The Sweet Taste of Salt

   Sometimes it’s not just a meal that fills you up. Sometimes you just want more than a 10-minute chow down session at Subway. Maybe you seek a substantial amount of time to be spent surrounded by the laughter and smiles of those that are closest to you. It could be sharing a feast amongst distant relatives and creating memories that will last a lifetime. I always think back to the time where my family would come together as one and witness me falling fast asleep into a plate of pizza. If it weren’t for family, I wouldn’t hear that story year after year when we come together. Any story at a family meal that surfaces was probably created because of our unrelenting quest to bury our stress for a brief moment.

   The intentions of our hunger never change… just ask the guy who sends you lyrics from Todd Rundgren’s song “Bang the drum all day” every Friday as the work week comes to a close(You know who you are). We still seek the same opportunity to lay back, eat, laugh and just have plain old fun! The soul needs a little bit of a reset button. It is good to make sure you know why you sit at your cubicle day after day.

   As I roll out the red carpet onto the streets of Fennville, I explore a certain tradition that I have been longing for. If I am going to celebrate the joys of my agenda then I wish to spend it wisely and savor the flavor. It seems as if the very essence of my treasured atmosphere is being established on the menu at the Salt of the Earth. I traveled down the road a few miles to talk with the head chef, Matt Pietsch. I quickly became engaged as I spoke with Matt on the ways of “The Process.”

   Great People + Great Food + No Worries = An Event. What dinner should be!

   If you are wondering about the connection here, No, I am not boasting about processed foods! I am speaking of quality products that begin with the real hands of passion. Matt and the crew hold true to the concept of value through exceptional cooking and hand-crafted dishes. I believe just as much as it is hard to find good work, it is just as hard to find good food these days. The level of integrity in the culinary world is easy to downgrade; however, some individuals still take the time to give it their all!

   For the local produce enthusiast, the Salt of the Earth is a relative gold mine. I say this because Matt and the rest of the staff take the time to dig right into to the true source of quality. The roots of West Michigan grow deep under the soil of 114 East Main Street!

   The local markets are held to a high esteem within the priorities for the Salt of the Earth. Local producers such as Evergreen Lane Farm & Creamery, Palazzolo’s and Crane’s Pie Pantry are stocked in their cupboards. With a menu that changes about six times a year, Matt continues to strive for the utilization of local, seasonal ingredients. Unlike the Salt of the Earth, many people choose against this method and continue to manipulate Mother Nature. In my mind, if you are using blueberries for all your deserts in February, odds are that they aren’t local. I tip my hat once again for sticking to the guns of what West Michigan offers.

   Seasonality is the key for legitimate and traditional food practice. I mean, I don’t see too many people picking fruit in the snow as I pass by Krupka’s Blueberry Farm so why would you put blueberries on the menu week in and week out? Right!?

   “The Process” has many sides to it. The core of it can be described as creating a taste that is born from natural, conscious, and sustainable extraction from the vines of the earth.  

   When I write I like to look for something that is exceptional when I visit with owners, chefs and producers. Matt provided me with information on an idea that nestled right into this category.

   

   This ain’t your average cookie-cutter business folks!

   Their idea encompasses more than just the owners and head chefs. On days that the shop closes its doors, all the employees will travel to local farms and food producers to get an idea of where their ingredients sprout from. Matt calls them “Field trips”… I call it a great time to be on the payroll! The point of this process isn’t to go on a haunted hay ride, but the purpose is to create a sense of respect for the product that ends up on the plates of fellow patrons. If you can witness the delicate procedure to make just one quality carrot it leads me to believe that you would probably peel that carrot to the best of your ability! This productive approach has been adopted by their crew, and from my understanding it pays off and will continue to pay off.

   The pride of the Farm-to-Table notion is ever present in Fennville and people are beginning to recognize it. I asked Matt if it was worth it to take such care into the preparation of his food, and without hesitation he said “Absolutely.” Who on this earth would take 19 days to prepare ham? I’m not sure, but the Salt of the Earth does. The process is always at work; Just like most people may not know that they serve hand-cut steaks in house. The next time you hit up the filet mignon, listen for the knife slapping the cutting board in the back.

   The thing to know is that the food you are sharing with your best friends around the dinner table is built on the foundation of local spirit. The entrées you dive into don’t just end up on Matt’s doorstep after being shipped from some shady meat processing plant in Mexico (No offense to Mexico, I loved Cancun). It’s all about the process. A local process at that! Genetically enhanced foods aren’t found in this whirlwind of epic flavor!

Dear West Michigan,

Indulge.