Farms & Foods of Ohio

I confess right away that Linette and I are both from Ohio (she’s from SW Ohio and I’m from the Northeast) and we have a passion for the foods and way of life in America’s Midwest. However, my latest bookstore find, “Farms & Foods of Ohio,” published last year, applies to rural states throughout the United States, not just Ohio.

“Farms and Foods” is one of a series of books by Hippocrene Publishing that feature profiles of area family farms, vineyards, and chefs combined with recipes highlighting local produce and farm-raised products. Already published are similar books on the Garden State (New Jersey) and New Hampshire, and more are in the works.

For the Ohio book, author Marilou Suszko profiles wineries along Lake Erie, apple orchards and fruit farms in central Ohio, a garlic farm near Cincinnati, and a maple syrup producer in Southeast Ohio. Together, she talks about 47 small food farms and restaurants.

Interspersed with the profiles are recipes on how to use what the farm grows or raised and/or recipes from the restaurant. There’s “Onion and Apple Cider Soup,” “Ohio Ice Wine Zabaglione,” and “Spicy Edamame Dip,” using Ohio soybeans.

“Farms & Foods of Ohio” is a must-have for any Midwesterner who’s passionate about garden to table cooking and supporting independent farms. For those in other regions, it’s an enjoyable cookbook with lots of recipes for fresh ingredients.

^{(cover art courtesy of Hippocrene Books)}