Chef Michael Shields opened BrewRiver GastroPub with local craft beer and thoughtfully paired cuisine in mind. You will find no Budweiser, Guinness or other popular (inter)national brands here, only a rotating list of his more than 50 hand-picked, locally brewed draughts, bottled and canned beers.  

In the 1880s, George Renninger created one of the most known pieces of Halloween candy ever invented, one that has endured over a century — candy corn. Considering it’s also one of the most maligned candy treats ever invented, how has it remained a fixture of autumn so long?
  

I’m more inclined to pop open a bottle from the experts, but, hey, I don’t have the White House staff on hand to fix what “ales” me. So I asked a home brewing friend, Matt Canale, a video game developer in L.A., to fill me in on his experience and give our readers some tips on how to get started.  

Shanghai Mama’s was closed for nine months following a fire last October. There was some despair among downtowners as the months dragged on. Call it the dark night of the soul. But Mama’s back, and I’m happy to report that she’s better than ever.  

Today, gourmet dining is wheeled around in carts or prepared to order in trucks. Local food vendor Jamie Williams jumped on the bandwagon and launched Cincy Bag Ladies in the spring of 2012 with one mission: Let people eat without plates.  

By 2006, phase one of the Gateway Quarter redevelopment plan was well underway. Crime quickly gave way to safer, brightly lit streets. Hints of a flourishing arts district soon took root. Emerging from “The Quarter’s” fresh renovation came its first new restaurant, Lavomatic Cafe, a name that pays homage to its predecessor, a laundromat.
  

Washington Park is without a doubt the jewel of this excellent summer in Cincinnati. And it’s drawing crowds — whether to its well-chosen events or just to enjoy its well-designed spaces. And crowds, we know, travel on their stomachs.
  

Lisa Kagen is an artist, a chef, a parent and an entrepreneur — and all of those identities factor heavily into the operation of her two Northside businesses: Melt Eclectic Deli and Picnic and Pantry, a market that serves healthy, sustainable groceries and prepared foods.  

Though not quite as booming as the energy drink market, similar chill-out, stress-reliever drinks have been slowly growing in popularity the past few years. These non-energy drinks recently caught my eye when I spotted the face of late Reggae superstar Bob Marley peeking out from the cold beverage fridge at a local convenience store.   

Tim Lambrinides opened Silver Ladle on Sixth Street back in March. The new “fast casual” restaurant serves a variety of hearty sandwiches, a dozen soups, fresh salads, gluten-free options and, of course, its own twist on Cincinnati-style chili and coneys.  

I just returned from my third annual visit to Tales of the Cocktail, an almost week-long event that, for mixologists and the media who cover them, is what the Cannes International Film Festival is to movie critics: a little bit glamorous, a lot of information to drink in and a lot of fun.
  

In a sense, Emily Frank is living vicariously through her food truck. C’est Cheese, pronounced “say cheese” (but it’s OK if you never get it right — few do), is a gourmet grilled cheese truck. A year in the making but only really a couple weeks old, C’est Cheese hit Cincinnati’s ground running.  

The reopening of Maribelle’s could not come any sooner. I was eager to see the old recipes I once gushed over with friends as well as what the old tavern would look like juxtaposed with the cavalier Boca across the street.  

Maybe we’ve done enough for this summer, and it’s time to chillax. But then we’d miss out on the Farmers Markets, City Flea at the gorgeous new Washington Park and planning for September and the MidPoint Music Festival. This town is on a roll, people!  

“Lost in the Supermarket” has been on hiatus for a few months. For the column, I mostly play the “food rube,” searching the aisles of average neighborhood grocery stores for “everyday” items that strike me (and maybe you) as “weird” or “gross.” I investigate the food item and taste it so you don’t have to.