Local foods, and particularly street foods, connect us deeply with the places we live. Often consisting of humble ingredients and prepared in an efficient manner, they straddle a line between convenience and fine dining, often relying on a powerful punch of flavor from a key ingredient or special condiment for authenticity, and delivered in an […]
The end of summer calls for heartier dishes such as soups and stews, but this is the time when I really start to crave breads and pasta. When we traveled in Italy we were surprised how uncommon tomato-based sauces were; white wine sauces made with butter or olive oil and grated cheeses seemed much more […]
As the long hot growing season draws to a close, shorted days and cooler weather transform northern Michigan into a kaleidoscope of Autumn colors. This is my favorite time of year and the perfect time to visit farmer’s markets and wineries to enjoy the fruits the harvest. More than a decade ago, Jason and I […]
Sutton’s Bay in the summertime is a photographer’s dream; from the stunning shoreline of Lake Michigan with its sandy beaches and ocean-like vastness to the hillside vineyards, this part of northern Michigan offers an escape from the flat Midwestern landscape. Straddling the 45th parallel, the Leelanau Peninsula is home to many wineries, small farms, farmstands […]
Hosted at the Inn at Black Star Farms, harvest dinners are monthly events spotlighting the best of seasonal fruits and vegetables in a coursed menu with wine pairings that present the diner with a dining experience spotlighting a locally grown in-season ingredient; in July ours featured strawberries. The elegant dinner setting featured a long table […]
A Cook's Canvas 