Dreams do come true...

My very own Zingerman's Collection

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There’s an old phrase, “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans,” and that’s exactly what happened to me. In 2002, I was a student in Ann Arbor and on a long walk thinking about what I wanted to do with my life when I realized I was hungry and suddenly came upon Zingerman’s Deli. I walked in and stumbled into my life in food.

I literally stumbled in that I tripped over the door jam in front of the bread box. The person behind the counter immediately came out and helped me up with a sample of Sour Cream Coffee Cake. I ordered a sandwich, sat in the Next Door Cafe, and remembered that my friend Scott Tenbrink used to work at the deli. I sent him an email asking, “What IS this place?!?!”. He responded, “You should work there and find out.”

So I put in my application, with Scott’s name on it as a reference, which caught the attention of Rodger Bowser because Scott and Rodger had been friends for years. Scott vouched for me, and I was hired.

Fast forward over 20 years, and Zingerman’s has been one of the single biggest influences in my life. The business taught me how to taste food, how to think about its production, how to lead, how to envision a future, how to cook, and why all of this matters. Zingerman’s Co-Founder Paul Saginaw officiated my wedding to another fellow Zingernaut. Rodger encouraged me to go not only to cooking school, but to Ballymaloe, where, under the tutelage of Darina Allen, I became focused on the connection between farms and restaurants and driving forward my work not only at Granor Farm but with my three cookbooks.

Not a bad return on a sample of Sour Cream Coffee Cake and a sandwich that required two hands to eat! When they asked me to build a curated box, I just about passed out from excitement. This box is made up of so many things that are personal to me and my story, including things I’ve never tried until now. This speaks to one of the less heralded attributes of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses, how they search near and far for great-tasting foods made by craftspeople to continue inspiring palates every day.

I hope you enjoy the food in this collection as much as I do and that you, too, are able to stumble into a delicious life with Zingerman’s as your guide.

This is Rodger.

What’s in the Box?

Sour Cream Coffee Cake–the start of it all. This is OG Zingerman’s at its finest! My favorite story about SCCC (as we abbreviated it for sandwich line tickets) is when I worked for Paul Virant at Vie Restaurant, he met Ari and razzed him about how expensive the coffee cake is. Of course, Ari sent him one the next day. Chef Virant then came up to me (knowing my deep Deli love) and said, “It’s worth it. In fact, it should probably cost more.”

Roadhouse Bread–I LOVE Zingerman’s Bakehouse bread, and Roadhouse Bread is my absolute go-to. Developed by Shelby Kiebler, who now owns and operates Field & Fire in Grand Rapids, for the opening of Zingerman’s Roadhouse. It has that classic burnished crust with a delicate interior of rye and wheat flour studded with cornmeal. This loaf also shows the Bakehouse’s dedication to regional and stone-milled whole grains. The regional grain economy is so incredibly important and thankfully yields very delicious end results.

Lutenista Red Pepper Spread–The last time I was at the Deli, Chef (and mentor) Rodger Bowser basically yelled at me (as much as Rodger yells) because I hadn’t had the Lutenista spread. I think his exact words were “I’m so disappointed in you,” and then he put two jars in my basket. It has since become one of our go-to emergency dinners tossed with freshly boiled pasta or gnocchi. It also makes a great open-faced sandwich with thick-cut toast and flaked smoked fish on top. Long story short, when Rodger tells you to do something (like go to cooking school or buy a specific jar of sauce), you should do it.

Germack Pistachios– This Detroit institution has been roasting and selling nuts since the early 1920s, and they are still some of the most delicious pistachios I’ve ever eaten. My family sends them as holiday gifts every year, keeping several bags for ourselves naturally.

Rancho Meladuco Medjool Dates– When selecting items for this box, I was looking through the vast inventory of the Zingerman’s Mail Order and stumbled upon these dates and thought, “I want to know what a $24 box of dates tastes like!” I can tell you they are a steal at twice the price.

Hot Peppers in Olive Oil– I love these peppers because the heat is nuanced and not blow-your-head-off hot. Plus, the way they are chopped and stored in oil makes them very easy to spoon over just about everything. My favorite has been to dress the Medjool dates before spooning the sweet, spicy combo over top of ricotta or whipped tahini as an appetizer.

Spiced Plum Preserves– As a child, I was obsessed with the idea of sugar plums, probably from the Nutcracker, but also, can you imagine anything more delicious-sounding than sugar plums?! Early indicator that plums would become my favorite fruit as an adult. I love them (and these preserves) because they are tart enough to balance sweetness and can play well with savory items. TBH, I usually just spoon these preserves over yogurt or a scone for breakfast, but I’ve also loved thinning the preserves with a bit of water or sweet apple cider to make a glaze for a crispy-skinned roast chicken. They also pair very well with pork, either straight dolloped on a pork chop or blended with mustard to go with schnitzel. As soon as parsnips come ready at the farm, I plan on roasting boiled and slightly smashed parsnips and topping them with dollops of this jam. This jam is the literal definition of everyday luxury.