Les Dames d'Escoffier, Ann Arbor
Founded 2015


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

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
REGULAR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
  • Presentations by Dames:  view and enjoy!  Learn what our members do and what they think about!  Other topics to think about:   give a tour of your own business; create your own topic.  If you want to do a Zoom meeting, consider providing preliminary video materials for Dames to study ahead of time (Sandy can help, if you want). Include audio, too! Offer a set of questions for participants to think about.  Then, come ZOOMday, all will be set and ready to participate in a constructive and interactive meeting!
    • 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.   Buy Tickets at Gateway Here

        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 new found 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.  Sandy likes it because it ties together her interests in mathematics and haute cuisine.  Why do you especially like one piece of equipment?  Is it because you have fond memories of using it with a family member?  Is it because it ties together multiple interests?  Is it simply because it makes food taste great?  Or look great?  What else?  Talk about your favorite item; interact with each other.
    • 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".  Look it over before the Zoom.  What was interesting or unique about your memories of the kitchen(s) you grew up in?  How has it influenced the career choices and decisions you made as an adult?  What else?  Talk about your Kitchen Memories; interact with each other.
    • 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.  If you find one that is not, and it is of particular interest to you, please contact sarhaus@umich.edu and she may be able to supply you with original materials from which the eroded link was created. 
    • Donna Tope, forthcoming.  Lavender farming and other local farming adventures;
  • Meetings
    • Regular Board meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month at 1:00 pm (Eastern Time).  The Board meets only when it needs to do so, but reserves this time slot for meetings.
    • Special meetings of the Executive Committee or the Board are called as needed.
    • Membership recruitment and scholarship development are ongoing issues.
MEMORIES:  PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
  • 2022:  Movies of featured Dames--forthcoming
  • 2022:  Alma Lach, Selected Archive, links present in Zoom meeting description above.
  • 2022.  Up close and personal with a Clydesdale horse, courtesy of our satellite group in Meridian, MS.  Event was held on Sunday, May 15.  Direct participants:  Donna K. Tope (LDEI and Ann Arbor Chapter), Sandy Arlinghaus (LDEI and Ann Arbor Chapter), Bill E. Arlinghaus (Affiliate Ann Arbor Chapter only), Deborah Mintcheff (LDEI President and New York City Chapter), and Toria Emas (LDEI Past President and Chicago Chapter).   Link to event summary:  http://www.mylovedone.com/LDE_AA/Zoom001.pdf 
  • 2021-2022:  Zoom:
    • Three test Zoom parties involving craft beer and featuring LDEAA affiliate, William E. Arlinghaus (Cicerone).
    • Study of how others organize Zoom culinary events:  Chicago Chapter of LDEI and Culinary Historians of Chicago.
  • 2021-2022:  Sandy is inventorying book supply for a possible donation to the Chicago Chapter.
  • 2021-2022:  Donna is working on an idea for interaction with the Portland (OR) Chapter.
  • 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.  She also participated with them in one of their book reading groups.
  • 2020--.  Ongoing research (Sandy) on kudzu and its possible role in Green Tables.
  • 2020 and earlier:  Fundraising and Interaction/Awareness Projects
    • 2020.  Establishment of Satellite Group in Meridian, MS.
    • 2020.  Ricky Agranoff Fund, established in honor of Founding Member, and Past President, Dame Raquel Agranoff (deceased).
    • 2019.  Continuing collaboration with some folks in New Orleans regarding the Les Dames Ann Arbor Chapter section in their food and wine library. 
    • 2017.  Interaction between LDEAA and various groups within The University of Michigan
    • 2017.  Scholarship Development, (thanks to Dame Amy Emberling, and to Dame Antoinette Benjamin and her husband Don).
    • 2017.  Alma Lach Circle,  (established in honor of Founding Member Dame Alma Lach (deceased); thanks to Dame Sandy Arlinghaus and her husband Bill, and to Dame Donna Tope).
  • 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, and Drew Faulkner. 

  • 2017.  Interaction between LDEAA and Project My Heart / Your Heart, University of Michigan, Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
  • 2017, December 14.  Downton Abbey Presentation and Scholarship Fundraiser, Cici Williamson.  
  • 2017.  Donation of gift book to all LDEI members in Ann Arbor.
  • 2017, November.  Alma Mater Circle, Nature Cove.
  • 2017, May 9.  New York Times:  Ann Arbor Food Scene
  • 2016, July 14.  Farm, Flowers, and Food,
  • 2016, Zingerman's Cornman Farms.
    2015-16. Casual get-togethers at Nature Cove Community Room
    2015, January 18.  Standing Committee Kickoff Meeting.
    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 LDE-AA.
      • Dame Sharon Olson:  Letter of Welcome!  Past-President, Chicago Chapter, Secretary LDEI.  Mentor to LDE-AA
    • Portland, OR, Chapter of LDEI

LDEI CONFERENCE DELEGATES:
  • 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.
  • 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,
    • Permanent collection housed at Special Collections Research Center, Joseph Regenstein Library, University of Chicago.  Summary of 285 images of exhibition
    • Exhibition, "Alma Lach's Kitchen:  Transforming Taste,"  September 19, 2016 to January 6, 2017.
    • 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.
    • 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
LINKS TO CULINARY INFORMATION BEYOND THE DIRECT PURVIEW OF LDEAA

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.  Photo of the Ann Arbor City Club reprinted here with permission of the copyright holder.  Globe image, Google Earth (TM).