One of my favourite meals for a large gang at the cabin is homemade pizza. While chopping up all the ingredients is very labour intensive, the kids, as well as the adults love making their own pizza. The trick is remembering which is which.

I usually cheat and buy a package of the mini crusts, along with assorted grated cheeses. If I have more time I like to make the crust from scratch. Below is Emiril’s homemade crust - delicious, thick and chewy. The perfect crust. While my kids prefer ham and pineapple, my favourite toppings include: goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, some caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts and prosciutto.

Basic Pizza Dough:
1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon saltIn a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and 1 tablespoon oil, stirring to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky. You may not need all of the flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes.

Oil a large mixing bowl with remaining olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place, free from drafts until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle.

Yield: dough for 1 (15-inch) pizza

If you’re feeling brave, you may want to try Emiril’s Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza - this recipe looks awesome.

What’s your favourite pizza topping?

Cheers,

Julie

Flipping through the March/April edition of Cottage Magazine, I stumble upon this headline, WHAT KIND OF COTTAGER ARE YOU? The article references La Casa Lakeside Cottage Resort, a new housing development situated midway between Kelowna and Vernon B.C. on Okanagan Lake.

These recreation properties are not actually on the water, but have water views, in addition to a pool, recreation facilities, your own private golf cart, and a boat slip. Can you really call these year-round homes with granite counter tops, gas fireplaces and plush interiors a cottage?

Maybe not 25 years ago, but today’s cottage is not the one your grandparents owned, or anything we experienced growing up on Rice Lake, Ontario. Resort developments, Deerhurst aside, were unheard of 10 years ago, but with cottages in Alberta and B.C. exceeding the $1 million dollar threshold, fractional ownership and condominiums developments are an affordable way to own a piece of paradise compete. Some of them even come with tennis courts, community centres and babysitting.

Cottagers’ tastes seem to be changing too. We’re becoming soft - more civilized. We need our creature comforts and are unwilling to part with them even at the cabin. Necessities like: dishwashers, Internet and satellite TV’s are just some of our must-haves.

Would I object if our cottage association decided to install tennis courts? No on your life, in fact I’d be downright thrilled. Or how about a skateboard park? Great idea.

What kind of cottager are you? Do you want to get away from it all and be left alone in peace, or do you want to escape to a resort like setting where in addition to the lake, you have all the amenities of home?

Cheers,

Julie

In the never ending quest to become more environmentally sensitive fire logs have joined the green queue. For those folks, myself included, who like to curl up by the fire and don’t want to fuss with kindling, newspaper and soggy hardwood, fire logs are the perfect solution.

Aside from not giving off any heat, it seems the new and environmentally improved logs also give off fewer emissions than regular wood. The Java-Log reports to produce 70 - 80% less emissions and Duraflame’s fire logs new bio-wax composition logs are 100% renewable making them carbon neutral.

Both the Java-Log and the President’s Choice Green logs are made from recycled coffee grounds. I tried the PC log and found it performed perfectly fine. It too burns 7 times cleaner than wood. I also like the fact that both these logs are reusing the 9-million kg of ground coffee that would otherwise to to waste.

The Pine Mountain fire log is another eco-friendly log. It’s made from 100% vegetable was and recycled sawdust and is touted to release 80% fewer emissions than wood logs.

The logs are all priced very competitively between $2 - $3 each, and are available at major retailers nationwide. Given they’re better for the environment, it only makes sense to burn these instead of the conventional fire logs.

I’m picturing us gathered around our fire pit this summer, burning our environmentally friendly fire logs, sipping our organically brewed beer, and swapping polluter horror stories.

Here’s to going green.

Cheers,

Julie

While most of eastern Canada is still digging out from the heaps of snow they’ve had piled on them, here on the west coast it’s practically spring. The grass is green, the crocuses purple, white and yellow heads are in full bloom, and the cheery tree blossoms are just about to burst open. Oh yeah, and it’s raining.

Cottaging on the west coast, especially during March break, is a bit of a crap shoot. You might get some sunshine, but best not to count on it. If you’re planning on renting a cabin for the spring break pack your rain gear: gortex shell and pants, fleece and rubber boots.

As far as activities go we won’t be doing any snowmobiling or skating at our cabins. It’s more like walks on the beach looking for treasures carried in by the winter storms or weather permitting going for a kayak.

If your cabin in on the ocean, it’s also a good time to do some whale watching as the gray whales are migrating. In fact, from March 15 - 23, 2008 Tofino’s is hosting its annual Gray Whale festival. Up and down the shore the blow-spout mist can be spotted as the whales come up for air.

In order to stave off bordeom and subsequent fights, I plan lots of day trips for the kids as March is typically a very rainy month. Some of our favourites are Coombs Country Market for breakfast or ice cream (see Goats on the Roof article). Going swimming at the Ravensong Aquatic Centre, and if we’re feeling really adventurous Mount Washington is only a 45 minute drive and from there we can skiing, snowshoeing or tubing.

It’s very different from cottaging in eastern Canada; there’s no ice fishing in fact our lake never freezes. We won’t be snowmobiling or building snow forts, but we do manage to have a good time - west coast style.

Cheers,

Julie

With the price of fuel skyrocketing and the desire to leave only a wake not an oil slick in the lake, I have been researching boat motors this week.

Pouring through the top four outboard manufacturers websites: Honda, Mercury, Yamaha and Suzuki’s, some companies are touting their commitment to the environment, Honda in particular, while others are still focused on torque.

One thing has become abundantly clear, our old two-stroke Mercury outboard has got to go. While Honda’s website states that their four-stroke engines are 90% cleaner, 50% more fuel efficient, 50% quieter (I have a Honda generator called Lovely, and she’s very quiet) than a typical two-stroke engine, what catches my eye is they do not release any oil directly into the water.

There’s nothing like sitting in the lake behind a sputtering old motor that’s billowing oil and gas exhaust, struggling to go wakeboarding. In fact, I have spent my entire life crouched behind some kind of Merc motor waiting to yell “Hit It!” Next to falling, this is my least favourite part.

Thanks to companies like Honda, Suzuki and Mercury, who offer CARB’s three star rating (see Wednesday’s blog on Green Boating) on practically every one of their motors (exclusion include: Suzuki’s 30, Honda’s EFI motors, and Mercury’s Verado series and the Optimax 150/175/200/225), wakeboarding is about to get a whole lot more enjoyable.

In 1998 Honda introduced an entire line of high performance outboard motors that met the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2006 emission standards. The customer service rep at Suzuki believed they started sometime in 2000.

It’s important to note the newer engines are more likely to have CARB’s three star rating. This is one thing I will definitely be looking for when we start shopping for our new boat and motor.

Ahoy,

Julie

How do you like your apples? I like my apples - crisp, that is with butter, brown sugar, oatmeal and a hint of cinnamon.

If there’s ever a dessert that is truly Canadian I think apple crisp would be it. My mom often made this recipe for us during the wintertime. My favourite part is the crumbly topping. It’s easy to make, and adding things like cranberries or pecans only adds to the flavour.

I love it with ice cream, but you can top it off with butterscotch sauce or fresh whip cream. I think a tart apple like a Granny Smith or McIntosh is the best way to go.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Vanilla ice cream on the side

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350degrees Farenheit. Butter an 8 square baking dish

For topping, combine the butter, sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon in a bowl. Work together with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Toss in nuts; set aside.

Toss the apples with lemon juice and spoon into the baking dish. Sprinkle topping evenly over the apples. Bake in center of the oven for 1 hour or until bubbly and the apples are tender. Let cool slightly. Serve warm, topped with ice cream or cream, if desired.

Cheers,

Julie

Worth Repeating….

Now that boating season is just around the corner, only 11 weeks to go until the May long weekend, some people may be starting to ponder a new boat. In the fall I wrote about the deals to be had in the US, (see Buying a Used Boat are they Cheaper in the US?) given the majority of the boats are manufactured there and the size of their population, it’s only natural that they have a larger market for used boats.

One of our reader’s, RunningCar, has imported several used boats from across the border for resale and explains the paperwork process involved in clearing customs.

He writes:

• You will require clear title for the boat and the trailer.
• You need a letter from the manufacturer of the trailer that there are no open recalls on it (contact either the manufacturer or the authorized dealer to obtain a recall clearance letter.
• You also need a certificate of origin. If the boat and trailer are not built in Canada or the US, its a different ball game. Click on Transport Canada’s website as well as Canada Border Services Agency’s website.
• Determine additional cost, such as duty and taxes (contact Canada Border Services Agency at 1-800-461-9999)
• When you get to the border make sure you have:
  • title documents
  • registration
  • sales receipts
  • statement of compliance label and manufacturer’s recall clearance letter
• At the border, you need to go in and fill out Form 1 (it needs to be kept in the vehicle until it’s licensed). Canada Border Services Agency will collect a nonrefundable Registrar of Imported Vehicles fee of $195.00 + GST (avoid paying by cheque as it will add an additional 10 days to your clearing time) or you can go to www.riv.ca and pay it online. The serial number on the trailer is inspected at this point as well.
• After payment and recall documentation have been received by the Registrar of Imported Vehicles, an Inspection Form will be mailed to you
• Take this and the boat to Canadian Tire where they will confirm the serial number and perform the provincial inspection.
• Once you pass the inspection the Form 1 gets stamped
• You then take the Form 1 to the provincial or territorial licensing authority to get the numbers for you boat.
• Within one week of passing the federal inspection, they will send you a new Canadian Certification label

For more information visit How to Import A Vehicle to Canada.

It’s important to note you only have 45 days to get all the inspections and paperwork completed. After that the boat will have to be exported back to the US.

Missed the Boat on Deals

As far as finding deals in the US, RunningCar has this to add:

“You missed the boat so to speak on deals for this season. You need to be buying in November and December. This is now prime time and I’m getting tons of action on my stuff and the prices are at their highest level of the season.”

Oh well, there’s always next year.

Cheers,

Julie

As the owner of an old two-stroke outboard motor, I was surprised to learn that it emits more hydrocarbons in one hour than a typical car does in about 40 hours, according to Cottage Life magazine. What’s even worse about our aging Merc engine is it emits up to 25 - 30% of it’s fuel unburned into the water or atmoshphere. In some lakes in California, I wouldn’t even be able to operate it.

I know that my boating activities: wakeboard, waterskiing and tubing are having an enormous impact on our lake. The wake I generate is one thing, but the fuel and oil emissions are another as they inflict the greatest environmental damage.

Hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are the major pollutants. A gasoline additive called MTBE (methyl tertbutyl ether) and possible carcinogen, is another. Nearly 90 percent of the MTBE in lake water is due to recreational boating, according to Gerry Mackie, author of The Cottage Bible.

While purchasing a new motor and accompanying boat are an expensive proposition, outboard models built after 2006 in the US have reduced emissions by 75%. In fact, if people are shopping for a new boat, they want to be aware of California’s Air Resource Board’s three star rating system as it applies to all new engines and PWC’s sold in the state of California.

	CARB’S One Star label identifies engines that meet CARB’s 2001 exhaust emission standards. Engines meeting these standards produce 75% fewer emissions than conventional carbureted two-stroke engines. These engines are equivalent to the US EPA’s 2006 standards for marine engines.
	The Two Star label identifies engines that meet CARB’s 2004 exhaust emission standards. Engines meeting these standards produce 20% fewer emissions than One Star (Low Emission) engines.
	The Three Star label identifies engines that meet CARB’s 2008 exhaust emission standards. Engines meeting these standards produce 65% fewer emissions than One Star (Low Emission) engines.

According to Air Resources Board’s website:

The main purpose of labels is to educate consumers. ARB wants consumers to be able to make informed choices concerning engine emissions when they are shopping for watercraft. Water agencies that worked with ARB in developing the watercraft regulations supported labels. The labels are an additional tool water agencies can use to reduce pollution in areas where water quality is a special concern.

I’m curious to find out which boat engines carry the three-star rating, and over the next couple of days will report my findings. I will also look at ways to improve a two-stroke engine’s fuel efficiency.

Cheers,

Julie

Recently on the Cottage Life forum, I posted this question: Five Things a Cottage Guest Should Never Do. I shared my list and asked cottagers to do the same. Judging by the number of cottagers who responded to this posting, I think it touched a nerve.

The real issue for most people is managing expectations. As cottage owners we want/need our guests to behave a certain way. When they don’t resentments seep in and the offending guest is seldom invited back.

What were some of the things that really ticked people off?

1. Arrive unexpectedly (even worse when it’s meal time)
2. Invite extended family and friends to join them, casually mentioning to the host that someone they know might just drop by.
3. Drink the last beer or bring cheap beer and drink owner’s expensive beer
4. Not offer to gas up the boat after using it all day
5. Guests who stay too long
6. Bring a pet without asking and not clean up after it
7. Play their music or crank your stereo
8. Don’t pitch in and help out
9. Arrive empty handed

Sharon, Cottage Life’s forum administrator, directed me to an article, How to Survive a Long Weekend (click to view) as a way to take a proactive approach to this delicate subject matter.

I think as hosts the responsibility falls on us to articulate what we want from our guests. In some cases it’s absolutely nothing. In other instances maybe we need them to bring linen, a meal, chip in for gas or their help fixing the boat ramp.

I’m slowly learning that expectations are resentments under construction.

Dad Fixit from the Forum summed it up best with this:

“Tell ‘em up front what you expect and don’t be afraid to ask (strip the beds, sweep the floor whatever). We’ve followed this rule since we bought our place and knock-on-wood…or my head in this case, we don’t have anyone on the “banned” list and everyone keeps comin back.”

I also like what Heather Bayer wrote,

“You could also write a nice little homily on what makes a good cottage guest, have it framed and place it in the cottage somewhere.”

Great idea, Heather. So we are launching our “Ideal Cottage Guest” contest and invite you to submit your ideas to julie@cottagedaily.com. Five pairs of tickets for the Spring Cottage Life Show (taking place in Toronto March 28 - 30) will be awarded to the winning entries. I will post the submissions so you can download them for your cottage wall.

Cheers,

Julie