THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411180115
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Virginia Beach may have a claim to fame and doesn't even know it.
I'll wager we could be the Barbecue Sauce Mecca of the state, judging from the variety of barbecue sauces made in Virginia Beach that are for sale at Virginia Sampler in Lynnhaven Mall.
The gift and gift basket shop features primarily Virginia products, whether its Loggers' Lentil Sausage Soup, a bean mix, produced in Staunton or Deviled Smithfield Ham from Smithfield.
Thousands of you may remember Virginia Sampler from a Best of Virginia Food Tasting the shop held Friday and Saturday in Lynnhaven Mall center court. In three hours each afternoon owner Tom Salmon went through two 5-pound Virginia hams, passing out thinly sliced pieces to all takers.
From maple syrup that dripped from trees high in the Virginia mountains to Rowena's cakes and sweet sauces made here in Tidewater, folks shopping the Veterans Day sales in the mall could sample some of the best from the state.
But I was intrigued by the products actually made here in Virginia Beach that I could find on the shelves of the shop itself. It is tucked away close to the mall entrance near Penney's.
There, stacked on the shelves is a long-time Virginia Beach product that we tend to take for granted. It was Forbes Saltwater Taffy, a perennial favorite, especially among tourists. The taffy also is often included in out-of-state gift baskets, Salmon said.
``People want to send something from the Beach that says, `Hi, we miss you but here's the good stuff from where we live,' '' he explained.
I also came across something for the dog who has everything: Monte's Own All Natural Dog biscuits. The dog bones in a fancy white sack are made - with no preservatives or artificial additions - right here in Virginia Beach, too.
Virginia Sampler sells a number of souvenir items, not necessarily made in Virginia Beach, but focusing on Virginia Beach, and they are a cut above your average souvenir. For example, there's a miniature, for-the-desk-size replica of the new Cape Henry Lighthouse. There's also a Lighthouses of the Chesapeake sweat shirt with the Cape Henry Lighthouse, among others, in the graphic.
The ever popular ``Gourmet by the Bay'' cookbook produced by the local Dolphin Circle of the International Order of The King's Daughters and Sons is for sale at Virginia Sampler And so is the Junior League of Norfolk and Virginia Beach's equally popular ``Tidewater on the Half Shell.''
But what impressed me most was the plethora of barbecue-type sauces coming right out of Virginia Beach.
Sauces, made and bottled in Virginia Beach at Virginia Sampler, include Hog Wild Barbecue Sauce, Peter's Beach Barbecue Sauce and Marinade, Peter's China Beach, an Oriental sauce, and Uncle Spunkey's four barbecue sauces: Original, Ocean Potion, Mega Blast and Sissy Sauce. A company called Oinker's Away makes a variety of products and some are produced right here, too. One is Overnight Slaw Marinade which is available at Virginia Sampler. Buckman's Buffalo Wing Sauce also was on the shelves. It comes in three strengths, Suicide, Killer and Hot.
``The people who like really hot sauce like that Suicide Sauce,'' Salmon said. ``Suicide will take your head off!''
Henry's Sauce is one of Salmon's favorites. Just the opposite of Suicide Sauce, Henry's Sauce is subtle and mild.
``I love it, Salmon said. ``I use it as a marinade. It doesn't burn your chicken or ribs like some tomato based sauces do.''
Mild or not, barbecue sauces seem to be the hottest local product around.
P.S. ``Small Native Trees for the Home Landscape'' is the topic of the Virginia Native Plant Society meeting at 3 p.m. today in the Central Library auditorium. Landscape architect B.H. ``Pat'' Bridges will tell you all about indigenous trees you can plant that not only will look good in your yard, but also will thrive through northeasters, cycles of wet and dry weather and other local climate conditions. The meeting is free and open to the public.
The ``Chesapeack Indians Revealed'' is the topic of special programming Friday to Sunday, Nov. 25 to 27, at the Virginia Marine Science Museum. Docents in authentic dress will be on hand to discuss hands-on artifacts and there will be special crafts activities for children. Programs are free with admission to the museum. Call 437-4949.
NATIVES AND COLONISTS: USING NATURE'S BOUNTY is the topic of more special programming about American Indians. Area experts will discuss and demonstrate early crafts of the American Indians and also early English colonists from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Francis Land House. The program is free with admission to the house. Call 340-1732. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? Call me on INFOLINE,
640-5555. Enter category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my
Internet address: mbarrow(AT)infi.net.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY REID BARROW
Dreama Jackling ladles out lentil sausage soup - a made-in-Virginia
product during a recent tasting.
by CNB