Eve - Ann Arbor

Once every few years, you happen into a restaurant that is something extraordinary. Food is my passion (along with sports) and I appreciate a lot of local restaurants for great food, atmosphere, service, or even properly chilled beverages. I especially admire restaurants that get a little quirky with their menu or have something unique or different about their ingredients or offerings showing a desire to do something special with their food.

That said, Eve has taken the place in my heart and my stomach previously only occupied by Emily's in Northville. My Perennial Dining Companion and I had reservations for Saturday, intending to just eat an appetizer or two and a salad and share a bottle of wine to celebrate the end of my stint in the Introduction to Professional Cooking class at Schoolcraft. Upon arrival, I was unexpectedly hungry and we ventured into the main menu. There were two selections neither of us could pass up.

I ordered the simple steak and my perennial dining companion had the simple fish. Beautifully yet simply seasoned and prepared, our choices exceeded our expectations. I had a corn pudding as my side which was beyond perfection and my dining companion had a rice side which he enjoyed as well. The wine was well matched and the service outstanding. For dessert (accompanied by excellent coffee) we split the sorbet which was a lavender and violet sorbet and was almost indescribably good. My husband described it was tasting like a color. I just call it great.

Visit often and soon. http://www.evetherestaurant.com/

Anna's Porch - Jackson, MI

Someplace new! How fun! All the better spot to have lunch with my aunt visiting from Florida (and as it turns out, my grandfather as well). From the I 94 corridor in the middle of Michigan (aka Jackson), there is a nifty spot for lunch (and for gift shopping) called Anna's Porch. If you are hungry around mile markers 137-144 on I94 (or earlier and can hang on for a few) , this place is worth the detour off the freeway south and into downtown Jackson (a place I can say I don't think I've been before). I had a beautiful salad (The Cafe Bleu) which was bleu cheese, apples, pecans, and a bed of very nice greens served with Poppy Seed Dressing (very yummy!). My very health conscious aunt and grandfather had the salmon burger and a soup and salad combo (tuna on rye and a marvelous looking Italian Tomato soup) respectively. I really, really wanted the quiche of the day. But, having been up since 5:30 for hockey and needing to make it through my final sauce exam at Schoolcraft tonight, I abstained.

Visit and shop: http://www.annasfamily.com/PorchMain.htm

Late July without posting

I have been delinquent in posting over the last few weeks but my time has been primarily taken up with CAP 103, the Introduction to Professional Cooking class at Schoolcraft College compressed from the standard 7 weeks into 3 weeks for the summer term. I am in love with cooking (if not with making Hollandaise Sauce). I've been up to my elbows in chicken feet while making stock and yet I'm happy and busy and it's all good while I'm in the kitchen. Have I found my niche?

So while I've been so busy, my perennial dining companion and I have been on something of a hiatus from restaurants with a few exceptions. The Wednesday night visit for cold beer and inexpensive (but oh so tasty) snacks at The Rusty Nail in Canton. We also made a visit to Compari's in Plymouth (The Italian food is good, but trust me on this and go sit in the bar, have yourself a beer or a glass of vino, and order a pizza). Either the Compari Special or the Napolitana, depending on your mood. Watch baseball or what have you and sip your beverage and the pizza will come out great. The Compari Salad is worthwhile if you need a starter. Or the Italian sausage - It's not out of the box. Someone put some time into it and it should be appreciated. http://www.comparisdining.com/cotp_csi/rmud/100000003.pdf

Tigers come from behind and win!

I had written the game off at 6-0. Silly me. With explosive offense in the 7th and 9th (including a home run by Joyce in the 7th and a walk-off home run in the 9th by Cabrera), outstanding pitching by Fossum, Zumaya, and Jones, and a crowd the stuck with the team to the end, the Tigers surged ahead to take the win and move to within 6 1/2 of the White Sox. We look forward to an exciting series against the Twins coming up before the All Star Break.

First Pesto!

I made the first pesto of the season tonight. We planted about 20 basil plants and despite a hail storm and a few torrential downpours, they are in great shape and the pesto was tremendous. I start them inside in early April from seed I buy from Cook's Garden. (http://www.cooksgarden.com/products.asp?dept=1128&lvl=1052&grp=1) and transplant in late May into the outdoor garden. Today I mixed it in to risotto (Recipe courtesy of Lynne Rosetto Kasper of The Splendid Table http://splendidtable.publicradio.org). Pesto might be the best food ever. I highly recommend the cookbook http://publicradiomarket.publicradio.org/email/?0307346714/103-9938343-6037439

Tigers win in 15!

Nate Robertson goes a remarkable 9 innings (with 99 pitches) out of 15 in the Tigers 2-1 win over the Mariners. Games like these are the tough ones you need to win and the Tigers pulled it out without wounded slugger Magglio Ordonez or defensive superstar Brandon Inge (my personal favorite Tiger). The win brings the Tigers back to 500 and sets the stage for the upcoming series against the Cleveland Indians and the surging Minnesota Twins before the All Star Break.

Bubba Ho-Tep - Rescue Me

I am not a huge fan of comedies. There are exceptions (I really like Legally Blonde and The Princess Bride). But in general, don't show me a comedy. So when my perennial dining companion pulled out a comedy with an aging Elvis (no, folks, he's not dead) in a Texas rest home doing battle against the forces of inertia and evil, I was nervous. But it turned out to be good (if not clean) fun with a few jumps and a couple of twists. Very well cast and acted. Watch Bubba Ho-Tep. It's great. http://www.bubbahotep.com/

I have really enjoyed is renting entire series from Netflix (http://www.netflix.com/) We've gone through almost all The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Twin Peaks, Deadwood, a truly tremendous series that lasted not even a season called Wonderfalls - you must find it on DVD and watch it http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361256/, - all great shows. We are now watching Rescue Me, a really quirky show about the lives of fireman in a post 9-11 NYC fire house. It's not what you expect but it is really good. Plus, the show's theme song is by the Von Bondies, a Detroit band! Except for limiting water cooler chatter with coworkers, renting TV shows on Netflix is a great way to go. You can watch several at a time and there are no commercials!

The Nail

Under the category of favorite hole in the wall bar comes The Rusty Nail on Ford Road in Canton. My Perennial Dining Companion has a thing for the Wednesday night special (50 cent coney dogs, extra onions). I get a grilled cheese with bacon. For extra decadence, dip the chips from the grilled cheese into the hot dog chili. YUM! Cold beer, good food, friendly service and a great picture on all the TVs. The bar has been there for years and caters a little less to the young crowd and more to the over thirty set. There is no website, but visit on the south side of Ford between Sheldon and Morton Taylor.