Eastern Market's Made in Michigan

[Gannon]

I haven't spent much time down at the Market, after moving out earlier this year, but came down for a Zeff's breakfast with my Livonia Friend and decided to walk around. Paused while wandering around Shed 2, really enjoying this vibe. It is a beautiful day to be in Eastern Market...curiously slow right now, though.


Came down to see one booth from a new company called BeyondButter..."butter from another udder"...that makes flavored butter products fashioned from the fella's frustrations of having to mix this stuff daily up through a lifetime of high-end commercial cooking. [[he claims to have been conceived on a prep table, apparently this food wisdom flows through his veins)


So, he's packaged 4 oz. containers of such flavors as Clive & Garlic, Roasted Bell Pepper, Honey Cinnamon, Honey Habanero, and finally Lemon & Dill. I only got a taste of the Habanero so far, and it was great. $4 each or 3 for $10...so I'm holding off on any more tastes lest I end up buying them all.

What an amazing idea, at least for those of us who don't know what to do in a kitchen with spices but still want to impress our guests!

Cranberry, Orange, and Walnut is promised for this coming weekend, in advance of the holidays...



[[full disclosure, I know this guy...met him at a dinner party at that farming fellow from the Time Magazine cover and have been friends ever since, but I was still skeptical until I came down for a taste...heh)


But, I'm going to spend some time meeting more folks down here and reporting what I can...if anyone has the back-story on any businesses or gardeners/farmers that sells here, please chime in. [[hence the thread title)


Cheers on this amazing sunny Fall day, I'd like to thank the Native Americans for inventing this Summer relapse, even if it is merely a tease!

[Gannon]

OK, just took a walk around...looks like some of my favorites have decided to congregate all through Shed 2...


Great Lakes Coffee...a firm that roasts their fair-trade and organic beans to some of the highest perfection I've EVER tasted, and they're local. I've heard that each HOUR from the roasting to grinding then making coffee cuts the taste by half. If you've never had locally roasted coffee beans, you owe it to your taste buds.


Avalon Bread...I hope nobody needs an introduction to them.


Over in Shed 3, I found a great juice company called American Premium Blends...they have three main berry juices...and after one taste I had to buy a bottle of their Cherry Harvest blend of sweet and tart berries. Highly concentrated or condensed, but no added sweeteners or anything except purified water. Michigan Nectar...

[Gannon]

I just remembered, while trying to find the Olive Oil lady from Lansing, that I already started this thread. In April...heh.

Shows what kinda stress I have been under.

http://detroityes.com/mb/showthread....Eastern+Market

[BasementBeat]

Was down there today as well...wish I had tried some of that berry juice. I just walked around enjoying the atmosphere before picking up some produce.

I so wish I brought my bike out, weather is amazing.

[stasu1213]

I like the eastern market area. I also want to see an herbal tea and coffee shop on the corner of Gratiot and Russell. I like the authencity of that candle shop that sits on the corner. It compliments the Eastern Market. I think that a tea & coffee store would be good for that corner also. It could be two doors down from that Candle and incense place. I had asked the worker in that candle shop whether the owner had thought about selling tea in the place and he said that no business would come in. I told him that more buisnesses would come for people would not have to go into the Eastern Market area and deal with the traffic when they could just park on Gratiot and walk in.