Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dining. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Brew Krew
There is a very special place in East Tawas. A place we visit every time we drive north. It's a place with exceptional ... well, everything.
Wine. Coffee. Gourmet cooking utensils. Fine dining linens. Cooking sauces. Did I mention wine?
Rebecca Buchanan is a wonderful proprietor and incredibly engaging. Much like our love of Art of the Table, Rebecca has the same approach and philosophy of good food and good dining - all must be accompanied by good wine. Okay, maybe GREAT wine.
It was Rebecca who turned me on to Educated Guess. I keep cases of that around for good meals and gifts. It is one of my favorite wines ever.
When we walk in her store, her first question is, "what are you cooking?" When we answer, she thinks. She ponders. Then she suggests. We usually leave with a couple of bottles of wine because we can never make up our minds.
And she has great coffee - both whole bean (that she will grind for you) and coffee machines to grab a latte or a frou-frou coffee. They are great.
I walked about with another pound of Rocky Mountain Espresso blend. As much as it pains me to say, she has Starbucks beat hands down.
Usually she is there with her little daughter Hailey who wanders around saying hello to customers. People stand around and talk to Rebecca - she listens, engages, and laughs with all her customers.
Brew Krew is worth the drive north. Stop in. Shop. Enjoy.
Brew Krew
211 Newman Street
East Tawas, MI 48730
(989) 362-8730
Thursday, December 29, 2011
The Old Place Inn
This is our favorite place to eat. This may be surprising to you who know how many places we have lived and traveled. Yet it is. There are many reasons. But nothing will convince you until you get in your car and drive to Harrisville, Michigan. And eat there. Then you will understand.
That sounds ludicrous I know. This Inn has the best soup that I have ever had, anywhere, ever. I have been a lot of places. I have had a lot of soup. It is better than any of the finest restaurants, bars, kitchens. Yup, you read this correctly.
We ate there again on Wednesday. We were up in Oscoda to finalize the winterization of the cottage, normally this is a sad time. But we infuse this ending with great eats and visits, always one stop at the Old Place Inn.
The soups were insane. Wild Mushroom soup (yeah, it has sherry). Chicken and Rice. Senate Bean. Black bean and grains. (That doesn't do it justice). We couldn't decide so we got the soup and salad bar that comes with unlimited soup. I don't even know why I bother with the salad bar. Well, I bother because there is homemade carrot salad. Cauliflower, carrot and banana peppers. This incredible potato salad. And you can always get lettuce with toppings but that's so boring, comparatively.
Don came out to greet us, as he does with many of his patrons. He mentioned that at times he might have other soups, "in the back." So today I just happened to ask, "whatcha got back there, in the back? " He smiled and disappeared for a few minutes. When he returned, he had two steaming bowls of yellow heaven. At first I thought it was cheese. Then I tasted nutmeg. And ginger.
I was totally wrong. It was Paul who guessed butternut squash. It was the most heavenly bowl of butternut squash soup that I have ever tasted. So I asked him how he did it. He tells me. I am scribbling furiously on the back of his business card. I might have missed things.
Here is what I wrote.
Peeled butternut squash sprinkled with olive oil, cubed.
Cook in the oven (350-400 - he uses a convection oven). I asked how long. He grinned and said, til it's done. Ha. Stick a fork in it.
The stock is chicken stock . There may be other ingredients but I don't remember. My mouth was reeling. And yes, it was better than the BLT soup. And that was one tough act to follow.
Go visit. He is open on most holidays. Just call before you head up. Ask what the soups are and, if you are really hungry, the sandwich of the day. Or the homemade pie, in the summer using berries from the garden. It's all just amazing. Thank goodness it's a four hour drive for me.
Donald Humes Chef and Owner
The Old Place Inn
309 E Mail Street
Harrisville, MI 48740
(989) 724-7700
That sounds ludicrous I know. This Inn has the best soup that I have ever had, anywhere, ever. I have been a lot of places. I have had a lot of soup. It is better than any of the finest restaurants, bars, kitchens. Yup, you read this correctly.
We ate there again on Wednesday. We were up in Oscoda to finalize the winterization of the cottage, normally this is a sad time. But we infuse this ending with great eats and visits, always one stop at the Old Place Inn.
The soups were insane. Wild Mushroom soup (yeah, it has sherry). Chicken and Rice. Senate Bean. Black bean and grains. (That doesn't do it justice). We couldn't decide so we got the soup and salad bar that comes with unlimited soup. I don't even know why I bother with the salad bar. Well, I bother because there is homemade carrot salad. Cauliflower, carrot and banana peppers. This incredible potato salad. And you can always get lettuce with toppings but that's so boring, comparatively.
Don came out to greet us, as he does with many of his patrons. He mentioned that at times he might have other soups, "in the back." So today I just happened to ask, "whatcha got back there, in the back? " He smiled and disappeared for a few minutes. When he returned, he had two steaming bowls of yellow heaven. At first I thought it was cheese. Then I tasted nutmeg. And ginger.
I was totally wrong. It was Paul who guessed butternut squash. It was the most heavenly bowl of butternut squash soup that I have ever tasted. So I asked him how he did it. He tells me. I am scribbling furiously on the back of his business card. I might have missed things.
Here is what I wrote.
Peeled butternut squash sprinkled with olive oil, cubed.
Cook in the oven (350-400 - he uses a convection oven). I asked how long. He grinned and said, til it's done. Ha. Stick a fork in it.
The stock is chicken stock . There may be other ingredients but I don't remember. My mouth was reeling. And yes, it was better than the BLT soup. And that was one tough act to follow.
Go visit. He is open on most holidays. Just call before you head up. Ask what the soups are and, if you are really hungry, the sandwich of the day. Or the homemade pie, in the summer using berries from the garden. It's all just amazing. Thank goodness it's a four hour drive for me.
Donald Humes Chef and Owner
The Old Place Inn
309 E Mail Street
Harrisville, MI 48740
(989) 724-7700
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