BY LEIGHA BENFORD
For Wild Northerner
Last weekend, the Lumberjack and I were treated to a delicious venison supper. Our host is an avid hunter, trapper, and outdoorsman and he and the Lumberjack successfully harvested a deer late in the 2017 season. The evening was full of laughs, recounts of the hunt, plans for next season, and of course wild northern stories.
It’s always a treat to sample wild game that others have cooked, especially someone who knows and appreciates different wild meats and flavours. It’s also a treat to devote my attention to making something special to bring to a dinner that doesn’t usually make the normal meal rotation. My task this time around was dessert. As you can imagine, there aren’t many recipe books that pair wild game with dessert. So instead, I went with the classic of all classics. A dessert that goes with absolutely everything and is rarely (if ever!) turned town. It also looks downright fancy. And surprisingly, homemade cheesecake is very simple to make.
If you can get the hang of making cheesecake, the variations are endless. Even better is the fact that most wild fruits make perfect toppings. This time around, I used up some wild raspberries that were frozen from last summer. Mixing in some dark chocolate turned the whole show into a decadent and delicious end to a fantastic meal.
The basic cheesecake recipe that I use is from Pampered Chef, and I’ll recommend it far and wide. But as with all northern adventures, make sure you have the right equipment. In this case, a springform pan will make your cheesecake process flawless.
Last weekend, the Lumberjack and I were treated to a delicious venison supper. Our host is an avid hunter, trapper, and outdoorsman and he and the Lumberjack successfully harvested a deer late in the 2017 season. The evening was full of laughs, recounts of the hunt, plans for next season, and of course wild northern stories.
It’s always a treat to sample wild game that others have cooked, especially someone who knows and appreciates different wild meats and flavours. It’s also a treat to devote my attention to making something special to bring to a dinner that doesn’t usually make the normal meal rotation. My task this time around was dessert. As you can imagine, there aren’t many recipe books that pair wild game with dessert. So instead, I went with the classic of all classics. A dessert that goes with absolutely everything and is rarely (if ever!) turned town. It also looks downright fancy. And surprisingly, homemade cheesecake is very simple to make.
If you can get the hang of making cheesecake, the variations are endless. Even better is the fact that most wild fruits make perfect toppings. This time around, I used up some wild raspberries that were frozen from last summer. Mixing in some dark chocolate turned the whole show into a decadent and delicious end to a fantastic meal.
The basic cheesecake recipe that I use is from Pampered Chef, and I’ll recommend it far and wide. But as with all northern adventures, make sure you have the right equipment. In this case, a springfoam pan will make your cheesecake process flawless.
Northern Kitchen stories
Cheesy Endings