What's VEDDER than CUBS, CACTI, and CAKE?!?!

Well I am sure you can tell by the title that we had one heck of a time!  I happened to be looking for tickets to see Eddie Vedder in Chicago and I came across a festival that had a lineup that took me way back and I knew I had to buy tickets immediately.  The Innings Festival takes place in Tempe, Arizona each year.  The 2019 lineup included some of my favorite artists including, Eddie Vedder, Cake, Matt Kearney, GROUPLOVE, and St. Paul & the Broken Bones.  Incubus, Jimmy Eat World, Guster, and Sheryl Crow were among some of the other artists that attended.  Nick and I reached out to a couple of friends to see if they wanted to join.  To our surprise, it was taking place his birthday weekend AND he informed us it was also CUBS SPRING TRAINING!! I mean, hello?! We would be crazy not to catch a Cubs game while there.  We arrived Thursday night and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn by the airport.  The hotel offers free transportation, but we waited almost 45 minutes after repeatedly calling them, so we grabbed an Uber.  Apparently it is a "thing" in the Phoenix area for taxis and ride-shares to go the long way or act lost in order to rack up more money.  Our driver circled around several times.  Finally I asked him why we kept going the same way.  He then states that he was not sure.  That was confusing to me because when the map said to turn right, he turned left.  Anyways, that did not spoil our trip.  We were just getting started.

DAY 1:  Our first morning, we decided to head over the Waffle House after reading they have gluten-free waffles!  Being from the South, I felt like I HAD to go to the Waffle House and considering it was in the same parking lot as the hotel, reading they have GF Waffles, I figured it was a no-brainer.  My dreams came crashing down as soon as the server said that they do not serve GF waffles at that location.  Bummed is the understatement.  I settled for some good southern grits, eggs over medium, and bacon.  If you have never had runny eggs mixed with your grits, you are missing out! It is one of my favorites!  I would have loved eating each and every bite of these if I had not found a HAIR about halfway through eating.  Needless to say, my appetite was shattered, along with those waffle dreams.


We decided to pack up, grab an Uber (while following his move on the map of course), and head to Tempe.  We dropped our things off at our Airbnb and headed downtown.  The guys had scheduled golf, so we decided to grab some drinks and hang out before they hit the green.  We stopped in at C.A.S.A. Tempe.  We ordered round of drinks and asked them about their GF options.  The server informed us that they did not really have any options....even the tacos with corn tortillas had gluten in the sauce for the meat.  I was disappointed to say the least.  She did confirm I could eat the rice and refried beans, so that is what I settled with. The flavor was extremely bland and they came out in Styrofoam which was extremely disappointing as well.  The rice was stuck together in a clump, so that did not help the situation at all.  Maybe I was just doomed to eat that day?! The margarita I started out with was pretty good, so that helped!  They have a happy hour that goes all day until 6pm that offers half-off drafts.  They offered a local cider called, Desert Dragon (ABV 6.9%), which had great flavor.  The name made my taste buds curious, so I had to give it a try.  I can attest that it was worth every sip and I would definitely drink another one...or ten!  The server was completely uneducated on the beers, ciders, cocktails, and food.  Besides that, we had great company and enjoyed our time outside with the warm weather and cold drinks.  I did decide to have a mule before heading out.  That was delicious.  They have specialty cocktail mule, but due to the liquors they add, I was unable to give that one a shot and played it safe with Tito's.

Once the guys returned from golf, we all headed to Ike's Love & Sandwhiches. If you are ever in Tempe, PLEASE check them out!  They have some of the best GF bread I have ever tasted.  I chose the Barry B sandwich.  It has bacon, turkey, and swiss.  I added lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo.  We also had some kettle chips alongside the scrumptious sandwich and that tied it all together.  I was FINALLY FULL!!

DAY 2:  We started the day off with some delicious brunch at Postino.  How excited was I when I learned I could have GF bread?  There is a local bakery that supplies a lot of the restaurants, so that was extremely refreshing.  I had the Nine Iron Panini ($11).  It consisted of smoked bacon, grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, and dijonnaise.  The cost of GF bread is $2.  If the flavor of the bread had not been so delicious and the bread tasted so fresh, I would have been upset for having to pay that up-charge.  They also offered fantastic peach Bellini's according to my friends.  While enjoying brunch outside on their wonderful patio, IT STARTED TO RAIN!!!  Yep, in the desert, it started to rain!  We ended up having to go back to the bnb to change into warmer clothes!

We ended up making it to the Cubs game a little late.  The Cubs were playing the Brewers.  That was pretty neat to see since they are rivals.  Arizona spring training is known as the Cactus League.  The Cubbies were playing at Sloan Park.  The sun came out and boy oh boy did we start burning up.  It was still chilly-ish, but that sun was hoooot. I can't say I really complained since we left freezing polar temps in Chicago.  Although the Cubs didn't pull through with a "W", it was really nice watching them play at such a beautiful field.  While at the game, I had some wonderful Italian ice from Angelo's Italian Ice.  It was the perfect selection to help cool me off.

After leaving Sloan Park, we headed to Tempe Beach Park for some music!  The park is along the water, so watching the sunset over the water and the string-lights along the bridge turn on as the sun set and moon was rising, it was the perfect atmosphere for some live music.  Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers were playing as we walked in.  I really loved their sound.  For food, I had contacted the Innings Fest customer service ahead of time to make sure there would be some GF options and they assured me I would be fine, but gave me no details.  I have to admit, I was slightly nervous.  They did well!  Not knowing what to expect, they definitely came through on their options...they had a TITO'S bar and CHIPOTLE! I scooted over to the Tito's area to snap a pic and grab a drink!  I was able to see my friend, Josie who works for Tito's!  It was very serendipitous!!  She happened to be there for a Tito's shoot the following day and decided to swing by the fest for a day since she was already in AZ!  She lives in Austin and we met when she was at Lollapalooza in Chicago last year.  She had on the coolest Tito's shorts and of course I had to compliment them.  The rest is history and we have kept in touch ever since. Seeing her at the fest was icing on the cake! After enjoying a cucumber and Tito's cocktail, we headed over to Chipotle for some grub.

The crew working the Chipotle line were AMAZING!!!!!  I told them I was gluten-free and they changed out the utensils they used, washed their hands, and put on new gloves!  They did not once make me feel like I was a bother or wasting their time.  I ordered the rice bowl with a mix of both beans.  I had it topped with tender steak, fajita veggies, lettuce, and cheese!  I even received a cool clear swag bag from them that will be perfect for the Cubs and Bears games in Chicago this year!  After striking gold with food and drinks, we found a spot and listened to some great tunes.  We rocked out to Guster before heading to the other stage to listen to Blues Traveler.  Holy harmonica is he talented!!!!  After Blues Traveler, we grabbed another Tito's drink and headed to the other side to see GROUPLOVE.  Their energy has always been something I love.  They did a cover of Rage Against the Machine that was FANTASTIC!!  They have SO much fun on stage.  It really electrifies the crowd.  We then headed to see CAKE.  Have you ever heard the song, The Distance?  It resonates in my ears and sparks memories from when I thought I was cool in the 8th grade when in fact, I was a giant nerd!  I would try to memorize all of the lyrics in hopes that a cute boy in the arcade at the mall would think I was cool.  Oh those were the days! Haha!  After reliving 8th grade memories, we headed to another stage to catch a little bit of Sheryl Crow.  I have never been a huge fan of her voice, but man....she seems like she would be so cool.  She has a super "chill" factor about her that makes it seem as though she would be fun to have over for a cookout.  While walking back to the other stage to catch the headliner, we stopped by the KIND popup and grabbed some mini KIND bars.

Those were a perfect little dessert snack.  Incubus was the headliner for Saturday night.  They put on a great live show.  I really did not know what to expect.  It was pretty awesome seeing people sing every single word to every single song.  This fest was just so nostalgic to me, I am sure it sparked memories in most people around.  After Incubus, we headed back to our bnb for some good rest and to get ready to do it all over again on Sunday!

DAY 3:  The boys decided to tee off again and hit the green early on Sunday.  I did not mind one bit, I wanted to sleep!  Once they returned, we hit the ground running and decided to go to Daily Jam to give us some fuel for the day.  I really wanted to try their bloody mary ($9), but they were out of Tito's.  I settled for a Strawberry Mimosa ($8) instead.  Nick ordered a 20oz. cold brew ($5).  They were really slow on getting drinks out to guests.  In fact, two bloody mary's sat on the counter for at least 15 minutes before they took them to the folks they belonged to.  I would have been livid if I waited that long and ended up with a watered down bloody mary.  For food, they have a lot of GF options.  I ordered the chilaquiles ($9).  They were DELICIOUS! They were not labeled GF, but I asked about the ingredients and they confirmed I was good to go.  They consist of fresh corn tortillas, roasted ranchro sauce, cheese, and 2 fried eggs.  I added chorizo to mine for an additional $2.  They chorizo added an extra little kick of flavor.  I would definitely order this again!  A couple of the people working there said that the downtown Phoenix location is bigger and offers more beverages with a less likely chance of running out of things like the Tempe location.  It could have been the festival crowd, but they did not seem prepared at all.

After stuffing our bellies, we headed back for the final day of live music.  We set up shop to watch and groove to the smooth sound of G. Love & Special Sauce.  Afterwards, we headed to the Tito's area and then Laura and Mike grabbed a margarita from the Milagro Tequila tent.  We set up shop on a GIANT chair that was set up by Corona.  There was a perfect breeze in the air that made everything that much sweeter.  Our ears were tuned in to the refreshing voice of one of my favorites, Mat Kearney.  I first hear Mat Kearney on The Rock Boat, a floating music festival that started in 2000.  I have been on six of them.  It is so fun to watch artists who are up and coming on the boat reach stardom and success.  He is one of those.  If you have not heard of him, check him out for sure. After listening to him, we headed over to the Stella Rosa tent.  I wish we hadn't, but they had couches...comfy couches!  There chardonnay was not good at all.  It took a while to be able to finish one tiny cup of it.

The only thing that helped make that a good experience was listening to the soulful voice and sound of, St. Paul and the Broken Bones.  Nick and I first saw them live at a really cool venue called, SPACE.  It is located in Evanston, IL.  The acoustics in this place are unmatched to any venue I have ever been to.  If you are in the area and have a chance to catch a show there, do it!  It will be something you won't regret.  After listening to St. Paul, we headed to the other stage to listen to Shakey Graves.  The sound folks really dropped the ball on this one.  It was so hard to hear him.  They were one of the bands I looked forward to seeing for the first time.  We will make sure to catch him when he heads through Chicago. We headed over to Chipotle again for some more of their goodness.  After leaving there, we grabbed a Tito's cocktail and headed over to watch Band of Horses.  I have always enjoyed their music. I actually saw them at a free concert in Nashville back in 2010.  They were so great back then, I knew we could not miss them this time around.  We headed to listen to Jimmy Eat World!  When I saw they were going to be at the festival, the song, The Middle, started playing on repeat in my head.  I am extremely bummed that we were unable to hear them sing that.

We left right before they played it to get a good spot for EDDIE VEDDER!!  I have been waiting more than two-thirds of my life to see him live, whether with Pearl Jam or solo.  I grew up being a huge fan since I had a brother who was 13 years older than me.  I thank my brother Robbie for introducing me to the music of Pearl Jam and Nirvana at the tender age of 11.  It helped open my mind to amazing music.  I had planned on seeing Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field in July of 2013, but the tickets sold out and the cheapest one I could find was almost $1000, so I hung out on a friends front porch and listened to as much as I could just wishing I could be inside to see them perform with my own eyes.  Little did I know, Nick was at a bar less than a block away from me doing the exact same thing.  That was our last night as single folks!  Our paths crossed on the Red Line Train the following day and the rest is history!  As soon as Eddie Vedder walked out, tears began to run down my cheeks.  I was overcome with such joy and childhood wishes that were finally granted.  The only other time I have cried when a singer came out was in Sydney, Australia when I saw, Adele.  It is such joy and excitement that overcomes you and your body does not know how to handle the emotion, so tears of joy just run down your face.  It is a surreal experience.  I LOVE lyrics.  Being a songwriter myself, I glide through a song listening to every word and story the writer is trying to tell.  Eddie Vedder resonates with me, as does Adele, so maybe that is why those are the only two performers I have ever seen live and cried.  I can only dream of seeing them live again.  Dreams do come true now then!  Want to know what topped the cake?!  Joe Maddon, the coach of the Cubs, as well as, some of the Cubbies came out to perform with Eddie.  That was so fun!  It was a like a little party on stage.  While still high off of a surreal experience, we headed to our bnb.

Here is a little tribute to Tom Petty:

The festival offered a food court that offered GF options, however, it was hard to beat the price and service of Chipotle.  I did try some beef tacos from, El Jefe, that were extremely flavorful, but the price was a little steep.  Speaking of prices, this festival charges more for drinks, food, and merch than Lollapalooza does.  The same company runs both events, but the price difference is astonishing.  A $3 coozie at Lolla was $5 at Innings.  A $9 beer at Lolla was $11-$14 at Innings.  The Tito's drinks were $11 as well.  We were a little shocked by the prices since it was Tempe vs. Chicago, but all in all the festival and lineup was FANTASTIC!!!!  I look forward to possibly going again next year!

DAY 4:  The journey home started early.  Shew, I feel like my adrenaline was still pumping from the O.H.S.O located in PHX.  Disappointed is the absolute understatement.  The server wanted nothing to do with our table when I asked about gluten-free options.  She said there was NOTHING I could have that was gluten-free.  I asked about several options and she said she would ask the cook, but knew he would not be down to help with my "dietary restriction".  Part of the disappointed is due to the fact that they advertise GF on their menus.  She said it is because those were the "actual" restaurants and this is just an airport location.  I drank my coffee, ate a KIND bar leftover from the festival and headed to our gate.  Not the best way to end our trip, but the highs of this trip outweighed any of the negative....TENFOLD!
night before, so I was actually not as sleepy as I thought I would be.  We headed to the airport and stopped at



STAY TUNED for my next trip is to Pittsburgh, PA and Lisbon, Portugal in April....I look forward to discovering what gluten-free goodness these cities hold near and dear!

Thank you so much for taking the time to relive these experiences with me!  It means the world!

Wisconsin, you take the cheese!

Wisconsin, known for their cheese and love for beer is somewhere Nick and I love to visit each year.  Between the nice people, and miles and miles of uninhabited land, make it for a close little getaway that helps reset our mind and calm us from the hustle and bustle of city living.  Nick and I, along with four of our dear friends, took a quick weekend trip to Merrimac, Wisconsin to stay at "the cabin" owned by some great friends, Jodi and Rich who are so kind in allowing us to use it from time to time.  We stopped by Woodman's Market, an employee-owned massive supermarket.  It is based out of Wisconsin, but has a few locations in Illinois.  They had items from Simple Mills that I always love.  Being based out of Chicago, I have really enjoyed watching them grow.  Their dessert mixes and crackers are always a go-to for us! Woodman's has a good amount of gluten-free foods, so we stocked up on goodies and headed up to the cabin.  They also have ANYTHING else you may need....they have EVERYTHING.  Craziest thing I have ever seen.

This is our dessert from Driftless Glen. 

We headed up from a crazy, icy winter in Chicago, for an even more snowy and icy environment in Wisconsin.  We figured the cabin would be super cozy and perfect.  It was absolutely gorgeous seeing the snow covered ground only interrupted by the footprints of animals living in the wild.  It was very serene and just what we were hoping for.

We did not feel like cooking on Friday night, so we headed out to a "supper club" in Portage, Wisconsin.  Those are so intriguing to me.  We never really had those back in NC.  Well, google stated that the one we were going to was open, but upon arrival at Trail's Lounge Supper Club, they were closing.  We were super bummed.  The man that came out to talk to us was extremely kind.  I was looking forward to their less than $5 wine.  Oh well, maybe next time.

                                       

We scooted down the street to Tamarack Pizza.  They are well known for their pizza, steak

sandwich, and burgers.  I ordered a steak sandwich ($8.95) without bread and a side of chili after the server said the chili is made from scratch by the owner.  The chili was delish!  The first bite of steak immediately stopped me in my tracks.  I asked them if there was a marinade.  She confirmed my fears and stated it was Worcestershire! I knew I was hosed.  Always be careful with Worcestershire sauce.  Often times when Malt Vinegar and/or Soy Sauce is present, the meal is going to contain my nemesis, gluten.  Laura ordered a burger ($4.95) sans bun and I had a bite and it was DELICIOUS!!  They charged extra for lettuce and tomato ($.55) which was frustrating since you are paying for a bun you are not receiving, but the flavor was so good, that I ordered one of those.  I could not eat the fries since they are fried with everything else.  The boys ordered pizza and I made sure to steer clear.  They had Tito's vodka and wine that I knew I was safe drinking, so what could have been a disaster turned out just fine and left me with a belly full of happiness!  I also should add that they have penny slots which are super fun except for the fact I lost $10 in 2 minutes, but who is counting?! I walked back to my seat with my head hanging low and sipped my drink in defeat.

Their prices are AWESOME!

This was my JAM!! 

My chili from Tamarack.

Stay away from this steak,  it has a gluten marinade.
Remember to ALWAYS ASK!

The Jambalya

The next morning, Mike made a tasty breakfast in which we included mimosas.  He made a sweet potato hash that was delightful.  I definitely need that recipe.  For a late lunch, we headed to Driftless Glen Distillery located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Nick and I had been there a couple of times prior and wanted to make sure to introduce our friends to one of our spots.  They have the BEST S'mores Moonshine!! As for GF food options, they have salads just like most places, but also have a GF jambalaya ($13).  Laura and I split the entree sized Greek Salad ($11), which had the perfect balance of ingredients.  Their balsamic is some of the best I have had.  They carry flavorful, unique olive oils from Reneè.  They have samples set out for you to try.  We highly recommend it.  The jambalaya was ok.  Not the best jambalaya I have had, but I did like the kick that stemmed from the Andouille sausage and spicy Creole rice.  I feel like it needed more shrimp that had a little more of a juicy flavor.

The Bee's Knees Martini

Oh how could I forget?  MY DRINKS!  I started out with a lovely Bee's Knees Martini ($10).  It was the Bee's Knees, lemme tell ya!  It is made with 114 PROOF Gin that they call Navy Strength Gin.  The use Reneè's Honey-Ginger White Balsamic which I know sounds odd, but trust me...you have to try this.  They add their own honey and lemonade and BAM...it was so tasty that it basically evaporated from my glass. I am a sucker for their S'mores Rivershine Moonshine, so after lunch, I was in a food coma and getting sleepy, so how could I turn down a cocktail that included their magnificent S'mores Rivershine and some much needed espresso? I couldn't, so I ordered their Snowdrift cocktail ($8).  Well I guess it did not "technically" include the S'mores Rivershine, but yet their regular Rivershine Moonshine, so I asked the sweet server if I could substitute and she said it is common for people to do that, so I was happy as a pig in "insert common word used in the old saying here"!

Rivershine S'mores substituted in the Snowdrift
Cocktail

Isn't she lovely?!

DG Spirit Flight ($10)

One of the neatest things about their whiskey is that it is derived from 100% corn, so I can actually drink it, so you have nothing to worry about with their Rivershine line or their Bourbon. They do have a Rye Whiskey I have to avoid.  I was in the mood for more chocolate, so I had to order a dessert, right?! They have a Rivershine Flourless Chocolate Cake ($6) that was to die for...literally.The presentation was gorgeous and was glazed with ganache. The plate was beautifully decorated with a crème anglaise and raspberry coulis.  I can't say enough wonderful things about this place!  You should definitely make time to eat, drink, and do a distillery tour.

They are also down the street from the circus museum called, Circus World. Nick and I have not been there, but do plan on it when we head to Wisconsin for our next little getaway.  I recommend going to both when the weather is nice.  You can go to Circus World for a couple of hours and then head on over to hydrate and eat while enjoying the outdoor patio nicely located over water at Driftless Glen.  For dinner we made ribs while enjoying Poker and Clue (the original version)!

                 

         

My winnings!

The ORIGINAL Clue

Our delicious ribs

  

Herky getting in on the action.  

On Sunday, Sarah and I made breakfast which consisted of grits, over medium eggs, and bacon.  I wanted them to get a taste of some southern cooking.  Runny eggs mixed with grits is already

delicious, but when you decide to dip you crispy pieces of bacon into it, it is like striking GOLD! 

We wish that our fun little getaway could have lasted longer, but any time away with great company is a winner for me. Having the pups and dear friends was just what we needed and I could not have asked for a better time...well except that supper club being open later.

Hiking to the Falls.

My FAVORITE set of TWINS!

My handsome husband and our daughter, Pretty!

Laura with handsome little, Porthos.

Al practicing how tired he is going to be starting in April
when he becomes a DAD!

Stay tuned for my next trip as I discover gluten-free in Phoenix and Tempe.  We are heading there for some Cubs Spring Training and the Innings Festival.  I cannot wait to see Eddie Vedder.  He has always been one of my all time favorites, so seeing him will top the cake.  See y'all soon!

An Apple a Day, eh? Well Cider is made from apples, soooo?!?!

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE cider!  I mean hey, I grew up with the motto of," An Apple a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away"! Well, fear not Mama, I still have apples...often...just in the form of juice, a spiked juice that is not sweet(at least the ones I go for) and they have a crisp and delicious flavor..."Kinda-Like-A"(inside joke with mi madre) vitamin juice!

Cider Summit is something that my husband and I always look forward to.  This was our 3rd year in attendance.  Cider Summit is located at Navy Pier in their gorgeous Aon Grand Ballroom. If you haven't been to Navy Pier lately, definitely check it out.  They have done a ton of remodeling and it looks fantastic, although construction is still underway.  This year Nick and I were joined by four of our dear friends for a cider exploration!  Oh the delicious ciders we would taste!

I consider myself to be a "cider snob".  Most folks hear cider and think of a super sweet, more like a kool-aid type drink.  That just makes me think of a hangover and headache and could not be further from the truth...the fake sweet part that is.  The hangover and headache depend on consumption. Ciders range from being super dry, like a brut, to extremely sweet.  For someone who cannot have gluten, I tend to lean more towards the "dry" side because I like to be able to have a few of them without feeling sick and consuming all of that sugar.  It is refreshing to see stores now selling more than just the typical, Smith & Forge, Angry Orchard, and Woodchuck.  I do have to add...Angry Orchard and Woodchuck are trying to change it up a bit with adding ciders more on the dry side of things.

I guess that will lead me to start with Woodchuck.  I actually tried Woodchuck's Pearsecco (6.1%ABV) and I have to say, "WOW!" It was dry, bubbly, and clean.  The crisp, dry pear flavor added a nice refreshing aftertaste.  I was pleasantly surprised. I may or may not have gone back a couple of times for a sample!  I tried their Rose as well, but the Pearsecco took the gold! 

After departing from Woodchuck, I could not help but stop at Schilling Hard Cider, visiting from Portland, Oregon.  Schilling Hard Cider holds a special place in my heart because Nick and I visited their tasting room, Schilling Cider House a few years ago and had the best time! They won me over with their $12 cider flights and their 100% Gluten-Free Kitchen!!!  You can't get better than that!  Nick and I are touched with a bit of nostaligia when we sip out of the glass we purchased from there.  When I saw their booth, I told the nice guy working there about our experience and I was filled with such joy.  Something I did not know is that they have the most ciders on tap...NATIONWIDE! They pride themselves on making "clean" ciders meaning, no additives...just fresh pressed apples.  Their variety of ciders and GF kitchen, are fantastic reasons to make the journey to Portland.  While in Portland, also check out Cider Bite Cider House.  Although not as many, they have 32 ciders on tap!  The adorable ambiance at Schilling Cider House won me over with their rooftop and string lights!  Since I had already tried MANY of their ciders in the past, I cashed my ticket in for a sample of EXCELSIOR IMPERIAL, which hails as the highest ABV in a 6-pack in the Nation at 8.5%!  It is labeled semi-sweet, but I honestly did not get that out of it.  Semi-sweets usually are too sweet for my liking, but this was right on point! If this helps to describe how scrumptious it tasted, I can't really describe the flavor because I downed it soooo fast! I will definitely be on the lookout for it since it is now in stores. 

My next stop was to Ramborn Hard Ciders out of Mompach, Luxembourg!!!  I tried the Original Medium Dry Cider and their Perry (Both 5.8%ABV).  I cannot choose a favorite because they were BOTH outstanding.  Sometimes dry ciders can have a little "sour" flavor.  Not this one.  It was the perfect balance and was soooo smooth.  Their ciders offer such full flavor and are extremely easy to drink.  I did not try their Cascade Hopped Cider since I am not a fan of hops, but I did hear it continued the tradition of amazing flavor.  I cannot wait to go to Luxembourg and see where it is made.  Nick and I actually tried to go to Luxembourg in November and every single hotel/bnb was booked!  We thought we had a hotel lined up and they emailed me stating they forgot to mark online that they were completely full.  We were so disappointed, but I have to say, if everything in Luxembourg tastes as delightful as their ciders, their rooms being completely booked, makes a ton of sense.  I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Mike Ansay, as well as his son-in-law, Kevin.  Mike's company is the US distributor of Ramborn Hard Ciders.  He was such a hoot and an absolute joy to be around! His passion for his products were so transparent.  I really hope that we cross paths again.  If you are looking for a distributor to really love your product as his own and treat it with the utmost respect, you should reach out to him.  Here is the website I have for Anslay International, so I am sure if you put in your contact, someone will be right in touch.  Here are a couple of pics I snapped with Mike.  

                      

I continued my little journey to visit with Ria from Cider Chat.  Cider Chat is fantastic podcast that talks about all things cider.  Funny story....a few years ago, a friend and I were having dinner at The Northman, located in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago.  Ria was there doing her podcast since it was the week of Cider Con in Chicago.  She asked me if I would be interested in talking about cider on it, and we all know I love to talk, so I am sure you can assume my answer!  I talked about dry vs. sweet ciders and how being GF is tough, so having a dry cider out there is so wonderful because the past was filled with over sweetened, diabetes in a bottle, "ciders".  When I saw that she had a booth at Cider Summit, I reminded her of when we met and she remembered right away!  Her business has really grown.  If you are looking to do a cider tour in France or in California, you should check out one of her Totally Cider Tours!!  I can't wait to keep in touch with such a kind-hearted soul!

After hanging out with Ria for a bit, I headed over to Prima Cider, based not too far outside of Chicago in the beautiful town of Long Grove, IL.  Interestingly enough, within my first 2 weeks of living in IL, I headed up to Long Grove for their Annual Apple Fest!  It was such a wonderful and darling festival.  I cannot wait to get there next year.  When I found out that was the home of Prima Cider, it made me want to scoot up there even sooner!  I really love their ciders and their mantra of changing the way people view cider.  I am on the same train tooting the same horn!  I fell in love with their Prima Brut (6.9% ABV).  I mean apples + champagne?! Yes please...is even a question?!  It was crisp and refreshing and super tasty on my cider-lovin' palate!

The hilarious folks that run the family-owned, Prima Cider

I cruised on over the Farmhaus Cider Co. after leaving the fun guys of the Bertsche family.  Farmhaus sparked my interest when I saw their names.  The ciders I sampled were, Trocken Dry (6.9% ABV), Sweater Weather (6.7% ABV), and Brunch (6.9% ABV).  Trocken Dry is crisp and dry, which are usually a win-win for me, but I have to say, once I tried their Brunch cider, the verdict was changing for my favorite Farmhaus Cider.  I mean, it tastes like French Toast in a can, so how could I not fall in love?!  It had the perfect dash of cinnamon and the perfect amount of maple syrup.  Well folks, the story doesn't end there.  My ears perked up when I overheard the employee use the word, "Chai"when mentioning, Sweater Weather.  I literally could not resist.  I was at Cider Summit after all.  Holy moly, I wish it was offered all year, because although made with chai and spice, it would be delicious anytime in my book.  Since it is only sold in the Fall and Winter seasons, make sure to pick some up if you see it in any store around you...you won't regret it!

The booth with the most variety, meaning cider from the most places, would have to be Winesellers, Ltd.  I met with Jonathan, they Midwest RSM.  What a fun job that would be!  I really liked their ciders from Herefordshire, UK.The first one I tried was Dunkertons Dry Organic Cider (6.9% ABV).  I mean, dry AND organic?! Yaaaas!  It was more tannic than some ciders, but I really like the dry, mild bitterness flavor.  I also tried the Dunkertons Organic Perry (6.9% ABV).  That was my favorite from Dunkdertons.  Within seconds of the first sip, I could get hints of fresh pear with a little sweet kick that ended with a smooth, dry finish.  Thirsty yet?!  I am!  

After meeting Jonathan and soaking in his remarkable knowledge of his European Ciders, I hopped on over to visit with Shelton Brothers Importers.  At this booth, I met with Lauren.  She was extremely kind when I kept trying more of the Peckham's Boysenberry (5.7% ABV)!  It is probably the cider that traveled the furthest coming all the way from NEW ZEALAND!! Can you believe that!?  It pours red and is made from real boysenberries.  That is such a fun word to say for some reason! Ha!  The berry flavor was really forward, but the cider itself wasn't too sweet and had somewhat of a tart finish to me. I kept cashing in my tickets for more!  Lauren explained it Peckham's Boysenberry comes from a tiny run family farm in New Zealand.  I would LOVE to visit it sometime in the future.  Nick and I have talked about going to NZ for our one year anniversary, maybe this can be one of our stops?!  Here is a pic of me trying a different cider.  That Peckham's just kept evaporating into thin air, so unfortunately, no pics.

I knew that Cider Summit would not be complete without stopping to support some of  my favorite local watering holes Eris Brewery and Cider House and The Northman-Chicago's First Cider Pub.

Eris Brewery and Cider House has some of the best Apple Cinnamon Creme Brulee I have EVER tasted!  Nick and I sometimes go there just for dessert after eating dinner at home.  Knowing it is GF makes it that much better!  If you are able to get to Eris for brunch, make sure to order the Shrimp & Grits and thank me later!  They use white corn cheddar grits, add in bacon and a cider mushroom cream sauce, and top it off with a poached egg.  Do not miss out on the bowl of heaven!!! The offer a wide variety of GF options, so if you are in Chicago, you must pay them a visit. As far as their ciders go, I have tried most of them.  I really love their Pedestrian (5.6% ABV). It is a dry cider that has the tartness of a Granny Smith apple, but still has a smooth finish that does not make your lips pucker and your eyes squint from a sourish flavor.  A fun fact about Eris is, it's completely female owned, which really makes my heart smile!  I have only met Michelle, and she is always so kind and wonderful.  She always takes time to talk to people and makes sure everyone feels welcome at Eris.  We cannot wait to make a pit-stop there in the near future!

They never disappoint!

In line at Eris...ready to sip on their Pedestrian Cider

The Northman is extremely special for Nick and I.  Right after Nick got on one knee and asked me to be his wife, we went to The Northman for a drink since it is one our favorite spots in the city.  We always try other ciders they offer, but always come back to the Northman Pub Cider (6.5% ABV).   It is the perfect balance between sweet and dry.  We love sitting outside on their patio when the weather is nice and cooling off when The Northman Pub Cider.  Food-wise, they take home the gold for their GF Fish and Chips.  The crispiness and flavor are impeccable!  My only complaint is, for them to be a Cider Pub(huge GF population) and have a GF fryer and offer some GF flair, their donuts that make my mouth water when I see them, are not GF.  I have had GF donut holes from other establishment and they are the perfect topper to a GF meal.  I will hold out hope that they end up incorporating those into their pub full of greatness.

Right after Nick got on one knee and
he took me out to celebrate!

Cider Summit did not disappoint, yet again.  If anything, it got even better!  They had food trucks (did not get a chance to try one) and more cider booths.  I can only imagine how terrific next year will be!  My only recommendation would be to make the sessions last a little longer because even with VIP, the lines can be pretty long and that can take up lots of time.  There are many ciders I was unable to try and would've loved to have given them a shot.  Maybe I can have a different strategy next time.  With that being said, see ya next year Cider Summit!  CHEERS!

***Thank you Laura for not only being one of my best friends and my travel buddy, but for being the best photographer with that new fancy phone! ❤