Wade’s Mill in Raphine was started in 1750 and is one of the few remaining water-powered gristmills still in use. They produce stone-ground grits, flours & mixes, corn meal, polenta, and rye flours ground exclusively on mill stones. The mill was originally built by Captain Joseph Kennedy, an early settler of the Shenandoah Valley, who created a 21 foot water wheel fed by a nearby stream to power the gristmill. The only other stone ground mill in the area is Byrd Mill in Ashland, which has been in business for more than 250 years. They produce an extensive line of gourmet baking mixes, peanut flours, stone ground white and yellow corn grits, flours, and cornmeal. The tradition began in 1740 when young Patrick Henry visited the mill from his father’s nearby plantation bringing corn, wheat, and buckwheat to be ground. Now their fine products are available nationwide.

The salt water taffy tradition may have begun in Atlantic City, New Jersey, but it was introduced to Virginia Beach and made famous by Marion and Charles Forbes who founded Forbes Candies in 1930. Their goal was to “bring back the sea breeze and sunshine of childhood memories” which is still printed on each box of taffy. Salt water taffy was originally cooked in copper kettles over open coal fires, cooled on marble slabs, and pulled on a large hook mounted on the wall. Today the process is mechanized but the idea remains the same. The aeration of the taffy during the pulling process is a key factor in aerating the corn syrup and sugar confection to keep the taffy soft. Hence the name, salt water taffy does not include actual salt water, but does include salt and water just to ease any confusion. Thanks to the Forbes it has become a trademark candy of most east coast beach towns and with it comes a strong sense of nostalgia.

The highlands of Virginia are gaining quite a reputation for cheese making, as is shown by Meadow Creek dairy located in Galax, where they have been farming and making cheese since 1980. One of their signature cheeses, the Grayson, is a full flavored, washed rind, raw Jersey cow’s milk cheese. It is aged 2-3 months and is nutty and pungent much like Taleggio from the Lombardy region of Italy.