Casablanca
My husband retired this spring, and after throwing a party for 150 colleagues, friends, and relatives, we’re planning to go to Morocco this fall. He went to Morocco once, more than thirty years ago, after a month of...
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Robin Hills Farm
Robin Hills Farm of Chelsea may be coming late to Southeast Michigan’s crowded market for community-supported agriculture (CSA) crop shares, but it’s arriving with a few interesting twists. Vegetable manager Mitzi...
Read MoreWolverine State Brewing Co.
Hard to believe Wolverine State Brewing Co. has been hidden away in the parking lot behind Big George’s for nearly a decade. It has not only survived but thrived as an ultimate townie watering hole, in recent years adding...
Read MorePicnics, Past and Present
Early in our long courtship, my husband and I frequently stowed the dogs and a few supplies in the back of the van and headed out for a picnic. Sometimes, with a destination in mind–one where we could savor both food and...
Read MoreCheap Eats III
For meals that please your doctor and yourself, it’s nearly always cheaper and healthier to make meals at home, and in our family, my husband depends on me to keep us bright-eyed and happy. Sometimes, though, I’m not...
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Happy Hours
My continuing search for bargain eats has brought me to the sad realization that my husband and I, tethered to jobs with unconventional hours, have spent years missing out on the cheapskate’s best source for budget food:...
Read MoreBrunch at Sava’s and Lena
Bridging strong morning coffee to the treat of a midday meal out, weekend brunch stays deliciously in style: your house can stay cluttered and you can stay calm while still enjoying a leisurely meal with family or friends. As...
Read MoreBrillig Dry Bar
Low lights, a jazz trio, tables packed with people socializing, and a line waiting out the door to get in. All that’s missing is the booze.That’s the point at the Brillig Dry Bar, Nic Sims’ twice-a-month pop-up...
Read MoreSalads UP 2015
Walking by the big window of the new Salads UP on Liberty this winter, I wondered why it’s so often so crowded. Wasn’t this the warm soup, roasts, and potatoes time of year?After a couple of early February visits, I...
Read MoreDetroit Vegan Soul
With so many restaurants in Ann Arbor, you don’t have to leave town for good meals of most varieties. But if you seek a change of urban scenery as days get longer, there’s an unusual new option near Detroit’s...
Read MoreCentsible Eats
Whoa! Once I toted up the numbers, I realized the holidays had seriously thrown our household food budget out of whack. The new year demanded financial restraint. Polling acquaintances brought me a boatload of cheap eats...
Read MoreArgus Farm Stop
A visit to the Argus Farm Stop can feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of the TV show Portlandia, but if you overhear conversations about “nice” cheeses and “lovely” tomatoes, have faith: the aura...
Read MoreTwo Slider Shops
Drive past Blimpy Burger’s new location on Ashley next to the Fleetwood Diner, and you might see a line of people snaking outside the front door, as it was almost every day of the frigid Thanksgiving break. It’s a...
Read MoreDinner and a Movie
Dinner and a movie: the classic night out. But what to do with the remains of that Knight’s cowboy steak if you want to walk across the street and see a movie at the Michigan Theater? For reasons ranging from sanitary to...
Read MoreRoger Monk’s
For endurance, not many area restaurants can beat the Dixboro spot currently known as Roger Monk’s. Opened in 1928 as the Country Cupboard, when Plymouth Rd. was a major thoroughfare, it served family-style meals to...
Read MoreEl Harissa
Harissa is a dried chili paste originating in Tunisia but used throughout North Africa as a table condiment and a flavor component in stews and salads and rubbed on meats and vegetables. As with most recipes of this type,...
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