At these four wineries, sweet and savory bites are more than just a sidekick menu item. In some instances, they may even steal the show.

A harbinger of spring that is bountiful along the Lower Peninsula’s Lake Michigan shore, asparagus offers one of the first fresh tastes of the state’s diverse bounty of fruits and vegetables.

Trenary Toast, packed by hand in hand-stamped brown paper bags, is as hard as a U.P. winter. It keeps forever (well, up to a year) and comes in cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, plain and chocolate chip varieties.

To learn about apples, you would be wise to start in Michigan, the nation’s number-three apple-growing state.

Zephyr Wine Bar & Cafe offers world-class but affordable wines paired with charcuterie, artisanal cheeses and other sharing dishes.

Here’s a sampling of confections from some of the state’s premier chocolate shops that you’ll want to try.

Michigan has hot dogs in paradise, and it has hot dogs in hell. In fact, you’ll find ’dogs all over Michigan during National Hot Dog Month in July.

Celebrated in festivals and showcased in restaurants across the state, blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America.

Executive eChef Luke VerHulst and his team serve upscale comfort food at the award-winning Reserve Wine & Food in downtown Grand Rapids.