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Visit us often because we are just getting started. Our goal is to make this your first stop whenever you think about Michigan food -- fresh, local, and seasonal.
Come here to find recipes and cooking tips featuring the amazing variety of fresh, local foods available in Michigan. Come here also to learn more about the wonderful folks who produce the food that we all enjoy.
This site will also become a resource about the philosophy of eating locally and seasonally, and how doing so not only benefits your own health but the health of the planet as well. It is important to connect back to nature and to the land, so we will soon open a section on gardening and microfarming . For those who cannot grow their own food, this site will help connect you to producers you can trust.
This site is lovingly produced by three women who care about sharing information on the benefits of fresh and healthy Michigan food. Please take a moment to visit our Michigan Food Blog. We are also working on a cookbook. In the right-hand column, you will find a form that allows you to give us your email so we can notify you when the cookbook is published. And check back often because we have many more exciting features that will launch soon.
It's winter - time for soups, stews, breads and baking
Eating seasonally is never more challenging in Michigan than during the winter. One way to beat the wintertime blues is to enjoy the yeasty, fruit-filled Scandanavian holiday bread Stollen, a traditional favorite for many of the Scandanavian families who have moved to Michigan over the years. This bread is a specialty at the Crooked Tree Breadworks in Petoskey, where they start making loaves the week before Thanksgiving. You can visit them at 2264 M-19 or call them at 231-347-9574.
Or you can warm your own kitchen by making the bread yourself. Here's a recipe from Fred's dad.
Scandanavian Stollen
3-1/2 - 3-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup milk
3 TBLsp butter (or margarine)
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp cardamom
In a large bowl, combine 1-1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter until very warm (120 - 130 degrees). Add warm liquid, extract, and egg to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 3 minutes on medium speed. Stir in remaining ingredients and enough flour to form a stiff dough.
On a floured board, knead dough about 3 minutes until no longer sticky. Place in a larger greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm place until light and doubled in bulk, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down dough to remove all air bubbles. Press out to form a 12 x 7 inch oval. Fold along side over to within 1/2 inch of opposite side; seal edge. Place on greased cookie sheet. (Or you can shape into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan.) Cover and let rise until light and doubled in size, about 30 - 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake stollen 20 - 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Do not overbake. Cool and drizzle with confectioner's sugar glaze and decorate with candied fruit or nuts. Wrap loosely in foil or freeze and decorate when ready to serve. Makes 1 loaf.