February 18: North Market's Fiery Foods Weekend

March 3: Homemade Mozzarella and Ricotta workshop

April: Morel mushroom foraging season

January

In the short days of winter, the bright colors of the farmers markets seem so, so far away. However, it is possible to keep the food-loving mojo going during these fallow months. In January, head over to the Franklin Park Conservatory to start dreaming about your garden – that was one of your New Year’s resolutions, right? On January 21st, the epicenter of all things botanical is offering a Basic Garden Design class. On the same day, the Conservatory is hosting a Starting a Community Garden class. Sick of that abandoned lot down the street? Well, learn how to acquire the land, look into the soil quality and – most importantly – get the backing of the neighbors. For the run up to garden season, Franklin Park will offer more classes on getting your garden growing right. To register or learn more about the programming, visit www.fpconservatory.org.

FEBRUARY

The depths of winter misery are usually found in February – chill-to-the-bone weather, the world an unceasing palette of gray, the spirit flagging. Well, when the weather outside is freezing, what better way to warm up but from the inside out? A good dose of hot sauce will have you sweatin’ in no time. The North Market’s Fiery Foods Weekend heats up the city on February 18th. With everything from tropical tunes to spicy fare, the Fiery Foods event is an annual fave of capsaicin aficionados. Think you’ve got what it takes? Break out those secret hot sauce and salsa recipes and put them against other homemade hotties. Scroll over to www.thenorthmarket.com for the schedule.

Also in February, you can stay warm within the confines of the Wexner Center movie theatre as the art institution hosts the Field & Screen film series. Hot tickets for foodie film buffs are sure to be Milk and the Land, which examines milk and how it intertwines with our culture and the Valentine’s Day screening of El Bulli: Cooking in Process, a documentary showcasing the genius of chef Ferran Adriå as he and his staff develop the menu for El Bulli, the now-shuttered restaurant that was considered the best in the world during its lifetime. There is also the dinner-and-a-movie option on February 17th, when the Wex’s Heirloom Café puts out a family-style spread prior to the showing of Truck Farm and The City Dark, chronicling a mini-farm in the back of a Dodge pickup and the effects of light pollution, respectively. The filmmaker Ian Cheney, known for his participation in the lauded doc King Corn, will introduce the double feature. For tickets and details about the Field & Screen series, visit wexarts.org.

MARCH

Thinking about having a more bountiful garden this summer? Thinking about having a garden, period? Whether it’s for economic reasons, local pride or simply because rooting around in the dirt is fun, the home gardening scene has grown each year. March is a good time to start sowing seeds indoors so when planting time arrives, the enthusiastic seedlings will be ready for their days in the sun. Try introducing some heirloom varieties this year – the colors are showstopping and heirlooms are a way of protecting biological diversity. From old timey greens to juicy tomatoes, the Seed Savers Exchange promotes the collecting and distributing of heirloom seeds. To learn about their mission and about purchasing seeds, go to www.seedsavers.org.

So, you’ve got your tomato seeds planted and are eagerly awaiting that first shoot of green; that wee promise of upcoming bounty. A watched seed won’t grow, so leave the little buggers to germinate and head up to Sur la Table at Easton to take a Homemade Mozzarella and Ricotta workshop on March 3rd. After all, you’ll need to do something with all those juicy orbs and a caprese salad is just about the best way to showcase tomato goodness, other than eating them like ultra-juicy apples. If that date doesn’t work, the Franklin Park Conservatory has also scheduled a cheese-making class. The March 25th dairy adventure will include both mozzarella and ricotta, with the addition of paneer – an Indian offering similar to cottage cheese. Register at www.fpconservatory.org.

APRIL

April showers can be bothersome, with all that grayness and cold dampness invading every nock and cranny of the known world, but the showers do have a silver lining: they coax the delicious morel mushroom out of the earth. April is when the morel mushroom foraging season gets kicking and the chef’s fungus favorite can be found anywhere from backyards to the Hocking Hills. In addition to the meaty morel, this is the time of year that ramps make their spicy, onion-y, delicious debut in the wild. However, no matter how much you think you know about mushrooms, just eating them does not make you an expert. Check out a book from library on foraging or, even better, contact/join the Ohio Mushroom Society (www.ohiomushroom.org/oms). Each year, the society hosts morel hunts and is a great starting point for beginners.

MAY

Hopefully the April showers brought the May flowers and all other sorts of growing things as well given that May is the month most farmers’ markets start sprouting in all corners of the city. To celebrate the oncoming season, the North Market and the Hill’s Market host the Market to Market Bicycle Adventure on May 5th. This will be the sixth ride along the Olentangy Greenway and over 1,000 cyclists have pedaled the local food-laden gauntlet between the two independent purveyors of all things Ohio. Start at either end with a fortifying breakfast and pick up a passport. Collect stamps from various vendors set up along the way and be rewarded with a scoop o’ Jeni’s and a local foodie swag bag. Also in May, each Market hosts signature events: The North Market spiffs up for the 16th Annual Apron Gala. Guests are encouraged to fête the market in their most creative kitchen apron drag while indulging in delicacies from vendors and sip lovely libations. This fundraiser takes place on May 21st. On the other end of town, the Hills Market will be trumpeting the start of the grilling season with its May 26th, Salmon Roast, throwing 1,000 pounds of the ruby-fleshed seafood on the fire. For information on both markets’ shenanigans, visit www.northmarket.com and www.thehillsmarket.com.

The same weekend heralds the latest Columbus Food Truck Festival, on May 25th. Last year, the debut of this popular event attracted 12,000 mobile food fans. With the popularity of food trucks only increasing, and the number of local offerings hitting the roads only growing, this time around, the event will likely be bigger and better. Tip: Fast the day before so you have “room” to try all the specialties. For information, hit up www.columbusfoodtruckfest.

JUNE

With the sun smiling upon Central Ohio, June is the month that produce really starts rearing its tasty head at local markets and pick-your-own farms invite helping hands onto the fields. Strawberries are usually the first to shout the coming of summer. Local farms to check out include Hann Farms on Lockbourne Rd. (614-491-0812), Doran’s Farm Market in New Albany (www.DoransFarmMarket.com), Jacquemin Farms in Plain City (www.jacqueminfarms.com) and Schacht Farm Market in Canal Winchester (www.schachtfarmmarket.com).

Strawberries are such the rage in June that London, Ohio throws its grand Strawberry Fest June 21-23. All things strawberry, for edible goodies to red-hued décor to parades fill the city with berry cheer. A relatively new food-centric festival on the Ohio Calendar, the Strawberry Festival grew out of the old Marigold Festival in the early 2000s; it’s quite popular, especially the crowning of the Strawberry Queen. Log onto www.londonstrawberryfestival.com to make your plans.

Also in June, get your sweet tooth on at the 18th Annual Banana Split Festival in Wilmington on the 8th and 9th. The Southwestern Ohio town claims that in 1907, the Hazard Restaurant invented the famous treat as a way to lure in those picky Wilmington College students. And the rest is banana boat history. The Wilmington bash not only celebrates the melding of banana and ice cream, but also tricks out the fest with a ’50s and ‘60s vibe that begs for repeated viewings of American Graffiti in preparation. For directions and details, click on www.bananasplitfestival.com.