Birthday bash

Sometimes I get the urge to cook an extravaganza. I'm always happy when it lines up with someone's birthday- because then I'm honestly grateful that I get the excuse to cook for a couple hours uninterrupted for someone I love. Last night's meal was no exception: 

Maryland crabbies: with spicy mayo and smoked paprika tartar

Fried green tomatoes: with garlic scape ranch 

Olive oil poached gulf shrimp: the texture on these was incredibly sexy

Michigan garden flatbreads (rubbed with kale pesto topped with charred corn salad and homegrown sweet pea sprouts) 

These sprouts gave their life for you Buns!

Passion fruit key lime bars were the sweet course, but it looks like theygot eaten before they were photo-ed.

west side of the mitten

live at Sonic lunch last Thursday

Appleseed Collective

Don't ever drive by this fishery in Ludington, MI thinking it's just a shack. Oh man, will you be sorry. 

You can get it smoked....

or dipped lightly in crumbs & flash fried. 

Then you can take it across the street to Bortell's landing and watch Lake Michigan's clear waters as you enjoy.  Warning: bring your own ketchup. And ask for extra salt!

I scream, you scream!

Jeni's ice cream is mouth slapping good.  Usually ice cream is rich, sweet and satisfies your need for a cool treat, but even your favorite is only mildly flavored. But Jeni's ice cream is different.  It takes real flavors of desserts that are also your favorites and turns them into amazing concoctions of deliciousness.

Check out their website that has picto-stories of certain flavors, and is just generally cool.
Preview Sweet Cream Biscuits & peach jam. 

In Ann Arbor you can buy Jeni's at Plum Market in pints. Otherwise spend a few extra dollars and get a party pack shipped to your house. It's an indulgent luxury but it's worth it!  It's especially sweet because it hails from Columbus, Ohio, the city of my new cool sister-in-law, Emily.

a photo story: making Elderflower cordial

I found some of these on my property, and others off the side of the road nearby.  Is foraging the same as stealing?

add lemon slices and zest of lemon

cover with simple syrup

set overnight & strain.  mix with soda water and a splash of Hendricks gin

Smack in the middle of summer

Farmers market finds:

White lotus heaven:

A goat crottin & baguette

With this for dinner:

Brown butter trout 

On a bed of Brown rice salad 

Of wilted kale and zatar viniagrette

Countdown until school starts: 4 weeks

High summer

Garden bounty: cool and wet defines this summer.  

a new lavender patch for the honeybees

a butternut hiding in the parsley patch

brussels!!

broccoli which gets eaten in its raw state by my little guy

calendula

marigold (for beeswax soap)

look who made it inside!

restaurant gleaning

Save money. Reduce waste. PareUp. 

Everyone loses when food gets thrown away. PareUp is developing a mobile marketplace for surplus or unsold food. Retailers post their quality excess for a discount.  Users enjoy delicious goods and keep them from the trash.

This is a very cool concept!  Check out the website.

NAT GEO explores the future of FOOD

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/magazine/ngm-food-anthem

&

http://natgeofood.com

Slow's BBQ hits the spot

The yardbird satisfies! I love Slow's outpost on Cass. Same great food without the two hour wait!