The Ides of March Returneth: My Fifteen Food Favorites of the last 365 days
Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 14, 2009
It is time for my second annual Ides of March reflection. I look back at the year and ask myself “ate for 2 Brute”. These are my fifteen favorite meals or moments from the last 365 days. Thanks to those that shared these morsels with me.
1. Hot Dog Daze: A Dirty Franks Field Trip (Posted November 17th)
2. Slow Food Columbus – Celebrated the one year anniversary with a dinner at Rigsby’s on March 2nd. I’m a proud member and I currently serve on the event planning committee. All SFC events rocked. The requirement of a chapter is to have one event per year – Slow Food Columbus often has one per week. We have one of the most active memberships in the country. Read about our adventures in eating and education in the Slow Food Blog.
3) Columbus Foodcast Episode 21 – Pattycake Bakery.
4) Hungry Woolf’s Blog – My cheeky British meal mate Bethia has one of the best blogs in town. This post marks the debut of the new Hungry Woolf Approved (HWA) logo.
That is a jar of Marmite in the paw.
5. Taco Trucks Columbus – There is a lot of Taco Truck culture in Columbus – go check it out. Viva la Vida Taco!
6. Pizza Grand Prix III – exceeded my expectations for quality of pizza and people and quantity of pizza and people.
7. Bono Pizza (Bedtime for Bono – Posted December 11th, 2008)
8. Hills Market Wine and Cheese Tastings – Tied with judging for the Fiery Foods Festival at North Market. (Posted February 2009)
9. Ice Cream Sandwiches with Pattycake Tollhouse Cookies (Joining Jennie and Jeni – Posted November 24th)
10. Hargreaves Hill Brewing Company in Australia: I discovered this magnificent microbrewery while returning to Melbourne from the Yarra Valley with my mates Mandy, Dan and Katie. The beer is great, they have a wonderful tasting flight and it is a green business. The recent wild fires in Victoria destroyed this place. I hope it comes back. The Yarra Valley is the home of my discovery of wine and my obsession with all things Australian.
11. In April, I found the best cheese in the world. It is Whitestone Windsor Organic Blue Cheese. This New Zealand cheese was suggested to me by a cheesemonger from the East Coast and I found it in Australia at The Queen Victoria Market. That is kind of how my life rolls.
12. The Ritual Tavern, San Diego. After a day in Mexico, I found myself in my “dream seating” for all my tastes – local, organic, everything made in house and a perfect dining companion. I’m heading back next winter to keep my new West Coast winter warmth tradition alive.
13. The Liberty Bar, San Antonio. I continued my quest for sun in the winter with a trip to San Antonio. This was a wonderful food field trip for me. My favorite meal (all of my dines in SA were impressive) was a simple dish of thick, crusty, homemade bread with a Mexican brown sugar style dipping sauce and fresh goat cheese. Dios Mio! I spent the night at the bar and headed back the next day for lunch. The Liberty Bar is is worth visiting for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the same day.
14. The End of Prohibition Anniversary Party – Highland Estates, December 2008. This party inspired my purchase of a vintage Tuxedo and flask. This was not posted to protect the innocent and the guilty.
15. Eating Frank Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven, Connecticut (the end of a 5 year quest) with my friend Lee and her sister Kathy. New Haven pizza is considered to be a unique style of pizza making like New York or Chicago. When I was researching for a pizza book in 2004, this was on my hit list. Scratch one pizza. Next – Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix.
Best Photo: I want a better camera, perfect lighting and a free week to master Photoshop. Until then I will be frustrated with white plates that do not cooperate and shots that scream for a flash or special setting in environments which call for decorum and discretion. This shot from the New Year’s Eve tasting menu at Details came out just the way I wanted.
My best shot of the year.
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 
Lauren said
I give a hearty +1 to the tollhouse and ice cream sammiches. YUM! I’d die for another one right now.
And another big “holla” to the Highland Estates party. Oh my…
Bear said
So pleased to have made your list!
And, a great photo, and a very stylin’ wolf….
favorfan said
Maybe the woolf could get some alternative sheep’s clothing or a little red riding jacket.