Tough Critics
“I want the soup with the yummy meat”- My nephew Parker demanded after a he finished off a bowl of potato, leek, and gouda soup spiced with the filling a locally sourced chicken and apple brat. I cooked a farm to table meal on Mother’s Day eve for two generations of Moms and had to face the toughest critic known to a cook… a two year old.
I visited Worthington, OH first farmer’s market of the year and was impressed with the amazing meat and dairy options, though underwhelmed by their produce. As a result my menu was heavily skewed towards those items. The menu:
- Grilled Gretna Cheese (from Blue Jacket Dairy) with locally grown grape tomatoes and basil salt.
- Smoked jowl bacon, rosemary and sauteed shallots on Lucky Cat Bakery’s fresh focaccia.
- Potato, leek, and gouda soup spiced with the filling a locally sourced chicken and apple bratwurst
- Arugula with honey vinaigrette, dried cranberries, and panko crusted fried local chevre
- Panamanian beef tenderloin marinaded in coffee, thyme crusted potatoes, and sauteed asparagus
- A Jeni’s ice cream trio (Askinosie Dark Milk Chocolate, Bananas & Honey, Salted Caramel) sprinkled with crushed waffle cones.
It was a fun and well spent evening with family. I’m very impressed with Columbus’s food scene; Particularly Worthington where small independent food producers and restaurants are thriving in a city more know for its seemingly countless big box chain establishments. I look forward to spending another weekend here exploring the farmer’s markets and exposing my nephew to new food from his own backyard.
