Day 1 of Allison Lehman’s 30 Day Photo Challenge. I’ll be sharing most of my pictures in this Flickr set.

I wanted fresh Ohio fruit last Monday though none was ripe in the backyard. With the company of two young girls and a few hours to spare, I trekked to a new-to-me orchard, Apple Hill, near Mansfield Ohio. We made a spontaneous stop at a beautiful park in Lexington, Ohio. The Bicentennial Park has play spaces for children of all ages, several picnic shelters, swings, shady areas, and tennis courts. The girls enjoyed playing and [...]

Culinary school has always been a fascination to me. People from all walks of life end up in school to train how to stand behind a hot stove for long hours. Why? Columbus State Community College (CSCC) invited me to find out. Anna and I sat in on an International Cuisine course session, part of the culinary apprenticeship program. Making of a Chef, Columbus State Style Columbus State has a dual approach of intense classroom [...]

Ingredients and Inspiration: Lots of green beans in the garden. Tomatoes are infrequent but still around. We have just a few beautiful white patty pan squash ready to eat. We didn’t meal plan last week and I hated it. Too much questioning what to make for dinner! On Wednesday, Alex and I have a quick night away to Cincinnati to hear Gillian Welch. Yay!! This week will end with our annual labor day camp and [...]

1) Amy Turn Sharp’s essay Teeth Never Die nibbled it’s way into my head and required re-reading after Lil lost her first tooth this week. Amy’s is no parenting prattle but a trip down a twisted memory lane. 2) In Op Ed: The Raw and the Deep-Fried, Bear of Slow Food Columbus elevates a New York Times op-ed about TV stars Tony Bourdain and Paula Dean to a call to action around the truth of [...]

You’ve heard the most delightful sound in the kitchen – the popping of lids fresh from the canner – and your jars are completely cooled. Now what? Prepare Jars for Storage Remove the rings and wipe down the outside of the jar with a warm wet cloth or sponge. Often a bit of juice, brine or jam escapes during the vacuum process. Being outside the seal, this can spoil and rust the lids. Wash the [...]

Fill your calendar and your belly with some of the local food events scheduled for this autumn! Hounds in the Kitchen classes at Franklin Park Conservatory: register by calling 614.645.5923 or download, print and mail a registration form. Puttin’ Up Keep the summer bounty easily at hand all year long with tried and true preserving techniques. Homesteader Rachel Tayse Baillieul will guide class participants to make freezer basil pesto, water-bath canned applesauce, “sun” dried tomatoes [...]