By Parry
Ann Arbor is our home. It was a good place to grow up, and four out of the five of us grew up here (my Dad being the exception, grew up in Salt Lake City). Ann Arbor is no stranger to good food. It is filled with places like Zingermans (rated one of the best food markets in the world), The Earle (real French and Italian), Crazy Jim's Blimpy Burgers (see "Dinners, Drive-ins, and Dives"), and so much more.
While we definitely appreciate the food we have here, our family's love of food traces itself more to the marriage of Walt and Paula (my parents) in the early 80's. From that starting point there has been a linear, then exponential growth in our fascination with food. With their powers combined, my siblings and I grew up on glorious food, the quality and taste of which could not be emulated in most restaurants. Such is the power of passion for good food.
Paula grew up in the age of Julia Childs. She grew up in a home designed by her father specifically with a focus on entertaining. Her mother loved to give beautiful coctail parties, soirees and teas. Any event was an occasion for a party. Even today at 82,. her mother can not have someone drop in without providing a spot of tea and biscuits. In high school, some of Paula's best friends' mothers were in to cooking too, so that she was exposed to great food wherever she went.
Walt grew up the youngest of five children. He claims that by the time he came along his mother, who was a good cook, was just tired of cooking. Walt liked good food and being a chemist by nature and eventually by trade, he loved to play in the kitchen creating concoctions for he and his cousin, Bruce, who lived with them for awhile in high school.
Together, Walt and Paula found good food and cooking to be what they enjoyed doing together and with others.
Along with our love of food, we love to travel. 2010 was a pretty good year for us. Corey went to China, Paula to Hawaii, Marissa was in the Ukraine, and I (Parry) wondered around Europe for four months. It is amazing how travel has morphed into food travel. For example, on our 2009 family trip to Chicago, all we did for two days straight was go to different restaurants. Basically it was food, food, food, and we loved it!
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| Marissa picking up the first round at Lombardi's on our Pizza tour in NY, NY |
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| Corey and friends enjoying some yummy crepes! |
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| Walt and Paula at home enjoying ome of the finest cuisine you can get in Ann Arbor |
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| Paula prepping for "The Big Bake 2010" |
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| May they take the processed plastic yellow squares they make so-called "Cheese burgers" with. May they take the insidious use of high fructose corn syrup. May they steal from us the unholy additives. But may they never touch our CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESE! (Parry, Corey and Marissa with Raclette, Gruyere and Parmasean) |
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| Parry enjoying some muscles in Belgium |
