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Entries Sought for Seventh Annual “Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays” Contest

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The Dayton Holiday Festival is looking for the area’s most creative confectionary decorators to compete in the seventh annual Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays contest on Friday, Nov. 25. Located inside the Old Court House at Third and Main streets in downtown Dayton, entries will be judged and displayed for public viewing that day only, during the Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights from 4-9 p.m.

Stir up your icing and your imagination! All ages and skill levels are invited to participate in this free contest by entering a gingerbread house in the youth (12 and younger), teen (13-17), adult (18 and older) or professional category. Entry forms and a complete list of contest rules are available for download at www.daytonholidayfestival.org.  Forms may be submitted to the Downtown Dayton Partnership at 10 W. Second St., Suite 611, Dayton, OH 45402 or by e-mail to [email protected].  Entry forms are due by Wednesday, Nov. 9.

Get rolling and win dough! Traditional houses, replicas of buildings, a purchased kit or even cardboard entries are permitted (as long as all exposed surfaces are covered with edible materials). First place in each category will receive a prize package featuring a variety of items. Awards also will be given to second and third place winners in each category. In addition, one amateur and one professional house will be selected as the “Best Houses on the Block” and each will win a $500 cash prize.

“The entries get more creative each year,” said Sandra K. Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “The imagination and skill that goes into creating each of these gingerbread houses makes for a really special exhibit ― it’s always a fun part of our holiday season kickoff.”

Contest entries are to be delivered to the Old Court House between 10 a.m. and noon on Friday, Nov. 25. They will be judged from 2-4 p.m., and the winners will be notified by telephone. All contest winners will have the opportunity to be recognized on the Main Stage in Courthouse Square before the Grande Illumination tree lighting ceremony at 7:45 p.m.

The Gingerbread Homes for the Holidays contest is supported by media sponsors Times Community Newspapers and Mix 107.7 FM. The contest is part of the month-long Dayton Holiday Festival, presented by Time Warner Cable and sponsored by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, City of Dayton, Montgomery County and the Virginia W. Kettering Dayton Holiday Festival Fund. For more information on the contest and other Dayton Holiday Festival activities, call 937-224-1518 or visit www.daytonholidayfestival.org.

Wine Tasting For A Cause Thursday

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If you’re an alumnus of Wright State University, currently working in the nonprofit field, or if you just enjoy testing out a good wine now and then, don’t miss the Wright State University Alumni Association’s Nonprofit Leadership Alliance wine tasting and silent auction fundraiser on Thursday, October 20, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance is a national organization that helps students make connections within the nonprofit sector. The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance offers a national nonprofit management and leadership credential, the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP). In order to become certified, students must meet a number of requirements, which includes taking three required courses and attending one management institute. Through the Alliance, students can strengthen their leadership abilities, gain access to internship opportunities, learn more about the world of nonprofits, and enjoy many other benefits.

According to Sarah Williams, the Associate Executive Director at the Dayton Christian Center, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance exists to “helps develop students who are going through the certification process.”  One of the most significant ways that the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance helps students is by raising money for the Alumni Society and the Student Alumni Association.  The money raised goes towards scholarships and funds events organized by the students. There is a management institution that takes place every January, and a portion of the funds “help provide a little assistance” to students who would like to attend. There are also workshops held in the fall and in the spring that are orchestrated by students, with the help of money raised by the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance.

For more information on how to join the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance or to check out the other fundraising events that will be taking place, visit http://webapp3.wright.edu/web2/americanhumanics/.

As a fairly new organization, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance at Wright State University is excited about trying their hand at new events, such as the wine tasting and silent auction that is taking place later this month. The organization is specifically reaching out towards alumni who are currently working in the nonprofit field.

“[We are] looking to expand our horizons,” said Williams. “We’ve had a good response from the alumni thanks to our great partnership with the Alumni Association.”   Alumni of the program include Lindsay Ackley, recently named Executive Director of Clothes That Work, Debbie Fox, Grants Manager at Levin Family Foundation, and Mary DeMar, Annual Fund Manager at Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley.

If you’re interested in coming out to support Wright State alumni or students who are looking for work in the nonprofit sector, you can register for the wine tasting and silent auction at https://www.wrightstatealumni.com/component/registrationpro/event/148/Nonprofit-Leadership-Alliance-Wine-Tasting-and-Silent-Auction.html. The event will be held at the Therapy Café in Dayton, located at 425 E. Third Street. Tickets cost $20 and include four wine tastes and hor d’oeuvres. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the tickets will go towards the Alumni Association. If you would like to show support but cannot attend the event, feel free to purchase a ticket anyway! If you purchase a ticket but do not attend the event, the Alumni Association will receive 100% of the profit.  Any and all support is appreciated – it’s guaranteed to be a tasty time!

Red and Loving It

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Hello red...

In this second week of October, we are heading towards the end of grape harvesting season in North America and Europe. We are also heading towards National Red Wine Day, which is on October 15th. Wine is an ancient drink, known to be created as early as 6000 B.C., and has been popular throughout history. Red wine has been the base for two very historically popular drinks, sangria and mulled wine, as well as the center of a debate around the health benefits of wine specifically and alcohol in general.  There are plenty of red wines out there for you to enjoy, so a little knowledge is key to helping you find the right red wine for you.

Red wines are wines created from grapes that are dark in color, ranging from red to purple, with some blues thrown in for good measure. These are also known as black grapes. Now, grape juice in and of itself is clear, no matter what grape you get it from. What gives red wine its vibrant color is the presence of the skin during fermentation. Not only is the juice being transformed into a tasty delight, it is absorbing the color out of the skins. Skin color is not the only thing that is being absorbed into the wine. Another defining characteristic of red wines is the presence of tannins, something that is found primarily in the skins and seeds of grapes. Along with the ruby color, tannins are a defining characteristic in the difference between white and red wine. Tannins are still present in white wine, just not dominant. Tannins also help define how bold a wine is on the palate; it can range from lower tannin, sweeter flavor to a strong tannic, dryer taste. They also are a reason that red wines are served closer to room temperature; as tannins get cooler, they also start to drift from a dry taste to a bitter taste. Tannins and acids have a similar drying effect on your mouth, and red wines possess qualities. Acidic wine will go down dry, but your mouth will start to salivate soon after you take a sip. A wine that is tannic dries out the mouth…and leaves it dry.

Another factor in how a red wine tastes is the type of grape that is used. There are between forty and fifty different grapes that are currently favored in wine use globally, but most people look to six major grapes to do the heavy lifting:

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on the vine

– Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet, or just Cab to close friends) is grown globally, from California to Chile, from France to South Africa. It is very high in tannins (due to the grape having a thicker skin), which gives it a very powerful flavor profile.  It also makes it very susceptible to blending, Merlot being a very popular partner. Those wily Australians like to blend their Cabs with Syrah. Cabs typically have notes of black currant in their flavor.

-Merlot is the most planted grape in the Bordeaux region of France, but it is also popular in Italy, New York, and California. Merlot grapes produce a sweeter (most describe the flavor as chocolaty or plummish) and full flavored red wine, which make it very popular with wine drinkers.  Some wine makers feel the need to blend it with a fuller bodied wine. Merlot grapes typically produce a wine with higher alcohol content.

-Pinot Noir is a bit delicate. Not in flavor; it falls in the middle of the road in terms of tannins, and often tastes of berries. It also falls into the middle ranges of alcohol content. Its delicacy comes from the grape. It is temperamental, and does best for growers looking to produce a small yield. It is much harder to grow that many of its red brethren, and has travelled to New Zealand, Australia, and California with some success. But, the French are the ones that rely on it most, especially in the Champagne region.

-Syrah (if you are in France) or Shiraz (if you are in Australia) adds some zest to the red wine world, offering hints of black pepper, smoke, herbs, or berries in its various incarnations. It stands well on its own, but in some regions it is blended with other wines. The grape has a thick skin which puts the wine very high on the tannin scale and very deep red in the color spectrum. It is most famously grown in France and Australia, but can also be found in Chile and, of course, California.

See...Zinfandel does start off red

-Zinfandel (it really is a red grape) makes its home in the United States, primarily in California. Italy also grows the grape, but not like we do here. There are some hints of blackberries and raspberries in the flavor profile. Zins can have a very high alcohol content, getting up to 15% ABV, and higher than average tannins. White Zinfandel, which has sales that are six times that of Zinfandel, is a byproduct of this grape.

-Nebbiolo has enjoyed a great deal of success being grown in northern Italy. It is a thick skinned and durable grape, but oddly does not travel well to make a good wine. The Italian wines it does make, though, can be a little rough on the tongue due to its high tannin content, but has black cherry, herbal, and floral notes to help smooth out the ride. The high alcohol content goes a long way to win some favor as well.

There are plenty of other popular red wine varieties, like Sangiovese (Italian) and Malbec (French). The above mentioned are the most commonly found, discussed, and seen as good examples of the red wine family. Many feel that the color of the wine has some bearing on how it tastes, and the darker the better. Some wine makers cater to that by artificially darkening the wine. Pinot Noirs are naturally lighter reds, yet still have interesting flavor and complexity.

Red wines are served at warmer temperatures than white wines, but not quite at room temperature. Unless the room we are discussing is in an English castle. Red wines are best served between 60⁰ and 68⁰ F. If you go too much warmer, it saps the life out of the wine. Cooler, and you could be bringing more of the dryness out, which may mask some of the subtle flavors of the wine. To bring out those flavors, red wines are served in a glass with a wider bowl, which serves a few purposes. It allows more oxygen to get to the wine, which helps release the more subtle flavors. They are designed to be held by the bowl, not the stem, which allows the body to warm the wine ever so slightly, also opening the wine’s flavors.

There are many questions people ask about red wine and wine in general. One of them is “When do I drink red wine?” The best answer to that is “Whenever you want to!” Many people will drink a red wine with a meal, to balance out or enhance the stronger flavors of the wine. More often, though, people are just drinking red wine to enjoy the flavor of the wine. Traditionally, red wines went with red meat, and white wines went with fish and poultry. Red wines, as noted above, have a wide range of flavors, and can go with a wide range of foods. It becomes a question of do I want to balance out the flavor of the food with something opposite, like something sweet with something salty or sour, or do you want to enhance the flavor of what you are eating, like drinking a spicy wine with spicy food. Another question people will ask is “What is the best red wine?” Everyone, including the experts, has a different palate. That means a wine one person may find delicious, another person may find awful. And higher price does not mean a better wine. There are plenty of wines out there that can be purchased for a low price that can stand up to the most expensive ones. There is a red wine for every palate, and it is worth the time to explore the wines yourself to see which one is right for you.

Flights are great ways to experience variety

And how do you explore these wines? One method is to find wine tastings in the area, and chat with the people that frequent them. Arrow Wine offers pay-per-taste sessions every Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM, and their Far Hills location offers them Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 9 PM.  Keep an eye on Dorothy Lane Market’s website, as they also offer frequent wine tastings, as well as downloadable guides for food pairings and ratings charts. Rumbleseat Wine in Centerville offers a weekly wine tasting menu. Another good way to try out wines is going to bars that specialize in wine and ordering flights. The Wine Loft offers many flights of wine, grouped by style or region. The Wine Gallery offers flights of wine as well as an amazing view of downtown. There are many other bars that specialize in wine in the area, and that is another opportunity for you to explore what each has to offer.  Just check the DaytonMostMetro.com calender wine category for the latest tastings.

So go out this weekend and try out some red wines. Have a flight, visit a tasting, or buy a bottle or two from a friendly and knowledgeable vendor and have a wine tasting of your own. If you try red wines long enough, you may find this website to be particularly useful as well. Accidents do happen. Cheers!

Tea’s On for Dayton!

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Dayton’s own hidden pearls of culture and class, the tearooms of Basically British and Twin Creek offer relaxing sophistication, delightful fares, and ornate gift shops for those seeking a mini-vacation away from the usual city scene. Either British or Victorian-themed, both of these endearing tearooms offer fresh luncheons, steaming pots of tea and delectable desserts served in the most traditional of fashions and the most comforting of settings.

Nixing the need to head “across the pond”, Basically British Tearoom and Shop serves up three-tier tea luncheons in Dayton’s own downtown. Terry Ronald, a native Englander from the town of Wallasey and Vicki Morris, Dayton-raised “Brit-at-heart”, own the British-influenced establishment. Originally opening in 1994 as a British Import Gift Shop that offered imported British candies, foods, teas and gifts, the shop has expanded to include a traditional British tearoom for anyone willing to make a reservation. Together the pair has charmed Daytonians by enticing visitors with imported tea, homemade cooking, and unrushed tranquility.

Basically British is located in the old building known as “The Cannery” at 502 East Third Street. High ceilings, deep hardwood floors, brick-laid walls, and elegant woodwork invites guests into a stylish yet invitingly “male-friendly” ambiance where, although roomy, reservations are a must. The tearoom of Basically British sets visitors up for a three-tier afternoon tea where each individual is granted a four-cup pot of freshly brewed tea from the 85 varieties offered on the in-house loose-leaf tea menu. The exotic tea varieties have not only been given international awards but each of the teas are available for by-the-ounce-purchase in order for your favorites to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

To keep things interestingly unpredictable, the folks at Basically British change their lunch menu monthly in order to offer seasonal surprises that seem to never bore regulars. A few of October’s special offerings include a Woodland Fairy Acres spice island rose scone, an artichoke and mushroom-stuffed tomato and a maple cranberry cup.

Food is baked fresh everyday at Basically British and although a bit pricey for the typical “quick lunch” (at $22.95 plus tax per individual), the tearoom is meant to be an unhurried, peaceful and enjoyable experience. The goal of Basically British is to “to offer a tranquil setting for our adult patrons to enjoy” and thus, they do not allow infants or children under age ten among the tea patrons. Basically British serves tea Wednesday through Saturday from 11:30 am until 3 am. Their exotic Gift Shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Saturday 10 am to 5 pm.

A tad further down the streets at 19 East Dayton Street of West Alexandria, those seeking a more old-fashioned, Victorian style experience should try Twin Creek Tea Room and Ivy Parlor Gift Shop. Upon its original opening in 1993 by Melodie Dill and Pam Morneault as Twin Creek Town House Tea Room and Catering Company, visitors have eaten and sipped on the lower level tearoom and shopped at the upper level’s Ivy Parlor Gift Shop. The Ivy Parlor Gift Shop has now expanded to the entire upper level and since June of 2000, the initial owners of 19 East Dayton Street, Mark and Carolyn Ulrich, have run the tearoom and Ivy Parlor Gift Shop.

Twin Creek Tea Room is located in a restored Victorian era home where an enchanting atmosphere created by gracefully decorated tables, teapot candles, elaborate wicker chairs and romantic ambiance attracts visitors into a comfortablely elegant luncheon. The pleasant staff seems to genuinely care about the experience of the customers, offering friendly service, helpful suggestions and warm concern about the overall experience.

The menu of Twin Creek Tea Room is more extensive than that of Basically British’s and seems to offer larger portions for less expense. Twin Creek offers a variety of different menus, including the Summer Strawberry Sensations Menu, Weekly Lunch Specials, Panini Menu, Luncheon Menu, Children’s Menu, Specialty Coffee and Teas, Box Lunches, and Carry-Out Luncheon Combinations and Take-Out Items; all for under ten dollars.  A few of many menu selections include a ham pimento cheese panini, fresh layered vegetable sandwich, petite sandwich sampler, daily quiches, chilled layered carrot cake and warm apple dumplings, just to name a few. In the less elaborate realm of beverage choice of the Twin Creek Tea Room, they offer rooibo teas, chai tea lattes, espresso and a variety of cappuccinos and sipping chocolates.

All are welcome at the Twin Creek Tea Room and although reservations are welcome, they are not required. Lunch is served Wednesdays through Saturday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm but they offer private parties and catering upon request. Six times a year the tearoom takes reservations for Candlelight Dinners where dinner entrees change depending upon the occasion. The upcoming Sweetest Day Candlelight Dinner will be held on the 15th of October and the tearoom is currently taking reservations.

In terms of Dayton tearooms, Basically British and Twin Creek Tea Room each offer quite unique menu options, cultural ambiance and out-of-the-box lunch experiences for individuals, couples, and private parties alike. I would recommend both tearooms to the college student, curious adult and special occasion venue. As a wise lady by the name of Catherine Douzel once said, “Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.” Go ahead, embark!

Is Your Chili Worth $500?

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On Sat, Oct 22,  the Kroc Center is hosting a Chili Cook Off from 10am – 2pm.  Prizes will be awarded for the top 3 chili cooks, as well as a people’s choice and best decorated booth.  First place wins $500, 2nd will win $200 and 3rd place is $100.  Entrants must apply with a $25 booth fee by Oct 14th.  There are 12 spots available and all chili must be prepared and cooked on site.  Participants must prepare at least 2 gallons of chili for judging and public tasting.   Chili must contain 95% lean ground beef. See complete rules here.

Guest are invited to stroll the Kroc campus, sample chili and enjoy live music and their will be a costume contest and inflatables for the kids.  The Ohio Beef Council will be on hand doing live food demos and there will  even be a pumpkin patch.  $5 admission. The Kroc Center is located at 1000 N. Keowee Street, however the parking lot entrance is off Webster Street.



Food Adventures Spice Things Up at Amar India

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Indian food.. some people love it,  some people cringe, others have never had it.  Being Food Adventurers means we try and experience many culinary things in life, some out of our comfort zone.  Enter Amar India, one of the fancier Indian restaurants in Dayton, located across from the Dayton Mall.

The Big Ragu and Crew have developed a taste for Indian food over the years, and for us it started with Amar India.  If you have never tried Indian cuisine, let us recommend this restaurant for your American pallet.

A great way to experience some Indian food and see what you like, is to go to their buffet lunch, where you can sample a number of dishes (usually appetizers and chicken and vegetarian entrees).  The buffet lunches are fairly cheap and again it is a great way to get a variety of items.  Dinner at Amar India is ordered off the menu only.  Amar India’s menu is fairly extensive, but to sort it out, the dishes are basically four types: vegetarian, chicken, lamb, and fish.  Each dish may be ordered on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the spiciest.

Our latest visit to Amar India started with our incredibly friendly and passionate waiter, Regendier.  He welcomed us and recommended a few menu items and was happy to be a part of our Food Adventure article and photos.  In our conversations with him, he shared his love for food, Indian culture, and Pro-Wrestling.  After some fun conversation, your humble F decided to order.

Vegetable Pakora is served with 3 tasty sauces

We started out with an appetizer, ood AdventurersVegetable Pakora.  For all intents and purposes it is a vegetable fritter or hushpuppy.  The Big Ragu was ecstatic because the item was deep fried.  We explored the accompanying sauces.  This appetizer was served with a tray with 3 cups of sauces.  The sauces were a green mint sauce, a spicy chunky sauce, and a sweet bbq-like sauce.  We thought the mint sauce was the best.

Then we saw a sight for sore eyes.  Our waiter was bringing out an order of our favorite side item, Garlic Nan Bread.  Amar India offers different types of Nan bread, which are homemade pita breads with different flavored ingredients cooked right into the bread.  We cannot stress enough, that an order of Garlic Nan bread is a MUST.  When coming to Amar India, we can’t function without it.

The Garlic Nan Bread Appetizer is Addicting

We have always had a love for an Indian dish called Saag Paneer.  It is a funny sounding dish, with a big taste.  It is fresh homemade cheese cubes cooked in spinach & light cream.  It was a perfect storm of spice and flavor.

The Big Ragu ordered Fish Masala.  This dish is marinated fish,  pan fried with tomatoes, curry and cream.  Ragu ordered spice level 4 and was sweating the whole meal.  The dishes are all served in oval metal bowls that look small, but the food is filling.  They serve the meals with a white rice that has some Indian flavor.  We were both stuffed after dinner.

Top to Bottom: Fish Masala, White Rice, Saag Paneer

Our check arrived with a candy treat, small little fennel pellets.  They taste like licorice, or as Ragu said “mini good-n-plenty.”  We asked our waiter if he would take a photo with us after the dinner.  He told us his heritage was Punjabi, and he primped his moustache before the picture by curling it with his hands.  He smiled, flexed and helped us cap off a great night with a few laughs.

Whether you have acquired a taste for Indian food or not, you really need to give Amar India a chance.  The dinners are reasonable at $13-$16 on average for the unique dining experience.  If you have not been there, it will be an experience your tastebuds won’t soon forget.

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Zig Zag Gallery To Host Soup Fundraiser

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Kim Megginson and her partner Brad Abbey at the Centerville gift shop are both potters, so it’s no surprise that they are celebrating American Craft Week.  As a part of the festivities, they will host their annual Soup for CERF fundraiser.  On Thurs Oct 6th and Fri Oct 7th from 5 – 8pm the Cross Pointe Gallery will be serving up soup.  The annual benefit for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund is part of a 15 year national relief effort that supports professional crafters when personal or natural disasters strike

Zig Zag Gallery will have a selection of pottery bowls donated by both local and national potters. Guests will choose their bowl  and fill it with a soup dinner provided byFlavors Eatery, Meadowlark Restaurant, Ashley’s Pastry Shop, Dorothy Lane Market and more!

For a $10 donation guests go home with a bowl and ZIG ZAG sends the money to the national fund that helps artists through direct financial and educational assistance to crafters,  including emergency relief assistance, business development support, and resources and referrals on topics such as health, safety, and insurance.

Of course while you’re there, you might want to check out the displays by local artists, shop the unique gift selections or pick up the latest charms for your Pandora bracelet.

Cross Pointe Centre 101 E. Alex Bell Rd. #172 Dayton, Ohio 45459 | Directions
Phone: 937.434.3565 | Fax: 937.434.2244 | [email protected]

Hours:  Monday – Friday 10am – 7pm | Saturday 10 am – 6pm | Sunday 12 noon – 5pm

Food Adventures Devours the 2011 Dayton Oktobertfest

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Spaten Munich beer and Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest were on draft

This past weekend, we experienced one of their favorite Food Adventures to date. Daytonmostmetro.com generously provided us with tickets to the preview party at the 40th Oktoberfest which is held at the Dayton Art Institute.  Although we have both been to the festival many times in the past, this would be the first time going to the preview party.

On this Food Adventure, we decided to take separate vehicles and that was a big mistake!  It wasn’t too easy to find a parking space, so The Big Ragu who is always “fashionably late,” this time proved no different.

While Hungry Jax was waiting in the long entrance line, a frantic Ragu was searching for a parking space while developing a little case of road rage.  We were both pretty amazed at how many people attended the pre-party and had no idea that it would be this packed.  Nonetheless, feeling like VIP’s we developed our game plan and a night of ethnic gluttony started to ensue.

Bratwurst from Schmidt’s restaurant booth – Incredible !

The festival is pretty much a bunch of food booths from different companies and 2 tents of craft goods.  Yeah, we skipped the arts and crafts.  Jax headed over to the Schmidt’s Sausage Haus booth while the Big Ragu shimmied over the beer line.

Schmidt’s is located in the German Village in Columbus, Ohio and was featured on Man v. Food.  Hungry Jax ordered a bratwurst with sauerkraut and added on spicy brown mustard and horseradish.  The first bite was absolutely amazing and this was a sign of good things to come.  The beer booth had some general choices, but we decided to go for the Leinenkugel Oktoberfest and the Spaten Munich beers.  After the Big Ragu got the beer, he decided to go hit the food line.  Ragu really showed that he was in the Oktoberfest spirit by showing up with a German treat … wait, a Gyro from the Greek Orthodox Church booth!  Well, at least the gyro was good because he devoured it in about 2 bites.  At this time we were both very happy Food Adventurers, but that was about to change.

The Dreaded Limburger Sandwich

We headed to the next food stall and the sign read…..Limburger Cheese Sandwich.  Neither one of us has ever tried Limburger Cheese, so we decided to take one for the team and ordered one up.  The Big Ragu’s dad had eaten Limburger Cheese as a kid in New York, so we decided to call him up and see what we had in store for us.  Ragu Sr. found it pretty amusing that we were going to indulge in this thing and basically told us….good luck!  We decided to punish the Big Ragu for buying a gyro by making him take half of this sandwich.  We have both eaten to pretty questionable things in our lifetime, but this by far was the worst thing that we have tried.  We have a rule with Food Adventures….you must finish the whole thing.  The Big Ragu was the smart one here when teared up on the final bite, got teary eyed and spit the sandwich out in the trash can. We hope to never see another Limburger Cheese Sandwich again.

After we grabbed more beers, we headed over to Don LeDoux’s Cajun Restaurant booth and decided to go with the Crawfish Etoufee.  It was served on a bed of rice and was incredibly tasty with lots of crawfish in it!  The employees and owners were very friendly.  We definitely have to head up to Troy, Ohio and try this place out!  While the crew was talking to the Don LeDoux employees, Ragu suddenly showed up with a Weinerschnitzel sandwich that he bought at the booth next door.  He had to get the limburger taste out of his mouth.  We also visited briefly with the Kosmic Kettlecorn booth who had some tasty popcorn, and showed us how the process worked.

Meeting the local legend, Voltzy at his Oktoberfest booth

The next item that we tried was the highlight of the Oktoberfest for us….we finally tried a Voltzy burger!  This is by far, the best hamburger that we have tried so far…..you can definitely taste the freshness.  Voltzy came out and doused our burgers out with three different sauces, which put a sparkle in the Big Ragu’s eye.  One taste of these things and you will be hooked!  And the sauces give it some sweet heat!  The burgers were amazingly fresh, and Voltzy said the meat is never frozen.

We will both admit that before we met Voltzy, we were very intimidated by his reputation for being a hard A$$, but he was a great guy, with a good sense of humor, who we had a lot of fun with.  We are looking forward to a future food adventure at his restaurant!

At this point we were both pretty stuffed and we decided to do what anyone else would…..get another beer!  The Spaten was incredible and we couldn’t get enough of it.  Ragu also loved the Wisconsin brewed Leinenkugel Oktoberfest beer, but Jax stuck with the German Spaten Beer.  While waiting in the beer line, the Cream Puff Pastry at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus caught our eye.  While the Big Ragu loves his fried food, and Jax has a weakness for sweets.  The cream puff pastry was a gift send down from the Confectionary Gods and we loved every morsel of it.

Schmidt’s Restaurant has perfected the Cream Puff

This Food Adventure was a blast.  Our leiderhosen are a bit tighter after the food we consumed at this festival.  Sure, we ended up with a few drops of beer, sauce, and powdered sugar on our shirts, which housed our full stomachs, but it was all in a night’s work.  So we say, to honor Oktoberfest, Lisa, Bill and the crew at DAYTONMOSTMETRO.com who got us VIP tickets to this event, we say “Danke schön!”

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Did you go to Oktoberfest? What did you think about the food and beer selection
?

Please post a comment below!

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American as apple…cider

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William Henry Harrison

I will drink…to getting your vote!

The presidential campaign of 1840 was going to be a hard fought one between Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison. In an attempt to paint Harrison as an old geezer who could not handle the strain of the presidency, a Democratic newspaper stated that “[g]ive him a barrel of hard cider, and … a pension of two thousand [dollars] a year … and … he will sit the remainder of his days in his log cabin.” Harrison, to show what a hard working regular guy he was, used that statement to start calling himself the “log cabin and hard cider candidate”. Harrison’s political rallies were swimming in the apple based beverage, and there are stories that people who voted for him on Election Day were given even more of the hard stuff. All of that helped to give Harrison an electoral landslide.

Modern drinkers most likely would scratch their head at this. How is hard cider a draw? Isn’t that a drink that people who can’t handle real liquor drink? It is too fruity and sweet for anything but a lightweight drinker to be able to handle. Prohibition killed many fine distilleries and truly altered the flavors that Americans sought for their cocktail time. Hard cider was one of the casualties.

Apples ready for pressing

Melrose apples, ready for the press.

Hard cider was widely considered a working man’s drink through the end of the 19th century, but was also on the table at every fine dinner in the United States. George Washington at one point offered it for votes. Thomas Jefferson brewed it while he was searching for a sturdier grape to bring to the United States for wine production. John Adams drank a tankard of it every morning (to soothe his stomach), and many children had it with their breakfast through the 1830’s.  The love affair with cider began in the 1620’s when copious amounts of orchards were planted with English apples from Massachusetts to Virginia. The apples we enjoy today are not native to our land. Before colonization, America was a land mainly of inedible crab apples. When the apples matured, some were used for baking and eating, and some were pressed into what we know as apple cider, which they referred to as “soft” cider. It was unfiltered and unpasteurized, so it did not keep for a long period of time. More often, they pressed the apples and added yeast to them to encourage the fermentation. Fermentation made any beverage safer to drink than the water that was available, because the process killed bacteria long before Pasteur developed the process that bears his name.

While the colonies were producing  enough grains to feed themselves (and make some beer and whiskey on the side), and many people tried to cultivate grapes to produce wine in the unforgiving costal climate, apples were plentiful. And cider is not incredibly difficult to make (squeeze juice, add yeast, wait). Depending on the sweetness of the apples, most ciders naturally ferment to an ABV of around 5% (right around typical lager beer ABV). With the addition of some natural flavorings and sugars that come from honey (which the colonists could also cultivate), molasses (which they could import from the Caribbean), or maple syrup (plentiful in New England), the ABV of ciders can get up to 14%, which is more on par with wines. In the United States, for tax purposes, ciders are defined as beverages made from apples with no more than 8% ABV. If it goes higher than that, it becomes classified as a wine.

Apple Orchard

The legacy of Johnny Appleseed: Cider for the pioneers

There are many reasons that people look to when searching for the demise of hard cider as a staple of the American drinker. It was not long after the 1840 election that the country began to see the decline in demand for cider. One reason may be the faster expansion to the West. The country was growing at a rapid pace, and apple trees take a few years to mature. People were not planning on planting an orchard then staying around to see it grow. Johnny Appleseed was made famous by planting apple orchards all over this great state, and those apples were most likely used to make barrels and barrels of cider. The people that were pushing this expansion to the west were of German descent, and bringing a new style of beer, the lager, to the United States. Lager beer was safer to create than the ales the English brought over (less risk of spoilage and contamination), and Adolphus Busch embraced the railroad and refrigeration to spread this type of beer across the country. It was also at this time a small group of people made serious inroads to stop the excessive amounts of drinking that marked the beginning of the 19th century through the Temperance movement. People began to cut back on alcohol consumption, and cider was a large part of that consumption, especially in the east.

With the beginning of the craft beer movement in the 1980’s and 90’s, hard ciders began to make a comeback in America. They never really lost their popularity in Europe, being a staple there since England was still ruled by the Celts. Woodchuck, Cider Jack, Hornsby’s, and Woodpecker lead the charge back from obscurity to the big stage of American drinking, but it no longer had a big place at the table. Like Zima, Smirnoff Ice and other malt beverages, they were seen as a novelty, not a piece of Americana resurrected from obscurity.  It was not until the later additions of their European brethren like Strongbow and Bulmers that the cider market earned some gravitas. Crispin, based in Minnesota, has also added to that heft, giving America a little more credibility when brewing a less sweet, crisper cider. Crispin and other ciders have started to move away from strictly apples, including pears and other flavors in their ciders. The evolution of cider has gone organic as well, with Samuel Smith adding cider to their wide range of traditional beverages. Rhinegeist is one of the first Ohio brewers to add hard cider to their stable, offering a Dry Hopped and Semi Dry version in cans.

A wide variety of ciders are available around the area, with the best selections being in your local liquor stores. Arrow Wine and Belmont Party Supply both have a fine selection. Maybe you would like to try your hand at it yourself? As was mentioned earlier, it is not incredibly difficult to do, cider being more akin to a wine than beer. If you are an adventurous spirit, Sally’s Place has a very simple recipe you can try, with just a few purchases from a local brew store. Cheers!

5th Annual Fiery Food Show in Fairfield

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If you’re looking for a fun, family-friendly way to spice up your weekend, check out Jungle Jim’s 5th annual Weekend of Fire this Saturday and Sunday for two days full of fun, food, and fire. This show has grown from 500 guests in year one to over 2500 in  attendance last year.  There’s something for everyone from the Fiery Food Expo to the Arena of Fire to BBQ Alley, it’s a guaranteed  hot time in Farifield this weekend.

Fifty five vendors from all across the country will be setting up shop this weekend in the Fiery Food Expo. They will be offering a variety of free samples, including hot sauces, BBQ sauces, salsas, rubs, and even ice cream with a spicy kick. Vendors will also be taking orders if you find something you’d like to take home and share!

The Arena of Fire is the place where all sorts of “wild and wacky” contests will be held hourly.  “We thought it was a great venue, we had a lot of fun. We really liked the contests,” said  Mike & Jill Shuster of last years event.  If you’re brave enough, you can sign up at the registration table and compete in the horseradish eating contest, the hot salsa contest or the kid friendly coney dot eating.  Can you take the heat?

If you’re not up to the heat of the competition, stroll outside and enjoy an outdoor lunch, dinner, or snack in BBQ Alley. This is the first year that BBQ Alley has been opened during the Weekend of Fire. You and your family can enjoy ribs, wings, Hawaiian shaved ice, funnel cakes, deep fried goodies, and much more. Vendors that will be providing food in BBQ Alley include: Dragon Fire Hot Sauce, Sweet Mama’s Jam-N-Salsa, Rib City, Goldie’s Q, and many more.

While attending the show, be sure to stop and vote for your favorites! Awards include Best Hot Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Best Salsa, and Best Hot Specialty. Trophies will be presented on Sunday before the end of the show.

Another special event you won’t want to miss is the DeafCon DeathMatch. The DeathMatch is a mysterious event that you will have to see to believe.  The bleachers will be  filled way before the contest as people vie for a good seat. Late comers cluster around the Arena of Fire, climbing on each others shoulders; anything to see. Contestants gather in a group awaiting their fate and take their place as The Creator calls their name. Tension mounts as The Creatress brings out the wings drenched in sauce so hot the contestants are required to sign a release to compete for bragging rights.  The event will take place in BBQ Alley at 8 p.m. on Saturday night.

If just one Weekend of Fire isn’t enough to fill your fiery hunger, sign up for Eat the Heat cooking class to bring some of fire back to your family. The class will be taught by Leigh Barnhart Ochs, the Cooking School Director. She will teach techniques, recipes, and what foods work together so you can spice up dinner time any day. Cost for the class is $50 and includes free tickets to the show. For more information on how to register, visit http://www.junglejims.com/weekendoffire/eat-the-heat.asp.

Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire will take place on October 1st from 10-6 p.m. and October 2nd from 11-5 p.m. at The Oscar Event Center which is located at  5440 Dixie Highway, just north of 275.  Tickets cost $5 if purchased in advance and $7 at the door. Admission cost includes admission to the Fiery Foods Expo, samples from all the vendors, the ability to purchase hundreds of products directly from the vendors, access to BBQ Alley, access to the Arena of Fire, and rides on the Monorail. Children under 6-years-old are free.

If all of these appetizing aspects of Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire are not enough to persuade you to attend, come out to show support for Dayton! Crazy Uncle Jester’s and Firehouse Pantry, local Dayton hot sauce makers, will have booths set up in the Fiery Foods Expo. Stop by and show some support for your local blazing businesses!

Weekend of Fire:

Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 10am – 8pm
Sunday, October 2, 2011 from 11am – 5pm
The Oscar Event Center at Jungle Jim’s International Market

Directions from Dayton

Take I-75 South
Merge I-275 West – To Indianapolis
Exit #41 toward Hamilton/Fairfield
Drive north 3.8 miles on Route 4/Dixie Highway
Turn right onto Jungle Jim’s Blvd

Dining Your Way through Oktoberfest!

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It’s not quite October, but close enough that local restaurants are rolling out the Oktoberfest menus. Here’s a round up of the local specials heralding the Bavarian culture that has been celebrating these festivities since 1810.

Amber Rose kicked off their Oktoberfest beer special which allows you to enjoy your first Beck’s Oktoberfest, Amber Bach or Goose Island Harvest  for just 10 cents all month long.  The y will also feature a different schnitzel special each week and of course brats are available for lunch all month long.

Chef Keith Taylor at Savona in Centerville has a special menu offering options like wurst salad, warm potato salad, german slaw, wiener schnitael, beef rouladen, choucroute garni and apple strudel.  Taylor offers this menu in homage to his late mentor, Chef Dieter Krug, whom he worked under at L’Auberge and often was a guest chef at Savona, where they perfected them menu items.

L’Auberge is running a special 3 course pre-fixe meal for $25 until
Oct. 8th that includes:

First Course: choice of German potato salad or Bavarian sausage salad
Second Course: Octoberfest chicken with stuffing or roasted pork schank with red red cabbage
Third Course:  warm apple strudel

Rue Dumaine is offfering an Oktoberfest celebration on Thurs, Oct 6th.  You’ll have the option of a German beer tasting featuring Erdinger Hefewiezen Oktoberfest, Sam Adamas Oktoberfest  and Ayinger Oktoberfest – Marzen for $12 or pairing German wines with this special menu created by Chef Anne:

Sauerkraut balls over German mustard crème
Obatzda –Limburger cheese-butter spread, served with handmade soft pretzels
Hot slaw with apples and bacon
German potato** salad
Tartlet of Alsatian Munster and roasted mushrooms
–
Rinderrouladen served with potato puree and braised red cabbage – beef stuffed with a pickle spear, carrot stick, house made German-style ham and a smear of German mustard. It is seared then slow braised in beef stock. Served with Yukon potato puree and braised red cabbage seasoned with bacon, onion, red wine vinegar and sugar.

Grilled trout with celery sauce and Schupfnudeln (potato dumplings)

Gemischtes Würstchenteller- 2 varieties house made sausages served with kraut (with juniper, caraway, apples**, onions, bacon and beer), spaetzle and German mustard

Apple** strudel- phyllo wrapped apples with raisins, walnuts, sugar and spice
Petite Black Forest cake

** designated locally grown items

“Monchon” Some Inspiration

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You’re stuck in a pickle. No, not a literal one, but this situation may even be worse than being stuck in a large, green, vinegared cucumber. Let’s examine the scene: it’s a late Friday night. You and your friends are perusing the student neighborhood, socializing, having a pretty grand time. But there’s one problem—you’re stomach has now been grumbling for an hour, but you don’t want the party to stop any time soon (plus you were finally getting up the nerve to talk to that cutie over there). So what should you do about your current dilemma? The answer is pretty simple. Mosey on over to The Monchon, a food truck located right in front of the Old Hickory BBQ restaurant. This production is both a great place to feed your weekend late night hunger and keep the party going—even a potential conversation starter with this love interest of yours. Plus, hey, when the conversation starts to dwindle, there’s food to stuff in your face! Not to mention, inspiration and perseverance seem to be key ingredients to this business, and who knows, maybe that’s what makes their sauce so special.

The Monchon was born in November 2007 through a collaboration between Eduardo Arroyo and Adrian Perez, both University of Dayton students. They “always felt the need of a place to eat on campus during the late hours.” This sandwich business is run primarily by students and is Arroyo and Perez’s way of encouraging a fun social environment over delicious food. The Monchon truck provides a “party atmosphere late night.”

So what was the inspiration for their catchy name? The dynamic duo broke it down into a pretty simple equation for me:  Monchon= Munchies-On with a twist

Their sandwiches can be made from different selections of meat, but there are three very unique ingredients that make this sandwich something apart from the rest. Firstly, the bread of these sandwiches are made of a special Spanish recipe (more than 500 years old!) that makes the bread especially soft. To complement this soft texture, potato chips are added in order to give their chow a crunch. Lastly, they use a secret sauce, described by Arroyo as “a mayo-ketchup mix with other delicious ingredients”. This special combination makes for quite a taste-bud spectacle, but the most recommended item on the menu? Arroyo and Perez say, definitively, the Pulled Pork Sandwich, because “the combination of flavors make your taste buds explode!” Just what every college student craves on a late night out.

This restaurant isn’t just a fun hangout. It’s an ongoing opportunity. It began as an opportunity for Arroyo and Perez to test their footing in the business world, and has evolved into a chance for more students at UD to be employed. This opportunity is what introduced the pair to a “multi-disciplinary lab”, where they have been launched into to a multitude of fields, all by stepping into the world of business. The learning experience they have gained from starting and successfully running their own business continues to grow. The fact this business is on wheels could even be stretched to a figurative value—this company has really taken the co-creators places. It’s brought them to the doorstep of their entrepreneurship dreams and has led them to gain many lessons applicable to everyday life. It’s helped them fine-tune their patience and perseverance through the growth of this company, but most importantly they’ve learned to strategize. “Sometimes ideas might be good but they don’t work in the real world, because the strategy does not work,” described the pair in our interview. This key piece of advice has kept The Monchon growing, even vamping the truck with new neon lights, an outdoor stereo, and even a bubble machine! Talk about a whole new dimension to add to your typical weekend night! And after these installations, The Monchon plans on going green and running completely on solar power. Now that’s inspiring—helping the environment and making dreams come true. Am I describing a cartoon super hero? Nope, folks. I’m talking about a student-run restaurant open Friday and Saturday, 9 PM to 3 AM.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=345mgOWQ0Dw&feature=player_embedded’]

So don’t just take my word for it. Venture out this upcoming weekend and take a bite of inspiration! Arroyo and Perez are pretty nice guys, too—they are offering a special for all you readers out there. Just mention this article while purchasing some grub at The Monchon, and the first 50 customers will receive any sandwich for $2.50! Just check out this website: http://uddeals.com/deals/any-sandwich-on-the-menu-for-just-2-50-deal-exclusive-to-dayton-most-metro-readers/

And that right there is the bee’s patellas.

Food Adventures Crosses Paths with the Hamburger Wagon

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In the past few years, we have noticed an influx of restaurants in Dayton claiming to sell “gourmet” hamburgers.   Many of these places allow you to add fried eggs, avocados, and even fried pickles to your burger for an additional cost.  We have enjoyed Food Adventures while pigging out of these places of course, but The Big Ragu and Crew are simple creatures, who like their burgers made simple.  If you are like us and want a great “old school” style hamburger, you need to head down to the Hamburger Wagon in downtown Miamisburg, Ohio.  The little white cart with the red awning is an institution in Miamisburg that has been serving up hamburgers since Dayton’s Great Flood almost a hundred years ago.

It all started in 1913, when a tremendous flood devastated the city, leaving many houses  and lives destroyed.  Thousands of people ended up living in tent cities.   Hot food was pretty sparse and this led Sherman “Cocky” Porter to dig out his families recipe for hamburgers and pass them out to flood victims.  The people loved the burgers so much, Porter decided to sell them on Saturdays in a little “Hamburger Wagon.”  They have been serving burgers ever since.

Smashing the deep fried burgers, and laying out the buns

Our endless journey for special dining places, led us to the “Burg” to enjoy some of Porter’s incredible hamburgers.  When Food Adventures arrived at the Hamburger Wagon, we were pretty happy to see only two people ahead of us in line.   If you have ever gone to the Hamburger Wagon on a weekend, there is usually a continuous line of people waiting to indulge in these wonderful hamburgers.  We decided to look over the menu and that literally took about 2 seconds. The menu has only four items on it: a single, a double, potato chips, and pop.   We didn’t dare ask for cheese because the sign states “No stinkin’ cheese or sloppy sauces”.  Hungry Jax was bummed about the no cheese rule while a sauce loving Ragu had to come to terms with the fact that he can’t destroy this hamburger with his usual arsenal of sauces.  We decided to comfort each other and go on with the Food Adventure.  We each ordered three burgers, a bag of chips, and soda.  We stood back and watched the magic happen.

Bun, burger, onion, pickle, pepper.. it’s that simple

Each little burger is thrown in a deep cast iron pan of hot grease and cooked up until it is nice and crispy.  Just imagine how large the Big Ragu’s eyes got when he saw the hamburgers go in the old fashioned deep fryer!  Once the burgers are done cooking, they are thrown on a bun, topped with a pickle slice, onion, and a dash of pepper.  The burgers are then tossed into a paper sack and placed in our bratwurst looking fingers.  No wraps, just a napkin or two.  Maybe the lack of post cooking packaging is the way that the Hamburger Wagon shows they care about the environment.

The dining room choices are about as plentiful as the menu: you can either sit in your car or enjoy a nice cozy park bench.  It was a beautiful day out and we decided to sprawl out on the park bench and enjoy the weather and the burgers.  We absolutely loved the fact that we didn’t have to waste precious gorging time removing the piping hot burgers from any wrappers.   We were amazed just how good these hamburgers tasted.  We are considering starting a petition to rename the city Miamisburger.  We don’t exactly know what the recipe is, but we were told it’s a combination of hamburger, sausage, and corn flakes.  Whatever the recipe is, it’s absolutely amazing!  One of the most appealing things about the burgers is the “crunch factor.”  They are already crunchy from being deep fried and when you add the pickles and onions, the sandwich is taken to a whole new level.  Trust us when we say that these are some of the tastiest and most unique burgers that you will try.

Click on the incredible hamburger for a closer view

The next time that you are near Miamisburg, we highly recommend checking out the iconic Hamburger Wagon.  If you have been to the wagon, then we “spoke” too soon (groan).  The food is one of a kind, and you won’t go bankrupt while feeding your family. A single burger, bag of chips, and can of pop each cost $1.10 and a double burger rings up at $2.20.  We like this place so much we were sizing up how to roll the wagon away with us.  Maybe they would at least let us ride around in it for a while for a real Food Adventure.

Sometimes, good things can come out of a tragedy.  Due to an event like the 1913 flood, your grateful foodies The Food Adventure Crew, are able to enjoy these little hamburgers, with the big taste, today.

Have you been to the Hamburger Wagon?  If so, what are your thoughts on this legendary eatery in Miamisburg?

Visit FOOD ADVENTURES on FACEBOOK by clicking here! “Like” us to become an official fan !

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Hamburger Wagon/]

A German Fall Classic

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That...is a lot of beer to carry.

Seasonal beers are a blessing. Many craft beer companies have their own schedule of seasonal beers, ones that pair flavors and brewing styles with appropriate times of the year. Christmas ales full of cinnamon and nutmeg, Irish Red brews around St. Patrick’s Day, and a summer full of citrus, honey, and refreshment. Fall is now here, when we all turn to earthier flavors. We look at spices, apples, pecans, and of course, pumpkins. But, there is another style of beer that becomes very popular at this time of year, because of a very large festival in Germany. Oktoberfest is a festival that lasts around two weeks, beginning in mid-September and ending in the first few days of October. And for this fine festival, a special brew called a Märzen is brought out and enjoyed by the masses.

On October 12th, 1810, Prince Ludwig was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. There was a festival planned that day for all of Bavaria, and that festival included parades, horse races, drinking, and food. The festival grounds were renamed Theresienwiese (Therese’s Field, now known as Wies’n) in her honor, and the festival was a smash hit. However, an event like Oktoberfest is not made in one year. Due to the popularity of the festival, it was repeated at about the same time in 1811. This time, however, an agricultural festival was included. As time has progressed, the beer tents became beer halls (1896), and amusements, from carousels to bowling alleys, were added to make each year bigger and better. By the 1960’s the horse races were all but over, occurring once every three years or so. But, the festival itself had become the juggernaut that we all know and love, making us familiar with beer steins and lederhosen. It has become a celebration of German culture in the United States, where we borrow many of the similar tradition for our much shorter festivals.

Ayinger, an excellent example of a Maerzen

Food and beer are the big reasons so many people attend Oktoberfests throughout the country. Initially, the October celebrations had less to do with a parade and a royal family, and more to do with a specific kind of beer. Before refrigeration, it was very hard to brew a good beer during the summer. In March (the German translation of the month being März), brewers would make a mad rush to brew as much beer as they could to drink and sell over the summer months. It was a very malty, darker beer, with a little more hops in it as a preservative. It was kept in storage in caves – lagered, as they put it – which increased the richness of the flavor as well as the content of the alcohol. When October came around again, and it was safer (and legal) to brew beer again, any beer that was not sold or used had to be consumed to empty the barrels. This beer was called Märzen, and it had a little more kick (6 to 8% ABV) and flavor than typically enjoyed. This beer became incorporated into the festival, and also became a reason to make sure the Red Cross was always on hand. Since most people are used to drinking lower strength beer, they drink as much Märzen at Oktoberfest as they do during a regular night out. With the higher strength of the brew, more people get drunk and pass out, so many in fact that the Germans developed a name for them, the Bierleichen, or “beer corpses”. Not only is there beer, but there is a wide range of food available, from any of the wursts you can think of, to German pastries like strudels and plum cake (Zwetschgenkuchen), and many, many ways to eat potatoes and sauerkraut.

One of the reasons it took Oktoberfest so long to pick up speed was the number of interruptions it suffered in the early years of its existence. Not three years after the festival started, it had to be cancelled because of the Napoleonic War. It was cancelled outright nineteen times for a variety of reasons, twice for cholera outbreaks in the region, and multiple times for a variety of wars, including World Wars I and II. In the years following World War I, it was cancelled due to hyperinflation of the Deutschmark, where people were taking wheelbarrows of cash to buy bread and milk. In the years after some wars, it was not cancelled, but scaled back to a smaller “Fall Festival”. After each interruption the festival came back with greater strength, new tents, and more entertainment for the masses. Dire events could make give the festival a break, or a smaller scale, but the festival was popular enough to come back stronger after each upheaval.

This weekend Dayton celebrates Oktoberfest at the Dayton Art Institute, September 24th and 25th, 2011. While it is considerably shorter than the sixteen days they celebrate in Munich, it will be just as festive. A wide variety of beers will be available, such as Wiehenstephaner (one of the oldest breweries in the world) and Warsteiner from Germany, a wide variety of Oktoberfest beers from Harpoon, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Leinenkugel, and Spaten, was well as other local favorites. The food will be plentiful, the music will span from polkas to jazz, and there will even be a home brew contest to add more unique flavors. From a simple wedding ceremony on a lawn in front of a palace to a celebration that draws over six million people from around the world and spawned similar celebrations in cities globally, Oktoberfest has grown in size and scale. Step out this weekend and enjoy the variety, the atmosphere, and the tradition of a festival that has been two centuries in the making. Prost!

Sushi Coming To Brown Street

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Introducing FUSIAN, brilliantly fresh and cleverly affordable, this self-described “easy.casual.sushi” eatery is set to open in a mere two weeks on the University of Dayton campus. The new opening at University Place 1200 Brown Street adjacent to Pot Belly Sandwich Works and across from Panera Bread is the second home of FUSIAN, whose original store has been satisfying sushi-loving Cincinnatians since its opening in 2010.

Colorful, comfortable and exceptionally environmentally friendly, this interactive sushi eatery was created by three childhood friends and Oakwood Alumni with the inspiration to create “simple, fresh and affordable sushi dining.” Stephan Harman and brothers Josh Weprin and Zach Weprin founded FUSIAN to negate the myth that fast, casual food, while oftentimes delicious, must always be awful for your body. Instead, the trio wanted to create wholesome, healthy food made from fresh, local ingredients that could be as fantastic on your waistline as it was for your taste buds. Not to mention, FUSIAN’s menu items are all $10 or less, a blessing upon the wallet of a college kid as well as the everyday famished customer.

I spoke with co-founder and University of Dayton Alum (’08) Stephan Harman who explained FUSIAN as “Feel good food,” adding that FUSIAN is an experience where customers “Eat with their eyes”. FUSIAN’s diverse menu, which offers organic, locally grown, and vegan/vegetarian-friendly ingredients as well as seasonal items such as strawberries, peaches and mangos certainly caught my eye as well as my appetite. FUSIAN creates an enjoyable, fun experience for each customer, setting the fresh ingredients right in front of the ordering individual, Subway/Chipotle-style. Their customizable, “build-to-order” sushi rolls and all-natural bubble smoothies have also won several prestigious awards including a “Best of Cincinnati” mention last year as well as this year’s recognition by the Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce as one of  “Cincinnati’s Top 10 Companies under 10 Employees.”

“We are not your typical sushi restaurant,” said Co-founder Zach Weprin. “We serve many modern alternatives in addition to traditional raw options such as soy wraps filled with braised steak and baked chicken along with fresh vegetables.” With a menu as lively and delicious as FUSIAN, it’s not difficult to believe that the founders like Stephan Harman have never tried the same roll twice.

In regards to their brand new location on UD’s campus, Harman explained, “We love Dayton. We’ve received a tremendous amount of support from our friends and family in Dayton and feel that UD is an ideal place for us to share our brand, our food, and our lifestyle with the community.” The trio-team has made sushi not only affordable but also highly convenient in a strip with a constant bustle of people previously devoid of sushi. FUSIAN’s fresh presence upon Brown Street’s dining avenue has already created an eager buzz among curious college students and Dayton inhabitants alike.

“We’re very excited to bring FUSIAN to Dayton and to be a part of our hometown community, said Co-founder Josh Weprin. “We think businesses can and should have a positive impact in the communities they serve.” The establishment of a friendly, social dining experience with plenty of nearby seating, a happily helpful staff, and handpicked music playing all the while, Dayton is sure to be captivated by FUSIAN’s atmosphere as well as its food. When asked what to order two weeks from now when FUSIAN graces Brown Street with its fresh and inventive presence, Stephan Harman encouraged, “Go crazy, get creative. If you like avocados, throw on some avocados. If you like crab, pick your crab. Look right in front of you and eat with your eyes, you can’t go wrong.”

As part of their pre-opening hype FUSIAN is running a facebook promo offering sushi for life.  The winner will receive one “roll” a week for the rest of the winner’s life.

FUSIAN will be located at 1200 Brown St.  Dayton OH, 45409.

p. 937.223.5173
f. 937.223.5149

hours:
monday-friday 11a – 10p
saturday-sunday 11a – 10p

Changing the World, One Cupcake at a Time!

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If you are looking for a charitable bakery with a comfy-cozy environment and owners who will make your friends and family feel right at home, look no further than Cake, Hope, and Love in Beavercreek.

Four years ago, Shannon Teague began baking goods in her kitchen and selling them to friends and family. “Once I couldn’t see the dining room table anymore, it was like, we need to move somewhere else,” said Shannon.

Now, merely six months after hatching the idea of opening a bakery, Shannon co-owns Cake, Hope, and Love with her best friend, Connie McFarren. 

Cake, Hope, and Love is located at 1490 North Fairfield Road. The shop is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday. “We worship on Sundays, and we have Mondays for our families,” said Teague.

The bakery sells a variety of cupcakes that range from chocolate and vanilla to raspberry red velvet and cinnamon hot chocolate. They have approximately forty combinations of cupcakes that they sell for $1.25 each, and gourmet cupcakes which sell for $2.75.

“[The gourmet cupcakes] are like a little party in a cupcake,” said Teague.

Caveman Spongebob

One thing that sets the bakery apart is their custom cakes. Unlike most bakeries, Cake, Hope, and Love has no sheet cakes or premade cakes available – all cakes are custom made to order and must be ordered up to two weeks in advance.

The owners also enjoy creating custom flavors for special events, such as a butterbeer-flavored cupcake they made for the Harry Potter movie premiere this past summer.

There are a few other things that make Cake, Hope, and Love different than most bakeries, the first of which is their love for philanthropy work. “We’re just social media geeks that like philanthropy,” said Teague.

Cake, Hope, and Love supports a different philanthropy each month. The philanthropy receives 20 percent of all proceeds made during that month.  They  support both local and national philanthropies. In the past, they have worked with the Hope Foundation of Greater Dayton and A Kid Again, which raises money for terminally ill children in Central Ohio.

Enchanted Castle Cake with built in LED lights

On a broader scale, the bakery is currently working with the No Kid Hungry project. From September 18-24th, Cake, Hope, and Love will donate a portion of their proceeds to help end childhood hunger in America. To learn more about this charity and other ways you can help, visit www.nokidhungry.org.

Cake, Hope, and Love is also preparing to take part in the Walk Now! For Autism Speaks event that is happening in Columbus on October 9th. “[Autism Speaks] is very near and dear,” said Teague, who has a son with autism.

The employees of Cake, Hope, and Love will be walking for Autism Speaks and are asking their customers to join or sponsor them. They will also be selling an Autism Speaks cupcake at their store for $2.00 and will donate $1.50 per cupcake to Autism Speaks. T-shirts will be available for $15 and will say, “Cake Nation – Changing the World One Cupcake at a Time.” All proceeds from the t-shirts will go towards the walk. For more information on how to join or donate to Cake Nation, visit www.walknowforautismspeaks.org.

Angry Birds cupcake toppers

In addition to making custom cakes and supporting charities each month, Cake, Hope, and Love caters to local events and rents their location out for private functions at a reasonable price. The bakery also runs weekly specials, such as “Buy 2 Get 2 Free” every Tuesday. For more information about catering, private events, specials, and coupons, check out the bakery’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CakeHopeandLove.

Cake, Hope, and Love is a fun, family-oriented bakery with enough custom cupcakes and flavors to please the entire family. The owners use their baking skills to put smiles on people’s faces while giving to charity at the same time. Stop in and enjoy their comfy lounge area, along with a tasty treat and a chat with the owners, all while supporting a good cause.