So. How was everyone’s Christmas?
Mine was quiet and peaceful, and I was lucky enough to be the recipient of some great-but-pleasingly random gifts– a cow calendar, a Spanish soccer ball, and a Funko Pop of… Martina McBride??
But another gift I received reminded me that for many people living in the UP there’s more to our diet than just the four basic Yooper foods of pasties, cudighi, fudge, and beer. There are also such specialties as pizza from the Congress, pizza from the Ambassador, the Yooper fondue of squeaky cheese dipped in coffee, or, in the case of that other Christmas gift I mentioned, Trenary Toast.
That’s right, I got Trenary Toast for Christmas. Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Trenary Toast.
Is this a great world or what?
For almost 100 years now Trenary Toast has been woven into the fabric of UP life, even if it doesn’t have the universal fame of a food like pasties. But I think Trenary Toast deserves to be on that very same level. Think of the two foods– pasties and Trenary Toast– like you do the past two Green Bay Packers quarterbacks.
Pasties are like Aaron Rodgers– they get all the attention. But Trenary Toast is like Jordan Love, getting the job done without all the hype.
And which one of those two is going to the playoffs this year? Huh??
Admittedly, Trenary Toast can be an acquired taste. But it IS quintessentially Yooper– down to earth and built to last, but with a sweet side to it, as well. And you know that once people try it they’re hooked.
Just ask the tourists who keep coming back to buy Trenary Toast year after year after year.
So in a holiday season that sees soccer balls and calendars and, uhm, Martina McBride sitting under my Christmas tree, just know the one gift that I’ve already opened and sampled– quite a bit– is the one that deserves a UP food group of its very own.
I’m Jim Koski, and that’s another slice of Life in the 906.
