Heights Eats

While on a recent trip to northern Michigan to visit family over the holidays, we stopped off in Ann Arbor to visit Zingerman’s Deli. We had been receiving their holiday catalogs and we thought pretty much everything in them looked really good — so we planned to stop on the way up north.

The deli itself is very small, and jam packed with all kinds of foodie goodness. There is an amazing cheese/deli section with expensive and exotic cheeses and deli meats. There is a small bakery counter with tons of different kinds of breads and sweets. There is also a small “alley” behind the bakery counter with vinegar and olive oil samples. The most impressive sample on our visit was the aged balsamic vingar, with a sweetness and consistency reminiscent of maple syrup but a much more complex flavor. There is also a small coffee counter and an area in the back of the … continue reading

I made this recipe as an entry into the Mini Pie Revolution contest. I came up with the ice cream recipe years ago, but I always knew I needed some kind of counterpoint to the intensity of the chocolate, coffee and bourbon flavors. The granola crusts work well for this, as do the bruleed bananas.

Cocoa-Almond Granola Pie Crusts
1 3/4 cups rolled oats3/4 cup slivered almonds1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder¼ teaspoon salt¼ cup brown sugar1 ½ TB. white sugar3 TB. honey1 TB. Canola oil¼ teaspoon vanilla3 TB. butter, melted or at room temperature
(1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.(2) Mix together first six ingredients in a medium bowl and next three ingredients in a small bowl. Combine thoroughly.(3) Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 30–40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until fragrant.(4) Remove mixture and allow to cool slightly. It should become crunchy.(5) Turn oven up to 325 degrees.(6) Pulse oat mixture with butter into course meal … continue reading

Sarah’s parents babysat and we went to Paladar tonight. Not that the sitting was absolutely necessary–we were ten feet from a three year-old while we ate.

Paladar is located right off the Chagrin exit of I-271 at Eton Plaza. We’d heard good things about Paladar, and we weren’t disappointed. We started with the guacamole, which was very buttery and flavorful. The best part was the chips–plantain, yucca, jicama, all sliced thin and fried. Corn chips were included as well.

The drinks were also excellent. The margaritas are on ice, not frozen. Sarah got a mango, and I got traditional. I also had a caipirinha with muddled strawberries. It’s a cocktail made with cachaça, a Brazillian brandy made from distilled sugar cane. It was strong and unlike anything I’ve had before, and I’d definitely recommend it.

For our entrees, Sarah ordered the Mojo Marinated Salmon with Butternut Squash Purée, Yucca Spaetzle, Roasted Spaghetti Squash, and Olive-Pasilla Sauce. I had … continue reading

Today we went to Beachwood mall and found a new store called Teavana. It is a tea specialty store, they sell a bunch of different loose leaf teas and assorted tea accessories and sweeteners. What pulled us in initially was the Tea samples outside the store, we really enjoyed 2 out of the 3 that were being sampled and decided to purchase one of them. They sell their tea loose leaf in 2 ounce increments (they say you can get around 15 cups per 2 oz), and you can combine different flavors to get a custom blend. We purchased a combination of the Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearls Flavored & Scented Green Tea and Rooibos Tropica Rooibos Tea . I liked the fruitiness of the rooibos, and I love Jasmine tea. Jonathan also liked this tea. The prices seem to vary quite a bit from around $4 per 2 oz to over $12 per 2 oz. I look forward going back when our tin is … continue reading

We went to the restaurant in Whole Foods today, the “Osteria Cedro Rustico.” The circular “restaurant” seats 18 people in the middle of the wine and cheese section with customers facing the servers and cooks. The food was tasty, fresh and cheap.

We ordered the antipasto plate, which had plenty of good cured meats (most were salami-like), rich and flavorful cheeses (Bleu, Swiss) along with some peppers, pickles and very good olives. Sarah and Junior split the spaghetti and meatballs, while I had an artichoke ravioli with mushrooms, tomatoes, and eggplant in a light cream sauce. It all needed a bit of salt, but it was otherwise very flavorful. After drinks–a beer for me and Italian sodas for Sarah and Jonathan–and dessert (a cannoli) the grand total was $34.41. And, as tipping is not permitted, that was all we paid. The service was friendly, and seeing the chefs cook our food was fun for … continue reading

We went shopping today at the local restaurant supply store, S.S. Kemps. We both had a lot of fun looking over all of the different professional tools, cookware, espresso machines and ovens. We have been meaning to go because in various articles and food shows they always say the prices and quality cannot be beat. They have a pretty large selection of cooking stuff and very reasonable prices. I am not sure what I expected, but it was definitely a different shopping experience then say, Williams Sonoma. We were a little confused at first because all of the items in the show room had stickers on them saying “Do not take, floor sample.” But we soon found out that you are supposed to make a list of stock numbers and quantity you want, and then take the list to the check out. It was kind of fun, like shopping from a catalog, but we could see and … continue reading

Many people–myself included–are legitimately concerned about limiting sugar intake. If I have a candy bar or a soda, I can expect a harsh sugar crash within an hour or so, at which point I’ll feel tired and very crabby. Plus sugar calories are empty calories.

But we all know sweet things are tasty and can be energizing.

Paradoxially, the best way consume a reasonable amount of sugar is to buy plenty of sugar and honey and use both. The same could be said for fat and salt. Of course, some people would say that there’s no such thing as a reasonable amount of these, but how much fun is that?

I recently made Jonathan a cup of green tea when his digestive system was acting up. How to you get a four year-old to drink green tea? Stir in a scant teaspoon of honey, about 1/5 the sweetener you’ll find in pop. He drank almost all of it and was sad … continue reading

Monthly Archives: December 2007

Zingerman’s Deli

Mini Mud Pies with Bruleed Bananas

Paladar

Teavana

Whole Foods Osteria

Restaurant Supply Store

Sugar