Hello, from Michigan!

[QUEEN-GUINEVERE]

Hello, everyone! Just dropping by to say hello and briefly introduce myself!

I'm from Michigan, lived here all my life. I am single with two sons. The oldest left home last year when he got married; my youngest just left home, from Michigan to Arizona, to attend college. That's my "baby", so it's been a bit emotional to send him off into this great big world! I know he can take care of himself.....I think this is just a "mom" thing! Have been "dealing" with the empty nest syndrome!

I have two professions and five degrees! My kids called me a "professional student"!!! The first is a pastry chef, the other is a nurse anesthetist. My big joke when people would ask what I did for a living was that I put people to sleep.....and get paid for it!!! I'm retired from both but with the pastry bit, you would never know it! I still do just about the same amount at home as when I was working! It's really difficult to give up something you truly enjoy!

I am also 100% Italian (Sicilian, actually!), so I have a lot of Italian recipes to share, some history and humor, too!

Sure look forward to getting to know you! And if you ever have any baking questions, give me a shout! Here to help when and if I can!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Welcome Queen Guinivere! Roll out the flags and ring all the bells! The Queen is in the house. How are you doing? Glad to have you aboard. You will find all kinds of good people here, some who can cook like crazy, and some who are crazy to try cooking, and everything in between. You will see some sage guys and gals around here who tend to answer a whole bunch of questions, and accurately. We are a truly international bunch. Me, I'm from "da U.P., eh?" up in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Everyone around here calls me g-dub, or G.W., or Weed, or whatever. I love to help others learn the art and skill of cooking, and am fairly accomplished at it, though ameture. So I'll be one of those both giving info and asking questions.

And so, I have two questions: What part of Michigan do you hail from (Yooper or Troll, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to); what's your signature dish, the one that you created and can brag about? We all have a dish or two that we really love to make, and others love to have us make.

Again, welcome, glad you're here with us.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[pdswife]

Hi, welcome to the group!

 

[sattie]

About time you came out!!! I've seen your name on the 'who's online' list! Welcome to DC!!!

 

[Lynd]

Welcome, hope you enjoy the forum!

 

[LadyCook61]

Welcome to the forum. I'm 100% Italian too tho 3 rd generation American. I would like to see your recipes.
LC

 

[DramaQueen]

QueenGuinevere, I just sent you a private message.

 

[ChefJune]

Good to see you, Guinny!

 

[SizzlininIN]

Welcome aboard from one nurse to another! I have 3 brothers that live up there in MI ..... (Ann Arbor & Pinckney).
I absolutely love Italian food so any recipes you can share will be greatly appreciated. Did you learn how to cook through your mother, aunts and grandmothers? I'm not a big baker but I would love to know if you have a red sauce thats been passed down in your family. There used to be this amazing spagetti place we went to when we were little. Their sauce was unbelieveable and secret I should add. The guy took his recipe to the grave with him from what I have been told. I have yet to find a recipe that comes close but still keep trying.

 

[pugger]

Welcome to DC !!

 

[QUEEN-GUINEVERE]

Hello, again everyone!!! Thanks for ALL the wonderful "welcomes"!!! Now let's see if I can answer all of your questions and not miss any of you!

WEED: Thanks for your lovely post! About the "queen".....nah! While looking thru a King Arthur catalogue, saw the name of their flour and the name hit me! Oh, just LOVE the "Sue"! ! ! Love, love, love Mack, too! Love cycling around the island! Troll or Yooper? Technically, Troll, BUT, I get all over this state! There is just so much here to see. So much history! I truly doubt that Michiganders know just how much is here! From the early days of the Indians....the wars....and what is still here as far as manufacturing and such. Like Holland. When it's tulip time....OMG!!! Not only the sites but the smell of all those tulips in the air! Pinconning and it's cheese. Oh, I could go on and on! Signature dish? Well, that would have to be the homemade ravioli, tortellini, gnocchi, the homemade pastas. Then the sauces. The desserts. I really don't know! Those are the things I just LOVE to make. Everybody else says everything I make is "noteworthy". Go figure!!! To me, it's "just" Italian food.

My dad's mom is the one who really taught me how to cook and bake. She lived in Pennsylvania and during the summer, once school let out, my Dad would drive me down there, he would stay for about a week and visit with his Ma and sibs still living around there. I would spend the entire summer with her and my Aunt/Godmother, and just cook and bake away with her! She would get up around 3:30 or 4 a.m. and would start her day with baking/cooking/prepping for the day! She just passed, it will be 2 years now in October...on her birthday, no less. She was a ripe 99! Sure to miss her and her broken English! She really was a hoot, too, despite her age!


Sattie: Just am having a heck of a time getting around this site!! It's just so HUGE!!! (wasn't being "antisocial" ! ! !) Getting the hang of it, tho!

Ladycook: Where are you from, where did you grow up? There are "Little Italy's" all over the USA! Do you cook a lot of Italian foods? I have soooooo many Italian recipes to share, so if there is something specific you --- or anyone --- is looking for, let me know.

Sizzlin: What field of nursing are you in? are you a GP nurse? hospital? clinic? private practice? I sure do miss my job. I was doing both, the nursing AND pastry cheffing (due to a nasty divorce, had to!). I'm glad I still do so much in the pastry biz. Just did a huge wedding, well huge in today's sense, 400 people. Aside from the cake, they wanted a dessert table. Those are the ones I love the most! You get to suggest things that are not only YOUR fave to eat, but also to make! But I do love it all! Know exactly where A2 and Pickney are! Been there, still go there! LOVE A2 (sorry! That's the "lingo" for the city!). They have an art fair there every year which is just HUGE! If you really want to see all of it, which I would recommend to anybody who does go, you would be best served by spending the night there. There is just so much talent there. And the food!!!! Nothing beats street food, IMHO!!!

Do you recall the name of the restaurant and where it was located? There was this little place even WE used to frequent. (Italians usually don't go out for Italian food). The "chefs" there were the little old Italian women who still didn't speak English, or didn't want to, but they would arrive there early, 7 a.m. and make the sauces, prep the veggies like getting the eggplant ready for the parmagiana, or the caponatina....things like that. So for us to go there, it reminded Dad and Ma of their parents and cooking. But, one day, the place just caught fire. They never rebuilt it. Too bad, cuz it would have been a gold mine today!

I have several sauces you might be interested in. Also, what you say about the man and his "secret" recipe.....don't know what is up with that! There is an Italian-American club we belong to, once a month we gather, and THAT is a subject that comes up every single time! And it's not just the Italian's who do this, I am learning! Some Polish and German friends, their family does the same! I think it's just the pride they have in their cooking, and to see everyone == and I do mean everyone, neighbors, the friends of the kids, the mailman....if you were there when ANY meal was ready to be served, you also joined in! So to see so many people gather around their table, to eat and enjoy, and just have good conversation, etc., THEY just THRIVED on that!!! So, this is what we think is the reason behind their secrecy! We can talk more about these recipes down the road, ok?

Again, thanks all, for your kind welcomes! Look forward to getting to know all of you more as time goes on. (and if I don't answer a post/question, please be patient! As mentioned above, I'm having a slow and hard time finding my way around here! Thanks!)

Ciao!

 

[babetoo]

hi,

don't know how i missed this thread. in any case howdy and welcome. sorry our first dialog had to be over an obscene poster. could you believe it. did find way to notify adm. and have forgotten it already.

in any case , looking forward to talking and sharing recipes with you

babe

 

[smoke king]

Welcome QG!! Nice to have you here at DC!!

Baking questions-wow I've got lots of them!! Talk to you very soon!!

 

[toni1948]

Welcome your majesty. Looking forward to your posts..

 

[DramaQueen]

QG, still waiting to know where in Michigan you are? I'm in the Traverse City area (Williamsburg) for the summer.

 

[QUEEN-GUINEVERE]

QG, still waiting to know where in Michigan you are? I'm in the Traverse City area (Williamsburg) for the summer.

Clarkston.....Have you ever heard of the Pine Knob Music Theatre (now owned by DTE -- Detroit Edison, "the" electric company, for those not in/from Michigan)? That's where I'm at. I'm about 1-1/2 hours south of Flint, 1-1/2 hours north of downtown Detroit. I know where Traverse City is....used to frequent there and also would go up there several times a year to play golf at the huge course Arnie built. Cherry festival, too. Haven't been up north for a while.....miss it...miss going to the "Soo", do some gambling up there, and of course, Mac! Love to cycle the island, and just the all around quiet and small town atmosphere.

 

[DramaQueen]

Clarkston.....Have you ever heard of the Pine Knob Music Theatre (now owned by DTE -- Detroit Edison, "the" electric company, for those not in/from Michigan)? That's where I'm at. I'm about 1-1/2 hours south of Flint, 1-1/2 hours north of downtown Detroit. I know where Traverse City is....used to frequent there and also would go up there several times a year to play golf at the huge course Arnie built. Cherry festival, too. Haven't been up north for a while.....miss it...miss going to the "Soo", do some gambling up there, and of course, Mac! Love to cycle the island, and just the all around quiet and small town atmosphere.

Love Clarkston and the surrounding area. Almost built a home on Schoolhouse Lake. In the 70's my husband and I and 2 other friends had season tickets to Pine Knob. We loved going there for the concerts. The National Cherry Festival is still a big deal here.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Sizzlin: What field of nursing are you in? are you a GP nurse? hospital? clinic? private practice? I sure do miss my job. I was doing both, the nursing AND pastry cheffing (due to a nasty divorce, had to!). I'm glad I still do so much in the pastry biz. Just did a huge wedding, well huge in today's sense, 400 people. Aside from the cake, they wanted a dessert table. Those are the ones I love the most! You get to suggest things that are not only YOUR fave to eat, but also to make! But I do love it all! Know exactly where A2 and Pickney are! Been there, still go there! LOVE A2 (sorry! That's the "lingo" for the city!). They have an art fair there every year which is just HUGE! If you really want to see all of it, which I would recommend to anybody who does go, you would be best served by spending the night there. There is just so much talent there. And the food!!!! Nothing beats street food, IMHO!!!

Do you recall the name of the restaurant and where it was located? There was this little place even WE used to frequent. (Italians usually don't go out for Italian food). The "chefs" there were the little old Italian women who still didn't speak English, or didn't want to, but they would arrive there early, 7 a.m. and make the sauces, prep the veggies like getting the eggplant ready for the parmagiana, or the caponatina....things like that. So for us to go there, it reminded Dad and Ma of their parents and cooking. But, one day, the place just caught fire. They never rebuilt it. Too bad, cuz it would have been a gold mine today!

I have several sauces you might be interested in. Also, what you say about the man and his "secret" recipe.....don't know what is up with that! There is an Italian-American club we belong to, once a month we gather, and THAT is a subject that comes up every single time! And it's not just the Italian's who do this, I am learning! Some Polish and German friends, their family does the same! I think it's just the pride they have in their cooking, and to see everyone == and I do mean everyone, neighbors, the friends of the kids, the mailman....if you were there when ANY meal was ready to be served, you also joined in! So to see so many people gather around their table, to eat and enjoy, and just have good conversation, etc., THEY just THRIVED on that!!! So, this is what we think is the reason behind their secrecy! We can talk more about these recipes down the road, ok?

Again, thanks all, for your kind welcomes! Look forward to getting to know all of you more as time goes on. (and if I don't answer a post/question, please be patient! As mentioned above, I'm having a slow and hard time finding my way around here! Thanks!)

Ciao!

I'm an LPN. I was working in the Sub-Acute unit at the VA Hospital but have just recently accepted a position with a doctor I used to work for (Family Practice). I'd tried to go back for my RN but I'm too set in my ways now and don't have drive to sit in class or be tied to books anymore. If I had it all over to do again I'd of gotten my RN when I was younger and went into Surgery. But I'm thrilled with getting my old position back at the doctors office cause its truly the only nursing job I've had that I loved.

One of my brothers and his partner go to the Art show every year and buy some art pieces. They have some really amazing pieces from local artists. I love just driving around the area and sight seeing and stopping into the little shops. I think I'm going to go up this Thanksgiving and spend the holiday. I think next year I'm gonna take the train up by myself and meet them for the Art Fair. I was going to this year but can't remember why I wasn't able to.

The little resturant was called "Bakers". I remember walking through red and white curtains that were hung on doors and being taken back to a huge table (there were 6 of us kids) and candles on the table. But mostly I remember the spagetti and bread....OMG!! Those are great memories. I love a sauce that is has a mixture of sweetness with a little bite of heat to it.