Restaurant Widow

Taste of Belgium

I'm in love with a waffle, and it's serious.

A few months ago, I a got press release from my good friends at the North Market regarding a new store that would soon be opening - Taste of Belgium, which would feature traditional Belgian waffles along with sweet and savory crepes and espresso drinks.  That pretty much sounds like my idea of breakfast in heaven, so naturally I was super excited.

At the Apron Gala, I was delighted to see that Taste of Belgium had set up a waffle iron and was handing out tastes of their waffles. I am pretty sure I was hooked from the first bite, and it was no surprise that we judges (Robin, Johnny, and yours truly) selected them for this year's dessert winner.

Belgian waffles - real Belgian waffles - are completely different from any traditional waffle, even those we call Belgian here in the states.  They are similar in shape, but the taste and texture is miles away.  The traditional (and here I'm assuming, because I have never been to Belgium of course) waffle is dense and rich; the outside is very caramelized due to a coating of sugar patted onto each ball of waffle "batter" (truly more of a dough) before it is squashed in the press.  Even with this sticky coating, the waffle isn't overly sweet; it's rich but not cloying.  It rather reminds me of a cannele (you might remember cannele from such spots as Pistacia Vera), where the coating is caramelized almost to the point of appearing burnt, and yet tastes amazing.  The inside of the waffle, however, is much more dense than the pate a choux-like consistency of the cannele interior.

The waffle is also seasoned heavily with vanilla, and the whole thing is just amazing. So far I've eaten mine plain, because that's how I roll.  You can order them topped with fruit and cream or chocolate and cream, although I that seems a little like gilding the lily to me.

Waffles are $3, and it's $3 well spent.  Two people could easily share one after a meal (if the two are nice and of the sharing sort of personality).  

Taste of Belgium also offers sweet and savory crepes!  Many in Columbus have been eagerly awaiting the opening of any sort of creperie, so I know lots of you are jumping up and down at the thought.  Being that it was lunch and a waffle was a sure-order, I opted for a savory crepe, of the "traditional" variety - ham, gruyere cheese and egg.  The crepe itself was a buckwheat crepe (the sweet crepes are of the white and eggy variety, what we typically think of as a crepe) with the ingredients folded within.  I am not the biggest fan of buckwheat typically, but this was a very tasty crepe.  It could be eaten out of hand, which is always nice, especially if one isn't in the mood for a bulky sandwich but would still like to eat on the run.  Also, sometimes I want a nicer balance between my bread/meat/cheese ration, and this is where the crepe shines.  I'm not certain its less fattening than bread, but that's really neither here nor there.

A rounded this lunch out with a latte; the espresso was nice and bitter; a tasty counterpoint to the rich waffle and cheese-filled crepe (coffee comes from the Coffee Emporium).  Lunch for waffle, crepe, and coffee was $8.50. Take that $13 veggie burger you know who you are!

Besides being reasonably priced, I got to sit outside at the market on a perfectly lovely day, and a sweet little bird kept perching on the table next to me angling for a treat.  It was a nice break in the day.

Are you hungry yet? What are you waiting for? Get there!  Taste of Belgium is truly unique here in Columbus, and I hope they stick around for a long time.  I foresee a lot of waffles in my future. You can read more about the story of Taste of Belgium here.

Info: Taste of Belgium 59 Spruce St (in the North Market, Arena District)

Market Report for June 13th

What a lovely day. Even a bit cool this morning.  It was the perfect day to get up early and hit the markets.  I am judging the Grillmaster event today at the North Market, and I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to spend a lot of time marketing today.  But, amazement of amazements, I managed to arise at 7:30 this morning and get to Worthington before the crowds - even before some of the farmers!

My main objective this morning was to procure some tart cherries!  Sour cherries are one of my favorite things of the summer.  I make a pretty fine cherry jelly, and I really need to get to a farm to pick some more cherries, because they can be a little costly if you pay someone else to pick them.  I am hoping to make some jelly this weekend. Last year I made lots of jelly throughout the summer and very lazily put it all in tiny containers and into the freezer (as opposed to canning).  I bought my cherries from Gillogly Orchards, one of my favorite sources for fruit all summer long.  Can't wait until peach season!  They also had red raspberries, ,just so you know.

I stopped off at Crum's strawberry farm for a large basked of strawberries for jam making.  I'll eat some out of hand and jam the rest. 

Pop and Judy's had English peas; Pop said they only had a very small crop of shelling peas this year because they weren't a very cost-effective crop.  And, I learned, they're "almost always ready to pick on a Tuesday." I thought that was funny.  Isn't that just the way life goes?

Wishwell supplied me with some sugar snap peas and some of the last asparagus of the year.

I stopped by my friends at Up the Lane Cattle (they're completely grass fed this year, just so you know) for some ground beef for hamburgers this weekend (we made some when we were in the Hocking Hills, and they were delicious).  I also bought a tongue for Husband, who promises he will be able to peel off the taste buds.  I can't even watch that without having horrible empathy pains.  They also had some Portuguese Sweet bread, which I learned is similar to Hawaiian sweet bread; it has cinnamon within and is said to make delicious French toast.  I have no doubt of this.   

By this time, I was almost out of money, so I bought a pinch of rhubarb and then stopped by to see the lovely AJ at Sassafras where I bough a pear and ginger muffin (above - yum, am consuming it at this very minute, getting crumbs in my keyboard) and this amazing-looking granola bar, which should be really nice around 10pm tonight.  I don't usually buy a lot of baked goods at the market, but you wouldn't know it from this week's haul!

I was encouraged to learn that most of the farmers are seeing a rise in sales 30-40% over last year! Yay Central Ohio! I am so proud of us for caring about what we eat even in this economy!

So, kitty cats, what did you get?

In Which I Go to the Theatre

I'm going to list a few facts here.

1. I was a drama nerd in high school.
2. In college, I was my English professor's assistant when she auditioned people for local theatre. While sitting with her listening to auditions for A Chorus Line, she leaned over during one particular audition and said, sotto vox, "don't laugh. sounds like a cat in heat. " That was, heretofore, the single funniest thing any professor had ever said to me.
3. I didn't do any drama in college because the college I went to only performed religious plays (don't ask unless you want to hear a diatribe). 
4. After college, things like drama, research papers, critical theory, and Shakespeare became intolerable. 
5. And so it has been for a few years now.  Until a fellow blogger and all-around super cool girl suggested I sit in for the dress rehearsal of Available Light's performance of "Ear of God." 
6. A good play, just as a good movie, will alter your state of consciousness so that after the play or movie, everything will take on the surreal quality of said performance. Or is that just me? That's how I judge things anyway. This play had that quality. I was thinking of the wordplay for hours afterwards - I'm still thinking about it, as a matter of fact.  

Available Light, for the uninitiated, is a small, relatively new independent theatre company in Columbus. They perform at Columbus Dance Theatre, which is located on East Main street near the Indian Oven, and Ologie, which I think of as the single coolest place to work, and imagine that every day there must be like a 6 year old working in Candyland.  But I digress.

Available Light operates on the "pay what you want" basis, which is something that has always intrigued me as someone who hopes to one day open a restaurant.  I have always been curious as to what the producer thinks it is worth, and what people actually pay.  I imagine there are some people out there who just take everything they can for free, thinking they are getting away with something (but karma is always following you,my friend. Just ask my friend Kelly, who routinely tips 75%). 

I will admit right now that I know nothing about theatre.  In the past, people have occasionally scoffed at me for admitting ignorance, but I think ignorant people are some of the best from which to get advice. For example: I am full of ADD, can't sit still for more than 24 minutes straight, am skeptical of theatre, and have been known to leave really exciting movies just so that I can get some nervous energy out of my system to be able to continue watching (the second I can harness this energy into something productive will be the second I make my first million). Why would you want to hear a snobby review when you can hear my review? Chances are you have more in common with me than the snobby reviewer. 

So let's talk about the play.  God's Ear is written by Jenny Schwartz (read another review here).  The drama involves a small family dealing with the death of their young son.  The subject matter is heavy, yes, but the dialog is amazingly clever.  Told in cyclical fashion and loaded with trite cliche upon trite cliche (while still making sense), we see the ways in which the family deals with their loss.  Perhaps the best part of the play is its deft handling of the subject matter while still showing a family with the best intentions and love for each other.

Humor is perhaps most important in shows dealing with tragedy. This play has many very funny scenes and lines interspersed with the weighty topic.  There is so much truth in the action - the exasperated way we treat questioning children, the passive aggressive manner in which we tend to deal with our loved ones, loving them and being hateful at the same time, the tiny things we say we end up regretting, there is a long of commiserating laughter all around.

Side characters are especially humorous, and as with all good dramas, it's the foolish characters who speak the truth and get the main characters to identify their true feelings.

The acting was really great; the cast is small and well-suited to the dialog.  

So. The play was 90 minutes long and I never once got bored or had the urge to doodle on my program. I was rapt.  At the same time I was ashamed at myself for neglecting these sorts of events in our fair city.

On a side note, I have lately been on something of a diatribe with the city of Columbus.  I'm tired of the "young professionals" getting all of the money and attention. It's the creative people in our city who make it a better place to live. It's the actors, the artists, the chefs, the writers, the woodworkers, the crafty folks, the gallery owners, and everyone I've missed - it's these people who make our city a great place. The creative class gives our city a voice and a spirit of independence. 

If we don't support them, what will become of our city? a mindless beehive of junior executives drinking red bull and vodkas?  

Support independent creative people. They make everyone's lives better.

God's Ear runs through June 20th.  I hope you make it out.

Things to do in Columbus::June 10th Edition

Whew! What a week it's been! The weather has been lovely, there is a ton to do in Columbus, I started a new job, my brother in law just graduated from high school (just love that kid, mohawk and all) and everything is busy, busy busy! I hope your summer is going great! 

This past week I missed the farmer's markets, and this coming week I might miss them as well.  I will be judging the Grillmaster fest at the North Market, so I'll probably only be able to shop briefly!  The cherries are out and I'm missing them!!  Hopefully I'll be able to hit the Pearl Alley market on Friday.

So. Let's get down to the business at hand.  What we're going to do this weekend!

As always, please leave any additional events in the comments.  I hope to update the list tomorrow afternoon. At the moment I am deliriously tired.

• So tomorrow I will be attending the theatre for the first time in a long time.  I have heard tons of great things about Available Light Theatre, and tomorrow I'll get a chance to see the dress rehearsal of their performance of God's Ear.  I'm really excited, and I will tell you all about it.  This performance is taking place in the Discovery District (near Indian Oven), where there is TONS of free parking. How often can you say that about Columbus? The more we support great local art & artists, the better our city will become! They are the people who make the city an interesting place to live!
• As I mentioned in the entree, this Saturday is the Grillmaster's Festival at the North Market.  Actually, there are a few great things going on at the North Market this weekend.  Saturday, you can see cooking demos, visit the farmers market, and of course, eat your way through the market.  In the afternoon, you can even visit adoptable dogs! There will also be a cooking class with Robin Davis (food editor for the Dispatch).  Sunday is Ohio Proud Day.  There will be all sorts of great Ohio products to see, buy, and of course, eat.  
• Thursday is Husband's birthday!! Happy birthday babe!  OXOXOXOXOX 
• Twitter has been abuzz lately with Studio 35's Kids' series! So for those of you who aren't on Twitter but are still bemoaning the lack of urban theatres for the kiddos, rejoice.  
• Thursday is Cocktails at the Conservatory. Drinks! Appetizers! Gardens!  
• Waterfire returns this Saturday! 

Market Report for June 6th (or Rather, Lack Thereof)

I had to skip out on the markets this morning to celebrate my brother in law's graduation from high school!  I heard the first cherries were going to be out today.

Also, tomorrow I am doing my twice a year giant fridge cleaning (taking out all the shelves and everything - it's a big chore) so I didn't want to add anymore clutter to the picture.

Since I don't have a report, I thought maybe everyone would like to report what they got today no matter where you are!

Can't wait to hear!

Ingredient Study::Lard

Lard.  Just the word evokes a certain chest-clenching fear.  But I'm curious. Why is that?  Of course everyone knows olive oil is great for you, butter is okay, and trans fats are bad, bad, bad. So, of course, is lard.

Or is it?  Let's talk a little about lard, and what it is.  To be simple, lard is pork fat.  We all know that pork is the most delicious of all the fats.  There are 2 types of lard; fatback lard and leaf lard.  If you are buying lard, you are buying rendered fatback.  Leaf lard comes from around the kidneys and internal organs, and is considered to be a premium fat among fats.  Leaf lard is about 3 times the price of lard lard; there is less on a pig, and it must be specifically ordered.

While researching lard, I read one account which said it added no flavor to the food it's cooked in, and was scandalized.  Of course lard imparts a flavor!  It isn't really a porky flavor, but more of a subtle umami flavor - just yummy savoriness.

A few weeks ago, I attended a really great wine tasting near Cincinnati; the tasting featured many local producers, including a producer of Ohio River caviar, great lamb, mushrooms, Ky goat cheese, and pork.  As the vendors were leaving, I noticed the table of Feilder Family Farms had a few tubs of lard with notes on top saying "take me home!" Considering I had just about had my fingertips bitten off by the rep from the Chef's Garden for even touching their box of microgreens, this seemed like the perfect invitation.  

Long time readers might be aware that I come from an Amish background, where lard was used in lots of things.  I love to buy the bread at Yutzy's Farm Market in Plain City, because it is made with lard.  It's soft and delightful; strangely comforting.  Yum.

As I was walking around the wine tasting, Kevin O'Connor from Lioco wines (they're delicious, you should go buy some) told me that fish cooked in lard is amazingly delicious.

Not one to eschew good advice when it's given to me, I went right home and took some wild sockeye salmon out of the freezer.  Now. Salmon is very good for you; especially the fatty bits.  There is a good deal of fat below the skin, so I always like to eat the skin to get the yummy fatty nutrients. But fish skin is only tasty when it's crisp and salty.  I melted a few tablespoons of lard in a nonstick pan and slid in my salted salmon filet, skin side down. I crisped the skin and then cooked the salmon by basting it with the bubbling lard until it was cooked (this might sound time-consuming, but it really only takes about 5 minutes)

oh. my. delishimousness.

This might have been the best piece of fish I have ever cooked. And I've cooked me some salmon in my days.

The skin was crisp - delightfully crisp, all of the skin, and all the way through.  The flesh side of the fish filet was delicate, meaty, savory - not fishy at all, but just meaty.

I noticed something very strange as I was cooking the piece of fish.

Typically, when cooking and basting something with fat, you will notice that the fat will be gone from the pan after cooking.  What I noticed was that the lard wasn't absorbed into the fish. I basted and basted the filet with the hot lard, but when I was finished cooking the fish, there was still a large amount of lard remaining in the pan.  Could it be that somehow, when cooking with lard, less fat is absorbed?  I'm going to conduct some more research and see if I can find a scientific explanation.

I have also been popping popcorn in lard. It's tasty, too.

Compared to fats such as butter or extra virgin olive oil, lard is relatively inexpensive.  You can find it in any grocery store, and of course, at Thurns.

Fun Food Things in Recent Days

Despite a recent lull in writing, I have been eating and visiting the farmer's markets.  

I bought a Cuisinart food processor, so I've been blitzing lots of things.  I made pizza and cinnamon rolls!  It is really amazing how quickly the dough is kneaded in the processor.  I know that lots of people say kneading is theraputic, and I am sure it is.  But when you live in a zoo, kneading dough by hand means lots of time when cat hair can find its way into the dough, no matter how clean the house, so I like to knead in a closed environment.  I will share my cinnamon roll recipe after I tweak the recipe just slightly.

I think my yeast is alive! This is Red Star yeast, which is available pretty much everywhere in small packets. I bought a 3 kilo bag of it at Costco in a moment of weakness and delusions of daily bread baking:

veggie pizza topped with pequillo peppers, onions, and kalamata olives (very tasty). a pizza baking pan came with my Cuisinart, and it is a nice way to get a crisp crust with a chewy interior:

The cinnamon rolls, before being iced:

Thanks to Market Mary, I got to see the Top Chefs when they came into town!! Our stop had Stephand Izard, the only girl to win Iron Chef, and Ariane, the funny Jersey girl.  They were actually quite funny, and the emcee was also very funny. Apparently, the emcee is also the production manager, setting up tents and wrangling everyone.  The chefs made a nut butter with marcona almonds and miso paste.  I might have to try something like that soon, especially since I have my handy-dandy processor.

I had a solo brunch at a tiny restaurant with tomato plants in the rafters on the paio, and kohlrabi growing from hanging burlap sacks:

And of course, many of you know I changed jobs in recent weeks (yay!) and that Husband has been in Spain; he returned yesterday with lots of treats for me, which I'll be writing about very soon!