Menu of Memory: Cincinnati's Table August 2022

menu of memory · cincinnati’s table · august 7, 2022 · the annex gallery

Artists and Communities Remaking the World Together

Wave Pool is a socially-engaged art center that acts as a conduit for community change through artist opportunities and support. Pairing communities’ knowledge of their needs with artists’ sense of possibility, Wave Pool provides a structure whereby contemporary art and artists can be integral contributors to the fabric and success of our city, country, and beyond, by helping us build relationships and collective knowledge around complex issues, centering the insights and experience of those most intimately affected.

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menu of memory · august 7, 2022 · the annex gallery Eli Meiners, The Littlefield Group

BBQ Squid .......................................................................... 4-5 Chef Andrew Huska , The Littlefield Lamb Kibbeh Tartare........................................................... 6-7 Chef Alessandro Urbisci, Branch

Polpettone ........................................................................... 8-9 Christopher Leitch, Artist Grandma Harley’s Devil’s Food Cake ............................... 10-11

Cincinnati’s Table Cincinnati’s Table is a series of dinners held in different

to know each other, to build friendships, and to

communities around the city. The series aims to bridge

highlight the neighborhood.

relationships within neighborhoods, including but not

After one very successful and delicious year of free

limited to helping immigrants connect with each other

community dinners that introduce and empower

and their new neighbors through shared meals. Each

immigrant home chefs from around the city, Welcome

meal has a theme introduced by an artist through an

are excited to continue and expand this program.

interactive artwork or installation. Meals are prepared

Cincinnati’s Table is brought to you by Wave Pool,

by an immigrant or refugee in order to start

funded by Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s Giving

conversations across many groups and to bridge

Circle. Stories and images about all of the chefs,

divides within our city.

artists, community partners, and events can be found on our blog.

It started in 2018 when The Welcome Project was

chosen as a partner organization for a pilot project entitled ‘Cincinnati’s Table,’ with United Way’s ‘The

The Welcome Project is a social enterprise that

Shift’ program. The Welcome Project organized one

empowers marginalized and at-risk refugees and

immigrants in Cincinnati by providing jobs, education,

meal per month for a year. The dinners were held in

and community. The Welcome Project is a project of

neighborhoods where immigrants and refugees have

Wave Pool. More information can be found at

settled. Welcome invited the local neighbors to be part

www.welcomecincinnati.org

of the meal, and this allowed everyone a chance to get

Wave Pool is a contemporary art fulfillment center where experimental art connects community and creates change. wavepoolgallery.org

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The Welcome Project empowers Cincinnati’s refugee and immigrant communities while connecting, assisting, and inspiring all through art and food.

Christopher Leitch offers warm acknowledgement and keen appreciation to: at Wavepool, Diane Fishbein, Board of Directors; Cal Cullen, Co-Founder and Executive Director; Erika NJ Allen, Interim Manager of The Welcome Project; Maria Seda-Reeder, Director of Exhibitions/Artist Support Initiatives; Elan Schwartz, Executive Assistant; Thi Tran, UC Fine Arts Co-opt; Muna Adhikari, Welcome Project Americorps Member. At The Annex Gallery, Jens G Rosenkrantz jr. For the chef’s photos: Asa Featherstone IV. Erin Billingsley for her astute visual guidance. Stuart Hinds because, really, he is the better cook. At The Littlefield Group, Eli Meiners, Chief Operating and Marketing Officer; Alessandro Urbisci, Executive Chef, Branch, Andrew Huska, Executive Chef, The Littlefield [pictured on following pages.]

Cincinnati’s Table & The Littlefield Group The Littlefield Group is a hospitality company based in

populations through art and food speaks to us not only

Cincinnati, Ohio, whose organization includes the

because they are using our native language - cooking!

Littlefield, Second Place, Branch, and Drop. The group

- but because of what they are saying with it. Many of

emerged from the Cincinnati arts community as a result

our team members have immigrant stories in their

of a shared love of fine food and bourbon. We have a

families, some only one generation away. For that

passion for adaptive reuse architecture, contemporary

reason we are thrilled to partner with Christopher

art, and supporting our community. All of which are an

Leitch and play a small part in exploring the way food

integral part of each of our drinking and dining

and culture have moved through, and improved, our

establishments.

city.

It’s that last part that brings us together with the Welcome Project and Cincinnati’s Table. Their work to empower Cincinnati’s refugee and immigrant

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Eli Meiners, The Littlefield Group

Ingredients

Whole squid Garlic Ginger Mirin Sake Soy Sauce

Eli Meiners Chief Operating & Marketing Officer of The Littlefield Group

My personal connection to food starts with my family.

My hippie conservationist parents put an emphasis on knowing where your food comes from and exploring cultures through food. Of equal importance

was and is joy and an attention to craft. My mom taught me at an early age that understanding how to make food that is as nourishing as it is tasty is one form of independence. To that end she made me start cooking for myself at

12. I cut my teeth on my favorite food at the time, fried chicken. Fast forward a couple decades and I have attempted to provide the same sense of independence and curiosity about food for my children. I have chosen to share

a dish that my oldest son and I made for his 18th birthday, BBQ squid. The most enjoyable part of this wasn’t even the finished dish but the experience of learning how to clean and break down the fresh squid.

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Meiners brings ten+ years of hospitality experience to this role. Previously he was Director of Museum Operations for 21c Museum Hotels, an organization that taught him genuine hospitality.

Prior, he was an Exhibit Designer for the Cincinnati Art Museum and taught at the U. of Cincinnati School of Architecture / Interior Design. He was Project Manager at Brashear Bolton Architects on award winning projects.

Meiners is degreed from the School of Architecture and Interior Design at the U. of C.’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

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Chef Andrew Huska, The Littlefield

Ingredients Ground Lamb Bulgur Wheat Minced Pickled Turnip

Andrew Huska

Cornichons

Executive Chef, The Littlefield

Nicoise Olives Crispy Shallot Chives Toum(Lebanese Garlic Sauce) Zaatar Pita Chips (Served Cold and Raw) When I was a little boy growing up in Cleveland, Ohio I had a lot of exposure to all

kinds of cultural foods. One stands out more than the rest: my Teta’s (greatGrandmothers) kibbeh. I've had all kinds of kibbeh over the years: baked, fried, stuffed and poorly made from a downtown food cart. But she would do something

that honestly gave me the creeps: she would eat it raw. As a kid I never understood the complexities and flavors the way I do now, as a cook. This dish is my fancy adaptation, dedicated to my teta. I hope this dish can even hold a flame to her

amazing cooking and reflect her talent and passion which still gives me drive to this day.

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Huska is known for blending his own Polish and Lebanese heritage with the thriving Eastern European food scene from his native Cleveland. The techniques learned in his fine dining experience, blended with his laid-back approach to the cuisine from his upbringing, have given him a knack for making accessible and inclusive food that doesn’t feel like a compromise.

Before coming to The Littlefield, Andrew worked under Chef Michael Symon at Lolita in Cleveland and locally with Chef Jackson Rouse at Bauer Farm Kitchen.

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Chef Alessandro Urbisci, Branch

Ingredients Polpettone Summer Caponata Golden Raisin Agrodolce

Alessandro Urbisci

Pine Nut Crumble

Executive Chef, Branch

This dish is a culmination of two of my favorite things I grew up eating.

On one hand, I was taught how to make polpette di olive from my nonna.

These are essentially small olive and beef meatballs. Crunchy castlevetrano olives are tossed with milk-soaked bread and seared ground beef, breaded and then fried. The aroma was amazing! I immediately became hooked.

On the other hand, my mom's caponata: a braised stew of sorts, consisting of

San Marzano tomatoes, tender eggplant and crispy toasted pine nuts. Usually it’s made as a side but quickly turned into my main dish! I grew up eating these two delicious meals,and I came up with this dish. Polpettone being the

larger cousin of the polpetta, think something akin to a meatloaf. This became the star of the dish with the caponata accompanying it with warm summer flavors of local squash and eggplant. Typically golden raisins are added in the

south of Italy. Instead this became an agrodolce, something sweet and tangy to be drizzled on top, followed by a smoky, crunchy finish with the pine nut crumble.

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Alessandro is a firstgeneration American whose parents come from the Abruzzo region of Italy.

He graduated from Cincinnati State’s Culinary Arts Program and sharpened his skills at fine dining establishments including Forno, Via Vite, and Zula. He’s well-known for his hand made pastas.

Urbisci’s is a familiar name in Cincinnati with experience in several notable kitchens. Most recently he served as Executive Chef at the Emery in Mariemont and before that at 20 Brix, Hunter Thomas’s wine bar and restaurant in historic Milford.

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Christopher Leitch, Artist

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Icing

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup

1/2 cup unsalted butter – 1 stick – cut into pieces

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

white sugar

Matie Harley Thomas, c. 1915

1 cup

boiling water – substitute coffee or espresso

3/4 stick

butter –cut into pieces

2 cups

white sugar

1/8 cup

boiling water – substitute coffee or espresso

2 cups

all-purpose flour

1/2 cup evaporated milk, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon

salt

1 teaspoon

1-1/2 tsp

baking soda (may substitute powder)

1/2 cup 2

soured milk – may substitute yogurt or buttermilk, room temperature eggs – room temperature, beaten

1 teaspoon

vanilla extract

vanilla extract

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa in a heavy sauce pot, over low heat. Pour over the hot water. Stir until sugar dissolves, then add milk. Stir constantly as it thickens. This may take 30 minutes or more. Do not rush this process. Stir CONSTANTLY and do not allow to bubble or scorch. Move away from heat for a moment if bubbles appear.

Pour water over butter and cocoa powder, stir until mixed, let come to room temperature.

As the icing thickens it will become a bit gooey. Watch it closely, once it starts to gather together as you stir, like a caramel, you are nearing the finish. Let it get thicker… thicker… then, when like a soft candy, remove from heat and add the vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour onto the center of the sheet cake and then pour around the sides and tilt back and forth for even coating. It will begin to set immediately, there is no “frosting” to be done.

Combine dry ingredients, stir to mix.

Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, stir to mix. Combine with cocoa mixture. Combine wet into dry ingredients, mix well.

Pour into greased/floured 9 x 12” metal pan. Shimmy pan to distribute evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes, somewhat less for rounds or cupcakes.

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Leave the cake in the pan. Cool completely before icing.

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Wait for icing to set / solidify before serving.

This is Grandma’s special occasion cake for birthdays

and celebrations. It is an old recipe, perhaps her mother’s, and it took us

some time to standardize what was meant by ‘a lump of butter’. It’s a rich, dense

cake that beautifully soaks up melting vanilla ice cream when they are

served together. Her flat cake pan had a sliding metal lid which was a

novelty for us – hers was the only one we knew about. The family

universally concurs that the corner pieces are best, where the icing pools into a

thick fudgy crust.

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Wave Pool and Christopher Leitch profusely thank

informative text and captions take viewers on a journey

Jens G. Rosenkrantz, Jr, owner and curator, for

back to the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

hosting this month’s Cincinnati’s Table dinner.

“The art of art Deco is what keeps me coming back. I

The gallery is located in the Annex Building of the Pendleton Art Center compound.

love the way architects worked

The annex is a 4,000 square foot

with artisans to bring a unique

gallery hosting timely and socially

style and message to each of their

relevant exhibitions of local and

buildings. I am drawn to these

international artists. Since 2017

details that give the buildings

they have hosted a popular

character. Through various

Cuban art exchange project.

photographic techniques including large format film, high-res digital

Currently showing: Art Deco Architecture of

capture, long telephoto lens and the use of drone

Cincinnati: Photographs by J. Miles Wolf. Wolf is

cameras, I have been able to capture unique views of

partnering with Cincinnati Preservation Association

these amazing buildings.”

(CPA) and FotoFocus to present more than 100 photographs of Cincinnati’s amazing Art Deco

The Annex Gallery 1310 Pendleton Street Cincinnati OH 45205 annexgallery.org

buildings. The large scale color photographic prints,

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J. Miles Wolf, 2022

“Cooking from Memory” is a 2022 community exhibit

For the project Leitch has installed a small companion

project at Wave Pool’s Welcome (M)Art storefront

exhibit, “Christopher Cooks from Memory.” Here he

gallery space. Visiting artist

has shared images and stories,

Christopher Leitch invites folks

and cookware, from his own

living in Cincinnati to share their

family’s food history and has

culturally-specific memories about

produced recipe cards to share

cooking and food in a brief story or

some longtime favorites.

drawing that he included in the

Leitch has produced this chapbook

installation “Where are we from?

to accompany Cincinnati’s Table

What do we eat?” The installation

as part of his Welcome exhibition

and events explore subtle and profound powers of engagement with food to translate and transmit

personal and public history, culture and identity, especially for people in new places.

project. Watercolor paints are supplied so that participants / readers may capture their memories of and reflections upon an evening of sharing food and stories.

christopherleitchstudio.net