2 INTRODUCTION

      The truth is, I had never pictured living anywhere but California, and since leaving Tahoe, I had zero interest in returning to a small town. But the more we explored New Buffalo and the surrounding Harbor Country region, I was reminded for the first time in a long time of the many things I actually loved about growing up in the rural High Sierra mountains. When it comes to early morning beach walks, afternoon hikes, invigorating sunset swims, beach bonfires, knowing your neighbors, and falling asleep to the sound of silence, the city just can’t compete.

      Late that spring, we finally settled on a little nugget of a home in New Buffalo, just 90 minutes from the city. We took a breath—not a shallow, breathing-to-get-by kind of breath. A long, strong inhale that clears a frenzied mind, calms a pounding heart, and restores the peace within.

      As we relaxed into the warmth and community of our first Harbor Country summer, we felt our spirits unfurl and reconnect to life’s most delicious pleasures. We weren’t sure what to expect from the months ahead, but for the first time in a long time, we were both really hungry! Hungry to host friends and family, excited to savor more sunsets, and committed to taking big-ger, juicier bites out of every single lake-life moment. After spending a single summer at “Camp Navama,” our New Buffalo home, I discovered this was not only a place to be yourself, but a place to find yourself.

      I returned to my happiest place—the kitchen—and began cooking with heart again. I cooked for David, for family, and for friends new and old, revisiting forgotten recipes from my days as a recipe developer, private chef, and owner of Cookies Couture, a boutique bakery. I spent hours perfecting gluten-free and cow dairy–free versions of my hubby’s favorite foods and filled our table with dishes made from the incredible variety of produce farmed here in Ber-rien County. Friendships were forged with local farmers, chefs, restaurant proprietors, artisans, and makers who all spent their days feeding this community.

      Our first 52 weeks at Camp Navama were so unexpectedly delicious that I wanted to capture each magical moment and preserve them in mason jars to enjoy endlessly. As a food-loving family, many of our best memories that year centered on meals shared around our New Buffalo table. I soaked up the whimsical energy of Harbor Country, which allowed me to cook like one only can when the days feel endless and the heart is wide open.

      While memories sadly can’t be preserved in glass jars like summer’s bounty, recipes al-low us to relive treasured moments in time. At Camp Navama, week after week, month after month, we continued making food to feed our friends and souls and to honor the changing sea-sons. This cooking marathon left me with a vibrant collection of recipes and stories—a paper trail of how we celebrated our first year in Harbor Country.

      Memorable meals and unforgettable people inspired this cookbook, organized by our seasonal rituals. When it wasn’t time to host, it was time to hammock, or build a fire, or pack a picnic and raise a glass for sunset hour, then indulge in a deliciously sweet treat before falling asleep to the sound of silence.

      INTRODUCTION3

      The recipes here are meant to please many palates. While living in L.A., we often hosted dinner parties with a few gluten-free guests, three vegans, the token pescatarian, and our friends who don’t eat pork. Today, no matter what coast I’m cooking on, I see many people who strug-gle with food sensitivities or simply have developed specific food preferences. Whatever your pleasure, I’ve got you covered with options for using gluten-free flour orregular all-purpose flour and dairy-free milk or your milk of choice. Want to start your day with a marshmallow-topped café au lait, enjoy kale salad midday, then indulge in brisket and birthday cake at night? Me too! We’re on the same page, friends.

      If years ago someone had told me I’d be living in the Midwest, in a tiny town no less, I would have known with utter certainty that they were mistaken—that they had the wrong girl.

      Today I’m beyond grateful that life doesn’t always unravel as planned. Around any given corner you may very well find something unexpectedly delicious.

      P.S. If you have any questions about a recipe, you can probably find me at David’s, Infusco, or Whistle Stop on any given weekend—or feel free to connect through my blog at ThirdCoastKitchen.com.

      4

      H

         inside guide to quickly and easily understand how to use this

      book and know what ingredients you’ll want to have on hand to whip up many

      of these recipes at a moment’s notice. After all, lake life is a little more free-form and

      a little less planned, and that’s what makes it so delicious! Because I want to help you

      feed

      all

       friends and family, my recipes are easily adapted for people

      with

       and

      without

      food sensitivities. In most recipes I offer alternate options, such as “gluten-free flour”

      or

       “regular all-purpose flour” and “almond milk”

      or

       “milk of choice.”

      Please note that Harbor Country is located very close to a time zone boundary. Most places listed in this book operate on eastern time, though some places in Indiana operate on central time. If you’re visiting from Chicago or elsewhere, please keep this in mind when planning your trip.

      H

      ow to Use This Book

      HOW TO USE THIS BOOK5

      Before You Go Forth to Cook with Wild Abandon . . . Know This

      Read It All Reading the recipe from start to end is well worth the few minutes it takes.

      Mise en Place A mise en place is your best friend in the kitchen. Pronounced “meez ahn plas,” this is a French term meaning “set in place.” Creating your mise en place means taking time to set out, cut, prepare, and measure all ingredients before cooking. If a recipe calls

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