Most of you know by now that I have been on a dozen airplanes in just one week. We won’t count the shuttle buses & cabs that catapulted me around the country.
My first stop was Traverse City. Michigan. I was invited by the fabulous folks at The Cherry Marketing Institute to learn about their tart cherry harvest.
I am crazy in love with cherries so I couldn’t refuse. Have you ever had tart cherries? I could eat them by the barrel, really.
This trip to coastal Northern Michigan was a photographer & foodies dream.
Traverse City is a well known summer vacation spot. It is a beautiful part of our country.
You can boat, paddle board and swim in Lake Michigan…
You can also check out the Traverse City Film Festival.
There are plenty of places to create family memories.
Also lots of tart cherry orchards.
My pal Maureen (Rose Water & Orange Blossoms) was also on the trip.
She lives nearby that part of Michigan and says it is splendid all times of the year.
We enjoyed fabulous dining & guess what ingredient was the super star? You got it tart cherries…
Flowers were beautifully arranged with them…
Tart cherries a a bit different from their sweeter siblings. Northern Michigan is the largest grower of them. They burst with flavor!
Cocktails were mixed & garnished with them…
Salad was dressed with them…
Meat was sauced with them…
Desserts were flavored with them…
Pie was astonishing with them…
BBQ was phenomenal with cherries in the sauce!
I even had the servers bring me huge cups full of frozen tart cherries to indulge in as I waited for my meal.
Cherry Lemonade is a treat!
As are Cherry Oatmeal Cookies…
There is lots ‘n lots of tart cherry research going on these days.
These gems are known to have lots of health benefits. On our trip were quite a few nutritionists boasting proudly about the attributes.
This is the fabulous Wendy Bazilian. She taught us lots about tart cherries.
 The cherries we learned most about were the  Montmorency & Balaton varieties.
The orchards were sun dappled & stunning!
 I even snuck in a selfie…
Stay tuned for recipe creations I will share using tart cherries!
Disclaimer: A great big thank you to the The Cherry Marketing Institute for hosting me to attend this experience.
Looks wonderful. I have to say that I’m not all that familiar with tart cherries, so you’ll have to educate me! Did you see my post on 100 Cherry Recipes? I’ve been loving them this summer too 🙂
Oh Lori…that sounds like a great post!! I’ll check it out now 🙂
Michigan is so beautiful – what a great experience you had!
So glad you got to enjoy my beautiful state!! Thank you for sharing such great photographs.
Hi Liz!! It truly was a wonderful experience to visit Traverse City & surrounding areas. I hope to get back there some day soon 🙂
I love cherries- what a cool day you had!
Gorgeous pics, Marla! Hope you’re getting some rest, too! ;-D
Cherry paradise! Lovely clicks and mouthwatering food.
Cheers,
Rosa
Paradise indeed….you would have had a blast with the subject & delightful bites Rosa!
I was just in the cherry orchards before they were about to harvest those beautiful tart cherries and I really couldn’t eat enough of them! Straight from the source?! YES PLEASE!
Heather..that’s so cool! I really wish I had constant access to those tart cherries 🙂
woot woot! so fun spending a few days with ya in Michigan!
Het girl! It was a total blast spending time with you in Michigan!!
Marla, you captured our corner of the country SO beautifully!! Amazing photography of all things cherry and Michigan Up North. And for me the cherry on top was meeting you. Looking forward to your recipes with more cherry-love.
Awwwwww…Maureen, you are such a sweetheart! It was wonderful to meet you too. Looking forward to staying in touch and hopefully meeting up again some day real soon!
Wow, what a wonderful experience! I’m so inspired now to use cherries in ways that I never thought before. Love that centerpiece! Thanks for sharing, Marla.
Hey Georgia….isn’t that centerpiece fantastic!! Oh were those cherries fun!
tart cherries! that must’ve been so fun to go through their harvest field. can’t wait for the recipe!
I love love love cherries. I’ve been wanting to go to the cherry festival in Traverse, MI for years. I can’t wait to see what you do with them.
We did not get to go to the festival, but I hear it is wonderful! I can’t wait to share tart cherry recipes with you guys. I have some great ideas!
Lovely article on such a beautiful place! I hate to say it, but I live in Traverse City and recommend that you do not visit during the cherry festival. Traverse City is a much more beautiful place when the festival has gone, so I recommend mid to late July if you want to come for the tart cherries. We have some great you-pick orchards that will give you a much better experience than the festival. 🙂 We also have a wonderful apple season and gorgeous fall colors, so October is another time that I recommend visiting. I hope you were able to check out our farmer’s market too – it’s pretty spectacular for a small town!
Thanks Sarah! I live in a tourist driven area as well. I am with you…I LOVE it here when it is a bit more quiet & authentic. The apple season there must be stunning!
Looks like a fun trip! I am a big fan of tart cherries!
What a beautiful part of the country and for me, an introduction to tart cherries. Not sure I’ve ever had them. Rosa’s right–cherry paradise indeed!
Ha! Jean, you would love it there & you would DIG those tart cherries for sure!
Gorgeous!!
It was great meeting you… an honor, really. And thanks so much for the selfie tutorial 😉
Regan…..you are sooooooo fun girl! That selfie tutorial was a hoot. From the looks of it you got it down now. Hope to see you at another event some time really soon 🙂
What a fun trip Marla! I am embarrassed to admit that we have yet to visit a cherry farm since moving to WA but now I feel inspired to do so after seeing your beautiful pictures!
Hi Alyssa, hopefully you can visit some cherry orchards again soon…such a treat!
Such beautiful pictures of all that cherry goodness and a really lovely place! Cherry Heaven!!!
Cherry Heaven indeed!! Robyn…you would LOVE this place 🙂
I love cherries, what a fabulous trip filled with delicious eats!
Oh, Marla! As a tart cherry lover, it makes me so happy knowing you were able to drink up some major tart cherry HEAVEN! The Big Lug and I are from Michigan (still have relatives living there, including some in Northern Michigan near Traverse City) and we have such fond memories surrounding tart cherries since our childhoods, like The Cherry Festival. We are tart cherry fanatics! In fact, I recently featured two tart cherry recipes, Mom’s Homemade Tart Cherry Pie Filling (do try it!) and Cherry Pie Crumble Bars, on the blog using tart Meteor cherries grown locally here in Indiana and have at least one more to post! Looking forward to your tart cherry recipe posts, Marla! xo
Hi Stacy! Oooooo i must check out your cherry recipes they sound wonderful! Feel free to share the links to those in a comment so people can visit 🙂
So beautiful. I love all these pictures. Tart cherries, blue skies, cherry BBQ sauce – I think there is a foodie heaven. 🙂
Totally foodie & photo heaven! I am so happy we were there for bluebird days!
What a fun experience! Beautiful photos, Marla. Hope you are getting some down time 🙂
Kiran…..although I love travel it is great to be home with my family & yes, enjoying down time!
Oh my!! So yummy!! what and incredible trip!
I loooove cherries too!! Beautiful post, nicely done Marla!
Have you tried dried tart cherries? They are to die for!
Oh yes!!! Love those dried tart cherries!!
I love Michigan! We have family there and have been up that way a few times. Love all of the cherry photos too!
Those look scrumptious, they scream summer!
I love MI tart cherries! I live in southeast MI and buying sour cherries at a local farm is a summer ritual. My parents went to Traverse City a couple years ago and brought home the best sweet cherries too. But I have yet to make tart cherry pie! Next year for sure.
What a beautiful tribute to the cherry industry Marla! Great insight with a ride-along: felt like I was there!
So glad you could “join us” Toni 😉
What a fun trip Marla – so great that you were able to see firsthand the source of fresh cherries and how they are nurtured to full ripeness. Beautiful pics! Really enjoyed your post – I could imagine how sweet these perfectly ripened cherries were.
Oh Northern Michigan, how I love you! What beautiful photos and the cherries look AMAZING!!
I just happened upon your blog and I love it! What beautiful photos and your recipes sound terrific. I was thrilled to see your post on TC and tart cherries. I hail from the up north Michigan area. Once you have experienced tart Michigan cherries I feel there is no substitute. So glad to meet you. Thank you.
You captured some really beautiful moments 🙂 the cherries look perfect!