Taste-Full Blog

A trip to Hamtramck and some good cake!

A few nights ago my husband and I were treated to an unexpected surprise. We were invited to dinner at some of our favorite friends’ new home (being a chef seems to limit one’s in-home dining invitations!). They live in Detroit, in a beautiful, sprawling Tudor built in the 1920’s. They don’t have kids, and I was immediately struck by the sense of everything being in its place, with no Legos to step on and no Hogwarts robes strewn across the dining room table. We were served champagne on the first floor, then given a tour of the lovely place, and then treated to some delicious aged cheddar, French Camembert, and fresh baguette, along with grown up conversation! So it started off really well!

They had decided to take us out to dinner, and the plan was to return to their home for dessert. We headed out to Hamtramck to a little restaurant called Maria’s Comida (http://mariascomida.com/) on Joseph Campau. Like all the favorite Taste-full Tours spots, this place would likely go un-noticed by many, and I was intrigued!

We had reservations, and I’m guessing that when our friend called to make them it may have sounded surprising to the owners. The little place was not crowded, and was clearly occupied by “regulars” who seemed a bit confused by our presence.

Now let me clarify – this place has been in business for about three years, has received good reviews from Molly Abraham and others, and has a Schoolcraft (and multiple restaurant) trained Executive Chef. It is not undiscovered, nor is it inexperienced. But from the moment we walked in we were treated with extremely gracious service. The owners all came over to our little table to meet us, learned our names, and wanted to know how we had learned of them. It was not gratuitous or uncomfortable, overbearing or intrusive. They were just nice. They were proud of their food (both the server and owner had a hard time narrowing down the menu to their favorites – they seem to like it all!) and truly hopeful that we would enjoy it as well.

As for the food, it was exceptional. Quite honestly, I am not an easy dinner date. I rarely have a meal that I don’t want to “fix”. But EVERYTHING we had was delicious, perfectly seasoned, and prepared properly.

It’s an unusual blend of cuisines. The place started as strictly Mexican fare, but now they have added an Asian twist. I had read some reviews of the menu before we arrived, and some folks seemed confused (and annoyed) by this. But when you think about it, it makes sense. There are a number of ingredients and spices that carryover well on both sides of this equation, and I think it’s pretty logical. Plus, it was just really good.

Our favorites were the house made guacamole and salsas, the Asian baby back ribs, the fish tacos, and the amazing Tres Leche Cake – moist and delicate, with a hint of cinnamon. Oh, and the spicy-sweet chicken wings were great too. We left feeling happy, satisfied both physically and mentally. It feels so good to support local businesses that are so good at what they do, in such an unimposing way. I highly recommend you visit them soon!

We returned to our friends’ house in a bit of a food coma. We had delicious coffee (I am a terrible coffee maker – we didn’t learn that in school and I don’t have an aptitude for it so I appreciate a good cup!) and believe it or not, CAKE. My husband was thrilled (he would live on cake if he could); I was dismayed! I didn’t want to enjoy it, but alas, it was really good.

They had picked up this nice little cake from Hermann’s Bakery in downtown Royal Oak and we were all a bit skeptical – Hermann’s is old school, and I’m not sure how fast the turnover is there. Plus, it was only $12.50! That kind of price couldn’t possibly produce a good cake, could it? Well, as if the culinary gods were smiling upon us, the damn cake was delicious. I really tried not to eat it, but it was light and not too sweet and very fresh. It was layers of yellow and chocolate cake with white butter cream icing and some sort of crunchy bits on top. It tasted like somebody’s mom made it (in a good way). Now I have another good source for a local product, and one at an affordable price!

So I would like to thank our friends for a lovely evening and the equivalent of 3 lovely meals. It was truly a culinary adventure with good conversation, much laughter, and pure enjoyment of food. It reminded me that it’s not always important that I MAKE the food – it’s the SHARING of good food that is the magic part. The appreciation of something beyond “filling” – the awareness that the food was prepared in the joyful hope that someone will really enjoy it – that’s what matters. I can relate.

All that being said, I have an announcement to make: the Taste-full Tours blog is taking a little summer hiatus. I am so grateful for all of the kind remarks and comments that I have received – as I am not really a writer I am glad people seem to enjoy the information and stories I share. But the “other” Laura and I are going to turn our summer energies into exploring new venues, creating new tours, and spending some quality time with our families – and no doubt, SHARING good food with people we love. In the meantime, please email us if you discover any little culinary spots you feel are “tour-worthy”! We’d love to hear about them! And if you haven’t done so, (or even if you have) join us for a tour. It’s a great way to spend a day!

Have a great summer everyone, and we’ll be back in the fall!

 

 

Meet Bad Axe’s Own “Montana Dan”, Fisher-man J

This week’s blog is a bit of a teaser. At Taste-full Tours we are always on the lookout for great food businesses, high quality products, and local people making an effort to bring culinary education to others. I met just such a person this weekend, and although his product won’t be available again locally for a few months, I want you to be on the lookout for him.

His name is Dan Decker, “Montana Dan” is his professional name, and he is a real live fisherman! Originally from Bad Axe Michigan, he started fishing in Alaska several years ago, and now has a small fleet of fishing boats that he personally mans (ok, he is only on one boat at a time). He sells all his own catch, knows exactly where it comes from, and is often there when it is caught. He is passionate about sustainability and quality, as well as preserving habitat. His goal is to return to fishing strictly on sailboats, and then to ship the fish to markets using only bio-fuel transportation. A goal we at TFT can admire!

I contacted him based on a recommendation of a good friend and fellow culinarian, who said she loved his product. I emailed him, and while he had no idea who I was, he wrote me back immediately. He sent me a long, detailed email, explaining what he does and why he does it; a small dissertation about the need for careful fishing, the need for consumer awareness, and the need for healthy fish in our diets. He took time to write it, and I was thrilled to read it. I am always hungry for information and knowledge I can gain directly from the source!

So I hope Dan won’t mind – I have copied and pasted the text of his email to me for you to read. Since he didn’t know me from Adam, I don’t think he would consider this to be too private! Please read it if you have time – it is interesting and informative, and will make you more careful about what kind of fish you eat and where you buy it.

Dan was at the Royal Oak Farmers Market this past Saturday, his last stop there before he heads back out to sea in Alaska. He will be back with a fresh catch soon, and I HIGHLY recommend his products. In fact, we ate some of his salmon last night, and I can say without hesitation that it was the best I’ve ever tasted. So look him up in August, and check out his website. You won’t be disappointed. In the meantime, keep seeking out foods that as local as possible, or that come from sources you know and trust. It makes all the difference when it comes to flavor, to your health, and to the planet! Have a great week everyone! 

 

Laura,

Thanks for contacting me.   I would be very happy to give a brief  
description of my salmon.  I'm not sure where I'll be located at the  
market, but if you would like to call me Saturday morning I could tell  
you where they put me if that helps you.

I checked out your web site.  It's very interesting what you are  
doing.  It's great to see so many people getting involved in the  
healthy food movement in so many ways.

I won't be offended if you don't read the following before Saturday,  
but I would like to add something about my salmon, and it may apply to  
a lot of good foods these days, especially proteins:  My salmon is a  
premium product, and a lot of care goes into achieving the consistent  
quality--from the fishermen catching it to the processors filleting  
and packaging it.  Unfortunately, it carries a higher price tag and  
has to compete with all of the other salmon out there, including farm-
raised, imported farm-raised, and other wild-caught Alaskan salmon.  
I'll be the first to admit that not all farm-raised is bad for you  
(environmental and ecological concerns aside) and there is certainly a  
lot of good wild-caught salmon out there at a lower price.   The value  
of my product is that the quality is the same every time because I am  
only selling salmon that we catch, so my customers can be 100% sure  
that is wild-caught and it is high quality.  With that said, I don't  
necessarily discourage people from buying lower priced salmon from  
such places as Wal-mart or the chain grocery stores if it's a matter  
of getting more of a good thing in their diet (I discourage buying  
from Wal-mart for other reasons).  Folks just need to understand that  
it's difficult to trace salmon to it's source as a consumer, and  
quality varies greatly from one purchase to the next.  There has been  
an increase in farmed salmon being sold as wild-caught, especially in  
restaurants.  This is important for many reasons, but from a  
consumer's health stand point, it's hard to be sure whether or not the  
fish contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals, and how much.  Wild-
caught Alaskan salmon  (as compared to Great Lakes salmon and farmed)  
has virtually none of these, especially sockeye salmon (that's another  
explanation).  I look at my product as a luxury food, or something  
like a treat, though I try to keep the price under it's value and as  
close to the Chain competitors as I possibly can.  Even at $14/lb.,  
though, that is still only $2.63 to $5.25 per person for a typical  
serving ($7.89 to $15.75 per week if eating 3 meals/week).

This can be applied to purchasing free-range chickens, grass-fed/grass-
finished beef (better yet, bison), and other proteins, as well as many  
other foods.

I won't go into all of that at the market, but I just would like you  
to have a little background on why I continue to sell our salmon.  
Ultimately, I hope to be catching it with a sailboat again (like they  
did 70 years ago), and delivering it from Alaska to Seattle by  
sailboat, and then moving it around land on bio-fuel or electricity or  
some other alternative energy!  That's a little ways down the road,  
though!  For your group, I'll just simply explain what makes our  
salmon high quality, healthy, and sustainable, and why the source and  
quality can be trusted.

Thanks again for your interest, and I look forward to meeting you and  
your group on Saturday.

Best regards,
Dan 

 

Golden Mushroom Legacy

I went to culinary school fourteen years ago. That seems impossible now, as there is no way that much time can have passed, and I am certainly not that old. But alas, it is true. When I first visited the Schoolcraft College campus and met with the head of the program, he was bemused by the idea that I would want to leave any job that did not involve weekends and holidays, and he himself had not worked in a restaurant for years (this should have been a clue).

In that brief meeting I should have learned a lot about the path I was choosing – should have seen the exhaustion in the chef’s face, the deep lines around his eyes, and the weathered appearance of his skin – all born of too many years in a ridiculously hot kitchen and too many celebrations spent away from his family. But I loved to cook and that was all that mattered to me then. For the first time in my life I would be attending school with a perfectly clear purpose – something I had lacked in previous educational endeavors which were more “supposed to” than “want to”.

The chef told me that since I lacked any professional cooking experience, I needed to get some, and preferably before school began in the fall. I was told I had two options if I wanted the best education: The Lark in West Bloomfield, or The Golden Mushroom in Southfield. So, being that my house was closest to the latter choice, I applied immediately and was hired in at a whopping $8.00 per hour (not an uncommon amount even these days).

Restaurants like The Mushroom, as it was called, knew they could get away with relatively low wages; it was considered an honor to work there and knowledge of classic French cuisine was part of the payment. It was “old school” in that sense. It was also old school in the tone and tenor of the kitchen. Screaming, ranting chefs, throwing of cooking implements, outrageous long hours (often unpaid), and lots of disrespectful treatment. I was one of two women on staff – the other was the sous- chef and the place couldn’t run without her. She was amazing and strong and quietly scary, but never threw temper tantrums like the others. I learned the most from her.

I didn’t stay there long, just a few years part time while I was in school. Although I learned a great deal I knew almost immediately that my culinary path would not lead to a long restaurant career. I loved to cook, still do in fact, and I loved to feed people. But I was a product of the outside world, and the atmosphere wasn’t right for me. I wanted to interact with people and share in their enjoyment of food – I’ve never been very good at “behind the scenes”.

There aren’t many restaurants like The Mushroom around here anymore. The old world philosophy and traditional European kitchen “brigade” system is being infiltrated by throngs of second career people who won’t put up with the dysfunctional system. Many kitchens seem more civilized now, and there are fewer people who have grown up within the traditional confines of the “back of the house”. There are enough people who have come from gentler professions, and their tactics for motivation and successful business are a bit less screechy.

I mention all of this because my culinary history has come up several times in the last few days, and it reminded me of how different my work is now. I have found a happy path in which I am still able to share my love of food and cooking (I teach cooking classes and feed my friends as often as possible), and I am able to use my valuable Schoolcraft College education and Golden Mushroom skills to evaluate and promote quality food businesses all around me. No screaming, no throwing of knives.

 Last night we were invited to our friends’ house for dinner. They are both good cooks, and are passionate about good food, as well as good culinary technique. At one point my friend, who was doing all the cooking, brought me a piece of perfectly grilled asparagus. It was still crisp and bright green, hot and perfectly seasoned. He was looking for confirmation that it was, as he suspected, almost done. “It’s done, it’s done, get it off the grill!!!” I yelled. Oops. Nice way to treat the person making your dinner. Apparently more of The Golden Mushroom rubbed off on me than I thought.

Have a great week everyone!

Download Orange-Honey Asparagus

Southern Comfort

Wow, the south has had a rough time lately. From flooding to tornadoes, Mother Nature has not been kind. While I was trying to decide what to write about this week, it occurred to me that maybe the reason our southern states are known for their “comfort foods” is because the folks there are so often besieged with nasty weather that leads to tragedy. Food truly can be a source of comfort when all else fails.

Now, I know it is not advisable to eat for emotional reasons. Doctors will tell us that we should only eat when hungry, never to appease feelings of loss or emotional emptiness. And to some extent, I agree that this is true. Sometimes we all eat without thinking, mindlessly consuming unhealthy calories, which is not good. But this is not what I am talking about.

Comfort food is not just deep-fried or laden with fat; it is food made with love and caring, and food that truly tastes GOOD, bite after bite J.  Comfort food is different for everyone – for some it is chocolate and sweets, for some it means crunchy and salty, while for others it may be rich and creamy, and still others may just crave perfect bread slathered with perfect butter.

In any case, in times of trouble or sadness, I think preparing and sharing really good food with people you care about is one of the kindest things a person can do.

And it doesn’t always have to be about tragedy. I spent mother’s day cooking for my family, my mother in law and grandmother in law included – not because I had to, but because I love to. It is comforting to me to prepare good food for people. The meal was rich and flavorful, but also healthy and fresh, and that is my kind of comfort food (although I am certainly not above enjoying a really good onion ring from Hogger’s in Berkley!).

Back to the south (ok, not just the south, but the whole middle part of the country, the coasts, and the south as well!). I was thinking about all the floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters suffered in many areas of the country, and the fact that these same spots really hold the title for comfort foods. Think Paula Dean. Ok, eating her food on a regular basis would NOT be a good idea if you want to live past 50. But just watching her cook can make you feel loved (or threatened, depending on your perspective).

So I want to pay tribute to all those people out there who are battling with nature, struggling to get back on their feet, and hopefully winning the fight. I have no doubt there are good people around all of these tragedies who are supplying fresh, lovingly-prepared food for those in need. And while I can’t deliver my home-made biscuits to the recently ravaged areas in a reliable or practical way, I can hope that people who read this will make some beautiful, comforting food for the people they love or for someone in need. Maybe the effects will trickle down.

Have a great week everyone!

Download Creole Duck or Chicken Gumbo

Download Crispy Fried Okra

Download Fried Apple or Peach Pies

Download Fried Green Tomatoes

Download Pecan Pie with Bourbon and Chantilly Cream

Announcing the Taste-Full Tours Summer schedule!

Sign up at www.Taste-fulltours.com today!

Greetings, Taste-full Tourists! Summer is fast approaching and Laura and I have been busy planning our exciting new tour schedule. We’ve created three brand new tours for your culinary-adventure enjoyment!

First up: a tour way outside our usual box!  On Saturday, June 18^th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. we will host our first ever “Adventures in Shopping” Tour! We purposely named our business Taste-full Tours so that we could branch out in many areas of good taste. J In keeping with our “buy local” concept (which we are so pleased to see many others embracing these days) we will spend the day on our beloved Night Move bus, taking you to explore some of the very best local shops, specialty stores, and gift venues in metro-Detroit.

Since summer generally requires that we purchase a wide variety of presents for people – from weddings, to showers, to graduations – we knew you would appreciate these great spots with some truly unique and special inventories. Whenever we can shop in locally owned spots, many of which stock goods by local artists, we are benefitting our own economy. PLUS, we can buy people gifts that are fun, festive, and personal – qualities their recipients will really appreciate!

And it wouldn’t be a Taste-full Tour without good food! Many of the spots will feature goods for the kitchen, as well as Taste-full Tours approved food items that are perfect to buy for yourselves or the folks on your list. We will stop for lunch and goodies along the way, and will have a variety of tasty treats on the bus for your enjoyment. As always, no purchases are necessary while touring – we just hope you’ll visit these great places in the future whenever you need that perfect gift.

Our July tour is new too! On Saturday, July 23^rd from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. we’ll host the first annual “Woodward Dream Food” Tour!  From downtown Detroit to Birmingham, we’ll venture up and down food-rich Woodward Avenue, stopping along the way for all of our favorite treats. We’ll veer off Woodward proper occasionally, but we’ll stay close to this culinary thoroughfare as we sample incredible coffee, rich small-batch ice creams, perfect local sandwiches, beautiful Italian cuisine, and much more. This tour features many of our new favorite spots and a couple familiar faces. If you haven’t toured with us in awhile, hop on board for some great new culinary discoveries. J And while on board you can scope out your spot for the Dream Cruise!

Finally, our August event is the perfect seasonal tribute to Michigan’s best culinary month. On Saturday, August 13^th from 10:00 to 2:30 we’ll visit Eastern Market in downtown Detroit and the Royal Oak Farmers Market on our “Market to Market” Tour, then we’ll finish up with a mystery basket cooking demo by one of our favorite local chefs!

Both of these wonderful markets will be overflowing with local bounty.  We’ll even help you navigate the eclectic shops on the perimeter of Eastern Market, and give you some time to explore (without having to park!!).

August is peak season for the huge variety of our state’s goodness: corn, tomatoes, apples, peaches, herbs, squashes, spinach, greens, pears, eggs, gnocchi, pasta, pickles, coffee, chocolate, bacon – WAIT A MINUTE, what just happened there??

Well, these wonderful markets don’t just feature fruits and vegetables. They offer an endless supply of locally made products and we’ll make sure you taste all of our favorites. You can also meet the owners and creators of many of the products, and learn why they do what they do. Trust us, it’s not because they’re making millions – they do it because they love it, and their stories are as rich and interesting as their products.  Once you taste these great items and know the tales behind them, we know you’ll want to shop for them again. And finally, we’ll end the afternoon with a cooking demonstration using some of our favorite finds of the day!

So that’s the news. Hopefully you will consider joining us for one of our new adventures. We’re really excited about the schedule and would love to see you on board. Don’t forget, if you’ve got 12 friends, we can schedule a private tour for you (12 folks minimum, and up to 28 if you have lots of friends!). We have a few dates still open for the summer months, so just send us an email and we’ll make it happen.

Until then, have a great week everyone! 

 

Veggie Lasagna

Happy Tuesday Taste-full Tourists! I hope you were able to enjoy the glimpse of sun we had this weekend. Seems it will be gone for the foreseeable future, so this week’s recipes are still leaning toward comfort food, with a foreshadowing of vegetables to come!

I was at the dentist this week having a filling repaired and we were discussing our upcoming Easter meal plans. I explained that I would be hosting my family this year, and luckily he let me talk about it before my face was numb and he was drilling my tooth. Thanks for that Dr. Ramos!

Anyway, I don’t know if it’s because of some brainwashing type thing they did to us at cooking school, but I can’t ever just make one thing when people come for dinner. This year, my very nice family brought all the side dishes so I could focus on the entrée.

And since it was cold and rainy all week, lasagna seemed like a good idea (of course, it was sunny and warm all day Saturday and I started to think I’d made a bad decision, but luckily it didn’t hold).  I decided to make a red sauce, beef/pork and cheese lasagna for the traditionalists, and a second with an array of grilled vegetables, a rich béchamel, and basil pesto for the more adventurous souls.

My first stop: Ventimiglia’s Italian Market on Dodge Park and 15 Mile in Sterling Heights. They make wonderful, delicate fresh pasta lasagna sheets that don’t need to be par-cooked. So once you have your sauce and other ingredients ready, all you have to do is assemble the lasagna. They taste great as well, so that’s a bonus.

Ventimiglia’s also sells the cheese and Italian sausage needed for my Romito family sauce, as well as small containers of fresh pesto. In the summer I’m happy to make my own basil pesto, but theirs is very good and saved me some valuable time.

Rather than using Ricotta cheese (I am not a fan) I used the béchamel in the meat lasagna as well, along with some mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano.

The recipes I’ve included today are really just building blocks for the vegetable lasagna, and you can use pretty much any type of vegetable. You can roast or grill them, but they need to be at least partially cooked so that they don’t leach out too much liquid into the finished pasta dish, making it runny. I also discovered that with fresh pasta sheets that are very thin, it is a good idea to either: A) use less sauce and filling and bake for a shorter time frame than usual, OR B) use 2 sheets of pasta per layer instead of one. The fresh sheets are much more delicate and will tend to get too soft when over cooked or loaded down with heavy ingredients.

Lasagna is just layers of things you love: pasta, flavorful sauces, and meat and/or vegetables. Kind of like families.  You don’t have to think too hard about it!

So get yourself some fresh pasta from Ventimiglia’s, whip up some béchamel, and start layering! You can’t do it “wrong” – just remember to use 2 sheets of pasta if you want more of the good stuff between the layers. I tend to put a little layer of mozzarella on each pasta sheet before my sauce of choice. This acts as a moisture barrier and helps keep the pasta al dente. Have fun with it!

On another note, Laura and I have finalized our upcoming public tour schedule for summer, and we’ll send it out later this week. We’ve got great new stuff coming up! And as always, if you’d like to do a private tour that’s created around your personal preferences, just let us know. You only need a minimum of 12 people and we’ll hit the road on your group’s own personal culinary road trip!

Have a great week everyone!

Download Basil Pesto

Download Sauce Béchamel

Download GREAT GRILLED VEGETABLES

Sweets

Greetings, Taste-full Tourists! I feel pretty silly writing about seasonal spring cooking when there is snow on the ground. I knew I never should have packed my kids’ boots up last week. So spring foods, recipes, and outdoor eating venue discussion will have to wait. I will use this snowy opportunity for one more comfort-food blog!

My husband and I are on the tail end of our Lenten “no sweets” policy.  This is the second year we’ve done this, and each time I have been amazed at the challenge. Now, I do this more as an exercise in awareness than anything else – I find it hard to believe that my giving up cookies will provide me with much understanding about true sacrifice and suffering. But I will not go there.

However, the choice to abstain from sweets creates a strange void for my palate. While I don’t really think of myself as a “sweets” person, I am struck by my frequent desire to just reach out and grab a little something sugary after each meal, or in the late afternoon when my energy is low, or in the evening before bed.  I don’t even realize the habit exists until I break it for awhile. And this is a good thing. Plus, my clothes fit a bit looser and I feel good about the fact that I am able to really stick to the commitment I’ve made.  (ok, for those of you who read last week’s blog, I DID have a bit of a Cauldron Cake and a bite of a Chocolate Frog at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last week – there was just no way I was missing that part of the experience!J)

But I am a believer in the old “everything in moderation” mantra, and will never give up desserts entirely. There is just too much great stuff out there, and I am too old and wise to go through the rest of my life without it!

So to satisfy your sweet tooth this week, may I suggest a few tasty spots? The first is called The Apple Fritter Donut Shop. It’s on the corner of 9 Mile and Hilton Rd. in Ferndale, and as you would expect, they make incredible apple fritters! Some have maple glaze, some have toasted nuts, and they are all delicious. I am not a donut person – but these are an exception. They are not too sweet, they are crisp, and they are huge! So sharing one is easily an option. If you need something a bit sweeter, try their butter cream filled Long Johns. They make their own filling and icing, and the dough itself is light and delicate. They are really sweet, but they are also luscious.  J

The second place I suggest you visit is called Treat Dreams – a tiny little ice cream shop on Woodward just south of Pleasant Ridge. The owner used to be a banker and now makes boutique style small batches of ice cream instead. Good choice! The flavors are creative and fun, and most of them are rooted in classic flavor combinations. The lemon-basil was delicious, as was the lavender. My kids’ favorite is the cookies and cream, colored blue as an homage to Cookie Monster himself! Mound Road, with toasted coconut and chocolate chips was also very good. Ask for a taste of anything you’re curious about and they are glad to oblige.

And just so you can make something yourself this week, I’ve included an old recipe I love that I call Ugly Cake. It is a rich chocolate cake with strong brewed coffee poured on top just prior to baking. When it’s done, the coffee has thickened into a smooth sauce (it actually sinks to the bottom). It’s perfect with ice cream, or just by itself. It is not beautiful in the traditional sense. But if you love chocolate and coffee, you should be able to look past the fact that it is not aesthetically pleasing and to appreciate it for what it is. Just close your eyes and take a bite!

So that’s that.  If you’re going to indulge in some sweet treat this week, buy something locally made or make it yourself – it will be much more satisfying than the Hostess Cupcakes everyone else is eating .

 

And as promised, the new Taste-full Tours schedule will be out this week. We have three exciting, brand new tours on our summer schedule. We’ll let you know as soon as they are posted and hope you can join us as we continue to explore all types of tasteful spots around south eastern Michigan!

Have a great week everyone! 

Download Chocolate-Mocha Cakes

 

Spring Has Sprung! (almost)

Greetings Taste-full Tourist! First, a big thanks to my business partner, also Laura, for taking on the blog writing for the past month and for heading up the past two Taste-full Tours all on her own.  I am grateful to have such a supportive co-CEO! My family and I are recovering from a really busy eight weeks, culminating in a trip south that I would love to write about.

Unfortunately, the only interesting food we came across was served at The Three Broomsticks in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! And even that was not spectacular. Of course, when you are eating at a theme park, haute cuisine is not really the focus (unless you are at Disney’s Epcot, which I am told is quite a delicious place indeed). The focus for me was keeping the sub-par food in my stomach while being spun, dropped, lurched, and shaken, all while clamped into a plastic seat with large steel bars and heavy duty straps. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it??!  Well, actually it was fun – great fun – but not great food. If you are a Harry Potter fan at all, you should someday make the pilgrimage to Universal Islands of Adventure. The Wizarding World is remarkable – truly a sight to see and worth every penny of admission.

So while I had hoped to write about the culinary pleasantries of our journey, there weren’t many to speak of. Instead I will write about ASPARAGUS! Woo hoo!  It is spring in Michigan, and I actually saw some crocuses poking their little heads out of the ground this morning. That means that asparagus, mushrooms, and strawberries won’t be far behind. Of course, these things have been available all year in our supermarkets and local grocery stores, but the REAL DEAL, from LOCAL farmers will be delivered to you at your local farmers market within the next four to six weeks.

When shopping for asparagus look for thin stalks and tightly closed tips; frayed and opened tops suggest age and poor storage. If the stalks are thick, you may choose to peel them with a vegetable peeler.   I tend to avoid thick stalks altogether as they are generally stringy and tough.  When you get asparagus home, wash it and trim off the bottom ½-1”.  Place it upright in a container of cool water that goes just about an inch up the stalk (like fresh cut flowers). The asparagus will stay crisp and fresh in your fridge for about 5-7 days.

Mushrooms should be white or light brown (button and Cremini varieties), free of blemishes and dark squishy spots. The undersides should be tightly closed. If the stem is not enclosed tightly and if the gills are exposed with the outer layer peeling back, then the mushroom is old. As is true in much of life, avoid any that are shriveled. I know people say not to wash mushrooms, but I am a fan of a quick rinsing spray in a colander to remove excess dirt. Dry them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Wash mushrooms just prior to using them.

Strawberries don’t need to be big to be flavorful! In fact, aroma is a much better indicator of good taste than size is. Give the berries a good sniff before you buy them – if they don’t smell good they won’t taste good either. Look for deep red color as strawberries do not sweeten much as they ripen; if they are picked while green they tend to taste green.  Little tiny wild strawberries or even small cultivated ones are delicious just as is, or dipped in a tiny bit of melted chocolate. If you buy them in the little cardboard carton, keep them in it and only wash them just prior to eating them. Ripe berries don’t last long, so eat them soon after bringing them home.

I’ve included some good spring recipes which feature these Michigan favorites.  They are perfect for brunch or spring lunches, or even light Sunday dinners. If you can, purchase the items at the farmers market, directly from the grower.

And if you happen to visit a theme park, pack a cooler of home-made goodies and skip the meal plan! If you find yourself in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, be sure to sample a “Cauldron Cake” – they are delicious!  Have a great week everyone!

p.s. next week’s blog will be all about our upcoming late spring/summer tour schedule! We have some great new tours coming up, so be sure to check out our website next week for all the details 

Download Asparagus & Mushroom Lasagna

Download Chocolate Fondue

Download Strawberry-Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Download Stuffed Mushrooms with Goat Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, & Rosemary

Popovers and Maurice Salad – It doesn’t get much better for lunch!

This past weekend I went to a wedding shower for my niece Julie that was planned and hosted by my other two nieces, Elizabeth and Emily.  The day before the shower I went over to help.  Basically, I ate popovers (someone had to test them) and chopped things for a Maurice Salad – lots and lots of things!

Never heard of a popover???  You are missing something truly wonderful.  Originally, popovers were a variation of Yorkshire pudding.  But don’t let the name fool you.  Popovers are light, hollow rolls make with an egg batter.  They are so wonderful when made correctly and they “pop over” the top of the pan.  Even when they don’t pop, they are still delicious. 

Popovers are pretty easy to make, however, there are a few tricks and you have to make allowances for your oven.  You need a popover pan.  It’s essentially a deep muffin pan.  If you don’t have one, or don’t want to buy one, you can use a muffin pan, but your popovers will be small.  We used the recipe from Cook’s Illustrated.  It’s important to use fresh eggs and good all-purpose flour – we used King Arthur.

 

 

Recipe:

1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoons butter, melted

6 teaspoons vegetable oil

You may use an electric mixer, but I recommend beating the mixture with a whisk. 

Whisk milk, eggs, flour and salt in a large bowl, until nicely combined. It may be lumpy. Add butter and whisk to incorporate – at this point the batter should be smooth.  Let batter rest for 30 minutes. 

While the batter is resting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with the popover pan inside. Just before baking, remove the pan and add 1 teaspoon oil to each cup. Return the pan to the oven for 5-7 minutes to heat oil. Remove the hot pan and quickly and evenly divide the batter among the cups – filling about half way up.  The batter will sizzle when it hits the oil – this is okay.   Immediately return the filled pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 450 F. Do not open the oven during these first 20 minutes. Rotate the pan and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Bake for an additional 13-15 minutes or until popovers are nicely browned (watch carefully, depending on your oven it may take as long as 18 minutes.)

 

 

Most of our batches turned out wonderful - light airy and so delicious, but a few of the batches didn’t pop.  Mind you, they tasted great – but were a bit gooey and dense.  Elizabeth and I decided that the key was a smoking hot popover pan and oil heated in the pan for a few minutes.  When the pan is ready, you take it out of the oven and quickly pour the batter in.  When they come out, remove them from the pan and poke them with a knife or skewer to let the steam out. 

Popovers are the perfect breakfast, luncheon, brunch accompaniment.  They are really easy to make and your guests or family will be really impressed.  “They can be made a day ahead and then reheated in a 350* oven to re-crisp.  They will be good, but not as good as freshly made,” said Elizabeth, the resident popover expert.

 

We also made Maurice Salad.  For those of you who do not know this salad, generations of Hudson’s shoppers know this salad as the famous Hudson’s salad.  I don’t know of any other city that has Maurice Salad.  Legend says Maurice was a chef at the original Downtown Hudson’s, but no one really knows.  In any case, it’s a great salad and a perfect luncheon entrée.  You can still get this salad at Hudson’s oops, I mean Macy’s but you can only get the popovers at the Oakland Mall location.  The dressing is really easy to make, but if you don’t want to do it, you may purchase it bottled at Macy’s.

Maurice Salad is easy to make, but it does involve a bit of chopping.  And if you are making it for 30+ people, it involves lots and lots of chopping.  Here’s the recipe:

Dressing:

 

2t white vinegar

1 ½ t lemon juice

1 ½ t onion juice (or juice from one small onion)

1 ½ t sugar

1 ½ t Dijon mustard

1 ½ t dry mustard

1 c Hellman’s Mayo

2 T chopped parsley

1 hardboiled egg, diced (optional)

 

Combine all ingredients except mayo, parsley and egg until the sugar is dissolved.  Then mix in the mayo, parsley and egg.  It’s best if you make it the day before and refrigerate.

The salad itself is as follows:

14 oz each of ham, turkey and Swiss cheese, chopped into strips, now as thin as a julienne – more like the thickness of a pencil and about 1 ½ inches.

1 head of iceberg lettuce thinly sliced (don’t get fancy and try to use romaine or rocket – just plain old iceberg!)

½ cup slivered sweet gherkin pickles

Green olives with pimento to garnish (4 per serving)

Full disclosure – I am not a fan of the sweet pickles, but most people love them.  You can serve them on the side, if you like.

Divide the salad on chilled plates, top with the meats, cheese, pickles and olives.  You can either plop the dressing on top or serve it on the side. 

 

By the end of the day we used 90 eggs, chopped 10 heads of lettuce, and 10 lbs each of ham, turkey and Swiss cheese.  Thankfully we had sharp knives and honing steels!

The Maurice Salad and popovers were wonderful and a hit at the shower.  What did we have for dessert you ask?!  Since Julie and her soon to be husband are moving to Alaska, dessert was appropriately, Baked Alaska.  But that is a blog for another day.

 

 

Yummy restaurant!

Have I got a restaurant for you!  Thursday night a friend and I had a most delightful dining experience in of all places a Russian Orthodox monastery.  No, I wasn’t off on one of my trips to some far away destination, I was right here in the good old U S of A, in Michigan, Harper Woods to be exact.  Believe it or not, in a quiet little neighborhood, on a residential street is an enchanting monastery and restaurant.  You must flock there – sorry for the pun, I couldn’t resist!  Just look for the buildings with the blue onion domes.  The minute you step into the complex you feel like you are in a different world.  It’s amazing.  The restaurant is charming.  I felt like I was in a small restaurant in Eastern Europe.  Quiet classical music fills the air with an occasional Russian Liturgical Chant. What a treat!  My dinner companion was kind enough not to go crazy as I identified every church, building and icon I knew.

My friend and I had had a feast!  Our sincere compliments to chef Petr Balcarovsky, who is a parishioner at St. Sabbas and a wonderful chef.  Of course, we over ordered, but were not disappointed.  The appetizers were fantastic.  We dined on:

• Siberian Pelmeni –dumplings with beef, veal and pork filling on a bed of garlic sour cream sauce, accompanied by a small salad. So delicious – this is a MUST ORDER!
• Shrimp with vodka-infused horseradish cocktail sauce
• Ukrainian Borscht – soup with veggies, beets and cabbage, garnished with sour cream and dill.  Oh, you must try it.
• Caviar – imported Russian Red caviar with buttered crostini, accompanied by a small salad.   It was the best caviar I have ever had in America.  No visit is complete without this dish.
• Bread and infused oil – I am sure it was good, but we didn’t bother as we were so enthralled with everything else.

If that wasn’t enough, we then had dinner!  I had chicken Kiev that was perfectly cooked and my friend had Salmon en croûte with a delicious sauce.  Both entrees were accompanied by oven roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables.  Truth be told, we both brought most of our entrées home because we were so stuffed with pelmeni - (but mine was great the next day.)  We ended our meal with tea.  The Royal Eagle has more than 40 kinds of loose teas, which they feature on Tuesday and Thursday for their “Russian Tea Service.”  We skipped dessert, but they looked yummy.

When (you notice I didn’t say “if”) I return, I will probably stick to appetizers and split an entrée.  The pelmeni was heavenly and both my friend and I could have eaten a second order. 

Before dinner we visited the gift shop which was delightful.  Be sure to stop in when you go.  After dinner, we had the privilege of entering the church which was a real gem.  It was candle lit and incense lingered in the air.  The interior is beautifully painted with icons and the chandelier is amazing.  Just lovely. 

The Royal Eagle Restaurant is located on the grounds of the St. Sabbas Monastery.  The grounds are charming, peaceful and will be a wonderful oasis in the spring and summer.  There are outdoor tables and fountains, and they serve tea out of doors if you wish.  I can’t wait to go when the weather warms up.

The “Russian Tea Luncheon” is really lunch.  It is a 7 course sampling of special treats and some standard tea fare.  The cost of the “Russian Tea Luncheon” is $20 per person – a real bargain.

The Royal Eagle has vegan Lenten specials and daily specials as well.  I highly recommend dinner and can’t wait to return. 

Reservations are required as the restaurant has limited seating and hours – Tuesday and Thursday for Tea (11am – 2pm) and Thursday night for dinner (5pm – 10pm).  It is not to be missed.  The Royal Eagle is a non-profit operation of St. Sabbas Orthodox Monastery.  All proceeds to towards the maintaining the complex.  The Royal Eagle is located at 18745 Old Homestead, Harper Woods  313.521.1894  www.theroyaleagle.org.

We don’t usually gush about restaurants on this blog, but this one is really special!  We are looking forward to taking Taste-Full Tourist there in the spring.  Check the website for this most special tour.  If you happen to go soon, let the Chef know you read about the restaurant on the blog!

DUMPLINGS

Okay, so here is where I go off on my tangent – you should be used to this by now!

Everybody loves a dumpling.  Making a dough and then filling it with yummy things has been around for centuries.  It seem every culture has a dumpling of some sort and I find it so interesting that cultures all over the world have a local variation of a very basic food.  Ravioli and tortellini come to mind first.  It’s essentially a dumpling.  I got Google happy so here is a list of a few of my favorite dumplings from around the world.

Often dumplings are steamed or boiled.  I like to prepare them as the recipe states and then throw them in a sauté pan with a small amount of oil and brown them so they are crunchy.

Pierogi – Poland

Pelmeni – Russia

Kreplach – Israel

Virtiniai – Lithuania

Manti – Armenia

Khinkali – Georgia

Ravioli, Tortellini – Italy

Maultaschen – Germany

Empanadas – Latin America

Guotie (Potstickkers), Wontons, Sui Mai – China

Nikuman – Japan

 

Since we had pelmeni at The Royal Eagle, I thought I would share a basic recipe (see attached) and folding technique.  Every village, city, family and tribe has their own variation.  It does take some time to fold them all up and, quite frankly; it’s a lot of work.  So if you don’t feel like doing it, just go to the Royal Eagle and eat theirs. 

 
 

Khinkali is a Gerogian treat is not to be missed.  The dumplings are formed into little pouches and messy to eat.  No self respecting Georgian would use a fork or spoon.  You grab the pouch by the top, hold it in the air (sort of over your mouth) and bite.  It goes everywhere, but that’s kind of the point.  It’s not always pretty, but it SO good. A beer is the appropriate beverage to have with Khinkali.

 

Manti is my favorite dumpling food.  A thin dough is rolled out and the cut into squares. Beef and lamb combined with onion, parsley and a shot of tomato is combined and then wrapped up in a rolled dough.  The filing is placed in the middle and the sides are pinched, exposing the filling.  They look like little boats, so lots of Armenian kids call it “boat soup.” The little mantis are brushed with butter and baked.  When they come out of the oven, you eat them right off the sheet pan, as long as your grandmother is not looking.  If there are any left, and if you are smart there will be - the manti is served in chicken broth with some tomato paste.  Toppings include yogurt, yogurt with garlic and sumac.  My friends John and MaryJo prefer their manti with garlic yogurt and sumac and dub it “The Full Manti!”

I have also included a recipe for Russian Borscht.  This is such a great soup.  Even if you are turned off by beets, you have to try this soup.  It is comforting, delicious and hearty all at the same time.

Hope you enjoyed this little jaunt down dumpling lane!  Be sure to check out the Royal Eagle Restaurant, and let us know how much you enjoyed it!

(photos of the monastic complex courtesy of www.royaleagle.org  see more photos at the website)

 

Download Borscht

Download Pilmeni