I have to apologize.  I’ve been very inconsistent with my blogging.  The reason? I’ve started working full time in a new marketing position.  While I love what I’m doing, it’s left very little time for anything else, that is after I spend some time with my children, walk the dog and organize our house.

My radical lifestyle change is also going to impact my vacation time. I’ve gone from 52 weeks of holidays a year, down to four weeks.  In term of cottage time, I’m likely only going to be spending long weekends and maybe two weeks a year at the cabin, if I’m lucky.

I realize this is what most people have to contend with, but I’ve had it really good.  Spending most of August at the cabin was a pretty great gig.  Holiday time has now become a very precious commodity.  No matter how you slice it, when I get time off there’s no place I’d rather be than behind the boat wakeboarding.

How ’bout you?  How much time do you get off and what do you do?

Cheers,

Julie

Despite Vancouver’s reputation for being a rainy city, the weather gods have blessed us with sun - lots of it.  Which make’s today’s topic - “Harvest Soups” a little hard to swallow.  Resisting the temptation to feature more grilling recipes, I’ve turned my attention and tastes buds to rich, hearty broths.

This time of year yields a cornucopia of fall root vegetables, particularly if you’re into farmers’ markets.  With the early harvest apples starting to appear, it’s only fitting we whip up a batch of  “Winter Vegetable Soup,” which contains not only root vegetables, but apples and a dollop of maple syrup.  Does it get any more Canadian than this?

Don’t be deterred by the sweetness of this recipe.  The  cayenne pepper and the goat cheese topping more than balance the sweet flavours.  But don’t take my word for it, try this one out and let me know what you think.

Winter Vegetable Soup (source: www.epicurious.com)

ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup coarsely chopped onion (I use a maui or sweet onion)
• 1 cup peeled coarsely chopped granny smith apples
• 1 cup peeled coarsely chopped turnip
• 1 cup peeled, chopped butternut squash (seeds discarded)
• 1 cup peeled, chopped carrots
• 1 cup peeled, chopped sweet potato
• 5 cups of chicken stock
• 1/8 cup of maple syrup
• Cayenne pepper
• 1 small whole-grain baguette
• 3 oz goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

directions
For soup, heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add apple, turnip, squash, carrot, and sweet potato; season with salt, then sauté 5 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add syrup, then cayenne pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Puree with a handheld mixer, food processor or blender. For toast toppers, cut 6 slices bread and toast them. Spread 1/2 oz goat cheese on top of each; sprinkle with chives. Pour soup into 6 large bowls; float toast on top.

If anyone has a good carrot and ginger soup recipe, please leave me a comment.

Cheers,

Julie

The September sun is beating down as I navigate the boat towards the launch.  The spray coming off the waves is warm, not the shocking cold, I’ve come to expect.  The lake is busy with other boaters pulling tubes and skiers. ‘This is all wrong,’ I think to myself, ‘we should be going wakeboarding, not pulling the boat out for the season.’

September is arguably one of the nicest months to be at the cabin, at least that’s what I’ve been told from our neighbours.  I have yet to experience this warm weather phenomenon.  Once the kids are back in school, our lives become immersed in mainland activities: piano lessons, choir and later skiing.

Normally our close-up weekend is tied into an early annual Thanksgiving dinner with our cottage neighbours, but the timing doesn’t work out for us this year, so we decided to close up the cabin while the weather was still nice.  Big mistake.

It’s hard to put away the toys when it’s still daylight - sunlight in fact.  Taking the ladder off the dock means no more swimming.  And then there’s the dock.  Brand new and floating upright. It’s already for the mooring whips.  The new floats mean more people at happy hour or at least drier feet.   “This just seems all wrong,” I say to Bill.  “The weather is so nice.  The cottage is all fixed up and we barely got a chance to enjoy it.”  He agrees.

The truth is, and this happens every year, I’m not ready to say good bye to summer - the parties, the swimming, the campfires and especially the toys.  It’s like Peter Pan returning from never-never land.  I have to grow up and assume my adult responsibilities.  The schedule, the routine and this year a new job.

I wonder if the neighbours would mind if I started a fire in the back yard and roasted some marshmallows - just for old times sake?

Cheers,

Julie

The number of cottages for sale on our lake, compared to last year, is staggering. Only two of the more than 20 listings, have sold. It’s interesting to note that the two that did sell sold pretty close to their asking price - less $10,000. They were also priced higher than all the others.

What made these cabins so appealing to buyers? According to a spokesperson for Royal LePage Qualicum, they were finished homes. That is, they were clean, beautifully decorated and they were turn key. Every thing was automated. They had propane heat, solar polar and all the comforts of home.

While the market for recreational property is a lot softer than it was a year ago, there is still interest in waterfront living. But if you’re currently trying to sell your cottage or are considering listing it, it’s important to be realistic and be prepared to spend money.
Here are five things you should do if you want to sell your cottage:

1. Be Realistic - just because your neighbours cabin sold for $450,000 last year doesn’t mean that you’re going to get that price this year. Get several quotes from real estate agents and take the average of the three. Historical pricing is not the best benchmark in this market.
2. Be prepared to spend some money by doing the following:
   1. Clean out all the junk from underneath the cabin and any other storage places
   2. Get rid of the old mis matched furniture - think cottage show home. Craig’s list is a great place to get good used quality furniture, but don’t be afraid to work with a designer to create a co-ordinated, unified look. Spend money on bed linens, new area rugs, towels and door mats. Painting goes a long way and can really improve a cabin’s appearance. I call this a lipstick renovation.
   3. Clean the inside thoroughly and leave a lemon air freshener - not too overpowering, but remember, cabins are closed up for weeks at a time - you want a clean, fresh scent.
   4. Take down all the personal knick knacks and photos. Throw out any wine bottles, folk art and dried flower arrangements. Think hotel room- less is more.
   5. Pay attention to the outside: build a good dock if you don’t have one, trim, rake and sweep the yard. The outside is just as important as the inside when it comes to cottaging.
   6. Ease of Use - have you put off buying a new generator, solar panels or a propane fireplace? Campers expect rustic. Today’s cottagers want hot showers, cappuccinos and high speed Internet.

I know there’s a reluctance to spend money on a cottage, especially when it’s being listed for sale, but the buyers willing to pay the top dollar are not do-it-yourselfers. They’re turn-key folks, at least until the reality about owning a cottage sets in, but that’s another blog.

Cheers,

Julie

The first day of school is my January 1st. I really think the Jewish folks got it right with Rosh Hashanah. The fall, not the wiinter or January 1st, feels like the start of a new year. This is when I usually get:

• new clothes
• new shoes
• new routine
• new season

While the summer is a time to kick back and relax, the fall brings a renewed sense of energy and purpose. One of things we always do this time of year is to sit down and do our annual budget for the year. We tend to be backward planners. It goes something like this: the Visa bill arrives and we go, “Holy cow! Why is it so big? Where did we spend all that money?”

Summer is also a relaxed time for spending money. For us, having a second home means increased expenses especially travel expenses. Boat fuel, driving to the cabin and the ferry fees are the main culprits. While gas appears to be coming down, we we’re filling up at $1.40 a litre. The assured loading card which cost $850 a year ago is now $1,300 and is rumoured to be increasing again.

And then there are the cottage improvement expenses like the new dock. The total cost to re-float the dock and build the extension amounted to just under $4,000. Ouch. Thank goodness the labour was free - well almost. Bill did drink more beer that week.

The one thing that’s really important for all cottagers is to keep really good records of your cottage improvements. The new dock enhances the capital value of our property, therefor we can use it offset any capitals gains (if there are any) when we decide to dispose of it.

The majority of capital improvements on a cottage or new property occur within the first four years of ownership, so it is really important to keep your receipts. We have a binder we throw everything into. It’s not pretty, but at least it’s all in one place. Ten or 20 years from now, I will be hard pressed to remember where I parked my car, let alone when or what we did to the cabin.

It was decided at this year’s annual budget meeting that we’ve finished all our big projects. Ironically it’s been four years since we bought the cabin. While there might be a little bit of yard work to do and some paint touch-ups, the cabin is pretty much going to stay the way it is until the next generation takes over. At least I hope.

What did you do to your cottage or cabin this year?

Cheers,

Julie

The rain is pouring down in a fine mist. The sporadic wind gusts are sending soggy leaves and twigs onto the ground. The temperature is a cool, not conducive to swimming or any other water activities. I’ve hit a seasonal funk.

Normally summer’s biggest cheer-leader, I’m what you would call, under-the-weather. It’s our last week of summer holidays and it’s rained every day. I loaded my natty kids, muddy dog and dirty laundry into the Jeep last Sunday and headed back to Vancouver. Our 784 square foot cabin is not big enough to endure seven days of rain, or rather seven days of the kids fighting with on another.

While some folks are quick to write off the whole season as being too wet and too cold, I must admit I had an excellent time at the cabin. We were there for the 30 degree days. I boarded until my back was so sore I could hardly sit upright. We had lots of great guests who assemble patio furniture, washed windows and cooked for us.

The super heroes attending last weekend’s year-end party were nothing short of spectacular. What our lake lacks in sunshine, we more than make up for it in enthusiasm and beer.

For those folks heading to their cabin or cottage for a last hurrah of the summer, I wish you no traffic, lots of sunshine, a calm lake and cold beer.

I’m rain soaked and dry docked here in Vancouver.

Cheers,

Julie

My husband loves tarts. Pies are a source of joy, but he likes nothing better than to sink his teeth into a fruit custard tart. The fruitier the better.

The summer provides a cornucopia of fresh fruit: fat little blueberries, raspberries, peaches and apricots just to name a few.

Today’s recipe is dedicated to all the tart lovers out there - Honey-Glazed Peach Tart. For the crust, I use John Bishop’s pastry recipe. It’s simple, easy to make and serves as a delicious platform for any fruit and custard topping.

Pastry

• 1 1/2 cups white flour sifted
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, not soft
• 1/3 cup of icing sugar

Combine flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor until it forms a ball. Trace the bottom of a 10 inch springform pan onto parchment paper. Cut out the circle and place it in the pan. This will make it easier to remote the tart onto a serving plate after it is baked. Use approximately 2/3 of the dough to line the bottom of the pan, and press the remainder up the sides. It works well to form it into a roll first, and then press it evenly up the sides (about 1 inch/2.5 cm). You can also just roll this into a regular glass pie plate if you don’t have a springform pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake crust until golden brown for about 25 minutes, pricking crust with a fork if bubbles form.

Filling
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 ripe medium peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 tablespoons peach preserves, melted

For filling:
Mix sugar, flour, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Add peaches and toss to coat. Pour into baked crust. Drizzle honey over peach mixture; dot with butter and sprinkle with almonds. Bake until peaches are tender and almonds are toasted, about 35 minutes. Brush fruit and almonds with peach preserves. Cool 15 minutes before serving. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Store tart at room temperature.)

Mascarpone Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
6 tablespoons mascarpone cheese*
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For mascarpone cream:
Using electric mixer, beat cream, mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl until peaks form. Slice tart into 6 wedges and serve with dollops of mascarpone cream.

Cheers,

Julie

I’m expecting Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Popeye and Olive Oil for potluck dinner on Saturday night. Batman and the Hulk may also show up. It’s our annual year-end summer bash at the lake and we usually go out with a bang.

This year’s theme, “Super Heroes,” promises to be an interesting night. I’ve learned since we first bought our cabin, that the cottagers take this event very seriously. We failed to dress up for our inaugural party, “Mexican night” and were put to great shame with our lack of effort. We’ve since made up for it.

Two years ago, I was Julia Roberts and Jackie Chan was my date, as we celebrated a night at the Oscars - see above photo. Yes, we’re standing on a red carpet.

The evening commences with an extended happy hour followed by an amazing potluck dinner. After that, and of course some libations, things get really interesting. We’ve an added surprise for this year’s party where the super heroes will have to perform. That’s all I’m saying, but look for the photos on Monday.

Part of the hosts’ job is to also come up with some prizes. Our goal was to keep them under $2 - something we managed to do thanks to the Superstore. With all the details neatly tucked away, we are now scrambling to get our own costumes together - this is proving the hardest part.

Any suggestions???

Cheers,

Julie

If you’ve been glued to your TV the past two weeks and dread going to the cottage because you don’t want to miss the Olympics’ closing ceremonies, rest assured there is a solution.

The Slingbox is a small square box that transmits your home cable, satellite or HD TV to your laptop or wireless phone anywhere in the world, even the cottage. It uses the Internet to transmit the signal. If you’re currently paying for two services, it’s a great way to save money, especially if you’re not getting all the channels you’d like to receive at the cabin.

The technology does have some limitations.

The first one: you need to have high speed Internet ( at least 256 KBPS) at the cottage in order to receive the streaming video.

Then there are the technical requirements.

Your laptop must have:

• Window Vista or Windows XP with service pack
• Graphics Card
• Sound Card
• Network Connection
• Home Network Router

The Slingboxes start at $199 and are available at Best Buy, Future Shop and London Drugs.

To find out more about this technology and read what others think about it, visit CNET.com for a complete product review.

Cheers,

Julie

Tortillas are arguably one of the most versatile appetizers. From quesadillas to fajitas, many wonderful snacks can be created with this flexible flatbread.

Today’s recipe comes from the docks of Horne Lake. Andrea and Debbie have been urging me to include this appetizer - tortilla with fig jam, pancetta and asiago cheese on my blog. While I don’t have the exact amount for the ingredients, you can ball park it depending on how many tortillas you use.

Tortilla with fig jam, pancetta and asiago cheese

Ingredients

• 4 10 - 12″ white flour tortillas
• 1 small jar of fig jam
• 200 grams of sliced pancetta
• 1 cup of shredded asiago cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 350F. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes - you want the shells to be crunchy but not browned.

Spread on warm shells, fig jam, then layer with pancetta and top with shaved asiago cheese. Place back in the oven for an additional 5 - 7 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Slice tortillas into eights and serve immediately with a gin and tonic, mojito or cold Corona.

It’s no secret that lime has been one of my favourite flavours this summer - from fajitas to mojitos, this zesty citrus has ruled my grill. Last night I squeezed it on my fresh cherries - awesome combination.

I came across this recipe for Chili Lime Tortillas on epicurious.com and with a few modifications have listed it below:

Chili Lime Tortillas

• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 tsp lime
• 1/4 cup veg oil
• 4 10 - 12″ flour tortillas

Directions
Mix the first six ingredients together and brush mixture on flour tortillas. Place on cookie sheet (need two cookie sheets) and using a sharp knife cut into narrow wedges. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate sheets (so the tortillas cook evenly) and then bake another seven to 10 minutes.

What’s your favourite tortilla recipe? Leave me a the details in the comment section below.

Cheers,

Julie