Eric Cox | Author

The Mountain Bike Gang that Could

Aug. 29, 2020

Standing around talking after a 2012 ride, Boyne City cyclist Steve Schnell and some of his friends lamented Northern Michigan’s lack of mountain bike trails. While mountain biking amenities were growing steadily downstate, there seemed to be little advocacy for trail development in t… Read More >>

Up in Smoke’s Tequila Sunrise

Aug. 22, 2020

It’s basic, but bold. A classic cocktail and a mainstay on drink menus across the land, the time-tested, always colorful, and ever-popular Tequila Sunrise ($6) is a sight for sore eyes on any sweltering summer day, and at Up In Smoke Barbecue & Catering in Petoskey, this comp… Read More >>

Crow's Nest

Aug. 22, 2020

State Road stabs northward from Harbor Springs, winding and rolling through thick forests, eventually terminating at Cross Village, near the tip of the Mitt. But, a few miles south, before that well-known stop, is an out-of-the-way little restaurant that serves pan-fried yellow lake perch w… Read More >>

Dutch Oven Bakery’s Cinnamon Bread

Aug. 15, 2020

Put it in the toaster. Smear it with butter. Use it for French toast. It matters not how you eat this decades-old bakery’s famous cinnamon bread — so long as you eat it, as locals have been gratefully doing since the 1930s. Dutch Oven Bakery (and café and deli), located i… Read More >>

Bayside Restaurant's Bicuits & Gravy

Nov. 2, 2019

Petoskey’s Bayside Restaurant clearly has a knack for concocting delicious morsels that warm the innards and quell the cold weather demons. Understated on their menu, this near-perfect embodiment of comfort food — savory with a creamy-crunchy consistency that massages all t… Read More >>

Boyne City’s Water Street Café

Sept. 28, 2019

Transitioning restaurant ownership can be a tricky endeavor. While the new proprietors inherit what is hopefully a solid place with a loyal, appreciative clientele, a precarious balance must be struck in order to move on with their own food service goals while adhering to enough of the old … Read More >>

PBC’s Super Trooper English Brown Ale

Sept. 21, 2019

Petoskey Brewing Company’s Super Trooper English Brown Ale (7.3% ABV, 12 IBU) not only serves a beer-hungry gullet but also protects a discerning palette, sheltering it from other, perhaps more felonious brews. In keeping with honorable police traditions, Petoskey Brewing Co. brewers … Read More >>

Crooked Tree Bakery's Pepper Parmesan Bread

Sept. 14, 2019

Petoskey artisan bread purveyors Crooked Tree Breadworks is onto something special in its Pepper Parmesan Sourdough boule ($9.25). This rich and savory loaf is great for sandwiches, toasted with butter, alongside saucy Italian fare or just about any other way you can dream up. The store rec… Read More >>

Grain Train Cafe Breakfast Burrito

Aug. 17, 2019

To some, the words “breakfast” and “burrito” don’t play well together. Right or wrong, they have their own ideas of what breakfast should be, and it doesn’t often involve tortillas. That’s fine, but strict adherence to tradition has its perils. In t… Read More >>

Resurrecting the Family Spirits

July 20, 2019

Steve Beam was in elementary school when he became aware of his family’s good name. But it would take several more years before he understood its value in the spirits world — not the ether, mind you, but the fiery-smooth realm of high-quality bourbon.

“Growing u… Read More >>

Cormack’s Deli’s Spinach Quiche

July 13, 2019

A hearty wedge of the made-from-scratch spinach quiche offers a lighter and totally to-die-for alternative to Cormack’s Deli’s cornucopia of diverse and tantalizing sandwich offerings. For those who don’t know, quiche is like a tasty, eggy pie with cheese and a feathe… Read More >>

Float Back in Time on Little Traverse Bay’s Pointer Boat

July 6, 2019

Each summer, tens of thousands of people flock to northern Michigan in search of lakeside refreshment. But not all visitors have a way of actually getting out on the azure waters, where the views are often more satisfying than the cool lake breezes themselves. 

A solution fo… Read More >>

The Turkarita

July 6, 2019

If you’re out blowin’ around Little Traverse Bay some sunny afternoon, drop anchor at Harbor Springs and wobble your sea legs over to Turkey’s Cafe & Pizzeria, which is ensconced in a charming historic building at 250 E. Main St. There, am… Read More >>

LEAN ... on the Farm?

May 11, 2019

Atop the high, breezy hills east of Wolverine sprawls a fairly nondescript 40-acre farm owned by Dan and Wendy Babcock, northern Michigan farmers who place a high value on the integrity of the food they produce, consume, and sell.

Obviously missing in the greening landscape of Se… Read More >>

Johan’s Sour Cream Old Fashioned

May 11, 2019

Johan’s Pastry Shop in Petoskey should be mildly ashamed of itself for its obnoxiously fresh offering of mouth-wateringly delicious donuts, cakes, breads, and other delights. But of particular offense to the vigilant waist-watcher is Johan’s incredible sour cream old fashioned d… Read More >>

Creatures Great and Small

April 20, 2019

“I cuddle skunks,” Julie Hall said, reaching into a straw-filled bin and pulling out a black and white-striped critter that would make anyone else run for cover. “I know that’s kinda weird.”
She snuggled the young skunk and kissed its small, surprisingly … Read More >>

Beards' Tomato-Basil-Quinoa Soup

March 30, 2019

Spring is yet an infant in these northern reaches, and sometimes, when that stubborn frost bites in the early morning commute, even the most sturdy among us pin their hopes on a sprawling, tasty luncheon. We invite you to exorcise that gastric demon with a cup-full of Beards Brewery&rs… Read More >>

Swamp Soup

March 23, 2019

One of the staples at Centre Street Café in Traverse City is the Swamp Soup. Its origins trace way back to when chef/owner Pete Boothroyd expanded his juice bar at the TC Gym into a full restaurant in 1999, when the gym closed. The tomato-based soup was one of his first creations. He… Read More >>

Side Door Saloon's Awesome Coffee

March 23, 2019

Some dreary mushy-March morning, when you’re feeling weird and primed for some kind of heartening adventure, take your empty stomach over to The Side Door Saloon in Petoskey. Park your butt at the bar. Order an Awesome Coffee. Sit back and watch the show. A super sweet and smooth… Read More >>

Living the High Life

March 9, 2019

Chuck Green is halfway to James Bond.

He’s an international man, but not so much a mystery.

The facts: The 43-year-old Traverse City bachelor travels the world as an pilot for United Airlines. And when he’s not aloft, he’s likely hanging out on Cass… Read More >>