Vanilla Icing

Happiness Is Always Bread

The last day of the Experience Columbus, A Diverse & Delicious Culinary Tour dawned bright and early and we made our way over to the North Market where we were turned loose with three things: a shopping bag full of goodies, gift certificates and 'orders' to take a look around and obtain breakfast.

Local produce from The Greener Grocer was tempting.

   

I barely resisted the turquoise plates at The Source and only managed to escape by remembering my propensity for dropping and chipping pretty dishes.  I admired the handmade ravioli at Pastaria Seconda and had a quiet chuckle when another worker at the North Market muttered something about them being 'not homemade.'  Perhaps they weren't but they were attractive and one of my fellow bloggers had some for breakfast and confirmed they were delicious!

It was a little too early for anything from The Barrel & the Bottle but several of us had the foresight to purchase some for later.  I regret not seeing if they had anything from Rockmill Brewery and picking it up to take home. 

   

After I took a walk around the market I remembered my 'orders' to obtain breakfast and began at A Touch of Earth coffee.  They had a 'Buckeye' Mocha on the menu and I couldn't resist even though I was a little unsure how peanut butter would taste in coffee.  I shouldn't have worried; pair peanut butter with chocolate and it doesn't matter what else you put it with.  It's always good.  The Buckeye tasted like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup with a caffeniated kick.

And then, look what I found.  Or should I say...my nose?

Rockmill Brewery

Several months ago, I attended a beer tasting at the Inn at Cedar Falls.  Matthew Barbee, owner of Rockmill Brewery brought his four beers to sample and I enjoyed myself quite a lot.  A few months later, during my time on the Experience Columbus, A Delicious & Diverse Culinary tour, I found myself pulling up to Rockmill Brewery for a tour of the brewery, more beer tasting and a chance to meet Matthew again.

              

Guess what? This time I was a little less of a beer novice and enjoyed the complexities of flavors in the beer even more than I did the first time.  And Matthew remembered me which made me smile.

His home which is also the home of Rockmill Brewery is infused with golden sunlight that made me think of his beers and the different shades of gold they glow once they've been poured into glasses. Beautiful.  

And...we got to taste a new beer that Rockmill Brewery is preparing to release soon.  This fifth beer is aged in whiskey barrels from Middle West Spirits and the beer takes on some of the flavors of whisky which makes for a very interesting (and delicious!) tasting experience that I have decided is my new favorite of Rockmill Brewery.  

Matthew encouraged us to try bits of various cheeses, bread and salted dark chocolate followed by sips of beer and to notice the different ways it brought out the flavors of each individual beer.   It was amazing to me that beers are like wine in this way; there are beer and food pairings to make and the right pairing can make all the difference in the world.  The gorgonzola had a noticable skimming effect on the Tripel; the beer danced across the tongue without even the barest hint of bitterness found in beer and left lingering notes of sweetness.  

        

In addition to discovering that beer pairs as nicely with different foods like wines, I also learned that a brewery smells like baking bread.  Oh my!  I couldn't help but draw one deep breath after another when we stepped inside the brewery.  In fact, I kept at it so long that I began to worry I might get drunk from drawing heady draughts of air!   Matthew showed us around, discussing the beer brewing process and all of the steps involved.   

I would love to share all the specific details of brewing but I'll have to direct your attention instead to the Wikipedia entry.  My sincere apologies, but I must admit between the heaven scented air and the glass of the Fifth Beer I had in one hand and my camera in the other I wasn't exactly able to jot down notes on the process.  

An engaging and generous host and an amazing glass of beer really do deserve one's undivided attention.  

Columbus Gives Me Mixer Envy

Three of my favorite things-

                                                  Photo credit: Skillet

How could I not be intrigued when I saw that Skillet was our destination for breakfast?  Rumors of Skillet's breakfast have made it east to Pittsburgh and I had been looking forward to finally trying it out.  Would it rival Pittsburgh's own Pamela's?  Could it rival DeLuca's in the Strip District?  I had to see for myself.

       

Chef and owner, Kevin Caskey welcomed us to Skillet and talked about the food he prepares for his guests.  The menu is seasonally derived and makes use of many local purveyors such as Laurel Valley Creamery and produce from nearby farms.  Skillet opens at lunch time during the week but Chef Caskey was kind enough to open privately for the Experience Columbus, A Diverse & Delicious Culinary Tour food bloggers.  While we were enjoying breakfast, a few other people poked their head in the door excited to find Skillet open early.    They were gently told that the restaurant would be open to the public at 11 and I must admit I felt a little bad when they reluctantly turned away.

But not so bad that I didn't scoot this delectable omelet closer to me each time someone attempted to venture inside!  Farm fresh eggs were carefully folded around house smoked andouille sausage and Laurel Valley cheddar.  The cheddar was a little sharp but provided an interesting contrast to sausage which was heavy on the smoke flavor and light on the spiciness.  Cremini mushrooms and blistered fresh okra spilled off the top of the omelet and I poked at a bit of the okra skeptically before I put one tiny piece of okra in my mouth.  Um, how come no one has ever told me about okra before?  I couldn't finish the generously sized omelet but you better believed I ate every single bit of okra.  Next time...do you think I could just have a plate of the okra?  And maybe some of the mushrooms?

We spilled out of Skillet and I had the comfortable knowledge that Skillet is indeed better than Pamela's but you can't really compare Skillet to DeLuca's as they are two entirely different styles of cooking.   Notice the big smile on Laura of Cincinnati Nomerati .  I think that pretty much sums up Skillet.  (Terry of Blue Kitchen holds the door & Rachel of Hounds in the Kitchen follows.)

Comfortable full and properly fueled, we got in our bus and began a day of being overwhelmed in the best possible way by Columbus and a sampling of its offerings.

Experience Columbus

Recently, I was invited to further explore Ohio with Experience Columbus by attending "Diverse & Delicious, A Culinary Tour of Columbus' and it was an eye opening experience.  Columbus, Ohio has been one of the leaders in the farm-to-table movement that is slowly sweeping our nation.  The restaurants, cafes and other food and drink establishments support and encourage local farms by choosing to use the seasonal produce, meat and dairy products that can be obtained from the many, dedicated local farmers.  It's a self-sustaining method that ensures the best for the community but also allows for the best possible dining experience by using the freshest ingredients gathered and prepared at their peak.   I was continually surprised to discover how passionate the people involved in the Slow Food movement in Columbus were and it was sheer delight to meet these people as I happily ate and drank my way through Columbus with several other food bloggers.

A welcoming reception was held at Milestone 229 on the newly redeveloped Scioto Mile Riverfront Park.  Large, floor to ceiling curved windows brightened the dark classic colors of the bar and offered a perfect opportunity to gaze out on the silvery fountains that send arcs of water sparkling through the air. 

    

Every good time starts with a drink, right?  

Deconstructed Pesto

As a person who loves talking and writing about food, eating food and preparing food, is Italian, it seems wrong to admit that I dislike pesto sauce.  I want to like it and sing its praises but I have found it often to have a subtle bitter taste to it that only occurs when the basil is broken down by any of the various methods people like to use to make pesto.    And, if I am confessing, I must also add that noodles coated in anything that vibrant of a green startles me a little.  My husband and children don't really care for 'green pasta' either.  

After a recent trip to Trader Joe's where I purchased fresh basil to use on pizza margherita, I had a large quantity left and needed to find a way to use it before it went bad.  Try as I might, I could not think of anything to do with it but make pesto.  I didn't want pesto.  My family didn't want pesto.  But pesto, deconstructed is what I gave them.  

It's a very simple dish that comes together quickly and has rapidly become a favorite of my pesto hating family.  I haven't the heart to tell them that essentially they ARE eating pesto.  Deconstructed pesto does not have the staggeringly intense flavor of traditional pesto sauce but what it loses in sheer overwhelming boldness it makes up for in its light, perfect for summer deliciousness.  Each ingredient retains its own identity allowing you to savor the nuances of each before combining them into a delicate pesto flavored mouthful.  

All of the traditional ingredients for pesto were used but I couldn't resist trying this delicious Garlic Olive Oil from The Olive Orchard.  The Olive Orchard does not infuse their olive oils with flavor; they press their olives with the additonal ingredients to create an olive oil that is heavily flavored but still retains the light mouthfeel of olive oil.  

 

Deconstructed Pesto

              by Michelle

1 large bunch of basil, chopped roughly to make 1 cup

2 tablespoons of  pine nuts

1/4 cup grated parmesan reggiano

1-2 ounces of Olive Orchard Garlic Olive Oil (or e.v. olive oil + 1 minced garlic clove or few shakes powdered garlic)

8 ounces of dried pasta

salt and pepper to taste

 

1.  Prepare pasta to personal cooked preferences.  I prefer mine al dente to better combine with the pine nuts.  Drain pasta.

2.  Toss pasta with olive oil.  Do not over do the oil so the pasta is dripping but do have a generous hand.  Gently stir in the parmesan, pine nuts and basil.  Salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Serve immediately.

Make pesto in your mouth.

Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms

Dear Friends....I just won over a avowed mushroom hater with this recipe.

            Baby Portabella Mushrooms stuffed with Pistachios & Sage

I came to my love of mushrooms late in life and when I say late, I mean it was only about two years ago that I realized what I've been missing out on.  I've been playing catch up ever since to make up for all of the mushrooms I didn't eat.  I've used them on my favorite bread- Carmelized Onion & Mushroom Flatbread, as the star of Mushroom Risotto, numerous stir fries, Arancini, Strata, and I've even gone hunting for them in a top-secret location.

Stuffed mushrooms have a tender place in my heart because it was a crab stuffed mushroom (yum!) that convinced me that my disdain for mushrooms was wrong.  They are easy to make and can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until it's time to put them in the oven which makes them a wonderful appetizer.  The variety of ingredients you can add to the filling make them versatile to accommodate almost anyone who likes mushrooms.  A lot of people think they don't like mushrooms and I've found it's almost universally for the same reason: