[Metromode] Fermenta galvanizes women in Michigan's craft beverage industry

ANGIE WILLIAMS AT GRIFFIN CLAW BREWERY - DAVID LEWINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY

As a writer and a woman, I tend to feel a bit uneasy about writing about women in various industries in a way that is pointedly exclusive of men. "Listicles" proclaiming "Top 10 Female Brewers" irk me endlessly – why can't it just be "Top 10 Brewers" with a mix of men and women? The separate designation is akin to saying that women aren't really good enough to hold their own against men, thus necessitating their own special "lady list."

Read more.

[HOT LIST] Your EID Holiday Shopping Guide

Two James Spirits. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

There's one week until Christmas - time to start shopping!!! Allow me to make it easy on you: buy them booze. Why? Because everyone likes booze. (Except people who don't drink. Don't buy them booze. But everyone else likes booze.) Here's a few (several!) ideas for booze-themed gifts to give this holiday season.

Schramm's Made in Michigan basket.

#1 Buy them booze baskets
Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a basket full of booze. Schramm's Mead in Ferndale is offering two different gift baskets in $40 and $60 price points. The larger basket features all items made in Michigan. 8 Degrees Plato in Ferndale has customizable gift buckets (as in ice buckets), which you can choose to stock full of craft beer and any combination of artisan foods, beer stemware, beer-themed gift items like beer bottle cap jewelry made by a local artist, beer books, and more.

Merchant's Fine Wine in Dearborn is making customized gift baskets from their extensive assortment of imported and craft beers, as well as wine, coffee, tea, chocolates, cheese and sausage, and whatever else they carry (which I don't  really know because I never make it past the beer section…it's a big store!). The Wine Garden in St. Clair Shores also has customizable gift baskets which can include anything from their selection of craft beer (they pay extra close attention to the Belgians) as well as their large selection of wines, their custom-built cigar humidor, and their exceptional selection of whiskeys and bourbons (one of the best in the state - get your George Dickel bottles there right now, and nowhere else).

Specialty meads from Superior Lakes at the Wine Garden.

#2 Buy them straight-up booze
Alcohol is the perfect holiday gift for those you don't know what to buy. It says, "I don't really know what you like, but I know you like to drink." Michigan's craft booze scene - beer, mead, cider, spirits, even wine (yes, wine counts) - has been exploding in recent years, and, as is typically the case with fast-growing industries, this has been the biggest year yet. This holiday season, give the gift that says you're thoughtful, you support the local economy, and you also have taste.

While Founders and Bell's get all the accolades from the chest-thumpers on Beer Advocate and the media outlets that troll them for their listicles, the reality is New Holland's Dragon's Milk is probably the best bourbon barrel aged stout being made in our state. (SHHHHHHHHHH, DON'T TELL ANYONE.) But don't take my word for it. (No but really, do.)

Valentine Distilling in Ferndale now has two vodkas, a gin, and a whiskey on store shelves, but stop by the distillery itself to pick up some of their barrel-aged gin, an extra-special gift for spirits connoisseurs. Or give them a taste of Detroit history with a bottle from Two James Spirits, the first licensed distillery in the city of Detroit since before Prohibition. The bottles alone are pieces of art. Plus they come with booze in them.

Heed the mead with a little something special (as in, special release) from Schramm's, B. Nektar, Superior Lakes, or Kuhnhenn. Or brave the crowds at Kuhnhenn this weekend for their special Winter Solstice bottle release - all the big, burly beers and meaty meads their rapid fans wait all year for. It's kind of a big deal.

Craft Box + custom buckets from 8 Degrees.

#3 Buy them booze subscriptions
What's better than the gift of booze? The gift of booze 12 times. 8 Degrees Plato now offers a monthly "Craft Box" club membership. With a one-time membership fee of a whopping $5, members get access to a monthly Craft Box selection featuring craft beers, ciders, artisan foods, and beer-themed goodies. The boxes are $45 each month.

Great Lakes Coffee in Midtown now offers BWC (beer - wine - coffee) clubs. Sign up for a monthly subscription for beer ($25), wine ($40), coffee ($30), or all three ($85), all of the exceptional quality and quirky caliber you've come to expect from the folks at IFAD. Email andrew@greatlakescoffee.com to get signed up, or to sign someone else up.

#5 Buy them books about booze
First, buy the two books I was somewhat involved with: Ann Arbor Beer: A Hoppy History of Tree Town Brewing and Belle Isle to 8 Mile: An Insider's Guide to Detroit. Both are amazing. Because they in some way involve me.

Aside from those, also pick up the newly-released Detroit's Historic Eastern Market, written by Eastern Market's vice president of business development Randall Fogelman and writer Lisa Rush. This book is part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing.

Also newly-released is Michigan's Best Beer Guide, a comprehensive guide to all of Michigan's breweries and brewpubs. (But with how fast this industry is growing, it won't be comprehensive for long.)

#6 Buy them furniture made out of booze barrels
DEAR FRIENDS, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BUY FOR ME, IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING. New Holland (I LOVE YOU GUYS) has started re-purposing their used barrels into crafty furniture pieces - with a special emphasis on Dragon's Milk, MICHIGAN'S BEST BBA STOUT BUT DON'T TELL ANYONE BECAUSE THEN IT WILL BE RUINED. The BarrelWorks Project shop is now live.

#7 Buy them booze clothing and accessories
Got a man who likes his ties as much as he likes his whiskey? BAM - whiskey ties. Detroit tie lab and international sensation Cyberoptix has whiskey and beer-themed ties. Order them online or pick up the whiskey tie at the Emerald, an independently-owned store inside the Park Shelton in Midtown. Hugh in Midtown has all sorts of crystal beerware, cocktail accoutrements, and vintage ice buckets, but I'm particularly partial to the tiki mugs, because tiki mugs.

#8 Buy them booze-infused foods and mixers
Speaking of Hugh, they are the first retail outlet to carry Wolf Moon, a local partnership with McClure's Pickles producing artisan cocktail mixers. Just add booze! (For that, see #2.) Read more about Wolf Moon here. And speaking of McClure's, it's still the best damn Bloody Mary mix on the market, the end. Always good for gifts with a nice bottle of vodka. (Or gin! Tequila even, like Blue Nectar, another Michigan-made product.) And speaking of mixers! Order a hand-crafted seasonal syrup (or six) from Voigt's Soda House, available for pick-up in store or delivery (for orders over $50). For sodas. But really for cocktails.

You still have time to order some beer mustard, beer soap, and hop candy from Founders. Plus, Rock City Eatery will be selling bourbon/butterscotch/pecan and sweet potato whiskey pies (and two other flavors not boozey) on December 23 and 24, first-come first-serve. (He sold out within minutes on Thanksgiving so, you know. Can only make so many pies in that oven and spend so many hours not sleeping.)

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

Chocolate lava cakes from Chez Chloe. Don't you want to lick the screen? 

ICYMI:
~Six hotshot young chefs in the same kitchen could be a recipe for disaster, but not at the first Young Guns dinner at The Root Restaurant + Bar. Here is my recap and the full menu from this event, which featured so much talent in one room it was unfair to all other rooms. [EID]

~Chloe Sabatier of Chez Chloé makes exactly one thing: traditional French chocolate lava cakes. A 23-year-old French transplant who moved to Detroit from Paris just six months ago, Chloe is astounded by the overwhelming response she has received after just two months of being open, and is already thinking about her growth plans (which include a food truck for next summer). [Model D]

~Restaurateur Maurice Wiggins, one of the opening partners of Hudson Cafe, plans to open the Addison (in the former location of Atlas Global Bistro) and Restaurant 55 next spring. [Model D]

~Hatch Detroit 2013 semifinalists Voigt's Soda House are now open through the end of the month in the Livernois Community Storefront. Stop by for a sandwich, soup, and old-fashioned soda and order some of their artisan syrups for the holidays! [EID]

~The final chapter in a series on independent grocers in the city of Detroit, this last piece for Model D looks at stores in Midtown, Lafayette Park, and the East Riverfront where you'll find an active mindfulness towards healthy and organic foods, greater selections of fine wine and craft beer, and increased focus on Michigan-made products. [Model D]

~Tacos will replace pizza at the staple college town booze store Marcus Market, which underwent a serious facelift earlier this year. ALLEY TACO opens mid-January. [EID]

~This guide in Model D highlights many of Detroit's top permanent retailers and art galleries offering unique holiday shopping opportunities. While no means comprehensive, this list highlights a wide range of local retailers, including many that just opened within the last year, including Shinola Store Detroit, Busted in Detroit, RedBull House of Art, Inner State Gallery, The Detroit Mercantile Co., Hugh, Pure Detroit, and loads more. [Model D]

~The Grille Midtown, ALLEY TACO, Thomas Magee's Sporting House Whiskey Bar, Delite Cafe and Deli … here's a quick look at was has opened recently and what's about to open. [Model D]

Detroit City Distillery is now 100% approved to operate and will now work on finishing their build-out in Eastern Market. [DCD FB]

Esquire names the shawarma at Bucharest Grill among the best late-night food in the country. [Esquire]

Get your coffee and whatnot fix at Coffee and (_____) 7 days a week now! [C+Blank FB]

Detroit in…Dubai? Yep: Guns + Butter continues to make its worldly rounds. [Gulf News]

Have you heard about Detroit's Dr. Sushi yet? He's going to be popping up a lot more around town in 2014. You're going to want to check him out. [Click on Detroit]

'Tis the season for tamales at Honey Bee Market! [HB FB]

The holidays are a busy time for companies like Pete's Chocolate Co., Mindo Chocolate Makers, and Sydney Boggs. [Detroit News]

Ouch. Michael Symon's Roast - Detroit has to close for two weeks to repair fire damages in the kitchen during peak holiday season. [Freep]

#saveblimpy [MLive]

Red Crown has a new owner, a new menu, and new hours. [Freep]

The new Smoke Street in Milford is getting some good reviews so far. The owner, Elia Nichols, is kind of a character, and also owns the E.G. Nick's chain and Highland House (located not far from Milford in Highland, with a carry-out space in the same plaza as The Root Restaurant + Bar in White Lake). This is what replaced Brian Polcyn's Cinco Lagos, previously the famed Five Lakes Grill that was rebranded when the economy tanked. [Freep]

Here is a list of new places that have opened in Detroit really really recently. [Thrillist]

Beerie
~Jolly Pumpkin Brewery has announced their new cafe and taproom in Dexter! Null will showcase all of Northern United's brands, which also includes Civilized Spirits and North Peak Brewing Company. [Promote Michigan]

~Griffin Claw Brewing Company cans are now making their way to shelves. [Merchant's Fine Wine FB]

~Michigan's Best Beer Guide author writes about Detroit-area breweries for the Chicago Tribune, name-dropping everything from Atwater Brewery to Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. to Fort Street Brewery. And Traffic Jam + Snug and Falling Down Beer Company and MillKing It Productions and Griffin Claw Brewing Company and Rochester Mills Beer Co. Also Motor City Brew Tours. [Chicago Tribune]

~DRAFT Magazine names their top 25 beers of 2013. Not surprising: Founders Brewing Co. DOOM is on the list. Surprising: Wolverine Beer placed on the list? With something called Gulo Gulo India Pale Lager? That's one of the top 25 best beers of the year, apparently? Color me surprised, and congrats to them! [DRAFT]

~Paste Magazine named their 15 best winter beers, and that list includes Bell's Brewery, Inc.'s Winter White and New Holland Brewing Co.'s Cabin Fever. And some other really solid picks, too. [Paste Magazine]

Misc
~Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan's Gold Coast is the #1 travel destination for 2014 according to Lonely Planet (some other great picks on there as well, but none only 2.5 hours driving distance in our very own beautiful state). [Lonely Planet]

~"COLD AND LESS HOSPITABLE." Oops, I mean, yaaaaaaaaaaay someone said something nice about Detroit again, VALIDATION woooooooo. It's f-ing cold. [Fodor's]

~You know what would be way better right now? New Orleans. Oh hey, here's this thing I wrote. [Fox   News]

~California is such a vast, often incomprehensible state. It is the most agriculturally diverse state in the country, yet the people seem to be more at odds and internally conflicted over their own products and potential than anywhere else. As a whole, the state manages to be both trailblazing pioneer and two steps behind simultaneously. (Talking wine, farm-to-table food, craft beer, everything.) For you winos out there, here is a great interview with Jon Bonné, wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle and author of The New California Wine, which touches on some of this. [LA Weekly]

~Some of these are actually kind of cool. Many of them are very SkyMall. But…who doesn't love SkyMall, amiright? [BuzzFeed]

~I feel like this could have been a lot worse for the restaurant in question. [Mashable]

The Week We Ate (The EID Week in Review)

This sums it all up nicely. 

ICYMI:
~You know, I thought it was going to be Bourdain who blew up the Internet this week. But no: it was me. [EID]
~Another week, another Young Gun. This week it's Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery. Check out what he has to say about Michigan's culinary scene, the people who have most inspired him, and how he wants people to step outside of their culinary comfort zones. [EID]
~It's a long walk for a short drink of water, but this is what all the Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve fuss is about, and here's where you can get some in metro Detroit. [EID]
~Over on Detroit's East Side, these are the go-to neighborhood grocery stores. And not that I'm trying to be partial or anything, but Mike's Fresh Market is particularly impressive. [Model D]
~La Feria is now open for both lunch AND dinner, and celebrated a grand opening with Melt last week. [Model D]
~New beginnings are on the horizon for Rodin and previous Exec Chef Kate Williams. [EID]
~Treat Dreams launched Wicked Donuts on November 16, and have already started giving away free donuts to their Facebook fans. [EID / TD FB]
~EVENTS! [EID]

...man, I kind of killed it this week didn't I? *pats own back*

Eastern Market Corporation is in the news with yet another massive grant that will bring even more improvements and amenities to the ongoing Shed 5 renovation. [Freep]

And take a listen to Eastern Market Corporation President Dan Carmody on The Craig Fahle Show talking about the latest announcements of renovations taking place in and around Shed 5. [WDET]

Like or not (notnotnotnotnot), it's time to start thinking about the holidays. And presents! Mitten Crate is kind of like a CSA of artisan food producers from all over the state, and the monthly subscription box service brings together items from different companies every single month. Might be a good gift for the jaded "foodie" who has eaten (and Instagramed) everything. [Crain's]

Bagger Dave's Burger Tavern in Greektown delayed opening, originally slated for last Sunday. [MLive]

Revolver co-owner Tunde Wey muses on things. He is very good at musing on things. [Model D]

You may have seen some vague posts over the last day or so exclaiming "Save Hamtown Farms!" In Detroit it seems like we're always trying to save something and it does get to be a whole lot of white noise after awhile because really, who can keep up. So here's what's really going on with the property that Hamtown Farms inhabits and why people are trying to save it. [Eclecta]

Awhile back some blog somewhere listed the top sandwiches for each state after another blog about a year or so before had put together a list of the United States of Sandwich, naming the signature sandwich of each state (and on which a full year of sandwich specials at Mudgie's was based). So now Business Insider is taking a stab at it with their own version. For Michigan they picked Zingerman's Delicatessen's corned beef, the only super-specific "this exact sandwich from this exact place" selection on the list. Probably just corned beef would have sufficed, but also probably this is a better pick than the pasty previously named by the previous copycat blog. [Business Insider]

Red Crown launched a new bar menu last week. Cocktails and bar snacks? Sounds good to me. [Red Crown FB]

Another new place in Birmingham called Market North End opened and it sounds pretty interesting. [Detroit News]

After the news got out that legendary Chicago chef Charlie Trotter died last week after being found unconscious in his home, the culinary world expressed their sorrow...and speculation began. Verbiage was vague - vague enough to imply drugs, maybe suicide. Morbid and callous yes, but we're all guilty of it. Jeff Ruby of Chicago magazine wrote this editorial that manages to be both a heartfelt eulogy without being saccharine or sensational, while also addressing the unavoidably ugly parts of humanity - both Trotter's and our own. [Chicago Mag]

Beerie
~If someone were to ask you what Michigan does better than any other state, the answer is beer. And someone made a movie about it. And the Freep premiered it last Thursday. This is a story about all of those things. [Freep]

~Who put food in my beer? Turns out, a BUNCH of Michigan breweries (like Right Brain Brewery, Dark Horse Brewing Co., and Short's Brewing Company). Fun story about food in beer from DRAFT Magazine. [DRAFT]

~Pray for us sinners. Or just drink beer. [NPR]

~According to Travel + Leisure, Arcadia Ales is one of America's coolest breweries. [T+L]

~WIGGS! (From Dark Horse, yo.) [Freep]

[NEWS BITES] Downtown Detroit Bagger Dave's set for November 10 opening

Photo from Detroit Regional News Hub.

Back in March, the Bagger Dave's in Greektown was experiencing some construction delays but was still moving forward with plans to open. Just last week, the Detroit News Hub noticed some work happening out front. Well, now it is official: the downtown Bagger Dave's will open for business on November 10.

Here's the press release:

Bagger Dave's Freshly-Crafted Burger Tavern, a unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant and bar, will celebrate the grand opening of its downtown Detroit location 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10. The new restaurant is located at 1224 Randolph.

As part of the restaurant’s commitment to give back to the communities in which it operates, through Sunday, Nov. 17, Bagger Dave’s will donate 10 percent of its sales from the location to the Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan.

“The opening of a downtown Detroit tavern has been a longtime priority of ours and we’re extremely excited to pull back the curtain on this labor of love. Being part of the city’s resurgence is exciting,” said T. Michael Ansley, president and CEO of the Southfield-based Diversified Restaurant Holdings, which operates Bagger Dave’s. “The city needs fresh dining options. Detroiters have shown their commitment to locally sourced products and freshness in their products. These are Bagger Dave’s core values. We look forward to being a viable part of the community.”

Diversified Restaurant Holdings also owns and operates the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in the space adjacent to the new Bagger Dave’s.

The two-story space, which was built as a bank in the late 1800s, has been gutted and restored to highlight the historic front window, building’s original limestone façade, and skylight extending the length of the building, above the bar.  The restaurant’s main floor will seat approximately 60 people and the second-floor bar area will seat 70.

Like all Bagger Dave’s restaurants, the Detroit location will offer a warm, welcoming neighborhood atmosphere and memorable guest service. The restaurant will feature full table service and a bar serving local craft beers and wine.  Patrons can create their own hand-crafted and legendary beef, turkey or veggie black bean burger made with never-frozen, no filler, 100 percent USDA beef-blend, delivered daily, and all-natural, fresh, Midwestern-sourced ground turkey, a choice of 30 Meaningless Free Toppings®, which include six cheese choices, a variety of artisan buns, six house-made sauces and more.  A selection of Signature Burgers is also available, including the Tuscan Turkey Burger™ (sliced mozzarella, tomato, onion, basil and balsamic vinaigrette) and the famed Train Wreck Burger™ (fresh-cut fries, fried egg, mild cheddar, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and Bagger Dave’s Railhouse Burger Sauce™).

The menu also features the option to offer all meals as platters, which are served with a choice of Fresh-Cut Fries, Dave’s Sweet Potato Chips®, a side of Twisted Mac ‘n Cheese, a side salad, cup of Amazingly Delicious Turkey Black Bean Chili® or Tomato Basil Soup.  Also on the menu are sandwiches, salads and hand-dipped milkshakes.

            

Atmosphere is equally important at Bagger Dave’s, which was founded in 2008. The company has identified a niche in the burger business with a modern interpretation of the old-fashioned neighborhood bar. The restaurants are inviting for adults and kids alike, with localized décor of the town’s historical past displayed throughout, a bar, and even an electric train that runs above the dining room and bar areas. For more information, visitwww.baggerdaves.com.

            

As the Detroit location opens, the company will launch its new mobile loyalty and in-store rewards program, Bagger Dave’s Fresh Rewards.  Once enrolled in the program, which can be participated in via microsite registration, SMS or by scanning an in-store QR code, patrons can be rewarded by checking-in at any Bagger Dave’s location, purchasing specific products, rating their dining experience, referring friends or sharing the program via Facebook or Twitter.

            

Bagger Dave’s Fresh Rewards also features instant-win game experiences with prizes including gift certificates and big tickets items such as $10,000 to use toward a holiday shopping spree.

About Bagger Dave’s

Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, Bagger Dave’s Freshly-Crafted Burger Tavern often gets accused of getting “fresh” with its customers, and rightfully so. The company’s menu features hand-crafted never frozen burgers, delivered daily. Burgers are made of 100 percent USDA beef blend with cuts of prime rib and no fillers or naturally raised, always fresh, Midwestern ground turkey. Burgers can be accented with more than 30 toppings from which to choose, fresh-cut fries, made from Bagger Dave’s own brand of potatoes, hand-dipped milkshakes and a selection of local, seasonal craft beer and wine.

Each restaurant quickly becomes a neighborhood gathering spot, showcasing historical photos of the city in which it resides and a nostalgic electric train that runs above the dining room and bar areas. The company has 16 restaurants across Michigan, Indiana and Missouri. For more information, visit www.BaggerDaves.com

About Diversified Restaurant Holdings

Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. ("DRH" or the "Company") is the owner, operator, and franchisor of the unique, full-service, ultra-casual restaurant concept, Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern® ("Bagger Dave's") and one of the largest Buffalo Wild Wings® ("BWW") franchisees.  Between the two concepts, the Company currently operates 47 restaurants in Michigan, Florida, Illinois, and Indiana, and one franchised Bagger Dave's in Missouri.  The Company routinely posts news and other important information on its website at www.DiversifiedRestaurantHoldings.com.

[EID Events] October 9-November 2

ONGOING

Ferndale Restaurant Week, through October 13
More here.

Dine Drink Detroit, October 10-16
More here.

THIS WEEKEND 

(revolver) Dinner with the Cook's Crossing, Hamtramck, October 11
The new communal-style chef's tasting dinner is now taking reservations for October 11 but hurry, only 35 seats are available. Read more about them here and make your reservations.

Farmington FoodaPollooza, Riley Park, Farmington, October 13
Farmington's first-ever food truck rally is hosted by Off the Beaten Path Books, Grow Farmington, and KickstART Farmington and will have four food trucks and live music.

Good Food Gathering, Plymouth Michigan Gathering Space, Plymouth, October 13
A celebration of all things Michigan-made, hosted by Door-to-Door Organics.

AND BEYOND

Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak Beer Dinner, Forest Grill, Birmingham October 14
Five courses featuring the beers of Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak as well as some Civilized Spirits. Tickets are $70pp.

The Great Pumpkin Feast at the Root, White Lake October 16
Every course features pumpkin as a highlighted ingredient with beer pairings from, naturally, Jolly Pumpkin Brewery. Seats still available.

Michigan Craft Beer Gala, Karl's Cabin, Plymouth October 16
Featuring a chef's buffet including items like pate and charcuterie as well as 10 3-oz. samples of Michigan craft beers from Witch's Hat, New Holland, Right Brain and Liberty Street.

Salumi Dinner by Righteous Rojo at Zingerman's Events, Ann Arbor, October 16
A selection of salumi (as well as vegetarian options) will be served from 5-10 p.m. or until they run out of food. No seating times; just drop on by.

Detroit Beer Week, October 17-27
New Official Beer Destinations now and events are being announced daily; follow the Facebook page for updates.
~Rock City Eatery Food + Beer Specials featuring Dark Horse, October 17-27
~Sammie, Soup + Beer Combo Special at Mudgie's all through DBW, October 17-27 
~Afternoon Delight Daily at Woodbridge Pub, October 17-27
~Griffin Claw's Brewmaster Dan Rogers at Woodbridge Pub, October 17
~Short's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 19
~Orange + Black Party at Woodbridge Pub, October 20
~New Holland Double-Header at Woodbridge Pub, October 21
~Kill All the ZomBEEs at Foran's, October 21
~Arbor Brewing Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 23
~Bell's Tap Takeover at Foran's Grand Trunk Pub, October 24
~Cans for Cans at Green Dot Stables, October 24 
~Beer Fest Hangover Brunch at Woodbridge Pub, October 27

Windsor Craft Beer Festival, Windsor October 18-19
Right on the other side of the Detroit River lies the exotic land of Windsor-Essex, and lo and behold they brew beer there. Can't wait for Fall Beer Fest in Eastern Market? Get prepped the weekend before with this celebration of craft beer heritage in Windsor-Essex in historic Olde Walkerville.

WindsorEats Bikes + Beers Cycling Tour (Beer Fest Edition), Windsor October 19
Visit local beerie establishments by bike then end your tour at Windsor's inaugural craft beer festival.

(revolver) Dinner with Rubbed, Hamtramck, October 18-19
The European-style deli and sandwich shopping opening soon in Corktown will present this five-course dinner at (revolver). Two seatings are available each day.

Theatre Bizarre: The Procession, the Masonic Temple, Detroit October 18-19
New this year is a Preview Gala on Friday night. Limited tickets are available for this intimate event where masks are mandatory and masqueraders are led through a strolling dinner and scheduled performances. On Saturday, join the Procession.

West Village Biergarten, West Village, Detroit, October 19-20
Hatch Detroit and the Villages of Detroit present this pop-up beer garden to introduce Phase II of the Detroit Lions Living for the Neighborhood Initiative in West Village.

Halloween Harry Potter Hogwarts Feast at the Old Town Hall, Farmington October 19
Off the Beaten Path Books presents this Harry Potter-themed Halloween feast in Farmington. Dress in your wizardly best and allow the sorting hat to decide if you are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or (shudder) Slytherin. (There are only 25 seats per table so not everyone can be Gryffindor.) There will be house tables and house cups, butter beer, and readings from the Harry Potter books. Artisan Knitworks in downtown Farmington will also have knit kits available to make your own house scarves and earn your house extra points (okay, so houses will be sorted in advance). Tickets are $25.

Sweater Weather, Boston-Edison, Detroit, October 19
This event is hosted by 826michigan and will be held inside a historic mansion in the Boston-Edison district. Food by Righteous Rojo.

Kung Food Pop-Up Dinner After the Shanghai Ballet, Music Hall, downtown Detroit October 20
Following the performance of The Butterfly Lovers (China's own Romeo and Juliet) by the Shanghai Ballet at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, enjoy a dinner with local Asian food pop-up Kung Food. Combo tickets are $50.

Sundaylicious, MotorCity Wine, Corktown, October 20
This Sunday's food feature is a raw bar from Chef Robert Scherer of the London Chop House.

Michigan Brewers Guild Fall Beer Festival, Eastern Market October 25-26
As if this needs any kind of explanation.

Wrestlemania Halloween at Green Dot Stables, Corktown October 31
Break out your '80s spandex for a Wrestlemania Halloween at everyone's favorite slider joint, Green Dot Stables. There will be food and drink specials and theme music. 

Dia de los Muertos at Imperial, Ferndale November 1-2
Remember when they did this last year and it was amazing? Well, they're doing it again. Details TBA. For now, set those dates aside. 

[NEWS BITES] Introducing Ferndale Restaurant Week + FestivALE

The Burger Brawl winner at One-Eyed Betty's.

Fall is a time for food. We can officially ditch the summer diets and stop worrying about having a "bikini body" (or, for some of us, just continue going on with business as usual but with the relief that comes from knowing we can hide all our rolls under bulky sweaters and snazzy leather jackets) and stuff our faces with the unparalleled bounty of fall foods. Pumpkins and apples and Bambis and Thumpers and doughnuts and pie and all the other rich, fattening, flavorful comfort foods we deny ourselves when it's 90 degrees outside if for no other reason than the fact that it's 90 degrees outside.

So it makes sense that there are a millionjillionfafillion fall-themed food events going on this year because it's fall and fall is awesome. Coming up next is the brand-new Ferndale Restaurant Week, an effort from the Ferndale Downtown Development Authority chaired by Beth Hussey, co-owner of One-Eyed-Betty's.

Beth, who previously spent a couple of years in Grand Rapids and dealing with all of the ArtPrize shenanigans and restaurant week events out there, had been wanting to do something similar in Ferndale for awhile. But she didn't want it to be a "normal" restaurant week – she wanted to really put in the effort to make it cool.

Since Ferndale is home to a wide variety of restaurants and food spots – casual, upscale, breakfast and lunch only, ice cream shops, beer and burger bars – Ferndale Restaurant Week offers a wide variety of options so you can experience everything Ferndale has to offer at prices that make sense for the individual businesses.

The Ferndale Restaurant Week website.

"It's as easy as one-two-three," Beth says, and the website was designed with that in mind. With food options set at $10, $20, and $30 price points; offerings for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner; and options for one or two people, Ferndale Restaurant Week offers the most variety and the most flexibility. Visit the website for the full breakdown of who's offering what with notations next to their names.

23 restaurants in downtown Ferndale are participating in this event, which will be held twice annually in the spring and fall (basically it's most of them). The website will live year-round as a resource for restaurants in downtown Ferndale and participating restaurants will benefit from year-round visibility and promotion.

This first edition of Ferndale Restaurant Week will be held October 7-13.

But that's not all Beth has in the works.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 23, and don't plan on doing anything else. One-Eyed Betty's is hosting a monster FestivALE – a fall festival for all! (Or a festivus for the rest of us, if you must.)

What started out as a beer tent to coincide with the Ferndale DDA's 5k obstacle course nighttime run (a fundraising effort for their holiday events) has turned into a full-scale holiday festival with lots of food and beer and entertainment – like fire dancers, aerialists, and stilt-walkers, plus music from Americana bluegrass bands like the Appleseed Collective.

The DDA approached Beth about hosting a beer tent for the 1,000 runners they expect at their event. She agreed, then figured, "If I'm going to do a beer tent I might as well turn it into a thing and make it a big deal."

And oh, IT'S A BIG DEAL. FestivALE will feature all seasonal and holiday beers, including some very special limited releases and rare imports. The whole concept is based around Christmas beers – those high-octane specialty releases like St. Bernardus Christmas Ale and Delerium Noel. There will be several local breweries pouring samples of seasonal and limited releases including (so far) Bell's, Dark Horse, Arbor Brewing, and (99% sure) Short's, all set up in an outdoor tent like at the Michigan Brewers Guild festivals. There will also be a special one-off Christmas beer booth with scheduled tappings of extremely limited kegs of rare and unusual beers (some of these kegs are the only ones allotted to the state of Michigan). Harpoon with also be there with kegs of their Winter Warmer and their ciders, available for the first time in kegs.

Since this is the Saturday before Thanksgiving and right as we all get into the full holiday swing, the food will also be equally as special as the beer. They'll have a "roast beast" dinner of pig, goat, and lamb, all served as finger food in rolls or tortillas with complementary sauces. Beth is also having a giant tartiflette pan custom-made by local metalworker Richard Gage to make the traditional cold weather comfort food of Franco-Swiss origin made with potatoes, Reblochon cheese, lardons and onions (they'll put their own spin on it, naturally). And there will probably be a six-foot-long apple strudel.

"We're really going for a different kind of feel than other festivals," Beth says. "We just want it to be a really awesome party with really great beer, really great food, and a really great atmosphere."

Another awesome food and drink festival in Ferndale that puts all others to shame? I'm in.

UPDATE: Tickets to FestivaALE are now on sale!

[Fox News] Fall foliage road trip along Michigan's Upper Peninsula

At the top of Brockway Mountain on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

Fall colors are as short-lived as they are glorious. While there's no shortage of beautiful mountain ranges, national forests, and wooded shorelines in the U.S. to enjoy this season, Michigan's Upper Peninsula offers some of the most rugged terrain and diverse natural scenery you'll find anywhere. A driving tour across the U.P., as it's known, will let you take in all of the stunning scenery, outdoor recreation opportunities, and delicious food and beer.

The U.P. is vast. It stretches some 384 miles from east to west, and has 4,300 inland lakes and 1,700 miles of shoreline on three Great Lakes. Much is forest, so you'll be able to take in all of the reds, oranges, golds, and greens of the season.

Read more.

Want to see more? View over 200 fall photos taken last year in the U.P. here. 

[EID Feature] Chef Paul Grosz takes a Stand

Photo by Nicole Rupersburg.

The Stand in Birmingham officially opens for business today. The hotly-anticipated restaurant taking over the former Zazio's space - a concept that rather majestically flamed out for any number of reasons up to and including a cumbersome, poorly-planned space draped in seizure-inducing swirls of neon and food that quite simply wasn't that good (even by Birmingham's notoriously mediocre standards) - is a partnership between Chef Paul Grosz of Cuisine and fine dining industry vet John Kelly with Greenleaf Trust/Catalyst Development, owners of the building, as the investors.

Chef Paul is the Executive Chef of this new concept, and he'll also continue overseeing Cuisine in New Center, running back and forth between both. I've know Chef Paul for a few years - he was one of the first chefs I really established a personal rapport with back during my early days as a scrappy blogger - and, knowing him as well as knowing the difficulty of taking on such a massive space and making enough money on it for the business to stay open, my first question to him was: are you insane?

The answer is yes but in a way that makes sense in the long term. Paul has a 10-year plan. Part of that 10-year plan includes positioning himself for retirement and being able to put his mark on something other than Cuisine - a restaurant he is very proud of and happy with, but one that is also very much events-driven given its somewhat isolated location in New Center across from the Fisher Building.

Paul is also considering the natural trajectory of the chef's career. As he is currently filling in for Mr. Charcuterie Chef Brian Polcyn at Schoolcraft, teaching Polcyn's charcuterie class while Polcyn is busy working on his latest endeavors, Paul is thinking more and more of following in Polcyn's footsteps and transitioning into the role of instructor. He'd like to teach more at Schoolcraft - not Polcyn's class, but possibly a new class on seafood, which receives little attention as part of the school's culinary instruction, and maybe even vegetarian and vegan cuisine. (Paul is big on seafood, and also on veggies, as you'll find on the menu at the Stand). He'd also like to mentor up-and-coming chefs and eventually get out of the kitchen entirely.

Chef Paul in the kitchen. 

But that's all part of the 10-year plan. For now, Paul is going to be in BOTH kitchens, overseeing all operations and doing the cooking himself along with the help of his culinary team.

The menu at the Stand is decidedly small and carefully-managed. Items include a lobster fried egg - a brioche-breaded soft-boiled egg with lobster and asparagus - duck confit cassoulet, rabbit, and waygu beef, with a purposeful emphasis on sea food. (Again, this is Paul's thing.) There is a charcuterie room in which they will cure and dry their own meats (which will also be supplied to Cuisine) that should be fully operational in the next month. And while that all sounds like a very protein-centric menu, vegetarians and vegans can take heart: YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MENU. Eight entirely-vegan items are highlighted on their own menu, so you don't just have to order whatever lame-o salad or soup made vegan as an afterthought.

The bar area comes with its own menu and includes things like veal sweetbreads, foie gras burgers, duck sliders, and daily oysters. And desserts will be just as special as the rest of the menu: Pastry Chef Kevin Kearney, who has worked with Paul at Cuisine for years, is now at the Stand making his unique creations like goat cheese cheesecake and funky ice cream flavors (he did it before it was cool). He is one of the finest pastry chefs in the area, so do be sure not to skip dessert.

The beverage program is just as thoughtful, with a small but solid selection of Michigan craft beers and an entire craft cocktail program designed by none other than Travis Fourmont.

The Hall of Culinary Fun.

Those of you who remember Zazio's Wizard of Oz-on-acid color scheme (an image surely burned into your brain if you ever stepped foot in the place), all I can say is...wow. The space is transformed. And by that I mean they COMPLETELY gutted it - like, everything. Like, they kept nothing. They scrapped everything short of actually bulldozing the building. The entrance is now on Peabody and diners will be greeting in the "lobby" before heading down what Paul calls the Hall of Culinary Fun. To the right, you will see the open kitchen with a 10-seat bar where they will host two degustation menu seatings per night (in lieu of actually having a "chef's table" in the kitchen). To the left is the separate bar area with comfy booths and a community table. Further down is the main dining room and three private dining rooms.

Hand-blown glass gourds from Epiphany Glass.

As you walk around the massive space, take note to pay attention to the design details. Wood for the bars, ceilings, the communal tables and booth backsplashes is all reclaimed wood sourced through the WARM Training Center in Detroit, much of it from deconstructed homes in Detroit and Hamtramck. Eric Gorges of Voodoo Choppers made custom metal art pieces, including a copper "replica" of the Mackinaw Bridge over the communal table in the bar. In the main dining room, a series of four hand-blown glass sculptures made by April Wagner of Epiphany Glass represent the four seasons of food - leeks in the spring, shellfish in the summer, squash in the fall, and ice wine in the winter. Janelle Songer made the ceramic pieces throughout the restaurant. It was very important to both Paul and John to make this a space that is a reflection of the community, using local artists and salvaged materials with roots in metro Detroit. They want this to be a place that appeals to everyone, to have construction workers sitting next to bankers and everyone be comfortable. Like at a lemonade stand, where everyone has the same experience regardless of who and what they are - hence the name.

In regards to my question of how they were going to break up this 10,000-square-foot space to maximize marketability and monetization (something else Zazio's struggled with), the three private dining rooms are the answer. The 14-seat communal table inside the wine cellar is one, perfect for private celebrations. The 10-seat Paul W. Smith room is intended for celebrities and high-ranking executives, and even has its own private entrance. The third is a 40-seat conference room wired for all AV equipment with a large TV for teleconferences, and this is the space with the most potential to bring in a steady stream of business business.

Part of Paul's 10-year plan includes possibly opening more Stands in other areas in metro Detroit, or working with John on another concept in Birmingham - seafood, perhaps? But he's got 10 years to figure that out. For now, he's focused on getting the Stand open, which quite possibly stands to be the best restaurant in Birmingham.

The Stand has already been operating for a few weeks, hosting private events and seminars. It opens to the public officially at 5 p.m. today and will be open 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5-11 Fridays and Saturdays (closed Sundays). Eventually they will also be open for lunch.

Want to see more? View the Flickr set here.