Just 25 miles from Detroit in Ann Arbor, the Zingerman’s specialty foods empire includes a mail-order business, creamery, white-tablecloth restaurant specializing in regional American food, bakery & baking school, coffee roaster, catering branch, and merchandising & training consultancy, not to mention the cookbooks & eating guides.  It all started in 1982 with the Deli, located in an old house not very far from the University of Michigan campus.  All these years later, the Deli is stuffed from floor to ceiling with tasty treats, eager patrons, and peerless sandwiches.  In honor of the July theme, Camp Bacon, I sampled a BLT with cheddar, accompanied by a side of fried latke fingers and new-style crisp pickles.  Excellent bacon and superior tomatoes on first-rate bread:  the BLT is a simple thing, but sublime when elevated by impeccable ingredients.

Keep up with Zingerman’s co-founder Ari Weinzweig, who blogs over at the Atlantic monthly.  Or send a reuben sandwich kit to your favorite deli hound….