One of our delicious meals in Traverse City was at the Apache Trout Grill.  They make a flavorful pesto which they finish at the table, using oils from Fustini (the oil and vinegar store I discussed in my blog). It's served with a basket of fresh bread and rolls and you have to stop yourself from over-indulging in this deliciousness so as not to spoil your dinner!


 Anyway, here's the recipe for the pesto:

1 cup Trimmed Basil
2-1/4 Cloves of Garlic
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup Fustini's Garlic Olive Oil (although I'm going to use the Tuscan Herb oil I brought home!)
6 Kalamata Olives

Grind in food processor and enjoy!

Tuesday was our last day in the Traverse City area and our goal was some outdoor fun.  We drove to Sleeping Bear Dunes and climbed to the point where you could see Lake Michigan.  Climbing the first dune was the most strenuous part of the trek and for an out-of-shape middle-aged woman, I was just glad I made it to the top!  Coming back down was really fun!

We had a late lunch in the little town of Empire at Joe’s Friendly Tavern.  This little hole in the wall served up exceptional food!  They grind their own hamburger daily, which could explain why their “olive burger” was perhaps the best burger I’ve ever had in my life!  My husband’s chili was a good balance between the amount of meat and beans with a nice amount of heat, but not too spicy.  The atmosphere is distinctively northwoods neighborhood tavern-like and the service really was friendly.  It seems like a place all the locals go, and with good reason.

A short drive down Highway M-22 was Riverside Canoe Trips.  We rented 2 canoes and paddled our way along the lower Platte River.  The approximately two-hour trip turned out to be a workout as we struggled through some periods of gusty winds!

After an exhilarating day, it was time to head for our destination of Holland, Michigan where we would stop for the night.  As it was starting to get a little late, we ended up stopping in Grand Haven for dinner at Portabello.  The nicely appointed restaurant was a welcome stop with a menu of favorite Italian fare.  The portions were generous and the dishes were well-prepared and delicious.

Here’s a tip…we had tried to stop in Muskegon, but found it to be a depressed area of urban blight…not a restaurant to be found in the “downtown” area.

Unfortunately, the only reservations in Holland I could get on short notice were at the Days Inn.  I’d give it 1 star.  The room was tiny with 2 double beds, not queens.  It’s in sore need of a remodel, but it seemed clean.  I realize how spoiled we’ve become staying in nicer accommodations, but if you’re on a strict budget, it will do.

Before heading for home on this Wednesday morning, we checked out the downtown Holland area, stopping in some shops and grabbing a cup of Starbuck’s and a pastry at the Alpen Rose Konditerei.  It actually had a cute-looking German/Dutch restaurant in the back, but we weren’t going to be staying for lunch.

Our last foodie stop of note was at Sherman’s Dairy Bar in South Haven.  

This famous counter service ice cream shop has been around for decades and serves some of the richest, most delicious ice cream you’ve ever eaten.  Featuring over 60 flavors, Sherman’s provides customers with extra-large portions…even a “baby” scoop is generous!  Another thing we discovered – pass on the “cookie bowl”, but don’t pass up the pretzel cone!

Needless to say, there were more tempting establishments in western Michigan than we could possibly try in just a few days.  I’d definitely go back just for the dining and drinking!  How about an autumn trip next year??

The beauty of the Traverse City area can’t be over-sold.  The Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas cut into the northeast corner of Lake Michigan, providing miles and miles of lakeshore.  The climate is perfect for fruit orchards, giving way to countless roadside stands offering the juiciest, most fragrant peaches on earth, not to mention the famous Michigan cherries.

The Traverse City area now boasts over thirty wineries, nine microbreweries and several distilleries.  According to the Pure Michigan guide magazine, it’s “Traverse City’s combination of climate, topography and soils…it’s ‘northern-ness’ that makes the wine so good.”  Needless to say, we had to try a couple.

There’s so much we wanted to see and do in a short couple of days here that we only planned on hitting one winery and one distillery. Because we didn’t know exactly how long we’d be spending on some things our timing didn’t exactly work out…we found ourselves driving from one peninsula to the other and back again!  Oh well, the scenery was beautiful.  Our first stop was the Old Mission Lighthouse on the northern tip of the Old Mission Peninsula.  The views out into Lake Michigan were incredible.

We thought we’d have more to see in the “Old Mission Village” but it turns out it’s only a one-room “mission” building and a general store.  That’s where our timing got thrown off…we thought it would take more time there so our timing would be good for the 1:00 tour at Chateau Chantal.  Since we now had too much time on our hands, we drove back down Old Mission Peninsula and up the Leelanau Peninsula to hit a couple spots recommended by our friends.

The Leelanau Pie and Pastry shop is a little building along the road where they’re making fresh pies and pastries on site.  I guess our friends got a pie right out of the oven and it was fabulous. We chose some pastries out of the case and while they were good, we felt it wasn’t anything special.  Down the street, however, was something special.  Northern Latitudes Distillery is a local operation with a small tasting room – another small building along the road. You’d miss it if you weren’t looking for it.  At Northern Latitudes they make just eight craft spirits with a uniqueness we enjoyed.  They offer free tastings – 3 or 4 samples per person.  Between 3 of us we tasted everything they had!  They make three different vodkas:  Ice Dunes Vodka, Apollo Horseradish Vodka and our favorite, Deer Camp Vodka, made from Michigan sugar beets.  They were out of their Manitou Passage Rum, so we didn’t get to try that, but the Jack Pine Gin was outstanding. “Local Leelanau botanicals like jack pine seed and lavender create a distinct and deeply regional gin.”  A rich Mackinac Island Fudge Liqueur and ultra-smooth Limoncello di Leelanau round out the offerings.  They are also selling a nice bourbon whiskey, but not their own.  Being a newer distillery, their bourbon is not yet ready.  There are a few tables where you can sit and enjoy cocktails crafted from their spirits. A gift shop offers some unique barware and accessories.  We chose to bring home bottles of the Deer Camp Vodka, Jack Pine Gin and Limoncello di Leelanau.

Back to the Old Mission Peninsula to try to make one of the 3 tours at Chateau Chantal, we needed to stop somewhere to grab a bite of lunch.  We found a perfect little unassuming spot:  Bad Dog Deli.  The deli makes sandwiches to order, either for carry-out or eat in.  The sandwiches were delicious which the owner attributed to their use of Boar’s Head brand deli meats. While we were chowing down on our lunch, HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse (in the background of photo) and his wife, actress Amy Smart, came in and ordered carry-out.  Apparently they live locally and are frequent patrons of Bad Dog Deli.

We finally made it to Chateau Chantal with a few minutes to spare before the 3:00 tour.  They offer these free tours daily at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00.  They also offer a “tapas tour” which is $29/person and includes a tasting and small plates. We enjoyed hearing about the types of wines they produce at Chateau Chantal and seeing their operation.  After our tour we went to the tasting room and purchased a few things from the gift shop.  A lovely B & B inn rounds out the picturesque property.  One of the most breathtaking views at this hilltop property is from the large patio outside of the tasting room.  Overlooking vineyards and fruit orchards, the lake can be seen on 3 sides from this property.

Our last stop of the day was back in Traverse City to The Village at Grand Traverse Commons.  This “sprawling campus preserves the castle-like buildings” that once housed a state mental asylum. This ambitious historical redevelopment is an ongoing project that is being turned into restaurants, shops, galleries and apartments.  My youngest daughter's request was a visit to the Underground Cheesecake Company.  They produce 42 different flavors of cheesecake and we enjoyed splitting a couple pieces so we could try more than one flavor!

We had planned on finishing out our day by renting jet skis back at our resort, but a huge thunderstorm forced us to resort to the indoor pool.  We asked at the front desk about local pizza places that would deliver to the resort and she recommended That’s A Pizza.  It was delivered to our room in record time and was really delicious…perfect for a rainy night indoors. 

 

I tried to get revenge for my previous loss with another round of Phase Ten and failed miserably!  I was consoled by a drive to the original Moomer’s Ice Cream, just before closing.  Moomer’s is Traverse City’s famous ice cream, featuring over 100 flavors.  There is usually a line out the door, but apparently this night the storm had driven the crowds away, so we only had a short wait in line.  

Part Three (the end of this trip!) coming tomorrow.