Leland Wine and Food Festival Recap

Last weekend we made our 3rd annual trip up to the Leelanau Peninsula for the Leland Wine and Food Festival. This year's festival was great, but a bit different from past years. They turned the beauitufl park that the festival is held at into a parking lot for a new marina they are building. *sad face* Gone were the trees, grass, playground for kids and most importantly SHADE! See the construction equipment in the background and the new marina clubhouse they are building. Also note the LACK OF SHADE. The usual suspects included Matt and I, along with his sister Marci and her husband Calvin.

As you all know from my recipes, I am the biggest sucker for cheese. And this festival is like a cheese-lover's paradise. The Leelanau Cheese Company was on hand, with a big wheel of Raclette cheese, one of my absolute favorite cheeses.

See the wheel in the background? They take that blade and spin it around, creating "flowers" of extra creamy goodness, evidenced below.

I also couldn't resist getting a wedge of brie from another food vendor.

Here's Matt, chowing down on a freshly made deli sandwich on freshly baked baguette from the same vendor.

Stone House Bread always comes with some of the most amazing foccacia. Below is their roasted red pepper version. Last year they had one with artichokes. I still have dreams about that stuff...

Kejara's Bridge was serving up some delectable spinach phyllo wraps from the grill.

A nice sampling of wine offered by Cherry Republic Winery in Glen Arbor.

Bel Lago Winery in Cedar.

Short's Brewing Company was also there, sampling their Huma Lupalicious IPA and a few other beers.

Great music was provided by the Fabulous Horndogs. I would love to see these guys more often than once a year. I'll definitely be checking their website for Lansing area gigs.

All in all, it was a great time. Wine-o's united, sipping on northern Michigan's finest varietals. It was fun to reflect since last year, it was about three weeks before our wedding and it was just what I needed to relax before the big day. This year, the festival provided some much needed relaxation from the busy-ness of everyday life. Can't wait for next year. Hopefully they'll have planted some trees and grown some grass so it doesn't feel like a festival in a parking lot.