After picking up the Shasta in Sudbury, Ontario, we were officially heading back west and on the tail end of the trip. We crossed the U.S. border in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan where the Soo Locks lie between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. We were now officially in what is known as the U.P. (Upper Peninsula of Michigan), where the residents are referred to as "Yoopers". This is certainly not just an accent, but a true dialect, and you betcha it felt more like a foreign country than Canada! We drove from the "Soo" on to Munising on Tuesday. Munising is a cute little town on Lake Superior. We took a Ship Wreck Tour in a Glass Bottom Boat, which was really cool. We saw three different wrecks and heard the tails of how they ended up there. We tried the local fare of the Pasty, as there are pasties sold all over the UP. Not terribly tasty, nor was any other dining experience in the area. Think overcooked and under-seasoned. But, I think the pasty has some possibilities as a fun "meal in one" dish with some fresher ingredients, so I may give them a try someday. We've had fun with the "road food", but my body is ready to get healthy when we get home!
On Wednesday we headed to Woodbury, MN (a suburb of St. Paul) where we were scheduled for a Venteux Wine Dinner at Aperitif Restaurant Thursday evening. Earlier Thursday we decided to check out the MOA (Mall of America) as it seems to be the thing to do there. The big attraction was the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park. Jake was having a blast there until his hand got stuck in a ride. Scott saw it happen and leaped toward the ride (is now experiencing some pain!) and thankfully Jake is fine (just sore, bloody fingers)...but it was very scary. So, we left there early to get ready for the dinner. Aperitif opened about 6 months ago and they put Venteux on their wine list, thanks to our friends, Corey and Robert Nyman. The restaurant is beautiful and obviously quite popular already. We were treated royally, with a comped luxury room at the neighboring Sheraton (lovely hotel!). The chef did a perfect job pairing the wines with each course. The dinner was a great success and we really enjoyed the guests and the staff! We headed out early today, Friday, to drive across the state of North Dakota, stopping at a horrible diner in Fargo. Corn has now been replaced with miles and miles of sunflowers. Not sure how far we will get tonight, but we are anxious to get to Livingston, MT tomorrow to the Eastep's. Logan plans to drive to Livingston to meet us and we are so excited to see him too!
Munising, U.P., Michigan:
Glass Bottom Boat Shipwreck Tour Of Lake Superior
Rock formations along the shores of Grand Island.
View of the famous East Channel Lighthouse on Grand Island from the Shipwreck Tour.
Preserved by Lake Superior’s frigid waters, these doomed vessels lay on the bay bottom where they met their fates when the tempestuous Lake displayed its violent power.
YOOPER: Nickname for people who live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Traditionally, Yoopers are big fans of outdoor recreation such as hunting and fishing.
You Might be a Yooper if...
Your wife's Lady Remington is a 30-06... Your snowmobile costs more than your kid's college education... Your wife's night gown says Fred Bear Archery... A trip to the islands means Mackinac and Bois Blanc... You're on a first name basis with the clerk at the Michigan State Unemployment Office... You install your snow tires in early September... You think working at McDonalds' means making the big bucks... Your best clothes are reversible; Blaze Orange to Camouflage... Going south for the winter means going to Escanaba... You think that Iron Mountain is a prime example of a big city in urban decay... You think the expression "to open a can of worms" means " to go fishing"... You think that a Big Mac and a shake refers to the Bridge on a windy day... People in Wisconsin act superior to you... Your kid "aced" the 3rd grade...on his 9th try... A new car means a 1972 AMC Gremlin... Being a "Red Wing fan" means you like their new line of hiking boots... You watched the "Ricki Lake Show" because you thought it was a show about fishing... You answer the question "How many UP'ers does it take to change a light bulb?" with "None, we don't have electricity"... You consider Velcro to be high tech... You think that "The Straits of Mackinac" refers to the heterosexual population on the island... You think that the Mackinac ferry refers to, well, you know... You view working the drive-through window as an important career advancement...
The tradition was brought to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan by immigrants who worked the copper and iron mines of the upper UP. The mines are no longer operating, but the pasty lives on in the minds and kitchens of "yoopers" everywhere. |
Traditonal Pasty is filled with beef, potatoes, onion and rutabaga. Definitely a little gravy helps, as it seems to be in place of herbs and spices of most foods here.
(ok, we are spoiled in California!)
The Mall of America, outside of Minneapolis/St Paul is the largest mall in the US and has several anchor stores, more than 500 specialty stores, 50 restaurants, 7 nightclubs, Underwater Adventures Aquarium, 14 movie theaters plus Nickelodeon Universe indoor amusement park.
Overlooking the Nickelodeon Universe in the center of the mall.
http://www.aperitifrestaurant.com/
Venteux Wine Dinner at Aperitif Restaurant in Woodbury, MN:
The four course dinner and wine pairing was amazing!
The dinner was sold out far in advance!
We were so happy to see some familiar faces! Denise and Roger Diehl are Venteux Club Members from Tujunga, CA and made it all the way to dinner in Minnesota!
Venteux Grenache is sold by the glass at Aperitif and they have a state of the art nitrogen preservation/serving system.
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