This summer in Dearborn is packed with free outdoor concerts around town. At least two of the concert series allow attendees to bring their own picnics along–quite a treat as this is not always the case with outdoor musical events. First is the East Dearborn DDA’s Jazz on the Ave on Wednesday nights in City Hall Park and second is the West Dearborn DDA’s musical variety on Friday nights in Muirhead Plaza next to the Bryant Library. Besides enjoying the music and great crowd watching, it is a perfect place to spread out a picnic with friends. There are several ideas for approaching the picnic …

Spring is roaring onto the scene in style right now, and each night for the past few evenings, our neighbors  fired up their lawnmowers by day and their grills by night. It is that time of year again when BBQ gatherings with friends and family are prevalent many weekends and even some weeknights, too. For some reason, hot dogs are the first barbecue specialty that we consider when preparing a quick meal on the grill. There’s something about that smell of a dog, dropping it onto a bun and loading it with all the condiments you can find in the fridge, that makes this little tasty nugget so very…

One of Dearborn’s true gems when it comes to eateries is the Thai restaurant Bangkok 96.  This family-owned business, established in 1996 by Genevieve Vang and her husband Guy, is a favorite of many in Dearborn and surrounding communities. Again this year, voters chose Bangkok 96 as the WDIV “Best of” Thai restaurant in metro Detroit, an honor they have captured several times.  It is equally revered in the veggie community, noted by Urban Spoon as one of metro Detroit’s top 10 vegan restaurants. When we think of dining out, Bangkok 96 is always among our leading choices. The food is always …

Every day, Sherry and I are encountering more people interested in learning about plant-based diets and their health benefits and gentle impact on the earth and our wallets. This Edgy Veggies column is one of the many places where readers are seeking tips for shopping, eating and learning about vegetarianism. The concept is becoming more mainstream than ever, with large grocery store chains like Kroger and Meijer providing plant-based meat and dairy substitutes that long have been reserved for the eclectic shelves of health food stores.   This growing interest was underscored on March 27 when…

This past weekend, Sherry and I had the privilege of teaching our first cooking class through Henry Ford Community College's Center for Lifelong Learning. The Saturday class was titled "Hearty Soups & Stews, Veg Style." We shared three original recipes that are ways to re-imagine some old-fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs favorites–the kind of comfort foods to be enjoyed on a cold day.   There were nine students in the program and they were welcome to assist as we presented veggie versions of baked potato soup with all the trimmings, chick'n noodle soup and a zesty jambalaya. The class was three …

Living in Dearborn, one of the authentic culinary delights that we enjoy is the countless options of Middle Eastern restaurants at our disposal. We are the envy of residents in other metro Detroit communities who have scant choices in comparison. Many dishes like hummus, tabouli and kebobs have become so mainstream today that they have made their way onto some traditionally American menus and are found readily in places like mall food courts. But here, we have depth of dishes and family-owned establishments serving their homemade specialties alongside the well-known favorites.  Besides the …

It’s mid-January and time for a jolt of some fresh sunshine. Hopefully it will be blazing from the sky, but if not, it can be captured in some of our foods on the table.  There are fruits and vegetables that are abundant this time of year from sunny states to our south and west.   One of these sun-filled states is Florida–you know, the Sunshine State, where so many of our Dearborn neighbors flee in the wintertime.   Let’s take a mini-trip with those neighbors to one of our local produce markets, such as the Dearborn Farm Market, to bring home our own version of sun.  One delicious ray of …

The start of a new year inspires resolutions, diets and choices about family life, work and everything we do. One of the foremost resolutions on many lists is to get healthier—including eating healthier, often to lose weight. Grocers know this to be true, so right now everywhere you shop, this is the focus in circulars, sale flyers and in-store signage. One of the ways to quickly trim fat, cholesterol and calories from entrees is to use vegetarian meat substitutes. And adding vegetarian meals to your diet need not add unnecessary hassle, costs or time to your food preparation, as there are …

An olive bar can now be found shoulder-to-shoulder with a salad or prepared foods bar in most grocery stores. This is a relatively new phenomenon that reflects our insatiable desire for the delectable olive, once only located in the pickle aisle alongside the gherkins. Grocers have recognized that consumers are interested in seasoned olives, cracked olives, olive medleys and more, not solely the old-fashioned pimento-stuffed manzanillas.    In Dearborn, we are fortunate to have many grocers with olive bars and specialty stores that have them in abundance as well. The most recognized specialty…