Come to the North Market for a Saturday of farm-tastic fun during the 19th Annual Farmers’ Festival on Saturday, August 14th. The annual event held at the prime of the Ohio growing season will highlight bushels of locally grown farm-fresh produce, a homemade jam and jelly contest, the Chef Challenge: “You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to”, children’s activities, cooking demonstrations and live music. 

The North Market Farmers’ Market is one of the largest in central Ohio, featuring more than 20 farmers offering an array of locally-grown fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, honey and herbs. Farms scheduled to participate this year include Anderson Orchard, Beech Meadow Farm, Blossom Acre’s Produce, Bridgman Farm, Combs Fresh Herbs, Ehmann and Sons Greenhouse, Elizabeth Telling Farm, Hinkle Farm, Honeyrun Farm, K & R Garden Fresh Produce, Oakvale Farmstead Cheese, Ohio Farm Direct, Thomas Family Orchard, Persinger Farm, Quiverfull Farm, Rhoads Farm, Shady Brook Farm, Somerset Greenhouse, Summer Thyme Farm, Toad Hill Farm, Toby Run Growers, The Wayward Seed Farm and Wishwell Farms Produce.

“Dating back to the early days at the Quonset Hut, our Farmers’ Market has become one of our community’s most cherished traditions,” said David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “Every Saturday morning North Market becomes a focal point for social gathering and it’s all drawn to the Market by a wonderful group of committed, high-quality growers. Each year, during the prime of our growing season we celebrate their hard work and tremendous fruits, vegetables and flowers at our Farmers Festival.”

Saturday Farmers’ Festival activities and attractions include:
•8 a.m., North Market Merchants & Farmers’ Market open
•9 a.m., amateur jam and jelly contest for North Market customers
•9 - 11 a.m., musical entertainment by One More Time String Band
•10 a.m. - 12 p.m., balloon twisting with Dr. Silverfoot

•10 a.m. - 12 p.m., free mini Farmers Market Sundaes from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
•10 a.m. - 3 p.m., face painting by Rita
•10:30 a.m., cooking demonstration TBA
•11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mark Wood Cowboy Fun Show
•11 a.m. - 1 p.m., musical entertainment by Slate Ridge
•11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Columbus Dog Connection
•11:30 a.m., cooking demonstration, TBA
• 12:30 p.m., “You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to”, Chef cooking contest
•1 - 3 p.m., musical entertainment by Loosely Strung
•1:30 p.m., cooking demonstration, TBA
•2:30 p.m., cooking demonstration, TBA
•3 p.m. - 5 p.m., Musical entertainment by Cowboy Hillbilly Hippy Folks

The Farmers’ Festival runs on Saturday, August 14 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and is a free event. For more information about the Farmers’ Festival or to sign-up for the Amateur Jelly and Jam contest, please call Mary at the North Market at (614) 463-9664.

Two of Columbus’ premiere independent, locally-owned specialty foods markets are returning with an event that debuted with great success last October: Market to Market. The Hills Market and North Market share not only a philosophical connection: one that makes it a priority to provide and promote the best Ohio has to offer to consumers, but also a physical connection: the Olentangy River Greenway (or more commonly, the Olentangy Bike Trial). Join both markets on Saturday, May 1, as they connect to celebrate Ohio-made foodstuffs, the opening of the farmers market and bicycling season with Market to Market: a cross-city local foods-centric bike ride, for amateurs and aficionados alike.

Participants have the option of starting at either market to fuel up with breakfast before embarking on the 13 mile adventure to the market at the other end of the bike trail. Each participating rider will be issued a passport at the beginning of their journey. Bikers can collect stamps along the way by visiting with local vendors and organizations set up along the path including B1 Bicycles, Greenovate, Local Matters, Pattycake Bakery, Ohio Ecological Food & Farm Association (OEFFA), Ohio Proud, Opera Columbus, Seagull Bags, Small Business Beanstalk, Sustainable Worthington and Wild Goose Creative. Participants who show completed passports at their destination market will be rewarded with a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and a reusable bag filled with coupons and goodies from local foods purveyors. Those intrepid enough to bike back to their market of origin will receive a completely different bag of goodies, creating a total value of $50 worth of savings and samples. All participating riders will also be entered into a random drawing for a custom messenger bag created by local courier bag gurus Seagull Bags.

But wait! There’s more! Both markets will be hosting activities to provide riders a bit of entertaining “distraction” during each leg of their cycling journey. The Hills Market will leave riders with Polynesian dreams from Kahiki Day: a daylong celebration of Kahiki’s past and present. Hills will demo several of Kahiki’s frozen food products as well as a wide array of Polynesian-themed foods throughout the store from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Olentangy River Greenway, the North Market will be celebrating the opening of its Farmers Market. Ohio Proud vendors will join the Market’s seasonal farmers in the plaza selling Ohio-made foodstuffs and abundant live entertainment by local musicians will add to the gaiety of that day.

Market to Market will take place on Saturday, May 1. Registration is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The cost includes breakfast, a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream (at either location), an event t-shirt and reusable shopping bags from both locations filled with up to $50 worth of savings on Ohio foods. Breakfast will be served at both locations from 8- 10 a.m. to allow for riders to eat and set out on the trail at their leisure. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will be available at both locations upon ride completion. Registration can be made online HERE> or by phone by calling 614-846-3220 (The Hills Market) or 614-463-9664 (North Market), or in person at either location beginning April 2.

CupcakeCampColumbus, will return to the North Market on Sunday, March 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Dispatch Kitchen and “this time it’s frostable.” Organizers Carmen Owens of Surly Girl Saloon, Kiesha Jenkins-Duffy of the blog 52 Weeks of Baking and the North Market’s Mary Martineau are offering a festive Saint Patrick’s Day and spring-themed celebration of cupcakes.

Approximately forty different flavors of cupcakes created strictly by local amateur bakers will be featured. This round’s classifications include:

Best St. Patrick’s Day Cupcake: It’s just three days before “the wearing of the green” and your cupcake should pay tribute to this fanciful day of Irish frivolity. Give us green icing, shamrocks or leprechauns, but leave the orange at home!

Best Use of Bailey’s Irish Cream or Bushmills Irish Whiskey: We’re guilty of another Irish-themed category here, but for this one we want you to incorporate some fine Irish libations. You can choose to include Bailey’s Irish Cream or Bushmills Irish Whiskey into your recipe or, heck, go hog-wild and use both!

Best North Market-Inspired: The North Market features a little of everything and so should these cupcakes. Cupcakes inspired by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream flavors were popular in the last round. How about using one of our ethnic eateries for inspiration? With Thai, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Belgian, Indian, Italian and even Polish cuisine on market there’s a world of inspiration here!

Best Spring-themed: The crocuses will bear their delicate little heads any day now and we’re sure the brilliant gold forsythia will bloom shortly. In the meantime, bake up a batch of cupcakes that reflect the rebirth of our greenery from the cold winter.

Best Vegan: No animal products permitted. Bring us the tastiest cupcake you can create without using milk, eggs, butter or any other animal product.

Local celebrities, bakers and other experts will be on hand to judge each category and fabulous prizes will be awarded to the winners. Applications for cupcake bakers and tickets for cupcake eaters are now available. To register to be a cupcake baker visit the CupCakeCampColumbus website. BAKER REGISTRATION FILLED. If you’re not a baker, but you are an avid cupcake eater and you would like to attend, tickets are $10 with the proceeds benefiting the Mid-Ohio Food Bank. TICKETS SOLD OUT.

 Tickets are limited and the event has sold out each time so get yours early!

Finally, if you’re all about quantity over quality, perhaps you’d like to enter the Cupcake Crush. In this contest the first intrepid eater to finish a set amount of mini cupcakes provided by the Surly Girl Saloon will take home a special award. Registration for the Cupcake Crush will take place on the day of the event.

CupcakeCampColumbus is sponsored by Surly Girl Saloon, 52 Weeks of Baking, North Market, CrimsonCup Coffee, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Snowville Creamery. Judges and prize sponsors include AmyD, The Hills Market, Market Blooms, Pattycake Bakery, Sassafrass bakery, Spinelli’s Deli, Wholly Craft. The event will take place on Sunday, March 14 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Dispatch Kitchen of the North Market. Admission is free for registered cupcake bakers, but space is limited. Only 100 tickets are available for $10 each to the general public. Keep up with the ongoing details of CupcakeCampColumbus on the website or visit or on the North Market events page.

Spring seems so distant, but the North Market is here to help you melt away the winter blues and blahs with our 7th annual Fiery Foods Festival on Saturday, February 20th. Boasting everything from tropical entertainment to tongue-tingling foods the Fiery Foods Festival will put you in a sunny frame of mind!

Want to get directly in on the fiery foods action? Customers can take a shot at fame and fortune (OK, infamy and North Market gift certificates) in a number of contests. There’s the tried and true Amateur Salsa Contest. If you’ve got a good mix of chunky or pureed fruit or vegetable salsa, put it to the test against other homemade salsa makers. Or maybe you like to play with fire? For you we have the Amateur Hot Sauce Contest. He/she with the supreme salsa or hot sauce concocting skills will take home $100 in North Market and CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire gift certificates. Or one can prove their chili preparing proficiency in our ever-popular Customer Chili Cook-off. The competition will garner the first place winner $100 and the runner up $50 in North Market gift certificates. Finally, those with iron gullets can register on the day of the event for the Hot Pepper Eating or the Wings of Fire wing eating contest. Familiarity with the term “capsaicin” should suggest that neither of these contests is for the faint of taste bud, but victors will take home a plethora of CaJohns’ products as prizes.

In its fifth year the Chef Chili Challenge pits local chefs against one another as contenders for the title “North Market Chili Champ 2010,” a special trophy and $200 in North Market gift certificates. Participating chefs (at the time of press release) include representatives of Basi Italia, Chef Butcher’s Creole Kitchen, Latitude 41, Jerry Bullock, the returning champ from North Market Poultry & Game, Pastaria and Two Caterers. We are sure to have many more chef entrants by competition time!

“Many people don’t realize that Columbus is home to the most-awarded fiery foods purveyor in the country, CaJohn’s Fiery Foods.” said David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “We’ve been holding the Fiery Foods Festival since before CaJohn was a merchant at the market, but he has always been a participant. His presence as a merchant certainly spices up the Fiery Foods Festival even more.”

Fiery Foods Festival Schedule:
• 8 a.m. North Market opens, fiery foods vendors on premises
• 9 - 11 a.m., musical entertainment by the Andrew Hartman Trio
• 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., face painting by Rita
• 10 a.m., Amateur salsa-making contest in the Dispatch Kitchen
• 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mark Wood Fun Show, cowboy tricks and balloon shapes
• 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., musical entertainment by The Piano Peddler
• 11 a.m. Free maracas, sombreros, balloons and chili-pepper shaped cookies for the kids (while supplies last)
• 11 a.m. Professional Chili Cook-off featuring chilis by local chefs
• 12 p.m. Amateur Chili Cook-off featuring chilis by customers
• 1 p.m., Amateur Hot Sauce contest in the Dispatch Kitchen
• 1 - 3 p.m., musical entertainment by the Island Breeze Duo
• 2 p.m., Hot pepper eating contest in the Dispatch Kitchen
• 3 p.m., Hot wing eating contest in the Dispatch Kitchen
• 3 - 5 p.m., musical entertainment by the Gadabouts
• Hot and spicy foods featured throughout the North Market all day

The North Market Fiery Foods Festival on Saturday, February 20 is a free event. Festival activities will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Market hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. To participate in the Salsa Contest, Hot Sauce Contest, Customer Chili Cook-off or the Chef Chili Challenge, and for more information, please call (614) 463-9664 or visit www.northmarket.com. Sign up for the Hot Pepper and Hot Wing Eating Contests will take place in the Dispatch Kitchen on the day of the event. A tasting fee of $5 enables onlookers to sample all of the chilis by both professional chefs and amateur contestants while supplies last. ###

The North Market is excited to announce the roster of upcoming School of Cooking classes for the first half of 2010. Cooking classes make the perfect gift for your favorite foodie and they are value-priced at $50 each or $125 for 3 classes. The School of Cooking even offers opportunities for your aspiring young chef with hands-on kid’s classes centered on Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day offered at $35 each.

Launched in autumn of 2009, the North Market School of Cooking offers basic cooking classes, ethnic cooking classes, hands-on classes for kids, classes with Dispatch Food Editor Robin Davis, and the ever-popular Chef Series classes. Participants have a clear view of the cooking action through the use of 2 LCD monitors and a roaming camera. Classes take place in the Dispatch Kitchen on the second floor of the North Market and parking in the North Market lot is included in the class price. The upcoming class schedule offers an appealing blend of offerings for everyone from amateurs to restaurant aficionados.

Chef Series teams up with Dine Originals Columbus
A new year brings new partnerships for the School of Cooking. The Dine Originals Chef Series is a product of collaboration between Columbus’ public market and the independently owned and operated restaurants of the Dine Originals Columbus group. Chefs from fourteen of the Dine Originals’ outstanding restaurants will hold demonstration style classes which culminate in the sharing of the meal prepared with recipes provided for class participants to recreate the meal at home. The alliance is an ideal one as both the North Market and Dine Originals share a mission to celebrate and promote locally owned and operated independent food purveyors.

Kid’s Classes Join the Line-Up in the North Market School of Cooking!
Kids ages 8 to 14 will be able to put on an apron on February 13 and learn to prepare a dish for their Valentine in the Cooking for Valentines class. On May 1, kids will learn how to make a meal for that special parent in their life in the Cooking for Mother’s Day class. All Kid’s classes are $35 per student and take place on a Saturday morning from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Parents are welcome to stay for the class or use the opportunity to shop the market.

Classes with Robin Davis return to the North Market School of Cooking
You have read her stories in the Dispatch and have seen her cook on WBNS10TV, now you can join Robin Davis up close and in person in her studio kitchen. Want to see what ale lends to a recipe? Robin will show you the way on January 21 in the Cooking with Beer class. Learn the basics of protein in the Meat 101 class on January 24. When you are sick of winter and need something to take the chill off she’ll share some warming recipes on February 21 with a Soups class. On March 24, Robin will work with Hubert Wilamowski from Hania’s Olde World Cuisine cook up some traditional Eastern European specialties. Finally, Robin will get into gear with a spring menu for the “Almost Summer” class on May 16. We hope you will join Robin, our Dine Originals chefs and other local experts for a class, or three in the new year!

Winter/Spring Class Schedule

January
20 Katzinger’s ~ Diane Warren
21 Cooking with Beer with Robin Davis
24 Meat 101 with Robin Davis
27 Shaw’s Restaurant and Inn ~ Susie Cork

February
7 Mardi Gras
3 Rigsby’s Kitchen ~ Kent Rigsby
10 Alana’s Food and Wine ~ Alana Shock and Devon Morgan
11 Vegetarian Cooking
13 Kids’ Cooking for Valentine’s Day
18 Makin’ Bacon
21 Soups with Robin Davis
24 G. Michael’s Bistro ~ David Tetzloff

March
3 Black Creek Bistro ~ David Morrison
7 Seafood Suppers
18 The Refectory ~ Richard Blondin
24 Eastern European
31 Trattoria Roma ~ Matt Prokopchak

April
7 Barcelona Restaurant and Bar ~ Paul Yow
14 Z Cucina di Spirito ~ Travis Hyde
28 Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls ~ Anthony Schulz

May
1 Kids’ Cooking for Mothers’ Day
5 Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus ~ Nate Crockett
6 Almost Summer with Robin Davis
19 Banana Bean Cafe ~ Kevin Caskey
26 Cotters Restaurant at the Arena

The Dispatch Kitchen is located on the second floor of the North Market. Registration is required and enrollment is limited for individual classes. Class reservations may be made online, by phone 614-463-9664, by email info@northmarket.com, or in person at the business office on the second floor of the Market building.

The North Market Harvest Festival is helping to kick off Local Matters Local Foods Week on Saturday, October 3. In addition to our usual extravaganza of harvest produce, baking contests, live music and kids’ activities, this year as part of their Local Foods Week celebration, Local Matters worked to pair local chefs with some of our farmers to do cooking demonstrations right out of their stalls.This festival is a fun one for the kiddies with a plethora of activities and entertainment. Mark Wood will be twisting balloon animals and executing fancy rope tricks. Rita Miller will be on hand for fanciful full face painting. There will be give-aways of cookies and apples and the Columbus Jaycees will return for their annual stint of offering harvest-inspired crafts. Not to mention, if you are looking for a new four-legged friend, the Columbus Dog Connection will be on hand with adoptable dogs.

Enterprising customers have several opportunities to take home a prize in our Harvest Festival baking contests. In the pumpkin bread contest, entrants are invited to submit their version in loaf or muffin form. Our two other contests feature the time-honored tradition of pie baking and participants can submit their favorite pumpkin or apple pies for judging. The first place winner of the bread competition will win $50 in North Market gift certificates and each pie competition winner will receive $100 in North Market gift certificates. All home-baked entries will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit North Market Development Authority. To register or for more information, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664. Participation is limited to 12 entries per contest.

“Having the Harvest Festival as the kickoff for Local Matters Local Foods Week is a perfect combination that highlights both our activities and our mission to support local businesses.” said David Wible, Executive Director of the North Market. “You will see and taste that mission in action with our local chefs preparing recipes right in our farmers’ stalls.”

Scheduled Harvest Festival activities include:
• Farmers’ Market and North Market merchants open at 8 a.m.
• Market to Market breakfast in the Dispatch Kitchen, 8 - 10 a.m.
• Cooking demonstrations with local chefs at farmer stalls, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Live music by Folk Wood Players, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Mark Wood Cowboy Fun Show, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Joy Unspeakable, the Living Statue, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• Face painting, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Free pumpkin cookies for the kids, courtesy of Mozart’s Bakery, 10 a.m. while supply lasts.
• Free apples for the kids, 10 a.m. while supply lasts.
• Autumn crafts with the Columbus Jaycees, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Columbus Dog Connection, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Live music by Slate Ridge, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Pumpkin Bread contest, 12 p.m.
• Pumpkin Pie contest, 1 p.m.
• Apple pie contest, 2 p.m.
• Face painting, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Live music by Willie Phoenix, 1 - 4 p.m.

The North Market Harvest Festival begins at 8 a.m. and is a free event. For more information or to sign-up for any of the contests, please call the North Market at (614) 463-9664 or email info@northmarket.com

Two of Columbus’ premiere independent, locally-owned specialty foods markets are partnering to celebrate the bounty that Ohio producers bestow upon our great state. The Hills Market and North Market share not only a philosophical connection: one that makes it a priority to provide and promote the best Ohio has to offer to consumers, but also a physical connection: the Olentangy River Greenway (or more commonly, the Olentangy Bike Trial). Join both markets on Saturday, October 3, as they connect to celebrate the end of a great summer season with “Market to Market”: a cross-city local foods-centric bike ride, for amateurs and aficionados alike. Market to Market will be the kick-off event for Local Matters Local Foods Week in Columbus.

Participants have the option of registering to start at either market and fuel up with breakfast before embarking on the 13 mile adventure to the market at the other end of the bike trail. Each participating rider will be issued a local foods passport at the beginning of their journey. Bikers can collect stamps along the way by visiting with local vendors and organizations set up along the path including Pattycake Bakery, Ohio Proud, Sustainable Worthington, Greenovate and Local Matters. Participants who show completed passports at their destination market will be rewarded with a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and a reusable bag filled with coupons and goodies from local foods purveyors. Those intrepid enough to bike back to their market of origin will receive a completely different bag of goodies, creating a total value of $50 worth of savings and samples.

Market to Market will take place on Saturday, October 3. Registration is $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The cost includes breakfast, a scoop of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream (at either location), and reusable shopping bags from both locations filled with up to $50 worth of savings on Ohio foods. Breakfast will be served at both locations from 8- 10a.m. to allow for riders to eat and set out on the trail at their leisure. Jeni’s ice cream will be available at both locations upon ride completion. Early egistration for the breakfast and ride is closed at this time. Participating organizations and sponsors include: The Hills Market, North Market, Local Matters, CrimsonCup Coffee, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, WCBE, Central Ohio’s NPR Station, Amanda Hills Spring Water, Fat Rabbit Racing, Greenovate, Ohio Proud, Pattycake Bakery and Sustainable Worthington.

Columbus-based, Local Matters is a not-for-profit organization that believes the choice to grow and consume local food has the power to affect social, economic and environmental change in our communities. They are committed to making local, sustainably farmed, healthy food available to everyone - and from October 3 through October 9, they’re doing it in a big way with Local Matters Local Food Week. The week kicks-off with the Market-to-Market bike ride and breakfast, includes a fundraiser on Thursday, October 8 at The Hills Market, and will conclude with a Local Food Finale on Friday, October 9. The entire Columbus-area community is invited to add a little more delicious to their lives with Local Foods Week celebrating our Local Food System: Farm to Fork, Urban Ag and Local Food to School. For more information and a detailed schedule visit www.local-matters.org