Rumi's Passion (12/24/10)

Well, we lucked out when we zipped by Rumi's Passion on Christmas Eve, thinking they'd be closed for the holiday, only to find out they were not.  Oh, the joy!!!  For those of you who haven't frequented Rumi's, it is a gluten-free (GF) bakery on Five Mile Road, just east of Bradner in Northville.  We discovered Rumi's about a month or so ago and have been frequent flyers ever since.  Yum!!  Aside from the delight of being able to walk into a bakery and know as a GF person I can actually eat anything that appeals to me, it is really delicious!  This trip found us sampling a chocolate raspberry cake which was moist and not overly sweetened.  The only problem is that it was so darned good, they had already sold out of this particular delectable.  The early bird gets the worm. 

Not to worry, though.  To compensate for this loss, we got a couple of their yummy carrot cupcakes and a German Chocolate cupcake.  The cake portion on the German Chocolate was dark and very moist, just as I like it.  They really do a nice job with the carrot cake pictured above too--lots of flavor and not at all dry with a tantalizing cream cheese frosting. 

Rumi's offers a full line of baked goods, ranging from cookies, pies, etc. to breads (their raisin bread toasted tastes like a non-GF (i.e., wheat-based) bread which for the unenlightened is incredibly difficult to pull off.  The owner has invested an incredible amount of time developing this and other recipes.  He will not rest until it is just right and meets all of his very demanding requirements.  He's a perfectionist and it shows through! 

P.S.  You don't have to be gluten-free to try these goodies.  The owners are very friendly and offer generous samples.  I bet once you taste their delicious fare, you'll be as hooked as I am. 

Will Work for Cacao Tree Chocolates (12/17/10)

Being amongst the ranks of the unemployed, I can truthfully say that I would indeed pose outside Cacao Tree Cafe with a lovingly hand-penned sign which reads "Will Work for Cacao Tree Chocolates". For the uninitiated, these hand-crafted gems are to die for--in fact, on further thought, this work for chocolates scheme isn't seeming so far-fetched the more I think about it. Perhaps, they need some kitchen or counter help over there at Cacao Tree. But I digress.... The lovely treats pictured here are dark chocolate with orange peel and white chocolate with lemon oil. I'm not sure I can accurately convey how delicious these babies are.... but I'll give it a whirl. If you are accustomed to conventional store bought chocolates (even higher end brands such as Dagoba), you will immediately notice the absence of added sugar in Cacao Tree chocolates. This takes some getting used to but once you do, you really begin to appreciate the inherent flavor of the cacao beans along with the essences and accents. These are not the chocolates you sit and mindlessly gobble, like you would in a darkened movie theatre, but you savor each and every nibble taking in the complexity and the flavors. We actually ate another store-bought chocolate bar that we've grown fond of after having Cacao Tree chocolates and in comparison it tasted like parrafin and was oversweetened. If you're reading this and you haven't visited Cacao Tree Cafe, do yourself a favor and make it a priority. Chocolates are available in the fridge and can be eaten carry-out, along with an amazing array of made from scratch desserts.

Now, for commentary on the non-dessert portion of our lunch visit, here's Mystery Guest Blogger Tom:

The daily special veggie sandwich sounded great and did not disappoint. Sun-dried tomatoes were pureed into a savory paste with just a hint of hot pepper that complimented the falafel-based pattie. Micro greens and fresh sliced veggies filled out the rest between the two slices of seed "bread". It looks small, but you won't go hungry. Definitely a winner.

Thanksgiving Cookery (11/2010)

What says 'Thanksgiving' like Cornbread Stuffing With Curried Apples and Cranberries? Not much, I would argue. Thanks go to the Gluten-Free Goddess, who supplied an amazing gluten-free/dairy-free recipe. We stuffed winter squash with it. Only afterward did I think of adding some delicious pork bratwurst to the stuffing to make it more of a main meal dish. While it requires a bit of work (especially if you're making your stock from scratch as I did), it's well worth it and it provides PLENTY of leftovers.

Inspired Treats (11/3/10)

It just occurred to me that I have been doing a LOT of blogging about sweets and desserts which might lead some to infer that I have a major sweet tooth. OK, maybe it's time to step back a bit, but only after I finish the bag 'o Michigan Cherry Brownies I picked up from Inspired Treats. If you're not familiar with them, they are a Rochester, Michigan-based company which produces 'artisan organic gluten-free cookies and smacks'. I've tried some of their other products but have become addicted, you might say, to these brownies. They are dark, moist, dense, flavorful and, perhaps most importantly, not overly sweetened. I savored every last morsel. They're SO damned good, I can scarcely believe that they are gluten AND casein-free.

Thank you, Inspired Treats!!!!!

Cacao Tree Cafe (10/31/10)

Wow!!! I waited impatiently for what seemed like weeks for Cacao Tree Cafe http://www.cacaotreecafe.com to open and boy, did they deliver. Finally made it over to Royal Oak today to check it out for myself. What a lovely, intimate cafe. When we visited, the mid-afternoon sun was streaming thru the windows and there were people popping by to sample the goodies. Because we were heading off to a family birthday celebration, we couldn't partake of an entree but had to settle for nibbling on the delectable handmade chocolates. My boyfriend and I both agreed that the Chocolate Pudding rocked. The chocolate base was rich, complex and not overly sweetened. However, the topping was the perfect accompaniment and added just the right amount of sweetness. We also tried the peppermint mint patty and the orange flavored chocolates which were amazing. Think of an almost bittersweet chocolate with an intense orange zest. To top it off, the owner/manager informed us that most of the items in the store are gluten-free, including all of the above-referenced yummies. This place is a find and we'll definitely be back.

Holly Hotel (10/28/10)

OK, so it's been a WHILE since my last post and a lot of things have changed, most significantly (for this blog at least) my diet. Due to a number of health issues over the past year, there are some new dietary restrictions in effect; i.e., I am now gluten-free (and largely dairy-free). Try pulling that off outside the 4 walls of your own home and you'll soon discover that, forgive the pun, it's a pretty tall order. In order to provide some wheaty balance, I've invited Mystery Guest Blogger Tom to chip in with his two cents on non-gluten meals.

Anyway...we dined for the first time at Holly Hotel tonite. The waitstaff was very accommodating about the whole gluten-free (GF) thing and also doublechecked with the chef to make sure everything that was served was indeed compliant, which I gratefully appreciate. The Hotel, for those of you who've never been, is historic and dates back to the late 1890's. It has an intimate candlelit feel to it, although it was a bit on the chilly side. I had a delicious pumpkin bisque, a tasty salad with cranberries, pears and walnuts and a sea bass entree. I would love to be able to rave about this place and don't want to leave anyone with a bad impression but I tend to favor dishes featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients where the flavor of the ingredients show through. Someone in the kitchen had a heavy hand with the salt shaker and as I write this, I am still recovering from the resulting sodium buzz. The bisque was oversalted and I can't adequately express how overbuttered and oversalted the bass was. I'd love to be able to offer some commentary on the fish but I literally can still taste nothing but salt (and butter). I don't object to seasoning, but come on.... all in moderation.

Here's Mystery Guest Blogger Tom's take on his meal:

I started with a carrot and parsnip bisque that was quite flavorful, but oversalted. The salad was very fresh. My entree was a tasty salmon steak served on a potato pancake with sweet potato fritters. That said, the chef really needed to pull the salmon off the heat a little bit sooner. A tad overcooked. The wine selection really needs to be reviewed by a sommelier. It's weak. Overall, the entrees are probably overpriced.