Frugal Floozie Friday -- Opera on Tap at Frenchie's

Opera on Tap is a fabulous event held at Frenchie's, next door to the Sidetrack Bar and Grill, on the first Tuesday of each month. I happen to love opera, and everyone knows I love to eat! Food and fun are both found here!

That you can also find your food and fun at Opera on Tap for $5 or less person ... well, that qualifies it to be this week's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

Rather than being a stodgy affair, this is a most entertaining evening for which attendees must make reservations. (Call 734-483-5230 to leave your name and the number of people in your group. I don't know how bookings are for September 6, but try anyway in case they can fit you in.) There is no charge - just pay for your food and drinks, and leave a generous tip for your server.

Tom and I meandered into the August session a bit late, so we unfortunately missed any introductions there may have been. My understanding is that Opera on Tap features local singers, music students, and enthusiasts, all of whom performed with exceptional talent.

Everything from the most passionate Italian arias to the beautiful "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess was performed - some melodrama, some humor, and great variety. The singing was so profoundly moving that I can truly say tears came to my eyes at one point. And yet, two of the singers also took turns wearing Brunhilde-worthy horns and schmoozing with the audience while drinking beer between songs. A good time was had by all!

Now, this describes the "fun" portion of the evening. What about the food???

That came in the form of carrot cake - the triple-layered vision of loveliness pictured above, available for ordering from the Sidetrack menu.

Prepared by the amazing pastry chef Bryant Stuckey, of Decadent Delight, the cake is moist, dense, rich, spicy, and topped with a crowning glory of smooth, sweet, luscious cream cheese frosting ... sigh. One could easily relish this in utter selfishness, not sharing so much as a crumb; but it's so luscious that really, you want to share your bliss by having someone you love join you.

At $5.50 per slice, splitting dessert not only saves you calories but money as well. Order a cup of tea to complement it, and you're still within our Frugal Floozie Friday limit of $5 per person. There are also lots of other appetizers and desserts to enjoy on your own or to split with friends and family, all within our restrictive budget.

So immerse yourself in music and treats, delights to all your senses. Opera on Tap offers a fabulous evening of food and fun!


Frenchie's/Sidetrack Bar and Grill
56 E. Cross St.
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-483-5230


View Larger Map

No Cake at a Wedding??? Say It Ain't So!!!

A good friend of mine, Cindy, attended a wedding over the weekend. She shocked me with some astounding news, so it's a good thing I was already seated or I might have keeled over and knocked a tooth out when I collapsed onto my desk: there was no wedding cake.

C'mon, join me - clutch at your chest as your eyes bug out, gasping for breath as though all the air has been punched out of your lungs.

No ... cake??? No cake?!? It's a sacrilege! There has to be cake at a wedding! Guests ooh and ahh over it, vie for the best pieces, hope to get some of the edible decorations. Brides and grooms indelicately shove some into each other's mouths. Cake at a wedding is a tradition!

But perhaps not so anymore ...? Cindy said that people she spoke with that evening told her that there hadn't been cakes at other weddings they'd attended recently, either.

I'm sufficiently ancient and decrepit that my friends and relatives have either been married for 30 years or they're divorced; and our children aren't yet old enough -- please, God, make sure they're aware of that! -- to get married. So I admit that I'm not an authority on this subject. I hadn't been to a wedding in years until attending one in July; and thankfully -- whew! -- there was a cake. (Who knew it was now possibly considered "optional"???) It was really good, too, with luscious creamy white frosting .... But I digress.

I've known of people who offered tiers of cupcakes that were arranged to resemble a cake. I've known people who offered an array of treats and sweets in addition to the cake, but the cake was still a major attraction. Cindy said that other desserts were available at the wedding; there just wasn't a cake, and from what she could gather it's becoming a trend. So, in horror, I started to do some remedial and less-than-scientific research.

Here is an assortment of quotes and responses gathered when I tossed this life-altering notion out into cyberspace and sought comments via Facebook and Twitter (so excuse grammatical/spelling quirks inherent in trying to type on a phone or cram a message into 140 tidbits!):

what else would the bride shove up the grooms nose? ;-) Seriously, yes...cake, of some sort, is a MUST!

What are people going to do, cut into a cupcake or a cookie? Sheesh!That is ridiculous! If anything I have heard people turning to options but not getting rid of cake entirely! thumbs down!

Haven't heard this in the UK, though some friends had tiers of cheese instead.

I don't know if I want to go to a wedding that doesn't have cake. It's a travesty!

We had cupcakes as our cake and then an ice cream sundae bar with cookies and brownies and no one ate the cake! We had like 100 cupcakes left over. Maybe it's true :-(

Shut up!some things are just wrong, this is one! weddings=cake

not any weddings I've been to.. no.. wait.. there wasn't a wedding cake at the most recent one. Probably because the bride and groom didn't want to spend $1000 on a cake.

Plus, you have to save the top of the cake for your first anniversary! I have such fond memories of our wedding cake -- made at a Swedish bakery in Minnesota with lemon filling... and it's been almost 36 years!

So, there you have it -- I'm apparently not alone in feeling weak and dizzy at the notion of not getting my cake fix at the end of the festivities. Deep sigh of relief ....

I also did a search and found a website called Exquisite Events Seattle which addresses the cake-less issue: 

"Cake has dominated the wedding industry for years. However, right now there is a growing trend to skip the cake all together. Maybe cake is not your thing. For many people cake is okay, but they have a dessert that they simply swoon over. So, why not have that dessert at your wedding?"

Why not??? 'Cause people expect a cake and want a cake! And they won't leave your ceremony talking about how beautiful the bride was, but instead will leave talking about how deprived they felt at being denied CAKE!!!

I am fully aware that there are more earth-shattering and life-altering situations taking place in the world than not serving cake at a wedding, just in case anyone was wondering! However, in my obsessive compulsion to learn more about this issue I've discussed it with many people who are in their 20s/30s -- those on "the wedding circuit." Almost universally, there has been cake at the receptions they've attended; one of my co-workers told me that she's never been to a wedding that didn't serve cake.

Cindy (who may regret, at this point, ever having mentioned this to me) brought up the issue of the Jewish dietary laws, and having to serve a non-dairy cake - which is very often inferior - with a meat meal to avoid combining meat and dairy products. In that instance, settling either for the lesser cake or for a vegetarian meal wouldn't make for an optimal situation; the better dinner served without a cake might easily take precedence over the butter-less dessert.

So finally, as my brain was starting to hurt from all of this contemplation, I consulted a true expert: my favorite baker, Bryant Stuckey of Decadent Delight here in Ann Arbor. Here's his professional opinion: 

"I don't know if I would say it's a trend, but I have had many instances in the last couple years where couples have forgone the wedding cake .... I think this is to stay within their budget. It seems a shame to me .... I just can't see a wedding without a wedding cake. The wedding cake is another character in the wedding. It's symbolic to an idea of a 'sweet life' together."

I think the notion of cake playing a role and symbolizing a sweet life together is absolutely perfect ... :) And I think that symbol should be enjoyed with all the loved ones who've joined the happy couple on their special day, literally and figuratively sharing that sweet life with all of those who have been - and will continue to be - integral to it.

So skimp on the rose petals that flower girls toss along the aisle; they're just going to get ground into the rug or the runner anyway. Do away with having 14 bridesmaids and save money by not ordering so many bouquets. Don't bother with an ice sculpture that will just melt. There are so many non-essentials at weddings.

But cake ... cake is an absolute! It's a classic that never goes out of style. Change the shape, the colors, the flavors, and even the doohickeys that go on top.

But never, ever shun the cake! And if you do, please know that I will not be offended if you leave me off the invitation list ....

A Most Decadent Delight

Is that a gorgeous photo, or what???

Let me assure you -- as beautiful as that fruit tart looks, the visuals can't begin to compare to how luscious it was!

Tom had gone to our favorite bakery, Decadent Delight, to pick up some Luv Bugs -- the adorable filled and frosted pastries we'd enjoyed so much last Valentine's Day that we absolutely wanted to have them again for our celebration.

But -- gasp! Decadent Delight was closed that day; they had been swarmed over the weekend, but we hadn't thought to go shopping quite that early ... we'd thought mid-morning on the day itself would be sufficient. Nope -- the word has gotten out, and pastry chef extraordinaire Bryant Stuckey's treats are now in high demand!

The Luv Bugs had made my AnnArbor.com listing of 5 Fabulous Favorite Foods Found in Ann Arbor as well as my Food Floozie 10 for '10 top ten list for the past year. They're sorta glorified and sophisticated Twinkie-like goodies, cakes with filling and frosting and adorable little faces. Alas, we will have to wait until next year ... :(

Instead, Tom went back over the weekend and bought two of the exceptional cinnamon rolls. (You do know that the proper way to eat these, of course, is to unswirl them, starting with the outer edge and working towards the center ...?)

But he also came back with two other treats, consolation prizes to relish instead of the Luv Bugs -- the gorgeous fruit tart above and one featuring caramelized pears.

The berries on the tart were so plump and so juicy that one could almost feel transported to summer when eating them. The colors were deep and intense, as were the flavors. And the pastry cream supporting them was truly a perfect complement -- thick, creamy and not so sweet that it competed with the stars of the show.

And then there was the crust, which was flaky and crumbly without shattering when broken either by a fork (if one is civilized) or by teeth (when one is so zealous that she picks up the tart to simply eliminate any barriers between her and her beloved!). It held its shape and supported the filling just as it should without making a mess. This excellent crust also made an appearance in the pear tart, which -- believe it or not -- even surpassed the fruit one ... who could have thought it possible?

The pears were perfectly cooked, just barely resistant to the bite, not mushy and not crisp. Pears, of course, have perhaps a 10-minute window in which they are neither hard as rocks nor slimy goo. To work within that brief time span and also poach them to an ideal consistency without overcooking them requires skill.

There was not a heavy, thick caramel layer in this tart, but rather a hint of sweetness to enhance the subtly flavored pears. And the buttery crust which wonderfully supported the fruit and pastry cream in our other lovely dessert also served the pears ideally.

So, whether you're looking for breakfast, for a treat to go with coffee, or simply an indulgence, I assure you that Decadent Delight will satisfy any whim.

416 West Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-761-8740
info@decadentdelight.com

10 for '10

Sam Sifton, who has the best job on Earth -- restaurant reviewer and food critic for The New York Times -- wrote up a list of his favorite restaurant meals of the past year.

And so, I thought: "Hmmm ... what have I, who so relish my food, eaten this year that was particularly spectacular?" (Yeah, I'm sorta stealing Sam's intellectual property here; let's call it an "homage," instead, shall we???) I started thinking back and looking through my blog posts to come up with a sampling.

But then, how would I arrange this? Would I stick to restaurant meals, to avoid the ego-coddling of including my own recipes? Well, I'm pretty enamored of some of the things I've prepared this year; why shouldn't I take pride in a job well done??? Would they have to be dishes I've already written about or ones I had pictures of? For the most part I do have a record, between my own personal blog and my writings for AnnArbor.com.

And then I just thought: "Stop deconstructing and obsessing! If you liked it, share it with your loved ones!!!"

So, in no particular order -- 'cause I had enough trouble making the decisions about what to include on the list, let alone having to decide which was incrementally better than another -- here are my 10 favorite foods from 2010:

Olives all'Ascolana (fried stuffed green olives) at Silvio's Organic Pizza. Fresh and hot from the oil, fragrant, crispy, tender, salty, juicy, and utterly unique, these little tidbits were a fabulous treat! You could very possibly devour platesful of the addictive little things before you realized you'd overdone it. Fortunely they're served only by the dozen, so that you don't have to worry about excess. But no one said you couldn't order another round ....

The cheesy potatoes Tom's sister, Sandy, served at the family's Christmas gathering. Tom has told me that I shouldn't take pictures at the holiday meals for fear of being thought a tad ... um ... odd (shall we say?) by his loved ones, so I can't show the dish to you. But they were a creamy, rich, gooey, luscious, soul-soothing mass of hash browns baked in a thick sauce of sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese. Who needed to eat the ham (which I actually couldn't, because of the sodium nitrite which gives me migraines) when you could just indulge in the bliss of the potatoes???

The maple-glazed salmon from Tom's birthday lunch at The Real Seafood Company. It was sweet, it was tender, it was flaky, and it didn't have the raw center that many trendy chefs pass off as "rare." (If I want sushi I'll order sushi; and, as you can see from the descriptive blurb under my blog title, I never order sushi!) The salmon was cooked to absolute perfection. That it was served along with fennel (one of my very favorite foods) that paired perfectly in a slaw along with green apple strips, as well as being accompanied by tender-crisp roasted vegetables, only made it more delicious. The pumpkin cheesecake served for dessert was lovely, but the salmon was absolutely the star of my meal. This plate was vibrant and colorful and nutritious, but it gave every impression of being truly decadent.

A true work of art at Giordano's Restaurant and Pizzeria in Chicago: a deep-dish spinach pizza. Handmade just for us, there were nearly 45 minutes of anticipation before Jeremy and I laid eyes upon this beautiful specimen. Once it arrived, it was difficult to destroy its perfection ... and yet, of course we did! Pure hedonism, a doughy crust layered with cheeses and spinach and sauce -- an utter masterpiece from its tantalizing appearance to its seductive aroma, and finally its rich, salty, yeasty, sweet, savory, spicy, explosion of flavors. This pizza was unbelievably, indescribably fabulous!

The banana pudding ice cream from Happy Cream Ice Cream and Deli in Detroit. (Oh, my heart is broken! I just found out the shop has closed when I looked for the link! Very sadly, another small business owner's dream has died ....) Not only is there divine intervention connected to this ice cream, as I ate it on the night Tom and I were visited by an angel; but it was so rich, so creamy, so smooth, so generously portioned, so infused with love and pride by the man who recommended it to me with a smile ... oh, it was utterly sublime. Every part of the comfort food that is banana pudding -- from the custard to the banana slices to the softened vanilla wafers -- was contained in that paper cup. It was a thing of true beauty. I am so, so thrilled that I was able to try it while the shop was open!

My triple orange brownies absolutely had to make this list! Still warm from the oven, these are too soft to be considered fudgy; and yet, there is a sticky layer of combined chocolate and marmalade at the bottom that is reminiscent of a candy filling. The orange flavoring doesn't overtake the chocolate, and neither is it hidden -- instead, the two predominant players do a seductive dance wrapped tightly in each other's arms, moving in unison as their hips sway and their passion ignites. These are so good that you will be spoiled and may never want to eat any other brownies again. I'm not kidding -- make the recipe for yourself and you'll find that I speak truth.

The Mexican chocolate loaf cake baked by the River Street Bakery and bought at the Ypsilanti Food Co-Op. This "cake baby," as Tom and I called it as we lovingly cradled it to make sure it didn't get mushed (since it was so tender), was an intensely deep, dark chocolate cake with a thin chocolate glaze ... after all, who can have too much chocolate??? When we first took tiny tastes of it, we thought it was rich and delicious; we were also very impressed at how moist it was, given that the cake is vegan. As the flavors lingered on our tongues and we compulsively consumed more and more of it with no ability to resist, the hints of cinnamon and cayenne started to shine through. There was nothing too spicy or overpowering, merely chocolate paired with perfect complements.

Shalimar, where Tom's and my favorite meal is Murgh Saagwala (chicken with spinach), Dumm Aloo (potatoes in a spiced tomato-yogurt sauce), and -- of course! -- the assorted naan. Yes, I should be picking one of those items and featuring it; but read my last post about this amazing restaurant -- how could I ever possibly choose just one item, when the entire place is one great big "favorite"??? Tom and I ate dinner at Shalimar on our first date ... it has tremendous sentimental value to me, in addition to extraordinary and luscious food. The ambience is sophisticated and romantic, the service is professionally polite rather than effusive, and the food is perfectly spiced and prepared exquisitely. Thus, this entire meal constitutes a favorite rather than any individual item ... no further explanation needed!

Note: For those who read about our recent anniversary breakfast at The Broken Egg and are feeling a bit confused because you thought our first date had been there rather than at Shalimar: Tom and I started that date with breakfast at The Broken Egg. We proceeded to go for a long walk and then warm ourselves up with tea. After that, we found we were hungry and in need of dinner ... thus a meal at Shalimar. It was all on our first date! It was just a 15-hour date ... :)

Love Bugs from Decadent Delight, which are kinda sorta reminiscent of Twinkies. But they are Twinkies not on steroids, but rather Twinkies which have gone to finishing school to acquire some sophistication. These treats are not just adorable and a perfect size to share with someone you love. They are tender, flavorful cakes frosted and coated with any number of tempting options, enrobing pastry cream or chocolate or Jeremy's personal favorite -- a passion fruit filling that could easily just be eaten with a spoon without any other flavors or textures intruding upon the sensual experience. Everything I've ever eaten at Decadent Delight -- from tarts to cookies to cakes to cinnamon rolls -- is absolutely swoon-inducing.

Roasted Cheddar-Herb Almonds, which are a very recent addition to my repertoire but an exceptional and noteworthy one nonetheless. These give every indication, upon first inspection, of being everyday almonds that have a bit of something stuck to them. Try one ... go on. To quote Jeremy when he first tasted them: "Mmmmmmm ...." No words, just closed eyes and "Mmmmmmm ...." Salty, savory, a variety of flavors from the mixed herbs -- each sensation offers something different and enticing for your tongue. You'll find yourself swiping a few more, then a few more after that. You'll give up any pretense of just nibbling and grab them by the handful with abandon. Yes, these almonds are that good. They really are ....

There were many, many other items that coulda been contenders: the spiked Granny Smith applesauce or the coconut macaroons from my dinner at eve ... the Zzang! bar from Zingerman's ... the buttery pumpkin cake that Sandy served at Tom's family's Thanksgiving feast ... the fabulous array of beautiful foods (grilled salmon and potatoes and sweet potatoes and salad and so much more!) served at a lovely dinner by Tom's and my dear friend Martha ... the French chicken with fennel from Joan Nathan's new cookbook ... my good friend Marcie's creamy salmon blintzes ... the cheesecake I made for Jeremy's birthday last January, from a recipe that was first given to the family at the baby shower held for my ex-husband's impending birth in 1960 ... my beloved friend Wendy's buttercream frosting, made from her grandmother's recipe, for which a cupcake is a mere carrier for the addictive fix ... a hot dog eaten on a gorgeous summer day ... the roasted squash soup topped with a blue cheese crouton at The Real Seafood Company ... my own ginger shortbread cookies ... the peppermint Jo-Jo ice cream from Trader Joe's, with crushed cookies mixed into it ... the gingerbread cookies that my good friend Doris shared with me ... peanut butter granola from the Ypsi Co-Op ... the gorgeous salad with fresh oranges and strawberries that I ate at my Mother's Day lunch at the Sidetrack Bar and Grill ... the sweet-tart chocolate-covered Balaton cherries that my dear friend Marilyn gave me for my birthday ... the gingery granola that was part of an extraordinary gift basket from my priceless boss/friend, Rob ... my Mafioso pasta sauce ... the summer rolls and potstickers at Big Bowl in Chicago ... the cream-filled puff pastry at Silvio's ... the raw vegan chocolates that Tom's friend/co-worker Daniel makes ... Talenti gelato, any flavor ... Honeycrisp apples ... garlic scapes grown by my fellow Michigan Lady Food Blogger Diana Dyer, served on pasta and in salad ... the garlicky cream sauce with mussels at Conor O'Neill's (which we'll be feasting on again for Jeremy's birthday, January 10, so stay tuned!). I could go on and on, but I'm getting hungry!!!

There's a beautiful Italian phrase which sums up the year in food for me: Chi mangia bene sta molto vicino a Dio. ([KEE MAHN-juh BEH-neh stah MOHL-toh vee-CHEE-noh ah DEE-oh) = He who eats well is closest to God.) God has blessed me enormously this year with good food, and especially with loved ones to share it with. May each of you be granted those blessings as well in 2011 ... :)

Nearly Wordless Wednesday -- A Saturday Morning Treat

This is the perfect Saturday morning treat: huge cinnamon rolls from my favorite bakery ... :)

Decadent Delight
416 W. Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-761-8740

By the way, owner and baker extraordinaire Bryant Stuckey is the one who recently made Hayden Panettiere's 21st birthday cake while she was here in town filming "Scream 4":

Read all about it here ... while eating a cinnamon roll ... :)