"ann arbor" news and stories

Gastronomically speaking, Ann Arbor, Mich. isn't your typical college town. The home of the maize and blue plays host to a surprisingly vibrant culinary counterculture; sure, there are the requisite pizza parlors and all-night diners, but there's also a bustling farmers' market, an uber-successful food coop, and a myriad of top-shelf, culture-crossing restaurants offering everything from bibimbop to a chipati. However, the unrivaled valedictorian of the wolverine food scene for nearly 30 years has been Zingerman's. A virtual empire with nine businesses -- including a creamery, a bakehouse, and a candy factory -- under its umbrella, Zingerman's is an Ann Arbor institution, right up there with the marching band and hating Ohio State.

We caught up with Assistant Retail Manager Vanessa Sly, a veteran of the dry goods department, and got the lowdown on a day in the trenches at Zingerman's.

More from Vanessa Sly of Zingerman's, after the jump.

Zingerman's co-founder Ari Weinzweig in front of the deli he opened 27 years ago. Photo: Zingerman's

Back in 1982, when Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw opened Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Mich., the food world was a much different place. Far fewer Americans knew that real Parmesan cheese did not come in a green plastic tube, or that honey came in more than the plastic-bear variety.

Though Zingerman's began its life as a simple corner deli serving traditional Jewish foods like pastrami, corned beef and noodle kugel, it soon established itself as a new breed of artisanal food store, introducing countless customers to everything from American Spoon Fruit jams to raw milk cave-aged Taleggio cheese. Today, Zingerman's has more than 500 employees and is comprised of nine businesses, including a creamery, restaurant, bakehouse, publishing house and business-training program collectively generating about $36 million every year.

Weinzweig and Saginaw have always maintained an open-book approach to their business, sharing their profit margins with employees and letting customers know exactly how important they are to Zingerman's continued success. And both have always kept an eye turned towards the future -- they've already outlined their vision for 2020, which includes, first and foremost, applying "the model of sustainability to every aspect of our work," whether that means customers, employees or the planet at large.

Ari on Tunisian food, customer loyalty and his forthcoming bacon book after the jump.

How far are you willing to go to save your favorite restaurant?

In Ann Arbor, Mich., the owners of a popular and longtime Mexican eatery, Tios, are selling "memberships" to help the restaurant move after the city bought the building it's called home for more than 20 years. Ann Arbor is expected to use the property to expand city hall.

Owner Tim Seaver hopes to raise $50,000 with the $50 to $5,000 memberships in the "Campaign to Save Tios." Those who join will get "one-year supply of extra hot salsa, monthly discounts or getting your name etched on a bar stool or booth," the Ann Arbor News reports.

Over the last two decades, Ann Arbor has lost many of its dining institutions, including the beloved Drake's Sandwich Shop with its homemade limeades as well as the dark and Gothic wursthaus known as the Old German.

Seaver told the paper he's already raised $20,000 from two fans of the smothered burrito, and is considering a new storefront in which to display the eatery's blazing collection of hot sauces. Tios' lease expires in June.

"People have been very generous and people want to help us keep going," Seaver said.

[Via: The Ann Arbor News]

Zingerman's, the famous Ann Arbor delicatessen and foodie hub, is expanding its offerings with the opening of a new baking school. The Bake! baking school is part of Zingerman's Bakehouse, which is responsible for the indulgent pastries and artisanal breads that the Zingerman's group sells. The classes, which run from $40 to $125 each, all teach single skills and are aimed at imparting professional tips and techniques to everyday cooks. Scones, baguettes, strudels, pizza dough and sourdough breads are all topics that will be covered and the classes will vary in length based on the complexity of the subject matter and the time involved in making the product. Students can take one class or a series, depending on what skills they want to master. For those who want to do it all, the school is offering a "Bake-Cation," which is a four-day class that covers everything from quick breads to sourdough with homemade starter. Every single course is entirely hands-on.

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