Eating Our Way to Ohio

After drinking wheat grass and kelp with a hefty dose of spinach juice this summer, I have veered off course on this trip to Ohio State. More aptly stated, I have detoured completely off the healthy food freeway today.

On the Travel Channel and on Food Network, we had watched features on a restaurant in the German Villege section of Columbus, Ohio. Schmidt's Restuarant and Sausage Haus was founded in 1886. And with a history and publicity like this, we decided we would dare to locate it on this return trip to Columbus.

Not far off the beaten path of interstate hectiness, we were pleased to discover streets of red brick, worn and beaten down by centuries of travel. The entrance was pleasant and a German lad and las display, with faces cut out, greeted us. My cohort in this criminal eating spree (also known as my husband) failed to join me for a photo showing him in suspendered knickers, so all I have to share is a faceless photo of the couple.

A large wooden handle on the door didn't appear to be a handle and we looked at each other and opened it anyway. Later, we learned that this handle was from their original late 1800's packing house and was the wooden lard paddle.

The Travel Channel featured Schmidt's famous sausages - the Bahama Mama - to be specific. My husband opted for this choice and being less of a carnivore than he, I chose cabbage rolls, green beans with spatzle and German potato salad. Spicy and unique, the food was served with waitresses clad in German dresses, high stockings and clogs.

The Food Network featured Schmidt's Jumbo Cream Puffs. I was stuffed with the German cuisine, so my husband ordered one of these delicacies and I asked the waitress for an extra plate so that I could sample his Cream Puff. Unfortunately, the efficient waitress carved up the cream puff, so my photo opportunity of a cream puff the size of my head was lost.

Snapping photos of covered bridges in the woods or other discreet family photos never seem to bother my husband. My food photos in a restaurant were a bit unsettling to him. I replied, "Haven't you seen the advertisements for the summer hit Julie and Julia? Blogging on food is in vogue. I am trying to keep my blog readers updated on delicacies outside the realm of carrot juice and flax seeds."

We continued onto our hotel. This evening, still a bit stuffed with the stuffed Bavarian Cabbage Rolls, I did not want a heavy dinner. Recalling that a Cheesecake Factory is around the corner from our hotel, my husband left to bring back a decadent Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. Talk about throwing myself into sugar shock, this cheesecake did just that. Sprinkled with dark Godiva cocoa, the creamy Godiva cheesecake filling rested on a decadent dark chocolate crust. Add some whipped cream and a piece of foil-wrapped Godiva Chocolate, close your eyes and you can almost taste what I ate for dinner.

So, for tonight, I will close with some photos from our culinary journey that has violated every nutritional guideline known to mankind.