Wellington Street Market

The braintrust from The Cook's House has opened a new neighborhood style market less than a block away on Wellington St.

See:
Eric's blog 'An Obsessed Chef': Market Opening!!

IPR: Wellington Market

Ice Wine

Black Star Farms has their A Capella Ice Wine for sale. Price is reduced to $75 until 12/25.

A Hops Explosion In Northern Michigan

The growing of hops in northern Michigan is generating incredible interest. Maybe barley will be next?

See:
GTHerald: Area farmers get hopping

IPR News Feature: Local Hops

Leelanau.com: Leelanau Sustainable Hops Production Workshop

Fustini's Gets More Local Coverage

I mentioned Fustini's Oils and Vinegars previously, now they have an article in the Record-Eagle: Fustini's: European with TC flavor

TASTES of Black Star Farms

Holiday Open House at TASTES

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 FROM 5-9 PM
Join us at TASTES of Black Star Farms for the Village at Grand Traverse Commons Holiday Open House. Enjoy complimentary wine tasting and get creative with a paint your own wine stopper - a perfect stocking stuffer!

Hard Cider

Northern Michigan has a growing list of options for hard apple cider.

Blackstar Farms has Hard Apple Cider.

Tandem Ciders recently opened in Suttons Bay (See: Hard Cider Revival)

And Mother Earth News recently had an article on creating your own hard cider.

See: Make Your Own Hard Cider

New Raw Milk Discovery

Raw milk has been mentioned previously.

A new study discovers a low temperature spoiler.

See: New bacteria discovered in raw milk

Another Iron Chef?

Cat Cora reveals there may be another contest for the 'Next Iron Chef'.

See B&C: Food Network May Be Looking For Another Iron Chef

TreeHugger Lists Their Nine Essential Foodie Books

9 Must Read Books on Eating Well

Praising Black Star Farms' Rustic Apple Galettes with Raisins and Apple Brandy

See the recipe at AH: Black Star Farm Apple Galettes

Turkey Taste Test

See MotherEarthNews: How Eight Heritage Turkeys Kicked a Butterball’s Butt

The FreePress describes the types of turkeys:
9 kinds of turkeys, from heritage to Michigan-raised

And SmartMoney has Cat Cora test high-end wall ovens: Can a $4,000 Oven Cook a Better Turkey?

In northern Michigan Biehl's Circle B Turkey Farm is a popular source for anti-biotic free turkeys. And Taste The Local Difference lists Hubbell Farm and Royal Farms as providing turkeys.

Suds And Snow 3

Timber Ridge Resort is hosting the third annual Suds and Snow March 7th, 2009.

See:
Winter is getting closer, here's something to keep you warm

The third annual Suds and Snow will feature microbrew samples from at least ten Michigan breweries (Arbor Brewing Company, Bell's, Dark Horse, Founders, Right Brain, New Holland, Jolly Pumpkin, Leelanau and Short's are confirmed so far) combined with snowshoeing. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door (advance ticket sales close at noon on March 6).

Butternut Squash Bisque

I got the basis for this from an old slow cooker cookbook. But I made it thicker and a bit healthier with the sweet potato.

1 medium-sized butternut squash; peeled, seeded, cubed
1 sweet potato; peeled and cubed
1 onion; chopped
1 celery stalk; chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Cup lentils; dry (I use the red ones)
1 tsp garam masala
4 Cups chicken or vegetable stock

Put the vegetables in the slow cooker, sprinkle the garam masal on top, then pour in the broth or stock.

Cook for 4-5 hours at high temperature or 8-9 hours at low temperature.

Just before serving take your potato masher or stick blender and mash/puree the soup to make it a thick bisque.

It is really good when served with Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery's parmesan olive bread.

Black Star Farms, The Incubator

The Record-Eagle on how Black Star Farms helps new farmers.

See: Young entrepreneurs try hands at farming

Raw Milk

Raw milk news all of a sudden:

Shetler Family Dairy Going Raw?

The idea Shetler's is experimenting with is to offer cow-shares.

Raw Milk Renegade

Raw milk enthusiasts think that unpasteurized milk contains important microbes and enzymes that help protect against everything from allergies to eczema. A 2007 Swedish study of nearly 15,000 children across five European countries found those who drank unpasteurized milk were significantly less likely to suffer from asthma and hay fever.

In other states you can get raw milk for your pets, but not in Michigan (See: http://www.realmilk.com/raw-pet-milk-sales.html)

Heritage Apples

Listen to IPR's story about Antique Apples in Leelanau County.

The orchard discussed is Kilcherman's Christmas Cove Farm where they offer over 100 varieties of antique apples, including reputably Thomas Jefferson's favorite, the Spitzenburg.

No More Wine At Two Lads Winery

Via MichWine: Two Lads Shutters Tasting Room

When the winery reopens, Two Lads will offer its first Riesling, along with a Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Franc Reserve, and Merlot from the highly-regarded 2007 vintage

Fustini's

Fustini's Oil and Vinegars gets featured in Traverse Magazine.

See:
Flavor Adventure: Fustini's Oils and Vinegars

Foodie File: Lane Milligan

The fruit-infused balsamic vinegars are amazing, especially the strawberry-balsamic. Unfortunately they do not have any 100-year old balsamic vinegar. The owner told me he didn't want to shock anyone with that price tag.

Love For The Right Brain

Right Brain Brewery is a cozy, friendly hidden treasure in Traverse City

One of the best involved Right Brain's Grahamercy Local Hop Ale and the Karma Palace IPA which were made with locally grown hops. Russ Springsteen, Right Brain's very own 'big idea guy,' told us this tale.

After hearing about Right Brain's situation amid the hop crisis, a local retiree summering in Traverse City returned in March with over 2,000 rhizomes. A loyal army of volunteers helped Right Brain staff harvest the hops, and they had enough of a harvest to create these two brews, with some left over to share.

See: Right Brain Brewery

Leelanau Wineries In The USAToday

Riesling rising, and more, in Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan

Northern Michigan Culinary Tours

The first, of what may someday be many, agritourism businesses is now open in Northern Michigan. This one is called Learn Great Foods and you can read about the experience via MyNorth.com - Trip to Bountiful

They base their Leelanau Peninsula tour at Sweeter Song Farm and it sounds like a great experience for the culinarian who is looking to eat their way through northern Michigan.

The Fruits Of Summer

The first peaches and apricots were at the Traverse City Farmer's Market last Saturday. Here are some guides to making this goodness last throughout the year:

National Center for Home Food Preservation - How do I? Can, Freeze, Dry, Cure & Smoke. Ferment, Pickle, Make Jam & Jelly

University of California guides to Canning & Food Preservation

Cook's Illustrated - How to Freeze Summer Fruits:We froze six kinds of popular summer fruits, using up to seven different methods, then thawed them six months later to find out what worked best (PDF).

Shetler's Ice Cream

This is exciting for northern Michigan ice cream lovers - Shetler's Dairy is testing three ice cream flavors at their Farm Store. The flavors are Vanilla Devine, Chocolate Delight, and Decadent Dark Chocolate.

Traverse City Restaurants And The Film Festival

Traverse City's downtown restaurants benefit from the TC Film Festival much more than they do from the Cherry Festival. Some will even extend their hours for the duration of the Film Festival.

See the RecordEagle - Eateries prep for festival crowds