After meeting Farmer Lee Jones and learning about the Veggie U initiative, plus the fact that program was in jeopardy  locally due to lack of awareness and funds, I knew this was something we could try to help and something that would resonate well with you – my readers. Truthfully, I was hoping we’d be able to support a few classrooms (each classroom requires $200). But that didn’t happen. Instead, according to my contact at Veggie U, you guys saved the entire program in Cleveland, raising a total of $3,820 – with 100% of the donations going towards the kids! More importantly, that’s 84 Cleveland schools, 171 classrooms and 3,840 students that will participate and learn about eating healthy, sustainable agriculture and combating adolescent disease and juvenile diabetes starting March 1. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

I cannot thank you all enough for your incredible generosity and taking the time to donate. It is greatly appreciated by so many, especially those 4^th graders and their teachers. You guys simply rock and have truly made a difference. Hopefully, this is something we can continue each year and impact future students.

I also realize we were able to raise more because so many helped to spread the word – via good ol’ fashioned word-of-mouth, tweets and Facebook. Thank you – just look at the difference it made. I especially want to thank many of our bloggers and media. We have a wonderful blogging community here and it’s one I’m very proud to be part of. It’s one that’s incredibly supportive, both of each other and of our city. A special thank you to I Heart Cleveland, Live to Cook at Home, Heidi Robb, Confessions of a Cohabitant, Chef’s Widow, Cleveland’s a Plum, A Girl About Cleveland, Local Food Service, Bite Buff, Cleveland at Heart, Great Lakes Design Collaborative, Garden, Grocery, Gadget Girl , Cooker Girl, Metromix and Michael Ruhlman.  And our local food reporters/editors Joe Crea and Debbi Snook at the Plain Dealer. They took an immediate interest in this effort and shared with readers.

Finally, we would not be having this conversation if it wasn’t for our chefs, restaurant and store owners. I shared the idea and almost everyone got on board and offered their support to make it even better. We all know this group is responsible for making us some seriously good eats. But they also have some seriously big hearts and are an incredibly supportive group. They made it interesting and because of their generosity, people donated even more (let’s face it – that was some prize any foodie would covet!). We started out with roughly $1,400 in restaurant gift cards, and after the initial post, additional restaurants contacted me wanting to participate for a total of nearly $2,000 in restaurant gift certificates! These awesome establishments include: Western Reserve Wine Tartine Momocho Lola The Greenhouse Tavern Heinen’s Blue Canyon The Flying Fig Fire Erie Island Coffee Fahrenheit Miles Farmers Market Jekyll’s Kitchen Moxie Touch Supper Club Parallax L’Albatros Chinato Crop Bistro North End Hyde Park AMP 150 Muse (The Ritz-Carlton) The Chocolate Bar Michaelangelo’s John Q’s Steakhouse Melange Bistro on Lincoln Park.

So who was the lucky winner? Congratulations to Suzie Martens. She was chosen via Random.org. You are going to be eating very, very well for quite some time and are the envy of a lot of Clevelanders (including me!).

1. What is your favorite restaurant in Cleveland? My very favorite restaurant is Chez Francois in Vermilion. The food and service are always excellent, and they have a great wine list! In Cleveland, there are so many wonderful choices now. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’m always impressed with the job Parallax does and I like the creativity of Momocho.

2. How did you get into wine? I’ve always had a passion for wine and felt a nice dinner was not complete unless accompanied by wine. Ten years ago, I left the optical industry to learn more about wine and pursue my dream of owning a wine store.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? I love Cleveland! Culturally you can’t beat it (unless you go to New York or Chicago). We have great restaurants, a beautiful lake and a Metropark system that surrounds the city. The only thing that may drives me nuts is the lack of sunshine.

4. What is the first thing you notice when you look at a restaurant’s wine list? If there are any decent wines by the glass or half bottles offered. What’s the best way to navigate a list and find something you like? Personally, I like to see a list organized by country; however, I think it would be more helpful for diners if restaurants would organize their lists by grape varietal.

5. With the holidays coming up and thus holiday parties, what’s a good red and good white to give as a gift? It really depends on who the gift is for and whether you want to give a wine for early consumption or for aging. If you’re not sure what the person likes, then I’d recommend something that is both food and people friendly, but has some uniqueness to it.

6. How do you properly cellar wine? If you’re not fortunate enough to have a wine cellar with both temperature and humidity controlled, the most important thing is to keep it in a dark place and at a consistent temperature, preferably 55-58 degrees.

7. Fail safe trick for removing red wine stains? Wine Away spray, red wine remover – it’s never failed!

8. You have to spend a lot of money to sample a really great wine – true or false? False

9. What book are you currently reading? Wine & War by Don & Petie Kladstrup, a great read for wine enthusiasts and history buffs.

10. What’s one thing about wine people would be surprised to learn? That it has many health benefits.

11. Screw top or cork, do you have a preference and does it make a difference? I believe the age worthy wines still need the natural, breathable cork to aid in the maturing process. Screw tops are good for wines meant to be drank young because you don’t have to worry about getting a “corked” bottle of wine.

12. Best wine you’ve ever sampled? How did you discover it? It was a red Burgundy, with some age on it that I shared with some co-workers. I wasn’t in the business then so I don’t remember the producer, the appellation or the vintage, but it was definitely one of those life changing experiences that drove me to where I am today.

13. If you weren’t selling wine, what would you be doing? Traveling!

14. What’s the best way to learn more about wine and discover new varietals? You never know a wine until you taste it. We have a very aggressive wine tasting program here at Western Reserve Wines (every Saturday).

15. Last meal on Earth? Joe’s stone crab claws in South Beach served with a good Champagne.

16. Favorite wine pairing? Why does this go so well together? Pinot Noir with duck is one of my favorites. The gaminess of the duck needs a terroir driven wine like a French Pinot from Burgundy, and the acidity cuts through the richness of the meat.

17. Which wineries are must-visits? Any local favorites? I’d recommend visiting wineries that make your favorite wines. You’ll never truly understand a wine until you walk in the soils where the grapes grow, talk with the wine makers, and enjoy with the regional foods. As for a local favorite, I like the atmosphere and wine maker of Harpersfield.

18. Which local restaurant(s) features an impressive wine list? Many could learn from Chez Francois.

19. When a waiter places the cork in front of you and pours a small amount of wine into the glass, what should your next step be? Check to insure the cork is wet on the end, swirl the wine, smell, then taste. Don’t be afraid to refuse it, if it’s corked.

20. Why should someone visit Western Reserve Wines? We have one of the best selections of domestic and international wines you’ll find (priced to meet any budget), a knowledgeable, friendly staff that will offer expert recommendations on food and wine pairings, ongoing wine tastings, a large selection of Riedel Crystal, a Wine of the Month Club and a convenient location .