Behind the Stainless-Steel Curtain

Nate Kristel  

Late one night after finishing a hectic Wednesday service at South Edison in Montauk, New York – my parents’ restaurant – I sat at the bar gripping my shift drink with frustration. It seemed like all night long patrons had something negative to say. Whether it was wait times or portion complaints, there was always someone dissatisfied with something. It seemed as though the customers saw us as enemies rather than servers that night. As I attempted to cool off, my manager drunkenly stumbled into the restaurant to share his last drink of the night with his employees. It was his first day off in two months, which he had clearly taken advantage of. Irritated, I turned to him and asked, “Why do customers complain about problems they know nothing about?” First he said, “Welcome to the service industry, bud.” But then he looked me in the eye and laughed: “Well, you know about the problems; you work in the industry… Tell them for God’s sake.”

I felt stupid. He was right. You can’t blame someone for not knowing something they were never informed of in the first place. It’d be like getting an exam question on a topic you hadn’t reviewed in class. Realizing this fact forced me to consider a new idea: in an age when restaurants and chefs are given so much publicity, and new cuisines and dining experiences are becoming extraordinarily pervasive in everyday life, it seems odd that the “behind the scenes,” technical stuff is continually pushed to the back burner. Never before have so many people known and readily eaten so many diverse foods—from cuttlefish to callaloo—and not fully understood how it has come to arrive at their table. They say that if you like sausage, don’t ask how it’s made, but I think the dining population is ready to see kitchens become more transparent. With the recent farm to table, locavore, and organic dining obsessions, diners should take time to examine how these highly selective ingredients are handled once in the kitchen.

In my five years of working nearly every restaurant position imaginable, from busser to expediter, I’ve learned all the aspects that go into running a smooth kitchen. Yet as I became more involved in the industry and began to broaden my perspective beyond my parents’ place, I saw and learned about the various systems utilized in other kitchens. And while it is true that there is a universal understanding about the general working system of a restaurant, hardly any restaurant operates in the same way as another. There are several reasons for this, such as the physical layout of the kitchen, the style or concept of the restaurant, and of course, the preferences of the managers and chefs. Besides providing an interesting insight into the world of restaurants, knowing these differences is important because it creates a harmony between diner and restaurant that provides an overall better eating experience

• • •

Welcome to the column inspired by my manager’s drunken wisdom. We will step through the swinging double doors – what I like to call the “Stainless Steel Curtain” – and into the shrouded kitchen. I will tour through various Ann Arbor restaurant kitchens in Ann Arbor to demonstrate the diversity of kitchen systems. By following one dish from its conception, through its preparation, pick-up, plating, and finally consumption, we’ll learn about the variety of techniques, strategies and even personnel that all contribute to making it a successful finished piece. Do you want to know what goes into creating a positive dining experience? Well, I’m gonna tell you, for God’s sake.

Just Add Pumpkin

Brooke Sweeney  

With seasonal change comes a change in flavor, and fall brings with it an explosion of pumpkin flavored everything. From double whipped lattes, to warm soups, to fresh baked goods, it seems that everywhere I go I see pumpkin. Advertisements for pumpkin pie bagels plaster the windows of Panera, and let’s not forget the infamous pumpkin donut that belongs with cider like peanut butter belongs with jelly.

But for us gluten free folks, this time of year can be a bit tough. As we watch our friends and family gobble down bite after bite of pumpkin goodness, we yearn for the perfect pairing that is earthy pumpkin and sweet cinnamon. And, contrary to popular belief, we can have it; it’s as simple as just adding pumpkin.

The other day, hoping to make a sweet treat for a work meeting, I went to the grocery store and let my craving do the talking. Chocolate chip cookies sounded yummy and simple, but then I remembered pumpkin. Why not mix the two? I grabbed gluten free chocolate chip cookie mix and a can of pure pumpkin – not pumpkin pie filling, but the creamy orange goodness of true pumpkin – and headed home to experiment with the two flavors.

After following the instructions on the cookie mix bag, I added two heaping spoonfuls of pumpkin mush. Next came a half-tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, leftover from last Thanksgiving’s pumpkin adventures. These measurements were really just a guess, and I tasted the cookie dough before baking to make sure I had the perfect ratio. In your own cooking, you can add or subtract as you see fit. I was eager to taste the results of combining the classic flavor of chocolate chip with the golden pride and joy of autumn that is pumpkin. Because gluten is a protein that gives dough it stretchiness, gluten free baked goods can sometimes be dry and brittle. Adding pumpkin helps to moisten the cookies to the perfect consistency.

After throwing them in the oven for a bit longer than the package calls for, the cookies finally emerged. I stared at them longingly as I waited for them to cool. When I finally got to taste, it was well worth the wait. My experiment had produced the chewiest, chocolatiest, most moist pumpkin cookies ever created. And that is no exaggeration. They were so mouthwateringly good my coworkers swooned over them. I baked the same cookies twice in less than four days – a record for a repeat recipe!

With the success of the pumpkin cookie in the bag and an apple orchard visit rapidly approaching, I realized that nothing would highlight some fresh cider like a gluten free pumpkin donut. Having never attempted a gluten free donut before, I returned to the childhood memory of a time my family and I fried up biscuit dough into donuts. Why not try and recreate doughnuts through that same approach? Picking up some gluten free biscuit mix, I once again followed the directions on the box before adding my star ingredients - pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. I rolled them out and cut them into donut shapes. Here I encountered the one trouble with this recipe (besides eating the whole batch in one sitting, oops!): the donuts stuck to the counter like crazy. I added more biscuit mix to the dough to try and fix this problem, but eventually decided to make donut “holes” instead, which turned out to be just as scrumptious. Once the little golden beauties came out of the hot fryer, I tossed them in a paper bag with some cinnamon and sugar and shook it to coat them. The result was a hot, mouthwatering pumpkin treat that went perfectly with the crisp cold cider.

As you can see, a gluten free diet does not mean you have to resign yourself to a pumpkin-less fall. And best of all, these recipes are great for both gluten free and the gluten eaters alike. In fact, no one could even tell that the cookies and donuts were gluten free. They chowed them down without a second thought, and you can too – all you have to do is add pumpkin.

You've Got a Friend in Tea

Haley Fox  

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy tea, and that’s kind of the same thing.” – Unknown

Ah, tea.

Although it might not seem as “American” as coffee, over half of the United States population drinks a cup of tea on any given day. Worldwide, 3,000 million tons of tea are produced every year. To put that into perspective, you can make about 200 cups of tea from just one pound. Incredible, right? With this many tea drinkers, it’s easy to see why tea has been both culturally and economically vital since its discovery approximately 5,000 years ago. Tea isn’t just your morning jolt of caffeine; it’s a cup of history.

It’s usually best to start from the beginning—legend (and the UK Tea Council) tells us that tea was first discovered in 2737 BC. Shen Nung, the Chinese emperor, was sitting beneath Camellia sinensis tree while his servant boiled drinking water. Some leaves fell into the hot water, and Shen Nung decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created. The resulting drink was what we now call tea.

From China, tea was carried to Japan by Buddhist monks and to England by a Portuguese princess. England introduced tea to India and then America to compete with the Chinese monopoly on the trade; however, unfair taxation practices led to an infamous political protest known as the Boston Tea Party. Americans would go on to invent iced tea at the 1904 World’s Fair and tea bags in 1907. However, some things don’t change—today, the six most consumed types of tea still come from the Camellia sinensis. Because of its health benefits and global popularity, seemingly limitless variations are grown and sold.

On one hand, tea seems like the most straightforward of beverages—put leaves in hot water, drink, repeat. But in reality, tea is ridiculously complex—would you like white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong, pu’erh, black tea, rooibos, herbal, or chai? Loose, bagged, iced, bottled, decaf, blooming, or with tapioca bubbles? Milk and sugar? One lump or two?

With so many options, the idea of becoming a tea connoisseur can be daunting, to say the least. If you have no experience with tea at all, purchasing a box of bagged black tea and a box of bagged green tea is a good place to start. Once you feel comfortable knowing what bagged flavors you like, it’s time to try loose leaf! Loose tea, also called “full-leaf tea,” can be purchased at a specialty tea store, like TeaHaus in Kerrytown, or any number of online shops. I personally love Adagio.com for its plethora of choices, quality product, and no sales tax in Michigan. Don’t forget to buy a tea infuser too, or else you won’t be able to make the loose tea. Already a loose leaf tea drinker? Try something different like rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss), which is red bush tea originally grown and fermented in South Africa. I’m not going to lie; rooibos is my personal favorite due to its antioxidant properties and warm, rounded taste. If you consider yourself a tea expert, you could use your skills to try creating a signature tea blend at Adagio. Search “red fox” on the site to see a personal blend that I created!

No matter what stage of “prosperi-tea” you’re on, there will always be another way to enjoy this timeless drink. In my opinion, the state of being for tea lovers everywhere is best described by Henry James in his novel The Portrait of a Lady: “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.” Maybe I’d even be so bold as to agree with D.T. Suzuki, who once said “When I am sipping tea in my tearoom, I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space.” Either way, I know that tea will always be there for me when my hands need warming. Cheers!

Sources:
Tea Drinking Statistics
Tea History in America
Tea Fact Sheet
Adagio

Selma Café

Maddie LaKind  

A few miles west of campus, on a lovely and unsuspecting street, there rests a quaint neighborhood house. Now this house may look perfectly normal on the outside: brick façade, long driveway, ivy covered chimney, and quaint front-lawn garden. But walk through the front doors and you’ll realize, this is no ordinary house.

Entering the tiny foyer of 722 Soule Blvd, the first thing you’ll notice are the walls. These walls aren’t painted, or artfully decorated, or even wallpapered in a particularly pleasing fashion, but rather are overflowing with nametags—masking tape nametags actually, scribbled with permanent marker. You’ll be prompted to create one yourself before entering the house.

As you pass through the dining room and veer right into the kitchen, you’ll notice a hefty wood island dotted with varying plates, mismatched silverware, and a wide assemblage of patterned napkins. The air cloaks you in the chocolaty aroma of Roos Roast coffee and the smoky scent of crispy fried bacon.

Hipsters, activists, students, families, and every local in between, overflow this limited space making introductions, mulling over the week’s happenings, and preparing their ravenous stomachs for the wave of breakfast specials about to come their way. What’s going on you may ask? It’s Friday morning at Selma Café!

Run out of the west side home of Lisa Gottlieb, Selma Café is a weekly pop-up restaurant with a mission to bring locally sourced, honestly prepared food to the community. Each week, Lisa invites a different local chef into their home to cook breakfast Friday morning from 6:30-9:30 a.m.—the only time the café operates. With the help of local volunteers, Selma churns out an ever-changing array of morning fare from eggs, pancakes, and pastries, always served with a side of bacon and a salad of local mixed greens. No matter the dish, Lisa insists that all ingredients be sourced locally, driving home their goal of supporting the Ann Arbor food community and promoting awareness of food-related issues.

A $12-$15 donation covers the cost of breakfast and unlimited coffee, with most of the proceeds going to non-profit organizations, specifically those working to improve Michigan’s local food systems and agricultural practices. While the price may seem steep for breakfast, the experience itself is worth every penny.

Now you might think that the unruly hours of 6:30-9:30am would deter people, but you would be sorely mistaken. Out of fear of not getting a spot or missing the height of breakfast rush, most guests tend to make an appearance between 7:00-8:00am. Any first timers should follow this same trend and get there early: the food will be better, the crowd more hopping, and the experience as a whole more authentic. The hosts are always lovely and accommodating, and the coffee is ever flowing, helping you feel right at home even in the presence of mass crowds.

Once you finally receive that envied name call and take your seat, it’s food time. Having visited Selma probably upwards of ten times over my college career, I can confidently say the best dishes I’ve had are always the simplest. Highlights I still remember include: hardy sausage ragu with local scrambled eggs; the silkiest quiche Lorraine I’ve ever tasted encased in a buttery, flaky crust; smoked trout benedict (as seen below); eggs in a basket with zingy, garlicky pesto; and weekly house specials like strawberry French toast (with sugar caramelized on top…unreal!) and vegan granola.

Like any great dining establishment, Selma isn’t perfect. There have been a few select dishes over the years that weren’t quite up to par or tasted just so-so. However, I keep getting roped back to Soule Blvd, Friday after Friday. What I’ve realized is that, at the end of the day, Selma Café isn’t really about the food. It’s about what food represents: local pride, family, friends, honesty, community, and, of course, lots of love.

Selma Café 722 Soule Blvd Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Not Your Average Pudding Cup

Maddie LaKind  

There is something innately special about Zingerman’s Roadhouse. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s the bright hues of orange and yellow dominating the three-room, sprawling restaurant; or the captivating posters giving detailed background stories of local farmers and purveyors of the restaurant; or the cases upon cases of salt and pepper shakers; or the ever-so-kind staff that always makes you feel like their only customer. It’s hard to say, but all I know is that this place holds a unique, z-shaped spot in my heart.

Specializing in classic all-American eats with a heavy focus on quality, chef Alex Young has created an empire of meaty, cheesy, veggie, sweet, and indulgent goodness that both Ann Arborites and out-of-towners can’t seem to get enough of—hence the 1-2 hour waits on the weekends. While I have had epic eating experiences with such specialties as the dangerously gooey Mac-N-Cheese, smoky slab of ribs, platters of oysters, mussels, and grilled fish, and heaping baskets of thick-cut sweet potato fries, the butterscotch pudding is the one dish that has stuck with me ever since my first spoonful.

This pudding has been a staple of the Roadhouse menu for quite some time, but a recent recipe revamp by Chef Sarah Mays has elevated it from just your average bowl of pudding to a heavenly confectionary creation. I guess you could say she has a sixth pudding sense of sorts, knowing the exact proportion of ingredients and the proper whisking techniques necessary to achieve the ideal pudding consistency and classical sweet flavor. Despite standing in the presence of monstrous and intriguing post-dinner options like the donut sundae or Mississippi mud pie, the butterscotch pudding may come off as a modest contender at best. Take my advice though on this one and absolutely do not—I repeat do not—knock it before you try it!

Although I have experienced a long string of childhood pudding consumption vis-à-vis classic Jell-O Pudding cups, this dessert had never possessed much of a presence on my foodie radar. I guess that’s just because I hadn’t experienced pudding done right, or rather, pudding made the old-fashioned way with just a few star elements. Mays combines lots of butter, thick, local heavy cream, and Muscovado sugar—a course, molasses-y brown sugar—and works her dessert magic until it reaches that “just right” middle ground between not-to-thick and not-to-thin. The real hallmark of the dish, in my opinion, comes from a pinch of fleur de sel, a flaky, slightly saltier French version of American table salt, right on top of the finished pudding.

Modestly presented in a small cylindrical glass not much larger than a standard shot, this beauty of a pudding has nearly every sensual element working in its favor. A deep chestnut color and light sheen. A flawless, velvety texture. A toasty, caramel scent. And, an absolutely addicting sweet-salty flavor. The light sprinkling of fleur de sel, which may seem out of place in such a sugary dish, actually helps balance out the intensity of the butterscotch, while also adding a crunchy contrast to the silky pudding. The combination is nothing short of pure pudding bliss.

There is one important thing to note about this item: its presence on the dessert menu fluctuates week by week. This means taking a chance and relying on a bit of fate and pure hope. I urge you not to become distraught if you happen to see it left off of the menu; simply view it as an excellent excuse to come back again. Either way, the Roadhouse is nothing short of an experience to remember and will you leave you filled with that warm, fuzzy feeling of spending time with family and friends and savoring some damn good, down-home American comfort food.

Zingerman’s Roadhouse 2501 Jackson Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48103

It’s Not Just Red or White: Cabernet Sauvignon

Lizzy Freed  

Some grapes are finicky, only growing in select locations and needing just the right circumstances to produce high-quality wine. Then some others, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, are what I like to call troopers.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most well known grape varietals on Earth, and with good reason. It is produced in very diverse climates, from the frigid north of Michigan to the warmer soils of northern Argentina. It has even been successfully grown in the Gobi Desert in China (though the real thanks should be paid to their irrigation system, which is a topic for another day).

In 1997, UC Davis researchers found that Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc; it’s a blend that can be dated back to the 1600’s. Originally form the Medoc region of Bordeaux, the tricky little grape has now found its way into nearly every wine region of the world.

It began to gain international popularity in the 1900’s, moving from France and Spain to South America and then the United States. Now it is arguably the most-cultivated wine grape in the world, though some say Merlot has it beat while others vote Grenache.

In any case, there is a lot of it. This probably comes from its popularity rather than its resilience, because although it seems to be the easiest grape to grow, it is actually a bit temperamental. I call it a trooper because it can grow in a number of places… it just doesn’t necessarily like to. Cabernet Sauvignon needs a lot of sunlight to fully mature, which means that it needs a longer growing season than some places can offer. The cost that goes into producing the grape shows in their cost as well—a good Cab is not cheap.

Nowadays, people are saying that Cabernet Sauvignon is old school and not as trendy as a hot new Argentine Malbec, but no matter what anyone says, it’s still my favorite. It’s one of the most complex wines you can drink (which may factor into the fact it’s so expensive to produce…), and is, in my opinion, timeless. It just feels classic—like dad’s old Cadillac. When I think wine, I think Cabernet.

It’s high in tannins, which as we know are not a taste, but a sensation in the mouth. There’s generally a lot of fruit flavor, especially in California Cabs, and earthy or tobacco tones. A nice bottle can age for a pretty long time, as the tannins can mellow into a more complex and rounded flavor, given the opportunity.

Generally speaking, Cabernet Sauvignon goes well with peppery red meat and fatty dishes that can stand up to the flavor. Herbed lamb chops or a moderate cheese would be tantalizing, or a big juicy hamburger with fried mushrooms. Whatever you do, just don’t try it with chocolate—the mellow flavor will get lost in the tannins.

Because of its complex deep flavors, I find Cabernet Sauvignon to be a treat that can be just as enjoyable sans food. So grab a bottle and a couple of friends if you want, and enjoy this “no longer trendy” drink—it’s a classic, so that could be hipster given the right circumstances.

Cheers!

Guide to Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine
New Bordeaux

New Coffeeshop on the Block

Maddie LaKind  

I have a problem. It’s something I’ve dealt with for a long time. It’s something that has cost me a lot of money. And its something I couldn’t live without. Yes folks, I am a coffee shop junkie.

This addiction may seem odd to those who know me, given my pretty minimal daily coffee consumption, but there is something about these spots I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it’s the always diverse mix of people (locals/students/hipsters), or the consistently great music playlists showing off artists as far ranging as Animal Collective to Tracy Chapman, or the distinct sound of milk being steamed and espresso being pulled. Whatever this it factor actually is, I’m hooked and keep on frequenting these places—to the detriment of my wallet— week in and week out.

While I am completely satisfied with my usual string of Ann Arbor spots—Comet, Lab, and Zingerman’s—its always a momentous occasion when a new coffee shop comes on the scene, especially if they possess the criterion trifecta for coffeeshop excellence: stellar coffee, food, and ambience.

My most recent discovery, The Songbird Café on Plymouth Road, passed this test with flying colors. Despite only being open for eight months, Songbird has garnered a strong fan following, adding a much-needed splash of authenticity and quality to the land of chains and strip malls that is North Campus. The enormous layout of the place itself is enough to draw you in, with rows upon rows of tables, lots of natural light, and power strips under each table—a crucial element for any student in need of a productive study space.

Fortunately, this place is more than a pretty face, with superb food and drink to boot covering breakfast, lunch, and needed morning/afternoon caffeine fixes. My visit fell around lunchtime, which meant only one thing: sandwich and soup combos. Given that I’ve never really seen this concept executed well anywhere but Panera (which I have since moved on from given an inordinate number of visits freshman year), you can imagine my excitement at the prospect. After a consultation from Emma, my bestie and foodie partner in crime, we settled on our duos: half turkey sandwich and cup of butternut squash soup for me and truffled egg salad sandwich and chicken tortilla soup for Em.

Upon my first bites of sandwich and spoonfuls of soup, I knew this place was more than your run of the mill coffee joint. The butternut squash soup was just hot enough, super silky, and slightly sweet from a hint of nutmeg. Complimented with my turkey sandwich with pistachio crusted goat cheese, fig jam, and apple slices, it felt like Thanksgiving on a plate in all its savory, comforting, and delicious glory.

While Emma’s tortilla soup ached for salt, the truffled egg salad sandwich revived the plate and showed how fantastic something as mundane as egg salad can taste. Super chunky with just enough mayo to coat, this salad gets a light drizzle of truffle oil for depth of flavor and chopped celery for crunch before getting piled between two slices of crusty bread: balanced, creamy, and rich yet oh so light.

More than impressed by our lunchtime selections, we decided to further indulge ourselves (as Emma and I tend to do when eating out) with coffee and dessert. Intrigued by the name, we chose the nutella latte as our beverage, which, despite not tasting much of nutella, held a more-than-pleasant, deep chocolaty flavor. Accompanied by a sea salt chocolate chip cookie, microwaved for extra chocolaty gooeyness (great idea, Emma), we were officially in lunchtime heaven, lounging around and chatting for nearly two hours.

And that’s all I really need in a day. A nice place to sit, take a load off, grab a cup of coffee, eat some good food, and enjoy the company of friends. Songbird offers all of these things in a fresh and comforting way that will leave you actually wanting to make the trip to pseudo-North Campus time and time again.

The Songbird Café 2707 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48105