Germack's at Western Market in Ferndale

I was shopping last Friday at The Western Market on 9 mile in Ferndale and saw some trail mix made by the Germack Pistachio Company from Detroit.  

I picked up some Rainbow's End American Trail Mix and it was tasty.  I proceeded to check out Germack's website and they have a TON of nuts, chocolates, snack mixes and other stuff.  I'll definitely be going back to Western Market for more and possibly order some of their stuff online, since I've already finished the bag.  Their Germack Mix looks rad.

Don't Call it A Come Back

It's 2011 and don't call it a come back.  I plan to start posting again about Food, Drink, Arts, Entertainment and anything else around the Detroit Metro Area and all around Michigan and even the universe.  Thank you all for following and please leave a comment!

Haiti relief, Comet Burgers and Rad Chinese Food

Of course you all know by now that a disastrous earthquake struck Haiti this week toppling buildings and burying thousands.  There have been many relief efforts launched in support of those enduring the tragedy and I would like to provide a link to one of those for the 5 people that read my posts.  So in case you missed the other 1,000 links to donate for Haiti relief Google has made it possible to donate to both UNICEF and/or CARE and has links for other ways to help out.

I had an opportunity to visit Comet Burger in Royal Oak for lunch on Monday and was pleasantly surprised.  I had envisioned slider sized hamburgers that were in essence balls of grease... and I wasn't disappointed at all!

I order one of the lunch combos (available with 1, 2, and 3 burgers) with 3 burgers and fries with a Coke.  I sat at the diner counter and read the recent issue of Rolling Stone (excerpt from Patti Smith book is totally rad) while my taste buds were treated to the classic combo of burgers, fries and pop.  The burgers at Comet come plain but you can add ketchup and mustard.  I have never witnessed such a fluffy and light yet greasy bun either... how do they do that?  I could have had more salt with my fries, but then again the salt shaker was right in front of me.

After my visit I read some reviews online about the Comet Burger establishment that criticized the service.  I realize that it is normally a post-bar food joint and I was dining mid-day with no more than two other patrons, but the service was fantastic with a smile.  

The decor inside the Comet Burger is 50's diner-esque with Warhol like pictures of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe on the aqua-blue walls.  I didn't really walk around the restaurant that much but noticed both bar and booth seating.

Overall I would say I had a positive Comet experience but I think I will have to venture in there again after bar hours to get the real atmosphere.  If you're looking for a solid, larger than average, slider(s) mid-day or late I say Comet is the place to go in Royal Oak.  I hear competition at Telway is stiff!

Today I am sitting in a Dunkin Donuts on Van Dyke in Detroit writing to you while I wait for a call from the ABC Warehouse that is installing my wife's Christmas present (a lot late I know).  The automatic car starter that we bought was one of the higher end ones that has start confirmation on it so that was pretty expensive.  Plus she has a 2010 Nissan which requires another part (foreign cars only) that cost an extra $90.  

The installation takes 3 hours so I had some time to walk around.  When I saw this sign I loved it.  I still love it now but I really loved it then.  It screams authentic.  Apparently there is another one in Bloomfield Hills, that's the original one.  The Van Dyke location only shows up on google maps, not yahoo.  Clearly Yahoo is the classier search engine.

Give me that fish!

I was watching new episodes of Lost and Life on Mars last night, (and if you weren't I understand) and this McDonald's commercial came on advertising their always fresh, always delicious, fish fillet sandwich.  I love that they try to act like they have healthy menu offerings.  I thought, "Okay, here we go, another crazy commercial about the benefits of eating a healthy fillet o' fish."  

What happened next I could not believe.  "Try our new DOUBLE FILET O' FISH sandwich now!"  

What?  Double filet 0' fish?  That's right, two fresh and delicious, processed, fried and otherwise unhealthy patties of who knows what type of fish products, on one sandwich.  Wow, let me say that backwards, wow.  It's like, "Have you ever had our filet o' fish and just not been satisfied with one fish patty?  Us too!  Here's one more fish patty with out all the fattening of another bun and cheese (if it is indeed really cheese).

Here is the worst part.  I went on YouTube trying to find the commercial with no luck.  However I did stumble on a few other filet of fish commercials that are equally ridiculous, offering two filet o' fish in a value meal and another video of someone who orders a Big Mac and substitutes fish patties for the meat.  I think there were trying to watch their figure you know...

This is the one where you can get two sandwiches for a great low price!

Here is the filet o' fish Big Mac... brilliant!

Happy Paczki Day!

It's here, Fat Tuesday, the day that all Detroiters line up outside well know bakeries in Hamtramck for the most delectable of treats, the Paczki.  A Polish treat that has been around since the middle ages.  Meijer and Kroger do sell paczki but according to everything "hip" to get the real thing you have to go down to either the New Palace Bakery or the New Martha Washington Bakery in Hamtramck.

 A paczki, pronounced ponchki, is the Polish equivalent of a doughnut... only more doughnutty (in the words of Scott "the Gator" Anderson from 97.1 the Ticket in DTW).  They are huge discs of deep fried dough filled with any type of jam imaginable.  Although they look like a jelly doughnut, what makes them different is the ingredients of the dough used to make the paczki.  The dough includes eggs, lard, sugar and milk and makes for a pretty heavy morning treat.  Most paczkis, besides being filled with fattening jam or custard, are also either glazed or sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Paczki Day originally is celebrated on the last Thursday before Lent (you know that time leading up to Easter when you are supposed to give up doing stuff that you like to do but that may not be good for you, like eating paczkis.)  But now people can't wait and we celebrate on Tuesday.  The reason for the paczki was to get rid of all the flour, eggs, sugar and milk that was forbidden during Lent. 

These days paczki day in Detroit means lining up for a sampling outside Hamtramck bakeries while the ancestors of polish immigrants and their families that settled in this enclave churn out some of the best paczkis in America.

Apparently the Paczki has also entered the realm of professional eaters.  The Paczki Challenge, as it is called, consists of contestants eating as many Paczkis as possible while walking across a room.  The record is currently held by McKay Johnson of who set the record of 18 raspberry filled paczkis at the Greater Chicago Paczki Challenge.

Although I did eat my fair share of paczki today, you will not find me indulging in the gluttonous act of professional paczki eating... ever.

All facts pertaining to Paczkis were found on wikipedia, so who knows if it's true, but it sounds good.

Theory on buffalo wings

Friday night I was craving hot wings so badly that by the time we got to BW3's my mouth was already watering.  Unfortunately the place was packed and the Red Wings game had already started.  But eventually we sat down and got to order.  I had the Caribbean Jerk and Spicy garlic wings.  I think both of them range in the medium hotness for their sauces and they taste pretty good.  

I have a theory about buffalo wings.  You can tell a lot about a person by the way they eat their wings and even what kind of wings they order.  

Do they order the mild wings and eat them with a fork?  Or do they make sure to get the boneless so as not to get messy?  Or do you order the hottest wings they make, traditional style and eat them with your fingers?  I am not saying either is better or worse.  But you can definitely tell the difference between the lifestyles of the two.

Next time you are having doubts about the lifestyle of your significant other take them out to a BW3's or some place that specializes in hot wings.  Observe what they order and how they eat it and see if it confirms your suspicions.  Also, observe what you order and how you eat it.  Maybe they are not the problem.  Although this method of picking a partner is not completely reliable I have used it and it was pretty accurate.  I guess to be taken seriously I should acquire some data and have numbers and charts and stuff.  More on that later.