Les Dames D’Escoffier Cleveland Chapter at the Hildebrandt Building

By Erin Toohey Naso
Photos by Erin Toohey Naso and Elaine T. Cicora
Edited by Shara Bohach

What’s the best way to beat the January blahs? Head to a Les Dames d’Escoffier meeting for delicious food, spirited beverages and lively and interesting culinary conversation!

On a cold Tuesday evening, two dozen Dames brought their potluck courses and curiosity to the Hildebrandt Building – a former historic meat processing plant in the Clark Fulton neighborhood. Organized by Paula Hershman from Storehouse Tea (and tenant of the Hildebrandt), Dames got an up close and personal tour of the iconic building that is now home to artists and food entrepreneurs.

The Dames nestled into the community kitchen for presentations from three of our own business owners, Laura Adiletta, Shara Bohach, Paula Hershman and non-Dame (but Hildebrandt tenant) Molly Murray.

Laura Adiletta kicked off the spirited business presentations with her just-launched Farm Fare – a mobile marketplace for local foods and business management software for food hubs and small to mid-sized farms.

The online and app service aims to move agricultural product from farms to restaurants and retail stores through a logistic system that is cost effective and efficient.

Realizing that farmers spent nearly 40% of their time in deliveries, Laura and her team are looking to reinvent the supply chain by centralizing the product and streamlining the delivery process to allow farmers more time to do what they do best – farm!

Farm Fare takes sales through its online store and manages delivery, dispatching and loading for wholesale buyers and food hubs such as the Oberlin Food Hub.

Laura candidly shared the start-up’s trials and tribulations with a consistent eye and positive spirit on the future of her business.

Shara Bohach of Unity Design shared her thoughts on best practices for business branding. Derived from more than 17 years experience in designing logos and identity systems for clients in the culinary, health and beauty, medical and technology industries, Shara emphasized consistency is key in presenting and maintaining a brand.

Well beyond the typography and colors of a logo, an on-point brand is also reflected in how a company and its employees conduct itself.

Shara believes integral to building a brand is understanding the audience. She encouraged budding entrepreneurs and seasoned owners to understand what motivates the target market and tailor the message, while staying true to the brand promise.

Noting Starbucks and Whole Foods as examples of an integrated brand, she challenged Dames to determine what a brand should feel like – the promise, the name, the spirit – all being driving forces to the bottom line of a top of mind and trusted brand.

Along with her wisdom, Shara and Paula Hershman shared the identity system and gorgeous packaging of Storehouse Tea – which were designed by Unity Design.

Demonstrating a brand in action, Paula explained her company is as much about sourcing and hand-blending Certified Organic and Fair Trade teas and ingredients as it is about empowering women refugees to chart a path to creating a better life in America. The company employs refugee women from Rwanda and Iran to hand blend and produce the tea offerings and is committed to growing the company by staying committed to this same cause.

Storehouse Tea can be found in area restaurants, online, coffee shops, organic and health food stores, private label and in crates from specialty gift providers.

Molly Murray concluded the business presentations with her tour of the Wake Robin processing facility in the basement of the Hildebrandt. Wake Robin produces live, naturally cultured vegetables made in small batches using lacto-fermentation – or no heat preservation technique. Started with her father, the company is built on a triple bottom line concept: community, planet and profit.

That means livable wages for employees, zero waste through composting and recycling and efficient manufacturing techniques to provide consumers with a high-quality product at an affordable price all while keeping the business profitable.

Wake Robin produces nine products with five being flagship and four rotating offerings. Contracting with local farmers, Wake Robin hand processes organic cabbage, carrots, turnips, daikon and beets from Northeast Ohio farms and non-organic cucumbers and apples.

These fermented and probiotic products include Sauerkraut, Kickin Kimchi, Carrot Escabeche, Ruby Ruben, Garlicky Dill Cucumber Chips along with other seasonal flavors. Fermented products are growing in popularity as they provide access to fresh vegetables through the year delivering probiotic properties to allow the body to absorb nutrients better.

Wake Robin products are available for purchase at the West Side Market, Krieger’s, Mustard Seed, Heinen’s and various small shops in Northeast Ohio.

A big thanks to the Dames who organized and shared their delicious potluck items with the dynamic group.

Delicious loose leaf Certified Organic and Fair Trade flavors offered
by Storehouse Tea. Branding and packaging design by Unity Design.

Feasting in the community kitchen on potluck dishes.

Laura Adiletta from Farm Fare talks about the vision for the company.

Molly Murray from Wake Robin explains the impetus, business

model and other background on the father-daughter company.

Wake Robin deliciousness undergoing lacto-fermentation.

Dame du Jour: Jean Mackenzie

by Maria Isabella

In reality, when most women reach 60, they start thinking of slowing down a bit. Maybe retirement. Maybe travel. Maybe more time with the grandchildren. But oh no, not Jean Mackenzie!  At 61, she decided to start her own new business, establish a professional guild, and champion a growing food movement. That was almost seven years ago—and she hasn’t slowed down one iota since.

Her story is a fascinating one: On a whim, in her sixth decade of life, Jean decided to take a cheesemaking class through the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture just for the fun of it. Instead, she discovered a real aha moment…and her “true calling,” as she puts it.

“I suddenly felt a great sense of urgency to move forward with this newfound passion,” says Jean. “I had been a gourmet cook all my adult life, growing and canning vegetables from my garden, baking breads and desserts, and cooking fun dinners for our friends. Making cheese pulled all of my interests together: my love of food, my love of people, and my independent spirit.”

Mackenzie Creamery was born, and it now churns out 13 different gourmet flavors of goat cheese, plus dulce de leche and ricotta. It has become so successful that Jean has won 15 national awards so far for her cheeses and two awards for running a green and sustainable business. She is also a founding board member of the Ohio Cheese Guild and sits on the Board of Directors for the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy.

Jean admits that her mother and maternal grandmother (whom she called "GB") were both gourmet cooks and had the biggest impact on her early love of food. In fact, Jean would often visit her grandmother at her island home on Eleuthera in the Bahamas where GB would cook with fresh ingredients from her year-round garden and fish they had plucked from the sea each day. Her grandfather also contributed by grafting a sour orange tree with a grapefruit tree, which resulted in the “most amazing fruit from which GB would make the most delicious marmalade jam.”

Later in life, Jean’s growing love of food was influenced the most by the instructors she had at different cooking schools, including fellow Dame Joanne Weir, Sarah Leah Chase, and Jacques Pepin.  And as she traveled, she also discovered a plethora of culinary gems, most notably at the extraordinary resort, Anse Chastanet, on the island of St. Lucia in the French West Indies.

“The chef there was actively involved with the island’s farmers and created a culinary delight every night,” reminisces Jean. “I dined on fresh seafood on the beach restaurant, Tour au Diable, and on locally raised fruits (avocados, passion fruit, guavas, papayas, and coconut to name just a few!) in their open air Treehouse.”

Today, Jean enjoys eating a little closer to home. In fact, the Welshfield Inn, which is just seven minutes away, has become her “kitchen away from home.” In fact, their executive chef Chris “Dome” Johnson created a salad using Mackenzie Creamery chèvre and named it the “Mackenzie Salad.”

When not eating out, Jean prefers to entertain country casual by having friends out to her farm. “There is great pleasure in seeing all of them sitting around my dining room table, laughing and having a great time,” she says. “We love to end the night sitting around our fire circle and looking at the stars!”

Jean first learned of LDEI because of her fascination with Julia Child. “But I also had some wonderful friends who were members and generously invited me to join. I have been a member for one year now.”

What does she enjoy most about being a member? “I love the networking and camaraderie of our chapter,” she enthuses. “All of our members are simply outstanding women with a shared passion and purpose. I am honored to be a part!”

Learn more about Jean as she shares some fun and interesting insights about herself.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? I love sweetbreads! But the most unusual “thing” that I have eaten is the crystal line of a conch. It is said to have magical properties!

Which one chef would you want to invite over for dinner and what would you serve? Oh, wow! This is a difficult question… there are so many amazing chefs. But I would really love to cook for Joanne Weir. I love her style, and I think we would have a great time. I would purchase as many products as possible from local farmers.  I would invite each producer to come for dinner to tell us about their product and to also enjoy the festive evening. Our salad would be local greens with either a roasted fruit or vegetable topped with fresh chèvre, of course! Our entrée would be pork from New Creation Farm, located just up the road from our farm. My mother’s scalloped potatoes and local seasonal vegetables would accompany the entrée. Dessert would have to be a chocolate something! And our wines would run the gamut from rosé to white to port.

What is your favorite cookbook? My favorite cookbook is more of a cook magazine with no ads: Cook’s Illustrated.

Describe your perfect meal. Ahh… the perfect meal. Let’s start with something small but big in flavor, a serving of smoked trout paté on quinoa crackers followed by a fresh melon and mint salad.  Individual Cornish game hens on a bed of wild rice served with asparagus topped with lemon sauce. Dessert would have to be a chocolate lava cake!

What’s your favorite comfort food? Uncle John’s Meatloaf! Uncle John has THE most amazing meatloaf recipe that is the best I have ever had, bar none. 

What’s your favorite snack? Pretzels dipped in almond butter.

Do you have a signature dish? I rarely cook the same thing twice, but I would have to say my signature dish would be my wild mushroom lasagna.

What’s your go-to, quick-and-easy dinner? Chicken piccata.

What’s the biggest cooking mistake you’ve ever made? When I was a new bride, I was making a dish that called for “soda.” The author assumed that everyone understood “soda” meant baking soda. I added club soda!

Name 3 kitchen gadgets you can’t live without. My LamsonSharp knives, Cuisinart, and hot pads!

MacKenzie Creamery Tour & Chapter Meeting

By Shara Bohach, Photo by Beth Segal

On July 22, 2013, Cleveland Dames and guests met at Mackenzie Creamery for a tour, tasting, and chapter meeting. The evening began with a meeting in Dame Jean Mackenzie's beautiful farmstead home. While enjoying the fresh buffet of appetizers and wine that members brought, we were treated to some history of how Jean found the property, added to the home while maintaining the wonderful farmhouse architecture and design, and started her creamery business.

We then visited the creamery, amid the beautiful, expansive country setting. We donned the requisite hairnets and booties, and camped it up for photos taken by Dame Beth Segal. Jean shared the history, challenges, successes, and future of Mackenzie Creamery with us. We saw the equipment, the packaging area, and the already-spoken-for product ready to ship from the cooler. Having tried several cheeses on the appetizer buffet, including the delightful Apricot-Ginger, we tried some fresh Ricotta in the creamery, which had so much more flavor than the regular Ricotta you find in stores. Delish!

Next, it was on to visit the goats. Four goats live at Mackenzie Creamery, but they are moreso Jean's pets than goats that provide the milk for the cheese. Actually, they proudly purchase their milk from two local goat dairies.

We had planned a hayride for the end of the evening, but the rain had other plans. So we called it an evening after visiting with the goats. It really was another great evening with good friends, great food and wine, and a wonderful education on goat cheese. Thank you Dame Jean!

To see more photos, please visit our facebook page.

The Wonderful World of Balsamics

at The Olive and The Grape in Mentor Ohio 
By Cynthia Schuster-Eakin, with additions by Shara Bohach

Cleveland Dames discovered “The Wonderful World of Balsamics” at their March membership meeting, hosted by Dame Candice Berthold, owner of The Olive and The Grape.

Berthold led Northeast Ohio chapter members on a tour of the flavored balsamics she sells at her shops in Mentor, Kamm’s Corner and in the West Side Market. The hour-long tasting and class at the Mentor location began with an appetizer of assorted olives and peppers marinated in The Olive and The Grape’s Liquid Gold aged balsamic vinegar.

Dame Jean Mackenzie of Mackenzie’s Creamery provided a three-week-old boucheron of goat cheese, which was drizzled with fig balsamic. A mini caprese salad of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese was seasoned with lemongrass basil oil and sun-dried tomato balsamic. Sautéed vegetables were marinated in carrot ginger balsamic vinegar. A dessert of decadent brownies laced with red raspberry chocolate balsamic vinegar was a unique and delicious finale. After the dinner, chapter members sampled four additional balsamics.

Recently accredited as a Certified Health Coach, Candice Berthold, CHC, AADP, engaged members in a discussion about the health benefits of balsamics and olive oils, and cautioned members about inferior products found at the grocery store. This transpired into a lively discussion about the worst toxic GMO foods we consume, and what we should all try to avoid.

Guest Ilona Simon, owner of Budapest Blonde Cocktail Mixes, concocted a “Balsama-Mama” mocktail flavored with bergamot orange lime barrel-aged balsamic vinegar to accompany the meal. Members noted how her mix was so much less sweet than the usual cocktail mixes. This is because her ingredients are not chemical-laden, and have a significantly lower sodium, sugar and calorie count per serving. They were delish!

Cleveland Dames ended the meeting by browsing the shelves at The Olive and The Grape, selecting one-of-a-kind products to take home to flavor their own recipes.

Wine, Cheese and Chocolate! The Best of Ohio

By Shara Foldi

What a night! Thursday, April 26 the Cleveland chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier had its annual fundraiser, and as would be expected, it was rather tasty!

Four wineries, four cheesemakers, and four chocolatiers participated (listed below) and brought delightful, diverse samples for the 65 or so guests to taste and enjoy. The event was held at the beautiful Trevarrow Showroom in Parma, which made attendees eager to re-do their home kitchens! Guests circulated though five gorgeous kitchens, to taste some of the best wine, cheese and chocolate Ohio has to offer.

Wine
Ferrante Winery
Firelands Winery
Harpersfield Winery
South River Winery

Cheese
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese
Kokoborrego Creamery
Lake Erie Creamery
Mackenzie Creamery

Chocolate
Coquette Patisserie
Emerald Necklace Inn & Tea Room
Pomona Chocolates
What's For Dessert?

Summed up by Programming Chair, Carol Hacker, "Attendees loved the opportunity to sample wonderful wines, cheeses and chocolates from independent local producers. The exposure benefits both sides and supports the link between farm and table. A delicious learning experience - what could be better?"

All event pictures are posted on our facebook page - enjoy!

Dame du Jour: Candice Berthold

by Maria Isabella, Interview by Vicki Todd-Smith

Candice Berthold is a degreed microbiologist by education…a sales and marketing professional by experience… and an entrepreneur by choice. Not to mention she’s also currently pursuing certification as a health and wellness coach. How did she end up where she is today? “I followed my passion,” explains Candice. “It certainly wasn’t planned!”

Candice opened her first Mediterranean retail store, playfully called The Olive and the Grape, in Mentor in 2005. She has grown that concept to now include two more locations: one at the West Side Market and one in Cleveland’s Kamm’s Corners neighborhood on the West Side. Not only has she found success through growth, she’s also been recognized for her quality products (winning the “Best Sea Salts of Cleveland” award from Cleveland magazine in 2010, for example).

Prior to entering the retail world, Candice taught wine sensory classes and hosted a radio show on wine — which is a credit to all that her mother and maternal grandmother taught her. “They were wonderful mentors to me,” says Candice, “both as great cooks and awesome hostesses. I got my flair for entertaining from them.”

When asked to describe her perfect meal, she quickly responds, “There is no perfect meal. There are countless enjoyable meals. I like variety. In fact, people know me for preparing healthy yet delicious food.”

Candice was first introduced to LDEI through an invitation to be a guest speaker at a meeting in May 2010. She gave a presentation on sea salts and was so impressed that two months later she applied for membership. Today, Candice serves as chapter vice president.

What does she enjoy most about being a member?  Her fellow Dames and the opportunity to expand her knowledge.

Learn more about Candice as she shares some fun and interesting insights about herself.

Of all the places you’ve traveled, where did you have the best food? I have enjoyed many excellent meals while traveling. My recent favorites, though, are in California. Everything tastes so fresh! And, of course, the wine is also excellent. Which reminds me of my recent trip to Chateau Montelana in Napa Valley. This was the winery that won the Chardonnay competition in the legendary Judgment of Paris tasting. I joined their wine club and now have two bottles sent to me every three months, plus I have options on their reserves as well!

What is your favorite cookbook? I generally don’t follow recipes. I like to be creative. But my favorite kitchen books that provide me with both knowledge and creativity include Italian Cooking Encyclopedia, Cooking with the Bible: Recipes for Biblical Meals, The Flavor Bible, and Molecular Gastronomy.

What’s your favorite comfort food? Linguini with Sardinian or Sicilian olive oil, herbs, fresh tomato, fresh spinach, and good Parmesan cheese.

Any favorite indulgences? Red wine and dark chocolate.

What’s your favorite snack? Sardinian music bread and wine, or homemade hummus and pita chips.

What’s your favorite dessert to prepare? I like all types of desserts. My current favorite is angel food or pound cake with a chocolate raspberry filling, drizzled with red raspberry (or chocolate) balsamic vinegar, garnished with fresh raspberries, and dusted with cocoa and powdered sugar.

What’s the biggest cooking mistake you’ve ever made? I once dropped a whole serving platter of Chicken Divan right as my guests were arriving! Luckily I had plenty of “extras” in the fridge. I extended the appetizers to a lengthy hour while I prepared a second batch of Chicken Divan.

What’s one ingredient you can’t live without? Premium olive oil. And good aged balsamic vinegar, too.

Name 3 kitchen gadgets you can’t live without. Silicon spatula, microplane zester, and garlic press.

What would people be surprised to find in your kitchen? At least 8 bottles of opened olive oil (all from different countries). But then again, if you knew my business, that wouldn’t be a surprise at all.