Who knew? A lot of people might have. Just not me. But now, after over 40 years of working in the food world, I know—a bowl of hot farina, made from freshly milled wheat, makes for a seriously marvelous, world-class meal. It’s a delicious artisan return to what a well-made wheat porridge would have been like back when Malinda Russell was writing in Paw Paw in the second half of the 19th century. When we first came out with Cream of the Crop freshly milled whole wheat porridge at the Bakehouse a few years ago, I was excited for our Cream of Wheat-loving customers. It was obviously an enormous quality improvement over the standard commercial offerings! Topped with butter and maple syrup, honey, or fresh fruit, it’s pretty fantastic.

This month, the Roadhouse has it on the breakfast menu as well, topped with a bit of that terrific Vermont Creamery cultured butter. If you come by in the morning during the week, you can have your farina sweetened, of course, with real maple syrup. Alternatively, you could ask for it the way I would eat it: I skip the syrup and enjoy it with just that amazingly flavorful cultured butter and then a bunch of that fantastic farm-to-table Tellicherry black pepper added after the bowl is brought to the table. Or, instead of the butter, you could opt for some of the terrific Séka Hills olive oil we get from northern California on top. Mind-blowing! Tasting it this way the other day, it was so good that I went back and added more oil and pepper. Essentially, I realized, it’s a bit like a “bruschetta in a bowl!” So good! Alternatively again, add a fried egg on top!

For historical context, the commercially packaged Cream of Wheat debuted at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago which opened on the 1st of May. On May 5th of that year, a stock market crash started what came to be called the Panic of 1893 and a serious depression followed. Part of the response locally came from Detroit Mayor Hazen Pingree, who created what came to be called his “Potato Patch Plan” which called for community gardening on vacant land in the city to help folks feed themselves. So little is new!

You can also buy bags of the Cream of the Crop (uncooked) at the Bakehouse to make at home too. Thanks to everyone at the Bakehouse for making it possible to add a wonderful dish to our weekly cooking routines! And to the Roadhouse for getting on the menu so we can all just walk it and order it up ready-cooked!!

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A big bowl of Southern comfort
in this wonderful seafood stew

Without a doubt, one of my favorite foods from the Roadhouse—and I get to eat a lot of good food—is the Creole Potlikker Fish Stew. We’ve been serving it for nearly a decade now, and with each passing week, I think it accumulates even more loyal fans. In the spirit of Natural Law #10, since no one else (to my knowledge) makes this dish anywhere in the country, Potlikker Fish Stew is wholly unfamiliar to most new customers. Its strength? It’s well on its way to becoming a signature dish, worthy, I believe, of national attention.

While hardly any of us up here in the north have ever heard of it, down South, potlikker is pretty much an iconic culinary staple. For those who are just now learning of it, potlikker is the broth from the long-cooked, loaded up with bacon, and collard greens we make every day at the Roadhouse. It’s basically a bacon-spiked, slightly spicy, vegetable broth. In the South, potlikker is powerful stuff—the Southern equivalent of chicken soup, the way I see it.

Aside from its socio-culinary context, potlikker has an important role to play in American history. Culinary historian, accomplished author, and friend, John T. Edge explains its significance in American political history:

The Potlikker and Cornpone Debate of 1931 began when Julian Harris, an editor of the Atlanta Constitution, verbally assailed Huey Long, governor of Louisiana and United States senator-elect, over the question of whether cornbread should be dunked or crumbled into potlikker. The debate quickly escalated, and, for approximately twenty-three days, between February 13 and March 8 of 1931, engaged most of the South and much of the nation. Extensive newspaper accounts and correspondence from the time illuminate the primary themes of gender, race, class, and regional chauvinism that inform this debate.

To make this special Creole Fish Stew, we use the potlikker to poach some seafood—selections vary daily, and you’re welcome to ask. Usually, it’s three or four fish, and often some of those amazing day boat scallops we get in from the East Coast. The whole dish comes together beautifully, all poured and bubbling hot over the amazing traditionally-grown and stone-ground grits we get from Anson Mills. Dishes like this have West African roots—a fish stew served over a starch; lots of fish, lots of leafy greens. Swing by the Roadhouse, order a bowl, breathe in the restorative aromas, and enjoy a moment of quiet, comfort, and calm while you eat.

P.S. If you come late afternoon, the Roadhouse Happy Hour runs from 2 to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. A host of drink deals, special Texas tacos, fried pickles, and more!

P.P.S. Here’s a longer piece I wrote about potlikker about 15 years ago.

Dinkelbrot isn’t Zingmerman’s Bakehouse’s best seller, but it might have some of the most loyal fans. And for good reason—it’s a terrific, very traditionally made bread. As it would be in the best bakeries in Germany, it’s made using freshly milled heirloom grains! In its homeland, Dinkelbrot would likely be found in every good bakery; here in the U.S., it’s a rare and special treat!

While most of the breads we know from French tradition are primarily made of wheat, German baking relies much more on other grains. The colder, darker, damper climate in most of what is now Germany is more conducive to rye, barley, and spelt. (Remember that Germany as it exists today dates back only to 1871—before that, it was, like most of the world, made up of a series of smaller independent and semi-independent principalities and kingdoms.) These grains typically have more fragile gluten as far as baking goes; so, breads made with them tend to have shorter fermentation times and benefit from the souring process. Dinkelbrot is a showcase for this traditional way of making bread.

Here at the Bakehouse, we make to the specifications we learned from Elisabeth Kreutzkamm-Aumueller and head baker Tino Gierig at the Dresdner Backhaus in eastern Germany. We use organic spelt—grown in Michigan or a neighboring state—that’s milled fresh on-site and leavened with our rye starter, which also features freshly milled grain and a pinch of yeast. We add a bit of mashed potatoes for moistness, spelt flakes and sunflower seeds for extra nuttiness and crunch, honey and malt for sweetness, spices for liveliness, and dress the whole loaves in a coat of even more sunflower seeds. Dinkelbrot is a delicious loaf.

It’s got a big, full flavor; a firm, chewy texture; and a subtle touch of sweetness in the finish. It would be terrific underneath some of the many great sardines we have on hand at the Deli. I love it toasted with Creamery Cream Cheese, then sprinkled with some of the amazingly aromatic wild cumin we get through Épices de Cru in Canada. At our house, we simply spread it with the Vermont Creamery cultured butter that’s been winning raves on the Bakehouse bread service at the Roadhouse (yes, we sell it by the piece for butter lovers who want to take it home). It’s terrific with butter and smoked salmon as well. A taste of German tradition here in Ann Arbor.

P.S. Want to make Dinkelbrot at home? The write-up is on pages 199 and 200 in the Zingerman’s Bakehouse cookbook.

P.P.S. Want to ship it to San Antonio or South Carolina? You bet!

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The Bakehouse 24 Carrot Cake is impressively excellent. Being more of a savory treat fan, it had been a while since I held a plate with a whole slice of cake, but with this one, I tried a bite, smiled, and went back for more! If you need a cake for an upcoming birthday party, a Tuesday evening get-together, or a Sunday afternoon coffee klatch, an empathic act for someone experiencing a trying time, consider ordering one today.

Carrot Cake was once known as “Passion Cake”—with that in mind, we also do them as wedding cakes. What a wonderful way to mark a very special occasion. If you’re thinking of booking a wedding, check out Cornman Farms and Greyline for wedding sites soon, or reach out to the Roadhouse to book a room at the restaurant. We’re already reserving spots for next year! The Deli, Roadhouse, and Miss Kim would all love to talk about catering, bridal showers, or pre-wedding meals as well!

While empathy is a relatively recent idea, carrot “puddings” have a history going back to at least the 11th century in the Middle East, and then later, in England. The late food writer Molly O’Neill once wrote that George Washington was served a carrot tea cake at Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan on November 25, 1783, during what came to be known as “British Evacuation Day.” Carrot cake became particularly popular in Britain during WWII when homebakers needed alternatives to sugar, which was being rationed. It took off in the U.S. in the second half of the 20th century as a healthier dessert option. Today, in 2024, carrot cake is an American cake classic.

Here in the ZCoB, the Bakehouse crew says of the 24 Carrot Cake:

We grate nearly 30 pounds of carrots to make one batch of this cake. All those carrots add an incredible moistness and a fresh sweetness to this classic. Combine that with toasted walnuts, aromatic spices, and the complex flavor from freshly milled grains … you get a great cake that’s totally delicious on its own. Cover it with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting and it becomes irresistible.

It has a wonderful amount of our cream cheese frosting. Not too much. But as the great chef and food writer Edna Lewis once said, “No one has ever complained to me that there’s too much frosting on their carrot cake.” For an additional delight, drizzle with a bit of maple syrup or sorghum, or maybe add a dollop of whipped cream and some chopped spiced pecans.

Swing by the Bakehouse or the Deli to grab a slice soon! It goes great with that beautifully smooth coffee we’ve got on feature from Honduras that’s this month’s Roaster’s Pick from the Coffee Company (see below)!