Tastemakers: Provisions dried cherry white chocolate biscotti/Local drink

Dec. 30, 2007

Provisions Dried Cherry White Chocolate Biscotti
Okay, time for those New Year’s Resolutions. Each year I join the millions in the pursuit of making changes to “better my life.” In the past I have started those fad diets.A couple of years ago I even tried to quit drinking for a year (that was tough since I write about alcohol for a living and I only lasted about four months). I have even signed up for a gym membership in the past with plans of a weekly exercising routine. Sure, this year I am still in need of shedding a few pounds, and some previous resolutions seem like a good idea. But I am taking a different approach this year. My New Year’s Resolution is to eat, drink and buy local whenever possible, and to write about it in these columns.
So I am continuing my search from Manistee to Mt. Pleasant to Mackinac Island and places inbetween for local food and drink products and places. I like to call our area the “Manitou Triangle,” because you literally can get lost in all that this slice of Michigan has to offer. So feel free to let me know of anything delightful you have stumbled onto. I am journaling my pursuit of “buying local,” and as 2008 comes to a close, I will write about it.
Now going 100% local immediately is probably not a reality, but my friend Tim Young at Food For Thought told me it “is all about the process–you take it one step at a time.” So I plan to start simply by making sure that I have something grown, made or processed locally at each meal. Time to get started.
A few years back I attended an open house put on by Chef Perry Harmon. The chef of residence at Chateau Grand Traverse, Harmon has impressive culinary credentials. He is active teaching his craft at Learn Great Foods, is the morning chef on TV 7&4 and even caters the occasional party. A year ago he launched Provisions LTD, at the Epicurean Classic, his new gourmet food company that currently is focused on “perfecting” biscotti, the popular Italian “twice baked cookie.” Harmon’s gourmet biscotti have been flying off shelves and are tasty with that morning coffee or as a mid afternoon snack. My personal favorite is the Dried Cherry & White Chocolate Biscotti, with local tart cherries and drizzled white chocolate on top. Enjoy this with a morning cup of Leelanau Roasting Organic Bakery Blend. For an afternoon treat, pair with By The Light Of Day Organics Cherry Mint Tea. While most biscotti is crunchy, Harmon’s’ maintains a slight softness in the middle. It is a nice lighter style dessert and pairs well with Peninsula Cellars Melange (a cherry port style wine). For additional details and locations to purchase this or the many other biscotti flavors, go to provisionsltd.com.

Local Drink

During my Christmas Break, as I was enjoying a few pints of an organic pale ale from the newest brewery in Northern Michigan (Right Brain Brewery, located in the Warehouse District of Traverse City), I pondered the number of beverages being made up north. The number is staggering, but more important is the quality of what is being made here. I know I have been on the proverbial “wine barrel,” praising the now 30 wineries here in Northern Michigan. That is not going to change and future Bottoms Up columns will continue to focus on the great wines of our region, especially the emergence of quality reds. But the local drink goes beyond that.
With Right Brain Brewery opening up and word that more breweries and brewpubs are in the works ,we are becoming a haven for the brew enthusiast. A quick calculation and the eight breweries up north are producing close to 100 different beers. There is really something for everyone. Our brewmasters are stepping “outside the bottle” in their approach of making tasty brews that pair well with local cuisine.
As a coffee-holic, I have come across 12 roasters in Northern Michigan. I owe my appreciation of freshly roasted coffee to those Coffee Guys at the Leelanau Roasting Company in Glen Arbor. If you are still buying coffee from some company in Seattle or if your coffee is coming from a can, you are missing out. Seek out local roasts. There are no shortages of coffee shops in Northern Michigan either.
A few years back Angela Macke of By The Light Of Day Organics introduced me to the joy of loose tea made from locally grown organic fruits, herbs and flowers. Now, I have learned about and tasted other teas from local tea makers. Soon Front Street in Traverse City will have its own “Tea Room,” which reminds me of when I was a kid and my Grandmother would take me to the Milliken Tea Room to show me off to her friends.
Kent Rabish at the Grand Traverse Distillery, makers of True North Vodkas, has plans to make a rye whiskey and gin, using local products. His vodka, made with Northern Michigan rye, is cleaning up at tasting competitions and selling out at stores and local fine restaurants. Black Star Farms has expanded its distillery operations and recently opened Tastes of Black Star Farms in the Mercato at the Village of Grand Traverse Commons.
So what does this all mean? I won’t be trying to give up drinking as a “resolution” this year. Sit back, relax and get ready to join me on my journey of tasting beverages from Northern Michigan (oh sure, on occasion we will take a taste from other places, just to see if they are keeping up with us). Happy New Year.