Flavorista

Destinations: Zingerman’s

May 1st, 2009

On a recent buisness trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan, I got to stop into one of my favorite delis - Zingerman’s. I was delighted by almost everything I bought.

The homemade graham crackers and freshly made chocolate marshmallows were appreciated by the kids and will make excellent gourmet s’mores later this week. I also really enjoyed their rugelach. Instead of being cakey and overly sweet, these were light and fluffly, with a delicate crunch and the perfect size.

Their online site is great for sending food baskets, although not everything I ‘ve had from these baskets is superb.  I don’t care for their chocolate cherry bread and their brownies and cookies are just a tad too sweet for me.  I do love their candy bars, Zzangs, while very sweet, they were extremely fresh tasting and clearly made from quality ingredients.

I also stumbled upon one of the founder’s books, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating, by Ari Weinzweig. This is a great resource for understanding the differences between olive oils, cheeses, vinegar, spices, condiments and more. With a few recipes mixed in, this book makes  a great gift to the emerging foodie wannabe.

If you ever get a chance to go to Ann Arbor, (and it’s a great University town with gourmet beers, great book stores and some decent eateries) make sure to stop into Zingerman’s. They make wonderful sandwiches and have tastings of all sorts of things scattered around the store.  It is certainly a Flavorista must see!

Entry Filed under: Mail Order, Travel Food, Websites/Blogosphere