The DeLish Bite

Yesterday, my sister and I were out and about in cottage country scouring for the ingredients we need for our 'birthday dinner' tomorrow night. Yes, we are twins, and we will be celebrating our 32nd birthday next Thursday! We have an annual tradition of inviting close friends up for a weekend of good food, wine and fun in the sun (sadly, with predicted rain and thunder showers, we may have to cross sun off this year's list!). To keep things simple and economical, we assign each couple (or individual) to a meal. They're responsible for coming up with a menu, purchasing the groceries, making the meal and cleaning up. Most of the meals are comfortingly predictable and uncomplicated, always reflecting the best foods of the season (think juicy beef burgers with arugula salad for Friday dinner, fresh fruit salad and Montreal style bagels for Saturday morning, a delectable spread of meats, cheeses and breads for Saturday lunch and an energy packed brunch for Sunday morning (served late for the morning stragglers). Typically, the Saturday night dinner tends to be the star, and this year appears to be no exception. Dani and her boyfriend, Peter, along with Simon and I, are taking care of business. After much thought, we decided on a menu of smoked Milford Bay trout canapés, rosemary and mint crusted boneless leg of lamb with my favorite purple potato salad with French green beans, arugula and champagne Dijon vinaigrette (click here for the recipe), char-grilled corn on the cob with basil pesto butter and, for dessert, warm molten chocolate cakes with fresh berries and vanilla whip cream (decadent, I know, but hey, it is our birthday!) Fortunately for us foodies, times have changed up in cottage country. I remember when my parents bought our first cottage, about 12 years ago. Trying to find gourmet and organic ingredients wasn't so easy and we were limited to a few select grocery stores. After making our way through the tiny towns which make up the Muskoka region yesterday, Dani and I couldn't help but see how very different things are now. Over the last few years there has been a rapid influx of gourmet food shops, organic and local butchers, fresh food stalls and markets, and trendy cafes and restaurants, all eager, to service the upscale city clientele who flood these areas during the hot summer months. Some of my favorites include:

The Cottage Butcher located in Bala (a quaint town known for its annual cranberry festival) offers a beautiful selection of organic meats, seafood and fine cheeses.

Located in Port Carling (the bustling hub of the Muskoka region), Field of Greens is a gourmet food shop which supplies foodies with an enviable supply of local and organic produce, fine cheeses, gourmet food products and pre-prepared meals.

Morley's Butcher has been around for generations and is a local favorite. Owner, Stephen Morley supplies wonderful meats and gourmet food products.

The Port Carling IGA has also gotten on board and now boasts a wonderful supply of organic and gourmet foods, at reasonable prices.

The Port Sandfield Store in Port Sandfield which offers an abundant produce section as well a good supply of meat and seafood.

Milford Bay Trout in Bracebridge, which features their fine smoked trout products including trout filets, trout pate and gravlox, at many of the above mentioned stores.

The Glen Orchard Store in Glen Orchard and the Lake of Muskoka Cottage Brewery Inc. in Bracebridge are best known for their signature Muskoka Cream Ale which has a crisp, refreshing and nutty malt finish.

Other city-based companies, such as Opulence Catering, have been attracted to this developing food scene and are opening up services in the area.

The secret to finding delicious local food wherever you are is to get out and explore. Enjoy your weekend wherever you may be. Stay tuned next week for a Baby and Toddler week special!