November 28, 2010

It was a really sweet post-Thanksgiving Selma Cafe Friday. We had Roos Roast coffee, Arbor Teas tea, hot cider with cinnamon, and donuts. Lots and lots of donuts. We offered 'em two ways: pumpkin, and cake, with powdered sugar on top. The pumpkin donuts were flavored with pumpkin pie spice, and for both kinds I added home made creme fraiche instead of the buttermilk that the recipe called for. This wasn't because we were trying to be fancy. I just hadn't ... Continue reading

November 23, 2010

Emmanuel Weber-Saintin and Bartek Koss brought their own special spin to Selma Cafe on Friday last, and the results were spectacular. Not only were their special dishes some of the best we've tasted, they broke the Selma Cafe record for most guests served. How many you ask? 187. Yes. 187. Real Time Farms, our previous record holder, has to take a back seat to this French and Polish combo team. At least for now. RTF? You on for a rematch? It ... Continue reading

November 17, 2010

There was something unusually pretty about the sky Saturday morning as the sun lifted over the horizon. The long view of gently scattered clouds, pale peach and golden yellow, a deepening of blue up high, and the bare trees jutting into view heightened my awareness of the day unfolding in front of me. Loading up the car with pump pots full of steamy-hot Roos Roast coffee, Calder Dairy half and half, and stacked up Selma Cafe mugs, I started singing under my breath. "People get ready, there's a ... Continue reading

November 15, 2010

Last night, Vienna Teng and Alex Wong captivated and delighted a sold out crowd at the Greenwood Coffee House in a benefit concert for Selma Cafe. Vienna is an amazing singer, songwriter and musician currently living in Ann Arbor who we were lucky enough to meet a few months ago when she came to a Friday morning breakfast. Alex, a guitarist, percussionist and singer/songwriter, who has written, toured and produced some of Vienna's records, just happened to be in town for a visit this weekend, and was able to ... Continue reading

November 15, 2010

I took a look back in the blog archives to see when it was that Emil and Monica were last in the Selma Cafe kitchen. It was early May--just six months ago, but in that time period they were world travellers. I managed to keep an eye on their adventures through their posts on Facebook, and it was obvious they were having a blast. When I learned they were returning to Ann Arbor, I happily thought two things. First, I thought how ... Continue reading

November 11, 2010

We tasted and enjoyed a terrific selection of trophy winning Michigan wines, generously shared with us by wine expert Joel Goldberg Tuesday evening at Hathaway's Hideaway, including wines from L. Mawby, Black Star Farms Winery, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Lawton Ridge Winery, Uncle John's Fruit House Winery, Forty-Five North Vineyard and Winery, and Fenn Valley Vineyard and Wine Cellar. But before the packed room of more than 50 guests sat down to enjoy these reds, whites, and dessert wines, the sparkling selections and appetizers were ... Continue reading

November 10, 2010

It's always great when Eric and Ines Storhok plan to chef for Selma Cafe. Plan being the operative word. There's something comforting about having engineers in the kitchen. They make lists. They have flow charts. They have spread sheets. And they know just how to use all that stuff to free up their creativity and their passion for good food. This time around they decided to celebrate one of the Mitten's best autumn go-to vegetables-- the sweet potato. Both of ... Continue reading

November 3, 2010

Jolly Pumpkin threw us a perfect harvest party. Maggie Long and her crew made big batches of creamy pumpkin soup, bbq pulled pork sliders, and squash enchiladas, each paired with it's own special Jolly Pumpkin beer, and each bite and sip hit the spot. Avalon Bakery brought baskets of amazing cookies and brownies, and the toasted and spiced pumpkin seeds were a nice Halloween touch. Thanks so much to everyone who helped pull this party together, including Maggie Long, Keene Dibner, ... Continue reading

November 3, 2010

Last week's Selma Cafe was a great way to start the Halloween weekend. With cozy comfort food, jack o' lanterns lit at 6am, and tea light candles nestled in mini-pumpkins on all the tables, we had it goin' on. Marnie Reid and Jennifer Kangas served us two specials. The first was a roasted fall veggie medley topped with eggs and a slice of ham, and the second was a rich sausage, chard, and pumpkin quiche. Both came with salad ... Continue reading