Detroit's Legendary Maurice Salad Dressing

New York City has Macy's,
Chicago had Marshall Field's,
Here in Detroit, our Grand Dame of department stores was J.L. Hudson.


For over a century, the J.L. Hudson Department Store on Woodward Ave. was more than just a store--it was a Detroit icon and a world-class cultural treasure. At 25 stories, it was the world's tallest department store, and second largest (after Macy's in N.Y.C), and was at one time home to the most exceptional offerings in shopping, dining, services, and entertainment.



The store prided itself on stocking everything from grand pianos to spools of thread. In addition to departments offering fashionable clothing and home furnishings, the original Hudson's store featured an auditorium, a circulating library, a magnificent place called "Toytown", and the world's largest American Flag.
To read more about this magnificent department store, check out this book: Hudson's Detroit's Legendary Department Store.

Now this blog is not about shopping, it's about food. Hudson's downtown location housed many culinary retreats for hungry guests. The thirteenth floor was home to several restaurants, including The Pine Room, The Georgian Room, and The Early American Room, which later evolved into The Riverview Room. The store also offered a tearoom, snack bar, bakery, and fine wine shop, among other specialty food and dining venues.
Though Detroit's downtown gem closed in 1983, many of its culinary traditions have been passed on to its other Hudson's locations. Now under the Macy's name, and before that, Marshall Field's, Hudson's favorites continue to delight beyond Michigan.

One menu item from Hudson's, in particular, was the Maurice Salad. Who was Maurice? Some say he was a chef at Hudson's, where this salad made its debut, though no one knows for sure. While Maurice's identity may have faded into obscurity, his chef's salad with this lemony-mayo dressing remains the number-one seller in all of Macy's Michigan restaurants known as "The Lakeshore Grille". Bottles of this famous dressing can be purchased in all of Macy's Michigan locations, and now you can make this delicious dressing yourself!


Look for small bottles of onion juice in the spice section of many supermarkets. If it's not available, grate a piece of onion and squeeze the pulp through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer.


To make this wonderfully easy and tasty dressing, you'll need:

2 teas. white vinegar
1-1/2 teas. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 teas. onion juice
1-1/2 teas. sugar
1-1/2 teas. Dijon mustard
1/4 teas. dry mustard
1 cup of mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
2 Tbls. chopped, fresh parsley
1 hard-cooked egg, finally diced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.


Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, onion juice, sugar, Dijon & dry mustard's in a bowl and whisk well to dissolve the sugar.

Now whisk in the mayonnaise, parsley and egg. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Use this as a salad or sandwich dressing. Keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Now if you'd like to make the official Maurice Salad, as served at Hudson's, in a large bowl, combine 1 lb each of cooked ham, turkey breast, and Swiss cheese all cut into thin julienned strips and 1/2 cup minced sweet pickles. Toss lightly, add the dressing and fold together. Shred one head of iceberg lettuce and arrange a bed of shredded lettuce on 4 salad plates. Top the meat & cheese mixture onto each bed of lettuce and garnish each salad with 2 pimento stuffed green olives, and a couple hard-cooked egg slices. Serve at once!

Paczki - Such a Guilty Pleasure!

It's Fat Tuesday, and that means one thing to Metro Detroiters: Paczki!

Each year I cannot wait to sink my teeth into these caloric treats that make plain donuts look downright wimpy, and they are a part of living in Detroit that no Michigan resident or visitor should miss.

A paczki (pronounced: pawnch-kee or poonch-kee) is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with a confiture or other sweet filling. Paczki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol is added to the dough before frying; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough.

Although they look like Bismarck's or jelly doughnuts, paczki are made from an especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and cream fillings and can be glazed, or covered with sugar. Stewed plum jam, prunes or wild rose hip jam are traditional fillings, but many others are used as well, including strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, chocolate, custard, raspberry, lemon, and apple.

Paczki have been known in Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of August III, under the influence of French cooks who came to Poland, paczki dough was improved, so that paczki became lighter, spongier, and more resilient.

In the Polish community of Hamtramck, Michigan, a small enclave located within the city limits of Detroit, there is an annual Paczki Day Parade, which has gained a devoted following. Many Hamtramck bakeries open as early as 3 AM and have people lining up, as early as the night before, for paczki on Paczki Day. The Paczki Day celebrations are even larger than many celebrations for St. Patrick's Day.

A favorite Hamtramck bakery of mine and one of the more popular places to get your paczki at is "The New Palace Bakery" located at 9833 Joseph Campau Street in Hamtramck.
"A Hamtramck staple, the New Palace Bakery has been peddling paczki for nearly 90 years. Their plum, apple, blueberry and raspberry paczki will tempt you. New palace has a dizzying selection of polish pastries, including babkas, fruit pies, dumplings, danishes and doughnuts. They make their own Moon Pies, and one can't help but stifle a giggle at their chocolate and vanilla "boy cookies," literally shaped like little boys."

Here's a look at the crowds early Tuesday morning as people lined up for hours!

It was even snowing!

The line extended all the way around the block and even more people were approaching to get their place in line!

People braved the cold temps and snow just for these tasty little buggers!

On Paczki day I also make a stop and my absolute favorite Italian bakery for more paczki, but paczki of a different kind! Tringali's Bakery in Warren MI, famous for their Italian Cannoli make their version of a Paczki filled with that rich, creamy and delicious cannoli cream! These are beyond heavenly!

For those who want amazing pie and a paczki-like experience, Michigan's own Achatz Handmade Pie Company , featured many times on The Food Network, has a special pie just for Fat Tuesday. The Paczki Pie features a crispy sugar glazed pastry shell filled with their famous vanilla cream and topped with their signature Michigan 4-Berry pie filling. This pie is just as good as the little packzi themselves!

Another unique Fat Tuesday treat comes from a local BBQ restaurant; Lazybones Smokehouse, has a created a "BBQ Pulled Pork" Paczki for today and are selling them for a $1.00 each. I haven't not tried or seen these, but curiosity may have me visit there today.

A Classic Detroit Summer Time Treat!

If you were born and/or raised anywhere near Detroit, MI then you've probably enjoyed a Boston Cooler at least once in your life! Since Vernors is my preferred soft drink, I like to enjoy these throughout the year!

A little history of the Boston Cooler:

The origin of the Boston cooler lies in Detroit, Michigan the city in which Fred Sanders is credited with inventing the ice cream soda. The name almost certainly has no connection to Boston, Massachusetts, where the beverage is virtually unknown. One theory is that it was named after Detroit's Boston Boulevard, the main thoroughfare of what was then an upper-class neighborhood a short distance from James Vernor's drugstore.
It is known that by the 1880s the Boston cooler was being served in Detroit, made with the local Vernors, an intense golden ginger ale, unlike most modern dry ginger ales. Originally, a drink called a Vernors Cream was served as a shot or two of sweet cream poured into a glass of Vernors golden ginger ale. Later, vanilla ice cream was substituted for the cream as a Vernors float. Unlike a float however, a Boston Cooler is blended like a thick milk shake. Both Sanders' soda fountains and the Big Boy restaurant chain used their milkshake blenders to prepare the drink (it was a signature menu item at Big Boy until its change in ownership in the 1980s).
It can be found most often in the Detroit region's many Coney Island-style restaurants, which are plentiful because of Detroit's Greektown district influence. National Coney Island is one of the few restaurant chains to list the Boston cooler in their menu. It is also found at the Detroit-area Dairy Queens and at Halo Burger, a mid-Michigan fast food chain.



To make a Boston Cooler, all you need is a large mug type glass (frosted if you prefer), add about 2-3 scoops of vanilla ice cream, then add Vernors Ginger Ale (regular or diet) and enjoy!

Iron Chef Michael Symon in Detroit!

Recently, Detroit's Eastern Market kicked off their "Taste Of Eastern Market" series of cooking demonstrations. Their first demo, on May 2, 2009, featured Food Network Star, Iron Chef & Restaurateur Michael Symon.

Chef Symon recently opened a new restaurant, called "Roast", in the historic Book- Cadillac Hotel in Downtown Detroit. Once known as the crown jewel of Detroit hotels, the 85 year old hotel received a multi-million dollar restoration after being shuttered and left to rot for over 20 years. It is now known as "The Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel".

His demo emphasized on cooking with the bounty of fresh vegetables that are around in the early Spring. I arrived bright and early (at 7 am) to catch the 9 am cooking demo and to secure a good viewing spot, right up front.

Here, Chef Symon is making sure everything is set up to his liking in the demo-kitchen.



Chef Symon is getting all his ingredients together.



Just about ready to begin here!



Chef Symon explaining the importance of seasoning meats BEFORE cooking & not to be afraid of salt!



Chef Symon taking time to answer questions from people in the crowd.



Here, Chef Symon makes a vinaigrette for the Spring Vegetable Salad.



Some final seasoning.



Plating up this quick and simple dish.





Answering some more culinary questions from an audience member.



Grilled Lamb T-bones with Spring Vegetable Salad! This recipe will be available in Chef Symon's forthcoming cookbook, "Live To Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen", due out November 3, 2009.



Of course, Chef Symon was kind enough to pose for photographs with his adoring fans! I am never comfortable with taking photo's for any reason!





You can also check out Chef Symon's blog, Symon Says.

Detroit's Eastern Market

The Detroit Farmer's Market began in downtown Detroit, east of Woodward Ave., in 1841. When it moved to its present location in 1891, it was re-named Eastern Market. Today, in 2009, the historic farmers market and shopping center is 168 years old.

From the days of the horse-drawn carts to present day trucks, farmers have annually hauled thousands of tons of fresh produce to Detroit's Eastern Market area for re-sale to wholesalers, retailers and the general public. The figure is estimated to be over 70,000 tons a year.

On any given Saturday, some 45,000 Detroiters, suburbanites, and out-of-staters can be found shopping elbow to elbow at farmer's stalls or area retail shops for products from Michigan and as near as Ohio and Canadian farms, to as far as the European, Middle East, Asian, and South American farming areas.

Eastern Market is not only known for its luscious, colorful farm fresh fruits and vegetables, but also for the meat products (beef, pork, lamb, poultry, geese, ducks and rabbits.) Also, for the herbs and spices, nuts, candies and a variety of condiments supplied by retailers and wholesalers. A variety of fresh fish and seafood is also available.

The Annual Flower Days held at Eastern Market each year (this year, May 17, 2009), offers bedding plants, flowers, shrubs, evergreens, etc. It is recognized as the world's largest bedding flower market.

Eastern Market is also a people watcher's delight. A melting pot of rich, poor, young and old browse and actually bargain old-world style for what suits their interests, absorbing the sights, sounds, color and excitement of the Eastern Market area. Many people make an entire day out of shopping here, arriving before 7 a.m., having breakfast at one of the area's restaurants, then spending the morning shopping!

Built on the site of an early hay and wood market, Eastern Market area was one of three markets founded in the l850's. The farmers market portion moved to the present Eastern Market area site in 1891 from the old Cadillac Square area.

Although an open-air farmer's market existed prior to the Civil War, the first sales shed was built in l89l in the Vernor, Russell, Gratiot area, amid several other food establishments which had already located in the area. As the market area prospered, additional sheds were constructed in 1922 and 1929. Through the post-Depression era, the Eastern Market area grew, expanding in size and logging record truck-loads of farm products and other items as well. Following World War II, pre-packaged foods and the beginnings of the modern supermarket, shopping was altered for Detroiters and the way they shopped for food. So did Eastern Market, as more wholesalers and processors located in the area. Eastern Market developed into an important hub for the southeastern Michigan food distribution industry. Plans are to make it bigger, better and more efficient for the future.

Eastern Market was declared an historic area in 1977 by the State of Michigan Historical Commission. Many of the original buildings are still in operation today.

One of the many colorful murals painted on buildings throughout the market




Although a staple in the Fall, this vendor provides Michigan made apple cider, fresh donuts and homemade jams & jellies all year round at Eastern Market. They are also famous for their "Mountain Dew" jelly. One of these days I'm going to try it!





You can also get some of the freshest eggs of all kinds here. Every once in a while, vendors will also bring live chickens for sale here!






Grapefruits, Cabbages and Pineapple!






Cauliflower and string beans!






A wide variety of potatoes as well!






Fresh broccoli, squash and zucchini's! I'm thinking amazing stir-fry!




Of course my visit this past weekend was very early in the season, so this was just a sampling of the hundreds of items available in the market.



A local bakery sells a wide variety of "healthy" breads as well.








This small corner shop was home to Rafal Spice Company. A family run business in Eastern Market for well over 48 years. Spices, herbs, coffees, teas and other unique ingredients from around the world lined the walls and shelves of this tiny shop. Just walking towards the store you could smell the aroma of fresh spices. One could get just about any spice or herb known to man here.
Martha Stewart even purchased spices here and has listed Rafal Spice Company in the "Sources" section of many of her cookbooks. In return, Rafal Spice Company ran many ads in the "MarketPlace" section of "Martha Stewart Living" magazine.
Unfortunately, due to Detroit's failing economy, Rafal Spice Company closed it's doors in December, 2008. Anticipating re-opening in March of 2009, the store was still closed during my recent visit in April.






Another favorite store of mine, is R. Hirt jr. Co. This specialty goods store founded in 1887 by Rudolph Hirt jr. makes you feel like you walked into a time machine and came out a century earlier in the middle of a bustling general store. The immediate smell that engulfs you is the smell of over 300 varieties of cheeses they offer!






On Saturdays, a line starts at the front of the counter and continues to find its way right out the front door. With the quality products that R. Hirt jr. sells, the line is understandable. Not only is cheese aplenty, but other products sold are meats, freshly baked loaves of bread, tea, chocolates, sauces, oils, pastas and pickles.





These crates contain a wide assortment of only REAL maple syrup.



These shelves are lined with hundreds of different olive oils and vinegars from around the globe! The top of the shelves offer many glass vessels to store such items as well as unique glass beverage dispensers.

The photo above is a display of the many "Michigan Made" items available at the store.

If you wander towards the back of the store, you'll come to a creaky old wooden staircase. Venture up to the top floor to take in the stores extensive collection of wicker baskets, other wicker related items and hand-made crafts.

Just outside the store they offer a wide variety of garden items such as terra-cotta and painted gardening pots and other garden decor such as these whimsical garden ornaments.



The market also boasts a few nice antique dealers as well. Since most of the shops are small, on warm sunny days such as this was, the shops will display merchandise outside in front of the shops.



This hilarious banner, at another shop that sells garden decor, was advertising "Glass Gazing Balls". I assure you, the sign does get your attention!




They also offered these gigantic flower pots! I would love to have a couple of these out front, but they wouldn't even fit in my Jeep!



After exploring Detroit's Eastern Market you're most likely going to be hungry. If you love good BBQ, check out Bert's MarketPlace for their Saturday outdoor BBQ! Huge lines form to enjoy delicious ribs, burgers, chicken, etc.



Enjoy your food on Bert's large outdoor patio. Often times, there is a DJ playing music, as well as karaoke.

Other great dining options in Eastern Market are:

Vivio's - Home of their famous Bloody Mary's

Roma Cafe Italian Restaurant - Detroit's oldest family run restaurant (119 years old)

Butcher's Inn

Louie's Ham & Corned Beef - 3570 Riopelle Street, Detroit MI 48218


For more information on what's going on in the market, including the many special events being held there weekly, check out their website: Detroit's Eastern Market