Month: November 2019

Dizzy Daisy Winery – Bad Axe, MI

While I was visiting Bad Axe, Michigan I came across a little winery called Dizzy Daisy Winery. It is a retired dairy farm that got converted to grow grapes for wine and hard ciders. I wanted to make sure to check them out.

They are located off the beaten path of the main road. But nestled back in the fields is the cute winery. When I walked into their tasting room I was amazed by all their options to choose from. I counted at least 70 options.

They have something for everyone. There are dry, sweets, semi-sweets, and semi-dry. They even have a port to try.

Their tastings allow you to try 5 of their wines. That made it hard to narrow down. Since I like sweet wines I asked the knowledgeable staff what they suggest I try.

I started with a Riesling. That is usually my go to sweet wine. It was good and not overly sweet.

Now that I got started I was ready to try their more specialty sweet wines. I tried the Caseville Paradise second. It had a nice orange taste. I cold also smell the orange aroma.

My third selection was the Dizzy Diva. This was essentially a peach chardonnay. I could smell a hint of peach. It was just a subtle taste too. I really enjoyed this for a chardonnay, which can sometime be dry.

For my forth choice, they recommended that I try a semi-sweet. This was the Dizzy Spell. It was a Rose wine. It had a nice, soft sweet taste. This was one of my favorites, so ended up buying a bottle to enjoy later in the day.

My last tasting was of the Polka Party. It was another sweet variety. I did not taste any hint of fruit, just very sweet and full of grape flavor. I also bought a bottle of this wine to take with me on my trip.

This was a great place. The tastings were wonderful. They have a few tables outside, so you can buy a bottle and enjoy it in the fresh air.

Check out their full list of wines and where you might be able to purchase them at www.dizzydaisywinery.com

Enjoy!

T

Rachel’s – Bad Axe, MI

I was invited to a wedding in a small Michigan town called Bad Axe. There were a few local places that were recommended to check out. For dinner I visited Rachel’s which was extremely busy for this small town. It was one of the most popular restaurants.

Since I was visiting in July they had a Christmas themed cocktail menu for “Christmas in July”. It was a cute theme. I went for the Merry Mule. It was cranberry liqueur, orange vodka, fresh lime juice, a homemade simple syrup, and ginger beer. It tasted like Christmas to me. It was sweet but had a slight hint of spice. It reminded me of cranberry sauce that I enjoy with turkey.

They brought out fresh, homemade bread. It was right out of the oven so it was nice and warm. They served it with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

I got a few appetizers for the table. The calamari were a hit. It was cut into ling strips and then fried. The calamari were very tender.

I also tried the Broasted Mushrooms, which were their version of fried mushrooms.  They used whole, fresh mushrooms, and lightly breaded them. They served a homemade Cajun ranch dipping sauce on the side. The mushrooms were very tender. The sauce gave it a nice little kick.

For my dinner I got the Blackened Mango Salmon. They used a bunch of Cajun spices to create the perfect blackening. It was spicy and crispy. The salmon itself was cooked perfectly, still being flakey when I cut a piece.

They topped it with a fresh made mango salsa. The sweetness of the salsa complemented to salty spice of the blackened coating. They also served a generous portion of crispy brussels sprouts and seasoned rice.

I definitely saved room for dessert. The first one I tried was the Key Lime Pie. The filling was firm and had a great tangy, tart taste. They topped it with a citrus whipped cream and sprinkled toasted coconut shavings on top. Both added extra sweet flavor to the pie.

The other dessert was the Sticky Toffee Bundt. This was a mini bundt cake that was served warm. They covered the cake with a warm caramel sauce. This added a rich taste to the cake. The cake itself was very moist. They served a side of vanilla ice cream on the side. The ice cream was very creamy and melted as it touched the warm cake.

This was a great place to grab some dinner in Bad Axe. Check them out if you are in town or passing through.

Visit their website at www.rachelsofbadaxe.com

Enjoy!

T

Brooklyn Street Local – Detroit, MI

I had just landed in Detroit from my early morning flight. I was starving and wanted to find a local restaurant to grab breakfast. When I was checking out what was in the area, Brooklyn Street Local kept popping up with great reviews from past customers. I decided to check them out.

It was a small place on the inside and it was filling up quickly. One of the things I noticed was their chalk board on the wall. It listed out all of the local farms and establishment where they acquire all the ingredients. I knew from this that I was going to get a really fresh breakfast.

While I looked over their menu I got a mimosa. The orange juice was sweet, which is how I enjoy it. Nothing is worse than sour, bitter orange juice.

I decided to get the poutine for breakfast. I know it sounds strange, but I guess by putting an egg on top it makes it breakfast.

I took the egg off and ate it on the side.

The fresh cut French fries were covered in a mushroom gravy. It was savory and had a few pieces of mushroom throughout. The gravy was not salty at all, which was nice. The salty taste came from the chunks of cheese curd that were tossed in with the fries. The curds did not melt from the gravy, they stayed firm which made it easy to eat with a fork.

This was a great, quick stop for breakfast. The food was fantastic, and the service was fast. I would want to check them out for lunch.

Visit their website at www.brooklynstreetlocal.com

Enjoy!

T