The North Market is pleased to announce that it has been approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to accept Food Assistance Benefits at our Saturday Farmers Market.  America’s health depends on good nutrition and North Market’s acceptance of the Ohio Direction Card will help provide access to healthy, farm grown fruits and vegetables to low income families. 

Recipients of the Ohio Direction Card will be able to obtain vouchers at the North Market business office worth $1.00 each and valid on Saturdays for the duration of the growing season at the North Market Farmers Market. The vouchers can be used just like money to buy items from the Farmers’ Market from all participating farms.

Participating farmers will have signage posted indicating that they accept Ohio Direction Card vouchers. Vouchers will be accepted only in the Farmers’ Market and are eligible for the purchase of fruits, vegetables, vegetable plants, breads, grains, meat, fish, poultry and dairy.

“Urban residents do not always have the best access to healthy foods.  Hopefully this program will enable lower income individuals to purchase fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables at our Farmers Market every Saturday,” said David Wible, executive director at North Market.

 The North Market will host its eighth celebration of Ohio’s finest wines and great foods to pair with them during the weekend of July 10^th-12^th.  Sponsoring organizations include National City/PNC, Ohio Grape Industries, Ford Motor Company, Master Clean and Columbus Alive.

The festival will kick-off on Friday night with a special preview party from 7-10 p.m.  Tickets to the event are $20 and include a customized wine glass, 10 tasting tickets and a $5 North Market gift certificate. Proceeds benefit the historic North Market. Columbus celebrities will serve as guest pourers for the wineries. The Inner City Blues Band will be on hand to get the party jumping and the bodies shaking in the streets. Discount coupons good for $5 off Preview Party admission are available at local National City Bank branches starting in July.

Throughout the weekend the following wineries from around Ohio will offer select wines by the taste (50 cents to $2.00 each), glass, bottle and case: Chalet Debonne Vineyard, Madison; Ferrante Winery, Geneva; Firelands Winery, Sandusky; Henke Winery, Cincinnati; Laurello Vineyards, Geneva; Maize Valley Winery, Hartville; Markko Vineyard, Conneaut; Meranda-Nixon Winery, Ripley; Mon Ami Winery, Port Clinton; Ravens Glenn Winery, West Lafayette; Slate Run Vineyard, Canal Winchester; St. Joseph Vineyards, Thompson; Stoney Ridge Winery, Bryan; Troutman Vineyards, Wooster; The Winery at Wolf Creek, Norton; Valley Vineyards, Morrow; Viking Vineyard, Kent and Wyandotte Winery, Columbus.

There will be two fun additions to the festivities this year. First, Ford Motor Company will be offering test drives of their newly designed Ford Fiesta, due at dealerships next year. Second, cooking demonstrations will take place in the newly minted Ohio Proud mobile kitchen. The kitchen consists of a 24-foot trailer that has the look and feel of a home kitchen with three large screen monitors to display the demonstrations to the audience. The Market is excited about the enhancement that both of these features lend to our event.

“With an ever-increasing focus on everything local, our Food and Ohio Wine Festival provides visitors the opportunity to sample a wide variety of the best wines made in our state.  The overall quality and variety of Ohio wine is surprisingly good and I’m confident that everyone who attends will find a wine or two that can become a regular choice when they shop,” said David Wible, Executive Director for the North Market. “Wine making is a local agricultural activity and fits perfectly with the mission of North Market to support local businesses, agriculture and economies.”

Festival hours are Friday, July 10, 7-10 p.m., Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 12, 1 - 6 p.m.  Preview Party admission is $20 with $5 discount coupons available at local National City Bank branches. Saturday and Sunday admission is free.  A $5 tasting fee includes a souvenir glass with tasting tickets available for purchase in any quantity for $.50 apiece.  For additional information on the North Market Food and Ohio Wine Festival, please call 614-463-9664 or visit www.northmarket.com

 North Market Food and Ohio Wine Festival Presented by National City

Schedule of Activities

Friday, July 10th - Admission $20 (includes souvenir glass, 10 tasting tickets, $5 North Market certificate)

Festival Hours, 7 - 10 p.m.

• 7 - 10 p.m. Ohio Wineries open for tasting, North Market remains open
• 7 - 10 p.m. Meet the winemakers, celebrity wine pourers, music by The Inner City Blues Band

 Saturday, July 11^th - Tasting admission $5 (includes souvenir glass)

Festival Hours, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

• 8 a.m., North Market merchants and Farmers’ Market, open for business
• 9 a.m. - 11 a.m., music by Folkwood Players on the porch
• 10 a.m., Ohio wineries open for tasting
• 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., hourly cooking demonstrations by local chefs in the Ohio Proud kitchen
• 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., music by One More Time String Band on the porch
• 11 a.m., culinary demonstration by John Hard, CaJohns Flavor & Fire
• 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., calypso music by Island Breeze on the Spruce Street stage
• 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Ohio Farm Bureau Corn Climbing Wall
• 1 p.m. - 3 p.m., music by the Shaw Brothers on the porch
• 12 - 2 p.m., music by the Cowboy Hillbilly Hippy Folks on the Spruce Street stage
• 3 - 5 p.m., Joy Unspeakable, the living statue, as the god of wine
• 3 p.m.-5 p.m., music by Willie Phoenix on the porch
• 2 - 5 p.m., music by the Gipson & Fitz Trio on the Spruce Street stage
• 5 - 7 p.m., music by the Great Mad Hoax on the Spruce Street stage

Sunday, July 12^th - Tasting admission $5 (includes souvenir glass)

Festival Hours, 12 - 6 p.m. (wine tasting begins at 1 p.m.)

• 12 p.m., North Market merchants, Ohio Proud and Artisan Market open for business
• 12 - 2 p.m., bluegrass music by Slate Ridge on the porch
• 1 p.m., culinary demonstration in the Ohio Proud kitchen
• 12 - 2 p.m., music by Cowboy Hillbilly Hippy Folk on Spruce Street Stage
• 12 - 2 p.m., Joy Unspeakable, the living statue, as the god of wine
• 2 - 4 p.m., CD101 prize wheel, you spin, you win!
• 2 p.m., culinary demonstration in the Ohio Proud kitchen
• 2 - 4 p.m., music by the Gadabouts on the porch
• 2 - 4 p.m., music by the Great Mad Hoax on the Spruce Street stage
• 3 p.m., culinary demonstration in the Ohio Proud kitchen
• 4 - 6 p.m., music by Eileen Howard Jazz Trio on the porch
• 4 p.m., culinary demonstration in the Ohio Proud kitchen
• 4 - 6 p.m., music by Willie Phoenix on the Spruce Street stage

Dear North Market Shopper,

It’s that time of year again. Our Farmers Market is humming and this season our offerings will be better than ever. 

This year, eating locally, supporting local businesses and local economies has never been more meaningful.  

For more than 130 years North Market has been a hub of local food and local businesses all supporting a local economy.   And today things aren’t much different. 

Every Saturday from now until late October local growers will bring their finest offerings picked fresh from the field.  There’s nothing fresher, better tasting, more nutritious or more local anywhere.

In the Market House our community of 33 locally owned and operated businesses thrive with the highest quality ingredients and prepared selections.  Shop the Market and you’ll find plenty of local food provided by local businesses supporting our local economy.

 It must be a good formula; we’ve been at it since 1876.

 Hope to see you at the Market.

 Dave Wible

PS.  Don’t miss our newest merchant and his fabulous waffles and crepes.  Jean-François Flechet and his new business, Taste of Belgium is located at the south end of the Market between Omega Artisan Baking and Pam’s Popcorn.

Belgian waffle and crêpe lovers rejoice! Belgian native Jean-François Flechet opened Taste of Belgium this weekend at the south end of the North Market. The tale of how Jean-François came to be a waffle-maker is as intriguing as his crispy caramelized waffles are delectable.

Jean-François moved to the United States more than a decade ago to pursue a doctorate in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He eventually ended up in Cincinnati working for a market research company. After working for 5 years and receiving his green card he decided to start his own enterprise developing a vending machine that dispensed hot food. He was back at home visiting family in Belgium and attending a trade show when he was enticed by the familiar smell of Liège waffles. He discovered an older gentleman baking up fresh waffles according to a family tradition some hundred-plus years old. Jean-François was mesmerized by the process, struck up a rapport with the man and was invited to visit the production facility a few days later in Brussels. Convinced by what he learned (and tasted) Jean- François immediately purchased one of the (120 pound!) waffle irons to bring back to the United States with him and so began his foray into waffledom. 

Jean-François’ brother had to ship the contraption to Cincinnati via freight when the airline would not permit him to bring it aboard (too heavy), another friend lent his electrician’s acumen to convert the machine to function on America’s 110 volt system and acquaintance Jean-Robert de Cavel (of Maisonette and Pigall’s fame) provided kitchen space early in the venture for the creation of the specialized waffle dough.  Jean-François began baking in the Findlay Market at the back of a fruit and vegetable store. “I set up the waffle iron on a counter where they had been making coffee and there I was making waffles surrounded by zucchini and tomatoes!” recounts Jean-François of his inaugural stint at the public market. 

In January of 2008 Taste of Belgium graduated to its own space in the Findlay Market and now Jean-François has opened his second venture in Columbus’ North Market. In addition to Liège style waffles Taste of Belgium features savory and sweet crêpes, salads and an espresso bar. Liège style waffles are popular street food in Europe. The Liège waffle dough is sweeter and denser than the typical Belgian style waffles we are familiar with in the United States. They have an intense vanilla flavor and cooking in the specialized cast iron press produces a crunchy caramelized exterior. In Europe they are served wrapped in paper to go, no utensils necessary!  

The Belgian style savory crêpes are made with buckwheat flour and beer (the Belgian twist). Combinations include traditional: egg, ham and Gruyere; Italian: egg, cappicola and provolone; vegetarian: roasted red pepper, goat cheese, baby spinach and balsamic glaze; and salmon: smoked salmon, red onion, crème fraiche and chives. The sweet varieties (buckwheat omitted) include fruits and chocolate, banana and Nutella, caramel au beurre salé (lightly salted French caramel) and lavender sugar with freshly squeezed lemon. A special crêpe of the week and seasonal varieties will be added to the menu as fitting. 

Taste of Belgium’s espresso-based beverages are made with coffee provided by the Coffee Emporium. Operating since the early 1970s Coffee Emporium is the oldest coffee house in Cincinnati and possibly Ohio. The roasters at Coffee Emporium go “straight to the origin” to procure their coffee beans. “They just visited Guatemala and they’re headed to Ethiopia next. They are more fair than fair trade!” declares Jean-François. 

The next time you are in the North Market, stop by Taste of Belgium and savor the pastry that made Belgian royalty swoon.

Get great grilling tips from folks like Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs.

On Saturday, June 13th, the North Market celebrates the onset of summer and our favorite method of seasonal cooking - grilling! Our fourth annual Grillmasters Festival will include an amateur barbeque sauce contest, grilling demonstrations and sampling, a chef cook-off, live music and kids’ activities. It’s a great opportunity to get ideas for Fathers’ Day too!

The farmers’ market will be in full swing and augmented by special vendors including Urban Chefs and Chuck Evans’ Montezuma Brand. John Hard of CaJohn’s Fiery Foods is organizing the grilling demonstrations and promises a host of flavorful grilling recipes. You are invited to watch as recipes are prepared, taste what the presenters have created and take tips to go home and try on your own grill.

“Summer is the season in which the North Market, resplendent with local offerings, really shines,” says David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “From the bounty of the farmers’ market to the fantastic selection of local beef, bison, pork, lamb, goat and poultry there’s never a shortage of options of foods that would go great on the grill!” 

Customers are invited to demonstrate their BBQ prowess in an amateur barbeque sauce contest that will be judged by local BBQ sauce makers.  First prize is $50 in North Market gift certificates. Returning in the “professional” category this year is the popular, “Thrilla at the Grilla.”  We give several chefs their own hibachis and charcoal and let them use their imagination as far as what they whip up on the grill. Our discerning judges will choose a champion and the public can taste their creations. The winner will take home the title “Baron of Barbeque” and $200 in North Market gift certificates.

 Scheduled Grillmasters Festival activities include:

• 8 a.m., Farmers Market opens
• 9 - 11 a.m., music by Loosely Strung
• 9 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Stan Riley of Holy Smoke BBQ
• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Face Painting by Rita
• 10 a.m., Amateur BBQ Sauce Contest
• 11 a.m., Cooking demonstration by Alex Silbajoris, sausage making
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., bluegrass music by Slate Ridge
• 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., Columbus Dog Connection foster parents with adoptable dogs
• 12 p.m., Thrilla at the Grilla, two chefs face off for the title
• 1 - 3 p.m., music by One More Time String Band
• 3 - 5 p.m., Music by Folkwood Players
• 1 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
• 1:45 p.m., Cooking demonstration by CaJohn and Chef Steve of CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire
• 2:15 p.m. Cooking dmeonstration by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
• 2:30 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Anthony Frazier of Urban Chefs
• 3:15 p.m., Cooking demonstration by Donte Allen of Curds & Whey

The North Market Grillmasters Festival begins at 9 a.m. and is a free event.  For more information or to enter the cooking contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664