All winter long, we pine for a little bit of summer in Muskoka. Of course, the natural beauty of Muskoka is enough of a draw on its own. But Muskoka’s Dorset, Ontario boasts an extra special piece of heaven, or pizza heaven – officially called Pizza on Earth.

About five years ago, an enterprising university student, Sarah Jane (Johnson) Gibbs, and her parents built an outdoor wood-burning oven on their commercial property. Since then, Sara has turned out fabulous, wood-fired gourmet pizza that knocks the flip flops off local cottagers. Thin, crisp but chewy crust cooked to perfection. Flavourful sauce. Gourmet toppings. And that smoky, wood-fired taste. This is the stuff to hold out for – here is why: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhD4x16nbck

Pizza on Earth is only open in the summer, which makes Sarah’s pizza all that much more appreciated. The rest of the year, Sarah is at university studying the cello. Gosh, she’s inspiring. You go girl. I bet you play the cello as beautifully as you make pizza.

Pizza on Earth is very popular in this neck of the woods. Call ahead to place your order; if you show up at the last minute, chances are you will wait a long while. Take it away or eat there on the outdoor picnic tables. Better yet, take a short trip across the Dorset bridge to the park at Little Trading Bay. Our boys like to Huck Finn it and swim out to the raft in the bay. The beauty of Muskoka, Dad’s Root Beer, and Pizza on Earth. Heaven on earth.

Pizza on Earth
1009 Clan McKay Drive
Dorset, Ontario
P0A 1E0
(just south of Dorset, Ontario on the east side of Highway 35, just south of the Dorset bridge)

Phone: 705-349-8827

Website: http://www.mypizzaonearth.com/

Bring an empty picnic basket to Georgetown’s Mill Street Cheese Market and load up with a moveable feast of well-crafted, artisanal cheese and other goodies.

We chose a delicious Scottish Claret Cheddar (surprisingly creamy with fruity red wine notes), a luxurious Grand Crème Delin triple cream from France, and a decadent St. Agur (our true-blue friend that never fails to please). Store-made baguette crisps are the perfect foil. Melt-in-your-mouth, spicy Mennonite summer sausage and pickled hot-n-sweet cherry peppers balance the richness of the cheeses. And to refresh, the French version of lemonade, a sparking limonade by Rième. On your way, pick up some seasonal fruit from a local farm market (Alisons’ Farm Market or Georgetown Farmers’ Market).

Find your favourite secluded spot – perhaps in a vintage orchard or at the edge of a babbling creek. Spread out and then lose yourself in midsummer’s magic: gentle breezes, chirping crickets, happy butterflies, perhaps a glimpse of a timid deer. Summer celebrated in one afternoon, a lifetime of love in one moment.

Stracciatella Fiorentina, amore mia, I’ve never met another quite like you. Soft shreds of egg and parmesan twirling through a rich, tomato-infused broth. Bits of roasted chicken. Tender,  fresh spinach leaves. Mouthwatering. Find it at Andiamo Pasta Plus, in Streetsville.

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Cagney’s Greek Salad is so good, it just might become as famous as their Caesar Salad. A generous bowl of fresh flavours: ultra sweet tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, purple onion, plump greek olives, hefty chunks of greek feta, and fragrant olive oil. Simple, best-quality ingredients. Greek salad done right. I could live on this for the rest of the summer! #purepleasure

Cagneys Restaurant
128 Queen St. S.
Streetsville, ON
L5M 1K8

Telephone : (905) 826-2311

www.cagneys.ca

My favourite lunch these days features Longo’s already prepared rapini (broccoli rabe). Just warm up the rapini, add poached eggs, canned chickpeas, tomatoes, and a squirt of fresh lemon juice.

As a vegetable, rapini does a great job of helping me reach both my fibre and protein daily targets, not to mention all of the other health benefits of rapini. This entire plate packed in 28.6 grams of protein and 14.6 grams of fibre at only 406 calories. Lunch – fast, healthy, done. Olive it!

Longo’s already prepared rapini makes a great base for a fast and healthy lunch.