Opening the lodge and restaurant each year is in many ways like opening a new restaurant from scratch. In addition to uncovering all the equipment, staffing, and getting the mechanical aspects going, we refresh the menu and set the direction for the season. The restaurant has been open for two weeks now and happily, we've been getting good feedback on the new menu. The kitchen has been enjoying cooking with local, late spring produce. We were treated to fresh, wild morel mushrooms from southern Minnesota for our opening weekend. Now we are just on the tail end of the asparagus harvest. What a treat it has been to have fresh asparagus, still warm from the sunshine, to share with our guests.

Asparagus from the garden

Right now we are in the peak of rhubarb season so I am baking lots of strawberry-rhubarb pies and serving it with homemade toasted almond ice cream. At this time of year it always seems like we have more rhubarb than we can ever use, but then I am always saddened when the season is over. It is such a unique flavor, and always fun to find new ways to cook with it. On the savory side, we are pairing pan-crisped veal sweetbreads with a blackberry-rhubarb demi-glace and it really is delicious!

- Nicole