The Necessity of Spices
SUTTONS BAY TRADING COMPANY
310 N. St. Joseph St., Suttons Bay
231-271-7423, SuttonsBayTrading.com
On the bay side of M-22 in the heart of downtown Suttons Bay is a specialty spice and flavorings store that fits in so perfectly, you’d think it’d been there since time immemorial. In fact, the Suttons Bay Trading Company only arrived in town in 2010, even though it was founded 15 years ago in Fort Wayne, Indiana, by professional chef Karen Pontius and her husband, Kim. Karen and Kim were so certain of where they were going to bring their business, they named it after Suttons Bay from the start. Now, that is some pretty powerful visioning!
Walk through the front door into a true spice bazaar with a fantastic array of spices, including five different types of cinnamon, fresh ground mace, powdered sumac and ground vanilla pods. Two steps away is a rack holding three dozen hand-mixed spice blends and rubs, next to which are a dozen flavored salts and sugars. On the far wall is a collection of hot sauces so vast and colorful you need a guide to work your way through them. Thankfully, your guide and spice guru Karen is there to explain the Scoville scale for chilis, and to advise you which sauce, pepper or spice to choose depending on your recipe, cuisine preference and heat tolerance.
Karen is highly knowledgeable and approachable. The range of spices she has on hand is nearly exhaustive, and if you ask for something that she doesn’t have, she will research it and obtain it. Ask her about any of the many spices and blends on her shelves, or discuss an unusual recipe. She’ll help you obtain that authentic flavor you remember from your travels. Beyond the spices, she also offers food grade essential oils (think ginger, peppermint, lavender, lemon), sausage-making supplies and soup mixes, as well as a nice variety of local products such as Gwen Frostic stationery, Creekside baking mixes and locally made soaps.
The beauty of the Bay and the region as well as the emerging foodie scene drew them here and it’s a great fit for this shop. As Kim says, “While most businesses start off small and then grow into larger markets, we chose to put place ahead of profit and growth. We have always been a little unconventional with our business model but we like the results.” The shop is open through the winter with seasonal hours and their products are available online.
ALDEN MILL HOUSE
10480 SE Torch Lake Dr., Alden
231-331-4711, AldenMillHouse.com
Nestled into the corner where the highway through Alden turns north, a venerable and decades old business welcomes tourists and residents nine months a year. The gardens and yard are peppered with statues, chairs, swings and other places where you can make yourself comfortable. Inside, greeted by friendly employees and the combined aromas of many fragrant spices, a visitor immediately feels at home.
The Alden Mill House is a 30-year-old business started by Chef Geno Moglovkin. A celebrated chef, Geno’s spices were so popular that patrons of his restaurants always requested to buy them. Moglovkin responded by selling bottles of his formulas out of the back of a truck. The business grew, and today is run by Geno’s daughter, Colleen Richmond, who shares the spirited personality of her beloved late father. There are more than 32 different spices and blends available and the salt mix that started it all, Miracle Blend, is still the most popular.
The shelves of the little store are full of affordable kitchenry and the distinctive bottles of the house spice line, which now includes dips, sauces and low- and no-salt options of all their most popular blends. The walls are filled with photographs of Geno, including the lard sculptures of mermaids he was famous for and which won many awards at food shows. The family put together a cookbook of all his most popular dishes and it is available at the store to peruse or purchase.
The business has grown to need around 10 employees, some of whom work at the warehouse where the spice blends are mixed. Each spice is sourced and selected from the highest quality available from all over the world.
Colleen closes the store after the holidays, giving herself a little time off until May, when the gardens spring back to life and the travelers come back to Torch Lake. All of Alden Mill House’s products are available online throughout the year.
SPICE HARBOR
116 E. Main St., Harbor Springs
231-526-4050, Spice-Harbor.com
Related to the Alden Mill House by family ties and by type of business, Spice Harbor captures the imagination of every cook that enters. The light and airy space is the second location for this kitchen shop, in a redone storefront along the main shopping district of Harbor Springs.
The first thing you see as you enter is the huge white spice display, featuring the red and yellow topped bottles of Alden Mill House’s spice blends, and a wonderful array of salt shakers and pepper mills. Owner Sarah Moglovkin is the sister-in-law of Colleen, who runs the original Alden Mill House store in Alden. Sarah, a designer by trade, and her husband, David, lived in Los Angeles for many years but came home to Northern Michigan and opened the store in 2010. She now turns her creative side to helping a whole new generation and new type of cook find these gems of culinary flavor.
“My father-in-law, Chef Geno, was a larger-than-life personality, a real celebrity kind of chef before there even were any. His food drove the beginning of the business, but it is his wonderful spice formulas that keep it going to this day. People love the tradition, and the taste,” says Sarah.
The shelves of Spice Harbor are full of one-of-a-kind art pieces including Polish pottery, and several lines of high-end cookware, bake ware, plates and platters. There is one whole room with an extensive line of every imaginable cooking tool a home cook could want. Moglovkin also features cookbooks and displays by local authors, currently focusing on Lebanese writer Maureen Abood’s new book, Rose Water and Orange Blossoms. A selection of specialty food items that go with the book is offered for people who want to try these new recipes.
Spice Harbor often offers tastings of the dips and soups to customers, especially during the busy holiday shopping season. The shop stays open through the winter, although hours may be limited. Check the website for product lines that are currently available and for upcoming events.
