Feast your eyes on this: 53 Northern Michigan Fabulous Food Finds from Traverse, Northern Michigan’s Magazine’s 2014 March edition. Over the next week, we’ll be posting each food-finder’s favorites in series. First up is Noah Marshall-Rashid.
Born to one of the North’s best-loved food dynasties, Noah Marshall-Rashid rode on his father’s back foraging for mushrooms and wild fruit and stood eye-high to the counter at the family’s first American Spoon Foods store in Petoskey. After studying political theory at MSU’s James Madison College, Noah worked in the L.A. and Chicago restaurant scenes before moving home to join the family enterprise in 2005. Fervent locavores, Noah and his wife, Jessica, love to cook rustic, elemental recipes.
Noah’s Picks
1). Chanco con Yucca at Georgina’s, 439 East Front Street, Traverse City, 231.943.1555
- Braised pork, onions and starchy yucca root are accented with spices and garnished with fried plantains in Chef Anthony’s signature Nicaraguan comfort stew.
2). Roast Pork Tacos at José’s, 309 Petoskey Street, Petoskey, 231.348.3299
- Simply seasoned, slow-roasted pork shoulder is pulled and put in warm tortillas with tomatillo salsa, white onions and fresh cilantro at Petoskey’s beloved Latin outpost.
3). Banana Cream Pie at Jesperson’s, 312 Howard Street, Petoskey, 231.347.3601
- Petoskey’s centennial pie shoppe serves banana bliss by the slice in this rich alchemy of silky banana custard, airy meringue and buttery crust.
4). Original Chocolate Chip Cookie at Tom’s Mom’s, 267 South Spring Street, Harbor Springs, 231.526.6606
- Weighing in at a whopping three ounces apiece, these nationally lauded cult cookies are made with premium ingredients and Tom’s Mom’s secret mojo.
5). Fried Perch Basket at FreshWater Grill, 2264 Harbor-Petoskey Road, Petoskey, 231.487.1655
- Pearlescent perch fillets are perfectly fried in crunchy beer batter and brought tableside in a basket with fries, slaw, hushpuppies and homemade tartar sauce.
6). Pinot Noir at Brys Estate, 3309 Blue Water Road, Traverse City, 231.223.9303
- Old Mission grape guru Coenraad Stassen coaxes deep cherry and spice notes out of the pinot noir grapes grown at Brys Estate. Get a bottle before it’s gone.
7). Dark Knight Black IPA at Petoskey Brewing Company, 1844 M-119, Petoskey, 231.753.2057
- PBC’s Batman beer is brewed with chocolate malt and roasted wheat for rich body and malt character. Summit hops lend a bright and pleasantly bitter edge.
8). Beef Jerky at Toski Sands Market, 2292 M-119, Petoskey, 231.347.1571
- Moist, meaty and gratuitously peppered, Toski Sands artfully elevates this staple protein snack.
9). Kabanosya at Legs Inn, 6425 North Lake Shore Drive, Cross Village, 231.526.2281
- A narrow gauge cousin of Legs’ famous kielbasa, these sublimely smoky sausages are served with warm rye bread and cwikla, a housemade beet and horseradish relish.
10). Thai Chicken Wings at Thai Orchid, 1433 East Mitchell St., Petoskey, 231.487.9900
- A sweet and spicy Siamese spin on the classic finger food. Juicy wings fried crisp, slathered in sweet Thai chili sauce and served over crunchy iceberg lettuce.
11). Relish Tray at the Dam Site Inn, 6705 Woodland Road, Pellston, 231.539.8851
- From the panacea of vintage delights dished up at the Dam Site Inn, comes this gleaming silver tower of pickled beets, corn relish, and sweet pickled watermelon rind to preface the never-ending platters of fried chicken.
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