La Fattoria Micro-Farm and Frittata Demo

By Beth Schreibman Gehring

Nestled in the heart of Novelty, Ohio, La Fattoria farm is a charming Italian-style micro farm that is a feast for the senses. The animals are treated with the utmost care and respect, allowed to roam free and live their lives as nature intended. From the gentle bleating of the sheep to the clucking of the chickens, the farm is alive with the sounds of happy animals. But it's not just the animals that make La Fattoria farm so special. The stunning countryside vistas and centuries old farmhouse and barns transport visitors to another world, one where the hustle and bustle of everyday life fades away.

We were so impressed by the farm's commitment to sustainable farming practices. The family behind La Fattoria is dedicated to preserving the land and using all natural methods to grow their crops and feed their livestock. Their chickens eat fermented grains, a far healthier alternative to traditional chicken food. It may be a bit more expensive, but we ate a frittata made from their duck eggs and it was so easy to completely taste the difference. It's a refreshing change from the industrialized farming practices that dominate much of the food industry.

Overall, our visit to La Fattoria farm was a truly magical experience. We all left feeling so inspired by the passion that this family pours into their work. It's a powerful reminder of the necessity for small-scale, sustainable family farming in our world, and that we can all do our part to support it.

If you're looking for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we highly recommend a visit. We promise that you won't be disappointed.

This was an event hosted by the Les Dames d'Escoffier International Cleveland Chapter and it was wonderful! There was a wonderful frittata making demonstration by our own Dame Marla Monzo-Holmes https://marlathechefinred.com and it was absolutely delicious.

What a great afternoon! Many thanks to La Fattoria Farm for a simply magical experience!

#LaFattoriaFarm

 

Current and Prospective Members Mix and Mingle at Der Braumeister

By Beth Schriebman-Gehring and Paris Wolfe

LDEI Cleveland Members and Guests at Der Braumeister

On the last Monday in January, the Cleveland Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International welcomed six guests/prospective members to its monthly meeting. All are experienced professionals in the restaurant and hospitality industries, and were invited to submit membership applications by February 1.

During the meeting at Der Braumeister all members and guests introduced themselves and shared their reasons for current or future membership. Consistent themes included a desire for comradery, networking, and education as well as a desire to support other women in the industry and to support the scholarships and grants program.

As part of new business President Beth Davis-Noragan reported that Dame Paris Wolfe, freelance writer, will serve as chair of the Communications Committee.

Then the socializing began over a German-influenced buffet provided by Dame Jenn Wirtz, third-generation owner of this almost 40-year-old establishment.

Der Braumeister’s menu is inspired by Bavarian and European favorites. The buffet table started with charcuterie plates studded with grapes, cheese, speck and plenty of gherkins. The buffet was balanced with two types of cucumber salad; German lox with cucumber, dill, lemon on pumpernickel; sauerkraut balls and potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream.

While dinner was delightful, dessert stole the show. The sour cherry strudel was flaky and buttery with just the right amount of filling and the most decadent mini cream puffs – made by Jenn’s mom – were topped with a semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Rumor has it some Dames had more than one! #ldeigratitude

Learn more about membership in LDEI.

A Growing Community

By Elaine Cicora
Photos by Beth Segal


It’s one thing to vote to award a $2,000 grant to a local “farm to fork” operation. It is another thing entirely to see, first hand, the wonderful work that that organization is doing.

That was our pleasure and privilege on Monday, Nov. 4, when chapter members were guests at Cleveland Roots, our 2019 Green Tables grant winner.

Executive director Maria Livers, garden manager Lisa Hardin, and chef Giovanna Mingrone, onsite partner and founder of Stone Soup Cle, gave us a warm welcome and a charming space for our business meeting and potluck inside their West 41st Street headquarters, on agricultural property that dates back to the 1880s. Following our meeting, the trio of inspiring women provided an in-depth tour of the greenhouses, gardens and market store that make up this part of the project.

Our grant award went to formalize and continue the organization’s Food & Garden Series, which helps residents of the surrounding Clark-Fulton neighborhood learn to grow and prepare healthy foods. We learned that the neighborhood is home to people of many nationalities, languages and cultures, including a number of Latin American countries and “almost every African nation.” Access to fresh, wholesome, and reasonably priced foods is limited in the area, as is household income. While many in the community were experienced gardeners in their homelands, lack of seed, space and equipment has limited their ability to grow their own food in Cleveland. In addition, unfamiliar crops and weather conditions can make growing and food prep a challenge.

These are just a few of the barriers that the Food & Garden Series helps community members overcome, with “classes that share a topic and come at it both from the gardening and the food angles in the same session. … Classes address questions about the benefits of growing, preparing and eating healthy food, how to grow from seed, growing in an urban setting, gardening techniques, care and maintenance of the garden, and the harvest, preservation and preparation of produce from garden to table” (from Cleveland Roots’ 2019 grant proposal).

More importantly, though, we learned that Cleveland Roots provides a place – within a tranquil urban oasis comprising 35 raised beds, picnic tables, a well-equipped tool shed, and welcoming space for classes -- of succor, sustenance and community building. “This has been a blessing and a relief for our clients,” Maria said of the property. “Many of them had been subsistence farmers in their home countries. At least here we can give them a 4-by-8-foot plot of land and place to relax. Sometimes that feeds you more than growing a potato.”

Giovanna also took time to talk to us about Stone Soup CLE, a nonprofit she founded in 2015 to rescue nutritious food from landfills and direct it to the dinner tables of those who need it most. A recent grant has allowed her to remodel space inside the Cleveland Roots headquarters for Stone Soup operations, installing a combo walk-in cooler and freezer to facilitate food storage, and creating a large space for organizing and sorting donations. In addition to running her own operation out of the space, Giovanna, a Culinary Institute of America alum and culinary instructor at Cuyahoga Community College, also assists in the culinary education segment of the Food & Garden Series.

We ended our tour with a peek inside the market store, a former flower shop operated by the Berghaus family, dating back to 1889. Open on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. during the growing season, the store serves as a very low-priced outlet for crops grown on Cleveland Roots’ Richfield Township farm, as well as a distribution point for free food gathered as part of the Stone Soup CLE project. (Winter hours are under consideration.) “No one is ever turned away for lack of money,” said Maria. “It’s a ‘pay as you can’ system.”

For those of us who took part in the tour, it seemed clear that our grant money, as proposed and awarded, did indeed help the organization expand the Food & Garden Series, which welcomed between 11 and 20 students at each of six classes this summer. And as part of the compassionate, community-building program that is Cleveland Roots, the cause could not have been more worthy.

“We did a lot of classes this summer, that’s for sure,” Giovanna told us. “Your grant had legs.”

Reasons to Celebrate

By Elaine T. Cicora

Our annual LDEI meeting has become not only a time to plan for our chapter’s future, but a time to reflect upon the accomplishments of the past year. On that score, the 14 members who gathered at Toast, on Sept. 23, had much reason to feel proud.

At the top of the list, of course, was SummerDine19, which proved to be our most successful fundraiser ever, adding nearly $4,000 to our grants and scholarship fund and fully funding next year’s awards. Other highlights included the successful Dinner in the Dark with Dames fundraiser in June, which raised nearly $3,000 for our grants and scholarship fund; our first-ever $2,000 culinary scholarship award, made to Melissa Holden; and our $2,000 2019 Green Tables grant, made to Cleveland Roots. (If you wish to learn more about Cleveland Roots, be sure to register now for our Nov. 4 meeting, which will be held at the facility!)

In between our business meeting and the delicious dinner prepared for us by Toast chef-owner Jillian Davis, we took time to mark our ongoing commitments — to the chapter, to our mission and to each other — by taking part in our chapter’s first (but not last!) “pinning ceremony,” which saw each member receiving a lovely enamel membership pin. Membership chair Marcie Barker began the ceremony by pinning new member Jenn Wirtz. President Beth Davis-Noragon then introduced each of the other members in attendance, shared some kind words about them, and pinned them as well; fittingly, the first pins went to founding members Crickett Karson and Bev Shaffer. And finally, vice president Britt Horrocks pinned Beth Davis-Noragon. The board looks forward to making this a part of every annual meeting from now on, as a way to welcome new members and reinforce our commitments. (And who doesn’t love a little LDEI bling?!)

We also marked the occasion with our annual chapter photograph, taken by photographer Dame Beth Segal, on Toast’s patio. (You can see it on our Facebook page.) Thanks, as always, Beth, for your artful eye and generous support!

Beth Davis-Noragon closed the meeting by issuing a challenge, asking each member of the chapter to recruit and sponsor at least one new member in the coming year.
A doubling of our numbers would surely be something to celebrate in 2020!

Brunching in the Garden

By Elaine T. Cicora
Photos by Elaine T. Cicora, Beth Davis-Noragon and Caroline Davis

Six dames and one guest came together on Sunday, July 14, for a potluck brunch and general membership meeting at Cavotta’s Garden Center & Urban Farm in Cleveland, a family operation founded in 1930 and currently run by Angela Cavottta, the third-generation owner. Beneath cloudless skies and surrounded by tidy gardens, vintage outdoor décor, and planters overflowing with colorful blooms, we enjoyed the chance for some task-focused conversation and planning, along with some very tasty brunch fare. Crisp, salty-sweet slices of bourbon-brown sugar bacon, cucumber tea sandwiches with lemongrass and ginger, cucumber-dill salad with sliced smoked salmon, tortellini salad, beautiful loaves of artisanal bread and toppings, and eclairs – all made an appearance. And what is brunch without a Mimosa or two? Happily, Cavotta’s newly opened Garden Bar was there to serve.

Leadership at Its Finest – Chapter Meeting at EDWINS

By Elaine T. Cicora
Reporting by Maria Isabella

For eleven chapter members and three guests, our May 14 membership meeting at EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute proved to be an evening of engagement, inspiration and delicious food, prepared and served by EDWINS’ staff of talented trainees.

Founded in 2007 by the charming, and highly accomplished, hospitality professional Brandon Edwin Chrostowski, EDWINS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing formerly incarcerated adults with a foundation in the culinary and hospitality industry, while providing the support network necessary for their long-term success. Its mission is three-fold: to teach a skilled and in-demand trade in the culinary arts, to empower willing minds through passion for hospitality management, and to prepare students for a successful transition home. (To learn more about Brandon’s impressive roster of awards and accomplishments, and the talented team of culinary professionals who help operate the restaurant, click here.)

The elegant restaurant on historic Shaker Square opened on Nov. 1, 2013.

During the business portion of the meeting, Dame Maria Isabella presented Brandon with a cookbook stand and 30 cookbooks from her personal collection, including Jacques Pepin’s “La Technique,” for use by the trainees. Afterward, members had an opportunity to order from the unique and totally French menu, which featured such sublime dishes as Guinea hen airline breast, stuffed with morel mushrooms, spring pea puree, Swiss chard and rosemary Madeira sauce; grilled seafood sausage with white fish, scallops, shrimp and pine nuts in a shallot beurre blanc; and seared foie gras, with peach compote, strawberry verjus and pickled strawberries. The meal was leisurely, and members enjoyed a wonderful opportunity for networking and fellowship within the restaurant’s beautiful setting. And clearly, we weren’t the only diners who appreciated the EDWINS experience: Franz Welser-Most, famed conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, was spotted at the next table!

Near meal’s end, members heard from Brandon, who delivered a short, impromptu talk. He briefly described the institute’s 6-month training program, and discussed the mission and the philosophy behind it. He also referenced his Oscar-nominated film, Knife Skills, which documents the restaurant’s hectic launch (click on the link to watch it). And finally, he noted that the institute is currently raising money to build a butcher shop, to provide additional career training opportunities to the institute’s students. This was followed by a lively Q&A session.

Members finally pulled themselves away from the table around 9:30 p.m., full, happy and impressed, as always, by EDWINS, Brandon, and the world-class program he has established in Cleveland.

Putting on the Ritz

By Jackie Bebenroth
Photos by Jackie Bebenroth

Thinking about the Ritz-Carlton Cleveland may conjure images of immense chandeliers, floral banquettes and stiff martinis at the lobby bar, but at our March 12 membership meeting, we learned that a recent 18-month renovation has brought the iconic destination to a state of modern-day luxury.

For the 12 members in attendance (along with four guests and two spouses), the evening started at the all-new TURN Bar + Kitchen. The crafty cocktail list was full of conversation starters. While the meeting commenced, members sipped on classic favorites with a local twist like The CLE, a refreshing gin and sparkling grapefruit spritzer and the Botanical Garden Gimlet with gin, eucalyptus syrup and orange blossom water. Although lake effect weather was in full force, inside the restaurant we felt warm, welcomed and right at home.

Following the meeting, we were greeted by Rachel Vitalone, the Ritz-Carlton Catering Sales Manager, who served as our tour guide for the evening. She swept us up to the 7th floor, where we discovered a completely re-imagined gathering space called LINKS. It’s an open kitchen designed for social and corporate culinary demos, ideal for team-building exercises, group cooking adventures and creative meeting breaks. The room, with a design that seems plucked from the home of an upscale chef, flows into a more formal meeting area that seats 120 and boasts amazing views of our fair city.

 As expected of the Ritz, intriguing details were considered throughout the seventh floor experience. Gorgeous local art graced the walls in a rotating art gallery that was curated in collaboration with HEDGE gallery. Wandering down the hall, it seemed odd to tour the new fitness center with cocktails in hand, but we were drawn to the gleaming room with high-tech equipment, an interactive smoothie bar and virtual, on-demand workout classes. CORE is open to the public, via membership, as well as to guests of the hotel.

Our tour continued into the bustling catering kitchens, where chefs shuffled room service requests and prepped for upcoming tastings and events. The Ritz-Carlton motto, “Ladies and Gentleman serving Ladies and Gentleman” hung proudly on the wall.

We returned to our seats and enjoyed a delightful dinner from a menu that lived up to its promise: “This is Cleveland, flavor and textures, rich culture and entertainment. We happily partner with local butchers, breweries and farmers to show the essence of our cuisines, heritage and personality. Let us turn our city into something you can taste.

The Power of Pizza in Olmsted Falls

By Elaine T. Cicora
Photos by Barb Abbott and Elaine T. Cicora



In 1994, at the age of 43, Ann Reichle opened a pizza shop. Two years ago in May, she finally paid off a quarter-million dollar debt and started to turn a profit.

"It's a difficult business," the energetic entrepreneur told members of the Cleveland chapter at our Jan. 22 meeting. "But I love it."

In the years between 1994 and 2016, Ann and her family faced both challenges and accomplishments. Her business, Angelina's Pizza, brought home first place in a state-wide pizza competition in 1996, just two years after opening. (Ann's "Specialty Pizza" was the winning pie, a tender crust topped with meatballs, mushrooms, onions and sausage.) She also launched Angelina's locations in North Ridgeville and Elyria, started a successful catering operation, and took over a next-door coffee shop, "on a whim." Warm and welcoming, the Village Bean Cafe has been operating under Ann's direction since 2014, and was the site of our Monday night meeting. The cafe has also grown into a community gathering place, hosting book signings, meetings, and concerts.

But along the way, there were struggles too, including limited capital, a lack of experience, and a devastating lawsuit.

Through it all, Ann told us she never doubted her career path. "My goal has always been to be part of the fabric of this wonderful community," she said of the town she clearly adores. "I'm very supportive of our entire food community, and I don't consider other restaurants in town to be my competition. I've been covered in grease my whole life, first as a mechanic – and then I opened a pizza shop! It's a tough business, but you just have to keep going."

Clearly, Ann's perseverance paid off. In fact, things are going well enough these days that she recently purchased property at the opposite end of town, where she plans to build an 80- to 100-seat restaurant. "There are no chains in Olmsted Falls," she explained, adding that the town's restaurants strive to keep it that way. "We are all a little different, and it all works," she said.

Of course, inspirational stories like Ann's are known to work up an appetite, and the spread Ann laid out for us after her talk was a delicious representation of her craft. Among the treats were four pizzas, including her popular Breakfast Pizza with scrambled eggs and bacon, which she serves at the cafe; a salad bar with a selection of greens, vegetables, and charcuterie, along with grilled chicken breast or sliced portabellas for toppings; a lovely cheese and meat platter; an Ancient Grains Salad and a Tri-Color Couscous Salad; and a dessert tray.

Altogether, the evening was a worthy reminder of the power of female entrepreneurship – and the power of pizza too.

Our next meeting takes place in March at the downtown Cleveland Ritz-Carlton. Watch our website and Facebook page for details.

Cooking Demos at the Hildebrandt Building

By Elaine T. Cicora

More than a dozen Dames and their guests (a group of potential recruits that included a beekeeper, a restaurant owner, a culinary consultant, and a writer with strong links to the food industry) gathered at the Hildebrandt Building on Nov. 13, 2017, for our bi-monthly business meeting. Afterward, we enjoyed three fabulous food demos presented by chapter members.

Using a recipe from her recently published cookbook, Chefs & Company, Dame Maria Isabella demo’d a quick and easy recipe for Spiced Hummus with Preserved Lemons. Fun fact: The recipe originated with chef and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Joanne Weir, who also happens to be a member of the San Francisco chapter of LDEI.

A puree of garbanzo beans, tahini and garlic, the hummus was fresh, bright and bursting with flavor. Parsley added a lush, green hue, while preserved lemon contributed a hint of salt and a citric tang. Through the magic of Vitamix, the hummus was ready in less than five minutes; Maria served it with wedges of toasted pita.

 

Dame Marla Holmes, a culinary instructor, followed Maria with a demo of her no-knead artisanal bread. Each loaf begins with just five ingredients – bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast and oil – and requires only about two hours to complete its journey from mixing bowl to bread basket. As a variation on the basic loaf, Marla also showed us how to assemble a festive orange-cranberry loaf that featured orange-infused canola oil, orange zest, and dried cranberries. She also provided each of us with a pre-mixed bread kit, containing the basic dry ingredients, to complete at home.

Dame Melissa McClelland was our third presenter, with a demo of a special-occasion-worthy mushroom-almond paté. After working as a chef and recipe developer, Melissa has currently become a devoted gardener and a regular contributor to Edible Cleveland magazine; this recipe, adapted from one created by a former coworker at EatingWell magazine, can be found in the Fall 2017 Edible issue.

Comprising chopped mushrooms, garlic, onion, walnut oil, sherry vinegar and almonds, the paté was served with thinly sliced radishes, black sea salt and organic sourdough-spelt crackers from a local baker. “Because it has lots of umami, this paté is a good choice for meat eaters and vegetarians, alike,” Melissa said about the vibrant spread.

 

As if that wasn’t tempting enough, the hummus, paté and bread were joined by additional apps and snacks provided by those of us in attendance. Our hostess, Dame Paula Hershman of StoreHouse Tea, provided assorted teas; many members also contributed wine. And predictably enough, a good time was had by all.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2018. Watch Facebook and this website for details.

Reception for the Les Dames d’Escoffier International Board

By Elaine T. Cicora / Edited by Shara Bohach
Photos by Elaine T. Cicora, Hayley Matson-Mathes, and Bob Bohach

The weather was perfect, the food was fabulous, and the fellowship was sincere at the reception for the LDEI Board members that our chapter held on Saturday, July 15, 2017, at Coquette Patisserie. Host and owner Dame Britt-Marie Culey outdid herself, with a three-course, alfresco buffet dinner that kicked off with raw oysters, pâté, rillettes and more, moved on to a variety of savory pastries and cheeses, and concluded with an array of sweets including her rightfully famous macarons.

With the LDEI Board members in town for their annual meeting, the Cleveland chapter was pleased to help them wind up their week with a party. Representing the LDEI Board were president Stacy Zeigler; first vice president Hayley Jo Matson-Mathes; second vice president Bev Shaffer; third vice president Deborah Mintcheff; secretary Ann Stratte; treasurer Deb Orrill; board liasons Kathy Gold and Julie Chernoff; immediate past-president Maria Gomez-Laurens; and executive director Greg Jewell.

Representing our chapter were Shara Bohach, Elaine Cicora, Crickett Karson, Beth Davis-Noragon, Britt-Marie Culey, and co-presidents Cynthia Eakin and Marty Nagele. Doing double duty as both second vice president of the International Board and a founding member of the Cleveland chapter was Dame Bev Shaffer. And spouses Eric Eakin, Brad Albing and Bob Bohach added some gusto to our gathering.

Board members were provided with Cleveland-themed goody bags (aka reusable Heinen’s shopping bags) filled with items donated by our members: Ohio maple syrup; Lilly Handmade Chocolates; Storehouse Tea; Bertman Original Mustard; “I liked Cleveland before it was cool” koozies; copies of Edible Cleveland and the Scene; an array of maps and guides from Destination Cleveland; and flyers for SummerDine.

Lubricated by French 75s and Pimm’s Cups on the patio, conversation was lively, as befitting a group of food and hospitality pros who hailed from as far away as Honolulu and as nearby as Shaker Heights. Seated at shaded picnic tables, this co-mingled group of chefs; culinary consultants; sales, marketing and PR pros; cookbook editors; dining editors; and food writers touched on topics ranging from the virtues of Maine blueberries to the state of the Chicago dining scene, and from the proper way to drink mescal to the quality of West Coast oysters. By the end of the evening, many new friendships had been forged and valuable contacts made. And in the process, our chapter had a chance to show off our city to a suitably impressed group of colleagues.

Membership Potluck

By Elaine T. Cicora | Photos by Erin Toohey Naso

Dame Crickett Karson graciously welcomed more than a dozen Cleveland chapter members into her beautiful home on Monday, June 26, for our annual potluck and membership drive, where we were joined by four professional women of distinction interested in potential membership.

The evening kicked off – as all good evenings do – with food, drink and time for networking. Among the many delicious dishes on the potluck table, some of the standouts were Carmella Fragassi’s eggplant Parmesan; mushroom pate with a garnish of borage flowers, by Melissa McClelland; and freshly baked breads from Marla Monzo-Holmes.

After a short business meeting that touched upon the upcoming membership-only meeting at Coquette Patisserie, where we will welcome the LDEI International board, the networking and conversation resumed.

Thanks again to Dame Crickett for hosting the gathering, the members who brought guests, and all who provided food and drink!

Les Dames D’Escoffier Cleveland Chapter at Astoria Café and Market

By Elaine T. Cicora
Photos by Elaine T. Cicora

More than a dozen members of our chapter met at Astoria Café and Market in the Gordon Square Arts District on April 4, 2017, for our bi-monthly business meeting, a delicious buffet dinner, and a tour of the family owned and operated business.

Our host and guide was Lee Daniels, son of co-owner Steve Daniels and nephew of co-owner George Kantzios. Together, Steve and George also operate Agora Foods International, a wholesale import business, founded in 2008. The partners relocated Agora from Ohio City to Detroit Avenue in 2014, after completing extensive remodeling on the new space. While Agora is only nine years old, the family has been part of Cleveland’s food and specialty foods industry for over 65 years and imports directly from Greece, Italy, France, and other regions throughout the Mediterranean. Agora supplies its imported foods to accounts as nearby as Heinen’s and as far away as Salt Lake City, Lee told us.

Astoria, the restaurant and retail arm of the family operation, opened in the same building in December 2016. A bright, airy and beautifully renovated space, Astoria occupies about 5,000 square feet of the 24,000-square-foot building, and includes a 60-seat café, full bar, market and deli, with an emphasis on Mediterranean foods. A paved 60-car parking lot opened around the corner, on West 55th Street, in January.

As the third generation to work in the family business, which includes ties to Euro USA and Mediterranean Imports at the West Side Market, Lee proved to be both a knowledgeable guide and a gracious host. Following a wonderful buffet dinner that included such standouts as chickpea soup, pita and hummus, two styles of spanakopita, three types of thin-crusted pizza (margherita, prosciutto and arugula, and mushroom and artichoke), and a bountiful selection of fine imported cheeses and charcuterie, Lee led our group through the wholesale warehouse and its coolers, where we ooh-ed and ahh-ed over a grand collection of cheeses, meats, olives, phyllo dough, olive oils, roasted vegetables, grains, pastas and other imported food products.

Many of the imported products are available for purchase in the deli, where we found a remarkable assortment of aged, brined, bloomy rind, blue, semi-soft, semi-hard, hard and surfaced ripened cheeses. The meat counter also impressed with its abundance of products: linguica, jamon serrano, chorizo, Italian dried salume, and bresaola made from Wagyu beef, among them. And to drink, an entire wall’s worth of wine is at the ready.

By evening’s end, many of us had not only learned more about our city’s vibrant food industry, but had added a new place to our “must shop” and “must eat” lists. Thank you to Lee, Steve, George and everyone at Astoria Market and Café, for hosting such an informative and enjoyable evening.

The deli case is full of temptations
at Astoria Cafe and Market

Astoria partner and host George Kantzios

Artisanal pizzas starred on the dinner buffet

A selection of imported salume
sourced from the Market deli