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Eating Southwest Michigan

Best Afternoon Delight - Gelato at Casual Chef Café

Be sure to stop by the Casual Chef Café and The Pumpernickel Inn along Red Arrow Highway in Union Pier, Michigan. Their selection of gelatos was outstanding - we sampled the mint chocolate chop, pistachio nut, malted chocolate and toasted coconut caramel. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner the café is a cozy, relaxed spot. Also, if you’re in need of your “Starbucks fix” the Café serves the full line of drinks. There is also a Bed and Breakfast attached that has five unique rooms that include a full breakfast.

www.pumpernickelinn.com
16090 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-1200

Best Little Market with Big Ideas — Bud & Elsie’s Union Pier Market

So it’s this tiny little place, with a screen door that smacks you in the ass as you enter - at first go-around it’s a beachy, sleepy “convenience store” and then … upon closer inspection, its this tiny little place with super great food stuffs … Scharffen Berger chocolate bars, local wines from Round Barn, St. Julian and Tabor Hill, bread from Labriola, tons of organic stuff and great housemade guacamole and hummus (we also stocked up on some of their salads - try the chicken Caesar and some ginormous sandwiches for the beach). Wine tip … try the Round Barn Merlot - this a supple sipper for post-beach porch hang time.

www.scharffenberger.com
www.labriolabaking.com
www.roundbarnwinery.com

Bud and Elsie’s
9805 Townline Road, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-5651

Pizza How It Should Be (and don’t forget to get a salad so you can get the dressing) - Mario’s Pizza

Okay, let’s set the record straight … there’s pizza, and then there’s pizza. There’s pre-formed cardboard pizza crusts with stringy, gooey mozzarella and sub-par toppings and then, hold on to your aprons, there’s Mario’s Pizza. Walking into this place I knew I was in good hands - behind the order counter there was this smoky, black, hotter than hell Blodgett deck oven that had to be more than 60 years old. Cranking out pie after pie … this oven had some history (and I’m betting they have never washed it or sprayed it down - this is the sign of a great pizza oven - all those years of baked on flavor). We were bringing pizza and pasta back to a hungry mob back at the beach house - our stomachs ached and our mouths watered - the order was impressive: Two large pies - one with everything (and by everything, they mean everything, including sliced meatballs on top) and one simple pepperoni and cheese. For pastas, we tried the shrimp scampi, linguine and red clam sauce, pasta with meat sauce and penne in alfredo with chicken and broccoli. As we waited for our order, we played cards, talked with the locals and basically drooled. The smells were incredible …with each of our pastas we were to receive a house salad. What dressing did we want?

Me: “Whattda got?”
Mario’s Pizza Goddess and Order Taker: “Caesar, Ranch, French, Italian, Bleu Cheese”
Me: “Which one is homemade?”
Her: “All of them”
Me: “All of them?”
Her: “Yah, all of them, why’s that so hard to believe?, everything here is scratch - now which one do you want?”
Me: “I want to have all of them and … I love you”
Her: “Go sit down and wait for your stuff”

This is real pizza done perfectly - you’re not going to find any goat cheese or bbq chicken pineapple pizza - this is authentic, down-n-dirty pizza. Go eat there.

Mario’s Pizza
16170 Red Arrow Highway, Union Pier, Michigan
269-469-4633

Slow Down, Feel Special, Have Some Dinner at Bentwood Tavern

Located inside the gorgeous Marina Grand Resort in New Buffalo, Bentwood Tavern describes its food as “artisan comfort food” - I’ll agree but it does have a bit of a swanky swagger to it. We started with a fig and prosciutto pizza from the wood-burning oven and the tuna and avocado tartar - both were excellently executed and tasted divinely delicious. Next, a Caesar salad and then entrees of the evening’s fish selections — sautéed skatewing with this super rich and sexy mushroom sauce and striped sea bass with a rustic kalamata and tomato relish. Both of the dishes were plate-licking good. We ended with the lemon start and coffee. The room is simple yet artful, the service attentive and friendly and the wine list eclectic and fun (we tried the Adelsheim Pinot Gris from Oregon - a great pick to pair with our fish).

www.marinagrandresort.com
www.adelsheim.com

Vinaigrettes: The Untold Story

One of the four “mother sauces,” vinaigrette is a basic oil-and-vinegar combination, generally used to dress salad greens and other cold vegetables, meat or fish dishes. In its simplest form, vinaigrette consists of oil, vinegar (usually 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar), salt and pepper. More elaborate variations can include any of the various ingredients such as spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustards, etc.

A pantry stocked with a wide variety of oils and vinegars will make it easy to experiment and create an array of delicious dressings. A basic assortment of vinegars includes, but is not limited to: red wine, cider, white wine or champagne and sherry. Oils can include: a fruitier extra virgin olive oil, canola, grapeseed, a darker “woodier” olive oil, sesame, walnut, truffle, etc. Always purchase good quality vinegars and oils and store them in a dark, cool place. Oils do not belong in the refrigerator as this puts them “to sleep” causing their flavors to go into a “coma.”

Vinaigrettes are considered a sauce in classic French cuisine, and are treated with great respect. The traditional ratio of oil: vinegar is 3:1. Many Americans, though, prefer a slightly more acidic taste than this ratio.

Hint: Try using lemon or lime juice in place of vinegar in your favorite dressing recipe. Lemon juice has a brighter flavor that enhances lettuce and other greens. 

We all know that oil and water don’t mix and the same is true for oil and vinegar. Vinaigrettes can be “forced” to stay together by emulsifying, or they may be allowed to separate, in which case they should be whisked before serving. Either way, the vinegar and seasonings can be combined first, and then the oil should be whisked in slowly.

Emulsifying agents are ingredients that enable the oil and vinegar to “hang together.” Examples are egg yolks and mustard.

Hint: Once tossed with dressing and served, perfectly dressed salad leaves no extra dressing in the salad bowl. The leaves of lettuce should be lightly coated but not soaked in dressing. Add dressing to a salad a bit at a time, to ensure that you don’t drown the greens.

Summer Wedding Season Begins with a Chinese Celebration

ChefCali, Inc. has been given the honor of creating a fantastic wedding celebration with a Chinese theme … the menu is based on traditional Asian flavors with modern twists incorporating ancient traditions with today’s themes … the menu follows with a recipe and some photo inspirations.

Cocktails and Appetizers

Lettuce Wraps
Cranberry Crabmeat Rangoon
Pot Stickers with Shrimp and Cilantro
Salt and Pepper Spare Ribs

Guests are invited to dinner

Dinner concept: Exploring China through the varied flavor dynamics – sweet, salty, spicy, sour – small plates of “big tastes” all artfully presented

Spring Sweet Corn Soup with Frizzled Leeks

Sweet-n-Sour Salad “Napoleons” – layers of grilled asparagus, Chinese eggplant, long beans, daikon radish, bok choy, pea pods drizzled with Asian sweet-n-sour vinaigrette

Black Bean Scallops with Chinese Broccoli

Chinese Five Spice Lacquered Duck Breast with Scallion Pancake

Mango BBQ Glazed Salmon with Crispy Noodle Cake

Surf-n-Turf – Lobster and Beef with Spinach, Black Pepper and Garlic

Desserts: A trio of Coconut Custard, Banana Spring Rolls with Chocolate Sauce and Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake with Ginger Ice Cream

Coconut Custard

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Caramel:
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar

Custard:
2 cups half and half
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
2” piece of vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Pinch of finely ground sea salt

PROCEDURE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to cook until the syrup caramelizes to a deep amber color. Carefully pour into individual ramekins or a 1 ½-2 quart baking dish. Allow to cool while you prepare the custard.

Place the half and half, coconut and vanilla bean scrapings into a saucepan and heat gently until steaming slightly. Set aside to steep for 10-15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt. Gradually add the cream, whisking constantly. Pour the custard into the caramel prepared dishes which have been set in a deep baking pan. Add hot water to the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake, in 350 degree oven, until just set, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and chill (2 hours). Unmold by running a table knife around the edges of the custard and inverting onto a plate.