CHARLESTON — The smell of buckwheat cakes cooking on the second floor of the West Virginia Capitol Building was noticeable before passing through security Thursday morning.
That distinctive aroma, from a free buckwheat cake breakfast buffet, told everyone who entered the state’s legislative halls it was Preston and Monongalia County Day at the Legislature.
“People really like it because you can smell the cakes throughout the whole building. So everybody in the offices, no matter what floor, it just wafts through. And we have people from all over the Capitol,” said Jean-Manuel Guillot, chef/innkeeper at The Preston County Inn and mayor of Kingwood.
Helping Guillot serve up Preston County’s famous food were 13 students from Preston High School’s ProStart Program. He said they did really well, things went smoothly and the meal was well received.
The juniors and seniors flipped buckwheat cakes on two griddles along with fried sausage patties – the traditional complement to the cakes. Biscuits with gravy, potatoes and scrambled eggs were also served.
Tami Johnston, ProStart instructor, said the kids love the experience, which is invaluable.
“This is for real,” she said. “Real food to real people.”
A grounds tender for the Capitol, Tony Easrey, was one of them.
“This is all good. I enjoyed every bit of it, and ya’ll doing an excellent job,” Easrey said.
The state Senate also passed a resolution declaring Feb. 3 Preston County Day at the Legislature. After the session was gaveled in, Sen. Dave Sypolt, R-Preston, pointed out the ProStart chefs who were applauded by the senators on the floor.
Most of the day was spent in meetings between various stakeholders from Mon and Preston counties and members of the state government such as the commissioner of agriculture, secretary of agriculture, secretary of commerce and secretary of tourism.
“Today is about giving our members and Preston County community and Mon County an opportunity to come down and meet with folks on the state level and, you know, express their concerns they have, legislative concerns,” said Executive Director of the Preston County Chamber of Commerce Kristy Ash. “And then also we have several businesses and organizations displaying here. So, it gives us an opportunity to bring awareness to some of the folks in Preston County and what we have to offer.”
