Michigan Artisan Foods | American Artisan Foods | Chris' Favorite Things Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love. Craig Claiborne Craig Claiborne's Kitchen Primer This is a momentous time to be the food industry in Michigan. I remember years ago when the best produce we could get was a box of romaine lettuce shipped in from California and we had to pluck down to get the good stuff. Today, we find rows of perfectly fresh organic greens twice a week at our Farmer’s Market. Every day we can select from literally dozens of kinds of tomatoes, and crates of the most perfectly ripe produce. We get to work directly with the farmers who grow the produce. They offer me samples of strange and wonderful specimens to ponder what to do with. We have a weekly chat about how things worked out the previous week and what is going on next week. They have watched me grow from a gal with a little red headed son who bought a bag or two of this and that to a business lady whose red headed teenage son loads the van with hundreds of pounds of various produce twice a week! The flavors, varieties and sophistication of choices are growing up too. There are local cheese makers making award winning cheeses, gelato makers making word class gelato and wine makers making great wines right here! Microbreweries, wineries, herb farms, flower farms, organic orchards, creameries are all within a bike ride from my kitchen. It is a very exciting time to be here indeed. We hope you enjoy these online artisan food resources. We add resources regularly, and hope you check back to discover the new ones! Michigan Artisan and Organic Food Resources Earthy Delights | earthy.com The online resource for fresh morel mushrooms as well as fiddlehead ferns, ramps and many other gourmet products. Earthy are leaders in offering wild-harvested and hand-crafted foods from small harvesters, growers, and artisan-producers. Eaters Guild Farm | eatersguild.com A local certified organic farm that provides us with some of the best vegetables ever. We are all addicted to their arugula and are sad to say good-bye every fall! Leaders in the Community Supported Agriculture movement, Eaters Guild exemplifies the best of sustainable local agriculture and Green Farming. Evergreen Lane Farm & Creamery | evergreenlanefarm.com Evergreen Lane Farm goes the extra mile. They conform to organic standards while not being officially certified; provide pasture and browse to their animals; treat their animals humanely; and pay workers a living wage. They welcome inquiries about their agricultural practices and embrace the spirit of organic agriculture. FennValley Winery | fennvalley.com A beautiful vineyard in the rolling hills of Fennville, FennValley Winery is a family run vineyard producing terrific wines, many of them award winning. They are one of my favorite partners in the food and beverage industry. Also worth a drive to for a visit to the tasting room and , if you can get on one, take a wagon tour thru the vineyard. It is relaxing, educational and the vistas are spectacular. Tasting the varietals as you walk thu the vines themselves, is a unique experience and Doug Welsch's knowledge is vast but down to earth. Grocer's Daughter Chocolate | grocersdaughter.com From Empire, near the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Northern Michigan Mimi Wheeler and her small team of chocolatiers handcraft rustic artisan truffles. They use Rainforest Alliance certified, premium high cocoa content chocolate, and work with a small cocoa growing cooperative in Ecuador that employs fair trade practices. The artisan, hand-made chocolates and hand-dipped truffles are made with many locally grown / blended Michigan food products such as herbs, spices, berries, spirits, coffees, teas and nuts. They use no artificial flavors or preservatives, and buy locally when it is possible. Palazzolo's Artisan Gelato & Sorbetto | 4gelato.com A local producer of artisan gelatos that have won national awards and have been chosen as one of Oprah's favorite things. For over twenty years Palazzolo's has produced artisan gelato -- now in over 600 flavors! No artificial growth hormones are present in the milk that is the basis of their delicious artisan gelato products. Visser Farms | visser-farms.com This farm is an inspiration to me. Their neatly stacked rows of colorful produce are like tubes of beautiful paints, just waiting to be spilled onto the canvas of a plate! They are incredibly, kind, supportive and easy to work with also! American Organic and Artisan Food Resources Despana Brandfoods | despanabrandfoods.com The best resource for authentic Spanish ingredients and cookware. igourmet.com/shoppe/cheese igourmet.com is not only an amazing place to buy cheese, this website also has great information on hundreds of cheeses, as well as both product and information on a tremendously wide range of foods. Miette Patisserie & Confiserie | miettecakes.com Beautiful handmade confections from San Francisco. Located just north of the city, Miette is commited to green practice and relies on local family-owned farms and mills for organic and sustainably produced ingredients. Tsar Nicoulai Caviar | tsarnicoulai.com Tsar Nicoulai is a worldwide pioneer of sturgeon farming, and an incredibly fresh and delicious Sustainable Caviar resource. Their tank-farming techniques have reduced the threat to declining wild sturgeon stocks, and their use of water from their own natural aquifers and recycling programs have made them a truly earth-friendly way to enjoy your caviar! Chris' Favorite Things agreenbride.com A great place to get information on how to create a green wedding. Fun, funny, and inspirational. stevenrinella.com The website of our friend Steven Rinella, author of American Buffalo and The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine about which Food & Wine magazine wrote, "In his new book, The Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine, hunter and writer Steven Rinella, 32, offers a completely unexpected perspective on the link between food and its origin in the natural world." Home :: Contact :: Philosophy :: Catering Testimonials :: Menu Ideas :: Wedding Catering :: Private Event Catering :: Corporate Event Catering Cooking Classes & Advanced Culinary Instruction :: About Chef Christine Ferris :: Artisan Artisan Food Resources :: Newsletter about Food & Cooking Southwest Michigan Caterer serving Grand Rapids, Benton Harbor, Saugatuck, South Haven, Kalamazoo, and Holland Michigan for over 20 years!