Hot Delicious Summer With Tomatoes & Duke’s; Radio Silence & Ridiculously Redacted; Better, But More Work To Do.

RVA 5x5 - July 19, 2024

No algorithms. No content filters. No A.I. — Honest and insightful analysis from Richmond, VA.

You can read Tuesday’s issue about all the credit card chicanery, accountability at City Hall in media statements but not in practice, and the never-ending, rising costs from big, shiny projects — here.

This issue, check out our stories on:

• The insanely delicious creations waiting for you at Richmond’s 10-day summer food festival — the Duke’s Hot Tomato Summer! (through July 28).

• More ineptness from City Hall where emails and revelations about the credit card chicanery are ongoing proof that best practices are apparently optional.

• The Police Chief gave his mid-year crime briefing that show mostly good results with some areas for the city, the police, and the citizens can all work on.

STORY #1 — Hot Damn Delicious Summer With Tomatoes & Duke’s
Richmond is a great city for food and a great place for festivals. And we have some amazing food festivals — the Armenian Food Festival is the city’s oldest, the Greek Festival is the largest one of its kind on the East Coast, plus we have the Richmond VegFest, Oystoberfest, the Jewish Food Festival and the Lebanese Food Festival, among others.

But what is rapidly shooting up the charts as my new favorite festival is not technically a festival at all — instead it’s a concept devoted to summer and two key ingredients that are all-Richmond — Duke’s mayonnaise and tomatoes. That’s right, the Duke’s Hot Tomato Summer is back (!!!) and runs from July 18 (last night through Sunday, July 28.) Now in its fourth year, this year’s Hot Tomato Summer has been extended from a week to ten days to include an entire week plus two weekends so you can devour and digest all the goodness and creations from Richmond’s finest kitchens using the iconic Duke’s mayonnaise and delicious local tomatoes.

This year so many more eateries have joined in the fun (more than 100) so the ten days is more than needed so you can get out there and try some of the deliciousness — click here for all the restaurants and offerings). Some of the most tempting and mouth-watering concepts this year include:

• The Flying Squirrels are back in town next week from Tuesday-Sunday and are offering a Duke's Mayo BLT Dog — a Hot Dog with crumbled bacon, shredded lettuce, juicy tomatoes and your choice of classic Duke's Mayo or Duke's Habanero Garlic Flavored Mayo.

• The Wine Whisperer in Short Pump has a Tomato Water Martini - made with Cirrus vodka, clarified tomato water, and Dolin Dry Vermouth; garnished with olive oil and coarse ground pepper. To gnash on, they offer an Heirloom Tomato Tart with heirloom cherry and grape tomatoes, roasted fig, quattro formaggi, fresh basil, and a drizzle of Duke's Mayo.

• Get up early and head for Early Bird Biscuit Company for their Duke’s Street-Bacon Elote Corn — crispy bacon, fresh local Hanover tomato, Duke's Mayo roasted street corn elote spread and fresh greens served on a flaky Early Bird biscuit. Good morning!

• Zorch Pizza has a pizza (or by the slice) with fried green tomatoes, bacon jam, pimento cheese, mozz, parm, romano.

• Union Market in Union Hill has The Peachy Tom Sandwich with heirloom tomatoes, smoked peach Duke's Mayo, crispy pancetta, goat ricotta, & dressed micro herbs on toasted sourdough. Yes, please.

• Nam Prik Pao is offering up the Red Curry Pork Belly Sandwich with fish sauce caramel pork belly, red curry tomato jam, Thai basil green goddess made with Duke’s Mayo, crisp romaine, sourdough (served at Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon on July 22nd, 6-9PM and the Ardent Barrel Room, on Thursday, July 25th from 6 to 9PM).

• Millie’s has the Summertime Trainwreck with Duke’s Mayo biscuits topped with scrambled eggs, white cheddar, pulled pork, maple glazed bacon and roasted tomato gravy with scallion garnish w/a side of Millie’s house potatoes.

• Continental Manchester has three insane offerings —