Raclette Cheese from Sutton's Bay

We have always purchased Swiss made and French made raclette cheese to melt in our raclette machine which we pour over cooked potatoes, veggies and cold cuts.  We were thrilled to hear that the Leelanau Cheese Company in Sutton's Bay makes this special fromage.  We deem it superb!  Raclette parties are lots of fun and all you do is slice the cheese, put it in the little pizza type trays and let the machine do the melting and browning. You can watch the cheesemongers work their magic at the Black Star Farms wine tasting room. The cheese cave holds about 2000 wheels of raclette!

Forty-Five North Winery in Lake Leelanau

This lovely winery is aptly known as 45 North because it is located halfway twixt the equator and the north pole, hence the moniker Latitude with Attitude. They make an outstanding rosé of which their 2008 vintage earned an incredible 90 points. Fall is a great time to visit the vineyards in the Traverse City area. This one is located not to far from Sutton's Bay where they had the Fall Finale Art Walk last night along with wine tastings from the peninsula. Wasn't the moon just beautiful?

Black Star Vineyards

Driving through Michigan's vineyard country is exquisite. One of our favorites is Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay near Traverse City. We took a peak at their elegant rooms in the inn --a perfect spot for a special weekend getaway. They even offer horseback riding, and of course, their wines are delicious and so is their cheese! Is it any wonder people choose this spot for destination weddings?