Anyone who€™s spent any time frequenting ski hills knows that the food is never the draw. But when Mike and Shelley Adams took over Nelson€™s Whitewater Ski Resort in the late '80s, Shelley made it her mission to transform the Fresh Tracks Cafe into more than just the usual on-hill stop. She started with fresh ingredients and homey yet elevated cooking€”and soon a phenomenon was born. Her first cookbook came out in 2007 and it was an instant classic.

READ MORE: Is Nelson’s Whitewater the Greatest Ski Resort You’ve Never Been To?

Now, on the publication of cookbook #5, Whitewater Cooks: Together Again, she continues with the themes that made Fresh Tracks the most legendary eatery in all of skiing.

5 Comfort Food Recipes Perfect for Après Ski from Shelley Adams of Whitewater Cooks

Words by Shelley Adams.

1. Braised Moroccan-Style Garlicky Short Ribs

This comfy make-ahead dish has a very easy preparation. You could serve these ribs right out of the pot with the veggies and garlic still in there€”it€™s equally as spectacular as plating them, but just a little more rustic. READ MORE ‡’

2. Tomato and Olive Tarte Tatin

My son, Conner, was home for the first four and a half months of the pandemic and he cooked us so many delicious things! One day he said, €œI have a little tomato treat for you guys before dinner tonight.€ It was the most beautiful and delicious tomato and olive tarte made with flaky puff pastry in the tatin style. We loved it, and you will too. READ MORE ‡’

3. Warm Roasted Potato Salad with Wilted Kale and Creamy Tahini Dressing

The barely wilted kale added to these hot little potatoes is such a treat. It€™s a great warm salad served at room temperature, but also excellent as a side dish for any dinner. READ MORE ‡’

4. Roasted Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Seed Spiced Butter

Eating this squash reminds me of eating dessert with dinner! Serve it with something plain like roasted chicken or lamb chops and you'll see what I mean. You could use any kind of squash and switch up the seeds, but the main thing is the browned butter with the spices and the bed of yogurt it€™s nestled into. The combination of the flavourful butter and yogurt is to die for! READ MORE ‡’

5. Italian Nonna Ricotta Cake

Only a true Italian nonna could produce a cake with such a simple list of ingredients. It€™s light and airy but also rich and flavourful. It would be delicious with some stewed rhubarb or fresh raspberries, or served for breakfast with a really good espresso. READ MORE ‡’

Recipes excerpted from Whitewater Cooks: Together Again by Shelley Adams. Copyright © 2021. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.