Fermentation – it’s kind of a big ‘dill’! From sourdough bread to coffee to sauerkraut, fermented foods are a traditional way to support a healthy gut biome while bringing great flavor to the plate (or cup!) We’ve highlighted some of our favorite locally fermented foods and where to find them!
Michigan Pickles
When you think of fermentation, cucumber pickles are probably the first thing that comes to mind! In fact, Michigan is the top producer of fresh cucumbers for pickling in the nation. With flavors from dill to spicy garlic to bread and butter, there’s a pickle for every occasion. Check out these local options:
Miss Kim’s Pickles of Howell
Available in both chips and spears, these classic dill pickles are made using local Michigan products when in season. Each jar is hand crafted and available at many retailers throughout the state!
Freakin’ Pickles of Au Gres
Find a huge assortment of pickle flavors with Freakin’ Pickles! If you’re having trouble choosing, their Double Dill Pickle Chips are their best seller. These crunchy pickle chips are pickled twice for plenty of dill flavor and are available in almost 100 stores throughout Michigan, or available to ship to you October-June.
Michigan Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented fizzy drink made initially from tea, often playfully referred to as ‘booch’. Originating in Northeast China in 200 BCE, this beverage is now very popular in Michigan, and is a flavorful way to include probiotics in your diet! Check out these local kombucha options:
Lively Up Kombucha of Muskegon
This Michigan maker focuses on organic ingredients to make the lowest sugar kombucha on the market. Their Elderberry Healer flavor uses locally-raised honey from Lake Effect Apiaries and organic Cordyceps mushrooms to create a beverage that is semi-sweet with rich elderberry vibrancy. Find your bottle on their website!
Bailey’s Farms of Traverse City
Bailey’s Farms sources from local tea farm Light of Day Organics to create a truly local beverage. Perfect for February, their Sun in the Winter flavor is brewed with blueberry, cherry, elderberry and grape for a sunny flavor whatever the season. Pop open a bottle to smell the ‘Fruity Pebbles’ aroma! Order yours on their website.
Unity Vibration Kombucha of Ypsilanti
Want to try something unique? Check out Unity Vibration’s Bourbon Peach Kombucha Beer, which placed in Draft Magazine’s Top 25 Best Beers. Michigan-grown peaches are brewed with bourbon chips, Michigan-grown whole leaf hops and then aged in oak to make this beer with probiotics! Learn about their entire line of kombucha products on their website.
Bed & Breakfast – and Homemade Pickles!
Want to try all the fermented foods? The Inn at Breezy Hill Farm in Bellaire, MI takes the slow food movement seriously, making everything from pickled onions to yogurt to fresh bread with their homemade sourdough starter. They even make cured egg yolks for grating on asparagus when in season! Book your stay for a truly memorable breakfast experience on their website.
What’s your favorite Michigan fermented food?