It’s been nine years since Liz Glass and Chris Meyer quit their food service jobs in Hilton Head, North Carolina, and set up a foodie shop in Boyne City. Northern Michigan’s foodie movement was in its infancy then, but the partners quickly built a reputation for the best—products, ingredients, menu—in their tiny Lake Street Market on a Boyne City back street. Now they boast fabulous pizza, bread, scones, microbrews, wine, and on and on …
Along the way, they’ve acquired a list of some 40 Michigan food purveyors they call on for products or ingredients. Among their favorites are Chandler Hill Honey, located in Boyne Falls, and Kalkaska’s Shetler Family Dairy. Both are key to Lake Street Market’s signature Pecan Bars. (“We have to have them,” says Chris with a laugh that makes you know he fears customers storming his store.) If you live too far away to pick them up at the market, here’s how to make them at home.
Pecan Bars
Shortbread Base
Ingredients:
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Cut butter into half-inch pieces. Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until small lumps begin to form. Sprinkle mixture into a 13x9x2 baking pan and then press evenly with a metal spatula. Bake in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Prepare topping while shortbread is baking
Pecan Bars
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces pecans (about 2 cups)
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Chandler Hill or other local honey
- 2 tablespoons Shetler Dairy or other local heavy cream
Instructions:
Keep oven at 350. Coarsely chop pecans using food processor. In a heavy saucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar, honey and cream. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 minute and then stir in pecans. Pour mixture over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in middle of oven until bubbling, about 14–16 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars. (We trim the edges and cut 20 bars; the original recipe calls for 24 bars with no trimming.)