Celebrate the season with great food and gifts

You can support local businesses while doing your holiday shopping

Two things you need for the holiday season are delicious recipes and memorable gifts. Did you realize there’s a way you can accomplish both while supporting local Michigan businesses?

Taste the Local Difference is a company that works with local food and farm businesses across Michigan. Each year, Taste The Local Difference provides a Local Food Guide to highlight all The Mitten State has to offer. According to Paul Green, the guide includes all of their partners, recipes and stories about the local food system. There’s also a Michigan Local Gift Guide, which features an assortment of gifts that could be the perfect fit for someone on your list. The online guide includes items from places like The Mushroom Hub in Detroit, Arbor Teas in Arbor, Detroit Jerky in Livonia and Good Cakes and Bakes in Detroit, among other businesses. You can find the Local Food Guide and Michigan Local Gift Guide by visiting Taste the Local Difference’s website.

If you’re looking for a recipe that uses locally sourced ingredients this holiday season, you could try making a Roasted Beet Salad with peach, rosemary, and horseradish dressing. Check out the list of ingredients below and watch the video above to see someone from Detroit Food Academy make this recipe:

Beets:

  • 1 pound - unpeeled, greens removed, scrubbed clean
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Salad:

  • 1 bag arugula
  • 2 tbsp. toasted sunflower seeds
  • 1 tbsp. roasted lentils
  • 1 tsp. chives

Horseradish Dressing:

  • 2 tbsp. Peach Rosemary jam
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp. grated fresh horseradish
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. tarragon
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

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