Raise a toast to summer at Burning River Fest

Raise a toast to another great summer in Cleveland at the annual Burning River Fest, Aug. 28 and Aug. 29 at the historic Coast Guard Station on Whiskey Island.
Burning River Fest uses the Cleveland skyline and Lake Erie as the backdrop for two stages of live music, chef demos, food vendors and plenty of Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) beer.
This year's live music on both the main stage and acoustic stage includes These Knees, By Light We Loom, Cities & Coasts, Drunken Sunday and Brian Johnson, finalist from NBC's "The Voice."
Burning River Fest has teamed up with Edible Cleveland magazine to host chef demos each night in the rarely seen boathouse of the Coast Guard Station. Chefs will represent El Carnicero restaurant, Sterle's, Anna in the Raw and Great Lakes Brewing Company. Food will be available from vendors that source their ingredients locally. They include Umami Bites, Sauced Wood Fired Pizza, Mitchell's Ice Cream and The Beachcomber Truck. If you are thirsty, you can wash that food down with GLBC Oktoberfest, Burning River Pale Ale and the brand new Steady Rollin' Session IPA.
All proceeds from Burning River Fest go towards restoring the historic Coast Guard Station. What better way to save this architectural gem of Cleveland than by throwing a party there?
Pre-sale tickets are $15. Visit www.greatlakesbrewing.com. The festival runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. nightly. All pre-sale ticket holders are invited to join an all-levels yoga flow from Balance & Brews before the start of Burning River Fest each day.
Burning River Fest is sponsored by Alliance for the Great Lakes, the largest organization dedicated solely to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes. The Alliance works hand-in-hand with tens of thousands of volunteers, advocates and supporters around the region to pursue protective policies, advance on-the-ground action and educate our communities.

Kenko grand opening benefits UCI education programs

Kenko Sushi and Teriyaki is celebrating the grand opening of its new University Circle restaurant by donating 50 percent of its first-day sales to University Circle Inc.'s (UCI) education programs.
About 17,000 students and senior citizens are enrolled in UCI programs each year.
Kenko offers a build-your-own sushi bar and made-to-order Asian cuisine. The restaurant also carries several varieties of Kung Fu teas, including Taiwanese milk and bubble teas. The grand opening party on Saturday, Aug. 22, will feature a DJ from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., complimentary sake and Kung Fu tea tastings, and a raffle for a free iPad and gift cards. Kenko Sushi and Teriyaki is at 11312 Euclid Ave.

Dine on local food at a  lakeside barbecue dinner

Enjoy local food on the lake at a barbecue dinner to support a good cause.
Chefs Nate Fagnilli of Crosswinds Grille at the Lakehouse Inn, Chef Nate Rockwell of Briquettes Smokehouse, Chef Michael Lorah of Pairings Ohio Wine and Culinary Center and Chef John Senger of Bascule Bridge are preparing a local food dinner to celebrate the summer harvest of Ashtabula County. The menu will feature locally grown grass-fed beef burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and various side dishes.
The Sept. 1 dinner, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., takes place at Crosswinds Grille, 5653 Lake Rd. East in Geneva, and benefits the Ashtabula County Farmers Market and Ashtabula Local Food Council. Tickets are $20 per person and $35 per couple, and include dinner, dessert and local music by the Juke Joint. There will also be a silent auction. Visit www.ashtabulafood.org for ticket information, or phone 440-261-5112 for details.

Great Lakes Brewing hosts a "Burgers, Brews and Que" watch party

This Friday's episode of Chef Michael Symon's new Food Network series, "Burgers, Brews and Que" will feature Cleveland's Great Lakes Brewing Company, and the brewery is hosting a watch party to celebrate.
The Aug. 7 episode, entitled "Bring on the Bratwurst," begins with Chef Mario Batali inviting Symon to join him for his favorite late-night food indulgence at New York City's most classic burger joint. In Nashville, Symon learns all about what makes Dry Rubs the favorite Tennessee take on smoked barbecue. Finally, Symon visits one of his favorite hometown haunts where they pair Cleveland dishes like bratwurst and pierogi with house-made brews.
Great Lakes Brewing Company will have complimentary themed appetizers like bratwurst and pierogi for guests in the Beer Cellar, starting at around 10 p.m. on Friday. At 10:30 p.m., they will turn up the volume and raise a toast to Chef Symon. The party is free and open to the public.
Great Lakes Brewing Company is at 2516 Market Ave. in Ohio City. Phone 216-771-4404.

Ritz-Carlton rolls out the red carpet for GOP debate guests

The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland will roll out the red carpet this week as the city prepares to host the GOP Candidate Debate on Aug. 6.
The hotel will host a Thursday evening viewing party in the Lobby Lounge beginning at 6 p.m., featuring special amenities inspired by the red, white and blue.
Election-inspired cocktails will include The Candidate, created with Buckeye Vodka, and The Debate, made with Cutty Sark Scotch and honey-ginger tea. The drink creations will be supplemented by a variety of red, white and blue cocktails. Red, white and blue welcome drinks will be served to all guests checking in to the hotel on Aug. 5 or Aug. 6.
An express menu will focus on selections available in 20 minutes or less for time-pressed guests commuting between the hotel and the debate venue. The limited edition menu will include poutine, Swedish meatballs, fish and chips and beef Bourguignon.
Patriotically themed floral arrangements will be displayed throughout the hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland is at 1515 W. 3rd St., adjacent to the Quicken Loans Arena where the debate is being held.

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.