CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

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Earth’s Crust & The Krazy Monkey Juice Bar

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 22, 2011

Michelle Page is a budding mobile food mogul. You may see her Krazy Monkey truck resting in the Global Village parking lot this spring in between work to get it ready for the road. In the meantime, she operates a space inside selling her juices and baked good wares. If you want to experience both at a great price, this Friday would be a great day to do it while trying Michelle’s vegan pizza on the cheap. She bakes using organic whole grain flour and fair trade sugars and chocolates. She buy grains from the Amish farms and grinds them into flour. She does not use white refined flour or refined sugars. She does use natural ingredients with a dash or dallop of love depending on the item.

Her hearth produces healthy, often vegan good things and so far on my tasting missions, everything is always good.

It you can’t go Friday, there are still plenty of times to try out her vegan, healthy goodness.

Want more of her story? Check out Michelle’s Earth’s Crust blog.

In addition to the Krazy Monkey fare, Global Village offers an all-star cast of the best baked goods in Columbus including: Pattycake Bakery, Melissa’s Incredible Edibles, baklava from Mediterranean Food Imports, Patisserie Lallier (Pain au chocolat) – often delivered on Friday mornings, Brezel, Simple Sweets, Sammys Bagels and Food for Good Thought (muffins) – often delivered on Sunday. This one of a few places in town where you can find Hartzler Dairy Milk. I know I preach the gospel of Snowville Creamery but Hartzler Dairy was the first milk I loved and still my favorite chocolate milk.

Earth’s Crust
3535 North High Street
Inside Global Gallery Coffee Shop
Clintonville
614.440.9885

Juice Bar Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – Thursday: 11 am to 6 pm
Friday & Saturday: 9 am to 7 pm
Sunday 11 am to 2 pm

Posted in Clintonville | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Edible Books Contest, March 31st: I’ll be the Judge of that!

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 20, 2011

I have a soft spot for food and books and libraries. I have a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science that circumstances have not allowed me to use in a library setting. However, I love libraries, they are wonderful, valuable things and I will do anything to support one.

So, when I was asked if I might judge for the Edible Books Contest, my response was “sure”.

Have people fallen on hard times and taken to book eating? No, thank goodness. However, for the third year in a row, the Worthington Libraries will host a contest which challenges you to create an edible entry with a book or literary theme. I will judge the entries with my writing peers and friends, Robin Davis from the Columbus Dispatch and Nick Dekker from Breakfast with Nick. We will evaluate entries based on creativity, design and taste. I encourage you to come to help out with tasting and to vote for the people’s choice.

I can’t think of a reason for you not to go to this. Unless you are some type of bookburner or anti-dessert protagonist.

If you care to enter, come to the Northwest Library at 2280 Hard Road for registration at 6 pm. Judging will start at 7 pm. Viewing of all of this will occur from 7 to 8:30 pm. At 8:30, we present awards and the entries will be eaten. I can do that. You can do that too. These are hard times. Libraries help people save money, find jobs, read books to their kids and countless other things that make our communities better. These seem like good reasons to come support a good thing.

Care for another good reason? This year, there is a new category – Professional – where local bakeries such as Delicacies by Sheri, Delightful Cakes, Ly-Ly’s Bakery and M. Minick Cake Design will compete against each other (but not against the amateurs). You can expect to eat well at the library and you will not get in trouble for it.

For more information, check the Worthington Libraries Calendar of Events.

Posted in events | 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 »

The Ides of March 4.0

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 14, 2011

I often wince and cringe when reading blogs that cross the line into navel gazing and T(oo) M(uch) I(nfo). I have been in the TMI mode occasionally over the last several months. I apologize. This post is the last of that series and hopefully a bit cathartic. This explains the decline in content quality and the donut obsession. So you may want to skip this entry and just read tommorrow’s post after I clean out my closet for the last 365 days.

For the Ides for March I have traditionally taken a moment to look back at my 15 best food related things of the last year. When I wrote last year’s edition, I can say I was truly happy (I don’t throw that word around too liberally). I had just come back from a great trip to Berkeley and was excited about what the spring had on my plate and some incredible possibilities for the year. Everything changed at the end of that week. I never defined myself by my day job but I came to find my department essentially no longer existed. My response was to travel around the country for two weeks with my dog to sort out what to do…..I did not figure that out.

At the beginning it was a struggle to think through this edition of the ides. I was not sure I would find fifteen things that were worthy of being happy about. My work (day job), family (the Honduran connection) and personal life each gave me a major sucker punch in the past year. If the stool that is me has four legs, three were knocked off.

I have done the math countless times in the last year and it never adds up. The equation seems to be: Nice Guy + X = screwed. My dog days are not over but my nice guy days did dissapear. I did not deserve any of the three hands that I was dealt but each one did mean that I had to change and it took a while to listen to that. The words intended for the next three paragraphs have been written and rewritten and finally removed after two months of reflection. Among the descriptors I deleted was the phrase “felt like being pissed on while being drowned”. In the spirit of ending TMI and also not wanting anything so negative to be part of my permanent record to the world we will move on. Ultimately, what happened was more dependent on how I respond to them and that was a lesson that came slow but surely as the 365 days came to a close.

There was still a lot of good. This list affirms that.

1. In May, with little planning or even a well thought out trip plan, CMH Tobias and I set out on a journey of discovery. It is all on twitter:

2. Malcom Gladwell is one of my favorite writers. He has concept of connectors. I have been called one on a few occasions. In the fall, an aquintanace approached me at an event I was working. She said “I never told you thank you”. I looked at her puzzled. “You introduced me to Slow Food Columbus, some great restaurants and wonderful people and helped me enjoy my new life in Columbus”. To that I say, you are welcome. As a kid that grew up very introverted and remained socially awkward well past college I never thought I would grow up to hear someone complimenting me for anything social. Now, I find myself surrounded by social media and showing others how to use it.

3. As I was starting to rebound from the first disappointment of the year, I was invited to go to Cleveland to eat and drink….for free. That was a wonderful trip of CLEGourmanding.

4. I had a great time working the Ohio Sweet Hearts event at the Hills Market. I was able to chat with Chef Norman all night and I was given a Jeni’s Ice Cream hoodie for my trouble. I also had a good post party with friends. It was a night to remember.

5. The Columbus Food and Wine Affair is a great event for our city. I have been able to assist as a wine judge for the past two years. Last year, I helped create and execute their social media strategy.

6. I made a lifelong commitment to DK Diner Donuts. I had them the first time in January 2010 but I was hooked by the ides. I think they may be the best donuts in town and maybe the state.

7. I had planned on staying at Rockmill Brewery for 30 minutes. I stayed for several hours. It was one of the best afternoons I have had in a very long time.

8. Mobile food does matter in Columbus. In 2009 it was Taco Trucks. In 2010, the interest expanded.

While most of my start up cash was unexpectedly reallocated to Honduras, I still have an interest in a mobile food operation. I have ¾ of a business plan and some resources but my concept is not going to happen in 2011. Maybe 2012.

9. I enjoyed grilling hot dogs for the masses at The Goodale Park Music Series.

10. I did not know my life bucket list included organizing and leading a parade. If you want to do one, it will cost at least $1000.

11. George Motz came back to town for Hamburger America II, so I took him to Johnnie’s. We did not have enough time to go to O’Reilly’s, maybe for the third book.

12. Hanging out with GA Benton and the crew for the Alive to explore the world of Taco Trucks.

13. Nelsonville, The Spikedrivers and Rhapsody

14. Making really good soup. Really. I made three great soups this year and the key was BluesCreek Farm bacon.

15. Hello iPhone – my new friend. My cell phone died in Mexico so I finally got an iPhone. It does make my day to day life easier.

I still hear “You never answer your phone” – true – I still turn it off for long bursts of time to disconnect since I spend much of the time overconnected. Technology connects us but disconnects us at the same time. I have been in too many social situations where I see people eyes and attention on their phone screens instead of being in the moment with the company they are with. There is a reason there are so many lonely people surrounded by people in the process of becoming connected to everything but each other. We have allowed ourselves to be disconnected from everyone. Stop it. Although I find the need to disconnect more frequently. Do as I write, not as I roll.

So what will the next 365 days bring? I have always had multiple projects going on at any given time, a job to chase, a country or cuisine to explore or multiple missions of great import. I don’t have that. There is no target in my sights. What am I hoping for? I don’t know anymore. That is a scary thing for me to consider. Et Tu Columbus?

(This post is dedicated to Cee Lo Green (musical genius) as well as Fitz and The Tantrums and every angry Metallica song I could find).

Posted in events | Leave a Comment »

The Burrito Buggy at Byrne’s Pub on March 19th!

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 9, 2011

Fact: There is a young woman living in Baja Clintonville whose life was saved or at least made bearable by a Burrito Buggy Burrito.

Fact: There are many OU Alumni in Columbus and when you say Burrito Buggy they go a little crazy.

Fact: I love the Burrito Buggy and when I think about it, I go a little crazy.

During some wintery evening in 2010, I was discussing culinary missions and tasks for Columbus in 2011. At some point I said, “I want the Burrito Buggy here in Columbus”. “Where should it go other than my driveway?” The answer. “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”. And then, “Byrne’s Pub, all the OU people hang out there”.

OK. My mission at hand, I researched, plotted and sent out e-mails. I asked every Burrito Buggy fan I knew if they were interested and how many burritos they wanted. Everyone was enthused. Everyone wanted at least two burritos. This seemed to bode well for everyone.

I contacted Pat Byrne at Byrne’s Pub, his response was:

“That sounds absolutely awesome, the 19th would be perfect.”

The 19th looks to be a big day at Byrne’s. It will be the third day of celebration of St. Patrick’s Day at an Irish bar. The John Smoltz Project will be playing in honor of St. Smoltz Day. A tent will still be set up in the parking lot and the Burrito Buggy will be here. It is a Saturday. It is almost spring. You will eat burritios, you will probably love them.

Byrne’s is paying travel expenses for the Buggy to come to town (I offered to cover these but Pat said Byrne’s would pay the fee for the sake of the burrito loving masses). If you see Pat say thanks, tip his staff, drink a beer and buy a bunch of burritos so that everyone involved considers doing this again. For the sake of everyone in line for food – bring small bills to pay for your burritos. Please be considerate of where and how you park in the surrounding neighborhood streets….it is going to be busy.

The Buggy will open around 2 pm (Athens time) and will stay until they run out of food, maybe as late as 2:30 am (Columbus time). I will tell you right now, I am getting six burritos, I know others will do the same. If you have been on the fence about street food or mobile kitchens – this is your gateway meal to understanding why this works.

Byrne’s Pub
1248 West 3rd Avenue
Columbus (really close to Grandview)
614.486.4722

Burrito Buggy

More Burrito Buggy info from me.

Posted in Athens, bar, beer | Tagged: , | 12 Comments »

Pistacia Vera: My Dine Originals Week Tradition

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 8, 2011

We now have two different sponsored restaurant weeks for a total of four times in the year. This is a good thing for our culinary community and a great excuse for more timid eaters to try something new. My alliance is with The Dine Originals Restaurant Weeks – the (currently) fifty-one restaurants to choose from include most of my favorites. During Restaurant Week, I review the menus, looking for something innovative or different or exciting from places I know and from the few I have not tried before. Points go to a chef that stretches their comfort zone to try something out of their normal menu offerings. Going off the menu is a big risk and a big deal – because this often is the “first date” with a Dine Originals Restaurant and the owners want customers new and old to come back.

While I use this week to try new things, I do have one exception. I always opt for the Pistacia Vera Dine Originals Week sampler for $10. This is a quick and easy way to try our a great gourmet dessert shop.

Here is what they have this time around and this is what I ate in my car while driving to Skillet to pick up my dinner.

Collection includes each of the following (stolen from the Pistacia Vera listing on the Dine Originals Web site):

CHOCOLATE BOMBE
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Semisweet Chocolate Tawny Port Mousse
Glazed with a Chocolate Ganache. Nut Free. (weighed about 1 pound in my hand)

PARISIAN MACARON
Light Nut Meringue Sandwich Cookie filled with Buttercream
Flavors include: Black Raspberry & Vanilla Bean. Gluten Free.

VALRHONA CHOCOLATE BON BON
Hand-dipped Chocolate made with 72% Valrhona Chocolate
finished with Kilauea Black Sea Salt.
Gluten Free & Nut Free.

PATE DE FRUIT
Luxurious All Natural Fruit Gems made with pure Fruit Puree, Pectin and Sugar.
Flavors include: Cherry Kirsh and Passion Fruit. Gluten Free & Nut Free.

PISTACHIO HONEY NOUGAT
Handmade Nougat with Orange Blossom and Honey. Gluten free.

PISTACIA VERA
541 South Third Street
German Village
614.220.9070

Posted in desserts, events | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

The Chef’s Garden to the Rescue and The Veggie U. Event

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 2, 2011

There was an ides of February. It did not see it coming. Up until a viciously rapid downward spiral, I had successfully fought the good fight against winter (sledding, curling, CMH Tobias adventures, donuting, dropping pounds, etc). I decided that I would send myself to New Orleans on the 15th as a Valentine for myself. I was ill within three hours of arrival. The intensity and duration of sickness was the worst I can recall for this century (lose 8 pounds in 48 hours with my NOLA diet plan!). I returned to Columbus on the 18th to a city that was cold and gray and dismal and dark and abysmally bleak. I was in a foul mood to say the least. This was the most wintery week of the season and time of intense internal discontent.

During this period, I had forgotten that I had vegetables coming my way. When I was at Chef’s Garden and Veggie U back in October I found out that they will ship to anyone – even me. I came home from the cubicle farm on the last of the very dark days to find nine pounds of vegetables waiting for me at my door.

The box was full of produce known as the Heirloom Salad Selection: mixed beets, a variety of lettuces, three types of garlic, watermelon radishes, microgreens (aka salad toppers) and mixed carrots (in non gray colors of purple, green, yellow and white). It seemed to be a self-refilling box because as I continued digging into it, I kept finding more pretty produce. My first act was to eat a carrot. I then set about to make a salad using parts from everything in this care package of vegetable goodness. It felt so satisfying to eat something that was fresh and pulled from the ground about 24 hours before I devoured it. I needed food, real food, fresh food that was Ohio born and bred and nourishing for my soul. At a very fundamental level, creating something as simple as a salad was wonderful and was a tangible strike back at the weariness of the week and the month and the season.

There are other wonderful things going on at Veggie U, the Chef’s Garden and The Culinary Vegetable Institute. You can support Veggie U by buying incredible produce from the Chef’s Garden. You can also support Veggie U and the great food education work they do with fourth graders by attending their annual fundraiser dinner. This year the event includes thirty chef stations, artisan food crafters, wine, food royalty demonstrations and drive bys, a silent auction and much more. Here are a few impressions on past years from some folks that know food, eating and fun.

Dineomite at the 2009 event

Mr. Ruhlman’s Report from 2009

Jeni’s Scoop on the event

This year the event is on July 16th. Some tickets are sold at an early bird rate which are a value considering everything this event has to offer. Tickets do sell out so the early bird gets the deal and gets to go. You can get all the details you need from Veggie U.

I gave some of my remaining heirloom produce away to friends. The watermelon radishes were a favorite because of their wonderful color; photos (at least mine) do not do these color bombs justice. I still have pounds of garlic, beets, carrots and a few radishes left. My first thought is soup. If you have other suggestions or recipes to help me finish off my bounty let me know – soon – because I am looking forward to tasting my remaining horde of freshness this weekend.

If you would like to order your own horde of vegetable heaven – click on this link for FarmerJonesFarm & Chef’s Garden

Posted in CLEGourmand | Tagged: | 6 Comments »

Spagio and the Pleasure Guild: Celebration of Wine, Food and Dining with the Stars.

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 1, 2011

I like to say Pleasure Guild. It sounds fun. However, the work this special group of people performs can be deadly serious. The Guild came into existence in 1908. The volunteers of the Pleasure Guild do many things to benefit the young patients of Children’s Hospital as well as the community of children in our city. The most important and critical activity that the Pleasure Guild engages in is sustaining and supporting the Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This is the only program of the kind in Central Ohio. Any child (and their family) with a terminal illness needs and cherishes this program.

This venerable volunteer organization paired with a veteran, iconic local restaurant, Spagio for The Celebration of Wine, Food and Dining with the Stars. Spagio is one of a handful of restaurants remaining from the genesis of the current Columbus culinary scene. It started life in 1981 as the Gourmet Market under the guidance of Chef Hubert Seifert. Chef Hubert continues to craft cuisine at Spagio and remains dedicated to the culinary community in and outside of Columbus. He is able to lure his chef friends from around the country and the globe to come to Columbus to help him out with a great event to support a greater cause.

I was able to attend this event for the first time on February 28th. I was impressed by the pedigree of chefs and guests in attendance for the evening. Sixteen chefs served up seventeen special dishes from Spagio’s kitchen for sampling. Several wineries shared their vintages. Some very generous donors offered impressive silent auction items. Many individuals and organizations put their money where their mouths are (and later in the form of food put that money back in their mouths) by forking out $225 per seat or more.

A good cause supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and professionals is not uncommon in Columbus. In reality, it seems that our city has some charity fueled food oriented event every week and often several to choose from on any given night most months. I think this reflects well on our city and the community of culinary all-stars and others that are willing to step up to the plate when there is need. Columbus is a city of giving whether it is through our pocket books or volunteering time or cooking up something on a day off.

This event was special because it is truly an exceptional cause. What most impressed me was thirteen of the super chefs were from outside of Columbus and Ohio yet they were willing to come to Spagio because Chef Hubert asked them to help. That says a lot about the Chef and the work that The Pleasure Guild does. Thanks from me too, everyone with a contribution to this event has my respect.

I am listing the names of the chefs as an additional thank you and because if you have not heard of them, you will and if you have not dined with them, you should.

Bill Bradley, Tom Fleming, John Hogan, Paul Kahan, William Koval, Gonzalo Martinez Cardenas, Frederic de Villeneuve, Shawn McClain, Mike Sheerin, Allen Sternweiler, Paul Virant, Dean Zanella, and Angelika Zossmayr. A special shout out to Mike Sheerin who works with my high school chum Saucission MAC at Three Floyds Brewpub and who made the best dish of the night in the form of braised snails with chicken and smoked beluga lentils. Bravo!

The three local chefs helping out are no strangers to my palate and always worthy of a kudo for the work they do: Brian Hinshaw from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Hartmut Handke and of course Chef Hubert. The highlight of the evening for many in attendance occurs after the food has been served, most of the wine has been poured and items auctioned off. Those that can still move about linger around and chat with the chefs on the other side of the kitchen. A night with friends is always a good way to start a week and this event shows that yes, Columbus does know how to have fun on a Monday night.

Posted in Columbus, events | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

If You Blog It, Will They Eat? Philosophy of CMH Gourmand

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 14, 2011

De gustibus non disputandum est: “there is no disputing about tastes.”

The implication is that opinions about matters of taste are not objectively right or wrong, and hence that disagreements about matters of taste cannot be objectively resolved.

Over the last year comments about the scope of my blog and other blogs as well as the viability of the Columbus Food scene have filtered in. There are many different expectations of what a blog should or should not cover. To each their own. However, it seems like a good time to do a Citizen Kane style statement to detail what I am all about.

I did freelance writing for years. When I started out I did some restaurtant profiles and a big ice cream article for Ohio Magazine. People started calling me a restaurant critic. That made me cringe. I have never taken to that term. I always preferred food writer. I was never interested in dissecting a restaurant. I was interested in finding something that was good, or even better, something great and trying to find what made it that way. What makes a place great? The answer was always the people serving the food and the regular customers that fed the desire of the owners to keep cooking.

I later had a freelance gig for CitySearch Columbus which started out great. But when editorship moved from Columbus, to Chicago, to LA and then somewhere else, I found that they wanted me to essentially write advertising for mediocre places. At the beginning I could pick places I wanted to write about. At the end, I was given a list of not so great places to push. That did not write right so I walked.

Since then, I have chosen what I wanted to write about in my own voice which makes writing a good experience instead of a chore. I still consider myself a food writer (although I have written about non food related topics) not a critic. I write about the places I like. When I have a bad meal my silence speaks the words I choose not to share. In my experience, readers do not need help finding a bad place. I have made several friends in the restaurant trade and I choose to not to write about their places because I can’t be objective (I reserve some of that bias for Twitter). I am a writer with a blog trying to keep writing not a blogger trying to figure out how to write.

Writing a review that trashes a place is pretty easy but also unfulfilling after a few sniper attacks. Writing a critical review that is objective and offers suggestions for improvement is more appealing but not something that I choose to do very often or in public. I have sent some suggestions in private to restaurants and this feedback has been well received. I am a supporter of our food community that is growing in Columbus and would rather guide my readers to what is good, or new, or at least has the potential to be good. I am interested in growing what is good instead of beating up on what is bad.

I am not a food snob or snoot. I know a little bit about wine and beer and just a tad of cocktail history. I know what I like but I don’t expect you to think the same. A $100 bottle of wine would have to be at least 5X better than a $20 bottle of wine for me to rave about it. My palate is not that refined, my disposable income lacks that depth and I don’t care to debate taste so my picks tend be based on value over the dollar sign and comfort over pedigree. Over time, you may come to trust my opinions and tastes. I am a food enthusiast and in a few cases an evangelist – if the product or place is worthy.

There are several great food blogs and writers in town. I think we work (unconsciously) collaboratively and collectively to tell people about our underappreciated treasures. There is not much competition in our cadre and for the most part we don’t promote or push our “brands” to the level we could or maybe should. My blog reads the same with 5 followers or 500.

I sometimes have opportunities to write about a new place or event for cash or perks. If I don’t like an offer or event, I decline. If I feel that the unwritten agreement is that I write something positive, then I decline as well. If I am paid or reimbursed for my writing then I disclose this in the post and/or write something that is informational (i.e. announcement) instead of something that may look like or read as a review. If a restaurant is newly opened, as a general rule, I will not write a review until they have had several weeks or months to work out the kinks. If I do a true restaurant review, then I aim to visit three times with a group of people so I can fully taste and evaluate the food, service and ambiance.

Our city has so many good places to shout out about. We have much that is still undiscovered. While our food community is not fully defined, it is good and sometimes very good. There are amazing people in our community growing something great so this deserves our support and attention. So just eat it and go back if your meal is good. If it is good, tell your friends. If it could be better make a suggestion and see what the response is before you pass a judgement. Let’s nurture and grow what is good instead of picking apart the weeds before they die.

Posted in Columbus, culinary knowledge | 4 Comments »

Krema Nut Company: All That and a Bag of Nuts and a Peanut Butter Sandwich

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 9, 2011

Krema Nut Company drives me nuts. Whenever I go there, I think, why don’t I come here more often. For some unfathomable reason I forget that I love their spicy peanut butter. And I can never quite convince myself to buy a “Can You Handle My Spicy Hot Nuts?” boxer shorts….but maybe someday I will have the courage to do that (or I could just buy it online). If you need any type of nut (edible) they have it or can get it. Krema is often the only place I can find Black Walnuts when it is time to make my dad’s Apple cakes. Krema has nuts but whole lot more.

Krema’s biggest claim to fame is peanut butter. They have made it since 1898. Krema may be the oldest continuous manufacturer of peanut butter in the country. If that is not the case then clearly 112 years of practice makes for a good product. Their peanut butter is all natural – no sugar, preservatives, salt etc., just fresh, fancy grade, roasted Spanish peanuts. Krema also cranks out (literally) Almond and Cashew Butter. The products are made in small batches by a master nut roaster. Krema offers tours where they show you the whole process (call for details). The Columbus Dispatch also has a nice slideshow to show off our local treasure.

Krema is a good one stop gift shop for the “fooder duder” in your life. Especially this time of year. In addition to nuts, butters and suggestive T-Shirts they have a wide selection of sweet treats including chocolates, popcorn, classic candies and a sugar free line of goodies. They also sell local favorites Johnson’s Ice Cream and Jeni’s Ice Cream by the pint.

My favorite part of the store is the on site cafe (10 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday and 10 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday). Using all of the Krema Nut Butters as a base – they craft over a dozen sandwich options with great flavor combinations. My two favorite sandwiches are The Kicker: Hot and Spicy Peanut Butter with raspberry preserves and The Buckeye: peanut butter with Nutella chocolate peanut butter spread. All sandwiches are served on your choice of bread. What pairs better with a PBJ o PB(something) sandwich than a milkshake. In addition to the standard Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry options, Krema mixes up Peanut Butter shakes (of course), PB and Jelly (perfect) and my favorite, a Buckeye shake (Chocolate and Peanut Butter). Krema developed an ingenious way to take your cafe order. They have the menu printed on a paper bag. They circle what you ordered to make sure you get everything and they you take bar coded tags for each item to the cash register in the retail section of the store to pay for your feast.

So there you have it – Krema has all of that and a bag of nuts.

Krema Nut Company
1000 West Goodale Boulevard
Grandview (more or less)
614.299.4131
(800) 222.4132

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