Tootsie Yr2: Grand Rapids, MI

[taz_39]

It's going to be a long post because I LOVE Grand rapids and there's a LOT of good food here.
You've been warned.

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It was an early flight, with the bus leaving around 7am for a 9:30am takeoff.
I have been SO EXCITED to see Grand Rapids again!
The circus came here several times ( 2012, 2014, 2016) and it quickly became one

Comments

[zoefruitcake]

I think I would like to try salmon jerky, I must try and find some

[taz_39]

Just so ya know the one I have here is a refrigerated kind, you would find in in a fridge section, perhaps where the lox normally would be.
Whole Foods sells something called "salmon candy" that is similar, it is usually in ice bins up front near the registers, or back at the seafood counter, OR in the fridge where they have their lox and caviar.

There are shelf-stable salmon jerkies that are going to be a lot more dry and "fishy".
The brand that comes to mind is EPIC, they make a salmon maple jerky (https://epicprovisions.com/products/smoked-salmon-maple-fillet-strips)

Other than that, there may be someone making it locally in your area, like for sale at a fish market or farmer's market, so you'd have to check around for that. Or of course you could always order some to be shipped to you. Good luck!

[zoefruitcake]

Thanks, I will keep an eye out

[mallorys_camera]

I'm wondering if for people outside Mediterranean climes, olives may be one of those flavors you age into. I really hated olives well into mid-adulthood, but now I really like them.

[taz_39]

You might be right. I hated olives when I was younger, would not eat them.
Evolved to "they're ok when used in the same way as a spice or garnish".
The evolution continued to "Well I like those purple olives, but not the other ones."
And now suddenly I am gonna eat a loaf with like twelve green olives in it this week haha.

Still not convinced I'd ever eat them stand-alone. Too salty.

[anais_pf]

Grand Rapids has changed -- for the better, I think -- since I used to spend part of every summer visiting my grandparents, who lived near John Ball Park. I considered moving there as an adult, but it gets soooo cold in the winter. That's the Grand River, by the way, after which Grand Rapids was named.

[taz_39]

Ok, I'll change the river name. I thought so but someone told me otherwise.

[melissa_maples]

It's so funny, just a couple of days ago I was looking up the location of a shop I found interesting, because I thought if it was in Europe I might visit someday, but then it said 'Grand Rapids, MI' and I made a face and thought, what a random place, like wtf is even in Grand Rapids?

Well, now I know wtf is even in Grand Rapids. And also I am adding salmon jerky to my must-have list.

[taz_39]

Hah, interesting!

Yeah I would never have looked twice at Grand Rapids before I'd been here.
Had zero expectations my first time visiting. What a surprise it was to find a massive arts festival going on throughout the entire city! And a shockingly good infrastructure for pedestrians. Lots of live music and great food, big parks and museums and things to do.

This is now my fourth visit to GR, so I've been here for "a month" total across four different years.
I've never had a bad experience here. It's a beautiful city and absolutely worth a visit, no question!

Re: salmon jerky, per another comment I left here, the kind that I got from Big O' Smokehouse needs to be refrigerated. If you were to look for it it would be in a fridge section, probably where your grocery carries smoked fish. Whole Foods sells "salmon candy" which is similar as well. And then there is a shelf stable version, but that is a lot drier and "fishier". Still good, just a different eating experience.