Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor is the focus of this week’s County Cuisine. Art’s, which has been in business for more than 75 years, touts itself for “serving up cold beverages, great food and good times,” adding it is “one of the last true ‘Up North’ corner hang-outs.”

Marcia Davis began working at Art’s shortly after owner Tim Barr transferred from the Friendly Tavern in Empire to manage the Glen Arbor bar-restaurant in 1986. She has worked in every position at Art’s and took over as food and beverage manager three years ago. Art’s is located at 6487 Western Ave. and can be reached at 334-3754.
ART’S TAVERN food and beverage manager Marcia Davis
While tinkering with a standard cobbler recipe, she developed another version that has proven very popular. It sells out nearly every time she makes it, according to Art’s. While the fruit cobbler is on the menu at all times, the flavors rotate. Here is the recipe for the apple version:

Art's Apple Cobbler with Caramel Sauce
Fruit preparation:
5 lb. frozen apples
4 T. cornstarch
2 T. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 cups sugar
Mix cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 cups sugar with fruit. Place equal amounts of fruit mixture in 16 oven-safe bowls (10 ounce each) and place on large baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn oven up to 400 degrees for next step.

Topping preparation:
4 ½ cups flour
4 T. sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
5 tsp. baking powder
10 T. butter
1 ¼ cups milk
Mix dry ingredients. Cut in the butter, add milk and mix together. Place a scoop of the mixture on the warm baked fruit in each bowl. Return to the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 9 minutes. While baking cobblers, make caramel topping as follows.

Caramel topping preparation:
1 cup light corn syrup
dash salt
½ cup butter
2 cups firm brown sugar
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add salt and sugar and heat until boiling. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and cook until thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Drizzle over baked cobbler. Serve warm. Great with vanilla ice cream!
Bowls may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. Remove plastic and reheat in microwave before serving.

Participating restaurants in the County Cuisine feature include blu, Bluebird Restaurant, The Village Inn, Cedar Rustic Inn, LeNaro Pub, Maple City Benchwarmers, Art’s Tavern, Western Avenue Grill, Gusto!, Stubb’s Restaurant & Bar, and Melba-Ann’s.

Ed. note: County Cuisine is a feature about recipes provided by chefs at Leelanau County restaurants.