The key ingredient for our lobster pasta

Grilling season is here! While I am always excited for the return of summer, I have long loved grilling year round. If you follow me, you may have seen my beautiful, brand new outdoor kitchen, but you may not know its origin story. You likely know how much Roy and I adore our joyful cabin in the woods—except, of course, for the mosquitoes. My idea when creating an outdoor space at the cabin was pretty simple: build a screened-in porch so we could enjoy the outdoors without being eaten alive by mosquitos. I imagined the romance and beauty of spending time outside with family and friends, eating a lovely meal al fresco…but without the insistent bugs.

Let the building begin

I shared my vision with my friend Susie Fredman from Stone’s Throw, and she quickly sketched up a plan. We were well into planning our “simple porch” project when inspiration struck. Why not dream bigger? What if we added an outdoor kitchen?

The final design plan

I could envision roasting a rotisserie chicken amidst the trees at sunset. The idea of cooking in the open air, surrounded by nature, felt so deeply joyful, so life-affirming. Even before we broke ground, the project had become a bright light for me, especially during a challenging health scare. In my mind, it wasn’t just about adding a kitchen. It was about creating sacred space for myself and the people I love.

The romance of night grilling

I knew I wanted to partner with Abt on this project, because I’ve been a loyal customer for 30 years, and they always have knocked it out of the park. We described our idea: a beautiful grill, four burners, and a fridge—something lovely, practical, and a little bit luxurious. They steered us in  the perfect direction. I enjoyed a visit to their showroom in Chicago, and it was an absolute blast to see all the fabulous appliances. Of course I ended up befriending the sales team and really appreciated the guidance of a couple of sales associates who helped me choose the DCS Series 9 grill, and wow—it has everything! I’d be able to cook on a charcoal grill and a rotisserie at the same time!

Grill master Roy at work

We added a few wonderful extras, like a double-drawer mini fridge—ideal for overflow drinks, marinades, and those “oops, forgot the lemon” moments. The beverage sink has unexpectedly become the heart of every gathering. Guests chat there, topping off drinks while the ice maker works its magic in the background. (Roy and I are ice lovers, so we’re obsessed.)

We love our beverage cooling sink

Spacious burners make all the difference

We also added a large griddle and two spacious side-by-side burners. I previously had one outdoor burner, so having four feels like a dream. No more crowding pots, or running inside repeatedly. This new griddle has been a game-changer. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd. I envision making everything from pancakes in the morning mist to stir-frys, fried rice, bacon and eggs, and smash burgers.

Our Easter party was lovely: we roasted baby chickens on the rotisserie and served them with roasted potatoes and grilled carrots. We used the mini fridge for so many things, like to store the lemon Possets and whatever didn’t fit in our indoor fridge.

The famous oysters

I have discovered that when you make fabulous grilled oysters, you gain a lot of fabulous new friends. Roy and I have become famous among our friends for serving grilled oysters in the winter. Grilling oysters outside in the winter is as romantic and magical as it sounds. We were also completely thrilled to cook steaks on the grill, and the results were divine.

On Christmas Eve, we had our dear friends Jim and Tim over. 

My favorite place

We enjoyed our outdoor kitchen all winter, unless it was bitter cold. Cooking at the cabin has been completely elevated. While I still love our cozy indoor kitchen, it’s on the smaller side. Outside, we have room to breathe, and to cook with a beautiful ease.

Roy's delicious pork

One night around 10pm, a spontaneous, last-minute dinner party began to take form. We’d be having guests the following night. It might surprise you to hear that Roy truly loves planning a menu. The next morning at 10, after lots of contemplation, we had our menu… which Roy was changing until the very last minute.

After the most fun and satisfying meal

It was practically Babette’s Feast, in which we essentially got drunk on delicious food and amazing friendship. (If you haven’t seen Babette’s Feast, you must.) We served a standing rib roast. I used the grill as an oven for our scalloped potatoes as well. We also made a holiday salad, sumac carrots, Brussels sprouts, a pork au jus, and roasted potatoes. With time off during the holidays, everyone was so relaxed and ready to enjoy beautiful meals together at the cabin.

 

I’ve always loved entertaining, but our new outdoor kitchen has elevated my desire to invite friends over to enjoy delicious food together. We have basically taken outdoor cooking to the next level, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

Fabulous cabin moments

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xoxo,