Up North Authors & Hot Beverages to Beat the Winter Blues
The holidays are over. It’s time to settle back into your routine and maybe just relax a bit. While the holidays are a time of joy and are meant to be relaxing, it can also be hectic at times and you may have found yourself needing a break from the break.
Sit back and relax with this list of books and warm beverages.
Recommended Reads:
Reflections from the North Country by Sigurd Olson– Sigurd Olson spent most of his life in the Ely area. He started guiding canoe trips on the water that would become the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness taking his first trip in 1921. His writing will make you ache to be in the quiet solitude of the North Country. His books and many others can be purchased online or at the Voyageurs National Park Visitor Centers. This book pairs well with a warm beverage. (See Below)
“Wilderness to the people pf America is a spiritual necessity, an antidote to the high pressure of modern life, a means of regaining serenity and equilibrium.”
— Sigurd F. Olson
Vacationland by Sarah Stonich– Sarah Stonich is a writer based in Minneapolis. The novel follows the lives of characters all connecting to a remote Minnesota resort. Other books by the author include The Laurentian Divide and Shelter: Off the grid in the mostly magnetic north. Books about the North Country and support a local artist. Chem em’ out!
Boozy Beverages to warm the soul (and your freezing toes!):
Hot Toddy – We’ve all heard of this one. Hot water, whiskey, cinnamon and lemon. It’s all you need. Add some cloves and nutmeg if you’re feeling fancy. Legend has it this one will cure a cold in no time.
Peppermint Patty – This one is also pretty straightforward. Peppermint Schnapps and hot cocoa for a refreshing, warm, winter drink. Make it festive by popping one of those candy canes no one has eaten into the drink as a stir stick and of course, whip cream is always an option.
Old Fashioned – Ok, so none of these are groundbreaking recipes you’ve never heard of but around here, people tend to stick with the classics. Start by muddling a tsp of sugar in the bottom of the glass. Fill the glass with ice, add your whiskey and a few dashes of bitters and stir it up. Drop a cherry in there and garnish with an orange and you’re set. It’s not complicated but not everyone has a bottle of bitters or feel like muddling anything to get yourself a drink. Stop in at Voyagaire Lodge or the Crane Lake Bar and Grill and we will do the work for you!
Cozy up at home or at one of the cabins and lodges in Crane Lake!
