Akron Dish: Blaze pizza — partially owned by LeBron James — firing up for area debut; Peaceful Fruits sees sales soar after ‘Shark Tank’; Crave Cantina still planning spring debut; Mardi Gras happenings abound; Spring Brunch at UA and more

Feb. 22--We have some fully baked news about Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza, the chain partially owned by LeBron James, coming to the Belden Village area.

The first Northeast Ohio location opens Monday at 5125 Dressler Road in Jackson Township.

We also have a clarification on some half-baked information about Blaze, which touts its super-fast pizza preparation and fresh ingredients: It is not coming to Strongsville, as I and other Northeast Ohio media reported. At least not anytime soon. More on this later.

The new Blaze in Jackson Township will open at 11 a.m. Monday, and host a Free Pizza Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. As giveaways go, this one is generous. Anyone who likes Blaze Pizza on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter will receive a free, build-your-own 11-inch pizza, with no restrictions on number of toppings. (Regular cost is just under $8.)

What's up with not-coming-soon Strongsville Blaze location? Here's what happened. The city of Strongsville posted on its Facebook page last week that a Blaze was expected to open at the Commons at SouthPark. I and other media types got a bout of LeBron James fever, echoing the city's post. (I wrote about it on the Akron Dish blog at www.ohio.com.)

Turns out that Strongsville jumped the pepperoni. On Tuesday, the city said it "looks like we have to rescind our post."

Last fall, the city explained in a new post written Tuesday, Strongsville City Council members approved a "master sign program" for the Commons at SouthPark that included a sign for Blaze Pizza. "Apparently, a lease was never signed," the city said.

A spokeswoman for the franchisee, Blaze Midwest Group, told me this week that "there's no formal plan to open" in the city. But she stressed that the Blaze planned for Mentor is a go.

James was a founding investor in the Pasadena, Calif., Blaze chain, which began in 2011. In 2015, the NBA star made headlines when he decided not to renew his big endorsement deal with McDonald's to promote Blaze. Yeah, I guess James makes headlines when he does anything.

Peaceful Fruits sales up

I wrote last week that Evan Delahanty, the founder of local snack company Peaceful Fruits, failed to get a deal when he appeared on ABC TV's Shark Tank.

Nevertheless, it was a mighty fruitful experience, with the show creating quite a buzz. By the end of last week, the company sold roughly $75,000 worth of the acai-infused fruit strips. That's about three times his sales for all of last year.

The extra sales have led to greater production and more work opportunities for the people with disabilities who make and package the fruit snacks.

Workers at the new Hattie's Food Hub in West Akron make the all-natural, gluten-free strips, which are labeled and packaged by workers at Blick Center in Fairlawn. Hattie's Food Hub includes a commercial food processing kitchen operated by Hattie Larlham, the nonprofit that provides job training and other services for people with disabilities. The nonprofit Blick Center (formerly Blick Clinic) also serves people with disabilities.

Delahanty, who lives in Boston Township and is a graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School and Cornell University, was inspired by his Peace Corps work in South America.

The acai berries -- touted for their high concentration of antioxidants -- are picked in the wild in the Amazon region of Brazil. Harvesting them is a way for people to make money without logging and mining, which damage the forest.

Delahanty would eventually like Peaceful Fruits to lead to jobs for the villagers he worked with in Suriname while in the Peace Corps.

Crave Cantina in Falls

Crave, the 12-year-old downtown Akron restaurant known for its adventurous, moderately priced food, is still planning a spring debut of its Crave Cantina spinoff in Cuyahoga Falls.

Go to the Crave Cantina Facebook page to see some cool pictures showing how the decades-old building at 2097 Front St., on the pedestrian mall, is being fixed up. It most recently housed Firehouse Grille & Pub, which closed in 2015.

Crave Cantina is moving in at an opportune time. The city plans to reopen the pedestrian mall to two-way traffic by next year. Crave has touted a menu offering "global tacos, Latin fare, craft cocktails and Crave hospitality."

Firestone Soup Fest

The Firestone High School Soup Fest -- open to the public and set for 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday -- keeps getting bigger.

The number of establishments donating soup was up to 16 by Tuesday morning, giving attendees a great way to get lots of samples in one spot.

Soup is coming from Acme Fresh Market No. 1, Bob Evans, Beau's Grille, Bravo, Caston and Main Brew Yard, Cracker Barrel, DeVitis Italian Market & Deli, Diamond Grill, Frank's Place, Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, Larry's Main Entrance, Olive Garden, Rockne's, Skyway, Spaghetti Warehouse and TGI Fridays.

In its 21st year, the fest will be in the cafeteria of the high school, 333 Rampart Ave. in Akron. It raises money for the Firestone High School Instrumental Music Association.

Patrons get unlimited portions, a dessert and beverage. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4.50 for children under 10, available at the door. Bring a mug, or bowls will be available.

Nutritious & Delicious Gala

Here's another way to enjoy samples from a variety of local places and help raise funds.

This year's Nutritious & Delicious Gala, featuring healthful food, will be from 6 to 9 p.m. March 2 at Tangier, 532 W. Market St. in Akron.

Cost is $35 and includes the food samples, two drink tickets and an engraved wine glass. Attendees can vote for favorite dishes. Tickets can be purchased at www.eatrightakron.org or at the door.

Proceeds go to the scholarship fund of the Greater Akron Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which benefits students at Kent State University and the University of Akron studying those fields, explained Taylor Hawkins, who graduated from Kent State University and is a dietetic intern.

Participating establishments include Red's Catering, Melt, Main Street Grille, Chop & Swizzle, Food 4 Thought at Kent State, Totally Cooked Catering, USA Pears, Vigeo Gardens, Sandridge Food, Dino's Catering, J.M. Smucker and American Dairy Council Mideast.

Vigeo Gardens is a vertical farming business in Akron that I wrote about last year. Green basil, leaf lettuce and microgreens grow in multilevel racks in rooms inside the Akron Global Business Accelerator.

Earlier this month, I wrote about Sandridge Food Corp.'s plans to expand its Medina plant. The Medina-headquartered company makes Grandma's brand potato and macaroni salads and other refrigerated foods.

Fat Tuesday festivities

Here are ways to fatten up for Fat Tuesday:

--The Polish American Citizens Club will host its annual Mardi Gras dinner from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the club at 472 E. Glenwood Ave. in Akron. Dinner includes sausage, sauerkraut, homemade pierogi and paczki, similar to a doughnut. The evening will include music and Polish dancing.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children 5 to 11. To buy tickets, call the club at 330-253-0496 or Ed at 330-825-7607. The dinner raises money for the building fund. Tickets also will be available at the door.

--The West Side Bakery is offering king cakes through Tuesday, and beignets will be available Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at its two locations. The Akron bakery is at 2303 W. Market St. (330-836-4101) and the Green bakery is at 1840 Town Park Blvd. (330-899-9968).

--Beginning Fat Tuesday through March 4, the Chowder House in Cuyahoga Falls is offering muffuletta sandwiches (owner/chef Louis Prpich will make his own bread), plus jambalaya, crawfish pizza, seafood etouffee, shrimp and scallop and grits, beignets and other items.

Prpich is talking about making a king cake to serve March 4. The Chowder House is at 2028 Chestnut Blvd., just off State Road, in Cuyahoga Falls. The phone is 330-794-7102.

--At Russo's and the Bacchus Lounge, 4895 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, festivities start at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The extensive Mardi Gras menu includes oysters, pizzas, gumbo, fried green tomatoes, Creole fried chicken with collard greens and Cajun red beans and rice, chicken or shrimp etouffee, jambalaya, po'boys and beignets. Call 330-923-2665.

--The Ido Bar & Grill in Akron continues its Mardi Gras specials through Tuesday. Hours for the dinner menu are 4 p.m. to close; the regular menu also will be available. Lunch Mardi Gras specials will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The Ido is at 1537 S. Main St., Akron, north of Firestone Boulevard. Visit www.idobar.com. The phone is 330-773-1724.

Celebrate Purim

It's not too late to order hamantaschen made by the Women's Chavurah group at Anshe Sfard (Revere Road Synagogue) in Bath Township.

Prepaid orders are due Monday. An order form is available at www.akronshul.com.

Each year, the Women's Chavurah has helped to celebrate Purim, which this year begins the evening of March 11, by making thousands of the traditional treats. The pastries are sold by the dozen, in prune, apricot, raspberry, poppy seed, cherry or chocolate, or an assortment.

Orders can be picked up at Anshe Sfard, 646 N. Revere Road, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 5. Or pick up by appointment. Call 330-867-7292.

UA spring brunch

The annual spring brunch hosted by University of Akron students studying hospitality management will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 5 at the Crystal Room Bistro, 360 Grant St. (Gallucci Hall). Cost is $19.95; $15.95 for ages 60 and older; and free for children 3 and younger. Phone 330-972-6615 for reservations. Proceeds help pay for students' field trips.

Tips for the pantry

Melissa McClelland of Cleveland Heights will provide ideas for keeping a well-stocked pantry at 6:30 p.m. March 9 at the Hudson Library & Historical Society, 96 Library St.

McClelland will offer samples of some of her favorite pantry items and demonstrate how to be creative with meals, even in the middle of the week, according to a library news release.

She has been a chef as well as a recipe tester and developer for Eating Well magazine. She also is a contributor to Edible magazine as a writer, food prop and set stylist.

Registration is required at www.hudsonlibrary.org.

Wine tastings

--Papa Joe's will host Italian winemaker Giorgio Pelissero for a 6:30 p.m. tasting dinner Monday. Cost is $85. Call 330-923-7999 to reserve. The restaurant is at 1561 Akron-Peninsula Road in Cuyahoga Falls.

--The Portage Crossing Market District in Cuyahoga Falls will host a Pasqua Italian Wines dinner at 6 p.m. March 16. Cost is $35. Call 330-849-2457 to reserve.

Send local food news to Katie Byard at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. You can follow her @KatieByardABJ on Twitter or on Facebook at www.facebook.com and read the Akron Dish blog at www.ohio.com/food.

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