A Festive Time to Promote a Michigan Dish

July 8, 2011 – Local cooks can enter the Hiller’s recipe contest to be held at the Buy Michigan Now Festival in Northville.

Michigan summers are filled with fresh, delicious Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, grains and other grocery items. As a supporter of Michigan products and companies, Hiller’s is teaming up with the Buy Michigan Now Festival for the “We’re Cookin’ in Michigan Recipe Contest.”

It’s an opportunity for cooks to display their best recipes for creating local dishes, and to be rewarded for their creativity. Entry deadline is midnight, July 24, 2011. To enter a recipe, go to http://www.buymichigannow.com/recipe_submission.php . The final cook-off will be held at the festival on Sunday, August 7, at Epiphany Kitchens in Northville with local celebrity chefs doing the judging, including Hiller’s own Chef Peter Julian.

The primary ingredients of the recipe must be Michigan-grown or produced with at least 75 percent of the total ingredients originating from Michigan. In addition to a $250 Hiller’s Markets gift card, the grand-prize winner’s recipe will be sold at all seven Hiller’s locations for one month with profits benefiting The Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund, which supports research within the University of Michigan's Depression Center. Second- and third-place winners will each receive $100 Hiller’s gift cards while fourth place takes home a $50 Hiller’s gift card.

The Buy Michigan Now Festival is expecting thousands to attend, and is focused on promoting Michigan’s myriad of products and encouraging people to support the state’s economy by buying locally. This year’s event includes live music, kid-friendly activities, sidewalk sales, a variety of Michigan vendors and plenty of great local food.

Hiller’s Markets is a dedicated advocate of Michigan products, labeling items in its stores to help customers choose homegrown fare —anything from gourmet ice creams and desserts to fresh salsa and tortilla chips.

“We believe in supporting the community in various ways and that includes promoting the wonderful produce and products that Michigan has to offer,” said Justin Hiller, vice president of Hiller’s Markets.

“We are incredibly fortunate in Michigan that our state provides such a bounty of foods from which to choose, and our friends at Hiller’s make great partners because they carry so many of them,” said Lisa Diggs, founder of Buy Michigan Now Campaign. “This contest is an exciting way for creative cooks to show off their talent and inspire others to do the same. I can’t wait to taste these creations.”

Questions regarding the contest may be directed to Lisa Diggs at lisa@buymichigannow.com. Recipes must be submitted via the online form by 12 a.m. on Sunday, July 24. Finalists will be notified by Sunday, July 31. For official rules and guidelines or to enter the contest, visit http://www.buymichigannow.com/recipe_submission.php .