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A Homegrown Bounty Awaits Michigan Cooking School Students

by Sonja Albrecht
sonja.albrecht@culinaryartsschoolreview.com
Culinary Arts School Review Columnist

“Great Lakes, great times…” Michigan’s motto should perk up the ears of anyone researching cooking schools. After all, fine dining is the essence of great times. And Michigan doesn’t disappoint, with innovative local cuisine, fish, and award-winning vineyards.

Michigan’s urban vitality can overshadow its agricultural richness. If you choose to get your culinary degree in Michigan, you’ll no doubt enjoy the culture and nightlife Detroit, the birthplace of Motown, and Grand Rapids have to offer. But a visit to the lakes, vineyards, forests, and orchards of Michigan will spark your culinary creativity. Here you’ll discover the native delicacies that put Michigan’s cuisine—and its cooking schools—on the map:

  • Wine—The state is home to 45 wineries with 13,500 acres of vineyards.
  • Cherries—Michigan produces 70 to 75 percent of the tart cherries grown in the United States.
  • Microbrews—Take time out from your culinary degree coursework to visit Michigan’s nineteenth-century Frankenmuth Brewery, one of the nation’s oldest microbreweries.
  • Maple syrup—Vermontville, Michigan’s maple syrup center, hosts an annual festival in honor of the sweet tree sap.
  • Morel mushrooms—Many cooking schools offer classes in preparing mushrooms. You’ll have a chance to test your hunting skills in May, when Michigan’s native morels emerge.
  • Fish— Michigan’s 11,000 inland lakes and excellent fishing ensure you’ll prepare a Great Lakes whitefish sometime during your culinary degree program.
  • Michigan offers a variety of local produce to inspire you as you pursue your culinary degree. With plenty of cooking schools to choose from, the state caters to its aspiring chefs.

Sources

Michigan.gov
Michigan.org

About the Author

Sonja Albrecht works as a writer and editor for an online media company. She has also taught college writing and completed a Ph.D. in English.

Posted on June 27, 2006 at 01:51 PM