5 Places to take Mom for Mother’s Day, a company that will help you pair wine and beer to your favorite show, how I learned to cook, and a dessert and cheese bar that is actually healthy for you - that’s what’s on the menu for the fifth edition of the Dine In The D Newsletter. (Hi, I’m Michelle!)
Recommended Videos
🍿 Appetizers
- 🌮 Cinco de Mayo is next week, and we are celebrating with a favorite Southwest Detroit restaurant that has been around for over 50 years! Join us tomorrow as we Dine in the D at Armando’s. Plus, they have those cool luminarias!
- 🤤 Orthodox Easter is this Sunday, and we spoke to a Chef and Culinary Teacher at Schoolcraft College who specializes in Greek cuisine. He shared his family’s recipe for Spinach Pie Feta Rolls. You should try them out, they look delicious!
- 🥡 Wondering how to keep your leftovers lasting longer? Kila Peeples put beeswax paper to the test against regular plastic wrap, and she also tried out these Green Bags to keep your produce fresh.
- 🍷 Did you know you could pair your wine to the show you are watching? Yes, Cabernet Sauvignon pairs perfectly with This is Us. We spoke with the people of Bottle’s Nation about the drink you need to sip to make binging episodes even better.
- 🥪 One of Jason Carr’s favorite sub shop got a makeover and is now open longer and has new menu items! We checked back in with Ricky’s Sub Shop in Dearborn.
- 🍽️ Despite the pandemic, some new restaurants are popping up! Here are 16 new restaurants in Metro Detroit.
- 🐟 Summer is here! Brownie’s on the Lake in St. Clair Shores is opening tomorrow at 3 pm with a live musical performance at 6:30 pm.
👩🍳 I got it from my mama...
Hello Fellow Foodies!
As you probably all know, I love to cook - that’s sort of how I fell into this gig - anyways, my love of cooking is actually thanks to my mom and car insurance payments. Let me explain:
When I was 16 years old I got my driver’s license like many other Americans. My parents, however, were big fans of teaching me financial responsibility and told me I couldn’t drive unless I could pay for my car insurance and gas. I’ll just get a job, I thought, but the problem I ran into was that many of the jobs I was applying for required I have a car to drive to and from work. It was a Catch 22. So while we were out to dinner one night I had a realization and struck a deal with them. I would make dinner for my family one night a week, and that would pay for my car insurance.
The only thing was, I didn’t really know how to cook. I could follow a recipe okay, but I was constantly going to my mom for help. You see, my mom is an AMAZING chef. She is one of those people who can take whatever she finds in the fridge and make it into a delicious meal. She can taste a meal at a restaurant and then replicate it at home. That also means... she doesn’t really follow a recipe.
I would start off with the recipe she gave me and realize, this isn’t tasting right. I would call my mom over and she would be like, “Well of course it doesn’t. I add in an extra clove or two of garlic, and I don’t cook it that way, I do it this way because it turns out better.”
It was frustrating. I just wanted to cook the meal and have it done with, and my mom was perturbed that this was supposed to be her night off, and she was busy helping me. But this was THE BEST way to learn how to cook.
My mom taught me so much. How to trust my gut, and add something in if I thought it needed it. How to fix it if I added too much of something. I didn’t just learn how to read and follow a recipe, I learned how to cook.
To this day I still go to my mom first for recipe ideas and cooking advice. I used some of her recipes in my 3 ways to makeover your pot roast leftovers video, the Chicken 4 ways piece, and most recently in 3 fish recipes you can make in 30 minutes or less.
She shared her love of food and cooking with me, and I am forever grateful.
I love you mom! Happy Mother’s Day!
-Michelle
🍰 A dessert and cheese bar that’s healthy for you - A recommendation from a friend
Summer is right around the corner, and many people, myself included, are coming out of the winter haze groggily wiping our eyes, and realizing we need to stop binging like we did during the holidays. I wanted to talk with someone to get our health plans back on track so I turned to my friend, and our Nutrition and Fitness Expert on the show, Jody Trierweiler. She is a registered dietician and certified personal trainer, but she still loves to dine out like the rest of us. Here is a restaurant where you can have dessert and cheese with none of the guilt. Sounds too good to be true? Here’s what Jody said:
From Jody Trierweiler, Nutrition and Fitness Expert:
As a nutrition and fitness expert, one of my hobbies is seeking out delicious and healthy fare around Metro Detroit. There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a delicious meal while knowing that you’ve just done your body a great service and have no regrets or guilt.
I first discovered Planthropie when they catered a women’s conference that I attended in 2018. I was immediately enamored with the gorgeous and colorful presentation of the dishes, and fully taken when they were all described as vegan! I reached out to the owner of Planthropie, Rua Francis, immediately and had to know more about her company. Her specialties were various types of hummus, vegan desserts such as cheesecakes and truffles, and my absolute favorite, her variety of vegan cheese.
I asked Rua to be a guest on my video podcast and she brought a full-sized chocolate hazelnut cake dessert that knocked my socks off! Every single year since I first tasted that cake, my husband has dutifully purchased one for my birthday. I will tolerate no other birthday cake!
You can imagine my delight when Rua opened a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Birmingham in 2020. Planthropie now has a permanent home as a dessert and cheese bar! They serve on-tap kombucha, mini and full-sized cheesecakes in various flavors, and of course her signature cheeses. I suggest you sample her cheese flight, to capture the full experience.
The main reason that I fell in love with Planthropie is that the ingredients are plant-based, organic, NO refined sugar, mostly raw and gluten-free, and ethically sourced. The beautiful presentation of the food and the feminine pink vibe at the shop only adds to the incredibly chic atmosphere and experience.
Next time you’re in Birmingham, you MUST stop in and sample some of these incredible, one-of-a-kind delights. Planthropie, 135 Pierce Street, Birmingham, MI 48009. Hours: closed Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12-6 pm, Friday and Saturday 12-7 pm, Sunday 12-7 pm.
Jody Trierweiler is a certified personal trainer, group instructor, and nutritional consultant for tv and media. Follow her @jodysfitlife on social.
🥰 5 Places to take mom for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a little under two weeks away, and now is the time to make your reservations! Here’s a list of places doing a Mother’s Day Brunch.
1) Madam in the Daxton Hotel- If you want to take your mom out for a very special treat, then this is the place to do it. Madam is located in the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham and has fine dining style fare. The setting is beautiful and the restaurant doubles as an art gallery. This will be a brunch your mom never forgets. Snag your spot here.
2) Big Boy - Yes, the popular chain is doing a Mother’s Day Brunch that is both delicious and friendly to the wallet. It will be a strawberry spectacular with strawberry waffles, french toast, pie, and more!
3) Weber’s Restaurant - Treat mom to a Mother’s Day buffet and an overnight away at Weber’s Hotel in Ann Arbor. Their famous prime rib is on the menu! Make sure to make a reservation here. They are booking up fast but they still have some spots for earlier in the day.
4) Magdaleno’s - This Italian eatery is a favorite in Wyandotte and offers a superb brunch! It runs from 11 am to 5:30 pm, and it is all served family-style. Check out the menu here, and call to make a reservation.
5) Hazel, Ravines and Downtown - If your mom loves East Coast food, then this is the brunch for her. They will be serving up a Soft Shell Crab Benedict! Brunch from 11 am to 2 pm, but you can get their special East Coast menu until 9 pm! Book your spot here.
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Thanks for reading this newsletter! I’d love to hear about the restaurants you love in your city -- click here to submit an idea or email me directly here.
By the way, we have a Facebook Group for our Dine in the D foodies! Check it out here and join the conversation.