Chef Curtis Aikens will give a cooking demo at the Cleveland Clinic

Celebrity Chef Curtis Aikens will be at the Cleveland Clinic farmers' market tomorrow, July 29, to give a lunchtime cooking demonstration.
The chef from Georgia will be whipping up tasty dishes that can work into any healthy lifestyle, but that can also help people with diabetes maintain good blood sugar levels. Aikens, who has diabetes and who has lost family members to the disease, continues his love of food and his mission of improving health. Part of that, he believes, is learning to raise and eat fresh foods.
"I love farmers' markets," he said. "I'm a produce guy. I started in television giving folks tips on how to prepare fruits and vegetables."
Aikens is best known as host of The Food Network's, "Pick of the Day" cooking show. But, he also works as a diabetes educator for Novo Nordisk, a maker of insulin and other diabetes medications. He will lead a noon diabetes education program, "Diabetes 101: Staying Healthy," that will offer recipes, strategies and a cooking demonstration.
Aikens thinks there are no limits to the kinds of food that diabetics can enjoy, but that they need to employ some safe-eating strategies like portion control and exercise. His message is important in light of a national health trend. Once a relatively uncommon disease, diabetes has mushroomed into a health crisis. In 2012, nearly 10 percent of the population had diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Aikens said he has succeeded in losing weight after shifting his tastes from traditional southern-style food to a healthier diet. For his cooking demonstration, he will show how to make a sweet potato pie with less sugar and more sweet potato, and will lighten up macaroni and cheese with sauteed onions and mushrooms.
The Cleveland Clinic farmers' market takes place every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Crile Mall, between E. 100th and E. 96th St., south of Euclid Ave.

A "Taste of Summer" at Fire benefits Berea Animal Friends
Fire food and drink is offering a, "Taste of Summer" on Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m., to benefit Berea Animal Friends.
The dinner is being underwritten by the staff at Fire and the kitchen staff is volunteering its time so that the entire ticket price will be donated to one of Ohio's largest no-kill, no-time -limit animal shelters.
Live music will be provided by Brendan O'Malley from the band Honeybucket and friends. Wine pairings for each course are being donated by Vanguard Wines. Organic free-range chicken is provided by Blue Ribbon Meats.
The menu begins with a first course of grilled figs, manchego cheese and prosciutto on crostini and chili-lime marinated cucumber cups with pineapple. This will be followed by seafood ceviche and house-made corn tostada with charred eggplant and chorizo sausage. A tomato trio includes a gazpacho shooter, fresh tomato and queso fresco and fire-roasted cherry tomatoes stuffed with chilies, dates and rice. The fifth course is chicken Pipian with elotes and jicama-beet slaw. Dessert is mixed fresh fruit with whipped Mexican tequila-lime espuma. A vegan menu is available. The cost is $60 per person, plus tax and tip.  Seating is limited and payment is due upon reservation. Phone 216-921-3473.

Great Lakes, Bertman partner on Dortmunder-infused mustard

Two iconic Cleveland brands, Great Lakes Brewing Company and Bertman Original Ballpark Mustard, are launching a new beer-infused mustard beginning in August.
An all-natural product, Bertman Original Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager Beer Mustard is a collaborative recipe developed by Bertman's product development chef and tested among food retailers, food service professionals, shoppers, targeted focus groups and by the staff at Great Lakes Brewing Company's Ohio City brewpub.
Made with Great Lakes' award-winning flagship Dortmunder Gold Lager, the new beer mustard has a tangy kick and is perfect for cooking, dipping, or as a spread on any sandwich.
Great Lakes Brewing Company chefs frequently incorporate beer into their housemade dressings, sauces and soups, but partnering with Bertman provides a unique opportunity to produce an inventive beer-infused product on a larger scale. "As experts in the mustard industry, we've joined forces with Great Lakes to provide consumers a taste of the best flavors Cleveland has to offer," Bertman Media Manager Melissa Adell said.
Bertman Original Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager Beer Mustard is packaged in nine-ounce bottles, which will be available at Northeast Ohio retailers, in metropolitan markets through the state, and in the Great Lakes brewpub beginning on Aug. 10.

"Sips & Swigs" benefits the West Side Catholic Center

The second annual, "Sips & Swigs" event to benefit the West Side Catholic Center is July 25, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Ignatius High School's Kyle Field.
Sample beer flights from some of Ohio's favorite craft breweries served with food from the Boca Loca Burrito Factory food truck. Featured breweries include: Brew Kettle, Brick and Barrel Brewing Co., Great Black Swamp Brewing Co., Great Lakes Brewing Company, Lucky Star Brewery, Market Garden Brewery, Portside Distillery and Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.
Tickets are $60 and include unlimited drink tokens, food and a collectible glass. Non-tasting tickets are $25. Tickets may be purchased with a credit card at the gate. There is no on-site ATM.
The festivities include free music and dance performances from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a concert with BlueWater Chamber Orchestra featuring the Oblivion Project beginning at 7 p.m.
Take part in the cornhole tournament to score prizes and eternal greatness. Registration is $5 per person and $10 for a team. There will also be a Chinese raffle, photo booth and dunk tank.
Phone 216-631-4741 for information or visit www.wsccenter.org to reserve tickets.

Deschutes' Street Pub is set to pop up in Hingetown

Deschutes Brewery of Bend, OR, is bringing its Street Pub pop up block party to Cleveland on Aug. 1, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The 402-foot bar with 40 taps, crafted from reclaimed wood and steel from Oregon, will be in Hingetown, on 29th St. between Detroit and Clinton Ave. The Street Pub is a one-stop shop to try a lot of beers, from Reserve Series rarities  like The Abyss to year-round favorites like Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. The beers will be paired up with culinary creations from Deschutes Corporate Chef Jeff Usinowicz, Chef Nolan Konkoski of SOHO Kitchen and Bar and Chef Karen Small of Flying Fig. Live local music will be provided by the Spazmatics, These Knees, Tom Evancheck & The Old Money and Midnight Passenger. There will  be some fun bar games and prizes. Admission is free, but attendees pay for beer and food samples.
Proceeds from the event go to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, which provides the region with natural places that nourish and support vibrant and prosperous communities by identifying, preserving, restoring and maintaining essential assets like clean water, working farms, wildlife areas and parks.
This one-of-a-kind block party is, "crafted for community," and family friendly.
Following its Cleveland visit, the Deschutes Street Pub will travel to Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver and Sacramento.

Local restaurants participate in the annual Taste of River

The annual Taste of River will be held at the Don Umerley Civic Center in the heart of Rocky River on July 11, from noon to 3 p.m.
Part of the city's River Days, the free event welcomed more than 700 visitors last year.
The following restaurants will be participating by offering samples of their signature menu items. This year's vendors include: 100th Bomb Group, Bearden's, Bomba, Buffalo Wild Wings, Donato's Pizza, Ferris Steakhouse, Fresco Mexican Grill and Salsa Bar, Giant Eagle, Herb's Tavern, Mitchell's Ice Cream, Mooyah, Nature's Bin, Pearl of the Orient, River Dog Cafe, Salmon Dave's Pacific Grille, Thai Cravings Cafe and The Woods. Tickets are required for food samples, with each ticket worth a dollar.
The Don Umerley Civic Center is at 21016 Hilliard Rd. The Taste of River is sponsored by the Rocky River Chamber of Commerce.

A treat for you is a meal for them

The members of Cleveland Independents are asking you to help them feed the children of Northeast Ohio this summer.
With schools closed for the summer, so are school breakfast, lunch and backpack programs.
Purchase one cookie for $2.50 at one of the participating independent restaurants and you will feed one area school-aged child for a day. Purchase more than one cookie and you will help take a bigger bite out of childhood hunger in Northeast Ohio.
Cookies are being sold at these locations through July 9: Bistro 185, Blue Canyon, Bruno's Ristorante, Corky & Lenny's, Creekside Restaurant, Don's Pomeroy House, Fahrenheit, Felice, fire food and drink, Flying Fig, Grove Hill, Grovewood Tavern, Jammy Buggar's, Luna, Mama Roberto's, Marotta's, Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland Heights, Independence, Lakewood and Mentor, Moxie, the Restaurant, Nuevo Mod Mexican, Oak Grove Eatery, Pickwick & Frolic, Pearl of the Orient East, Players on Madison, Red, the Steakhouse in Beachwood and Cleveland, SASA, Tarragon, Tartine Bistro, Toast, Thyme2, Umami, The Willeyville and The Woods.
If you are not in the mood for a cookie, you can simply make a donation to the Cookies for Kids Campaign at www.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org/cookiesforkids.