TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (Michigan News Source) – Labor Day is here – our annual cue to pack away the white pants, fire up the grill, and argue about whether Faygo Redpop counts as a legitimate holiday beverage.
While most of the country is flipping burgers, Michigan also offers a spread of snacks and sweets that are as iconic as the Mackinac Bridge Walk itself. But before we dive face-first into some cherry pie, let’s take a quick look back at why we’re all getting this Monday off in the first place.
A quick Labor Day history.
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Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, born out of a messy mix of industrial strikes, labor protests, and politicians desperate to look like they cared about workers. It was meant to honor the contributions of the American workforce – and give everyone a last hurrah before the new school year starts. Today, however, the only heavy lifting most of us are doing is hauling coolers and lawn chairs.
Michigan Labor Day holiday feasts include coney dogs.
Nothing screams Michigan summer quite like a good Coney dog. Detroit’s legendary Coney Island restaurants – Lafayette and American – still duke it out over who does it best. But for your backyard spread, all you need is a decent natural-casing hot dog, a bun that won’t collapse, and a ladle of some good spicy meat sauce. Add a side of Great Lakes potato chips and a glass of Detroit-made Faygo Redpop (or my preferred Root Beer) and you have a Michigan meal fit for a queen or king. And don’t forget the freshly boiled (or grilled) ear of corn you can pick up at your local farmers market or road-side stand.
Traverse City cherries for dessert.
Skip the store-bought cookies and lean into Michigan’s cherry obsession. Traverse City has been calling itself the “Cherry Capital of the World” for a while now and this is the perfect time to grab a delicious cherry pie from a local Northern Michigan bakery. If you’re feeling ambitious, whip up cherry cobbler or a cherry barbecue glaze for ribs. You don’t even have to live in Traverse City to get a cherry pie from the Grand Traverse Pie Company. East Lansing also has the restaurant/retail store. So does Ann Arbor, Brighton, Midland, Norton Shores, Okemos, Plymouth, and Portage. And their pies are also sold at many Michigan retailers around the state including Meijer, Kroger and Family Fare.
Vernors Floats.
What’s a holiday without an overly sweet, carbonated sugar rush? Michiganders know that Vernors ginger ale is a combination of medicine, dessert, and nostalgia in a bottle. Top vanilla ice cream with Vernors for a float or mix Faygo flavors into cocktails for those of you who are at least 21, and you’ve got a fizzy taste of pure Michigan tradition.
Local cheese, beer and other snacks.
All you need to do is look around you to find local treasures including ones at Michigan craft breweries, dairies, ice cream shops, and fruit stands. Many retail stores also offer local delights as well like the much touted “Freakin’ Pickles” coming out of AuGres as well as locally sourced salsas, hummus and pasties.
Wrap-up: calories well spent.
Labor Day is about honoring workers, but most people are celebrating it by NOT working – as they unapologetically eat their way through Michigan’s best flavors. Whether you’re road-tripping for a famous Coney, stocking up at a Traverse City farmers market, or cracking open a Vernors while watching fireworks, celebrate the end of summer like a true Michigander: full, happy, and slightly sticky from cherry juice.
