CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

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The Original Crispie Creme Donuts: On the Ohio Donut Trail in Chillicothe

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 7, 2011


Welcome back to the Ohio Donut Trail, the ongoing mission to find the finest fried dough in Ohio. During this phase of the intensive research process these are the donuteries at the top of the leaderboard: DK Diner, Auddino’s, and Bill’s.

The donut tasting team took a trip south to dig into the donut heritage of Ohio’s other half, south of I-70. One third of our three stop tour took us to Chillicothe. Our destination was Crispie Creme. Not that Krispy Kreme, it is this Crispie Creme. KK has served donuts since 1937. Chillicothe’s own Crispie Creme has crafted dough since 1929.

This shop serves as a community meeting point and landmark in Chillicothe. The counter is well-worn from elbow scuffs by generations of donut eaters killing time on a stool catching up with neighbors while watching the donut construction process in the kitchen directly behind the service area. All donut styles are represented on the menu as well as some less common variants including Mountain Tops (chocolate frosted doughnuts with a large dollop of creamy icing on top), maplenut bismarks, fudgies and lots of jelly filled and topped treats.

During our visit, we saw four generations of Crispie Creme fans come in together to pick out a box for their clan. The son of the entourage was about five years old. He was given the honor of carrying the box out the door to the pick up truck with the warning “boy, if you drop that box you better run as fast as you can”. At the same time, I had a box in my hands too, so I could feel the responsibility and the fear of crispie creme custody. Neither of us dropped our boxes. I also considered running as fast as I could but since I was not driving I opted to share.

There are some interesting mysteries about Crispie Creme. First what is the Original Recipe they tout on the sign? Alas, I did not think to ask until we were twenty miles away on State Route 35 heading to Bill’s in Centerville. Another mystery involves their merchandising. In an area that would safely be labeled conservative, in a place serving a traditional product as scared as apple pie, hots dogs and Chevrolet, how it that all of their shirts and such are tie-dyed or brightly colored and infused with peace symbols? Could hippies have taken over at some point in the 1960’s with their Sweet Love? This dichotomy works because I made a rare impulse clothing purchase to prove this marketing approach really happened and really worked in small town USA.

The donut tasting team tried the donuts and we found them to be good. What we liked more was the character and spirit of this place. There is a lot of history at Crispie Creme and a lot of donuts to sample while you soak in the ambiance of Chillicothe.

47 North Bridge Street
Chillicothe
740.774.3770

Disclaimer and foreshadowing: I anticipate that someone will ask about New System Bakery. I wanted to go but New System is not open weekends and not open late in the day so the Ohio Donut Tour will have to wait for a while on this one. I don’t know what new system New System uses but I can assure you Crispie Creme uses the old system and they use it well.

New System Bakery
175 E Main St
Chillicothe
740.773.2885

Crispie Creme Donut Shop on Urbanspoon

Posted in donuts, Ohio Donut Trail, Road Trip | Tagged: , , | 26 Comments »

Benny’s Pizza: Marysville

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 30, 2011


When Marysville comes up in conversation four things are mentioned: Scott’s, Honda, Doc Henderson’s Restaurant and Benny’s Pizza. Benny’s seems to be mentioned the most and I became increasingly curious about the place. However, I could never convince myself to drive out to Marysville just for pizza. On my way home from Hot Dog University I found myself ahead of schedule and wanting to avoid rush hour traffic so I decided I would check on Benny’s.

The exterior (the exterior’s actually) of Benny’s did not suggest anything noteworthy. There are two buildings, one is a carry out only location for quick pick ups the other dining in location includes part of what I believe to be an old Frosttop Root Beer stand.

As I walked in, Benny’s looked more like a sports bar. The walls are lined with all things Ohio sports related. There is a signed 1976 Reds World Series team shirt, Ohio State jerseys, more Browns and Tribe memorabilia than some Cleveland bars have and much more. There are bleacher seats from old Riverfront Stadium. While sports enthusiasm is big at Benny’s, music is bigger. The walls are also filled with signed photos of rock and country stars including one of Eric Clapton’s guitars. An impressive bill of local and regional musicians fills the giant patio and/or the bar most weekends. The beer selection is extensive and should impress sports and music fans alike.

Considering the focus on the above, I was not sure Benny’s would need to focus on the pizza. I was pleased to find out that they do take their pies very seriously and that pizza makes Benny’s the destination with everything else a significant bonus. The pizza at Benny’s delivers. It is a medium thick crust featuring a cracker style rim with a nice snap, crackle and pop to it. The cheese tends to char and brown on the crust edge in a most divine way. The cheese is thickly applied to the pizza on top of a sauce with a tease of sweetness to it. There are many topping combinations to choose from including “Garbage” which is all fourteen toppings. The pizza is served old school on a pizza tray. As a bonus, when I bounced into my booth, I was greeted with a basket of popcorn to nibble on while I studied the menu.

My pizza was great, I would place it in my top 10 to 15 for central Ohio based on just one pizza. The rest of the menu has a lot to offer including Stromboli, pasta dinners and Robin’s Ribs which are often mentioned as some of the best BBQ ribs in the area.

I was also happy to find out the place kept some of the Frosttop heritage by making and serving their own root beer in frosty mugs that they are not shy about refilling. I was also happy to see that they support local drinking by serving Eldchrist wines. Benny’s is well worth the drive for pizza and a beer and a show.

Benny’s Pizza
968 Columbus Road
Marysville
Dine In: 937.644.8383
Carry out: 937.644.0881

Benny's Pizza on Urbanspoon

Posted in bar, beer, pizza, Road Trip | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Taqueria Mercado: Fairfield, Ohio. A Good Goat Taco is Never Too Far Away

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 15, 2011

I had one sole purpose for frequenting Fairfield, Ohio (the greater Cincinnati area one) – Jungle Jim’s. It is the best grocery store ever. I have never written about it because they do not allow photography. However, there is a Mexican Restaurant 1.4 miles down the Dixie Highway that is worth your time when visiting Fairfield and may be worth the drive without the Jungle Jim’s detour side trip.

Taqueria Mercado is not just a restaurant but a one stop shop for most things Mexican including a small grocery store (tienda), a bakery (panaderia) and a meat counter. Breakfast is served daily and includes fresh squeezed orange juice and six sumptuous Mexican egg dishes which can also be converted to torta or burrito form on request. They make the best Huevos Rancheros that I am aware of in the State of Ohio. Si es la verdad.

Tacos are served Mexican style with no dumbing down for the Gringos. The meat selections would make any Columbus Taco Truck fan envious (carne asada, al pastor pork, barbacoa, carnitas, chorizo, tripe, saudero and Lengua (tongue). The lunch/dinner menu includes all the standards: burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, etc. as well as some unexpectedly good vegetarian options, several shrimp dishes and exceptional house dinner plates.

For first time visitors, I suggest working as a team by ordering as much as possible with at least some initial intention of sharing. The House Special includes grilled chicken, grilled shrimp and well-seasoned Mexican rice covered in the house white Mexican cheese dip. Get the cheese dip on something, on everything if possible. Many of the entrees are served with fresh, steaming hot tortillas which will need at least five minutes to cool down. Chips and salsa costs money here – which might come as a shock to some that are used to gringoized Mexican chains but what Taqueria Mercado has to offer is well worth $1.50. The chips are delightfully fresh and not mass produced. The salsa is spectacular and served in a large bowl. It was so good, I considered taking some to drink as shots later. There are several squirt bottle sauces at the table as well, they are equally good and immensely edible and drinkable.

Speaking of shots, I should give a shout out to the Margaritas. The large house margarita on the rocks is very good. It has a latent, stealthy slam-dunk drunkenness power that should not be unobserved or underappreciated. I am glad a had a designated driver and that I opted not to buy anything during my somewhat impaired first thirty minutes at Jungle Jim’s.

Last and not least, I will bring the weekend specials to your attention. Taqueria Mercado got goat. Good goat. Very good, goaty, well-cooked goat. On Saturday and Sunday you can order goat tacos, a platter of perfectly cooked goat meat or goat soup. Or you could get Menudo, aka, Tripe soup. Taqueria Mercado also offers a daily special during each weekday including authentic favorites such as huaraches and pozole.

Desserts are made in house at the bakery. The Tres Leches is tasty. I have not sampled much Mexican fare in the Cincinnati metro area but I will go head and say this is probably the best in that city. I have sampled just about every Latino fueled restaurant in Columbus and based on that extensive research I can say that Taqueria Mercado is as good as the best Columbus has to offer. The restaurant is worth the drive to Fairfield if you want to eat great Mexican food at a very good price.

Taqueria Mercado
6507 Dixie Highway
Fairfield
513.942.4943
Monday to Sunday 9:00 am to 9:30 pm

Posted in restaurants, Road Trip | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Reflections on Donut Consumption: The Ohio Donut Trail So Far

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 3, 2011

This post is sponsored by the letter D. D is for Disappointment. In my younger days when I would run full speed to kick the football of success but found it pulled away at the last possible moment I did not recover so well (ref: Brown, C.). After disconnecting from the world for months on end, I would eventually find myself and my backpack somewhere in Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere roaming the backroads. What I eventually found in my travels is that there are some events I will never understand and very little of what may or may not happen on the big scale can be controlled.

D is for Distraction. I also found the best way to recharge myself and get back on the playing field is to find something to obsess about other than why what I wanted to happen did not. The first time my obsession led to action, I made a binder of mini-restaurant reviews called the Good Food Guide which I pushed onto friends, acquaintances and strangers. My next obsession was ice cream. I wrote my first “big” magazine article about the best ice cream stands places in our state for Ohio Magazine (May, 1998). Then I created a web site about ice cream so I could figure out how HTML worked – Ice Cream Ohio. You may have also read about a few Taco Trucks in Columbus. I blundered into directing my obsession into things I could learn about as a distraction and in return I was saved from roaming the world like an Ancient Mariner trying to figure the unfigurable. I still roam the world as often as I can but for different reasons (mostly to step back from my day to day life in order to find something or someone to inspire me to the next big thing).

D is for Donut. Reading this blog for the last few months you might get the impression that I love donuts. Such is not the case. However, I have found some donuts that I do love. Donald’s Donuts, Voodoo Donuts and Donut World each served as sites for major epiphanies on the repeated ass kicking 2010 gave me. Loosely connecting those dots and observing the power of the D-O-N-U-T on people, I decided that some additional research and discovery was needed. At this juncture, readers, we are at the midpoint of the donut chronicles as I plot out the Ohio Donut trail. My favorite donuts so far hail from Auddino’s, Bill’s and DK Diner.

In the process of donut discovery, I had a donut tasting party at Fortress Gourmand. Here are a few trends that were noted. Few donuts are good after more than a few hours out of the kitchen. The best donuts are still great up to a few days after purchase. Maple glaze seems to be an Ohio thing. Most of the best donuteries seem to offer the maple option. We had an Ohio maple donut challenge and the winner was Bill’s. We had the first Ohio Apple Fritter Throwdown. The results here were mixed. The most memorable comment concerned the DK Diner apple fritter – “Is that a loaf of bread?” It was not but it is clearly the mother of all apple fritters. DK Diner tied for first among fritters with Auddinos which was noted to be the most “applely.” We also decided that the best donuts have a bit of crunch on the outside and a lot of fresh and chewy on the inside (Auddino’s, Bill’s and DK Diner as exhibits A, B and D).

A donut tasting might sound decadent, because it is, but it is more fun than people should be allowed to have. There will be another donutpolooza. There may also be a March Maddness of Donuts where my donut detectives and I will pit the best against the best to determine the finest donut in Columbus and Ohio.

There seem to be a lot of special memories connected with donuts as well as special connections to people and place. College and donuts seem to pair well. Late night dining and early morning road trips line up nicely with these doughy treats. There is always a certain camaraderie connected to donuts. Maybe because donut counters are the great equalizer of the masses just like diners are. Maybe it is because the lowly donut is cheap and fast and easy to share. There is a reason boxes of donuts pop up at any office. A box of donuts offers diversity and democracy to everyone – grab a donut and pass the box on. There seem to be a lot of reasons that donuts do us right.

The D word…… The final question to think about. Is it Donut or Doughnut?

Posted in culinary misadventure, donuts, Ohio Donut Trail, Road Trip | 8 Comments »

Bill’s Donut Shop (Centerville): The Ohio Donut Trail

Posted by CMH Gourmand on January 18, 2011

Bill’s was my final stop on a four location (Schneider’s, Auddinos and Schuler’s) Ohio Donut Trail field trip. I heard good things about Bill’s but was running out of steam when I arrived (after some poor navigation on my part). Bill’s is an easy place to miss – the exterior looks like a real estate office. If you were not looking for Bill’s you would drive by and write it off as just some 1970’s era brick office building and seek solace in some subpar sugared fast foodery. I was revitalized when I walked through the door. Bill’s does not look like a donut shop on the outside but the inside is a classic donutery. This may be the most inviting donut shop I have visited. There are old school spinning stools at the counter and a few tables away from the fray of ordering. There is an even larger selection of donuts than alluded to in their website. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. Once I explained what I was doing (eating donuts throughout Ohio), after an initial laugh, they started listing off other places I should visit (including Milton’s Donuts in Middletown). Two offerings locked Bill’s into my top three donut shops of all time. The first donut that caught my eye was the red velvet cake donut with cream cheese icing. I have frequently been disappointed in red velvet in any form. In donut form, I was more than pleased. This donut takes the cake and kicks it in the ass. The other donut that wooed me was the peanut butter cream filled donut with chocolate icing. These two are enough to get me to drive the 85 miles one-way to get there. Since Bill’s is open 24 hours, there is a strong possibility I will do this a few nights this year. A few of the other donuts sampled deserve very honorable mention – applesauce, glazed blueberry and iced caramel. There is a wide selection of beverages available as well as these non-donut items: Cream horns, apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, cakes, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, turnovers and cookies.

Bill’s has been frying donuts since 1960. It started as one shop in downtown Dayton and expanded to multiple locations in the 1970’s. By 1979, the business was consolidated to the current location in Centerville. Bill recently passed away but his family is committed to keeping the business going. The shop has a loyal following to the point that the shop ships donuts across the country for $25.50 for a box of twelve (or you can pay $6 on the spot). Stay tuned, there is a chance that Bill’s may be the best in Ohio (current competitors are Donald’s Donuts, DK Diner and Auddinos Bakery).

Bill’s Donut Shop
268 North Main Street
Centerville, Ohio
937.433.0002
Open 24 hours

Posted in donuts, Ohio, Ohio Donut Trail, Road Trip | Tagged: , | 6 Comments »

CLEGourmand: Green Growing, Dining & Drinking is Thriving in Cleveland

Posted by CMH Gourmand on December 28, 2010

In October, as a guest of Positively Cleveland, I spent four days eating and drinking from morning to midnight..or later. Great meals were eaten and in the process I met scores of chefs and culinary entrepreneurs. I learned much about the progressive food scene in Cleveland as well as why it works so well and how it is growing so fast. The spirit and enthusiasm of the people I met was impressive and infectious. The spirit that permeates the Cleveland culinary scene can’t be typecast but I will try to describe it.

The first word that comes to mind is pride. Everyone I met was proud of his or her product, their staff and especially their city. Collaboration was a term that came up frequently as well. Chef’s and business owners are competitive by nature but in Cleveland the overriding spirit was who can I partner with to make this dish local, what information can I share that might make this idea work better, what can I do to make this event happen, etc. Clevelanders get that what is good for one business is ultimately good for all of their peers as well. Everyone was focused on using as much local and regional foods and suppliers possible to grow their business and their customer base.

There is a major green movement growing in Cleveland, which may seem counterintuitive for a “rust belt” city but ultimately it makes sense. A green restaurant recycles building materials and sources from products from people they know and trust. The resourcefulness needed to pull this off in a cold weather climate takes a certain character that is inherent to living in Cleveland. It also builds community. Collectively these Cleveland culinarians have a vision that uses their pride and collaborative skills to grow. Ultimately, I think it will be a trademark of their city in years to come.

At each place visited, we would ask the chef and/or owner where they liked to eat in their off hours. They all listed familiar names we heard repeatedly. This sustainable/green movement is working in Cleveland because it has been successful. It will get better because it has the right people pushing it forward. Time and time again, I heard hot shot, globetrotting chefs at all star restaurants state that they grew up in Cleveland and meant to stay to make a mark on their town. Non-natives said they moved to Cleveland by choice so they could have the freedom and financial flexibility to create the food they wanted (and grow a family while growing a business). In the high profile world of celebrity chefs where the notion is you can’t compete if you do not live in New York, LA or London, making a decision to stay in Cleveland might seem crazy. I think it is genius.

Eliminating waste, sourcing local, working hard and repurposing anything and everything were core values of early immigrants to the city over a century ago, now these values are being recycled. So what are these food first folks up to? Almost every restaurant/purveyor was growing some of their own food in small or large spaces. If they were not growing their own food then they were cooking with something from other local supplier. Many of the menus were created with food from within 100 miles of downtown Cleveland. Here are a few examples.

Chef Jonathon Sawyer is a semi-finalist for the 2010 James Beard Foundation Award for Rising Star Chef, a former Michael Symon sous chef and farm to plate fundamentalist. In league with some other Lolita and Lola alumni, he started The Greenhouse Tavern. The restaurant was created to be LEED certified. The menu changes weekly to reflect the tastes and the flavors of the region as well as what is in season. Everything that can be recycled (such as building materials – take a look around when you dine there) is reused in some manner.

The connection to their food is intimate. In addition to listing all of their suppliers (and employees) on the menu, each Friday two cooks are sent to slaughter and process the chickens for use during the week. Farmers are growing for the restaurant’s demands, so no food is wasted that does not have an intended home on the menu. The best quote from our host was “If the food starts out good, you don’t have to dress it up”. Good food tastes better at the Greenhouse Tavern.

The Greenhouse Tavern
2038 East 4th Street
216.443.0511

I could be a bit biased about Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC). While I was there, the first batches of their hallowed and stalked Christmas Ale were being poured and cased for shipment. I was able to sample the 2010 batch before the masses. That was a great Christmas present in October. GLBC was the first microbrewery in Ohio (1988) bringing back the brewing heritage of Cleveland. The sustainable focus of the company started early on with everyone exuding a waste not, want not philosophy. An easy to eat example at the brewpub is a serving of pretzels made with spent grain from the brewing rocess (served with Stadium and Bertman’s Ball Park mustards of course). GLBC uses sustainable initiatives to drive their bottom line. The “Fatty Wagon” is the shuttle bus used to take fans to Cleveland Indians games; it is fueled by vegetable oil waste. The brewing and brewpub buildings feature many energy efficient features. Anything that can be recycled, reused or repurposed is utilized – underfilled beer ends up in soups and sauces, spent rewery grains feed livestock, build breads and fertilize GLBC’s Pint Size farm as well as The Ohio City Farm.

Great Lakes Brewing Company
2516 Market Avenue
Ohio City, West Side
216.771.4404

Ohio City Farm is sandwiched between the West Side Market, a metropolitan housing complex and lots of urban spaces with Cleveland landmark Terminal Tower in the background. It is the largest urban farm in our nation. Plans are in the works to create a root cellar and other innovations to allow the farm to be sustainable and profitable year round. The farm supports a community kitchen, which provides an incubating workspace for entrepreneurs to prepare, process and package their products for sale. Their Farm Stand at the West Side Market is the only produce stall, which sells exclusively local goods and produce. Displaced migrant farmers help grow vegetables on the farm using the skills from their home countries while they adapt to life in Ohio. To say this farm is progressive…is an understatement.

Ohio City Farm
West 24th and Bridge Ave
Ohio City
www.refugeeresponse.org

A little farther out (as in Cleveland Hopkins Airport) on the sustainable, green friendly field is AMP 150. This newer restaurant is located in the updated Cleveland Airport Marriott. The team of chefs surprise guests in multiple ways. “What is a nice farm to plate restaurant doing in a place like this?” Well, in addition to making a long layover much more palatable, AMP 150 is serving up some incredible food. Everything is hand crafted in house including the pasta and pickles. The list of ingredients and suppliers on the menu reads like a who’s who of the best Ohio artisan food has to offer. In addition, for your final surprise, the kitchen plants, grows and harvests some of their produce in a large garden running the length the rear parking lot. If you dine or fly in, I suggest the pate and the eggplant tater tots.

AMP 150
4277 West 150th Street
(West Park, Southwest)
216.252.5333

The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland may be the best hotel I have stayed in (I was not there often due to a rigourous schedule of eating, drinking and researching). Fortunately, for me, the hotel has an award-winning restaurant as well (AAA Four-Diamond Award and the Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star Award for starters). I met the three main “cooks” at Muse: Chef Richard Sören Arnoldi Chef de Cuisine Constantine Vourliotis and Banquet Chef Benjamin Davison. Each chef has honed their craft in kitchens across the world but they chose to plant themselves in Cleveland to make their mark and put on the ritz for rock stars, the rich and famous. Two of these chefs say the best corned beef in the world can be bought at a Hungarian stand at the West Side Market. They each mentioned many other reasons they want to cook and live in Cleveland. Chef Constantine spent some of his childhood exploring the West Side Market with his family. After living elsewhere, he came back to town. Now he and other Muse chefs offer an amazing experience. They will take you (just a few couples at a time) on a personalized tour of the market and then create a meal based on what you liked and what they learned about you in your morning together. The restaurant also offers special Farmers Market fixed price menus and many other great dining options in case you opt to dine in after a day on the town.

Muse
(at Ritz Carlton)
1515 West 3rd Street
Cleveland – Downtown
216.623.1300

That’s the wrap up of my first Cleveland culinary expedition. Where should I go for round two? (On my shortlist: Lolita, Corky & Lenny’s, Melt, Jack Frost Donuts………)

Posted in CLEGourmand, Road Trip | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Two Hour ATL Gourmand: The Varsity Dine and Dash

Posted by CMH Gourmand on December 5, 2010


I was in Honduras for 96 hours. There will be no TGU Gourmand stories. What went down there will only be in my memoirs as a very long chapter with many Tarantino style plots lines and twists. On my way home Saturday, I found myself at the Atlanta airport with two hours and five minutes to kill.

On my top ten list of 10,000 restaurants I have not yet eaten at but must before I die is a place called the Varsity in downtown Atlanta. The Varsity opened in 1928. It is the world’s largest drive in. The restaurant goes through two miles of hot dogs, 2,500 pounds of potatoes, 5000 fried pies, 300 gallons of chili per day and is the largest single site consumer of Coca-Cola anywhere. The building sits on two acres with room for 600 cars outside. This hit my radar about ten years ago when I saw it in the Rick Sebak documentary A Hot Dog Show. I wanted a chili dog and longed to hear: “What’ll ya have….What’ll ya have” the continuous chorus coming from folks at the counter.

Google maps said I could get there in about 30 minutes using the Marta (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Tranist Authority) train and it would be a three minute walk from the station to the front door of the Varisty. I did some quick calculating. If I could get through customs by 6:50 pm this was a definite possibility. With no luggage and a flight of only 30 people I made it through the queues with a few minutes to spare. In the course of eight minutes I traveled from Terminal E to the main terminal, bought a Marta card, double checked my mission plan and found myself on the train platform. I missed my first train by 30 seconds. I recalculated my timetable and bail-out points. If I could get to The Varsity by 7:45 pm, I would still be able to pull this off. Game on!

So why not a cab you ask? I only had twenty seven dollars to my name and in theory with traffic Marta is much faster than cab or car. I popped on the train, checked the map and determined I was ten stations away from hot dog heaven. I spied a (lucky?) penny on the floor, picked it up and at that very second the train came to a sudden halt. The homeless folk who know the train looked a bit uncomfortable at this situation. So did the Marta conductor that came running through the cars. The other downside – if the train is not at a station – you can’t open the door. I was not going anywhere until this train was. I checked the clock it was 7:26 pm, my time cushion was deflating. The employee ran through the car a few more times saying nothing. At this point, I was thinking that it would suck to miss my flight. The train did finally restart with no explanation. At the next station I looked out the windows to see thousand of people trying the swarm onto the train. The Auburn vs. South Carolina game had just ended and drunken fans were fleeing the scene of the crime. It takes a long time to squeeze hundreds of college football enthusiasts onto cars that are meant to hold fifty. I checked the clock, 7:43 pm, four more stations to go.

I made it to the North Station at 7:51 pm. I ran to the Varisty dodging drunken football fan drivers and slid up to the counter to hear those magic words….”What’ll ya have”? My reply (after a decade of preparing for this moment): Two chili dogs, a small fry and a coke. The meal was so absolutely perfect. The fries were among the best I have had. The hots dogs were tasty. The chili sauce was exceptional. This was everything I wanted and more importantly it worked. I inhaled my hot dogs while walking around soaking in the atmosphere of The Varsity. I had about one minute to look at the downtown skyline then ran back to the station and hopped on the next train to the airport.

Heading back to the airport, once again at Five Points station, thousands of football nuts swarmed onto the train. I enjoyed the banter going back and forth between the winning and losing fans. There is a certain charm only a drunken southerner can pull off when trash talking someone so that an insult sounds like the sweetest bit of flattery one has ever heard. I do declare.

I made it back to the airport with fifteen minutes to spare. Would I do this scramble again? Absolutely. I was able to get a quick taste of a city I have never visited and checked off Georgia as a state I have officially visited (only seven left). The Varsity was worth the effort as well as worth the risk and associated slightly elevated stress levels.

I did have a several things going for me. Saturday nights are light travel periods – I was able to breeze through security and customs incredibly fast. I was able to OJ through the airport when I needed since I had no luggage. The Varsity is normally packed but since hordes of fans were still escaping the football game I was able to go straight to the counter. Everything worked out (any other day of the week or year, this could have been a big fail) and in the process I got my groove back via a little culinary adventure travel.

The Varsity
61 North Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted in hot dogs, Road Trip | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Shade Winery Tasting Notes & Dec. 4th Art, Farm & Wine Tour

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 28, 2010


On December 4th four Southeast Ohio businesses are teaming up for an interesting tour. From 1 to 5 pm, the doors will be open to Integration Acres (home to goat cheese, Paw Paw production and more), Rock Riffle Run Pottery, Thorn Ridge Studios (hand blown glass) and Shade Winery. Chris Chimel from Integration Acres handed me a flyer a few weeks ago when I was at the Athens Farmers Market. I will be out of town for the tour but decided I could stake out Shade Winery as an incentive for the rest of you to go. (Shade Winery is listed fourth on the tour but is easiest to find so I would go there to pick up a map and circle back at the end).

I have been stalking the progress of Shade Winery for months. I heard rumbling that the winery was constructing a building for tasting. Since there are no other wineries in the area and access to these wines has been limited I was keen to case out the place. The doors opened about two months ago. After some detours I was finally able to meet Neal and Oui Dix to sample all of their wines.

It is an easy drive to Shade Winery. Take SR 33 (past Athens if you are heading south) to the Rainbow Ridge Road and you hit Gilkey Road in about one minute. The winery was established in 2004 but Neil has been at his craft much longer. He started making Elderberry wines by hand in 1986. Chris from Integration Acres gave him a “nudge” to start selling his wine commercially several years ago. Initially the Elderberry wine was available at places like Casa Nueva and The Farmacy. Neil has grown the number of wines over time. He added some grape vines for “curb appeal” for the winery but decided to start doing something with them. He has expanded his acreage along with his wine varieties over the last few years. Current wines available include: Estate Vidal Blanc, Corot Noir, Elderberry, Riesling, Chambourcin, Niagara (blush), Concord, Schnuckleputz (not a cartoon character but a wine made with lemons, ginger and organic sugar) and (Root Source) Elderberry wine with ginseng.

Full sampling of eight wines costs $6. Since Hocking County and “metro” Athens is an integrated food community cheese platters with Integration Acres cheese and ramp crackers are available to go with your wines. Tastings are typically Friday and Saturday from 1 to 8 PM but check the website or call ahead in the cold months especially since Neil and Qui take off for Thailand for weeks on end in the wintertime.

Posted in Athens, Ohio, Road Trip, wine | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

CLEGourmand: West Side Market

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 25, 2010

This post is easy. If you have ever eaten or if you think you might enjoy eating, then, you should visit the Westside Market in Cleveland. It is great. You will not be disappointed. You will feel that you do not have enough: time, money, room in your trunk to carry what you bought. It is a sure thing. Done!.

Well, maybe a bit more detail is warranted. Let us begin with some facts. It is the largest indoor/outdoor market in the country. It was purpose-built as a market in 1902. West Side Market quickly became an ethnic food destination, a tradition which continues to this day. The market features over 180 booths selling produce as well as meat shops, cheese shops, etc.

In October, I spent four days being wined, dined and driven around Cleveland meeting several of the town’s top chefs. Every chef mentioned the West Side Market as something great about Cleveland and one of many reasons they chose to move to or stay in Cleveland. That is an endorsement. Each chef listed off three or four of their favorite vendors and gave specific reasons for why their go to purveyors were the best in the country or the world. Several names came up time and time again. One market resident came up every time – Ohio City Pasta. In addition to a variety of shapes and flavors of pasta (beet pasta is a favorite of mine), this pasta maker hand crafts pestos, butters and sauces. That is one example. There are over one hundred more.

The open air produce section can feel like walking a gauntlet. You will assaulted (or enticed) with comments every foot of your stroll or dash to the main market. Every vendor works the crowd: calling out names, offering samples, making you deals you can’t refuse on tubers or fruits. The stands could fill in for the United Nations since they represent a variety of countries, languages, cultures and foodways.

Inside the market is a sea of choices. Most of the customers are regulars and known to the business owners by name. Extended families have been on both sides of the counters for generations. There is connection between people here that could not be found in any grocery store or anywhere for that matter, except certain small towns where everyone knows everyone.

The market is also home to Johnny Hot Dog, open since 1912. This place is a slice of life in Cleveland with people on both sides of the counter looking like they have been sitting on the stools or grilling hot dogs since the dawn of the market. The hot dogs are simple natural casing hot dogs served on a bun with chili from a can – nothing to blow you away but something to crave and appreciate just the same. There is a hot dog hall of fame full of old photos, polaroids and yellowed newspaper articles which collectively serve as a time capsule and archive of the almost one hundred year history of hot doggery in the West Side Market.

Every booth has a story or two or three at West Side Market and anyone from Cleveland has a favorite vendor or memory to share with anyone that will listen. I’ll end with a few simple words: Slovenian pork sausage…..

West Side Market
(Ohio City, West Side)
1979 W. 25th St
Cleveland
216.861.5250
www.westsidemarket.com
Open: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

Posted in CLEGourmand, markets, Ohio, Road Trip | Leave a Comment »

Rockmill Brewery: An Introduction

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 21, 2010


In my original plan, Rockmill Brewery was going to be a thirty minute detour on my way to a big day of bliss in Hocking county. Over three hours into my tour of the Rockmill Farm with all it has to offer, I realized that yet again that what I think and what happens are two different things.

Rockmill Brewery debuted in September of this year after over two years of meticulous work, planning and lots of brewing. What little I knew was exciting. The beer is brewed using water from a natural spring on the property, the beers are certified organic and brewed in the spirit of Belgian beers from the Wallonia region of Belgium. Again – pretty cool. I figured a quick tour, a few samples and off to Athens. Wrong.

Veering onto Lithopolis Road away from Lancaster, I realized I was in for something different from my expectations the moment I pulled into the driveway of Rockmill Farm. The space did not have the feel of a brewery, it felt like a winery. Looking at a house and a small stable, I was not even sure where a brewery might be housed. On a whim, I had brought my loyal dog known to you as CMH Tobias along for the day. We were immediately greeted by Scooby the gatekeeper and ambassador to Rockmill Brewery. A sniff and a lick indicated our credentials were accepted. We were then welcomed by Matt Barbee, the brewer of Rockmill.

As a quick aside, the house at Rockmill Farm is warm and inviting. It also features the essentials for the full Rockmill experience – a brick pizza oven and a dog bath (CMH Tobias got really muddy….as did I). The space is also adorned with art and photography from local artists and/or people with a local connection. Matt poured samples of his four Belgian style beers: dubbel, witbier, Saison and Tripel. I enjoyed each. The witbier was spicy with the characteristics I expect from a good wheat beer. The dubbel conjured up visions of monks crafting it. The Saison had the strongest flavor with the richness of toasted malt coming through with each sip. My favorite was the Tripel. This beer would pair well with creme brulee or any dessert for that matter. There is more than a hint of coriander in each sip.

Matt’s path to brewing Belgian style ales in Central Ohio was far from straight. He grew up in the area, attended college at Miami, worked in Chicago in the wine industry and in securities, then he moved on to LA as a talent management agent to the stars. He decided he wanted to come home and do something different. Maybe destiny did play some part in the genesis of Rockmill Brewery. His grandfather had a winery years ago. His stepdad, Dennis just happens to be a hydro-geologist who just happened to discover that the spring on the property had the same basic composition as the waters of Wallonia. Dennis and Matt started building a brewery from scratch in a converted former house stable. Along the way, there has been a lot of trial and error, dumped batches of beer and some interesting and ingenious macguyvering of equipment such as crab cooker burners (330,000 btu) which have converted well to the art and science of beer brewing.

Matt described the facility and the process as nano-brewing. Each beer is made one batch at a time in one 55 gallon barrel. Matt walked me through the brewing process and entire facility in about ten minutes. This is artisan, craft production at a truly small scale. The water comes from a spring over 100 feet below ground level. The manner the rock filters the water as it springs to the surface to become beer has to add a truly unique element to these beers. I kept thinking of the wine concept of terroir. The geology and characteristics on the Rockmill Farm and the eleven acres of the land it rests on are infused into this beer. Although the style is Belgian and the ingredients come from all over, this is truly a central Ohio beer.

Matt, Scooby, Toby and I roamed the rolling landscape of Rockmill Farm. It is a microcosm of the best of the Hocking Hills region – it has streams, waterfalls, a rope bridge, chapel, access to an ancient gristmill, rock outcroppings, acres of trees as well as wildlife and an absolute overdose of nature. Toby was in heaven. He was running, sniffing and swimming his way through the area as Matt and I talked shop. I can not think of any other brewery tour that included a hike, rock climbing and connecting with the facilities in such a special way. When Matt is brewing he can open a door or window and see the almost pristine wilderness. Inspiration my not be an ingredient listed on the label but there is no way that this place and the atmosphere it exudes does not influence the brewing process.

The label of each Rockmill beer features a horse as a tribute to the former purpose of the farm and the brewing space. Matt is looking forward to horses coming back to the property as well as the restoration of the nearby gristmill and for all of these great things to grow and expand as the bottling line-up does too.

There are two places I instinctively go (like a salmon in season) when I need to recharge, revitalize and clear my mind after bad things happen – Athens and Australia. I was on my way to Athens when I visited Rockmill Brewery. I never made it. I didn’t need to. This is truly a unique space and I see how it is inspiring something very good. If I don’t make it back to the brewery soon I can at least get a shot of inspiration from the beers.

Where can you find Rockmill beers:
House Wine – Worthington
Whole Foods – Dublin
Tutto Vino – Dublin
Shaws Restaurant – Lancaster
(more places to come).

To arrange a tour, tasting or to keep track of what growing down at RockMill Farm
Rockmill Brewery
Matthew Barbee
5705 Lithopolis Road
310 755 4097
Rockmill Brewery web site
Matthew@Rockmillbrewery.com
Rockmill on Facebook

Posted in beer, culinary knowledge, Ohio, Road Trip, Travelfoodalogue | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

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