A commitment to environmentally responsible policies and locally sourced goods at northwestern Michigan's Crystal Mountain Resort makes it ready to meet increasing consumer interest in locally sourced food.
That commitment was especially evident when I interviewed Chef Darren Hawley earlier this summer about his approach to working with local farmers and suppliers as he developed menus for the resort's restaurants.
Hawley, a 1993 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and owner of Stubb's Sweetwater Grill in Northport, credits Crystal Mountain's owners with a long-time commitment to fresh and seasonal menus using locally sourced ingredients.
"This has been a hot-button issue for the owners even before I got here five years ago," says Hawley. "They were way ahead of the curve with the issue."
Hawley enhanced the resort's early efforts of talking with their major suppliers about sourcing food locally whenever possible by building, and working directly with, a strong network of local suppliers.
"The first question we ask is 'can we get this product locally?'," he says. "We'll even ask if we can get a napkin locally before buying it elsewhere."
Hawley adopts a "'bulls-eye" approach to determine what is "local". He looks for sources within a 50-mile radius of the resort first, then search for suppliers within 100 miles of Crystal, and casts a net statewide if he can't find a product within the local region.
If Hawley can't find products within Michigan or the larger Midwest region, he looks for sources as close to the resort as possible in order to reduce shipping time and expense, while insuring the best possible freshness.
"There is a lot of diversity of local products here in Michigan," he says. "This is one of the most diverse states when it comes to produce, compared to other states."
Michigan offers an incredible variety of local food even as the seasons change, and Hawley says that proteins and berries are two categories where it is particularly easy to source food locally year round.
Many farmers in northwestern Michigan supply consumers and restaurants, rather than being large-volume processors. Supplying mostly local customers means farmers grow produce that tastes best or is best for particular dishes, rather than just growing varieties that won't perish easily during long shipment times. Local customers don't worry if an ingredient is too delicate for long-distance shipping or storage as they receive product shortly after harvest and can use it quickly.
Hawley says his most successful partnerships with suppliers are those who run regular routes to Crystal Mountain. Developing relationships with local suppliers means dealing with vendors who understand the resort's needs and respond quickly and consistently to those needs.
"I like to be loyal to those guys [local farmers and suppliers] because I want them to succeed, too," says Hawley.
Crystal Mountain also hosts a weekly farmers market during the summer. It's fun to check out the market and chat with the local farmers at the foot of the ski hill.
Price can be a challenge when working with small-scale producers and local farmers, but Hawley says that makes him think more creatively when developing his menus.
"I can buy a 99-cent-per-pound chicken, or I can pay $3 per pound for free-range chickens raised locally. We've just learned to use more of the bird in creative ways like using it in soups or tangines."
Menus at the resort's restaurants reiterate Crystal's commitment to food that is "thousands of miles fresher" by using local farms, wineries, breweries and artisan food producers to support the local economy and gain the environmental benefits of reducing the miles food travels before it reaches diners' plates.
Hawley changes menus with the seasons, but his philosophy about his dishes remains the same throughout the year.
"I like to do a simple preparation using what is fresh and make the local products shine," he says.
Check out recipes from Chef Hawley at northwestern Michigan's Taste the Local Difference web site.
Interested in using some of the Midwest's best food products? Check out Cooking with Wild Berries & Fruits of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan by Teresa Marrone, Cherry Home Companion: A Cherry Cookbook by Patty Lanoue Stearns, The Chicago Homegrown Cookbook: Local Food, Local Restaurants, Local Recipes by Heather Lalley or The Flavor of Wisconsin: An Informal History of Food and Eating in the Badger State by Harva Hachten and Terese Allen.
Thanks to Brian Lawson, Director of Public Relations at Crystal Mountain Resort, for arranging an interview with Chef Hawley for me.
© Dominique King 2011 All rights reserved
