Recipe Review: Nuked Nachos

Nuked Nachos
Recipe Link: Epicurious

Tortilla chips by Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory
Shredded cheddar cheese by Rosewood Products of Ann Arbor, MI
Bottled salsa
Sour cream
16-ounce can of refried beans by Eden Organics of Clinton, MI
Cilantro
Anything else you want to add!

Preparation
Ah, nothing like a great big plate of nachos to drive down people's opinion of me after last week's relatively refined trout and pecans. But come on! Who doesn't love nachos? Sure, haute cuisine chefs may sneer at them, or, more likely, turn them into some fancy pants dish consisting of three chips, some foie gras, and an heirloom tomato sliced in the shape of a concentric circle. Nuts to that, I say! Nuts! The best nachos are big, cheesy, glommy and greasy with lots of flavor!

So for this week, I picked the charmingly named "Nuked Nachos" off of Epicurious. This is about as simple a recipe for nachos as you can get. In the comments section, some foodies even take exception to the recipe being featured on the site at all, but remember - NUTS. Food should first and foremost taste good and be fancy second, I think.



The featured local product this week are tortilla chips by the Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory. These have something of a cult following in A2, and with good reason. They're delicious! But even more than that, they're authentic. The ingredients of the chips are corn, salt, lime, water and oil. If you look at most other brands of "all-natural" tortilla chips like Garden of Eatin' or Guiltless Gourmet (HATE THAT NAME), they'll be loaded with a bunch of stuff like whey powder and soy extract and stuff. It's all-natural, sure, but it's got no business being in proper tortilla chips! A2 Tortilla Factory chips are crispy, high-calorie goodness with nothing unnecessary. I love 'em and so does everyone else who eats them.



I'm also trying something different in that I'm using raw, unpasteurized cheddar from Rosewood Products. Now, raw milk is a matter of some controversy in many countries. The cheese in my hand in that picture is actually illegal in 22 states, Canada, AND Australia. Whoa, this must be some hardcore cheese, bro. Actually, the debate is about the health risks of eating or drinking unpasteurized milk. The FDA and CDC condemn the practice, citing potentially dangerous diseases found in raw milk. Raw food fans and cheese lovers say that modern food production methods are to blame for today's milk being unsafe, and that if cows are healthy and live in healthy environs then their milk is perfectly safe to consume raw.

Now, I trust the FDA and hippies on the Internet about equally, so I'm not swayed by Web sites proclaiming raw milk more deadly OR more healthy than normal milk. BUT, I reason that there are millions of people in the world who consume raw milk and I don't hear of them dropping dead from it. So I'm giving it ago. If this posting reaches you, then I'm probably still alive.

And hey, if I die from a piece of cheese then at least I'll have a funny story to tell in the afterlife.



But time for the actual preparation! Grab the largest dinner plate you've got and spoon out the refried beans in a circle on the outside of the plate, leaving some space in the middle. That's where our lovely chips will go! I scooped the beans right out of the can and they were a little difficult to spread evenly, so you may want to heat them up first so they're a little smoother.

I'm also using the spicy beans because that's how I roll. Really, what beans you use is your preference. Refried black beans would probably be especially delicious.



Then spoon out your sour cream on top of the bean ring. Bleagh. Add sour cream to the list of foods that taste WAY better than they look.



Then you add the salsa on top of the sour cream for our third layer of nacho hell. The salsa I'm using was fresh out of the jar and warm, so it runs all over the place. Seriously, it looks like I'm making pizza for the DEVIL here. If you want the salsa to stay put, you should probably stick it in the fridge first. Otherwise you just end up with this mess you see here.



So, are we done piling? LORD NO! Grate your cheese and liberally sprinkle it on top of the outer ring of goodies. At this point, all the foodies have fled the room and are miserably gorging themselves on raw, organic truffles. Now it's time to pop this monster in the microwave! Set it on HIGH for two minutes and while you're waiting find a funny YouTube to watch.



I really can't go over how much this resembles a horror pizza. But maybe that's because we're missing the chips!



Goodbye, Mr. Chips. Or in this case, hello! Stack them in the center of the plate and toss the rest of the cheese on top. Now we're talking! Toss the whole mess back in the microwave for about 90 seconds and find another YouTube.



Hey, there they are! Toss on some cilantro for some color and some jalapenos for that extra kick, if you like (I do like!) Despite some of the earlier horror shows in making this dish, the end result looks pretty good!

They taste pretty good, too! But just PRETTY good. They're flavorful and tasty and greasy and enjoyable, but... they're basic. There's nothing here to really make them stand out as an exceptional dish. They're also terribly messy, as nachos tend to be, but the way these are stacked make them especially so. Think nacho Jenga. Maybe I should have used a larger plate.

The best part is actually the cheese, which is gooey and tangy and far more delicious than lethal. The best part of the recipe is the level of improvisation it affords. There are so many varieties of refried beans and salsas and cheeses that the different combinations you could make are virtually limitless. So its not a fancy dish, or even an exceptional one in terms of flavor, but it is fun to make and fun to eat. In the end, that's what food should be to me.

Ratings: Overall dish - 7/10 - Will make again!
Ann Arbor Tortilla Chips - 10/10 - Perfect! No other chip comes close.
Raw Milk Cheddar - 8/10 - Tangy, tasty, nonfatal cheese!

Beer Review: New Holland Sun Dog Amber Ale

Name: Sundog
Brewery: New Holland Brewing Company
Location: Holland, MI
Variety: Amber Ale
ABV: 5%
Price: ~$10

I'm a pretty big fan of amber ales. They're usually a reliably tasty and full-bodied - a good choice for when you're not sure about some of your other options. I haven't had anything from New Holland Brewing Company before, so I figure the Sundog should at least be a safe bet!



The beer pours rich, clear and, well, dark amber! The head is small and off-white, fading quickly. As for the scent, I couldn't really detect one! Either the scent is very light or my nose is very broken, but I smelled and smelled and couldn't pick up on any notes at all. This isn't really much of a criticism of Sundog, it's just kind of surprising.

As for taste, Sundog is a nice, crisp amber. The overall taste profile is malty and lightly caramel with a hint of bitterness on the finish. This isn't a particularly complex beer, but it is satisfying. I'm interested in trying some of New Holland's other varieties, but with Sundog I'm only mildly impressed.

Rating: 6/10 - May buy once in awhile

Product Review: Clancy's Fancy Xtra Hot Sauce

Brand: Clancy's Fancy
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Flavor: Xtra Hot
Price: Approx. $7 for a small, $11 for a large.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I love spicy stuff. Peppery, fiery, smoky, tangy, no matter what you call it, I wanna eat it. The best dish is one that is accompanied by a bottomless glass of water and a stack of napkins to wipe your mouth AND nose.

OK that's gross, but if your sinuses are put through the wringer even a LITTLE then it's not really hot sauce!

That's why when I was offered a free bottle of Clancy's Fancy hot sauce by a lady doing a demo, I chose the spiciest kind available, Xtra Hot. Clancy's Fancy has been making their hot sauce in Ann Arbor for about 30 years - Colleen Clancy first made it in an attempt to make vegetarian pepperoni (is that really surprising?) So, if it's been around that long, there must be something to it, right?

It is indeed a very good sauce. It's very tangy with garlic and citrus flavors hitting you right up front. This is backed up from a hint of sweetness and salt and the whole thing finishes up with some strong-but-not-overwhelming heat. I like that the sauce is so balanced between flavor and heat - I'm reminded of the ordeal I had with Big Ten Burrito's Diablo sauce, which was so hot that my tongue physically HURT even after three Cokes and about four pieces of gum. That is not what you call a balanced sauce.

Thankfully, Clancy's Fancy is quite tasty but doesn't skimp on the Xtra heat. It's also quite versatile. I've tried it thus far on hot dogs, nachos, pizza, chicken, and pork cheeseburgers and it enhanced each dish, especially the hot dogs. At around $6 to $7 for a small bottle it's a little more than I would usually pay for hot sauce, but but the bottle lasts a good while and the ingredients are top notch. Give it a try!

Rating: 8/10 - Will buy again

Beer Review: Arcadia Ales Angler's Ale

Name: Angler's Ale
Brewery: Arcadia Ales
Location: Battle Creek, MI
Variety: English Pale Ale
ABV: 5.1%
Price: <$10

Angler's Ale and a fish dish?! Oh, I'm just so creative, aren't I? Craft brew pale ales are pretty common - just about every place has one and any lover of craft brewed beer has drank their fair share. So for a pale ale to impress a frequent beer drinker it has to be pretty damn good. And I've had some great and awful pale ales before.

This is my introduction to Arcadia Ales. Let's hope it's a good one!



It's an attractive enough beer. Crisp, clear, amber with a fair amount of fizz and a white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is lightly flowery with a hint of fruits. The taste is dry and bitter, but nicely flavorful if not as strong as some pale ales I've had. The overall taste pattern is slightly toasty but mostly sharp.

So, it's a pale ale. A pretty standard pale ale, to be honest, but enjoyable and crisp. I bought it as a single and after finishing it I found myself wishing I had sprung for a six pack, which is always a telltale sign of enjoyment. I paired it with the trout I made and the two went very nicely together. The sweetness of the butter, pecans, and fish was a nice juxtaposition to the bitterness of the beer. I'll be buying this one again!

Rating: 7 out of 10

Recipe Review: Sauteed Trout with Pecans

Sauteed Trout with Pecans
Recipe Link: Epicurious

Trout fillets - in this case, Great Lakes rainbow trout
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
5/8 stick of butter
3/4 cup chopped, raw pecans
1/3 cup parsley

Preparation
This may come as a surprise, but fish are really popular in the Great Lakes region. Like, really, really popular. People catch them and everything. It's quite a sight.

This is a good thing for me because I love fish, but I don't really know that much about freshwater fishes or what to do with them. I was born in Florida, so aside from catfish, pretty much all the fish I've had during my life came from the sea. Time to change that!



Ahhhhh, beautiful innit it? For this recipe, I'm using Great Lakes rainbow trout, one of many species introduced to the region due to its popularity. I can definitely see why it's called "rainbow." The scales have a lovely sheen to them that... wait, scales? Oops! I forgot to get the fish scaled at the supermarket! *SIGH* One more barrier between me and my food!

Fortunately, scaling a fish isn't difficult, just messy. You're going to want to head outside with the fish, a plate, and a butter knife. Set the plate down on a flat surface and hold down the fish. Yeah, it's slimy, deal with it. Scrape the knife against the fish from where its tail USED to be to where its head USED to be. The scales should start popping off and clumping on the knife as you go. Don't be afraid to really work that knife! Fish have tough skins.

Oh, and sorry for the lack of pictures of my scale-encrusted, slimy fish hands.



When you get the fish back upstairs, run it under cold water to wash off any scales that are stuck to it. Look out for shiny spots, too! Those are leftover scales - pop them off with a vengeance. When done, the skin should look as above - roughly the same color, but, you know, not scaly! Beautiful, beautiful fish - time to spice it up!



Take the 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, enough salt for your liking, and some fresh-ground black pepper and rub it on both sides of the fillet. Oh, look at that. Who knew fish could be made to look better than it did to start with? But we're not done with it!



Dredge the fillet (both sides!) in all-purpose flour. This will help use get that nice, golden brown color that drives folks wild. Don't coat the flour on too thick! Just make sure the coat is nice and even. You know, like an actual coat. That you wear.



Now that the fish is fully dressed, it's time to cook! Melt a quarter-stick of butter in a large pan over medium heat. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The actual recipe calls for a half-stick of butter, but commenters on Epicurious recommend halving the butter in the whole recipe. ALWAYS READ THE EPICURIOUS COMMENTS! Also, the recipe calls for unsalted butter, but I'm using salted because I'm too lazy to head out and too cheap to actually buy more butter.

Anyways! Toss the fish on the pan, flesh-side down. Let it sit and cook for about four minutes. Note that I'm also using a cast-iron pan. This is essential as it enhances the whole "Upper Peninsula" feel of the dish.

But otherwise it's not crucial.



While the fish sizzles, let's deal with the pecans. Dump them out on a cutting board and break out a big-ol' knife or Slapchop and show them what for!



The recipe doesn't specify how chopped they should be, but if you can describe them as "crumbles" then they're probably OK.



After about four minutes, flip the trout over and cook it for about 90 more seconds. Golden brown goodness! So close you can IT'S DONE!!!



Now THAT'S the reason why you cook fish. Try to avoid eating it, because you're not quite done yet. Rinse the pan and then toss it back on the stove. Now it's the pecans' turn!



Thrown in 3/8 stick of butter and toss in the pecans. I like lots of seasoning, so I go nuts with the salt and pepper. Sizzle the pecans for about 2 minutes until the whole mixture becomes golden brown. Take the pecans off the heat and throw in enough parsley to your liking.



Spoon the pecans out over the trout and the dump the remaining butter sauce over the whole lot. Oh man, if this tastes half as good as it looks...

BETTER actually! Seriously, this dish is nigh MIND-BLOWING in how tasty it is. It's spicy, peppery, buttery, and sweet with a wonderful texture - the crunchiness of the nuts perfectly complements the soft flesh of the fish. Really, its the pecans that make the dish something special. The fish is spicy and delicious on its own, but the addition of the butter and pecans sends this to the moon. The flavor moon. With craters of deliciousness.

Serve this up with seasonal vegetables and you'll have a summer dish that will impress anyone. It's fast, cheap, and easy to boot. Great Lakes fish is a great dish! (Ugh, I hate writing conclusions.)

Rating: 9 out of 10

Beer Review: Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company Coal Stokers Blackberry

Name: Coal Stokers Blackberry
Brewery: Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company
Location: Mt. Pleasant, MI
Variety: Fruit Beer
ABV: 5.8%
Price: <$10

Fruit and beer can be a sketchy combination. Too often it is misused in mass-market beers in a feeble attempt to appeal to women and other "non-beer drinker" types (see Michelob Lime and Cactus) or to disguise bad beer with an overpowering gimmick (see Miller Chill). But, when done right, fruity beers can be a refreshing and new twist on traditional brews.

I've not tried any of Mt. Pleasant offerings before, but judging from their corrugated cardboard six-pack holders and simple labels they're one of the smaller outfits in Michigan. That's fine! As much as I am a sheep easily persuaded by flashy marketing, a beer is ultimately judged by what's in the bottle. I'd drink my favorite beers from a water-logged spare tire sitting in some redneck's backyard if I had to.



I haven't had a fruity beer in a while so I pick their Coal Stoker's Blackberry Ale. Funnily enough, the last fruit beer I had was Sam Adam's Blackberry Witbier, which was actually pretty tasty. The beer is pretty dark with a cloudy orange quality to it and a fair amount of sediment - actually quite reminiscent of juice. The head is off-white and fades quickly. The scent, again, is fairly juice-like. It smells like blackberries, though a good bit sweeter than most natural blackberries I've had.

The first taste made me say "Whoa!" It's VERY juice-like! (Seeing a pattern here?) It's sweet and tasty with just a lingering tinge of acidity that slowly fades. The fruit notes dominate to the point that the only clue I was drinking beer was the fact that I was getting nicely buzzed.

The six-pack holder stated that this was "beer first and fruit second" which isn't true. There's sweetness and good blackberry flavor here but not much else. However, this is a refreshing and tasty brew - sip it idly on a hot summer's day but don't expect it to redefine beer and fruit.

Rating: 6 out of 10

P.S. I let my non-beer drinking fiancee have a sip of this and she complained of a soapy taste. I didn't pick up on this, and she suspected that she made that connection because of the various fruity soaps she owns - one of which is blackberry sandalwood scented. Interesting how our own associations affect what we taste!

Labatt Blue and Ratings

Just so people how to interpret my uninformed opinions, I thought I would detail the ratings system a little better.

Essentially, I'm using the same sort of scale that one of my favorite food blogs, Candy Blog, uses. I like the 10 point scale because of the range that it gives, and I like their system because it is nicely balance. A 5/10 rating is not BAD, it is what it is. Middle of the road. Average. Standard. This differs from video game Websites where a 7/10 is defined as "WORST GAEM EVAR MORE LIEK SUPER FAIL-IO BROS LOL."

For me, my quintessential 5-out-of-10 is Labatt Blue. This has always been my favorite "common" beer for its pleasant taste, low cost, and great enjoyment it has brought me through the years. I'm well aware that my opinion of Labatt Blue is based on my own sentimental feelings rather than the beer's actual character, but remember, I don't care.

Essentially, if a beer is above a 5/10, this means I would purchase it over Labatt Blue if given the choice. If it is under 5/10, that means I would just as soon purchase Labatt Blue. This does not necessarily mean that Labatt Blue is BETTER than a beer that gets a 4/10 (like the Nut Brown Ale), but that, in my case, it was not worth the extra money I spent. Because I'm a poor student, cost is a factor to me when it comes to beer and I feel its important that a beer be worth what you pay for it (like Devil Dancer).

So, to sum it up:

10/10 - Ambrosia
9/10 - Damn Amazing Beer
8/10 - Damn Great Beer
7/10 - Damn Good Beer
6/10 - Damn Fine Beer
5/10 - Labatt Blue
4/10 - Not So Bad
3/10 - Not So Hot
2/10 - Not So Good
1/10 - Coors Light

Confused yet? Just click the Candy Blog link and see what I mean.

Beer Review: Michigan Brewing Company Nut Brown Ale

Name: Nut Brown Ale
Brewery: Michigan Brewing Company
Location: Webberville, MI
Variety: Brown Ale
ABV: 5%
Price: <$10

I wonder how a brewing company claims the name of the state where it is located. Do they have to be the first one to do it? Or do you have to wait for other breweries using the name to close down? "Michigan Brewing Company" was probably the first choice for many start-up craft brewers, but somehow it only managed to stick with this operation located just outside of Lansing. So congratulations, Michigan Brewing Company, on laying claim to the whole state!

Anyway, MBC is a prominent company on the Michigan brewing scene with a lot of different varieties. Today I'm looking at their brown ale, or "Nut Brown Ale" as the case may be. I wouldn't recommend feeding this to squirrels.



The name is accurate - it is brown with a foamy, creamy head that builds fast and takes a while to subside. It's also very clear with very little fizz, which makes it end up looking a little bit like flat root beer. The scent is very nutty and buttery, with hints of almonds and pecans mixed in with a general maltiness. The taste matches the scent. Thoughts of vanilla and almonds popped into my head upon the first sip. The initial flavor is pleasant and mild, but it is washed away by the finish, which is watery and insubstantial. I could taste neither vanilla nor almonds once I had swallowed, and the overall flavor impression is weak.

This is a good effort that ultimately falls short. Save your green for a better brown.

Rating: 4 out of 10

Recipe Review: Chiptole Deviled Eggs

Chipotle Deviled Eggs
Recipe Link: Epicurious

1 dozen local eggs - Grazing Fields Farms Co-op out of Charlotte, MI
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise
2 to 3 teaspoons of chopped canned chipotle peppers
Cilantro to taste

Preparation

Devil Dancer, deviled eggs; I know my train of thought is difficult to follow here, but stick with me. I was looking for a nice, simple snack recipe to complement the previously reviewed Devil Dancer and found this on Epicurious, my go-to site for new food ideas. Four ingredients! Making these will be as easy as owls are smart, right?



Step one, boil the eggs. OK, already I'm in trouble. I've never boiled eggs before! I love boiled eggs and I eat them frequently but I've never really actually 100% cooked them. So, I decide to follow the recipe as it reads in the link. I pop the eggs in the pot, crank up the juice, and wait for the little brown fellas to boil.



While the eggs keep on boilin', I decide to chop the peppers as instructed. Any old can of chipotle peppers will do. Most grocery stores should have a few cans under $2 in the Mexican section.



Ahhh, haute cuisine.



I pull out about three or four decent sized peppers and get to dah choppah. Really, the end result is more a pepper paste than actual chopped peppers. But seeing as how this is getting mixed in with mayo and egg yolks, it seems to be the right consistency.



I boil the eggs as instructed and then dump them in a big ol' ice bath and let them cool down. After about 20 minutes or so, I crack open a test egg and promptly get runny whites and yolk all over my hands. Ack, that's not good. I maybe didn't cook them long enough or let them sit long enough and I'm betting its a combination of both, so I boil them some more and this time stick them in the fridge for a few hours. I'll show you, eggs!



Or, more accurately, they'll show me. Peeling these eggs was an unholy nightmare of fffffffffffail. The shells and the whites were fused together with some sort of hybrid of adamantium and super glue, and as a result, I lost a LOOOOOOTTTTTT of whites off these eggs. Total mess. Egg lovers should avert their eyes.



Look at those blurry eggs! What a joke! The top one is just a yolk sitting in like a sling of whites, like a globe perched atop a teetery stool. Honestly, I did my best here and I have no clue what went wrong. Most of the eggs were at least salvageable, but damned if I didn't do these fine, farm fresh, free range beauties a great injustice.



*sigh* OK, next you halve the eggs from the top to the bottom and spoon out the yolks. Thankfully, this was easy even with my janked-up eggs. If you screw up this part, even I can't help you.



Put the yolks in a bowl and mash 'em up, Dan. The recipe says to use a thin grater, but at this point I'm super pissy so I wing it and use a spoon. So long as the consistency of the yolks is fine enough, it should be OK. Also, look at that mayo. He's so ready to get in there. Like an overanxious JV quarterback.



Go go mayo! Your whole family and that sick kid from the hospital are all cheering you on! Win it for Timmy!



Ooooo, and Heinz "All-American" Mayo gets sacked by Chipotle "Three Teaspoons of Hurt" Peppers.



Other commenters on Epicurious suggested mixing in the cilantro with the actual egg mix, so that's what I'm doing. I don't have time for fresh herbs or neat stacking!



Mix it all up until the consistency is roughly even...



And glom it on in on those egg halves! The recipe calls for using a frosting-bag type thing to get a nice shape to the filling, but whatever. Since I'm not catering a luncheon for the Ann Arbor League of Women Voters I decide I can be a little lax with the presentation.

But anyways! Despite my shortcomings with the eggs, they're actually quite tasty! They have a good tangy, smoky flavor upfront followed by a good little amount of heat from the peppers. I wasn't a huge fan of the mushy consistency of the whole package, but I get the feeling that's what you get with deviled eggs. I don't expect to make these very often, but I'd definitely recommend them to someone with more egg skills than me.

Rating: 6 out of 10.

P.S. These were created to pair with the Devil Dancer, but don't even try it. In fact, I'd recommend not pairing ANY food with Devil Dancer. It's way too strong and flavorful of a beer, and even with the tasty spice of the eggs fresh on my tongue, one sip of Devil Dancer kicked it right off my palate and into oblivion.

Devil Dancer - it doesn't play well with others.

Beer Review: Founders Devil Dancer

Name: Devil Dancer
Brewer: Founders
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Variety: Imperial/Double IPA
ABV: 12%
Price: $20+, four pack

Let's start off this ill-advised experiment with something special! Founders is a favored brewery of mine, and one of the most respected in Michigan. They specialize in big, bold, unique flavors - Bell's is arguably the most popular Michigan brewery, but Founders for me is the most daring.

Devil Dancer, a specialty brew offered only in July of each year, follows this trend. It has a tongue-shattering 120 IBUs (international bitterness units) and a brain-addling 12% ABV. By the way, the technical limit for IBUs is 100. They might as well just replace that 120 with a skull and crossbones.



It's a handsome looking beer - fiery red with shades of orange and caramel with a thin, tan head that dissipates quickly. DD is very fragrant with piney, citrusy scents. As for the taste, WHOA NELLY. They aren't kidding about the bitterness. Prepare for lots of lingering heat on the tongue, but the actual body of the beer is quite creamy and somewhat cool. The alcohol puts heat in your belly to match the heat on the tongue, and the beer definitely earns the "Devil" in its name.

But it's quite tasty and very savory! This is a beer to be sipped, savored and enjoyed. The four-pack suggests aging the beer, but good luck with that. I made it about four days before I drank the bottle I had stowed away in a back closet. You'll finish it all and wish you had more.

If you have the willpower to save some, I'd recommend it. The heat this beer brings would make it great for the winter holidays - the sort of special occasion that would go perfect with $5 bottles of beer.

I love bitter, hoppy beers, so this would be a regular purchase for me if it weren't limited and, you know, $20. I didn't regret paying the premium price, though. This one is definitely a winner.

Rating: 8 out of 10

An Uninformed Introduction

Looking for information on the best food and beer Michigan has to offer? You're in the wrong place, son. I've got no clue what I'm talking about. But! I've got opinions, and I'm going to share them.

What is my goal then with this mess of a site? I'm hoping to offer a novice's take on the culinary delights of the Wolverine State. Making good food and choosing good beer isn't always easy. I hope to offer an alternative to "expert" sites by offering an unvarnished, beginner's perspective so that I may help other people in a state similar to my own; that is, confusion.

All the primary ingredients in each recipe will be from Michigan, just as all beer will be Michigan-brewed. I heartily encourage all readers to support their local food and drink providers - if you're going to get fat and trashed, you may as well support local industry while you do it!

But enough of my ignorance! Let's get on with the uninformed!