Acording to the CBC, cottage living is meant to be relaxed time so cooking is a problem. Many people consider cooking unrelaxing and too much work. So a cottage "getaway" involves all kinds of planning ahead for "crowd-pleasing prep-and-pack meals".
Got me on this when I read through the CBC version of what to take to a cottage.Who in Ontario would make lobster rolls at a cottage? That is one of the recipes. I consider it an American tragedy that such a beautiful shell fish is subjected to hot dog rolls and too much mayonnaise. But my guess is that the article had to include East Coast cottagers. But I'm told they don't call them cottages there. Maybe this is for us Ontarians, after all.
I turned away from the CBC suggestions. I decided this is not cottage country eating . We are looking for new twists on pancakes, kid-friendly sandwiches, hot dogs, and chocolate chip anything - especially in the morning as in muffins. And then all kinds of food on the grill and bbq.
Shouldn't there be French toast rather than granola bars? And one could start the day by grilling them with nutella and marshmallows? Now we're talking indulgent cottage eating.
Wouldn't there be potato chips as a side to every sandwich - who wants a kale salad at the cottage? Pair that sandwich with marshmallow milkshakes. This would be the kinds of lunch drink for those sandwiches. Gooey grilled cheese would be a good lunch choice - the grill in at least two meals is ideal.
There's no mention of butter tarts - this seems a cottage tragedy. This should be a day trip visiting all of the bakeries and comparing the results along the way and when you get back to the cottage. And enough for snacks the next day - toasted marshmallows on the top.
That's because "Up North" eating involves ice cream and popsicles, so a rocky road pudding pop with marshmallows and chocolate is a match for indulging at the cottage. And what kinds of pie do kids want? Brownie pie - covered in toasted marshmallows. Not some rhubarb almond thing. That's for big city eating by adults.
It seems to me that marshmallows are an essential ingredient in post-dinner dessert eating. For the adults, one would toast marshmallows, hollow them out and fill the little shot cup with Kahlua. For the kinds it might be a second helping of the brownie pie.
My version of cottage cooking obviously involves childhood favourites. At least one meal has food grilled and bbq'd. The day should end in popcorn followed by toasted marshmallows.
It is much simpler than the CBC makes it out to be.
Here's an abstract picture today - looking at the Food Basics sign (lowest prices always) with the rain on the car windshield.
