Fire & Ice
After a year spent working food miracles in their cramped kitchen, chefs Adam Schumm and Bryn Purser of Zuppa are stepping up to more space and a satellite location in Carytown.
“We’re combining forces,” says Bev Masursky, owner of Bev’s Homemade Ice Cream at 2911 W. Cary St. “We’ll be serving their homemade soups and sandwiches from our store, and they’ll be serving our ice cream from theirs.”
This move comes with a few other changes for the Shockoe Bottom bistro. Zuppa will keep its beer and wine license but drop the cocktails, and it will add delivery service downtown. From the Carytown kitchen it will make the soups, breads and sauces that have earned Zuppa an enthusiastic following, and serve lunch and dinner fare at Bev’s Tuesdays through Saturdays until 9 p.m.
“I hope people will love it,” Masursky says. “The food is all homemade and it complements the ice cream — just the way I want it to be.”
New to Market
Food manufacturers who hope to build business among the state’s grocery chains, specialty shops and chefs put out their most marketable wares at the Virginia Food and Beverage Expo and hope the response is strong.
Winners in a tasting contest at last month’s event included a prepared-food line with a chicken, cream and sun-dried tomato dish by Simply Fresh, artesian-well bottled water by Spring Run Bottling Co., and luxury chocolates from Hunt Country Foods.
Other standouts included Goa coconut curry from Cas Foods, humanely raised veal from Ayrshire Farm, Brazilian glaze from Two Brazilian Chix, jerk pineapple chutney from Pineapple Gourmet, Ghana café sauce from Ashman Manufacturing, and a spreadable truffle chocolate butter from Chklt. Peanuts, relishes, spices and sauces spanned the gamut from old South to new age, and promoters pushed the versatility of products for time-starved cooks looking for new flavors and recipe ideas.
Tracks of Time
Still going strong after 15 years, the Ironhorse in Ashland celebrates its culinary achievements with a special wine dinner tonight, April 5. Carol Colby of National Distributing Company will discuss the wine pairings, which will accent a menu of smoked salmon, wild mushroom bisque, monkfish medallions, lamb chops and lemon Stilton sorbet. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.; $85 per person includes tax and gratuity; and Taylor McNamara provides music. 752-6410.
Have a tip about the Richmond restaurant scene? Send it to sidedish@styleweekly.com.
