S2649 Classic Michigan Food and Drinks: The Stories Behind The Brands
Class | Registration opens Monday, March 16, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Did you know the Ritz Cracker was invented in Jackson? Or that Michigan is the pickle capital of the US? Join authors Gail Offen and Jon Milan as they reveal secrets and surprises from their latest book “Classic Michigan Food and Drinks: The Stories Behind the Brands,” (History Press, 2024), It's full of amazing history, stories and photos about the Michigan food and drink brands we know and love.
In Person at the Hawk - Not Recorded
Jon Milan
Jon Milan is a Detroit-based freelance author, pianist, and music historian. He frequently lectures on Michigan-related subjects and has written five books including Detroit: Ragtime and the Jazz Age, Arcadia, 2009; and Old Chicago Road. Arcadia, 2011. His most recent books, co-authored with Gail Offen, include: Grand River Avenue: Detroit to Lake Michigan, Arcadia 2014; Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor, Arcadia, 2016 and Michigan Haunts: Public Places, Eerie Spaces, Arcadia, 2019. He has written for The Detroit Metro Times, Detroit Monthly Magazine, and The Detroit Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Magazine. He has spent his professional career as a corporate communications manager.
Gail Offen
Gail Offen is an adjunct professor of advertising at Lawrence Technological University and an award-winning creative director, writer, and branding specialist. She’s a frequent lecturer on Michigan-related subjects and co-author of several books: Grand River Avenue: From Detroit to Lake Michigan, Arcadia, 2014; Iconic Restaurants of Ann Arbor, Arcadia, 2016 and the newly-released Michigan Haunts: Public Places and Eerie Spaces, Arcadia, 2019.