Ann Arbor Wood Fire Pizza Cart

Nick Wilkinson A2 Pizza Pi Wood Fired Pizza

Nick Wilkinson, an Ann Arbor native started A2 Pizza Pi (as in the symbol for pi), a wood fired pizza food cart. You can find him manning the wood fire oven at Mark’s Carts.(directions)

This the second season for the Mark’s Carts and the first season for A2 pizza Pi.

A2 Pizza Pi Ann Arbor Wood Fire Pizza

Nick got help starting his business by running a successful Kickstarter.com fund raiser raising over $10,000. I contributed to his fundraiser, which include a pizza for my support.

Nick strives for locally sourced organic ingredients for his pizza including local flour, sausage, fresh herbs and veggies.

He features seven different pizza, but will customize.

A2 Pizza Pi Wood Fire Pizza Menu

The pizza I tried was a Margarita with the addition of sausage.

Wood Fire Sausage Pizza

The heat of the oven gets around 700-800 degrees, which makes for a thin crust pizza cooked in a little over a minute.

Nick At the Oven

An interested feature to his oven is that he uses wood, which has been infected by the Emerald Ash Borer. The wood can not be taken outside of the area and it can only be disposed of by burning.

Ash Wood with Emerald Ash Borer groves

Mark’s Carts
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Pizza
Price Range $ (0-10)
Hours
Tue – Sat: 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Specialties

Lunch
Dinner
Services

Walk-Ins Welcome
Good For Groups
Good For Kids
Take Out
Outdoor Seating
Parking
Street

Contact Info
Phone 1 (734) 834-9775

Bona Sera Volunteer Appreciation Dinner

This post is mostly food porn showing off the great meal the gang at Bona Sera Secret Supper Club made for the volunteers who gave our time to support the great food and causes Bona Sera supports.

And this was just part of the meal. There was squid dish, potatoes, fresh salad and dessert with lots of wine all around.

Bona Sera is hosting another Secret Super Oct 15, for more info check out their facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Bona-Sera/100000615632037

Check out pics from a previous bonasera event

Pasta Rogue

Caprese Salad

Lamb with Rice

Lobster Bisque

Marks Carts Ann Arbor

It is offical. Mark’s Carts are open for business. For the most part it is a lunch scene to about 2:00 PM. Show up later and some of the carts may be closed up for the day.

I have tried three of the six carts so far.

I had a tasty coconut vegan stew from the Lunchroom and a vegan chocolate chip cookie.

Humble Hog served up some good brisket BBQ and for the more adventurous Head cheese.

And Eat, which has been a mainstay at the AA downtown Farmers Market had a tasty pork confit with a mustard seed spread.

All offerings were great.

The Pork Buns offered by San Street are raved about, but I have yet to try them or Debajo del Sol chorizo corn dogs.

Debajo Del Sol

B-24’s proves to be sustainable: By Anna Fuqua-Smith

Famous B-24 logo outside of the shop in downtown Ypsilanti

Downtown Ypsilanti’s new business, B-24’s proves to be sustainable, by Anna Fuqua-Smith, Washtenaw Voice staff

Just after two-months of operation, B-24’s in downtown Ypsilanti is proving to be viable.

Paying tribute to Ypsilanti heritage, B-24’s name originates from World War II when 8,700 “Liberator’s” bombers were flown out of Willow Run Airport.  During peak volumes, Willow Run employed nearly 42,000 people including “Rosie the Riveter.”

Martha and Tom Rumford, Ann Arbor, who own the building where B-24’s is located, has always seen this space as a coffee shop.

For more information, visit b-24’s.com or their Facebook page.

Anna generously let me provide a preview of her review of B-24 in Ypsilanti. Check out the full article and more photos.

Washtenaw Community College Restaurant Garretts Open Friday nights

Garrett’s is located on the first floor of the Student Center. Friday night’s service is new this year. It started fall semester. One of the unique features to Garrett’s After Dark is alcohol service. A variety of wine, beer, martinis and margaritas are offered depending on that night’s theme.

Feb. 25: Black American History Celebration with live Jazz (martini service)
March 11: Vegetarian (coffee tasting)
March 18: St. Patrick’s Day (beer service)
April 1: Southwestern Celebration (margarita service)
April 8: Spring into Barbecue (beer service)

To get a jump start on the semester, staff and guests were invited to a nice sit-down meal with all of the trimmings to help work out any kinks when Garrett’s After Dark opens on Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m.

The test run menu featured grilled shrimp with a mustard sauce as an appetizer and an Italian wedding soup, which consisted of meatballs and spinach in a rich broth. A seasonal soup of pureed root vegetables was also offered.

Diners chose between soup and salad. The salad consisted of mixed greens, chopped, hardboiled egg and crispy bacon with a choice of bleu cheese or balsamic dressing.

There were four entrees: fish cooked in a parchment paper pouch, grilled pork loin with fruit chutney and polenta, chicken cordon bleu with a wild mushroom cream sauce and eggplant parmesan.

The star of the meal was the dessert. Garrett’s featured a cheesecake bomb, which was dome-shaped and covered in chocolate. Also on the menu was a banana foster crème brulee, which was a sweet custard with bananas and a brown sugar rum sauce.

Last was the ice cream. WCC just purchased a new ice cream maker this semester, and the culinary students were eager to try their new kitchen gadget.

Three flavors of ice cream were featured, including green tea, vanilla and white chocolate. The ice cream came in tuile cookie shells that were shaped like spoons and tulips.

Meals are $14.95 at Garrett’s After Dark and come complete with an appetizer, salad, choice of entree, dessert and beverages. Alcohol drinks are an additional $4.95. To make a reservation, call (734) 973-3592 by the Thursday before, at 3:00 p.m. Garrett’s seats 50 guests. It sells out often, so Beauchamp encourages people to reserve in advance.

Gourmet Easter Chocolates: An Ann Arbor Tradition at Sweet Gem Confection

Easter is one of the “Chocolate Holidays” like Valentines Day, and Halloween. I was at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market last week, and I meet up with Nancy of Sweet Gem Confections. She had made these huge chocolate Easter Eggs. I meant to post a shout out to her Easter Chocolates earlier, but forgot. But this is still time!!! Here is a quick post of her chocolates.  She is always making new flavors of truffles. I am have a mission to try every flavor.

Update: Tried the blueberry and milk chocolate caramel (awesome)

Truffle Packages

Chocolate Pecan Turtles

"Food of the Gods" Spiced Chocolate Almonds

Chocolate toffee

Honey Cherry Cacao Nib Nougat Bars

Handmade Caramels

Chocolate Gift Basket

The Ultimate Dark Chocolate Cacao Nib Bar

Chocolate Making 101

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Chardonnay Oak Smoked Fleur de Sel Caramels in Chocolate

Chocolate Covered Popcorn

Spring Easter Basket

Chocolate Bunny

Cream Caramel Filled Egg

Chocolate Souffle Filled Egg

The New York Pizza Depot, Ann Arbor, michigan

Just wanted to get a quick post, and review out to NYPD, of Ann Arbor. As the NYC pizza at home guy, I figure it was about time I ventured out to NYPD. The verdict. It was great. The sauce was thin and sweet. The crust was thin and both had some tooth to it while at the same time a little crisp. In other words, the crust was perfect, not an easy feat. And the cheese and pizza was slightly greasy, which is what I think of for NYC pizza. They offer a number of other slices, and even dare I say Chicago style, which threw me because of the obvious NYC theme. I cannot speak to the other slice varieties. One was buffalo chicken. Two slices and a drink came to $6.10.

Cupcakes from Cake Nouveau

I have been on a cupcake kick lately. This time I went to Cake Nouveau. Courtney Clark, the owner and cake designer is a local celebrity in the baking world. She has appeared on several Food Network cake challenge shows including winning one of them. A huge Food Network check is displayed in the bakery next to the counter. I have even been in there one time when a group of tourist were asking to meet the famous baker, and get a picture. My cupcake kick has been spurred on with two family B-days this month, mine, and Emily’s Mom’s.

Cupcake are just plan simple. No pre-ordering a cake. No having to get the name piped on it. No fighting with the Fam to try and create a cake flavor everyone will eat. And no big half of a left over cake lying around to create guilt and add on too much calories. With cupcakes, each person can have their own cupcake (or two) with their favorite flavor(s)

With this said, the question is how were the cupcakes? My last cupcake review was from Cupcake Station, and for me they were the second best cupcake I have ever had, only next to Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah Georgia.

So Cake Nouveau had a lot to live up to. We purchased four kinds flavors of cupcakes, strawberry, chocolate truffle, tiramisu, and vanilla. The Fam liked Cake Nouveau over Cupcake Station because they thought the frosting at the cupcake station was too sweet, and they preferred Cake Nouveau. I preferred Cupcake Station, but Cake Nouveau had good flavor. (one person opinion)

The plan is to try every cupcake place in town, which should not be a big deal in a town as small as Ann Arbor. Yet, I just notice that there is another cupcake shop opening up. This one is going to located at the Westgate shopping center, near the West end library branch, Nicholas Books, and the Zingermans road house.

Still on the list, Plum Market, and Zingerman’s bakehouse.

Please share your favor Ann Arbor cupcakes

Happy B-Day to Me: 41 Years Old

Today is my 41st B-day, and to celebrate I am having cupcakes from the Cupcake Station this year for my cake. The love the idea of cupcakes because you can have a variety, they are cute little cakes, everyone can have their favorite, and you only need one candle.

Cupcakes are all the rage these days. It make sense. Along with coffee shops, cupcakes places offer a place to hang out and have both coffee/hot coco and cake. Most cupcake places sell mini’s, which lets people to have a small taste instead of eating a whole big sized cupcake, or other full serving size desserts. I figure that 3-4 minis make one ful sized cupcake, so if you want a cupcake, but do not want to over do it, you can get a mini sampler which I prefer.

So how are the cupcakes at the Cupcake Station? They were voted the best of Ann Arbor this year, and I have to excitingly agree. They are the best in the city, and in my opinion the best I have ever had. I am a big fan of what I call hearty frosting. The chocolate frosting is rich, thick and fudge like, and the cream cream frosting was also what I call on the hearty side. Some cupcakes I have had in the past were all show. The cake and the frosting are a pretty cloud, but there is not much there, there.

The Cupcake Station offers some 24 varieties of cupcakes. I have tried four (mini’s) so far (red velvet, pb & c, vanilla petal, and the original vanilla cake and chocolate frosting) and have been please with all of them.

Deep B-day thoughts?: 41 is not a freak out B-day like the ones that end in a zero. But 41 is no small event either. In the not so far past 41 was a ripe old age, and most were considered lucky to hit 41 in good shape.

I am planning for a very productive 41st year on the planet.I am in process of writing a few books (comic book/graphic novels), will be launching my microgreens biz this spring and summer, and relocating to Lansing to attend MSU in the fall to study documentary film. Also, along with writing this blog, I hopefully will be taking up the ukulele, which I got for last years B-day but have not touched.

CB