This weekend's Burning River Festival has something for everyone: fans of history will enjoy poking around the historic Whiskey Island Coast Guard Station, sustainability advocates will appreciate the variety of eco vendors sharing ideas, civically minded citizens will appreciate the distribution of fest funds to the Burning River Foundation and beer fans will find plenty of Great Lakes brew to imbibe – including Christmas Ale. Food lovers will have a varied selection of treats to choose from. Here are a few highlights:
K2 Sausages
All Clevelanders share a love of certain dietary staples: namely, periogi and sausage. There are nearly as many permutations of the former as the latter, with legions of encased-meat experts extolling the virtues of bratwurst vs. kielbasa, pork vs. beef, andouille and chorizo – the list goes on, and on. This month, many meat aficionados mourned the closing of Kris Krieger's mecca of meat, Chef's Choice Meats in Berea. There, Krieger, a largely unsung hero of the local dining scene, hand-crafted meats for the likes of Michael Symon's restaurants and a bevy of loyal customers. Krieger's untouchable skill as a butcher and mastery of endless sausage preparations made him a favorite. Although his retail location has closed, he's still crafting those delicious sausages as K2 Sausages. Don't miss this opportunity to sample the delicious work of a master craftsmen.
Ohio City Pasta
When the region's top restaurants aren't making their own pasta, they turn to one man: Gary Thomas. For nearly two decades, Thomas and the Ohio City Pasta team have been creating the region's most inventive, expertly crafted fresh pastas. A custom blend of American durum and semolina flours, and whole eggs are the foundation of the pastas, while everything from squid ink to Spanish saffron add exotic twists to otherwise familiar pastas. Ohio City Pastas are made to enhance meats, seafood and vegetable, rather than act as simply a conduit for sauce. The seasonal filled pastas (ravioli, tortellini and agnolotti) and gnocchi are customer favorites. Pasta never had it so good, and neither did Clevelanders.
Tree Huggers Café
There's a lot in a name. In the case of Tree Huggers Café, the mission is clear. Founded by Shana and Eric Trepal, and billed as "a green place to eat", the diminutive eatery in Berea has become a favorite of those who want healthy food that's delicious. Nearly every ingredient on the menu is organic, with a praise-worthy inclusion of locally made products, including Olof's Daughter pastries and Red Cedar Coffee. The restaurant's containers are compostable, biodegradable and recyclable, and a percentage of their sales are donated to environmental and animal wellness organizations – practices not far removed from the sustainable directives of GLBC. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the café specializes in vegetarian and vegan cuisine, as well as catering to the dietary needs of celiacs. Learn how Tree Hugger's is less crunchy and granola, and more upscale and creative burgers and wraps.
