Cottage Reflections

COME PREPARED A LITTLE PLANNING GOES A LONG WAY IN THE COTTAGE KITCHEN BY JASON HALSTEAD Plan ahead, but be ready to improvise. That's a mantra that will serve any cottage cook well, says Sheila Bennett, owner of Kitchen Sync, the licensed commercial kitchen and event space in downtown Winnipeg. Bennett regularly spends time in cottage country and knows the challenges involved in food planning at the lake. For Bennett, it's all about marinating or brining meat in advance and preparing hearty salads in the city, so you can relax once you get to the cottage. "It's a great way to do prep and most of the dirty work," Bennett says. "Once you get out there, you're putting it on a skewer on the barbecue, or putting it in the oven. All the flavour is there and it tends to keep a little longer, so if you're going for a long weekend, it's prepared and preserving — and it gets better with time. I'll do a big potato salad or orzo salad too. It's about planning at home." Keeping things simple is also a big part of being a good cottage guest or reducing stress in a crowded family cabin. "It's about arriving with food ready to go so you're not taking up all the counter space," she says. "I think sometimes people leave things until the last minute and then they're picking up groceries on the way out or at the lake and there's not a lot of thought about how you're going to put it all together." Bennett recommends marinating or brining meat and poultry, particularly cheaper pork cuts, like shoulders, and chicken thighs. "Brine in advance, and when you get to the cabin, leave the chicken parts open-air in the fridge so the skin starts drying out and then roast them. It's pretty delicious," Bennett says. "The pork softens up and there's a lot of added flavour. You can make a cheap cut taste pretty fantastic." While it's important to plan, the cottage cook should be ready to embrace the unexpected. "You have to get creative. You may love your grandma's coleslaw recipe, but if they don't have something at the local store you need to keep an open mind about figuring out ingredients," she says. "That's how some great dishes have been discovered. You shouldn't be afraid. If you forgot a spice, see what else is around to provide those types of flavours. It's challenging, but kind of fun." And it's not just about planning one dinner. Keep leftovers in mind. "If you have roasted veggies and whatever meat left over, put it all in one skillet — make it a quiche, a hash, a frittata, whatever," she says. "If you look at what professional chefs do, it's that sort of thing. When they're meal-planning and creating specials, they're looking at what they've got on hand and how to make it delicious." When you're faced with a culinary challenge, a "back-to-basics" solution can make for a great experience. "We've had to 'MacGyver' a couple meals at cottages," Bennett says. "We've done a fried chicken on an open pit and it ended up almost like old southern-style fried chicken. And slow-roasting ribs on an open fire pit. You can do some pretty amazing things with just a little heat and a pot, whether you're at a campsite or canoeing or at a luxury cottage. It's not that hard to pull off something interesting — and maybe steal the show." Slow cooking in a smoker or wood oven is perfect for a lazy day at the lake. "You learn the basics, then cook low and slow," Bennett says. "You get that beautiful flavour and colour." Bennett says cottagers are getting more serious and putting together well-designed outdoor kitchens. "It's almost like adding another room to your cottage," she says. "Cottage kitchens can be too small, too hot and just not accommodating for socializing. It can be magic outside on a really hot day. A good-sized counter with barstools on one side is a dream for me." 10 SHEILA BENNETT, OWNER OF KITCHEN SYNC, THE LICENSED COMMERCIAL KITCHEN AND EVENT SPACE, SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO BOTH PLAN WELL AND BE READY TO IMPROVISE WHEN IT COMES TO COTTAGE COOKING. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES ingredients," she says. "That's how some great dishes have been discovered. You shouldn't "BRINE IN ADVANCE, AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE CABIN, LEAVE THE CHICKEN PARTS OPEN-AIR IN THE FRIDGE SO THE SKIN STARTS DRYING OUT AND THEN ROAST THEM. IT'S PRETTY DELICIOUS."

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