Snowed-In at Duck Harbor (and Then Off to Jamaica!)
One of the great temptations of spending time at the lake is the idea of being there at Christmas: the glistening ice on the frozen water, the peaceful quiet of the insulating snow. One doesn’t usually consider the possibility of being snowed in—or if it does occur to you, you think, “Oh, that’d be kinda nice.”
Take it from one who knows: it’s a mixed blessing!
Marty had a business trip scheduled to Jamaica (yes, the one in the Caribbean) in early January. So the plan was: go to Duck Harbor for a cozy holiday, and then head off to the tropics. Snicker. We invited Marty’s sister and her husband to join us, along with our 5- and 2-year-old kids. Six of us total.
Then came the blizzard. An unexpected one—with several feet of snow. (Sorry, I don’t remember the exact number, but it was WAAAAYYYY more than we could dig out—and far beyond what the guy with the ATV could manage either.)
Now, how to feed six people when you’re stuck and snowbound?
Contents of the fridge:
1½ lbs. ground beef, bacon, bread, eggs, milk, water, salt, pepper, and a very college-style plank of assorted vegetables. After surveying the options, we agreed that green beans wouldn’t pair well with anything, but kernel corn would. So: meat loaf it was. (Scroll down for the “Snowed-In Meat Loaf” recipe.)
Sometime that evening, there was an unexpected knock on the door. We opened it to find three men who—at first glance—looked like Martians. (Who really knows what Martians look like anyway?) It was the Rescue Squad, decked out in full winter gear, who eagerly asked if anyone needed to get to the hospital. Fortunately, no. ATVs were the only realistic mode of transportation at that point.
These amazing volunteers brought with them a box of spaghetti and a gallon of raw milk from the then-operational Walsh Dairy on Route 191. (This was in the late 1950s.) As luck would have it, we had recently been gifted a pasteurizer—this was the first and only time we ever used it!
Later that night, there was another knock on the door. This time, it was a warning: an ice storm was imminent. We were told to pack up and get out immediately. And so we were rescued by a township plow and, unbelievably, we actually made it to Jamaica—complete with warm water, sunshine, and sea urchins in the balmy surf. (Wear shoes!)
Fast Forward to the 2000s
This area is truly bountiful—wild blueberries, raspberries, blackberries. And apples—the more sour, the better if applesauce is what you’re after. Store-bought applesauce just can’t compete. Surprisingly, you hardly need to add sugar at all.
And the wildlife—deer and even skunks—love munching on the apple cores and peelings we toss off the deck.
Blackberries come in several varieties, but we toss them all into the same pot. Juice them if the seeds bother you, then freeze in half-gallon containers. They stay “fresh” for literally years and make the most spectacular jelly.
Our old A-frame house is now lived in by that same 2-year-old from the blizzard days. Since then, there’ve been generations of beloved dogs who’ve thrived on long walks and lake swims. A vegetable garden, flower beds, chickens, and an annual family get-together with sumptuous food, grandkids, friends—and, best of all, delightful memories.
