Fundraising Food

   

Last month, Lucky's Cafe owner Heather Haviland threw a small party to honor her mother, Mary Lou Ferguson, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. (My father also suffers from Alzheimer's, and I can attest it's a terrible disease that shreds the hearts of those who watch it slowly erase the person they know.)

The party raised money for the local Alzheimer's Foundation. Thanks to the efforts of friends — most notably Chef Ky-Wai Wong, a member of Cuyahoga Community College's Culinary Arts faculty — the party also generated funds to provide for Ferguson, a bright and endearing spirit called "mom" by all who know and love her.

Every seat was filled, and more people wanted to attend. So Wong — who was the beneficiary of a similar sort of fundraiser put together by Haviland years ago when one of his children was very ill — has organized another, larger benefit event on March 3. This Dinner in the Dark special edition will be hosted jointly by the Tri-C Hospitality Program and its executive director and chef Brandt Evans, who also owns Pura Vida. Proceeds will go to the Cleveland chapter of The Alzheimer's Foundation. Proceeds from a Chinese Auction will benefit the Haviland family.

Participating restaurants include Fahrenheit, Lola and Lolita, Fire, Amp 150, Cork and Cleaver, Pura Vida, Crust, Lucky's Cafe, Momocho, Spice Kitchen and Bar, Trentina (not yet open), Flying Fig and Nightwood (Chicago). Also participating are Premier Produce, Ahuja Hospital, Tri-C, SOW Food, The Cheese Shop (West Side Market) and Lilly Handmade Chocolates.

Food stations will be set-up throughout Tri-C's Management Center and Pura Vida. Grazing begins at 6:30 p.m.. Tickets are $75.05 each (valet parking included) and must be purchased in advance.

Just Peachy

The New York Times Quotation of the Day last Thursday stopped me in my sweaty tracks: "The key to a good peach is a hot night. What makes it miserable for humans makes it perfect for peaches." -Will McGehee, a Georgia peach grower.

No air conditioners in my house, just fans. Sleeping comfortably has been … challenge. But when I read this my perspective changed. My suffering suddenly seemed connected to a higher purpose that promised rewards, big rewards. Because after all, is there anything better than biting into the sweet yellow flesh of a fresh ripe peach, so full of juice that it runs down your arm? If the oven-like conditions of our bedroom were somehow part of the natural chain of events that was producing an amazing crop of peaches, then my clammy tossing and turning doesn’t seem quite so bad.

Peaches have begun showing up at area farmers markets. And the ones we’ve been eating leave no doubt in my mind that the prize is worth the price. They’re absolutely incredible. We have many chefs in town who make it their business to use seasonal local produce, and I started wondering what they’re doing with this bounty. I tossed the question out into the social media stream and some mouthwatering responses washed up on my digital shores. photo by Barney Taxel, Taxel Image Group

-Heather Haviland is putting peach-strawberry compote on waffles at Lucky’s Café.
-At Americano, Vytauras Sasnauskas plans to be making tomato peach gazpacho, tomato peach burata salad and a grilled local pork chop with peach mostarda.
- Jennifer Plank of Greenhouse Tavern told me they’re bringing back bacon-wrapped peaches soaked in Agra dolce and served with white onion soubise. She also mentioned “dabbling” in a saffron tart with braised endive and peach with a bitter caramel.
- For Washington Place Bistro, Jonathan Guest is doing a peach jalapeno barbecue on St Louis-style ribs with creamed Ohio sweet corn.

I was really excited to hear that Brandt Evans is canning them so the rest of us can enjoy them at Pura Vida when the season is long past. If you’re tempted to do the same, or maybe make some pies and cobblers or jars of jam and chutney, consider planning a picking day at Scenic Ridge Farm near Wooster to get your main ingredient. It belongs to the Bauman family, who have been farming in the region since 1929. There are 3,500 peach trees, about 25 different varieties, among them Redhavens, White Ladies, Starfires, John Boys and Contenders. Take home a few pounds or a bushel basket full. It’s as pretty place, with a hilltop view of 84 acres of farmland, and visitors are welcome to picnic.

A Real Nice Guy

I recently had some phone time with TV celebrity Guy Fieri. You’ll be able to read what he had to say in that exclusive interview after Labor Day when it’s posted on the Fabulous Food Show website. But I have some impressions and stories about the host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that won’t make it into the official q & a so I’m going to share those here.

Let’s start with the fact that on a personal level I didn’t expect to like Mr. Spiky Hair. His over the top on camera persona is not my cuppa tea. So it came as quite a surprise that I did. He’s a really warm, friendly, articulate person, and exhibited no Prima Dona behavior which I can’t say about many of the big names I’ve encountered over the course of my career. I’m going on record with this next statement: Guy Fieri is a nice guy. And I’m not the only one in town who holds this opinion.

“He was genuine, he was kind, he was generous with advice, a good listener, and hilarious.” Those are chef and baker Heather Haviland’s words. The two met last month when he was in town filming at Lucky’s Café, her place in Tremont. On the Sunday morning Fieri was there, she reports, he charmed her mom, was gracious with hovering fans and apologized to the approximately 100 hungry brunchers who had to wait outside until the cameras were done rolling. He took time to look at the Urban Learning Garden adjacent to the café and hear about the kids involved in the food growing project.

Michael Symon, who has a thing for Heather’s sausage gravy, came and the three of them whipped up some of the luscious creamy stuff together. Hope that bit makes the editors cut, because Heath says they laughed their asses off and I want to see that. The segment is scheduled to run on October 12. “We had such a good time together and by the time he left," she repots, "it was like we were old friends.”

Fieri told me he loves Cleveland. His aunt lives in the area and he comes to see her with some regularity. “This is a great city,’ he said, “with great chefs and great restaurants. Wait till these shows air- Cleveland will get all the attention it deserves.” He’ll be back for appearances at the Fabulous Food Show on November 14, and said he’s looking forward to it. Now that I know the man behind the character, I am too.