Michigan's culinary destinations offer tasty winter get-a-ways

LANSING, MI--Escape into a world of wine, food and fun this winter with a delightful Michigan winter culinary excursion. From festivals to cooking classes, every foodie is sure to find something to satisfy their appetite. The Wickwood Inn, a charming B & B snuggled in the heart of Saugatuck on Michigan's west coast, offers a range of cooking classes taught by the inn's owner and author of the bestselling Silver Palate cookbooks, Julee Rosso. These insightful classes fill quickly, and reservations are required, visit www.wickwoodinn.com for a complete class schedule. Saugatuck's Kirby House Inn (www.kirbyhouse.com) has a number of great culinary offerings, including a weekend get-away package with hands-on dinner preparation February 17-18 and March 9-10. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's maiden voyage at this year's Last Dinner Aboard the Titanic, April 13-14, where meals will be created right off the legendary liner's dinner menu. Saugatuck is also home of the Grand Escape Inn's Winery Weekend (www.grande scapeinns. com) February 3-4 and March 2-3, where participants enjoy winery tours, gourmet dinners and award-winning wines. While in the area be sure to contact Hungry Village Tours to schedule a Culinary Walk or Delicious Drive. Experience the food-to-fork movement of the area farms and creative artisan producers while getting a culinary peek into the village food and village life of Saugatuck and Douglas. Tours are for six or more people and are by appointment only January through April. Visit www.hungryvilla getours. com to schedule. Head north and enjoy a weekend at Old Mission Peninsula's award-winning Chateau Chantal (www.chateau chantal. com) near Traverse City. This enchanting inn combines vineyard and winery, with pleasant B & B lodging and friendly company. Upcoming cooking and wine classes include Wine Immersion on March 31; and instruction on Italian homemade pastas and sauces on April 21. Contact the inn to schedule a private wine education tour for you and your friends. Visit www.michiganwines. com to plan your next wine tour and learn more about the more than 80 wineries and vineyards in Michigan. On the evening of February 17, stop by Traverse City to help kickoff the annual winter fest at the Winter, Wine and Wow! event (www.winterwowfest. com). Enjoy local wines and handcrafted sweets while viewing ice sculptures and anticipating the event's weekend of winter festivities. Foodies visiting Southeast Michigan must stop by the nationally acclaimed Zingerman's Deli and Bakehouse (www.zingermanscommunity.com) in Ann Arbor. In honor of their 30th anniversary, the deli has added new classes and deli favorites to their 2012 culinary lineup. Bake! and Bake-cations weekend and week-long cooking classes teach cooking techniques simple enough for culinary beginners. Classes include Scrumptious Scones and Buttery Biscuits, February 18; Bakin' with Bacon, February 25; Pizza: The other American Pie, March 9; and Cin-ful Cinnamon Rolls, March 24. Remember to register soon, as classes fill up quickly. Plan a stop in Mid-Michigan to get educated on the art of cheese-making at the Michigan State University Dairy Foods Complex in East Lansing, March 5-7. The three-day artisan cheese-making workshop focuses on ingredients, techniques and aging requirements. To register call 517-353-3175. Maximize your culinary knowledge with a class at the Le Chat Gourmet Culinary Arts in Eaton Rapids. Hands-on classes are offered for cooks of all levels. Limited class sizes ensure personal training from the chef. Choose from a variety of classes such as sushi making, March 8; sauce making, March 17; Tuscan Trattoria, April 13; or Greek Gyros, April 18. Students dine on their creations at the close of class. Visit www.lechatgourmet.com for a complete list of classes. Visit www.michigan.org for additional foodie tour locations and information under Things to Do/ Road Trips. The website is managed by Travel Michigan, a division of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Travel Michigan markets the state's tourism industry and provides valuable visitor information services. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is leading the Michigan Culinary Tourism Alliance, an initiative to raise awareness about the economic benefits of promoting Michigan as a culinary destination. More information about the Alliance is available at www.michiganwines.com under Wine and Food. Published: Mon, Jan 16, 2012