Restaurant Widow

Win a Date with the Widow Household! at Deepwood! Drink Beer!

Deepwood, one of Columbus' newest restaurants, and my favorite new restaurant, has kindly extended 2 free tickets to my readers to join us for their Rogue beer dinner on next Monday, August 25th!  If you are available, please leave a comment and ask to go.  I will use some sort of online algorhythm I read about somewhere to determine the winners, which be announced Saturday.  This event is open to anyone! 

Here are the details of the dinner, yummy...

Crumbs

Just a few updates today.

• I am sending out confirmation emails for this Sunday's dinner with (hopefully) all of the details.  If you have paid and did not receive an email, please let me know!  We have the perfect amount of people, I think, although if a few more people begged and pleaded, I might see what I could do.
• Thursday I will be presenting at Pecha Kucha.  Someone left a comment to ask about what exactly Pecha Kucha is, and here is my response - my idea has shifted a little since then: "Originally, I think it was mostly meant for designers - architects and interior designers and artists, to present something without droning on forever.  It's fun to watch because it's perfect for people with a short attention span.  if what is being presented doesn't interest you, in less than 7 minutes, there will be something else.  From the one I attended, here are a few examples of things which were presented:
  
  An architect talked about how, as a child, there was this toy gun he wanted more than anything in the word, something like the Johnny 7, but his parents would never let him have it.  And how, all of his designs his whole life reflected the styling of the Johnny 7, and how his desire for this gun was instilled in everything he ever created.  He showed the gun and the packaging, and then all of his designs which reflected this.
  
  A linguist talked about the Wisconsin "O" pronunciation.  She went back to her home town and interviewed all these people and played recordings of them talking.  At one point, there was a recording of like a hundred people saying "O."  She showed pictures of these people and the country surrounding this town.
  
  A girl talked about her love for swing dancing, and presented an illustrated slide show describing different dances, swing parties she'd been to, how she got into it, etc.
  
  So, tentatively, I plan to talk about shopping for food, the inspiration for making something, then making it, and the putting it back into the food system by composting it.  That's as far, alas, as I have come.  Wish me luck!"

CSA & Market Report for August 16th

Have we been having the best weather or what?  I tried to get out really early for the market, but as it turned out, I couldn't make it any earlier than 9:30.  I had planned only to visit Clintonville, to pick up my Wayward Seed CSA.  It was crowded, which I keep reminding myself is a good thing!  I looked for Blue Jacket Creamery, because I really needed some cheese this week for something I'm planning this week, but I didn't see them, so it was off to Worthington. Wow.  Worthington was really crowded.  So crowded, I almost gave up, but at the very last minute, I found a parking space.  I'm glad, because there were a few great things at the market.

First of all, my Wayward Seed CSA this week included sweet corn, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, purple tomatillos (top of post) and this really pretty pointy cabbage.  Seriously, is anything more lovely to look at than cabbage?  It's one of my favorite things to photograph:

 
the fruit part of the CSA included a cantaloupe, peaches and yellow plums:

As much as I love peaches, I really, really love nectarines.  They are probably my favorite fruit.  I know, they are only one piece of genetic code off of a peach, but first, they aren't fuzzy, and two, the flesh seems firmer.  I love them.  I stood in line at Gilogly Orchard and bought 2 quarts of white nectarines.  I think I might have eaten 5 of them yesterday.  I stopped by Garden Patch Produce and finally bought some heirloom tomatoes, which I promptly turned into a snack for work - Cherokee Purples (my favorite) and Green Zebras with some of the peppers from last week's CSA along with basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  YUM!  It brought me immeasurable happiness at about 10pm last night at work.  Sadly, I didn't take a picture - it was really lovely.  But I'm sure it won't be the only one I have this year.

I stopped by another farm, which is next to Wayward Seed at the Worthington Market; they had lots of bowls of peppers, and this bowl of tiny little purple chiles caught my eye immediately.  I was warned they were hot, but I was skeptical.  How could something so cute be so hot:

When I got home and was making the salad, I cut into one of this little purple cuties.  I licked half of it.  WOW.  It might have been the hottest pepper I have ever eaten.  Two bowls of cereal later, there was still a burn.  But it was tasty.  I'm going to have to figure out something fun to do with them.  Seriously, look how tiny and adorable it is?  I put it next to this thimble as a source of perspective:

I also stopped by Blue Jacket to pick up some Grillin' cheese and some dill curds.  I was disappointed they didn't have mozzarella this week, because I had those great tomatoes; it sounded as thought they are going to be making some soon, though.

So!  What did you get this week?

Hawaiian Purple Sweet Potatoes

Pretty much every time I see something I've never encountered before, I feel immediately compelled to buy it and tell you all about it.

And so it happened that yesterday I was shopping at Tensuke market, and stumbled upon these purple "Hawaiian" sweet potatoes.  One had been cut in half for display, and I was powerless to resist purchasing a package of them (about 4 small potatoes for $2, enough for 2 servings).

As a general rule, purple fruits and veggies are very, very good for you, containing an antioxident known as anthocyanin, also found in blueberries.  These are intensely purple, almost instantly turning the cooking water really purple (see below) - so pretty you want to drink it!  On further thought, you might retain more of the antioxidants by steaming them rather than boiling, but that's a note for next time.  In addition to being full of antioxidants, these potatoes are a good source of fiber and potassium.

After a little research, I discovered that these potatoes are also called Okinawan potatoes - - , as they are native to Okinawa.  So it would seem funny that they would be called Hawaiian at a Japanese grocery store.  But, who am I to judge or question?

I brought these sweet potatoes right home, peeled them, and boiled them in salted water for about 12 minutes until they were soft, and then tasted them plain.  They are very good - very sweet and rich, with a dry, almost crumbly texture.  I added just a pinch of chicken stock and a little salt and ate them just like that, and then started thinking of how good they would be as dessert.  So I'm going to eat the second serving drizzled with a little maple syrup. 

I think you should try these if you ever see them for sale.  If nothing else, they make a great conversation starter and I am sure kids would get a kick out of eating something which looks like purple Play-doh!

Things to do in Columbus::August 13th Edition

Wow.  those of you going to school or with kids in school are probably up to your eyeballs in packets of loose-leaf paper and brand new pencils.  I love school supplies, and one of the few things I miss about not going back to school is not being able to buy new school supplies.  That rarely stops me.  There are still a few last-minute kids activities going on as we start the inevitable march towards Autumn.  I'm not ready!!    This is a shorter list this week, so if you have anything to add, please leave it in the comments section!

• I get the first event this time.  Next Thursday, I will be presenting at Pecha Kucha Columbus!  I am already nervous, in advance.  The event takes place at 7pm at the Gateway Theatre on South Campus.  There is no cover charge, so there's no excuse!  Although, donations will be accepted to cover the cost of the event.  If you have never been to Pecha Kucha, it is a really cool event.  Presenters can show 20 slides for 20 seconds each, so you speak for just under 7 minutes.  I hope to see a few of you there!
• Of course, the 24th is my next RW Sunday Supper!  I still have a very few slots left, so stop procrastinating!!
• This Friday, the Jazz Arts Group presents JazZoo!  at the Zoo, appropriately enough.  Dinner comes from City BBQ & Mama Mimi's!  Yum!
• BalletMet presents Hot Nights, Cool Dance beginning tomorrow through the 24th.  This presentation includes some Moby, so it isn't simply all classical at the ballet these days.
• Tomorrow you can see Roman Holiday outside on the Town Square at Easton Town Center!  Bring a blanket and a snack!
• This Saturday is Art Al Fresco in the Short North which celebrates the artistic spirit of Columbus.  Installation art will be featured, along with performers and art in shops and on the streets.
• This Saturday is the Farmer's Festival at the North Market!  See cooking demos!  Eat lots of yummy foods!  I'll be judging the tomayto tomahto contest so stop by and say hi!  There will be all sorts of farmers with the best produce of the year; there will be cooking demos and lots of good things to eat.

Restaurant Widow Sunday Supper!!

Tickets are $52 each, including wine and food.  I am almost overwhelmed by the options of things I can cook!  I have a great chef lined up, and learned a lot from the last event!

Click here to purchase tickets, which will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis (except a few of you who I have emailed).

If you or your business would like to donate some sort of small goodie for guest gift bags, please email me.

See you then!!

If you are concerned about food allergies and the like, I can probably accomodate you, so don't worry.  I will definitely be able to work vegetarians in!  Lots of amazing produce right now!!

The Best Burger in Ohio Hunt Goes to Cincinnati - Terry's

While in Cincinnati for his Advance Sommelier test, Husband created this dispatch from the road, just for you . . . Thanks Husband!

I love you Rossi, but you’ve met your match.

And its name is Terry’s Turf Club.  Fortunately, my test mates were kind enough to invite me for a post-service exam burger and beer and I was smart enough to go along.  Terry’s is situated near the Ohio River on the outskirts of Cincinnati.  We travelled east from downtown, crossed through a few less-than-savory neighborhoods until we finally reached a small neon-accented restaurant across from a ragged factory.  Some garish 80’s-era neon accents the outside (and part of the inside).  Kitschy, junk-all-around restaurants are now a dime-a-dozen, but Terry’s junk seems to be come by honestly…and some of it is really wonderful junk.

Take the Bevador for example.  It’s a beverage cooler which resembles a small missile or grain silo with a faux beer cap on top.  The inside contains multiple round shelves which can rotate and be accessed through a door in the side:

Neither my descriptions nor my pictures can do these imposing shining coolers justice.  Two sit behind the bar and one sits in the dining area.  All are in use and all occupy an integral part of the “décor.”  While the décor is great, it’s the drink list and ultimately the burger that bring the magic.  I know of no burger joints where you can get Ommegang Hennepin Ale, old Armagnac and Pear Eau-de-Vie in addition to Rolling Rock and Budweiser.  And, while the drink selection is top-notch, it’s the burger…the glorious burger…that is the center piece here.

Following the lead of my classmates, I ordered a burger with everything and grilled banana peppers.  Said burger, accompanied by potato chips, arrived on a beautifully glistening bun.  According to my classmates, the patties are all hand-formed and the tomatoes are hand-picked for size and overall deliciousness…and delicious it was.  The beef was juice and nicely beefy.  It was perfectly balanced by thick-sliced ripe tomato, grilled onion and, most importantly, the tangy smoky heat of the grilled banana pepper.  I’m not sure who first proposed the idea of the grilled banana pepper, but I’d like to meet them, maybe shake their hand, buy them a beer, put them in my will….it’s a fiery tangy component that takes a great hunk of beef to another level:

In addition to being a delicious hunk of beef, it’s a juicy hunk of beef.  I learned that the proper way to tackle the burger was to hold it over the plate, thereby allowing the juices to soak into the accompanying potato chips.  The chips take on a little sog but the delicious beefy juices more than make up for the slight sog.

Honestly kitschy atmosphere, excellent drink selection and, most importantly, a burger par-excellence.  5 fries. Thanks Mary & Laura, for taking me along!

Terry’s Turf Club

4618 Eastern Ave

Cincinnati, Oh 45226

(513) 533-4222

 

Yay Husband!

For those of you who have had your fingers crossed for Husband, he passed his Advanced Sommelier exam this week!  What does that mean?  Well, for all of those bartenders who have served us beers whilst we plow through stacks of notecards and laughing at my vain attempts to properly pronounce Portugese terms, well, you'll have a few months off.

This was a long road of studying for Husband, and it paid off; he was one of 8 out his class of 50 to pass!

Congratulations Husband! 

CSA & Market Report for August 9th

What a lovely day it was yesterday.  Perfect.  It could have only been improved upon if I wouldn't have had to work.  I was reminded why I usually try to get up at the crack of dawn to get to the markets, because by the time I got to the North Market at 9:30, the parking lot was crowded with people from the convention.  It's maddening.  I can't understand why they can't park in the parking garage intended for convention attendees.  At any rate, I found a spot on High Street and wandered into the market.

It was a bit of a light day, since it was my turn to pick up the Elizabeth Telling CSA.  I just popped over to Toby Run to pick up my weekly supply of mushrooms (which Husband just sauteed up with some Arbor Hill Organics red thumb potatoes and sweet corn.

This week's Elizabeth Telling share included: potatoes, lettuce, eggs, basil, Swiss Chard, little tomatoes (below), a nice big melon, onions, and something I'm sure I'm missing.

And then I was off to the Clintonville market.  I picked up a half gallon of whole milk and a half gallon of heavy cream from my friends at Snowville Creamery, and I finally stopped by Petite Boulangerie, where I picked up this pretty epi (epi is French for "wheat," and this style of loaf is meant to resemble a stalk of wheat) loaf - it's pretty yummy bread, made from unbleached flour and other good things:

Now that we are really getting into the height of the growing season, my Wayward Seed veggie CSA included potatoes, tomatoes eggplants, lettuce, a very aromatic cantaloupe, and sweet corn!  The fruit CSA came with Dragon plums (yum!) (below), peaches (yum!) and little apples (below the plum))!

I am hoping to do a lot of cooking this week, since I am trying to get lots of fruits and veggies in my life.  Yay for fruits and veggies!

So dear readers, what did you get this week?  It's funny how I'm supposed to be the one discovering all of the great things the market has to offer, and every week, you guys manage to find things I didn't see!

Weird Things I Eat You Rarely Get to Read About

Object 1:

Tasty Bite Vegetarian Madras Lentils (love, love love Tasty Bite, and Costco, I am really mad at you for not carrying the 6 pack anymore).over plain spaghetti, Tabasco optional.  Sort of like a vegetarian, Indian Cincinnati-style chile, which is actually good for you.  This is the ultimate lazy meal.  Boil spaghetti for 6 minutes then add the boil-in-bag bag directly to spaghetti.  Drain and pour the lentils over.  Full disclosure: I seriously considered topping this with a fried egg.  Even that was too much work.  I'm having a busy day.  Lots of good complex and simple carbs to get me through my night of work!