest: Virginia peanuts (extra large salted and unsalted , chocolate covered, sweet and seasoned), specialty nuts like pistachios, almonds, and cashews, Peanut Straws and Peanut Butter.


For National Chocolate Covered Peanut Day we suggest some of our many different products with chocolate peanuts. We have baskets, gifts tins, and gift boxes as well as tins of chocolate-covererd peanuts.



For National Clam Chowder Day we suggest seafood soups from Chincoteague Seafood Soups and Blue Crab Bay. We offer Chincoteague New England Clam Chowder and Manhattan Clam Chowder and Blue Crab Bay Eastern Shore Clam Chowder and New England Clam Chowder. These seafood soupsare sold in sets of 3 of the same can or samplers as well as in gift boxes and gift baskets.

For National Pistachio Day we suggest our extra large and meaty pistachios and our new Smoked Hickory and Garlic and Onion Flavor pistachios or our VERY popular Pistachio Basket.

For National Chocolate Cake Day we offer a wide variety of chocolate cakessuch as Rowena's Double Delicious Chocolate Pound Cake, Chocolate Cappuccino Pound Cake and Chocolate Mint Pound Cake, also Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Layer Cake and Paula's Double Chocolate Gooey Cake.

Check back next month to see what Virginia foods are celebrated in March!

Virginia Seafood Soups for Anytime

We carry many different soups, chowders and bisques from Blue Crab Bay and Chincoteague Seafood Co.
Blue Crab Bay started in 1985. Blue Crab Bay founder Pamela Barefoot had an inspired vision of what a business could be. From her seaside farmhouse kitchen she imagined a company that would put the tastes of the Chesapeake region on the map, be a protector of the environment and provide stimulating and fun employment for citizens of her rural community. Surrounding herself with foods from the Chesapeake, a functioning stove, a list of contacts and boatloads of imagination and determination, Barefoot got to work. Sales exploded, awards rained plentiful, and the number of employees mounted. Blue Crab Bay makes five delicious seafood soups and chowders.

New England Clam Chowder - A smooth and creamy New England style clam chowder with corn, potatoes, and bits of hickory-smoked Virginia ham added for a true regional flavor.

Eastern Shore Clam Chowder is All Natural! This condensed clam chowder is a spicy and flavorful version of a traditional clear broth soup. Made without tomatoes or milk. Contains ocean clams, fresh vegetables, herbs, pepper and sea salt.

Crab Norfolk Chowder - Blue Crab Bay combines delicate Blue Crab meat with bits of hickory-smoked Edwards' Virginia ham, potatoes and corn to create a sensationally smooth and creamy chowder.

She Crab Soup - Considered one of the most elegant of all Southern soups! A creamy bisque style soup flavored with the delicate meat and roe of the Chesapeake Bay's Blue Crab.

Cream of Crab - Perhaps the ultimate comfort food of the Chesapeake Bay region! Cream of Crab soup is accented with Chesapeake Bay Style Seafood Seasoning giving it a slightly spicy flavor. Traditionally served at elegant dinners, its rich and creamy consistency is highlighted by the flavor of crabmeat.

These soups and chowders are sold individually in a set of three cans and in samplers of four of the cream soups or try all five in a sampler that includes Eastern Shore Clam Chowder. She Crab Soup, Cream of Crab Soup and several samplers are available in a Blue Crab Bay award winning seafood themed gift pack. The gift pack can be gift wrapped if you like. We also sell Blue Crab Bay soups and chowders in seafood gift themed gift baskets and in other Virginia Marketplace gift baskets and in a gift box with Blue Bay dip kits.

Chincoteague Seafood Co., a local family-owned business has successfully operated boats and processing facilities in Chincoteague and Atlantic, Virginia. Chincoteague is nationally known as the home of quality seafood, particularly clams, crabs and oysters.

The company was started in 1955 when Bernard Rubin, the founder and current Chairman, began selling their clam chowder to restaurants in New England under their original Cape Cod label. In 1969, as a result of a clam supply problem in the northeast, he searched for a new location and opened a processing facility in Atlantic, Virginia to take advantage of the area's abundant supply of high quality clams. In 1974, as a result of company growth, the second processing facility was opened in Chincoteague, Virginia and also became the corporate headquarters. Their newest venture, completed in May 2001, was the acquisition and move into a brand new office facility and distribution center in Parsonburg, Maryland (outside of Salisbury, Maryland).

Their product line can best be described as a "gourmet" quality line that is competitively priced and is "Naturally Sea-Licious". Their uncompromising recipes are based on fresh, high-quality ingredients, and provide a home-made authentic taste and presentation. They use no MSG, preservatives, artificial preservatives, artificial colorings or artificial flavorings in our soups.

They have been awarded the American Taste Award of Excellence certificates on their New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder, Corn Chowder, Clam Bisque, Lobster Bisque, Cream of Crab Soup, and Vegetable Red Crab Soup.

Check out all Chincoteague Seafood Soups, Chowders and Bisques: She Crab Soup, Cream of Crab Soup, Vegetable Red Crab Soup, Crab and Cheddar Soup, New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder, Corn Chowder, Lobster Bisque, Shrimp Bisque, Clam Bisque and Lobster and Cheddar Bisque. We also sell Chincoteague soups, bisques and chowders in seafood gift themed gift baskets and in other Virginia Marketplace gift baskets and in gift boxes.

January is National Soup Month

Grab a spoon! It’s National Soup Month. Every country in the world has soup recipes and family traditions from long ago. In fact it's no surprise that soup is probably the oldest form of food right up there with bread.

Approximately ten billion bowls of soup are consumed by Americans every year. Soup has been popular from its beginning in Greece in 600 B.C. when it was considered the first fast food. The Greeks sold soup as "fast food" on the street using lentils, beans and peas as the chief ingredients.

There are several theories as to the origins of the word soup. Some people believe that the word "soup" stems from the word "sop". People would pour broth over a slice of bread which would "sop" up the broth. The word soup possibly developed from this. Others believe the word soup stems from the slurping sound while sipping the liquid from the spoon. Another possibility could be the word "sup" which means to eat the evening meal; this even may be where our word "supper" comes from.

Here are some fun soup facts that history tells us:
Soup can be dated back to about 6000 B.C. and was first made of hippopotamus.

Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers (which probably came in the form of pouches made of clay or animal skin) about 9,000 years ago)

Coming in from out of the cold to a tantalizing, hot bowl of your favorite soup is a great way to warm up. It's one of America's comfort foods through the long, cold days of winter which makes January one of the best months to be National Soup Month. But soup shouldn't just be eaten for one month; there are so many benefits for eating soup all year long.

Apple Harvest Time in Virginia

Warm days, cool nights and a rich deep soil nurtured by consistent rainfall makes Virginia's climate ideal for growing many apple varieties. The apple harvest in Virginia begins in July and extends through early November with the majority of Virginia apples harvested in September, October and early November.

Virginia apple country includes the mountainous region of the northern Shenandoah Valley through the Roanoke Valley, the rich countryside of Albemarle and Rappahannock counties and the southwest counties of Patrick and Carroll. The majority of apples trees are grown in the Shenandoah Valley.

Virginia is the sixth-largest producer of apples in the United States. Virginia has more than 150 commercial apple growers and this year’s harvest should be normal, even if slightly off the five-year average of 5 million to 5.25 million bushels, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Most orchards are expecting a larger crop than last year overall. There has been plenty of good rains here lately ... the water makes the fruit big and then the sunshine makes it sweet and you need both. Problems with insects and stinkbugs in particular were not as bad this year from a state perspective.

ALBEMARLE PIPPIN, the most famous of Virginia apples, originated in 1700 near the village of Newtown on Long Island, New York. Col. Thomas Walker of Castle Hill brought scions of the variety back to Albemarle County as he returned from service under General Washington at the battle of Brandywine in 1777. It was grown widely in Virginia by the end of the18th century by agriculturists, including George Washington, John Hartwell Cocke, and Thomas Jefferson. The crisp, juicy, firm flesh and very distinctive taste, along with its excellent keeping qualities, made the Pippin the most prized of American dessert apples from the early 18th century. It grows especially well in the Virginia Piedmont. It is difficult to find today, but when well-grown, remains one of the world's finest apples. Unfortunately, the Pippin is not easy to grow, and as its export market shrank, and food distribution came to be dominated by large chains, it was superseded by easier to manage crops such as the now ubiquitous Delicious varieties. For the connoisseur who prizes a rich, complex flavor and firm, juicy texture, this apple has few peers.

Old and New Favorites

It's October, which means new products, some old favorites in new sizes, some old favorites coming back, it's cool enough to ship chocolate again, and it’s not too early to start thinking about holiday entertaining and gifts. Check out our website: www.thevirginiamarketplace.com
For the chocolate lovers, there's a new gift tin : Chocolate Lover's Tin with extra-large Virginia peanuts covered in creamy milk chocolate, along with plump Cashews and Almonds panned in rich milk chocolate for luxurious sheen.
The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg's old world map chest is now filled with all your favorite nuts choices: Handcooked Virginia Peanuts, Cashews, Chocolate Covered Almonds and Praline Glazed Pecans.
There's a new Nutcracker Tower from The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg with a 32 oz. tin of handcooked salted Virginia Peanuts, a 20 oz. tin of old-fashioned Peanut Crunch, topped off with a 12 oz. tin of Chocolate Covered Peanut Brittle. A thoughtful gift to share with friends, family or business associates.

There are some new tempting Holiday Dessert choices:
Paula Deen Peppermint Layer Cake -Three layers of moist yellow cake with a double thick layer of icing with a hint of peppermint flavor. Decorated with crushed candy cane for a festive holiday finish.
Paula's Pumpkin Gooey Cake - One of Paula's favorite gooey cakes just in time for your seasonal gatherings. This creamy flatcake is bursting with all the holiday flavors you just love!
Bourbon Barrel Cake - A moist brown sugar cake with pure maple and chocolate, soaked in Kentucky bourbon, and topped with walnuts, chocolate and caramel bourbon icing. No alcohol remains after baking, but you can really taste that Bourbon essence! Packed in a handmade wooden barrel gift box.

On the savory side , Smithfield's Cooked Boneless Country Hams is now available in a smaller size - 3.5 lbs. These milder flavor hickory smoked country hams are like a "second cousin" to the Genuine Smithfield Ham, but the curing process has been shortened to allow for a milder, less salty flavor. These country hams are aged to perfection for a minimum of three months but are still dry salt-cured to retain a distinctive country-style flavor.
Sliced Genuine Smithfield Ham with Sweet Potato Biscuits is now available in a larger size: 1 lb. of Ham and 2 dozen Sweet Potato Biscuits. Just stuff these plump sweet potato biscuits with our thinly sliced, salt-cured Genuine Smithfield Ham slices and gently heat for a sweet and salty taste sensation.

New from Smithfield: 24 Layer Square Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Biscuits - With just a hint of cinnamon, the aroma of these baking biscuits will fill up your home... and then your mouth! The new must-have for holiday dining. Serve warm with country ham or dipped in honey or maple syrup. It's Thanksgivng every day of the year with these sweet potato biscuits. All Natural. Two dozen.
Basses's Choice Breakfast - A medley of tasty breakfast fare fit for a King... and selected for the Captain! Country Ham Center Slices 8 oz., Dry Cured Bacon Slices 1 lb., Country Grits 2 lbs., Biscuit Mix 1 lb., and Breakfast Blend Coffee 2 oz. – all nestled in a Basse's Choice wooden logo serving tray. A perfect gift for anyone on your list!
Sides for holiday and other meals: Sweet Potato Casserole - Nothing pairs better with ham, than sweet potatoes. Just like homemade! The season's freshest sweet potatoes are gently mashed and topped with a Dutch crust blend of brown sugar, walnuts, and pecans.
Seasoned Green Beans in a made-from-scratch cream sauce with flavors of mushroom and chicken broth. Topped with sharp cheddar cheese

Welcome Back to Some Old Favorites:
Virginia Country Buffet - An entertaining combination with a Southern flare - our dry salt-cured 3-4 lb. Country "Hamlette" cooked, boneless accompanied by a 5 lb. tender smoked turkey breast. Includes the perfect condiments to complete your entree presentation - 5 oz. of famous Fuller's Natural Mustard and 8 oz. of our own Dunkin' Sauce.
Smokehouse Sampler - We found just the right combination: Half 8-10 lb. Honey Cured & Honey Glazed Spiral Ham complemented by a 5 lb. breast of Smoked Turkey and 5 oz. of Fuller's Mustard. Both ready to eat for casual buffet entertaining or formal dining. Another perfect gift for friends or family.
Check out our website: www.thevirginiamarketplace.com

Sept.13 is National Peanut Day

National Peanut Day is the peanuttiest of days. FYI, peanuts are not nuts. They are "legumes", like peas, beans, and lentils.

Peanuts are one of America's favorite snack foods. Americans consume more than 6 pounds of peanuts and peanut products each year," according to the American Peanut Council Peanuts are more than just a snack food. Peanuts are the main ingredient in peanut butter. Peanuts star in a variety of recipes, and is a topping for countless foods and desserts. Many Chinese recipes use peanuts in main menu items. Peanuts once took the rap as a not so healthy food. More recent research suggests that peanuts can reduce cardiovascular disease and lower triglycerides in the body. Peanuts are high in protein and fiber and are now believed to help curb hunger, and therefore help in diet control.

Other Peanuttiest of days of the year:
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2and.
National Peanut Butter Lover's Day on March 1st

Celebrate National Peanut Day by eating peanuts wherever and whenever you can during that day. Eating peanut butter counts, too.

Check out our vast selection of Virginia Peanuts and Peanut Gifts or The Peanut Shop of Williamsburgs all Natural Peanut Butter made with Virginia Peanuts.

Why Do We Have Labor Day?

Hope you' all had a great Labor Day! FYI: The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882.
Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor day. Following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. Military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland reconciled with the labor movement. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date is observed by all U.S. States, the District of Columbia, and the territories which have made it a statutory holiday, the first Monday in September.
The holiday is regarded as a day of rest and socials. Traditionally, Labor day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.
In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons.
And one of the last, but not least, in the U.S. most school districts that started summer vacation in early to mid-June will resume school near this day.