There are rarely enough opportunities to embrace solitude - time to sit in quiet, without obligation or responsibility. I love it and at times really need it. I’m fortunate to have a cabin by a lake - a serene space surrounded by trees, wildlife and little more. There are no sounds of modern life - just the crackling of the wood stove, the pine limbs rustling against each other, the occasional crack of the lake ice and the little red squirrels clambering in the snow for the peanuts I leave on the back porch.
I come here to sleep deeper, slumber without guilt and reset my mind without distraction or schedule - and drink tea, lots of tea. I am often here with my partner and all of our pets, which is lovely and soothing in its own way but I feel the power of this place more so when I come for solitude and a chance to reset.
So, for this visit to the cabin it was just myself, a bag of ingredients and two books.
For this first time in a long while I was able to rise with the sun - instead of well before. First thing on my mind…muffins. Then bagels, eggs and soup - what kind of soup would I make for lunch!?
In between books, two of which I recommend below, I cooked. These recipes are idyllic for cozy cabin mornings and afternoons - slow and easy. With enough leftovers to take back home to my loves.
Make one or all of these recipes. Then find some quiet, a cup of tea and a book.
Do you enjoy complete solitude from time to time? What is your reset strategy?
“Come to the woods, for here is rest.
There is no repose like that of the green deep woods.“
-John Muir
Easy One Bowl Blueberry Oat Muffins
Makes 12
55 Grams Whole Rolled Oats
125ml Buttermilk (Shaken)
50ml Fresh Orange Juice
Zest of 1 Orange
225 Grams All Purpose Flour
100 Grams White Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
125ml Canola Oil
1 Large Egg (Beaten)
1 Pint Fresh Blueberries
Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease a 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.
In a large bowl, soak the oats with the buttermilk, juice and zest for 10 minutes.
Sift in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir to combine.
Add in the canola oil and egg. Stir gently, just to combine. Tumble in the blueberries and fold in.
Evenly distribute in the muffin tin and top with a sprinkle of oats.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
Enid’s Bagels
Makes 12 - 15
My bagels need to be prepped a day in advance. The biga (starter) can be made the night before. These take some effort, but are well worth it. You can keep them simple and plain or dress them with sesame, poppyseeds, etc. If you have access to a wood burning oven, even better, but a regular oven will work just fine so long as it can reach 500 degrees (make sure its clean!)
Biga
245 Grams Bread Flour
2 tsp Yeast
225ml Warm Water
Bagel Dough
Biga
700ml Warm Water
2 tsp Yeast
2 Tbsp Salt
2 tsp Barley Malt Syrup
2 Large Eggs
65ml Olive Oil
960 Grams of Bread Flour
Honey for Water
To prepare the biga, place the bread flour, yeast and warm water in a bowl and mix to combine. Cover and leave to rest overnight.
The next morning… In the bowl of a mixer, add in the biga along with the remaining dough ingredients. Mix with a dough hook for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and pulled away from the bowl. If the dough feels too wet, add a sprinkle of flour.
Turn out the dough onto a board and knead by hand a few times. Place in a greased bowl and cover. Set aside to proof in a warm place until doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and cut into 12-15 equal pieces, use a scale if desired. For each piece - roll into a log, bring the ends together to form a circle and pinch/roll to seal. Complete shaping each bagel. Cover them with towels and leave to rest for 20-25 minutes in a warm space.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil with about 60ml of liquid honey and a couple good pinches of salt. Also, preheat your oven to 475-500 degrees.
Working in batches, boil each bagel for 2 minutes a side. Remove with a large slotted spoon or the handle of a wooden spoon and place on a parchment lined baking tray. If you want to coat in seeds, do so while the bagels are still wet - directly from the water.
Once all the bagels have been boiled, bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Turkey Meatball, Cannellini Bean & Vegetable Soup
Serves 4
Meatballs
1/2lb Ground Turkey
1 Large Egg, Beaten
40 Grams Bread Crumbs
25 Grams Grated Parmigiano
2 Tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley, Finely Chopped
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil for Frying
Soup
Olive Oil
2 Shallots, Finely Chopped
4 Carrots, Chopped
2 Celery Ribs, Chopped
Handful of Celery Leaves
2 Small Green Zucchini, Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
Salt and Pepper
1.5L Good Chicken Stock or Bone Broth
1 Can Cannellini Beans, Drained
3 Cups Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
Fresh Parsley and Marjoram
For the meatballs - In a bowl combine all the ingredients. Shape into small balls. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Sear the meatballs on all sides until golden brown.
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in the shallots, carrots, celery ribs and celery leaves. Sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add in the zucchini and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock. Add the meatballs, along with any bits/oil from the frying pan. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the beans, spinach and fresh herbs. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of parmigiano and some celery leaves for garnish.
Mushroom & Swiss Chard Quiche
Serves 6-8
This hearty quiche is lovely with a simple green salad. For the shell, I make a simple all butter French pastry in a removable bottom fluted tart pan.
Pastry Dough
240 Grams All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
145 Grams Very Cold Unsalted Butter
2-3 Tablespoons Ice Water
Filling
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
220 Grams Mixed Fresh Mushrooms (Cremini, Oyster, Shiitake, etc), torn or chopped
1 Shallot Finely Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1 Bunch Swiss Chard, Cleaned, Trimmed and Chopped
8 Large Eggs
125ml Cream
4-5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper
45 Grams Parmigiano Cheese (or other hard cheese such as gruyère)
To prep the dough - In the bowl of a food processor pulse the flour, salt and butter together until the butter is in small bits. Slowly add in the water until a loose dough forms. Turn out onto a board and pull together into a flat disc. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough and gently place into the tart pan. Trim the excess. Dock the dough with a fork and chill in the fridge.
For the Filling - In a large pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms until brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add in the shallot and garlic, sauté for a further 3-4 minutes. Add in the chard and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme, mustard, salt, pepper and cheese. Add in the mushroom mixture and stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Gently pour in the egg mixture and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until golden and just set (a slight wiggle in the centre is okay).
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Books I’m Reading
I brought along these two reads to enjoy between cooking and napping at the cabin.
Stir by Jessica Fechtor - This new (to me) book was another memoir surrounded in food that I couldn’t put down. A story of how food brought hope and healing during a time of deep distress. “It is a pleasure not only to taste, but to have taste, to feel our preferences exert themselves. It feels good to know what we like, because then we know who we are.”
Ways of Eating by Benjamin Wurgaft and Merry White. I love historical guides to ingredients and food culture. This one touches on both history as well as modern debates around food. I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter about eating in restaurants - from an anthropological viewpoint, a place to do fieldwork. “…you can hear a lot just by listening, and on through all the ways of sensing and perceiving the world, and the foods, around you.”
If you are interested in renting our little cabin in Ontario (1.5 Hours north of Prince Edward County) for you own rest and reset please reach out - hello@enidgrace.com