BOOK A ROOM BOOK A TABLE
Close

SPRING HAS SPRUNG
IN AIKEN

As spring returns to Aiken, we invite you to savor the season with blooming gardens, lively traditions, and gracious moments that capture the spirit of the South.

IN THIS ISSUE:

GROWING THE KEY INGREDIENT: AN INTERVIEW
WITH DON SNAVELY OF TWO LUCKY DOGS FARM

From home kitchens to restaurant tables, some of the richest dishes in the world get their flavor from mushrooms. Earthy and umami-rich, this transformative ingredient is anything but simple to grow. It thrives in the dark and damp, breaking nearly every rule of vegetative gardening and farming—and requiring a process that Don Snavely, co-owner of Two Lucky Dogs Farm, has honed to a science.

Don first became interested in mushrooms in high school, when he toured the mycology and fermentation science department at the University of California, Davis. “I was really fascinated at what mushrooms and fungus really do for us in the way of medicines, foods, cheeses, spirits,” Don shares. Today, Don grows around eight different varieties of mushrooms from his small indoor farm across the Savannah River, including blue oysters, lion’s mane, shiitakes, and—one of his favorites—chestnuts. Round, golden brown, and topped with tiny white scales, these mushrooms strongly resemble a classic hamburger bun. “They have a sweet, nutty flavor,” Don says. “But when cooked, they still retain some of their density to them, so they still have some crunch to them.”

A home chef, Don is a connoisseur and perfecter of mushroom recipes, many of which he collects on his website from across the internet. Visit twoluckydogsfarm.com to browse recipes like the Chestnut Mushroom Bourguignon and the Ginger Glazed King Oysters.

Video Thumbnail ►

Visit The Willcox to taste Don’s mushrooms in dishes like the King Trumpet Mushrooms, with asparagus, cage free poached egg, romesco, Béarnaise, fresh herbs, and grilled lemon. He also sells at the Aiken Farmers Market on Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 11am, the Augusta Locally Grown market on Thursdays from 4 to 7pm, and the Evans Market on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.

Watch our video interview with Don to learn more about Two Lucky Dogs Farm, his favorite mushroom dishes, and recommended wine pairings.

GIVING HOPE IN AIKEN COUNTY: AN INTERVIEW WITH
CAPTAIN MICHAEL GOOD OF THE SALVATION ARMY

On Gayle Avenue, the Salvation Army Community Center serves as a touchstone for the growing number of people in need in Aiken County. Led by Commanding Officer Michael Good, their team offers widespread help and guidance, from emergency social services to financial coaching and vouchers for clothing and furniture.

Michael sat down for an interview with us in the Center’s chapel, where he leads religious services every week, providing spiritual healing in addition to the Salvation Army’s dedication to fulfilling basic material needs. As Aiken County’s only emergency homeless shelter and emergency soup kitchen, the Salvation Army sees firsthand the growing struggle for many families and individuals in our area.

“We have more homeless families and women than we have ever had before,” Michael shared. “In fact, this past year, we had more children that were homeless in our shelter than we have ever had on record at the Salvation Army of Aiken.”

Michael attributes this to our current economic paradigm, where the cost of living is rising dramatically, while income has largely stayed the same. The Salvation Army continues to do all they can to provide shelter, food, and assistance to the people of Aiken—but they are at capacity. All their beds are

Video Thumbnail ►

filled on a nightly basis; all their food gets eaten. And still, the needs of our community continue to rise.

In the coming years, the Salvation Army hopes to launch a Center of Hope in Aiken, a holistic facility that would expand the organization’s reach, helping them serve anyone who is in crisis. “In order to have a vision or a dream this big, we’re going to need the support—both literal and financial support—of the community,” Michael said.

The Salvation Army of Aiken is funded entirely by our local community, and is hosting several upcoming fundraisers where your dollars can make a difference. Through the end of April, a generous local couple has pledged to match up to $200,000 of community donations. On April 17th, Leadership Aiken County is hosting a fundraiser called Boots, Beats and Eats at the Alley in downtown Aiken to help the Salvation Army replace their 25-year-old bus. And on May 8th at Lessie B. Price Aiken Senior & Youth Center, the Salvation Army is hosting a fundraiser to support shelter and soup kitchen operations during the summer months.

Watch this video interview to learn more about how the Salvation Army is addressing Aiken’s most pressing needs. To donate funds and learn how you can contribute to Salvation Army’s mission in Aiken, visit this website.

SEEN AROUND TOWN:
THE WILLCOX MOBILE KITCHEN

Consider it a familiar presence in unexpected places.

From the historic Whitney Field to Augusta’s River Region, The Willcox Mobile Kitchen has been quietly making its way across the landscape — appearing at celebrations, gatherings, and tucked-away moments worth remembering. Wherever it lands, it brings with it crowd-pleasing favorites and the gracious, attentive service that defines The Willcox.

THE GARDENER
& THE CHEF

Introducing a new series in The Willcox newsletter: The Gardener & The Chef—a season-by-season collaboration, from the garden to the kitchen.

We’re beginning with a beautiful selection of ingredients we plan to feature throughout the restaurant and bar: cherry tomatoes, mint, basil, Italian oregano, cilantro, rosemary, lavender, sage, lemon balm, and lemon thyme. These garden favorites will inspire vibrant dishes, fragrant garnishes, and “Garden to Glass” cocktail highlights, bringing even more freshness and intention to every plate and pour. We’ll be sharing our progress along the way—from planting to harvest—and we warmly welcome tips and wisdom from fellow gardeners in our Willcox community. As our Spring Garden grows, we look forward to inviting you to taste its results during your next visit.

YOUR NEW FAVORITE READS FOR SPRING

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore
The Radium Girls tells the true story of young factory workers poisoned by radium while painting watch dials during World War I and their courageous fight against powerful companies that ultimately transformed worker safety laws and public health protections.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Silent Patient follows a criminal psychotherapist determined to uncover why a celebrated painter murdered her husband and then stopped speaking entirely, unraveling a psychological mystery that begins to expose unsettling truths about them both.

Recitatif: A Story by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison’s Recitatif, her only short story, follows Twyla and Roberta—two girls of different, deliberately ambiguous races whose lives intersect repeatedly from childhood to adulthood—exploring how memory, perception, and racial identity shape their enduring yet uneasy bond.

An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong
An Immense World explores how animals perceive reality through their unique senses, revealing astonishing ways beetles, birds, fish, and even humans experience the world beyond what our own senses can detect.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Piranesi follows a solitary man living in an endless, statue-filled labyrinth where an ocean floods the halls, and as he assists the mysterious “Other” in a search for secret knowledge, he slowly uncovers unsettling truths about the world—and himself—beyond the house.

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen
More Than Enough follows high school teacher Polly Goodman as a surprising ancestry test prompts her to reexamine her family, friendships, and the bonds that shape her life, exploring love, loss, and the ways relationships help us rediscover ourselves.

COCKTAIL CORNER:
SPRING FOREST FIZZ

Delight in a refreshing cocktail that evokes the very best of the season with the Spring Forest Fizz. The chestnut mushroom simple syrup, deriving from one of Don Snavely’s favorite mushrooms (see above), is the key ingredient in this recipe—giving it a subtle, earthy depth, in contrast to the bright, spring-like lemon and herbs. Sip this cocktail by The Willcox pool, or make on your own at home.

  • 1.5 oz gin or gin alternative
  • 0.5 oz chestnut mushroom simple syrup (see below)
  • 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 2–3 oz soda water
  • Fresh thyme or mint

Shake the gin, mushroom syrup, and lemon juice with ice, then strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a lightly slapped lemon peel.

CHESTNUT MUSHROOM SIMPLE SYRUP
(750 ML)

  • 375 ml water
  • 375 g sugar (about 1.75 cups)
  • 120–150 g whole chestnut mushrooms

Instructions

  • Add water and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Do not boil hard—just a gentle simmer.
  • Add the whole chestnut mushrooms.
  • Let the mixture lightly simmer for 20–25 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow to steep another 20 minutes.
  • Strain through a fine sieve (the whole mushrooms make this easy).
  • Let cool, then bottle.

Instructions

Keep refrigerated
Shelf life: 2–3 weeks

BOOK YOUR STAY