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Archives for May 2014

Hot House! Local Chef Heats Things Up With New Sriracha Sauce

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Hot stuff in Dayton

Dayton Chef LeeAnne House, with her Housemade Sriracha Sauce !

We’ve got the boss with the hot sauce right here!  Want to heat up your Food Adventures at home?  Then look no further.

Local chef, our own LeeAnne House has made her mark in the kitchens of upscale area restaurants. Now she is out on her own, with a new company called Housemade.  Her first bottled product is a popular one, called Housemade Sriracha Sauce. She started experimenting with new sauces in her apartment kitchen and the batches grew, and so did the demand.  Now she has taken her saucy self corporate.

Believe it or not, sriracha is a style of sauce, and not a brand name.  We are all familiar with that plastic bottle with the rooster and green spout.  This gives that sauce a kick in the pants.

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— LeeAnne grew up in the food industry.  Her parents at one time owned various restaurants like Lincoln Park Grille, Oregon Express, and others.  LeeAnne worked her way up from bussing tables to chief hottie.

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Bottles of Housemade Sriracha, Ready to be Labeled

— The sauce took a year and a half to perfect.  Originally home cooked and home produced, she is now off  to the big time with the same, natural recipe.  Food Adventures have been trying her home batch sriracha sauces for months, so we are especially happy to see her recent success.

— This sauce won 1st prize in the 2014 Louisiana Cajun Hot Sauce Festival, for the best specialty chili sauce, and is being blogged about nationally from California to Nashville.  Foodies and Food Adventurers agree, it’s fantastic!

— A bottle of this sauce goes a long way, good thing there is a 2 year shelf life.

 

WHY IS THIS SAUCE A MUST EAT?

— FLAVOR:  That is the most important thing, right?  Not just heat for the sake of heat, but good flavor is what a sauce is all about.  Housemade Sriracha is sweeter, hotter and meaner than the sriracha you are used to.   There is a good amount of tang and zing to get your tastebuds rolling.

 — ALL PEPPERS in this sauce are Thai Chili Peppers, and the sauce has NO STEMS.  This is huge, because most mass produced sauces have stems ground into them, thereby changing the flavor of the sauce.  Housemade keeps the flavor truer to the pepper itself with the tedious process of stem removal.

— NATURAL INGREDIENTS:  We wont give away the recipe, just read the side of the label for the natural ingredients.  Did we mention it is vegan and gluten-free ?

— LOCALLY MADE – Whenever possible local ingredients are used, local farmers, and the sauce is assembled from Dayton to Chillicothe.  Hello, support local, buy local.  Expect different sauces from Housemade in the future !

 

The Big Ragu knows you can get Housemade Sriracha at Foremost Seafood

The Big Ragu knows where to get Housemade Sriracha, and now, you do too !

The Big Ragu loves the sauce on chili, shrimp, wings and anything mexican (nachos, tacos, tortas, burritos and sopes).

LITE BITES: Try the sriracha on egg white omelettes, roasted veggies, homemade vegetable soups, and quinoa.

 

Housemade Sriracha Sauce has made its way into local restaurants and has been appearing on specials at Lily’s Bistro, and pizzas at  Oregon Express to name a couple.  We expect more locally owned restaurants to follow this trend.  In fact, the demand has been so good, that a second batch has already gone into production.

 

WHERE CAN YOU BUY THE BOTTLES OF HOUSEMADE SRIRACHA?

— Arrow Wine & Spirits

— Clash Consignments

— Eclectic Essentials

— Foremost Seafood

— Healthy Alternative Markets

— The Spice Rack

— Yankee Street Market

 

In more ways than one, it is the hottest product in Dayton.  Housemade Sriracha, we love you, you hot thang you ….

Speaking of hotness, check out Food Adventures on Facebook  and “like” them HERE

Also, see more of LeeAnne and her hot sauce in the photo gallery below!

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10 ?’s with Chef Lisa Perdomo of Arepas & Co

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1920408_699753960048080_873109947_nChef Lisa Perdomo is a Kettering native who received her undergraduate degree in business and her graduate M.B.A. from the University of Dayton.  She is married to Mr. Perdomo, who is a native from Columbia,  who received an engineering management degree from the University of Dayton.  The UD Flyer couple runs and owns Arepas & Co which serves a type of Americanized Columbian cuisine.  Her food is flavorful, fresh and fast.

 

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Arepas & Co is located at 1122 E Dorothy Ln in Kettering.

Initially out of college Lisa worked for the University of Dayton for 10 years.  Afterward she had a coffee shop in Cincinnati, but decided the commute was a bit too much and ended up bringing contacts together in order to become a vendor at the 2nd Street Market in downtown Dayton as Arepas & Co.  The vendor stand took off at the market and Lisa found her business having a tremendous amount of success with visitors.  To anyone who is timid about trying Columbian cuisine she is more than happy to educate and encourage the food she has grown to love.

 

With the success at the 2nd Street Market Lisa and her husband were able to open their second location here in Dayton.  Be sure when you visit to look for the Red House, that  sits back from the road behind the Sherwood Florist.  The restaurant serves as a great environment for a great meal.

 

Be sure to visit Arepas & Co. on Facebook for more info.

1.     What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Fresh Cilantro… Fish and Cilantro = awesome!

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Fresh and tasty Pollo Guisado and more waiting for you!

2.     What ingredient do you dread?

I love to cook and don’t have a definitive dreaded ingredient, but if I had to choose I would say extremely hot spicy peppers.  In particular the hot peppers  used to prepare her El Scorcho (Pique) homemade sauce. Wow… Hot!

 3.     What’s your favorite dish to make?

Pollo Guisado! It is a braised chicken thigh slowly cooked with carrots, bell peppers, and green beans. Served with rice and fried plantains.  It’s delicious.

4.     What’s your favorite pig out food?

I loves Reece’s peanut butter cups.  There is just something about that chocolate and peanut butter duo that hits the spot.

5.     What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

I love going to O’Charley’s with my 3 boys and husband.  I also like going to Logan’s Roadhouses and Carvers in Centerville

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“Party in your Mouth” Mazorca! Sweet corn, seasoned beans, chips, cheese, homemade sauces! Magic!

6.     What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Always have patience.  Don’t ever get discouraged from any advice or critiques and always welcome and appreciate feedback.

 7.     If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

Gordon Ramsay for his brutal honesty

Gabriel Marquez to recite beautiful poetry during the meal

A recent president.  Possibly Barack Obama.  Just so they can see how hard local businesses work

My husband so he can introduce guests to the Columbian culture and so he can keep our guest entertained. He’s a good talker.

 8.     Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

Julia Child because who doesn’t.

9.     What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I enjoy going hiking in Yellow Springs and watching television with my  boys.  Overall I just likes to spend some time offline.

10.  Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story.

Lisa shared stories of times when she cooked in a kitchen without a necessity such as gas, electric or water.  She expressed it always makes for an interesting situation.

 

 This Chef 10?’s article was put together by UD students in Professor Rebecca P. Blust’s  UD Engineering Project Management class.  Our four member team , Gracelyn Key, Sushmitha Rayinadi, Emily Strobach and Daniel Williams spent the semester learning how to meet with a client (DMM) define the project, put a plan together and execute it.  This is the third of 9 Chef interviews they presented to us as their class project.  To read the first two interviews please see below:

10 ?’s with Chef Trish Miles of C’est Cheese

10 ?’s with Chef Narendar Thakkar of Namaste India

THE NEON Has 2 Big Hits with CHEF & BELLE!

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Hello Everyone,

We had an absolutely terrific holiday weekend. Audiences are loving CHEF and BELLE, and we’re going to hold them both. Many thanks to all of you who came out to support these films.

I know that many of you are anxious to see some of our upcoming selections – like FED UP and ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE and JODOROWSKY’S DUNE…please rest assured that these films will eventually make their way to THE NEON. Our opening dates can move for a variety of reasons, and we appreciate your patience as some of the films get shifted. Stay tuned to this newsletter or our website for the latest date changes.

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“Start Freedom Dayton, a film series started by Peace on Fifth to raise awareness about human trafficking, returns June 19th at 7:30 pm at THE NEON with the newest movie about human trafficking – TRICKED. The sex trafficking industry rakes in $3 billion dollars a year and with little awareness for the general population. TRICKED, released in December 2013, is set on the streets of the US as a clear witness to the domestic sex trafficking ‘game.’ This is a very powerful movie. Age appropriate for 12+, however children should have some level of awareness and emotional maturity. For more information call Peace on Fifth at 937.367.7215 or email [email protected]. To learn more about TRICKED and to see a trailer, visit the official site. All advanced tickets are available exclusively at Peace on Fifth (234 S Dutoit St., St. Anne’s Hill) for an $8 suggested donation. The screening will only happen if 75 tickets are distributed.” (taken from Peace on Fifth press release)

On Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30, THE NEON is happy to host a one-night screening of the new documentary TO BE TAKEI. This is part of Dayton PRIDE‘s month-long LGBT Pride celebration. “Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei boldly journeyed from a WWII internment camp, to the helm of the starship Enterprise, to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join George and his husband Brad on this star’s playful and profound trek for life, liberty, and love. Best known for playing Sulu on the original Star Trek TV series and six movies that followed, George Takei is unlikely social media royalty. Unofficially dubbed the King of Facebook, he counts over 5 million fans in his online empire – including Trekkies, Howard Stern listeners, and the LGBTQ community – who devour his quirky mix of kitten jokes, Star Trek references, heartfelt messages, and sci-fi/fantasy memes…” (taken from press notes) Tickets, just $8 each, are now available at our box office.

Our facebook page is blowing up because I announced that we’re considering playing the newly remastered A HARD DAY’S NIGHT during July 4 weekend. This is in celebration of the 50th anniversary. Would you come out to support this Beatles favorite if we played it during the holiday weekend?

Thanks for your continued interest and enthusiastic support.
We hope to see you soon!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Friday, May 30 – Thursday, June 5:

BELLE (PG) 1 Hr Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Sunday: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:20, 7:45

CHEF (R) 1 Hr Min
Friday, Saturday: 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30, 9:50
Sunday: 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:45, 5:10, 7:40

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear.)
June 6 – FED UP
June 6 – JODOROWSKI’S DUNE
June 13 – ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
June 13 – FOR NO GOOD REASON
June 20 – SUPERMENSCH: SHEP GORDON
July 4 – A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
July 25 – THIRD PERSON
Aug. 8 – BOYHOOD
Aug. 15 – MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT
Aug. 29 – LAND HO

‘Beauty and the Beast’ Review – Victoria Theatre Association – Delightful Disney Magic

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b&b

Darick Pead and Hilary Maiberger star in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” (Contributed photo)

A top-notch national tour of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” the recipient of nine 1994 Tony Award nominations including Best Musical, has arrived at the Schuster Center as part of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Premier Health Broadway Series.

 
Based on the beloved 1991 Academy Award-winning film, one of the best animated movies containing one of the best cinematic scores courtesy of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, “Beauty and the Beast” wholeheartedly succeeds on the wonderfully relatable portrayals of Hilary Maiberger as bookworm Belle and Darick Pead as the troubled Beast. Maiberger, a lovely soprano and radiant stage presence, earnestly conveys Belle’s life-affirming journey of hope, loss and romance with a thoroughly engaging, gently contemporary sensibility. Astutely interpreting Belle’s introverted persona and the particularly deep hurt she feels upon imprisonment reiterated in the marvelous ballad “Home,” her performance beautifully evolves with striking resiliency and tenderness. At the same rate, Pead is an equally magnetic component displaying a humorously gruff temperament that exceptionally dissolves as the Beast learns to love and desires to be loved in order to break an enchantress’ spell. Pead injects some of the finest comedic bits I’ve seen in the role (the Beast’s pre-dinner hissy fit is inspired), but also supplies great vulnerability, especially in the touching Act 1 finale “If I Can’t Love Her.”

 

Maiberger and Pead are so incredibly compatible you’ll likely find yourself wiping away a few tears when the gorgeous title tune, warmly sung by Kristen Stewart (Mrs. Potts), brings Belle and the Beast together for an elegant dinner and heart-tugging waltz solidifying their unexpected bond.
Elsewhere, and in addition to Stewart, enjoyable supporting portrayals are rendered by Tim Rogan (Gaston), Jordan Aragon (LeFou), Josh Feldman and Jack Mullen (Chip), James May (Cogsworth), Stephanie Moskal (Babette), Hassan Nazari-Robati (Lumiere), Roxy York (Madame de la Grande Bouche), Paul Crane (Maurice), Kieron Cindric (Monsieur D’Arque), and Tony D’Alelio (Carpet). Nazari-Robati in particular winningly leads the exuberantly show-stopping “Be Our Guest” and joyously spine-tingling “Human Again,” two numbers sprightly choreographed by Matt West who also brings colorful, character-conscious flourishes to “Belle” and “Gaston.”
Director Rob Roth, Tony-nominated for his original direction, effortlessly and breezily returns to the material with a complete understanding of the tone and charm of the story and its relationships. He also wisely reassess his original outlook by cutting 10 minutes that used to belong to “No Matter What” and “Maison des Lunes,” new songs Menken wrote with lyricist Tim Rice that didn’t advance the plot. Roth’s splendid creative team includes Tony-winning costumer Ann Hould-Ward, Tony-winning lighting designer Natasha Katz, scenic designer Stanley A. Meyer, sound designer John Petrafesa, Jr., hair designer David H. Lawrence, fight designer Rick Sordelt, puppet designer Basil Twist, and illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer. Music director Kevin Frances Finn conducts a solid, well-balanced orchestra.

 
If feel-good entertainment is your aim don’t miss “Beauty and the Beast.”
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” continues through June 1 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton. Performances are today and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 80 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets are $40-$111. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com.

 

 

Food Trucks Out In Force This Weekend

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FOODTRUCKLast summer the food truck rallies were a regular thing downtown, this summer they are spreading out all over the region. And while we’ve lost a few of last years popular trucks – both Fressa and Ringo’s North Star Mobile have left the business- we’ve seen even more new trucks join the mobile food business, like Lilia’s Outside Cafe , Voodoo Taco Company and Flour Power Pizza.

Food trucks have become beloved additions to the region’s dining scene, with the power to add vibrancy and traffic to an area with just a few Facebook posts.  ZombieDogz is the reigning king of attraction in  the mobile food world, Harvest Mobile Cuisine seems to hold the road dog crown, with the most appearances around town.  The emergence of local taprooms have proved a popular partnership for those looking for a bite to eat with their beers  and Courthouse Square downtown, plays host to foodtruck lunches Monday – Friday.   However, due to the nature of their businesses, it’s sometimes hard to know where you’ll find a truck on any givien day.  Our Food Truck Finder Calendar keeps track of a majority of the area’s food truck fleet, so go ahead, bookmark it for when you have a craving.

This Friday for lunch, the trucks will head to Riverside, hoping to attract the attention of workers of the region’s largest employer, WPAFB.   The rally will be outside the gates, and picnic tables and portable restrooms are being brought in to make the empty lot across from the base into a temporary food pod.

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Trucks expected to participate are: Go Cupcake, Cheeky Meat Pies, Pa’s Pork, The Shakery Juice Bar, Flour Power Pizza, Hunger Paynes, Porkey’s Smokehouse, D Fish and D Chicken, Lilia Cafe, East Coast Eatz, El Meson Express, Paranormal Concessions, and Dayton Urban BBQ

 
And this Saturday the Crestwood Swim Club in Kettering will host a Picnic in the Park from 1-5pm. They are promising “fantastic food with many adjacent amenities for the whole family to enjoy!”  Expected participants include: Flour Power Pizza, G’s Cue BBQ, Go Cupcake, Harvest Mobile Cuisine, Hunger Paynes Food Truck, and The Shakery Juice Bar.

If you’d like more information, or would like to enquire about booking a food truck, check out the Dayton Food Truck Association or check the DMM List of FoodTrucks. If you know of a truck we don’t have on our list, please leave us a comment below.

 

2nd Annual Ice Cream and Doggie Social and Sculpture Dedication

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WP_20140324_16_50_15_ProHistoric South Park will dedicate a new public sculpture on Thursday, May 29th at 6 p.m. as a part of the 2nd Annual Neighborhood Ice Cream & Doggie Social. The dedication ceremony will take place at the sculpture, located in the 100 block of Park Drive on the Boulevard.

The sculpture, “Dandelion,” by Hamilton Dixon was commissioned by Historic South Park as recognition that great cities have public art.

The sculpture is in Hamilton’s signature style, one of the best-known examples of which are the stair railings in rotunda of the Dayton Art Institute. “Dandelion” pivots on its base and can be moved either by human push or a steady breeze.

Dixon and his family are residents of Dayton’s South Park neighborhood. The sculpture’s title came to mind as the artist and his family walked along the boulevard one evening and noticed the resemblance of the sculpture to seeding dandelions around it.

Funding for the sculpture comes from several sources, including a Neighborhood Mini-Grant from the City of Dayton, a grant from the Genesis Project, Historic South Park Inc., South Park residents and Hamilton Dixon, who gave generously of his time in the design and execution of the sculpture.

How to go:

When: Thursday, May 29, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Hamilton Dixon “Dandelion” sculpture in the 100 block of Park Drive on  the Boulevard.
Who: Everyone, including Fido!*
What to bring: Your favorite ice cream and/or topping to share. Bowls and spoons will be provided.

*Important: Bring your dog with you. All dogs must be on a leash.

Firehouse Subs 2nd Location Now Open in Oakwood

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url-11The ribbon cutting was this morning and now Seth Grusenmeyer and his father David have opened their second Firehouse Subs franchise in the new strip center at the corner of Brown Street and Irving Avenue in Oakwood.  This brand new strip center, developed by T.R. Routsong, currently houses a Saxby’s Coffee with a drive-thru, an Orange Leaf Yogurt  under construction and a vapor electronic cigarette store that will be the final tenant in the four unit building.  T.R. admits it’s taken a while to get the center open due to all the zoning issues, but shares that he’s “excited to have Seth & David operating a business that will be such a great addition to the community.”  The opening of Firehouse Subs has created over 30 new jobs, mainly filled by young adults.

The Jacksonville, Florida based Firehouse is known for specializing in hot subs with large portions of premium meats and 050813_ENT_Firehouse_Subs_MRM_01_displaySargento cheeses, “steamed” hot and placed atop fresh produce on a toasted sub roll. With over 16 sandwiches that average about $6 on the menu, and the option to create your own, theirs something for everyone.  Salads and an award winning chili round out the menu.

Seth, who admits an addiction to hot sauce, shared that the chain is the largest user of Datil peppers in the country, and they sell their signature Captain Sorensen’s Datil Pepper Hot Sauce to compliment their subs.  But don’t worry if that’s not the sauce for you, each of their stores features a variety of hot sauces, rated for heat, for their customers.

Firehouse Subs also offers catering with sub and salad platters available as well as box lunches available for groups of 10 or more.

 

 

Seth and his father, who is a retired fire fighter, had talked about starting a food business together and the firefighter theme, great menu and commitment to the community Firehouse Subs has just spoke to them.

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is dedicated to improving the life-saving capabilities of first responders and public safety organizations in communities served by Firehouse Subs by providing funding, resources and support. The eatery raises money for their foundation with:d9e7aec0-1713-421e-a0a0-b978defc5029

In-restaurant Donation Canisters – Drop your spare change into the acrylic donation canister between the registers at any Firehouse Subs restaurant.

Round Up – “Round Up” your credit card or cash purchase to the nearest dollar every time you visit a Firehouse Subs.

Pickle Buckets – Purchase a recycled five-gallon pickle bucket for only $2 each. All proceeds benefit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Use the pickle buckets for painting, gardening, washing the car, or anything else you can think of.

 

 

 

Beer & Bourbon -Matches Made At The Century Bar

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tl-horizontal_mainThe idea of a beer and a shot aren’t new, but as the craft beer movement is expanding the flavor profiles of beer available in the Miami Valley and with the expertise of the staff and the abundance of bourbons on the shelf at The Century Bar, it just seems inevitable that the bar has been raised on the concept.  So when Warped Wing Brewing Company and The Century announced a paring event for this Saturday, May 31st, I knew it would be something special.  So when Joe invited me to attend the pairing meeting, I was pretty excited.

Joe Head and Tim Fry from The Century and Head Brewmaster John Haggerty, Sales & Marketing Manager Nick Bowman and assistant brewmaster Jeff Fortney of IMG_2236Warped Wing (pictured left to right)showed up at the bar for the planning session full of ideas.  They all agreed on a working theory of starting with the beers- lightest to heaviest and then finding the most complimentary bourbon to pair with it.  I know everyone thinks that would be an easy job, but with the tasting, discussion about finish, mouth taste and complimentary vs. contrasting  flavors, I realized that this was real work.  Were flavors that blended better than opposite tastes?  Did a too strong bourbon wash out the spice in a beer?  “The power of the pairing can calm down an IPA and give it a creamy mouth feel,” observed Joe Head after one potential pairing.  At one point, there were over 30 glasses on the bar and it was pretty confusing trying to keep up what was in each glass.

I could only stick around for an hour and so I’m not sure what the final pairings will be, but the beers to be featured start with a brand new Warped Wing release – Catfight- a Belgian Saison, followed by Flyin’Rye, – a rye IPA, Gypsy Queen, a Chile Beer and 10 Ton – an Oatmeal Stout. The bourbons won’t be announced in advance, so you’ll have to  make a reservation for the Sat 4-6pm event to find out what they are.  It’s a true bargain at $25, and includes four 4oz beer and 1 oz bourbon duo’s served up with a good deal of background from some of the most knowledgable bartenders and beer aficionado’s this town has to offer.   There are only 50 tickets available and about 1/2 of those have been sold already. Call The Century at 223-3382 or stop by to reserve your seat.

And just from the flow of conversations and chemistry that was evident between these men that take their drinking seriously, you can be sure that this won’t be the only partnership between Warped Wing and The Century.

Update:  The event was a sell out!

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2014 Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

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url-9Established in 2001, the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame was created to honor local theatre artists and patrons of the arts. It is designed to acknowledge people whose life-long participation, innovation, and creativity have influenced the Dayton arts culture.

The Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame was created as a way to recognize individuals who have dedicated themselves to the cause of theatre arts in Dayton or have made a significant impact on Dayton’s theatre community.

 

The 2014 inductees are:

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Saul Caplan in A Case of Libel as photographed by Craig Roberts

Saul Caplan has been working in theatre for the past fifty-five years, starting with a show at Memorial Hall in 1959. He worked in various children’s theatres, performed at Colonel White in student productions, and majored in theatre at the University of Akron. From 1971 until the mid 1990’s Saul worked as a professional actor in theatres from New York to Florida before moving back to Dayton in 1998. Since then, he has worked on over sixty-five productions with the Human Race Theatre Company, The Dayton Theatre Guild, Sinclair, The Dayton Playhouse, FutureFest, Brookville Theatre, and Playhouse South.

Barbara

 

Barbara Jorgensen has been working in Dayton Theatre since 1989 when she was cast in a production at the Dayton Playhouse.  Since then she has performed for FirstStage Productions, Young at Heart Players, and the Dayton Theatre Guild.  Barb has taught theatre to adults at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Dayton, and lends her acting talent to the University of Dayton School of Law performing in mock trials and playing various parts in legal scenarios with law students.    Barb is active on the Board of the Dayton Theatre Guild where she wears many hats.

 

This year’s induction ceremony will be held in conjunction with the annual DayTony awards on August 9, 2014 at Sinclair Community College. Attendees will have the dinner or event-only option this year. Early bird pricing will be available through July 22nd with a higher price until July 31st. No reservations will be accepted after August 1st.  The event is open to the public and reservation information will be available on the DayTony website when plans are completed.           .

The Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame is operated and governed by the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame Executive Committee. For more information visit the website: daytonys.org.

Rock n Green Tomato Festival to Feature Pie Baking Contest !

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Delicious pie

Green Tomato Pie – Can you make the best one?

Calling all bakers!!  Miamisburg needs you.  Saturday June 14th is the 4th Annual Rock N Green Tomato Festival.  One of the features is a “GREEN TOMATO PIE CONTEST.”  

Can you bake the best pie?  Do you have what it takes?  Can you be the champ?  Prizes will include 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies.  Register and prove you have the skills to make the most delicious pie of them all!

The judges for this contest are the only locals with mouths big enough to fit the bill, Chef House, Hungry Jax and Big Ragu from Food Adventures !

 

***TO ENTER THE BAKING CONTEST, Fill out and send in this form by June 11th !  —> click here for form

You have to register by June 11th, then bring your pie to Ron’s Pizza house at 5:30pm on June 14th.  The contest begins at 6pm.  Ron’s will keep your pie warm or cold for you at your direction.  The Food Adventures Crew are serious eaters, and are sure to have their taste buds tuned up and ready for the test …  Are you kitchen savvy enough to win?  Then get your oven mitts, pie crusts, and baking pans ready for this Green Tomato Pie Baking Contest.  But most of all, you have to sign up !

Green Tomato Pizza

Green Tomato Pizza? It was Delicious !

 

This event promises to be a festive Food Adventure at Miamisburg’s Riverfront Park!

The Rock N Green Tomato Festival is relatively new, but has picked up a loyal following in 4 short years.

This cozy festival is a blast and a MUST EAT on your summer list of festivities.  It is a friendly, fun atmosphere with plenty of food and drink.  Speaking of which..

We also have a side contest***  WANT TO WIN DINNER with THE FOOD ADVENTURE CREW at the Rock n Green Tomato Festival for you and a friend?  Then comment on the story below and tell us why you deserve it!  One winner will be chosen at random, and they may bring a guest and meet us at the festival at 4pm.   It looks like Hamburger Wagon Burgers and Ron’s Pizzas are on the menu !  You cant beat a free dinner for you and a pal with 2 original Dayton Food Adventurers!

Fried Green Tomatoes

We love the Fried Green Tomatoes at the festival

 

*******FESTIVAL INFO*******

WHAT: ROCK N GREEN TOMATO FESTIVAL

WHEN: SATURDAY JUNE 14th from Noon – 11pm

WHERE:  Downtown Miamisburg, next to Ron’s Pizza At Riverfront Park

WHAT ELSE:  

— CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT $250 to winner – click here to enter –

— LIVE MUSIC from Noon – 11pm   – schedule of bands here –

Hamburge Wagon Burger

This Hamburger Wagon Burger didn’t last long on our plate

 

— 5k RUN/WALK at 10am – click here to register –

— FOOD AND MERCHANDISE VENDORS – -want to be a vendor? CLICK HERE –

— HAMBURGER EATING CONTEST

— KIDS GAMES and BOUNCY CASTLE

— HULA HOOP CONTEST

— JITTERBUG CONTEST

 

*****For all the event info visit: www.rockngreentomato.com/   *****

The Food Adventures Crew will see you there !  Don’t forget to comment on this article for a chance to win dinner with them  the night of the festival !

Browse through our Food Adventure photo gallery below from past 3 years of “Rock n Green Tomato Festivals.”    Also, “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE !

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RiverScape Rentals opens this weekend!

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rental_crop2Looking for a way to get the whole family outside this summer? Come to RiverScape Rentals and they”ll help you get out onto the over 330 miles of connected bikeway your region has to offer.

From hybrids to road bikes, a tandem and child attachments (including trail-a-bikes, trailers and weehoos, they have everything you and your family needs to hit the trails. Prices start at $8 per hour for bicycles and $5 per hour for attachments like children’s bike seats and trailers. Check out the rental rates and equipment and start planning your next adventure!

And if you need help planning your ride, take a look at the bikeway map, ask about the Hub Trex at RiverScape Rentals, or use the Miami Valley Trails website to help make your next trip a reality. There is a lot of construction going on these days, so be sure to check out the alerts and closures listing before starting out.

RiverScape Rentals is open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. from May 24 through August 31.

Olive, an Urban Dive Wins National Grant

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olive6The Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) awarded its annual $5,000 grant to Olive, an Urban Dive in Dayton, Ohio, in recognition of the restaurant’s unwavering commitment to foodservice sustainability initiatives and the Dayton community.  Olive’s impressive commitments to sustainability include: investing in equipment to reduce energy and water use, focusing on recycling, composting and cross utilizing ingredients to greatly reduce daily trash and food waste yields, and managing their own farm, as well as, relationships with over 50 local farmers for a true Farm-­‐to-­‐Fork program. This marks the seventh year for the HCFS grant, which is awarded to a business or organization judged to have the best-­‐executed foodservice sustainability project.

 

olive5“It is rare to find management and staff equally committed to their goal of providing high quality food following sustainable practices,” said Richard Young, Senior Engineer and Director of Education for PG&E Food Service Technology Center, and HCFS fellow. “At Olive, this is the norm. The owner practices what she preaches, and as a result, all of the staff have completely bought in. Not only are they limiting their impact on the environment, they are building into the local economy.”

Olive’s owner, Kimberly, leased the old Wympee Burger diner in downtown Dayton, OH, olive1after its 72 years of operating as a greasy burger joint were over. She and her friends and family gutted the entire building by hand, replacing all mechanicals, interior walls, putting new HVAC equipment on the roof to make room for an ADA compliant bathroom, even excavating the entire floor in the kitchen to eliminate floor drains that had led to the rain water run-­‐off sewers without anyone realizing since the building’s construction in 1938.

“We did everything we could to save labor and financial resources, while recycling and responsibly scrapping original materials and finding creative re-­‐use for others,” said Kimberly Collett, owner of Olive. “The counter is made of wood from a tree my grandfather cut down 60 years ago, and we cut used bottles to make light shades. We even made our own tables out of poplar leftover from a wood auction, installed the cork flooring, and made our own ceiling tiles.”

Not only does this mindset pay dividends in fantastic culinary creations, after two years Olive4of being open, Olive was completely debt-­‐free, a rare achievement in the restaurant industry. Another huge accomplishment – Olive’s commitment to recycling and cross utilizing natural ingredients and composting means they only throw away 6-­‐14 pounds of waste per day. The commitment to sustainability is not without challenges, but the staff and chefs at Olive take it all in stride and embrace the unique opportunity to create new specials daily, with whatever they are able to source locally.

“We are given a lot of freedoms that most commercial kitchens do not experience,” said David Kerg, chef. “Olive is a chef’s playground!” “This is a one-­‐in-­‐a-­‐million business,” said team member Sandy Bowden. “we enjoy telling people about it. It is so satisfying to make people happy and to see their eyebrows go up when they taste something. Serving people a great product is very rewarding for us.” Kimberly Collett, Olive owner, will serve as an HCFS Fellow for 2014/2015 and assist in selecting next year’s HCFS grant recipient.