A Red Truck Classic

A RED TRUCK CLASSIC

My friend, Brian Noyes, had me at the photo and accompanying recipe for a pimento cheese and fried green tomato sandwich.

Holiday, birthday and house-gift giving will be made so easy-peazy over the coming months with the publication of Brian’s “Red Truck Bakery Farmhouse Cookbook,” a follow-up to his first effort that so far has gone into six printings and still counting.

I’ve known Brian both as a colleague at The Washington Post, where he was an incredibly creative art director, and then as the founder and proprietor of the Red Truck Bakery. He opened his first shop in Warrenton, then added a second location with a far larger kitchen in Marshall, my go-to sinful luscious treat location less than three miles from my front door.

Bab’s Creative Catering is named in honor of the late great queen of ham biscuits Barbara Page and her family continues that tradition.

Photo © by Dillonkeenphotography

Brian is a world-class baker and chef, not to mention a hell of a writer.

Better yet, his second book includes nearly 100 all-new, comforting recipes—sweet and savory—and its release coincided perfectly with our publication date of August 5. So why the fascination with the pimento cheese creation? I’ve covered a lot of golf over the years, including 25 Masters “toon-a-mints” at Augusta National in Georgia. A pimento cheese sandwich wrapped in a green cellophane bag is its signature item sold at concession stands all around the golf course. Better yet, when I started going there in the early ‘90s, it cost $1, then went up to $1.50 in 2003, the price in 2022 as well. I’ve had a few, to say the least. I suspect the same will be true for Brian’s version, fried green tomato included.

Brian is on the cover of ZEST, with a story on his remarkable career as well as an excerpt from the book on the inside. We’re also writing about another local fabulous foodie—the great Tutti Perricone, a master chef and caterer in our area for many years, not to mention a woman with an angelic singing voice. And check out our story and photo feature on the best little ham biscuits on the planet, made right in our own backyard.

The profile on Tutti was beautifully written by our newest young contributor, Ali Patusky, a rising junior at Fauquier High School. She’s thinking about a possible journalism career down the line, and judging from her first effort for ZEST, as well she should.

Our Autumn issue is loaded with plenty more intriguing stories and fabulous photos. And with Brian Noyes, Tutti Perricone and ham biscuits in the mix, time to add a little more ZEST and countless other mouth-watering possibilities into your life. Leonard Shapiro Editor badgerlen@aol.com