Three area chefs have been selected as semifinalists in the James Beard Foundation's annual chef awards, best chef for the Great Lakes Region: Randy Chamberlain, Blu, Glen Arbor; Myles Anton, Trattoria Stella, Traverse City and Guillaume Hazael-Massieux, La Becasse, Maple City. Awards will be announced in early May. Time magazine calls the JBF awards "the Oscars of the food world." Congratulations and good luck!
Wine Clash 2009 pitted the wines of Michigan against those of Ohio, with Michigan carrying home the top awards. Congratulations to Longview Winery and Vineyard (Winter Ice 2007, first place), 2 Lads (Cabernet Franc Reserve 2007, second) and Gill's Pier (Meritage 2007, fourth). Eleven of the top wines from each state were chosen and judged in both Columbus and Ann Arbor by panels of wine lovers, writers and professionals.
Our local wineries garnered the lion's share of awards at the just concluded 2009 Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition. A nice summary from MichWine's Joel Goldberg, who was also a judge again this year.
Morsels' unique dessert made with Girl Scout cookies is a winner!
Leelanau Cheese Company's Aged Raclette took the silver medal at the 2009 U. S. Championship Cheese Contest with a score of 99.2 out of 100. Their Raclette placed fifth in its class with a score of 99.25. Held March 17-19, the Green Bay event was the largest cheese competition ever held in the country.
Bryan Ulbrich's Left Foot Charley is named one of the top producers east of the Rockies in Robert Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide (7th ed).
National awards and recognition just keeps coming to Traverse Bay Farms. The company won the top prize in the salsa category at the 2008 America's Best National Food Competition.
Brief interviews with Spencer Stegenga of Bowers Harbor Vineyards and Sean O'Keefe of Chateau Grand Traverse about the awards their wines won at the International Eastern Wine Competition.
Read up on the buzz about Michigan's Rieslings, which have earned than 120 medals so far this year.
Results from last week's Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition were a bit of a surprise, according to judge and Detroit News wine columnist Sandra Silfven. Read her coverage of the event, where the usual Rieslings, Gewurztraminers and Pinot Blancs were overshadowed by Frontenacs and Traminettes.
Ornery judges, no best of class for sparkling, and an ice wine with low sugar content garnering best of its class...it all spells out great news for Michigan wines according to Michwine founder Joel Goldberg, who helped judge. Check out his roundup of the annual competition held this week in East Lansing. And congrats to all the Northern Michigan winners!
Sandra Silfven writes in today's Detroit News about Michigan Rieslings getting some love around the country. Three of our local Riesling producers will attend the second annual Riesling Rendevous later this month in Washington state. They are Adam Satchwell of Shady Lane Cellars, Sean O'Keefe of Chateau Grand Traverse and Lee Lutes of Black Star Farms. Silfven also includes a compilation of gold-medal Rieslings from Michigan. Rieslings are the fastest-growing white wine in the country.
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