Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Cookie Crazed Mama - Tipp City, OH

Cookies, scones, muffins, cupcakes, mini pies, and bars. From their website: I started as a “Cookie Crazed Mama” but now I’m just a “Sugar Crazed Mama”, baking up treats to share with friends, family, and of course, YOU! But if you’re here visiting then you fall into either category. So I hope you stay and find some sugar inspiration to bake up for yourself!


  2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. lemon zest (zest of 2 sm. lemons)
- 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt-set aside.  In another bowl, add sugar and lemon zest.  Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar.  The idea is to infuse the sugar with the lemon flavor.  Lemon-sugar.  Good stuff.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy- a few minutes.  Scrape down sides of the bowl, add egg and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed for several minutes.  Turn mixer on low, and slowly add flour mixture.  Stir until batter is just combined.  Batter will be thick.
Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough (about golf ball size) onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool cookies on sheet for a couple minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Lemon Frosting
* you could probably halve this recipe but I'd rather have enough goodness to spread around, and save the extra for something else like frosting cupcakes or filling whoopie pies-YUM!  :)

- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
- 5-6 c. powdered sugar (depending on thick/sweet you want)
- pinch of salt
- 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (use your 2 lemons that you zested)
- 1-2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
- yellow sanding sugar (optional)
In a bowl of stand mixer, beat together butter and shortening.  With mixer on low, add powdered sugar and pinch of salt.  Beat until powdered sugar is incorporated and mixture is thick.  On low, slowly add your lemon juice and food coloring.  Turn mixer on high and beat until whipped and fluffy!
Scoop a heaping mound of frosting onto each cooled cookie and and spread around.  Sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired.  Enjoy!





http://www.cookiecrazedmama.com/

Olive Oasis - Troy, Ohio


The Olive Oasis is located at 7 E. Main St. in Troy. 
The store is open Monday – Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
 Closed Sunday. 
Look for The Olive Oasis on Facebook
 (937) 552-7322
 Lucas Schlumpf, owner
Just a short drive from Dayton, Ohio, The Olive Oasis offers fresh and healthy food products in a unique setting.his family-owned and operated retail store, offers a wide variety of  fresh extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars for you to choose from when you visit. Select your favorites and they'll bottle it for you while you wait! Makes a great gift and fun stop while seeing the town. 

The 2012 Stinner Summit - Oct 5, 2012 Athens, OH

(Note -- I post this here because it will appeal to the the vendors at the farmer's markets who focus on sustainable agriculture and communities. As always, I encourage you to grow your own food and buy locally grown produce.)  

What is the Stinner Summit?

 The inspiration for the Annual Stinner Summit is Ben's vision of collaboration for building relationships based on common interests, his ability to see and understand the big picture, and his passion and enthusiasm for building healthy agroecosystems and sustainable communities.

The Summit, held at a different location each year, is a highly engaging and participatory event that draws stakeholders from around Ohio (and sometimes beyond!). Attendees, all with different expertise and paticular interests, work together to develop projects that will address healthy agroecosystems and/or sustainable communities. At the end of the day, the Ben Stinner Endowment pledges $15,000 in support of one or more projects. Breakfast and lunch are provided for attendees, and always features local restaurants and producers. The event is free of charge and open to any who are interested, though space is sometimes limited. To see photos and agendas of past Summits, check out the links below.

 Each year is unique, however; the best way to understand the Summit is to experience it for yourself!

 In summation (though incomplete), the Stinner Summit provides attendees with:

 1. Face-to-face networking opportunities
 2. A multi-disciplinary, engaging environment
 3. Open space to brainstorm projects related to sustainable agriculture and communities
 4. Coffee
 5. Food
 6. Financial support for projects concieved, developed, and selected by Summit attendees.
 7. A springboard for ideas, projects, and connections that can be carried into other aspects of your life.
More

Monday, May 14, 2012

Greenville Farmers Market

Downtown Greenville is the perfect backdrop for the Greenville Farmers Market located at 4th & Broadway at the Courthouse.

2012 Season Starts June 2 - thru Oct. 13

The Farmers Market is held:
Every Saturday from June-October.           9 am - 1pm




All items are homemade, handmade or homegrown in Ohio or neighboring Indiana counties.






All products are fresh and come directly to you from the producer, grower, baker, or maker. For the most part, the products offered are cheaper than the grocery store.


New vendors are accepted throughout the season. Please fill out the application at http://www.mainstreetgreenville.org/  and return to Megan Liette, Market Manager.
Questions? Please call 937.548.4998.

Market Shopping Incentive
When purchasing a local product from our vendors, please be sure to get your market pass stamped to receive a free gift after spending $25 at the market each month.

For more information - please call the Farm Bureau office at 937.548.6014 or Main Street Greenville at 937.548.4998.


1 (614) 443-1449
Websitehttp://www.thurnsmeats.com


530 Greenlawn Avenue

Columbus Ohio, 43223

614.443.1449

Blairquist Specialty Meats , - Hollansburg, OH



Tim & Vicki Blair have pledged to provide meat that has been fed differently than regular livestock to ensure healthy, high-quality meats.  Their products are guaranteed to never have been given growth hormones or any other supplement!  They've created their own feed supply to help you achieve the proper balance of Omega 3 with Omega-6.  Their meat products are extensively reduced in Omega-6.  


Tim & Vicki Blair
2997 Harrison Road
Hollansburg, OH 45332
(937) 997-4222
blairv@centurylink.net

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Natural Excellence Farm and Gardens, Orwell OH


Good Earth Guide

Rosemary and John Taipale

8173 Parker Rd.
Orwell, Ohio 44076

Listing updated 02.06.2012

arugula, basil, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, chard, cilantro, cucumbers, cut flowers including sunflowers, dill, garlic, green beans, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, muskmelons, onions, parsley, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, shallots, snap peas, sweet corn, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini; brown and blue eggs

Vegetables are grown using basic organic practices although the farm is not certified. Soil improvement is accomplished using natural rock powders, cover crops and manure from our two Belgian draft horses. A variety of heritage breed hens range through the hayfield and pasture, providing delicious fresh eggs.

See them at the Lake County Farmpark Farmers' Market, Wednesdays 3-6 p.m., mid-May through mid-October and the Bridge Street Market in Ashtabula Harbor on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., mid-June through mid-October.

Visitors are welcome to the farm, but please call first.

Rosemary and John Taipale

440/862-1035

La Vigna Estate Winery _ Georgetown OH


La Vigna Estate Winery
6035 State Route 505
Georgetown, Ohio 45121


Listing updated 02 23, 2012

Authentic wines grown not made, Ohio's first and only grown, produced, and bottled Petit Manseng, Petit Manseng is an old variety, famous for being the only wine used to baptize the royal child, Henry IV. Grown in the Jurancon region of southwest France at the foot of the Pyrenees, it makes what Jancis Robinson eloquently describes as “one of France’s unusually underrated treasures, Jurancon Moelleux, a seductively juicy, sweet, long-lived white.”

La Vigna Estate Winery makes only estate grown, produced and bottled wines. Our pre-prohibition winegrowing philosophy of on-time harvesting goes against the contemporary winemaking style of high sugar content and over-ripe flavors. The goal of making wines that strongly convey the "somewhereness" of the vineyard is our passion.
Contact:
La Vigna Estate Winery (937) 375-1104
Web site: lavignaestatewinery.com

GardenSoxx

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Bakehouse Bread and Cookie Company - Troy, OH

Who can resist homemade bread?  It's one of my weaknesses.... I love their breads and their food... it's worth a trip to Troy!

Bakehouse Bread and Cookie Company are located just off the circle so they are easy to find.

317 Public Square SW, Troy, OH
937.339.8100

Bakehouse Bread & Cookie Company creates handmade artisan breads and gourmet cookies for lovers of great food around the world.

The artisan breads they produce are authenic artisan breads, not the grocery store variety. The owners have done their homework and paid their dues...and have taken instruction from an Artisan Bread Baker at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. At the National Baking Institute in Minneapolis, she  apprenticed under a French Master Baker who gave her the confidence to start out on her own.

She and her husband began selling loaves to restaurants, grocery stores and farm markets throughout the Miami Valley. The following year their dream came true and they opened a retail store offering pastry goods, cookies and coffee as well as artisan breads. And that was the birth of Bakehouse Bread and Cookie Company!  After 3 years they nearly tripled the size of the original 1,700 square foot shop, added a café and catering service, and purchased a stone hearth oven from Verona, Italy.

Please visit their website and like them on facebook!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

H2O Conserve - What's YOUR Water Footprint?

We won't know the real value of WATER until it's gone........but it is our most precious resource!

The H2O Calculator is an interactive tool designed to figure the amount water used in your home or business as well as the water used to produce food, purchase products and many other factors – including water utilized to cool power plants to produce electricity.

The calculator was created by H2O Conserve, a project of ICCR, GRACE, Food & Water Watch, and the Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future. 
NOTE: Your results are only an estimate of your water use and are based on calculations and approximations using national averages. They should not be taken as exact measurements.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Honey Health Farms ~ Marysville,OH

Honey Health Farms customers constantly mention the many health and nutritional benefits they receive from using our products. The apiaries where our honey is produced are located in pastures and wooded glades where wildflowers and clover flourish. These hives are just a few of the many hives that our field crew maintain without the use of harmful chemicals! Children under one year of age and diabetics should not eat honey. People with known allergic reactions to honey or honey products should avoid using them.

Our goal at Honey Health Farms is to provide alternative nutrition and health options by selling high quality, all natural products produced with the help of honey bees and mother nature.
 
Many people are beginning to realize that natural raw honey and other products from the bee hive are a great choice for improved nutrition, health and beauty.  Honey Health Farms a family owned endeavor has long recognized that our products produced with the help of honey bees and mother nature "provide the alternative way" to better nutrition, health and beauty.

For thousands of years, the honey bee acted like a pharmacist and produced numerous healthy alternative products. The bee hive became a "so called medicine bag" for early mankind. Mankind discovered that using honey and other products made by honeybees helped heal their wounds, fought off their infections, helped combat their allergies and gave them incredible energy for survival. Honey is also well known for its many uses as a beauty treatment.
 
Also for those in the Central Ohio area that would like to purchase our products locally you can do so at:

Benedict Hardware at 84 North Gregory Street in North Lewisburg, Ohio 43060 from 8 a.m. til 5 pm Monday through Saturday (937 747 3867). 

To make a road tour as part of your hardware visit there are four wooden Covered Bridges within three miles.

 Dale Benedict "the honeyman" dbenedict@embarqmail.com

Honey, pollen, honey soaps balms and creams

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Night Sky Coffeehouse (and restaurant) ................ Troy Ohio




This family owned restaurant was custom designed to offer everything they ever wanted in an upscale casual restaurant that is perfect for a dinner for two or relaxing with friends and the food is great!

It offers lots of things to do besides drink coffee, have a meal or just dessert! They also have tons of board games, internet terminals, free wireless-internet-access, and live music. 
 



Night Sky Coffeehouse - just the right size with tons of fun stuff to do and all-kinds of things to eat & drink.

Relax... you're with friends. Warm up by the fire. Anyone for a game of cards? Talk. Chat. GOSSIP. Laugh. Laugh until it hurts. Night Sky Coffeehouse is just the place you've been looking for!



18 North Market Street
Troy, Ohio 45373

Phone: (937) 339-1300

Tuesday-Thursday: 6:30am - 9:30pm
Friday: 6:30am - 11:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am - 11:00pm
Closed Sunday & Monday

D'Allessios - Italian Inspired Cuisine - Greenville OH



D'Alessio's Italian Restaurant

Enjoy fresh ingredients and home-made recipes, some handed down from generation to generation. D'Allessio's is housed in The Palace in historic downtown Greenville, and offers Italian-inspired cuisine, as well as vegan and vegetarian options.
537 S. Broadway, Suite 102
Greenville, OH 45331
Phone: (937) 316-8070

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Piqua Farmers Market - Piqua, OH

 

937-773-9355

Producer-only market that features items that are home-grown, home-baked or hand-made. Re-sellers are not permitted at the market.
 The fourth season of the Piqua Community Farmers Market gets underway on Thursday, May 24, 2012. The market season will run for 18 weeks and end on Thursday, September 20.


Email  info@piquafarmersmarket.com

Friday, March 2, 2012

Apple Country Farm Market - Spring Valley, Ohio

Apple Country Farm Market (ACFM) is a family-owned and operated business that offers a unique experience the whole family can enjoy.

Whether you're looking for fresh home-grown fruits and vegetables, seasonal products such as pumpkins and gourds, Indian corn, straw bales, Christmas trees, or unique craft items, ACFM has it all! And if you're looking for some down-home agritainment fun, you won't want to miss the Cornfield Maze Adventure open during the fall season!

Farmers Market Hours
Mid-May – End of October:
Monday -Saturday 10:00 – 6:30
Sunday 11:00 – 5:00

What We Offer:

Throughout the summer and fall seasons, ACFM visitors can shop for fresh vegetables including sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, peas, melons, squash, zucchini, and pumpkins in addition to 30 varieties of apples. ACFM also offers other locally-grown produce such as red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, plums, pears, and peaches.

Apples … they are what we’re famous for!

At ACFM, the apple harvest season begins in early September and runs through November. In addition to the large variety of apples we offer, ACFM also produces fresh cider from apples that are smaller, poorly colored, and less eye-appealing. To enhance the flavor of our cider, a special blend of apples is used. All apples are washed thoroughly before being ground and pressed to produce an all-natural product. No preservatives are added.  See our Apple Chart for information about apple types and uses.

Honey

Here at Apple Country Farm Market, we maintain our own bee hives to  produce for you the freshest honey possible. Our available honey  varieties change seasonally from apple blossom honey to pumpkin  honey.

Jams, Jellies and More…

On the main floor of ACFM’s Country Store,  visitors will find a large variety of delicious jams, jellies, preserves, apple  butter, pumpkin butter, relishes, salad dressings, Ohio syrups, Amish  noodles, and sauces.
http://www.applecountryfarm.com/

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Spice Rack - West Milton, OH

The Spice Rack has a location in Dayton at the Second St Market as well as the small shop in W. Milton off Rt 571. The proprietors are so friendly, it's a joy to shop with them. Spices, bulk foods, snacks, Amish cheese and butter and candy are all here. It's time for a stop; I'm needing flax seed, rolled oats and a few other items. Who doesn't love a good bulk food stop?!

Items Sold:
185 Varieties of Spices, Bulk Foods, Amish Cheeses & more!


5544 S Iddings Rd
West Milton, OH 45383
(937) 698-5783
 
2nd Street Market Hours: Thursday and Friday 11 - 3, Saturday 8 am - 3 


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Coldwater Cafe - Tipp City Ohio



This is my favorite restaurant in Tipp City and one of my all-time favorite restaurants.

The grilled chicken salad with the FABULOUS cucumber dressing is to die for. If you have room for dessert try their WONDERFUL, tea cake.... it's served warm, with a butter sauce ( I never said low-cal, I said WONDERFUL).

Enjoy!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

New for 2012 - Promoting Independent, "Mom and Pop" Restaurants

New for 2012, I will be listing "Mom & Pop" restaurants and coffee shops to help support our local businesses who depend on support from their local folks and visitors to stay in business.

Not only are these the BEST places to eat, they are often the most unique.

Send me your favorites and I'll post them with your reviews!

Traveling through Ohio - please support our local businesses and artisans!

locallygrownohio@gmail.com

Laurel Valley Creamery - Nolan Family Farm - Gallipolis, OH



Visit their webpage to learn more about the Nolan Family and their Laurel Valley Creamery and find out where you can buy their award-winning cheeses.

Hats off to this hard-working family enterprise!
Link

From Grass to Cheese: The Nolan Family Farm from Milk Products on Vimeo.