We sure are having an unusual winter this year! Just a few days ago winter’s cold winds and snow howled through the river valley only to have flirting spring air and temperatures near 50 degrees turn our winter-white back to muted brown and orange of the once buried forest floor. If this keeps up, the first spring birds will soon follow.
The early flirt with spring was well timed with the arrival of a second shipment of Macanudo 1968′s, a cigar that in my opinion is best enjoyed from our lower deck as the cold waters of the Muskegon River peacefully pass-by.
The Flavor
Is this really a full bodied smoke? Is it rich, dark and unexpected?
The cigar started off with a surprisingly sweet, syprupy cocoa flavor. This quickly developed into a great caramel flavor with some coffee, and creamy sweet nuttiness that tasted like the center of a Reeses Peanut Butter cup. But the caramel really sticks around in the finish. In one of the cigars I also noticed a tiny bit of pepper here as well.
The caramel flavor continued into the second third, but kind of evolved into a rich coffee flavor as the burn progressed. Chocolate flavors also began to appear in this third. And pepper started to pick up just before the end of the third.
The final third was all about the pepper. Pepper and chocolate, pepper and coffee, and even pepper and cedar.
If you are considering a trip to the lodge this February, I can’t say how the weather will play out, but I can show you a great spot to enjoy a good cigar.
I was working on a new menu a few weeks back, looking for ways
to integrate seasonal produce.
Lets talk about Grapefruit for a minute. I forget about it until December.
But then it shows up on my mom’s breakfast table. And I am hooked.
Hook – line – sinker.
So I bought 15 lbs. of Grapefruit yesterday.
And I plan to eat it all, at least whatever my family won’t take the time to peel.
Oh btw the best way I have found to enjoy Grapefruit is to peel the skin with a knife and then use my thumb to pull each juicy slice out of it’s skin.
Life on the banks of the river is a beautiful adventure.
I don’t keep track of what season I can fish for other species b/c this one is the one
that keeps me coming back.
But the menu I mentioned above roused my curiosity and I don’t plan to catch & release.
I am planning to prepare Walleye with Grapefruit Beurre Blanc.
YUM.
Beurre blanc —literally translated from French as “white butter”— is a hot emulsified butter sauce made with a reduction of vinegar and/or white wine and grey shallots into which cold, whole butter is blended off the heat to prevent separation.
Besides sounding delish I keep thinking about how it will look on the plate & frankly I’m inspired.
The holiday season is upon us. Martha’s Vineyard, our partnering supplier of “life’s finer things” can help you find that special gift for that someone with discriminating tastes.
Martha’s Vineyard boasts more than just an impressive wine selection. Home to some of the most unique imported grocery items around, and with a diverse array of snacks, cheeses, fruit preserves, homemade pastas, and sauces from all over the world, Martha’s is sure to have exactly what you are looking for. Whether it be a specialty cheese to purchase with your wine selection, or a tempting truffle to savor after lunch, Martha’s has it all.
Martha’s Vineyard provides only premium-quality foods procured from specialty import companies around the world. Compliment any meal with interesting and unique flavors found in our shop. Our professional staff is on-hand to share their knowledge in each of the shop’s many departments.
Martha’s Vineyard offers a global wine collection for the newest of enthusiasts, to the most selective of collectors. From legendary and collectible wines to a great table wine with dinner, Martha’s touts a truly unique and remarkable selection of wines and fine liquors.
Using only the freshest and highest quality of ingredients, the chef at Martha’s prepares new and exciting dishes daily in the deli. From customer favorites like Mom’s secret-family-recipe hummus, to exquisite chocolate delights from the Nantucket Bakery, Martha’s Vineyard is proud to offer a broad range of specialty items sure to please everyone, young or old.
Whether you are looking for a hard to find imported cheese to match your wine selection, a unique and tasty gift for a client or a friend, or if you are just looking for your next meal, stop by the shop at Martha’s Vineyard or order online and have it delivered!
Brisk morning temperatures & cool fall days on the river make an evening meal served in the lodge’s warm environment the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Recent dinners have included such selections as Seared Scallops served with a Chile lime Sauce, Bacon wrapped Asparagus, Gorgonzola Basil dressed Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with encrusted Goat Cheese, Smoked Cornish Hens stuffed with Porcini Wild Rice, Blue Cheese encrusted Filet Mignon, Apple Cider Cheesecake, and Raspberry White Chocolate Trifle.
Every dinner is set up around guests preferences with two menus to choose from. Muskegon River Lodge is the perfect destination for relaxed enjoyment. You can expect attention to detail & courteous hospitality. Come spend the perfect day with Riverquest & the Muskegon River Lodge.
Attention to our dwindling stock of fine cigars was in order today. I received a call from Martha’s Vineyard (our local supplier and lodge supporter) that our fall order of cigars had arrived. Like a kid in a candy store, I eagerly awaited a day off from guiding so I could pick up the new arrivals. New for this fall to our humidor are: Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Torpedo, CAO La Traviata Intrepido, and Macanudo 1968′s. Of course you will find a full stock of our old standbys from Punch, Olivia, Partagas, Romeo & Julieta and more!
I am often asked by our guests to recommend a cigar that they might enjoy while on the river, relaxing on our stream side deck, or while comfortably seated in the “mancave”. This recommendation, while seemingly daunting, is simple ….. a Punch Rare Corojo Champion. The Champion is a fun cigar from the minute you pick it up . Its bowling pin shape, otherwise known as Perfecto, grabs your interest right away. Its reddish brown wrapper makes you wonder just what flavor characteristics this cigar will feature. Beautifully constructed from seasonally available leaves, this cigar feels firm in the hand, cuts effortlessly, and burns evenly every-time. Its flavor often catches patrons off guard as its sweet cocoa qualities surface quickly and then transition to a sophisticated dark earthy chocolate. All this from a cigar that is a 3rd of the price of some of its rivals. So for me, the Punch Rare Corojo is a clear choice not only for myself , but for our guests alike.
I am fresh off a fishing “high” from the Kenektok and Arolik Rivers located 500 miles due west of Anchorage, Alaska. My normal role of a host was traded in for a role as a guest–something I can say was a real pleasure. Three different rides in three different types of planes landed me in a piece of fly fishing heaven that everyone should experience. Since this trip was to be all about the experience, I thought I would take the time to get to know some of our wines we offer at the lodge back in Michigan. Flown in by helicopter (the village of Quinhagak is “dry” which includes the airstrip) our wine and scotch landed softly on the gravel bar in front of camp.
The 2006 Flora Springs Cabernet from our lodge wine list was perfect for the evening autumn air in Western Alaska–it exhibits all of the characteristics of a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe flavors of black cherry and cocoa envelop the mouth and flows into a soft lingering finish. Accompanied by one of Chef Roberts prepared meals only enhanced both the wine and the fly fishing experience.
If you wish to add a bottle or two of this wonderful cab to your next stay at the lodge or perhaps sample one of our other great wines, give us a call or drop us an email.
Not everyone that comes to the lodge is looking for one of our six course meals before retiring to their new favorite chair. Some guests have favored cooking for themselves and the camaraderie that accompanies a twelve burner grill, big skillets, and surely a few beers. Most guests have opted to journey out to one of many local dinners or pubs. While certainly some have been satisfied by the local flavor and mystique, some have been left wondering where to eat next. In effort to satisfy our guest’s needs, Heather has put together a mid-priced menu that is sure to please. Best of all, you don’t even have to leave your favorite chair while the grill is going! For more information on including one of these dinners with your stay, give us a call at 616.293.0501.
A few days ago my family headed to the orchard to pick Cherries. We climbed rustic wooden ladders, straining for the best cherries & were delighted with the ripe red sours.
There is something perfect about harvesting your own ingredients before making pie, jam, or crisp.
24 pints of jam later I can tell you that I think we succeeded & as I type this my hubby is driving me back to the orchard for more cherries. This morning Jay headed to the river to fish an early hatch – Trico’s – while I slept. We decided we’d have a late breakfast: Oatmeal Waffles & Sour Cherries with a strong dark mug of French Roast.
Part of the beauty of living here is enjoying fresh produce offerings & daily hatches. Good Fishing & Food are the perfect pair at the Muskegon River Lodge.
Oatmeal Waffles are on the breakfast menu & come paired with local, seasonal produce.
We sure are having an unusual winter this year! Just a few days ago winter’s cold winds and snow howled through the river valley only to have flirting spring air and temperatures near 50 degrees turn our winter-white back to muted brown and orange of the once buried forest floor. If this keeps up, the first spring birds will soon follow.
