going LOCAL! An Adventurer’s Guide to Unique Eats, Cool Pubs & Cozy Cafés in Central Pennsylvania is a book I wrote and published in December of 2007. It’s more than a guidebook – it’s a journal, travel log, memoir, fact, fiction and hopefully a good resource and read as well. In fact, I’ve written it more like a journal. It’s about my experiences as I’ve traveled over this great state and even beyond in some examples, and the places I’ve discovered and folks I’ve met along the way.
It inspires the reader to get out and support locally owned places to eat and drink and have fun doing it. For you, it will be as though I’m there telling you stories about my personal adventures to these places and some of the facts and fiction of them, too. You will find it a very easy read and a very good resource as well. Its popularity has been amazing and there are still some copies available. Also in the days to come, you will find out about the two new books I’m writing that will be published later this year!
An excerpt from the Preface:
Since my days of traveling to arts festivals all around the country and traveling the world to create paintings for those festivals, I’ve made it a point not to go to any of the chain places but rather to ask locals where they eat, have a beer or coffee. Almost without fail, these inquiries have taken me to some of the best food and coolest places on the planet! Before that, it’s hard to remember the time when my taste for good food came about, but maybe it’s when a girlfriend suggested escargots as an appetizer at a State College restaurant.
At that stage of life, I would grimace just at the thought of snails and made all those typical gagging sounds associated with such a disgusting “food.” However this girl was extremely hot and I needed all the points I could get. So, with a sheepish grin and trembling voice I said, “Okay, why not?”
While we were waiting, I kept thinking of all of the classic movie moments involving escargots. There’s that great scene from The Jerk where Steve Martin (a.k.a. Navin Johnson) stood up in the middle of a fancy French restaurant and loudly exclaimed that they had put snails in his girlfriend’s food. “What kind of a place is this?” he asked, and they stormed out. Or how about that scene from Pretty Woman when the Julia Roberts character launches an escargot shell through the air while just trying to grip it with tongs (I can’t believe I just referenced such a chic flic).
Arriving at our table only moments later were six little snails, all cozy in puff pastries and floating in hot buttery garlic sauce. My date took the first bite, closed her eyes, and made a yummy sound that would melt steel as if it were a cheap candle. She slowly opened her eyes, gracefully wiped the corner of her mouth and said, “Go ahead. Try one.” Nervously, I plucked one of the little suckers out of its toasty warm nest and drew it toward my mouth, the whole time praying that I wouldn’t spew it across the table. I put it in my mouth, bit down, and…
At this point, I must make something clear. When I was a kid, I was a neurotic little wuss. When my mom and dad would take us kids on a road trip, and along the way we might see a detour sign, I would make myself physically sick from worry. My folks would eventually have to pull over for me to barf. Are ya gettin’ the portrait I’m trying to paint? Well for those less astute, this appetizer was like a giant detour sign with no place to pull over. However, I digress...
From How it Works:
Since this is somewhat a guide book, I’ve tried to set it up in a way that’s easy to follow. I’ve also started each listing with a section called “Just a Taste.” Here you’ll find the name of the establishment, the address, contact information and other stuff so you can plan your visit and know a little about the place before you go. My friend Mike Hermann of Purple Lizard Maps also created a cool map for me that you’ll find towards the back. It’s detachable if you prefer, and allows you to navigate your way around and find the places I’ve listed.
The map starts with two small circles in the center. From there, my area goes approximately 70 miles (as the crow flies) out and 360 degrees around, to form a larger circle of about 140 miles in diameter. I then thought of a way to divide that large circle into twelve regions so that you could easily picture them in you mind. It’s like a combination clock and dartboard.
I figure everyone can visualize the state of Pennsylvania, a center point, dartboard and clock. I also think we all understand the concept of directions according to the numbers of a clock. Here’s an example: If I say something’s at 12 o’clock, I mean straight up. If it’s at 6 o’clock, then it would be straight down. And, if I said to look to 9 o’clock then you should look directly to the left. Get it? The dartboard part simply refers to the center circles and lines that divide the area and create a pie shape for each region. Within these regions will be towns, next to them will be number-dots which will correspond to the pages where the places I’ve written about can be found. When you’re at the head of a listing, that page number will be within one of those dots on the map.
I’ll begin the book with two regions which are the circles in the center. The tiny circle (bull’s eye) is for a region titled “Boalsburg, My Home,” and is represented in the Table of Contents as Roman numeral I. A small circle (representing about 10 miles) around that will be called “Happy Valley, My Neighbors,” and will be Roman numeral II. Then, the pie-shape region at 1 o’clock will be represented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is the 2 o’clock pie-shape region and so on. At the head of each listing, there will be a little PA state icon indicating the region by a shaded piece of the pie.
Sound confusing? It’s not, just dive in and start reading, find a place you want to try or region you would like to visit, unfold the map and get going. What are you waiting for?
An Excerpt from Elk Creek Café and Aleworks – Millheim, Centre County
Dreams inspire, they give rise to far off thoughts and great idea's. For some their dreams last only the night but others, the true dreamers, the dreaming never ends. These are men and women with passion and a zest for la vie (the life – it just sounds more beautiful in French) and they take their dreams, by commitment, hard work and faith and make them come alive. Tim Bowser of Elk Creek Café & Aleworks is one such dreamer.
A number of years ago he helped to open a little place called the Equinox Cafe in Millheim. Situated along Rt. 45, this is a one stop light town and not really a place one would invest money and time in to create an eclectic coffee shop. But like my story of the Wellsboro Diner, if you build it they will come. It seems the “Valley Folk” as they like to call themselves, had been dreaming about the same thing. When Tim and associates opened the doors of the Equinox, it was like the whole consciousness of the valley opened and folks poured in…
…Going local is something Tim is very passionate about. Elk Creek uses nearly 100 % local organic meat and dairy. Produce will be an “in season” thing and the beer as you know is brewed and kegged in the back room. They're also smoke free! When I had interviewed Tim he said “It only makes sense” and for him it was also an enjoyment issue. “Why make great food in a great setting and then have someone blow smoke on it?” (My kind of guy)
Speaking of great food, the official cuisine at Elk Creek is called Nuevo Dutchie – a combination of Marks Gastro Pub and what rural Pennsylvania is known for – Dutch style cooking. According to Tim, “Dutch cuisine is a cookery of the land, you used what was available and you used everything except the oink.” And this place is as Tim put it so well, “An omnivore’s delight.” Meat lovers as well as vegans can enjoy a wonderful meal prepared fresh and at a fair price.
going LOCAL! An Adventurer’s Guide to Unique Eats, Cool Pubs & Cozy Cafés in Central Pennsylvania is a book I wrote and published in December of 2007. It’s more than a guidebook – it’s a journal, travel log, memoir, fact, fiction and hopefully a good resource and read as well. In fact, I’ve written it more like a journal. It’s about my experiences as I’ve traveled over this great state and even beyond in some examples, and the places I’ve discovered and folks I’ve met along the way.
It inspires the reader to get out and support locally owned places to eat and drink and have fun doing it. For you, it will be as though I’m there telling you stories about my personal adventures to these places and some of the facts and fiction of them, too. You will find it a very easy read and a very good resource as well. Its popularity has been amazing and there are still some copies available. Also in the days to come, you will find out about the two new books I’m writing that will be published later this year!
An excerpt from the Preface:
Since my days of traveling to arts festivals all around the country and traveling the world to create paintings for those festivals, I’ve made it a point not to go to any of the chain places but rather to ask locals where they eat, have a beer or coffee. Almost without fail, these inquiries have taken me to some of the best food and coolest places on the planet! Before that, it’s hard to remember the time when my taste for good food came about, but maybe it’s when a girlfriend suggested escargots as an appetizer at a State College restaurant.
At that stage of life, I would grimace just at the thought of snails and made all those typical gagging sounds associated with such a disgusting “food.” However this girl was extremely hot and I needed all the points I could get. So, with a sheepish grin and trembling voice I said, “Okay, why not?”
While we were waiting, I kept thinking of all of the classic movie moments involving escargots. There’s that great scene from The Jerk where Steve Martin (a.k.a. Navin Johnson) stood up in the middle of a fancy French restaurant and loudly exclaimed that they had put snails in his girlfriend’s food. “What kind of a place is this?” he asked, and they stormed out. Or how about that scene from Pretty Woman when the Julia Roberts character launches an escargot shell through the air while just trying to grip it with tongs (I can’t believe I just referenced such a chic flic).
Arriving at our table only moments later were six little snails, all cozy in puff pastries and floating in hot buttery garlic sauce. My date took the first bite, closed her eyes, and made a yummy sound that would melt steel as if it were a cheap candle. She slowly opened her eyes, gracefully wiped the corner of her mouth and said, “Go ahead. Try one.” Nervously, I plucked one of the little suckers out of its toasty warm nest and drew it toward my mouth, the whole time praying that I wouldn’t spew it across the table. I put it in my mouth, bit down, and…
At this point, I must make something clear. When I was a kid, I was a neurotic little wuss. When my mom and dad would take us kids on a road trip, and along the way we might see a detour sign, I would make myself physically sick from worry. My folks would eventually have to pull over for me to barf. Are ya gettin’ the portrait I’m trying to paint? Well for those less astute, this appetizer was like a giant detour sign with no place to pull over. However, I digress...
From How it Works:
Since this is somewhat a guide book, I’ve tried to set it up in a way that’s easy to follow. I’ve also started each listing with a section called “Just a Taste.” Here you’ll find the name of the establishment, the address, contact information and other stuff so you can plan your visit and know a little about the place before you go. My friend Mike Hermann of Purple Lizard Maps also created a cool map for me that you’ll find towards the back. It’s detachable if you prefer, and allows you to navigate your way around and find the places I’ve listed.
The map starts with two small circles in the center. From there, my area goes approximately 70 miles (as the crow flies) out and 360 degrees around, to form a larger circle of about 140 miles in diameter. I then thought of a way to divide that large circle into twelve regions so that you could easily picture them in you mind. It’s like a combination clock and dartboard.
I figure everyone can visualize the state of Pennsylvania, a center point, dartboard and clock. I also think we all understand the concept of directions according to the numbers of a clock. Here’s an example: If I say something’s at 12 o’clock, I mean straight up. If it’s at 6 o’clock, then it would be straight down. And, if I said to look to 9 o’clock then you should look directly to the left. Get it? The dartboard part simply refers to the center circles and lines that divide the area and create a pie shape for each region. Within these regions will be towns, next to them will be number-dots which will correspond to the pages where the places I’ve written about can be found. When you’re at the head of a listing, that page number will be within one of those dots on the map.
I’ll begin the book with two regions which are the circles in the center. The tiny circle (bull’s eye) is for a region titled “Boalsburg, My Home,” and is represented in the Table of Contents as Roman numeral I. A small circle (representing about 10 miles) around that will be called “Happy Valley, My Neighbors,” and will be Roman numeral II. Then, the pie-shape region at 1 o’clock will be represented in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is the 2 o’clock pie-shape region and so on. At the head of each listing, there will be a little PA state icon indicating the region by a shaded piece of the pie.
Sound confusing? It’s not, just dive in and start reading, find a place you want to try or region you would like to visit, unfold the map and get going. What are you waiting for?
An Excerpt from Elk Creek Café and Aleworks – Millheim, Centre County
Dreams inspire, they give rise to far off thoughts and great idea's. For some their dreams last only the night but others, the true dreamers, the dreaming never ends. These are men and women with passion and a zest for la vie (the life – it just sounds more beautiful in French) and they take their dreams, by commitment, hard work and faith and make them come alive. Tim Bowser of Elk Creek Café & Aleworks is one such dreamer.
A number of years ago he helped to open a little place called the Equinox Cafe in Millheim. Situated along Rt. 45, this is a one stop light town and not really a place one would invest money and time in to create an eclectic coffee shop. But like my story of the Wellsboro Diner, if you build it they will come. It seems the “Valley Folk” as they like to call themselves, had been dreaming about the same thing. When Tim and associates opened the doors of the Equinox, it was like the whole consciousness of the valley opened and folks poured in…
…Going local is something Tim is very passionate about. Elk Creek uses nearly 100 % local organic meat and dairy. Produce will be an “in season” thing and the beer as you know is brewed and kegged in the back room. They're also smoke free! When I had interviewed Tim he said “It only makes sense” and for him it was also an enjoyment issue. “Why make great food in a great setting and then have someone blow smoke on it?” (My kind of guy)
Speaking of great food, the official cuisine at Elk Creek is called Nuevo Dutchie – a combination of Marks Gastro Pub and what rural Pennsylvania is known for – Dutch style cooking. According to Tim, “Dutch cuisine is a cookery of the land, you used what was available and you used everything except the oink.” And this place is as Tim put it so well, “An omnivore’s delight.” Meat lovers as well as vegans can enjoy a wonderful meal prepared fresh and at a fair price.
