I∙CE∙NY

Tastefully Smashed Ice Cream

This ice cream is fun! It’s super creamy, focused on fresh ingredients, and the presentation is over the top. We’d been hearing the buzz, and now we know why! The smash and roll method ice cream shop started in Thailand, and quickly spread throughout Asia. In 2015, the founders made plans to take their idea across the Pacific. They opened the first shop New York City, and named it I-CE-NY. Now there are 20 locations in the country, two of them being in Ann Arbor and Novi, Michigan! Almost as fun as the ice cream was the server preparing it, thank you Donovan! We love it when the people behind the food are passionate about their fare. Since this was our first visit, we asked for recommendations: Donovan suggested the Strawberry Cheesecake and Biscoff Cookie Butter, so we replied, “we’ll take them both”. Not wanting to limit our options he mentioned the Banana Pudding was really good too. Good to know, “we’ll have one of those -also.” Struck by the beautiful photos on the counter top menu, we asked about the pretty lavender colored one. “To-Taro” he said, their “best seller”. “Add it to the list” we responded. “Ooh,” thought Sadie, the Vietnamese Iced Coffee sounds good to wash down all of this ice cream, “Rachel would you like a coffee?” she asked. “That’s an ice cream flavor” Donovan says. “Oh really? OK will try one of those too.” (We spent the rest of the day on the treadmill.)

How It’s Made

They start by pouring their cream on a frozen metal plate (that can get as cold as -15 degrees Fahrenheit). Next they use scrapers to mash and mix the toppings of your choice into your customized creamy creation. In just a couple minutes, the ice cream firms up. Then it’s spread into a thin layer, and scraped into rolls. They stand them up into a cup like a freshly rolled bouquet of ice cream and top it with a variety of fresh fruits, syrups, candies, cookie crumbs… Yeah.


Where to Begin?

It was hard to know which one to try first! Since pi(e) day, a couple days ago, Sadie had been craving banana cream so she started with Banana Pudding – Sweet cream ice cream, Nilla wafer, Banana, and Caramel sauce?…Yum. Decadent, but still fresh with the fruit, light, and creamy.

Rachel started with the To-Taro, Taro Ice Cream, Coconut Flakes, Cornflakes, Mochi and Condensed Milk. It just looked like so much fun. Seriously like a teenage dream; light purple, topped with colored gummy balls and a drizzled in sweetened condensed milk. So lively! And it was delicious, we can see why it’s their best seller.

The Strawberry Cheesecake next- oh my goodness. Sweet cream ice cream, NY Cheesecake (made daily), Fresh Strawberries, and Strawberry Sauce… Perfection and instantly Rachel’s favorite. “It’s rich without being heavy and the fresh strawberries are (put your fingers to your lips and make a kiss sound).”

Next we followed up with the Biscoff Butter Cookie- Sweet cream ice cream, Biscoff Cookies & Spread, Caramel Sauce.. Just the best ice cream concoction Sadie has ever tasted. Really.

We ended with the Vietnamese Iced Coffee – Café Du Monde Coffee (brewed fresh daily), Lychee, Coconut Jelly, Cookie Straws, and Sweetened Condensed milk. Befitting because who doesn’t like to end a dessert with a little coffee? At least we at Sadie‘s Nest do. It had great strong coffee flavor, but the coolest part was the coconut jelly ice cubes. Honestly they look like ice cube sitting on top of drink! So creative!

The Ice Cream is So Good!

Do try it. It’s delicious.

Try five or six at a time -because they’re that enjoyable.

For more information, check out their website! icenyicecream.com

Loving Lately

Feeding You Lies

I’m a huge fan of FoodBabe.com‘s, Vani Hari. I believe in what she’s doing and what she represents. In general, the food industry in America isn’t transparent enough, and often money corrupts ethical practices and guidelines. There is simply not enough data to support the chemical experimentation they put into food (and skeptically: if that data exists, they are not showing it to us for a reason). I think the ramifications of such food experimentation on our environment and our bodies are serious. Furthermore, I think it’s scary when large manufacturers of foods and “food” products (a.k.a. Big Food) have such strong ties to places in government, (the FDA and EPA for examples), creating a conflict of interest to say the least. Certainly, as a consumer, I appreciate the whistleblowers, especially when life-threatening information has been found, who are trying to protect us (along with themselves) from the big companies with very deep pockets. Such activists are making strides, albeit sometimes little ones, to change the course of the food industry. Reducing known harmful chemicals, artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial sugars and other genetically modified additives linked to a range of diseases from Alzheimer’s to heart disease, cancer and more… is a good thing. And no matter how many studies are put out to the contrary, common sense tell us that chemicals, such as pesticides that are used to kill living things, have to be harmful when ingested.

If you’ve followed Sadie’s Nest for any length of time, you know I (Sadie) am on board with Food Babe’s mission. Progresses like getting the “yoga mat“ chemical taken out of the popular Subway bread, or getting artificial dyes linked to cancer from Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte… are huge victories that benefit us all. As a mother it’s my responsibility to pay attention, and try to do the best I can for my children. As a human being, I want to try and make the best educated decisions offered to me and fight for better ones. I will be the first to admit I’m not perfect. I still eat fast food at times for convenience, I can’t stop my husband, all of the time, from buying processed foods at the grocery store. I recently posted about brand-named cereals! But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in the organic food processes and what they mean for our bodies and our earth.

So naturally, when I saw Vani Hari had a new book published, Feeding You Lies, I wanted to read it! The text was full eye-opening examples of how far food corporations, along with those benefitting from them (including scientists and the media), are willing to go to push their money-making even if sickening agenda. The first couple chapters, containing information linking those trying to discredit Hari’s scientific evidence to the exact power houses she speaks out against, was alarming. I can’t imagine the tremendous amount of pressure (and scare-tactics) that must be put on anyone (food bloggers, scientists, nutritionists, etc.) targeting the wrongful practices of Big Food. No thank you.

Next, Hari presents a strong case for buying organic. Speak with your dollars! I don’t need to be convinced to buy organic. I’ve been supporting those practices for years. In our home, I would say we are somewhere between 90-95% organic in our practices. (Maybe enough to get a USDA organic seal of approval?). In fact, I used to write at the head of all Sadie’s Nest’s recipes “as organic as possible” to encourage such ingredients while realizing it’s not possible for everybody. I believe strongly it’s an importance as often as you are able. It’s vital for our own health and well-being, as well as, the health and well-being of our future. I love my kids and want to leave them with an environment better than this!

In concordance with my beliefs, I found Hari’s uncomplicated explanations and simple wisdom encouraging to keep up these meaningful practices. “Food is medicine, plain and simple. If our food is sick (filled with chemicals, additives, artificial ingredients, and/or carcinogens) then collectively we as a country are going to be sick, as well.” (57) She goes on to explain about the dire situation of American health. How the same products (such as, ketchup and coke) in other countries with higher standards (such as the U.K. and Europe) are made with natural food colorings, such as paprika, but are still made with artificial (and health-risky) colorings here in the USA. And how our nation’s health crisis out ranks the countries around the world even though we spend the most on healthcare. Next she provides facts describing how the FDA is failing the American people. How that many Big Food companies, under our laws no less, are able to hire their own experts to determine if a food or additive is “safe” to eat; and that there are no regulations in place to confirm that information to be true. Unfortunately, it’s only after something is known and proven to be harmful (when it is too late- diseases have been diagnosed or deaths have occurred) does the government insist that a certain ingredient be removed.

Feeding You Lies also addresses the rampant sugar crisis as it relates to obesity in our American culture, “It scrambles all your normal appetite controls, driving your metabolism to convert it into lethal belly fat” (85). Hari’s book further examines the health risks and side effects of sugar, clarifying its’ contribution to aging and damaging skin; inflammation which could lead to a greater risk of developing various diseases from digestive disorders to heart disease; liver problems; tooth decay; fatigue and irritability; brain functionality and possible cognitive decline; poor immune systems and heart troubles. “It’s been shown that those who eat high sugar diet’s are up to 400% more likely to have a heart attack” (87). Hari goes on to explain that soda is one, if not the worst, offender and that soda companies are basically evil; spending millions every year covering up their tracks directly associated with such health issues (much like Phillip Morris did with their tobacco companies in their long-time effort denying the link between cigarettes and lung cancer).

Next she expounds upon why things like product labeling is often misleading. “Sugar-free” products aren’t really “free.” As it pertained to her father, who has type II diabetes, his deceptive “diabetic food“ was a nothing more than simple carbohydrates and sugar alcohols. Ultimately these false pretenses were making him more sick, landing him in the hospital with worsening conditions, even though he wasn’t “cheating” on his strict “sugar-free” diet. Fortunately, however, his health decline was reversible by eliminating those chemical ridden products from his daily intake. His side effects, even as severe as dementia, were transformable; too many others didn’t get that chance.

Similarly, “low-fat” diet foods full of “fat free” products aren’t more effective on weight loss, and are not necessarily even good for the heart (as many are purchased with such intentions). These marketing schemes are Big Food selling us cheap products under the guise of false health benefits. For example, the “reduced fat” peanut butter made by Jif: “peanut butter should really be just 100% ground peanuts, but Jif claims their reduced–fat version is just 60% peanuts. What makes up the remaining 40% of the jar? Ingredients like corn syrup solids, sugar, pea protein, and fully hydrogenated oils. Yikes.” (127)

Hari reiterates the fact that we (the American people) have been elaborate and cheap food experiments for a long time. In proof, it was only recently the FDA banded “partially hydrogenated oils” from our food. Eating artificial trans fats is strongly correlated with an increased risk of type II diabetes and heart disease. In fact, the National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine emphasizes that there are no health benefits, and there is no safe level to eat. Although much of the information was probably around for a long time before anyone forced big companies to do anything about it; and we (the American people) reap the harmful effects. I think it’s important to say American people, because standards in many other countries are sadly (for us) superior to ours! Many countries don’t let their people eat artificial fat additives, food colorings and flavorings. Hmmm, think about that. And although many foods are labeled “0 trans fat” or “no trans fat,” the same harmful ingredients are still in other (unregulated) additives in the same products! These known harmful additives are especially found in fast foods, because they are cheap to make and make the food last longer on the shelves.… And because we are foolishly willing to buy and eat it!

Hari continues her crusade by shining light on the flavor industry (a monster of all its own). She makes reference to the “Dorito Model of modern food,” where they add fake (man-made in a science lab) flavorings to make food experiments flavorful and even addictive. “By making junk food palatable, the flavor industry has helped drive the obesity epidemic, not to mention higher rates of heart disease and type II diabetes.” (146) Even “natural” flavors that are supposedly derived from substances found in nature can be made up of 80% or more of “incidental additives” in their formulation. Additives, that include such things as chemicals for extraction, etc., which could be made even from genetically modified ingredients.

Also interestingly, something I didn’t know, about the “nutrition facts” on the back of any given food product… The government regulations allow a margin of error of 20%! Which means when they list their daily recommendation of Vitamin A or calories you may or may not be getting what you think you are (or what the package actually says). Maybe for one packaged item it doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but over all- day in and day out, having meals and products loaded with processed foods, it may be almost impossible to track what you’re actually ingesting. In an independent study by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit health research and advocacy group, they analyzed that many fortified items including common brands of cereal and nutrition bars were over fortified. They concluded that “up to a half of young children get too much Vitamin A, zinc, and niacin.” (159) Overdosing on these nutrients could also lead to health issues such as liver damage, skeletal abnormalities, and osteoporosis to name a few. Furthermore, over indulging in typical junk foods may lead to leaky gut syndrome, letting out the good bacteria needed to stay healthy with a strong immune system. “A leaky gut puts you at risk for inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, food allergies, arthritis, celiac disease and even cancer.” (164)

In a chapter titled Weed Killer for Dinner, Hari states “I am not fundamentally against biotechnology. I’m not even necessarily against all GMO food, although I acknowledge that certain experts stress how much uncertainty remains about their safety. As was noted by researchers at New York University, genetically modified foods (also known as GMOs, or genetically modified organisms) represent a massive experiment conducted on nature. I believe companies pushing such products should present their evidence that they are not causing harm, either to people or to the ecosystems we depend upon. Companies should also clearly label their food product so consumers are informed that they contain GMOs… To me, it feels like common sense. However, what I am strongly against are the chemicals that almost always go hand-in-hand with genetically modified crops.” Boom. This is something that Sadie’s Nest has addressed many times. The most blatant offense being glyphosate, a chemical found in an extremely popular weed killer. Crops, to withstand being sprayed with this weed killer, are genetically modified to be weed killer resistant. They are then grown and excessively sprayed with the weed killer to eliminate the weeds around them. Some people have even started referring to the process as “agricultural heroine” because many farmers are so addicted to it, and the amounts needed are steadily increasing; because resistant weeds are also increasing. It’s a vicious cycle of chemicals that are ultimately present in the daily foods we eat. This chemical wreaks all kind of havoc (known, unknown, and denied) on our health. It is considered an “endocrine disruptor” in addition to stimulating overproduction of estrogen, messing with the hormones and function of males and females; contributing to breast cancer (not to mention a variety of gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease and gluten intolerance.) The health risks associated with this chemical are astounding, but not nearly as astonishing as the efforts to cover up these findings. The influence the advocates for such chemicals has on our countries agricultural system (such as the EPA) is remarkable; even getting the amount of “safe” levels increased in 2013, regardless of substantial scientific research supported by the World Health Organization opposing the same chemicals. Mind boggling.

For years I’ve been on board with not feeding my family harmful pesticides and “Franken foods” aka, GMOs; but what I often don’t see is the data referenced in Feeding You Lies, which not only shows organic foods containing lower levels of toxic heavy metals, but actually containing an increase of nutritional value. For example, A 2014 statistical analysis in the British Journal of Nutrition found up to 69% more antioxidants in organic food versus their non-organic counterparts (186). It seems like most articles I read spend a lot of time trying to prove the contrary; that there is no significant difference in nutritional value of organic versus non-organic. Of course commonsense has always told me otherwise, and the conscious decision to not eat poison was enough for me regardless.

Also tackled in Hari’s book, is the common message of Big Food that claims pesticides are needed to help “feed the world.” Experts at the U.N. recently warned that “pesticides end up in our water systems, damage our ecological system, contaminate soils, and are responsible for bee deaths, and are a huge environmental threat to the future of food production. The issue of world hunger is due to poverty, inequality, and distribution – not lack of food.” (191)

Lastly, I appreciate that Hari designates responsibility on the individual. She encourages everyone to do their own research. (And pay attention to who is funding the study.) She suggests three questions: What are the ingredients? Are the ingredients nutritious? Where did these ingredients come from? (198)

Ultimately the responsibility is our own, and the solution is clear: Eat Whole Foods! Eat not-processed, single-ingredient fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, and lean meats- all organic if possible. And, as much as possible, cook at home- so you know what you’re eating!

I can stand behind that.

Research Sites available for local farm options are:

LocalHarvest.org and EatWild.com

Rachel’s Chicken Pot Pie

If you ask Rachel’s son, Jude, what she cooks best he says “everything” (real smooth like, in hopes of extra time on his Xbox). But, if you ask what his favorite dish is that she makes, he says “chicken pot pie.” So we thought this might be a recipe worth sharing. It takes a some time to make, but it’s not complicated and the results are tried and true.

Pot pie is one of those comfort foods that seems appropriate to serve in any season, and uses ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Reusing the stock that the chicken simmered in, really lends a depth to the filling. This creamy and rich recipe is a crowd pleaser; and can easily be doubled, or turns out great for individual pies.


Makes 2 – 9 inch pies

4 cups Chicken Stock

1 Bayleaf

3 Tbsp Better than Bouillon, chicken flavor

1 tsp dried Thyme

2 tsp Peppercorns

4 lbs (approx 3 large) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

3 – 10 ounce bags Frozen Peas and Carrots (or mixed vegetables of your choice)

1 stick Butter + 2 tablespoons for buttering pie plate

1/2 cup of Flour

1 1/2 cups of Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

2 – Pie Crusts (homemade or store bought)

Bring stock to a boil then reduce to simmer, whisk in bouillon, add bayleaf, thyme, peppercorns, and chicken breast. Simmer for about 20 minutes until no longer pink.

Remove chicken from stock and let rest about 5 mins until cool enough to cut into chunks. Reserve all stock.

Butter 2 – 9″ pie pans. Preheat oven to 350.

In a large pot, (we use a 9 quart Dutch oven), on medium heat melt butter. Next add frozen vegetables. Cook over medium high heat for about 6 minutes.

Turn heat to low and add in 1/2 cup of flour, stirring often. Cook for about two minutes.

Pouring through a sieve, add reserved warm chicken stock to your vegetables. Mix well and return to medium heat.

Once thickened remove from heat and fold in chicken. Add heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Evenly ladle pot pie filling into pie plates.

Roll out pie crust on lightly floured surface and cover pies. Crimp edges and cut a few slits in pie crust.

Cover edges of pie with foil to prevent burning and bake for about 45 mins until crust is golden.

Let pies rest about 20-25 mins before cutting. Enjoy!

The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company

Roasted in Detroit

Located in Midtown, on the un-presumptuous corner of a Woodward Ave parking garage across from the DMC, lies one of Detroit’s most beloved gems, The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company.

Undoubtedly, the signage is catchy hung from the end of a brick building- that could be otherwise be anything. However, when you walk through the door, unveiled is the charming world of a welcoming café full of interesting people doing various sorts of business and socializing; as the perfect gathering place should be. Accordingly, pastries and tasty treats are on view, beckoning the patrons to indulge; as in every bistro I ever want to frequent.

The coffee house boasts beautiful rich dark wooded counters and shelving that bears resemblance of an idyllic Irish pub; where familiar and new faces are in harmony under the common love of football (soccer). Except here, the common thread seems to be the beat of Detroit’s drum; city dwellers who have been steadily keeping the pace through the very difficult times mixed with the raw vibe of new interest for what is on the horizon.

Lights were strung whimsically behind the bar giving off the cheerful luminescence of a holiday. They lended a glow of hospitality for these nomads looking for a cup of something warm while taking refuge from the bitter weather outdoors. Consequently, the whole shop felt like a place of belonging. (And I’m pretty sure I heard the Cheers theme song playing in the background.)

Additionally, we loved the accommodating staff, who recommended the individual lavender and five spice lattes; both of which were amazing in presentation and taste.

Our breakfast tacos were flavorful, and the grilled cheese with sautéed veggies was, in a word, perfect. (We’re always in our element with good food and drink.) Interesting art was displayed along ageless brick walls, and a designated stage area in the back corner lent curiosity about the performances that must be held.

The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company seems worlds away from the busy street outside the door. The café exudes a natural place to meet with a friend or colleague for a cup of coffee; for a student or novelist to plot away for an afternoon; for a curator to discuss plans for an upcoming exhibit; for Sadie’s Nest to spend a delightful morning. 

At The Nest, we try not to play favorites. There are restaurants and cafés in Detroit right now that are essential to the growth and success of their environment. That’s a position we can stand behind. There are authentic flavors from around the world that are gastronomical delights and a lot of fun to try. That’s awesome- bring it! Then there are places we just love, as in that was an ideal experience- in atmosphere, service, food… This was our happening at The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company in Midtown, Detroit.

Thank you Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company for being you!

You can find this coffee shop at:

3965 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201

For more information and other locations, check out their website www.greatlakescoffee.com

Loving Lately

It’s National Cereal Day!

You know those friends who are always down to celebrate? Like, it’s Thursday… I’ll drink to that!

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!

It’s not snowing today… Cheers mate!

Sadie’s Nest is kind of like that, but with eating… National Cereal Day?

We’ll eat to that!

Does it look like a splash of milk?

In observance of this special day, we’ve recreated a couple of our favorite cereal-inspired goodies; included a totally delicious Sadie’s Nest recipe; and enclosed information about an Instagram contest! (Because we take this cerealously.)

Cake

When we saw this milk splash cereal cake from sugarandsparrow.com we knew we had to give it a try! Placing Fruit Loops and Fruity Pebbles whimsically around the milky icing was easy enough, and the effect is appealing to the kid in all of us. Admittedly, molding a white chocolate “milk splash” over a ballon took a few tries. Obviously, we’re not professional cake decorators, but we were happy with our results. However, the kids were ecstatic! In addition, we used a confetti cake to continue the festive feeling when sliced.

Krispies Treats

Chewy, Gooey Rice Krispies Treats

Here at The Nest, we are probably the only ones in the world who think, every time we eat a Rice Krispies treat, “this is missing something.” Dip it in chocolate? No that’s not it. Add peanut butter? Still no. Fruity Pebbles? Nope, not quite right…

Listen carefully. Jenn Segal of Once Upon a Chef figured it out with her Chewy, Gooey Golden Rice Krispies Treats. She elevates techniques by browning her butter, and reserving marshmallows for the end making soft chewy pockets; but… Golden Grahams. The missing ingredient is Golden Grahams. Trust us, it just works.

Warning! These Krispies Treats are dangerously addictive.

Cap’n Crunch Milkshake Recipe

If you are a Cap’n Crunch fan, try this Sadie’s Nest original (actually, you could probably replace the Cap’n Crunch with whatever your favorite cereal is and it will turn out great). Using the infused cereal milk is so tasty! As a result, it adds major flavor depth to the shake. It’s delicious and fun! (Especially if you read the box and play along with the games and puzzles… We’re still trying to figure out how many words we can make out of the letters in “Crunch Berry”?)

Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries Milkshake

For one large shake…

1 1/2 Cups Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries

½ cup Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries crushed

1 cup milk

2 cups vanilla ice cream

Whipped cream

Add 1 ½ cups of Cap’n Crunch cereal in a bowl and add milk. Let this rest for about 20 minutes.

Put 2 cups of vanilla ice cream into your blender.

Pour milk and cereal mixture through a fine mesh sieve into blender. Discard the cereal. Blend till smooth.

Reserving 2 teaspoons of crushed cereal for topping add remaining of half cup of crushed Cap’n Crunch cereal to blender. Blend using pulse button.

Your shake it ready to drink! Pour in a glass top with whipped cream and sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of crushed cereal on top. Enjoy!

Instagram Contest

Finally, we are having our first Instagram contest at 2 pm EST today! For those of you not already following @sadiesnest, be sure you do! The first one to answer our cereal question correctly wins a $15 Amazon gift card! #buysomecereal #NationalCerealDay

Recipe Print Out


Paczki VS King Cake

Which iconic confectionary is Fat Tuesday’s tastiest treat?

According to Cooks Illustrated, “there are three key Mardi Gras foods: Fried chicken, king cake, and more king cake.” We have to admit that we haven’t eaten the traditional cinnamon pastry in New Orleans, but we have it on good authority (actually from the Cook’s Illustrated Mail-Order King Cake Test), that Joe Gambino’s Bakery is the winner to try at home. That was validation enough for Sadie’s Nest, so we ordered one straight from the epicenter of Mardi Gras to sample for ourselves. (For the history of King Cake click here.)

In Detroit, we have one way of celebrating Fat Tuesday, with paczki (pronounced pownch-kee or poonch-kee depending on who you ask). At first glance you might compare it to a jelly filled donut. (You’re probably too healthy to know the difference.) But we paczki eaters know what’s up (our cholesterol). According to experts, these Polish pastries are not as crumbly as a typical donut, and don’t dry out as quickly. The New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck arguably bakes the best. (For more information on Pazcki click here.)

The Pros… (We can’t find any cons)

Something about “Fat Tuesday” goes so nicely with convenience. At first thought, it might seem accommodating to have a paczki palace just a short car ride away. And that’s true. But, it doesn’t get any more convenient than someone delivering cake right to my front door…

The King Cake is fun to look at with its oval (crown) shape dusted with all of that sparkly gold, green, and purple sugar. It embodied Mardi Gras! The texture is unique, simultaneously light and dense, a real pastry/cake hybrid. Slicing pieces to pass out felt like a party. The cinnamon was pleasantly fragrant, but not overpowering, and the cake was great with a cup of coffee.

Paczki are huge, almost softball-sized rounds. (This ain’t Thin Thursday). They come filled in a variety of flavors; raspberry, apple, cherry, chocolate, cream, caramel cream, cookies ‘n cream, and so on… The flavor party is going strong on the inside. Everyone gets their own and can pick their favorite filling while still partaking in that soft, dense, certain exterior.

Truth be told, we’d be happy with either pastry on any given day… but this was a challenge needing a champion. So which sweet treat wins the Heavy Weight title for Fat Tuesday indulgence?

The Winner?

We tried to remain unbiased here in the nest, but the tastiest winner was clear. Those goodness-filled pastry rounds are just so delicious… In New Orleans, cake might be king, but in the upper midwest paczki is queen; and the queen reigns supreme!

Happy Paczki Day Everyone!

Urban Ramen

Originally from Los Angeles, Urban Ramen opened its second location in Midtown Detroit last June; and we’re so happy they’re here! According to Detroit Eater, “Owner Kohei Robert, was born in the U.S. but raised in Japan… and worked with executive chef Yohei Uchida to develop the menu for the original location which features noodles served with chicken, pork, and vegan maitake mushroom and shoyu broth.” The noodle shop has generated quite a hype with foodies by offering an exciting and authentic Japanese menu. And come on, say…”Urban Ramen” -it just sounds cool. 

We’d be the first to admit that we’re probably jaded when it comes to the Japanese noodles known as ramen.  We grew up on Maruchan Ramen, those wavy noodle bricks accompanied by little silver seasoning packets. No broth necessary, just boil the noodles until soft; strain and add the MSG laden spice pouch. So freaking good! They were the perfect after school snack, and the means for survival for many college students. We could probably eat it every day, (and for a long time actually did).

However, this is a new era in cuisine quality, and an authentic variety of food places is turning up at every corner of the Motor City. Walking down Woodward, you instantly take notice of the chef through the window, working fast in the steamy kitchen with lots of well organized produce and ingredients. You can also see an impressive industrial-sized ramen noodle maker (they make their noodles in house, daily). The restaurant emanates fresh and a standard of quality, before you even step in. Once past the threshold, we were greeted by a warm and knowledgeable server and seated after we placed our order (which included almost the whole menu- ‘cause we came to eat).

Mini Salad & Garlic Edamame

We started with the mini salad, which was a cabbage slaw tossed in ginger dressing and topped with fresh corn. We sampled the garlic edamame, totally radiating garlicky goodness; but too fibrous to eat whole (in spite of Sadie’s best efforts). So we’ve included a link for you on “how to eat soybeans“. You’re welcome. We followed up their most popular (Detroit exclusive) Chicken Paitan Ramen (pictured below). The bowls are loaded with interesting bits, and the presentation is like something you drool over on your foodie Instagram pics. (Somehow, our photos don’t do it justice.) Now time to slurrrpppp. Seriously, that’s how it’s done, and even considered complementary in Japanese culture… along with no conversation so that you’re sure to savor every bite. We tried to slurp… (but we were too busy talking about it all. We’ll get there.)

Chicken Paitan Ramen

The creamy broth had a strong umami taste. The chicken was wonderfully tender with crispier edges… and hello ramen, I don’t think we’ve met! The thin noodles were so good and fresh, like an elegant distant cousin of the aforementioned bricks (which shall forever carry a special place in our hearts). But the biggest surprise was the soy marinated egg- perfectly soft boiled and soy infused, so delicious.

Japanese soda

We cleared our palate with a drink of Ramune, a Japanese soda that the server compared to Sprite. **Read the instructions on bottle of how to open.** In complete transparency: it was fun to try something new, but we’ll stick to Sprite.

Next we had Shoyu Vegan Ramen (featured post image), and please don’t let “vegan” detract from this weightiness of this dish. It’s a meal. The ramen was a bit thicker and had a good chew. There were generous amounts of white onion and Maitake mushrooms, with garnishments like radish sprouts and fried burdock (shout out to fried burdock, you’re awesome). However, the star of the show (drumroll please), is bamboo! Yeah, baby! We should call it BAMBOOM because it is an explosion of delicious! Wider and thicker cuts than the kind in our stir fry, it was bursting with teriyaki-like flavor… and we’d go back just for that! 

Plain noodles

Picky eaters have options too, so don’t think you shouldn’t tag along! If you have kids like Sadie’s, know that plain noodles are available. (Rachel’s kids have more grown up tastes than most adults.) And feel free to mention “no scallions,” then you won’t have to pick them off one-by-one. 😉

Matcha Mochi Ice

For dessert we had Matcha Mochi Ice. Matcha Mochi!!! This green tea ice cream with roasted soybean flour and brown sugar syrup was creamy and cool, light and sweet, and as Sadie put it, “money in my mouth.” Also notedly, it was her son’s favorite.

Urban Ramen has a good thing going. It’s fresh, modern, authentic…, and if you’re ever in Midtown, you should stop by and see what it’s all about! (And be sure to order an extra side of Bamboom Bamboo, because you’re going to love it.) 😉


Loving Lately

We’ve all seen those tasty videos; those amazing little cooking videos that take you from beginning to finished product in about 30 seconds. It’s like watching the Mary Poppins version of the Food Network. Just snap your fingers, and all the veggies are diced and sautéing in the pan…It’s magic. Two of these videos has been on Sadie’s to-do list for way too long, “Puff Pastry 4 Ways” and “Puff Pastry Decorations 4 Ways“. This is what we learned:

  1. Powdered sugar is your best friend. Almost any mess up can be gently erased with a dusting of powdered sugar- that’s where the real magic is at.
  2. Don’t over fill. If the recipe calls for a teaspoon of filling and you think a Tablespoon sounds better… it can be messy. Refer to No 1.

3. If you ask Rachel to participate in a “puff pastry hacks” post she will go over the top… but eggs baked in puff pastry wells, topped with Gruyère and bacon are so good! It’s a do.

3. A sharp paring knife worked best for imitating most designs. Finish the video before you send your pastry to the oven; otherwise, you might end up with something different.

4. Different might be better! Get creative… look at all of the surface area on that baked apple for caramel topping. Yeah!

5. Things left in the oven too long get burned. (We’ve all done it. Powdered sugar won’t help this.) Use a timer!

6. Fig jam with caramelized shallots is our new favorite puff pastry filling. Oh my goodness.

7. Baked fruit can look dull, an apricot glaze (even from a jar of apricot preserves) can bring it back to life… or refer to No 1.

8. Fresh herbs, such as mint or chives, add beauty and depth of flavor to sweet and savory pastries. And if you have powdered (confectioner’s) sugar, you can add a squeeze of a lemon or a little milk to make an icing. Tip: A little melted butter in the icing adds another layer of delicious.

9. Mommy bloggers have a way of always incorporating the kids.

10. Pre-made store bought puff pastry can be a lot of fun. We love it… almost as much as Tasty Videos!

One more pic… because puff pastry is pretty.

Promenade Artisan Foods’ Blueberry Muffins

Not sure if you caught Click on Detroit, Live in the D last Friday morning? Their segment, “Get a taste of France at this Downriver Gem,” showcased Promenade Artisan Foods of Trenton, MI. We wouldn’t have missed it (and not just because the owner is our cousin)! Promenade Artisan Foods is getting the recognition they deserve, because their food is outstanding. Most everything they make is done in-house and from scratch (croissants & pastries, breads & baked goods, sauces, etc.), and I dare say: you won’t find better. Thankfully Click on Detroit shared their recipe for Blueberry Muffins for the world to enjoy. Obviously, we had to make them.

As found on clickondetroit.com:

Ingredients

3 Cups All Purpose Flour

1.5 Cup White Sugar

4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

2/3 Cup Whole Butter Milk

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Large Eggs

2 Pints Fresh Blueberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  

Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula.  Do not over mix.  Gently fold in fresh blueberries.  

Divide batter into 12 LARGE muffin cups.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick pulls clean.

Preferably, eat hot out of the oven, slathered in butter. (But room temperature is good too!)

In case you missed it, and want to see for yourself: Click on Detroit!

Sister Pie

It was cold and dreary the day we decided to make the trek to West Village Detroit and put Sister Pie to the test. (Because what else is better on a cold dreary day than freshly baked pastry?) When we saw the “pie” sign pointing toward the iconic pink neon “Sister Pie” illuminated over the door, it was a little like coming home- with the porch light on waiting for your arrival.

Sadie had been wanting to go for months; ever since she saw the local dancer-turned pie maker’s cookbook in her hometown kitchenware store. Within days of the seeing the book on the shelf, she had convinced herself she should order a copy from Amazon. (It wasn’t hard to do… Michigan born cookbook author + local pie shop + baked goods recipes = no brainer.) The unusual flavor combinations, such as Concord Grape and Goat Cheese Pie; Rhubarb Blondies; Fennel Seed Snickerdoodles; etc; were intriguing.

I love that it smelled like the spices of India when we walked through the front door. Popular tunes were flowing from the radio, and the bakers were all doing their best Mariah Carey. (Note to reader: be sure to get there early before many items are sold out!) And to make you feel even more at home, if you are staying for coffee, you get to pick your own mug from an eclectic collection stored in a “help yourself” cabinet along the wall.

The flavor combinations are interesting for sure, but most alluring is author and owner, Lisa Ludwinski’s mission: “to serve food, our neighborhood, and each other.” Her business approach follows an ethical strategy that is hard to place a value on, and continues to be evaluated and evolved. It is a commitment in supporting employees (i.e. teaching valuable skills, paying them higher than average wages); supporting our environment (sourcing in-season produce from local farms, recycling, etc.); and the economy (they are transparent with their employees about financial reports and sales goals). Bonus: they donate their coffee grounds and egg shells to the local community garden! I’ll eat to that.

Furthermore, they have a great “Pie it Forward” program, where anyone can purchase a slice of pie that someone else can collect at any time for any reason. It keeps a sense of community in focus.

Sister Pie is truly unique, in recipe and vibe, but still has the ageless charm of an established neighborhood bakery. And don’t think just because “pie” is in the name that your options are limited. Rachel’s favorite item was the Salted Rosemary Shortbread. Sadie’s son begged for a second Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookie! (Which he received because “buckwheat” sounds healthy.)

Like many Detroit businesses, Sister Pie offers other Michigan made products. One of our favorite take-aways from our visit was this Detroit made Hibiscus Rosemary Mint Tea from Ellis Island Teas that we didn’t even know existed! Um, delicious!

Of course, being who we are it didn’t seem right to end our journey without cooking something from the Sister Pie Cookbook. We chose “Sweet Potato Coconut Pie” from the Fall and Winter section. (Granted our sweet potatoes were of the white variety, so colors do vary… but so yummy!)


Thank you Sister Pie for bringing the light and warmth on a dismal day!

For more information check out their website at www.sisterpie.com or better yet, visit them in person!

Image courtesy of sisterpie.com