A visit to Michigan’s ‘Cheese Capital,’ restaurants open and close, and more mid-Michigan business news

PINCONNING, MI — From a visit to “Michigan’s Cheese Capital” to changes to the downtown Saginaw business landscape, here’s some recent business news you might have missed:

Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Dry-aged duck breast from Midland’s Aster

Aster, a farm-to-table restaurant in Midland, offers an ever-changing menu to reflect the seasons.

Chef Owner Evan Sumrell, who is originally from Chicago and spent 15 years working in Michelin Star restaurants, opened the restaurant at 134 Ashman St. in November 2020. He and his team work closely with local farmers and change the menu throughout the year.

“The seasons are changing, so we’re starting to change the menu,” Sumrell said. “We’re a farm-to-table restaurant that’s based off seasonality, sustainability and community.”

Aster’s new spring menu features unique dishes that mid-Michigan diners may not often see on restaurant menus, such as dry-aged duck breast and ribeye.

“It’s a very great dish for the area,” Sumrell said. “Very meat and potatoes, but it’s got a lot of complex flavors.”

Read the full story here.

Pinconning’s ‘Northern Tube’ to close, displacing dozens of workers

A longtime…