150+ Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for Cottage Life and Beyond
Andrea Buckett’s best-seller, The Essential Cottage Cookbook, is packed with delicious recipes designed for relaxed, memorable meals whether you’re at the cottage, camping or cooking for a crowd at home. You’ll find her at her family’s cottage in Haliburton, Ontario each summer and at andreabuckett.com.
Andrea Buckett Q & A
Thanks, Andrea, for sharing these great summer cooking tips with HORIZON!
H: What’s your philosophy for stress-free cottage cooking?
A: Don’t over think it. You don’t need to make a ton of different dishes to impress people. Delegate – Even when you are hosting people, most people want to contribute so let them. Manage expectations of yourself and others. Set some ground rules so everyone knows that cooking and cleanup is a group effort. Not every meal has to be a major event – sandwiches and a plate of well salted seasonal tomatoes makes an easy, no-fuss lunch.
H: Is there a cookbook recipe that instantly feels like summer at the cottage to you?
A: Anything grilled from the chapter Light the Barbecue. One of my favourites is the Honey-Lime Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Poblano Peppers and Corn. Sweet potatoes are unexpected and when paired with seasonal corn, it’s a flavour explosion. Great as a side dish or even a main.
H: Do you have tips for cooking in the often-unpredictable cottage kitchen?
A: Prep as much ahead of time as you can. Especially if you are renting – you never know what kind of shape the knives and cooking equipment will be in. Anything you want to eat that requires special equipment should be made ahead of time at home. If you have a favourite pancake recipe, measure out all the dry ingredients before you go, so you don’t need to rely on measuring cups that aren’t well marked. Visit local farmers’ markets and bakeries to inspire your cooking.
H: What’s one of your funniest cottage kitchen moments?
A: We have a blender at the cottage that doesn’t have a lid. You’d think we could replace it but no, we kind of like it that way. Plus, it’s compact and has lots of motor power for blending up frosty drinks. So, we need to get a piece of wood, wrap it in a tea towel and use that as the top when we are blending stuff in it. 😊
H: Why is cottage food so comforting for Canadians?
A: I think enjoying food the way it was meant to be enjoyed, away from the distractions of our to-do lists and all the stresses of life. The food tastes better even if it’s just hot dogs on the barbecue. It has more to do with the environment than anything, in my opinion. At the cottage, people let go of their food rules.
You don’t necessarily need a cottage to enjoy a “cottage meal”. Lean into seasonal ingredients, prepare them minimally and give yourself time to linger and enjoy a meal with friends and family, even if it’s in your backyard. Put the devices away. Just for an hour or two, give yourself permission to unplug and enjoy dining outdoors.
