Anna Faller | Author
Bull and the Bear Kitchen’s Beef Barbacoa
Sept. 2, 2023
When the people want tacos, you give them tacos! At least, that’s how the menu at Bull and the Bear Kitchen in Traverse City was born, and we just can’t get enough of their rich and roasty Beef Barbacoa. Served on a 6-inch corn tortilla, each taco is packed with Michigan beef br…
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Building Safer Schools: Three ways TCAPS plans to protect students and staff
Aug. 26, 2023
Comprising 11 elementary schools, two middle schools, three high schools, and a smattering of preschool locations, TCAPS serves more than 10,000 students and is northwest Michigan’s largest public-school district.
That’s a lot of ground to cover (300 square miles to be e…
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Dune Bird Winery’s Pinot Noir
Aug. 26, 2023
Like your favorite flannel in early September, we think the summer-to-fall transition deserves a glass of wine to go with it. Enter: Dune Bird Winery’s newly-released Pinot Noir. Featuring single-variety grapes grown on the Leelanau Peninsula, this approachable red is aged in French o…
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Good Harbor Grill’s Veggie Stir Fry
Aug. 19, 2023
Versatility meets old-school tradition at Good Harbor Grill, where flavors from around the world converge to showcase local ingredients, and it doesn’t get better than the Veggie Stir Fry. A longtime dinner menu staple, this gloriously saucy dish combines garlic and herb-steamed seven…
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The Family Farm with a Purpose
Aug. 12, 2023
For Larry and Caitlin McSweeney-Steffes, owners of Danu Hof Farm and Market, agriculture is all about forging community. The pair got their start in local kitchens—Caitlin in hospitality and Larry as an executive chef—before switching gears to pursue their own farm.
&ldq…
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On the Ground with Higher Grounds
Aug. 12, 2023
In early May, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was hit with flash floods and landslides caused by heavy rain, devastating communities in the Kalehe Territory of the South Kivu province. As a result, more than 400 people were killed—with another 2,500 still missing—…
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Spanglish’s Slushie
Aug. 12, 2023
There’s something about a frozen drink on a screaming hot day that just feels right. This week, find us beating the heat with slushie from Spanglish in the Grand Traverse Commons! Inspired by Mexico’s “Agua fresca”—which combines seasonal fruit with sugar and p…
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A Smash Hit
Aug. 5, 2023
Master burger-slingers Bray and Brittney McCabe have always been “into food.” Born and raised in Saginaw, the pair grew up among restaurateurs before putting down roots in Traverse City and falling headlong into hospitality by means of their iconic smash burgers (which Taste…
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Aug. 5, 2023 The brainchild of chef Ryan Mateling, AIKO Street Food (which means “little loved one” in Japanese) blends local ingredients with Izakaya cuisine, and the flavors are anything but small! Our go-to dish, and a truck menu staple, is a savory Japanese street pancake called Okonomiy…
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July 29, 2023 Ever heard of a Belgian-style Pilsner? We hadn’t either, until we discovered Stormcloud’s seasonal brew, The Hat Dept., and we can’t think of a better sunny day pairing! Belgian-inspired, but with a local twist, this crusher of a summer lager blends Belgian malt with Michi…
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July 22, 2023 Nestled in downtown Charlevoix, That French Place is all about treating our Midwest tastebuds to classic French recipes, and their seasonal Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissants ($4.50) are so authentic, they should come with plane tickets. Each batch begins with imported French butter folded i…
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July 15, 2023 For many of us, it just wouldn’t be a Michigan summer without a few days (or weeks) spent sleeping under the stars, even if that comes with dozens of mosquito bites. But, where do we go to get off-grid, and how can we enjoy those places safely? Northern Express sat do…
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July 15, 2023 “Treat yourself” takes on all new meaning when your pre-dinner drink gives back to the community. Enter: the Kick Your Knees Up ($15) cocktail at Trattoria Stella in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. A longtime staple of their curated beverage menu, this summer sipper start…
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July 8, 2023 Good food is the name of the game at Fried Food Truck in Lake Leelanau. While there’s nothing short of delicious on their almost entirely un-fried menu, the star of the show is their Roasted Beef Sandwich ($15). It starts with a tender, Detroit-style hoagie layered with shaved ribeye …
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July 1, 2023 Now in its 97th year, the National Cherry Festival has drawn local crowds for decades for its celebration of local fruit, time-honored traditions, and the singular opportunity to eat a cherry pie with no hands. But, beneath all the thrill rides and funnel cake, the festival is also a critic…
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July 1, 2023 In German, “neu” means new, young, or fresh, and northern Michigan winemaker Neu Cellars is more than living up to the name. Established in 2018 by ferment-fanatic John Keller and his father, this “nano-winery” uses regional fruit, sourced from both Old Mission and L…
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June 24, 2023 As the name suggests, Cheese & Co. in Petoskey is all about melty, cheesy goodness, from crispy mac and cheese bites to six types of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Their best-selling menu item, though—lovingly dubbed The Company Bowl ($16.04)—is somehow almost dairy-free…
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June 17, 2023 It’s been three years since the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests and racial reckonings that spread across the country. Traverse City-based nonprofit Title Track was one of the first local organizations to tackle conversations around racial equity, but how have those eff…
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June 17, 2023 Pop quiz: what’s good for your gut, but still tastes great in a wine glass? If you guessed Bailey’s Farms small-batch kombucha, you’re right! Bailey’s Farms’ light and fizzy ferments are made from Light of Day Organics’ teas and are packed with local bota…
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June 10, 2023 Opened in April in Glen Arbor, The Mill café and bakery is a one-stop shop for all things nostalgia, from the charm of its past as a local grain mill to their wildly-popular Whole Wheat Hand Pies. An elegant take on the classic pasty, each pie is baked in a hot-water crust—that…
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AIKO Street Food’s Okonomiyaki
Stormcloud Brewing Company’s The Hat Dept.
That French Place’s Blueberry Cream Cheese Croissants
The 2023 Summer Camping Forecast
Trattoria Stella’s Kick Your Knees Up
Fried Food Truck’s Roasted Beef Sandwich
Pinning Their Hopes on Pins
Neu Cellars’ 2022 Crispy
Cheese & Co.’s The Company Bowl
Finding "Beloved Community"
Bailey’s Farms’ Hummingbird Nectar Kombucha
The Mill’s Whole Wheat Hand Pie