Tag: THIS WEEK AT ZINGERMAN’S
February Events at Zingerman’s
Cocktail Class at Cornman Farms: An American Cocktail in Paris
For Valentine’s Day we turn our attention to one of the global capitals of romance: Paris. Specifically, Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Founded in 1911 and sold to Scottish-born celebrity bartender Harry MacElhone in 1923, Harry’s was THE place to imbibe in the City of Lights. Celebrities like Marlene Dietrich, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Gershwin, Jack Dempsey, Coco Chanel, and perhaps most notably, Ernest Hemingway, all spent time enjoying a cocktail (or several) at this famous watering hole. Even James Bond visits Harry’s in Ian Fleming’s 1960 story, A View to a Kill. Join us this evening as we look back on the impact Harry MacElhone had on international cocktail culture with three of his own romance-inspired tipples: the Between the Sheets, the Monkey Gland, and the Vie Rose. We’ll discuss the not-so-secret society of the International Bar Flies that called Harry’s home, as well as other cocktail history and lore. Guests will learn to make themselves, and then enjoy, all three cocktails, as well as delectable light fare created by Cornman Farm’s talented chef. Guests will leave with the recipes and the know-how to recreate these cocktails at home. Thursday, February 11th, 7pm.
Pick Your Perfect Pair at Zingerman’s Creamery
Beer and wine are popular accompaniments to cheese, and in this choose-your-own-adventure-style tasting, we’ll help you pick your perfect pairings! We’ll serve 3 classic styles of beer, 3 cheese-friendly wines, and a selection of frommage to taste. With each beverage sample, we will suggest a couple of our favorite cheese pairing and give you a chance to try out other cheeses as well! You’ll leave with lots of notes about the combinations you tried and the confidence to pick out pairings on your own in the future! Thursday, February 11th, 6pm.
Smitten in the Mitten at Zingerman’s Deli
Taste why we are smitten with wine and chocolate from the Mitten! Join us on Friday, February 12th for a Michigan-centered happy hour featuring a trio of select Michigan-produced wines and a specially crafted sparkling wine cocktail paired with assorted chocolates that are hand-made by some of our beloved truffle-makers from the Great Lakes State. This is an excellent accompaniment to a dinner with your sweetheart.
*Note: This event has two seatings.
Reserve a seat for 6pm
Comparative Cupping at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
Sample coffees from the Africa, Central and South Americas, and the Asian Pacific. On Sunday, February 14th, 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.
Classic Cocktails from the Prohibition Era at Zingerman’s Roadhouse
In 1919, the US government passed the 18th Amendment, clearing the way for 13 years of the folly that was Prohibition. During this time, manufacturing and the sale of alcohol was made illegal, driving alcohol consumption underground. Millions of people in small towns and big cities alike imbibed at secret bars and taverns called speakeasies. Bartenders, working with limited resources to alcohol, began an era that resulted in some of the most creative cocktails the industry has ever seen.
Roadhouse bartender and cocktail historian Alibeth Vandergrift has chosen several of the most popular Prohibition era cocktails to pair with a 1920s style menu created by Chef Alex, featuring some of the times most popular foods. On Tuesday, February 16th, 7pm, the Roadhouse will turn our dining room into a vintage speakeasy, transporting the guests back to the 1920s.
Chocolate & Cheese at Zingerman’s Creamery
A night of specially-selected cheese and chocolate pairings with Cheese Monger Tessie from Zingerman’s Creamery and special guest Allison Schraf from Zingermans Candy Manufactory. We’ll bring the best of both sweet and savory worlds together for a full-flavored event of a lifetime. With cheeses ranging from hard, nutty goudas to buttery soft, mold-ripened favorites, we are also featuring hand-crafted Zingerman’s chocolates made right here in Ann Arbor. Thursday, February 18th, 6pm.
*Please note: This tasting will feature products that contain tree nuts and peanuts.
Cheese Showdown – Old World vs. New World at Zingerman’s Creamery
On Thursday, February 25th, 6pm, cheesemonger Tessie will be gathering up some of the best offerings from our friends in the American artisan cheese community and putting them up against classic cheese selections from Europe! We’ll explore styles of brie, cheddar, lactic goat cheeses, cheddar, gruyere, and blue cheese, with representatives from both sides of the Atlantic in each style. We’ll choose a winner of each matchup and then vote which continent goes home with bragging rights!
Cosmically Good Geisha Coffee at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
It’s Geisha coffee, a rare, wonderful and very limited selection of very special coffee beans from the highlands of Panama. It comes from Finca Santa Teresa smack in the center of the Panamanian isthmus. It’s grown at 4000 to 8000 feet.
We procured this extra special coffee from Finca Santa Teresa. Like our friends at Daterra Estate in Brazil, these guys are doing it right. They’re paying better salaries to the staff, providing free meals, free medical care, transport to and from work, training and education. Their use of natural resources is wise – recycling of water, waste material, etc. The farm has a school for the kids of the crew that work there.
If you do try it, you’re pretty likely to like it. Light, elegant, velvety. My warning is that if you try it you’ll probably want to drink it again and again. Your only salvation is that we only have 100 pounds and then we’re out.
Celebrate this special coffee on with us and pre-order yours!
This is no program with this event. Your ticket reserves one 0.25 lb bag of coffee in your name that can be picked up after 4pm on Friday, February 26th.
Brewing Methods at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
Learn the keys to successful coffee brewing using a wide variety of brewing methods from filter drip to syphon pot. This tasting session on Sunday February 28th, 1pm, 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.
See you soon!
February Events at Zingerman’s
Pick Your Perfect Pair at Zingerman’s Creamery
Beer and wine are popular accompaniments to cheese, and in this choose-your-own-adventure-style tasting, we’ll help you pick your perfect pairings! We’ll serve 3 classic styles of beer, 3 cheese-friendly wines, and a selection of frommage to taste. With each beverage sample, we will suggest a couple of our favorite cheese pairing and give you a chance to try out other cheeses as well! You’ll leave with lots of notes about the combinations you tried and the confidence to pick out pairings on your own in the future! Thursday, February 11th, 6pm.
Cocktail Class at Cornman Farms: An American Cocktail in Paris
For Valentine’s Day we turn our attention to one of the global capitals of romance: Paris. Specifically, Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Founded in 1911 and sold to Scottish-born celebrity bartender Harry MacElhone in 1923, Harry’s was THE place to imbibe in the City of Lights. Celebrities like Marlene Dietrich, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Gershwin, Jack Dempsey, Coco Chanel, and perhaps most notably, Ernest Hemingway, all spent time enjoying a cocktail (or several) at this famous watering hole. Even James Bond visits Harry’s in Ian Fleming’s 1960 story, A View to a Kill. Join us this evening as we look back on the impact Harry MacElhone had on international cocktail culture with three of his own romance-inspired tipples: the Between the Sheets, the Monkey Gland, and the Vie Rose. We’ll discuss the not-so-secret society of the International Bar Flies that called Harry’s home, as well as other cocktail history and lore. Guests will learn to make themselves, and then enjoy, all three cocktails, as well as delectable light fare created by Cornman Farm’s talented chef. Guests will leave with the recipes and the know-how to recreate these cocktails at home. Thursday, February 11th, 7pm.
Smitten in the Mitten at Zingerman’s Deli
Taste why we are smitten with wine and chocolate from the Mitten! Join us on Friday, February 12th for a Michigan-centered happy hour featuring a trio of select Michigan-produced wines and a specially crafted sparkling wine cocktail paired with assorted chocolates that are hand-made by some of our beloved truffle-makers from the Great Lakes State. This is an excellent accompaniment to a dinner with your sweetheart.
*Note: This event has two seatings.
Reserve a seat for 6pm
Comparative Cupping at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
Sample coffees from the Africa, Central and South Americas, and the Asian Pacific. On Sunday, February 14th, 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.
Classic Cocktails from the Prohibition Era at Zingerman’s Roadhouse
In 1919, the US government passed the 18th Amendment, clearing the way for 13 years of the folly that was Prohibition. During this time, manufacturing and the sale of alcohol was made illegal, driving alcohol consumption underground. Millions of people in small towns and big cities alike imbibed at secret bars and taverns called speakeasies. Bartenders, working with limited resources to alcohol, began an era that resulted in some of the most creative cocktails the industry has ever seen.
Roadhouse bartender and cocktail historian Alibeth Vandergrift has chosen several of the most popular Prohibition era cocktails to pair with a 1920s style menu created by Chef Alex, featuring some of the times most popular foods. On Tuesday, February 16th, 7pm, the Roadhouse will turn our dining room into a vintage speakeasy, transporting the guests back to the 1920s.
Chocolate & Cheese at Zingerman’s Creamery
A night of specially-selected cheese and chocolate pairings with Cheese Monger Tessie from Zingerman’s Creamery and special guest Allison Schraf from Zingermans Candy Manufactory. We’ll bring the best of both sweet and savory worlds together for a full-flavored event of a lifetime. With cheeses ranging from hard, nutty goudas to buttery soft, mold-ripened favorites, we are also featuring hand-crafted Zingerman’s chocolates made right here in Ann Arbor. Thursday, February 18th, 6pm.
*Please note: This tasting will feature products that contain tree nuts and peanuts.
Cheese Showdown – Old World vs. New World at Zingerman’s Creamery
On Thursday, February 25th, 6pm, cheesemonger Tessie will be gathering up some of the best offerings from our friends in the American artisan cheese community and putting them up against classic cheese selections from Europe! We’ll explore styles of brie, cheddar, lactic goat cheeses, cheddar, gruyere, and blue cheese, with representatives from both sides of the Atlantic in each style. We’ll choose a winner of each matchup and then vote which continent goes home with bragging rights!
Cosmically Good Geisha Coffee at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
It’s Geisha coffee, a rare, wonderful and very limited selection of very special coffee beans from the highlands of Panama. It comes from Finca Santa Teresa smack in the center of the Panamanian isthmus. It’s grown at 4000 to 8000 feet.
We procured this extra special coffee from Finca Santa Teresa. Like our friends at Daterra Estate in Brazil, these guys are doing it right. They’re paying better salaries to the staff, providing free meals, free medical care, transport to and from work, training and education. Their use of natural resources is wise – recycling of water, waste material, etc. The farm has a school for the kids of the crew that work there.
If you do try it, you’re pretty likely to like it. Light, elegant, velvety. My warning is that if you try it you’ll probably want to drink it again and again. Your only salvation is that we only have 100 pounds and then we’re out.
Celebrate this special coffee on with us and pre-order yours!
This is no program with this event. Your ticket reserves one 0.25 lb bag of coffee in your name that can be picked up after 4pm on Friday, February 26th.
Brewing Methods at Zingerman’s Coffee Company
Learn the keys to successful coffee brewing using a wide variety of brewing methods from filter drip to syphon pot. This tasting session on Sunday February 28th, 1pm, 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.
See you soon!
January Events at Zingerman’s
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
See you soon!
January Events at Zingerman’s
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
See you soon!
January Events at Zingerman’s
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.
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.
– 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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
See you soon!
January Events at Zingerman’s
1st Sunday Tour at Zingerman’s Creamery
Join our cheese and gelato makers on Sunday, January 3rd, 2pm for an hour-long adventure as we transform local milk into delicious cheese and gelato. You’ll watch our fresh mozzarella stretched into shape, taste our cow’s and goat’s milk cheeses while our staff explain the cheesemaking process, and sample our delicious fresh gelato. After the tour, make time for tasting our selection of American cheeses and provisions, as well as house made gelatos and sorbets in our cheese shop.
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.
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.
– 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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
See you soon!