{"id":5121,"date":"2009-04-21T15:27:54","date_gmt":"2009-04-21T19:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/foodembrace.com\/?p=5121"},"modified":"2009-04-21T16:00:39","modified_gmt":"2009-04-21T20:00:39","slug":"the-hills-market-earth-week-feast-recap-4-20-09-dinner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/2009\/04\/the-hills-market-earth-week-feast-recap-4-20-09-dinner\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hills Market: Earth Week Feast Recap (4-20-09 Dinner)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The Hills Market Earth Day Feast <\/p><\/div>\n

Hi guys!\u00a0 Tuesday Tip is on vacation this week so I can talk about the event that Scott and I attended last night. :D<\/p>\n

Scott and I are extremely bad about exploring our surroundings.\u00a0 When we get some free time, usually the first thing we do is put on our jammies and chill.\u00a0 We decided that starting this year, we were going to get out more and see what Columbus has to offer.\u00a0 And as a food blogger, I’m very interested in the food scene.\u00a0 Not just in terms of trying new restaurants, but also trying to eat more locally grown products, learning where the food I’m eating came from, and how someone decided to prepare a particular dish.\u00a0 What exactly am I eating and why, is what it boils down to.<\/p>\n

When I read the description for last night’s event put on by The Hills Market<\/a>, this was exactly the type of thing I was looking for.\u00a0 A chance to meet others in the area and also learn about locally grown products.\u00a0\u00a0 It was also our first time visiting The Hills and we will be making some stops back!\u00a0 We attended the Earth Week Feast<\/a> which featured local ingredients and wine to go with each course.\u00a0 You know this is right up my alley!<\/p>\n

The Hills Market is a cute little grocery store nestled into a lovely shopping plaza.\u00a0 We walked in and looked around for a bit before signing in.\u00a0 After signing in, we were presented with a glass of sparkling wine.\u00a0 Yes!\u00a0 The quickest way to my heart is handing me some wine as soon as I walk in the door.\u00a0 The wine was presented by Constance, the wine guru at The Hills.<\/p>\n

\"Hi

Hi Constance!<\/p><\/div>\n

She was lovely enough to pose for a picture!\u00a0 That’s the sparkling wine that she’s holding and it’s a Blanc ‘I’Heureu Reserva Brut’ Cava by Raventos.<\/p>\n

\"Scotty

Scotty holding the sparkling wine <\/p><\/div>\n

There’s my date holding our glasses.\u00a0 He’s so handsome. :cheerful: I was very surprised by this sparkling wine.\u00a0 Usually I find Bruts can be a bit harsh on the tongue sometimes, but this was light and fizzy and very smooth.\u00a0 A little too smooth — it didn’t take me long to polish off my glass!<\/p>\n

\"All

All ready for dinner<\/p><\/div>\n

Since the weather was uncooperative yesterday, we ate inside the store.\u00a0 Our table was set up in the wine section creating a very lovely backdrop.\u00a0 Not only did it go with the theme of the evening but it provided a chance to peruse the wines during dinner.<\/p>\n

\"Fruits,

Fruits, veggies, and flowers <\/p><\/div>\n

The centerpieces on the table were fantastic because they were made with food!\u00a0 It made my heart smile when I realized this.\u00a0 There was asparagus, portobella, kale, and radishes mixed in with the flowers.\u00a0 So cute and such a great idea for a dinner party.<\/p>\n

\"At

At the end for more room <\/p><\/div>\n

\"At

At our seats...<\/p><\/div>\n

Scott and I picked our seats and I immediately started scanning the menu.\u00a0 The website did have the menu listed but this menu gave a little bit more detail including where the ingredients came from.\u00a0 Score!\u00a0 I love that!\u00a0 I think it would be such a great idea if restaurants adopted this policy as well.\u00a0 Explain where your ingredients come from, it makes a world of difference.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Wine list for this evening<\/p><\/div>\n

The wine list for the evening. Listing each wine, what course it goes with, and the price. Click the image to check it out!<\/p>\n

\"Plenty

Plenty of variety <\/p><\/div>\n

There was bread to be had, mmmm bread.\u00a0 Again I loved this!\u00a0 It’s like all my favorite restaurant things rolled up into a nice little package just for me!\u00a0 Bread brought out so you have something to pick at while you look over the menu and chat with your dining companion is a necessity to me.\u00a0 Doesn’t that basket of carby goodness look awesome?<\/p>\n

\"Hers

Hers <\/p><\/div>\n

I picked what seemed to be a wheat or multigrain bread.\u00a0 The slice was huge!\u00a0 It was very nutty and fluffy, perfect for scooping up the last bits of salad dressing.<\/p>\n

\"His

His <\/p><\/div>\n

Scott picked at mine and also had a roll, perhaps an egg roll?\u00a0 Very buttery and soft.<\/p>\n

Folks started trickling in and pretty soon we were being served.\u00a0 Constance came around and poured us some wine for the first course.<\/p>\n

\"Light

Light and delicate white <\/p><\/div>\n

This was Domaine de Pouy 2006 White by Gascogne.\u00a0 It was a very light white but to me it sort of had a spicy depth to it on the finish.\u00a0 I liked it a great deal!\u00a0 This complimented the salad very well.<\/p>\n

\"First<\/a>

First course <\/p><\/div>\n

\"Smokey<\/a>

Smokey and sweet <\/p><\/div>\n

Locally grown red leaf lettuce which is very delicate and makes for a great starter salad.\u00a0 Since it’s not a heavy lettuce, it doesn’t weigh you down leaving you full before the main entree arrives!\u00a0 It was topped with local bacon, local smoked cheddar, granny smith apples, and a balsamic and chianti dressing.\u00a0 The wine was local as well!\u00a0 The apples were not local and that was explained to us as we were served the salad.\u00a0 They tried though and that’s what is important to me.\u00a0 This salad was awesome and all the flavors paired well together.\u00a0 The smoked cheddar was exceptional.\u00a0 I was a bit nervous about that as I’ve tried smoked cheddar before and typically find myself not being a fan.\u00a0 This was done very well though.\u00a0 The dressing was light and flavorful but not overpowering.\u00a0 I’ve never had dressing made with wine before so I am going to have to try my own recreation!<\/p>\n

\"Backacher\"<\/a>

Backacher<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Lovely<\/a>

Lovely red<\/p><\/div>\n

The last wine of the evening to go with the main course was a nice light red.\u00a0 It had a really great aroma to it and did not sit heavy on the tongue at all.\u00a0 Sometimes I find that reds can do that, so much so they leave you with a purple tongue!\u00a0 Not this wine, it was very airy.\u00a0 It was Betsy’s Backacher by Spann Vineyards and it was a blend wine.\u00a0 Constance mentioned that they even used different vintages to make up this wine.<\/p>\n

\"Description<\/a>

Description <\/p><\/div>\n

The main course was overflowing!\u00a0 I was totally impressed with the amount of food and the spread that was served.\u00a0 You could easily smell it before it was in front of you, which is always a good thing.<\/p>\n

There were three parts to this meal.\u00a0 Let’s start with the sides.<\/p>\n

\"Parsley<\/a>

Parsley and roasted garlic <\/p><\/div>\n

There was parsley garlic fettuccini from a local pasta company that was dressed with olive oil, basil and also had grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, also from a local company.\u00a0 The fettuccini was a very perfect shade of green and had great flavor.\u00a0 Just enough to let you know that you weren’t eating just ordinary pasta.\u00a0 The grape tomatoes were warmed through just till popping, bringing out their natural sweetness and the mozzarella was perfectly melted.<\/p>\n

\"Roasted<\/a>

Roasted asparagus <\/p><\/div>\n

We also had roasted asparagus in a brown butter sauce with grated hardboiled eggs and capers.\u00a0 The butter and the eggs were local but the asparagus was not.\u00a0 Due to weather, local asparagus was not ready yet.\u00a0 Loved the asparagus!\u00a0 It’s one of my favorite vegetables and I always look forward to a chance to eat some.\u00a0 The capers and eggs provided a nice texture and twist.\u00a0 The eggs were creamy while the capers came in nice salty little bursts.<\/p>\n

\"Stuffed<\/a>

Stuffed chicken <\/p><\/div>\n

And last, the star of the show, stuffed chicken breasts!\u00a0 Look at how huge it is, goodness!\u00a0 Local Amish chicken stuffed with spinach, roasted garlic, and goat cheese which was also local.\u00a0 YUM!\u00a0 The garlic and goat cheese stood out, making the spinach so creamy and flavorful.\u00a0 It was a great accompaniment to the chicken which was tender with just a hint of extra seasoning.<\/p>\n

The plate all together.<\/p>\n

\"Ta-da!\"<\/a>

Ta-da!<\/p><\/div>\n

You can see how everything compliments each other in terms of presentation.\u00a0 The colors stand out and it’s no surprise there’s lots of green since it’s Earth Day Feast! :D\u00a0 My plate was overflowing so I was not able to eat everything.\u00a0 Plus I was saving room for ice cream!\u00a0 Thankfully they were kind enough to provide me a doggie bag for the leftovers.<\/p>\n

Maple is one of my favorite flavors and I was bouncing up and down with excitement knowing that was part of the dessert this evening!\u00a0 The ice cream was made by a local creamery in Pomeroy, OH called Snowville Creamery<\/a>. They are also on Twitter<\/a>!\u00a0 Scott and I were lucky enough to sit next to the folks from Snowville last night!<\/p>\n

\"Meet<\/a>

Meet Jen and Warren!<\/p><\/div>\n

Jen and Warren.\u00a0 They talked to us about the business and how they make their products.\u00a0 Sadly they don’t sell their ice cream, they just make it for fun at events such as the Earth Day Feast and other local events.\u00a0 The only thing in the “ice cream” was cream and cane sugar.\u00a0 That’s it!<\/p>\n

\"Delicious<\/a>

Delicious <\/p><\/div>\n

Dessert was heaven.\u00a0 Ice cream drizzled with local maple syrup along with chocolate peanut brittle also from a local company.\u00a0 The ice cream was smooth and very soft.\u00a0 So yummy, and the cane sugar had crystallized a little bit giving it an additional texture.\u00a0 I ate the whole bowl. I did bring the extra peanut brittle home though, that was just a bit too much sugar for me to handle! :p<\/p>\n

The entire event was so well done!\u00a0 Scott and I learned a lot about local producers in the area, we got a chance to explore a new store, and we got to meet new people and make new connections.\u00a0 A huge thanks to everyone at The Hills for putting this together!\u00a0 I can’t wait to attend another event!<\/p>\n

Which will be soon because they always have things going on such as classes and tastings.\u00a0 There are wine tastings every Friday evening and events all year long.\u00a0 I heard a rumor from Warren and Jen about a Beer Float Social that is coming up.\u00a0 Beer and ice cream, who can turn that down?!<\/p>\n

Jill is the Marketing Director at The Hills and I got to chat with her a bit last night.\u00a0 Unfortunately it wasn’t until I was on my way home that I realized I should have taken a picture!\u00a0 Next time, Jill! ;)\u00a0 She helps create these awesome events and spreads the word about The Hills Market<\/a>.\u00a0 There is a newsletter that you can sign up for on the website to receive information about upcoming events and coupons.\u00a0 And you can follow them on Twitter<\/a>!!<\/p>\n

Thanks guys for such an great time, we can’t wait to come back!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi guys!\u00a0 Tuesday Tip is on vacation this week so I can talk about the event that Scott and I attended last night. Scott and I are extremely bad about exploring our surroundings.\u00a0 When we get some free time, usually the first thing we do is put on our jammies and chill.\u00a0 We decided that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[58,51],"tags":[62],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4KYWa-1kB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5121\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foodembrace.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}