Hazel Park, MI — With the start of the new year, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the past eight months since launching this blog and to share what’s ahead for future adventures.
This blog has been a treasured aspect of my life for the past several months, and the positive feedback and engagement have encouraged me to continue blogging and look into new avenues to grow my audiences. As I continue to meet more wonderful people throughout the local restaurant scene, more food adventures are recommended, which I then get to share later! My mission statement remains the same from when I launched this blog: to share the stories of great restaurants and all of the great people involved in representing the pride of Michigan’s unique and expansive culinary scene.
FULL SECTION: MI Foodie Adventures Blog
While this blog has taken up most of my life outside of my job, there have been some exciting developments on the career front. I was fortunate enough to put together and air three stories for CBS Detroit, all inspired from some of my blog’s earlier foodie adventures. I thought that while highlighting some of my memorable foodie adventures from this past year, it would be cool to weave in the career stories as well. Below are some of my foodie adventures from 2023:
2023 Stories
Some other recent stories include:
And then, there are the stories I initially covered through my blog, which would go on to inspire the three stories that were put together for CBS Detroit.
Brava Empanadas
On August 16th, I brought you the story of Silvia Parra McCarthy, an Argentinian woman sharing a piece of her culture through every bite of a delicious puff pastry considered a staple of the country: the empanada. Silvia had recently opened her brick-and-mortar headquarters earlier in the month for her empanada empire: Brava Empanadas in Northville.
A few months later, I was back to speak with Silvia, but this time for CBS Detroit. I caught up with Silvia and am now sharing her story as an updated continuation of my initial blog piece. Silvia and her family started with a food truck during the pandemic, and through hard work and after gathering a great following of supporters and empanada enthusiasts, they took the next step in their journey to share a piece of who they are with their local community through culinary representation. Below is my story for CBS Detroit on Brava Empanadas and Silvia’s journey to reach this milestone:
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/woman-shares-journey-from-food-truck-to-shop-in-northville/
88 Banh Mi
Barely a week prior, I brought you another story of a woman who recently opened her own shop in Warren specializing in banh mi sandwiches and popular Vietnamese snacks. Owner Alice Nguyen immigrated from Vietnam when she was 18, and several years later, took a leap of faith to pursue one of her longtime dreams, opening an eatery that familiarizes the folks of Metro Detroit with the popular and iconic banh mi sandwich of Vietnam.
The banh mi sandwich has always been a favorite of mine due to the buttery and crunchy, often lightly-toasted baguette bread and fresh-cut vegetables complimenting your main ingredient choice (whether that be meat or plant-based). Alice’s drive and ambition to grow her business and expand locations across the metro is inspiring, and I was honored to share it a second time in mid-November for CBS Detroit. Check out that feature story below:
The Baldwin Family
And finally, I shared my first foodie adventure about the Baldwin family and their restaurant, Testa Barra, on my blog on June 26th. My first story with the Baldwins was actually for CBS Detroit in March when I shared Michael Baldwin’s quest to win the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas. A few months after that story, I visited Michael and his wife, fellow Executive Chef Gabriella Baldwin, at their restaurant Testa Barra in Macomb Township. I tried some of their popular menu items and famous pizzas. I was ecstatic to share how superb the food at Testa Barra is, particularly their Roman-styled pizzas and pasta!
Fast forward a few months, and approximately one week ago, I got to share a more extensive feature about the Baldwin family for CBS Detroit. This time around, I told the story of the whole family, particularly the passing of the pan in the family business, and how a Detroit culinary icon’s legacy is being continued and expanded upon by the next generation. The feature focused on the impact and legacy of Jeff Baldwin, Executive Chef/Owner of J. Baldwin’s in Clinton Township, and how it’s inspiring his sons, Chef Michael and Director of Operations Jeffrey (jr.) Baldwin, to grow the family business while adding their own independent flair:
Looking Ahead
Up until now, I hadn’t realized how many places I was able to feature in 2023 after only having the blog for roughly eight months. Within that timeframe, I’ve shared 32 adventures, ideas, and recipes/meals I’ve made, including some guest appearances by my amazing friends I’m fortunate to have around me back here in Michigan. They’ve helped make the transition back home after spending five years in Phoenix much easier, and I’m grateful for their friendship, as well as their support and occasional involvement in this blog.
Some of my family members are actually my most ardent supporters, and I want to thank them for their following, as well as inspiring messages and comments, both in-person and online. I take notice of these kinds of things, even if it’s only a small gesture of goodwill, and I am very appreciative of it. It really motivates the heck out of me, and I can promise some great personal and professional foodie adventures ahead.
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Over the holiday weekend, I got some exciting engagement from my social media followers when I put out a poll for what I should feature next, with two options for people to select between. One of the options was for Cuban Street Food, while the other option was for a Fancy Taco Place. I kept the option titles vague, although I already had places in mind for each poll option. The votes were overwhelmingly in favor of pursuing the Cuban eatery first, which is going to be Frita Batidos, near Foxtown in downtown Detroit. The story is going to feature a very inspiring local chef who has crushed milestones throughout her career to reach the heights she’s achieved to this day.
Coming up next on MI Foodie Adventures, and to kick off the adventures for 2024, this Friday, I’ll be out at Frita Batidos before work to check out some of the food and speak with Chef and Owner Eve Aronoff. Per usual, barring any life or work distractions, I should have the story done within a few days. After that, I’ll be circling back to the taco place, found in the southern end of Midtown Detroit. Stay tuned for more details on that at a later date. Until then, in the name of all things food, we’re going on an adventure!
MI Foodie Adventures 
2 responses to “A year of foodie firsts, and to many more foodie adventures ahead”
Awesome adventures and restaurants from 2023! Looking forward to more!
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Looking forward to future blogs Jeff! Blessings!
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