For Jacki Fisher cross country skiing is a lifestyle. A way to “get out there and play!” And when one lives in the northwoods, a ‘get out there and play’ mentality is essential to doing anything more than simply surviving the winter. Consider any children you know. Consider their drive to be outside, playing.…
No-Can Tater Tot Hotdish Serves 9-12 (depending on hunger levels & how blustery it is outside) This recipe comes from Land of 10,000 Plates by Patrice Johnson, one of the featured books from our Books for Blizzards segment in the 2020-2021 Ely Winter Times. For the sauce: 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1…
This mulled wine recipe is inspired by that served at W.A. Frost, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 1 bottle dry red wine 3/4 cup Triple Sec 1 Tbsp bitters 1 cup cranberry juice 1 cup raisins 3/4 oz fresh ginger 6 whole cardamom pods 8 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 cup sugar Zest of…
Richard Willits first started looking at the night sky through a telescope that his twelve year old son purchased at the Minnesota Science Museum. That son is now 55 years old. Willits went on to develop a hobby for deep space astrophotography in retirement. He spent the last seven years learning the technology and software…
Nordlys Ingredients: 2oz Aalborg Jubileums Aquavit 1oz Green Absinthe 1oz spruce tip infused simple syrup—plain is fine too Juice of one fresh lemon 1/2oz Creme de Violet White from one egg Small handful of ice Shaker Fine cone strainer Coupe glass – Place egg white in shaker and dry shake (no other liquids or ice…
Photo courtesy of LynnAnne Vesper, canoe and dogsled guide as well as ricing instructor for the Ely Folk School. When Johnnie first began ricing, she and her husband were on the same lake as Mooney and Mooney’s husband, Joe. Johnnie recalls being in awe of Mooney, who looked so relaxed and barely seemed to…
Brielle’s Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup 2 cups wild rice, cooked (preferably hand harvested – not the dark-colored commercial kind) 4 cups water 8 cups chicken stock 2 lbs chicken – thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size pieces and lightly sauteed ½ pound butter (or combination of butter and olive oil) 1 large onion,…
Late July is a great time for canoe tripping in the border country—the lakes are warm enough for long swims, the black flies are mostly gone, the mosquitoes usually don’t come out until sunset, and the blueberries are ripe. Picking blueberries always reminds me of the year we transformed our canoe tripping style due to…
Celebrate blueberry season with a refreshing cocktail! (Or make a tasty spritzer without the alcohol.) This recipe was generously submitted by the folks at Insula Restaurant. Serves two* Still providing delicious meals with curbside service. INGREDIENTS 1 cup blueberries 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves Juice from one lime (fresh; about 2 tablespoons) 1…
The cover photo of Crooked Lake was provided by Layne Kennedy and featured in the 2019 Boundary Waters & Quetico Calendar. You can pre-order your copy of the 2021 Boundary Waters & Quetico Calendar now! It was, as it turned out, the longest paddling day of my life. (At age 72, I’m sure I…