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On this #FoodieFriday, I can't wait to tell you ab

On this #FoodieFriday, I can't wait to tell you about a new discovery. In research for my new book #secretmichigan I found a cooking school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where the students where the chefs.

The charred asparagus was perfectly marked on the grill and cut diagonally into bite-sized pieces. The chef then added crisp country ham, pickled red onion, tossed with an amazake vinaigrette, mixed in basil, cilantro, mint, and sprinkled on benne seed. The result was an upscale, totally unexpected serving of a typically plain vegetable.

My entrée was the whitefish curry, combining international flavors with a local catch. This green curry featured asparagus and small chunks of tender carrot in a green sauce with Thai chili and fish sauce, then flavored with ginger. The unexpected part of this dish was the wonderful coconut and panko breading on the whitefish, making the fish golden brown and delicious. The chef served the plate with a side of rice so that you could mix it with the flavorful curry sauce. I don’t have much experience with curry, so it was a remarkable departure from my typical menu choices. #hosted #IFWTWA1 #TravelWritersUniversity #PureMichigan #mwtravelnetwork

Instagram post 17955903635473141

Instagram post 17955903635473141

I've been out exploring Michigan secrets for my bo

I've been out exploring Michigan secrets for my book "Secret Michigan: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure."

Here's something a bit obscure.

Charadrius melodus is an endangered shorebird commonly known as the piping plover. The Great Plains, the Atlantic Coast, and the Great Lakes have small piping plovers populations. While they summer separately during the breeding season, they winter together on the Gulf Coast. In 1986, piping plovers flew on the Federal Endangered Species list. At one point, the Great Lakes had almost 800 pairs of Piping Plovers, but by 1990 that number dropped to 13. Today, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is home to the most significant number of piping plovers in the Great Lakes, where you’ll find between 75 and 80 nesting pairs throughout the Great Lakes region.

Where I spotted them, there were 3 pairs and I saw one of the pairs. It is amazing how these shore birds blend into the Lake Michigan Shoreline.

If you'd like to take a tour and see some of these endangered piping plover, schedule a tour with Sleeping Bear Tour Company. Their guide, Julie is so knowledgeable about these little gems.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is the perfect day trip from Traverse City, Michigan.

@traversecitytourism @sleepingbeartourco

#secretmichigan
#sleepingbeardunes
#endangeredspecies
#TravelTuesday
#ifwtwa1
#travelwritersuniversity

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