Go Local Or Go Home
With the West Side Market celebrating 100 years, there is no better time to get in on the hottest trend in the country: locally grown foods. The demand for local, healthy and organic dining options has never been greater. Luckily, Cleveland already has a leg-up. In a 2008 SusatinLane ranking of the best cities for Local Food and Agriculture, Cleveland came in at number two. The fact that there are 225 community gardens and 25 for-profit farms within city limits certainly helps make CLE the place to be if you want local.
Cleveland also has an array of world-renowned chefs, such as Jonathan Sawyer (owner of Greenhouse Tavern on East 4 St.), who are championing this “farm-to-table” movement. But this type of fare is not reserved solely for a pro chef. Thanks to organizations like the North Union Farmers Market and places like the West Side Market and Ohio City’s Urban Farm, farm-fresh options are readily available.
The North Union Farmers Market is a nonprofit group that began operating in 1995 with the goal to provide Clevelanders access to healthy, fresh, local produce sold directly by farmers. Currently, the group runs eight farmers markets in the Greater Cleveland area. Through perseverance and dedication, the North Union Farmers Market has became extremely successful, receiving awards in 2009 and 2010 from the American Farmland Trust ranking in the Top 20 large farmer’s markets in the U.S.
All of this food talk got you hungry? Check out the information below and hurry on over to the nearest farmer’s market.
SATURDAYS
Shaker Square Market
8am – Noon
April 7 – December 22
13209 Shaker Sqaure
Shaker Square Shopping Center, Cleveland
FREE PARKING
Crocker Park Market
9am – 1pm
April 14 – December 22
189 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake
FREE PARKING
WEDNESDAYS
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus Market
10:30am- 1:30pm
June 6 – October 24
Carnegie Ave. & E. 100th St, Cleveland
Cleveland Clinic Beachwood Market
11am – 2pm
July 25 – September 26
26900 Cedar Rd., Beachwood
FREE PARKING
THURSDAYS
Cleveland State University Market
11am- 2pm
June 7- September 27
1930 Euclid Ave., Cleveland (In front of Marshall Law School)
Crocker Park Evening Market
4pm – 7pm
June 14 – August 30
189 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake
FREE PARKING
SUNDAYS
Chagrin Falls Market
10am -1pm
June 3 – October 21
Corner of N. Main St and N. Franklin St
For more information on the individual farmers and the process to become a certified vendor visit www.northunionfarmersmarket.org.
- Nate Klein
Walk this Way
Year-round, the Cleveland Plus tapestry of art, culture, music and food puts on its most vibrant and immersive display at the region’s many festivals and gallery hops, but with the onset of strolling weather, now’s the time to fully dive in and explore the offerings at two of the city’s most famous art walks.
On the East Side, the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday weekend each June find the historic Murray Hill neighborhood transformed by the ever-growing Little Italy Art Walk into an all-senses-enriching experience of dance, song, dining, wine tasting and more than 100 art exhibits.
You’ll find dozens of galleries, studios and specialty shops offering limitless exploration, from the Verne Gallery and its renowned Japanese art collection to Galeria Quetzal’s Hispanic folk crafts to the locally-championed Brian Jones Gallery.
And when it’s time to eat, more than 20 neighborhood restaurants mean a great meal, whether you’re in the mood for the rich Italian tradition of La Dolce Vita, the pastries of century-old Presti’s Bakery, or the new Asian cuisine of Tea House Noodles.
Across town, the near west-side Tremont ArtWalk has been a second-Friday-of-the-month institution since 1993, with an eclectic flavor and a close-knit feel all its own. What started as a seven-business combination of energy and resources has since involved more than 20 neighborhood businesses every month – a rotation of participants keeps things constantly fresh – and showcased the works of more than 1000 different artists.
From the recently-opened Aperture Photography and Variety Store to the studios of fourth-generation artist Rob Hartshorn to the mouthwatering creations at Lilly Handmade Chocolates, creativity and craftsmanship are around every corner.
That goes for the Tremont kitchens, too, whether you’re in the mood for the spicy southwest menu of Grumpy’s Cafe or something more out-there, like The South Side’s grilled German bologna on a pretzel roll.
And it’s all just a few steps away.
– Submitted by John Booth, guest blogger
Heart & Soul Little Italy Celebrates Both with its Classic Sense of Neighborhood
Photo by Scott Meivogel
Culture can widen the mind and spirit, but it takes a community to bring the two together. Just look at an enclave like Little Italy, where mind and spirit have never been closer. As the Italian cultural center of northeast Ohio — located at the base of Murray Hill, between University Circle and Cleveland Heights on the east side — Little Italy is a place where art, food, faith and frame of mind congregate in the spirit of a classic neighborhood.
“I enjoy the true sense of community and the warmth of the people,” says Father Philip Racco, pastor at the Holy Rosary Church (Little Italy’s epicenter for catholic culture). “For newcomers, it still has that sense of a neighborhood. You walk out the door and you don’t feel estranged. You feel connection.”
Community spirit certainly starts at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church (216.421.2995), the Baroque-styled house of worship, founded in 1892, that still celebrates mass daily. The parish has hosted Little Italy’s biggest celebration for the last 112 years — The Feast of the Assumption — that is a mixture of faith and fun that includes a four-day street fair with rides, food and live music.
“You might say the celebration that happens in the church pours out in the street,” says Father Racco. “The Feast of the Assumption is a celebration of life. Therefore celebrating at the height of summer with the bounty of summer — the food, the festivities and the music — is most appropriate.”
The church’s old-world charm spills out into the community as well, a blend of well-preserved homes, neighborhood bistros and more than 55 artist studios, galleries and boutique shops.
“The neighborhood certainly has its color,” says Jerry Keller of Keller Art Glass (216.721.0314 or www.kellerartglass.com) who’s been redefining the warm glass art world for the past 37 years with his glass guitars, mirrors and stained and etched glass windows. “The brick street has turn-of-the-century buildings made of stone with long-standing inhabitants that mix with college students and the newly hip.”
Whether it’s framing, photography, sculpture, painting or glass, Little Italy can probably satisfy your distinctive taste. But, speaking of tastes, what probably draws the most visitors to Little Italy all year around is its amazing variety of bakeries, cafés, bistros and cantinas. Chef Boyardee opened his first restaurant, Il Giardino d’Italia, in Little Italy in the 1940s, and today the neighborhood still has some of the best Italian eateries in Ohio, including the oldest restaurant in Cleveland, Guarino’s established in 1918 (216.231.3100).
“Our cooking today is as it was 90 years ago,” says owner Nancy Phillips, long time family friend of the original Guarinos and owner for 25 years. “And the [décor] style is still Victorian — much as it looked in 1918. One of my seven children tells me I should change it. I said I’m not changing anything. This is the way it was when I was a little girl and it’s staying this way. Sometimes people like to step back in history. Sometimes we’re in too much of a hurry to black-and-white tile everything — to glass everything — to polyurethane everything. People forget about the old woods and the antiques. And here it’s all still this way.”
Visiting Little Italy today is not so different than when immigrant stone cutters, masons and bricklayers, carving local streets and cemetery stones, started the community in 1885. The people have changed, the businesses have evolved, the church has receded and grown, but Little Italy still retains its nostalgic neighborhood charm and spirit. – Submitted by guest blogger Keith Gribbins
Mmmm . . . It Hit the (B) Spot
I went to celeb chef/restaurateur Michael Symon’s B Spot Burgers on Saturday, and let me tell you it was a throwback comfort food moment. When I looked at the menu and saw fried bologna sandwiches and real milk shakes, I knew that a salad was not an option.
As someone who seems to be perpetually on a diet, there is usually nothing that can shake my resolve when I am on a mission to shed a few. That was until I saw the burger- laden baskets and savored the smells at this very comfortable, down-to-earth restaurant. B Spot is located at ETON: Chagrin Boulevard, one of the most upscale boutique malls in the area. This is a nice addition to the diverse mix of restaurants currently located at ETON. B Spot has excellent food where you can come in and watch a game at the bar or bring your family in to have a burger and fries.
Yes, Symon does have his signature Lola fries on the menu. My husband ordered some and of course I couldn’t let him eat those all by himself. My daughter had a regular cheeseburger and a chocolate milk shake. It was a real milk shake, and I know, because of course I couldn’t let her drink that all by herself. It was delicious. So chocolaty! ( Is that a word? If not, it should be.) I had the Thin Lizzy, well done, which when you read “Symon Says” will let you know what they think about people like me. It was seasoned so nicely that I practically inhaled it. It came with caramelized onions, cheddar, mayo and pickles. My husband had the Shroomage, with portabella mushrooms, blue cheese and Lola steak sauce.
They have a nice beer menu. The wine list is short, but I still found something to my liking. It was a pleasant time out with the family and I got to do some shopping too. – Submitted by SSM
Fabulous Food Show 2009
It was that time of year again. Wafting through the I-X Center came the flavors of cooking marina sauce spiced with fresh-cut basil, warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven, savory barbeque ribs simmering in their sauces and steaming pots of homemade soups and stews.
Yes, it is the Fabulous Food Show, the nations’ largest “taste, try and buy” culinary celebration featuring celebrity chef appearances; wine, beer and spirit sampling; local restaurants; retail; free cooking demonstrations and seminars and many other delectable indulgences.
Noting my love affair with food and cooking, I reluctantly dragged my not-so-culinary husband to the show. To his enjoyment, however, it became immediately apparent that he wouldn’t be leaving the show hungry as we were immediately presented with soft, pumpkin-flavored ice cream from Dairymen’s (for which we graciously accepted) at the entrance. It was at that point that both of us knew the Fabulous Food Show was to become a yearly tradition.
The I-X Center was filled with a diverse mix of men, women and children. Many folks were in attendance in an effort to watch their favorite Food Network chef in action or just to get an autograph (think two-hour queue for chef autographs). On this particular day, the house was full of fans for Chef Bobby Flay and Cleveland’s favorite Chef Michael Symon. Still others were more focused on the actual art of cooking with four stages featuring the likes Chef Melvin from Kalahari Resorts cooking Peri Peri Prawns and Chef Jonathon Sawyer from the Greenhouse Tavern preparing Crispy Ohio Pork Belly.
I enjoyed a rousing cooking demonstration by the always sassy Loretta Paganini, owner of the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. At the Fabulous Food Show she put on a cooking demonstration for Italian comfort food. Let it be known that one doesn’t leave the show uneducated. Here Loretta taught me that 1) garlic presses are useless, 2) non-coated stainless steel pots are the only way to go, and 3) husbands can be tricked into eating just about anything regardless of what foods they claim to dislike.
We walked through 250 booths tasting new potato chips, salsas, tapenades, pepper relish, ice cream, marinara sauce, gluten-free products, chip dips, fresh-squeezed juices, biscotti, pastries, chocolates, brownies, cakes, cookies and pies. Our bags were stuffed with coupons and take-home treats. The day also included learning about new kitchen gadgets, state-of-the-art knives, interesting serving ware and table linens. There were booths that gave information about the local farm bureau, sustainable farming and the farm-to-plate movement. And, if you’re feeling like buying some of the deliciousness to take home, but don’t want to lug around items that need refrigerated, the Fabulous Food Show offers “Shop & Drop.” This unique service allows you to drop your bags off to be kept refrigerated until your return. For those purchasing holiday gifts, the Shop & Drop also offered gift wrapping and shipping services.
Crepes De Luxe at the Taste of Cleveland 2009
I’ve been going to the Taste of Cleveland for years . . . it’s a Labor Day staple. The event, held at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater behind Tower City, is a food and music fest. Usually, I either drop in with co-workers on “free admission” Friday to gnosh on a sampling of pierogi (I still think about the sweet potato stuffed ones I tried last year) or grab dinner and a show (concerts are included with admission which makes the tickets which cost $8 max a pretty good deal) with friends over the long weekend. For really no particular reason, this year I am toying with the idea of dropping by for Billy Squier and a little “Rock Me Tonite.”
No matter when you go or why you go, your main preoccupation at Taste of Cleveland is what you’re going to eat. These food vendors are amazing . . . they have to commit to staffing a holiday weekend event—rain or shine—for four entire days. That’s no easy feat, but apparently Pierogi Palace, Taste of Soul, Transylvania Bakery Shop, Flannery’s Pub, Just Like Mom’s Restaurant, The Souper Market, The Corner Alley Bar & Grill, Zocalo Mexican Grill & Tequileria, Das Schnitzel House, Cornerstone Brewing, Fat Fish Blue and others are up to the challenge.
Crepes Deluxe at the West Side Market
I got to talk to Bob Holcepl from Crepes Deluxe at the West Side Market about his contributions to Cleveland’s culinary scene and his participation in the Taste of Cleveland and, I have say, it made me, well . . . hungry.
How long have you been at the West Side Market?
We’re going on three years at the market for the crepes, although I’ve been there longer with City Roast Coffee. Actually, I’ve been involved with food for a quite awhile now. My wife and I also have Civilization in Tremont which will have been there 20 years next year. I remember when we started there were just two Arabicas and us—a lot of coffee shops have come and gone in that time.
Why crepes?
If you talk to anyone who does this, it started with some sort of trip to Paris. Although fancy creperie-style bistros are what many people think of when they think of crepes, most crepes in Europe actually are served street-side or in a bump-off from a storefront or a restaurant like, say, hotdogs are served here. When we decided we were interested in doing this, we traveled all over Europe and to places like Vancouver and Miami to look at different creperies. Then, we started by serving them at events like the Taste of Tremont and the Taste of Cleveland.
What is a crepe then?
Crepes are thin and pancake-like. The sweet ones are made with a sweet batter while the savory are made with buckwheat flour. They can be filled with anything from ham and cheese to strawberries and Nutella. We serve both savory and sweet street-style at the Market. They are handheld and portable. We fold them into a triangle shapes and slip them into a checkered piece of paper with a cone specifically meant to hold the crepe. They can then be eaten with fingers or a fork.
The crepe thing is really started to take off nationally and I’ve actually started to do consultation work to help other people open up their own places. At the Market we’ve built up a clientele that includes locals and travelers. I’d say that people with passports—people who have traveled and are aware of or open to the this sort of thing—are the first to “get it.”
Why do you like to be a part of the Taste of Cleveland?
We see it as a venue for Clevelanders to get exposed to what we are doing. Some people haven’t been to the market in awhile and still think of it as just a place to stock up on cheese and eggs. You can still get all those things at the Market of course with a quality and range that is phenomenal, but there’s even more interesting stuff like Ohio City Pasta, Urban Herbs and Orale Contemporary Mexican Cuisine.
What are you serving at Taste?
We’re only doing the sweet crepes. You can expect the basic crepe with lemon and sugar or butter, the Paris Caramel with fresh pears, walnuts and caramel sauce and the Banana Nutella which is “the” classic crepe and I am pretty sure that any creperie has to make them by law. –Submitted by SF
This Little Piggy’s Day at the Market
Last Friday I had a foodie’s dream morning—I spent hours of my work day at the historic West Side Market, the oldest publicly-owned market in the city. The Market and I go way back—my dad and I have been regulars since I was a kid and my parents love to tell the story about a 4th grade field trip when all the kids came home with bags of candy and I bought asparagus. But I digress.
Al Roker, the Today Show’s beloved weatherman, was in town for his niece’s graduation so, rather than take time away from the show, he set up shop and broadcast live from the Market. Having heard about the broadcast just the day before, we hurried to rally the troops in order to gather a good crowd and represent the city well on national TV. People love Al and feel he’s a de facto Clevelander—he spent five years here in the early ’80s as the weather guy for our local NBC affiliate. We spread the word through our social networking sites and did indeed get a nice following of sign-carrying Cleveland lovers. Or people just trying to get on TV. Either way, we had a good showing.
Al started the morning with a few shots from the upper balcony, not far below the 44-foot high vaulted ceiling and overlooking the beautiful market, and then came down to the floor where he moved on to shoot near Campbell’s Popcorn Stand. Hot Sauce Williams, the local soul food institution quickly gaining national notice, came in with a buffet of delights for a quick segment then Grandma Freda’s Fresh Bake got a little Al love–he seemed to particularly enjoy the red velvet cupcakes. The morning moved quickly and before we knew it Al was gone.
The Tremont Tour (March 2009)
Photo courtesy of Prosperity Social Club.
No neighborhood quite captures Cleveland’s history with a hipper vibe than Tremont. Sitting on a beautiful little bluff overlooking the bend in the Cuyahoga River, Tremont is peppered with some of Cleveland’s best bars, trendiest restaurants, coolest art galleries and best-kept cultural heritage.
The nightlife is a haven for out-of-towners and locals looking to supplement the big city feel with some small-town charm, but still within minutes from downtown Cleveland (with easy access to I-90, I-77, I-480, I-490 and 176). With the warm weather fast approaching, Tremont is also one of northern Ohio’s nicest walking neighborhoods. Within a quarter of a mile, you’ll find award-winning cafes, boutique shopping and historic buildings surrounding a New England-style town square. To capture a little of that magnetism, a sidekick and I took in a Saturday night dinner and pub crawl, discovering a variety of destinations for both a posh and casual evening.
“Tremont is eclectic,” assures Bonnie Flinner, owner of the Prosperity Social Club tavern. “There’s such a diversity of people. It’s got different income ranges. You can have a condo that’s $400,000 next to a little $50,000 workman’s cottage. And we have a lot of artists. The people that choose to live here love the real aspects of this community, while still being close to the city. I don’t think you can get that anywhere else in Cleveland.”
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Taste of Cleveland (08.31.08)
A friend and I went to the 13th annual Taste of Cleveland on Sunday. It was my first time attending this annual event at the Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City. Although the focus was a celebration of Cleveland’s culinary and cultural traditions (with restaurants like former Browns player Al “Bubba” Baker’s Bubba’s Q, Willoughby Brewing Company, Sue’s Pierogies and Bruno’s Italian Ristorante), the event turned out to be more than I had expected. Taste of Cleveland was reminiscent of a traditional street fair with fun, food and live music. But its location on the Cuyahoga River provided an entirely different atmosphere as the boats, kayaks and jet skis passed by. There was also a feel of excitement as the Blue Angels from the Cleveland National Air Show buzzed overhead. Admission was pretty minimal really, but there were added discounts through cleveland.com and Giant Eagle. our tickets. Just having a Giant Eagle Advantage Card got us in the gate at the reduced rate. And the concerts (Squeeze, Michael Stanley, Los Lonely Boys, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Big Head Todd, etc.) were included in the fee.
Taste of Cleveland was yet another of many enjoyable events that Cleveland offers every year. I look forward to attending this event again next year. –CM
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