by Lisa D.
I have been so excited waiting for the farmer's markets to begin that I've been driving past the North Market on busy Saturday mornings, just to see if there was any movement. Yesterday I was rewarded - it might only be mesclun mix, but it's something. Today's lettuce comes from Toad Hill Organics, which also provides many items for Alana's restaurant (surely Columbus' premier supporter and instigator of local product usage), including her "house" salad with the Toad Hill Organic greens, carrots, raisins, etc. Toad Hill had farm-fresh eggs, the beautiful mesclun mix pictured above, spinach and Asian greens for stir-frying available at Saturday's Market. They were also cooking up scrambled eggs and stir-fry. For a mostly complete list of Central Ohio farmer's markets, click here.
I suppose I should digress a little for an introduction. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, I come from a long line of farm folk (both parents were Amish, but not by the time I came along). Growing up, we had an enormous garden and grew almost everything we ate. We also had a cow and a few scatterings of chickens here and there throughout the years. You can get an idea of my background by reading my post I'm all Lost in the Supermarket on my website, Restaurant Widow.
I now live in the city and struggle to grow grass, let alone veggies or anything really interesting, but I'm trying to get better. I work in a restaurant in Columbus where I encourage our Chef to use local products whenever possible. I have been known to transport local ingredients from one chef to another to try out new products.
Columbus is surrounded by farming communities. The Chef's Garden, specialty wholesaler to the stars, is located in Huron, Ohio. Within 100 miles, one can find almost everything they need to survive (minus coffee, chocolate & rice!). Since Columbus is directly in the center of the state, and a 100 mile radius includes the entire state minus Cleveland, I have decided to include the whole state in my challenge, which is especially challenging when our biggest crop right now is lettuce! But I will do my best.
Whenever possible, I will provide detailed information on the availability of the products I use. I am spoiled by working in a restaurant where we constantly have farmers coming and going, bringing us lovely things like pheasants, duck eggs, Amish chickens, cream and butter, pork, morel mushrooms, etc. But I will do my best to see to it that the products are available to others in my area. And if not, I'll see if I can help make that happen.
Here's to happy eating!
Lisa Dillman is a freelance writer and restaurant worker living in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and many cats. She writes the website Restaurant Widow.
