Posts Tagged ‘food’

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Bring Bridge Day to the Holidays With Funnel Cake

Friday, December 30th, 2011

One of the staples of Bridge Day is the funnel cake. Some locals hit the Bridge just for a taste of this wonderful goodness.  No matter how many funnel cakes you eat throughout the year, you always want just one more.

Funnel Cake = Deliciousness

So why not bring a bit of Bridge Day into your life and make funnel cakes part of the holiday celebration?  Kids (and lots of adults) are on vacation, New Year’s parties are taking place, and there’s plenty of football to watch.  It’s the perfect time to give funnel cake-making a try!

Try this basic recipe, and then make one (or all) of these fun toppings.

The Batter

There are a few different recipes for funnel cakes, but they all share one crucial ingredient: FUN!  Seriously, you and your loved ones will have a blast making these cakes. You will need a deep fryer to properly make these treats.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups of milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 Cups of all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ½ stick of butter, melted

 

Directions

Combine milk, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and sugar and gradually add to wet ingredients. Beat with a mixer until a smooth batter forms. Fold in melted butter. Pour batter into a funnel or squeeze bottle while using your index finger to stop the flow of the batter. Bring the funnel over the hot oil and release your finger to start a stream of batter while moving the funnel in a circular motion to create spiral-like shapes. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and fluffy.

The Toppings

The traditional topping for funnel cake is plain ‘ol powdered sugar.  But if you’re going to make these treats from scratch, you may as well up the ante and top them with some holiday cheer. Here are a few ideas for some toppings:

Caramel Topping

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup dark corn syrup
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar and syrup. Cook until soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.  Pour over funnel cake.

Cranberry Topping

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 16-oz can organic whole-berry cranberry sauce

In a small saucepan whisk together the cornstarch and orange juice to combine, making sure there are no large clumps. Pour in cranberry sauce, stir, and bring mixture to a boil over medium to medium-high heat for one minute. Cool for 10 minutes.  Pour over funnel cake.

Cinnamon Apple Topping

  • 2 tbsp. bottle lemon juice
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 7 c. thinly sliced, peeled, Granny Smith apples
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 3/4 tsp. Cinnamon

In a 6-8 quart saucepan, heat lemon juice for 1 minute over medium – high heat. Add water, apples, sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Spoon out over funnel cake.

What’s your favorite funnel cake topping?

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The Taste of Bridge Day – An Insider’s View

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Everyone knows the magnitude of the festival that is Bridge Day. With over 400 BASE jumpers, over 300 rappellers and close to 100,000 spectators, it’s the largest one-day festival in West Virginia.

As Bridge Day has evolved over the years, one of the additions that has steadily grown in popularity and participation has been the feasting that takes place on Friday evening. The Taste of Bridge Day showcases some of the area’s finest cuisine and exposes people to the talents of local restaurants and caterers.

One of those local talents is Rezan Nese.  Rezan was raised in Fayette County, but she has Turkish roots.  She is the head chef and kitchen manager of Chetty’s Pub, one of the eateries at Adventures on the Gorge.  Rezan takes her cooking very seriously.

Background

Rezan has well over 23 years working with food. She has cooked in many different places including Costa Rica, Turkey and at her own place in Fayetteville, which she recently sold after four years. She credits her unusual recipes to the diversity of cuisine she has been exposed to around the world.

Rezan Nese

The Taste

This year’s Taste of Bridge Day featured 14 restaurants from a multi-county area. Rezan relates a few of her feelings about the annual event.  “It’s a great advertising and exposure tool for local mom and pop restaurants. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience new food and flavors that many people would not normally try or have exposure to.”

Initially we planned to share a couple of Rezan’s Taste of Bridge Day recipes here for people to recreate. But as Rezan related, “mine are all in my head, which I know seems a little crazy, but that’s just the way I do it.”

Maybe you’ll get inspiration to try making something new and unique yourself.

Her Dishes

Rezan shared some descriptions of very unique dishes created according to her varied tastes. Her Thai lettuce wrap with red curry features red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic and ginger, your choice of  meat or seafood, shredded carrots, cabbage, shittake mushrooms, leaf lettuce and green onions.

Another favorite dish of Rezan’s is a Peanut Noodle Bowl.  It features rice noodles, peanut butter, chicken broth, crushed red pepper, garlic, ginger and cashew pieces for a garnish.

Rezan has served these dishes at the Taste of Bridge Day in previous years.  They are certainly not your typical WV cuisine.  Rezan says, “Each year I try to do something unique.”

What’s your favorite Taste of Bridge Day dish?

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Bridge Day – Why Yes, There’s an App for That

Monday, October 10th, 2011

This year’s Bridge Day Festival is indeed a special one. This year, we are debuting the Official Bridge Day 2011 mobile app for iPhone and Android.

Bridge Day at Your Fingertips

The purpose of the app is to help you find your way around Bridge Day and share the experience with your friends and family. The application has vendor and event information, a map, a barcode scanner, and the iPhone version can even make digital postcards to help you share your experience.

Also built into the app is a “Check-In” screen, that will let you post to Facebook, Twitter, Gowalla and Foursquare right from the app. You’ll also have access to the Bridge Day blog, which will be updated during Bridge Day on all the festival happenings.

The app is free, so get to downloading!

See you on the Bridge!

 

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Bridge Day – Five Days and Counting…

Monday, October 10th, 2011

Five days and counting until Bridge Day 2011.  And what’s our office like?  CRAZY!

Although we work all year long to get ready for Bridge Day, these last two weeks are crunch time.   Not a problem for the Bridge Day Team.  That’s life and it makes things interesting.

The most interesting question so far?  “Are horses allowed under the Bridge?”  We love animals as much as you do.  Dogs, cats, and horses.  But not on Bridge Day.  With all the people in attendance, it’s just not the right time to introduce your pet to the beauty of the Gorge.

Posters are ready to go!

Vendors

At this point we have our vendors lined up and are happy to say that we have more vendors this year than at any time since 9/11.  It takes some planning to make sure everyone has the right booth and all the food vendors have their health permit.  Martha and Sharon have been working their tails off.  Make sure and come hungry, as we have some great food vendors!

Sponsors

And great sponsors!  Subaru is on board again as our presenting sponsor and will be previewing the NEW Subaru 2012 Impreza.  You will also enter the Bridge through Red Bull arches at each end of the Bridge this year.

So what else keeps us busy?  Answering questions from media that want to cover Bridge Day.  We love this part because it gives us chances to showcase the New River Gorge and that is our job.  This is the opportunity for the New River Gorge, and hopefully the sun, to shine.

What else would you see if you were a fly on our walls?

• Lights on the phone bank flashing.

• Stacks of the 2011 Bridge Day posters waiting for Ginger Danz to sign in the Bridge Day tent on the south side.

• A picture of the Bridge with cut-out witches placed strategically on it.  Don’t ask.

• Stacks of signs and corners filled with flags to mark the bus routes & parking areas.

• Orange and green vests for the volunteers that answer questions & give directions.

• The GEICO Gecko.  Okay, not really, but he will be at Bridge Day

• Pop-up tents and recycle bins ready to make their way to the Bridge.

• Boxes of Official Bridge Day shirts from Sustain U.

We have a big Bridge, and I think we need a bigger office.  See you at Bridge Day!

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Secrets to Having the Best Bridge Day in the History of the Earth

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Bridge Day is one of the coolest events out there (and yes, we’re biased). But where else are you going to be able to hang out with thousands of people on one of the world’s largest structures and take in some of the most beautiful scenery and craziest people on the planet?

With more food than a fair and vendors selling everything from New River Pet Rocks to hand knit wool socks, Bridge Day is a unique event that showcases our wonderful fall scenery and our very own engineering marvel.

Here are some of the secrets to making your Bridge Day the best Bridge Day ever.

Family Fun on Bridge Day

Lodging 

Choosing where to stay can make a huge difference in how you’ll access the bridge. There are many options that are in close proximity to the Bridge and require either a short walk or shuttle ride to get to the event. Close options are:

Planning

The best way to make the most of the day is to plan, plan, plan. Take a look at the Schedule of Events to help you figure out how to take advantage of all of the activities taking place. Allowing yourself extra time to travel and planning for all the activities in advance is key to having the best Bridge Day in history.

After the Bridge

In order to get traffic moving again and clean up after the fun, the Bridge will start being cleared at 3:00 pm. But that doesn’t mean the fun is over.

There is a car show at the Quality Inn until 4:00 pm.  In downtown Fayetteville, you can check out the Mountain State Cornhole Tournament, Chili and Cornbread Cook-off and live music by local bands.  There’s free parking in Fayetteville for these events, so you should have no problem getting around.  If you opt to walk into Fayetteville from the Bridge, you’ll be able to catch a free shuttle from there to all of the designated Bridge Day shuttle parking lots until 7:00 pm.

And many of the local bars, restaurants and outfitters also have live music to take you late into the night.

Bridge Day Possibilities

Here’s an example of what an ideal Bridge Day Itinerary might look like:

  • Taste of Bridge Day- Adventures on the Gorge Friday, October 14, 5-9pm.
  • Pancake Breakfast – 7:30am at the American Legion Fayetteville.
  • Fayetteville Farmers Market – 8:30am
  • On the Bridge – 9:00am. Walk across bridge, see jumpers, visit vendors, and take in scenery.
  • Shuttle to the Bottom -12:30pm. Go check out the event from a entirely different perspective.
  • Car show – 3:00 pm Quality Inn
  • Downtown Fayetteville – 4-6:30pm Music, food, and fun.
  • Live Band, The Wild Rumpus – 8:00pm Rendezvous Lodge, Adventures on the Gorge

 

This is just one way to spend your Bridge Day. No matter what you want to do, remember to plan as early as you can for lodging and shuttles.

What is your idea of the best Bridge Day ever?

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Bring Your Appetite to Bridge Day

Friday, August 5th, 2011

When you think of Bridge Day, the images that might come to mind are of colorful parachutes, rappelers dangling precariously below the New River Gorge Bridge, and the iconic arch itself.

Bridge Day celebrates an engineering marvel and the spirit of adventure.  But it is also a celebration of food.  Yes, you heard that right.  Food plays a big role in the event.

Three Ways to Get in Touch with Your Inner Foodie at Bridge Day

Local Fare

Fayetteville, West Virginia can tickle your tastebuds like no other small town.  With a population of only 2.500, this place packs a serious culinary-punch.  It’s just down the road from the Bridge, so you can’t miss it.  Here are a few options:

  • Pies & Pints Pizzeria – Unique pizza that’s been recognized by the Food Network as the Best in West Virginia.  Great local brews on tap as well.
  • Diogi’s – Authentic Mexcian/Central American food in a really cool atmosphere.  Be sure to try the carnitas!
  • The Vandalian – Contemporary American fare with a twist.  Keep an eye out for the availability of Burger & Sushi night.  It’s become a local favorite.
  • Cathedral Cafe – Hearty, breakfast awesomeness served up in what was once a church.  Great array of craft items too.
  • Gumbo’s – Cajun Food. Real Cajun Food!

 

Taste of Bridge Day

Think the list above sounds good?  Imagine most of them (plus more) all in one place at a competition to serve up the best dish.  It’s like a foodie fantasy come true.

Oh yeah…and you get to taste them!  The evening before Bridge Day, you can join us for the annual Taste of Bridge Day presented by WOAY at Smokey’s on the Gorge.  There, restaurants will be showcasing signature dishes in tasting portions.

Simply show up, buy some tickets (from $1-$5 each) and enjoy.

Funnel Cake = Deliciousness

 

On the Bridge

If we could make Bridge Day scratch and sniff stickers they’d sell like funnel cakes.

You’ll find decadence in the carnival fare on the Bridge, like deep fried Oreos, Twinkies and yes, everyone’s favorite – funnel cake!

Event staples like hot dogs, pizza and burgers?  Check.  Unique vegetarian options?  Check.

You’ll also have no problem finding delicious slow-cooked barbecue; simply follow the scent of the sweet smoke.  Or perhaps fajitas or gyros are your thing.  They’ll be there too.

See, Bridge Day is a celebration of food (and oh yeah, people parachuting off a Bridge).  Better bring your appetite.

What’s your favorite Bridge Day food?  Tell us in the comments.

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How to Plan Your Bridge Day Stay

Friday, July 15th, 2011

It’s only July, but believe it or not, people are already planning their Bridge Day trips.  That’s because lodging and activities tend to book up quickly for that weekend.  Have you started to plan?  If not, here are some tips for planning the best Bridge Day vacation ever.

New River Gorge Lodging

We’ve got it all here in the New River Gorge.  You just have to decide what kind of accommodations you want.  From luxurious cabins to rustic camping, you can make the outdoors part of your stay.  If that’s not quite your style, there are some great hotels in the area.

Taste of Bridge Day

Looking for something more quaint? Choose one of our area Bed and Breakfasts.  The Historic Morris Harvey House in Fayetteville is a local favorite.

New River Gorge Dining

You might be surprised by the diverse dining choices available in the Gorge.  There is something for everyone.

Do some homework and scope out locals’ favorite haunts.  Fayetteville, Hico, and Oak Hill have an awesome variety of options – hand-crafted pizza, American cuisine, unique Mexican food, cajun-style fare.  If you stop by Swirl, be sure to try the Blueberry Pie ice cream.

Since it’s nearly impossible to try all of our local restaurants when you’re here, think about coming to the Taste of Bridge Day.  Sponsored by our local Fayetteville and Oak Hill Rotary clubs, it’s on Friday, October 14 at Adventures on the Gorge.  You’ll have the chance to sample a signature item from several local eateries.  And you can bet you’ll run into some local rafting and Bridge Day pioneers.

Plan An Adventure

Bridge Day coincides with the end of Gauley Season.  If you’re thinking of rafting the Gauley, make sure that you’re experienced enough to handle the class IV, class V, and class V+ rapids that you’ll be facing.  And if the Gauley’s not for you, rafting the New is a great option.  This is a really busy weekend for outfitters, so be sure to book your trip in advance.

If you don’t want to get on the water, try a canopy tour or zip line.  These trips have quickly become a favorite adventure for locals and visitors alike.  Autumn is a pretty spectacular time to soar through the trees.

And why not go for the ultimate adventure – tandem jump off of the New River Gorge Bridge! Only 10 spots are available for a brave and lucky few, so you should make the call quickly if you’re up for jumping.

So go ahead and start making your Bridge Day plans.  It’s never too soon.  Besides, who doesn’t like looking forward to a vacation?

See you there!

 

 

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Taste of Bridge Day… You Had to Be There

Friday, October 15th, 2010

You know when your friends go on vacation, and they send you a “wish you were here” text? It’s a sneaky little way of saying, “ha, ha….look what we’re doing”.

Fish Taco Diogi's

A Diogi's Fish Taco

Well, when we say “We wish you were here”, we mean it…sorta. As long as you didn’t beat us to the last crème horn. Oh, and this Flickr set? You’re going to wish you had invested in that scratch and sniff monitor.

The WOAY Taste of Bridge Day 2010 was everything you would expect from a dining event, featuring a menu from some of the area’s finest restaurants.

Sights?
It’s fall in the New River Gorge, and there was a view.

Sounds?
Around here, when someone says “get pickin’” they aren’t meaning fruit. They are meaning “play”. There was pickin’…and stompin’.

Smells?
Ever see that movie called “Barbecue Heaven”. No? Well, it’s because they (we) haven’t made it yet. But when they do, the cover will have a scratch and sniff of what it smelled like tonight. Forgive us in advance for eating your DVD box.

The Food
It was amazing. Seriously.

Fish tacos, shrimp and grits. Gourmet sandwiches, ribs, brisket and more. Much more. Did we mention the smell?

Hankering’ for something sweet? Have a crème horn, cheesecake or chipotle pie.

Did you make it?

What was your favorite?

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Prepping for Bridge Day – Funnel Cake Madness

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

For a professional vendor, preparation for a major event starts several months in advance.

Applications, paperwork and phone calls to the local Health Department and Fire Marshall. It’s all important.

Funnel Cake

Bridge Day Funnel Cakes

So far this year, I’ve been in 21 states and I can speak from experience that nothing is worse than setting up at an event, only to be shut down because regulations were not met.

Once I jump through those hoops, I’m pretty much ready until the week of the show.

Travel arrangements, scheduling of labor and more go into the long-range plan. Due to the security requirements at Bridge Day, my work-crew was set months in advance.

The Week Of
Once event week rolls around, Monday and Tuesday is usually spent working with equipment.

In my case, fryers are cleaned, tables, table skirts and table cloths are packed.

For this event, we will use one commercial fryer and one 70 lb fryer. That way, if needed, I can produce approximately 8 funnel cakes per minute. Did I mention I make funnel cakes?

Wednesday, I make a supply run. Funnel cake mix, lemons (we also make fresh squeezed lemonade) and sugar for lemonade. Cups, plates, napkins, oil for the fryers, and powdered sugar, are all checked off the list.

For a one-day event like Bridge Day in West Virginia I’ll pack and load on Thursday. Here is a sample pack-list of items which I load onto my truck and trailer.

  • Fryers
  • Propane tanks
  • Tables
  • Water containers
  • Hose for refilling water containers
  • Wood wedges in case my fryers are set on uneven ground
  • Tent and banners
  • Cups, lids, straws, plates, napkins and other utensils needed
  • Lemons, sugar and a juicers for lemonade
  • Batter mix, buckets or mixing bowls and a mixers for funnel cakes
  • Powdered sugar and a sifter
  • Tubs for washing dishes, rinsing dishes and sanitizing dishes plus hand washing facilities
  • Trash cans with liners

Leading up to the event I like to mention the event on my blog (yes, I make funnel cakes AND blog!), make daily mentions on Twitter and Facebook the week of the event, and hourly tweets the day of.

This not only helps my business but also promotes the event. If an event is successful, I’ll will be successful as well and anything I can do to bring more people in is well worth my time and efforts.

The Day Of
I always get to my event early. Not only to set up my space and be ready for customers, but I also like to familiarize myself with other vendors and their locations. If someone asks where they can find hot dogs, I like knowing where to send them. (I also kinda like hot dogs!)

Beyond that, just pray for good weather. In my years of experience, bad weather is just about the only thing that can ruin a day.

Looking forward to meeting some new friends and having plenty of fun.

Special Guest Post By:

Chillie Falls of the Big Red Funnel Cake Trailer.

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What is Taste of Bridge Day?

Friday, October 8th, 2010

When you think of Bridge Day, what comes to mind? The Bridge? B.A.S.E. jumpers? ….Funnel cakes?

Taste of Bridge Day

Taste of Bridge Day

Fact is, there are all kinds of things happening on Bridge Day. Above, below, around. The action is non-stop.

What many don’t realize, is what happens the day before. One our favorite parts of the festival – The Taste of Bridge Day.

This gathering officially kicks off Bridge Day and is our favorite type of challenge – one that involves food.

This year 13 local and regional restaurants will participate in the event, presented by WOAY television, and offer tastings of their fabulous foods for tickets ranging in value from $1-$5.

This year you can expect everything from the award-winning ethnic dishes of Diogi’s or Gumbo’s to the swanky sandwiches from the area’s newest restaurant – The Secret Sandwich Society.

And if the food isn’t reason enough to attend – the setting will blow you away. The event will once again take place in the open-air pavilion of Smokey’s on the Gorge.

Here’s a tip to the wise — don’t feel guilty about overeating before the big event on Saturday– all proceeds go to support the local Rotary Clubs and their charitable causes. So we say – ‘Let them eat cake!’ and sliders, and ribs, and gumbo and….well you get the picture.

Only a few more days to wait. Will we see you there?

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