A Michigan Tradition

Last week I visited a Michigan fall landmark: the cider mill.   Molly, a native Michigander, showed me around her favorite cider mill in Northville.  At first, I was confused by all the hype.  I mean, how much fun could it be to sit around drinking cider and eating donuts?  After I visited I understood why a trip to the cider mill should be a mandatory fall event.  There’s something relaxing about sitting at a picnic table amidst pumpkins and haystacks, drinking hot apple cider.  Here is sampling of what we tried…

Hot apple cider: A staple.  Not too sweet.  Delicious.

Cider slush:  Apple cider blended with ice.  If you’re not in the mood for hot apple cider, try this as an alternative.

Caramel apple:  This was SO good!  They cut up the apple for you and add another layer of caramel and nuts.  By cutting the apple, they eliminate the most common complaint about this delicious dessert–the mess.  I love caramel apples but sometimes they are nearly impossible to eat.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t like having to fight with my food before I eat it.  This alone is worth the 20 minute drive from Ann Arbor.

Spice donut:  Outstanding.  According to the cider mill’s website, the spice donut is “vanilla cake mix blended with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, cooled and rolled in cinnamon and sugar.”  This is definitely NOT your average Krispy Kreme donut (more on my aversion to Krispy Kreme later).  The donut is more like a moist cake without frosting.  And because of the spices it doesn’t even need frosting.  I bought 6 and brought them home to my roommates.  They didn’t last long.

What’s in a name?

It’s not difficult to come up with a name for a dessert blog.  The hard part is finding a name that isn’t already taken.

I enlisted the help of my mom because she is, unlike me, very creative.  In addition, she is very experienced in planning theme parties.  If you know me, you probably know what I’m talking about.

Her ideas, in no particular order:

• My Big Fat Sweet Tooth
• Eat Dessert First
• Deo, Deo, Midnight Come and I Want to Eat Dessert
• Around Ann Arbor in 80 Desserts
• Eating My Weight in Dessert
• My Life as a Dessert Junkie
• Life in the Sugar Lane

And lastly, Sugar Sleuth.  Thanks, Mom!