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ONE FOR THE GRAPE/ADOPT A VINE: Ohio Wine Producers Association and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) have been working together to preserve vineyard lands in Northeast Ohio, starting the One for the Grape program last year to raise money for the cause. Tax deductible donations to One for the Grape can be made at participating wineries or at oneforthegrape.com. A new facet of the program called Adopt a Vine was introduced this year, with Traminette grapevines in one-gallon pots on sale for $15. Traminette is a white wine grape that is productive, winter-hardy and disease-resistant; it can also be enjoyed as a table grape. Both the wine and the table grapes have the varietal character of Gewurztraminer, one of its parents, making it a good choice for vintners and amateur growers alike. If you would like to bring a little bit of the vineyard experience home and help protect vineyard lands, call Lake SWCD at 440-350-5863.
FOOD CONGRESS DELEGATES WANTED: A Northeast Ohio Food Congress is being planned for Nov. 7-8 with the mission of developing a local food infrastructure, improving access to healthy food and strengthening linkages between farm and city. There is a great potential to help local farmers, preserve agricultural lands in Lake County and get fresh, healthy food into the hands and bellies of people who live and work in Lake County. There will be field trips around the region Friday to visit sites that highlight effective and innovative practices. Presentations, discussions and brainstorming will take place at Hiram College in Hiram Saturday. Lake SWCD is working to form a group of 10 delegates from Lake County to attend the Congress and become part of a working group to follow up on the goals identified there. The cost for delegates will be around $55. For more information, contact Lake SWCD at 440-350-5863.
BREWING UP COMPETITION: Brewer Brian Burns of Cellar Rats Brewery at Debonné Vineyards in Madison helped organize and run the first Home Brewers competition at the Medieval Faire in Geneva. Beers entered in the contest were across the board with unusual styles such as roggenbier, schwarzbier and Belgian-spiced LeCheuf-style beer. The beers were judged by local American Home Brewers Association-certified beer judges Chip Snow of Austinburg, and Andy Craze, owner of the former Western Reserve Brewery in Cleveland. Burns served his own brews – Rat Tail Ale and Field Rat Wheat – at the Faire. Next year, Burns plans to brew up a special medieval-style ale especially for the Faire.
FOUR-TIME WINNERS: Debbie and John Virgili, owners of the Quiznos at 34851 Euclid Ave. in Willoughby, received an Operations Excellence Award for the fourth year in a row. The restaurant received the highest rating possible for food freshness and preparation, order excellence, customer service and cleanliness.
ATTN: CELIACS: Sapore Restaurant in Chesterland is cooking up a gluten-free Harvest Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16. This dinner, prepared by Chefs Loretta Paganini and Matthew Anderson isn’t just for those who can’t eat gluten. The two-hour dinner will showcase the best ingredients of the season. Dinners are $45 per person. Call 440-729-1110 or visit www.lpscinc.com/classesdetail.asp?id=3841.
THE STORM COMETH: Painesville business people Mary Jo Miller of Bella Donna Salon & Spa, John Roberto of Roberto’s restaurant and J&J Catering, and Robert Gillooly, former Hobart Middle School principal, have opened the Storm Cellar in the former Karpenisi’s/La Cav du Vin spot. The new sports-themed college bar/restaurant in the basement of Victoria Place will be doing tailgate parties and all Lake Erie College Storm football games will be shown 30 minutes after each game on several wide-screen TVs.
Written by Laura Freeman,
editor of Lake County Business Journal. |
