Ham Sandwich Indicted!

Patience is most definitely not one of my virtues. I tend to want things done yesterday, and nothing makes me happier than finding a more efficient way to do something.  Yet sometimes, as they say, good things come to those who wait...as I've discovered with homebrewing and now, infused alcohols. I stumbled across a recipe for basilchello (like lemonchello, but with basil) a few weeks ago during my schitzophrenic internet wanderings and it seemed to me a good excuse to use some of my ever-proliferating basil and buy some high proof alcohol without looking like a college kid prepping for a Hairy Buffalo party.  ("It's for a classy recipe!") The original recipe ( here ), calls for 190-proof grain alcohol, but since the copper still in my basement is on the fritz, I substituted 151.  If using a lower proof, taste as you go when you're adding the simple syrup, to make sure you don't over-sweeten it. The longer you let the basil infuse the alcohol, the more ...

Clearly, I am a woman possessed. Or bored. Or one with too much cream, strawberries, and basil on her hands. Using the same techniques I used for the Rhubarb-Rosemary Ice Cream, I threw together this batch of deliciousness with my last remaining strawberries and a big handful of basil.  I'm pretty sure this is what summer tastes like. Strawberry-Basil Ice Cream Ingredients : 3 cups or so strawberries, sliced 1 c. sugar (divided--3/4 and 1/4) 1 c. water 1 1/2 c. heavy cream 1 1/2 c. whole milk 10-12 basil leaves 2 tbls. corn starch 2 tbls. cream cheese 1. Combine strawberries, 3/4 c. sugar, and water in a saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until strawberries are soft, and a syrup is starting to form, skimming off foam. (About 5 minutes.) Puree mix in blender/food processor.  Place strawberry puree in fridge, stirring occasionally until cool--about two hours. (This time around, I popped it in the freezer and stirred occasionally, cutting the cooling time down to about 30 ...

Holy damn, I've invented a new flavor! Ok, not really invented, but after scouring the internet (ie, going through the first three Google pages) for "rhubarb rosemary ice cream" and finding Rhubarb-Rosemary Creme Brulee and Rhubarb Rosemary Affogato as the closest thing to ice cream (aside from the several rhubarb crisps-with-rosemary ice cream), I'd like to think that I'm the first to throw these two taste sensations together in an ice cream. If I'm wrong, feel free to let me know. (but in the meantime, I'm going to relish my 'originality.') Want to know how to make it? Of course you do...it's amazing! The herbal rosemary plays really well with the sweet-sour rhubarb, and eating it is a multi-sensory experience as the rosemary aroma hits your nose before you even get the ice cream in your mouth. It's summery, sophisticated, and sweet, but with just a tinge of savory. Make this and impress your friends/loved ones/complete strangers...

An exercise-bike powered ice cream maker. This past weekend's Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) organized tour of Snowville Creamery wasn't all fun and games...someone had to make the ice cream! (Ok, yeah, it really was all fun.) The first stop on OEFFA's Sustainable Farm Tour series took us to Pomeroy, Ohio to see exactly how Snowville Creamery produces its amazing milk, cream, and ice cream (they make the base for Jeni's!). Upon arrival, we were greeted by a four piece string band, a table of cookies, chips, and salsa (all locally made!) and an unending supply of Snowville milk (white AND chocolate)! Honor your partner, honor your corner. After introductions by pasture and herd owners Bill Dix and Stacy Hall, and Creamery owners Warren and Victoria Taylor, we made our way out to the pastures to see cows doing what they do best: eating grass. The milk starts here. From the pastures, we moved to the milking parlor, where Bill showed us where 18 cows at...

In case you're wondering, that's a lobster roll from DeepWood , and while probably only tangentially related to the main subject of this post, I figured it is as good a way as any to get your attention. (And yes, it was delicious.) This past Saturday, a friend and I traversed through hail, high winds, and torrential rain to get to the North Market and catch a performance of Available Light Theater's current production, The Food Play . It runs through June 11, so that means there's still time for you to get tickets and go see it. The Food Play is an original piece born out of the insatiable reading appetite of troupe's member Matt Slaybaugh. Using a series of theatrical devices (skits, a game show, monologues, even a Seinfeld parody), AVLT explores most of the major issues facing our food supply, as examined in books by writers including Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle, and Mark Bittman. The cast of six manages to convey to the audience a huge amount of informat...

Last night, yours truly and her partner-in-crime, the Bro-in-Law hit up MiddleWest Spirits for their Wednesday evening $5 tour and tasting. If you've not heard of MiddleWest and their exceptional spirits, come on out from under that rock, find a bar that serves their OYO (oh-why-oh) products, and prepare to have your idea of clear, "flavorless" vodka redefined. Started by Brady Konya and Ryan Lang, MiddleWest is the first microdistillery in the city, and dedicated to producing distinctly local spirits: ones whose tastes reflect the very nature of Ohio, while at the same time promote sustainable manufacturing processes and encourage local enterprise. What is inspiring and most notable about Brady and Ryan is how passionate they are about product: they believe profoundly in what they're making, and they believe in making it the best they possibly can. ...And if Maxim , the Beverage Tasting Institute , and glowing write-ups in out-of-state papers , are correct, then th...