Lynda Wheatley | Author

Civilized Spirits’ Bourbon Manhattan

Oct. 14, 2017

Maybe it’s the towering 24-plate column that master distiller Mike Hall designed for ultimate purity in his spirits. Maybe it’s the vanilla flavor compounds seeping from the oak barrels in which his whiskey marinates alongside oak wood chips. Whatever the cause, the effect is ... Read More >>

5 Veggie-Heavy Recipes from the Food-Service Front Lines

Sept. 30, 2017

 

Restaurant chefs get all the attention. And while certainly deserved — the North is home to loads of lauded food artists, after all — the acclaim overlooks an equally admirable culinary caste, one that doesn’t face dainty groups of self-appointed foodies e... Read More >>

The Humble King

Sept. 16, 2017

Twenty-one years ago, Philip Asplund ate a turkey sandwich that changed his life. He was 46 years old. He had a degree from Michigan State University and a couple of decades experience as a registered social worker. And he had just completed a treatment program for alcoholism at Traverse ... Read More >>

The Woman Behind the Ladies Behind the National Cherry Queen

July 1, 2017

If you’re talking to Kay Relyea, the longtime director of queen’s activities for Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival, you’d better get two things straight: First, the court- and queen-making system Relyea and her team of 12 women orchestrate and oversee isn&rs... Read More >>