Songbird Prairie has a sweet stay planned for you!

THE SWEETEST THING:

The sweetest day of the year is coming back! Join us

 

 

Saturday, April 9 for a day of chocolatey bliss with the second annual Chocolate Walk! Stroll through downtown and visit participating retailers and restaurants and receive a tasty chocolate treat. Samples are donated from some of Valparaiso's top candy makers, bakers, and ice cream shops.

Tickets to the Chocolate Walk go on sale Monday, March 7 at 12:00 noon CST.

No, you’re not too late to enjoy autumn

by KKOSKY on Oct 13, 2015

 It seems the fall colors are a little delayed this year in Indiana Dunes Country, with the brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow just now starting their breakout.

The fall colors are bursting.

But the good news is that the colors should last through October and into November.

This past weekend I enjoyed the perfect autumn weather with a hike at Indiana Dunes State Park. My favorite trail is trail 9, which starts in the woods before making its way to beautiful views of Lake Michigan.

For those who want to take it a little easier, there are two fall drives to enjoy in Indiana Dunes Country, including the Dunes and Lake loop, which takes you through tree-lined roads and along the lake; and theDowntowns and Country Roads Loop, which features peaceful country roads and which passes through Chesterton and Valparaiso for those who want to enjoy some great dining and shopping.

Next on my agenda is hiking some of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore trails, like the Cowles Bog trail and the Tolleston Dunes trail. Looking for a weekend getaway?

 Indiana Dunes Country lodging features great chain hotels as well as ready-to-pamper-you B&Bs like Songbird Prairie Inn and Spa, which, as the name suggests, features a sitting area where you can see and hear birds, as well as a spa to make your stay even more enjoyable.

I’m glad the fall colors are going to be around for weeks to come. Click here for more information about fall in Indiana Dunes Country.

Epicurean Classic-Stay at Songbird

     THE EPICUREAN CLASSIC Migrates to Southwest Michigan

After five successful years in northwest Michigan's Traverse City, the annual Epicurean Classic, a Celebration of Food & Wine Artisanship, is migrating south-- to St. Joseph--where, from August 28 to 30 some of the country's finest chefs, cheese, wine and beer experts, culinary authors and practitioners will join together on St. Joe's Bluff along the Lake Michigan shoreline for a three-day Epicurean bonanza of cooking, demonstrations, wine tastings, receptions, guest/chef restaurant dinners and more.

THE PRESENTERS

Aussie Curtis Stone, host of TLC's Take Home Chef, is author of the new Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone.

Chicago chef Jean Joho(Everest, Brasserie JO and Eiffel Tower Restaurant) was named Best American Chef: Midwest and nominated for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation.  Joho has also been name Bon Appetit's Chef of the Year.

Giuliano Hazan, son of Marcella Hazan, runs a cooking school in Verona.  Hazan won the IACP award for Cooking Teacher of the Year in 2007, and is a contributor to Cooking Light magazine and author of many cookbooks including Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta.

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, long known as masters of technique, take it up a few notches in their latest effort, Cooking Know-How, one of NPR's 10 Best Summer Cookbooks of 2009.

David Leite is the author of The New Portuguese Table, in which he explores and explains, with recipes and historical anecdotes, the cuisine of Portugal.

Mary Karlin teaches wood-fired cooking at the Ramekins school in Sonoma, California.  In her new book, Wood-Fired cooking, she explores the diverse flavor characteristics of hardwoods and live-fire cooking methods.

Anna Thomas's Love Soup provides delicious recipes for vegetarian soups from the author of The Vegetarian Epicure.  Anna Thomas describes her love affair with the ultimate comfort food.  "From my kitchen to yours,"  Thomas says, "here are the best soups I've ever made."

Jennifer McLagan is the author of Fat, the 2009 James Beard Cookbook of the Year, and also author of the multi-award winning cookbook Bones.  Jennifer will try and win us back to a healthy relaionship with animal fats--fundamental to the flavor of our food.

Takashi Yagihashi gained his following at Chicago's Ambria and at Tribute (in Michigan), and was a James Beard and Food & Wine Best New Chef recipient.  Yagihashi is currently wowing Windy City diners at Takashi and Noodles.

Gale Gand is the executive pastry chef and partner of the renowned Chicago restaurant Tru.  Gand was named Outstanding Pastry Chef by the James Beard Foundation and Pastry Chef of the Year by Bon Appetit magazine.  In 1994 she was featured as one of Food & Wine magazine's Top Ten Best Chefs.

Friday, August 28 at 10 a.m. kicks off a full day of sixteen 60-minute cooking demonstrations augmented by the Tasting Pavilion (open noon to 4 p.m.) with a few hundred wines from around the world as well as plenty of regional wines.  Also in he planning stages for Friday evening are guest chef/local chef dinner at well-known area restaurants.

Saturday, August 29at 10 a.m. brings another day of sixteen cooking demonstrations and noon to 4 p.m. hours in the Tasting Pavilion.  The full day will be capped in the evening by the Grand Reception featuring twenty guest authors.  Over twenty wine tables will be hosted by prestigious wineries, augmented by an array of small plates, and joined by a selection of premium brews and spirits.

Sunday, August 30  at 10 a.m. brings almost a full day of cooking demonstrations (ten total); the Tasting Pavilion will be open from noon to 3 p.m.

Information for this event that is sure to please, can be found at epicureanclassic.com.

Article courtesy of Lake Michigan Shore Magazine.