Suppress the flesh — Since 1985, the folks behind the Great American Meatout have been encouraging their fellow Americans to go meat-free for a day. This year, that day is Sunday, March 18, and VegMichigan is sponsoring a five-hour event at Ferndale High School. They'll have samples of healthful, meat-free food from local restaurants, informative lectures, cooking demonstrations and exhibits that show how a plant-based diet benefits us all. Noon-5 p.m. at Ferndale High School, 881 Pinecrest St., Ferndale; for details and discounted admission, visit vegmichigan.org or call 877-778-3464; admission is $10; students $5; children under 6 and VegMichigan members free.
State of the table — Chelsea's Common Grill will host a "Michigan Foodways Dinner" on March 19, with entertainment from blues and boogie pianist Mark Lincoln Braun, aka Mr. B. The dinner will help raise funds for Michigan Foodways, a traveling exhibit from Michigan State University Museum exploring Michigan's agriculture, ethnic cuisines and culinary traditions. And the Wolverine State never sounded so appetizing, with a menu that features peppered smoked salmon, a roasted duck confit salad with mixed baby greens, and, for the entrée, Parmesan-encrusted Lake Superior whitefish. Great Lakes, great plates. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. at 112 S. Main St., Chelsea; for reservations, call 517-372-7770; limited seating; $100 per person, $50 tax-deductible.
Eat the Page
Simple but satisfying, spaghetti and meatballs never fails to get our chops watering. So imagine our delight upon finding On Top of Spaghetti: Macaroni, Linguine, Penne, and Pasta of Every Kind, by Johanne Killeen and George Germon (Morrow Cookbooks, $24.95). They're the chef-owners of the acclaimed Al Forno in Providence, R.I., and they claim to have invented grilled pizza. In addition to a wide range of pasta recipes, which include the spicy "La Bomba," there is a chapter of tips, which include using some of the pasta water in the finished dish and how to choose the right cheese.
A Tasty Beverage
We just heard about Rari-Teas, handcrafted white tea leaves which are hand-tied around dried flower blossoms that open during the brewing process. If they taste half as good as they look, we're hooked. Their Web site — www.rariteas.com — extols the health benefits of the teas. "Born" in Chengdu, in China's Sichuan province, the teas are identified with such names as Dignity, Modesty, Serenity and Honesty. Another claim is that white tea carries a higher concentration of healthy natural ingredients than its cousin, green tea, which is well-known for its healthful attributes.
It Works
It's a fact that trying to slice a bagel with a knife can result in a trip to the emergency room. Bagel-lovers sometimes slip mid-cut, severing the soft tissue between the thumb and forefinger. Hazard those dangers no more! The solution is a bagel guillotine. Place the bagel in the slot and lower the blade. The resulting cleanly sliced bagel halves — and your intact hands — are well worth the $20 you'll spend. We suggest, in addition to the requisite cream cheese and lox or jelly, a pumpernickel bagel slathered with peanut butter.
Know of any new restaurants, special dinners or food-related events? Let us know. Send materials two weeks in advance to [email protected].
