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Food Adventures Visits Mikesells Potato Chip Plant + **CONTEST***

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Who wants a case of your favorite hometown potato chip, Mikesells ?  Then check out this story and comment below on why you love Mikesells Potato Chips!  One lucky fan will be chosen at random, GOOD LUCK !

Dayton’s Mikesells Potato Chips are a true local original.  Started in 1910 by DW Mikesell who delivered his potato chips by bike.   The Wright Brothers bicycle shop even repaired his bike so he could stay in business.   Over 100 years later, Mikesells has been the longest continually operating Potato Chip company in the United States.   Mikesells is cemented deep in family owned tradition.  Four generations of the Mikesell family have worked for the organization.   They have various old photos and antiques in the board room as a constant reminder of where they came from and the hard work it took to get there.  Now, in 2012 they will sell over 12 million bags of  potato chips in the United States.  Chip lovers eat their products in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and more.  The “Good n  Hot” flavored chips have a cult following in the Miami Valley, but the number one seller remains regular Groovy chips.  You may also know they produce pretzels, pork rinds, corn chips, dips and the ever original puffcorn delights.   Over 72 products in various sizes and flavors make up the Mikesell’s family of snack foods.

Mikesells is always evolving and this year is no exception.  They have recently implemented a new packaging look and a new logo.  Be on the lookout for these bags, many which are already in area stores.  The look of the brand has changed but the beloved flavors have not been touched.  Customers can expect the same taste they know and love.

However,  Mikesells released two new flavors in June 2012:

Sweet Chili and Sour Cream: It has a kick of spice, a swirl of sweetness and a touch of sour cream all nestled in a Groovy-style chip.

Tuscan Spice:  A unique flavor with a splash of olive oil, a burst of sun-dried tomato and a hint of rosemary and herbs with 30% less fat than regular chips.

Being lifelong residents of the Miami Valley, The Food Adventure Crew have eaten a few Mikesells Potato Chips in our time.  We love them.   So, when invited for an exclusive tour the potato chip facility with DW Mikesell’s great grandson, Luke Mapp, we jumped at the chance.  What followed was a once in a lifetime Food Adventure to see how a Dayton icon gets its product to the masses.

We toured practically every inch of the state-of-the-art facility on Leo Street in Dayton.  We also harassed more than 130 employees.  We experienced a truly customized and incredible operation.  The process starts with, of course, potatoes.  An 18 wheeler semi-truck  literally pulls into the plant and tilts the load onto a conveyor belt and the process begins.  Each year, 20 million pounds of potatoes are processed through these production lines.

The potatoes are washed and sliced, and then are either cooked in small batches for the “kettle cooked” brands, or in larger quantities for their “regular” chips.  The automated process is supervised and manipulated by workers who ensure the great product that Daytonians love.  The slicer is an amazing piece of machinery that looks like a huge garbage disposal.  It is able to slice 400 pounds of chips in just three minutes.

The chips are then sent through another wash and lead into the deep fryers.  Custom machinery tosses the chips in hot oil so they wont stick together.  The deep fryers are gigantic and as big as a small house.  The chips are then led by conveyor belt through various canals and where they are salted if needed, flavored if it is a seasoned chip.  The product is then weighed sorted into various packages.  The sight is indescribable and Luke Mapp explained the process every step of the way.  After the products are bagged, they are inspected and placed in cases.  There is even a quality control lab where the chemical disposition of the chips are analyzed to ensure consistency.  One of the highlights was when we sampled some fresh reduced fat potato chips right off the assembly line.  It was the best potato chip we had ever eaten.

Talk about Green?  Mikesell’s were Green before Green was cool.  They recycle almost everything and have various steps in their production that re-use boxes and transporting materials.  Truly an environmentally conscious company.  They recycle 130,000 shipping boxes annually.  They also donate 208,000 pounds of potato by-product each year to local farmers for animal feed.  Mikesells also recovers 52,000 pounds of starch annually that is sold to paper mills.

During the tour, The Food Adventures Crew felt proud to be Daytonians and were blown away by the quality product and welcoming atmosphere.  The facility and the process were simply incredible.  They produce 4,000 pounds of potato chips in one hour and typically 6,500 cases of potato chips are produced in an 8 hour shift.  We are told it takes about 10 minutes to create the average Mikesell’s potato chip from start to finish.  So much perfection in so little time.  Also, to guarantee freshness, Mikesell’s  strives to distribute  its products to local retailers in 24 hours or less.

If you have not tried the new flavors of Tuscan Spice and Sweet Chili & Sour Cream, you are missing some fantastic snacks.   Make sure you get your hands on some! Make sure you check out the gallery below for an exclusive behind the scenes look at Mikesells.

Also, fellow Daytonians, next time you celebrate with family or friends, grab some Mikesells Potato Chips to make the party right.  Buy local for freshness, and that unbeatable taste that has been a Dayton tradition for generations.

Special thank you to Director of Marketing Luke, Amy, and Dan for setting up the tour and the coolest Food Adventure we have ever had.  We are grateful! 

Want to be grateful too?  Register below and get a chance to win a case of MIKESELLS POTATO CHIPS – winner will be chosen at random![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Visit Food Adventures on FACEBOOK and “like” us by clicking HERE !

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winner: Alma Sove!

Holiday Gift Shopping, Activated Spaces Tour Featured During Downtown Dayton’s First Friday

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Shoppers browse the Dayton Visual Arts Center's ARTtoBUY holiday gift gallery during December 2011's First Friday.

Shoppers browse the Dayton Visual Arts Center’s ARTtoBUY holiday gift gallery during December 2011’s First Friday.

Downtown’s next free First Friday art hop will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7.

Downtown’s specialty retail stores and art galleries will be open late for shoppers who want to pick up one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, including vintage clothing and housewares, handmade gifts and art, gift certificates, and much more. Here is a sampling of downtown’s holiday gift galleries:

• CADC, 35 S. St. Clair St.: The gift gallery, “Art Box,” will be open and CADC will feature “Mobiles and Lights,” an exhibit featuring artists’ interpretations of mistletoe and twinkle for the season, along with live music, appetizers and drinks. Call 313-9883.

• Cachet G! International Boutique, 133 E. Third St.: Featuring watercolors and fabric art by Francine Cummings, as well as wearable art and handmade notecards. Call 461-2665.

• Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St.: (Open 5 to 8 p.m.) Featuring art by Deborah Melton Anderson and the ArtToBuy Holiday Gift Gallery. Call 224-3822.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St.: Shop a variety of handmade items perfect for gift giving, including ceramics, jewelry, scarves, art, purses and more. Call 672-6717.

• K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St.:  (Open 6 to 9 p.m.) Showing “American Immigration: A Local Perspective,” a mixed-media exhibition, as well as artwork from Horizon Science Academy.  Vendors will be selling handmade art and gifts. Call 461-5149.

• The Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St., will host Handmade Holiday Dayton. This annual event features more than 30 local artisans vending gift items, ranging from soaps to hand-crafted jewelry, and prizes will be raffled off from local establishments. Handmade Holiday Dayton will continue from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8.

A tour of the window clings installed during Activated Spaces’ Street Team initiative will take place during First Friday. These two clings, designed by local artists, are hung in the Talbott Tower.

In addition, Activated Spaces will host a tour of newly installed window clings featuring the work of local artists during First Friday. The tour begins at American Pi, 37 S. St. Clair St., at 5:45 p.m. The tour will last about 30 minutes, and a reception at American Pi will continue afterward. The installation theme, Colorful Dayton, aims to show the vibrancy of the Dayton community. The 10 clings have been placed in several locations throughout the core of downtown, featuring work by eight local artists, as well as contributions from the City of Dayton and the Miami Conservancy District.

First Friday also will include roaming entertainers, including The Dropbacks, a juggling troupe; the Miami Valley Music Men, an a cappella choir singing carols; and holiday characters in costume.

A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association, the Ohio Arts Council and WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.

So You Want to Bar Tend…

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Fancy cocktail with a twist

Perhaps you will be making many of these…

Bartending has a fog of grandeur around it. We lean against the bar polishing glasses, we are in touch with deeper wisdom than many mortals, and we know the ins and outs of every drink known to man. In the middle of the chaotic bar scene you are used to, we are the men and women who navigate through it all with ease and confidence, remembering drink orders of most of the patrons. That is why we always get one or two numbers a night from the people in the bar. I hear more than once or twice a week how nice it must be to be a bartender, and how they would love to do what I do.

Bartending is a tough gig. The hours are long, there is quite a bit of very physical work involved (kegs and cases of beer are incredibly heavy), and the pay is always uncertain. Being on top of your game means doing what people in other professions do: reading the trades and books, searching the internet for the edges of the trends, and trying to stay one step ahead of what your customers might be demanding. You get to deal with very drunk people, sometimes demanding people, and of course cleaning up after a great party every night.

There are good and bad things about every job. The first time I went behind the bar, I knew it was something I was going to love doing. It was comfortable, like a well worn t-shirt. It is not something for everyone. If you are looking to eventually work your way into becoming a bartender, here are a few things you want to consider:

  1. Pick your spot. It is interesting to note that not all places offer the same sort of bartending. Jokers and the Funny Bone work on the premise of speed. We had a limited amount of time, and we wanted to make the best cocktails at the fastest pace. That leaves many cocktails with muddling out. Or making cocktails with fresh squeezed ingredients. However, there are places around town where they can take their time to squeeze oranges for each drink, and delicately muddle the mint in a mojito. They may even make their own liquor infusions. On the other end, some bartending jobs are little more than pulling draughts, pouring shots, and opening cans. Look for the type of bartending you want to do, and try to get in a place that offers it.
  2. Prepare for a long apprenticeship.  I started bartending at Jokers Comedy Café in 2005.  I started working at Jokers in 2002. I do not know of any bartenders that walked in and right away got the job unless they had some experience. And not classroom experience; real world behind-the-bar experience. To become a bartender, you are going to have to take some time lurking in the shadows at the place you want to bartend at. Maybe as a bar back. Maybe as a server. Just get in somehow, and let the manager know you want to be a bartender. It may be a long time, but you might actually get back there. Then there will be a period of working the Tuesday dinner shifts, the Sunday brunch shifts, or other less than desirable bartending periods. Once make it through all of this, it makes it easier to get bartending jobs at other places.
  3. Everyday you’re hustling. There is a hierarchy in the serving industry, and bartenders are on the top of it. There are usually very few of them compared to other positions in the restaurant, and they are picked from the best servers and workers. They are given the most autonomy out of any position, and it is not by shirking shifts and needing to be prodded to do their job at every turn. Why? They are in charge of one of the most precious commodities a bar has: the liquor. The management has to trust you with such a vital and expensive part of their business. You have to show them that you are that person they can trust.
  4. Study the menu. See the type of drinks they offer, and the types of drinks people are ordering. I have made hundreds, possibly thousands, of Mai Tais and Blue Kazoos (.75 oz. blue curacao, .75 oz. Bacardi 151 rum, and lemon lime soda, served in a highball glass). I could count the number of Rob Roys or Rusty Nails I have made on my fingers. This gives you a chance to start learning the popular drinks and how to make them.

    Cans of beer

    …or opening quite a few of these.

  5. Learn your trade. What is the difference between cognac and brandy? What craft beers are starting to become popular? Who is Jerry Thomas? Or Gary Regan? These are things you want to start learning as you are waiting to become a bartender. Go to tastings like the Century has for whiskey, the Trolley Stop has for beer, and various places around the area have for wine. Read books. Check out magazines. Surf the web. Absorb everything you can, and use it. Your customers will thank you for it. Hopefully with money.
  6. Weekends? Holidays? Most people see weekends and holidays as a time to relax and spend time with family and friends. While they are winding down, you have to be winding up. Weekends are when you make your money. Friday and Saturday night are the prime shifts, when all the real money making occurs. Though, you have probably learned all this through the apprenticeship phase. Or just by looking around when you are out on Friday and Saturday while waiting for a table. It could cause some friction with family and friends when you tell them you really cannot make it for the big Saturday graduation party because you have to, you know, pay rent. It becomes a trade off you have to be willing to accept.
  7. Love thy customer. The other side of your bar has people on it. They are not the enemy, they are not walking ATMs, they are not trying to make you have a bad night. They just want a drink, even if that drink is something that makes your bartender soul cringe (chocolate martini with Tanquery, anyone?). They want to celebrate their birthday, have fun on their date, or commiserate a bad day with friends. Your rough night behind the bar, broken glass in the ice, or bartender that did not show up is not their concern. Always smile. Chat with them, ask them about their day, and enjoy their company. Being a great bartender is more than just knowing how to make a good cocktail; it is knowing how to help a few hundred people a night a really good time.

I am a huge fan of working behind the bar, making cocktails for people, and seeing all of them enjoying their night. When I do complain about the bad tipper or the overly needy customer, I remember that they are in the minority, and ninety five percent of the people I deal with are incredible, fun, and are looking to enjoy their night. If after reading all of this, you still are looking to bet back there and make the best damn drinks in Dayton, good luck. I hope you make it. If anyone else has some tips, or wants to share their story about getting into bartending, we would love to hear it. Cheers!

Short, Dark, and Strong – National Espresso Day

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Cup of Espresso with Foam

A traditional cup of espresso.

Europe is a culture always on the move. In the 1600’s, coffee was introduced to Europe, allowing people to stay up longer to get more done. After it was given the blessing of Pope Clement VIII, it spread like wildfire through the continent, allowing people to stay up longer, be sharper, and get even more done. It overtook beer as a breakfast drink in New York by the 1670’s, and just kept getting more and more popular. Things moved really fast for coffee. The only thing that was not moving fast for coffee was how it was made. There were some innovations, like the French press and the vacuum pot, but they could only make small quantities, taking upwards of ten minutes to make two cups. People had factories to build and continents to conquer, so there was a constant search to speed up the process. It was not until the beginning of the 20th century, in the explosion of the Industrial Age, that coffee was put on the fast track.

Luigi Bezzera was one of the many people looking for a better way to get a cup of coffee. He created a machine that used steam power to force hot water at a high rate of speed through the coffee grinds, pulling out all of the best aspects of the coffee and doing it rapidly. It took the five minute long process of making coffee down to thirty seconds and the product tasted delicious. A machine to brew coffee for the masses was created in 1884 by Angelo Moriondo, but each cup was not created for individuals. Bezzera’s made a cup of coffee expressly and quickly for each individual. The patent was eventually bought by Desiderio Pavoni and then the machine mass produced, which helped to spread the popularity of this coffee concentrate, referred to as “espresso” (“fast” or “expressed” in Italian), throughout Italy. Eventually it conquered the European continent and went anywhere Italians travelled to. It was not just the speed at which espresso was made that boosted its popularity in Italy; if you wanted to sit down to drink your coffee, you paid an extra fee. Enjoying your coffee standing up made it a little cheaper, so you wanted to drink it a little faster. The espresso machine has gone through many refinements since it was first created. A piston pump was eventually added to force water through the coffee without depending on the boiler. This removed some of the burnt flavor from the espresso, since the water being forced through the grounds could be done at a cooler temperature. This was eventually replaced by an electric pump, which has created the modern espresso machine.

Espresso machines

The traditional espresso machine. A big machine for a little drink…

Espresso has a rich, deep flavor to it, much like you would expect when you compress an eight ounce cup of coffee into two ounces.  The cup of coffee, however, has more caffeine per serving. Espresso does not have a specific roast required, so you can make a dark or light roast coffee into an espresso. The beans are typically ground very fine; since the water is being forced through at a high rate of speed and you want to get the most flavor out of it. Espresso is also the foundation for a whole industry of beverages. American soldiers started to drink it while they were stationed in Europe during World War II, but added hot water to it do dilute the strong flavor, creating the Americano. Cappuccinos and lattes became popular because of the uniqueness of the foam on top of the cappuccino, and the American tradition of adding cream or milk to their coffee. If you want to add a little chocolate flavor to the mix, you can have a Mocha (also the name of the area coffee was rumored to be discovered). Most coffee chains also offer the ability to add espresso to a standard cup of coffee for a little extra kick, a red eye being one shot, and a black eye being two shots. The deep coffee flavor of espresso has also jumped into the world of cocktails as well.

When people think coffee flavor and liquor, Kahlua is what people reach for. It has been the go to coffee flavoring for drinks for decades. As the flavored vodka boom expanded, there were two companies in the early days that created enduring espresso vodkas: Three Olives Triple Shot Espresso and Van Gogh Double and Single Espresso.  Sminoff also has jumped into the mix with their Dark Roasted Espresso vodka, which also steps in with a 100 proof punch. Of course, if you want to make your own espresso vodka, there are simple ways to do that as well (via Bex Huff).

Equipment:

  • Coarse ground espresso beans
  • A 4 cup French Press for making coffee
  • Good vodka (I will always recommend Buckeye)
  • A funnel
  • A glass bottle

Process:

  1. Put a ½ cup of the espresso beans in the press.
  2. Add three cups of vodka to the press.
  3. Allow the mixture to sit for about fifteen minutes.
  4. Press down the plunger to strain out the coffee grounds from the vodka.
  5. Pour into the glass bottle for storage.

Now that you have a good, solid espresso vodka (store bought or homemade), here is the most popular recipe used for espresso vodka, the espresso martini.

Espresso MartiniEspresso Martini 1

1 oz. cold espresso
1.5 oz. vodka
.75 oz. coffee liqueur
.5 oz. white cream de cocoa

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Shake vigorously, and pour into a chilled martini glass. If you want to make it extra fancy, you can rim the glass with powdered chocolate.

Espresso Martini 2

1.5 oz. espresso vodka
1 oz. vanilla vodka or vanilla liqueur (Dr. McGillicuddy makes a fine one.)
1 oz. white cream de cocoa

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Shake vigorously, and pour into a chilled martini glass. If you want to make it extra fancy, you can rim the glass with powdered chocolate.

Espresso’s richness, versatility, and speed of making it has helped it become a staple to the coffee culture that has developed in the United States. It simmered as a novelty until chains like Starbucks helped it to cover the nation with its deep flavor and versatility. Our culture is not going to be moving any slower in the near future, so our need for a quick pick me will continue for a long time. However, we have found other ways to relax with this densely caffeinated drink. Where is the best place to hit before work to get a little espresso pick me up, or the best place to wind down with an espresso cocktail, in Dayton? Let us know in the comments! And however you enjoy your shot of joy to the mind, have a happy National Espresso Day! Cheers!

 

 

The Big Ragu Releases the AMBUCS Chili Cook-off Votes!

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Cold beer and hot chili is a recipe for a Food Adventure.   Last Friday night, a large crowd enjoyed all the chili, adult beverages and gambling action they wanted at the 26th Annual AMBUCS Chili Cookoff and Casino night at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.  All the proceeds went to benefit Dayton AMBUCS, a charity service organization that is creating mobility and independence for people with disabilities.  The Big Ragu and the Food Adventures Crew was lucky enough to be asked to be “Special Judge” for the event.   We had a blast, hung out with Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzel, and ate some terrific chili.

First off, we tried each and every chili offered.  We loved the traditional chili from Flannigans, Atrium Grille, Buckin Donkey Grille, Miami Valley Golf Club, Jimmie’s Ladder 11, Elsa’s and Slyder’s.  Our taste buds enjoyed unique meat twists on chili from Smokin BBQ, Vinny’s Bar & Grill, Christopher’s, and Longhorn Steakhouse .  Things heated up with the spicy chili from Scratch Catering and Harrigans Tavern.  Unique tasting chili from The Tropics and Cafe Mexico were nice surprises, too.   There were even great entries from individual cooks like “Deer Slayer” and “Chef Daddy’s Firehouse Chili!”

We loved and finished them all, from white bean chili, to every piece of venison, and every jalapeno.  But, we had to pick our favorites, and here were our choices:

Food Adventure’s Top 3:
1) Deer Slayer
2) Jimmie’s Ladder 11
3) Smokin’ BBQ

After trying all of the chili we ate some hot dogs then tried our luck at Bingo, Blackjack and Dice games.  Most importantly, we donated to a great organization, AMBUCS.  It was great to see local people helping a charity that reaches out to all sorts of people with physical disabilities.  We were honored to be a part of this special event and this was a Food Adventure that will always remain close to our heart.  See you next year !

If you were not there, but want to help out a great cause, visit ambucs.com, and see how you can get involved.

“Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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Matera Caffe: One of a Kind Restaurant in Franklin

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There is nothing else like Matera Caffe in the Dayton area, and not only because they use two “F’s” in Caffe.  Why is Matera so special?  Because they mill their own flour and wheat on site. Yes, you read that correctly.  It doesn’t get fresher than this, and we have the flour marks on our clothes to prove it!  But that is only one of the great qualities of this eatery.

The owners of Matera Cafe have developed a place that is perfect example of why we do Food Adventures.  Inspired by a missionary trip to Honduras, Mary & Larry Rowland decided to open up a coffee house which would later turn into a full blown restaurant.  Close to their missionary work, they named the restaurant after the city of Matera, Italy where the movie “Passion of the Christ” was filmed.  The result is a well groomed restaurant that is as immaculate on the inside as it is outside.  It looks like the “after” pictures from the Kitchen Nightmares TV show.  There is even an outdoor dining area under the overhang.

As we entered Matera, a wonderful baked cinnamon smell greeted our noses, as well as the warmth a wood fired oven.  The chilly day made this a wonderful, inviting atmosphere.   Friendly servers explained the menu and the daily specials.  We were already drooling.

You already know they mill their own flour and wheat to make pizza dough, breads and waffles.  Well, they also make their own salad dressings and pancake syrup.   We tried the homemade waffle and syrup together, and it was great.  The Liege style Belgian Waffles are served with seasonal fruit and whipped cream.  A very unique, fresh tasting waffle was unlike any we have ever eaten.

Our Food Adventure to Matera Caffe would not be complete unless we tried one of the pizzas cooked in the wood fired oven.  We tried the Margherita Pizza, which is topped with roma tomatoes, romano cheese, fresh basil, mozzarella & olive oil.  The pizza was cooked perfectly, and the dough was so fresh that it had an incredible softness to it.  We were blown away.

Another item we loved was the Americano Sandwich.  It starts with their freshly baked ciabatta bread made from scratch.  The sandwich ingredients include fire roasted chicken, roasted roma tomatoes and arugula spinach.   The sandwich was also topped with an incredible pesto sauce that is homemade from herbs grown on site.   We are still raving about the Americano sandwich as one of our all time favorites.

Our Food Adventure ended in a tour of the milling operation.  We were very impressed at the hard work and passion that goes into making this menu.  Matera is one of a kind, so look for this little known spot to catch even more buzz in the coming months.

Dayton foodies should definitely check out Matera Caffe.  The staff and owners go out of their way to accommodate patrons.  They even offered us some wood fire roasted veggies as an alternative to Saratoga potato chips as a side.  Something not to miss, is the full Honduran coffee menu and various teas to compliment any meal.  The prices are affordable and the portions are nicely sized.  We devoured so much food that The Big Ragu actually had a rare “to go container!”  There is much more to come from Matera, as the owners plan to expand the dining area outside and have just recently secured a liquor license.  So take a drive down State Route 73 towards Franklin and experience the delicious cuisine like we did.  It is definitely a homemade experience from start to finish.

For more of Food Adventures, please visit our Facebook Page HERE and “like” us !

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For hours, directions and menu information please visit them at www.materacaffe.com.

 

 

Hello Sunshine!

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Harvey Wallbanger Ingredients

Just add some avocado shag carpeting, and the 70’s are back!

Cocktails made a very slow recovery after World War II. The basics, like the Manhattan and the martini, came back rather quickly. In all honesty, they never really disappeared. During the 1950’s, like most of the culture, we were slowly getting back into the swing of things after three decades of unrest. We tried to put things back together the way they were, but it really did not work that well. Vodka became the staple spirit, once people realized that three martini lunches could be had without smelling of strong liquor. That led us to the 1960’s, where boundaries were pushed as far as they could go. The tiki cocktail craze hit and drinks got complicated. We went from simple combinations of one or two spirits and one mixer to the Mai Tai, Zombie, Planter’s Punch, and crazy combinations of exotic spirits and mixers. Rum was king, and every drink had multiple mixers, liquors, and garnishes. The 1970’s simplified the cocktail game a little. There were a few throwbacks to complexity, like the Long Island Iced Tea, but simpler cocktails returned. They returned with additional flavors. A little bit of a twist on the traditional. It was in this environment that the Harvey Wallbanger thrived.

The Harvey Wallbanger is incredibly simple to make. Take a Screwdriver (1.5 oz. vodka, 4-5 oz. orange juice, and build over ice) and float an additional .75 oz. of Galliano over it. Simple, but with a little twist.  The story behind the cocktail also has a little twist. One story revolves around a surfer named Harvey, who had a bad day on the waves. He lost a big contest, and went to one of the local watering holes, where Donato “Duke” Antone had a drink special going that day: a Screwdriver with a float of Galliano. Harvey apparently loved them, and spent the afternoon drinking them. When he got up to leave, he was stumbling out of the bar, hitting tables and banging into walls. From that day forward, they called him “Harvey the Wallbanger”, and the name stuck to the drink. The twist to the story? It could have been completely fabricated by the Galliano company, who was trying to figure out a way to sell their liquor to a market that was willing to experiment. The drink was invented in the 1950’s, but did not hit its stride until the 1970’s. It was so popular that it actually earned enough votes in the 1972 election to be noticed, and was named as one of the top food fads of the 70’s by the Food Network.

Much like polyester suits and disco, the drink fell back into obscurity after the 1970’s. You will still see a tall, lone, golden bottle of Galliano in bars, just waiting to be used in a Harvey Wallbanger, possibly a Golden Cadillac. It will then go back to its seat on the shelf. There are rumblings that the elaborate craft cocktail movement may be transitioning to simpler cocktails, and the Harvey Wallbanger might become one of the fads of 2013. On this November 8th, National Harvey Wallbanger Day, search out one of those distinctive cocktails and try and become a trendsetter. Cheers!

 

The Best Diner You Never Heard of: George’s

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On North Dixie, there is a restaurant that you may not have heard about.  In fact, Food Adventures agrees, it has some of the best casual food in the Miami Valley.  This no frills diner is called George’s Family Restaurant.  We say no frills because they concentrate on what is really important, great food and great service.  There are so many exceptional things to eat at George’s that it’s tough to decide where to begin.  From grits to Greek food, this menu is not quite your typical diner.  What is typical here is tasty entrees.

Let’s start with one of their specialties, Broasted Chicken.  This trademark cooking process involves placing marinated and breaded chicken in a pressure cooker.  Broasting uses less oil than conventional deep frying.   The chicken comes out cooked perfectly, with a taste that will leave you smiling.  George’s Family Restaurant also offers something we had never seen before, Broasted Fish !  In fact, they have a fish fry every Friday featuring broasted pollock.  The dinner includes fries and coleslaw for just $8.99.  You can even get broasted potatoes instead of fries.  Sometimes, there is nothing better than a good fish fry for a Friday Food Adventure.

George’s has also built its reputation on their burgers.  Fresh, handmade patties cooked just the way you like them.  We tried an incredible creation called the  Inside Out Mushroom Swiss Burger which has the swiss cheese and mushroom packed inside the burger patty itself.  The result is a juicy, cheesy beautiful burger that made us want to hug the cook.

A family run restaurant with Greek roots, George’s stays close to their heritage.  They offer a few Greek menu items including a Hot Greek Plate which includes Gyro meat, grilled chicken, pork slouvaki, spinach pie, peppers, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, pita bread and tzatziki sauce.  On the recommendation of the waitress, we tried the homemade spinach pie.  What we received was a fluffy, flaky, large slice of heaven.  We felt like Apollo after one taste.

Are you a breakfast food fan?  George’s Family Restaurant serves breakfast all day.  The breakfast menu is extensive and served up hot and fast, which are words sometimes used to describe our tastebuds  Lots of diners were eating breakfast during our dinner stint.  One young foodie even held up his pancake for us to compare it to Big Ragu’s head.

The desserts at George’s are seasonal.  That is because they are homemade and vary upon what the kitchen is preparing that day.   The menu has so many good items from golden fried onion rings, to Mac-n-Cheese, and hand dipped shakes.  So many good eats, so little time.

Our trip to George’s is yet another example of  why we seek Food Adventures.  It has all the hallmarks like family owned, relatively undiscovered, and unique, delicious food.  Even the waitresses were amazing.  Many of them had worked there for years, and were very accommodating.  So we ask our fellow foodies, do you want some fantastic diner style food? By George’s, you got it !

George’s Family Restaurant is located at  5216 N. Dixie Drive, you can take  exit 57  Wagner Ford Road off I 75, turn left on Wagner Ford and right on Dixie and the diner will be on the right.

Visit FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook and “like” the page by clicking HERE !

[flagallery gid=7 name=Gallery]

 

SummitUp – The Bowman Connection

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David Bowman head shot

David Bowman

Facebook had just 100 million members around August of 2008. That is just a little less than the population of Mexico at the time, which would have put it at fourteenth in the world. The number of Facebook users has recently eclipsed  1 billion people, putting it at third in the world in terms of world population, just behind India. That is a massive amount of eyeballs looking to connect to something: entertainment, information, conversation, the list is endless. Since that explosion, everyone from major companies to small businesses have been trying to harness the power of this ever expanding opportunity to connect. It has become a source of innovative campaigns and beautiful disasters. It is a new frontier, and everyone is still looking for how to make it work for them.

David Bowman was one of those people. He had just come back to Dayton from seeing a presentation from Chris Brogan, and was discussing the experience with Sara McCatherine over lunch. The idea was to bring the top speakers from all over, at the edges of the fledgling explosion of social media, and bring them here. Thus the seeds of SummitUp were born. Through plenty of work and hustle, the first SummitUp in Dayton (2009) was brought to life. Every year it has been growing as social media grows, and this year is no different. David took some of his precious time in the final weeks before the Tuesday, October 16th event to answer a few questions about social media for us.

DMM: Your first degree was in political science. What attracted you to marketing from there? Did you see it as a natural extension, or did your interests change?

David Bowman: In college I was drawn to political science, as it was something that was inherently interesting to me.  I did well in Political Science classes, so decided to major in it, as I really had no idea what I wanted to do professionally.  I had considered becoming an attorney for a while, but ultimately the law did not appeal to me.  Instead I went to work in the business world, where I migrated into sales.  From there I came to discover the field of marketing and have never looked back.  Eventually I got my MBA with a concentration in Marketing, where I began to get a deeper understanding of the field.  In the end, Marketing and Political Science are both based in understanding needs and influencing human behavior.  The principles I learned in Political Science are directly applicable to my job, and probably give me a bit of a different perspective on things.

SummitUp Logo

Another year, another batch of wisdom.

How have you liked your teaching experience so far at the School of Advertising Art (SAA) ? What are some of the things the students are teaching you?

Teaching at SAA has been amazing.  It is one thing to believe you understand something.  It is something else entirely to have to understand something well enough to explain it to others in a way that is clear and compelling.  I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to teach Marketing at SAA.  It is making me a better practitioner of my craft and the energy, creativity, and curiosity of my students is inspiring.

DMM: What is the biggest challenge to creating an event like this, where you will have a significant cross section of new users and seasoned veterans looking for something to take away?

DB: SummitUp is challenging in that we want the event to be appealing to early adopters of technology who demand complexity and bleeding edge information while at the same time delivering content that is accessible to newcomers too.  Compounding things is that fact that the event is a collaborative volunteer effort with a focus on keeping prices low so that we can attract and educate the largest number of people possible.  The goal of the event is not to maximize profits, but rather to maximize the potential of those who attend.  We do our best to attract exceptionally talented speakers and presenters to the event, often at a fraction of their typical speaking fee or for free.  We then pass these savings on to attendees in the form of very affordable ticket prices.  Ultimately, the event has an incredible team of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that those who invest the time and money to attend get value from coming to the event.

DMM: What do you think is the biggest hurdle people have to understanding the value and potential of social media?

DB: People get lost in the incredible amount noise and dizzying pace of change.  Author Clay Shirky describes media as the “connective tissue” that holds us all together, which is a great way to think of it.  Social media is simply about people communicating with one another, and all media is now social.  If people keep things in the perspective of finding ways to use communication to build real and lasting relationships, social media is fairly simple to understand.

DMM: What brands are the best story tellers in the social media realms?

DB: Starbucks, Zappos, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines are some great examples of national brands that are using social media successfully and in very different ways.  Locally, brands like Dorothy Lane Market, Olive, and Dayton Children’s are all great examples.

DMM: What do you see brands or people doing on social media that frustrates you?

DB: Not listening, participating, or considering the opportunity to use social media as more than just a push marketing tool.

DMM: How do you see social media platforms evolving over the next five years?

DB: More mobility, more video, more speed, more content, more noise, more people, more, more, more.  Hopefully, what brands choose is to more carefully integrate social media with marketing strategy.  A recent Duke University Study cites that over 16% of organizations describe their social media efforts as “not at all integrated” with their overall business strategy.  This is something that must and will change, as brands begin to understand the real value that strategic integration can deliver.

DMM: Will social media become more integrated into the media department, or is this a new entity?

DB: They will become one in the same.  Traditional media is still alive and well, but it is becoming ever more social.  As best practices are established and technology matures, social media will become the tradition.  Anytime you have disruptive technology changes it takes a while for people to make sense of it all.  Eventually people begin to figure it out and then shift their focus to execution.  This is currently happening right before our eyes.  It is an exciting time to be a marketing professional.

Books full of storiesDMM: Social media professionals are still wrestling with how to prove the value to CEO’s, CIO’s, and other C-suite people. Are there certain numbers that offer more proof of value than others? It is ROI, or something else out there?

DB: It is ROI but that has to be framed in the context of customer equity.  Social media has the ability to strengthen relationships.  The ROI is less about the platforms and technologies and more about the actions and responses created through them.  Ideally, marketing professionals are moving toward an integrated approach to marketing.  This is more akin to systems thinking as opposed to trying to compartmentalize things.  The revolution in technology requires a paradigm shift.  It is no longer only about impressions or mass attention.  Now it is about connections, loyalty, and long term brand equity that can only come from focused, ongoing communication.

DMM: Are there any social media platforms out there that you can see emerging as a major player over the next few years?

DB: Certainly Pinterest has already shaken thing up in the last year.  Google+ will continue to evolve and grow, particularly as Google continues to integrate it with organic search.  There are countless other projects and platforms emerging to solve niche problems and connect niche audiences.  I will not pretend to have a crystal ball, but I can tell you that we will likely be talking about a whole new mix of tools by this time next year.

David has once again helped to organize an amazing event, bringing talents like Todd Henry, Rohit Bhargava, and Tim Schigel as keynote speakers, and a diverse group of other professionals to run a wide range of breakout sessions. SummitUp tickets are available by phone only, so call and make sure that you have yours. This is going to be a great opportunity to learn about the basics, meet and connect with new people, or refresh and recharge your batteries with new insights. We look forward to connecting with you this Tuesday!

 

SLEEPWALK WITH ME at THE NEON + Big Benefit News!

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Hello Everyone,

Huge changes are just around the corner for THE NEON. Before I get to the source of my anxiety, let’s talk movies. If you still want to see THE MASTER, Thursday will be your last chance to see it with us. On Friday, we will open a film that has had the most requests this year – SLEEPWALK WITH ME. ARBITRAGE had a solid opening weekend…so it will stick around.

Synopsis for SLEEPWALK WITH ME: From the producers of THIS AMERICAN LIFE, this is the film that Ira Glass has been talking about! “When an aspiring stand-up fails to express his true feelings about his girlfriend and his stalled career, his anxiety comes out in increasingly funny and dangerous sleepwalking incidents.” (IFC Films)

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9tRN7bok4o’]

This weekend is the last chance to see movies via 35mm film at THE NEON. On Sunday evening, we will close our doors for 4 days as we make the transition to digital projection (the new industry standard). Our “Things To Do” list is jam-packed. Over the past 11 years, we’ve opened our doors for business every single day…while we’re closed, we’re going to take advantage of the opportunity and do some major cleaning, lay some new carpet and add some fresh paint to floors and walls.

And speaking of this weekend, Sunday marks the day for our big Digital Conversion Benefit featuring AMELIE. (If you missed Sunday’s nice article from Dayton Daily News, you can check it out here.) The festivities will start at 4:00 with delicious appetizers provided by Meadowlark, Roost and Coco’s Bistro. Around 5:00, everyone will head to the large auditorium for our “Dayton Meets Hollywood” auction (more details below) We’ll plan to begin our 35mm presentation of AMELIE by 5:30. Tickets are still available! 100% of the proceeds will go toward helping us make the switch to digital. They can be purchased at our box office or by visiting this link.

To check out all the items in our auction, we’ve listed each item (along with a picture below).  Here’s the skinny:

If you’re unable to attend the benefit but would like to place a bid on one of the auction items, you can send me an email with your name, phone number, and your highest bid. I will need this e-mail by Saturday at noon. send to: theneon@msn.com (If you’d like to see one of the items in person, you can schedule an appointment with me for this Saturday.)

We hope to see you this weekend.

Thanks so much for your ongoing support!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. Oct. 12 – Sun. Oct. 14:
(We will be closed Mon, Oct 15 – Thu, Oct 18)

ARBITRAGE (R) 1 Hr 47 Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday: 12:30, 8:30

SLEEPWALK WITH ME (NR) 1 Hrs 30 Min
Friday, Saturday: 1:00, 3:10, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Sunday: 1:00, 8:30

COMING SOON:

As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear
Oct. 19 SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
Nov. ? SAMSARA
TBD LIBERAL ARTS
TBD THE SESSIONS
TBD KILLER JOE
TBD NEIL YOUNG JOURNEYS
TBD ANNA KARENINA
TBD HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

AUCTION ITEMS:

Screenplay from the Pilot episode of THE WEST WING – Signed by Martin Sheen & Allison Janney.  Includes signed Martin Sheen Photograph.  Starting Bid: $75

Screenplay for THE WEST WING, Season 1, Finale – Signed by Martin Sheen + Signed Photograph.  Starting Bid: $50

THE WEST WING Lot of Call Sheets and Script Changes with Signed Martin Sheen Photograph. Starting Bid: $50.

 

THE BIG LEBOWSKI Storyboard Print.  Hand-signed by The Coen Brothers’ storyboard artist and Oakwood resident J. Todd Anderson.  Includes $25 gift certificate from Patterson Chase – perfect to use toward framing your storyboard.  Starting Bid: $50.

3 DVDs from local filmmakers Julia Reichert, Steve Bognar & Jim Klein.  Emmy-Winning A LION IN THE HOUSE, Oscar-Nominated THE LAST TRUCK and recently inducted into The National Film Registry – GROWING UP FEMAL.  It’s incredible that all these award-winning films were born right here in the Miami Valley.  These films will be personalized by the filmmakers for your collection.  Starting Bid: $75.

THE RUBI GIRLS documentary on DVD & Poster (which will be kissed and signed by The Rubi Girls before THE NEON’s benefit).  This award-winning documentary has played at numerous film festivals around the world…but has not yet been released on DVD.  Starting Bid: $50.

 

2 Original Chairs from THE NEON.  These chairs, with their original upholstery, are 27 years old.  Though they have slight imperfections, they still are quite cozy and would make a perfect addition to you screening room.  (As a note of caution, these chairs require being bolted to the ground.)  Starting Bid: $50.

Naming Rights to our Small Auditorium.  Our small auditorium seats 74 people.  The name you chose (perhaps your name, your company name or the name of your favorite director) will be placed on a plaque above the door to the auditorium.  (The name is subject to approval from THE NEON’s Board…vulgarity or insensitive language will not be permitted.)  Starting Bid: $100.

SummitUp, A #Socialmedia Confab

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In the 1920’s, radio broadcasters were looking for more. They knew they had a great way to deliver information into the homes of everyone in the country, but how to get sponsors to buy into it? Radio up to that point had been informational; mainly news and politics delivered in factual and dry terms; nothing really compelling to listen to. Advertisers were not seeing much of a return from the money they were investing, and were leery about investing more. Broadcasters needed to create something that would attract a different audience; an audience that was around the house all day, and was going to make the decisions on what household goods to buy. They decided that fresh content should be mainly about families, and how they lived their lives. They wanted this content to appeal to the housewife, as if they were looking into another person’s house without leaving their own. This new content attracted sponsors in the early 1930’s like Proctor and Gamble, who used these shows to help promote their soaps like Oxydol. Thus was born the “soap opera”, turning what once was used to just a platform for delivering information into a money maker. The Golden Age of Radio boomed, and the soap opera, and eventually the sit com and variety show, boomed with it.

Now, being eighty years removed from radio soaps, marketers are all facing the same questions in a new realm that once simply provided information, or a way to connect, and a few small advertisements. How do we get more Facebook “Likes”? What do we need to do to get more Twitter followers? What makes something that is visually compelling on Pinterest, so we can pin it and tweet about it? And how do we get all of these people we are interacting with to go somewhere to buy our product? On top of that, how do we measure all of this so when people in the C-suite start asking questions, we have good answers for them? We are all asking these questions, some of us longer than others. As we all wander, searching for the same answers, we have a few intrepid people that have found some of the edges of this new realm, and brought back new and exciting information to share. The marketing community of Dayton has helped to organize some of these people at Sinclair Community College on October 16th, 2012, for SummitUp, a full day marketing communications, public relations, and digital information conference.

This event is a major undertaking, involving the efforts of not only many of the top talents in the area, but a small army of volunteers. David Bowman, Chief Marketing Strategist for The Ohlmann Group and one of the organizers of SummitUp, states they want it appeal “to early adopters of technology who demand complexity and bleeding edge information while at the same time delivering content that is accessible to newcomers too.” The speaking talent this year is top notch, with major keynote speakers, local brilliant talent, and opportunities to meet all of the top marketing and communication talent in the area. On top of that, the volunteers help to make the event as affordable as possible to the widest number of people, so more people can experience it. “Ultimately, the event has an incredible team of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that those who invest the time and money to attend get value from coming to the event.”, affirms Bowman.

The day begins at 7 AM at breakfast. It is going to be a full day, and you are going to need all the energy you can get. The first keynote speaker of the day will be Todd Henry, creator of the website and podcast The Accidental Creative, as well as the writer of the highly praised book The Accidental Creative, How to be Brilliant on a Moment’s Notice. He is an expert on how to build an environment that encourages the generation of creative ideas. His podcast interviews some of the top creative minds across a wide variety of industries, and offers insights about everything from generating ideas quickly to getting over the dreaded creator’s block.

After his speech, every attendee will be able to attend multiple breakout sessions. There are twelve sessions total, given by some of the best business and social media thinkers in southwest Ohio and Indiana. Each of the sessions is offered twice in back-to-back time frames, so everyone will have a chance to see six of the speakers. Eight of the sessions will happen before lunch, and the final four sessions will happen after lunch. These breakout sessions are designed to give every attendee the greatest chance to bring the right information back to help the social media and communication strategies of your company.

Lunch will be served around noon, and then it will be time for the second keynote of the day. Rohit Bhargava is the a founding member of one of the largest social strategy groups at Oglivy as well as a professor of Global Marketing at Georgetown University. He is a proponent of bringing the human touch back into the marketing world, touting the importance of being likeable as a major factor in success. He is the author of several highly rated and incredibly popular books, Likeonomics (his most recent book) and Personality Not Included. His books are not just something to read; Likeonomics also offers a website full of useful exercises and ideas to help make you and your brand more likeable, and attractive, to future clients.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”320px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]SummitUp
Sinclair Community College, Building 12
October 16th, 7:00am – 4:30pm
Full Day Ticket Member Pricing: $119.00
Full Day Ticket Non – Member Pricing: $159.00
Click for Tickets[/dropshadowbox]

The final keynote of the day is at the end of the last group of four sessions. If you are familiar with the name of the person who is presenting, you have certainly seen his work on multiple websites. His name is Tim Schigel, and he is the chairman and founder of ShareThis, which has their widgets for social media sharing scattered across the Internet. Tim has done innovative work for some of the biggest firms in the country, from Apple to Procter and Gamble. The impetus behind ShareThis was to start measuring how people share the interesting things that they find outside of search engines, and that involves tracking how people use social sites to share. What is getting shared? How is it getting shared? And what is the future of measuring and sharing data?

The transition to social media presents a new set of challenges, much like the first pioneers into radio media faced. Whether you are in traditional media or cultivating pin boards, if you are new to the game or still think fondly of your AOL marketing efforts, SummitUp is a great way to develop your skills in this new realm. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and a bevy of other new platforms are out there for people to use, integrate, and broadcast from. This is a fine opportunity to take advantage of all this brilliance in a local environment, at a great price. Connect with the best talent in Dayton and beyond, and take your marketing efforts to the next level. We all hope to see you on October 16th!

Urban Bites, Urban Nights

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Ribs from “HIckory River” in Tipp City

Friday Sept 14th, 2012 was a great evening in Downtown Dayton.  The Urban Nights event showcased dining, nightlife, retail shops and more.  Good art and good music filled the city, as did festival goers.  But The Food Adventures Crew were at this huge street party to try the street food for an Urban Food Adventure.  It was great to see the bustling downtown area with businesses and restaurants opening their doors to the public.  Dancers and musicians entertained the masses and there were even people repelling down one of Dayton’s tallest buildings!

Crowds gathered from Riverscape to the Oregon District.  Dayton was hopping during Urban Nights.  There were dozens and dozens of restaurants and food vendors selling their eats.  So many vendors, that it would be impossible to list them all here, so please click on our photos below.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Oyster Shooter from Jay’s Seafood Restaurant

There was soul food and seafood.  There were pies and burgers ‘n fries.  Varieties ranges from Bratwurst eats to vegetarian treats.  We ate South American food, Italian food and Indian specialties.  The event also featured beer and wine vendors.  Some vendors, like the ones near Riverscape, made you purchase 3 dollar tickets to buy food at any vendor.  Other street vendors downtown were on a cash for food basis.

There were even 3 separate stages spread out across the downtown area where you could listen to live bands and more.  We dined to some classic rock by local band ‘Spungewurthy.’

Empanadas from “El Meson” restaurant

Did you miss Urban Nights and the food extravaganza?  Then mark your calendars for Friday night May 10th, 2013 when Urban Nights returns to the Gem City.

The atmosphere was friendly and fun.  It was really something to enjoy a Food Adventure while standing among Courthouse Square or underneath Dayton’s skyline.   Urban Nights was a great time and made us proud of our hometown of Dayton!  Enough of the sentimental stuff, you have to check out these amazing food photos below !!

But first, please comment below and tell us what you thought of URBAN NIGHTS !

Also, check out Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE.

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Punching It Up

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Fish House Punch Bowl

Hello fancy!

Our cocktail history is a long and rich one. Starting with the Pilgrims stopping at Plymouth Rock because they were out of beer, up to the current rise of the craft cocktails, we have seen a little bit of everything. One of the longest runs in our cocktail history is one that for the most part has been forgotten, other than remnants of them in some of the cocktails we enjoy today. It was present up right to the end of the 19th century, encouraging people to gather around and spend a few hours with each other, ladling out glasses of potent liquid to cool off in the hot summer months, and to warm up in the cold winter months. The punch was a staple of the growing United States, being present at every bar and gathering in the country, and for some very good reasons.

Punches originated in India, where the British were stationed with little access to the good alcohols they enjoyed at home. And the British sailors did not like to be separated from their ration of one gallon of beer a day. Or a half pint of rum, whichever they preferred. One of the origin stories for why they called it “punch” was a slant on the Indian word panch (five), the number of ingredients the punch was supposed to have. The drink was created with alcohol, lemon, sugar, water, and tea or other native spices. The alcohol became whatever was handy at the time. It began with wine, but rum, brandy, and whiskey punches were also popular in the various areas of the British Empire. It was so popular that a special bowl was even created for it, called a Monteith Bowl. It had a scalloped edge, which eventually became removable, where a ladle could be kept or the stems of wine glasses could be held.

It spread with the empire. Rum houses sprang up all over the United States and Caribbean islands. The earliest recorded punch in the New World is the Bajan (Barbadian) Rum Punch. It was so popular it even had its own rhyme for a recipe: One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak. One part lime juice, two parts sweetener (usually sugar), three parts rum, and four parts water. Local spices were also added to the mix, recreating the five part panch.  As the drink spread through the country, regional variances changed the flavors, and in some case the potency, of the tipple. The Schyulkill Fishing Company created the most famous variation, known as the Fish House Punch. Possibly for the gentlemen there to enjoy, possibly something lighter for the ladies to enjoy at a Christmas Party in 1848. Punches of all varieties became a staple of dinners, of meetings, of daily life in the young country. At one dinner in 1785, the host reported that sixty-eight people went through forty-four bowls of punch, as well as eighteen bottles of wine and a large quantity of other rums and brandy. Rum was the staple liquor in the colonies, and in many punches, since it was readily available and cheap. The cheapness of the rum was another reason punches were so popular; in the 18th century, rum was still in its infancy. It was awful. The additional flavors and water added to the punch helped to hide the awfulness of the cheap and nearly raw spirit.

Monteith Bowl

Monteith bowls never go out of style.

Punches started to fall out of favor just before the Civil War. Punches were something to be consumed by a group of people over several hours, and we were starting to roll out across the country. Railroads were being built, gold was being discovered, and acres of land were out there for the taking. This was a growing country, and this was no time to sit and drink. There were more options for drinks as well, and people were looking for something more individualized. They did not want to all have to drink the same thing. They lasted until the beginning of the 20th century as a curiosity, something of a cocktail throwback. They were pushed to the back of recipe books in favor of collins, cobblers, and sours, many of which owe their existence to the recipe of punch. Some of the first tiki style drinks from the 1950’s were also based off of punch recipes. Since then, punch’s non-alcoholic form (which was always around, just not as popular) became a staple at kids’ parties for the same reason it was a staple at dinners; it brings people together around a communal place to drink something refreshing in a social setting.

Punches are still a great way to present something to your guests at a party so they can serve themselves. They can be prepared in advance, and you can make them to taste, taking into consideration the time of year you are serving them. Right now, a nice apple cider punch or something with fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg would be delightful. September 20th is National Punch and Rum Punch Day. Gather some friends together, stir together one part sour, two parts sweet, three parts strong and four parts weak, add a few spices to taste, and enjoy an evening around a fire. Cheers!

Barbadian Punch

1 cup lime juice
2 cups simple syrup (Heat one cup of water, then add a cup of sugar. Mix until dissolved, allow to cool)
3 cups of rum
4 cups of water
A few dashes of Angostura bitters
Nutmeg to taste

Stir all of the ingredients into a pitcher or bowl. Ladle into individual cups over ice, add nutmeg to taste.

Philadelphia Fish House Punch

1 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 (750-ml) bottle Jamaican amber rum
12 oz Cognac (1 1/2 cups)
2 oz peach brandy (1/4 cup)

In a large bowl, stir the sugar into the water until the sugar is dissolved. Then mix in the lemon juice, rum, cognac, and brandy. Put the mixture into the refrigerator for three to four hours until chilled. Serve over a large block of ice for the sake of tradition, or in cups with ice in them. Garnish with wheels of lemon. If you deem this as too strong when tasting it, add more water or black tea.

(Recipe via Epicurious)

 

Lots to See at Blind Bob’s

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The Italian Burger

Tucked into the Oregon District is a pub with personality called Blind Bob’s.  Cheap drink specials and a unique spin on food has locals becoming loyal regulars.  The Big Ragu first heard of Blind Bob’s through word of mouth, all of which was good.   We were lucky to visit the eatery for a DaytonMostMetro.com Happy Hour event in late summer.   On our next Food Adventure to Blind Bob’s, we ate dinner with Heater from the Dayton Dragon’s.  You never know who or what you are going to see at Blind Bob’s.

You want unique?  How about a cream of pickle soup that is one of their most popular items?  It is sweet, creamy and will leave you wanting more.  Also addicting is the Hummus and Pita Chips appetizer.  You can’t go wrong with homemade pita chips and creamy hummus.

Pickle Soup – This is a must eat !

Blind Bob’s burgers are top notch, with specialty choices like the Italian Burger which is a  half-pound patty, stuffed with provolone, basil, and green peppers. It is then topped with marinara and caramelized onions.  Is your mouth watering yet?  The burger was juicy and the toppings were amazing.  Another specialty sandwich we would highly recommend is the Crabby Patty which includes a handmade crabcake on a bun.  It is topped with sauteed onions, peppers, and provolone cheese, smothered in herbed aioli.  It will have your taste buds rocking and rolling.

Other great menu items worth a try are the Ultimate Falafel Wrap and the Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich.  Actually, they call the choices “sammiches” on the menu.  You know it tastes good with a name like sammich.  We were pleasantly surprised and “blindsided” by the superb menu that quenched our Food Adventure appetite.

Just a buck on Monday nights – Mickey’s 16oz

Drink specials?.. Yeah they have those.  Everyday prices are $2 Miller High Life and $1.50 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers.  On Monday’s the Mickey’s 16 ounce cans are only a buck!  Happy Hour at Blind Bob’s means $2.50 well drinks and 75 cents off all bourbon.  They have an eclectic selection of a few drafts, one of which Big Ragu loved called Leinenkugel’s  Lemon Berry Shandy.  It was refreshing and fruity, so The Big Ragu checked his man card at the door and ordered another.  We also enjoyed a bottle of “Hop Baron.”

But there is more to see at Blind Bob’s.  Their website calendar is packed with trivia nights, karaoke, open mic nights and live bands.   The historic building lends itself to the charismatic appeal of this locally owned eatery.   Blind Bob’s is definitely a great place to grab dinner and an adult beverage.  With a fun atmosphere inside and the Oregon District right outside, this place is a blast.  So, next time you are wanting something different for a bite and a drink, ask yourself: “What about Bob’s?”

Have you been to Blind Bob’s?  Please comment below and tell us what you thought of this Dayton pub. 

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Urban Nights, Downtown’s Biggest Street Party, Returns This Friday

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Musicians perform on stage in the Wright-Dunbar Business Village. The area will have different performers on several stages from 5 to 10 p.m.

Fall Urban Nights will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 14, in downtown Dayton, the Oregon Arts District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village. An estimated 30,000 people attend Urban Nights, which is held in downtown Dayton, the Oregon Arts District and Wright-Dunbar Business Village, and there are more than 100 activities planned during the event — including live music on outdoor stages, art exhibit openings, tours of downtown housing, discounts at restaurants and retail shops, and much more. A full list of events is available online. Highlights include:

• Dancing in the Street: First Street will be closed between Ludlow and Main streets to make way for performances by DCDC, the South Dayton Dance Theater, Funk Lab, SMAG Dance Collective, ZumbAtomic and the McGovern Ceili Dancers.

• I Am City Folk: Cityfolk will launch this year-long project that is part of its Culture Builds Community initiative. It will feature mosaics, compiled by local photographer Andy Snow using photos of Daytonians taken by Nicole Christian, on display throughout downtown. Contact Jean Howat Berry, Cityfolk’s education and outreach/Culture Builds Community coordinator, at 937-223-3655, ext. 3008.

Customers eat at the Oregon Express during Urban Nights in May. Many downtown eateries will offer specials and discounts the evening of Urban Nights.

• Dayton, Ohio! You Are Here! This large-scale performance piece will transform the Old Courthouse on Third and Main streets into a work of art through video projection and architectural lighting on the building’s exterior, as well as visual art and performances of dance, music and spoken word inside the historical building. Contact Peter Benkendorf at 732-5123 for more information.

• Over the Edge: Returning to the fall Urban Nights will be this challenge that combines fundraising with adventure. Participants who raise at least $1,000 will rappel over the side of the 27-story KeyBank Tower, which visitors can watch from Courthouse Square. All proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley. For more information, contact Matt McDowell at 937-220-6855.

•Taste of the Miami Valley: This weekend-long event will kick off during Urban Nights at RiverScape MetroPark. Guests can sample food from more than 30 area restaurants. Admission is free, and most tastes are $3 each.

• Downtown in Focus: Winning entries from this annual amateur and professional photography contest will be on display in the PNC Center lobby.

• Business grand openings: Three new downtown businesses will host grand openings during Urban Nights: OinkADoodleMoo in the lobby of the KeyBank Tower, 10 W. Second St.; Brim, a new hat shop at 464 E. Fifth St.; LIVV Interior Designs, a home and office interior design firm at 520 E. Third St. in the Cannery; and Sew Dayton, featuring fabric and patterns, at 16 Brown St.

• Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights: Cyclists will gather at 5:15 p.m. at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field for, a community ride through the Urban Nights action hosted by Bike Miami Valley and ending at Courthouse Square. While the ride will be in parade fashion with a police escort, it is not appropriate for small children on their own bikes.

A family participates in Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, a biking group that will ride through the city, meeting at 5:15 p.m. near Fifth Third Field.

This is just a small sampling of the many activities that will be part of the Sept. 14 Urban Nights. The event also includes live music on five outdoor stages, art exhibit openings at galleries and other creative spaces, discounts and specials at downtown restaurants and retail shops, a chalk walk, roaming entertainers, and more. In addition, Greater Dayton RTA will provide free event buses to help visitors get around; bus routes are included in the event map.
Follow Urban Nights on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UrbanNightsDayton for regular updates and more information. Urban Nights is a program of the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the City of Dayton, Montgomery County, Bud Light Lime, the Downtown Priority Board, Wright Dunbar Inc., DP&L, Mix 107.7-FM, Greater Dayton RTA, Kaplan College, Business Furniture, Bob Ross Auto Group and the Ohio Arts Council.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website, www.downtowndayton.org, has a complete list of downtown businesses, as well as a list of business resources, arts and cultural amenities, a dining guide, parking map, and much more.

Holy Cannoli ! It’s all Greek to us !

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Italian Fest is this weekend !!

The weekend after Labor Day is always a big one in Dayton.  Why?  Because, that is the weekend of two huge annual festivals, The Italian Festival and The Greek Festival.
Both events expect to draw big crowds from Friday through Sunday.  Make sure you visit each venue for lots of authentic food items!

Here are some “must eats” that The Big Ragu recommends from each festival for a perfect Food Adventure:

Italian Fest: Cannoli, Italian sausage, Raspberry Sparkletini and the stuffed shell dinner inside the office on Saturday night

Greek Fest: Gyros, baklava, pastisio (Greek lasagna), and the spinach and cheese trigona pies.

Did you ever know that you’re my Gyro ?

For directions and more details visit the respective websites:

www.ItalianFallFesta.com and DaytonGreekFestival.com

 

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