Mostly Michigan

Lake Michigan at Empire.

Lake Michigan at Glen Haven.

Lake Michigan where the Platte River enters it.

Lake Michigan, Point Betsie.

Wildflowers....

Michigan whitefish. Michigan strawberries.

Glen Lake, from Villa Glen.

Glen Lake, from Old Settlers' Park.

The gazebo at Old Settlers'.

Along Dunns Farm Road...

Last morning, Glen Lake....

The Chapel at Hartwick Pines.

First dinner, back home...

A challenging stove

I like to cook even on vacation. Especially Up North in Michigan.

The cottage was sweetly rustic; the stove... was not.

The oven was about 125 degrees hotter than what the dial indicated. Yep. Took a day or two to sort that out and make adjustments. And the burners—the ones that worked, that is—weren't much better.

Thus, this baked whitefish was a triumph. Fresh from Lake Michigan, of course. Carlson's, of course. Just glad the oven didn't ruin it.

And a simple salad...

Other highlights include these lovely wildflowers: bladder campion (disappointing name), also known as maiden's-tears (better...). I just happened upon them. Isn't that often the way with beauty?

And Lake Michigan was its stunning self, per usual.

That's Sleeping Bear Dunes in the background.

*

Back home, predictable cooking resumed. 

*

Oh, and speaking of beauty: here's Glen Lake, a real beauty, everyone agrees.

Officially Spring

—and sometimes the weather has seemed like it.

Regardless, we're on our way.

And here's a round-up of a few recent things....


Grilled sea bass on a bed of brown rice with sautéed spinach, toasted almonds, and dates.

Chick pea and chicken curry.

Two small loaves of my favorite bread.

King Mackerel

Caught off the North Carolina coast. Prepared two ways. First with a lime butter...

And then just with olive oil and salt and pepper...

Delicious both ways.

In the mood to bake and cook, but not to post

Apparently.

Much to catch up on.

So, briefly (per usual)...

Double-chocolate zucchini bread, KAF recipe.

Different day. Lemonade. Very satisfying to make.

Next up, sugar snap peas with red onions. Very simple.

And then the salad along with sautéed patty pan squash (love those little flying saucers) and tomatoes with feta and grilled salmon.

Next day: more salmon, this time with sautéed kale and grilled tomatoes.

That's it, pretty much. 

Oh, and the weather has been absolutely lovely. 

Cottage cooking...

has its challenges.

Nonetheless.

First, baked chicken with a farro salad. Note the loon plate. Loon turned at an awkward angle, but still visible.

And some beer bread, alone and then (half-eaten) as a snack with some berries.

And finally whitefish—caught by Carlson's of Leland, of course—with charred corn salad and some wild rice with asparagus, toasted almonds, and cherries. 

All of this in a pan-challenged, stove-challenged environment...