How to Be a Great Cottage Guest
Being invited to someone's cottage is one of summer's simple pleasures.
It's a chance to slow down, reconnect, enjoy long conversations over coffee, and create memories with the people you love. Whenever friends open their home to me, I like to find a small way to say thank you.
This weekend, I spent a few days with friends in beautiful Prince Edward County, and instead of asking what I could bring, I decided to bring breakfast.
Not just groceries.
An experience.
The day before I left, I baked a batch of our Classic Buttermilk Biscuits. That way, all I had to do in the morning was warm them through rather than heating up the whole cottage kitchen. It meant less time cooking and more time enjoying a slow morning together.
Of course, I also packed my favourite coffee—Crank Coffee's Morning Glory blend—because every great morning starts with a really good cup of coffee.
On the way to the cottage, I stopped at a local farmers' market for beautiful free-run eggs and picked up some incredible Mennonite smoked bacon. I sliced ripe tomatoes, creamy avocado, crisp cucumbers and radishes, gathered fresh basil, laid out cheese, and filled a bowl with sweet County cherries.
Before everyone woke up, I wandered into the field and picked a handful of wildflowers.
Nothing fancy.
Just whatever summer was offering that morning.
As the smell of bacon drifted through the cottage and fresh coffee filled our mugs, sleepy faces slowly appeared one by one. No alarm clocks. No rush. Just the promise of breakfast.
By the time everyone gathered around the table, the biscuits were warm, the bacon was sizzling, and a big board of fresh toppings was waiting for everyone to build their own breakfast sandwich.
Then we carried our plates outside.
Coffee in hand.
Sunshine on our faces.
No one in a hurry.
Those are the moments that make a cottage weekend memorable.
Not elaborate meals.
Not expensive gifts.
Just simple food, thoughtfully prepared and shared with people you care about.
Hospitality has never been about impressing people.
It's about making them feel cared for.
Whether you're the host or the guest.
So the next time you're lucky enough to spend a weekend at someone's cottage, think about one small way you can help create a special memory.
It doesn't have to be breakfast.
But I can tell you from experience...
Breakfast is a pretty wonderful place to start.
My Cottage Breakfast Basket
If you're looking for an easy way to thank your hosts, here's everything I packed:
- Lazy Daisy Classic Buttermilk Biscuits (baked ahead or brought frozen to warm up)
- Crank Coffee's Morning Glory blend
- Mennonite smoked bacon
- Free-run eggs from the local farmers' market
- Aged white cheddar
- Ripe tomatoes
- Creamy avocado
- Fresh basil
- Crisp cucumbers
- Sliced radishes
- Fresh cherries
- A handful of wildflowers picked on an early morning walk
- Simple ingredients.
Good company.
A slow summer morning.
Sometimes that's all you need. 🌼