28 a (614) magazine
Summer 2021
Refreshing Columbus cuisine Inside: G E TAWAY B R E W I N G • T R O L L E Y B A R N • S T R AW B E R RY F I E L D S 614NOW.COM
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BIG PICTURE It's berry picking season in Central Ohio! And what better berry for desserts, drinks, and salads than strawberries? See one place that gets a lot of visitors on pg. 64. PHOTO BY ALLY SCHNAIDT
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STAY COOL Summer dining doesn’t mean you’re relegated to anything you can suck through a straw. In this season’s cover section, we’ve rounded up an entire meal’s worth of eats designed to cool you down.
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URBAN ESCAPE
BACK ON TRACK
Seventh Son’s new Getaway Brewing Co. offers a beer-forward vacation from the everyday.
New Trolley District development aims to lift up local businesses and the community
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ADULT JUICE BOXES
STRAWBERRY FIELDS
Why this flavor-crazy one-man meadery is driving Columbus wild
Berry picking is back at this beloved farm outside Plain City
COVER PHOTO BY JAMES D DECAMP
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From the Editor PUBLISHER Wayne T. Lewis CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Lindsay Press
SARAH SOLE Asst. Editor / Digital
We all scream for ice cream
VP OF CONTENT / EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie West ASSISTANT / DIGITAL EDITOR Sarah Sole 614 CAMPUS EDITOR Caroline Cunningham CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jen Brown, James D. DeCamp, Ally Schnaidt
In the middle of a Northeast Ohio winter, my Youngstown family and I could always be found sitting in the middle of the South Side Handel’s parking lot, enjoying our favorite sweet treat. There the four of us would sit, packed in one of my parents’ cars: My dad and mom in the front, my sister and I in the backseat, bulked up for the occasion with down jackets, hats, and scarves. Twenty degrees? Ten? Nothing was cold enough to keep us away from our favorite ice cream. You can bet that nine times out of 10, our car was the only one in the lot. There’s a nostalgia of sorts that can form like a cloud over certain frozen treats. While I might be one in a few who associate ice cream stalls with family outings taken in the dead of winter, I’d bet that you have your own childhood memories associated with say, cherry push pops, or those first few notes of an ice cream truck’s melody.
While our cover section will take you on a multi-course adventure, the rest of our issue is chock full of sunlit summer inspiration as well. From homemade mead, to strawberry picking, to a how-to for homemade ice cream, our pages serve up some of the best ways to celebrate the warmer months. Looking for a staycation? We’ll take you to Getaway Brewing, newly opened in Bridge Park. You can also get the down-low on the East Market, a collection of food vendors set to open this summer as a part of the larger Trolley District development on the city’s east side. Yes, there’s a lot to explore this summer, Columbus. But before you get out there, grab a cold one and take a timeout with us. We’ll make it worth your while.
For our summer issue of Stock & Barrel, we were inspired by memories of seasons past: Of that first bite of frozen sorbet. Of dipping your head under cold, crystal clear water. Of talking into a fan, just to hear how funny your voice sounded. So much of summer is celebrated through food. And this issue, we wanted to use our cover section to call out the very best ways to cool down with creative cuisine found right here in Columbus. The frozen fabrications of our past get an upgrade in the form of wine slushies. And you’d best believe we’re slinging popsicles for dessert. But while sweet treats abound during the summer, we made sure to call out savory refreshments as well, such as salads, sushi, and hot soup’s cold cousin, gazpacho.
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Sole Jack Mclaughlin Melinda Green
Melissa Braithwaite DESIGN TEAM MANAGER Paul Barton CREATIVE DESIGNERS Jaime North, Emma Quinn VIDEO PRODUCER / EDITOR Maddy Van Buren Austin Black DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Jayci Haase MARKETING COORDINATOR Justynne Pride ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Meggin Weimerskirch SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Nikki Harris ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mindy Wilhite Travis Burson
Created by
(614) Magazine 458 E Main St., Columbus, OH 43215 Office: (614) 488-4400 | Fax: (614) 488-4402 Email submissions to: editor@614now.com www.614now.com
CALENDAR Summer is back, Columbus! Check out ways to celebrate below, and keep an eye on 614now.com and our social media for more.
(614) Restaurant Week July 26-31 Location: Columbus
Festival Latino August 14-15 Location: Genoa Park
Columbus Food Truck Festival August 20-21 Location: Scioto Mile
WonderBus Music & Arts Festival August 28-29 Location: The Lawn at CAS 614NOW.COM
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STAFF PICKS B y S to c k & B a r re l sta f f
How are we cooling off this summer?
Since our theme for the summer issue of Stock & Barrel is keeping cool, we asked our staff: What are your favorite summer treats for cooling down? See if you agree! Culver's ice cream. Just go try it and you'll know immediately why.
Cake batter ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery! I think about it every day.
I love all kinds of fresh melon in the summer. But do not even ask if I put salt on cantaloupe because I will never
Stephanie West
Justynne Pride
Jayci Haase
I used to make these frozen lemon squares all the time when I was younger! Loved them then and I love them now
Graeter's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream – I eat an unhealthy amount of it every summer in a waffle cone.
Handel’s Pink Champagne sherbet is amazing on a hot summer day.
Austin Black
Jaime North
Sarah Sole
Marketing Coordinator
VP of Content / Editor-in-Chief
Video Producer/Editor
Creative Designer
Director of Marketing
Asst./Digital Editor
PRODUCTS WE'RE LOVING
↑ Sun Squad™ Coolers, available at Target.com, come in a variety of patterns, shapes, and sizes. Perfect for keeping your snacks cold while carrying them to the pool, picnic, or a barbeque.
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↑ Pralines & Cream, from Graeters, features candied pecans in a sweet vanilla ice cream. It's a limited-time “bonus flavor,” dropped just in time for summer. (Photo courtesy of Graeters)
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↑ Drink Umbrellas, available at most retailers, adds a dash of summer fun to any drink! (And we've got some yummy watermelon drink recipies in a couple pages!)
↑ Hawaiian Shaved Ice & Snow Cone Machine, available on Amazon.com, can not only be used for making shaved ice, but also margaritas! Talk about a great way to cool down on the weekends!
Press Play
Did you know that (614) launched a new YouTube channel with some very shareable video content, including delicious food stories from Stock & Barrel? It’s true. We’re expanding our ever-growing content to include video across our web and magazine stories. Keep an eye out for more on our (614) Columbus account and on social media. In the meantime, check out the newest videos on our channel:
now playing...
Tasting Columbus Have you checked out our new TV show “Tasting Columbus?” Join OSU food scientist Matt Teegarden as he eats his way through Columbus’ food scene. Episodes drop the first of every month. Make sure to tune in at tastingcolumbus. com or scan the QR code here. → now playing...
Finding Fair Food The Ohio State Fair might be closed to the public this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite food. Stick with us for tips on how to get the best of fair food without the fair. Scan the QR code here. →
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WHAT 'S YOUR RECIPE? Frozen Lemon Squares AUSTIN BL ACK
Video Producer / Editor Video Producer/Editor Austin Black shares the recipe for a refreshing summer treat: Frozen Lemon Squares YUM SCALE
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
They are so light and refreshing. Every family reunion I would make them and share. They typically went pretty quick— something about the frozen, citrus-y goodness that makes a hot summer day more relaxing and enjoyable!
INGREDIENTS 9 graham crackers, finely crushed (about 1-¼ cups)
6 oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
⅓ c margarine or butter, melted
1/2 c thawed Cool Whip Lite Whipped Topping
4 c frozen vanilla yogurt, softened
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix graham crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch square pan Beat yogurt and concentrate with mixer until blended; spread over crust Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Serve topped with Cool Whip. ENJOY!
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#EAT614 It’s difficult for us here at Stock & Barrel to catch it all. That’s where you come in: while you’re out there capturing the city, you might as well slide some of your best shots our way. Use the hashtag #Eat614 on twitter or instagram to put your photos on our radar.
@columbuspiecompany
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@pearlcolumbus
@gmichaelsbistro
@vegfoodie614
@ryeriversocial
@archcitytavern
@eastonfoode
@chilljoyft
@henquarterdublin
@modacbus
@ohiofoodlover
@thebeardandthebaker
@smallcakescbus
@ thefoodieandthenewbie
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Clutch Handheld
Yellowbird
www.clutchhandhelds.com Instagram: @Clutchhandhelds
www.yellowbirdfs.com (740) 263-6933 13246 Wooster Rd, Mount Vernon
Breakfast
Clutch is your destination for inspired breakfast handhelds. We aim to bring flavorful classic and fun breakfast dishes to your hands. To experience the love we put in our food order online for pickup and delivery, it’s that easy. So clutch!
The Yellowbird Foodshed is a multi-farm online grocery experience dedicated to building a sustainable food system for the metropolitan area of Columbus, OH. We partner with small-scale, sustainable farmers and producers in order to provide a convenient way to access fresh, local food. We believe in providing source-identified food raised without the use of harsh chemicals in an effort to enhance the health of the community and support the local economy. Through our year-round online grocery store, members of the community can enjoy weekly ordering that is filled with good food grown close to home. It is time we start asking, Who grew your food? Learn about our weekly produce boxes, 1000+ a la carte grocery items, home delivery, and more at yellowbirdfs.com.
Basic Biscuits
Get your 614 T-
www.getbasicbiscuits.com (614) 549-5955 1160 Goodale Boulevard, Columbus
614now.com/shop
At Basic Biscuits, Kindness & Coffee, we believe that basic ingredients make the best biscuits, even if some of our flavors are anything but. Our buttermilk biscuit recipe uses whole milk buttermilk, pure butter, flour, salt and leavening to create a flaky layered biscuit. Choose from over a dozen flavors of bite sized mini-biscuits for a snack, or pair them with our house made sausage gravy for a heartier meal. Our larger biscuits serve as the perfect bun for a bacon or sausage, egg & cheese sammie, and buttermilk biscuit dough makes a delightfully flaky crust for our quiche. Come visit us in our store to try any of these goodies, local coffee, honey and jam, plus daily specials!
Shirts Now!
Back by popular demand. Be prepared to tell people where you snagged this comfy tee. Even better? Shipping is free! Available in Charcoal, Royal, Red, and White. Printed right here in Columbus, Ohio!
SWEET HYDRATION Stay cool this summer with the season’s most refreshing fruit By Melissa Braithwaite
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h, watermelon! This quintessential summer fruit is one of the most popular consumed across the world— and it’s for good reason. While its juicy, sweet flesh contains nutrients and beneficial plant compounds, it’s also very low in calories and 91% water, helping you hydrate on those sweaty summer days. Sure, watermelon tastes perfect eaten in slices or chunks, but if you want all the benefits (and deliciousness) of watermelon in a sexier package, check out these local treats. → 614NOW.COM
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LOCAL TREATS Watermelon Wave Smoothie Berry Blendz•1585 N. High St.
This classic smoothie blends watermelon with strawberries, raspberries, and bananas for a sweet and refreshing summer treat. Add a Hangover Blend or Multi-Vitamin Blend for an extra energy boost.
Watermelon Margarita
Bakersfield Short North•733 N. High St. If we had to choose an official cocktail of summer, it would have to be a fresh, cold watermelon margarita. A perfect blend of Espolon Blanco, Aperol, watermelon, fresh lime, and agave, Bakersfield’s fits the bill beautifully.
Paradise Punch
Zest Juice Co.•980 W. Fifth Ave. Fair warning: This punch is addictive. We like to think of it as orange juice on vacation. The acidic citrus juice is sweetened up and somewhat watered down by a blend of watermelon and pineapple juices. The result is a refreshing juice you could sip all summer day long.
RECIPES Watermelon and Cucumber Salsa (V,GF) This versatile salsa is perfect atop grilled chicken or served with chips. The sweet and spicy salsa is the very essence of summer. Eat it al fresco for the ultimate effect! 2 c. watermelon, diced 1 c. cucumber, diced ¼ c. scallions, chopped ¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped 1-2 tbsp. jalapeno, diced ¼8 tp. cayenne pepper Salt and pepper to taste Gently combine all ingredients. Serve. If making in advance, drain the salsa before serving.
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Citrus Watermelon Salad
Pat & Gracie’s Kitchen + Tavern•340 E. Gay St. (only on Gay St. menu, not on Clintonville location menu)
If watermelon is the quintessential summer fruit, then this is the quintessential summer salad. Spring mix is the base for this bright and beautiful dish including watermelon, oranges, dried cranberries, red onion, candied pecans and bleu cheese crumbles drizzled with Pat & Gracie’s homemade citrus vinaigrette. When it comes to creating your own dish from watermelon, it doesn’t take much to make it delicious. The key is to use fresh fruit and to play up its sweetness, often with contrasting flavors and textures. Here are a couple of tried-and-true recipes for your next summer barbeque.
Watermelon Gazpacho (V, GF) Ditch the cooking with this simple summer soup, served cold. This gazpacho is undoubtedly the best way to use extra veggies from your garden or from the local farmer’s market. It doesn’t get fresher than this. 4 c. watermelon, chopped 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped 1 cucumber, chopped ½ red onion, chopped 1 yellow or red pepper, chopped 2 limes, juiced 10 fresh basil leaves Salt and pepper to taste Combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor, reserving about a quarter of the mixture before blending. Blend until combined well and pour into a large bowl. Add the reserved ingredients to add texture and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. 614NOW.COM
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URBAN Escape Seventh Son’s new Getaway Brewing Co. offers a beer-forward vacation from the everyday. By Jack McLaughlin / Photo by Ally Schnaidt
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Collin Castore, Co-founder
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apanese rice lager, South African export stout, and old-world Bohemian Pilsner. What do all the beers in this wide-reaching variety of styles have in common (other than the fact that you’ve likely never heard of them before)? We’ll tell you: Very soon, you’ll be able to drink them all at The Getaway Brewing Co., a wholly original and exciting world travel-themed new drafthouse at 104 N. High St. in Dublin’s Bridge Park. →
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The kettle preparing a new beer
" ...your
favorite beer from your favorite
vacation. " Getaway stands as the third original concept under the Seventh Son Brewing Company umbrella. Alongside their namesake brewpub—which serves distinctly American craft beer styles—Seventh Son also owns the buzzy, stylized Antiques on High, a converted antique shop that focuses on wild and sour barrel-aged brews. Now with Getaway Brewing taking shape, you can call it a hat trick. According to Seventh Son co-founder Collin Castore, the creation of the Antiques on High concept in 2018 was an invigorating, collaborative process for the company’s creative team, and they wanted to recreate the excitement and energy while brainstorming their next big venture. “Thinking up Antiques on High was fun and seemed really natural; the idea is we were serving from this antique shop, thus antique, old-world styles of sour beer,” he said. “We’re lucky enough to have a bunch of creative, smart people, and we gave everybody a chance to riff on some really fun, cool, design ideas for the new brewery.” → 28
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↓ The Getaway logo
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↓
And it wasn’t long after that the concept behind Getaway came together, playing off the fact that—after trudging through a pandemic that’s persisted for over a year at this point—we could all use an escape. “We hadn’t gone as far as we wanted with traditional styles of beer from all over the world before, so there’s where Getaway came from. As in, your favorite beer from your favorite vacation,” Castore said. Their sleek, 4,000-square-foot brewhouse houses 36 total taps, with everything from wine and cocktails to a full slate of brand-new beer. With several new fermenters, Getaway has planned to brew some of its offerings on-site. While beverages take center stage, the new Getaway Brewing facility is also highlighted by some truly original features you’ll need to check out in person. “In the same way we riffed on the vintage aesthetic for antiques, we took on the concept of travel and new environments for Getaway,” Castore said. “Where Antiques is dark and cozy, Getaway is light and bright.” The real star of the show comes from the building’s glass 30
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Getaway's dining room and bar
greenhouse patio, which is quite literally suspended over a ravine running through the property. “We had to figure out how to tie in the structural steel of the building and make sure it doesn’t end up being too hot on a sunny day, but it’s really the thing about the space that spoke to us the most,” the Seventh Son co-founder said. The other element that spoke to Castore and company was the building’s unique position within the Bridge Park complex. Located at the northernmost lot of the development, Getaway Brewing is set apart from the rest of its neighbors, bestowing an original atmosphere that’s about as on-theme as it gets. “In the furthest north spot like we are, there aren’t other buildings we face against. It doesn’t feel like you’re in Columbus,” he said. And he’s right. When you’re there sipping an exotic beer on a strange, exciting new patio, it feels—if just for a little while—like you’re somewhere else. It feels, you could say, a bit like a getaway. ♦ For more information, visit getawaybrewing.com
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This art, depicting airplane windows in different locations, is featured prominently in the new space
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Why this flavor-crazy flavor-crazy one-man meadery is driving Columbus wild → By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by James D. DeCamp
→ John Mere measuring out some Hawaiian honey in his West Jefferson kitchen
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↓ Different meads created by John Mere
O
n a brisk Saturday in May, I ask John Mere, the brains behind one-man fermentation operation The Meredery, what exactly it is he likes about mead. While he thinks about how to answer, I brace myself for something bombastic and ambitious, a response that uses the phrase “notes of” one—or four—too many times. “What I like about Mead?” he eventually says.“It’s adult juice boxes.” And if Mere doesn’t win you over outright with his refreshing, transparent approach to a topic that’s so often muddied with culinary buzzwords and pretension, the wildly popular and experimental mead he makes out of his Columbus basement definitely will. And while Mere doesn’t yet have an official business for his hobby, a move in that direction could be on the horizon. Mere is producing local libations in some legitimately fun and undeniably original varieties, with flavors such as key lime pie and oak-aged blueberry. He created a tiramisu-style mead crafted with Blackline coffee, and even a rose petal tea flavor with lehua honey. While honey is present in all mead and actively drives its fermentation, what Mere sourced for this creation is an ultraspecial Hawaiian version that blends perfectly with the floral taste of rose petal tea. “It’s the most exciting part about this one,” he said. “The aroma from this honey, you’ve never smelled anything like it.” The more Mere has continued to experiment with flavors, the more Columbus has been drinking them up. “Over the last six months my production has skyrocketed. Pretty much the minute anything new is finished, it’s already gone,” Mere said. “I’d love to be able to try some of these after they’ve aged for a few months in the bottle, but a lot of times that’s not possible.” One of the many reasons Mere’s stock runs out so quickly—and another part of his mead’s quirky mystique—is the fact that he can’t legally sell anything. Not yet at least. This means he has to give his mead away. As it stands now, Mere is technically a hobby mead producer—a really, really, popular one—as he isn’t yet operating a business and doesn’t hold the requisite permits. So how do people try some of the many meads he regularly turns out? Just ask. → 614NOW.COM
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↑ Jugs of fermenting mead
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← John Mere pours a bottle of Black Current Mead into a Meredery glass
“ Over the last six months my production has skyrocketed. Pretty much the minute anything new is finished, it’s already gone...”
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“ I'm at a place right now where I want to turn [The Meredery] into something real..”
While there’s no polished system in place to determine who exactly gets what, for Mere the demand is high enough that there are always new faces, and things on this end tend to selfregulate. One issue he’s facing more and more recently, though, is cost. “Here’s the thing, one bottle would probably go for around $30, but it’s illegal for me to sell them. Especially with all the fruit I’m using, it adds up. It would be nice to break even at least,” Mere said. Soon enough, though, he may get his wish, and then some. Although no concrete plans are in place, Mere is seriously considering making The Meredery an official, fully-licensed business. “I’m a teacher first and foremost, so that’s important for me obviously,” said Mere, who teaches first grade. “But with summer coming up, I’ll have more time on my hands, so this would be the time to get started. ” And while all the details aren’t currently hammered out, Mere does have a specific vision for how the concept—if it officially launches—will operate from the start. “Running a taproom isn’t what I want to do,” he said. “But I think a members-only pickup spot could be a good first step. Right now, I like where I’m at. There’s no pressure on me. But I’m at a place right now where want to turn [The Meredery] into something real.” And I’m pretty sure that’s something Columbus wants as well. ♦
To keep up with Mere’s newest releases and mead-related news, follow him on Instagram @Merederymead
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→ John Mere pouring the Hawaiian honey into the container. This honey has a completely different taste and aroma than conventional mainland honeys.
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BACK ON
TRACK New Trolley District development aims to lift up local businesses and the community. By Jack McLaughlin / Photo by Jen Brown
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Janvier Ward, Owner of Creole 2 Geaux
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ver 100 years ago, the near east side of Columbus was a whirlwind of activity. A hub for the city’s trolley, horsecar, and eventual bus system, it saw flocks of busy Ohioans—and their businesses—pass through on a regular basis. And soon enough the space will become a hub yet again. The aptly-named Trolley District development, set to open in part this summer, is a collection of refurbished historic buildings located at the corner of Oak St. and Kelton Ave. (immediately south of Franklin Park) that once served as a repair depot for the city's trolley system.
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“It’s really a wonderful project, and it's going to be a destination for people. We’re really excited about that,” said Tony Tanner, owner of The Butcher & Grocer and Cleaver, as well as one of the development’s new vendors. Headlining the development (and located in the development’s largest building) is the East Market, featuring an exciting collection of food vendors, a pair of new bars, and even an 11,000-square foot event space on its second level. With space for 21 different food stalls (although several vendors will use more than one), the spacious market, decked out in tasteful, historic interior decoration, will offer a little bit of everything. One of the vendors anchoring the market is Grandview’s The Butcher & Grocer and Cleaver, a quality-sourced artisanal butcher shop and restaurant combination, working together to turn out some of the absolute best protein-focused meals in Columbus. The Butcher & Grocer will oversee a large portion of the new East Market project, with several stalls serving as a butcher shop, fishmonger, craft bottle shop, a “green” grocery, and a cheese shop, in addition to space for Cleaver. In addition to Tanner’s businesses, another iconic company has also jumped aboard the Trolley District. In a 13,000 square-foot building adjacent to the market (known as the Mechanic Shop), long-
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Columbus Brewing Company's new ceiling in the upcoming space
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"...SOON ENOUGH THE SPACE WILL BECOME A HUB YET AGAIN." ↓ The exterior of the building being updated
standing local craft beermakers Columbus Brewing Company are set to launch their second-ever taproom in a beautifully restored building that will house a spacious taproom as well as an on-site brewing system equipped to handle some of their smaller test batches. But it’s not all big names either. Several smaller—but equally exciting— Columbus eateries have signed on to become part of the East Market alongside Tanner. One of these, Creole 2 Geaux, has served authentic New Orleans eats (their po’ boys with homemade remoulade are a must-try) out of a food truck since 2015. This new east-side space is giving them legs to stand on. “It’s going to allow us to be able to expand, and it’s going to let us make more of that Creole flavor that Columbus needs,” owner Janvier Ward said. Also announced as an East Market vendor is Fourteen Twenty Nine, a small Columbus bakery offering great pastries as well as a business plan that focuses on assisting victims of human trafficking. Their new East Market stall allows them to streamline their ordering system, grow their business, and help more who truly need it. While the development supports local businesses, the Trolley District’s biggest beneficiary, if you ask Brad DeHays— founder and owner of Connect Realty, the group behind the Trolley District development—is the near-east side of Columbus. A resident of the area once himself, DeHays recalled looking out across Franklin Park many years ago, wanting to 42
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↓ Second floor event space under construction
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James Ball, Director of Operations of Crafted For You, Tony Tanner, Owner of The Butcher & Grocer, Aubrey Stevens, Director of Operations for Trolley District
do something positive for the quaint but vibrant neighborhood he had grown to love. Now he’s leading the charge to revitalize it. “I think the combination of the historic Trolley District project and the apartment complex [located next to the development] that we start building next year will be the largest combined economic investment in this neighborhood in over 50 years,” he said. Tanner, himself a resident of the city’s east side, couldn't agree more. “You know, business is business, and we think this is going to be great for us.” he said. “But as a lifelong east-sider, what I’m really most excited about is what this is bringing to the east side of Columbus.” Learn more at capitolequities.com/featuredproperties/trolley-district-for-lease/
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Try your hand at making your very own ice cream this summer. By Melinda Green / Photos by Ally Schnaidt
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hen the heat starts to soar, few things chill us out as quickly as ice cream does. Who, among us, doesn’t have fond memories of a stop at the ice cream shop after summer sports, or running out to the street, money in hand, to meet that truck full of frozen sweets? But one of the best things about ice cream is that it’s easy to make at home. Whether you’re craving a favorite flavor, looking for a new creative outlet, or honing your foodie cooking skills, all you need are simple ingredients and an ice cream maker.
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"IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOME PIZAZZ TO THE FINISHED PRODUCT, THE OPTIONS ARE PLENTIFUL..."
STARTING SMALL A basic ice cream recipe starts with dairy products—a combination of heavy cream, whipping cream, half-and-half, condensed milk, and/or whole milk—plus sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla or other base flavorings. Heat your base ingredients to dissolve the sugar, refrigerate to get a head start on freezing, and you’re on your way. Scienceofcooking.com notes that fat is one of the main components that provides smoothness to ice cream, so the higher the fat content in the base, the richer the taste and creamier the texture. Don’t go too high on the fat, though, or the result can feel greasy. Once your base is prepared and chilled, it goes into the ice cream maker. Entry-level machines have insulated mixing bowls to prefreeze; more expensive models have built-in compressors for chilling. In less than an hour, your ice cream will be ready for solidifying in the freezer, or ready to eat as soft-serve right away. If you want to add some pizazz to the finished product, the options are plentiful: Chocolate chips, pretzels, mini marshmallows, chopped candies, citrus zest, fruit, even crumbled bacon and a swirl of maple syrup. 46
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LEVELING UP From here, the riffs are nearly endless. You could try a tangy frozen yogurt. Cook’s Illustrated recommends avoiding Greek yogurt and straining excess liquid from regular yogurt instead. The creme de la creme of ice cream is gelato, that smooth, rich, decadent, European-style ice cream that’s as luxurious as it is tricky. The secret to gelato’s richness is a cooked custard base. If you’re not comfortable tempering eggs— patiently and gently heating your mixture to avoid clumps of yolk—you might want to make gelato a goal after mastering some basic, eggfree ice creams (and practicing some custards in your spare time, too). What if dairy’s not your thing? You’re in luck. Check out vegan recipes using coconut milk or almond milk. Full-fat liquids and the addition of nut butters or other fats can make the results creamy and delicious. Artificial sweeteners are more complicated. Sugar actually lowers the freezing point of water, minimizing dreaded ice crystals. Plus, some artificial sweeteners are more or less sweet than sugar. Many websites say xylitol works best for sugar-free ice cream—just make sure dogs don’t get a taste, since xylitol is extremely toxic for canines. You could also go with simple sorbets. Their elegance lies in their beautiful color and clear flavors—deep indigo blueberry, garnethued pomegranate, or bright coral-colored strawberry-mango. And herbal sorbets, like lemon thyme, rosemary, or even Douglas fir, are a refreshing twist for a hot afternoon. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, don’t despair. No-churn ice cream recipes abound on the internet. These are based on freshly whipped cream (nothing from a tub here, please) and need only a hand or stand mixer to whip up a delicious frozen dessert. Or check out recipes for no-churn fruit sorbets using a food processor. No matter what you choose, the final product might not be as smooth as what the big shops offer, but it can be a worthwhile tradeoff to have exactly what you want, when you want it, along with the satisfaction of having fun in the process. And isn’t that what summer is all about? 614NOW.COM
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
(614) PIZZA TRAIL
OLDE TOWNE EAST
892 OAK ST. / (614) 725-5482
FRANKLINTON
EASTON
4205 WEAVERTON LN.
WORTHINGTON
415 W. RICH ST. / (614) 372-5983
7227 N. HIGH ST.
www.yellowbrickpizza.com
www.piesandpints.net
BEXLEY
2376 E. MAIN ST.
BREWERY DISTRICT 940 S. FRONT ST.
ORDER ONLINE
45 N. HIGH ST.
pickup • curbside • delivery Available at MACKENZIERIVERPIZZA.COM or within our RIVER REWARDS™ app
www.harvestpizzeria.com
Visit our locations in Polaris & Pickerington
CLINTONVILLE 2285 N. HIGH ST.
DUBLIN
Y
ou know we enjoy a hearty meal, Columbus, but when Ohio enters that super hot and humid phase of the summer, we’re hard pressed to get excited about a heavy burger and fries. But fear not, foodies. Summer dining doesn’t mean you’re relegated to anything you can suck through a straw. In this season’s cover section, we’ve rounded up an entire meal’s worth of eats designed to cool you down. We start off our Summer Dream Meal with a wine slushie from Wyandotte Winery, and follow it up with—what else—a refreshing, invigorating salad from Market 65. And because there’s nothing quite like fresh veggies during the hot summer months, we doubled down with gazpacho from La Chatelaine. For some power protein, we’ve rounded out our meal with the cutting-edge culinary prowess at newcomer Kintsugi Sushi. And for dessert, there’s decadent popsicles from local outfit Rime Time. Of course, lots of restaurants in Columbus serve up these chill items—so we encourage you to go try them all. Turn up that fan, turn that page, and join us in an effort to stay cool in the Ohio heat. By Sarah Sole
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Chill Out How Wyandotte Winery’s fresh and fruity wine slushies are keeping wine cool, for everyone By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by James D. DeCamp
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here’s a time and place for your Merlots, your Cabernets, and your Malbecs, but when summer weather hits, you’d best be sipping on a simple yet satisfying wine slushie. One Columbus-area spot that has a handle on the adult answer to the push pop is Wyandotte Winery, a nearly halfcentury-old fixture just outside the outerbelt near Blendon Woods Metro Park. “You know, they aren't particularly complex, they're just not, but that’s kind of the point,” said Wyandotte owner Robin Coolidge, who took over the winery in 2006. “On a hot summer day they’re just so refreshing and cool, and they really do taste great. If you’re not drinking something you like, that’s the only way to drink wrong.” For a base, Wyandotte uses a lighter wine, such as a white or a variety of fruit wines like apple, cranberry, and raspberry. The winery then punches it up with additional fruit flavors. The slushies are finished inside Wyandotte’s on-site slushie machine (which is actually no different from the ones you might see at your corner bodega). Coolidge and company are able to offer only two flavors at a time due to the capacity of the machine, but they make sure to constantly rotate between a bevy of proven favorites and fun new creations. Right now at Wyandotte, they’re serving up lemon-apple and watermelon-raspberry slushies.
↑ Strawberry Wine Slushie
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↑ Robin Coolidge pulls a peach wine slushy from the sushi machine at his Wyandottete Winery
“This watermelon raspberry, people are loving it,” Coolidge said. “And most flavors with raspberry are a hit as well, so we’ve done raspberry lemonade, straight raspberry, you name it.” In fact, the slushies (which he started selling in 2016) have become so popular that Coolidge now offers them year-round, even though the frozen treats started as a summer seasonal offering. “We used to take them off the menu in the winter, and the first thing that happened is customers would come up to us asking what happened to them,” Coolidge said with a laugh. “So now we keep them on all year long.” If all this talk of straightforward flavors seems a little too simple for the oftentimes ultra-serious world of wine, that’s sort of the point. “Our slushies aren’t the most sophisticated thing; they’re just a lot of fun, and people enjoy drinking them.” Coolidge said. “Because really, more than anything, that’s what we’re trying to do. We want to demystify wine for people, because they’ll enjoy it more. And that’s what this is all about, right?” ♦
To learn more, visit wyandottewinery.com
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Go Green How Market 65 has been making some of the city’s best salads for a decade and counting By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Ally Schnaidtw
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omfort food is great and all, but when it’s hot and sticky, you’d best believe we’re not reaching for that bowl of mac and cheese. The good news? Columbus is home to a plethora of places that know their way around a refreshing, hearty salad. One of these is Market 65, a fast, fresh eatery known primarily for their fantastic greens. “We’re essentially a boutique salad shop,” said Co-owner Anthony Micheli. “We fresh-chop everything every morning, including our greens. We’re never going to be the cheapest, but it’s the quality you’re paying for.” And while their greens are top-notch, Market 65 pays just as much attention to the rest of their salad bowls as well. The eatery offers nothing but the best in local ingredients. This includes a list of top-tier central Ohio purveyors such as Blue Jacket Dairy, Shagbark Seed & Mill, the 125 year-old Weir family farm, and more. With rotating weekly specials and enticing menu mainstays such as the Korean BBQ, 65 Cobb with blackened corn, or the Orchard—featuring a house-made caramel apple vinaigrette— diners have no shortage of delectable options to pick from. But if even that’s not enough variety, you can always customize your own salad, with nearly 100 different ingredients to choose from, like house candied walnuts, sweetchili marinated tofu, and roasted salmon. Plus, you can finish
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↑ Market 65's Caesar Salad
→ Ingredients for salad
off your creation with one of their must-try dressings, including Spicy Avocado and Red Wine & Shallot. While Market 65 team members are regularly involved in creating recipes for their salad specials, perhaps more importantly, they also have a hand in growing them from the ground up. Several years ago Micheli launched the restaurant’s urban garden out of a plot in Marion Village. While this program has temporarily gone on hiatus due to COVID-related issues, they plan to relaunch it in the near future. “We have some lettuce, herbs, spicy peppers that we can dry and [use] in soups and other things, and we focus a lot on our heirloom tomatoes,” Micheli said. “We usually feature an off-menu salad each week that highlights something we get higher yields of in the garden.” Micheli says the real benefit of this garden program is how it connects both himself and his employees to the growing process. “When they’re involved, I mean actually involved, in the process of growing a lot of the things we end up serving, they’re not only more knowledgeable about our food, but they really do care,” he said. “It’s great to see, it’s great for our customers. It really is helping all of us.” ♦ To learn more, visit market65.com.
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Get It While It's Cold Gazpacho is your summer soup solution By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Ally Schnaidtw
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↑ Gazpacho surrounded by the ingredients
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f we hear the old, “Isn’t that just cold tomato soup?” line one more time, we’re liable to lose it. Because although it’s one of the absolute best summer snacks, gazpacho has been flying under the radar for (quite literally) centuries now. At La Chatelaine French Bakery & Bistro, the scratch-made dish is crafted as a seasonal summer offering. And while the dish does start with a rich tomato soup base, the bulk of it, according to co-owner and general manager of La Chatelaine Val Wielezynski, actually starts somewhere else. “Vegetables, but we don’t blanch them, don’t cook them, just peel, chop, and throw them in. They have to be raw,” Wielezynski said. “Some carrots, onion, celery, cucumber, tomato, red pepper. Really, it’s more of a garden vegetable soup, and you can add whatever you want.” The raw vegetables add a brightness, acidity, and a slight earthiness that makes this soup the perfect compliment to a hot day. “Gazpacho is from Italy and Spain as well, but my recipe is from the south of France, where it’s also from. It’s best on a June or July afternoon, and that’s when we make it, because it’s light, it’s refreshing,” he said. “It will fill you up just enough to hold you over until dinner. You see people in France sit with a cup or glass of it in the afternoon and just watch the ocean.” While many people prefer it as-is, Wielezynski noted that there’s a multitude of ways to personalize your gazpacho. A trend he’s noticed in many American lovers of the chilled soup—and one he caters to at La Chatelaine—is the inclusion of sour cream (mixed with Herbes de Provence as well) to add a richer, creamy element. Another interesting method Wielezynski will occasionally lean on is the use of anchovy paste to add a bit of umami and some subtle Mediterranean flair. “My wife hates anchovies, but she loves my gazpacho with anchovy paste more than when I make it without. Just don’t tell her,” he said with a laugh. (Sorry for blowing your cover, Val.) When La Chatelaine began serving gazpacho about 30 years ago, no one in Columbus knew what it was, Wielezynski said. “... Now we get people calling throughout the year asking for our gazpacho. You know, it’s a hard sell, but after people try it, they always love it.” ♦
To learn more, visit lachatelainebakery.com.
↓ A spoon full of Gazpacho
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↓ Sushi getting dipped in Soy Sauce
On A Roll Cool down with this North Market Bridge Park eatery’s creative spin on sushi By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by James D. DeCamp
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or a refreshing take on protein, sushi is where it’s at during the hot summer months. And Kintsugi Sushi Bar, which opened at North Market Bridge Park earlier this year, is highlighting traditional and lesser-known preparations of the dish in addition to the rolls we all know and love. “We want to share sushi's versatility with the community, including varieties that are popular in Japan and on the U.S. coasts, but less known in the midwest—and to explain which are which,” said Seigo Nishimura, who owns Kintsugi with his wife, Casey Cooper-Fenske. This means you can grab an expertly-crafted Spicy Tuna Roll or one of their specialty menu items like the Bridge Park Roll (complete with fried shrimp, tuna, crab surimi, spicy mayo, plus red and black roe) just as easily as you can get yakitori (charcoal-grilled Japanese skewers featuring bacon and asparagus, miso-glazed black cod, and more), Nigiri (simple, traditional sushi topped with a thin layer of raw fish), and the lesser-known hand rolls. While most Americans recognize cut-roll sushi, hand rolls are smaller, but served whole, without the iconic cross-sectional cuts we associate with the food. According to Nishimura, they even prepare special sauces for this option. “While the familiar cut rolls are dipped in soy sauce, hand rolls at Kintsugi Sushi Bar include a soy sauce gelee and/or
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special sauce,” he said. “It’s the perfect grab and go item. No chopsticks, no mess.” Nishimura and Cooper-Fenske paid as much attention to their new restaurant’s name as they did to assembling their menu. Kintsugi translates to “golden joinery,” the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. “We initially selected this name in 2019 because, with a strong focus on community building, we like the metaphor of bringing different people together through the exchange of cultural and culinary traditions,” Nishimura said. “As the pandemic unfolded, despite the challenges, our motivation only increased—we needed to realize the Kintsugi metaphor to demonstrate just how resilient our community can be in the face of unspeakable devastation.” And this focus on coming together and the communal powers of dining is present everywhere you look in the new Dublin eatery. This even includes where, not just what, you’re eating. “The bar-style counter seating is a great fit for the North Market location because it helps bring people together and lets them watch the sushi preparation and chat with the chefs and staff,” Nishimura said. “This is a critical part of our vision in fostering community and cultural exchange.” ♦
To learn more, visit kintsugisushi.com
↓ Sweet Tofu Rolls (Left) & California Rolls (Right)
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Leveling Up Gourmet popsicle outfit Rime Time upgrades a timeless summer tradition By Jaelani Turner-Williams / Photos by James D. DeCamp ↓ Cody Miller Pulling popsicles out of the molds at Rime Time production kitchen
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e all know that feeling: You pull out that popsicle box from the freezer, only to find someone has laid claim to all the cherry ones. But, and hear us out, might we talk you into peanut butter and jelly? We’re not suggesting a sandwich. That’s the first flavor that Cody Miller came up with when he launched Rime Time Curiously Crafted Pops in 2015, and he’s since created a host of flavors to satisfy both adventurous and traditional palates. “The initial vision was to recreate a timeless and nostalgic treat with locally and seasonally fresh produce and specialty ingredients,” Miller said. “A lot of our mission was and is to make an updated version of the pops and treats that we had as kids, but with better ingredients.” Rime Time reintroduces childhood snack favorites in frozen treat form, with flavors such as Cookie Milk, Georgia Peach, and Simple Strawberry. Flavors like the half butter popcorn, half housemade cola Movie Night and the fiber-rich Avocado might raise a few eyebrows, but Miller doesn’t blame those skeptical of the treats’ uniqueness. At Rime Time, almost anything goes. “They are weird flavors and admittedly, they aren’t for everyone,” said Miller, whose favorite pop is Avocado. “The flavors are wild and creative and meant to not only taste delicious, but capture a moment. If you [are] opposed, we make sure to offer plenty of safer menu choices.” 60
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While Rime Time will be rolling out a new set of popsicle flavors this summer, the deep chocolatey Cocoa Dream, sour-punch Blueberry Lemonade, and velvety handspun Cookies + Cream pop are signature delights. With fruit-based, cream-based, and dairy-free cream pops, Rime Time’s frozen treats cater to various dietary restrictions with menu options for all. And fans can get their hands on the pops year-round. Miller’s carts have seasonal, permanent stands in the Hillard Street Market and North Market Bridge Park. Miller also caters weddings, corporate events, neighborhood stops, festivals, and frequent local pop-ups. “Columbus is already well known for desserts and their innovation due to places like Jeni’s. It’s our goal and hope that Rime Time continues that conversation by creating and innovating new ice pops while maybe breaking into other novelties and innovating there,” Miller said. “We hope that the conversation revolves around the words ‘unique’ and ‘one-of-a-kind’, because it’s always our priority to make something better and unlike what we've had before.” ♦
To learn more, visit rimetimepops.com
← Blueberry Popsicle
→ Avacado Popsicle
→ Blood Orange Lime Popsicle
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→ Sherry Detwiler Owner of Mitchell's Berries
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← Strawberries picked from Mitchell's Berries
Berry picking is back at this beloved farm outside Plain City By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Ally Schnaidt
A
ny way you slice it, Shelly Detwiler has farming in her blood. That being said, it may surprise you to know that the fifth-generation farmer actually didn’t take the most traditional route to berry farming. Detwiler owns and operates Mitchell’s Berries on a historic eight-acre farm just outside of Plain City. She’s following in a family farming tradition that can be traced back to 1814. That’s when her family, the Mitchells, established their first farm for growing grain. But Detwiler was drawn to berries, and eventually opened Mitchell’s in 2006. Now, raspberries and strawberries pop up every spring by the tens of thousands at her 8-acre location. It was nutrition, of all things, that led her there. “I’m a dietician by education, and about 16 years ago I was hearing a lot about the medicinal properties of black raspberries, so that’s how we got started,” she said. After a successful few years growing raspberries and allowing customers to visit the farm to harvest their own, Detwiler added strawberries to the mix. “It actually came mostly from my son,” Detwiler said. “He kept telling me to try it, and finally we did.” Now, each year around Memorial Day, the fruit from approximately 25,000 strawberry plants turns the lush, green acreage at Mitchell’s Berries a brilliant shade of red. Detwiler opted for Chandler strawberries, a subspecies originating in California known for its superior flavor. →
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↓ Sherry Detwiler hunting for strawberries at Mitchell's Berries
“These aren’t strawberries you’re going to be able to ship; they’re just too soft. But in terms of eating, in terms of flavor, you really can’t beat them,” she said. “Everyone goes crazy for them. We like to say they’re California berries packed with Ohio goodness.”] And where there are strawberries, there are strawberry pickers. This year, Mitchell’s looks to bounce back in this department in a major way. As a matter of safety, Mithcell’s opted to shut down most of their operations last year following the initial outbreak of COVID-19, leaving a smaller, drive-up option as their primary method of doing business. “I was out there with a face shield on actually. We took orders and payment, and then people drove up in their vehicles to get their fruit,” Detwiler said. “We ended up doing this with asparagus and strawberries. Our customers were fantastic, but it was basically just a pop-up market. I would announce one on social media, and then when we sold out, it was over for the day.”
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" but in terms of flavor, you really can't beat them, everyone goes crazy for them."
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Using this model, the you-pick branch of the farm’s business was basically non-existent, with just friends and family coming by to pick what they could from the available plants. Believe it or not, COVID wasn’t even the only thing conspiring against Mitchell’s last year either. “It was the weather as well. It really was the perfect storm,” Detwiler said. But 2021 is a new year. And although she’s still taking precautions in the form of PPE and implementing a scheduling system (so the farm never gets too crowded), you-pick is back this year. For Detwiler, what matters most is the fact that they are open, and that they’re able to teach the public about farming and where our food really comes from. “To tell you the truth, I’m a little bit nervous about how this year is going to go,” she said. “But we want to bring people back to the farm. We don’t want people to think their food comes from DoorDash; we want to educate. That’s the most important thing for us.” ♦
To learn more, visit mitchellsberries.com
↓ Barn located at Mitchell's Berries
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↓ Handful of delicious strawberries
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