NW OH | Sept./Oct. 2017 | Issue 13

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life | September/October 2017 | $3

Northwest Ohio

Fall

TR AV EL ISSUE

See you at the

covered bridge Lima woman beautifies with blooms Leipsic’s Uptown Market a destination

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life thesaltmagazine.com Northwest Ohio September/October 2017

Publisher Editor in Chief Editor Sales Layout Design

Doug Olsson Lora Abernathy Adrienne McGee Sterrett Barb Staples Tessa Jennings

dolsson@aimmediamidwest.com labernathy@aimmediamidwest.com amcgeesterrett@aimmediamidwest.com bstaples@aimmediamidwest.com tjennings@aimmediamidwest.com

Contact Salt: amcgeesterrett@aimmediamidwest.com 3515 Elida Road, Lima OH 45807 419-223-1010 Salt of Northwest Ohio is published six times a year by AIM Media Midwest and is available through The Lima News. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue, in whole or in part, is prohibited. Salt is free to subscribers of The Lima News. It is also available for purchase at the office of The Lima News.

Please buy locally and recycle.

Hide & Shake Find the shaker in this issue and be entered to win a $10 grocery card.

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Shaker Contest link at the top and enter your contact information. Your name, street number, street name, city and zip code are required. Only your name and city will be published. All entries must be received by Sept. 30. Only online entries will be accepted.

In the July/August issue, the shaker was hidden in the garden shed window on page 15.

Congratulations to our most recent winner, Cheryl Cosart, of Kenton.

You could be our next winner!

On the Cover This photo of the Union County Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival was taken by Jay Gehres.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram @TheSaltMagazine.

2 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

Front Porch

Profile Front Porch Profile offers a personal glimpse into the lives of notable people in our communities

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett

Brian Baker

Vice President Burden Construction Co., Lima What’s your favorite sport to do/favorite to watch?

Watch: College football. Play: Golf, although I am not very good.

What do you think is most misunderstood about your generation?

Honestly, previous generations still think that following the prescribed “American dream” is the right way/only way to be happy. These prescribed things don’t guarantee fulfillment, happiness or health. I think other generations misunderstand that we’re just adjusting to a different world than that of our parents and grandparents.

Would you rather live in an old (well-built) house or new construction? Why? I would rather live in an old (well-built) house, as I do now. My wife and I pur-

chased, this year, an 84-year-old Cape Cod. I like the craftsmanship, the history and the character of the home we found.

Do you cook at home? Do you have a dish you’re known for?

I am not a cook, but I do enjoy eating. I do like to grill and smoke meat, though.

I’d say I am more known for making sure everyone has a cocktail.

Do you have a favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving. Food. Friends. Family.

Leftovers. Naptime. Football. In this order.

What do you love most about your community?

This is where I was raised and where my wife and I are raising our family. Our community always gives back, in time and money, even when times are tough. Also, the support of the schools and schoolathletes in our community is unparalleled.

Last, the food. Our community likes to break bread together, and the selection of eateries is limitless.

Salt CONTENTS

features

7 8 12 20

Beautiful blooms In a jam or a jelly: Glass Rooster Cannery Bridging music and food In the kitchen with…

Mandy Benton

columns

6

Adding more happiness to the mix

Black Bean Salsa.................................... 11

Cheesy Rice-Stuffed Acorn Squash........ 10 Fruit Dip................................................. 11

LORA ABERNATHY Lora is the editor in chief of Salt magazine. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband, Gary. When she’s not sidelined by injuries, she competes in triathlons. Reach her at 937-382-2574 or labernathy@ aimmediamidwest.com.

ADRIENNE MCGEE STERRETT Adrienne is the editor of Salt magazine and lifestyle/special sections editor for The Lima News. She believes everyone has a life story worth sharing. Reach her at 567242-0510 or amcgeesterrett @aimmediamidwest.com.

TESSA JENNINGS Tessa is a designer of Salt magazine.

She spends her free time painting and training her pup in agility. When she has the time, she enjoys adventuring to new cities with her family and dogs.

MICHELLE STEIN Michelle is a freelance writer for The Lima News. When she’s not training for marathons, writing for various publications or running around her three young children, she’s probably drinking coffee … or sleeping.

JANE BEATHARD Jane is a writer for Salt magazine.

She is a retired staff writer for The Madison Press in London, Ohio, and is also the retired media relations manager of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Glass Rooster Bread Dough...................... 9 Glass Rooster Fruit Crisp......................... 9 Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls...................... 9 Mac and Cheese.................................... 11 Pizza Dough............................................. 9 Pumpkin Crunch.................................... 11 Toffee Angel Food Cake......................... 10

SARAH ALLEN Sarah is a writer for Salt magazine.

When she’s not writing, she can be found scrapbooking, reading or cooking.

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 3

Recipe Index

Staff & Contributors

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4 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

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Write a note, or plan a snack.

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Take down your family photos.

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Buyers get distracted and sometimes focus on your face instead of your house.

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Make a good first impression on the buyer.

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If the potential buyer is scrolling through listings and the photo of the front of your house is not 100 percent, that buyer won’t be interested in ever seeing the inside. Keep the grass mowed and the flowerbeds tidy. Consider removing extra outdoor decor like yard ornaments.

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Declutter. And then when you think you’re done, do it again.

You know your house is perfect for two, but you have five crammed into it. That’s why you’re selling, after all.

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SaltNotes Adding more Lora Abernathy walks her newly adopted dog, Paisley, in July.

6 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

By Lora Abernathy Gary and I spent 13 years being dog parents. Three months after our last dog died, it became clear we had to do it again.

Saying farewell to Bela our Great Dane, 12, and Boris our yellow Lab mix, 12, one year apart was crushing. They were “us” — our better half, really — and they were gone.

Even considering adopting another dog felt disloyal. Though I love dogs, I promised Gary we would never have another one. I couldn’t go through the agony again. I know many people say that during their grief and later change their minds, but I meant it. I was going to be the greatest exception on the matter the world had ever seen, as if there’s a Global Committee Celebrating Stubborness that hands out an award I could win.

He’d say OK, but that if I changed my mind down the road he wouldn’t hold me to the promise.

But one Saturday in June, he declared, in a tone he’s used only a couple of times with me that let me know he was serious, “We need to get you a dog.”

I protested, but only half-heartedly, because I knew he was right. I thought I was enjoying the freedom from the responsibility — the only

upside to your dogs passing away. It was so obvious to him that having a dog in my life was just as important to my well being as drinking coffee every morning.

The following Wednesday, I began the search. A boxer mix at the local dog pound caught my attention. She was an active dog who was housetrained, crate-trained, good with other dogs and described as a “sweet girl” who, when not playing, was a “snuggle bug.”

The dog is the most faith“ ful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.

”

— Martin Luther I had to meet her.

So, the next day, we went to the pound, got “lickered” up with her kisses, willingly suckered in by her charm and brought her home.

Since then, I do feel more like myself again. I think Gary does, too, though he’d be reluctant to admit it.

Paisley has been a very easy fit into our lives, a natural extension. I can’t

imagine our days now without her.

I thought that initial sense of betrayal I felt at the thought of bringing another dog home would only deepen. It didn’t.

We knew we’d be adopting a dog from the pound or a rescue organization. We had a couple of breeds in mind that we preferred, but ultimately wanted a good dog who fit in with our lifestyle regardless of breed.

That’s exactly what we found with Paisley.

If you’re looking for a specific breed and think buying a puppy is your only option, I have good news.

Did you know that for nearly every breed of dog, there is a rescue organization for it? That means if you want a poodle, there is a poodle in need of a good home probably close to where you live. In fact, purebreds can sometimes be found at the local pound.

And, you guys: There are lots of wonderful dogs just like Paisley at animal welfare organizations. Petfinder.com is a terrific way to get started in your search. Try it. You’ll like it.

Paisley is a mix of boxer and we’re guessing Lab. But at the end of the day, it’s about her mixing well with us, no matter what breed she is. What more do you need?

Beautiful blooms

By Adrienne McGee Sterrett

I

t’s such a simple idea, but it has a grand effect.

Earlier this summer, Julie King opened a flower stand called Bountiful Blooms set up in The Olde Thyme Pantry parking lot in Elida, up near Elida Road. The small stained wood structure features shelves with cut flower arrangements displayed for purchase. A sign explains the simple pricing, and a money box mounted on the wall accepts payment on the honor system.

That part couldn’t be easier.

It’s the choosing that’s tough.

choices King is faced with on making those arrangements become clear after a visit to her family’s home just north of Lima. It’s a business her Old German Baptist Brethren family works together on. Her father bought more farm ground from her uncle, and part of that purchase went toward King’s flower beds — all 450 feet of them.

“There’s some stuff that’s gotten too much rain, but you’ll have that,” she said, her tan Rocket Dog tennis shoes peeking out from the hem of her dress as she strode confidently through her garden. She pointed out gomphrena and statice, celosia and scabiosa and much more. A flower garden could not be tidier.

She stopped at a light purple flower that at first glance looks rose-like. Lisianthus.

It’s her favorite.

“It’s just kind of a dressy flower. I just like it,” she said, explaining she has read they’re hard to start.

That’s all it took for her to want to grow it. It has been a successful experiment.

“It never hurts to try something,” King said.

King, 26, used to work at a greenhouse, where she learned about raising flowers.

“I really like working with plants and being outside,” she said. “I used to spend summers in Pennsylvania doing produce out there.”

She learned vegetable gardening is not her favorite, but she saw a woman in Pennsylvania doing a similar cut-flower business there.

Combine all these experiences, add some time to ponder and plan, and a business was born. Her

Helpful tips

The jars contain plant food.

Refill as needed, but do not dump out the original water.

Buyers may trim a half inch off the bottom of each stem once home to extend the life of the blooms.

Why canning jars?

“It was just an easy base, and jars are cool,” King said.

dad built a greenhouse out back for King’s starts in March and converted a shed to a “cooler” by insulating it and adding a window air conditioner. Her brother and dad built the stand itself, King stained it and her sister painted the business logo on the side.

Her sister and friend also help design and make the arrangements.

“I definitely couldn’t do it without all their help,” she said.

King works at The Olde Thyme Pantry, so she simply brings the flowers with her to work when she goes. Any left that evening come back home with her.

It’s the first year for this effort, and King is still learning — and happy with the outcome thus far. The stand will continue up until a killing frost this fall and reopen next summer.

“Just over time I’ve gotten more used to them and what they need. I just think I like being outside, and that’s where the flowers are.”

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 7

Photo by Adrienne McGee Sterrett Julie King shows off one of her flower arrangements.

Each arrangement is nestled into a canning jar, quarts and pints. The style is cohesive — leaning toward the natural, unfussy end of the spectrum. The similarities end there.

Some jars are a cacophony of color, snapdragons and zinnias bursting out all over. Others are a variation on a theme, with shades of maroons and purples, for instance. There is a jar for every mood.

“We try to have a variety of colors,” she said.

The difficult artistic

Plan to stop by

The stand runs with the same hours as The Olde Thyme Pantry: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

Pints are $8 and quarts are $12, unless otherwise marked. The stand will be moved back to the King home after the season ends in October, but they plan to reopen next summer.

m a j a n I … or a jelly Glass Rooster Cannery teaches food preservation

8 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

By Jane Beathard Row upon row of glass jars filled with brightly colored fruits, vegetables, jellies, sauces and salsa line the shelves of the Glass Rooster Cannery near Sunbury.

They not only represent the fruits of a bountiful summer harvest, but a way of looking at food that is as old as it is new.

Inspired by the growing farm-to-table movement, the Glass Rooster is Ohio’s only teaching cannery. Students trek to the red barn-like structure to learn the nearly lost art of preserving what they grow at home or buy at local markets.

The curriculum amounts to “modern homesteading,” according to cannery founder and proprietor Jeanine “Jeannie” Seabrook.

Her philosophy of food is a departure from that promoted by celebrity chefs and worshipped by their cult followings.

“Chef ‘worship’ makes cooking a daunting task,” Seabrook said. “People need to learn they can do it themselves.”

She learned early in life to do it herself.

Seabrook grew up in a family of 16 children where canned food was not only a mealtime favorite, but a financial necessity.

Most of the knowledge she imparts was learned at her mother’s knee — or rather, in her mother’s kitchen.

A lifelong interest in gardening and preserving, along with a 2010 magazine article about a community cannery in another state, inspired Seabrook to open the Glass Rooster in May 2011.

The charming red barn is furnished with antiques and kitchen collectibles gathered

by Seabrook’s sister, Susie Schmidhammer, who is a folk artist.

Despite its homey atmosphere, the Glass Rooster encompasses a sophisticated commercial kitchen that undergoes regular inspections by state and federal agencies.

THE GLASS ROOSTER CANNERY 1673 S. state Route 605, Sunbury, OH 43074 614-499-2958 glassroostercannery.com Hours depend on the season

Jeanine “Jeannie” Seabrook teaches bread making at the cannery.

Photo by Jane Beathard

It was licensed as a commercial cannery in 2013.

In addition to canning classes, Seabrook developed an early relationship with Experience Columbus, an organization that markets Central Ohio as a tourism destination.

That relationship brought busloads of visitors to the cannery for tours of Seabrook’s half-acre garden and lessons on how to make and preserve jams and jellies. Those visits sometimes included farm-to-fork meals prepared from locally grown produce and meats.

Eventually, she branched into catering and hosting private parties and receptions in a restored 1920s-era barn behind the cannery. The Glass Rooster Antique & Art Shop, which features the work of Ohio artists, is next door.

Spring and summer are busy times that require Seabrook to hire seasonal workers.

She operates a greenhouse business in May, selling flowers and varieties of vegeta-

ble plants suited to backyard gardens and home preserving.

In the summer, she hosts a Kids CAN Cook and Craft Day Camp, and teaches four to five adult classes a week on everything from the history of canning and various canning techniques to bread baking, soap making and cooking with herbs.

A full list of class offerings (six-student minimum) is available at glassroostercannery.com.

Her teaching has expanded beyond the cannery to include sessions at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus and Upper Arlington Lifelong Learning. Seabrook provides all produce and class materials. However, students may bring their own if they choose.

In 2016, Seabrook struck a deal with some local truck farmers to preserve their produce that went unsold at area markets and roadside stands. As a result, she managed to salvage 12,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables that would have gone to compost.

Glass Rooster Cannery Recipes: Glass Rooster Bread Dough 1/2 stick butter, melted 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 stick butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 2-3 cups powdered sugar Enough milk to make a smooth frosting

Directions:

over butter. Roll the dough into a long tube.

Using dental floss, slice the tube into 2-inch rounds. Place rounds so the spiral faces up in a buttered 9-by-9 baking dish. Brush with any extra butter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until middle roll springs back. Cool slightly.

In a bowl, beat softened butter and vanilla until smooth. Add sugar one cup at a time. If the consistency is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition until the frosting is spreadable. Frost rolls.

2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup milk, warm but not scalding 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons yeast 2 1/2 cups white flour 1 teaspoon salt

Directions: Place all ingredients in a bowl and fold from the bottom until a soft ball forms. Add more flour if the dough looks wet. Do not beat. Stop mixing as soon as the dough looks almost dry. Knead gently into a ball.

Then use to make Grandma’s Cinnamon Rolls.

PIZZA DOUGH Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, for crispier crust 1 cup water, warm but not scalding 1 tablespoon sugar 2-3 teaspoons yeast 2 1/2 cups white flour 1 teaspoon salt

Directions: Heat oven to 425 F. Place olive oil, water, sugar, yeast, flour and salt in a bowl and fold from the bottom until a soft ball forms. Add more flour if the dough looks wet. Do not beat. Roll ball onto greased cookie sheet or pizza pan and press to desired thickness.

Spread 1/2 cup pizza sauce over dough and top with 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle favorite toppings like pepperoni, onion, mushrooms, pineapple or sweet/hot peppers.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

GLASS ROOSTER FRUIT CRISP Servings: 1 Ingredients:

1/2 cup favorite fruit (apples, berries, cherries, etc.)

2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons oatmeal 2 tablespoons oil or butter 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F. Mix together fruit, 1 tablespoon of flour and sugar and place in an 8-ounce canning jar.

Mix together oatmeal, 1 tablespoon of flour, oil or butter and cinnamon, and pour on top of fruit mixture in jar.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 9

Heat oven to 375 F. Roll bread dough flat to about 1/2inch thick. Spread with melted butter.

Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon

GLASS ROOSTER BREAD DOUGH

Ingredients:

GRANDMA’S CINNAMON ROLLS Ingredients:

This excess became small-batch or “artisan” jellies, tomato sauces, corn salsas, pickles and a variety of herbed vegetables.

A portion of the preserved goodies was returned to contributing farmers for sale at community markets in Delaware, Lancaster and Mount Vernon. The remainder is for sale on Glass Rooster shelves.

“I now sell 150 to 175 different products,” Seabrook said with pride.

A recent grant from the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Organization helped her purchase a steam jacket kettle for processing large amounts of sauces, salsas, relishes and pie fillings.

“It saves time and steps and brings down the cost of the product,” Seabrook said.

Rapid growth has not dimmed her simple approach to living well.

“You only get to pick three things in life — where you live, the people you want as friends, and the food you choose to eat,” Seabrook said.

Reader Recipes

CHEESY RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

TOFFEE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

— From Julie Miars Golden, of Wapakoneta

— From Teresa Maag, of Leipsic

Ingredients: 2 small acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces), plus more for topping, to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups cooked brown rice 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry Fresh parsley, chopped, for topping Directions: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees F. Put the squash, cut-side up, in a large microwave-safe dish with 1 tablespoon water; dot with 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with plastic wrap and pierce with a knife to vent.

Microwave until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the cheese, stirring to melt. Add the nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the rice and spinach.

Transfer the squash to a rimmed baking sheet and fill with the rice mixture. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Top with parsley.

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Ingredients: 1 angel food cake (purchased or homemade) 2 cups whipping cream 1 package instant vanilla pudding 1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 8-ounce package Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits Caramel ice cream topping, to taste Directions: Cut the cake horizontally into three layers and set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat cream to soft peaks. Add the pudding mix, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until stiff.

Place bottom layer of cake on serving plate and spread with 1/4 of cream mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 toffee bits.

Repeat with second layer. Place top layer on cake and use the remaining cream mixture and toffee bits to frost top and sides of cake.

MAC AND CHEESE — From Hannah Davis, of Bluffton Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup (8 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 12 slices (8 ounces) American cheese singles, unwrapped 8 ounces elbow macaroni (about 2 cups dry), cooked 5 minutes and drained Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, salt, dry mustard and pepper. Stir in milk. Add butter. Stir constantly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in 3/4 cup of the sharp cheddar cheese and 10 of the American cheese singles until melted. Add cooked elbow macaroni.

Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish.

Cut up the last two cheese singles into small pieces.

Sprinkle them and the remaining sharp cheddar cheese on top.

Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

PUMPKIN CRUNCH

— From Julie Miars Golden, of Wapakoneta

Directions: Mix pumpkin, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, salt and spices. Pour into a well-greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Greasing with butter or non-stick spray works well.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top. Sprinkle pecans over cake mix layer. Melt butter; drizzle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or until browned.

— From Jane Inniger, of Bluffton Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon flour 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup sugar 1 cup pineapple juice 4 ounces cream cheese 10 ounces Cool Whip Directions: Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add the flour. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to bubble. Cook and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Add lemon juice, sugar and pineapple juice. Stir until combined. Let cool about 10 minutes.

Add cream cheese and whipped topping. Mix until smooth.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving with fruit of your choice.

BLACK BEAN SALSA — From Jon Inniger, of Bluffton Ingredients: 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can white corn, drained 1 tub of feta cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil 1/2 green bell pepper, diced finely 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped Directions: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil and vinegar. Mix well. Add all the other ingredients and combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours then serve with your favorite corn/tortilla chips..

Salt Scoop

Send us your favorite recipe. We may feature it in an upcoming issue.

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Recipe Submission link at the top to be entered. Include a photo of your dish, too, if you’ve got one. All entries must be received by Sept. 30.

Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 grocery card.

Congratulations to Jon Inniger, of Bluffton, who won for his Black Bean Salsa recipe submitted for this issue of Salt.

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 11

Ingredients: 1 29-ounce can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (can substitute 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/3 teaspoon ginger, 1/3 teaspoon nutmeg) 1 box yellow cake mix 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)

FRUIT DIP

12 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

Bridging mu

Photos by Jay Gehres

Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival offers weekend of Americana and music

By Sarah Allen

F

or the past decade, North Lewisburg in Union County has celebrated music, Americana and family fun with its annual Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival.

In previous years, festival-goers have described the event as wholesome and nostalgic, said Tina Knotts, tourism and marketing director at the Union County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 13

usic and food

14 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

But, above all, the festival is a place for families. Knotts said it is not uncommon to see multiple generations enjoying the weekend together.

Since the festival first began, Knotts said, it has grown immensely.

It all started with the area being a part of the Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway.

The plan was to have different cultural events connected with the byway, and from there, the festival “spun out of that.”

Five years ago, the event was moved to the Pottersburg Bridge and became the three-day festival that it is today.

The event kicks off with a dinner on the bridge Friday.

“It’s very quiet and serene,” Knotts said of the dinner. “It just has a really neat feel.”

Reservations are required for the dinner. Knotts said that tickets “go pretty quick.”

Ongoing activities throughout the weekend are many and varied. These include Coffee and Canvas classes (registration required), horse-drawn wagon rides, farm animals, food trucks and tours of the local bridges.

There are several tours throughout the day, Knotts said, all of which are given by a guide in an air-conditioned bus. The area has a total of eight bridges, seven covered and one steel truss.

The festival will also include marketplace vendors, featuring artisans, as well as antique and vintage dealers. A kid zone will have activities such as face painting and pumpkin crafts.

Knotts added that there will also be a performer on stilts who entertains the kids.

She summarized the numerous ongoing activities, saying, “It’s a lot of oldfashioned fun.”

Date with a bridge The bridge dinner is Sept. 22. The rest of the festival is set for the following two days, Sept. 23 and 24.

The Pottersburg Bridge is located at 17141 Inskeep-Cratty Road, North Lewisburg.

For more information, visit www.coveredbridgefestival.com or search “Covered Bridge Bluegrass Festival, Marysville Ohio” on Facebook.

In addition, there are also special events planned for both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday begins with a 5K run/walk, as well as a pancake breakfast served on the bridge. Around that time is when the bluegrass music begins, Knotts said, “so, you can listen to bluegrass and eat your pancakes.”

Nine bluegrass bands will perform throughout the weekend, according to the

festival’s website.

Another highlight Saturday is a picnic on the Pottersburg Bridge. Reservations are also required for this meal, during which each family will receive a picnic basket lunch.

Knotts said Saturday ends with music from the band Sugar Creek Bluegrass, which has performed at the festival in the past, and that its concert is a great crowd pleaser.

Sunday will begin with a non-denominational worship service. Also that day, vintage baseball will be played by the Ohio Muffins from the Ohio Historical Connection.

Knotts said while there is admission for some of the events, many of the ongoing activities are free of charge.

“It’s pretty inexpensive entertainment for the family,” she said.

Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 15

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16 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

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Sept. 16th - America, Veterans Memorial & Civic Center, 8:00p.m.

Sept. 23rd - Rodney Carrington - Veterans Memorial Civic Center, 7:00p.m.

October 2017 Every Tues. Lima Farmers Market-Downtown Lima, Town Square, 3-6p.m.

Oct 12th - Al Best Band, Fraternal Order of Eagles, 2:00p.m.

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Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 17

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18 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

Show us what you’re up to

We’re interested in learning about what our Ohio neighbors are making in their free time.

There’s so much creativity happening outside of the 8 to 5, a way for folks to help with the household budget or just express themselves in a way their jobs don’t ask of them.

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Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 19

Come to Wheat Ridge; “Where the Pace is a Little Slower”

In the kitchen with …

Mandy Benton

Uptown Market & Cafe big draw in Putnam County

20 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

By Michelle Stein When Mandy Benton realized there was no longer a place in Leipsic to buy fresh food, she decided to do something about it. Together with her partner, Brian Osterfeld, she bought a downtown building on the corner of state routes 65 and 613.

Uptown Market & Cafe was born.

Although the “market” aspect of the business has taken a different direction since opening its doors in December 2015, the original philosophy remains: It’s a place where people can enjoy wholesome food — sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, baked goods, coffee and more — all made with fresh and often locally sourced ingredients.

“Leipsic had no fresh food whatsoever before we opened,” Benton said. “There was no grocery store where you could by produce or meat, or anything like that. We have a Dollar General, and that’s all. We lost our grocery store a couple of years ago, unfortunately, and everybody has really missed it terribly.”

The 2003 Leipsic High School alumna said the community had watched many downtown buildings end up demolished or out of business.

“It was really kind of a tumultuous time in town as far as, everybody’s panicking, we’re seeing all of these businesses go away,” she said.

“And there’s this resource

that’s missing. So I thought maybe this is the time people are ready to support a local grocery store again. So we originally opened to be a fresh food market.”

The business began offering produce, Amish meats and cheeses, breads, bakery items and coffee. It was soon apparent, however, that this market-centric business model wasn’t a good fit.

“About a month and a half after opening, we were just not selling produce,” Benton said. “I mean the deli was going pretty well. We have over 50 varieties of Amish meat and cheese at our deli, that still goes pretty well — but the produce was mostly just turning and getting tossed.

And so, we kind of evolved into a restaurant out of necessity because we were throwing out all of this product. So that’s kind of where the restaurant was born.”

Now — a year and a half after first opening its doors — Uptown Market & Cafe serves up a wide variety of meat and cheese sandwiches — including breakfast options — wraps and soups, bakery items, coffee and more. Evidence of its grocery store beginnings is apparent in Uptown Market & Cafe’s menu, which features a variety of homemade options created with fresh ingredients. Among the options are breakfast offerings like bagel sandwiches, sandwiches like the smoked Italian and chicken bacon ranch club, wraps like a Caesar or Greek lunch, and salads like Mandy’s mandarin salad. There is a children’s

Photos by Kelli Cardinal

Owner Mandy Benton and her daughter Ellie, 4, sit on a bench outside Uptown Market & Cafe in downtown Leipsic.

menu as well. And don’t skip dessert.

The cafe is known pretty well for its salads, Benton said. The chef salad is the No. 1 seller, which includes a few varieties of lettuce and is topped with diced turkey, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers and dressing on the side.

“We have the freshest ingredients in our salads and they’re huge — they’re meant to be a real meal,” she said. “My big complaint when I go somewhere for a salad is either the ingredients aren’t fresh enough, or it’s not substantial enough to make me feel like I’m not depriving myself. So when you get a salad here, it’s ginormous. It’s stuffed full of boiled eggs and meat and cheese and all kinds of veggies. They’re beautiful.”

Expanding upon its breakfast and lunch success, Uptown Market & Café began offering evening hours this spring, along with a special evening menu.

“Our No. 1 food item in the evening that everybody’s talking about is we do a giant

plate of nachos that are covered in fresh chorizo, fresh avocado and different kinds of cheeses and tomatoes,” Benton said.” We make several different salsas in-house as well, so our homemade corn salsa goes on that as well. These nachos are amazing.”

Something else relatively new to the menu is alcohol, as a result of the cafe obtaining a liquor license this spring.

“My favorite drink right now is called a paloma — we make a paloma here,” she said. “And it’s made with tequila and then it’s got Jarritos soda on top, which all of the kids here grew up drinking. … Leipsic is a pretty big Hispanic town, so we also try to incorporate Mexican ingredients as much as we can,” she said. “We use fresh chorizo in a lot of things.

Even just on our alcohol menu, we carry different Mexican beers.”

And of course, there’s the coffee side of the business, which Benton said has gone over even better than she had imagined.

“When we first opened, I thought we would be serving

mostly drip coffee because there are no fancy coffee places in Putnam County,” she said. “So I just assumed that people would need to be eased into the world of espresso drinks. And I was so wrong.

For the most part, people just want caramel macchiatos and white chocolate caramel mochas.”

Uptown Market & Café offers “the fanciest of fancy coffee drinks,” Benton said, including frozen and espresso drinks. “We use premium syrups, and you can get anything from just an americano — which is two shots of espresso and hot water — or you can get a white chocolate caramel mocha drizzled with caramel sauce.”

Fun fact: All espresso and coffee served at Uptown Market & Café is roasted locally by Coffé Amor in Wapakoneta.

“He’s been making custom blends for us,” Benton said. “Our house coffee is called the Viking Blend. It’s a custom blend that you can only get here. You can buy it by the bag, or you can get it by the cup. And we have a program that we set up here where every bag we sell of beans, like a dollar of that is donated into a scholarship fund that we’re going to give away to a high school senior, as soon as that fund reaches $250.”

One other surprise about the cafe is the customers, many whom travel from outside the county to enjoy the food, drinks and atmosphere and friends.

“We thought we would just serve Leipsic, you know, and that’s not the case at all,” Benton said.

“We have people who come from Lima once a week and they make dates with their girlfriend.

We’ve become more of a destination. So that’s cool and that’s fun.”

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Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017 | 21

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22 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

— Kahlil Gibran

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24 | Salt | Northwest Ohio | September/October 2017

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