Alexandra477

Gluten-Free Ohio

I recently launched Gluten-Free Ohio, a website and resource geared toward Ohioans following the gluten-free lifestyle. The site will offer free recipes, tips, and information for people who have eliminated or reduced gluten from their diets. Most of the featured breakfast, entrée, snack, dessert, and side dish recipes will contain natural, minimally processed ingredients and no refined sugars.

Thunderballs

Kick-Ass Cornbread

 I became gluten-free in August of 2013, after being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity. The gluten-free movement is gaining a lot of attention. Nearly 18 million Americans are believed to have gluten sensitivities¹. An estimated 3 million Americans have celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder in the digestive system) but 97% of those who have it aren’t diagnosed². Thirty percent of adults find gluten-free food appealing³, and the gluten-free category is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2017⁴.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Chicken Avocado Smash

 After becoming gluten-free, I was afraid that I’d never enjoy food again. I’m now cooking the best meals of my life and have really evolved in the kitchen. It’s an adventure.

Maple Turkey Breakfast Sausage

Letil & Chard Ragout

I decided to launch Gluten-Free Ohio after being really inspired by gluten-free cookbooks, products, and networks. I hope to expand the site to include local contributing writers and feature stories. Anyone who is interested in contributing to Gluten-Free Ohio should email [email protected].

Pumpkin Muffins

Gingersnaps

1 celiaccenter.org/gluten_faq.asp
2 cureceliacdisease.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CDCFactSheets8_FactsFigures.pdf
3 huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/gluten-free-diet_n_2818954.html
4 newhope360.com/managing-your-business/7-gluten-free-statistics-you-need-know 

Millersport Sweet Corn Festival: Ohio Summer’s Last Hurrah

Nothing on this earth rivals Ohio sweet corn. If you’re lucky enough to find your hands on a cob in late August, you devour. You devour and give thanks. The 67^th annual Millersport Sweet Corn Festival, which kicked off last night, is really the best way to enjoy this final symphony of summer. Presented by the Millersport Lions Club, the four-day fest offers amusement rides, gaming booths, concessions (like Taco in a  Bag and Chicken on a Stick), pageants, tractor pulls, corn eating contests, country crafts, bingo, and an outhouse race. 

The main event, of course, is corn on the cob. Thousands of crisp and savory cobs adorned with sinful amounts of butter and salt. To enjoy them, you don’t sit down. You stand at one of the long communal tables munching and dribbling to your heart’s content. Where’s your bucket list?

All proceeds from the festival benefit more than 80 nonprofit organizations in eight Ohio counties. Click here for photos of last night’s parade. 

 

Watershed Distillery and the Art of Whiskey Whispering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When hearing the word “bourbon,” you may think of mahogany leather sofas, wrap-around front porches, or J.R. Ewing. Dave Rigo of Watershed Distillery stares at his oak bourbon barrels and ponders something considerably less nostalgic: his 401(k). Since co-founding Watershed in 2010, his “kinda crazy idea” of making spirits in Columbus has exploded into an intoxicating force. With the Kentucky Derby less than two months away, I had bourbon on the brain and toured Watershed to learn more about the process of microdistilling.

“We make vodka and gin to support our bourbon habit,” Rigo said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rigo and his partner Greg Lehman didn’t fall into microdistilling immediately. The Watershed concept was actually the duo’s 20^th business plan, after being informed by their attorney that their first 19 ideas “sucked.” After lots of passionate research and some out-of-state apprenticeships, they got started in a 2,000-square-foot Grandview warehouse. They recently expanded to 4,700 square feet and now produce up to 5,000 bottles a month. Their liquor is available in 150 liquor stores and 500 bars/restaurants in Ohio, as well as a handful of outlets in Kentucky and New York. They shipped their first order to Chicago this week.

Watershed produces four spirits: Four Peel Gin, Bourbon Barrel Gin, Vodka, and Bourbon. Gin is their signature item, which has been referred to as “The Gateway Gin” for its mild disposition. Many microdistillers use four or five botanicals when making their gin; Watershed uses eight. Rigo and Lehman also include the lowest possible amount of juniper in their gin (51%), making it more palatable for those who don’t like drinking Christmas trees. Watershed’s vodka is Ohio corn based and has been praised for its clean finish, thanks to the painstaking removal of methanol. As for the beloved bourbon, it’s double distilled and aged for roughly two-and-a-half years using a thoughtful mix of Ohio corn, wheat, rye, and spelt. Rigo is currently tinkering with malted barley for a possible new bourbon flavor and enlisted the expertise of a local molecular biologist to grow a proprietary strain of yeast.

According to The American Distilling Institute, there will be 400-450 boutique distillers in the United States and Canada by the end of 2015. Watershed aims to be one of the best of them. Until then, Rigo will gaze at his wall of 53-gallon bourbon barrels that won’t be ready until a few more years.

“We’re just sitting and watching our future in those barrels,” he laughed.

 

Great American Peanut Butter Tasting & Challenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday I made a (last-minute) decision to hold the Great American Peanut Butter Tasting & Challenge. You see, the hubs is somewhat of a peanut butter sommelier. He knows more about PB than the combined workforces of Jif, Skippy, and Peter Pan. If I got a penny every time he said “Peanut butter is the perfect food,” I’d be typing this from my villa on Lake Como.

The rules of the Great Peanut Butter Tasting & Challenge were simple. I asked friends to do a blind taste testing of five peanut butters and rank them on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being excellent). The challenge was to identify which of the five was organic, and which was the most expensive. All peanut butters sampled were creamy and all-natural, meaning that none of them contained added salt, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, trans fatty acids, or hydrogenated oils. Two of the five were Ohio made, and the milk I provided as a palate cleanser was locally produced from Snowville Creamery. Each peanut butter was graded on flavor, consistency, oil to butter ratio, aroma, appearance, peanutality¹, and jaunt factor². There were seven tasters, all of whom received gold star stickers for participating. Here are the results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*1^st Place*
Whole Foods Grind-Your-Own Natural Peanut Butter
$4.49 (16 oz)
Overall Score: 184
Average Rankings
Flavor: 3.6 / Consistency: 3.9 / Oil to Butter Ratio: 4.3 / Aroma: 2.9 / Appearance: 4.1 / Peanutality: 4.3 / Jaunt Factor: 3.4
Comments: “Simple. Fun to eat. Makes my tummy smile.” / “Just right. Oh yeah.” / “Grainy, very sweet. Would be good for baking.”

*2^nd Place*
Giant Eagle Nature’s Basket Organic Peanut Butter
$4.19 (16 oz)
Overall Score: 153
Average Rankings
Flavor: 3.3 / Consistency: 3.1 / Oil to Butter Ratio: 2.9 / Aroma: 3.1 / Appearance: 3.4 / Peanutality: 3.4 / Jaunt Factor: 2.4
Comments: “All around very good.”

*3^rd Place*
Trader Joe’s Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter
$2.79 (16 oz)
Overall Score: 152
Average Rankings
Flavor: 2.9 / Consistency: 3.1 / Oil to Butter Ratio: 3 / Aroma: 3.1 / Appearance: 3.6 / Peanutality: 3.7 / Jaunt Factor: 2.3
Comments: “Tasty! Love it.” / “I feel duped. Looks tasty, but it’s actually bland.” / “Slightly metallic. Fairly ugly.”

*4^th Place*
Krema Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (Made in Columbus, Ohio)
$4.29 (16 oz)
Overall Score: 123
Average Rankings
Flavor: 2.6 / Consistency: 3.3 / Oil to Butter Ratio: 2.9 / Aroma: 1.9 / Appearance: 2.7 / Peanutality: 2.6 / Jaunt Factor: 1.9
Comments: “A bit bland.” / "Bland." / “Not a fan. Nice consistency though.” / “Vegetal taste. Least mouth-coaty. Sweet.”

*5th Place*
Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter (Made in Orrville, Ohio)
$3.99 (16 oz)
Overall Score: 81
Average Rankings
Flavor: 1.4 / Consistency: 1.1 / Oil to Butter Ratio: 1.3 / Aroma: 2 / Appearance: 2.6 / Peanutality: 1.9 / Jaunt Factor: 1.3
Comments: “Oily. Not fun to eat.” / “Clunky, gooey, hard to mix. Sloppy.” / “Linseedy.”

Random Comments
“I love processed peanut butter!”
“Hershey’s Kisses smell like vomit.”
“I’m lactose intolerant. Can I have vodka as my palate cleanser?” 

Sole Winner of Challenge
Shawnsation (a.k.a. “Keylime”) correctly guessed that the Whole Foods PB was the priciest.

1 Peanutality: overarching sense of peanuttiness.
2 Jaunt Factor: sense of giddiness and/or hyperactivity elicited by top notch peanut butter.

Jeni’s Influenza Sorbet.

How can you not try something called Influenza Sorbet? One of the new seasonal items from the flavor gurus at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, this flu-thwarting concoction draws inspiration from vintage home remedies. Its zippy blend of orange and lemon juices, honey, cayenne pepper, ground ginger, and whiskey will clear your sinuses quicker than a bowl of wasabi. I tasted the sorbet without being under the weather, but it reminded me that the Short North is the place to be if your immune system is compromised. For years, my go-to congestion redemption has been the spicy lemongrass broth from Lemongrass. Packed with chili paste, it swiftly roundhouses even the most stubborn of colds. Being sick sucks, but these homegrown antidotes make coping a little more fun.

Circleville Pumpkin Show.

I don’t remember exactly when it happened. I guess it was somewhere around the age of 10 that I became a pumpkophile. So as you can imagine, the Circleville Pumpkin Show is an orange-kissed paradise for a gourd gal such as myself. We’re talking pumpkin pie, deep fried pumpkin pie, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin cream puffs, pumpkin chili, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin taffy, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin burgers. Not to mention pumpkin hats, sweatshirts, and Christmas ornaments. Yes, I planned my week around making the scenic drive down Route 23 yesterday to catch the 105-year-old festival’s Pet Parade. I can think of no better way to Salute the Squash. Click here for more photos.

           

Somalia Benefit at Solay Bistro.

“Tonight you could have been anywhere you liked, but you chose to be here,” said Abdi Roble to a roomful of people at Solay Bistro last night. An endlessly charismatic Columbus resident and photographer who runs the Somali Documentary Project, he addressed a group of us that gathered at the northside restaurant for a fundraiser benefiting individuals in Somalia suffering from the East Africa drought. Roble and Solay Bistro owner Nadira Abdirahman graciously welcomed every attendee of the event, which was promoted by Columbus Food Adventures. I made new friends, learned about local Somali culture¹, and sampled such utterly delectable dishes as Sabaya (bread), Cadriyad (sweet noodles), Soor (cornmeal), and Fata Muus (banana bread). It was an evening that, above all else, reminded me about the strength and compassion of community. A second benefit will be held next Wednesday. Proceeds from each dinner will be donated to the American Refugee Committee. Click here to learn more.

1 Columbus has the second largest Somali population in the country.

        

Columbus Greek Festival.

The 39^th annual Greek Festival takes place this weekend at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the Short North. An ebullient four-day affair, it offers patrons a taste of Hellenic life through music, singers, dancers, artwork, clothing, jewelry, cooking demonstrations, cultural workshops, cathedral tours, and food. Mountains of Greek food served by proud, smiling folks who are enthusiastic about making and serving it. Elderly parishioners, in fact, stand at the entrance of the indoor food plaza to greet and shake hands with every person in line. It doesn’t get much cuter than that. So whether you like Moussaka, Dolmades, Keftedes, Souvlaki, or Spanakopita; have a hankering for Baklava, Amigdalota, Kataifi, Melomacarona, or Koulourakia; or just want to swig Ouzo, Metaxa, or Mythos; this celebration is for you. Opa. Click here for more photos.

                          

Ohio State Fair.

Do you like your Oreos deep fried? Does the concept of a Donut Burger get you going? Is your world incomplete without chocolate covered bacon? Well, my friend, I have the place for you: the 158^th annual Ohio State Fair. Once again, the Ohio Expo Center has metamorphosed into an agronomical universe of midway rides, carnival games, marching bands, parades, fireworks, butter cows, butterflies, petting zoos, pig races, sheep shows, sand sculptures, concerts, floral design contests, homebrewing competitions, art exhibits, Civil War encampments, youth choirs, handcrafted marketplaces, jugglers, lumberjacks, cooking demonstrations, one spunky strong woman, and so much more. If you’re feeling particularly rambunctious, I recommended splurging on three tickets to ride the Crazy Mouse. This purely Ohio tradition with gargantuan history runs through August 7. Click here for information about daily discounts, and here for more photos.

        

Hills Foodie Fair and Spelling Bee.

Yesterday was the first annual Hills Foodie Fair and Spelling Bee at The Hills Market. A fundraiser for Local Matters, it was an extravaganza of community spirit with carnival games, a hot dog eating contest, live auction, and food vendors including The Cheesy Truck, Darista Café, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Junior’s Tacos, Leslie’s Creperie, The Munchbox, Sassafras Bakery, Pattycake Bakery, and Short North Bagel Deli. Click here for more photos.

           

Jazz & Rib Fest.

The 32^nd annual Jazz & Rib Fest took place this past weekend in the Arena District. Presented by Columbus Recreation & Parks, it featured 44 bands on three stages and 23 rib burners from across the country. There were grilling demonstrations, product samplings, and heaps of killer jazz from local and national acts. There was even a cornhole tournament sanctioned by the American Cornhole Organization, if you’re into that sort of thing¹. One of my favorite parts of this event is watching people kayak in the Scioto River, which breathes an entirely new energy into our skyline. I’d like to try it someday, if I can convince myself that I won’t wind up flailing in the water (or that it won’t matter when I wind up flailing in the water). The Jazz & Rib Fest is known for serving menu items that, how should I put this, aren’t conceived of anything related to bodily health. I’ve attended this festival for more than 20 years without consuming nary one rib, but I have devoured the daylights out of the music.

1: I am not. But that’s okay.

       

Actors’ Theatre + Harvest Pizzeria.

What better way to enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream than under the stars in the middle of the summer, armed with with an impossibly tasty pizza? Last night, we unfurled our blanket and claimed a tiny corner of Schiller Park in German Village to watch Actors’ Theatre of Columbus present a superbly acted rendition of William Shakespeare’s playful tale. On our way, we swung by the newly-opened Harvest Pizzeria to pick up a Margherita pie made with local and organic ingredients. Each perfect, doughy bite was better than the last, and we found ourselves repeatedly opening our empty pizza box with silly (but very real) hopes that more slices would magically reappear. In its 30^th season, Actors’ Theatre will perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream through July 31, and Oedipus Rex from August 4 to September 4.

                 

The French Laundry.

The first thing people say when you mention The French Laundry is how impossible it is to get a reservation. Then they talk about how it’s the best restaurant in the world and that if you’re lucky enough to eat there, you’ll remember your meal for the rest of your life. All of these things are true. I was struck with the good fortune to have my once-in-a-lifetime French Laundry experience last Sunday afternoon. The restaurant, nestled in the tiny town of Yountville, California, uses Armando Manni olive oil, Leonardi balsamic vinegar (aged 100 years), Ercuis flatware, and (of course) Riedel stemware. There are nearly as many servers as diners, and there’s a quiet but constant vibe from every present patron of “Oh my God, can you believe we’re here? We’re really here.” The wine list, which went digital two months ago, currently features 2,800 bottles and the cellar can store up to 15,000 bottles.

To eat, I started with a miniature scoop of avocado mousse in a faux ice cream cone. Then I sampled a mini gougère with black truffle. After that, I tried Burnt Lemon Granité with Compressed Cucumber, Borage, and White Sesame “Bavarois;” Sacramento Delta Green Asparagus with Petite Lettuces and Périgord Truffle; “Peas and Carrots” with Grilled Hearts of Palm, Akita Komachi Rice, Sugar Snap Peas, Carrots, and Madras Curry “Aigre-Doux;” and Falafel with King Trumpet Mushroom, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Chickpeas, and Cilantro Shoots. For the “first dessert” I had Naval Orange Sorbet with Swiss Meringue and Toasted Kumquats, and for the “second dessert” I tried a spritzer with lime sherbet, vanilla soda, lemon, and bitters. It sounds like a boatload of food, but each dish is the size of three thimbles. Several of the vegetables, most notably the radishes, were as thinly sliced as tissue paper.

To drink, we began with a complimentary glass of Pierre Gimmonet champagne, made distinctly for The French Laundry. Then we invited our sommelier to choose the rest of our tastings, with the only stipulation that they be local to the area. His brilliant selections included Crocker & Starr 2008 Sauvignon Blanc (Saint Helena); HDV 2008 Chardonnay (Carneros); and Colgin 2004 IX Estate Napa red wine blend. The service was, as you would expect, perfect…but not unapproachable. Every server we spoke with was easy to smile and genuinely gracious. I shuddered thinking about how Phoebe Damrosch inferred in her book that servers at Per Se, The French Laundry’s sister restaurant in New York, loathe people who order vegetarian plates, but I didn’t feel the least bit scorned. They even let me tour the kitchen, which was bright, devilishly hot, and finer tuned than a Patek Philippe. More difficult than securing a reservation is the complex precision with which French Laundry chefs sculpt every dish. I’m still pinching myself.

    

 

 

Hidden Gems Of Naples, Florida.

I have been visiting Naples for the past 20 years. On the outside, it appears hopelessly glitzy. It does, after all, have more Bentleys and St. John pantsuits than the average American city. But it’s also vibrant and friendly. Earlier this week, I set out to explore The Naples Behind The Naples. Here’s what I discovered.

1. Naples has an interesting history, as evidenced by the Naples Depot Museum. Built in 1926 by the Seaboard Airline, the depot welcomed its first passenger train in 1927 and was in use until 1971. It was preserved as a national trust landmark and became a museum in 2005. Fully restored to its original state, its permanent exhibits and traveling displays demonstrate the prowess through which Southwest Floridians approached transportation and technology.

2. Naples is filled with organic farm-fresh produce and vegetarian dining options, which I encountered at Food & Thought, the Third Street South Farmer’s Market, Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant, and Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro. Food & Thought’s mantra is 100% organic food 100% of the time, and that’s no joke. It teems with seasonal produce and flowers that are picked daily from the owner’s farm, and offers fresh-squeezed vegetable juices, vegan shakes, and a daily raw food special. The Third Street South Farmer’s Market is open on Saturdays from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and offers around 20 booths with everything from organic local produce and flowers to homemade baskets and soap. The highlight of this attraction is Anita’s Guacamole, where you can watch 60 avocados get peeled, seeded, and hand churned into one massively tasty green dip. At the Loving Hut, where every dish on the menu is vegan, I had my first ever lotus salad. And at Bha! Bha! in North Naples, I had my first sampling of Persian cuisine, which included lots of eggplant, artichokes, chickpeas, lentils, Bulgarian feta, and yogurt sauces. Every bite was, as its menu suggests, “sumptuous and different.”

3. Naples caters to people with sweet teeth. Like me. Few things in this world rival those sticky slabs of frozen heaven known as gelato, and Freddo Gelateria serves up some of the best I’ve ever tried. In their tiny tucked-away shop on Fifth Avenue Parkway, dazzlingly likeable owners Tecla and Marco Filardo concoct flavors like Tiramisu, Chocolate Hazlenut, and Rum Raisin. They use local ingredients whenever possible and plan to expand their business in order to accomodate ever-growing demand for their impeccable product.

During this past week in Naples, I learned that underneath every shiny façade rest earthier truths. So don’t judge a town by its cougars.

                           

My Gym Faces White Castle.

It’s marvelous how our friends Yin and Yang keep reminding us that the universe achieves opposing balance. But sometimes I think they’re just onerous comedians. Take, if you will, my gym. It’s situated directly across the street from a White Castle. This means that rows of state-of-the-art treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bicycles face vistas of fries and double cheeseburgers. We, The Exercisers, furiously wipe our dripping brows as our low-heartrated compatriots, The Eaters, gaze at us and wipe occasional crumbs from their maws. We push ourselves to run or climb for another 10 minutes as they watch us with tepid wonder from mushy blue booths. They don’t know why the heck we’re exhausting ourselves, and we wouldn’t be caught dead cramming chicken rings into our pieholes. Like having a gun shop by a tap dance studio or a tattoo parlor across from a daycare center, it just ain’t right.

My neighborhood White Castle is by no means royal and the smells that emanate from it are anything but courtly. Its patrons could, however, be deemed Knights of Litter, since many of us nearby residents throw away an average of 14,566 slider boxes per year. But this 24-hour fried fortress is surrounded by an organic café, a French-inspired bar/charcuterie, a modern furnishings boutique, and a vintage emporium. So I’ll be among the first to sound my bugle if it ever rolls up its drawbridge. And I’m never afraid to kill a metaphor.

          

CupcakeCamp Columbus IV.

The fourth CupcakeCamp Columbus was held at the North Market this afternoon. A mouthwatering competition with 50 cupcake flavors, six categories, and a passionate bunch of local amateur bakers, it was sponsored by Bulleit Bourbon, Crimson Cup Coffee, Godiva Liqueur, the North Market, Snowville Creamery, and Surly Girl Saloon. Proceeds from the sold-out sugarlicious event benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. The winning cupcakes were “Ghostly White” in the Halloween Themed category; “Mocha Delights” in the Use of Bulleit Bourbon or Godiva Liqueur category; “Pumpkin Brunch” in the Bacon! category; “Pumpkin Bliss” in the Vegan category; “Berry Stoutstanding” in the North Market Inspired category; and “Frito Pie” in the Surly Girl Saloon Inspired category. The “Cupcakes for Breakfast” confection took home the People’s Choice Award. Runner’s Up awards were given to “Witch Way Did She Go?” in the Halloween-Themed category; “Dark Chocolate with Caramel” in the Use of Bulleit Bourbon or Godiva Liqueur category; “Maple Pecan & Bacon Brittle” in the Bacon! category; “Beeting Heart” in the Vegan category; “Thai Chili Coconut” in the North Market Inspired category; and “Spicy Peanut Butter Banana with Toasted Marshmallow” in the Surly Girl Saloon Inspired category. The Runner’s Up People’s Choice award was given to the “Bulleit Bourbon Brown-Sugar with Bulleit Bourbon Lemon Frosting” cupcake. Judges and prize sponsors included 3 Babes and a Baker, Bakery Gingham, CMH Gourmand, Columbus Food Adventures, Columbus Foodie, The Greener Grocer, The Hills Market, Little Alouette, Made by AmyD, Market Blooms, Mozart’s Bakery, Our Cupcakery, Pattycake Bakery, Sassafras Bakery, Spinelli’s Deli, Studio 35, Sugar Inc., Wholly Craft, and Wild Goose Creative.

            

Paige's Produce Fall Open House.

It just ain’t fall in Ohio until you pick out your pumpkin. Some years, it takes me hours and multiple reconnaissance missions to find the perfect ball of orange loveliness. But during today’s annual fall open house at Paige’s Produce in Stoutsville, my pumpkin found me immediately. I will love him, carve him, and roast his little seeds. The autumnal festivities also included a straw maze, apple cider press, homemade bean soup, and Brezel pretzels. We have participated in a CSA program with the farmers at Paige’s Produce for the past three years. Click here to find out why. 

       

Columbus Food Adventures.

It’s not every day that a friend launches a Columbus-based business, let alone an entirely new business sector. But that’s exactly what Bethia Woolf has done. The spirited maven behind Hungrywoolf, Taco Trucks Columbus, and alt.eats.columbus has forged a revolutionary culinary path with Columbus Food Adventures, Central Ohio’s first food tour operator.

In addition to being a prominent blogger and chronicler of all things foodie, Bethia harbors great passion for urban history, art, and architecture. She’s also a smart lady who knew that offering guided, personalized tours of our city’s brightest food gems would fare well. Each of her tours includes a handful of stops at hand picked independently owned businesses with samples of top menu items. And most stops source a high amount of local ingredients.

This afternoon, with another dear friend, I happily participated in one of Bethia’s first tours in the Short North. We started at the North Market, where we sampled blueberries and heirloom cherry tomatoes at The Greener Grocer. Then we tasted Kitchen Little’s cassoulet, which took a whopping three days to make. We headed north on High Street to Knead, an urban diner that opened less than a month ago. We tried Brioche French Toast with Ohio maple syrup, and I learned a new word: Jinkie. It’s Knead’s version of a Twinkie, except with olive oil, mint, and lemon curd. We continued north to Le Chocoholique, another new establishment where we taste tested sweet basil truffles and green chile coconut truffles. We moved onward to Eleni-Christina Bakery, where we watched a weary lad who had been baking since the wee hours put the finishing touches on some Italian loaves and round rustic wheat bread. From there we walked to Tasi Café, where we munched on blueberry and cranberry muffins, almond croissants, and a caramel roll. And then we visited Rigsby’s Kitchen, which served us gnocchi with a Bolognese sauce. I had to leave before the last stop at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, but I’m sure it was the perfect ending to an informative, delicious, one-of-a-kind experience.

Initially, Columbus Food Adventures will offer a Short North walking tour, taco truck van tour, and ethnic eats van tour. Additional itineraries featuring microbrews, ice cream, and German Village eateries will be announced soon. Seasonal and special event tours are also part of Bethia’s master plan. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes, bring an empty stomach, and savor every moment.

 
 

 

The Market At 15th And High.

This afternoon I stopped by the Market At 15th And High, a quaint new farmer’s market on the Ohio State University campus. Nestled in the Wexner Center Plaza, it takes place on Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. through the end of October and features fresh, locally grown items from Central Ohio farmers. It’s managed by Jaime Moore of The Wayward Seed Farm. Participating fruit and vegetable farmers include Wayward Seed Farm, Hirsch Fruit Farm, and VanScoy Farms. Sycamore Circle Heritage Farm offers soaps and teas made with farm-grown herbs, Anderson Orchards carries vibrant fresh-cut flowers, Luna Burger sells artisan veggie burgers, and Petite Boulangerie stocks wood-burning-oven baked breads. All of the market’s profits directly benefit the vendors.

Barcelona Restaurant Makes Good On Its Name.

I’m a Spain freak. All of my friends and family members know this. So a very nice surprise awaited me last night at Barcelona Restaurant & Bar: everything on the menu was Spanish. Finally. I’ve patronized the German Village eatery since it opened more than a decade ago and have watched it undergo multiple transformations. Until recently, it didn’t actually serve true Spanish cuisine. It has always been challenging to find Spanish food and wine in Columbus. I’m grateful that Barcelona’s owner Scott Heimlich and executive chef Paul Yow shifted from Mediterranean/American fusion to the warm, sensuous dishes of Iberia. The restaurant’s current menu offers dozens of Spanish red and white wines by the glass, including the lovely and affordable Quo Macabeo/Chardonnay for $5. The “Humus” with grilled flatbread, crunchy vegetables, and smoked paprika oil is an enjoyably colorful nibbler (and an extra plate of veggies costs a mere dollar). Among the Spanish cheese selection are two winners: the creamy Cana de Cabra goat’s milk cheese from Murcia with a hint of quince paste, and the firm Manchego Romero sheep’s milk cheese from La Mancha that’s cured with rosemary and caramelized green olive. Our visit was quick because we had plans to see Actor’s Theatre perform at Schiller Park, but we’ll return for the ever-changing tapas menu, three-course $25 Paella dinner, and the romantic patio. Viva la comida española.
 

 

 

Sage American Bistro.

We recently tried Sage American Bistro for the first time. On the brink of its second anniversary, this contemporary eatery emanates two things: thoughtful assemblage and intuitive service. Plus after learning that Restaurant Widow (who’s hosting a Goodale Park Music Series concert in July) works there, I knew we were in capable culinary hands. Every table was reserved for the evening so we perched on a couple of corner barstools and surrendered to Chris the Bartender. Chris is an effortlessly charismatic guy who’s got your back but doesn’t fawn. We liked him immediately. His wine pour is deft and his food knowledge is deep.

We ordered the Grilled Rainbow Trout with sautéed Laughing Bird shrimp, French green beans, shallots, and saffron vinaigrette; and the Seared Salmon atop truffle-scented cauliflower purée with young green salad, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, crispy bacon, and herb vinaigrette. My boyfriend heralded the trout as the best fish dish he’s ever had in Columbus. “It’s full of flavor and not at all fishy,” he marveled between bites. The green beans adorning his beloved trout were cooked perfectly. I mean perfectly. My salmon was both crisp and lush, and although I normally don’t like frisée, the “spazzy lettuce” accompanying my entrée was brilliantly tossed in truffle oil. When you combine earnest passion with honest Midwestern hospitality, you just can’t lose. Happy Two Years to Sage, and we plan to see you again soon.

 

Rediscovering Nantucket.

Few places make you contemplate the past like Nantucket. Its name means “faraway place” and its history reaches back 5,000 years when it was formed by glacial melting. Since the British first settled this 14-mile-island in 1659, it has become a harbinger of popped collars, sweatered shoulders, and boat shoes. Its cobblestone streets are shared by both New England elite and surly seafarers, but everyone obeys the heartbeat of the sea.

This past weekend was the first time I visited Nantucket in 17 years. Through endless bowls of clam chowder and pints of Sam Adams I became reacquainted, because to know Nantucket is to eat there. Restaurants like the Rose & Crown, Brotherhood of Thieves, and Cy’s Lobster Pot embody the island's hand-hewn, salty spirit. Institutions like the Whaling Museum capture the intensity of our country’s transition from bloodthirsty hunters to eco-minded preservationists. But it’s not until you walk along the streets, smell the honeysuckle air, and greet every passerby that you begin to understand the island’s unspoken code. Nantucket abides by its own set of rules governed by history, prosperity, and the Atlantic. Atop our third-story loft at The Cottages we lost ourselves in the all-encompassing nautical rhythm of the boats and ferries in the harbor.

 Nantucket is an anomaly that’s as grand as it is quaint and as austere as it is friendly. Above the billion-dollar inhabitants and Ralph Lauren aspirations, beyond the Ivy League summers and basketed bicycles, and more colorful than the flower boxes adorning the perfectly kempt houses simmers a culture of continual history and mystery.

      
 

 

4 Days In San Francisco.

Before last week, I had only been to San Francisco once. I was eight years old and other than riding the boat to Alcatraz, my giddiest recollection was an elderly man named Ed handing me a $10 bill at a diner. This time around, I did all of the things I couldn’t get away with when I was in the single digits, like ride public transportation by myself, drink beer, and stay up past 9:00.

I met some friends at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where we explored colorful explosions of paint, sculpture, film, and photography. It’s true: San Francisco extends an open invitation to eat adventurously. I finally tasted one of those trendy asparagus-and-egg combos at The Alembic, which is nestled among the dreadlocks and patchouli wafts of Haight Street. And when it comes to thin crust pizza, Pizzeria Delfina rises above the rest.  Chinatown is the perfect place to roam freely and try to accept the concept of dried fish. On the rooftop of Passion Café, I sipped my first Trumer Pilsner, a crisp local brew. From the Top of the Mark, I gawked at 360-degree views of the entire city. I experienced my first man-made indoor thunderstorm at the tiki-themed Tonga Room and created my own little beerstorm at the Rogue Ales Public House. But the best and most memorable meal I had in San Francisco wasn’t served at a restaurant. It was at my cousin’s house in nearby San Carlos. Spending time with family members who I rarely get to see was wonderful...and being serenaded by my cousin’s accomplished musician girlfriend was just plain cosmic. Amoeba Music on Haight Street is a must for any audiophile. I’ll leave it at that.

My ultimate San Francisco experience occurred during our last night, when we saw George Winston perform at the Grace Cathedral. I never thought I’d have this opportunity. Tears streamed down my face as he played songs I’ve been listening to for nearly 30 years. It was a bucket list performance, and the venue was one of the most welcoming and peace-inspiring sanctuaries I’ve ever visited.

              

Kafé Kerouac.

When I was a teenager, I spent many pseudo angst-ridden evenings slumped in a corner table at a coffee shop on the OSU campus. It was called Insomnia, and its four walls housed a ridicule-free-zone that made its dwellers feel cool, loved, and special. I miss it dearly. Yesterday afternoon in an effort to find a similar coffee haven, we visited Kafé Kerouac. It’s located just north of campus, and like Insomnia, offers a comfy hideaway inducive to studying, reading, thinking, working, and/or world saving. In addition to the usual coffeehouse fare, the Kafé sells beer, wine, whiskey, new and used vinyl, and new and used books. It’s a cross between hanging out in your favorite uncle’s living room and the basement from The Virgin Suicides.

 

 

Springtime In Manhattan.

I got back from New York late last night. Like all of my other visits to “The City,” the latest was filled with momentum, bacchanalia, and that sinfully salty pretzel smell. I giddily meandered through the Tim Burton exhibit at MoMA, which brimmed with more than 700 “drawings, paintings, photographs, moving-image works, storyboards, puppets, concept artworks, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera.” Most of the pieces from this sinewy display of spooky grace are owned by private collectors and have rarely been seen by the public. My favorite part was a 1975 grade school essay entitled “Humor In America,” which earned Tim an 87 and the following teacher’s comment scribbled in red pen: “Good job. Some good original material. Well arranged.” Marina Abramovic’s exhibit, on the other hand, tried too hard to be macabre. I interpreted her nude live art installations as a masked quest for legitimacy through shock. One of them featured a naked woman hoisted several feet off the ground on a bicycle seat. When the elderly security guard heard me wonder aloud how long she could hold that position without moving, he whispered in my ear, “that’s a dude.” “That is not a dude,” I objected. He just glared at me, so I looked back at her. I mean, at him. Oh my God. “That’s a dude,” I said. The security guard muffled a laugh.

Moving along, there were jaunts to my all-time favorite shoe store, my most beloved New York diner (whose servers respect your order for Russian dressing), and a gourmet vegetarian restaurant that disproved my theory about organic wine*. Add a glorious spring picnic in Central Park with impossibly perfect salmon salad from Sable’s, and there you have it. Except that there’s one more thing. Something else happened that was entirely and completely more meaningful than all of these other things: I spent time with my mother. And my mother spent time with me. For a couple of days, we were the only two people in the world. We walked and talked and listened. We cooked, sipped, and laughed. We shared and remembered. And maybe most importantly, we savored.

*I used to think that all organic wines tasted skunky. Now I know there’s at least one that doesn’t.

    

BeerCamp Columbus.

Yesterday afternoon was the first annual BeerCamp Columbus. Held at Wild Goose Creative and presented by Surly Girl Saloon, the sold-out event was kicked off by a parade, in which Kevin and I marched. Led by Parade Master Jim Ellison, our small-but-mighty troupe included an art car, CD-101 truck, Lady Gaga, a T-shirted dog, bicycle-mounted goose, and a live chicken. I dressed up as Punky BREW-ster. When asked by various passersby what we marching for, we simply shouted “Beer!” Our five uniformed police escorts seemed a little confused throughout the half-mile trudge, but we (and our handful of spectators) enjoyed every minute.

Columbus Brewing Company tapped kegs of Scottish Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and Saison. There were cooking, baking, homebrewing, and beer label competitions featuring such entries as Stout Chili, Black And Tan Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Guinness Braised Pork Belly, Chocolate Porter Crepes with Raspberry Lambic, Kentucky Breakfast Stout Cupcakes, and Beer Cupcakes with Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout. Members from ThoughtCo were on hand custom screenprinting T-shirts, and local indie rocker Kyle Sowash enthused the crowd with songs written especially for BeerCamp. I guess John Ciardi was right: fermentation and civilization really are inseparable. Click here for more photos.

 

 

CupcakeCamp Columbus 2010.

Yesterday I volunteered at the third annual CupcakeCamp Columbus. An unequivocal celebration of everyone’s favorite sweet and small confection, it was held upstairs at the North Market. The ensuing cupcake competition featured 33 local bakers, 16 judges, and a sea of scrumptious petite masterpieces. Tragically, my task was to cut the cupcakes in quarters so that everyone in attendance could sample as many different flavors as possible. Which means that I was a cupcake murderer, and that the delightful bakers who spent gobs of time crafting their little wondertreats had someone who can barely handle Betty Crocker brownies slice them to bits. 

Proceeds from the sold-out event will benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. The winners of the five categories were: Spring-Themed: “Honeypot Lemon & Thyme” by Mandy Farnsworth, Use of Bailey’s or Bushmills: “Irish Coffee” by Christina Taylor, St. Patty’s Day: “Irish Car Bomb A” by Timmura Johnson, Vegan: “Lemon Basil” by Amy Hamilton, and North-Market-Inspired: “Cardamom Sweater” by Jim Eaton.

Level & DeepWood: Two Distinct Short North Eateries.

In the past week, we embarked on the culinary adventure of dining at two Short North restaurants for the first time. Level Dining Lounge and DeepWood Restaurant stand 0.2 miles apart and opened within a year of each other, but they share little else in common.

With 6,000 square feet of aspirational South Beach chic, Level is brightly colored and contemporary. We plopped into a giant cushy booth and ordered the Sweet & Sinful Burger topped with sweet barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, bacon, and crispy onion straws; and the Turkey Wrap with smoked turkey, lettuce, Roma tomatoes, red onions, alfalfa sprouts and chipotle raspberry dressing. My boyfriend kept marveling that the burger was actually cooked medium rare like he ordered, and that he could actually taste the meat as it wasn’t drowning in condiments. Our side dishes, sweet potato fries with marshmallow sauce and skillet green beans, were exceptional. The gay-friendly establishment will supposedly open a rooftop bar this summer.

On the opposite side of the comestible spectrum and a few blocks south is DeepWood. Golden and earthy, it casts somewhat of a New England country home sentiment. We partook in special three-course meals in honor of Dine Originals Week. To start, we ordered the Chef’s Hand Stretched Mozzarella with oven-dried tomato, zucchini, and yellow squash ribbons with a balsamic reduction; and the Duck Leg & Fois Gras Sausage with brioche and green apple jam. Then we tried the Lobster Bolognese with vegetable risotto and the Pork Braised Ribs with house-made barbeque sauce, white cheddar polenta, and coleslaw. For dessert, we had the Chocolate & Walnut Toll House Pie with brown sugar ice cream. Apparently these people know dairy, because the mozzarella and ice cream were out-of-this-world-y. But it was the service at DeepWood that warrants the most attention. It was among the finest I’ve ever experienced.

    

The Rossi Unveils New Menu.

We’re lucky to live a block from The Rossi bar + kitchen. The casually sophisticated brasserie offers fresh and elegant comfort food in subtly posh environs. This is a place where service is intuitive and cocktails are crafted instead of poured. The chef recently unveiled a new menu that, according to manager Ronald Criswell, has already been a hit. New appetizers include Deviled Lobster Cake with wilted arugula and red onion chutney; Short Rib Enchiladas with avocado crème fraîche and black bean salsa; and Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish with sweet and sour Napa slaw and Cajun rémoulade. New entrees include Grilled Pork Tenderloin with sweet potato-apple puree, bacon enriched haricot verts, and apple cider reduction; Chilean Sea Bass with roasted baby carrot, sautéed spinach, and leek brown butter; and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with applewood smoked bacon, caramelized leeks, and pine nut cream. A couple evenings ago we tried two other new dishes: the Lobster Ravioli with caramelized shallots, asparagus, fennel, and tarragon cream sauce; and the Citrus Roasted Amish Airline Chicken Breast with toasted coconut rice, Swiss chard, and herb mango chutney. Both were outstanding. Cherished mainstays like the Rossi Burger, Grilled Ham & Gruyère Cheese Sandwich, and New York Style Pizza remain on the menu.

      

Bexley Supper Club Thrives on Nostalgia.

It’s official: the financial crisis that has plagued us for the past three years has been dubbed the Great Recession. Most of us just want to get through it and move forward, but times like these evoke strong sentiments for the ease of yesteryear. Now more than ever, people crave being swathed in the comfort of the memory quilt. Maybe that’s due to the simple and sweet familiarity associated with all things throwback. There’s a time and place for Moby and soy lattes, and it sure as heck ain’t today. The Top Steak House in the east Columbus neighborhood of Bexley is enjoying its own retro-reveling resurgence, as we experienced on a recent bustling Saturday night.

Founded in 1955, The Top pays genuine homage to post-war American supper clubs. This is a place where the lighting is dark, the leather is red, and Sinatra albums enjoy permanent residence in the stereo system. At The Top, your order for a Gibson martini will be met with a bowtied bartender’s knowing eyes. The menu boasts an array of char-broiled meats and chops, and all dinners come with a choice of hefty side dishes. Although the entrée prices aren’t Great-Recession-proof, The Top’s bar menu offers burgers and sandwiches from $8 to $14. My favorite feature of the place, other than its (rumored) secret back entrance for paramours, is that it hosts live music seven nights a week. As we perched ourselves at the copper-topped bar and chatted with the 75-year-old man sitting next to us in “his” barstool, we pondered the thousands of clandestine conversations that have ensued there and snickered at the old ladies in the corner wrapped in their diamonds and fur. Even though we’re going to crawl out of this recession, places like this will still entice old timers, hipsters, and everyone in between with classic cuisine, and more importantly, loungy spunk.

      

70-Year-Old Diner Cooler than Converse.

Do you ever have one of those nights when you want to go out to eat but can’t decide where? I think the technical term is diningum indecisionitis. Thanks to The Blue Danube Restaurant, I don’t have that problem. It’s the ultimate fail-proof fallback eatery. And since 1940, it has offered tasty no-frills grub in a comfy atmosphere. The jukebox tunes are always colorful and the service is always genuinely friendly.

Located just north of the OSU campus, "The Dube" has everything you’d wish from a liberal-leaning diner: PBR on draft, milk shakes, breakfast burritos, four kinds of hotdogs, and nine types of burgers. All house margaritas come with an extra shot of tequila. The kicked-back mainstay, which serves a variety of cuisine ranging from American and Greek to Italian and Mexican, recently introduced some new dishes, like the Irish Eggroll, Sliders, Sweet Potato Fries, Flatbread Pizza, Salmon BLT, Taco Salad, Black & Blue Salad, and Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bowl. Prices generally range from $3 to $8 except for my two favorite menu items: the Dube Dinner Deluxe for $165, which includes a bottle of Dom Perignon and two grilled cheese sandwiches, and the Dube Dinner Ordinaire for $45, which includes “a bottle of amusing, yet unassuming, sparkling Rose wine from the house of Chandon, and two grilled cheese sandwiches.” I’ve never tried either but they’ve been on the menu for as long as I can remember.

Like your oldest pair of Chuck Taylors, The Dube keeps earning more cred with time. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to midnight. For more information, call 614-261-9308. If you live in Columbus and find yourself toiling about where to eat, hit the Dube¹. You won’t be disappointed.

¹ You don't dine at, visit, or frequent The Dube. You hit it.

 

Adornetto's Pizza.

Most people have A) a favorite pizza place of all time, and B) a favorite pizza place in their hometowns. For me, the former is John’s Pizzeria of Bleecker Street and the latter is Rubino’s Pizza. 

Until this past Saturday.

It was then that we visited Adornetto’s in Zanesville. It’s such an institution that when Zanesville comes up in conversation “Have you been to Adornetto’s?” is always the second question¹. I’d had Adornetto’s takeout before, but this was my first in-person trip to the 51-year-old Italian restaurant. Like their tagline proclaims, it really is the pizza people come home for. Especially on the day after Christmas. We waited a half hour for our table and another 45 minutes for our precious pie with half pepperoni, half sausage and mild peppers. But it was mind-alteringly good and I shamelessly devoured each piece. If enough was transported correctly I do believe it could end the Iraq War and maybe even convince the creators of Arrested Development to finally shoot that feature film.

We were able to take a little piece of Adornetto’s home since I got a gift basket with the restaurant’s homemade pasta, sauce, and salad dressing for Christmas². Nothing, however, beats tearing apart fresh gooey pieces of pizza in their kitschy nostalgia-filled dining room. Maybe on Valentine’s Day we’ll go back and order the heart-shaped Love Pie. Now that’s amore. 

1 After “Have you been to the Y-Bridge?”
2 It wasn’t actually mine at first. Thanks to the gift exchange game we played, I swapped for it. Sorry, Kelly!  

       

Salad and Stout.

Salads. Most of us eat them to fulfill our daily veggie quota, but they’re not always thrilling. If prepared with enough vigor, however, they can eat like full-bodied meals. Recently I’ve noticed more restaurants promoting salads to entrée status, like Barrel 44 Whiskey Bar in my neighborhood. As my boyfriend explains, “they’re salads, but they’re filling. And you don’t run out of meat before you finish them.” Barrel 44 offers four hefty salads: the Mojo Pork Tenderloin Salad with grilled Holland peppers, black bean jicama salsa, and Vidalia dressing; the 44 Salad with sundried cherries, candied pecans, goat cheese, beet curls, and burgundy vinaigrette; the Asian Seared Tuna Salad with seared Ahi tuna, pickled ginger, wakame, wasabi aioli, and sesame soy vinaigrette; and the Black and Blue Salad with grilled flatiron steak, Maytag blue cheese, crumbled bacon, and cucumber ranch dressing. They each cost between $6 and $11.

Aside from gregarious greens, Barrel 44 has my favorite stout on draft. It’s one of the only bars I know of that carries the sweet yet robust dark beer that's strong-armed its way into my dreams. It’s terrifyingly, unabashedly good. So even though Barrel 44 cut too many corners on décor, its menu and whiskey selection nearly make up for it. Perhaps someday the owners will realize they’re not fooling anyone with their (laughably) tepid Wal-Mart curtains and wall art…and that a little Johnny Cash would go far. Until then I’ll happily munch and sip on my salad and stout.

    

Pump Up the Basil.

Last night with three of close friends, I tried a new Thai restaurant in the Short North called Basil. It opened a couple weeks ago alarmingly close to another neighborhood Thai restaurant. My favorite part was the ambience. Seductively lit by crystal chandeliers, it’s filled with deep dark wood and exposed brick. A few nonchalantly placed fragrant white lilies gave the room a cosmopolitan, Chicago-like feel*. For our appetizers, we ordered the Fried Tofu, Shrimp Rolls, and Grilled Vegetable Salad. Out of the three, the latter was the freshest and tastiest. The sauce accompanying the tofu was too heavily peanuted, and the rolls were so deep fried I couldn’t take more than one bite without visions of a grimacing cardiologist. We ordered spicy Panang with chicken, Eggplant Basil, Red Curry, and Bha Mee noodles as our entrées. The Panang and eggplant were prepared with the restaurant’s namesake ingredient and were adequate. The Bha Mee noodles were succulent, save for their elusive fish balls.

Our servers and bartender treated us warmly and readily answered our 42 questions about the menu. They even carried out trays with free glasses of freshly made Thai iced tea for everyone in the restaurant, which was a nice and very appreciated touch. But with such a similar style and cuisine as the other Thai eatery down the street, it’s impossible not to compare them. Basil boasts the superior aura; its competitor serves better food. Basil is also open for lunch, unlike its counterpart. Either way I’m hopeful that both will be able to thrive heartily.

*Many Cbus-ers describe favorite local spots as feeling like “you’re not in Columbus.” The reasons behind this unnecessarily inferior thinking beckon a separate post.

      

The Best Peanut Butter Possible.

Earlier this week I swung by the Krema Nut Company on Goodale Boulevard to fetch some holiday treats. Founded in 1898, it’s one of the oldest peanut butter manufacturers in the country. Krema’s all-natural peanut butter is made of fancy grade Spanish peanuts and doesn’t contain added salt, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, or preservatives. It’s the same formula they’ve used since the beginning. They roast their peanuts in small batches by hand and even have a Master Roaster who has been with them for more than 25 years.

What all this means is that they make some of the best peanut butter on the planet. And it’s right here in our backyard. I thought a peanut was just a peanut, but Krema carries blanched, redskin, dry roasted blanched, almonized, butter toffee, honey roasted, hot redskin, and in-shell peanuts. And of course peanut brittle. But they also carry a head-scratching variety of cashews, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, nut butters, popcorn, chocolates, candies, sugar-free candies, dried fruits, and snack mixes. It’s complete insanutty. Here are some tidbits according to Krema Nut’s Peanut Butter Fact Sheet:

• It takes 540 peanuts to make one jar of peanut butter.
• 83% of all Americans eat peanut butter.
• More than 700 million pounds of peanut butter are consumed annually in the United States. That’s enough to cover the entire floor of the Grand Canyon. 
• Children prefer creamy peanut butter, while adults prefer crunchy.
• Peanut butter contains more fiber than baked beans, potatoes, spinach, cabbage, or carrots.

If you or anyone you know dreams in peanut butter, plan a visit to this well-kept Columbus secret or have fun carousing their website. Krema offers free factory tours by appointment for a minimum of 20 people from January to September. Now I just need to find 19 others who want to go with me.