Tag: ZINGERMAN’S DELI

Making full-flavored traditional foods is our thing here at Zingerman’s, which is why we get so excited when pot pie season officially begins—and, yes, it has officially begun! For two full months, we’ll be selling a delectable selection of flaky, delicious, savory pot pies all made from scratch right in our kitchen. The best part is that you can get them hot and ready to eat at the Deli or frozen, so you can stock up for the winter.

Many of our customers look forward to the season, and we sell thousands to them every year. That’s a lot of pies, but it isn’t too surprising—people have been devouring the savory pastry for centuries. Chef Andrew Wilhelme from Zingerman’s Deli recently wrote about their history:

Their origins stem from antiquity and were a popular item on Roman banquet tables (some were known to be filled with live birds!). Elizabethan gentry of 16th century England spurred a renaissance of the ancient custom of meat pies, which were elaborately decorated and very popular among royalty on both sides of the English channel. These pies featured not only poultry but pork, lamb, and wild game, as well. Savory pies were popular among commoners, too, providing an economical and filling dish for the laboring masses. Meat pies are featured prominently in many cultures’ collection of traditional foods. Cornish pasties, which were transplanted to the iron and copper mining towns of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Galician empanadas, and Ligurian torta pasqualinas (easter pies) are all examples traditional savory pastries.

Our pot pies go back pretty far, too. Our Classic Chicken has been a menu staple as long as we can remember, and we’ve been making our other varieties for over a decade. Interestingly, the Deli started going big with pot pies as a way to keep our staff gainfully employed during the winter months, when business in the restaurant industry is notoriously slow.

“I needed to get meaningful work for my full-time employees in the kitchen,” says Rodger Bowser, a managing partner of the Deli who was the kitchen manager at the time.

That’s when Rodger got the idea to coax customers out of their warm homes with pot pies. He began developing a full menu and came up with six different pies, naming some to highlight the farms and growers the Deli was working with. There was the John H. Turkey, for example, named after John Harnois, who raises turkeys in Webster Township. Rodger and his team experimented with a few different vegetarian options, too—including a vegan variety with olive oil dough and squash that didn’t quite work out—finally settling on the popular Fungi Pot Pie, which includes Michigan maitakes that are picked wild for the Deli every year in the fall.

Production was challenging at first, and the kitchen staff was a bit overwhelmed with the labor-intensive endeavor. “We were hand-rolling all the dough—like literally, mix the dough, ball the dough, roll it with the rolling pin,” Rodger explains. “We were making hundreds of pies, so consequently, I ended up making a lot of pies myself.” When the pies proved popular and the process became more streamlined, the staff became more enthusiastic about the new product. Over the years, the pies have become a point of pride for the whole company.

Pot Pie Fest 2017 is better than ever. We’re introducing some bright and shiny packaging (look for the blue box in the freezer case) designed by one of our illustrators, Ian Nagy. Our usual discount—buy 10 or more, get 10% off; buy 20 or more, get 20% off; buy 30 or more, get 30% off—still applies, so stock up for the winter!

Here’s the complete Pot Pie Menu:

Classic Chicken
Our most popular pie features diced chunks of Amish chicken, celery, carrots, onions, button mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, red skin potatoes and thyme swimming in a rich sauce of house-made chicken broth and Calder Dairy heavy cream.

John H. Turkey
This one is fairly similar to its feathered cousin, except that we use Broad Breasted White turkeys raised in Webster Township by John Harnois. We also add a bit of Turkish urfa pepper, a dark purplish pepper that is sun dried by day and wrapped and “sweated” by night for over a week to bring out a rich, earthy flavor and smoky aroma.

Fungi Pot Pie
Chock-full of four varieties of mushroom (Michigan maitakes, shiitakes, oysters, buttons), this pie is teaming in earthy flavor. We add Balinese long pepper, once acclaimed by the Romans as the ultimate peppery spice, it adds a nuanced floral sweetness to this delectable dish.

Red Brick Beef
Imagine a hearty beef stew wrapped in a buttery crust and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this bullish pie. Our beef is grass fed and comes from Michigan State University’s Lake City  Research Farm, a farm dedicated to improving the beef industry’s environmental impact. The beef is diced into big cubes and then stewed in dry red wine with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves and fresh thyme.

Darina’s Dingle
This pie is served pastie style (without a tin) and features lamb from Hannewald Lamb, near Stockbridge, as well as loads of potatoes, carrots, celery, onions and rutabaga. A hint of toasted cumin and rosemary give it extra mouth-watering appeal. The idea for this pie was originally inspired by Darina Allen, friend and teacher to both Ari and Rodger, and owner of the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland.

Cheshire Pork
This one is Rodger’s favorite, and he says it’s “underrated”. The recipe derives from a thorough combing of traditional British cookbooks one afternoon at the library many years ago. It’s probably our most unique pie, combining sweet, sour and savory flavors. Chunks of local pork, raised by Alvin and Joan Ernst, are braised in fresh apple cider from Nemeth Orchards and Gingras apple cider vinegar from Quebec, along with onions, rosemary, freshly grated nutmeg, lemon zest and large bites of apples, also from Nemeth Orchards, for a truly amazing and distinctive treat. As with the Darina’s Dingle pie, this one is also served pastie style, without a tin.

Pot Pie Fest 2017 is in full swing and will last ’til the end of February. Get ’em hot and eat in at the Deli and/or get them frozen to take home. They’ll get you through the winter!

Every year, Zingerman’s Catering and Events treats our customers to an event that has office managers and meeting planners chomping at the bit: buy one catering order, get the second one (of equal or lesser value) half off in January and February. Yes, you read that right: Half. Off.

It’s not everyday you get to treat your guests or officemates to Zingerman’s out-of-this-world food, but imagine doing it twice in two months! You’d be a hero! A legend! You’d go down in the annals of history as the One Who Restored Collective Faith in the Multi Day Retreat!

If that isn’t enough, we’ve collected our top 10 reasons to take advantage of this once-a-year deal:

1. You get to try new things!
You may have tried our pastrami or our corned beef, but have you had our bacon wrapped dates? Our Piri Piri chicken? Hungarian Paprikash? This is your chance to branch out and try our lesser-known, equally-delicious fare.

2. You can revisit old favorites
With your second order half off, get those classic favorites you’ve been craving! There’s nothing better than the office’s Chatty Charlie falling into a trance-like state while he enjoys a classic #2, Zingerman’s Reuben.

3. Treat your staff!
Let’s be honest – 2016 was a doozy. Kick 2017 off with a bang by treating your staff during your goal setting sessions! I can’t think of a better reward than a Black Magic Brownie… maybe a Buenos Aires Brownie? Either way, they’ll know they’re appreciated.

4. Impress your clients!
There are two things that every Tree Town visitor needs to check off during their trip – see the Big House and eat at Zingerman’s! So skip the line and let us deliver the goods to your business meeting. Stack the (pitch) deck in your favor!

5. Saves you money!
There’s this cause-and-effect with “tasting the difference”: a sudden lightness in the wallet. Budgets are tight, but that shouldn’t translate into a blandly catered meal. This can get you out of the hot seat with your office accountant and into their good graces. Zingerman’s with a discount? Double-dynamite!

6. Have Zingerman’s catering for both corporate and social gatherings
We’ve been talking a lot about office or meeting meals, but hey, we don’t discriminate! ANY gathering needs food. Team dinner for your hockey-playing phenomenon and their squad… Dinner with your sister, brother-in-law, and five kids…Your temple knows you’ve got your ear to the streets when it comes to awesome eats. It’s your time to to impress! It’s going to feel really good when your spread is completely ready for guests, and you’ve got every hair in place looking like a modern Martha Stewart. Yaassss!

7. Can repeat as many times as you’d like!
There’s no limit to the amount of times you can use this deal! Two meals for you and your colleagues! Two meals for your non-profit board meetings! Two meals for your family get-togethers! It just has to be between January 1st and February 28th!

8. Warm up with hearty, comfort foods for winter!
Six (!!!) different types of pot pies. Four (!!!) different types of knishes (believe me, they are your new fave). Traditional lasagna, Italian meatballs, PrimoGrano casserole… let us warm you up! Winter is hard. It’s cold, it’s dark, it’s wet. The last thing you want to do is schlep around grocery bags full of ingredients or pile trays into your car and hope they aren’t complete disasters when you arrive. Don’t worry, we’ve got you!

9. Provides extra incentive!
Want to have a staff, neighborhood, or school meeting with the best attendance ever?Just tell them that Zingerman’s is catering, and watch the RSVPs start rolling in. Everyone will be well-fed, happy and motivated. Plus, nobody will want to cut out early—because dessert.

10. This is a once-a-year opportunity!
We love our customers. We want to bring amazing food to all different types of occasions. This way we can see you twice… and the sooner the better! You’ve got 58 days to get in touch with us and receive some really awesome food to make the season a bit brighter and your load a bit lighter.

We can’t wait to hear from you and bring you a lil’ joy!

FINE PRINT: This offer cannot be combined with other discounts. This offer is only valid for orders from Zingerman’s Catering. Discount will not be applied to equipment rentals or service staff. Service fees for events will be based on non-discounted totals. Visit our Zingerman’s Catering website for menus and more info.

In addition to our regular menu, we feature a Sandwich of the Month at the Deli. We thought you might enjoy a look back at all 12 from 2016. We’ll be unveiling our first Sandwich of the Month for 2017 on January 1, so keep a lookout!

January
We started the year off with the Balsamic Tuna Melt in honor of our annual Balsamic Blowout.The real star of this tuna melt was our house balsamic vinaigrette made with six-year aged balsamic vinegar from La Vecchia Dispensa. To make a real splash, we combined with Oregon line-caught Albacore tuna, farmhouse cheddar and fresh pea shoots on a paesano roll. Talk about a good catch!

February
CC’s Cordon Bleu was our crazy take on the classic Cordon Bleu. We took it beyond traditional flavors with cornflake encrusted fried chicken and pepper-coated ham by adding in spicy dijon mustard and (since we’re midwesterners) a little ranch dressing. We put our best fromage forward with a softened swiss cheese. All of this was served between two slices of grilled onion rye bread from Zingerman’s Bakehouse.

March
Mr. Rose’s Hamonious Woodland was an aromatic, rosemary-crusted ham paired with tangy, nutty cheddar cheese. We went all out with classic fixings, like leaf lettuce, tomato slices, red onion, mayo, oil and vinegar and served it on warm, grilled sesame semolina.

April
We’re soy pumped about The Brinery’s fantastic fermentation creations that we created NY’s Tempyay for April! Marinated tempeh was sliced, grilled, and stacked between our house-made bbq sauce, melty cheddar cheese and coleslaw. We served it on grilled sourdough.

May
Jeri Dreams of Deli was inspired by Sandwich Line advanced meat slicer pioneer Mike’s deep love of pastrami sandwiches. He designed this flavor combination and named it in honor of his co-worker, fellow Meat Deputy, Jeremiah. The pastrami and swiss provided a deep, robust base of flavor while Marcia’s Munchies’ spicy pickles lent some punch, combined with a bit of fresh crunch from the lettuce. It was surrounded with a creamy combo of dijon mustard and mayo. On grilled rye, it was what sandwich dreams are made of.

June
Hotsteppin’ out of retirement for one month only, Stan’s Canadian Hotfoot featured Wagshal’s Montréal-style smoked meat brisket. It’s what some have coined “Jewish Bacon”—the beef is whole, prime briskets, smoked for so long that it becomes tender and juicy, nearly melting into the bread. We paired it with our hot hot hot mustard, roasted New Mexico green chilies, and swiss cheese. We served it on our warm, double-baked rye bread from Zingerman’s Bakehouse.

July
Grandpa K’s Fowl-Mouthed Ranch Hand was a first-rate quartet of bright, summertime flavors favored by the most colorful, hard-working sandwich cooks! Grilled chicken breast was combined with house-made ranch dressing, garlicky hummus, cucumber and exemplar chickpea-based tabbouleh salad made from scratch, all on rustic Italian bread.

August
The Morgamatron transformed the hum-drum ham and cheese pairing of days gone by into a bold, yet refreshing, sandwich experience. Swiss and scallion cream cheese enveloped rosemary ham, tomatoes and the crunchy sweet duo of sunflower sprouts on ultra-soft challah bread.

September
September’s Sandwich of the Month was the greatest, tastiest, most intense, most confident turkey sandwich ever. The Super Z was a sandwich of illogical extremes, but undeniably awesome, like its namesake: roasted turkey breast, applewood-smoked bacon, Vermont cheddar, coleslaw, hot mustard and roasted piquillo peppers on toasted sourdough.

October
Designed out of a fondness for satisfyingly simple sandwiches, John’s Big Kid PBJ raised the bar on a classic pairing through really great ingredients…and the fact that it’s grilled in butter! Koeze Cream Nut Natural Peanut Butter and Esch Road Foods mixed berry preserves are layered atop grilled challah to create the epitome of extravagance!

November
Mikey B’s Big White House featured garlicky roast beef paired with provolone cheese—the two teamed up with a whole slew of classic ingredients we crave: leaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, regular mustard and mayo on toasted Bakehouse white bread. Simple, fantastic ingredients, piled high to satisfy!

December
Mr. White’s Lavish Pizza Sandwich was a strata of deliciousness. Bacon, mozzarella, tomato sauce and oven roasted balsamic onions on grilled rustic Italian bread. A true masterpiece of ooey-gooey proportions! We ended the year with a seriously flavorful bang.

Here’s to a new year of fantastic sandwiches!!

Welcome to Cooking with Grace! This is where Grace Singleton, a managing partner at the Deli, shares her delectable home cooking with us. This week, she brings us a quick, easy and delicious breakfast that anyone can make at home.

“I was craving something different for breakfast and wanted something really flavorful and simple to make in the morning,” says Grace. “I’m usually moving pretty fast in the morning without a lot of extra time.” What Grace came up with is a fantastic upgrade to everyday toast that takes just minutes to prepare.

Grace picked Zingerman’s Bakehouse Pane Nero for this dish because she loves the bread’s texture, especially when it’s toasted. “It’s lovely,” she says. “Dense and crumbly with bits of crispiness on the edges, but it still stays moist in the center.”

Next, she spread on the Creamery’s Fresh Goat Cream Cheese, which is a little tart and creamy. She like this as a topping because it melts into warm toast nicely, and it offsets the nuttiness of the bread really well.

The last (and best!) step is to drizzle a little honey over the top. This time around, she used Moonshine Trading Company’s Northwestern Fireweed Honey, a light, delicate variety with a fine, spreadable texture. It’s been called “the champagne of honey.” However, Grace believes in finding the right honey for you, so she suggests coming to the Deli to try a few (we’ll give you a taste from any jar that catches your eye!) and deciding which one you like best.

Here’s to a good breakfast! Enjoy.

It’s sweet, it’s buttery, it’s swirled with cinnamon sugar, and it’s back—but just for a very limited time. For the uninitiated, Somodi Kálacs is a delicious yeasted traditional Hungarian Easter bread that we learned how to make in a village in Transylvania during our trip there back in 2012. We’ve loved it ever since, and offer it as a special bake three times a year. One of those times is finally here!

It’s available starting this Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 23. Its got a lot of devotees, so we recommend ordering in advance to make sure you don’t miss out. Somodi Kálacs are available at the Bakehouse (734) 761-2095 and the Deli  (734) 663-3354.

Enjoy it while you can!

We had lots of fun at our 31st Annual Paella Party! A big crowd came out on a gorgeous sunny Sunday to learn a little about the Spanish specialty and, of course, eat some.

Per tradition, our presentation included a cooking demonstration. This year, Zingerman’s Deli’s Head Chef Rodger took Rebecca and Meredith, the two winners of our Paella Pro Contest, under his wing to teach them the finer points of preparing the dish.

When asked why she entered the contest, Meredith, who was an exchange student in Spain while in high school, said her love fondness for Spanish cooking was her motivation. “I knew that if it was going to b made at Zingerman’s, it was going to be authentic and good!” she explained. “I’m always looking for new meals to add to my cooking repertoire—especially those that get family gathered around the table and eating together.”

Rebecca, who entered in hopes of escaping her cooking rut, enjoyed the experience “It was so much fun learning from Chef Roger. I could really tell how much he cares about and loves what he is doing. I had such a great time learning about paella and left with a renewed passion for cooking,” she said.

Hopefully, some of these delicious photos will inspire you to try to make your own paella in your home kitchen. We’re already looking forward to our 32nd Annual Paella Party!