Food plays an important role in cultural identity and represents a place’s history and heritage, with stories and traditions passed down through special dishes, ingredients, and recipes. Across the Midwest there are numerous food trails that showcase the region’s unique culinary offerings at local businesses, providing a fun way to explore these different destinations while learning more about their culture.
An iconic and beloved Ohio sweet treat, buckeyes are a kind of candy named after the nut from the state tree and feature two simple-yet-tasty ingredients: peanut butter and chocolate. The chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls even resemble the buckeye nuts in their appearance. The Ohio Buckeye Candy Trail in Miami County, a project created in collaboration between Ohio Tourism and the Miami County Visitors & Convention Bureau in 2018, features 40 different stops at various Ohio candymakers. A few highlights from the trail include Winans Coffee & Chocolate, which makes buckeyes using a recipe that has been passed down for generations, and The Buckeye Co., which offers the candies in unique, innovative flavors such as Lemonade Bursting and Thin Mint.
“The Ohio Buckeye Candy Trail is a great success story of what can be achieved when destinations and small businesses collaborate,” says Leiann Stewart, executive director of the Miami County Visitors & Convention Bureau. “This one-of-a-kind trail connects visitors to Ohio businesses statewide to highlight everyone’s favorite Ohio treat. We couldn’t be happier that Miami County’s own Winans Coffee & Chocolate is part of this trail.”
Known for its dairy industry and cheese production, Wisconsin is home to the Cheese Country Recreation Trail, a 47-mile trail that provides access to communities where cheese production is a major part of the local history and economy. It intersects in Monroe with the Wisconsin Cheese Tour, an unofficial cheese trail through the state that takes visitors through two different itineraries of artisan cheesemakers and cheese experiences. The Southwest Itinerary on the Wisconsin Cheese Tour runs through Madison, Monroe, Prairie du Sac, Sauk City, Plain, and Spring Green, with a few notable stops including Fromagination in Madison; Cedar Grove Cheese, Inc. in Plain, which offers group tours; and Carr Valley Cheese Store in La Valle, which produces award-winning cheese including its popular “squeaky” cheese curds—letting you know they’re as fresh as can be.
Credit: Keweenaw Pasty Trail
“In Green County, along the Cheese Country Recreation Trail and home to some of the premier cheese experiences in Wisconsin, we like to say, ‘Eat, drink, yodel,’ because that trio of words represents who we are,” says Noreen Rueckert, Green County Tourism director. “There’s a distinct layer of Swiss heritage that sets Green County and our welcoming small towns apart. Our cheesemakers and brewmasters take their craft very seriously, and it shows with the number of awards and accolades received.”
Visitors to Stillwater, Minnesota, can partake in the Stillwater Treats Trail, a journey through nine local ice cream and candy shops situated along the banks of the St. Croix River. Summer tends to be the ideal time to explore these spots as some of the businesses on the Treats Trail are seasonal. A few recommended stops include Barbara Ann’s Fudge Shoppe, known for its creamy fudge and decadent chocolate turtles; Tremblay’s Sweet Shop, which has a wall of countless flavors of saltwater taffy; and Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, a nostalgic destination with vintage candies.
“After indulging in Stillwater’s Treats Trail, consider extending your stay,” says Kelly Nygaard, president of Discover Stillwater. “Explore historic sites, browse quaint shops, or take a scenic river cruise. Stillwater offers an unforgettable experience filled with sweetness and charm.”
Brought to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula in the 1800s by Cornish miners, pasties are hand-held meat and vegetable pies with a flaky crust and are both a comfort food that connects generations as well as a symbol of the area’s working-class roots. Between 45 to 55 minutes by car from Toivola to Copper Harbor, the Keweenaw Pasty Trail is a collection of 12 pasty shops that make the handheld pies in their own unique way. For instance, Roy’s Pasties & Bakery is known for its turkey cranberry pasty while Pasty Central makes special fudgie pasties.
“The Pasty Trail is one of those experiences that instantly brings people together,” explains Jesse Wiederhold, public relations and events coordinator with Visit Keweenaw. “Every stop has its own twist—carrot or no carrot, rutabaga or not—and those little differences spark the best conversations. It’s a delicious way for groups to explore Keweenaw, meet local makers, and taste a tradition that’s been part of our story for generations.”
By Kamala Kirk
Main Image: Fromagination Cheese Shop, Madison, Wisconsin; Credit: Wisconsin Cheese Country Recreation Trail
