Just came across this great article by Nancy Krcek Allen in the Record-Eagle, titled Make a 'Locavore's Holiday': buy local.
"I woke to the knowledge that my chef colleagues and I are merely window dressing. It's the farmers and growers who should be lauded superstars with their own television shows," writes Allen, who's been a chef and culinary educator for 16 years. "But farming isn't sexy. This holiday season I cast my food dollar vote with my neighbor-growers."
Winemaking is known to be an expensive game of chance. No matter how much control we can develop in the winery, we are still at the mercy of weather. Among the things that we cannot control are how fast the fruit will ripen, how much precipitation, and how cold or hot the air temperature outside will be. This final variable of temperature is the name of the ice wine game.
It is truly a gamble, because you leave your beautiful crop out to the elements in the vain hope that it might get better. So there it sits for months, it was ripe and could have been picked to make a fine wine on its own, but now we have decided to see how much abuse it can survive and avoid, should the weather comply.
Black Star Farms and Chateau Chantal each saved a few acres of grapes this harvest, hoping conditions would be right for ice wine, a sweet wine made from grapes that have frozen while still on the vine. The gamble paid off last week for Black Star when they harvested about 8,000 pounds of grapes.
Next Monday, the State Theatre in Traverse City will hold Michigan's premiere of Charlie Wilson's War, which, says Michael Moore, is "one of the holiday season's most anticipated films." And because that night, December 17, will mark the one-month anniversary of the re-opened State Theatre, the premiere will benefit the Northwest Food Coalition. One hundred percent of the evening's ticket proceeds will go the coalition, which serves 35 food pantries in Northwest Michigan: Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties.
New to farming or interesting in starting? Check out the Get Farming! program offered this winter by the Michigan Land Use Institute. Classes run January 7 through February 18 and will be held 7 - 9 p.m. at Michigan Works, 1209 Garfield Road in Traverse City. Cost for the series is $85 and includes seven classroom sessions, field trips to area farm and food businesses and individual counseling. Classes cover market research, financial planning, management skills and more. Contact Julie Hay at 941-6584, ext. 19 or julie@mlui.org for more information.
A belated hats off to Food for Thought, Inc., which was named "Business of the Year 2007" by the Benzie County Chamber of Commerce in October.
Check out the 2007-08 Winter Wine Guide (PDF) from Chateau Grand Traverse for descriptions of each of their wines, suggested food and wine pairings, tips for serving wine, and more.
Another gift idea, the Northwoods Sampler from Higher Grounds Trading Company is "inspired by the rolling dunes of Northern Michigan, the sparkling waters of the lakes and rivers near the Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore and mother natur's abundance here in 'Up North' Michigan." 10% discount on all orders made before Wednesday, December 12. Just enter the discount code "holidays" during checkout.
MSU's Project Green has granted funds to Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay to build a hoop house. While only the hoops were visible through most of the fall, Halloween marked the application of the vinyl. With help from other local grant recipients, the farm, winery and tasting room staff helped to - literally - hold down the fort while the vinyl was tacked in place. Nic had prepared the soil well, and now has lettuces growing. He's hoping to have fresh produce available ten months of the year and to have a year-round CSA organized for next year.
The Village at Grand Traverse Commons recently welcomed TASTES, a tasting room from Black Star Farms with a twist.
Continuing along in the local gift giving vein, why not pair a local wine with a copy of the new book From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries
Check out Northwestern Michigan College's winter schedule of community classes, where you'll find several of interest to local foodies. NMC offers gift certificates for a class, and you save five bucks if you purchase one ($25 or more) by December 18. That'd be a fun stocking stuffer! Here are just a few of the offerings.
My husband, Dennis keeps eyeing the local goat herds that wander the islands of the SE Caribbean and I think, missing the annual deer season in Michigan. An avid hunter, he kept us supplied with venison for the last thirty years. We've eaten venison in a variety of ways. One of our favorites was served a number of years ago at a wild game dinner at our home.
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Farmers' markets aren't just for the warm months any more. This winter, some Up North markets are taking it inside on Saturdays!
