‘The surprise factor’

‘The surprise factor’

Variety is the name of the game at the Hidden Carry-Out and Drive-Thru By Lora Abernathy   WILMINGTON — By offering beers named Corsendonk — a beverage made by Belgium monks — Old Rasputin and Dragon’s Milk, Dan Patel’s store has quite a following, despite the fact that it’s a tiny store on a city […]

Take your pick

Take your pick

Is your favorite tomato or pepper an heirloom? By Steve Boehme Heirloom vegetable plants and seeds are all the buzz right now. Vegetable plants can be either “heirloom” or “hybrid.” At least half the tomato and pepper plants and seeds we sell in our nursery are heirloom varieties. But what exactly is an heirloom vegetable, […]

Michigan’s Beaver Island has unique history

Michigan’s Beaver Island has unique history

By Jane Beathard   As Don Cole tells it, Beaver Island is its own country. The lifelong resident of Lake Michigan’s biggest island said locals once lived by their own laws and kept their distance from authorities in the rest of Michigan, as well as those in nearby Wisconsin and Ontario. Cole descends from a […]

Barnyard Cafe: Beyond the menu

Barnyard Cafe: Beyond the menu

By Sarah Allen   One of the Amish barns available for sale at The Barnyard Café. Some of the animals at The Barnyard Café’s petting zoo. A selection of The Barnyard Café’s ice cream flavors. Restaurant regulars enjoy a breakfast at The Barnyard Café. The Barnyard Café owner Steve McComas and Manager April Pitts are […]

From Two-Cow Blend to Farmhouse Rose

From Two-Cow Blend to Farmhouse Rose

Plain City winery boasts local flavors, unique names By Jane Beathard Dublin residents Beth Marth, left, and Roxana Miller enjoy tasting room activities during Ladies’ Night at Eldchrist Winery. A sign welcomes guests to Eldchrist Winery, near Plain City, during a recent February day. Sommelier Gina Eldridge pours a glass during Ladies’ Night at Eldchrist […]

New Vienna’s John and Marty Riley foster filmmaking

New Vienna’s John and Marty Riley foster filmmaking

By Beverly Drapalik   Setting shot with Marty’s son, actor Jon Briddell. A scene from “The Line Shack.” John and Marty Riley at the 2014 Bare Bones International Film Festival. Home in New Vienna. John in a scene From “Night Song.” NEW VIENNA — Clinton County is known for its farms, produce, relaxed atmosphere — […]

Recipes from the 2015 Salt Homemakers Show

Recipes from the 2015 Salt Homemakers Show

Hastings Limes Williams Drew Hastings Chicken and Chinese Noodles Casserole Ingredients: Cooking spray 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, diced 1 10.75-ounce can low-fat cream of mushroom soup 1 10.75-ounce can water 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste Ground black pepper to taste 1 roasted chicken, bones and skin removed, meat cut into […]

Andrea Chaffin: An all-American cookout

Andrea Chaffin: An all-American cookout

Red, white and blue dishes are perfect summer food By Andrea Chaffin   Be the star of your summer cookout with this flavorful fruit and lettuce salad. The best part is the freshly glazed walnuts. It’s served with a sweet homemade poppy seed dressing. Guests will ooh and ahh over these adorable red, white and […]

May, June reader recipes

May, June reader recipes

No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies Spicy Bean “Croutons” Red, White & Blue Sangria Cheesy Bacon Bites Belinda Baldwin, Leesburg No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup milk 1 stick of butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup of creamy peanut butter 3 cups quick oats Directions: Put granulated sugar, milk and […]

Lora Abernathy: Seize the day … by going to sleep

With spring in the air and the sunshine’s light showering us earlier in the morning and later into the night, I have already started enjoying one of my favorite warm-weather pastimes: sunny Sunday afternoon naps. Yes, sleeping is one of my favorite things to do. I work hard and play hard; I’m going to sleep […]