The Summer of 2016 Drive Across the USA - Part Two: What We Ate (the chains)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog and we (Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy) try to keep things interesting.  This post is written by Cathy, who had a more or less interesting Summer of 2016 adventure which included food.  

Link To Part One

Link to Part Three

Link to Part Four

Again, it was not a vacation and the drive *to* Michigan was interesting and rushed (the drive back to San Diego was, fortunately, far more vacation-like).  Upon arrival, I was looking for familiar foods.  However, I needed wi-fi so I wouldn't use up my monthly data on the phone.  There were three places (Starbucks, Panera and Culver's) close by which had free wifi.  In the three weeks of my stay, I did patronize (not just hang out to get the free wifi) those businesses at least five times each. By far, my favorite was Culver's, "Home of the Butter Burger"  Fresh, never frozen, Midwest-raised beef, seared on the grill after you order served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and mayonnaise. This is a "Deluxe Double" ($4.79).
Following several Butter Burger meals, I opted for the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich ($4.89). You might notice the sides of cheese curds (this time, Wisconsin cheese).
A 'Wisconsin Swiss Melt" ($3.69, double $5.29)) -grilled onions on a wonderful (cheesy) grilled rye bread was also one meal choice. Culver's is also know for its fresh, frozen custard.  Made from real Wisconsin dairy sourced from local farms and prepared fresh throughout the day.  There's always chocolate and vanilla available, but also a unique Flavor of the Day. You can have a shake, malt or float made with the custard.  There was also something called a 'concrete mixer' on the menu.  Big Boy still has locations in Michigan. 

 For the most part, I enjoyed the traditional "Big Boy" Hamburger (two 1/8 lb patties, double cheese, lettuce, pickles, Thousand Island dressing on a toasted sesame seeded bun, with a toasted plain center bun) while having the occasional "Brawny Lad" (1/4 lb meat, a whole slice of raw onion, pat of butter on a toasted rye bun) with a salad topped with the (less famous) garlic oil salad dressing.
Another 'local' chain is White Castle Not much explanation needed; White Castle is where the 'slider' originated. Small, thin, steamed (there are five holes punched in that piece of meat) and topped with one pickle and a scoop of grilled onion, the taste is unique and so very familiar.  As a side note, these are now 79¢ each and I remember when they were 14¢ each (because I am old). 

In addition to burgers, there was pizza.  Jets Pizza  first opened in 1978 in a nearby Detroit suburb and is available in either square or round, cooked with a layer of oil on the bottom, for a nice 'crunch'.  
 Little Caesars began in 1959 in Detroit. It is a franchise concept and undoubtedly you have seen "Hot N Ready" advertising around here, indicating that you can just walk in and pick up a hot, fresh pizza topped with pepperoni for around $5. In the Detroit area, there are six types of 'Hot N Ready' pies as well as a few other "HnR" sides, which you can pick up via drive-thru (quite convenient on snowy days), or you can walk inside and order a personalized pie and even more.  Again, the pizza has that crunchy, oily bottom crust, which I've been told is 'Detroit Style'.  {As a side note,  Domino's was also founded in Detroit in 1960 as a competitor to Little Caesars and doesn't really have that oily, crunchy bottom crust to their pies}.  The downside to using the drive thru for a 'Hot n Ready' is that it is handed to you through the window and you have to place it on the seat next to you...and that surface is not flat.

 One other local/chain restaurant/snack stop where we spent some time was Tim Horton's, a Canadian based fast food restaurant (you might notice this location used to be a McDonald's-see the trash cans on the outside of the building?) "Timmy's" is primarily known for its coffee and donuts, although soups, sandwiches and ice cream is also on the menu. We did go to Starbucks for coffee and wifi, but were at Timmy's for a fresh donut quite a few times...

Other meals were made at home after shopping at the local Grocer, Meijer -fondly remembered as "Meijer Thrifty Acres".  Michigan based with regional stores, in 1934, it was one of very few supermarket chains that offered shopping carts and the concept of 'self service', then in 1962 it pioneered the concept of a 'Superstore'-everything under one roof.  Meijer sells not only groceries, but electronics, clothing, household goods, has a fuel station with an attached Convenience Store.  I was here for ham and hard salami and bread: Krakus Polish ham, Kowalski brand salami: many sandwiches were consumed.

Once things settled down, there was time to go out to a few non-chain restaurants and have those foods. That's another post. Thanks for reading!

Comments

[J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats]

Timbits! When I went to high school in Toronto I'd always have 16 cents counted out somewhere in my wallet so I could get a chocolate timbits lest we walk by a Tim Hortons :)

[nhbilly]

We have a Culver in SATX. I should try more than just the custard.

[caninecologne]

We enjoyed having Tim Bits when we were in Canada because they had so many flavors. Tim Hortons is everywhere! Here, there aren't that many flavors of donut holes.

I regret not getting a butter burger when we were in Wisconsin. We only did the drive thru at Culvers for their fried cheese curds (which were really good).

I'm glad you were able to rekindle food memories (old and new) during your trip to Michigan. Looking forward to your other trip posts.

[Cathy]

I remember driving into Windsor for the 'Canadian coffee' and a plate of ten Timbits to share, J.S.; an exotic, foreign treat. What a great place for you to grow up!
Oh you *must* try a Butter Burger, Bill- and maybe some curds too (grab one first while still hot; you'll hear the 'squeak'). All the food here was really good quality.
There were about ten flavors, cc; the 'birthday cake' was a surprise and basically everything was extremely fresh, probably due to the constant turnover. If I lived here, there would be so many different eating habits...but I did miss San Diego- my first stop when I got back (after that hellish drive to get thru the BlueCut fire) was for a carne aside burrito-there's nothing like it.

[nhb]

I do miss me some real SoCal Mexican cuisine.

[Soo @ hungryones]

That Culver's burger does look really good! Have you tried the Bob's Big Boy in El Cajon?

[Cathy]

I completely understand your cravings, Bill. Those will never subside.
Culver's is a great Midwest chain, Soo. I did post on our east county Big Boy, http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2010/09/big-boy-its-back-and-unchanged.html and was sad when it closed only 3.5 years later. http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2013/jun/14/bobs-big-boy-closes-el-cajon-parkway/

[Dennis]

Nice one Cathy! Very jealous.. :)

[Cathy]

I tried to do my best to take photos to document the trip that wasn't a vacation, Dennis. Good I made you jealous! The next segment won't have what you might consider quintessential Detroit, but it was for me.