March Means Meat Month Madness at Food Dance

We love meat at Food Dance! It is something to share and savor. From the winter stews, roasts and braises to the summer grilled chops, steaks, burgers or ribs the traditional Midwest plate is anchored by meat.

“True to our vision, we care what we put in our bodies and yours”, says Food Dance Owner, Julie Stanley. ”We chose to serve meat and we look for producers that share our same passion for creating great tasting products, produced with care and integrity in all they do.”

Food Dance proudly sources its animals from farms that practice sustainable, humane animal husbandry – free of hormones, antibiotics or animal-by-products, that are pasture-raised and full of flavor.

“We practice whole animal butchery respecting the life of the animal in all we do,” say Stanley. “Our beef is dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days, which produces more intense flavor resulting in lower yields. We buy local grass-fed beef when available and our pork, lamb and chickens are locally-raised following the same standards.”

Pasture meats are lower in total fat – with more “good” fats and fewer “bad” fats, and are higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and higher in B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin.

Meet the Butcher!
Former pastry chef, Michael Wegrzyn’s interest in whole animal butchery and charcuterie, began while working as Sous Chef at Haven Gastropub in Orange, California and continued as Chef de Cuisine at Haven Gastropub and Brewery in Pasadena, California. Upon returning to his home town of Kalamazoo, he took the position of House Butcher at Food Dance – with fellow Butchers Guild member Chef Robb Hammond. Working with Robb, Michael has helped to develop their old-world style charcuterie program. Together, they create a variety of fresh and fermented sausages, bacon, and cured-pork products. These items, along with cuts from their whole animal butchering program, are available in the newly redesigned Food Dance market.

Throughout the month, Mike will be doing demos in the market. This Friday, March 7 he will showcase the art of butchering by breaking down a porch shoulder during the monthly Art Hop. Throughout the month, specials will also be offered in the meat market with 20% off special cuts. This week, its pork – followed by chicken, beef and house-cured or made sausages and charcuterie.

To further help your personal meat celebration, Food Dance is offering special events: a knife class, a butchering class, and a sausage making class.

Butchering Class
Wednesday March 12 (6:30-8:30pm)
$75.00 (includes tax & gratuity) * Each guest will also take home a delicious goodie bag.
Join Chef Robb and butcher Michael Wegrzyn, Butcher's Guild members, as they demonstrate butchering techniques with chicken, whole hog, beef and limited hands on sausage making.

Sausage Making Class
Thursday March 20 (6:30-8:30pm)
$65.00 (includes tax & gratuity)
The saying goes “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” That’s for shifty politicians and big time weiner companies. When working with whole meat pieces, there’s nothing to fear. Chef Robb will teach the techniques of processing, grinding, stuffing, casing, cooking and, of course, eating.

March Meat Madness Barnyard Dinner
Thursday, March 27 (6:30-8:30pm)
$49.00 per person (includes tax & gratuity)
Gather together with us in celebration of meat month with our in our 4 course dinner. Chef Robb will feature the four basic food groups - pork, beef, chicken and lamb. A great way to wrap up March Meat Month!

Food Dance classes, events and dinners are prepaid, non refundable, transferable up to 48 hours prior. Each has limited availability and reservations are required by calling 269-382-1888.

Check out the Market!
The newly redesigned Food Dance market offers sustainable, humanely-raised meats such as house-made sausages, cured meats, fresh ground beef, beef cuts, pork cuts and more (their very own little butcher shop)... and even more breads and savory baked goods, along with the same great pastries from their talented bakers. You’ll also find more prized-ingredients like olive oil, Anson Mill’s polenta, vinegars, condiments, fresh ground spices and pastas, as well as a selection of wines and local beers. The market is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday through Thursday; 8am to 9pm Friday and Saturday; and 8am to 3pm Sunday.

For those interested, the Food Dance friendly and knowledgeable market staff is also available to handle carry-out orders, help customers put together American cheese and meat boards, or help gusts find the perfect gift for all the foodie friends, no matter the occasion.

Food Dance creates opportunities for people to come together and connect through the experience of food. We passionately cook with the freshest locally produced ingredients and believe in giving great, caring service, and providing great experiences for everyone we come in contact with.

FOOD DANCE
401 E. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo MI 49007

www.FoodDance.net
www.facebook.com/FoodDanceRestaurant
www.twitter.com/Food_Dance

West Michigan Restaurateurs Take an Innovative Approach to Finance New Project

Chef Matthew Millar gestures animatedly toward the countryside outside his window when asked why he and his business partner decided to open their ambitious new restaurant St. Anthony in a sleepy tourist town in Michigan.

“There is so much to feel good about here: artists, musicians, farmers, winemakers, brewers, cider-makers...every year that goes by brings more and more great stuff to this community,” he says.

With national attention coming his way recently as the results of back-to-back semi-finalist nominations from the James Beard Awards, Millar could have directed his attention to larger markets, but “this is my home,” he says, “and trust me, the tide is slowly turning. West Michigan is about to pop. In a few years, I believe this will be the region of the Midwest every foodie will be talking about. It just takes that first step.”

“St. Anthony will be like nothing the region has seen before,” says business partner Brandon Joldersma.

The restaurant will focus on producing the foods in house that most restaurants don’t in an attempt to celebrate the agricultural heritage of the surrounding region. They plan to dry-cure, preserve and pickle, make cheese and churn butter, all with ingredients sourced from area farms. But before any of that can happen, they need to get the project financed.

“So far, we’ve had some good conversations with potential investors,” Joldersma says, “but not the right one.”

Millar admits restaurants are notoriously risky. “It can be hard to get them financed, especially by the right people.”

Finding the “right” financing can be tricky in an industry that sometimes attracts investors who get into the business for the wrong reasons. Some get swept up in the romance, others might expect too much too fast in terms of return, pushing restaurants to make sacrifices to quality that damage the brand.

The right investor for St. Anthony, Millar believes, “shares our passion for the region and wants to stand with us as we take things to the next level.”

Joldersma agrees. “We are looking for people who want to have a long lasting financial relationship with St. Anthony, who will share in its success for years to come.”

The kind of investor that helps a restaurant find real and lasting success is an unusual and sometimes rare bird, so Joldersma and Millar have taken a unique approach to sharing their business plan with potential investors.

“It was a strange initial idea. Neither of us had seen it done before. But it really came down to us asking ourselves, if we’re potentially able to reach more people this way — why not?” says Joldersma.

“There was nothing in our plan that was particularly proprietary,” Millar admits. “We weren’t trying to protect trade secrets or anything, so why exclude anyone from the conversation?”

This, of course, is a departure from the way fundraising is usually done. For a little while, Millar and Joldersma had been sharing their business plan in a few face-to-face conversations with personal contacts, but to them, this seemed at odds with the restaurants’ mission.

“Any good restaurant, but especially this one, is about community,” Millar says. “It lives and dies on the strength of its word of mouth, so why not include the public in the conversation from the very beginning? You never know who you are missing out on meeting when you keep your world small.”

The two decided to depart from the traditional format and build their business plan online, using the web address they had already purchased for marketing the restaurant once open. In addition to hosting the particulars for potential investors, the site serves as a kind of kiosk for updates about the project for anyone who is interested learning more.

“It has already gotten people talking and that alone makes it worthwhile,” Joldersma says.

What kind of fruit this innovative approach yields remains to be seen, but the two partners are optimistic.

“We will be as public as possible throughout the whole process,” Millar says. “We very much want St. Anthony to feel like it belongs to the community, like our little corner of the world wouldn’t feel right without it. I can’t think of a better way to do that than to include them at every available opportunity.”

www.RestaurantStAnthony.com

MATTHEW MILLAR:
Matthew is a 20 year veteran in the West Michigan restaurant scene. As owner of the locally iconic Journeyman in Fennville, Michigan, he began long term relationships with the growers and producers of West Michigan and works to share his enthusiasm for the region with as many passionate lovers of food and drink as possible. He is a two time James Beard Award semifinalist and authors the blog Post Agricultural Acts. He lives in Fennville with his wife, Amy Lee Cook.

BRANDON JOLDERSMA
Brandon has stewarded two of West Michigan's most prestigious wine programs, Butch's in Holland and Reserve in Grand Rapids. The wine programs he has overseen have won both an Award of Excellence and a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. He has also managed the Front of the House as Assistant General Manager in both of these establishments. He looks forward to the opportunity to communicate and share his passion and knowledge with others through his own establishment.

Café Cortina Carries On Family Tradition of Pairing Business with Local Philanthropy

When Café Cortina first opened the doors of its Italian eatery in the suburbs of Metro Detroit in 1976, it was with a sense of family tradition and community responsibility inspired by old world philosophies. Now, more than 35 years later, and under the direction of its second generation, Café Cortina retains its presence as one the country’s leading culinary destinations.

Located in an Italian countryside vineyard setting in Farmington Hills, Michigan and under the auspices of the Tonon family, Café Cortina started out as a “best kept secret” restaurant that has turned into a world-class foodie destination. This authentic Northern Italian eatery operates with a passion for people, memorably delicious food, genuine Italian hospitality, and an inspired philosophy of making a positive difference in their local community and beyond.

From the beginning, Café Cortina’s menu has reflected traditional hearty Northern Italian food from 150 years ago, presented in an exquisite and modern way. Although a popular restaurant trend today, this ‘true’ Italian gem is one of the first garden-to-table restaurants in the country. The café has always had their own onsite garden, producing about 70% of needed summer produce including herbs, tomatoes and peppers for roasting, creating a menu that is seasonally-influenced. Ingredients are mainly sourced in Italy, Michigan and California, with everything made in-house – including pasta and desserts.

In its nearly four decade long history as one of the more noteworthy metro Detroit “heart and soul” businesses making a difference, the locally- and nationally-acclaimed Café Cortina, has consistently strived to be more than just a restaurant.

“Breaking bread is one of the most powerful tools in life,” says Adrian Tonon, Director of Operations, third generation restaurateur, and son of co-founders, Rina Tonon and the late Adriano Tonon, “Food brings people together and, for us, it is a catalyst to making a positive difference in other people’s lives. Chefs, restaurateurs, and foodies need to create awareness that ‘we can help’ and we can change the world with food. When you’re in the hospitality industry, you touch one person at a time, but we all need to challenge ourselves to touch those outside the restaurant.”

From previously hosting a show intended for the Fine Living Network called “Culture Café” to his current venture, The Adrian Tonon Project, (www.adriantononproject.com) Tonon utilizes “philanthrotainment” to drive home his message that everyone has something to offer to make the world a better place.

The Adrian Tonon Project approaches nonprofit organizations and charities with one simple question, “What are three immediate nonmonetary needs you require assistance with in order to achieve your mission?” The Adrian Tonon Project then proceeds to prove that philanthropy is about more than money, services, and products by locating and working with other businesses in the quest to provide these specific needs. Tonon’s relentless pursuit to bring happiness and a helping hand to those around him is touching, inspiring and contagious.

In addition to his work at Café Cortina and The Adrian Tonon Project, Tonon, a father of four, also serves on the Board of Directors for Orchards Children’s Services, Founder of Food First Program of Michigan, a member of the International Visitors Council of Detroit, and an advocate for the Slow Food Movement, Children’s Center and Youthville.

Café Cortina is often seen as a place of special, meaningful celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries and weddings, but other meaningful experiences occur at the café as well. Tonon often can be seen gathering community minded people together at a corner table in his family’s warm and welcoming “more than just a restaurant” to break bread while discussing solutions to area issues.

Between homemade courses of fresh salads and bread, scrumptious pasta, and savory main courses, bonds and alliances are formed, action plans are created, and people are united for a common purpose to do good work. From addressing neighborhood blight and crime, to providing education to children on the importance of nutrition and healthy eating habits, to bringing people together to donate their time and talents, Tonon seeks to empower all individuals to join him in a movement to make a positive impact in other’s lives.

“I’m just following my passion, my dream and my family legacy of serving others,” he says, “and while I’m not sure where it’s going to take me and the restaurant – it’s just something I have to pursue.”

Café Cortina
30715 W. Ten Mile Road
Farmington Hills, Michigan
248.474.3033
www.cafecortina.com
Café Cortina Facebook

Food Dance Adds Bread Baking to Repertoire

Food Dance – West Michigan’s premier farm-to-table eatery – has added bread breaking to its impressive list of hand-made offerings, with the recent purchase of a German MIWE oven.

“I have always wanted Food Dance to produce as much of the food on each plate as possible,” says executive chef Robb Hammond – who has been with the restaurant for years. “Once we moved into our amazing new facility in 2007, we realized that the opportunity to create foods that could only be found here was immense. Whether it’s ketchup or bacon, sausage or bread, we pride ourselves on giving an experience unique to Food Dance.”

Chef Robb admits that changing a product from one used – successfully – for many years, comes with some trepidation. For years, Food Dance has sourced its various breads from the internationally-recognized Zingerman’s Bakery in Ann Arbor.

“For over a year, our pastry chef, Amber Burns, has been bringing us delicious bread she’s been baking at home. I knew with the right oven and her talent, we could bake great bread,” says Chef Robb. “I feel confident in our abilitly to take on this large undertaking and add to the overall experience for our guests here at Food Dance.”

According to Chef Robb, the process of baking bread is dependent on so many variables you can’t control. The weather on the day of baking or the day the flour was milled can have as much to do with the final product as the temperature of the oven or the correct kneading. It is a very intuitive craft that can only be learned through years of work, in various conditions.

“Why did we want to make our own bread? Because we are so passionately committed to making traditional artisan foods right here at Food Dance,” says owner Julie Stanley. “Besides, our bakers just LOVE to bake! With so much passion to be found under our own roof, we decided to push forward and try our hand at making bread. We are excited to share these new breads with you, and we plan to keep introducing new flavors as time goes on!”

This new MIWE oven will allow Food Dance to produce a variety of breads for its menu and marketplace, including sourdough, potato rosemary, ciabatta, whole wheat, focaccia, brioche and rye (on weekends).

Food Dance’s bakers will put hours into their breads – 18-24 hours for rising alone – to allow for the great flavors to develop. Other ingredients include naturally-fermented sourdough starters, yeast, unbleached spring patent flour, whole wheat berries, whole oats, local potatoes, free range eggs, fresh Wisconsin Grassland unsalted butter, Michigan honey, toasted caraway seeds, fresh rosemary, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil, resulting in a truly tasty loaf of bread.

As one of the original West Michigan farm-to-fork restaurants dedicated to using locally-produced food, the culinary team at Food Dance works to provide a positive environmental impact and educates its staff and guests on the importance that this mindset has to the culture and community in which we live. Food Dance also supports the belief that we are all mutually-accountable to obtain excellence, by providing opportunities that create community engagement through great food and great service.

FOOD DANCE
401 E. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo MI 49007

www.FoodDance.net
www.facebook.com/FoodDanceRestaurant
www.twitter.com/Food_Dance

Salt of the Earth Launches 2nd Annual Michigan Wine & Beer Dinner Series

Coming off an amazing inaugural year, West Michigan’s Salt of the Earth announces its second-annual Michigan Wine & Beer Dinner Series at its downtown Fennville rustic American eatery.

“We’re excited to create a unique experience at each event, ranging from beer and barbeque, to cocktail parties, to formal dinners, where we will pit Michigan wines against global competitors,” says proprietor Mark Schrock. “Winemakers and brewers will be present at each event, along with a very special lineup of guest chefs from around the state. We invite you to come celebrate the best of Michigan food and beverage with us!”

The 2011 series will span five months, and feature three Michigan wineries and two Michigan breweries. Five courses will be served at each event, paired with the best from each producer. Many taste selections are from wine and beer maker’s personal cellars that are not always available to the public.

Each event starts at 7:00pm and reservations are required. Call 269-561-SALT (7258). Prices are per person and do not include tax & gratuity.

WYNCROFT WINES - Michigan vs. France
Guest Chef: Matthew Millar - Reserve, Grand Rapids
Wednesday, January 19
$80
Enjoy special library wines from Wyncroft Winery’s artisan winemaker Jim Lester, pitted against selected French wines. We will enjoy 2004 Wyncroft Riesling (dry), 2004 Wyncroft Chardonnay, 2005 Wyncroft Pinot Noir, 2006 Wyncroft "Shou". (Bordeaux blend), and 2008 Wyncroft Riesling, December Harvest. French selections to be announced. Salt of the Earth Executive Chef Matthew Pietsch will be joined in the kitchen by Reserve Executive Chef Matthew Millar, collaborating on a menu of French inspired dishes. This event is limited to 45 guests and will sell out. Please call soon to reserve your seat!

L. MAWBY - Sparkling Cocktail Party
Guest Chef: Jesse Hahn – Trailer Park’d (former SotE Chef de Cuisine)
Wednesday, February 9
$45
Join noted Michigan sparkling wine pioneer Larry Mawby from L. Mawby Vineyards as he presents sparkling wines from his cellars in the Leelanau Peninsula, paired with rustic canapés and shared plates from Chefs Matt & Jesse in a cocktail party style atmosphere in our bar. Learn about the process of making sparkling wines and make new friends!

SHORTS BREWING COMPANY - Northern Brew and ‘Cue
Guest Chef: Norman Valenti – Michael Symon’s Roast, Detroit
Wednesday, March 9
$45
Northwest Michigan’s Short’s Brewery pairs up unique craft beers with barbecue flavors coming out of the SotE brick oven. We are excited to offer a variety of beers not available outside of the Short’s pub in Bellaire. Chef Matt reunites with Chef Norman Valenti from Michael Symon’s Roast to cook up amazing barbecue dishes.

BRYS ESTATE - Michigan vs. South Africa
Guest Chef: TBA
Wednesday, April 20
$60
Winemaker Coenraad Stassen from Brys Estate returns to showcase his beautiful award-winning wines, and selected wines from his homeland of South Africa, paired with South African inspired culinary treats from the SotE kitchen.

BELL’S BREWERY - Rustic Eccentric v2
Guest Chef: Joel Wabeke – Six One Six, Grand Rapids
Wednesday, May 11
$50
Michigan craft brewing pioneer Larry Bell presents outstanding craft beer from Bell’s Brewery with an “anything goes” eccentric menu to honor Bell’s eccentric café. Chef Matt and Chef Joel will be focusing on local spring flavors as they pair dishes with Bell’s outstanding beers.

Salt of the Earth is a rustic American eatery and bakery, tucked away in a historic building in quaint downtown Fennville – in the heart of the Southwest Michigan’s thriving agricultural region. Under the direction of Chef Matthew Pietsch (protégé of ‘Iron Chef’ Michael Symon), this full service restaurant offers a seasonal menu of made-from-scratch entrees, shared plates, wood-fired oven pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and creative desserts – using fresh ingredients, often sourced locally. Artisan bread is baked in house, served with dinner and available to take home. You’ll also find a bar stocked with an impressive selection of Michigan wines, craft beers, and spirit, alongside other domestic and international selections. Salt of the Earth is also a popular venue for local and regional musical artists, with live house concerts held every Sunday. Winter Hours: Dinner served Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday 5-8:30PM, Friday & Saturday 5-10pm. Fresh baked artisan bread is available in our bakery café from 9am to noon every Friday and Saturday.

Salt of the Earth
114 East Main Street
Fennville MI 49408
269.561.SALT (7258)
www.saltoftheearthfennville.com
www.facebook.com/saltoftheearthfennville

Progressive Michigan Entrepreneur Develops One-of-a-Kind Eco-Conscious Restaurant Concept

(ROCHESTER, Mich) – Mike Plesz of Pleszure Food Group, says his “Mind, Body & Spirits” restaurant at 301 S. Main Street in Rochester, Michigan, will be the first restaurant of its kind in the country. Utilizing dozens of eco-conscious practices and products, the restaurant is expected to be Gold LEED Certified when it opens in October 2008.

The 8000-square foot restaurant will seat approximately 200 people (including a 55 seat seasonal roof-top patio). Renovation of the 100-year-old historic building has been done with sustainable material such as bamboo flooring, VOC-free paints, sustainable timber and a green roof, among other materials.

“Mind, Body & Spirits” will feature:

· A totally non-smoking facility
· Certified Organic facility
· Trombe walls
· Geo-Thermal Wells (20 wells, 200 feet deep)
· A solar powered hot water heater
· Solar power panels
· Energy-Star certified kitchen equipment
· Two greenhouses (one on-site) and a master gardener consultant
· A bio-digester to convert food waste into a nutrient rich fertilizer for the herb greenhouse
· A system to collect rain water for the greenhouse and grey water for the toilets
· Eco-friendly furniture inside and on the rooftop patio
· Biodegradable “to go” packaging
· An extensive recycling program
· Use of eco-friendly cleaning products
· Use of crushed glass beer/wine bottles mixed with concrete for flooring
· Partnerships with local organic farmers for the progressive menu
· Organic wines, beers and spirits
· A licensed on-site organic brewpub
· A mind, body & spirits “library” on second lounge level

“Having the first restaurant of its kind will put Rochester on the map for its progressive thinking. We will become a hub for the community to spread eco-awareness and the use of local organic products,” says owner Mike Plesz. “Our staff will receive in-depth education and training on environmental sustainability and the use of local organic products in our healthful style of food preparation. They will be highly trained and will have the ability to share their knowledge with our customers.”

For more, visit www.pleszurefoodgroup.com and click on the “Mind, Body & Spirits” logo.

MEDIA CONTACT:
David Youngman
Pleszure Food Group
248.797.6012
theyoungmans@sbcglobal.net