[EID Travel Feature] Grand Rapids

HopCat. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Just as the Traverse City Film Festival put Traverse City on the radar of national (even international) travelers, so too shall ArtPrize do the same for Grand Rapids. Michigan's second-largest city is home to the world's largest single art competition giveaway, with the top winner taking home $250,000 and total prize money reaching nearly half a million dollars. ArtPrize, which celebrated its third year in 2011, is making international headlines for its edgy, experimental, open format. Described as "part arts festival, part social experiment," the entire city of Grand Rapids is overtaken by art for the roughly three weeks it runs (many turning into permanent installations, like massive murals on the sides of buildings and huge metal sculptures located on city-owned parking lots and lawns, next to hotels and bars).

And it's not just relegated to traditional art spaces like galleries in museums. It's in the bars, the clubs, the restaurants, the book stores, the coffee shops, the parks, the bridges, the buses, the streets -- it's EVERYWHERE. And the prize money goes to the top 10 artists, as voted by the public. Not an art jury. YOU. The competition is open to all artists who are able to find space at a venue and all venues willing to participate. (2011 saw 192 venues presenting 1,713 artists from 44 states and 21 countries, bringing in 200,000 visitors, half of which were non-residents.) It's about art, but it's also about community, and social interaction, and artistic engagement, and it's in GRAND RAPIDS.

B. Nektar Meadery at the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer and Food Festival.

Grand Rapids is also making a name for itself by hosting other major events, such as the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer and Food Festival, which just held its fourth annual event earlier this month, and the popular Festival of the Arts held in June. But there is usually some sort of celebration happening in GR on pretty much any given weekend: this coming weekend, December 2-3, is Holly Jolly GR, which starts with their tree lighting ceremony on December 2 and includes dozens of independent retailers, galleries and boutiques participating in a holiday window display competition.

GR is also making a name for itself as one of Michigan's top eclectic food destination cities. Much like Traverse City, Grand Rapids is surrounded by farmland, and many of the area's restaurateurs and chefs emphasize a fully farm-to-table approach, and the general passion for and commitment to locally-sourced and Michigan-made products is ubiquitous. And while Traverse City still wins in the winery arena, some of Michigan's best breweries (which in turn puts them in the running for some of the best breweries in the country) are located right in downtown GR (or really super-duper close).

The GRAM.

As a metro Detroiter, there are certain things that you will notice immediately upon visiting Grand Rapids. First, how very clean it is. Not just clean but well-manicured, impeccably landscaped, full of sparkling skyscrapers downtown and adorable cottage-like gingerbread homes lining the surrounding hills. You'll also notice the abundance of art--not small pieces installed by renegade DIY artists and street art murals on abandoned buildings (not that there's anything wrong with that; Detroit, you're lovely, stay this way forever), but full-blown MURALS made with ceramic and mirror mosaic tiles and giant 3D plaster faces affixed to operational buildings, and massive sculptures placed prominently near the entrances of the B.O.B. and the JW Marriott. The downtown has density, walkability, and is filled with independent shops and restaurants (as well as several colleges and cultural institutions). All of this, only two and a half hours away.

Stay

JW Marriott.

Grand Rapids has a few different properties centrally located downtown. The Amway Grand is sort of the grand dame, but for visitors looking for something a bit less...fussy (and a bit more...young), the JW Marriott is a sparkling example of sophisticated, contemporary refinement. The rooms are comfortable, but it is the particular touches like the vertigo-inducing balcony on every floor that looks down a wall of curved glass overlooking the river and the photography from Grand Rapids' sister cities on every floor that makes this property particularly memorable. There's also six.one.six, the hotel's signature restaurant which serves globally-inspired food on a local level (they even have their own chef's garden on the patio and list the dozens of different local producers and purveyors they work with on their menu and website).

Open only four months, CityFlatsHotel - Grand Rapids (the second location after Holland, MI) is the newest boutique hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, but it also has the most urban design nerd appeal. The rooms are sleek, sparsely decorated but with savvy touches like cork floors, floor-lit mattresses, architectural light wells, large windows, exposed brick, and a bright palette of colors (and each room is slightly different with different design touches). You also get free high-speed wireless Internet, HDTV and DIRECTV, and an iPod docking station. Grand Rapids is one of the country's leaders in sustainability, named the most sustainable mid-size city in 2010 and fourth in the nation for leadership in LEED-certified buildings, and CityFlats seeks to continue that tradition. Built to be LEED-Certified Gold (though still awaiting certification), the hotel has several eco-friendly features designed for efficiency and sustainability. It also has some of the most comfortable bedding EVER in a hotel (no wonder, since the hotelier's background is in hotel furniture; they even sell their bedding on the website). Seriously, like sleeping on a warm, fluffy cloud, wrapped in cloud.

The front desk/lobby/coffee shop/lounge/restaurant/bar downstairs is a feat of small space design. Each separate entity in effect shares the same space, though the modular setup allows them distinction. It's kind of like one of those IKEA bedroom setups, "Look how much you can do in 200 square feet!" (Only it's a hotel lobby, bar, restaurant, coffee shop, lounge and front desk in what is probably only 800 square feet.) The CitySen Lounge is a great place for a snack and drink, with a nice-sized menu of small plates and a solid selection of local and imported beers and wines. If you head out there this Saturday Dec. 3, stop by for their sparkling wine tasting from 7-10 p.m.

See
Don't know if you got the message yet, but this city is super-big on art. While you're here, don't miss the Grand Rapids Art Museum, this first LEED-Certified Gold art museum in the world. The GRAM is small in size compared to something like the DIA, but the permanent collection alone is worth seeing and they always have intriguing exhibitions (the current exhibition on satire in art featuring Warrington Colescott is outstanding, an evolving history of parodying pop culture). Also check out the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, a quirky gallery/museum and film theatre with a particularly fantastic gift shop.

The GRAM.

The Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is worth spending an afternoon exploring with outdoor sculpture, indoor gardens, and the largest tropical conservatory in the state of Michigan. Now through January 8, 2012, enjoy their Christmas and Holiday Traditions from Around the World with horse-drawn carriages and a Hindu lights festival. And if you have kids, the Grand Rapids Children's Museum is an engaging, creative, interactive environment. For great deals on arts and culture attractions in GR, check out Culture Pass GR.

There are plenty of independent retail stores to browse, but for you bookish types (self included) Schuler Books and Music is must. As an independent book seller, this place is practically a museum in its own right. Their collection isn't vast but there's a nice selection of this-and-thats (nothing too crazy...no steampunk or circus sections, alas), and also a selection of affordable used fiction and nonfiction titles.

MadCap Coffee.

Eat and Drink
AKA, what you've been waiting for.

HopCat.

Start with coffee at MadCap Coffee, an independent coffee roaster which works directly with small farms for transparency and sustainability. Enjoy their latest roast done pour-over style. For lunch, grab a sandwich a Marie Catrib's. But don't think of it as a sandwich. Think of it as one of the best damn sandwiches you will ever eat in your entire life. (They're also vegan-friendly.) For something a bit heartier (i.e., with booze), head on over to HopCat, named the #3 best beer bar in the world by Beer Advocate. It's a brewpub, so they have their own beer, plus an extensive list of imported, craft, local and seasonal beers, plus really outstanding beer bar food, all cooked with and/or made to go well with BEER. Don't miss the crack fries or the cheese ale soup. The place gets packed at night, but lunch is always a more civil crowd. (If civil's your thing.)

Another brewpub worth checking out while you're in town is Brewery Vivant. Their beer isn't distributed this far east (yet; they're working on it), but in their brewpub you get the full Belgian tradition. Inspired by farmhouse breweries of southern Belgium and northern France, they brew Belgian-style IPAs, saisons and farmhouse ales. The Pub's menu is hearty Belgian-style seasonal dishes made from scratch highlighting regional flavors with special attention paid to beer pairings for the full beer-food experience, as well as a full commitment to sourcing their products locally.

Random art thing.

At some point mid-day, during the course of your cultural adventures, you might get thirsty again. Head to Founders Brewing Co. Widely regarded to be one of the top breweries in the country (if the fervor over their CBS is any indication), Founders is a happy place. A joyous, wonderous place full of happy. Breakfast Stout is on tap right now; get some. (They also have a large menu of snacky foods, like sandwiches and French bread pizzas, if you need a 'lil sumthin'. Their beers can be BEASTS.)

For dinner, man alive you have some decisions to make. There's San Chez Tapas Bistro, which despite its cutesy name (it's been around almost 20 years; they get grandfathered into the "cute names aren't cute anymore" clause) is a pinnacle of Mediterranean-inspired dining excellence, with a stellar small plates selection and inventive cocktails, as well as a long-held tradition of environmental initiatives (they are part of the Green Power Partnership) and community involvement. Locally-sourced ingredients are given the Spanish treatment.

There's also 25 Kitchen + Bar, new American cuisine which plays up the number 25 (25 beers on tap, 25 signature hand-crafted cocktails, 25 locally and internationally inspired wood-fired pizzas). And then you have Tre Cugini, an airy Italian eatery with a beautiful selection of pastas and risotto. But if you should only eat one meal during your stay in Grand Rapids, make it Reserve.

They opened last September in a sort of trial-by-fire (they launched the opening weekend of ArtPrize), and have since made a name for themselves as Grand Rapids' premiere restaurant. Owned in part by Grand Rapids business royalty Rick and Betsy DeVos, whose son Rick started ArtPrize, the restaurant seems inextricably tied to ArtPrize itself: the showpiece of the restaurant is a massive back-lit mural above the bar called "Open Water," which was the grand-prize winner of the first-ever ArtPrize in 2009. But while Reserve may have an interesting story (and gorgeous design), its ultimate draw is the food.

Executive Chef Matthew Millar emphasizes seasonal cooking and works directly with small family farms for a menu that truly defines the region, and what it means to be a Michigan restaurant. Select from "small," "medium" or "large" plates (every menu item sounds outstanding but the pan-roasted duck breast with fall vegetables, cranberry beans and foie gras butter might just be the stand-out), but be sure to start with a charcuterie and cheese plate. They import salumi and cheeses from some of the top producers in the world, but also make their own terrines, pates, and rilettes and source local artisan cheeses from nearby creameries. They've got a fantastic selection of local craft beers and liquors, but their custom-built, temperature-controlled cruvinet system holding 102 wines all available by the taste and glass is the real accomplishment. It is one of the largest such systems in the world, which allows the life of an open bottle of wine to be extended as long as six weeks, allowing them to offer by the glass a much wider range of varietals and price points than what most restaurants would typically risk.

Georgio's.

After dinner, pop by the Viceroy for some pre-Prohibition-inspired craft cocktails made with their own house-made bitters, syrups, shrubs and infusions. There's not a dud on the whole sizable cocktail menu; each drink is expertly crafted and utterly delightful. THIS is drinking. They do that whole precious secret-but-not-really-secret-entrance thing, but the quality of their cocktails more than makes up for it. And after a long night of drinking liquors with names you can't pronounce, stumble on over to Georgio's Gourmet Pizza. They're open until 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, serving up enormous New York-style slices to hordes of hungry drunkards. It's not the best pizza you'll ever eat, but it's the best pizza you'll get this late, and with wacky flavors like Mac 'n Cheese and Potato + Bacon, it's definitely something different. (Be prepared to wait in line. With drunks. College-age drunks, which is even worse than your standard-issue drunk, though not quite as bad as your game day drunk.)

Want to see more? Check out the Grand Rapids Flickr set here, and the Reserve Flickr set here.

[Macomb Now] Chef Ray Hollingsworth at Loon River Cafe

Chef Ray Hollingsworth. Photo by Garrett MacLean for Macomb Now.

Executive Chef Ray Hollingsworth first started his culinary career people said he was crazy. This was before the days of Food Network and before the cult followings of celebrity chefs, back when saying “I want to be a chef when I grow up,” was akin to saying, “I want to be a famous painter like Picasso.”

“I started cooking when I was 15,” Hollingsworth says. “Oakland Community College was the only school that had any kind of culinary program at the time; they were ahead of everybody.” He went through their program then spent three years training under American Culinary Federation (ACF) Certified Master Chef Jeffrey Gabriel at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. “Most of the chefs in the metro area were of European descent — like Master Chef Milos Cihelka of the Golden Mushroom. They were hardcore chefs; it was a harsh upbringing for awhile!” he laughs.

And then came Food Network and, with it, “foodie” culture. The average restaurant patron is much more savvy and educated when it comes to food now, and that knows no boundaries — unless, of course, you’re talking about the invisible line along I-75 that divides the culinary illuminati of Oakland County from the perceived plebian tastes of Macomb. That very same line also prevents the self-proclaimed “foodies” of Oakland County from stepping into eastern territory, convinced that there is no worthwhile culinary landscape to explore here.

At the Loon River Café inside the Best Western of Sterling Heights, a Michigan-themed lodge with emphasis on Michigan products, Hollingsworth tries to educate the eating public by using only the highest-quality ingredients and top talent. “In the early days we put a lot of emphasis in the quality of the product and employees; we hire local culinary students and ACF-certified chefs,” he explains. “We still do to this day, even with budget cuts. We’re not substituting for lower quality ingredients.”

Read the rest of the article here.

[EID Travel Feature] Ontario Wine Country: Lake Erie North Shore + Pelee Island

Cooper's Hawk Vineyards. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Obviously we here at Eat It Detroit are huge proponents of local travel and Michigan wines. The wineries of northern Michigan are close; the wineries of southern Michigan are even closer. But if you live in metro Detroit, a geographically unique area where Canada lies both north and south, the closest wine region actually lies across the border in Ontario ... and if you live in the city of Detroit, you can be in the heart of the Lake Erie North Shore VQA in about 35 minutes.

We love the L.E.N.S. VQA because it's so close, and also because it's so cheap. The Canadian dollar and U.S. dollar have been pretty comparable as of late (fluctuations in strength between the two are effectively negligible), which means gold medal-winning wines from this Ontario region priced at a scant $15 are a scant $15. Also, ice wine. Canada and Germany are the world's largest producers of ice wine - a luscious dessert wine that's like liquid honey; truly the nectar of the gods - and most of Canada's comes from Ontario. The wineries here make ice wine in abundance (the name refers to the method of production: healthy grapes are harvested and pressed while frozen, making for a highly concentrated, sweet wine), and unlike the $65+ price tag for a 200mL bottle you'll see here in the States, most of them sell for $20-35 for 200mL; Sprucewood Shores even sells a 375mL bottle for $40.05.

Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery.

There are some distinct differences between southern Ontario and northern Michigan wines. The climates are just dissimilar enough to allow for some divergent areas of focus - both are considered cool climate regions, but it seems that northern Michigan is stronger in their Alsatian-style whites and Lake Erie is having better and more consistent luck with their Rhone-style reds (cool weather red varietals like Cab Franc, the heartbreak grape Pinot Noir, and the hardy hybrid Baco Noir grow well here and make for some exceptional wines).

There are 15 wineries now in the Lake Erie North Shore VQA (with two more opening next year and three more approved down the road), but only a handful have been around for a significant amount of time. This wine region is reminiscent of where northern Michigan was about five or so years ago: they're producing some truly outstanding wines, but no one is really paying them any attention. They are an underdog region, sneered at by Ontario's big dog regions of Niagara and Niagara-on-the-Lake - and oh, hell, we love to root for the underdog. Just as northern Michigan is starting to get some international recognition now, so will the Lake Erie North Shore in the future ... but for now, it's their little secret and they're pretty content to let it stay that way for a little while longer (and so are we).

The topography of the Lake Erie North Shore is also markedly different than northern Michigan - lots of flat land and straight roads, but all situated along (or nearby) the Lake Erie coast in the middle of abundant farmland, so still very scenic and peaceful (a bit reminiscent of the many apple orchard and pumpkin patch stretches in northern Macomb County, complete with the quaint little downtowns interspersed throughout). A weekend tour through Ontario wine country is truly a fantastic way to enjoy the fall colors close to home.

Jack's Gastropub and Inn 31.

The 15 wineries of the Lake Erie North Shore encompass everything from teeny-tiny wineries open all of three months with a case production of only 850 to some of the biggest and oldest wineries in Ontario with an annual case production topping 600,000. Another cool little factoid to stick in your hat, wear around and present at parties: there are four female winemakers in this 15-winery region, including Rori McCaw at Cooper's Hawk and Tanya Mitchell at Sprucewood Shores. By comparison, at best count there is one female winemaker in the entire state of Michigan. One. (There are actually very few female commercial winemakers in the United States at all. This is especially significant when you consider women account for over 60% of wine consumers and nearly 80% of women make all or almost all of the wine purchasing decisions in the home; kinda goes back to that whole women in the kitchen thing.)

So, Canada, Ontario, Lake Erie North Shore ... you have our attention. Now, here's what you need to know about Canadian wine terminology before going in: the VQA is Ontario's wine authority, designating the standards for VQA-designated wine production within the province's distinct appellations. A wine that is designated "VQA" means the grapes were all grown in one of Ontario's specific VQA appellations (i.e., Lake Erie North Shore) and is a quality example of that appellation. Think of it as the same as the Italian DOCG and the French AOC systems.

Next, you'll hear a lot about the LCBO - the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Much as the Michigan Liquor Control Commission controls liquor sales here, the LCBO controls liquor sales there. Because of strict exportation and distribution laws both on the part of the LCBO as well as the MLCC (and also because many of these wineries are simply too small to do any significant distribution), many of these wines you will only ever be able to sample and purchase here at the wineries themselves (most of the wine that gets exported is sent over to China and Japan, where the ice wine market is particularly huge and Canadian wines are generally in good favor). And that will appeal to just about any adventurous quasi-hipster-foodie type looking to find the next cool food thing before anyone else. And, hi, it's less than an hour away.

Another thing to know about Canadian wines is the sugar code scale, a numerical designation referring to a wine's residual sugars. 0 is as dry as it gets; the majority of the wines will clock in at 4 or under, but some ice wines can get up into the 20s. It's a handy designation to determine whether or not a wine is dry and an easy way to self-educate your palate.

Got all that? You are now ready to experience southern Ontario wine country.

Viewpointe Estate Winery.

Day 1
Start at Viewpointe Estate Winery in Harrow, about an hour from the center of downtown Detroit. This brings you through a big chunk of the L.E.N.S. region and right into the heart of it. Have lunch with a glass of wine on their spacious patio overlooking Lake Erie; their patio menu is available Thursday-Sunday when weather permits and emphasizes the local products of Windsor-Essex. Viewpointe has been open since 2006 and strives to be a winery of many hats: they can accommodate large parties both indoors and out for weddings and corporate events; they have a culinary center that does all their in-house catering as well as teaches hands-on culinary classes during the off season; they are a satellite school for Niagara College's Master Taster's program, which basically offers all the same training of a sommelier without the rigorous testing. Viewpointe is also something of a research facility: they worked with a Swiss scientist to produce a hybrid grape specifically for Essex County, one that would be ideal for their climate - early-ripening, cold-hardy, mildew-resistant - promoting environmental and economic sustainability. These grapes are behind their Colchester Cuvee, and while they are the only winery currently making the wine they have sold roots to other wineries, and they hope this will one day be known as Essex County's grape. The Auxerrois is also a varietal wine unique to this estate.

Wine recs: 2009 Colchester Cuvee, 2008 Auxerrois VQA, 2007 High Pointe Syrah VQA, 2001 Cabernet Merlot VQA, 2002 Focal Pointe Cabernet Franc

Next, head over to Cooper's Hawk Vineyards in Harrow, a brand-new eco-conscious winery only open three months now. Because they're new their case production is small and they only have four wines currently available, but MAN if they didn't make the very most of what they had to show... Their Riesling is grown in limestone and so has a huge mineral backbone with NO sweetness; the Cabernet Merlot has a velvety earthiness to it - full-bodied yet still soft with toned-down tannins and lots of dark berry and leather. But winemaker Rori McCaw is most proud of her Cabernet Franc Rosé, a gorgeous rosé that's lush and warm. There are no additions or corrections made to these wines - Cooper's Hawk is off to one hell of a good start. Next year their production will more than double with twice as many wines available. While here, be sure to tour the grounds where you'll find a natural ampitheatre and wetlands.

Wine recs: CHV Unoaked Chardonnay 2010; CHV Riesling 2010; CHV Authentic Cabernet Franc Rosé 2010; CHV Cabernet/Merlot 2008

For your last winery of the day, visit one of the oldest and largest estate wineries in Ontario: Pelee Island Winery in Kingsville. They've been operating since 1983 growing upwards of 40 different grapes on their 1,000 acres on Pelee Island, and are the only Pelee Island VQA winery. The operation is massive and they distribute widely throughout North America and Asia. They make dozens of wines covering a huge range of styles, but their reserve wines are only sold in the winery. The Cab Sauv Reserve is an absolute must, but if you try NOTHING else at this winery you MUST try the Cab Franc Icewine - a pale, dusty rose color, this icewine, though lesser known than the golden Vidal Icewine, is a honey-tongued goddess loaded with cassis and strawberry jam. Luscious and lovely and only available at the winery.

Wine recs: Gewurztraminer Riesling VQA, Gamay Noir Zweigelt VQA, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve VQA, Cabernet Franc Icewine VQA, Chardonnay Barrique VQA

After a day of tasting, head just down the street to Jack's Gastropub in adorable downtown Kingsville for a casual dinner of hearty, homey locally-sourced fare. The greens and produce come from area farmers, the meat from local butchers, burgers are ground in-house and topped with unique items like apple fig chutney and cider mayo (for the fall). You can't get items like a Turducken Rueben anywhere else, and the brisket poutine is comfort food to the extreme. They carry a large selection of local craft beer from breweries like Mill Street and Muskoka, and their wine list is all Ontario wines. After a meal like that on a brisk fall night you'll want to cozy up in bed next to a fireplace and hey look, you can do that here too! Upstairs from Jack's is Inn 31, a three-room bed and breakfast where each room has a fireplace and a big big bathroom with jacuzzi tub.

Inn 31.

Day 2

After breakfast at Inn 31, head back into Harrow to visit Colio Estate Winery. Another one of Ontario's oldest and largest wineries, Colio makes about 75 different wines for just about every palate and price point. Take a full tour of their facilities to learn more about their operations and see their barrel room with just a portion of the medals they've won over time. They've racked up over 500 medals since they started in 1980, and continue to knock it out of the park with their reserve reds like Cab Franc, Pinot Noir, and most recently their phenomenal Shiraz* loaded with white pepper and almost-ripe strawberry. They make several different varieties of sparkling wine, but the best bang for your buck might just be the Girl's Night Out Sparkling VQA, a wonderfully bright, crisp bubbly made with all Riesling grapes for only $14.75 per bottle.
*Look, we can nitpick over Shiraz vs. Syrah; they named it thus because the Aussies gave the grape more recognizability and so Colio gave it the name people are familiar with.

Wine recs: CEV Riesling Reserve VQA, CEV Small Lot Shiraz, CEV Reserve Cabernet Franc LENS, CEV Gamay Noir, CEV Late Harvest Vidal VQA, Girl's Night Out Sparkling VQA

From Colio visit Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery in Harrow, a small family-owned and -operated winery overlooking Lake Erie. Their Pinot Gris is their most popular wine, bright and citrusy and only lightly acidic (a great summertime patio drinking wine), but their unoaked Barrel Reserve Chardonnay is fruit-forward with a smooth butterscotch finish (when Chardonnay comes back into favor in the wine drinking world it will be because of the anti-oak trend). Their Pinot Noir is aged 8 months and oak and is described as being "uncomplicated" - nice and drinkable. But winemaker Tanya Mitchell's masterpiece is their Meritage, a Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Merlot aged 18 months in oak for a rich, bold, complex wine. Hang out here for awhile and enjoy their picnic basket lunch, an actual picnic basket loaded with gourmet cheese (Dubliner, 3-year aged cheddar, or smoked gouda), meat (prosciutto or salami), a warm baguette loaf, garlicky hummus, antipasti, fruit and dessert for $25 (easily feeds 2-3). Take the basket down to the picnic benches on the shore for a relaxing lakefront al fresco afternoon feast.

Wine recs: Pinot Gris, Barrel Reserve Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meritage, Hawk's Flight Reserve Merlot, Vidal Ice Wine

Next up, D'Angelo Estate Winery in Amherstburg, another one of the area's old wineries. Owner and winemaker Sal D'Angelo produces award-winning wines from his two locations (the other is in British Columbia). Their unique specialty is their Foch wines, made from the hybrid Marechal Foch grape which only they are growing. Their Old Vines Foch wines are from the winery's first planted vines (around 1983). There are several vintages of the Old Vines Foch available to taste - 2002,  2005 and 2008 - and each is markedly different from the last. Aged in American oak, these are big, rich, jammy, meaty reds (the 2002 has a nose of strawberry Starburst). D'Angelo also makes an exceptional Baco Noir, another hybrid grape that thrives in the area. Where most Baco Noirs are fruit-forward, theirs are edgy and full-bodied; again, try both the 2007 and 2008 vintages to compare. D'Angelo also specializes in dessert and fortified wines, including Vidal Icewine, Iced Foch (in which the juice is frozen and concentrated after the grapes are picked), Iced Foch Vidal, and their signature Dolce Vita, a fortified Vidal Icewine that's all the lusciousness of ice wine with the alcohol kicked up.

Wine recs: Old Vines Foch, Baco Noir, Pinot Noir, Blanc de Blanc, Iced Foch Vidal, Dolce Vita

For your last stop through the Lake Erie North Shore VQA, visit the Muscedere family over at Muscedere Vineyards. Their winery estate is also their home, and the operation has a distinct family feel with a children's playset out back and little ones running around. Muscedere is a small winery, with 12 acres of vines on their estate and an annual production under 1,500 cases. 2010 was their first full production year. They hand-harvest all of their grapes to ensure greater quality control, and plan on staying relatively small in order to maintain that quality. Their 2009 Pinot Noir, Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon all medaled at InterVin, and already barrel samples of the 2010 Cab Sauv currently chilling out in oak show a wine that's going to be HUGE and will only get bigger as it sits on oak another year. Even their Pinot Noir - usually such a soft, gentle grape - is high in tannins and fuller in body.

Wine recs: Pinot Grigio, Baco Noir Reserve, Pinot Noir, Meritage, Cabernet Sauvignon

On your way back to the States, make one last stop about 15 minutes from the Ambassador Bridge at Seasons Bistro in La Salle. The restaurant opened in 2008 with the concept of seasonality and freshness, so they work with local farmers and producers in conjunction with the Grown Right Here - Windsor-Essex campaign promoting local producers. Menus are updated regularly to reflect the season and availability; right now the shredded duck dumplings and roasted squash ravioli are a wonder. The wine list also features several Lake Erie North Shore wines.

Now with a head full of wine and a belly full of food, it's time to go back over the border. Try not to look too guilty, and be sure to visit our friendly neighbors to the south-north again soon and partake generously of their fantastic wines.

For more information on Windsor-Essex and Pelee Island, click here.

Want to see more? Check out the Flickr set here.

[EID Feature] The Root: Back to Basics

Pan-seared scallops. All photos by Nicole Rupersburg.

Earlier this week we gave you "The Best of Waterford," but there's one place we did not include. (a) Because it's not actually in Waterford; it's in White Lake (next door), and (b) save the best for last, right?

The Root Restaurant and Bar in White Lake has only been open two and a half months, but greater metro Detroit is already taking notice. They've got over 100 reviews on Open Table, more than 900 fans on their Facebook page, 16 glowing reviews on Yelp, and have also caught the attention of the Freep's Sylvia Rector and Crain's Nathan Skid. On weeknights they'll have anywhere from 70-150 covers (that's HUGE); on weekends they're booked solid for the night. You may find yourself asking, "What's a place like this doing in White Lake?" Newsflash: White Lake is not full of poors, and sometimes people who live here get sick of having to drive to Birmingham or Clarkston or West Bloomfield every time they want to have a fine(r) dining experience. "The food scene up here is a little insulting to the demographic," says 26-year-old Executive Chef James Rigato, who is so passionate about his food ethos you'll want to build a restaurant just for him to head ... not totally unlike how it actually happened, really.

Enter the Root, the BRAND-spanking new contemporary American restaurant located in a shopping plaza just off M-59/Highland Rd. The emphasis is on seasonal and regional cuisine, working with local farmers, growers and butchers on an ever-evolving menu in which everything - right down to the breads, pastries and ice creams - is made from scratch. "We smoke our own bacon, brine our own chickens...it's an all from-scratch menu. I'm very passionate; I'll fight over my food."