Soil makers — Residents of Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park: Are you interested in making your own compost but don't know about home composting? You might want to learn more about Detroit's Garden Resource Program. A compost workgroup is just one of many classes they're holding all summer long. This one happens 6-8 p.m. June 28, at the Hope Takes Root garden, 2839 Wabash St., Detroit. To register, call 313-285-1249 or go to detroitagriculture.org.
Road to Morocco — The end-of-month prix fixe meal at Josephine Crêperie and Bistro focuses on Moroccan delights, with various seatings for June 30; $30 per person plus tax, tip and drinks; at 241 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-399-1366.
Blowing and bubbles — Dearborn's Glass Academy is planning an interesting event for next month: a combination beer tasting and glassblowing event. Participants will be able to watch glassblowing, sample from among five Michigan beers, and have the chance to walk away with hand-crafted glassware. It happens 4-10 p.m. Aug. 5, at 25331 Trowbridge St., Dearborn; 313-561-4527; reservations and advance ticketing required; tickets $45-$200.
FOOD/THOUGHT
We're always looking for a better burger — as well as the fries and shakes to go with it. Spike Mendelson, chef-owner of the Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C., shares the recipes that have made the joint so popular. The Good Stuff Cookbook: Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Wedges and More (Wiley, $24.95) has enough great-sounding recipes to keep you busy all summer. Spiced homemade mayonnaises and sauces adorn burgers made of everything from ground sirloin to fried chicken. And you gotta love the toasted marshmallow shake.
BOTTOMS UP
When Robert Benchley was asked if he knew that drinking was a slow death, Benchley took a sip of his cocktail and replied, "So who's in a hurry?" Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers is filled with these interesting quips and quotes from 43 great authors, along with recipes for classic cocktails they likely consumed in great quantities. Included are samples of the artists' writing at its most drinkable. Nicely illustrated by a Hemingway grandson, it makes a nice addition to any enthusiast's collection.
THE WORKS
Finally, a solution for the problem of melted ice cubes that dilute treasured drinks you'd rather imbibe pure. On the Rocks Whiskey Stones, made in Vermont, are crafted from nonporous soapstone that won't impart any flavor to your libations. Merely put the stones in the freezer long to chill them and pour the beverage over them in a glass. The resulting chill will take the edge off without subduing the flavor. Pick up a set of nine stones at Amazon or Sur La Table for less than $20.
