Introducing the Pasty and the Cudighi from Michigan

September 25, 26, 27 & 28, 2013

We spend the first night in Michigan in Iron Mountain, which is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  We find that the people in this area call themselves the "Yoopers".  Derived from the "U" and "P" from Upper Peninsula.  One of the local favorites is a "pasty".  It came over from the Cornish miners in England.  Their wives would make these hand-held meat pies that the miners could hold onto by the large edged crust with their dirty hands and throw the dirty edged crust away if needed.  We both enjoyed them and bought some extras for the motorhome freezer.

We went out to a "bat cave" that night to watch the bats come out and an old gentleman from the area told us that the other local "must have" was a Cudighi sandwich.  On the way home we stopped at a restaurant/bar and found that particular sandwich was only available further north in a few Italian delis so the bartender marked up a map for us to a bunch of local spots and the best route.

This ugly picture is half of my Cudighi sandwich, opened up with a bite out of it!  It is a flat sausage patty grilled with raw onions, mustard and ketchup.  It was pretty good too.  Bought at a small town along Michigan's shoreline with Lake Superior called Ishpeming, at Ralph's Deli.  While there I found the green olive spread used in the Muffuletta sandwich that I get in New Orleans.  It is apparently Italian.  Then followed Lake Superior, my first of the Great Lakes, east toward the Mackinaw bridge.

We drive through the famous "Tunnel Trees" along the Lake Michigan shoreline and get a chance to eat at Legg's Restaurant which is a Polish Restaurant in a tiny village called Cross Village along the shore.  The only open business in this village is this historic building/restaurant.  I get Golabki (cabbage rolls) and Leggs Kotlet, which is just like a German schnitzel.  While in the local town of Petosky where we stayed, the gentleman in the campground informed us that Michigan is known for their sour cherries and the "Traverse City" cherry pie is not to be missed.  Well, that evening we drive through town and see the "Traverse City Pie" restaurant.  I brought two pieces of cherry pie and a chicken pot pie home to the motorhome for dinner.  Who knew that Michigan could be such a treasure of culinary delights!

These little jewels I found in the produce dept. of a local grocery store.  The young man working there said they are hedge balls.  Not edible but used to repel spiders.  You just sit them on a small piece of foil in the area you are having a problem with spiders.  I think it is the smell.  He wasn't sure.  They are hard and the texture of a gourd.

And since I am on the subject of unusual finds in a grocery store.  This next picture was taken in Oconoa,  South Dakota.  A whole mountain of ammunition right next to the produce.  Mark and I were both amazed.  Apparently South Dakota is a very gun friendly state.

Back to Lake Michigan.  Mark and I are both amazed that the shoreline is beautiful and sandy.  You feel like you are at the ocean.  As you can see in the picture, there are even small waves lapping the shoreline.  The water is also beautiful blue.  It is a vacation dreamland up here.

Mark was able to find a local shooting range to site in the rifle he just refinished.  He even got Ang to sit down and put a few rounds in bull's eye.  He was pretty impressed with my shooting.  Although, it's not too hard when I have a scope.

I am filling up my map at a fast pace on this trip.  Just put on three lakes and Michigan!  Yes, this is a four sticker day!