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Life in a Northern Town: Cooking, Eating, and Other Adventures along Lake Superior
"Generations of men and women have stood on these beaches, listened to water rushing over these basalt rocks, and picked wild blueberries here well before I sailed into the Bayfield harbor. The families of those men and women are still here, tethered to a place where they can slip behind their ancestor’s eyes and take in essentially the same view."
—from the Introduction
In 2007, Mary Dougherty and her family moved from St. Paul to the tiny Bayfield Peninsula, surrounded by the waters of Lake Superior and Chequamegon Bay in far northwestern Wisconsin. There they set out to live their lives against a backdrop of waterfalls, beaches, farm stands, and a quintessential small town of 487 people. Through recipes, stories, and photos, this book explores what it means to nourish a family and a community. As Mary Dougherty incorporates what is grown and raised in northern Wisconsin into her family’s favorite dishes, she continues a cultural tradition begun by immigrants hundreds of years ago. The result is a one-of-a-kind collection of globally and regionally inspired recipes featuring local cheeses, meats, and produce from the farmers in and around Bayfield—pho made with beef bones from a farm in Mellen, Indian meatballs with curry powder made in Washburn, chowder with corn and potatoes from a farm stand in Ashland. As she knits herself into the Bayfield community, Dougherty comes to more fully grasp the intricate relationship between food and community.
—from the Introduction
In 2007, Mary Dougherty and her family moved from St. Paul to the tiny Bayfield Peninsula, surrounded by the waters of Lake Superior and Chequamegon Bay in far northwestern Wisconsin. There they set out to live their lives against a backdrop of waterfalls, beaches, farm stands, and a quintessential small town of 487 people. Through recipes, stories, and photos, this book explores what it means to nourish a family and a community. As Mary Dougherty incorporates what is grown and raised in northern Wisconsin into her family’s favorite dishes, she continues a cultural tradition begun by immigrants hundreds of years ago. The result is a one-of-a-kind collection of globally and regionally inspired recipes featuring local cheeses, meats, and produce from the farmers in and around Bayfield—pho made with beef bones from a farm in Mellen, Indian meatballs with curry powder made in Washburn, chowder with corn and potatoes from a farm stand in Ashland. As she knits herself into the Bayfield community, Dougherty comes to more fully grasp the intricate relationship between food and community.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 8, 2020
Fond memories and good food so often go hand in hand. Mary Dougherty shares her life in the small northern Wisconsin town of Bayfield through essays, recipes, and beautiful photography. She has a love for the region and her book reflects the spirit of the place and her authentic sense of home.
Her essays cover the quintessential activities of each season: turning sap into maple syrup, campfire dinners, preserving, pressing apples into cider, snow days. The recipes are “globally and regionally inspired” and showcase her interest in preparing and enjoying various cuisines.
My favorite reads were the essays in the winter season. Life along the shore of Lake Superior supplies many adventures, but none so unique as those that winter offers. Watch as the ferry plows through ice on the last ferry ride to Madeline Island, drive the ice road once the ice is thick enough, or hike out to view the ice caves along the shoreline. I hope to see the ice caves myself someday, but I don’t know if I am brave enough to drive the ice road.
A splendid tribute to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands area with recipes to suit the season. Recommended to foodies with an adventurous spirit.
Her essays cover the quintessential activities of each season: turning sap into maple syrup, campfire dinners, preserving, pressing apples into cider, snow days. The recipes are “globally and regionally inspired” and showcase her interest in preparing and enjoying various cuisines.
My favorite reads were the essays in the winter season. Life along the shore of Lake Superior supplies many adventures, but none so unique as those that winter offers. Watch as the ferry plows through ice on the last ferry ride to Madeline Island, drive the ice road once the ice is thick enough, or hike out to view the ice caves along the shoreline. I hope to see the ice caves myself someday, but I don’t know if I am brave enough to drive the ice road.
A splendid tribute to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands area with recipes to suit the season. Recommended to foodies with an adventurous spirit.
August 29, 2020
BEAUTY OF THE NORTH COUNTRY WITH GOOD FOOD. Loved this book, so full of color and beautiful food. Mary Dougherty is so energetic, so full of life. She goes hiking in below zero weather, she is a chef per excellence and a photographer of beautiful pictures, the world around her. She is a lover of life and lives every moment. She is full of fun but works hard. How does she get so much done? Five kids. I believe the kids and husband help her out. What a wonderful place for kids to grow up. Mary loves dogs and has four of five of them following her on her trips. She is a nature lover plus.
The book begins in the spring and ends in winter. Mrs Dougherty is from Minneapolis, but took a boat trip from Duluth, came to Bayfield and fell in love with the little town and the Apostle Islands. She gets seasick, but got over it quickly. She takes boats all around the Apostle Islands and islands in Canada and Michigan. Mrs Dougherty believes in using local products in her cooking. She visits different farms, learns much about the food products grown and buys. She has beautiful pictures of her cooking and excellent recipes readers can follow. Her food pictures are contained in different seasons and her recommendations for food at certain times of the year.
Mrs Dougherty writes about the places she sees, the places she goes to, the countryside around her home. She photographs it all. Her book is so beautiful, so colorful, so full of life. Mary goes hiking and photographing in the cold, dark, misty days. She loves it all.
I'm glad I ordered the book, it is such a fun read. It fits well on a cocktail table.
The book begins in the spring and ends in winter. Mrs Dougherty is from Minneapolis, but took a boat trip from Duluth, came to Bayfield and fell in love with the little town and the Apostle Islands. She gets seasick, but got over it quickly. She takes boats all around the Apostle Islands and islands in Canada and Michigan. Mrs Dougherty believes in using local products in her cooking. She visits different farms, learns much about the food products grown and buys. She has beautiful pictures of her cooking and excellent recipes readers can follow. Her food pictures are contained in different seasons and her recommendations for food at certain times of the year.
Mrs Dougherty writes about the places she sees, the places she goes to, the countryside around her home. She photographs it all. Her book is so beautiful, so colorful, so full of life. Mary goes hiking and photographing in the cold, dark, misty days. She loves it all.
I'm glad I ordered the book, it is such a fun read. It fits well on a cocktail table.
April 14, 2020
Being from the Northwoods area and having visited (who hasn't when you are from this neck of the woods?) the Apostle Islands, it was fun to see what someone who has transplanted to the area had to say. Ms. Dougherty is clearly enamored by the Lake Superior area. Her writing shows this in every way. It's definitely a love story including recipes and vignettes not to mention photographs that festoon every page. This is a must read for anyone who has had a love-affair with Lake Superior.
January 19, 2018
Visually, this is a stunning book. Part cookbook, part memoir, it brings to life the tiny town of Bayfield, Wisconsin in a way that will warm the readers heart. The recipes are lovely, centered around seasonal and local fare, but for me beyond practical reach. My life at the moment (mother of two elementary school-aged children with my own legal practice) calls for simple meals, and this recipes are anything but simple. If you have time to spend hours in the kitchen, dive in!
Another reason for the lower star rating is that this book posed an unanswered question that bothered me throughout my reading and lingers after. How does a family go from a 1-week boating vacation to Bayfield (traveling from the Twin Cities), to staying the summer, to moving into a house on Rittenhouse Avenue. There is a back story, and I'd like to know what it is. What did they walk away from in Minnesota? How did they just walk away; did they maintain routine sojourns to their former hometown? What kind of work did they do, and did they continue it in Bayfield? A home on that street and the lifestyle described in the book is anything but inexpensive, and for someone who has harbored a desired to move to Bayfield for close to a decade cannot help put ask -- HOW?
Oddly, it was my fascination with Bayfield that lead me to read this book. I can tell when life is too hectic because I start dreaming about living in Bayfield. And it is beyond chaos when I find myself looking at real estate listings for this tiny town. Yet, Dougherty's description of skiing, driving the "ice road", and trekking to the ice caves, all atop a frozen Lake Superior ignited a deep fear I have of venturing out on that frozen lake. Her book made me realize that if I lived there, I'd be far to fearful to get out there and enjoy the frozen landscape in a manner proper to a Bayfield resident. As I finished the book my dream of living in that northern town faded, just a bit.
Another reason for the lower star rating is that this book posed an unanswered question that bothered me throughout my reading and lingers after. How does a family go from a 1-week boating vacation to Bayfield (traveling from the Twin Cities), to staying the summer, to moving into a house on Rittenhouse Avenue. There is a back story, and I'd like to know what it is. What did they walk away from in Minnesota? How did they just walk away; did they maintain routine sojourns to their former hometown? What kind of work did they do, and did they continue it in Bayfield? A home on that street and the lifestyle described in the book is anything but inexpensive, and for someone who has harbored a desired to move to Bayfield for close to a decade cannot help put ask -- HOW?
Oddly, it was my fascination with Bayfield that lead me to read this book. I can tell when life is too hectic because I start dreaming about living in Bayfield. And it is beyond chaos when I find myself looking at real estate listings for this tiny town. Yet, Dougherty's description of skiing, driving the "ice road", and trekking to the ice caves, all atop a frozen Lake Superior ignited a deep fear I have of venturing out on that frozen lake. Her book made me realize that if I lived there, I'd be far to fearful to get out there and enjoy the frozen landscape in a manner proper to a Bayfield resident. As I finished the book my dream of living in that northern town faded, just a bit.
February 8, 2018
My first time ever reading a cook book.
I suppose evaluating a book like this is a different endeavor.
As for the recipes, I'm sure they are good. The reading process requires that you participate in the cooking which i did with the shrimp boil. It was delicious. The book has variety. Everything from curry to dog treats.
As for the writing, I'll start with the two things I found wanting. Some of the brief intros to the actual recipes, seemed a little throw away to me. Almost as if the author had decided to include the recipe because she liked it, and then conjured an intro to make sense of her including it.
the other limitation for me was the repeated references to ingredients that I obviously won't have access to. Sassy Nanny Goat Cheese, would be chief among them. I loved reading about the goat cheese the first time, but could have done with just goat cheese after that.
I was hoping more of the recipes would be about locally sourced food and there is some of that, but often the recipes are taken from all over the world. I suppose that is American heritage and food.
I did love the anecdotes and the ways that Dougherty explores Lake Superior life. I also really enjoyed her artistic choices, by that I mean the photography, storytelling and the authors she chose to include such as Wendell Berry and Terry Tempest Williams. All of that stuff really compliments the ethos of the book.
i'm glad I read it and I look forward to trying more recipes.
I suppose evaluating a book like this is a different endeavor.
As for the recipes, I'm sure they are good. The reading process requires that you participate in the cooking which i did with the shrimp boil. It was delicious. The book has variety. Everything from curry to dog treats.
As for the writing, I'll start with the two things I found wanting. Some of the brief intros to the actual recipes, seemed a little throw away to me. Almost as if the author had decided to include the recipe because she liked it, and then conjured an intro to make sense of her including it.
the other limitation for me was the repeated references to ingredients that I obviously won't have access to. Sassy Nanny Goat Cheese, would be chief among them. I loved reading about the goat cheese the first time, but could have done with just goat cheese after that.
I was hoping more of the recipes would be about locally sourced food and there is some of that, but often the recipes are taken from all over the world. I suppose that is American heritage and food.
I did love the anecdotes and the ways that Dougherty explores Lake Superior life. I also really enjoyed her artistic choices, by that I mean the photography, storytelling and the authors she chose to include such as Wendell Berry and Terry Tempest Williams. All of that stuff really compliments the ethos of the book.
i'm glad I read it and I look forward to trying more recipes.
January 19, 2026
Mary Doughtery shares her love of northern, small town Bayfield, Wisconsin. She is inspired by the seasonal, regional foods and farmers to create her masterful dishes. Local scenery and recipes are shared through well-done photography.
February 5, 2018
What a fun cookbook - they should all be so thought full! The details of place and people added such a richness to the ingredients and recipes. It made me feel like we all have so many good stories to share. I have a very best friend who lives in the same area as Mary and it warms my heart to know her kids are having many of the same unbounded adventures as the Dougherty children. What a lovely read - and I can’t wait to try some recipes!
January 24, 2018
I got this book as a Christmas gift and really enjoyed it. It has recipes mixed in with sweet stories from the author about living in northern Wisconsin on Lake Superior with her five kids. I never thought I'd want to live in northern Wisconsin, but she makes it seem so idyllic. Loved her thoughts about how important it is to eat locally sourced food when possible.
October 4, 2017
I didn't cook any of the recipes but the accompanying short stories offer a glimpse into the author's life near the Apostle Islands in northern Wisconsin and her slow transformation into an environmentalist and local foods champion.
October 23, 2017
What a lovely book! Cannot wait to try the recipes. I must say that they are a serious upgrade from my aunt’s endless riffs on the party jello mold that I remember from my childhood. Thank you Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
October 24, 2017
The pictures are stunning! This is one of those cookbooks you can read like a story book, wrapped in a cozy blanket with a hot drink in your hand. Being from Michigan, I also appreciated the many similarities to my own life. Gorgeous, gorgeous book.
July 24, 2021
Good recipes and good descriptions of a peninsula in Wisconsin.
February 1, 2020
My cookbook club chose this for our January gathering. So many delicious recipes. I will definately be making more of the recipes for my family.
never-finished
August 23, 2017About half the recipes are definitely NOT what I would expect from a cookbook extolling the virtues of "Up North" Wisconsin...lots of jalapeño, Thai spices, Mexican....
It's extremely hard to read because the print (except for recipes) is white/off-white on a fairly dark colored background with small font size. I had to quit.
It's extremely hard to read because the print (except for recipes) is white/off-white on a fairly dark colored background with small font size. I had to quit.
June 10, 2019
Love the pictures. Only a few recipes worth copying. I used to collect regional cookbooks, but many of these recipes I've seen before.
July 23, 2021
Didn't try recipes but lovely nod to the abundance of Northern Wisconsin accompanied by lovely photography.
April 29, 2022
I grew up just a few miles south of Bayfield and grew up on Lake Superior (our property was lakefront property). I would give this book five stars for the recipes - a couple of which I have even tried (the whitefish was delicious!). But I have to say the gushing about living up there was a little too much. Lake Superior can be a very dangerous lake and some of the things she talks about seems a little nuts (like cross country skiing from Long Island to Bayfield in a snowstorm). Storms can come up in minutes on that lake and frankly, a lot of the time it's unusable because it's either too cold or too windy. It was fun though to read about Book Across the Bay, Houghton Point, and other things that I am intimately familiar with.
September 7, 2017
Some of the recipes sound good but I didn't like the overall book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews