Our enchanted experience at Birch, which we detailed in this post, featured a truly stunning Allium Soup, which was served along with a short-rib, leek skewer and focaccia. I declared very clearly "I would change nothing. Ever." It was a great dish. But the whipped ricotta served alongside got me thinking. Now I am guessing [...]
Category: Dishes
Restaurant – Buttermint
*Update: Buttermint permanently closed in 2024. The same folks that brought us Storyhill BKC have another offering we're adding to our Restaurant Guide, Buttermint. They describe it as "new interpretations of Continental cuisine" and it feels at home in it's 1960's inspiration both in atmosphere and in menu. The food and cocktails are classics all [...]
Restaurant – Birch
In a few weeks from the writing of this post, James Beard Foundation will announce it's winners for Best Chef for 2024. The Great Lakes region in the awards includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, which puts Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland all in the same category. Tough sledding for the Great Lakes cities. Milwaukee (thankfully!) [...]
Foraged Fiddleheads and Pheasant Back Mushroom with Broiled Walleye
Spring comes late to the northern woods of Michigan, extending the early spring foraging season well into mid-May. This year it provided another opportunity to return to our indigenous-inspired cooking approach we have been exploring for a few years now. We have already shared one walleye recipe in our indigenous-inspired cooking approach here. But a [...]
Quest for the Ultimate Patty Melt
A few years back we did a post featuring some local and some house-created burgers, in which we went into the history of the burger at some length. We mentioned the patty melt and by many accounts it appears to have originated in California. But that didn't stop us in our effort to create the [...]
Great Lakes Cuisine 