In Five questions with wine expert Claudia Tyagi, the Detroit Free Press asks Master Sommelier* Claudia Tyagi about selecting Michigan wines to go with a Thanksgiving dinner. She recommends a few and says:

I always like Riesling with turkey, although with poultry Chardonnay would be beautiful. You have a 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.

Click through to read the rest and you might also want to try this recipe for roasting your turkey with white wine & rosemary.

Photo: Ciccone by Kiran Bhat

*Wikipedia's Sommelier entry explains that a sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional who specializes in all aspects of wine service. Since the Master Sommelier Diploma was introduced in 1969, 171 people from around the world had become Master Sommeliers by 2009. Of these there were 74 active Master Sommeliers in the Americas.

Claudia is one of three in the state of Michigan, and her observations can be found at twitter.com/Winegenie. Get many more Thanksgiving ideas at absolutemichigan.com/Thanksgiving.

Turkey by Vaughan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Michiganians will soon be hitting the road to attend family get togethers and enjoying annual traditions. To help get ready for the upcoming holiday we have compiled a bunch of informative and entertaining Thanksgiving related links for you to enjoy.

Head over to Michigan.gov and learn all about Michigan's contribution to the traditional Thanksgiving meal. You can also find some great ideas for holiday food and wine pairings in 'Tis the Season to Taste the Bounty of Michigan, Thanksgiving Dinner Wines and Celebrate the holidays with Michigan Ice Wine and dry fruit brandies. For a healthy but flavorful take on your holiday meal check out this podcast from the University of Michigan's MFit Health Division titled 'Make Thanksgiving healthy without losing flavor'. 

Check out a ton of great Thanksgiving recipes and dinner ideas on the Food Network's website.

For more Turkey Day food ideas & articles check out Absolute Michigan keyword "turkey", a search for Thanksgiving and our Michigan Grown section in Food & Dining!

2009 marks the 83rd birthday of America's Thanksgiving Parade and this year's theme is 'Together We Shine'. The theme celebrates The Parade Company bringing a spark of magic and people together to enjoy one of Detroit’s largest and free events where for one special moment, families can be entertained, share a tradition and create a memory.. America's Thanksgiving Parade is one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated parades and will step off at 9:20 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Mack and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit on Thursday, November 26, 2009. Hundreds of thousands of parade-goers will be watching as the Parade makes its way down Woodward Avenue.

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
Dave writes: As bad as the Lions get,
Thanksgiving is always special.

The Detroit Lions’ 70th Thanksgiving Day Classic will feature the Lions hosting long-time rival Green Bay Thursday, November 26 at 12:30 p.m. ET. The Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field will be aired live nationally on FOX.

Via the Detroit Lions Official web site:

Four generations of fans in Michigan share a special tradition. Every year since 1934 (with a break during World War II), Thanksgiving Day in America means a time for acknowledging our nation's forefathers and giving thanks to them for blazing the paths we travel today. For Michigan, the festive turkey dinner is also accompanied with a side of Detroit Lions football.

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

Local Apples by nasunto

Fall is here and that means it is once again time to enjoy Michigan's largest and most valuable crop - the apple. With temperatures unseasonably flirting with the freezing point, the race is on to harvest the prized fruit. Adding to this challenge is the fact that Michigan is enjoying it's largest crop in nearly 10 years with an expected crop of 26 million bushels compared to the typical crop of 20 million bushels. The uptick in the number of bushels has been attributed to this year's cool temperatures and more than average rain.

Michigan Farms & Mills

Fresh is the air in the orchards. Fresh are the fruits and vegetables we pick ourselves. Fresh is the fun we have with our families on a visit to Michigan’s farms and mills. This is the refreshing way to answer questions like “Mom, where do apples come from?” This is where open-air markets and u-pick farms enliven our recipes. This is the true meaning of the phrase: farm fresh. So let’s visit the farms and mills. Because nothing refreshes our lives like Pure Michigan.

Check out the huge list of Michigan farms and mills from PureMichigan.org.

Some Michigan Apple Quick Facts - check out more at the Michigan Apple Committee website.

• Apples are Michigan’s largest and most valuable fruit crop, with a value of about $100 million annually to the apple grower.
• Value-added marketing and processing enhance the economic contribution of Michigan Apples up to $700 million of economic impact annually.
• There are over 7.5 million apple trees in commercial production, covering 37,000 acres, on 950 family-run farms throughout Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
• Small family farmers who operate their own orchards dominate the Michigan apple industry. According to statistics, 99 percent of Michigan orchards had fewer than 100 acres in apples.
• Longtime favorite varieties still dominate Michigan’s orchards. The most prevalent variety remains the Red Delicious, followed closely by the Golden Delicious. The Gala is rapidly gaining on tradition, however.
• The Honeycrisp variety is continually growing in popularity. Look for it in September and October, and enjoy it while you can, as it will most likely be gone by mid-November! A growing number of Honeycrisp tree plantings still aren’t in pace with its popularity among consumers! Honeycrisp has a crisp, juicy bite and a sweet flavor. They are best for fresh eating and also a great addition to salads!

New Kid on the Branch

A newcomer to Michigan's apple varieties is the SeeTango. MyNorth.com takes a at this much anticipated arrival in their article - The SweeTango Apple Makes Its Northern Michigan Debut.

Five Northern Michigan apple growers were among the first in the country to plant and harvest the world’s newest designer apple, the SweeTango. The apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, is a cross between the crispy, juicy Honeycrisp (the must-have apple of the last decade, also developed by the University of Minnesota) and the sweet flavored Zestar apple. The SweeTango is "a fabulous piece of fruit," says Mark Evans of Evans Brothers Fruit Company in Frankfort, one of the five Northern Michigan members of the Next Big Thing, the SweeTango growers’ cooperative.

SweeTango - A Sneak Preview

Find out all kinds of interest information about apples at the Michigan Apple Committee's website including the history of apples, the growers and the most popular varieties.

Little do most people realize that there are actually thousands of apple varieties and Michigan has many antique apple farms who strive to preserve them. Absolute Michigan's own Andrew McFarlane took note of one such orchard, Christmas Cove Farm in Leelanau in his article - Antique Apples.

Over on Michigan in Pictures there's a cool old apple picking photo from Old Mission in the 1890s courtesy the Archives of Michigan.

Check out more apple related information and websites using Absolute Michigan keyword apple.

Michigan Apple Recipes

Honey Crisp Apple and Endive Salad with Maple Apple Vinaigrette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Double Apple Galette - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Barbeque "Mopping" Sauce W/Apple Cider Vinegar, Maple and Jalapeno - via Great lakes chef extraordinaire Eric Villegas

Ginger Apple Stir Fry - via Taste the Local Difference

Grilled Chicken with Apples and Feta - via Taste the Local Difference

Apple Lime Salsa - via Taste the Local Difference

Potatoes by rdmeg

by Jeannine Taylor, Community Outreach Coordinator, Grand Traverse County Health Department

One potato. Two potato. Three potato. New potato? What in the world is a new potato?

No, they're not a strange new breed of alien-like vegetables with spirally nodules protruding from their fluorescent green skin. They are actually any variety of young, immature potato that is harvested not long after the plant flowers, usually in the spring or summer.

fingerlings by redmudball

So what's the fuss all about? New potatoes have very thin skin that can sometimes be rubbed off with your fingers. They are high in moisture content and have a particularly creamy texture. Often cooked whole with the skin left on, they are well suited for boiling, steaming and roasting.

The downside is that they have a very short shelf life and should be used within a few days of harvesting. They typically cannot be stored, so you won’t find “true" new potatoes on your grocery store shelf. Baby red skinned potatoes are often confused for new potatoes, but in actuality, they have to go through a hardening process in order to be stored properly and to survive the long journey to grocery stores.

Regardless, these sweet and tasty morsels are so tender and delicately flavored they’ll melt in your mouth.

Tasting Tent II by farlane

The 2009 Epicurean Classic takes place St. Joseph August 28 - 30, 2009. It's one of the premier annual celebrations of culinary artisanship, drawing big name chefs from around the nation and world who lead classes & cooking presentations and mingle in a relaxed and unimaginably tasty setting. Add in wines and wineries from all over the world and food & kitchen supply vendors sampling their wares and you will see why many people count this as one of Michigan's signature events.

Enjoy a taste of the Epicurean Classic in this video from Scott Allman Productions and be sure to attend - you will not be sorry!

Salad by by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that leafy greens are ready to pick! Greens are an excellent source of iron, calcium, Vitamins A and C, and folic acid and also very high in dietary fiber and low in calories and sodium. What's not to love?? Here's a few fun facts about greens:

• Swiss chard is also known as white beet, strawberry spinach, seakale beet, leaf beet, Sicilian beet, spinach beet, Chilean beet, Roman kale, perpetual spinach, silverbeet and mangold!
• Arugula is known as “rocket” in some parts of Europe.
• Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Untitled by Ken Scott

Herbed Baked Greens

2 egg whites
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1//2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
¼ tsp. crushed rosemary
salt to taste
3 cups cooked, chopped greens
2 Tbsp. minced onions
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 ½ cups grated low-fat cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square glass baking pan. In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, rosemary, and salt. Gently stir greens, onions, rice, and cheese into egg white mixture, then turn into prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. 4-6 servings.

While we're on the topic, here's Seth Bernard & May Erlewine singing about greens!

emil hates rhubarb by yodraws

Taste the Local Difference says that rhubarb is in season. They note that rhubarb is high in Vitamins A and C, calcium and fiber and that one cup of diced rhubarb contains about 26 calories. It's often called the "pie plant and for centuries, the dried root of the plant was used for healing purposes and so prized that Russian czars had a state monopoly over "crown" rhubarb. The leaves of rhubarb contain oxalic acid and are unsafe to eat in quantity (so don't).

Whenever I hear rhubarb, I think about strawberry-rhubarb pie and also baseball announcers saying we've got a real rhubarb on the diamond". I wondered about that (because that's apparently what i get paid to do) and found the best explanation of the origins of that slang and a whole ton more about rhubarb at everything2.com:

Today a rhubarb is synonymous with melees and free for alls, but in Shakespeare's day when a play called for a crowd scene, the director gathered an assembly of actors and had them noisily mutter something akin to "Rhu-bar-bar, rhu-bar-bar ,rhu-bar-bar, which reverberated through the theatre like the sounds of an angry horde. " Try it. I'll bet you sound pretty threatening,  especially if you've got a couple of friends with you. From this "rhubarb" eventually came to be theatrical slang for "commotion." Rhubarb meant 'to make crowd noises', and actors who did it  were called "rhubarbers." This standard stage practice then became a verb "rhubarbing", eventually "rhubarb" came to mean, "fight."

I think we were talking about rhubarb as food, though, so here's a recipe for Lizzy’s Rhubarb Bread from MyNorth.com:

Tag Team by dailyinvention

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups finely diced rhubarb (or more to taste)

Topping:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:

Mix together all bread ingredients. Pour into two 6-inch greased and floured loaf pans. Before baking, mix together and sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 325°F for 40 to 60 minutes or until an inserted broom straw [or toothpick] comes out clean. Makes two 6-inch loaves.

For all things rhubarb visit the rhubarb compendium website...

On the photo above, Stefan writes: My grandparents do almost everything together. They're inseparable and an unstoppable team when it comes to making rhubarb pie.

Happy Memorial Day by lorainedicerbo

Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season in Michigan and the weather forecasts around the state look to be favorable. Businesses in sleepy towns are waking up, and community plans for festivals and ongoing summer fun are taking shape after weathering it through an extended winter.  

Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the biggest travel holidays and this year will be no exception. With gas prices almost 40% lower than last year and MDOT halting road work for the holiday, travel is expected to be up this year. In fact according to AAA around 1.1 million travelers will be out on the road headed to and from their holiday destinations.  For many, this weekend is the first trip up north of the year and if you want to set up camp in one of our beautiful state parks there is still availability. Even if you are planning on sticking close to home for the holiday, we have found plenty of events happening all around Michigan.

Parades, Festivals, Reenactments and more!

Parades abound and if fudge is calling your name then head to Mackinaw City and honor our nation's Veterans at the biggest parade in Northern Michigan, the Mackinaw Memorial Parade. Held on Saturday, at 1:00pm this parade complete with floats, queen, and clowns is a family fun, must attend event. For events happening in your area please check with your local media outlets.

Step back in time and experience Civil War Remembrance at Greenfield Village in Dearborn. Become a part of living history as you travel through a microcosm of the American Civil War. Union and Confederate soldier re-enactors, civilians, musicians and historic presenters—all in period costume—are eager to immerse you in the life of this turbulent American era.

If your looking for something a little more cutting edge then check out Detroit's Electronic Music Festival or head to Marshall for the first weekend of their Renaissance Festival. You will find these events, other Memorial weekend events, and yet even more Michigan events happening throughout the year in the Absolute Michigan Calendar.

Since most of Michigan Memorial Day travel is done via the highways and byways why not check out a celebration of cars?  Northport hosts their 12th annual Cars in the Park on Saturday, with food, music, and prizes.  Manton combines their 14th annual Classic Car and Truck Show with a craft fair and in Frankenmuth visitors can enjoy a Ford classic car show featuring 125 vehicles, plus a gathering of hot air balloons.

Eat, Drink and be Grateful

For those who just want to kick back at home, support Michigan and grab your favorite bottle of Michigan wine, some fine Michigan made beer , stock up on the Faygo and fire up the grill. The Detroit News has a delicious looking recipe and basic grilling information in their article Grilled dishes add sizzle to Memorial Day weekend. For all you localvores we present Planked Great Lakes Whitefish with a Potato Chip and Parmesan Crust from Michigan-centric chef Eric Villegas. This recipe can easily be prepared on the grill and we recommend using Better Maid chips, Michigan cooking planks and any other ingredients the recipe calls for that you can purchase from Michigan based producers.

Another Villegas classic and a good Memorial Day twist would be to whip up Eric's Michigan White Shrimp & Smoked Whitefish "Gumbo" using Michigan white shrimp. Shrimp in Michigan? You better believe it! Russ Allen, after having transformed Belize and Ecuador from shrimp niche players to powerhouses returned to Michigan as a modern-day seafood equivalent of Johnny Appleseed and created an indoor shrimp farm in Okemos that is aiming to produce around 5 million pounds of shrimp per year.

Absolute Michigan Memorial Day Archives

Some articles worth revisiting on Absolute Michigan include one on poet Will Carleton's visit to Arlington Cemetery as well as Michigan's first Memorial Day from Michigan History Magazine. Also, do not miss the post about the Michigan Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Detroit from Michigan in Pictures.

Lest We Forget by scherbis

Last and Certainly not Least...

A visit to Wikipedia for insight to what this day truly stands for and why we all should take a moment, step back from our grills and give pause says it all. It is a lengthy page and we are posting just a blurb so we invite you to head over for further information.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each gravesite at National Cemeteries. Many Americans also use Memorial Day to honor other family members who have died.

morel spring 2008 by baldo1man

When an avid morel mushroom hunter stands before 250 people recounting a time when he walked out of the woods wearing only his underwear, socks and shoes, giggles burst but people listen. Finding the elusive morel is no laughing matter, but to the attendees of the morel hunting lecture at the 49th National Annual Morel Mushroom Festival in Boyne City, the entertainment was as delicious as the soup - seasoned with laughter and emboldened with rich enthusiasm.

After watching culinary guru John Sheets prepare a mouth-watering array of wild edibles, the crowd listened as native Anthony Williams recounted tales of his morel hunting lineage, sharing tricks and tips passed down through generations. Afterward, he shared a morel song accompanied by his wife, Robin Lee Berry. No one would walk away from Friday's festivities empty-handed.

Boyne City Sunset by rickrjw

What Boyne City offers this weekend is more than just words. Yesterday organizers and volunteers from the community accompanied four bus loads of hungry hunters, through private land, to search and pick as they will again today. Experts offered suggestions and visitors shared in the excitement of discovering their first morel. Not everyone walked away with something in their sack, but each person had the opportunity to inspect this elusive mushroom--some place other than their dinner plate or produce aisle. Immediately following, attendees were invited to celebrate at the Morelfest Wine and Dine, which featured an elegant five course morel-themed dinner with wine pairings. The evening ended with live music from blues artist Larry McCray on Lake Charlevoix.

Weekend events remain and there is still time to join in the fun! Saturday (May 16) offers another full day of activities, beginning with a morel breakfast, followed by a hunting competition; there will be a cooking demonstration by an award-winning chef; a craft-fair, where you can purchase morel inspired walking sticks, wood carvings, mesh morel-picking bags, jams, jellies and many other treats; a carnival to entertain the children or satisfy the inner-child, and another chance to experience great music with Twisted Finster. If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Boyne City, grab your family and friends and join in the fun!

...and just why was a morel hunter walking out of the woods in his underwear?

Apparently Tony had discovered "the mother lode" and, rather than leave them, utilized the remainder of his clothing to carry home the all the morels. Although he made no promises, with generous spirit and good humor he offered some of his secrets and instilled hope in a new generation of mushroom hunters.

Click for the all the details of the Boyne City Morel Festival or grab your Michigan map and head to Boyne City.

The Mighty Morel by Pine Photography

It's springtime once again in Michigan, and not only have daffodils broken through, confirmations of morel mushrooms are arriving daily. For a few short weeks, folks flock to the woods in search of this elusive, edible mushroom.

Morel mushroom taste delicious, this is no secret, but the season itself is a sort of cultural absurdity. The "hunters" protect the whereabouts of their source as if it were the location of the Holy Grail. If you have ever wondered who your true friends are or just how well you have transferred your status from "down-stater" to "local" you find out pretty quickly during morel season.

Unfortunately, the toughest part about morel season is not deciding how to prepare this earthy delicious fungi; nor is the greatest challenge identifying them from other common mushrooms. The most difficult part of morel hunting is locating and claiming your own special spot, relatively secure from open-mouthed paper sacks and the hungry claws of hunters. Once you find one and finally sink your teeth in, you won't regret a single moment spent in pursuit of this earthly goodness--morels are divine!

Hunt Michigan Morels !!!!! by cedarkayak

As eager as you may be to fry up a fresh pick, consider a few pointers from avid hunters in our region:

1. KNOW YOUR SHROOMS. Learn to identify the "true morel" before you head in to the woods, or at least make certain you have the real deal before you serve them for dinner.

2. PROPER COLLECTING RECEPTACLE. Avid hunters insist on using a potato or orange bag--something netted, with holes--for collecting. A paper bag is fashionable, too, but purist prefer that pickers leave a trail of spores falling through the holes in the bag. (I recently read that the mushrooms begin to decompose almost immediately if they cannot "breathe," so collecting them in a plastic bag is poor practice, but would suffice in pinch.)

3. LEARN THE LOCATIONS. An oak forest will probably never produce a morel, so say the experts; be sure to look for ash, maple, elm, poplar, and apple trees, commonly referred to as "host trees." Morels may be found in surprisingly varied soil conditions, near sandy dune or swamp. Returning to the exact location year after year may or may not produce satisfying results. Generally a successful location one year will breed abundance the next, but one never knows. That is why they call this little bugger--elusive--one just never knows exactly where to look.

4. GET PERSONAL. One of the most successful hunters I know spends a significant amount of time on bent knee. Once you discover one morel, there are bound to be others, so staying calm and surveying the surroundings often proves the most productive tactic. When a morel is spotted, hunt around, but tread lightly. Many morel have been overlooked, or worse yet--squashed--in hasty anticipation of potential finds.

5. LEAVE A TRACE. Besides stealing someone's favorite spot, the greatest mushrooming faux pas one can commit is to pick the mushroom--root and all--from the ground. Instead of this method, break the mushrooms stem and leave the remaining stem and root in the ground. The idea, I think, is to leave a few spores for the next year, but other hunters gauge the abundance of the area by what remains, and there is still a strange satisfaction in knowing that you missed them by only a moment or two. (Do not leave garbage in the woods, however.)

6. BE SAFE! This applies to ALL aspects of the hunt: searching, finding, identifying and eating. Use a compass in the woods if you have no sense of direction (or even if you do.) Take friends or tell someone your plans. Have a snack and water handy, and a jacket never hurt.

7. BE CONSIDERATE.

8. HAVE FUN! Most important facet of all.

Salmon Fillets With Morel Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 5 shallots, minced
• 18 ounces morels, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
• 3/4 cup bottled clam juice
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 Tbsp. whipped cream
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried
• 6 8-ounce salmon fillets
• fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add Morels; sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add clam juice and wine; boil until liquids have almost evaporated, about 20 minutes.

Add cream to mushrooms; boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Mix in chopped tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler. Arrange salmon skin side down on broiler pan. Brush with lemon juice, then butter. Broil until just cooked through, without turning, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to plates. Spoon Morels over.

Serves 6

Explore many more Michigan morel features and links from Absolute Michigan!

Morels ! by cedarkayak

The latest issue of Midwest Living feature on the Best Midwest Food Towns served up a platefull of restaurants in our region that might entice the culinary tourist. Their editors selected Traverse City as the #2 town and Ann Arbor #3. Also featured were a collection of recipes from Traverse City including Morel Mushroom Cream Sauce With Pasta and a Creme Fraiche from Shetler's Dairy.

The Detroit City Council's proposal to demolish Michigan Central Station as a means to bring in Federal stimulus dollars seemed to many to have all the brilliance of a plan to get rich quick by selling both your kidneys. Now the Detroit News reports that developer Manuel (Matty) Moroun is proposing to lease Michigan Central Station to the United States government for redevelopment. The Department of Homeland Security offices for Customs and Border Protection are seeking to lease almost 50,000 square feet of space in the Detroit area to house personnel.

Of surprise to nobody - outside of State government at least - the Detroit News is reporting that Michigan's agricultural industry is bucking the trend of decline:

The state's overall agricultural industry -- which includes not only farming but also food processing and biofuels, wineries and beer-making -- grew 12 percent to $71.3 billion in revenue in 2007, following several years of single-digit growth; 2008 figures are not yet available.

...Some 100 agri-food businesses have started in Michigan during the past five years, according to the MDA.

Imagine what we could do if we really invested in building and promoted our agricultural bounty.

Edward Vielmetti has a tasty post that includes Michigan's morel festivals and the book How to Find Morels by Milan Pelouch. Even more about morels at Absolute Michigan keyword morel!

morel mushroom by Latitude 45

The Boyne City National Morel Mushroom Festival takes place May 14-17, 2009. This year is the 49th annual*, and the 4 day celebration of the morel mushroom includes a morel seminar and guided mushroom hunt on Friday and of course the Boyne Valley Lions National Mushroom Hunt on on Saturday (be sure to display your finds on the Mushroom Pole too!). In addition to the Taste of Morel event where you get to try all manner of morel dishes, there is a seminar on foraging & cooking with wild food guru John Sheets and another on hunting with local expert Tony Williams, concerts with Michigan Blues legend Larry McCray and others, there's a carnival, euchre & poker tournaments, zany car race and plenty of fun for kids.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the "Morel Taste of Boyne" featuring a Chef's Challenge along with the area's finest restaurants in the big tent on Saturday afternoon serving different morel dishes and also presenting morel cooking demonstrations. This is the largest morel cooking (and eating) event in the world!

You can grab your sweetie and get warmed up with The Mushroomers Waltz and if you're hungry,Lake Magazine has a recipe for morel & hazelnut soup that looks very simple but very tasty! Chef Eric Villegas of the TV show Fork in the Road offers a recipe for midwestern risotto of carnaroli and minnesota wild rice, morel mushrooms and white truffle oil that looks more complex but every bit as tasty.

MichiganMorels.com reminds you that you can eat any mushroom ... once. They offer tips to help keep you safe, but the biggest tip is to hunt with someone who knows what they're doing! Speaking of hunting, here's a video interview of morel expert Tom Nauman that gives you a couple useful tips for morel hunting.

If you can't attend the Mushroom Festival and can't get to any morel-filled woods, you can still get morels (and leeks and other tasty treasures) courtesy of Michigan-based Earthy Delights.

Visitors will want to visit the Boyne City Chamber of Commerce and/or try Absolute Michigan keyword "Boyne" for lodging and other information. I thought it was pretty funny that the best article online about the Boyne City Mushroom Festival is from a Pittsburgh, PA newspaper. It's from May of 2003 but has great background on the festival with a focus on the National Mushroom Hunting Championship. Check out Boyne City mushroom championship has no lack of morels.

* Next year the 50th annual takes place May 13 - 16, 2010 - they are seeking recipes for a commemorative cookbook, so send them if you have them!

Hamtramck's Pazcki Day page gives you all kinds of lore and legend on these traditional Polish doughnuts which are also known as Bismarcks or plain old jelly doughnuts. They explain:

Pączki is the plural form of the word pączek in Polish, but many English speakers use paczki as singular and paczkis as plural. A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with Plums or other sweet filling...

Pączki have been known in Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of the August III under influence of French cooks who came to Poland at that time, pączki dough baked in Poland has been improved, so that pączki became lighter, spongier, and more resilient Pączki Day Traditionally, the reason for making paczki has been to use up all the lard, sugar and fruit in the house, which are forbidden during Lent.

I guess that if you're facing 40 days without sugar & fruit, a plateful of paczki makes a lot more sense. Dig in with the links below!

• The photo to the right comes from Wikipedia's Pączki entry.
• Forgot to buy your paczkis? Vina at recipezaar has an Authentic Polish Paczki recipe that she found handwritten in her Polish grandmother's cookbook!
• The Paczki Headquarters at the Hamtramck Star is packed with paczki goodness including photos of paczki as big as your head!
• Your Diet Is About To Meet It’s Nemesis (or why it’s called Fat Tuesday in Detroit) by Detroit Derek on Michigan in Pictures got this big ball of dough rolling!
• You can get even more photos at Flickr Hive Mind: Paczki
• There's a bunch more Pazcki Day info at Kitchen Chick including audio of the correct pronunciation of paczki and the story of  THE FAMOUS PACZKI THAT SAVED EUROPE!
• If you need a sound track to get going, head over to paczkiday.com.
• ArborWiki has a Paczki entry that includes a list of the best bakeries in Hamtramck.
• Absolute Michigan has more Hamtramck links for you to snack on.
  
• The Freep is supposed to be posting the results of their Paczki Limerick Contest this morning but haven't ... maybe they're in a food coma.
• What kid can resist Paczki Pals & Bobbleheads?

love from detroit by n.elle

The day for lovers, sweethearts and paramours is drawing close. Like it, love it, or hate it, Valentine's Day has become an annual tradition. Such a tradition, that according to the Greeting Card Association, over one billion valentines will be given out, and eighty five percent of those by women.

As you celebrate the holiday, consider making your day special with something from Michigan. There's plenty of delicious Valentine's Day recipes from Pure Michigan at Michigan.org. The Freep also offers up some culinary advice in their article "Whip up a romantic dinner with your sweetheart". The Detroit News has a V-Day food feature that puts forth the notion that 'chili peppers are one way to perk up your valentine's libido'. So if you like it spicy see "Put some sizzle behind the sentiment on Valentine's Day". Over at mlive.com you can check out "Valentine's Day is perfect for creating fun foods with kids".

Of course, if you're looking for something to compliment that tasty treat, consider the MDA's Wine Recommendations for that special day. According to the Wine Market Council and Merrill Research, a whopping 95 percent of wine drinkers agree that wine makes a perfect gift and 50% of both men and women said they would rather receive wine of Valentine’s Day, compared with 41% who preferred a box of chocolates. You can't go wrong with a Michigan wine!

Travel Michigan has put together a great selection of Romantic Escapes in Michigan. Their getaways and packages are perfect for couples who are looking to get away from it all (but not each other). While you're at it, be sure to check out the complete list of Winter Wine Festivals and check out the ones in early February that have a bit of a romantic angle.

If you're left scratching your head over what to buy him or her, be sure to check out WLNS.com for a Valentine's Day Gift Giving Guide for that perfect gift!

Don't forget the furry friends in your life, be a homeless pet's Valentine. WXYZ-TV 7 in Detroit is hosting their Annual Valentine's Day Telethon to support the Michigan Humane Society. Tune in or donate online!

Absolute Michigan's Mondo Valentine's Day Rundown
We have compiled an extensive list of Valentine's Day Events, Gift Ideas, Getaways & Dating Ideas, Giveaways and Parties for Singles, Couples & Kids. Check it out here!

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!
So relax, kick back, and watch one of Motown's finest, The Temptations, perform their hit song 'My Girl'. Definitely a Motown classic and a great song for Valentine's Day!

The 2009 group features many historic views of Michigan's past including the famous rivalry between Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, a powerful first-person account of the Students for a Democratic Society (S.D.S.) and the University of Michigan during the 1960s anti-war movement, a centennial look back at the Model T and many other interesting historical reads. Also among the notables this year is Jim Harrison's 14th book of fiction "The English Major", "The Expedition: A Novel" by Karl Iagnemma and the children's book "Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka" by Jon Scieszka. This is merely a sampling of the wonderful books being honored this year.

We will be featuring these books on Absolute Michigan - check keyword Michigan Books to see this year and last year's books. You can also learn more about this great program at www.michigan.gov/notablebooks.

Remember, books make great gifts!

Read the Official 2009 Notable Books Press Release

Wild Turkey October by incaseofme

The Freep reports that many stores like Southfield-based Hiller's Markets are cutting prices on turkey and the fixings.  CEO Jim Hiller: Yes, we are going to make less money, a lot less. At the end of the day, I hope it will permit people to shop at Hiller's and still enjoy the things that we have to offer.

One of the delectables that Michigan has to offer is the chestnut. Taste the Local Difference says that chestnuts are Ready to Pick and that they have been called the "rice that grows on trees" as they have the same nutritional value as brown rice and are lower in calorie and fat than other nuts. Further:

...to eat a chestnut is quite an unusual thing. Far from a typical nut, chestnuts sort of melt in your mouth with a texture more grainy than crunchy. Their flavor seems familiar and yet unlike anything else—a little bit nutty, slightly sweet. Here in Michigan, we have chestnut trees growing throughout the Lower Peninsula. So chestnuts can be purchased directly from local farms, markets, and groceries, just in time to put on your Thanksgiving menu!

Road to Sorrow by pairadocs

More about Michigan chestnuts right here. If you're looking to really Michiganize your Thanksgiving, you'll want to click over to A Very Michigan Thanksgiving - Absolute Michigan's guide to a homegrown holiday.

This year, consider extending the Michigan grown goodness to include Michigan libations. You can start with the First Annual Ohio vs Michigan Wine Clash and continue to explore Michigan wine and Michigan beer on Absolute Michigan. Not a drinker? No problem - we have lots of juice in Michigan too!

Apparently, even at 0-10 Detroit is still in the NFL (though there are rumblings that the Lions may lose their franchise) and we will have a chance to see the Detroit Lions square off vs the potentially 11-0 Tenessee Titans. When the storyline is "0-11 vs 11-0" it's hard to get excited for the 12:30 Thanksgiving game, but the Lions always seem to at least make it a game on Turkey Day. Tickets available!

Allegan Sunset 2 by raddad!

Autumn is when Mother Nature packs the boards with a feast for the eyes. AAA Michigan says that the best viewing conditions are being reported in the Southwest and Southeast Lower Peninsula with fair to good fall color conditions are reported in Holland, Jackson, Milford, St. Joseph, Tipton, with color development ranging between 60 and 90 percent. There's still a surprising amount of color all over the state. If you want to plan your color touring, check out the Fall Color Tour posts on Michigan in Pictures (based on the great Fall driving tours from Michigan.org). If you can't get our, check out Fall wallpaper at Michigan in Pictures and the Absolute Michigan autumn slideshow.

Our November Michigan Calendar lays out a bountiful buffet of events that happen around the state in November, including Opening Day of Deer Season with the disclaimer "If you think this isn't a major event, then you probably live south of Clare". While I'm not a hunter, one event that I will try and do this year is the Great Macaroni and Cheese Bake-off on Old Mission near Traverse City. One that I really want to do but probably won't be able to is the Kalamazoo Russian Festival.

Delicata Squash by JTWilcox

While most of the harvests are winding up, Taste the Local Difference reminds you that winter squash - Acorn, Butternut, Hubbard, Buttercup, Carnival and others - is just getting ready to pick. Janice writes that although they are harvested in the fall, they're called "winter" squash because they can be stored through winter. Winter squashes and pumpkins can be interchanged in recipes and they're some tasty looking ones including Twice Baked Butternut Squash.

Andy Dragt of Rapid Growth shows how Muskegon's newest foodie hot spot, Mia & Grace, is showing West Michigan diners how to run a restaurant farm to table: Organic, local, fresh and seasonal.

Michigan's Plums by PhotoLab507

Taste the Local Difference says that plums are ready to pick. Janice Benson, TLD's dynamic coordinator writes:

Last summer, our friend Angel took us for a ride to see all of the fresh fruit he so proudly had grown at his farm. Apples, pears, peaches, and plums! I had never picked plums before and I admired all the trees laden with these colorful fruits. There were bright mauve to almost black varieties, as well as powdery purple Stanleys. We sampled several and they were each different and so succulent! We came home with a big box of them and I still remember the sweet aroma that wafted through our car as we drove back home. I gained a special appreciation for these flavorful fruits that day, as I do any fruit that I’ve picked myself. Each juicy bite takes me back to our day in the orchard…

Some plum facts:

• Plums are good source of potassium and vitamins A and C and the U.S. Department of Agriculture ranks plums near the top of 24 other fresh fruits based on their high levels of antioxidants.
• Michigan is the fourth largest producer of plums in the nation.
• Stanley and Damson plums are the most popular varieties grown in Michigan. The plum is a member of the Prunus family, which includes cherries, apricots and almonds.
• Most plums today are of Japanese origin, including the popular Santa Rosa variety. The Stanley "prune" plums are a European variety.

Plum Tree by loridz

Grilled Plums with Honey and Ricotta

Ingredients: Canola oil, 2 plums, halved and pitted, Low-fat ricotta cheese, Honey, for drizzling, and Lavender for garnish.

Instructions: Heat a grill pan over high heat. Spray pan lightly with canola oil. Grill fruit, cut side down, until marked and softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese and drizzle with honey and lavender.

Submitted by Whole Foods Market

Note that Taste the Local Difference is having a recipe contest and you can submit a recipe for pears (deadline Sep 17) and potatoes (Oct 24)!

More videos from Scott Allman on YouTube and also visit Fork in the Road!

Thanks everyone for your entries and stay tuned for more opportunities to dig into Michigan from Absolute Michigan!

Get a taste of what awaits you at the Epicurean Classic with this video from the Epicurean Classic from Fork in the Road!

Tasting Tent II by farlane

Absolute Michigan is excited to have given away a pair of Two-Day Passes to the 2008 Epicurean Classic held in Traverse City, Michigan (note - tickets are still available!)

The Epicurean Classic is one of the premier annual celebrations of culinary artisanship, and your day passes will grant you access into all four cooking demo stages and the Tasting Pavilion on Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13, 2008! We're talking TOTAL ACCESS to every cooking demo taking place on Friday and Saturday - nearly forty classes in all featuring chefs like Joyce Goldstein, Matthew Kenney, Joey Altman, Lori Narlock, Martha Foose, Brian Polcyn, Raghavan Iyer, Deborah Schneider, Danyel Couet, Diane Morgan, Wendy Rahamut, Don Yamauchi and more.

When you're breathless and parched from watching chefs do their thing, wander into the Tasting Pavilion where you'll find thirty-plus wine tables hosted by prestigious importers and wholesalers including Trinchero, Diageo, Terlato, Vin Divino, Moet-Hennessy, Wilson-Daniels, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Kobrand, Fosters, Icon Estates, Palm Bay, etc and - of course - a superb collection of Michigan wineries and winemakers from Leelanau, Old Mission and elsewhere will be on hand along. There will also be some fabulous brewers like Stella Artois, Jolly Pumpkin, New Holland, Sam Adams, and Short's. Don't forget the separate General Cigar tent outfitted this year with a Cuban lounge feel. Leo Peraza, the cigar roller is back again demonstrating the magical art of rolling whole leaves of ultra premium cigar tobacco, and the legendary creator of the Cohiba brand, Benji Menendez, too. Traverse City's own Habana Cafe will be muddling and shaking mojitos and serving Cuban apps with the General guys, too.

Only $3 by Ledio

I'm told that there are towns in North Dakota where you have to lock your car when the squash is in season. It's probably not that extreme in Michigan, but we do produce a lot of it (over 45,000 tons) according to the Michigan Vegetable Council.

Taste the Local Difference's page on summer squash says that in 1997, a squash weighing 962 lb. was grown by Steve Hoult of Stouffville, Ontario, Canada. No word on how that tasted, but they suggest that you select squash that are small for best quality and flavor. Summer squash is a great source of Vitamin A, potassium, calcium, and especially Vitamin C. Since it's 94% water, squash is low in calories, easy to digest and good at replacing lost fluids on hot summer days.

The plant was named by the Narragansett people of Rhode Island who called it "askutasquash", which means eaten raw or uncooked. Should you prefer the cooked variety...

Summer Squash by cmu chem prof

Stuffed Summer Squash

3 zucchini
2 Tablespoons onions, diced
2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
3 Tablespoon butter
1 Cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 Cup tomatoes, cooked
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Cook zucchini in boiling salted water 10 minutes. Cut in half and scoop out centers. Set aside. Sauté onion, garlic and tomato for 2-3 minutes. Mix center of zucchini with remaining ingredients. Fill zucchini shells. Bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese last 5 minutes until slightly browned.

They have many more squash and zucchini recipes including Zucchini Quiche, Zucchini Muffins with Lemon and (if you scroll down this page) a very easy and tasty Spicy Curried Squash!

Blueberry Plum by The Pollyanna Society

Taste the Local Difference - our partner in delivering these "eat local" features - hasn't posted their 2008 feature on the mighty, mighty blueberry. In 2008 Michigan blueberry picking information, Edward Veilmetti writes that blueberries are ready to pick in southern Michigan. Add to that the 3 pounds of Holland-grown blueberries I'm pigging down, and I think we can set the blueberries free.

From Ready to Pick: Blueberries (2007), Janice Benson writes (with our links):

Native Americans gathered blueberries for centuries, and much folklore developed around them, as they were considered a highly valuable food source. The elders of a tribe would tell the story of how the Great Spirit sent "star berries" to relieve the children’s hunger during a famine. The star refers to the perfect five-pointed star on the blossom end of each berry. Blueberry juice and tea were used as medicines, and as an excellent dye for baskets and clothing. They were also used in soups and stews and in a beef jerky that was eaten year round.

antioxidants by yodraws

The National Institute of Health suggests that there is evidence that the antioxidants in blueberries can prevent some of the problems associated with aging, and can actually reverse some of these effects. In one study, scientists studied rats and found that ones who consumed blueberries were more active and alert!

Blueberries are low in fat, and a good source of both fiber and vitamin C. One cup of fresh blueberries will give you five grams of fiber and 15 percent of your daily vitamin C.

July is National Blueberry Month and Michigan leads the nation in blueberry production, producing 32% of the blueberries eaten in the U.S.

We can't eat facts though, so bring on the main course, courtesy Eric Villegas and Fork in the Road (more blueberry recipes from Eric right here!).

Roasted Maple Brined Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Blueberries

Eric prepared this on Fork in the Road Show #112 we served it with a special Broccoli Rabe and Garlic Mashed Potatoes.

blueberry pie, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and a spoon
by Caselet (it's the simple things, really)

Ingredients:

4 maple brined pork tenderloins trimmed, see brine recipe in episode 2

6 to 8 ounces each

1 pint veal, chicken or pork demi-glace, see recipe

french sea salt, to taste

fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

2 ounces lime compound butter, see recipe in episode 8

1 cup fresh Michigan blueberries, frozen will work if fresh are not available

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Place the brined and seasoned tenderloins in an ovenproof or cast iron pan and place in the center of your hot oven and roast the meat for about 5-6 minutes. Then flip meat over and roast until juices run clear. Remove meat from pan and let rest.

In a non-reactive sauce pan add the demi-glace and season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and add the blueberries. Bring the sauce back to a boil and let reduce a bit (2-3 minutes) so the sauce is thick and the blueberries have burst. Finish the sauce by adding the lime butter and shaking the boiling sauce in the pan to incorporate the butter and emulsify the sauce. Place each tenderloin on a warmed dinner plate and serve with blueberry sauce poured over the top.

Still hungry? Check out Absolute Michigan keyword blueberry ... or blueberries.

Ripe by Jennifer

Cherry harvest is underway and in celebration of that tasty fact Traverse City once again hosts the National Cherry Festival. Cherries are definitely great to eat and a great reason to celebrate. It is noteworthy that although Michigan grows several varieties of cherries, no area of the world produces more red tart cherries and ranks fourth in the nation in production of sweet cherries.

In honor of this years harvest and Michigan's vital and growing cherry industry, we present this special feature from Taste the Local Difference by Janice Benson.

Cherries are taking center stage here in northwest Michigan. The Cherry Festival is in full swing, bright, beaming berries have arrived at roadside stands, and the orchards are filled with families visiting u-pick farms. Cherry time is our busiest season, but it is also our foremost of seasons, when our beloved sweetheart of the orchards is in full glory. There’s no time like summertime here in Michigan, and there’s nothing like northwest Michigan cherries!

Leelanau Tarts (fo-lomo) by farlane

Quick Cherry Facts

• Tart cherries pack a health promoting punch. Ongoing research shows that tart cherries are a natural source of antioxidants.
• Cherries are a versatile ingredient. They add color, flavor and nutrition to salads, breads, side dishes, main courses and breakfast items.
• Cherries have no fat and are low in sodium and calories.
• Michigan is the leading producer of tart cherries, producing 70 to 75 percent of the crop each year. The amount of tart cherries produced each year varies, depending on a number of factors, including the age of the trees and weather conditions. Generally, Michigan produces 200 to 250 million pounds of tart cherries; the U.S. crop is 275 to 350 million pounds.
• The major variety of tart cherry grown in the U.S. is the Montmorency. It has been cultivated in the U.S. for more than a century because the fruit is excellent for pies, preserves, jellies, juice and other products. A new cherry variety, called Balaton (named for a lake in its native Hungary), recently made it's commercial debut in Michigan. (see recipes below)
• Tart cherries, which are sometimes called pie cherries or sour cherries, are seldom sold fresh; they generally are canned or frozen shortly after harvesting for use in products throughout the year.
• 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.
• Although a cherry tree can grow almost anywhere, the quantity and quality of its fruit depend on specific climatic conditions. For example, in Michigan, the orchards are concentrated along Lake Michigan, where the lake tempers the winter winds and cools the orchards in summer.
• Both tart and sweet cherries ripen in July; the third week of July is usually the peak of the harvest.
• There are about 7,000 cherries on an average tart cherry tree (the number varies depending on the age of the tree, weather and growing conditions), and it takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie, so each tree potentially could produce enough cherries for 28 pies.
• The average U.S. citizen consumes about one pound of tart cherries per year. That is more than 260 million pounds per year.
• Some of the sweet cherry varieties grown in Michigan are: Emperor, Napoleon, Francis, Schmidt.
• The same chemicals that give tart cherries their color may relieve pain better than aspirin and ibuprofen.
• 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.

Petoskey Farmers Market by docksidepress>

Recipes:
Via Chef Eric Villegas from ForkintheRoad.com, we bring you a couple of interesting recipes using the Balaton cherry (link has info on ordering this "new" varietal). Fork in the Road is a national televised food show that celebrates the diverse food heritage of the Great Lakes region.

Entree
Balaton Cherry Mojo
This sauce is great hot or cold on poultry, waterfowl, pork and veal

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen balaton cherries

1 cup leelenau red wine

1 tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil

½ cup thinly sliced shallots

1 smoked jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 heaping tbsp wood roasted garlic (see recipe)

¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Clancy’s Fancy hot sauce or similar to taste

1-2 tbsps evcp olive oil, optional

Method:
In a medium sized saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. When the oil has begun to smoke, add the shallots, jalapeno and garlic. Cook for five minutes then deglaze with cider vinegar, chicken stock and red wine. Cook for three minutes then add the cherries. Cook for 20-30 minutes or until the mixture has reduced 50 to 70 percent and/or thickened to a nice sauce like consistency. Add the parsley. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. At this point you can add the optional olive oil for a richer flavor. Use as needed.

Dessert
Balaton Cherries Jubilee
The great French chef Auguste Escoffier has been held responsible for creating Cherries Jubilee in honor of Queen Victoria. Here's Eric's version with the "new" Balaton cherry…

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 lb fresh Balaton cherries, pitted
1/4 cup Michigan maple sugar, or less to taste
1/4 cup cherry brandy like Blackstar Farms' "spirit of cherry" or comparable
2-4 scoops vanilla ice cream, see recipe

Optional:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

Method:
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and cherries and stir to combine. Cook until cherries are tender and sugar dissolves, about 4 or 5 minutes.

0ptional thickner: if using

In a small cup, stir the cornstarch and water together, for a slurry. Stir the slurry into the cherry mixture and cook for 1 minute.

Remove skillet from heat. Add brandy and carefully ignite. When flame is extinguished, serve immediately over fresh vanilla ice cream.

serves 2 -4

Odds and ends:
You can find Michigan Cherry Orchards at the Taste the Local Difference Farm Network

The 35th Annual International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship results are in. Brian "Young Gun" Krause wins with a spit of 56' 7 1/2". Get the latest news here - International Pit-Spit.

NPR recognizes Northern Michigan as a leading Cherry grower. Sour Cherries: A Tart, Tasty Michigan Treat.

Visit the Cherry Marketing Institute to read all about their benefits to your health.

Also see Absolute Michigan keyword "Cherries"

Wild Strawberries by Rudy Malmquist

Taste the Local Difference says that strawberries are ready to pick in Northern Michigan. They've been picking further south for a while now, and as Rudy's photo attests, this rainy early summer has made for a bumper crop of wild strawberries.

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.

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.

Collins Caviar is the only processor of hand-made American freshwater caviars. Salmon caviars are still made fresh every week. They offer a complete line of caviars, including their flavor infused and smoked caviars. Exquisite, low salt Hackleback Sturgeon, Paddlefish, and American Golden Whitefish.

Fork in the Road is a Michigan based food show that celebrates the diverse food heritage of the Great Lakes region.

Recipe:
Check out Chef Eric's recipe: Freshwater Caviar Risotto at forkintheroadtv.com.

Locally grown salad! by jpwbee

Taste the Local Difference says that baby salad greens are ready to pick! Mixed greens are high in Vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and (hopefully) crunchiness. Fresh picked greens have the highest nutritional content, but you can keep them fresh by wrapping them gently in slightly damp paper towels and then placing in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Another name for mixed baby greens is mesclun. The name originated in Provencal, France and it describes a salad that includes a combination of textures, tastes and colors. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, marigolds, violas, and chive blossoms are often added to mesclun mixes.

Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese Toasts

For the Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp.)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the Toasts
12 thin slices baguette, diagonally cut
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb. fresh goat cheese without a rind, at room temperature
1 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

Mix olive oil, goat cheese & thyme, spread on lightly toasted baguette and bake until cheese is just brown.

For the Greens
6 oz. mixed baby salad greens
About 1/2 cup loosely packed unsprayed edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, marigolds or chive blossoms (optional)

jpwbee says she got the greens in the photo above in February from the hoop house at Brines Farm. You can buy their products on Saturdays at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market!

Fork in the Road is a Michigan based food show that celebrates the diverse food heritage of the Great Lakes region.

If you're a serious coney dog fan and are up for a road trip you can use the following links to navigate your way to the many Detroit and Flint locations.

Recipe:
Check out Chef Eric's unique take on Detroit and Flint style coney dogs.

Related links:
The Coney story: How Detroit went to the dog from the chicagotribune.com

Coney Detroit A place to share Detroit-area Coney Island hot dog dining experiences, memories and lore. Two to go -- everything!

Coney Island (restaurant) from Wikipedia

Michigan hot dog from Wikipedia

Coney Island hot dog from Wikipedia

Coney Dog's MySpace page

Almost Flint-Style Coney Sauce from micuisine.com

Flintstyle from librarianavengers.org

A Celebration of Sausage, the Poor Man's Steak All Things Considered / NPR

Koegel's...Always in Good Taste! Quality Meats Since 1916

YUCK/YUM - Pick a Side by Rudy Malmquist

Taste the Local Difference says that asparagus is ready to pick!

It's a member of the lily family and can grow as quickly as 10 inches in one day! Michigan ranks third in the nation for asparagus production (behind California and Washington) and the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board says that well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted. Asparagus has no fat, cholesterol and is low in sodium. It's a nutrient-dense food which in high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.

It's probably little wonder that the vegetable is the subject of a documentary film, Asparagus! Stalking the American Life. The film is set in Michigan and Filmmaker Magazine writes:

Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly's feature-length film Asparagus! "takes viewers to the small town of Oceana, Michigan, the self-proclaimed asparagus capital of the world. After 30 years, Oceana is facing the destruction of its farming base because of a little known provision in a trade bill resulting from the 'war on drugs' [which has inadvertently created a a strong Peruvian asparagus competitor]. Faced with economic ruin and the loss of their beloved vegetable, the community decides to fight back."

Visit asparagusthemovie.com to learn more about the movie and view a trailer, and if you happen to be up in Empire this weekend, catch a screening at the Empire Asparagus Festival.

Beauty, courtesy Michigan Asparagus Board

Featured Recipe: Asparagus Frittata

1 small bunch asparagus, about 3/4 pound
1 large or 2 small leeks
2 Tbsp. butter
4-5 hen's eggs from family farm chickens
1/2 cup cream, half and half or whole milk, from a family dairy, if possible
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, freshly ground
Nutmeg, a little grated fresh, or 1/8 tsp. ground
1/4 cup grated cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack, or crumbed feta

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Break off the tough ends of asparagus. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal.
3. Slice leeks into thick rounds. Put them into a bowl of cold water and mix to get the dirt out.
4. Melt the butter in an oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel). When it's hot, lift the leeks out of the water in handfuls, shaking off any excess water, and put into the pan. Saute over medium heat until just tender.
5. Add asparagus pieces to the pan along with about a Tbsp. of water. Cover the pan and allow the asparagus to steam for 1 to 3 minutes, until just tender.
6. Meanwhile, mix together the eggs with cream, milk or combination.
7. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
8. Add asparagus to the pan and pour the egg mixture over, then add the cheese, pressing it gently into the eggs. Let this cook on the stovetop over low heat for a minute or two, and then transfer to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set-this may be as little as 5 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, and slice. Serve with salad, good bread, and maybe a few steamed new potatoes.

Submitted by: Full Moon Feast, Jessica Prentice, March 2006

More asparagus recipes over at Taste the Local Difference.

Sun sets on Tapawingo by RohdeBarb

Dine, v: to eat a good dinner in good company, and eat it slow. In dining, as distinguished from mere feeding, the palate and stomach never ask the hand, 'What are you giving us?'
Ambrose Bierce The Devil’s Dictionary 1911

So begins a sample menu from Tapawingo in Ellsworth that proceeds from Heirloom Tomato and Smoked Pheasant Salads through regional dishes like Roasted Bob White Quail or Venison Loin or more exotic Grilled New Zealand Swordfish or Chiles Rellenos to ultimately come to rest with one of the day's dessert selections. Chef and owner Harlan "Pete" Peterson Chef-Owner, Executive Chef Jeremy Kittelson and Master Sommelier Ron Edwards have garnered national recognition for their work and also offer cooking classes in the fall and tours to Europe in the winter with Chef Pete.

There's even a few recipes to be had, if you're so inclined and you can view their location on the Absolute Michigan Map of Michigan.

Chef Brian Polcyn (who developed his skills at two of Michigan's most prestigious restaurants, the Golden Mushroom and the Lark) and Executive Chef Steven Grostick create an extraordinary experience that combines the innovative culinary talents of his well-trained staff with a menu based on the freshest ingredients, including the best locally grown and produced foods. The menu features an impressive range of selections and feature's Polcyn's passion of Charcuterie, the craft of curing, smoking, sausages, terrines and other artisan foods. (also the subject of his book, Charcuterie).

Five Lakes Grill was selected as the Detroit Free Press 2005 Restaurant of the Year, and their feature on the restaurant adds a lot of background about Polcyn and his establishment, including how he selected Milford and interesting bits about his philosophy:

As he has matured as a chef, he says, his definition of what's good has changed. "I think food should be like a tweed coat. It never goes out of style," he says. "I try to think about truth in food, food that has soul."

Here's Five Lakes Grill in Milford on the Absolute Michigan Map of Michigan.