Although I've never been, I'm a great fan of Zingerman's, a deli and mail order house based in Ann Arbor, MI. They have fantastic food like blood orange marmalade, Spanish olive oils, one hundred year old balsamic vinegar (on sale now for $500, regular price is $700!!! It's what I use. You don't?), an array of cheese they make in addition to a vast selection of other fine cheeses, a great selection of bread and many other treats. In addition, they also have clubs where you can send someone a little bit of heaven (coffecake, olive oil, bread, cheese, you name it) from Zingerman's for several months in a row. (E-mail if you need my address.)

In 2003, Ari Weinzeig, one of the founding partners of Zingerman's, published Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating: how to choose the best bread, cheeses, olive oil, pasta, chocolate, and much more. I checked it out of the library when it first came out and read it cover to cover. This weekend, I was lucky and found a deeply-discounted copy at the bookstore. This book is a wonderful resource for people who are interested in good food. It is clearly organized and has information about a variety of products such as origin, use, what makes one brand or type better than another and storage. There are also recipes in each chapter for using said product. By chapter, you can learn about:

1. oil, olives and vinegars
2. grains and rices
3. cheeses
4. meat and fish
5. seasoning
6. honey, vanilla, chocolate and tea

The book is a well written primer on food. Like their web site, it is cleverly illustrated and presented with a sense of humor, so a fun read.

Mangez!