One of my guilty pleasures is cranking out the calories while cooking at Smelt Lake. The heartier… the better! From spring and fall messes built on the wood stove to summer outdoor cooks over charcoal on the Weber grill or smoker, preparing food at the camp is both challenging and rewarding. This month’s blog consists of pretty pics and grub ups from cottage country. Over the years there have been some excellent meals, but epic fails! Cooking on the propane range can be tricky, as it gets hot quick, and the Enterprise in the middle of the kitchen can prove temperamental to control. However, a scoff at the camp is always worth the work you throw at it.
Without fail, my favorite meal time there continues to be breakfast. Weird… I’ll go without breakfast all week at home but Saturday morning at the camp has one priority… A big breakfast. It’s a perfect excuse to get the cast iron frying pans into action. This picture has all my favorites, with pan fried potatoes, perhaps sausage, whatever leftover veggies that are around (onions, peppers, asparagus), egg of choice topped with some cheese and hollandaise sauce. We load the French press with some Just Us! Rise Again blend and color with Irish Cream. This breakfast sometimes picks me up and throws me “right back” in the bunk for some CBC Weekend Mornings.
Dinner is often light… Sandwich / salad / veggies / chowder or something that doesn’t require big heat. Especially during the summer. Keeping the camp cool makes for a much more enjoyable evening (sorry no AC beyond the open windows)! Of course, refreshments abound. Recently, craft beers and cider have been quite popular, with the summertime favorite being good ol’ Gin & Tonic.
Suppers are big at the camp… Especially since I’ve relocated the Weber Smoker to Smelt Lake. Using strictly charcoal (and no solvents or fuel) the slow cook method with woods such as mesquite, apple, pecan and hickory is well suited to the relaxed cottage atmosphere. Favourites for smoking include side ribs, pork tenderloin, whole chicken and roasted veggies. Kicked with a little salad or caprese and you’ve got a crowd pleaser.
Evening usually brings some sort of snack. Of late, charcuterie has been a real hit. Easy to prepare and well received, a board of meats, cheese, fruits with crackers and jam/dip make the evening pretty posh. Oh, that should all be washed back with some red or a local cider. Great cap to a lovely day of camp cooking.