Categories
Food & Drink News

Farmhouse Deli And Pantry In Saugatuck

person in white with red sleeves holding white bowl of leafy greens Pastries, Croissants and Cookies for sale on a bakery shelf guy in blue tee shirt with Farmhouse written on it cradling about a dozen heirloom tomatoes in his arms

Wickwood Inn, Saugatuck, MI

 

Farmhouse Deli & Pantry | Local Delicious Edibles In Saugatuck, Michigan

Locally Sourced, Crafted With Love At Farmhouse

The Farmhouse Deli & Pantry is a perfect Saugatuck foodie destination for the food loving guests at Wickwood Inn. We confess. We sometimes bop into Farmhouse Deli & Pantry 2-3 times in the very same day. Once you experience the delicious variety of all things Farmhouse, you understand why. Farmhouse’s kitchen crew works hard all day long keeping things fresh and tasty.

In the morning, we crave a Hot Shot Juice, an Almond Milk Dirty Chai, and an Egg Sammie.  Or try the Avocado Toast or a decadent Scone of the Day (choose between savory or sweet).

Early afternoon? Try a cup of house made soup (veg or meat) or Salad Trio (kale caesar base, please!).   Dessert is a chewy, fruity, freshly baked Granola Bar.

Are you meeting someone in Saugatuck for lunch or need free WiFi for a few minutes? Farmhouse Deli now has room for diners with a variety of comfortable seats.

Don’t feel like cooking in the evening? Suddenly find yourself hosting a last minute happy hour? Or, need that perfect picnic for sunset? Farmhouse has everything you need: Assorted Olives, Homemade Hummus and Whitefish Dip and local cheeses.  Fennville’s Evergreen Lane Creamery Fresh Chèvre is our favorite! Don’t miss their assortment of salamis, crackers, breads and jams, too.

“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.”
~ Erma Bombeck

Need something more substantial? Order the Farmhouse Deli Vegan Bahn Mi or the Cubano sandwich. Check the cases for smoked salmon, roasted chicken, stuffed peppers, mac & cheese, and more. When it’s BBQ season, watch for the smoked ribs and anything else coming off their grill.

Don’t forget dessert!  Try their Molasses Cookies, Carrot Cake and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake.  Plus they bake the most delicious gluten free Ding Dongs and gluten free Chocolate Chippers.

We sat down recently with owner Chris Ferris.  She spoke of all things Farmhouse. The wide-ranging conversation left us delighted, inspired, and hungry for more!

Q: There are so many places we could begin our conversation about Farmhouse Deli.  Where would you like want to start?

A: I’d love to talk about two of the local purveyors I’m really grateful for. Mud Lake Farm and Hinterland Farm + Kitchen. We get all of our greens from Mud Lake. This includes the beautiful micro greens we use on our sandwiches. And, they are also making some really exciting Elderflower and Ginger Sodas. I love that they’re working with botanicals make a great non-alcoholic option. They are also great mixers for cocktails. Mud Lake is growing green house ginger!  So, we also carry Michigan candied ginger.  Their Elderflower and Ginger cordials need more attention. They’re delicious! They can be used so many ways: salad dressings, sauces, cocktails … perfect for mixology. It’s not just the East and West Coast doing cool things in the culinary world.

Next is Hinterland Farm + Kitchen.  He makes the best hot sauces I have ever tasted in my life. We carry all three varieties in the deli, and I think his Black Garlic and Honey is so interesting! I respect the talents and techniques at Hinterland.  Mikey is a good forager and an overall renaissance man. They are a really new business, so we here at Farmhouse are watching closely to see what they do next!

Q: What else in the food world in Saugatuck and beyond energizes you right now?

A: I do cooking demonstrations at the Fennville Library that are really interesting. I’m reading and learning about Manoomin … what we would call Wild Rice. Manoomin is an important traditional food source for Native American tribes of the Great Lakes region. The Menominee people even take their tribal name from this native word for wild rice. According to legend, tribes were told to go to the place where the food floats on the water. This got me wondering why we don’t have Michigan Wild Rice today? It’s now making a comeback, and I want to publicize and support this effort.

Also, this time of year, I’m so eager for all the new plants emerging. The ramps are coming up. I dug up my first of the season recently, and they are delicious! Morels will be here soon. 

Some of my first memories are about heading up north.  In the front seat of my Grandparents’ pick-up truck, I could barely see over the dash. We headed to their Airstream on Pearl Lake to hunt for morels. I love the photo of my Grandma with her 1970’s shirt, 1970’s hair and her arms full of morels. My Mom had a huge garden and she canned everything. The work I do today at Farmhouse Deli is not about a trend. It’s how I was raised. I spent winters in Santa Cruz and summers in South Haven.  So, I was constantly inspired by agricultural diversity. 

I went to culinary school in California, and had access to amazing chefs like Jeremy Towers and Alice Waters. I got to ask them questions, be in their restaurants. What incredible mentors!

Q: How did all of the education, energy, and inspiration turn into Farmhouse Deli & Pantry in Saugatuck?

A:  My first love in the food world has always been soups and salads. Since I was a little girl. I love being inspired by the food around and allowing spontaneity to be part of the process. When I was catering, doing many big events around town, it was beautiful … but it was the opposite of spontaneous. I wanted to interact more with people and share my excitement about the ingredients being used that day. As it turns out, having a deli and being a caterer go hand in hand.

I truly thought Farmhouse was going to be a two person operation.  A place where we’d sell the 10 cupcakes made that day, then close the door. I had no idea how large this business would become! It sort of took on a life of its own. I have so much gratitude to my staff, my business partners, the farmers, and this community for making it sustainable. 

The farmers here grow organics and heirlooms … you don’t have to be in Berkley for cutting edge. 

My leadership team: Chef Michael, Christina – Administration, Rhianna – Front of House Manager, and Kelly – Retail Manager, do such an amazing job. In fact, we’re in the middle of leadership program called 100 Days To Being The Best Deli Ever. I hired a coach to implement this training because I want every aspect of Farmhouse to shine. Soon, our staff will double, and I can’t wait to bring everyone into this mindset. Life is too short to spend one second where you are not seen or respected. 

This much TALKING about food made us hungry … thanks, Chris, and the entire team at Farmhouse, for always feeding us well!

Farmhouse Deli on Bluestar Highway is open everyday, all year long. And, it’s just a 5 minute drive from Wickwood Inn’s downtown Saugatuck bed and breakfast.

At Wickwood Inn, we know that our guests enjoy good food. Our guests love Saugatuck food destinations like Farmhouse Deli & Pantry and the good food within. Experience all the goodness with your getaway to the Wickwood Inn and Saugatuck, Michigan. Life is great here in our little village near Lake Michigan!