Tastemakers: Everett‘s Planket Whitefish/North Peak Brewery Company

Everett’s Planked
Whitefish


It is a tall task to expect a resort to be all things to all people. Somehow Boyne Mountain is able to accomplish that. If you are not part of the mass exodus of spring breakers heading to some warm destination next week and you are looking for some sort of escape, try Boyne.
Spring skiing is planned well into April. The Mountain Grand Lodge is home to Avalanche Bay, a waterpark for kids and adults alike. Maybe you are simply looking for a few days of R&R and some spa treatment. They have that too.
Another great reason to visit Boyne is the food. One look at any of the seafood plates and it is obvious why Express readers selected Everett’s (named after Boyne founder Everett Kircher) as the “best place for seafood.” The cedar planked whitefish is the number one selling entrée (not counting their fantastic hamburgers) and with good reason. Perfectly seasoned and prepared to perfection, this dish tastes as good as it looks.
Of equal importance are the duchess potatoes seasoned just right; slightly browned, they melt in your mouth. Rounding out this dish are sautéed summer vegetables.
Planking fish is something early settlers learned from the Native Americans in the region. While the process has evolved from driftwood to waterlogged cedar planks, the results are still the same. The cedar imparts hints of a unique flavor into the whitefish. While tradition calls for white wine with this dish, it also holds up to lighter style reds.
Equally impressive is that the menu items at Everett’s are reasonably priced. Finally, Boyne exceeded my service expectations at every turn.
To learn more about what Boyne has to offer, review the menu at Everett’s or any of their eateries, and check out boyne.com.

North Peak
Brewing Company
North Peak’s brewmaster Kim Schneider and her assistant Ray Wise have a challenging task. It’s not brewing quality beer -- they have mastered that -- it is keeping up with the demand. Since the opening of Kilkenny’s in the basement a year ago, their production has nearly doubled. Express readers selected North Peak as the “best beer selection” and it is a safe bet that taps six and seven played a major role in that.
North Peak, like most brewpubs, has a consistent menu of beers that customers are able to count on all the time. But brewmasters are creative and experimental types, and they live for those extra tap handles. So do the brew aficionados.
One of the most popular tap handles is the one that has the cask-conditioned ale. Served at cellar temperature, the ales are “conditioned” in kegs longer than typical beer. As the ale conditions, a natural carbonation occurs and a “beer engine” is used to draw the ale by hand, resulting in smooth and flavorful ales. This is an acquired taste, as many American beer palates have been conditioned by ice-cold beer, but cellar temperature ales impart more flavors and as the beer warms, it’s true characteristics come out.
Recently, I had the cask-conditioned I.P.A. that was exceptional, but by the time you read this, it will be gone. Because they are so popular, most cask-conditioned ales last only about five days. Schneider and Wise are never quite sure what cask they will tap next, as they say, “whichever one is ready.”
Since opening 10 years ago, North Peak has grown into a popular eatery and hangout. Its brew club now boasts over 1,000 members ($2 drafts all the time and $4 growlers are just two benefits for members). For additional information and a description of what is on tap, or to review their menu, see northpeak.net.
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