Ann Arbor has been named one of America’s foodiest towns, and it just keeps getting foodier. Those of
us who are passionate about everything food feel so lucky to live in a town where there’s something
special for us foodies everyday.
I first heard the term “foodie” in 1998 from a woman who described herself that way as she explained
she was taking a year off of work to travel around the world and take cooking classes. I was so jealous!
And excited because I finally had a description for me. Some people cringe at the term “foodie.” Others
are downright mean about it. But, it was almost a relief for me to discover a word to describe this
passion, sometimes obsession, I have for food and everything about it. “Gourmet” and “gourmand”
always sounded too formal and stuffy for how I felt. But, “foodie” works for me, and I’m a happy foodie
in Ann Arbor!
Recently, besides the usual opportunities to eat at over 200 places, take a variety of cooking classes and
buy a plethora of local produce (even with temperatures dropping below freezing way too early)—-the
Holiday Inn Near the University of Michigan hosted a cookoff for college students. The students were
allowed 3 ingredients, 1 machine and 10 minutes. The winner was a creative, healthy and delicious “ice
cream” sundae made from frozen bananas. Plus, Jan Longone spoke at the grad library about their
exhibit “The Life and Death of Gourmet Magazine.” Jan donated her collection of culinary historical
manuscripts (over 20,000 pieces!) to the U a few years ago. She also started the Culinary
Historians of Ann Arbor, a group that meets monthly to talk about the history of food and gastronomy.
In the upcoming weeks are a variety of holiday brew and wine tastings, cocktail classes, pizzelle baking
classes and a gnocchi workshop. The foodieness goes on and on! How lucky I am!!
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