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Calendar

Expanding Compassion Community food pantry plots move to much larger facility

News and Information from the City of Pickerington

News and Information from Violet Township

profile Pro Mod PolicemanMotorcycle racing career helps cop promote assistance program

what’s cookin’ Have Yourself a Merry LittleBreakfastHoliday breakfasts are a favorite for local families

inside December 2011/January 2012

p.12Find us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Read more online at www.pickeringtonmagazine.com!

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The Publisher welcomes contributions in the form of manuscripts, drawings, photographs or story ideas to consider for possible publication. Enclose a SASE with each submission or e-mail [email protected]. Publisher does not assume responsibility for loss or damage.

The appearance of advertising in Pickerington Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or service by the City of Pickerington.

Pickerington Magazine is published in June, August, October, December, February and April. Subscriptions are free for households within the city limits of Pickerington, Ohio. For advertising information or bulk purchases, e-mail Molly Pensyl at [email protected].

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Pickerington Magazine is a registered trademark of The Publishing Group Ltd. Printed in the U.S.A.

The Publishing Group Ltd. also publishes:

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Dublin Life Magazinewww.DublinLifeMagazine.com

Westerville Magazinewww.WestervilleMagazine.com

Tri-Village Magazinewww.TriVillageMagazine.com

Healthy New Albany Magazinewww.HealthyNewAlbanyMagazine.com

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Contributing Editors

Contributing Writers Advertising Director

Advertising Sales

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614-572-1240

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Dave Prosser

Christa Smothers

Garth Bishop

Duane St. Clair Gail Martineau

Brenda Layman Tyler Davis

Lauren Novelli

Molly Pensyl

Gianna Barrett Pam Henricks

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DECEMBER 2011Dec. 2 Olde Village Holiday5-8:30 p.m., Olde Pickerington Village, www.pickerington.netEnjoy carriage rides, carolers, holiday gifts and time with Santa for the kids.

Dec. 3Breakfast with Santa8 a.m.-noon, Pickerington Senior Center, 150 Hereford Dr., www.pickerington.netThe younger members of the Picker-ington community can talk to Santa, shop for gifts and make crafts at this holiday event.

Dec. 3 Santa Saturday Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.orgA day of Christmas activities, including crafts, meeting with Santa Claus and holiday book reading.

Dec. 13Musical Celebration Concert7 p.m., Pickerington High School North, 7800 Refugee Rd., www.pickerington.k12.oh.usA musical variety show.

Dec. 15Choir Concert7 p.m., Pickerington High School Central, 300 Opportunity Way, www.pickerington.k12.oh.usThe singers from Pickerington High School Central will entertain their audience with a selection of holiday songs.

Dec. 19Angels, Dreams, & Miracles Concert7:30 p.m., Pickerington High School Central, 300 Opportunity Way, www.pickerington.k12.oh.usAn inspirational concert that will celebrate the season.

community calendarJANUARY 2012

Jan. 3Back to Schoolwww.pickerington.k12.oh.usPickerington schools are back in session after holiday break.

Jan. 11Senior Citizen Luncheon12:30 p.m., Lakeview Junior High School, 12445 Ault Rd., www.pickerington.k12.oh.usA pleasant afternoon lunch designed to facilitate communication between different generations.

Jan. 17PPL Book Club7-9 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity Way, www.pickeringtonlibrary.orgMembers of the book club will dis-cuss Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemp-tion by Laura Hillenbrand.

Jan. 21 Ridgeview Wrestling Invitational8 a.m., Ridgeview Junior High School, 130 Hill Rd. S., www.pickerington.k12.oh.usWatch the wrestlers of Ridgeview Junior High School compete against other central Ohio schools.

Jan. 24 Not Your Mother’s Library Book Club7-8 p.m., Pickerington Public Library, 201 Opportunity WayFirst meeting of the year. New mem-bers are welcome to join.

Jan. 31Band Ensemble Concert7 p.m. Pickerington High School North, 7800 Refugee Rd., www.pickerington.k12.oh.usThis performance will feature the musicians from Pickerington High School North as they proudly display their musical talents.

Mark your calendar for these community events


With the economy still in a downswing, need is growing in Pickerington – and the community’s food pantry is growing with it.

Plans are under way for the PCMA Food Pantry of Pickerington to move to a new, larger location not too far from its current one. Taking into consideration the existing facility and two off-site locations for storage, the food pantry has a total of about 1,000 square feet for storage; the new facility alone offers triple that.

The current facility has been located for the past 18 years on the lower level of the old Carnegie Library at 15 E. Columbus St. The Pickerington Historical Society al-lows the food pantry to use its meeting room as a registration and waiting area for clients, but that area cannot be used for storage.

Clients may visit the food pantry once every 28 days. In each visit, they receive enough food to provide three meals a day for eight days, based on the number of family members.

Canned and packaged foods fill the neatly organized shelves at the current fa-cility. A typical visit could provide a client with eight days of frugal but filling meals – chili, spaghetti, soups, sandwiches, hot dogs, cereal and macaroni and cheese, along with sides of vegetables and fruits. The one working freezer holds hot dogs, chicken breasts and hamburger, and por-tioned packages of lunchmeat are in the refrigerator, along with a few boxes of eggs.

“We’ll be able to offer more dairy prod-ucts when we move to the new location,” says Dianna Kassouf, food pantry execu-tive director. “We really need more refrig-eration units. Right now, we have some off-site storage, but we need to get it all under one roof.”

Food insecurity doesn’t always show. According to Feeding America, a U.S. hunger relief organization, more than 50 million Americans don’t always know if they will have enough to eat, and one in six does not have access to adequate

food. And the need for food assistance in the Pickerington area is increasing. In September 2010, the PCMA Food Pan-try had served 701 families. At the same point in 2011, the pantry had served 878 families, a 25 percent increase.

While donations from the community make the program possible, more sup-port is now in place. Since March 2010, the pantry has been receiving assistance from the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. And the move to the larger facility is affordable thanks to a grant from United Way of Fair-field County; the pantry has been a United Way partner since January 2011.

Expanding CompassionCommunity food pantry plots move to much larger facility

- continued page 13

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I N S I D E

PICKERINGTONN E W S & I N F O R M A T I O N F R O M T H E C I T Y O F P I C K E R I N G T O N

Community Awarded


The City of Pickerington was recently awarded the Auditor of State Award With Distinction, a singular honor recognizing those cities that receive a “clean” audit report and file a Comprehensive Annual Finan-cial Report with the auditor’s office.

The City’s financial officers, Director Chris Schor-nack and Deputy Director Stephanie Spencer, ac-cepted the award.

“This is the product of exhaustive work by Stepha-nie on the CAFR report, the cooperation of staff in the financial process, and internal controls over financial matters,” Schornack commented.

“Taxpayers expect accurate financial records from their local governments. The City of Pickerington’s dedication to accountability is evident,” Auditor of State Dave Yost explained.

Additionally, Yost reported that Pickerington records did not cause any findings for recovery, material cita-tions, material weaknesses, deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs.

In previous years, the award was presented under various other names, generally selected by the Audi-tor in office at the time. Pickerington has earned the award in six of the last seven years.

Gary Armentrout’s en-tire life seems to revolve around water.

The Chief Operator of the Pickerington Water Plant lists fishing and the ocean as two of his main interests. Additionally, his wife, Janet, is the water

and sewer billing clerk for the city of Canal Winchester.

He was on the beach in South Carolina four years ago when he was notified that his daughter, Amy, was about to give birth to his first grandchild. He made the trip back to Ohio, a 14-hour adventure, in 11 hours, arriving 30 minutes before his grandson.

Hopefully, the statute of limitations for driving at excessive speeds has run out.

Armentrout graduated from Pickerington High School in 1968. After being downsized from Anchor Hocking, he signed onto the Pickerington water de-partment in 1985. He knew several employees of the city, including current Violet Township Trustee Terry Dunlap, who was then the city’s Service Direc-tor. They spoke highly of working for the city, and convinced Armentrout to apply for a position.

“Back then, there were only a handful of city employees, working out of a large house on the

Sycamore Park Pond and in the current Service De-partment building. We were so small that employees Linda Fersch, Evelyn Strawn and Ann Ellis cooked an intimate Thanksgiving dinner for the entire city staff,” Armentrout remembered.

Assuming the top water position in 1992, he be-came Pickerington’s first Class-3 rated water opera-tor and, in succeeding years, started three treatment plants. One of his current responsibilities has been overseeing the city’s transition to a reverse osmosis system for water treatment.

“I’m proud of the fact that we’ve been able to maintain water quality over the years. I’ve had great help in doing that,” he explained.

He explained that one of the great influences in his life has been an uncle. His father passed away when he was 12, and he and two brothers were raised by his mother, whom he credits with being crucial to his maturation. “Her sister’s husband then became the closest thing to a father I’ve had since my father died. He influenced me in so many ways,” he said.

Armentrout will be able to retire in the next three years, but hasn’t yet decided when. When it happens, he knows how he’ll spend his free time: quality time with his grandson, Ethan, and traveling.

Somehow, one guesses, water will still be a part of his life.

Chief Operator, Pickerington Water Plant

The City’s financial officers, Director Chris Schornack and Deputy Director Stephanie Spencer accepting the award.

cityprofile: Gary Armentrout Dorothy Steiger Mitten Tree

Join Mayor O’Brien to begin the holidays with the lighting of the Mitten Tree on Dec. 2. Bring gloves, mittens, stocking caps, scarves and earmuffs to Pickerington City Hall on weekdays until Dec. 16. Items will be donated to the Fairfield County Family Services.


News and information from the City of Pickerington

citydirectoryPickerington City Hall, 100 Lockville Rd.(All numbers prefixed with the 614 area code)

Mayor’s Office (Mitch O’Brien) ........................837-3974

Mayor’s Court .........................837-3974

City Council ............................837-3974

City Manager ..........................837-3974

Human Resources ...................837-3974

Building Regulations Department ............................833-2221

Engineering Department .........833-2221

Development Department ........837-3974

Police Department ...................575-6911

Finance Department ................837-3974

Income Tax Division .................837-4116

Parks and Recreation ..............833-2211

Service Department

Streets ...................................833-2292

Utility Billing ............................833-2289

Utility Maintenance ..................833-2292

Water Plant .............................833-2290

Waste Water Plant ...................837-6490

The ice rink in Victory Park will be functional some-time in mid-December, as long as the surface is frozen.

Last year, the City tested ice skating interest levels by constructing a mini-rink in Victory Park. Consistent use convinced officials to install a bigger, more stable frame for this winter.

Current plans call for the rink to be situated on the tennis courts, near the O’Brien shelter. Recreation officials feel that the proximity of the shelter will en-

courage hot chocolate, spectators and more skaters. There is also a fireplace that can be utilized.

There are no plans to rent the rink. It will be used on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the win-ter, closing on those days when the surface is not icy.

The rink will be open from dawn to dusk. No equipment is provided. Participants will skate at their own risk.

Reverse OsmosisA new water treatment system using reverse os-

mosis was initiated in Pickerington in September.In simple terms, the system uses membranes

designed to let only pure water pass. According to the Water Department’s Chief Operator, Gary Ar-mentrout, the results have been good.

“The water is currently mixing with leftover water in the water towers, so the final product hasn’t been completely realized, but we are very pleased at this point. This has become a new learning experience. There are only a few reverse osmosis systems in the whole state of Ohio. Up to recently, they were too cost-prohibitive,” he said.

Residents will spot the benefits with a simple inspection.

“Take a look at your ice cubes. They will become transparent, completely clear, instead of cloudy,” Ar-mentrout continued. “The end product is as close to completely pure water as you can get.”

Pickerington City officials have decided to pursue a solution to a problem at the state level, instead of initiating a local enforcement policy.

The problem in question is texting while driving.The City Council feels that a statewide ban on the

practice would provide blanket protection of an appro-priate nature, and would eliminate confusion caused when drivers encounter different interpretations and penalties driving from community to community.

Thirty-four states currently ban texting while driv-ing. Some Ohio communities have developed their own policies.

Council initially addressed the issue in 2010, but failed to agree on a local agenda that would mesh with laws in surrounding municipalities, including a ban in force in Columbus.

There is some movement now on the state level to enact an umbrella law. Senate hearings were scheduled for November on the proposed legisla-tion, House Bill 99. The bill passed the Ohio House of Representatives in early 2011.

Mayor Mitch O’Brien and the City Council voted unanimously to send letters indicating support for House Bill 99 to the chairman of the Ohio Senate Highway Committee, Tom Patton; Vice Chairman Frank LaRose; Sen. Tim Schaffer; and Rep. Gerald Stebelton.

Part of the language of the letter states, “As a community, we have suffered the loss of at least one young man as a result of an accident caused by the other driver being distracted while texting.” The letter concludes that, “It is imperative that we as a State enact such a ban in order to allow for consistent enforcement on our roadways.”

Texting While Driving

Letters to SantaA North Pole Express mailbox has been

placed in front of City Hall to collect letters addressed to Santa Claus by area children.

Santa’s helpers will respond to each let-ter. The deadline for dropping letters will be Sunday, Dec. 11.

The Recreation Department is aided in the adventure by “helpers” at the Picker-ington Senior Center. Each letter must in-clude the child’s name and return address so Santa can respond.

Questions about the project should be directed to the Recreation Department at 614-833-2211.

Ice Rink Opens Mid-December


News and information from Violet Township

The typical housing progression for most is going from liv-ing at home with the family, to finding that first apartment, to possibly a condominium or larger apartment as the career begins to take off, to finding a home with a yard in a good school district, back to a condominium or other downsized empty nest or retirement community.

The largest generation of our time, the baby boomers, has had profound effects on the housing market as its mem-bers have moved through this cycle of housing. Currently, the youngest baby boomers have kids in college, while the oldest have already achieved retirement age and are moving into the empty nest, smaller home or retirement community.

Who will buy their homes with yards in the good school districts?

The Generation X and Generation Y people, of course! But here’s the issue: Neither of these two population segments comes close to the numbers of the Baby Boom Generation. It is projected the ratio of sellers to buyers in the real estate market will be close to 1:1 by 2030. Compare this to the ratio in the housing boom, when it was four buyers to every seller.

What does this mean? In short terms, our housing market is forever changed.

Is that bad? No. It will just be different, and we all must be aware and

prepared for this challenge, so it becomes a true opportunity for our community to thrive.

Really Different Real EstateJoy Davis, Economic Development Specialist


News and information from Violet Township

The Violet Township Road Department is asked many questions over the course of a day, week or month. I am taking this opportunity to address some of the most com-mon or frequently asked questions.

How do I know when road work is being performed on my street or close to my neighborhood?

When major road work (i.e., paving, culvert replacement) is planned and expected to result in road closures or significant traffic delays, Violet Township posts information on its website, www.violet.oh.us. The township also posts information regard-ing major road work by other agencies as we are notified. First responders and emergency services are kept informed of the roads impacted by road work.

How many miles of roadway does Violet Township maintain?

Violet Township maintains 105 center line miles of roadways. Keep in mind, each of these miles has at least two lanes, and some have three or more.

Can stop signs be installed for speed control in residential neighborhoods?

The Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) states, “Stop signs should not be used for speed control.” Research has veri-fied multi-way stops do not control or reduce speeds on residential streets. Additionally, the research found stop compliance is poor at multi-way stop signs, and unwar-

ranted multi-way stops increase speed some distance from intersections.

When I approach an intersection with traffic signals that are not working because of a power failure, what am I supposed to do?

In Ohio, motorists approaching a malfunctioning traffic signal will follow the rules for a four-way stop sign.

I sometimes see motorists passing a school bus that is stopped on a four-lane road. Is this legal?

In Ohio, motorists approaching a stopped school bus from the opposite direction on a roadway divided into four or more lanes are not required to stop. The bus operator is prohibited from discharging children who would have to cross a four-lane road.

My road doesn’t seem to be cleared of snow like other roads in my area. Why?

Violet Township clears all roads under its jurisdiction. Violet Township performs snow and ice removal on major roads – those that connect with county- or state-maintained roads – first. After major roads are cleared, snow and ice removal operations move to subdivi-sions.

Does Violet Township remove dead animals?Violet Township will remove animals that have been killed by

passing vehicles and are in the Violet Township public right-of-way. Dead pets or vermin on private property are the responsi-bility of the property owner.

Do I need a permit to work with the Violet Township public road right-of-way?

Yes, under most circumstances, a permit to work with the Violet Township right-of-way is required. The permit application can be found on the Township website, www.violet.oh.us.

Where are my downspouts located and where do they discharge or outlet?

Downspouts typically are directed to the street. In a curb-and-gutter subdivision, they are generally placed in an opening through the curb. In an open ditch subdivision, downspouts normally empty into the road ditch. If a ditch has filled in with grass clippings, silt, etc. over the years, the downspout may become buried, restricting the flow and potentially causing wa-ter to back up toward and sometimes into the house.

Common Questions the Road Department EncountersGreg Butcher, PE, Violet Township Engineer


Information from the Violet Township Fire Department

The Violet Township Fire Department’s annual Holiday Toy Drive kicked off Nov. 22 and will run through Dec. 21.

The economic downturn is still a real crisis in many homes planning for the holiday season. Many children may not re-ceive gifts this holiday season without everyone’s help.

The Violet Township Fire Depart-ment and the Violet Township Fire-fighters’ IAFF Local 3558 are leading the effort to collect new, unwrapped toys for area children. There is also a great need every year for gift cards and monetary donations to assist families of older kids or those with special needs.

Toys may be dropped off at any Violet Township Firehouse, as well as many local businesses throughout the Pickerington area. Call us for locations, or just look for the Big Red Box at area retail shops!

You may also visit the Violet Township Firefighters Toy Drive on Facebok for regular updates. Just search for “Violet Town-ship Firefighters Toy Drive.”

If you have questions, please contact Firefighter Jim Barber, Lt. Gregg Goodwin, Lt. Dave Belcher or Prevention Officer Don Searls at our Toy Drive Hotline, 614-382-5952, or e-mail us at [email protected].

We are committed to assisting those in need, and are once again asking our generous community for its support. With your help, this endeavor can once again be a huge success.

If you are in need of holiday gift or emergency assistance, contact Fairfield County Information and Referral at 108 W. Main St., Suite C, Lancaster, OH, 43130, 740-687-0500. Please do not call the Fire Department if you are looking for assistance, as it does not directly help any families; however, we assist numerous social service organizations in the Picker-ington area with items received from our collection drive.

How can my organization or company help?If you would like to kick-start a campaign, donate directly or

become a dropoff location, please call our special Toy Drive Hotline at 614-382-5952 or e-mail [email protected] to ask how you can help!

Holiday Safety Tips

Common Questions the Road Department EncountersGreg Butcher, PE, Violet Township Engineer

Mark your calendar for the annual Violet Township Firefighters Toy Drive

Safety precautions are easily overlooked in the excitement of the holiday season. Christmas trees and lights are com-mon safety problems. Here are some tips to make your holi-days safer.

Keep live Christmas trees watered. This is particularly important when a Christmas tree is purchased well in ad-vance of Christmas. Timely re-moval of Christmas trees after the holidays will prevent exces-sive dryness. If tree care is an inconvenience, a synthetic tree may be a safe alternative.

Check electrical cords and lights for signs of damage. If damaged, replace these items. Use of damaged electrical cords and lights can cause an electrical short and lead to a fire.

Keep a close eye on pets, which often drink the tree water, causing the tree to dry out faster, or chew on and damage electrical cords and lights.

Take extra precaution with candles or other dis-plays that place open fire in your home. These can be easily forgotten and become a danger to curious children or pets. Remember to extinguish them when they are not attended.

From Chief John Eisel and the entire Violet Township Fire Department family, have a safe and happy holiday season!


profile By Tyler Davis

Mark Colburn has held a lot of titles in his life.

For 14 years, he has been Officer Col-burn, and for nine of those years, he was Police Chief Colburn. Right now, he’s both Sgt. Colburn and Detective Colburn in the Kirkersville Division of Police.

But outside of work, the Pickerington resident has other titles to his name – titles like World’s Fastest Pro Modified Harley Racer and Two-Time National Champion, the latter a feat unparalleled in the world of Pro Mod drag racing.

Pro Mod is a division in the sport of mo-torcycle drag racing, determined by fac-tors like engine power and components. Pro Mod vehicles typically are raced on quarter-mile or eighth-mile tracks.

Colburn took his dedication to pub-lic service and infused it into his love of racing. He has been a big racing fan for many years, and eventually – with the help of sponsors Get Behind the Badge, Interstate Regional Transit, Energy One Clutches and First Impression Tires and Wheels – he was able to obtain and race his own Pro Mod motorcycle.

In 2009, Colburn won the Super Gas AMRA National Championship, as well as the title of Sportsman Rookie of the Year.

Colburn has a very close rela-tionship with sponsor Get Behind the Badge. The organization was founded in 2001 by Angela Mc-Dowell after her husband, White-hall police officer Terry McDowell, was killed in the line of duty.

Its mission: to provide immediate finan-cial assistance to the families of police and fire personnel who are killed or seri-ously wounded in the line of duty.

That mission is an exceedingly worthy one, Colburn says – in addition to sup-porting the families of public safety offi-cers when they need it most, the organi-zation helps promote and build stronger relationships between communities and public safety personnel. For years, Col-burn has volunteered for and supported Get Behind the Badge, which now cov-ers seven counties in central Ohio, in-cluding Franklin and Fairfield.

Beyond the local volunteer work, the partnership between Colburn and Get Behind the Badge continues on the road. Colburn puts in long hours during the week for his day job, then travels as far as 1,200 miles in a day to compete at racing venues. He recognizes the organization through its emblem on his Harley, but he also goes out and promotes Get Behind the Badge in the cities he visits across the country.

Soon, McDowell hopes to see her pro-gram instituted statewide. With the help of Colburn and his racing, the eventual goal of creating a nationwide program

could be realized sooner rather than later

Colburn is well aware of his unique position as a police officer who drag-races. His outspo-ken support of McDow-

ell’s program has a tendency to generate questions on the road.

“Unfortunately, some of the people we race with, in the Harley community, have been on the wrong side of the law,” he says. “Being the only police officer out there who races, sometimes it feels like you’re the Lone Ranger.”

Colburn often sees people come up to him and ask him about the Get Behind the Badge logo, and he’s always happy to elab-orate. Not only has he spread awareness of the program and its message of helping the families of fallen public servants, he has re-ceived a number of donations from people who want to support the cause.

Colburn is set to “blow old records out of the water” this upcoming season, as he has just acquired a brand new pro-stock Harley. “The bike is also a blank canvas at the moment,” Colburn says, which means that anyone looking for an alterna-tive form of national marketing could leave their mark on his ready-to-impress Harley.

When he’s not serving the public good in Kirkersville or racing on his Harley, Col-burn participates in the Columbus Police football and hockey teams. He also does work with a number of charities.

He has two sons – one serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, and one in middle school.

Tyler Davis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

Pro Mod Policeman

Motorcycle racing career helps cop

promote assistance program


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Skin care services with managing esthetician, Darla at 614-668-9522.The new location at 70 Cross St. will

include a reception area, an office for the director, a meeting room for classes in nu-trition and budgeting, large selection and storage areas, and an unloading area with a garage door to admit trucks. Clients will enter through the reception door, make their selections and carry their groceries out another door into the parking lot.

Two sets of stairs present some access difficulty at the present pantry, but the new facility is all on one level. Qualification re-quirements and hours of operation will remain the same when the Cross Street location opens.

“The community’s been very generous, but there are times when we have a great-er need,” Kassouf says. “Our supplies get low in the summer, when we have an uptick in numbers in need. School is out, so families that rely on school lunch and breakfast programs have to provide more meals at home.”

The holidays are another time when donations are especially needed. Clients can sign up to receive special Christmas boxes in addition to their regular allowance of groceries.

For more information, and to see a list of items currently needed, visit the PCMA Food Pantry website at www.pcmafood-pantry.com. Small donations of 10 bags or less may be dropped off during cli-ent hours, and larger donations must be scheduled in advance due to storage limi-tations. The pantry can also accept dona-tions through PayPal.

Although many people do not associate life in the suburbs with hunger, food inse-curity in communities like Pickerington is growing. The PCMA Food Pantry has been responding to the community’s needs for 20 years, and the new, expanded facility will enable the program to continue meet-ing those needs.

Pickerington resident Brenda Layman is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

Food Pantry Continued...


The family dinner is a staple of the holiday season – but what about the most impor-tant meal of the day?

Breakfast is also a time for family togeth-erness around the holidays, and many people around Pickerington use the season as an opportunity to roll out signature reci-pes. That includes local restaurant owners, whose families are the beneficiaries of their well-honed culinary skills.

Olde Pickerington Village breakfast fa-vorite Village Crêpe celebrated its one-year anniversary in November. Owner Wayne Moore’s goal in opening the restaurant was to “give something special to customers that wasn’t a typical Bob Evans experience,” he says, so he knows a thing or two about ex-ceptional breakfast options.

One of Moore’s favorite breakfast recipes

is spicy cranberry preserves. They’re es-pecially delicious when paired with goat cheese, he says, and make a great fill-ing – appropriately enough – for crepes, which he happily serves to family.

Award-winning Greek restaurant Café Mediterranea, which has been in busi-ness for more than seven years on Hill Road North, has a menu full of vegetar-ian options and classic Greek favorites. Owner Dedo Attia is especially proud of the healthy options his restaurant offers.

Attia brings the traditions of Greece home with him during the holidays, and one of the breakfast favorites around his household is hummus and pita. The dish is a trusted standby in the world of Greek food, and Attia can always count on it to be a crowd-pleaser.

Lauren Novelli is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at [email protected].

Have Yourself a Merry Little Breakfast

Spicy Cranberry Preserves• 2 lbs cranberries, rinsed and sorted• ½ cup water• 2 tbsp. red wine• 1 cinnamon stick• ¼ tsp. fennel seed• 2 whole cloves• ½ tsp. allspice• ½ tsp. ginger• 4 cups sugar

Combine cranberries with water in non-reactive pan. Cover and bring to boil. Grind cloves and fennel with mortar and pestle, and add to cranberry mixture. Add cinnamon stick and remaining spices. Uncover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in sugar half a cup at a time, allowing pre-serves to return to boil between additions. Continue to cook until preserves reach 214 degrees (about 20 minutes).

Off heat, let jam sit for 5 minutes before stirring. Enjoy.

Greek Hummus• 16 oz. chickpeas• 6 oz. tahini sauce• 3 tsp. garlic• 3 tsp. salt

Mix all in blender until the mixture is fine and creamy. Serve with pita bread.

what’s cookin’ By Lauren Novelli

Holiday breakfasts are a favorite for

local families


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