Dear North Market Shoppers,

As we look to 2011, I believe that the Market is in the best shape ever.

The growing awareness to support local businesses and local economies coupled with the movement to eat locally puts North Market in the “sweet spot” of emerging trends.

In late 2010, we added two exciting new businesses and as we open 2011 we have two more that are equally great.

North Market Spices and their broad selection of unique spices and spice blends has been an instant hit. With a knowledgeable staff, they are the perfect complement to the terrific selection of fresh ingredients the Market has to offer.

The Barrel and Bottle provides our shoppers with a wide selection of wine and an ever increasing choice of craft beers. New owners Collin Castore and Jen Burton have delivered a classy shop with an expert point of view on this important Market segment.

This January Clever Crow artisan pizza has opened to rave reviews. From their special cornmeal/sourdough crust to their handmade sausages and cured meats, it’s way more than pizza. Brooke and Gary have taken the craft and elevated it to art. Don’t miss them next time you’re here.

And last, but not least, brezel opens this March with handmade pretzels. New owners Maria Bataglia-Gentile and Brittany Baum have grown slowly, but surely earning a solid following at local markets here in town. Now, they’re making the jump to North Market and our shoppers will be big winners.

These four new businesses are perfect examples of why North Market is recognized as the premier destination for great ingredients, local businesses and artisan purveyors. They add even greater strength to the finest community of food businesses in town.

As the Market continues to evolve, these four new businesses give us reason for even greater celebration. Stop by soon and check us out. We know you’ll be even more impressed.

Sincerely,

Dave Wible
Executive Director

Dear North Market Shopper,

When people talk about their visit to the Market they often talk in sensory terms. The “sights, sounds, tastes and smells” of the Market all contribute to a total sensory experience. And we know that coming to North Market is not just a shopping occasion, it’s a full-on experience.

One of our goals is to enhance the Market experience and do it in a way that is both meaningful to our shoppers and supportive of the mission to promote local food and local businesses.

We have some great activities lined-up in the next few weeks that will be fun, educational and most of all delicious:

September 24 & 25 Columbus Microbrew Festival

It’s a celebration of the booming interest in locally-brewed craft beers. Come taste the work of our local craft brewers in this two-day festival.

September 29 Local Brews, Booze and Foods

It’s our best kept secret. This year we quietly started a little after work gathering on our porch. Shoppers were treated to some great Columbus Brewing Company beers and our version of street food creations. This is our last gathering of the year. We’ve invited new local distillery Middle West Spirits to join the fun. Stop by and give it a try.

October 2 Harvest Festival and Market to Market Ride

In celebration of Local Foods Week we host our annual Harvest Festival that features the late season bounty of our Farmers Market…AND what has become one of the fastest growing cycling events in the City. In a little more than a year, the Market to Market ride has attracted hundreds of cyclists who love and support the local foods movement.

The Dispatch Kitchen

Our partnership with WBNS-10TV and the Columbus Dispatch provides the Market with a fun and educational space. Food editor and James Beard Award winner, Robin Davis leads weekly cooking demonstrations with our city’s finest chefs. The Dispatch Kitchen is also hopping with special events such as CupcakeCampColumbus which is scheduled for October 10.

The Market is more than a place to shop for the greatest artisan, local and international foods. It’s a place where we celebrate, we educate and we have a little fun.

It doesn’t take a special event to make you visit an “experience.” It’s our community of 35 business owners, our unique personality and an unforgettable array of the best food in town.

Dave Wible

Dear North Market Shopper, 

There is nothing…nothing better than locally-grown, fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. For quality, flavor, nutrition and the pure joy of knowing that you’re doing something good for you and your family, fresh is best.

For nearly 30 years North Market has been home to our community’s central Farmers Market. For three decades families from all over Columbus have come downtown to get the best. Why? For most, it’s simply worth the effort.

On Saturday, August 14th North Market will host its’ 19th Annual Farmers Festival. It’s our time to celebrate our unique community of growers and time for you to come to the Market at the absolute pinnacle of the season. Fruits and vegetables will never be fresher and they’ll never be more abundant.

The tradition that is our central downtown Farmers Market is one that is driven by the desire to be part of something that is good. North Market is part of a long-standing tradition, a social gathering place and a piece of the fabric of our city. Every Saturday we see the same faces, families and friends that come here to enjoy the vibrant energy of our very own public market.

The benefits are many, but probably the best is the fact that no matter what you’re looking for, you’ll find the freshest, finest, highest-quality food at North Market.

If you haven’t been down in awhile, stop by our Farmers Festival for a true, authentic taste of Ohio.

I hope to see you here,

Dave Wible

Dear North Market Shoppers,

It’s on! While the weather heats up in June and it “feels” like summer, all the traditional gifts of the season don’t really appear until July.

Sweet corn is here, tomatoes, too. Fresh picked fruits and berries, melons not far behind. Zucchini, eggplant and peppers. It’s Farmers Market time!

While our Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning, the real work begins the day before as our community of growers take to their fields to carefully pick only what’s ready for sale the next morning. No industrial coolers, no cross country or international shipping, just fresh, honest and delicious fruits and vegetables from our neighboring counties.

And something else you should know. Everything our growers sell, they grow. That’s not always the case at other markets. Each and every grower has made the commitment to you that what they sell is what they grow. It makes a difference.

July also brings us the North Market Food and Ohio Wine Festival, July 9-11. By far, our biggest and best event of the year, the Ohio Wine Festival gives our shoppers the opportunity to taste a broad selection of locally produced wines. If you’re into buying local, Ohio wine is a great choice.

Inside the Market House things are humming nicely, as well. Omega Artisan Bakery’s sinful cinnamon rolls were just awarded the “Best Breakfast Item” in Ohio by Food Network Magazine (July/August issue). Columbus Monthly’s readers recognized Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams as the Market’s best vendor and the magazine even recognized Taste of Belgium for the best message on Twitter. Our Market to Market bike ride held in October (then repeated this past May 1st with another one coming up October 2nd) was also recognized by Columbus Monthly as the “best bike ride for foodies.”

Lot’s happening at the Market, but would you expect anything less from our nearly 70 growers, bakers, butchers, grocers, and food artisans?

Come on down this July and get a taste of the action.

Dear North Market Shopper,

There’s a new publication in town and it’s well worth your time to grab a copy.  Edible Columbus hit the newsstands on April 1^st and by all accounts, if you’re committed to local foods this is the magazine for you.

Edible Columbus is part of a network of Edible Publications that are in more than 50 markets in the U.S. and Canada.  With its’ focus on local foods, local markets, local restaurants and the local food scene in general, this is the perfect foodie magazine.

The flagship issue of Edible Columbus has a wonderful feature on David and Cheryl Smith of Bluescreek Farm Meats.  It’s an illuminating article on one of North Market’s finest merchants.  There are also stories about Wayward Seed Farm, a regular at our Saturday Farmers Market and board member, John Dornback, chef/owner of basi italia.  The Greener Grocer’s, Michael Jones even contributes a story on local food systems. 

The natural affinity for North Market related editorial content is a true testament to our community position as a premier local food destination.  For more than 130 years we’ve been Columbus’ local food market.

You can pick up a complementary copy of Edible Columbus at our newsstand on the second floor.  It will come out quarterly, so look for the next issue August 1^st. 

Best wishes to publisher, editor and classically trained chef, as well, Tricia Wheeler.  Tricia will be here on the evening of May 22^nd in the Dispatch Kitchen whipping up some tasty treats for our Annual Apron Gala.

Dave Wible

Dear North Market Shopper,

“It’s a Columbus landmark, a tourist destination and a bastion for local mom and pops.”

“It really is the best place to buy food in Columbus. Not to mention, it’s the most fun place to shop.”

“It’s become one of the most renowned public markets in the county.”

Who’s the best local foods market in Columbus? According to the readers of Columbus Alive, it’s us! The North Market.

Nearly 8,000 voters voiced their opinion in the 2010 Best of Columbus issue and when all was said and done, North Market was a fan favorite.

But it’s not the Market that wins the award, it’s the community of local, family-owned and operated businesses that make us great.

Think about it. If you want the best cheese, meat, seafood, poultry, baked goods, flowers, produce, ice cream, chocolate, we’re the place to stop. If you’re looking for an amazing array of ethnic specialties, we’ve got that, too. And once the growing season gets going, we host one of our City’s best farmers markets.

With local food and local businesses playing such an important role in our community, we’re proud that we occupy a leadership position. But don’t take our word for it. The readers of Columbus Alive have spoken and we’re honored to be the best in town.

Thanks,

Dave

PS. Check out the article in Columbus Alive here>

Dear North Market Shopper,

In the past couple weeks while wandering the Market I’ve noticed Michael and Colleen from The Greener Grocer in discussions with some of our local growers.

These meetings are part of an important dialogue between growers and sellers. More and more, we find that growers and sellers are collaborating to provide the freshest, best tasting, most unique fruits and vegetables possible. As we focus on eating locally it’s important that we have strong connections to our growing community. The Greener Grocer and their commitment to locally grown produce provides you with the opportunity to eat the best food possible every day.

Many of us do not realize that farming is a year round endeavor. It doesn’t begin when the first warm days of spring arrive, nor does it end with the first frost. Growers spend the winter preparing for the season by tending to their fields, tuning up equipment and procuring seed stock for the next crop. Many growers are beginning to actively plant starters in hoop houses that help extend both ends of the growing season.

We heartily salute our growers who spend the entire year to make sure that every Saturday during the growing season, you’ll have the widest choice of the freshest, best tasting produce in town.

We’re also planning for the upcoming Farmers Market season, as well. In the next few weeks we’ll be meeting with our community of growers to talk about plans for the season which will include our standard fare of festivals that celebrate everything Ohio grown. Planning, propagating and growing is a year round activity at the Market, too.

On another note, Saturday, February 20th we’ll once again host the Fiery Foods Festival. It’s the best way ever to beat the winter blues.

Also, check out our website for the latest news on the North Market School of Cooking. With leadership from Columbus Dispatch Food Editor, Robin Davis, we have an impressive line-up of classes and demonstrations from some of the finest chefs in town.

Keep warm and keep our growers in your thoughts. Theirs is a noble profession and they are among the hardest working people you’ll ever meet.

Dave

Dear North Market Shopper, 

The Market is blessed with hundreds of unique, fresh and local choices. During the month of December and all through the holidays we tend to focus on our favorites. Well, here are a few of mine:

1. Blackstrap Praline Ice Cream from Jeni. Maybe the best ever. While it lasts. When it’s gone, I’ll “settle” for Brown Butter Almond Brittle.
2. Bacon from David and Cheryl at Bluescreek Farm Meats. Not just bacon, this is BACON!
3. A gorgeous piece of the freshest salmon from The Fish Guys and my Gravlax recipe for the easiest, most elegant holiday taste ever.
4. A blue cheese recommendation from Mike at Curds & Whey. He’s got a million of them.
5. A warm bowl of Pho and Thang’s smile on a cold winter’s day from Lac Viet Market.
6. Wayward Seed’s root veggies from The Greener Grocer.
7. A spatchcocked and brined Bowman and Landes Turkey from North Market Poultry and Game.
8. Real Polish Kielbasa from Hania’s Olde World Cuisine.
9. Cheese corn from Pam and memories of Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
10. A holiday beer from Grapes of Mirth. Dave’s got plenty to choose from.
11. Amy Lozier’s Rustic French Bread from Omega Artisan Baking (with some of that blue cheese from Curds & Whey).
12. An incredibly versatile Microplaner from North Market Cookware.

There’s nowhere in Columbus where you can find all of these incredible tastes. And there’s nowhere in town where the passion for great food burns any hotter than North Market.

Here’s hoping that you have a Happy Holiday season and that these tastes add some fun to this time of the year.

Happy Holidays,

Dave Wible

Above any other time of the year, the holidays are most special. As we approach Thanksgiving and all the special days coming in December here are some important things to think about. 

Supporting local businesses and local economies has never been more important. When you buy, you vote with your dollars. When you buy at North Market you support the great local businesses and local families that own them.

Eat locally for all the right reasons, but eat locally because it tastes better. Locally grown and locally raised food is right for the season. It’s fresher, more nutritious, better for the environment, but importantly it’s food of the moment. Seasonal food and local food simply taste better than food that travels from half way around the globe.

Try Ohio wines and locally brewed beers. They’re darn good and might even taste better because you’re supporting a greater cause. Pair them with some Ohio cheeses for a delightful presentation.

Make the holiday table or occasion special with a local theme. A trip to the North Market enables you to prepare an event with a theme that’s never been more appropriate.

Everything about food today is local and everything about North Market supports the idea that supporting local businesses can make for the most special of holidays. Our food comes from farms not factories and our businesses are owned by our neighbors.

This holiday season give your community the biggest gift of all by supporting the 35 family owned and operated businesses here at North Market.

Happy Holidays,

David Wible
Executive Director

Dear North Market Shopper,

On Saturday, October 3rd, we will, once again, host our annual Harvest Festival.  Another growing season is drawing to a close and each year we celebrate the hard work of our community of growers with a festival that celebrates the bounty of Ohio agriculture.  It’s everything fresh and everything local.

This year’s Harvest Festival is adding a couple new twists that will place even greater focus on eating locally.

Thanks to the efforts of Local Matters, the Harvest Festival will serve at the kick-off to Local Foods Week.  Many of you know Local Matters through The Greener Grocer here at the Market.  The Greener Grocer is our local farmstand in the city as they have partnered with many, many local growers to provide farm fresh Ohio produce all week long.  In just a little more than a year The Greener Grocer has become the premier destination for everything local.

At the Harvest Festival, Local Matters, will pair five local chefs with five North Market growers to highlight what’s fresh and delicious.  For those of you who are a bit more ambitious, Hills Market and North Market are hosting our first-ever Market to Market bicycle ride.  Head to www.northmarket.com for more information.  On Wednesday, Local Matters leader, Michael Jones and Dispatch Food Editor, Robin Davis will collaborate for an evening of cooking, recipes and local knowledge.  The class will be held here at the Market and tickets are available by calling 463-9664 or clicking here>

Those are just a few of the activities Local Matters has on tap for the week.  To learn more about Local Foods Week go to www.local-matters.org.  There you can learn more about this wonderful organization that works tirelessly to make sure that everyone has equal access to local, healthy and sustainably grown food.  While you’re there think about becoming one of the 1,000 Friends of Local Matters. 

See you at the Harvest Festival.

Dave Wible