Virginia Foods: Specialty Foods of Virginia

Virginia's wine industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years both in prestige and in numbers of wineries. Virginia has more than 300 wineries - and counting - with locations in nearly every part of the Commonwealth. The region offers many wine and food festivals encouraging tourism and the discovery of local grapes and gourmet cuisine. Chardonnay is the most widely produced wine in the state, followed by Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Vidal. Virginia makes wine travel and discovery easy with its 17 wine trails. They are well-marked with grape signs along the roadways.

• Artisanal Wineries of Rappahannock
• Bedford Wine Trail
• Blue Ridge Whiskey Wine Loop
• Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail
• Eastern Shore Wine Trail
• Fauquier County Wine Trail
• Foothills Scenic Wine Trail
• Heart of Virginia Wine Trail
• Loudoun Wine Country – Closest to the Washington DC Area
• Monticello Wine Trail
• Mountain Road Wine Experience
• Nelson 151 Trail
• Shenandoah County Wine Trail
• Shenandoah Valley Wine Country Trail
• SoVA Wine Trail
• Wine Trail of Botetourt County
• 211 Scenic Vino Wine Trail

Although the Blue Crab is widely known as the “Maryland crab”, Virginia is the nation's third largest seafood producer and its watermen thrive on the harvesting of blue crabs, oysters, clams, sea scallops, croaker, striped bass, spot, flounder, catfish, and many other species of fish. Tangier Island, located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is referred to as the 'soft shell crab capital of the world'. The Virginia oyster, also known as Eastern or Atlantic oysters, is designated as the state shell of Virginia.
Related Information

• Virginia Marine Products Board
• Seafood Restaurants in the Washington DC Area

The Tidewater area of Virginia is famous for peanuts. Virginia peanuts are the largest of the four peanut types grown in the United States. Peanuts are a high protein and naturally low sodium food that makes a great snack. They are sold by local companies in a variety of styles: roasted-in-the-shell, salted, unsalted, seasoned with Old Bay, Smoked Cajun, Chili Lime, Mesquite Barbecue, and more.
Virginia Peanut Vendors

• Whitleys Peanut Factory
• The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg
• Virginia Diner
• Virginia Favorites, Ltd.
• Plantation Peanuts of Wakefield
• Feridies

Virginia country hams have been famous since the 17th century. Most famous are the Smithfield Hams, which, by law, must be cured within Smithfield's town limits. Country hams are salt cured, slowly hickory smoked, and aged for several months to give it a distinctive flavor. Related meats like bacon and sausage are also local favorites.
Virginia Ham Vendors

• Smithfield Hams
• Smithfield Marketplace
• Virginia Traditions
• Old Virginia Ham Shop

Virginia farmers grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Below is a list of typical Virginia products.
Apples, Asian Pears, Asparagus, Beets, Blackberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupes, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Green Beans, Greens/Spinach, Herbs, Nectarines, Onions, Peaches, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Watermelons
Related Information

• Virginia Farmers Markets
• Pick Your Own Farms in Virginia
  See also, Specialty Foods of Maryland