The West Side Market

Cleveland’s West Side Market is an absolute treasure, a survivor from the era when immense public marketplaces were necessary for every metropolis. Before the onslaught of suburban supermarkets that have become the dispiriting norm, city markets were the cosmopolitan supercenters of their day.

The West Side Market still stands as a wonderful multicultural, economically diverse, mixed creeds, and all-ages crossroads. It is one of my favorite places on the planet, filled with gorgeous produce, diverse comestibles, and multiple languages. The impressive brick building with the focal point clock tower is located where it has been since 1912, in the now revamped Ohio City area of Cleveland, across the Cuyahoga River from Jacobs Field (oh, alright, Progressive Field; that still doesn’t ring true. Jacobs Field quickly and affectionately became “The Jake.” So what are Indians fans left with now? “The Prog?”)

The origins of the market date to 1840 when, with remarkable foresight, Josiah Barber and Richard Lord gave the land to Ohio City with the stipulation that it always be used for a public market. They should have a statue erected to them, or at least their images carved in butter or cheese.

The Market has undergone considerable upgrading since I first knew it in 1984. Then you could still choose a live chicken, and the vegetable stands were exposed to the elements year ‘round. On site slaughtering is gone and the stands are now protected, and I do miss the kids who used to carry bags for a dollar, but the Market’s bounty and international ambience is still in full vigor. The 160 stalls are just as varied and some long-time favorites are still going strong.

Bookending the length of the interior market are two fabulous sandwich choices. One is Maha’s Falafil, next door to the fish market; the other is Frank’s Bratwurst, next door to the Mediterranean Imported Foods. Carnivores go to Frank’s, vegetarians to Maha’s; omnivores have the best of both worlds and bounce between the two. Frank’s is open early and brats are available for breakfast on the go.

Mediterranean Imported Foods is one shop I never miss. Manager Mark and owner Gus (the Greek) have kept me supplied with Petit Basque, feta, Stilton, and other brilliant cheeses for over two decades, along with olives, chocolates, coffees, teas, and a swath of irresistible European fare, including my daughter’s childhood favorite, Orangina.

Offering a variety of goods too numerous to list, including beautiful breads and baked goods, ethnic fare, whole bean coffees, fresh meats and Eastern European sausages, organic fruits and vegetables and much, much more, nowhere is the food pyramid, or America’s melting pot, represented better than at the Cleveland’s West Side Market.

Beef on ‘Weck at Schwabl’s

Beef on ‘Weck at Schwabl’s
789 Center Road
West Seneca, NY
(716) 674-9821‎
www.schwabl’s.com

Schwabl’s Beef on ‘Weck sandwich has joined my short list of culinary “eureka!” moments. A “Eureka!” is when, of all the possible combinations of foods, the perfect complement of taste, aroma, appearance, and satisfaction is achieved. These rare recipes stand the test of time. Ruth Wakefield’s creation of Toll House cookies was one, as was Mr. Cardini’s famous Caesar Salad, and there have certainly been more. Beef on ‘Weck may be one of the least known.

Exactly what is this sandwich triumph? And what the heck is “weck”? It’s short for “kummelweck” and refers to a unique version of a Kaiser roll. German in origin, “weck” means “bread” and “kummel” is “caraway.” Take a good quality Kaiser Roll, top it with a scant scattering of caraway seeds, encrust the top with coarse salt and you’ve created “kummelweck” (sometimes pronounced “wick”.) The bread is what distinguishes Beef on ‘Weck from a French Dip, and I can’t imagine it working with anything other than beef. The beef flavor is sturdy enough to balance the zing of salt and still be tasted. Milder chicken would be lost in the brine, ham or other cured meats would conflict in a salt war, as would anything barbecued or marinated. The tender, unfussy beef, coarse salt, well-textured bread, and subtle caraway provide just the right amalgam of flavors.

Take hand-carved top quality beef, cut to the diner’s preference of doneness, and pile it generously on the bottom half of the kummelweck. Dip the crystalline top in the savory beef juices and place on the mouth-watering beef. Cut in half and serve with horseradish, preferably out of those jars I covet. Serve with coleslaw or pickled beets, but above all, with Schwabl’s homemade German Potato Salad. A pint of local brew couldn’t hurt, either.

Several Western New York restaurants vie for the best Weck title, but I like Schwabl’s. They’ve been in business since 1837 (yep, that’s 171 years) so maybe it’s all the history, or it might be the sweet nostalgia of the friendly uniformed staff, or it could be that they make real Tom and Jerry’s. I look for time, care, and pride in all Savor New York products, and they are all abundant at Schwabl’s. Just watching the carver at the round of beef proves the point.

Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters

Carrousel Museum

Ontario Orchards Farm Market

Anchor Wings

Kazoo factory

Booze at Breakfast

Casting aside societal taboos regarding drinking before the cocktail hour, I’ve found potent potables a wonderful addition to breakfasts at Bryn Brooke, especially for our opera guests. The summer brings many Glimmerglass Opera fans to Bryn Brooke Manor, and a rarified lot they can be. Breakfast conversations can dabble in all things esoteric, from Handel to high finance to the Himalayas. This group generally possesses an educated palate.

Not holding a liquor license, I can’t sell the spirited elixirs, but nothing stops me from cooking with them. Liquor can be a dynamic addition to both sweets and savories and using it increases my compliment ratio markedly.

Of course, morning drinking is hardly uncommon; it’s even genteel, in the form of Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and, my favorite, Bellinis, at brunch. As I’ve explored the borders beyond the usual American breakfast fare, I found myself visiting the bar more and more often, frequently spiking the fruit fillings for cobblers and crisps with cassis, Chambord, or Cointreau. Golden Buck, (featured on page 115 of Home Plate: The Traveler’s Food Guide to Cooperstown and Otsego County,) fortifies a beautiful cheese sauce with local brews.

The following is a brand new addition to the tipsy offerings in the morning hours at Bryn Brooke, created when I wanted to do something different. Mushrooms and eggs are natural companions, and the liquid golden yolk of the poached eggs coats the drunken mushrooms, forming a luscious sauce.

Learn how to make Vermouth Mushrooms over Poached Eggs.

Vermouth Mushrooms over Poached Eggs

What You Need: (the best quality available, of course)

• Large eggs
  
• Fresh mushrooms, practically any type, ¼ pound per person
  
• Tanna’s Tuscan Sea Salt
  
• Olive Oil
  
• Really Good Multigrain Bread
  
• Butter
  
• Dry white vermouth
  
• Chopped fresh spinach, optional
  
• Snipped chives, if you happen to have any growing in the flower bed
  
• Allow two eggs per serving, and one or two slices of bread.
  

Slice mushrooms and chop stems. Sauté in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with Tanna’s Tuscan Sea Salt, to taste. The salt will help the mushrooms give up their liquid, impart a wonderful flavor, and it marries beautifully with the vermouth. When the mushrooms begin to soften, add a splash of vermouth and stir. As the vermouth is absorbed, add more vermouth as desired. Chopped spinach may be added now, if you like.

Poach eggs. Toast bread and butter lightly; cut into toast points. Arrange as many points as desired on plate and top with two eggs. Spoon mushrooms over eggs and sprinkle with chives. Serve with fresh tomatoes.

Avocado Toast

We cook to order at Bryn Brooke which allows us to accommodate a variety of requests. We added Avocado Toast to our repertoire this past summer. It’s perfect for vegans and anyone who enjoys flavorful fresh food.

• 3 ripe avocadoes
  
• 2-4 tablespoons of good quality salsa (not a sweet variety)
  
• Fresh lime juice
  
• Tanna’s Tuscan Sea Salt
  
• Minced sweet onion
  
• Fresh, chopped cilantro
  
• Good quality multigrain bread
  

Peel and seed avocadoes. Thoroughly mash with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Add salsa and the juice of half a fresh lime. Mix together.

Toast bread and spread liberally with avocado mixture. Cut diagonally into toast points. Arrange attractively on plate and sprinkle with Tanna’s Salt. Top with minced onion and a little chopped cilantro.

We serve Avocado Toast with Salt Potato Home Fries, Braised Swiss Chard, and wedges of fresh tomatoes.

A Decade of Summers

Bryn Brooke Manor, the bed and breakfast of Savor New York, is winding up its tenth season, a milestone anniversary that we take this opportunity to acknowledge. As we reflect on ten years of experiences, restorations, and life’s inevitable changes, we have watched our darling daughter, Liz, evolve from an intelligent, precocious child into an intelligent, charming young woman. Project by project we have restored our glorious, unique house and, while we’re acknowledging, we salute all the talented, industrious workmen who made it happen. During one short half-score of years we have accumulated, through our hundreds of guests, enough experiences for half a lifetime.

All tallied, we’ve come through pretty well. We’ve had a few bumps and bruises along the way, and there are some things we would have done differently. We’ve invested an incredible amount of hard work and a fair share of money. All in all, it’s been a Nantucket sleigh ride of an adventure; rich in laughter, expanded knowledge, intangible rewards and priceless memories.

We thank you all who have stayed with us through our growing pains, and who have shared the flight of fancy that made us abandon our tediously safe life in the Cleveland suburbs for an utterly unknown future in Cooperstown, NY. We appreciate your faith in us and look forward to seeing you again. If we have yet to have made your acquaintance, please consider joining us as we begin our second decade next summer.

Rhubarb Slush (aka Frozen Swamp)

Sweet and refreshing on a hot day, this frozen cocktail is a variation of Cooperstown Wine and Spirit’s Bourbon Slush on page 47 of Home Plate: The Culinary Road Trip of Cooperstown. Due to varying colors of rhubarb this recipe may be green instead of pink, making it a Frozen Swamp. Omit the gin and it’s perfect for a children’s party. This recipe is also available at www.savor-newyork.com.

• 6 cups chopped rhubarb, with enough water to just cover
  
• 2 cups sugar (to taste)
  
• 1 six-ounce can of frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed
  
• 1 six-ounce can of frozen concentrated lemonade, thawed
  
• 1 cup gin (optional)
  
• 2 cups water
  
• Sprite, tonic water, or club soda
  

Place rhubarb in a large saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until tender. Puree.

Rhubarb Garden

Bill Elsey, one of Savor New York’s favorite first edition dealers (www.LeatherStalkingbooks.com) called the other day to ask if I had any use for his bumper crop of rhubarb. He may as well have asked if he could unload a few winning scratch-off tickets. True to his tempting offer, he and his better half, Vi, appeared at my back step a few days later, arms laden with the coveted rosy stalks. In recent years rhubarb has become a gourmet favorite and, while we may take the humble “pie plant” for granted here in our cool Upstate climate where it thrives, it is mighty scarce in Southwestern markets.

As a gesture of appreciation for the Elsey’s generosity, Savor New York will donate a Strawberry Rhubarb Cake (featuring Bill and Vi’s bounty) to the Cake Walk at Springfield’s annual Fourth of July festivities.

Versatile rhubarb mates beautifully with strawberries, apples, pears and most berries. It can also cuddle up with onions and peppers, combining for distinctive chutneys and meat condiments. Sugar is included in nearly every recipe, to offset the plant’s considerable tartness. Rhubarb freezes easily, to enjoy throughout the winter.

Like tomatoes, rhubarb suffers from identity confusion. Just as tomatoes are fruits masquerading as vegetables, rhubarb is a vegetable that usually functions as a fruit. Unlike tomatoes (and every other vegetable except asparagus,) rhubarb is a perennial plant. Once established, it prettily heralds spring year after year, usually forgiving green thumbs that are a few shades off emerald.

Rhubarb’s broad (albeit toxic) leaves also make a showy addition to landscaping and help keep bedding soil moist. The stalks are the only edible part of the plant, their color varying from green to speckled pink to deep red. The flavor is basically the same, regardless of hue. Rhubarb leaves and roots are heavy in oxalic acid which, if eaten in sufficient quantity, can cause tissue and kidney damage. This may explain deer aversion to them. The roots of a specific variety can be used medicinally as a laxative; yet another compelling reason to enjoy the stalks only.

Although rhubarb is an Asian native, the name is widely believed to be from the Greek words “rha” and “barbarum”. “Rha”, refers to the Volga River, where the plant proliferated on its banks; “barbarum”, means “barbarian”, indicating the esteem in which the Greeks held the Russians.

Several rhubarb recipes, including Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch, Rhubarb Cupcakes, Rhubarb Apple Crumble, and Rhubarb Custard Bars are featured in both editions of Home Plate.

Check out the recipe for Rhubarb Slush

And That’s What I Like About the North

Although I’ve lived Upstate for a decade, suburban friends everywhere still query, with varying degrees of puzzlement, “What on earth are you doing up there?” They suggest, none too subtly, that there are so many places with so much more to offer. Joe, my long-time pal from Kansas City, usually punctuates our conversations with “Have you put the “For Sale” sign in the front yard yet?”

Joe and the others, for all their good intentions, seem to forget that I have already lived so many places and have sampled so much of what they think I’m missing. I came to the Susquehanna Valley by choice, amicably divorcing the suburbs. I gave them the endless commuting, the cookie-cutter shopping malls, supermarkets filled with overwrapped products , the multiplexes, the big boxes, the housing “developments” made of ticky-tacky that all look just the same, forever more asphalt and concrete and cars, cars, cars in the settlement.

Recently, I spent the day researching a new book, savoring the rural New York I love. On the back roads and in valley enclaves I discover how New Yorkers diligently and passionately spend their most precious commodity – their time. That day’s road trip took me to Grant’s Cottage (north of Saratoga Springs,) then to the Sundae’s Best Fudge Sauce production kitchen; lunch at Troy’s local product-supporting Ilium Café and then on to the Savor New York chocolate producer, Candyman Chocolates of Catskill, NY. The way home included a nickel tour of Irish East Durham and a mental note to arrange a visit to a Buddhist temple, located deep in the Catskills.

After my gratifying day of discovery, I was happily nearing home when a light flashed from the dashboard. “Add Fuel Now” it warned. Fuel? As in gas? I drive a Prius hybrid and, at 50 miles to the gallon, I don’t fill very often. Yet, with my mind a-whir with new places and people, new products, and new chapters to write, I had overlooked a basic tenet, even for a Prius: put gas in the tank. There I was on the beautiful, isolated Upstate back roads, in the rain, daylight fading, no cell service, no prospect of an open gas station, and my lone fuel bar insistently blinking that I was on fumes. This is one situation I doubt I would face in suburban America.

I did the only thing I could do; I approached a roadside house, knocked on the door and fervently hoped that my mother’s childhood fear mongering would prove untrue and I would not end up at the bottom of a well. My worst fears vaporized when I was greeted warmly and sympathetically by a pleasant woman in cozy slippers and her friendly dog. She confirmed that I was, indeed, in a pickle. She also confessed to being a kind person who, with true Upstate resourcefulness, had just replenished the five- gallon tank she kept for her mower. I needed only a gallon to get me to petrol salvation, which she gave good-humoredly, assuring me that I was not the first soul she encountered in similar straits. Despite her protests, I paid her for the fuel and for saving me much time and even greater vexation. We parted with her open-ended invitation that the next time I pass, if the fire was going, be sure to stop for a friendly libation.

I wonder if my experience would have been the same in suburbia.

The Savor New York Story

A Remarkable Little Company with a Great Big Mission

My business partner, Melissa Manikas, and I will frequently stop during our happily whirlwind days, look at each other with a smile and say “How on earth did we get here?”

We created Savor New York to celebrate the hidden gems of New York State; the passionate producers of out-of-the-ordinary items, made my New York hands. The forty succinct words of our mission statement state: Savor New York books and products celebrate New York’s distinct regions, promoting family farming and local products, determined small businesses and outstanding visitor attractions. Savor New York illuminates the remarkable people and unparalleled spirit that makes New York State extraordinary. (And, yes; we can recite it on a short elevator ride.)

Our venture started with the book Home Plate: The Traveler’s Food Guide to Cooperstown and Otsego County, a cross of travel guide and recipe collection that I wrote as a fundraiser for two Cooperstown, NY area non profits: Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Otsego County and The Walking Example Group Organization (WE-GO). The first organization promotes important quality-of-life programs and family farming; the second promotes the importance of walkable communities and the smart lifestyle choices that fend off the debilitating health consequences of obesity.

I founded WE-GO in 2001, inspired in part by my brother, Ken. Kenny was my beloved older brother who had a zest for life, a charming wit, and an encyclopedic knowledge of all facets of baseball. No one was a pleased as Ken when I announced my move to Cooperstown, NY in 1999. A professionally trained umpire, he was crucial to the creation of the city summer baseball/softball program in our hometown of Columbia, MO.

Ken’s was a classic case of diabetes 2, a misery of a disease that unfortunately affects millions of Americans, and whose numbers are growing at epidemic rates. The outrageous shame of diabetes 2 is that most cases are preventable by proper nutrition and adequate activity, the very issues that CCE and WE-GO address.

I watched my darling, mischievous brother struggle with the awful effects of diabetes 2 for a decade before a stroke took him the day after Christmas, 2003. Numb and floundering in the months that followed, I grasped for a solid place above the unrelenting waves of sorrow. So, to quote Edward Gibbon, “unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book”. Thus, Home Plate was conceived and dedicated to Ken. The book provides Cooperstown’s thousands of annual visitors with an entertaining guide to the area and also supplies recipes using New York State’s diverse agriculture. All proceeds from the sale benefit CCE and WE-GO. My payment came from the priceless intangibles I collected on the journey.

During the research of the first Home Plate I discovered the multiple dimensions of the Upstaters around me, their incomparable character and an admirable dedication to their endeavors. From shopkeepers to goat cheese makers to museum curators, all deserve heralding and notice. Thus, Savor New York was born. As the concept became a business, Melissa Manikas came on board because, while we are cut from many of the same cloths, her talent is numbers while mine is words. We now travel all regions of New York State, finding more products and enterprises that bear the dual hallmarks of pride and passion. Nearly all items are from producers who put their dollars into quality instead of advertising. We offer many varieties of food, jewelry, wood products, fiberworks, art, fishing lures, soaps, candles and more. Savor New York’s criteria are that whatever it is be made by New York hands, with a lot of heart and excellent standards.

The first Home Plate sold well and is still available, 100% of the proceeds going to community programs in the Cooperstown area. Cornell Cooperative Extension used much of their share of the proceeds to remodel their conference room and demonstration kitchen; visit http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/otsego/ to view the result. WE GO is currently funding a variety of activity- encouraging undertakings, including upkeep of the Toddsville, NY pedestrian bridge and enhancement of a playground in Cooperstown. More monies are yet to be distributed.