this week’s
top ten
Bird Is the Word
Mmm, Morels!
The National Morel Mushroom Festival is…almost…here. The fun guys (get it?) take over Boyne City May 12-15 for a weekend of celebration in honor of the North’s favorite mushroom. Yes, we do know our beloved, spongy little friends have only just started to return after this cold spring, but we’re ready to party! Here’s what to expect: An arts and crafts show can be found in Veterans Park on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and you can catch a free morel seminar from expert Tony Williams at 3pm Friday. But the yummiest event of the weekend is the Taste of Morels on Saturday, May 14, from noon to 3pm when local chefs serve up their favorite morel-inspired dishes. The day caps off (more puns!) with a concert featuring the Family Tradition Band. Get all the details at bcmorelfestival.com or on their Facebook page.
Birders, these events are for you. Saving Birds through Habitat offers guided birding hikes at Charter Sanctuary Discovery Center in Omena, May 14, 21, and 28 from 8:30-10am. Must reserve your spot: 231-271-3738. They will also host the Leelanau Birdfest June 2-5 (mibirdfest.org). Michigan Legacy Art Park in Thompsonville holds birdwatching tours the second Saturday of each month through Sept. Meet at the trailhead at 8am, rain or shine. $5; 17 and under are free. crystalmountain. com/event/birdwatching.
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Hey, Watch It! under the banner of heaven
Based on the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer and adapted by Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black (Milk), the gripping, true-crime drama Under the Banner of Heaven is true appointment viewing. This moody murder mystery set in the 1980s focuses on a pair of killings in a devout Mormon community and the detectives—righteous family man Jeb (Oscar-nominee Andrew Garfield)) and his secular partner Bill (Gil Birmingham)—looking for answers in a case that only gets more and more shocking. With the investigation woven together with flashbacks focused on the victim (Daisy EdgarJones) along with LDS founder Joseph Smith, the show questions belief as much as it offers a twisting whodunit. On FX, streaming on Hulu.
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tastemaker
Birch & Maple’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich Honestly, it’s hard to pick one thing to order off the Birch & Maple brunch/lunch menu. (This has led Northern Express staff to order five entrees for two people, less from hunger and more from sheer enthusiasm.) Whether you’re ordering in bulk—did someone say leftovers?—or just out for a normal, one-dish meal, go for the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. Spicy, but not too spicy, the sandwich punches up the heat with the restaurant’s “dynamite sauce” and a zesty cabbage mixture. Your taste buds are cooled with pickles, fresh greens, and a melt-in-your-mouth brioche bun. In between it all is the perfectly crisp and juicy fried chicken that will make you wish you had a fryer at home. Served alongside the finger-lickinggood sea salt, pepper, and onion chips from Great Lakes Potato Chips, this sammie hits all the marks. If you need dessert—come on, we all need dessert—the Maple Banana Bread Pudding topped with bourbon toffee sauce is utterly divine. 727 Main Street Frankfort, (231) 399-0399, birchandmaplefrankfort.com
4 • may 09, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly
