Les Dames d'Escoffier, Ann Arbor
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Les Dames d'Escoffier International is the only organization its kind: 
a world-wide philanthropic society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, fine beverage, and hospitality.

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

One way to foster support for the Mission is to engage in activities and events that focus on special topics.  A few are listed below.


Fund Raising Activities and Donations or Scholarships or Awards

  • Our dues are very small ($175/year) but we managed to help support the food sustainability program at U of M by paying for an advertisement in the Ann Arbor Observer that showed the schedule of their programs.  It was reported that their mailing list was about 600 the year before the ad and increased to over 1,500 who signed up to the mailings of the program after our ad.  That increased the food sustainability progrm in Ann Arbor locally, to the interested 'townies' beyond the academic arena.  That is an audience that can only grow; we are so pleased we could help get that jump started with an ad in a respected Ann Arbor monthly that goes to so many residents.
  • Amy Emberling has donated time and funding to educate bakers and others via her work as Managing Partner at Zingerman's Bakehouse.
  • Chapter created Alma Lach Circle which has donated to various events and individuals.
  • Chapter created Raquel Agranoff Fund which has donated to various events and individuals.
  • Donna Tope created a Feed Me social media fundraiser.
  • Sandy Arlinghaus donated small awards for students.
  • Antoinette Benjamin and her husband donated to various funds, as did Sandy Arlinghaus and Donna Tope.

Presentations and Green Table Activities and Events

  • Kudzu project.  Two large kudzu tasting events, centered on using kudzu as a wrapper in association with crawfish boil in the Deep South (Meridian, MS).  One event based on traditional crawfish boil, for 20 people, and another based on urban (shortcut) crawfish boil, for over 250 people.  Events created, planned, and hosted by LDEAA Affiliate Bill E. Arlinghaus (Cicerone).
  • Presentations by Dames—a selection
    • Dame Allison Anastasio starred in an event, August 13, 2022:  COOKING WITH THE SEASONS, Stuffed Vegetable Edition at Gateway Farm in Plymouth, Michigan  Saturday August 13, 2022, 10am-12noon. Chef Allison brings the flavors and textures of Gateway Farm's produce to life in this mouth-watering workshop. Ignite the senses with tantalizing aromas and tastes amid Chef Allison's cooking demonstration before walking away with a box of seasonal organic produce, recipes that correlate with its contents, and newfound culinary inspiration.
    • Peggy Lampman, movie submitted August 2, 2022:  She leads us on a fascinating account of how she became a food-centric author of novels!  Enjoy time with Peggy as she hosts a barbecue on the shores of Lake Michigan; get to know our remarkably creative, Dame Peggy!!
    • ZOOM:  6:00pm, Eastern Time, Tuesday, June 28, 2022.  A Favorite Piece of Interesting Kitchen Equipment.  Meeting leader:  Sandy Arlinghaus. She is happy to relinquish this time spot to anyone else who wants to do it. If we proceed with this topic, please read the linked file:  PowerPoint pptx format; or Movie mp4 format.  It is derivative of a recent article in Solstice, focused on an antique copper French potato steamer. 
    • ZOOM: 6:00pm, Eastern Time.  Tuesday, June 14, 2022.  Kitchen Memories.  Meeting Leader:  Sandy  Arlinghaus.  Read the linked file provided in advance:  PowerPoint pptx format; or, Movie mp4 format.  It is derivative of a recent article in Solstice, focused on one of the kitchen's Sandy grew up in.  This visual could be entitled, "I grew up in the Chicago Sun-Times Test Kitchen". 
    • Sandy Arlinghaus, forthcoming.  LDEAA Dame and Event Planner, Sandy Arlinghaus:  Duplicate Bridge Tournament Planning.  Advance material:  Guide from 2008 North American Bridge Championship, Planning Document.  Many, but not all, links within the document remain functional. 
    • Donna Tope, forthcoming.  Lavender farming and other local farming adventures.
    • 2022.  Up close and personal with a Clydesdale horse, in the Brickhaus Courtyard, courtesy of  Affiliate Bill and our satellite group in Meridian, MS.  Event was held on Sunday, May 15.  Link to event  summary:  http://www.mylovedone.com/LDE_AA/Zoom001.pdf 
      2021-2022.
    • 2021. Sandy participated (using her dual membership) in the Chicago Chapter Les Dames event in which Barbara Glunz was honored as a ‘Dame of Distinction’ and in their associated annual business meeting. 

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    • 2018, April 18.  Dame Drew Faulkner, Washington DC Chapter, visits with LDEAA Dames at Zingerman's Bakehouse.  Dames Antoinette Benjamin, and from left to right in photo, Dames Amy Emberling, Ricky Agranoff, Lizzie Burt, and Drew Faulkner. 
    • 2017, December 14.  Downton Abbey Presentation and Scholarship Fundraiser, Cici Williamson.  
    • 2017.  Donation of gift book to all LDEI members in Ann Arbor.
    • 2016, July 14.  Farm, Flowers, and Food,  Zingerman's Cornman Farms.
    • 2015, September 14.  Inaugural LDE-AA Business Meeting.  Ann Arbor City Club.
    • City Club Roundtable:  memories of earlier times (mp3 files):  Raquel Agranoff    Antoinette Benjamin
    • Letters of Welcome:
      • Chicago Chapter of LDEI:  Dame Toria Emas:  Letter of Welcome!  Past-President LDEI and Chicago Chapter.  Mentor to LDEAA.  Dame Sharon Olson:  Letter of Welcome!  Past-President Chicago Chapter, Secretary LDEI.  Mentor to LDEAA
      • Portland, OR, Chapter of LDEI  From Dame Debra Kaminski


Travel

Yet another way to support the LDEI Mission is through travel.  LDEAA Dames have travelled together and learned to know Dames in other chapters as well as other cultures.


LDEI Annual Conference Delegates

  • 2019:  Antoinette Benjamin was the Zoom delegate to the 2019 conference
  • 2018:  Antoinette Benjamin was the delegate to the 2018 conference in Nashville, TN
  • 2017:  Antoinette Benjamin was the delegate to the 2017 conference in Newport Beach, CA
  • 2016:  Antoinette Benjamin and Donna Tope were delegates to the 2016 conference in Washington, D.C.
  • 2015:  Sandy Arlinghaus and Antoinette Benjamin were delegates to the 2015 conference in Charleston, SC  2015.  Participation is noted in the Winter 2016 Conference Issue of LDEI Quarterly, online and in hard copy.  Photo on pages 12 and 27.  http://www.LDEI.org

LDEAA Dames Travel

  • Antoinette Benjamin and Donna Tope travelled to Mexico City for a Taste of Mexico, along with Chicago Dames and others.  Account of Toria Emas, from Chicago. 
  • Sandy Arlinghaus travelled to Meridian, Mississippi where she met with southern chefs.
  • Antoinette Benjamin travelled to Southeast Asia for a spectacular food trip.
  • Dames Pat Amort, Sandy Arlinghaus, Antoinette Benjamin, and Donna Tope travelled to Chicago to a special event at the Joseph Regenstein Library of the University of Chicago.  Alma Lach Papers and Culinary Book Collection

o    Permanent collection housed at Special Collections Research Center, Joseph Regenstein Library, University of Chicago.  Summary of 285 images of exhibition

o    Exhibition, "Alma Lach's Kitchen:  Transforming Taste,"  September 19, 2016 to January 6, 2017.

o    Invitation to Special Event:  Ann Arbor Executive Committee of LDEAA invited.  Dames Amort, Arlinghaus, Benjamin, Tope all attended, along with about 10 Dames from the Chicago Chapter (exclusive of Arlinghaus, Benjamin, and Tope who were dual members (at that time) with Ann Arbor).  In all, there were about 100 guests, many from Chicago but others from elsewhere, too.

o    Link to display from Alma Lach Memorial party at Quadrangle Club, November 2, 2016.

·         Antoinette Benjamin, travelled to Edible London and a tour of the Cotswolds

·         Sandy Arlinghaus travelled to Chicago and met with Chicago Dames Olson and Emas

All of these are important forms of chapter enrichment!  As we move forward with continuing these, let us also look for others, as well.  New ideas are always welcome!
LINKS TO CULINARY INFORMATION BEYOND THE DIRECT PURVIEW OF LDEAA


WHAT DID WE MISS?  PLEASE LET US KNOW! WEBMASTER: Sandy Arlinghaus, sarhaus@umich.edu
Copyright 2015--present, Les Dames d' Escoffier Ann Arbor.

Image credits:  Floral images, Alma S. Lach, copyright 1998, and Sandra Lach Arlinghaus. Burgundy/green LDE logo created by Alma Lach for the Chicago Chapter (of which she was an original first-year member) and used here with their permission.  LDEI logo used here, in both original and modified form, with LDEI permission.  Globe image, Google Earth (TM).