The Food Of Michigan

Many regions in the United States are known for a particular type of food.  The Eastern Seaboard is known for their seafood, as is the Pacific Northwest.  The South is known for Southern Style Cooking, of which I am guilty of upon occasion.  New York is known for any and every type of cuisine you could crave.  Texas is known for it's bar-b-que and of course, California is known for it's fruits and nuts cuisine.

What food or cuisine, dear and gentle readers, is Michigan reknowned for?  Did you miss that page in your AAA Trip Tik?

Vernor's Gingle Ale and Faygo Pop

Although neither are particularly outstanding, they are Michigan products and if you lived in Michigan and had a tummy ache, your Mom gave you warm Vernor's to settle it with some soda crackers.  Never mind that Vernor's is excessively carbonated and much too gingery, it was from Michigan, goddamn it and Uncle Earl's brother drove a Vernor's truck so drink it.  Faygo Red Pop, however, was a treat.  Carbonated Kool-Aid, with additional flavors like Rock N Rye and Creme Soda and the strange Diet Faygo flavors, like pineapple orange.

Pasties

Pasties are actually an Upper Pennisula thing.  They are Cornish pies, made popular by the miners who first settled in the U.P.  The orignial Yoopers.  A pastie is a pot pie, cooked sideways with the added bonus of rutabega.  If there is seasoning involved, it is salt and pepper.  Did they never hear of garlic up there or what?  An oversized Marie Callender pot pie that is laying on it's side because it's given up since it's so bland.

Michigan Wine

The Leelanau Penninsula, the wine, blah blah blah.  Michigan wine sucks.  I've only had one halfway palatable kind, Acturos from Black Star Farms.  That was okay.  Not superlative, not really good.  Just okay.  The best of the lot.

Coneys

We don't have diners in Michigan, we have coneys.  Each one has it's own claim to Coney fame.  A Coney in Michigan is a chili dog in other states.  Personally, I would rather drink my own blood than eat a hot dog disguised under chili  or anything else so I can't be a judge of Coneys.

Cherries!  We Grow Cherries!

Michigan grows a lot of cherries.  In fact, I have eaten a cherry tofu burger thing that wasn't half bad although the cheese made it a little bit disconcerting.  In Michigan, cherries are made into everything from filler for juice to candles and body lotion and the trees are used for salad bowls.  Michigan cherries with some chocolate wrapped around them and dried cherries and cherry tea are really something.  You'll get hooked.  Just check out www.cherryrepublic.com.

What's your favorite Michigan food?

Comments

[Bob]

You're right about Faygo Red Pop. There other flavors are pretty good too. At least they don't bottle "Turkey and Gravy" like Jones

Don't forget about Vernor's with cream/milk or Vernor's with chocolate. Many years ago, when the Vernor's plant was downtown, you could visit and have one of these.

If you don't care for coney island hot dogs, you can always get one "loose." That is ground beef with chili over it.

[Nadine]

Rutabega in the pasties?

God save us all.

[dp]

Fun post! Makes me miss my home state. But you've never had my aunt's homemade pasties. Hers are fabulous - flaky crust, filled with meat, potatoes, carrots (and no rutabega) and I put ketchup on them.

Michigan also has good apples.

[Lana]

OMG Lisa you forgot the FUDGE...!!! Mackinac Island fudge in Particular .. Shame on you girl ! lol
And the pasties aren't so bad, you just need to find a place that makes good a good one....( www.jeankays.com ) also Veggie pasties are good too..

[chip]

from someone who grew up all thier early life to end up moving to Indiana for 5 years and then back to Michigan, I'd have to add BETTER-MADE potato chips. Couldnt get em in Indiana. and my wife Ann, well one of the first things she looked forward to besides the BETTER-MADE, was a sub from O'Conners deli in brighton.

[Sarah]

If I remember right, Michigan is #3 in the country for Blueberry production. And we are famous for apples and God Bless the Howell Melon!!! So, I would have to say Fruit is a biggie.

[Martin]

Lisa! You go on and on about Michigan culture and the only rocker you can think to name is Bob Segar. What about The Motor City Madman? Does Ted get a mention? The crazy assed, totally clean right wing rockstar from Detroit... Uncle Ted, Ted Nugent. Surely you've heard of him?!?!? *Grin*

- Martin

[Matt]

I agree on Leelanau wines ,I live up north (Leelanau) . The only Good wine is cherry wine mixed with Grape wine from Elk rapids Michigan.

I made Cherry Salsa ,Cherry Jam etc. for
5 Years at a Company that closed called carp river trading.

By the way a Coney is a Nathans Kosher hot dog with
saurkreut and Mustard.

A pastie is a Finn Traditional Dish.

They Did not have wheat flower at Wales.

Nice Blog any way................

[gregory]

how i miss my,my,my michigan. boy what i won't do for ao faygo red pop and a coney