Algonquin Provincial Park Canoe Trip

In less than four weeks, Alex, Lil, and I will leave our homestead in the good care of neighbor Jan and drive north through Toronto to Algonquin Provincial Park in Canada.  We will rent canoes and stay the first night at Northern Wilderness Outfitters.  From there, we will canoe two days through North Tea Lake to Biggar Lake where we will camp for two days before taking a return trip. We are traveling with my parents and three sisters, Alex's parents, brother and soon-to-be sister in law, my Uncle Mike, good friend Krash and his girlfriend, my cousin Todd and two of my younger cousins.

This is a trip my father has taken seven times before, three with his now deceased father, starting in 1970.  Uncle Mike attended six trips; everyone but the young cousins, Krash's girlfriend and Lil have been at least once.

Because the canoing includes several portages, we must plan equipment and food carefully to avoid excess weight.  I started preparations last fall when I reserved four bags of dried gold rush apples for this pilgrimage.  I know that these special Charlie's apples will be a delight to our tastes after a few days of eating packable camp food.

The cooks in the family (and there are many) are each planning a night's dinner and co-planning lunches and breakfasts.  Alex has cured many meats to take along including bacon, pancetta, saucison sec, and dried fish (cod or salmon, to be determined).  My meal, one of the last and therefore least fresh, will be rice and madras lentils with chocolate pudding for dessert.

We hope to see moose, loons, and the northern lights. We hope to be minimally sunburnt and bug-bitten.  We hope to return refreshed from days with family and without electronic interventions.

Are you taking a summer vacation?  What are your hopes for time away from home?

Bike Commuting Tips: Road Rules

Today is the first day of the Bike to Work Challenge!  If you aren't on a team yet and want a little cycling motivation, join my team, the Columbus Catch-Alls. Alex and I have shared a car for four years now.  Whichever one of us does not have the car typically rides a bike to our various destinations.  Alex is more experienced, often biking 22 miles round trip to his office.  My trips are usually shorter but involve towing Lil in a trailer hooked behind my bike.  In fair weather, we regularly forgo the car and ride as a family to events around town.

In the beginning, bike commuting was difficult and uncomfortable.  Through experimentation, we have learned a lot about how to make riding more appealing.  Today I'll write about our Road Savvy tips and tricks, followed by Equipment next Monday.

• Develop a routine.  Ours is that bikes, helmets, and glasses are in the garage with a lock always attached to the bike.  We simply get dressed, put on cycling shoes, grab a water bottle and we're ready to ride.
• Inflate your tires.  At least once a week, pump your tires.  Under inflated tires increase the risk of a pinch flat and make your riding experience less smooth and enjoyable.  An upright pump is handy for this.
• Follow traffic signals.  Not only are you legally required to follow traffic lights and signals, doing so keeps everyone safe.
• Ride like a car.  Go as fast as you can on busy streets to maintain regular traffic flow.  Ride to the right of the far right lane.  In heavy traffic or when crossing lanes, 'take a lane' by riding in the middle.
• Use a water bottle.  Obviously staying hydrated is healthy.  Water is useful to wash off glasses or a small wound.  Splashing water at a barking dog is a good technique to get them off your heels too.  And while I wouldn't ever advocate violence, it does comfort me to know that my metal water bottle could be an effective projectile.
• Avoid the sidewalk.  Sidewalk riding is slow, risky for falls and flats, and disrupting to those using the sidewalk for its intended purpose: walking.
• Be aware.  Sure, my legs are sore after a long city ride, but my mind is tired too.  There are so many things to keep track of: cars, pedestrians, signals, directions, etc.  Be hyper vigilant about cars in front of and behind you so that you can predict their moves and avoid accidents.  Especially look out for drivers getting out of just parked cars; collisions with opening car doors are very common.
• Seek out bike friendly routes.  A bike friendly route to me is one that is low in car traffic, frequented by other cyclists, pavement is relatively clear of potholes and debris, traffic signals are set to be tripped by bikes, and is under 40 mph.  Bike paths are great for quick chutes through a city.  I personally use Indianola, Summit, and 4th frequently here in Columbus.
• Communicate.  Signal turns with your arms.  Maintain eye contact with cars, particularly when you are turning in front of them or waiting for them to stop at an intersection.  Don't hesitate to talk (or yell) at drivers when they are confused or unaware.  Be prepared for pedestrians and drivers to talk to you, too, particularly at intersections when they are looking for directions.
• Get rid of the ear buds.  I think riding while listening to music should be illegal.  Your sense of hearing tells you whether and how fast cars are approaching from behind.  When you listen you are more able to avoid collisions.  In ipod-land you may be so engrossed that you miss turns and ignore traffic signals.  While we're on the subject, expect pedestrians to be wearing earbuds and not be able to hear you coming.  It's annoying.  Maybe earbuds should be illegal for everyone. ;)
• Enjoy the wind, the hills, and the neighborhoods. Never more than when riding do I notice wind direction, speed, and elevation.  I meet people and see houses.  I feel like because I bicycle, I experience an intimacy with the city I would not have otherwise.

Sometimes the biggest bicycling challenge is to just start.  If you are local and want a riding buddy to help guide you for the first few rides, contact us and we would be happy to help you hit the road.

Also, I'm hosting an informal family friendly bike ride next Monday morning, the 17th.  Meet us at Clinton/Como park at 10:30 am.  We'll ride to Whetstone for picnic and playtime at the lower playground and then ride back to Clinton.  There is parking at the end of Lakeview for those who might come from around the city.  Kids, trailers, individuals are all welcome!

Eagle's View Bayfront Home

If you ask Lillian about her favorite part of our recent Chincoteague Island vacation, she'll tell you it was staying at the house.  Specifically, she loved the Bayfront House dock. Alex and I loved it too.  Overlooking the piney marsh between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, we viewed wild ponies, shore birds, and the lighthouse from the lighted dock, the abundant windows, and spacious raised deck.  During low tide, Alex hunted for mussels and oysters from the dock.  He unsuccessfully tossed out a crab pot and would have tried fishing if we had poles.  A screened in porch at land level includes a useful outdoor shower to clean off the marsh romping muck.

Inside, the Eagle's View Bayfront House boasts four bedrooms, three and a half baths.  The kitchen, dining area, and family room are all connected in an open floor plan.  A widow's walk to a small third story balcony overhangs the family and dining area.  All the amenities a family would need, including air conditioning, washer and dryer, flat screen TV, board games, and outside shower, are included.

Beds were comfy.  Extra blankets and pillows ensure that every guest can be comfortable.  As is custom for all island rentals, we provided our own linens.

A mere one mile bike or car ride to the Assateague bridge, Eagle's View Bayfront House is ideally located for vacationers.  The town of Chincoteague, including a one screen theater, shops, and restaurants, is less than a mile in the other direction.  Longer drives can get you to NASA's Wallop Flight Facility and Assateague National Seashore.  The owners of the Bayfront House, available by phone (540-687-6923) or email, are a wealth of information about the best things to do in and around the Eastern Shore of Virginia/Maryland.

As popularized by Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague, the summertime Pony Penning season is busiest for the Bayfront Home. The owner reported to me that they only have a few weeks available for the 2010 summer season.

Many weeks are still open in the off season between Labor Day and Memorial Day. We can attest that the house is delightful and secluded in early spring, as I imagine it must be in autumn.  Pictures around the home show the beauty of Chincoteague that can be found in all seasons.

The only downside of this house was that the kitchen was a little tight. A simple rearrangement of moving the fridge and replacing it with a butcher block would go a long way towards expanding the usefulness of the cooking space. During warmer times, the large grill would allow for spacious outdoor cooking.

During our three day stay we barely scraped the surface of fun things to do around the island.   The house rents for $2300/week during the summer and $1762/week between Labor Day and Memorial Day.  Shorter stays (minimum three nights) are accepted in the off season. Reservations can be made by calling the owners at 540-687-6923.

Disclosure: We received a negotiated lower rate in exchange for writing this review and establishing their Facebook page.

Mid Atlantic Spring Break: DC, Chincoteague, Antietam and more

We just returned from a vacation to the Chesapeake Bay and surrounds.  There were so many things I wanted to write about on the road but we never had good enough coverage to upload photos. Pictures are worth the wait, right? On Monday we drove west out of Ohio and stopped for lunch at the pre-researched Union Cafe in Washington PA.  We made our way to Rockville MD by evening and enjoyed a swim in the hotel pool before resting up for the next day.

Tuesday was our day to spend in Washington DC.   I expected Lil to be thrilled to ride the metro into the city but she was non-plussed.  As soon as we hit the National Museum of Natural History, though, she could not stop running excitedly from exhibit to exhibit.  We spent most of our time in the Oceans, Dinosaurs, Gems, Minerals, and Mammals halls.  We happened to be in the Butterfly exhibit when attendance was light and tickets were free, so we spent some time with live butterflies too.  Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus has a more spacious and beautiful exhibit, in my not unbiased opinion.

We left DC in the late afternoon to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Chincoteague Island.  We made our way into our vacation rental by the glow of the lighthouse.  Our fabulous home away from home, Eagle's View Bayfront Home, will have a post of its own very soon.

As advertised, the moment we woke up on Wednesday I spotted ponies across the marsh.  After harvesting some mussels and oysters from the muck, we drove over to the Chincoteague Island National Wildlife Refuge.  We saw more ponies from afar, bald eagles nesting, sika deer, and the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel.  Back at the ranch, we made steamed shellfish with asparagus mushroom linguine for dinner.  Later, Alex cooked up some fried oysters for an evening snack.

Thursday brought another windy day.  We hopped on bikes this time to view Chincoteague Island more closely.  Just past the visitor's center we spotted a monstrous snapping turtle.  At one of the overlooks I found a snake sunning itself.

After ten miles on the bikes we had resigned ourselves to going home without seeing a pony up close when this one walked by.

Following her were another ten horses with a stallion prodding them on from behind.  We were not fifteen feet away from these wild ponies. Lil was jumping up and down with excitement, not even pausing to take off her bike helmet, while I snapped picture after picture.

After a bit of lunch and rest, we headed towards the more touristy side of things. Island Creamery was a recommended stop for their homemade ice cream and we were not disappointed.  My praline cheesecake was a perfect profile of sweet and salty with crunchy bits of homemade praline laced throughout.

Alex chose cherry brandy with delicious real brandy soaked cherries in a waffle cone.  Their dense crumbly cones were unlike any I've seen elsewhere.  Lil's chocolate was rich, complex, and clearly tasty.  I wish I had more time and room in my tummy to taste enough flavors for a complete review!

We wandered through a few shops that sadly carried very little local memorabilia and did not hold our interest.  There is a sweet statue of Misty of Chincoteague near the town center, pictured above.

On the way back to the house, we purchased fresh flounder from Gary Howard's.  This place was a real-deal fisherman's outlet with hours-old clams, mussels, crabs, oysters, and fish.  We cooked up the flounder with stuffed mushrooms and baked sweet potatoes for dinner.

We left Chincoteague on Friday morning.  Lil was sad that we couldn't stay at the house longer and I agreed we could have occupied ourselves for many more days there.

We drove a little and met Alex's uncle Peter and aunt Susan at Pirate's Cove restaurant in Shady Side Maryland for lunch.  It was fun to catch up with our croquet-playing Chesapeake Bay-loving relatives, especially over regional specialties like cream of crab soup.

Alex wanted to see Antietam National Battlefield and what a lovely side trip that turned out to be.  The weather was cold but sunny and almost no other visitors were there.  We followed the split rail fences and viewed the copious monuments to the thousands of soldiers who died.  It was humbling to explain the events of the civil war in four year old terms to Lil.

I took a family picture looking into the sun at this marker to honor Ohio soldiers.

Friday evening found us in Hagerstown at another hotel pool.  We watched the basketball Buckeyes play Tennessee (and lose) and relaxed before a final day of driving back home today.

The dogs and chickens survived our absence with the help of our lovely neighbor Jan.  There was some interesting mail including asparagus crowns.  As it always seems to be, the vacation was over too quickly yet we are glad to be home.

Finds at Fabulous Food Show

With a light crowd and quick pace, I was able to visit the entire floor of the Fabulous Food Show on Friday night before the Ruhlman/Keller conversation.

The fine folks at Blue Jacket Dairy offered samples of their gretna grillin' cheese and cheese curds.  I am already a huge fan of the delicious gretna soft cheese, especially when crusted on a hot skillet. Owners Angel and Jim King said they will be at the Worthington Farmer's Market every other week starting in January.  Their cheeses can also be found at Weiland's market locally.

I enjoyed talking to the farmers of Covered Bridge Gardens about how corn grows and their four colors of popcorn.  A local mill stone grinds some of their crop into cornmeal.  (Did you know that cornmeal can come from the same corn grain as popcorn?  I didn't!)  They also offer a CSA for people local to their Ashtabula county location.

Edward Gordos, distributor of Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op and pictured above in the apron, was generous with his time and cheese samples.  He explained that the Middlefield co-operative had operated for fifty years but was suffering from lack of hand milking amish farmers due to low prices in the mid nineties.  His distributorship helped the farmers and cheese makers transition to more artisan products and begin retail sales, including distribution to Whole Foods stores in Ohio and Kentucky.  Their business is growing and this year they started marketing organic cow's milk, 100% grassfed cow's milk  and goat's milk varieties.  All milk used in the making of the cheese is hormone and steroid free and comes from Ohio cows.  Most importantly, the varieties I tried were tasty!

The Ohio apple people had a busy booth tasting apple varieties.

Many of the rest of the booths were occupied by processed seasoning mixes, gimmicky cooking "tools", and prepared ready to eat foods.  Celebrity chef appearances are the other big draw to the Fabulous Food Show, although I attended none except the aforementioned Keller/Ruhlman interview.

I was intrigued by two non-edible exhibits.  Sillycone Inc. was an exhibitor showing off their freezer, oven, and microwave-safe BPA free silicone food trays.  While not an entirely new concept, Sillycone is innovative in their letter, number and symbol designs.  The family owned company is based in northeastern Ohio.  They offered me a sample of the 26 letter trays that can be used to make letter shaped ice, chalk, candles, chocolate and more.  I am excited for Lil and I to explore the alphabet with food!

Then I ran into this:

It's an oversize (two feet in diameter!) burger cake.  Only in Ohio...

I had high hopes for the large beer and wine tasting area.  Cleveland is, after all, home to my favorite brewery, Great Lakes.  Several wineries in the area are acceptable and others in Ohio are excellent.

I should have read between the lines here.  Just because Inbev (parent company of Anheuser-Busch) is based in Belgium does not qualify Michelob varietals as Belgian beers.  I tasted a bottled Michelob "cask ale" that was sickeningly sweet.  Stella Artois and Hoegarden were the only beers available on draft and the only ones I consider Belgian.

The wine selection was similarly uninspiring. I could find only one Ohio wine, from a mediocre winery.  I recognized most other selections as average $12 bottles.  Two Bailey's products and several pre-made cocktail mixes occupied the spirits section.

In conclusion, the Fabulous Food Show favored typical middle American food preferences more than I expected.  I had high hopes for more honestly local whole foods.  Ohio is home to hundreds of farmers raising heirloom products and dozens of fantstic breweries and wineries.  A fabulous food show is the perfect time to introduce consumers to these local treasures.

My stay in Cleveland was enhanced by lodging provided by the Cleveland Airport Marriott.  They were showing off their luxurious and comfortable  rooms, renovated lobby, and Dean James Max restaurant AMP150.   I did not have a chance to eat at the restaurant because I was busy at the food show.  The menu changes seasonally and makes use of northeastern Ohio's local foods.

A Conversation with Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman

Many Clevelanders are drawn to the Fabulous Food Show to see TV celebrities like Guy Fieri, Tyler Florance, and Sandra Lee.  In the opinion of many food lovers, the true stars appeared on Friday night when Michael Ruhlman and Thomas Keller held an open conversation around Keller's new book, Ad Hoc at Home.

Food writer and Cleveland native Michael Ruhlman started the conversation with the story of how he came to write the The French Laundry Cookbook with Thomas Keller, the visionary chef of the a family of fine restaurants.  "It was all because I lived in Cleveland," he related.  Ruhlman had a conversation with food media specialist Susie Heller who lived in Cleveland and was looking for a writer.  Ruhlman thus began a now ten year long friendship with Keller.

The talk continued with an overview of Keller's food philosophy.  "Other than nourishment, food is also nurturing," Keller said, a theme repeated throughout the evening.  "[It is] so, so important about food: nurturing and memories."

Ruhlman moved the conversation to practical advice for home cooks.  To his question about what makes a good cook, Keller replied "It's all about repetition."

Home cooks can elevate their cooking with consideration to two things: product and execution.  Product is what you buy as raw ingredients.  Keller and Ruhlman agreed that consumers have improved grocery store selections in the last twenty years by being choosy with their purchases.  Ruhlman urged cooks to continue talking to grocery store managers and farmers market vendors demanding higher quality.

Home cooks can improve their execution by practicing solid organization.  Mise en place (the act of preparing and setting aside components before beginning to cook) has its place in the home kitchen.

Cooks must not be afraid of their food.  They need to touch and feel the food at every point in the cooking process.  Use all the senses to observe and adjust techniques.  Temper meats by allowing them to come up to room temperature before cooking.  Use salt throughout the cooking process.

At many points in the conversation, Keller emphasized the importance of seasoning.  When Ruhlman asked how home cooks can train their palette, Keller suggested using spinach.  Try cooking spinach alone, then adding salt little by little until the flavor of the vegetable is fully heightened.  Keller actually carries salt in his pocket at all times to season meals to his taste.

The conversation then turned to food sourcing, particularly local foods.  Keller clarified that delicious heritage proteins are available year round, so seasonal ingredients are typically fruits and vegetables.  "I love vegetables so much," he swooned.  Enjoying produce in season creates rituals.  When something comes back into season, cooks have the opportunity to remember the last season and savor the flavors.

Keller proclaimed that California has the best produce in the country.  He said it is "difficult to mass produce high quality food."  Home cooks always enjoy high quality food when they buy in season and cook at home.

Fabulous Food Show in Cleveland Nov 13 - 15

This weekend (Friday-Sunday) Cleveland plays host to the Fabulous Food Show.  Held at the massive IX Center, the Fabulous Food Show features more than 200 vendors, the Main Kitchen Theatre and Culinary Celebration Theatre packed with celebrity and regional chef demonstrations, Grand Tasting Pavilion, Sweet Street and 100 ongoing demonstrations.

The $25 ticket paid online ($27 at the door) gets you admission to enjoy samples from the vendors and a spot at one celebrity chef appearance.  Discounts are available for multi-day tickets.  Pay an additional $10 for the wine and beer tasting tickets + crystal glass.  Friday from 4 - 8 PM you can enjoy Happy Hour admission for just $15 with this coupon.

Alex and I went to a similar food show in Cleveland in 2004 (if I recall correctly) and it was a delicious way to spend a day.  I look forward to more emphasis on local Cleveland foods this go-round.  I'm attending Friday and Saturday as a member of the press!  Look for a blog post or two recapping the event next week and follow me on twitter for live updates.

Picking Apples at Windy Hill Farm

I love apples and I love autumn, so it follows that I love spending a day apple picking.

For three years now we have been loyal patrons of Windy Hill Apple Farm, home to Charlie's Apples.  It is an organic farm with a selection of specially chosen disease resistant trees located north of Johnstown, Ohio.

The farm name was fitting as today's weather included high wind warnings.  We picked Liberty apples, some of the best apples for cooking.  They were a little picked over so filling our 1/2 bushel bag took about an hour.

I prefer Windy Hill Apple Farm for so many reasons:

*Charlie himself.  He is an intelligent former-engineer.  He is soft spoken but wise about apple growing and happy to share his knowledge.

*The organic farming methods means I do not worry about pesticide/herbicide exposure when Lil bites into an apple fresh off the tree.

*The lack of chemicals means the farm is teaming with wildlife.  We saw three birds' nests, a wide variety of insects, and evidence of deer.

*The apple products available on farm include hard cider, cider syrup, and cider vinegar.  All are hand made by Charlie and his family, delicious, and include no icky ingredients.  There are no candy sticks or fall decorations to inspire the 'I wants' from my daughter, only wholesome local apple goodies.

I tried some of this year's hard cider (made from last year's apples) and it is the best yet.  Blended from two apple varieties, the naturally fermented hard cider is richly flavored and a true heirloom product.  The Johnny Appleseed stories don't mention it often, but Johnny was really planting for hard cider, not fresh fruit.

*The farm is small and off the beaten path.  Today we were the only people picking.  Other times there have been one or two families, but never enough to feel crowded.  The bags are self serve and you pay on the honor system.

*Charlie's motivations are to understand and educate others about sustainable growing and carry on the long standing traditions of apple farming.  Production and profit seem to come second to these lofty goals.

If you go:

Pick what's in season.  Charlie's flagship variety, Gold Rush, will not mature until late October.  I plan to make a return trip then.

Call ahead. Some varieties sell out and it is best to call ahead so you know what is available.

Make a pit stop in Johnstown.  The farm doesn't have a public restroom, although Charlie has allowed us to use the bathroom in his home on site in emergencies.

Bring cash or check for payment.  Apples cost $8/peck, $14/half bushel (Amazingly, this is cheaper than the non organic pick your own at other local farms!!)

Stay tuned for some suggestions about what to make with all your apples!