Michigan is the Cherry Republic. I hate to admit it, but I didn’t know cherries were grown in Michigan. Don’t boo and hiss, Michiganders (Michiganians?). I’m deeply rooted in southern Texas. We grow tropical fruits and pecans down here. That’s puh-CAHNS. I love cherries, I just wasn’t really aware of where they’re grown. I once saw a cherry tree in northern Montana, and I was awe-struck. But then my blogging friend Kirsten over at
Comfortably Domestic mentioned Michigan cherries and I was intrigued. When she held a giveaway contest featuring a box of goodies from
The Cherry Republic, I took my chances and entered. When I actually won and received a box of organic cherry chipotle salsa, a bag of dried cherries with mixed nuts, and a bag of dark chocolate covered dried cherries, my mind was totally blown. Not only am I now aware of Michigan’s glorious cherries, but I am a fan. A big fan. Huge. Fan. These are by far the best chocolate covered cherries I’ve ever eaten, and you guys know how I love dark chocolate. I can’t stop eating them, and I can’t thank Kirsten and the good folks at Cherry Republic enough for this fabulous gift box, but I can share their websites and encourage you to visit. I’m not sure about Mother’s Day shipping, but you can certainly check it out. What mom wouldn’t love a gift of Michigan cherries?
And then there’s Memorial Day. And the Fourth of July. And Labor Day. And Halloween. Or Thanksgiving. Cherries at Christmas would be divine. Are cherries considered “lucky” on New Year’s? Don’t forget birthdays! I’m pretty sure the gift for a 29th wedding anniversary is Michigan cherries. Honey? Did you hear me?
You can buy fabulous cherry products at: http://www.cherryrepublic.com/
You can visit the lovely Kirsten’s blog at: http://comfortablydomestic.com/
Inside NanaBread's Head 
Do you have a copy of the Dark Chocolate Anniversary Gifts? You need to work on that if you don’t!! My 22nd is coming up in a few weeks and I need to give a copy to David!!! :)
I’ll see what I can dig up!
Michigan has great apples and rubarb too (that stuff grows like weeds up there). My family is all from MI and I lived there for the first 8 years of my life. Now, I only go back for visits. It’s really beautiful in the summer and fall. I don’t do snow, though.
I love dark chocolate covered dried cherries (not those cherry cordial things cause that’s like eating a eyeball to me). That cherry chipotle salsa sounds interesting, too.
I’m with you, Amy. I don’t like the cherry cordial things either. Not necessarily because of the “it’s like eating an eyeball” thing, but it’s a texture and flavor issue with that runny filling. Me no likey. However, Sister #3 loves them! For every chocolate lover, there is a gem somewhere. As for Michigan, I’ve never really eaten rhubarb, but I would die and go to heaven if I lived in an apple orchard. That’s my idea of wonderland!
That settles it–you must plan a vacation in Northern Michigan in the late summer/early fall. You can pick apples until your heart’s content! You can also pick blueberries, and peaches in the late summer. Gorgeous time of year, up here.
Son #3’s preschool is literally nestled in the middle of an apple orchard. The building used to be a horse-drawn cider mill. They ride horses, feed chickens, collect eggs, and of course, pick apples and make pie with homemade crust. Heck, I want to go to school there, too.
Michigan in the summer sounds absolutely lovely! And I want to go to your son’s preschool, too! It sounds charming and wonderful. Thanks again for the box of cherry goodness!
It turns out that the customary 29th wedding aniversary gift is furniture. So if you are suggesting a piece of furniture made out of chocolate covered cherries, then I may be able to do something. The downside will be the firemen having to cut holes in our house so that you can get out and having to ride in the bed of the pickup. ;-)
Written with love,
TCP
Wow. That’s quite a mental picture you’ve drawn there. So maybe I’ll just hope for one bag of chocolate-covered Michigan cherries instead of a king-sized bed made out of cherries. I’d rather have chocolates than furniture anyway! PS – technically speaking, a small footstool is a piece of furniture. Can I get a footstool made of chocolate-covered cherries?
Written with my last shred of dignity,
NanaBread (your cherry-loving bride)
1. I never knew that Michigan grew a lot of cherries?
2. But I didn’t know that pecans were a Texan thing either.
3. A food geography lesson MIGHT be in order for this lady ;)
Oh yes, my friend… Texas is a big pecan state. We grow fabulous pecans down here. And now we BOTH know about Michigan cherries. There’s no telling what might be growing out there that we don’t know about. For instance – I like plums. Which state is known for plums? I know the northeast and northwest coasts grow cranberries. And I’ve been to the Willamette River Valley in Oregon. They grow apples, grapes, hazelnuts and all kinds of great things there. Anyone know of any other regions that grow great produce or nuts? Anybody?
I thought Georgia was famous for pecans!? But I can’t stand how Paula Deen says it – pee-can. I agree, it’s puh-cahn. So Texan pecans were news to me! And Michigan cherries, also news! But all of my friends from Michigan make fun of me because when we started talking about snow blowers I didn’t understand how they worked. I thought it was like a leaf blower with a heater element. I’m a Southerner! Why would I need to know these things? lol… I’m happy you won the cherry prize and can’t wait to see what you end up doing with it. You’re so creative I’m expecting cherry jelly, cherry cupcakes, who knows? And now I have to seek our Michigan cherries :)
Georgia IS famous for pecans, but so is Texas. And the more pecans the better, in my book! And I know Georgia is also famous for their peaches, since Atlanta has named every single street after them. It annoys me when someone calls them “PEE-cans” too, but then it annoys me when TCP says “aiggs” instead of eggs. He’s an Okie, but I love him anyway. Loved your thoughts on how a snow blower works. I’m with you – never used one; never needed to. It makes total sense to me that it would be similar to a big blow dryer with a high heat setting. That way you could warm your feet and hands if you’re out there too long. I’m all about practicality. As for the cherries, I screwed up and tried the dark chocolate-covered cherries first. Now I want to cover everything else in dark chocolate – starting with the nut/cherry mix. I’ve been trying to figure out how to mix the cherry chipotle salsa with dark chocolate, but that may be pushing the boundaries of decency too far. Perhaps a simple ceviche or pork carnitas application would be better.
Michigan cherries… Huh! I never knew that. (Well, now I know!)
:) I like your blog.
Thanks, Jessie!
Now I’m getting a craving! Thanks.