American Spoon

Visitors to the Great Lakes region will find no shortage of artisanal, locally made foodstuffs to explore. The microclimates encouraged by such massive bodies of water make the communities that hug the “big lake,” as Lake Michigan is often called, particularly well suited to farming and foraging, and the region has quietly become an undersung destination for organic produce, pickled forest finds, preserves, and other edible souvenirs.

While countless things grow well here, fruit remains the area’s most celebrated crop and American Spoon Foods has been preserving and packing that origin story since long before it was in vogue to do so. Founded by Justin Rashid and chef Larry Forgione (who first met when the chef was in search of morel mushrooms for his Brooklyn menu), this Petoskey business has been putting Michigan’s microseasons by for more than 40 years.

The company, now run by Justin’s son Noah, operates a small handful of charming, checkerboard-floored shops today. American Spoon’s retail location in Petoskey was the family’s original preserving kitchen—where an employee named Midge stirred Early Glow strawberries, sour cherries, or Harlayne apricots with a long wooden paddle until they shimmered. Today’s offerings include everything from whole mustard seed packed with sparkling wine from Leelanau County to Michigan maple grilling sauce to pumpkin seed salsa.

The star of the show remains the fruit preserves, which are still made in copper kettles, 60 jars at a time. Don’t leave without their sublime sour cherry preserves which, in a region now flooded with such edible souvenirs, nails the balance between tart and sweet.