Food News of Interest from the Toledo Blade

Posted on 7 April 2008 under Chefs, Food Festivals, Food In The News, Michigan Cuisine | No Comments


A Chuck Tender Wellington made by a young man named Damien, one of Chef
Denise Schaefer’s Culinary Arts students at the Penta Career Center in Perrysburg,
Ohio. I blogged about this meal back on January 9, 2008. (Click on the image for
a larger version.)

In this morning’s Toledo Blade, food columnist Kathie Smith mentions a few things of interest.

Our friend Chef Denise Schaefer of the Culinary Arts program at the Penta Career Center in Perrysburg, Ohio will be inducted into the American Academy of Chefs in a ceremony July 13, 2008 in Las Vegas. While Mary’s known her for years I first met Chef Denise at last year’s Taste of the Nation: Toledo and we’ve been friends ever since. When I had the lunch pictured above back in January I sent Chef Denise the photo, which she used in susequent advertising. Her students really like her, and we feel she deserves the honor she’ll receive in Las Vegas this summer.

The same Kathie Smith column mentions a Winemaker’s Dinner tomorrow at Chef Alan Merhar’s Evan’s Street Station over in Tecumseh, Michigan. I also met Chef Alan at Taste of the Nation: Toledo last April and he and I found out we have some mutual friends, including John and Erica Aylward at Tecumseh’s Boulevard Market. If you can’t make it to Chef Alan’s event, a Wine Dinner is coming up at the Frog Leg Inn in Erie, Michigan. (Details coming soon.)

And finally, the 2008 Food & Wine Celebration will be July 19th at the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio, with the invitation-only Chef’s Summit being the day before. There will be a number of chefs at the 2008 Food & Wine Celebration on the 19th, including Michael Symon of Lola’s in Cleveland, the newest Iron Chef. Sounds as though it’s going to be a great time!

National Cherry Festival in Financial Bind with Traverse City

Posted on 24 August 2007 under Food Festivals, Food In The News, Michigan Cuisine | No Comments

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reported yesterday that, if the city were to demand total payment of unpaid bills from the 2006 and 2007 events, the National Cherry Festival may be no more:

Festival Executive Director Tom Menzel soon will sit down with city officials to figure out how the city can partner with the financially troubled event. He wants to pay at least some of the estimated $86,897 owed to Traverse City, but if the city immediately forces total payment it could finish the festival, Menzel said … The city bills for services such as police and fire, public works and lost revenue during the eight-day event. Talks with the city will center on those contract elements and use of the Open Space park … “The future of the National Cherry Festival, going forward, probably hinges on these discussions,” Menzel said.

Fresh Washed Cherries!

Posted on 9 July 2007 under Food Destinations, Food Festivals, Shopping | 2 Comments

The National Cherry Festival is taking place up in Traverse City this week, and as always, there’s plenty else going on near the festival itself including roadside stands with signs advertising “Fresh Washed Cherries”. This past weekend, the folks at Penrod Sales parked this truck in an old driveway off M-72 east of 131 just south of Kalkaska (about 25 miles east of the festival) to sell cherries to anyone who would stop by. Along with the darker tart cherries, they were also offering these beautiful Queen Anne cherries:

Even more unique was this box of Napolean cherries that was tucked behind the table. Mary and I accepted a few as samples … they were wonderfully sweet and very juicy!

We went with the “ol’ standby” though and drove away with a couple pints of the Tart cherries, which are still our favorites. However, two days later, after we had both thought the other had finished them, some were still in the bag! Of course, they were still very good indeed!

Errr … no, I didn’t save any to cook anything with. What, are you kidding? That there’s finger food!

People from Wisconsin have … What???

Posted on 14 May 2007 under Food Festivals | 2 Comments

Over on Serious Eats, there was a question recently of the one thing you would never eat. I responded with one particular dish.

Yesterday, CBSNews.com reported that the town of Elderon, Wisconsin, has a festival devoted to that particular dish.

To have that kind of festival takes a lot of … well, you know …

Michigan Food Festival Season Starts This Weekend

Posted on 24 April 2007 under Food Festivals, Michigan Cuisine | No Comments

While there have been a couple food festivals in Michigan through February, this-coming weekend is when the season really gets going. If you’re looking for something to do, here are some events I’ve snagged from the April section of the Food Festivals page on my Michigan Cuisine web site:

Kalkaska

Freeland

  • Walleye Festival - April 27, 28 & 29

Shepherd

  • Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival - April 27, 28 & 29

Vermontville

  • Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival - April 27, 28, & 29

If you’re headed to the National Trout Festival and intend on entering the trout fishing competition for adults, their Schedule page indicates the competition starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. Ya’ better get moving!

I’m still working on getting the Food Festivals page finished for 2007, but some information just isn’t available yet. If you know of a festival I’m not listing on the Food Festivals page, please let me know about it.