The Moon Tavern: A Culinary Love Story (With Recipes)
The Moon Tavern takes the reader on a romantic and culinary journey through the Islands of Croatia, where dark family secrets are revealed, quirky friends and relatives are found, and love is discovered. Each chapter ends with a story-inspired recipe.
VESNA, or VES, is a cookbook writer from Minneapolis who takes a trip to the island of Lastovo off the coast of Croatia to reconnect with her biological grandmother. She’d been adopted as a young child after her parents died in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. In Lastovo, she meets DINKO, a single, wealthy vineyard owner, and his young daughter MIA. With DINKO’s help, VES discovers her biological family’s history and the dark secrets of what occurred during the war. Filled with romance, travel, cooking, and piecing together her past, VESultimately learns what matters most: family and someone to share your life with.
Stephanie Hansen and Kurt Johnson are a married writing team. Stephanie Hansen is the author of True North Cabin Cooking Volume I & II, Midwestern cookbook bestsellers. She hosts the radio show The Weekly Dish and the Emmy Award-winning television show Taste Buds with Stephanie, now in its third season. Kurt Johnson is the author of the novel The Barrens, winner of the Minnesota Book Award in 2023.
Celebrate life in the northland with seasonal foods and cherished stories, as recipes and personal recollections transport readers to a lakeside cabin in the north woods.
Cabins provide an ideal getaway from the demands of everyday life, with adventuresome days of hiking or boating or lounging fueled by hearty, home-cooked meals. The rhythms of cabin life are familiar to Stephanie Hansen, who relishes the opportunity to create memorable and delicious meals for friends and loved ones using simple ingredients from pantry and garden.
From her family cabin on picturesque True North Island near Ely, Minnesota, Hansen shares favorite recipes for the summer months. In May, she presents cozy dishes like Beef Bourguignon and Drunken Cowboy Beans followed by a sweet and tart Rhubarb Skillet Cake, while June might call for Molasses Pork Chops accompanied by Roasted Carrots with Scallion-Ginger Sauce. For the lazy summer days of July and August, the classic Fried Walleye with Lemony Tartar Sauce might hit the spot, and a Grilled Ratatouille with Herb Vinaigrette takes advantage of fresh seasonal vegetables. As autumn starts to creep in, Grilled Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Feta Sauce and Warm Bacon Potato Salad keep the summer vibe going. Throughout the months, Hansen shares recipes for desserts both simple and adventurous—from a No-Bake Layered Lemon Loaf with Blueberries to Molten Chocolate Cakes—and refreshing cocktails to meet your every mood.
Celebrate life in the northland with seasonal foods and cherished stories, as recipes and personal recollections transport readers to a lakeside cabin in the north woods.
Cabins provide an ideal getaway from the demands of everyday life, with adventuresome days of hiking or boating or lounging fueled by hearty, home-cooked meals. The rhythms of cabin life are familiar to Stephanie Hansen, who relishes the opportunity to create memorable and delicious meals for friends and loved ones using simple ingredients from pantry and garden.
From her family cabin on picturesque True North Island near Ely, Minnesota, Hansen shares favorite recipes for the summer months. In May, she presents cozy dishes like Beef Bourguignon and Drunken Cowboy Beans followed by a sweet and tart Rhubarb Skillet Cake, while June might call for Molasses Pork Chops accompanied by Roasted Carrots with Scallion-Ginger Sauce. For the lazy summer days of July and August, the classic Fried Walleye with Lemony Tartar Sauce might hit the spot, and a Grilled Ratatouille with Herb Vinaigrette takes advantage of fresh seasonal vegetables. As autumn starts to creep in, Grilled Lamb Burgers with Tzatziki Feta Sauce and Warm Bacon Potato Salad keep the summer vibe going. Throughout the months, Hansen shares recipes for desserts both simple and adventurous—from a No-Bake Layered Lemon Loaf with Blueberries to Molten Chocolate Cakes—and refreshing cocktails to meet your every mood.