Photo: Flikr Fikret Onal

It’s dusk on the shores of Lake Rosseau, and chef Mark Marchment has just returned from a cookout on the lawn at Windermere House, a classic Muskoka resort, 2½ hours north of Toronto. He’s grilling fresh-caught lake trout over an open fire for the evening’s dinner and is gathering the makings for s’mores. In his hands, the treat will go from generic to glam with a homemade marshmallow crafted to pillowy perfection, topped with luxurious Lindt chocolate and then sandwiched inside artisanal graham crackers.

“We want to respect the nostalgia of the past but add some modern flair,” says the fit-looking Marchment, who would appear as much at ease in a kayak as he does in the kitchen. He heads up the new culinary vision for Windermere’s restaurants, including Muskoka’s oldest pub, founded in 1870 and now under the upscale Oliver & Bonacini brand.

The elevation of the iconic campfire treat is a sign of an evolving Muskoka. Cottage country’s new identity is as much about preserving tradition as it is about blazing haute trails.

Sitting on the resort’s Victorian-style veranda and sipping a Summer Collins, a deftly mixed cocktail of gin, lemon juice and pink peppercorns topped with soda, I soak up the new Muskoka vibe. It evokes the quintessential cottage country of my childhood – gnarled trees, Canadian Shield and endless days – minus the lumpy mattresses, musty Mad magazines and voracious horseflies.

But you’ve got to get on the water to truly experience Canada’s North, so I head to the Rosseau, Canada’s first JW Marriott Resort & Spa. With an architecture that’s reminiscent of the Royal Muskoka Hotel, a 1901 landmark known for its high-society clientele, this year-round resort is committed to providing authentic Muskoka experiences along with the glitz. You’ll see plenty of Lamborghinis, Hollywood A-listers and million-dollar views, but the new buzz is more about fish than celebrities.

“Sports fishing is one of the best-kept secrets of the Muskokas,” says Dan Arcand, owner of Muskoka Sports & Recreation, as he baits my hook for a cast in Boathouse Bay. Arcand hails from Lake Nipissing, which gives him instant angler street cred. While I don’t catch any of the arms-length northern pikes he talks about, I’m perfectly happy. This isn’t one of the leaky 14-foot aluminum boats of my past. I lounge on a white leather settee while a powerful engine whisks me back to the resort in time for a spa treatment. At Spa Rosseau, I lose myself in a botanical-infused facial that’s as relaxing as a calm day on the lake.

Next stop is Touchstone on Lake Muskoka. Built on the former site of Aston Beach Resort and Tamwood Lodge, Touchstone does the Grand Resort revival well. Soaring buildings hug the rocky landscape, and haute decor includes skylights, polished granite and sleek furnishings. Villas have ample space for the family or celebrity with an entourage.

Instead of doing a cannonball off the dock, I float on my back in the infinity pool (Muskoka’s first) and look up at the night sky through the top of a 100-year-old long needle pine. For all its high style, the new Muskoka captures the essence of northern cottage country perfectly.

(Michele Peterson is a Toronto-based writer who grew up in the northern mining town of Flin Flon, Manitoba, where Muskoka is considered the Deep South.)


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