But only one can take the grand prize: a spot on the bar’s next menu of specialty cocktails to debut later this year, Hernon said.

The Lorain cocktail bar’s annual Old Fashioned Invitational will take a more personal turn this year, Hernon said.

Speak of the Devil’s three in-house bartenders will compete against each other in a contest where the customer always is right, he said.

“We learned last year, the public wanted to try a bunch of them,” Hernon said. “We came up with the idea of, let’s do it in-house.

“The drink that wins will be on the next menu. That’s why it’s the people’s choice.”

Hernon spoke highly of his bartenders, each of whom have prepared their own spin on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail.

A flight of the three drinks will be available for $12 on the night of the contest, he said.

“They all come from very different places with their flavor profiles, things that they like,” Hernon said of the contestants. “I think you’re going to get three very, very distinct, different old fashions out of this, which is kind of cool.”

The bartenders

Wyatt Langer, 28, will compete for the menu spot with a drink he labeled as a different cocktail wearing the mask of an old fashioned.

While secretive about the exact ingredients he will use, he said he wanted to reverse engineer his favorite flavors with completely new ingredients.

“It’s unique, but it’s also heavily inspired by a drink I already kind of know and love,” Langer said. “I wanted to make something that had a similar flavor, but with completely different ingredients.

“In a lot of ways, it’s not really unique at all, but in other ways, it’s kind of completely different.”

Langer said his spin on the classic is going to be polarizing, but the hope is that more people love it than hate it.

Although risky, the flavor profile of the drink makes it a gamble he is willing to make, he said.

Noah Allen, 27, said he took a similar approach to the mixology process as Langer.

Taking inspiration from a different drink he once had, Allen said his version of the old fashioned speaks to his wider background as a bartender.

“This is the only place I’ve ever worked at in terms of a bar,” he said. “Before this, I was drinking 40 ounces and boxed wine.

“Because of that, my philosophy is basically just this bar’s (philosophy) because it was the only thing I was ever taught. A lot of times, we keep it very simple.”

Allen said he believes that limitation lead to creativity.

By working within the traditional framework of cocktails, he said he feels he has created a drink that completely is new.

“It will be fun, if you like strong drinks,” Allen said of the contest.

Jack Maple, 28, called his drink “nostalgic” for most people who grew up in the United States.

Using that nostalgia factor to guide the creation of the drink, Maple said his edition of the old fashioned feels comforting.

“Nostalgia would probably be the biggest factor in making it unique,” he said. “What I’m using is something that’s nostalgic to most people.

“I’ve been working in bars and restaurants since I was 14.”

While working on Kelleys Island, Maple transitioned to mixology and quickly landed at Speak of the Devil.

Maple said he and the Speak of the Devil staff constantly are working to help mixology newcomers feel more comfortable around cocktails.

The hope, he explained, is that his old fashioned is a good gateway to those willing to try new things.

There also is a chance, Hernon said, that the Old Fashioned Invitational’s current defending champion will be in town for the contest.

Bartender Brandon Muske from Maggie’s Farm Distillery in Pittsburgh may appear to either defend his title or present this year’s winner to the Speak of the Devil crowd, Hernon said.

The second annual Speak of the Devil Old Fashioned Invitational will take place Jan. 17.

Customer voting ends at 9 p.m., Hernon said.

Max Schaefer, executive director of Main Street Lorain, officially announced Jan. 7 that Lorain Cocktail Week will take place and about 10 restaurants and bars around the downtown area will participate.

This year will mark Main Street Lorain’s first attempt at hosting cocktail week, according to Schaefer, who has high hopes for the week-long event.

The original idea for Lorain Cocktail Week was to host a community event during the long winter months, he said.

“Our thought was, we wanted to bring some programming excitement, highlight our downtown in the winter months,” Schaefer said. “After talking to a number of our restaurants and bars, they had suggested more winter, cold weather events and programming.”

Schaefer said the event’s lineup is not quite set in stone just yet.

However, the central concept will allow Lorainites to sample a number of signature, limited-time cocktails, he said.

“We want to keep it simple and build that strong foundation,” Schaefer said of the event. “We’re asking each of our restaurants to create a signature cocktail that will only be offered for this one week.”

The special drinks could be a new creation, a modification on an old classic or a preview of a spring or summer menu mainstay.

Schaefer said reception from participating restaurants so far has been positive, as bars gear up for the event come February.

He added that Lorain businesses are eager to showcase their best drinks for customers.

“I think it also just highlights the vibrancy of the community,” Schaefer said. “It’s a program for residents (and) for visitors.

“We’re going to promote this out across Northeast Ohio and try to get as many folks into downtown Lorain to experience our businesses as possible.”

The event most likely will offer non alcoholic options, such as mocktails or espresso creations from local coffee shops, Schaefer said.

Kurt Hernon, co-owner of Lorain Cocktail Week participating bar Speak of the Devil, 201 W. Fifth St. in downtown Lorain, expressed his excitement for the event.

Coinciding with Speak of the Devil’s “Tiki Week” event in February, the bar will have a selection of premium signature cocktails ready for the cocktail week event.

“We’ve done (Tiki Week) since we opened, so we’ll feature one with Main Street, but we’ll probably have a menu of four new tiki cocktails just for that week alone,” Hernon said. “It’s cool to feature what people are doing, where they can get a drink, and hopefully, allow for some creativity.”

Lorain Cocktail Week will take place from Feb. 5-11.

The lineup of restaurants and bars will be available on the Main Street Lorain Facebook page as soon as it is finalized.

Most products are made from Vandergriff’s homemade chocolate.

“I try to make everything myself,” she said. “That’s why I’m trying to keep the (nostalgic) feel.”

According to Vandergriff, items made with the homemade chocolate include chocolate-covered pretzels, strawberries and Oreo cookies, and other sweets like dipped caramel apples, pies and cookies.

“Every time I think of something, I think, would I buy that? Would I want that for my grandkids? Would I give that to my friend?” she asked.

According to Vandergriff, one of her best-selling items is the candy bouquets, which feature an arrangement of different candies and chocolates, some even come with flowers.

“The candy bouquets are probably what I sell the most of,” she said. “They sell like crazy.”

Vandergriff said vendors in her shop usually are close friends or family, and items they offer all are homemade as well.

“Everything here is homemade — even the crafts are homemade,” she said.

After closing the bakery she owned two decades ago, also called Gammy’s, Vandergriff said she decided to open a new shop with a focus on chocolate, since that is what she took the most interest in throughout her career.

“I really missed it and I wanted to open just a chocolate shop because that’s what I loved doing the most,” she said. “Since I’m older, I’m just going to do what I love.”

With the help of her daughter, Shannon Trembly, Vandergriff said they make everything.

The artwork on the walls is because of Trembly’s hand for art, the mom said.

“She did all the artwork; she did all the characters on the windows,” Vandergriff said. “She’s very creative.”

As a small business in a small town, Vandergriff said reception from the community has been positive, especially with the help of Main Street Wellington’s Support Local Saturdays.

The event helps local businesses and organizations spread word of their goods and services or special upcoming event.

“It’s awesome; everyone is just so friendly, welcoming and supportive,” Vandergriff said. “They’re (Main Street Wellington) really great about keeping the small businesses going, so they always have something going on that you can get involved in.”

With her experience and techniques, Vandergriff said she helps keep the spirit of an old candy shop alive through her creations and often spends time at home researching new recipes and ideas.

“I never get bored; I could stay here all day and make chocolate,” she said. “There is a lot more I want to do.”

For store hours and more information, call 440-420-5907, visit gammyscandy.com or Gammy’s Country Cottage on Facebook.

On Jan. 6, the brewery staff finally put the finishing touches on the beloved establishment, as the building’s banner was replaced with a full suite of exterior signs.

The new sign outside the brewery has been in the works since the business’s inception in 2015, owner Chris Kambouris said.

While it might seem like a small change, Kambouris said the symbolism of the new sign holds profound meaning for him.

After more than a half decade, Kambouris said the Bascule Brewery finally feels like a permanent fixture in Lorain’s sprouting small business scene.

“It means a lot because we’ve managed to somehow scrape by for seven years without a sign,” Kambouris said. “We’re proud of our accomplishments and what we’ve managed to do.

“So, I can only imagine what finally having some visibility on this corner will do for us.”

Kambouris said he is “amazed” that so many Lorainites still have no idea his brewery even exists.

The new sign, he hopes, will help guide more potential customers to one of the city’s growing small businesses.

“I actually have to argue with people that we didn’t just open up two years ago,” Kambouris joked. “I see Lorain as a whole, you’re really starting to see a shift, and you’re certainly getting more of a buzz about it.

“I knew going into this business that it wasn’t going to happen overnight.”

The original idea for the brewery came from the concept of the European public house, more commonly known as the pub.

Kambouris said he wanted his business to be more than just a bar, but a place where people can socialize and make friends.

“The overall premise of Bascule Brewery was for it to be a public house,” he said. “We’re not just your hole in the wall bar; this is a much more open, inviting, social spot.

“You can think of us in terms of almost like a coffee shop.”

To help realize that vision of a public house, Kambouris and his staff have hosted a variety of events.

Since their grand reopening after being vandalized in 2022, the social hotspot has presented karaoke nights, weekend brunches and a number of other themed gatherings.

“There’s something about this place that people feel a certain connection to,” Kambouris said. “I can’t quite put my finger on it, but this place holds a certain (significance).

“It doesn’t feel like we’ve been here just for seven years. It feels like we’ve always existed.”

The business is on a two-week hiatus, Kambouris said.

The brewery will reopen on Jan. 16 featuring a newly-crafted beer known as “Control Alt Delete” to celebrate the bar’s hard reboot.

In the show’s first season, Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (recent Golden Globe winner Jeremy Allen White) returns to Chicago to run his late brother’s Italian beef sandwich shop. Although the show put less of a spotlight on the Chicago food staple in 2023, when its second season dropped and the story shifted to Carmy and crew working to open a fine-dining establishment, that’s when my YouTube feed started, well, feeding me videos about how to make Italian beef.

I watched. I was tantalized. I … decided it was a little more work than I was willing to do.

However, somewhere along the line, I learned of Au Jus in Parma.

Opened in late 2022 by partners Jacob Kelly and Tiffany Ballog, the shop promises on its website “Authentic Chicago Style Italian Beef,” so I put a visit on my to-do list. (Kelly told Cleveland Scene around that time that “The Bear” led to a much higher demand than he was expecting.)

The opportunity arrived on a Saturday afternoon in December, when I met my buddy Dave at Au Jus for what by design, if not necessity, would be a ridiculously large lunch.

I arrived early, and when I saw how small the place appeared to be from the outside, it added to my fears it was more of a to-go, less of an order-in operation. Fortunately, with time to kill, I wandered into a bar a very short walk down Broadview Road, Copper Penny. As I enjoyed an IPA with grapefruit notes — a far cry from the other beers on tap, all mass-produced pilsners — I found out the place allows patrons to bring in food and was pretty sure we’d be coming back there.

And, yes, Au Jus does have only a small area for customers, with a few counter seats sharing space with a flatscreen boasting the menu and the ordering counter. (The area was bright and clean, by the way.)

Dave and I looked over the menu, friendly employees answered a few questions, and we were off, starting with, of course, a Large Italian Beef with Cheese ($14) with added Spicy Giardiniera (90 cents), which is a must if you’re going to be taken seriously.

I also wanted to try the Cuban ($11), as I’m always on the lookout for a great take on the sandwich in Northeast Ohio.

Lastly, I told Dave to pick something, and, as I suspected he would, he chose the delicious-sounding Pressed Sicilian ($13.50), getting no objection from me and allowing me to ask to have the olives held.

Not that we would need more food, but I thought it would be worth trying the Fresh Cut Fries ($3.99), choosing the Roasted Garlic Aioli (65 cents) from the choice of dippers, along with ketchup. And mostly to get the second component for sandwich dipping, I threw in an order of Bread and Au Jus ($1.80), knowing we would not need more bread.

With our bagged feast, we headed back to Copper Penny, grabbing a table off to the side and ordering a couple of drinks at the bar. The friendly bartender, understanding we’d be splitting up sandwiches — and possibly knowing the nearby Au Jus doesn’t cut them in half, brought us out a small cutting board and a knife. (This certainly is not a review of Copper Penny, but high marks for that all the same, and she took our trash when we were done. All of it was appreciated.)

So, without any further au jus, er, ado, how was the food? In a word: fine.

I wish I could say these were next-level sandwiches, that, dear reader, you should make, say, a 30-minute drive to Au Jus because the sandwiches are THAT good, but I can’t.

Now, that’s a really high bar, probably an unfair one.

Plus, it’s certainly possible I had unrealistic Italian beef expectations thanks to “The Bear,” but I found the big, delightfully soft baguette dominated the sandwich. I would have liked a different bread-to-beef ratio. The beef was tender and flavorful, though, and I noticed a little kick from the giardiniera. And I was happy to have the au jus, as I dipped liberally and all but ignored the extra bread.

The Cuban, meanwhile, brings together shredded pork, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard, and I still haven’t met a version of that sandwich I didn’t at least somewhat enjoy.

As with the Cuban, the Sicilian is from the Pressed Sandwiches section of the menu, and I appreciated both were denser affairs than the Italian Beef. The Sicilian boasts ham, pepperoni, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, the mixed olives we held, capers, Italian dressing and lemon basil aioli. It pretty much was an Italian sub and was the least memorable of the three sandwiches. Again, though, no complaints.

Dave concurred with me that the Italian beef and Sicilian sandwiches boasted hot-and-fresh ingredients but that they simply weren’t as impressive as you’d hope. (He wisely took half the Cuban home without tasting it while we were hanging out.)

I love fresh-cut fries and Au Jus’ did meet those expectations. I would not steer you away from them — or that flavorful aioli.

Again, though, I don’t know that I could steer you to Au Jus, at least not on its own. Find yourself in the area and want to pick up something for a meal at home? By all means go for it.

And did I enjoy what turned out to be our little Au Jus-Copper Penny adventure? Immensely. Admittedly, though, I have trouble seeing many folks embracing that plan.

Then again, the third season of “The Bear” won’t be out for at least a few months, and a little Italian beef may help tide you over until then.

Reviews are based on one anonymous visit to a restaurant.

Au Jus

5875 Broadview Road Unit B

Parma

216-795-5063

Aujus-cle.com

Location: East side of Broadview Road, just north of Dawnwood Drive.

Type of restaurant: Take-out sandwich shop.

Hours: Noon to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Cuisine: Sandwiches and sides.

Vegetarian: Pressed Grilled Cheese and Mushroom and Swiss sandwiches.

Liquor and wine: No alcohol.

Online ordering: Through Toast.

Prices: Reasonable — sandwiches $10 to $17.50, $1 to $4.

Value: Good.

Ratings (of five):

Food: 3.5.

Atmosphere: 3.5.

Service: 4.

By the first week of January, I’m ready for a break from all the heavy, rich foods of the holiday season and find myself craving meals with light and clean flavors. Chicken soup fills the bill perfectly.

While most years I like to experiment with those flavors, this year I think I’ll stick to the classic version, with tender chicken and vegetables swimming in a thyme-scented broth. Instead, I’ll experiment with the technique.

Making chicken soup should be an easy task. Sauté onions, along with carrots and celery. Add a whole chicken and fresh or dried herbs and cover with water and simmer slowly until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the broth has sapped all the flavor out of the meat, bones and skin. It’s not a difficult process, but it does take a few hours to do it properly.

I was later than most to see the benefits of the Instant Pot, but over the past few years, I find myself reaching for it often to tackle things like making my own yogurt, or perfectly cooked rice at the push of a button. One of the things I think it does best, though, is broth.

Its pressure-cooking ability makes deeply flavorful, homemade broth a breeze. Why? The pressure cooker works by creating a sealed chamber, which allows steam to build as the contents are heated. As the steam builds, the pressure in the cooker increases. This pressure extracts flavor from the chicken and vegetables much more rapidly, and quickly converts collagen-rich connective tissue into gelatin, which gives the broth more body and a nice mouthfeel.

While I often use it just to make chicken broth, a lovely chicken noodle soup is also easy to achieve. The process is essentially the same, except I use a whole chicken for the soup to ensure lots of tender shreds of meat, instead of the chicken wings and backs I typically use for broth.

If I’m serving all the soup right away, I will cook the noodles with the broth in the Instant Pot. If I know I’ll have leftovers, I cook the noodles in a separate pot on the stove and store them separately from the soup. This avoids the inevitably mushy noodles, which happens when they continue to soak up broth as soup sits in the fridge.

So Happy New Year, and may the coming year be filled with joy — and soup.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 8.

Chicken soup is the perfect candidate for the Instant Pot because it extracts a lot of flavor from a whole chicken in a short amount of time. If you aren’t planning on serving all of the soup right away, cook the noodles according to their package directions, toss in a little oil and refrigerate separately from the soup. This will keep them from absorbing too much broth and getting mushy. From Meredith Deeds.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 8 c. water
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-in. thick
• 2 medium ribs celery, sliced 1/2-in. thick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric, optional
• 1 (3- to 4-lb.) chicken, or an equivalent mix of bone-in thighs, legs, or breast meat
• 6 oz. uncooked extra-wide egg noodles
• 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions

On 6-quart Instant Pot, select SAUTE; set to high. Heat oil in insert. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Select CANCEL.

Add in water, carrots, celery, bay leaf, soy sauce, salt, pepper and turmeric, scraping up any browned bits. Place the chicken, breast side up, in pot.

Secure lid; set pressure valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK; cook on high for 20 minutes. Select CANCEL. Let stand 15 minutes; set pressure valve to VENTING to quick-release any remaining pressure.

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Meanwhile, using a large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup. Discard bay leaf. Select SAUTE; set to high. Bring soup to boil, stir in noodles, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Select CANCEL. Stir in shredded chicken and parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

____

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds.

©2024 StarTribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

See my recent travel feature (bit.ly/new-orleans-travel-nh) for my take on that heritage.

The country’s most creative chefs are drawn to New Orleans, so unusual dishes and great restaurant dining abound. Mardi Gras, the annual carnival, has begun, with boundless revelry day into night, punctuated by parades that continue until Feb. 13. That is Fat Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent and the march toward Easter on March 31.

A highlight of my recent visit was a morning spent at the New Orleans School of Cooking, where lore and legends of the past were incorporated into classic recipes. Family-owned since 1980, the school offers classes in several teaching kitchens with a staff of 15 chefs. It was founded by Joe Cahn, who developed classes with Paul Prudhomme, the chef associated with the city’s Commander’s Palace and who put Cajun food on the map.

Spice mixes created by Cahn are available at nosoc.com, as well as from the retail culinary shop adjoining the school at 524 St. Louis St., at the edge of the French Quarter.

Among the ingredients available there is filé a powdered mixture of young sassafras leaves used to thicken and flavor gumbo and other typical dishes. To me, it’s a floral scent a bit like Juicy Fruit gum but with an earthy flavor similar to that of thyme and savory. Its use in New Orleans cooking came from the North American Indians. You will probably need to buy it online for authentic gumbo. At the school, filé was passed to those around the table for sprinkling on their bowls of gumbo.

Chef Cindy Miller told us that many dishes are prepared “au pif,” French slang for cooking by smell. (It’s pronounced “oh peef,”) An experienced cook employs the nose to determine if onions are caramelizing or burning, if sliced nuts browning in the oven are on the verge of burning, if it’s too late to save the bacon or if the oil is too hot for adding garlic.

“Au pif” well blended with patience is another key ingredient.

Although many of us have banned lard from our kitchens, it’s the preferred fat for creating a roux. A roux must be browned with constant stirring over heat before the vegetables are added to it for a proper gumbo. It takes a lot of stirring and some time to make a perfect roux —– the basis for gumbo.

Gumbo was a dish brought from Africa, and the word is derived from the West African “ki ngombo” for “okra.” West Africans used okra as a thickener in their version of the dish.

Pecans ripen in November in the South, and that’s the best time to make pralines, she said. They keep nicely for a few weeks when sealed in an airtight tin and make a great gift. Humidity is the enemy of making pralines, so making them on a cool and dry winter day is ideal.

Recipes

Jambalaya

(Makes 12 servings)

Ingredients

¼ cup oil

1-½ pounds smoked sausage, sliced

4 cups onions diced

2 cups celery, diced

2 cups green bell peppers,diced

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1-½ pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined

5 cups stock

3 heaping Tablespoons Joe’s Stuff seasoning

4 cups long grain rice

2 cups green onions, sliced

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat add oil and brown sausage.

Avoid stirring to allow the sausage to stick and brown in the pan.

Remove the sausage, leaving drippings in the pan.

Saute onions, celery, garlic and green bell pepper in drippings to tenderness desired.

Return sausage to pan then add the shrimp.

Add stock and Joe’s Stuff seasoning and bring to a boil. Add rice, stir together and return to boil.

Stir again and remove pot from heat and cover. Let rest for 25 minutes.

Remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely.Add green onions and serve.

Gumbo

(Makes 5 to 6 servings)

Ingredients

¼ pound lard

¼ cup flour

½ cup andouille sausage, sliced

1 cup onions, diced

½ cup celery, diced

¼ cup green pepper, diced

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1 cup chicken cut up or deboned

4 cups chicken stock

1 Tablespoon dried sliced garlic

Joe’s Stuff seasoning, to taste

½ cup green onions, sliced

Filé

Instructions

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt lard and and flour a little at a time, stirring constantly to make a roux.

Once nicely browned, stir in half the onions, celery and green bell pepper.

In a large pot, cook sausage over medium-high heat, allowing it to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once browned on both sides, add chicken and continue to cook.

Remove from the pot.

Add the remaining onions, celery and green bell peppers to the pot and saute.

Add garlic and cook until vegetables reach desired tenderness.

Return chicken and sausage to the pot.

Deglaze the pot with stock, scraping the bottom to remove anything stuck.

Add remaining stock and bring to a boil.

Once the stock comes to a boil, slowly add the roux to the pot.

Whisk constantly to incorporate the roux completely.

Once the roux is incorporated, allow the stock to return to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer and cook for an hour or more.

Add Joe’s Stuff and sliced garlic to taste.

Continue to simmer until you can’t wait any longer.

Serve gumbo over rice or without rice and accompanied by French bread.

Place filé on the table for individuals to add to their gumbo if they wish. one-fourth to one-half teaspoon per serving is recommended.

Pralines

(Makes up to 50 servings)

Ingredients

1-½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup milk

1-½ cup pecans (See below to roast them)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, mixing to achieve a “soft ball” stage. (A soft ball stage is reached when the mixture is 238 to 240 degrees and a small bit added to a cup of cold water forms into a soft ball.)

Remove from heat.

Stir constantly until the mixture becomes creamy and cloudy. Pecans should stay suspended in the mixture.

Spoon out spoonfuls on buttered parchment paper or waxed paper. When using waxed paper be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to what’s underneath.

Let cool.

To roast pecans before mixing, bake them on a sheet pan at 275 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant.

Cool.

May be stored in an airtight container for two weeks.

— Recipes courtesy of New Orleans School of Cooking

New Orleans School of Cooking

Where: 524 St Louis St.

Info: NOSOC.com

Classes: Available starting at about $40; Reservations are required.

Other stories from this trip: bit.ly/miss-river-cruise-nh, bit.ly/cruise-recipes-nh and bit.ly/hot-choc-24-nh.

The participating businesses, all members of The Valley Wine Group, are Grand River Cellars, Debonne Vineyards, Cask 307, South River Vineyard, Black Door Tavern and Red Eagle Distillery. The cost for the Trail treats is $7 at each stop. The event runs every day from noon to 5 p.m.

The businesses are open seven days per week — except for Cask 307 Winery, which is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays — allowing for patrons to visit on days they’re not so crowded. The destinations are no more than 10 minutes apart from one another.

Pick up your Trail Card at the first stop and turn it in by Feb. 9 to enter a drawing for the getaway. Each place has also developed at least one featured Winter Warmer drink that will be available for purchase.

Each winery offers two wine samples, while mini-cocktails are served at the Black Door Tavern and Red Eagle Distillery, which are next door to each other.

Here’s what you can expect:

Grand River Cellars Winery and Restaurant

Where: 5750 S. Madison Road, Madison

Info: 440-298-9838; grandrivercellars.com

Featured food: Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Featured Sangria: Winter Cranberry Sangria

Featured Cocktail: Snowflake Cocktail

Debonne Vineyards

Where: 7840 Doty Road, Madison

Info: 440-466-3485; debonne.com

Featured food: Cabbage Roll

Featured Sangria: Winter Rouge Sangria

Featured Cocktail: Mulled Blackberry Toddy

Cask 307

Where: 7259 Warner Road (Route 307), Madison

Info: 440-307-9586; cask307.com

Featured food: Homestyle Mac N Cheese

Featured Cocktail: Winter Margarita

South River Vineyard

Where: 6062 S. River Road, Geneva Township

Info: 440-466-6676; southrivervineyard.com

Featured food: Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownie

Red Eagle Distillery

Where: 6202 S. River Road. Geneva Township

Info: 440-466-6604; redeaglespirits.com

Featured food: Bourbon braised Swedish Meatballs

Included mini-cocktail: Apple Cider Punch

Featured Cocktail: Peppermint Cream Cocktail

Black Door Tavern

Where: 6202 S. River Road, Geneva Township

Info: 440-466-6604; blackdoortavern.com

Featured food: Sweet Potato Bourbon Bisque with Toasted Marshmallow

Included mini-cocktail: Cranberry Mule

Featured cocktail: Blood Orange Gin & Tonic

After over 30 years in business, Kathy’s Kolacke and Pastry Shop, now located at 19032 Old Detroit Road in Rocky River, is gaining national recognition.

According to Schriner, she entered a nationwide “greatest baker” contest in November.

The contest, hosted by pastry chef Buddy Valastro, more well known as the “Cake Boss,” conducts fan votes on bakeries across the country before crowning the one greatest baker.

Schriner, who now is on the verge of making the contest’s final five, said she is blown away by the support she has received.

“I’ve gotten a really good response on Facebook,” she said. “There’s really been a big response from all the communities around here.

“They just really want to see me get through.”

Schriner explained that she joined the contest on a whim and never expected to get past the first round.

Now, in the fifth round of online voting, she said she hopes to clear the competition’s final two obstacles.

“I saw it on my Instagram feed,” Schriner said. “I saw it from Bake From Scratch magazine.

“Everything we do in the bakery is from scratch, so I entered the contest. You have to be approved.”

The winner of the contest will receive a $10,000 cash prize, a personal meeting with Valastro and a feature on their signature pastry in Bake From Scratch magazine.

Should she take home the cash prize, Schriner said she wants to donate a part of her winnings to a local animal shelter.

The rest of the prize will be put toward a vacation, she said, as she hopes to visit family in San Diego, Calif.

“If anybody knows me or the bakery, they know that we’re dog-friendly,” Schriner said. “We even make our own dog treats up there, (and) people bring their dogs in.

“My dog is a rescue, and I just have so much passion for this. So, I think I’m going to donate some of it to City Dogs (in Cleveland).”

Schriner thanked the voters for getting her this far and hopes to keep going.

“It’s all up to the voters on Facebook, and you just have to get it out there,” she said. “A lot of people know me, and they know my bakery, so I think that helps a lot, too.”

Greatest Baker contest voters can support Schriner at greatestbaker.com.

Voting for the current round ends Jan. 4, she said.

Kathy’s Kolacke and Pastry Shop is on a winter break, Schriner said, but the business officially will reopen to the public Jan. 9.

Researchers looked at the diets of over 20,000 Americans and found that, on average, people consumed an additional 400 to 500 calories per day in snacks. Snacks contributed to about a meal’s worth of calories, or about 22% of daily calories, while providing little nutritional value. The study, which was published in PLOS Global Public Health, reported that snacks were mostly carbohydrate-rich and high-fat convenience foods, sweets, alcoholic beverages and sugar-sweetened drinks.

Healthful snacks can help manage appetite and keep energy levels stable during longer time periods between meals. Some individuals may need to rely on consuming snacks more often such as those who are trying to gain weight, manage blood sugar levels, athletes with higher energy needs and those who get full easily. Choose the right snacks and practice mindfulness snacking habits to reap the greatest benefit. Here are some smart snacking strategies to improve your snacking game:

Choose satisfying snacks

Choosing the wrong snacks can unintentionally make you even hungrier. Ideal snacks contain a combination of protein and fiber that stabilizes blood sugar, appetite and energy levels. Opt for snacks like apple slices and nut butter, whole grain crackers and cheese, a tortilla with turkey or guacamole or a hard-boiled egg with sliced veggies and hummus, for example. If you have some extra time, try making snacks that require a bit more prep time like tuna salad, steamed edamame or a protein shake.

Track your meals and snacks

To assess how your snacking is impacting your overall nutritional intake, consider tracking your food intake for a few days to a week in a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer or Lifesum. Take note of how your snacks stack up and what adjustments may be needed.

Create an eating schedule

Excess snacking can get in the way of eating right at meals. Create a meal and snack schedule that prioritizes balanced meals and helps avoid mindless snacking. Plan healthful snacks that fit within your daily nutrition needs.

Plan snacks for on-the-go

Bring healthy snacks and beverages for on-the-go. It’s easy to fall for unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks when away from home. Plan ahead by bringing smart snacks in the car so you are prepared when hunger strikes.

Make healthy snacking easy

Remember that your food environment affects your eating habits. If you keep cookies, chips and candy at an arm’s reach, you will be more likely to grab them when you get hungry. Instead, keep your healthy snacks ready and easily accessible at eye level in the refrigerator. Stock a bowl with fruit on the counter and place nutritious snacks like nuts, dried seaweed and freeze-dried fruit in the pantry.

Hydrate with less sugar

Sugary beverages like sweetened flavored coffee drinks, juice drinks and sugar-sweetened teas are fun treats, but are often loaded with sugar and calories. Stay hydrated with unsweetened and low sugar beverages like unsweetened tea and coffee, flavored sparkling water, fresh fruit and vegetable smoothies, coconut water and, of course, water.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.