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

 

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.

Western Reserve School of Cooking and Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen

Cooking and Touring with Catherine & Carl St. John
(Western Reserve School of Cooking and Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen)

By Maria Isabella
Photos by Beth Segal

A group of 11 animated Dames and three guests showed up Monday evening, March 9, 2015, to see what the buzz was all about. You see, a second location of the venerable Western Reserve School of Cooking (WRSOC) from Hudson, Ohio, had recently opened up in Downtown Cleveland, literally across the hall from another brand new and novel venture: the Cleveland Culinary Kitchen & Launch. It was the first time these women were going to see firsthand what was so special—and they certainly were not disappointed.

The part owners and husband-and-wife team of Carl and Catherine St. John were our gracious hosts. They provided a generous spread of cheeses, crackers, fruit, nuts, hummus, and more, which awaited everyone upon arrival. After our kick-off chapter meeting concluded, Carl took the rein and led our group on a private tour through the Cleveland Culinary Kitchen & Launch.

This shared commercial kitchen is handsomely equipped and fully licensed for multiple purposes (canning, catering, bottling, baking, frozen foods, etc.). It offers chefs and food enthusiasts alike the opportunity to rent any one of its seven work stations, two walk-in coolers, or one walk-in freezer on an as-needed basis. It’s open 24/7 and currently boasts about 60 members, including Saucisson, Great Lakes Cookies & Cakes, Philomena Bake Shop, Gingerbread Homes, Red Lotus Foods, Randy’s Pickles, Kickin’ Kat 5 Hot Sauce, Comrade’s BBQ Sauces and Dry Rubs, and Montana Girl Hot Mustard.

While touring, we serendipitously bumped into a team from 46 and 2 Brewing Company. They were testing out a new flavor for their line of cold-brewed coffees. Be on the look-out for it soon!

After the tour, Catherine took over and demonstrated several delectable dishes, which she served piping hot. All Dames were visibly impressed. Her feast included Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup with Basil Oil and Parmesan Garlic Herb Croutons, Beer-Brined Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Apple Ginger Slaw, and Chicken Skewers with Spicy Apricot Glaze.

Catherine accompanied her demonstration with a colorful story about her childhood and rise to success as a chef, caterer, consultant, teacher, and cooking school owner. (She grew up in California and graduated from the highly respected Tante Marie’s School of Cooking in San Francisco, where Alice Waters was one of her instructors.) 

Catherine concluded the lovely evening by sharing recipe cards…but to everyone’s shock, she actually saved the best last. Knowing how much our group would appreciate it, Catherine gingerly pulled out her own personal copy of A Guide to Modern Cookery, published in 1903 and personally autographed by Auguste Escoffier himself! What a surprise and great delight! The evening couldn’t have ended any better.

Vegan Cooking at Frickaccio's: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Certified Organic… I'm Just Sayin'!

By Shara Bohach

What do diatomaceous earth and fish bladders have in common? You'd have to have attended Monday night's meeting at Frickaccio's in Fairview Park to know!

Photo by Gloria Kemer

Frickaccio's Owner, Dame Terry Frick and Chef Todd Rothman prepared a fantastic evening for lucky Cleveland Dames, full of demonstrations and tips for healthy and delicious vegan cooking, served with vegan wine.

Vegan wine? Isn't all wine vegan? Actually, no it is not. Dame Maggie Harrison educated us on the various methods used to fine (or filter and clarify) wines, which include straining it through dried egg whites or, less commonly, dehydrated fish bladder. Vegan wines use an alternate method. When seeking out vegan or vegetarian wines, one should look for un-fined wines, however, this is not something one can simply find on the label. Maggie noted Barnivore.com as a terrific resource for vegan wine, beer and liquor.

Oh, and if you are looking for gluten-free wines, seek out unoaked varietals. Oak barrel produced wines use wheat paste.

Dinner consisted of an abundant progressive tasting menu, balancing between lighter and heartier dishes, with explanations of flavors, ingredients, and processes along the way. Dames tried various gluten-free and vegan breads and spreads, an organic veggie pizza bagel, Chef Todd's vegan version of a crab cake (made with shredded hearts of palm), portobello bisque, strawberry / hazelnut salad, vegan paprikash, and an almond milk "ice cream" and flourless chocolate cake.

At the conclusion of dinner, Terry demonstrated making fresh almond milk in the Vitamix.

She then took us on a tour of the new facility and kitchen, and introduced us to Helga, her workhorse of a mixer! Frickaccio's does all of its baking on-site and sends product out to its West Side Market store and retailers, including Heinen's, whom she cites as a terrific partner. Frickaccio's offers around 10 varieties of certified-organic pizza dough balls, including gluten-free They are also trying something new with the new location – an eat-in cafe. Chef Todd looks to introduce creative vegan fare to the cafe-style menu.

Thank you, Frickaccio's, for hosting such an interesting, informative, and tasty evening!

Dames Demo! at The Fabulous Food Show

By Shara Bohach

Cleveland Dames were well represented at The Fabulous Food Show 2012. Whether they were demoing, presenting, or book signing, here's who took the stage!

Candice Berthold
Bev Shaffer
Maria Isabella
Stefanie Paganini
Ruth Levine
Marilou Suszko
Laura Taxel

Pasta Making Class with Stefanie Paganini & Chapter Meeting

By Elaine Cicora

Thirteen lean and hungry members of the Cleveland Chapter of LDEI made their way to Chesterland on March 7. Their destination: the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institute. There we were greeted by Dame Stefanie Paganini, who provided a brief tour of the lovely facility that her mother, Loretta Paganini, founded in 2005 as the professional arm to her popular cooking school.

Dame Candice Berthold lead us in a brief business meeting (is 20 minutes a new record?), during which we enjoyed wine and some delicious avocado hummus made by the ICASI prep kitchen. Then it was time to roll up our sleeves, tie on our aprons, and head into the pastry kitchen where we were soon up to our elbows in fresh pasta dough.

Stefanie revealed to us the secrets of striped tri-color pasta –  white (plain), green (spinach), and red (red pepper) – and set us free in teams of two to craft bowties and pansotti, a stuffed tortellini-like pasta whose name, significantly enough, means "pot belly!" The interactive task not only elicited our creativity (pasta dough patterns ranged from tidy stripes, to argyles, to wavy psychedelic stripes), but also plenty of laughter and good-natured chatter.

(Of course, what happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen. But it really is amazing what you can learn about someone when you're cooking together!)

Stefanie topped the bowties with a chunky salsa al pomodoro. The ricotta-and-prosciutto-stuffed pansotti were finished in a delightful almond pesto.

Back in the dining room, we feasted family-style on overflowing bowls of both types of pastas – it all tasted wonderful! – and then finished our meal with homemade apricot almond biscotti and coffee.

Before we knew it, it was 9 p.m. and time to adjourn. We headed out into the springlike evening with well-earned big bellies of our own, along with recipes for future use and warmest thanks to Stephanie Paganini for one of the best-tasting programs in memory.