Last-minute antipasti board saves the day
- Steven Keith
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Plus, WV's Wine Spectator winners and a food truck frenzy for the 4th
My wife and I love to entertain friends and family in our home, so we find great joy in preparing a nice sit-down meal or an expansive spread of party apps folks can nibble on open-house style.
But when life gets hectic – as life inevitably does – we occasionally find ourselves leaning on prepared foods or caterers to round out our food offerings to save both time and sanity.
Such was the case this past Saturday night, when I hosted a surprise birthday party for Amy at the end of a much busier week than expected.
With upwards of 30 people expected, I finally realized my plan to make all of the food myself simply wasn’t going to happen.
So I shopped for a few snacks to set out and made a Hail Mary call to The Olive Tree Cafe & Catering at 333 2nd Ave. in South Charleston, just two nights before the big party.
“You know those giant antipasti displays you prepare for large events and weddings,” I asked? “Any chance you offer those through catering on a smaller scale? And if so, could I get one in (gulp) 36 hours?”
Please note that they generally need more notice for such things, so don’t do what I did. But the birthday gods were smiling down on me, because Olive Tree just so happened to have enough extra meat, cheeses, olives, veggies and fruit from a couple of large weekend caterings to create a beautiful charcuterie board that became the centerpiece of our celebration.
Not only did Olive Tree save my day (can’t thank you enough, guys!) but the board received massive “oohs and aahs” from everyone who walked in the door. It was a delicious showstopper that helped anchor an evening of good food, great friends and many, many bottles of wine.
Four WV restaurants win Wine Spectator awards
Speaking of wine, four longtime West Virginia recipients of prestigious Wine Spectator awards have retained those honors this year in the annual program celebrating the top restaurants and bars around the world for both wine and hospitality.
Bistro 112 at 112 W. German St. in Shepherdstown, Sip Downtown Brasserie at 311 9th St. in Huntington and The Wonder Bar Steakhouse at 1012 Wonder Bar Rd. in Clarksburg all remained Award of Excellence honorees for serving at least 75 top-quality wines. The Final Cut Steakhouse at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town at 750 Hollywood Dr. maintained its Best of Award of Excellence – a tier above the rest, indicating a diverse wine list of exceptional quality.
Cheers to these top Mountain State wine spots for continuing to represent.
It’s a Food Truck Frenzy for the Fourth of July weekend
People who complain there’s never anything to do in Charleston drive me bonkers. On any given day, there are multiple events and fun things happening at restaurants, bars, businesses, parks and more throughout the Kanawha Valley.
And this coming weekend? Whoa.
With the massive Charleston Sternwheel Regatta along Kanawha Boulevard downtown and the mega America250 Capital City Celebration at the West Virginia State Capitol complex – both happening at the same time this Thursday through Sunday – your opportunities for great food, drinks, music and fun this weekend are as spectacular as the fireworks displays that will cap the festivities.
While the state still hasn’t announced what vendors will be set up in the “Midway Eats & Treats” area in front of the West Virginia Culture Center this Thursday through Sunday, Regatta officials have released a list of nearly 30 food and drink trucks and tents that will line the boulevard above Haddad Riverfront Park during those same days and nights.
Those options include retail vendors, drink stations and tasty festival treats from A Family Affair, Bandit BBQ, Baskin Robbins, Bayou Classics, Big Marv, C&L Concessions, Carol’s Soul to Soul, Cecil’s Hot Dogs, CNC Concessions, Coal Miner’s Diner, Fliehman’s Concessions, Fresco’s, Hillbilly Eats, Holy O’s, JoJo’s Tacos, Just Drinks, Kona Ice, M R Poppins Kettle Corn, Nelita Cocina, Rt. 66 Diner, Scooby’s Icy Treats, Shawarma Zone, Sherry’s Concessions, Sweet as Hale, Triple B Eatery, Wild N’ Wonderful Rolls and Zul’s Frozen Lemonade.
And since I’ll be celebrating my birthday at the Regatta on Friday night, it looks like I’ll have plenty of good carnival eats to enjoy!
All Fired Up lights up Capitol Market on Friday
Earlier that day, I’ll be having my birthday lunch at Capitol Market when I help judge this year’s All Fired Up kids' grilling competition from noon to 3 p.m. Friday. This fun contest pits young chefs against one another in a friendly battle to see who can cook up the best backyard BBQ feast.
After receiving a $100 gift card to shop for ingredients at the market, each chef aged 10-17 will have their own grill in the outdoor pavilion to turn their fresh ingredients into elaborate dishes for the judges. And that they do, serving up pretty plates of delicious food that always impress.
The public is invited to attend the free event, which will be hosted by local Chef Paul Smith and feature music by EJ the DJ.
There will also be a make-your-own popcorn bar from Trail Top Popcorn, delicious treats from The Joy Bakery, mouth-puckering offerings from The WV Pickle Guy, a make-and-take craft area where you can decorate your own reusable shopping bags, plus an adopt-a-chick station with kids' bracelets and keychains from Backyard Shenanigans.
The grills will be fired up at 1 p.m., with judging at 2:30 p.m. and awards announced at 3 p.m. For more information, visit https://capitolmarket.net/event/all-fired-up-2026/.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
Comments