Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

The evening life of Harvest Moon is steadily growing and the timidity of the dinner crowd is giving way to a growing population of night owls.

A good glass of wine or a frosty draft beer is best complemented with either a hearty meal or a quality dessert. The dessert featured here, the Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake, would excellently complement a drink of some kind. Actually, a tall cold glass of Thirsty Dog Siberian Night is the bartender's recommendation.

Thirsty Dog Siberian Night

A fluffy slice of decadent chocolate cake covered with rich chocolate/peanut butter frosting and speckled with the sharp sweetness of peanut butter chips - this photograph says it all. It's a towering dessert of chocolate and peanut buttery goodness. The layer of thickly rich icing tucked in the middle of the fluffiness is to die for!

Now I warn you, it's pretty sweet, so perhaps it's best to split it between you and your sweetie. With darkly sweet frosting and PB chips both on top and inside the cake, it's sure to satiate your most stubborn sweet-tooth.

While this peanut butter and chocolate treat isn't available today, we may be able to convince Nathan to make it again if we get enough comments about it. Are you a fan of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake? Have you had a slice yourself?

~The Harvest Crier~

Drink Review: Conrad's Margarita

The other night, I dined out at a Mexican restaurant. After ordering a gigantic margarita, I decided that I needed to try out our local Harvest Moon's "Conrad's Margarita".

My immediate impression of the Conrad's was how, well, real it tasted. Gone was the sugary mixture of last night, and hello fresh! This crisp, Himalayan salt-rimmed cocktail is created with freshly squeezed lime juice, house-made simple syrup, Jose Cuervo's gold tequila from the Blue Agave plant, and a splash of Cointreau.

You can definitely tell when a margarita is hand-spun...and when it is poured out of a spicket. This is where it's at folks. Bienvenidos!

The Benefits of Juicing

You have undoubtedly seen photos of Harvest Moon staff members pouring a rich colorful blend of juiced fruits and veggies into a skinny glass or convenient to-go cup; you most likely know that their juicing machine is always available morning, noon, and night for their beloved customers, but do you know the benefits of juicing?

Consulting The Garden Herb Shop, they gave me these points to consider when pondering the question, does juicing really make a difference? The answer was a resounding yes, and here is some reasoning behind their answer:

1. Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables, which is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your bodies ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you, so you will receive most of the nutrition, rather than having it go down the toilet.

Consider it like an organic IV that puts the nutrients directly into your bloodstream. If your body is in dire need of nutrients, drinking juiced veggies is the best option.

2. Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner. If you are a carb type, you should eat one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight per day. Some people may find eating that many vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice.

Eating a plate of vegetables is much easier said than done, right? The way is made easy by juicing.

You can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet. Many people eat the same vegetable salads every day. This violates the principle of regular food rotation and increases your chance of developing an allergy to a certain food. But with juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally enjoy eating whole.

A person's approach to vegetables may be indicative of how health conscious they truly are. It is my opinion that the person who is truly health-conscious will, in part, gorge themselves on a broad variety of veggies. Peas, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, all kinds of beans, eggplants, cabbages, olives, onions, asparagus, artichokes, garlic, peppers, spinach, squashes, turnips, and anything else I forgot to mention. There is a great list of veggies out there with numerous nutritional benefits (including protein) that unfortunately get overlooked.

Do some research for yourself and give it a try. I implore you to also come into Harvest Moon and try a juice or two before you spend the money on a juicer (You can watch them juice it yourself!), and be sure to talk to The Garden Herb Shop folk about juicing as well. 

ABC News on juicing
Livestrong on juicing
NaturalNews on juicing

Until next time.

~The Harvest Crier~

Chai Tea

The weather outside has been kinder to us the past couple of weeks than it has been for the majority of the summer it seems. Now that the chilly months are faintly knocking on the door, you may be wondering what the GHS has to warm us up. Won't be long until we're wrapping ourselves up in bundles of scarves and hats and sweaters and the like. So what treat do we have to drink during the colder seasons?

Kelley pointed me to a shelf on her "wall de teas" in the herb shop. The shelf included these four types of chai tea on them:

~Rooibos Chai (rooibos, cinnamon, ginger bits, cloves, cardamom, fennel, aniseed)
~Green Tea Chai (green tea -Sencha -daarjeeling, cinnamon, ginger bits, cloves, cardamom, fennel, aniseed, almond flakes, rose petals, vanilla bits)
~Chai Black Tea (black tea, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cloves)
~Kama Sutra Chai (black tea, ginger, coriander,cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, rose petals, jasmine, lavender blossoms)

Come and check them out sometime soon. I strongly recommend, for the colder months especially, the comforting warmth of chai tea with organic honey and milk poured into it. On a cold winter's day, what else could you ask for?

~The Harvest Crier~

Cocktail of the Week: Stone Fruit Martini

One morning a couple of weeks ago, a gentleman came in for breakfast and ordered four Screwdrivers (vodka and orange juice). What resulted was a brainstorming session between our owner and the bartender to create an all-new breakfast cocktail menu! One of those creations is being featured as the "Cocktail of the Week".

It's called the Stone Fruit Martini - our own spin-off of the more commonly known "Seabreeze". A combination of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, cranberry juice, house made simple syrup, Cointreau, and OYO's Stone Fruit Vodka is mixed and nestled perfectly in a chilled martini glass.

The bartender sugared the rim, and after pouring the peachy-pink colored drink, she spritzed and torched a grapefruit peel right over the cocktail! Quite exciting! My first impression was that this is definitely a breakfast drink, or otherwise for anyone who really loves juice. Grapefruit and vodka are the prominent flavors. A cool and refreshing initial sip finishes with the bite of the vodka on the back of the tongue.

Speaking of the vodka, OYO's Stone Fruit Vodka is their newest addition to this Ohio-made line of specialty spirits. It packs a punch with Montmorency cherries, sweet peaches, apricots, almonds, hibiscus, Ohio's finest wildflower honey, and Ohio's soft red winter wheat - in short, it's definitely a treat worthy of coming in and trying a shot or two by itself!

Red Wines

Among the countless wines on the rack for sale at Harvest Moon, the cafe pours nine of those represented by Wine Trends. Tonight, I tasted each of the four red wines:

Mark West, Pinot Noir

California

A basic, red table wine, this Pinot Noir is simple and will go well with any food you might order at the cafe. It is a top-seller here as well for those who want to take a bottle home.

Montes, Malbec

Chile

This wine has a beautiful, rich color. It begins as a mouthful of berries and ends with a dry finish. Interestingly to note, Chilean wines are an up and coming surprise. Most Malbecs are made in Argentina, but Chile shares the Andes mountains that receive fresh air, crisp water, and fertile soil - resulting in a real treat. Goes well with meat. Try something new tonight!

Guenoc, Cabernet Sauvignon

California

My favorite taste of the evening, this Cabernet Sauvignon went down sweet and easily. It had a distinct, fruity scent, and caused my tongue to tingle with delight! Perfect with chocolate and meats.

Four Vines, Zinfandel

California

Wow! This red Zinfandel made me pucker for sure! As our bartender put it, the best and perhaps only word to describe it is "spicy". I couldn't agree more. If you're ready for an adventure, test it with chocolate and pretty much any food!

Drink Review: White Peach Sangria

Summer is still here, and Harvest Moon's new patio has been approved for alcohol consumption! Our summer cocktail menu, crafted by renowned mixologist, Chris Dehlavi, utilizes only freshly squeezed juices and house-made syrups, as well as beer, wine, and spirits that you won't find most other places. Think handcrafted, signature, unique, and totally natural - and those are the kind of cocktails that Harvest Moon delivers!

My first alcoholic beverage to review is the White Peach Sangria. Fruit-filled with a sunset-colored hue, this sangria is both beautiful and irresistible. The bartender combines Bacardi Rum with Cointreau (orange liqueur) and our New Age Mascato. She then squeezes in fresh orange juice and and Harvest Moon's house-made peach syrup (created in the kitchen from loose leaf peach tea straight out of the Garden Herb Shop). Seasonal fruit is muddled into a white wine glass and topped with ice, and you're well on your way to the Caribbean!

The initial flavor that will hit your tongue is the intense orange that both the Cointreau and and the fresh juice contribute. Then the satisfying bite of rum completes the sip. Come and try your own while it's still summer!

Foodview: Asparagus Flatbread Pizza

I love pizza! Nothing beats a good slice of oven toasted bread, a clobbering of flavorful seasonings and veggies, and a blanket of warm cheese melted over top of it all. Most certainly, a movie must happen simultaneously! Pizza + Couch + Movie = Awesome!

Of course, there is that knowledge that major chain pizza's have a tendency of being not good for you.  And oh the dilemma that betides you when you see cheese sizzling on top of a brick-oven toasted crust that has those pockets of air underneath the crunchy and soft dough. It's so delicious looking, but can your waistline take it? Why are the good tasting things commonly the worst things for you? If only there was someone who would provide the world with a healthy and equally delicious version of pizza! Won't somebody save us from this oppression?!

(climactic music)

Well, readers, Harvest Moon has answered such a call with their delicious selection of flatbread pizzas. Here is the list of choices:
The BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza,
The Truffled Mushroom Flatbread Pizza.
The Meatball Flatbread Pizza (made with bison meatballs that is),
and The Asparagus Flatbread Pizza, which I have just tried.

Here are my thoughts on the latter, The Asparagus Flatbread Pizza...

The highlight of the pizza, hence the name, is the asparagus on top, softened by the cooking process- but not like the stick of mush an overly-steamed asparagus becomes. Rather, the signature ingredient is warm with a little crunch. In addition to the asparagus are diagonally sliced green onions and chopped chunks of juicy red tomatoes, both putting a punch of fresh flavor into your bite. The veggies were patterned on top of the asparagus pesto spread over the thin, toasted bread. The crust is crisp and slightly darkened, which is how a pizza crust ought to be in my opinion, concluding each piece with a satisfying crunch at the end. And of course, to quite literally top it all off, there is a sprinkling of goat cheese crumbles as well as Parmesan cheese.

It's excellent as a meal for one, perhaps two, but it can also serve a party of people who want just a little something to go with their drinks. Now there's an idea! Or you can get two to go and have awesome pizzas while watching a film. :)

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Savory Scone

For months, dear readers, you may have seen photo after photo on the Facebook page of all different kinds of sweet scones. Savory scones, on the other hand, have been chilling out quietly at home not making an appearance at HM at all. Well recently, the kitchen has tried its hand at baking savory scones and I was able to sample one for myself. I haven't had many scones in my day, so I'm in no way a connoisseur of this triangular treat, but I'll give you my best recollection of it. Unfortunately, it was not gluten free, but I imagine that a gluten free option will be available soon. :)

It was appetizing just looking at it! I picked it up and took a bite of the acutely angled end. It had a warm, soft, and doughy texture, like the consistency of a dinner biscuit. The colorful flecks peppering the scone turned out to be tomato and basil and added a touch of herbal taste. For its many colors, I thought it was going to be loaded with huge pieces of veggies or something, but that wasn't the case. The colors serve more as a added touch of seasoning flavor, with the most evident on the palate being the soft dough.

I deem it an excellent breakfast bread. A heated up savory scone with your favorite cup of tea or a cold cup of milk is an idea highly recommended.

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap

This past week, after the flurry of blues and ribs fanatics subsided, the Harvest Moon kitchen staff busied themselves with lunch specials truly elating in their uniqueness. They've put aside their BBQ stained garments from last week (there were a few BBQ entrees in honor of the event) and rolled up creative sleeves to make some new inventions of esculent proportion. Feeling a little hungry and having a desire to write, I took a look around to see what could be blogged about. Moments before, I heard some elderly ladies raving about a lunch special: The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. They got it in a wrap, so I decided to follow suit and get mine in a wrap too, because remember... I hate salads.

There are four ways you feel after you eat a meal, in my opinion. Either you're wanting, you're satisfied, you're full, or you're stuffed. I would put this meal somewhere between me being satisfied and me being full. It'll be enough for some and more than enough for others. It seemed that so many ingredients were stuffed in and pouring out of the herb & veggie tortilla. In regards to flavor, aside from the warm white chicken breast and a kind of spring mix wrapped about the tender meat, the unique taste came from the house made Caesar dressing which had no small hint of garlic in it. While other seasonings were in the dressing which smothered the soft meat and lettuce, garlic was the main taste entering my mouth. A kind of cheese I couldn't identify was sprinkled throughout the wrap too, and it was impossible to not notice the green olive halves in the wrap as well. While my taste buds don't appreciate green olives, my personality does (if that makes any sense! I hear they're good for you). The wrap had these delicious house-made croutons in it, which gave the meal its satisfying crunch. Highly recommended.

With the Caesar dressing, a little bit went a long way flavor-wise, so be careful if you ask the chef for an extra helping of dressing. You don't want the guy clear on the other side of the cafe to know what you ate for lunch!

Adjectives for this special include but are not limited to: varied, green, seasoned, garlicky, tasteful, and healthy. It was like a hand salad, you know, a salad you can pick up and eat with your hands. :)

Well that's a wrap on this post (ba dum tss)! See you next time.

~The Harvest Crier~

Of Health and Hot Dogs

Have you ever heard someone make the statement that such and such a thing is bad for them, but they would eat it anyway? While I never said that hot dogs were bad for me out loud, I always thought it in my heart as I chowed down on one. As I began working for the Moon, as well as The Garden Herb Shop, I've become increasingly aware of the truth about food... including hot dogs: Danger, Will Robinson, danger!

Because I was told how bad the unnatural ingredients of some hot dog brands are (and you'll know an unnatural ingredient when you read one on the back), I turned my back on my old life of hot dog consumption completely. I went cold turkey and told someone that I would not touch a hot dog from that point on. It was a long, hard, trying, challenging couple of... days. Then someone told me about hot dog packages with a list of ingredients on the back that don't sound like Vulcan or Klingon (hot dog packages that don't have ingredients such as butylhydroquinone on them). They told me about Applegate and Hebrew National hot dogs.

Sold at The Garden Herb Shop

There's a number of articles out there that say a variety of things about our sizzling pink friends. Instead of linking said articles to this post, I'd rather explain to you, dear reader, my simple reasoning behind why I'm ultimately endorsing the hot dog brands at the bottom (aside from the fact that Hebrew National tastes good and Applegate tastes delicious!)

First,when it comes to controversial issues, there is usually an abundance of blog posts, articles, websites, books, and internet forums for both sides of the argument. With hot dogs there doesn't seem to be such a balance. The overall consensus is, "Hot dogs are bad for you." High sodium and harmful preservatives are two common cons to the good ol' frank.

Secondly, I asked myself a simple question: Would I rather eat (that means put into my very body) hot dogs that have Sodium Erythobate in them or not? I would rather go without the mystery ingredient personally. :)

Now, we know these hot dogs to be better than the average dog nutritionally, but what about taste? As I stated earlier, Applegate tastes amazing. Hebrew National is up there as well, but I recommend Applegate for your next cook out. I found out that The Garden Herb Shop sells Applegate, so for those of you who happen to live in the Downtown Canal Winchester area, that's another plus to switching over. :)

Applegate Hot Dogs
Hebrew National Hot Dogs

~The Harvest Crier~

Foodview: Watermelon Lemonade

Walking into the sanctuary of cool air conditioning at Harvest Moon, I escaped from the wrath of the early afternoon heat. Outside the sound of tents being pitched and vendors preparing for Blues & Ribs could be heard, but inside HM it was much more quiet and relaxed. I walked into the kitchen to see if there was anything picture-worthy going on. By happenstance, I happened upon the happening of our chef making watermelon lemonade! "Watermelon lemonade?" I thought, "I've got to try this!"

It was most certainly a mixed taste of watermelon and lemon. The lemon did a fine job of pepping up the drink, while the watermelon mellowed it out, giving it a good balance. Due to the color, my initial thought was that it would be rich in the flavor of watermelon, but while watermelon does have a flavor to it, it is called watermelon (92% water, as a matter of fact). Thus it gives the drink an overall refreshing feeling of being like a cool glass of water with a kick of flavor to it!

Refreshing, cool, colorful, well flavored, and quenching, I would behoove you to try one in today's heat.

Hey, has anyone ever noticed that melon and lemon have the same letters in them?

~The Harvest Crier~