Lake Superior Flavors: A Field Guide to Food and Drink along the Circle Tour

by James Norton, Becca Dilley (Photographer)

From the founders of the popular food website Heavy Table comes Lake Superior Flavors , a celebration of food culture around the shores of the greatest of the Great Lakes. Author James Norton and photographer Becca Dilley take readers on a culinary tour around Lake Superior, hitting high-traffic tourist spots and cultural institutions as well as off-the-beaten-path discoveries. Norton and Dilley also meet food producers and artisans—fishermen, cheesemakers, brewers, and more—and explore the culinary history and current food culture of four distinct regions. Along the North Shore of Minnesota, Norton and Dilley ride along with a herring fisherman struggling to preserve his way of life. In Thunder Bay and Ontario, the authors investigate the roots of the locavore movement in a remarkable conversation with an Ojibwe woman about native food. In the remote Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, the pair encounters a group of philosophical gourmet monks who make jam from foraged berries. And along the south shore of the lake, they talk with a Wisconsin cheesemaker and goatherd who takes his flock on a nightly walk—cocktail in hand. Alongside Norton and Dilley’s travelogues are capsule reviews of restaurants, insightful tasting notes, and sidebars featuring important dishes of each region—from smoked fish and skillet-popped wild rice to pannukakku (Finnish pancakes) and cudighi (Italian meatball sandwiches). Showcasing the wild beauty and rugged authenticity of the places and people along the circle tour, Lake Superior Flavors is ideal for local foodies and for visitors who want to learn about food traditions through delicious eating and lively traveling.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

James Norton worked for several years as the Middle East editor for The Christian Science Monitor. Subsequently, he worked for the comedian (now US Senator) Al Franken and as a pop food reviewer for CHOW.com. He's currently the editor of The Heavy Table, an online magazine documenting food and drink in the Upper Midwest.

Norton's books include volumes on politics ("Saving General Washington"), food ("Lake Superior Flavors") and one collection of short fiction, "The Wendigo's Credit Card."

He lives in Minneapolis with his wife (photographer Becca Dilley), his son, and three semi-competent cats.

Reviews

[Ew Lake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though slightly dated (some of the restaurants mentioned are no longer in business, while others have risen), I loved getting to know the culture and climate of the towns surrounding Lake Superior.

[Sarah]

There are only so many kinds of smoked fish that appeal to me, but still—well written.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted this to be a 5 star book, as Duluth & the North Shore are among my favorite places, but the often pretentious tone annoyed me. It is very thorough in its discussion of the bars, breweries, restaurants etc. that were visited but all in all I was disappointed. The Heavy Table blog, which was the predecessor of this book, is a better read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I was a little confused when I got this book. I thought that it was a cookbook, it is actually a food guide to the UP. What made it great for me? I am from an area around Marquette, my grandparents and some of my family live up there and I was born there. Some of these places I have eaten at and very much enjoyed it. I loved this.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this "tasty" circle trip around Lake Superior. Wished I had had this book before we made our trip, even at that I discovered that we had stumbled upon a few of the places (Serendipity Cafe in Ontario and Lawry's Pasty Shop in Marquette, MI . Great stories of local producers, suppliers, restaurant and brewery owners. Only wished the book had included some recipes.

[Susan Puska · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book - part travel, part culture, part food and drink. Interesting stories of entrepreneurs and scenery around Lake Superior. However, I thought the author shortchanged the other twin cities - Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario - and also St. Ignace a bit.

[TheRLPL Rice Lake Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patron Review:

The information in this book is quite thorough, but the focus seemed to be more on what we call "yuppie" restaurants that we would not likely be interested in visiting.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. And now I need to start planning a trip to Wisconsin's South Shore.....