Little Bee's Italian Ice in Suttons Bay

How can I have missed sharing this little gem with you?  I have loved Little Bee's Italian Ice in Suttons Bay for years, yet somehow I missed writing a blog post about it.  When I went to congratulate them today on making the cover of Edible Grand Traverse, I realized my oversight.

Jennifer and Tony are the artists and icy engineers that make Little Bee's incredible desserts.  Gelato, Sorbet and Italian Ices are made in house, in small batches daily.  I once walked into the shop when Jennifer was squeezing lemons and I thought, "Wow, they aren't kidding around. Fresh lemon juice, indeed."

And of course, the lemon ice was cold and tart and perfectly refreshing. Each summer I stop in as often as possible and I'm always greeted with a smile. 

The Suttons Bay shop also serves as an art gallery for Jennifer's landscapes and Tony's figurative sculptures. They have fashioned a creative life for themselves that I can appreciate. 

The couple concentrates on their frozen desserts in the spring and summer when Michigan fruit is fresh and the town is busy, and then they teach and work on their artistic endeavors (that will ultimately be displayed in the shop the next Spring!) during the quiet Winter months from November to May.

This is their vibrant all-natural sorbet on the cover of the Summer 2014 Edible Grand Traverse magazine. You can read the entire article online here - page 23 & 24.  Congratulations, Tony and Jennifer!

9 Bean Rows Pastries are a 10

It was the right thing to do.  When my dad and I stopped into the new 9 Bean Rows location in Lake Leelanau and saw their bakery case full of homemade French pastries, he said he thought that we should sit at a table and enjoy one right then. Amen.  

I had an apricot pinwheel and this sticky-chewy-buttery masterpiece got us talking about how it would be easier to turn down other pastries in the future, now that we have had the best. 

Did you notice the green magazine cover called "Edible Grand Traverse" in my photo (above)? I love this free foodie magazine that is printed by region (I found Edible Seattle in Washington) and spotlights the best and brightest in food and farms. Look for one in your area.

There are a lot of croissants and pastries in the world and I give you my word, the pastries at 9 Bean Rows rival the best I have ever had.

I also wanted you to see baker Jen's beloved baking books.  This is the well worn library of a master.  The most tattered cover belongs to The Professional Pastry Chef by Bo Friberg.  If you want to learn the craft, I would start here.