Cottage Life's Summer Weekend Cookbook: Recipes, Tips, and Entertaining Ideas

Patricia A. Myers is a historian with the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development, and the author of Sky Riders: An
Illustrated History of Aviation in Alberta, 1906–1945.

This beautiful cookbook is a byproduct of the Cottage Life empire, which
now includes radio and TV programs, a successful magazine (where it all
started), a consumer trade show, and merchandise ranging from shirts to
mugs—all of which plug the joys of Ontario’s cottage country. The
recipes here, which are accompanied by tips, entertaining ideas, and
“Quick Tricks” for adjusting, are illustrated with stunning
photographs of the finished dishes.

The introduction is careful to note that relaxation is the ultimate
purpose of cottage life. This view is reinforced by line drawings of a
woman blissfully reading or snoozing in a hammock. Yet she somehow still
manages to dazzle friends and family with Orzo with Shrimp, Marinated
Stuffed Leg of Lamb with Mint-Yoghurt Sauce, Layered Black Bean Dip,
homemade hamburger buns, and Apricot Upside-Down Cake. This reader was
heartened to see that the Double-Chocolate Peanut Bars did not require
that the oven be turned on, and that the Baked Beans Beyond Belief
permitted the use of canned beans.

This is clearly weekend cottage cooking for those with fully equipped
kitchens and plenty of storage space, not to mention gadgets and
ingredients of every sort. Oh yes, and lots of time too. So why the
drawings of the relaxing woman? Maybe her husband—or the
butler—prepares everything.