Mark Your Calendar {Friday Five}

It's summer time and the local eating is easy. Nearly every day one can find an event featuring great Ohio foods. Here are my top picks for the next few weeks: 1) Next Wednesday, July 25, Jeni Britton Bauer will be the featured author at Thurber House's Summer Literary Picnic where she will share from her cookbook, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Tickets are $30 for a boxed dinner and the reading, and $15 for the reading only. Call 614-464-1032, or visit: www.thurberhouse.org.

2) The Ohio State Fair runs July 25 - August 5th. Our family attends every year to see the wide variety of domesticated animals at the agriculture barns. We also enjoy the ODNR park to explore Ohio's wildlife.

3) Local Matters Local Foods Week is August 11 - 19. Start by taking the Eat Local Challenge to make small changes with big impact in your eating and then plan to attend an event during local foods week. There is something for every interest and budget.

4) Despite all the fun stuff to do outside the house, I will spend lots of time canning in the coming weeks. I hope to pick peaches at Branstool soon. Bird's Haven already has canning tomatoes available for $0.50/pound to pick up at their farm, Granville or New Albany Farmer's Markets. Email farmfresh@birdshavenfarms.com or call 740-404-1475 to reserve yours.

5) I would be remiss if I didn't mention my upcoming classes. I'm teaching Dehydrating 101 at City Folk's Farm Shop on August 5 from 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Meatless Monday at Franklin Park Conservatory on August 6 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, and Yes You Can: Preserve Tomatoes at Franklin Park Conservatory on August 12 from 3:30 - 5:30 pm. And of course I love to chat gardening, cooking, and preserving at the Swainway Urban Farm booth at the New Albany Farmers' Market on Thursdays from 4 - 7 pm and the Clintonville Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 9 am -12 pm.

Bites October 2011

Dig in with your knife and fork - early October serves up a full plate of Columbus food news! 1. Local Foods Week starts Friday with a happy hour at restaurants around the city benefiting Local Matters. Festivities continue October 1 - 8 with events as diverse as an urban farming forum at the Wex to local drink tasting at House Wine to the culminating Harvest Dinner and Ball and Market to Market ride. Head over to the Eat Local Ohio site to find the activities that match your calendar and budget.

2. Local radio station WCBE turned 55 on Monday. Happy Birthday 90.5! A documentary about their history will be screened on Monday October 10 from 5:30-8:30 at Shadowbox. Notable for promoting local music and events, WCBE is also host to Foodcast, a radio show about all things edible in Columbus. Tune in at 2:01 on Saturdays or listen to archives and read notes on the Foodcast website.

3. Carole at ChopSizzlePop is seeking interview questions for her newest blog feature, "Ask the Chef". The first "chef" (who claims he is just a home cook) is Cleveland native Michael Ruhlman. I submitted my question; head over to the ChopSizzlePop page to ask yours.

4. Columbus Underground celebrates their 10th anniversary of being the go-to source for independent online news this October. Walker and company have scheduled a slew of celebratory events including new flavor launches from Sugardaddy's and Vienna Ice Cafe listed on the 10th anniversary messageboard thread. Huge kudos to the CU team for featuring the best of Columbus every day!

5. Franklin Park's Hungry Planet exhibition and events continue in October with a Live-fire demo October 2, food truck court on October 9 and Wednesday 'Food for Thought' lecture series.

6. The latest art exhibition at Brother's Drake is Yummy! an explosion of food and art. The opening reception is this Saturday, October 1 from 7-11 pm featuring nosh from local and independent folks and a raffle benefiting Mid Ohio Food Bank. The exhibit will continue through October 23.

7. Celebrate Local, a pop-up holiday shop featuring Ohio produced foods and gifts, opens Saturday. The non-profit store will be located in the former Harry and David store at Easton. Tomorrow, I'll post a preview of the Celebrate Local.

I must apologize in advance for light posting over the next week. I am teaching four classes in the next seven days and will celebrate my own birthday on the 9th. You can see me in person at the Family Pasta and Sauce class this Sunday or the Applicious Culinary class on Thursday October 6. Contact me to register for either.

Autumn 2011 {Events and Classes}

Fill your calendar and your belly with some of the local food events scheduled for this autumn! Hounds in the Kitchen classes at Franklin Park Conservatory: register by calling 614.645.5923 or download, print and mail a registration form.

Puttin' Up Keep the summer bounty easily at hand all year long with tried and true preserving techniques. Homesteader Rachel Tayse Baillieul will guide class participants to make freezer basil pesto, water-bath canned applesauce, "sun" dried tomatoes and home frozen fruit. Sun., September 11, 4 – 6pm $15 Members (Member Madness Pricing!); $35 Non-members

Fermented Foods Fermented foods, like traditional sauerkraut and kefir, are believed to improve digestion and increase absorption of nutrients. Plus, they taste delicious! We will sample a variety of fermented foods and demonstrate how to easily make kefir, buttermilk, sourdough, pickles, and sauerkraut at home. Sun., October 16, 4 – 6pm $30 Members; $35 Non-members

Whole Bird Cooking Fear the holiday turkey and goose no more! Participants in this class will practice carving, eat a small meal, hear tips and tricks for flavorful juicy roasting, and learn how to use leftovers to best effect. Leave with the confidence to add roast birds to your menu year round. Sun., November 13, 4 – 6pm $30 Members; $35 Non-members

Fruit or Vegetable? PreK Using the powers of observation, preschoolers will identify what is a fruit and what is a vegetable, explore the gardens to see crops growing on trees, vines, and plants and then cook and taste nutritious recipes with local and seasonal produce. Thursdays, September 8, 15, and 22; 11am – 12pm $30 Members (Member Madness Pricing!); $70 Non-members (for the three-class series, price includes one child age 3-6 and one adult)

Harvest Fun PreK The harvest season is full of kid-friendly foods and activities. Kids will cook with local favorites including apples, potatoes and pumpkins during this series. Each week series will include a food-related craft. Thursdays, October 13, 20 and 27; 11am – 12pm $63 Members; $70 Non-members (for the three- class series, price include one child age 3-6 and one adult)

Whole Grains PreK Kids will explore nutrient-dense grains, from familiar rice and wheat to exotic tabouli and quinoa, through measuring, cooking and tasting a wide variety of grains. Your family may find a new favorite! Thursdays, November 3, 10 and 17; 11am – 12pm $63 Members; $70 Non-members (for the three-class series, price include one child v and one adult)

Hounds in the Kitchen Classes at Wild Goose: register online through Wild Goose

Apples Year Round Rachel will share her favorite ways to enjoy apples in all seasons by dehydrating, canning applesauce, and storing long term. We'll focus on more advanced ways of preserving apples including making cider vinegar and hard cider. Tuesday September 20, 6:30-8:30 pm, $30 per individual, $55/pair (one person takes two classes or two people take one class)

Home Charcuterie Learn how to make pancetta and bacon at home with no special tools or equipment! We'll also demonstrate how to stuff sausage and sample a variety of home cured meats. Tuesday October 18, 6:30-8:30 pm, $30 per individual, $55/pair (one person takes two classes or two people take one class)

Hounds in the Kitchen appearances: Bacon Camp 2011! Rachel will be part of the judging team for the annual bacon camp hosted by Wild Goose Creative at the North Market. There are still tickets available for next Saturday's event. August 27, 1-4 pm, $10 for bacon samples and fun. Register online.

Country Living Fair Held on the beautiful Ohio Village, the Country Living Fair is an annual gathering of fans of antiques, farm fresh cooking, and crafting. Rachel will present "New Ideas with Ohio Apples" on Friday at noon. The fair runs 10 am to 5 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday September 16-18. Tickets are for sale online ($13) or at the gate ($16).

Recommended Events:

Hungry Planet at Franklin Park Conservatory - August 20 - November 6 The conservatory hosts a food show this harvest season. See food art installed throughout the horticultural displays, tour the Edible Campus, and wander through a blown glass garden. A Food for Thought lecture series and special events like Market Days and Food Truck Sundays compliment the exhibits.

Lobster Days at The Hills Market Join The Hills Market in Worthington as they serve traditional Maine Lobster Rolls (filled to the brim with 1/4 pound of fresh lobster placed atop a buttered and toasted roll) with Ballreich's potato chips (from Tiffin, Ohio), lemonade and a slice of Judy's blueberry pie (from Waldo, Ohio.) Seatings are at 1 and 5 p.m. August 27 and September 3. Reservations for the $15 dinner are required by calling 614.846.3220.

Farm to Table Dinners at Murphin Ridge Murphin Ridge in West Union, Ohio will offer two different opportunities for travelers to enjoy the inn's memorable farm-to-table dining experience, with dinners slated for Sat., Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. and Sat., Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.  The dinner is only $50 per person or $65 for wine pairings. Lodging is also available.

Horn of Africa Benefit at Solay Bistro> The Horn of Africa benefit dinner at Solay Bistro promises to be one of the most interesting cultural exchanges in Columbus this fall, and a delicious one to boot. Solay Bistro will prepare a African foods buffet on September 7 and 14th to raise funds for starving Africans, many of whom have relatives living here in Columbus. Tickets cost just $35 each and proceeds will go to CARE, a highly regarded non-profit doing work in the Horn of Africa.

Taste the Future - Columbus State Community College The 23rd annual culinary showcase, Taste the Future, will be held on September 13, 2011. More than 50 chefs will prepare samples for guests to enjoy on the Columbus State campus. All proceeds benefit student scholarship. Be sure to read Hounds in the Kitchen this Monday for a ticket giveaway!

Kids World at Independents Day - Saturday, September 17 10am - 8 pm at Gay Street and Pearl Alley Kids World will be a special area for children up to the age of 13 along the Gay Street sidewalk between Sugardaddy's and Pearl Alley during the Independents Day celebration. Openheartcreatures will perform in body puppets, the Cooking Caravan will put on a performance and pass out food samples, there will be a kids fashion design/creation hour and fashion show, and an art station where they can make music shakers and bird feeders. The SBB will host a "Start Your Own Business" seminar for kids with ideas of how they can get involved with the community through entrepreneurship, and then will run a kids parade through the fest to show people that children are our next community leaders.

North Market's 6th Annual Microbrew Festival The North Market will toast the end of summer with the 6th annual Columbus Microbrew Festival on September 16 and 17. Celebrate locally brewed ales, lagers and stouts in the company of the brewmasters from participating local microbreweries. Admission free; beer tasting is $20.

Farm to Table Dinners at Jorgensen Farms After an informal tour of Val's organic herb and lamb farm in Westerville, guests will enjoy a chef-prepared meal of seasonal ingredients every third Sunday through December. Dinners start at 5 pm and cost $40 per person.

Local Foods Week - locations across Columbus, presented by Local Matters From a movie night to local drink tastings to the harvest ball, September 30 - October 8 will be a celebration of all things local. Events for are scheduled for foodies of all ages. Stay tuned to Eat Local Ohio for details and registration.

I know there are more events out there. What did I miss?

Wordless Wednesday: Jeni's Ice Cream Tour

I've never posted a Wordless Wednesday before but today, still suffering from a sinus infection, a post with few words sounds like a good idea.

"When we spin sugar, it's by eye and sight.  When we layer Askinosie Chocolate, it's by hand."

"Butterfat is this perfect flavor carrier. It melts at body temperature so flavor is released to your mouth and nose."

"We are friends with our farmers and our farmers are friends with us.  We hold each other accountable for quality and for paying fairly."

These are pictures from yesterday's tour of the Jeni's Ice Cream production facility in Columbus Ohio. It was offered as part of Local Matters Local Foods week. The quotes are from Jeni Britton Bauer, dairy heir of Jeni's and founding member of Local Matters. More events are scheduled for the rest of the week including what promises to be an exciting local drinks tasting at House Wine Thursday evening and the Harvest Ball Friday.

It's Local Foods Week!

Local Matters has declared the next seven days Local Foods Week.  They have arranged a plethora of local food activities including a Market to Market ride going on now.  Alex, Lil, and I have tickets for the Jeni's Tour Tuesday and I'm trying to figure out how to catch Brother's Drake Meadery at one of their tastings.

I am leading a canning demonstration at Oakland Nursery's newly renovated education space on Sunday October 10 from 12 - 1 pm during their fall festival. Come drop in and taste some homemade jams!

If you're up for it (we are!) take part in the Local Matters Eat Local Challenge this week for a chance to win prizes while eating delicious local food.

Cleveland is also hosting a local foods week October 2 - 10 with activities that make me want to flee northward.

I know everyone was carefully planning local foods week to coincide with my thirtieth birthday on Saturday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than eating delicious locally grown foods. This week will be Oh So Good!

What is Local?

Part of the purpose of Hounds in the Kitchen is to advocate for local foods and local eating.  'Local' is subjective and prone to green-washing as are so many other terms.  With the advent of Local Foods Week coming soon (see below), now is a good time to talk about what is local.

Some define local in terms of miles: In 2005, authors Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon spent a year eating only what was available growing in a hundred mile area surrounding their home.  They chronicled their journey in the bestselling book Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet, a highly recommended read.  They maintain an informative website, 100milediet.org.

The challenge of a 100 mile diet is that many foodstuffs a kitchen relies on are not available year round within 100 miles of every location.  Smith and MacKinnon made many a winter meal of the same few ingredients.  While they did have access to a wide variety of foods in the US northwest, there are many locations where a 100 mile diet might be so limited as to not give enough variety to maintain optimum health.

Some define local in terms of their city, state, or country.  Wanting to challenge ourselves to drink locally, we started the year 2008 with a resolution to only drink spirits, wine, and beer produced in the United States.  We chronicled our progress at All American Alcohol (an old blog, posts now transferred here) but abandoned the cause in the spring when we drilled down into the local foods issue.  We realized that California wine travels more miles to get to us in Ohio than French wine.  Same with the one brand of American made agave spirit produced in California vs. Mexican tequila.  We still often choose drinks that do not travel far, but we are no longer limited by geographical boundaries.

Here's our current version of local:  Eat foods that come from as close as possible.  Make purchases directly from the grower as often as you can to ensure the freshest quality and direct economic impact.

On many days this summer we were able to eat dishes where we grew nearly every ingredient organically in our own backyard.  That's local!

We visited pick your own farms to pick large quantities of local in season favorites and preserved them for the winter.  PickYourOwn.org is a fantastic resource of places to pick and methods of preservation.

But as autumn comes (first frost warning tonight!), our yard will provide less bounty.  We will use our summer preserves and continue to put up fall favorites for enjoyment far into the winter.  We will shop the farmers markets to buy direct from Ohio growers as much as is possible.  We will continue to purchase eggs and milk directly from a farmer friend.  We choose organic produce in the supermarket when Ohio produce is unavailable. LocalHarvest.org is a good source of farmers growing unique commodities across the US and I plan to buy some non-Ohio produce in bulk (like cranberries) from Local Harvest growers this year.

There are several ingredients that we knowingly consume from thousands of miles away.  Coffee and bananas, for instance, come from oceans away and are sometimes farmed with environmentally and ethically degrading means.  We choose fairly traded, organic versions of these long traveling ingredients and savor them.

When making the decision about what to buy from where, we choose local + organic first, local but not organic next, and organic fair trade but not local third, and if not other choice exists, not local or organic.  As much as possible, we apply the same standards to processed food.

During the summer, we eat about 70% local (by ingredients used).  That percent declines in the winter or when we are busy.

It took years of changing eating and shopping habits to acheive our current level of local food eating.  I plan to write several posts in the future about small steps you can take to change your habits if you are so inclined to eat more locally.  I hope you do because local food is often more delicious, healthy, and supportive of the local economy.

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A few Columbus local food advocates met last week to talk about Local Foods Week.   'What is local' was one of our points of discussion.  Lisa the Restaurant Widow has already written a post with the same title.  Others may also write their interpretations of local soon and I will link them up here.

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Local Matters, a central Ohio organization advocating for urban agriculture, local foods in schools, and access to local farm foods, is celebrating local foods with a week of activities for Local Matters Local Foods Week coming up October 3 - 9.

They have an impressive lineup of events, starting with the Market to Market bike ride Saturday the 3rd and concluding with a Finale at the Dublin Whole Foods Market on the 9th.  In between you will find benefit dinners, kitchen tours, a school garden tour, and a wine tasting.

Part of the motivation for Local Foods week is to build Local Matter's donation program.  They are selling $1 paper Local Matter's sprouts at a variety of locations.  If you join their 1000 Friends of Local Matters ($10/month or $120/year) during Local Foods Week, you can receive a special punch card for free Jeni's Ice Cream.

No matter where you are in your journey to eat more locally, education and support is key.  Participate in some of the events during Local Matters Local Foods week and you will enjoy the company of other local food lovers.  Subsrcibe to the Hounds in the Kitchen feed for year round encouragement to eat locally.