Buddy's Day — Buddy's Pizza will celebrate the 65th anniversary of its original Detroit deep-dish square pizza. What's more, the day will forever belong to Buddys, because, thanks to the support of Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh, June 23 will become Buddy's Pizza Day in Detroit. The celebration takes place 1-3 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at Buddy's original location, 17125 Conant St., Detroit.
Accept cookies — Last month, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels launched a nationwide tour marking 25 years of its "iconic chocolate chip cookie." With the rise of street food, the company thought it'd be fun to send out a "Hilton Cookie CAREavan" on a 10-week, 10,000-mile, 50-city tour to bring its sweets to the public. That tour arrives in Detroit's Campus Martius Park, Thursday, June 23. Drop by from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to enjoy free chocolate chip cookies.
TV dinners — The food-centered television program Dining in the D now airs on WTVS-Channel 56 at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The show will feature four independently owned local restaurants in each episode, ranging from inexpensive, casual joints to cloth doily establishments. Host and chef Tom Keshishian promises to take viewers through some of the best small kitchens in metro Detroit, where local chefs and entrepreneurs will share stories about their food, histories and business practices. It returns to the air tonight, Wednesday, June 22, and will feature St. Clair Shores' Achatz Burgers, Pleasant Ridge's Cork Wine Pub, Detroit's Giovanni Ristorante and Hamtramck's Maria's Comida. For more information, see dininginthed.com.
Clock restarted — Hamtramck's venerable Clock restaurant, once featured on Detroit 1-8-7 and formerly known as pretty much the only restaurant in Hamtramck open on Sunday mornings, has recently reopened under new management. The full-color takeout menu stresses it, reading "New owners ... New menu ... New attitude." Well, there's still the same friendly attitude from the "Hey, there, hon'" waitstaff and such, but the kitchen seems upgraded, and the food is much improved. Drop in for a taste, at 11444 Joseph Campau, Hamtramck; 313-366-2244.
Broaster's boast — Sal at downtown Detroit's Ham Shoppe announced to us that he's spent $12,000 on a special chicken broaster, the better to serve the pressure-cooked, deep-fried, marinated and breaded chicken his customers have come to crave. He says he has the only official chicken broaster downtown, and they're so popular he'd get another — if he had the room. Check it out for yourself at 330 Monroe St., Detroit; 313-965-0088.
Will they have salted too? — In other news, eager to fill a void in Detroit, the Detroit Institute of Bagels aims to offer Detroiters the doughy treat that seems to be a largely suburban phenomenon. Based in Corktown, you can find out more about this new business at detroitinstituteofbagels.com.
Food/Thought — With 350 recipes — many of which aren't strictly vegetarian — Vegetables from an Italian Garden: Season-by-Season Recipes, brought to you by the editors of Phaidon Press ($39.95) is a guide to using the season's best at the peak of freshness. This volume should help you avail yourself of the abundant, fresh, locally grown bounty that can be found in the farmers' markets that seem to be cropping up everywhere. Numerous tips explain how to select, store and even grow your own veggies.
Bottoms Up — Buffalo Trace Distillery makes a superb everyday bourbon whiskey in its flagship brand of the same name. But if you're looking for a bit more bang from your Kentucky booze, for just a few more dollars try their Eagle Rare. Bottled from 10-year-aged single barrels (unblended) at a fiery 90 proof, a glass of Eagle rare, taken neat, develops a range of flavors on the palate. It starts with a charred oak, coconut and vanilla sweetness, then widens into all manner of dried fruit flavors to eventually finish with a pepper-spice bite.
The Works — If you use a charcoal grill for true 'cue flavor, you need a chimney starter. Merely fill it with charcoal, put it over a couple of sheets of bunched-up newspaper, light the paper, and wait a few minutes for a blaze. It ignites fast, and eliminates the need for liquid fuel starter that taints the taste of the food. Plus, if you want roasted peppers fast, put a small grate over the chimney: You can put the peppers on the grate, turning them occasionally with long tongs while they char. Put them in a paper bag to steam for a few minutes. Remove the peel and enjoy the smoky, peppery results.
Know of any upcoming food or drink events? Let us know! E-mail [email protected] or call 313-202-8043.
