Cookbooks We Love
August 16, 2024
5 Nostalgic Beach Town Recipes From The New Cookbook, Heydays At The June Motel
Stepping in to The June Motel in Sauble Beach, Ont., is like being transported to a 1960s coastal resort, complete with fringed poolside umbrellas, hammocks on every balcony, and pink and yellow sunset hues dappled throughout. Known for its highly curated interiors led by owners April Brown and Sarah Sklash, The June opened its first location in Picton, Ont., in 2017 and the Sauble Beach outpost followed in 2020, which includes Heydays, a fab restaurant.
Scroll down to learn more about the restaurant and get five great nostalgic recipes!
Continuing the beachy vibe with checkered floors and rattan light fixtures, Heydays is helmed by Evan Baulch (left) and Freddy Laliberté. Evan manages Heydays’ day-to-day operations, while Freddy serves as Heydays’ chef. Both are experienced restaurateurs who decided to move to Sauble Beach full time and partner with The June on this new venture.
Their new cookbook, Heydays at The June Motel: Beach Town Classics, written with Evan and Freddy’s partners, is packed with recipes for dishes served at the restaurant. “We wanted every dish to be one people would crave,” says Evan. “They’re coming here on vacation; we want them to have the lobster roll and think about it long after they go home.”
Despite the motel being up the street from Lake Huron, owners April and Sarah (left) wanted the menu to recall a trip they took to Montauk, N.Y., with more oysters and lobster than perch and pickerel.
The cookbook’s recipes are a fresh take on retro beach classics, with a focus on seafood and comfort food. Heydays’ signature dish is the Hot Lobster Rolls. “We poach the lobster in shallot butter, inspired by French cooking techniques, and add lettuce around the toasted bun to keep it crisp,” says Evan. The Old Bay Fried Chicken is spiced with Cajun-style seafood seasoning typically used to make crab cakes or a seafood boil. An homage to old-school pizza restaurants, the Classic Wedge Salad is made truly special by a buttermilk ranch dressing with dill, shallots, garlic, lemon juice and three dashes of hot sauce.
Heydays is open from May 10 until Thanksgiving, but you can make these dishes and others from the book any time, right in your own kitchen.
Hot Lobster Rolls
“This roll has French seafood flavours from the lobster shallot butter that drips down your hand as you’re eating it.” — Freddy Laliberté
Get the recipe for Heydays’ Lobster Rolls here.
Old Bay Fried Chicken
“Old Bay Seasoning adds a seafood element to the chicken, which we fry in a mixture of all-purpose and rice flour to give it extra crispiness.” — Freddy Laliberté
Get the recipe for the Old Bay Fried Chicken here.
Casarecce with Zucchini, Blistered Cherry Tomatoes & Herb Pesto
“This dish has a great nuttiness from toasted pine nuts, an herbaceousness from the pesto and pops of acidity from the blistered cherry tomatoes.” — Evan Baulch
Get the recipe for the Casarecce here.
Heydays Smash Burger
“The back of the bun is attached to catch all of the juices from the crispy, seared patty topped with our own special Dijonnaise sauce.” — Evan Baulch
Get the recipe for the Heydays Smash Burger here.
Classic Wedge Salad
“A big piece of chilled iceberg lettuce is topped in a dressing that’s rich, tart, creamy and herby, with a strong finishing note of black pepper.” — Freddy Laliberté
Get the recipe for the Classic Wedge Salad here.
Lauren Miller
Recipes from Heydays at The June Motel: Beach Town Classics by Freddy Laliberté and Evan Baulch, with Katie Laliberté and Emma Baulch. ©2024 Freddy Laliberté and Evan Baulch, with Katie Laliberté and Emma Baulch. Published by House of Anansi Press