An apple will keep a 15-month-old busy nearly the entire trip to the orchard!

Today’s guest blogger celebrates the changing of the seasons, and the Michigan apples that symbolize the advent of autumn for many of us.

Every time the weather blows in a new season, I count myself fortunate to live in Michigan, where we have four of them. The seasons give structure to my year, breathe new life into day-to-day routines, determine what I eat, and keep things fresh.

When the crisp air of fall is on the horizon, our family starts thinking about apples. We start talking about apple picking. We seek out the first apples at the Farmers’ Markets (in late summer) and relish every bite.

While waiting for the tractor to take you back to your vehicle, challenge family members to a throwing contest with the apples already on the ground.

But we really can’t wait for September when we finally head out to the farm, take a tractor to the orchards, and pick bushel after bushel.

We love the family tradition of a trip to the apple orchard each fall.

We love the cheap, easy, healthy snacks that fill our garage.

We love the cinnamon smells of applesauce that fill the house.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, how many doctors are bored, because we generally average 2-3 per person around here?

These apple squares freeze marvelously.

Last fall my 2-year-old daughter would ask for “an apple for the road” daily as we loaded up to drive big brother to kindergarten, approximately ten minutes after she finished breakfast. She usually asked for another mid-morning, and another “for the road” when we picked him up at noon. It’s not uncommon to have an afternoon snack of an apple, and if we go for a walk after dinner, guess what she asked for? (Don’t worry, I don’t actually give her one all those times, but it proves a point. We love our apples.)

If you want to go picking but aren’t sure you can get through your apples quickly enough to really buy in bulk, don’t worry. Preserving apples is simple and extends the bounty of the season throughout the year. Here are 5 ways to keep the apple love going:

Apple flax muffins - grain-free, gluten-free, and delicious for breakfast or lunch!

1. Dehydrate apple slices with cinnamon. Use a dehydrator or accomplish it in an oven at low temp.
2. Frozen applesauce
3. Canned applesauce
4. Frozen sliced apples (for pie, crisp or cobbler later)
5. Fruit rolls

Click through for more details on preserving apples all 5 ways or dehydrating apples in a dehydrator.

Visit Michigan’s apple growers to find an orchard near you!

What is your favorite way to eat Michigan apples? Straight from the tree, or in a delicious dish?

Katie Kimball is a mother of three from West Michigan who spends a ton of time in the kitchen making real food with whole ingredients and then blogs about her successes and failures at Kitchen Stewardship. 

Related Posts:

• Eating Fresh and Local in the Great Lakes State
• DeKlein Chestnuts
• Apple Crumb Pie Recipe

Michigan Cherries Ripe for Picking

Traverse City’s National Cherry Festival ended last weekend, including their fantastic Grand Cherry Buffet, and we still haven’t gotten enough cherry-filled recipes! We asked our fans on Facebook and Twitter to share their favorite recipes featuring one of our favorite Michigan fruits, and we were happy to discover how much they love Michigan cherries too!

Some of our fans prefer eating their cherries au natural –

• “Just put cherries in a bowl, and eat ‘em!” – Jake Ferris
• “Black sweet cherries! Yummm! Who needs a recipe? Best to just pop in your mouth and hit a pit spitting contest!” – Kim Weber
• “Take the stem off and pop them in your mouth!” – Marilyn Kay Strawser

Freshly Harvested Michigan Cherries

Some of you* prefer to use cherries to enhance your delicious dish, and a few were more complicated…

[click through image for full recipe]

Than others.

Michigan Cherry Tree

A few of you like to mix Michigan cherries with various liqueurs –

• “Vodka soaked cherries. Put in fridge for a month soaked in vodka! They are balled bombs!” – JoAnn Evou Gile
• “Infused Cherry’s with Maker’s Mark. Mmmmm…” – Mike Slone
• “We modify the ingredients for a Cosmopolitan. . . take a hefty shot of Citron vodka, a teaspoon of tart cherry concentrate, a half-shot of bar sour – shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass and topped with a Michigan sweet cherry.” – Jim Maslanka

Pure Michigan Cherries

Of course, not everyone likes to make their favorite cherry dishes themselves. Here are some of the recommended dishes found in restaurants around Michigan -

• Local favorite Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth makes a delicious Michigan Cherry Salad. – Patricia Gibson
• The Cherry Hut in Beulah has a great Tart Cherry Pie. “Not unusual, but very good!” – Rene Charlebois Szatkowski 
• Detroit mainstay Hockeytown serves a great Michigan Cherry Burger, especially enjoyed “after a Tigers Win!” – Curt Walz
• You can even find Michigan cherries at a franchise restaurant! “Michigan Cherry BBQ Bacon Burger at Smashburger in Kalamazoo. It has real Michigan cherries in the sauce. DEEEEElicious!” – Jeannie Homrich Henderson

If you are looking for more delicious recipes, including a Pure Michigan Cherry-Berry Pie, the Pure Michigan cookbook has just what you are looking for!

Pure Michigan Cookbook - Cherry Berry Pie Recipe

How do you prefer to eat your cherries? Right off the tree, infused with your favorite liqueur, in a more complicated recipe, or do you just prefer that someone else makes your favorite cherry dish?

*Thank you to Corey Seeman, Hike Michigan, Jennie Sweda, Bernie Bresnahan, and Linda Figg for submitting these recipes.

Have you decided what classic Michigan recipes you are going to make at your Memorial Day party yet? We have some suggestions that are sure to make your holiday dining more festive.

Did you know that there is a Pure Michigan cookbook featuring more than 60 fantastic recipes, including many recipes from some of the best chefs and the best restaurants in Michigan? See one of the recipes from the cookbook to the left.

If you are having a picnic, the State Agriculture Department has offered tips on ways to incorporate some of the best foods that Michigan has to offer into your picnic basket.

We also asked our fans on Facebook to share their best recipes for a delicious Memorial Day picnic, and now we want to share some of them with all of you. We learned that the ingredients to a special Memorial Day goes beyond the food you serve, so we’ve included some “experience recipes” included here as well. Please note: some of the recipes are more detailed than others.

Broccoli Salad

2 bunches broccoli
1 medium chopped red onion
2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup sugar
½ cup real bacon bits (store bought or homemade)
½ cup salted sunflower seeds (no shells)
½ cup apple cider vinegar (any will work, this gives the best flavor)
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese.

1) Cut broccoli into small bite size pieces (do not use the stem, only the florets), rinse and drain. Set aside.
2) In a small mixing bowl, mix mayo, sugar and vinegar together.
3) In a large bowl (preferably with a lid) combine broccoli, mayo mixture, bacon bits, onion, and sunflower seeds. Put lid on bowl and shake vigorously.
4) Add cheese right before serving, and mix well.

Make it the night before to give that extra punch of flavor.

Submitted by AnnMarie McCallum

Macaroni Salad

1 lb shell macaroni
1 to 2 small cans of tuna
1, 8 oz block of sharp cheddar (cut into bite size pieces)
3 to 4 sprigs green onion (chopped into bite size pieces)
3 to 6 hard boiled eggs (cut into bite size pieces)
1 green pepper (chopped into bite size pieces)
1 1/2 cups mayo
1/3 cup mustard
4 tbsp sugar

Cook macaroni according to box directions. Mix mayo, mustard, and sugar, to taste. Mix all ingredients in big bowl, serve chilled. Salt and pepper to taste.

Submitted by Christia Cheney Catrell

Memorial Day

great weather
a sandy beach
family and friends
a beautiful sunset

Submitted by Patricia Cashman

Sausage, Peppers, and Pasta

2lbs smoked sausage fried
Red peppers
2 lbs tortellini pasta

Mix with parmesan, Italian seasoning and 1 cup of Italian dressing.

Submitted by Cheyenne Hunt Brower

Twinkie shortcake

Strawberries
Sugar
Twinkies

(Best when camping) At home, mash strawberries and sugar. Put in bowl with tight lid and pack in cooler. At camp, open box of Twinkies. Unwrap, put in a bowl, top with strawberries.

Submitted by Krystal Johns

Memorial Day

Food with family and friends
Under a beautiful Michigan sky
Tigers on the radio
Nice fire at night

Submitted by Mary Slancik Knight

Rhubarb Custard Pie

1 Pie crust (for a two crust pie, homemade or from store)
4 cups Rhubarb
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
2 ½ tbsp milk
1-2 tbsp butter

Place crust in a 10 inch pie pan. Add rhubarb to the pan. In a bowl, combine sugar, vanilla, eggs, and milk. Stir together, and pour over the rhubarb. Cut butter into pieces and sprinkle over the mixture. Cut the second crust into strips and put a lattice top on the pie. Bake at 375* for about an hour.

Submitted by Rita Nielsen

Memorial Day

2 hugs for a Veteran
1 flag raising
3 prayers for peace
4 visits to local cemeteries to honor our fallen heroes

Remember the reason for the day.

Submitted by Sue Ann Oinas

These are some ideas we put together, but what makes a Memorial Day perfect for you?

Morel mushroom hunting is like a treasure hunt. Once a well-stocked area is found, a ‘Shroomer will always remember it, and sometimes will refuse to share the locations with their closest family members. There are even stories of people finally revealing the treasured spots in their last will!

For those of you who have wanted to try Morel hunting but didn’t know where to start, we found a ‘shroomer willing to dish some secrets. Anthony Williams is the owner of Freshwater Studio, a gallery that features only Michigan artists, and is a designer of beautiful furniture made from locally grown trees. In his spare time, he is a lifelong Morel mushroom hunter, as well as the Morel Mushroom Festival’s “expert in residence.”

• It’s important to dress appropriately. Keep in mind that this activity often takes place in the woods, so be mindful of the foliage that your skin might touch, as well as the weather. It might help to bring along a compass or GPS, as well as a cell phone. Many people get lost while on a mushroom hunt.
• Plan to spend a lot of time on your hunt. You want to cover a lot of ground, so remember to move briskly, and keep moving. It’s important to look ahead of you, not right at your feet, and pan your eyes from left to right. Learn your trees. You will find the Black Morel near trees such as a large, mature Poplar tree, and White Morels near a large, mature Ash tree. If you are healthy enough to climb hills, do it! Most people look for the easiest path, therefore you are more likely to find Morels up the ridges.
• Gathering the Morel – once you spot a Morel, you can start to walk slower. . When gathering the Morel, remember to pinch the stem at the ground level, do not pluck it from the ground. It’s important to leave the root system intact. If you see a cotton-like substance in the stem, that is a “false Morel,” and you do not want to eat it. Be sure to search a 200×200 foot area around the site for more!

Do’s and Don’ts of Morel care:

• Do NOT store in plastic bags – The Morel is mostly made up of water, and if stored in a plastic bag, the moisture has no place to go, starting a breakdown of the mushroom
• DO store the Morel in paper bags
• Do NOT soak the mushrooms overnight in salt water – it loses flavor
• DO keep the Morel clean while gathering. You can do a quick rinse, or just use a small brush before eating
• DO cut the Morel in half and check the inside for dirt or bugs
• DO store fresh Morels in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days (if they stay in your house that long! )
• DO change the paper bag every day to prolong their usability
• DO freeze some Morels so that you can enjoy them throughout the year!

We hope that you first-timers out there find this information helpful. If you want to learn more information about Morel hunting direct from the expert, join his seminar during the upcoming Morel Mushroom Festival, May 12 – 15, in Boyne City. After attending the seminar, try joining one of the three guided mushroom hunts, with expert guides on hand to answer your questions.

While at the festival, you will find many opportunities to enjoy the flavor of the Morel firsthand. Many local restaurants will be serving dishes featuring the Morel, and the Taste of Morel event on Saturday includes an all-Morel menu, as well as cooking demonstrations.  If you are feeling ambitious, you can try your hand at replicating the recipe (see below) being served by Café Sante during the festival – Michigan Wild Leek and Morel Chicken Fricassee, or you could take the easy way out and try it at the festival for yourself!

Michigan Wild Leek and Morel Chicken Fricassee

Step 1:
Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.  In a pan large enough to fit the chicken pieces, melt butter over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add chicken to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from pan and hold warm.

Step 2:
Add vegetables to pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Add Flour and stir to mix well, cook for 1 minute.

Step 3:
Add to vegetable mix and bring to a boil. Place chicken back in pan and cover, simmer on low for 20 minutes. Remove chicken to a serving dish when internal temperature reaches 160F, and let rest while finishing sauce. Strain sauce and discard the vegetables.

Step 4:
While chicken is cooking, sauté ramps and morels in butter until aromatic.

Step 5:
Add syrup, lemon juice and egg to warm sauce and stir in leeks and morels.  Serve with wild rice.

Enjoy!

Fantastic news for foodies! The Pure Michigan Cookbook is hot off the presses at Sheridan Books, in Ann Arbor.

There’s no better way to discover the essence and spirit of a place than through its local foods and wines, and Michigan offers some of the richest food experiences anywhere. This book celebrates and captures those unique flavors.

The experts at Midwest Living® magazine have gathered more than 60 Test Kitchen-approved recipes, as well as hundreds of restaurant and travel recommendations, and put them in a Pure Michigan cookbook for our enjoyment.

The book includes more than a dozen recipes from top-name Michigan chefs of restaurants like Rattlesnake Club, Cygnus 27, and Trattoria Stella, to name a few. The recipes bring one of the country’s top food scenes into your kitchen with cutting-edge creations, as well as classics, from premier chefs. It is also a guide to fabulous destinations across the state. Each delectable recipe is featured in a full-color spread with an ingredients list, and easy-to-follow instructions.

The book is available for pre-order through the Pure Michigan store. Order before March 3rd, using the promotion code: COOK10, and receive 10% off!

Hello again everyone! The photo of the week was posted on our Facebook wall, and we love seeing these girls enjoying all the snow we got. They look like they are having a blast! We are so excited about the links we have to share with you all this week!

Now, those girls are enjoying the snow, but apparently not everyone feels the same way. @JulieKay0919 shared an auction on eBay, where someone was selling “Top Quality Michigan Snow,” and they actually had bidders!

How many snowmen can you make in 2 hours? We couldn’t guess, but the cities of Saline, Zeeland, and St. Clair could tell you! They all took part in a snowman building contest last weekend to win the “Snowman Building Champion of the Free World” trophy. Saline won the prestigious prize, for building 483 snowmen!

As you can see, there are lots of things you can do with snow. But have you ever thought about making a dessert out of it? Andrea Oliver-Cerroni shared her recipe for snow ice cream with us. We haven’t tried it yet, but if you want to, there is plenty of raw material for it right outside your door!

SNOW ICE CREAM:
1 gallon of snow (16 cups)
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tblsp vanilla

She then simply blends hers with a stick blender in a large bowl. Enjoy!

Michigan is truly blessed with wonderful artists. We got to see a couple of our own rewarded for their talents last month when an author/illustrator husband and wife team won this year’s Caldecott award for their book, A Sick Day for Amos McGee.

Another creative Michigander is designing one Michigan-themed asset each day. They may be used by “ANYONE who advocates for the great state of Michigan,” free of charge. So far he has posted a Made in Michigan badge, a gorgeous Detroit skyline, and Michigan-themed buttons you can use on a webpage. Follow the hashtag #MIcrush on Twitter to see the new item posted each day or check out his blog.

Tim Chilcote, a freelance writer and a Great Lakes enthusiast, takes us on a visit to the DeKlein family orchard. Get your taste buds ready, because it’s time for chestnuts!

Mark DeKlein is heir to DeKlein Orchards, a family-run chestnut farm located southwest of Grand Rapids. I first met Mark at a tailgate in East Lansing when this former Sparty mascot arrived on campus with a burlap sack and a homemade roaster, an old keg with Roasted Chestnuts painted on the side.

After starting a fire and arranging the roasting and cooling pans, Mark meticulously cut slits along the hard outer shell of the chestnuts before throwing them on the roaster. The slits keep pressure from building since chestnuts will fire off the roaster like missiles if it isn’t released. Once cooked and slightly cooled, the shells peel off easily, exposing a meaty inside. Most tailgaters compared the flavor to a rich, nutty carrot. Mark says he prefers to eat them roasted, but grinding the chestnut into flour for breading fish, chicken, beef, or venison is great, and he’s quick to point out the nutritional benefits and the fact that chestnut flour is gluten free.

A staple of European and Asian diets, chestnuts are finding their way back into the U.S. “Chestnuts just haven’t been available enough for our consumption. We plan to change that,” Mark said. “Michigan is one of the best kept secrets of the county; in reality it’s a garden. The west side of the state is virtually California with winters. We have very good, well-drained soil, diverse enough to handle vegetables and berries, row crops, and fruit trees.” And with the recent emphasis on urban farming, Mark is “investing in chestnuts as a future in agriculture. It’s grain that grows toward the sky, some over 200 feet, consuming very little space.”

Mark is a fan of Jolly Pumpkin’s experimental chestnut beer and any other chestnut recipe variation Michiganders can come up with. “It’s not that you can’t find chestnuts anywhere else, but it’s usually the stories, fun, and the passion that keeps our customers loyal.” DeKlein Orchards has 20 acres of Colossal and Chinese variety chestnut trees, and early October is harvest time. For recipes ranging from soups to stuffing to just plain chestnuts, visit http://www.dekleineorchards.com/chestnutrecipes.htm. In addition to chestnuts, DeKleine Orchards grows sweet and tart cherries, walnuts, hazelnuts, and peaches, and produces 100 gallons of maple syrup a year, which Mark highly recommends.

Tim Chilcote is a freelance writer and a Great Lakes enthusiast. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife and bulldog. Check out Tim’s blog, Great Lakes Guru, and follow him on Twitter @TimChilcote.

Thanks to John Palmer of www.MichiganMicrobrews.com for helping us celebrate Michigan craft beer month!

July… It’s easily one of the greatest months of the year (in my opinion). Summer vacation is in full tilt and people are out enjoying all that Michigan has to offer; the immense state parks, the vast amount of freshwater coastline, the beautiful weather, and craft beer.

Michigan Beers

Wait, what did I just say? How could I even compare the growing splendor of the Michigan outdoors to the product of a microbrewery?

It’s easy for this beer blogger. July is Michigan craft beer month. It’s legitimate! Breweries and craft beer bars all across this amazing state are celebrating with events, specials and even releasing some one-of-a-kind brews, likely to never be seen again. And it’s possible you live right by one of these places and don’t even know it!

Currently (and gaining ground), Michigan ranks #6 in the country in number of breweries and brewpubs with a brewing industry that contributes over $24 million in wages and a total economic contribution of more than $133 million. With 80+ such locations all across Lower Michigan and the UP, now is the perfect time to enjoy what Michigan has to offer.

At Founder's Brewing Company, enjoying a MPG IPA (Mango, Papaya, Guava) and Death (a black wheat wine). Cheers!

To make it easier, the Michigan Brewer’s Guild is hosting their 13^th Annual Michigan Summer Beer Festival (July 23-24) in Ypsilanti. Here, festival-goers will have the opportunity to sample a variety of over 300 different brews from over 50 breweries. This event showcases how truly amazing the Michigan brewing industry is.

To think that we live in a state with such outstanding resources and products… it’s hard not to feel spoiled. This is a great time for all involved – the producer and the consumer.

What else could be more Pure Michigan then sitting on the beach, sipping a pint of your favorite hometown brew, and knowing you’re supporting your local economy. It’s a win-win!

So on this day, til the end of July, raise a pint of some Michigan craft beer and cheers the state of Michigan: The Great Beer State.

John Palmer is freelance marketer and current stay-at-home dad. An advocate of the Michigan brewing industry, John blogs frequently at www.MichiganMicrobrews.com and hopes to share his passion for Michigan craft beer with all craft beer enthusiasts and beyond. Cheers!

Share your favorite Michigan beers with John on Twitter (@MichiganBrew), or by leaving a comment below!

Thanks to Bonnie Palmer for submitting this great recipe for her favorite apple crumb pie.  Check out our recipes post to learn how to submit your own!

 Ingredients:

• Deep pie crust
• 1 C sugar
• 4 Tbsp. (or to taste) cinnamon
• ¾ C flour
• 1 stick butter 

For each pie:

One bag of granny smith apples – slice thin and fill pie so apples are piled very high (these will bake down)

Mix the cinnamon and ½ c. of the sugar together and pour evenly over the top of the apples.

Topping (per pie):

Mix the flour, the butter, and the remaining ½ c. of sugar with a pastry mixer or fork and spread and pat evenly over pie 

Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil in case pies overflow.

Cook for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Bonnie Palmer is a creative developer for Fluency Media, and a lifelong Michigander.  She currently lives in White Lake with her 4 dogs: Murphy, Myles, Cooper (pictured), Elley.  You can leave a comment below for Bonnie, and let her know what you thought of her pie.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, here’s a great stuffing recipe from historic Cherry Creek Winery’s own Chef Marian.  For more info on recipes and wine pairings, check out Cherry Creek Winery’s website.

We’d love to hear your favorite recipes – to learn how to submit your own recipe to us, check out our Pure Michigan Recipes post.

Will stuff 18 Chicken breasts or one Turkey breast

• 3 cups of multigrain breadcrumbs (not large or fine chunks)
• 1 cup dried cranberries that have been soaked in one cup of Cherry Creek Cellars Cranberry Passion for several hours
• 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped & sauteed until soft
• 2  8 ozs packages Neufchatel cheese, softened
• 1 tsp thyme
• ½ cup finely chopped almonds
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

1) Drain cranberries, reserving the liquid. Coarsely chop the cranberries.
2) Mix chopped cranberries with the Neufchatel, cranberries, onion, pepper, & thyme. Mix in the breadcrumbs.
3) Sprinkle the reserved Cranberry Passion over the bread mix, folding to blend.
4) Stuff poultry & bake according to directions. Chicken breasts can be wrapped in two sheets of phyllo that have been lightly brushed with olive oil, bake at 375° for 30 minutes.

We want to know what you think – share your opinion with Cherry Creek via Twitter, on Facebook, or by leaving a comment below.