10 Things We Love – Made in Virginia

I'm a Virginia native and still live in Washington, DC close to northern Virginia, where I grew up.  There are traditional Virginia products that I've always enjoyed like ham, peanuts, and beer. When I set out to write this post, however, I was excited to find products I never even knew were produced in Virginia! Here are the best made in Virginia products I found.

10 Things We Love, Made in Virginia

The Hudson Henry Baking Co. makes exceptionally flavorful small-batch, handcrafted granola in Palmyra, Virginia. The ingredients include natural, whole foods you'll recognize like rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, organic unsweetened flake coconut, real maple syrup, organic coconut oil, brown sugar, vanilla, a dash of cinnamon and a really important bit of sea salt which make up the Cashews & Coconut Granola. Don't just take my word for it. This year, The Hudson Henry Baking Co. was awarded the Gold sofi for its Maple, Pecans and Coconut granola and the Silver sofi for its Cashews & Coconut granola. The sofi Awards are like the Oscars of the food industry.

The Hudson Henry Baking Co. is owned by its founder, Hope Lawrence. Her mission beyond the company is an admirable one –

My dream is that this small batch granola company will allow me to spend my days baking, raise my boys in the country, buy an old Jeep with wood panels, and most of all, have a life of joy and contentment. My vision is to build a family business that bakes the best granola and helps others be their best.

Blue Crab Bay Co. uses Virginia grown peanuts to make Skipjacks, the best flavored peanuts you'll ever taste. These peanuts are spicy honey roasted gourmet peanuts. Even though I'm a Virginia native, I don't have a real affinity for peanuts. But I can tell you that the sea salt peanuts from Blue Crab Bay are the best peanuts I've ever had. They are boiled, not roasted, and salted with sea salt, not iodized salt, and you can taste the difference! They are perfect for snacking or to have on hand when entertaining. You'll be supporting Virginia peanut farmers every time you make a purchase.

I am really excited to share Valley Green Naturals with USA Love List readers. Their bath and beauty products are luxurious and incredibly well priced. Many of their products use Virginia honey, including the Cool Clarify! Facial Care Line. I have combination oily and dry skin and I like this line so much is because it hydrates my skin in the wintertime when my skin tends to dry out. I would love to try every product in their line.

Where do I start with explaining my love for Cirrus Vodka ? The first time I enjoyed it was out at a restaurant, The Hamilton, in Washington, DC that only uses craft spirits from the States. After drinking their version of the Mule, I was hooked. All I could taste from the vodka was smoothness, with no “alcohol-like” aftertaste . The vodka is triple distilled to perfection. You can find Cirrus in liquor stores around the country. If you don't see it on the shelf ask for it by name.

If you are searching for an all natural barbecue sauce, Bone Doctors' is it. If you are searching for a gluten-free barbecue sauce, here it is. Bone Doctors' make different kinds of barbecue sauce with no corn syrup, artificial flavors or preservatives, and you can taste the difference. The Carolina Bold BBQ sauce is my favorite because its vinegar base makes it tangy, while the spices make the meat tender and flavorful. It's made with clean ingredients including apple cider vinegar, spices, sugar, kosher salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic, onion, and xanthan gum, making it a gluten-free BBQ sauce without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Virginia is known for its ham, but now it is also known for its prosciutto and salumi, thanks to Olli Salumeria. Don't take my word for how wonderful their salumi tastes, read what world renowned chefs have to say. Find the brand at your local Whole Foods market.

There are a variety of shoe companies making shoes the USA, one of them, Capps Shoe Co. happens to be in Virginia. The company was founded in 1876 and it employs over 175, in its main office and warehouse in Lynchburg, Virginia and factory in Gretna, VA.  It makes both men's and women's shoes that come in varying width. You can order their shoes on the company website or on Amazon.

You're probably seen WoodWick candles retail stores. Maybe you didn't realize they are made in Virginia? The company was founded in 1990 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Today the company occupies a manufacturing facility not far from the original garage in which it was started.

Port City Brewing happens to be in my hometown of Alexandria. Its beer is on draft and in bottles at our local Whole Foods and various restaurants in the area. I particularly love its Monumental IPA, which isn't surprising since it took home the bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in 2012.

Artisan Confections is small batch chocolatier company based in Arlington, Virginia offers unique flavors like Lemon-Espresso and Passion Fruit Caramel, or popular flavors like Salted Butter Carmel. Their made in Virginia chocolates are decadent, smooth, and true to flavor. Check out their selection online.

If we missed any of your favorite Made in Virginia products, tell us all about it in the comments section!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post which USA Love List is proud to share with you because, sponsored or not, we only share stuff we love.