Froehlich's Home Cooking

Recipes and memories from Froehlich’s, the beloved local empire that helped transform tiny, almost forgotten Three Oaks, Michigan, into a bustling tourist destination. 

Colleen Froehlich spent her childhood in her family’s store, a mom-and-pop grocer and bakery in St. Joseph, Michigan, where she learned firsthand how good food can anchor a community. When she first arrived in Three Oaks, Michigan, the rundown village seemed past its prime, full of empty storefronts and boarded-up buildings. But she also saw it as a town in desperate need of the type of store she’d grown up in—a place full of real food and strong relationships with the people who make it. 

In the decades since then, Froehlichs has grown into a thriving suite of businesses: a bar and restaurant, a market stocked with local preserves and other pantry staples, and a bakery and candy store serving the sweetest treats in Southwest Michigan. Three Oaks has undergone its own revival, and is now full of busy neighboring stores and creative entrepreneurs. In this new cookbook, Colleen Froehlich shares the stories that shaped her and her menus—like visiting her grandparents for a Gulf Coast fishing rodeo (Cajun Potato Salad), enjoying a special lunchbox treat from her mother (Pimento Cheese), staying warm as a young artist in Chicago (Pumpkin Time Chili), and trying plenty of new pastries while bicycling around Florence (Pine Nut Pie).

With everything from party-ready snacks and cocktails to hearty mains and delicious desserts, readers will find a recipe for every occasion and plenty of creative ways to use a bounty of farm stand zucchini or garden-fresh rhubarb. Whether you’re a Michigan local or you have to ship Froehlichs Lemon Boy Tomatoes or Blueberry Jam far away to get your fix, this book invites you into the heart of Three Oaks to experience the genuine warmth, connection, and delicious food that made Froehlichs a beloved destination.