Fair Trade, Organic and Low-Acid?
I recently got schooled on the topic of coffee acidity. Previously, I’ve thought much more about country of origin and roast type when choosing my black gold. Personally, I prefer a higher acid coffee, like Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Of course, acidity plays a large roll in coffee taste and everyone has their own preference. So for those coffee drinkers who like low-acid coffees, here’s the lowdown:
Some coffees are naturally low-acid because of where they are grown. Of the coffees Higher Grounds carries, Organic Sumatran Gayo Mountain fits the low-acid-by-origin bill.
Growing elevation also affects acidity. Coffees grown at higher elevations–Ethiopians in particular–are generally higher in acidity.
Finally, roast level is the most frequently-referenced factor. Acidity level decreases the longer a coffee is roasted, so darker roasts are lower in acid. That means dark roast Sumatran is the lowest-acid choice among Higher Grounds coffees, since it meets both criteria of growing location & roast level.
Some roasters add an acid-reducer to their coffees, but Higher Grounds never adds anything–they choose to rely on natural qualities & the roasting process.
Higher Grounds other fairly low-acid coffees are dark roast Organic Peruvian Pangoa and medium roast Organic Bolivian Pumiri.
Many thanks to Jennifer Yeatts of Higher Grounds Trading for the lesson!
Happy eating (and drinking)!
Norm Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
Most would agree that summer time in northern Michigan is fantastic! However, there is a great effort being made by a number of good folks, to draw attention to the great time that can also be had in the heart of winter. There are so many events scheduled for the month of February, I just had to spread the word. So if you’re looking to part the clouds of winter with some fun, check out these opportunities and mark your calendar!
Let’s start off on the right foot with some active fun!
Saturday February 2nd, 2013: Runaway Hen Snowshoe Scamper
Here is a family friendly event, where you follow a 2km or 5km trek through the beautiful Brengman Brothers Crain Hill Vineyards. Finish with something warm to drink or check out some of their wines. You can count on the organizers at Endurance Evolution to put on a great event and really, isn’t breaking a sweat the best way to start your day?
Sunday February 3rd, 2013: Women’s Winter Tour
This one’s for the ladies! For 15 years this event has been organized with two objectives, to get women outside and active AND to raise funds and awareness for local abuse charities. The location has changed over the years, but this tour promises a great day, starting in Traverse City and finishing at Black Star Farms. If the destination isn’t motivating enough, don’t worry there is plenty of treats to enjoy along the way.
Something more romantic?
Try the Taste the Passion event, A celebration of Wine, Chocolate and Love, February 2nd and 3rd. This is a tasty way to tour Leelanau county. Visit different wineries and enjoy tastings with festive food pairings from area restaurants and artisans. Be sure to stop at L Mawby for their pairing with Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate!
How About A Good Time You Can Groove To?
Saturday February 2nd- Sunday February 9th, 2013: 4th Annual Traverse City Microbrew & Music Festival
This weeklong celebration of craft brews and good music commences with a Craft Brew Crawl on Saturday February 2nd and continues throughout the week with different restaurants. What we are most looking forward to the live performances for Blues at the Crossroads 2, at the City Opera House on Saturday the 8th. This sounds like the perfect lead in to Sunday’s festivities, downtown Traverse City!
Friday February 15th-Sunday February 17th, 3013: Winter Comedy Arts Festival
A terrific collaboration between the folks with the Traverse City Film Festival and the good people with the National Cherry Festival results in a great-idea-merger of two winter festivals. Not only will there be comedy events for all ages, but Front Street will be closed to accommodate an ice rink, a ferris wheel and more!
Sunday February 24th – Saturday March 2nd, 2013: Restaurant Week 2013
A personal favorite, I am excited for Restaurant Week’s return! Throughout this week, area restaurants create 3-course meals for $25. This is a very clever way to enjoy fabulous food and get to know our local eateries. May I recommend: Amical, Bistro FouFou, Om Cafe, Patisserie Amie, Poppycock’s, Red Ginger, The Cook’s House, Trattoria Stella…oh you get the idea!
Consider these as starter ideas, and get out there! We would love to hear about your outing(s) and what you would recommend!
Happy Eating!
Cile Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
Immediately after Halloween I hunker down into my Thanksgiving planning. This will be our 4th year of hosting Thanksgiving at our house, and for each year I am so…thankful! Our family is a bit spread out across the state of Michigan so holiday travel is what we know; however, once our second child was born, the value of a home spent holiday became clear. Thankfully, our parents rolled with our invitation to dine with us in Empire. So each year I revel in the preparations to feed our table of 8. I think most would agree that Thanksgiving is the food holiday, and not only food but the holiday most filled with traditional dishes. This knowledge is ever present when choosing our menu. How do you honor every diner’s expectation and still keep the meal fresh and interesting? I started with a family poll, “What dish matters most to you on Thanksgiving?”. These answers have become my framework for each menu. You should know, I do not prepare family recipes; that would go against my nature. Right or wrong, every time I cook anything for anyone, I always use a new recipe. With my framework in place, turkey not ham, bread stuffing not rice, cranberry something, potato something…, I dive into November issues of magazines, some back issues from my local library, cookbooks, past year’s notes, blogposts and my recipe binder. Once each dish is determined, hors d’oeuvres to dessert, my next step is creating not only my grocery list, but a timeline for when to purchase what. With my shopping plan in place, I move on to my food prep outline, what can be made in advance and what’s my sequence of events on T-Day. All of this list making, research and planning appeals to me, but this next step is the most important. Then, I ask for help. I shush the part of me that wants to do it all and politely assign ingredients, dishes,or wine for family to bring with them. Once everyone arrives, wine is poured, and tasks are divvied. For some reason, even the simplest of tasks, setting the table, can be difficult for me to designate, but I do it! The benefit here is obvious, but I’m going to spell it out anyway. Sharing even simple tasks lightens my load. Not to mention, we are spending time together, chatting, laughing, snacking, having great fun; the day is absolutely heartwarming.
We at Traverse Gourmet wish you a fantastic food filled Thanksgiving, shared with family and friends.
P.S. For your post Thanksgiving tastebuds, try this, Turkey Empanadas.
Happy Eating!
Cile Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
One thought leads to another which leads to a memory.
Earlier this week I enjoyed an article in Traverse Magazine, that features a local pie maker, Susan Odom.
When working to find the article online, so I could share it with you, a found a 9 minute video of this woman making pie dough.
At this point I start thinking to myself “I should make a pie; I really enjoy pie!”
Later in the day, putting together a menu for the week I stumbled on a recipe for Eating Well’s Meat Pie.
I hesitated just a moment…”Do I really want to make pie crust from scratch?”…Then I remembered the video, and more importantly, that it was only 9 minutes long.
Sooo, last night was Meat Pie night and making the crust went beautifully, see.
So really, this is where my post should begin. Everyone knows one of the best benefits to making pie crust from scratch are the dough trimmings…you know, that excess dough that gets cut off right before the edges are crimped. I fondly, FONDLY, remember when my mom made a pie, the superfluous dough was rolled again, buttered, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, rolled and cut into tiny cinnamon rolls. Fifteen minutes later, voila! It occurs to me, that this memory is as much responsible for my choice to make a pie as is the end result. Happiness is making a pie from scratch AND creating a fun immediate snack with the family.
Readers, what do you do with your trimmings?
P.S. If you plan to try the Meat Pie, and I recommend you do, I substituted Great Lakes Tea & Spice Caribbean Jerk Spice Blend for the allspice.
P.P.S. Are you wondering what I did with my extra pie dough? I created a little pocket and filled it with Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate. It was FABULOUS! Norm would like me to also mention that I neglected to save him ANY.
Happy eating!
Cile Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
I’m not sure what happened. Once upon a time Norm and I loved to spend time together in the kitchen, searching for new recipes, trying to recreate a meal we may have tried at a restaurant, finding new ways to make meals healthier…Our evolution of meals began as leisurely and fresh to what is now rushed and simple. Did I mention somewhere in our 12 years of marriage and meals, we welcomed two boys, ages, 5 and 8? It was winter of 2011/2012 that I really hit my meal-planning-wall. My passion for cooking interesting things was gone, I had fallen off the wagon. Boring myself, not to mention everyone else, with subtly varied versions of the same dishes week after week, chili, pad thai, meatloaf, pasta (you catch my drift). Just before I cooked my family into a flavorless abyss, I heard about a cookbook of sorts titled The Family Dinner, by Laurie David. This book appealed to me for 3 reasons: 1) It was a new cookbook and I love cookbooks! New recipes, beautiful photos of food, I can flip through pages like this for hours…really! 2) Although we did eat most dinners together as a family, this book promised “great ways to connect with your kids, one meal at a time” and 3) in addition to recipes, conversation starters, and quick tips, this author has incorporated thoughts and stories from celebrities like Sheryl Crow to chefs like Cat Cora. This book became the perfect kick-start to slowing down and enjoying family dinner again.
One of the authors suggestions is to assign daily food themes, such as Meatless Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Mom’s Choice Wednesdays…you get the picture. We included our boys in these designations, and they really have held on to them (full disclosure, both boys thrive in structured environments; therefore, you can see the appeal). This brings me to Meatless Mondays, not an idea exclusive to this cookbook, but a good idea for sure. Whether you cut animal protein for dietary, financial or philosophical reasons doesn’t much matter. Try it for the challenge! Reshape how you and your children define a hearty, satisfying, meal. So to help you get started, here is a recipe I stumbled upon from Rachael Ray (sorry Anthony Bourdain, this sounds tasty). Perfect for a cool autumn evening!
Rachael Ray’s Roasted Squash Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, plus more for the casserole dish
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced (or look for diced raw butternut squash in the produce department)
- EVOO, for drizzling- Perhaps Higher Grounds Olive Oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pound rigatoni, penne or macaroni with ridges
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, such as Gebhardt’s, or a blend of ancho or chipotle
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon- A good choice is Great Lakes Tea & Spice
- 2 cloves garlic, made into a paste
- 1 fresh chile pepper, such as Fresno or jalapeno, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp yellow Cheddar
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- One 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup shredded pepper jack or other hot-pepper melting cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.
Put the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with EVOO and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Roast until the edges are browned, 17 to 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water to just shy of al dente, 7 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic and chile pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, then whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add the Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir until melted.
Combine the squash, chili-cheese sauce and beans, then transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with the pepper jack cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Cook’s Note: The casserole can be covered and refrigerated before baking for a make-ahead meal.
Happy eating!
Cile Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
A Gourmet Michigan Gift Basket From The Heart Of The Sleeping Bear Dunes
It’s been a big summer Up North with visitors from around the country coming to the Traverse City region and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
To help celebrate the awesomeness of this summer, we’ve created the Sleeping Bear Gift Bag. From snacks to sweets, it contains some of our most favorite items – all packed in a recycled cotton Traverse Gourmet tote. Whether you want to thank a friend for sharing their summer house, or reconnect with Up North with a taste of the area, this gift bag is perfect.
Until September 3rd, take 10% off the Sleeping Bear Gift Bag by using promo code “Dunes” at checkout.
Happy eating!
Norm Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
Sweet Star Thistle Honey Is The Perfect Counterpoint
We found this recipe at bunkycooks.com and couldn’t wait to try it. The recipe is super easy and man is it delicious! My only disappointment was that we did make a double batch.
Ingredients
- 12 fresh, Black Mission Figs
- 1/3 cup soft, goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 thin slices Prosciutto, sliced lengthwise to make 12 thin pieces
- Sleeping Bear Farms Star Thistle Honey Creme or regular honey
- Great Lakes Tea & Spice Fig Balsamic Vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spay and set aside. Wash and dry figs.
Mix together soft goat cheese, rosemary, a pinch of sea salt and a couple of turns of freshly ground black pepper. Slice to the figs on one side, being carefully not to cut through. Fill the space with a small amount of the goat cheese mixture. You could also use a small pastry tip to fill the figs.
Wrap each fig in the prosciutto and place on the prepared baking sheet. Put a small amount of the Star Thisle Creme on each fig (or drizzle with honey). Then top each with a little bit (about a teaspoon each) of Fig Balsamic Vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar).
Bake six to eight minutes, until cheese is warm. Do not overcook as the cheese will ooze out of the figs.
Serve warm.
Happy eating!
Norm Plumstead
Co-founder of Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan artisan food
Northern Michigan Foodie Events To Please Every Palate
Summer is warming up here in northern Michigan and that means food events of all shapes and sizes. Here’s a summary of the goings on this weekend.
- Friske’s Orchards 50 Years Celebration – Friday, June 15th starting at 11:00. Find them at 10743 US 31 N. at Atwood
- Father’s Day Weekend Craft Beer Tour Package – Friday, June 15th to Sunday, June 17.
- Leelanau Peninsula Vinters Association Small Plates Event – Saturday, June 16. It looks like this one is sold out for this year.
- Glen Arbor Brew & BBQ Festival – Saturday, June 16.
- Be sure to also check out your local Farmer’s Market. Check out our Northern Michigan Farmer’s Markets blog post for a complete listing.
Happy eating,
Norm Plumstead
Traverse Gourmet – Your online connection to Michigan Gift Baskets & Artisan Food
Backed by ‘Know Your Farmer” Campaign, Booklet Boosts Local Food, Farm Economy
The Michigan Land Use Institute has published its ninth annual Taste the Local Difference farm and food guide. The latest edition of the free, handy, pocket-sized guide is the largest ever. Its 104 pages list more than 250 local farms; 42 wineries, breweries and distilleries; 30 farmers markets; and 82 retail businesses and food artisans, all located in the 10-county region stretching from Manistee to the Mackinac Bridge.
The guide, which is also available in a searchable, online version, continues to play a crucial role in demonstrating to both residents and visitors that there are local farm products available year-round in this part of the state.
It also encourages customers to ‘Know Your Farmer’ by directing them to online biographies about several of the farms included in the guide. These biographies are part of a pilot project to help people get to know the faces and stories behind the people growing our food in this region.
The online version of the newly updated Taste the Local Difference guide, which was first published by the Michigan Land Use Institute in 2004, is available at localdifference.org.
The print version is available at retail businesses, visitor centers, chambers of commerce, libraries, and farmers markets throughout the region, as well as at the Michigan Land Use Institute office, 148 E. Front Street, Suite 301, in downtown Traverse City. It is also available via phone or email requests, at 231-941-6584 ext. 21 or janice@mlui.org.
Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa, located in Thompsonville, is the Presenting Sponsor for the entire Taste the Local Difference project this year.
The guide enjoys strong support from many other Northern Michigan businesses. The full list of 2012 Sponsors includes: Cherry Capital Foods, Tom’s Food Markets, Trattoria Stella, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Friske Orchards Farm Market, Progress Printers, Black Star Farms Smith Haughey Rice and Roegge, Oryana Natural Foods Market, Grain Train Natural Foods Market, Watervale Inn, and Light of Day Organic Farm and Tea Shop.
Media sponsors include Edible Grande Traverse, Absolute Michigan, WTCM NewsTalk 580, 9&10/Fox 32 News, Interlochen Public Radio, and the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
For more information about the Taste the Local Difference guide or project, including the Know Your Farmer Project, contact Janice Benson at 231-941-6584, ext. 21 or at janice@mlui.org.
Pond Hill Farm Now Accepting Reservations for Farm to Table Dinners
Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs, MI is now accepting reservations for their wonderful Farm to Table Dinners, Wine Tasting Dinners, and Barn Dances. For reservations call 231-526-FARM.
Farm to Table Dinners are prepared by head chef Scott Schornak. He uses the finest farm raised meats and produce harvested onsite at Pond Hill Farm. Farm to Table Dinners are $55 per person. Wines and hard cider from their winery are also available.
Wine Tasting Dinners are $65 per person and include a four course gourmet dinner paired with four of our award winning wines.
Barn Dances include a farm fresh buffet dinner, a bonfire, live music by the Peacemeal String Band, and square dancing with a caller. $20 per person. Reservations and western wear are encouraged but not required.
Pond Hill Farm is open daily year round from 8am to 6pm. The Garden Cafe is open daily from 11am to 3pm through October. Harbor Springs Vineyards & Winery at Pond Hill Farm is open daily year round 11am to 6pm.
