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August 31, 2005

Bring a rarity to the Dilly Deli

Chuck and Robbie Warinner are hoping to round up the clientele for a possible-rare-special occasion. In fact, they want to be the top vote-getter in the country.

“We need your help - even if you’re not a bear aficionado - to bring a rare, very special beer to our taps in late September,” Chuck, who along with Robbie own the Dilly Deli in Mariemont, said.

The beer that the owners desparately want to bring to the Dilly Deli, ranked as the 43rd best beer seller in America (according to BeerAdvocate.com), is from Montreal, Canada, and is called Dieu de Ciel Péché Mortel. It is a nine percent Imperial Stout made with coffee and between the “heavenly morning pick-me-up flavor” with a rich, thick drowsy nightcap character.

“It is just too much pleasure all at once, which is why the brewer named it Péché Mortel, which is French for mortal sin,” Chuck said.

But here is where the owners need the help of their clientele: The Dieu de Ciel brewery in Montreal has developed a prestigious name in making beer, and their Péché Mortel regularly appears on Top 10 Beers world list. The beer is rare, with only 50 cases brewed at a time, and this at only three or maybe four times a year.

Earlier this year bottles were released for the first time in the United States and now, for the first time, six kegs of the beer are being released.

The importer, Shelton Brothers, is hosting an online vote to determine the six places these kegs will go.

“Presently, we are number seven (on the list). It's time to mobilize the troops,” Chuck said, kiddingly adding, “our honor is at stake, as well as our reputation ... God help us, we so desperately want to taste this stuff on draft.”

People can help bring a keg to the Dilly Deli by e-mailing their votes to contest@sheltonbrothers.com

Simply write “Péché Mortel keg for Dilly Deli” on the subject line. The compete voting rules are online at ww.sheltonbrothers.com as well as links to more information about the beer.

Posted by johnston at 02:26 PM

August 23, 2005

Authentic toppers and other cheese stuffs

Wine and cheese is one of life’s most popular couples.

What’s wine without a good cheese to compliment it? What is a delectable, hand-crafted cheese without a glass of your favorite wine?

The Dilly Deli, located 6818 Wooster Pike, is known for its wide selection of wine. It is also a connoisseur of fine cheeses. It recently just received its shipment of domestic and international cheeses that cheese-lovers won’t find just anywhere.

“This is real cheese, hand-crafted, that you won’t find at any supermarket. I buy it all myself and I know exactly what I am purchasing. I know how old it is,” Deli co-owner Robbie Warinner said.

What makes wine and cheese a great combination? According to Robbie, cheese is very similar to wine in its production. It requires conditioning, perfect temperature, the weather, the style of the worker ... and cheese also is impacted on the how the cows are cared for.

Some of the cheeses are carried year-round, but the season does dictate the selection to a degree.

“I stand behind everything I sell here. And I can recommend a good wine (or visa versa) with your purchase,” Robbie said.

Here are some of the exotic cheeses Robbie has for sale in the Dilly Deli, described in her own words:

Whitestone Cheeses from New Zealand. “I have talked to the Whitestone folks and they are going to co-sponsor a New Zealand wine and cheese tasting, so keep an eye out for this special event.”

In a few weeks there will be Rogue cheeses available from the Rogue Creamery in Oregon, which Robbie said are not only great with wine but also very tasty with beer.

Robbie has joined the American Cheese Society, which means more hand-crafted, hard-to-find, probably-wouldn’t-know-about-them-otherwise cheeses to the Dilly Deli. “Domestic farmstead/artisan cheeses are incredible, and a great value since the Euro is eating imports alive pricewise,” she said.

For bargain hunters, the deli has marked down a substantial amount of their stock, such as discontinued items and odds and ends, to make room for the new fall arrivals.

“If you love Lillian Tatum’s Wine Toppers, there are less than a dozen left and I am marking them down to cost - $10 bucks each. These are collectible, even more so since she’s gone through a divorce and remarried and is no longer making them,” Robbie said. “The only way to find authentic wine toppers is here.”

Shoppers should also try this cheeses, new to the Dilly Deli this year:

Jindi Triple Creme (Australia)
Jindi is one of Australia's leading producers of white mold cheeses. Since 1985 the "Jindivick" cheesemakers have been creating Farmhouse cheeses by hand, using the milk of cows that have grazed lush Jindivick pastures. This triple creme is enveloped in a velvety bloom of white mould. The smooth interior paste has a butter-like flavor and a creamy rich flavor. Match the rich flavor with sparkling wines and fresh berries. Robbie's Note: if you like St. Andre this is similar with much more depth and incredible texture.

Yarra Valley Persian Fetta (Australia)
Persian Fetta is a high moisture cheese that is lower in salt than most Mediterranean cheeses of this style. Marinating in virgin olive oil with herbs, garlic and spices, it becomes a silky-smooth savory treat. It has a fullness of flavor that blends well with the oil and herbs for use in salads and antipasto. It spreads nicely on crusty bread for an instant snack, or try it with fresh greens, drizzling some of the oil on top as a dressing. Serve with dry white wines.

Tarago River Cheese Company (Australia) Shades of Blue
This is a double creme, blue veined cheese with a creamy texture and mild but distinct flavor. Each wheel comes in wax coated after being cured for 8-10 weeks. The smoothness of the paste is subtle, buttery, blue-brie flavor pairs nicely with merlot wines, fresh seasonal fruits and crisp breads. Microbial rennets are used. Robbie's note: If you are a fan of Cambozola, this is a farmstead example that exhibits multiple layers of flavors not found in the good but mass produced Cambozola cheese.

Mahon D.O. Raw milk
This is a very distinct cheese, as it is both a seasonal farmhouse and artisanal production, it is somewhat younger and made from raw grass-fed cow's milk. From the Balearic island of Menorca, the dairy Hort de Sant Patrici hand produces this cheese with the highest standards for quality from centuries old methods. It has a fairly intense, slightly salty piquant flavor that intensifies as it ages, with a distance barnyard aroma. Robbie's note: D.O. cheeses are similar to wines with DO status as they must meet strict place production and cheesemaking methods.

Bingham Hill Harvest Moon
This beautiful cheese has extraordinary flavor and great craftsmanship. The wheel is made from raw cow's milk and casts an earthy reminiscence in every bite. The rusty rind and "harvest aroma" is a true indication that a full flavored cheese lies beneath. The cheese is tart, fruity and grassy, not unlike a farmhouse cheddar. Harvest moon can develop veins of blue from the rind, through its baron white paste. A prized possession! Robbie's note: We sold through two whole wheels of this cheese in less than two weeks. Two more have arrived!

Bingham Hill Poudre Puff
We have about three pieces left of this little gem. A jewel of the Rockies! Each bloomy puff gets its name from the scenic Cache la Poudre river that runs through Ft. Collins. Ripened for three weeks, each delicate mound develops a sweet, mushroomy, soft ripening elegance. Each is robed in a bloomy white mold rind and has the richness and smoothness of some of the worlds greatest cremes.

Carr Valley Cheese
Robbie's note: These are some of my favorite domestically produced farmstead cheeses. Unfortunately the company has yet to hear the plea from smaller retailers who can't get in a 12 pound wheel of cheese, no matter how extraordinary. You may have had some of the Mobay we had in from Carr Valley a few months ago. Fortunately there is one cheese that comes in smaller wheels, and though one of our most expensive selections, also one of the most exquisite:
Carr Valley Casa Bolo Melange could bowl you over. Created by cheese maker Sid Cook in LaValley Wisconsin, brings with it a "melange" of flavors. It is made with cow, goat and sheep's milk, hand molded into a sphere and coated with yellow wax. It is dense, very firm and expresses similarities to an aged Dutch cheese. By shaving thin slices from a cut surface and allowing the morsel to melt slowly in the mouth, a myriad of pleasing smooth, nutty and scotch flavors begin to burst forth. Casa Bolo melange would fit easily into many cheese or antipasto platters, adding both texture and compatible character.

For more information about the Dilly Deli, its cheeses, wines, beers, or menu specials, call 561-5233.

Posted by johnston at 11:33 AM

August 12, 2005

Tiny details make the biggest difference

It’s the little things that matter, and when renovating an old building it’s the tiny details that can make the most difference.

Spinnenweber Builder’s, Inc., is presently renovating the building located to the immediate right of the Mariemont Theatre, the location of the erstwhile Village Kitchen.

Residents and passers-by may have taken notice to the construction taking place to the old building; it is SBI’s vision to house an elegant and credible English eatery and pub in the building when renovations are complete.

Gutting the interior, adding a couple additions, hiring carpenters to build the ambience and throwing a couple coats of paint on the walls will definitely culminate in a fine building ... but it is the smallest details that will put the final and finest touch to the establishment.

For starters, there is a passage-way between the building and the Theatre that handcuffs the village square to the front and a parking lot in the rear. The bricks that line the passage are the original rouge blocks that were laid when the buildings were constructed near the village’s creation. Thus, walking back and forth through the passage is a literal walk on and around a fingerprint of Mariemont’s history.

While walking through the passage, if one is to look up, they would see rustic-looking handmade wooden support beams every several feet. The beams give the passage an old-fashioned aesthetic.

“Dan Spinnenweber and I have been collecting and salvaging old pieces of architecture for more than 40 years,” SBI General Manager Bonnie Malone said. “When we see something that looks like it would fit in the era of old English Mariemont, we grab it.”

Located in the front facade of the building is a glass canopy arched over the ingress/egress of the passage. Vivid colors are refracted by the sun’s light when it hits the leaded glass. The leaded glass has been collected over time from various other structures.

Also on the facade are numerous flower boxes decorated with handmade flowers designed and cut by the Spinnenwebers and Malones.

The lower half of the building has been glossed with terra cotta insets that were salvaged from an old building in Chicago prior to its being torn down.

Just this past year, Spinnenweber purchased a pair of old, heavy oak doors with iron hinges that stretch across the wooden surfaces.

“All these items we have been hoarding, some for more than four decades,” Malone said, adding now the working doors will be employed at both ends of the passage to form a front door and gate.

At night, the door and gate will be closed and locked after closing time.

Malone explained that in England, when patrons enter a pub there is usually a bar downstairs and a restaurant upstairs.

When the building is completed, patrons to the establishment will be able to climb a set of wide stairs leading to a spacious dining area. The patrons will dine while overlooking the village square through large divided light windows.

Work is being conducted on the building every day. When it is finished, however, people should keep in mind to look around and absorb the craftsmanship, for it all will be part of the experience.

Posted by johnston at 12:28 PM

A sift through The Top Drawer

Events like this only happen once in a blue moon.

Well, that is not entirely true, but this particular event is called, “Once in a Blue Moon”.

It is the upcoming trunk show hosted by The Top Drawer, Mariemont’s needlepoint art store, located 6880 Wooster Pike. The show will feature Sandra Gilmore’s artwork and canvasses. Gilmore is widely-popular for her detailed needlepoint work.

The trunk show will be Sept. 12 thru Oct. 3. Gilmore will be sending a plethora of her canvasses to The Top Drawer for display and for purchase.

But that is not all The Top Drawer has planned. Starting Saturday, Aug. 13 and running thru Aug. 20, the store will be having its summer sale.

All the canvasses throughout the shop – Christmas ornaments, belts, flannels, purses, stockings, rugs, brick covers, and an eclectic myriad of other styles – will be 20 percent to 75 percent off.

And, it is never too late to start thinking about Christmas.

Owner Sandy McKee is promoting the “2006 Ornament of the Month” project.

When complete, all participants will have completed the Nativity scene through canvass-work.

Interested people my purchase the six-month package, which includes the canvass, stitching, instructions and threads for Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the three wise men.

For people who purchase the 12-month package, they will also get (along with the prior six canvasses) an angel, elephant, drummer boy, cow, shepherd and camel.

For more information on any of these events, visit The Top Drawer or call 271-6691.

Posted by johnston at 11:54 AM

August 10, 2005

Under the skin of Eva's Esthetica

Enter Eva’s Esthetica and what visitors will notice first is how clean and sterile the Mariemont day spa looks and feels.

When exiting the day spa, they will notice how clean they look and feel.

And it is exactly that cleanliness and freshness people feel after a skin and nail treatment that Eva is exfoliating for.

“I wan to take make people happy. I want to take care of them. The skin is not only just about the look ... there is an atmosphere here for caring for each client,” Eva Kielcz, owner of the day spa, said. “The skin will want to come back here.”

Eva has 22 years business experience giving facial and skin treatments, make-up, manicures and pedicures, waxing and spa therapy treatments. She also gives massages - from full-body to partial-body to the basic foot massage.

“How you feel about yourself, inside and outside, is important,” Eva said. “That is why people come here - taking care of your skin and body makes you feel good.”

The day spa re-located to Mariemont eight years ago when the location at The Strand became available.

Approximately 10 years ago, Eva and her husband, Adam, were searching the Cincinnati area for a new location to move the day spa. The two of them had scoped out numerous communities when they stopped in Mariemont to treat themselves to some ice cream.

“We were eating ice cream and we both loved the look of the village,” she said.

They contacted Spinnenweber Builders, Inc., General Manager Bonnie Malone to inquire about moving the business into the village. Malone informed them it would be approximately two years before they could move into a vacancy at the newly renovated Strand building.

So, Doug and Eva waited two years.

“I told my husband that this (Mariemont) is the place ... this is it,” she said.

Since then, the day spa has attracted a large clientele that comes from all over to have their skin and nails primped and pampered.

The most rewarding aspect of the job to Eva is garnering the trust of her clients. She said her clients trust her ability to make them feel and look splendid.

But learning the techniques of massaging and giving skin treatments does not come easy.

Eva had to go to college to learn how to take care of peoples’ skin and learn how to operate a business. It take hours of incessant reading, working, going to seminars, acquiring new methods and trends, keeping open conversations with business colleagues and ensuring all her products and tools are up-to-date.

“You must go through the process of learning or you won’t grow; it is a fastidious learning venture for me,” she said.

Eva’s Esthetica also sells a myriad of products to help remedy skin problems or promote healthier skin growth, and before each product is placed on the shelves it is first used and experimented by Eva.

For more information regarding the day spa or to inquire about setting appointments, visit Eva’s Esthetica at 6824 Wooster Pike or call 527-4770.

Posted by johnston at 09:07 PM

August 04, 2005

A peek through the Needle's eye

Her clients know her as Heidi, and when she is altering a dress or article of clothing of theirs, they know it is in good hands.

Or as Heidi says, the “best” hands in Cincinnati.

Heidi, the owner of Heidi’s Needles & Threads, Inc., in Mariemont, not only is the consummate alterer of dresses, but she is an artisan of designing clothes and home decorating.

“We have the best clothing alteration in Cincinnati. I hear this from brides who have me alter their dresses and from their friends who come here after being told of my work,” Heidi said.

“We make dresses fit and look very good, and our prices are good, too.”

After receiving college degrees in both fashion design and interior design – then following them up with a masters degree – Heidi opened her business 27 years ago in Anderson Township.

But when the location opened at The Strand in the village eight years ago, she moved her operation and has been hemming, sewing, designing and teaching workshops to pass on her expertise and knowledge of French, Itallian and German styles ever since.

Upon entering the store, people will see an array of dresses designed and created by Heidi hanging throughout the front room.

And when she is not designing, she is teaching others how to make their own clothing.

“I teach students how to sew, design, work with patterns ... I love my job, and people who come in love what I do and what I teach,” Heidi said. “People trust me and my work.”

Heidi’s Needles & Threads, Inc., is located at 6822 Wooster Pike, behind the Mariemont Inn.

If interested in having a dress made or for home decorating, call 272-2211 to make an appointment.

If you want a dress - anything from wedding gowns, bridesmaids dresses or a casual article – altered, just stop in to the store between 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday thru Friday or 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Posted by johnston at 03:38 PM

August 03, 2005

Visit the National Exemplar, a true dining experience

The National Exemplar Restaurant, located in the historic Mariemont Inn, recently celebrated 22 years of great dining.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, the motto remains the same from day one - to serve good food with good service in a clean atmosphere.

Breakfast and lunch is offered daily from 7 a.m. - 2 p.m. According to Lisa Hopkins, the Exemplar goes to great strides to provide the freshest and highest quality foods available. A variety of omelettes, pancakes, breakfast skillets, sandwiches and salads in abundant portions are always a favorite. Dinner selections include steaks, fresh seafood, pastas, chicken, liver and veal dishes. Sandwiches and salads are also offered at dinner. Soups, dressings, sauces and many desserts are made in house.

“There are many fond memories for couples holding their wedding receptions at Mariemont Inn from the late twenties to the present,” Hopkins said, adding the intimate Elizabethan Room features two fireplaces with English Tudor surroundings.

Whether you want a casual or a special night out, a carry out when there is no time to cook or a private function, the Exemplar is more than happy to accommodate your needs with a personal touch.

The National Examplar is located 6800 Wooster Pike. For more information, call 271-2103.

Posted by johnston at 11:41 PM