Use Thermotherapy To Keep Fresh Berries From Getting Moldy

Via the NYT: Prolonging the Life of Berries

For thicker-skinned blueberries, a Canadian study recommended a 140-degree treatment for 30 seconds. I tested it twice, with samples of around 150 berries each time. That heat took the bloom off. It melted the natural wax that gives the berries their whitish cast, and left them midnight blue. It also cut the number of moldy berries from around 20 per sample to 2.

So this is like inviting berries to the James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party.
"Should I get in the hot tub?
Yeah!
Will it make me wet?
Yeah!"

Eddie Murphy - James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub

Domenica Marchetti Writes Again About Her Northern Michigan Vacation

First it was Cherries, now she writes about Leelanau Cheese's Raclette at her "Say Cheese" blog hosted at the Washington Post: Say Cheese: Raclette Born in the USA

Bellaire's Shorts Brewery Lines Up Four (maybe five) Year-Round Brews

Via Mlive: Short's Brewing Co. update: Soft Parade bottles hit shelves, $250,000 expansion underway

As it attempts to meet production needs for its four main beers -- Huma, Pandemonium, Brown and Soft Parade -- Short's is tentatively hoping to add one more year-round bottle, The Magician, the dark red London ale.
Newman-Bale said they're also considering adding seasonal bottle releases with the winter brew, Cup 'O Joe, the coffee cream stout, and The Liberator, Joe Short's 30th birthday brew, a "pretty intense" double Huma. It could happen by November or December, he said.

I Like Cherries

Note to Ms. Marchetti, those of us who reside "Up North" love our raw cherries too!

See NPR: Pucker Up For Sour Cherries

It wasn't until the late 1980s that sour cherries entered my orbit again, when I headed to Detroit to take my first newspaper reporting job. By day I chased local news, but on my own time I chased local foods. I soon discovered that the northwestern part of the state along the shores of Lake Michigan (fondly known to Michiganders as Up North) is the sour cherry capital of the U.S.

*Bonus* Audio Two's "I like cherries"

Container Gardening With Hops

Yes, it can be done. See Homegrown Evolution: Hops in Containers
Perfect for the home brewer.

Foraging For Mulberries

I love mulberries. I love getting a purple juice stained hand when picking them. Around Traverse City the mulberry trees are still producing juicy berries. In past years I've picked mulberries around Cherry Festival time. But what to do with all this bounty? How about a mulberry tarte tatin.

See Goodeater: Urban Foraging: Mulberries

The Atlantic Food Channel posted an apple tarte tatin recipe too.

Feeling Hopy

The Old Mission Hop Exchange has a web site up!
See: OldMissionHops.com

The Old Mission Hop Exchange was conceived in 2007 by four area farmers who recognized the emerging need for locally grown, sustainable hops to serve the craft brewing industry of Northern Michigan including both commercial breweries and home craft brewers. Old Mission Hop Exchange is joined by area hops farmers to literally plant our way to success filling a niche so critical to the discerning beer brewing devotee.