Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart. - Confucius
by Church of One

Next Tuesday, February 14th is Valentine's Day - a day for lovers, sweethearts, paramours ... and chocoholics. Like it, love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is an annual tradition that will see over one billion valentines will be given out worldwide, 85% of those by women. However you choose to celebrate the holiday, consider making it a little more special with something from Michigan.

There's plenty of delicious Valentine's Day recipes from Pure Michigan at Michigan.org. The Food Network also offers up some culinary advice for Valentine's Day complete with a full Valentine's menu. Lansing's WLNS CBS channel 6 website has a complete Valentine Day section on their website where you can learn all kinds of useful information including (who knew?) that chocolate is an aphrodisiac. The folks at the Grand Rapids Press and mlive.com have some tips for Valentine's Day cooking with kids.

We have to remind you that February is National Cherry Month and cherries make a great and healthy way to bring the distinctive Valentine red into your celebrations. An affordable and tasty non-alcoholic beverage are cherry sparklers made with Michigan cherry juice and sparkling water.

On the adult beverage front, a whopping 95% of wine drinkers agree that wine makes a perfect gift, and you can't go wrong with a  Michigan wine or  Michigan beer! The folks at MyNorth offer a listing of Northern Michigan sparkling wines to set the tone for your celebration. While bubbles are big, beers can also be appreciated. Dianna at Promote Michigan has let us in on her Love Affair with Michigan Beer, which features all kinds of special and regular brews from Michigan's brewmasters. You can stay awake Ann Arbor Brewing's Espresso Love featuring coffee, cozy up to the Decadent Dark Chocolate Ale from Atwater Brewing or go a little lighter with Dragonmead's Redwing Raspberry Wheat. This is a great feature so definitely check it out!

Ginny, You Are My Shining Star by docksidepress

If you're left scratching your head over what to buy him or her, check out the 'Valentine's Day Gift Giving Guide' from WLNS.com.  Don't forget the furry friends in your life either! You can be a homeless pets Valentine when WXYZ-TV 7 in Detroit hosts their Annual Valentine's Day Telethon to support the Michigan Humane Society. Tune in or donate online with the Michigan Humane Society!

If that's not enough and you really want to get your Valentine on, check out Absolute Michigan keyword Valentine for food & gift ideas.

For a little eye candy, you should check out the Valentine slideshow from the Absolute Michigan flickr pool!

We also have a large number of Michigan web sites to check out (though if we're missing one, be sure to add a link to it).

Flowers & Florists - say it with flowers

Chocolate - there's also candy companies

Candles - lighting the way for romance for thousands of years

Jewelry -silver & gold, platinum and bronze, pick your favorite.

Wow, you actually made it to the end of this post - don't forget to buy yourself a little something for Valentines Day!

Share this:

Sooo... the person we selected to win 2 tickets to the Traverse City Winter Microbrew and Music Festivalhasn't contacted us. The festival is this Saturday, February 11th - just days away. That means we have to give these away and give them away quickly to someone who wants to make the trip to Traverse City!If this is you and if you are 21 years of age, all you have to do is either:

1. Go to the Absolute Michigan facebook and find the comment that says If you want to go to the Traverse City Winter Microbrew and Music Festival Read This! and post a comment saying you want to go - feel free to add your favorite Michigan beer or something you're looking forward to.

2. Post a comment below! Include the part where you say nice things about a craft brew, musician or polkas!

3. If you're shy or not a Facebooker, no problem - just reply to this email - and please feel free to share your thoughts about what excites you about the festival or Absolute Michigan!

We will put them all into a list, head over to random.org at 6 PM tomorrow and find out who wins. Share it with friends who might be interested too - maybe they'll take you along if they win!!

Share this:

Today's offering in The Daily Michigan is a pair of tickets to the 3rd Annual Winter Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival (must be 21 to win). The festival has so much to offer that probably the best thing we can do is give you the poster above to click on!

Click here to sign up

Shadows on Ice by farlane

This annual festival is produced by Porterhouse Productions and features over 40 breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies - most from Michigan - along with local food vendors and beer and cuisine pairings. A highlight of the festival is a wide range of entertainment featuring Funktion, Heatbox, The Crane Wives, Whitney Morgan and the 78s, Dragon Wagon and Rootstand.  There's also fire dancers, live polka music and a silent disco.

It all benefits Bay Area Recycling for Charities, a non-profit company providing comprehensive recycling services to residents and businesses in the Grand Traverse Bay area. BARC allows customers to get top-quality recycling services and give back to the local community through the charity of their choice.

Click the button for their Facebook and some photos and info, order tickets and get more details from Porterhouse Productions. There's some great music for us to choose from. While we're tempted to link over to our friends in Dragon Wagon or Minnesota-based Heatbox, we have to present The Crane Wives performing one of their hits!

Share this:

Here's the first of our new The Daily Michigan features, and one of our readers will win 5 pounds of tart cherries! All you need to do to be eligible is to let us know you want to win. We hope you'll sign up to receive our daily email (Monday - Friday) but if that's too much for you, you can choose our just give us your email address on our "We won't email you but you can still win prizes" list! Click to sign up!

February is National Cherry Month, and what better way to celebrate than 5 pounds of plump & tasty dried cherries for all your snacking and baking needs? Cherry Republic is a Glen Arbor, Michigan-based company that sells almost 200 cherry products and employs over 200 people.

Their unique process preserves the natural sugars and flavor of tart dried cherries, and the  versatility of the dried cherries makes them great to buy in bulk. You can substitute them for raisins in any recipe, and they're a healthy alternative to candy in kids lunch boxes, a great addition to stuffings for roasts, easily reconstituted and substituted for fresh cherries!

Share this:

Michigan Cherries by jdurchen

Did you know that Michigan is the largest producer of Montmorency tart cherries, growing 70-75% of the crop? February is National Cherry Month, and the Cherry Marketing Institute (link below) has bushels of info about the history and present state of the cherry industry including growing research showing that antioxidants in tart cherries may relieve the pain of arthritis and gout & help fight cancer and heart disease.

Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are believed to relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and help fight cancer and heart disease. They're also especially high in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help prevent or reduce brain deterioration associated with aging. And to top it off, they're high in vitamin A and beta-carotene.
• Cherries were brought to America by early settlers in the 1600s. Cherry trees, in fact, were part of the gardens of French settlers when they established Detroit.
• Peter Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary on Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City, started modern-day cherry production in Michigan in 1852. Now, Michigan grows about 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries and Traverse City calls itself the cherry capital of the world.
• It takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie; enough cherries grow on the average cherry tree to make 28 pies, industry officials say.
• Tart cherries ripen two or three weeks after sweet cherries. Look for them in mid to late July.
• Cherries are a truly ancient delicacy - explorers have found cherry pits from the Stone Age in European caves.
• Tart cherries have fewer calories and more beta-carotene than sweet cherries.
• Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries.

For more tasty cherry info, be sure to check these out!

Cherry Marketing Institute is the best place to go for information about this delicious and healthy fruit!

Absolute Michigan's Cherry Links has all kinds of info about the cherry!

Michigan Cherries from Taste the Local Difference is PACKED with all kinds of information and delicious cherry recipes.

Michigan Cherries from the Department of Agriculture

MSU's Michigan Cherry Information features more cherry information than you can shake a whole tree at!

For all things edible, drinkable and wearable, check out Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor. They are one of the featured supporters of The Daily Michigan and are giving away 5# of cherries today!

The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City is a celebration of cherries and the cherry industry held every year at the beginning of July.

Video & Photos

Definitely check out the Cherry slideshow from the Absolute Michigan photo group on Flickr. On the video front, we hope you will enjoy 'Cherry Cherry' (circa 1967) by Neil Diamond and also this video of the harvest at an organic cherry farm in Northern Michigan!

Share this:

Iron Works #2 - Cranbrook by MikeRyu

Our Michigan February Event Calendar shows that the more the weather tries to keep us holed up, the more ways we find to get out and have fun!! Of course, there's still many, many more and we invite you to fill us in on other February events in the comments.

February Fast Facts - Wikipedia

• Having only 28 days in common years, it is the only month of the year that can pass without a single full moon. 2012 is a Leap Year!
• It has 29 days in leap years, when the year number is divisible by four (except for years that are divisible by 100 and not by 400 in the Gregorian calendar)
• It is the only month of the calendar that once every six years and twice every 11 years, will have only four full 7-day weeks.
• Its birth flower is the Viola (plant) and the Primrose.
• Its birthstone is the amethyst.

February Quotes

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." - Edith Sitwell

"Surely as cometh the Winter, I know
There are Spring violets under the snow." - R. H. Newell

"February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March." - Dr. J. R. Stockton

"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour." - John Boswell

"February makes a bridge and March breaks it." - George Hebert

Notable February Dates from Michigan History Magazine

• February 13, 1855 The Michigan legislature protects escaped slaves.
• February 24, 1863 Michigan supports the Emancipation Proclamation.
• February 17, 1864 The First Michigan Colored Infantry is mustered into federal service.
• February 21, 1905 The National Ski Association is organized in Ishpeming.
• February 20, 1909 The Hudson Motor Car Company is organized.
• February 2, 1936 Ty Cobb becomes one of the first players selected to enter the newly formed Baseball Hall of Fame.
• February 8, 1985 The Stroh Brewery announces it is closing its Detroit plant.

Michigan Events for February

Also see the Pure Michigan Blog and the UP Travel Calendar for more events!

Ice Climbing - Tannery Falls
by James Marvin Phelps

February 2 - 5
Michigan Ice Fest, Munising
Ice Fest is an annual tradition that features climbing for sure, but it gives attendees a chance to learn and develop skills, hear from some of the masters if the art and to connect with friends and fellow climbers from around the Midwest! Games, winter gear demos, bonfire, sledding hill, raffles, drinks and food are all part of this event. (check out some of the incredible climbs!)

February 2-5
North American Snow Festival, Cadillac
Featuring snowmobiling, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, snow softball, polar dip, ice fishing, antique sleds, fun run, food, beverages and much more, the annual Snow Festival is a four-day celebration of winter in northern Michigan.

February 4 - 5
Taste the Passion, Leelanau Peninsula
Get a head start on Valentines Day and join the wineries of the Leelanau Wine Trail for an annual weekend celebrating wine, chocolate and love. The event features food & wine pairings at each winery along with special, winter-themed events.

The Swimmers of 2009 Perchville
by sunrisepenny

February 3 - 5
Perchville USA, East Tawas & Tawas City
The 62nd Annual Perchville USA features fishing contests, polar bear dip, a parade and more perch than you can shake a fishing pole at!

February 4
International 500 Snowmobile Race, Sault Ste. Marie
First run in 1969, the annual International 500 Snowmobile Race offers all the thrills of NASCAR on a one-mile ice oval, with drivers reaching speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Includes all kinds of snowmobile exhibits and vendors and was proclaimed by Gov. Snyder as Michigan's premier winter sporting event!

February 9 - 12
Michigan Tech University Winter Carnival, Houghton
Events include the famous snow statues, sporting events including skating, curling, broomball, ice bowling, human sled dog racing, the queen contest, a torch light parade, fireworks, the Sno-Ball and much more.

February 10 -12
Midwest Telefest, Porcupine Mountain, Ontonagon
Telefest is the largest gathering of free heelers in the Midwest! Now in its 22nd season, Telefest has evolved into a tradition and is a hallmark celebration of the telemark turn. During Telefest there will be opportunities to try out the latest tele gear, take an instructional course or clinic, compete in races, cut turns in the backcountry, watch a movie, and dance with friends at the party!

Ski Jumping in Michigan by gkretovic

February 11 - 12
Pine Mountain Continental Cup Ski Jumping Tournament, Iron Mountain
For the 73rd year ski jumpers from around the globe will gather in Iron Mountain to try and claim king of the mountain at the 120 meter Pine Mountain Ski Jump. Known around the world as one of the more challenging ski jumping venues, Pine Mountain over time has attracted some of the world’s best. Countries expected to compete in the 2012 competition include Austria, Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Slovenia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Finland, Germany, Turkey and of course the United States.

February 11 - 19
Detroit Boat Show - Detroit
The Detroit Boat Show has been staged every year for 51 years, and is known as the premier boating event in the State of Michigan. The Detroit Boat Show is known as one of the top boat shows in the country in regards to size, sales and attendance.

Dog sled races, UP200, 2007 by e.rabior

February 16 - 20
UP 200, Midnight Run Sled-Dog Championships and The Jack Pine 30 - Marquette
Three UP sled dog races provide a variety of challenges for mushers. The UP 200 is actually 240 miles in length and is a qualifying race for the Iditarod. Over 15,000 visitors come to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) to see the U.P. 200! It is a favorite winter event for local residents and out of town guests. The U.P. 200 has a dedicated group of over 500 volunteers from the U.P. and the mid-west region that come together to stage this great event each year.

February 17 - 19
Cherry Capital Winter WOW Fest - Traverse City
Winter WOW Fest is a three-day wintertime celebration chock-full of fun for all ages in the Cherry Capital of the World, President's Day Weekend featuring food, wine, music, ice & snow sculptures, a snowboard rail jam and much more.

February 16 - 19
Frost Bite Winter Festival - Harrison
The 2012 theme is "Vegas!" featuring a Casino Party, Fake Vegas-style "Speed Weddings", night out with the Vegas Showgirls and golf and ice fishing tournaments. The golf tournament takes place on 5 groomed nine-hole courses, where novice and veteran golfers hit brightly colored tennis balls over the snow.

February 17 - 19
U.P. Pond Hockey Championship - St. Ignace
The Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Championship features over 150 teams competing for prizes is played on the wild ice of Moran Bay in St. Ignace, part of Lake Huron. The tournament is the only one in Michigan where the 'pond' is actually one of the Great Lakes! Includes and appearance of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team for an exhibition game on Friday.

Winter Microbrew Fest by farlane

February 18
Traverse City Winter Microbrew & Music Festival, Traverse City
The 3rd annual TC Winter Microbrew fest brings over 40 breweries, wineries, cideries, and meaderies to the Grand Traverse Commons along with local food, beer pairings, heated tents, and a wide range of musical entertainment including fire dancers and silent disco to celebrate winter & brewing and benefit Bay Area Recycling for Charities.

February 18
Romancing the Riesling, Traverse City
Northern Michigan is known for producing top notch Riesling grapes, and this annual event celebrates by sharing some of the best Rieslings the Old Mission Peninsula has to offer. Participating wineries will showcase a Riesling, served in your very own souvenir wine glass and perfectly paired with a food offering. As an extra bonus, guests will enjoy at least 10% off all Riesling wine purchases at the participating wineries throughout the event.

Upper Tahquamenon Falls-Winter
by James Marvin Phelps

February 18
Tahquamenon Snowshoe Race, Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Starting at Upper Tahquamenon Falls, this annual event offers 5K, 10K, 20K and 800 meter Kids Snowshoe races. Many age groups with awards to the top three in each age group for each race.

February 20 - 25
Grand Rapids Beer Week, Grand Rapids
With seven established breweries within the city limits, Grand Rapids is quickly becoming a destination for craft beer culture. GR Beer Week is a celebration of that and will feature beer dinners, rare beer tastings, tap takeovers and other unique events.

February 24
The Great Wine & Food Symposium, Grand Rapids
Escape the snow with an evening of indulgence at The Great Wine & Food Symposium, west Michigan's premier wine tasting event. You'll enjoy gourmet food selections, and your single ticket price includes unlimited sampling of over 300 wines and beers from around the world as classical music drifts through the halls. Order your favorite wine and beer with up to a 40% discount.

February 25
The Outhouse 500 - Coopersville
Join in with the hilarious and wacky fun of the 6th Annual Outhouse 500 on Main Street in Historic Downtown Coopersville! Hosted by the Main Street Merchants Association. Teams parade, then race their uniquely decorated outhouses down Main Street!

February 25
Winter Beer Festival - Grand Rapids
NOTE - this event is (already) sold out!! The Annual Winter Beer Festival takes place at the Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, just north of Grand Rapids. The Winter Festival is a unique opportunity to sample some of the best beers in the world, all brewed in Michigan. The event includes more than 35 Michigan microbreweries and brewpubs with more than 200 different beers available to sample.

Trenary Outhouse Suessical by CreateWithKim

February 25
Trenary Outhouse Classic - The Outhouse Races - Trenary
The Outhouse Classic is an annual race in Trenary where outhouses are built and raced down the main street. There are categories: speed, presentation, best use of theme, most humorous, best workmanship, and most miles traveled. Families come to the event to watch and to compete, there are two different age brackets making competitions fair. A few years ago nuns came to compete and built the Vati-Can. Make sure to head on up to Trenary for the annual Outhouse Classic. Read Absolute Michigan's Sports that ARE Silly: Outhouse Racing or watch Outhouse Classic Outhouse Race in Trenary, Michigan.

February 29
Leap Year!, all over Michigan
February 29th only comes once every 4 years, so do something special to mark it!

Share this:

Michigan’s wine industry is booming, and the impressive skills of Michigan’s winemakers are proven repeatedly at national and international wine competitions. Wines throughout Michigan are earning medals and stomping the competition. Under icy, windy, cloudy, steamy hot, and, rarely perfect conditions, Michigan winemakers harvest and then craft delicious wines reflective of our unique region.

As we are celebrating Michigan's 175th birthday all week, the state of Michigan will celebrate nearly 90 wineries in 2012! One of the best ways to discover Michigan wines is to attend a wine tasting tour. Lucky for you, two regional events are just around the corner AND Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets to give away for each!

February 4-5 / Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association’s Taste the Passion

2010 Taste the Passion by KatSwinehart

Warm up with a two-mile snowshoe or cross-country trek in Silver Leaf’s vineyard, orchard and woodsy trail. Afterward, dive into Silver Leaf’s featured chocolate almond and cherry clusters paired with gold medal Chafia Cherry. With 14 wineries participating, there is a lot of territory to explore. We suggest touring the northern peninsula wineries on one day and the southern peninsula wineries on another day. Get all the details on the Taste the Passion page at lpwines.com. A few more delicious wine and food pairings follow to whet your appetite:

• Chateau Fontaine of Lake Leelanau: Greek-inspired chocolate chili dogs, topped with cheddar cheese paired with Big Paw Red.
• Gills Pier, just north of Leland: Mini chocolate/honey mousse cups with sea salt and cocoa nibs paired with Whitewater, a semi-sweet white wine made with Vignoles grapes.
• Verterra Winery of Leland: The Bluebird’s Vol au Vent baked French brie with Verterra jam (preserves made from wine grapes), plus Granny Smith matchstick apples paired with Verterra’s Pinot Gris.

February 18 / Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula’s Romancing the Riesling

Enjoy a showcased Riesling and food pairing at each winery. Enjoy ten percent off all Riesling purchases during the event. Order tickets by calling (231) 223-7355. More details at wineriesofoldmission.com. A delicious sampling to tempt you from Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery is a peach tart in a mini phyllo shell topped with whipped cream paired with 2010 Riesling!

Two Great Michigan Wine Books!

Food and wine events are a wonderful way to explore Michigan’s food-friendly wines, but another great way is through yet another offering in our Birthday Bash - a pair of books about the history of the wine industry in Michigan by Lorri & Sharon. Both books are available through their Delicious Michigan website.

• The History of Michigan Wines documents Michigan's dynamic 150-year wine history! Meet passionate winemakers starting with Joseph M. Sterling who ignites the state's first viable wine industry in the 1800s along Lake Erie and follow the growth and challenges of the wine industry up to the present day!
• From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries is a 192 page, hard-cover book that celebrates Michigan wine country, wines and winemakers with intriguing behind-the-scene stories, beautiful photographs and interesting side features.

You still have time to wine through our Birthday Bash by joining our email list below (which also enters you for our regular giveaways of Michigan products, services and event tickets!

Absolute Michigan is committed to helping our readers get more out of Michigan. Sign up for regular giveaways. It's free, fun and all you have to do to be eligible is to be on our email list - sign up using the form below. We guarantee that we will not share your email address with anyone!

If your business is interested in participating, you can get all the information right here.

Share this:

In America, pleasure is a bad word. It means that someone, somewhere, is giving in to temptation. Whatever pleasure is being sought, it's probably indulgent. It's probably selfish. It probably doesn't do anybody any good. And yet, we are all born pleasure seekers. Our lives are shaped around pleasure. Day to day, the promise of pleasure is what drives us, from home to work and back again. And somehow, that promise, in today's culture, seems less and less attainable the more we work towards it.

They are farmers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs. They are beacons for our future: leaving the safety of what they've known for the sake of what they love, and showing the way for those of us brave enough to do the same.

In addition to being able to help in the production of a smart, relevant show, the innovative Mobcaster project for Back to Your Senses will reward supporters with everything from postcards and stickers to delicious gift baskets brimming with Michigan goodness and curated epicurean adventures. Click the Mobcaster link to learn more and check out the video below.

Back To Your Senses (Mobcaster Pitch) from andrea claire maio on Vimeo.

Share this:

Rockin' in the New Year by BigFreaky

Quotes

"New Year ceremonies are designed to get rid of the past and to welcome the future." - New Year's Customs

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.
A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Bill Vaughan

"To leave the old with a burst of song,
To recall the right and forgive the wrong;
To forget the thing that blinds you fast
To the vain regrets of the year that's past." - Robert B. Beattie

The Happenings

Also check out the New Year's Event Roundup from the Pure Michigan blog.

The HOT New Year's Eve - Grand Rapids
Join more than 35,000 people in downtown Grand Rapids to celebrate New Year's Eve in high style: big-name outdoor concerts, restaurant and bar parties, a midnight ball drop, and more. The Romantics, The Ready Set and The Downtown Fiction will headline this year's HotFM party, now moved slightly to Monroe Avenue between Louis and Pearl. Rosa Parks Circle will be open for ice skating.

New Year's Fest - Kalamazoo, MI
New Year's Fest is a performing arts celebration in downtown Kalamazoo. Hosted on December 31, 2011. New Year's Fest provides 26 different entertainers who perform inside 15 buildings surrounding Bronson Park.

Resolution Ball - Detroit, MI
Two of the biggest area promoters come together to put on the single largest New Years Eve celebration in the Detroit area. NYEDetroit.com in partnership with TheSocialConnection.com, presents the Resolution Ball at the Fillmore in downtown Detroit. A black tie optional event featuring an open bar, food and great music all night. THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT!

Downtown New Year's Eve Gala & Fireworks - Mt Clemens, MI
Metro Detroit's Best Family New Year's Eve Party featuring live entertainment and Midnight fireworks! The gala is the perfect way for families to ring in the New Year together. With most New Year’s Eve activities focused on partying, the Macomb County New Year’s Eve Gala is designed for families to spend the night celebrating together. Check out new kids activities running from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Award-winning Melrose Pyrotechnics will again be providing the professional pyrotechnics display.

Pistons vs. Pacers - Auburn Hills, MI
Watch the ball drop ... through the net!  Game starts at 6:00pm

Griffins vs. Milwaukee Admirals - Grand Rapids, MI
Team Poster Giveaway: The first 2,000 fans will receive a Griffins team poster. Festivities include West Michigan’s largest indoor fireworks display, a New Year’s Eve buffet from 4:30 p.m. through the first intermission and a chance to bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice after the game!

New Year's Eve at The B.O.B. - Grand Rapids, MI
Ring in the New Year in style at The B.O.B. with a bash that is highly anticipated every year. Live entertainment and a ton of options to choose from.

Craig's Cruisers New Years Eve Parties - Grand Rapids, MI
Two parties to choose from: 4-8pm and 9pm-1am Special countdown for both parties! Includes unlimited indoor go-karts, laser tag, bumper cars, high ropes course and frog hopper! Plus free play on all non-redemption video games. Enjoy Craig's "Special New Year's Feast". Music and Karaoke from 6pm-1am. Party Favors for everyone! $24.99/person OR $125 for six tickets! plus food tax. Limited wristbands available. Sell out expected!

Ring In the New Year at Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain
Ring in the New Year at Boyne with choice of several festivities. Join them for holiday excitement and celebration through Sunday, January 1. They offer lots for the whole family to enjoy this year, including teen parties on New Year's Eve, holiday buffets and the favorites such as torchlight parades followed by fireworks at Boyne Highlands and Boyne Mountain! Plus, amazing snow conditions and other winter events to make the time together extra special.

CHERRYT BALL DROP (CHARITY BALL DROP) - Traverse City, MI
The 3rd annual Cherry Ball Drop takes place at the corner of Cass and Front streets in Downtown Traverse City (right in front of the Christmas tree). Downtown Traverse City will be packed with event goers for the 3 annual CherryT Ball Drop. Right before Midnight a large illuminated cherry will be lowered to signify the coming year! It all starts at 9pm with live entertainment, DJ, a visit from the Coast Guard and other surprises! (check out the video from last year by Ken Scott at the bottom of the post!)

Grand Traverse Resort New Year's Celebration - Traverse City, MI
Celebrate the New Year in style at an event filled with fun and dancing with music ranging from Motown, Pop, Blues, Funk, Swing, and Jazz by Ronnie Hernandez & the Ron Getz Sextet. Their New Year's Eve package includes accommodations, the New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball, a 3-Course Plated Dinner and Champagne Toast at Midnight.

New Year's Eve Dinner Train: Murder Mystery Charlotte & Blissfield, MI
Ring in the New Year on the Old Road! Come raise a glass with them and welcome in the New Year, 2012! This holiday special train boards 30 minutes later than usual (at 6:30pm.)

Great Turtle Drop on Mackinac Island
The owners of the Cottage Inn on Mackinac Island will ring in the New Year with a new tradition, the Great Turtle Drop. A giant fiberglass turtle will be lifted in the air Saturday, December 31, before midnight and descend to the ground to commemorate the New Year.

We're sure there's more - add them in the comments and have a very Happy New Year! Now here's that video by Ken Scott!

Share this:

Cadeau Creations was born and bred in the wild Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In addition to complete catering services, they have created specially-designed baskets of gourmet goodness from the people, places and soil of the U.P. using the freshest local ingredients and select organic and Fair Trade ingredients. They make a great gift for homesick Yoopers and also your friends, family, employees, co-workers and relatives. Connect with them on Facebook or Twitter!

This week's winner will receive their locally grown & crafted Northern Winter Wonders Basket. It features chocolates, caramels, game meat sausage, smoked Lake Superior fish, Keweenaw jam, and local crafts - all fashioned with Yooper flair. It's a $100 value and all you need to do to be eligible to win is to have your address on our email list - sign up in the blue box above!

Share this:

Traverse Gourmet was started by Cile & Norm Plumstead who believe that northern Michigan has it all - seasons, people, and food that all work together to make the area a great place to visit, to live and (above all) to eat. Their goal is to present a variety of their favorite artisan foods from northern Michigan. As a 1% for the Planet member, Traverse Gourmet donates at least one percent of our sales to local environmental organizations.

Norm explains: "We’ve chosen our food artisans selectively - each one placing an emphasis on naturally produced, organic and fair trade products. In addition, all our gourmet food gifts come packaged in a reusable, recycled cotton tote, and, where possible, our partners use earth-friendly packaging."

Their roster is impressive - locally grown ingredients melded with handmade, fair trade chocolates from Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, coffee from Higher Grounds Trading Company (Michigan’s only organic and fair trade coffee roaster), jams & jellies from Food For Thought (the first and only fair trade preserve maker in the nation), organic nut butters from Naturally Nutty and many more.

The North Bar Beach Gift includes Food For Thought Organic Salsa Virtuoso™, Great Lakes Tortilla Chips, Grocer's Daughter Pecan Thyme bar, Great Lakes Tea & Spice Basalmic Fish Rub, Naturally Nutty Organic Peanut Butter, Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery Golden Wheat Bread ... all in a Traverse Gourmet recycled cotton tote!

All you have to do to be eligible is have your email on our mailing list - sign up in the blue box at the top and stay tuned!!

Share this:

Turkey by Vaughan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and over a million 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.

Thanksgiving Food & Drink

Thanksgiving starts with turkey, and the folks at Michigan Turkey are getting ready. An article from Whole Foods notes that Michigan Turkey  is not a large conglomerate - they work strictly with farms in west Michigan within 25 miles of the plant. Check out the video below The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a great feature with tips & recipes for making it a local Thanksgiving and mLive's Thanksgiving Page has some excellent info (with more coming) including a recipe for cherry wood smoked turkey that looks absolutely delicious! They note that Thanksgiving is expected to cost about 13% more in 2011, but also offer a few tips for a simpler and lower stress holiday.

You can get lots of great Thanksgiving recipes and dinner ideas on the Food Network's website and go to Michigan-based Kitchen Chick for a ton of Thanksgiving recipes including cranberry pie!

Michigan Master Sommelier Claudia Tyagi told us:

I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a lot of versatility and a lot of possibility with turkey. You could use a white wine or an aromatic wine. Those tend to go well with turkey, too.

Speaking of wine & recipes, there's a post on Leelanau.com today that pairs recipes from Traverse magazine with wines. Last year Claudia sent us Sylvia Rector's article Give Michigan wines a second look on Thanksgiving. She calls out some more Michigan wines that you'll want to put on your wine shop radar! MyNorth.com suggest a few Rieslings on the sweeter side and they also list some great dry Rieslings (which are awesome if you haven't tried them).

The Centennial Cranberry Farm in Paradise was established in 1876 and has online ordering of all kinds of cranberry products. Absolute Michigan has more about Michigan Cranberries, and lots more Turkey Day food ideas & articles at absolutemichigan.com/Thanksgiving and in our Michigan Grown section in Food & Dining!

Parades & Football!

2011 marks the 85th birthday of America's Thanksgiving Parade, and the parade is one of the country's oldest and most celebrated parades. It kicks off at 9:20 AM on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 24, 2011.

If you Motown is off your radar on Thanksgiving, how about a nice set of parade photos from the our Flickr pool, a clickondetroit.com article - "Thousands Cheered As America's Thanksgiving Parade Rolled Down Woodward " (with video), a historical look at Detroit's Thanksgiving Day Parade and a TV tuned to WDIV-TV Local 4 at 9 AM (also on for an hour nationally). If you're the prudent type, you might consider building up a calorie credit balance at the Annual Detroit Turkey Trot.

Thanksgiving Day by Dave Hogg

The Detroit Lions 72nd Thanksgiving Day Classic pits the Lions against the NFL leading and currently undefeated Green Bay Packers. We'll have details next week on Absolute Michigan.

Amaze your family, friends with what you learn about the origins and history of Thanksgiving on Wikipedia.

Share this:

Cranberries by argusmaniac

Red Beauties in Lake Magazine's 2006 Holiday Issue is an engaging look at cranberry farming in Michigan. Although Michigan only has a small number of cranberry farms in the northeast, Upper Peninsula, and the southwestern corner of the state along Lake Michigan totaling about 250 acres - compared to more than 18,000 acres in nation-leading Wisconsin - the state does have all the requirements to grow a cranberry industry. The feature also provides a look at what's involved in cranberry farming, and I have to say I learned a thing or two!

For more about the official fruit of Thanksgiving, you can go to the Cranberry Institute, which features tons of information about the purported health benefits of cranberries. Although it's probably not what you'll put on your table next Thursday, Locavorious has a tasty Michigan Cranberries in Cranberry Apple Pork Loin Roast along with some information about Michigan cranberry farms. You can get a nice recipe for cranberry pie from Michigan-based Kitchen Chick. Michigan's leading producer is  Centennial Cranberry Farm way up on Whitefish Point (near Paradise, MI), and their site is loaded with cranberry information & recipes. In closing, here's a simple recipe that you can make with 100% Michigan ingredients. We'll  try out in the Absolute Michigan kitchen next week and report back!

Baked Cranberry Acorn Squash

4 small acorn squash
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup Michigan maple syrup
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place cut side down in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Turn cut side up. Combine remaining ingredients; fill squash with fruit mixture. Continue baking for 25 minutes or till squash is tender. Makes 8 servings.

Share this:

The 2011 Grand Rapids Wine, Beer & Food Festival takes place Thursday, November 17th through Saturday, November 19th at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids. It draws over 10,000 over three days, making it the largest food and wine festival in Michigan and one of the premier events of its kind in the Midwest. Classes, tastings from restaurants & food vendors and pairings are all structured to take the expert or novice deeper into the world of wine, food and other culinary delights.

The festival presents over 1000 beers, wines, ciders and spirits for tasting, and many are crafted in Michigan. While the festival started with a focus on wine, beer gets its due as well, with the Michigan Brewers Guild-sponsored Craft Brew Hall offering a chance to sample dozens of these full flavored brews and to meet the brewmasters.

Show Manager  Cathleen McDonald  explains that this massive variety of food & drink has been a huge asset, saying "The show has grown because the public loves the opportunity to sample wines, beer & spirits without having to purchase the entire bottle.  They can find that great everyday wine that they can purchase at the grocery store or try the products that they would only have dreamed about."

One of the many innovative & engaging features at the festival are the champagne, wine & beer pairings developed by Grand Rapids restaurants - multi-course meals presented by the chef. A number of restaurants are also providing "small plate" samples of their prize cuisine. There's more than just wine to be sampled at the Festival! An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. There's also seminars from presenters including winemaker John Concannon, wine educator and sommelier Michael Schafer, New Holland Brewing Company Beervangelist and Michigan Brewers Guild Past-President Fred Bueltman, author and Food Network  host Ellie Krieger and "The Fresh Chef" Amanda Leatherman.

Absolute Michigan is excited to offer FOUR free tickets to the Grand Rapids Wine, Beer & Food Festival to one of our readers - just use the email blank at the top to get your name on our list and have a shot at winning. We'll notify the winner next Wednesday!

Share this:

Mallory Horton Waters Plants in the
GreenHouse at Harvesting Earth Urban
Garden by Michigan Municipal League (MML)
Click for slideshow from MML!

Last week we featured Urban Farming and the Gift of Detroit. Detroit is not the only Michigan city that is turning to urban farming as a means of economic development and simple subsistence.

The Kings of Flint is a documentary that features Jacky and Dora King, of King Karate. Jackie and Dora are also Master Gardeners who see farming as not only a means of self defense - Jackie points out that historically martial arts students have also been farmers - but also as a way to revitalize Flint. They use the discipline of farming and hard work to help their students prepare to meet the challenges that growing up in Flint present.

Jacky King and Dora King by MML

In six years, the Kings have grown their urban gardening program from nothing to a program that now encompasses 16 former vacant city lots in Mt. Morris Township and Genesee Township. Last year they involved more than 900 volunteers and paid workers. In this feature in Farm World, Michigan State University instructor Troy Hale who co-produced the documentary with fellow MSU Communication Arts and Sciences teacher Geri Alumit Zeldes explained:

“We found out that the Kings are a couple of interesting characters. We just started going up and started to capture what we could capture. The Kings are really passionate about it. The main thing for them is these kids, teaching them some life skills. I think it’s a sense of community, as well."

They use hoop houses to farm all year round, selling the fruits, vegetables and eggs they harvest at the Flint Farmers Market. You can learn more including how you can support their efforts at the Harvesting Earth Educational Farm web page.

An article from MSU about the project explains that Zeldes, a Flint native, was fascinated with the idea of sustainable agriculture and the city's initiatives in revitalizing its community.

Students sharpened their investigative reporting skills and learned how to shoot and edit their own video. They traveled to Flint about twice a month to gather footage and interview the Kings, residents and local government officials.

...The documentary also includes a full-length music video completely shot and edited by MSU and performed by Flint residents Willie White, Ian Reddington, Hakim Gillard and Desiree Brown.

"In Michigan, I think Flint is known as a terrible city with lots of crime and it's going nowhere, but there are actually people trying to change it," said journalism student Alyssa Firth, who is the webmaster and a producer of the film.

There's a whole bunch more videos and last summer the Great Lakes Echo ran some of the documentary footage exploring different facets of the story. Settle back and watch a 13 minute version of a Michigan success story:

The Kings of Flint 13min. Cut from Troy on Vimeo.

Share this:

Hard apple cider. Apple wine. Apple mead. Apple brandy. Apple vodka. Who knew apples could be so fun? Fifth-generation farmer Mike Beck of Uncle John’s Fruit House Winery makes good use of his apples.

Beyond your typical apple pie, apple cider and apple donuts, Mike also produces apple wine, apple brandy, hard apple cider, barrel bourbon cider and cyser. Mike’s barrel bourbon cider is a dry-style cider that ages in a bourbon barrel. His cyser is a blend of apple wine and Michigan honey. He’s also the first in the state to produce apple vodka, which is not just flavored vodka, but actually handcrafted from the apples.

“You’ll taste nice, subtle fruit notes,” says Mike in regard to his vodka.

Black Star Farms of Suttons Bay and Old Mission Peninsula makes apple brandy called, Spirit of the Apple. Handcrafted just as it was in the Colonial tradition of the Revolution, the brandy is a blend of the apple varieties Jonagold, Jonathon, Winesap, Rhode Island Greening, Spy and McIntosh. The delicious blend is distilled and then barrel-aged for three to five years, resulting in an artisan brandy that is fruit-forward to express the region’s apple bounty.

In Jackson, Sandhill Crane Vineyards crafts an Heirloom Apple wine and apple mead, both of which owner Heather Price recommends for mulling. Mulled wine is warmed and complemented with spices, such as cinnamon, light cloves and orange zest. It’s a great beverage for the holiday season.

Warm, chilled or room temperature, these apple products represent the essence of Michigan’s vibrant autumn flavors.

More about Michigan apples from Absolute Michigan!

Share this:

Kathy Siler of the Michigan Ag Council has a great article entitled In Search of the Great Michigan Pumpkin that notes that US Department of Agriculture’s statistics for 2010 ranked Michigan second in the nation with 7,400 acres of pumpkins planted. She also tells the centuries old legend of Stingy Jack, the Irish cheapskate who gave the name to the Jack-o-lantern and shares a lot information, including a recipe for Pilgrim Pumpkin Pie. While we are a big producer, the Kalamazoo News says that the 2011 pumpkin crop is a little smaller than usual, so today might be a good day to head to your local pumpkin patch!

The best listing we found is at Pumpkin Patches and more. Taste the Local Difference has a nice list of northern Michigan pumpkin farms and notes that in early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling. We'll explore that in the Absolute Michigan kitchens and report! Their Pumpkin page has more facts including:

• Pumpkins are a nutritious, low-fat, low-calorie food.
• They are high in potassium and Vitamin A and are also a good source of beta-carotene.
• Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium, copper and cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
• There are many varieties of pumpkins besides the standard Jack-O-Lantern and pie pumpkins. Some especially fun ones are Jack B. Little miniatures, white pumpkins, Australian Blues, and Atlantic Giants.
• Pumpkins were once believed to eliminate freckles and were used as a remedy for snakebites.

Click through for more and a slew of great pumpkin recipes including Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Nachos (seriously), Pumpkin Thyme Rigatoni, and Potage au Potiron, a delicious soup made in the pumpkin! Pumpkins aren't just for eating - some of Michigan's brewmasters have brewed up some pumpkin ales. Click that link for a list and don't forget about Jolly Pumpkin and their La Parcela Pumpkin Ale!

Of course the main use of pumpkins at this time of year is carving, and Michigan has some incredible artisans including "Pumpkin Ed" Moody, a specialist in giant pumpkin carving. Click the photo to see some of his work and also to learn about his new project, Karving for Kids that will allow Ed to carve for kids at Children's Hospitals around the country. You can see another astonishing pumpkin carver in action in the video below!

Much more pumpkiny goodness at Absolute Michigan keyword pumpkin!

As promised, here's a CBS News video of Michigan master carver Ray Villafane - this guy's work is jaw-dropping!

Share this:

Brother Nature Produce Urban Farm
by Michigan Municipal League (MML)

A couple of weeks ago NPR Weekend Edition had an interesting feature on urban farming in Detroit:

Detroit is a surprisingly green landscape during the spring and summer months. The site of many houses that are crumbling, boarded up or missing altogether is tempered by community gardens and even some urban farms.

There are some serious urban gardeners in this country, but few can match the agricultural output of Paul Weertz.

"I farm about 10 acres in the city, and alfalfa's my thing. I bale about a thousand bales a year," he says.

...Weertz has been buying abandoned homes and vacant parcels in his neighborhood, where lots go for as little as $300. He's been encouraging young people who want to farm to move into the neighborhood. Weertz's neighbor, Carolyn Leadley, runs Rising Pheasant Farms when she's not caring for her 10-month-old son.

"We're definitely micro-farming, but we're making a living off a sixth of an acre," Leadley says. "I've been very pleased — pleasantly surprised at how much I've been able to pay myself per hour. We took on an employee. I'm like, 'OK, We're a real business now. We have to pay taxes and do things right.' "

Click through to listen to the feature and see some photos, and speaking of photos, the MML has several more photos from the Brother Nature Farm in Detroit which is mentioned story. Speaking of Brother Nature, check out this awesome video about Brother Nature Farm!

Share this:

According to the Michigan Cider Guild...

Yates Cider Mill by luna.nik

In America cider is more than 300 year old. It was brought to America by its early settlers and grew from those days to the popular drink it is today. In some respects it has changed little aside from its early days as a sweet substitute for water, cleansing agent preservative (vinegar) and of course for its fermentation qualities. Also see Cider on Wikipedia.

Why should I drink Cider?

For starters, it's really really good. This article suggests that scientists Brewing Research International have confirmed high levels of health enhancing antioxidants in cider, on par with red wine. A half pint of cider delivers the same amount of antioxidants as a glass of red wine.

What's with the Chickens?

A "guild" in permaculture landscape design is a strategically selected assembly of plant or animal species that boost the productivity of a central plant or animal element. If the central element is a apple tree for example, guild "members" would be selected that can improve the trees yield or reduce the work needed to manage it. In this case, the chickens are members of that guild and are used to control insect pests and also to help process the apple waste.

How do I get my Cider?

If you're interested in getting in on the cider game on the ground floor, check out How to Build a Cider Press from the Mother Earth News - it's a great feature that takes you step-by-step through the process of building a cider press for less than $50. There's a really simple recipe for cider on the appropriately named howtomakecider.com.

If you'd rather let someone else do the hard work, check out "Cider" on on Absolute Michigan, the listing of cider mills from the Michigan Farm Marketing & Agri-tourism web site, and "cider" at Real Time Farms (mostly Michigan links and photos). You'll also enjoy the feature on cider mills on Pure Michigan. They note that there are 37,000 acres of apples on 950 farms. Over 20 million bushels of apples are harvested every year, and apples are Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop with an economic impact of $700 million every year! Learn more at michiganapples.com and the Michigan Cider Guild.

What can you tell me about Hard Cider?

John Adams claimed that his health and longevity was attributed to drinking a tankard of hard cider each morning before breakfast. While we're not going to go that far, we will say that Michigan cideries are doing a fantastic job of  producing tasty hard ciders. The blog Serious Eats lists 3 Michigan cideries that you should know about. We'll add a few more, two organic Michigan cideries, JK's Scrumpy Organic Farmhouse Cider and Good Neighbor Organic Cider and one that's just a few feet away from the world headquarters of Absolute Michigan, Left Foot Charley.

Something to add? Post it in the comments!

Share this:

Michigan’s thriving brewing industry contributes over $24 million in wages with a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. In terms of overall number of breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs, Michigan ranks #5 in the nation – thus supporting its claim as “The Great Beer State.

2nd Annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival
by Kc Jacoby Photography LLC

The Motor City is gearing up showcase craft brews & brewing with Detroit Beer Week, an eleven-day celebration of craft beer in and around the City of Detroit. It kicks off Thursday, October 13 and features all kinds of events all around the region.

The finale of the week is the annual Detroit Fall Beer Festival on Saturday, October 22.

It's one of four annual events from the Michigan Brewers Guild. They partner with the Metroit Tines to bring together about 50 Michigan craft breweries who will be presenting over 200 different beers for your sampling pleasure. This year's entertainment line-up includes alternative rockers The Beggars of Ferndale and Detroit's own DMZ along with another Detroit act, alternative country band Doop & The Inside Outlaws and DJ Dante LaSalle. Learn more about the event at

The festival runs from 1-6 PM, with Guild Enthusiast Members being admitted at Noon Admission to the Festival is $35 in advance or $40 at the gate which includes 15 drink tokens. Enthusiast memberships and tickets to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival can be purchased online at www.michiganbrewersguild.org or at select ticket outlets.

This is one of the hottest tickets in town and sold out days in advance last year. You'll want to purchase early, and Absolute Michigan has a shot for you to win a pair of FREE tickets that include Enthusiast access. All you have to do to be eligible to win is to have your address on our email list - sign up below!

To be eligible for a pair of passes to the Detroit Fall Beer Festival and to be entered in every one of our giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Last year we sent photographer Ken Jacoby on the arduous mission of photographing the Detroit Fall Beer Festival - check out his slideshow and have a look at this great video from our friends at Under the Radar Michigan.

Share this:

star of the vineyard by aimeeern

Michigan wines and wineries have been in the spotlight throughout the summer; and it’s not just in Michigan, it’s happening across the country. The reason? Michigan wines have been winning a significant number of top awards at regional, national and international wine competitions.

In January, Chateau Grand Traverse won a Best of Class award at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2009 Lot 49 Riesling. This off-dry wine was produced from grapes harvested from a single vineyard -- located on a steep, west-facing slope on Old Mission Peninsula, in northern Michigan.

Judges evaluated more than 2,000 wines from around the world at the Pacific Rim Wine Competition, held in San Bernadino, Calif., in April, and declared a tie for Best Gewurztraminer: Tabor Hill Winery, in Buchanan, for their 2009 vintage, and Chateau Fontaine, on Leelanau Peninsula, for their 2010. Chateau Fontaine went on to win Grand Champion honors as Best White Wine of the competition.

Tabor Hill also garnered several top awards at other international competitions, including Best White Wine at the International Eastern Wine Competition, held in Corning, N.Y., for their 2010 Traminette, a hybrid variety similar to Gewurztraminer. Fenn Valley Vineyards, in Fennville, won Best of Class Riesling at the same competition, which accepted more than 1,400 entries in 2011.

Pinot Blanc is a relatively new varietal for Michigan vintners. Left Foot Charley, in Traverse City, is doing an outstanding job of producing wine from this sister grape of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. The winery received a “Sweepstakes” award of Best White Wine at the Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition for their 2010 Pinot Blanc, Island View Vineyard. The Long Beach judging is one of the top international wine competitions in the United States.

With more than 3,000 entries from 15 countries, the Indy International Wine Competition, held in Indianapolis in August, is the largest independent wine competition in the nation. The 2011 judging was a gold mine for three Michigan wineries -- from three different regions of the state. Best Vidal was awarded to Sandhill Crane Vineyards, in Jackson; Lemon Creek Winery in Berrien Springs won Best Chancellor; and Leelanau Cellars on Leelanau Peninsula won Best Flavored Port for their Raspberry version of this dessert-style wine.

Michigan’s wine industry continues to enjoy steady growth, with sales of Michigan wine outpacing sales of all wines in Michigan for eight consecutive years. Five new wineries opened in 2011, bringing the total number to 86 wineries using predominantly Michigan-grown grapes and other fruit. To learn more about the wineries and vineyards of Michigan, visit www.michiganwines.com to request Michigan Wine Country magazine, with maps and information about the wineries of Michigan.

Share this:

Mick Road Maple Monster by jimflix

Say hello to September and enjoy the bountiful harvests and beautiful scenery it brings. September is a perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with it's warm days and cool evening temperatures (not to mention the declining mosquito population). As far as things to do in the Great Lakes State September is ripe for the picking. So get out and enjoy the harvest celebrations, color tours, wine trails and the abundant festivals and fairs! As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

Quotes

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn. The cricket chirps in the noontide, making the most of what remains of his brief life. The bumblebee is busy among the clover blossoms of the aftermath, and their shrill and dreamy hum hold the outdoor world above the voices of the song birds, now silent or departed."
- September Days By Rowland E. Robinson, Vermont.

"When the goldenrod is yellow,
And leaves are turning brown -
Reluctantly the summer goes
In a cloud of thistledown.

When squirrels are harvesting
And birds in flight appear -
By these autumn signs we know
September days are here."
- Beverly Ashour, September

Wikipedia - Fast Facts

• September's birthstone is the sapphire. The meaning is clear thinking.
• The birthflowers for September are the forget-me-not, and aster.
• The equinox named the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere and the vernal or spring equinox in the southern hemisphere occurs on dates varying from 21 September to 24 September
• September begins on the same day of the week as December every year, because there are 91 days separating September and December, which is a multiple of seven (the amount of days in the week).

Stuff to do and places to go

You can get a big list of September 2011 events via Pure Michigan and also check out the September Events Roundup on the Pure Michigan blog.

August 21 - October 3
Michigan Renaissance Festival Holly
Festival is held on weekends and Labor Day, rain or shine. "visitors may also partake in games of skill or enjoy non-stop entertainment where belly dancers, sword swallowers, musicians, comedians and sword fighters provide merriment for all ages. The Festival is best known for it's awe-inspiring full-contact armored jousting tournaments where gallant knights defend their honor until the last man is standing!"

September 9 - 11
Art & Apples Festival Rochester
Presented by Paint Creek Center for the Arts, the Art & Apples Festival is Michigan's second largest juried fine art festival with an average attendance of over 125,000 festival-goers and 250+ artists from across the country. The festival showcases artists from across the country, local and national entertainment acts, a free Kids Art Zone, Activity Zone, 3 food courts and more.

September 9 - 10
Hopps of Fun Beer & Wine Festival Mackinaw City
On September 10th & 11th, 2010 Mackinaw Crossings will host the Historic Depot Happy Hour Hopps of Fun. This unique event will feature as extensive sampling of 50+ award winning Michigan micro brewed beers and over 40 wines from Michigan's four internationally recognized wine regions. Plenty of food, wine, beer, entertainment and fun! Festival grounds are located at Mackinaw Crossings in Downtown Mackinaw City.

September 9 - 11
Wine and Harvest Festival Paw Paw

• Music - 3 stages of entertainment for all musical tastes
• Sports - Choose from our hole in one contest, 5k walk/run or our bicycle tour.
• Family Activities - Carnival rides, free children's activities in Stompyland, Fireworks on Maple Lake, Parade, and the Grape Stomp.
• Wine Enthusiasts - Wine tours and wine tasting tents abound throughout the festival area.
• Other activities include: Car show, Arts & Crafts show, turtle derby, and much more!!

September 9 - 11
Wheatland Music Festival Remus
Each year thousands of people converge on the 160-acre festival site to enjoy a wide variety of activities, as well as the star-studded lineup on the main stage. There is a juried arts and crafts show, a raffle, children's activities, teen and young adult activities, instrument and dance workshops, music, food, fellowship and fun. Impromptu jam sessions can be found throughout the campgrounds all weekend long.

September 10
Dally in the Alley Official Artist Detroit
"The Greenest Festival in Detroit". What began as an inner city art fair in 1977 evolved into a performing arts festival when it was moved to its present alley and renamed in 1982 to "DALLY IN THE ALLEY", the title of a medieval drinking song. Great musical talent (including an electronic music stage), good beer and a remarkable string of fabulous September weather has indelibly marked the alley at Second and Forest in Detroit 's Cass Corridor as the site one of the top music festivals in the Midwest .

September 9 - 10
Smokin' Jazz Barbecue Blues Festival Brighton
The Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce's Smokin' Jazz & Barbecue Blues Festival was created approximately four years ago and after its conception quickly became Brighton's hippest event. Not only does this event bring you authentic jazz, blues and zydeco, but is also offers some of the tastiest barbecue this side of the Mason/Dixon line.

September 10
Great Lakes Cider & Perry Festival St. Johns
Enjoy samples of the finest cider and perry (cider made from pears) from the Great Lakes area will be available for tasting. In addition to the cider and perry tastings, food vendors will be selling sweet and savory selections. Attendees will also have an opportunity to stock up on these not-so-easy-to-get beverages, available for purchase during the event.

September 10 - 11
Harvest Stompede Vineyard Run & Walk Leelanau Peninsula
The weekend features a spectacular race through Leelanau's vineyards and a self guided wine tour of LPVA member wineries featuring world class wines and culinary delights that reflect the season's bounty. In 2011 they are highlighting local foods and each winery's food pairing will feature locally sourced items.

September 10 - 11
Historic Home Tour Marshall
For nearly 50 years years the Marshall Historical Society has been showcasing 8 private homes, 1 church and 1 business as part of its Historic Home Tour. It has been called the Granddaddy of Midwest Home Tours and is famous all over the country for its traditions and heritage.

September 16 - 18
Michigan Irish Music Festival Muskegon
Three days of the best in traditional and contemporary Irish music comes to Muskegon each year in mid-Septembe. The festival features four stages of entertainment featuring music, dance, cultural presentations, interactive displays, a Celtic market and Pub Tent with authentic Irish food and beverages.

September 16 - 18
Victorian Festival Northville
Journey back through time to a simpler era with a visit to downtown Northville's annual Victorian Festival. Experience the art, history, and romance of the 1800s. The streets will be closed to automobile traffic as townspeople, artists, and business owners turn back the clock and transform themselves into a Victorian Village complete with period costumes, storytellers, magicians, musical entertainment and demonstrations, rides for kids and the Victorian Saloon.

September 15 - 18
"On the Waterfront" Car Show & "Big Rig" Truck Show St. Ignace
The well known St. Ignace Car Show was formed in 1975 and the first show was held the last Saturday of June 1976. 134 vehicles were on display that year. The show continued to grow each and every year and by 2004, 2500 collector vehicles were on display with 100,000 spectators observing.

September 17 - 18
Living History Encampment Belmont
This is an annual event where visitors can view first hand what life in early America was like. This is a time line event featuring military & civilian living historians demonstrating our country's history from colonial times to the present. This event is supported by local citizens and businesses, and is open to the public at no charge. Historical re-enactors will be wearing authentic period clothing and living in period shelters. Traditional Artisans will demonstrate their historic skills, including blacksmithing and woodworking throughout the weekend. Activities will also include musket and cannon firing and multi-period military tactical Demonstrations.

September 16 - October 30
Chrysanthemums and More! Grand Rapids
Formerly "Colorfall", this annual celebration of the autumn season features an extensive chrysanthemum display with hundreds of flowering plants in both interior and exterior areas. Indoor highlights include varieties on display along the winding Scenic Corridor and the Seasonal Display Greenhouse, while outdoor plantings are featured in the English Perennial Garden, Michigan's Farm Garden and Volunteer Tribute Garden. Color tours, tram rides and seasonal children's activities offer a unique way to experience autumn.

September 15 - 18
Oktoberfest Frankenmuth
In 1990, Frankenmuth, "Michigan's Little Bavaria," celebrated its first Oktoberfest. The Frankenmuth Oktoberfest celebrates German culture, cuisine, heritage and love. The goal is to incorporate as many of the sights, sounds, taste and traditions of the original Munich Oktoberfest as possible, and Frankenmuth boasts the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.

September 17
Evening at an 1896 Logging Camp Grayling
Journey back to 1896, when Salling, Hanson and Company's Section 9 Camp logged what is now Hartwick Pines State Park. As a "new employee," you will travel the quarter-mile lantern-lit route from the Grayling train depot (the Hartwick Pines visitor center) to the logging camp (Hartwick Pines Logging Museum), where Section 9 Camp is preparing for the upcoming winter logging season. "earn "first-hand" about the logging industry, logging-camp life and some of the dangers of a logging job.

September 16 - 17
Old Town BluesFest Lansing
The Old Town BluesFest is a two-day FREE music festival that brings local, regional, and national acts to an audience of roughly 15,000 people from across Michigan and nearby states. BluesFest's music truly is living music, history in the making. Each artist at the festival is asked to play an original composition, something that hasn't been played at any other festival. It all happens in the streets of Lansing's Old Town, surrounded by the best of the Capital City's art galleries as well as unique retail stores and grand architecture with shops & vendors lining the streets and offering ethnic food, beverages, art, clothing, and crafts!

September 16 - 16
Salmon Festival Grand Haven
The annual Grand Haven Salmon Festival is a three-day festival that marks the passing of summer and celebrates the fall harvest season and salmon migration. The festival theme is arts, education and entertainment and assures the residents and visitors alike a unique opportunity to learn about the region's natural assets, while experiencing the cultural appeal of the area through music, art, entertainment, history and education.

September 18
Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest Scotts
You're invited to the 8th Annual Southwest Michigan Community Harvest Fest, a celebration of local food, local farming and sustainable living. A few years ago, some people got together because they all had the same idea: How about hosting a celebration of local food and farming? Tillers International was approached to be the site host; its rural setting and mission of teaching farming techniques worldwide made it the ideal choice.

September 23 - 24
Kalamazoo Irish Fest Kalamazoo
Live Celtic music featuring: Belfast Gin, Blackthorn, Chelsea House Orchestra, Craic Wisely, Dyed in the Wool, Embarr, Erin Quinn School of Irish Dance, Harvest Home, Kalamazoo Pipe Band, Irish Dance Company of Lansing, Kennedy's Kitchen, String Cheese, The Waxies and Whiskey Before Breakfast. Irish Step Dancers from the Erin Quinn School of Irish Dance and the Irish Dance Company of Lansing. Supervised children's area with arts and crafts activities and games and prizes, all with a Celtic theme. Food vendors and Guinness Beer Tent with Irish Cuisine and drink. Over 20 merchandise vendors, selling Irish and Celtic themed clothing, jewelry, arts and crafts and more. Cultural Area where you can learn about your family's genealogy, have your palm read and learn about the art of calligraphy and the craft of weaving.

September 24 - 25
American Heritage Festival Lansing
Join them for a step back in time and experience a piece of our rich Mid-Michigan cultural heritage. A day the whole family will enjoy. Farmers Market, pioneer toys, Apple cider pressing, spinning, live animals, blacksmithing, historic farm tool display, spinning, lace making, good old time music, Grand River pontoon boat rides, good food, WolduMarket and much more.

Share this:

Through the Vineyards III by lpwines

The season wineries eagerly await year-round is upon us, and the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association will usher it in in fabulous, footloose fashion with its annual Harvest Stompede. The event features fantastic food and wine pairings at participating LPVA wineries — with unique dishes at every stop — and kicks off with a 7-mile run and 5K run/walk through the grapevines Sept. 10.

The LPVA has kindly supplied MBTB with two tickets to give away to the fall festivities, set for September 10-11. Getting entered to win is easy; we'll tell you more about that in a moment!

If you're not too keen on running for your vino, no worries — participation in that segment of the celebration is strictly voluntary. The only requirement for the self-guided vineyard tour portion of the event is to have your thirst and appetite at the ready.

Here's how the 12-hour shindig works: Attendees purchase tickets to start their weekend at a specific LPVA winery, but can swing through the remainder of the stops in any order they please. Tickets allow the bearer to visit up to eight wineries on Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and eight wineries on Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Each starting point's allotment of tickets is limited to space out guests and ease crowds.

Using a plethora of locally sourced ingredients — from cherries and corn to bratwurst and whitefish — participating LPVA wineries will serve up fare orchestrated to pair well with their designated wine (or wines) of the day. (See below for a full list of the mouth-watering lineup.)

2008 Harvest Stompede157 by lpwines

LPVA spokesman Andy McFarlane said it's only natural to bring together food and drink produced in the immediate area.

"For the second year in a row, all of our tasting rooms are featuring local items in their food pairings," he said. "The wine, of course is local, and I think pairing it with food from our region makes it extra special. There's a ton of interest out there in supporting local food and local farms, and it's important to remember that local wine IS local food."

Tickets for the vineyard tour are $40 apiece. There also are $30 tickets available for designated drivers, who receive food at each site, but no glass for wine, though some locations will may provide non-alcoholic beverage substitutes.

The races and walk begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 10 at Ciccone Vineyard, located at 10343 E. Hilltop in Suttons Bay. Openings are capped at 850, and the event was at capacity last year; as of Aug. 29, the number of slots remaining was down to 80. Chip timing is available, and organizers joke that the reward for the winner is "bragging rights provided at the finish line."

McFarlane said he's not a runner himself, but adores observing the race along with other spectators.

"I know that I'm biased, but I think the Harvest Stompede race is one of the most unique running events in Michigan," said McFarlane. "The runners start to gather before sunrise and it's pretty cool to see them stretching and getting ready as the light breaks over the vineyards. At 9 a.m., the runners take off, and from the vantage at Ciccone, you can see them stream through Ciccone's vineyard and into Larry Mawby's on their way to Black Star Farms."

Entrants don't have to be seasoned runners to enjoy themselves, he noted.

"Everyone really seems to have a lot of fun with it," said McFarlane. "We have people who run barefoot and a lot of folks who walk it, too. It's really cool to me to see all the people in the vineyard with the grapes almost ready for the crush."

At the end, everyone crushes a "symbolic tub of grapes," he added.

Participation in running/walking events entails a separate fee. Advance registration through Sept. 8 is $26 for the 5K walk, $27 for the 5K run and $27 for the 7-mile run. Runners can register in person during packet pick-up on Sept. 9, but the price increases to $30 that day. No day-of registration is available.

For more information on the Harvest Stompede, visit http://lpwines.com/harvest.

Get tickets!

To be entered into the MBTB's Harvest Stompede drawing, find the contest post marked OFFICIAL on the Michigan By the Bottle Facebook page and respond to that post with any ONE of the following:

• An ode to your favorite Leelanau Peninsula winery (whether it be a little poem, a limerick, a song, etc.).
• Your favorite memory of visiting a Leelanau Peninsula winery.
• The name of a Leelanau Peninsula winery you would like to visit in the future, and why you want to go there.
• Please do NOT start a new thread with your entry into the contest; simply post your response as a reply to the OFFICIAL thread.

If you do not use Facebook, please feel free to email MBTBs with your name and answer at cort@michiganbythebottle.com.

While they encourage creativity, and can't wait to read your submissions, the winner will be drawn randomly via a random number generator. So even if you feel like your poetry-penning skills are lacking, you have just as good of a chance to win! The contest runs through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Just in case luck isn't on your side, you can also purchase tickets online at http://lpwines.com/harvest or join the Absolute Michigan email list for a giveaway on Thursday! (form at the bottom of the post!)

To register for the race or walk, visit https://www.signmeup.com/site/online-event-registration/75458.

Planned pairings include...

• Hardy corn chowder made with local corn, paired with 2009 Pinot Grigio, at Ciccone.
• Toasted puff pastry wrapped with local cherries, local vegetables and feta cheese, paired with Cherry Twist wine at Cherry Republic.
• Barbudos en Salsa de Chile Dulce — a baked omelette made with local green beans, pulled chicken and roasted red pepper sauce — paired with 2010 Riesling at Gill's Pier (a vegetarian option also will be offered).
• Grilled pita, local cherry hummus and naked brats paired with wine — and beer — at Good Neighbor Organic.
• Macaroni and cheese with local squash and a sage cream sauce, paired with Green sparking wine, at L. Mawby.
• Local bratwurst and sauerkraut, paired with 2009 Riesling (and a hearty side of German music, to complete the Oktoberfest theme!), at Silver Leaf.
• Local fall harvest vegetable soup with Italian sausage, paired with Bel Lago Red, at Bel Lago.
• Grilled focaccia with pear poached in Isidor's Choice Pinot Grigio, Leelanau fromage blank and a caramelized wild leek, paired with 2010 Arcturos Riesling, at Black Star Farms.
• Smoked Carlson's whitefish on crostini with chevre, paired with Forty-Five White, at Forty-Five North.
• Philly cheesesteak sandwich made with local beef, peppers, onions, mushrooms, cheese and bread, paired with the Solem Farm Red, at Chateau de Leelanau.
• Carlson's of Leland fish pate with grapes and crackers, paired with Fishtown White, at Good Harbor.
• Cincinnati-style chili with (optional) local onions, paired with Big Paw Red, at Chateau Fontaine.
• Savory buckwheat crepes with Leelanau raclette, Shetler Dairy milk, local eggs and honey-cured ham, paired with Ida Gold hard cider, at Tandem Ciders.
• Smoked whitefish chowder, featuring local whitefish and potatoes, paired with Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir, at Verterra.
• Local apple caramel crisp, paired with Pinot Gris, at Willow.

For another chance at 2 tickets, just join the Absolute Michigan email list using the form below! We give stuff away almost every week and will tell you a thing or two about Michigan as well!

Share this:

Sample Michigan-made wines, craft beers, homegrown delicacies and signature products from throughout the state while you enjoy live entertainment by northern Michigan's own Emmy award-winning Bihlman Brothers. The event takes place outdoors on Crystal's slopeside lawn adjacent to the Crystal Clipper chairlift, but if the weather is bad, it will be moved to an on-premise indoor location.

Check below to register for a pair of tickets to the Taste of Michigan and also to see the Bihlman Bros. performing their hit Jubilee.

To be eligible for a pair of passes to the Taste of Michigan and to be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Share this:

Enjoy a cup of Summer~ by Blondieyooper

Taste the Local Difference says that blackberries are ready to pick! Blackberries are very high in Vitamin C and K and manganese and a good source of Vitamin E, folate, magnesium, potassium, and copper. They have one of the highest levels of the antioxidant antocyanin, which may help fight cancer, aging, and improve vision. Some fun facts:

• Blackberries are also known as "black caps"
• Blackberry tea was considered a cure for dysentery during the Civil War
• The blackberry leaf was used as a hair dye
• Blackberries are one of the easiest fruits to grow

In addition to great recipes for Wild Greens and Chevre in a Blackberry Cider Vinaigrette and Blackberries With Mint Tea Syrup And Yogurt, they have a really easy and tasty looking recipe for...

Blackberry and Peach Buttermilk Cobbler

blackberries by PepOmint

1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 lb. peaches, pitted and thickly sliced
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter cut into large pieces
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
6-oz blackberries

Preheat oven to 375 °F. In a medium bowl whisk together maple syrup and cornstarch then add peaches and toss to coat; set aside. Put butter into an 8-inch round or square glass or metal cake pan. Heat in oven just until butter is melted, 2 to 3 minutes, then remove and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt then stir in buttermilk and mix until just combined to make a thick batter. Pour into pan over melted butter without stirring. Sprinkle reserved peach mixture and blackberries evenly over top of batter and bake until golden and bubbly, 50 to 55 minutes.

Share this:

Buckwheat Zydeco at the Beer Fest II by farlane,

The annual Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival features over 50 breweries, a cider, mead and wine court, a new silent disco tent and a musical lineup including chart-topping folk rocker Martin Sexton, Grammy-nominated New Orleans brass brand Rebirth Brass Brand and Afro-Cuban funk favorites Euforquestra. It takes place August 26 & 27 at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, and other musical guests include fiddle rockers Barrage, popular Michigan dance outfit Ella Riot (formerly My Dear Disco), musical “mad scientist” That 1 Guy, Celtic marchers Grand Traverse Pipes & Drums, West African drummers and more!

This year, the festival will kick off on Friday, August 26 from 5-10 p.m. with a “Pint Night” themed evening featuring a headlining performance by Martin Sexton as well as $3 pint specials from a variety of renowned craft breweries, the silent disco tent, and food and merchandise vending areas.

The second day of the festival on Saturday, August 27, will feature an expanded festival experience from 4-10 p.m. with over 50 breweries and 200+ flavors of beer, cider, mead and wine, live music from Rebirth Brass Band, Barrage, Euforquestra, Ella Riot, That 1 Guy, Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums and several more acts, plus $1 tasting tokens for 7-oz sample pours (a commemorative festival cup and 5 tokens are included with admission), a variety of local food vendors and brew-friendly pub grub, an MSU Extensions Educational Tent featuring workshops on beer-related topics, the festival’s popular Hop ‘N Brew tasting shack, the silent disco tent and special partner activities and events.

All in all, this is a fantastic celebration of Michigan's microbrew culture that you will certainly enjoy and our Absolute Michigan passes will let you enjoy it to the fullest. Check Porterhouse Productions for ticket information and check below to enter the giveaway and for a video!

To be eligible for a pair of passes for Friday AND Saturday night to the Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival and to be entered in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Here's the Rebirth Brass Band in New Orleans - see them in Michigan next Saturday! Also be sure to check out this cool video of the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars at last year's festival!

Share this:

The festival features award-winning wineries throughout the state of Michigan and across the globe showcasing more than 100 varieties of wine including Chardonnay, Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rieslings, Sparkling, dessert wines and many more. A neat feature is that the festival's on-site retail store has select wines available for purchase at the event, by the bottle or discounted by the case. In addition to wine sampling, there are also a number of food vendors along with seminars covering wine, food and other topics of interest. You will also enjoy continuous live music and special exhibits and displays throughout the weekend.

The Wine and Food Festival at Meadow Brook Music Festival is sponsored by Palace Sports & Entertainment, Kroger, The Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council and is a part of the Belle Tire Concert Series. Tickets for adults are $18 in advance and $20 at the door and include free wine samples, a complimentary wine glass, wine and food seminars, exhibits and live music. Designated Driver tickets may be purchased for $10 and admission is free for those under 21 years of age. Tickets are on sale now at Palacenet.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or on the day of the event.

Absolute Michigan has a pair of tickets for the Wine and Food Festival. To be entered for this and in every one of the Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Share this:

At Bel Lago... by Trish P.

25 wine experts gathered August 2 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing for the 34th annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition sponsored by the Michigan Wine & Grape Industry Council. Judges included wine experts from around the country, including Doug Frost, who is both a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier; two Master Sommeliers; and internationally known authors, winemakers and wine educators. Leading the group through the day was food and wine writer Christopher Cook, who judged at the competition for 12 years before becoming its superintendent in 2001. Cook is also a judge at wine competitions throughout the United States and abroad.

There was a great variety of wines entered by newer wineries throughout Michigan, with several garnering medals, including a Raspberry Wine produced by Garden Bay Winery in the Upper Peninsula that won Best of Class Fruit Wine.

The Michigan competition is a favorite for many of the judges, as they are eager to try new wines from the state’s rapidly growing industry.

“The Michigan wine industry continues to expand and offer quality wines with fun and excitement. It’s why Michigan wines and winery tasting rooms are growing in popularity, said Veteran judge Joe Borrello, president of Tasters Guild International, which sponsored the Best of Class Dessert trophy.

Fifty-three of the state’s 84 wineries entered 367 wines for this year’s competition, which is open only to wine and spirits produced from Michigan grapes and other fruit. Gold medals were awarded to a wide variety of wines - - from bone-dry reds to deliciously sweet ice wines - - from all of Michigan’s major grape-growing areas. At the end of the day, judges awarded the top “Best of Class” awards to eight wines from a group of 51 gold medal winners, including seven double gold.

James VanDerKolk, with Elite Brands, was “stunned by the depth of quality in the dry white wines from 2010, and very pleasantly surprised by the high-quality dry reds tasted from 2010.”

Judges experienced just a sampling of red wines from the 2010 vintage, which is expected to be exceptional, as Michigan enjoyed a long, warm growing season that allowed red grapes to ripen more fully than in recent years. Most of the reds from 2010 will be released over the next year.

“I was happy to see the overall Merlot quality,” said Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon, a veteran judge of this competition. “The dry white sweeps (Best of Class round) were a privilege to judge, so many good wines! Every year, my pride and confidence in our wines grows.”

The top award-winners are:

• Best of Class Dry White: Chateau Fontaine – 2010 Dry White Riesling
• Best of Class Dry Red: Fenn Valley Vineyards – Capriccio
• Best of Class Sparkling Wine: L. Mawby – Cremant Classic
• Best of Class Semi-Dry White (tie): Fenn Valley Vineyards – 2010 Riesling; Tabor Hill – 2010 Gewurztraminer
• Best of Class Rosé: Forty-Five North – 2010 Rosé of Cabernet Franc
• Best of Class Dessert Wine: Black Star Farms – 2008 A Capella Ice Wine
• Best of Class Fruit Wine: Garden Bay Winery – Raspberry Wine

A complete list of medal-winning wines is available online at www.michiganwines.com.

Share this:

Traverse City Wine & Art Festival, 2010 by KatSwinehart

The 2011 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival takes place Saturday, August 20th from 3-10 PM on the beautiful front lawn at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, rain or shine. It's Michigan’s premier celebration of wine, art, food and music, offering an incredible opportunity to taste wines from 24 wineries as you dance, dine, and see extraordinary performers, art and artists.

The wines & wineries are the heart of the festival and the large wine tent is dedicated to featuring well over 100 wines from the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and - for the first time - Benzie County. Attendees can choose a tasting or full-glass pour and have a chance to talk with the winemakers and winery reps to learn more about the wines. The 2010 vintage is spectacular, and this is a fantastic opportunity to try the riesling, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot blanc, cabernet franc and a host of other varieties that are making a lot of noise at wine competitions around the country!

The festival also features a great lineup with some of Michigan's finest musicians. Michigan jazz/folk great Claudia Schmidt kicks things off  and then joins Rachel Davis and Shout Sister Shout. It will be the first time Claudia and Shout Sister Shout have taken the stage together, an event that promises to be one of those "better not miss it" nights. Steppin' In It goes electric and will keep you dancing into the evening. There's also a wide range of performances including dancers, performance artists and the Sweet Adelines.

In addition to a wide selection of art for show & sale and gourmet food from many of the region's finest restaurants for purchase, there's even a chance for YOU to get into the act with "Fashion Is Art". This new feature that invites you to don your most innovative attire for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a spa weekend for two at Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa. Get tickets & lodging package information at traversecitywinefestival.com and check their Facebook for a ticket deal that ends TODAY.

To enter to win a pair of tickets to the Traverse City Wine & Art Festival and to be entered in every one of our Festival Summer giveaways, just join our email list using the form below!

Here's Shout Sister Shout for your listening pleasure!

Share this:

Strawberry season wrapped up in southern Michigan? Head north for more! Thanks to the varying differences in temperatures along Lake Michigan, growing seasons are frequently staggered from one part of the state to the next. And who doesn’t love strawberries? Favorite strawberry farms include Kiteley’s Farm in Charlevoix, Ware Farm in Bear Lake and in Amish country in southern Michigan.

So, what’s your favorite fruit and veggie growing right now? We’re digging cherries, blueberries, kale and cucumbers. Being enthusiastic fans of Michigan wine, we also have some favorite summertime sips:

Sharon’s sips: Black Star Farms Pinot Grigio, Chateau Grand Traverse Gamay Noir, Domaine Berrien Marsanne and Sandhill Crane Vineyards Vignoles

Lorri’s sips: Michigan Dry Riesling and Leelanau Cellars Fishtown White, and when feeling bubbly, L. Mawby's Detroit or Sex.

On a recent visit to Northern Natural Winery in Benzonia, we discovered organic hard ciders and fruit wines made with fruit from more than a dozen regional farms. These fruitier wines are for the sweeter wine drinkers; though, the hard apple cider is surprisingly dry and quite refreshing! Located at the juncture of US-31 and M-115, this newer winery offers a comfy respite amid farmland and close to the lakeshore. Just up the road, pick saskatoons, gooseberries, and raspberries in season at Putney’s U-Pick Berries farm.

Speaking of Northern Michigan and deliciousness, be sure to check out Mario Batali's take on the Northern Michigan food scene!

Share this: