Put a chef in the landscape and amazing things can happen.

The seasons don’t seem to ever divide themselves neatly. The transition can be tumultuous, but as soon as the green of spring starts to appear you’re sure to find a chef outside, on the lookout for the newest, most tender edibles the landscape has to offer. Last spring, much to my amazement, I found a little patch of morels behind the camp kitchen. Every few days I picked them as they grew, and then made a pot of delicious morel risotto for a special staff snack. Rich and creamy. I cannot wait to see if that patch re-appears this year.

Cooking outside on Mackinnon Island looking over the expanse of Shoal Lake is always amazing, and the yearly fish fry is one of the first moments to do this. The feast marks the passing of Spring into the early months at camp when the most fish are caught, and you’ll find folks with their lines in the water many times a day in hopes of feeding the whole staff team. 

At camp, we have a big saucer-style propane fryer that we set up outside, so we can enjoy working together battering and frying the catch. At home, a well-seasoned cast-iron pan will suffice. If you’re looking for the perfect side dish to accompany, we have a collection of the absolute essential recipes, all found in Volume: Cooking for a Community – coleslaw, baked potato wedges, and, of course, homemade tartar sauce.