Fall, Food, and Friendship: The Cottage’s Recipe for Community

Fall, Food, and Friendship: The Cottage’s Recipe for Community

Fall is that cozy time when the weather is just right. We love it because it’s perfect for having our friends and neighbors over in our backyard. Ever since we started The Cottage, our menu for these get-togethers has turned into a tasty culinary journey around the world.

We’ve found out that homemade food doesn’t only mean food made in our own home!

Last week, we had one of these special gatherings. Even though we’re knee-deep working to build The Cottage, it was a breeze hosting it with the help from our local food heroes. We’ve found out that homemade food doesn’t only mean food made in our own home. It’s the lovingly made jams, sauces, and pies from the homes of our neighbors who pour their hearts into cooking. And, was it a hit at the gathering!

The meal was a mix of different worlds, just like our guests who came from Indian, Guyanese, Uzbek and other diverse backgrounds. We kicked things off with a variety of local jams. The main course was Nigerian Jollof rice with smoked ribs with herbs from nearby farms, chimichurri from Lalos & Tasteninis, and BBQ sauce from AubSauce and Piedmont BBQ Co. The salad dressing was from Sammy Girl’s Country Kitchen, and for dessert, we had flan from ML Sweets and key lime pies Cotina. Everyone enjoyed the cool drinks from The Culinary Collective and Sooko Gardens Juice. We also enjoyed Pecans from Pecan Nation and Jam from Duluth Cottage Kitchen & Narrow way Farm

With every bite, we saw barriers crumbling and new bonds forming. Food from The Cottage did more than satiate hunger; it became a medium of conversation, a reason to celebrate the diverse cultures amongst us. The joy in the eyes of our guests as they inquired, “Where did you get this from?” for each item they tasted revealed the success of our little endeavor.

Our mission with The Cottage is simple – to break down boundaries between people and delicious food. Looking at the happy faces and hearing the cheerful chatter, we know The Cottage is turning into something really beautiful. Each meal shared, each story told over a dish, is making our community feel like a global family. And as we keep working on The Cottage, we can’t wait to see more of these joyful moments unfold.

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