Detroit Pizza, Made in Illinois

Inspired by Zingerman’s recipe, Ann Arbor Michigan

Every Meal Has A Story

“Renee, why do you write about food so much?” is the question I was asked this week.

My reply was simple; I love food. It isn’t that I love food, really — it is that I love the science behind how yeast grows, how tomatoes bloom, and the best way to winter my fig trees. I also have a deep affinity for the natural world. I’m not just eating a fig — I’m eating a fruit from a tree I have nurtured for several years. It is like the tree gives me a purple, sweet, gift in return.

I’m not writing about food — I’m writing about the intersection of nature, the earth, my family, and friends I cook with and for to inspire the next generation of meal makers.

I’m writing a love letter to the list of ingredients that are all needed in this little community of pizza. The brick cheese is just as important as the water. We all need each other. It is a sacred union a mystical encounter.

I’m writing about the mystical nature of not only the food that I’m preparing today, but my ancestors. I believe there is magic in the measuring spoons handed down generations. I feel connected to anyone who has ever grown their own food. That deep feeling is hard to explain.

The Perfect Corner

The dough for Detroit pizza is sticky, it is a must to oil my hands as I spread out the…