Star-Tribune lauds Coco

Some of Coco specialties are praised in a recent Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune article about food delights in the Chequamegon Bay area. Star Tribune writer, Rick Nelson, asks rhetorically, "Is there another Midwestern getaway that so vigorously celebrates its small cache of native ingredients?" We answer, we certainly celebrate them at Coco!

Nelson writes about Coco:

“Over in Washburn,baker/owner Noreen Ovadia Wills does wicked things with chocolate, steering it into fudgy, walnut-packed brownies and diet-busting tortes. Her made-from-scratch philosophy is evident in her homey lemon bars, simple vanilla cheesecakes and cream-filled Danish. There are breads, too, and those terrific plate-sized lavash.”

Of course, Nelson mentions Coco's lavash. "It's very popular," Noreen says, "We can't keep it on the shelves." Our advice: get to the bakery early.

Local whole wheat:
You can taste the difference

You’ve probably noticed the wholesome, nutty flavor of our bakery items containing whole wheat. That’s because the wheat is grown and milled just a few miles from our bakery in Washburn. We use fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. Of course, Bayfield County is famous for its apple orchards and berry farms. But it is also home of lots of small farms producing delicious honey, maple syrup, and garden-fresh produce.

The apples are coming in early this year. And they are scrumptious. There will be lots of apple treats coming to Coco.

Scooter Nominated
for Music Awards

Coco baker, Michael “Laughing Fox” Charette, was nominated in five categories for the 12th Native American Music Awards (NAMA). Known to his friends as “Scooter,” Michael is a member of the Red Cliff Band of the Ojibwa nation. He was nominated in the categories of “Best Debut Artist,” “Best Flutist,” “Best New Age Recording,” “Best Male Artist,” and “Best Song Single.” His record is entitled, “Tales of Laughing Fox.”

The Awards celebrate the rich cultural heritage of our nation’s first people and promotes cultural preservation and renewal on a national level. NAMA is committed to preserving Native American culture and continuing the traditions through music initiatives and to raise the awareness level and appreciation for the history and culture of all Native American people, nationally and internationally.

The Awards were created as a method to showcase Native Music on a national level. It was created not as a competition, but to garner greater exposure and to give Native youth on reservations the opportunities to pursue professional careers in music.

Each year the annual Awards show program in November features over a dozen performances by some of today’s leading Native American artists along with awards presentations in over 30 categories. The Awards show honors national recordings that have been released in the previous calendar year. Nominees are submitted and selected by a national Advisory membership consisting of individuals directly involved in recording, manufacturing, distributing and promoting Native American music nationally. Winners are selected by a combined vote by our national membership and the general public who can listen and vote to the tracks of our nominees at
nativeamericanmusicawards.com

Michael appeared at the Porcupine Mountain Music Festival, Aug. 27 – 29, at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The festival featured folk, blues, bluegrass and contemporary music from top-class nationally touring artists as well as up and coming area artists.

A clip of Michael playing on the shore of Chequamegon Bay  appears at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti_3Lt0z9L4