I'm Alive!

Sorry, readers. It's been a whirlwind of work events for me lately. That, on top of coming down with a week-long head cold, has left me tired, sick, with a lack of time, and unmotivated to blog. But, I have one more 100-person conference to host tomorrow, and then I'm D-O-N-E with the craziness for a while.

I don't talk about my job very much on here. However, I do have to quickly highlight the fabulous chefs that helped to make our annual Flavors of Northeast Ohio event a huge success on Monday.

17 talented chefs from some of our area's best restaurants each delighted a table of twelve guests with a unique theme, table décor, and menu. Their creativity just amazes me each year. Some of my favorite table themes were:

"Superheroes" from Adam Bostwick at Cork & Cleaver

He even constructed skyscrapers to surround the table, and sent each guest home with a superhero lunchbox filled with goodies.

Toast's "Country/Farm" theme from Jennifer Plank (they took home the title in our Vitamix Chef's Competition).

The jean pockets won over the judges. Their attention to detail carried the theme throughout the whole table and staff attire.

Chef Anna's (Good to Go Café/Anna in the Raw) "Garden of Eden" had her guests dining under a twinkling tent.

Last, but certainly not least, I loved Chef Jeff Jarrett's (AMP 150) strategic theme of a "Race Track", since his table sponsor was Penske Automotive and Honda.

Every single one of the tables were gorgeous, and thoughtful. However, the chefs really shine when it comes to the food. Guests enjoyed a five-course, wine-paired meal from their chef. I heard nothing but rave reviews. I was even able to sneak a couple of bites once the event concluded. Thanks, Jeff, Adam, and John!

With the help from my participating chefs, our guests, volunteers, and my planning committee...we were able to raise $68,400 for the American Liver Foundation. That beats our $59,000 total from last year! A lot of work goes into this event, but it's totally worth it when everyone enjoys themselves and we raise critical funds and awareness for the organization.

Now, sleep.

Recipe: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower

"R" and I recently made this recipe to accompany a "skinny" meatloaf. The addition of cauliflower really lightened up the texture and flavor of the mashed potatoes. Maybe a great way to hide some vegetables for your children too?

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower (makes 3 cups, total time = 45 minutes)

Boil:
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
1/2 lb. cauliflower florets
4 garlic cloves, peeled

Mash With; Garnish With:
1/3 cup buttermilk or 2% milk; warmed
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
salt, white pepper, ground nutmeg to taste
chopped fresh chives

Boil Potatoes, cauliflower, and garlic in a pot of salted water until tender when pierced with a knife. 15-20 minutes.
Drain, return vegetables to the pot, and cook over medium heat until excess water is evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute.
Mash vegetables with warm buttermilk and butter using a hand mixer on low speed until smooth.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Garnish with chives before serving.

We served this side dish with a Mushroom Sherry Sauce. This sauce would be great on beef as well.

Mushroom Sherry Sauce (makes 1 cup, total time = 25 minutes)

Fry; Add and Sauté:
1 strip thick-sliced bacon, diced
3 cups mixed mushrooms, halved or quartered (5.5 oz.)
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons tomato paste

Deglaze With; Add and Simmer:
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup chicken broth

Finish With:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and return pan with drippings to the burner. Add mushrooms and shallots, and sauté until mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
Deglaze with sherry and simmer until evaporated. Gradually add broth, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Finish sauce with reserved bacon, butter, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

This recipe is from the February 2008 issue of Cuisine at Home magazine.

Recipe: Skinny Meatloaf

Funny story about this recipe. It's one of the first things that I remember "R" cooking for me when we started dating over six years ago. I was visiting from NY, we were having a romantic evening at his house, and it turned out to be a very memorable night...in not a good way.

I have an irrational fear of raw meat. I've actually never touched it before, like ever. I won't even pick up a package of raw meat at the grocery store. That night was as close as I have ever come to having raw meat touch my skin directly. "R" was whipping up dinner, and as he was combining all of the ground meat and other ingredients for the meatloaf, he somehow cut his finger (we're fuzzy on how). He was bleeding, and didn't have any Band-Aids. He said to me "You're going to have to finish this for me." This was my worst nightmare. I asked "Do you have plastic gloves?" The answer was no, and I started to panic. The ending to the story is that we had to take plastic wrap and wrap up each finger, palm, and up to my elbows for me to be able to mash the meat and other ingredients together in that bowl. My fear runs so deep that I half-considered allowing him to keep going even though he was bleeding from one finger. It is a night that I'll never forget, and that we laugh about now. Odd, but we hadn't made this recipe since that night....

It was time for its return, because it is a darn good light meatloaf.

Skinny Meatloaf with sweet and sour ketchup sauce (makes twelve 3/4" thick slices, total time = 1.5 hours)

Combine:
1/2 lb. ground sirloin (85% lean)
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup onion, grated
2 egg whites
3 tablespoon 2% or skim milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Stir Together; Top Meatloaf With:
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, coat broiler pan with nonstick spray.
Combine ground meats, crumbs, parsley, onion, egg whites, milk, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a bowl, using your hands to mix.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, shaping it into a 9"x5" loaf.

Stir ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar together in a bowl, then spoon on top of the meatloaf.
Bake until meatloaf reaches 160 degrees (about one hour).
Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.

We served the meatloaf with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower with a Mushroom Sherry Sauce. More on that later!

These recipes were taken from the February 2008 issue of Cuisine at Home.

Luckily, this time, there was no bleeding and no need for me to take over. I happily just assisted with the non-meat ingredients.

YP Pantry 1 Year Anniversary Peanut Butter Party!

The Cleveland Foodbank is an organization that I believe in, and support in any way that I can. I enjoyed working there for three years, and then have continued to be involved with the organization after my career took me elsewhere. Their mission is something that really deserves the time, money, and effort of our community. Food is such a basic need, and one that many of us take for granted. For every $1 donated to the Cleveland Foodbank, they provide enough food for four nutritious meals in a local hunger center.

About a year ago, I joined their YP Council for the newly formed young professionals group--- called the YP Pantry. The YP Pantry provides opportunities for young professionals to learn about the Cleveland Foodbank and its mission, participate in volunteer experiences, and network. Well, the group is now celebrating its one year anniversary--- with a social hour and peanut butter party!

Join YP Pantry as we celebrate our first anniversary at The Woods on Thursday, September 19th from 5:30PM - 7:30PM!

It's Peanut Butter & Jelly time: As children get back into the swing of school, we will be collecting peanut butter to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank. As a great source of protein for growing kids, peanut butter is one of the "Super 6 Items" that is always in high demand at the Foodbank.

Donate two jars of peanut butter to receive a complimentary drink ticket good for house wine, draft beer, or well liquor. Don't have peanut butter? A $10 cash donation will also get you a drink ticket.

Enjoy discounted drinks and appetizers during happy hour until 6:30PM, as well as live acoustic guitar entertainment. Come out to meet other young professionals, learn about the YP Pantry and ways that you can get involved, and more.

RSVP for our 1st Anniversary Social at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/7892553841.

We're a Browns Town

Last Sunday kicked off the Browns tailgating season for us. I really don't care much for the sport, or attending the actual game. But, I adorn my Browns gear in the fall, enjoy myself tailgating, and then people-watch throughout most of the game. It's really the tailgate that I look forward to, and "R" always puts out quite a spread. He took on the role a long time ago as "host" for his friends, and my friends have joined us along the way. Now we've got a great group formed, and always some new faces at our tailgates as well.

After loyally tailgating in The Pit for years, we moved to the Dock 20 lot of The Port Authority last year. The Pit just took the fun out of it with their $5 charge for pedestrians, $30 price tag for parking, and strict rules about where to park and what you could do in the lot. We're much happier at the Dock 20 lot now. Gorgeous views of the city, water by our side, and more space to spread out our ever-growing group and festivities. We need room for giant Jenga and cornhole!

Although, it does get windier down there. I had to keep telling myself that it was "pepper" in my Bloody Mary.

We all must have been in a Bloody Mary mood, because several of us brought the makings. It turned out to be a pretty impressive Bloody Mary bar, and we had all kinds of fun things to add. I found my new tailgate drink of choice!

"R" made cheesesteak sandwiches for everyone, and friends brought all kinds of breakfast goodies, side dishes, and sweet treats. It was quite the spread, and way too much food. That's typical. But, we had a great time (despite the wind), and it kicked off another fun tailgating season.

Go Browns!

Do you tailgate? If so, where, and what do you love about it?

Foods That I Just Don't Like

I was inspired to document a list of the foods that I don't like. I was thinking about how my tastes have changed over the years, new likes and dislikes developed. I think we're all like that. So, I thought that this would be a fun post...


Used to Hate, but Now Adore:
- BBQ sauce
- Sour Cream
- Medium-rare Steak
- Jelly/Jam
- Stouts/Porters

Used to Like, but Now Hate:
- Sun-dried Tomatoes
- Roasted Red Peppers
- Chicken Breasts
- Rosemary
- Sweet White Wine

Used to Hate, Still Hate:
- Mayonnaise
- Soda
- Tonic Water
- Runny Egg Whites


What foods or beverages make your list?

Humble Wine Bar

I returned to the newly opened Humble Wine Bar in Lakewood for a bite to eat with a friend. It was nice to see the place busy on a Thursday night, and luckily we easily found parking spots in the lot behind the building and were seated right away.

My friend hadn't been there yet, and she was struck by the atmosphere and design. It makes quite an impression when you walk in. It was a gorgeous night, so the garage doors were open to the patio as well, and the late summer breeze felt great throughout the restaurant.

I had my mind made up before I even got there. Somehow, the Lardo pizza had alluded us during the Friends & Family Night. Everyone had raved about it, and I was determined to get it. I paired it with the Humble House Salad ($7).

Now, this salad pictures is sans goat cheese. After a couple of bites, I realized that it was missing and the kitchen quickly fixed their mistake. Apparently, it was their first day with this salad on the menu and they hadn't quite figured out how to plate it yet. I saw another one go by without goat cheese later. The dressing on it was simply amazing, very light and tangy. It's a perfect pairing with a carb-loaded pizza.

When I ordered the Lardo ($15), our server said "Do you know what Lardo is?" and then proceeded to check in on me after it arrived to see if I liked the pizza. There was a look on her face that doubted whether or not I was going to like the lard. Trust me, this isn't the craziest thing that I've eaten...I'm fine. Her reactions were a little odd. Maybe other diners have been put off by it? If so, their loss. This pizza was fantastic.

Two wins with the food.

I wish that I could say the same for the wine. My first glass was the White Blend, and it was terrible. It tasted like apple juice, and smelled like rotten apple juice. Of course, I choked it down, and then ordered a glass of their Riesling. Much better.

Deagan, the owner, addressed several Frequently Asked Questions on their Facebook page recently. One of those brought up the issue of sound. Apparently, there are plans in the works to install some sound-proofing elements into the restaurant. Boy, is it needed. The restaurant was busy, but not full, and I could barely hear my friend across the table. This restaurant has all of the elements for a great, relaxing night out, but I don't want to scream to be heard by my dining companions. Expect some changes on this front soon.

Other than the noise level, my first return visit was a success. Also, the leftover pizza reheated well and made for a great lunch the next day!

Have you been to Humble Wine Bar yet?

Humble Wine Bar
15400 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, OH 44107
(216) 767-5977

The Garlic Festival and Chefs Unbridled

What a crazy last three days! "R" and I have barely set foot at home, and it's been a whirlwind of fun events around town. It all kicked off on Saturday afternoon with a trip out to Shaker Square for the 2013 Cleveland Garlic Festival. "R" ditched me to prepare for Sunday's tailgate, so I snagged Michelle to be my date. You guys, I rode the RTA for the first time! We quickly ran into Crystal and Mark, and the four of us had a great time exploring the festival.

The weather looked a little ominous, but the rain held off and I really enjoyed my first time at this festival. There was more garlic than I knew what to do with, so many fabulous garlic products to try, kids activities, a parade, chalk art, food trucks (like the new Swenson's truck!), and all kinds of other vendors.

I picked up a delicious garlic tapenade, a small print of the Lake Erie Islands that I plan to frame and display at home, and some other fun goodies. We also walked away with a free garlic bulb to plant. Great, something else for me to kill. I'll cross my fingers that it lives. It'd be cool to have fresh garlic at home. This was my first time attending the annual festival, but it won't be my last. For just $8, it's an affordable and interesting way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Too bad that it's only once a year.

After a couple of hours at the Garlic Festival, I scooted home to change and grab "R" so that we could head out to Gates Mills for the Chefs Unbridled event to benefit the Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center. The evening was magical under a gorgeous tent with some of the prettiest lighting that I've ever seen at an event.

It got a little too hot early on under the tent, but the evening air started to cool down and it really was a great event. I saw familiar faces behind the chef tables, and enjoyed food from some of my Cleveland favorites like AMP 150, Hodge's, Driftwood Catering, Flour, and Anna in the Raw.

The event offered live music, auction items, horse-drawn carriage rides, and new event features like a microbrew and cupcake truck. The event was executed very well, and it was great to learn about a new-to-me charity while enjoying an elegant night out.

Well, this was just Saturday! Sunday brought us the Browns home opener, and last night "R" and I attended the annual Taste of the Browns to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank. It's been a busy last few days, but a whole lot of fun.

Disclosure: I was provided with media passes to the Cleveland Garlic Festival and Chefs Unbridled in exchange for blog posts prior to the events. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Recipe: Sriracha Deviled Eggs

I am a huge fan of deviled eggs. I'm not sure why, or what it is about them, but I love 'em. Apparently, it runs in the family. Another thing that I can blame on my dad. Over Labor Day weekend, my family decided to do "Appetizer Night" on Saturday, and everyone would contribute a shareable dish. We'd space them out and feast all night, while enjoying wine, laughs, and some quality time together.

This left me nervous and hesitant...what would I contribute? I'm really not joking when I say that I can't don't cook, and that I have a tendency to screw up even basic things in the kitchen. My dad was jokingly giving me a hard time (blah blah blah, where did we fail you?), and mentioned something about cooking eggs. I piped up and said "I can cook eggs! Geez." Immediately, my dad requested deviled eggs, and was inspired. I started to search my Pinterest boards. I could handle this. Thankfully, this recipe from I Can Cook That sounded great, so I set to it....

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Ingredients: (Shown below- I doubled the recipe.)
- 6 eggs, hard boiled and halved
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- The juice from 1/2 a lime
- The zest from 1/2 a lime
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water. To hard-boil the eggs, add 6 eggs to a large pasta pot. Cover with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes uncovered. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the iced water for 30 seconds and remove. To crack the eggs, roll back and forth on the counter and peel the shell off of the egg.
2. Halve the eggs.
3. Scoop out the yolks and transfer them to a bowl.
4. Use a fork to mash the yolks. Then add the mayo, Dijon, Sriracha, lime juice, zest, and cilantro to the yolks in the bowl.

5. Mix to combine, trying to work out any chunks that may remain (you want it as smooth as possible). Note: Taste-test and add more sriracha or lime juice to taste. I probably added 1 more tablespoon of sriracha and lime juice each. The photo above represents original recipe (doubled).
6. Add the mixture to a ziplock bag. If you have a pastry tip, feel free to use it. If not, just cut off one of the bag's corners and squeeze the mixture into each egg white. Note: I just used a small spoon and spooned it into the egg center carefully.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro (I didn't) and a sprinkle of paprika.

These were a huge hit, and a great kickoff to our Appetizers Night. I'm glad that I went first in the lineup, because some amazing and creative dishes came out that night. I have such a talented family in the kitchen---what happened to me?

With a nice hint of citrus and heat, without overpowering, these were proclaimed a "winner" and we all said that we'd make this recipe for deviled eggs again.

Do you have a go-to appetizer that you like to make for gatherings?

Cibreo Italian Kitchen Opening

On Wednesday, "R" and I were fortunate enough to be invited to the Media Preview dinner at Playhouse Square's newest addition- Cibreo Italian Kitchen.

It's the new restaurant in the fleet from the Driftwood Restaurant Group of Scott Kuhn and partner/chef Chris Hodgson, with a nod to Tuscany right in the heart of Downtown Cleveland.

With gorgeous stone work, deep tones, exposed beams, wine barrels, and more...diners will certainly feel transported to another area. The old Bricco space is barely recognizable, in a good way. The space is warm, inviting, and rustic...just like the food.

We were treated to a five-course meal from Executive Chef Erik Martinez, featuring some of their favorite dishes from the menu. We started with a Sausage, Porcini, and Bean Soup.

Even after the following four courses, this soup was ingrained in my memory and remained a top favorite of the meal. I want more.

The second course was one of their traditional Italian risottos- the Risotto Funghi with porcini, truffle, shiitake, and pecorino toscano.

It arrived piping hot in a gorgeous clay pot. Consider yourself warned- this picture doesn't do the serving size justice, and you should consider sharing this dish. For the $16 price tag, it's a steal, and could easily be paired with some smaller dishes to make a meal for two. While executed well, and full of deep wine flavor, this dish ended up being my least favorite of the meal. Personally, I didn't think that the flavors were developed enough, and unless you were biting right into a piece of mushroom, then the earthiness of the mushrooms didn't shine through. Maybe paired with a bright, light salad and I'd care for this more? It was just too heavy, too much, and too one-note for me. I'd love to try their lighter versions of risotto in the Asparagus or Cibreo Pesto dishes.

Next up, the pasta. What is a good Italian restaurant without decadent pasta? They hope to eventually be making their own pasta in-house. We sampled the Bolognese.

The pappardelle held up well to the veal, pork, and beef in the sauce. Perfectly portioned to have the right amount of sauce to pasta ratio. It was a crowd favorite, and it certainly sparked my interest enough to want to try some of their other pastas.

The last savory course was my favorite of the evening. We had the Pork Osso Buco with brown butter polenta, gremolata, and swiss chard.

This dish was so smart. All of the components just complimented the tender pork so well. I made sure that each bite included some polenta and a bit of swiss chard. The brightness of the gremolata and the buttermilk in the polenta helped offset the richness of the meat. I'd order this again in a heartbeat.

What better way to end an Italian meal than with Gelato?!

We sampled the Passion Fruit and Nutella flavors. I lied before I tried them, and said "I only want one bite of each." Upon trying some, I went back for more. It was so creamy and light! Luckily, Michelle didn't judge me because she had just added a small scoop of the Nutella one to her coffee. Genius idea, by the way.

What a wonderful addition to the growing area, and I encourage you to check it out once they open to the public on Monday, September 9th. They will be open for lunch and dinner, featuring some special deals and a private event space. Welcome, Cibreo! We're glad to have you.

Cibreo Italian Kitchen
1438 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-862-9212

Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Media Preview with a guest, and received a complimentary meal and two drinks. I chose to share this experience with you. All opinions posted are 100% my own.

Cleveland Bucket List

I've been thinking about a Cleveland Bucket List for a while now. What are the things that I want to do/see in Cleveland that I just haven't gotten around to before? So, here's my list...

Touristy
- Take a tour on Lolly the Trolley
- Tour the Observation Deck at Terminal Tower
- Tour the Steamship William G. Mather and USS Cod Submarine Memorial
- Tour the Christmas Story House
- Go on a lake cruise with the Goodtime III or Nautica Queen

Eats
- Have a famous corned beef sandwich from Slyman's Restaurant
- Go to the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square
- Get a Fresh Fork CSA
- Complete the full Tour de Bruell during the official time period
- Eat a polish boy from Hot Sauce Williams
- Go to the annual Reggae Brunch at Parkview Nite Club
- Eat some Lawson's chip dip from Circle K

Arts/Culture
- Attend a Cleveland Orchestra concert at Blossom
- Attend a show at the House of Blues
- Go to a Rockin' on the River Friday night show in Cuyahoga Falls
- Attend the annual Jump Back Ball
- Attend a concert at the Beachland Ballroom

With the Pup
- Attend the annual "Pucks and Paws" Lake Erie Monsters' game
- Attend a Puppypalooza game with the Cleveland Indians
- Attend the annual Spooky Pooch Parade in Lakewood for Halloween

Health/Fitness
- Go on a bicycle tour of Cleveland
- River tour with 41° North Coastal Kayak Adventures
- Learn to play golf in the Cleveland Metroparks

That should keep me busy for a while! What do you think of my list?

What would be on your "Cleveland Bucket List" that you must do?

Garlic Festival Winner

Thank you to everyone that entered the quick ticket giveaway for this weekend's Cleveland Garlic Festival. You do love your garlic.

Using random.org...the winner is...#11- ClevelandPoet. Congratulations! Email me to claim your prize.

If you didn't win, you can still purchase tickets online in advance or you can purchase passes at the event. The weather is looking good for the weekend, so squeezing in as many outdoor events before fall sets in is a must.

I'm looking forward to popping over to the Festival on Saturday afternoon. Tweet me at @BiteBuff if you'll be there around the same time! "R" is making me fly solo, since he has to prepare for our big Browns home opener tailgate the next morning.

Also, keep your eyes peeled (pun intended, garlic post...haha) for a fun Cleveland blog post tomorrow.

Cleveland Garlic Festival

I hope that you all enjoyed a great holiday weekend. "R" and I traveled up to NY to stay with my family. We packed in some time on the lake, an ATV trip with some gorgeous views, a bonfire, and some great eats. But, it's good to be home, and it's going to be a busy week in this household.

One event that's coming up on Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th is the 2013 Cleveland Garlic Festival in Shaker Square. With a preview brunch, live music, garlic cook-offs, chef demos, the Miss Garlic and Princess Fairy Court Parade, tons of kids activities, and more...this event is fun, family-friendly, and packed full of garlic. There is a very long list of vendors, and you can eat and shop your way through the Square.

There are one-day ($8) or two-day ($12) passes available for adults, seniors ($4 or $6), and children ages 3-12 ($2 or $3). You can purchase them online in advance here.

Or, you could win two adult passes! The generous event organizers have provided me with two tickets to give away to one lucky reader. It's going to be a quick giveaway, since the event is this weekend. You have until 5PM tomorrow to enter. Just leave me a comment below stating "I love garlic, send me!" I'll select a winner on Wednesday, using random.org.

I've always wanted to attend this event, but have missed it. My dad just shuddered. He has a strong hate/hate relationship with garlic. Good thing that I love it enough to eat it for both of us!

Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with two passes to give away, and two passes for myself to attend in exchange for this blog post and a post-event write-up. The image was provided by the Cleveland Garlic Festival. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

AMP 150 Special Dinners

I was recently invited to attend the AMP 150 Reunion Dinner, and as usual...these three chefs did not disappoint. The six-course meal was outstanding, and every time that we thought that we had a favorite dish, the next course topped it.

Something that did stand out to me was that my favorite course came from the current Executive Chef, Jeff Jarrett. While the restaurant had some talented hands in its creator and its first Executive Chef, it's Jeff that continues to shine.

He has a new toy in the kitchen, and we got a taste of what's to come from that...

Country Ham-wrapped Sous-vide Veal with local corn puree, chanterelle conserva, and a truffle demi.

We begged him to add it to the current AMP menu. Hopefully, he took the hint!

Jeff has always got something up his sleeve, and he shared some exciting plans with us that I hope to unveil soon.

Their special dinners and tasting events are truly where they shine, in my opinion. They have another one coming up: Friday, September 20th- Cocktail Dinner. A five-course meal paired with original infused cocktails from AMP 150. Tickets are $50 a person. The event will begin at 6:30PM. Make your reservation now by calling 216-706-8787.

Disclosure: I was provided with one ticket to the Reunion Dinner in exchange for pre-promotion. I chose to share this post with you on my own, as well as sharing the upcoming event information. All opinions stated are 100% my own.