Say Cheese

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

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

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

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

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

1. Line baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.

2. In medium bowl, combine peanut butter spread and 1/2 cup butter; beat together until blended. Gradually stir in powdered sugar.

3. 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.

4. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and remaining 1/4 cup butter over low heat, stirring occasionally.

5. 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

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

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

www.fawncandy.com

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

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

“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)

1. Cook the quinoa per instructions. Set aside to cool.

2. Prepare and chop all vegetables and herbs.

3. Combine all vegetables and herbs, and slowly sprinkle in the cooled quinoa.

4. Add lemon juice and olive oil to taste.

5. Add salt and spices to taste.

6. Toss or mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature or chill before serving.

7. 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.

Gourd for You

Frisch’s Big Boy and Taft’s Brewing Co. are bringing back Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie Ale. The autumn beer features hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg combined with a malty profile for a smooth, rich finish. The Ale will be available, the week of August 2nd, at all major and independent retailers in Greater Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Lexington and Louisville.

“Taft’s and Frisch’s are back to brewing for the return of our full bodied ale celebrating the world famous taste of Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie,” said Alison O’Keefe, Frisch’s vice president of marketing.

"We're thrilled to again be partnering with local favorite, Frisch's, on our delicious Pumpkin Pie Ale. These iconic flavors, combined with our hand-crafted beer, makes for a perfect ale as we head into fall," said Dave Kassling, managing partner at Taft's Brewing Co.

Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie Ale will not be available at Frisch’s Big Boy restaurants.

Frisch’s famous pumpkin pie is made from a secret recipe that dates back more than 50 years, and each pie is made in Frisch's Kitchen in Walnut Hills. Pies are assembled daily in small batches, so they are always fresh, never frozen, and feature a made-from-scratch crust and a blend of secret spices closely guarded by the kitchen’s loyal bakers. Over a million slices are served every year.

Taft’s Brewing Company was founded in 2015 through the creation of Taft’s Ale House. The founders of Taft’s partnered with the Cincinnati Center City Development Corp to create the brewery and restaurant located in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine. The three-story Ale House resides in a renovated historic church originally built in 1850 and offers premium steak fare in a beautifully designed space. In 2017, the Taft’s team created a production brewery and tap room, Taft’s Brewpourium Cincinnati, located in Spring Grove Village. The 50,000-square- foot facility is home to high-volume brewing and beer kegging, canning and packaging. The Brewpourium Cincy tap room offers guests 12- 15 of Taft’s house-created brews and New Haven-style coal-fired pizza. Taft’s also opened a sizeable indoor/outdoor space in the Franklinton Columbus area that features homemade brews and the same New Haven-style pizza in a funky 80’s/90’s themed hotspot. Taft’s beers can also be found in bars, restaurants, grocery stores and other outlets across the region. www.taftsbeer.com

About Frisch’s Big Boy

Founded in 1947, the Frisch’s family consists of more than 100 units, comprised of company-owned and franchise partner locations, across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. For more information, visit Frischs.com.

It's Miller Time

Timed for the all-important summer grilling season, Miller Lite debuted a new on-line cooking series this week,  “Cincy-Style” Brews and Foods, with Britney Ruby Miller as its first chef.

Ruby Miller, chief executive officer of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, took to her outdoor grill to prepare Miller Lite marinated skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and cast iron beer potatoes.

Miller Lite is showcasing Cincinnati culinary talent for a series of 30-45 minute live streamed cooking events for summer grilling recipes that feature Miller Lite as an ingredient. Though based in Milwaukee, Miller Lite is brewed locally in Trenton, Ohio in northeastern Butler County.

Missed the cooking demo? You can check it out and stay tuned for the next “Cincy-Style” recipes.

For the Bun of It

From July 12-18, restaurants throughout the region will be offering their take on that all-American classic –the hamburger. From beef to brisket and even vegetarian options, you’ll find more than 90 restaurants offering $6 burgers for CityBeat’s Burger Week, including hometown favorite, Frisch’s.

 

“Summer means grilling, which means burgers,” says Alison O’Keefe, Frisch’s vice president of Marketing. “When Cincinnati thinks of burgers, we know they think ‘Big Boy’.”

During Burger Week, you can pick up a Super Big Boy or Bad Boy, with fries, for $6. That’s a 1/2 lb. of beef patties (or Impossible patties!) with cheese, lettuce, pickle, and Frisch’s Original or Spicy Tartar sauce. The other Burger Week option is Super Deluxe or California Burger, with a 1/2 lb. of beef patties with cheese, leaf lettuce, red onion, pickle, tomato, and Frisch’s Original Tartar sauce, or make it a California with crispy bacon and smashed avocado. These are also available with Impossible patties. The Super Big Boys are also available for take-out.

“With locations in so many Tristate neighborhoods, more people than ever can enjoy Burger Week by visiting their local Frisch’s,” says O’Keefe. “We’re excited to offer a new way for people to enjoy some of their favorites.” 

Wild Strawberries

As we bid farewell to cicada season, we say a hearty “hello” to strawberry season. If you find yourself in need of a dish for that neighborhood block party or last-minute family cookout, bringing a dessert highlighting this summertime staple is always a welcome treat.

Strawberries don’t require a lot of fuss. As with most things in life, it’s best to keep it simple. Here, then, are strawberries three ways. Please note, this does not mean strawberry three-ways. I know we’re in Cincinnati but you have to admit that would be ridiculous.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake is the ne plus ultra of summertime desserts. It’s a classic with good reason. It’s sweet, easy to assemble, and so light you barely notice you’re eating too much of it.

The only non-summer part of this is the “cake.” You could be a martyr about the whole thing and bake your own pound cake or angel food cake. Or you could just buy one. After all, you’re giving people dessert, they really shouldn’t be purists complaining about homemade v. store-bought.

Because strawberries are absolutely perfect at this time of year, you can sprinkle the tiniest bit of sugar create more of a “sauce” to top slices of cake. The final touch is whipped cream.

Though you can use whipped cream from a can, or whipped topping from a tub, this is one time you should put the effort into homemade. It’s not like you made the cake yourself!  

Using a stand or hand mixer, combine a cup of heavy whipping cream with about a tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar and a splash of vanilla. If this is an adults-only gathering, you can sub in rum, bourbon, or even Chambord for the vanilla.

Because this dessert is assembled in place, often by the person eating it, it’s one of the simplest things you can “make” to bring to a summertime party. 

All-American Fruit Salad

Strawberries? Check.

Blueberries? Check.

Whipped cream? Check.

You can serve up the red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July. Other than slicing the strawberries, the most difficult part of making this dessert is deciding how you want to put it together.

If you place the fruit and whipped cream in individual layers, it will resemble a classic British trifle. Maybe not the best option for Independence Day.

But you can evoke the great American melting pot by mixing the fruit together! To add more depth of flavor, whip a couple of tablespoons balsamic vinegar, sugar, and honey together and stir into the fruit. Top each individual serving with whipped cream.

For the truly ambitious, use a glass baking dish and arrange the fruit and whipped cream like a flag. Then share that on Instagram and reap the praise you deserve

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Confession: I have never made this.

It is, of course, not really a salad.

I imagine someone at a Midwest potluck was told to bring a salad with strawberries. Rather than go to the trouble of buying spinach, strawberries, and goat cheese to make an actual salad, they made this.

If you see this on a table you might even turn your nose up to it, thinking this “salad” isn’t worthy of your time. Then you find yourself devouring the entire thing in one sitting.

It’s the perfect combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy.

Essentially, this salad is a strawberry cheesecake with a pretzel crust. Though most recipes call for frozen strawberries and gelatin, it’s much easier to slice fresh strawberries to top it.

Similar to a cheesecake, the crust consists of pretzels and melted butter, baked for 10 minutes. The filling calls for cream cheese, sugar, and whipped topping. You can also make whipped cream (see above) and fold that into the cream cheese/sugar mixture.

via GIPHY

With the cream and fresh berries, the dessert will have a lighter and brighter taste, though it still won’t be a salad. Eat it anyway.

–Tricia Suit

Brew Up More Fun

The Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau launched the new Cincy East Bikes, Brews and BBQ Trail on Friday, June 18, just in time for Father’s Day.

Hop on your bike and work up an appetite with this free mobile trail. Built for bikers and perfect for beer and BBQ enthusiasts, this passport is a check-in challenge that is sure to keep you burning calories as you consume them. The best part? The pass is FREE, and you will unlock discounts and deals you can enjoy at stops along the trail. 

The trail features 19 locations showcasing the best biking trails, breweries and BBQ in Clermont County and the eastern Cincinnati area. This trail is designed to give visitors or local residents an incentive to get out and discover the flavors, sights and sounds that make Clermont County and the eastern Cincinnati area a unique and desirable destination. 

“Our new Cincy East Bikes, Brews and BBQ Trail is a fun way to combine riding on our incredible bike trails, eating delicious BBQ and enjoying a cold craft beer in Clermont County and the eastern Cincinnati area,” says Jeff Blom, President of the Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We have created a new, downloadable web-based app to track your progress as you check in at stops on the new trail. Complete enough stops and you are automatically registered for a drawing to win prizes,” he added. 

Along the trail you will find a variety of locations covering much of Clermont County and eastern Cincinnati including Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail, Williamsburg to Batavia Hike and Bike Trail, East Fork State Park Mountain Bike Trails and more. And when your feet need a rest, enjoy eating and drinking your way through stops such as Little Miami Brewing Company, Mt. Carmel Brewing Company, Fifty West, Midwest West Best BBQ and Creamery, Pickles and Bones, Sweets and Meats and many more! Stop into these venues with deals and discounts, or just keep checking in as you drink and eat for the chance to win prizes along the way. 

“Due to COVID-19, bike sales were off the charts in 2020, so we want to invite families, friends, couples and avid cyclists to load up their bikes and come out to ride the trails in Clermont and discover what makes our area a fun place to visit,” says Blom. 

Are you interested in completing the trail? Mark your calendars, on Fri. Jun. 18th, the race begins. Starting Friday, you can register your free trail online at discoverclermont.com/bikesbrewsbbq. If you check-in to 15 stops along the trail you will be entered to win a Discover Clermont cycling jersey. This trail is ideal for a weekend of riding, or make it last for a few weekends of fun, flavor, and fitness. 

Food for Thought

Getting ready for a Memorial Day cookout? Add a little panache to your backyard get-together with these recipes from Carolyn Wallace and chef Michael Vinegar from The Perfect Brew.

Salad from The Gourmand Group at Findlay Market.

The two created these healthy, simple, and beautiful dishes for ArtsWave’s Arts4Wellness program, “Jazzed About Healthy Cooking.” If you can’t – or don’t have time to – cook, The Gourmand Group is open Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hide the takeout box and tell everyone you made the salads!

Enjoy a trip to Findlay Market to get the ingredients for the recipes below. Want to add a little something? Go ahead! Cooking, like jazz, is about improvisation – keep trying new things until you get it just right.

Arts4Wellness is is an exclusive benefit for ArtsWave Pass members. For a donation of $75 or above to ArtsWave, you'll receive no-cost access to the remaining Arts4Wellness events, plus complimentary tickets, merchandise, dining deals, and more from partners across the region.

Grilled Sourdough
½ cup butter or olive oil
Pinch of turmeric
7 cloves of garlic minced
1/3 cup minced cilantro
1 loaf of sourdough bread from EM’s Bread
½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Jicama Salad
For dressing:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup walnut oil
2 tablespoons olive oil (from Kofina’s Olive Oil)
Salt and pepper

1 or 2 jicama, peeled and sliced
3 watermelon radishes
½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
Add dried cherries for sweetness, if desired

Mettle Winning Beer

Rebel Mettle’s three flagship beers are now available in cans exclusively at Rebel Mettle Brewery. A debut celebration will be held at the taproom, 412 Central Ave., on Saturday, May 1, 11 a.m.-midnight and Sunday, May 2, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

“The first canning is a special moment for any brewer or brewery,” said Michael Brown, founder of Rebel Mettle. “As Rebel Mettle launched in the middle of a pandemic, the canning of our flagship beers is a toast to the creativity and resiliency of our team, our industry and our communities.”

In addition to the unveiling of Rebel Mettle canned beers, the weekend will feature food trucks, live music Saturday from 7–11 p.m. and limited-edition Rebel Mettle Flagship t-shirts priced at $15 with the purchase of a canned six-pack.

These Rebel Mettle beers available are:

Mettle Mayhem - India Pale Lager (IPL) 5.0% ABV, 40 IBU, brewed with Centennial and Zeus hops. This lager is golden, has a medium body and is moderately bitter

Stubentiger - Light Lager 4.2% ABV, 16 IBU, brewed with barley, hops, water and yeast

Volume - Juniper Schwarzbier 8.5% ABV, 48 IBU, brewed with dried blue juniper berries. This is a Frankenstein version of the German classic

While many craft brewers focus on India Pale Ales, more than 75% of Rebel Mettle’s offerings are lagers. Often an entry point for new beer drinkers, lagers can be slightly malty while having a light taste.

Rebel Mettle, the first craft brewery in Cincinnati’s Central Business District in nearly 20 years, opened in September of 2020. The brewery and pub, founded by U.S. Air Force veteran Michael Brown, is located at 412 Central Ave. in the Historic West Fourth district. Rebel Mettle operators chose the location based on its proximity to sports stadiums, the music venue at The Banks, convention visitors, and its diverse neighbors.

Mint Condition

You can't watch the Kentucky Derby and not have a mint julep! The Game Day Barkeep is here to help you make this distinctly derby drink just in time for the Run for the Roses.

Anything for Loaf

The news outlets have been focusing on a critical deficit America is facing today. Even CNN has reported on this crisis – The great ketchup packet shortage.

But Frisch’s Big Boy is offering a solution: Frisch’s Tartar Sauce.

“In 2020, America suffered through a toilet paper shortage and Frisch’s Big Boy was there, offering tissue and other household staples through the newly created Big Boy’s Market,” said Alison O’Keefe, VP of marketing of Frisch’s Big Boy. “In 2021, our creative team is back at it, offering Frisch’s Tartar Sauce and Big Boy Meatloaf as a fix to the tomato fixins deficiency.”

Additionally, Frisch’s Chef John Zenk has some tips to survive the ketchup package shortage.

I don’t have ketchup for my burger >
Dress your burger with Frisch’s Tartar Sauce!

I don’t have ketchup for my French fries >
Dip your fries in Frisch’s Tartar Sauce!

I got ketchup on my lucky shirt >
Use Tide!

Frisch’s Big Boy Meatloaf

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs. 80/20 Ground Beef

• 2 cups Italian bread crumbs

• 1 cup diced yellow onion

• 1 cup milk

• 3 large eggs beaten

• ½ cup of diced dill pickle

• 4 Tsp. of dill pickle Juice

• 1 tsp. Lawrys Season All Salt

• 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced (3 cloves)

For the Topping and Serving:

• 8 Slices of American Cheese

• 1 jar of Frisch’s Tartar Sauce
  (available at Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants and participating Kroger stores)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients except for the Ground Beef.  Mix well with spatula or your hands to mush and mix these ingredients together until well combined.

2. Add Ground Beef and fold in all the ingredients.  Be careful not to overmix.

3. Form an even loaf (about 10 x 5 inches) on a Foil lined rimmed sheet pan.

4. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

5. Remove meatloaf from the oven.

6. Add 8 slices of American cheese, overlapping to get all slices on the meat loaf

7. Return to oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.

8. Let meatloaf rest for 8-10 minutes before cutting.

Cut and serve with Frisch’s Tartar Sauce on the side

Red Red Wine

With travel restrictions in place for international travel you can’t board a flight from CVG to CDG and take a tour through French wine country, never mind going to Australasia.

But Funky’s Catering Events has a great way for you to sample wines from the West Coast, plus Burgundy and New Zealand, all without having to pack a suitcase.

Jerin Dunham, Funky’s COO and co-owner

For the past decade, Funky’s has offered monthly wine dinners, with a pause last spring during the shutdown. Though the meals began as interactive dinners in their commissary, where guests could watch the chefs work, they have grown to elaborate evenings in the elegant settings of The View and The Transept.

If You Go

Pinot Noir from Around the World Dinner
Friday April 23, 6:30 p.m.
The View at Mt Adams
1071 Celestial St.

Tickets are $150/person. More information at funkyscatering.com/promotions

“We wanted to celebrate our love of good food and good wine,” says Jerin Dunham, COO and co-owner of Funky’s. “We’ve found a core group of people who enjoy that as much as we do.”

While wine takes center stage for the dinner, Funky’s culinary team makes sure the food is more than just a supporting player. The appetizers and five-course meal are all expertly paired with wine selections, creating a truly gourmet experience for guests.

Health precautions are taken at each dinner, though guests still have a chance to ask questions of the chef and the wine representative. Wine dinners sell out quickly but you can sign up for the mailing list to receive information about upcoming events.

“We want the dinners to be fun and special for our guests,” says Dunham. “That’s the reason we do these.”

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Pinot Noir from Around the World Wine Dinner

Appetizers

Ancho pheasant taco, avocado crema, mango & jicama pico
Lamb and fontina stuffed crimini, micro herbs
Sakura flank Steak, grilled 16 Brix bread, moody bleu cheese, blackberry compote
Seared diver scallop, pickled beets, citrus pea pesto
with 2020 Diora Rose of Pinot Noir, Monterey, California

1st course

Red Snapper and Ahi tuna crudo, cucumber, avocado, Asian pear, radish, strawberry
with 2018 Maggyhawk “Edmeades Vineyard” White Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California

2nd course

Kurobuta pork tenderloin, charred ramps and parmesan, spring pea puree, purple cauliflower
with 2018 Escarpment “Te Rehua Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

3rd course

Dijon maple HiddenFjord Salmon, sweet potato and fig latke, grilled artichokes, charmolla
with 2015 Angela Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon

4th course

Cervena elk medallion, duck fat smashed marble potatoes, Bulleit Bourbon & smoked morel sauce, compressed carrots and parsnips
with 2018 En Route by Far Niente Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California

5th course

Blacksticks Bleu, Taleggio, Cahill’s Porter Cheddar, rose poached pear, honeycomb, and Marcona almond brittle
with 2015 Maison Champy Volnay, Burgundy, France