Up North Foodies

It’s Cherry Festival Time!

It's Cherry Festival Time in Traverse City, and plenty of events will appeal to foodies out there! Here's a sample.

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NMC Culinary Classes

NMC is offering several culinary classes that explore local foods. Summer school never sounded so good!

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TC Downtown Farmers Market relocates for Cherry Festival

Just a reminder that the Sara Hardy Farmers Market will relocate during the Cherry Festival from its regular location in downtown Traverse City, across from Clinch Park. It'll move to the barns behind the Grand Traverse Commons from 8 a.m. to noon on July 5, 9 and 12. Follow the signs from the corner of Division and 11th streets.

Ready for Radishes

Radishes are coming up now, and if you typically avoid them altogether, or just slice them on salads, check out these resources to expand your radish repertoire!

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“Private Labels” and “Festival Wine”

It's here again - cherry season. Time for cherry connoisseurs near and far. Kelsey Lauer reports the National Cherry Festival debuts its "Private Label" series, a Brownwood Farms creation of cherry products - salsa, barbecue sauce and royal sauce. The label design showcases the artwork of local TBA Career Tech student, Nathan Springstead. Chateau Grand Traverse, a Traverse City winery, continues to produce its "Festival Wine", a blend of cherry and premium white wines. And just in time for the festivities.

CSA week 4 (1/2 share)

Greens ... leafy, curly, herb'y, stumpy, pea'y, bulb'y and ya'y ... more strawberries!

Paid tastings in the future?

Cari Noga reports on the small distillers bill recently passed by the Michigan Senate and forwarded on to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, which amends state liquour code to give small distillers the option to charge for tastings. Traverse City's Grand Traverse Distillery would benefit from the bill, and is considering a new facility on Old Mission peninsula. Noga reports that Black Star Farms' Don Coe is asking WineMichigan to seek similar legislation for wineries.

New Foodie Beginnings for Michigan’s Economy

One of Michigan's best economic opportunities is growing all around us: Local food from local farms. Check out a recent Antrim County farm tour and some statewide thinking that came out of it here.

Foodie finds

In Food Loving Summer, Emily Betz Tyra lists foodie finds that capture the essence of summer up north. Add visiting these spots to your to do list... a lot more fun than the usual chores!

True North Vodka nets second gold

Grand Traverse Distillery released its True North Vodka last June, and has since earned two gold medals. The most recent was at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the first last September at the prestigious 2007 Beverage Testing Institute's International Review of Spirits Competition. "Receiving two Gold Medals with our first year is real validation that we're on the right track," says True North Owner Kent Rabish. A fine start for the fastest growing vodka in the premium vodka class, and one that uses our very own northern Michigan rye.

Reach local foodies

Up North Foodies just launched an advertising program designed for local businesses to reach a targeted audience interested in the northern Michigan food scene. Check out the details, feature your business in a focused, uncluttered environment, and help Up North Foodies support the local food scene!

Memories of spring beckon us north . . . morels, asparagus, greens, berries . . .

We're home again from wintering in the Caribbean where we frequent local markets. . .

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CSA week 3

This weeks share contains:

Mustard Greens
Strawberries
Basil
Lettuce
Peas
Sage

mmm, love those peas ... !

Sunrise Side Wine & Hops Trail

Sandra Silfven reports on the new Sunrise Side Wine & Hops Trail, which not only includes two wineries and a microbrewery, but an elk preserve, too. The "Sunrise Side" is the nickname for the northeast Michigan coast from Standish to Mackinaw City.