Miriam Weinstein, author of The Surprising Power of Family Meals, will be a featured speaker at the Family Wellness Expo at the Shaw Jewish Community Center on Sunday.
Weinstein, a Massachusetts-based journalist and filmmaker, will be discussing her book from 12:30 to 1 p.m. She will be available after to sign and sell copies. The book, published in 2006, focuses on how eating meals together helps to create stronger, healthier and happier families.
Weinstein said she will be talking about why family meals are “an easy way to do so much good for our families.”
She will share research on their benefits, review the reasons why it can be difficult for busy families to sit down to regular meals, and share strategies for making that happen more often.
“I will also include how to make them rewarding and enjoyable. Let’s not forget that eating is about pleasure, and that sharing meals is one of the best ways to access some of the enduring pleasures of family life, whatever your family looks like,” she said in an email.
The expo runs from noon to 4 p.m. at Shaw, 750 White Pond Drive, Akron. It is free and open to the public.
Hungry for something new?
Lots of new places have been hanging up Open signs recently.
• The Dickeys Barbecue Pit franchise owned by Anthony Salem is now open at 960 N. Court St., Medina. The casual barbecue restaurant has a drive-through. It’s open for lunch and dinner. Call 330-723-2300 for more information.
• Zoup! Fresh Soup Company is scheduled to open at 4898 Portage St. NW in Jackson Township on Jan. 26, and will host a pre-opening fundraiser Jan. 25 for Hoover and Jackson high schools from 5 to 8 p.m. Supporters of either school can drop their receipts in a designated box and 100 percent of the receipts in each box will be donated to that school.
This is the first area franchise for the Michigan-based chain, and is owned by Maureen and Paul Harris of Hudson. Zoup! features a rotating menu of 12 soups daily.
Hours are Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The owner of the AcoustiX Cafe in Akron’s Ellet neighborhood is serving sandwiches, appetizers and salads along with plenty of acoustic music. Rob Morrison, co-owner and operations manager of the club, said he grew up in Ellet and is happy to bring a family-friendly venue to his old neighborhood.
The cafe, 662 Canton Road, opens at 5 p.m. Monday and Saturday, and noon on Tuesday through Friday; closing times vary depending on performances. There are dinner specials on the weekends. Call 330-858-3951.
• A new Charley’s Grilled Subs is open at 2630 Lincoln Way E., Massillon.
Known for Philly steak sandwiches and hand-cut french fries, the Charley’s in Massillon has an upscale fast-casual format. Charley Shin, founder and CEO of Charley’s Grilled Subs, opened his first location on the campus of Ohio State University more than 25 years ago.
Cookbook club in Aurora
The Aurora Memorial Library has a new cookbook club.
Members read cookbooks from a selected author and then meet on the last Tuesday of each month to discuss the author and share recipes and dishes from the books.
The next meeting is 5 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31. This month’s featured author is Mollie Katzen, whose books include The Moosewood Cookbook. Check out one of Katzen’s cookbooks, pick a recipe, prepare it, and bring the dish to the book discussion to share along with a copy of the recipe.
You can register online at www.portagelibrary.org or call 330-562-6502 for information. The Aurora Memorial Library is located at 115 E. Pioneer Trail in Aurora.
In the freezer
Smith Dairy in Orrville has added a new product to its Ruggles line: Lowfat Greek Frozen Yogurt in six flavors — original tart, vanilla bean, peach, honey, blueberry and strawberry.
The frozen yogurt is available in pints or single-serve four-ounce cups. The product was inspired by the popularity of Greek yogurt, Ruggles Marketing Director Penny Baker said.
Gingerbread house winners
Two Jackson High School students won Gasser Fine Jewelers’ sixth annual gingerbread house competition, which ran Nov. 26 to Dec. 23 at the downtown Canton store.
First place winner is Taylor May and second place went to Megan Ferguson. Both girls received a $500 scholarship from Gasser Jewelers.
Students from Hoover, Jackson, R.G. Drage, and Canton South high schools entered 14 houses in the contest. The houses were on display at the jewelry store, where the public voted for their favorites.
To see the winning creations, check out my blog where I have posted photos of both: http://lisa.ohio.com.
Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
