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Going Back to CLEveland: Palette Meets Palate, A Writers Tour of The Culinary and Modern Arts Scene

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 3, 2012

Some of you may remember the CLEGourmand series from 2010. I was given the opportunity to head back to Cleveland again as a guest of Positively Cleveland so I (@CMHGourmand) will be Tweeting up a storm from Thursday October 4th to Sunday October 7th describing my #CLEGourmand adventures on #TourCle with @PositivelyCleve.

The staff did take a moment to clarify that I would be going back to some of the same places as last time including Greenhouse Tavern, Lucky’s, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Cleveland Museum of Art. My response to that was a hearty, YES! – I would love to revisit any place from the 2010 trip without a hesitation. They say you can never go back, well I say you can go back to Cleveland any time and enjoy it just as much if not more than before.

I will be joined by several other writers from around the country as we eat from dawn to dusk…while appreciating the thriving arts community of Cleveland. While I did not need any convincing, I did read through the press release soliciting writers and think they made the perfect pitch. I am going to share some the highlights of the Positively Cleveland email below. They did a great job showing off what the city has to offer.

THE PALETTE MEETS PALATE IN CLEVELAND
A GUIDE TO REGION’S CULINARY AND MODERN ARTS SCENE

CLEVELAND, OHIO – The charm of urban markets attracts tourists to a number of cities. The growth of hot new restaurants adds to the foodie mystique of a handful of communities. Cutting-edge museums attract fans in droves. But few cities across the country can boast all three tourist attraction elements with the pedigree of those in Cleveland.

Just consider:

* Cleveland’s renowned West Side Market is celebrating its 100th year of providing quality ethnically diverse food including fine cuts of meat, seafood, fresh local produce and baked goods. With over 100 vendors there’s something for everyone.

* For years, Cleveland chefs and restaurants have been writing the ultimate Cinderella story as they win celebrity status with recognition by the James Beard Foundation, appearances on “Best Restaurant” ranking lists and airtime on the nation’s most loved culinary television shows.

* This fall, Cleveland’s ($26.3 Million) Museum of Contemporary Art celebrates its grand opening in University Circle, a unique cultural center that also is home to the Cleveland Orchestra, Institute of Music, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Case Western University and more.

These features provide a true “Palette to Palate” experience for tourists seeking a quality cultural experience for an affordable price.

WEST SIDE MARKET CENTENNIAL

With its iconic Seth Thomas (the same folks that did the one at Grand Central Station) clock tower, the Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling and red quarry tile floors, it would be enough to label the West Side Market as an architecturally-important and stunning building. But, ask any local, visitor or chef and they will tell you the 100-year-old market is so much more.

As one of the nation’s oldest public markets, the West Side Market was once where 20th century immigrants found the foods and spices of their homeland and were able to celebrate their cultural heritage through the art of cooking. Today, it retains its bustling charm while offering a unique shopping experience for fresh foods, rare ethnic ingredients, local produce and more.

With more than a dozen ethnicities including Polish, Greek, Irish, Mexican, Slovenian and more; as well as locally-produced pastas, tortillas, artisanal cheeses; and specialty foods such as a whole animals (pig, goat and lamb), chicken feet, alligator and headcheese, there is something for the more than one million visitors who experience the West Side Market each year.

The true authenticity of the market comes from the two legacy vendors, the Wincek & Stumpf and the Leu families, who have operated stands at the Market in some form since 1912; the Fernengels and produce vendors who have passed the stand down through three and four generations; Maple Valley Sugarbush and Annemarie’s Dairy who feature locally-sourced products; and Campbell’s Popcorn and Orale! who have seen so much success they’ve expanded to storefront operations. There is a story behind every booth at the West Side Market and it is these people who make the market the “Best Food Lovers Market” in the country by Food Network Magazine.

Centennial Celebrations is a series of national events to commemorate the West Side Market’s 100th birthday this year. For details visit www.wsm100.org

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART OPENING

Museum-of-Contemporary-ArtIn a town where the traditional arts are rooted in the riches of the early 19th century, it would be easy to question where modern art fits in. For the first time in its 40-year history the Cleveland Museum of Contemporary Art makes a major splash with a new $26.3 million street-level building, open Oct. 6. At the intersection of Cleveland’s classic cultural district, University Circle, and the emerging Uptown District sits the 34,000-square-foot, four-story building, the first in the country designed by Farshid Moussavi Architecture.

The new facility, itself a work of dramatic geometric art, provides MOCA the space for a diverse array of innovative flexible exhibitions, programs and the art of our time. It is expected to draw 65,000 visitors within its first year.

The first year of exhibitions, led by Chief Curator David Norr, incorporates a dynamic range of contemporary art, taking full advantage of the Museum’s expanded capacities and unique structure. The exhibition provides an in-depth look at how contemporary art engages with architecture and concepts of space.

There will be a focus on new and commissioned work, giving audiences access to diverse artistic processes through site-specific installations and performances. The inaugural exhibition, Inside Out and From the Ground Up features major commissions by Katharina Grosse, Henrique Oliveira, and Barry Underwood, and new works by David Altmejd, Jacqueline Humphries, and William Villalongo, among an international roster of 13 artists.

The highly anticipated opening of MOCA will feature a three-day long celebration with activities for museum members, out-of-town guests and the general public. HEX, a three-tiered all-night party featuring musical performances and DJs will kick-off the opening on Saturday night. Sunday is reserved for members-only access. Monday, Oct. 6 will feature free museum admission for the public as well as a variety of family-friendly activities. For more information visit http://www.mocacleveland.org..

Green Cleveland Eats

A number of Cleveland-area restaurants follow Mother Nature’s lead and create rotating menus that feature the best of the current harvest. And, with a premium Midwest location and climate, culinary resources such as the West Side Market and the regional accessibility of Huron’s Chef’s Garden, area restaurants and chefs have a knack for featuring fresh, seasonal dishes grown in their own backyards, literally and figuratively.

Ethnic Delights

The culinary landscape of Cleveland is a result of the region’s rich cultural heritage. Much like the vibrant flavors and spices in many ethnic dishes, Cleveland is a melting pot of a diverse group of settlers who originally immigrated to the area for opportunities in thriving industries. The result is approximately 117 different cultures with the history, traditions and, of course, the recipes of their native lands.

Posted in CLEGourmand, culinary knowledge, Ohio, Road Trip | 2 Comments »

The Art of the Science or the Science of the Art of Food Judging

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 19, 2012

I have been a judge all my life….but haven’t all of us? There is a phase De gustibus non est disputandum or to the non Latin among us = In matters of taste, there can be no disputes. Thousands of years show that this is most often true and I would say in some areas such as wine, beer, cheese and strongly crafted items that individual tastes are so….individual – that is a challenge to say what it best – although it is very often easy to agree on what is worst.

However, I have been asked to judge many foods formally over the years starting with my entry into the world of The Kansas City BBQ Society as a certified judge in 2006. I judged a contest in Wisconsin that year. I then started judging at too many events to count at the North Market. (This is the best gig on the judging circuit, which is good because NO ONE says no to Mary Martineau). Since then I have judged at Baconcamp, BeerCamp, The Ohio State Fair, The Smoke Experiment, Pizza Grand Prix, Cupcake Camp, wine judging for the Columbus Food and Wine Affair and most recently at the International Chili Society Championship at Cajohns.

Most people say, “wow” how do you get a job like that? It is fun. It is a great way to meet new people and experience new flavors. It is an honor and a privilege to be asked. It is also a significant investment of time and rarely reimbursed with more than a Thank You. (And let me say, when I do receive more than a thank you, it is greatly appreciated and sometimes I feel unworthy of the consideration).

All of the above considered, the question does arise – How does one judge who wins and who does not? What makes me, or anyone qualified to decide the tastes of the masses when we all have different taste buds. This question was posed to me at the Smoke Experiment by a very passionate attendee. I provided a 10 to 15 minute explanation and thought I had covered the question well. The person then followed up with an e-mail wanting more information. I did not feel that I had more to add, but the persistence of this enthusiast probably indicates that there are deeper questions to be asked and more people interested in the answers.

Judging is only easy when you are deciding between two items. Much like at the eye doctor “Is this better or worse”……an easy question right? But what do you do when they are “about the same”. That is when, like when looking at the eye chart you might try again and say “better now….or now?” Eventually you get an answer because there is a difference, right?

But therein, lies the rub (sometimes) how do you sort out the differences? How do you get more than one person to taste something at the exact same place on the flavor spectrum as someone else? The answer is you often cannot. Because of this, a good contest will do a few things: establish criteria based on the characteristics of the food and the contest goals, obtain or train judges that can understand and follow those criteria and make sure that judges reflect the diversity of your contestants. A good contest planner can also hope that no one cries when they lose. That sucks and it does happen.

Criteria vary but most often include taste, appearance/presentation and aroma. A common criterion for “amateur” contests is creativity. The other criteria usually target on the dish itself – spicy, heat, ________ flavor. I prefer contests that weight the scale in favor of what I care about the most – the flavor of the item being say up to 10 points and creativity being up to 5. If you are a judge – before you sample – you need to determine what your baseline flavor is – what is average and do you best to keep to that baseline for each entry you try. This is a challenge.

If you are a contestant – take a look at the criteria for judging and make sure you are hitting the mark on all of them. I have sample many things that tasted great – but looked horrible. I have seen beautiful presentation of a dish only to taste something that was not worth a bite.

For the science of judging I have taken two classes. The first was with the Kansas City BBQ Society. It was a 4-hour class to become a certified BBQ judge. The second class – which requires two sessions, was wine judging for the Columbus Food and Wine Affair.

Both classes spend some time walking through the criteria and describing the characteristics of each in great detail. Both classes provided a lot of tongue on experience – tasting, sampling and discussing what was sampled. It both classes, the instructors would have students talk about their rankings at the end of a sample session. After a few dry runs – a natural bell curve could be seen for each item tried – whether is was a wine or a loin. The better entries clustered high in scores and the weaker entries clustered low. There were clear bad, good and great entries that every one could agree on. But when it comes down to the BEST – there is often not complete agreement. Often one judge’s number two candidate is another’s first or third place. The same applies to the bottom of the scale. So for winners and losers – it comes down to score average. My best may be your third best. My worst may be your low average. But I have never encountered a competition where one judges best ranked as another worst.

It comes down to technical execution. If you execute everything technically well you will place in the upper half of the bell curve. What is a winning entry in one group could be a third place with another group of judges on the same day.

Some of these challenges presented themselves to me judging at the state fair this year. The scoring systems for the many contests are not the clear-cut point systems that the esteemed Mary Martineau uses. There were criteria and some percentages but in each category we found ourselves debating the pros and cons of the top three contestants in most categories. It was really democracy in action – but the debates were long. In one contest – we gave first place to our second place finisher for taste. Why? Because the winner had to then go on to national competition and our “winner” for taste was not even close for presentation and also missed some critical elements of the quintessential type of pie it was supposed to be. If you want to be a judge, it is helpful – but not always observed as being a selection criteria – to have these skills: tact, diplomacy, the ability to articulate flavors and sensations as well as the ability to be pragmatic enough not to obsess over every little detail and nuance and just go with your first impression.

I have judged wine four times now and I can say – my skills are not improved in this area. I can tell you what I like and what I don’t like – but I would be hard pressed to defend a score of 14 out for twenty vs. 15 out of twenty with anyone. However, in the world of BBQ – I have the confidence and ability to articulate why one brisket is better than another based on taste, appearance, etc.,

We have different palates and they are not all created equal. Not all dishes presented to the judges are created equally either.

Judging is an art and a science. It is more than a roll of the dice but less than a bull’s-eye by a sharpshooter. That is as much of an answer and explanation as I can muster. How would you rate that on a scale of 1 to 10?

Posted in culinary knowledge | 1 Comment »

Clintonville Pizza Challenge: The Verdict (with a serving of unsolicited pizza philosophy)

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 19, 2012

When the series began it was for a noble purpose. Introduce new members of the Clintonville Community to the pizza dining options of Clintonville. It was also an opportunity for me to retry some places from my past and fill in the notebook on a few places untried. The concept, was to run a March Madness style bracket system with the goal of a worthy champion to be our go to pizza for our Monday gatherings. Our merry band knew there would be challenges in our challenge: conflicting tastes, a three-year addiction to Adriaticos to acknowledge and self-help our way through. We knew there would be disappointments but with twelve candidates we “knew” there would be a few princes among the frogs. Right?

Instead of the thrill of serious competition in the spirit of March Madness we had to fight through a marathon of mediocrity for five straight weeks. Here is how the series ended with limited analysis (I did not even bother to write down opinions for the last round).

Whole World: Disqualified because they are not open on Mondays.

Gatto’s: Average nothing of note

Smith’s Deli: forgotten about until the night before. Perhaps with good cause. The pizza had a school pizza sale pizza quality to it and had OK crust but the rest tasted so packaged we looked for a price tag.

Northstar Cafe: Technically disqualified for being a flatbread. While acknowledged that this was a good product and probably the most “real” food of any candidate in the series and the freshest of any ingredients. The flatbread does not travel well and failed our long-established value and volume standard….explained later if I don’t forget.

Romeo’s: OK for a chain, the winner of the evening. It has qualities of the original Dominos of the 1970’s and a big crust ring. The whole was greater than the sum of the parts on this one and what won the day for Romeo’s was sauce. The sauce was persistently present in each bite and tasted like….pizza sauce. The others lacked any sauce of note or measure.

Going through all of the contenders, the only pizzas our gang would order again for a second trial would be Hounddogs and Belleria. Only these two would have made it to a second round. Gauging preferences among the group, Hounddogs would have been the winner. However, after leading my flock through 40 days of pizza purgatory, there was no way to take them further on the journey and thus the series ends with a fizzle. In all we tried the thirteen independent and small chain pizzas of Clintonville minus Whole World and Mama Mimi’s. It was a noble effort.

On the upside, our hosts seem to have taken a shine to Belleria (based on the many boxes I see in the household between Mondays. And, strangely enough, they don’t opt for delivery, that seems like a moral victory of some sort. The head of the household of our hosting site likes the Italian accented banter of the Mama Mia at the shop when he picks up his prize.

Also, it is noted that Adriaticos was picked up for consumption on the day of this dispatch and devoured at the host site so all is now well at our undisclosed testing zone and Nerd Night headquarters in Middle Clintonville.

What was learned. The perception in Columbus is that Clintonville is weak in dining choices. In the case of pizza that is true, not much to write home about (even in my own home) in the Ville. How sad. However there is hidden in our borders a pizza genius. A master of baking, furnace and fire tweaking who like a classic Marvel superhero, hides his powers from the world is his cider block fortress in Baja Clintonville. Yet instead of using his powers for good, he taunts the world with glimpses of the good he could do for his community and fights my ongoing efforts for him to seize his destiny to cook pizza for the pizza deprived neighbors. My garage is filled with fire bricks awaiting construction of a clandestine wood fired pizza oven. If we build it, they will dine. But alas, I digress, for this last paragraph is written for our reluctant champion and the ten people who know of whom I refer.

Back on track now. The end of the series was not without some drama. As a planning and communication tool, Facebook has some weaknesses. I did add Smith’s at the last-minute so only I knew about this dark horse late entry. Due to working at my job instead of checking some late Facebook updates, I was not aware that a pizza had not been ordered from Whole World, so when I showed to pick it up, I arrived to locked doors. My next stop was Romeos where I thought I was picking up a pizza. There was none to be had at my arrival even after using every possible name I could think the order might be under. My phone failed when I called to check with Pizza Challenge central so I decided to play it safe and be a man of action therefore I ordered a pizza to be delivered. I then went to Gattos and get the last pizza for pick up.

Reflecting on the series as a whole was difficult. The day before the last round, I was a judge for the Pizza Grand Prix series at Wild Goose Creative. Having good pizza still fresh in my mind and digestive system as well as having created the judging criteria for the amateur pizza competition, the consumption of mediocre pizza was extra painful to my soul and senses. After years of defending Columbus Pizza from transplants (and citing may good places to get it) I had to accept that we do have a lot of sub par pizza served within our city limits. Such should not be the case.

What makes a pizza great? As with all things food related – there is not much objective to say on something as subjective as personal taste. I will say some basic truths do hold evident from our pizza tasting series. A good pizza needs these characteristics:

1) Good sauce. Simple. There should be something of flavor in the base – some salt, oregano, garlic…something. It must have more than tin tinged tomato taste and it should show some resistance to a strainer.

2) A ratio of sauce to cheese, cheese to crust and base crust to crust edge that allows the flavors of all to be tasted in each bite.

It is too technically complex to write out this theorem in mathematic terms but such a ratio does exist in the minds and palettes of men and such a ratio was not seen in most of the pizzas we tried. Most were weak on sauce or seemed to lack any substance or flavor in the sauce.

3) Crust should have flavor with some chewiness (this may not be a true word, but when has that ever stopped me) and some crunch or at least mild resistance in the crust edge. It can be cracker crust or thick crust but it needs to taste like something other than dough or Wonder Bread and it should be firm not soggy.

4) Cheese. Cheese should be real. The cheese ratio should not be greater in density or volume to the crust + sauce in a ratio of 3 (parts cheese) : 2 (parts sauce + crust)

5) Volume + Price = Value. Value = one advance in ranking; lack of value equals two descents in ranking. A B+ pizza that is $10.99 beats an A+ pizza at $18.99 that can only feed 1/3 the number of people as the B+ pizza. A similar ratio applies to wine. Two good bottles of $10.99 wine beat one slightly better bottle of $21.99 wine.

If you NEED good pizza this is where you will find it: The Rossi, Adriaticos, Hounddogs, Bono, Harvest Pizzeria, Hi-Beck Tavern and at an undisclosed backyard in Baja Clintonville where a reclusive pizza craftsman tinkers with a Frankengrill toiling over micro-refinements in process to perfect his pizza to surpass the 99.9999875391% level of goodness, in his mad obsession with perfection.

There is good pizza in Clintonville but most of you will never have it and the rest of you will have to accept that you are driving out of the 43214 for a decent pizza pie.

Posted in Clintonville, Columbus, culinary knowledge, culinary misadventure | Tagged: | 5 Comments »

Clintonville Pizza Challenge: The Battle of Graceland – Z Pizza vs. Belleria

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 20, 2012

The first pizza pair off occurred this past Nerd Night Monday at an undisclosed location in Clintonville. The Battle of Graceland pitted Z Pizza vs. Belleria Pizza.

An additional disclaimer for this series. There was a brief attempt at rational and objective judging criteria using the Kansas City BBQ Society judging guidelines as a basis for the taste off. This was a clear failure within ten seconds of suggesting this sane method of evaluation.

As my gal pal Andrea would say “what evs”.

More back story. Belleria has sixteen locations in Northeast Ohio and two franchises in Columbus – thus the prime directive of no chains is compromised. Belleria started in Youngstown in the 1950’s. Why did this place make the cut? They are still unique to Columbus and Clintonville. They deliver to the undisclosed location.

Z Pizza has locations in sixteen states, Washington DC, the Middle East, Mexico and Vietnam. Really. Z pizza is unique in central Ohio with one Clintonville location and one in the Short North. They deliver to the undisclosed location.

I can’t say the battle was hard-fought. We are so used to the value and massive bulk of Adriaticos that getting less pizza for more money was a moral and morale shock. One individual led the discussion with “I hate Z Pizza, it made me sick years ago, so it already lost.” This is the type of thing a food sociologist and enthusiast such as I must deal with. Grrrrrr.

What happened. After some trial and error and a lot of whining about having to wait to watch TV because I was still collecting data, I decided to settle the matter using a McLaughlin Report style aggressive questioning technique of the pros and cons of each pizza with each nerd. After everyone said their peace about the pieces, each person was allowed an opportunity to vote.

Belleria Notes:

“Taste Like Home”
“like the greasy thing going on”
“The best of the cheapest ingredients”
“more fart inducing” (really….this is the caliber of test subjects I am working with here).
“good spicing on the sauce”
“don’t like the spicing on the sauce”
“French Fry Pizza Rocks (also universal)
“like the cakey crust”
“has godfather / Mob qualities”
“hearty, filling – winner by weight for the price”
“reminds me of a Northeast Ohio Mom and Pop Pizza Pie Restaurant”
“spongy lusiciousness”
“tough biscuit quality – chewy, pieogiesque crust”
“the Ohio University of pizza” – under the radar and plucky

Z Pizza Notes:

“hits the flavors that the kids (hipsters) like”
“good crispness, good sear/char and crunch on crust”
“best combination and blend of flavors”
“good Tomato Taste”
“good crust (this was near universal)
“pretentious pizza”
“not memorable”

Having gathered the feedback above with tooth pulling precision I opted to do a vote.

The champion was Belleria with seven votes. Z Pizza received one.

Much like the Henry Fonda character in Twelve Angry Men, I had to respect the observations of the lone dissenter. It is difficult to compare the two pizzas because their styles are very different. Each had strong points and weak points. We thought both were over priced. Other than our resident contrarian who voted against Z Pizza years before, we all found merit in the Z Pizza crust. The French Fry pizza from Belleria is quite superior and deserves a special nod.

Next week: The Battle of Sinclair – Pizza House vs. Pizza Mart

Hoping for a bracket by next week (Hint: Roland).

Posted in Clintonville, culinary knowledge, pizza | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

The Nerd Night Clintonville Pizza Challenge Begins

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 16, 2012

No score and three years ago a small band of intellectuals who met via Columbus Underground started to gather on Monday evenings to discuss very important things, test out new ideas and concepts and debate critical issues of the day. The other 97% of the evening was spent watching three episodes of Battlestar Galactica and eating Adriaticos pizza. The assortment of characters called the gathering Nerd Night. The main cast has remained the same over the past three years with the number of missed Mondays no more than six. New shows have come along and there is an occasional affair with Creole Kitchen, but for the most part, Adriaticos has been consumed every Monday night for the past three years. Dedication – absolutely.

Due to forces beyond reason, also termed as “hey guys, we are going to have another kid”, the hosts decided to quickly flee Victorian Village for larger digs in Clintonville.

We are all a bit disoriented by this change but dealing with it. We will resume Adriaticos in the future? Or maybe not. In honor of March madness and to welcome my new neighbors to Clintonville I have launched the following project to start on March 19th. Please see my copied e-mail below:

OK – here is the plan.
The NERDS will explore the world of Clintonville Pizza using the methods and style of March Madness.

Here is the line up.

Week 1 The Battle of Graceland – Z Pizza vs. Belleria Pizza

Week 2 The Battle of Sinclair – Pizza House vs. Pizza Mart

Week 3 North vs. South – Villa Nova vs. Hounddogs

Week 4 Rumble on Indianola – Dantes vs. Clintonville Pizza

Week 5 Baja Clintonville Battle – Gattos vs. Romeos

Week 6 Wholesome War – Whole World Bakery vs. Northstar

Menus are being gathered. We will need volunteers for pick up at some locations. We will also need to slightly increase the weekly donation to the pizza fund to adequately evaluate the quality of the pies.

To which I received the following replies:

Jim, you’re my hero!

Jim, you’re on my celebrity ‘bone’ list.

This is amazing. I can’t wait! So many new pizzas to try. I did always look forward to Adriatico’s. The current heavyweight gas-producing champion of the world!

So many delivery guys to terrify!!!

This challenge will get us through the rest of season two of The Walking Dead and the last episodes of Big Bang Theory.

I will report on our progress weekly. Stay tuned for the finale. The best pizza in Clintonville will then go up against Adriaticos – the winner being our choice for pizza consumption for the next three years.

Posted in culinary knowledge, culinary misadventure | 5 Comments »

Street Meat Myths: An Editorial

Posted by CMH Gourmand on January 11, 2012

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed in this work are my own and should not be construed as the views of my friends, family, anyone who employs me or uses me as a consultant, current or ex-girlfriends, definitely anyone that dislikes me or the citizens of Singapore. The opinions are probably shared by my dog. My opinions are clearly well-reasoned, insightful and may be a staggering work of genius.

As for you as a reader of this blog, I know I am preaching to the choir.

Recently there was an article in The Columbus Dispatch about placing Food Trucks in Franklinton as a means to help grow an area of town looking for a boost and to create a few jobs. Neat idea, everyone wins. Hooray!

Well…no. There is a vocal minority in our city who have a deep-seated hatred for mobile food. There is also a sizeable apathetic majority who don’t care one way or the other.

This is not a surprise to me. I have encountered these concerns since 2009 when Andy, Bethia and I started the Taco Trucks Columbus website. From our perspective we were sharing a hidden part of Columbus culinary culture with the world. The number and the quality of Taco Trucks in Columbus sets our city apart from any city in the Midwest and most in the country. It has drawn nationwide attention. It puts Columbus on a map. It proves our city has diversity. The food is VERY good.

But to some people, this does not matter. Many detractors have never eaten at a Taco Truck yet they are fast to make all types of allegations about the legitimacy of these businesses. In my experience these accusations were often just thin veils for racism. Harsh words but true.

The non Taco Truck scene of Street Food is on the upswing in Columbus. We are looking at the sophomore year of the new wave of Mobile Fooders this spring. Even with the additional diversity to our Street Meats, there is still some strong negative feedback. The best example from last year involved Yerba Buena. This trailer is the mobile expansion of a very popular Venezulan restaurant called El Arepazo. The trailer set up on a vacant property in the middle of Clintonville with the permission of the property owner. It was enjoyed by the community. And then reports of complaints were forwarded by a Clintonville Area Commissioner. This came as a surpise by many in the neighborhood since north Clintonville has limited restaurant options and the food served by Yerba Buena was considered very good. There is some speculation that the “many” complaints came from one person. Considering I had a conversation about mobile food with the person speculated as the one man army of complaint generation before Yerba Buena hit the scene in Clintonville, I am inclined to agree that the concerns were single-minded….from a single person. Yerba Buena had to move to a less customer friendly location and due to less foot traffic, they has to shut down early for the season. This was a loss for Clintonville which has developed an under the radar mobile food scene. As a very interesting aside, I would like to point out that there has been a mobile food operation located at Blenheim and Indianola (in Clintonville) for over a decade. This operation (less than a mile from the original location of Yerba Buena) received no reports of complaints. Was Yerba Buena targeted? Maybe. An additional note. I live in Clintonville. My neighbors want mobile food since there are limited locations and opportunities to open traditional brick and mortar restaurants in our neighborhood.

Am I biased about this topic, absolutely, however, that does not negate my ability to use reason and good sense. I have been deeply invested in the world of mobile food for over two years. I know it is not a fad. It is a resurging style of business that is trending more now to the mainsteam due to a limping economy. Is Mobile Food good for our communities and our local economies? Yes. I say this without reluctance or reservation.

I now make a living by helping people start a mobile or non mobile food business. I see people literally everyday who have a dream and a desire to build something of their own. I get to help most of them do that. For many going mobile is the only way that can realize that dream. The costs to start a new brick and mortar restaurant are beyond the budgets of most of the 99% and too risky for most banks. I am a board member of the Central Ohio Restaurant Association, I am not going to support anything to break a brick and mortar restaurant business. Mobile food is not a threat to brick and mortar businesses, in fact it can be a boon. Many established restaurants are looking for ways to make mobile work for them by having their own mobile operations. Columbus is considered by many to have one of the hottest food truck scenes this side of the Mississipi. As a city, we have the opportunity to support this concept and add it to the identity of Columbus. Unfortunately, there is a vocal minority who are not on board and seem intent on derailing any efforts to make our city a mobile food destination.

Mobile Food also allows a business person to take a risk on a menu concept or a part of town that no one else is willing or able to do. New businesses mobile or brick and mortar bring new life and vibrancy to forgotten parts of town. This is currently going on in Old Town East.

OK. Take a break and a stretch then come back to keep reading because I am just getting started.

Now back to The Columbus Dispatch article.

There were some supportive comments, but most were, well. read for yourself. I am copying the less inflammatory comments in italics and responding to and debunking each.

This should be combined with Coleman’s gang-control xbox events at the community centers. Park ’em outside the rec centers and let everyone experience the brilliance that is Columbus. Seriously though, taco and fancy desert trucks parked in front of an empty ghetto store front aren’t about to attract many into the hoods – where do these people get these ideas…. and why is the Dispatch dumb enough to print them? oh that’s right, Portland did it!

Hmm, a new food concept attracting people to the hoods (or anywhere)? Could it happen? Yes. Once upon a time there was a place in Columbus called the Short North. In the 1980’s, it was a seedy part of town. A couple of businesses took a chance and planted roots along High Street. One of these pioneers was Rigsbys Kitchen. People came. The area grew. How did they attract people to this area? One idea was to have a Gallery Hop once per month. Other examples where mobile food has helped grow an area down on its luck: South Congress neighborhood of Austin, Texas, Oakland, California and Cleveland.

Hmm. New, independent food business sets up in a part of town coming off the skids, add some art and…..the Short North has a rebirth. Wacky, crazy. How could FOOD+ART=Progress?

“Portland did it!”
Yes they did and minus a few speed bumps its has worked well and added to the identity of the city. You know what else I want Columbus to steal from Portland….more bike lanes and microbreweries.

This is another way to blight an area. Food trucks come in and take business from brick and mortar eating establishments and some will go out of business. This is another bone head move. Don’t let it happen.

The people I have spoken with in Franklinton don’t share this view. There are limited dining options in Franklinton, especially on the evening and weekends. There is a need for more food choices and a desire to grow, nurture and support new, small independent businesses. I know and have spoken with two Franklinton area restaurant owners. They are not concerned about losing business to a food truck, they want more people to come to Franklinton…because they care about the community and have a desire to attract new customers as well. Statements about food trucks killing a brick and mortar restaurant are frequently made, but to date, I have yet to have anyone give me a real life example where this happened….anywhere.

What a moron idea that is. Is it art or food or what? Anyway it cheapens an area to see skanky taco trucks parked. What about health concerns and are they paying taxes? This is unfair to restaurants who follow all of the rules.

Let’s start with health concerns.

Taco Trucks (an all mobile vendors) are inspected by the Columbus Board of Health. Each truck should display a green Columbus Health Department Color Coded Inspection Sign with the date of the last inspection. Inspections occur at least once per year, just like any restaurant or food supplier. Taco Truck owners must have a peddlers license as well.

Health Department Tested, CMH Gourmand Approved

Health Department Tested, CMH Gourmand Approved

A yellow health department tag means the truck has been warned about a health code issue and is on probation while they implement recommended changes – so menu items may be limited. A red sticker indicates a major health code violation and the business is closed.

Mobile food vendors, including taco trucks, can get a bad rap. Hot dog carts and hamburger stands fought these same stereotypes in the 20th century as they evolved into American icons. How many restaurant kitchens have you seen? This writer has seen some very scary kitchens behind closed doors. Mobile Food vendors operate open kitchens – customers can see every step in the preparation process for start to serving time. If you are wary of a truck – order the cheapest item – watch how it is prepared. If something gives you the creeps – pay, walk away and call the Health department, cut your losses and move on to the next truck. The owner of the truck is often the one cooking your food. He or she depends on repeat business to stay in business and cleanliness is the key to happy customers and health inspectors. The inspectors make regular spot checks on mobile food vendors just as they do for restaurants, grocery stores, fair food stands and elsewhere. So the answer is: mobile food operations are as clean as any other food you eat and in this case – at least you can see it before you eat it.

And….part two: are they paying taxes? This is unfair to restaurants who follow all of the rules.

Do mobile food vendors pay taxes. Yes. They also pay rent, buy liability insurance, fork over cash for a peddlers permit, sign on the dotted line for several licenses and inspections with the city Health and Public Safety Departments, buy gas at your local gas station, purchase food from local purveyors and follow the same guidelines and expectations as a restaurant. If mobile food operations don’t follow the rules, they get cited and go out of business quickly.

What a wonderful idea..to consider a bunch of itinerant “roach coaches” as art. Ptomaine Tomas never had it so good. Just not quite like the present day Hawker Centres in Singapore. But, then the economic vitality is not quite the same in Columbus, OH either. There is no way a service based economy that Columbus has descended into will ever achieve the greatness of it’s long lost industrial/manufacturing economic base.

I am going to be snarky here. Read the article again – the trucks are not the art component of these plans. As for the other comments, well, they reflect the writer.

Too many restaurants are at their margin between staying afloat or going under. Hoggy’s just closed all but one location and these typhoid trucks on wheels want to serve food on the fly. No thanks.

Why are these restaurants going under? Hoggys was not put into receivership by a food truck nor has any other restaurant in Columbus. To my knowledge, I can not recall any food truck that has ever been in a mile of any Hoggy’s location. One reason restaurants go under….they are expensive to run and difficult to staff. The money that it takes to open a new restaurant in this economy is just not viable or sustainable for most people. Competition is good for any business as long as the playing field is fair. Most mobile operators would say the deck is more stacked against them than a brick and mortar restaurant when current city regulations and weather are considered….I agree.

The food trucks explosion has boomed in both downtown Cleveland and Fountain Square in Cincy but of course this is Columbus where it won’t be done properly and will get no support. Soooooo Columbus……

There is support, we just need to grow it. We can do this properly in Columbus and we can do this better than Cleveland, Cincinnati and any other city in the country with some minor tweaks in city legislation, good menu concepts and a zero tolerance for inaccurate and misleading statements that are presented as fact.

Those in the (real) food business know that food trucks are an invitation to problems. The lack of adequate running water and sewer service is an issue. Also many food trucks use many ice chests instead of refrigerators. Ice cannot keep food at the required temperatures as set by the health department standards. It would be safe to say mobile food trucks are not healthy.

I have been in the (real) food business. I still work with and represent people who are in the REAL food business. It is not safe to say mobile food trucks are not healthy…it is outright incorrect. All mobile operations are required to have a three compartment sink and a hand washing sink and they do. As for sewer service….I’m not sure how that is supposed to apply to this situation. Mobile carts are required to (and do) operate from a licensed commissary for food storage, grease and cooking oil disposal and such so they can comply with health and safety guidelines.

Part two: Also many food trucks use many ice chests instead of refrigerators.

Really? Which ones? This not something I have encountered. If so, it what ways were the ice chests used illegally or not in compliance to health code regulations. Again, food carts, trucks and trailers are inspected by the Health Department to make sure they are in compliance with the law (as are restaurants). Operators have to take a food safety class (I took it, it is good and offered in several languages). There are some “bad” mobile operators out there but in my observations the percentage is no higher than the “bad” restaurants. Vote with your pocketbook and if you have a legitimate concern report it, but don’t feed ignorance with assumptions and inaccurate statements.

A final serving of food for thought. When White Castle started in the 1920’s they dealt with many of the same myths of health issues, taxes, etc. These negative comments are a product of fear of something new and ignorance, these are rarely based on a real expereince.

And so ends my editorial.

-soapbox scooted away,
–lights dimmed,
—throat cleared in a dignified manner,
—- exit stage left.

Posted in culinary knowledge, Gastronomic Stimulus | Tagged: , , , | 13 Comments »

Green B.E.A.N. Delivery: My First Volley Against Winter

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 30, 2011

I have several friends who subscribe to CSA’s. I know a few people who grow food for, fill bags for and who are a bit disappointed that I have never gotten one of their CSA or market bags. Does that make me a bad person….yes. At the end of the last winter I discovered the power a giant pile of vegetables has to fight back against the weariness of the season (thanks again Chef’s Garden). This year, I am filling up my arsenal against winter “meh” early.

Green B.E.A.N. Delivery combines some aspects of a CSA with elements of some home delivery services. Unlike a traditional CSA, Green B.E.A.N. delivers all year. In contrast to home delivery, there is a core group of items you can expect to receive which you can add to or subtract from as long as the order total is $35 or more. You can order once or every week. They also have a new office bin program to deliver health snacks to offices.

Green B.E.A.N. services six Midwestern Metropolitan areas including Columbus (Cincinnati, Dayton, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, and Louisville too, if you are counting). The company started in 2007 with green goals including making “healthy and sustainably grown local food affordable, accessible, and convenient.” Based on my order, my observation is they are achieving their goals. As for the bean part – this is what it stands for: “B.E.A.N. is an acronym that represents our core initiatives; Biodynamic, Education, Agriculture, and Nutrition.”

Local produce and artisanal foods are sourced when possible. If not available respected organic purveyors and ecologically sound companies are sourced from. These were some of the familiar names I could include in my order: Stan Evans Bakery, Blue Jacket Diary, Frog Ranch Pickles and Salsas, Luna Burger, Shagbark tortilla chips and City BBQ sauces (yes, really). The rest of the selections are regionally or nationally sourced from brands suchs as Naked, Kashi and Bolthouse. Other than beverages (I would love someone to deliver beer and wine to my house) and toiletries/detergent I could fill about 90% of my typical store list via Greenbean Delivery. Looking at the price points for the add-on items, the service is still reasonable when time, gas and other intangible costs are factored in.

I came home from work last Thursday to find this on my porch –

Inside was a reusable styrofoam cooler to keep my food cool. There was also an ice pack sealed in a ziplock bag to protect my produce and dry goods from a leaky source of coldness. (As someone who has ordered ice cream online and received melting mess in response, these small touches make a big difference). For $35 this is what I received: 1 Edible Columbus Magazine (comes free if you want one), 1 pack of Stan Evan’s Crackers ($6.75), 1 F2K Cranberry Almond Bar ($2.50)((It was really good)), 2 Butternut squashes, 1 large bunch of carrots, green beans, 1 bag of Klamath Pearl Potatoes, 4 Gala apples, 3 Navel Oranges, 2 avacados, 2 limes, 1 bag of mushrooms and 1 large head of Romaine lettuce. I opted out of the onions from my order and did not request a replacement.

So, you can adjust the produce to some extent but similar to a CSA you may find yourself challenged by getting an array of items you may not select on automatic pilot at the store. (I am a creature of habit, you can predict what I will pick up at the store with 99% accuracy. Many who know me and know how much I eat out (um, this is for professional reasons people, I do it all for you) often wonder if I can cook. I can, my specialties are most notably the hot dog arts, chili and soups. But looking at what I received – nothing daunting. I made several salads. Lime + Avacado = Guacamole. Green beans and potatoes was a staple as a kid and the non fruit leftovers made for a good soup.

I ordered the small produce bin which is intended for two to three people. It was a bit too much for me but if I get the bin two to three times per month it should work out well for CMH Tobias and I. (P.S. Green B.E.A.N. Delivery, my dog would like to see some dog treats and organic, grass fed rabbit in your mix).

The final verdict? Would I order again, yes. For the month of January I can probably avoid leaving my house at all using Greenbean Delivery. That is a good idea because I have a lot of blog posts to wrap up.

To learn more about what Green B.E.A.N. Delivery does in the the community take a look at their Facebook page.

Greenbean website

Green B.E.A.N. Delivery Ohio website

Green B.E.A.N. Delivery on Facebook

Disclaimer / Disclosure:
(I was contacted by Green B.E.A.N. Delivery with an offer to try a bin for free. At the time I had a 50% off coupon for them from Baconcamp and I was deciding on when to use it. So I saw that as a sign to take action. I do not often write in exchange for a product and when I do, if I don’t care for it, then I don’t mention it. That is my policy on such matters.)

Posted in culinary knowledge, Vegetarian Friendly | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

Hot Dog University: Serving Up The American Dream

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 24, 2011

In the heart of hot dog country, to be specific, at USDA site #0001, The Vienna Beef Factory, Chicago Illinois, Mark Reitman is teaching the art of the cart. After living a life on the bun he decided to teach the art and science of owning and operating a hot dog cart to a growing number of people looking to cook up their own business. Mark is a PH.D, (Professor of Hot Dogs) at Hot Dog University.

Hot Dog U is serving the American Dream in a two day class on all things hot dog. This is definitely a course where you do not mind spending time after class. Mark has been preparing for his professorship all of his life. He grew up in the hot dog culture of Chicago’s west side. His first hot dog was on Maxwell Street (the Mecca of Chicago Hot Dogs) at the age of five. In the 1950’s he worked soda fountain of his dad’s drug store. In high school he flipped burgers and mixed malts at a local landmark known as Henry’s Drive-In. During college, he worked the best job of his career as commissary manager for largest all-girl dormitory at school. He then worked as a teacher and school counselor while working side jobs as a salesman and pinch hitter for various food businesses owned by family and friends.

After decades of sales, schmoozing and deal making he could not convince his wife to open a hot dog stand with him so he asked if they could settle for a cart. In 2003, The Grateful Dog cart began serving to the public and Mark found that he had hit the mark for an independent business. People sought him out for tips and trade secrets for the art of the cart so he opened Hot Dog University in 2006. He started taking students to the Vienna Beef Plant to see and understand how hot dogs are made. As a result many of graduates began ordering and selling Vienna Beef hot dogs, which caught the attention of the company. In 2009, the Vienna Beef asked Mark to become part of the family and move the headquarters of Hot Dog U from Milwaukee to Chicago. Since it’s founding 500 plus students have graduated from Mark’s program. In 2010, 138 students passed through the hallowed halls of hot doggery at Vienna Beef. This year, added classes are continuing to fill up with people in search of the Amercian Dream.

In April, I was one of those students. I met Mark in 2008 when I was touring Vienna Beef as part of the Dirty Frank’s Chicago Hot Dog research project.

Since then, I have developed an in depth knowledge of Columbus Street food in the form of Taco Trucks and Mobile Vendors.

I am a believer in street food and mobile vending. It is a sign of the times. While we might not be able to afford a steak nowadays we always seem to find time and money for a tubesteak. That is reality that inspires people to follow their dreams of being their own boss in the form of a hot dog cart. As our society and economy come full circle to the eras that celebrated the hot dog, the depression sandwich, (as the hot dog was known in the 1930’s) is seeing a resurgence. The hot dog, economical eating and a budget friendly start up business go hand in hand during our own hard times.

The seven other students in my class came from around the country: New Mexico, South Carolina, Michigan and two sides of Chicago. We also had one student “stuck in Effingham” for most of the first day fighting snow and train delays. Everyone had a different story for enrolling in class. Every reason was a reflection of our new world – people need or want to take a risk to make a new life but something with limited risk and a proven track record is more appealing, especially for the culinary impaired. Mark made sure to cater the class to the needs and experience level of his students including his first ever mobile food truck vendor (as Mark and I agreed…the times they are a changing and the bigger the wheels the more hot dogs you can sell).

Mark started with a frank discussion on running a small business. Any good businessperson needs to know their product. We donned our lab coats and hairnets for our first field trip. Since the pedigree of hot dogs has been poked fun at since their inception, we took a three-hour tour of the Vienna Beef plant to understand what makes an encased meat a hot dog. Mark became the Willy Wonka of Wieners during our magical meatery tour. We started with freshly butchered cuts of meat being cut by hand and followed those cuts of beef as they were sliced, diced, grinded, grinded again, encases, cooked, smoked and packaged. We never had to ask, “Where’s the Beef?” Throughout the tour were instructed on hot dog science and terminology: skinless vs. natural casing, 9:1, 8:1, 6:1, 5:1 and 4:1 hot dogs (graduates know what that means), what makes a hot dog snap, the difference between lamb/sheep linings and hog linings (parts are not just parts they have a purpose) and more. Mark led us to the test lab to try out a wide variety of hot dogs made at the plant and cooked different ways. We then watched the packaging process and visited the specialty departments before heading to the cafeteria for lunch… hot dogs of course. To say we were fully immersed in our first half day of class would be an understatement.

Vienna Beef is an amazing wonderland of meat. Not all hot dogs are created equal (or even made with the same stuff). It is hard not to respect the commitment and adherence to tradition this family operated company maintains for their product. Vienna Beef hot dogs cost more but there is good sense for paying the extra cents. You do get what you pay for in the world of hot dogs. In addition to a variety hot dogs and sausages; the plant also produces 100 soups and six types of chili for retail and commercial businesses.

We headed back to the classroom for a whirlwind of information on choosing and outfitting a cart, permits, food safety, the proper temperature for (re) cooking a hot dog, finding a base station, pricing, marketing and more. My notebook, course manual and brain were as stuffed as a Polish sausage with information as I headed out of the class at the end of the first day.

On day two, we met at Restaurant Depot to walk through the store using the seasoned eye of a street-smart street meat vendor. Mark instructed us on what to buy, what equipment to use and purchase, how to look at hot dog packaging labels to determine a plethora of information about the quality of the hot dog and a countless list of do and don’t for operating a cart. For example, tongs do matter. Get two sets and make sure they are springless. Don’t trust me on this, take it from Mark, he can give you ten reasons why. Don’t put the cart before the course if you can help it because knowing what is needed and how to equip a cart is going to save a new owner time and money and countless mistakes. Mark advises students not to buy a cart until after they take the class and time and time again, the sage wisdom of this was proven in our discussions. I walked out of Restaurant Depot armed with knowledge everything I would need to buy on day one of hot dog slinging, how much my equipment would cost and what to do with it…..or at least what not to do.

The next part of class was the final exam: cooking hot dogs. We set up a cart in the Vienna Beef parking lot then had Mark run us through everything from start to finish. We steamed buns, grilled and simmered hot dogs and sausages, checked our water temperature and learned the art of selecting the right music for peddle our wares.

We headed back to class after lunch for more advanced hot dog studies. Mark is a brainstormer and barnstormer when in comes to cart marketing. He explains how to use the five senses to sniff out business for your hot dogs. Hot dogs elicit an emotional response, to the right side of our brains. The smell of a hot dog and the primary colors with it (red and yellow) take us back to childhood (and if that grew up in Chicago takes you back to the neighborhood you grew up in). Owning your own business strikes an emotional cord too. Other practical tips are covered as well such as stocking the right beverages. The type of soda selected is a demographic and geographic choice – you need to know your customer or you could be stuck with a cooler full of Grape Crush at a field hockey game. What is the most important factor in a successful hot dog cart (other than the personality and dog tired resolution of the hot dog vendor)? Location, Location, Location. The class covers location with a couple genius ideas I never thought of in two years of chasing street vendors in Columbus.

During our classes, the top dogs of Vienna Beef visited us. The Chicago Mob left town but not the sense of kinship that comes from doing business in the Windy City. In the most sincere and heartfelt tones we were told that Vienna Beef supported any business that sells their products and the examples given were not a haed sell. There is a true sense of family and everyone seems focused on wanting everyone new businessperson in this class to make their dream a reality.

So was the class worth it. For me, absolutely (it was free). However, I was there as both a writer and a potential mobile operator. I would pay the full price for the class just for what comes after your graduate: people who can answer any question about the business you have and are committed to helping you get the resources you need to solve any problems you might encounter along the way. My notebook was full of things to save money, as well as minutes, weeks and months of missteps and wrong turns by getting first hand advice from someone that was successful in the business.

As a parting gift, I am going to give one of Marks tips away (not a product endorsement). Ice Mountain plastic bottles are better because the labels are less likely to peel off in the icy water of a cooler. For my friends at Vienna Beef, Mark and the city of Chicago I should also state for the record….. never put ketchup on a hot dog. Thank you Hot Dog U for a useful education.

Say Hi to Hot Dog U on Facebook

There are a few places they sling a Chicago dog in Columbus.

Dirty Franks
248 South 4th Street
Downtown

Loops Good Food
Upper Arlington
1629 Northwest Blvd

Wholly Joes

Posted in culinary knowledge, hot dogs, Road Trip | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

Summer Solstice Spricebush Celebration: at Jackie O’s, (Athens) June 18th

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 21, 2011

So you survived the rapture? Now get ready for the Solstice. Chris Chimel has a knack for taking something off the culinary radar and placing it in the center of attention. He took the lowly, forgotten Pawpaw and made it the state fruit Then he helped organize a festival to celebrate everything Pawpaw, including Pawpaw beer for three straight days. Not to be content with Pawpaw pushing, making creative goat cheeses, selling local foods and cranking out ramp crackers he and the Athens community turned their attention to the Spicebush.

In addition to celebrating the departure of students from OU, the Spicebush Celebration will offer education, Spicebush cooking demonstrations, Spicebush beer and foods, music and more. One of the best breweries in the state Jackie O’s is making the beer and hosting the inaugural event. Plus it is the Athens rural-metro area which is my favorite culinary region in the state. Go and celebrate the solstice southern Ohio style.

For more details check out Integration Acres

Chris is a pretty neat guy, to learn more about him and his works read this.

Posted in Athens, culinary knowledge, Road Trip | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Tremont Goodie Shop: More Than Just A Bakery

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 11, 2011

And now for something completely different…… guest commentary.

Columbus is lucky to have a very large and devoted cadre of food enthusiasts with an unconscious agenda to grow good food in our city. Through exploration, education, encouragement, advice, allocating 40% or more of disposable income to the culinary arts and a good amount of twittering around, these people are guiding Columbus into a more food focused town. I am happy to call many of these people my friends. I am also happy that I can not count all of these movers and shakers with all of my fingers and toes. Indeed, there are that many people escalating eating forward, around and upside down in our town.

My friend Molly Kurth serves on the board of Slow Food Columbus and is vocal supporter of our food community especially her neighborhood haunts Basi Italia, Knead and Cafe Corner. Today she is sharing one of her favorite places since childhood. Photographs are by our mutual friend Kate Djupe who is a chef, photographer, gardener, canner and person extraordinaire.

Frosted Butter Star Cookies. Those four words evoke memories, flavors, moments and smiles for me in a way that few other foods do. Those little cookies, compliments of The Tremont Goodie Shop, represent more than just delicious little baked treats (and they are delicious!). They represent tradition and community and, for me, my childhood. My grandma would take us there on our weekend adventures, letting us pick out a treat or two and, for me it was always the frosted butter star cookie. Those cookies still bring a smile to my face every time I walk in the shop and I can hardly ever walk out without a few in a bag, eating them as I walk out the door.

If you have not experienced The Goodie Shop, let me give you an idea of what you are missing so you can hurry up and add it to your list of “Things I Must Try in Columbus”. Tucked in the Tremont Shopping Center, in an area one of my friends fondly calls the Bermuda Triangle of Arlington, is a business that is first and foremost a family. And, in case you wondered how a business can be a family, let me share a story with you. Back in 2009, The Goodie Shop was going through a transition that was going to force them to close for a few months. It was emotional for the family who had owned it for more than 50 years and it was a sad moment for those in the community who had gotten their birthday cakes, holiday rolls, weekend donuts or just a simple treat while they were in the area. I became one of the fierce advocates posting on Twitter and Facebook about the closing of The Goodie Shop and our hope that it would be saved by those who loved it most. Soon there were posts about selling t-shirts and coming out to support them as they made their best effort to repurchase everything at the mandated auction, which would occur after a community rally to save The Goodie Shop. The outpouring of community support and love was overwhelming, even to the casual observer and an emotional buoy for the people trying to save the business that had become a family for this community.

During the period of time that the shop was closed, my best friends from college were coming to town for our annual girls’ weekend, which was doubling as a baby shower for one of the girls. I was saddened that I would not be able to get my cake from The Goodie Shop and began the search for where I was going to go. In the midst of the search, the returning owners of The Goodie Shop (whose father had owned it years before) reached out and said “we’ll make it for you at our home – just send us pictures of what you want and we will meet you at the Chef-o-nette to pick it up”. Yep, that is what I mean by family.

So, fast forward to 2011, where I have a few friends who have *never* been to The Goodie Shop – what? I know. But instead of berating them (okay, there was a little of that), I organized a mini-tour of the Tremont Center, where we got to sample some of The Goodie Shops classic treats. Emilie Smith, whose mom Debbie Smith, owns the shop, did an amazing job putting together a tasting for us, letting us sample some of the beloved treats and even bringing in Snowville Creamery Milk for us to enjoy with the sweets. Emilie is successfully carrying on the legacy that was created by her grandfather, one that is rooted in the community and the traditions of so many families who grew up here.

So, I will leave you with a few of my favorite treats and hope that you discover a few of your own too:
Molly’s favorites:

Frosted Butter Star Cookies (buy several, trust me.)

Chocolate Frosted Long Johns and Classic Glazed Yeast Donuts
(get there early or pre-order the donuts, when they are gone, they are gone.)

6-Pan Cinnamon Rolls (a must-have for holiday mornings in our house)

Dinner Rolls
(choose your style, so good and one less thing you have to do for Thanksgiving dinner!)

Cream Horns
(light and flaky, one of the few places that still makes their dough from scratch!)

White cake with white Icing
– Miranda, one of Debbie’s daughters, does much of the decorating (if not all of it) and has made some awesome designs – you can check out the gallery online.

Tremont Goodie Shop
located in Tremont Center
2116 Tremont Center
Upper Arlington
614.488.8777
www.theoriginalgoodieshop.com
Hours: M-F 7a-6p; Sat 7a-5p; closed Sundays

Writer and Foodista Molly is a Columbus native who loves sharing her passion for the people and food in her community. After many years living away from Columbus, she is back and discovering how much cool stuff the city has to offer.

Posted in bakery, Columbus, culinary knowledge, desserts, donuts | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

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