Food always tastes better with a story. Flavors that come from friends and family, and deliciousness discovered on travels near and far are often the very best.
We learn by trying different things and we love discovering new obsessions – especially when they’re simple things that have been right under our noses all along.
Good food that celebrates every day, and the experience of creating it and sharing it are among life’s greatest gifts. If you agree, then you’ve just found a new friend in food & fabulousness!
I’m Michele, a Minnesota Girl (born-and-raised!) with an ever-curious palate who thoroughly enjoys random travels from coast to coast, Canada, and across the Pond whenever possible.
Growing up, I spent just about every weekend with family on my maternal grandparents’ farm. I don’t think I truly appreciated the richness of those family farm experiences as a child, but today, I’m thankful for every moment of my colorful, grandparent-graced, big-family-gatherings-around-the-farmhouse-table upbringing, and the life-long love affair with fresh, “Home. Made.” food, flowers and fabulousness that it planted in my heart.
An extensive formal and informal education (best described by the term “Road Scholar”, but not related to any Google-able definition), and highly diverse range of interests (read, “Life A.D.D.”) provides a tastefully varied and colorful tapestry of experiences that I draw upon each day.
Years ago, ambitious assumptions led me to pursue a brief “Wall Street” stint – complete with hard earned securities licenses and gorgeous tailored suits. Incurable curiosities (and a cute, but incredibly self-absorbed guitar player) later drew me to the California coast. I’ve tasted the salty Pacific waters many times over the years… They keep calling me back for appetizers, but Minnesota keeps bringing me home for main courses and desserts.
Florét – my floral & event design company – will always be a life accomplishment that I’m very proud of. What started as a small, appointment-only custom design studio quickly began bulging at the seams of its 750 square foot space. It grew – one referral at a time – to a 4,800 square foot two-story building that housed a full-service floral company and multiple home accessories and furnishings showrooms. True to its roots, Florét’s talented design team proudly coordinated, designed, and installed florals and décor for over 1,500 weddings and events in its 12 years of service. I am humbled beyond compare to have enjoyed some truly incredible opportunities through small, local, independent business ownership, and will always be an enthusiastic supporter of small, local, independent businesses because of my experiences!
I loved the business and the people it so graciously brought into my life. Although the business happily consumed me, the Universe ever-so-sweetly changed my course one day when it brought a very special person into my life. He was eclectic – a creative with a business mind. He was a good writer and he loved details. He also loved sunsets more than anyone else I had ever met. And best of all, he could carry on a conversation for hours without losing my attention for even a minute. It was a match made in heaven.
He had a sailboat in Bayfield, WI. I realized (and finally admitted) that working 15+ hours a day, seven days a week, didn’t leave much time for him – or anything else for that matter. So, after much deliberation and acknowledging that I was very ready for a change of direction, I closed my beloved business and prepared to write some new chapters into my life.
Several crazy years later, we took a trip to Colorado to buy a car. He had grande plans of proposing during that trip, and no matter how many times we talked about it and thought about it before, nothing compared to the completely whimsical, totally incredible way it all played out in real life on one blissful, snow-covered November evening in Vail.
We were married the following September on Madeline Island – arguably the most charming of the Apostle Islands archipelago – on “our” treasured Lake Superior. With the sailboat standing guard. And a troupe of Canadian bagpipers piping us down the aisle and wishing the Lake ‘goodnight’ at sunset. And everyone we loved most in the world around us. It was awesome. Totally and completely awesome.
With all due love and respect to getting it right the first time, we’re second-time-arounders. We are each other’s reward for putting up with the past. We’re incredibly sappy. We celebrate “us” every day, and we feel totally and completely blessed to have found each other. (Yay, Love!)
In addition to enjoying life with my handsome sailor, both pre- and post-nuptial new directions led to working in brand/business marketing, event planning, social media management, and writing. Lots and lots of writing. I worked with small businesses as well as national brands, a Big Ten university, and a major health insurance company. Throughout it all, I happily hoarded cookbooks and passionately collected recipes as if I would actually find the time to make every single one of them someday.
My floral design background remains a part of everything I do… You can take the girl out of the flowers, but you’ll never take the flowers out of the girl! I revel in beautiful, colorful gardens – whatever their definition – wherever I go. My mantra is “Food Is My New Flowers” and that’s evidenced in my daily endeavors to #eatpretty. Vibrant flavors, freshness, and good presentation (not overdone… just a little flourish here and there) are essential in my book.
Anyone who knows me well will confirm that my conversations and fascinations often focus on creating and appreciating “pretty.” I enjoy the simple pleasure of celebrating life’s simple pleasures. I get giddy over colorful displays of fresh produce at local markets, and I’m always talking about the latest recipes that I’ve fallen in love with and the new things I learned just by making them.
I’ve always enjoyed cooking and baking, but over the years my interests became more than just a pass time. Ideas of food and writing – and writing about food – started taking on new meaning for me. Visions of a warm, beautiful place filled with memories of big-family-gatherings-around-the-farmhouse-table kept dancing in my head. More than just a recipe collection… A place to chronicle experiences and lessons learned in my own kitchen… A place to gather with friends and family where we can share ideas… A place to meet new people who also love food and cooking and experiencing life through all its wondrous flavors… I desperately wanted to create that place.
So… Bacon Fatte was borne out of great appreciation for the past, deep love for present moments, and genuine excitement for the future. It’s a little rustic with touches of elegance and whimsy… It’s a big table to gather ‘round and enjoy good food and wine and laughter… A place to celebrate one unabashedly delicious experience after another.
I really hope you enjoy being here and that you’ll come back often to share this place and the things that you love, too! Cheers!
