102 replies to this topic

[ChocoKitty]

And then there's the wine shops, but I'll save that for another post...

Next weekend will be too soon for me (I will be out of town), but please keep me posted on new developments!

And as far as wine shops? For me there's only two words: Village Corner!

And thank you for listing all the Ann Arbor food goodies and bringing back memories! I'm seriously thinking of moving back to A2 in the next 3-5 years, and you're reminding me why.

[Fritz Brenner]

I would also love to meet in Ann Arbor, it's only a short ride from Kalamazoo (where the food scene is sad and meager....). The Chicago egullet folks are so awesome, it would be great to meet some gulleteers from my home state! If NeroW isn't too busy with Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, I know she'd love to return to Michigan for some eatin'.

Cheers,

Fritz

[guajolote]

Fritz (and Nero), isn't there a great liquor/wine store in Kalamazoo? My Dad is always talking about having to beg off the free samples so that he can drive home. I'll ask him the name of the place.

I also love the beer from Kalamazoo Brewing.

[MatthewB]

I'm up for a gathering on the eastside. Let's do it!

Also, if there's interest, we might consider a gathering on the westside so as to include both Chicago & Detroit folks. (Grand Rapids is approximately equal driving time between those two cities.) I'd be glad to assist in coordinating that.

The "day job" is swamping me right now, so I'll have to wait to respond to the previous responses. Nonetheless, thanks to all of you who are keeping this thread going. Please keep it up as your interest continues.

To riff off Aurora's last post, what are all you doing as far as "humble food" at home? Anyone focusing on local ingredients & in-season home cooking? If so, any reports? Anything that Marion Cunningham should include in her upcoming Lost Recipes?

Cheers.

[Fritz Brenner]

Fritz (and Nero), isn't there a great liquor/wine store in Kalamazoo? My Dad is always talking about having to beg off the free samples so that he can drive home. I'll ask him the name of the place.

I also love the beer from Kalamazoo Brewing.

You're right, Guajalote, I was being kind of unfair to poor K-zoo. Your dad is probably talking about Bacchus, which is an old Kalamazoo institution with lots of wines, liquors, coffee, cheese, and chocolates. If not that shop, Tiffany's is another good wine/cigar/specialty food store, as is W.J. Upsons, who roast their own coffee and host wine and cheese tastings. Beer-wise, Bells and Kraftbrau make pretty damn good beers, in my opinion. I guess I was referring more to the restaurant scene, which is mostly lacking...

[guajolote]

Yes, it is Bacchus. Thanks.

[tammylc]

And as far as wine shops? For me there's only two words: Village Corner!

Village Corner does rock (I'm a member of their wine club). And like all the good wine stores in Ann Arbor, the setting is certainly, ummm, incongruous.

But for sheer strangeness, nothing beats the secret wine room at Main Party Store...

Board question: how do I make it include the name of the person I'm quoting?

[Aurora]

Aurora: The "food scene" in Ann Arbor rocks.  There's the farmers market on Wednesday and Saturdays, right outside the Kerrytown shops.  Kerrytown is a haven for foodies - Zingerman's is right around the corner, plus there's a great market right in the shops, as well as real butcher and an amazing fishmonger.  Plus Partners in Wine and Cheese, and Cav's Cafe, with amazing quiche.  Cav sets up a grill outside on market days.  Also in Kerrytown is Kitchen Port.  I think it's gone downhill since I worked there five years ago, but it's still a pretty neat shop for getting all things kitchen and cooking related, and they do cooking demonstrations/classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

I have been to the farmers market by the Kerrytown shops.

I got really great asparagus and sweet onions. I especially remember some really wonderful honey I picked up. It was great stuff packaged in a simple, unassuming jar. When I put that on the breakfast table, Honey Bear on my lazy susan of condiments looked at me. His assuring, perpetual, wide-eyed smile turned into an inquisitive frown. He said "Why, Dawn? Why? Am I suddenly not good enough? I didn't have an answer for him. I really thought the new honey in the simple jar would be a welcomed addition -- friendly competition. Honey bear was mad, in fact, he was furious. Who knew such a sweet little creature could behave so terribly? I was surprised. It was his innocence that first attracted me when I snatched him from the shelf and put him in my shopping cart, but this was a different Honey Bear -- a Honey Bear that knew some things; a Honey Bear that had been around. I cannot reveal the rest of what he said to me as sat at my table in disbelief while my tea grew colder. Finally, he hung his head in shame, jumped off the lazy susan, and left the table with a final departing kick that spilled my tea all over the table. I found him a few monts later. He found his way to the back of the shelf. He was crystalized, of course. There was nothing I could do. The honey I got at the Kerrytown farmers market was that good.

I spent hours in Kitchen Port, much to the dismay of my companions. I remember that it is upstairs. There also a market that is along the line of a charcuterie that is downstairs, right? Past the market, I remember a rather lousy restaurant called Sweet Loraine's. It's biggest problem was that it seemed to overreach. What was truly memorable, was the end of market visit to Zingerman's Deli and the well-worth-it wait in line. It's a small place that is loaded with wonderful specialty items. The cheese, the meats, the breads, the prepared foods, and oh my god -- THE SANDWICHES! I just love the Bennie's Brooklyn Ruben. I have ordered from the catalog, but it is not the same as being there.

OK, when's the gathering? We could go to Ann Arbor on the train if none of us us up for driving.

On another note...

Board question: how do I make it include the name of the person I'm quoting?

You can make the quote include the name of the person you are quoting by going to that person's original post and clicking on the quote button that is above and to the right of the post. That will open a standard reply window that will include a box beneath the box where you will include your post. That box will include the post that you wish to quote. You can edit the post to include only the portion of the post that you wish to address. Be careful not to change the content of the post when editing it down to the portion that you want to quote. When you are done with your response, and you "Add Reply" the quote will lead your response in your newly added post. It will contain the name of the poster in addition to the date and the time that the quoted post was added to the thread.

This is different from going to the persons quote, copying the portion that you want to quote, hitting the quote key within your reply, pasting the copied portion and hitting the close quote key. It let's everyone know that you are quoting someone, but it will not include the indentifiers.

I have used both methods in this post.

[Aurora]

Aurora: The "food scene" in Ann Arbor rocks.  There's the farmers market on Wednesday and Saturdays, right outside the Kerrytown shops.  Kerrytown is a haven for foodies - Zingerman's is right around the corner, plus there's a great market right in the shops, as well as real butcher and an amazing fishmonger.  Plus Partners in Wine and Cheese, and Cav's Cafe, with amazing quiche.  Cav sets up a grill outside on market days.  Also in Kerrytown is Kitchen Port.  I think it's gone downhill since I worked there five years ago, but it's still a pretty neat shop for getting all things kitchen and cooking related, and they do cooking demonstrations/classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

I have been to the farmers market by the Kerrytown shops.

I got really great asparagus and sweet onions. I especially remember some really wonderful honey I picked up. It was great stuff packaged in a simple, unassuming jar. When I put that on the breakfast table, Honey Bear on my lazy susan of condiments looked at me. His assuring, perpetual, wide-eyed smile turned into an inquisitive frown. He said "Why, Dawn? Why? Am I suddenly not good enough? I didn't have an answer for him. I really thought the new honey in the simple jar would be a welcomed addition -- friendly competition. Honey bear was mad, in fact, he was furious. Who knew such a sweet little creature could behave so terribly? I was surprised. It was his innocence that first attracted me when I snatched him from the shelf and put him in my shopping cart, but this was a different Honey Bear -- a Honey Bear that knew some things; a Honey Bear that had been around. I cannot reveal the rest of what he said to me as sat at my table in disbelief while my tea grew colder. Finally, he hung his head in shame, jumped off the lazy susan, and left the table with a final departing kick that spilled my tea all over the table. I found him a few monts later. He found his way to the back of the shelf. He was crystalized, of course. There was nothing I could do. The honey I got at the Kerrytown farmers market was that good.

I spent hours in Kitchen Port, much to the dismay of my companions. I remember that it is upstairs. There also a market that is along the line of a charcuterie that is downstairs, right? Past the market, I remember a rather lousy restaurant called Sweet Loraine's. It's biggest problem was that it seemed to overreach. What was truly memorable, was the end of market visit to Zingerman's Deli and the well-worth-it wait in line. It's a small place that is loaded with wonderful specialty items. The cheese, the meats, the breads, the prepared foods, and oh my god -- THE SANDWICHES! I just love the Bennie's Brooklyn Ruben. I have ordered from the catalog, but it is not the same as being there.

OK, when's the gathering? We could go to Ann Arbor on the train if none of us is up for driving.

On another note...

Board question: how do I make it include the name of the person I'm quoting?

You can make the quote include the name of the person you are quoting by going to that person's original post and clicking on the quote button that is above and to the right of the post. That will open a standard reply window that will include a box beneath the box where you will include your post. That box will include the post that you wish to quote. You can edit the post to include only the portion of the post that you wish to address. Be careful not to change the content of the post when editing it down to the portion that you want to quote. When you are done with your response, and you "Add Reply" the quote will lead your response in your newly added post. It will contain the name of the poster in addition to the date and the time that the quoted post was added to the thread.

This is different from going to the persons quote, copying the portion that you want to quote, hitting the quote key within your reply, pasting the copied portion and hitting the close quote key. It let's everyone know that you are quoting someone, but it will not include the indentifiers.

I have used both methods in this post.

[tammylc]

Past the market, I remember a rather lousy restaurant called Sweet Loraine's.  It's biggest problem was that it seemed to overreach.  What was truly memorable, was the end of market visit to Zingerman's Deli and the well-worth-it wait in line.  It's a small place that is loaded with wonderful specialty items.  The cheese, the meats, the breads, the prepared foods, and oh my god -- THE SANDWICHES!  I just love the Bennie's Brooklyn Ruben.  I have ordered from the catalog, but it is not the same as being there. 

OK, when's the gathering?  We could go to Ann Arbor on the train if none of us is up for driving.

Sweet Lorraine's is long gone. It was replaced by the shortlived Cafe 303, which is now also long gone. Nothing has yet come to fill the space, which is too bad - it has a nice outdoor patio with big woodburning stoves for spring and fall.

Zingerman's is my favorite place in all of Ann Arbor. We call going there the "Zingerman's Experience." Unfortunately, it's difficult to escape the Zingerman's experience for less than $50, between the sandwiches, the bread, the deli counter and the chocolate counter. But worth every penny.

I'm working right now on trying to find a weekend for the gathering. My summer is quickly filling up! June is looking like a no go, but July is currently open. Only problem is, I'll be moving into my new house sometime in July...

I'll keep you all posted. Or some other Michigander can take over the organizing, but I'd really like to be able to make it...

Thanks for the quoting help.

[Fritz Brenner]

Let's go for a July thing-- weather should be great (although it's Michigan, so one never knows...).

Isn't there an awesome art fair in Ann Arbor in July? Or is it June?

Fritz

[tammylc]

Isn't there an awesome art fair in Ann Arbor in July?  Or is it June?

There is an awesome art fair in Ann Arbor in July, which makes it a horrible time to visit, I think - can't get a hotel room anywhere in town, and the restaurants are all crowded, with long waits. Probably not good for what we want to do.

[Fritz Brenner]

That's true, tammy... we are a food site after all. I guess I'll make the little trek over to Ann Arbor myself to check out the art. And I'll probably bring a picnic, which is generally much more enjoyable on a nice day than waiting for eight years to sit inside a restaurant.

I guess our Michigan meeting should aim for a time in July that is not during the art fair.

[indiagirl]

Well, if you come in during Art Fair, PM to let us know anyway. We could have a mini gathering and then do another "mega" gathering, no?

Not a good time to come in to eat, the Art Fair. Most restaurants are on a reduced menu plan to cope with the tourists. Although there is some really good art on some of the streets

A picnic is a great idea. And you can shop at Zingy's for the picnic. Ofcourse.

Northside Grill, which is off the main Art Fair drag but still walkable is a good hearty breakfast place.

Right now, July is open for me.

[ExtraMSG]

http://www.extramsg....=article&sid=19

Spent a week on Glen Lake near Traverse City, Michigan. Didn't eat out as much as I normally do, but still got a chance to sample a lot of food.

My favorite spot wasn't actually in NW Michigan, it was outside of Ludington: Bortell's Fish Market. Fantastic spot. Had some excellent whitefish.

Pleva's Meats in Cedar was also a big highlight. Cherry-pecan brats, house-made jerkeys, and pepperoni sticks made great snacks. The place smelled of smoking meats. Mmmm.

Hit lots of produce stands and sampled a 1/2 a million strawberries and twice that many cherries.

Very enjoyable. Follow the link above for my full report and for a link to lots of photos.

[planojim]

MSG, I just got back from Crystal Lake (about 15 miles south of Glen Lake) myself. What awful weather we had. I've been going up there for about 10 years and have always been amazed at the lack of good seafood there. You would think that they would just be reaping the bounty from Lake Michigan, and everywhere you'd look there would be restaurants serving perch, whitefish, coho, etc, but alas it is not to be. The sweet corn was to die for while I was there. I made sure the in-laws made some every night for dinner. Couldn't find any cherries though. Went to a place called Boons in Traverse and although I'd heard people rave about it, I found to be very average. here's a place in Beulah called Market Basket that has pretty good baked goods, and it's right next to The Cherry Hut, which is pretty much exactly like the place you mentioned in Glen Lake. Everything is devoted to the cherry.

Hope you had fun up there. It sure is beautiful.

jb

[Mabelline]

My grandparents family places were in Yale, Avoca, Capack, and Sandusky. We had berries and stone fruits of all kinds. I also recall the most beautiful tiger lilies I've ever seen.
My auntie Evelynn had 5 acres of strawberries and 17 acres of bluberry bushes. We had cherries.As well as apples and pears. I remember our orchard being 5 acres.

[ExtraMSG]

planojim, it is getting a little late for cherries now. Our weather (first two weeks in July) was more uneven than in the past. We had some nice days, but also some lousy days. We used to go more in the late summer, like you, and we always seemed to get a day or two of bad weather. But often it would be so hot and muggy you couldn't sleep at night. (The houses we stay in are 75 years old, so they don't have AC.) The most annoying thing this year were the biting flies. Never noticed them before. Also, had never seen leeches in the water before, but we saw several this year.

On Oregon vs. Michigan: Oregon has better cherries, but Michigan has better strawberries.

I do wonder why there aren't more places like Bortell's, but fish seemed easy enough to find, just not as emphasized as I would hope.

[Mabelline]

There are some exceptional cherries raised in N MT called Flathead Cherries, but they unfortunately never make it out of state because the entire crop is bought up here instate. They are beauties.

[ronnie_suburban]

The best thing about that great Michigan produce--especially from the perspective of a Chicagolander--is how available it is early in the season. When our local farmer's markets first open in the spring, a good portion of the available produce is grown in Michigan. I'm told that it's because of the specific weather on that side of Lake Michigan. Not sure if that's completely true but either way, those Michigan goods always hit the spot in the early spring.

Of course, the Michigan stuff is great later in the season too.

=R=

[Tracy K.]

The lake does have an effect on the timing of the growing season in Michigan. Our Chicagoland weather comes whipping across the plains with nothing to buffer it, so our soil temperatures take a while to warm up in the spring (it's the soil temperature that controls how quickly spring comes along). With that big body of water at a nearly constant temperature, probably somewhere in the 30's no matter what the air temperture, the soil temps in Michigan get going earlier due to the moderating effects of the lake temperature.

I won't go further, but there are other differences in the soil between Illinois and Michigan.... (I'm also a Master Gardener...)

[aaustin]

I'll be visiting the Dearborn and Detroit areas in the next few weeks and am looking for some restaurant suggestions. I think we'd prefer a nice neighborhood spot with a certain level of sophistication, maybe a young 30s crowd but not a meat-market type place. Just an upbeat spot with great food.
Really looking forward to suggestions! Thanks

[Alex]

I'll be visiting the Dearborn and Detroit areas in the next few weeks and am looking for some restaurant suggestions. I think we'd prefer a nice neighborhood spot with a certain level of sophistication, maybe a young 30s crowd but not a meat-market type place. Just an upbeat spot with great food.
Really looking forward to suggestions! Thanks

Detroit's a sprawling place. Where will you be staying and how long a drive will you be willing to make?

[CaliPoutine]

I;ll second, third and forth Zingerman's. I live in Canada, and I;m about a 2 and a half hour drive from AA. My friends live in Chelsea so I spent a lot of time there. Zingermans has great sandwiches and well as really great gourmet products. I picked up some fluer de sel there and my friend recently sent me a 20yr old balsamic for xmas.

Btw, the whole foods in AA is fabulous too.

I'll have to check out the farmers markets this summer.

[paul o' vendange]

Shamless plug for my beloved adopted home, if'n any of you dare to travel north of the bridge, pay us a visit in Marquette - chez nous, Waterstone. Autumn is beautiful up here, but all year round is a wilderness of beauty.

Our own little 28 seat bistro is humming along quite nicely, and it would be good to have you in.

Paul
Formerly Chicagoan, decidedly a country boy

[CaliPoutine]

I was just about to order a case of san marzano tomatoes and some walnut oil and tuna packed in olive oil, but I thought Id check here first,

I;'ll be in AA next week. Is there a good Italian market around where I can find the tomatoes, artisinal pasta and the like. Im already going to Zingermans, but I find them a tad expensive.

Thanks

[aaustin]

I'll be visiting the Dearborn and Detroit areas in the next few weeks and am looking for some restaurant suggestions. I think we'd prefer a nice neighborhood spot with a certain level of sophistication, maybe a young 30s crowd but not a meat-market type place. Just an upbeat spot with great food.
Really looking forward to suggestions! Thanks

Detroit's a sprawling place. Where will you be staying and how long a drive will you be willing to make?

I'm looking into that now and will post again as soon as I have more info on the area we're staying in. Thanks!

[Ari]

I'm just visiting Detroit from Miami for a couple of days. (I know, I know... don't ask.)

Anyway, I've had two very good inexpensive meals here since I arrived.

The first was at La-Shish. Mideastern food. There are a few of these around the Detroit Metro area. I went to one in Dearborn and was heartbroken not to be able to take home the leftovers. (No refrigerator in the hotel room.)

The 2nd great meal was lunch at Agave, near the Symphony Hall on Woodward. Fresh, novel interpretation of Mexican food.

As a side note, if you're thinking of staying at the Ramada in downtown Detroit, please, please, please do not. It's the closest thing to a flophouse I've ever stayed at. I know Ramada's not supposed to be top-of-the-line, but I can't believe the company lets this place bear its name.

[annarborfoodie]

I;'ll be in AA next week.  Is there a good Italian market around where I can find the tomatoes, artisinal pasta and the like.  Im already going to Zingermans, but I find them a tad expensive.

Thanks

You might want to try Big Ten Market. They usually have pretty good prices on the tomatoes and will probably give you a discount if you buy a case. They have the best cheese counter in town and definitely the most helpful salespeople. I'm not sure if they'll have the walnut oil, but they might, and they do have a good selection of pasta. You might want to try the locally made "Al Dente" brand pasta, which is carried there among other places in town. I don't know of an Italian market in Ann Arbor - there is one in Dearborn though if you'll be around there at all.

For restaurants - I second the recommendation for La Shish. In Dearborn, Annam is very good upscale Vietnamese. In Detroit - others you might want to try include Atlas Global Bistro, Small Plates, and Sweet Lorraine's.

Editing to add one more idea (especially for the person who will be here for a couple of weeks) - the American Harvest restuarant at Schoolcraft Culinary Institute. Service tends to be a bit slow, but you can't beat the value. I take classes there and drool every time I walk past the restaurant (and especially the pastry case) on my way to class. http://www.schoolcra...est/default.htm

Edited by annarborfoodie, 25 January 2005 - 12:18 PM.

[aaustin]

Alright, so I finally heard back! We'll be in the Plymouth/Northville area. Again, I'd love any good neighborhood eats suggestions! thanks in advance