Fresh Food for Thought

I’ve always been interested in sourcing the best vegetables straight from the garden. That interest took on new meaning when I read Joan Dye Gussow’s This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader in 2003. Before farm-to-table had overtaken the American (Read more)

Sponsored story by The American Farmland Trust. American Farmland Trust launched The Farmer Relief Fund seeking donations to provide cash to help farmers adapt to market challenges brought on by the COVID-19 crisis—100% to go to those most in need. Farmers (Read more)

When crisis strikes, I go straight to what I can control … food. I shop for food. I organize food. I cook food. Sometimes I go overboard. I resisted stocking up until this week, until the governor shuttered all 22,000 restaurants (Read more)

From the outset, Terrestrial Brewing Company co-founders Ryan Bennett and Ralph Sgro, head brewer, have focused on experimenting with the beer that fills their five-barrel system, crafting adventurous concoctions that continually challenge guests’ expectations. Their goal, Ryan explains, is to get (Read more)

Present your loved ones with a few of our favorite locally made or produced edible gifts in our Edible Holiday Gift Guide. Sausage-Making Class Gift Card Ordering a gift certificate to one of Saucisson’s sausage-making classes ($45 per person) is a (Read more)

Trey Kirchoff was biking home from his job at a New York City pie shop—having just returned from a yoga retreat in India, where he had eloped with his wife—when he experienced an existential epiphany: he was too settled to feel (Read more)

It’s October, which means it’s the season for pick-your-own pumpkins! Here is a list of some Northeast Ohio farms who offer U-Pick. Cuyahoga County  Heavenly Hill Farm 18375 State Rd, North Royalton 440.237.8708 Hours: 11am-6pm, through October 31 Geauga County Ridgeview (Read more)

Aficionados of craft butchery will want to RSVP to their dream party—the upcoming Fête des Bouchers, a one-day event on Saturday, October 12, at the Culinary Vegetable Institute that will gather Northeast Ohio’s finest meat purveyors and chefs. This “party of (Read more)

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival, a small but mighty event that will screen 83 films from 37 countries October 2-6. Films will be shown at multiple locations around Chagrin Falls including Chagrin Cinemas, Chagrin Valley (Read more)

Want to go apple picking? Here is our annual updated list featuring Northeast Ohio orchards and the varieties they offer. Share a photo of your favorite orchard day. Be sure to use the #ediblecle tag on Instagram, and you might see (Read more)

Ohio City Pizzeria reopened on July 19 with a new look, menu, and mission. The pizza joint has been a neighborhood staple for more than 30 years. The West Side Catholic Center (WSCC), located just a block away, acquired the business (Read more)

Eating is, perhaps, your most important daily activity. And, it’s about more than sustenance. Our food choices contribute to the health of our bodies, the health of our local economy, and the health of the environment. And, yet, something so impactful (Read more)

Chefs Michael Symon and Matt Del Regno are some of the busiest guys we know, yet they’ve teamed up once again to execute University Hospitals Five Star Sensation. The event returns after a customary hiatus and will take place on June 15 (Read more)

Ashtabula County is home to beautiful beaches, big skies, covered bridges, and sweeping, glaciated landscapes—a setting which can, in some cases, lure families home to farm. Connie and Randall Moores of Moores Heritage Farm followed that call. When Randall returned home (Read more)

Pysanky, or Ukrainian Easter eggs, are written, rather than painted or decorated. According to Walter Ciszkewycz, an employee of the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Tremont, “the word Pysanka is derived from the Ukrainian word pysaty (Писати), which means to write.” To make (Read more)

Recently, in response to my latest apocalyptic post on social media, I received a challenge from a friend. Using the form of some quote or poem, I was encouraged to choose hope over dismay. I calmly responded that, as a realist (Read more)

“May suitable doses of guaranteed sensual pleasure and slow, long-lasting enjoyment preserve us from the contagion of the multitude who mistake frenzy for efficiency. Our defense should begin at the table with Slow Food. Let us rediscover the flavors and savors (Read more)

We received some delicious recipes attached with heartfelt stories that made determining a winner for our Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest and $100 Cleveland Independents restaurant gift card especially difficult. There are the peanut butter cookies that recall the day the entrant’s (Read more)

In 1846, Sarah Josepha Hale started a letter-writing campaign to set aside a fixed date for a national holiday of thanks giving. Over the next 17 years, Sarah wrote to five different presidents pleading her case. Finally in 1863, and in (Read more)

Ahhhh autumn. We’ve missed your misty mornings and refreshing air. (Maybe give us a break on some of this rain, though!) We’re ready for cozy sweaters, barn coats, and boots, and we are so ready for your food. In between pumpkin (Read more)

I’m never that excited for the early darkness that fall brings. One bright spot though (pun intended) is that I am suddenly in the mood for fall-scented candles. I first learned of Cleveland Candle Company while browsing at Merchant’s Mrkt, a (Read more)

Last year, I shared how I transformed my front yard into a raised bed potager garden. As the second year of the garden comes to a close, I noticed the beginnings of an annual routine and realized there are plenty more (Read more)

Want a chance to win a $100 Cleveland Independents restaurant gift card and have your holiday cookie recipe featured in our December e-newsletter? If so, please send us your favorite original cookie recipe! Contest Rules: You are welcome to submit up to (Read more)

The Tri-C Cleveland Eats Culinary Festival is more than the typical food sampling event. It’s a creative way for Cuyahoga Community College to spread the word about their thriving culinary program. In a city as passionate about food as sports (well, (Read more)

Making food and sharing it is one of life’s most beautiful experiences, and it’s one of the main ways I show the people I love how much I care. Family gatherings always mean homemade food. My family made every dish we (Read more)

How does a child achieve educational goals if their family doesn’t have consistent access to nutritious foods? How do we help all of our neighbors live a healthy life, even if they are unable to cook? How does a vibrant civic (Read more)

Philanthropic foodies, mark your calendars. Two new installments of the popular Revival Social Dinner are on the horizon for late summer and fall. Revival Social Dinner is series of charitable dinner parties that are the brainchild of Joy and William Burke. The (Read more)

Ladies night is a common gimmick in many a pub promoter’s bag of tricks, but the femme-themed takeover at LBM on June 19 was anything but your basic bar promotion. Rather, the fete was packed wall to wall, and punctuated with patrons (Read more)

The biennial Autism Speaks Chef Gala in Cleveland, set for 6:30pm-11pm Saturday, July 28, at the Cleveland Museum of Art, is one of the hottest tickets in town, not only for attendees but for the chef participants. The roster of more than (Read more)

John Riepenhoff is a painter, sculptor, and conceptual artist who also describes himself as a “food ideator,” which means he occasionally lends his artistic talents to make tasty things. The Milwaukee-based artist spent several weeks embedded in Cleveland developing his art (Read more)

It doesn’t take much for our Edible Cleveland team to find a reason to get together, especially when food and, admittedly, cocktails are involved. Had you been a fly on the wall at our recent dinner party you would have seen (Read more)

What is American food? Who are the people responsible for our different cuisines? Why is the notion of “authenticity” bandied about in our food culture, as if to suggest one’s version of a recipe is superior or more real than another’s? (Read more)

For the last 50 years, throngs of concert-goers have streamed through the gates of Blossom Music Center in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to witness some of the most iconic musicians play live. Arguably among the most notable of events was when (Read more)

One Friday morning many years ago, I was waiting for a meeting to begin at the offices of Northeast Shores Development Corporation, the organization representing North Collinwood, and overheard the staff discussing area school children picking up backpacks at that location. (Read more)

If you have ever gone to a rock concert and found yourself feeding off of the energy of other like-minded fans, you’ll understand my excitement for the upcoming Cleveland VegFest. At VegFest, thousands of people will literally be feeding off of our shared (Read more)

The Cleveland Seed Bank’s seed libraries are sprouting up at local libraries across the region, and will be on display until Sept. 22, the first day of fall. This innovative program provides access to up to 5 free seed packets per month from (Read more)

There is a fungus among us as we trudge through the backwoods of the Hocking Hills region with amateur mycologist Andrea Moore. We just have to find it. Moore, an active member of the Ohio Mushroom Society, occasionally leads one of (Read more)

What originated as a cheap post-war Japanese food to feed a hungry population, ramen has evolved into an iconic dish with a loyal following. We see this narrative play out in Ramen Heads, which documents Japan’s ramen culture and devotion through stories of (Read more)

For most farmers, February is the agricultural doldrums. But with the lengthening days, a flood of seed catalogs in the mail, and the promise of an ever-earlier spring, this shortest month is also the time to plan and get excited. It’s (Read more)

Remember the cronut? The culinary sensation of 2013 was a mash-up of a croissant and a donut, the creation of a French baker in New York City. People stood in long lines to snag one. But that is yesterday’s news. I (Read more)

Impossible Foods, a California-based startup that creates new ingredients from nature, seems to have cracked the code for a tasty and realistic meatless burger. The Impossible Burger took nearly seven years to develop—there’s a great deal of science behind it—but the final (Read more)

Donut Fest is returning to Cleveland for its second straight year, and promises to be another delightfully tasty amalgamation of classics and unexpected twists. “I think we’re going to see some old-school donuts with no fuss and people who are willing (Read more)

While a contemporary art museum might not be a typical setting for a dialogue on food insecurity, that’s exactly the kind of program you might find at MOCA Cleveland. Recently, the museum was host to a community conversation centered on food (Read more)

The 925 Building in Cleveland was buzzing September 30 as more than 375 people came together to raise money for Veggie U, an Oberlin-based nonprofit that provides classroom gardens and science programs for elementary schools throughout the U.S. The indoor gardens include grow (Read more)

The ease and convenience of shopping, communicating, and traveling have become cornerstones of modern society. Chances are you, or someone you know, recently had a week’s worth of groceries delivered to your front door. Or maybe you requested a ride to (Read more)

It’s been several years since we’ve enjoyed a city-wide downtown food festival. In that relatively short window, the restaurant scene has experienced another growth spurt that resulted in an uptick in residents, visitors, and attention from people all over the world. (Read more)

You may remember an earlier blog post from late spring when I shared that we were going to turn our entire front yard into a potager garden. Well, as harvest time is now upon us, I am happy to share that (Read more)

I made my way through the beautiful rolling hills of Ohio’s rural countryside, just southeast of the Akron area, toward my destination. The address on the mailbox didn’t need to confirm I had reached the location — the distinct yet subtle (Read more)

Early August has always been a conflicted time for me. These hazy dog days of summer come into fruition in the form of ripe tomatoes and sweet corn, two quintessential summer ingredients. Sultry days melt the ice cream faster than you (Read more)

A sunny Sunday and our beautifully renovated Public Square provided a picture perfect site for Common Ground—an event that encouraged residents of Greater Cleveland to gather for meaningful conversation over a meal. People engaged in conversation on topics ranging from food (Read more)

Slow Food was founded in 1989 to preserve food cultures and traditions, and to serve as the antidote to the rise of the fast food culture. Consequently, the rate of global food production has outpaced the rate of global population growth. (Read more)

We couldn’t resist a chance to share the generosity and genius of our Cleveland chef community on display last night at University Hospitals Five Star Sensation. The epic food-focused fundraiser has been going on since 1987. Wolfgang Puck served as Host Chef (Read more)

  Several Cleveland-area chefs are taking part in a nationwide challenge to craft a burger recipe that is equal parts delicious and earth-friendly. Chefs from Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, Lopez, Nuevo Modern Mexico and Tequila Bar, Spice Kitchen + Bar, and (Read more)

Roughly 6,000 years ago, humans began to huddle together in ancient Mesopotamia in what would become one of the first urban civilizations in the world, the city-state of Sumer. Perhaps they joined each other for protection, or to grow crops together, (Read more)

Congratulations to all the Edible Cleveland contributors who were honored for their work during the 39th annual All Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards!     The event was held on Friday, June 2, at the House of Blues in downtown Cleveland. The Press (Read more)

Move over mayonnaise. Step aside ketchup. Summertime is the right time to meet the heat of local hot sauces. As consumer tastes reflect a growing interest in global flavors, hot sauces serve up the diverse flavor profiles we’re craving now. Multiculturalism (Read more)

Heinen’s once again is offering talented Ohio food producers the chance to win plum product placement throughout its grocery store shelves. The regional grocery store chain’s third annual Shark Bank competition is seeking submissions beginning Thursday, June 1, and continuing through (Read more)

Lidia Trempe wears a brightly colored floral babushka. Her apron is lightly dusted with all-purpose flour. She stands on a chair with dough or tray in hand, leading attendees of a Pints and Pierogies event on May 18 at Rudy’s Strudel (Read more)

Great craft beers and elevated “bar food” offerings collide in the most fantastic of ways at Collision Bend Brewing Co., a new addition to the East Bank of the Flats. Clevelanders who have been around a while will fondly recognize the brewery’s (Read more)

By combining the power of creating jobs through meaningful employment with a passion for creating artisan baked goods, Bloom Bakery proves an exceptional model of social enterprise. Bloom celebrated its one-year anniversary in March, and as testimony to the heart of (Read more)

A fixed location is the only thing that’s static about Saucisson—the much-anticipated butcher shop that opened March 16 on Fleet Avenue in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood. Sandwich and soup specials change by the day, and a weekly rotation of bratwurst flavors (Read more)

All across the country, cities are honoring their cultural heritages while resisting President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda by bringing together their communities over shared meals. Cleveland celebrated its multicultural heritage during the launch of Global Table, a community potluck that was (Read more)

I have always been the most haphazard of gardeners. I’ve regularly been seduced by a pretty plant and brought it home without a thought. In a couple of my homes, these crushes gradually overtook the front yard, and I ended up (Read more)

“In Ethiopia, there are a lot of proverbs,” Zeleke Belete says, sitting across from me over a plate of lamb tibs (roast) with rosemary and jalapeño that we pinch with tears of crepe-like injera. Around us, yellow walls are decorated with (Read more)

Chef Anthony Scolaro opens up a large box of mushrooms that have just arrived from Valley City Fungi. Perfect and clean, they are beautiful in hues of tan, brown, gold, white, and even a subtle blue. They will be the main (Read more)

This past weekend, the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association converged at the Dayton Convention Center for a weekend of education, inspiration, and networking. This was my sixth attendance at the midwinter event, when farmers are most available to uproot themselves (Read more)

Ann Marie Dvorak, my strong-willed, faith-filled, Curves connoisseur and fiercely independent boss of a grandmother, spent 28 years working for the Catholic Universe Bulletin. She began working with my great grandfather Lawrence—the circulation manager for the publication—delivering papers in exchange for ice cream (Read more)

Britt-Marie and Shane Culey just celebrated three years at Coquette Patisserie, their warm and cozy Paris-inspired café and bake shop in University Circle. An airy corner spot, with large windows overlooking Euclid Avenue, the café offers a pleasant daytime respite for (Read more)

How has your heritage shaped your career? I fell into entrepreneurship cause I always wanted to sell some kind of food product. One of my role models was Mr. Wilson, a nice man whose kids I went to school with. He (Read more)

At Central Kitchen we talk to dozens of craft food entrepreneurs every day. We understand the hurdles and roadblocks they face and help to overcome them. Beyond general business set up, there are a handful of common food startup issues: Licensing (Read more)

Local makers create artisanal Cleveland gifts It’s the holiday season, but this year, you won’t be watching people fight their way into stores for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Clevelanders are resilient, and we’ve found ways to shop for presents (Read more)

How A Food Business Incubator Gives You Resources & Support Many of today’s most successful businesses began in a similar place: a business incubator. Designed specifically for new- and early-stage entrepreneurs, an incubator offers the mentorship, education and resources you need (Read more)

Many of the world’s greatest food entrepreneurs started right where you are today: considering whether to take a passion for food to the next level. While it can be a bit scary to start your own food business, the good news (Read more)

The decision to start your own food business is an exciting one. But it can also be scary and overwhelming, especially if this is your first entrepreneurial endeavor. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available, like the Central Kitchen Craft Food (Read more)