Food, Food Artisans

This Week at Zingerman’s 1/5/16

January Events at Zingerman’s

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Cocktail Class at Cornman Farms: Gin-uary, Take Two

New and improved! Last January we ushered in the new year with gin in a celebration we named “Gin-uary.” On Thursday, January 7th, 7pm, we’ll again pay homage to the juniper-based spirit in our second installment of Gin-uary; except this time we’re focusing on the less common (but perhaps even more exciting) versions of gin. We’ll explore the history of gin as it spread from Holland to Britain to America by mixing three distinct cocktails. We’ll become acquainted with genever, the original Dutch “gin,” in an 1860s recipe for The Improved Holland Gin Cock-Tail. Then we’ll highlight the English Old Tom style of gin in a drink named the Martinez. Lastly, we’ll embrace a New American type of gin (made right here in Michigan) in a modern cocktail, the Gin-Gin Mule, made with fresh mint and homemade ginger beer. Guests will learn to make all three cocktails themselves while enjoying appetizers made by Cornman Farm’s own chef in the farmhouse kitchen. Guests will leave with a new appreciation for the many styles of gin, as well as the recipes and the confidence to go forth and recreate all the cocktails made during the class.

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An evening in Sicily (via Dexter) at Cornman Farms

Gioacchino Passalaqua, an Italian artisanal food exporter and native Sicilian who co-leads the Sicily Food Tour with Zingerman’s Food Tours is coming to town Saturday, January 9th, 7pm, and he’s bringing one of Sicily’s top chefs with him. Claudio Ruta is a Michelin star recipient for his restaurant La Fenice in the hotel Villa Carlotta in Ragusa, Sicily. The area is renowned for its bounty of amazing foods, and Claudio is bringing many of those signature flavors along with him for a very special dinner at Cornman Farms in Dexter. With the assistance of Gioacchino—an accomplished cook and sommelier in his own right—Claudio will be preparing a menu with wine pairings that showcases the amazing foods of Sicily.

Antipasto
– Eggplant and capers escabeche with calamari, fleur de sel chocolate from Modica and porcini mushroom powder
– Fresh mackerel fillet with crunchy, crumbly pecan nuts
– Potato cream milk shaked with king crab salad and Lampong black pepper
First course
– Risotto with orange peel, hazelnuts and scallop petals with raw extra virgin olive oil and fig melassa
Second course
– Seared swordfish tartare with wild fennel pesto, tomato and anchovies mayonnaise
Dessert
– Couscous with hazelnuts crumbly nougat, sundried figs, Cinnamon chocolate from Modica and Passito wine sauce

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Comparative Cupping at Zingerman’s Coffee Company

Sample coffees from the Africa, Central and South Americas, and the Asian Pacific. On Sunday, January 10th, 1pm, we will taste and evaluate these coffees using the techniques and tools used by professional cuppers. A brief understanding of coffee will also be presented highlighting different processing and growing methods. This is an eye-opening introduction to the world of coffee.

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Going Goat’s Cheese at Zingerman’s Creamery

Dive in to the delicious world of goat’s milk and the diversity of textures and flavors that can be found in the cheeses we’re making with it. Join us Thursday, January 21st, 6pm, as we taste some of our favorite goat’s milk cheeses, including the Creamery’s own Detroit St. Brick and Aged Chelsea, served with sweet and savory pairings, and take an idyllic photo tour of the goat barn and milking parlor at Zingerman’s Cornman Farms!

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Cocktail Class at Cornman Farms: Tiki Time

Winter is waning, but spring has not quite yet sprung. On Thursday, January 21st, 7pm, you can escape the dreary end of winter by embracing the warm, tropical roots of Tiki culture. Born in Hollywood in the 1940s, this pseudo-Polynesian drink fad was a mainstay on the American drinking scene for almost 40 years. Recently Tiki cocktails have experienced a revival, thanks to dedicated bartenders that spend the time to craft the drinks the way they were meant to be, using fresh fruit and painstakingly made syrups and purees. We’ll embark on a virtual spring break when we explore three classic Tiki tipples: the Rum Runner, the Painkiller, and of course, the drink that started the craze, the Mai Tai. Guests will treat themselves to a taste of the tropics with this introduction to the world of Tiki. Come join us at the farm, learn to create these three distinct cocktails, and enjoy the fruits of your labor while sampling flavorful appetizers cooked fresh during the class by Cornman Farms’ accomplished chef. You’ll leave with the recipes for the cocktails as well as the specialty syrups we’ll be using.
Note: these cocktails are made with ingredients that contain coconut and almond.

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Brewing Methods at Zingerman’s Coffee Company

Join us on Sunday, January 24th, 1pm, and learn the keys to successful coffee brewing using a wide variety of brewing methods from filter drip to syphon pot. This tasting session will explore a single coffee brewed 6 to 8 different ways, each producing a unique taste. A demonstration of the proper proportions and techniques for each method and a discussion of the merits and differences of each style will take place.

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11th Annual African American Foodways Dinner at Zingerman’s Roadhouse

“In Search of Giants: a bit of theater, good food and an exploration of the history of the Abolition Movement in Michigan.”

Join us Tuesday, January 26th, 7pm, as Dr. Von H. Washington (theater professional for more than thirty years) and Ali Garrison (mezzo-soprano, direct descendant of Dr. Nathan Thomas, and employee from Zingerman’s early years) present a dramatic scene written especially for Zingerman’s 11th Annual African American Foodways Dinner.
This theatrical reading will be based on their research for Dr. Washington’s play, “In Search of Giants,” which is coming to Ann Arbor on Thursday, January 28th at the Arthur Miller Theatre on the University of Michigan’s North Campus. Washington and Garrison play two Abolitionists, Henry Bibb and Pamela Thomas, meeting in January 1845 at the Underground Railroad Station in Schoolcraft, Michigan for a kitchen table conversation about food, freedom and human interaction.

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Balsamic Vinegar Tasting at Zingerman’s Deli

Working near the historic square in the center of Castelvetro, an old Italian town southwest of Modena, La Vecchia Dispensa founders Roberta Pelloni and her husband Marino Tintori make a variety of exceptional vinegars. Quite simply, these are some of the best balsamics we’ve ever tasted. So good in fact, that we’ve partnered with La Vecchia Dispensa to make our Zingerman’s private label balsamic vinegars. On Wednesday, January 27th, 630pm, their son Simone Tintori will join us to share the history and flavor of his family’s balsamic vinegars. Don’t miss this chance to talk with one of the artisans responsible for this lovely vinegar.

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Blue Cheese Dreams at Zingerman’s Creamery

Creamy, crumbly, and slightly funky, blue cheese can seem intimidating, but our cheesemongers are here to serve as your guide into this flavorful world. Join us on Thursday, January 28th, 6pm, as we taste our way through the classic styles of blue from around the globe as well as from here in the States, accompanied by our favorite serving suggestions. Come prepared to learn all about these fascinating cheeses and the folks who make them.

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See you soon!