Where to eat, what to cook, and what's happening around the city. Straight from the team that has been touring Columbus kitchens since 2010.
This post is prompted both by my need to finish my christmas shopping and also by the bombardment of emails I have received with gift ideas from local businesses. These suggestions are therefore central-Ohio centric but could be adapted depending on where you live. Jeni’s Ice Creams now do mail order and by the power
Read moreMy friends Margaux and Tim very kindly offered to share some of their excess Thanksgiving CSA produce. Tim arrived on the doorstep with a huge bag of kale and a napa cabbage as big as a newborn baby. This bag of greens took up a whole shelf in the fridge and we spent over a
Read moreAs far as I know the Restaurante Savladoreno (or Cafeteria Salvadorian) is the only Salvadoran restaurant in Columbus. It is located near the Port of Columbus airport on the same street (3208 Allegheny Drive) as El Tacorriendo. Located in an otherwise deserted strip mall it is the only beacon of light in a very dark
Read morePoong Mei Asian Bistro is the restaurant also/ formerly known as Spring of China. The owners realized that the name was misleading as their offerings span Chinese, Korean and Japanese but the transition to a new name seems to be very gradual. We were told that Poong Mei means successful in Chinese, tasty in Korean
Read moreInspired by my hoard of braeburns and winesaps and by a Rowley Leigh recipe clipped from the FT that my mother brought me I decided to make an apple tart. It is not the sort of baking that I do on a regular basis but well worth the effort and it turned out perfectly. The recipe was a russet tart with pinenuts with a layer on almond cream under the apples.
Read moref you would like to expand your own cookie repertoire here is your chance. The Inn at Cedar Falls is hosting a holiday cooking baking class. The cosy Inn is a perfect venue for such an event. After the success of our competition this summer Ellen asked if I would like to host another competition for them.
Read moreMy parents just left after a lovely week long visit. I am sad to see them leave but luckily they left lots of treats behind including three jars of marmite (2 special editions) which will help to console me. As well as marmite, chocolate and christmas crackers I also have a pile of new books
Read moreI have followed in Anthony Bourdain's footsteps before but never as closely as I did last night. This time it was unintended. When I planned an omakase dinner at Kihachi for my parents visit from England, I had no idea that we would be visiting the restaurant on the same day as Mr Bourdain would be there filming for his travel food show No Reservations. You would never guess from Chef Mike Kimura and this staff that this was a special day. It was all calm efficiency as usual. We learned about it initially from our neighbors at the bar. Of course we couldn't resist asking Chef Mike what he had prepared for his special guest and what his impressions had been.
Read moreThis month for Taste and Create I was paired with the blog Seduce your taste buds written by Indian blogger Padmajha Sureshbabu. I chose her recipe for Potato n peas. It was hard to chose a recipe but I had a bag of besan (gram flour) left from last month’s Taste and Create and I
Read moreA trip to the Fabulous Food Show was the perfect excuse to spend the rest of the weekend exploring Cleveland. Our last visit following in the steps of Anthony Bourdain was a lot of fun, but only scratched the surface so I was excited to see and taste more. We were lucky with both trips:
Read moreOverall I found the Fabulous Food Show a little depressing. Part of it was the casino-like environment of the IX Center itself and part of it was the range of offerings on display within. There were a lot of demonstrations and tastings but walking around the main floor of the IX center, I couldn’t shake
Read moreI had an intriguing comment on a recent post, from a reader who offered to share a spreadsheet of Asian restaurants in Columbus. I love lists and I love Asian food so I didn’t hesitate to respond. We started comparing notes via email and decided to meet to try a restaurant new to both of
Read moreOne of the sad truths about blogging is that usually when you have a lot to write about, you struggle to find time to sit down and write about it. At the moment I would like to tell you about my first visit to Indochine for Vietnamese and Laotian food, a fun trip with old
Read moreOne of the great things about living in Columbus is the public library system. I filled in a library feedback survey today and was reminded of how many services the library offers to the community: literacy, meeting spaces, computer access, job workshops and community events. I mostly use the library for borrowing books and DVDs
Read moreI grew a kohlrabi in the garden this summer (yeah, just the one!) and have been fascinated by them ever since. They have a firm texture and the flavor is a cross between a broccoli stem and cabbage. I bought a couple from Wayward Seed Farm at the farmers market this weekend along with
Read moreYesterday I was going to make a Leek cheese and bacon tart from the October issue of BBC Good Food magazine. I thought it would be a perfect use for my Wayward Seed Farm leeks and some Heini’s lacey baby Swiss cheese that AD’s mom gave us on Sunday. Unfortunately poor planning (or more accurately procrastination)
Read moreI’m usually a purist about scones. My British upbringing is deeply ingrained and we learned how to make scones in our home economics class in school. I like English style scones – pronounced to rhyme with gone – and not too sweet. The only acceptable versions are plain or sultana (golden raisin), ideally served with
Read moreSkillet‘s motto is rustic urban food. Their mission is ingredient driven comfort food – with an edge and they do it well. The food is familiar but with a creative twist. I was smitten immediately. What could be more comforting than warm vanilla and mascarpone breakfast risotto with pan-roasted peaches brûlée with bourbon molasses red
Read moreWhen Jill Moorhead, the Marketing Director for The Hills Market suggested holding an Ark of Taste tasting event at the store, I don't think she had any idea what she was letting herself in for. The US Ark of Taste is a catalogue of over 200 foods in danger of extinction, and not surprisingly things in danger of extinction aren't easy to track down.
Read moreReputed to be one of the best places for fried chicken in the state of Ohio, Clark's is a 91 year old institution, but if you want a taste of their traditional comfort food, you only have four days left. Clark's will close their doors for the last time on Sunday evening, November 1st. If you are a fan of fried chicken, have been meaning to visit Clark's, or if you want a taste of nostalgia put it to the top of your to-do list now.
Read more2009 has been the year of the cupcake in Columbus and while the cupcake bubble may have burst nationally, Columbus is bucking the trend. The Dispatch first reported the growing Columbus cupcake trend in 2007 but this year has seen two Cupcake Camps and sales of cupcakes booming. 2009 has also seen the opening of
Read moreOne of the great things about the Hills Market is that you can get Jeni’s ice cream, Pistacia Vera and Pattycake Bakery goodies all under one roof. Add that they are licensed to sell liquor and that they have a great cheese selection and you don’t need any more reasons to go. This event was
Read moreI read about Taste & Create last month on Columbus Foodie's blog and thought that it sounded like a fun idea. Bloggers are paired up and have to make a recipe they choose from the other's blog. I was excited to be paired with Bombay Foodie as I love Indian food but rarely cook it at home. Reading through the archives of Bombay Foodie make me nostalgic for the three months I spent in Northern India in 2000. I didn't go to Bombay, but the diwali sweets, paranthas and pakoras brought back happy memories.
Read moreLast year the 'Shake the Hand That Feeds you Dinner' at the Flying J Farm was my first Slow Food event. It was a magical evening, eating al fresco by candle light with convivial company, food from the farm and a master chef working the grill. I secretly feared that the encore could not live up to my memories. I was wrong. Sitting at a candle-lit table overlooking the vineyard at sunset, it was as if we had been magically transported to the Napa valley.
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