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Featuring Selden Standard

The Other Side of the Pass

Rustic Midtown restaurant Selden Standard has spent more than a decade in the spotlight of Detroit’s culinary scene. The acclaim has as much to do with the front of the house as the back.

I saw this in action during a recent evening when I observed a dinner shift with general manager Paul Fradeneck and the crew that makes Selden Standard run like a well-oiled machine.

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In the Garden Michelle Kobernick In the Garden Michelle Kobernick

Every Plant Has a Deadline

By the end of July, I start to look at my garden differently. 

Everything planted in the spring grows quickly because of the strong sun and longer days. There’s a sense that anything is possible because there are plenty of growing days still ahead.

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On the Line

This is where technique meets flavor, and where we explore the how and why behind what we cook.

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articles
The Other Side of the Pass
On the Line, Feature
The Other Side of the Pass
On the Line, Feature

Rustic Midtown restaurant Selden Standard has spent more than a decade in the spotlight of Detroit’s culinary scene. The acclaim has as much to do with the front of the house as the back. 

Read more →
On the Line, Feature
Every Dish Has a Story
On the Line
Every Dish Has a Story
On the Line

How Chef Anthony Lombardo uses Medusa to explore Sicily's history, culture and traditions—one dish at a time.

I spent several days reading about Sicily before I met with chef/restauranteur Anthony Lombardo at Medusa. I wanted a better understanding of the island itself before our conversation.

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On the Line
All Roads Lead to Champagne
On the Line
All Roads Lead to Champagne
On the Line

How a shared love of travel, curiosity and learning shaped one of metro Detroit’s most distinctive wine programs. There are many reasons why Champagne is one of the most complex wines in the world. 

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On the Line
A Decade at the Table
On the Line
A Decade at the Table
On the Line

It’s an extraordinary accomplishment to see your restaurant turn 10. It’s even more remarkable when you risked opening it in a part of the city that was still taking shape.

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On the Line
Cooking With Embers
On the Line
Cooking With Embers
On the Line

I’ve done enough grilling in my life to know how quickly the flames can get out of hand. Flare-ups, excessive smoke and uncontrolled heat are not desirable — and a clear sign that your fire is getting away from you.

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On the Line
When the Cows Come Home
On the Line
When the Cows Come Home
On the Line

How Alpine Cooking Traditions Translate Naturally Into the Michigan kitchen of Alpino

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On the Line
From Pantry to Plate: The Story of Berkley’s Mongers’ Provisions & The Rind
On the Line
From Pantry to Plate: The Story of Berkley’s Mongers’ Provisions & The Rind
On the Line

Whenever I secure a reservation at The Rind in Berkley, I make sure to build in enough time to shop at Mongers’ Provisions first. Mongers’ is the specialty food store that inspired the restaurant, and once around is never enough to take it all in.

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On the Line
A Postcard, A Recipe and A Revelation
On the Line
A Postcard, A Recipe and A Revelation
On the Line

On a recent visit to the upscale modern Mexican restaurant in Detroit, I tasted and tasted, trying to determine which chilis created the subtle heat and smokiness? Where was the nuttiness coming from? A nut, seed or both? What makes it so textural and velvety that I want to pour it over everything from eggs to meat?

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On the Line
A Conversation with Jonathan Peregrino of JP Makes and Bakes
On the Line
A Conversation with Jonathan Peregrino of JP Makes and Bakes
On the Line

For as long as he can remember, Jonathan Peregrino wanted to do something culinary, but he wasn’t always sure what.

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On the Line
Two Metro Detroit Food Tours to Try
On the Line
Two Metro Detroit Food Tours to Try
On the Line

Would the epicure on your holiday list adore exploring a new place through food and wine or meeting with chefs, farmers, and artisans to taste local specialties?

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On the Line

From the Kitchen

From the Kitchen is a space for kitchen exploration, stories, recipes, and reflections that highlight the deeper role food plays in our lives.

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articles
A Protein Divided: How to Deal Beautifully With the Bounty of Bulk Meats
From the Kitchen
A Protein Divided: How to Deal Beautifully With the Bounty of Bulk Meats
From the Kitchen

“Expecting company?” my husband asks me as I come through the door, juggling a mound of groceries. “You’ve got enough here for an army.”

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From the Kitchen
Stress Less, Celebrate More: A Chef’s Guide to Holiday Entertaining
From the Kitchen
Stress Less, Celebrate More: A Chef’s Guide to Holiday Entertaining
From the Kitchen

We adore celebrating the holidays with family and friends. There’s nothing better than a house filled with laughter and aromas of the foods that bring us together. But, when you add hosting to already challenging to-do lists, it can take your holiday stress to a whole new level. All the shopping, chopping, wrapping and decorating while juggling regular commitments can become overwhelming.

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From the Kitchen
Getting Squashed: Use These Winter Vegetables for Comfort Food
From the Kitchen
Getting Squashed: Use These Winter Vegetables for Comfort Food
From the Kitchen

Michael knows just where to find me once he realizes I’m missing. My husband doesn’t need to worry, because I’m only a few booths behind, photographing a table of vegetables. On the way here, he prepares for me to vanish, since it happens on all of our trips to the farmers market.

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From the Kitchen
Thanksgiving Turkey: Make Time for The Brine
From the Kitchen
Thanksgiving Turkey: Make Time for The Brine
From the Kitchen

“Hey, how are you? Is this a good time? Really quick, I have a cooking question for you.” It was my son, Aaron, who lives with his wife and kids in Park City, Utah. Many of the conversations I have start with someone asking me a quick cooking question, and my kids are no exception.

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From the Kitchen
Apple Time: Pressed for Flavor
From the Kitchen
Apple Time: Pressed for Flavor
From the Kitchen

Visitors stroll the grounds of the historic property at the Franklin Cider Mill in Bloomfield Hills, sipping cider, munching on doughnuts, caramel apples, specialty foods and artisan baked goods.  

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From the Kitchen
Celebrating the Sweet Spot of Michigan Produce: Summer Corn and Tomatoes
From the Kitchen
Celebrating the Sweet Spot of Michigan Produce: Summer Corn and Tomatoes
From the Kitchen

I wait all year to stalk the aisles of the farmers market to hunt for ripe, peak-season fruits and vegetables.

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From the Kitchen
Using Your Melon — and Tomatoes
From the Kitchen
Using Your Melon — and Tomatoes
From the Kitchen

Gardens are a lot of work, and there’s always more to be done.

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From the Kitchen
Cucumbers, Zucchini and Squash, Oh My!
From the Kitchen
Cucumbers, Zucchini and Squash, Oh My!
From the Kitchen

My backyard is home to an expansive herb and vegetable garden, and all season, it’s my happy place.

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From the Kitchen
(Compound) Butter Makes It Better
From the Kitchen
(Compound) Butter Makes It Better
From the Kitchen

As a trained chef with a large patio garden, I am routinely a personal cooking coach.

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From the Kitchen

In the Garden

This is where the story of food begins. In the Garden explores the quiet, essential work and techniques for growing what we eat.

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articles
Put It to Bed
In the Garden, Feature
Put It to Bed
In the Garden, Feature

Come fall, the only thing I think about whenever I’m in the garden is which plants to pull out next and which ones will sustain me until the growing season truly ends.

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In the Garden, Feature
The Season I Didn’t Plan For
In the Garden, Feature
The Season I Didn’t Plan For
In the Garden, Feature

I’ve known something was off with my garden this year, but I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it.

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In the Garden, Feature
Every Plant Has a Deadline
In the Garden
Every Plant Has a Deadline
In the Garden

By the end of July, I start to look at my garden differently. 

Everything planted in the spring grows quickly because of the strong sun and longer days. There’s a sense that anything is possible because there are plenty of growing days still ahead.

Read more →
In the Garden
The Garden Finds Its Rhythm 
In the Garden
The Garden Finds Its Rhythm 
In the Garden

There’s a point in every season when my garden morphs from a plan in my head to a growing, living entity that demands daily attention. It’s a good thing, because it means the plants are thriving.

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In the Garden
The Chef’s Garden
In the Garden
The Chef’s Garden
In the Garden

How every seed starts as a plan for something delicious. I start each gardening season with unprecedented optimism.

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In the Garden
In the Garden with Michelle: Everything Is Growing
In the Garden
In the Garden with Michelle: Everything Is Growing
In the Garden

I am back at war with the chipmunks, who have absolutely no respect or boundaries. It shouldn’t surprise me — it’s the same battle every year.

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In the Garden
Sow Easy: Get Started On Your Garden Now
In the Garden
Sow Easy: Get Started On Your Garden Now
In the Garden

It’s not too early to be thinking about your summer vegetable garden. The chilly temperatures are moving out quickly, and warmer weather will be here before you know it.

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In the Garden
From Stem to Jar: Simple Ways to Store Summer Flavor
In the Garden
From Stem to Jar: Simple Ways to Store Summer Flavor
In the Garden

Gardening in spring always brings a rush of hope. I’m eager to see the tender green seedlings mature, which fills me with promise about the season ahead. I spend those lengthening sunny days managing the new growth with countless hours of pruning, watering, staking and harvesting.

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In the Garden
Turning Up the Heat: How I Outsmarted Garden Pests This Summer
In the Garden
Turning Up the Heat: How I Outsmarted Garden Pests This Summer
In the Garden

Summer is my season for garden experimentation. I test ideas, push boundaries, and observe what thrives and what fails.

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In the Garden
10 Garden Lessons That Made the Difference
In the Garden
10 Garden Lessons That Made the Difference
In the Garden

I am a chef by trade with a passion for organic farm-to-table dining.

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In the Garden