There’s no better place to reconnect with friends and family than the cottage and no better way to connect than over a great meal.
The problem is, if you’re hosting friends and family, you aren’t just preparing one meal: you’re in charge of crafting a full menu for you and your guests to enjoy over the weekend.
While food is an essential part of the cottage experience, Melanie Carter, owner of McMaster’s Muskoka Fine Foods says you shouldn’t spend your entire weekend preparing it.
“There’s a better way to keep the meals, and the good times, going,” says Melanie, which is why she’s designed McMaster’s Muskoka Fine Foods to address every aspect of your entertaining needs.
Their beautifully designed shop is hard to miss: the one-of-a-kind, locally owned one-stop market is located on the outskirts of Bracebridge on Hwy 118 toward Port Carling, with a spacious parking lot lined with fragrant dwarf lilac trees.
Prepared meals
“You’ll find many pre-cooked foods expertly crafted in-house by our team.”
From meat and vegetarian lasagnas, chicken piccata, and Italian-style meatballs to cooked ribs, cottage pie and vegetarian lentil cottage pie, beef bourguignon, devilled eggs, shrimp cocktail and red curry coconut-crusted salmon – you’ll find a wide variety of ready-to-enjoy meals to savour as soon as you reach the cottage.
Fresh butcher cuts
As a Red Seal chef, Melanie and her team of expert butchers, chefs and service staff have become Muskoka’s source for the highest quality meats. “We’re committed to sourcing only Canadian, high-grade prime and Angus beef, aged in-house for superior flavour and tenderness – a process few others undertake as extensively.”
Whether you’re grilling steak, their Quebec pork, free-run chicken or in-house ground steak burgers, you can relax knowing you’re getting the most flavourful meat, without added fillers or preservatives.
Gourmet groceries
Unlike a typical grocery store, everything is personally selected by Melanie to ensure their clients receive only the highest quality foods. Shelves are bursting with locally sourced produce and a selection of gourmet condiments and imported fine organic Greek, Italian and Argentinian olive oils, balsamic glazes, chutneys, hot sauces, fruit vinegars, and pickled fish.
“We also have imported olives, capers, mushrooms, risottos and pasta, San Marzano tomatoes and cipollinis, along with all the charcuterie ingredients you’ll need to create a great spread for your guests.”
Stop by to stock up for the weekend, find everything to savour a cottage weekend, and relax while you enjoy a mouthwatering menu that you’ll never forget.
TEXT SHELANNE AUGUSTINE
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
