Dayton Dining

Ashley’s Pastries: Rob Lowe & Martin Sheen Love ’em Too!

December 30, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The Sandy Tart Cookie was a favorite on the set of the “West Wing” TV show

“A” list celebrities like the Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, and of course the Food Adventures Crew, love Ashley’s Pastry Shop in Oakwood.

A small but bustling shop, this family business has developed a loyal following through quality baked goods of all kinds. From cookies and cakes, to pastries and specialty items, this place is a treasure trove for a good Food Adventure. Our own Chef House has been visiting Ashley’s Pastry Shop for decades, and introduced The Big Ragu, Hungry Jax and The King to this place. Now, after a couple months, we are hooked too! It seems the secret to the pastry shop’s success is hard work, friendly service, and the most delicate and delicious pastries in the Dayton area.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Owners Theresa Hammons and her husband Greg, opened the shop in 1982 and named it after their newborn daughter, Ashley. The place is always busy with patrons dropping in and leaving quickly with their bag of goodies, and a smile on their face.

— Ashley’s Pastry Shop has lots of trademark items that are available year round, but they also have an endless array of custom made items. Also, some of the pastries available, change to fit the particular season of the year.

— Professional service and quality foodstuffs make them an easy “go-to” for personalized cakes and cookies for any occasion. They also make homemade pies, dinner rolls and breads in-house!

Theresa Hammons has sent her pastries from Hollywood to Broadway

— The company prides itself on community involvement, and supports many local charities.

— The quaint storefront is located at 21 Park Ave, in Oakwood, and also offers catering, delivery and wedding cake services.

With the literally hundreds of items at this pastry shop, it can be hard to sort through favorites. It will take months of visits before you hone in on your faves. There are so many original items, and that’s one of the reasons that we love this place so much. They set the trends, no copycat stuff here.

Let’s explore those one-of-a-kind items that surpass the best of the best. We present our patented, “MUST EATS !”

MUST EATS:

— GLAZED CROISSANTS: Hands down, the best croissant we have ever eaten. It is part croissant, part doughnut. Light, yet filling, this is a sinful take on the French pastry. Ah, Mon dieu !! Oui, Monsieur. We have never had anything like it anywhere else. Made fresh daily, they produce a ton of them, but they go fast ! Grab one and then thank us later, because this is the “piece de resistance.”

— “YUM YUMS”: A Dayton original. A doughnut folded inside itself, is the only way we can explain it. It is a rich glazed doughnut with a unique design. It pulls apart from your hand to your mouth like a string of cheese pizza sometimes. It is a masterpiece of glazed magnificence, and a MUST EAT on any Food Adventure visit to Ashley’s Pastry Shop.

— SANDY TARTS: A unique twist on a sugar cookie. Cinnamony (is that a word), with a touch of chocolate mousse-like, creamy topping make the cookies irresistible. The cookie is another Dayton Original, like no other. These are the cookies that the TV Show the WEST WING would have delivered to the set on a weekly basis during the show’s run. The cookies were known to be favorites of Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe and Allison Janney, who, of course, are all Dayton natives. We don’t know if “Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe,” ” Hairy Rob Lowe,” or “Creepy Rob Lowe“ like the cookies too.

— THE PECAN SLICES: A Pastry that is part danish and part pecan pie. Again, We have experienced nothing like this breakfast dessert. The pastry is drizzled with icing and topped with pecans. We believe there may be a slight touch of caramel involved too. Original in design and big on flavor, it is a melt in your mouth, flaky slice of love. It is sturdy enough to dip in your coffee. Go for it, the worst that could happen is you knock a little pecan flavor into your cup.

The Glazed Croissant is the best croissant you will ever sink your teeth into

— CARROT CAKE CUPCAKE: There is a reason we give you must eats. Because you might not have never tried this one. Are you a lover of carrot cake? Well this is the flavor and richness of an entire cake in the confines of a huge cupcake. Iced on top with a decorative carrot, the inside is a perfectly moist creation. It is one of those food that when you eat, and try to tell people how good it is, but you just get out a mumbled “oh my gaaaa.” A glass of milk is the perfect compliment to this delicious dessert.

— THE BLUEBERRY DANISH: Made from scratch by people who know the craft. Not an original idea, but one of the sweetest, and flakiest slices of deliciousness we have ever eaten. As you take a bite, the pastries delicate fluff yields to the gobs of blueberry filling staring you right down the pike. Truth be told, we could each probably eat 4 of these. All the flavors of danish are insanely good here. Just keep away from our pile, ok ?

We wanted to throw out a quick “thank you” to the attentive staff who is always so friendly and helpful when we visit, even though they are extremely busy.

There are so many other amazing items at this bakery, that you must see it for yourself. From gingerbread houses, to packed display cases of cookies and cakes, it is a sight to behold. The Food Adventures Crew loves to see places like Ashley’s Pastry Shop thriving after 32 years in Dayton. Stop by the little shop in Oakwood and see how originality, hard work and friendly service has produced magical results.

Please check out our HUGE PHOTO GALLERY below of pastries and more from Ashley’s !

Are you a Facebook foodie? “Like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking here, and find your paradise.

[flagallery gid=127]

Fifth Street Brewpub Drink Up Dayton Challenge

December 30, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Dayton’s only coop brewpub is going local for the entire month of January and they are challenging Dayton’s beer lovers to do the same. All month long they will of course be featuring their own beers, but their additional taps will be pouring beers from The Dayton Beer Company, Eudora Brewing Co., The Hairless Hare Brewery, Lock 27 Brewing, Lucky Star Brewery, Nowhere in Particular, Star City Brewing, Toxic Brew Company, Yellow Springs Brewery and Warped Wing Brewing Company.

Are You up for the Challenge?

Drink 15 Dayton beers, that’s 5 from Fifth Street Brewpub (FSB) and 1 from each of the 10 local breweries on tap in the month of January at the Brewpub and receive a Drink Up Dayton t-shirt. You’ll have until Feb 6th to present your completed stamped card in and then shirts will be ready for pick-up by March 1st.

And during the month of January look for FSB to release some bran new beers of their own:

Jan 1st- Scottish Reign & Cup O’Jo’s Stout

Jan 17th- Saphire 1PA Double IPA

For more details and to find out what beers will be featured check FSB’s facebook page or ask your beertender or server while you’re at the Brewpub. FSB is located at 1600 E. Fifth Street in St. Anne’s Hill. For more information please visit FifthStreetBrewpub.coop and click on the Events & News page.

Popping the Cork!

December 26, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

There’s no doubt that a bottle of bubbly is the perfect go-to-libation to celebrate New Year. But how do you choose the right sparkling wine for your festivities? Probably the biggest factors are taste and budget. If budget is no object, Champagnes like Krug, Dom Perignon and Cristal come to mind. It’s rare to find a bottle of champagne for under $50.

Champagne is the name given to sparkling wines produced in the French region of Champagne. The name “champagne” is protected by law and can only be used by winemakers from that region. But Italy and Spain offer delicious (and less expensive) alternatives with their respective prosecco and cava. You can pick up a great prosecco or cave for under $20.

But what’s the difference between these three sparkling wines?

The major difference is in the process of fermentation (the “bubble making process”). Champagne goes through a second fermentation in a sealed bottle. For prosecco and cava, the second fermentation is done in a large vat, also known as the Charmat method. The three wines are also made from different grape varietals: Champagne from chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes; cava from macabeo, parellada and xarel-lo grapes and prosecco from glera grapes.

Each wine has different amounts of fizz, either frizzante or spumante. The easiest way to determine how much fizz your bubbly will have is to simply compare the corks. If the cork has a string attached to it, you’ll have light fizz (frizzante) and if you notice a wire – traditional for Champagne – then you’ll have heavy fizz (spumante).

And in general as far as taste, Champagne is rich and complex, while cava and prosecco are lighter and slightly fruitier. And the absolute best way to determine what you like is to just taste and that’s easy to do this week, as many of our local wine shops are hosting tastings. Here are two you won’t want to miss:

Sat, Dec 27th – Arrow Wine Tasting – 11am – 5pm
11am – 5pm – either store, casual drop in tasting, nominal cost per taste

Sun, Dec 29th – Dorothy Lane Market 4-6pm

For more wine events, be sure and check our MostMetro.com wine calendar.

Spice Up Your Eggnog

December 24, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

Just a few ingredients — egg yolks, sugar, milk, cream, and nutmeg — create the wonderfully distinctive flavor of that favorite holiday drink, eggnog. These eggnog recipes can be spiked to your liking with rum, bourbon, or brandy, or enjoyed in nonalcoholic form by guests of all ages. We’ve got some suggestions to put a twist on your holiday eggnog:

Walnut Eggnog
Courtesy of Jason Stevens, Bar Congress in Austin, TX
serves 6 to 8

“Eggnog is ultimate Christmas comfort food,” Stevens says. “I wanted to take the classic recipe for eggnog and showcase some of my favorite fall and winter flavors, without getting too far away from the original. Real maple syrup and walnut, along with a bump of spices, add more flavor to the traditional recipe.”

6 eggs separated
8 oz. real maple syrup
1 qt. whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
5 oz. premium 80-proof bourbon
5 oz. premium dark rum (Coruba Dark suggested)
5 oz. walnut liqueur
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Nutmeg for grating
Cinnamon for grating
Allspice for grating
Roasted pecans for grating (optional)

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until they turn light in color, adding in 4 ounces of maple syrup as you beat. Stir in remaining maple syrup, milk, cream, bourbon, rum, and walnut liqueur. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Just before serving, place the egg whites into a large bowl and beat until soft peaks form. While beating, slowly add the brown sugar and continue beating till hard peaks form. Whisk the whipped whites into the liquor mixture. Gently grate nutmeg, cinnamon, roasted pecans, and allspice on top to taste before serving.

Feliz NaviNog
Courtesy of Pam Wiznitzer at Dead Rabbit in New York City
serves 1

“I think sometimes, in the dead of winter it’s nice to mix in a few flavors from the southern hemisphere to warm things up,” says Wiznitzer. “Pisco adds a fun, bright level to the flavor. And almond milk cuts the calories drastically.”

2 oz. Peruvian Pisco
2 ½ oz. almond milk
3 to 4 drops vanilla extract
¾ oz. rich brown sugar syrup (recipe below)
1 tsp. vanilla pudding
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves

Combine ingredients into a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a brandy glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Brown Sugar Syrup
1 cup of dark brown sugar combined with 2/3 cup hot water. Stir to fully dissolve, allow to cool and store in the fridge.

Classic Eggnog
Courtesy of Jeffrey Morgenthaler at Clyde Common in Portland, OR
serves 16

“I can’t stand the thick, gelatinous goop they sell at the grocery store,” Morgenthaler says. “Even if you were to cut it with alcohol, it’s still so overly-pasteurized and full of preservatives that it would be anything but enjoyable to slug down at a Christmas party.” As an alternative, he created a simpler version—one you can easily use as a base when experimenting on your own.

2 large eggs
3 oz. (by volume) granulated sugar
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 oz. brandy
2 oz. spiced rum (Sailor Jerry’s suggested)
6 oz. whole milk
4 oz. heavy cream

Beat eggs in blender for one minute on medium speed. Slowly add sugar and blend for one additional minute. With blender still running, add nutmeg, brandy, rum, milk and cream until combined. Chill thoroughly to allow flavors to combine and serve in chilled wine glasses or champagne coupes, grating additional nutmeg on top immediately before serving.

Eggnog Latte

½ cup strong coffee or two shots of espresso
¼ cup milk
¼ cup eggnog
nutmeg
whipped cream
sugar

Directions

Use your espresso maker to brew two shots of espresso. Or brew some very strong coffee.
Heat the eggnog until warm (do not boil.)
Combine with milk.
Pour espresso or coffee into a large mug and sweeten with the sugar to your liking.
Pour the warm eggnog mixture on top of the coffee.
Top with whipped cream and nutmeg.

Coquito

Austin American-Statesman web producer Melissa Martinez, daughter of Puerto Rican parents, shares their holiday tradition- is coquito.

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

2 large egg yolks

1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup rum

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinanamon stick, for garnish

Whisk evaporated milk and egg yolks in a bowl.

Strain into a small pot and simmer over medium heat until thickened. Mixture should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pour half of egg yolk mixture into a blender and blend. Add the rest of the mixture and the coconut milk, condensed milk, rum and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the blender and blend at a high speed until frothy. Pour into a glass bottle or pitcher and refrigerate overnight.

Serve in small glasses, sprinkled on top with cinnamon and served with a cinnamon stick.

Restaurants Open On Christmas Day

December 19, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

For all those folks who may not celebrate Christmas, or just don’t want to cook that day, there are indeed a few restaurants that will be open for your dining pleasure. Of course you can always dine at Waffle House- they never close, but no matter where you dine out, please remember that the staff of these places have given up their holiday to serve you, so please tip generously, as working on a holiday is never fun, but should at least be profitable for those away from their families.

As always, if you know of a place we missed, feel free to add it in the comments

Amar India Restaurant (937) 439-9005
2759 Miamisburg Centerville Road
1 – 7pm

Dad’s Family Restaurant (513) 423-0022
3131 S. Main St., Middletown
7am – 9pm

CJ Chan 937-259-9866

536 Wilmington Ave. Dayton, OH 45420

10:30am – 10pm

Fairborn Family Diner & Restaurant (937) 879-9454
419 N. Broad St.
7am – 7pm

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet 937-643-3333

1760 E Stroop Rd Kettering, OH 45429

11am – 7pm

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks (937) 431-9200
4429 Cedar Park Drive (at The Greene) Beavercreek, OH 45440
10am – 9pm

Neil’s Heritage House (937) 298-86111
2323 West Schantz Avenue, Dayton OH
3 -7pm

Shen’s Szechuan & Sushi (937) 898-3860
7580 Poe Ave Dayton, OH 45414
11am – 10pm

TGI Fridays
2022 Miamisburg Centerville Road Washington Township (937) 439-3743
2799 Centre Drive, Fairborn (937)429-0019
7777 Old Troy Pike, Huber Heights (937) 236-3200
3pm – 11pm

Fricker’s
7 Area Locations
5pm – 2am

Merry Shish-mas ! Who wants a $20 gift Card to Shish Wraps?

December 19, 2014 By Dayton937 22 Comments

You Spin Meat, Right Round Baby right Round, like a record baby, right round, round round

Twas the night before Shish-mas, and all through the house, stomachs were growling, even your spouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Shish Wraps Gift Cards, soon would be there.

Food Adventures has your chance to win a $20 Gift Card to Shish Wraps, and check out their fairly new menu. All you have to do is comment on the story below to be entered in the contest. A winner will be drawn next week at random.

Shish Wraps took a hiatus earlier this year to completely revamp their menu. We took this opportunity to write another article about one of our most beloved Dayton places. A second helping of shish for you all, if you will.

They have stayed true to the traditional essence of their food, keeping old favorites and expanding the Mediterranean choices to include more delicious items.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

The Gyro meat is freshly shaved, like Big Ragu’s back

— Shish Wraps restaurant is located at 1200 Brown Street near the University of Dayton. It is owned by 2 brothers Simon and Tony Abboud, who are Univ. of Dayton graduates who grew up in Centerville.

— The food is fresh and practically everything is made from scratch, from the sauces to the hummus. We are talking the real deal here, with freshness you can taste in every bite. Along with freshness, they promote healthy eats.

— There are now 2 ways the meats are cooked at Shish Wraps:

1) On a spindle called a vertical broiler. This is how the gyros and shawarma are cooked

2) Over flame, on rotating kabob skewers for a char-grilled taste. This is how the Chicken Kebobs and Kafta (ground beef strips) are cooked.

— Affordable cuisine, with meals averaging 6 to 8 bucks.

MUST EATS:

SHISH HAPPENS at Food Adventures: The King, Shish owner Simon, and Hungry Jax

— CHICKEN SHAWARMA: This is the wrap that hooked Hungry Jax on Shish. The chicken breasts are marinated for 24 hours with 7 secret spices. It is then stacked on the vertical cooker and away we go … When someone orders this wrap, they freshly shave the meat off of the rotating spindle. The wrap is filled with french fries, pickles and more. Simon tells us this is the traditional way they eat it in the Middle East. Not only do we love eating it too, we just like saying the word shawarma, .. shawarma,… shawarma, sha, warm, a… Little drummer boy, if you are going to bang the independent restaurant drum, come here instead of eating that dark meat chicken mix crap at Chipotle every week. No rice filler, just good shawarma.

— TRADITIONAL GYRO: Freshly shaved gyro lamb meat, off the spindle is the main muscle for this sandwich. Served in a traditional gyro pita, with tomatoes, onions and house tzatziki sauce. Filling and addicting, this flavor packed gyro has a future brighter that Rudolph’s nose. The King loved his so much, he is craving another one now ! For those who are fowl fans, the chicken gyro is almost as amazing.

Baba Ganoush, All I Want For Shish-mas … is You !

— HOUSE MADE HUMMUS: Only 4 ingredients in this hummus. The biggest ingredient is crushed chick peas. This is real authentic hummus. Shish owner, Simon tells us the store bought stuff is flavored so much, and so much junk is added, it isnt even hummus anymore. Stick with the expert. Try this appetizer, that is light and airy like Santa’s sleigh across the winter sky. An appetizer that is simple, yet authentic.

— BABA GANOUSH: The base is pureed eggplant and Big Ragu’s favorite. Trust us, it is beyond amazing. It is a smoky, hummus like dip, served cold or at room temperature. The appetizer is accompanied with pita chips. This is another item at Shish Wraps that we like to say as much as we love to eat, especially while watching Wedding Crashers.. or A Christmas Story. Baba Ganoush, ba ba gaaa noush

— SHISH CRISPS: Deep fried pita chips, tossed in cinnamon and sugar. Right now they are served plain, but they are toying with serving them drizzled in a caramel sauce, or side of chocolate dipping sauce. Stay tuned for improvements on this delicious dessert.

We also have to stress that the staff is friendly, helpful and informative on the nutritional value of the ingredients. A big thanks to Simon Abboud who is always welcoming when we visit.

Honorable Mention Foods: Tabouli – a healthy choice of parsley dashed in olive oil and garlic, that is freshly chopped in-house. Spices right off the vine, and no canned tomatoes here! It is seasoned with the perfect amount of lemon juice.

Click to enlarge this juicy Kafta, cooking on an open flame

The Kafta Plate – Kafta roasting on an open flame, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Served with 2 sides, it is delicious. Or try Kafta Wrap which is pretty much a beef shawarma, with a kafta beek link for the meat. Deliciousness on the go.

Speaking of which, it is time for us to go, but before we do….

Chef House, The King, Hungry Jax and The Big Ragu wish you and your family a safe and wonderful holiday season….

And the Food Adventurers exclaimed as they drove out of sight “Merry Shish-mas to all, and to all a good bite !”

Sink your teeth into more Food Adventures HERE ON FACEBOOK !

Check out our photos below from our many trips to Shish Wraps.. If you havent been there, you gotta try it, you won’t believe this shish …

[flagallery gid=126]

Tea and Scones in Belmont

December 18, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Dawn Thomas has always dreamed of having a tea room. Earlier this month, that dream became reality.

She has created a place that Dawn believes “is a perfect place for celebrations, classes and the exchange of ideas, dreams and laughter. I hope to involve a ‘community’ of people that frequent my small business.”

Located at 100 Watervliet Avenue in Belmont, CommuniTea can host about 30 people for lunch, dessert or just tea. The cozy eatery is just the right place to host a book club, bridal shower or just have high tea. They serve soups, salads and cold sandwiches and Thomas is especially proud of their homemade sconces with are served with homemade 3 berry jam and imported authentic clotted cream. Enjoy their daily lunch special for $9.95, which includes soup du jour, a small salad or sandwich and a pot of tea.

If you prefer to visit for HIGH TEA , you’ll get the more traditional service of a 3 tiered display brought to your table which will include

Savories – Tiny pimento cheese, chicken salad or cucumber and dill sandwiches

Scones – Served with housemade 3 berry jam and imported clotted cream

Pastries – Cakes, cookies, shortbread and sweets

and of course a bottomless pot of tea. High tea runs $14.95/person and Dawn shared that she is running a holiday special, you can purchase a gift card for high tea for two for $25. Dawn shared with us that also special in children’s birthday parties, where small groups of 8-10 children, and a special party hostess can have a princess, ballerina or Frozen themed tea party. But she is also quick to share that other than the children’s parties, which are held in a separate room, children are welcome, but each child must be accompanied by an adult, which with the china and hot tea around, makes perfect sense .

Open Tues through Friday from 11am – 4pm and will stay open until 7pm on Thursday’s and from 11am -3pm on Saturday. Look for the addition of some special events like spa night, which may include herbal teas, and 10 minute head and neck massages as well as some craft and painting classes to be announced.

DaytonDining will be featuring a giveaway to Comunitea in our 12 Days of Giving soon, so keep an eye on our facebook page.

Jackie O’s Tap Takeover Wed at Fifth Street Brewpub

December 15, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

A fire on Nov 16th on Union Street in Athens damaged a host of businesses, including the Union Bar & Grill and Jackie O’s Public House. Other businesses damaged or destroyed include the women’s clothing store Kismet, a real-estate office, Campus Sundry, Smoke Zone Smoke Shop, all on Union between Court and Congress streets.

Most of the affected businesses were in buildings built around 1900, according to the Athens County auditor’s website. Three of the burned buildings included student apartments.

Heather Thornton, human resources director for Jackie O’s, said the staff was planning to open the Brew House as soon as possible, though restoration emergency cleaners ServPro had been clearing the area for smoke damage a day before. Roughly 20 servers had to be laid off with the closure of the Public House, she said.

Luckily, Jackie O’s production brewery is several block away in downtown Athens. So, Mystic Mama IPA, Firefly Amber Ale and Chomolungma will still be flowing to customers throughout the state.

Fifth Street Brewpub is hosting a Jackie O’s Tap Takeover starting at 4pm on Wed, Dec 17th . Join them for a night of outpouring support! The FSB community is coming together on December 17th to help the Athens community recover, and we’re going to do it one beer and raffle at a time. $1 of every Jackie O’s sold will be donated to the Athens Union Street Fire Employees Relief Fund in addition to all raffle proceeds. *A Grand Raffle will offer several collections of highly sought-after craft beers generously donated by the Dayton Community *A Supporting Raffle will offer various craft beer related items. *Tickets available at FSB. Need not be present to win. Cash donations to the Relief Fund may also be made at FSB.

Beers on Tap will be:

Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Brick Kiln Barleywine
Jackie O’s Dark Apparition
Jackie O’s Really Nelson IPA
Jackie O’s Barking Pumpkin
Jackie O’s Mystic Mama IPA

Beer & Dinner Event Gives Chance to Meet Brewery Owners

December 12, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Six Ohio Beers, Four Dinner Courses, One Night Only

Ever wanted to meet the owner of your favorite local or regional brewery? December 18th may be your chance.

Big Ragu and the Crew and Dayton Most Metro are teaming up again to bring you another EXCLUSIVE, one of a kind, Food Adventure. The result is a “craft beer lovers dream come true.” They are partnering with some of the areas best breweries and restaurateurs for a unique experience.

Stone House Tavern in Waynesville is hosting this first ever, IPA HOLI-DAZE Beer Tasting and Dinner Course Pairing. The ONE-NIGHT-ONLY event is an educational celebration of Ohio beer and some of the best India Pale Ales.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Dan Apolito, part owner of Stone House Tavern, and his staff have coordinated with 6 breweries. The result is a once in a lifetime showcase of the region’s stellar IPA’s, paired with Stone House Tavern’s popular menu.

— The Food Adventure event will be held Thursday evening, December 18th, 6:30-8:30pm at Stone House Tavern, in Waynesville. Many attendees will stay after the event mingling for a meeting of the “beer minds.”

— The intimate setting will allow each brewery owner and/or brewmaster to explain the origins of their brewery, and the various steps in creating their distinct beers. There will also be a chance to ask questions and mingle with the masters. When else will get you get a chance to give input, ask questions or pick the brain of Ohio’s best brewers?

— Each attendee will be treated to 6 beers and 4 dinner courses, for the price of $30, which includes the tip! A great deal for an opportunity of this kind.

— Door prizes, souvenirs and giveaways will be provided by Food Adventures, Dayton Most Metro, Dayton Dining, Stone House Tavern, and the breweries.

— Tickets are pre-pay only and seats are limited (no refunds). Get yours before it sells out. Tickets may only be bought online BY CLICKING HERE Makes a great, unique Christmas Gift!! As of Friday afternoon 12/12/2014, less than 20 seats were available…

THE SHOWCASED BREWERIES THAT WILL BE ON HAND INCLUDE:

*** YELLOW SPRINGS BREWERY, YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO:
NATE CORNETT, Owner and Brewmaster will be at the tasting presenting his India Pale Ale.

*** RIVERTOWN BREWERY, CINCINNATI, OHIO:
JASON ROEPER, Owner and Brewmaster will be sharing info on his nationally recognized beers.

*** DAYTON BEER COMPANY, DAYTON, OHIO:
PETE HILGEMAN, Owner and Brewmaster is going to be at the event, with his special take on brewing.

*** LOCK 27 BREWING:
STEVE BARNHART, Owner and Brewmaster will explain his journey into beer making, and his philosophies on craft beer.

*** WARPED WING BREWERY, DAYTON OHIO:
One of their Brewmasters will be on hand to interact with the crowd and discuss their popular product.

*** MADTREE BREWING COMPANY, CINCINNATI, OHIO:
One of their special Brewmasters will be at the event, informing attendees about their Ohio brewed IPA.

THE PLANNED MENU PAIRING IS AS FOLLOWS (subject to change)

What is better than beer and wings ?

*** COURSE # 1: Stone House Tavern Spinach Salad with a special homemade, house dressing

*** COURSE # 2: White meat, Boneless Wings tossed in a Signature Spicy Garlic house sauce

*** COURSE # 3: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich with sauteed onions and peppers

*** COURSE # 4: Homemade Cinnamon Bread Pudding from scratch

This event is an informative, fun setting which promises to be a blast. Do you love craft beer?

If so join the Food Adventures crew of Chef House, The King, Hungry Jax, and The Big Ragu and enjoy an unforgettable night of celebrating Ohio’s best India Pale Ales, and learning insider scoop on some of the regions most popular breweries!

For more insider scoop on Food Adventure events, “LIKE” Food Adventures at www.facebook.com/foodadv

[flagallery gid=125]

Dayton Dining Kicks off 12 Days of Giving

December 11, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

It’s with great pleasure that DaytonDining kicks off our holiday tradition for the third year- Holiday Giving. The Miami Valley has some amazing food businesses that truly are the flavor of our community. We love promoting our locally owned eateries and take much pleasure in introducing our readers to some of the newest, best and favorites in our town. So for the next 12 days we’re giving you a chance to win a gift certificate to the places we love to dine!

This year there are two ways you can win. Each day we’ll post an image on our DaytonDining facebook page and you can just share that to enter that day’s drawing. (Check your setting to make sure you are sharing it publicly so we can see that you shared).

The second way, is to fill out the form below and and we’ll enter you into the drawing with those that have shared, and yes for all you gamers out there, you do increase your odds of winning by doing both.

We’ve recently joined instagram, so we may do an occasional drawing on our instagram account, so be sure you are following us at instagram.com/daytondining.

Good luck and happy holidays!

[form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Holiday 2014: Give the Gift of DAYTON FOOD !

December 11, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

New Flavor from Boston Stoker: Killer Brownie, available at Dorothy Lane Market

Stumped on Christmas gifts this year? Tired of the same old, same old?

Today, the Food Adventures Crew offers up some unique Holiday Gift ideas, guaranteed to please any foodie on your list. Heck, it will please anyone on your list who eats.

The King, Hungry Jax, Chef House and The Big Ragu have gotten their list of foods and they’ve checked it twice.

So without further delay, check out the new styles on display as Food Adventures presents the….

** 2014 CHRISTMAS “MUST TREATS” – Our favorite Dayton Food gifts for the Holiday season.** (and even a couple gifts just outside Dayton)

— BOSTON STOKER’S KILLER BROWNIE FLAVORED COFFEE: Two Dayton originals collide to form a chocolaty, caramel flavored coffee that is brand spanking new. Grab some at your local Dorothy Lane Market’s Boston Stoker coffee desk, where is it flying off the shelves. At $15 bucks, the 12 ounce bag should last into the new year, without breaking the bank. With that being mentioned, we all agree, you cant’ go wrong with ANY coffee gift from our hometown favorite, Boston Stoker. Speaking of Killer Brownies….

Killer Brownie Tray at Dorothy Lane Market

— KILLER BROWNIE TRAYS FROM DOROTHY LANE MARKET: They cut the brownies into fourths for tiny bites of the most rich, delicious brownie on earth. And you can ship this sinful treat nationwide. Have a family member that doesnt like chocolate? Ship them some Blonde Killer Brownies. Hungry Jax ships her mom some of these every year. Dorothy Lane can be the mecca of local gift food ideas.. like our next item for example.

— LAURA’S COOKIES at DOROTHY LANE MARKET: Yes, there is a Laura and she has been baking her recipe cookies at Dorothy Lane Market since 2000. Eat them local, or ship them nationwide. Discover why DLM sells 40,000 of these cookies each December. Laura’s Cookies are sugar cookies with almond flavoring, and topped with icing. Icing designs can be Christmas and holiday trademarks, or even animals and sports themed. While you are at it, get something for the party. Just go a few yards across the store and get some DLM Spinach Dip for the crowd pleaser in you.

—PIG OF THE MONTH BBQ: Local entrepreneur Lea Richards cooks up perfectly smoked barbecue ribs, award winning pulled pork, specialty sausages, gourmet bacon, BBQ sides, and lip-smacking Award Winning BBQ sauces— and they’ll ship them right to your loved ones . Their Pig Starter kit includes a rack of ribs, Pig of the Month Jerky, a pound of bacon and a pound of pulled pork- what meat lover wouldn’t want to open up that package? For real decadence, their chocolate covered bacon is a must! And speaking of holiday giving- check out the DaytonDining facebook page as we kick off our 12 Days of Giving for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Pig of the Month!

— GROWLERS FROM ARROW WINE: Arrow Wine has a great little growler station where you can fill up a bottled gift for your local friends or family. It typically features local beers, Ohio beers and other regional ‘hard to get’ favorites on taps. As you may know, many of the local breweries and restaurants also offer growlers to go. Chef House says Toxic Brewery and Boston’s Bistro in North Dayton are on top of her list for growler choices. Opening today, Germantown’s Mudlick Tap House is just one of the 35 places in the region to fill a growler.

You can ship Cassano’s Pizza’s nationwide for Christmas gifts

— CASSANO’S HOME EDITION PIZZAS: Yes, the frozen version of Cassano’s Pizza makes a great gift for that thin crust lover. They have 3 pizza types available: Cheese, Pepperoni and Deluxe. Call ahead a day or 2 and they will have your order ready at the Stroop Rd Headquarters Location. These pizzas are 80% cooked and you just need to warm them in the oven for that great Cassano’s taste. You can give this gift to any local foodie, or have these pizza’s shipped nationwide in dry ice. Get your order in by Dec 15th ton ensure delivery by Christmas. For more info go to Cassanos.com

— GLAZED CROISSANTS FROM ASHLEY’S PASTRY SHOP IN OAKWOOD: Want heaven in a pastry? These croissants are amazing and the perfect treat for Christmas Morning. Wrap them up for a present, or keep them for yourself. Go ahead and be selfish, we won’t tell Santa.

— DAVE’S DAWG SAUCE: The mustard sauce that is made in Centerville is sweeping the area. The stadium mustard style sauce comes in “Spicy Hot” or “Mild Medium”. It is fantastic on, of course, hot dogs. It is tangy and delicious. But why limit it there? Try it on Reubens, or hot ham and cheese sandwiches during the winter months. There are so many applications for this. Heat up someone’s winter with a squirt of Dave’s Dawg Sauce. Give the gift of Dayton in a bottle ! There is a reason the domain name is theworldsgreatestsauce.com

Dave’s Dawg Sauce – Made in Centerville, Ohio

— DISALVO’S DELI & ITALIAN STORE: An incredible array of Italian wines, meats and cheeses. This is a perfect place for that gourmet gift you are looking for. They will custom make Christmas Baskets for you, or you can buy one of their pre-assembled ones. Uniqueness points here, for sure.

— WARPED WING BREWERY’S CANNED BEERS: Any local grocer has these 4 pack cans of beer in three flavors: Ermal’s Belgian Style Cream Ale, Flyin’ Rye IPA, and 10 Ton Oatmeal Stout. This gives you a variety of choice for the gift recipient. Does the person like hoppy beer? Go for Flyin’ Rye. Do they like lighter beers, hit them up with Ermal’s. Dark beer lover? That calls for a 10 Ton Stout. All of these beers are brewed and canned in Dayton. That is something that hasnt happened in the Gem City for many decades. In fact, this is the first Christmas since 1950, that canned Dayton beer is available for Christmas.

Custom, Hand Made Boxes of Candy from Esther Price lets you Customize Your Gift

— CUSTOM MADE BOXES OF CANDY FROM ESTHER PRICE: Ok, we know Esther Price anything is a big Christmas hit, but did you know you can create your own custom made box for $18. The candy box is the typical size you see in grocery stores, not the small one, but not the big one either. Hate coconut creams, or always wanted to throw out certain candies form the assorted pre-made boxes? Where here is your chance to make a box of candy tailored to your loved one or a friend. Maybe they love milk chocolate covered cherries and turtles, or the dark creams and peanut butters best. Whatever the combination, you will be their new hero when they see that familiar red bow, and realize it is a custom made pack tailored to their tastes!

Hot Honey Sauce from Housemade Sriracha – Perfect gift for your foodies friends

— HOUSEMADE HOT HONEY SAUCE and HOUSEMADE SRIRACHA SAUCE: These sauces are the hottest thing in Dayton, and we mean popularity wise. Stores can hardly keep these sauces in stock, so you better grab some where you can. THIS LINK will help you find the sauces. The Sriracha won a hot sauce contest in Louisiana, and the honey sauce won 1st place at Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire, so the reputation is there. Let us be honest, we loved this sauce before Chef House was a part of the Food Adventures crew. Now, we just are more on top of new products and sauces! Are the Housemade sauces hot? Yes, but not crazy, so you can control the heat in any circumstance. What will steal your heart is the taste. Flavor is everything, so give the gift of Dayton’s hot sauce, this cold winter.

— DAYTON GIFT BASKETS FROM DOROTHY LANE MARKET: The baskets are typically made up of Montgomery Inn Sauce (yeah we know it is Cincinnati), Jump’s Peanuts, an Esther Price box of candy, Pine Club House Dressing and some Dorothy Lane Market Potato Chips. These run about $40 or you can make a custom basket, and prices would vary. The good news is it is already wrapped and you can ship them anywhere. Check with a DLM staff member for details.

Now for Honorable Mention, we have a couple of ideas just outside of Dayton, that still make great gifts…

— THE SPICY OLIVE in WEST CHESTER: This is a quaint olive oil and vinegar shop in a northern suburb of Cincinnati, and it is worth the trip. It is a perfect place to find gifts, and our friends and family treasure these gifts as some of their favorites. Click here for their website and address.

Dayton Gift Basket – customizable or pre-made at Dorothy Lane Market

—BROTHERS DRAKE APPLE PIE MEAD: Take a trek to Columbus to visit this Meadery. They make their products using local honey, and the result is a one of a kind spin on wine making. It is a Food Adventure in a glass. They never use sulfites and pride themselves on premium ingredients. Check out their website here for address and more info. While in Columbus, you might want to stop by….

— MIDWEST SPIRITS‘ OYO WHISKEY: Here is a little known secret to Daytonians that is an hour away. Love Whiskey? Why drive south to a distillery, when you can get the good stuff in Ohio? Looking for a perfect gift for that boozehound on your list? Look no further. Your Christmas shopping just got a whole lot easier. So smooth you will crave it, so good you will obsess over it.

One last suggestion, and this one comes from “The King.” Don’t get your loved ones a fruitcake under any circumstances .. at least not until we find a good local one that will set your world “a glow.”

There are many more places to find great food gifts in Dayton. From the 2nd street market, to gift certificates to many locally owned, incredible restaurants. This article could go on for days. But these are a few of the holiday suggestions we have at a glance.

Do you have any suggestions for great Dayton Food Xmas Presents? Please comment below!

NOW, GIVE US A CHRISTMAS GIFT – “Like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE. You can also follow us on Instagram at #dayton_foodies

Browse the photo gallery below for more Food Adventure fun. As always, these are our original photos.

[flagallery gid=124]

The Long, Cold Fermentation of Beer – National Lager Day

December 10, 2014 By Brian Petro

The lager boom in America started with this company.

No one would mistake Budweiser as a craft beer. With over 50% of the market share of beer sales in the United States, it is anything but a small brewery. Jim Koch, head of Samuel Adams Brewery, has famously said that Anheuser Busch spills more beer in a year than Sam Adams brews. It was not always that way. In the 1860’s, all beer in the U.S. was craft beer. It was local, it was fresh, and as you went further west, it was German. After the Civil War, German immigrant and Civil War veteran Adolphus Busch bought into his father in law’s brewery, Anheuser and Co. It was one of roughly 3,700 breweries in the country at the time. The Germans brought their own style of beer with them when they came to this country. It was that style of beer, the lager, which Busch envisioned as a national beer. Through hard work, vision, and a passion for quality, Busch was able to make that vision a reality. His competitors, Pabst, Miller, Schlitz, and many others brewed lagers as well, making the style the dominant one in the country until the Craft Beer Era began in the late 1980’s. Craft beer focused more on ales, turning the lager style into a pariah with its yellow fizziness and lack of flavor. December 10^th is National Lager Day, and a perfect time to reacquaint yourself with a delicious style of beer.

Lagers are the new kid on the block. Ales have been brewed for over 7,000 years, but lagers did not hit the beer scene until the 16^th century. They were brewed in Bavaria, and spread all over Eastern Europe. They would brew beer in the fall and store it in caves with lake ice through the winter. It became known as lager, the German word for “to store” or “to camp”, and they discovered it would ferment through the winter months. The longer, cooler fermenting time created a popular beer with a smoother finish. Ales ferment at warmer temperatures for shorter times, making them less stable in general. That instability lead to beers souring more often than not, requiring other herbs and spices to mask the awful flavor. The Reinheitsgebot, the German Purity Law, was put into effect to combat this, requiring beer to be made with only three ingredients: hops, water, and malt. It required beer to be better, which lagering aided. The lower temperature and longer fermenting time creates a much more stable beer, not needing the extra spices to cover any souring or changes in flavor. This stability also allowed it to beer to travel further, exposing it to a wider audience. The stage where lagers truly took off was the city of Pilsn, where the pilsner was born.

Bavaria: Home to Cinderella’s castle and the birthplace of lager.

Ales and lagers are created with the same basic ingredients, save one: the yeast. Ales are top fermenting, utilizing the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and temperatures around the 60 range. Lagers use the yeast strain Saccharomyces pastorianus, a South American strain that takes longer to break down the sugar. It does this at lower temperatures (roughly 40 º F) as well, making the lagering process a perfect fit. Lower temperatures lead to other changes in the beer. Esters, which give ales their wide range of flavors, do not form in the same quantities in the colder environment. This limits the flavors that can be developed naturally in the beer, requiring changes in the ingredients themselves to create the range of lagers that sit on the shelves. If you talk to a brewer, they may mention the yeast strain Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, a strain discovered by Emil Christian Hansen at the turn of the 20^th century while working in the Carlsberg brewery. It was later discovered that this strain is the same as S. pastorianus, and now that name is used for all lager creating yeasts.

Most people associate lagers with Adolphus’ Budweiser creation. Light, highly carbonated, and lacking much flavor. There are a wider range of beer that falls into the lager category, not all of them are pale gold in color. Lagers are generally best enjoyed at colder temperatures to maintain their crispness. There are four very general categories that lagers fall into.

Pale Lager

This is what most people think of when they think of a lager. It is golden in color, carbonated, and had a crisp flavor. When you think of big, national beers, this is the style that comes to mind. Pilsners were the founders of this feast, blending pale ale brewing philosophies with lager science. German responded with Helles (“bright”) lagers, and the style caught on. Budweiser, Corona, Molson, and Sapporo are all examples of a pale lager.
Amber Lager

The more common style before Pilsner took the world by storm was a darker, sweeter version. It did not take on the same hop profile as its lighter companion, instead leaning on malty sweetness to carry the flavor load. This style becomes insanely popular during the fall with Maerzen (Oktoberfest) beers, but many craft brewers in the United States have embraced the style as well. Samuel Adams’ Boston Lager, Yuengling, and Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Elliot Ness all fall under this category.
Bock

Goats are frequently seen in bock ads in Germany due to a bad translation.

If you are looking for a lager beer, but want a little extra muscle in it, the bock is where it is at. Brewed by monks as early as the 14^th century, it was made heavier to become a source of nutrition during times of fasting. Monks tended to fast around holidays, and it became a beer associated with those holidays. Bocks were traditionally dark beers, but developed a range from lighter copper to a deep brown. Shiner Bock may be the most popular version in the United States, and local Christian Moerlein’s Emancipator Dopplebock is an award winner. Eisbocks and Dopplebocks are versions of this beer.
Dark Lager

The darkest of the lagers, it has all the characteristics of the pale lager but with a richer, deeper flavor. The bitterness does not come from roasting, but from adding more hops to the brew. The malt is where it gets the deeper flavor, not from a darker roast like porters and stouts do. Guinness and Warsteiner make well known versions of a dark lager.

You may also find some lagers that add flavors to the beer, like fruits, chocolate, or smokiness.

The Dayton Beer Company has a Pilsner release today!

Where can you get local lagers, you might ask? That is an excellent question! The Dayton Beer Company is releasing their Pilsner-style beer today, but finding other lagers are difficult. Fifth Street brewery has a smoked Oktoberfest-style beer called Frau Blücher (insert horse sound here) for the fall, and Eudora Brewing Company is planning on releasing a Pilsner for their summer seasonal beer, and offers a delightful Oktoberfest in fall. Warped Wing has offered BrassPunk Pils, but that is also on a seasonal/rotating basis. Most of the beers being brewed by the local craft brewers are ales. If you know of any other good local lagers, please drop me a line!

Lager is not just the yellow fizzy beer that Adolphus Busch turned into the biggest seller in the country. Lager beer is a whole different brewing style, offering a stable flavor profile on which to build a wide range of different beers. It is not a coincidence that the biggest brewery in the country (Budweiser), the longest running brewery in the country (Yuengling), and the largest craft brewery in the country (Samuel Adams) all have a lager as the mainstay of their empires. Today is a day to celebrate the malty, simple goodness that lagers offer. Cheers!

19th Century Brewery Pouring Up History

December 10, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

_9MDVeUfkdsuIGuKcvINLwUv6Mvcvl_lIBKSpqzAX0I,X2vYZXYfy5sK05PtDUtyb5GHLIlZKTiUP-qhtwMlbKs,k8FAAQS1iHPjkKRJ-_aXyRF7TuLXncUQcBtsvCaRdsM,h9T4A0X7gbh--HQQtPNOzDTTrLYVuroQaQxt_CANE10

180 seat historical beer brewery at Dayton History. Photo: Tom Gilliam

As you step into the brand new 10,500 square foot brewery at Carillon Park, be prepared to step back 160 years, as you are greeted by workers, dressed in costumes from the period, brewing beer using historical recipes from the 1850’s. The brewhouse sits against one wall in plain view of the entire restaurant, which cost $3.5 million to build and was made possible by a lead gift from Heidelberg Distributing. The brewery highlights the historical importance beer played in the development of Dayton, often providing families an inexpensive source of calories and nutrients.

Carillon Brewing Co (CBCo) Brewster Tanya Brock oversees the brewing that takes place in a two-story brick oven set up. At the top of the steps a 100 gallon copper kettle is filled with water and heated by the fireplace underneath it, while costumed interpreters turn barley into malt which will be added to the heated water that has been transferred to the mash tun to steep. This slow heating process converts the starch in the malt into sugars. This mixture, known as wort, is like the beer starter. To this spices, flavoring and hops are added, while workers maintain the boil by adding charcoal to keep the fire glowing.

Small-batch, unfiltered beers fermenting in oak barrels. Photo: Tom Gilliam

Lastly the wort is ladled one last time from the boil kettle into the cooling barrel. Just as the name indicates, the cooling barrel is where the near boiling wort is quickly cooled to a more hospitable temperature of 75 degrees. Inside the barrel the wort flows through a spiral of copper tubing surrounded by ice cold water. On hot summer days large blocks of ice are used to help bring the temperature down.

Finally cooled, the sweet wort is poured into the fermenting barrels. These 59 gallon American oak barrels is where the yeast are added and kept for a week. During the week the yeast convert the wort’s sugars into heat, alcohol and carbon dioxide. The beer is then transferred to oak barrels to ferment and clarify for about two to three weeks. The spent grains from each batch of brew are used to produce crackers. These buttery and crisp crackers are served on the menu’s Brewers Sampler Platter along with various cheeses, wursts, and garnishes for $10. The current plan is to fire up the kettles for the brewing process four days a week, thought that may be adjusted based on demand. Brock did share that while they are following recipes from the past, they have been slightly modernized and carbonated to appeal to the palettes of current drinkers.

jibKqkurPpbO-cAEkDoLJLe7Sc4DGAsk92wXh2GiYeg,9AdH8g5zF2i6sRCHEP8QNSs2IH75IrvIF0rW-Uc_V7g,BQl8zvJKA8I7lcK1wU0zsnlbr7NsiLty-xmZuA3HogM

Flight of Porter, Coriander Ale, Rootbeer & Ginger Ale. Photo by Tom Gilliam

This Thursday, Dec 11th, Carillon Brewing will debut it’s first two beers, Carillon Coriander Ale– created from an 1831 recipe that uses hot peppers to give it a slightly peppery finish and and Carillon Porter, made from a mix of light and dark malts with roasted coffee and chocolate flavors. Also being served and brewed are non-alcoholic root beer made from dark molasses and brown sugar and spices historically available like vanilla, star anise and cinnamon, and ginger ale, sourced from an 1831 housewife’s recipe book. .

Tanya shared that she’s currently testing additional recipes and that she’ll add them as she feels comfortable with the flavors and tastes.

At the media tasting, held yesterday, Dayton History CEO Brady Kress shared that he’s “proud to be able to present this facility to show how it’s done and where it all started.” He also shared plans to add a wine making component to the facility, hopefully by next fall. He explained that the Catawba grape was grown all along the Ohio River Valley and that the land the Dayton Country Club is on was once a field of grapes.

TPtFOQDRuL7utNALg3NWyHt3tEe7NcVpoL0rvvoKTlU,vepuj7w8erXGO0Aaq3IZwzTHwSdoHAH3YCcyDod70Co,0yg2_p0JhzaP-CpsRktQbJuNnnQiueB_K1F3iv4Pwn0,6jnG1XbQ23mTL-WECMnOCaTJYXiVfNJnCfCxk6lkAHs

Overview of bar and brewing area. Photo: Tom Gilliam

Flights of 4 beers, the 2 CBCo brewed beers and your choice of an additional 2 Heidelberg beers on tap will be available for $7. Or take him a souvenir growler of beer for a $24 fill charge, plus a one time charge of $6 for the glass growler.

The food menu according to Dayton History’s website consists of “dishes from the tables of English, German, and Irish immigrants’. ” Appetizers include soft pretzels, sauerkraut balls, and the brewers sampler platter with the spent grain crackers. You’ll find bratwurst, weiner schnitzel and roast chicken entrees for $12-$13 and , soups, sandwiches and salads that average about $10to choose from. A warm apple tart or black forrest chocolate at $5.25 can finish off your meal.

You can visit the Carillon Brewing Co. at 1000 Carillon Park Blvd :
Monday – Saturday • 9:30am – 10:00pm
(Food Service 11:00am – 9:00pm)
Sunday • 11:00am – 10:00pm

Wander The Whiskey Trail At Jungle Jim’s

December 8, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro

Hey Whiskey Lovers- on Friday, February 20, 2015 Jungle Jim’s will host their first ever Whiskey Trail. Journey from distillery to distillery and sample some of the finest local whiskeys around. Travel Jungle Jim’s Whiskey Trail – a truly sensational experience for everyone – every sip of the way.

Taste

Whiskey
Travel the Whiskey Trail to all eight stops and enjoy a whiskey tasting from each of the featured brands. The distillery representatives will pour you a half ounce taste of your choice while discussing the nuances of the whiskey that you are about to enjoy. Take your time at each stop and learn as much as possible from the experts at each location.

After you have finished your journey along the Whiskey Trail be sure to head to the Oscar Event Center Pub to continue your tasting adventure. In the pub we will be serving 8 signature cocktails provided by each brand from the Whiskey Trail. Your ticket entitles you to one complimentary cocktail. After that you are welcome to purchase additional signature cocktails as well as any whiskey or bourbon you enjoyed on the trail in the pub.

Food
Much like wine, whiskey works wonderfully with food, not only as a pairing, but also as an ingredient. As you journey down the whiskey trail be sure to stop off at the many food stations to enjoy some whiskey-inspired food. Our Oscar Event Center chefs have teamed up with our brand ambassadors to produce some wonderful recipes using the featured bourbons and whiskeys as key ingredients.

Cigars
What accompanies a fine whiskey or bourbon better than a fine cigar? Do you want to know which type of cigar goes best with different styles of whiskey? Be sure to stop by our cigar booth and speak with our expert who will guide you to the best cigar to accompany your favorite drink. You can purchase right from the booth and step out on the Oscar Event Center terrace to enjoy your perfectly matched cigar and whiskey.

Whiskey 101

Join Pete Wagner, Whiskey Ambassador to Brown-Forman, and Mark Coffman, Master Distiller at Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, as they each lead their own version of Whiskey 101. These free 30 minute seminars are a perfect opportunity for both beginners and avid spirits lovers to learn more about whiskey. They will each be talking about how their whiskeys are made, how the flavors are developed and why whiskey has a signature taste. They will share insider tips on the proper way to taste and evaluate the flavors and quality of whiskey. You are sure to walk away from these seminars with a better understanding and appreciation of whiskey.

Tickets

Tickets to the Whiskey Trail cost $50.00 and include:

8 (1/2 oz pours)
A bonus cocktail or special whiskey
Whiskey-inspired food
Swag Bag (To First 100 Tickets Purchased)
Free Whiskey 101 Seminar

There are only 400 tickets available so be sure to buy them before they sell out.

DLM Offers Gourmet Grilled Cheese Menu

December 6, 2014 By Lisa Grigsby

Crazy Ludwig

Dayton may not have Melt or Tom and Chee but Dorothy Lane Market has a pretty amazing Grilled Cheese Menu at their sandwich stations in each of their three stores—whatever you choose, they promise it will be cheesy, toasty, and delicious!

The Kimchi has Cheddar and kimchi together for a flavor combination that might sound a little weird but is unbelievably delicious.

The Mac Daddy is the ultimate indulgence—Cheddar cheese, a slab of our Encrusted Macaroni and Cheese, and DLM Uncured Bacon all sandwiched together and grilled to perfection.

Back by popular demand is the classic Croque Monsieur, a French-style grilled cheese with Gruyère, béchamel, and French ham.

You might want to go with The BCT: DLM Uncured Bacon, Cheddar, and tomato.

Or try their best selling Crazy Ludwig slathered with their Jarlsberg Dip and Bavarian ham.

New Owners at Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen, Same Great Food

December 4, 2014 By Dayton937 1 Comment

Mira is the new owner of Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen. But it’s o.k., she is family!

Italian Food in an old Taco Bell Building? Answer: Hell Yes !

Would you ever think a full service Italian spot would work in an atmosphere like this? Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen is doing just that. They pull it off, and the food will soon make you forget about anything else.

The restaurant has just changed ownership, but Jimmy has kept it “all in the family.” And in Italy, the family is a good thing. What can you expect with the new ownership? The answer is the same filling, homemade Italian comfort food that Jimmy has been cranking out of that kitchen for years.

So, you want a Food Adventure like the Old World that you can sink your teeth into? Then get ready to experience a diamond, that not many Dayton foodies know about.

But you.. you know.. because your Food Adventures Crew has the scoop from many visits to Jimmy’s.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Mira is the new owner and a relative of Jimmy. She took over the restaurant about 2 weeks ago, so Jimmy could focus 100% on his new restaurant in Huber Heights called “DeRoma.”

— The family who owns the restaurants immigrated to the United States over the past 15 years. They are part Italian, part Albanian and part Croatian. They cooked in Italy for decades before moving to Dayton. Their time in Europe is the biggest influence on the restaurant’s Italian and even NY Style recipes.

The Fried Calamari appetizer will go fast at your table !

— The same family owns other popular Italian places in town like Palermo’s and Troni’s

— Yes, the restaurant is a former Taco Bell building on 3002 Woodman Dr., but don’t let that stop you from visiting

— Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen has a decent wine selection, Italian Beer, and freshly prepared daily meal specials. The specials are mouth watering, one-of-a kind creations.

— All dinners are served with a choice of salad or homemade soup (chicken vegetable or tomato barley). Take a tip from Hungry Jax – get the chicken veggie soup. It is from scratch and like your grandma used to make.

— Due to limited seating and a cult following of regulars, it is best to call ahead and make reservations, especially for groups of more than four.

Whether a birthday party, or a quiet dinner for two, you gotta know what to order. So, here are the best of the best. Or as we say, our patented.. “Must Eats.”

The Pepperoni Roll from Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen. We feel a dip comin’ on…

MUST EATS:

— CALAMARI APPETIZER: Squid loops deep fried to perfection and served drizzled with olive oil and dashed with Parmesan cheese. Crunchy, rich deliciousness that must be dipped in the accompanying side of marinara made in-house.

— PEPPERONI ROLL: You hardly see these in Dayton. And this one might be the the best one in town. Pepperoni and sausage rolls are common place in New York City or Upstate NY. In Ohio, they are hard to find. Try this specialty that is usually only found at Italian house parties.

We’ve got eyes for their Pizza Pies ! And mouths too…

— MANICOTTI: or “monocot” as some Italian foodies say, is a must eat at Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen. These tubes of cheese filled pasta come with choice of meat side (a meatball or Italian sausage). This meal is served scorching hot, and fresh from the oven. Good thing they serve those addicting buttery rolls to dip in the sauce to test the dish until it cools. Although he loves all of Jimmy’s must eats, The Big Ragu says this is his favorite dish.

— PIZZA: From pepperoni to anchovies, you cant go wrong with this crust, made fresh daily. The key to their great pizza? It’s the tangy, housemade tomato sauce. “The King” goes on record as this being his favorite must eat at Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen.

— EGGPLANT PARMESAN: A real, authentic recipe that is phenomenal. This huge meal consists of Fried Eggplant doused in mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce, with a side of pasta. This delicious plate is guaranteed to fill up even the biggest appetites!

Holy Moley, That’s a Good Cannoli !

— CANNOLI: Jimmy’s spin on the traditional Italian dessert is a heavy drizzling of chocolate sauce on top. Everything else is pretty much traditional, especially the mascarpone-ricotta cream filling. Mangia ! whoops, wrong country …Eat up!

Honorable Mention: A non traditional dish, popular in Poland sticks out on the menu, PIEROGIES. They are divine. These potato filled dumplings are not common in Dayton area restaurants. These are worth a try for those who are true Food Adventurers.

Stay tuned in coming months for a non-traditional menu addition by Mira…. homemade cabbage rolls.

The taste of Italy is in every bite of Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen. The dishes are hearty, from the pasta choices to the soups. Get your carb fill, or go for a soup and salad. Either way the key ingredient is good tasting food in an unique building on Woodman Drive. Ciao, from Food Adventures Crew !

Check out the photo gallery below where we ate it all from Stromboli to Wheat Gnocchi and even Veal Marsala !

Want more Food Adventure fun from The King, Chef House, Hungry Jax and The Big Ragu ? Then join the masses following our Facebook feed by clicking HERE !

[flagallery gid=123]

Dayton Dining

Are You up for the Challenge?

Pale Lager

Amber Lager

Bock

Dark Lager

Taste

Whiskey 101

Tickets