Church offers midday respite of classical music, splendid food

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - You know how there are some things that you really want to do, but just somehow never get around to it?

That's been the case with me and The Kanawha Forum, a classical music concert and lunch series held on select Wednesdays at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church on Virginia Street East. Ever since I moved to Charleston back in the '90s, I have heard great things about the event's music, food and fellowship.

I kept telling myself I would go. For the past 15 years.

But when my mother-in-law and Forum regular, Louise Williamson, scored me a last-minute invitation last week, I finally had the opportunity to turn words into action.

So I popped down at noon Wednesday to enjoy a 30-minute performance by The Sarasvati Trio (skillfully playing Debussy and Haydn) followed by lunch in the church's fellowship hall.

Surrounded by dozens of friendly folks, I sipped on a nice chilled strawberry soup that was not too sweet or too tart, not too creamy or too thin. Guess that made it just right!

I also enjoyed a creamy shrimp and rice salad blended with baby asparagus, bacon, shallots and bits of orange, followed by a moist lemon-blueberry muffin bursting with blueberries and topped with a crunchy sugar glaze.

That would have been a fine enough dessert right there, but I wasn't about to let the Italian Cream Cake go untouched. So I savored that too, with its rich cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.

Lunches almost always consist of a soup, salad, bread and dessert. Other delicious-sounding dishes served in recent weeks include a Greek chicken and lemon orzo soup, brandied onion soup with croquet-monsieur croutons, spinach and apricot salad, blackened salmon and asparagus salad with lemon mustard dressing, lemon cream scones and a pear and almond tart.

I'm bummed now that I missed those, but all recipes are published in bi-annual booklets and occasional larger cookbooks offered by the church.

Music and lunch at The Kanawha Forum is a delightful way to spend an hour before heading back to work or on with your day.

And while it took me 15 years to make it to my first one, I'm sure my next visit will happen a lot sooner.

Last week's program was the last session of the spring season, but the fall series is set to pick back up from Sept. 19 through Oct. 17. For more information, call 304-342-6558 or visit www.kanawhachurch.org.

* * *

I've judged the Taste of Charleston for years, but this coming weekend I'll be taking my fork east to sample dishes and pick winners at the second annual Taste of Putnam.

Organizers there have invited me to come taste the offerings of 15 area restaurants to select winners for their newly conceived Critic's Awards, which will honor the two restaurants serving the best entree and best special dish (soup, appetizer or dessert). In addition to the heady feeling they'll obviously enjoy by earning my seal of approval, winners will also receive gorgeous plaques proclaiming their achievement.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - You know how there are some things that you really want to do, but just somehow never get around to it?

That's been the case with me and The Kanawha Forum, a classical music concert and lunch series held on select Wednesdays at Kanawha United Presbyterian Church on Virginia Street East. Ever since I moved to Charleston back in the '90s, I have heard great things about the event's music, food and fellowship.

I kept telling myself I would go. For the past 15 years.

But when my mother-in-law and Forum regular, Louise Williamson, scored me a last-minute invitation last week, I finally had the opportunity to turn words into action.

So I popped down at noon Wednesday to enjoy a 30-minute performance by The Sarasvati Trio (skillfully playing Debussy and Haydn) followed by lunch in the church's fellowship hall.

Surrounded by dozens of friendly folks, I sipped on a nice chilled strawberry soup that was not too sweet or too tart, not too creamy or too thin. Guess that made it just right!

I also enjoyed a creamy shrimp and rice salad blended with baby asparagus, bacon, shallots and bits of orange, followed by a moist lemon-blueberry muffin bursting with blueberries and topped with a crunchy sugar glaze.

That would have been a fine enough dessert right there, but I wasn't about to let the Italian Cream Cake go untouched. So I savored that too, with its rich cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans.

Lunches almost always consist of a soup, salad, bread and dessert. Other delicious-sounding dishes served in recent weeks include a Greek chicken and lemon orzo soup, brandied onion soup with croquet-monsieur croutons, spinach and apricot salad, blackened salmon and asparagus salad with lemon mustard dressing, lemon cream scones and a pear and almond tart.

I'm bummed now that I missed those, but all recipes are published in bi-annual booklets and occasional larger cookbooks offered by the church.

Music and lunch at The Kanawha Forum is a delightful way to spend an hour before heading back to work or on with your day.

And while it took me 15 years to make it to my first one, I'm sure my next visit will happen a lot sooner.

Last week's program was the last session of the spring season, but the fall series is set to pick back up from Sept. 19 through Oct. 17. For more information, call 304-342-6558 or visit www.kanawhachurch.org.

* * *

I've judged the Taste of Charleston for years, but this coming weekend I'll be taking my fork east to sample dishes and pick winners at the second annual Taste of Putnam.

Organizers there have invited me to come taste the offerings of 15 area restaurants to select winners for their newly conceived Critic's Awards, which will honor the two restaurants serving the best entree and best special dish (soup, appetizer or dessert). In addition to the heady feeling they'll obviously enjoy by earning my seal of approval, winners will also receive gorgeous plaques proclaiming their achievement.

I'm especially excited by the opportunity to finally try the food at several Putnam restaurants that I keep hearing great things about.

Restaurants vying for top honors are Delmar Family Restaurant, The Gallery, The Greenhouse of Teays Valley, Barnyard BBQ, Huntington Prime, World of Seafood, Fireside Grille, Ridgeview BBQ , Sleepy Hollow Golf Club, Applebee's and Tim Horton's. Others competing include Sherry's Sweets, CAMC-Teays Valley, Edible Arrangements and L & R Custom Catering.

Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Putnam County with financial support from First State Bank and Wholesale Tire and Auto, this year's event runs from noon to 5 Sunday at Wave Pool Park on Teays Valley Road.

Organizers expect approximately 2,000 people at this year's event. Hope they save me some samples!

* * *

Knowing I had to shuttle three boys to and from six baseball and soccer games this weekend, the last thing on my mind was cooking a big Mother's Day feast on Sunday. Dining out to the rescue!

And since our restaurant of choice was Bridge Road Bistro's scrumptious Mother's Day brunch, it was a great call, indeed.

There were so many great items available - made-to-order omelets, smoked salmon and trout, grilled vegetables, scalloped Parmesan potatoes, savory veal, mini fudge-filled chocolate cakes - that it was nearly impossible to pick a favorite.

But there were two items that folks at our table couldn't get enough of. One was silky rich chunky sausage gravy with fluffy buttermilk biscuits. The other was mini peach and chevre tarts atop puffed pastry. So good.

* * *

After last week's visit to talk to aspiring food critics at Malden Elementary, I received the nicest note from the counselor who had invited me.

"Steven, I can't tell you how much the kids enjoyed the article! I took it to class and read it to them," wrote Ditty Markham. "They have written thank-you notes to you, and the spelling is interesting.

"You are now a food cridick!"

Contact writer Steven Keith at dailymailfood...@aol.com or 304-348-1721. You can also friend him on Facebook as "DailyMail FoodGuy," follow him on Twitter as "DMFoodGuy" or read his blog at blogs.dailymail.com/foodguy/.

Recipe: Strawberry Soup

• 1 quart strawberries, hulled
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 4 cups buttermilk
• 3 Tbsp. peach schnapps
• 3/4 cup sugar
• fresh mint

1. Combine strawberries, 1 cup of the buttermilk and sugar in a food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Combine remaining 3 cups of buttermilk, sour cream and schnapps in a large bowl. Pour the strawberry mixture into the sour cream mixture and stir to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve chilled in small cups, garnished with month sprigs.

Recipe courtesy The Kanawha Forum.

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