A Real Handful
Sample some of the best local street food at the Real Taco Fest this weekend, with food from local vendors including Bakersfield, Mazunte, and Olla, and one-of-a-kind margs from Karrikin.
If You Go
Tickets are required for entry and are $10. Attendees will be able to choose from one of two available sessions: 12–4pm or 6–10pm.
Food and drink tickets at the festival are $4; 1 ticket = 1 taco at vendors.
Tickets to attend are now available at www.realtacofest.com.
Do you like tacos? Of course you do – Everyone likes tacos.
Get your fill from more than a dozen local restaurants and vendors, including Mazunte, Condado Tacos, El Barril Mexican Sports Bar, and Mesa Loca at The Real Taco Fest, on Saturday, May 14 at Smale Riverfront Park
“We’ve all been to a food festival where lines are too long, or options are limited,” says Ben Howard, festival producer. “But it’s impossible not to notice the love our city has for tacos. Just ask anyone where their favorite taco in town is from and you’ll get a different answer each time!”
Because a street taco’s best friend is beer, Fifty West Brewing Company will be on site. Rather have a margarita? Karrikin Spirits Company has created the one-of-a-kind “Smokey Blaze”– an in-house infusion of Blaze Agave Spirit with Pineapple and Smoked Poblano Peppers –just for the festival, teaming up with Mesa Loca.
But the event is family-friendly with live music and access to the Smale’s playground, with children 10 and under free to attend.
A “Super Taco Pack”– 11 food and drink tickets for $40 – is available for advance purchase. Many vendors will have a limited menu focusing on street tacos, but side items, desserts, and non-alcoholic specialty drinks will also available.
.A portion of the proceeds from festival will benefit The Ion Center for Violence Prevention in their mission to offer free, confidential services to all victim-survivors of power-based personal violence, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
You Oughta Know
YouYu, a new pan-Asian restaurant at Hard Rock Casino, just opened with everything from avocado rolls to yang chow shrimp.
YouYu
Hard Rock Casino
1000 Broadway
Open Sunday through Thursday,
5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Inspired by the flavors and vibrancy of Asian street food, the newly opened YouYu explores a continent’s worth of cuisines.
From bibimbap to sushi, guests will find dishes from Bali, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong. YouYu also offers an extensive range of domestic and Asian beers, along withBoba milk tea, Chinese tea and rich Vietnamese coffee. The bar features Asian-inspired cocktails created by Rocktails, that offer a clever nod to Asian and Asian-American musicians.
Using Your Noodle
Whether you're carb loading for a race or empathy eating to show your support of the runners, check out a list of amazing pasta-bilities.
Runners love their pasta before their events! And Greater Cincinnati has a number of great pasta-centric restaurants that will satisfy your carbo-loading cravings on Flying Pig weekend. Here’s a list of some of the most popular restaurants in our area where you can feed your pasta needs.
FYI, we suggest reservations at the restaurants that take them.
Pompilios, 600 Washington Ave., Newport, Ky.
859-581-3065
Pompilios.com
Pompilios’ claim to fame is appearing in a scene from the Academy award winning movie Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. If you love their Italian sauces, you’ll be glad to know you can order them on line.
Via Vite, 520 Vine St., Downtown Cincinnati
513-721-8483
Viaviterestaurant.com
Via Vite is in the heart of the city, right on Fountain Square. Via Vite offers an authentic Italian dining experience in the heart of downtown. Pasta, crispy calamari and more are available.
Pepp & Dolores, 1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati
513-419-1820
Peppanddolores.com
Pepp & Dolores offers casual Italian fare in the Over-The-Rhine section of Cincinnati, just north of downtown. The menu features housemade pastas, curated wines and cherished family recipes.
Scotti’s Italian Restaurant, 919 Vine St., Downtown Cincinnati
513-721-9484
scottisitalianrestaurant.com
Scotti’s has been a local favorite for Italian classics since 1912 with the old fashioned red checkered tablecloths and neighborhood ambiance. Make sure you get reservations as this restaurant fills up quickly.
Primavista, 810 Matson Place, Price Hill, Cincinnati
513-251-6467
Pvista.com
Want your pasta with an amazing view of downtown? Primavista is the place. Voted time and time again as the area’s “Best Italian Restaurant,” Primavista offers everything from pizza to ravioli to spaghetti.
Nicola’s, 1420 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati
513-721-6200
Nicolasotr.com
Located just north of downtown in Over-the-Rhine, Nicola’s Ristorante Italiano has long been a fine dining staple of the city during its 20+ years of operation. Some of its most popular dishes include potato gnocchi, tagliatelle alla Bolognese and mushroom and rciotta gnudi.
Ferrari’s Little Italy, 7677 Golf Terrace, Madeira, OH
513-272-2220
Ferrarislittleitaly.com
If you’re staying on the east side of Cincinnati, a good choice is Ferrari’s Little Italy & Bakery in the heart of Madeira. Ferrari’s is an authentic Italian restaurant featuring Northern and Southern cuisine and generous portions. Family owned, its family style dining will be perfect for your group’s evening dinner.
LaRosa’s, Over 60 locations
513-347-1111 (or order delivery)
Larosas.com
With more than 60 locations in the area, there is bound to be a LaRosa’s close to where you’re staying. Its formal name may be LaRosa’s Pizzeria, but the restaurants have been serving up real Italian family recipes along with its pizza since 1954. Available for dine in, delivery or carry out.
Sorrento’s Italian Joint, 5143 Montgomery Road, Norwood OH
513-531-5070
Sorrentosnorwood.com
Sorrento’s Norwood has been an icon in the Cincinnati community since it was founded by Enrico and Santina DeLuca in 1956. Pizza, pasta, freshly-made salads and sandwiches are just the beginning. There also are classic Italian dishes, appetizers and salads that round out this "Italian joint.”
Subito at The Lytle Park Hotel, 311 Pike St., Downtown Cincinnati
513-579-3860
Subitoatlytlepark.com
Just east of the Central Business District and within walking distance of most of the hotels, Subito offers Northern Italian cuisine with homemade pastas, scratch-made sauces, steaks, fresh seafood and brick over pizzas.
At the Plate
Great American Ball Park reveals a lineup of soon-to-be fan favorite foods – from frozen drinks to Big Boy sliders and "bunt" cake.
Opening Day doesn’t just mean new players on the field at Great American Ball Park, it also means delicious new menu items in the stands.
Get the details on what you’ll find (and where to find) when you head to a game this year.
Photos by Shae Combs
A fan favorite returns this year to GABP, as LaRosa’s “Strikeout for Slices” will be back in the ballpark. When Reds pitchers combine for 11 strikeouts in a game (win or lose!) every ticket holder at GABP wins a free small, one-topping pizza. Just enter your Reds ticket code at larosas.com/reds within seven days of a qualifying game, and you’ll receive a coupon code for your pizza!
No Small Potatoes
You can't celebrate St. Patrick's Day without potatoes.
– by Tricia Suit
For St. Patrick’s Day, you probably had the brilliantly original idea to make potatoes.
Ingredients
Head of garlic
1/2 lb red potatoes
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 cup vegetable broth
Lots of rosemary
Irish Cheddar
Salt and pepper to taste
You may have plans to boil or fry, bake or mash. But a great way to use a lot of potatoes – or any leftovers in the giant bag you bought – is to make soup.
Unlike many potato soup recipes, this one doesn’t use a blender. You aren’t creating a silky smooth liquid but more of a stew.
Take a whole head of garlic, poke holes in it with a fork and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and place in a 400° oven while you prepare the rest of the ingredients or about 30 minutes.
Rinse and chop the potatoes. You don’t need to peel them.
Melt the butter in your soup-making pot, adding a dash of dried rosemary; once melted add flour and stir until well mixed. Cook the roux for a few minutes, then gradually add the milk. Let the mixture thicken a bit before you add the next round of liquid, including the vegetable broth.
Once all milk and broth are in the pot, add the potatoes. Cover and let cook on low. At this point, the garlic should be finished. The roasted garlic will be soft, fragrant, and kind of mushy. Remove the garlic from each bulb, chop it a bit, and add it to the soup. If you have more garlic than you’d like to have in the soup, save it to use on bread. (This soup pairs well with crusty bread!)
At this point, add more rosemary – Lots and lots of rosemary. Potatoes and rosemary love each other, plus it gives you the requisite green you need to make this a proper Irish meal.
Let the soup cook until the potatoes are tender. They should fall apart when you stick them with a fork but not totally disintegrate.
When serving, top with grated (or a thin slice of) Irish Cheddar. It’s St. Patricks’ Day, after all.
Awesomesauce
Join Frisch's Big Boy for a celebration of Cincinnati's most beloved condiment on National Tartar Sauce day, this Friday, March 4.
It’s Lent, when a Cincinnatian’s fancy turns to thoughts of fish. Fittingly, this Friday, March 4, is National Tartar Sauce Day.
To commemorate the occasion, Big Boy, symbol of our most famous condiment, will be honored with an official proclamation from the mayor declaring it “Frisch’s Big Boy Day.” The day also kicks off the official celebration of Frisch’s 75th anniversary!
“A cousin to the French condiment rémoulade, tartar sauce is a popular accompaniment to fish of any kind, but most commonly, fried fish. Its basic ingredients are listed below, but the recipe is open to personal interpretation. Chopped dill, parsley, and lemon juice make it more American, but add tarragon, shallots, cornichons, and minced garlic, and voila! you have rémoulade.”
– Jame Beard Foundation
Never one to rest on his laurels, Big Boy is going beyond the classic fish sandwich, offering more variety for the Lenten season with the Stacked Fish and Spicy Fish Sandwich. This sandwich is made with two pieces of fish, two slices of cheese, lettuce, pickles, and, of course, tartar sauce, on a double decker bun. The spicy version subs in spicy tartar sauce and pepper jack to kick up the heat.
On Friday nights during Lent, Frisch’s updates its Unlimited Soup & Salad Bar with seafood, offering crispy buttermilk popcorn shrimp, beer battered fish filets (all excellent vehicles for tartar sauce), crab cakes, seafood salad, tuna salad, Impossible Nuggets, Kettle batch soup, and scratch-made salad dressings.
Frisch’s has other meatless options, too, including the Impossible Big Boy and grilled cheese. If you’re hankering for breakfast-for-dinner, you can try the Impossible sausage with you eggs over easy.
Because you can’t have a birthday without cake, Frisch’s has created the Celebration Hot Fudge Cake. A variation on the classic hot fudge cake, this version adds a dash of sprinkles for fun! It’s also available as a shake, if you’re looking for a more mobile-friendly dessert.
Getting A Lift
Hoist raises the game through a partnership with the TQL Beer Series and marathons around the country and as the preferred hydration for the U.S. Military.
If you’ve put off signing up fro your next race because you were worried about maybe getting too dehydrated, worry no more!
HOIST hydration drink is now the Official Hydration Sponsor for TQL Beer Series. This three-event series includes the upcoming Bockfest 5K, along with Fifty West Mile and the Hudepohl 14K/7K. HOIST will provide product on the course and at the finish line.
“HOIST gives our participants another choice for hydration throughout, and after, their events,” said Iris Simpson Bush, CEO of Pig Works. “We are grateful to add HOIST to our list of amazing partners for our Pig Works and TQL Beer Series.”
The Bockfest 5K is on Saturday, March 5, with the Fifty West Mile on Friday on April 29 and the Hudepohl 14K/7K Brewery Run on Saturday, Sept. 17. Participants who complete all three are designed Brew Hogs and receive special perks after the series. Registration is now open at www.runbeerseries.com.
“We’re excited to partner with the TQL Beer Series,” said Rachel Trotta, director of business development with HOIST. “From Brew Hogs to attendees, however one needs to hydrate, HOIST has your back.”
Founded in 2009, HOIST provides IV-level hydration in the form of a bottle alongside a military-grade powdered product for those looking add an elevated hydration to their liquid.
HOIST has been integrated into Operational Rations for the U.S Military. That means it's approved for keeping soldiers hydrated during training and in deployed areas. Since it's Operational Rations-approved, HOIST can also be used in U.S. Military humanitarian missions, where it can help replenish and rehydrate victims of natural disasters and international conflict
A Rye Take on Dinner
Council Oak Steaks & Seafood at Hard Rock Casino is teaming up with Whistle Pig Rye for a five-course tasting menu on Feb. 24. Make reservations now!
If You Go
Whistle Pig Whiskey Dinner
Thursday, Feb. 24, 6 p.m.
Chef-created, five-course dinner, inspired by Whistle Pig. Includes interactive seminar/ Seats are limited. $150 per person.
To order visit Council Oak. Find more information at www.hardrockcasinocincinnati.com/dining/council-oak.
Spring might be in the air, but it is still solidly winter, which calls for hearty meals and a little something to help fortify you on those cold nights.
Enter whiskey.
Offering a wonderful way to stay warm, full, and happy, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati has a special Whistle Pig Whiskey Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 24.
This multi-course dinner includes whiskey pairings, with each course inspired by Whistle Pigs’s creations.
Council Oak, which opened in October, offer 100% U.S.D.A. bone-in prime ribeye, New York strip, porterhouse, and rack of lamb. You’ll also find lobster and shrimp along with a full raw bar. The menu also includes steakhouse classics like sumptuous mac & cheese, whipped potatoes, and Caesar salad.
Dipping In
Make sure you have Big Boy for the Big Game, with Frisch's latest dip, perfect for a party. Chef John Zenk shows you how.
Do you love a Big Boy but find it hard to share a burger with your friends at a party? Chef John Zenk, from Frisch’s Big Boy, has come up with a solution, just in time for the biggest, and dip-est, party of the year.
Using the classic burger as inspiration, Zenk has created a brand new way to experience this Cincinnati classic. No surprise, the recipe calls for Frisch’s Tartar Sauce but if you’re feeling “bad” you can use Frisch’s Spicy Tartar Sauce.
For a little WHO DEY, you can use tomatoes and black beans or black olives to create a Bengals helmet to top the dip.
And so everyone can enjoy it, Zenk also includes a vegetarian variation. Enjoy!
Big Boy Dip Party Dip
Makes one 9 x 13 pan
1 pound of Ground Beef (cooked and fat drained)
(or one package of “Beefy Veggie Crumbles” thawed)
1 pound of Velveeta Cheese
9.7 oz Jar of Frisch’s Tartar Sauce
8 ounces of shredded lettuce
1 diced tomato, fresh
20 pickle chips, chopped
Place cubed Velveeta in microwave safe dish and add cooked ground beef.
Microwave on defrost (50% power) for 4–5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Mix well and pour into 9 x 13 or 9x9 microwave pan and spread out to all edges.
Microwave pan for another 1 minute or until bubbly.
Remove from microwave
Top with Frisch’s Tartar Sauce, edge to edge
Add shredded lettuce, diced tomato and pickles
Serve immediately with tortilla chips and/or crostini.
Bad Boy Party Dip
Makes one 9 x 13 pan
1 pound of Ground Beef (cooked and fat drained)
(or one package of “Beefy Veggie Crumbles” thawed)
1 pound of Velveeta pepperjack Cheese
16 oz jar of Frisch’s Spicy Tartar Sauce
8 ounces of shredded lettuce
1 diced tomato
20 pickle chips, chopped
Place cubed Velveeta in microwave safe dish and add cooked ground beef.
Microwave on defrost (50% power) for 4–5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
Mix well and pour into 9 x13 or 9x9 microwave pan and spread out to all edges.
Microwave pan for another 1 minute or until bubbly.
Remove from microwave
Top with Frisch’s Tartar Sauce, edge to edge
Add shredded lettuce, diced tomato and tickles
Serve immediately with tortilla chips and/or crostini.
Sweet Dreams
Annika Sorenstam, LPGA Hall of Famer, launched a new cocktail line, Fizzy Beez, made with organic honey, in Cincinnati.
Enjoying a delicious cocktail made with ethically sourced ingredients is now easier than ever. Annika Sorenstam, a member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, was in Cincinnati for the initial canning for her new venture, Fizzy Beez.
“During COVID, my husband and I would be mixing drinks, and we wanted a ready-to-drink cocktail that had some flavor,” says Sorenstam. “We started mixing classic cocktails. We wanted to sweeten with something we knew, nothing artificial, nothing fake,” says Sorenstam. “So we have organic honey, which gives the drink quite the creamy taste.”
Sorenstam launched her new ready-to-drink line of canned cocktails at Taft’s Brewing Company Brewporium this week. The line features classic cocktails – Cosmo, Margarita, Moscow Mule and Mojito – sweetened with ethically farmed organic honey, is gluten free and is 140 calories for each 12-ounce drink.
Fizzy Beez will first be released in Ohio, with new launches to follow this year and next in Nevada, California, Arizona and Florida.
“My husband is from Ohio, so it seems like it’s meant to be!” she says.
According to an article by VinePair, Inc., the sales of ready-to-drink cocktails increased by 91.8 percent in the United States during the first months of the pandemic. The ready to drink cocktail market size is projected to grow annually at more than 12 percent, from a value of $714.8 million in 2020 to an estimated market value of $1.63 billion in 2027.
Say Cheese
Cold weather got you down? A (free) grilled cheese is the ulitmate comfort food. Get to Frisch's before it's too late.
January’s gonna January, so if the cold and rain has you looking for comfort, warm up with a FREE grilled cheese from Frisch’s Big Boy. But hurry – When the month is over, so is the deal.
You can enjoy National Soup Month through Jan. 31 with a free grilled cheese sandwich when you purchase entrée soup and salad bar. The Frisch’s grilled cheese sandwich is made with two slices of Klosterman’s Texas Toast with four slices of American cheese, grilled to order and a perfect dipper with daily soup selections. Their unlimited Soup and Salad Bar features fruits and vegetables, scratch-made signature salad dressings as well as the those scratch-made, kettle batch soups.
Frisch’s famous vegetable soup is available every day and the daily soup schedule is
Monday: Broccoli Cheddar
Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Potato Bacon
Friday: Clam Chowder
Saturday: Bean
Sunday: Chicken Noodle
Get it while it’s hot!
Season's Eatings
Give yourself a gift this year! Celebrate Christmas dinner at a restaurant, where the toughest choice you'll have to make is what you're going to have.
Having all your loved ones together for a grand holiday dinner may be the goal. But the reality is you have to make sure you have a vegetarian option for your brother, remember to not use milk in the gravy because of your lactose-intolerant mother-in-law, and figure out which one of your nephews is allergic to nuts.
It’s a lot.
What if everyone could have exactly what they wanted this year for dinner and you didn’t have to make one trip to the grocery store? It’s not a Christmas miracle, it’s going out to eat.
A number of restaurants (centrally located!) still have availability on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hotel restaurants are often your best option, usually offering a bit more flexibility on times. Act fast, though, as reservations are filling quickly.
While you’re making reservations, you may want to book for New Year’s Eve, too. It’s not too early to think about next year!
Coppin’s at Hotel Covington
638 Madison Avenue Covington
Dinner served Friday – Saturday, 5–10 p.m.
hotelcovington.com/dining/coppins
Coppin’s, in Hotel Covington, is approachable, intimate, and comfortable with a sense of style and sophistication. Their culinary team is dedicated to sustainable sourcing of meat, fish and game and working with regional and local farmers and artisans to provide seasonal variations. The restaurant serves breakfast through dinner.
Council Oak Steaks and Seafood
Hard Rock Casino, 1000 Broadway
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 5 – 11 p.m.
www.hardrockcasinocincinnati.com/dining/council-oak
Must be 21 to enter casino
The newest steakhouse in town includes a side of fun at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati.
The namesake for the restaurant comes from an actual tree located on the Seminole Tribe of Florida reservation in Hollywood, Florida where ceremonial and official tribal business is conducted. The Seminole Tribe of Florida is the parent entity of Hard Rock International.
Along with great starters, from bacon and green apple salad to jumbo crab cake and classic French onion soup, the restaurant has dry aged for 28 days 100% U.S.D.A. bone-in prime ribeye, New York strip, porterhouse, and rack of lamb along with lobster, scallops, king crab, and shrimp.
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood
21 E. Fifth St.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Holiday prix fixe menu available Dec. 24 and Dec. 25.
www.mccormickandschmicks.com/cincinnati
Conveniently located across the street from Fountain Square, McCormick & Schmick’s is renowned for fresh seafood and shellfish but also aged steaks, garden fresh salads, and decadent desserts.
The prix fixe menu starts with mixed greens, classic caesar or clam chowder, with salmon or cobia, filet mignon or lobster as an entree, and cheesecake, chocolate silk or apple pie for dessert.
Metropole @ 21c Museum Hotel
609 Walnut St.
Christmas Eve, 5:30 – 10 p.m.
Three course prix fixe menu for $70 per person
www.metropoleonwalnut.com
Executive Chef Vanessa Miller takes a modern spin on classic French and Italian cooking. Focused on local and seasonal offerings, her Metropole menu is prepared with the goal of creating a social experience for guests at the forefront.
The menu starts with your choice of avocado and radish salad, parsnip and fennel soup, or crispy devilled. The hearty entrees – wine braised short rib, smoked mushroom pappardelle, seared branzino – are followed by your choice of maple smoked persimmon or chocolate and caramel for dessert. You can add a $5 “side” and donate to Freestore Foodbank.
Morton's The Steakhouse – Carew Tower
441 Vine Street Carew Tower Cincinnati, OH 45202
Friday, Dec. 24, 4–9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec 25, 12 – 8 p.m.
Friday, Dec 31, 4 p.m.– Midnight
www.mortons.com/cincinnati
Morton's The Steakhouse, the nation's premier steakhouse group, specializes in classic, hearty fare, serving generous portions of USDA prime aged beef, as well as fresh fish, lobster and chicken entrees. Though the restaurant has prix fixe menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day featuring a winter salad, chateaubriand served with baked corn soufflé, sour cream mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach, plus dessert.
The full menu will also be available.
Ruth's Chris Steak House at The Banks
100 E Freedom Way, Suite 160 Cincinnati, OH 45202
www.ruthschris.com/cincinnati/
Friday, 2 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
New Year’s Eve, 3 – 9 p.m.
Ruth's Chris Steak House serves the finest USDA Prime beef available, broiled at 1,800° and served on 500° plates, so your steak stays hot, juicy and delicious from first bite to last. Enjoy their New Orleans-inspired appetizers, steaks, fresh seafood, signature side dishes and homemade desserts. Celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve to enjoy an unforgettable holiday dinner.
Ruth's seasonal classics prix fixe meal, includes a starter, entrée, a personal side and dessert.
Beef Up Your Presents
It just got a little easier to put everyone on the "nice" list this year. Now through Cyber Monday, Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment is offering 20% off on gift cards.
As we all work to declutter our homes and simplify our lives, giving presents gets a little more complicated. But no one needs to find room on a shelf for a great meal.
Keep it simple this holiday season, and give the the gift of food!
Now through Cyber Monday (Nov. 29), Jeff Ruby Gift Cards are 20%. The cards are perfect for dine-in, takeout, meal kits and delivery at all of the restaurant – Jeff Ruby's Steakhouses, The Precinct, and Carlo & Johnny.
Purchase online now JeffRuby.com. And pick up a little something for yourself, while you’re at!
Berry the Lead
Molded Cranberry Sauce
This recipe is based on the OG kitchen staple, The Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book – It’s a binder and cookbook! – which outlines the correct proportions, so it’s easy to scale up or down, depending on the number of guests. The additional flavoring is pure autumnal inspiration, inspiration, though.
2 cups cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
(Hint: Juice one orange, then add water until you have one cup of liquid.)
Create flavor sachet using orange rind, cinnamon sticks, and a few cloves. The easiest way to do this is to put them in a coffee filter, tie the top with string.
Combine sugar and liquid in a sauce pan and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes. Add cranberries to pot, then add:
Dash ginger
Fresh grated nutmeg
Flavor sachet; tie to a spoon and drop into the mixture to keep track of it.
Reduce heat to medium, and boil some more.
NOTE: Make 3–4 days ahead; keep refrigerated.
Cranberry sauce is an issue dividing our dining tables each Thanksgiving.
Some people yearn for the splosh of the gelatinous form, ridges from the can intact, displayed on a plate between the turkey and the yams.
Others long for a zingy relish, berries still visible, with pink liquid splattering on the tablecloth.
Does anybody eat either of those?
The answer is a little bit, just to be polite.
But what if you found a compromise between those two extremes – a molded form with a tart and layered taste! Cranberry détente is a possible. This magical concoction has the satisfying form people recognize as “cranberry sauce” coupled with fresh, complex flavors that complement the rest of the meal.
Boil cranberries
Really boil them. The trick to taking it from jelly to gelled is the boiling time.
Boil the hell out of the cranberries – Keep the boil going as long as you can and then wait a little bit longer. Usually about 15 minutes of rapid boiling will do the trick. Carefully remove the sachet before moving on the next steps.
The berries will pop as they heat, so stir, from a distance, to keep them boiling over or hopping out of the pot.
At this point you have a red, angry mess on your hands, a far cry from the glassy cranberry sauce of your dreams.
Cranberries, flavor sachet, food mill.
To smooth out the texture, I run the berries through a food mill. Pour the mixture into the mill and turn, working your way through all of the cranberries over large bowl. You will see that it has already start gelling.
This food mill dates from the 1960 at the absolute latest but it’s a safe bet you don’t have one lying around your kitchen. Should you not have an ancient food mill, you can run though cranberries through a strainer or colander for a similar effect.
From the bowl, pour the cranberries into a mold. I use a domed container, which both gives the cranberry sauce shape and allows for easy storage of leftovers. If you want to approximate the size and shape of the traditional can, use a jelly or Ball jar, just make sure the mouth is as wide as the body, or you’ll have a struggle on your hands.
For about 30 minutes of effort, you will have a Thanksgiving side dish that is fresh, flavorful, and delicious. People who think they don’t like cranberry sauce will like this one.
– Tricia Suit
Easy Does It
Why spend the day in the kitchen on Thanksgiving? Order part (or all) of the meal and you can relax, watch football, and enjoy a real day off. Moerlein Lager House, Funky's Catering Events, and Meals on Wheels have got you covered.
Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, so it’s time to start making those menus and planning your shopping trip(s). But what if you didn’t have to do any any of that? What if someone else did the cooking this year? That dream can be a reality for you.
While everyone talks turkey for Thanksgiving, true aficionado’s know it’s all about pie. If you’ve found you don’t have the time – or the inclination – to bake this year, don’t worry. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.
By contrast, it means you have the chance to do some real good for the holiday.
“For a lot of us the Thanksgiving table carries memories and traditions and you can make your pie more meaningful than ever,” says Kat Steiner, chief giving officer with Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY.
“When you buy a pie from Meals on Wheels’ Bust a Crust! it shows your loved ones that you value them and the community. Each pie helps take care and feed a local senior for about a week,” she says.
“There’s no dessert that is sweeter than doing good and giving back,” says Steiner.
But time is running out! The last day to order your pies from Bust A Crust! is Monday, Nov. 15. As they say on TV, act now!
What goes better with Thanksgiving football than beer? Now you can relax and watch the traditional rivalry of your choice when you let Moerlein Lager House do the cooking. Order by Nov. 17.
The geniuses at Moerlein Lager House have put together a full dinner package for four that includes honey glazed ham AND turkey with gravy, plus garlic mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, bread, and a house salad, with carrot cake for dessert.
All the dinner packages are pre-cooked, and come with heating instructions so you can easily make it home. The packages can be picked up from 3 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 23 and Wednesday, Nov. 24, and you can choose choose your pickup time at checkout. To keep it simple, curbside pick-up available, just text (513) 601-9005 when you get there. Moerlein is also offering fee validated parking if you decide to have dinner there when you pick-up, with parking directly below the restaurant.
The cost is $80 before taxes and fees, and for just $12, you can add a four-pack of beer brewed onsite. But order by Nov. 17!
In the Bag
Ohio's favorite Halloween candy will come as no surprise to loyal football fans or lovers of classic flavor combinations. Find out how to DIY, if you dare!
Zippia, a career advice blog, recently released a list of each state’s favorite Halloween candy. FYI, the way “favorite candy” relates to your job is that you can impress your co-workers by bringing in the most popular local candy.
Ohio’s favorite Halloween candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. That should come as no surprise to Ohio State football fans, since the main ingredients in peanut butter cups are the same as those in Buckeyes. (The delicious candy treats, not the official state tree or the aforementioned football team.)
If you now have a craving for Buckeyes, have no fear! You most likely have the ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator and whip up a batch in about an hour.
Then you can treat yourself this Halloween!
Buckeyes
Ingredients
1/2 cup SKIPPY® Natural Creamy Peanut Butter Spread
3/4 cup butter, softened and divided
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
Line baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
In medium bowl, combine peanut butter spread and 1/2 cup butter; beat together until blended. Gradually stir in powdered sugar.
On cutting board or flat surface, knead peanut butter spread mixture until smooth. Shape mixture into 36 (3/4-inch) balls. Arrange balls on baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and remaining 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring occasionally.
With two forks, dip balls into chocolate, covering two-thirds of each ball and leaving one side exposed to resemble buckeyes. Return to baking sheet. Decorate with sprinkles if using. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
–from Skippy (peanutbutter.com)
A Rare Find
Council Oak Steak and Seafood at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati opened Oct. 25. The chef, Frank Volski, shares a favorite recipe before you make a visit to sample their U.S.D.A. prime steaks are all dry-aged 21 to 28 days, award-winning wine list, and more.
When Council Oak Steaks and Seafood opens on Monday at the Hard Rock Casino, the food will have a distinctly Cincinnati flavor, in more ways than one. Frank Volski, the new head chef, is a Cincinnati native with strong ties to the community.
Home Cooking
Council Oak Meatballs
“This is my favorite dish (on the menu) because it's my grandmas meatball and tomato sauce recipe. Finished with ricotta mint and the best extra virgin olive oil Council Oak has to offer.”
“I am looking forward to utilizing my creative passion and knowledge to make Council Oak the premier steakhouse in the city,” says Volski.
Starting as a teenager, Volski has held jobs in local restaurants, gaining vital industry experience. A graduate of the Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, Volkski spent two years in San Francisco as the sous chef at the Palo Alto Country Club. He was part of Manresa, Chef David Kinch’s Michelin-star restaurant in California. Volski returned to Cincinnati and most recently worked as the chef de cuisine at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.
As the Council Oak chef, Frank will be responsible for research and development of Cincinnati’s menu, culinary operations and opening of the newly branded space.
Council Oak Steaks and Seafood at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati is open Monday–Thursday, 5–10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5–11 p.m., and Sunday, 4-9 p.m. For more information visit, www.hardrockcasinocincinnati.com/dining/council-oak.
The Sweetest Thing
Even if you think Sweetest Day is a made-up holiday, is a day devoted to candy ever a bad thing? Discover the origins of this Ohio-born, candy-centric celebration and find a few ways to make Saturday, Oct. 15 a little sweeter for your favorite people.
Like so many things today – professional baseball, airplane flights, and astronauts – Sweetest Day, a day devoted to sharing and enjoying candy, got its start Ohio.
In Cleveland of all places.
In 1916, the National Confectioner’s Association developed a “candy day” in an attempt to, what else, promote candy sales. But before candy day could find its sweet spot, the sugar shortage of WWI ended any subsequent celebrations
Enter Herbert Birch Kingston. In 1921 the Cleveland advertising executive took another look at candy. He decided to change the reason behind candy day, viewing it as an opportunity to bring treats to the lonely and underprivileged. With the help of other Cleveland confectioners Kingston created a new holiday.
On that Sweetest Day (held on Oct. 10), 20,000 boxes of candy were given to “newsboys, orphans, old folks, and the poor” according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Helping with the distribution was one of the world’s biggest movie stars – and Cincinnati native – Theda Bara.
In the following decades, Sweetest Day continued to be a mostly regional holiday centered on making the day a little brighter for children, with candy regularly given away to children’s charities and hospitals.
Of course, today, we often think of Sweetest Day as a “Hallmark holiday,” designed to make you feel bad if you forget it. But perhaps this year is a good time to go back to basics. Whether you cheer up a friend with a candy bar, surprise your beloved with a box of chocolates, or drop off bag of Halloween candy a little early to hospital workers.
Couldn’t we all use a little more sweetness right about now?
Luckily, we have a number of options in Theda Bara’s hometown to make your shopping easy for this Sweetest Day, Saturday, Oct. 16.
Graeter’s
Multiple locations
www.graeters.com
Best known for ice cream, the Graeter family has been creating treats since 1870. Members of the third, fourth, and fifth generation currently work in the business. Along with their roster of signature French Pot ice cream, you can find Perfect Indulgence, their new vegan frozen dessert, fruit sorbets, and delicious seasonal flavors. To keep it authentic for Sweetest Day, you can also find a variety of chocolate candies to give as gifts while you’re ordering your black raspberry chip cone. (Oprah’s favorite!)
Aglamesis’s
Oakley Square
3046 Madison Road
Montgomery Square Shopping Centre
9899 Montgomery Road
www.aglamesis.com
Another famous candy family, Aglamesis Brothers’ rich ice creams and decadent chocolates have been delighting Cincinnatians more than a century. Lauded by The New York Times, The Food Network and Bon Appetit, entering the shop in Oakley store is like stepping back in time. Plus you’ll find whatever you need for Sweetest Day, from a classic assortment in a fancy box to caramels, salted caramels and their nonpareils, which truly live up to their name.
Fawn Candy Company
Roowood Pavilion
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208
4271 Harrison Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45211
The new kid on the block of chocolate, The Fawn Candy Company, owned and operated by the Guenther family, has been around since 1946. Selecting only the finest ingredients, Fawn Candies are always fresh, handmade daily in their candy kitchen. Along with beautifully decorated Fall cups, you’ll find seasonal dark and milk foil-coved chocolates, caramel apples, and bourbon balls plus, for that very special someone a chocolate-covered wine bottle.
– Tricia Suit
Pacific Rim
Explore the cuisines and cultures from 11 countries, including China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, all without leaving town at Asian Food Fest, held on the new Court Street Plaza on Oct. 9 and 10.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Asian Food Fest, presented by Kroger and Procter & Gamble, celebrates culture and cuisine from 11 Asian countries.
“While food is the heart of this event, celebration of Asian culture will be on full display,” said Cynthia Oxley, director of Asian Food Fest.
This year’s event is Oct. 9 and 10 on the new Court Street Plaza and Vine Street in downtown Cincinnati, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2021 Asian Food Fest Entertainment
Saturday, Oct. 9
1 p.m. – FASO – The Dancing Kimonas
2 p.m. – Sayaw FilipinoOH
3 p.m. – GCCCEA Youth Group
4 p.m. – Pamama Dance Group
5 p.m. – Bing Yang Performing Arts Center
6 p.m. – Wadaiko Gouken Taiko
7 p.m. – AFF Vibes - Justin Park and Demie Cao
Sunday, Oct. 101
1 p.m. – FASO – FACPA
2 p.m. – Chinese QiPao Dance
3 p.m. – AFF Vibes Day 2 featuring Jules Aurora and SUN Satica
5 p.m. – Bing Yang Performing Arts Center
Throughout both days, there will be a variety of unique Asian cultural entertainment including traditional Filipino and Chinese dances and Japanese Taiko Drums.
“We’re excited to return for a 10th year with an exceptional lineup of food, drink, and entertainment that includes Korean American Star Justin Park and Filipino-American Singer Jules Aurora.”
2021 Asian Food Fest Vendors
Angie Tee's Kitchen
Blesame International
Boba cha
Bread House Bakery
Bridges Nepali
China Gourmet
Chinos Street Food
Dai Trang Bistro
Desi Plaza
Eam Kruesah
Kung Fu Tea
Lalo-Chino Latino
Lang Thang Group
Mahope
Maki Express
Red Sesame
Roll On In
S.E.A. Cuisine Food truck
Siamorchid Thai restaurant
Streetpops
Tea n Bowl Asian Food and Bubble Tea
TeakOTR
Thai Express
Vannon's Cambodian Street Food
Asian Food Fest is produced in partnership with the Cincinnati Chamber and Asian American Cultural Association of Cincinnati (AACAC). Both organizations are committed to following state and local COVID-19 guidelines. The event is free and open to the public.
Visit asianfoodfest.org to learn more.
Parsley Responsible
ish, the biennial arts and culture festival, returns to Washington Park Sept. 25 and 26, exploring Jewish and Israeli cultural traditions through art, music, and of course, incredible food, including a tabbouleh recipe from Chef Adam Cohen.
“To know a community is to know its food.”
– Gil Marks
If You Go
ish Festival
Saturday, Sept. 25, 6*–11 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m.–6 p.m
Learn more at ishFestival.org
The community is invited to explore what it means to be Jewish and Israeli at the ish festival, Sept. 25 and 26 in Washington Park, through a dynamic selection of artists, vendors, music, cultural activities, and of course, food.
On Sunday, you can enjoy incredible Middle Eastern dishes and cooking demos, but to get a taste of things to come, Chef Adam Cohen of Adam Cohen Catering has shared his tebhouleh recipe.
“The tebhouleh we will be serving at the festival is my take on a classic Levantine salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper,” says Cohen. “We will be using quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur wheat and I add ground cumin to add an additional earthy flavor to the dish.”
“Often red bell peppers are added but since there are some people who don't particularly like that flavor (me included!) I omit them,” says Cohen.
Tebhouleh
3/4 pound ripe plum tomatoes, finely diced
2 cups finely chopped curly parsley leaves and tender stems (about 2 bunches), finely chopped with a sharp knife
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves (about 1 bunch)
1 cup chopped green onion
ground cumin to taste
lemon juice and olive oil to taste (about a tablespoon of each)
Cook the quinoa per instructions. Set aside to cool.
Prepare and chop all vegetables and herbs.
Combine all vegetables and herbs, and slowly sprinkle in the cooled quinoa.
Add lemon juice and olive oil to taste.
Add salt and spices to taste.
Toss or mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature or chill before serving.
Enjoy as a side dish or on its own!
The ish Festival is part of the broader celebration of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial. Among the vendors and programs at the festival will be Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati, Darren Goodman Glass, Cincinnati Skirball Museum, Tell and K’vell, StoryTime with Sparkle, and Mayerson JCC.
The music lineup on Saturday is Gilad Vital of Shoteh Hanevuah, Siri Imani, Ben Pagliaro, Emily Mari Belly Dance, Daniel Moss, and Drums for Peace. The headliner is renowned reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician, Matisyahu. He will perform after sundown, after the close of Shabbat, around 9:15 p.m. Tickets are available, the doors open at 6 p.m., with a community Havdalah at 8:15 p.m. In the event of rain, the show will move to Memorial Hall.
On Sunday, the performers are Emily Marie Belly Dance, Bach and Boombox, Anatevka Klezmer Band, Ben Pagliaro, Beth Hamon, Drums for Peace, JustLove Band, DANCEFIX, Jessica L.G. Steuver, and Alma Gitana.
Sunday at ish
The festival is designed to celebrate the diversity and differences of many identities, beliefs, cultural heritages and experiences, and welcome participation from non-Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Palestinian and other culturally-identifying individuals.