To Consume and Be Consumed...

Considering this is a food blog, I don't really like to bring up much of my non-food life on it. My non-food life has been mostly about my upcoming wedding, and I find that nobody likes to hear about wedding minutia except... Other brides. So instead of dishing about how many loops are in my multi-tiered French bustle (it is just oh-so-LOVERLY by the way), I've mostly kept to myself in my spare time, and that means not really writing as much as I'd like.

I have been out and about in good ol' CLE however, and have had some culinary adventures along the way. The weather seems to have inconsistently gotten warmer, and April showers have brought May showers... But I've managed to get out and visit the Shaker Square Farmer's Market a couple of times.

On one visit, I discovered Blaze Gourmet. Their booth at the market is not to be missed. Dressed to the nines with flavorful hot sauces and salsas, there were many samples to be had. I tried the Dirty Taco Hot Sauce ($6.95 on the website) and the Mango Hot Sauce ($8.95). Both had a lot of flavor and didn't punch you in the mouth with vinegar and flavorless heat. The sauces have heat, but also a depth of character I can't say I've found in any other hot sauces I've tried. We ended up buying a Raspberry Chipotle salsa on the first trip, and the mango sauce on another. Both were well worth it (the salsa has been vanquished) and will undoubtedly purchased again.

More recently, the mango sauce ended up in an enchilada casserole that contained chicken, pineapple, black beans, cheese, and some of the wonderful ginger-tinged mango hot sauce from Blaze. The flavor profile was unique, and the meal will be made again. It was an incredibly easy dish that doesn't actually have a recipe - I had pineapple from the West Side Market left over from the previous weekend, and figured it might work in the enchiladas. I was correct! I had learned from a restaurant in Columbus that pineapple works VERY well in certain Mexican dishes.

I've also been to the West Side Market recently, to pick up things for an Italian submarine sandwich at my very favorite deli stand - Nonno Joe's. We usually pick up some sopressata, genoa salami, and some kind of shaved ham, and their prices are incredibly reasonable. The owners are always pleasant and kind, and that also keeps me coming back.

While waiting for our deli order, I spotted some margherita pepperoni in the case. It was a hard, dry-cured pepperoni that immediately piqued my curiosity. I wondered if it would curl and crisp up when sliced thinly on a pizza, and it totally does! The pepperoni is salty, but perfectly so. If you're used to the pre-sliced, softer pepperonis - this may be a little shock to your system. We use a pizza stone when baking, and buy the cheese and dough at Whole Foods. Lately I've been using the San Marzano tomato puree for sauce, with nothing else in it. Frankly, it doesn't need it. If I were to augment it in any way, I'd add some tomato paste to thicken it a bit.

Since this portion of the blog has an Italian flavor, I'd like to also show my love for the Murray Hill Neighborhood Market, on Murray Hill and Paul Rd. in Little Italy. The market has a bit of your day-to-day needs, but also has some exotic teas, oils and vinegars. I haven't sampled anything from the deli yet, but plan to as soon as the weather decides to clear up on a semi-permanent basis. They have a rotisserie, and seem to cook chicken and standing rib roasts. They also have freshly baked bread, soups, and pastries. The store owners and staff are amazingly friendly people who are genuinely passionate about their business, your satisfaction, and the beautiful neighborhood it is in. If you're in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by. As if you needed any additional incentive, they also carry Jeni's ice cream if you're not up for the trip to Chagrin Falls. I bet a pint of her Cherry Lambic sorbet would be just the thing for a sunny afternoon on the swings in Brush Park.

There are a lot of things on my horizon, one of them being the most significant event in my life (to date). There are also some new restaurant reviews, one of them hopefully posting sometime next week (Grovewood Tavern). There are also a lot of places I plan on visiting for the first time in the near future (Lolita and Table 45 to name a couple) and I'll be sure to tell you about them all!

This weekend is the Hessler Street Fair. Jeff and I didn't get to go last year because it was the weekend that he broke his hip, but I managed to get him some of the wonderful lemonade that always seems to be there. Even if drum circles and damning "the man" aren't your sort of thing, it's a great place for awesome street food, people-watching, and free hugs.

As if you didn't have enough to do already, there's also the Old Brooklyn Pedal for Prizes. Seeing as the Hessler Street Fair is all weekend, I'm sure time can be made for both. Pedal for Prizes is a great way to see Old Brooklyn and possibly win some really awesome prizes (check out the website, go go go!).

As a parting thought, I will tell you one more thing: Snowville Creamery's chocolate milk is AWESOME.

Dinner by Design Event Review (Part II): Getting Inked At Dinner

In my last post, I left you with a review of Adam Bostwick's intermezzo - a BRILLIANT lime gelatin wedge. Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm no stranger to getting inked... But thanks to Chef Ellis Cooley and Emerging Chefs, last Wednesday was the first time it's ever happened during dinner.

Course Four

Course four was titled "Black and White" and was comprised of bay scallops, farro, and squid ink. Before my full-on foray into the foodie world, squid ink was something I only saw on Iron Chef Japan - and even then it was something I was half intrigued, and half horrified about. Chef Cooley's scallops were sweet and cooked magnificently - they had a buttery, pillowy texture. The farro was toothsome and almost fun to eat, while the squid ink provided an indescribable (but pleasant!) briny-ness. I really liked this one and felt the portion was just right.

Course Five

By the fifth course I was blissed out on the wine pairings, while visions of spiced lime jellies wiggled in my head. Still, we carried on! This was a lamb loin with a cipollini soubise (a soubise is a thickened, bearnaise-style sauce made with onions and cream, sometimes potato), a spice brittle and fava beans. The soubise was my favorite part of this dish, to be honest! I could have eaten that with some mashed yukons and collapsed into a carb-induced coma. The brittle was also very good, and the lamb had a lot of great flavor. The loin seemed a little tough to me, but it was worth the extra effort in my opinion. It was cooked perfectly. I was not crazy about the fava beans, but that had nothing to do with Chef Cooley's take on them - I am just not a fan of favas. The favas added a strident, earthy and bitter flavor to the dish, which was complimentary to the rest of the plate.

Course Six

Would you eat a bacon cookie? Of course you would, especially if it was made by Amp 150's Chef Ellis Cooley. The sixth and final course is what I affectionately refer to as the pièce de résistance, a dessert so busy it almost needs a traffic cop. While we're on the topic of law enforcement, this was also so fun and decadent, it should be illegal (only not really). I ate this in an "around the world" style, trying to come back to everything more than once. Starting at the bottom right and moving clockwise, we have:

- A dark chocolate truffle with sour apple. This was a very simple treat, but lovely. The sour apple balanced perfectly with the chocolate. I tried my best to make this three bites.

- Dehydrated honey. This was honey, nothing more. The flavor once again evoked nostalgic memories, this time of being six, shoulder-tied sundresses and freckled shoulders in the summer breeze. I really loved this.

- Chocolate pannacotta with "fizzy" and a bacon cookie. The "fizzy" was a powder that reminded me of the Ramune soda flavored hard candies I used to buy at an Asian grocery in Columbus. The idea was to make the flavor like that of an egg cream. The bacon cookie was spectacular, I found myself wishing for another one. The flavor of this cookie would make Michael Symon blush, it was so good. It went perfectly with the pannacotta.

- Beet jelly with citric acid (To make it tart, like a Sour Patch Kid). This was really good, and initially hard to believe it was made of beet. After the second bite I could tell. I liked this, though it was very sour!!

- The middle was a chocolate foam, which was nice but not my favorite. It seemed to be the most subdued of all of the aspects of this dessert, but I believe this was probably the idea. It was nice to come back to, especially after the sour jelly!

The Dinner by Design event was truly a night never to be forgotten. The music was fantastic (I really loved the remix of "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and the atmosphere was charged with the curiosity and enthusiasm of of other foodies like myself. It was great to be a part of a group who may never meet again, but were for one night, kindred spirits in the name of good food.

Thank you for reading!

When Life Gives You Limes, You Cleanse Your Palate With Them (Part 1 of 2)

Emerging Chefs has hosted several events in Cleveland that feature many of Cleveland's greatest culinary marvels who expand the minds of the attendees and push the boundaries of creativity and innovation to create spectacular edibles. This is my review of their most recent event, Dinner by Design. I will be posting this in two parts.

My upcoming wedding has taken a lot of free time (and my sanity), so Dinner by Design was my first EC event. As Jeff and I rode the elevator to the top floor of what used to be the Tyler Elevator Company, neither of us really knew what to expect. Walking down the hallway, it felt like I was walking towards a room full of presents and all I wanted to do was find out what they were!

The dining area was transformed from a raw space in the historic building to something truly wonderful to behold - and the sights got even better as the sun went down, thanks to Rock The House and Event Source. Before long, it was time for two of Cleveland's culinary innovators to reclaim the transformed space and elevate the palates of about 100 lucky Clevelanders to a whole new level.

Adam Bostwick's Amuse consisted of bocconcini, tomato "leather", chorizo oil, spring pea paper/paste and micro arugula and mozzarella cheese. Accompanying the Amuse was a champagne cocktail made with lavender elixir and fresh lavender.

Amuse by Chef Adam Bostwick

The Amuse seemed like a playful take on a caprese salad. The tomato leather had a bold flavor, lending a bit of acidity and saltiness to the bocconcini. The portion size was quite generous (more than one bite, easily). I could see this being a small plate at a Mediterranean tapas restaurant.

Chef Ellis Cooley of Amp 150 Cleveland

Course One

Chef Ellis Cooley came out to greet the crowd and explain his first offering, a yellowtail and hamachi "crudo" with an apple/dill puree and celery juice "roe". Sesame was listed as a component on the menu, but it was quite subtle and went unnoticed by me. The fish was rolled and sliced thinly, and had a wonderful flavor. The dill/apple puree had a grassy flavor that I was extremely fond of. The "roe" appears on the plate with a dewy, green color. Its flavor reminded me of a rainstorm, cool and earthy. Both accompaniments complimented the raw fish, heart and soul.

Course Two

Our second course was a torchon (a method of cooking by which the foie is placed in a towel and poached - "torchon" is also French for towel!) of foie gras with ice and snow. The ice was a jelly made with ice wine and the "snow" was a powder made with the fat from the foie gras. This was accompanied by micro greens and a brioche funnel cake. The components were all great, but the magic happened when you put them all on the fork at once. Doing this resulted in a flavor that I can best describe as a savory ice cream cone, and that was a wonderful thing.

Course Three

The third course was a visually striking square bowl of pea and coconut soup with marshmallow (yes, marshmallow!) and carrot. This course was served just at sunset, hence the darker picture. When the sun went down, the room totally transformed.

View from my table

Reflection from the skylight

The soup was velvety in texture, and the accent of carrot puree added a subtle bitterness, while the marshmallow contributed some sweetness. Unfortunately, this is the only course I didn't finish. Halfway through the bowl, a man at my table asked everyone, "Does this taste burnt to you?". Perhaps it was the power of suggestion, but I did notice a scorched aftertaste. Intended or not, it was off-putting to me and once the marshmallow was gone, I stopped eating. I really want to give this course a second chance, perhaps in my own kitchen. The concept and design of the soup were both phenomenal.

Intermezzo by Chef Adam Bostwick

The intermezzo was one of the most inventive and brilliant things I've ever eaten. As the servers brought this out, I could only spy from a distance what appeared to be a slice of lime. I thought it was plausible, to cleanse your palate with a lime, but I had secretly hoped I didn't have to! It turns out the lime was actually a lime flavored agar agar gel in an actual lime peel. It was accented with agave nectar and jalapeño. This was meant to mimic a tequila shot. With the wine pairings, we definitely didn't need any more booze!

The initial flavor was lime with the pure, green flavor of a jalapeño pepper. Seconds later, the heat kicked in and put a slow, gentle burn in the back of your throat. This was a fantastic palate cleanser. Jeff remarked that he'd buy this if it was sold in stores (in a cup) or in a restaurant. I would agree with that!

This concludes the first part of my review. I've been so involved with wedding related activities (my shower and bachelorette parties were this past weekend) that I've had little time to write. I will post the second half of this review on Wednesday!

I was invited as a guest of Emerging Chefs to this event. The views and opinions in this post are my own.

Tuesday Night Recipe: Cuckoo for Cocoa-Rubbed Carnitas!

I joked to someone on Twitter that I'm trying to space out my blogs about L'Albatros because it seems like I post about them a lot. Maybe when I go to Lolita in a bit, that'll give me something to talk about that doesn't involve my love for what Chef Bruell does with a Bearnaise sauce and some frites. I digress.

I normally train after work for at least an hour, so it's nice to be able to rely on our slow-cooker at times. You could easily do this in the oven if you want, just be sure you're home to watch it or trust your oven!

You can eyeball a lot of this stuff, and adjust spices to taste or number of servings.

Cocoa-Rubbed Carnitas

3-4 pounds of pork shoulder, or "country style" ribs
1/4 c cocoa powder
3 T. cumin
1 T. smoked sea salt (regular is fine)
1 t. black pepper
1 T. chili powder
1 bay leaf
3 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1/2 sweet onion, sliced (optional)
Chicken broth/stock (enough to go up about 1" in the pan/pot). Water is okay.
1 lime cut up for garnish/finishing

Mix the spices together and rub over the shoulder roast or ribs. Place the meat in a slow cooker or dutch oven with a little olive oil and cooking liquid (water or broth). Toss in a bay leaf and three cloves of chopped garlic (Penzey's dehydrated garlic works well too. Smother the meat with onions (if you want). Put the slow cooker on low and cover. If you're doing this in the oven, cover the pot you're using and keep at a low temperature, around 250-300 degrees.

Using the oven requires a little more attention, and I don't have an exact cooking time. The last time I did this one in the oven I just cooked it for several hours until the house smelled amazing and the meat was falling apart. It's nice in a slow cooker because it requires zero maintenance.

When you're ready to serve, you can choose to remove the onions if you used them. There's also nothing wrong with keeping them in. If your roast has bones, be sure to remove them all before serving (do this while you're shredding the pork). Finish the carnitas with a quick squirt of lime juice. You can do this all at once or when you're just about to eat them. With an average sized roast, you will definitely have leftovers if you're only serving two or three people.

You can eat the carnitas in several ways. I personally had it on tortillas with Greek yogurt (in lieu of sour cream). You can put them on nachos, or just eat the carnitas by itself with some beans and rice on the side. If you're feeling particularly fancy, you can make some mole sauce to go with it. The recipe I used (below) makes enough mole to feed a small army, so you can half this recipe or just save it in your freezer for another festive night.

Mole

4 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 T. olive oil
1 c. finely chopped onion
3 T. chopped garlic
1 t. dried oregano (Ironically Greek works better than Mexican)
1 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
4 T. chili powder
3 T. all-purpose flour
2 T. honey

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over med.
2. Reduce the heat.
3. Add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon.
4. Cover and cook until onion is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
5. Mix in chili powder and flour, stir for 3 minutes.
6. Gradually whisk in chicken broth.
7. Increase heat to medium-high.
8. Boil until reduced, about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Whisk in cocoa powder and honey; season with salt and pepper, if desired.

You can substitute your favorite dark chocolate (2 oz.) for the cocoa powder. I would not suggest milk chocolate. If you want, you can also add a couple of tablespoons of your favorite fruit preserves to give this a different taste.

Home

Soon, the waves will once again crash upon the shores of Lake Erie. Over the Winter months, there are no breaking waves, no sunbathers, and no fully-clothed people chest deep in water, sweeping the floor of the lake with their metal detectors - only thick ice that groans with each passing ship in the distance. Cleveland is experiencing the first thaw of 2011.

With the thaw comes the reality that my wedding day is fast approaching. Thankfully I have not become a Bridezilla - as far as I know. I tried to make a bouquet entirely out of handmade cardstock pinwheels and it ended up looking like a crumpled ball of frustration. Fail. Okay, no big deal. I'm doing a lot of DIY stuff and am also super-excited to be working with Cleveland's own Terra Verde Soap Co. for our wedding favors.

As a foodie, I am far more concerned with what people will be eating than I am with the dresses of my Bridesmaids matching exactly. We had the chance to get a cake for a ridiculously low price and ended up choosing a well-known baker in Columbus whose buttercream icing tastes like it's made of happy little clouds.

After we attended a catered event on Friday, I began to fear the mediocrity of mass-produced food. Fortunately and unfortunately, the caterer is included in our reception venue, so it's not like we can bring anyone in. In all honesty, I have never been to a wedding where I was wowed by the food. The event on Friday had a significantly smaller guestlist than our wedding will have, but even then it still seemed that the caterer, given the financial and culinary limitations involved in cooking for a large number of people had seemed to go about their cooking half-heartedly. The Pad Thai had no heat to it, and an over-abundance of what I assume was paprika, for color(?). The spices within also seemed to be old. I envisioned an old tin Durkee box full of paprika from WWII. It tasted how a freshly sharpened #2 pencil smells. I am aware this is a completely bizarre comparison! I wonder if this is beyond the control of the caterer. It is, very obviously more expensive to use fresher and higher quality ingredients. Secondly, I suppose not everyone wants spicy Pad Thai. The rest of the dishes were not as bad, but suffered the same mediocrity. Perhaps I am actually a Foodzilla...

Because I have a limited budget due to a larger guestlist - am I doomed to the same characterless cuisine? Here's hoping the next Chef Mathlage/Symon/Bruell is hiding out at an obscure reception hall in Columbus Ohio!

There are a lot of people who feel this is a truly miserable place, and it breaks my heart to hear it. I also know that Cleveland probably is a miserable place for a lot of people, and I wish that those people could see the city through my eyes, or someone else's who absolutely adores this place for even just an afternoon. We have a lot of bright and talented people here, who could easily have taken their talents to someplace sunnier, someplace with less snow and more jobs - but they stayed, and many of us get to reap the benefits of that. I truly feel that in this way, I am very, very fortunate. This is not just limited to our restaurateurs.

Last week I hesitated on a plastic toboggan and contemplated the meaning of life for a moment as I sat atop a gigantic sled hill in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We went sledding at Kendall Hills two weeks in a row - the first week better than the last. As I climbed the hill again and again, my legs burned and the cold air stung my face. Jeff remarked that if we lived somewhere else, we wouldn't have this. Hills and snow aren't unique to Northeast Ohio or many other parts of the country this time of year, but he was right. If we moved away, we wouldn't have this park.

Whether we stay here or move elsewhere will be a very real decision to make for both of us in the next couple of years. Jeff is working toward his PhD and after its completion, it could mean our relocation. We will be starting a family before too much longer and have enjoyed asking each other things like, "Wouldn't it be nice to take our kids here?". I asked Jeff that after going to L'Albatros on Monday night. As I've said on here and on Twitter that the restaurant has become a local haunt for us. I hope that some, if not many places I/we love to frequent will still be around for years to come.

If you live in Cleveland, what places make it home for you? There are so many places for me that feel so familiar, like a favorite sweater. The first place that comes to mind for me is the West Side Market. I find such solace in its chaotic weekends, and can't wait to go again so I can bring home something good to eat. If you read this blog and don't live in Cleveland, what places make your home "home" to you?

Light Bistro: For Old Time's Sake (Auld Lang Syne)

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

Wikipedia tells me that Auld Lang Syne is a poem written in 1788 by Robert Burns, and that the title's literal translation is "old long since". Millions of people clumsily mumbled through the lyrics of the first verse or so last night at their respective strokes of midnight. The above is actually the fourth verse, one of many I didn't know existed until today.

Now, it hasn't really been all that long since I went to Light Bistro, but like just about anything we revisit and reminisce upon, it's because we have fond memories of it. Chef Matthew Mathlage created two prix fixe menus for New Year's Eve, one consisting of four courses and the other, seven. Wanting to be able to leave the restaurant under my own power, I opted for the four course menu, as did my date.


Course One
Foie Gras Mousse
Red wine Reduction, Diced Apple


Served as an amusé, this came with a tiny little pillow of puff pastry next to a bit of creamy foie gras mousse topped with what I thought of as "nonchalant" diced apples. The apple was mentioned in the menue, but was a complete and welcome surprise on the tongue. The texture of the apples was impossibly soft but not gummy at all. The reduction complimented the mousse and apple perfectly.


Course Two
Black Truffle Risotto
Braised Greens, Crispy Mushrooms

After having truffles for the very first time at Michaelangelos last month, I was very excited to see this as an option and resolved to get it before we'd even made our reservation. The risotto came with collard greens and oyster mushrooms. I enjoyed the truffle flavor and the greens were spot-on; but the stems of the oyster mushrooms were a little daunting. I passed my last mushroom onto my fiance for this reason. The rice itself was unfortunately not cooked all the way through. I finished the course because while the rice was undercooked, it was still put together well.

My dining cohort got the Gnocchi with Lamb Sausage and a Fennel Beurre Blanc. I was so jealous over his selection and so impressed, I tweeted about it the minute Dick Clark went off the air. The nice thing about dining out with someone you like or love is that it really ended up being seven courses after all - since we shared everything after the amusé. The gnocchi is probably on my list of all time favorite things I've ever eaten. I have said I will attempt to recreate the sauce with some of Cleveland's own Ohio City Pasta but I know it will pale in comparison to what I had last night!

Course Three
Braised Short Ribs
Thai flavors, Cilantro, Whipped Root Vegetables

This course was nostalgic to me, in a way. It was like Sunday dinner at home, but in high definition. The two pieces of short rib were tender and subtly Thai inspired. I mostly caught a cinnamon flavor. The jus and the whipped root vegetables were fantastic. The whipped veggies are not your mother's mashed potatoes; they've got a more distinctive flavor - one I don't know that I would have liked when I was eating Grandma's pot roast but I would like to think so!

Jeff had the Cider-Glazed Pork with Candied Yams. I liked his course, but liked mine better. Both entrees had a holiday feel to them, like something you'd have for old time's sake. I don't know if that was Chef Matt's intention, but we were quite impressed.


Course Four
Mini Chocolate Cake (Gâteaux)
Berry Compote, Whipped Cream

I am beginning to embrace my love of chocolate. Good chocolate, anyway - and this molten chocolate cake definitely falls into that category. The cake itself was placed on a cloud of whipped cream, and was topped with a strawberry compote. The compote itself tasted more like orange than strawberry and was a bit cloying. I put it to the side and enjoyed the rest of the dessert, however.

Jeff had the Apple Crisp and opted for vanilla ice cream. I love to bake apple crisps but don't really enjoy eating them. The puff pastry enveloped pillowy apples and a perfectly sweetened sauce. The scoop of ice cream perfectly complimented the rest of the flavors. This again was something that took me back to my childhood, I remembered the house filling with the smell of cooked apples and cinnamon crumb topping.

The restaurant was packed, and I think the kitchen was a little backed up as a result. Light Bistro has gone through some cosmetic changes and expansions, and I was very glad to see that business was good last night. It will always be one of my favorite restaurants, without question. Chef Matt had me at the Sweet Potato Ravioli back in 2008. While I secretly wished that would have stayed on the menu forever, their seasonally changing menu with locally-sourced (when possible) ingredients keeps me guessing, and will undoubtedly keep me coming back again and again.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give us a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Shifting Gears in the 216

Some people have referred to the group as "Terrorists on bicycles". During July's event, two riders were ticketed and threatened with jail time. The officer told the pair that he was "sick of this group".

Who are these people, exactly? Are they a rowdy bunch of rough, tough bikers with a penchant for terrorizing our fair city?

The "plague" sickening the law enforcement officials of Cleveland consists of bicyclists; and if the Critical Mass rides in June and July are any indication, they are strong in numbers - and I'm one of the many.

I commute to work by bicycle most every day. The HealthLine is slow, and I can't seem to go on a single bus ride where someone isn't dramatically pulled from the bus for freeloading, so I ride. As a commuting cyclist, I can attest to the dangers of Cleveland streets. In many areas, the roads resemble spent minefields, scattered with holes and large pieces of glass. The roads, combined with your average motorist can make even a 5-mile commute a truly horrifying ride.

On the last Friday of every month, Critical Mass Cleveland meets Downtown at Public Square at 6:00, shoving off at 6:30 for an uncharted and leisurely ride through Downtown and surrounding areas.

What's the point? In a way, it's social networking on two (more or less) wheels. We ride, we talk, and we end up at a bar. Sometimes, cake is involved. Another important purpose is to show people what it would be like with a significantly higher number of cyclists on the road. Yes, we're slower than your motorized vehicles but we also have every right to be on the roads.

We're here, we're geared... Get used to it!

The mood however, isn't so militant. Through the bicycle bells you will hear riders wishing onlookers and passers-by a "Happy Friday". If someone rides by on a bike in the opposite direction, Critical Mass riders will often clamor for that person to join in the fun. Sometimes, at least once in the ride - it works.

Riders of all skills and types are welcome. There is no charge to ride. The most important thing is to have fun, and make friends. Check out the Facebook page or the group's Twitter. I hope to see you there this coming Friday!