Category Archives: Food & Dining

Report on the Grand Rapids International Wine Festival

Michigan By the Bottle has a great report on last weekend's Grand Rapids International Wine Festival which featured over 100 Michigan wines for tasting (and I'm not just saying that because the interviewed me):

Grand Rapids International Wine Festival by farlane
Shannon writes:
From my perspective, the show was a huge success. We had a blast tasting not [...]

Selecting wines for Thanksgiving dinner with Claudia Tyagi

This article appears courtesy the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association.
In Five questions with wine expert Claudia Tyagi, the Detroit Free Press asks Master Sommelier* Claudia Tyagi about selecting Michigan wines to go with a Thanksgiving dinner. She recommends a few and says:
I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have [...]

A Very Michigan Thanksgiving

Turkey by Vaughan
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Michiganians will soon be hitting the road to attend family get togethers and enjoying annual traditions. To help get ready for the upcoming holiday we have compiled a bunch of informative and entertaining Thanksgiving related links for you to enjoy.
Head over to Michigan.gov and learn all [...]

The Conference on Michigan's Future

Wind farm in Ubly Michigan by Ray Dumas
The 2nd annual Conference on Michigan's Future will be held Friday November 13 through Sunday, November 15, 2009 at Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City.
The conference will explores visions of a sustainable future for Michigan, from the critical challenges facing our economy to strategies for developing a [...]

Growing Stupidity: Will MSU Extension Be Shuttered?

Pumpkin Patch by Larry the Biker
In his essay Threatening Agriculture, Michigan Radio's Jack Lessenberry says that it looks as if Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm will veto funding for agricultural extension programs after witholding the October payment for extension. He quotes dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University Jeffrey [...]

Autumn in Michigan: Something for Everyone

Autumn Pathways by pentax hammer (gary syrba)
The crowds and traffic have subsided, the harvests are bountiful and the mosquitoes are few and far between. What we're trying to say is that autumn is perfect time to get out and enjoy a color tour, take in a late season festival or event, go camping or hit [...]

Toast the Season Wine Trail Tour

The annual Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association Toast the Season wine trail tour is held on 2 separate weekends in November. A few tickets remain for both the November 7 & 8 weekend and the November 14 & 15 weekend - get them while they last!
The annual Toast the Season wine trail tour is a great [...]

Very Cherre – Michigan grown cherry juice

Leelanau Tarts (fo-lomo) by farlane

Old Orchard Brands debuts 'Very Cherre' premier line of cherry juice on mLive begins:
Move over exotic pomegranate, acai and mangosteen. The All-American tart cherry could be the next rage in superhealthy “superfruits.”
Old Orchard Brands is giving the simple pie fruit a chic makeover with its introduction of a premier line of [...]

NPR explores Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Not the Upper Peninsula, but the Northern Peninsula. by Jenna Belle
NPR ran a special series a few weeks back exploring the culture, traditions and economy of Michigan's Upper Peninsula that we felt was worth bubbling back up. In addition to the articles there are also audio pieces worth checking out in - Michigan's Upper [...]

Giant Pumpkins (and a big old Michigan pumpkin slideshow)

the biggest pumpkin in Michigan by farlane
Halloween season of course means pumpkins, and if possible, the bigger the better!
The largest pumpkins are Cucurbita maxima. They were cultivated from the hubbard squash genotype, crossed with kabocha-pumpkin types by enthusiast farmers through intermittent effort since the early 1800s.
Weigh-off competitions for giant pumpkins are a popular fall festival [...]