Edible Columbus had the distinct pleasure of welcoming Columbus culinary pioneer Betty Rosbottom back to the Midwest for a lecture and brunch last month. Betty is well known for having founded and operated the famed cooking school, La Belle Pomme, in Columbus from 1976 to 1995. It's estimated around 4,000 students attended the school at its height each year, in which Betty taught the majority of classes, many of which focused on entertaining and well-loved, time-honored recipes with French flair.
After a move to Massachusetts in the mid-90s, Betty expanded her career into publishing, writing and television. For over 20 years she contributed a column called "That's Entertaining," for Tribune Media Services, syndicated in newspapers nationwide including the Columbus Dispatch. Betty has contibuted to Bon Appetit magazine, appeared as a regular host of PBS' cooking show "On the Menu," and has somehow found the time to publish 11 cookbooks and write a blog!
Happening through November, the Sagan National Colloquium delves into the “transformative relationship between people and food," focusing on a number of subjects close to our hearts. Every year since 1984, Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) has hosted the lecture series as a means of highlighting pertinent social, political, environmental or global issues.
This year’s “Bite!” series invites authors, professors, farmers, experts and researchers to share their expertise on pertinent food issues. Lecture topics include commercial farming, longevity of local foods systems and the political and economic impact of food systems across cultures and regions. This event makes powerful individuals and valuable messages accessible to a wide audience, and echoes food issues we think are important to our, and other, communities.
One lecture we’re looking forward to takes place on Wednesday, October 10, when Tricia Wheeler moderates a panel of local food representatives in a discussion on the dynamics of local food systems in Ohio. Warren Taylor of Snowville Creamery, Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Ben Sippel of Sippel Family Farms and Michael Jones, Director of Local Matters, will share their insight and take questions on entrepreneurship, production and promotion.
Malabar Farm isn't just a treasured, historic farm and piece of land in Ohio. It's a valuable part of our national park system and globally, represents the kind of undisturbed natural habitats that are few and fleeting today. We care deeply about the preservation of this land, and continue to question how the onset of fracking in Ohio could jeopardize the future of the forest.
Mohican Advocates Inc. are working to help preserve Malabar Farm and neighboring national parks, forests and watersheds so that future generations may experience the same wild, pristine beauty that we do. On their website, helpful resources for informing yourself and taking action are available. Revisit our article on Malabar Farm from our spring 2011 issue, and take the time to watch the posted video to learn more.
When we asked readers to submit their favorite recipes for the season, we loved this submission from Karla Zadnik. She shares her take on an Alice Waters recipe for Roasted Beets with Raspberry Vinegar. Enjoy!
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Sometimes you see beets at the farmers market or receive them in a CSA box. You may not know what to do with them. I didn't learn to eat them until I was 40 years old. Here's a fail-safe and healthful preparation.
Roast beets (any kind).
