Columbus Foodie

18 Oct

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Eating Local, Food Blogging Event, Food Porn, Recipes

For this week’s Presto Pasta Night, I’m dragging out a recipe I made last month when heirloom tomatoes were still around. I haven’t really done any cooking this week (because my bum knee totally gave out on Sunday), so it’s nice to have a few entries already in the bag for those times when I can’t or don’t want to cook.

This is a quick antipasto pasta salad I threw together. It makes a quick light dinner, encompassing all four food groups. If you want to up the protein content of your meal or make it into a more substantial meal, serve it with a small steak or grilled chicken.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

8 oz. dried 4-cheese tortellini
4 oz. elbows or other pasta
6 oz. sopressata, cut into small cubes
6 oz. smoked mozzarella, cut into small cubes
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or cut into wedges
5 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
1 package Good Seasons italian dressing, prepared as directed
Parmesan cheese, for topping

Cook both pastas (in separate pots) according to package instructions, and then drain and rinse until cold. Toss all ingredients (except Parmesan) together, and allow to chill for 2 hours before serving. Top with Parmesan right before serving.

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18 Oct

Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Food Porn, Recipes

Every once in a while when I’m flipping through channels on the TV, a dish catches my eye on the Food Network. I saw Rachael Ray make this one on 30 Minute Meals, and was drooling by the end of the show, so decided to make it for dinner that night.

Paired with some scrambled 2Silos eggs, it was delicious, filling, and most importantly, done quickly.

Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions
recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
3/4 pound, 1 package, chorizo, very thinly sliced on an angle, pull away any loose casings
6 small Yukon gold potatoes, very thinly sliced
1 medium onion, very thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a generous 1 or 2 handfuls

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the chorizo. Cook sausage 2 minutes, flip cook another minute then add potatoes and onions to the pan in an even layer over the sausage. Season the potatoes and onions with salt, pepper and paprika then turn sections of the potatoes using a spatula so that the chorizo is on top and potatoes and onions are on the bottom. Place a smaller skillet on top and press down. Weight the skillet with a few heavy cans. Cook 10 to 12 minutes. Remove weight and turn again to combine all ingredients. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes then add parsley, remove from heat and serve.

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17 Oct

Cleveland Edition: Melt Bar and Grilled

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Restaurant Review, Travel

My husband and I had to head up to Cleveland a few weeks ago for a concert, and after to our requisite stops at the West Side Market for some pierogies, and Gaelic Imports for Bridies, Cornish Pasties, and other Anglo goodies, we still had enough time to take in a meal before we needed to be at the venue. There are tons of places in the Cleveland metro area that we still want to try, most notably Sokolowski’s University Inn (I’m a sucker for Polish food), Momocho (anyone who puts goat cheese in guacamole has piqued my interest), and Lola (I’ve heard a lot of things about Michael Symon, and I need to find out if his food lives up to the hype). Another restaurant that has been on our “to try” list for quite a while is Melt Bar and Grilled over in Lakewood.

Melt opened up about a year ago at the corner of Detroit Avenue and Warren Road. We found some convenient parking in a metro lot behind the restaurant, and luckily they have a back entrance so we didn’t need to hike around the block in the steady rain we were having that day. We got there a little bit after 5pm, so it was fairly empty when we arrived, although it filled up rather quickly by the time we were done eating an hour later.

They specialize in grilled cheese sandwiches, and I have to admit that was what immediately caught my attention, as any combination of bread, cheese, and heat is a winner in my book. Their menu offers several different combinations of grilled cheese, along with the ability to create your own (by picking what bread, cheese, and extras you want), or modifying existing ones. This can both work for you or against you, which I’ll explain a bit later. You’ll have to excuse the pictures – even though we sat by a window, it wasn’t sunny out and by the nature of being a pub, it was pretty dark in there, which necessitated the use of a flash. I can assure you that the food didn’t look this scary in person.

We started with an appetizer order of pierogies ($5.50), which consisted of two locally produced potato and cheese pierogies, which are served on a bed of fried onions, peppers, and kraut and topped with sour cream and cheese. While the pierogies were great, there was way too much going on with the competing toppings – this would have been far superior had it been just pan fried with the onions as the menu advertised.

I went with the Wake and Bacon sandwich ($6), which normally comes with fried egg, crisp bacon, and American cheese. I opted to add havarti cheese to the mix as well, along with caramel port onions. While the havarti was a successful addition, the onions were a bit overpowering to the delicate balance of the other ingredients. That’s one of the dangers of letting your patrons customize their dishes. They can come up with some pretty hideous combinations. After scraping off the onions, the sandwich was quite good. Huge, but good. I would have preferred that the bread have been grilled a bit more to brown it, but I can understand the difficulty of that happening with a sandwich as unwieldy as this one. It was served with a handful of crisp fries that paired perfectly, along with some uninspiring slaw that I didn’t care for.

My husband opted for the better of the two sandwiches, the Municipal Stadium Magic ($9), which has locally produced bratwurst, fresh napa vodka kraut, and smoked gouda. He opted to substitute havarti for the gouda, and added caramel port onions as well. These changes definitely were just what the doctor ordered for this sandwich. I stole as many bites of his as he would allow.

Along with his sandwich, he ordered a bowl of their Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup ($3.25) which was more like marinara sauce than soup. I guess we were expecting a more smooth bisque type soup instead of the chunky thick very garlicky sauce we got.

My husband couldn’t resist the call of one of their dessert items, Fried Twinkies ($4.50), served with mixed berry preserves. I detest the sickly sweetness of twinkies when they’re cold, and hated them even more when they were dipped in batter and deep fried. He agreed that they were cloyingly sweet and considered it a failed experiment. He had to try it once for curiosity’s sake, and I’m sure there’s a crowd out there that it would appeal to.

So the final verdict? Good, as long as you stick to their sandwich choices or make safe additions that you know will pair well. The other items on the menu that we tried fell a bit short. I think beer would improve the taste of any of the offerings here. Great concept, but they just need to work out a few of the kinks.

If you’d like to go: Melt Bar and Grilled, 14718 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH, 216.226.3699.

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16 Oct

Pear, Ginger, and Vanilla Quickbread

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Food Porn, Meta, Recipes

I’ve wanted to make this quick bread ever since Jen at The Barmy Baker contributed this recipe for Pear, Ginger, and Vanilla Quickbread to the BreadBakingDay #2 event I hosted a few months ago.

My verdict? Great recipe. Next time around I’ll use a different type of pear or pears that aren’t qute as ripe as mine got a bit mushy during baking. Also, I halved the amount of crystalized ginger, and it came out perfectly for my palate. Overall, it was moist, flavorful, and great sliced up for breakfast. I imagine that you could make a killer French Toast with leftover slices.

Studies from M.T. Miles and Co-Authors Have Provided New Information about Transcription Factors.

Pain & Central Nervous System Week June 6, 2011 According to recent research from Kirksville, United States, “To examine potential mechanisms for the reduced resting membrane potentials (RPs) of mature dystrophic (mdx) muscle fibers, the Na+-K+ pump inhibitor ouabain was added to freshly isolated nondystrophic and mdx fibers. Ouabain produced a 71% smaller depolarization in mdx fibers than in nondystrophic fibers, increased the [Na+](i) in nondystrophic fibers by 40%, but had no significant effect on the [Na+](i) of mdx fibers, which was approximately double that observed in untreated nondystrophic fibers.” “Western blots indicated no difference in total and phosphorylated Na+-K+ ATPase catalytic alpha 1 subunit between nondystrophic and mdx muscle. Examination of the effects of the NF-kappa B inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) indicated that direct application of the drug slowly hyperpolarized mdx fibers (7 mV in 90 min) but had no effect on nondystrophic fibers. Pretreatment with ouabain abolished this hyperpolarization, and pretreatment with PDTC restored ouabain-induced depolarization and reduced [Na+](i). Administration of an NF-kappa B inhibitor that utilizes a different mechanism for reducing nuclear NF-kappa B activation, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), also hyperpolarized mdx fibers,” wrote M.T. Miles and colleagues (see also Transcription Factors). go to web site at still university see here at still university

The researchers concluded: “These results suggest that in situ Na+-K+ pump activity is depressed in mature dystrophic fibers by NF-kappa B dependent modulators, and that this reduced pump activity contributes to the weakness characteristic of dystrophic muscle.” Miles and colleagues published their study in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences (Reduced resting potentials in dystrophic (Mdx) muscle fibers are secondary to NF-kappa B-dependent negative modulation of ouabain sensitive Na+-K+ pump activity. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 2011;303(1-2):53-60).

For additional information, contact C.G. Carlson, AT Still University, Kirksville College Osteopath Medical, Dept. of Physiol, Kirksville, MO 63501, United States.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of the Neurological Sciences is: Elsevier Science BV, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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15 Oct

Miniature Caramel Apples (Fit for a Princess)

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Food Porn, Holiday, Produce

I whipped up a batch of caramel apples using tiny Lady apples that I got at Whole Foods yesterday – the finished product is about an inch or so high, with 2-3 bites of apples underneath the caramel, the right serving size for a bunch of kids. I really wish I would have had some sprinkles or something to roll these in, to prevent the inevitable caramel slide.

I made these for my niece’s birthday party, who is all of 4 years old this year. Here’s a pic of the birthday girl, in her pretty princess garb.

Love the idea of this, I just need to work on the execution a bit. Maybe I should try a candied apple recipe as well?

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15 Oct

Belgian Waffles with Ohio Strawberries

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Eating Local, Farmer's Market, Food Porn, Produce, Recipes

A few weeks ago, we bought a waffle iron at Sam’s Club, and with the lovely fall Ohio strawberries I’ve gotten at the farmer’s markets the past two weekends, I was craving Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream. It used to be one of my favorite diner foods back in New Jersey, and its been years since I’ve had a proper Belgian waffle that didn’t come out of a freezer case.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Belgian waffles over at the aptly named Crispy Waffle, and these turned out perfectly – crispy on the outside, soft and yeasty on the inside! It made 5 waffles in my waffle maker – Paul and I each had one, and the leftovers freeze beautifully – just heat it up for 5 to 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven from frozen.

I just sliced the strawberries and sprinkled them with a little caster sugar and let them sit until the sugar dissolved, and then topped them with a bit of whipped cream from the can. Start them the night before, and then let the batter sit in the fridge overnight. By morning, it will only take a matter of minutes to whip a batch up for your family.

BWCA tower fight back in court; A cellphone tower that ATT seeks to erect near the wilderness area has raised a significant challenge to a state environmental law.(NEWS) go to web site att uverse coupon code

Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN) April 5, 2012 Byline: JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY; STAFF WRITER For decades, a state law has granted any citizen the right to sue to protect Minnesota’s natural resources from pollution, development and even a distant visual blemish on a scenic vista.

Now, in a case with major implications for development around publicly owned natural areas, the Minnesota Court of Appeals will decide how that law applies to a cellphone tower that has been proposed on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA).

A three-judge panel in St. Paul heard arguments on Wednesday in a lawsuit that has touched on public-safety issues, land development, the rights of local governments and the aesthetics of a blinking red beacon on the edge of the wilderness.

“This is a significant case,” said Sara Peterson, an attorney who practices environmental law and teaches at the University of Minnesota. “It drives to the heart of what we as Minnesotans revere in our natural resources.” The suit was filed in 2010 to challenge a proposed 450-foot cellphone tower — the height of the Foshay Tower — that ATT wanted to build east of Ely and 1 1/2 miles outside of the BWCA. The suit was brought by the Friends of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a nonprofit that advocates protection of the million acres of lakes and forest, the most visited federal wilderness area in the nation. It sued under the rarely used Minnesota Environmental Rights Act.

Lake County officials had approved the ATT tower because they hoped to improve cellphone service in the area and because a nearby corridor of land along Fernbrook Road is prime for development, according to court documents and testimony.

ATT argued that the tower and its blinking red light would be seen from only 1 percent of the million-acre wilderness and that it was crucial to ensure public safety and provide cellphone service.

“We feel strongly that this is a public-safety issue and that the facility the county approved is needed to best serve and protect the safety of residents and visitors,” ATT said in a statement this week.

But from its position on a 150-foot ridge, the tower would be visible up to eight miles away during daytime and up to 10 miles away at night, according to court filings. It would be clearly seen from 10 lakes in the BWCA’s most popular area, according to attorneys for Friends of the BWCA. Moreover, they argued, ATT didn’t need such a tall tower. A 199-foot tower could not be seen inside the wilderness area and would provide service to an area only 17 percent smaller, much of it inside the BWCA, they said.

‘Aesthetic resources’ Hennepin County District Judge Philip Bush ruled last year that the tower would violate the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act, a law passed in the early 1970s to protect the state’s natural resources against pollution, impairment or destruction.

Compared to similar laws in the dozen or so other states that have them, Minnesota’s law is unusual because it also protects the “scenic and aesthetic resources” of natural resources owned by any government entity.

“The affected natural resource — broad scenic views with no visible signs of man — is not replaceable,” Bush wrote in his decision.

However, he said, ATT could build the smaller tower, which is now under construction.

ATT appealed, expanding the scope of the case to the point that it could affect development and scenic views across the state — from Voyageurs National Park to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway to Whitewater State Park. here att uverse coupon code

“If you can’t protect our most scenic resource from this, then we are headed in a bad direction,” said Kevin Reuther, an attorney for Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, a nonprofit law firm that filed written arguments supporting the Friends of the BWCA.

Sharp questions The case’s tensions were clear in questions the judges posed on Wednesday.

“Banning towers anywhere within [sight] of the BWCA — is that what this is intended to do?” asked Judge Larry Stauber.

“The facts of every case will be different,” said Thomas Mahlum, the attorney for Friends of the BWCA.

Much of the discussion focused on the coverage difference between a shorter and a taller tower. Judge Michelle Larkin said a diagram showing the difference “was compelling.” Without adequate cellphone coverage, “the residents would be relegated to a second-class existence,” said ATT attorney Hans German, although he agreed under questioning that most of the residents have land lines as well.

“Lake County is very interested in this service,” he said.

The judges have 90 days to make a decision, though any ruling is likely to be appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court.

“It is a great test of this statute,” Peterson said.

Josephine Marcotty – 612-673-7394

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14 Oct

2 Years and 350 Posts!

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Admin, Contest

Satisfaction.com Free Comment Codes

Thanks to all of you, giving me a reason to keep blogging, this blog has made it through 2 years and 350 posts!

To celebrate, I’m giving away a $50 Penzey’s gift certificate, which you can use either in store, on the phone, or online. And since Penzey’s ships internationally (at a dear price, I’m sure), this is open to everyone.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post, and on November 1st, I’ll pick a winner randomly. One entry per person, please. Once again, thank you so much. Your comments and support and emails have meant the world to me.

–

UPDATE: I had my husband use a random number generator, and it picked Katie of Javagirlkt’s Cookin’ as the lucky winner of the Penzey’s gift certificate! Congratulations! And thank you, everyone, for your kind words.

THIS DRESS WAS OUR BRIDE AND JOY; Five weddings, five brides – one dress. We asked a top bridal shop to choose their most popular wedding dress, then tracked down the stories behind the women who hired it. CHRISTINE FIELDHOUSE reports…(Features)

The People (London, England) October 31, 1999 | Fieldhouse, Christine THE DRESS The ivory satin Hilary Morgan gown has a beaded fitted bodice.

It has short sleeves and a full skirt, with frills round the hem line and a waterfall back. It costs pounds 700 to buy but is hired out for pounds 250 by the Poppy Bridal Shop in Darlington, Co Durham. Dresses are hired just five times a year and are altered and cleaned for each bride.

FACTORY worker Carolyn Golightly married 33-year-old Christopher on June 20, 1998 at St Andrew’s, Bishop Auckland. Christopher, a welder, and Carolyn have two children, Craig, five and Andrew, two. The family live in Coundon, Co Durham.

Carolyn, 35, says: “Getting my dress was a major worry. I’d been with Chris for 15 years when we decided to tie the knot and I wanted to look my best for him.

“I’m a size 14 and a bit self- conscious about my body. I was a 10 once but piled on the pounds after having the children. I must admit I had images of me looking like the Sugar Plump Fairy. I went to Poppy Bridal Shop but the first dress I tried on made me look like a tacky china doll.

“Then I tried another – and just couldn’t believe how good I looked.

“I loved the waterfall train and the beading around the shoulders.

“I’d heard of people buying wedding dresses and then leaving them in the wardrobe to rot. Not me. I wanted to hire one, take it back and just keep the memories.

“The service was at 2pm. My dad had died a few years before so my uncle James gave me away. When he saw me nervously walk into the church, he turned and said: `Your dad would have been proud, love’.

“When I reached Chris, he whispered that I looked gorgeous. Even little Craig, who was four, said, `You look beautiful, mammy!’ “I kept my dress on for the 300 guests at the reception, detaching the train when it became too heavy.

“I hated taking it back. It had been such a perfect day in such a perfect dress. It doesn’t bother me that other people had worn it. I just think there are a lot of women out there with good taste!” JILL Batey, 31, married 32-year-old Stephen, a truck driver, on June 27, 1988, at St Andrew’s Church, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. The couple had been together for 15 years. They have three children, Emma, 10, Kimberley, seven and Anthony, one. Jill, a full-time mum, was two months pregnant with Anthony on her wedding day.

Jill says: “I did everything topsy-turvy – had kids, then got married. But I don’t regret a thing.

“Stephen kept asking me to marry him but I always said no. I suppose I just didn’t feel ready.

“But as the years passed, I started to feel a bit differently about this marriage business. The kids were growing up and didn’t have Stephen’s surname. Somehow it didn’t seem quite right.

“Then, in October 1997, Stephen and I were sitting in a pub and I just turned to him and said: `Why don’t we get married?’ “He practically choked on his beer! Like any bride, I wanted to look great and the first thing I did was look for the dress. We wanted a big white do with all the trimmings. I wanted a dress to impress.

“I decided to hire rather than buy one as it’s more economical. And I knew I’d never wear it again.

“I went to the Poppy Bridal Shop and tried on three dresses. But they were either too tight, too loose or just plain unflattering. Then my eyes caught sight of that dress – and it was love at first sight. website easrer dresses

“The assistant asked if I would like to try it on, but I already knew it was the dress for me. I loved the pearl bodice and lacy-edged neckline. When I did try it on it fitted like it had been specially made for me.

“On my wedding morning, after all my hair and make-up had been done, I knew I looked fantastic. And when I slipped into my dress I felt better than I’ve ever felt before. The power of a dress like that really is magical. My nervousness completely disappeared and I just couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle.

“My wedding was very traditional – apart from my transport. I arrived at the church in Stephen’s Scania truck! But otherwise, I did it by the book. I had seven bridesmaids, two pageboys and there were 70 guests – and every pair of eyes were fixed on me as I walked in.

“It felt absolutely wonderful.

“Stephen got all tearful and I knew from the second he saw me that I had made the two right decisions – to get married and to choose that particular dress.

“My brother Geoff, who is the spitting image of my late dad, gave me away.

“I kept the dress on for the evening do, but I cried when I had to take it back to the shop. I just didn’t want to let that dress go. It had given me the best day of my life.” KELLY Lavery, 21, is a former Army chef. She married Anthony, 23, at St Mary’s Church in Consett, Co Durham, on August 15, 1998. They have a four-month-old daughter Ella-Marie. Anthony is a radar operator in the Army.

Kelly says: “Anthony and I were best mates for a year before we started going out in 1996.

“We met through the Army and I thought he was a real laugh. We did everything together, shopping, clubbing…and gradually, before we’d even realised it, friendship grew to love. He even used to take me to my beauty salon where I liked to go on the sunbeds.

“It seemed the most natural thing in the world when we got it together.

“A year later we went on holiday to Spain. Anthony kept making stupid jokes about being engaged to me and in the end I lost my temper. `And what would be so wrong about getting engaged to me?’ I snapped. Then, as we talked it through, we decided it wasn’t such a daft idea after all.

“At first we planned a long engagement as we needed to save money. But then, in December 1997, we found out we were both being sent to Bosnia.

“I knew I wasn’t getting home until July 1998 and we had planned our wedding for the August. So I had one priority before leaving – to find my wedding dress.

“I’d always wanted to get married in a straight-fitted dress, but the staff at the Poppy Bridal Shop persuaded me to try on some different styles.

“I tried on four but none of them won me over. Then they passed me THE dress and I adored it. I tried it on with a little tiara and a veil and Mum, who’d come with me, nearly burst into tears. Some might say it was a bit over the top and maybe they’re right. But this was going to be the biggest day of my life and I wanted to look the part.

“It was a relief to have the dress sorted out when I went to Bosnia. Our families did a lot of the organising but I was relieved to get home. I felt absolutely brilliant on my wedding day. I had my hair done up at a salon but I did my own make-up.

“Mum gave me away as my parents are divorced and as I walked towards Anthony, his jaw practically dropped with delight. We just stood there grinning at each other.

“It sounds vain but I knew that dress made me look stunning. I kept it on for the reception. I wanted the whole world to see it.

“Giving it back was awful but when I saw the photographs I knew I’d have the memory of that dress to cherish forever.” JOANNE Sowerby, 25, married technician Ian, 35, on October 17, 1998, at St Paul’s Church in their home village of Evenwood, Co Durham.

Joanne, a sewing machine operator, says: “My romance with Ian was a complete whirlwind affair. Seven months after we met, we got engaged.

“I was on a family holiday in Turkey when I called Ian up from a phone- box and told him that I missed him.

“Over a crackly line he asked me to marry him and I said yes.

“When I got back home, he bought me a solitaire diamond ring.

“We’d planned to have a long engagement but a few months later Ian told me he’d arranged to see the vicar!

“Everything happened quickly after that. We set the date and booked the church. But my main concern was finding the dress. in our site easrer dresses

“I called two other shops in Darlington and tried on four dresses, which I hated.

“Then I went to the Poppy Bridal Shop and the moment I walked in, I saw MY dress hanging up – and that was it!

“It was so pretty, big, fluffy and feminine. The ruffles down the back were gorgeous and the neckline was so flattering.

“I didn’t care that it was short-sleeved and I might be cold in it – that dress just had to be mine.

“I thought about buying it but couldn’t see the point because I probably wouldn’t wear it again.

“On the day, there was a terrible storm but thankfully my dress didn’t blow up in the wind – though the curls in my hair did drop slightly.

“As I walked into the church, I had expected Ian to turn round to see me but he just looked straight ahead!

“Later he told me he was too shocked at how stunning I looked. He was speechless.

“Afterwards, the storm was so bad that we had to have our photos taken inside the church.

“But nothing could have put a dampener on my day. The man, the day and the dress made it a memory I’ll never forget.” ANGELA Spanton, 25, married Steven, 26, a truck engineer on August 7, 1999, at the Methodist Church, Bishop Auckland. They have two children, three-year-old Zoe and Drew, who’s two. They live in Newfield, County Durham.

Angela says: “Getting married was always something we’d wanted to do but never got round to.

“I’d been with Steven for two years when he proposed. I knew he was the one but we weren’t in a rush. Then I fell pregnant with Zoe.

“Drew came along two years later and marriage was pushed to the back of our minds. We needed money for new windows and central heating rather than a wedding.

“As we got our lives back on track we started planning our wedding for August, this year – and I started looking for my dress at once.

“I’d set my heart on a long full dress with a train and a sequinned bodice. But the two I tried on were either too plain or boring. I wanted to look glamorous.

“When I tried on dress number three, it was third time lucky. I loved everything about it, the scalloped-edged train, the decorated bodice…it was the dress of my dreams.

“I wanted to buy it there and then but it was too expensive, so I hired it instead.

“There was only one problem, from the day I tried on the dress to the week before my wedding, I’d lost a stone and gone from a size 12 to a 10. So the dress had to be taken in. “I was a bundle of nerves on the day. I was waiting outside the church thinking any minute now, everyone’s eyes would be on me.

“I needn’t have worried. Steven said he fell in love with me all over again when I walked in. I felt simply beautiful.

“After the big day, I kept on trying it on and staring at myself in the mirror. I just wanted to see myself one more time in that dress before I took it back.” Fieldhouse, Christine

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14 Oct

Farm Fresh and Local Produce – 10/13/07

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Columbus, Eating Local, Farmer's Market, North Market, Produce

Man, was it cold when I woke up this morning. 39 to be exact. So cold that I actually could see my breath for the first time this season and so cold that I wore jeans and a heavy sweatshirt to the farmer’s markets today.

We got started fairly early, making a quick pitstop at Thurn’s first so I could get some ham and landjaeger. We went to the North Market first, and I was surprised that it was so crowded so early. Most of what is there now is winter squash, potatoes, and other fall/winter veggies, which is AOK with me because it means that I have a bit more time to use things now, rather than rushing to use produce within the first couple of days after I buy it.

One of the first things I bought was some butternut squash. I had a really lovely soup at the Refectory the other night that I’d love to duplicate here at home. I don’t have a pic of the butternut squash, but I do have a pic of a selection of some of the other winter squash at Wish Well Farms this morning – aren’t the colors lovely?

And that’s the one thing that struck me about everything I saw today. Everything in the fall has such an intense color to it. Not green, but shades that match the colors of the leaves as they change in October. Like these potatoes, which are an amazing shade of magenta.

I picked up a few other things at the North Market – some lettuce mix from Elizabeth Telling Farms, shiitake mushrooms from Toby Run (since he’ll be in Japan next week and not at market), and went inside and got some local goat cheese from Curds & Whey, my requisite cinnamon roll from Omega, and some cassoulet from NMPG.

Speaking of cassoulet and NMPG – sadly, I think I’m going to have to stop getting their hot foods. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE their food, but hate hate hate their inconsistency with pricing. The price changes week to week for the same stuff. For instance, 2 weeks ago my pint of cassoulet was $8, last week it was $6, and this week it was $11. I walked out today feeling decidely ripped off, especially since a good third of the container was a slice of bread. And this has been a reoccuring theme during the time I’ve bought stuff from them (I had the same problem with their pricing on scotch eggs a while back). Like I said, I’m not disparaging their food, but if you order from them, make sure they’re clear about how much it’s going to cost before you order it, rather than being unpleasantly surprised when they ring you up.

After the North Market, it was off to Clintonville where I thought I would be able to get eggs – but sadly, 2Silos wasn’t there today, even though I think this week was supposed to be an egg week. So instead, I picked up some short ribs on the cheap from Flying J, along with some potatoes from Arbor Hill Organics, and signed up for the list for winter delivery from OMC Farms. And I actually saw some artichokes at market for the first time ever.

So it was a quick in and out at Clintonville, and I convinced my husband to head over to Worthington because I still hadn’t found the yukon gold potatoes I had been looking for.

Worthington’s market was so pretty today. So colorful, absolutely amazing. They had a craft sale going on, too – which I skipped out on, much to my husband’s relief, I’m sure. One of the vendors had this really beautiful arrangement of winter squash, if I had been smart, I would have picked it up for a centerpiece.

Crum’s had some really lovely fall strawberries, so I picked up a quart to use to top Belgian waffles tomorrow morning. I also got some potatoes, some parsley, and some really pretty carrots, along with a bunch of other things.

And you know since they pretty much bleed Buckeye red in these parts, someone couldn’t resist decorating pumpkins for game day today.

Made a couple more stops (Whole Foods for some Pecorino Grand Cru cheese, along with some tiny lady apples that I’m going to be making into miniature caramel apples for a birthday party tomorrow), and then back home again, where I’m nice and cozy and warm.

Anyone here planning on going to the Worthington winter farmer’s market this year?

More healthy breakfast ideas.(Brief article)

Sunset January 1, 2012 TOP backed tortilla chips with scrambled eggs, a little cheddar, and fresh salsa for a light version of chilaquiles. go to site healthy breakfast ideas go to web site healthy breakfast ideas

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FLAVOR oatmeal with cooked pumpkin or sweet potato (vitamin A!) plus some cinnamon and maple syrup [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPREAD toasted whole-grain waffles with ricotta instead of butter, then add honey and orange slices.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STIR toasted hazelnuts and dried cherries into hot multigrain cereal.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

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13 Oct

Greek Stuffed Eggplant and Lemon Potatoes

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Eating Local, Farmer's Market, Food Porn, Recipes

This is one of those meals that I made weeks ago, when everywhere you looked at the farmer’s markets, there was eggplant of every size and color. Now, I’m not a huge fan of eggplant on its own, but think that it was made to be stuffed. This is a mostly local meal, made with items I bought at the farmer’s market. I served it with lemon potatoes and a Greek salad I bought at My Big Fat Greek Cuisina. The best thing about this recipe is that since there are only 2 of us in our household, it was the perfect recipe for when you’re cooking for two.

Greek Stuffed Eggplant
courtesy Home Cooking Magazine Oct. 2007

1 eggplant
1/3 c. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 lb. ground beef, browned and finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp. oregano, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. fine dry bread crumbs
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 lb. feta cheese, cubed (I used crumbled feta instead)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut eggplant into halves lengthwise. Scoop out the meat, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Dice the removed eggplant meat.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute garlic and onion until golden. Stir in the diced eggplant and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the ground beef, if desired. Season to taste with oregano, salt and pepper.

Spoon mixture into eggplant shells. Place filled shells, side by side, in a shallow baking pan. Top each eggplant half with 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until hot and brown. Serve sprinkled with lemon juice and feta cheese. Serves 2.

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Basic Mediterranean Potatoes
courtesy Home Cooking Magazine Oct. 2007

6 potatoes
1 c. olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 c. lemon juice, to taste
1/2 clove garlic, minced
Oregano, basil, thyme, salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut up potatoes and place in a baking dish. Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs and spices; pour over potatoes.

Bake 30 minutes, turning potatoes 2 or 3 times while baking. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake and additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Serves 8.

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11 Oct

Review: The Refectory Bistro

Author: swampkitty05 // Category: Columbus, Restaurant Review

Hands down, one of the best dining values in Columbus is the Bistro Menu at the Refectory. Served in the old schoolhouse portion of the restaurant on Monday through Thursday, it gives you a 3-course meal for $21 prix fixe. The choices change every two weeks, and for each course, there are two options to choose from. They list the weekly menu on their web site, and for our dinner tonight the choices were 1st course: Butternut Squash Soup OR Marina di Chiaggia Quiche with Bacon, 2nd course: Pan Seared Grouper with Tomato and Wild Herb Jus and Jasmine Rice OR Sauteed Beef Tenderloin Tips with Onion, Madeira Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, 3rd course: Pear Strudel w/ Raspberry Coulis OR Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding OR Dessert du Refectory (which tonight, was a chocolate custard). Deciding that this menu really appealed to us, we called to make last minute reservations for the Bistro Menu.

When we arrived, we were very impressed by the attention to detail. Both my husband and myself are large people, and without having to say anything or making us feel self-conscious, they switched out the normal armed chairs with more comfortable armless ones before seating us. It was a small touch that meant a lot to us. The ambiance in the place is dark and romantic (which will explain the crappy pictures – this isn’t a place where I was comfortable using a flash, and the low light levels meant really bad pictures. They definitely don’t do the food justice, but the pics will give you a good idea of presentation and portion size – sorry about the lack of detail).

Our server (Eden), was confident and comfortable – she was ever-present without being overbearing, and we never went more than a minute without a refill, clearing away the dirty plates, or her checking in on us. They say that good service should be transparent to the experience, and this was the case for this meal.

Bread service was an herby bread, crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, served with what I think was cultured butter.

We had decided ahead of time to order different things so we could try each of the six dishes offered, and subconsciously ended up comparing the dishes we both ordered. While everything we tried was delicious, my husband made the better choice 2 out of the 3 courses.

For the first course, I chose the quiche, which was served cold with finely chopped tomatoes, red pepper oil, and basil oil. The quiche had pieces of pumpkin and zucchini in it, and was very creamy and uniform. Too often, I get quiche that doesn’t set quite correctly, and ends up too eggy, but that was not the case here. It was a substantial serving, and I was thankful to have a break between the first and second courses.

My husband chose the butternut squash soup, which was served with a goat cheese crostini. Neither one of us is usually a fan of squash soups as they are usually made too sweet rather than savory, but this one was savory through and through. While exemplary on its own, the tanginess of the goat cheese and the texture of the crostini elevated this soup even higher. We would order this again in a heartbeat.

For the second course, I chose the grouper, which was served with a bit of spinach, jasmine rice, and a tomato-herb jus. The fish was cooked perfectly, browned on the oustide while tender, flaky, and moist inside. This was hands down the best fish I’ve ever had in my life, better even than the fresh stuff I had in Florida. I need to find out who their fishmonger is, if I can get grouper this fresh in Columbus, I need to know where! The jus was more of a sauce, but paired deliciously with the rice and spinach, and gave the whole dish a great mouth feel. I would have happily paid $21 for this course alone, it was that good. Very substantial portion as well, with 2 large filets.

My husband went with the beef tenderloin tips – the flavor on these were spot on, although a few of the tips were inedible due to gristle. I explained to him that this was the nature of the beast when it came to tips, as they are essentially scraps of tenderloin left over from cutting filet mignon, and some of those scraps, especially near the chain, can be a little tough. They did do the best they could given the cut, though, and the madiera sauce definitely saved this dish. The tips were served with rosemary mashed new potatoes and a bit of spinach.

For the third course, I chose the chocolate bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. It was definitely a little more cakier and dense than I expected, but it had a nice chocolate flavor that worked well with the small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

My husband went with the chocolate custard (they had a different name for it, which I can’t remember at the moment), which was the superior choice. It was like a thick pudding, concentrated chocolate evil. A spoon of this stuff could sate a chocolate craving for a month.

All in all, it was a nice introduction to the Refectory as a whole, and has made us want, for our next special occassion, to do the whole Refectory upstairs experience as well, dressing up and all. And when we do go to the restaurant proper, expect a separate review on that experience as well. As it stood, we felt quite comfortable in the Bistro in casual clothes, and will probably go again anytime the menu for the week calls to us. If you haven’t gone yet, give it a try. Good food, high quality, good portion sizes, great price. They say that this is a “light” dinner, but we thought the portion sizes were perfect. We left having eaten everything on our plates, full but not uncomfortably so, wholly satisfied by the meal we just had.

Also, my husband wanted me to mention that they have an excellent selection of beer, and he had the opportunity to try two beers by the bottle that he had never seen in a restaurant before. Expect a post from him in the future on his tasting notes and impressions on those beers and others he has tried.

If you’d like to go: The Refectory Bistro, 1092 Bethel Rd, Columbus. 614.451.9774 – reservations recommended, when calling ask for the Bistro Menu

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2 Years and 350 Posts!

Farm Fresh and Local Produce – 10/13/07

Greek Stuffed Eggplant and Lemon Potatoes

Review: The Refectory Bistro