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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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!!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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Expanse by g. s. george

You don't have to travel far when you live in Michigan to find a whole lot of fun. We encourage you to support the festivals, events, cities and businesses that are making all the cool things happen around the state. So get out this summer and have some fun and create some great memories in the process. Carpe diem!!

As usual we by no means have listed all the events happening around Michigan. Add ones we missed (with links) in the comments below!

July Quotes

"Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don't know what happened on either occasion. - Mark Twain

"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." - Mark Twain

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau

"You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else." - Mario Batali

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard

Fast Facts - via Wikipedia's July entry

• The second half of the year commences in July
• The birthstone for July is a red ruby
• July was renamed for Julius Caesar... Previously, it was called Quintilis...

Also be sure to check out Pure Michigan's July Event Round-up and our Absolute Michigan Event Calendar for more great Michigan events!

July 2 - 9
National Cherry Festival Traverse City
The National Cherry Festival features over 150 events including free air shows over the Bay, colorful parades & marching bands, music shows, sporting events, rides & carnival games on the midway, pie-eating contests, clean blue skies, warm sunshine, crowds of smiling faces, and loads of luscious cherries prepared every way you can imagine!

July 8 - 9
Michigan Elvisfest Ypsilanti
The world-renowned Michigan Elvisfest began in 2000 in Ypsilanti, Michigan's Historic Depot Town. Beautiful Riverside Park is the place where Elvis fans flock by the thousands every July to pay homage to the King of Rock & Roll and to hear the most award-winning professional Elvis Tribute Artists in North America, as well as other talented Legend Tribute Artists.

July 8 - 10
Blissfest Cross Village
The 30th Blissfest Music Festival will be a celebration of music, culture, art and community featuring a world of diverse and innovative folk and roots music and dance at the Festival Farm in picturesque rural northern Michigan. It is truly a blissful musical weekend to be shared with families, friends and music-lovers of all ages. The annual event is a showcase of the many musical styles that define American roots and world music. Bluegrass, Blues, Cajun, Celtic, Folk, Jazz, Latin, Ethnic, World music and dance all share the stage.

July 9 - Aug 7
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire Battle Creek
Neither heat, rain nor scary beast will shut their gates that hold jousting and performances and all manner of medieval fun. The Faire is also West Michigan's premier Artisan Marketplace with over 100 vendors selling their wares and crafts, you will find everything from turkey legs to wood-carving, leather to silks, and blacksmiths to fairy wings.

July 14 - Aug 7
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival Jackson
The Michigan Shakespeare Festival has been presenting the timeless themes and glorious language of William Shakespeare since 1995, growing each year into a premier regional event that draws respected actors from across the nation, and satisfied audiences from throughout the Midwest.

July 14 - 17
Venetian Festival St. Joseph
The name implies gracious glides on a glowing river and the gentle sounds of water rippling as gondoliers pole their slender boats and sing soft love songs to couples snuggled in the bows. Such were the hot days and long nights in Venice, Italy, where Venetian Festivals started so many years ago. In St. Joseph, they still celebrate hot July days and long summer nights with boat rides and love songs and couples holding hands. The Venetian Festival on the St. Joseph River is all of that plus music, fine food and fun for all ages!

July 14 - 17
Concert of Colors Detroit
The Concert of Colors is metro Detroit's free annual diversity music festival. It is presented by ACCESS/Arab American National Museum, New Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) with the goal of bringing together metro Detroit's diverse communities and ethnic groups by presenting musical acts from around the world. Over its 17-year history, the festival has become a beloved highlight of metro Detroit's summer festival season.

July 15 - 16
Michigan Storytellers Festival Flint
It’s free fun for all INSIDE the Flint Public Library. Don’t miss our master storytellers who bring the oral tradition to life. As always there will be several workshops and storytelling concerts during the day on Saturday with storytellers in concert beginning at 7PM on Friday and Saturday.

July 16 - 17
Quake on the Lake Waterford
Over the past 10 years, the "Quake" has become on of Oakland County's must-attend events and is the North American Inboard Hydroplane Championship. The event is the proud holder of 17 American Power Boat Association (APBA) world speed records being set in 5 different racing classes making Pontiac Lake one of the fastest one-mile race courses in the country! There's also music from Rare Earth, the Verve Pipe and others.

July 16 - 17
Ragtime Street Fair Dearborn
Savor an American original -Ragtime music. You'll hear Scott Joplin rags like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" along with  much, much more as scores of other musicians travel from all over the country to perform on nearly a dozen stages throughout Greenfield Village. It's syncopated, jazzy, hot and live. Fresh summer food, too, and dancing in the streets!

July 20 - 23
Ann Arbor Street Art Fair Ann Arbor
Established in 1960, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is the Original of the now four award-winning Ann Arbor Art Fairs: The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, The State Street Area Art Fair, The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair and the Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair. Together, the fairs attract over a half a million attendees from across the nation. The Original Fair was named the Number One Art Fair in the country by AmericanStyle magazine readers survey (October 2004) and has made the Top Ten Fairs and Festivals list every year since.

July 22 - 23
Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival Ypsilanti
The Summer Beer Festival is the Michigan Brewers Guild's oldest and largest of our four annual festivals. The festival takes place outside in a lovely riverside setting and will feature more than 300 different beers from more than 50 different Michigan breweries. A variety of tasty food items are available for purchase from independent food vendors inside the festival and there will be a diverse selection live music from a variety of local bands.

July 26 - 31
Traverse City Film Festival Traverse City
The Traverse City Film Festival has grown to become one of the largest film festivals in the Midwest, and one of the most respected in the country. Last year, there were over 80,000 admissions to nearly 100 screenings, a number of them U.S. or world premieres. A special emphasis is given to foreign films, American independents, documentaries, and films which have been overlooked but deserve the attention of a public starved to see a good movie.

July 29 - 31
Yale Bologna Festival Yale
Every July Yale plays host to the Yale Bologna Festival, a 3 day weekend event that closes the streets and transforms this small community of just under 2,000 to a gathering of over 20,000 Bologna starved party-goers! A tradition in Yale since 1989, this festival has grown considerably since its humble beginnings. The festival draws people from all around Michigan as well as other states, eager to see who will be the next King and Queen of Bologna. The Bologna Festival includes such events as the famed outhouses races, a street dance, fireworks and a parade down Main Street that continues to grow each year.

July 29 - Aug 7
Coast Guard Festival Grand Haven
The United States Coast Guard has a long and prestigious history in Grand Haven and around the world. Celebrate the Coasties with activities, events, and attractions for all ages. Many are free, and you will find plenty of fun and choices from Kid's Day to the Street Dance and Cruise-In Car Show, to carnival rides, picnics, parades, fireworks and ship tours.

July 30 - 31
Art On The Rocks Marquette
Located in a beautiful wooded area on the shore of Lake Superior in north Marquette, the annual Art On The Rocks at Presque Isle Park features a huge variety of artwork in all media for show & sale.

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Ann Arbor June 2009
by RichardDemingPhotography

Ed Vielmetti is the Paul Revere of Michigan strawberries. The Ann Arbor area is usually the first in Michigan to see ripe berries, and Ed says that 'U-Pick' strawberries are ready this week in SE Michigan! Ed advises:

The pick-your-own strawberry season is short. Typically there are only three or four weeks when the berries in the fields are ripe enough to pick, and some years there are only two weekends when they are out in enough quantities where you can count on getting enough to freeze, turn into jam or prepare in quantities at reasonable prices.

Leora picking Michigan
strawberries by Blondieyooper

While strawberries are not yet ready to pick in Northern Michigan, Taste the Local Difference has some great information about strawberries & their uses.

Strawberries are grown in every county of Michigan and your fun fact of the day is that 53% of seven to nine year olds say strawberries are their favorite fruit. Strawberries are high in iron and Vitamin C - Eight strawberries will provide 14% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C for kids - and have less than 60 calories per cup. I recently read that you can mix strawberries and baking soda to form an at-home tooth whitening compound but you should probably read more about the ins and outs of DIY tooth whitening first.

Wild Strawberries by Rudy Malmquist

The MDA's Michigan Strawberries page has a ton of strawberry purchasing, growing and preparation info and some great strawberry lore, such as the fact that strawberries were a symbol of perfection and righteousness that medieval stone masons carved on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals and that:

In parts of Bavaria, country folk still practice the annual rite each spring of tying small baskets of wild strawberries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves. They believe that the elves, who are passionately fond of strawberries, will help to produce healthy calves and abundance of milk in return.

If you have some strawberries left over after tying them to the neighbor's cow (and trying out the Strawberry Shortcake Recipe from Bad Bab's Grandma), consider the recipe for Strawberry Sorbet after the jump!

Strawberry Sorbet (serves 6-8, courtesy Joy of Cooking/Taste the Local Difference)

Taste of summer by BAD BAB

2/3 cup water
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
5 cups or 2 lbs. fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or other liqueur (optional)

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, over low heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Boil the mixture for one minute then remove from heat. Pour the sugar syrup into a heatproof container, and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled, about an hour or so.

Meanwhile, thaw the strawberries and then place the thawed strawberries in a food processor and process until the strawberries are pureed. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and liqueur (if using), and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. If using fresh strawberries, puree the berries in the food processor, transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and liqueur (if using), and place in the refrigerator until chilled.

Once the simple syrup and pureed strawberries are completely chilled, combine the simple syrup with the pureed strawberries. Pour the mixture into a 8 inch or 9 inch stainless steel pan (sorbets will freeze faster in stainless steel), cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. When the sorbet is completely frozen (3 to 4 hours), remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature until partially thawed. Transfer the partially thawed sorbet to the food processor, and process to break up the large ice crystals that have formed on the sorbet. (This step is what gives the sorbet its wonderful fluffy texture.) Place the sorbet back into the pan and refreeze for at least three hours, and up to several days.

Note: If you taste the sorbet after freezing and find the amount of sugar is not right, adjust the level of sugar by adding a little sugar syrup (too little sugar in sorbet) or water (too much sugar in sorbet) and then refreeze the sorbet. The sorbet is not affected by thawing and refreezing.

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You can download the guide as a PDF or pick it up at farms, markets and other places that feature local food across Northwest Michigan. A highlight is their Spend 10 Local Dollars Campaign, which encourages people to make a pledge to spend $10 weekly on local food products. Taste the Local Difference project director Janice Benson says:

"The guide helps people find local food, and combining that with a commitment by families to spend at least $10 each week on local food will significantly boost our local economy. We have a lot of great produce throughout the summertime, but we also have meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beverages, and much more that is available to us all year long."

DoF Asparagus by RichardDemingPhotography

You can get all the details and  make the pledge, search farm markets & businesses for all kinds of products, view tasty recipes and more at localdifference.org. Try some of these ways to make a difference in your community with $10 or more a week!

• Buying local meat, fish, eggs, and produce from your local grocer, restaurant, or farmer.
• Ordering a glass of local wine, cider, or other beverage that includes locally grown items at dinner.
• Ordering a menu item that includes locally grown items at a restaurant.
• Becoming a member of a CSA farm.
• Ordering food for office lunches and parties that includes locally grown items.
• Purchasing locally grown food products for holiday gifts and entertaining. (Jams, honeys, cheeses, dried cherry mix, salsas, etc.)
• Buying local cream for your daily coffees and local teas that include locally grown herbs and fruit.

We'll add one more - check out Absolute Michigan's Michigan Grown section and search for all kinds of great Michigan products that can help you help your neighbors!

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The Elusive Black Morel
by cedarkayak

1. Morechella, true morels, are a honeycomb-like mushroom that  are prized by chefs the world over. The Great Morel Homepage can take you a lot deeper with links about the science of  these woodland delicacies. If you're looking for information about hunting morels this feature on Leelanau.com has some great tips to help you hunt and to be a good citizen of Morel Nation. Ed Vielmetti in Ann Arbor has a bunch more thoughts on the hunt.  MichiganMorels.com has tons of information as well about where to look, saying: Black morel habitats includes Ash, Fruit and Aspen trees (also known as: Popple or Poplar) or even lawns and fields.White (yellow) morels especially like Elm, Fruit trees, and Maple. And in southern Michigan, the Tulip Poplar tree is a good host.

2. When you find morels, you're going to want to cook them. The easiest tip is to soak them and rinse very well - they do have a lot of "grit" - and then fry them in butter. You can of course do a lot more with them. Check that Leelanau.com article and the recipes page at The Great Morel (one suggests a Michigan Dry Riesling pairing - we couldn't agree more!). Even if you don't find morels, you can buy them from Michigan-based Earthy Delights. On their recipes page they offer several ideas including Spring Wild Harvest Ragout With Fiddlehead Greens & Morels!

My favorite part of Spring by Apocaplops

3. Michigan loves its morels and we have two great morel celebrations. The first happens this weekend: the annual Mesick Morel Festival (May 6-8, 2011). The second is the National Morel Mushroom Festival in Boyne City which takes place May 12-15, 2011. When you click that link you'll hear the strains of the Mushroomers Waltz, and when you visit the festival, you'll have a chance to taste an incredible array of morel dishes and enjoy an experience much like  Absolute Michigan did a couple of years ago.

4. Finding morels means knowing what they look like, and being able to distinguish them from poisonous false morels. You can see a whole bunch in the Michigan Morel Slideshow from the  Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr, including one from Sunday posted by the Honor Motel.  Michigan in Pictures has a bagful of photos and articles about morels as well. If you want to share YOUR photos with us, add them to the .Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr or post them to the Absolute Michigan Facebook!

5. There's a bunch of great videos out there on morels including a sweet time lapse of a morel growing over 8 days by Ken Scott, a nice tour of the Michigan woods in morel season, one with Zachary Trost and morel expert Tom Nauman and a very nice primer to morel hunting from Country Living. I have to go with my buddy Tony Williams and the Boyne City Morel Fest - enjoy and good hunting!!

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5x5 Night is a monthly event in Grand Rapids that allows 5 people to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who decide how to award $5,000 on the last Tuesday night of every month. The third 5x5 happens tomorrow night at the Grand Rapids Ballet with an afterglow at Founders Brewery. Tomorrow night's presenters and topics sound pretty interesting:

• Bruce Burgess – Mull-it-Over
• Mick Hanna – Easy Crutch
• Phil Lund - The Mars Plan
• William Stewart – Compression Beehive Frame
• Charlie Wollborg - Face-to-Face > Pixel-to-Pixel

Michigan Radio has a cool interview with Rick DeVos and Bill Holsinger Robinson of Pomegranate Studios about 5x5 Night. Learn more at 5x5night.com and Pomegranate Studios.

Last month AJ Paschka got all five votes and $5000 for his very cool Weather Collage idea, but we'll feature Landon Bartley's more locally focused call for a Grand Rapids Sister City Window Webcam Project. You can check out all the pitches on the 5x5 channel.

Photo: Prepping for the first 5x5 Night at the GRAM by pomstudios.com.

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Fly Fishing by Murtasma

Field & Stream Magazine's FlyTalk picked the 12 Best States for flyfishing in the U.S.A., and Michigan hooked their #1 spot. Kirk Deeter writes that he based his picks on a variety of factors including all-around (multi-species) opportunities, angler-friendly environment and a cultural affinity to fly fishing.

1. Michigan. Another sentimental pick, for sure. But the first brown trout in America was planted here. Trout Unlimited started here. You're never more than a few miles or so from a fly-fishable body of water. There's bass, pike, panfish, steelhead, salmon... and the carp fishing can rival some of the best "flats" action in America, no joke.

The Michigan DNR's fishing pages includes information about licenses, weekly fishing reports and maps of inland lakes and natural rivers.

If you go to /Fish on Absolute Michigan, you can get all kinds of articles on Michigan fish & fishing, including features about the history of fishing in our state from Hemingway to the planting of salmon in the Great Lakes - even a 1950s travel reel on Michigan trout fishing! There's also features on invasive species like the Asian Carp that threaten Michigan's $7 billion  fishing industry.

PS: Because it's Michigan Wine Month, here's a shout out to one of the coolest dining experiences that I know of in Michigan. It's called Dining on the Fly. It takes place several times each summer in northern Michigan and  features a day on the river followed by a streamside dinner paired with wines from Bowers Harbor Vineyards!

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Ready for the Harvest by lpwines

While Governor Snyder has made a lot of changes in his first few months in office, he joined his predecessor in proclaiming April Michigan Wine Month. Sales of Michigan wines in the state rose nearly 12 percent in 2010, while total wine sales increased just 4 percent. Michigan wine sales have outpaced total wine sales for the past 10 years, doubling the Michigan wineries' market share to 6.5 percent. In the past year alone, Michigan added 10 new wineries. New Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) Director Keith Creagh said:

"Michigan's 81 wineries welcome more than 1 million visitors to their tasting rooms each year and offer a truly Pure Michigan agri-tourism experience. Not only do these businesses offer a quality product and memorable experience, but our wine and grape industries also contribute nearly $800 million to the state's economy annually."

We have a ton of Michigan wine events and If you can't make it out to the tasting rooms please take time to explore Michigan wine through Absolute Michigan's Michigan Wine section and the Michigan Wine & Grape Industry Council web site to learn about the excellent offerings that are produced right here in the Mitten!

Upcoming 2011 Michigan Wine Events
If you haven't done so, you owe it to yourself to get out and explore Michigan's various wine regions. Here is a sampling of upcoming events designed for both seasoned tasters and those wanting to learn more and experience first hand the excellent wines that our wineries are producing. Know of one that's not here? Post it in the comments!

Michigan International Wine Expo - April 15 & 16 - Rock Financial Showplace, Novi

Michigan Wine Celebration - April 9 & 10 - Southeast Michigan Pioneer Wine Trail

The Michigan Wine & Food Showcase- April 11 - Radisson Bloomfield Hills

Spring Sip & Savor - April 30 & May 1

Blossom Days - May 14 & 15 - Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula

Great Lakes Wine Festival - May 21 - Michigan International Speedway

Leland Wine & Food Festival - June 11 - Leland

Festival of the Sun June 25, 2011 - Lansing Old Town

Traverse City Wine & Art Festival - August 20 - Traverse City

Meadow Brook Wine & Food Festival - August 27 & 28 - Rochester Hills

For a complete list of events celebrating Michigan Wine Month and wine in Michigan, visit www.michiganwines.com.

Michigan Wine Country Magazine

The 2011 edition of Michigan Wine Country is now available. It is an an indispensable guide to the wines and wineries of Michigan. The magazine contains maps and touring information, as well as a popular section on "what's new at the wineries. Order your complimentary copy today. While there we encourage you to join the Vintage Michigan Club and take advantage of the special savings it offers.

Here is an interview with Steve Scheffel, President of Goodrich's East Lansing about the growth of Michigan wines. Goodrich's is one of the leading sellers of Michigan wine. Find many more places to buy at absolutemichigan.com/Wine. Steve says he doesn't carry Michigan wines because he's a nice guy (although he is) but rather because the sell.

Also click here to check out a whole lot more Michigan wine videos!

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As I sipped a glass of delicious Michigan Maple sap this morning, I realized that I can't help but say a little bit more about sap and syrup and spring.   Yesterday I blogged a photo to Michigan in Pictures that got me thinking about sap and how delicious a cold glass or two can be, and someone told me about a New York Times article about how South Koreans prefer drinking maple sap to making syrup.

The Michigan Maple Syrup Association has some great facts about Michigan maple syrup including:

Reflection by PLskell

• Michigan ranks 5th in maple syrup production in the United States.
• Average maple syrup production in Michigan is about 90,000 gallons per year.
• Economic contributions of the pure maple syrup industry to Michigan are nearly $2.5 million annually.
• There are an estimated 500 commercial maple syrup producers in Michigan with some 2,000 additional hobby or home use producers.
• The production of pure maple syrup is the oldest agricultural enterprise in the United States and maple syrup is one of the few agricultural crops in which demand exceeds supply.
• In an average year, each tap-hole will produce about 10 gallons of maple sap, enough for about a quart of pure Michigan maple syrup.
• It takes approximately 40 gallons of maple sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.
• The maple season in Michigan starts in February in the southern counties and runs well into April in the Upper Peninsula. The budding of maple trees makes the maple syrup taste bitter.
• Freezing and thawing temperatures create pressure and force the sap out of the tree.
• Maple syrup is classified as one of nature's most healthful foods and has may minerals per tablespoon: 20 milligrams of calcium, 2 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.2 milligrams of iron, 2 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium.
• Michigan has a Maple Queen, who is selected each January and a Maple Syrup Week held in March of each year.

We also have two maple syrup festivals: the Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival and the Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival - both at the end of April.

Michigan in Pictures has more about maple syrup including The Cycle of Sweetness: From Sap to Maple Syrup that takes you through the entire process of making maple syrup and you can also read a little about how Native Americans made maple sugar.

Absolute Michigan has lots of Michigan maple syrup stories and links, including this great video from the Mayfield Sugar Bush by Scott Allman we featured a few years ago, enjoy it and enjoy REAL syrup!

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The Bavarian inspired Inn is focusing on buying within the state

The Bavarian Inn Restaurant in Frankenmuth celebrated all things Michigan with its annual "Purely Michigan" feast last Friday. The Inn's own Chef Phil designed a five-course meal featuring Michigan-grown foods including cranberries from the Michigan Cranberry Company (Cheboygan), the Inn's famous Red Currant Wine, a sweet blend of currants and white wine from Fenn Valley Vineyards (Fennville), and turkey schnitzel made with turkeys raised in Michigan and sold through the Michigan Turkey Producer's Co-op in Wyoming, MI.

The Bavarian Inn has been in operation since 1950 and is part of Zehnder's restaurant fame, which began with Zehnder's Restaurant in 1929. Four of the five generations were present at the dinner, including Great Grandma Dorothy, who co- founded the inn with her husband, Bill "Tiny" Zehnder.

When the Inn opened in 1950, it created two Zehnder-owned restaurants, one across the street from the other. Tiny suggested the Inn come up with a theme to distinguish one from the other, so a German architect was consulted. Dorothy said the architect agreed to work with the Zehnders as long as they promised to, "go Bavarian." In 1958, the Bavarianized Inn re-opened.

Shrimp-stuffed Wild Caught Great Lakes Walleye. These salt-water shrimp were harvested from salt-water tanks located in Michigan and sold through the Shrimp Farm Market in Okemos.

Guests, distributors and area farmers were welcomed to the event. The third largest industry in Michigan is culinary tourism was celebrated and Bill Zehnder said the Inn's goal is to become the "largest user of Michigan products of any restaurant in Michigan." He added, "I think we have and will continue to achieve that."

Representatives from the farms and distribution companies were at the dinner and complimenting the meal were presentations from each on the different aspects of growing or producing Michigan products and distributing them to area restaurants and markets.

Wally Huggett, owner for the Michigan Cranberry Company, explained cranberries, one of only three fruits native to Michigan, are on the rise. Huggett has successfully planted 217 acres of cranberries in Cheboygan County and his produce is sold directly to Zehnders who incorporate the cranberries into a delightful sorbet.

Guests joined farmers and distributors in celebrating all things Michigan including Michigan-grown cranberries and rhubarb and the Bavarian Inn's Dark Lager from the Michigan Brewing Company in Webberville.

Annually the Inn takes in over 50 tons of Blue Hubbard squash alone from area farmer Fred Weiss of Frankenmuth. The Greenfield Noodles Company of Detroit makes their noodles and their pastry flour comes from the flourmill just down the road at the Star of the West Milling Company.

Prior to the close, American Culinary Federation award-winning Chef Phil spoke on the development of the menu. Chef Phil, who has worked with the Inn for over 20 years, consulted Dorothy in the planning stages.

Following the sold-out dinner, Bill Zhender commented, "Other than college and the Army, I've been here all my life." Referring to his pre-school age granddaughter, Sophie, who was handing out menus at the event, he cheerfully added, "My dad paid me in peanuts, but we're paying her in marbles."

Dorothy who still works six days a week and has for 60 years, said "We bake and cook and then invite all the family over and that's how we spend my day's off."

The Bavarian Inn Restaurant is located on 713 South Main Street in Frankenmuth. Visit www.bavarianinn.com for more information.

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Click that cherry to the left to Choose Cherries on Facebook. You can get bushels more cherry goodness including our Eat Local: Michigan Cherries feature at absolutemichigan.com/Cherry! We also have a video feature on U-Pick Cherries at King Orchards in northern Michigan and click the photo to the right for the cherries slideshow from the Absolute Michigan group on Flickr. More cherry thoughts? Post them in the comments!

Celebrate National Cherry Month with Michigan Cherries

It may seem odd to talk about cherries in the middle of February, but February is National Cherry Month, and as residents of the world's cherry capital, we Michiganders tend to think about cherries year-round. Cherry orchards line the eastern shore of Lake Michigan from Benton Harbor to Charlevoix, producing 75% of the tart cherries grown in the US.   Long before the first of these orchards was ever planted by man, this geographically unique area was a thick tangle of wild pin cherry, chokecherry and black cherry trees, evidence of how ideally suited our lakeshore is to the cultivation of this beloved fruit.

Here, rolling hills of sandy loam slope upward along the shore into the prevailing west wind.   As the first warm winds of spring move over the lake, they're cooled by this great cold mass of water — a disappointment to winter-weary humans but a boon to vulnerable cherry trees that could be deceived by the tantalizing warmth of early spring into budding and blossoming before the danger of killing frost had passed.

In summer, the lake effect brings cool nights at the end of each hot, summer day, which slows the maturation of fruit and allows Michigan cherries to develop a depth and complexity not found in others that ripen more quickly.

As the seasons progress and the air grows colder, the lake remains a reservoir of warmth. Throughout the winter, the abundant lake effect snow produced by this mingling of warm and cold builds up in deep, wet drifts in the dormant orchards along Lake Michigan's leeward shores, enveloping the delicate roots and lower trunks of fragile cherry trees in a thick, insulating blanket that protects them from winter kill.

Without this great lake, Michigan could not produce cherries in such quantity and of such quality as to have earned the reputation of Cherry Capital.

Read more at the Spoon Blog and definitely dig into some of their  tart cherry specialties.

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