Family Reunion at Elephant Walk

We had our family reunion at the Elephant Walk Cottages in Union Pier, Michigan, where we spent days on end lounging on the veranda with overgrown ferns, barbecuing hickory-smoked meat in the backyard, picking ripe tomatoes in the sculptured garden, baking fruit-filled pies and tarts, going to the beach, playing touch football, and eventually, in the evenings, relaxing by the outdoor fire or in the hot tub while staring up at the stars.

Less than 2 hours away by car, Union Pier and surrounding communities, all known as Harbor Country, is an ideal get away for Chicagoans, who have been vacationing in the area since the turn of the 20^th century. Located in southwest Michigan, 8 communities make up Harbor Country – all stretching north along 15 miles of shoreline from the Michigan border, except for one going inland, 6 miles from the coast. Much to their credit, the local residents have kept major development and urban sprawl out of the area, and they have worked hard to maintain their small communities to remain quaint, rural, and charming.

Elephant Walk Cottages, located a block-and-a-half from the sandy shores of Lake Michigan, consists of a large house with a 20-foot-high ceiling and an outdoor balcony as well as an oversized screened porch with a long harvest table and a separate sitting area. Five additional cottages are located adjacent to the house on the well-maintained grounds. Our 30-member group, ranging from infants to grandparents, rented the entire property for a week. This was going to be a challenge for all of us since the last reunion was 20 years ago. We were all younger then and some of us had come and gone, or  not yet part of the family, or not even born at the time.

The atmosphere and décor reminded me of an English-colonial style home. But there was something different about this place, something intriguing. As I looked around the property, I noticed the hundreds of elephant or elephant-motif antiques, art, and knick-knacks in every room in the main house and cottages, and even on the grounds. Roger, the owner, had gone elephant crazy over the years.

Since I had volunteered to cook for 30 people (something which I had never done before), I wanted to be prepared for this new venture. Not sure what to expect, we packed all of my pots and pans (including an enormous amount of bake ware, my stand mixer, Cuisinart, and ½ horse power blender); organic meats, dairy products, and frozen edamame in ice-filled coolers; baking and pantry items; exotic spices; and miscellaneous goods. We had so much to take with us that we had to use three cars to get everything there.

I was secretly in love with the huge kitchen in the main house with the enormous counter space, movable island, and large stove and oven. I shopped at the local grocery store for fresh ingredients most mornings with a two-year old, who was a good companion, as he held on to my grocery list and we discussed each item as we found them. I handed the item to him and he threw them over his head into the cart, eliciting “good throw” comments from the staff. The dinners were the standard American fare – meatloaf, baked potatoes, grilled hamburgers, spaghetti, ham, steak – but the desserts were my specialty. I made brownies with pounds of butter and chocolate, chocolate cupcakes with butter cream frosting, jello-infused cakes, luscious banana cream pies, cream-filled strawberry pies, and the delectable macadamia chocolate coconut-cream tart.

Working in the kitchen, I was privy to everything that went on with the whole group because most of the people came to the house to congregate, talk, eat, and pass through. I heard the crying, tantrums, fights, and babbling (mostly from adults) that went on, and yet I cooked through it all. It was a fabulous experience, and I would do it all over again.

Amy A. Rudberg is a freelance writer, editor, and researcher. She recently created ArtStyle Blog, A Voice for Artists in Chicago, focusing on the arts, culture, and lifestyle in Chicago.