Muskoka Flavours: Guidebook and Cookbook

Barbara Robertson is the author of Wilfrid Laurier: The Great
Conciliator and the co-author of The Well-Filled Cupboard.

Muskoka has such charm that some is bound to rub off onto any book about
it, and this is true of Muskoka Flavours, whose aim is “to be both a
cookbook and guide to the many fine restaurants and resorts in
Ontario’s cottage country.”

But there are flaws. Though the restaurants and resorts are mainly in
Muskoka, several are beyond its borders, west into Georgian Bay, east
into Haliburton, north into Algonquin Park, and even into the Kawarthas.
This broad geographic range makes the book’s title seem imprecise. In
addition, though there are lavish color illustrations of both food and
scenery, these components do not mix comfortably together. Too often the
food illustrations consist of large plates with something perched on
something else, as in chicken breasts on a mound of rice, or salmon on
top of mashed potatoes. There is a lack of variety in the food photos,
and though the scenery is grand, it is crowded by the food.

As for the recipes, there is a real difficulty in translating
restaurant fare to the home kitchen, and though valiant efforts have
been made, success is not total. Still, there are a number of recipes,
particularly among the soups and breakfast foods, that the home cook
should be able to manage.

Finally, there are profiles of the 36 restaurants and resorts
considered, and it is pleasing to note their individuality. Three report
having their own kitchen gardens—The Briars on Lake Simcoe, the Domain
of Killien in Haliburton, and Grandview Inn near Huntsville—and this
is certainly in the tradition of old Muskoka resorts. Indeed, the Domain
of Killien in Haliburton goes further: it has no radios or television.