arts & entertainment >> the best of everything A Legend Lives On 25 Great Years Of American Bulk Food p eople are shocked to learn she also cream for the health conscious sells Ma Cohen's cream and wine ... plus lo-cal pastries and herring, gefilte fish, Greenfield noo- low-cal muffins that are made dles, lox, etc. ... And you probably would directly at the store. be, too, knowing that it is not a grocery Also, by the way, muffin tops store or whatever. ... No kidding! ... Some people Many folks go to American Bulk Food, were buying muffins and tear- its windows plastered with bulk specials, ing off the tops because they celebrating its 25th anniversary on Orchard just wanted a smaller portion, Lake Road, between 14 and 15 Mile, West so American Bulk Food started Bloomfield Plaza, West Bloomfield, and baking tops, too! ... Italian are stunned at the assortment of wonder- four-calorie candy, low-calorie ful candy, nuts, gift trays (regular, kosher Walden Farms items, lo-cal (lark dairy or parve), gift baskets, goodies galore, chocolate bars with stevia, etc. kosher wine, etc. ... But herring, lox and In 1997, they opened a Godiva Chocolates gefilte fish, too? ... No joke! store in the Plaza that was later combined Low-calorie and low-fat muffins, with the present bulk food operation ... Slimmery soft-serve ice cream in three Sander's candies, too, plus Koppers choco- varieties — low-cal all-natural Slimmery lates parve for Jewish holiday parties ... and fat-free, sugar-free and fat-free, and lactose- a new line of exclusive hand-painted fudge free, lactose-free desserts, sugar-free choco- that has become hugely successful ... Also late raisins, sugar-free chocolate almonds plenty of kosher dairy and parve gift selec- ... even bagels, coffee, lattes, juices and its tions for their observant patrons. own coffee roaster yielding Many customers even 40 flavors of regular and come in for candy that guests decaf gourmet beans, etc. can enjoy at buffet tables of It all began years ago when • bar and bat mitzvahs and Sandy and the late Marty weddings or parties ... Sandy Benson opened their original helps them at the store with American Bulk Food store in color themes, how to set up 1987 on a corner of the West their candy buffets and how Bloomfield Plaza that used much is needed, at no charge to house Sam's Fruit Market for the service ... American ... The first inventory listed Bulk Food does not go to the only about 400 items in bulk, locations. including dried fruits, nuts, Marty had originally been Sandy Bens on candies, chocolates, bulk a pharmacist and started spices, baking mixes, etc., Grove Drugs downriver in with people so happy that Wyandotte, with his first they could buy as little or as much as they landlord being Alfred Taubman, who was wanted with guaranteed freshness. just getting started and "sweet-talked by When a larger location became available Marty" into giving him a lease, says Sandy. in the plaza, the bigger spot enabled them Marty and Sandy met when she worked at to add more and more items ... Then came nearby Arlan's Discount Store, became great their ever-popular Slimmery, the tremen- friends and were married in 1974 ... They dously enjoyed low-calorie self-serve ice sold the drugstore to Eugene Applebaum ... and American Bulk Food was later born to begin a fantastic run of 25 successful years. From 400 items at that begin- ning a quarter of a century ago, American Bulk Food today boasts a hugely successful oper- ation with a wonderful selection of thousands ... both kosher dairy or parve or non-kosher ... all still at the same location ... with three indoors tables to sit at and nosh or drink coffee or have a Slimmery. And yes, the honest truth, creamed and wine herring, lox, frozen gefilte fish, Greenfield noodles, etc., too! READER MINI REVIEW ... From Susan Sherbow ... "My husband, Mark, and father-in-law, Bud Sherbow, and I had brunch at the Emory on Woodward in Ferndale. My huevos rancheros were among the best I have ever had. Perfectly cooked over-medium eggs and, when cut, created a creamy, golden topping. Mark enjoyed his eggs royale, an English muffin with smoked salmon, spinach, basted medium eggs served with a beurre blanc sauce. The smoked salmon made this take on eggs benedict very appealing. Bud had the more standard eggs and sausage. We each savored the hand-cut nicely browned brunch fries. The Emory is definitely on my list for future brunches:' MAKING ROUNDS ... To Sweet Lorraine's, Greenfield, Southfield, for sesame chicken ... To Traffic Jam & Snug, Canfield, Detroit, for crab cakes ... To Root, Town Center Boulevard, White Lake, for scallops. IN A WONDERFUL gesture of a won- derful event, the entire 100 percent of the proceeds being given to charities (Pink Foundation and Multiple Sclerosis National Foundation) ... It's the big David Syme piano concert Friday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m., at the Steinway Gallery on Maple Road (corner of M-5 and Maple) ... Donation $25 tickets also include appetizers, wine and refreshments prior to the concert, which begins promptly at 7:30, and an afterglow party ... Peggy Ellman and Michelle Quillico are in charge of the food and beverages. Attendees may hear David tickling the keys on classics to classic rock and favor- ites like Rhapsody in Blue, Clair De Lune, Stairway To Heaven, Bohemian Rhapsody, Stardust, As Time Goes By, Chopin's Polonaise, Ritual Fire Dance, etc. Better hurry for tickets ... Seating is lim- ited ... Call Harry Ellman on his cell phone, (248) 821-9555 ... or email harryellman@ outlook.com. Fidelity Commercial Services by president Harry Ellman and Title Connect by its prin- cipals, Walter Quilico and Jeffrey Gunsburg, are underwriting the event. New York Sunday Times recently lauded David's appearances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and at major venues in 17 European countries, calling them "Most Unique Experiences" OLDIE BUT GOODIE DEPT ... One cold morning, Jacob was in bed sound asleep. His mother came into the room. "Son, it's time to get up. You've got to get ready for shul." "I'm too tired. Leave me alone," he said. "Son, you've got to get up and get ready for shul." "I'm not going to shul. Give me one good reason why I have to go to shul," he protested. "I'll give you two good reasons. One, it's Shabbos and, two, you're the rabbi!" CONGRATS ... To Pamela "Pam" Smith on her birthday ... To Sylvia "Babe" Hubert on her 99th birthday ... To Lawrence "Larry" Dictor on his birthday ... To Paula Grandon on her birthday ... To Howard Ball on his birthday. ❑ Danny's email address is dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net. YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY WITH A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE Reserve your holiday event prior to October, 31st 2014 and receive a Complimentary Champagne Toast for you and all your guests PRIMED (It 40 58 October 16 • 2014 STEAKS • SEAFOOD • COCKTAILS rc #PRIME29_WB 248.73.PRIME (77463) I WWW.PRIME29STEAKHOUSE.COM 6545 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD. I WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI 48322 (SE CORNER OF MAPLE & ORCHARD LAKE, NEXT TO PLUM MARKET) BEST OF ........................................ HOUR DET8017' 4.00.,ENc. WINNER2014 .. : . 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